Infernal Bonds (28 page)

Lysander pulled me close to him. “Do not give in, mistress. We will not be beaten so easily.”

I breathed in the scent of him. We had no choice. We would not fail the city. It was our home, and we weren’t beaten yet.
 

“You started without us, that wasn’t very friendly,” a deep growling voice called from behind me.

I turned, recognising the voice. I almost felt a twinge of guilt when I saw the mangled mess of Felix’s face. I’d thrown wolfsbane in the lycan’s face during a fight when I was looking for Quin; the fact he had his sight was a miracle. He must have worked with a very talented witch to patch up his face into the lumpy state it was. His amber eyes were clear and useful, though; the scar tissue covered his cheekbones and clustered his brow. He grinned at me, a broad toothy expression accompanied by a yellow flash in his eyes.
 

“We heard there was a fight, we’ve come to join the fun,” he said.

I peered behind him into the darkness; he must have brought at least thirty other lycans with him. A thread of hope dared to form in my chest. Maybe we had a small chance after all. Felix bowed low; the other lycans quickly followed him and bowed too.
 

“What are your commands, Evelyn?”

I stood a little taller and put my shoulders back. “Kill all witches and demons. There can be no survivors. All fae and humans are with us, leave them unharmed,” I said as calmly as I could manage, given the adrenaline that was flooding my system.
 

Felix stood tall and flexed his hands, black claws growing out of his fingertips while his face shimmered and his jaw started to elongate.
 

“You hear that, boys? Let’s have some fun!” he shouted.
 

They each threw their heads back and howled, a deafening and exhilarating sound. With that, the area was filled with the sound of cracking bones and tearing flesh. The broad-shouldered, muscular men and women that had stood before me were now grey-furred, sharp-fanged monsters. Lycans. Aggressive wolf-men with more strength than both species combined. Felix flashed me a grin before he dropped onto all fours and ran into the fray. I couldn’t help but be caught up in their excitement. A fresh flood of energy surged through me, the sensation that we could do this. I ran after them with Lysander at my side.
 

The lycans tore through the demons and witches as though they were nothing more than deer. I watched dumbstruck as three lycans jumped onto a nine-foot tall demon and tore into it. Chunks of muscle and flesh flew across the space as the demon screamed. Its arms flailed uselessly for only seconds before another lycan tore them off while the beast’s packmate ripped its throat open. Everyone cheered. The hunters grinned and launched themselves at the smaller demons that cautiously emerged from the hole closer to them. The witches began to retreat, wide-eyed and fearful. The rise in spirits was almost palpable. Everyone pushed harder, more energy flooding through our muscles as we fought side by side with the lycans.
 

We were coated in blood. I stank of demon when the priestesses and priests showed up. It clung to my clothes and filled my hair. A slender young priest paused mid-step and looked me up and down before he cast a look around the maelstrom that was the square.
 

Elise ran up to me and pulled me into a tight hug. “Oh, Evie! We’ve cleansed the nodes, we can close the hellmouth now.”

I held onto her upper arms and looked into her face.
 

“What do you need?” I asked.

She breathed in through her nose and looked over her shoulder to the cathedral.
 

“I need space to do the ritual in front of the cathedral,” she said.

Lysander and Kadrix came to my side.
 

“You heard the woman. Arrange some people. Let’s get this done,” I said firmly.
 

Lysander jogged over to a small group of fae and said something to them; one of them shouted at some hunters. They marched over to us and stood before Elise. She grinned at us. This was the final step. We escorted her to the front of the cathedral, where we formed a barrier between her and the rest of the chaos. Nothing would get through to her. The priests and priestesses stood with us, each in robes and most with oddly-coloured make-up. The demons must have sensed what was going on. A collection of imps ran at us. The remaining redcaps cut them off and tore them apart with their bare hands. Their caps were dripping blood, their faces smeared in it; they were in their element. It was the first time I was glad to have the vicious little shits nearby.
 

The air began to vibrate behind us. The demons all paused and looked in our direction. I braced myself, preparing for the final push. My blades hummed in my hands, a soothing song that echoed in my ears. Lysander was at my side, Quin on the other; I was in the best possible company. The lycans dragged a demon down to the ground and ripped him to shreds, but two more still ran at us. The remaining hunters surrounded one, hacking at it. A smaller dark-haired hunter went flying; his limp body crumbled against the wall of the government building.
 

Three smaller demons with scorched orange skin and small twisted horns rushed us, their heads down, ready to impale us with the horns or at least make a hole between us. We stood firm. Two of the priestesses to my right stepped forward with blades made of pure white light. One of them cut the horns clean off one, removing its primary defences. It roared and rushed us once more; we cut it to ribbons without breaking the line. The vibration in the air increased, sending shivers through my body; the temperature plummeted around us. More demons roared and pushed up through the pits. The lycans joined with some Sidhe to take one down, but more still came at us.
 

We worked as a clean unit. I hadn’t met most of the group, but still we were a unified team, our blades working as one. None would get through us. The city was ours.
 

The remaining fae and hunters began to gather around us, increasing the defences between the remaining demons and Elise. The hope was contagious. I didn’t dare look to see what Elise was doing. A flash of bright white light blinded me momentarily; the demons all stopped dead in their tracks; their eyes widened before they doubled their efforts to break through and reach her. The witches had all been killed. Their screams were satisfying after everything we’d been through. An intense humming rumbled through the air. It was quickly followed by a quick-paced chant in a tongue I’d never heard before. The ground began vibrating; the demons wailed and threw themselves against us. One of the priestesses was thrown aside as though nothing more than a rag-doll. A hunter and a Sidhe stepped into her place and sliced open the stomach of the demon who dared try and break through.
 

The lycans moved in around the back of the demons, some of them standing guard over the holes. We were making progress. We could see their numbers reducing. The chanting increased in tempo and volume; the priests and priestesses joined in the chanting, all of them beginning to glow a silver white. Still we fought, our blades slicing through the thick hide of the demons as they fought fiercely, pushed on by the knowledge that this would be their last chance. One tried to run. The lycans were on it within moments, dragging it back into the square as it howled and thrashed. One lycan screamed when it was gutted; two more jumped on the demon to avenge their fallen packmate. The demon died an agonising death when the lycans tore the skin from its body, taking their time ripping its muscles apart before they dragged out its innards and sprawled them out around it.
 

Redcaps swarmed another demon that threatened to charge the line. It was dragged down to the ground. Nothing remained but a heap of blood and mangled flesh by the time the redcaps moved away. Bright white light filled the square; a silver light crept out over the ground. The floor rumbled and shivered below us. Demons wailed as the pits began to close. Slowly, the brown stone moved forwards, shrinking the holes and blocking access to any fresh demons. Brawny arms thrust upwards and tried to crack the stone; it was to no avail. It was done.
 

The pits were all closed, solidified. No more demons could enter our world. That left us with the ones we had remaining. The priests and priestesses all took a step back, while the rest of us pushed forward. It was a silent decision made between the group. I gripped my blades tighter and ran at the closest demon, a ten-foot tall monster with two sets of horns that curled around the back of its head. It stood naked with black scaled skin and yellow teeth revealed by a gaping thin-lipped grin. We surrounded it, Lysander on my left, Quin on my right. Hunters and Sidhe moving around the side of it. Together, as a united front, we approached it. It lashed out with long arms and razor sharp claws; the hunters hacked at each hand and arm with their blades. They bounced off and did nothing more than make the demon laugh.
 

The hunters rushed towards it, screaming. The demon laughed once more and went to swat them away; they ducked and ran between its legs while Quin, Kadrix, Lysander and I all ran at it with our blades. Kadrix and Lysander scaled its legs as though it were nothing more than a shallow slope. Quin and I hacked at the heavy muscles and tendons around its knees. Its scream was almost deafening. It tried to stamp on us. Its feet, larger than my sofa, almost crashed down on my head; I rolled to the side in barely enough time. Lysander and Kadrix proceeded to hack at its chest and neck. Enraged, it swatted at them; Quin and I dove in once more, hacking at its knees, forcing it down to a kneeling position. Lysander landed on his back on the stone. His pain sliced through the back of my mind. I focused on the task at hand while I watched him from the corner of my eye. The Sidhe hacked at its arms and wrists, stopping it from hitting the rest of us while Quin and I plunged our blades deep into its stomach. Kadrix scaled its great neck and hung off one of its horns to thrust his blades deep into its eye. It bellowed and screamed. It lurched forwards. I took my chance and sliced its throat.
 

It fell forwards with an almighty crash. Dead. A great cheer went up around the square. It was over. We’d won.
 

I knelt at Lysander’s shoulder and cradled his head on my lap, tenderly stroking his hair while he recovered. His breathing was shallow and his eyes closed, but his heartbeat remained strong. The immense pain he was suffering echoed in the back of my mind, but I knew he would heal himself. He had to.
 

I leaned down over him and whispered, “You promised me, hound. I will not lose you.”

I wasn’t the only one knelt by injured members of our party. Quin held Kadrix close as the elf rested his head on Quin’s shoulder; priestesses and priests bustled around Elise. A glance to the east showed Matyas bowed over Viktor. There was too much blood. I made a mental note to pass on my condolences. The lycans howled, a sorrowful mourning call to the new morning. We’d lost a lot through the battle, but we had won. The city was ours once more.
 

Lysander stirred, his eyes opened and a smile spread across his lips. “You chose to keep me.”

I smiled and whispered, “Was there ever any doubt?”

His lips brushed over my ear. “No, but I had to let you think there was.”

I continued to stroke his hair as his breathing deepened and the pain lessened. He was my hound. I didn’t choose him, but he was mine, and I swore to keep him safe.
 

A great cheer went up for Elise when she stood. Her cheeks turned bright pink under the smudged white make-up. She held her hands up for silence; everyone crowded around her.
 

“We did this together. This is our city, and long may it stay that way.”

Another cheer went up; the lycans yipped and howled. Happiness and glee washed over the survivors, pausing the grief and mourning for a few minutes, at least. There were no arguments or rivalries: lycans grinned at redcaps, Sidhe gave small nods to the hunters. It wouldn’t last, but I revelled in it while it did. Once everyone had moved away some, we, Lysander and I, pushed through the remaining people to reach Elise. Quin and Kadrix already stood with her. Quin and Elise pulled me into a tight hug that threatened to squeeze the breath from my lungs; Lysander and Kadrix joined the mix and made sure I couldn’t breathe. I held Elise tight; pride for her, for having her as my best friend, brought tears to my eyes. The emotion of everything, the past few days, welled up. I couldn’t hold it back. We held each other, tears flooding down our cheeks.
 

We collected ourselves and turned to face the men.
 

I sighed, “We’ll need a clean-up crew or ten, and a story for the humans.”

Azfin waved his hand. “The Sidhe are working on a memory matrix, the humans will believe it was all part of the filming for a movie.”