Chapter 5
Guardian Compound, Earth Realm
“Why the fuck do I smell hellhound on this bastard?” Wisps of smoke came out with Drake’s every word, emerald dragon eyes flashing with anger. The Guardian leader’s longish blond hair moved at his clenched jaw and shoulders as he glared at him. Uri had known the seven-foot-tall Demi-God son of Aphrodite was going to be pissed off. Drake hated being kept in the dark about anything.
Uri stood just outside Tank Top’s holding cell with Gregoire, Drake, and another brother, Jax. The possessed lay still on his small cot; a toilet and sink were the only other things in the tiny space. The possessed’s eyes were open, but he wasn’t moving. Uri couldn’t help grinning at the fact that Tank Top’s eyes were open, but he obviously still couldn’t move. Hellhound venom packed quite the punch.
He finally answered, “Because I had a hellhound with me.”
The room grew completely silent at that revelation.
Jax cocked a dark brow and smirked as he moved into the cell and poked Tank Top’s leg with one boot. “I probably don’t want to know the rest, but this I fucking like. The guy’s totally down for the count.” Jax, an Ailouros, or half feline Immortal of the tiger variety, was one of the most talkative of the Guardians. At the moment the big warrior was grinning like an idiot, his bright blue eyes glinting with amusement. The dark-haired male crossed his arms over a black tee with a chopper motorcycle printed on the front as he awaited more from Uri. They were all waiting for more.
War room. Now! Uri knew Drake’s words echoed in all their minds, not just his. More plumes of smoke flowed around the dragon and filtered through Uri’s lungs. The room in question was upstairs. They were in a lower level of the Guardians’ stone compound built into the mountains in Idaho, Earth. The whole place had been fortified with metal, preventing anyone from directly teleporting in or out. The above floors housed fifteen suites for the Guardians’ convenience. Drake didn’t believe in overkill.
He didn’t know many brethren that slept in the rooms there. He had his own place in Earth Realm, and there was an even bigger Guardian compound in Tetartos with even more suites if he needed to sleep there for some reason.
He ran a hand through the back of his hair as he walked. He’d stayed in the mortal Realm every damned night since the start of his obsession with a certain Goddess in Earth.
After filing up the staircase, they made it through two metal doors secured by voice scanners keyed only to the Guardians’ vocals and entered the high-tech war room. It was well equipped, with computer stations surrounded by dark walls. Low lighting showcased digital screens displaying maps of locations they’d patrolled recently and areas showing more possessed activity.
Conn was already seated at the conference table, the Lykos warrior’s body was clad in his usual flannel, sleeves rolled up, showing tattooed arms. The brown-haired half wolf leaned forward, clicking at his laptop, a black piercing glittered over one amber eye as he looked up curiously.
Once inside, Uri, Gregoire and Jax dropped into oversized office chairs surrounding the huge solid wood table they used for meetings. Drake continued to stand facing Uri.
“Speak! And it had better be damned good!”
“I was attacked by three possessed.” Which was information he’d already shared. He was stalling. “I had to bail before I could get the syringe because I broke one of the bastards’ wrists.” He took a breath. “I appear to have been targeted for some reason, seeing as I was in an unpopulated area, not their usual locale.” It didn’t make sense. This was fucked-up news, the possessed had always seemed chaotic in their attacks before, but a syringe? That took planning.
Drake stood with his arms crossed over his chest, smoke still filtering from his lips. A sign that the dragon was not fucking happy. “Get to the part that has to do with hellhounds on Earth.”
“Not multiple, one hellhound, and he’s here because I brought him.” Uri waited for it… His brothers just raised their eyebrows, Gregoire included.
“Are. You. Fucking. Kidding. Me? This better be your idea of a fucking joke.” The contents of the room shook with the power of Drake’s bellow, as Conn put his laptop screen down and moved it to the center of the table while telekinetically turning up the superpowered exhaust fans installed in every room. A necessity for any location Drake inhabited. The smoke billowing from Drake’s scowling lips started filtering up through the vents overhead.
Drake was too silent and his green eyes were flashing as he waited, demanding an explanation.
“I saved the pup in Hell Realm a couple months ago. There was every chance I was going to have to kill him if he turned out to be evil. I planned to tell you before the meeting tomorrow.” Uri dragged his hand through the back of his hair again, knowing it sounded crazy. That he sounded like he’d lost his mind. “The pup had just been born; his mother was dragon food and the beast almost took the pup as an after-dinner mint. He was newborn, untainted by Tria blood bond. Each day I thought he’d go bad, but he didn’t.” Uri then bit out the rest. “I blood-bonded with him to keep control of him when I was on shift.” He was met with silence, so he stretched his legs out and continued, “The pup instinctually hunts those with tainted souls.”
“Wanna tell me how you know that?” Drake growled. The tension in the air was thick.
“He needs to hunt.” Uri breathed out. “I haven’t let him kill anyone, and I don’t suffer when he mildly injures a human.” He’d wondered about that since they were blood-bonded, but the Creators curse hadn’t extended from his blood to the animal. “Havoc somehow siphons off evil from the humans he hunts. My guess is he can metabolize the darkness without it draining into him. He seems to have no interest in those humans with neutral or pure auras.”
Jax finally came out of his shock. “Shit, a Guardian with a hellhound for a pet. That’s fucking hilarious.”
“Shut the fuck up, Jax!” Drake bit out before he pinned Uri with a furious glare. “You brought a hell beast into the mortal Realm? Then you went out walking him?” Every word was spoken slowly. A challenge as Drake finished, “You have to be fucking with me, because if you’re not, the mats are not big enough for the ass-kicking you will be getting for this.”
Uri nodded. He deserved the ass-kicking. “I’m not kidding.”
More smoke billowed. “When this is done, you and I are going to have a little time together. Are you sure the possessed didn’t track the beast? And what the hell have you done about the fucking humans seeing him?” Drake shook his head. “Fuck, I can’t believe I even have to have this conversation. You know better than this shit.”
“I’ve altered the memories of any human that has seen him… My guess is the possessed were after me. Havoc has no contact with Hell Realm. There is no bond between the hound and the Tria. I’m not sure if the demons could somehow be drawn to him…” He looked to Sirena, who had silently entered as Drake was chewing his ass.
His petite sister Guardian’s eyes glittered with excitement mixed with incredulity at what he’d done. Her pale blond retro-style ponytail moved around one shoulder with her nod. “It’s a possibility.”
Uri continued, “The syringe, along with their initial focus, seemed to be intent on me. The asshole was set to use it on Havoc, but it seemed more as a last resort. The possessed haven’t ever seemed more than an irritating rash; I don’t like that they seem focused now.”
“Neither do I,” Drake ground out.
Uri leaned his chair back. “Havoc held his own trying to protect my ass. He took down that piece of shit in holding, and he had another down. If I hadn’t been forced to get us out of there after breaking one of the bastards’ wrists, who knows? He’s proven to be an asset, and if he is drawing possessed, that could be a damned good advantage. For once we might actually get the upper hand.” Looking to Jax and Gregoire, he added, “I don’t suppose I was lucky and the others dropped that syringe for you to recover? I’d like to know what the hell was in it.”
“I tracked them down the hill while Jax got princess down there all cinched up and transported. Lost their scent at the wooded parking area at the bottom. No syringe that I found… although it’s not a bad idea to go check again for evidence,” Gregoire said in his usual monotone. Gregoire showed no outward sign he was pissed that Uri hadn’t clued him in about his houseguest.
“So do I even ask what the fuck you were thinking to bring a fucking hellhound to this Realm?” Drake asked.
“I live here. He was under control. I wouldn’t have let him do damage. Yeah, I screwed up. I’ll own it. But I’ll say it again, the hound proved damn useful tonight.”
Drake appeared to process what Uri said, and probably what he hadn’t.
They all sat silently before Conn spoke. “I, for one, would pay money to see the little bastard put the hurt on a possessed. After all the shit they’ve given us through the centuries, it’d be nice to cause them a little pain.” His amber eyes glittered with anticipation.
“Hell yeahs,” filled the room, mostly from an exuberant Jax.
“We will deal with your fuckup after you interrogate the asshole in holding and you bring the beast in.” Drake was definitely not pleased as he added, “I will evaluate the animal myself, and Sirena will check him when I’m done.” Drake looked at Sirena, who nodded. After a moment she was lost in thought, most likely calculating all the possibilities of having a hell beast that wasn’t tainted with Tria blood. You could almost see her mind working behind those bright violet eyes.
Drake changed focus. “Jax, Gregoire, go back and look for that syringe again.” Then Drake headed for the door, indicating they were done.
All grunted assent. As the others got up to leave, Gregoire moved to Uri. He waited.
Gregoire asked, “You said the pup’s mother was killed by a dragon?”
He nodded.
As if Gregoire knew what he was thinking, he said, “We’re good. It’s not like I don’t have my own secrets. You want some advice? Make sure you have a tight hold on the hound’s bond when he meets Drake. The beast may remember the smell of dragon.” His brother nodded as he headed in the opposite direction.
“Fuck.” Uri growled, appreciating the warning. He rolled his shoulders, ready to go deal with Tank Top. He hated diving into the mind of a possessed, knowing that whatever he was about to see wasn’t going to be good.