***Eliana***

 

What the hell? Where am I? I push myself off the mattress and glance around the room. Nope, I’ve never been here before, that’s for sure. Closing my eyes, I try to focus and remember the last thing that happened. How did I get here? Alastair. That big freaking, two headed…he blew a puff of steam in my face.

What was it? Some kind of sandman, here comes the sleep thing? Ugh. I have to remember to ask my sister, Velma. Never mind, I’ll call her right now. She’s the reason I know some of these weird, paranormal things. That’s her world, not mine. She’s a…shit, panic fills me and I glance down. Some of my fear ebbs away when I see I’m still dressed in the same clothes as I was before I ended up here. I’m thankful for that.

Digging through my pants pocket, I grab my phone. “Some kidnapers they are,” I mumble and snort. Damn fools to let their prisoners keep their phones.

Tapping it a few times, I wait and hear her pick up. Saving time, I get straight to the point. “Next time we talk I want to know about every single being you’ve run into, because you left out a few details when you told me all about the paranormal world, sis. What are the ones covered in black fur with red flames dancing around them? Red and black, Velma, not blue and white. And what’s up with blowing steam in the face that knocks you out?”

“Eliana, where are you? What happened? Are they close? Did they take you? Are you feeling okay?” My sister’s voice doesn’t carry any worry. Instead she’s all business like, firing questions in rapid speed.

We’re only half-sisters but that’s just a technicality. Ever since Velma stumbled into my life a year ago, she’s been checking up on me almost every day. I’m older, well, by two months anyway. Same father, different moms, it’s complicated.

“To answer your questions…three times I have no clue, and yes to the last one.” I sigh, knowing I’ve disappointed her. “Oh, and there’s something else…”

“And that would be?” she asks, matter-of-factly.

“The one with the black fur, the dancing red flames dude…well he might have…” shit. It’s like I’m coming clean to my mom or something. So I mutter, “He might have bit me.”

Okay, now I’m holding the phone at arm’s length. That’s how hard she’s yelling at me. I wait until I don’t hear any sound coming out of the phone and put it back against my ear.

“Eliana.” Velma sighs. “Please tell me he didn’t put his teeth near your neck area.”

“Ooookay, so I won’t tell you then.” I couldn’t help it. I still don’t know why I let my head fall to the side, surrendering to the feeling of righteousness being engulfed by him. In his arms, like I belonged there.

Curses spill from my sister’s mouth, bringing me out of my thoughts. “Did you bite him too? Shit, Eliana.”

“I’m not the sister with fangs, remember? I’m nothing special,” I mutter as I glance around the room. I see a door and gently try to open it. “Just found a bathroom.”

“Is there a window? Can you see how far up you are? Anything?” My sister rambles on. “Eliana, be serious and answer me this…did you get any of his blood inside you?”

“Uhmmm ieeuuuwww. No.” And that’s not going to change any time soon. Did you get his blood…shit, he took mine, right? When he…

“Suck it up, buttercup. For real, because from what you just told me, you won’t have a choice.” Velma snickers. “He claimed you. And believe me when I say that I will get in your face, and his. Ugh, dammit, talk about insanity. I mean, how the hell could this have happened? When did you guys meet? Him claiming you means you’re his true mate, Eliana. The exchange of blood will seal the deal, you guys will be linked forever to one another. This can’t be true, tell me you’re making this up. A Hellhound, Eliana! A damn Hellhound! You shouldn’t be dragged into my world, well…not more than the toe you have dabbed in there already. Shit, how did your ass land all the way in there, huh?” She finally stops rambling.

That toe I have dabbed into the paranormal world? That would be the bloodline I share with her, same father and all…but my mother was human. Like me. I can’t turn into something else and I don’t have any powers that I’m aware of.

“I was done with my last shift and when I walked out and head for the train station. When I got there, there was this drunk and he tried to…well, let’s just say we had a discussion about what was never going to happen. Stupid drunk, oversexed maniac. Then he got mad and…next thing I know I had this gut feeling that there were people behind me, so I glanced back and saw these two dudes. They were wearing leather cuts like dad’s MC. So I thought, here comes the reapers to help me out, right? Except…they were different from what you’ve showed me and told me.” I sigh and walk back into the room and sit my ass down on the bed.

Then I realize I’m in someone else’s room and there might be cooties. Yikes. Jumping off, I pat down my tight black jeans and zip up my hoodie some more. Then I notice another door on the other side of the room.

Did I mention the room is rather boring? As in there’s only a bed, a closet, and a TV on the wall. Everything from the floor, walls, and ceiling is wood. Gently, I open the door which leads to a hallway.

“That’s because they’re from the Hell Charter, silly!” Velma sighs. “You are so freaking screwed. Seriously, dad is going to flip if he ever finds out. Even if you guys don’t have any contact…he will still flip. But there’s nothing you, me, or him can do now. Maybe…”

“Maybe, what?” I whisper while I slowly tiptoe through the hallway to find a way out of here.

“Maybe the blood link from one side will wear off? Dammit, I don’t know. Our kind aren’t supposed to mix, never even heard about it happening either. But you’re not a pure-blood. I have to ask around to be sure. Just don’t swallow anything that comes from that guy, okay?” Velma orders before her voice turns into a slighter happy tone. “Gotcha, sis. The tracker on your phone still works. Hang tight, I’ll be there in ten minutes tops.”

“Sure thing. See you soon.” I end the conversation and slide the phone back into my pocket.

Okay, the ‘you’re not a pure-blood’ comment hurt. Although I know she didn’t mean anything by it. She never treats me differently, unlike our asshole of a father. In fact, she’s the only family I have left, and the only person on this earth who matters to me.

I don’t have time to wallow in self-pity. I need to focus on my surroundings. Before I tucked my cell away, I saw what time it was. It’s so weird, because it’s only an hour after my shift ended. Then the incident at the station happened, so that means I was out for like what? Twenty minutes give or take?

At the end of the hall there are murmurs coming from the open space in front of me. I need to be more than quiet. My sister has enhanced hearing and can hear anything, so these guys probably can too.

There’s no way I’m going to slide out of here unnoticed if the only exit is through the space in front of me. There are tables to the left and right occupied by massive guys. One is shaved bald and has tattoos all over his face. Another guy has hair so long it’s hanging over onto the table in front of him. They all look so different but they all look tough, have muscles, and appear ready to kick ass at any time.

Oh, and all of them are wearing a leather cut saying Death by Reaper MC. When I squint my eyes I can read the part underneath, what I missed the first time; Hell Charter. Holy freaking shit. Me and my stupid brain. Hellhounds. Hello. That’s why my sister was freaking out.

Dammit. I am absolutely…

“You’re up early.” I remember that voice from earlier. That’s Os’ voice coming from behind me.

Screwed.

Uh huh, royally screwed, that’s me. “Yeah, well...that’s because I was in the wrong bed, and most definitely in the wrong place. I’m going home. So if you would excuse me...”

There’s a loud whistle from Os before his voice booms. “Prez. Your woman is on the run.”

I mentioned that I was royally screwed, right? Yeah...good thing I can sense my sister is close. Don’t ask. It’s weird and I can’t explain it, it’s a gut feeling.

Spinning around, I poke the mutt in the pecs. “You, are very annoying.”

There’s an arm sneaking around my waist and I’m being pulled against a hard chest. Oh, shit...here we go again. Seriously, the second this man touches me it’s like I’m flaming up on the inside, every cell in my body melting. It’s like he’s made for me, to save me, catch me, comfort me, protect me, anything as long as it concerns me.

Without thinking I turn in his embrace. I gaze up in his deep, dark eyes that display a longing for me. His lips close in and before I know it, my back hits the wall, my legs surround his waist, and my ankles lock to keep him close. I never want to let him go.

He crashes his mouth against mine and growls, that’s the moment I bite his lip. Our kiss becomes a hunger while his taste intensifies by his blood on my tongue, exploding into endless lust for each other by the both of us. Somewhere in the back of my mind I hear glass shattering. Alastair breaks the connection of our bodies devouring each other.

“Fuck. Incoming. I got this, Prez,” Os throws over his shoulder as I watch how a ball of flames swallows him midair until he touches the floor with his front paws; a Hellhound in full glory.

Alastair tries to shove me behind him, but right before this action, I see a white glimpse, the Hellhound is heading straight for it.

“Nooooooo,” I yell as I worm myself out of Alastair’s grip and manage to run forward and stand in between the two beasts who are now circling each other.

One white, one black. The white one doesn’t have the red fire misting around the fur, nope, it’s blue fire. While the Hellhound looks ferocious, this white one is more like a serene version of it. It’s the same size as the black one, don’t get me wrong…but the white one has more of a ‘wow’ factor while the Hellhound has a ‘run like hell’ factor.

“Come here, gorgeous. Get out of the damn danger zone.” Alastair’s voice is both worried and determined, ordering me with a hand gesture to come to him.

I shake my head and point at Os. “Call him off.”

Alastair’s eyebrows shoot toward the ceiling before he growls, “Come here.”

Both anger and despair fill me. My hands clench into fists. “No,” I snap, and with that a shockwave blasts through the room with me in the center of it.

Everybody lands on their asses, the two beasts scramble to their paws.

There’s a bright blue flash before my sister’s voice booms through the room. “I talked to you less than ten minutes ago and you managed to seal the mating? And don’t deny it because I can damn well sense the power of the shockwave coming from you, and…”

Os steps closer to my sister. “Who are you?”

“Screw you.” My sister almost bites his head off with those two words.

“Oh, sweetheart, lead the way and I’ll give you the screwing of a lifetime,” Os purrs.

My sister’s eyes flare bright blue. Not good, not good at all.

“Alastair, make Os stand down. He’s taunting my sister and she’s seconds away from detonating.” My demand seems to push Alastair into action.

He steps up in between them and holds his palm up to Os. “Stand down,” he snaps while his gaze finds mine. “Sister?” he questions.

I shrug. “Half-sister actually, but we don’t do things half way, so that’s just a minor technicality.”

“Fuck. No wonder I couldn’t get a full read on you. You’re tainted,” the asshole formerly known as Alastair mutters.

Tainted? I’m tainted? What the hell? “Oh, that’s just great. You know what? I’ll make this easy for all of us.” I grab my sister by the hand. “Thank you for saving me from that drunk at the station earlier tonight, but we’ll be going. Me and my tainted ass are going to walk out of here before you do get a good read on me and discover just how awesome I am and you completely missed out.” Okay that last part I growled, but the asshole has me all pissed.

He’s acting nothing like he did before, back when he made me feel all special. Suddenly he makes it come across like I’m a worthless piece of tainted...

“Don’t fucking finish that sentence, gorgeous,” Alastair growls. “You wouldn’t like the punishment I have planned for anyone who degrades another person, even when you’re the subject of your own bullying.”

“Anyone who degrades another person.” Look who’s talking. I roll my eyes at the idiot. Wait... the subject of your own bullying? I pin him with a deadly glare and speak my thoughts in my head. “You’re able to hear my thoughts?”

There’s a freaking smirk on his face. His mouth doesn’t move but I hear his voice clearly in my head. “Yeah, gorgeous. We’re mated, that also means we’re telepathically connected. Leaving isn’t an option. I can, and will, find you wherever you are in this world, same goes for you. All you have to do is think of me and you will automatically sense where I am.”

“Quit babbling in your heads,” my sister snaps. “Throw it out in the open because I won’t have you influencing my sister any more than you already have.”

“There’s nothing to fucking influence. She’s mine. I knew the instant her scent entered my nose,” Alastair growls.

“Great,” I mutter. “Must have been the tainted part that spiked your attention.”

He’s in my face with my next breath, his fingers around my throat and his eyes flaming. Not the kind where you see lust swirling, nope…the kind with actual flames. That’s somehow weirdly impressive if you ask me. Shit. It’s clearly his anger rising and here I am thinking it’s pretty damn sexy.

“Didn’t we just have an understanding about bullying? Even if you’re degrading yourself? Quit being stuck on the tainted part. I only mentioned it because your scent wasn’t like any other human. It was different, it had a twist, another element, something I couldn’t get a full read on.” Alastair’s growling words rumble through his chest. “I can always filter out what stands before me, human, paranormal…except…I caught a hint and it blindsighted me, it wasn’t pure.” His chin points in the direction of my sister before it’s facing me again. “Not like a Guardian, but very different.”

“Well then you should have said that, don’t you think? And for real…asking gets you to the direction you want to go. Making assumptions or ignoring and shoving stuff away will only taint your brain. Lesson learned, Hellhound?” Out of breath, that’s me. Not because his fingers are tightening around my throat, nope…because the flames in his eyes are intensifying.

I lose the connection with his gaze when he inches closer and brings his mouth next to my ear. “I’ll be sure to give you a lesson in return later on, Eliana.”

Hmmm. Why wait when we can run to your room right now? I purr inside my head, because just the thought of this man…

Before I can finish my thoughts, I’m hauled over his shoulder while he’s walking into the direction of the hallway. “Os, keep her sister happy. I need to handle something.” For a moment I feel his body freeze before he swirls around. “Not that way, fucker,” Alastair growls before we disappear into the hallway, for what I’m guessing, is his room.

Damn…I love this telepathically connected thing already.