JOSS

Man, today is a headfuck.

Literally, because teleporting into the centre of a popular tourist spot made my brain feel as if it's been slammed back and forth against my skull.

So a brisk walk in the November cold, freezing my ears and balls off isn't helpful. We set off towards the National Park's visitor centre, fortunate we were dressed for cold weather and a quick getaway thanks to our rudely-cut-short meeting with Ripley and co.

I've barely had time to think about this since, the last hour felt like a lifetime, a world away from unnatural alliances. Seth’s words about angels and demons ring in my ears, and however hard I try to tell myself he spun us a story, the broken memories inside my head tell me otherwise.

Now, more than ever, I believe I’ve come from Hell. But where is that? One of the other portals?

We don’t mention Seth. His change in personality shouldn’t have been a shock, but his inane and childish behaviour was.

"What do you think happened to the dog?" asks Vee.

I shake myself out of my thoughts. Vee links her arms through both of ours, side by side; I expected her to be damaged or exhausted after she closed the portal, but Vee's her bright self. Her new self. Yes, she's the same Vee, but I sense a difference in her, a new heat from her skin and a power within stronger than before. What did Logan mean about her being pure magic? That's nonsensical. She's a living, breathing girl. I couldn't be in love with someone who had no heart.

My physical need for Vee has multiplied to an uncomfortable, obsessive level. Her touch has always sparked desire that shot through my veins and enthralled me, and now that beauty and desirability drives me to distraction when all I’m doing is breathing the same air. Is this the same for the others? Xander went straight to her last night, and Ewan kept her close too.

I don't doubt whatever power she now contains engulfs us all.

If Vee drops one hint that she wants me, I'm there and not holding back. This worries me, because all along I've fought and controlled the lust in an attempt to stay loving and attentive. The deeper, primal Joss wants her hard and fast, under my control for once.

I swallow and look upwards, focusing on the sky and not images of me smacking Vee's bare ass.

Fuck, Joss.

"Do you think we should? I'm not sure if things would get out of control. Someone might get hurt." Vee nudges me in the side. Shit. Is she a mind reader now too?

"What?" I ask hastily.

"The dog," says Ewan gruffly. "Vee wonders if we should catch it."

"That isn't a bloody dog!" I half-laugh. "Ten quid says that's a new brand of demon we've not met before."

Vee bites her lip. "I worry about what it might do to people. It's our fault the dog is here."

I snort. "Um. Seth's fault."

"Have you seen my hand?" Ewan stretches out his arm and a red welt covers the back. "If that's from the demon's saliva, imagine what his teeth and claws could do."

Vee takes his hand and looks down at it. "Ewan, you didn't say he hurt you!"

"It doesn't hurt." He pulls his fingers away and Vee grabs them again.

With a small smile, she lowers her mouth to the sore and places her lips on it while Ewan looks on in consternation.

I laugh. "You know Vee can always kiss things better."

Ewan looks at his hand as she lets go, and the frown deepens. He swipes a finger across his skin. "Literally."

"What?"

His hand is no longer red. Wow. I know we heal quickly, but not from a kiss or touch. Vee chews on her bottom lip. "I wanted to check it wasn't a coincidence?"

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Last night, I touched Ewan's bruises and they disappeared. Now this injury has too." Her eyes glint as she looks up at us. "Do you think this means I might be able to go further?"

"And resurrect?" I ask.

She nods vigorously and hugs us, one and then the other. "Yes. This must mean I have a healing power—maybe I can develop this to more?"

As we wrap our arms around her, I exchange a hopeful look with Ewan. No more death? No more visions... I blink them away as they encroach, the way they do almost hourly.

But we can’t be confident her powers would stretch that far.

My thoughts turn to our brief communication with a confused Xander and Heath. "What did Xander say in his text?" I ask Ewan.

"They’re driving back from Scotland now, but that’s hours. He’s trying to contact Syv to see if she’s in the area. I know she’s scouring the bigger museums currently. She might be in London."

"So a couple of hours away if she is and wants to help?" asks Vee.

After Seth’s words about her, I’m worried about Syv and bloody hope Xander can find her.

"Did you tell Xander what happened?" asks Vee.

"No. Not much. Just that we saw Seth and what happened with the portal." Ewan avoids my eyes. Not the story of God and angels.

"Probably a good idea to wait until he and Heath are back and we’re all home." Vee digs her hands in her pockets. "We can wait at the visitors centre and decide what to do."

The number of people milling around increases the closer we get to the Park's centre at the edge of the forest. Cars fill the car park, some with bike racks where suitably dressed people in helmets are pulling the bikes down to the ground, and a teacher counts a busload of kids climbing from inside. The cold pinches my cheeks, and I'm eager to get inside the building and wait for Syv.

My phone sounds and I look down at the message. "It's Syv. She wants us to meet her at a track a mile away. She’ll be an hour."

"For fuck's sake!" exclaims Ewan. "Why?"

"Who knows? Maybe she's avoiding public appearances." Ewan crosses his arms and pouts in a way that would give Elyssia a run for her money. "Or y'know, we can wait around for a bus or taxi, Ewan. Just feel fortunate she’s doing this for us."

This isn't the first time I've longed for a teleportation charm or spell. Seriously, being able to move from portal to portal easily makes so much bloody sense, but not to whoever put us here. Yeah, thanks for that.

"I don't know her well, but I'd hazard a guess Syv may be pissed off if she drove here and didn't find us."

I blow air into my cheeks. Vee's right. Of course. We need Syv on side, and here's the perfect opportunity for a chat.

I stride away, still holding Vee's hand, and Ewan's heavy footsteps soon follow. The forest becomes denser for a few hundred metres before thinning out towards a dirt track used as a service access point. A large, padlocked metal box is beneath a tree, with the park property stamp on the side. Tools for maintenance?

A beaten-up Jeep is parked beside it at the end of the rough track. Syv sits on the bonnet, arms hugging her knees as she watches us approach. Her long auburn hair is loose across her shoulders for once, giving her angular features a softer look. She's swapped leather for denim, but the jeans hug her legs just as tightly and end in the same heavy motorcycle boots. I guess she's always wary who she'll need to kick. She wears a padded green jacket and fingerless gloves, and in her hand twirls one of the curved daggers she favours.

I arch a brow and indicate the knife. "That's a friendly welcome."

"Oh." She looks at the weapon as if she forgot she's holding it. "Habit. Always playing with my toys." She shoves the dagger back inside her boot. "You took your bloody time."

"Busy day," replies Ewan before crossing to the car. "I don't want to hang around any longer than you do."

Syv twists her head around to watch Ewan as he reaches for the car door handle. "I wouldn't do that if I was—"

She's interrupted by a snarl and a loud thump as something throws itself against the rear passenger window.

Ewan steps back. "What the fuck?"

The window mists as a canine face presses against it, drool spreading across the window from the creature's slavering mouth.

"Is that...?" asks Vee, keeping her distance.

"I found him. Well, he found me." She cranes her head, unperturbed by the vicious snarling and barking. "Odd really, I didn't know anything like him existed in this world."

"What is it?" Vee asks.

"A demon. Not sure what. Canine." She giggles and says 'woof' at Ewan, whose face hardens. "I don't bloody know. He seemed friendly enough to me, so I thought I'd pick him up. I doubt the locals want to meet him."

"Friendly?" I choke. "He attacked us before, when he came through the portal."

Syv hops down from the car, snarky look evaporating. "What portal?"

"Seth opened one. Chaos. Has anybody mentioned Seth's a god intent on destroying the world? No?" Ewan's eyes harden. "Such as Breanna, who you're also working for?"

Syv's mouth falls open. "Whoa. What the...that's fucked up. I should chat to Col, see what he knows." She blinks. "Hang on, is there a fucking portal open? Where?"

"No. We closed it, but not before he ran out." Ewan jabs a finger at the still-snarling dog.

"Poor thing!" exclaims Syv.

"Excuse me?"

"He's trapped here, alone. I bet you scared the crap out of him."

"Oh yeah, look, he's terrified." Ewan points.

Syv tuts and shakes her head. "You obviously know nothing about dogs."

"That monster is not a fucking dog!" He gives a harsh laugh. "What are you going to do? Take it to the RSPCA?"

"No, I'll take him home. I bet he'd make a great guard dog."

"Are you serious?"

"I can't just leave Spot out here. He could attack humans." She smiles around at the dog. "Besides, he likes me."

"Spot?" Ewan and I ask in unison.

"Yes. So do you want a ride or what? I'm a busy girl."

"How are we supposed to get in your car if some creature from another realm, who clearly wants to kill, is in there?" Ewan points again.

Syv sighs and opens the car door.

"Fuuuuck." Ewan and I step back while Vee nervously joins us.

The dog jumps out and I stare as Syv scolds the animal for barking. It crouches at her feet, hackles up. "I'll put him in the back. You'll be fine."

She crosses to the car boot and lifts the door. The Jeep has a bar between the boot space and the back seats. "Coming or not?" asks Syv as she slams the door closed.

I eye the open passenger door, debating what to do. Vee mutters something about how she wants to get home and climbs in. Alarmed the dog might attack, I join her.

The car smells of stinking dog breath, and when I close the window I can't see anything through the mist on the pane. Ewan joins Syv in the front and we lapse into silence, besides the heavy panting and low growl from the creature separated from us by metal.

Metal I'd bet he could chew through if he wanted.