Demons (Eirik Book 1) (13 page)

CELESTIA

“Crap!” I jumped back, tripping over the man I’d come to rescue, who was probably half-dead from dehydration. He made a weird sound. I landed on the floor and came face-to-face with… A lamb?

“Oh wow! You are a sheep shifter. How cute. I never heard of those before, but it explains the curly hair I touched.” The lamb bleated again, moving around. “You’re scared of the fire? Don’t be scared.” I sat up slowly. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” I extended my hand. “I promise. Come here, pretty lamb. Come here.”

The sheep turned around in circles and cried some more. Poor thing.

“Shhh. It’s okay. I won’t let you burn. I bet Mommy Dearest is not too thrilled by your shift. Bet she’d hoped you were a wolf like your uncle or a snake. Instead, you are an adorable little lamb.” Which meant I could carry it. I stood, eyeing the fire. It was dying. We needed to get moving. I raised my hand palm out toward the lamb. “Don’t make me chase you. I’ll have to use a spell to subdue you if I’m to get you to safety before your evil mother comes back. Ooh, I would have loved to see her face.”

Muffled sounds came from behind me, and I whipped around. Heat crawled up my face when my eyes met the guy’s. He was glaring at me.

“Sorry,” I said. “I thought you had… That the lamb was… Never mind.” I picked up the backpack from the floor where I’d dropped it. “I brought you something to eat and drink. I hope they survived the trip.” I dug inside my backpack as I moved toward him. His eyes watched my hands with an intense desperation. He was pale, his eyes haunted.

I pulled out a sports bottle, released the sippy lid, knelt beside him, and lifted it to his lips. He took a sip and made a face.

“I know. Pedialyte is pretty disgusting, but Aunt Genevieve said it was the best source of electrolytes, so bottoms up.” I kept my voice chipper when I was appalled. He looked so weak and pale.

I placed the back of my hand against his forehead. His skin was icy and he smelled funky. “Slow down. Give your stomach time to adjust.” His hand shot up and gripped the bottle as he sucked on it hard. “I brought several bottles, so there’s more where that came from.”

He didn’t slow down. The lamb cried and I glanced its way. The fire had died down, leaving behind the torch. It didn’t look like it was going to last either.

“I tried to come earlier, but the magic here is strong. It almost stopped me from leaving last time.” I let him hold the bottle and talked while removing the things I’d brought from my backpack. “I’ve never had a problem entering or leaving the AP before. Usually, I just close my eyes once I have the image and astral project. AP, by the way, is not for advanced placement. That’s the acronym for the astral plane.”

I arranged everything on my lap.

“I came bearing gifts,” I continued. “I ordered winter stuff from online. Coat, gloves, and boots, which I don’t usually need back home. We don’t get snow in Louisiana. For you, you get a blanket, socks, and gloves too. I got a coat in a guy’s size, but it turned out to be smaller than mine. Stupid store made a mistake.” I pulled the blanket from the backpack. “I also brought you chocolate. My favorite brand. Aunt Genevieve said high-energy foods like chocolate are good for those recovering from hypothermia.” I reached inside the backpack and found the bag of Hershey bars.

“No, up,” he whispered.

“So, no to my favorite chocolate and you want…” I pointed up at the bed.

He nodded impatiently.

“Okay. You don’t know what you are missing.”

His hands shook when I took the bottle, but I pretended not to notice. He hadn’t eaten or drank anything in days, and with the temperature in the room being so cold, it was a wonder his body hadn’t just shut down. I stashed the empty bottle in my backpack, then slipped my arms around his waist and heaved. He was dead weight, so down we went.

“Okay, work with me here, big guy.” I placed his arm around my shoulder, gripped his wrist, tightened an arm around his waist again, and tried lifting him onto the bed. He must have lost consciousness or something because his body suddenly slumped sideways.

“Damn it,” I murmured. “Your mother ought to be tied up in chains and flogged. She doesn’t deserve to have you as a son. Come on, Helboy.”

I heaved and tugged until I got him partly on the bed. He was starting to shiver. “You are freezing and I’m sweating.” I unzipped my long winter coat, shrugged it off, and draped it on top of him. “You can enjoy that for now.”

He growled something.

“I hope that’s a thank-you or an apology for refusing my chocolate. I specifically selected the ones without nuts and caramel bits. Just pure chocolate goodness.” I lifted his legs and shoved until he was square in the middle of the bed. His legs stuck out from under my coat. He was really tall. “My original plan was to find whatever means of transportation I could in this godforsaken land and get you as far away from this castle as possible, but now I realize I need you on your feet. You are too heavy to drag around. At least, your clothes are not wet.” I grabbed the blanket and draped it over him too, tucking it around his feet. “I spent all my savings on these clothes, so once you are back on your feet, you’ll need to send the amount plus interest to my PayPal account. Hayden’s Mom doesn’t pay much, and Dad is stingy with allowance. Oops, I forgot. I have socks and gloves.”

“Stop,” he said, sounding stronger. The next second, he was struggling to sit up. He threw the blanket and the coat on the side.

“What? Too much layering?”

“Too much talking,” he said, his voice sounding gruff.

I yapped nonstop when nervous. “Rude. You’ve recovered fast.”

“My mother is coming,” he said, speaking slowly. He swung his legs to the side.

“Now? Should I leave?” Stupid question. I wanted so badly to confirm I was really in Hel, that all this was real. Maybe some other time. “Of course, I should leave.”

His hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. “No.”

“I have to. I came to help you. I’ll leave the backpack and its contents.” The footsteps drew closer. Heavy slower thuds and faster lighter taps. Funny, he’d heard them before I did. Giants and monsters, Tammy had said. I longed for my room, where Hayden was probably pacing and staring at the clock. “I have to go.”

He growled.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Stay. I need you.” He sounded as though it pained him to admit it and his voice was still croaky like a toad’s.

I studied his face in the dying light. He looked like crap warmed over. “I don’t know if I’m ready for her.” My voice shook with nervousness.

“I’ll protect you,” he vowed and lowered himself to the floor, his legs almost giving away. I grabbed him on the waist and steadied him. I’d just hauled him up on the bed and now he was down again.

“You should have stayed under the covers,” I griped, not masking my annoyance.

“I must stand,” he mumbled.

Of course. Men and their stupid pride. I eased my hands from his waist and stared at the door with uncertainty. My heart pounded hard with dread as the footsteps drew closer. I glanced at him. He nodded reassuringly. On Monday, I’d listened to him challenge his mother and lose. How the heck was he going to do it when he could barely stand? He was leaning against the bed, but I didn’t think he could hold himself upright for long without my help. Still, crazy as it might seem, I trusted him to protect me.

The first bolt on the door clung.

“Start a fire,” he ordered. “A big one.”

“The first one got out of control. I was aiming for the torch.” It was now flickering and close to dying. The second bolt snapped.

“Do it,” he said.

“Why?”

He growled in frustration.

“Okay, fine. But as soon as you can talk more and growl less, I will need an explanation for the things you do and say, because they don’t make sense.”

He closed his eyes and growled again.

“Sheesh. Fine.” I lifted my hand, palm out toward the wall and mumbled, “Embers of the dying torch, spread across the wall and scorch!”

The torch burst into flames and leaped across the wall just as the last bolt was released. The door flew open and a giant entered the room. A giantess going by her clothes. Eirik took my hand and pulled me beside him, letting me carry some of his weight, but I didn’t protest. I was busy gawking at the giantess.

She was real. All of it was real. I had projected into Hel. The giantess was nearly twice my size, and the torch she carried was huge. Curly red hair fell to her shoulders and partly hid her face, so I only caught a glimpse of it. The drab clothes couldn’t hide her breasts, tiny waist, and hips. She was gorgeous and curvy. No wonder the Asgardian gods often fell in love with giantesses. But how the heck did they have sex? Her green eyes met mine before she bent down and picked up the bleating lamb.

A triumphant laugh drew my attention to the woman standing in the doorway. She entered the room and my breath got caught. I tried to swallow, but my mouth had gone dry. The woman was nothing like the pictures online. She was my idea of a goddess.

She glowed. And not from an aura radiating from her. No, her skin was iridescent. As she came closer, I noticed why. Glowing tattoos appeared and disappeared under her skin. They coiled as though someone was etching them and outlined her exquisite features.

Her face was flawless—cheekbones high and eyes brilliant blue. She could be twenty or a thousand years old. Her beauty was timeless, and I had this crazy urge to reach out and touch her. Her hair was half-black and half-white, and silky with a sheen that said the same tattoos on her skin affected her hair. Her dark-purple flowing gown hugged every inch of her body, a black cloak trailing behind. If she noticed me, she didn’t show it. Her eyes were on the burning wall.

“You are like your grandfather, Eirik,” she whispered. “Creator of fire.”

So Eirik was his name. It had a Scandinavian ring to it and suited him.

He didn’t answer, but I now knew why I was here. Why I had projected here. As long as I performed magic, he could claim my work as his and get his mother off his back.

The mother looked at the lamb in the giantess’ arms and frowned.

“You missed.” She sounded disappointed. She turned and faced us. Her eyes locked on me. “What is she doing here?”

“Leave her alone,” Eirik said.

From the look that entered the goddess’ eyes, she wasn’t planning on it. Completely ignoring me, she focused on Eirik, not bothering to hide her displeasure. “How could you miss the lamb?”

Jeez, there was no pleasing her. I could just imagine what she would do to him if she found out he hadn’t started the fire. Probably take him to Corpse Strand and torture him along with the damned souls.

“Not in the mood for rack of lamb,” he said.

I caught myself before laughing. He had a wacky sense of humor. Even his mother’s lips twitched, her frown melting away. I adjusted my stance to shoulder his weight. He was growing tired and leaning more on me.

“Then you shall have your choice of food,” his mother said, and two guards entered the room. “Take my son to his bedroom in the main hall.”

“No,” Eirik said.

Was he seriously refusing help? Now? I swear the guy was not normal.

“I’ll walk out of here on my own,” he said, speaking slowly.

His mother lifted her hand and the guards stopped. “When?”

“When I can walk unaided,” he said.

That pride of his would one day bite him in the ass, but at that moment, I wanted to applaud. He had serious
cojones
. His mother wasn’t too happy, but she nodded, respecting his wishes.

“Stop torturing Viggo,” he said.

She grinned. “Viggo escaped days ago. I don’t know how you did it, but I’m happy he is gone. He would have distracted you from your goal.”

“I’d like…” his voice trailed off, tremors shooting through him.

I wasn’t sure whether the trembling was due to fatigue or whether his body was starting to function normally. Aunt Genevieve had said shivering was good after hypothermia. It meant the body was starting to regulate its own temperature.

He should order his mother to leave before he fell flat on his face. I could support him now because he was carrying some of his weight, but if he fainted, we would both go down. I barely reached his shoulders, and despite not eating for nearly a week, he was heavy.

“Tell her what we need,” he whispered.

“Me?” I managed to squeal.

He nodded. I glanced up and his mother was looking at me again. I gave her a weak grin. From her expression, I might as well have crawled from a sewer. I dry-swallowed nervously.

Eirik buried his face in my hair and whispered, “Do it. Please. I can’t hold on much longer.”

A shiver shot up my spine and I knew it had nothing to do with talking to the goddess. Eirik’s face in my hair, his warm breath on my nape, and the way he pressed so close were making me react oddly again. It was the same reaction I’d felt when he’d squashed me on his bed.

My face grew warm when I realized my arms were around his waist. I couldn’t remember when I’d wrapped them there. My shoulders and back burned from carrying most of his weight, yet I was more concerned with how I was reacting to him? I was officially a nutcase.