A Glow of Stars & Dusk by Eve L. Mitchell

I wokeup to bright light, which confused me because I wasn’t sure where I was. As I took a moment to remember, I turned in the bed and screamed when I came face to face with Hound.

“Jesus, Mary and Joseph, you bloody stupid mutt!” I yelled as I scrambled backwards from the hellhound. Hound looked at me and tossed his head before he turned and walked through the door. My mouth hung open as I watched his tail disappear through the solid closed door.

“Thought you couldn’t see hellhounds?”

I yelped again as I looked to the corner of the room where Green Eyes sat watching me. “Were you watching me sleeping?”

“No.”

“Then what are you doing sitting there?” I demanded as I looked around to make sure it was just the two of us. “Where is Ruairidh?”

“Do you ever get sick of asking the same question?” he asked me with a bored expression. “I wonder how much of your life you’ve spent asking, where is Ruairidh?”

“You’re a dickhead.” I got out of bed and hesitated for a minute as he looked over my bare legs. “Eyes up here, dick, there’s nothing for you to see.”

His eyes met mine, and his smirk was full of his usual mockery. “You’re right about that.”

“Oh my God, you’re an arsehole.” I yanked my torn jeans on and tried not to notice him noticing me. “Can you stop?” I grumbled as I tucked my T-shirt into my jeans. He didn’t answer and merely sat there. “So, what do you want from me?”

“Blood and a spell.”

“We could have a problem then,” I said as I sat on the bed and looked him over. Were shadows actually clinging to him? No, I had an active imagination, he was merely a man. Demon. He was a demon. “Why don’t you have horns? What’s a demon guard?”

“Why do you think we have a problem, witch?” He remained unmoving, unblinking and steadfast. I was sure it was to intimidate me, which was pointless, he scared the shit out of me already.

“Are shadows swirling around you?” I asked curiously. They were, it was like he had his own private haze. He didn’t need it for dramatic effect. He was drop dead gorgeous and screamed absolute danger; the mist effect was overkill in my opinion.

“You were going to tell me what the problem was?” He carried on as if my questions were nothing.

“Do you just keep going until you hear what you want?” I asked him crossly as I folded my arms over my chest.

“Yes.”

“I’m not telling you anything until you tell me where Ruairidh is.”

“Are you sure?” He was smirking again.

Hound was back in the room, and his previous casual indifference to my breathing was now replaced by a snarl and exposed fangs.

“Holy fuck, what is wrong with you?” I jumped up from the bed and moved across the room. Hound followed. “Mutt, we had an understanding!” I said to the hound as it padded across the room and leaned forward, it’s nose inches from mine. A low growl rumbled in his throat, and I turned my head away, screwing my eyes shut as I felt the hound get closer. “Okay! Okay fine, you win.”

“Why do we have a problem, witch?” he asked me. His amusement at my state of distress did not help my frayed nerves.

“Because I’m not giving you my blood, and I can’t cast a spell!”

A hot wet tongue licked the side of my face, and I cried out in protest as Hound turned and went across to him. The hound licked his hand and then departed again. I watched as Green Eyes raised his hand to his nose and sniffed.

“Your fear smells delicious.” His grin was wicked. “I wonder if you taste as good as you smell, little witch?”

“You’re a sick, twisted individual.” I rubbed my hand over my eyes. “So you have low tolerance for questions and a tendency to threaten when you want something.” I cast my eyes over him. “Spoiled little diva, aren’t you?” He snorted and sat back in his chair, gesturing for me to sit. “What are you called?” I asked, and he looked at me impassively. “What? You call me witch allthe time, what do I call you?”

“Master.”

I snort laughed in shock at his sense of humour and then realised he wasn’t joking. “I’m not calling you master.” Rubbing my hands over my face again, I tried to regain a small sense of normal. “Where is Ruairidh?”

Green Eyes scratched his jaw. “It’s almost obsessive, this constant, incessant need to know where he is.” He looked me over again. “I understand now why he doesn’t have sex with you.”

“What?” Did he just say that?

“Clingy, needy, scrawny.” His head tilted as he considered me as he counted off my apparent failings on his fingers. “Absolutely no hips to speak of, breasts are adequate at best. I understand why he prefers the female in the bar.”

“What?” I demanded. Fuck you, arsehole.

“Repetitive.” He nodded as if he was making a mental list. “You have absolutely no attractive qualities at all, do you?”

“Wow.” I was on my feet. “This was a great talk. I mean as talks go, this was way up there as one of my highlights. I’m done now.” I strode to the door and wrenched it open. His laughter followed me out of the bedroom as I headed to the kitchen. “Ruairidh!” I breathed in relief as I rushed across the room to embrace him, stopping short as I watched him shovel food into his mouth. “Are you eating?”

“Hungry.” Ruairidh shrugged. “Chaz made me breakfast.”

I looked at the long-haired demon in shock. “How long was I asleep for?” Chaz dipped his head, his face shielded by his hair. “You spelled me?”

“He did what I told him.”

“Oh you can fuck off!” I shouted at Green Eyes. “You too,” I said as I glared at Chaz. “You”—I grabbed Ruairidh’s arm and pulled him to his feet—“you’re coming with me.”

Neither of the demons moved as I opened the front door, and I didn’t question the fact that they let me leave until I was standing outside, looking at a brilliant yellow fog that was at the end of the short path. I spun around wildly. I could see nothing except the fog, Ruairidh, and the two demons inside the house. Still, I knew north, I could head north. Anywhere that wasn’t here.

“Star, wait.” Ruairidh grabbed my hand and tried to stop me. “You can’t walk in this, Star. I’m no supernatural, but this fog isn’t natural.”

“It’s Scotland. In October. Fog won’t hurt us, we’re from the Highlands.” I wrenched my arm free and walked forward.

“It’s yellow fog,” Ruairidh hissed.

I glanced past him to see Chaz glaring at Green Eyes, who held his arm across Chaz’s chest like he was preventing him from leaving. I had no idea what was happening there, and I wasn’t staying to find out. “It’s fog.” I walked a few more steps. “I’m not going back in there with that twisted demon.” My gaze returned to Green Eyes as he merely watched me.

Stubbornly I walked on. Ten or more steps later, I realised Ruairidh wasn’t behind me. He had stayed? It hurt more than seeing him eating breakfast in the kitchen. They wouldn’t hurt him—they had healed him—and I was no longer there, so they didn’t need him. He obviously felt safe, but why would he stay and let me go?

The grumblings I heard were not only coming from me. Something flashed past me, and I halted where I was. Looking down at my feet, I realised the grass I walked on was dead. Brown grass was not something we suffered in Scotland due to our wet climate. “It’s not unheard of,” I reminded myself as I started to walk again. If I was on grass, I wasn’t on a road, and if I wasn’t on a road, then I couldn’t be hit by a car.

A dark shadow flashed past me again, followed by an eerie scream, and I closed my eyes as I continued to walk forward. The denseness of the fog didn’t lift. In fact, it got thicker; it was almost like a blanket surrounding me and depressingly reminded me of mustard gas that they used in the First World War. Something pushed into me from behind, and I yelled as I stumbled forward, losing my balance. On my hands and knees, I felt the thing pressing down on me. Suddenly, out of the yellow, shadows leaped over me, and I bit back my scream as the force pushing me down knocked me so far down that my face was amongst the grass. I heard the rumble, and in my panicked state, I recognised the shape of a paw on my back.

“Hound?” I whispered uncertainly as I moved my head to the side. The paw flexed, and I went to push myself up when I heard the hellhound’s low warning grumble as his talons pressed into my back. Moving my head from side to side, I saw the muted shadows and realised there were more than just the one. There were three, and they looked to be fighting. “Hound?” I whispered again. The paw eased its pressure on my back, but he didn’t let me rise. Somehow I knew that the hellhound was protecting me.

I heard a cry followed by a chant, and something other than Hound touched me where my skin was exposed on my arm from where the sleeve of my jacket had ridden up. My blood began to burn in my veins. I pushed my sleeve up more, sure that the heat I felt coursing through me would be visible. Sweat beaded on my brow as my body warmed. Hound mewled, and the paw was lifted from me. I flipped onto my back as the burning raced through my body. The scream that left my mouth didn’t sound human as I writhed on the ground.

A weight was on me, holding me down. I couldn’t breathe, why couldn’t I breathe? I stared unseeingly into the yellow fog as screams poured from my throat. I couldn’t see. Heavens help me, I was blind. Cool, soothing hands ran over my arms and legs, and I whimpered in relief as the burning receded from my body. Cold hands clasped my cheeks and wiped away the tears that I’d shed in pain. My eyes remained closed, the horror of losing my sight too real, and I recognised the sound of myself crying. Strong arms picked me up, and I felt myself being carried. Unthinkingly, I curled into the chest of the one who carried me. I had no doubt it was one of the demons from the cemetery.

“What the fuck is wrong with her?” I heard the harsh demand and curled tighter into the arms that held me. His voice I would recognise anywhere.

“Whatever bound her power broke in the fog. She was like a fucking beacon of light in the middle of the plain.” I recognised the bitterness of the dark-haired one.

“How long before she’s healed? We need to move.”

“Nightfall,” was the answer, and I knew that Chaz carried me.

“Fuck.”

I heard the curses, and then I was being laid on a bed. “Star, you need to open your eyes,” Chaz said. “I need to see, Star.”

My eyes remained squeezed shut, the heat still throbbing under my skin. “It hurts,” I whimpered as I reached for something to hold onto. “Please.”

“I thought she would be stronger,” one of them murmured.

“Heal her,” came the sharp command, and I heard the answering huff of contempt. “The quicker she is healed, the quicker this nightmare is over.”

“We should bleed her and then be rid of her. Ros knows the spell,” the dark one who didn’t like me spoke in disgust.

“It cannot be done that way, she needs to cast it.” That was most definitely Green Eyes.

“She will cast nothing if I cannot get quiet to aid her,” Chaz snapped at them. “You shouldn’t have let her leave.”

“She’s stubborn and stupid; she needs to learn stupidity will kill her.” Green Eyes’ voice was tight with anger, and my eyes tightened from his harsh words.

I heard Chaz sigh in resignation. “Just clear the room.”

I heard the door closing, and then the soft cool hands ran across my forehead. “You are safe to open your eyes, Star,” Chaz said to me softly.

“I see only blackness when I open my eyes,” I whispered to him.

I heard his intake of breath, and then I felt him move away from me. “Sam. I need you.”

Sam? Who was Sam?

“What now? Zel’s right, she’s more trouble than she’s worth.”

My eyes flew open in surprise, and I looked up at Green Eyes. “Sam?” I asked sceptically. “Your name is Sam?”

“What of it?” Sam asked me as he appraised me quickly. “Why did you call me?” he asked Chaz.

“Sam’s so bloody normal.” I looked him over. He was so intimidating. I was expecting something grander, more bone crushing. “Sam doesn’t suit you.”

“Did you need me for something?” He ignored me and looked at Chaz.

“Well, I did, but Star seems to have healed herself,” he told Sam with mild amusement.

“How long before we can move her?” he asked Chaz.

“Tonight.”

“This takes too long,” Sam growled as he left the room again.

“Seriously? Sam?” I looked up at Chaz who seemed to be biting the inside of his cheek. I felt around my eyes before holding my hands up in front of me.

“Your sight is back?” Chaz asked as he watched my self-assessment.

“Yes.” I pushed my blonde hair back from my head as I thought about the yellow fog. “What happened out there? Something touched me, and the pain was…” I shuddered as I recalled it.

Chaz sat on the seat Sam had been in earlier. “Can you talk me through what happened?”

“Um, I wanted to go home, he’s a dickhead, and I don’t like him.” I pretended not to see Chaz pressing his fingers to his lips as he listened to me. “Fog is fog, we get it all the time. I didn’t sense any danger.” I shrugged defensively.

“The fact it was yellow didn’t dissuade you?”

“Fog is fog,” I told him stubbornly. Okay, so sure, yellow fog is bad. Who knew? How was I supposed to know it was on a worse level than that of yellow snow?

“And when you were in the fog?”

“I saw shapes? Figures? I don’t know, I could hear voices?” I drew my legs to my chest and rested my forehead against my knees, realising my legs were bare. “Where are my jeans?”

“They were in a bad state and covered in filth,” Chaz explained as he handed me a new pair of jeans. “I think they will fit.”

I didn’t know what to say to that, so I placed the jeans beside me on the bed.

“What happened when you heard the voices?” Chaz asked me.

“The hound pushed me down onto the grass and wouldn’t let me up.”

“Hound?” Chaz asked me with a small smile.

“Hellhound,” I explained softly.

“So you admit you see them?” Chaz asked me, leaning forward.

“He’s kind of hard to miss.”

“They are indeed,” he answered me calmly as he considered me thoughtfully. “And then?”

“Someone, something jumped over me, and then it touched me, and all I felt was pain.” I shuddered as I met his kind eyes. “Burning pain.”

“Touched you where?” Chaz asked as he rose to his feet. I pulled up my sleeve, and he cursed in a language I didn’t know before he was at the door yelling for Zel.