FinsFantasy (9 page)

Navine could not fucking believe she’d been snatched again!
By a freaking Incubus, no less. She’d just dodged death by Incubus addiction
and another one nabbed her and she was fucking livid! Livid!

Really, her anger was the only thing keeping her together
right then. If the anger dissipated, she’d be left with fear and she didn’t
want to deal with fear. Didn’t want her mind to replay all of the abuses and
tortures she’d suffered during her last abduction.

She wondered if anyone was looking for her yet. She wondered
what Fin thought when she didn’t show up at the cabin. He probably thought she’d
purposely ditched him, so he wouldn’t have been concerned and alerted Baden.
And why wouldn’t he think that? She’d been so shitty to him and it wouldn’t be
the first time she’d tricked him and disappeared. Of course he’d think she
ditched him.
Damn. Shit. Fuck.

At least her surroundings were decent, unlike the cold stone
room with the crappy cot Debol had kept her in most of the time. There was a
comfy twin-size bed, a desk and chair and a bathroom. There had also been a
huge fruit platter and a bottle of wine on the table when she’d arrived. Of
course she hadn’t partaken in any of it for fear it was drugged or poisoned.

She’d paced the room all night and had finally sat on the
bed, exhausted, but she hadn’t let herself fall asleep. She needed to be alert,
on guard, able to defend herself if someone entered the room.

Eyelids heavy, she smacked her face a few times.

Navine jumped off the bed and almost wept from relief when
Baden astral projected into the room. Not thinking, she ran to throw her arms
around him, but they went right through his form.

“Where the fuck are you?” His face was a tight mask of
tension.

“I don’t know, Bade. I got snatched outside Navie’s. I didn’t
even get a look at who did it, but the scent was Incubus. They haven’t said
shit to me.”

His astral self scrubbed a hand through his hair roughly. It
reminded her of Caffin. “You gotta be fucking kidding me.”

She stomped her foot and crossed her arms over her chest.
This wasn’t the time for him to play the disparaging brother.

“Okay, okay,” Baden said. “Lemme see what I can find out.”
His astral body jumped out the window.

Thank fuck he had realized she was missing and came looking
for her when he did. So far, she’d been left alone, nothing terrible happening
to her yet. Hopefully he could figure out where she was quickly so he could
help her get the hell out of there. She didn’t need any more trauma in her
life.

He reappeared, frowning. “You’re definitely in the demon
realm. Jesus, Navie.”

“Like it’s
my
fault?”

“Not blaming. Just saying.” He sighed. “Are you okay? Has
anything…happened to you?”

She shook her head. “Please get me out of here. I can’t go
through this again, Bade.” Fear gripped her, tears threatening to spill.

“I will. I’m going to get help. Try to be safe.”

“Help from who?”

“Our new friends.”

Sinking down onto the bed, Navine fought the lonely,
frightened feelings as Baden’s astral form faded away.

* * * * *

A guard led Baden into the dining hall. He’d showed up in
physical form this time and didn’t look happy.

Fin tried to keep the concern from his voice. “You find her?”

Baden paced while he spoke. “She’s in the demon realm again.
Someone nabbed her outside the pizza shop. Shit, I should have walked her out.”

“Geez, she’s popular,” Valia said.

Fin’s heart froze in his chest, his fork clanking noisily on
his plate as it fell from his hand. “Who?”

“I came back here right away. I didn’t snoop around but she
said it was another Incubus. You all have already helped so much. I’m hoping
you wouldn’t mind—”

“Let’s go get her,” Fin said. He couldn’t bear the thought
of her being abused by another Incubus. She was strong but a mind could only
take so much and the thought of anyone touching her boiled his blood. Stupid or
not, he thought of her as his—not like a possession, but his to care for, to
protect.

“If Fin’s going,” Valia said, “I’m going to back up my
brother.”

Rydin offered, “Then I am most definitely going. I know the
demon realm better than any of you and Valia will be protected.”

“Should we take the
Tengurs
?” Araya asked.

“If you go, I go and I definitely think we take them.
Kiberry is almost as protective of you as I am,” Kean added.

Fin could practically feel the relief and gratitude pouring
off Baden. “Thank you all. I’m projecting there right now.” His eyes went blank
for a second. “Okay. The outside is gray stone, about three stories high. The
front door is arched, blood red, a crest on it. A dagger, black-and-silver
eyes, surrounded by thorns.”

Rydin spoke. “You’re sure?”

“I’m looking right at it.”

Rydin frowned and stood. “That’s Debol’s crest.”

“It’s the same place she was held before?” Fin asked, the
sinking feeling in his gut increasing.

Baden shook his head. “No.”

“The dude, Debol, is dead, right?” Kean asked.

Rydin nodded. “He is. It must be a family member.”

“There is only one guard outside the door. Huge though,”
Baden said.

“I’m sure there are more inside,” Rydin said as he absently
stroked Valia’s hair.

Valia downed the last of her smoothie and offered, “Can’t ya
pop in there in your astral form, see who’s inside and ask what’s up?”

Everyone turned and stared at her for a moment. Such a
simple idea but none of them had thought of it.

Baden said, “Yeah, I guess I can. As long as I’m
incorporeal, they can’t hurt me and I can get more information.”

“But if you alert them, they might put more guards on Navine
or move her,” Araya said.

After discussing their options, they ultimately decided it
was worth the risk of Baden going in astral form first, but attempting to do so
unseen.

Navine jumped off the bed when Baden appeared in the room. “What’s
going on? Did you find anything out?”

“No, but that’s why I’m here.” He explained their plan of
him gathering more information.

“Well, be careful,” she said.

“They can’t hurt me in this form,” he reassured her. “And
they all agreed to help. Fin and his family.”

Navine’s stomach twisted at the mention of Fin, but she told
herself it was because she was hungry and would love one of his smoothies right
now. It had nothing to do with being excited at the prospect of him caring
enough to endanger himself to rescue her. Nope nothing at all to do with that.

Avoiding her brother’s gaze, she picked at an invisible
piece of lint on her shirt. “That’s great.”

“It is. I’m going this way.” He walked toward the door. “See
what kind of security’s out there.” He turned back to her before leaving. “Ya
know, he really cares about you. I could tell he was trying to hide it, but he
is as upset about your situation as I am.”

Navine fought against the tender feelings, the way her heart
skipped a beat and tried to ignore the extra wetness forming in her eyes. Not
trusting herself to speak, she simply gave a quick nod as Baden drifted through
the door.

“Okay,” Baden reported to everyone in the dining hall as he
walked around. “There’s no one outside Navie’s door, but it’s bolted from the
outside. I’m walking down a long hallway. There’s a staircase at the end. A
guard at the bottom. I’m going to try to sneak past him.”

Fin could barely contain himself. Navine was in trouble and
he didn’t want to just sit around. He wanted to go in, take her in his arms and
bring her home safely. “Come on, Baden.”

Fin hadn’t realized he’d spoken out loud until Baden turned
a knowing look on him.

“Made it past him. Under the staircase now. Left or right?”
He looked at Fin.

“Right.” He hoped his gut feeling was correct.

Baden nodded.

“There’s an arched red door down here. The others are plain,
wooden. I’m going in.” Baden’s eyes widened. “Oh shit.”

Fin jumped out of his seat. “What is it?”

“Ten guards and…Debol.”

Rydin jumped up next. “Impossible! I killed him.”

Baden staggered and grabbed a chair back to right himself.

“I left before they saw me. How?” he asked.

“We have to go in now. Hard and heavy. I won’t let him touch
Navine again. Never!” Fin shouted.

“It’s not possible,” Rydin said again. “I delivered a
killing blow. He is dead.”

“Then he has a twin,” Baden said.

* * * * *

They strapped down with daggers and found the
Tengurs
outside flying in tandem above the orchard, their blue-and-purple fur glinting
in the bright sky. They landed gracefully when they spotted the group. Kiberry
trotted up, stood up on his back legs, tongue lolling out of his mouth. It was
his way of saying he was ready to help. Xena slinked up beside him and nuzzled
his neck. Fin guessed she was in too.

Baden was able to teleport to any place he’d astral
projected to. So, everyone linked up to him and in a flash, they were outside
the building where Navine was being held.

There was still only one guard outside but Baden wasn’t
kidding, he was huge. Eight feet tall, muscles bulging on top of muscles,
six-inch, sharp horns atop his head and he held a double-headed battle-axe.

He spotted them and a deep, grumbly voice asked, “What is
your business here?”

“We’re here to see Debol. To strike a bargain if necessary,”
Fin said without hesitation.

The giant demon snorted, howling laughter bursting from his
face.

Kiberry growled low in his chest.

When he’d collected himself, he pulled a radio from his
waistband, speaking into it in a language Fin had never heard before. Only
three seconds passed before the door opened and six guards of the same demon
species as the one who’d laughed at them, marched out, one flanking each of
them.

One shot Kiberry and Xena with an odd weapon that surrounded
them in a shimmering field. They snapped and bit and snarled but couldn’t break
free. Araya lurched forward but was sent sprawling back when she touched it.
Kean caught her and held her close.

“They’re fine. No harm will come to them. Follow us,” one guard
said.

Valia and Araya hesitated, casting concerned gazes at their
Tengurs
,
but eventually followed them inside and through the red arched doorway that
Baden had reported. Leaning back on the front of a desk was Debol.

“Welcome,” he said enthusiastically. “I expected you a
little sooner. Please sit.” He motioned to the various chairs throughout the
room.

Valia said, “How are you not dead?”

He quirked an eyebrow at her. “Dead? Why would I be?”

Rydin stepped forward only to be held back by his assigned
guard. “That is not Debol.”

“Very good, Rydin. My name is Dorster. I guess he never
mentioned me.”

“How do you know me?”

“I know all of you. I made it my business to learn all I
could about you after you killed my twin brother.”

It really was Debol’s twin. This couldn’t be good. Fin
tensed, slowly reaching for his dagger.

“No need for that,” he looked directly at Fin. “I am not my
brother and I wish none of you any harm. I’m simply collecting what’s mine.”

“Yours?” Baden spoke up. “My sister is not
yours
.”

“Anything that was Debol’s transferred to me upon his death.
She was not contracted to him, but there was a bond nonetheless. In the order
of things in the demon realm, as Rydin already knows, if a bond was formed
here, it automatically passes on to the closest family member from the deceased
bondholder. Should there be no family member willing to take it on, the bond is
broken.”

Fin could tell by Rydin’s grimace that the Incubus spoke the
truth.

“You can’t have my sister, damn you. She never should have
been part of this.”

He waved his hand dismissively at Baden’s outburst. “She
hasn’t been mistreated since being here. She was simply a tool to get you all
here. At least I’d hoped it would get you all here. Reports from Debol’s
guards—the ones you didn’t kill anyway—explained how the situation went down.
Besides, I’m not such a fan of
Sempires
as my brother was. Having a
female addicted to me, the hassle that comes with it? Not my thing.”

“Then what the hell?” Baden asked.

“I’m interested in some of your talents and Navine is my
bargaining chip. Technically, Rydin should be mine. His contract bond should
have passed to me, but it did not. There were two other of Debol’s employees
that mysteriously escaped being passed to me also. Why is that, Valia?”

Shit, Fin knew Valia’s latent
Sensus
demon powers had
come out during her transition and she’d unknowingly bound Rydin’s aura to her.
And when Rydin had been wounded, she’d somehow done the same to two of Debol’s
guards. Doing so didn’t exactly break their bonds to Debol but it overpowered
it.

“I assume you already know why, so why ya makin’ me waste my
breath?”

He laughed. “I like you. Anyway, it’s an interesting talent.
If word gets out you can do that, well, I fear other contract holders might
want to use your talents or simply kill you to make sure you don’t interfere
with their operations.”

“I don’t give half a crap about any of that.”

“No one will touch her,” Rydin said.

Valia put her hand on his forearm and squeezed. “Besides,
why wouldn’t they snatch and kill true
Sensus
demons?”

“Apparently, no one’s come across one who could bond an
already bonded demon or person. Either that or no other
Sensus
demon has
been foolish enough to reveal that…trick.”

Valia snorted. “I’m a
Sempire
. That ability has only
come out twice in thirty years.”