Dangerous, Diabolical

A/N:

Firstly, thank you to everyone who has read this far. Here in lies the penultimate part of Dangerous, Diabolical, with the final part being posted on Saturday 9th March. I hope you've enjoyed falling into Andy's world and will consider leaving a review on my story about how much you like it ;)

Stay tuned for more info on book two, and I now have bonus chapters available in 'Dangerous, Diabolical - Extras' that will continue to update regularly <3

For a moment, the sun was blinding. It beat down with an unexpected ferocity compared to Earth’s crisp autumn sunrise. Squinting through the fingers of my raised hand against the burning rays of the midday sun, it was uncompromisingly bright between the emerald leaves of the overhead trees, the soft caress of warmth greeting me like an old friend.

My empty reserves of my magic began to fill greedily with the flood of energy from the Fae lands, the link that had held taut to Leofstan lingered stickily like a forgotten thought. Clenching my fist, I could no longer push magic to him, the connection was still there but he felt a world away.

Finally.

Exhaling, the last strength holding my legs crumpled, and I slunk to the floor.

I had thought Leo would be annoyed when he found out, of course. But the look on his face haunted behind my eyelids each time they closed. Gazing back towards where I’d opened a portal the imprint of his disbelief still lingered in the empty spot.

I’d opened a portal.

A strangled note escaped my throat at the realisation. At least David was right about something. The sound exploded into a deep belly laugh.

When Leofstan had fallen through the first portal, maybe it really had been my fault. Had I unwittingly caused him to be launched into weeks filled with torture at the hands of King Soirrinar?

I’d thought it a fluke, our magic mixing. But twice?

As soon as my reserves were full again it was going to be non-stop experimenting time. If I could figure out how to summon portals at my fingertips, I’d be unstoppable.

Rolling backwards I gazed up at the new sky, laughter fading as reality set in. I may have escaped being carted off to the council, but I had no idea where in Faery I was, or when for that matter. Worst of all, with no job, I had nothing to do.

Contemplating I figured maybe there was a village nearby I could burn down, or use this opportunity in Faery as a happy accident to pretend it was my intention to visit all along. Humming, I rocked to my feet. Last time I was here, Unseelie King Soirrinar had requested my presence on the next full moon. He just hadn’t specified which realm, and it was bound to be full somewhere.

I pushed out my wings, grinning to myself. Free meals, cushy lodgings. I just had to put up with a few mind games of a sly king. After the night I’d had, it couldn’t have been any worse than going for a second round with Leofstan Ortwin.

* * *

“You can’t avoid King Soirrinar forever, you know.” Willow judged far too loudly. I shot her a scathing look, which she returned tenfold, whilst biting into a chunk of dried jerky. I’d not long bumped into her on the castle grounds after my arrival, and she was already plotting her fee to return to the Earth lands. There were wild portals, but the tried and tested ones were less risky. Unfortunately, they were also great profit sources for the local fae.

She ripped a chunk of the meaty flesh off. “Jesus, I’d kill for a cigarette right now. Hurry up and meet with the king already so you can get me free passage. I promise I’ll come back.” She nudged me with a shoulder gently. “I’m even thinking of opening a tobacco factory here. Just wrap him around your little finger and I’ll be back with as many packs as I can carry.” She pointed the meat jerky stick gesturing it rudely at me. “I hear the royal suites have the comfiest beds.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“You’re crazy. He said it was just a meal. No doubt to see what else he can ensnare me into.” I snatched the remaining jerky out of her hand. She’d been eating the things nonstop in place of no longer having something to keep her hands busy. “Plus smoking is terrible for your health. If it helps, think of being stuck here as magic rehab.”

“Call it what you want, he’s asked you on a date.” She snatched it back, shoving it into her mouth. “And it’s torture here, more like,” Willow muttered, mouth full.

Rolling my eyes, I returned to picking at the grass. We were making the most of the summer season, basking by the palace lakes with a picnic basket. Explaining I pointed out, “I’m simply waiting for the Fae full moon, until then I have no obligations to even talk to him.” On technicalities, it had been a full moon in the realm of whatever he called it when I arrived, but Soirrnar wasn’t too happy that I’d managed to duck out of his agreement. In retaliation, he had ‘arranged’ for me to reside at the Unseelie court until the next Faery full moon. His guards watched my every move and all the exits were suddenly facing staff over-employment.

The sound of my angry stomach grumbled its way into our conversation. Ever since I’d eaten David, saying I’d lost my appetite was an understatement. Lounging about was a welcome excuse to hide the continuous discomfort at the cramping in my digestive system. I curled my nose as Willow pulled out some boiled eggs and started to munch on them shell intact. Even they smelt rotten.

“Earth to Andy!” Willow interrupted, causing me to jump. Without her usual makeup, a light scattering of freckles was visible over her cheeks, adding to her scowling prowess. When she saw my pout, she sighed at me. “I told you nothing good would come from hanging around the SPCC.”

That hit a little too close to home, and a tight twinge ran across my chest.

“Don’t give me that look. Is there someone we need to kill?” She asked at my response before her eyes glinted mischievously under her eyelashes. “Perhaps back at Earth?” Willow wiggled happily. “We could go right now!” She beamed, her white teeth flashing sharply.

“Not unless you know a way to get rid of this?” I held my hand up to her, gem shimmering.

“Urgh, gross.” She shrugged. “We just need to find you the right enchantment. Something like what Soirrinar uses to make sure the bond he has with his slaves is one way.”

I gave one slow, harsh blink at her words. “There’s a way to sever the link?” I didn’t exactly want to wind up back on Earth and re-strengthen the link. Here in Fae, it was as if there was a low voltage as opposed to a live wire. I had no doubt he’d notice the second I arrived.

“Well, I wouldn’t call it a fix per se. It would be more like a temporary situation. I’ll look into it.” She smirked. “Unless of course, you ask the King yourself…”

“Let me know what you find.” I interrupted. My stomach gave a pitiful whine.

She sniggered. “Right after we backtrack to the part when you ate your boss, who was being possessed by a creature from the realm of the dead? And you have the nerve to lecture me about smoking.”

I was starting to feel as if I might potentially explode at any given moment.

“I’m starting to regret eating that.”

“Choosing to eat that was your fault.” She snapped. “I was on about the fact you first turned into a four-legged fire-breathing dra-“She didn’t finish her sentence, as I slapped a hand over her mouth, shuffling around to check no one was listening in on the conversation.

“Shhhhhh!” I responded with an angry hiss, before retracting back. “Personally, I thought the best part of my story was the fact I opened a portal, but each to their own.”

She gave me a light shove. “I can’t believe you never told me!”

“That’s because I didn’t want it to be common knowledge!” I argued. “Don’t you dare tell the Ratatoskr!” She knew plenty of the gossiping little blighters.

“Cross my heart and hope to die.” She swore. “Besides, my best guess was a Cythraul. I’m kind of underwhelmed now that I know you’re not.”

“Gee, thanks. Sorry, I didn’t crawl up from Hell.”

She responded with a green tongue poking out, “In that case, I suppose you’ll do.” Willow pulled out a couple of flowers and shoved my head into her lap, fingers running through my hair. “Have you considered the fact that you might be one of the rarest creatures alive?” She began splitting sections of hair between her fingers. “Wait, you might even be the only one left across the worlds!”

“Mm-hmm,” I mumbled in agreement, trying not to sound as if it wasn’t one of the main worries that crossed my mind daily.

“And you said that this Ortwin fellow hates dragons? Bet he loved knowing the only reason he wasn’t crushed to death is because you saved him.”

I remembered the fury on his face as his lightning raged in the skies behind him. “He would rather I was dead, yes.” That was understated, to say the least.

“Unlucky for him.” She sniggered, winding in some of the flowers with my hair.

My stomach gave another dissatisfied grumble that felt like it could be heard for miles. Willow paused, clamping her lips shut to suppress laughter.

“You’re enjoying this far too much,” I told her.

“I can’t help it.” She beamed. “I wish I’d been there to see his face.” Willow gave my scalp a yank and I glared. She didn’t look sorry. “All that was missing was lighting some candles and yelling surprise.”

“Next time,” I promised.

“So what did the Vamp say?”

“Who?” I asked confused.

“The one from the bar?” She prompted. “Was he also freaked out at the sight of a huge freaking dra-“

“No.” I interrupted, dawning on me she meant Grahame. That was a detail I’d neglected to mention. “I’d killed him way before that.”

“Oh,” She began tying off a segment of my hair. “I would’ve enjoyed that.” She pouted. “You always have fun when I’m not about.”

“He was already half-starved by the time I finished him off, it wasn’t that exciting,” I assured her as she started a new section.

“Still.” She sighed, “Detaching the head is always the best part. Those suckers are freakishly damn near immortal otherwise.”

The head? I twisted awkwardly, a cold chill creeping despite the sun. The unspoken question on my lips.

Willow stilled. “You did remove the head right, Andy?”

I just stared at her.

“And placed it a long way away from the body, right?” Her voice rose in pitch. “You did know there isn’t any other way to kill a vampire, anything else just knocks it out of action till it regenerates. Where is the head, Andy?”

Oh crap.

Jolting to my feet and pulling my hair out of her fingers, I discovered I’d forgotten how to blink.

“Sorry Willow, I’ve got to go. See you later.” Before she could reply I was already quickly marching back to the castle.

“Bye, Andy! If you go back to Earth for a spot of decapitation, make sure you invite me!” She shouted in a sing-song voice, waving widely over her head.