FEARLESS
By
Christine Rains
Fearless
By Christine Rains
Copyright 2012
Cover illustration by Christine Rains and Aubrie Dionne 2012
This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to any person, living or dead, any place, events or occurrences, is purely coincidental. The characters and story lines are created from the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Dedication
To all those awesome folks who said,
“Publish the dang thing!”
Table of Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Epilogue
Excerpt from 1301 – The Marquis
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Prologue
Abby White was seven years old when she killed the monster under her bed.
At first, the monster only made weird noises. It coughed and wheezed. Abby’s mother told her that she was hearing her father’s snoring from down the hall.
Then the monster began to talk. Dark and silly rhymes and rude things about her mother. Abby’s mother told her she was having bad dreams.
The next week, the monster tugged at Abby’s blankets and pulled her hair. It told her it was going to eat her toes first. Her parents ignored her screams and pleas. When she tried to sneak out to sleep in the living room, she was locked in her bedroom. Clutching her stuffed hippo Tawa, she hid under her blankets and stayed up until the morning sun rose.
Abby wore her father’s steel toed boots to bed the next night. The monster growled it was going to eat her fingers first instead. It was another night without sleep.
Abby put on the boots and her mother’s mesh gardening gloves the night after. The monster snarled and said it would just eat her head. It yanked the blankets off her and wiggled out from under her bed.
She was exhausted and terrified. More so, she was furious. No one had believed her. She had fallen asleep at her desk at school and the teacher yelled at her. Her friends laughed when she missed the ball she intended to kick and fell on her rear in gym. Her parents looked at her as if she were sick like her Aunt Hilde who lived in that special hospital. It was all the monster’s fault.
Screaming as she leapt off the bed, Abby threw herself onto its thick and hairy body. She kicked at it with the too big boots. No way was it going to eat her toes. She threw off the awkward gloves before pounding on it with her little fists. Not her fingers either!
Her hands glowed. Soft and blue.
The monster’s tentacle wound around her middle, and it laughed at her attempts until it noticed the luminance. Both stared at her hands as they grew brighter. A shining blade slowly emerged from each of her palms. Abby barely had time to grasp the ornate hilts when the monster’s grip tightened and she rammed the swords into its neck.
An inhuman screech left her ears ringing, and the thing threw her onto her bed. The monster crumpled into a black heap on her floor.
The blades disappeared into her hands and the glow winked out. Just in time for her parents to throw open her door.
“What’s going on in here?” her mother demanded.
“Just a nightmare, Mom.” Abby gathered her blankets and hugged Tawa. Neither of her parents turned on the light or entered the room to come hug her, and thus they didn’t notice the dead monster. Her throat tightened and a small sad sound escaped her.
“All right then.” Her mother nodded and shooed Abby’s father away before closing the door.
Abby buried her face against the softness of her hippo’s big head and cried.
Get all the tears out, girl. You’re safe now. Tawa said without moving her mouth. She made a few comforting noises, and when Abby stopped crying, Tawa added, It’s about time you killed that bloody monster. Listening to it trying to spin a good limerick was pure torture.
Chapter 1
Another coming behind you! Tawa shrieked. And it’s a big one!
“A little busy with the two in front.” Abby ducked under a massive set of claws as they raked through the fetid attic air. Still crouched, she spun to hamstring the first monster with one glowing sword and thrust the second blade into the gut of the other beast. The blood, hot and black, splattered over her, making her stomach churn.
What did you want me to do? Stare him down my unblinking button eyes? Tawa snorted.
Abby twisted around to slash the injured monster’s bulbous eyes and face the third ugly thing behind her. Its large size suggested it was the original monster in the attic. Stepping over the twitching bodies of its pack, she circled around it. Its gigantic fish eyes followed her every move.
“Big eyes all the better to see me with and big claws all the better to tear me apart. These guys are fast and wary. Any suggestions, boss?” Abby was panting. She’d taken five down already and didn’t think they were dead. If she didn’t take out this huge fellow swiftly, the others might rise and she’d be their next meal.
Take off its head. It’s the only way. This one’s powerful. The stuffed hippo’s tone was tense and Abby grunted for want of more info. Get behind it. It can’t get you with either the claws or fangs that way.
“Yeah, so easy. It’s totally going to let me do that.” Abby’s skin prickled. If she didn’t make her move very soon, the monster would come at her. She wouldn’t win that fight. How to behead this monster in one smooth move?
With the tips of her blades, she cut the straps to the carrier that held Tawa on her back. Having an unassuming second pair of eyes had saved her life several times. As the hippo slipped, Abby caught her with the flat edges of her swords and threw Tawa at the monster.
Tawa shrieked and the beast’s first instinct was to catch her. As it did so, Abby leapt to one side and somersaulted to stand behind it. She rammed her swords into its neck and yanked them outwards. The monster’s garbled wail rattled the single window, but she didn’t hesitate in slicing one blade through the top of its spinal column and severing the behemoth’s head from its body. The head hit the floor with a meaty thud.
Abby made sure each of the monsters no longer had heads before she retrieved her grumbling hippo. Her swords had retreated into her palms. Since they didn’t glow any longer, she knew the danger had passed.
That beast could have torn me to pieces. Tawa huffed as Abby hooked her onto her belt. Now I’m covered in blood. Again. How many times in the past week has that happened?
“I’ll run you through the washer. Now be quiet a moment.” Abby cocked her head, listening. The house creaked and an owl hooted from outside.
The washer? You’re a cruel woman, Abigail Grace. You know the washer makes me sick.
“Shush. I need to find the children.” Once the hippo quieted, Abby’s acute senses picked up the ragged sounds of breathing. Poor things were so scared, and rightly so. There were three steamer trunks against the far wall. She opened the lid of the first to find the two boys. The littlest one cried out and curled against his brother.
“It’s all right now. The monsters are dead.” Abby liked to think she was good at being comforting, but only time would help erase this nightmare from their memories. And eventually for most kids, it was forgotten or at least passed off as an imagined event from their childhood.
The boys didn’t move at first. The eldest peeked over the edge of the trunk and saw the black heaps. He silently urged his brother to stand with him. The littlest boy clu
tched a book to his chest.
“Don’t worry. They can’t hurt you now. Go back to your room.” Abby didn’t bother with a smile, but stood back to give them space. The eldest boy glanced at Tawa on her hip and stood a bit straighter. With his arms protectively around his little brother, they went to the attic stairs and started down. He then paused.
“Hey, are you Mark’s math tutor?”
“Yes, but let’s not mention tonight to anyone.” Abby put a finger to her lips. “Yet if you hear of any other kids having problems like yours, give Mark a note to pass on to me.”
“Okay.” The boy urged his brother to go down the stairs and then pointed to the other two trunks. “They caught the man who tried to help us. I don’t think they ate him yet.”
Nodding, he disappeared downstairs.
A man? Tawa piped up. That’s not possible.
“Could be someone like me.” Abby argued and opened the second trunk. She dropped the lid, and it thumped closed. Her face scrunched up. “Ugh. Dead rats.”
The third trunk was the largest and heaviest. “Damn iron monstrosity. How did people ever travel with these things?”
The only people like you are woman. Men aren’t fit for such gifts. Tawa sniffed. Is anyone really in there? I can’t see.
Moonlight streamed through the single window and onto the unmoving occupant of the trunk. Being a very tall man, he was curled up awkwardly. His dark hair covered his face, but it moved with his breaths. He was well-muscled and shirtless.
“Oh yeah, there’s a man.” Abby couldn’t stop staring. He was bruised and scratched up, but otherwise intact. There was a bit of blood dotting his chest and neck, but his exotic whorled tattoos drew her eyes over his bare skin.
You’re gaping. I can tell you’re gaping. Let me see.
Abby turned Tawa to face the trunk and directed her stuffed head down.
Close the trunk and leave now. Leave now. Tawa’s voice rose as if trying to push Abby with it.
“I’m not leaving the poor man after he tried to help the boys.” Abby shook her head and reached in to hook her arms under his shoulders. He was warm and heavy as the trunk’s lid. She slid him inelegantly onto the floor and pursed her lips as she debated what to do next.
He likely needed medical help. She should call 911. Yet then he’d get arrested for breaking into the house. Abby could drag him out, but not silently. She couldn’t risk getting caught.
Okay, you helped him. Let’s go.
“We shouldn’t really leave him. He’ll wake up and likely startle the boys, maybe wake their parents. It’ll be messy. Maybe I should try to rouse him—”
Abby! Tawa growled. No. Listen to me for once. Leave now.
“I can’t just leave him.” Abby protested.
“And I thank you for that, cookie.” The man stretched and propped himself up on his elbows. He grinned, wicked and gorgeous. “It saves me from having to track you down to settle my blood debt.”
Run, Abby! Run!
“Did you just call me cookie?” Abby folded her arms and lifted her chin.
“I did.” He stretched out his long legs and ran his hands along them. Then he eased himself up to stand in front of her. He was pure muscled grace. He had about ten inches on her five foot six.
Abby found herself staring at his broad chest and his fascinating tattoos. She had a few of her own that weren’t visible at the moment, but nothing as big and intricate as his. The ink amplified his natural physique and exotic features, making him even more sexy. Oh man, she could not let herself get taken with a man she saved from monsters. She had no room in her life for relationships.
Damn right you don’t. Tawa interrupted her thoughts. I told you to run, but no. I mean, who listens to an old spirit with centuries of wisdom? Maybe if you had a G.I. Joe as a favorite toy when you were a kid, I’d be stuck in a figure you’d actually pay attention to.
“Shut up.” Abby hissed at the hippo.
“Are you telling me to shut up?” The stranger blinked.
“No. It’s—” Abby grumbled. “Who are you? How did you get captured by the monsters?”
“Ah yes, proper introductions are in order. My name is Demetrius of the Darkwood clan.” He dipped his head, smiling again. Holding out his hand to her, he raised an eyebrow as she hesitated.
Darkwood. Even worse. Tawa grunted.
“Abigail White.” Abby paused again, considering Tawa’s comment. Yet shaking his hand couldn’t hurt.
She reached out to take his hand, but as her palm almost settled into his larger one, he slid his hand up to clasp her upper forearm. Her immediate reaction was to grip his as well and shift her body back as his moved closer. Abby willed her swords to be at the ready, but her hands didn’t even spark with a glow. At least she was reassured he wasn’t a threat. Not in the traditional I’m-going-rip-off-your-head-and-eat-you monster kind of way at any rate.
“Well met, Abigail White.” His voice graveled in her ears in just the right way.
“Yeah, uh, nice to meet you too, Demetrius of the Darkwood clan.” Did he see her eyes drop down past his beltline when she said Darkwood? Why did she have to look down there? Pulling her arm free, she took a few steps back. “How’d you get locked in that trunk?”
“Ah, well, unfortunate incident. I tracked this pack of beasts here, and I would have killed them all, but the boys stumbled into the mix. I let myself be captured for the sake of the children, but I didn’t expect the beasts to put me into that box.” Demetrius shook his head and threw a dirty look over his shoulder at the steamer trunk. “I don’t suspect they knew they had me contained quite so well, but that they did.”
“But it’s just a trunk. You could have kicked through the lid.” Abby didn’t believe the trunk, no matter how heavy it was, could trap him inside.
He couldn’t kick through it. The trunk is ribbed with iron. Tawa pointed out, and when Abby didn’t react, she went on. He’s one of the Fae. If you remove your eyes from his crotch for a few seconds, you’ll see the pointed ears.
“You’re a freakin’ fairy!” Abby yelped and shook her hands as if she could somehow make her swords come out. Still nothing. She could see the whole of him now. The pointed ears and fine features. His fingers and legs were a little longer than what would be normal for humans. His black pants looked almost leather, but weren’t quite anything she recognized. The matching boots went to his knees, and then there were the strange tattoos. Black ink and yet something more than regular ink. Something that seemed to subtly flow beneath his skin.
“Well, fairy’s not exactly the right term, but human minds are limited. Yet I’m pleased to see you worked it out on your own.” Demetrius smirked and then he was down on his knees in front of her. His hands lay on his thighs as he looked up at her. His eyes were the color of twilight, so close to night.
“Abigail White, one of the Fearless chosen by the gods, you have saved my life this night. My life is yours until I can repay blood for blood and breath for breath.” His tattoos shimmered with his words. “I, Demetrius of the Darkwood clan, will not leave your side until my blood debt is paid. My body and soul are yours.”
Abby swallowed. His soul and, oh, his body were hers. Erotic images danced through her mind. She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. No way. The Fae were always bad news, especially since he knew what she was.
“I release you from your debt. I don’t need you following me around. I’ve got work to do.” Abby turned and walked to the stairs. She had to get out of there, get away from him. “You go home, or wherever. Whatever. I need to leave.”
“It’s not that easy to rid yourself of me, baby doll.” Demetrius whispered near her ear with a quiet laugh. Abby hadn’t even heard him come up behind her.
I did tell you to run. Tawa sighed.
Chapter 2
“If you don’t stop following me, I will kill you.” Abby marched along the dark street. Her body was very aware of him keeping pace beside her, arms nearly brushing. But
she at least tried to ignore it. She should have left him in the trunk.
He’s going to be hard to get rid of, you know. You should have listened to me. Tawa said in her lecturing voice. Maybe you could let the next monster eat him.
Abby softly grunted, wanting to agree but knowing she couldn’t let such a thing happen. Being one of the good guys sucked sometimes.
“No, you won’t.” Demetrius smiled, as if they were taking a casual stroll. “I’ve always wanted to see one of the Fearless in action.”
“And what do you know of the Fearless?” Abby couldn’t deny her curiosity. Tawa had taught her the history of what she was, but it was supposed to be a secret. Only a few privileged others were to know of their existence.
“The Fearless.” Demetrius pronounced the name in a deep, dramatic voice and made a grand gesture with his arms. “Chosen by the gods to protect the children from their fears made real. They’re given blessed weapons, magical sight, and superior strength and dexterity. They’re rumored to be fierce beauties.” He eyed her with a smirk. “There’s truth in that one. It’s also said that since they are fearless, they die young because they lack the wisdom to know when to retreat.”
“You never run away.” Abby huffed with a shake of her head. Trying to compliment her and call her stupid at the same time. He was the idiot. So he knew a few things, but he didn’t know her. She was smart. Yet she refused to run away when there was a child’s life at stake.
“Exactly.” Demetrius looked smug. “Lucky you have me with you now.”
Yeah, lucky you. Tawa snorted.
Abby turned right and headed up the driveway to her second stop of the night. For the longest time, she only fought once or twice a week. Then this last year, the number of monsters had rapidly increased. She’d been unsuccessfully trying to find out why. Even with Tawa’s guidance, the answers eluded her.
“You want to see one of the Fearless in action? Here’s your chance. Just make sure you don’t get in my way.” Abby went around to the back of the house and scanned the second floor windows. Thick shadows rimmed one in particular. Making sure Tawa was secure, she then climbed onto the roof above the porch and crept to the window. She paused to peer into the dark room through the slats of the blind, and his warm breath near her cheek caused her to jump a bit.