Foxblood #2: Rise of the Hellion

Foxblood

Book Two: Rise of the Hellion

By Raquel Lyon

Synopsis

Something’s stalking Sophie—and it’s not just her boyfriend’s cute cousin!

Pulled from a life of obscurity and chosen to take over from a dying goddess, Sophie is thrown into a world where the supernatural is normal and the humans are oblivious.

Without meaning to, Sophie is making enemies, and as corpses mount, she fears for the people she cares for, but when someone she loves is accused of the killings, Sophie is convinced it can’t be true and sets out to prove their innocence.

Copyright 2011 Raquel Lyon

Cover art by Rebeccafrank.design

Second Edition

License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty-One

Prologue

THE RELIEF OF Tyron’s disappearance relaxed through me as I stared at the terraplunger. Set for Vira? Are you sure? I asked.

I didn’t spend six years studying the Book of Damur for nothing. One hundred and sixty-nine realm settings are engraved right here, Sebastian said, tapping his temple with a bloody fingertip. There’s no mistake. That bastard’s hightailed it home and isn’t likely to be back again for some time.

Arta wiped the congealing blood from his sword. Well, I say good riddance.

For now, maybe. Sebastian accepted my arm and rose to his feet. "But we must prepare for his return, and I’m certain he will return."

Probably, Arta agreed, but he’d be foolish to come alone. He wouldn’t last the day if I caught a glimpse of his depraved face. I’d love another pop at him. What do you say, Hemming?

His father and brother both died at his hand. I don’t think we should underestimate him.

I could only hope that the words of Sebastian’s father wouldn’t come back to haunt me.

Chapter One

COME ON, BETH, hurry up. We’re going to be late, I shouted at her bedroom door. It’s raining, so you know I can’t walk to uni.

Can it, Soph. I’ve got a zit, and it won’t cover up. It’s okay for you and your oh-so-perfect skin, but we mere mortals have imperfections, and they’re a pain in the butt. What will Nick think if he sees me with a volcano on my chin? He’ll run a mile, she whinged.

I wasn’t so sure. Nick never seemed to think anything. Beth’s latest squeeze would be lucky to find his brain.

I heard her fumbling around in her dressing table drawer. I’m just gonna try a different concealer. Hang on a mo, she called.

Beth could be so self-centred at times. I checked my own make-up in the hall mirror, smoothed out a splodge of eyeliner, and glanced down at the pendant I was wearing—a symbol of my new life, and one I daren’t be without. I really shouldn’t use my powers for such a trivial matter, but needs must. Mr Arkwright had organised a field trip to an old abbey today, and I didn’t want to miss the coach.

With a frustrated breath, I made my decision. I haven’t got a mo. Get your ass out here, and I’ll sort it.

You will? Beth poked her brown curls around the door, her hand covering her chin. Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Stop dancing around and show me, then.

Beth removed her hand. She wasn’t joking. The spot was a biggie and just about ready to pop. I made a show of kissing my finger before placing it on the offending blemish—the kiss wasn’t necessary, but it would make her feel better.

She checked my handiwork in the hall mirror. One flawless chin.

Gorgeous as ever, she preened.

Can we go now? I asked, impatiently pushing her through the living room to the door.

It was my gift, the power to heal—one of the many discoveries I’d found out last year, after entering Sebastian’s world. Meeting Sebastian had changed everything, and if someone asked me to describe my ideal man, he would be it—tall and athletic, with muscles in all the right places, spikes of blond hair framing a beautifully sculpted face, and seductive, turquoise-green eyes that would melt any girl’s heart, as they did on a regular basis. But the other girls couldn’t have him; he was mine.

Mind if we stop off at Chico’s? Beth asked as we descended the back stairway of our flat. I need a shot of caffeine.

She could be so annoying. "Yes. I do mind. I’m going to be late. Just go, already."

I was certain the coach would leave without me. As hard as I tried, everything always went wrong for me. I made plans; they got changed. I bought things; they broke. A boy asked me out, then laughed and pretended it was a joke. Which was why I was surprised I had a boyfriend at all.

After Dad died in a factory explosion a few years ago, I shied away from forming close relationships with people. It felt safer that way. After all, I had Beth. My best friend was always there for me, and she was a handful all by herself. I didn’t need anybody else. I had always been happy with my own company, and I liked being able to do my own thing. So, although I enjoyed the presence of other people, I’d always been more of a people watcher than a socialiser.

It’s funny how things change.

Life certainly hadn’t been boring in the seven months since I moved to Fosswell, but things have calmed down a lot in the last couple of weeks, and at least my bruises healed quickly.

Watching Beth climb into her old heap of a car, I smiled to myself.

Beth had adjusted well to our new life and her newly acquired power, but then she was the sort of girl to see the bright side of everything—an ability I had always believed to stem from her childhood. I had known her all my life. Her mother had died tragically of cancer when she was only five, and her father had never been the warmest of men. Plenty of girls would have retreated from the world and cut themselves off from affection, but not Beth. She had gone the other way, and I had always thought that her struggle to attract her father’s attention must have gone some way towards accounting for her loud personality. Personally, I wouldn’t have had her any other way.

You should be safe now. It looks like the rain’s passing over, she said as we neared uni.

I looked skyward to the patches of blue beginning to make an appearance. Yeah, thank goodness. I was worried I’d have to feign a sudden sickness again, and I’m beginning to get a reputation as a hypochondriac as well as a weirdo.

Telling the occasional lie wasn’t something I could prevent. Outside studies were more of a hazard than I’d expected, and I wasn’t about to risk a sudden shower hitting my face and exposing my true identity. Luckily, my work hadn’t suffered too much from my change of status and my recent extracurricular activities, and I was still on track for my degree in art and psychology.

In the end, the day was a success. I did some great sketches and was able to get home early enough to complete my thesis on The Impact of Traumatic Events on Development from Child to Adolescent, a subject in which I could draw upon plenty of personal experience.

That evening, I was sitting at the front window, cup of tea in hand, idly people watching, when someone emerged from Despots, the club opposite our flat. I recognised the guy as one of the glass collectors who worked there, and he proceeded to replace the fading poster in the display box with a new one. I didn’t need to squint to read it. In the last few weeks, my eyesight had surpassed normal human capabilities. A local band, Ironspit, was going to do a gig at the club the next evening. I’d heard some of my fellow students talking about them. They’d recently become famous by posting their songs on the Internet, and they were supposed to be quite good.

Beth? Fancy going out tomorrow? I asked casually as she strolled over to the sofa and curled up in front of the TV.

Honey, I thought you’d never ask, she said excitedly. I’ve been dying of boredom cooped up in here. What’s changed your mind?

Curiosity.

The next night, we fought our way to the bar at Despots at the very moment the band arrived on stage. I’d never seen the club so packed. It was as if the whole of uni had turned out for the big event, and they were rapidly drinking the place dry.

Hello, strangers. The head barman walked over to greet us personally.

Hi, Martin. How are things? I tried to sound cheerful.

He shrugged. Not much changes around this place. Haven’t seen you here in a while, though. Where’ve you been hiding?

Studying and stuff, you know. Can’t party every night. Boss around?

That was a more loaded question than he knew.

Nah, Mr Reith hasn’t been in for weeks. Must be busy with one of his other projects. I get the odd email, but that’s it.

They have email in Vira? I doubted it. Was Tyron back? Surely, he wouldn’t dare.

Funny, both he and you disappearing at the same time, Martin continued. I knew he had a thing for you, and I thought maybe he’d finally worn you down and whisked you off to Paris again.

The band started their set, and the end of Martin’s sentence was drowned out by the music, but I could have sworn he’d said Paris. He wasn’t talking about Tyron. He was talking about Tyron’s brother, Vincent. Only Vincent was dead… wasn’t he? Then again, it was strange that his death had never been reported. But would it need to be, or did demons have their own protocol for that kind of thing? No, he was dead. I’d been there. I’d watched Tyron murder his brother in cold blood. I’d seen him snap Vincent’s neck. It had happened right in front of me, immediately before Tyron kidnapped me. The night I’d acquired the bruises.

What can I get you, the usual? Martin shouted. I nodded my affirmation.

Ooo, I see Nick, Beth squealed before grabbing her drink and heading off towards him.

I tried to follow, but I found my path blocked by a boy a good six inches shorter than me. And that wasn’t easy. I’m only five feet four on a good day. My Nanna used to joke that I needed manure in my boots to help me grow.

The boy looked up at me through a greasy fringe and flashed a set of crooked teeth. Hiya, sexy, he said. You wanna give me your phone number now, or wait until we say farewell after breakfast?

He was clearly drunk, and I felt a little sick.

Don’t tell me that line ever works, I said. I pushed him to the side and caught up with Beth.

She was welded to Nick’s side, and he was taking advantage of her backless top by caressing her shoulder. I thought she would have tired of Nick before now. Beth’s relationships were usually fairly brief. She got bored quickly, and she’d started dating Nick on the rebound from Jimmy, Sebastian’s brother.

Jimmy and Beth had a turbulent history together, but they were made for each other, and I never lost hope that they would eventually end up together. They had recently gone out for the third time, after Jimmy’s convalescence from a near-fatal disease. A disease that threatened to kill millions; a disease cured by my blood. Their relationship didn’t last long. As soon as Jimmy had been pronounced one hundred percent fit, he went straight back on tour with his band, Lunar Hex. Beth was heartbroken. She was more used to being the dumper than the dumpee, and she sulked for about a day before jumping on the first guy to show an interest.

After listening to the first set, I decided the rumours were correct: the band was good. The drummer was quite cute too—not that I should be thinking of other guys in that way. I had the best boyfriend a girl could ask for, even if he wasn’t always around.

The word ‘boyfriend’ hadn’t been in my personal vocabulary for very long. I hadn’t had one before, and I hadn’t planned on having one now, but Sebastian had been so persistent and wouldn’t take no for an answer. Point of fact, I hadn’t planned on any of it—all the weird stuff and the world I’d been drawn into. Not that I’d ever sat daydreaming about a solitary future, growing old surrounded by canvasses and the company of cats. No, growing up, I’d always felt that I was destined for something else. Something better. Something bigger. And I hadn’t had to go looking for it; it had found me.

With my first drink finished, I started on the refill Beth had already placed in front of me, wishing that Sebastian were with me.

He’d had to go to the city, again. His father had been called away to help with another community emergency, leaving Sebastian to take care of the family jewellery business. It had been happening a lot lately. Of course, I understood the need for his father’s absences. Hemming Lovell had an important role in the werewolf hierarchy, and the world was under threat of invasion, but what I had never understood was why the business couldn’t survive for a while without him, instead of Sebastian having to step up and leave me in the care of his cousin, Connor.

I took a sip of my drink. It turned my stomach all warm and fuzzy—the same feeling I got when I thought of Connor. He’d always been there for me and had saved my life on more than one occasion. I’d thought we’d lost him when the truck ran him over, but I should have known it would take more than that to kill a Lovell. I couldn’t believe my eyes or the tug on my heart when I saw him again that night. I threw myself at him later and couldn’t stop hugging him, but I knew he didn’t mind. Connor had a thing for me, and he was constantly trying to wear me down. I admit I sort of liked it. He was gorgeous, with his dark Latin looks and sparkly blue eyes, but I found his attempts to win me over disrespectful to Sebastian, and that made me angry. Still, he seemed to have taken the hint, and apart from the odd curt nod while passing on campus, he hadn’t been near me for weeks.

I drained my second glass and nudged Beth. Come to the ladies’ with me?

Um, okay, she said, then got up to follow me.

Walking straight past the bathroom door, I headed down the corridor to Vincent’s office and tried the handle. It was locked.

The bathroom’s back there, Soph, Beth said.

I know. I squashed my ear to the office door but couldn’t hear anything. Regrettably, my eyesight wasn’t yet strong enough to see through walls.

What are you up to? Come on, no secret-keeping allowed anymore, remember? Beth pointed out.

I need to get in. Do your stuff, I said.

Beth shook her head, resigned, then stuck it tentatively through the wall, paused, and stepped into the office. A moment later, the lock clicked and the door creaked open.

So, what are we looking for? she asked, scanning the bookshelves.