Infernal Bonds Read Online Free PDF Page A

goddess liked her priestesses to be fierce warriors.  
    I stood and opened my arms to embrace her. My anxiety had melted away already, leaving my head clear, yet my heart remained heavy. I was in the middle of something, I could feel it; I just had no idea what.  
    Elise wrapped her arms around me and pulled me into a tight hug. “Oh, Evie, you look awful."
    I laughed. “Thanks, Elise, you always know how to cheer me up."
    She grinned at me and led me through into her private quarters. They were simple in their elegance, a comfortable sofa sitting facing a small television with a broad bookshelf along the left-hand wall. I curled up on the sofa while she made some white tea. The soothing floral scent filled the small room and brought me to sigh with contentment. No matter what was going on outside the walls of the church, I knew I was safe and happy within them.  
    Elise sat down next to me, tucking her long legs up under her as she handed me a large cup of light white tea. I breathed deep, taking in the scent and relaxing more deeply into the sofa. She smiled at me and sipped her tea, waiting patiently. After a long minute I placed the tea down and showed her my palm, a faint pink line remained. There had been no reason for it to heal so quickly, and there was no denying the facts.  
    She frowned and ran a finger over the line, her touch tingled and left a cool trail in its wake. I picked the tea back up and studied her face. Her pale eyebrows were knitted and small lines formed around her delicate mouth, her lips painted electric blue as her goddess wanted her.  
    “What caused this, Evie?"
    Her voice was weighted with serious concern. My heart dropped. I related the story back to her in completion, how the man had shown up out of the blue and what had happened.  
    "He started showing up the morning after the blood moon?"
    I bit my bottom lip, I should have made the connection sooner. I refused to look at her, I was ashamed of myself for being swept up in foolish thoughts and daydreams.  
    Her hand wrapped itself around mine.  
    “You said he smelt of hot metal and petrichor?" she asked quietly.  
    I nodded; the scent remained fixed in my mind.  
    She sighed and laughed quietly. "Oh, Evie, you've gone and done it this time."
    I looked up at her before she said, “He's a hellhound. You've been bound to a hellhound."

Eight

    “How is that even possible? Only those with demon blood can bond with a hellhound!"
    Elise held my arm firmly but gently when I tried to stand and pace around the room. I couldn't be bound to a hellhound. It wasn't possible. Her lady, her goddess, must have been mistaken or there was a mix up in communication.  
    “Evie, my lady isn't wrong. You're bound to a hellhound, and you must keep him safe."
    I looked at her. My level of alarm rose.  
    “Keep him safe? He's a hellhound, I should kill him or at least send him back down to the infernal plane," I said while trying to throw my hands up in the air.
    Her grip on my arm tightened and her voice deepened. “You are to keep him safe. That's important."
    I leaned back against the sofa and resigned myself to the situation.  
    I said quietly, “What's Quin going to say?"
    She smiled at me, that serene smile that never failed to smooth out any kinks I may have. “He's your twin, he'll probably be excited to explore something new."
    I couldn't help but smile. “Yea, you're right. He's never happier than when he has something new to poke at. He's been spending a lot of time with that elf as of late."
    We finished drinking our tea in silence. My mind was reeling. A hellhound was a very unusual occurrence. I'd never met one before. I'd been told about them, but they required a great deal of power to get onto our plane. They were also owned and bound to a demon. There were so many questions and so few answers.  
    Elise placed her hand on my cheek and said sternly, “Keep him safe, Evie, it's important."
    I opened my mouth to ask more