Page 22 of Honour Bound
I took my jacket off and pulled my T-shirt over my head. Despite her fear, the Fomori demon goggled at me. Given that she was naked, she’d probably assumed my clothes were part of my skin. My T-shirt had protected my torso from the worst of the Clyde and I was aware of how strange I looked – black hair, black face, black neck, white middle and black legs.
I poured a tiny amount of whisky onto the T-shirt’s sleeve where the water hadn’t seeped through so much and used the underside of the material. I kept adding more, making the spot as sterile as I could, then held it towards her wound.
‘This is going to hurt,’ I told her. I grabbed hold of her hand and she stiffened, clearly waiting for a blow. When it didn’t come and I squeezed her fingers in reassurance, she relaxed slightly. Then I pressed the whisky-sodden material to her neck.
She yelped but cut off the noise herself by clamping her free hand over her mouth. She wasn’t stupid; she knew what would happen if more demons heard her and came running. I wiped away as much of the blood as I could, hoping the alcohol would prevent any infection.
There was a faint mark on her shoulder, a tattoo. A tattoo of a small Scottish lion on its hind legs with its front paws splayed out into the air. Shaking my head in confusion, I pressed the material against the demon’s wound and moved her hand up to hold it. ‘You need to keep it like that until the bleeding stops.’
She blinked at me and I sighed. I pushed down on her hand once more, trying to make her understand. When I finally stepped away, she kept her hand in place. I nodded, satisfied. ‘I have to go,’ I told her. ‘I can’t stay here.’ My eyes drifted down the street. If those others demons came back… ‘I’m sorry.’
She jerked suddenly and I leapt back, alarmed. She pointed at her chest and made a strange sound. I frowned, suddenly realising what she was doing.
‘Ay? That’s your name?’ She shook her head and tried again. ‘Bay? Hay?’ Damn it. ‘May?’ The demon nodded vigorously. ‘May. Your name is May.’ I met her eyes. ‘It’s nice to meet you, May.’
Her face twisted into a strange semblance of a smile. I smiled back until she moved her hand away from her chest and pointed behind me. I turned round but the long street was still empty.
‘Yes. I have to go.’ I took a deep breath. ‘Look after yourself, May.’ I picked up my jacket, put it on and zipped it up, then I returned the harp to my back and gave her a wave. I really did have to skedaddle.
I looked at myself ruefully. Even standing next to May, I looked like a half-dead zombie. Maybe demons really were a ghoul’s best friend.
*
I made better time than I expected getting back to the Veil and I located the same spot that I’d emerged from with relief. Nothing followed me and I saw nothing else. Wherever those demons had marched off to, it wasn’t here. Thank heavens for small mercies.
I shook myself. The strange water from the Clyde had dried on my clothes and skin and black flakes fell off when I moved, like the world’s worst case of dandruff.
I gave the dark, unforgiving landscape one last look; I never wanted to come back here again. It seemed that there were worse places than the Cruaich after all. Even Aifric Moncrieffe and his wily, manipulative, murdering ways seemed a piece of cake compared to this nightmare. I took a deep breath and stepped back through the Veil.
The sensation as I passed through was as agonising as before and the noise as I came out onto home turf immediately put me on edge. My eyes darted round. Something was wrong; maybe one of the demons had invisibility as a Gift and had followed me here.
When I realised what was making the noise, I simultaneously relaxed and grimaced. I nudged Taylor with my toe. ‘Wake up!’
He mumbled something and rolled over. ‘Taylor!’ I crouched down and shook him. ‘You’re snoring loud enough to bring a horde of Fomori stampeding through the Veil. Wake up!’
He grunted and opened his eyes blearily. ‘Huh?’ He fixed his gaze on me. ‘Integrity! You’re back!’ He sat up and pulled me towards him, enveloping me in a tight hug – then immediately let go. ‘You smell worse than a badger’s arse. And what on earth are you covered in?’
‘Long story,’ I told him. I glanced back at the Veil. ‘Let’s get home to the others and then I’ll tell you.’
*
I’d never before had such a rapt audience. All four of them were on tenterhooks, listening to my every word.
‘You helped a Fomori demon?’ Brochan appeared thunderstruck.
I shrugged. ‘It seemed like the right thing to do.’
Lexie goggled at me. ‘She wanted to kill you!’
‘Out of instinct rather than anything else, I think.’ I gestured at myself. ‘I do look like the creature from the black lagoon. Besides, being a pacifist isn’t about apathy and turning your back. It actually involves taking action too.’
‘I’ll have to take samples,’ Speck muttered, still focused on my appearance. ‘It’s like no water I’ve ever seen.’
Lexie rolled her eyes. ‘Ever the scientist.’ She leaned forward. ‘And you levitated. Like hovered-in-the-air levitated?’ I nodded. ‘Can you do it now?’
I furrowed my brow and concentrated. I managed to rise half a foot before the effort was too great and I sank back down again. ‘I think the power is fading just like with the other Gifts.’
Brochan stared at me with unwavering intensity. ‘What were you thinking? When you saw the demon levitate?’
