“We.” She chuckles once. Shaking her head, a small smile plays on her mouth. “I feel fine. It’s just a little cold.”
I take her face in my hands and tap into her senses. She does feel capable, just a scratch in her throat and a stuffy nose. “Okay,” I tell her and leave a kiss on her forehead.
We head out to our old neighborhood. They’ve finished building a home on the lot we once lived that looks nothing like the house we remember. By the car in the driveway, a family has moved in. I wish them a better life than the one we had.
Nearer the lake stands my father with Laine’s body as his host. The early morning’s silence is deterring. It cautions me to turn around and find another way to take out Lunis, but I ignore it.
Tracey strides at my side, steps infused with a confidence she claims I gave to her, but that she doesn’t know she acquired on her own. Her deadpan stare on Laine is threatening. We shouldn’t trust him, but the confidence boost this strength is giving me, I’m ready to test it out. I’m wanting something bad to happen, just so I can see how much better I’ve become—how much better my beast and I are. The energy has been pumping through me, a constant flow of adrenaline I’m barely controlling as I’d prefer to rev up with my Burdened intact and tear some shit up. Doesn’t matter what, just go-Hulk and destroy this entire neighborhood.
“Good morning,” my father says. “I thought you weren’t going to show.”
“Well, we’re here now,” Tracey says. “Now what?”
He grins shamefully. “I have something I must admit. Only Lunis holds the ability to pass through the realms. You’re the key.”
“And I’m assuming you’re not.”
“No, Tracey. I am not. I need you in order for me to go back.”
I stop Tracey from battling back. She’s not a huge fan of the man standing before us, and while I’ve hated him my entire life, maybe Mom was correct in giving him a second chance.
“We can get us through, but you hold your side of the bargain. Our focus is Lunis. The instant we get a hint of your changing sides, we’ll make sure to end you permanently. And we can see it.”
“We see everything,” Tracey adds, pointing.
With Tracey’s hand clutched in mine, I lift my free hand before me and will an entry. The space in front of us gently waves like slow ripples of water until it’s a doorway to the other world. The deserted land is the complete opposite of where we stand at the moment. The red dawn that blankets the land in death and mourning is a perfect place of redemption, a place I could revel and find a solace for my Burdened and I.
I motion for my father to head in first, then Tracey, and I follow in after her.
Our eyes must heavily adjust to lack of visibility. It’s much darker here, the nights a shade of darkness our world has never witnessed but is promised at some point in its future, after the days a risen king resurrects his people. Tracey’s ability to cloak her eyes and see through the darkness helps her, and before I can hope the same for myself, my body reacts but without a film covering my eyes. I see clearly, no effort required, but as easy as a nightcrawler makes its way through the day and night.
The air’s made up of dirt. I can slice it with my hand, it’s so thick. A coat of orangish grime coats the land for miles, I’d not noticed it before. Tracey drags the collar of her shirt over her nose and complains on her next breath of how it tickles her nose.
We stand amid a city on what would be a busy street if this was our world, based on its four lanes and wide stretch. Desecrated buildings line it’s disfigured curbs that’s ruined with fallen, rusty light posts splayed on the skinny sidewalks and in the streets. Old newspaper holder’s doors creek, but there’s no breeze.
A faint, warm blue haze brings a hint of light to our morning. “I think the sun is rising,” Tracey says.
“It burns red when it sets, almost as if the land was being set on fire by the sky,” my father admires.
“What happened here?” Tracey asks.
A fly zips past me. I see it passing slowly and with detail; the flapping of the wings pushing air past its body. I hear it buzzing long before it comes into view. Single grains of sand slowly pass behind it. I drag my eyes closed, breaking the concentration.
From somewhere, not near us, as I don’t see her, a woman responds to her son who happens to ask the exact question as Tracey.
The woman says, “Darkness killed our land. He came with an army and slaughtered those who stood in his way. They whipped through the sky, snatching the light from the firmament. It was beautiful once, blue was our glamorous view. The land quaked and fire rose from the ground like the cry of a dragon. The monsters followed, snatching those who they felt were of their need. They never returned as themselves and others, not at all. They took over our world like titans and gods, seizing all we had and cherished, liking us to beg from them. These monsters wanted us to worship them, and those who did not follow this new order met a begging possession, something worse than death that I don’t want any of you to experience.”
“That’s why you do what they ask. That’s why you gave up, Lilly, because they wanted her?” the boy asks, voice shaking.
“If I hadn’t, we’d all be doomed, son. Now sleep. Soon the sol will rise and the monsters will be out to collect new homes for their beings.”
“They’re dying, aren’t they? Why won’t they just die?”
“Because someone keeps giving them life,” she answers.
Lunis has been their demon who’s haunted their world. He’s not only found a way to build fear in ours among us all, but has taken over here, and without Tracey and I in the picture back home, he’d likely take over there as well.
“Nate!” Tracey shakes my arm. “You with us?”
I take her hand in mine and share with her what I heard.
Her free hand wraps around the outer side of mine. “This is why I told them we’d help,” she says. “We can at least try. And knowing what we do now, we know how to do that.”
“Let’s keep going. We don’t want to be noticed by the wrong crowd,” my father says.
He halts, gaze fixed on the dark fog flowing across the street a few feet in front of us. As if my father’s words were their welcome, a line of Qualms rise from the fog. They part and Lunis steps before them. He claps once, saying, “What a pleasant surprise.” Everyone has always suspected Lunis to be a full-blooded Sephlem, and even with my heightened sense of sight, I can’t see the demon beyond the disguise he displays. He may have an ability within his Sephlem form that aids in hiding him, but we should be able to beyond that too. Though, if his Sephlem form is strong enough to hide his demon or Qualm, if there be one within him, this would explain why the Qualms prefer Sephlems beyond wanting the abilities many of us possess.
My father takes three steps forward. “I want my wife,” he demands strongly, voice trumpeting over the mutters of the oncoming crowd. They saunter down the street, coming behind the line of Qualms standing at attention behind Lunis.
Lunis laughs. “Your wife was a far better person than you, Nathan. She’s never coming back. Tracey and your son know that.”
Tracey strikes forward. I’m faster than she is, catching her by her waist before she can lift a foot off the ground. “Whoa, feisty. Don’t feed into his shit. He’s fucking with you two because he wants you distracted by your anger. Get too close, he’ll call their attack.”
“Turn this son of a bitch to ash so we can go home,” she spits under her breath, heated with enough rage that her hair is blazing.
We both know I can’t do that. Lunis’ barrier that’s always encasing him prevents it. Somehow, he’s able to blend to the two realms and use them for protection. He’s definitely more than a Sephlem, and I plot on how I’ll defeat him.
“Nathan Jr., looks like you’ve been doing some soul searching. Finally.” A smile parts his lips and reveals a straight set of white teeth. As he gazes upon me, his grin morphs to one of satisfaction, pleased I’ve given him exactl
y what he’s wanted by my feeding from Tracey and giving way to being death or a knight. “I will obtain that body and that of your mate’s, you realize this, yes?”
“No!” Tracey shouts. “You won’t lay a finger on either of us. Battered, bloody, and bruised, you’ll have to kill us to take us, and we’ll be of no use to you then.”
“I have my ways, Tracey.”
As the mob gets closer, their faces are easier to make out. Tracey gasps, and I welcome my beast to eliminate the emotional side of me.
“He really did bring an army,” Tracey says, where only I can hear. Lines of familiar faces scowl at us. They crouch and wait for the order.
A growl rips from my throat and a burst of light flashes beside me. “They aren’t our friends, nor are they our family,” my beast tells Tracey. “You tear them apart, limb by limb, and let nothing stand between you getting back to me.”
“We’ll take down every one of them,” my father adds. “Double the fight is needed. Once you take down the outer form, you’ll still have to take down the Qualm.”
“How do we take down the Qualm?”
Electric currents move around my father, being a Nemanite. They strike through his eyes as he looks away from us. “We’re about to find out.”
Lunis gives the order, “Get them,” he mutters to the Qualm at his left. The monster bursts forward, and I snap into action, charging down the street, clearing over ten feet in half a second. At my approach, the Qualm evaporates into a dense fog, but I sense it reform behind me. I whip around and throw a solid blow toward it, but it disperses again.
You have the ability to beat this. You are the All-Seeing, a powerful being whose heart of Love carries the ability of knowing, I’m reminded. As one, you can accomplish all things.
It makes sense. It’s not for me to become one with Tracey, but one with my beast. I merge with my beast, joining the light along with him, something we’ve never been able to do. And as one, a surge of power ripples through me, causing an immersive roar to cut from my throat. Instantaneously, I’m able to visualize the Qualms moves before they’re executed. As I whip around, fist drawn, throwing enough might behind my punch to take down a brick wall, it burns red. When I connect with the neck of the Qualm, it catches fire and burns out.
It’s too easy.
Qualm after Qualm, the entire line of them strikes toward me and without as much effort as I applied with the first, I diminish each of them.
Their attacks cease. I stand in the middle of the road, even distance between Lunis’ army, and Tracey standing beside my father. Everyone gapes at me.
I turn over my red hands and acknowledge my black palms, like Tracey’s. My breaths are even, and I’m ready for round two.
Looking past my shoulder, I meet Lunis’ eyes. His glower is a treat. Facing him, I taunt, “What else you got?”
Lunis steps forward, slowly shaking off his overcoat. “Never send leaches to do a dragon’s job.”
There are mutters that follow his comment, by those behind him don’t move, leading me to believe they aren’t here for him. “I’ve been waiting years for this moment.”
“Me too,” comes from behind me.
Tracey approaches my side and shoves me aside. She is ablaze, hands burning supernova, eyes the devil’s den, and her brown hair a burst of flames. As the rage consumes her, she’s slowly lifting off the ground and the good side of her is gone.
Lunis, while his eyes remain pinned on my mate, he sheds his Sephlem skin. Leather-like flesh flushed in crimson breaks through his outer layer. Silver hair, bright as the beam of the moon, grows from his head and his eyes grow bigger and flush dark as coal.
Tracey’s unfazed. “You stole everything from me.” Her words echo through the vacant town. “I swore I’d pay you back for what you did.”
Lunis’ snake-like tongue slides over his lips, leaving them moist and shiny. “Do your worst, girl.”
I crave to jump in and take over for her, but my Burdened holds us still. I’m left to watch.
Tracey’s humongous fire serpent drops from her palm. It strikes once and then again, attacking Lunis’ shoulder and neck. Lunis doesn’t flinch, keeping his eyes on Tracey.
The snake strikes again and Lunis catches it by the head, staring in its eyes. He rips it in two. But Tracey’s brilliant, taking the distraction to throw meter-sized fire balls at Lunis. They blow Lunis backward, one step and then another. He takes only seconds to regain his footing, and Tracey’s before him, throwing fire breathing punches at his frame.
Before Lunis can gather enough momentum to throw a punch at Tracey, she’s executing her next attack. A kick in his neck, a jab in his jaw, a blow to the stomach. Drawing back, she strikes him with a black vine, thick enough to wound around Lunis’ body, pinning his arms to his sides.
Checkmate.
Tracey drops to the ground, blaze sizzling out. She saunters up to Lunis. He’s far taller than she, frame towering her body like a skyscraper. She says, “The devil never wins,” before drawing back and driving the fiercest punch through his chest. Hand so hot, she cuts through his flesh and the vines and he burns from the inside out, howling on his defeat as he crumples to the ground, remains nothing but ash.
I step to her side. When she faces me, I swipe droplets of Lunis black blood from her cheek and forehead. She meets my eyes. “I did it.”
“Damn right you did.”
“So.” She looks around us, surrounded by Qualms. “Does that mean it’s over?”
I shrink in height as I look around us too. The eyes of many remain pinned on us. Those from the army still waiting for a command, and those of Qualms now lurking in the shadows. “No, Tracey, I don’t think so . . .”
Our breaths grow heavy as we wait.
Silence falls over the land. Everything is still and silent.
The anticipation grows heavy and my beast returns in expectation of what’s to follow the take down of their king.
“Keith!”
I whip around. My father’s stumbling away from me, pearl blade sticking out of his spine. He drops to his knees, head hung low, hands risen to his chest.
I dive forward to catch my father before he hits the ground. Tracey comes to my side and grabs my hand and from our bond, a solid serpent with ridges of flames slithers from our grasp. With the rage of a thrashing wave, it circles around us, shielding us from attackers as I see my father.
Cradling him in my arms, I look him over. “Why’d you do that?” I ask.
He goes to pull the blade from his chest, and I stop him. Slowly, he says, “Power isn’t greater than love, Keith. Your mother would’ve wanted this.”
Knitting my brows, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude as I know the things he’s gone through to kill me, but has just saved my life by risking his own. “Thank you.”
He pats my shoulder, then is deadweight in my arms.
At my side, Tracey places her hand over his eyes and gives me a single nod. I obliterate him into ash that trickles over my arms and piles over the ground.
On my feet, I turn my attention to the hissing snake that’s focused on the three Qualms approaching us.
“You feel the power, don’t you?” the one in the middle asks.
I do feel it. It’s addictive, a power that fuels my muscles and pumps adrenaline through my veins. One that wraps my bones with confidence and fortitude then drives supremacy to my heart. I feel it.
“We can make that feeling greater for everyone.” The three spread their arms as they say in unison, “Come, let us show you things you have not seen.”
Sighing, Tracey says, “He’s told you once, and I’ll tell you again. No.”
The beady red eye of the three Qualms brightens as they roar with anger. Many voices at once shout, “If you will not come willingly, we will force you to come! Attack!” they yell, and the crowd that waited patiently charges for us like a rushing wave.
“If we don’t make it out of this alive, I loved every piece of you.”
The three of use; the serpent, Tracey, and I fight to the death, first fighting the outer flesh, then diminishing the Qualm. The serpent’s a godsend, striking lines of people and landing on others. By the time we’re finished, we’re surrounded by fallen bodies.
I pant. Tracey’s at my back, hunched over on her knees, also panting.
We only have a second to catch our breaths. The approaching footsteps are familiar.
“Mom!” Tracey cries, racing toward the three people even I nearly run for.
“Sparks! No!” It’s not your mom!
The serpent cuts off her path, stopping her before she gets too close.
There’s a woman. Honey brown hair cascades over the small woman’s shoulder, almond-shaped eyes accompany warm champagne iris, and olive-tone skin smooths her cheeks. She continues forward, stepping before me. She even smells like her. “Well done, son,” she praises.
I shake my head. “What is this?” It’s too convincing.
Her lips purse, and she ponders with her chin clamped between her thumb and index finger. “They thought it best to provide you with what they promised. Even though you’ve refused them, they are beings of their word.” She lifts her hand for me and I step out of her reach, “Now, come here, son. It’s been so long.”
“I call bullshit.” People don’t just come back from the dead, I try to convince myself. This is impossible. I turned her to ash. She can’t be standing in front of me.
I check my surroundings. Mangled bodies litter the ground. The serpent separates Tracey from going after her mother. My mother’s right in front of me, looking upon me with a gaze that’s settling and familiar, and the third person who’s accompanying them, Scott, waits.
Shaking my head, I remove the desire. It’s the three Qualms, Tracey. Remember Glen in the warehouse?
Yes, she responds.
We’re not backing down from this. No more running. No more letting this linger. We’re ending this right here, right fucking now.
Tracey meets my eyes. Hers are cloaked and the orange blazing fire starts at the crown of her head and works its way down to her feet. It’s not going to be easy fighting our mothers.
Finite: A Dark Paranormal Romance (The Sephlem Trials Book 4) Page 38