by J. E. Cluney
What followed would’ve made my blood run cold if it flowed.
Lucas collapsed, cursing and hurling weak magic before becoming paralyzed on the ground.
The man stared at us, his head twisting at an odd angle as his clothing began to disintegrate and fall away.
Horns protruded from his head, and his skin fell off as his skull began protruding and cracking.
Claws extended from his hands, and those black eyes sunk back into his head, becoming hollow and soulless.
I held Allison close as the wendigo stood before us in broad daylight.
I had to get her out of here. It was after her.
“No,” Allison growled, tugging out of my arms.
‘I won’t run, I won’t let it rule my life. I won’t live in fear!’ she declared mentally.
I gritted my teeth, not caring what she wanted right now. If I was to fight this thing, I needed her somewhere safe. Even if she hated me for it.
As I went to grab her, I faltered, spying the flash of orange and turning.
Skip swore in shock as the tiger roared, flying past us and launching at the wendigo.
I realized instantly who it was.
Ollie.
23
I’d gone willingly to the wendigo, drawn to him by some strange force, feeling his magic snaking into me, amplifying through me.
I heard Marcus shouting at me, and vaguely knew he was being frozen in place by my own magic.
Not that I was commanding it.
All I knew was that I had to get to him. To this strange man, who turned out to be the very thing hunting me.
As he grabbed my wrist, I felt a power surge forth from my pendant, hurling the man away from me and sending me stumbling backwards.
But it couldn’t stop me, I had to get to him, and even when Lucas showed up, I still tried to reach him, needing to touch him, to feel his power.
Until Marcus grabbed me.
As soon as his arms wrapped around me, I was yanked from the hypnotic trance, my mind returning to me as I gasped for air.
But as the wendigo touched me, I glimpsed his mind, his true intentions of devouring me and joining our powers. He’d controlled Marcus already just by being near me. I could only imagine what he could do if he stole my power.
I also saw that he’d spiked Lucas’ drink, using magic to distract the server as he tipped in a natural concoction. Something that would take effect only when Lucas came into the wendigo’s vicinity.
Something his warding couldn’t stop.
We watched in despair as Lucas collapsed, and then Marcus became determined to get me to safety.
Leaving only them to take on the wendigo.
No. It wanted me, and I could defend myself.
I argued, but my focus was torn away when the tiger tore past me, launching at the wendigo.
I guess we knew how my magic had affected Ollie then.
The tiger roared as it leaped at the wendigo, which shrieked, an inhuman sound that pierced the air.
The tiger dragged it to the ground, but the big cat was sent hurtling through the air with a wave of black energy.
The wendigo shot to its feet, snarling as it darted towards me.
“Bring it, fucker!” Skip shouted as he shot forward.
Marcus flitted forth as well, and the pair attacked him at once.
I turned, spying Ollie pulling himself to his paws and growling.
Skip cried out as the wendigo slashed his chest, and Marcus was sent tumbling by black energy.
Ollie shot back into the mix, lashing out with his claws, but he was knocked back once more.
The wendigo was powerful, he had powerful magic to defend himself with.
They couldn’t stop him, maybe Lucas could’ve.
I rushed over to Lucas, who was lying on his side, blinking as his fingers wavered softly.
“What do I do?” I asked as I knelt down beside him.
‘I’m trying to draw it out of me, but it’s all natural, not magic infused with it, I can’t find it easily in my system,’ Lucas growled into my mind.
I whipped my head around as a sharp cry split the air.
Marcus was on the ground, grappling with a strange shadow creature, while Skip was pulling himself to his feet a fair distance away.
But my eyes were wide in terror as the wendigo held Ollie up by his throat. The tiger clawed out, desperately kicking and clawing as he tried to free himself.
He was going to kill him.
“No!” I screamed, aiming my arms outwards as the waves of energy pulsed forth.
The wendigo was sent flying backwards, releasing Ollie as he thumped on the ground.
I slipped into my void, seeing only the wendigo on the ground in the darkness.
Power pulsed through me as I held out my hands, the skulls glowing and pulsing with sheer energy as I stalked towards the wendigo.
“You won’t hurt any of us. I won’t let you. This ends here,” I stated, my voice echoing with a high, powerful pitch.
I could feel my banshee taking over me, controlling me as she came to my aid. She knew what to do.
“I won’t let you kill me,” I said as I came to a halt a few steps from the wendigo.
It growled as it stood up, those hollow, soulless sockets for eyes glowing red.
It screeched as it lurched forward, grabbing my arms and digging its claws into me.
I smirked, ignoring the pain in my arms.
It faltered as it leaned forward, opening that bone mouth, sharp teeth being revealed as the skull creaked and cracked. I could see the pieces of old flesh still stuck to its skull, the small cracks that marred it. Those hollow eyes were so deep, with the fire-like glow inside it.
It exuded evil and darkness, but I didn’t let it seep beneath my skin. I was stronger than it. I had a reason to fight. A reason to live.
I screamed, not in fear, but in sheer anger and fury.
He shot backwards, releasing me, but I wrapped my hand around his wrist, holding him as I shut my mouth.
I raised my glowing hand, the skull burning in my palm.
“It’s over,” I said calmly. My banshee boiled inside me, commanding me on what to do. I obeyed. And I slammed my hand into its boney, grey chest.
It shrieked as it stumbled away, and I felt arms close around me, pulling me backwards.
I rose out of my void, finding Skip holding me tightly as he stared in horror at the wendigo.
It was screaming and shrieking, a white skull glowing from its chest, like someone was shining a blinding light out of his hollowed body.
His chest caved in, and the wendigo let out one final shriek before collapsing backwards, writhing for a few moments as his whole chest began to crumble like dust.
I just watched as he fell still, his grey, boney body disintegrating into ash, leaving only the horned skull sitting in its place.
I was silent as I just stared at the creature.
“It’s dead,” Marcus said as he appeared beside me, staring at the remnants of the wendigo in shock.
It was true.
He’d plagued me for weeks, putting fear and dread into me, and in just a few moments, he was dead.
“How’d you do that?”
I turned slowly, smiling weakly as a naked Ollie joined us.
I was relieved to see he was okay, although his voice was a little croaky.
“I just… did,” I answered honestly, holding onto Skip’s strong arms, grateful that he was holding me up. My legs were trembling now as the sheer adrenaline wore off.
I felt tired and drained, my eyes moving to Lucas, who was beginning to move his legs and arms.
Marcus noticed my gaze, and flitted over to him, lifting him up to his feet with ease.
‘You killed it,’ Lucas said in disbelief, staring at me in confusion.
“The touch of death. I never thought I’d live to experience a time when it was used.”
We all jumped as Mr Brady appeared before us, looking d
own at the pile of ash distastefully.
“The touch of death?” Skip murmured, his grip on me only tightening. I just rested my head against his chest, wanting to close my eyes and sleep, but still not believing what had just happened.
“Yes, Miss O’Donnell informed me that the touch of death was a power some banshees could activate. Extremely rare in them,” Mr Brady mused as he knelt down in his grey suit, lifting up the lone skull to inspect it.
“Should that worry us?” Ollie said softly.
“No. As long as Miss Smoak doesn’t use it unless absolutely necessary. I felt that dangerous magic from across town, came here as soon I felt it,” Mr Brady said, his eyes locking with mine.
“Is he gone?” I asked softly, my gaze dropping to the skull.
“Yes. When a wendigo dies, only their skull remains. Some wendigo hunters collect them,” Mr Brady murmured.
‘I guess the Council did have specific wendigo hunters,’ Skip thought to us.
‘Why couldn’t they have sent one out here?’ Marcus growled in my mind.
‘Limited resources. Maybe they hunt other things too and were dealing with more dangerous stuff,’ Ollie suggested.
“Lucas, it seems the wendigo outsmarted you,” Mr Brady observed as Marcus still assisted Lucas with standing. He was clenching and unclenching his fists, but it seemed he still couldn’t talk.
“He got past Lucas’ warding. He’s warded against magic,” Skip muttered.
“Yes, something most warlocks are smart to do. But it can’t stop natural toxins,” Mr Brady murmured. “Old natural mixtures that don’t require true magic to use. I’ve heard of such unique potions, hard to create. I imagine that this wendigo was extremely old, even a witch or quite possibly a warlock before it became this,” Mr Brady suggested as he turned the skull over in his hands.
“What would make a warlock want to become one of them?” Skip said in disbelief.
My eyes were hooded now. That magic I’d used had depleted me. I needed to rest.
“Who knows, impossible to say,” Mr Brady shrugged.
“How’d you shift?” Skip asked, aiming his question at Ollie.
“Ever since the bond was completed, I felt different. More like myself, but I wasn’t really sure,” Ollie murmured as he held his hands over his private region, still fully naked.
Mr Brady noted this, and with a wave of his hand, Ollie was dressed once more, which relieved him.
“Your eyes,” I murmured, managing a smile.
Those amber eyes I’d come to recognize so well were gone. Hazel eyes left in their place. I guess finally undergoing a true shift had reverted them back to normal.
“So the sheer magic from the bond strengthening lifted the curse. And altered Marcus,” Mr Brady murmured, giving us all a fascinated look. “Incredible.”
“Lucas was able to teleport us too, exactly to where we wanted to go,” Skip added, wanting to make sure Lucas got recognized.
“Is that so?” Mr Brady said, and I could’ve sworn I saw the edge of his mouth curve upwards a little. “I didn’t master it until I was in my late twenties.”
I felt Lucas’ startled reaction. His father had somewhat complimented him, in his own strange way.
He cleared his throat when he realized we were all looking at him strangely.
“I’ll clean this up, I think Allison needs some well-earned rest,” Mr Brady said, nodding his head at me.
As he said this, the recognizable rumble of Ollie’s grandfather’s ute came hurtling up the driveway, pulling up a small distance away from us.
“Everything all right here?” Robert called out as he clambered out of his ute.
“Everything’s fine, Mr Blythe. Allison here just put down a dangerous supe, a wendigo. I’ll have it sorted, but I think they’ve had quite an eventful afternoon,” Mr Brady called out.
Blythe. So Robert was Ollie’s father’s father. I’d never asked, since his family was not a big topic. Made sense, since his mother was nasty.
“My God,” Robert gasped.
“We’ll just take her home Pop, I’ll call later tonight though,” Ollie said as Skip began helping me to the car. My legs didn’t want to co-operate, and I tried to apologize, but he just swept me up into his arms and shushed me gently.
I accepted his help, closing my eyes as I nestled against his chest.
All that dread and worry at the back of my mind was gone now.
There was nothing left for me to worry about.
The wendigo was dead.
I awoke, blinking groggily and shuffling backwards into the warmth of whoever was behind me.
They hooked their arm over my waist, pulling me into them as a little spoon.
Ollie.
I could smell his soft caramel scent, and his warmth flooded into me as I sighed.
I was vaguely aware we were downstairs in Lucas’ room, but I quickly drifted back off in the comfort of the embrace.
When I finally awoke again, I found another weight in front of me, and I blinked away the haze, finding Marcus just watching me contentedly.
I smiled at him, and he stroked my cheek with a cool hand.
“Our little banshee,” he murmured.
I reached out mentally, finding Skip and Lucas in the living room. They were still coming to terms with everything.
How all their talk of protecting me had meant shit, I’d taken care of it myself.
I chuckled softly at this, and Marcus smirked knowingly.
Ollie mumbled behind me, half asleep as he nuzzled my back.
“In the end, you saved our arses,” Marcus murmured.
“Guess you guys all need me,” I murmured, my body feeling heavy still.
“Of course we do,” Marcus said as he leaned forward and kissed my forehead. “Do you want me to get you anything?”
“No, just stay with me,” I murmured softly as I closed my eyes. I was still so tired, so exhausted and in need of rest.
“Always.”
* * *
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Institute of Supernaturals: Savage (book 1)
Institute of Supernaturals: Savage Collects (book 2)
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Glossary
Arvo - afternoon
Bogan - is Australian and New Zealand slang for a person whose speech, clothing, attitude and behaviour are considered unrefined or unsophisticated.
Bottle-o - Liquor store
Chippy - Carpenter
Esky - hard-cased cooler for drinks
IGA - Grocery store
Fortnight - two weeks
Grouched- get pretend cranky with
Lounge - couch/sofa
Op Shop - Second-hand store that donates money raised to causes
Singlets - tank tops
Skippy - Australian Kangaroo show (popular and known)
Stubbies - bottles of beer
Thongs - flip-flops
Trackies - Tracksuit pants
Verandah - Porch
Woolies/Woolworths - Grocery store