“He’s a fledgling,” the auric said in a silky, feminine voice; the tone ringing as though he was analyzing a painting in a museum. He stared a bit longer before shooting a glance to Marcus and nodded, “He intends to save the murderer.”
The monster let loose a rumbling cackle that sounded like a demonic hyena and curled its lips back, displaying its horrifying array of teeth.
A shudder seized Xander as a deep instinct overtook him and his fangs extended like daggers and an angry hiss shot from his throat.
****
The blows had begun to land less frequently as the bitch-rogue tired. Despite this, Marcus’ defenses were too weakened and he was sure even a human could take him on in the state he was in.
Xander’s sudden arrival seemed both a blessing and a curse, though the familiar growing odor didn’t bode well.
Even through a broken nose he recognized that smell.
Therion!
His attacker let out a sob as her arms came into focus, her face twisted in a bizarre combination of rage and what appeared to be sorrow, “WHY WON’T YOU DIE?” she demanded, tears rolling down her cheeks.
Her growing emotion made her sloppy, and her next swing came into view.
Marcus, seeing his chance, deflected the blow with his good arm and grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him as he threw his bruised and broken face forward in a head-butt. A flash of pain erupted from the impact and as the bitch stumbled back, clutching her lower jaw, Marcus rolled to his side and spit a mouthful of blood onto the street.
If he survived this, he was going to drain the first thing with a pulse he came across.
****
Both Xander and the two mythos turned their attentions to the sudden cries of Marcus’ attacker as she staggered back.
Xander watched his mentor as he pulled himself up on unsteady legs, his right arm dangling like a piece of dead meat. He started to take a step towards his mentor but stopped and watched in horrified astonishment as the monster shot forward—rocketing itself on all fours—and crashed into the still staggering older vampire.
****
Marcus didn’t have time to celebrate his freedom and find his center of gravity before the reeking therion crashed into him. Forcing him back a ways, the two slammed with an explosive force into the brick foundation of a nearby building, sending chunks of the structure raining down on them. Razor-sharp teeth embedded in eager jaws snapped inches from his face and he grabbed at its throat with his good arm and used what strength he had to hold it back.
The therion reared back and swung a massive, clawed hand into his dislocated shoulder, sending a sharp pain shooting throughout his torso. With his grip weakened, the therion revealed a hideous grin and lifted him off his feet, holding his arms at his sides.
Marcus’ vision blurred as his foe continued to keep a firm grip on his bad arm. Determined to put some distance between him and the ugly beast, he pulled both legs up and drove them forward into its chest, sending it hurling back.
****
Xander rushed towards Marcus, determined to do whatever he could to get the giant beast off of him. He hadn’t crossed a quarter of the distance before a transparent, shimmering-purple wall appeared in front of him. He recoiled and turned to face the source: the still-grinning auric. Scowling, he took one quick look in his mentor’s direction before squaring off against his opponent as he’d been shown.
“Cute trick,” he glared.
“You like that?” the auric asked, his face turning hard, “I’ve got plenty more where that came from!”
Before he was even finished talking, the wall of energy shot forward and curled around Xander, snaring him. A startled cry escaped him as the auric net whipped him and he was hurled down the street, bouncing several times before skidding to a stop half-a-block away.
Battered and disoriented, he fought to gather his wits, only to have his vision flooded in purple again and he was lifted, struggling, into the air. Without warning, the aura he was trapped within separated into four parts—one holding him at each limb—that began to pull in opposite directions. The pain was so sudden and intense that Xander’s gaping mouth didn’t have the time to scream.
****
Finally free of the therion’s grip, Marcus dropped to his knees. Struggling to get to his still-shaky feet, he began to scan the area for Xander. Though his skirmish with the beast had been a brief one, he knew all too well the trouble that even a stolen second could bring…
And the kid wasn’t ready for this kind of action yet!
He was surprised to find his pupil floating in the air a short distance above the fruity-looking auric vampire. Seeing the pained look on Xander’s face, he could tell that he only had a short time before he lost him.
Some of the more minor injuries he had sustained from the bitch-rogue’s beating were starting to heal—some of the lesser fractures even beginning to knit and reform. Taking this as a sign that he wasn’t out of the fight just yet he grabbed several large chunks of the wall he’d been smashed through and began heaving them at Xander’s attacker with all the strength he could gather.
****
The auric bastard was sure taking his time in killing Xander!
He let out a breathless groan as he felt something in his shoulder start to tear; hot tears running down his face and his groan of agony extending into a croak.
Then, as suddenly as it had started, he was plummeted to the street below where he crashed painfully. He heaved, taking in as much air as he could, hoping the cold might soothe at least some of the burning pain inside of him. Curling up, he pressed his forehead to the street until the pain finally subsided to something bearable. With his curiosity as to why he had been spared outweighing his desire to remain balled up on the chilled concrete he glanced up at his would-be killer.
The once calm and composed auric who, moments earlier, had been outright gleeful in his torturing of him was clutching at the side of his bloodied head and cursing on agony. His purple aura—a darker, angrier shade than before—whipped about and tore a newspaper dispenser from the sidewalk as the still-forked tendrils recessed back into his chest.
Positive that his survival had something to do with Marcus, Xander counted his blessings and got to his feet. The scene on the street had become a chaotic one; both sides injured in some form or another—though he was sure that his mentor was still in the worst condition amongst them.
Marcus looked at him from the distance—his eyes scanning his body for any sign of injury—and Xander nodded back that he was alright. The gesture seemed to take some weight off his mentor’s shoulders and he began to approach.
****
Stryker was alright, and, for the time being, that was what mattered most. Satisfied, Marcus paused in mid-step to glance in the direction of the injured therion. The beast was beginning to change back to its human form to heal the broken ribs Marcus had given it; though, judging from the way it twisted in agony, clutching its chest, it still had a ways to go before it was even healed.
“Teach you to fuck with me!” Marcus said in its direction.
The auric he’d clobbered with the brick continued to bitch and moan, gripping his injured head and Marcus smiled at the sight.
He was only a few yards from Xander when an angry shriek shot out and the bitch-rogue dropped out of overdrive right in front of him. Marcus’ eyes went wide as he was swept off his feet and sent into a dizzying flip that landed him on his right side. A hurricane of pain consumed him and he cursed between clenched teeth.
****
The woman from before had come out of nowhere, appearing in front of Marcus and kicking his feet out from under him.
Before Xander had a chance to react, the woman turned to face him. Though there was caked blood under her nose and around her eyes from Marcus’ head-butt, it was the shiny, recently-shed blood that decorated her lips that caught his attention.
And then he noticed her aura: brighter, more vibrant than before! He sneered
, infuriated. She’d run off somewhere to feed and rejuvenate while her backup kept them busy.
“Bitch!”
“Did you come to help that?” she growled, ignoring his insult and pointing back at Marcus.
Xander stood, his knees shaking. He’d seen what the vampire could do, and he couldn’t help but feel that he wasn’t ready to face off against a real threat just yet. Somewhere over the vampire’s shoulder the monster—who had since turned back into a man—rose to his feet and began a purposeful stride to join them, kicking Marcus in the face as he passed.
“Teach you to fuck with me!” he growled.
The injured auric narrowed his eyes at the fallen Marcus and smirked; throwing his aura out and ensnaring him. For a moment nothing happened, then the purple energy signature started pulsing and Xander saw Marcus’ own aura dim as his life force was consumed.
“GET THE FUCK OFF HIM!” Xander screamed, taking a step forward only to be knocked to the ground by a swift slap delivered by the woman.
“This doesn’t concern you, kid,” she said, looking down at him, “You could walk away right now and no one would stop you.”
Xander glared up at the woman, who turned her attention to the auric. He followed her gaze and saw that the once-injured vampire was healing himself with the stolen energy. The woman smiled as she watched, licking her blood-smeared lips.
“Kill him,” she whispered, “And make it hurt… a lot!”
As soon as the words were past her lips Marcus cried out in agony, curling himself into a ball and hugging his head between clenched fists. The woman smiled at the sight and sound of Marcus dying and stepped in for a closer look. Before Xander could consider trying to help, the beast-man let out a deep growl as a warning.
C’mon, Xander! Fight! Stan’s voice shouted in his mind.
Xander shook his head, confused by the sudden intrusion.
You’re a Stryker, dammit! The son of one of the most powerful auric vampires I have ever met! You have the instincts! You have the desire! USE THEM!! The roar of his friend’s voice was so intense that Xander clenched his eyes against it.
As the echo in his head died down the agonized sounds of Marcus dying once again rose and rang in his ears and he tightened his jaw. He felt the familiar hot rage as it coiled around him and he opened his eyes, watching as the red bolt of his aura snaked out from his chest.
Marcus’ screams stopped as the auric turned his attentions to Xander; jaw gaping at the display.
“Why in the hell did you stop?” the woman demanded.
The auric only had enough time to point before Xander’s aura whipped out like a scarlet whirlwind, throwing the looming monster-man and the woman into the air. The auric, though startled, had been given enough of a warning and stood his ground, his purple aura wrapped around him and protecting him from the attack. Xander locked eyes with him and their auras shot at one another, colliding in a violent explosion of neon-colored energy.
****
Marcus groaned.
There was no getting up; no use in even trying.
Something had sparked in the Stryker boy and his powers had saved them both. However, as he fought against the pain to roll to his side to see what was happening, he saw that they weren’t in the clear just yet.
To the naked eye, it appeared that Xander and the fruity auric were locked in a vicious stare-off, but he knew better. He’d been around enough aurics to know when a great deal of psychic energy was being pushed out, and though he couldn’t see them, he was sure their auras were clashing like medieval swords.
Despite the chill of the season, the air around them began to grow warm and the faint crackle of excess static grew louder. A pile of newspapers that had spilled from the destroyed dispenser whipped about them in an invisible hurricane. Focusing on his pupil, he could see that Xander was beginning to shiver and sweat from the exertion and Marcus frowned, wondering how much more he had in him.
In the distance, staying out of range of the auric stand-off, the bitch-rogue and the therion stood, waiting out the two’s battle. Marcus didn’t need to guess what for; their companion was more experienced and controlled. Though he knew that with a bit of time and training Xander would have no problem wiping the floor with the fruity auric, there was no doubt who would win then and there.
Marcus took in a lungful of static-charged air, finding the task painful and arduous. It wouldn’t be long before they were both dead…
****
Fat, blinding beads of stinging sweat fell into Xander’s eyes and he felt his aura as it was forced back further; his focus wavering. The auric seemed unaffected by the effort he was exerting in the attacks, and Xander clenched his fists, enraged not only by the situation but by his apparent weakness.
This is what they’re so excited about? Xander thought to himself as his aura was deflected and forced away once again. This is their fucking legacy?
The overwhelming sensation of weakness broke what little focus he had left and his enemy’s aura shot at him and ensnared him, constricting around his entire body and once again crushing the air from his lungs. Trapped and suffocating, Xander was powerless as his captor approached, stepping with the confident stride of a homicidal super-model.
“‘Legacy’,” the auric scoffed, “You’re supposed to be something special?” He stopped in front of Xander and eyed him.
There was no air for Xander to speak with, and his eyes fluttered as his suffocation continued.
In the distance Marcus groaned in protest as he tried to crawl forward, only to be kicked back again by the monster-man.
The auric frowned and turned, his aura flaring the color of a ripe bruise, “Your time will come soon enough, murderer! But until then you get to watch your fledgling die.”
The woman seemed to enjoy the pained expression on Marcus’ face from this and beamed. The auric nodded, turning back to Xander and tightening his hold, making him flinch.
“What do you say, Xander?” the auric taunted, “Are you ready to die tonight?”
The purple aura continued to grow tighter and silent cries of agony hiccupped from Xander’s throat. Over the auric’s shoulder, the blurred outlines of the woman and the monster-man grew larger with their approach.
“You and Jurek can do what you want with the boy,” the woman’s voice rang out, “But Brad’s killer is mine!”
Xander didn’t fully understand what the words meant as his mind glazed over from the lack of oxygen, but he knew that they weren’t good for him or for Marcus. His vision continued to fade, distorting shapes and shades until everything melted into a shadowed grey.
And then all hell broke loose…
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Stan’s Wrath
The eyes were as big as pickup trucks and blue like jewels. They appeared, opening from behind hidden lids in the sky and piercing through Xander’s grogginess with sudden awareness. Though they appeared soft and caring, there was a wealth of power and rage that shone behind them.
As his vision began to focus once again, Xander smirked.
“Stan…” he forced the name out.
“What did he say?” the woman asked, surprised that he wasn’t already dead.
The auric frowned and turned to face in the direction that Xander was facing. For a moment he appeared to see nothing, then the eyes in the sky narrowed and focused on him, “WHAT THE FUCK?” he cried out, stepping away and releasing his hold.
Finally free, Xander fought to inhale, swallowing breath after breath in an attempt to satisfy his starved lungs.
The woman and the monster-man stared in bewilderment in the direction their companion was retreating from, but were blind to the shiny blue eyes as they drifted and touched down on the street in the distance and shimmered. As the image continued to waver a figure stepped from behind them and approached, hidden in the distant shadows. The form writhed and twisted as it moved—a sound like snapping bones echoing down the dead-silent street.
A streetli
ght flickered and dimmed as the liquid-shadow figure passed and, when the last of the dying bulb’s light had faded, it raised its arm and pointed forward towards them, sending a wave of darkness down the street in their direction; snuffing out all light in its path. The curtain of blackness crept closer, coating the walls of the buildings on either side as it continued its path down the street; everything it touched turning empty and dark. The still-retreating auric whimpered as his companions, finally seeing the approaching darkness, cursed and turned to retreat as well.
Xander cried out as Marcus, unable to move, disappeared into the expanding blackness, followed by their retreating enemies and then, finally, himself.
For a long time there was no sound, just the darkness and the others, looking equally as stunned and afraid. Then, as though selected bit-by-bit, elements of the street’s prior scenery appeared; streetlights, though still without illumination, came into focus on either side of them as well as a fire hydrant and the tattered and torn newspaper dispenser that had been ripped from the ground. Deeper into the darkness Xander could see the bent and twisted streetlight with Marcus’ mangled car still wrapped around it.
Beyond this, the blackness consumed the rest of the world.
In the distance, where the figure had been standing, the darkness shimmered and Stan appeared. His dirty-blond hair waved and his blue eyes shone as the brightest source of light in his twisted shadow-world. Xander wasn’t surprised that he was wearing all black, an element that made him blend and disappear into the scenery; his body becoming a part of everything around them.
Noir: A Crimson Shadow Novel Page 24