by MJ Fletcher
“You bastard.”
I swung my arm out at him, trying to hit him, but he avoided it with ease and came closer to me and knelt beside the bed, smiling.
“I did enjoy our time together.” He placed his finger on my stomach and ran it slowly up to my chest.
I tried to move, but found even that effort took too much out of me. I needed to concentrate on focusing my power into the Artifact before it was too late. I could deal with being betrayed and my heart broken later, when I had time for it.
“If you survive the process might I make one suggestion?” He leaned in close and whispered to me, “Go to a Fixer to get those scars removed—they’re incredibly ugly.”
His words hit me harder than any punch I had ever taken. I gritted my teeth and clenched my hands into fists against his God-awful betrayal. I was going to make him pay for this. No matter what it took this son of bitch wasn’t going to get away with this.
“Fuck you,” I said.
“No, dear, you already did that,” he chuckled.
Damn, but I was going to make him pay. I thought about the Artifact and tried to clear my mind. I wanted only to access my power. I could feel a flutter in my gut as my abilities activated, and a spark of energy and crimson light emanated from my Skeleton Key tattoos.
“What are you up to, Jess?”
Ronan wagged his finger at me and slapped the device onto my forearm. Fire exploded up throughout my right arm as he snapped the buckles. My powers deserted me and tears rolled down my face as the pain overwhelmed my senses.
The device glowed green, and I screamed in agony as it began to pull the Artifact from me. Ronan stood above me smiling and held his own arm out, clenching his fist.
Tendrils of crimson smoke floated from my arm toward Ronan’s. I wanted to kick and punch him, but I could barely move as the pain tore through me. My soul felt as though it was splintering into a million pieces. I knew there was no way I could survive this attack. Once he fully removed the Artifact from me, my fate was sealed—I would die.
The process increased and I shuddered as more power was siphoned from me and transferred to Ronan. The image of a Skeleton Key took form on his forearm, and my body trembled in fear and agony.
I closed my eyes and thought of my dad and the Grimm. They were in my head screaming and calling out to me to help them. But I couldn’t do anything for them, I couldn’t even save myself. I wanted to cry and all of sudden grey eyes came into my vision and I wished that Merric was here to save me. But I had pushed him away and chosen poorly once again. I was all alone.
Ronan tapped the device and my arm shot upright as it drained the last of that portion of the Artifact and created a fully realized Skeleton Key tattoo on his arm.
“Finally,” he raised his arm and my heart sank as crimson energy roiled around him. He grabbed my arm and unbuckled the device yanking it off. “Now for the next one.”
“No!” I swung my left arm and pushed all my anger and hate into my powers. The remaining Skeleton Key tattoo flared for a brief moment and a bolt of crimson energy shot out, slamming into Ronan and knocking him across the room.
The power was too much for me to control, and it pushed me backwards off the bed. I hit the floor and began crawling, trying to find some way to escape. My tattoo glowed ever so slightly with the last bit of remaining power it had. I was scared and knew the moment he used the device on it I was finished. My body couldn’t stand anymore. My legs wouldn’t respond to my commands and the rest of me trembled uncontrollably.
“That was a mistake you dumb bitch.” Ronan was up and grabbed the edge of the bed and tossed it aside. His face was contorted in rage, and I fell on my back and looked up at him in terror. All I wanted was to find an exit and escape.
The Skeleton Key tattoo on my arm heard my call. With the last bit of power, I twisted my arm and a portal opened underneath me, and I fell through it. I saw Ronan reach out for me screaming in anger.
“NO!”
I fell for a few moments until I hit the ground of the In Between. I rolled over and crawled forward. I was naked and alone and full of fear. I tried to access the remaining portion of the Artifact, but I was too weak from the device draining me. I wasn’t able to open another portal.
The sounds of Gremlins howling and roaring surrounded me. The beasts were congregating, sniffing at the air and licking their mouths in anticipation of what I assumed was their next meal—me.
The pain was too much, and I felt my eyes slowly closing. The last thing I heard was the howl of Gremlins in the darkness.
A Conclave of Shadows
Book 2 of The Grimm Chronicles
Coming Soon
MJ Fletcher Book List
Novels
The Doorknob Society (Book 1)
The Impossible Engineers (Book 2)
The Mapmakers Union (Book 3)
The Detective Inspectors (Book 4)
The Skeleton Key Guild (Book 5)
Novellas
The Cape Beanery Chronicles
The Victorian Express
A Candlestick Christmas
About the Author
MJ Fletcher was born in New Jersey and now lives by the beach with his very understanding wife and daughter. He has been writing since he first stapled pages together as a child and called them a book. He finally realized his ambitions when his comic book series Adam Zero The Last Man of Earth was published by Ronin Studios. His other comic book work includes Digital Webbing Presents and The Hero Initiative. His first novel The Doorknob Society released in 2012 was nominated for a Cybil award in the young adult category. He has finished writing the Doorknob Society Saga, a rollicking steampunk adventure series. And now is working on the Grimm Chronicles, as well as numerous other writing projects.