The Great Pack: Deathless Book 4

by Chris Fox

  Jordan could feel their relative strengths. Some, like the Indian man, were powerful beacons. Others, like the blond woman, were so weak he could barely sense any power in them at all. The Asian couple lay somewhere in between. A few were stronger than the Indian, none were weaker than the blonde.

  He’d never seen this many werewolves together, and the varying levels of strength were definitely intriguing. Liz could probably tell him exactly why there was such a difference, but he was fairly sure it had to do with the relative strength of the virus.

  Jordan counted swiftly, unsurprised when the count ended at twenty-five. Everyone was here. He sucked in a breath, then launched his best drill sergeant bellow. “Good morning, whelps. My name is Ark Lord Jordan. Not Jordan. Not Sir. Ark Lord Jordan. If I’m in a very good mood, which I’m not likely to be while working with you lot, I may allow you to call me Ark Lord. I’ve adopted the unenviable task of turning you into an army capable of protecting this city.”

  “What gives you the right to talk to us like that?” the Indian man called out. He stepped forward, balling his fists.

  Jordan extended a hand, pushing downward. The Indian man fell to his knees, struggling against the unseen force Jordan had generated. “Did I fucking stutter? ‘What gives you the right to talk to us like that, Ark Lord.’”

  The Indian man shifted into a dun-colored werewolf, straining to take a step toward Jordan. Jordan released him, allowing the Indian to charge forward. He waited until the man was inches away, then accelerated into his most powerful blur.

  Jordan twisted, grabbing the Indian man around the neck and flinging him face-first into the turf—not an easy feat when in human form, but the telekinesis gave him an unfair advantage.

  “What gives me the right,” Jordan continued, turning his back on the Indian, “is power. I can feel all of yours, and I’m betting you can feel mine.”

  The Indian roared, rising to his feet and blurring toward Jordan. He was strong, but Jordan could have bested this Ka-Dun long before he’d become an Ark Lord. His foot shot backwards, shattering the Indian’s kneecap. Jordan sidestepped the larger werewolf, dodging to the side as the Indian collapsed with a yelp.

  “Some of you are stronger than others, but don’t let that be a determining factor in your success here. Even the weakest can grow in strength, and I’m going to teach all of you how to do exactly that.” Jordan shifted into his warform, blond fur erupting all over his body. He reached down to help the Indian to his feet. “I’ve fought alongside Isis, the woman you call the Mother. I’ve battled gods more powerful than you can possibly imagine, beings that were tens of thousands of years old. I survived by learning and adapting, and that’s what you’re going to do. Now, what’s your name?”

  “Vimal,” the Indian spat.

  “You’re powerful Vimal, the strongest shaper here. If you’re as stubborn as you look, you might surpass us all one day.” Jordan turned back to the crowd.

  He had their attention now. Some were curious. Many were afraid. All eyed him warily, unsure of what he’d do next. Excellent. That was the exact mental state that opened them to learning.

  Jordan turned to the blond woman, the weakest. She was tall, just shy of six feet. She had a runner’s lean frame, and unlike almost every other werewolf she had a pistol belted to her thigh.

  “You,” Jordan boomed. “What’s your name?” He walked over to stand in front of the woman, staring down at her.

  The woman snapped to attention. “Alison, Ark Lord,” she replied.

  “Why do you wear that weapon?” Jordan asked.

  The woman squirmed under the attention; she licked her lips as she searched for an answer. “To even the odds, Ark Lord.”

  “Shift.”

  Alison shifted into a golden-furred female, just a few inches taller than Jordan. She was barely bigger than a male, tiny compared to a Ka-Ken like Liz. Jordan extended a hand toward the stack of crates he’d had brought in that morning. He levitated a bulky sniper rifle from the box, and the weapon shot to his hand.

  He handed the rifle to Alison. “The sentiment is good, but that sidearm is too small to put down most threats we need to deal with. This weapon, on the other hand, can put something down and make it stay down. You can explode a man’s head like a watermelon, and that includes deathless.” He clasped his hands behind his back. “Take to the shadows and find a suitable sniper location along the roof of this building.”

  Alison’s face went red and her gaze fell to the floor. She whispered something that sounded like a prayer, then, ever so slowly, she sank into the shadows. Jordan waited, pacing back and forth in front of the other werewolves. They’d formed a rough line without him having to ask. Progress already.

  “Can anyone among you tell me where Alison is?” Jordan asked. Then he waited. No one spoke. Moments passed. Still nothing. “So, despite the fact that she’s the ‘weakest’ person here, she’s in a superior position. She can pick you off, and not one of you can stop her. Am I wrong?”

  Heads shook, but no one spoke.

  Jordan continued. “There is a way to detect her, a way pioneered by Ark Lord Blair. That’s something I’ll be teaching, but right now I want you to focus on the importance of knowing your strengths. Alison is an incredible scout, and in the next few weeks she’s going to learn to become an incredible sniper. We’re going to capitalize on her strengths.”

  “We’ll be doing the same for each of you.” Jordan paused, stopping in front of the Asian couple. “We are going to start working on teamwork, beginning with pairing off. Every Ka-Ken pick a Ka-Dun from the lineup. Pair off, people.”

  They started to pair off, women up and down the line picking their prospective partners. When it was done there were three females without a male. That drew a pleased smile from Jordan. It would encourage competition, and few things motivated soldiers like competition.

  “We’ll begin with the basics. Males will learn to blur, or improve their blurring. Females will work on mastering the shadows.” Jordan’s voice boomed across the courtyard. For the first time in a very long while he was actually enjoying himself.

  Chapter 27- We're Going

  “Please do not do this,” Yukon asked. Blair sank a little under the weight of that stare, those dog eyes in an all-too-human face. “What if you do not come back?”

  “We’ll come back,” Blair promised, clapping Yukon on the shoulder. “Listen, I won’t lie. This is dangerous. I know there’s some risk. The thing is, not doing it is a bigger risk. There’s a much greater threat out there than a few ambitious deathless. We need to either make a deal with these guys, or wipe them out. We can’t afford to hide in Santa Rosa, waiting for them to attack.”

  “I know,” Yukon admitted, shoulders slumping. He dropped his gaze, scuffing the carpet with his bare foot. “The pack and I will look after the flock while you are away. What should I do if Windigo attacks?”

  “Do what you can,” Alicia said. She gathered Yukon into a hug, resting her head against his chest. “We won’t be long, I promise. You know I will always come back. Always.”

  “If we’re going to do this,” Liz said, “let’s do this. I hate long goodbyes.” She took a step closer to Blair. “Can you light-walk us all the way to the city?”

  “Yes, the trip will be instant. Are you ready, Alicia?”

  Alicia reluctantly released Yukon, wiping quickly at her eyes as she moved to stand next to Liz. “I’m ready.”

  Blair gave himself a once-over, deciding he looked as close to an Ark Lord as he was going to get. He wore a comfortable dress shirt over a pair of designer jeans that Liz had found for him. It was more upscale than he’d dressed in a while, and the ladies had followed suit. Liz was wearing a pair of wonderfully tight jeans, and a simple blue blouse. Alicia wore a nearly identical outfit, but her blouse was green.

  “Okay, let’s do this.” Blair concentrated, pulling at the Ark’s well of energy. He willed that energy to coalesce around them, channeling it in a
pattern of signals that was very familiar to him by now. They disappeared, instantly reappearing at the destination Blair had envisioned.

  Blair had stayed at the Hilton once, after taking Bridget to see Wicked. The trip had been memorable, and he remembered the place well. The entire first floor was glass, with plenty of exits in all directions. They’d appeared outside the hotel’s front doors, along Market Street.

  The instant they arrived, a delegation of deathless approached—six men and women in black suits, all Asian. They carried submachine guns, but the weapons were lowered and the guards appeared relaxed. One of them nodded toward Blair. “They’re waiting inside for you, Ark Lord.”

  The doors slid open, and Melissa glided out to meet them. She wore a bright red dress that hugged every curve. Elegant and practical, it flattered her figure without restricting movement.

  “Blair, Liz, thank you so much for coming. We weren’t sure you would. Who is this lovely young lady?” she asked, smiling warmly at Alicia.

  Alicia bristled, her fingernails elongating into claws. “This young lady remembers you slaughtering her family on Angel Island. My name is Alicia. Remember it, blood whore.”

  Melissa’s smile slipped a bit. She darted a glance at Liz, then back to Alicia. “Please forgive me. I don’t wish to stir up old animosities. We’re here today to try to find a way forward for both our peoples.”

  Behind her a number of well-dressed deathless were filing through the lobby, into a conference room. Melissa turned, gesturing for them to proceed. “This way, please. Most of the delegates have already been seated. Everyone was excited to meet you.”

  “Everyone?” Liz asked. Her eyes narrowed. “How many people are in that room?”

  “About forty,” Melissa said, eyeing Liz sidelong. “That’s every lord, and their retinue. I hope that isn’t a problem?”

  “It’s fine,” Blair said, following Melissa.

  She led them toward the conference room, stopping to greet other deathless every few paces.

  Blair sucked in a nervous breath, then stepped into the conference room. A wide, oval table dominated, with something like twenty chairs arrayed around it. More chairs lined the walls, most taken by hard-eyed security people.

  He spent a few moments studying the people at the table. That was where the power players would be. A few people had noticed his entrance, but most were still unaware. They were finding seats, and Blair got the sense that a lot of very subtle political maneuvering was happening.

  Then a whisper passed through the crowd and eyes shifted to him and his companions. Most had a hungry look he didn’t much like.

  “Ah, you must be Ark Lord Blair,” called a handsome man at the far side of the room. “I’m Carter, the ruler of Mountain View.” He moved to the conference table, taking a seat at the head. “Please, make yourself comfortable. We have a great deal to discuss.”

  Chapter 28- Deathless of Silicon Valley

  Blair studied Carter as he settled into the large mahogany chair on the opposite side of the table. Carter’s eyes glittered like a predator’s, and his slick dark hair added to the image. Blair guessed he was of Korean, or perhaps Chinese, descent. There was something off about him, a nearly undetectable scent of corruption. It was different from the cloying decay some deathless gave off.

  Liz moved to join Blair, sitting to his right. Alicia kept her eyes downcast as she walked to the other side, sitting on Blair’s left. He could feel the terror emanating from her, and knew she was close to bolting for the shadows—which was understandable, given everything she’d faced.

  Even Liz looked anxious, clenching and unclenching her hands as she sat. She was clearly ready for a fight.

  “We’re so pleased that you accepted our invitation,” Carter said. He motioned over his shoulder, and a man in a black suit brought him a silver tray loaded with wine glasses. Carter took one, and the servant began circulating amidst the crowd. “I realize this must be awkward, being in the stronghold of your enemies.”

  “Not really. This isn’t the stronghold of my enemies. It’s the very heart of mine.” Blair eyed the servant as he approached. The wine was a cabernet, but there was something off about it. Something foul. It had been tainted in some way. He took a glass, but didn’t drink.

  “I’m not sure I catch your meaning,” Carter replied. He seemed amused. “You are surrounded. Every deathless here rules his or her conclave through force. All earned those positions by being the strongest, and the most ruthless. We represent the most powerful deathless within three hundred miles. Your companions sense it—the younger one is about to wet herself—yet clearly this doesn’t trouble you. Why is that, Mr. Smith?”

  “You seem to know a great deal about me,” Blair replied, ignoring the question. “I know very little about you and your companions. That’s why I came. I want to understand my neighbors. Right now, my neighbors seem to be a threat. Am I correct in that assessment, Carter? Because if that’s the case we could have just met in a field and settled this. Why all the pretense? Why try to intimidate me?”

  Expressions of surprise filled the room. Those faces included Liz and Alicia—especially the latter. Alicia was looking at him like he’d just sprouted horns. The people in the chairs along the wall began readying weapons, several guns cocking in rapid succession.

  “You’re much more blunt than I’d have expected from a junior college teacher, especially one without tenure,” Carter said, a little too smugly for Blair’s tastes. “Do you really believe that the Ark gives you that much power? That you can overpower all of us at once?”

  “Am I going to have to?” Blair asked. He rose slowly to his feet, then gave Carter a grim smile. “Before you commit to attacking me, I’d give careful thought to the consequences.”

  “Oh, I have, Mr. Smith. Believe me when I say we all have. You possess a key, an access key more specifically. My benefactors have told me about this key, and that if I kill you, then I can take it.” Carter mimicked Blair, resting his elbows on the table in the same manner. “They have also blessed me with abilities far beyond any deathless you’ve encountered, I can assure you of that.”

  He is tainted, Ka-Dun. That is the scent we detected.

  “Demonic abilities come with a price, Carter. A heavy price. I wonder if you understood just how heavy when you accepted it.” Blair heard the other deathless begin whispering; they sounded confused. “Ah, I see your people had no idea.”

  Carter rose, smiling confidently. “I’m sorry I won’t have more time to get to know you, Smith. I think I like you.”

  “Come on, Blair. We’re leaving,” Liz said. She rose to her feet and started for the door, but nearly a dozen deathless moved to block her path.

  “The pleasantries are done, then?” Blair asked. He waved at Alicia to rise as well.

  “I’m afraid so, Mr. Smith. Now we get to business.” Carter said. He motioned at his security people, and most began removing pistols from their jackets. A few flexed their hands, extending long black claws. “Before we begin, I will give you one chance. Give me the key of your own free will, and I will allow you and your companions to return to Santa Rosa. As long as you do not come south of Petaluma, we will leave you in peace.”

  “You’ll wipe out Santa Rosa the moment he gives you that key,” Alicia snapped. She shot to her feet, moving to stand next to Liz.

  “She’s got a point, Carter,” Blair said. He slid his feet apart into a combat stance. “What would stop you from attacking Santa Rosa if I were stupid enough to just hand the key over?”

  “You are not our chief enemy, Blair,” Carter said. “We’ve been at war with Southern California for three years now. The desert along Highway 5 has become one large battlefield, and we’ve watered it with a lot of blood. I need the power to wipe out those fools, and the Ark will allow me to do that. I’d have my hands full, trust me. There are other threats as well. If I ever want to expand over the Sierras, then I need to deal with the bears. Both are greater priorities t
han your tiny little town. You have no important resources, and after you give me the key you won’t be any kind of threat.”

  “You know,” Blair said, “there was a time I might have been dumb enough to trust you. I might have turned over the key, because I believed it was the only way out of the situation. I assure you, that time has passed.” He extended his right hand, willing the primary access key to show itself. Gold flowed along his arm, pooling in his hand. It slowly elongated, until it formed the familiar scarab tipped staff he’d inherited from the Mother.

  “You aren’t the only one with Builder-made toys, Smith.” Carter reached into his jacket, and removed a golden boomerang just like the ones the grey men had used. “Since you aren’t amenable to my terms, I’m afraid it’s time to eliminate you.”

  Chapter 29- The Power of An Ark Lord

  Blair didn’t wait for Carter to finish speaking. He pulled immense power through the primary access key, but instead of blasting his opponents as he’d done in the past he channeled the energy inward. If he wanted to win this fight, he needed to be the fastest person in the room. It didn’t matter how powerful these deathless were if he could kill them before they attacked.

  The blur thrummed through him, singing as it never had. He was near the heart of a fully charged Ark, and drawing that power through the most powerful artifact he’d ever encountered. The room seemed to freeze. If any of the deathless seated around him were blurring, he couldn’t tell. They were simply too slow.

  Then Carter’s facial expression changed. Slowly at first, like he was moving through molasses. Then faster, until he was moving at almost normal speed. Blair was shocked. The idea that this deathless could match his super-fueled blur was mind-boggling. What had his “benefactors” done to him?