Reno

by Nini Church

  “Aye. Do ye think they can find me Aili?”

  “Renegade will bring her home. Or die trying.”

  Worn with worry, stress and bald fear, Duke could only nod at Moros’ horrifying prediction. It was enough for him and sealed his complete acceptance of Reno. Silently, he prayed feverishly for Aili and Reno to come home safe. Feck Met – the preening heathen – he could take care of himself.

  Moros clapped a hand on the Scot’s shoulder, leaning in, he whispered, “It’s important for everyone to stay calm. We’ve got to move fast, get everyone back to the compound.” Beneath his palm, he felt Duke quaking. “Stand down, now. Met and me believe Renegade has to power to find Aili because she’s his mate."

  His throat clogged with emotions, Duke curtly nodded.

  Instantly, Moros turned his attention to the small crowd, working in layers of safeguards and other defenses as silence settled and he sensed everyone waiting. Moros was definitely curious, but far too on edge to be the one providing answers.

  It was important, Aili sensed it, very important, not to move. Not sit down, not even slide onto her haunches. Intuitively, she was wary of any movement, in any direction, as she may be going further into the Fade.

  Some kind of drawing force pressed closer, cocooning around her. It wasn’t smothering, it was just there. Doom shrouded her mind, casting shadows, as terrifying emptiness sat over her and Aili began to question. There was nothing left was there? No anchor to latch onto? Didn’t matter if she moved or not, she was still free floating into the Fade. Maybe she was already dead – just not mentally accepting it yet.

  Her heart broke into a million pieces at the life so harshly ripped way. Reno, and all the others, her family… Her spirit faded a little and it were as if pieces of herself were drifting away, no longer tethered, but blending with the gray fog, into nothingness.

  It ate at her and not knowing what to do – she let it.

  When it chipped away further, tearing apart her memories of Reno, digging in deep, extinguishing who she was as a being, as part of a race, she hauled back, tottering on her feet, arms up across her chest. After a deep breath, she did what she had been taught to do from a babe.

  Fiercely, Aili chanted a protection spell the way Ma taught her, driving every bit of herself into each word until finally that drawing, cocooning sensation dropped away, leaving her breathless. Still, she didn't move, not an inch.

  From far off, only a faint dribble of sound and her heart soared. As silence once again pervaded, the gray fog continuing to eddy around her, Aili sensed she was being pushed forward.

  Nothing seemed real and everything seemed suddenly nothing. No words could ever describe it. What was, was no more. What had been was gone. Her future no longer existed. Nothing remained, just nothing.

  Again and just as fiercely, Aili mouthed the words she had been taught as a young child. An easy protection spell, but a powerful one. Somehow it eased her.

  Aili realized she was falling, her legs giving out, time no longer mattering, everything she was or ever would be sweeping into a long, darkened tunnel. It was a strange sensation as her being eddied forth into blackness when from very close by came the distinct sound of rock grinding and then, a door clicking open. Her breath caught and her heart stopped when a huge hairy paw grabbed her left arm hard, pulling her out of the black tunnel and into a small stone room as the door snapped shut.

  “Buuteefuull. I keeeep. Buuteefuull.” Words guttural through a crooked, unhealed jaw and sores running with green puss along his chin line, his long hair was down to his waist and matted like a bird’s nest. He was half beast with a long snout and hair over most of his body. Long tangled strands even covered his hands.

  Completely naked, he seemed unaware of it. His feral dark eyes were wild and tinged with madness. He released her, bowed and shuffled into a far corner.

  Aili rubbed her arm before she touched her face, pinching her cheek – twisting it hard. It hurt like hell. This was real. Where was the Fade? Was she still in it? Was this part of the journey of her death?

  Closely eyeing the half beast, even beneath the dirt, grime and oozing sores, she didn’t recognize this male. How could he be part of her death? None of it made sense. “Where am…”

  Loud battering against stone and then the door to the small room rattled soundly.

  Were they here to return her to the Fade? Every bit of air escaped her and Aili felt lightheaded.

  The half beast grabbed her hard and threw Aili into what appeared to be a decrepit long wooden box. Quickly, the top was fitted into place with a loud snap.

  He slumped down on the far end of the box, not sure what to do. What was he supposed to do? Again, the door to his home rattled and he hunched further down. Wood groaned under his weight as the bottom of the lid split in two, buckling and dropping as it wedged inwards. He didn’t realize he’d just secured his new treasure inside the old box.

  The banging on his door captured his attention again and as he rose, he grabbed a handful of bits and bobs to throw on top of the wooden box so it looked untouched.

  Hopefully, he’d remember she was in there, but no telling if that would come true. His mind was everywhere and allwhere – all the time. He had to try to remember. Buuteefuull. He repeated it a few times, hoping it would stick in his memory. The female he captured really was buuteefuull. A first for him. Memorable and worthy of a celebration.

  Lock springing and old rusted nails flying, the door to his chamber crashed open. He hunched down and began skinning a fat rat he’d been saving for a special occasion. Was it special? Heck, if he knew. Celebration? Was like any other day, all day.

  When the Wraiths who served Fate babbled questions, poking him with their long, sharp blades, digging deep and making him bleed, trying to egg him into answering, instead he turned away, grunting loudly and playing dumb.

  It was a celebration day. He wanted to play it cool and enjoy the celebration. After the Wraith intruders poked around in the darker corners and then left him be, he thought long and hard, weighing it out one way, then another, but it didn’t come to him. The reason for the celebration that is.

  His door hung to one side and he gathered a few rusty tools to set it to rights. Didn’t want just any old wandering into his space. Too many moved along the tunnel right outside his door and many of them not very nice.

  Still and breathing shallowly, Aili listened to the flurry of activity and harsh barking commands. Were they looking for her? She mouthed the words to another protection spell, one of safety and hiddenness, that Ma had shared with her only a few years ago. Said to be powerful, Aili could only believe in it now. Please, please…

  Sounds of someone tinkering around, nailing stuff…

  As quietly as possible, Aili attempted to shove the wooden lid with both hands – it didn’t budge. She didn’t give up until her arms were shaking and muscles screaming for relief. Not one inch had the heavy lid moved. Groaning wearily, she recalled the hard snap of wood and with her left foot felt the splintered wood driven into the end of the box.

  She was trapped!

  Inside the Fade?

  It didn’t feel the same here, wherever here was. A horrifying cringe roamed as Aili recalled seeing rows of what looked like dead rats, hung by their tails from the ceiling and piles of bones everywhere. She shuddered when an image of the beast came, filling her mind. He wasn’t human or any other race she recognized.

  Fear bloomed anew before Aili grabbed a firm hold on herself, refusing to give in to her fears – they would rule her if she did.

  It didn’t help that the stench of dead animals and the tang of fresh blood was high enough to make her nose run and eyes water. Moments later, she recalled – on one particular family vacation – being locked in a wooden box – held captive during one of Da’s protracted war games.

  It all rushed back and she calmed down. Somewhat. Yet, it gave her a place to start – to begin – to gain an understanding of what was happening. That di
dn’t mean that panic wasn’t sitting right next to her, ready to pounce at the first opportunity. But, her mind was steadier and clearer.

  First and foremost, she had to contain her fears – fear of being inside the Fade, fear of her death, and fear of being enclosed in this wooden box. Claustrophobia smothered her, driving her anxiety and tension through the roof.

  She couldn’t deny she was locked in with no way out, but for now she kept her fears tightly caged.

  It didn’t help that she hadn’t a fecking clue where she was either.

  Slowly, she listed off her options. She had the Streiken stars from Reno. In seconds, Aili nudged off one black high heel and with her foot shifted it up the side of the box. When she grabbed it, she snapped the stiletto clean off. It was only a thin rod of metal, but it wedged nicely into the small opening above her left shoulder. Not long enough to gain any real leverage, her mind spun.

  Good god in heaven, where the feck was she? Frustrated, her fist pounded into wood and she heard a door close, then the scraping of metal as a bolt was thrown. Immediately, she froze, not wanting to draw attention to herself.

  A whole body shiver set her nerves to fever pitch, her mind ready to rumble and roll with absolute terror. She was exhausted, frightened and confused all at the same time and couldn’t seem to control any of it.

  Teeth biting down hard on her bottom lip, Aili eased up before she drew blood. It might alert the creature and for now, she just needed to rest for a little. How could she be tired if she was dead? All bodily functions stop at death. Didn’t they?

  A slight breeze wafted over her forehead, not fresh or clean, but fetid and thick with dense dirty odors of unwashed skin, hell unwashed anything. Aili plugged her nose, breathing through her mouth as she turned her head away.

  Soon, she scented smoke from a fire and smelled sour meat cooking. No doubt rancid. All too soon the wooden box filled with the smoky stench, making her gag, her stomach growling softly and hungry as hell, but not for any of that.

  How the feck could she be hungry? Same with breathing? Was she dead? Or not?

  Silently, she whisked her fingers around, waving the acrid smoke out of the wooden box. Aili kept her breathing shallow and still the sour, smoky stench lingered. Had she landed in hell?

  Oddly, Aili knew this place was weirdly better than the Nothingness that had been invading her every pore, stripping her back until she was only bits and parts of a lost whole with no memory or sense of a life. So yeah, this was real and she could smell stuff even if it was hideous.

  Confusing as it was, here in this stone room it felt like she was still alive, even if she was truly dead. Being dead was a very strange experience, one she had no control over as she listened to the beast chomping away.

  And then, light was doused and darkness descended as heavy footsteps retreated, faintly echoing until there was only utter silence.

  Pitch blackness engulfed her, smothering as she wedged her fingertips into the less than centimeter opening careful not to break skin, but it tore anyway, two fingernails snapping off at the quick as blood oozed. Blood was thick and the smell would linger.

  She pulled back, fingers in her mouth, swallowing the blood. Hunkered down, locked in, caged and no way out, it turned cold, her dress affording very little warmth and being a doctor she recognized it would be too easy to get sick in a place like this.

  Did she need to worry about that?

  Was she dead?

  Terror gripped her when she realized this wooden box might just be a real coffin.

  Her coffin.

  Aili hyperventilated until she fainted.

  Chapter 13

  Metatron never gave up, even knowing the Healer, Aili, had already passed beyond a defining point in her Third dimension, her life and body at the initial stages of dissolving on the far edge of the Fade. Met never let on the incredible danger the gentle Healer was in should she take one wrong step. Time for once, truly was of the essence.

  He slipped smoothly into the dimensional track, hauling Reno in behind him. Met prepared himself for the Fade, drawing on his full height, massive shoulders spreading, golden eyes agleam and his smile evil in the truest sense. “Let’s find your mate and get a little business done while we’re at it.”

  He stopped at the edge of the Third Dimension. One more step and they’d enter the Fourth – not where they wanted to go. The Fade existed in between the Third and Fourth Dimensions. Firmly, Met held the warrior’s arm as he signaled Reno to stay next to him. The Fade was a dangerous place for the living.

  When a wall rippled in front of them, losing form, Met and Reno stepped through. Met leaned in to Reno, explaining, “Your Aili is here. Find her trail and we’ll find her.”

  Reno wanted to ask how, but buttoned his lip, nodding once instead. He honed his Jinn skills, pulling on his power to read elements. He wasn’t sure if they were fully in the Fade yet, but wherever they were, it was strangely without many elements. He waded through each in search of Aili, her energy imprint or scent.

  Nose high, he sifted out the stench of death and decay, his heart lurching, and finally got a trace on her. One long arm swung up, index finger pointing in the direction of Aili’s scent.

  Met clapped him on the back. “Let’s go get her, bro. I’m your back up. All the fucking way.”

  Reno bowed his head in thanks and turned on his heel, setting off to find his mate. He hated to admit it, but it was good to have Met at his back, keeping six. Cool.

  They stopped several times so Reno could adjust his bearings, her scent was stronger, but still he didn’t sense Aili’s imprint on the elements, scarce as they were, she seemed not to exist. His heart lunged into his throat.

  They were in flat country, nothing but gray on gray. And no color, he suddenly realized. Stupid of him, but he was so focused on Aili, he wasn’t taking the time to become aware of his surroundings.

  He turned to Met, “Where the fuck are we?”

  “Just past the edge of the Third dimension. End of the road, friend. We’re full on in the Fade. Aili’s not dead yet. But...”

  “Don’t. Fucking. Do. It. Don’t fucking say that.” Reno took off at a hard run, nose tipped high in the air, he stayed on her scent. He ran headlong into the gray fog with Met on his heels.

  Too soon, Met saw Reno’s energy fading and reached out to tap his shoulder.

  Reno, bent over with palms on his knees and panting, watched ethereal threads spin from Met’s embossed golden cuff. Long, golden threads wove around Reno’s chest, front and back, harnessing him. He felt like a dog on a leash, but couldn’t even grin at the irony.

  Met let him down nicely. “It’s for your safety. In the Fade, without me, you’re a dead Jinn walking. Got it?”

  “Fuck, thanks. I still scent Aili. Let’s roll.”

  Met immediately liked that line, tucking it away for future use, as he dogged behind the big Jinn. Aili was here and still alive. Unlike Fate, Metatron almost never interfered, letting events unfold as they may. When he did interfere, he considered it a kindness rather than a motivated singular act on his part.

  He had seen much in his eons and was well aware Aili could walk out of this clean. Intact. As a Healer, she held an infinite force, a bold strong energy within, that might sustain her. Met was sure of it. With a family like hers, Aili probably fought to gain every step she took in her life.

  His old heart, what was left of it, came out of its slumber, lightening if one could believe it, as he considered the good Aili could still achieve. How she could aid the races of the Third Dimension with Abe and the hospitals they meant to build. And, if Esme, her mother, had taught Aili any protection or soul spells, that would also bring her a measure of safety inside the Fade.

  It was nothing, but drifting sand beneath their feet and now a dense fog hung around them. Reno, oddly enough, experienced sensations of bits and pieces of his person – his soul? – drifting away to be eaten by the dense gray shroud. His chest lit up and he glanced d
own at the ethereal harness of threads now brilliant, thick golden bands strapping his chest. Sensations of losing himself stopped immediately. Reno nodded – Met was working his back–up.

  As the gray fog thinned, Reno stayed on point and a tunnel appeared in the distance – clawed out of a sheer wall of what appeared to be black rock. He wasn’t sure anymore. The landscape, barren and desolate, was a constant shade of unending gray. Instinctively, he was drawn to the tunnel. So far, he held his panic at bay, using every ounce of control he had and then some.

  Ragged around his edges, Reno stayed true to what he knew – logic, reason and hard core action. Intuitively – no, it was his heart – telling that if they didn’t get out of here quick – with Aili – his world, her world, their world was gone.

  A tear slipped from the corner of his eye and rolled down his cheek.

  Reno wouldn’t be going home either.

  Fear drained his energy, drip by drip, until realizing he was working only with his emotions – was too emotionally invested – and it needed to stop. His brain switched to warrior mode and he instantly recognized his control over the sprawl of fear filling him was slipping.

  Slipping real fucking bad, man.

  Sheer terror bit at his shit–kickers and thrumming panic gnawed at the back of his neck. How could Aili survive here for long? They were right in the fucking Fade. He had Met to help him – a God and an unlikely ally – but his mate had no anchor.

  Dread and horror drilled into his brain as he gasped for air, eyes locked on the deep tunnel worn from so many passing through. Aili was in there, he knew it, sensed it. Was that even possible? Spiral shaped it dug deep, ending in a black void.

  Fuck, his mind was spinning out of control and incapable of understanding the impossible – that Aili was here.

  Met clamped a big hand on Reno’s shoulder, sensing an edge of defeat invading the big Jinn. “You’ll find her. Don’t give up.” Met nodded knowingly. “Let’s roll.”