Skin Deep (A DarkWorld Novel - Book 1) (The DarkWorld Series)

by Ayer, T. G.

  He gripped the shard with the teeth of the tweezer and I waited for it to move. Waited for the agony. But it wasn't agony filling me. It was disconcerting surprise as the fine edged of the shard Iain gripped within the tweezer shattered into three vicious slivers. I gasped, as Iain swore.

  "This thing is so fragile. It might splinter more if I try to remove it." Iain's brow was furrowed with worry and sweat.

  "No. Keep going. It has to come out." Gram's voice again. "We have no idea what it is. What if it poisons her blood if you leave it in? She will die."

  "Then it has to come out." Iain bent back to my arm and the tweezer hovered over the ominous black sliver. This time he gripped it in a thicker part of the sliver and gently, slowly pulled it from the depths of the wound. I stared at the size of the largest piece. It didn't seem to want to end as it was pulled from my flesh. Finally it was out. A quarter of an inch wide and glistening with my blood, the cause of my agony also happened to be at least two inches deep.

  I had to remind myself the piece had split into three and the original shard would’ve been easily three times wider. It explained the pain I'd been in. As illogical as it sounded, I felt nothing as the sliver was slowly extracted from the deep wound. Blood seeped from the angry red lips of the wound as soon as the vicious obstruction was removed.

  Iain looked up at me, waiting for the go-ahead to try for the next piece. I clenched my teeth and nodded. Twice more I was gripped within the teeth of pure agony, until all the pieces were out and Iain was satisfied the wound was clear.

  Logan came over and said, "I have a message for you, Kailin." I looked up. "A Byron Teague said to say thank you."

  I gasped. "They found Evan?"

  Logan nodded. "Yes, a bit weak but he will recover in time," he said as he bagged the pieces of black glass to send off to the lab, while Iain cleaned and bandaged the gaping gash. The pain was still there, but at a level I could endure without embarrassing myself. I lay back, trying to relax, a haze of exhaustion blanketing me.

  The news that Evan was safe made me feel so much better.

  I had a moment of quiet when Iain and Logan were both off on their phones, bosses and fathers in no particular order. Grams cleared her throat next to me and I smiled and turned in the stretcher, dropping my feet over the edge and making space for her to sit next to me. She wasn't a very large woman and the stretcher could handle us both in a pinch.

  "How did you know to come?" I knew I’d been unconscious for a while so I hoped she'd fill me in.

  "I came home for a day and saw the apartment in a mess. Called Iain..." she shrugged. "And he told me you were here."

  "Thanks for coming Grams. I’d never have figured out how to take the band off without you. And now that those shards are out I’m feeling a whole lot better." I nodded, turning on the stretcher and sitting up. "Now I have to find a way to get to Anjelo and Greer. And Uncle Niko. I’ll try and bring them all back."

  Gram's face darkened and her eyes glistened. "We lost Niko a long time ago, Kailin. There is a madness in him that’s changed him so much. I don’t see my son in the killer he has become."

  I hugged Gram then, certain no words could make her feel better about Niko and what he’d become. "I’ll try to bring him back. Maybe there are doctors who can help him." But Grams just nodded, a sad faraway look in her eyes.

  "Bring who back?" Iain scowled. "I hope you don’t mean you are going after them?"

  "That’s exactly what I mean."

  "Kai, are you insane? You don’t even know what you are getting yourself into. Stop being ridiculous."

  "Iain’s right, Kai. Omega can put a team together and we can go look for them." I stared from Iain to Logan and knew then that neither man would let me go. So I nodded, "Fine. But someone better come up with a plan soon or else I promise I will go alone." They both frowned and nodded and seemed to believe me.

  Grams didn’t.

  She turned to the guys. A moment passed, then they shared an odd glance before walking off and giving us some privacy. When she turned to me she smiled. "Didn’t know you’d mastered the art of the perfect lie." I blushed and said nothing. "Never mind them for now. I came to give you this." She held her hand out until I opened my palm. She dropped a bronze disc into my upturned hand. Grams looked around at the mayhem. Omega had cleared out Niko's thugs leaving behind their forensic team.

  "What's this?" I studied the disc, turned it over in my hand. Shaped like a donut, the bronze disc was covered in tiny symbols. A quick scan confirmed a combination of various ancient languages, Gaelic and Egyptian being the ones I did recognize.

  She lowered a voice to a whisper. "It's a key." She looked at me, hesitating. She quickly resolved whatever inner conflict it was that gave her reason to pause and continued. "You need it now. Although I will probably have some explaining to do once a certain person finds out what I've done."

  She smiled.

  I appreciated she had gotten herself in trouble for me, but it was all very strange. Grams had been keeping a bigger bunch of secrets than I'd ever known.

  "So what exactly does this 'key' do?"

  "It opens a portal...a pathway to the Wraith's dimension. So you can save your m- your sister and uncle." She rose, dusting off her clothes even though there was nothing to dust. Her dark jeans and jacket were immaculate. "You need to be near dark water."

  I frowned. "Dark water?"

  "Yes. Water that goes deeper than other standing pools. I suggest the docks. The water at the edge of the piers goes deep. The disc will open the Gate to the Wraith-World. You will see a bright light. You need to jump into the portal while it is open. Don’t waste any time. The space of the portal is dark but it is safe."

  I nodded. I understood that the elements held a power beyond our simple comprehension. Gram's had given me the means to save Anjelo, Niko and Greer. But although I did want to save my uncle and sister, I wasn't sure either of them deserved it.

  ***

  Chapter 39

  I held the bronze disc in my hand, testing its weight. It was heavy as if gravity worked twice as hard on it, in punishment for opening the Veil. Lights from the dockside buildings caught the ridges of the yellowed metal inscriptions as I tilted the donut shaped seal. Intricate runes curved around the entire surface of the relic. Ancient scripts were not my forte. I hadn't had time to think about finding a rune translator. Perhaps it would’ve helped to know what the darned thing said. Now I was putting my life in the balance and trusting that Grams knew what she was talking about. But I could trust her. With my life.

  I 'd be in deep trouble with Iain and Logan when they found out I'd gone despite my promise. But how could I not go? I was the one who could fight the Wraiths. As far as I knew neither Iain or Logan or even Omega had much experience with them. I had to go and save Anjelo. And just pray it was the right decision.

  I walked to the edge of the pier, shifting my messenger bag to the side. It was more convenient for pulling weapons out quickly; I’d brought my crossbow, and my trusty dagger just in case. I touched the bronze band on my arm. I'd put it back on, felt almost naked without it. Despite the little cut in the metal I felt safer with it on. I'd take my luck wherever I could get it.

  Dark waves rolled and slapped against the wooden supports beneath me, while angry gusts of wind ripped at my clothes and threw hair around my face. Neither were very reassuring signs. I held the disc over the water; Grams had said to keep it horizontal.

  So I did.

  Later, I couldn't recall what I'd thought would happen. The last thing I'd expected to herald the opening of the Veil to the Dark-World was a pillar of light. Bright and white, it struck the empty center of the seal and passed through into the murky black waters. It took on a force of its own and was pulled from my hand to hover before me, over the water.

  Looking up was of no help. The light did not originate from the Heavens. Another sign that was not so good. Some powerful energy began to pull me closer to the edge of the pier. D
amn. I was not looking forward to a swim in the bay. Cats hate water and while I wasn’t averse to getting wet, I was not keen on a night-time swim in murky waters of questionable cleanliness. Sure, I loved my showers and baths like the next girl. But a cold dunking fully clothed was enough to turn a purr into a snarl anytime.

  In the end, I didn't swim. I flew. I was lifted off my feet and tossed right into the center of the light and right into the middle of the seal. My mind was telling me it was not possible. But, my body was proving me wrong. I passed through the hole in the center of the seal and lost all feeling in my body. A good thing since I was sure being squeezed bodily through a hole the size of a golf ball wouldn't be a painless or enjoyable experience at all. It was over as suddenly as it began and I found myself teetering on rubber legs. My equally rubber feet were grateful for the feel of solid ground beneath them.

  Blinded by the icy brightness of the Gate's light I was terrified of what might be lurking in the darkness surrounding me. One out-flung hand connected with the solid rock surface next to me.

  My eyes were slow to adjust in this utterly light-less place. As my breathing normalized I found I was able to see the light reflected against the rock wall next to me. I squinted, running my fingers across it and found it was composed of a quartz-like substance with edges alternating between brutally sharp and baby-bottom smooth. Although no light shone from anywhere around me, the rock-face glowed in places, reflecting this unseen light and sparkling cheerily in the awful darkness.

  A sound echoed toward me. I was in a tunnel. A tunnel carved out of solid black rock. The shuffling sound drew closer and then something slammed into me, tossing me on my stomach, a sharp instrument piercing my neck. I was so getting tired of people sticking things into my neck all the time. My sight was now fully restored and in the dimness I could make out the dirty black soil right in front of my face.

  I was now royally pissed off. Whoever they were they had three seconds to get off me. I lifted my arm and was about to hit backward with my armored arm when I heard a sharp gasp. My strike went amiss, my attacker shifted their weight and I was hauled up by the collar of my jacket.

  In a move so quick and easy to miss, my attacker pulled the high neck of my polo down and in the same motion pulled me back and slammed me against the wall. It was impossible to move. I could see the hooded figure in front of me. A glimpse of a pale cheek - a woman. Only her strength defied her female curves.

  "What the hell are you doing here?" The words were hushed yet filled with a ferocity I was unprepared for.

  I was so stunned I was unable to respond with much more than a gulp.

  "What are you doing here? How did you get here?" She paused, then grabbed my arm and lifted it to the dim light scowling at the seal. "And how did you get this?"

  "Grams gave it to me." I said, pulling my hand away and tucking the seal into my bag.

  "Ivy. I'm going to kill her." Strange; those words were uttered in anger and yet a tinge of affection simmered within the dire threat. "You had better get out of here. You've gotten yourself in enough trouble already."

  She turned to leave, and almost disappeared into the shadows before I came to my senses. Although she attacked me she'd left me very much alive. She was the only 'ally' I had here. I caught her sleeve with my fingers, intent on halting her departure. What my action did was to pull the cloak open as she continued to walk away. She turned to me, to pull the fabric out of my fingers. A movement which tipped the hood of her cloak back and revealed her face.

  The pale cheeks and ebony hair were still as perfect as I remembered. Even those granite eyes glittered with the same intensity from my long faded memories.

  "Mom?" I heard my voice quiver, on the edge of tears.

  My mother tried to keep her features hard and controlled. But the slight sheen to her eyes was my real undoing and I would’ve burst into tears—if it hadn't been for the memory of all the hurt and pain I felt since she'd left me. All the long years of loneliness and silent tears shed into pillows, for a mother who hadn't loved me enough to stay by my side. The memories staunched my tears and dried my eyes.

  The rush of footsteps on hard ground reverberating up the passage, pulled me out of memory lane. The sound echoed and I was both afraid and unbalanced again. Two figures approached; most likely guards. Unless we had the ability to blend into the rock surrounding us, we had absolutely nowhere to go.

  I centered my weight and tugged my sleeve. This time I was prepared for a fight. Tara had honed hollow needles as fine as threads, which she'd filled with the poison. She'd refused to tell me what the liquid was. Just that it was fatal to a Wraith. I’d thought of gift horses and asked no more questions. I'd slipped the hair-thin needles along the seams and cuffs of my clothing.

  Anywhere I was sure I wouldn't be pricked myself. Although Tara had reassured me the poison was not deadly to Walkers, I preferred not to take the chance.

  Now I slipped a needle into each hand and waited as two Wraiths approached. Their faces were shadowed by their cloaks and I'd rather not see what would be revealed beneath those dark hoods. I moved slightly ahead of my mother, sure of my weapons power to take the two suckers down. They advanced fast.

  Some part of my mind had always expected these Wraiths to be made up of bits of smoke. From what I’d seen in my experiences of killing them, they turned quickly into black smoke and disappeared through the Veil. It had never occurred to me they would be corporeal.

  Even when I’d been constructing the tools to kill them, I must have unconsciously expected them to be spirits. Probably why when they attacked I was, for a brief moment, disoriented when I was body-slammed by the one nearest me and I ended up on my butt in black dirt. He came at me with one booted foot and his cloak shifted to reveal some sort of protective armor beneath.

  Above the foot now digging into the soft flesh of my upper arm, was a muscled thigh and calf covered in a black, scale-like amour which moved as he did, and molded to his body. Some technology. Beneath the pain I made a note to take some of the amour back with me. Perhaps Tara could learn from it to create armor for me.

  I swung my protected fore-arm across my body and connected with the side of his knee. Enough power injected into the strike to disable him temporarily, if not break bones. If he had bones in his knee. He stumbled forward. I grabbed him by his upper arms and pulled him toward me. Using the momentum of his fall I tossed him over my head. He landed in a crumpled, grunting heap. Slowly he got to his feet.

  Damn he was almost invincible. With the Panther power in each move, any normal man would’ve been out like a light by now - Human or Walker. But this soul-sucking parasite kept on getting back on his feet. He was covered in amour. Until I found a vulnerable place to get the dart through. It was time to bring out the big guns.

  I had to resort to getting down and dirty. I curved my torso and jumped back up onto my feet. The constant hum of energy which lived beneath my skin rose to the surface. I let my claws, ears, eyes and teeth transform. Let my Panther nature fill me up. Then I gave it control. I dropped to a knee, the rest of my body still in Human form but now filled to the brim with raw, bristling feline energy. I could smell his fear. See his movements before he even made them.

  Talk about the upper hand. He never knew what hit him. I pounced from my low position. A stance which gave him the impression he would have plenty of time to avoid me. I let out a snarl as I flew through the air, claws spread, nostrils flared. My Panther nature hungered for blood and I hoped desperately that I wouldn't give in. Especially not while my mother watched; my mother who had never seen her children in their feline forms.

  The sound of scuffling and a muffled, male grunt confirmed my Mom was holding her own against the other soul-sucker. A second whoosh of breath confirmed she had a mean left hook. I hit my attacker again, focusing the energy of the blow in the claws. I aimed at the neck, and I hit my mark. An oily, glistening black substance spilled onto the Wraith's cloak, and onto the dark floor. He look
ed at me, confused and surprised.

  My claws came away soaked in the icky blackness. It took me a few seconds to accept it was blood. Dang. Wraiths bled black blood. I thought it was sort of cool, and quite appropriate. Black souls, black hearts, black blood. I turned and studied my handiwork. The Wraith lay spread-eagled on the ground, arms out flung.

  The passage was silent and I felt a quiver of fear in the pit of my stomach. Mom. But when I turned she was fine. Staring at me, but physically uninjured. Her face was awash with emotion. Perhaps it was the sight of my partially transformed body which repulsed her. So I began to transform back to my full Human form.

  "No." She took a step toward me, hand outstretched to halt my actions. "Don't change back. Not yet."

  My surprise at her request had instinctively stopped the Change so I stood there, listening for the next round of footsteps sure to come. My mother stepped close and laid her hand on my cheek. I wanted to jerk back, away from her warmth. I had craved her touch for so many years that the simple warmth of her skin called tears from my eyes. She cradled my face, marveling at the change my jaw and eyes took on when partly transformed. My eyes were deeper, larger, greener. My jaw was longer. She could see the feline in me.

  "Was it hard, baby?" I knew she meant the Change.

  "I guess, but everyone goes through the same thing." Her question reminded me she hadn't been around for me through those years, and rekindled my anger.

  "Not everyone. The Change is worse for Alphas and you know it."

  I couldn't deny it. Iain had warned me it would hurt but I'd been so blasé about it. When it struck with its omnipotent agony, I was still taken by surprise. Never made a joke about it again.

  My mother's eyes filled with tears, but I didn’t want to get emotional. I had questions. "What are you doing here?

  "I’m doing my job." I raised an eyebrow and waited. "I’m a hunter, just like you. And right now I’m on a delicate mission."