“But the princess is not a vampire,” He huffed, incensed at what I was about to do.
“No, but she is mated to one,” I said as I pressed my bleeding wrist to her lips. “Our mating gave her fangs. Who knows what my blood will do.”
I watched, hoping that she would start to swallow, but she stayed still. My blood ran down the side of her mouth, adding to the gore that was already there. I could hear the Manticore's stomach lurch, and he mumbled his disdain, but I was unwilling to give up; especially when I knew in my gut that this would work. I lowered Ire to the ground and motioned for Thade with a nod.
“Tilt her head for me, Thade.”
He moved into position and raised Irulan’s chin, opening her mouth. I held my bleeding wrist over her. The blood dripped into her mouth and ran down her throat. The Manticore made a sound of disgust and turned his back to us.
When the stream of blood began to slow, I used my fangs to reopen the wound, and moved my arm back into place. I had to repeat the process five times before I was satisfied that she'd gotten enough. Once I was done, I fell back onto my ass and pulled my knees to my chest. Now we wait. “Just give it a minute,” I said, hoping that my gamble was going to pay off.
Unfortunately for us, we were out of time. An earth shattering roar filled the air, and Thade jumped to his feet. “That in the dog hell was that?”
“That was the sounds of my king in battle,” the Manticore yelled. His head twisted back and forth between the directions the noise came from, to Irulan’s still body.
“Go,” I ordered him. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.” The sounds of dry leaves rustling caused me to turn my attention away from the guard. It was Marcus, struggling to his feet. When I looked back to the Manticore, he was gone.
Thade lifted an arm and placed it on the back of his pony-sized uncle’s shoulders. “I’m glad to see you on four feet, Uncle.”
Another roar sounded off, and Marcus turned his head toward the sound. Marcus shook his wet fur and whined. Thade frowned and nodded his head. “They’ve found her, but we haven’t joined the fun yet. Whatever that thing did to knock you senseless, did a bigger number on Irulan. She still hasn’t recovered.”
Marcus lowered his head and whined again before he lowered himself to the ground beside her. He inched closer to Irulan, and dropped his head to rest next to hers. Thade and I watched him sneeze and look off into the woods before he lowered his head again.
Even without the use of words, his message was coming across loud and clear. “We need to go, Thade.” I said the words, but it didn’t sound like my voice at all. My vocal chords had shifted without my noticing; which meant that the rest of me had also. The Harbinger had taken one shot to many at the people that I love, and it was time to do my part in taking her down.
“Take care of her for me, Marcus,” I said as I reached down and ran a hand through this fur. He dipped his large, shaggy head before closing his eyes.
“Go ahead, Val,” Thade grunted as he fell to the forest floor. “I’d rather not charge into a fight wearing nothing but my birthday suit.”
I slipped into a flash, running away from Thade’s cries of pain, and toward the sounds of the melee. As I glided through the mud, my anger and frustration grew, until I was surrounded by swirling, crackling, blue lights. I was on the verge of a breakdown, but this time I didn’t care.
The Harbinger had almost killed Irulan. It was time for her to pay. I let my mind drift into Valerian’s. We had lost too many to overpower her. Now I prayed that there were still enough people left, to put all of our planning into motion. We had to get her attention and keep her from killing me while I fought my way back to my family’s compound. That wasn’t too much to ask-was it?
“I’m coming, Brother,” I conveyed as I got closer, “just a few more yards.”
“About damn time,” Valerian, gasped inside my head. “We’re getting pounded. If it wasn’t for the Fae, we'd all be dead by now.”
“Score one for Fazion,” I said. And here I thought he was completely useless. As I got closer, I noticed an orange glow, shining through the trees. I ran over a stone bridge and skidded to a stop on the other side of the small lake. There, in the center of an open area, was the dragon that I saw through Vedo’s eyes. I threw a hand across my forehead, shielding my eyes, and stared in amazement. The area was lit up like a light bulb factory, but it was quiet as the grave. The massive jaws inside Fazion’s minivan sized-head, were stretched wide enough to swallow five of me, whole, and a plume of fire was erupting from those jaws.
In the center of those intense flames was the Banshee. Her hair whipped around her face in a whirlwind and her own jaws her were gapped open as she used her screams to keep the flames from consuming her. The earth around her was blackened and scorched in a circular pattern, from the fire being redirected; the rain useless against the flames. Fazion had the bitch at bay. Scratch what I said earlier about him being useless. Right now the Tuatha King was fuckin’ awesome.
Someone called my name, and I ran a wide arc around Fazion’s huge body. There on the far side of the inferno, I found my brothers huddled together, surrounded by a circle of Fae guards. Each one of them had their arms extended and wore looks of intense concentration. That explained the circular pattern and the lack of sound. They were holding a shield around them.
“She came prepared guys,” Valerian called out, when he saw me in all my electrified glory.
“Where are all our Deadborns?” I asked, with tears streaming down my face. The fire was definitely effective, but it was killing my eyes. I turned my back to the scene and concentrated on lowering my films. They slid into place, taking my night vision with their coming. If it weren’t for the light of Fazion’s flames, the world would be completely dark. God, how did humans survive for so long with all their weaknesses? I squinted through the darkness and noticed the lack of furry bodies. “And where are the wolves?”
Valerian grabbed my shirt-tail and pulled me down to his level. “She’s fast Val, and a lot stronger than we expected. That damn woman tossed around our deadborns like they were Skittles.” He looked back at Constantine and sighed. “By the time Tamerlane and I got here with our teams, we had already lost the deadborns that were with Tino and two wolves.”
“While they fought valiantly, my king did not want their deaths on his conscious. He ordered the two-natured and the blood-drinkers, away,” Stryfe grunted.
“I believe the king is weakening,” Another Manticore added. “He won't be able to keep the flames for much longer.”
My brothers stood, and I turned toward the showdown. The cloud of flames surrounding the Banshee had died down considerably. Her face was still contorted as she used her wail to keep the flames at bay, but she had managed to climb to her feet. If Fazion’s flames give out before she does, he was directly in her line of fire. As much as some twisted part of me would like to see him fall, the guy came through when it counted. And I’m pretty sure Irulan will be pissed if I let something happen to her cousin.
“Alright guys, it’s time for me to do my part.” I focused on the light show that surrounded me and concentrated on channeling some of the dancing energy. My hands began to tingle, and I held them in front of me. Two, swirling orbs floated above my palms. “On three, drop your shields. I’ll make sure she doesn’t get near Fazion.”
The Manticore nodded. Stryfe began the countdown. When he got to three, I flung both orbs at the Banshee, aiming for the ground in front of her. With her attention still on keeping herself from getting roasted alive, she never noticed that the shield was gone, or my orbs, sailing toward her. My energy-balls tore into the ground, inches from her feet and knocked her backward through the air.
Fazion grunted and snapped his jaws shut. The instant the flames stopped; his thick legs stumbled backward. He was spent. Stryfe wasted no time retrieving Fazion, who was quickly shrinking to his normal size and form. The determined Manticore reached him just as the Banshee recovered.
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that we’re helpless,” I responded. I moved to stand in front of everyone and held up my palms. I had two more orbs at the ready.
“You’ve got to know by now that you can't hurt me with those,” she sneered as she stopped in her tracks. That's when I notice her voice was louder than it should have been. It was almost as if she were shouting at someone hundreds of yards away, instead of a few feet.
“Yeah, I know,” I answered. She might be able to deflect them, but I threw them none the less. Maybe she was shouting over the storm, maybe not. I had a hunch and hoped that it would pay off. One sailed straight for her and the other went wide, and disappeared in the trees. She used her wail to knock the orb aimed at her off course and send it flying back. I drew another one and hurled it. The two orbs came together in a shower of sparks.
“I hope you know what you're doing, Val,” Tamerlane whispered at my side. So did I. I jumped inside my brothers heads and relayed the gamble I was taking. If we could distract her again, we might be able to mount a decent offence.
The Banshee laughed and took a step forward. “You’re going to have to do a lot better than that.” Her voice was a little softer, but still much too loud for the distance between us. That's when I knew I was on to something. It looks like the shields did more than contain Fazion’s flames and her scream. She may have kept Fazion from roasting her with his flames, but her ears suffered for it.
I tilted my head and shrugged a shoulder. “You would say that, but you seem to have forgotten about the other one.” The sound of wood splitting and breaking echoed through the air, but she didn’t hear the far off sound. I pointed toward the sky at the dark shape of a tree that was getting closer. My orb had swung wide and struck the base of a massive pine. That pine tree was speeding toward the ground, knocking other smaller trees down in its path. Dominos anyone?
She cocked an eyebrow and spun around in time to see the trees right on top of her. If we were going to act, now was our time. She couldn’t avoid us and the falling trees at the same time.
She leapt away from a smaller tree and into the path of Valerian’s claws. The instant she began moving, he slipped into a flash. His thick talons dug into the flesh of her arm, wrenching a scream from her lips. The scream hit Valerian dead on, sending him careening through the air. I launched myself into the air and caught my brother by the collar, pulling him to safety before she could launch another scream.
“Thanks, Sis,” he huffed, but I didn't stand around to say 'you're welcome'. Tamerlane was already rushing toward her with an oversized gun aimed at her head. I had to keep her attention divided. I pulled another energy ball into existence and threw it.
What happened next was akin to a slow motion scene from an action movie. Tamerlane fired but instead of ammo, there was a displacement of air, and circular ripples began rolling through the air, like a wave on the water. The ripple moved toward her in a wave, getting larger as the closer it got. In a few seconds, the undulating circle was as large as her body. Now, aside from a barrage of trees and my energy ball to avoid, she also had whatever it was that Tam fired at her. I just knew that we were about to put an end to the bitch, once and for all. I was wrong.
When Valerian said that she was fast, he wasn’t kidding. She adjusted to the falling cluster of trees and nimbly avoided them; jumping out of the way of some and leaping onto others, riding them to the ground. While somehow avoiding my attacks, she began using them to her advantage; twisting through the air, using her screams to knock some of the falling lumber into the paths of my orbs.
I was about to question her using my orbs to destroy the falling trees instead of doing it herself, when I saw the discharge of Tamerlane’s gun finally dissipate. The undulating circle contracted and seemed to disappear. In its place was an ear shattering noise was so loud it brought tears to my eyes.
I’ll be damned if Tam wasn’t armed with a sonic pulse rifle. I thought the damn thing was still in the design stages, but apparently I didn’t know jack. Constantine, Valerian and I dropped to our knees and pressed our hands to our ears as wave after wave of the decimating sound crashed into us.
The Banshee was pushed back a few feet, but otherwise Tam’s efforts had little effect on her. Her screams negated any advantage the wave may have given us, causing them to disrupt before they did any substantial damage. She shook her head and made a ninja-worthy somersault off of a downed log.
“You three remind me of dogs too stupid to come in out of the rain,” she hissed as took a step toward us.
“Yeah well, these dogs just gave you a run for your money, bitch,” I spat as I tried to stand up. That proved to be a little tricky. Besides slipping around in the mud, my head swam, sending me stumbling sideways. I held up a hand and saw both of them covered with blood. Shit.
“And look at you know,” she laughed. The sound was one of those cackling; mad scientist laughs that irk the hell out of you. The crone had already counted us out.
“Don’t come any closer to the princess and princes,” a nearby Manticore yelled. I had almost forgotten about them. Some of them had left to take up position around the entrance to the Vault. From the looks of it, they took Fazion with them. The three that were left formed a loose semi-circle around us. All of them had some wicked looking swords at the ready. Go team Fae. I somehow managed to pull myself straight and rolled my shoulders.
“Look at us,” I spat, pissed all over again at the situation and the circumstances that placed us here. For all I knew, Tristan was dead, sentenced by the CMS to die for his actions a few months ago, but in this way, he was still fucking with my life. It was because of him that I’d ended up in the FaeLands in the first place.
I pointed a finger and took a few steps toward the Banshee. “This is between you and me. My brothers and these men have nothing to do with what happened to those guards. Let them go and the two of us will settle this like women.”
“Your suicide won't save them,” she frowned, “Merely delay the inevitable.” She reached behind her, and when she brought her arm around, there was a large sword clutched in her hands. “But if choose to die with dignity, the least I can do is grant you a warrior's death.”
Gee thanks. Any other time I would be elated at the opportunity to show off my skills with a sword, but not now. My swords were all back in the forest strapped to my discarded jacket. Damn it. At least I wouldn’t be blasted to bits by her funky breath.
She was on me before I saw her move. The only thing that alerted me to her position, inches away from me, was the small glimmer of moonlight that reflected off of her sword as it headed toward my neck. In a move worthy of Neo, I bent over backward, just avoiding being beheaded.
The Manticores were a flurry of coordinated action. They moved like a well-oiled machine, drawing swords and jumping into battle. The clash of sword-on-sword made my overly sensitive ears ring with pain. In spite of the pain, I itched with anticipation.
Here were some of the best warriors the FaeLands had to offer, defending me and my family while we stood by like helpless children. My hands curled into claws at my side, and I prepared to jump into the scuffle with nothing but my talons. My baser, feral instincts, were overriding my rational mind.
Constantine pulled me away from the danger zone and shook his head. “I know you, woolybooger. There’s nothing you can do right now except stick to the plan. That means we need to get out of here.”
Chapter 19
The idea didn’t sound so bad when I proposed it, but now that I was actually doing it, running away put a bad taste in my mouth. I left good men fighting that thing while I turned tail and split.
“Don’t think of it that way, Val,” Constantine called out as he ran beside me. “They knew what the deal was when we left the complex. And it’s got to look real, or she won't follow us.” We wer
e traveling down a side street, avoiding the interstate at all cost. It may have been a more direct route to the Trumaine complex and the trap that lay in wait, but if she caught up to us while we were running down interstate seventy-seven, there was no telling how many humans could get caught in the crossfire.
My oldest brother threw out a hand and began to slow down. The three of us, Vedo, Tamerlane and I, came to a stop and gathered around him. Constantine leaned forward on his elbows and closed his eyes. “Give me a minute, guys,” he said.
“Are you okay, Tino?” Valerian asked. He threw an arm around our brother’s shoulder and pulled him upright. “I don't know what that Banshee did, but you look awful, Bro.”
Now that he mentioned it, Constantine was awfully pale. His eyes were sunken into his head. His fangs were extended, and a little longer than they normally were. Tamerlane reached up and carefully grabbed one of Constantine’s ears. The four of us were bleeding from our ears and noses, but Tino more than everyone else.
“Blood loss,” Tamerlane, grunted. “We need to get him back to the complex so he can feed. If not he's going to pass out and we’re going to end up carrying him the rest of the way.”
“I’m fine,” Constantine tried to argue, but the bags under his eyes and ashy tone that his cinnamon colored skin had taken on, said otherwise.
“He’s out guys,” I said, pushing past my brothers to throw an arm under Constantine’s.
“Like hell I am,” he tried to argue. “And what are you doing?”
“Carrying you,” I replied. “We can't afford more stops and leaving you isn’t an option.” My mind jumped to Irulan, and I almost turned around. I left my wife unconscious in the woods. God knows what was going on back there. Geez, this was so not how this night was supposed to turn out.
“I’ll take him.” Tamerlane grabbed my arm and tried to tug me away from Constantine, but I held my ground. I felt Tam pulling at me, but he got nowhere. Valerian sighed, and Tamerlane frowned. It was the first time my brothers had an opportunity to see how much stronger I had become since taking FaeVar’s blood.
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