The Fury

by Sloan McBride

  “Who are you? Rufus!”

  “Stay where you are.” The woman sneered.

  Reese glared at the newcomer. “What do you want?”

  The woman hissed. “I want you.”

  Reese tensed and got ready to fight.

  The other woman laughed. “It will not be that easy.” She held up her left hand. Her fingers lengthened and grew long fingernails. Her right foot planted square on Rufus’s back. “I have a proposition for you.”

  Her smile grew sinister.

  “You come with me or I’ll rip his throat out.” She slowly bent toward Rufus.

  Reese didn’t know what to think of this. “How do I know you won’t kill him anyway?”

  The demon snarled screwing her pretty face into something ugly. “He is insignificant. It is you I want.”

  “I’ll give you insignificant, bitch,” Rufus said and rolled over, grabbing her leg and tossing her to the ground. “Run, Reese.”

  Before Reese got two feet, the blond flashed to her, grabbed a handful of hair and twisted her around, putting a long thin blade at her throat.

  Rufus stilled.

  “You tell the time walker that Vile has his little plaything. If he wants her back, he will come to the place where they first met by dawn.”

  Before Rufus could respond, the demon flashed them away.

  Dagan and Scion materialized inside Clive Whittaker’s home. Gideon jumped.

  “Holy hell,” Gideon swore. In baggy jeans and a partially tucked-in flannel shirt, Gideon walked over and looked up at the towering Scion. “Who is he?”

  “Gideon, Scion, Scion, Gideon.”

  “Another time walker.”

  Dagan nodded.

  “Sweet.”

  “Have your sensors picked up anything, Gideon?”

  “It flutters every now and then, but nothing major.”

  Just as the words left his mouth, the gauges started waving wildly.

  “We’ve got company,” Scion said.

  “Has Angelique dropped Riley off yet?”

  “Yes, she’s upstairs taking a shower or something.”

  “Where is Mr. Whittaker?”

  “I’m here,” Clive Whittaker called out from the den. “What’s happening?”

  Dagan lifted his head and sniffed the air. “Zulies.”

  Scion frowned. “I smell the filth.”

  Gideon’s gaze passed between them. “Smell what? What’s happening, Dagan?”

  “We have some real nasty visitors.”

  Clive inhaled. A foul odor wafted the air. “Galla?”

  Dagan moved toward the window to gaze out at the street.

  “Worse,” Scion replied. “The zulies are one step up from the galla. They are bigger in size and have a nastier disposition.”

  “Gideon,” Dagan barked. “Call Angelique and let her know what’s going on. And, call Rufus and make sure he and Reese got to her place.”

  Gideon whipped out his cell phone and started making calls.

  Scion’s determined gaze met Dagan’s. “I’ll go secure all points of entry as best I can, and check on Riley.”

  “What can I do, Dagan?”

  Dagan held out his hand and a large canvas bag appeared. “I happened to bring along more weapons this time.”

  Gideon rushed over and helped them unload the bag. “I got ahold of Angelique, but I haven’t been able to raise Rufus.”

  This news lay heavy in his stomach, eating a deep hole into his heart. His first instinct driven hard by the fury told him to rush out and find Reese. The warrior in him reigned supreme for now, knowing he would be out-numbered.

  The entire house shook as though an earthquake had hit and they were experiencing the aftershock.

  “What the hell is that?”

  “They’re being neighborly and knocking,” Dagan replied dryly.

  “But I thought with all the protection, the galla and demons couldn’t see my house.”

  Dagan frowned. “Normally they wouldn’t be able to.” He had a feeling that Kur had either coaxed or threatened a sorcerer to work with him. It was the only explanation for how the demons and zulies would be able to get through the wards. More unexpected surprises.

  Another force shook the entire house. Scion and Riley rushed downstairs. Clive hurried over to his daughter. “Are you all right?” He looked Scion up and down.

  “Yes.”

  “Everything is as secure as I can make it,” Scion told Dagan. “This feeble structure will not hold up to their barrage much longer.”

  “They’re not going to raze the house down. The zulies will want close contact, hand to hand. They are too uncoordinated for weapons.”

  “What is that terrible stench?” Riley asked.

  “Zulies are those who are dead but have been taken control of by something else,” Dagan offered.

  “What do you mean taken control of?” Gideon asked with a complete look of horror on his face.

  “A demon or wizard or god will summon them up from the grave to do their bidding.”

  Aghast Riley said, “You mean zombies? These things are zombies?”

  Dagan exchanged a telling look with Scion. “They will be coming.”

  “Don’t they just sound like loads of fun,” Riley replied hotly.

  “I think staying together is our best defense,” Dagan said to the others. “Grab some weapons from the bag and we will position ourselves here in the great room.”

  They all nodded. Riley liberated a massive sword but found it hard to handle.

  “I think I should hold on to that, little lady.” Scion appeared beside her and relieved her of the weight. “You stay close to me,” he ordered.

  She retrieved two funny looking guns. “Look, bub. I’m not going to cower while all you big macho men fight the battle.”

  Scion turned his impressive frame to her, grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her none-too-gently. “Reckless. You stay by my side.”

  Her teeth clattered when he shook her. “All right, all right. Stop shaking me, dammit.”

  Clive started toward Scion, but Dagan waylaid him. “He is her best chance at getting through this.”

  “Does he have to be so rough with her?”

  Dagan gave him a quizzical look. “Have you spent much time around your daughters lately?”

  “I see Reese all the time. Riley has been in Europe for the last couple of years, but I talk to her on the phone.”

  “Right,” Dagan snipped. “They are stubborn, irrational and do not do what they are told.”

  A slow smile crossed Clive’s face. “They get that from their mother too.”

  “Well if you want Riley to survive this little encounter, Scion is where he needs to be and will handle her the way she needs to be handled.”

  All the windows in the room blew and they were pelted with flying glass. Gideon, nearest the windows, dropped to the floor with his hands over his head until the storm passed. Dagan pulled him to his feet, making sure he had no debilitating injury then handed him a gun. “Pyre made special ammo. Aim for the chest or the head.”

  Scion completely surrounded Riley until the danger had passed. He kicked the sofa over and shoved her down on the floor behind it then pushed it back toward the corner, so she was covered on all sides. “Keep your head down. If the creatures get anywhere near you, you scream for me.”

  Clive had a few cuts and one sliver sticking into the back of his leg. Walking over and placing his hand on Clive’s shoulder, Dagan grabbed the piece of glass with his bare fingers. He met Clive’s eyes with his own, an unspoken assurance passed between them. “Count to three.”

  “One, two…”

  Dagan ripped the sliver out. To his amazement, Reese’s father didn’t cry out or fall to the floor in pain.

  “Daddy,” Riley cried.

  “I’m okay,” he assured her.

  All this happened in a matter of seconds. Before Dagan could turn toward the glassless windows now offering free entry f
or Kur’s soldiers, they were pouring into the house and the battle began.

  Calling upon his inner energy, Dagan slashed through the small force. He kept aware of the others and fought back to back with Scion a couple of times.

  The gunshots reverberated in the room and the smell of gunpowder filled his nostrils, but he kept at it until there were none left, or so he thought.

  He saw Riley come out from the hidey hole Scion had put her in pulling a gun from the waistband of her jeans. A zulie lying by her feet opened its eyes and grabbed her ankle. On reflex, she screamed and squeezed the trigger of the gun she held, shooting the zulie in the head.

  She yanked her ankle out of its hand. “Damn zombies.”

  Scion crowded in on her. All Dagan’s senses lit up again when a tall, lanky figure phasing in and out strolled through the now shattered door. Once inside, it solidified.

  “Hello, Venom, what brings you here?” Dagan asked in a wary tone.

  “I heard a nephili had been found.” The creature glanced at Clive Whittaker.

  Dagan chuckled. Venom was the leader of the Anuna, those who had fallen from grace with the Pantheon many centuries ago. Banned to the Underworld, they roamed, searching for a way to lay low the Council and take their place as rulers. “I guess that answers the question of who made the zulies.” He shook his head. “I thought you abhorred Kur. Why would you be working with him?”

  The demon sneered. “We came to an agreement.”

  “Oh?” The movement of other demons didn’t escape Dagan. His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword, still dripping with dark ooze. He sensed Clive tense as well.

  “I told him I would waste no more than one Earth-bound hour on this venture. If I manage to get the nephili, he is mine.”

  “And what did Kur get in return?”

  “He would not say, but it seemed very important to him.”

  Dagan’s stomach churned. This day continued to suck. The Anuna were fallen gods stripped of their rights, most of their powers, and kicked out of Dilmun. Banished to the Underworld they were to walk there for eternity. When Kur went to the Underworld, he brought with him certain knowledge about thin layers between the realms that shift and will open to certain frequencies. That is the only way this Anuna was able to be here now.

  They could not be killed because they were gods, but in Venom’s current state, the Anuna could experience pain. If Dagan hurt Venom enough, he would return to the Underworld to heal.

  He pointed the tip of his dripping weapon toward Venom. “Shall we begin?”

  Bowing, the fallen god said, “Yes, as I have wasted ten minutes already explaining that which was not necessary.”

  “I’m sorry to delay your fun,” Dagan said and made a courtly bow.

  Venom laughed and attacked.

  In solid form, Anuna made easy targets. He carried no weapons, but did have the ability to blast an opponent with a bolt of energy containing enough voltage to incapacitate if hit directly.

  If taken, Clive would spend a lifetime in the Underworld being tortured as revenge on the gods who had banished them. Or, they would try to use him to barter their freedom. Either way, it wouldn’t be good.

  Venom charged him, swinging a fist toward Dagan’s head. He deflected the blow with his left forearm, curled his fingers and put his fist in Venom’s face. The creature stumbled back, roared and came at him again, extending sharp blades from its fingertips. Dagan spun away but not before Venom raked his bladed fingers across Dagan’s stomach.

  Clive was doing the Ali shuffle with another demon and getting in some great upper cuts and jabs, sparring for his life. When the galla scratched his face very close to his eye and let loose with a wail, Clive reached behind his back, produced a Khukri knife and sliced both arms and the galla’s chest in a big X motion.

  Dagan ducked as a wooden chair from the dining room set came hurtling toward him. On the way up, he landed his fist into the midsection of the creature Clive battled. It grunted and stumbled back. During that exchange, Dagan lost sight of Venom.

  To his left he saw Scion with his battle axe clearing a wide path and not allowing any of the demons near Riley. He grabbed the handle, spun around and planted the end into the head of one of the zulies. It fell to the floor unconscious.

  Riley had her hands full with the guns and popped off some rounds into the stomach of a demon rushing in from the right. He rose several feet into the air, holding his stomach, before crashing back to the ground. Something between a groan and a whine came out of the thing before it sagged, dead.

  Riley walked over and kicked the thing in the face.

  Gideon had a chair in one hand with its legs pointed outward poking at the zulie who concentrated on him. A long chain swung from the other hand, the length of which wrapped around his forearm. Dagan didn’t remember having a chain in the bag. Maybe Gideon had brought his own arsenal.

  The five of them were holding their own against the onslaught. It made Dagan uneasy. The Anuna were masters at strategy and warfare, especially Venom.

  From behind him, Dagan heard Venom yell “Searci.”

  All the remaining demons and zulies stopped and joined Venom where he stood.

  Dropping his gaze to Dagan, Venom said, “The hour is up.”

  “Already? Damn, I was just getting into it.”

  Some kind of vortex opened and the enemy stepped through and disappeared.

  Scion stormed over. “What the hell?”

  “Yeah,” Gideon laughed. “We kicked their butts.”

  Scion and Dagan shared glances.

  “What is it?” Riley asked, having noticed the concerned look.

  “It was too easy.” Dagan flipped his phone open and pushed three.

  “Dagan?”

  The voice on the other end of the line sounded woozy and out of sorts.

  “Rufus, where’s Reese?”

  “She’s gone.”

  “What?” he roared. “Are you at the house?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’m on my way.” He shoved the phone back in the holder on his belt. “Scion, can you take care of everything here? Rufus says Reese is gone. I have to get there.”

  “Has something happened to Reese?” Riley asked. “I’m coming with you.”

  “No,” both Dagan and Scion replied.

  “Riley, you need to stay here and see to your father. Scion and Gideon will take care of the clean up. When I know more, I’ll call.”

  He snapped his fingers and appeared in Reese’s front yard. Rufus sat on the porch steps holding the right side of his head. Blood had matted his hair.

  “What happened?”

  “We’d just arrived. I scanned the area and there were no signs of anything. When we got out, all of a sudden, I’m struck from behind and I went down. I came to long enough to see a blond witch telling Reese that if she didn’t go with her, she’d kill me.”

  “So Reese went.”

  Rufus shook his head, then regretted it. “Not at first, but the bitch—Vile—pulled a knife on her.” He shifted uneasily. “I knocked her to the ground but she was too fast.”

  “Was she alone?”

  “Yes.” He looked at Dagan, but then cast his gaze downward. “She told me to tell you that if you wanted to see Reese alive again, you were to go to the place where you met, before dawn.”

  “That’s not much time.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “The only thing I can do—go to her.”

  Dagan materialized at the corner where he’d met Reese a few nights ago. So much had happened in that short time.

  No snow fell, but the bitter wind cut through him. Though he had changed his clothes, the icy air pricked the still healing cuts.

  Across the street, a tall, lithe blonde stood wrapped in a fur coat. She crooked her finger at him. Obviously, this was the bitch who had taken Reese and he would do whatever it took to get her back.

  When he jogged toward the woman, she turned and star
ted walking, only stopping when she’d reached a huge warehouse at the end of the block. Going inside got him out of the icy blast and it took him all of a few seconds to adjust to the deeper darkness.

  “Come with me,” Vile said in a gently accented voice.

  He followed her to the back corner of the cavernous building. As he slowly closed on the location, his attuned senses picked up the faint heartbeat and the severe smell of blood. His heart pounded against his chest wall. Was he too late?

  Coming around a stack of boxes, Dagan saw Reese. Her wrists were manacled and the chain hung from the ceiling. Her head hung forward and she slumped in a thick pool of blood.

  His heart skipped and the fury in him bellowed, but before he could move, Kur stepped into the light next to Reese’s still body.

  “It seems I have to be more specific next time I give Vile instructions.” Kur indicated the woman who had led Dagan there. “I told her to toy with the prize, but she got a bit carried away.”

  It was all Dagan could do not to lunge at Kur and rip his throat out.

  Reese was still alive.

  Dressed in jeans, a knit cap and a long shoreman’s jacket, Kur looked like a dock worker.

  “I deplore the cold,” he said conversationally. “But I thought keeping it this way would help slow the blood flow, thereby keeping her alive longer. I had so wanted you to be here when I drained my prize.”

  Dagan clenched his teeth.

  “It doesn’t matter what condition she’s in when I take her life force. The end result is the same.”

  “So what’s the plan?” Dagan finally spoke. “Surely you didn’t bring me here just to watch.”

  Kur laughed. “You’re trying to be so nonchalant when I know it’s killing you to see her life slipping away—drip, drip, drip.”

  Dagan lifted his hand over his head and unsheathed his sword. “Come on, Kur. Let’s do this again, only this time, just you and me.” He swung the sword across his body. “Are you man enough?”

  An insane fire burned in Kur’s eyes. Kur cocked his head, considering Dagan’s proposal. “I will take you on, Time Walker. I should have finished you properly the last time. But, I have the greater advantage,” Kur snickered. “I devoured two life forces before I came here.” He licked his lips. “You were expending your energy fighting Venom.”