`The god has found his footing,' Lilly muttered. `A god who has fed on the blood of a world's people bonds to that world. Our histories tell us so. Eleanor cannot vanquish him because he is part of this world now.'
`You are well versed,' Nikki said, changing to become less human.
White energy which he had only before seen on her hands now crept across her body. Silver tattoos covered her face. Wilson sensed his brother's fear from within her womb. No words. Just emotions. Calling him.
`Doesn't matter how or why.' Wilson clenched his hands while the god rose up into the night sky. Fire roared through him in answer. `Everything burns.'
Mason rolled on the hard sand and stood as Hunter. Without Bemeon's lies to cloud Mason's thinking, Hunter was unhindered in the god's world. He focused. A seething mass of giant Twisted wolves and creatures surged toward the portal from the darkness. Bemeon's army.
Everything stopped.
Mason felt the terrible weight as their minds reached out to him. For a moment he enjoyed the power the assembled army offered him. Their question remained unspoken as he flexed his wings. Power filled him. Here was everything he wanted. The Song hummed inside him. Bemeon's pack would be his. He would be a true Hunter. Lead them. Be their god.
They shivered with anticipation.
`No.' A sweet voice cut through the building hum. `Remember who you are.'
The army marched forward, to him. He could lead them. They would be an unstoppable pack. But there was an itch. Something else he wanted. Something he had come here to find.
`Let them go.'
He blinked. A huge Twisted wolf, an alpha, broke towards him.
'Father. We are your pack.'
Yes.
Wings thrust. He shot up and over the wolf as it plunged through the portal. Beneath him the army roared and surged forward. He could see Ruth on the altar. Renee circled with Michelle, and Ralph loped injured from the darkness towards Ruth.
`Get us out of this place.'
Black energy crackled, reaching for Renee.
Wings folded, he dropped feet first, landing directly in front of Bemeon's priestess. The energy blast slammed into him. Renee snarled behind him.
Energy tore at his armour. Dark energy. His energy. I am your master.
What energy remained on him faded, absorbed. Michelle could not hurt him.
`You're wrong. My master is out there now. Making your world his, while you play in here,' she whispered, sounding almost coy. `He will win and come back for her.' Michelle nodded at Renee.
`I understand that, but you've come back for her, too.' She pointed to Ruth, but without losing her focus on him. `You've come back for a weak woman who doesn't respect you. That shows me how weak you are. That will be your undoing.'
`What would you know of love?' Renee spat. `Your own child ran away to escape you!'
Ruth moved and so did Michelle, her hand finding Ruth's throat. Ralph growled. Mason waved him back.
`Of course you know all about Lilly.' Michelle flexed her nails into Ruth's neck until she drew blood.
Mason flinched but could do nothing. He was fast, but not fast enough. She would have ripped Ruth's throat out before he had finished taking a step. If he jumped she would know as well.
`Why do you think she was allowed to meet you? And your sweet boy? Even better if she becomes part of your family? It would be the safest place to keep my daughter, in Hunter's own clan.'
`Don't,' he said reacting at the sight of Ruth's blood seeping out on Michelle's fingers. `Stop hurting her.'
`See. You are so weak.'
Hands, fine and scaled, reached out from the darkness and snatched Michelle away.
Mason leapt for Ruth, calling healing energy.
`Not all follow Bemeon,' came a soft voice from the darkness. `Some wait patiently for his destruction.'
A small woman melted out of the shadows, her hands locked around Michelle's throat, making the priestess thrash. Energies swirled. `This one cannot hurt me. Nor can she be free unless I will it. This is my world, more than it is hers. I am Mari.'
`Kill her,' Renee said. `Kill the priestess.'
`No,' Mari said, easing her grip. `That is not for me to do, but I can promise you, she will remain in this world when we flee.'
`No,' Michelle gurgled. `Not here.'
`You want to leave this place?' Mason could feel the warmth flow back into Ruth as he stared at Mari.
`This world is dying, poisoned by Bemeon's madness. I sent my child into your world to seek treaty with one who could give us safe passage and sanctuary.'
Suddenly it made sense. `Scarla?' Mari was her mother, no mistake about it. Mari's plan had been waylaid by Michelle and her control collar. Ralph sniffed in agreement. But hadn't Scarla called Bemeon her father? `You and Bemeon—'
`Yes, not an experience we enjoy but it is how we survived.'
More faces came out of the darkness, all female, some only children. All like Mari, slim, scaled. And naked. `We offer ourselves to you. Please.' She tossed Michelle into the darkness. `Take us with you.' Michelle's screams filled the air. Mari showed her teeth. `Not all here can leave. Many are too old but now they have her to amuse them.'
Renee went to Mari as Mason picked up Ruth. `Come with me, we can...' She looked to Mason, who nodded. No one should be left behind.
`We can give you a home, sanctuary, a place where you don't have to give yourself to another in order to survive.'
Mari swayed. Disbelief covered her face. `This is much more than I, than we—'
`It is our way, Mari, to accept those who ask for help, no matter how different. In return we become like kin, living and protecting each other, as a clan. Free.'
`We have to leave. Now, Father!'
Mason held Ruth tighter, his daughter's cry raw.
`Time to leave.'
Renee spun around, more Huntress than human, Ralph by her side. `Follow me, then. It's going to be a real shit fight on the beach and we don't want any of you mistaken for the enemy.'
Mason followed. His first thought was Ruth's safety, and then he would deal with Bemeon.
`You ready for this?' Renee asked him, hesitating at the portal. `Not going to go all feral on me again once you get your teeth into a few of Bemeon's creatures?'
`Maybe,' he said, suddenly finding his sense of humour. Ruth snuggled into his chest. Ralph glared at him with a huge yellow eye.
`You're a strange one, all right.' Renee grinned back with razor sharp teeth. `I love you, so don't get lost.' She plunged through the portal with Ralph close behind.
He paused, knowing what chaos lay beyond the portal, knowing it may be his last battle ground.
Mari touched his shoulder. `You will prevail. There is great passion and love in you. That will be enough to defeat the hatred and darkness Bemeon wields in your world.'
`Maybe.' He tucked Ruth against him. `But it's not my love I'm going to give Bemeon.'
Fire. It raged out of him, licking towards the god.
Bemeon roared.
`Burn that bastard!' Lilly yelled. Chunks of black goo exploded from the creature.
Nikki's white energy joined his fire as Bemeon scooped Eleanor up. `Mother!'
Wilson acted with her. Together they severed Bemeon's arm and Eleanor fell limply to the sand.
Sally grabbed his arm and pointed. `Fuck, Wil!'
He hesitated, shocked by her curse and what she'd seen.
`Bemeon's army. Twisted gnarled wolves.'
`Kill them!' Nikki roared. `Packs of the free lands, let none of Bemeon's monsters pass.'
Chaos erupted as Wilson struggled to process the nightmarish scene. Earthbound wolves surged into battle. Bemeon's army flowed through the portal like a river of twisted death. Blood both red and black erupted into the night air.
`There are so many,' Sally whispered hoarsely.
Nikki snarled, eyes full of rage. `We must not fail. Burn them, Wilson. Fight with me.'
She held his eyes
for a second. Then he howled. Nikki's shrill war cry joined in.
Black flesh and bone exploded as their fiery rage tore into the surging army below them.
He knew that he was human no more. He had to be more than that to survive.
He had to be an Unnatural.
Mason heard Renee cry out. Fire roared across the beach as a gigantic shape, the god, took a staggering step away from the portal.
`Mother!' Renee raced across the sand towards a jumble of limbs. Eleanor.
`Mason?' Ruth muttered against his chest.
Ricco appeared with Pete close behind.
`It's a fucking nightmare!' Pete yelled as Ricco fended off a goblin-like creature. `And that thing is moving.'
Pete had pointed but Mason didn't need to look. He had felt the god move. He passed Ruth into Pete's arms. `Take her to Wilson. He'll protect you.' Fire swept the beach, Twisted wolves exploded at its touch. `Ricco will lead the way. Follow him.'
`We won't make it!' Pete yelled, looking at the seething mass covering the beach.
`You will,' Mason said feeling out Wilson's mind. `Go. Wil knows you're coming, and who you're carrying. He'll make sure nothing harms you.'
In response to his promise, fire tore a path through the army of creatures. Pete staggered, then steadied himself, wide-eyed.
Mason pushed him towards the gore-covered path Wilson had cleared to the seawall. `Ricco is right behind you.'
Pete lurched off, Ricco pushing him as the big man gained speed through the layer of still-steaming flesh and blood. Walls of deadly fire kept the path clear. Mason stared at his son for a moment, a living being of fire with Nikki beside him, their gifts protecting Ruth and Pete as he bolted towards them.
Mason flinched as a huge Twisted wolf tried to leap the wall of fire but split apart as a deadly wail was added to the mix. Lilly.
`Mason?'
He turned to find Renee huddled over Eleanor. Mason glanced up. The god hadn't noticed them yet. Instead, Bemeon had focused on the wolves tearing into his army.
`We're safe!' His daughter's words triggered movement.
He knelt beside Renee. `Here, give her to me.'
`She's healing, but slowly.'
Eleanor's body contorted as she healed. Mason stood, wings fanning. `Get on.'
He thrust skywards. Gunfire erupted. Strobes picked out Bemeon's form. Eleanor gripped his arms, wailing her pain. Mason circled, watching two Fund helicopter gunships fire thousands of rounds into the god.
`Useless,' Eleanor whispered through bloody broken lips. `He has fed on human blood. Bemeon is connected to this world now.'
Mason watched Bemeon shudder. A tentacle fell as the gunships circled around. Modern weapons could hurt him.
`He stepped back then,' he said. Rockets slammed into the god, detonating in a wave of black flesh. Bemeon staggered. Lashing out with a tentacle, he sent a helicopter spiralling into the ocean.
`They cannot kill him,' Eleanor whispered. `If he can be forced back into the portal we can close it.'
Mason scanned the beach. `I need Max.'
`He's somewhere here,' Eleanor said, shifting in his arms. Something like a laugh sounded. `The boy loves to blow things up, doesn't he?'
`What?' He looked at her in surprise. Then the air shimmered and he wheeled away. Bemeon roared as an explosion tore his chest apart and it was Mason's turn to laugh at the sight of an armoured vehicle charging through the car park, rocket launcher still hot. `He does.' Armed men followed the tank, wearing a body armour he knew well.
The Fund had arrived. Automatic gunfire sent flashes of bright light across the seething beach.
`He will make more.' Eleanor looked up at him. `You could kill every single creature coming through the portal and Bemeon will twist those here to do his bidding.'
`He has to go back through the portal, then?' Mason began to swing around to land beside Wilson.
`It is the only way.' Eleanor pulled herself straighter. `If he breaks away from the portal he will win, and we will cease to be. None of us will survive.'
Her eyes said everything. She had faith in him. She believed he could stop Bemeon.
`Watch it,' Renee said. He banked, setting down in the carpark.
`Mother.' Nikki took Eleanor from him, supporting her. `We cannot stop him. Even Wilson's fire is losing its effect.'
Mason looked up as Wilson crackled with fire, his gift tearing at the god. Flesh burnt and healed just as fast. `Killing him won't work — he has to go back through the portal.'
Eleanor, sagging against Nikki, nodded in agreement.
`Sire, Max has authorised a full air strike.' The cultured voice seemed ill-placed among the carnage.
Mason turned to find a ball of red light hovering beside him. Flashes of energy flickered through it. `Syrus?'
`I found the nanotech compartment in the ATV,' Syrus said. The red ball hovered closer. `They adapt fast and my energy has improved their abilities.'
`Air strike?' Nikki asked, shouldering her mother.
Mason touched the glowing ball of nanobots. `Interesting.'
`Two aircraft are inbound as we speak.'
Mason looked to the west, where lights streaked across the sky.
`Fighter jets,' Renee said. `Nice.'
`No. Not nice.' Mason spun around seeking out Max, spotting him on the seawall firing into the chaos. `I need to talk to him.' He felt a tingle of fear. How far had Max gone? Through the Fund he had access to every type of weapon available, even nuclear.
`Speak and he will hear,' Syrus said, enveloping Mason with the nanobot cloud. Comms crackled.
`Max! The jets! What are they carrying?'
`Sir, you're out then? You have Ruth?'
"Yes.' Mason turned towards the jets that streaked towards them. `Max, this is a civilian area. What are they carrying?'
`No nukes, sir,' Max said, falling back and heading towards him along the sea wall. `But we probably should fall back.'
`Christ!' Mason scanned the beach for Ralph. `There are too many on the beach.'
`Not my problem, sir,' Max said, reaching him. `That thing is getting bigger by the second and only the gunships have made a dent in it.' He nodded towards the approaching lights in the sky. `These will blow Bemeon into another universe.'
`Damn it, Max.' Mason brushed past, angry. Too many Wolves and Darkells would be hit.
`Wait,' Renee grabbed his arm. `Ralph knows. He'll signal the others so Bemeon thinks we're retreating. Maybe he won't notice the jets.'
Mason launched skywards. It was a good plan that would work better if he helped. Swooping down to the beach, he tore into Twisted wolves, at the same time letting his gift carry his voice across the battle zone. `Fall back!'
Ralph howled. Wolves fell back. Darkells followed. Mason grabbed two fallen Darkells as the alpha morphed beside him, a young boy in his arms.
`Are you sure?' Ralph dodged a dying creature. Mason kicked its head in as he passed.
`No, but we have more.'
`Cowards!' Bemeon roared behind them as the beach shook under Mason's feet. `Stay and die on the field of battle for I will find you in this world.'
`We're winning, you know,' Ralph puffed, following him up onto the seawall.
`No, we're not.' Mason handed the two Darkells girls to Tashia. He hoped they'd be all right. He had to stay focused.
`What's that?' Ralph's eyes narrowed at the nanobot cloud.
`Syrus,' Mason said.
Syrus settled over him again and static echoed in his ears. He looked for Ruth, spotting her in the ATV with Sally.
`Is Ruth okay?' Max asked. `After being in there, I mean.'
Mason moved to watch Ralph form another line of defence at the top of the seawall. Fund security forces stood side by side with his Wolves and Darkells. `I think so.' He glanced back towards the streaking lights. A low roar trembled on the edge of hearing. They were coming fast. `How big a hit are they carrying?'
`Shitloads,' Max said. `If they
don't knock that thing on its arse, then nothing, short of a nuke, will.'
`Shitloads?' Mason found a smile even as Bemeon's army moved closer to them. `You've been here a day and the British accent is already fading.'
Max snorted, shouldering his rifle as a Twisted wolf lunged for the seawall, only to die in Wilson's fire. `You've been a bad influence in more ways than one.'
`Look!' Renee stood on the seawall, pointing. Mason joined her. Bemeon's army paused as the god hollered in glee.
`Priestess.'
She stood on the beach at his feet.
Mason felt it. She didn't share her god's glee. Covered in blood, her eyes sought him out.
`She's—' Mason struggled to say what he could feel as the god stomped his foot in delight and Michelle raised her arms. Deadly white energy filled her body.
`Strike them down, my Priestess. Take your revenge.'
`My sister has remembered,' Eleanor whispered, grabbing his arm with Nikki still holding her up. `Look at her, Hunter. Does she look like his priestess anymore? That's my sister and she's wielding the same energy I do.' She pulled at his arm. `Help her, please. She is my sister.'
`How can you say that?' Renee's angry heat brushed against him as she faced her mother. `That bitch nearly killed Nikki and Ruth! It's been centuries since she was taken, Mother. She can never be one of us. Michelle has killed too many of our kind! What makes you think she will ever change?'
Mason spun Renee to face the beach. `That says a lot to me.'
Energy raced towards Bemeon's army as Michelle's human shape melted away. Her body matched Eleanor's. Dark and scarred, her tattoos glowed in different patterns.
`Holy shit!' Renee pulled free as Bemeon fell silent.
`Michelle wants to come home,' Eleanor whispered as the backline of Bemeon's army exploded under the touch of Michelle's white energy.
`NO!' Bemeon howled. His energy lashed out towards Michelle just as the sound of two fighter jets boomed overhead.
`Bogie is lit up and packages are away.' The words echoed in Mason's shared comms. Around him the chaos slowed.
Michelle's face streaked with bloody tears as she began to run.
Above him four missiles streaked towards the god. Eleanor's grip on his arm threatened to possibly break a bone.
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