The Smokiest Grave (The Unnatural Series Book 1)

by Tosha Y. Miller

  Beastor grabbed a chunk of Cat’s hair with his long arms and flung her forward as if she was a sack of potatoes.

  She went with the motion, rolling forward until her feet hit the ground and she was in a kneeling position. Without looking back, she jumped on a large tan tree and bounced off its rough surface. She looked back at Beastor, smiling. She didn’t know why, but something changed inside of her. As if someone wrapped her in a silk blanket and stuck her finger in an outlet.

  The look of confusion on Lance’s face made her feel even more powerful.

  He tilted his head to the side and lifted his shoulder, “Okay, toy, you got my attention. Let’s dance.” That was the only warning before he attacked.

  His movement seemed slower to her. She slammed her fist into his eye, swinging around to follow it with a kick to the face. His anger was getting the best of him. All that fury made his hits sloppy and easy to block.

  “You’re pathetic, Lance. Even as a massive beast you are nothing,” Cat drilled into him. Using his human name to rub his face in her dominance.

  She pushed her fist up nailing him under the jaw. The blue magic that slammed out of her was different, almost wild. When his body went soaring backward, Cat was star struck.

  She stood there, mouth open. Her deep, slow breaths were the only sound she heard. That wild magic pushing against her skin was like little insect bites.

  Cat walked to the body lying on the ground. Before she could reach him, those bites intensified, which had her stumbling around in pain.

  Whoa, why do I feel so dizzy? Her vision blurred at the edges. Something was draining her. That strong intense power she just had flowing through her was gone now.

  “That’s impossible. How did you do it, you whore?” Lance, the tan shell, got up stark naked. “No one has the ability to pull a beast back to his human form.” He ran to Cat, ready to kill her. She had made him shift back into his Lance form with her punch.

  The stare he gave her snatched her out of her shock, and she tried to ignore her need to faint.

  She knew he no longer wanted to play with her by the way his eyes pierced through her, and the crease on his forehead looked like devil horns forming. If looks could burn, she would be in flames.

  She tucked and rolled to the left, diving for Hendrick. She grabbed the dagger he had dropped on the ground at the same time. Lance followed like an old-fashioned mummy with his arms extended and his movements slow. He even moaned in irritation.

  “Sorry,” she told Hendrick as she sliced his hand and lathered the blade in blood.

  “You will not ruin this for me, cunt. I will be the alpha!” Lance shouted, kicking her in the side. She toppled over and held her injury.

  He kept kicking her with the vengeance of a demon, pure evil. He smacked the blade out of her hand. “You nasty slut, I will kill you from the inside out,” he said. His words sounded crazed; they didn’t make sense. And he kept grumbling weird things.

  He lifted her shirt up, leaning into her. “No!” she reached for the dagger. Cursing her new gifts, where the hell did they go? She was even weaker than before.

  Come on something work! She might get psychological hemorrhoids from all the mental pushing she was doing. She needed to activate something inside of her. Except everything felt dormant.

  She felt Lance’s flesh on hers, but she couldn’t reach the blade, he had his knees pressed into her thighs keeping her in place. Come on, come on. No, no. Her fingers brushed against the blades jagged edges, but she couldn’t get a grip.

  Her survival instincts kicked in, making her eyes water; high screeches ripped from her throat. She turned to focus on Lance instead. He was laughing at her, prolonging his brutal assault. She screamed and flung her arms at him.

  A cement of a fist slammed into Cat’s face making black roses bloom in her vision. Lance smiled down at her as she stopped fighting and laid there unconscious.

  He knew the ultimate result would leave him victorious. Now, he would have his toy and make her pay for all the things she had put him through tonight.

  “Now let’s see if you are as good as I remember.”

  Thirty-six

  For the second time tonight, the Goddess broke the rules and interfered. This time though, she was in Cat’s world. Her body kept disappearing in the wind as if it wanted to take her back home.

  She looked around with caution. There was a reason why gods did not travel over here. Certain demons were immune to the Gods powers which meant she needed to be careful.

  Both Cat and Lance were frozen in time. She knelt beside Cat. Her fingers shimmered in and out of form to push into Cat’s prefrontal cortex. That was the only way to locate her emotion control center.

  She gently poked around trying to activate the controls. When nothing happened, the Goddess pressed harder and quicker. She needed to do this fast, before the other gods noticed.

  In her defense, she wasn’t interfering, per say, just influencing the outcome.

  She groaned. Yeah, she doubted The Three would see it that way.

  Last time this monster attacked Cat, she wasn’t aware of his actions until after Cat left her vision. The Gods had held her down to keep her from interfering.

  “Slimy turd,” the Goddess glared at him. She wanted to throw him off her and send him to the fiery pits of Hades. If she did, however, she’d end up joining him there.

  So, she looked back down at Cat. She drained herself tapping into my power. Sapphires were the only beings who could use the gods magic, but they drain themselves in the process.

  She smiled down at Cat, her eyes dilating and face softening like a proud mother. Cat had used the Goddess’ abilities to push the demon back inside of Lance.

  As Gods, they had the ability to take an Unnatural’s beast away and, as if the beast was gum stuck in their hair, cut it out.

  She didn’t have time to explain to her what linking with a Goddess really meant. Cat had the ability to access the Goddess’s magic, but like tonight, the wild magic would drain her quickly.

  She clapped softly in a repetitive movement when she saw blue and purple smoke lift into the air.

  She turned to Lance with a disgusted look in her eyes. She could feel her face crinkle; an angry God was an ugly God. Gods were never meant to feel anger, so when they did, it showed on their face. Making them look their old age—which was why Hades was so hideous.

  Maybe they wouldn’t care? She lifted her hand to Lance. Before she could do anything, the ground shook under the Goddess’s feet. She stumbled with grace, knowing who was warning her. “Alright, royal buffoon.” The wind blew her backward enough to make her stagger. “I got it.” She looked at the sky. No one was there, but she knew they were watching her.

  Being one of the youngest celestial beings, they always liked to keep a close eye on her. She didn’t entirely agree with some of the rules. This was one of those times.

  She ignored their whispers to return home. She knelt to touch Cat’s face. Her heart warmed at what a fierce warrior her progeny had turned out to be. “My sweet Cat, that is all I can do. The rest is up to you.” She caressed Cat’s cheek noticing they were looking better already.

  The Goddess glanced at the sky as another way to help Cat came to her. They will have my head if I give her an angel charm. She shrugged, oh well.

  She made a circle with her hands and expanded her fingers making a bright gold orb form. The ground rumbled again, but she ignored the massive vibrations and pushed the orb into Cat’s chest.

  As soon as the gold ball disappeared, a large lightning bolt struck the Goddess’s hand. “Ow!” She pulled her hand to her chest. “That was unnecessary.” She would have that mark on her immortal skin forever, but if it meant she got to see her Cat again the scar was worth it.

  If you do anything else to change the outcome, I will lock you in hell with your brother Hades. A deep angry voice made her stomach drop.

  With that, she closed her arms to her chest telling the over
bearing jerks upstairs she had finished. She elegantly bowed, and her right arm drifted down to her knees. As she straightened and pointed up, her body rose in the air.

  The wind she commanded enveloped her. Her body ached with regret. She wasn’t sure she could live with herself if this didn’t go Cat’s way.

  As the Goddess’s feet landed back in her room, she cursed her maker for not giving her the power of seeing into the future. She turned on her globe floating in the middle of the room to watch what happened next, helpless to do anything but pray.

  Please, let the council be with you.

  Thirty-seven

  Lance yelped at the sight of smoke coming from under Cat. What they hell! Is she on fire? When the smoke came from her mouth, Lance stopped and stared at her for a few seconds, stunned. She was unconscious, so he rolled her over to make sure. There was no fire under her, but he did get a pleasant view of her backside.

  It made him focus back on the duty at hand. Right, teach his toy a lesson. The weirdness could wait. He had waited too long to have her underneath him again.

  He rolled her back over, covering her body with his. He looked down at her with a resentful backbiting glare filled with hatred. Even the shadows clung to the creases of his face, enhancing his evil appearance. Nothing could stop him now.

  He saw her smile. A soft, glowing smile that did do nothing to feed his psychotic nature. It pissed him off. She was supposed to be in misery. Last time she was so afraid and had so much loathing for him he got off just looking at her.

  “That’s it,” he slapped her on her cheek, not hard enough to bruise. She didn’t wake up, so he tried again. This time the smack echoed in the distance. “Wake up!” He smiled at the red mark on her face.

  That’s a good look for you, toy.

  He jumped when her eyes popped open. She didn’t look around or stir in confusion like he expected. Cat struck him hard in the face blackening his eye. He grabbed her wrist snapping her hand all the way back.

  In the distance, he heard the sound echo, it sounded like someone stepping on glass. The sound was like liquor to the flame inside of him. That’s it. That’s what I want. She yelled and pulled her arm to her chest. Her reaction only made his smile grow wider.

  He laughed at her cradling her arm. He saw Cat’s jaw tighten and nostrils flare. Her reaction made his eyebrows go up. Why is she not crying or pleading for me to leave her alone?

  She did something he never expected; she attacked. With her good hand Cat reached for his left eye. As her finger connected with the squishy ball, she pushed at its soft surface until she heard a pop. Dark tan liquid poured out of Lance’s eye. “Aaahh!” he yelled.

  He lifted off her with both hands covering his eye trying to stop the bleeding. Cat managed to wiggle her way out from under him. “By Hades, you are the worst toy ever.” Lance’s rage boiled over; he’d had enough of her. He would have to find another toy.

  He grabbed her kicking legs and put them on either side of him. He dove for her neck, clenching his hands against her soft skin. Her eyes went wide, and her mouth gaped open. That look made a rush of excitement course through him. He leaned into her neck, essentially pushing all his weight into the choke.

  He watched her crisscross her arms over his straight arms, trying to use her elbows to push his arms away. He laughed at her idiocy, “Do you think you can push me away? I’m much stronger than you, little girl.”

  ***

  Cat didn’t give up, though, even when her face turned blue. She hiked her hips up as high as they would go and in that crisscross position, she pulled her elbows to her chest. She only had one chance to loosen his grip. In one quick push, she brought her body down and crunched up with her upper body, effectively making his elbows bend.

  Yeah!

  She squirmed underneath him, rolling to one side, then the other to put her feet on his hips. She still wasn't at her full strength, so this was not as effective as she hoped. Her feet flopped to his side where she didn't want them.

  ***

  He screamed in frustration and took control of her again, “I hate you with a passion, cunt!” He looked at his hand, noticing for the first time that his blood was tan. “You’ve made me stay out here too long. The curse is affecting me,” Lance swung his dull fingernails at her throat.

  He looked at his hand, remembering it wasn’t his green shifted form. “Damn you to hell,” he said, and hit her in the nose.

  Cat covered her face. He still saw the blood drip out. The sight of the dark red liquid made a crazed rage erupt inside of him. He grabbed her hands, jerking her arms out of their sockets.

  She tried to ignore the pain and fight him. But he snapped her other wrist and put both her hands under each of his knees before she could do anything useful.

  This time when his fist collided with her face, there was nothing she could do to stop him. She moved it side to side and struggled, but that made his eyes go wide and excited.

  He kept hitting her until he was pleased with his artwork decorating her face.

  Now, say goodbye whore. He bent to her neck ripping a piece of her flesh off with his teeth and pulled away. He pulled her hands out from under him to watch her struggle.

  Cat’s green eyes went wide with panic, and she grabbed her throat trying to stop the bleeding. Lance looked down at her as he chewed her flesh like he was eating chicken.

  “Die slut. Tell Lusion thanks for me,” Lance’s said standing up. He needed to get back to the cabin before the tan curse went into full effect. His smile faltered as a low aching pain burned in his chest like a bad case of heartburn. “Whoa.” He heaved as slobber ran down his chin. When he wiped it away, his palm came back with thick tan liquid.

  “How ‘bout ye tell him yourself lad,” a man said behind him.

  He looked down, “No.” A blast of agonizing, red-hot pain fired his neurons. Tears wet his face as he watched the jagged blade piercing through his chest, being sucked back into a gaping hole that ran clear through his heart.

  The man’s warm breath against his skin was the last thing Lance felt before the bitter truth of never-ending darkness coiled around his soul, dragging him away to where Hades himself waited to show him the true meaning of being a toy.

  Thirty-eight

  Hendrick wished he could have given her the kill, but there was no time. He could feel the curse’s icy cold grip on the back of his neck as it pushed him into an unforgiving rage. He needed to get Cat up and get the hell out of here before it was too late.

  “Come on Cat, breathe!” Hendrick put both hands on her chest and pushed down. He did this over and over never letting his elbows bend.

  Ye can do it, let me see those beautiful eyes.

  Hendrick woke up to seeing Lance or Beastor, whatever the bloody man wanted to be called ripping Cats throat out. After he killed the Blaigeard, he basically drowned Cat in his blood. But she still wasn’t responding. What can I do?

  His eyes twitched in every direction as he thought. There must be something from his childhood stories that can help. Sapphires are your sister protectors, with them both factions are stronger, their smoke amplifies your power.

  “By the Gods, there is nothing I can remember.” He ran his hands through his hair, giving up.

  “I can’t do this.” The scared little boy that he never let come to the service pushed its way out.

  He watched as the tan color crept up his fingers like a disease eating his body. All of it overwhelmed him to the point of tears.

  They fell like his body sprung a leak, and they tormented him. Their salty shower stood for weakness, failure, and everything he didn't want to be.

  His pity party didn’t last long; he pushed through the emotional wave drowning him, “No, not this time.” He equaled out his weight on his knees again and started a new set of compressions. He heard her bones pop underneath his touch. I’m sorry. He was, but he would not let Cat die the way his mother did.

  A werewolf ripped out his mom’s thr
oat, and he had sat next to her, crying, for what felt like forever. He hadn’t been able to do anything about her dying. As the king, he was never taught trivial things like CPR. He had servants who did such things.

  But this isn’t my mom, damn it. I will not lose two people in that manner. If I can keep her blood flowing until her neck heals, she should be alright.

  After his thirtieth push against her chest, he grabbed her face and tilted up her chin. He lowered his face to hers, and as he pinched her nose closed, he breathed two huge breaths into her mouth. He nodded to himself when her chest rose.

  “That’s my girl.” Fresh determination pumped into him. If the air could get through her neck that meant the gaping hole in her throat was closing.

  “Fight this lass. That Blaigeard does not win.”

  He beat down on her chest pushing the blood through her body, “Come back to me, my love.” His hands trembled as he bent down to breathe for her again.

  Lub…Dub…Lub…Dub…

  Her heart was beating, “Yes!” He reached his hands out to the sky screaming all his emotions out. I did it, mum, I did it. He looked over his shoulder expecting a hand to be resting there. But there was nothing but air. The pressure of a hand was there though, regardless if he could see it or not.

  Mum? A tear rolled down his cheek as the pressure released. Please don’t go. The little boy deep inside of him was back, and he wanted his mother.

  There was a tug at his heart and a wave of happiness washed over him from someone else. The beautiful sensation was his mother’s way of saying, goodbye my son, I will always love you, and I am very proud of you.

  He used to get so embarrassed when she said it in front of others. If she would repeat those words, just once, he’d let her tell the world, and nothing could make him get embarrassed again.