Northern Lights

by Debra Dunbar

  The night turned out to be less than peaceful. Our fire was nearly down to coals when I first smelled it. The scent drifted in on the occasional breeze from the mountain we’d left behind, I’d thought the danger would come from within the forest, from the place where the smell of cooked meat had emanated. That place still worried me, but there was something out beyond the forest line that worried me more. I’d chosen to turn my back on the threat in the forest, to stare unblinking at the scruffy grass and sparse trees. That’s when I saw them — dark shapes that shambled from rock to rock. They were man-sized, lumpy, their movements slow and careful. Most alarming was the fact that they gave off no scent whatsoever. If I hadn’t been in wolf form, with my superior night vision, I would have never noticed them.

  Back by the light of the fire, Renee was asleep, her two boys curled up next to her. Ray lay on his back, arm carefully cushioned by a pile of twigs. Crystal sat with her back against a rock, her long hair covering her face as she slept. Only Kennedy remained awake, watchful as she sharpened a stick with a knife. I approached quietly, jerking my head toward the tree line with a soft growl.

  Kennedy caught her breath, then squinted as if trying to see what was out there. “What’s out there? How many do you see?” she whispered.

  I pawed the ground five times.

  “Bigger than us?”

  I shook my head.

  “My size? What are the chances the two of us can take down five of them?”

  I didn’t need to answer that one. She knew as I did that our chance of surviving an attack was slim. Even in my werewolf form, five against two wasn’t good odds. Especially since we had no idea what these things were.

  “Think you can get close enough to get a look at them without them seeing you?” she asked, putting away the pocket knife and fingering the sharp edge of her stick.

  I shrugged, not sure if the gesture was coming through accurately in my wolf form. Then I left, staying close to the ground and trying to hide among the shadows. The creatures had moved closer, but I still couldn’t smell them, and their heat signature was faint, meaning their body temperature was almost that of the surrounding air.

  Either way, I was unsure what to do. They didn’t seem to be aggressive or attacking, just cautiously approaching. I tried to put myself in their shoes, or feet, or whatever. If I were out on a night hike or hunt, and saw or smelled something unusual, I’d investigate, too. And I’d be just as careful in my approach. We were the intruders in this world. It would be wrong of me to assume these creatures at the edge of the forest mean us harm.

  And it would be stupid of me to assume otherwise. My senses screamed a warning, but I wasn’t sure if I was just hyper-sensitive from being out of my territory and the caretaker of injured humans, or if these creatures were truly a threat. Either way, I’d need to be just as cautious as they were.

  They’d be upon our little campsite soon. If they were hostile, I wanted them to reveal their intentions away from the humans I was trying to protect. It was time to make my presence known. Just in case the five figures hadn’t realized I was here, I stomped on a twig, and watched as all five snapped to attention facing my direction. Breaking a few more twigs, I shuffled my way out into a clearing, pausing a few feet from the tree line.

  Out in the open, light from the two moons gave greater visibility than in the forest. I was very aware that the creatures twenty feet from me could see my shape as well as the fur that covered my body. I was also well aware that my eyes reflected the light, glowing gold. But I could also see these creatures, covered in raggedy cloth with huge google-shaped eyes. Their snouts extended out not as far as mine did, but far enough to make it clear they were not human. And the grill of narrow pointed teeth at the end of their snout confirmed it.

  One pointed a stick at me and I instinctively jumped to the side, not quick enough to avoid the flash of light that shot from the end of the stick. The light hit my front shoulder, searing through fur and flesh. I snarled, my eyes watering with the pain.

  Had that been an attack, or just a panicked shot from a scared local? The wolf in me insisted it was the former, but I wanted to wait and see what they would do next. Still, I crouched at the ready, just in case another shot came my way.

  The one with the stick shuffled forward, the others spreading out to the sides. I kept the camp at my back, vowing to run to the left and lead these monsters away if things went badly — well, more badly than they’d gone so far.

  The creatures made a clicking noise, gesturing with their arms — all five of them. Were they waving me away, shooing me like they would a troublesome pest? Another flash of light came my way, and I successfully jumped to the side this time. No, they were clearly attacking.

  So I did the same. Light stuttered like machine gun fire from the stick, but I moved faster than the creature could aim. The others scattered, but I pivoted, leaping forward onto one of them and clamping my teeth into the raggedy clothing. Only it wasn’t clothing. The boiled leather-like surface gave way with a crunch, and foul liquid filled my mouth. Spitting and shaking my head, I switched to claws, scratching at their hard flaps of skin. Hands scraped against me, digging into my fur as the others tried to get me off their friend. The clicking increased in frequency and volume.

  “Get away from him!”

  The hands left me at Kennedy’s shout. I once again saw flashes of light and abandoned the creature I was clawing to rush the one with the stick. Kennedy was grappling with him, trying to hit the creature with a burning stick as he kicked and pushed. The fire on the stick was dying, and as it did the others approached. Five against two.

  I tackled the creature, knocking the stick from his hand. Kennedy jumped away, grabbing the laser stick and swinging the burning branch with the other hand. There was a flurry of clicks, and a scurry of sandy dirt as four of the creatures fled.

  “How do I fire this thing?” Kennedy flicked the stick at the retreating figures, trying to shoot it.

  I ignored her beyond hoping that she didn’t manage to fire it in my direction. The creature beneath me seemed to be insect-like, with a hard exoskeleton under the flappy leathery bits. My claws had barely scratched the other one, but when I’d hit this one, I’d managed to dig one set of claws into the space where two body segments joined, sinking deep into soft, gooey flesh.

  “You okay?” Kennedy asked touching my injured shoulder.

  I nodded, wiggling my claws to free them from the creature. Hopping off, I carefully nosed the thing over, remaining alert just in case it sprang into action.

  There was no springing into action anymore for this insect thing. Its eyes were smashed into glassy bits, teeth jagged chunks on the ground. Along the front, the leathery flaps were dotted with burns. It was dead, but what the heck killed it? I wasn’t sure if it had been the eye injury, the fall, the burns, my claws in the back joint, or a combination of them all. Either way, I was betting that my claws must have hit something vital.

  “Ugh.” Kennedy extinguished her stick, and looked around. “Let’s get back to the others. I’ve got a feeling those things will return, and although they seemed wary of the fire, I’m not sure how much of a deterrent it will be next time.”

  I agreed. If only we could figure out how their laser weapon worked, we’d have an advantage. There were probably more than five of those things in this world, and figuring out how to use their weapon against them would help if, or when, our paths crossed again.

  Kennedy had gone back to comfort the others who had awakened at her shouts. It gave me time to change back into my human form and dress. I’d talk to the humans, reassure them that the intruders wouldn’t be back. Then I’d change back into a wolf and spend the rest of the night ensuring that the monsters didn’t return.

  Chapter 36

  Ahia

  I woke with my head in Rafi’s lap, his wing covering my legs. I could tell by his breathing that he slept, although from what little nighttime experience I’d had with this angel, I knew
he was a light sleeper — when he actually did sleep.

  Parts of his anatomy were not asleep. I smiled, seeing the bulge in his jeans right in front of my lips. Sexy, even if we were who-knows-where. I lifted my head trying not to wake him and slid my hand up his leg. Carefully I unbuttoned his jeans, the soft rip of the zipper sounding loud in the cave.

  “Just what do you think you’re doing, Hot-stuff?”

  His voice was soft and raspy. I felt his hand in my hair.

  “I seem to remember promising you a blow-job.”

  “Oh, well then by all means, proceed.” There was a sexy little smirk in his voice. I was pretty sure if I turned my head and looked up, I’d see those dimples that never failed to slay me, but there was something else calling for my attention.

  I ran my fingers along the teeth of his zipper, feeling him jump in anticipation. Then I paused.

  He pushed his hips upward. “I know we’re immortals, but I’m begging you to hurry things along a little bit.”

  “Struggling with those virtues again?” I fingered the pull of his zipper.

  “Darling, lust has won the war this morning. I’m afraid all the virtues have fled the field of battle.”

  Taking pity on the angel, I reached into his pants and slid him free, skating my fingers along his base, then up his shaft to sweep my thumb across the tip. He jerked his hips again, this time with an involuntary movement. I continued to play, light touches here and there countered with a firm slide. I wanted to lay here all day in this cave, touching him, tasting him, but from the lightening sky I knew we didn’t have much time before we’d need to set out. Taking him in my hand, I pumped three times, rewarded by a bead of moisture at the tip.

  “Can I touch you?”

  I reached out my tongue and licked the white pearl. “Spirit or body?”

  He hissed. “Both?”

  I’d need to scoot around for him to reach between my legs, but in spite of my reluctance to move from my warm spot I wanted this encounter to be physical only. There was something so naughty about getting an angel off like this, dragging one of the archangels down into the very belly of sinful ecstasy.

  I made a quick decision. “Body only. And only what you can reach without me moving.”

  He made a grumbling disappointed noise and I felt his hand feel along my ass. “I can reach this.”

  Blowing a warm breath across the head of his cock, I smiled. “Then go for it.”

  Then I took him in my mouth, scooting more upright for a better angle. Tasting him with the flat of my tongue, I slid my mouth halfway down, then back up and off with a pop of suction.

  “You’re killing me,” Rafi said, his voice strained. I wasn’t sure if he meant what I was doing or that he was desperately trying to get my pants undone and reach between my legs — and having very little success.

  I laughed and wiggled my butt, once again taking him in my mouth and this time dropping down until he hit the back of my throat and my nose brushed the soft curls of his pelvis. He let out a soft curse, and abandoned his futile efforts to get in my pants in favor of stroking my hair. Encircling his base with my hand, I pulled off once again, proceeding to lick and taste every inch of him.

  His one hand tightened in my hair, the other stroking my neck. Once again I took him in my mouth, setting up a rhythm of shallow and deep bobs. Each time I pulled back I countered with a firm stroke. His hand in my hair gently pushed, encouraging me. I felt the tautness in his legs, felt him tense and swell, and I pushed down deep taking every bit of his release, then gently easing my mouth upward and off.

  The sky was gray, light enough to travel. Rafi’s hand stroked my hair, fingers tracing along my ear and cheek. “I wanted you to come too,” he complained.

  “And I wanted to concentrate on you without the distraction of your very talented fingers.” I leaned my face against his waist and smiled up at him. “Raincheck. Next time I’ll just lay back and let you have your way with me. Deal?”

  That naughty glint shined in his eyes. “Deal.”

  Chapter 37

  We flew up to the top of the small mountain, looking down into the valley below. It stretched out for what I estimated to be fifty miles, with a much larger mountain range hemming it in on the other side. To the right, the meadow-and-tree valley became thick forest. To the left, the trees spread farther apart until it seemed the landscape was solely rock and grass. I knew Brent would take the humans to the water, but where was the water?

  “You know this werewolf best. Where do you think he’d head?” Rafi asked.

  We could spot them best from an aerial view and cover distance better everywhere except that forest. But the presence of that many trees pretty much guaranteed food and water. “I don’t know. I don’t have his sense of smell, oddly enough. I’m thinking he might head toward the forest over there.”

  Rafi squinted. “Is that smoke? Maybe they started a fire?”

  I hoped so. Otherwise someone else had started a fire. Was I a bad angel that I wanted the smoke to be from a naturally occurring forest fire as opposed to those raggedy-guys having a camp-out?

  “Let’s fly down to that forest and check it out.” I launched myself off the mountain, holding the backpack in one hand and the rifle in the other. Rafi passed me to take the lead, sweeping down low.

  “Wait. There’s a creek or something down there. Let’s fly along it before we go into the forest.”

  It was a good idea since we’d need to walk through the forest. Might as well rule out the banks of this creek. That’s when I saw them — walking along the creek bank toward the forest. We swooped low, landing far enough away that we didn’t startle them.

  Brent ran, grabbing me in a crushing hug. I threw my arms around him, tears stinging my eyes.

  “Ahia. I’m so relieved you’re here. And I never thought I’d say this, but I’m glad that angel is with you.”

  We pulled apart and I saw the humans behind him, staring wide-eyed.

  “Mom, they have wings,” one of the boys whispered.

  Crap. I’d gotten so used to the folks in Alaska knowing about the supernatural that I’d forgotten these tourists wouldn’t.

  “They’re angels,” Brent announced. “And they’re here to save us.”

  Whatever alarm they might have felt at seeing two people with wings sprouting from their backs was obviously alleviated by Brent’s words. Their relief was palpable.

  “There are injuries,” Rafi said to me. “We need to discuss a course of action. Privately.”

  What course of action? Heal the injured. Create a gateway. Hold it stable long enough to get out of here. If we needed to do it in shifts, then the humans would go first, Brent and us last.

  “Okay, but we need to include Brent. He knows these people, and he’s had a day longer than us to get a feel for this place.”

  Rafi didn’t look pleased, but he nodded.

  “And Kennedy, too,” Brent added. He pointed at a woman with a backpack who was muttering something about narcotic-induced hallucinations. She came forward and we stood in a tight circle, with the others watching.

  “I can’t open a gateway right now. Well, I could, but we’d all die. I need time to rest. And if I heal the injured humans, I need even more time to rest and recharge.” Raphael looked exhausted, and defeated.

  “But you’re an archangel,” I said. “I thought…”

  “I’m not God.” He looked at the other two before turning back to face me. “Yes, I’m an archangel, but I have my limits and I’ve been running flat-out since I got to Alaska. At first I was trying to impress you, then I didn’t want to let you down or disappoint you, but I’m pretty close to being useless right now. I barely got the two of us here. If I try to establish a gateway now, it will kill everyone. It might even kill me.”

  I was such an idiot. He’d seemed pretty God-like to me with all that power rolling off him. I didn’t stop to think about all the things he’d been doing — teleporting, closing rifts, opening
that gateway. Had I once shown appreciation for the huge effort he was making on my behalf? No. I might have thanked him, but I’d never realized the extent to which he’d gone to please me, to make me happy. His wooing wasn’t just pancakes and sex, it was nearly killing himself to rescue my friend and seven humans. Had I ever given that much for someone?

  “I’m sorry.” I put a hand on his shoulder and brushed my spirit-self against his. “I didn’t know. I’m so sorry.”

  He put his hand over mine and smiled. “I didn’t want you to know. I wanted to be invincible, and I figured I’d have time to recharge, but everything kept happening. I made a choice, but now we need to figure out how to survive long enough that I can safely get us home.”

  “How long do you need to rest?” The woman asked. Kennedy. That’s what Brent had called her.

  “If I heal the injured, a week, give or take. If I don’t, probably three days.”

  The woman’s face fell and Brent put his arm around her. “We have no food or shelter, and we were attacked last night. We were on the move because I was worried they’d come back tonight. If we’re going to stay here, we need to find a food source, plus a defensible area.”

  I exchanged glances with Rafi. Great. If we had to fight to defend them, it might take him even longer to recharge. “I’ve brought emergency blankets and vacuum-packed meals, but I’ve only got enough food for a couple days. I’ve also got my pistol and the rifle, but not many bullets.”

  “I’ve got some laser stick that the attackers used last night. Maybe you can figure out how it works,” Kennedy said.

  “Maybe…” Rafi frowned in thought. “If we go back to our original entry point, it should be easier for me to establish a gateway. The tracings of the last one should still be there. I’ll need less energy if I don’t have to start from scratch.”