Staked!

by Candace Wondrak

  While Max and Gabriel were entranced in little Simba’s journey through the thorn patch, I stood to find the very guy I wanted to beat up like no other. If he was investigating our home like some creepy serial killer getting ready for the kill, I was going to sever his head just to show him that I wasn’t going to give him another chance to murder someone else I cared about.

  The ringing of the phone captured my attention, making me temporarily forget about Crixis. As I picked up the phone, I asked, “What’s wrong?” My mind ran through all the horrible possibilities.

  “Kass,” Liz was out of breath, “Michael’s fine, for the moment, but Taiton’s…gone.”

  “What about—”

  Her voice wavered, “Sephira is alive and awake, and she’s coming for Crixis. Tell me he’s not with you at the house.”

  Crixis must’ve flashed inside without her knowing, before she left in a rush.

  “Crap,” I exhaled, dropping the phone and running into the living room. Gabriel and Max were now being mesmerized by Timon and Pumba, but I broke their concentration when I said, “She’s coming.”

  Max asked “Who?” the moment Gabriel said “Here?”

  “Sephira,” I answered, looking around for my rose blade. Spotting it beside the fireplace, I ran for it. The feeling of the metal in my hands reminded me of the good times. Stabbing John’s heart, purifying countless Nightwalkers…those were the only times I could remember. “She’s coming for Crixis.”

  “How does she know he’s here?” Max’s eyes fell to the floor, and I could only guess where his mind went next.

  “She must sense his blood.” I clenched the hilt harder.

  The little red head’s expression went from confusion to worry when he spoke, “Claire has some of his blood in her. You don’t think she’ll…” Max’s voice trailed off. It was obvious he didn’t know how to finish that question.

  He was worried for Claire. How sweet.

  Unfortunately, I couldn’t focus my mind on how sweet that actually was, because my eyes identified Crixis standing in the backyard. I ran to the door with Gabriel on my heels. Max was busy dialing Claire’s number to make sure she was okay.

  Isn’t that cute? If they both lived through this, they should definitely start dating.

  “If we make it through this,” Gabriel mumbled behind me, “we should definitely start dating.”

  There was no time to give him a smart reply. My focus was now on the Daywalker who stood on the grass, watching the dense forest that stood opposite our house. “Crixis—”

  “Quiet,” he commanded, throwing a quick glimpse to me before returning it to the woods. “She’s coming.”

  “We know,” I began, but was once again cut off.

  “Here.” Crixis dangled his keys to me. I didn’t take them; instead, I simply stared as if I’d never seen a car key before. “Take my car and go.”

  “No.” I shook my head. “I’m sick of running, whether it’s from you or this Sephira.” I froze when a woman flashed in front of me. The sight of her sent shivers down my spine. Here I thought Crixis was the only one who could do that to me.

  She was the same woman I saw in my visions; there was not a single thing different about her…except maybe the vengeance in her fiendish black eyes. And she was totally naked.

  “You are not worthy to speak of me,” she growled, raising her hand as if she was about to back hand me.

  Crixis stepped between us, cutting off my thoughts of shoving my rose blade into her serpent face. “Sephira. You came for me. Let’s end this for good.” Why was he trying to act like such a standup guy?

  “The Witch gave me new abilities.” Sephira traced the sides of his cheek, like she always did. “This time it is I who will come out as the victor.”

  “You will lose,” Crixis said, headbutting his maker and sending her flying ten feet back. “Just as you did before.” The sky darkened, and sudden clouds appeared, swirling overhead. How fitting.

  Raphael flashed beside me, shielding me from the scene that was surely about to unfold. But I was having none of it, so I moved him aside to witness Sephira slowly stand and glare at Crixis.

  Crixis responded by lifting his hand in the air and swiftly bringing it down, sending a yellow lightning bolt to the unsuspecting Vampire’s chest.

  If she was unsuspecting, then I was flabbergasted.

  Crixis could control lightning? What couldn’t the stupid Daywalker do?

  “Kass, you need to go inside,” Raphael spoke sternly, “now.”

  I was too awe-struck by Crixis’s manipulation of the lightning to do anything but stare with an open mouth. “Did you see what he just did? What was that?”

  “I don’t know, but you need to—” He acted hurt, which was ridiculous, when I cut him off.

  “This fight involves the safety of the entire freaking world. There’s no way I’m going anywhere.” I thought about finishing the sentence with unless it’s in a body bag, but then realized that would be in poor taste.

  It occurred to me that the blonde boy hadn’t said much, so I looked for him. He was nowhere to be found. Where did he go? Gabriel wouldn’t run away.

  “Calm down,” Gabriel told me after throwing down an oversized wooden chest that, until now, rested peacefully in our living room. “I was just getting some weapons, since Liz was so kind and took mine.” His tattooed fingers turned the lock and flung the top. “Kudos to Michael for supplying us with—” His blue eyes peeked into the chest. “—a machete, crossbow, mace, axe, and…whatever this is.” He yanked out a weird contraption.

  If I didn’t know any better, I’d say it was a throwing star, complete with its own detachable mini-stars. Awesome.

  A wolf-like growl rung through the darkened skies, deterring my eyes to the huge, six-legged wolf that Crixis had transformed into. He was one with the dark surroundings. If Sephira wasn’t laughing like a maniac, I would have thought he was winning.

  Gabriel loaded the crossbow, just like Michael had taught him to, and released the trigger, sending the arrow soaring to Sephira’s head. The boy was a fantastic shot. It was too bad she caught the arrow and sent it spiraling back, straight into Gabriel’s arm.

  I winced in pain for him, but he acted like it was nothing as he tore the arrow out and reloaded. His skin healed before I could ask if he was all right. Of course. He could heal himself. Handy little trick that was.

  “You know what?” Gabriel was basically speaking to himself, so I didn’t bother saying anything. “I think I’m going to go for something more—” He handled the axe. “—badass.” With a grunt, the axe was sent through the air.

  Amidst her fight with the wolf-like Crixis, Sephira caught the axe and flashed before Gabriel, startling him.

  And me.

  Raphael swept his leg under hers, seeking to knock her over, but she easily dodged the attack and glared into his green eyes. Her voice was compelling, “Play with Crixis while I take care of this boy.”

  The man beside me flashed away, landing in front of the wolf and tangling with him in a fight that neither could win, but not before he whispered the f-bomb, which surprised me. During the whole time I’d known the guy, he never said that word.

  “Do you know who I am, boy?” Sephira growled.

  Gabriel’s comeback came swifter than I expected, “I don’t need to know who you are to tell that you’re an ugly bitch.” The anger in his voice mixed with hatred perfectly. Not the best thing to say to something like her.

  She gripped the axe and struck him down, and all I could do was stare and think: did she just take an axe, that probably hasn’t been cleaned in ages, to Gabriel’s face?

  Now, if I had anything to say about it, there was no way that she was going to walk away without a limp.

  Before I got the chance to say a witty one-liner, Max busted through the back door, holding a metal stake and yelling, “Get back!” There was something about the glint in his eyes that I didn’t like.

  Sephira gi
ggled and pushed the regular-sized leprechaun against the side of the house, knocking him out instantly. The metal stake slowly rolled out of his unconscious hand.

  Talk about underwhelming. Way to help out, Max. Way. To. Help. Out.

  Her dark eyes were upon me when she spoke, “You stand against me, yet you don’t seem afraid. Tell me why.”

  Gabriel would be okay. He’d heal. Max would be okay, too, because he’d wake up. I, on the other hand, was a different story. I’d most likely get beat down before I even finished saying my answer.

  “This is what I do,” I said evenly, surprising myself with my calmness, “every day. I’m sick of being afraid. Now,” I paused as I handled my rose blade, “I’m just pissed.” Aiming to strike her directly across the stomach, my arms made it only a few, short inches in the air before she dropped her axe and punched me.

  I wasn’t sure how far I sailed in the sky, but I was sure of one thing: when I landed. The grassy ground chafed my face. My eyes soon saw my rose blade lying a few feet from me. I thought about making a roll for it, but Sephira appeared between us and picked up my sword.

  Her red lips curved into a sick smile. “Where have all the excellent blacksmiths disappeared to?” A curt laugh escaped her as she effortlessly tossed my early birthday present aside.

  Leaping to my feet, I started to yell that she’d pay for insulting my awesome weapon, when I realized I had a Sephira-less view.

  Deep in the forest, Crixis was trying to evade Raphael, looking like he wanted to come to my aid, but he gave up and tackled him to the ground. Raphael staggered, which gave Crixis time to run to my side. Too bad he was still over one hundred feet away.

  No one can run as fast as Sephira can flash.

  Max was still unconscious, just where he was minutes ago, and just where he’d be until he woke. Maybe it was a good thing she knocked him out. In a way, it protected him.

  Gabriel strained to get to his feet. There was a whole lot of blood seeping from the healing wound that spread across his left cheek and right pectoral. He was scared; the look in his eyes said it all.

  But why? Why did he stare at me like...like that?

  Raphael caught Crixis on the old-fashioned grill that was situated near the opening of the forest, shattering any hopes I had that the black wolf would reach and help me. A shrill snicker came from my rear, and suddenly everything snapped into place.

  The back of the house. The grill we never used. The forest that spread for miles behind our house. There was nothing I could do. It was too late. My mother’s warnings were for nothing because I didn’t figure them out.

  Even though he was far away, my eyes locked with Gabriel’s the moment I felt two hands on my neck. Such cold, dead hands. Yet they were so very strong.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine – Gabriel

  Kass’s green eyes widened as Sephira gripped her neck. She looked at me, as if wordlessly telling me goodbye.

  No.

  I was too far from her. Even if I used my speed that came and went when the situation called for it, I wouldn’t make it. The Original was already tightening her arms and twisting. I may not have been next to her, but I could still see the light fade from Kass when her neck snapped.

  No.

  In the blink of an eye, faster than humanly possible, I made it to Kass’s side before she hit the grass. “Kass,” I whispered, moving her limp body to my lap. “Kass.” Somehow, I thought repeating her name would bring her back. My fingers shakily touched her face.

  Kass was gone. Her body didn’t move, her head gazed off to the side, her green eyes still open. Still warm, but motionless. She was dead. I lost her. I failed her.

  I would never see her smile, never hear her laugh, never watch her down an entire pizza in ten minutes. It was over, and she had no idea that I—

  Before I knew what I was doing, a single tear rolled from my eye and landed on her face. “I love you,” I muttered through blurry eyes, knowing she couldn’t hear me. Kass was the only one who could bring me to tears.

  And she was gone. She was never coming back.

  “How utterly maddening.” The woman turned and walked away, toward Crixis and Raphael, as if she had already forgotten what she did to Kass. “That’s enough,” she spoke to Raphael, “it’s my turn with the pup.”

  Rage overtook me, causing me to stand and glare at the Vampire after carefully setting Kass down.

  Now that he was no longer being compelled, Raphael flashed beside Kass. His hands reached out as he whispered her name.

  “Don’t touch her!” I yelled to him. The fury blinded me, and I wholeheartedly let it take hold. I lifted my hand and pushed the nearby air, sending Raphael rocketing through the sky until he landed hard against a tree.

  He blinked in confusion, not bothering to move. He knew if he made another move for Kass, I’d kill him.

  My undivided attention was on Sephira, who was busy ignoring me and sauntering to the wolf Crixis. My raised hand moved in her direction, fingers outstretched, and I commanded, “Stop.” Her legs impulsively froze. “Come.”

  The wolf’s head tilted when she involuntarily spun and started walking to me.

  “How—” Sephira clenched her teeth as she neared my extended hand. “—are you doing this? Magic?” A sharp yelp left her throat when I grabbed it. I squeezed her unfeasibly small neck and lifted her in the air. “Put me down.”

  Full-blown wrath boiled inside me, and I had hardly any control over what I was doing and saying. “You,” I snarled, “took her from me, and for that you will pay.” A brutal crack came from her neck as I broke it, just as she did to Kass.

  Sephira’s body slumped to the ground, but she was up in an instant, snapping her neck back into place. “You cannot defeat me, boy.”

  “I am no boy.” My voice was low and unwavering. I did not recognize my own voice. The back of my hand met with her face, and I watched her helplessly roll to stand with disinterest. “And it is you who cannot defeat me.” A mental shove heaved her spine upon the grass. In less than a blink of an eye, I was ramming my foot into her throat.

  The blood red veins in her eyes darkened as rain began to pelt us both. “Come to me, my child.” A burst of strength threw me off her. “I will enjoy ending you.” Sephira tried to use her Vampiric speed to her advantage, lobbing punch after punch and kick after kick to me.

  I effortlessly evaded all of her attacks and spun a returning roundhouse kick to her side. A low growl erupted from my stomach as I deliberately took my time to walk closer to the recovering Original. “You do not yet comprehend the magnitude of your actions.”

  I had no clue what I was saying. It was all instinct. Killer instinct.

  Sephira returned a roar, but was immediately silenced by me, continuing, “But you soon will.” A thin, straight gash coursed down her face. Blood flowed freely from the wound that would never heal. “Original, you believe you are unstoppable. You think you know darkness.”

  Another slash appeared, this time on her chest, initiating a pain-induced grimace. “You will die by my hand—” Her threat stopped as I touched her face with the tips of my fingers. Sephira’s lips bonded together with the help of a red, vein-like string that grew from my hand.

  When her mouth was entirely sewed closed, I continued, “You do not. In the eyes of true darkness, you are a weak, pathetic, unworthy Demon. You don’t know true darkness.” My voice became quiet and unsettling and I leaned in closer to her, whispering, “But I’ll show you.”

  She had no clue what she was in for, did she?

  Perfect. That made it all the more satisfying.

  Chapter Forty – Liz

  There was no time to weep for the loss of Taiton. Though I did feel contrite about his untimely death, I found that my thoughts were dominated by Michael, who was not only injured, but also caught in a fight with the deceased Council Agent.

  Most would have called him assassin, but I refused to do so, because the Council didn’t train assassins. They trained Agent
s.

  That was all hogwash now.

  “Michael,” I screamed to the man who was busy rolling to dodge a wide right swing, “perhaps we should run.” After all, we had no sense of what was happening at the house. For all we knew, everyone was dead or fighting for their life.

  Nevertheless, I discovered that, while I was concerned with everyone else, I was more troubled by Michael. Sephira bit him, let him go almost instantly and whispered about blood. There was no inkling in me to what that meant.

  Michael himself, however, didn’t seem as confused by it as me.

  I couldn’t help but wonder why that was. He must know what she meant by tainted blood.

  Taiton ripped the sword out of Michael’s hands, throwing it in my direction. I had to duck in order to evade the ever-sharp point of Gabriel’s dragon sword. Crawling for it, I only thought of Michael and how he needed that sword to defend himself.

  I tried forcing a steady toss, but my hands wouldn’t listen. I flung the sword in the air, sending it straight to Taiton. Curse my trembling limbs.

  To my surprise, Michael quickly intercepted the sword’s trajectory, catching it midair and twirling it to Taiton’s abdomen. I blinked back astonishment.

  That was the other thing I was having trouble with. Michael was injured, and yet he was fighting another colossal man who was animated by ancient magic as if he had no difficulties.

  It was astonishing. He truly was a capable Guardian.

  Taiton was beginning to lunge in for a blow, but he hastily stopped. His white eyes turned to face the window before he made a hasty dash to it.

  Michael and I watched in shock as he used his upper body strength to break the glass. In a few, short seconds, the Council Agent was gone, leaving us in incredulous silence. We met eyes.

  Hoping my instincts weren’t correct, I ventured to ask the question, “Where do you think he’s going?” My gaze leveled with the sizeable amount of blood oozing from Michael’s neck. It was definitely a good thing I didn’t become queasy at the sight of blood, otherwise I’d be out of a job.