by Casey Lane
We were all in agreement with that. This being politics wasn’t a good thing. It wasn’t the end of the world but add that to Rylon’s warning I knew I had to be cautious.
I stared at the board I had set up in my office where we had laid out our information and still couldn’t get an idea on who could be behind this. We had some information from what Rylon told us and when Belford has tracked the Shadower before he lost him. Since then there wasn’t anything new to add. Things had been quiet since then too quiet.
“I don’t like being detained.” Havoc strode in bristling with anger.
They had him staying here in the accommodations we have on site. We have apartments on site that worked as safe houses when needed. They were luxurious and had all the comforts of home. The guards assigned to him trailed behind him. They were amused by him. All those in the building were. Havoc was a terrible protectee. He’d tried to get away a lot of times in the last few days and failed. But that didn’t stop him from trying. What he didn’t understand was now we knew what he was we were prepared for it. We had been lax in thinking that all the beings on Earth Realm was those the Creimun had decreed were to be here. We’d forgotten the one thing that all beings knew—never take anything at face value. And the second one I usually lived by—be suspicious of everyone. It was humbling to know I had been not as on guard. No more.
“Tough.” I leaned back in my chair and eyed him. I know it wasn’t a friendly look. “They used first your sister for their bidding then tried to take you a few days ago.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “And Talon is protecting the rest of your people since you don’t trust us to do it.”
“I don’t want the police to know who they are.” Havoc sighed. “That’s vastly different. I would tell you if I knew you wouldn’t tell the police force you work for.”
“That makes me wonder why you want to hide them from the police.” I leaned forward. “Are they criminals?”
“I don’t trust the police.” Havoc stared at her. “I trust you.”
“Why would you trust me?”
It wasn’t the first time he had said it. And it was my same reply.
“It is not time for you to know that yet.”
It was his standard reply. And I didn’t waste my time to ask anything further. He wouldn’t say anything different.
“Is there something you needed besides to complain?”
Havoc came to my desk and walked around it to where I stood. I narrowed my eyes. I expected him to retreat as he did usually when we exchanged a few words. Havoc leaned against my desk and smiled.
“I don’t like being predictable.” He said.
“Me either.” A voice I didn’t recognize said.
I rose and flexed my hands ready. The shadows opened and a man stepped out. This time I could see his face and I knew it was deliberate. He wasn’t planning and leaving any witnesses. The Shadower was imposing and his expression was cold. I moved away from the desk needing the open space. The Shadower mirrored me and we stood facing each other.
“Who do you work for?”
The Shadower didn’t answer. He pulled a gun and shot. Now that was a surprise. I dodge it and pulled out my own gun. I shot as I moved and he returned fire. I’d thought we were going to use our powers but using human weapons worked for me. The Shadower fired again and I gasped as it hit me in the shoulder. Then I shuddered. I narrowed my eyes.
“You poisoned your bullets with magic.” I tsked. “Now, now that’s not sportsman like.”
Since I knew that is how he wanted to do this, I replied in kind. I fired and he stumbled back as the bullet hit in the center of his chest. The Shadower stared at it then he pulsed and the bullet fell out of him. My eyes widened at that. I had heard it was something the more powerful Shadower’s could do. That meant he was really old and powerful.
“Is that all you have?” His voice was as cold as his face.
“Yeah, me.” I smiled and stepped back. “Them they have more.”
The Shadower’s who worked for me came into view. The man stared at each of them. He lifted his hand and the very air peeled away. He was running. Not this time. I went to reach for my power but something changed and I stilled as knowledge raced through me. The millenniums unfolded in me and I knew what else I was and what else I needed to become in that moment. My bloodline was one of ancients. We were of magic. Merlin was my twin but we were so much more. I raised the power and it sought then found.
Mischa. Merlin who was out of town in Washington shuddered as the power hit him.
I felt when it aligned in him then bounced back to me and then continued to seek. I held it as it found those in my team who had that faint pulse of what could be then it awakened it. I shared the knowledge of it then spread through the cities, towns, and across the continents then through this realm and to others. The power resounded as it found the lost people that many had forgotten. I lifted my hand and it glowed with the power that I wielded. I pulled it into my skin then guided it to around the Shadower that was there to harm.
The circle around him closed and I activated the energy. The floor around us flared as I feed it my power. The Shadower stilled then hissed.
“Zuri Maji.” He said and there was respect in his tone.
“Just one of the things I am.” I pushed my power into the floor.
I knew that I needed to have that circle to focus so it was only on him so there was no spill over.
“But your kind is extinct in this world and all dimensions. They said you and Havoc needed to die to save this world. I must complete this mission.” He stared at me his face impassive but I knew his heart.
“They were wrong.” I walked to him my body alive with the power. Each step resonated in this realm and beyond. I felt the knowing come and tasted the fear. “I am Zuri Maji and,” I stopped before the Shadower. “so are you, Asher.”
I touched him and he went still. Asher’s eyes went all black then white before changing to black with white flecks. The dark was his Shadower and the white his Zuri Maji. The man stared then he went to one knee before me.
“Maji Magilte.” He said and his voice vibrated though time and place.
It echoed by those who I had awakened. I shuddered as the knowledge continued to flood me. They had suppressed our power out of fear of what we could do. Now it was free it would not happen again. I looked down at the man before me. He was now mine. The first of my guards.
“Take me to who sent you.”
Asher lifted his head and then rose in a boneless motion. “No need for that.”
He reached into the shadow and it sparked white. Asher pulled his hand out and he held a man then dropped him on the ground before me. The man looked up defiantly.
“Why didn’t you all die?” He said.
“I’m hard to kill.” I studied him. “I don’t even know who you are. Why do you want me dead?”
“Because you would have brought back one of the ancient races.” He sneered. “The Zuri Maji should have stayed buried. And the other power returning too.”
“What other powers?” I went to him.
He flashed his fangs I was surprised he was vampire. That wasn’t the energy he was putting out. His eyes flashed red and then I felt the demon in him. That was what I thought he was. He was good at concealing or was it someone else.
“Tell me.”
The man opened his mouth then his body caught flames and started to burn.
“Master.” He screamed.
I reached out and tracked to his Master. As I connected shock almost brought me to my knees. We didn’t try to dampen the flames knowing it wouldn’t do any good. Instead I sent out to my team what I needed and who I wanted with me. I thought of my clothing and in moments I was in full tactical gear. The air shimmered and Merlin appeared before me. He was similarly dressed.
“Let’s go get them.”
In total unison we turned and headed for the door. When we reached it we parted the air and then stepped though. In mome
nts we were in the place we knew so well. The center of Central Park which to the human eye looked like any other park but to those who were not it was obvious it was so more. The building was where the Creimun – our version of the ruling body of all other beings—had their meetings. It had been so long since I had been here in person to cast my vote. I usually did it from long distance. I glanced at Merlin then the rest of my team who had come with me. It was quiet and that absence of noise was not a good thing. In formation we went to the building. Soon we were inside the door and we smelt it before we saw it—blood and magic. We went further in and there we found the first body. It was one of the council members. We didn’t need to check since we could sense she didn’t have any life force. We continued on and came upon another body and he was the same as previous. As we went deeper into the building it was the same with each council member we came across. By the time we arrived at the inner chamber the body count as twenty-nine. That left in this building one Creimun—the one I had sensed—besides I, Merlin, Dracula and Isis. They also hadn’t been here much either. We had left much of the decisions and the face to the others. We were more of a silent partner—with equal vote but not as known by the humans. I would think of that later but for now I had to focus on the present. I knew if we didn’t stop them they would hunt us all down to eliminate us. I would not let that happen.
We went in and the person at the head of the table just sat there calmly staring at us. She smiled in a welcoming way. Her face was warm and she looked happy to see us. It was what the face of crazy looked like.
“It’s so good of you to join me.” She gestured. “Sit. Sit. Let’s have a chat.”
We kept our guns trained on her. She didn’t even seem to notice. All her attention was on Merlin and I. She wanted us dead and that was all her focus.
“Why would you do this?” Merlin asked.
I knew he was close to many of the Creimun just as I was. Seeing them there some of the most powerful of different beings drained of life and power I didn’t know how she did it much less why.
“Power of course.” She smiled. “And I will be adding yours to mine. All of yours.”
Her power swept over all of us like a cold wind. It stole my breath and made my heart slow. I could feel her siphoning off my energy. I opened my shields and felt my team with me feeling the effects. Then it went wider touching all the other beings STIF members in New York then across the world and into the other realms. I was in charge of them all and I would not let her take my people.
Fight. I screamed to them all telepathically.
“Now, now Mischa.” She came toward me. “Don’t fight it. Accept my Kiss of Offering.” She smiled widely.
I didn’t even use my breath to answer. I focused all my energy into fighting her. My people did the same. Merlin was beside me and I felt when he broke free of her hold. Then I did too. Her eyes widened and she brought up her hands. I lifted my gun and fired. It hit her in the head dead center. At the same time a blast of power hit her center chest. The signature was all Merlin. She flew back and crashed against the wall. She slid down and before she hit the ground I knew she was dead. Her life force rose and it was too full to just leave. It flew at us.
“Brace yourself this is gonna hurt.” I said.
It hit me in my chest and I staggered but kept to my feet and I sensed Merlin did the same. Since we had killed her the force was ours to do with as we wished. I couldn’t keep it all so I shared it. It flowed from me into the Zuri Maji, my team here in New York and into those across the world and in other realms. It hit them all and I knew when it took root. I was connected to Merlin and he shared it with his mates, daughter and those he saw as family by blood. Then it spread to the more of the Zuri Maji. Finally when it was controllable I straightened and groaned.
“Shit that hurt.” Merlin said.
And I so agreed with him. We looked at each other and smiled then in the next moment we sobered. In the aftermath we knew there was much to do. We had the majority of the ruling body of the other beings to bury. Then we had to deal with the repercussions of what happened. We had ensure the humans didn’t find out what happened here; then we needed to rebuild. The Creimun although I thought it had been too powerful was necessary to keep the peace of all races. They also worked with the humans for all our rights. I looked at Merlin and we both knew that we would have to take a more active part of the group since we and the others were all that was left. We turned and walked back the way we come.
Things were now changed with a kiss of offering and now it was a matter of moving forward. For now I would have to wait and see what was to come.
The End
Continue the Mischa Tanner Series in book two, Burnt Moon.
Coming in 2017
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Taige Crenshaw has been enthralled with the written word from the time she picked up her first book. It wasn’t long before she started to make up her own tales of romance. Her novels are set in the modern day between people who know what they want and how to get it. Taige also sets her stories in the future with vast universes between beautiful, strange and unique beings with lots of spice and sensuality added to her work.
Always hard at work creating new and exciting places Taige can be found curled up with a hot novel with exciting characters when she is not creating her own. Join her in the fun and frolic, with interesting people and far reaches of the world in her novels.
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McKenna Jeffries has loved the written word from time she picked up her first book. Soon she was creating tales of love and family. Although McKenna used to make up stories she never thought to put them on paper until....she realized the stories would keep filling her until they were written. Since then she's been writing and sharing her interracial/multicultural books. There is always some new story floating around her head. An itchy feeling in her fingers fills her until she can get a piece of paper to write it down. She writes because it's a love affair. Writing is in her blood and she enjoys taking readers on a journey.
With so many ideas filling her, McKenna is always hard at work.
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Hellhound: Dead is Dead
Episode One
Rue Volley
Hellhound © copyright 2017 Rue Volley
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This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Hellhound
Every legend has a dark past.
Halo Bay has never had it easy. She lost her mother when she was a teenager. Her father is incarcerated, and her brother was taken in a terrible accident.
She grew up in an abusive home only to continue that abusive cycle with a string of dangerous men who stepped in and out of her life.
Until David Weller came along.
David worked alongside her as a fellow nurse at Mercy General Hospital. Biding his time, testing her restra
int and reminding her of how beautiful life could be.
David was kind and giving. Everything she should have wanted but never felt like she deserved.
Travis was dangerous and abusive. Something she understood all too well.
One man would break her heart, the other, her body. But both would lead her down a path she never intended to walk on.
A path filled with the hidden truths of an age-old war between heaven and hell.
A battle between darkness and light. But is it real or does it only exist in her now damaged mind?
Every legend has a dark past.
This is her story and how the end became the beginning.
“Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.”
~ Mark Twain
Chapter One
Now, half past midnight
My bright green eyes lowered to the gun in my hand. I glared at it, forcing the small wrinkle between my eyebrows to deepen. My fingers flexed against the cold steel. This thing is an extension of misplaced anger.
I tilted my head, allowing my long red hair to flow over my shoulder and cascade down my back like a river of blood. Blood. I would prefer it. It helps me hang on to my humanity.
Everything else before the moment I died is lost. Washed away with time. It may be a blessing in disguise.
I shook the weapon at my side, forcing thick dark slime to slap against the concrete. A pair of black boots stepped up next to me. I groaned in disgust as I flicked my gun a couple more times.
“What the shit, Rin?” I asked, refusing to look at my partner.
I gave my gun another shake, and the rancid gelatin-like substance flipped up and hit my face. My gaze washed over him, waiting for his reaction. A devilish grin would usually be curling the edge of that crimson lip by now.