“It’s uh…” She turned back to the window, but the pale watcher had vanished. “… I think a vampire might be watching us.”
Cold dread spread through her body at the thought. Werewolves and shifters were bad enough; she couldn’t deal with vampires as well.
Arantay moved swiftly past her, scanning Seelie Square for the stranger.
“Could be,” said Tay. “But it doesn’t mean the moroi mean us harm too. Besides, after tonight it should all be over. And we can return to Veneseron.”
He looked back at her, his face full of intensity. “I meant what I said last time, Brooke. If Andon gets the better of me out there…don’t try to save me, just run, get yourself away from danger.”
“But I can’t-” she started to say. She knew she’d never forgive herself if she ran away and left Arantay to die.
“You have to,” Tay grabbed her shoulders. “If you see me go down, you need to escape. You’ll need to inform Veneseron and save yourself. There’s no point in us both dying, and I’d rather it be me than you. Please, tell me you’ll do the right thing?”
She paused for a long time, speechless. Finally she nodded, hoping against hope that she wouldn’t have to make that choice.
“Thank you,” Arantay replied softly, his eyes staring deeply into her own.
Brooke was minutely aware of how close his body was, how only a few inches separated his mouth from hers. More than anything she wanted to close the distance between them.
She thought he might kiss her. But then Arantay moved back to the window and looked out at the darkened sky. The moon had arrived, peeking through brooding clouds, mischievously.
Arantay’s hand came to rest on his sword hilt. “It’s time.”
*
The wind wailed, tearing at Brooke’s hair with every gust and pushing her with invisible hands. But Brooke continued to run on, her breath rasping and her heart hammering.
They’d been running for nearly an hour, guided by the twilight compass Arantay clutched. Tay’s endurance was unlimited, but Brooke was flagging as she tried to keep up.
Arantay repeatedly looked back at her, making sure she was still safe. She could tell he’d meant what he had vowed the night before.
Dark buildings swam in and out of her vision, replaced by others as they tracked through the labyrinthine streets. Arantay had picked up the scent now and followed it mercilessly.
“More than one immortal stalks the streets tonight.” Tay warned her suddenly.
Brooke’s magic flared to her fingertips, ready to unleash at a moment’s notice. She loosened her sword in its sheathe too. They encountered many pedestrians as they ran, but they were gone before anyone could get a good look at them. Brooke just hoped there weren’t any witnesses when they battled Andon.
She realised the ground beneath them had turned from stone to wood and that they’d ran onto a darkened wharf. All around them were large crates and to their left, a murky river rippled sluggishly.
A blood-curdling howl rent the air. Brooke didn’t know if it was hunting cry, or a moan of agony? Either way, the sound almost burst her eardrums. Her breath caught in her throat and her grip tightened on her gun. Arantay stopped, still as a statue. His red eyes glowed as he scanned the darkness.
“He comes for us,” Arantay rasped.
Brooke hurried beside him, energy crackling at her fingers, ready to fire both her magic and her pistol as soon as the monster emerged.
Andon didn’t arrive as suddenly as the night before, but padded silently into view. The hulking wolf crouched low before them, golden eyes gleaming with ferocious hate. His curved claws brushed the ground as Andon watched them, his grotesque head perfectly still. Slowly, the jaws parted to unveil sharp, blood flecked teeth.
Brooke gazed, paralysed, unable to comprehend the unbridled animosity that resonated from the beast.
The werewolf’s matted black fur bristled, his gigantic snout quivered and his inhuman eyes burned. She couldn’t bear to make contact with them for even a second.
A low growl rumbled in the back of his throat, rising and rising in volume. The growl surged into an almighty roar of madness.
The urge to run away as fast as she could was overpowering. If Arantay hadn’t been beside her, she might have given in.
“Keep calm,” he whispered, drawing his sword. Brooke wanted to heed his words, but it was impossible to subdue her fear when the crouching behemoth awaited.
The werewolf froze as his gaze locked onto them, his body coiled into a tight spring that would explode into fatal motion at any moment. Then the werewolf whined, a tormented, wounded and confused cry that startled her.
If he’d been a normal wolf, she would’ve felt sorry for him. But this thing would rip her arm off, rather than be petted. But the whine moved something within her, and made Brooke wonder about the cause of the lycanthrope’s lunacy. Even so, she knew he had to be stopped.
The whine distorted back to an ear-wrenching roar as Andon surged forward. Arantay and Brooke dove to either side, causing the wolf to land between them.
Arantay struck at the brute’s leg. Scarlet sprayed into the air as the sword hacked through sinew. Andon’s snapping jaws were inches from Tay, when Brooke’s energy blast slammed into the lycan’s head.
She squeezed the trigger next, rapidly firing off three silver bullets which ripped chunks out of the werewolf’s chest and shoulders. The beast pivoted away and shook his head, stunned for only a moment before launching himself at her.
Brooke rapidly wove a shield of air around her, but the wolf’s strength was so much that his swipe broke through. Her shield prevented Andon’s gargantuan paw from crushing her skull, but the blow smashed her spell apart and the invisible explosion sent her sprawling to the ground.
Arantay used this distraction to slide in low and slash Andon’s stomach open. The lycan threw out his arm which thumped into Arantay’s chest. Tay flew through the air, crashing into a nearby crate and causing a shower of wood splinters around him.
Tay was on his feet and racing back to Andon in a second. He avoided Andon’s second swipe, but then the wolf managed to seize Tay’s hair and used it to throw him headlong into a wall. Arantay grunted as his body connected with stone and he slid back to the ground.
By this time, Brooke was up. She threw magical bolt after magical bolt at the monster, forcing it backwards with every strike. The werewolf whined again, enraged. She raised her pistol, aiming to drill a bullet through his brain and end Andon’s rampage. He moved to quickly, however, batting the weapon out of her hands. Andon slashed at her with a thunderous growl, aiming to claw her face off this time. She ducked at the very last moment, feeling his claws rake the area just above her head.
Then Arantay was back with a vengeance, jumping impossibly high over Andon’s head, spinning in a whirl of steel. Tay’s sword lopped off the werewolf’s ear, then stabbed him in the back on the counter strike.
Andon roared and swiped blindly at Tay as he wrenched his sword back out. Brooke used both hands to conjure up more air element than she ever had before. She guided the force to the top of Andon’s head, then brought her hands down violently. The spell whipped Andon’s body to the ground, his snout hitting the stone with a sickening crunch. Arantay swiftly stepped onto the wolf’s back and stabbed him through the top of the head, piercing the brain. The beast’s roars were cut off and everything went quiet.
Brooke felt no joy in killing the lycan. She was relieved that now no more innocents would be killed by Andon, but she felt bad about slaying him. She wished they could’ve cured Andon of his insanity, but she knew this had been the only way.
The only sound now was hers and Arantay’s laboured breaths, as they as they slumped against a crate each, exhausted.
“You okay?” Arantay gasped.
“Yes,” she said, feeling strangely empty as she retrieved her pistol.
As she stared down at Andon’s body, Brooke heard new footsteps on the cobblestones.
They turned to see a young woman sprinting down the alley toward them. They both stood, ready to fight again. The woman stopped when she saw them, her steely look turning to disappointment when she saw Andon’s corpse.
“Damn, too late. I learned where you were staying, but you’d already gone.”
“What are you going on about?” said Arantay, sniffing the air. “Werepanther.”
“Leanne’s the name,” she replied coldly, “and the King of London sent me. He has a message for you. Only I’d hoped to reach you before you slaughtered another of our kind.”
Arantay raised his blade. “I assume your master sent you, Vore, the self-proclaimed King?”
“Arantay, no. There’s been enough violence,” Brooke said, putting a hand on his arm.
“I was sent alone, Realmers,” said Leanne. “Vore is displeased with Kane and his fight with you. Those who attacked you have been disciplined. However, Markus was Vore’s pack mate and he demands justice for his death. Vore desires no war with the Venators, he only asks that you meet with him. Now that you have slain Andon too, Vore will want recompense on that also.”
“Aye, he desires an audience with me so he can challenge me to single combat and kill me.” Tay growled. “By fighting in a duel, he hopes to avoid war with the Venators, citing it as a fair fight. Doesn’t he?”
Leanne shrugged. “Vore didn’t tell me why he wanted to see you, he only ordered you to come. If you do not, you may start a war between Venators and Vore’s forces by your actions. You-”
Leanne cut off as an arrow shot through the back of her head and exploded through her eye-socket. Her mouth gaped open, then she dropped to her knees and keeled to the side, dead.
“Holy crap,” Brooke screamed.
A slow, methodical clapping erupted from the darkness behind them. Brooke whirled around. Another girl emerged out of the shadows. Only she wasn’t alone, and nor was she a werewolf.
“Good job Venators, very well done.”
The girl was a year or two older than her, with long red hair and bright green eyes that gleamed with malice. Several more shapes came out of the shadows to stand beside her. One still had his bow raised. Others were accompanied by their demon pets. They wore skin-tight armour, black as night, and many wore horned helms with glowing blue eyes.
Rakarn!
“Good evening,” the young woman continued. “Beautiful night, isn’t it? Oh, my name’s Selina Rill by the way. I feel like you should know the name of the person who takes your life, don’t you?”
“I know who you are,” Arantay growled. “You betrayed Veneseron!” Tay’s hand shook as he gripped his sword.
“Ah yes,” Selina’s sensuous lips quirked up. “Arantay isn’t it? I’m surprised you remember me from my time at your miserable Fortress. I guess you’ve been rotting there for centuries now. Besides, Veneseron betrayed me, elfboy.”
“I heard they rightfully exiled you,” Arantay replied. “They should’ve taken your sorcery too.”
“They did,” Selina snapped. Her smug expression had changed to one of hurt. “But Velkarath undid the abuse your precious Veneseron did to me. We could use your like at Velkarath, your pretty girlfriend, too,” Selina winked at her. “So, I’ll give you this one chance. Join Velkarath, the winning side, and you won’t have to die tonight.”
Arantay chuckled melodically. “Eat Ushk.”
Selina appeared annoyed at the rejection, but quickly turned smug again as she observed Andon’s body.
“Oh look, you killed another werewolf. Dearie me, Vore will want your heads on a platter. That’s if he survives the war with Hallia; he’ll be very busy with that soon. Then again, Vore will likely make a special exception to get revenge on the people who butchered his brother.”
Brooke’s stomach dropped and a wave of nausea washed over her. Selina couldn’t mean… “Andon was Vore’s brother?” She blurted out.
“Obviously,” Selina cackled. “We didn’t choose a werewolf at random to turn insane. Few in Vore’s pack even knew that the rabid lycan rampaging through the streets, was the baby brother of their leader. But our spies did, and we were banking on Venators to slay Andon. You two just made all of Veneseron lifelong enemies to werewolves across the country. Nice job.”
Two boys behind Selina began giggling uncontrollably. They were twins, one with blue spiky hair, and the other with red spikes.
“You Venny’s are so stupid,” one of them cooed.
“Can I kill the girlie, please?” the other twin asked Selina, before blowing Brooke a kiss.
She felt her stomach turn and gathered what little sorcery she had left. Brooke didn’t plan on letting any Rakarn get near her.
“No, Rath,” the other twin said. “I want to stab the girlie.”
“Glarq off, Ragul. I called dibs.”
“Shut up,” Selina snarled at them. “The girl’s mine.” Selina met her eyes then, and Brooke recoiled. Madness showed all over Selina’s face. It was subtler than the twins, yet Brooke sensed it was far more dangerous.
Arantay stepped in front of her. “None of you will harm a hair on Brooke’s head.”
“It’s okay,” Brooke moved up beside him. “I can take care of these idiots myself.”
“You’ve got spirit.” Selina smiled at her lasciviously. “I like that in a girl. Don’t worry, I’m not gonna’ kill you. No, I’ll make you my personal slave back on Velkarath. You’ll come to worship me in time. You, however,” Selina turned to Tay whilst unsheathing her sword. “I plan on taking your beautiful head and adding it to my collection.”
As Selina spoke, the Dark-Venators behind her had slowly formed into a wide circle around them. Brooke looked frantically, but they’d left no way to escape.
With Andon finally defeated, she’d thought it was over, her mission complete. She could’ve returned to Veneseron with her first successful mission under her belt. But no, the Dark-Venators had been behind it all. She and Tay had fallen right into their trap.
The other Rakarn followed Selina’s lead and drew their weapons.
Brooke quickly counted eight of them, far too many. She knew she and Arantay couldn’t beat them all, but they might’ve been able to escape if they hadn’t just battled Andon. She could feel that her sorcery was nearly gone, and Arantay hadn’t yet healed from his litany of injuries. There was no way they got out of this alive.
Brooke realised she’d never get to return to Veneseron. She was going to die.
Chapter 26- Murder by Moonlight
Selina’s obscene smile stretched from ear to ear as she gazed at them eagerly.
Brooke’s arms trembled and her sword shook in her hand. Cold sweat trickled down her face and she tried to control her breathing as she scouted the area.
The Rakarn behind Selina stood motionless, like horned shadows in their black armour, with only the blue of their visors glowing in the dark. Their demon pets approached slowly. A pale vulture, with maggots wriggling in one of its eye sockets, circled above, whilst two purple snakes with spiked tails weaved between the Rakarn’s legs, hissing at Brooke and Tay. Another demon, a giant toad with a dragon’s head, crouched by the Dark-Venator with a bow. The fifth and final demon pet resembled a baby bear, but with scales instead of fur. The monsters yearned to run at them and start feeding, they were just awaiting Selina’s command.
“I’ve already called for reinforcements,” Arantay said calmly. “A dozen more Venators will be arriving soon. You better leave whilst you still can.”
Brooke caught his eye and nodded her head a fraction. Her free hand was inches away from her pocket. If she could just get to her Holophone in time, they could indeed call in reinforcements from Veneseron. It was their only chance for survival.
Selina threw back her head and howled with glee. “Do you think I’m that stupid? You wretched Venators never change.”
Arantay moved closer, partially hiding Brooke from view as she slipped two fingers into her pocket, grazing the top of her
phone.
“I’m not lying,” Arantay continued. “Besides, Veneseron would never let Dark-Venators take over this city.”
Brooke knew he was distracting Selina so she could contact Veneseron. As Selina spoke again, Brooke pinched the phone between her fingers and discreetly tugged it free.
“Yes, after we’ve disposed of you, more Venators will come,” said Selina. “But by then London will already be lost. What we did to Andon was only the beginning. Soon, there will be countless deranged shifters running through bloody, body-clogged streets. We-”
She cut off abruptly as Brooke snatched her hand up, frantically pressing the button for Veneseron. A whip of flames struck out, wrapping around her phone and wrenching it out of her hand. Selina then slashed her whip down, smashing the phone to shards.
“Tut, tut, naughty girl.” Selina giggled.
Arantay abruptly went for his own phone, moving faster than Brooke had, with his unnatural reflexes. Unfortunately, the Rakarn archer let fly the arrow he already had nocked and shot the phone out of Tay’s hand to skid across the ground.
“Brooke!” Arantay raised his sword high. “I’ll hold them off until you escape. Find a way to contact Veneseron, tell them what happened here.”
“No,” she choked. “I won’t leave you, you’ll die.”
“Better me, then both of us,” Arantay said. His eyes gleamed like red stars.
“Aww, how sweet,” Selina cooed. “The noble Arantay, willing to sacrifice himself for the girl, it almost brings a tear to the eye. What do you say boys? For his valour, shall we give Brooke the chance to run away?”
“No way,” said Rath.
“But I do like it when they run,” Ragul replied. “It’s like hunting rabbits.”
The archer took off his horned helm, revealing a mane of greasy hair. “I say we give her a minute head start,” he said, “after I’ve put an arrow through her leg.”
The twins giggled ghoulishly. “Oh yes, Nick. Yes, I love that idea,” Ragul cried.
The undead vulture laughed like a hyena and the bear demon barked in excitement.
Moonlight War- Act I (The Realmers Book 2) Page 30