by Nash, Bobby
“What did he say?” Joshua asked from the other side of her, unsure he had heard correctly.
“He doesn’t like to fly,” she repeated.
“How can that be?” Joshua asked. “Isn’t he a… I mean, didn’t you tell me he was an… you know.” He made a flapping gesture with his hands like wings.
Jacob chuckled at his discomfort.
“You got a problem?” Joshua said.
“I just find it amazing that, even after everything you’ve seen with your own eyes, that you still don’t believe, Mr. Demerest,” Jacob said. “Whether you believe of not, you are a part of this world now. How can you have seen everything you have and still not bring yourself to say the words?”
“Look, pal, what I believe or don’t believe is none of your damn business, okay?” Joshua said, pointing a finger at the man. “Angels, demons, ghosts, heroes, villains, good guys, bad guys… it doesn’t matter what you call yourselves, it’s just another day at the office for you guys! I still have to live in this world, pal!”
“Look!” Samuel shouted over the noise. “I don’t like to fly, okay? Let’s just leave it at that, all right?”
“Fine,” Joshua said then slumped back in his seat. “It’s not my fault we get stuck with an angel who’s afraid to fly,” he mumbled.
Jacob leaned closer to Samuel so he could talk without shouting. “Do not throw up in my helicopter,” he said, emphasizing the not.
Samuel closed his eyes and leaned back. A soft moan escaped his lips.
“How long?” Alexandra asked Jacob, trying to get things back on topic.
Jacob turned to relay the question to the pilot.
“Five minutes,” he said a moment later.
“Where are you planning to land this thing?” Joshua asked Jacob. He turned to Alexandra. “Last I checked, your folks don’t have a landing pad on the roof and they’ve got too many trees to land in the yard.”
Jacob looked perturbed by the question.
“He makes a valid point,” Alexandra added.
Jacob sighed. “There is a park near your father’s home. We’ll set down there and go the rest of the way on foot.”
She nodded then leaned back against her seat. It wasn’t ideal, but it was still faster than taking the train or getting a car. She just hoped they got there in time. Even more than that, she hoped she was wrong and that her mother and father would have a good chuckle over their intrusion.
She could live with the embarrassment if she was wrong, but she couldn’t take the Slaugh’s warning lightly.
“Fine!”
“We’re on approach now,” the pilot said and Jacob relayed the news to the passengers. In addition to himself, Alexandra, Joshua, and Samuel, Jacob had brought one of his men with him. Alexandra didn’t know much about the man, only that he had been there when Jacob confronted the man she now knew to be a Slaugh inhabiting a young man and that his name was Mike. He was no doubt loyal to Jacob so that bought him a modicum of trust.
“When we get there, the first priority has to be to get my parents to safety,” she told the assembled group. “I want everyone clear on that up front. Got it?”
They all nodded.
“Good,” Jacob said as the helicopter started its descent. “Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get ready for anything. Slaugh are rumored to be strong, agile, and dangerous. Don’t hesitate to take them down.”
“I thought we were going to try and save the hosts?” Alexandra said.
“I never agreed to that,” Jacob said.
The helicopter touched ground and Jacob was out the door before she could argue the point. His second, Mike, was right on his heel. Joshua and Alexandra exited, with Samuel following close behind. Now that they were on solid ground, the color had returned to Samuel’s cheeks.
There was no need to ask if any of them were ready.
As soon as they hit the ground, they were on the run. Jacob, Mike, and Samuel had a slight advantage over Alexandra and Joshua. They quickly pulled ahead, but the distance they had to cover wasn’t so great that either of them lost sight of the group as they neared the Holzer house.
Once they were close enough to see the house, she saw the stranger standing on the balcony outside her father’s study, and realized that they were too late.
The Wild Hunt was already there.
“Are you there, Professor?” Max Bartlett’s singsong voice called.
“You are not welcome here!” Hans shouted through the glass.
“Now, is that anyway to treat a guest?”
“I warn you, we’re armed,” Hans said. “You remember my weapons, don’t you?”
“Oh, yes,” Max said with a chuckle. “Your… what did you call them? Oh, yes, grenades. By all means, feel free to use them, Professor. You might get me, but I’m fairly certain you would destroy your home and that lovely wife of yours at the same time. Something tells me you aren’t quite as prepared to sacrifice them as you were with Duncan and Max’s father’s possessions. Are you?”
He paused and Hans Holzer felt the muscles in his jaw twitch.
“I didn’t think so.”
Hans resumed searching the office. He had several items that could be used as weapons, although most would prove ineffectual against The Wild Hunt, if half the stories about them were true. Finally, he came across a pistol in one of the drawers. He opened the chamber and saw four bullets still inside. He did not see any extra bullets in the drawer.
“Will that stop them?” Countess Buxhoeveden asked.
“I don’t know,” he said. “There’s only one way to find out.”
They exchanged a look.
Catherine nodded. “Let’s do it.”
Unlike their companions, Alexandra Holzer did not head for the front of the house. Grabbing Joshua, she pulled him on a course to the side of the house. They came to a stop next to the wall, each taking a moment to catch their breath.
“Where are we going?” Joshua asked. “Back door?”
“After a fashion,” she said and pointed skyward.
Joshua followed the line from her finger to the gnarled tree with limbs snaking around the side of the house.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” he said.
“Nope. That was my bedroom up there. I used to sneak in and out all the time when I lived here.”
Joshua blew out a breath. “Honey, I hate to be the one to say this because it’s only going to make you mad, but you’re not a little girl any more.”
She shrugged.
He was hoping not to say the thought out loud, but there seemed little chance of him getting out of it. “I think we each weigh a little bit more than we did when we were kids. Are you sure that thing can support both our weight?”
“I sure hope so.” She looked up at the tree. “It looks smaller than I remembered.”
Joshua groaned.
She shrugged. “It’s this or the front door.”
He huffed. “Let’s go.”
Alexandra went up first, scaling the tree like a champ. She was already near the window before he was part of the way up the tree trunk. “Wait for me,” he said, knowing it would fall on deaf ears.
She lifted the window and it slid open, thankfully unlocked.
Alexandra slipped into the room where she had once slept. It was a bit more crowded than she remembered, filled with assorted boxes and odds and ends. She moved toward the door, which was closed. She listened carefully before opening the door a crack.
Standing at the top of the stairs at the entrance to her father’s study was a man, she assumed another Slaugh like the captive in the van. He paced back and forth at the top of the stairs like a caged animal, but did not try to break through the door.
What is he waiting for? she wondered.
Joshua slipped through the window and she held a finger to her lips.
He shrugged.
Silently Alexandra pointed her finger in the direction of the intruder, and then wagged it back and forth summoning Jos
hua to her side.
Joshua understood and joined her at the door. “What’s the plan?” he whispered.
She spied a baseball bat and a set of golf clubs nearby.
Alexandra hefted the bat.
Joshua grabbed a five iron.
“Ready?” she whispered.
“No,” he said. “After you.”
She was about to open the door when a loud commotion sounded from below. The man pacing back and forth looked over the railing and hesitated a moment. Then, with a grunt, deserted his post and ran down the stairs to join the brawl.
“Now or never,” Alexandra said as she pulled open the door and stepped out into the hallway. She could see the flickering lights from below thanks to the open floor plan. Something was burning and a lot of things were breaking. A crash filled the stillness. She craned her neck to see over the banisters in order to catch a glimpse of the others.
“We have to hurry,” Joshua reminded her.
“You’re right. They’ve got it. Let’s go get my parents.”
They were only a few steps from the door when the first gunshot rang out.
Mike was the first one through the door.
He would also be the first one to die.
Jacob Black was right on his heels with Samuel Esau only a step behind him. The stairs were wet, but they each took them in one step. They crossed the porch and flew straight through the broken front door without breaking stride.
The living room was on fire. It was mostly contained to the middle of the room, but was starting to spread. Three men stood around the room. Like the Slaugh Jacob had captured earlier, these men reeked of spiritual possession. If they weren’t Slaugh, and they had no reason to believe otherwise, they were bad guys who were not likely going to go down without a fight.
Three on three were fairly even odds, all things considered.
Mike, the fastest of the three, took aim at the one farthest from the door. He slammed into him like a linebacker at a Sunday football game. They crashed into the fireplace with enough force to crack the stone. The Slaugh screamed in agony as his pants ignited from the fire.
Flames covering his body like a living torch, the Slaugh threw himself at Mike and they crashed to the floor in a fiery heap.
Soon, Mike’s anguished screams blended with that of his attacker until they both fell silent.
Across the room, Jacob squared off with another member of The Wild Hunt near the stairs. The possessed host was muscular, obviously a weightlifter from the look of him. He also carried a boxer’s posture. He planted a haymaker on Jacob and knocked him off balance.
Despite the “S” in the name of his organization, the OASI liaison was strong and agile. He regained his balance quickly and blocked the next two blows. The powerhouse staggered him, but Jacob refused to fall.
Samuel took the last intruder, who also bounced around like he was ready to box, although he carried himself more like a street fighter than someone used to going ten rounds in the ring.
He swung a wild punch, which Samuel easily sidestepped.
The second punch was also wide and easily avoidable. Samuel could only guess that either the creature possessing the host had gone his entire life—and death—intimidating those he faced. The Wild Hunt’s reputation for brutality was well documented in the old country. There was little doubt it was earned, but his opponent seemed to be skating along based on the group’s reputation. Too bad for him he was facing someone who had nothing to fear from The Wild Hunt.
Samuel hated violence. Despite a lifetime trying to avoid using it himself, he had learned that sometimes there was no other recourse. He grabbed the attacker and hurled him against the wall before he dropped to the floor, crashing through a glass-top table in the process.
He did not get up.
Nearby, Jacob and his foe fell to the floor as they struggled hand to hand. Eventually, it was Jacob who got the upper hand. With leverage on his side, Jacob positioned himself so he could grab the attacker’s head in his grip. With a pop that echoed through the room, the hunter dropped.
Jacob pushed himself up and Samuel offered his hand to help him. For a moment, the ages-old feud between their respective groups was forgotten. Unlike others of their kind, these two men who were as different as night and day had found common ground.
They both called Alexandra Holzer friend.
Jacob was barely back on his feet when a cry rang out from above. They turned as another intruder leapt from the stairs toward them, screeching like a banshee. Jacob took the brunt of the attack as he was closest to the stairs, but all three of them sprawled across the hardwood floor.
Samuel recovered fastest and got back to his feet just a moment before the attacker did. The Slaugh grunted as they faced off.
“You don’t have to do this,” Samuel said. “We can settle this before someone else gets hurt.”
“No. We can’t,” the Slaugh said a half second before renewing his attack.
Even though The Wild Hunt had been formidable in their day, a century spent trapped in limbo had dulled their skills. On top of that, the hosts they chose would never be described as the cream of the crop. Samuel blocked the attacking blows easily and laid the young host low with a fist to the face.
As soon as all four were down, Samuel ran to Jacob’s side. “You okay?” he asked as he stirred the other and helped him to his feet.
“Fine,” Jacob said, pushing him away to stand on his own. “These guys pack a punch.”
“The trick is not to let them hit you,” Samuel said without sarcasm.
Jacob shot him an angry look, but it quickly dissolved into a smile when Samuel simply shrugged.
“How’s your friend?”
Jacob ran to his fallen man. He felt for a pulse, but they could both tell he was gone. Jacob looked up at Samuel and shook his head.
“I’m sorry,” Samuel started.
“There’s no time for that. We have to find Alexandra and her family.”
“Hans’ study is upstairs.” Samuel pointed the way.
That’s when they heard gunshots from the second floor.
Before either of them could take another step, they felt it. The room began to shake as though hit by an earthquake. It was a minor rumble, but small items vibrated off shelves and crashed to the floor.
A gust of icy wind flashed through the house, dropping the temperature rapidly.
“Oh, this is not good,” Samuel muttered.
The four Slaugh hosts erupted like geysers, exploding as the spirits of the Slaugh broke free of their fleshy confines. The spirits took to the air and circled the room, keeping Jacob and Samuel at the center.
“Not good at all!”
“This is not good,” Joshua said after slamming into the door for the third time.
Alexandra and Joshua ran to the door leading to her father’s study as soon as they heard the gunshots. The door budged a bit at first, then a little more on the second try. Her parents had wedged furniture in front of the door, probably to keep the intruders from coming in the way they were trying to do so now. By the third try, it pushed open enough for them to squeeze through. It wasn’t much, but it was wide enough that they could make it.
“Poppa! Mother!” Alexandra called as soon as she cleared the doorway.
“I’m here, Shura,” Hans Holzer said. He stood near his desk, smoking gun in his hand. Behind him was his wife, Alexandra’s mother. He had shot through the glass door at the attacker they had seen on the balcony. “What are you doing here?” he asked.
“We’re here to rescue you,” Joshua said as he joined them in the study.
“Rescue me?” Hans Holzer was a proud man. He was used to being the one to do the rescuing. He was unaccustomed to it being the other way around.
“Yes,” Joshua said, ushering his future mother-in-law toward the door. “So, let’s go!”
“I can’t,” Hans said.
“Why not?” Alexandra demanded.
He stared straight a
head. “Unfinished business.”
She followed his line of sight and saw the young man standing there. If the gunshots had hit their mark, the smiling man on her father’s balcony gave no indication.
“Who is he, Poppa?” she asked.
“Someone I never expected to see again, Shura. He’s dangerous.”
“Let me guess,” she said. “He’s a Slaugh.”
Hans turned toward her. “How could you know that?”
“Long story. I’ll tell you later. Right now, we need to get you out of here. These guys are here for you.”
“That’s only partially true, Alexandra,” the man on the balcony said through the shattered glass. “I’m here for all of you.”
She hefted the bat as if ready to hit one out of the park. “Bring it on, pal! I’ve already knocked out one of your playmates today. I’m not afraid of you.”
The Slaugh took a step through the shattered glass door. “This one’s definitely a chip off the ol’ block, eh, Professor? You must be so proud.”
Alexandra moved in for the attack while the intruder was focused on her father. She swung the bat as hard as she could at the Slaugh’s head.
Without looking, he caught the wooden club mid swing.
When he turned to look at her, there was contempt in his eyes.
“Naughty, naughty,” he said as he squeezed.
The bat shattered into tiny fragments.
He dropped the broken pine and turned back toward Hans.
Holzer lifted the gun and fired again.
The bullet hit the Slaugh in the chest, but it didn’t even slow him down.
The Slaugh backhanded Hans and sent him flying over the desk, knocking books and papers to the floor with him. He landed with a pained grunt, losing his grip on the gun, which slid across the room.
“Poppa!” Alexandra shouted.
Joshua moved faster. He stepped between the attacker and the Holzer’s with only a golf club as a weapon. “Not gonna happen,” he said.
The Slaugh laughed. “There’s no limit to the bravery of your family, Hans,” he said with an evil cackle that reminded Joshua of an old movie villain. All he needed was a mustache to twirl.
He took another step forward.
As focused on the others as he was, the Slaugh had forgotten about Alexandra. She didn’t have anything in her tool belt that would work against the Slaugh, but she couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Remembering what Jacob had told her earlier, she knew that the Slaugh’s host body could be hurt. He had shrugged off the damage caused by the bullet wounds, but not the pain.