by Hazel Gower
* * * *
Kirby stood at one of the five entrances they had made for the tunnels. Rane was behind her, still furious. Jack and Della were in front of her, Logan was on one side, Faith on the other with Kane, Cullen, David, and forty-five other werewolves, and her youngest brother Hayden was at the back.
She took one last deep breath as they walked into the start of the tunnels. They were the group heading to the large room with eight rooms off it. Lexie had told them that they would walk down for about ten to fifteen minutes without coming onto anything else, and then three tunnels would come into view. They were told to go straight if they were going to the large room. Ten werewolves broke off, five for each of the other tunnels.
Jack kicked down the door and before her were easily over one hundred demons of all shapes and sizes. The thing that had her even more terrified was there were over one thousand, she thought, minions. The minions charged them, and Kirby prayed that Logan and everyone could kill a lot before they got to her.
She yelled, using everything she had. “Stop, freeze.”
The minions closest to them froze, which gave the werewolves a chance to move forward, killing as many as they could to get to the demons, who were now joining the werewolves.
The second wave of minions came and Kirby screamed again and again repeating, “Stop, freeze, stop.” She didn’t even stop as she put her hands to her head as it started to ache. It got harder to concentrate on freezing the minions and not the werewolves.
Kirby then heard the command that had her fighting for her life. A large demon yelled, “Kill the small redhead, kill her, kill her.”
Eight smaller demons came for her. Rane and Faith swore. Logan grabbed her hand, and she felt a jolt as he started yelling with her. “Stop, freeze. Stop, freeze.”
Her headache eased and it became easier to focus, especially when she felt Hayden grab her other hand and join in the yelling, and almost all the minions froze. The demons roared as the minions were now easy pickings. More demons came after her, and Rane yelled at her brothers not to let go of her hands until all of the demons were dead and to guard Kirby with their lives.
Kane, David, and Rane stepped in front of them as the first eight demons attacked. Zombies came up behind them and grabbed her as a demon came at her. Hayden jumped in front of her only to get a horn in his shoulder. She screamed, lifting her long blades and bringing them down, trying not to cringe at the sound of her slicing the horn off.
Hayden amazingly kept going, even using the arm that had the horn sticking out of it. Logan was killing zombies, and Hayden was fighting with the demon. She knew Rane was going to be pissed already, so she might as well help. Feeling the demon tail come around her waist, she screamed as she chopped the tail off, and another scratched her face.
Kirby knew from watching Faith the head had to be cut off, and their heart had to be pulled out and stabbed with the ice knife. With another yell for courage, she climbed the demon’s back, which wasn’t easy as another demon was trying to rip her off. The demon got distracted by a furious Rane, and slowly she reached his shoulders, and without thinking it through, she cut the head off.
Blood was everywhere, it hurt her fingers and anything not covered. She thanked Faith for the leather outfit and the cut off finger gloves. Falling to the floor, sharp claws grabbed her by the throat as another tail came around to slash her legs. As she flailed and struggled to get away, the demon tried to reach for her knife, but his hand was chopped off by the scariest sight she had ever seen. Rane was roaring, flipping, spinning, slashing, and got the heart of the demon, which caused the demon to drop her.
She crawled slowly, and stood only to be pulled the rest of the way by her hair as a smaller demon threw her against the wall. Getting up, she slipped in blood and kicked a dead minion. Looking up, she saw a small seven and a half foot demon, the smallest she had ever seen. She gripped the long knife tighter, and the demon grinned, showing long, sharp teeth. Kirby took a hesitant step forward just as it lunged. She dodged and screamed as the horn ripped down her arm. The demon’s head came up and his hand came out, she screamed as she cut it off and tripped over a dead demon. The demon she was fighting laughed then wrapped his tail around her waist, pulling her up. She clenched her teeth, determined not to scream again and satisfy him with her pain. Using what strength she had, she chopped off the tail around her waist and backed into a wolf fighting.
The werewolf turned and placed another knife in her hand and then ran for a demon’s head. The small demon was still stalking her and she chanced a quick look around for help, but everyone was fighting a demon.
Faith and Kane had three circling them. Rane and her brothers had five and they weren’t doing so good. Jack and Della were currently surrounded by eight demons.
She groaned, straightening her shoulders and telling herself to suck it up because she had to help the others. She could do this. She took another glance around then roared, attacking the small demon, slashing and twirling. Her height actually came in handy as she could sneak under things. She jumped on his body and stabbed his chest, moving the knife around until she found his heart. He clawed at her back until she heard the pop, then his heart froze, and she shattered it into a million pieces.
Two minions came out of a room, and she ordered them to “Kill demons, kill demons, take off their heads. Help me take off their heads.”
They attacked the demons. Kirby could hear the demons were trying to change her orders, but it was too late. She finished the demon and turned to help the wolf who had given her the new knife. She then turned her focus on Rane and her brothers. Hayden was barely standing, and both Rane and Logan were covered in blood and cuts.
Kirby ran, jumping over bodies, and continued to tell the minions to kill the demons. She pointed to the ones she wanted, ordering them to “Kill them, get their heads, kill them.”
Kirby reached her brothers just as Hayden fell to the floor. She screamed as the demon was about the rip Hayden’s head off. Kirby barreled onto Hayden, and he helped her gain her balance as she was slashed across the back by the demon’s sharp claws. Rane heard her scream, which only seemed to make him angrier and give him a second wind.
Kirby ran under hands and climbed up the front of the demon while two minions were being killed. She stabbed the demon’s heart as his tail stabbed her in the leg. It was still embedded as she turned, but Hayden cut if off. Hayden was white and barely alive.
Calling to any leftover minions, Kirby told them, “Come now, kill the demons.”
Six flew in and went straight for the demons surrounding her.
She repeated her orders again and again. “Chop off their heads, kill them.”
Kirby went for one of the two demons going for Logan, who didn’t look in much better condition than Hayden. She turned as a werewolf woman came in the door with fifteen other werewolves and roared. The female werewolf went straight to Hayden, finishing off the demon that was about to pick Hayden up.
Kirby was so shocked she lost her concentration and the minions changed directions, going for them again. She shook her head as Logan of all people yelled, “Focus, Kirby, focus.”
She turned back and chanted, “Kill the demons, go for their heads.”
Running for her brother, she swerved around one demon’s tail, chopping it off as it tried to wrap around her leg. Another demon’s tail came around her arm, embedding into her. She moaned as she cut it off, pulling the arrow head out and climbing on the closest demon’s back, all the time still chanting to the minions.
Kirby knew she was tiring because she started to feel the demons’ thoughts through the mind link she had with the minions. The demons were whispering in her head, telling her to kill the werewolves and other nasty things that they wanted to do to her.
Finally reaching the top of the demon’s back, she hugged his neck and pulled the knife toward her, screaming as she fell to the floor. Crawling over to the other demon, she went through the whole process again of
climbing up his back. She was exhausted and it was slippery now as blood covered her body. Kirby slipped and was dangling off the demon’s back. Rane roared as he came up to her, which helped give her renewed strength, and she climbed the last bit up, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling her arms with the knives in them toward her.
Kirby fell to the floor onto the dead bodies of thousands of minions and demons. She crawled over to Logan who was now leaning against the wall. No, it wasn’t a wall, it was a door. Her brother groaned and slowly, together, they opened it and stared in shock at a small room where four children were huddled together, hiding in the furthest corner—two boys and two girls, ranging she guessed from the ages of three to eight. Four bowls sat on the opposite side of the room that smelled of feces and urine. Kirby choked on a sob as she took a deep breath, stood up straight, which was extremely painful, and dropped the knives that were in her hands.
Kirby held her hands up in the universal sign of surrender. She knew her voice was rough from yelling and she must look like feral. Sighing in relief as a big, beautiful tree bark wolf who she knew was Rane came up next to her, she rested her hand on him, using him to hold her up, as she said, “Hi there. I won’t hurt you, I promise. All of the monsters are dead, they’re gone now. They can’t hurt you again. My name is Kirby. My friends and I came here to help you. We’re going to take you somewhere safe where there is plenty of water and food.” One of the kids perked up so she continued on. “There is sunshine up there. I’m going to take you out of here. I promise I won’t hurt you.”
The oldest of the group who seemed to be the leader spoke up very quietly. “What’s that with you? It is really big.”
She forced a smile. “What do you think it is?”
The little boy looked at Rane and took a hesitant step forward. “It looks like a really big dog. I haven’t seen a big dog in a long time because I’ve been down here a long time.”
Kirby knew that there were tears rolling down her face as she asked, “Would you like to come with me and get out of here?”
The boy looked behind himself at the other children, then he turned back and took a really good look at her. He seemed to concentrate as he asked, “Will you hurt us?”
Kirby forced another smile. “No. I’m here to save you.”
The boy looked back at the three other kids, nodded, and then turned back to Kirby. He raised an eyebrow as he asked, “Are they dogs that you brought?”
Kirby thought about the answer, because something didn’t feel right. Out of all the questions she thought he might ask that wasn’t one of them. Knowing she needed to tread carefully to gain the children’s trust, she said, “They are very special, and they would never hurt you.”
The boy took a small step forward. “You’re telling the truth. What are they?”
She frowned at the odd phrasing. “Well, they’re special. What would you do if I told you Rane here is a wolf?”
The little boy’s eyes widened, and one of the children gasped. The little boy who was speaking smiled. “Is he a friendly wolf?” The boy looked behind her. “You have lots of them.”
Kirby slowly turned to see red, gray, dark brown, white, and brown wolves. Della also stood with Eve and a few other people that she didn’t know. She turned back to the children. “All these people came to help save everyone down here and bring you all to the surface so you can see the sun and the water.”
The little boy went over to the three other children and picked up the youngest boy, who couldn’t have been more than three. He was a tiny thing. “Come on, she was telling the truth the whole time.”
Kirby mentally kicked herself. She should have realized that he was a truth detector. The four children slowly walked toward her. Her brother Logan took a step toward them, but she put her arm out to stop him and said, “They need to come by themselves, it would help build trust.”
The little boy turned to her and pointed to the oldest girl who she guessed to be around seven. “This is Renee.” He then moved down to the little girl holding Renee’s hand. “This here is Brat.”
Kirby gasped, looking at the boy as she said, “Did I just hear you right? What did you call her?”
“Brat, that’s what they called her, and she was too little to know her name when they brought her in here.”
Kirby shook her head as tears rolled down her checks. Della came in and got down to eye level with the little girl that they called Brat. Tears were rolling down Della’s cheeks as she said, “Hi, sweetheart. Would you like us to give you a new name?”
The little girl nodded hesitantly, and Della continued, “I think you look like a Miss Molly, so how about Molly?”
The little girl smiled, and Della said, “Hi, Molly. My name is Della, and Kirby here has introduced herself, but that man over there is Logan, and lastly, as you heard her say, that wolf is Rane. Come on, there are lots out there that are just like Rane to meet.”
Della held her hands out, and Renee and Molly hesitantly took them. They walked out of the room trailing Della. The little boy that Kirby had been talking to turned to her.
“Hi, Kirby. My name is Mick, and this here is Useless, well that’s what they called him, but I called him Blue, ’cause his eyes remind me of the sky, I remember that.”
Kirby smiled at Mick. “I like that, how about we stick with Blue? I like it a lot better than the other name.”
The boys nodded. “Are we really going outside?”
“Yes. There will be a lot of people, and more wolves. They’re all friendly, and they’re here to help. Are you ready to come out now?”
He nodded and they followed Della out of the tunnel slowly. As they reached the top, the boys gripped her hands tighter, and she could see tears rolling down Mick’s face. She turned to face him. “It’s okay to be scared. If you want I could lift you and Blue and carry you out.” She was exhausted but she knew she could muster the strength, especially if he needed the comfort. Mick looked her up and down, and Kirby straightened the best she could. “I’m a lot stronger than I look.”
He didn’t say anything just moved closer and stood in front of her and nodded. She picked Mick up, placing him on one hip, and then she picked up Blue, placing him on the other. “When we go outside the sun will be bright, so if you don’t want to hurt your eyes bury your face in my shoulder.”
They both nodded, burying their faces when the door opened and she walked out into the mid-day sun.
Chapter 14
They had set up six extra-large tents, and people were running everywhere. It looked like controlled chaos. Three of the large tents were medical stations. The other tents were military central.
The boys clung to Kirby, but every now and then they would peek out from being buried in her shoulder. Kirby continued to follow Della who went to a large, open, airy tent where several other werewolves and lost scared people stood, taking everything in. Della moved to a corner with four chairs and sat with the youngest girl on her lap. Kirby followed, sitting slowly with her precious cargo. Looking up, she noticed Rane nod to his mother then take off.
“Are doctors going to come and check the children out, or are we going to wait until they are comfortable and at home?”
Della smiled at her and nodded to the boys who were now sitting up and looking around with smiles on their faces. “I think it’s best if we get them home first and have the doctors check them there. Let them enjoy their freedom for now.”
“We really are saved,” Mick said. A few tears were rolling down his face.
Blue was jumping up and down on her, and an involuntary wince escaped her. Blue hesitantly got down, still gripping her arm as he tried to spin in circles. Mick joined him. The sun shone bright, and the boys and girls went just outside the tent opening. Tears were rolling down Kirby’s face, and she sighed in relief as familiar muscular arms came around her. Rane leaned down and kissed her forehead.
“Little red, you did good. Look at them enjoying their freedom. You helped give t
hem that. I’m so proud of you. I’m sorry I tried to hold you back, not wanting you to fight. I should have had more faith in you. You were amazing, and I don’t know how we would have done it without you.”
She stood up and turned in his arms, nodding to Della who walked over to stand by the children who were now dancing in the sunlight. She smiled up at him.
“You’re forgiven. This whole experience has opened my eyes in so many ways. It has made me relook and think about the goals that I have. You were right, I wasn’t prepared but…” She reached up and touched his lips to stop him from talking. “If it wasn’t for me jumping into this situation, I don’t know if I would know my potential for my gift. I definitely know my confidence wouldn’t have had this huge increase. I love the fact that I helped save all of these people, and, Rane, you were fantastic in action.”
He kissed her gently on the lips as he whispered, “You did good, little red, you can let go now. Let it all go.”
As soon as he said that Kirby took a deep breath and collapsed into his arms, her adrenaline finally running out. Rane picked her up and sat on the edge of a chair, turning her so she could see Della and the children.
“How come your mum is still going? She barely has a bruise.”
Rane hugged her tighter. “Werewolf genes. She’ll be completely healed by tonight.”
Kirby groaned and snuggled closer, wincing as her own bruises and cuts made themself known. She fought to stay awake as she watched the children. Looking around again, she stood up, yelping in pain, and said, “Where are my brothers? They were behind me I’m sure.”
She tried to get further out of Rane’s arms, but he pulled her back down and held her tighter. He kissed both of her cheeks, and then her lips again gently before he said, “They are both in medical being seen by a doctor. I checked on them quickly before I came back to you, they’ll be fine. They’ll be sore though, although Hayden will feel better a lot sooner than Logan, thanks to Sandra.” He kissed her lips again. “We will have an extra person this weekend, Sandra mated Hayden.”