Break of Magic

by Leah Silver

  Finally, the door opened, and the alpha appeared with a metal box in her hand. It had a handle on top, making it look a bit like animal carrier, but without the grate on the front.

  She hefted it to me. “Take it to this address.” She handed me a scrap of paper with some hurried scribblings on it.

  I nodded. “This isn’t that far away. Why not take it yourself?”

  “I need to be here. With them. None of them are strong enough to be on their own.”

  “What will you do moving forward?”

  “I don’t know.” Her eyes turned hard as she studied me. “But that isn’t your problem, is it?”

  “No. It isn’t.” I didn’t want to help her. She’d gotten herself into this mess by surrounding herself with a weak pack. She was probably the weak link in her own pack and was kicked out. I shouldn’t feel sorry for her. And yet… “Listen, it wouldn’t hurt to instill some loyalty in them. Reward them every occasionally. Make them feel like you care, and then actually care. That’s a step in the right direction. You can all be made stronger with a bond based on loyalty instead of fear.”

  She glared. “I don’t need advice from a wolf who buddies up with vamps.”

  I threw up my free hand. “That’s fine. I’ll be back in a bit. If that second box isn’t ready, I’m out.”

  “I know the deal.” Her voice was sharp with bitterness. There was just no helping people like that.

  “One more thing,” she said, stopping me just before I got out of the house. “Don’t open the box.”

  “I wasn’t—”

  She cut me off. “If you do, you and everyone around you will die a horribly slow and painful death.”

  “So…how does whoever this gets delivered to open it then?”

  “With the special key, I assume.”

  I examined the box for a keyhole, but I came up empty. It was magical. It had to be. But why was I surprised by that?

  “I don’t really see how anyone could even get into it without the key. Doesn’t seem like there are any seams or anything.”

  She just blinked at me, and I hesitated, not wanting to be involved in this with every fiber of my being. “I thought you said you didn’t know what was in the box?”

  “I don’t. I’m just passing on the warning I was given.” She shrugged. “Just don’t look at it too closely. Just drop it off and come back. I’ll see what I can do about having another box ready for you by the time you get here.”

  “Okay. See you soon.”

  She nodded, and I left. Her pack was scattered around the front lawn, all watching me. I kept my eyes forward as I opened the gate and left.

  I grabbed my phone for the GPS. There were ten missed calls and at least as many text messages from Merry, and a few from Oscar. What should I do? Should I tell them to meet me at the drop-off point or would that blow up in my face? Only one way to find out, and I wasn’t sure it was worth the risk. In the end, I decided a short text was best.

  I’ve been delayed. Will be in touch as soon as I can. No sign of Ed.

  I sent the message to Oscar, knowing Merry would flip out and demand more information. Information I couldn’t give her, since I didn’t have a firm grasp of what was going on. I did know I was on the trail of some of the goblins who were involved. I’d lost Ed’s scent, but maybe I could still salvage something productive out of this little detour.

  He responded immediately. Okay. I’ll try to put her off, but you’ll have some explaining to do when you get back.

  Gladly, I sent. Hopefully done by morning. Meet up with you ASAP.

  After that, I followed the GPS through town to the address the alpha had given me. It was a little house not dissimilar to the one I’d left. White picket fence out front, white porch, oaks dripping with Spanish moss lining the street, the whole nine yards. I wondered if I should knock on the door or just leave the package and go. The alpha hadn’t given me any instructions whatsoever.

  Deciding it was best not to call attention to myself, I just dropped the box and turned to leave. But instead, I walked around the side of the house and hid, hoping to catch a glimpse of the little shysters who were working for the enemy.

  Crouching behind a bush between the house and the yard, I tried not to move. Every time I did, it shook the damned bush and scratched up my arms.

  Before long, I heard the door open. “Hey, there’s a delivery.”

  Suddenly, I worried the source of the voice would try to open the box. I should’ve stayed. Should’ve told them who it was from, and not to open it.

  “Who’s it from?”

  “The serpens.”

  Serpens? There wasn’t a pack that went by a name like that. In fact, it almost sounded like he’d said serpents. Maybe he did, and I misheard him. Maybe they nicknamed the alpha’s pack that since they were so slippery? Who knew.

  “Well, bring it in. I’ll get Genzo to send it on. And send that good for nothing pack of pups a bill. I’m not sending that little box of horrors on out of the goodness of my heart.”

  The door closed, and the package disappeared behind it. Genzo. I had a name to follow. And serpens, whatever that meant. Clearly it wasn’t a nickname for the ‘pack of pups.’

  I frowned, knowing she’d made the mistake of showing her weakness to the goblins. She was more vulnerable than she thought. Whoever these serpens were wouldn’t keep her safe forever. And she’d be easy enough to replace. She had to know that.

  I wondered if I’d have time to go back and get the second box, or if I should wait for Genzo to leave.

  Making a snap decision, I texted Oscar the address. Genzo. Follow him. I’ll meet up with you when I can.

  Got it, Oscar said, no questions asked. Oscar and I had been friends a long time. I met him during my lonely months after leaving my pack. I’d killed our alpha and lost the woman I thought I loved in the process. After being with Merry, it was clear it hadn’t been love, not really. I was very young and confused infatuation with real feelings. I’d killed a member of my own pack for it. I wouldn’t do that again.

  Make no mistake, I would kill someone who came after Merry, but I wouldn’t break up my pack again.

  Oscar had been a friend when I thought I hadn’t deserved one. He’d planted the idea of joining the council in my mind. He hadn’t forced me, just suggested it. After letting it marinate for weeks while he worked on another job for them, he checked in on me regularly. I even helped him with a few assignments. Turned out I liked the work, and I was good at it. Oscar said they always needed good trackers. Doing something I was good at made me feel like I had a purpose again.

  These distractions that had been put in front of me in recent hours only added to my frustrations. I needed my purpose again. I needed Merry, Oscar, and the others for that matter. They balanced me. And I liked to think I balanced them. Just like a true pack. Or coven, as Merry called us. And we were all torn apart, weak, on our own.

  Resolved, I decided to finish this task and meet back up with Oscar and Merry. We could search for Ed together. We should’ve done that already. I never should’ve left them behind.

  As I stepped out from behind the bush, I wasn’t terribly careful to be quiet. My only goal was to get back to the house and collect the second package, then move on with my life.

  Unfortunately, I’d drawn some attention to myself.

  “What do we have here?” The goblin was taller than most and thin. But he still had that long, hooked nose and greenish hint to his skin. Not to mention that horrible sharp smell about him. He was wearing snakeskin boots, but the skin was an odd grey color. It almost shimmered as he shifted his weight. It was well-known goblins had money, but those boots seemed extreme to me.

  “So, Julie got a new pup under her thumb? Didn’t have the balls to take it all the way to Washington though, huh? Can’t say I’m surprised. Bunch of weaklings, that lot.” He clucked his tongue at me.

  I remained silent. No need to give this guy more information than was completely
necessary.

  “So, what to do with you?”

  “What do you mean? I’ve left my package, now I’ll be on my way,” I said, not sure why this goblin thought he could overpower me. Usually goblins were cowardly, slippery little creatures. Sure, this one was taller than normal, but he still didn’t come past my shoulders. And I certainly had him in sheer bulk. Why did he think he had the advantage here?

  “Not before we have a little fun.”

  It was the straw that broke the camel’s back for me. “No,” I said firmly. “No. More. Delays.” I took an intimidating step toward him with each word, but he held his ground. A wry smile spread across his face as I got closer to him.

  “What do you think you’re going to do?”

  Movement out of the corners of my eyes alerted me to the fact I was rapidly becoming surrounded. But it didn’t matter. Goblins were nothing. Still, a tiny red flag went up in the back of my mind. Why were these goblins so aggressive? It wasn’t in a goblin’s nature to behave this way.

  Anger bubbled inside me, and my desire for no bloodshed was gone. I’d been pushed way too far in recent hours. I would taste these creature’s blood right here, right now.

  I shifted in an instant, growling at the circle of goblins that surrounded me. None except the original was taller than my wolf form. In hindsight, I should’ve asked if he were Genzo before I shifted. Oh well, he wouldn’t be delivering anything if I had a say about it.

  A spear flew in my direction, scratching me on the shoulder and cutting off my train of thought. The goblins laughed, and it sent me right over the edge. I lunged for the one who’d thrown the weapon. In an instant, I’d relieved him of his head and cast it off to the side. The goblins near him scattered, screaming for their lives as they ran toward the house. A handful remained, armed with similar spears.

  “This wolf has spirit. How did Julie get you to join her pack?” the tall goblin asked.

  But I didn’t answer. Werewolves didn’t speak in their wolf form. The idiot knew that. He was talking just to hear his own voice. I hated creatures like that. The cut on my shoulder burned unnaturally, and I wondered what they’d done to the spears. Had they laced them with poison? If so, was that what gave them such unbridled confidence?

  I had too many questions and not enough answers, but I faced the last half dozen in the front yard of that old southern home.

  “I don’t think Julie deserves you. I think you should be working directly for us.” The tall goblin nodded toward the smaller ones surrounding him, and they closed in on me. They tried to flank me, but I snapped at them. They each held a spear, making it hard to get close. But my teeth made it even harder for them to close in on me like they needed to.

  I swiped at one of them with my paw, tossing him like a leaf against a nearby oak tree. He hit it with a crack before falling limply to the ground. Five left, plus the Jolly Green Giant over there, who was starting to frown. Good. The cunt cake.

  One of them swung wildly at me with his spear, and I could tell he was getting desperate. It left me an opening. He swung right, and I went for his unprotected left side. Bit right through him, taking his arm off at the shoulder. He screamed as he went down, and I crushed his head with my foot for good measure. Goblins were no match for werewolves. Why didn’t they know that? Why were they forcing me to teach them that lesson?

  Four to go, and they all shifted nervously. “Get him. Work together, you idiots,” the Jolly Green Giant commanded his sprouts.

  A shower of four spears came at me, but I easily leapt out of the way, taking two of them down with me. Landing with one foot on each of their chests, my sheer weight crushed them. Two left.

  I growled, a deep, menacing sound, and they glanced back at their leader.

  “Don’t you dare,” he said. But I could see the fear in their eyes, even if he couldn’t.

  The cut on my shoulder burned horribly. I rolled it, trying to shake the sensation and maintain focus. But I didn’t have to. They dropped their spears and ran.

  I wanted to rip the remaining goblin to pieces, but that wouldn’t get me the answers I needed, so I shifted back. He eyed me, clearly understanding he’d dramatically underestimated me. At least, that was what I surmised from his deep frown.

  He watched me as I bent and picked up one of the spears. My shoulder burned even worse now that I was human. I examined the tear in my jacket. The wound wasn’t bleeding much. The goblin had gotten lucky. “Demons’ breath,” I muttered. I grumbled even further when I caught him smiling over my injury.

  “Tell me what just happened here,” I demanded.

  “Seems to me you took out quite a few of my runners.”

  “Runners. You let runners attack a full-grown werewolf. Why?”

  “Because I was sure we could win.”

  “But you just said I took out your pathetic little army.”

  “That you did. But I still won.”

  I rolled my shoulder again, finding it hard to concentrate on what he was saying over the pain now spreading down my arm.

  “What exactly are those spears tipped with?”

  “The plague.” He said it with such glee he actually bounced onto the balls of his feet.

  “But the plague only effects vampires,” I said, not understanding.

  “That’s no longer true actually,” he said through that ridiculous smile.

  I closed in on him rapidly and took him by the throat, raising him about six inches off the ground so we were eye to eye. He grabbed at my hand, sputtering as he went.

  “I’m all done playing your games. Tell me what the fuck is going on here, or I will crush you just like all of your friends.”

  He croaked out some sounds, but nothing made a lot of sense through his panic. I rolled my eyes. Impatient with this charade, I threw him hard onto the ground, putting my foot on his chest to make my point. I didn’t put any weight into it…yet, but I gave just enough pressure to let him know I meant business.

  I glanced over at his flatty pancake friends to emphasize my threat.

  “The plague was never meant for just vampires. You must already know this. It will spread to everyone until the only race that’s left is theirs.”

  “Whose?” I asked.

  “The snakes.”

  “Snakes?” I asked out loud, but the question was more for myself. I’d never heard of a super race of snakes before. Were they shifters?

  “And how does it affect the other races?”

  “We’ll see, won’t we?” he said, coughing out a laugh.

  I put a little more pressure on his chest, and he threw up his hands. “Fine. Fine. What else do you want to know?”

  “Why are you working with them? If they want to make it so they’re the only race, that means goblins will be eradicated, too,” I pointed out.

  “They’ve promised us amnesty if we agree to work with them.”

  “Amnesty. That’s all you’ve taken from them? Goblins are greedier than that. You care nothing for the welfare of the rest of your race. All you care about is the bottom line.”

  “True enough. They’ve paid us handsomely. Money isn’t something they value the way we do. Power. That’s what they want. They fail to see that money brings power.”

  “Oh, does it? Tell your dead friends that when you meet them beyond the void, won’t you?” With that, I was done talking. I turned the spear on him. Jamming it square into the center of his throat, I pinned him to the ground. “Let’s see what the plague does to goblins, shall we?” I said as I watched him die.

  I shuddered as I walked away, my arm on fire. I felt like if I looked over at it, actual flames would be shooting out of it. Where was Ed when I needed him? Oh, that was right. It was his fault I was in this mess in the first place. When I found him, I was going to shake the sense right out of him.

  I pondered what to do next as I reached the gate at the edge of the yard. Automatically, I felt I should go back to Julie and her pack of weaklings. But why? The Mother knew I w
asn’t making another delivery to this place after what they’d done. And if they really had infected me, maybe I should go see Levi. He mentioned he was close to a cure. He also mentioned he had the plague himself.

  “Demons’ breath,” I muttered. My feet started to feel heavy, and my arms hung loose at my sides.

  I walked the sidewalk, wondering if I could even make it to either of those places. Maybe I just needed a nap. I shook my head, trying to rally. Trying and failing.

  A bench nestled along the edge of the sidewalk. I staggered up to it, fighting the urge to sit down. It was nothing special. Wood slats, iron arms and legs, bushes on either side of it. It reeked of dog pee, an irresistible marking spot for the local dogs.

  Everything about it should have repelled me, but it somehow called to me. Urged me to sit down. Just for a moment. Catch my breath. I had killed a bunch of goblins back there. I’d earned a bit of a rest, hadn’t I?

  No, a small voice screamed inside me. Was it Merry’s? It was decidedly authoritative and irritated. But still, the bench called. And the bench won.

  I sank onto the solid wood, feeling like it was the softest, most plush cushion I’d ever sat on. And then, the darkness closed in on me. It was warm. Not like the burning in my arm, which was sharp and painful. No, this was comforting, like a soft blanket was wrapped around me. I gave myself to it willingly. Leaving myself completely vulnerable, I sat there. The thing was I no longer cared.

  Saved by the white rabbit

  “Hey there, Sleeping Beauty.” The voice seemed distant, and I struggled to zero in on it. It was feminine. Definitely a woman. I groaned, working to open my eyes, which felt like a Herculean effort. Even after I successfully got one eye open, everything was so hazy it felt like I’d been dropped in the middle of a thick fog.

  “Thought you’d gone beyond the void there for a second,” the voice said again, and it sounded familiar.

  “Merry?” I asked.

  “Who’s that? Your demon hunter? No. You’re stuck with me for now.”