by Kim Faulks
Odessa took a step, drawing my focus. “I can hear Abrial screaming now, just like I hear the others. Your shaman and I can get you through. But after that, you’d be on your own.”
I dropped my hand. The time had come. “I understand.”
Odessa shook her head, taking a step to stand beside Victor. “I don’t think you do. I’ve never felt power like this before. It’s taken from more than the elements. It’s colder, older. Darker than anything I’ve ever known.”
“The wolf’s right. I’ve felt something like this once before, but it was many years ago and my memory is not what it used to be.” The shaman whispered.
“It doesn’t matter. Inanna has already shown me.”
“You’ve seen this, Marcus? This battle?” Zadoc growled. “You’ve seen us defeat this dark magic?”
A dark hooded man strode toward me. His blade sliced the earth in his wake. “I saw a demon. There maybe one, or more. I’m not sure.”
“Are you sure?”
I shuddered with the memory. We will all fall. “What if we can’t defeat the magic? What if we fall?”
“If we fall, we fall. It’s already written. Let’s go and get your wolf, brother. If the Gods are willing, we’ll all die together.”
***
Zadoc moved without a sound. A shadow is all I saw, so a shadow is what I followed. We covered the ground quickly, keeping to the mountain, then down the ridge to where the fresh pine stood.
The old witch lingered inside my head. Her words were like claws picking apart my thoughts, weeding out the strong from the weak. But the weak was all I had left.
Because you’re dying.
Those words sliced through my mind, leaving a gaping hole for others to follow. Turn around, leave. She doesn’t love you, don’t you get that by now? My steps slowed. Zadoc’s shadow lingered for a moment, then disappeared.
Don’t listen to the demon. The old witch snarled. It’s a trickster. Get your wolf and get home. Hurry, my power’s weakening.
“Everything okay?”
I jerked my head up at the sound to stare at my brother. “Yeah, I just….”
“You feel it too, don’t you?” He turned his head to stare through the trees. “I don’t know what it is, but it gives me the creeps.”
I narrowed my gaze, scanning the trail, then turned back to Zadoc. “Are you okay?”
The moon glinted on bare scalp as Zadoc turned to stare at me, resurrecting the vision. Everything was just the same, my brother with me hell-bent on this path of darkness and danger. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You’ve never said anything like that before. Nothing scares you.”
“There’s always a first.” His voice changed, turning huskier, mirroring mine. “There’s a first to love, and a first to die. Will you die tonight, Marcus, or have you led me here to die for you?”
His body changed in front of me. Brown hair covered his head. His long face turned square, accentuating the hard line of his jaw. I flinched as those hollow orbs held me. The eyes of the bull. The eyes of my dragon. My eyes.
“This is a trick. You’re not real.”
“Oh, but I am.” The demon took a step, dragging a glowing sword along the ground. But the blade wasn’t what chilled me to the bone. The demon looked exactly like me, it even sounded like me. “And I know the truth. They’ll all fall, because of you. Zadoc, Bastian, Victor… even Xael. Every single one. The rivers will run red with their blood and the stars will fall from the sky as the mighty fall. No one cares about the Guardians, Marcus. You’re nothing but faded memories.”
Odessa cried out, snarling. The sound echoed inside my head like an empty drum, mingling with the shaman’s words. Run! The wolf screamed. Don’t let the demon find you. Run!
My heart lunged as I shot forward, careening through the trees with the echo of steps close behind me. The hunter breathed down my neck, matching every step. His icy breath stole the warmth from mine. His dangerous thoughts stole every good memory, leaving despair behind. The wolf feels nothing for you. You’re weak, dragon. And this world has no use for the weak.
Those words took hold. Torn wings. Shattered horns. I’d been weak for a long time, but the fire raged inside—a fire for Abrial. I narrowed in on the soulless piece-of-shit speeding for me and growled. “You’re wrong.”
I caught a shadow thrash through the trees. The blur kept pace, matching me stride for stride as I pumped my arms and ploughed the dirt with my boots. Whispered chants from the witch and the wolf filled my head. I shuddered with the sound.
Dragon. I can’t hold him. The old woman’s voice broke under the strain.
I clutched the trunk of a pine and sucked in the cool night air. “Don’t fail me old woman. Not now.”
The smell of wolf invaded me, dark and sultry, and underneath the scent Abrial waited for me. Marcus. Her voice rang like a whisper against my ear and the fire in my veins burned brighter.
She’s calling me. My snarl slipped free from my lips as the glowing sword shone in the dark like lightning across the night sky. Abrial’s out here. I can feel her close. I opened myself to the connection and felt a faint touch in the corner of my mind. The touch lingered, growing with intensity until she smothered my mind. Please stop. Don’t hurt her. Take me, that was the deal. Me for her… me for her.
Her torment severed the connection. I slapped my fist against my chest, trying to hold on, but she was gone. “I’m coming for you, little wolf. Hold on.”
“Are we going to take this bastard, or just look at him?”
I turned to stare at the shadow watching me from the trees. The raspy sound of his breaths filled the silence. “Zadoc?”
“Who else would follow you on a night like this? You were running like a bat out of hell. I didn’t think I’d ever catch up.” Leaves crunched as the dark blur came tearing through the trees in front of us. “Let’s kill the bastard and be done with it.”
I nodded and shoved from the tree as Zadoc circled right. The shaman’s chants faded to whimpers.
I can’t… too powerful. I can’t dragon. I’m sorry. I’m not strong enough. My hold on the old woman slipped and her power left me bare and abandoned. A battle cry ripped through my mind, standing the hair on my arms. I wrenched my head up to see lightning slash the sky as the white blade sliced the air in an arc.
The power of hell rose up and swallowed me. And hell waited for neither man, nor beast. The black power cloaked mine like a wet blanket, smothering the shift. My dragon reared, charging to the surface as shards of ice sliced my head. Zadoc screamed.
I wrenched my gaze toward the heavy thud, catching the towering outline of my brother as he rolled. The dark blur thrashed, scattering leaves like a winter storm. Zadoc! “Leave him be! I’m the first. It’s me you want. Take me.”
I want to make a new deal. Abrial’s voice slipped through my thoughts. Take me, that was the deal. Me for her. The edges of the demon’s cloak swept the ground as I fell.
The hood slipped to reveal pale skin where his mouth should be. This beast could neither laugh nor smile, yet I felt his triumph like poisoned thorns in my mind.
It’s over dragon. Abrial is mine.
I closed my eyes, waiting for the blade to cleave the air.
It’s over.
I bowed my head as the wind whipped, pivoting on the ground at the last moment before driving upwards. My thighs screamed with the force as I swung, aiming for bones, hoping for blood. My fist swept through the beast as though he were nothing but air. I stumbled and swung to watch the blade aim for my middle. This time the demon wouldn’t miss.
No! The sound tore through my head. The tiny wolf filled me, shattering every thought and for a second I hovered between worlds, neither alive, nor dead as the blade sliced my middle. I slumped to the ground, clutching my belly as a tsunami of power rocked me.
My ear drums popped with the blast of energy and the world became one low buzz. The trees rocked, branches flailed as the wolf raged. I
turned my head, caught on the gaze of the demon as he swayed like the trees.
The white light of his sword, dulled for a second. I counted the seconds in the dull thud of my heart as the demon wrenched his head toward me, then shattered into a million pieces.
I sucked in the air, gripping hold of my belly while my pulse raced, swallowing the hum inside my ears. The trees calmed, swaying gently before they stilled, stars blinked, then were gone and still I drew breath. The ground thundered with vibration, boom, boom, boom. The dark shape of my brother loomed overhead, holding out his hand and for a second I lay there, breathing, alive… and stunned.
Zadoc’s face came closer. His lips moved, the heavy bass of his voice melded into one. I filled the blanks. “Yeah, I’m fine. No… I… it was the wolf, Odessa. But I can’t find her now. I can’t… she’s gone.”
His mouth opened, then closed.
I nodded. “I know.”
He reached for my hand and for a second I was sure the blade met its mark. I splayed my fingers, probing my shirt to feel the flesh underneath.
“Are you okay?” Zadoc’s voice sharpened.
I lifted my hand to stare at my fingers. No blood. Thank the Goddess… no, thank the wolf. “I think so.”
The woods were silent, as though there’d been no battle moments before. I grasped his hand and climbed to my feet.
“We must be close, that bastard had to be their last line of defense.”
I nodded, scanning the trees. “Through there.”
My feet were heavy. I stumbled like a newborn lamb as we came to the edge of the camp. A cabin sat in the middle, a small fire smoldered on the far side. Snores echoed in stereo sound. The small rise held more of them, permeating the air downwind with their stench. I clamped my hand over my face, smothering my nose as chains rattled. Animals crowded the corner of the pen in front of us, jiggling shackles as they moved.
Why would they tether their beasts inside a stockade? A woman’s cry rang out, followed by a whimper. I inhaled hard and stared at the blurred shapes. “They’re not animals.”
“No, they’re not.” Zadoc’s snarl made the hair on the back of my neck rise. “They’re women, and children.”
“Did you know about this?”
“I suspected.” He hissed. “Now I know for sure. Let’s get your wolf and get out of here.”
How could I leave now? “We have to….”
Heavy steps stilled the words in my mouth as Zadoc disappeared. I followed him along the tree line toward the cabin. I had no doubt blood would be spilled tonight and I almost felt sorry for the men in this camp. They had no idea what stalked them.
I kept my brother in sight as I climbed the cabin stairs. The wooden boards creaked. I froze, straining to hear the soft rumble inside. Zadoc shook his head, still I eased forward, creeping along the verandah. The fire in my veins dulled the closer I came to the doorway.
Soft weeping drew my gaze to the hunched shapes inside the pens. I held my breath straining to see, to feel. Please don’t be in there. I eased backwards stepping over the lose board. My gaze lingered, then moved further south.
She wasn’t in there. I followed the unseen tether back to Zadoc. He motioned to the open doorway of the barn and leaned close to whisper. “I’ll take the barn.”
“I’m going through there.” I pointing to a thin patch of trees, barely making out a worn track. My pulse quickened the longer I stared.
He gripped my arm and clenched tight. “Until the fire burns out.”
I turned to stare at his silhouette. “Do what you do best, brother.”
His white teeth shone. His smiled chilled me to the bone. “And the bodies will pile up once more.”
All could feel was her as I left my brother behind. Abrial smothered me, filled me and I wanted more. I rounded the cabin, catching sight of Zadoc as he melted into the shadows. With each step my connection with the wolf grew stronger.
I passed through the open ground to the soft glow of embers as the first snarl filled the air behind me. A howl was cut short followed a scream. A shifter shot up from beside the fire. I stopped and waited as he scanned the camp.
Go back to sleep. There’s nothing to see here.
A woman’s scream rang loud from the barn. “Help me! Please, somebody help me!”
The wolf around the fire leapt to his feet and kicked the man snoring beside him. “Hey, get up! We’re under attack!”
Voices followed, whispered murmurs turned to battle cries. I left the path keeping to the shadows as heavy steps thundered toward me. A scream tore through the air, filled with rage and fury. A scream filled with fire and salvation. The ram and the dragon were here. Be safe brother. Until the fire burns out.
I followed the edge of the path, keeping to the shadows as men rushed past.
“Who is it?”
I stopped at the husky voice, watching the pale haired wolf limp past.
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s the Sheriff.”
Sheriff? I wrenched my head toward the barn. Why would he be here? And why would the wolves have a human?
My lip curled and my hands shudder. In this moment I was jealous of my brother. I wanted to hack and cleave my way through this pack of murderers and rapists. I wanted blood, but more than my need for retribution, I wanted Abrial.
I slipped behind the Alpha following the trail to a small hut. The call hummed through my body like a live wire. I searched for the tether to this wolf and held on tight. I lifted my head and inhaled the air, drawing in the sweet scent I’d come to crave. She was in there, but as I drew in the air and sweetness turned to something darker. I knew she wasn’t alone.
My shoes scuffed the dirt as I crept toward the doorway. A lantern glowed softly behind a covered window. I lingered, catching sight of a bare leg. A woman’s leg. I followed the leg to a smear of blood high up on her thigh. Fire welled in my belly, burning all the way into my throat.
My hand gripped the door before I realized I’d moved, the wooden hinges creaked. I couldn’t do anything about the sound. All I saw was fire and all I smelled was death. The bare leg trembled, the foot drew up, pulling her knees to her chest.
“Abrial?”
Her name ripped a hole in my heart as I rounded the corner to the naked form.
“Marcus?” Someone called my name from the other side of the room. “Marcus, is that you?”
Fire filled my vision from her haunted gaze. I closed the distance as the woman spoke behind me. “Who is it, Abrial?”
My fingers found her perfect face, dirty, scratched, but alive and clothed. Her torn singlet gaped, exposing her stomach. I skirted her body, searching for wounds. “Thank God. Thank God. Are you hurt? Did they hurt you?”
“No… no, no one hurt me.”
A whimper filled the space followed by a step. I spun, staring at the raven haired wolf and felt my world shift. The traces were there, almost the same colored eyes, almost the same perfect lips. Yet underneath the lines of her mouth and the shape of her eyes there was something very different these women. This one looked damaged beyond repair.
Those words filled my head as she shifted her gaze from me to Abrial, then back again. “Who is he, Abrial? Why is he here?”
A bloody nose thickened her voice. Air burst from her nostrils as she spoke. Crimson droplets turned inky in the shadows as they hit her lips. The same ink marked her body. Decency whispered, look away. Raised scars hid underneath the blood of fresh wounds. Her small breasts were cross-marked with raised angry welts. Her splattered thighs stole the fire in my belly. The tuft of black hair between her legs glistened with something other than blood.
“He’ll kill us all.”
The naked wolf edged further away, one glance toward the door and my heart thundered in response. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
I raised my hand and caught her cower. Her wide bright green eyes sparkled with fear and had no place for reason. “He’ll kill us all.”
The scuff of boots echoed
behind me as the dark-haired wolf drew breath. My chest tightened, my pulse sped. I caught her panic a second before the choked sound ripped from her lips.
“Cover her mouth.” I spun as Abrial lunged searching the floor for a rag, anything I could use to muffle the sound. “She’ll bring the others.”
The scrape of boots jerked my focus to Abrial. She jerked her fist back, a small tormenting sound slipped from her lips as she swung. The sickening crunch stilled my breath as her fist landed on her sibling’s cheek. The dark-haired wolf stumbled, then lifted her hand toward Abrial before crumbling. Abrial’s clenched fist still hovered mid-air as she watched her sister wobble, then fall.
Her choked cry ended with a thud against the door. Her raspy breaths filled the cabin as I jerked my head toward my red-haired wolf and muttered. “Or, you can always just knock her out.”
The shadows against the wall shrank Abrial crouched. She reached out to brush stray black strands from the woman’s face. “She would’ve never let us leave.”
Please stop. Don’t hurt her. Take me, that was the deal. Me for her… me for her.
“Who is she Abrial?”
Her stricken gaze found me, nailing me to the spot as she whispered. “She’s my sister.”
“I won’t leave her.” I clenched my fist and spun. “I’ll never leave her.”
The crease deepened in his brow, and for a second the sky seemed to fall in those dark eyes. Then the dragon turned, crouched and swept something from the floor. My black shirt that’d been inside my backpack draped from his fist as he rose and closed the distance. “Then get her dressed and for Goddess sake hurry.”
Every nerve screamed move! But it was Rowen’s words that rooted me to the spot. He’ll kill us all. He’ll kill us all….
The dragon scanned the doorway behind me. Outside the wolves howled, fire, fury… fight... invaders. Their call was like a drug in my veins, urging me to shift and take arms with teeth and claws.
“What are you waiting for?”
I dropped my gaze finding my sister’s bare feet. They looked so small, almost like a child’s. Just like Maddy’s little baby. Think of the others… think of Marcus. I licked my lips and followed the contour of his chest as it rose, and then fell.