by Wendy Owens
I lift my shoulders, feeling like the world has found its axis finally and settled on it. No more spinning.
I continue, “I don’t know, but this isn’t right. I can feel death all around us. Trust me; we gotta get out of here.”
Her eyes narrow as she moves in close to me, her hand just inside her jacket, resting on her wand. “All right, fine. Stay behind me,” she says, her tone filled with frustration.
A grin creeps across my face. It’s good to know that even when I piss the little thing off, she always has my back. “Seriously?” I laugh.
“What?” she says, sounding disgruntled.
“I think I can handle myself.”
“It’s why I’m here, so could you let me do my job for once?” she rolls her eyes at me and turns to walk to the front of the building.
“I just meant you and I aren’t like that. I’m very much capable of—”
“Piper!” a voice calls out from the darkness. I watch her stop walking and relax at the sound of the voice. It’s been years since their teenage relationship. They were kids at the time, and he betrayed her, so how can she still feel such intensity for him that just his voice can evoke that reaction. She might be able to trust him again, but I’m not so easily won over.
She glances over her shoulder, ensuring I’m following as we approach the side door of the warehouse. Don’t worry; I’m not going to let you out of my sight with him.
My stomach turns as I watch her attempt to make small talk with Peter. What is it in women that allow us to chase after men who have a proven track record of betrayal? Is it something that is inherently broken inside of us as a sex? I’ve never wanted to take the risk that I might have that same genetic defect. That’s why it’s a strict no-strings-attached policy for me.
“We can’t thank you enough for your help with our investigation,” she says after greeting Peter. Help? Are you kidding me? This guy has done nothing but avoid our questions. I’ve had just about all I can take of this.
“Okay, we’re here. Why did you drag us out to poser rave central in the middle of the night? I could have saved my cab fare and skipped the dozens of mindless rich kids flooding into this nightmare of an establishment. They pretend it’s to listen to a subpar DJ when in reality it’s to score some of the latest designer drugs in an attempt to make sense of their meaningless lives while they zone out watching the latest hologram effects dance across the ceiling.”
“Wow, don’t sugar coat it, really tell him how you feel,” Piper hisses as her jaw tightens and almost breaks when she turns to glare at me.
Rhetorically I ask, “Am I wrong?”
“When you got here, you only saw the party they want you to see,” Peter says. “The lines waiting to get into the club.”
I tilt my head, curious now. “I’m listening.”
“What you’re talking about is the street door, that’s not what I brought you here to check out,” Peter explains, pulling open the door that a brick is propping open right behind us. Piper takes a step forward, but I grab her arm and shake my head. I’m not heading into this situation blindly.
“What did you bring us here to see?” I ask sternly.
“The real event happens in the basement.”
“Said every serial killer ever,” I grunt as I roll my eyes.
Piper slaps my arm with the back of her hand. “Tynder!”
I shrug. “What? I’m stating the obvious, I know.”
“The longer we stay out here, the more chance we have of being discovered,” Peter says firmly, shifting anxiously from side to side.
“Well, then I guess you better talk faster,” I warn.
“They tell the rave kids the VIP only party is in the basement,” I watch him as his eyes shift nervously from Piper to me. He’s scared—no, terrified.
“Who tells them that?” I cock my head to the side and ask.
He sighs, lowering his head. “They’ll kill my family if I say anything.”
“I’ll kill you if you don’t,” I level my gaze and glare at him, making sure he gets the full effect of my intimidating glowing eyes.
“Stop it,” Piper demands, but I ignore her.
“You might as well be one of them if you’re going to protect them,” I tell him.
He frowns, there’s an uncertain pause, “I’m not protecting them.”
“You didn’t have a problem speaking up about Piper being a witch all those years ago, but now that there’s a serious bad guy on the loose you can’t bring yourself to talk.” I move in closer to him, pressing a pointed finger into his chest. I can see his true being, in his wolf form, but it doesn’t scare me. All I see is a coward.
With both hands, Piper is pulling at me, but even with her firm grip, she can’t budge me.
“You think I told them about her?” he asks, hurt filling his eyes.
“Peter, you don’t have to—” Piper interrupts him.
“Is that what you think, too?” He’s staring at Piper now.
I step back. She shrugs and looks at the ground before asking, “Didn’t you?”
“No! I thought you knew what happened. God, all these years you’ve thought that? You must think I’m such a dick.”
“Well, one of us does,” I mutter under my breath.
“No, I figured you were just doing what you thought would be best for me.” I bite my lip as I listen to her for fear I might begin shouting at her.
“Piper, my mother was listening to one of our phone calls. She was the one who reported you. Honestly, if it hadn’t been for my little brother, I probably would have run away after that. The woman is insufferable. She's obsessed with making sure our family rises in the Grimlore house, but my brother and I couldn’t care less about the Fae world. I couldn’t leave him there with that psycho.” He turns his head, pinning me with his glare. “That’s why I’m so scared to say anything. They won’t kill me; they’ll kill him. That’s how they work. They’re monsters.”
“Are you trying to blame your behavior on mommy issues?” I ask, not believing him for a second.
“No, there’s no excuse for what happened to Piper. My brother is almost grown. It won’t be long, and I can get him as far away from my mother as I can.”
“You’re leaving?” Piper breathes the words. I’m sure the revelation she just heard is consuming her thoughts. I know I’m seeing the guy in a different light, but he’s not out of the doghouse yet. After all, why should I believe him?
He nods, his eyes fixed on Pipers. “She broke my father a long time ago. I can’t do sit around and do nothing while she tries to do the same to my brother and me.”
“Look, whatever’s going on, Piper and I can help. I’m a Royal Magistrate.”
He laughs, and I feel foolish for my arrogant statement. “They don’t care who you are.” He jumps, looks at his watch, and then grabs Piper’s wrists. “Please, it’s almost time; just come with me, and you’ll see what’s going on. You’ll understand.”
Without another word, Piper follows him inside and down a narrow hall. I follow them, keeping a close eye on the darkness behind us. The hairs on the back of my neck are standing up.
“How do you know about this place?” I ask, not feeling as eager to trust him as Piper is.
“My buddy is a bouncer. He was the one that told me about—” He hesitates. “Well, you’ll see.”
“Where are we going?” I ask, but he hushes me in response. If I weren’t so freaked out, I would probably hit him for it. I can’t believe this kid has me so on edge. Nothing can be as bad as he’s making it out to be.
I watch as Peter drops to the ground, and quickly rolls through a gap between the floor and wall. Piper begins to follow him, then hesitates, looking back at me. “Should we do this?”
“We’ve come this far,” I answer her. “But I’m going to be so pissed at you if you get us chopped up into a thousand little pieces.”
She rolls through the tiny space in a matter of seconds, and then I make the jou
rney myself. Much to my surprise, I fall several feet before landing with a thud on a layer of fine gravel. My eyes are adjusting to the darkness when I hear Peter whisper, “This is the old cellar; the catacombs connect over this way.”
I can feel Piper gripping my jacket as we move along. The ceilings are so low we have to stay hunched over as we move. Up ahead, I can see a light to the right. The once-muffled music begins to fill the corridor. We inch closer, and I find myself holding my breath. You’re a Phoenix, act like it.
A moment later, we all drop to the ground, peering through a small arched opening in the stone wall. Below us is an expansive room filled from front to back with bodies—sweaty, frenzied, dancing bodies. I can smell the sweat. More importantly, I can see there are a large number of humans with an equally high number of wolves among them, and the humans have no clue because they can’t see their true form.
“What is this place?” I ask in a whisper.
Peter lifts a finger to his lips and points back to the room.
This isn’t the room the people on the street are waiting to get into. This is a different party that is happening under the building. Perhaps this is where only the most beautiful or desirable humans are granted access to party with the Lycans?
Piper nudges my arm and points at the stage. A Lycan dressed in all black approaches the DJ, placing a hand on his shoulder. Immediately the music is silenced, and the man at the turntable steps aside. A hush begins to fall over the crowd; a few stray shouts from random sweaty dancers ring out.
Suddenly, I feel Peter’s hot breath hit my ear as he speaks. “That’s him,” he whispers.
I want to ask him who, but I can’t take my eyes off the man. He’s tall, abnormally so, and though compared to most people he would seem to be an average weight, on his frame he seems slender. He observes the crowd, waiting for—no, commanding—complete attention. It doesn’t take long.
The man clears his throat and leans forward, lessening the distance between him and the microphone. “Good evening,” he begins. He has an accent, some Middle East country, but I can’t quite place it. With a pause, he runs a hand through his dark hair. “You all are here this evening because you have been … chosen.”
The way he delivers that sentence makes me shiver. My eyes shift to an oversized silver charm around his neck. A triangle with the point facing down and two crescent shapes in the center that remind me of wings. There is something so familiar about it, but I’m unsure where I have seen it before. Damn it! Where have I seen that symbol?
“You all live in a world that prefers to keep you weak. Tonight… here, in this very chamber, we will give you strength,” the crowd cheers in response. From the corner of my eye, I start to see movement in the crowd. All of the Lycans begin to disrobe.
“What’s happening?” I whisper, glancing at Peter for only a moment.
He doesn’t respond, only nods his head forward.
“Tonight you will be granted an opportunity to prove you are worthy of the power bestowed upon us all by the Blazing Moon.”
I glance at Peter for an explanation, but before he can answer, a sound fills the air that makes a tingle run down my spine and my stomach twist. It’s the sounds of bones cracking, claws clicking against the pavement, and flesh stretching and popping.
I swallow hard, and my mouth falls open as I watch the Lycans shift from wolf-man-like creatures only I can see, into real wolves, appearing with four legs and a long dog-like nose. They’re not wolves, though—more like wolves on steroids. On all fours, they are five feet tall. Hearing a random shriek, I can tell I am no longer the only one who can see them. In their actual wolf form, the entire floor of humans can see them for what they are. The one cry turns into multiple shrieks of horror until a mass panic erupts, and then suddenly the music kicks in again. The lights begin pulsing, and the beat is thudding, vibrating in my head.
I push myself up onto my knees. I don’t know what to do, how to fight these things, but I know I have to do something; however, I can’t move. Peter has a grip on one of my wrists and Piper on the other. I look back and forth between them, and I know they’re not going to release me. I have to get down there; it’s going to be a—
It’s too late. The screams grow louder. My eyes dart to the crowd, where I see bright pops of red all around the room. No matter where the people run, the wolves follow them, leaping through the air, sinking their teeth into flesh. The mixture of music and screams muffles the sound of skin being ripped away. I won’t be silent. If they won’t willingly release me, then I will force them to.
“Hey, assholes!” I shout as loudly as I can from our perch.
But, before I can say another word, Peter has one arm around my body and the other covering my mouth. He’s dragging me, his display of strength is unsettling, but I try and fight anyway, my heels digging in and dragging through the gravel floor of this basement serving as a chamber of horrors. My eyes widen as I see Piper bringing up the rear. I wait for her to help me, but it’s clear she has no intention of intervening.
We’ve made it back to the crack in the wall we entered through; Peter shifts his hand away from my mouth.
“Let me go!” I demand, the cries from the people filling the area around us now beginning to fade.
“A little help?” Peter huffs, looking at Piper.
I watch in disbelief as Piper pulls out her wand. “Don’t you dare,” I warn. Her eyes narrow, and with a quick flick of her wrist, I feel my limbs grow heavy. I try to open my mouth to scream, but my lips do not react. Peter sets me on the ground and in a quick series of precise movements he manages to climb back through the crawl space we came in. Piper helps him lift me into the hallway after she joins us. I can’t move my head to see what’s happening. Peter tosses me over his shoulder like I’m a sack of flour.
We’re outside, back in the alley, and I watch the night sky shift around me. My eyes dart between Piper, who is hovering over me where Peter set me down, and the moon. It almost appears as though the moon is on fire, the orange colors licking at the edges of the glowing orb.
“If I undo the spell, you have to promise me you’re not going to flip out,” she offers without waiting for my answer. With a flick of the wand, I can move again. Instinct takes over. I’m on my feet, and I shove Piper. She lands on her butt on the ground. She’s lucky I don’t do worse to her.
I place Peter square in my sights, pull back my arm as far as I can, and put everything I’ve got into the punch that slugs him in the jaw. He doesn’t fight me. At this moment I think I can kill him—kill, dear God, all those people in that basement. I spin toward the door. I have to get back in and help them.
“Tynder, you can’t,” Piper yells after me.
The door we just exited from opens, and two Lycans emerge dressed in all black. They haven’t transformed into full wolves yet, and I have no intention of waiting for them to do so. I guess someone did hear me yell out.
“We have to get out of here,” Piper pleads. She is back on her feet, standing right behind me.
“No, you two need to get out of here. There are some Lycans who need to learn a lesson,” I inform her.
“Peter—” Piper starts, spinning around. I hear her gasp. “Where’s Peter?”
I don’t have time to look around. I have two rather large men staring at me like I’m dinner. “Little busy here.”
“He’s gone,” she cries.
“Great, so now we know he’s a coward, too,” I snarl. The Lycan on the right isn’t waiting any longer. He doesn’t say a word and instead charges in my direction. I pull up my fists and widen my stance. If a fight is what they want, then a fight is what I will give them.
His pace doesn’t slow, and behind him I see his friend start moving in my direction. I leap to one side, and the first guy goes flying past me. The second is close behind, though.
“Ever heard of a fair fight, boys?” I taunt, my fist connecting with the second Lycan’s jaw.
I can hear Piper b
ehind me casting a spell and see a blue light emanating from her direction. Whatever she has done to the thing, he wouldn’t be bothering me in the immediate future.
“Come on!” I yell at the second Lycan, and he responds with a swift kick to my gut.
Air escapes my lungs, and I fight to recover my footing. All Nash and Piper talk about is how I have all these great powers, but when the hell are they going to kick in? I could use a little laser vision or something right about now.
That same cracking and popping noise starts behind me that we heard in the catacombs. The Lycan who was frozen in one of Piper’s enchantments is now shifting into his full wolf form.
“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” I moan.
“Tynder, I can’t hold him with magic in that form,” Piper warns. I glance at the man now writhing in the blue cocoon she had cast on him. I’m still clutching my stomach. Before I can turn my head, I receive another boot to my rib cage.
I cough, then groan. “Jesus, kick a woman while she’s down, why don’t you? Real classy.”
He’s coming at me again, a snarl on his lips. “We’re going to kill you.”
“Maybe, but not tonight.” As the words leave my mouth, I swipe upward with a closed fist, landing it squarely on the shoulder of the second wolf. Not my best aim, but it will have to do.
Piper was right; I don’t know what I was thinking. There is no way I can fight one of these things after they’ve shifted. I take Piper’s arm and run, pulling us away from the fight. I can hear the morphing man fall to the ground with a thud. He’ll be completely changed in a matter of moments, and there is no way we can outrun him once he’s a wolf. I give one last look over my shoulder and see the second man stretching and craning his neck.
“Lā shǐ!” I exclaim the Chinese expletive.
“What is it?” Piper huffs as she runs next to me.
“Just run,” I command, shaking my head and pushing my way through the crowd. The wolves in the catacombs are chewing their way through humans. There’s no way these two creatures fighting us are going to care about a crowded street of clubgoers waiting in line; they’re coming for us.