by R. Mason
The answer was obvious, though, because as soon as his question was out, there was a sharp pain in Dylan’s neck and he was out cold.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
There was only so much waiting Amethyst could do. This plan relied on Kamini showing up, whether it be with the knowledge of the ambush, or without it. She had to show.
All they had to do was lead her to where Faye was, once the moon was full, and fight. Amethyst knew even if her wolf wasn’t completely her, it would protect Faye. It had to. She just needed enough coherence to know that she had to kill Kamini.
Cut off the head of the snake, and the body dies.
Harper and Dylan were waiting for a signal from her, when it was over, when Kamini was dead. When they got it, they’d hunt down the other wolves of her pack and make them flee. They’d be gone. It’d be over.
That was the main plan. If Harper wasn’t on the wrong side, it should go off without a hitch. There were things that could go wrong, but overall it was a good plan. Kamini couldn’t be that many steps ahead.
Amethyst stroked her fingers against the carving in the tree. She knew that if she called out, Kamini would hear her. If she thought hard enough, Kamini would come. She would feel it.
Steeling herself, Amethyst thought of her mum, of Rida, smiling at her in the morning when she was late for school. She thought of Ash, lovingly calling her Ace, and their trip to the movies a few days ago. She thought of Yeva, and Yeva’s sister, who would never be able to see anyone again because of Kamini. She thought of Faye, of Dylan, of all the people in this town that didn’t deserve to die.
No one deserved to die.
Killing Kamini felt wrong, and sick, but it was the only thing they could do. She wasn’t diplomatic. People like this really did deserve to die. The hurt she had caused, the people she had ruined, including Amethyst, deserved justice.
Amethyst deserved justice.
“I know you’re here,” Amethyst said, keeping the panic out of her voice, hoping she wasn’t speaking to thin air, “I know what you want.”
“You know nothing, little one,” Kamini stepped out from the trees, and Amethyst held back her panic. She knew Kamini would smell it on her. She turned around, so she could make eye contact with the woman that wanted to kill everyone in this town.
Kamini looked the same as always. The air of confidence was there, but there was a haze around it. It was like she knew she had won. But no, there was something else. Amethyst couldn’t put her finger on it. She strained her ears to listen for anyone else in the forest. If Kamini had brought someone with her, Amethyst would have been able to hear them.
“I know,” Amethyst took a step forward, acting like she wanted to be closer to Kamini rather than miles away, “You were right about me. I can’t pretend anymore.”
“And what was I right about?” Kamini tilted her head, and Amethyst took another step closer.
“That you’re the only one for me. My creator,” She said, “None of my friends understand what it’s like to be a wolf. What the pull feels like, when I’m near you.”
“You are finally giving in?”
“How can’t I?”
“I’m glad,” Kamini smiled, baring her teeth, “Then you can come with me, for the next part.”
“Next part?” Amethyst asked, like she had no idea what Kamini had planned, “What next part?”
Instead of replying, Kamini just laughed, and Amethyst never thought she would have felt so crappy about being right.
“You must think I am stupid,” Kamini looked behind her and curled a finger, “Your little rat cannot out smart me. I have had my eye on him, a special eye.”
Before Amethyst could ask who, Leon was being pushed forward, tape over his mouth, his hands bound with rope. Amethyst would have laughed at the ridiculousness of it all if her heart wasn’t in her throat. How had she not heard the heartbeats?
After Leon hit the ground, Terry, the old man, walked out from between the trees, snarling. It wasn’t Harper, but it wasn’t good either. It was starting to get dark, and just seeing the man who was with Faye when she was taken made Amethyst growl. He glared at her, but didn’t make any move to attack. Glancing up told Amethyst that the full moon was just becoming visible.
Leon was writhing, trying to escape his bounds. It wasn’t going to work. Why wasn’t he changing? Amethyst tapped the bottle in her pocket.
“I thought we were having a moment,” She remarked with a raised eyebrow, looking at Kamini.
“If you had just given me what I wanted,” Kamini drawled, “We would not be here. We would all be safe. Now, there is no guarantee.”
“What?” Amethyst frowned, “You’re killing everyone in town, how does that mean you’re not safe? What am I missing?”
Kamini laughed again, and it sent chills down Amethyst’s spine. This wasn’t right. She was confident, yes, but the haze around her was growing stronger. Amethyst was almost choking on it.
“I have the power inside of me,” Kamini said, gesturing to her own body, covered in tattered clothing and scars, “It needs another vessel.”
“A vessel- what?”
“Ah,” Kamini looked just over Amethyst’s shoulder, “Finally.”
Whipping around, hackles up, Amethyst saw Harper, with Dylan in his arms. The boy was clearly unconscious, and Harper’s face was unreadable.
He didn’t even look at her, instead putting Dylan’s limp body down, leaning him against the trunk of a tree. He moved some hair out of the boy’s face, whispered something, and stood again.
“How predictable,” Amethyst grumbled, but Harper still wasn’t looking at her. He was walking over to Kamini.
At first, Amethyst thought he was going to embrace her, that they were maybe closer than she first thought, in an intimate way. What she definitely didn’t think he was going to do, was punch her in the face. She stumbled slightly, but didn’t fall. Harper was hovering by her side, fists clenching and unclenching.
“You said it would be done!” He yelled, glaring at her shocked face as she cupped her jaw, “You promised we would be safe. That he would be safe.”
“I promised nothing,” Kamini spat, “You are a wishful thinker. I said it would be done, but I did not promise your pet’s safety.”
“Don’t call him that.”
Harper was fuming. Amethyst could almost smell his anger, could almost feel it in the air. He was working with her, that was for sure. But to what ends? Why? Before her train of thought could stray any further, Harper was turning towards her.
“Get on your knees,” He growled, then closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. It looked like he was near turning. Amethyst quickly obeyed. She couldn’t fight everyone.
“It has to happen soon,” Kamini said, “Or she won’t survive the transfer.”
“Get Volkov,” Harper commanded, and Kamini looked like she wanted to argue, but nodded. She turned around and grabbed someone out of the darkness.
Volkov.
Bloody, and beaten, the man looked barely alive. His breaths were slow and laboured, and there was a thick trail of blood slowly dripping down the side of his head.
“Is he going to be able to do it in this state?” Harper frowned, roughly grabbing the man’s chin, and assessing his head wound. Volkov groaned slightly, but stayed on his knees, letting himself be man handled.
“He was worse when he put it in me.”
“Put what in you?” Amethyst couldn’t stop herself from asking, and all eyes snapped to her, “What did he put in you?”
“The power,” Kamini said like that explained it all, then looked at Harper again, “If we get it in her before the moon fully rises, we can get out before she goes off.”
“And Dylan? Will he survive?”
“You’ll have to wait and find out,” Kamini said darkly, and Harper closed his eyes again. He was working hard to rein himself in. There were so many questions whirling around in Amethyst’s head, and she knew they wouldn’t be answered if s
he voiced them aloud.
“Volkov,” Harper grabbed the man’s face again, “You need to do the incantation. Now.”
“I-” Volkov stopped to cough, some blood splattering on the floor. Harper flinched, and shot Kamini a dirty look- “I can’t.”
“What do you mean you can’t?” Harper’s grip on Volkov’s face tightened, and Amethyst was tempted to run. They were all so distracted by the interaction that they probably wouldn’t notice.
All she did was move her knee, and there were hands on her shoulders, pushing her down into the dirt.
“Nice try,” Someone said, and Amethyst looked up to see Oliver, the emo kid from Kamini’s group, stood above her. One of the twins was next to him, but the other was missing. There was a lot of blood on her skirt, so Amethyst looked away, not wanting to think about what might’ve happened to her twin.
Next to Terry, Anthea emerged from the darkness, and Amethyst wondered how many other heartbeats Kamini was masking. Maybe the reason Volkov was so worn was because he had helped. The bottle was burning a hole in Amethyst’s pocket, and she prayed that her plan would work. She hadn’t considered that there would be three innocent bystanders, though.
Well, two innocent bystanders, and an ex-bad guy.
“Kamini,” Amethyst said, and only Kamini bothered to pay attention to her, “Please. I just- I need to give you a message.”
“Why would I want a message from you?”
“Because I remind you of Ayita,” Amethyst said, getting up so she was on her knees again. No one stopped her. She could see that it was getting to Kamini. Instead of her usual sneer, she looked shocked. Like the memory of someone she used to know had just hit her like a truck. It was just what Amethyst needed, “As an honour to her, please, just listen to me.”
Buying what Amethyst was selling, Kamini gave Volkov a disdainful look, then came towards her, slowly, like she was scared. Amethyst loved making her scared.
“Closer,” Amethyst let a tear fall down her cheek, “Please.”
Kamini came closer, until she was knelt on the floor, looking at Amethyst like she had seen a ghost. For a moment, Amethyst wondered what it was about her that reminded Kamini of Ayita. It could have been her dark skin, her crooked nose. Maybe it was her eyes.
She didn’t think about it long.
“Closer,” Amethyst whispered, and waited until there was just a breath’s width between them. There was only a second-long window, and Amethyst took it. She reached into her pocket, grabbed a pill, stuffed it in Kamini’s mouth and felt a growl low in her throat as Kamini tried to fight her off, “This is the message, Kamini,” Amethyst could feel hands trying to pull her from on top of Kamini, but they couldn’t stop her now, not now that she had her, “What does death feel like?”
After that, she let herself get dragged off, and landed on her back. Before she could be held down, Amethyst put her hands on the ground either side of her head, and flipped herself upright. Once on her feet, she threw a punch at Oliver, and dodged one from Anthea. When did she run over here?
She looked up at the full moon, and smiled. Now, she had to get to Faye.
There was no way in hell she was taking these many people with her. She only needed Kamini.
“Come and get it,” Amethyst growled, and Oliver swung again. As she was trying to stop her eyes from being clawed out, she saw Harper shouting commands at Volkov, and a small ball of light appeared between the man’s hands, “Oh, no.”
Just as Volkov released the light, Oliver pounced for Amethyst, giving her the opportunity to keep him there, in front of her. The light hit him, and he cried out. His eyes lit up, the same colour as the ball, then he crumbled.
He was dead.
Before Volkov could throw the simmering light between his hands again, Amethyst held hers up in surrender.
“You can’t use me for whatever you’re planning if I’m dead,” She said, looking at Harper, “Dylan won’t be safe.”
“You don’t even know what you’re talking about,” Harper shook his head, but still looked unsure.
“But I’m right,” Amethyst said, “Aren’t I?”
She almost crossed her fingers, praying she was. Harper deflated.
“I am,” She breathed, relaxing, but not completely. She looked up again, seeing the sun setting to her left, and the moon becoming clearer and clearer. It was getting too close. There wasn’t long left.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Harper pointed at her, “You’re not getting to Faye. You’re staying here. We all know the plan, not just me.”
“You know the plan?” Amethyst nodded condescendingly, “Then tell me, why does Kamini look like that?”
She looked pointedly over her shoulder, and Kamini was there, looking at her hands, then hitting her ears. It was obvious what had happened. There was still the haze around her, but she wasn’t a werewolf. Not right now.
“What did you do?” Harper let his anger get the best of him, and grabbed Amethyst by the front of her T Shirt. She smiled at him, and his expression turned from angry to confused.
“This,” Amethyst said, then stuffed a pill in his mouth. He turned to spit it out, but Leon was on him before he could, holding a hand over his mouth and tackling him to the ground. Harper fought and writhed, but Leon was attached to him like a koala. Eventually he stopped struggling, having swallowed. Leon let him go, and stood up. He came to Amethyst’s side and took in a laboured breath.
“How did you-?” Amethyst asked, but Leon held up a hand, showing her the claws at his fingertips.
“I have good control,” He winked, and Amethyst almost laughed. Now wasn’t the time, and he wasn’t the person she wanted to laugh with.
Looking around, Amethyst saw that Anthea, Terry, and the little girl had fled. They didn’t want to meet the same fate as the other three. Kamini was sat down now, staring at her hands as if they had betrayed her.
“You don’t understand!” Harper shouted, sitting up. He shuffled back when he noticed the knife still pointed at him, and held his hands up, “This is bigger than just Kamini! You can’t stop it now. She’s live.”
“You’re talking about her like she’s a bomb,” Amethyst shook her head, “What have you done, Harper?”
“She promised me,” Harper looked down at his lap, helpless, “She promised me I could save Dylan.”
“You still can,” Amethyst crouched so she could meet his eyes, “Just tell us what you’ve done. We can fix this.”
“No, we can’t,” Harper was shaking, staring at where he had left Dylan with tears in his eyes, “It’s too late. She’s going to go off, and we’re all going to die.”
“Why?” Amethyst implored, but he was completely unresponsive, sobbing now.
“I am filled with power,” Kamini said quietly, and Amethyst and Leon turned around, ignoring Harper’s growing sobs, “Volkov filled me with it. Raw energy. I am a nuclear bomb, ready to blow. I will not die. I will be a shell. We were meant to use you,” She looked up, glaring, “But you were uncooperative.
“I already have the spark, and you do too. It was meant to work, you insolent child.”
“How do we stop it?” Leon shouted, “How?!”
“You can’t,” Kamini stood up, flexing her fingers, “I am too powerful.”
She smiled then, looking up like she had just heard something. Her eyes were feral, her teeth elongated. She was turning.
“Free Volkov, take Dylan, and run,” Amethyst said to Leon.
“But-”
“Just do it!” Amethyst shoved him in the opposite direction of where Faye was, and ran towards the alcove. She hoped he did as he was told. There wasn’t any room for error now. Everything that could have gone wrong, had gone wrong. It felt wrong to take a bomb directly to Faye, but she couldn’t do anything else.
The moon was the brightest thing in the sky now, and Amethyst fell to her hands and knees. She had no idea whether she was at the alcove or not, but didn’t have the energy to care.
As she lost consciousness, the painful change taking over, Amethyst hoped that she would see everyone again when she came to. If she came to.
CHAPTER THIRTY
FAYE
There wasn’t really a set signal for when Faye was meant to emerge, but she had a feeling that the growling near her alcove was it. She took in a deep breath, and walked out of her hidden safe spot, into battle.
The kiss wasn’t meant to be a farewell. It was meant to be a promise for more. A promise for tomorrow. The kiss wasn’t meant to be the first and last. Faye hoped that it wouldn’t be.
Since Amethyst said she would have gone with Kamini for her, Faye knew. She knew her feelings couldn’t have been one sided, or at least not completely. There just needed to be a right time to let Amethyst know that her unrequited love wasn’t so unrequited. She just hoped she wasn’t wrong.
She looked around, searching for the source of the growling.
Then she saw it.
A snarling wolf, just hidden in the darkness of some trees. From here, Faye couldn’t tell if it was Amethyst or someone else, but held her hands out anyway, what she always did once Amethyst had turned.
“Hey, Ace,” She said, hoping it was the right name for the wolf, “You okay? Feeling ready to catch some rabbits?”
She never knew what to say when Amethyst was newly turned. One time, Faye had tried to go straight into the story, but it didn’t feel right. There was usually an introduction to these things, right? She was doing that.
“I’m going to ask you nicely not to eat me,” Faye swallowed, “please.”
The wolf emerged from the darkness, and Faye closed her eyes in relief. It was definitely Amethyst. That shade of auburn was her hair, her fur, and Faye had a feeling no one else would look just like it.
“You’re prowling,” Faye said, stepping back, “I’m not a fan.”
Amethyst crawled further forwards. Her top lip curled back in a snarl, and there was no recognition in her eyes. Faye knew what it looked like when Amethyst recognised her. She had seen it so many times over the last year. This was no different. Faye tried not to think about the stakes of this full moon. If she couldn’t break Amethyst out of this, then there was no saving anyone.