The Dark

by Cheyenne McCray

  The rule about not killing Darkwolf sucked big-time.

  Great Guardian and her “balance in Otherworlds” bull.

  It seemed like ages before Jake finally reached the wharf. He clung to one of the pilings—one of the pier’s enormous legs—grateful to have something help bear his weight. The smells of pitch, water-battered wood, and brine were strong.

  The tide was high enough that it wasn’t a long shot to climb from the water onto the wharf.

  First, he had to find the strength to climb.

  Second, he had to do it without Darkwolf noticing him.

  No problem.

  Jake grabbed the edge of the planks with his numb fingers, finding it hard to even hold on. Every muscle in his arms shook and cramped as he pulled himself up—thank God for his extensive military training.

  Not to mention the strength he had from rock climbing, and his intensive regular workouts in the gym at the warehouse and when he’d worked out of the precinct’s PSF office when he worked there.

  He rose just high enough to peek at Darkwolf and to see if he could spot Cassia.

  Immediately to his right, Cassia stood behind her golden shield—it was a much deeper gold now. She’d obviously enhanced the barrier during the time Jake swam from where he’d been tossed into the bay. This time she didn’t surround herself in a bubble—she only had a wall of protection between her and Darkwolf. It looked stronger than her bubble had, even though the bubble had seemed unbreakable—until Darkwolf proved them wrong.

  Kael was nowhere in sight.

  Cassia spotted Jake as he raised his head just enough that his eyes met hers. In the glow of her shield he saw her shoulders slacken as if with relief to see him. She didn’t give any other sign of acknowledgment and focused completely on Darkwolf.

  Jake turned his head slightly to the left and saw a pair of black running shoes and soaked jeans. His gaze traveled up to see the warlock-god, now standing. Pain and rage twisted Darkwolf’s features.

  He let out a howl filled with anguish and fury—

  And vengeance.

  Darkwolf faced the shoreline, his back to Jake. The warlock-god spread out his arms, tilted his face to the sky, and howled again.

  Oh, shit.

  Dark storm clouds swirled so furiously over the bay that it looked like a cyclone would rise from the water.

  Lightning strikes lit up the night, one after another, so close that the crack of thunder caused the wharf to shake. The almost continuous sound was nearly deafening and Jake’s ears rang.

  Rain poured from the sky in a rush, as if some great being had tipped over an enormous bucket with a never-ending supply of water. The rain was warmer than the bay, and partially thawed out the half of Jake that was out of the water.

  The power of the storm increased, loud and furious, matching Darkwolf’s next roar of pain-filled rage.

  In what light there was from the lightning strikes, Jake could make out funnels on the expanse of Crissy Field, again tearing into the Alliance and Marines.

  Jake’s own rage rose up in him, boosting his strength. He was behind the seven-foot-tall warlock-god. The storm was so loud Darkwolf wasn’t likely to hear him, so Jake didn’t bother to be quiet.

  He hoisted himself onto the pier. It hurt like a sonofabitch. His muscles trembled and screamed. His body shook from cold and pain. The wood dug into his flesh as he scraped his body across it.

  Jake staggered to his feet.

  He jerked his containment weapon out of its holster and pushed himself to go on.

  As he gripped the gun with both hands, Jake paused for a moment and sucked in a deep breath of air.

  That brief moment cost him.

  Darkwolf turned.

  Faced Jake.

  Not only did Darkwolf’s eyes gleam a furious red in the night, but a bright orange-red glow came through his T-shirt where his heart should be.

  With both hands, Jake brought the gun up and aimed it at Darkwolf.

  The warlock-god flicked his fingers.

  A force jerked the weapon from Jake’s hands so hard it felt like his own fingers would be ripped off.

  Still, he tried to hold onto the array gun, but it slipped from his hands and skittered across the landing.

  Shit.

  Jake had the urge to take a step back. But a thought whirled through his mind. If he could keep Darkwolf busy—

  Praying Darkwolf would want to fight hand to hand, and not use his magic to blow Jake to pieces, he held his stance.

  It was this or nothing. “Why don’t you stop hiding behind your magic?” Jake said in a taunting voice. “Why don’t you take me on like a man?”

  Darkwolf clenched his fists at his sides as he took a step closer to Jake. The warlock-god seemed to grow even taller than his seven feet. Jake was six-six, but he found himself looking up at least a foot at Darkwolf. Bastard was bigger than a horse. Probably bigger than one of those underground Otherworld giants he’d heard of.

  Jake gave a dry smile. Guess I’ll just have to go for his kneecaps after all.

  “Sure. Why don’t we take each other on like heathens?” Darkwolf raised one of his fists. “I’d love to slam my fist into your face and smash your nose clean into your brain, Macgregor.”

  “Think you could lay off your god-powers, Kevin Richards?” Jake asked, going for the surprise as Darkwolf took a step closer to him.

  Darkwolf came up short, shock on his face. “How the—”

  “What happened to Richards?” Jake didn’t let his defenses down as he taunted Darkwolf. “Is there even a piece of the man inside you? Or did Balor and Ceithlenn turn Richards into their servant, their slave? Dirt beneath their feet.”

  Darkwolf’s eyes glowed a brighter red, his expression turning even more vicious. He started toward Jake again.

  Shit.

  Jake ground his teeth. Should have stopped while you were ahead, Macgregor.

  No use waiting. Jake threw himself at the warlock-god. Dead-leg front kick to the gut—and a reverse punch, too.

  Jake’s teeth slammed together as his foot and fist bashed into what felt like solid steel.

  Double-shit.

  Darkwolf laughed, a dark, ominous laugh, and he picked his rear leg up high to deliver a front kick as he stepped closer to Jake.

  He turned his body to avoid Darkwolf’s kick. The warlock-god used his forward momentum and took Jake down with a roundhouse kick to his chest.

  Jake couldn’t help a loud grunt of pain as at least one of his ribs cracked and air whooshed out of his lungs.

  “What’s this about fighting like a man?” Darkwolf said as he rammed Jake with another powerful kick to the side while Jake was still on his hands and knees.

  A sickening crack that Jake felt to his toes.

  There went another rib.

  “Doesn’t look like there’s much man in you, Macgregor.” Darkwolf tossed a look at Cassia as Jake pushed himself to his feet. “After you die, she’s next.”

  Rage boiled inside Jake. No way in hell was Darkwolf going to get to Cassia.

  Jake barely leaned out of the way—or maybe he just staggered out of the way—closer to the array gun as Darkwolf aimed his fist at Jake’s head.

  Ignoring all the screaming pain and numbness throughout his body, Jake charged Darkwolf, who came up short at the unexpected move. It gave Jake the chance to deliver a reverse punch to Darkwolf’s jaw.

  Jake felt Darkwolf’s jaws snap together as the bastard’s head jerked back.

  Good. Damn you. I hope that hurt like hell.

  Snarling louder than a pissed-off grizzly, Jake jammed his foot behind Darkwolf’s closest leg, tripped the warlock, and rammed his elbow into Darkwolf’s throat.

  Darkwolf was so big that when he hit the wharf it actually shook. Jake knew he hadn’t done any real damage. Darkwolf was a god now, for fuck’s sake.

  But it had gotten Jake closer to the array gun.

  He fumbled as he reached for it, his fingers brushing th
e weapon’s grip as Darkwolf sprang to his feet.

  The faces of his men who had died that night from dark sorcery flashed through his mind, one after another.

  Jake dug the heel of his foot into the wooden planks of the pier and shoved himself close enough to the gun to grab it by its grip.

  He fought back the pain in his chest from the broken ribs. Blood flowed into his mouth as he tried to take a deep breath. One rib no doubt had punctured his lung, and who knew what else.

  Darkwolf stalked toward Jake, a malicious, murderous expression on his face.

  Jake snatched the gun and raised himself just enough that he could grip it in both hands. He aimed it at Darkwolf.

  The warlock-god dove for him.

  Jake pulled the trigger.

  A laser beam shot from the gun.

  The weapon exploded in Jake’s hands.

  Brilliant red glow.

  Shrapnel piercing his skin.

  Lights out.

  Cassia screamed when she saw Jake go down. Blood flowed from his nose and mouth. Pieces of metal from the gun had pierced his body.

  Jake didn’t move.

  Cassia’s love for Jake almost tore her apart at the thought that he could be dead.

  But Darkwolf was surrounded in red light.

  The warlock-god touched it and jerked his hand back, crying out as if in pain.

  The containment array had worked!

  But Jake—

  You’ve got to take your mind off of him.

  It’s time to deal with Darkwolf.

  Cassia readied herself for what she’d been working on while Jake fought Darkwolf.

  She dropped her golden shield.

  Cassia called forth untapped powers she’d known resided deep within her magical core. She filled her lungs with air.

  She started to take the step that would finish it all. End this insanity—

  Darkwolf punched a gap through the containment with focused dark sorcery.

  The red containment fell away.

  His power slammed into her.

  Cassia screamed at the agony. It felt like a hole burned through the Kevlar and inside her chest, straight to her spine.

  As she struggled to focus her eyes and even to breathe, she looked down to see there wasn’t a gaping hole in the body armor.

  But she still felt the burn, the fire. She wanted to roll over and curl into a ball until it stopped hurting. She swore she could smell burning flesh along with Darkwolf’s wolfsbane scent.

  Memories of her ascension day returned, the agony she had endured without revealing her pain.

  She’d do the same thing now, and not give Darkwolf the satisfaction of knowing how badly he’d hurt her.

  Barely able to focus at first, she got to her knees, her wrenched knee screaming with pain. She moved to her feet. With effort, her magic filled her, cooling the burn in her chest and easing the ache in her knee.

  “You’ve got to stop this, Darkwolf.” She extended her arm to encompass the city as she took several shallow breaths. “What good is all of this going to do you?”

  Darkwolf stared at her for a long moment. “Without Elizabeth, it means nothing now. All I have left is the pain in my heart and the stains of thousands of deaths on my souls.”

  “Then stop,” she whispered. Even as she spoke, she built her power inside her again. More intense, more fierce. No matter Darkwolf’s choice, she had to do this.

  He shook his head. “I’ve come too far.” He smirked, but it was sad. “Besides, what is damned left for me but domination of cities, states—the whole fucking country for that matter.”

  “There are other choices.” Cassia felt the glow of her magic wanting to burst from her skin, but she now easily managed it. “You can go to Otherworld, and live someplace—”

  “Where I can be controlled, caged?” he said as he crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t think so.”

  “Darkwolf—” she started.

  She stumbled over her words as she saw Jake pushing himself up. He’s alive! Jake’s alive!

  Darkwolf was oblivious to Jake, who got to his knees behind the warlock-god.

  Cassia quickly tried to keep Darkwolf’s attention on her. “Kevin,” she added softly, “you can start over. You don’t have to be this anymore.”

  “I don’t have to be this what?” he shouted, and his face grew red as purple lightning cracked the sky. “This freak?”

  She tried to keep her poise as she saw Jake, still behind Darkwolf, bring his hands together. Confusion raced through her as she saw Jake lace his fingers into a doubled fist. He swayed a bit but then seemed to gain control of himself.

  “I didn’t say you’re a freak.” Cassia’s magic built higher and higher as Jake raised his arms.

  Then Kael crawled onto the wharf.

  Cassia’s relief was sharp, immediate.

  Kael stood beside Jake, behind Darkwolf, and bared his teeth.

  Even as relief that Kael was all right flowed through Cassia, she focused completely on Darkwolf.

  She knew exactly what she had to do—and the timing had to be perfect with his action. “I—I think you’ll be happier there.”

  This time Darkwolf’s laughter sounded like a bark. “Give me a fucking break—”

  Jake slammed his fists and arms at the back of Darkwolf’s knees.

  Kael snatched Darkwolf’s shirt in his jaws, helping to jerk the warlock-god down.

  A look of surprise shot across Darkwolf’s face.

  Cassia’s hair prickled and an electrical sensation traveled beneath her skin as she put every bit of force that she had into her power.

  Gold magic shot from her body, straight to Darkwolf.

  As he fell she engulfed him with her power.

  It surrounded him like a mummy’s wrappings, binding his arms to his sides and forcing his legs together.

  The moment Darkwolf’s body hit the wharf, her magic snatched him.

  She focused with all her might and sent him to the first place that came to her mind.

  The warlock-god vanished.

  Her gold magic fell away.

  Darkwolf was gone.

  Kevin Richards was gone.

  The nightmare was finally over.

  48

  Jake remained on his knees, shivering from the cold, still unable to believe Darkwolf was gone. Finished.

  For a long moment Jake, Cassia, and Kael stared at the spot Darkwolf had been. Kael sniffed the area with his big nose, as if making sure no sign of the warlock-god remained.

  Jake’s breathing came hard and fast. I didn’t let them down. I didn’t let them down.

  It had stopped raining, and the storm had cleared so completely that stars sparkled in the sky. Bright and clear, as if the heavens were sharing in the Alliance’s victory.

  Jake’s gaze finally met Cassia’s. He drank in every beautiful inch of her, from her wet, matted hair to her bloody, mud-smeared face and clothing.

  Despite every ache, every pain in his body and face, he pushed himself from his knees to his feet and stumbled toward Cassia. He had to hold her, feel her, make sure she was real, that she was okay.

  She rushed to him and he grabbed her, crushing his broken ribs, digging shrapnel into his skin. But he didn’t care.

  Her voice shook from the force of her sobs. “It’s over. It’s really over.”

  “It feels so good to hold you.” He squeezed her tight and shut his eyes. The thought that something could have happened to her seized his chest as if giant Mystwalker collars banded him.

  “I was so worried.” He choked up and his eyes burned as she drew away. She had scratches and cuts on her face and arms. “You’re bleeding—” he started.

  “Superficial.” But her eyes looked wide with fright. “But you—I sense the extent of your injuries. All this blood—your mouth, your nose—everywhere.”

  Adrenaline that had kept him running all night started to fade.

  He blinked as his vision wavered. His
body burned from every single cut down to the stab wound in his thigh. He ached from his fight with Darkwolf, his broken ribs, the toll his trek in the bay had taken on his muscles, and the iciness that had frozen the blood in his veins.

  Jake’s body suddenly felt as cold as if he was back in the bay, and he started to shake. He couldn’t stand any longer, and dropped to his knees. The impact was hard enough to jar his now chattering teeth and his broken ribs, and he almost cried out.

  Cassia’s surprisingly strong grip kept him from falling on his side.

  Jake heard her calling his name from somewhere far away, yet he was looking right at her. Her mouth was moving. What was she saying?

  The faces of his men no longer passed through his mind like an endless loop.

  Darkwolf was gone. Cassia was okay.

  And right now he wanted to sleep. He wanted the comforting warmth the darkness would bring.

  And it came.

  “You are so not going to die on me,” Cassia shouted, still gripping him, before she eased his unconscious form down to the wet planks. “You’ve heard of haunting? Well I know where to come after you if you pass from this Otherworld, and you’ll wish you hadn’t died once I get through with you.”

  At the same time she settled him on the wharf, she let her healing magic pour into him. Not only was he going into shock, but his body temperature had dropped dangerously low.

  “I will attempt to warm him, too.” Kael nuzzled the side of Jake’s neck. “He is much too cold.”

  Kael’s wet coat shimmered, then dried, as if he had never been in the bay. He lay beside Jake, lending him his tremendous body heat.

  “Thank you,” Cassia whispered in his mind.

  She infused Jake with gentle warmth, bringing him slowly back to a normal temperature and drying his clothing at the same time. Color returned to fingers that had been nearly blue with cold, and the rest of his skin gained its normal hue.

  His face went from pale to tan again, and the bruises on his face vanished. Shrapnel that had been stuck in his skin fell away, and the cuts healed along with other wounds.

  Cassia relaxed as Jake settled into a light, healing sleep rather than shock-induced unconsciousness. Just by allowing her magic to surface along her skin, she dried her own clothing and healed what scratches she had on her body.