Darkness Clashes

by Susan Illene

  “Oh. I do have one question.”

  “What’s that?” I lifted a brow.

  “The earthquake that happened here a few months ago. You were here for that, weren’t you?”

  It took all my effort not to stiffen. “Yeah, of course. It hit us pretty hard.”

  “I’m sure with you being from California you’ve been through a few before, but did you notice anything different about this one?”

  My gut churned. Humans weren’t supposed to suspect the earthquake as being anything unnatural—such as a huge magical explosion. The angels should have covered it up.

  I opened my mouth to answer, but Bambi came barging through the door. She nearly knocked O’Connell over, but she wasn’t paying any attention to him. The troll’s eyes were riveted to the fountain display.

  I could see her in her true form with her bulbous nose, wrinkled face, and pointed ears. Humans would see her as a short, average-looking woman with long orange hair. At least the height and hair color were accurate.

  “What in all the blazes is that?” She pointed a gnarled finger at the fountain.

  “Felisha’s latest coping device,” I answered.

  O’Connell frowned at Bambi and raised a hand to cover his nose. Glamour didn’t hide the awful stench of trolls and he stood rather close to her. He’d be getting the full brunt of it.

  She put a hand on her hip. “That woman needs ta learn ta take what she wants. Either he’s worth fightin’ for or he’s only good for kickin’ in the balls.”

  O’Connell cringed.

  “Perhaps I’ll speak to you another time,” he said, backing toward the door.

  The troll rounded on him. “Who are ya?”

  “He’s from the Department of Homeland Security,” I said, giving her a wink.

  “Ye!” She poked a finger at his abdomen. “Someone stole me squirrel pelts last week. I called ta report it, but no one wants ta help.”

  He grabbed the door handle behind him. “I’m afraid that’s not within the scope of my job. Your best bet is to call the police.”

  Bambi sputtered, letting saliva fly from her mouth. “The police doona want ta help. I pay me taxes and ye should do yer job!”

  Yeah, right. It didn’t take my lie-detecting skills to know she’d probably never paid taxes.

  O’Connell jerked the door open. “Sorry, but I’ve got to go.”

  He dashed out the door and across the parking lot toward a black SUV. Bambi cackled as she watched him go before turning to face me.

  “That fool’s been askin’ too many questions ‘round here the last couple days. Thought I’d get rid of ‘im for ya.”

  “Thanks,” I said, actually glad for her help for once. “But he’s the kind of guy who doesn’t give up easily once he’s on a mission. It’s going to take more than squirrel pelts to scare him off for good.”

  “Ya know him?” She wrinkled her orange brows.

  “From my military days, yeah.”

  She waddled over to me. “Think he might figure out the truth?”

  I rubbed my face. “I sure hope not, but I’ll talk to Nik about it.”

  “Hmphf,” she grunted. “If he does anythin’ useful I’ll be amazed.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  My cell phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and checked the screen. Charlie, the local shaman, was calling. He usually just showed up rather than using a phone.

  “What’s going on?” I asked after answering.

  “You need to get to my place now.” His voice was gruff but urgent.

  “Why? What happened?”

  The line clicked. I checked the screen and saw he’d hung up.

  “Dammit.” I looked over at Bambi. “Could you close the shop up for me? I think there’s some kind of emergency at Charlie’s place.”

  Bambi might be crazy and not the most hygienic person, but she could be very loyal. She’d helped me out a few times while Felisha was out of town and I was alone running the shop. I knew she could handle it.

  She held out her hand. “Give me the keys. Ya go take care of it.”

  “Thanks.” I pulled them out of my pocket and handed them to her. “If you can hide them in the usual spot I’ll get them tomorrow when I come in.”

  “Just get goin’.” She gave me her most fearsome expression, which from a troll was actually rather scary.

  I grabbed my purse and took off.

  Chapter Nine

  “What is so important you must drive as if demons are chasing us?” Kerbasi asked.

  His hands gripped the sides of his seat as if that alone would hold him in place. I’d dragged him out of the coffee shop and shoved him into the vehicle with no explanation other than to hurry. Even with my breaking about a dozen traffic laws it still took over half an hour to get to our destination.

  “I don’t know, but it’s gotta be important for Charlie to call.”

  I turned down the dirt road that led to the shaman’s house and sped along it with no regard for all the potholes that littered its narrow path. There’d be a trip to the mechanic in my Jeep’s future to get my alignment fixed after this.

  “I am certain that whatever he wants, it cannot be so important you must risk life and limb to get there.”

  His eyes widened when the vehicle went airborne after going over a particularly large bump in the road.

  “You’re immortal,” I pointed out, gripping the wheel tightly. “You can’t lose your life or limbs—at least not permanently—but I just sensed Emily and Derrick here. She was supposed to be riding home with a friend after school. Not be here with him.”

  They were close together on my radar and not far from Zoe’s underground prison. Only Charlie stood between them and the cellar. If Derrick used Emily’s blood, he could break through the wards. I’d never considered he’d go that far.

  “I don’t like that werewolf,” Kerbasi muttered.

  I brought the Jeep to a grinding halt in front of Charlie’s garage.

  “You don’t like anyone.” I jerked my seatbelt off. “Now, you can sit here or come with me. Doesn’t matter which, but stay out of my way.”

  I grabbed my gun from the glove compartment and holstered it on my belt before hopping out of the vehicle and racing toward the clearing behind the garage. There was a vegetable garden surrounded by a fence that was in my way. I veered around it and kept going at a sprint. Kerbasi followed behind, though at a more sedate pace.

  Just before reaching the trees I found Derrick, Emily, and Charlie. Tension flew between the three of them. The shaman—looking older than usual—stood his ground. His gray-streaked hair fluttered across his forehead in the breeze and he had his feet wide apart. Earthbound powers flowed through him, strong and vibrant. No one would get through that man easily.

  Emily stood off to the side, clutching her backpack. She gave me an apologetic look. “Sorry, Mel. He made me come here with him.”

  I glared at Derrick, whose fists were clenched at his sides. He had on a pair of worn jeans and a dark blue t-shirt. His brown hair was loose and hanging past his shoulders. That alone was unusual for him since he preferred to keep it tied back. His attention remained focused on Charlie without so much as a glance in my direction.

  “How?” I asked Emily.

  She lowered her head. “He said if I didn’t help him he’d send Hunter far away from here.”

  Oh, no, he did not threaten my girl. I lunged forward, shoving him with all my strength. He flew off his feet and landed in a sprawl on the grass. I stood over him with my hands on my hips.

  “This is a new low for you, Derrick. You threatened a teenage girl with taking away her boyfriend? What the hell is wrong with you?”

  He stood, brushed himself off, and glared at me. “You left me no choice.”

  “That’s bullshit and you know it.”

  “That woman down there killed my wife and children!” He pointed at the cellar entrance. “You have no right to keep me away fr
om her.”

  “I do if it’s for your own protection.” I took a step closer to him. “You need to trust me when I say talking to her is the worst possible thing you can do.”

  He looked down at me. “It ain’t up to you to decide that.”

  “The minute you go down there, she’ll use her powers to control you.” My voice shook with anger and desperation. “There will be no revenge. She’ll bring you to your knees in a minute and have your head off in the next. The smartest thing you can do is go home.”

  He shook his head. “You said the chains would weaken her.”

  “She’s over three thousand years old, Derrick. The chains can only do so much. The only reason I can go down there is because I can’t be compelled.”

  “Then find a way for me to talk to her.” His brown eyes bore into mine. “You promised me two years ago you’d help me avenge my family, sensor girl. Now that time has come.”

  I flinched. He had me there.

  “I can’t.” Technically, there was one possible way with Lucas’ help, but he wouldn’t go for it. Plus I had other reasons for keeping Derrick from Zoe. “You’ve got to let it go. She’s locked up and can’t hurt anyone else.”

  “It ain’t enough.” He gripped my shoulders. “I might not be able to kill her, but I’ve got to do somethin’.”

  “Like what?” Off to the side I waved my hand at Emily, urging her to go.

  “I could help,” Kerbasi suggested, drawing Derrick’s attention away from the teen. “Zoe screamed like a little girl every time I flayed the flesh from her body. I could teach you my methods.”

  Emily started edging toward the garden.

  “You’re not helping, Kerbasi.” Leave it to him to say something inappropriate at a time like this.

  “You did that to her?” Derrick asked, letting me go to give the guardian a considering look.

  “Nephilim are unclean creatures.” Kerbasi shrugged. “I did what I must to show her the error of her ways.”

  “You see?” I threw my hands up. “Kerbasi had a year to torture her and she still caused trouble as soon as she got out. The best thing we can do is keep her confined and alone. Trust me—she hates that more than anything else we can do.”

  Charlie and I were the only ones who brought her daily meals. We’d stopped talking to her two months ago after we’d come to the conclusion she’d never reveal Micah’s location. No matter how much she screamed at us, we wouldn’t even look at her. Not even the rotation of guards we placed up top went inside. They were only there to protect the place from intruders.

  Derrick crossed his meaty arms. “I have the right to know why she did it.”

  That was the last thing he needed.

  “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you see her,” I spoke in a firm voice.

  He paced back and forth, casting glances in my direction as if he debated whether to throttle me or cast me aside. Eventually, he stopped and came to stand no more than a foot away. His shoulders were hunched and the anger was gone from his eyes.

  “Melena, don’t make me fight you.” He’d gentled his voice. “Let me see Zoe now and we can put this behind us.”

  I took a deep breath. “No.”

  He worked his jaw. “If you don’t, you’ll be startin’ a war.”

  “A war?” I asked, incredulously. “You’d really start a war over this?”

  He gave me a pitying look. “I’ve been keeping a war from startin’ for some time now, but if you don’t show me a sign of good faith I’m not gonna hold back anymore.”

  “What are you talking about?” I narrowed my eyes.

  “Folks aren’t happy with Nik’s leadership. Twice now he’s let the city fall to outsiders.” He gestured toward the cellar door. “Holding that nephilim here, keeping her from us, it’s the last straw for a lot of people.”

  “That’s not his fault.”

  He gave me a level look. “A leader’s job is to protect his territory no matter the cost to himself. He was warned what would happen if he didn’t cooperate and he refused to listen.”

  “Oh, so Zoe and Variola both tried to negotiate with him before they attacked? I highly doubt that,” I scoffed.

  “Ask him, Melena. Ask him if he really didn’t see any of this comin’ and see what he says.”

  This was too much to believe. Nik wouldn’t have hidden something like that from me. Would he?

  I turned to Charlie. “Did you know anything about this?”

  “It’s not my place to interfere.” He kept his face neutral.

  “You do it all the time!”

  The shaman looked up at the sky. “Only when it is my duty.”

  “Oh, so if you have orders from the jerks upstairs you’ll do something, but otherwise you don’t?” I ran my gaze between the two men. “How did I miss this?”

  “Maybe because we all thought it best you didn’t know,” Derrick said, unapologetically.

  I gritted my teeth. “Screw you.”

  “So what’s it gonna be? Are you willing to risk a war?”

  Charlie stepped between us. “This is not Melena’s choice alone. I agree that it is best you stay away from the nephilim.”

  It was about time the shaman did more than just stand there.

  Derrick’s face turned impassive. “You’re both gonna regret this.”

  He walked away, heading around the opposite side of the garden from where Emily hid. I watched him go with some apprehension. How was I supposed to fix this if the only way he’d back down was to see Zoe? Nik wasn’t going to be happy hearing this news, either.

  As soon as Derrick was gone, Emily rushed up to me.

  “I’m sorry, Mel. When he threatened to send Hunter away I didn’t know what else to do.”

  “You could have called me,” I pointed out.

  “He wouldn’t let me.”

  I sighed. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault.”

  “Do you think he’ll still send him away?” Her expression turned worried. “He was telling the truth earlier when he said he’d do it.”

  “Call Hunter now and warn him.”

  “Okay.” She got on her cell phone and walked a short distance away.

  I looked at Charlie. “You think Zoe heard anything?”

  “It is possible.”

  “Get Emily back to your house. I’m going to see if I can do some damage control,” I said, heading toward the cellar door.

  “Melena,” Charlie called out.

  I turned. “Yeah?”

  The shaman beckoned me toward him.

  “The werewolf was right,” he whispered once I was close. “More trouble will come and I will not always be here to stop it.”

  The wrinkles in his face deepened. “No matter what choices you make there will be pain, sorrow, and betrayal, but you must not let that stop you from doing what is best for the people who depend upon you. Think not only of yourself. Let the wisdom of your ancestors guide you.”

  Before I could ask what he meant he disappeared in a swirl of air and popped up a moment later closer to Emily. The damn shaman never let me get the last word. I shook my head and decided to file that message away for later consideration.

  Chapter Ten

  I made my way down the stairs into the dark cellar. A solitary bulb hung from the ceiling, giving the room an eerie glow. Boxes and other unwanted junk were stacked on either side of the entryway and there was a musty scent in the air. At the far end of the room a row of iron bars thicker than a man’s fist caged the female nephilim inside. She was standing there staring at me with no expression as I walked up.

  “Zoe,” I said, stopping just out of arm’s reach. Her manacles and chains might make movement difficult, but I didn’t want to test her.

  A slow smile curved her lips. “You came to see how much I heard, didn’t you?”

  “Are you going to tell me?”

  She ran her fingertips across the bars. From underneath the fall of her strawberry-blond hair she peeked up at me. Pale
face, twinkling gold eyes, and a long nose were the features that stood out the most—that and the barely suppressed power emanating from her.

  “No one may have said it outright, but I could surmise that girl out there is a sensor just like you.” She pressed her body against the bars. “She kept that little secret from her mother well, didn’t she?”

  I shrugged. “It just adds to the reasons I can’t let you out of here anytime soon.”

  Zoe tilted her head back and laughed. “I wouldn’t hurt a young, influential sensor like her. Perhaps she could even be a companion to my daughter when I get her out.”

  “When you get her out?” I looked around the room. “You can’t even get out of here, much less break into Purgatory to reach her.”

  She gave me a patient smile. “Have you found Micah yet? The clock is ticking, Melena. For all you know he’s being tortured by my people right now.”

  Zoe spoke hypothetically, which didn’t register as a lie but it didn’t register as truth either. Of course, I couldn’t afford to give away the fact I’d already found Micah.

  “I don’t suppose you have anything more to say about his location?” I asked.

  She moved back from the bars. “Are you going to let me out?”

  “Uh…no.”

  “Give me ten minutes alone with the alpha and I’ll give you another clue. You don’t even have to unlock the bars and I promise not to compel him.” This wasn’t the first time she’d tried that bargain—or even the tenth.

  I didn’t know exactly what it was she wanted from Derrick, but that alone made me suspicious.

  “Forget it.” I shook my head. “The last thing that man needs to know is how much you’ve interfered in his life.”

  “It was for a good cause.”

  She really believed that.

  I gritted my teeth. “Having him turned into a werewolf and then killing his family is not something you can justify under any circumstances.”

  “You, Melena Sanders,” she slammed her hands against the bars, “have done nothing but get in my way. Centuries of planning and the only thing that’s slowed me down is you. If not for these chains, I’d rip your head off right now.”