Aareth nodded slowly. Sloan hung her head.
“Abigail.”
“Yes? I’m here,” Abigail took a step forward and knelt next to Marcus.
“Take care of my son.”
“I will, I promise.”
Jack and Abigail looked at one another. There were no words for the moment, both of them were wise enough to know that much.
“Jack?”
“I’m here, Dad, I’m here.” Jack took his father’s bloodstained hand in his own and looked into the eyes of the man he loved his entire life, the man who not only had his respect because they were related, but the man who had earned his respect time and time again.
“Jack, I am so very proud of the person you have grown to become. I know your mother would feel the same way. You’ve grown into a man I would be proud to follow.”
Tears streaked down Jack’s face like comets falling from the heavens.
“You be the man we both know you are,” Marcus took a long, shallow breath. “Choose the right path no matter how hard it seems.”
“But I’m—I’m not as strong as you are.”
“You’re stronger, Jack. You are stronger than you know. I’ll always be with you, son. I love you.”
“I love you too, Dad.”
“She wants me to tell you she’s so very proud of you, Jack. We both are,” Marcus gave Jack one last smile and let a deep breath escape. Marcus’ brown eyes were directed to the ceiling.
That was it. Marcus’ chest ceased to struggle up and down and his eyes glazed over. Jack didn’t know what to do next. He just knelt there holding his father. Abigail knelt beside Jack and threw both her slender arms around his chest.
Jack was in a daze. He knew what happened, he just didn’t have a response. Lucky for him there was an assassin in the room who was all too familiar with the feeling of pain and loss.
“I’m going to kill this thing. Sloan. Jack. Let’s go,” Aareth’s voice took on a tone Jack never heard before. “There will be plenty of time to mourn later, trust me. Now we finish this.”
Jack looked up from the darkness that was clouding his mind. Aareth was already recharging his gauntlets. The look in Aareth’s eyes was enough to put the fear of God in anyone. Jack imagined that he spent the entire journey seeing Aareth the inspector. Now Aareth the assassin decided to make his presence known.
Jack
“Up, Jack! Get up!” Aareth yelled.
“He’s right,” Sloan was back doing her best to hide the tears she shed. “We couldn’t track the animal before, but now—” Sloan pointed a gloved hand at a trail of unnaturally bright red blood leading outside and to the main city street.
Jack got to his feet, wobbling as his eyes refused to leave the limp figure of his father for too long. “
“He’d want me to finish the assignment the Queen gave us,” Jack said, more to himself than anyone in the room.
Jack ripped his eyes from his father and walked out the door with Aareth and Sloan. He felt numb. Aareth walked beside him on his right, his jaw set and violence in his dangerous eyes. Sloan walked on Jack’s left, her eyes set and determined, the mage sword dragging in the dirt behind her.
Just like the night before, the town had heard the commotion. Lanterns and candles were lit inside windows. Heads poked out when they saw the three members of the Queen’s emissary walking down the road.
“Hey, what’s going on?”
“Was there another attack?”
“Is—is that blood on your clothes? Are you all right?”
These questions and more slid off Jack as if he were deaf. He was beyond conversation now. All he could see was the trail of blood that led to the city church.
The blood was more proof the creature wasn’t born, but rather created. The blood was a bright red tint Jack had never seen before. In the light of the many lanterns and candles, it was easy to follow.
The three surviving members of the hunting team the Queen sent to Burrow Den reached the church. The blood spattering led right to the front double doors.
Aareth didn’t hesitate as he walked up the white steps and kicked in the doors with a heavy boot. Jack walked inside, wand at the ready.
The church was just like Jack remembered; large, one room with an army of pews that reached to the opposite side of the building. On a raised dais sat Elijah Ahab, and beside him, lying like a dog, was the animal that had killed his father.
“I see you have placed all the pieces of the puzzle correctly,” Elijah gave the hunters a thin smile.
“You killed a emissary of the Queen of New Hope and are charged with—”
“Please, Captain, we can skip the reading of my charges? I know what I have done and I am absolved of my sins in the eyes of the Divine,” Elijah cackled with glee.
The animal at Elijah’s side squatted nervously. Jack could see the creature was ready to leap into action at a moment’s notice.
“How did you find the animal? How do you control it?” Jack needed to know.
“Oh, that’s actually the simplest part,” Elijah finally rose from his seat. “I simply take a piece of clothing from my next victim. The animal smells it and that’s it.” Elijah reached into the top of his high colored shirt and brought out a small whistle on a chain. “If I need him back, all I have to do is blow. I know this animal was a gift from the Divine One because the animal found me.”
“What are you talking about?” Sloan asked.
“I was praying for a sign one night a few months ago. I had seen the corruption eating the city from the inside out. I had no way to stop it. Then I heard a scratching at the back door. The animal was no bigger than a small wolf at the time, still I knew it was a sign. I nursed it and it grew. It grew into a weapon to be used against the enemies of the kingdom.”
“And my father? He was a corrupt enemy of the kingdom that needed to be killed?” Jack choked out the words with disgust.
“Your father was among the most dangerous of enemies,” Elijah smoothed down his long black cloak and stretched. “He was a man of morals and unrelenting determination. He had to be disposed of for the greater good. Much like all of you.”
For a moment all that could be heard was the switch of Sloan’s mage sword being flicked on. Aareth removed his own dark coat. It slipped to the floor already forgotten.
The church was lit by dozens of candles, both along the walls and high overhead on hanging chandlers. Jack found it ironic the very place that brought peace and comfort to so many was about to become a battleground.
“The Divine One is on my side tonight. You sinners will be cast into the abyss where you belong.” Elijah stepped down off the raised podium. He reached inside his cloak and drew out a long knife. The creature rose on all fours and walked with him side by side.
“Enough words, you lunatic,” Aareth took a step forward. “I’m going to rip your tongue out of your mouth.”
Elijah gave the slightest flick of his wrist and the mutated wolf ran forward, its eyes fixed on Aareth.
Sloan charged, slashing at Elijah, but the preacher was faster than he looked. Dodging the attack, Elijah struck back with a jab of his own. Sloan batted the attempt away and the two combatants circled one another.
Jack witnessed Sloan and Elijah clash. He had to make a split second decision on who to help. Just as quickly as the question came, he knew he had to assist Aareth. Sloan could handle the preacher on her own, but ending the genetically engineered killing machine would be a hard task.
Jack aimed his wand at the charging monster. His eyes narrowed as he chose his shot and fired. Previously when the creature attacked his father, Jack fired his shots in a hurry. They hit the beast but in places that were not necessarily life threatening.
Now as the monster and the assassin ran toward one another, Jack took his time to aim. Magic flew through the air as Jack chose his targets with care. Green fiery blasts found their marks. Magic tore through ligaments and flesh.
The creature howled in pain
as magical strikes connected with its jaw, nose, and forearms. Jack chose the forearms of the animal to slow down its unearthly force before it collided with Aareth. The nose was chosen because it would blur the animal’s vision, blood spraying into its eyes. Jack chose the jaw as a target because that was the animal’s greatest weapon. If Jack could break a jawbone, the animal wouldn’t be able to bite down on Aareth.
In the matter of only a few seconds, Jack’s energy was spent. Monster and assassin met in the middle of the church in a head-on collision. Aareth’s mage gauntlets found the creature’s throat. Both combatants fell sideways as blue crackling magic filled the interior of the church.
The soft candle light flames were greeted with blue smoke and steam rising from the creature’s skin and fur.
Firing more blasts from his wand would be too dangerous now with Aareth and the monster locked in combat. Jack clicked the button on his wand. In a second the ends elongated and a black staff was in his hands.
Screaming in pain, the creature’s large jaws found one of the gauntlets protecting Aareth’s hand and forearm. Huge teeth crunched on the hard metal and tore at the steel. With a violent shake of its head, the animal managed to tear off one of the steel gauntlets.
As the two wrestled and rolled, the monster found a dominating position on top of Aareth. Now with one gauntlet gone and the other out of electric charge, Aareth was in trouble.
Jack ran forward, his staff ablaze with dancing green magic. With every blow landed a loud crack filled the room. The creatures hide was crossed with multiple burn marks from Jack’s attack. It wasn’t enough to deter the beast. The animal bled from a dozen different wounds but still it ignored Jack and grabbed Aareth’s unprotected arm in a vise-like grip. Aareth screamed in pain as he beat the creature’s face with his free arm.
Jack was exhausted. The green magical energy across his staff was mirroring how he felt as it faded. He wasn’t sure what to do next. Think, Jack! Think! You’ve already lost your father, now you’re going to lose Aareth, too.
Jack was interrupted from his thoughts of doubt and worry by someone yelling his name. Jack turned and saw Sloan and Elijah, both bloody messes. Sloan was standing on her feet, with Elijah on one knee gathering himself for another attack.
“Jack, catch!”
Sloan threw her mage sword through the air across the six yards separating them. Jack raised his right arm and caught the heated sword hilt first. The monster was shaking Aareth by his right arm like a rag doll. Jack raised the sword high overhead with both hands on the hilt. With all the force he could summon, Jack brought the sword down on the monster’s neck.
Edison’s invention did him proud. Jack cleaved through bone and flesh as he separated the creature’s head from the rest of its body with a roar that started deep in his own chest. Jaws immediately opened and released Aareth’s arm, the rest of the creature’s body wriggled and slithered on the ground.
A scream so intense and full of pain filled the room Jack thought for sure Sloan was dead.
Jack
Seeing that his enemy was without a weapon, Elijah pushed the attack and managed to sink his blade hilt deep into Sloan’s left thigh. Even as she fell and screamed, Jack was already on the move.
He knew with Aareth out and Sloan down, it was up to him. Mage sword in hand, he vaulted over church pews. Elijah had his back toward him. All Jack could see was a hand holding a bloody knife raised over Sloan’s body.
Jack launched himself the last few feet. From the top of a pew, he flew through the air and collided with Elijah hard.
A new emotion was forcing its way to the surface from deep within Jack’s being. Until now he had felt numb, almost defeated at the loss of his father. Now as the only hope for their survival rested on his shoulders, as he collided with the man responsible for his father’s death, anger boiled inside.
Sorcerer and preacher rolled and tumbled over each other. Jack was young and lean but the preacher was lanky and managed to twist his body to the side and land on top of Jack. Both sword and knife were shaken free on point of impact but that didn’t seem to bother Elijah.
Fists rained down on Jack as he tried to shield his face. He twisted and did his best to roll, but Elijah was consumed with a wrath and determination Jack hadn’t seen before. Blood ran into Jack’s eyes from multiple cuts being opened across his face.
Then the blows stopped and Elijah grabbed Jack around the throat with thin strong fingers, literally squeezing the life out of him. Jack gasped for air and tried to fight the grip on his throat.
“Shhhhhh… go back to the fold, little sheep. Your time in this world has come to an end. Embrace the darkness that waits for you now.”
Jack’s vision was blurring. Elijah’s face twisted into a wicked grin. As Jack was giving in to the darkness that clawed at his vision in all directions, he heard a voice, a voice that belonged to his father.
Get up, Jack. This is not how you go. You still have a lot of good to do in this world. Get up, Jack. Get up, son.
Jack heard the voice as clear as day. He heard the voice of his dead father like he was right there next to him. A father that had been murdered by the order of the man that was now ending his own life. Anger swelled in his chest. Pain, not from his wounds, but at the loss of his only surviving parent drove him back to consciousness.
“Nooooooo!” Eyes flicking open, Jack screamed into Elijah’s face.
Elijah was taken aback for a brief second. He was so sure of victory, Jack’s sudden outburst was the last thing he expected.
Jack channeled what magic he had left into his hands. He clawed at the fingers around his throat. Getting a grip on one of Elijah’s middle fingers, he twisted it back past its intended range of motion. The bone snapped in half with a loud crack.
Elijah howled in pain. Seizing at his chance of escape, Jack turned his body and rolled over on top of the man responsible for taking his father’s life. Jack was enraged. A force consumed him the likes of which he had never felt. Anger, pain, retribution, vengeance all held him close as he hammered away at Elijah’s horror- filled face.
Jack wasn’t sure how many times he hit Elijah, but by the time he was done, Elijah was struggling to breathe through broken teeth and a twisted nose. Jack’s chest heaved in and out, taking in breath as fast as he could.
Elijah moaned in pain under him as Jack looked around the room in a daze.
“Kill him, Jack,” Aareth struggled to his feet, one arm dangling useless by his side. He made his way to Sloan’s still body. “Kill him for what he did to your father.”
Jack looked down at Elijah and slowly took the metal chain the preacher wore around his neck in his bloody hands. Jack gripped the whistle used to call the now deceased beast and twisted the chain tight.
“Kill him, Jack!”
Elijah struggled to fight off Jack’s grip. Jack pinned the man’s arms to his sides and sat on top of his chest. The steel chain twisted hard in his hands as Elijah’s heart rate slowed. The chain dug into the pale flesh of his neck.
Elijah’s eyes rolled to the back of his head. His heavy gasps for breath began to dull.
Jack twisted the chain so hard it cut into the skin of his own hand as well as the skin of Elijah’s neckline. Vengeance drove him, it told him to end Elijah’s life there and now, but his father’s voice was still too fresh in his mind.
He deserves to die. For what he did to the town of Burrow Den and for what he did to my Dad. But is this what Dad would do? Jack’s mind was torn from what he desired to do and what he knew his father would want.
Hands trembling with frustration, Jack released the death hold on Elijah’s chain. The preacher came to with deep gulps as he coughed and choked in oxygen.
Jack stood up, still staring at Elijah.
“Jack, what are you doing? Kill him! He deserves to die!” Aareth yelled from Sloan’s side.
“Maybe,” Jack looked down at Elijah’s bloody face, “but it’s not what my father would have want
ed. It’s not what he would have done.”
“Thank—thank you,” Elijah gasped, still lying on the wood floor.
“Don’t thank me. Thank the man you murdered. His memory is the only reason you’re still alive.”
Jack found himself disgusted with Elijah’s grateful expression and turned his back. Aareth was helping Sloan as the captain came to.
Jack’s eye caught motion in the doorway. Abigail walked toward him. Her face pale but she walked with purpose. In her right hand she held an ancient powder lock pistol. She held it pointed in Jack’s direction.
There was no time for words as the pistol shot rang out. Smoke slowly rose from the weapon in Abigail’s left hand as tears spilled down her gentle face. The expression Abigail wore was one of sheer remorse even as she walked into the room.
Jack only had a split second to understand what his eyes told him. There was no time to process what he saw, no time to duck or hide. There was only time for his jaw to drop. Even as he looked down at his chest, Jack felt like an idiot.
He had trusted Abigail and now she had repaid his kindness with death. Jack looked down, expecting to find blood gushing from his torso. Instead he heard a gasp behind him. Jack turned to see Elijah standing, knife in hand, looking down at a red spot that grew over his heart.
“I had to,” Abigail’s voice finally broke the silence. “He was going to stab you in the back. I—I promised your father I’d take care of you.”
Elijah fell to his knees, and with a gurgle, landed face first onto the hard floor.
Jack stood dumbfounded. Abigail ran to his side. She stared at her father’s limp form. Jack wanted to thank her. He wanted to tell her that she had done the right thing. He wanted to hold her, to kiss her, but the world was spinning around him. Blood still dripped from the cuts on his face and a deep gash in his head. Before Jack could say anything, the darkness came for him.
Jack
House of Wolves: (A Paranormal Urban Fantasy) (The Vampire Project Book 1) Page 18