by Janie Marie
“Oh, thank you, David.” She leaned against him. “I do not think I would have survived without your help.”
Gawain rolled his eyes before leaving them to check the other bodies. David examined the cut on her side. It exposed part of her toned stomach but wasn’t deep at all. She tried to lean into him for more unneeded support.
It was then that David realized he was still holding her and quickly let go. “It doesn’t look that bad.”
She batted her dark eyelashes up at him. “Are you sure? It really hurts.”
David sighed, trying to think of a nice way to dismiss her when Hades came marching out of the woods.
“Artemis! What the hell was that? Why would you run off by yourself? You could have been killed.” Hades came to a halt in front of the pair. Except for the fact that he looked as if he’d bathed in a tub of blood, he didn’t appear to be injured.
“I apologize, Uncle. David yelled that Ares was getting away, and I wanted to ensure he did not.”
She tried to step closer to David, but Hades yelled out again. “Silly, infatuated girl.” Hades glared at her and grabbed her arm to keep her still. “You knew he meant for you to take a shot at him—not to run off by yourself. Ares is not an idiot, and you are no match for him. You’re trying to show off and nearly got yourself killed. This could have been a trap!”
She glared up at Hades while David and the others dropped their gazes to the floor at her scolding.
Hades sighed. “Go get cleaned up. We kept one alive for questioning and Ares is long gone by now. Hermes got away as well. We will not find them tonight.”
“Yes, Uncle.” She bowed before speeding off toward the camp.
David felt bad. “It was my fault. I should not have made her think she should take him on by herself.”
Hades raised a hand, silencing him before he could say more. “This is not your fault. She made a foolish mistake because she is trying to impress you. She’s one of the best fighters I know, but she stands no chance against Ares. Thank you for keeping her safe. I am in your debt.”
David nodded and began to follow behind the others who had joined them. They were gathering up the bodies to take back to the barn.
“Let’s hurry up,” said Gawain. “This looks to only be a feeding and weapons exchange camp. Their meals are piled in the barn, waiting to be burned.”
David shook his head at their savagery and arrived back where the remainder of their group had begun to clean up. He walked up to Tristan who was being treated by Bedivere. “Are you all right, Tristan?”
“Yes, it will heal in time.” Tristan grimaced as he looked at his bandaged leg. “It’s silver nitrate. I won’t be able to get it out of my system easily.”
“Who uses that?” David asked.
“Rogues do.” Arthur said as he came to inspect Tristan’s wound. “It looks like they were doing more than making these weapons.” He sighed and rubbed his neck nervously before looking at him. “Some of the bodies look as though they’ve been experimented on. Perhaps the wolves are not the only ones affected by the virus, after all. The rogue we captured isn’t talking, but there’s more. They have maps that show our camp.”
David quickly stood up as Arthur gave him a worried look.
“They have pictures of Jane and her home,” Arthur said. “They know about her, David.”
JANE STOPPED WALKING and listened carefully as she scanned the dark street. A fluttering noise breezed past her. She turned around quickly but saw nothing.
She didn’t have any weapons with her. It had taken her all day because of a high amount of zombie activity that kept the two guards active. They were efficient and alert, checking on her frequently. She’d decided to wait until one went to rest, but that wasn’t until dusk when Lucan went for a nap.
Dagonet had tried to persuade her to join him for his watch, but she’d told him she felt tired. He tried to insist she come sleep in the room closest to where he’d be on watch, but she refused, stating she’d rather be away from all the activity for a while. He was hesitant to leave, but his duty to guard her home was greater than babysitting her.
Even though he left her alone, it still took all day and as more time passed, more sensations assaulted her. She kept pushing what she could back, but it wasn’t like before. Now it felt like she needed Lucifer in order to achieve the calm, unfeeling state again.
Glancing behind herself once more, she decided to stop thinking about everything and get to Lucifer. He would stop the ache in her heart. The ache that was there because David’s face and smile wouldn’t leave her mind. Her vampire haunted her, and now his image was accompanied by her children. They were standing with David, holding his hands, as he told her to stay—that they needed and loved her.
A tear quickly slipped from her eye, but she wiped it away and kept walking as the same fluttering noise from earlier returned. It was closer.
Jane whirled around with a gasp and looked all around the seemingly empty street. A spine-tingling chill crawled up her back, and she stiffened as she listened to flapping sounds circling above her in the dark sky. Even with her perfect sight, she couldn’t see anything. But something was there.
More rustling sounds along with faint scrapes and whispers echoed around her. She looked away from the sky and glanced back toward the direction she’d come from. Images of Natalie and Nathan at various stages of their lives rapidly flashed in her mind again. She pressed her hand against her chest as a stabbing sensation pierced her heart, almost knocking her to her knees.
She wished the numbness hadn’t faded. The haze that had fallen over the past few hours prevented her from fully embracing the bonds she had with her family and the knights, but she still felt a connection. It was just out of her grasp, but it was there. Only it felt as if a glass wall stood between her and everyone else.
Through her tears, she stared in the direction of her home and imagined David standing on one side of the glass with her family standing behind him. He pressed his hand against the clear barrier, and she held her hand on the other side. Close, but not touching.
She didn’t even know she had actually held her hand out, as if she were really pressing her hand against a wall, until goosebumps rose and spread up her arm. Hundreds of sinister whispers erupted all around her. There was no mistaking it now, she was surrounded.
She took one last look at the road that would lead her home, then turned and ran the other way. There was no going back now. She’d brought this on herself, she would make sure whatever was after her, came only for her. As long as it didn’t go to them, she’d let it come. She just had to get farther away first.
Jane ran as fast as she could. The cemetery was close; that meant Lucifer was close. She still had every intention to go to him; he would help her keep them safe. He would make it easier to breathe when her heart broke all the way.
Her chest throbbed, and letting out a quiet sob, she came to a stop. Placing her palm over her heart, she pressed hard, hoping it would stop the pain somehow. She closed her eyes, panting as she tried to gather herself.
For several seconds, she stayed like that until the pain became tolerable. When she finally opened her eyes, panic replaced the pain.
A hundred feet away, two figures stood side by side, blocking her path. The first was obviously male. He was tall, easily eye level with David, though he didn’t appear as built as him. Jane eyed the black cloak the stranger wore. It was arranged awkwardly, but she didn’t analyze it too carefully before she darted her eyes to the second, shorter figure.
This one was female and close to her height, only more petite. Even in the dark, Jane could see her pale doll-like face and wild tendrils of black hair sprouting all around her head. They reminded Jane of the snakes on Medusa’s head.
The pair said nothing, and neither did Jane. They just stood there staring back at her, not making any threatening movements. She might have thought she had a chance if it weren’t for their glowing, red eyes and wicked smiles.
“This is the one?” the female asked, gesturing with her hands in Jane’s direction. “She’s not even pretty.”
The male chuckled, a deep, dark laugh. “You’re not a man, Nia.” His blood red gaze trailed up and down Jane’s body, and he winked. “She’s fucking hot.”
Regardless of all the times Jane had silly daydreams about a mysterious man saying such things about her, she wasn’t flattered. Her heart pounded away in her chest now. These two were something more than vampires.
“Who are you?” Jane asked.
“Ooh, she’s a brave one.” The female let out a wicked giggle. “This will be fun.”
The male glared at his companion before glancing back at Jane. “My apologies. I am Thanatos—this is Mania. You need to come with us.”
Jane shook her head. “No. I have to be somewhere. Please let me pass.”
Mania snorted. “You hear that, Than? She has somewhere to be.”
“Nia!” Thanatos snapped, but looked back at Jane with a charming smile. “Forgive her; she has no manners. We know you are heading to Lucifer. We have come to escort you to him. He had to attend matters elsewhere and sent us in his place.”
The fluttering sounds around her grew louder again.
Jane took a step back. “Thank you, but I can wait for him to come back.”
His smile dropped. “I did not give you a choice, beautiful.”
Mania giggled. The sound cut and dragged across her skin like tiny shards of glass. Then loud thumps began to smack the pavement. Jane frantically looked around her to see other figures closing in on her.
The thuds continued to fall. Her heart was beating so fast, she thought it might explode. There were hundreds of them! Jane started to step back again, but they’d already surrounded her. She looked to the closest figure, and her blood turned to ice.
Demons.
Their black and gray skin was tight along their lean bodies. Twisted horns adorned their heads. Her eyes widened as she caught sight of their wings. They were thin and membrane-like, reminding her of a bat’s wings. That’s what she’d been hearing. They’d been stalking her since she left the house.
When she saw some with feathered wings landing, she nearly cried out in joy because she figured they were angels. They had to be.
Her joy didn’t come. Their wings were black, and their eyes—she looked between a group of them—were black, too! The Fallen.
“Oh, my God,” she whispered.
“God can’t help you now.” Mania giggled.
“I will not tell you again. Come with us now.” Thanatos’ voice was dark and threatening now, all the niceties from before were gone.
Jane looked back at him. Total fear consumed her as she watched the blackness she had assumed was his cloak expand. He had huge, black feathered wings. He was a fallen angel, and he was working with demons to capture her.
The unsettling cackling from Mania drew Jane’s shocked stare, and she stood petrified at the sight of Mania’s leathery wings protruding from her small frame. Jane could now see her crazed, childlike features in the moonlight.
Her pulse hummed in her ears, mixing with the sound of hundreds of wings flapping. She knew they were probably going to kill her now. That is, until a memory of her first conversation with Gawain came to mind. He had told her angels and demons could not directly harm her. They could only influence her.
“You can’t touch me,” Jane said. “I know you can’t.”
Mania laughed. “You think that because we cannot touch you, physically, you’re safe?” Jane’s smile fell. “Silly girl. I will make you kill yourself.”
The swarm rushed her and laughed at her obvious fright when she screamed.
Images, not of Jane’s making, began to bombard her mind. She saw herself crying as she slit her wrist, then her dead body lying in a puddle of her own blood.
She clutched her head as their demonic whispers intensified, becoming a horrifying roar. Their words didn’t make sense. English words mixed with languages she didn’t recognize, and then they shifted to terrifying howls.
“No!” Jane yelled, falling to her knees. “Stop. Please!”
They grew louder and forced more images into her head. First, she saw David and the knights lying lifeless at her feet as their vacant eyes stared upward.
Tears slid down her face as more flashes tormented her. Natalie and Nathan sobbed—then they were on the ground, their throats were ripped from their tiny necks. Blood covered their soft baby skin.
The wind blew wildly through her hair as they circled her faster and faster. She cried as each heartbreaking image crossed her mind.
All of Lucifer’s anesthetic was gone now. Her pain had multiplied times a thousand. She wailed again in sorrow, but when she saw a glimpse of Mania in the distance—smiling—laughing at her torment, her sorrow abruptly shifted. Rage.
Jane stood from the crouched position she’d fallen to and glared in Mania’s direction. “You can’t touch me. But maybe I can touch you.”
Mania laughed. “What are you going to do, stupid girl?”
Thanatos said nothing and only tilted his head as he watched her struggling to stand. Mania’s confidence only fueled Jane’s anger, and she grinned when she mentally shoved away the sick images of her feeding on her children before she shot herself. It felt like hornets’ stings as they tried to force the images back in, but she pushed on, using every ounce of strength she had left.
“What are you waiting for?” Mania screeched at her minions. “GET HER!”
With a thunderous onslaught of horrific screeches, they swarmed her. But Jane lifted her hands out in front of her and screamed.
Blue light exploded out of her in all directions. Any demons within fifty feet of her fell to the ground, screaming in agony as their bodies broke from her explosion of energy. Only a few looked to be completely dead, and the others were unfortunately starting to stand again.
It’s not enough. She’d used all she had, but she wasn’t strong enough.
Despite it not being enough, Thanatos looked at her in complete shock while Mania stomped her feet like a temperamental child. “How did she do that?”
Thanatos didn’t reply, but slowly, a wicked grin formed on his lips. He glanced around as the other demons became more hostile, and the stench of fear tainted the air. “Don’t worry. She will not be doing that again. Will you, Jane?” Sweat trickled down Jane’s neck and her lip quivered. He chuckled softly. “That’s what I thought.”
Jane darted her head around in a panic. The demon horde seemed to regain their confidence, taking steps closer and closer to her.
She glanced back at Thanatos. He winked, then looked at his partner. “Do what you do best, Nia. She won’t last long.” Looking back into Jane’s nervous gaze, he smiled. “I must be off now. Do not worry, beautiful. I will make sure we meet again.”
With that, he vanished and Mania’s insane cackling grew. “That’s better. He always cramps my style. You know, I wish I would have heard about you before. I would have enjoyed watching you slowly lose your mind. Oh, well.” She sighed wistfully. “I shall simply have to cherish these last moments of your pathetic life.”
More images were forced into her mind. Jane screamed, and her knees shook. She could hardly stand; nor could she escape her tormented mind. She was forced to watch herself as she stood over her sleeping children, and she cried in horror as she watched herself point a gun at their peaceful faces and fired twice. “NO!” She screamed when the blood sprayed across her face.
Mania’s laughter began to mix with her anguished cries, enough to remind Jane it wasn’t real.
Finding a last bit of strength, she focused on making a mental wall. She ignored the hundreds of beating wings and whispers surrounding her and strained, putting everything she had in her to force an invisible barrier around herself.
The new image of David with his arms around an unknown, naked brunette blurred and began to fade. Though she knew she was still doomed, she
smiled weakly at an enraged Mania. I’ll go down, but I’m going to put up a fight.
Tremendous force pressed in on her, squeezing her bones and stealing her breath. Her body shook as she struggled to push the wall out farther, and with every push, another, harder push came back at her.
“You won’t be able to hold that forever, sweetie.” Mania taunted. “You’re only prolonging the inevitable.”
Jane’s face twisted in pain. There were too many. Her hands trembled, and liquid began to ooze out of her ears. She groaned as the pressure became unbearable while Mania’s insane laughs mixed horrifyingly with the demonic chants.
Her legs shook, she was close to buckling under the weight of their mental attack. She could see them moving in again. “No,” she cried. They were within ten feet of her now. The swarm smiled, excited as they prepared to break her, and finally, Jane collapsed.
Tears and sweat drenched her entire body. The chanting and faint flickers of images forced their way into her mind again. She squeezed her eyes shut, but she knew it was over.
A loud crash landed right in front of her, shaking the ground. She screamed, expecting something to grab her. But nothing did.
Instead, a terrifying roar shook the sky. Jane snapped her eyes open and breathed in the rich scent of leather and cologne. Death.
A murderous gleam lit his emerald eyes as he swung his scythe at the demons directly around her. Ten of the disfigured beasts fell at his feet and disintegrated into a pile of ash.
His deadly growl caused the hundreds of demons surrounding to hiss and move back. But they didn’t retreat. Jane looked around frantically while Death kept his electric-green glare on them.
She looked back to see Mania quickly vanish in a poof of smoke.
Another dangerous noise sounded from Death’s chest, a warning.
Surprisingly, a few dared to step closer, but they quickly dropped to the ground as they cried out in agony. Jane’s eyes widened, watching as their flesh began to decay.
The growls and hisses from her attackers grew louder, but they stepped back to wait him out. Death scoffed and turned to look down at her.