“Yeah,” Rob echoed. “We leave in a couple of hours.”
“What are we after?”
“I don't know. Rumors, mostly.” Rob ran a hand through his hair, Galen caught the wave of uncertainty from his brother.
“We're after rumors? Can I whack them with my hammer?”
“Sure, if you can catch them.” Galen sighed.
“Did I get here in time to mooch dinner?” Flashed grinned.
“If you go get it,” Rob said, pulling out his wallet. “I want Thai.”
“The usual?” Flash said, taking the money Rob handed him. “Okay, be right back.”
Galen watched him go. “We should close up so we can eat before we take off,” he said, pushing down his growing sense of foreboding.
“Sounds like a plan.” Rob walked over, turned off the “open” sign and locked the door.
Two hours later, Galen was pulling into a parking spot at the park. It was dark, the only light cast by a single streetlamp over the gravel. The park was one of the largest in the area, there was a lake ringed by a path and several acres of field and woods. On the top of a hill overlooking the lake were the remains of mental hospital, abandoned in the 1950s. He turned off the car and opened the door, listening to the night, waiting for Rhiannon and Greg to arrive. A dog barked from somewhere in the field to his left, the call of a night bird echoed through the air.
“It's dark out there,” Rob said reflectively.
“No shit, Sherlock, it's night,” Flash grumbled from the back seat.
“Not what I meant.” Rob got out of the Jeep and walked to the back, opening it up to grab their weapons.
“I know that.” Despite the irritation in Flash's voice, there was an undercurrent of fear in their friend's voice that was always there when they were out hunting. Galen admired him, because even with the ever-present fear Flash was there beside them.
“I know you do,” Galen said, getting out and walking around the Jeep as the headlights from Rhiannon's truck swept over the parking lot.
“Here,” Rob said, handing Galen his bag of first aid supplies—magical as well as medicinal.
“Thanks.” Galen adjusted the satchel over his shoulder and reached for his sword. It was a falcata, based on the Iberian Celtic design, although he'd had it custom made, so it was a little longer and forged from steel he could keep razor sharp. Rob was buckling on his baldric. He carried his large blade—a bastard sword—on his back. It was a heavyweight weapon, but Rob was graceful with it—despite it's nearly four foot length.
They both carried the Emrys Swords, the hereditary blades of the Custodes Noctis, forged in antiquity and strengthened over the centuries with spells and protective magic. The swords were covered with Ogham, Runes and words that bound magic to the blades and the blades to the family. Since they had performed the Ritual of Swords, they officially became theirs, the sword bonded to them until they passed them on.
“Galen,” Rhiannon said, pulling up beside them and getting out of the truck. As always she came over and hugged Galen. She met his eyes with a frown and he smiled down at her. “Rob, Flash,” she said, smiling at them.
“What's the plan for tonight?” Greg said, stopping beside Rhiannon.
“We stick together,” Rob said before Galen could speak.
“Together?” Greg asked with a frown. Galen understood the look, usually when they were hunting they split up to cover more ground. “Why?”
“We're moving out into the fields, we can fan out, but still be essentially together,” Rob answered.
“Okay,” Rhiannon said. “We're with you.”
“Yes,” Greg affirmed with a nod of his head.
Rob led the way through the dark grass. As they moved away from the light, the night closed in, even though they were still in the city. Small animals were moving through the field, Galen could hear the soft rustle of the dead vegetation as the creatures ran from the group.
“There's something in the trees,” Rob said softly.
Galen turned to look towards the darker shadows on their right. He knew from other visits that the field was bordered by oak trees on one side. “What is it?”
“I don't know. It's tracking... There's more than one out there,” Rob said, drawing his sword in a smooth, silent motion. “They're coming.”
“Right,” Galen said, pulling his falcata out. Greg and Rhiannon moved off to his left, Flash took a step back to protect the rear of the group. “How many?” Galen asked, taking a stance beside his brother.
“Two.” Rob's voice was calm, but Galen caught the wave of fear washing off his brother.
“Rob?” he asked silently through their connection. It took a lot to get that kind of reaction, Rob, for better or worse, didn't fear much.
“I'm okay, it's just...”
“What?”
“I can see it, Galen. It's...” Rob broke off. “Veering left!” he called, moving towards Rhiannon and Greg.
In the next instant, Galen saw them, black shadows, pulling the little light there into themselves, like black holes moving through the grass. Without thinking, he fell in beside his brother, feeling the hum of their connection deepen as they prepared to fight. He knew where his brother was going before he took a step and easily followed, moving to stop one of the shadows. There were no details in the creatures, just the massive black shapes, but judging from the emotion flowing off Rob, his brother could see far more of what they actually looked like.
One of them headed straight towards Galen, breaking off at the last moment to race around him and head towards Flash. He heard a shout from his brother and a cry of pain from Greg, but he didn't let it break his focus. He followed the shadow as it moved, slashing at it with his blade. He felt the sword slice through something, it sent a cold shock up the blade. The shadow turned, swiping at him and opening a bloody wound in Galen's forearm.
“Galen?” Rob shouted.
“I'm okay, Rob.”
“Greg's down.”
“Okay.” Galen glanced towards his brother, one of the black shadows was between Rob and Rhiannon. She was standing in front of Greg, who was on the ground. He took a breath, knowing he didn't have time to worry about his friend right now.
A roar brought his focus back on the shadow in front of him, the sound sending a chill down his spine. He stepped forward, lifting his blade again. With another growling roar, the creature swung away, moving so quickly that Galen barely registered the movement before he heard Flash's shout of terror. “Flash!” He dove towards the shadow, driving his blade into it. The shadow thrust back, Galen held on, twisting his sword into the creature's back. It shoved him again then, with a final roar, collapsed. Galen stood, drawing his sword from its body.
“Galen!” Rob's shout of alarm came through their connection as well.
Galen turned in time to see the black shadow moving towards him, then it was on him. He swung wildly as he sensed his brother moving up behind it. His sword cut into it and it stopped, roaring in defiance. It stood in front of him for a moment, then stooped, picking up the other dark shape. With a horrifying sound that Galen was sure he'd remember for the rest of his life, it devoured the other shadow-body and turned back, facing him, its dark shape now twice the size it had been before. It roared again and struck out, connecting with Galen, sending him off balance. Rob's sword pierced it, the tip of the blade coming through the creature's body, Galen raised his own sword and drove it into the body as well. Its roar changed to a scream, then it was falling. He stood, the slash the first creature had given him throbbing in his arm.
“Flash?” Galen called.
“Here,” his friend said, approaching them. “Shit, I didn't get to use my hammer.”
“Galen!” Rhiannon called. “Greg's in bad shape.”
Galen walked to where she was kneeling beside Greg. He dropped down beside her, and gently pulled the torn fabric away from the wound on Greg's body. It was bleeding, but something else was pulsing through the wound. Galen laid
his hands on Greg's head and chest and focused the healing. The lash of darkness that whipped up his arms was nearly enough to push him physically from the other man. He took a deep breath and concentrated, struggling with what was there, what the shadow had left in Greg's body. It was taking a lot of energy to heal, the black pulse of the wound running up his arms as he guided the light into Greg. It awakened something in Galen, something dark that usually slept quietly in the scars the Old One had left. He shoved it away ruthlessly and focused on healing. Galen was lightheaded when he pulled his hands away. He took a deep breath and stood.
Cold mist suddenly surrounded him. In the distance he heard the ringing of bells, baying of hounds, horses on the gallop. The sounds wound around him, twisting through him, pulling him further into the night.
“Galen!” His brother's voice slammed into him with physical force. “Galen!” There was a desperate edge to the tone. Warm light flooded his body, Galen took a breath, the darkness fell away. He opened his eyes and looked into Rob's panicked face. “You with me?” Rob asked.
“Yeah,” Galen said.
“Galen, honey?” Rhiannon asked, concern in her voice. Galen saw her glance at Rob, his brother shook his head and she smiled. “Let's get Greg back to my truck, I'll call Mike and let him know to stop by.” Mike Silva was a friend and ER physician, and despite being only twelve years older than Galen, he treated him more like a son than just a friend.
“He might not be in the mood for a house call.” Galen chuckled. When he bent to help, Flash shoved him away. “Flash?”
“You've done your bit, I can at least help carry him off.” Flash frowned at him.
“I can get to the truck myself,” Greg grumbled. “Help me up.”
“Okay,” Flash said, offering a hand and pulling him onto his feet.
“Might need a little help.” Greg was swaying on his feet.
“Let me,” Galen began.
“No, honey, you've done enough. Mike can take care of it from here. Flash, give me a hand,” Rhiannon said, putting a hand on Greg's back.
“Yes, ma'am.”
“I am not a ma'am,” she said, swatting Flash's head.
“Yes, ma'am, not a ma'am, ma'am.” He grinned at her, then moved to help Greg back to the truck.
“What is it?” Galen asked Rob, his brother was examining the body of the creature. He was aware of the emotions flowing off Rob—fear and concern overlaid everything. Something happened. Galen shifted, the wound in his arm was throbbing more with each moment. He focused the healing, it was slow to respond, he'd used most of it up on Greg. Enough of the light slid down his arm, though, to prevent him from asking Rob for help just then. He had a funny feeling that the request would increase the worry emanating from his brother.
“I'm not sure.” Rob prodded it with the end of his sword. “Huh.” He reached out to touch it. As soon as his hand came into contact with the body, he snatched it back. Galen sensed the burn as it buzzed up Rob's arm. “Shit!”
“Rob!'
“I'm okay, just remind me 'no touching,'” Rob said with a sardonic smile. “It's dissolving.”
“What?”
“The body, it's dissolving, fading.” Rob poked it with his sword again. “I wonder... Hmm... It...” He drew his small dagger and sliced a piece off the body. He dragged it away from the mass and picked it up on the end of the knife. “Huh.”
“Rob?
“It's not completely corporeal.”
“But we killed it with...”
“I know, but this piece.” He held out the knife. “It's not...” Rob made a frustrated sound. “It's hard to describe, but it's not solid, not in the way it should be.”
“Not solid?”
“No, it looks almost like a piece of a spectral body, like it's...” Rob broke off with a frown.
“What?”
“I don't know.”
“That little bit of the Saga you can't quite remember?” Galen asked. He blinked when Rob blurred out for a moment.
“Yeah, I think that's it. I need to remember what it was.” Rob flicked the piece off the end of his knife and turned his attention to Galen, his eyes unfocused, still using the Sight. “Galen,” he began, then stopped with a smile. “We should get back to the car before Flash starts playing with everything in the back.”
Almost in answer, a loud crack sounded from the direction of the parking lot. “Too late,” Galen chuckled, and led the way back to the Jeep.
Chapter Three
Rob
Rob headed up the stairs after locking the door behind Flash. He knew Flash had a key, but he liked to double check the door anyway. Since he'd moved back it was one of the little jobs he'd assigned himself to help. There were others, more subtle, as well. The apartment was well protected magically, but he'd added a few small charms and spells here and there. Nothing like what Galen was capable of, but a little more than there had been, adding his own unique “stamp” to the place as well. Over the last two months, he'd been steadily adding to the magic already there. Something was going on with Galen, he caught the very edge from his brother's nightmare, and, contrary to what Galen thought, he wasn't hiding it well. Once or twice, he'd actually cried out in his sleep, and since Rob rarely slept, he'd heard it.
Then there was what Rob could see. Galen had a ring of shifting mists around him, foreign, but there, surrounding him. Over the last four months the ring had gotten clearer, the mists more pronounced. Sometimes Rob thought he caught the sound of far-off bells moving through the mists. The fact that Galen was blocking Rob's Sight and their connection was beginning to bother him. He wasn't sure if it was conscious on Galen's part, but something was blocking him. It wasn't enough to sever their bond, but it was enough to be worrisome. One night, hearing Galen shouting in his sleep, Rob had tried to find his way into the dream, to no avail.
He'd learned the art of dreamwalking from the Shaman, Billy Hernandez. They'd spent a long time on it, with Billy carefully teaching Rob the way to slip in and out of others' unconscious worlds. It was part of the training the shaman had given him to help control the Sight in the years when Galen was “dead.”
Using that training, Rob had tried to find his way into Galen's nightmare, only to be blocked before he ever got in. He couldn't even get far enough to find out the content of the dream, not even the vaguest hint. In frustration, he'd tried the next night as well, trying to slide in as Galen moved into REM sleep, and still nothing.
“Rob?” Galen said, breaking into his thoughts.
“How's your arm?” Rob asked, walking into the living room.
“I think it's okay.”
“Let me look at it.” Rob sat down at the table and Galen stretched his arm out. The wounds didn't look too bad, but there was a darkness in the slash that worried Rob. He laid his hand on it, focusing the healing into the wound. It was rare for the younger brother in a pair of Custodes Noctis to have the Gift of the healing. Of course, like everything else about him and Galen, they were unique, Rob having Gifts other Keepers didn't and Galen was....
His brother sighed as the light moved into his arm, Rob felt him relax a little—and in that instant he had a flash of something, shifting mists, bells, the sound of a horn, then it was gone. When he looked up, Galen had his eyes closed, his head down. “Galen? Hey?” When he didn't answer, Rob shook his arm. “Galen!” he said sharply.
The Hunt: A Custodes Noctis Book Page 3