by Tim O'Rourke
“Of course I am,” Luke smiled.
“I have never seen you as a wolf,” Bruce said. “Show your true self now so that we can settle this matter.”
“As you wish,” Luke said, unbuttoning his shirt and letting it flutter away on the wind. But instead of a coat of fur appearing, two black wings unfurled from his back, just like I knew they would.
“We must warn the wolves,” Lilly said, turning on Bruce. “Everything Kiera Hudson has said is true.”
Laughing softly as if almost to himself, Luke said, “It’s too late to warn the wolves now.”
“I don’t think so,” I said, still confident that his army wasn’t ready to strike just like Isidor had informed us.
“Oh, come on!” Luke said as if his intelligence had been insulted. “Don’t you think I knew it was you who killed Rom, Phillips, and Taylor in Wasp Water last night? I must give you credit for showing so much resilience and an uncanny knack for staying alive, but it matters not now. Your luck is about to run out.”
“I wouldn’t bank on it,” Potter said.
“Do you really think I would be so stupid as to not know that you would come for me?” Luke said, his smile fading now. His fun and games were over. “The Vampyrus are ready to strike. In fact, they are already here.”
We glanced up to discover row after row of Vampyrus now perched on the roofs of the houses and shops that surrounded the square. There must have been a hundred at most, but not an army.
“Is that the best you can do?” Murphy said, looking back at Luke only to discover he had gone from beside the well.
“No, I can do so much better,” I heard Luke whisper from behind me.
All of us span around to see Luke standing behind Bruce, his long jagged claws at the wolf’s throat. With a vile grin on his face, like he was bordering on madness, he drove his claws into Bruce’s throat. The wolf threw his hands up, a gargling and wheezing sound coming from the jagged hole in his neck. Blood gushed from his mouth, nose, and throat. With one last thrust of Luke’s claws, Bruce’s head came free. Dangling it from his fist, Luke raised Bruce’s head into the air and screamed in triumph.
The cobbled ground beneath our feet began to rumble and shake so violently that I nearly toppled over. I gripped Potter’s arm to stay upright. A noise seemed to race forward beneath our feet, heading in the direction of the well. I glanced back and watched in horror as Felix Coanda shot from the mouth of the well and up into the night sky. He was followed by so many Vampyrus that they covered the sky with their beating wings.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Kiera
The other members of the wolf council that Bruce had brought with him sprang through the air toward Luke. He shot away and up into the air, soon surrounded by those other Vampyrus led by Coanda. Roaring and howling, the wolves ripped their human flesh free in thick, bloody strips. They shook all over as they released their snouts, claws, and pointed tails. When fully formed, they stood as big as bears in the town square. Throwing back their colossal skulls, they howled up into the night. The windows in the nearby shops and houses blew out, showering the square in glass. I covered my face with my wings. The sound of the Vampyrus swooping overhead was deafening, but I was sure that I could hear another sound too. At first I thought it was the thunder coming closer, but it wasn’t. Looking up at the hills and mountains in the distance I could see what looked like a river of black cascading over them and down into the valley.
“Wolves,” I breathed.
“Thousands of the fuckers,” Murphy grunted.
“Never did I think I’d be so glad to see them,” Potter said.
I felt something bristle against my leg. I looked round to discover that both Pen and Melody were as wolves. Just like the others from the council, they raced into the centre of the square and began to howl for help from their kind. The Vampyrus saw them approach and waves of them swooped away to meet the oncoming onslaught of wolves. Within seconds I could hear the sound of howling, screaming, and the clash of claws in the distance.
I looked up and could see Luke buzzing left, then right through the sky as he let Coanda give orders to his army of Vampyrus. Pointing my wings and throwing my head back, I shot like an arrow up into the night sky. With fangs bared and claws out I raced toward Luke. Within touching distance of him, something slammed into my side and I went cartwheeling backwards through the air and away from Luke. Regaining my composure, I saw one of the Vampyrus, his claws swiping down toward my face. Then he was gone in a spray of blood and intestines as Potter almost seemed to burst through the creature, obliterating it on impact.
“Okay?” Potter roared over the boom of thunder and the howl of the approaching wolves.
I made a circle with my thumb and forefinger and raced away in pursuit of Luke, while Potter happily buried his claws, then fangs into an approaching Vampyrus. As I raced over Snake Weed, I saw the wolves reach the town. They raced through the narrow streets like a wave of fur and claws to where Melody, Pen, and the other wolves hailed them. Glancing up, I could see Luke racing away into the distance. I sped after him. Then as if appearing out of nowhere, Kayla clattered into Luke. He span through the air, his wings flapping like two black kites on either side of him. Luke flipped over and went screaming through the air toward Kayla. With her fangs gleaming like pearls in the dark, Kayla raced forward to meet him. I knew she still felt she had a score to settle with him. But I feared that her anger alone wouldn’t be enough to beat Luke. They crashed into each other. Kayla screamed out in pain, spinning away. I shot forward, Luke unaware that I was so close, his full attention on Kayla. I grappled with him, burying my claws into his back. He swiped at me, swatting me away. The wind rushed through my hair as I spun over and over. Luke gripped me, his claws slicing into my shoulder like five red hot pokers. I screamed in agony.
“You don’t get to make a choice this time,” he spat in my face, his eyes no longer green but black with anger and hate for me.
“I do have a choice!” I roared back, my shirt now sticky wet with my own blood.
“I don’t need you like I did before,” he hissed. “I can destroy the humans and the wolves without you, Kiera Hudson. I don’t need you to love me. I don’t need anything from you.”
My arm felt as if it were on fire as Luke sunk his claws deeper into it. Screaming in pain, I raised my right claw, dragging it across his face. I felt his flesh peel beneath my long nails. He threw his head back, lips snarled up, and fangs drooling. I seized my chance by pulling free of him. I felt his claws slide from my flesh. They hurt just as much coming out as they did when he drove them into me. Clutching my arm, I fell backwards through the sky, wings whipping all around me. I looked up to see Luke surrounded by several Vampyrus. His claws were to his face. I could hear his screams over the sound of the battle raging below and in the skies around me. I knew I’d hurt him, perhaps he had lost an eye and ear, but I knew the injuries were not fatal. As I dropped through the air I watched the Vampyrus who had come to aid Luke take hold of him. They shot through the night, taking their leader back to the safety of The Hollows. Not only was Luke now safe, he was unreachable by us hidden below ground.
I spun around in mid-air, my left hand pressed against the bleeding wound at the top of my right arm. Feeling sick with pain, I swooped over the town and my heart sank. I saw Murphy fighting desperately as he tried to stem back the flow of Vampyrus that still poured from the well. His face, arms and chest were covered black with blood. I wondered how much of that was his own. I saw Potter drop out of the sky and take the heads of two Vampyrus that were slicing open an injured wolf. Melody and Lilly were leaping and biting at the Vampyrus that attacked from above. I saw a Vampyrus swoop down, dragging its claws along Melody’s fur-covered flanks. She howled in pain and rolled over. She snapped her head back, biting and snarling at the Vampyrus who was attacking her. She chomped her powerful jaws through one of the Vampyrus’ legs. She shook her head from side to side, tearing the leg free. The Vampy
rus screamed in agony and flew away, blood spraying down from the stump like rain. From nowhere, Isidor sprang out of the darkness, a volley of bolts ripping from his crossbow and into another Vampyrus heading in the direction of Melody. It flew backwards, its chest riddled with bolts.
Dropping from the sky, Isidor helped Melody to the edges of the town square. I went to help him. Landing, I could see several rakish-like cuts down the length of Melody’s side.
“There just scratches,” she panted. “I’ll be okay.”
“We’re out numbered,” Isidor yelled, fearing another attack from above.
I looked back and knew that he was right. Even though the Vampyrus and wolves were now evenly matched in number, the wolves couldn’t win. The Vampyrus were taking aim, dropping out of the sky like giant bats, and killing their prey. The wolves were defenceless and at the mercy of the winged creatures who had the aerial advantage.
Near to the bench where Luke had been sitting, I saw Kayla drag herself to her feet. She looked dazed and held a hand to her head. One of the Vampyrus saw her staggering forward. Sensing she was easy prey, the bat pounced. I was quicker, spiralling across the square and burying my claws into the crown of the Vampyrus head. I twisted my wrist like a corkscrew being driven into a cork. I felt the creature’s brains turn to a mangled mush around my claws. I yanked my hand free, the Vampyrus slumping forward. Throwing my arm around Kayla, I swooped across the square to where Isidor guarded Melody while her torn flesh had a chance to heal.
“Are you okay?” I shouted at Kayla. She wobbled in my arms and I could see a thin line of blood coming from a cut on her right temple.
“We’re fucked,” I heard someone say.
Spinning around, I saw Potter soar out of the sky and land next to me. His chest, back, and face was covered in cuts. Blood ran into his eyes and he gouged it away with his thumb.
“Are you okay?” I gasped.
“No worse than you,” he said, eyeing the blood that ran from the puncture wounds left by Luke.
I touched my arm. “I’ll survive.”
“We can’t win,” Potter said over the cries of fighting.
“Our only chance is to find Luke and kill him,” Isidor said. “Only his death can stop this.”
“We’ve lost him,” I said, my heart sinking in my chest. I looked across the square and saw Murphy and Meren being forced back toward us, unable to fight off the onslaught of Vampyrus that raced across the sky.
“Where’s Lilly?” Murphy roared as he joined us. He looked beat and tired. And just like Potter, his body bled from an array of deep cuts and gashes.
“I’m here,” Lilly howled, bounding forward. Her white fur was now pink with blood. She had lumps of Vampyrus flesh around her snout and over her paws. Standing up on her back legs, she changed shape, her thick, white fur almost seeming to fall away until she was standing before us once again in her long fur coat. It was that which was now splattered with blood.
“Meren,” she cried, pulling her bloodied and battered daughter into her arms.
“I’m okay,” Meren said.
I looked at my friends and the battle between the wolves and Vampyrus still raging all about us.
“We need somewhere to shelter so we can figure out what to do next,” Isidor said, his voice thick with urgency.
“In here,” I said, forcing open a nearby doorway of an empty house.
Still breathing heavily, Melody moved toward the doorway. As we all sheltered inside, Melody changed shape before us. It was like she was shrinking somehow, her hair shedding to reveal the rose tattoos beneath.
“We’ve got to find Luke,” Murphy barked.
I looked at him. Over his shoulder and through the open doorway, I could see something that caught my eye. I saw four hooded figures standing on the crest of the nearest hill. The Elders stood and watched the battle rage below. And even though their hoods were up, I knew they had smiles stretched across their decaying faces. They could feel the desperation and fear in my heart. They felt my anguish as I knew the battle was lost. There was no way we could win. We were beaten. We were defeated. Tonight I would watch my friends die. And the pain in my heart knowing that they were going to die because I had been too selfish to send them home was crippling me. It felt like my heart was shrinking, being crushed inside my chest as the Elders sucked my unhappiness from it.
“Kiera…where is Luke?” Murphy bellowed.
“Huh?” I said, taking my eyes off the Elders in the distance.
“Where is Luke? Have you seen him?” Murphy shouted.
“It’s too late,” I said, glancing back over his shoulder to discover the Elders had now gone. “Luke has escaped back into The Hollows.”
“Then we go after him,” Potter said.
“It’s pointless,” Murphy groaned. “We all know The Hollows are a maze of caves and tunnels. We would never find him. It could take days, weeks, and months before we even came close to finding him. And even if we did, Luke will be too closely guarded.”
“Then it’s over”, Meren said. “We die here tonight.”
I felt my heart tighten as if being strangled. I should’ve let my friends go. I should have sent them back and they would be happy now with the ones they loved, not facing death in some…
“I know where to find Luke Bishop,” a voice said.
I glanced up to see Kayla, the palm of one hand pressed against the cut on her forehead.
“Fuck, she’s hit her head harder than we thought, she’s hallucinating,” Potter groaned. He put his arm around her shoulder. “Here come and sit down…”
Kayla pushed him away. “I do know where to find Luke Bishop. I know where he will be unguarded. I know where I can kill him.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kayla
“Where?” Kiera asked, coming toward me, eyes wide and hopeful.
“I need to go back through the cracks,” I said, my head throbbing.
“What are you talking about?” Murphy said gripping me by the arms and staring into my eyes. I knew he was making sure that I wasn’t suffering from concussion and just talking nonsense.
I pushed his hands away just like I had Potter’s. My head did hurt, and I felt a little wobbly on my feet, but I wasn’t hallucinating. “Sam told me that he met me once before on a beach in Cornwall. I thought he had gone mad, because I had never met him before, not until I went to Ravenwood School. But now I see that he wasn’t going mad. I was on that beach, or I’m going to be.”
“This is like a really nice story, Kayla, and one I’ve heard you say before, but what the fuck has this got to do with Luke?” Potter sighed with frustration.
I looked at him. “Luke is on that beach with Sam,” I said. “They take a boat trip. Luke is unprotected. He doesn’t have an army of Vampyrus around him. If I can get to that beach, I can kill Luke…”
“This sounds just like some big fantasy…” Potter started.
“Shut your face,” Murphy barked at him. “Go on, Kayla.”
I looked at Kiera. If I was going to convince anyone of my plan it would be her. “If I can kill Luke back on that beach, then none of this will happen. The cracks, the war with the wolves and the Vampyrus, none of it will ever happen.”
“How can you be so sure?” Kiera asked me.
“Don’t you see, Kiera?” I said. “Sam said he met me on that beach before he got sent to Ravenwood School, before I went there, before we had met. So if I kill Luke back then, he won’t have been around to have caused the cracks, he won’t have been able to build his army, he won’t…”
“How do you go back to that particular point?” Kiera cut over me. I could see that she believed it was a chance worth taking, however mad it seemed.
I looked at Lilly and said, “Lilly’s a wolf, so she can see cracks we can’t. Lilly can send me back.”
“I can’t,” Lilly said.
“Why not?” Murphy asked.
“Because the cracks are unstable now – there is no tel
ling where Kayla might end up. It’s too dangerous.”
Potter looked from the doorway where we sheltered in the shadows as the wolves continued to fight a battle they couldn’t possibly win. Looking back at Lilly, he said, “I bet that old git in the ticket booth could send her back.”
“Noah?” Lilly breathed.
“It’s got to be worth a try,” Potter said.
“But look what happened when you and Jack went back, it made the cracks worse, not better,” Lilly said.
“But I won’t mess up,” I almost pleaded with them. I had known in my heart I would one day see Sam again and this was my chance to do that and stop Luke.
“How do we find this Noah?” Kiera shot at Lilly.
“He’s at the station,” Lilly said.
“What station?” Kiera asked.
“The one full of dead people,” Potter put in.
“How do we get there?” Murphy asked, stepping forward.
“I’m not sure…” Lilly started.
“Please, mum,” Meren said, wiping blood from her face. “We all die if Kayla doesn’t try. I don’t want to lose you again.”
Lilly looked at her daughter, then back at all of us. “Follow me,” she said, racing out from beneath the shadows where we were hidden.
Knowing that time was running out for us, we followed Lilly. Isidor gently helped Melody along. Blood trickled from the scratches in her side, but I could see it had already started to congeal.
“Are you going to be okay Melody?” I asked.
“I’ll be fine, Kayla”, she said.
The Vampyrus still soared overhead and the remaining wolves fought a desperate battle. Standing on their back legs and thrashing their giant paws through the air, the wolves clawed at any Vampyrus who dared swoop out of the sky and attack them.
Following our friends, we crept out of the town square, careful to keep to any shadows. Lilly led the way, back through Snake Weed and over the rotting corpses we had passed before. But this time there were more than just human bodies. The streets were now littered with dead wolves and Vampyrus. I wanted to leave Snake Weed as quickly as possible, and not because I was too scared to stay and fight, not because the dead bodies troubled me, but because I wanted to see Sam again. But there was another reason, too. I wanted my chance to kill Luke. I wanted to kill him just like he had killed me in The Hollows. I wanted to end this nightmare for my friends, and I simply wanted my revenge. It had eaten away at me, driven me half mad since we had been pushed into this world. It had kept me strong here. Even when I thought I had lost Isidor and the temptation to give up had been almost overwhelming – the one thing that had kept me going was my hatred for Luke. He had stripped me naked, cut off my ears, and then killed me. What I had planned for him was so much worse.