by Gini Koch
It made sense, he’d drained the werewolf out of the newest and weakest option. Hopefully that meant Jack was next, because this had caused him to fight back harder than ever. Ralph went flying into the convergence chasm.
I didn’t hesitate. I leaped off of Lucifer and raced over. Ralph had caught the lip of the chasm with his paws, but paws weren’t great for holding onto something like this. I flung myself in a horizontal position and just managed to get my hands around his front legs as his grip slipped.
This was good, as Ralph wasn’t plummeting into the Depths. It was bad, however, because I wasn’t stronger or heavier than him, and we were now inching towards the Depths anyway.
“There’s nothing for me to get a toehold on,” Ralph panted. “Let go.”
“No way.”
“Vic, let go!” This was snarled.
Didn’t work. “Nice try, but still no.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” Jack said. I felt his feet straddle me. “I’ll make her let go, how about that?”
“How about I show you what I do to guys who screw over my ex?” It wasn’t Ken’s voice, it was Jude’s.
I managed to look over my shoulder to see Jude, wings on full. He grabbed Jack’s head and yanked him backwards. This was nice, but Ralph and I were still sliding towards imminent doom.
“Vic, let me go.”
“No. I can keep this up for hours. No.”
I felt two hands grab my left ankle, then two more grab my right. “On three,” Amanda shouted. “One, two, three!”
My legs wanted to come out of their sockets, but we flew backwards. Literally. We were in the air -- in an awkward position, but still, in the air. My right side was higher and steadier than my left. I risked a look. Sexy Cindy has the left side and while she was giving it her all, she still wasn’t all that adept at flying.
“Drop us on Lucifer!”
They let go. Conveniently, we were right above him. I wasn’t sure if they’d just been listening or lost their holds at the right time, but I didn’t have time to question.
Lucifer flipped us both off, but we landed on the ground. On our paws. Apparently cats weren’t the only beings that could land on their feet when it mattered.
I took a look around. We were doing some serious damage to the fallen angels and other lesser minions fighting. I noted Ishtrallum -- he was standing behind Merc and L.K., chanting. The same thing the others on our side were chanting. I looked carefully -- there were a lot of minor minions doing the same, hiding behind our side and lending a helping hand, claw, paw, talon, or vocal chord.
Jude had Jack and was doing some seriously nasty things to him. The totem of Adlet was hovering over them, twirling. I saw a dark mist drain from Jack into the totem. Adlet grew larger, Jack dropped like a stone. Jude was about to deliver what I knew was a deathblow when Jack disappeared.
I knew he wasn’t destroyed. The Adversary was still fighting and grew a little larger as well, now that Jack was back within it.
But it didn’t help. The totem of Adlet sailed over the Adversary’s head, spinning even faster. Dirt Corps and a variety of beings were in full on attack and occupying all the Adversary’s focus. A larger dark mist sailed from the Adversary to the totem. Adlet was now about the size of the Maltese Falcon, though nowhere near as pretty.
Lucifer grabbed me. “Adlet! Come drain her and break free!”
Chapter 73
The totem of Adlet moved towards us. “Adlet,” I shouted. “Remember that deal? I never mentioned what you needed to do for me to give you the great idea.”
The totem hovered in front of me. It was definitely malleable because it shrugged what I charitably thought were its shoulders.
“Here’s the thing. The Adversary? It’s vulnerable to werewolves. That’s why you could drain them all so easily.” I talked fast. Who knew how long I had? “Think about it. You could destroy the Adversary and take his place. You know how the Prince works. You kill it, you can take its place.”
Adlet cocked his statue-head at me.
“Seriously, what are you waiting for? You don’t need me to break those bonds. You need the real power that’s sitting within the head of the Prince’s Army of the Damned.”
Adlet looked at Lucifer.
“No, not him. Really, he’s like the Prime Minister or something. The Adversary’s where your kind of power is. Besides, if you destroy the Adversary, the rest of the werewolves will have to follow you, right? We won’t have a choice. So, why not hurry up and kill two minions with one bottle of holy water? Or whatever the evil undead equivalent is.”
“I forbid you to do this,” Lucifer said imperiously.
Adlet was big enough that I could see his eyes narrow. He also bared his fangs. Clearly, this wasn’t the right thing to say to the being who the Prince’s side had left locked up in a tiny statue for hundreds of years.
Adlet nodded to me and flew straight at the Adversary. Dear Old Dad saw him coming, reached out, and yanked the Mom and Susan combo to him. They melded into one being. I gagged. Adlet sailed into them and was also absorbed.
The internal struggle started immediately. The Adversary was jerking and flinging itself all over the place, flailing and hitting out at anything.
“Retreat!” Jude shouted, and our side disengaged, fast.
Which was a good thing, since the Adversary hit Abaddon and Apollyon at the same time. Now the Three A’s were going at it, since the two fallen angels were still trying to follow Lucifer’s orders and destroy Adlet.
“Let me go, withdraw the rest of your troops, or I’ll give the order to attack again. Only this time, we’ll focus all our energy on you.”
Lucifer threw me to Jude, who caught me easily. “So be it. It’s not over. We will meet again.”
“Looking forward to it.”
Lucifer’s eyes locked with mine again. Thank you. Then he opened his mouth. Sound came out, but nothing like I’d ever heard before. It was loud, but not painful, and not in a language I understood.
The minions did, though. To a one they disengaged and flung themselves into the convergence chasm. Lucifer spread his wings and opened his arms. He tackled the Three A’s and they all tumbled into the chasm as well.
Lightning flashed down from the sky, hitting all parts of the chasm. Our side scrambled to get away, though Jude and I didn’t. The ground rumbled as the lightning struck and this time the sound was deafening. I and all the other animal-based undeads covered our ears but it still hurt.
And then, just like that, the chasm was gone. Along with all the minions, other than those already living on the human plane.
“Well done.” The voice came from the heavens. I’d only heard it a few times, in my mind, mostly.
Those beings who recognized the voice knelt or bowed their heads, and yanked those who didn’t recognize the voice into similar positions. Jude and I didn’t bow. We knew it wasn’t expected.
“Thanks, Yahweh. To protect and serve and all that.”
Lightning went around me, but it didn’t hurt. It was Yahweh’s way of hugging. He didn’t manifest in a physical body as a rule. But that was fine. I thought of him as lightning anyway, even though he was much more than that.
Then the lighting was gone, just like the chasm and the minions, and we were left standing on a street in the bad part of town. Just us, all of Prosaic City’s Night Beat cops, a handful of other humans, and hundreds of undeads.
“What’s your cleanup plan?” I asked Jude.
“The usual. Memory wipes for the human side, as appropriate. Strong lectures for those who need to retain the memories. Subtle ‘thanks for helping and here’s the spell you were supposedly under’ messages to the minor minions who like the status quo enough to have risked their unlives to help us tonight.”
“Routine.”
Jude kissed my forehead. “You were all anyone could have hoped for and more.” He sighed. “They’ll be back, you know. Either Adlet will win or the Adversary will. Or they’ll combine.�
��
“They can’t combine. That’s why the plan worked, all the way along. Because I’m the Child of the Adversary and a werewolf, my kind is poison to the Adversary. That’s why they want me with them in the Depths, to break that weakness. But it’ll never happen.”
He smiled. “I know.” Jude looked over my shoulder. “He’s not as jealous as your latest ex, but he’s not as cool about it as he’s going to pretend to be.”
“Ralph?”
“Yeah, your mate.”
“Am I making a mistake? I mean, undoubtedly not on the same level as the mistake with Jack, but still, I’d like some kind of clue. I think I deserve it.”
Jude chuckled. “While I’m not a prophet, he does rub off the more you’re around him.”
“So Magdalena and Miriam said.”
“I think, out of all your choices, this is the one most likely to be right for you. I wouldn’t expect it to be all smooth sailing, mind you, but I give it very good odds for success.”
“I’ll take it.” I leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
“I won’t be at the Sanctuary Center any more.”
I shook my head. “You can be. You can let me know where you are, too. I can handle it now.”
“You’re sure?” He looked hopeful.
“Yeah, I am. It doesn’t…hurt…to see you any more. Besides, Ken shouldn’t be the only ex I go whining to when I have a relationship problem.”
“Oh, good. Can’t wait. Maybe I’ll still hide.” Jude grinned. “He’s getting really impatient, and since patience is truly one of his virtues, I’d suggest you trot on over and reassure your mate that you’re still a monogamous wolf, and that I’m not the being you’re doing monogamy with any more.”
I kissed his cheek again and did as he said. I wasn’t stupid. Ralph was sitting on his haunches, and he had the worried and annoyed expression going. I figured I was going to see that a lot, too. “You okay?”
“Never better. I think we have another hospital overload situation, but I don’t think anyone on our side dusted.”
“Glad those prayers worked.”
The rest of our team gathered around us. I saw a variety of undeads and some humans being loaded into the available vehicles, heading for the hospitals without a doubt.
“I saw Bobby and the others,” Sexy Cindy said. “When all that lightning was going on. Because they tried to help us, they were forgiven. At least as far as I could tell.”
Freddy nodded. “They’d been resurrected to fight, but you wouldn’t have spotted them, Victoria, because they were focused on the humans. But they wouldn’t attack, and in fact tried to keep the fallen angels away from their families.”
“Even the hookers were protecting their pimp,” Sexy Cindy said. “Go figure.”
“Whatever works.” My wrist-com went live. “Yes?”
“Agent Wolfe, how goes it?”
“I think we won, Count. At least for right now.”
“Excellent news.”
There was something in the tone of his voice. “And that’s excellent news because?”
“Your police chief asked me to pass this along. We have a situation in Prosaic City’s religious quarter. Seems small and human-created, but one never knows, does one?”
I took a deep breath. “All available personnel who aren’t badly injured will head on out, Count.”
“Not necessary. I understand the Reverend Johnson has donated his car to the Prosaic City undercover unit. I’d suggest just a small team until events are known.”
“Gotcha. Over and out.” I looked around. “Who’s up for it?”
Sexy Cindy, Freddy, and Benny, still holding tight to the bag, all raised their hands. Ralph put up his paw.
“I think our vamps need some medical attention,” Sexy Cindy shared.
“Amanda and Ken do, though they’re waiting until they get all the humans taken care of,” Maurice said, landing behind Freddy. “But I’m in perfect shape. Fallen angels, ha! They’re not so tough.”
“Good to know. You’ll do aerial support?”
“Vicki, I live to serve.”
I shrugged. “Then, let’s roll out and do what we do best.”
“Drive in a terrifying manner?” Benny asked.
“Avert the end of the worlds?” Ralph suggested.
“Bring order out of chaos?” Freddy offered.
Sexy Cindy snorted. “Dudes, we kick icky butt and take unpronounceable names.”
I smiled. “Isn’t she the greatest? And, she’s right. Per the boss, duty shift’s not over. So, let’s head out to protect and serve.
Chapter 74
I was running, but not too fast. I didn’t want to get away, after all. But not too slowly, either -- I didn’t get to frolic in wolf form all that often that I wanted it to end immediately.
After a few more minutes Ralph landed on my back and we rolled around. There was a lot of foliage, and the smells were nice, all earthy and natural. We were playing, wrestling, nipping, that sort of thing. Nothing too rough, nothing remotely threatening.
He rolled me onto my stomach. “Give up?” he growled in my ear. The sexy-growl. The one that made me pant for all the right reasons.
“Mmmm, maybe.” I stretched out and Ralph rolled onto his back next to me.
“It’s nice to be here, instead of the park.”
“Yeah. Benny really needs this place tenanted and I can’t complain about the size of the yard or the privacy.” I nuzzled his ear. “Think we can afford it?”
“Well, I’m never living where you had sex with Wagner, and I think we’ve removed all traces of Nero here. Besides, the Estates were affected badly by the last big attack. The Count thinks it might be a good idea for us to base out of here. So, yeah, I think we should see about affording it.”
“The neighbors are nice. Not nosy.”
“And we have a personal relationship with the Reverend, too.” Ralph snorted. “Though I like Helen a lot more.”
“Oh, Jeremiah Johnson’s not so bad, once you get past the stuffed-shirtedness.”
“Yeah. I have to admit that the itchy werewolf suit bothers me a lot more than Johnson does. And I hate having to spend at least half my existence now in human form.”
“Not my fault I needed a new partner on Night Beat.”
“Explain how you ended up with three of them, then?”
“Well, Sexy Cindy’s a natural, and until Freddy shows that gray zombie look, he’s invaluable. Covers us for the three different undeads rule even while on Prosaic City P.D. business. Besides, you’re job is to protect me, so I don’t know why you’re complaining.”
“The suit itches, remember?”
I nudged him. “But you’re not wearing the suit now.”
Ralph changed to human and grinned at me. “True enough.”
I rolled onto my back as I went to human, too. “Not trying for puppies today?” I was almost disappointed. Ralph had introduced me to a lot of new things, including that there was nothing better than having sex with another werewolf, in all three forms.
He stroked my hair. “Not today. Well, not this moment. How about that?”
I was already familiar with his stamina. “Not a problem.” The afternoon was young, after all, and we didn’t go on duty again for another night. Ralph rolled on top of me and I sighed. “Does unlife get any better than this?”
Ralph kissed me. “Not that I’ve found in over four centuries.”
“Makes eternity seem too short.”
He grinned. “I’ll do my best to make all parts of it last forever.”
There was an old saying, and I’d found it was true -- once you went werewolf, you never went back. I was a weregirl in love and it finally felt right. What the next nights would bring I didn’t know, but I figured unlife was a journey, not a destination. And come what may, I was going to enjoy the ride -- in the donated S-Class, with my mate and our pack along for the wild ride. Unlife truly didn’t get any better than this.
Acknowledgements
Many thanks, oohs and aahs to Lisa Dovichi, Mary Fiore, Cherry Weiner, and Veronica Cook for their usual above and beyond. Thanks also to Helen King, and authors Marsheila Rockwell, Kris Tualla, Amber Scott, and Jordan Summers, for tons of help and support.
Much love to my family for encouraging me to always go for it in everything I do, but especially in my writing career.
Last but not least, a big thanks to my fans around the world who’ve been asking (for quite a while now) when I’d tackle the undead. This one’s for all of you.
About the Author
Gini Koch lives in Hell’s Orientation Area (aka Phoenix, AZ), works her butt off (sadly, not literally) by day, and writes by night with the rest of the beautiful people. In addition to the Necropolis Enforcement Files series, she writes the fast, fresh and funny Alien/Katherine “Kitty” Katt series for DAW Books and the Martian Alliance Chronicles series for Musa Publishing. As G.J. Koch she writes the Alexander Outland series for Night Shade Books. She also writes under a variety of other pen names (including Anita Ensal, Jemma Chase, A.E. Stanton, and J.C. Koch), listens to rock music 24/7, and is a proud comics geek-girl willing to discuss at any time why Wolverine is the best superhero ever (even if Deadpool does get all the best lines). She speaks frequently on what it takes to become a successful author and other aspects of writing and the publishing business.
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