Copula Chronicles: The Complete Collection: Origin, Descend, Ascend, Legacy

by Venessa Kimball

  I look around out the windows, worried that the others might be in danger. Ezra, Sebastian and Balthazar are walking to the back of the other truck as Monica and the others start to unload.

  With him not responding and my not sensing any humming vibration, I look back at Nate urgently. “Do you feel something?”

  His eyes are gentle as they look into mine. “I just wanted you to know that Xander is fine. He’s holding strong with Sam and Corinna.”

  His tender gaze and words are both surprising and gut wrenching after the stabbing glare he gave me when he discovered Xander and me. With his connection to both Xander and me, he could have easily spited me and withheld Xander’s safety. He didn’t though. He doesn’t work that way. It wouldn’t be Nate if he did. That’s probably why I feel so safe in his touch right now. And, even more so in this gaze as his blue-green eyes take me back to the place they have always sent me when I’m captured in it––home.

  Nate’s eyes suddenly leave mine as he looks down at our joined hands. “They are en route here now.”

  I feel him start to pull his hand back, so I intertwine my fingers in his and hold him still, his eyes seeking mine again.

  “Thank you, Nate.”

  My whole-hearted appreciation receives a humble nod. Again, something I would expect from Nate, someone who is stronger to me now than he has ever been.

  He breaks our gaze and looks over my shoulder at the group. “I know you wouldn’t have asked me because of what—” He stops himself before he finishes his sentence and let’s his stare stay with the others, refusing to return to me. I can’t blame him. I don’t. I sit here with him, remembering how far he and I have come together since the first time I saw him in the facility. How even before that day, we had some kind of kindred history as children––the boy who held me those first nights after my mother died transforming into this partner and protector. I can’t help my heart from tearing in half, wanting to take that far away look away from his eyes.

  I breathe in quickly, not wanting to take this to that place before we do what we need to. “All we need to think about right now is closing the wormhole and getting the hell out of here. You, me, Xander and the rest of the guardians are stronger together. We can’t let anything pull us apart right now.”

  Avoiding my eyes much like I avoided his earlier, he looks out the front windshield. “I know. But I need for you to know that I love you.”

  Shit. No, please don’t do this now Nate. I warn him, “Nate, we don’t need—”

  He pulls his hand from mine and shakes his head as he looks out the windows of the truck. “I know it may sound like some kind of competitive bullshit, to tell you I love you after what I walked in on, but it’s not.”

  He shakes his head, and then looks at me straight on. “God, it’s so not about that. There’s no competition Jes. Never was. I just, love you. Always have.”

  He’s right. Between him and Xander, while there appears to be competition for my attention, their love is different. Two forms that I can’t imagine being without.

  With my heart caught in my throat, threatening to suffocate me, I pull him to me and wrap my arms around his neck. I whisper brokenly into over his shoulder. “I love you too Nate. I love you too.”

  Everyone has already unloaded the bags of guns and ammunition as Nate and I both approach them. Pulling away from him back there in the truck wasn’t easy, but we both knew we needed to get out here before Ezra, Balthazar, or one of the others came back for us.

  Nick is already forming his stockpile along with Ezra and Siobhan, while the others rummage through the gear. Nick hands a semiautomatic each to Elicia and Angela.

  Angela slings it over her shoulder and plucks a dagger and sheath from the pile.

  Ezra eyes me as I come up next to him. “Everything okay?”

  I glance at him and see the concern. I quickly mask my own as I hunch down next to him and grab a Glock and holster. “Yeah. I’m good. Can you hand me some ammo?”

  Ezra continues to stare at me as I look down at the dwindling pile of weaponry as everyone scavenges for protection. He grabs two pre-filled magazine and hands them to me one at a time. I tuck one into the side pocket of my black cargo pants and lock the other in place before moving away from him.

  Monica approaches me and hands me a dagger with a sheath, then commands us. “Grab as much as you can. You won’t have your abilities for protection the entire time. You will drain too quickly.”

  She holds the semiautomatics in front of her. “Even though we possess some powerful gifts, the metal is quicker sometimes. The night vision on your headgear won’t work. Too much magnetic frequencies out here. Sends it haywire. Your senses are your best friend out here.”

  The next minutes are filled with the sound of metal clicking against metal, guns being loaded, and suiting up with advanced combat helmets and bulletproof vests. As soon as most of us have our gear on, I notice Nate pick up an additional semiautomatic rifle before looking over at me. “Xander will need them.”

  Coming up on them, Balthazar points into the edge of the heavy tree line about fifty yards ahead. “That’s the western edge Aokigahara Forest. You know this forest isn’t forgiving and I’m sure it’s crawling with Sondians by now.”

  “Shit. Among other things,” Nick mumbles.

  Balthazar adds, “The tangible and intangible will be among us. They will try to pull you away from getting through to the other side. Don’t let the illusions they set forth sway you.”

  The trees quickly become dense upon entry. The temperature change is significant as soon as I pass through the thickest part of the brush and into the canopy of high trees. Dense and chilled, the air has a presence of its own in here and it’s not comforting.

  “Watch for holes. There are all types of caverns running below the forest,” Elicia says.

  The crackling of the trees swaying above is reflected on the landscape in front of us by the gamma ray bursts rolling across the sky. The amber glow rolling over the bright green moss peppering the fallen trees brightens then fades sending us back into darkness. As the darkness settles, I see a white flash pass out of the corner of my eye.

  My breath catches loud enough for Nate to ask urgently, “What is it?”

  I try to look deeper into the general area of the flash, but I don’t see anything. I shake my head. “Nothing.”

  I start to move forward when Elicia startles and takes aim with her gun. Following suit, everyone aims their guns in the same direction as her.

  “What did you see?” Nick asks.

  “I thought I saw a white flash.”

  I mumble, “I thought I did too.”

  Sebastian speaks up, “Spirits swaying your focus.”

  Jake chimes in, “Or fucking Sondians. Either way, they are both toast.”

  All of a sudden, the trees start to creek as the wind picks up, carrying a horrific howling whistle with it. It isn’t natural as the animalistic hiss and moan cackle and echo toward us.

  Nick lifts his weapon and rests it over his shoulder. “Okay, what the fuck is that?”

  Monica tries to hush him, but he continues as he paces in front of our gathered group. “Nah man. This is fucked up. We aren’t even a hundred feet in and we are already being bullied by souls and shit.”

  Ezra and Monica exchange a glance, and then Ezra speaks up. “We need to separate.”

  A resounding “What” comes from Nick, Elicia, Nate, and me.

  “He’s right. And we need to use our abilities. Combine them to save your energy.”

  “You said not to waste them!” I tell her recalling her words.

  She nods, as frustrated with the way things are turning as we are, “I know what I said. But we won’t make it in time without using them now.”

  She pulls out her map, opens it and trails her finger through the forest, stra
ight to a spot just west of Mount Fuji and stops. “Just like we went over in the safe house. That’s where the apex is. Astral project, use your speed, strength, and weapons. Whatever it takes to get there. Once we’re there, Jesca and Nate head straight for the wormhole. The rest of us need to clear the way.”

  The snapping sounds of twigs below foot catches our attention. We’re pointing our guns in opposing direction, searching for the source. A shuffle among the branches and leaves increase in volume and in mass as we stand alert, ready for any spirit or Sondian that will attack.

  My stomach drops like a lead weight and the wave of nausea and humming vibrations roll through me like a freight train, sending me flat on my back and gasping for air.

  “Jesca!”

  Nate’s at my side shielding me as he pulls me up. I shake my head and catch my breath when another wave of bile rises in my throat. I place my hand on a nearby tree to power through the revulsion and glance at Ezra. “They’re here.”

  No sooner my words are out, one of Monica’s men is taking aim at a mound of the earth rising and rolling toward him. He starts firing on it and doesn’t quit until the mound stops a three feet from him. Staring at the mound, we all wait for something to happen. When nothing does, he looks back at us to say something when the earthen mound explodes releasing a human like being with flesh as white as talcum powder and eyes as black as midnight. The guardian’s gunfire is immediate, but not quick enough to catch the monstrous thing as it tackles him to the ground. No sooner the asset is down; the lean arms reach for the guardians head and snap his neck, sending his eyes to face the floor of the forest.

  The quick and rigid movement of the beings head searching the guardians until it pauses at me sends my nerves into a frenzy. Before I can even consider moving, the creature is leaping into the air straight for me when all guns blaze, completely slaughtering the grotesque thing to pieces.

  As there was only a mound of rolling earth before, the entire forest floor in front of us begins to shift, sending the earth rising and rolling toward us.

  Ezra yells, “Everyone separate! Nate, stay with her! They are after her!”

  All of the guardians start firing at the mounds as two more of the stark-white half-human, half-beasts explode from the ground and attack our front line assets, lifting them off the ground and into the trees. Monica is the only one firing on the front line as the wave is still coming. Ezra, Jake, Luke and Siobhan move in and take their place next to Monica to hold the line. Luke calls back, “We have to separate now!”

  With fire in his eyes, Ezra looks back at me and bellows, “Go now Jesca!”

  The gunfire is deafening as Nate takes ahold of my hand and we run.

  Both of our speed combined has us gliding through the trees, maneuvering quickly through the brush. Looking back, the distance from the gunfire becoming greater, I see Elicia’s streak of red hair going in the opposite direction. What about Ezra? Monica? The front line? Did they get away?

  Suddenly Ezra’s voice fills my head. “Keep going. We are safe. Meet at the apex.”

  I glance over at Nate as we glide over the earth, our legs pumping in unison. “Did you hear that?”

  He nods as he looks behind us, “Yeah. We need to head west. C’mon!”

  We both cut sharply to the right to head toward the apex of the wormhole when a white streak of light followed by a billowing royal blue fabric catches my eyes in the near distance followed by the cry of baby echoing through the thicket. The connection with the blue fabric, the crying are instantaneous and strike deep into my core as I remember where I’ve seen and heard this very scene––they were in my vision.

  I stop running and Nate keeps going fast as I consider what to do or say. The only thing that comes to mind is to yell, “Stop!”

  My words are the right command as the billowing blue satin settles around the small frame of its owner. Slowly, the smallest portion of the face hidden by the hood turns to me, revealing the bundle in its arms, moving and kicking.

  Nate’s sudden grasp of my arm, pulls me from them. His eyes narrow as he searches the area and scans the spot I keep staring. “Jes, what are you doing? Why did you stop?”

  Not wanting to move or even speak loudly for fear I will scare the woman off, I nod in the direction for Nate to look. “The figure in blue and the crying baby.”

  I can sense him looking as I keep my eyes on the figure now completely turned to face me, the hood still its disguise. I glance up at him and see the confused look in his eyes through the helmet. “What figure and baby?”

  I can’t believe he can’t hear that. The sound of the cries––I can feel them deep in my core begging for help. But what help? Where are they from? I shake my head and look back at the hooded figure. Through gritted teeth, I whisper and I point to them. “You’re telling me you can’t see them standing right there?”

  He looks back out in the distance, then back at me. “Something isn’t right. You’re seeing things.”

  He takes hold of my hand and starts to pull me along. I resist, pulling against him, “No, I’m not!”

  I start to slip from his grip but he turns and catches me under my arms with both hands and shakes me. “It’s the forest! It’s trying to distract you! We have to get to the apex Jes!”

  I look over my shoulder just as the blue hood is pushed back, revealing the figures gender––a woman with long, blonde hair and fair skin gazing at me. She looks down at her baby as it cries and runs her small hand over the top of its head––an attempt to quiet it that fails as the baby continues to wail. The sound of its cry is so overwhelming, the cacophony of its yell, angry, frightened and hurt completely unravel my emotions. As Nate pulls me and I fight against him, my own tears and sobs reflect the sorrow the baby is sending to me.

  As I resist every movement away from them, the woman turns away from me and starts to run as the sound of a woman’s voice fills my head. “Please help us.”

  Her words are my confirmation and my call as I break free from Nate’s grip and dash toward the running woman. Immediately, Nate is turning on me and trying to catch up as I run straight toward the woman and baby pulling away from me. “They were in my vision Nate!”

  “Jesca! Stop!”

  I call back to him, “I can’t! I have to save them!”

  Feeling him catching up, I pump harder to pull away again. He groans, having reached for me and missed. “Jes! This is the wrong way! This thing is pulling us away from the wormhole! It’s a distraction! Swaying our focus!”

  I call back to him, ducking under the low canopies of the small trees in the way. “No! They’re real damn it!”

  I plead with him over the wailing baby and my sobs, “Please believe me! I have to protect them!”

  I don’t know how I know, why I know this, but I have to. I have to protect them! Everything inside of me is commanding me to do this. I know I have to be at the wormhole. I know I have to stop the intersection. But, they are part of it. Somehow, they are a puzzle piece in all of this.

  I call back to Nate, knowing I can’t let him stop me but owing him some kind of explanation. Maybe, just maybe, he will help me. “In my vision, they were running away from something! They came from the wormhole! The woman, she told me they need my help!”

  The sound of Sebastian’s voice in my head disorients me, “Jes, it’s the forest. It’s trying to trap you!”

  I pump harder, feeling Nate’s hands so close to grabbing my arm; I pump harder and pull away from him a fraction.

  “You’re wrong Sebastian! It isn’t’ the forest! I feel the baby’s cries coursing through me! They need my help! Nate, please help me!”

  The baby’s wailing begins to echo in my head as well as my ears, sending my emotions over the edge as I pant and sob, the tears clouding my eyes as I try to keep the woman and baby in my sight.

  It’s cries are filled with so muc
h pain, sorrow and fear. Fear of what isn’t known. Fear of losing its mother, perhaps? How could a baby know this fear? How could it recognize its mother or itself is in danger?

  The sound of Ezra’s voice pierces my mind, “Just like you Jesca. Just like you did.”

  His words make my memory click into full gear. The night of my mother’s death. Ezra told me that even at the age of three I was using my telepathy to call to him. Is that what this baby is doing to me?

  Oh my God! The baby is trying to connect with me! The baby’s cry intensifies louder than before, the echo and sound in my head melding causing chaos all around me. Chaos that needs to be calmed and hushed–– protected and saved. I shake my head, all of the ruckus being too much and yet Nate can’t hear this?

  “Why can’t you hear it crying?”

  Breathless and panting, Nate’s voice carries behind me. “Jes, there’s no fucking crying! I told you!”

  I groan as I pull away from him again. “NO! There is! It’s all around us! Inside of me! Please listen to me Nate!”

  My breath hitches on every small gasp of air I draw in as Nate follows close behind.

  CHAPTER 34: OFFERING

  Xander

  I’m watching the outer edge of the forest, hoping to see Jes and the others any second, when a group of men approaches Sam, Corinna and me. They are dressed in fatigues, ready for war.

  “Are they here yet?” Sam asks them urgently

  One of the men answers, “They just took down five of our men. The forest took down three of theirs.”

  I can’t help but wonder which three of ours were taken. I glance away from Sam and see Corinna watching me. She hasn’t let up with trying to get in my head, but I’m not caving. Not when we’re this close.

  Corinna asks evenly, “You okay Xander? Nervous?”

  I hold her heavy stare and raise my chin. “No, I’m just ready to get this started. You?”

  She doesn’t seem to like my questioning her as she walks toward me. I expect her to stop in front of me, but she walks past me, leaving my question unanswered. I’m sure its pissed her off, but I don’t give a shit.