by L M Preston
Some of the creatures were on the trees; others were advancing from the ground. The clearing was covered in webbing. Not a sound from any other animals teased the night.
EmVee snatched off the chain whip.
Kayson bellowed, transforming into his huge wolf, standing on his hind legs. His large chest and front heaved, and his muscled arms covered in thick hair weren’t fully wolf. He didn’t hesitate but leaped into the fray of Arachne who nipped, stabbed, and spit webs at them. His wolf’s teeth ripped into one then another of the spider beasts, spraying brown blood over the broken webs in his wake.
EmVee stayed close behind him, slicing and ducking from an onslaught of attacks. The Arachne were trying to separate her from Kayson and crowded between the two of them, making a considerable gap.
EmVee’s inner wolf growled, signaling to her alpha that she was a distance away. Crouching low, EmVee circled her chain whip, making a clearing for herself against the press of the creatures. Then, snapping her wrist, she cut the head off one then the upper torso of another, lowered into a squat, and stabbed another with her short-sword. She rolled then back-kicked one and jerked forward to stab another through its stomach. Even so, there were so many more descending on her.
Her wolf growled, but she wasn’t changing; EmVee refused to.
Kayson’s voice echoed within her, bring your fire. You can do so without changing to wolf because you are one with me.
EmVee snarled at one that sank its fangs into her arm and wouldn’t let go. Then another attacked her from behind. EmVee spun around. A growl escaped as the liquid fire gather in her belly. She tossed her short-sword to her other hand and stabbed into the head of the creature on her arm. Its injured cry sounded through the air. EmVee arched her back, then willed her spikes to extend, cutting through the creature that convulsed before releasing her.
Pivoting around, EmVee screamed, releasing fire onto the Arachne surrounding her. Flames engulfed them. The brush and the trees seemed to be resistant to the fire, but the webs and the Arachne on them burned, falling to the ground. They struggled in the fires before incinerating into dust.
Breathe. Slowly bring it back in, baby. Kayson’s loving voice soothed her from within. It was as if she could feel him pet, kiss, and hold her wolf. It was the most adored she’d felt from anyone. EmVee gained control of the heat within her and cooled just as Kayson’s nude form broke through the trees.
He pulled her to him, kissing her face, her lips, and whispering how much he loved her.
EmVee kissed him back. Then she smiled, pulling away to hand him his bag of clothes. “Please, hurry, and dress. I don’t want anyone to see my bonded husband in the buff.”
He winked at her. “Same with my wife.”
EmVee felt the warmth from her blush.
“Now, to find the remaining Warlord. Sybil. She and Zagan must have managed this Province together. If she is the one who captured my father, I want to know why.”
“We will get our answers tonight.”
EmVee handed Kayson the chain whip. There was nothing and no one who could stop her from saving her family now. They were so close.
It was only a short walk to the concealed entry Megan told them about. She had been very specific about the entry and that they weren’t to go anywhere else in the facility as it would lead them away from where people were likely held for medical purposes or imprisoned.
The clue was a statue of an eight-legged horse she’d called a Sleipnir. Two of the horses were on the side a small hill that had a flat front and curved top covered by grass. Each were reared up on their hind legs with their fore legs raised and bent as if warding off an attack.
“There’s no door?” Kayson frowned.
EmVee patted the flat side of the mound of dirt with tightly woven grass that made it soft. “This is it. We need to move four of the legs. Megan said when we do, it will open the door.”
“I wouldn’t have noticed it.” Kayson studied it. “I don’t think this path has been used in a while.”
“It was pretty well protected. Megan did say that there were many ways into the compound.” EmVee adjusted the short-sword on her hip.
“There’s a reason for this location being closed off. The gym was built over an ancient underground city. It was used by magicals to go undetected by humans living here. This location must be hidden from both magicals and humans. The experimentations may be a secret. The Vigilant have infiltrated the city called Orion’s Gate, which was thought to be a secret portal to all the Provinces. The Warlords over this Province are supposed to control the others that are deployed to the other Provinces. Earth is more of a Realm, a separate world and universe system altogether. This Realm of magicals includes worlds that live on the dark side of the universe and contain magic. Access to Orion’s Gate, I think this is an easy way for the Soul Warriors to send armies to them.”
“Why would they build my father’s gym over it?” EmVee frowned, watching Kayson study the statues to find the hidden button that allowed the statue to move.
“My father’s notes indicate that he suspected the gym was a place where Soul Thieves and Soul Trainers would meet and study their prospects. Their rituals of crossover and tournaments were right under the gym. That way, no one would have a reason to investigate their practices. It also gives the Overlord the ability to come and go undetected. If he is a changeling, he can appear as anyone or thing.”
EmVee sighed. “I feel so stupid. I came to this gym every day after school, and sometimes in the morning. All that time, my family was being used as a cover?”
“Sorry, but it happened to many of us. My father worked as a police detective, thinking he was helping people, only to realize that he was living an illusion. There are just as many human families here as magicals. Only the humans have ties to long lines of Soul warriors who steal and control their magic from the beings they govern. They are not acting for good. Not really. The Overlord is said to come from an evil beginning.”
EmVee ran her finger on the underside of the statue, climbing up the platform at its base for a better look. “What do you mean? Is there a legend?”
“Not a legend, a fact many believe. The Overlord is a shape-shifter but one born with an extremely rare gift. Some thought it was an omen. He can shift into any mammal or amphibian. A changeling of that sort hadn’t happened in thousands of years. This one is said to have formed as an animal unique as his own in his natural form. No known beast appears like him. He was deemed ‘the favored one’ because of it since he was born a prince. He was forced to marry a young maiden from the Earth Realm, one where magicals and humans lived together. His wife was human born but a strong a warrior in her own right. One would believe she was the first like her, an original Soul Trainer. Her Province on the Earth Realm, though, was since destroyed. He was power hungry and dabbled in the dark arts. He found a source of magic hidden in the depths of the mountains where he lived. His wife loved him, but he was abusive, making it unbearable for her. He’d wanted to marry for magic and the power of it, not to make peace or for love.”
“Why would her family marry her to him?” EmVee frowned.
Kayson pushed one of the legs, but it didn’t budge. “They were forced to sacrifice their daughter for their lands and the people who were known to have clairvoyant abilities. The Overlord’s father, a dying king, promised his son would negotiate with the dangerous creatures, to provide protection to gifted humans who were tormented by them until the end of time. The Overlord wanted the clairvoyant gifts of the humans since there are ways magicals can harness those talents and manipulate the humans with them. He wanted control of it and was coerced by his mother to marry in order to make a dark treaty with the evil ones who control and roam on the Earth Realm. Queen Kera’s family line is said to be in the clans that the Overlord picks his Soul Warriors from even to this day.”
“Do you know the King’s or legend’s Overlord name? Did your father find the reason he turned to pure evil?”
“I didn’t see his name in the files. The Queen’s name I found when I was researching my father’s notes. The night of my performance, when I had an especially hard time keeping my hands off of you, I read everything my father collected. The Prince turned King did find the magic stone, but his young wife had followed him. And when she discovered what he planned, she threw herself at him and fought him for the stone. She was a skilled warrior and trained fighter for her people. She’d injured him.”
“If he was stronger, he would’ve killed her.” EmVee forced her finger in a crack connecting one of the hind legs to the lower body of the statue, hoping that would open it.
“Her strength was in her heart and her belief in the creator of the earth Province. It gave her the power to break the stone. Unfortunately, he forced part of the evil of the stone within her to taint her, separating her from the power she’d gained from the earth Province, and the larger portion went into him. He cast her out of their home Province and the magical Realm, expecting her to die. Queen Kera didn’t die. She grew stronger. The dark magic may have separated her from her people, but it made her a deadly foe. She was vengeful and decided that if she could not return to the Earth Realm, she would forever protect it from him.”
“A woman scorned.”
“He did it. It was said she loved him. Because of her, The Vigilant are getting stronger, working more diligently to find the Overlord and take his power. The stone we think is the source of the pieces formed for his Soul Trainers and Thieves.”
Kayson pushed a small part on the underside of the Sleipnir’s belly. Its legs moved forward. EmVee went to the other statue and did the same.
The grass on the small mountain sank within the dirt to reveal a metal door. The door slid down into the forest floor to reveal a dark passage.
Taking a brief sniff, EmVee knew something was waiting for them. “Hounds ahead!” She pointed.
“No need to change. Kill them.” Kayson’s command was laced with a deepness that called to EmVee’s wolf.
Agitated within her, her wolf paced. The hairs on her body stood, her nails grew to points, and fire burned in her belly.
She reached for her short-sword. Kayson moved ahead of her, twirling his chain whip above his head.
One then another attacked. The stone walls seemed to bleed their black substance, announcing their formation. They kept coming, snarling and leaping at them. The Shadow Hounds dropped from the ceiling, the sides of the walls, their mouths dripping with dark saliva as if starving to eat them.
Kayson sliced through one then another, landed a back-kick and choked others, cutting them at the neck.
EmVee jump kicked, stabbed, and sank her nails into one’s stomach while using it as a base to side-kick another. She grabbed another one by the head, forced it down while blocking the stab at her face by a taller creature. Then with a twist, she broke off its fingers and punched it in the nose with her elbow.
Bring fire! Kayson’s command vibrated within her. Her wolf could see through his wolf’s eyes and saw that there were too many for them to fight in the time they had. They needed to get to the lower level where her mother was imprisoned.
Back to back, she and Kayson faced off the creatures. She licked her lips, narrowed her gaze, and unleashed incinerating fire.
“It’s clear.” EmVee walked ahead of Kayson who was taking a moment to inspect one of the injured creatures.
“These, all of them, just teenagers. No adults.” He frowned. “Bloodthirsty though.”
EmVee bent to help him inspect some that were still moving.
Kayson rested a hand on her neck and laid his forehead to hers. “Go ahead of me. I’ll get what I can from them and meet you.”
EmVee stepped over the lifeless bodies and held her breath to deflect the smell of it. She didn’t like the killing. Fighting came with risk, but knowing that these Shadow Hounds were created on purpose, to die, feed, and become mad for blood, made her heart beat faster. She placed a hand on her stomach to combat the nausea as she bent and closed the dark eyes of a girl.
She was relieved the remainder of the corridor was empty. EmVee waited for Kayson to catch up. “What did you discover about them?”
Kayson walked alongside her. “One of them, barely alive, told me he would die soon anyway. He said the blood rage kills them, and they only get to hunt when it sets upon them. We were the first victims this batch actually got to hunt since they were created.”
“They are still being experimented on?”
“Likely. He did give me directions.”
“What? To where?”
“Where they are hiding the woman. The human woman.”
“What made him want to do that?”
“Revenge. Sybil apparently controls with a cruel hand and killed the girl he fell in love with during his captivity.”
“That’s what took you so long?” She smiled and elbowed him.
“That, and I’d dropped my chain whip. I was trying to find it. We’re going to need it. Transforming in front of her will be dangerous.”
EmVee bit her lip. “I know, but at whatever cost? We have to get my mother out of there and get answers to where my siblings are.”
Kayson grunted. “Do you have the necklace? The ring?”
“Yeah. Do you think we can use them?”
“We may have to. We can use the power of them without putting them on.”
As they rounded the bend, with stone walls on either side, EmVee braced herself for what they’d find. The stones appeared cut from a single rock. Some of them were illuminated and provided soft light down the carved pathway.
The door, made of the same stone, was marked by an indented groove that allowed someone to slide their hand over it.
EmVee reached for it.
“Use the ring to open it. See there.” Kayson gave her a nod as he wrapped his chain whip’s handle securely around his hand.
She pressed the crest of the ring to an indention in the stone then pushed the door slowly to the side. She allowed her wolf’s powerful strength to rush over her body in waves. The accumulation of heat in her stomach built, and her muscles, though defined before, bulked, pushing against the breathable clothes she’d worn.
It took a moment for the guards to notice them. Several men, thick, and standing stone-still, surrounded a similar lab to the one under the hospital. The glass cells were scattered around the room, and some of the men were moving them from one side of the room to another.
In the middle, directing them was…
Her. The woman EmVee saw the night her father was taken. Straight long blonde hair, blue-gray eyes, wearing a form-fitting silver sweater that opened above her breasts, revealing a blue stone within a charm. She was a Soul Trainer and likely one of the Warlords.
“You! There!” A man pointed at EmVee, jogging to her while pulling a knife from his pocket then tossing it into his hand. He had a Soul Thief’s ring on his finger. The blue stone’s glow traveled down the knife.
“Sorry!” EmVee held up a hand. “I must be lost.”
Good play, Kayson’s voice uttered within her. I’m moving back until you need me.
“Who are you?” The guard closest to EmVee walked over, apparently trying to play off that he was sleeping on the job.
“I work for Dean. He sent me here to pick up a package.”
The man’s eyes narrowed. He held up a staying hand to the guy with the knife. “Come closer. Put the sword down.”
EmVee searched the room quickly with her eyes, noting that the scent of her mother was within. Her wolf fought to the surface, but EmVee made her submit, causing a humming through her blood. She’d break every one of those cells to find her mother.
She held the sword a moment longer, and then Sybil turned around. EmVee tossed the sword over the man’s arm, and it landed in front of the Soul Trainer, point down with handle up.
EmVee charged forward, flipped over the first guard, landed in a squat, and slid through two other attacking
guards to grab her sword and point it at the Soul Trainer who’d bent to pick it up.
“Where’s my mother? The human woman you have here.”
She laughed. “You think I will hand her over?” Her eyes narrowed as she leaned back. The stone within her necklace glowed and sent silver sparks down her body.
EmVee smiled, bending two fingers at her, daring her to strike.
“You have no idea who you’re challenging.” A silver whip of light cut the air, aimed at EmVee’s neck.
EmVee bent, and it missed her. But, she managed to kick the women in the leg with all of her force.
Sybil slid back, her eyes glaring blue daggers at EmVee, and her mouth dropped in shock. “You’re his girl? Max Lewis. Ha!” Sybil recovered, punching an open palm forward. She headbutted EmVee and landed another punch.
A silver blast knocked EmVee backwards. She slid, grabbing her short-sword on the way, and back-flipped onto her feet.
Sybil moved in on her. EmVee blocked the punch. She put the sharp end of the sword under Sybil’s chin. “Release my mother!”
“Never! I am draining her dry.” Sybil’s hand moved quickly to wrap around EmVee’s neck. “She was meant to be one of us. And your father, he left and stole her too until I hunted him and convinced him to return. Then he tried to cross me again, taking his family out of The Void, making a fool of me, and costing me my only son.” Sybil grabbed the sword from EmVee, lifting EmVee in the air.
A roar sounded behind her. Kayson had changed and was fighting the Soul Thieves behind her. She heard his command to her beast and his, not to bite any of them. He didn’t want to risk addiction to killing them for the magic, their flesh, and whatever it was that created them and turned Silas into an addicted serial killer.
EmVee wrapped her legs around Sybil, dug her hand into the woman’s hair, and yanked her forward into her elbow. She grunted while trying to dig her fingers between Sybil’s. The sword sliced Sybil’s side, causing her bluish silver blood to stain her shirt.