Winter Rising: an Urban Fantasy Novel (Coldharbour Chronicles Book 1)

by Richard Amos

  What the hell? It was the worst sort of image because it meant I really had been a prat and slipped on some boxer shorts and made a complete tit of myself. I would be forever tainted. My cheeks were blooming again.

  Bollocks to all of this!

  “Listen.” Dean turned himself to face me. Where were those two at? “We’re cool, right? I don’t want things to be awkward, Jake. I thought it was funny.”

  “Is it okay?”

  “Taken worse punishment.” He winked.

  Why did my face have to feel like a radiator on full blast? “I’m … sorry I came into your room. I was just checking in on you.”

  “Thanks. That’s kind.”

  “I’ll knock louder next time.”

  “Look, it doesn’t bother me, and it shouldn’t bother you. We both have dicks, right? Not like you’ve never seen one before.” He chuckled. “Nothing to be ashamed of. Okay, so my attitude to nudity isn’t everyone’s ideal, and most people don’t head-butt me there.” He shrugged. “But fuck it, right? Was one of those crazy moments of life—a once in a lifetime experience.” He extended a hand. “Under rug swept and all that?”

  I took his warm hand. “Yeah.”

  “Cool.”

  “I’m glad it’s okay.”

  “No worries.”

  Greg and Nay joined us in the car with almost perfect synchronicity—getting in, closing the doors.

  “Ready?” Greg said.

  “Yeah,” I answered. Despite Dean’s little reaching out moment, I was still not over myself.

  I hadn’t seen another vehicle since we’d left the mansion. Everything was so dark and still, a city huddled down against the cold elements. Not even the lights of Rainbow Mile, in all their brightness, could lift the sullen mood engulfing everything.

  Half of me didn’t want to be out here. Bed sounded a nice, warm place to be, where all this was shut away behind the curtains. Yet the other half of me wanted to be out here, figuring out why I had such a pull to those houses.

  The two were so equally balanced, I was the epitome of being emotionally torn. It beat being a slave to sadness all the time.

  “One,” Greg said.

  “You what?” Nay asked.

  “That’s the first person I’ve seen.”

  A car drove past. “One,” I added.

  Greg smiled at me in the rear-view mirror.

  “Just another Monday night in Coldharbour … or Tuesday morning,” Nay added. “Whatever.”

  I leaned forward in my seat a little. “Was it like this before? When all this wasn’t going on?”

  “Yeah, pretty much. What more could you expect, though? Anytime the weather’s good it’s more lively, and it was a lot perkier when we actually had tourists come down that knew we existed. God, I’ve never missed the mass migration to our beach so much, chaos and all.”

  “Like those pictures you see in the papers where the beaches are rammed because the sun came out?” I asked.

  “Exactly! That’s our lives when the temperatures soar. Was our lives.”

  “A sad day when you miss the crap left on the beach,” Greg said. “But, yeah, I have to agree on that one. I wouldn’t mind taking part in a mass clean-up rather than going some rounds with a beast.”

  This city was my prison. I really couldn’t speak to me sister because by now she didn’t have a brother. The name Jake Winter had been plucked from her memory. I couldn’t just jump on a train and head back to London or grab a cab to the next town. These people who had quickly become my friends had suffered this for three years. Three years! And it could be another three, or forever. What if I died? Would there be another me?

  I wanted my bed.

  Greg pulled into one of the few beachside parking spots and killed the engine. Just like that, we were here.

  My blood seemed to vibrate.

  House …

  We weren’t far from the little road that went down to the row.

  House …

  “You okay?” Dean asked.

  “I’m fine.”

  “Voices?” Greg asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “I vote we go in via the road,” Nay said. “If there’s something here, the sand will be guarded. I guarantee that crab bastard was blocking you both earlier.”

  Greg nodded. “We take the road. Easier to fight on asphalt, ‘cos you know that’ll be guarded too.”

  “So, there’s something worth guarding,” Dean said, “in some shit hole house which would leak like a bitch and let in one hell of a draft. That’s dedication to hiding in plain sight.”

  I opened my door, stepping out into the cold.

  The only sounds were of the wind and the sea. The street was deserted. No cars. No people. Greg had parked beneath a streetlight, and I stepped out from beneath its glow and into the shadows. The urge to shelter in them was great. I could see the beach better out of the light.

  Houses …

  I shuddered. Was there something out there watching me? The white eye guy? Yet another hyena or something new to throw down with?

  My hands were spark-free.

  That didn’t mean anything, though. There were sneaky beasts out there who’d be more than capable of outsmarting my power, no matter how newly created I was. Everyone else seemed to think so anyway.

  I shuddered again.

  Day one of being outside the mansion was certainly not boring.

  We headed round to the little road that ran down to the houses. It was dark, no streetlights, a void ready to swallow us.

  Nay pulled at a vial and gave it a shake. It lit up like a glow stick, but a more discreet white rather than neon pink. It lit a circle before us.

  “Better than nothing,” she said. “A torch would be too … beamy.”

  I chuckled lightly, my stomach doing somersaults. Dark voids were not to be entered by sane people, only horror movie cannon fodder who loved nothing more than investigating scary places when they should know better. And they wondered why they ended up with an axe in the face!

  Right now, I was one of those idiots.

  Crap.

  Naomi took point with Greg by her side. I was in the middle with Dean at the rear. We walked in silence, watching the dark. I waited for my sparks to explode to life at any moment.

  Number three …

  I stopped.

  “Jake?” Dean whispered into my ear.

  “I—”

  Number three …

  My hands tingled.

  “What is it?” Greg’s eyes were on me.

  “Number three,” I answered.

  Greg nodded. “Okay.”

  Taking the corner, we were once again facing the sea, exposed and standing before the houses.

  There it was, number three, actually with a broken sign indicating the fact. The windows were barred with wood, the door not—seemed really bloody odd that it wasn’t. The creepy voice in my head had been spot on to single this one out from the pack. Every one of the other houses had broken windows or doors hanging from the hinges. Not number three. It could be a decent place to squat and get out of the elements.

  Naomi put the glowing vial away. “Ready to see who’s home?” She cut through the little garden and up the steps to the veranda. "With a little TLC, these houses could be awesome. What a shame they’ve been left to rot like this."

  She tried the door.

  Locked.

  “No worries,” she said. “Greg?”

  He stepped forward and broke the lock in his hand as if it were nothing more than opening a jar. In fact, opening a jar was probably more of a challenge.

  He opened the door and took a step back. I braced myself for an attack.

  Nothing.

  “We go in slow,” he said, making his way forward again.

  I followed behind him and Naomi, palms sweaty. I wished the sparks would come to life, just for the comfort of knowing there was a beast in here.

  We were in, standing in a hallway with a closed door up ahead,
with another to the left and some stairs to the right. Nay had her glowing vial out again. The place was clean with no furniture or carpet or anything to make it a home. Why the hell would it be clean?

  Greg opened the door at the far end. I waited by the stairs, throwing cursory glances up into the dark with Dean at my back. He was a reassuring presence.

  “Clear,” Greg said quietly. “Kitchen, sod all in here.”

  Left …

  I gasped.

  “What is it?” Dean asked.

  I licked my lips and didn’t fully understand if it was nerves or hunger.

  “Jake?”

  “This door,” I said, pointing to my left.

  My hands were buzzing but still no sparks.

  Nay and Greg came back from the kitchen. My hand reached for the doorknob.

  “Jake,” Nay said, “we’ll go first.”

  It was too late. My hands were not my own. I pushed open the door before another word was said.

  “Welcome.”

  My hands erupted white, lighting up the dark room. There she was, a face in the spotlight of my weapon’s light—the purple-haired woman. The grin on her face was nothing short of demonic. Beside her was a hunched and withered old woman sitting in a wheelchair wearing a black coat, her lower half wrapped in a blue blanket. She was bald, save for some straggly, silver wisps of hair falling over her sunken, wrinkled face. Her eyes were as black as pitch, her skin gray. She was a vision of death, but breathing weakly. She watched me. I blinked, trying to force my eyes to move away from her. I could hear the breathing from lungs riddled with cancer and at the end of their cycle.

  “Who are you?” My body thrummed, craving to move closer, my mouth rich with saliva. I had to lick my lips like a wolf stalking a juicy deer.

  Kill …

  “Oh, wouldn’t you love to know the details,” Purple said.

  The old woman didn’t answer, locked in a staring war with me.

  “So,” Nay chimed in, “you thought it would be a great idea to hide in these houses, eh? Not really the kind of lair for a super villain. Bit basic.”

  Purple laughed. “Did you enjoy the little present I left you?”

  “Bugs didn’t last long,” Nay said.

  “Shame,” Purple said. “I thought those beetles would have caused more sufficient damage.”

  “Not like the damage you’re gonna have dealt at you,” Greg added. “Call it payback for putting the bugs in that poor bloke.”

  “Really? That’s what you have to say to me? You want revenge for some human? Rather dull, don’t you think.”

  “Yeah, well, seeing as you’re not supposed to be here and all that …”

  “Yet here we still are.”

  “I’m done talking.”

  “Wait,” Nay said.

  I finally managed to pull my eyes away from the old woman, sliding them over to Purple.

  “Hello,” she said, smiling.

  “Who’s your friend?” I asked.

  “Just a dear, dear friend.”

  “So, how come we haven’t seen you before”? Naomi said. “You don’t seem like the type that enjoys waiting in the wings. Not with that hair.”

  Purple laughed. “Contrary to your judgments, I’m very good at biding my time.”

  “But you fucked up,” Greg said. “No way out and four of us—one being a man who can actually really kill you.”

  “Yes, we’ve met.”

  “Then you won’t mind coming closer,” Greg said.

  “Do you honestly think I’d allow myself to get cornered by the likes of you? I knew you were coming the moment you parked your car. My eyes stretch farther than the two in my head.”

  “Gross,” I said.

  “It is, isn’t it?” She grinned at me. “As inconvenient as it is now to have to move, I’m neither frightened nor worried. Jake, isn’t it? You will end up dead. Trust me. And the world beyond you’re trying to protect will know beast.”

  “Not gonna happen,” I said.

  “I wouldn’t be so sure. It’s only a matter of time.”

  “Then kill me like you failed to do at the hospital.”

  “Yes, your fae bodyguard.” She looked behind me. “I don’t like the way you smell, creature.”

  “Better than being called a c—”

  She stepped forward, and my friends all ensconced me with their bodies.

  “Stay the fuck back,” Greg said.

  “What’s the matter? Scared I’ll break your weapon. Oh, yeah, I just told you that’s going to happen soon. All in good time, though.”

  “Time to shut you down,” Nay said. “You—”

  The old woman let out a moan. A wave of energy struck me and my companions, sending us flying out the door.

  “Shit!” I cried. “What was that?”

  The door slammed shut, Purple laughing like a mad woman behind it.

  Greg was up and failing to get it open, to make even the slightest dent with his kicks. And they were savage kicks I would never want to be on the receiving end of.

  “Fuck!” he roared.

  That door would not give.

  My scalp prickled as I heard movement behind me. I turned to see a hyena creature coming down the stairs.

  “Guys!” I was on my feet, spinning to face the enemy.

  A growl to my right. Another one at the front door.

  Okay then.

  The hyena on the stairs growled and came bounding for me. I was ready. My shield thing was thrumming, ready to burst forth. It was weird. I knew I had no direct control of it, but I was also letting it know I had this. The beast was mine. My shield waited on the fringes, ready to jump in if I messed up. It was kind of intimidating not having the reins.

  But I had this.

  The hyena lunged, and I swung a punch. The intense training had given my right hook a nice boost. Not that I’d be entering any boxing tournaments. Yet.

  I caught the bastard on the side of the head as it swiped me with a talon. It snagged in my coat, sending us both crashing to the floor. Dean was on it, grabbing it by the head, wrestling it off me. I quickly glanced to see Greg and Nay taking down the other hyena.

  Feed …

  I ignored the voice, dodged another swing of a talon and grabbed the beast’s head before it could bite off my arm.

  Moments later, I went over and did the other one that had been pinned down by a very pissed off Greg, with Naomi adding her weight too.

  Once it was disposed of, my sparks died.

  “They’ve gone,” I said.

  Greg charged at the door and it came off its hinges in one kick. I was right behind him.

  Yep. Gone.

  Greg roared and punched the wall, putting a hole through it and splitting some knuckles in the process. Not that it bothered him. He stomped out of the house.

  I followed. “Greg?”

  He was already back on the road, his strides chewing up distance.

  “Stop!”

  He did, shoulders sagging, head lowered.

  I put a hand on his back. “It’s okay, mate. You don’t need to—”

  “If only I’d …” He didn’t elaborate.

  “Look, she knew we were coming. She was prepared. There was no way I would’ve got to her anyway.”

  He lifted his head to look at me. “I’m sick of this, being so friggin’ trapped. She’s got plans, big plans, and I hate not knowing, hate all the work in the shadows. Who was that old woman?” He stuffed his large hands into his pockets. “No offense, but how is you being here gonna set us free? You can kill them, yes, but what next?” He drew in a deep breath.

  I got it. I had no idea what my role was aside from killing the bastards. Locked away forever to kill them? Hit a specific kill count and then get free? Being trapped like this … it was bound to spill over Greg’s cheery demeanor from time to time.

  “I would’ve gone crazy by now,” I said. “I think you’re doing great.”

  “There’s so much we don’t
know,” Nay said, coming up alongside Greg. “Even with Floyd’s help, this priesthood stuff is really starting to freak me out. We’ve got no location, no more information other than they’re getting information about you.”

  My stomach churned before I spoke. “What, er, if you give him rats instead of mice?” So gross! “Will that feed his magic better, maybe?”

  “I think something’s blocking him,” she said.

  “I reckon the white eye guy,” I added. For me, it all pointed his way. He got me here, he knew stuff, and so it was all connected to him. It wasn’t even a case of tunnel vision. A hunch is a hunch.

  “I don’t know,” Nay said. “That’s the frustrating part.”

  “We’ll figure it out,” Dean said.

  I really hoped we could.

  “Let’s go,” Nay said. “We’re done here and I have some notes to draw up.”

  ****

  Back at the mansion, we gathered at the dining table with pizza. I was thankful for the goblins and their weaving prowess—particularly at making a deep-pan pepperoni.

  Karla joined us, but passed on the food, opting for a cup of tea and three ginger biscuits instead.

  “I will talk to Floyd in the morning,” she said as Naomi filled her in with the evening’s events. “Mr. Douglas has set some rat traps.”

  I put down my slice of pizza as my appetite wavered, taking a sip of my water instead.

  “We need to organize some patrols for this week,” Nay said. “Look for signs of a new hideout for the purple bitch. I’m also a bit worried about the seafront. I think we should patrol there.”

  “What do you suggest?” Karla asked.

  “Jake can’t be everywhere at once, neither can we. Those days are gone. We have to try and cover as much ground as we can. But I know Jake can’t be alone.”

  “I do not want any of you left alone,” Karla said. “It is far more dangerous than it was before. Yet I understand going around as four is not going to help.”

  “Working in pairs,” Nay said.

  Karla nodded. “I had a feeling you were going to say that. This is the best way, I think. This metaphysical SOS system will be a valuable aid, as will the one via the network, and I think there should not be too much distance between you all.”