by Richard Amos
Man, was the damp stench bad. And was that gasoline I smelled?
“Leave!” the woman’s voice rang through the dark, echoing around me.
I ran up the stairs, side-shuffling through some rusted old barrels, and straight onto the main factory floor.
God, it really did stink of gasoline.
The first thing that caught my attention was the size, how dizzyingly high the ceiling was. The space had been stripped bare of anything that had once made it a sugar refinery. All that was left were the pipes, leaking smelly water, and the metal walkways that ran above my head.
The amber light went up one of the four staircases up to the walkways. I followed it round with my eyes to see the figure up there, standing above the way I’d just come in. It dropped a plank of burning wood.
“Jake!” Dean roared.
Fuck! I should’ve thought about this!
The wood hit the barrels and they went up in a boom and a ball of flame. I was thrown across the factory, rolling in the dust. A horrible crack and that part of the walkway came crashing down, along with some of the wall.
“Dean!”
The way out was blocked by flame and rubble.
“Oh, shit! Oh, shit! Dean!” There was a ringing in my ears, and I smelled burning hair. “Dean!”
There! I could feel him nice and clear, his distress a strong alarm bell. Greg’s was still there too, thank God!
A flash of green came and stopped my buzzing ears.
“Jake! Answer me!”
“I’m okay!” I saw the figure dart along the walkway and a door slammed.
“Find a way around!” I called. “There must be one.”
“Don’t move! Wait for me!”
“There’s no time!”
“Jake!”
I could’ve been sensible and waited for him, but that wasn’t gonna happen. Greg needed help and that’s all I cared about. I wasn’t about to let him be another victim for this piece of shit.
My sparks were going crazy.
“Jake!”
I took the first set of stairs up to the walkway, the clanging of my boots on metal almost thundering.
The amber thread went all away along the walkway. I went right, following where the beast had just been, coming to a half-open door. I kicked it open and burst through, running on rage and fear for my friend—laced with some hardcore adrenaline.
If that light was the beast’s fear, then I was so fucking pleased she was shitting herself as much as I was.
A right, a left, a second left and a small stairway later, I came to another door. Without thinking, I booted that one open too.
It was an engine room, with long-rusted equipment, the space about a quarter of the size of the main factory floor. Rain came in through the broken windows, and the wind howled.
My sparks spat violently.
Greg was slumped against the wall, his head hanging to the right. He was unconscious, his forehead split open, blood running down his face. I could still feel him.
I had to get him out of here.
She stepped out from behind the machinery, the amber thread stopping with her. The hood of her black cloak was up, but a tendril of blonde hair hung down from the void.
“Welcome,” she said. “Like my little firework display?”
Wait … I knew that voice.
The hood came down, revealing the face of Crystal with the most malicious grin I had ever seen—one I would never put on her face. Strands of her hair were lifted in the air, like Medusa’s snakes, by the wind.
“Crystal?”
She raised her arms. “The one and only.”
“What the … what?”
“Yes, Jake, I’m a beast.” She giggled.
“You … you … it was you?”
“Are you simple or something? I’ve just done the big reveal. Yes, it was me all along.”
I was done with confusion. “You’re not having Greg.”
“I already have him, weapon.”
“Weapon? Right.”
“That’s what you are, eh? You’re the weapon sent by the goddess Hecate, or whatever, to come and help stop us. One person, one measly person is supposed to bring down a whole race? Pathetic. You’ll be dead soon. Tonight actually. What a complete waste of time.”
“Tonight?”
She took a step forward. “Yes, tonight. She’ll be so pleased.”
“She?”
“You know, the one you call Purple.”
My scalp prickled. “So you’re some sort of spy?”
She giggled. “Please, there’s so much going on, Jake. You’re small in comparison, insignificant. She just wants you dead. Me too.”
“Not unless I kill you first.”
“You think I’m scared of some little white sparks?” The way she kept looking at them told me that, yes, she was crapping herself.
Good.
“I’ve been alive a lot longer than you have or ever will be,” she said. “There’s no way you can win. We’ll have your stupid little world, mark my words.”
“If it’s so stupid, why do you want it? Now that seems like a big waste of time. Like ordering a pizza when you really wanted Chinese food.”
She did that dagger glare again, like she had in the kebab shop. “Oh, shut up.”
“You’re the one talking bollocks, luv.”
“Am I now?” She kicked Greg in the ribs.
I went to move forward but held back.
“Good old Greg and his—” She kicked him again.
“Don’t fucking touch him.” My sparks flared with my anger.
She was startled, but it didn’t stop her laughing. “I was going to say that there aren’t really any words for a man like him, a man who plays with the hearts of others.”
“Says a creature who actually does play with internal organs—lungs in this case.”
“You know what I mean. Or do you? Who are you but a man? What do men know about heartache?”
“Loads actually.”
“Oh, yeah, one dead husband—another waste of time. You’ll fail because Lilisian will rise once again.”
“A waste of time?” What the hell?
“Fuck you, Jake.”
I was against the clock here. Greg needed medical attention. He was in real bad shape. Luke may know more about what she said. I had to gamble on that. She had answers, but she was also on the verge of killing my friend.
I had to shut her down. Hard.
“Enough of this shit,” I said.
“I should’ve taken you out ages ago. I didn’t want to get involved, even when I killed that whining fuck’s girlfriend. But now I am, and I am so Team Lilisian!”
Crystal came at me, her right hand no longer human. It was a clawed, blackened thing, talons as deadly as machetes jutting from it. All the better for cutting through rib cages for the tasty treats within.
I jumped back, missing the downward slicing. This room wasn’t great for fighting. I was soon backed up into a wall, dropping in time as she stabbed at me. I rolled, the talons screeching down the wall as fingernails down a chalkboard.
Fuck!
I dove behind some machinery, pleading with my brain to come up with a plan. I had nothing else but kill her and not get killed so I could save Greg in my immediate thoughts.
She swept round the corner, narrowly missing me with another stab move.
Shit! I really should have listened to Dean. I was useless on my own, without the backup. I could move, had some good training, but not enough. The level I was on was not the one I should be when facing down foes. Crystal was quick, determined. For every miss, she pushed on the chase through this small room.
She snagged my left bicep. Blood ran down my arm. But I soldiered on. No matter how bloody terrified I was, how much the voice of doubt kept telling me I wasn’t good enough, that I’d end up like Lucy, there was also a fire in my belly. I couldn’t die. I had to live. For Greg, for everyone, to try and fight the so-called good fight.
She missed me with her clawed hand again, but caught me by my shirt. I pulled against her, swiping at her with my sparking hands. They wanted her. Her grip loosened, and I went to move. She grabbed me again. With a hard yank, she spun me round and drove her talons into my stomach.
The pain … bleedin’ hell, the pain! My breath caught in my throat, the room closing in on me. I couldn’t scream, couldn’t breathe, couldn’t do anything but feel the agony of sharpness inside me. There was a whole different fire in my belly now.
She pushed me back. I slid from her talons, landing on my spine. Blood gushed out of me, rising up to my mouth.
The bag with the vials was beneath me. If they were broken … the pain wouldn’t let me worry too much because it liked to be the center of attention.
“What was it I said again?” she giggled. “You didn’t believe me, did you? You’re a liability, Jake. Now you have to accept it, leave the fate of the world to be what it’ll be—the end of life as you humans know it.”
I tried to move. Useless, not happening. Thirty seconds … All I needed was …
She punched me in the face and broke my nose. Then she proceeded to break both my arms, giggling as she did, getting off on my cries of agony.
The green light flashed and she leapt back, yelping as it did. It flooded me and healed my bones a little, leaving behind a terrible ache where they’d just been snapped and crushed. But the pain in my stomach only wavered a little. I needed more. My power wasn’t enough.
“What was that?”
I was so cold from the wet ground beneath me.
“F-fuck o-off.”
“Your nose … your arms …”
“Y-you don’t k-know everything …”
“It healed you! You can heal! So many bells and whistles.”
She punched me in the nose, breaking it once again. What the hell?
She hovered over me and waited for my healing power to kick in. The giggles coming from her made me sick.
“Fascinating. Still, no match for the stab wound, eh?”
The pain was lessening, though.
For a third time, she broke my nose and watched, then a fourth. “One more, then you’re dead. Promise.”
Break number five came.
With another wave of the healing power, the pain in my belly subsided a little more. The waves would come and come, broken nose or not, because I had an injury. But it needed time, any may not be enough. Who knew what she’d hit inside when she’d stabbed me.
Feed …
Another wave came and healed my nose.
Feed …
Easier said than done!
“Right, time to die. I wonder if I should eat your lungs, or would that have serious consequences on my health seeing as you’re supposed to be my doom.” She giggled. “Doom! You! Look at you! Pathetic. Why the goddess-bitch chose you is beyond me. Could’ve had a huge muscle man or woman, someone who isn’t a weed and would’ve presented an actual challenge.” She shrugged. “Oh, well. Better break your arms again in case you get any ideas.”
She stamped on my left arm over and over, pulverizing bone and muscle.
Holyfuckingshit!
“Now for the other—”
“Didn’t your parents ever tell you not to play with your food?” It was the voice of the white eye guy.
Oh, great!
Healing magic came and healed me up. The arm was still broken, but better. My belly still wasn’t.
Crystal’s head snapped round. “You!”
“Yep, me.”
I couldn’t see him.
“You—”
A blade cleaved her head from her neck so fast I almost missed it. The head hit the ground with a thump. I saw the white eye guy then, grabbing the rest of the body and dragging it away.
“You piece of shit!” Crystal screamed. “I’ll rip you a new arsehole! You won’t get away with this!”
“You have a really annoying voice, has anyone ever told you that?”
He loomed over me. “Hello, again.” He grinned. “I should start demanding a salary from you for all the times I’ve saved your scrawny arse.”
Green light lit his face.
“Ah, she got you good, I see. What’s that strap?” He pulled on it, dragging the bag from underneath me.
“Jake!” Dean! He was close.
The white eye guy paid no attention to the voice of my friend. He opened the bag above my head so I could see. “One’s broken.” He placed one of the vials beside me. “That one can be for your mate over there.” He pulled out another. “And this one is for you. Open wide for the choo-choo train.” He yanked out the bung and poured the white liquid into my mouth. I didn’t resist as I knew it was good stuff from Karla.
And so did he, being a witch or whatever the fuck he was.
It was hot as it went in, burning on its journey down my throat. But it was a good burning, filling me up quickly with happy heat. When another wave of healing magic did its things, the two joined up to really give my body a nice warm hug.
“I think you’ll live,” he said. “But you’d better get home soon, have that nice boss lady of yours fix you up some more.” He winked his white eye at me.
Happy heat or not, I still wanted to rip his face off.
“I’ll kill you!” Crystal raged on.
“Jake!” Dean was so close now.
“Oh, and one more thing,” the white eye guy added. “Do me a favor and kill this bitch as soon as you can. Thanks. And look after Luke. Keep him safe, yeah?”
He was gone.
The sound of boots pounding the ground. I was still too weak to lift my head.
“Jake! Oh, fuck!”
He fell beside me, grabbing my face. “Oh, shit.” He looked down at my belly. “Oh, shit!” He then noticed Greg.
“Call for help!” Luke cried out of sight.
“No time! I have to get him home. Jake?” His hands were so soft, so warm against my skin.
“D-dean …”
He felt my forehead with the back of his hand. Green light flashed.
The pain had faded loads, but I was so damned tired.
“Fuck! Luke! You have to …” He hesitated “… carry Greg. We can’t wait any longer.”
“V-vial,” I said.
“Vial?”
“On floor …”
Feed …
“I see … Crystal?”
Crystal had been silent since Dean’s arrival.
“Oh … she blinked.”
“Beast,” I said.
“Fuck you!” she screamed.
Feed …
Dean said no more. He took the vial to Greg.
“It’s okay, buddy,” I heard him say. “Drink this. You’ll be okay. You got this, Luke?”
“Yes,” Luke replied softly.
He returned to my side. “I’m gonna lift you.”
“Give h-her to me,” I said. “Quick.”
“What?”
“Crystal.”
“Don’t you touch me!” she shrieked.
“Jake, I—”
“Power … wants me to … feed …”
He gazed into my eyes, thinking, scrutinizing me. “Okay. In the car, where you can safely disappear.”
That was good thinking. We could get on the road and not have to wait for me to kill Crystal.
He lifted me up into his arms and carried me out into the rain, placing me in the backseat with Greg. My head rested against his shoulder.
“Hi,” he said weakly.
“Hi.”
How had Dean and Luke got us outside so fast?
Luke climbed into the passenger seat, turning to face me. “When we found our way round, there were doorways cut fresh into the brick,” he said. “Deliberate.”
The white eye guy …
Dean returned with Crystal.
She was spitting, screaming, calling Greg all the names she could think of, a wild creature who really did look like Medusa about to snuff it. T
he woman we had known, who Greg had loved, was gone. This thing was not worthy of anything less than death.
Dean placed her in my lap. I lifted my sparking hands. The softest of touches drew me into the place of fog.
I managed to turn myself over, and with no fuel but tenacity to do this, I crawled across the ground, painfully slow, inch by inch. My belly blazed in protest, not wanting to crawl but to rest and just be. And that’s all I wanted too.
Hunger propelled me onward.
When I came to the gold diamond-shaped beast essence, I was done, spent.
It rotated a few feet above me, as beautiful as it always was. So close, yet so far. I wouldn’t be leaving this place until I fulfilled my purpose.
I imagined a big bed on a stormy night, under the covers, happy as can be, sinking into a luxurious mattress and letting oblivion carry me away. No dreams, just empty, blissful sleep.
With everything I had, which was barely anything, I forced myself up into a kneeling position. My shoulders sagged forward, giving in to gravity. It wanted me to face-plant the ground.
I reached up, the beast essence spinning wildly as my hands came closer.
“Bye, Crystal.”
I delivered my destructive touch.
Chapter 35
The flower was now in full bloom—a blood-red rose, shimmering with crimson light. The sea behind raged on, the skies churning with gray clouds, cracking with thunder, igniting with violent lightning.
I was safe in the alcove high up in the cliff.
“Hello, dear boy.”
“Hi.”
Maybe I’d be getting more from it other than the feeding talk this time.
I sat cross-legged, as I always did in these dreams, leaning against the rocks.
“What a wonderful boy you are,” the flower said, all soft and delicate and soothing on the ear. It was the same voice as the creepy one, but now minus the creepiness. “You will grow big and strong, I can see.”
“I’m not dead, then?”
“Why would you think that?”
“Just, you know, taking talons to the gut and all that.”
“You are so far from dead. You are flourishing. Dear boy, you passed the trials of your life to come here, have survived the dangers of Coldharbour so far. You truly are special.”
“Isn’t that a bit much?”
“Not when it is true.”
“Who are you?”