by D. J. Dalton
She jangled the chain. “You can’t do this.”
“Can’t? That word is no longer in the Dark Guild arcanum’s vocabulary.” He walked by her, stopping at the black curtain. “You see, we’ve mastered elemental magic.”
A chill ran down her spine. Whatever waited behind that curtain made Dan’s eyes gleam with excitement. With a shaky hand, she wiped sweat from her forehead.
“Let me go,” she hissed after yanking again on the chain. Blood dripped from her wrist.
Dan ignored her plea, putting his hand on the curtain. “Let me introduce you to our cursed wolf.” He tugged it back, revealing a cage containing a distorted creature. Its patchy fur hung in scraggly bunches over dry, cracked skin, while the lower jaw jutted to the left. Legs bent in odd directions like someone had broken them and made a mistake mending them. Its glazed-over eyes stared into space.
“You think it’s locked up, with no opening to the cage. Well, you’re wrong.” He waved his hand over the bars.
“Ostendoium.”
A door seam and keyhole appeared. After pulling a key out of his pocket, he unlocked the door, pulling the cage door open.
Her eyes filled with tears. What have they done to this pitiful creature?
While knitting his eyes brows together in a mock-worried look, Dan tugged the curtain further back. “I don’t suppose you know him.”
Keren gasped. Broden’s body lay motionless on the cage floor. Adrenaline rushed through her body. While letting out a guttural roar, she yanked at the chain, getting as close as possible to Dan. She ignored the blood dripping down her hand.
“What have you done?” Her free hand swung out at Dan.
“The same thing I’m going to do to you.”
Dan held out his palms, animating the cursed wolf with words she didn’t understand. It snarled, the lopsided jaw drooling spittle. He spoke again in the odd language, then his calculating eyes looked at her.
“Attack.”
That word she understood.
Flames exploded around the cursed wolf’s body. It crouched, ready to leap.
She pulled back, getting as far away from the creature as possible. While letting out a cry of fear and frustration, she pulled and yanked on the chain with all her strength.
Then time stood still. A familiar pulsing of energy ignited in her solar plexus. The pulse raced to the back of her eyes, exploding out like lightning bolts. Time restarted. A scent of pine filled the room as a flesh-and-blood Three appeared before her. While snarling to expose its over-sized canine teeth, Three grabbed the chain holding her to the stage, tearing the links apart as if made of paper.
The cursed wolf sprung. Three turned, blocking Keren from the attack. The wolf landed on Three’s chest. Three tried pushing it off, but the cursed wolf chomped down onto its shoulder. Keren cringed at the snapping of twigs and crunching of bone. Three let out a thunderous roar. Then, grabbing the cursed wolf, Three tossed it off the stage.
Keren scrambled into the cage, kneeling next to Broden. Her heart raced at seeing the dried blood pooled on the floor. She pulled his limp body onto her lap.
“Broden!” She shook him. When he gave no response, she clutched him to her chest, rocking back and forth. His skin felt icy. She drew in a ragged breath as tears streamed down her face.
Another roar from Three drew her attention. She saw the cursed wolf had jumped at Three, its misaligned jaws snapping at its arms. Three batted the wolf away. But fire from the wolf’s attack danced over Three’s chest and arms.
Three’s giant-sized hands peeled the flames away. While rolling the fire between its palms, it formed a lava ball. The cursed wolf regained its feet, readying for another attack. Three threw the lava ball, hitting the wolf square in the head. It staggered, stunned for a moment.
Keren heard Dan’s voice. She looked over, seeing him standing next to the cage. Sweat dripped off his face. Speckles of black covered his extended palms. He chanted words she didn’t understand. Somehow, he controlled the cursed wolf.
She released Broden, tenderly lowering him to the cage floor. After standing, she exited the cage to stand within inches of Dan. While swinging the arm with the shackle, she whipped the dangling chain into Dan’s head. Blood sprayed from above his eye as the chain ripped across his face. His head jerked back, causing him to break the connection with the cursed wolf.
Keren turned, looking at Three. It took the now motionless cursed wolf’s head in both hands and yanked it free from the body. The headless body collapsed to the ground. Three tossed the head across the room.
Pain seared through her scalp as her head snapped back. Dan held her hair in a tight fist, pulling it down and toward him. Hot, rancid breath wafted over her face.
“You’ll pay for that.” He held his other palm over her face.
She reached up, grasping his wrist with both hands while stomping on his foot. Dan let out a pained yell. His grip loosened enough for her to pull free. She fell back onto the stage.
Before Dan could recover, the plants lining the stage sprouted at an amazing rate. Their limbs reached like fingers, wrapping themselves around Dan.
“What’s going on?” His thrashing failed to keep the limbs from binding his arms to his sides and immobilizing his feet. Wild eyes locked onto Keren. “What are you?”
The limbs wrapped themselves around Dan’s mouth, leaving only his eyes and nose visible.
Keren stood, swallowing a lump in her throat. She looked back at Three, who had its hand on the stage. Apparently, it used earth magic to control the plants, saving her once again. While looking back at Dan’s accusing eyes, the question rumbled through her mind. ‘What are you?’ She stared at her hands, watching golden light dance over her skin. She frowned, unable to come up with an answer. Then the room blurred as a wave of dizziness passed through her.
As she scrubbed tears from her eyes with a trembling hand, she staggered back, steadying herself on the cage. Her heart felt as though it were being ripped out as she thought of Broden. It would devastate Ordell when he found out the truth. She startled. Where was the arcanum woman?
While looking around the room, she searched for the woman and Ordell. She spotted Ordell standing on a pile of folding chairs. His hair stood on end and a sleeve of his shirt had been torn off. He held a roll of duct tape in his hand.
“Ordell,” Keren shouted.
He turned in her direction. While grinning, he held the duct tape over his head. When he met her eyes, his smile faded. Keren looked at Broden, then back at Ordell.
“No!” He dropped the tape, racing to the stage. After skidding to a stop in the cage, he threw himself on Broden. His body heaved with sobs as he called out for a brother that would never answer.
“Broden, come back.” Ordell clenched Broden’s hair, pulling his face close. “Wake up!”
Keren looked away. Her vision blurred from an onslaught of tears. If she would have left when Ordell wanted to that afternoon, maybe Broden would still be alive. Instead, she chose to go on her date with Quinlin. How would Ordell ever forgive her?
When she heard a low rumble, she looked up. Three stood in front of her. It knitted its brows together, tipping its head to the side as it held out a hand.
Keren put her hand in Three’s. The prickly vines tickling her palm. After wiggling her fingers through the vines, she stroked the dark green fur underneath. A sense of calm flowed through her.
Three glanced at Dan, held captive by the plants. Then it turned back to Keren, raising its eyebrows as if asking a question.
She shook her head. “Just leave him.”
They weren’t safe. Deep-voice man and his goons were in the hallway. They could be on their way here right now. And the rest of the arcanum would arrive soon.
Her vision blurred and her legs trembled, forcing her to steady herself against the cage bars. While using the bars as support, she walked into the cage, placing her hand on Ordell’s back.
“We have to go.”
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nbsp; His sobs grew louder as he rocked his brother. She stepped around him, reaching down to lift Broden.
“No!” Ordell tightened his grip.
“We’ll get caught if we don’t leave now.” She reached out again. This time, Ordell pulled away.
“I’ll carry him.” He stood up with Broden’s limp body in his arms. Broden’s head dropped back. Lifeless eyes stared into the distance. She looked away, the scene too overwhelming.
Once Keren grabbed her backpack, Three helped them off the stage. She led Ordell to the nearest exit. An alarm went off when she opened the door. Ordell didn’t seem to notice. He stumbled behind her, leaning his weight on the door frame, Broden clutched in his arms.
She looked into Three’s deep brown eyes. “We need to get back to the car.”
Three scooped them up, Keren in one arm, Ordell with Broden in the other. It stomped through the bushes around the side of the motel and bowling alley. When it stepped into the parking lot, two women making their way back to their car screamed, running back toward the building.
Keren didn’t care who saw them. All she wanted was to get far away from here. Three set them down next to Nadria’s car. It turned, heading back in the direction they came from to hold off anyone in pursuit.
Her stomach clenched, forcing her to double over in pain. While leaning on the car, she guided Ordell into the backseat, Broden securely locked in his arms. She tossed her backpack in, then collapsed into the driver’s seat. Her fingers wrapped around the steering wheel, clenching it until her knuckles turned white. She could have prevented this. Instead, she had sentenced the Murphy’s to a life of grief after losing a beloved child and brother.
She drove out of the parking lot. Her glow faded as she pulled onto I-4, heading to Ordell’s house.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Briggs
Briggs closed the ambulance door, leaving his hand pressed against it. A second ambulance remained, its EMT treating the other victims. A deep growl rumbled in his throat. The senseless loss of innocent lives made his blood boil.
He pulled up to the Murphy’s at the same time Keren had arrived. She had called him from the car, too grief-stricken to say anything but where she was headed.
“Do you want me to go with the victim?” said Officer Jordon.
Briggs slapped twice on the door, signaling to the driver he could leave. Without turning, he said, “Yes, make sure they place the body under security. The medical examiner will perform the autopsy in the morning.” He stayed professional, hiding his anguish and rage.
“Yes, sir.” Briggs heard Officer Jordon’s retreating footsteps. A few moments later, a car drove off.
With a sigh, Briggs turned, facing the Murphy’s house. Police cars’ flashing lights lit up the normally quiet neighborhood. Briggs caught movement on the outskirts of the property. Wolf shapes moved in and out of the shadows.
“What did you find at the bowling alley and motel?” Briggs asked.
Faraday stepped next to him. “I’m not sure how you do it.”
Briggs grunted. Faraday had developed this odd obsession with sneaking up on him.
Once Briggs had found out both magic and the Dark Guild were involved, he called Tabitha. She had sent the warrior pack to investigate.
“Most people had left the bowling alley by the time we arrived. The report of a monster prowling the area caused quite a panic.” Faraday handed Briggs a piece of paper. “We have the names of the women who reported seeing it.”
Briggs nodded, taking the paper from Faraday. He’d assign one of his officers to find them. Most people didn’t react well when random shifters showed up at their door. At least if they wore a uniform, there was some hope of a peaceful conversation.
Keren had described ‘the monster’ as her imaginary friend come to life. Ordell corroborated her story. Briggs didn’t know what to think.
“At the motel, we found the body of a wolf.” Faraday snarled. “It looked like they had tortured it for years, ripped apart then put back together in strange ways. Its head was torn from its body.”
“Did you find any arcanum?” Briggs spat out the last word.
“No, but we’re prowling the area. One warrior picked up a scent. We’re following that trail.” He turned to face Briggs. The reproach in Faraday’s eyes bore down on him. “They used earth magic on the plants. It looked like something had been contained by the plants at some point.”
“Keren said the monster used earth magic.” He knew Faraday thought Keren’s story was a fairytale made up by a shocked mind. Although her story sounded crazy, Briggs wanted to believe Keren. He trusted her. But he couldn’t overlook any suspects.
Faraday hinted at bear shifter involvement. If bear shifters were working with the Dark Guild, that made the group more dangerous than ever. “We’re conducting a full investigation.”
Without a word, Faraday stalked away, melting into the darkness.
Briggs wondered how the Murphy’s were doing, so he made his way into the house. While passing through the kitchen, he paused. The iron cuff and chain Keren had on sat on the counter.
After he had picked the cuff’s lock, he exposed the gashes in Keren’s wrist. His body tensed. Whoever did this to her and Broden would pay, no matter what it took. The EMT walked in from the living room.
“Captain Wilson.” The EMT paused.
Briggs nodded. “How are they doing?”
“Ordell has minor abrasions. But the gashes on Keren’s wrist required stitches. She really should go to the hospital.”
Briggs took a deep breath. “I know.” He’d begged her to go to the hospital but, so far, she refused.
The EMT gave him a sympathetic look, then continued. “I gave Mrs. Murphy a mild sedative. It might not make her sleep, but it will calm her nerves.”
“Thank you, Jeffery.”
“You need me to stick around?”
“No, I appreciate the help.”
Jeffery patted Briggs’ arm. “Just doing my job. Take care.” He walked out.
Briggs glanced again at the cuff and chain on the counter. He made a mental note to have an officer wrap them up as evidence. Then he walked into the living room.
Mrs. Murphy sat on the couch. An ice pack rested on the back of her neck. Nadria sat next to her, stroking her hand. Keren had asked for Nadria, so he had a squad car drive her over.
Off to the side, Keren stood with Mr. Murphy. Her arms draped around him. Tabitha stood behind them, resting a protective hand on Keren’s shoulder. He noticed Tabitha’s jaw tensed then released, her stony face struggling to contain the ferocity of her emotions. Tabitha and Keren had been friends since high school, and Keren had served as maid of honor at her wedding.
Ordell sat next to Nadria, staring across the room. His horse’s ears drooped to the side. Every few seconds, he twitched. Maybe the EMT should have given Ordell a sedative, too.
Mrs. Murphy's eyes met his. Her lower lip quivered.
“Have you taken my boy away?”
Briggs found it hard to swallow. His throat felt suddenly dry. “Yes, ma’am.”
“We’ll get him back, right? For the funeral, I mean.” Tears dripped down her cheeks.
“Of course.” he cleared his throat. “I’ll let you know when the medical examiner clears the body.”
Mrs. Murphy winced as if slapped. He berated himself. These were his friends, the people he loved. He could drop the professional jargon. He turned to Keren.
“Keren, can we talk?”
Keren gave Mr. Murphy a squeeze, then walked toward Briggs. Tabitha followed behind her.
Briggs led them into the formal dining room. “We’ve done all we can here for now.” He brushed the back of his fingers over her face. She swayed, grabbing Briggs’ arm to steady herself.
“I’m starving.” She hung her head. “I know I shouldn’t be, but I can’t help it.”
“It’s a good thing.” Briggs drew her into a hug. “You need to eat.”
Tabitha pulled out her phone. “I’ll order delivery. Any preferences?”
“Pizza’s great. Thanks. Leave off the healthy stuff.” Keren gave Tabitha a sly grin.
Briggs looked over as Mr. Murphy entered the room.
“Keren, the Mrs. and I would like you to stay here tonight. Nadria’s already agreed.”
“Thank you, Papa Murphy. I’d like that.”
“Good.” Mr. Murphy looked relieved. He turned to Briggs. “I’m going to take the Mrs. upstairs. Would you lock up when you go?”
“I will Mr. Murphy. You get some rest.”
Mr. Murphy turned to go.
“And, Mr. Murphy?”
He turned back around. “Yes, Briggs?”
“We’ll find who did this.”
Tabitha patted Mr. Murphy’s arm. “We promise.”
Mr. Murphy nodded. “We appreciate that.” He turned, walking out of the room.
Briggs knew it was time to gather his squad and head back to the station. It would be another all-nighter. He ran his hand along Keren’s back. She felt small and frail. So many questions swirled in his mind related to this event. But he knew she was exhausted from the ordeal. He’d talk to her about this tomorrow after she got some time to rest.
“I checked in on your mom. She’s doing great.”
Keren looked up into his eyes. “She is? Can I see her?”
He shook his head. “I’m sorry. She’s under protective custody.” Since the magic attack on the hospital, Keren’s mom had been assigned extra security. He couldn’t prove it, but something told him the attack had something to do with her. His heart ached for Keren, knowing how close she was to her mom. “But I’ll see what I can do. No promises.”
Keren buried her face in his chest. “Thanks, Briggs.”
“Sure thing. Well, I’ve got to get going.” He gently pushed her away, lowering her into a chair. “We have a lot more to discuss. But it can wait until tomorrow.”
Keren stared into his eyes. “Thank you.” She looked at Tabitha. “Both.”
“We’re here for you.” Tabitha pulled up a chair. “I’ll hang out until the pizza arrives.”