Dark Temptations

by Eric Alan Williams

  Afreeti slowly stood up and stretched. "Very much so. I need this heat to digest my last meal. Plus, we heal faster when the sun is this bright, and the heat of course."

  Xairin nodded. "So, why do you look different from other gargoyles?"

  She walked over to him while putting her hair up. "Just how many gargoyles have you met?"

  "Well, honestly, not many. I mean, I fought one once, and I've seen a few here around the Island training, but that's about it." He replied.

  She did a few shoulder rolls, and then a neck roll. "I was born a Gargoyle. Each of my nestmates has similar features to my own, and then once I became a Queen, my nest took on my name as their Gargoyle breed, the Afreeti."

  "So, we ready to begin?" Xairin asked.

  She smirked. "Eager, are we?"

  Xairin nodded. "How does it work?"

  Afreeti pointed to the logs she had brought out of the forest. They were fifteen feet or more in length. She had them stacked. "Okay, let us begin."

  She walked to the other side of the logs, leaving Xairin on the other side to face her. She pointed at them. "Okay, here are the basics."

  She paced a little while keeping eye contact. "Xairin, I want you to look at the logs, the wood. The real trick Xairin is to look beyond the wood. Let your eyes and your mind work together, to see beyond the surface. Reach out to see the atoms that make up the wood itself. Fell it, see it, and once you can do that, assert your telekinetic abilities to speed up the vibrations of the atoms. If you can do that Xairin, then you should have no problem creating a flame."

  "Okay, I'm ready to try it." He said.

  She swayed her hands in front of her. "Go on."

  Xairin dropped his hands to his sides. He couldn't take the glasses off due to the sunlight, but he could see just fine with them on. He looked at the logs. He focused. His eyes zoomed in, but he didn't see beyond the wood as she had said. "Damn." He said.

  "Don't get frustrated, you need to be relaxed when trying to manipulate atoms and subatomic particles. Otherwise, the results could be chaotic."

  Xairin looked at her and nodded. "Okay. Let's try this again."

  He looked at the wood again. Xairin reached out with his mind, feeling the wood, and once he could feel inside it, he went deeper, feeling around for anything smaller. He closed his eyes this time, attempting to see with his mind instead. It took him a few minutes, but finally, he could see them. He saw the atoms. Xairin opened his eyes, and focused more, this time tapping into his telekinetic abilities. He remembered when he turned the metal bar on his first mission. Remembering how he did that, helped. He could feel his influence grasping the atoms and speeding up the electrons circling the nucleus. The electrons circling the protons and neutrons began to spin faster and faster, the atom's sped up, vibrating faster. They went from barely vibrating, to shaking, and then shaking violently. He was speeding them up faster than Afreeti expected. The entire log on top of the pile, burst into flames, from the inside out. Afreeti had to leap back quickly.

  "Okay, a flame, yes, not a damn bonfire…"

  Xairin was looking at the fire with an impressive look washing all over his face. "Holy shit!"

  Afreeti walked around the fire to join him. "Now go into reverse!"

  "HUH?" He asked.

  "The fire, slow the vibrations down Xairin, do it now so you can put it out…"

  Xairin looked at the flame. He looked at the wood, what was left, as the flames were erupting wildly from the log's core. Xairin reached out with his mind, feeling it as best as he could. He could see the atoms moving and shaking. His mind locked hold, he pulled at them. The electrons circling the center, slowed rapidly as his telekinetic powers began holding them in place as if their breaks had suddenly been slammed until finally, they stopped vibrating completely. Xairin didn't just stop the flame, Afreeti watched the log's remains literally freeze. It covered in a layer of ice to the point that the remains shattered.

  "That's new," Afreeti said.

  She looked at him with awe. "Safe to say, you have a handle on it. Though, I was hoping for something far more subtle."

  Xairin looked at her smiling. "I just made fire and ice..."

  "Xairin, you didn't just make a flame, or ice for that matter, you froze what was left of those logs until they shattered," Afreeti announced. "I have to say you surprise me."

  She circled him. She could feel something that was off. Gargoyles, like any reptile, can sense heat, and certain changes in their prey. Xairin's cells were vibrating. She stopped, and looked him right in the eyes, "Xairin, just be careful in how many powers you're trying to develop."

  Xairin crossed his arms and gave her a glare indicating he was already over this issue, he looked bored. "Is it really that much of a big deal?"

  She blurted out as she too crossed her arms. "Yes, Xairin, it is. Powers can tempt us to do all sorts of things. Learning to control our abilities is vital."

  Afreeti smocked at him. "Xairin, you're different, unique, that much is undeniable, but you will have limits, don't test them until your body is truly ready."

  Xairin dropped some of his resistant attitudes and could tell how sincerely she was coming across about this. He also figured since she revealed being around four thousand years old, she has seen enough omegas and deltas attempt to become more powerful before they were ready. To Xairin that meant, he needed to evolve and the only way he knew to do that was to make more thralls, convince Ethan to allow it, or… Find the bat that bit him and find a way to kill it once and for all.

  Xairin was thinking about what he was wanting to do. He wanted to hunt down the men that hurt him, and increasing his power was part of that goal. Xairin also was considering the fact that there were greater issues at stake than hunting down a group of bastards responsible for unspeakable acts, there was a potential immortal war looming with the Conclave, and not to mention a potential alien threat on the horizon.

  "I promise I will take my time." He said.

  "Be sure you do Xairin. If you will excuse me, I need to get back." Afreeti's gargoyle features emerged. Her wings flapped, and she gracefully flew off before Xairin could lock on to which direction she took off.

  Xairin decided to stay on the beach and think about what she said. Part of him, agreed, take his time. Another part of him, yearned to go further. “Protect yourself.” A whisper from his blood said. “Use your powers.” It said again. “Training, training, do it!” It begged.

  Xairin stood up. Hearing his blood speak out, had him a little off, maybe his Grandfather and Afreeti were right. Still, maybe practicing something he already knew, might be okay. “Do it, exercise your powers so you can control what you already know how to do.” His blood whispered again.

  Xairin turned around and threw his hand out, extending it towards the forest. His fingers were reaching just as hard. He saw another log, a fallen tree just lying there. Xairin wanted it to come to him. Just like the bar, he pulled at it. He could feel his hand vibrate, his cells vibrate, and stood with a smile on his face as the long thick log floated toward him.

  With one hand directed at it, the large thirty-foot log, floated above his head. Xairin wanted to test himself. He reached with his free hand toward the forest and pulled another, almost as big. With both hands directed at them, he started spinning them, moving them faster and faster until to his surprise an air current was developing.

  Switching gears, Xairin reached out with his mind to the atoms inside the wood. He willed them to vibrate as his hands continually directed the logs to spin like a tornado above him. He could see smoke forming, he kept willing it to increase. It took him a few minutes until a fiery tornado spun above him. The logs burst into flames violently, bursting into fiery pieces that he continued to spin in the air until nothing was left but ashes. Satisfied, he let the ashes fall. Xairin smiled. Inside his cells were vibrating whispering and telling him, “good work.”

  Xairin wasn’t done yet. He noticed a large rock near the beach. The rock was a
t least two thousand pounds or more, jagged in shape, and just out from the sandy white beauty of the beach. He reached his right hand at it, pulling at it. It shook, prompting Xairin to reach his left hand it at as well. The rock slowly became dislodged from its resting place, raising up into the air. Xairin’s hands slowly rested at his sides while his eyes locked onto the floating massive stone. He was sweating as he maintained his focus, keeping it levitated.

  “Unleash your rage.” His blood whispered.

  Xairin allowed his thoughts to drift to Greg’s face. He saw him looking down at him right before the bottle. Xairin’s face grew vicious. He gave into his blood’s suggestion. He felt something inside him unleash like a dam breaking. The massive stone, burst, but not into large pieces, Xairin busted it with his mental rage, in such away, it rained new sand upon the beach. Xairin smiled. His voice whispered again. “We are powerful, we must become more powerful if we are to survive.”

  Chapter 4

  Marine Evans was in a hover cruiser with its blue lights blazing and sirens blaring while she was in pursuit of two criminals, James Harpon, and his accomplice, Joe Morgan. The pair were responsible for a string of child abductions that always ended in a ransom for untraceable currency download chips.

  Marine, Ezra, Hannibal, and Grace, had been working this case alongside Xairin's case for several weeks. The two criminals had managed quite a list of high-profile abductions. The most recent had the entire department on edge.

  James was piloting a red hover-van. He was recklessly flying to evade capture. Marine was in fast pursuit while skillfully dodging other flying cars, trucks, and larger air-vehicles. Marine was once a hover-racer, which made keeping up with the fleeing men, easy for her.

  In the van, sat Harpon at the wheel. He was a white male, with dark hair, brown eyes, and a cleanly shaven face. He was military, freshly released from an eight-year term. The man had battle scars across his handsome face. He had an accomplice, a lesser built man in comparison to Harpon. Joe was biracial, part African, Caucasian, and a hint of Asian. He was sitting behind James, tying up a small blond-headed girl of five years in age. He bound her hands so tightly that it was sure to leave a bruise. Her feet, he chained to a rail that the pair had installed. They had recently abducted her right out of a daycare center. The other children were scared out of their minds when they came in blazing with their laser pistols. No child was shot, but two employees died with their lives while trying to protect the children. As for the girl, Krista, she was a specific target, the daughter of Mayor Brumfield, Mayor of Bastion City.

  The duo had been kidnapping children of critical political figures across several different townships and cities. Their goal was simple, kidnap the target and demand a ransom for an untraceable currency download chip. Often asking for a chip programmed with ten million currency that had no tracer tags embedded into the currency bits. They had been successful in seven cases already. For Marine, this was personal. Marine wasn't about to let them get away with another abduction, especially now that they had killed two women trying to protect a class of sixteen five-year-old’s.

  "Come on, mother fuckers!" Marine said as she took evasive maneuvers to pilot underneath another flying car that the van flew under.

  The man piloting looked in his rearview mirrors. She was still in hot pursuit. He watched as she came up underneath the flying cars, he was using to attempt to crash her. Her black cruiser went into a spin and then hovered against the exterior of a skyscraper perfectly.

  "That's right assholes, I got you!" She said.

  Her eyes focused hard on the prize in front of her. The dashboard's digital display lit up. Ezra's face showed up on the display. "Marine, I'm two air lanes over, do you still have a visual?"

  "Hell, yes, I have a visual." She said as she went into another spin to avoid hitting a pedestrian flying on a hovercycle.

  The man trying to flee snarled. "This fucking bitch won't quit!" The driver said. He flew the van downward, going into his own spin and pulled in front of a flying supply truck. The driver of the truck blew his loud horn. James Harpon, the driver, smirked. "Fucking trucks!"

  James looked over his shoulder at his friend, Joe Morgan. The girl was whimpering. "Gag her already, will you!?"

  "Please!" The girl said. Her eyes alone told the terror she was feeling. Joe didn't care. He had helped James kidnap dozens. Krista was just the most recent, a job. He treated it as if it was so mundane, that it was as easy as breathing when he wrapped a rag around her head, gagging her mouth.

  Hannibal was following in a separate cruiser. He pressed his thumb to a control button on the steering wheel, turning the display on. He patched into seeing Marine's face as he saw her facial expressions while piloting. "Marine, how you handling?"

  She kept her eyes on the skies. "How the hell do you think I'm handling Hannibal!?"

  "We have a blockade set up four air lanes to your left. See if you can get them to make a left in two flight miles!" He said.

  Marine pulled the gear shift beside her, increasing airspeed. "Got it!"

  Marine's black cruiser picked up speed. She had one hand on the throttle, the other on the steering wheel. Her right hand was steady as she pushed it forward, increasing speed.

  "What the hell does this crazy bitch think she's doing!?" James screamed.

  Joe was looking out the side window. He pressed his hands against it as the van sped up. Marine was almost on the side of them. "Speed up, James!"

  "I'm TRYING!" He yelled.

  "Marine? What's your location?" Ezra asked.

  Her eyes remained fixed on the van. "I'm one air mile away from getting them to change course. Get your ass over here, Huxley! I could use some fucking help!"

  Marine knew she had to act fast if she was going to be able to force the van to turn left on the next air mile. She pulled the throttle beside her. The air cruiser sounded like a sports car revving up as the airfans went into hyperdrive. She had to use both hands on the wheel, as she was side by side, and rammed the van.

  "CRAZY FUCKING BITCH!" James yelled.

  She rammed them again.

  Her siren was blaring, the cruiser was making revved up noises. She hit them again and again. Her cruiser pushed the van as best as she could get it too. Her eyes locking with James. The man looked over. "YOU CRAZY BITCH!"

  Marine mumbled under her breath, "I'm not done with you yet, asshole." She hit them again right as the air mile came up. They started to swerve. Marine growled. "ONE… MORE… TIME!" She yelled, forcing the airvan to change course down to the left. Meanwhile, Marine's cruiser went into a spin as she adjusted her own course to peruse behind them.

  "JOE, SHOOT THAT CRAZY BLACK BITCH!" James yelled.

  Marine’s werewolf hearing picked up what James just said. She grits her teeth. "OH, HELL NO MOTHER FUCKERS!" She rammed them from behind.

  Joe reached for his laser pistol. He opened the sliding door to the right side of the van and held tightly with his left hand to the support rail while firing with his right. He was a decent shot. He was aiming for the airfans…

  Marine’s cruiser’s automated voice system spoke out in a woman's voice. "Cruiser has sustained damage to the rear ventral fan."

  "No, shit!" Marine said. "Computer, compensate with the remaining vents!"

  Joe kept shooting. The front of her cruiser's protective glass started to crack. She quickly hit the comm-screen. "Guys I'm getting shot at, I need aid now!"

  Ezra came in from above her in a blue cruiser that had a targeting laser built into the front of it. His own sirens were blaring. He sputtered. "ON IT!"

  Ezra had to manually target the red flying van while yelling. "COMPUTER, AUTOPILOT, NOW!"

  "Autopilot is engaging now, Agent Huxley." The same woman's voice stated calmly.

  Joe screamed. "NOW THERE's TWO OF THEM!"

  James didn't flinch. He just called out orders. "Well, take them out, Joe!"

  While James looked normal on the outside, on the inside, it
was quite a different story. His body was teaming with cybernetic implants. His left eye focused like a lens from tactical binocular. It zoomed in to 800x normal magnification. His left eye saw the blockade of twenty hovering cruisers and three tactical cruisers with their laser cannons pulsing, five per row, forming a hovering wall ready to collect the pair.

  "Get those two off our tail now Joe, we have company ahead of us. Get them out of the air now!"

  "What do you mean we have company ahead of us?" Joe asked.

  "Twenty cruisers and three battle units, ready to blast us out of the fucking sky. Take care of our friends now!"

  As for Ezra, he was right behind them. He was preparing to shoot out one airfans, which would force them to land if they didn't have backup propulsion as the cruisers did. He was away from aiming. Joe leaned out the side door, and fired, his shot took out Ezra's front right airfan, causing him to go into a tailspin.