by Melinda Hyde
The rock Aleksandra had been toying with clattered to the ground, and she rushed over, hiding herself away in the folds of my gown. My hand found its way to her head, and I stroked her messy curls in a slow, soothing motion. She had never seen the others as Izzy was; it was an eerie, nightmarish sight.
Izzy lunged to her feet, making her way into the night that awaited beyond. I watched the others scramble after her, but I didn’t try to stop them. The encroaching battle filled me with dread, but I could forestall it no longer; it was inevitable.
10.War Pains
Orin
The mark jutting out from my son’s unblemished skin had sent me reeling over the edge. I stood planted in place, unable to believe what I was seeing. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Lance was never supposed to be a part of this. I wanted the boy to have a normal life. A life free from the horrors of the magical plague that had engulfed us.
I said something, and Leonia responded. I couldn’t process her response, though. The blood was rushing in my ears, like a fattened river after a flood. It drowned out the noise around me, making it impossible to understand the words being said. I didn’t want to hear her, anyway. I wanted to be far, far away from her, before I completely lost it.
I spun away from my wife and child, recklessly tearing through the room. The raging animal inside me clawed at my mind demanding to be freed. I fought him back. I couldn’t give him his release—not yet.
I smashed my way out of the room. I could feel the eyes of my men following me to the door. “Come on,” I commanded.
We filed outside, and I swung the door shut with as much force as I could muster, placing a barrier between myself and the woman who had brought this curse into my life. I flung myself away from the cabin in lengthy strides, berating myself for the turmoil roiling through me. My anger at Leonia was insurmountable, but something inside me clung to the feelings she had sparked within me. That added fuel to the fire, making the flames leap higher. I still loved the woman, damn her. After everything she had done, a small, lingering part of me still craved her in every way a man could possibly want a woman, and it sickened me.
I was so wrapped up in the thoughts playing through my mind, that I hadn’t noticed Mallory tagging close to my side. What I did notice was the prickles that speared out from my spine, screaming that I was being watched. I stopped before the thought had fully passed through my mind, and I angled my eyes at the source of the intrusion. Lenora.
She sat bathed in the golden cast of the sun’s bright light. Her expression was neutral, but there was a certain hint of gloom hidden behind the façade. She didn’t scurry like a frightened rodent, back into her dark pit, like she always had in the past. This time, her shocking blue eyes locked onto mine, not giving an inch. Good, I thought to myself. Perhaps the witch was ready to put an end to the foolish game she had started.
As I eyed her, attempting to calculate the course of her thoughts, I noticed her gaze shift. The façade fell for a split second. Shock registered on her pretty features, before she could slide the mask back in place. Her eyes narrowed into thin slits, roving slowly over my companion.
My mouth went dry under her calculated evaluation. I snuck a swift look to my side, already knowing who I would find there. Mallory was a feisty, burning ball of fire, but she had no clue what she had just done. She smirked proudly at the white-haired witch, elevating the tense situation.
I turned back to Lenora, and our eyes locked. Understanding flashed like a wave of light over her sea-blue irises, making me inwardly recoil. The heat sizzling at my side told me that Mallory was standing far too close—so close that I could almost feel her skin brush my own. I swallowed past a lump that had formed in my throat, and my blood ran cold, even as my skin became unbearably hot.
When her needling eyes darted thoughtfully in the direction of the cabin, a silent curse whispered through my mind. It wasn’t hard to figure out what was going through her mind. My temper was near exploding again, so I whipped away from the source of my frustrations, granting the restless animal his freedom.
He tore through my soft flesh, carelessly casting it aside. I came down on four steady paws, breaking into a lengthy gallop. I didn’t know nor care where I was going. I only knew that I needed to get away. I needed to breathe the fresh, earthy air. I needed to feel the gritty ground as it yielded to my mighty paws. Mostly, I needed to be one with the mindless beast whose anger was my own.
I flew through the tall blades of grass, loving the way they felt beneath my feet, and into the protection of the cool, shady forest. Small amounts of light filtered through the leafy ceiling, and my paws churned over the decaying debris that littered the ground. Quiet stretched out under the shelter of trees, save for the cheery singing of the birds above. I savored it; it eased the tension from my troubled mind.
I ran on and on, sensing Mallory and the others some ways back. It made sense that they were trailing me. They looked to me for direction. In my angry sprint, I had intentionally left them behind. I slowed my pace, until I was moving along at an easy trot, allowing the others to catch up. My mind was still filled with tumultuous thoughts, but I was in better control of my emotions. We had a long night ahead of us, and I couldn’t afford to allow myself the luxury of giving in to my baser instincts.
The ground thumped behind me, as my pack of panther warriors thundered up behind me. Mallory was the first to come up beside me. Somehow, I had known she would be. I glanced down and skidded to a stop. The light filtered through the branches above, lifting the shadows from the deep, unending sea that was Mallory’s eyes. They shined up at me seductively, as she slid her lithe body along my side.
The mischievous minx knew exactly what she was doing. I caught a whiff of the sweet, exotic scent that was rolling off of her, and an urgent need burned in the pit of my stomach. I peered back at the others. They were observing us with wary confusion. I said a silent curse to myself, steering my mind away from the course it had taken.
I lifted the corner of my lip, exposing my teeth in a definitive warning, cuing Mallory to back off. I had already blundered more than once that day, and I couldn’t afford to do so again—not with so many eyes to witness my blight. There would be plenty of time to see to our needs later. We always found time.
Mallory fell away with a dark, sullen glare. I chuckled inside at her scornful pout. She was becoming spoiled to my affection and used to getting her way. I was the alpha of this pack, however, and she would soon have to learn her place. She was brazened and indiscreet—two things I would have to break her of, at least where my wife was involved.
What we needed now was rest. The game we had played the night before was nothing compared to what I expected to soon transpire. The man-beasts around me were strong and brave. They had the potential to be great warriors, but they were also new to the reality of the new and treacherous world around them.
I stretched my thick legs out in front of me, pushing the crunchy leaves overtop my paws, then plopped down on my side. The ground was soft and cool. It felt good to simply relax. I ran my eyes over the others, waiting for them to do the same. They looked like lost children, glancing around at one another. Then, they seemed to mentally shrug, and they joined me, stretching out with lazy yawns.
Mallory was the exception. She always was. Her gaze was steady, wandering over the length of my body. The look of longing that registered in her eyes was delicious, and I drank it up in greedy laps. When she started padding my way, mistaking my appreciation for an invitation, I growled low in my throat, reminding her of her place. Her ears pressed back tight against her head, and she turned her back to me, sinking to the ground with a huff.
Her tail twitched in tight, irritated jerks, and I could feel the agitation rolling off of her in waves of upheaval. Her attitude didn’t bother me. In truth, it made me want her even more. She was a huntress—a warrior. She carried herself with so much confidence that it radiated from her. But most of all, she was all mine.
; I thought of Leonia, feeling an itch of guilt. As conflicted as she made me, I did love the woman, but I was finding that I loved Mallory, too. I knew what I was doing wasn’t right, but I no longer cared. I wanted Leonia, and I wanted Mallory, just as badly. Both women were mine, and I had no intention of giving either up. With that last thought settled, I placed my head atop my paws and my eyes drifted shut.
∆ ∆ ∆
When the dusky, orange glow of last light came through the treetops, I shook the leaves from my dark coat, stretching my limbs. All around me, my warriors began to stir. I could feel the anticipation flowing from them. They had an active lust for the battle that was to come. It was a feeling that I resonated with. I had felt the same longing ever since Lenora had created those monstrosities, but I had been helpless to act on it.
Now that I had an army at my back, the tables had turned. We would meet them head on or pick them off one by one. It didn’t matter. I suspected they would be coming for us, though. We couldn’t have picked a better target. The immortal we had sent to the grave the night before had a mate among their ranks. She would be out for retribution. I was counting on it.
I struck out, setting a steady pace. The others followed close behind, not far off my flank. We traveled as a unit in the dying light, making our way back home. If Lenora’s creatures came out tonight, that would mean that I was right, and we would be waiting for them. No more games. It was time to make our stand.
We hadn’t made it to the clearing, where the sun’s last light died away. We marched on through the forest, under the glow of the moonlight that smiled down on the land. Our paws treaded lightly, becoming one with the earth.
We had almost reached our destination, when I heard the loud snapping of a twig from somewhere up ahead. I slowed my pace to a creeping walk but didn’t stop. My nose twitched, sampling the mixture of scents lingering in the air. There was no breeze; the night was unmoving, but I could still make out the faint traces of the spice-like scent I had been searching for.
They were somewhere close by, stalking us from the shadows. I wasn’t sure if they knew I had detected their presence. It didn’t matter if they did. I could see where the trees thinned up ahead, giving way to the clearing. I cautiously led my band forward, prepared for the attack that I knew would soon come.
It didn’t come. I was perplexed by the creatures’ hesitancy, as I trekked into the open, but I didn’t allow it to show. The others followed my lead, but I could feel their growing unease. The creatures stalking us were becoming more and more careless in obscuring their presence, and my warriors were confused by my obvious lack of concern.
I trotted lazily to where we had felled the creature the night before, and I pivoted languidly back to face the shadowy trees. My warriors gathered around me, cocking their heads with confounded curiosity, then turned to face the threat that still cloaked itself in the darkness.
Excited tension raced rampantly through my blood, making it near impossible to remain stoic, but I steadied myself, despite the adrenaline quivering through me. I took several steps back, then eased my muscular haunches back onto the ground, watching the woods for any sign of stray movement. Sluggishly, almost in a bored manner, I lifted my paw to my powerful jowls, using my tongue to remove any debris from my fur.
An angry hiss resonated from the darkness, and I smiled as the band of demons emerged from their hiding place. The woman, whose mate we had slain, led the demonic procession into the moonlight. I could feel my warriors’ hackles begin to rise, but I didn’t flinch. I openly eyed the woman with a look of distant disinterest.
Their eyes were quite a chilling sight. The soulless, vacant cast that came over them had always deeply disturbed me. Their irises were devoid of color and emotion. They were just empty sockets of unending silver. Their lips peeled back to expose the elongated fangs of an animal—fangs every bit as deadly as my own. Despite my refrain, my face drew up in disgust.
The woman cackled. There was no humor or humanity in the sound. It was flat and lifeless, cruel in its raspy harshness. “Ye’ think yer’ so much better than us, but yer’ not. Yer’ no more than a murderer—a thief who robs the life from those who are not yer’s to judge.” Her voice was mangled, coming out in an animalistic lisp.
The hair along my spine stood on end, and I rumbled a menacing growl deep in my chest. She hovered closer, and her approach involuntarily drew me to my feet. Her followers grudgingly moved with her, drawing near, and my beasts prowled restlessly off my flanks. She stopped a breath’s space away from me, and I did the same. I could feel the tension drawing to a head. The atmosphere crackled with constrained sparks of contempt.
The woman stooped down, effortlessly arranging herself into a defensive crouch and locked her silver eyes on mine. “Karl was a good man. He was my husband. He gave his life to see us safe. It was more than I’d recon you would do for yours.” Her words pierced through me like a white-hot blade, evoking a mindless fury in my bones. “Ye’ won’t be taking any more lives. This ends tonight.”
The attack came with shocking abruptness. No sooner had the last word flipped from the she-devil’s lips, she sprang from her crouch, claws fully extended. I had a split second to parry the oncoming attack, but she still managed to graze my shoulder, shredding the outer layer of my pelt in ribbons of flesh and fur. Blood oozed from the superficial wound, trickling over my glossy coat.
All around me, the battle erupted. In response to her blow, my warriors sprang like tightly wound springs. Bodies clashed into one another with unbridled violence. There was no time to take in the extent of the fallout. All I could do was hope that my warriors had been prepared. The immortals were more than formidable in their gifts; they were leveled with us in every way.
The woman and I paced in tight circles, both searching for an opening. Neither of us gained the ground we were searching for. We danced in and out again, lashing out fruitlessly, until it became tiresome. She was vigilant and precise, making no error in her judgements. That acknowledgement drove my next decision. We circled again, and I wound my bulking muscles tight in preparation. Then, in midstride, I gave them their release, taking the battle to her.
She faltered in surprise, barely able to block the blow, but I stayed on her, driving her back. I executed my attacks in rapid succession, diving into her. I allowed the beast to take control of me, becoming one with the blood crazed animal. Somewhere, far back in the recesses of my mind, the pained cries of one of my warriors registered. I feigned a side attack, only to double back, driving into the woman’s unyielding form.
I crashed into her, and she went tumbling back, with me riding her to the ground. My vision narrowed, as my intentions played through my mind. Her hands wheeled desperately through the empty air, working to shield herself from the attack. I brought my huge, gaping jaws down, with bone crushing force. She managed to protect the tender skin of her neck, but my teeth sliced into her shoulder, shredding through skin and bone.
I pressed my ears back to find relief from the deafening, agonized screams. I was so close. I knew this was it; I needed to finish her. I sprang forward again, jowls gaping wide, but never made contact with my target. Two hardened hands took me by the shoulder, biting mercilessly into my wound. I felt myself being hauled backward, and I struggled urgently to set myself free, but my captor held tight.
The realization that I would soon meet my end registered in the back of my mind. I struggled harder, hissing and spitting my outrage. I could sense the spring in the creature’s movements, as it prepared to deliver a final, devastating blow, and I resigned myself to my fate. The blow never came. The pressure from the creature’s grip released, and I flew around to watch Mallory drive the brute to the ground.
She was crazed in her vengeance, pummeling gouges into the creature’s flesh with her daggerlike claws. Her lips were peeled back, and her eyes sparked fire. In one final show of fury, she drove her teeth down, bedding them into the hollow of the creature’s throat, and she jerked the fl
esh away, leaving a gaping, bloody hole.
I was so awed by the sight of her, that I hadn’t noticed the rest of the immortals making a hurried retreat back to the cave. I turned my eyes on them just as they passed through the veil of safety. I shifted my attention to my own pack. They stood around, looking exhausted from their efforts. Their fur was matted with patches of blood and standing on end, but we didn’t seem to have suffered any losses.
Then, I noticed one of my men off to the side. He nipped uncomfortably at a small wound in his side. His movements were erratic. He jerked and spit, hissing in discomfort. I narrowed my eyes, wondering what had befell him.
I crept over, careful to keep some distance between us. I skimmed my sights over his side, examining the wound from afar. The bite marks cutting through his hide were unmistakable. I said a silent curse, knowing that I needed to get him to Leonia.
∆ ∆ ∆
It took a lot of effort, but we finally managed to get him inside the cabin. We were forced to bind his hands, feet, and mouth to prevent him from injuring himself, or the other members of the pack. His eyes rolled madly in their sockets, not seeming to resonate with anything around him. His foaming growls were feral, and I worried that he had gone insane.
Leonia was in the room, curled into a ball atop the bed. She didn’t look at me when I came into the room, but I knew she wasn’t asleep. The crib was no longer laid over on its side. It stood proudly, right side up, by the wall. I passed by it on my way to the bed, but I couldn’t bring myself to look upon the babe inside.
I eased into the softness of the bed, winding my wife’s hair away from her face and sighed. “I didn’t want this life for him, Leonia. I wanted him to grow up in a world with some semblance of normality.” The silence stretched between us. “We went into battle against Lenora’s creatures tonight.” That seemed to spark her interest; she looked back at me wearing a wary but curious expression. “We only took down one of their members, but we injured several more. We suffered a few injuries ourselves,” I added darkly.
