“Hell yeah! I want that power.” Buck yelled.
Evan quickly rolled his eyes at Buck and focused at the other enemies coming towards him. An ear piercingly loud roar was heard from above them. Glancing up, they saw Kel swooping down quickly and breathing fire over several of the attacking enemies. The heat that came from her dragon’s fire was so intense that their bodies were vaporizing within seconds, leaving no trace of anything or anyone left behind.
Everyone around Skye was now in hand-to-hand combat since the attacking army had managed to breach through the first barriers. Cloud was surprisingly holding her own against the enemies. Skye was filled with pride at her mother’s strength. She didn’t have enough time to fully appreciate it though. Suddenly an arm had grabbed her from behind.
The arm snaked around her throat tightly, but Skye knew what to do. Doubling her body over forward, she lifted the person on her back and hefted them over her shoulder. She threw him on the ground as if he was nothing more than a bag of sand.
The demon was quick to get back on his feet and squared off in front of Skye. Keeping her eyes trained on him, she circled around him waiting for him to make his move. She had learned that the downfall of many of these demons was their overconfidence. This one reeked of it.
“Bitch you have no idea what is going to happen to you. You can’t stop us.” His words seemed coated with bloodlust. Skye knew that was a weakness. Fighting for the right thing was a strength and it was one she had in her corner.
“Are you going to stand there and talk or bring it?” Skye said with a taunting smile. The demon’s eyes glinted red with anger as he rushed towards her. Skye watched his feet move in a similar pattern that she had been taught well to watch for. Without having to think about it, Skye swept her leg around him caught his feet and caused him to fall forward on the ground.
He tried turning over to get back up, but Skye was on top of him before he had time to realize what was happening. Straddling his chest, she glowed a deep red as she punched her hand down into his chest. Her hand went straight through his chest until she gripped his heart in her hands. The shocked look on his face would have been comical if it weren’t so tragic at the same time. Skye squeezed his heart until it shattered into her hands.
Getting off of him, she wiped the blood from her hand onto her pants. She caught sight of Maddox who had looked over at her. He was both impressed and worried at the same time. Skye wished he would have more confidence in her abilities than he did, but she appreciated his concern.
Skye’s eyes widened in fear. Two demons had attacked Maddox from behind.
“No!” Skye screamed. Maddox looked at her in bewilderment unsure of why she was screaming. Then he felt it. The two demons behind him had daggers and they both stabbed him in the back simultaneously. “MADDOX!” Skye screamed as she rushed towards him.
Maddox’s body faltered and then he dropped to his knees. His face was contorted in such pain. No, no, no, no! Those words kept replaying through Skye’s head as she approached him. The two demons turned their gazes on her with wide smiles. Skye felt something inside of her break open. The red she was bathed in was nothing compared to the bright red light surrounding her body then. Raising her hands, she gripped both demons by their necks. With a simple twist of her wrists, their heads snapped completely off falling to the ground in a thud with their bodies following.
Skye had no time to think about them. She grabbed Maddox who was still kneeling on the ground gritting his teeth in pain. Skye covered both wounds on his back with her hands and pushed every bit of her essence that she could into his wounded body. Maddox groaned a sound of pure pain. Suddenly his harsh breathing evened out. He turned around to face Skye.
“Skye…” his voice broke through the fog that had blinded her mind. Skye looked at his face before checking his back. He was healed as if nothing had happened.
“Maddox.” She said embracing him tightly. “I thought…” She couldn’t finish the sentence. They both knew Skye had thought she had lost him. Maddox wouldn’t admit it, but he had thought the same thing.
Luke’s voice broke their short lived moment. “More are rolling in in waves.” Skye jumped to her feet to find more reinforcements coming. Sadly, they weren’t on her side.
“No.” Skye wanted to end it all but she didn’t know how. Looking to Luke and Maddox she got an idea that she could only hope would work. “The seer told me when the time came I could use my powers. I think this is the only time that matters. Can you both cover me while I tap into them?” Maddox and Luke took ranks covering both sides of Skye instantly.
“Like you have to ask sweetheart.” Maddox said.
“Anything for my future daughter-in-law.” Luke said with a wry grin. Skye raised one eyebrow and shook her head to ignore him.
Skye looked forward to face the mess around her. Her father was fighting another supernatural creature. Her mother was struggling with the fight she was in with another elf. Evan was blasting people left and right. It was easy to see that the power was draining him quickly. She had to act now.
Skye closed her eyes and called upon the powers that had been dormant in her body begging them to surface. She tried to imagine what they felt like and imagine them releasing themselves around her, but nothing was happening. Skye felt a slow burn deep in her heart and hoped it meant that it was working.
When Skye’s eyes opened once more, the scene in front of her was almost too much to bare. Dead bodies were everywhere. Friends, allies, and enemies alike were lying on the ground as if they were nothing but trash. A bright glint caught Skye’s attention. She saw a blade swing out and slice right through Prue’s throat. Skye felt weak in the knees. The blood poured quickly out of Prue. Her eyes caught sight of Skye as she fell towards the ground. Skye could have sworn that Prue looked sorry that she had let her friend down. Skye shook her head in denial. Prue hadn’t let her down. Skye was letting everyone else down. Prue had become a friend to her. Another lost friend. How many more could Skye lose?
None. No more. That was her answer. She refused to lose anyone else that she loved. A scream burst out of her mouth as her hands reached up towards the sky. Instead of red or even her normal purple light enveloping her, it was a white light, so bright that it was blinding to everyone in the area. All fighting ceased for a moment. No one could see to fight or defend themselves. Everyone, except Skye, covered their eyes.
As Skye’s fingers twitched every enemy there was lifted into the air. Startled screams were heard from all around her, but Skye focused only on the power that was guiding her now. She had given them their chance to leave and they had refused. There were no more chances.
“No more different. All the same. Nothing but harmless bodies shall remain. I take within me your power and erase your hate. You had your chance and sealed your own fate.” Skye’s voice was loud and clear. Strong.
The bodies in the air twitched and shook as if they were having seizures. Lights from all of their bodies drained slowly to the ground, pooling into a liquid light stream, and heading straight for Skye. The liquid light pooled at her feet before traveling up into her body and coating her entirely in it. Finally the light slipped inside of her pores and disappeared. Skye felt high inside of her and let out a gasp of breath. It was intense, but not overwhelming. She smiled as she lowered her hands and slowly let their enemies drop to the ground.
Skye’s bright light faded. Everyone was looking at her in shock and confusion. Their adversaries suddenly started to cry out in fear, not understanding what had happened to them, or where they even were.
As suddenly as it began, it seemed to end just as suddenly. Many people ran off afraid and confused from seeing the dead bodies lying all over the ground. They feared they would be next to join the mass murder scene in front of them.
Maddox took Skye’s hand and turned her towards him. He searched her eyes to see if she was still in there. Skye smiled softly at him with a nod.
“It’s going to be okay no
w.” Skye sounded convinced. The others around her were still dumbfounded by it all.
Chapter Twenty Three
Several members of the enemy army remained behind. They were either too lost or too stupid to run away. Cloud, Gary, Evan, Buck, Mike, and Kel joined Luke and Maddox by Skye’s side and waited for her to catch her breath. Apparently whatever magic she had performed had drained her slightly. She managed to recover quickly.
“Skye, you have to tell us what happened.” Gary said looking at his daughter.
“I tapped into the power deep within me. At first I didn’t know what it did, but then I realized that I was draining them all of their powers. They are no longer supernatural creatures. They are human now.” Skye announced.
“Human? You turned demons, werewolves, shapeshifters, and more into humans? How is that even possible?” Buck asked with wide eyes.
“How is any of this possible?” Kel said rolling her eyes at her fiancée.
“The prophecy was right.” Skye said softly then looked to them before they could object. “It said I would end life as we know it. The power within me can take away their supernatural abilities, their whole bloodline. I made them mortal. They will have no memory of what happened here. They are blank slates now.”
“How do you know this?” Cloud asked.
“I just do. I feel it. Also, when I took their light inside of me, I absorbed their energy and powers.”
“Does that mean you can turn into even more things now? I mean… damn girl if you didn’t already have enough powers as it were…” Buck looked jealous.
“The powers are inside of me, but they lie dormant. I don’t need to use them so they will remain hidden. If I ever need them I could tap into them. I don’t see that happening though. I can feel a shift now. The ones who left aren’t coming back after us. They are finally going to leave us alone. They are now figuring out that their mistake was to attack us when we gave no reason to do so.” Skye looked to each of them as she explained.
“And you just ‘know’ all of this?” Evan spoke up.
Skye nodded and sighed.
“I do. I think we will finally have some peace.” she said with a grin. Of course, that peace didn’t last too long. Without warning three dark haired beauties flew into the yard and surrounded them. Everyone tensed looking to them. Skye couldn’t help but think that they looked like something out of a Dracula novel. They were beautiful beyond belief with long shinning dark hair and light blue eyes that almost appeared to glow. Their fangs showed when they smiled. Yep. Dracula’s brides or concubines had officially showed up. What. The. Hell.
Buck pulled his blade out ready to attack when Evan jumped out in front of them putting his arms out defending them? He was defending them they all realized. Evan grinned and let out a small laugh.
“Let’s not get overly excited. They came to make sure everything was fine.” As Evan spoke, the ladies were suddenly unable to keep their hands off of him. Perplexed, Skye tilted her head.
“So they were here to help? A little late on the showing up aren’t they?” Luke asked.
“I didn’t want them involved in case Skye used some freaky supernatural talent and accidentally hurt them since she doesn’t know them.” Evan replied.
“Okay. Who the hell are they?” Skye had to ask since it was apparent that no one else was going to. Evan laughed.
“You all have been so damned curious about my sexual appetite. Well, these girls are it. They are mine and I am theirs.” Evan said proudly. The women smiled behind him. They looked like they were ready to take him off somewhere private and do naughty things with him.
“So, um, you’re dating three vampires?” Skye asked.
“Hell no. I married three vampires. These are my wives Yolanda, Miriam, and Rosita.” Each woman gave a quick nod of her head when he introduced them.
“Pleasure finally meeting you all. Evan is quite the private guy.” Skye said.
“He is afraid others would try to come after us.” Rosita spoke. She had an accent that Skye couldn’t place. It was almost a mixture of Spanish and Russian.
“He’s smart to protect you all. When you love someone you protect them.” Maddox said wrapping his arm around Skye’s waist and pulling her to him. Skye happily leaned against his side.
Evan turned to his wives, kissing them one by one and giving each of them a hug to reassure them that he was fine. Buck was watching with a pout. Kel hit him in the chest.
“Jealous?” she said with narrowed eyes.
“Disappointed.” Buck responded.
“How so?” she asked confused by his answer.
“I could had sworn he was gay.” Evan’s wives burst out in laughter and shook their heads.
“Oh no. He is every bit the man we need and more.” Rosita said with a smile.
“We can barely keep up with him.” Yolanda said with a shy smile.
“How in the hell?” Buck asked.
“They give me what I need and I give them what they need. We sustain each other. It’s the perfect symbiotic relationship.” Evan gave Buck a shit eating grin.
“Just close your mouth and get over it.” Kel said with a roll of her eyes.
Skye looked around at the carnage surrounding them and sighed unhappily. Maddox stroked her arm knowing her thoughts were not good ones. He knew what it felt like after a battle to see all the ones who did not make it. Hell, even the bodies of the enemies were disturbing, but Maddox knew that there was nothing that could be done about it now.
“We can’t just leave them lying here like this.” Skye said catching everyone’s attention. Evan’s beautiful wives had been a momentary distraction that they had all needed, but they that knew there was work to be done.
“Do we bury them?” Cloud asked sounding unsure. She had never faced anything like this. She was lost on what to do.
“There are way too many bodies to bury. We give them a warrior’s funeral. A funeral pyre.” Mike spoke up.
“Burn them? Isn’t that disrespectful?” Cloud asked.
“No. In the old days it was how you showed respect for a warrior. Even though some of these were our enemies, they were still warriors and we will send them off in the best way we can.” Everyone looked to Mike and gave a short nod of approval.
Skye was just thankful that he was taking charge at that moment. She was too emotional and too confused to know what to do. The power running through her body had worn her out and was beginning to take its toll. She wavered on her feet slightly. Maddox looked down to her and noticed immediately.
“You need to lie down. It has been a long night and your body needs rest.” He whispered softly into her ear. Skye frowned at him.
“It’s been a long night for all of us. I shouldn’t be the only one napping while others clean up this mess we all left behind.” Maddox grumbled to himself knowing she was going to argue.
“They aren’t in the condition you are in. Please just listen to me.” he begged.
“Condition? I’m fine. Several others around here have wounds on them. If anything, I should be trying to help heal them.” Skye made a sour face. She did not like the implication that she wasn’t as strong as the others. Maddox knew he would end up with a headache if this kept on.
“They weren’t tortured like you were.”
“Maddox…” she began. Cloud stopped her.
“No. Listen to your man and go lie down. We have this under control.” Skye was amazed by her mother taking charge like that. Skye sighed too tired to question her and walked off to her room inside of the cabin.
“Thank you.” Maddox said to Cloud.
“I could see you were just going to end up losing that battle. I thought you could use a little back up. Let’s get this mess over with so we can move on and put this all behind us.” Cloud said as she walked off to help the others. Maddox glanced back towards the cabin happy that Skye had apparently listened to her mother. He then rushed off to help clean up the mess left behind.
&
nbsp; Everyone worked together as a team to round up all of the dead bodies, or missing body parts, to put onto the funeral pyre. Several times Maddox had to stop Evan’s wives from feeding on the dead. They apparently had no problems with that. It twisted Maddox’s stomach to think about it let alone see it. When he caught them, more than once, licking the blood off of the bodies, he couldn’t take it.
“Seriously? That is beyond gross!” Maddox shouted to them. Evan walked over to Rosita and lifted her in his arms.
“I’ll take them and feed them so that they can concentrate better. We’ll be back in about an hour.” Evan said.
“It takes an hour to feed them?” Maddox huffed annoyed.
“Oh no. When I feed them they get… frisky.” Evan smiled as he walked off with his wives. Buck shot Maddox a hell of a look.
“Dude… that asshole is so lucky.” Kel walked up behind Buck and knocked him in the back of the head. “But not as lucky as I am!” Buck yelled towards Kel. She rolled her eyes and kept working.
“You do realize Kel could kick your ass right? You might want to try to keep a lid on it.” Maddox said with a grin.
“And you realize that you have to tell your girlfriend at some point that you knocked her up, right?” Buck shot back. Maddox grimaced.
“You can be such a jerk sometimes.” Maddox turned around. When he did, he came face-to-face with Skye. She was no longer in bed resting, but instead was staring at him wide eyed and with her mouth opened. She looked as if she could hit the ground. Maddox didn’t have to ask himself if she overheard what Buck had said. The answer on her face said yes. Yes she did.
“Skye… I was going to…” she put her hand up cutting him off.
“I was coming out to… um, ask if there was any ibuprofen in the cabin. I was feeling sick.” Her voice sounded so small to him.
“Skye, let me explain.” He tried again.
“I now have a question I have to ask. I realize this is going to sound a little crazy, but compared to what I just overheard it can’t be as crazy as I thought… I suppose… I’m rambling I know, but um… I have to ask. Do you have another girlfriend besides me? I mean I was out of it for a while. Apparently I thought I wanted Mike again, but I didn’t because I love him but not in the way I love you. So maybe you did hook up with someone during that time and ‘knocked her up’. If that’s the case, I think you should say something to me.”
Shattered Skye (The Skye Chronicles Book 3) Page 15
