Angered Seasons: Volume Three (You Mess With the Bull, You Get the Horns)

by Chester, Mireille

  Lane stopped and the other two trucks pulled up beside us. We all piled out and looked across the field.

  “Anything, Maxy?” Lane’s jaw clenched at Max’s head shake. I reached over and took his hand.

  “Jenny, you be careful, you got it?” Robby pulled his little sister into a hug. Shawn joined them and Jenny swallowed hard.

  “You guys be careful. I can’t lose you, too.”

  I watched as Jason, John, Grant, and Max all gave each other silent looks and pats on the back.

  “Whatever happens, I want to see all four of you boys back at the house, okay?” I took a deep breath and tried not to let my fear show as I was suddenly engulfed in a group hug.

  Max twitched and we all turned.

  I watched, caught between panic at the sight of the Yellow Eyes emerging from the trees and the warmth in my chest at the sight of Max grabbing Jenny by the hand.

  “Jenny?” He frowned and glanced to the left where a small portion of Mother Nature’s army was making its way across the field. “Look, I just…” He blinked and the silver bled into his eyes.

  Jenny looked across the tall grass and wiped her arm across her brow. The sweat on her forehead fused with the dirt on her arm and left a mud streak. Max took the hem of his shirt and brushed it away.

  “Don’t get dead, ok?” He relaxed as he looked into her eyes and she smiled. “Just… make sure you stay alive.” His eyes glazed over, completely silver, and a shiver ran through him. “Glade’s here.”

  Jenny gave his hand a squeeze. “Be careful.” She stood on her tip toes and kissed him lightly on the lips.

  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

  “Come back to me,” she whispered.

  My eyes met Lane’s over their heads and I tried to smile. Dark clouds rolled toward us and the wind picked up, a sudden gust of it nearly knocking me off of my feet.

  “Get in the trees, Gabrielle!” Lane sent a final reassuring grin in my direction before jogging to the one ton. Jason followed his lead and jumped into Pete’s half-ton, his bag of guns and ammo landing in passenger seat. Shawn slapped the blue cab to let him know he was ready to go in the box.

  “Jenny! Go!” Max pushed her toward the woods and ran towards where John, Jason, and Lane were starting the trucks. I waited for her to catch up to me then sprinted toward the trees. The rain started to fall in a sheet.

  “Stupid bitch isn’t fighting fair,” I yelled to be heard over the noise of what sounded like a waterfall. A lightning bolt stuck a tree somewhere nearby and the boom of thunder left a ringing in my ears.

  “I think you just pissed her off!” Grant slung his riffle over his shoulder. “There!” He pointed to the tree stands.

  He cupped his hands and boosted Jenny into her tree then did the same with me. They climbed onto their platforms as I watched, trying to keep the panic from taking over. They’d be fine. We’d all be fine. We weren’t going to lose any more people. I turned my attention to where the three trucks were driving closer to the mob of yellow eyes. One set of headlights turned on in the gloom and two more followed. All I could see was shadows and lights through the wall of rain.

  I thought of the little farmhouse a mile behind us and hoped to god that Pete was going to be able to keep Marie and Ashley safe; that nothing was going to get there until we’d returned. I flicked the safety off of my rifle, raised it, and looked through the scope. Rumbles filled the air and it was hard to differentiate between the thunder and the sounds of the gun shots the men were letting off from the trucks. The three of them drove back and forth across the field, just ahead of the Yellow Eyes. Shawn, Max, and Robby knelt in the back of the trucks, their shots taking down human clothed sprites in an effort to keep them back.

  My heart was pounding its way up my throat as the action slowly inched its way closer and closer to us. I kept glancing at the small clump of willows that marked the middle of the field. Three more passes and they’d be there.

  “Hey, Gabs!”

  I looked at Grant who was still staring into the field.

  “I just wanted to say, you know… in case something happens.” He glanced at me and shrugged. “Just, thanks. You know. I don’t think you and Lane realize just how great you are to us.”

  I swallowed hard. “I… Don’t talk like that, okay? Nothing’s going to happen.”

  “No, really, Gabby.” Grant nodded. “Thanks.”

  I could feel the tears trying to spring free and I blinked rapidly to chase them away. “It’s nothing,” I managed to mumble loud enough for them to hear.

  “No, it’s not. It’s everything.”

  Jenny straightened. “They’re coming.”

  We all turned our focus toward the three trucks which were now speeding our way. I clamped a hand over my mouth to keep from screaming as Lane hit a gopher hole and the jolt nearly shot Max out of the truck. He spread his arms, clamping his hands around the edges of the windows.

  “Hang on, Max!”

  I wasn’t sure if he heard Jenny’s yell, but silver eyes turned toward the trees just as a burst of lightning lit up the field. Robby was keeping an eye on the advancing Yellow Eyes, one arm clamped over the edge of the box while the other wedged itself into what little room there was between the spray in liner and the spare tire he had secured on the flooring. Shawn was sprawled out, his legs securing him in place while he fired out the back in a final attempt to lower their numbers.

  The three of them charged at the woods, pulled u-turns, and backed up to the trees. John, Jason, and Lane grabbed their guns and packs and joined the others in the back of the trucks.

  “Did you see Glade?”

  Lane shook his head to answer my question.

  “I don’t know how Time expects me to kill the fucker if he’s too chicken shit to meet me head on,” grumbled Max.

  Part of me was relieved that Max’s estranged brother hadn’t made it to rendezvous. I wasn’t sure he was up to going blow for blow with someone who’d been honing his skills for, oh, his entire life.

  “He’s here, I can feel him. I just can’t place where he is yet.”

  I wiped wet bangs out of my face and attempted to get them to stay behind my ears. Lane’s deep blue eyes met mine and the need to feel his lips on my forehead was overwhelming.

  “Are you okay?” He jumped out of the truck and made his way up my tree so that he could sit on the platform with me.

  I nodded.

  “Hey, we’ve got this.”

  I leaned down so I could kiss him. His lips touched mine lightly before pressing to my forehead.

  “Just keep shooting and when you run out of ammo, get the hell out of here, got it?”

  I snorted. If he thought I was just going to leave him out here on his own, he was nuts.

  “I mean it, Gabs.”

  “Yeah, not likely.”

  We all looked up as Jason fired a shot at the Yellow Eyes that were getting into range.

  “I’m serious,” he called back over his shoulder as he jumped back to the ground and into the box of the one ton.

  Instead of arguing, I raised my rifle and took aim. I took my time, making sure each bullet counted. There had to be close to sixty, maybe seventy freaks making their way toward us. All around me, rifles went off until all I could hear was a steady hum.

  “Gabby, I’m out!”

  I tossed Jenny a clip, made sure she caught it then resumed shooting. The crowd slowly but surely started to thin as first ten then twenty of the Yellow Eyes fell to the ground. I redoubled my efforts, a small spark of hope igniting somewhere deep inside of me. Below us, Shawn tossed a rifle to Jason. The odd shout indicated how we were doing on ammunition.

  “Lane! Here!” I threw down my ammo bag, keeping my rifle and the shells I had in it.

  He nodded, set the bag down and watched as I pulled out my bow and notched an arrow. I took a deep breath, steadied my aim, and threw in a prayer for good luck. Hitting anything with this wind was going to take a miracl
e. The arrow let loose and I whooped.

  “Woohoo! Take that you fucker!”

  Jenny grinned and reached over to bump bows, her ammo pack now sitting in the back of Shawn’s truck.

  “I’m out!” Grant shouted for the rest of us to hear before jumping to the ground.

  I let four more arrows fly.

  Jenny jumped down and waved up at me. “I’m not hitting shit!”

  “Hop in! I’m going back!” John started the truck, waited for Jenny and Grant to get in beside him, then peeled away from us.

  “How are you doing, Maxy?” I jumped down from my stand, put my arrows in the quiver on my back, and strung the bow beside them over my shoulder.

  “He’s hanging back!”

  I took a quick estimate of the yellow eyes still on two feet. “What do you figure? About twenty?”

  Lane nodded.

  “I might be able to knock them out,” offered Max.

  I shook my head. “You need to stay strong for when Gale decides to show his face.” I checked the ammo in our bags then hopped to the ground so I could keep firing.

  “I’m out!” Robby caught the bag Shawn tossed him and reloaded. Four shots rang out and three Yellow Eyes fell.

  “That’s ten! We can handle ten!”

  We all nodded our agreement with Shawn’s declaration. Back at the house, we had more ammo, not to mention dogs. Ten Yellow Eyes was going to be a piece of cake. Everyone jumped back into the trucks.

  “You’re all okay?” Jenny ran out of the house and nearly knocked Robby over with her hug. Shawn laughed.

  “Of course.”

  She turned her attention to Max and a grin split her face. His surprise and happiness was obvious as she threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around him. He brushed the wet hair out of her face and smiled.

  “Miss me?”

  She blushed. “Shut up.”

  If he’d been planning on teasing her farther, his efforts were cut off as she laced her fingers in his hair and stood on her tip toes to kiss him. She’d obviously been holding back in the field just a short while ago. Robby raised an eyebrow, but kept quiet at the warning nudge Shawn gave him.

  Max’s eyes were wide and his breathing slightly erratic when she pulled away. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he mumbled against her lips.

  Everyone screamed as a bolt of lightning hit the ground a few feet from the house. The immediate boom of thunder made my ears ring.

  Max grabbed Jenny by the arms and pushed her away. “Get in the house now!” He turned and ran towards me, pushing me in Jenny’s direction. “All of you! Now!”

  “Glade?” Lane glanced around the yard, trying to get a fix on whatever was making Max panic.

  “No! It’s her! She’s here!”

  Another bolt of lightning connected with a tree just over the one ton.

  “Come on, Max! Get in here!” I held the door with both hands, trying to keep it from blowing off of its hinges.

  A flash of lighting blinded me and I blinked, scared by how close they were hitting.

  “Maxy!” Lane pushed past me toward Max who lay on the ground in a heap. He grunted with the effort it took to lift him and carry him back to the house.

  “Is he breathing?” Jenny knelt beside Lane as he lay Max on the ground. Lane went through the motions of checking for breathing and heart beats.

  “He’s okay. He seems to be fine.”

  Pete’s eyes were saucers in his head. “You guys… the storm’s done. Do you think that’s a good thing or a bad thing?”

  John and Jason went to stand on the deck. Not a hint of a breeze disturbed the leaves in the trees where two minutes earlier, the trees themselves had been fighting to stay rooted.

  Max groaned and everyone sighed with relief.

  “What happened?”

  “You got hit by lightning.” Jenny’s eyes filled with tears and she buried her face in his chest.

  “Shhh. I’m okay. Really.” He frowned. “I could feel her. I remember that. She was here. But then Time showed up. I could feel him, too.”

  “You getting hit by lighting… was that on purpose?” Lane looked livid.

  Max closed his eyes. “I’m not sure.” He sat up suddenly, his face pale.

  “What?” I knelt beside him, putting a hand on his arm. “What is it?”

  “I…” He gently pried himself out of Jenny’s hold and got up slowly. We all watched as he made his way to the window. A shiver ran through him and he turned toward us, his silver eyes wide. “Holy fuck! I remember!”

  To Be Continued…

  Books by Mireille Chester

  Adult Novels

  The Chosen One Trilogy

  Crossover

  Journey

  Destiny

  Angered Seasons (the serial novel)

  The Worst Birthday Ever (volume one)

  Zombies, Aliens, and Meat-Eating Vegetarians? (volume two)

  Young Adult Novels

  Knights of Dorathan

  Chael’s Luck

  Tales of Quelondain

  Tyler’s Story

  About the Author

  Mireille Chester was born in Ottawa, Ontario in 1979 and moved to Saskatchewan when she was eight. Writing is one of her many passions which also include reading, drawing, painting, animals, and the outdoors. She is a stay at home mom and wife.

  Her first series, The Chosen One Trilogy, is the first of her adventures which are based in the world of Quelondain. The three stories, Crossover, Journey, and Destiny follow the adventures of Hayden Carlson when she suddenly discovers a world filled with magic and finds herself caught up in a war that could wipe out almost every being that lives there. The trilogy has been described as a great mix of epic and paranormal fantasy for adults.

  Mireille lives with her husband and their three children as well as multiple animals. She hopes to keep readers entertained with her magical worlds and enjoyable characters.

  http://mireillechester.blogspot.com is where you can learn more about her books and follow her blog.