The Skeleton Key Guild (The Doorknob Society Saga Book 5)

by MJ Fletcher

  “I’m not doing so hot,” She smirked.

  “Nonsense, once we finish this Rosalita will fix you up.”

  “I don’t think so. This is one fight I m not getting out of alive.”

  “Why the hell did you even come out? You could have hung back.” I couldn’t help scolding her. If she had just stayed hidden, this wouldn’t have happened.

  “Some things are worth fighting for... the Guild is my family. You understand. You’ve put your life on the line for the same.”

  She was right. I’d put myself in one dangerous situation after another for my friends and family. “I understand.”

  “Do me a favor,” she said squeezing my hand as her eyes took on a far off look.

  “Name it.”

  “Tell Jess that I’m sorry and that she was right.”

  “I will.”

  “You’re alright, Masters, and as far as I’m concerned, you’re a Guilder.” She tightened her grip on my hand and a long slow breath escaped her lips. Her head tilted to the side, and I knew she was gone.

  I slid her head gently off my lap and rested it on the ground. My fingers traced along her eyes, closing them and I bowed my head. We hadn’t been friends, hell we hadn’t even liked each other, but she was one more the First Kind had to answer for.

  The scene around me was chaos as First Kind rushed in to attack the Guilders. Nightshade and a group of people were fighting Tower. The energy surrounding him was like a beacon in the night illuminating everything around me. His power was scary and enticing all at the same time.

  I activated my Doorknob and Skeleton Key and raced headlong into the fight.

  Tower lifted his hands and portal energy dripped from him, as if easily calling down the rain. He flicked his wrists and bolts of power shot out, slamming into the crowd. People fell like dominoes and others backed away fearful of the awe inspiring power they faced.

  Nightshade’s reaction was the opposite, he kept fighting. A crimson shield hovered over his one side and he spun a curved blade in his other hand. He moved with grace and agility, attacking around the edges of Tower’s abilities looking for an opening.

  I came up on the other side, flanking Tower in hopes of giving us some kind of chance against him. I snapped my whip, hitting his shield and a shock of power ricocheted off it back through my whip and up my arm. I’d never gotten feedback from an attack before, and I held back trying to find a way around his shielding.

  “If it isn’t, Miss Masters.” Tower glared at me, his eyes crackling with energy and anger.

  “You’re going to lose.” I dodged a lazy blast from his fingertips. He didn’t seem to care about hitting me. He wanted to toy with me.

  “Who’s going to stop me, you?”

  “That’s right.”

  “You sad, pathetic little girl, you still don’t see the truth of the situation.” He sneered and a cold chill ran up my back.

  “I see that I’m going to kick your ass.”

  “Your mother thought the same thing at first.”

  I stumbled at the comment and his smile grew wider.

  “What she didn’t tell you was how she fought me at first. Oh, she put up a good fight, but in the end she became nothing more than a puppet of mine. I thought it was particularly effective when I had her kill your father.”

  “Bastard!” I raced in, my whip cracking against his shielding and my blade trying to slash at him. The feedback hit my arms, turning them numb, but I felt the shield waver a bit and pushed the attack.

  His bushy eyebrows came to a point and he took a step backward. “Attack all you want, girl, in the end I will get what I want either from you or your sister.”

  A guttural scream tore from my throat and all I could think about was Erin being forced to lose everything like I had been. This man had stolen my life and I wanted him dead... now.

  “Protect.”

  The word floated toward me in the midst of my rage, I recognized Nightshade’s voice and realized he was using his Mapmaker abilities. Suddenly a glowing golden bird was slashing against Towers shields. Sparks of energy shot in all directions and a slight crack appeared in the shield. It was all I needed. I doubled my assault hitting that crack with everything I had.

  My body began to tremble, and my mind raced thinking of my time with Slade and how he had taught me about the Impossible Engineers. New warmth began to flow through my body as my Engineer abilities activated.

  “Kill them all!” Faith’s voice broke through my moment of Zen. She’d returned and she wasn’t alone. Portals were opening all around us as First Kind poured in the streets.

  Tower seized the moment and rushed toward them. I began to follow, but a hand grabbed my elbow and pulled me back.

  “Let me go,” I said turning to find Nightshade standing beside me.

  “No!” His voice was firm and I wanted to punch him in his smug mouth.

  “He’s getting away.”

  “They’ll kill you.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “Well I do.” He yanked my arm, pulling me away.

  First Kind goons were everywhere and the initial crowd had either pulled back or was in a fight for their lives. All around me was chaos. DeAndre was a few feet away, his Skeleton Key out, fighting off two First Kind guys with relative ease. Rosalita was hanging back, her Skeleton Key in hand and her shawl pulled up over her head concealing most of her face.

  “What the hell do you suggest, we’re surrounded?” I pushed Nightshade’s hand off my arm.

  “We need reinforcements.”

  “I doubt they will get here in time.” The fight was going poorly, if only he hadn’t stopped me. I might have cracked Towers shielding and ended this right here and now. If it cost me my life, I would have taken that deal in a heartbeat.

  “Maybe our friends can’t get here, but there are other choices.” He lifted his Skeleton Key above his head, a shot of crimson exploded into the sky. A skull hovered and formed into a large Key hanging over the road. The entire area was bathed in red light and those around us stopped and looked up at the hovering image above them.

  “What the hell is that?”

  “That is evening the odds.”

  A hum of immense energy surrounded us and my body felt as if it was immersed in the power of the Skeleton Key Guild.

  “What did you do?” I asked looking to Nightshade.

  One after another a portal door appeared and opened with Skeleton Key Guild members stepping out. From within the Hollow and other dimensions so many Guilders opened a portal to this point that they shattered the lock that had been placed on the Hollow.

  “I’ve called Gregory Tower a false Guilder and challenged his authority,” Nightshade yelled out to the mass of people who now filled the street. Tower and his people were pulling further and further back away from the growing horde. “What do you say Tower?” Nightshade raised his hand pointing toward him.

  “I say let the war begin!” he yelled and the First Kind raced toward us.

  Chapter Thirty-one

  Status: One of these days I will learn to shut up.

  My breath came in ragged gasps, my side was burning, and warm blood dripped down onto my leg. I wasn’t sure if it was mine or someone elses, I just knew I hurt like hell.

  I placed my hand on the wall beside me and shook my head trying to clear it as best I could. Someone came up beside me and placed their hand on my shoulder. My ears were still ringing from the last fight when an HVO member had hit me across the head with a set of glowing silver manacles.

  “We pushed them back another block, but they still hold most of the Hollow. What’re your orders?”

  The Guilder was young, hell so was I, though I sure didn’t feel young anymore. She was probably the age I was when I joined Paladin Academy. Somehow when the fight started, Nightshade and I had been named defacto leaders of our side. So now during every down moment, they were rushing to me or him asking advice.

  The plan was simple, we ret
ake the Hollow or as much of it as we could. We hadn’t called in reinforcements from any other Societies. Nightshade and DeAndre both told me that wouldn’t go over well. Most of the Guilders knew who I was and once they saw me using a Skeleton Key, they listened just fine.

  “Tell those up front to hold the block and send someone to the next street over and see how Nightshade’s men are doing,” I said after taking a deep breath. The girl nodded and ran off shouting my commands to those around us.

  “Let me take a look at you.” Rosalita’s fingers were probing my side before I had a chance to respond.

  “This certainly hasn’t gone as planned.” I waved around at the destruction, not to mention the bodies lying in the streets. I lowered my head and sighed not wanting to think about how many people wouldn’t be going home tonight.

  “Wars rarely do.”

  I flinched as she pulled my shirt back to reveal the wound that was causing the bleeding.

  “I thought,” —I shook my head annoyed— “I don’t know. I hadn’t realized it might turn out like this.”

  “You didn’t give it thought because you would have never started something like this, but Tower would. This is his doing and he is getting just what he wants. The Old Kind fighting one another, instead of fighting the real enemy.” She had her Polymorph case out and was mixing a potion. Her shawl was still pulled up over her head and her eyes were downcast.

  “Damn this man really hates me.”

  Rosalita looked up and frowned. “I’ve been waiting for this to happen since Bodie first talked to you in that damn Looking Glass.”

  “You were waiting for me.”

  “Yes, I knew to complete the circle you and Bodie had created that I would meet you and this would all come to pass. But now I don’t know the outcome, I can only hope that in the end we’ll win. As far as why Tower hates you, I think that is rather obvious.”

  “Yeah, I’m the bitch who’s going to stop him.” I laughed and then grimaced as she rubbed the potion she’d created over my wound. It sizzled, and then felt extremely cold as the abrasion began to heal quickly.

  “Your families are the two most responsible for ending the First Kind. Bodie helped to defeat him the last time he attempted something like this, and now you are here, and he needs you to help finish his damn bridge.”

  “Basically, I’m the culmination of two thousand years of my family being a pain in his ass.”

  She chuckled and nodded her head. “I think that about sums it up.”

  “Great, as if I needed to have more people pissed off at me.”

  “You do seem to have the ability to get strong reactions from people.” A smirk played across her lips as she finished bandaging my side.

  “I guess I have one of those personalities.”

  “Oh, and here I thought it might have something to do with that mouth of yours.” She slapped a bandage over my now nearly healed wound and winked at me. One of the benefits of being a Polymorph was healing quicker which accelerates even more with Rosalita’s potions.

  “You are one tough old lady you know that?”

  “Maybe that’s where you get it, sweetie.” She smiled and was off to help heal someone else.

  I straightened up and spun my arm around making sure I had a full range of motion on that side. It felt a bit tight, but nothing I couldn’t handle in a fight. The girl who had run off to carry out my instructions was returning, running down the block toward me, and I noticed for the first time that it was light out. We’d fought throughout the night and into the morning. She skidded to a stop in front of me, then bent over placing her hands on her knees and took great gulps of air.

  She spoke through labored breathing. “They pushed them back on that side as well and the fighting seems to have fallen off. Nightshade said he thinks they’re regrouping.”

  “How close is the nearest fixed portal?” I asked glancing around and wishing Edgar was here with one of his maps so I knew where the hell I was.

  “It’s a block over that way,” —she pointed over my shoulder— “they still hold it.”

  “That’s our goal. I want control of all of the fixed portals in the area. We can create locks on the Hollow to keep them out, but those permanent portals are the ones we really need.”

  “Agreed.” DeAndre walked up beside me. His dreadlocks were tied back and he had a cut above his eye that was already scabbing over.

  “You think you can get to it?” I asked him, but before he could respond someone else did.

  “Of course we can,” Jess answered.

  I jumped forward, throwing my arms around her and hugging her tightly. “Is Erin, okay?” I asked stepping back away from her.

  “I left her with Gran. She’s safe. Once Nightshade sent out his call, I knew I needed to come back. It took me this long just to fight my way through all the mini battles raging around the Hollow.” She held out my hoodie to me.

  I could have hugged her again as I grabbed it and pulled it to my face, breathing it in. Damn I loved this thing. Some women are all about shoes, but I can’t live without my hoodie..

  “You two want to take the portal?” I slipped the hoodie on and felt as if part of me had returned.

  “You’ve been fighting nonstop, let us handle this one,” DeAndre offered.

  Some rest from the strain of constant battle wouldn’t hurt and I nodded accepting their offer. “Okay, you two take as many people as you need and make a push for the portal. I’m going to get cleaned up and take a break. If you need anything, send word back and we can have back up to you immediately.”

  “You got it, Cuz.” Jess smiled and walked off with DeAndre.

  She was one of the few people I trusted to succeed at a mission, plus she had turned into one of the fiercest fighters I’d ever seen in the last few years. Her transformation had been breathtaking, and I was proud that she wasn’t only my cousin but one of my best friends.

  “There’s a building nearby you can use to clean up,” the young Guilder offered waving toward one of the structures that hadn’t been damaged.

  “Perfect, send word that those in the heaviest line of fire need to be replaced and get some rest and keep the cycle going, once the first wave has rested and returned, the next group rests and so forth. We need to keep strong to take back the Hollow.”

  “I will, Miss.” She ran off and I trudged to the building finding the door open. I walked in and realized it was an inn. I reached over the counter and grabbed a set of room keys, then took the stairs and went straight to the room and unlocked it.

  I stripped down quickly and caught sight of myself in the full length mirror. I was bruised and battered and my hair was still jet black from my disguise. I barely recognized myself.

  A slight knock echoed in the room and I snatched my hoodie off the bed and covered up quickly.

  “What?”

  “It’s me.” Nightshade’s voice washed over me.

  “What do you want?” I was still annoyed that he’d stopped me from going after Tower.

  “I want to come in.”

  “Fine.”

  “Look I know you’re mad at me, but you getting killed wouldn’t have helped us,” he said swinging the door open and stepping in the room. He stopped in his tracks and so did his words, and stared at me.

  I wasn’t letting this go. I could have ended this all if I had the chance. “I had him damn it, his shield was cracking. I might have had a shot at taking that bastard out once and for all. But you stopped me, and you’re damn right I’m angry.”

  “Shut up, Masters,” he said walking over to me.

  “What the hell did you just say to me?”

  He reached out, wrapping his arm around my waist and yanked me against him. He lowered his mouth to mine and devoured it in a kiss as he lifted me off the ground. For a moment I forgot I was mad at him and kissed him back. I grabbed his hair and pulled him closer, wanting him as near to me as possible. He broke the kiss for a moment and smiled at me.


  “I said shut up.” He smiled his crooked grin and my blood boiled.

  “You shut up,” was the only response I could muster.

  He laughed. “That’s all you’ve got?”

  “No.” I winked and pulled him to me, kissing him once again.

  He held me in his arms as our mouths connected and I lost all sense of where we were. He lifted me off the floor and carried me, though I had no idea where to and I didn’t care. I let go of my hoodie and pressed my naked body against his. I wrapped my legs around his waist and my hands clawed at his shirt, ripping it off him. I wanted to feel his skin against mine. He walked me back until I felt the cool shower tiles against my back. He reached down, turning on the water. I gasped as cold water struck us, and then it warmed as hot water mingled with it, washing over both of us. I craned my neck back and let it run over my hair.

  I slid off his waist and my hands slipped down his hard stomach and found his belt and undid it, then I shoved his pants down. He pushed up against me and the water poured over us, and I let myself get lost in love.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  Status: Middle of a war, and yup, I am feeling good!

  I ran my fingers through my once again blond hair, catching my reflection in the mirror. My mid-section was still bruised, but was quickly healing thanks to Rosalita. I barely could feel the area where I had been sliced open. The potion affects lasted a few days so I could look forward to taking a bit more damage and not worrying about it. That could come in mighty handy during a war.

  I wrapped the sheet around my hips and pulled it up under my arms, tucking it in above my bare chest. Over my shoulder I could see Nightshade lying across the bed. I grinned stupidly, watching the rise and fall of his chest as he slept. Nightshade, the man that could make me so angry and yet I never felt more alive than when I was with him. His right arm was black and blue in places and had a bandage wrapped tightly around his bicep. He’d been injured and I had just noticed it. What was wrong with me? I loved this man and I just noticed that he had an injury now?

  I walked to the bed and slid the tip of my finger over his chest. Tracing a line across and down his stomach, he didn’t move or flinch his breathing remained normal and his face peaceful.