Chaos Burning

by Lauren Dane

  She nodded. “Kids?”

  “Yes. Four or five I think.” He looked to Meriel and Dominic. “You be careful too. After this is over, dinner is on you.”

  They ducked up a heavily treed hillside to get a better view. Through her field glasses she was able to get a much better idea of the trouble they were in.

  “I’m counting twenty-three guards. The Nazi storm is to the west of where they’re standing. Their backs are to it so they can’t look either.”

  Teo moved to stand closer and he took the glasses. “Yes, that’s what I’m seeing.”

  “I’ve been to this park dozens of times. Just behind the cloud is a cliff. Straight down to the water. We can’t take it from that angle. However we approach it’ll be within its view.” Teo handed the glasses back and she tucked them away.

  “Let’s hope it cares more about manifesting first before killing us all. You three.” She pointed to a group of hunters to her right. “Go right and approach from the top of that slope. You guys come from the left. We’ll head dead center. Don’t waste your magick. Abe will work on protective spells, but we need to take out as many minions as we can. Cut off any assistance the Magister might have on the ground. Meriel and Edwina need to do this and we need to make that possible.” She then alerted Meriel to be ready to move.

  LARK didn’t really remember shooting the first few times, only that the noise from the Magister was deafening. She couldn’t hear anything but the roar above her that she had to force herself not to look at.

  The balls of dark magic being hurled in their direction were tossed back now that her witches had learned how. Turned out manipulating mage magic was pretty easy once you got the hang of it.

  One of the hunters on the left flank looked up even as Teo shouted not to and before Lark’s eyes, he froze and then in half a breath he was nothing but dust. Dust sucked into the roaring storm.

  There was no light. The Magister blocked out the sky and stars as she took out one more mage and dodged a ball of magic. One of her people fell but got up on her hands and knees, puking. At least the magic would get out of her that way, though she knew from experience it hurt like a bitch.

  That’s when she got shot.

  Simon knew it before he’d even finished turning his head. Knew she’d been harmed, felt it deep in his gut as if it had been him. She was on her knees as he reached her, blood blooming over the front of her shirt.

  She got a shot off and the one who had harmed her fell to the ground and within moments he was nothing more than a puddle.

  Teo shoved one of the hunters to the side to avoid a shot.

  Behind them, Edwina and Meriel stood, backs to the fray, a mirror held up as Dominic and Ron drew a protective circle.

  “All the mages have scattered,” he yelled into Lark’s ear as he dragged her behind a picnic table.

  “We have to get them handled. We can’t let them flank Meriel and Edwina. This is it, Simon. I can feel the life being sucked from me. From this place.”

  He ripped her shirt open and felt around. “Straight through. I need to pack this. Be still.”

  He wanted to howl and tear things apart but he had to be ruthless and shove it all aside so he could get his shit together and pack that wound. He tore the shirt with hands that shook and managed to get them in place, and with another several strips tied it to her body the best he could.

  Her lips moved and her color came back a little. “Man, I’m glad Shelley made me learn that pain-blocking spell. Simon, I’m all right.”

  She tried to push to sit up and he just stared at her. “Stay here and be still.”

  “Simon, it’s like cataclysm on ice out there! I have to protect Meriel. If they can’t do the spell, I don’t know what’s going to happen.” She grabbed the front of his shirt and kissed him hard. “We can’t give up ’cause I’m totally going to nail you in your hot tub without making your nose bleed.”

  He laughed and finally the ringing in his ears died. He got her pack and handed her the glasses.

  It was a full moon; it should have been bright up there, bright enough to see but she had to use the night vision instead. He knew what she meant about it feeling as if the life was being sucked from this place. He looked around and caught sight of another one of the hunters getting sucked up into the Magister.

  It was hard not to look, it was, after all, so huge it blotted out the sky. But he kept his gaze down ’cause he sure as hell didn’t want to get turned into Magister dust.

  Teo had fallen back to where Edwina and Meriel stood. And the way looked clear from his end.

  “The mages are all down or gone. I want a final count. I need to know if any of them are still out there lurking. But what’s that? Goddess, it’s the helper.” She pointed and he took the glasses.

  It wasn’t a mage. Or a witch. It wasn’t anything he’d ever seen before. It was loneliness and fear, it was pain and never-ending suffering. He wrenched his gaze away and fought his beast, who wanted to grab Lark and run as far and as fast as it could.

  “Don’t look at it. Whatever it is. We’re clear to get back to where Meriel is. You ready?”

  She nodded and let him help her get to her feet. He put an arm around her waist and picked her up that way and moved as fast as he could. Teo saw them and Quinn covered as they got to the circle.

  The air pressed down on them like a hot, wet blanket. Like August in Washington, D.C.

  “That’s the helper.” Lark reloaded. She leaned on him and he knew she was in a bad way, but she’d never leave until it was over or she was dead so there was nothing else to do but help win this.

  “I think so too.”

  “He’s clearly helping this process. We need to take him out.”

  “You need to stay here and not bleed out. I’ll have Gage decide who goes.”

  He leaned and explained what they’d seen to Gage. He thought a moment and spoke to Quinn and Ginger, who both nodded, grabbed two more hunters and headed off.

  They were doing the spell and the air got a little clearer for a few moments until it came back even harder.

  “Shit. It’s not enough. Get me closer to them. I can help a little.”

  “What is it you’re planning?” He wasn’t taking her anywhere until she explained herself.

  “Blood. I’m going to help with my blood. Just take me over there or I’ll crawl!”

  He helped her move, keeping low. A shot hit the ground nearby.

  “Great, they have guns too.” Lark’s head lolled back a moment and a shock of fear nearly brought him to his knees.

  “Wake up, Lark. We have to help. Remember?” His heart pounded so hard it was difficult to get the words out clearly.

  She jerked upright and ran her fingers through the blood running down her side. He adjusted her so he could get the bandages a little tighter.

  “May I enter the circle?”

  She raised her hand and her body jerked again. He looked down and saw her leg nearly buckle as blood spattered everywhere. But when it touched the circle it grew brighter and the magick got a boost.

  “Damn it! Gage, take her, she needs to enter the circle.” He shoved his shirt at Gage. “Take care of her leg. I’ve got something to handle.” Two steps and he’d transformed, letting his beast take full rein. The thing that had blooded his ne’est was out there and it had to be destroyed.

  She watched him bound off, heading in the direction of the shot. Her wolf so big and fierce. She hoped it wasn’t the last time she saw him.

  Meriel’s face was a mask of concentration as Lark entered the circle. Dominic faced her, his magick flowing into her as her bond-mate, Ron mimicking the stance in front of Edwina.

  Lark stepped between them and drew a sigil in the air with a bloody finger. Blood magick would help here, she knew. She marked Meriel, right above the heart and then Edwina and when she finished she stumbled back, no longer able to hold herself up.

  But the blood had strengthened the spell and the air lightened
again. Her ears clogged up as Gage gently lay her down and wrapped her leg to stop the bleeding.

  “Don’t you die on me, Lark!” Gage commanded.

  “Hand me the rifle and prop me up. I may as well be useful.”

  Then Simon came tearing from the nearby trees with a snarl, he ran past them and up the small hill. That’s when Lark saw the helper reach out to grab Quinn. She shouted at him, but it was still deafeningly loud and he didn’t hear.

  Ginger shoved him aside and he touched her instead. Her back bowed as her mouth opened on a scream. Her light, her aura and her magick passed from her and into the air. That’s when Abe, Meriel’s father and a full-council witch, grabbed the magick and stole it right from under the Magister, shoving it into the circle. The font recognized it and it amped the spell even more.

  The helper looked to Simon and reached out, that’s when Teo stepped into the middle of the walkway, got to one knee and aimed.

  It hit the helper in the head right as Simon’s great, razor-sharp-clawed paw rent the helper in half.

  The spell continued as Lark realized she could actually hear Meriel’s and Edwina’s words.

  Her chest hurt and suddenly it was difficult to breathe. She spit blood out on the pavement and Gage started.

  “No. Lark. Do not let go.”

  “It’s my lung. One’s still working but it hurts like crazy to breathe.”

  Simon came back with Quinn, who held Ginger’s lifeless body in his arms. He saw no one but her and when he noted the blood and saw it on her face he paled, which scared her.

  “I’m taking you to the hospital. I don’t give a fuck if the cops come.”

  “They will come. I’ve got two gunshot wounds and you’re a naked, nearly-seven-foot-tall Lycian.”

  Teo limped back. “Got hit with the siphoning spell. I feel like I ate some Chinese food from the back of the fridge.” He bent and puked, which made her stomach clench in sympathy.

  Meriel raised the hand she held with Dominic to the sky and they both began to speak. Lark felt the magick tug through her as the land aided them, as the font flowed from each one of them and into Meriel, the Owen. Edwina placed a hand on the mirror and spit and suddenly everything went totally silent and it felt like she was in an airplane at takeoff as the pressure changed, pressed down and then let go, pulling them all off the ground for a moment and slamming them back down.

  “It’s gone.” Gage got to his knees and the phone in Lark’s pocket began to vibrate.

  “Your lips are blue.” Simon picked her up very carefully. “She needs the ER right now.”

  “I’ll go with you.” Edwina broke the circle and stepped forward. “I suppose I can admit now I wasn’t sure this would work. My circuits are—”

  There was a pop and then Edwina looked down and Lark was yelling before she knew she was making a sound.

  Edwina slumped to the ground as Meriel shot her hand out, sending a blast of magick so strong, so deadly and filled with rage the stench of it made Lark’s eyes water. Or maybe it was tears.

  Edwina Owen was dead. Shot through the throat.

  Chapter 32

  SIMON looked up to catch sight of his mother and father walking into the room. He hadn’t known how much he’d needed that until right then.

  “How is she?” Tila came to him and hugged him.

  “She just got out of surgery. I’m waiting to hear more. How did you know?”

  “Calder came to us. Are you all right?” His father clasped his forearms and then pulled him into a hug.

  “I’m fine. Not a scratch on me. Edwina Owen is dead. Of the twelve hunters we were able to get to the scene, only five survived. Lark will take this very hard. She was shot in the chest and the thigh. One of her lungs collapsed and she never quit.”

  He was so proud of her. Scared. Relieved. Though grief- stricken for their friends. Meriel had just entered into a new relationship with her mother. A closer one where both women shared the experience of running the clan. And now their children would have no grandmother. Edwina’s husband was shattered. As was her bond-mate.

  Gage had charged up the nearby hillside where the shot had come from and from Quinn’s account, had grabbed the rifle from the turned witch’s hands, reversed it and shot the male in the head before he dropped to his knees from the shot he’d taken on the way up that hillside.

  Simon had rushed Lark, who was in and out of consciousness, to the car and away from the scene. But he knew Meriel had to be sedated once they got her to the hospital. She wasn’t too far away from where Lark was, and Dominic had come back out to the waiting room where Simon waited every few minutes to check to see if there was any news.

  Simon’s father squeezed his shoulder. “What can we do? Can we handle anything for you? Make calls? Does Lark’s family know?”

  “Lark’s parents are on the way. They grabbed the first flight they could get. Gennessee lost nearly three hundred witches tonight. Once the Magister was gone, our phones started ringing. Thousands of Others just up and disappeared tonight all across the country. Just turned to dust right around the same time that we engaged the Magister. Her sister has to remain behind to take care of it. We’re still getting numbers on our own people, but so far we’ve lost seventy. The cops are looking for the human who shot Edwina and Lark.”

  He looked around as he said it. The cops had questioned him but there’d been other witnesses and several dead bodies with gunshot wounds so they’d gone out to comb the scene.

  They’d find the rifle, bloody and discarded on one of the paths but the body was another story. The Weres had made it to the scene as they were leaving and said they’d take care of the mess along with Nell’s parents and one of the full-council witches who’d shown up.

  “So it’s gone then? For sure?” his father asked as Tila had gone off to bring back some coffee.

  “Far as we can tell. The mages on the scene are all dead, but there are bound to be others here and there. They’ll still need a fix and there are a lot less of us now.” He scrubbed his hands over his face.

  “Mr. Leviathan?” A doctor came out as Gage arrived, helping Tila with the coffee. He woke Teo, who’d dozed off in a nearby corner.

  “Yes. That’s me.” He stood and Dominic came out as well.

  They’d told the hospital that he and Lark were married to avoid any issues with permissions and ability to see her.

  “Your wife is out of surgery and in ICU. We removed the bullet from her leg and she’ll have a chest tube for a while to ease her breathing. It’s a good thing she had banked blood. She lost a lot of it. Five minutes the other way and I don’t know that she’d have been as lucky.”

  Dominic had bespelled the doctor and one of their witches was on staff at the hospital so they helped get the blood in. They couldn’t afford humans noticing Lark’s blood wasn’t human. Luckily, everything appeared to be holding together.

  “When can I see her?”

  “I’ll have the nurse come out in a few minutes and you can go in for a bit. Not very long; she’ll still be unconscious.”

  “She’s going to be all right though?”

  “She’s strong and healthy otherwise. If all goes the way it is now, she’ll make a full recovery. We’ll keep a close watch on her over the next few days to be sure.”

  Dominic squeezed his shoulder. “Go on. I’ll wait out here with everyone.” Funny to see his friend have taken on his responsibility as the leader of the clan and to have done it so completely.

  It meant something.

  He headed down the hall and stopped to scrub his hands before the nurse allowed him in.

  She was so small in the hospital bed. Tubes everywhere. Beeping and ticking as the various machines did their work He touched her foot on the uninjured leg and caressed it.

  “You’re going to be just fine, pixie. You did good tonight. I’m proud of you. Come back to me so we can get on with our lives. Do you hear me? I love you. My parents are here. Yours will be here in a few ho
urs. They’re on the way.”

  He babbled awhile until they shooed him out.

  She was going to be fine and live to pester him to death another day. He let himself breathe fully for what felt like the first time in days.

  Chapter 33

  Two Weeks Later

  IT was hard to go back to the office knowing Edwina wasn’t there. Lark stopped in front of Edwina’s door and tucked a white rose on the desk. The funeral had happened a week before and it still didn’t seem real.

  Meriel had recovered, but the sadness still lived in her gaze and it hurt her heart to see her friend in so much pain.

  “You’re back.” Gage walked to her and gave her a gentle hug.

  “Feels odd.”

  “I’m so glad to see you. I halfway expected Simon to be with you as your escort.”

  He’d protected her fiercely when she’d been in the hospital and afterward when he’d moved her things into his place. Which had taken ten minutes, as she didn’t have much stuff other than her music, books and clothes.

  Her parents had stayed and Helena had driven her stuff up in a truck and they’d all crashed at Simon’s pad, their pad, for a week or so and had gone home. She and Helena would snowboard another time.

  She knew that as surely as she knew Simon would show up at some point during her first day back. But there were no magick-eating super storms around so she hoped for a quiet day.

  All in all, two thousand Others had disappeared that night they’d defeated the Magister. Some of them were people she knew and loved. Three childhood friends and her last ex-boyfriend included. The Weres had lost a third of their population worldwide. The vampires weren’t that forthcoming with numbers, but she knew it had to have been similarly bad.

  A lot of funerals with no bodies. A lot of grief. Anger at the utter randomness with which this all happened to start with. There were no answers. They had no idea why the Magister came, only that it appeared to be gone.

  And the stark reality that there was no longer an option of not coming out had taken hold. So many Others had died that humans had noticed. There was no way to avoid it now. Lark knew Meriel was dealing with the particulars of coming out with the other clans and coven witches. Endless debate would ensue, but it had to happen and part of her thought it was best that way.