The Night Before Dead

by Kelly Meding

  “When mankind first began to walk upright, the Tainted took notice. They were attracted to the weakness in your minds, and they came to wreak havoc. To influence and dominate humankind and make them their slaves. The Fey Council, of course, opposed this. Humankind was slowly overtaking the world, coming into their own sense of power, as was their right. All of this happened over many millennia to you, but for the Fey it lasted such a short time.”

  We’d been told more than once that the Fey experienced time differently. What lasted a week for us might be only a minute for a sprite or an elf. It gave us an advantage in terms of preparation and improvising.

  “Elves and Fey banded together to hunt and banish the Tainted back across the Break to our old world. It took many thousands of years, and the last was sent over in your Middle Ages, but not before causing the Black Death.”

  Something the history books never told us: Black Death initiated by grumpy demons.

  “For many centuries afterward there was peace. My people once held the highest position of power among us, higher even than the Fey. We flourished, as did the species under our protection, including humankind. Until the sprites got greedy. They disagreed with our decision to disappear from the eyes of the world. Amalie turned the other Fey against us, and we were hunted. Only three of elves remain alive, and our days are dwindling. Soon the last of the elves will walk this world, and then be gone. And if that is to be our fate, I will die knowing the rightful inheritors of this world still own it, and that the Fey have not destroyed humankind and all who live among them.”

  “Why did elves choose to disappear from the world?” Eulan asked.

  Leave it to a vampire to want a history lesson. Not that I wasn’t curious. Last week we’d been given an ancient scroll that supposedly told the history of the elves, but it was written in a forgotten form of Aramaic, so our attempts to decipher it led us nowhere. We’d already gotten a head-full of information from Brevin, and I was actually kind of enjoying the lecture.

  “The various mythologies of humankind are all influenced by the presence of the Fair Folk in the wider world. Name your country or culture, and we are there. We were Zeus and Coyote and Hachiman and Vishnu. But humankind was not meant to worship at the feet of imaginary gods. You had your own destinies to create, and so the decision was made to step aside. We helped create the stories still spun today in order to hide the truth of our being, and it has worked. Only a scant few know of the true existence of the nonhumans who walk this world.”

  Brevin’s gaze traveled around the room, pausing on each human in attendance. I refused to meet his eyes when he zeroed in on me.

  “So you stepped aside,” Astrid said. “Amalie didn’t like it, and now she’s preparing to do what? Start some kind of magical war in order to eradicate mankind?”

  “I have no illusions that she will stop with humankind,” Brevin said. “All who oppose her, and even some who ally with her, may face extinction. Or enslavement, as was once the case with the vampires.”

  That got my attention. I perked up, sharing a confused look with Wyatt. Most of the Therians seemed just as surprised by the comment. Only Eulan and Omal were nonreactive.

  “The Fey enslaved the vampires?” Astrid asked Brevin as much as the pair of Bloods in attendance.

  “They were Fey themselves once, long before humankind learned to walk upright,” Brevin said.

  “Holy shitballs,” Milo said in my ear, and it took all of my personal self-control not to jump when he hollered.

  Had I forgotten to mention that I went into the meeting on a live cell phone call to Milo, with a Bluetooth in my ear? He’d wanted to listen in, and no one had actually told me that it was forbidden.

  No shit, holy shitballs.

  Apparently this was a bedtime story told to baby vampires, because Eulan and Omal merely nodded along.

  “They were the lowest of the Fey,” Brevin said. “They had very little power, their ties to the Break far too weak to be any real use to us other than as servants. We kept them docile by creating their addiction to the blood of mammals less intelligent than they. Little did we know those idiot mammals would become the ancestors of humankind and that their blood lust would never fade.”

  No, it didn’t fade, it became a goddamn dependence that we were still paying for, thank you very much.

  “Idiot mammals,” Carly murmured. “Gee, thanks.”

  I held back a derisive snort.

  “When did you free them?” Elder Dane asked, the first elder to speak up.

  “When we disappeared from the world,” Brevin replied. “We had no use for them any longer, so we allowed them to create their own paths.”

  Paths that turned humans into snack foods. Fantastic.

  “While I am certain the ill-informed appreciate the history lesson,” Omal said—and I swear that sounded like an insult to everyone in the room—“we are here to listen to your suggestion on how to stop Amalie and her followers.”

  “You are correct,” Brevin said. “Months ago, my brother Tovin sought to bring one of the Tainted across the Break and install it in the body of a human male. He assumed that by controlling the free will of the male, he would also control the Tainted. He was wrong.”

  Yeah, no shit.

  Next to me, Wyatt was so tense I feared he might spontaneously sprain something. We’d both heard this before, at our first meeting with Tovin, but that didn’t make hearing it again any less stressful. Or crazy.

  “Tovin was the youngest of we four, and also the most impulsive. His intentions were good, however his logic was flawed in two places.”

  “Only two?” Marcus said softly.

  Brevin ignored him. “First, Tovin chose to use a human male. Human bodies are too fragile to successfully hold or control the power of a Tainted. Had Tovin been successful in bringing the Tainted across, the chosen male would have been torn apart within hours.”

  Several sets of eyeballs glanced toward Wyatt, who was still laser-focused on the elf.

  “Tovin’s second error was in attempting to control the free will of the chosen vessel. In order for the vessel to successfully coexist with the Tainted, they must do so of their own free will. It is a path they must choose. Only then will the partnership work, and only then will we have warriors strong enough to defeat the Fey.”

  “In summation,” Elder Dane said, “you want Therians to voluntary house a demon in order to wage this war?”

  “Yes.”

  Milo was panting in my ear a little bit, probably freaking out over the enormity of what was happening. And it was pretty fucking huge.

  “What happens to the volunteer?” Elder Rojay of Cania asked. “Assuming we win this war, can the Tainted be sent back? Will the volunteer be as they once were?”

  Brevin shook his head. “I do not know. Such a thing as this has never before been attempted. The Tainted may consume them by the end. The Tainted may be banished back across the Break, leaving the volunteer as they are now. I simply do not know.”

  The not knowing is what broke my heart. My friends could volunteer to take part in what was basically a kamikaze mission—house a demon, fight a war, possibly die for it.

  “You’re asking for a lot of trust,” Astrid said. “Trust that the Tainted can be controlled, and trust that this will be enough to stop Amalie.”

  “I am offering a suggestion,” Brevin replied. “If you have another plan to stop the Fey, I will not be offended if you do not accept the help of the elves. I will return to my path and leave you to your choices.”

  “How many volunteers are you talking about?” Elder Rojay asked.

  “Three. I can only summon one Tainted. My two living brothers will join us and help, if this is your wish.”

  A lot of murmurs went up around the table as the various Elders began speaking to each other. I actively hated this plan, but like I had during the initial meeting three days ago, I believed it was our best plan. In many ways, it was our only plan. Once Amalie set her m
ind to it, she could do a lot of damage very quickly. The only thing we had going for us was Amalie’s age. Since sprites lived to be thousands of years old, two weeks for a human was mere seconds for her.

  We had time on our side, but even that would run out eventually. It always did.

  “I know this is a huge decision,” Astrid said, addressing the entire room. “But I’ve been considering this information for the last three days, and I do believe it’s our best option. I know that for many of you, the idea of a war with the Fey is laughable. You may assume it won’t happen in your lifetime, and perhaps that’s true. But what about the next generation of Therians? Do we foist this responsibility upon them, or do we stand up now and take a proactive stance against an attack we know will happen. If not today, maybe six months from now. Or sixty years from now. It doesn’t matter. We are standing on the brink of history, and I’m not willing back down.”

  Astrid turned to face Brevin, her face set and stony. “I volunteer to house one of the Tainted.”

  “What?”

  I turned off the Bluetooth. I didn’t need Milo in my ear, and he could hear all about it later.

  “No,” Marcus said. He turned his sister to face him. “You lead this initiative, Astrid. You’re needed here, captaining your soldiers. Soldiers who will need you to lead them into this upcoming war.”

  Shit. I saw it coming in the subtle way Marcus’s lips went flat.

  He looked at Brevin and said, “I volunteer in my sister’s place. No matter the outcome, I will fight for my people’s future.”

  Astrid looked pained, but didn’t argue.

  No one else spoke up, but many of the Elders were regarding Marcus with open respect.

  “This is not a decision to be taken lightly,” Brevin said. “However, it is not one that can be taken at leisure. The sooner we begin, the sooner it will end. If more volunteer, then I will summon my kin. And that is all I have to say.”

  The room erupted in loud conversation, mostly from the Elders. I held back by the wall, glaring silently at Marcus, furious at him for volunteering. The only thing keeping me from yelling at him right then was that he was surrounded by other people. Thank fuck I’d turned off the call to Milo before Marcus volunteered himself. Milo needed Marcus, and the stupid cat had gone and decided to house a fucking demon.

  My phone buzzed in my pocket. I ignored the call.

  Wyatt stuck close, whispering the occasional comment that he heard with his super ears. A lot of hesitation from the Equi and Prosi, while the Cania, Ursia and Felia were all in. Debates about acceptable risks and why on earth they should trust Brevin. It went on and on for about an hour, with Milo calling my cell on and off. I felt bad for ignoring him, but nothing had actually been decided yet. Finally I texted him. Still debating. Will let you know when I know.

  Kismet and Rufus joined us on our side of the room.

  “How do you think it’s going?” Kismet asked. She had scratches all over her face and neck, many of them red and angry.

  “Difficult to tell,” Wyatt replied. “The majority are leaning toward trusting Brevin. The big question seems to be the matter of volunteers. The more Clan members the Elders ask, the more know what we’re planning.”

  “And the more people who know a secret, the bigger chance it will get leaked to the wrong person.”

  “Exactly.”

  “I’m surprised Marcus volunteered.” She sounded as happy about it as I was.

  “I’m not.” Wyatt rolled his shoulders. “He’s a warrior. He knows what’s at stake.”

  “Damn,” I said. “Wyatt, I think that’s the nicest thing you’ve ever said about Marcus.”

  Wyatt raised an eyebrow in response.

  I met Kismet’s green eyes and knew she was thinking the same as me: Milo. How on earth would he react to knowing Marcus could go into a potentially fatal battle? Sure, any of us could die on any given day, during any mission, but this was practically committing suicide. No one could guarantee that the volunteers would survive hosting a demon, must less using one to fight Amalie.

  “I volunteer!”

  Ice water trickled down my spine at the too familiar voice shouting to be heard. The din instantly went silent, heads turning to find the source. I pinned him with a hard stare and from across the room, he met my eyes.

  “I volunteer as the second host,” Phineas said. He tore his gaze from mine and looked at Marcus. “I will fight beside you in this battle.”

  Marcus nodded.

  “The Ursia Clan stands beside you both,” their Elder said. I couldn’t remember his name, but he had the multi-hued hair color familiar to his Clan.

  Elder Dane was standing next to him. “As do the Felia.”

  “Cania as well,” Elder Rojay said.

  In the end nine out of the twelve Clans agreed to support the Watchtower and Brevin’s plan. Considering the critters that chose to sit this one out—raccoons, bush-babies, and komodo dragons—we were in good shape in terms of warriors. Plus three of the nine were bi-shifters like Phineas. The vampires agreed to assist as able, since a lot of their people were still recovering.

  Not too shabby a lineup for a bunch of species that used to hate each other.

  The meeting was adjourned so that a third volunteer could be found. Phineas disappeared with Brevin before I could corner him.

  Marcus wasn’t so lucky. “Are you insane?” I snapped.

  His copper eyes flashed with anger and frustration. “I wasn’t going to let Astrid volunteer. The Watchtower needs her here.”

  “So you volunteered to be a demon-sitter in her place?”

  “I didn’t exactly think it through. All I knew in that moment was my sister, this organization’s leader, had put herself in unnecessary danger. So I fixed it.”

  I crossed my arms. “That what you’re going to tell Milo.”

  Marcus’s anger melted away, and he almost looked sad. “I don’t know. He’s all I’ve been able to think about since I said yes.” He glanced past me, probably at Wyatt, who was always nearby lately. “He’ll understand.”

  “Part of him will. The Hunter in him understands duty and sacrifice. The man who looks at you like you’re the most valuable thing on the planet? It’ll break his heart. And you won’t be around for me to murder in his defense.”

  “The last thing I ever want to do is hurt Milo. He’s been hurt enough.”

  “Yeah, he has.” I’d seen the old scars on his back, probably from beatings as a child. We all had scars of some kind, visible or not. I glanced around the nearly empty conference room. Astrid and Eulan were speaking quietly in one corner. Wyatt stood nearby listening to me and Marcus.

  “Perhaps it’s better this way,” Marcus said.

  “Excuse me? Better for who?”

  “Milo is young. He has decades of life ahead of him. I’m already at the halfway point of my life, Evangeline. I have maybe ten more years, and at the end I’ll be more like his grandfather than his lover. He deserves better than that.”

  Wow. Marcus’s words stunned me into silence, as truthful as they were…well, romantic. I had no idea the big were-cat had it in him. “Milo’s young, but he knows what you are. And anyone who’s ever been a Hunter knows that tomorrow isn’t promised to anyone. Especially those of us who fight.”

  “Hey, guys.” Milo’s voice startled us both. He leaned on his walker in the doorway that led out into Ops. “Everyone’s saying that we’re going along with Brevin’s plan. That true?”

  “Yes, that’s true,” Marcus replied. The immediate affection in his eyes made me hate him a little bit less. “Can we speak? In private.”

  “That’s my cue to leave,” I said.

  Wyatt trailed me through Ops and out into the main corridor. Most of the Elders had been escorted to their cars, but a lot of the Watchtower crew still loitered, chatting in clumps spread up and down the hall. I wanted to talk to Phineas, but he wasn’t anywhere in sight. I probably could have asked Wyatt to track him down by s
cent, except that always felt creepy. I hated it when Therians sniffed me out.

  “Who do you think the third volunteer will be?” Wyatt asked.

  “Difficult to say.” I let him wrap his arms around my middle. Reclining against his chest and allowing him to hold me was so natural now. Even in front of others. “I hope it’s a stranger from one of the Clans and not someone else I care about.”

  “No matter who it is, someone will care about them.”

  “I know. Fuck, I don’t want Phin to do this.” My throat squeezed tight at the idea of him not being there anymore. And not just gone off to try and find others of his kind, but gone as in dead. Destroyed by some evil magical entity from the inside out. Just…no.

  “Phin comes from one of the oldest, strongest Therian Clans. If anyone can survive this, it’s him.”

  “Are you saying that to make me feel better?”

  “No.” He turned me in his arms, truth shining from his silver flecked eyes. “I say it because I believe it, and I need you to believe it, too.”

  I didn’t totally believe it, but I believed in Wyatt. That had to be enough for now.

  “Truman!” Paul was running toward us from the south end of the mall, face red from the discomfort of his still healing shoulder wounds from last week. “Need you in the cafeteria, ASAP.”

  Wyatt took off running, too damned fast for me to keep up, and he was turning into the cafeteria before I was halfway there. The room was mostly empty, and a handful of tables in the rear were overturned. Mark and Peter stood against the wall, huddling together like something had frightened them. Several people stood around, looking down at a central point.

  Said central point being Wyatt and John. The latter was on his butt, arms wrapped around his knees, head down, rocking back and forth. Wyatt was kneeling in front of him, whispering something I couldn’t hear. Paul and Alejandro loitered nearby. The other three watching were all Therians, somewhat new to the Watchtower, but one had the copper eyes of a Felia.

  “What the fuck happened?” I asked.

  The Felia flinched at my tone, and yeah, I was developing a Mom Voice. The Therians stayed silent, so I switched my glare to Paul and Alejandro.