Rising Darkness

by Shannon Mayer

  “Done, forgiven. Be my friend again, would you?” I dragged two curtains behind me, and Will followed. He picked up the bottom edges of the curtains and hefted them up.

  “You’ve got it.”

  Faris and Berget eyed the curtains like I would have eyed a parachute with holes in it, seconds before jumping from Blaz’s back. “It’ll work.” I jerked the curtains behind me.

  Doran took one from me, took Berget in his other hand and ran up the stairs. “The demons are on the lawn.”

  Crap, the ass hats were moving fast.

  Faris grumbled the whole way up to the roof. “Wrapped like a stinking mummy. This is truly ridiculous.”

  “You want to hang out here, or come with me?” I knew the answer, we both did.

  Doran flipped the curtain he had open and Berget sat in the middle of it.

  “There is no other choice, Faris. You know that.”

  Blue eyes narrowed. “And when they see Blaz fly away, don’t you think they’re going to follow?”

  I held my breath for a moment before answering, but it wasn’t Faris I spoke to. “Blaz, what do you think?”

  I think the vampire might be right. If I take a couple of riders with me, the horde may follow now that your blood has shifted. You go with Eve and Marco, and I’ll catch up with you later.

  The plan came together quickly. Blaz called Eve and Marco from the forest. They will be here in less than two minutes.

  Deanna took the decanter of my blood. “I’ll give some of this to the Harpies.”

  The rest of us wrapped Faris and Berget in the cloth and tied them off. Two bundles of vampires, ready for dry cleaning by the looks of it. As Alex went by the bundle containing Faris, he gave it a kick and grumbled, “Fucking vampires.”

  “Wolf, I will drain your blood when I get out of here.”

  I had to admit, if the situation hadn’t been such a rush, it would’ve been laugh ‘til I cried funny.

  But already, the outliers of the demons were crawling onto the rooftop. Doran dragged Faris in his bundle, but held Berget up so she didn’t bump along. I’d almost forgotten that Doran had retained his ability to walk in the sun. Going from Daywalker to vampire had not only made him stronger, but unique in the world of blood drinkers.

  And then there was no time to watch what everyone else was doing. The skittering of exoskeletons on the brick exterior brought my head around and my weapons out. A half dozen smaller demons clamored over the edge of the roof. They looked like cockroaches, if cockroaches could be the size of a Great Dane and had pinchers around their mouths like monster crabs.

  They rushed forward, and I stepped to meet them.

  Beside me, Alex snarled, “Bug squashing time.”

  A laugh escaped me as I drove my right sword into the first over-sized roach, pinning it to the roof. It screeched a high-pitched tremor that hurt my brain. Alex kept the others at bay while I put my hand on the demon bug in front of me. The demon fled, leaving behind a young man about Pamela’s age.

  I couldn’t stop, though, and mourn his loss. A set of pincers bit into my leg. “Bastard!” I didn’t bother trying to wound it, just put my hands on the cold shell and blasted it. That demon fled, leaving behind a child, her body slumped as if sleeping.

  The tears trailed down my cheeks as I met each demon, expelling them and freeing the kids. The whole fight was over in a matter of minutes. The demons were used to using sheer numbers to overwhelm their prey. They didn’t have that here.

  All I could see, hear, and feel were the deaths of the kids in front of me. Their bodies they owned once more, but what was that to the loss of their lives?

  I stepped back, unable to take my eyes from them. “Doran, make sure—”

  “I will, now get down so the demons can’t see you.”

  I dropped to the rough surface of the roof and held my breath.

  Blaz lifted off, Will and Deanna on his back. He winged toward London, toward the mess we’d left. Doran watched them go from the edge of the roof, the tension in his shoulders slowly draining. “The demons are following them.”

  I closed my eyes and drew in a slow breath, getting back to my feet. “Orion knows this is slowly killing me.”

  Doran looked over his shoulder at me. “Go. You have a lead on them now.”

  Eve gave a squawk and I looked up for her, tawny and gold feathers glistening in the morning sun. “Rylee.”

  I went to her and wrapped my arms around her as best I could. “I missed you, Eve.”

  “I’ve missed you too.” She ducked her head so her beak settled in the crook of my shoulder and neck.

  I stepped back, grabbed the leather harness on her back and swung up. Her feathers fluffed around me. She took two hops and we were off the edge of the roof, her wings spread wide. She clutched Berget inside her blackout curtains in her claws. The flutter of feathers rippling in the wind filled my ears as we climbed high into the clouds. I looked over my shoulder to see Marco, the gray male Harpy behind us, a sack of vampire—Faris—clutched in his claws. Alex rode with Marco and howled into the wind like a maniac, gripping the harness with one clawed hand. Marco screeched alongside him, and the two sang together in a strange orchestra.

  “Rylee, do you know where we’re going?” Eve tipped her head so I could see one large eye.

  “Give me a second.”

  With difficulty, I sent a question to Blaz. Can you still hear me?

  Yes.

  Tell me if the demons change direction. I’m going to Track the Great Wolf.

  You got it. And Rylee?

  Yes?

  Try not to get into too much trouble without me there to pull your ass out of the fire.

  A smile teased my lips. “I’ll try.” I cleared my mind, ready to Track.

  “Eve, I’m going to Track the person we need. We might end up with demons on our tail feathers though. So be ready.”

  She bobbed her head and let out a soft call to Marco who ceased his caterwauling. Alex tried to keep going on his own, but quickly petered out.

  Fingers tight around the leather straps, I sent out a thread, Tracking the Great Wolf. I got nothing back, which wasn’t a surprise. It meant he was across a large body of water. During my time away, I’d learned how to get through that, but it wasn’t easy. I’d never tried to force my abilities before, I’d just let them happen. Not anymore.

  I pushed the threads harder, it was like trying to scoot cooked spaghetti in a straight line, but I knew the result would be worth it. Sweat beaded along my hairline as I stretched my abilities to the max. A soft pop, and then the threads were quickly pinging through the whole world. I closed my eyes, feeling the power rushing gently through me, the ability to find anyone, anywhere was finally a reality.

  Now I was a Tracker in truth.

  “East coast of North America,” I said, letting the threads go. Eve angled her wings and we headed northwest in a matter of seconds, Marco with us.

  I kept my eyes closed and reached for Blaz. The demons, do they follow you still?

  Yes, they are with us. So it worked?

  I opened my eyes and stared at the blue sky in front of us. “Yes, it worked.”

  But for how long? That was the question I really wanted to ask. The one that had me on edge. How long before I had to swap blood with Faris again?

  And how badly would it tie me to him after all this was said and done?

  Exhaustion, grief for the children who’d died on the rooftop, blood loss, and lack of sleep from the night before slammed into me like a runaway ogre. I curled forward, wrapping my arms around Eve’s neck and fell into a deep sleep.

  CHAPTER 10

  Pamela

  The dragon carrying us was not talkative. She was surly and miserable. I shivered in the cold air, wishing I’d brought a jacket with me. If I’d known we’d be flying, I would’ve grabbed my clothes I reserved for flying with Blaz. I clung to Peta’s tiny body as she slept against me.

  Blaz is a worm of a dragon.
A sniveling beast that should be cast out of the sky. Her voice snaked inside my head and I pinched my lips together. Peta lifted her head and snorted softly, a low growl on her lips.

  “Blaz is none of those things,” Frank said, his voice low. The dragon below us rumbled, the fire in her belly stirring. That probably was not a good thing.

  All of you should be cast out of the sky. Including that stupid cat that has far more opinions than one should with such a short life span.

  “Peta, try not to aggravate her,” I whispered. Peta gave a shiver, her green eyes narrowing to mere slits. I felt the same; the dragon was disrespectful at best. Threatening at worst. But we were at her mercy, so we had to keep our peace.

  Fear worked its way through me at a rather rapid pace. Riding with Blaz, I’d always felt safe, I knew he’d catch me if I fell. I wasn’t so sure that would be the case with this one. Unless we could make her like us. Make her one of our friends.

  “Do you have a name?”

  Yvette.

  “Thank you, Yvette, for carrying us to Milly.” Maybe if I made an effort, she would see we weren’t all that bad.

  A billow of smoke escaped her nostrils as she rolled in the air. I let out a scream and Frank grabbed me, squeezing me tightly. Sure, we were buckled into the leather straps but that didn’t mean Yvette couldn’t, with a single swipe of her claws, release us into open air.

  The dragon laughed.

  We will never be friends, puny witch. You are good only for eating, but the master beckons and I must obey him.

  She pulled up short, treading the air like a swimmer would tread water. Her neck craned back and forth and her eyes widened with interest at whatever she was seeing.

  “What is it?” I couldn’t see past the bulk of her body. Did we have trouble coming our way? Was there something wrong? So used to being in trouble with Rylee and the others, my mind immediately went to the worst-case scenario.

  Harpies. And I haven’t had my breakfast.

  She twisted and finally I could see over her side. I let out a gasp.

  Below us were Eve and Marco, I was sure of it. Tawny feathers on one side, and dark gray on the other—neither Harpy looked up. A black spot on Marco’s back had to be Alex, and the auburn headed figure on Eve’s back could only be Rylee. I gripped Frank’s fingers. “She’ll be on them before they know.”

  “You have to warn them,” he whispered. “And fast.”

  I didn’t have time to think of the consequences. I didn’t want Eve to die, or Alex. Or even Rylee. She had saved me more than once. Now was the time to repay the favor. Yvette tucked her wings in and I reached out, a fireball shooting from my fingers. The flames lit up the clouds around us, glowing and flickering as they roared between the two Harpies.

  Eve and Marco veered away and then looked up in time to see Yvette coming.

  Yvette let out a roar of frustration and I clung to her back. “You can’t eat them. They are our friends!”

  She adjusted her trajectory and headed for Eve. Yvette grabbed at Eve as she shot toward them, her legs snaking out and I thought she would manage it. Time slowed and I stared in horror as the dragon’s claws began to wrap around Eve, an evil laugh on her lips.

  A flash of bright steel and Yvette screeched, jerking her claws away, blood flinging around us in brilliant drops of red.

  Rylee stood on Eve’s back, hair swirling around her head, two swords raised and a look on her face I never wanted to see directed at me.

  “Come on then, you fucker, if you think you can take me, demon!”

  There was a moment I didn’t understand. Demon? Rylee thought I was a demon?

  No. The dragon was a demon.

  I am no demon, Tracker. Yvette screamed the words, and my head felt like it was going to split open with the volume.

  And then we were past them and I was looking up at Rylee looking down at us. I saw her face, saw the fear and heartache. For me.

  I looked away and all I wanted to do was get as far from Rylee as possible. “Yvette, go. Before Blaz shows up and finishes you off.”

  Another snarl escaped her, but she flew away from the others. Frank leaned his head against my back. “They could have been killed. Orion would have won.”

  I held Peta tightly, and she stared up at me, her green eyes seeing far too much. She butted her head against my chin, her fur soft against my skin. I held her, burying my face into her fur for a moment to gather myself. My throat was tight, but I fought the tears that pricked at my eyes. “No one is going to die, Frank.”

  Oh, how very wrong I was.

  CHAPTER 11

  Rylee

  “What the fuck just happened?” I stared at the disappearing speck of dragon carrying Pamela, Frank, and Peta.

  Eve shook her head, feathers ruffling in the wind. “If Pamela hadn’t shot at us we never would have seen the dragon. She could have killed us both because of how close we were flying.”

  Marco swung in, heard that and then swung back out, farther away than before. “To be safe,” he called. Alex waved, seemingly oblivious to what had almost happened.

  “Pamie here,” he hollered, his claws around his mouth like we wouldn’t have heard him otherwise.

  “Yeah, Pamie is here.” I slumped into my seat and put my swords away, then buckled back into the leather straps still left intact. There had been a moment where I thought I wasn’t able to get up in time and I cut the straps. I tied the loose ones around me as best I could. It would have to do.

  “Warn me if you’re going to do any big moves.”

  “Why is Pamela with that dragon?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know. She is running away, but I would have said she was just going to ground for a bit. How the fuck does she even know a dragon besides Blaz?” It took me a moment to recall the TV and the fact that Pamela hadn’t been on the list of “terrorists.”

  “Orion, he must have sent the dragon for her. Fucking hell, she’s going to get herself and us killed.” My body shook with adrenaline.

  “Only if we go after her,” Eve said. “She has made her choice. Blaz said that, and he’s right. Now she must live with it. This I know. I could have fought you after you killed my family, Rylee. The thought was there that perhaps at some point you would let your guard down and I could avenge them.”

  I went very still on her back.

  She went on. “But the more time I spent with you, the more I saw that my mother and aunt had been led in the wrong direction. I chose to stay with you, because you are my family now. And I will face those consequences of my loyalty regardless of what they are. We all have the same choice. Essentially, anyway. Good or evil. Right or wrong.”

  “Left or right,” I said and she bobbed her head.

  “Yes. Pamela has chosen.”

  I rubbed my hands over my face. “How long was I asleep?”

  “Almost the whole day, we will stop soon for a rest.”

  As much as I knew that both Eve and Marco needed to rest, I couldn’t help but wish they didn’t. “Where?”

  Eve pointed with her beak at an outcropping of land. Northwest of where we were, I was betting on Iceland. “Circle until you find a place to land near some decent cover and a water source.”

  “Of course.” She sounded almost irritated that I would speak to her as if she didn’t know how to survive. Damn, I was pissing off everyone. If I wasn’t careful I’d be battling Orion on my own. I put a hand on her back.

  “Eve, it’s been a long time since we’ve flown together. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to offend you.”

  She turned her head and gave me a wink. “Gotcha.”

  I laughed and buried my fingers into her silky soft feathers as she circled lower over a section of small buildings. They looked to be at the edge of a farm, which was good for us. I saw tractors, and some small moving things that were probably animals of some sort. The two Harpies began their descent into a section hidden from view of the main house. Next to us was a shack of an outbuilding
, and while it looked like shit, the walls and roof were intact and it was big enough for both Harpies to fit into.

  Twenty feet in the air, Eve and Marco released their vampire bundles.

  My eyes widened, watching Faris’s bundle bounce hard off a rock protruding from the ground.

  “Eve, did you do that on purpose?”

  “Do what?” Her wide, innocent eyes didn’t fool me. I shook my head, nothing I could do. My friends had seen Faris being the asshole he was too many times not to take a shot at him when they could.

  And could I blame them? Not really.

  We landed, the Harpies hopping lightly. I slid from Eve’s back and Alex leapt from Marco’s. The werewolf flung his four legs out wide, like he was doing a belly flop into the dirt. At the last second, he got his feet under him and landed with a hard thud. Spinning in a circle, he grabbed at his tail. “Gots it!”

  I gave him a smile and thumbs up; my heart wasn’t in it, though.

  We filed into the building, Eve and Marco dragging the two vampires. But even that couldn’t bring a smile to my face. Now that we were on the ground, it really hit me that Pamela was gone.

  Just like Milly, I somehow lost her.

  The straw and hay littering the floor was stale and dusty, but I didn’t care. I wanted to close my eyes, sleep the last hour of sunlight away. To hide from everything that had happened. The building was gloomy inside, like a false dusk. Probably would be good enough for the two vampires to come out. At least in my mind anyway.

  Eve and Marco nested down, side by side.

  “Tell me that the sun has gone down.” Faris’s words were muffled by the thick curtain. I untied one corner of the curtain, opening it to see a rather undignified Faris glaring at me. “Sun is still up, but it isn’t coming in here.”

  He pushed out of the curtains and I went over to Berget to unwrap her. She blinked up at me, her hair all messy, and for just a moment, I saw her when she was a little girl crawling out of bed early in the morning to watch cartoons.

  I shook my head. “Come on out.”

  “What time is it?”

  “Still light out.” I waved a hand at the walls around us. “Dark enough in here though, and it won’t be long before the sun sets.”