Rising Darkness

by Shannon Mayer

  Fear.

  Love was the key. Love was the answer. And with love came trust. Which meant I had to stop fighting what was happening and let Rylee call me back. Uncertainty gripped my heart and I struggled to relax. But I knew this was the only way.

  Slowly, ever so slowly I began to let my body sink. “I trust you, Rylee.” The mud flowed up over my body and behind me Orion laughed.

  “Giving up already?”

  Love was all I needed. I loved Rylee; she was the sister of my heart. The surrogate mother I’d always known would come for me. I closed my eyes and the mud sucked me down.

  “I trust you, Rylee.”

  Blaz was trying to get me to stop. Even Frank had given up, his broken hands unable to help with compressions anymore. An hour of pounding on her chest, of breathing for her. Keeping her heart going. But every time I stopped, her heart faltered.

  I was sweating, my muscles screaming at me, my head light and dizzy from breathing for her. “Pamela, I won’t stop.”

  And there, in the distance, I heard her.

  I trust you, Rylee.

  Blaz’s head snapped around, his eyes wide. I heard her, too. Keep going!

  I breathed into her mouth, three long puffs, her chest rising. “Come on, kid. I heard you.”

  My palms against her chest, I was pretty sure I’d broken a rib or two, but that wouldn’t matter if she couldn’t pull herself out of this.

  Alex lay, curled around her on one side, petting her head with one paw. “Pamie, come home, come home to us.”

  Frank picked up her hand and clenched it between his. “Please, don’t die, Pam.”

  Peta lay beside her, purring softly. We all were there, giving her what strength we could.

  Three more puffs of air, the rhythm of the CPR stealing my thoughts, and I let it. Easier to not think. Breathing, compressions, pause. Breathing, compressions, check pulse. I was not giving up on her, not if it took me until the vampires could come up, and one of them could bite her, and use the connection to heal her.

  You can’t go on that long, Blaz said.

  I ignored him. Breathing, compressions, breathing, compressions, check pulse.

  Her body gave a shudder, and hope flared. “We aren’t giving up, come on!” I screamed at her and she let out a soft moan. I grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Pamela, talk to me.”

  “My chest hurts,” she whispered, her blue eyes flickering open. “And Alex stinks.”

  Laughing, crying, I helped her sit up, slowly. She wrapped a hand around her middle and leaned into me, and for the first time in a long time, I knew she was back all the way. Not just physically, but all of her. All of the girl I’d first met in a church on a dark stormy night, fighting for her life.

  “You were right. Love is the answer,” she whispered into my neck.

  I held her, gingerly, not wanting to hurt her ribs any more than I already had. Alex crept forward on his belly. “Love me, too?”

  She put a hand out to him, tears tracking down her cheeks. “Of course, I love you, Alex. You’re the best of us, I think.”

  He grinned, big white teeth flashing against the black of his fur. “Of course I am.”

  I laughed and put a hand on him too. Blaz bent over us, sheltering us from the bright sun, and Peta sat to one side of me, giving us her warmth.

  I looked at each of them. “Family is a funny fucking thing.”

  Pamela smiled. “And I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

  CHAPTER 28

  Rylee

  Marco and Eve took Pamela, Alex, and Frank to Giselle’s place in town. I stayed with Blaz. Pamela hadn’t been able to do much in terms of fixing his wings. They were beyond trashed.

  “Blaz, what can we do?” I touched the edge of one wing, carefully, feeling his sorrow with every beat of his heart.

  Nothing. I would need someone like Milly to heal me. Pamela doesn’t know how. He tucked his head under one leg. I cannot be the one who takes you into the final battle, Rylee.

  I leaned against him, a very small part of me happy about that.

  He snorted and glared at me. I shrugged. “Can you blame me for wanting you to be safe? You always acted like you were on the outside looking in, not really a part of our family, but you are. You always have been.”

  Blaz let out a long, low snort. I’m not like you weirdos.

  I patted him gently. “You’re the king of the weirdos, my friend.”

  I sat next to him, knowing there was nothing I could do. We watched Peta pace the top of the mineshaft. I knew who she waited for.

  “Peta, she’s okay. Just tired.”

  Peta glanced at me and gave a pitiful meow that sounded more like a housecat than a leopard. I didn’t try to stop her pacing though. She was Lark’s, the way Alex was mine.

  What do we do now?

  “Regroup. Get everyone up to speed.” I deliberately didn’t think about what came next.

  Do you know where the battle will take place?

  I nodded. “I think so, yes.”

  Are you going to tell me?

  “Not yet. One step at a time.”

  The sun set slowly and when the last of the light disappeared, the two vampires popped out of the mineshaft. “How the hell did you climb so fast?” I scrambled to my feet and ran to them.

  “We climbed the shaft and waited near the top,” Berget said.

  Lark was slumped in Faris’s arms. He put her down and she went to her knees, wrapping her arms around a rather loudly purring Peta.

  Everything was good.

  So why did I feel like it was about to go to hell in a fucking hand basket?

  Marco and Eve took Berget, Faris, Lark, and Peta next—another round trip to Giselle’s.

  Again, I waited with Blaz. I kept a hand on him. “We’re not done. You know that, right?”

  His head swung toward me. Ophelia can fly you into the battle. She’s trained for it. It would mean going back . . . to where you daughter is to get her. Eve could take you.

  My heart clenched at the thought of seeing my baby girl. One more time. How much harder would it be to leave her a second time? No, I couldn’t do that to either of us.

  “Not going to happen, lizard. You might think you can get away with not being my ride, but I’m not facing Orion without you.”

  I cannot fly, Rylee. I am useless.

  I put my hands on my hips. “Please. It’s bad enough that I have Pamela thinking she’s no good, I am not putting up with that shit from you, too. Pull your head out of your ass and stop feeling sorry for yourself. We’ll find someone who can patch you up.”

  You can’t fix everything.

  I glared at him. “Would you shut the fuck up? I know that. I also know you are my dragon. Not Ophelia.”

  He shrugged and his voice went silent in my head. I kicked at him, but only hurt my own foot. I hopped away. “Blaz, talk to me.”

  The cold shoulder had a whole different meaning when it came to a dragon ignoring you. Eve let out a screech and I looked up to see her sailing down to us.

  She landed and fluttered her wings. “Blaz, how long before you’re all healed up?” He wouldn’t answer her, either.

  “He’s busted up pretty bad.” I climbed onto her back. “Blaz, I’m not giving up on you. I’d ask you to do the same for yourself.”

  He grunted but didn’t turn around.

  “Leave him be. He’ll come to his senses.” Eve leapt into the air. “His pride is hurt.”

  “Why, I don’t understand? He kept us safe, helped buy us the time we needed to find Lark.”

  Eve swooped through the dark summer night air. I closed my eyes as she spoke.

  “There is a treaty between air elementals and the supernaturals who deal in their realm. Harpies, dragons, rocs. They aren’t supposed to attack us. If they do, the wrath of those who created us is supposed to come down on them.”

  “And nothing happened.”

  “His faith in what he believed to be true has bee
n shaken. Perhaps you acted before our creators could,” she said softly.

  “How do you know all this?”

  “I learned much of it when Frank and I went to the Harpies to ask for their help.” She didn’t offer anything more than that so I let it go.

  It seemed that no time had passed and we were landing in the backyard of Giselle’s home. The only home any of us had anymore.

  “Thanks, Eve.”

  “Rylee, you don’t have to thank me.”

  I paused in mid-stride. “I do. I don’t say it enough. I couldn’t have come this far without all of you. Even when you weren’t with me, you were. Do you understand?”

  She clacked her beak twice. “I do.”

  I left her there to roost. Before I could step inside, though, the shadows next to the door shifted. I yanked a sword free.

  Frank stepped into the light and held up his hands. His face was battered to hell, and his hands . . . shit his hands looked like they’d been through a meat grinder. “Frank, what are you doing out here?”

  He ducked his head, and moved as if to push non-existent glasses up his nose. “I just don’t feel like this is over. Orion left too fast.” I lifted my eyebrows at him and he straightened his back. “The zombies held Milly down while we fought for Pamela’s life, but when Orion left Pamela’s body . . . he went back to Milly’s body and got away from the zombies. They seemed to scare him away, but still . . . .”

  A chill swept through me. I hadn’t seen Milly, hadn’t known Orion was so close. “What?”

  Frank lifted his eyes. “You didn’t see her, did you?” He quickly explained that Milly, or Orion as she truly was now, had shown up at the mineshaft and tried to derail things. And when he told me how Orion had gotten away, I agreed with him.

  “Something’s up. Good man, keep an eye out and shout if you even suspect anything.” I put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a squeeze as I went by.

  “Did you mean what you said? About us being with you?”

  I stopped and hugged him. “Even you, Frank. You are all a part of the reason I can kick ass, even when it hurts.”

  He hugged me back and a heavy tension seemed to flow out of him. “I’ve never had a real family like this before.”

  I laughed. “If you think this is a real family, kid, you’ve got some things to learn.” Patting him gently on the back, I slipped inside. The hall was quiet, but the voices I heard came from the kitchen. I followed them, stopping in the doorway. Berget and Pamela stood side by side and Faris leaned against the countertop, legs stretched out in front of him and crossed at the ankle. A Liam pose, if I ever saw one. Alex laid on his side, breathing deeply, a soft rumbling snore escaping him.

  Berget was the first to look up.

  “Do you know the next step?”

  I shook my head. “Lark, is she sleeping?”

  Pamela tapped her fingers on the table. “Yes, Peta’s with her.” She seemed a little sad and it took me a second to realize how attached she’d grown to Peta. The cat was good like that, worming her way into your life.

  “You’ll get your own familiar, probably when you least expect it,” I said. She smiled and though there was a shadow of pain behind her eyes, the darkness that had hovered before was gone.

  Faris’s eyes met mine across the room. The rim of gold around the blue concerned me a little. What if they blended together, became one man instead of two separate ones? Could I love him then?

  Shit, the thought made my brain and heart hurt.

  There was a distant thump and we all froze. “What the fuck was that?”

  Eve let out a screech and I was up and running without thinking. Or maybe not wanting to think.

  I burst out the door and onto the yard. The place was lit with witch light, the steady green pulse hanging above our heads in three distinct orbs. In the center of the lawn stood Milly, her arm around Frank, holding him to her chest. Eve and Marco stood back, wings spread and beaks open as they hissed at Milly.

  No, not Milly.

  “Orion.” I strode out, closing the distance between us.

  “That’s close enough, Tracker. You know, this boy cost me my new witch.” With one smooth motion, she pulled a copper knife from her belt and slid it across his throat. Pamela screamed his name as his head bobbled forward, a soft gurgling of air the only other sound I heard.

  No. Horror froze me for half a heartbeat. Not Frank, too.

  Orion dropped his body, stepping over it like it was nothing. “Now onto more important business. I’ve had your dragon maimed, I wonder if I can do the same to you? Without Milly to heal you, and Pamela isn’t capable, a broken back should slow you down, yes?”

  Orion raised his other hand and a car lifted from the other side of the fence. One flick of his finger and the car spun toward me. Fucking hell.

  Berget was there at my side between one breath and the next. She caught the car and threw it back the way it came. Faris stepped up to my other side. “We’ll cover you. Kill him if you can.”

  I didn’t wait, didn’t wonder if this was the final battle. If we could maim Orion badly enough now, maybe I would have a chance at kicking his ass. I didn’t disillusion myself. This was not the first time I’d faced him, he was one tough son of a bitch.

  But this time, I wasn’t alone.

  I had my family with me.

  Alex slunk in from the side, inching toward Orion.

  Orion spun, a laugh on his lips. But then something shifted. Those glowing red eyes swirling with black pinpricks shimmered and turned green.

  “Milly?”

  “Rylee. Kill me quickly,” she whispered. “I can’t hold him at bay for long. Love my boy and tell him the best of me. But kill me now so he won’t know I was a demon’s whore.” Her eyes overflowed with tears and she shook with the effort.

  My swords were out and I strode toward her. “Milly, please. Fight him. Pamela fought him off.”

  “She’s stronger than me. Pamela. Remember, to heal, you have to give up a piece of yourself. You have to stop being afraid of the power.” She turned to look at Pamela.

  Pamela nodded and then she screamed as Milly stiffened. Orion’s voice slipped out of her. “Oh, that is not going to happen. First things first.”

  She flicked her hands at the two vampires, fireballs leaping toward them. They bounced out of the way. I ran straight down the center toward Orion, blades out.

  I wasn’t fast enough.

  He pulled a power pole out of the ground and swung it toward me like gigantic baseball bat. I saw the trajectory, knew that even if I leapt there was no way I would make it. The last second, I knew we were done. We couldn’t beat him.

  I was going to die.

  A black, furry body shoved me out of the way, taking the hit for me.

  “ALEX!” I screamed his name as Pamela had screamed Frank’s. Rolling to my feet, the dark body still where the power pole had dropped him. No movement. Nothing.

  Pamela strode past me, headed for Orion. “This time, it’s my turn, Rylee.”

  I wanted to argue with her to tell her she was too young. I stepped back. “Kick his ass, Pam.”

  “With pleasure.”

  CHAPTER 29

  Pamela

  I didn’t fling my hands at Orion, didn’t even twitch my fingers. But the power ripped out of me, raced toward him, and he barely caught it in time. Thoughts moved faster than hands and fingers, and my thoughts hammered Orion with a speed he couldn’t match.

  Lightning danced in front of me, flames shot from him toward me, scorching the ground. Magic thickened the air, making it hard to breathe.

  But I didn’t hold back. I put everything I had into putting him down. I wouldn’t let him hurt my family again. Not if I had anything to say about it.

  Orion’s eyes never left mine. “I should have stayed in your body when I had the chance.”

  “You would never bend me to you.” The words left my mouth and I knew they were true. I wasn’t Milly.

&nbs
p; Orion could have never tamed me.

  Adrenaline coursed through my veins. I lifted my hands, and the wind picked up. I would steal his breath, just like the elemental had tried to do with me.

  Black and red eyes narrowed. “Oh no you don’t.”

  Skirts swishing, he ran toward me, Milly’s hair trailing out behind. From the corner of my eye, I saw Rylee darting in and I knew what she was trying to do. If she got her hands on Milly’s body, she could act as a disruptor, her immunity nullifying the magic.

  The copper knife was in Orion’s hand as he raised it, eyes glittering as he stared at Rylee.

  Rylee’s left side open to him.

  Blaz’s words to me.

  Rylee comes first.

  I leapt forward, magic forgotten as I tackled Orion. The copper knife drove into my belly, tearing a scream from my throat.

  But still, I didn’t let go. I rolled with him, taking him away from Rylee. It was the best I could do. The last I could do.

  Below us, the ground gave a mighty thump, heaving and shaking. Another elemental? The distraction slowed everyone. Hands grabbed me, yanking me from Orion. Only, it wasn’t Orion anymore.

  Milly stared up at us, her green eyes dull. “The veil is open. Orion is free.”

  Behind her hovered his spirit. He was huge, tall and wide, muscle-bound. He grinned. “Ah, well I’d love to continue this, but I have things to do. A new body to possess. Babies to find.” He gave a slow wink. “Milly, I’ll be back for you, darling. Just wait for me. And Rylee, your Marcella, has she your hair color or the wolf’s? Never mind, I’ll find out for myself soon enough. Tian Shan waits for me.”

  His image wavered and he was gone. Escaped again.

  Orion’s words chilled me. “He knows where they are.”

  Milly struggled to her knees, crawling over to Pamela. She healed her, then sat back, and crossed her legs. “Rylee, it’s time.”

  I shook my head. “No, it isn’t.” I would not kill her. I would not take her head. Holy fucking hell, Orion knew where my daughter was. I had to go. I had to stop him. But how? Blaz was out of commission, Eve wasn’t fast enough. A plane, I would have to take a plane. I checked my weapons as I spoke. “You’re strong enough to face him. We have to get Zane and Marcella. Now.”