by H B Lyne
She eventually abandoned the hunt and resumed a more careful patrol in fox form around the northern and eastern borders of Lightning Lord territory. Northgate chugged on, spewing endless smoke into the sky. Redfield hustled and bustled with late night activity and Stalker had to skirt south towards the park to escape the humans spilling out of the pubs and bars. The smell of the Wrecking Crew clung to the edge of the park as she trotted along the boundary. All was quiet and she headed back to the house for some sleep.
She dreamed of Rhys, powerful dreams featuring the demon that cloaked him and Rhys's dark eyes feasting on her the way they had when they first met. When she woke she was in her human form, having shifted in her sleep. She was covered in a fine layer of sweat and her pulse raced.
'Bad dreams?' Weaver asked as they got up and got ready for the day.
'Yeah,' Stalker replied. It wasn't a total lie, the dreams had been disturbing, but not bad in the traditional sense. A secret part of her was excited by them.
The morning was uneventful and Stalker spent it trying to shake off the vivid dreams. At lunchtime, the pack gathered together for lunch. As they ate and chatted Stalker felt a ripple in the veil and her hackles rose. She looked around for the source.
'What's wrong?' Eyes asked, watching her carefully.
'Something's crossing over,' she replied. She stood from the table and went to the window. Stalker squinted and caught a glimpse of light reflected off shining metal. She went to the door and flung it open, hoping to scare off the intruder. 'Who's there?' she called out.
The rest of the pack gathered behind her and she stepped out into the garden carefully, allowing them to follow her. Movement caught her eye and she whipped towards the source, her hand on the hilt of one of her swords.
'Calm down.' The silky voice slid across the veil, along with the rest of its owner, Scourging Agony, a slippery demon ally of the Witches who had turned spy for the Lightning Lords. 'It's only me.'
Stalker relaxed a little, but didn't let go of her sword.
'What do you want?' asked Eyes, stepping around Stalker to face the demon.
'The little trick with the drugs was clever, a bold move,' the demon said, clicking his blade-like fingers together. 'It put their organisation into a little disorder. However, Jessica Carter is no fool and has spent years developing relationships with the police and various other authorities. She also has ways of persuading them to her point of view. She convinced the attending officer that the drugs had been planted and he assured her that they would investigate the matter.'
'Does she know who it was?' Stalker asked, suddenly very nervous for herself.
'She suspects but has no proof. She was very curious as to how someone got onto the premises without forced entry. As am I.' The demon looked around at them, his eyes narrowed to slits. Stalker tried to mask her extreme discomfort. Of all the demons in the world, this was the one she most wanted to conceal her true nature from.
'Curiosity is a peculiar thing,' Weaver said from the doorway. Scourging Agony's black eyes turned on her. 'You know what it did to the cat, don't you?'
The demon gave her an appraising nod, then raised a hand and gave them a strange wave before turning and disappearing back across the veil.
'Thank you,' whispered Stalker.
'Don't mention it,' Weaver replied with a smile and they filed back inside.
'So that didn't really work, then,' Claws said, dropping down into a chair at the table.
'No, not really. Back to the drawing board,' Eyes replied.
Stalker felt frustrated that she had risked her life and wasted her time for no reason, but didn't say anything, it wasn't her pack's fault.
It wasn't until Thursday that Unchained Lightning reappeared. The television suddenly flicked on and skipped between channels erratically, the microwave began beeping repeatedly and all of the lights flickered on and off rapidly. Stalker and the others leaped to their feet and looked around in alarm.
'Unchained Lighting?' Stalker asked. Wind Talker nodded and they crossed the veil to find the enigmatic fae circling the garden. He soared up into the cloudy, grey sky as soon as he spotted them and disappeared over the house. They ran through the house and out of the front door to find him circling in the street.
'We're so glad you're okay, after the fight with the Plague Doctor,' Wind Talker said, his voice earnest.
'You've grown more powerful and we thank you for your continued patronage of the Lightning Lords,' Weaver said, with a bow of her head.
The fae was weaving in between lamp posts, leaving a slight glow in the air behind him. Stalker watched him carefully, unsure what he was going to do. She had never had reason to mistrust him before, but his behaviour had become erratic and alien.
'You asked us to find you a throne,' Claws said, stepping closer to him. 'What did you mean by that?'
'Power,' the elemental crackled. 'I am Power and I crave it. I want a seat of Power and underlings to do my bidding.'
Stalker thought of his father, the Lord-of-Storms-and-Rain, perched on his sky-high throne, conducting a choir of weather elementals. This idea had to have come from him while Unchained Lightning was with him recuperating after the fight. As far as she knew, the Blue Moon's ally, Grins-Too-Widely, had no such choir. But he had been very different and was an ancient shifter with an affinity for stealth and secrecy, working in the shadows was his forte, not soaring through the sky in broad daylight and electrocuting enemies.
'Do you have a suitable location in mind?' Eyes asked, his voice wary.
'I do,' the elemental replied with a hiss like static. 'Unfortunately, it is currently occupied. You will need to evict the current tenants.'
Stalker and Weaver exchanged troubled glances.
'I see,' Eyes said. 'Where is it?'
Unchained Lightning sped off along the street. The pack automatically ran after him with no need for words. Stalker shifted into a cheetah so that she could keep pace with the dragon-like fae and Eyes and Weaver also took their animal forms. Claws and Wind Talker ran along behind and Stalker soon lost track of them. Their ally didn't lead them far, just a few blocks from Grove Street to a power substation, comprised of a couple of small buildings behind a high wall in the middle of a residential area. Stalker recognised it immediately, having passed it a hundred times. In the human world it was a real substation, sitting at the end of one of terraces of St. Mark's, a road called Legion Way; and on this side of the veil it had been styled to look very similar.
Stalker skidded to a halt as soon as she saw it. The fae was weaving in a figure eight across the wide street. In Hepethia, the substation had huge red brick walls that were topped not just with barbed wire like in the human world, but big black iron spikes. The others caught up with her and they stood staring at the larger of the two buildings inside the fortified walls. Ripples of electricity rolled up the prongs on the top of the building and sparks flew off the tops of them. She couldn't see any actual fae or demons, but the whirring sound of machinery, sparks and that steady hum of electricity told her the place was alive.
'Shall I try to get in and check it out?' Stalker asked. The place made her uneasy, but if they were going to secure it as a throne for Unchained Lightning, they would need to get inside and see what they were dealing with.
'Okay, but take Claws with you, in case there's trouble,' Eyes said, his voice ringing with finality. Stalker wanted to object, her pride hurt, but knew there was no point.
Claws glanced up at the high walls, a worried crease on his brow.
'Come on,' Stalker said encouragingly. She leapt into the air, shifting mid-jump into a snowy owl. Claws followed suit, shifting into his barn owl form and flapped heavily up into the sky beside her. They hovered just outside the fence, looking in on the hub of power. Inside was a courtyard with machinery dominating the centre. Four tightly coiled spirals of metal stuck out of the concrete floor, jutting up and out at a precarious angle forming a square around a huge iron throne. Cables ove
rhead spread out like a vast spider's web and pale blue ripples of electricity flowed along them from the coiled pillars.
The throne was empty, but the courtyard was patrolled by a large, lumbering construct of sheets of metal and grinding cogs. All around it were tiny imps, some bright blue, others black as coal, all with jagged claws and gnashing teeth.
The two shifters exchanged glances and flew back down to the ground, shifting back into their human forms and landing beside the others.
'There's certainly a throne in there, currently unoccupied, but there's a whole court of minions,' Claws explained.
'Right,' Eyes said with a sigh.
Stalker felt that creeping unease that could only mean there was someone watching her. She looked around and on the other side of the street a bizarre demon stood watching them. It had a human body but the head of a hawk and its eyes darted from one pack member to another. The rest of the pack followed her gaze. The demon suddenly sprouted wings on its back and it flew off into the sky.
'Vigilant Justice,' Wind Talker whispered. 'We're being watched.'
Chapter Five
9th February
Fights-Eyes-Open
It was a chilly, grey day and Eyes would have loved nothing better than to stay curled up in bed with Chloe. She had softened to him again after a week of him making every effort to be at home as much as possible. They were woken at the crack of dawn by a rather excited four-year-old jumping on their bed.
'Happy birthday to me!' Amy squealed before running off to find her presents and cake. Eyes and Chloe reluctantly left the warmth and comfort of their bed. Eyes sat in the window seat in the living room, nursing a hot mug of coffee in his hands and watching Amy rip paper off the presents that Chloe had picked out and wrapped for her. Each gift was a surprise to him too, as he had had barely any involvement in choosing them, and he felt a stab of regret.
He was sipping his coffee when he caught a glimpse of movement on the pavement opposite the house. He looked outside but couldn't see anything out of place. He felt a tingle up his spine, something just didn't quite feel right. He turned back to his coffee, but there it was again, in the corner of his eye, a flicker of movement. His eyes darted back to the street but whatever it was, it was invisible to direct sight.
'Just one more,' Chloe chided. 'Save the rest for when Nana and Grandad get here. I know they'll want to see you open some of your presents too.'
'No!' yelled Amy. 'I want to open more now.' She crossed her arms over her chest and stuck out her bottom lip. Eyes bit back a snigger.
'How about pancakes for breakfast instead?' Chloe asked. She didn't wait for an answer, instead she scooped Amy into her arms and marched to the kitchen.
Eyes couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss, the sensation clawed at his senses and kept him at the living room window instead of following them to the kitchen. He resented the distraction on such a special day and nipped into the study to call Wind Talker.
'I have a situation at my house,' he said, without bothering with small talk or pleasantries.
'Isn't it Amy's birthday today?' Wind Talker asked.
'Yes, but it's not that. I think there is someone watching the house. I can't be sure. I thought I saw something but then it was gone, twice.'
'It could be something just the other side of the veil, only visible when a small gap opens, like someone standing behind curtains blowing in a breeze,' Wind Talker suggested. 'Would you like me to send someone over to watch the place for you?'
'Yes please. Thank you.' Eyes hung up the phone and returned to his family.
An hour or so later, the doorbell rang and Amy ran excitedly to the door. Eyes ran after her, his nerves on edge, but the warm sound of his parents' voices filled the air.
'Hello, birthday girl! Oh, what have you got there?'
'Hi, come on in,' Chloe's voice rang out and the hallway was filled with people, coats, bags and beautifully wrapped parcels. Eyes greeted his parents warmly, but his mind was out in the street and he made sure he manoeuvred his way to the door to close it, taking a quick look outside as he did so. He caught sight of an urban fox behind the bushes opposite and it calmed him significantly to know that Stalker was there. When he closed the door he slid the chain across it, not that that offered much protection from the things in the world that might really threaten his family.
After Amy had opened yet more presents, Eyes helped Chloe make lunch and for a short while, he forgot about the strange activity outside. Everyone called him Martin and he felt almost normal. Amy ran around the house with her new toy pony and the soft dinosaurs that her grandparents had bought her, delighting everyone with her joy and causing equal frustration by getting underfoot in the kitchen.
Lunch was a noisy affair and as they were finishing, Chloe disappeared into the kitchen to prepare the cake. Eyes turned the lights off and closed the curtains, unable to hide the smile from his face as he watched Amy bounce up and down on her chair in anticipation.
'Happy birthday to you,' Chloe sang as she entered the room, the monster-shaped cake in her hands, topped with four bright candles. Everyone joined in the singing and Amy grinned as the cake was laid before her. She drew a great big breath, puffed out her cheeks and blew the candles hard. Eyes was the first to clap and cheer as the candles were blown out and smoke wafted up from them, filling the air with its distinctive fragrance.
While everyone was cheering a sudden noise outside caught his attention and his own delight was cut off abruptly. No one else had heard anything, but he was sure he had heard a howl. He walked briskly to the window and gently parted the curtain. Nothing seemed to be amiss at the side of the house, so he dashed quietly into the front room and strode to the window. Before he reached it there was an explosion, shattering the entire bay window. Eyes leaped back, shielding his face with his arms. His heart sprung into his throat and instantly memories of the attack on the betting shop swamped his mind. For an instant he was frozen, trapped in time. He heard screams from the dining room and snapped out of his paralysis. He scurried through to the dining room, stooping low.
'Get under the table, everyone!' He scooped Amy off her chair and covered her head as he crawled under the table with her. Chloe was shaking and his parents stared around with petrified, wide eyes.
'What's going on?' Chloe asked in a frightened whisper.
'I don't know,' he replied. 'I'm going to go and take a look. Stay here, all of you, and keep quiet.'
Eyes passed Amy to Chloe and ran quietly to the kitchen, staying low and keeping away from the windows until he reached the back of the house. He looked carefully out through the window in the back door and saw movement in the garden. A badger shuffled out from the bushes at the back of the garden and shifted into Wind Talker. Eyes moved silently into the hall and approached the living room cautiously. Broken glass and plaster covered the floor and crunched under his feet. There was thick smoke drifting into the house and it stung his eyes. He couldn't see a thing, but he could hear feet pounding on the tarmac and there was a shout.
He ran to the back of the house and stepped out through the back door. Wind Talker was approaching the house and Eyes ran to him.
'Witches,' Wind Talker hissed and the two of them ran to the side of the house and pressed themselves against the wall under the dining room window. Eyes led them towards the front of the house. His ears were still ringing from the explosion and his heart was hammering in his chest. He had never been so frightened in his life, not even when the Blue Moon were attacked. This was his vulnerable, human family and it was like a knife straight to his heart.
He reached the corner and peered carefully out into the street. He was practically blind, the smoke was so thick. There were shadows moving all around and scuffling feet.
'Stalker's here,' he whispered to Wind Talker. 'Who else?'
'We're all here,' Wind Talker replied. 'Claws took up a position at the end of the street and Weaver was making circuits of the block. Stalker was cov
ering the front and me the back.'
'How did they get past you?' Eyes snarled, fury welling up inside.
'Maybe they crossed the veil right here?' Wind Talker said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
'Where are they? Why aren't they making their move? We need to find the others, come on.' Eyes kept low and ran swiftly through the smoke, Wind Talker right behind him. He nearly tripped on the kerb opposite the house but quickly found his footing. Stalker almost ran right into him.
'What are you doing out here?' she hissed at him. 'They know, they're here for your family. An eye for an eye.'
He looked at her blankly before everything clicked into place. He turned to go back to his house, which was just visible through the smoke. There was a dark figure on the roof, where the smoke was thinner, and indistinct movement all around the base of the house. Eyes ran towards the front door and to his horror, saw thick vines snaking their way up from the foundations over the windows and door, rapidly covering the entire house.
'No!' he yelled and ran to the door. He began pulling at the vines, but they were covered in thorns and tore the skin from his hands. Stalker was at his back, tugging on his arm.
'You won't get through there,' she said. She pulled his arm hard and his head snapped to her, he went to strike her, blind rage filling his senses. She leaped back and he realised what he was doing.
'Sorry,' he muttered. There was movement all around them and a shot rang out from down the street. 'Get down,' he cried and dropped to the floor.
'It's Claws,' Stalker said, running off into the smoke.
Eyes half stood and ran back into the street, keeping low. He looked up at the house, it was completely covered in living, vicious plant life and on the roof stood the conductor of this sick orchestra. He could just make out her long, lean body and long, thick hair blowing in the wind. As he watched her, she erupted into black flames and then transformed into a murder of crows that dispersed and flew up into the sky above the smoke. He knew her names, they came to him like a whisper from the shadows: Jessica Carter, Gaze-of-Purity. The Alpha of The Witches.
