Tides of Spring: A Dark Shapeshifter Urban Fantasy (Echoes of the Past Book 3)

by H B Lyne

  Stalker grasped one of the beast's four legs and wrestled to pull it out from its socket. Limb Chewer slashed at her with another leg, sending her flying across the factory and straight into another machine. She felt a rib crack on impact and snarled. She leapt up and bounded back to the fight. Ducking under the legs to get to the belly of the demon, Stalker pulled at cables and plates of metal, desperate to find something to rip off, but it was held together well. She heard a shot ring out and her entire body went rigid. She peered out from under Limb Chewer and saw Claws standing a few feet away, his gun aimed on the demon. He was alive, but so was Limb Chewer. He hadn't used his new bullet.

  She scrambled out from underneath the demon and leaped onto his back alongside Wind Talker. Limb Chewer shrieked and thrashed about. Stalker grabbed hold of a ridge on his back but Wind Talker was thrown down his back, tumbling to the floor.

  Another shot pierced the air and Stalker felt the impact into the metal somewhere below her. Limb Chewer reared up, Stalker held tight, and he lifted a leg to his eye socket, which was gushing black oil and red blood.

  Weaver and Eyes got under its other front leg and Stalker felt the whole construct lurch towards the ground as they took it out. She dug her claws into a groove between thick, black metal plates and found her grip. She tugged hard and ripped the ridge-like plate up off the demon's back. She went flying, but a ripple effect pulled a sequence of the plates down with the one in her hands, like a spine peeling away one vertebra at a time.

  Claws took another shot, and the demon crashed to the ground. Stalker scrambled backwards away from it, her breathing ragged and her pulse racing in her temples. There was a groan from Limb Chewer, and the clunking of gears slowing to a halt.

  One by one, the Lightning Lords shifted back into their human forms.

  'Shouldn't it go poof about now?' Claws asked, slowly lowering his gun.

  'We have to get out of here, people will have heard that.' Eyes looked around anxiously.

  'We can't leave this here,' Wind Talker said, shaking his head. 'We'll have to take it across the veil.'

  'Why hasn't it done that itself?' Stalker asked. 'Aren't they supposed to sort of melt back into the realm they came from?'

  'Something's very wrong here,' Weaver said, her voice trembling slightly.

  'The veil doesn't feel right,' Stalker said in agreement. 'I noticed it when Limb Chewer crossed, it's too heavy.'

  'Well, we do have to move it. We can't let humans see it.' Wind Talker strode over to it and picked up the torn-off leg. Claws and Eyes went to help gather up the disconnected pieces, they tossed them on top of the pile of wreckage. Stalker half-heartedly helped. A gnawing sensation at her gut stopped her from throwing herself into the task.

  'Just like the car,' Wind Talker said, crouching beside Limb Chewer's remains. 'When we fought the Plague Doctor.'

  'Just like the car,' Claws agreed with a nod.

  Stalker went over and put her hands on the remains. She glanced at Weaver, whose face was frozen in fierce concentration.

  'I'm telling you,' Wind Talker snapped, 'I can see across the veil and it's fine, there is no problem here. We need to move now!'

  Stalker focused her attention on parting the veil. It was so heavy, she closed her eyes against the strain.

  Muffled and far away, she heard Weaver's voice, a shout against the wind.

  'It's a trap!'

  Something brushed against Stalker's face, and she swatted at it with her hand. It clung to her fingers, and stuck to her hair. Everything was black, but slowly a light grew out of the darkness, and Stalker squinted to see where she was. She tried to turn her head, but more of the stringy substance clung to her face. It felt like when she had walked right into a spider's web in the garden as a child. Exactly like that.

  Her eyes popped wide open with the realisation, and a cry rose in her throat. A scuttling noise behind her killed the scream before it left her mouth. The remains of Limb Chewer were just below her feet, she was suspended off the ground, caught in the sticky web.

  'Stalker?' a voice nearby hissed. She made her head turn and cleared the thick web away to see Claws just behind her. Wind Talker was not far away and Eyes was there too. No Weaver. She was right, it was a trap and she hadn't tried to cross the veil with them.

  'What the hell happened? Where are we?' she snapped, failing to keep her voice low.

  There was a rattling sound and a rapid clicking, something was excited. Stalker didn't want to think about it, she didn't want to see it. Confronting giant spiders was not on her bucket list of things to do before she died.

  'This isn't Hepethia,' Wind Talker said, his voice was steady and calm. 'We were drawn somewhere else, Svartalfheim, or maybe Niflheim.'

  'This is why the veil was heavy,' Stalker said with a sigh. 'I knew it was wrong. I should have listened to my instincts.'

  'Where's Weaver?' Claws asked.

  'She stayed behind,' Eyes replied, his tone resigned. 'She knew.'

  'You didn't see this, Wind Talker?' Claws asked, just a tiny hint of accusation to his voice.

  'No, I told you, everything looked normal. This isn't Hepethia, I couldn't have seen this.'

  'What the fuck has trapped us?' Stalker snapped.

  'Are you scared of spiders, Stalker?' Claws asked. She could hear his smirk, even though she couldn't quite see his face.

  'Not normal ones,' she replied. 'But no normal spider did this.'

  Soft laughter echoed around them and Stalker twisted around, trying to locate the source of it.

  'Oh my goodness.' The voice was bell-like. 'What have we here? What has she caught this time?'

  A dark figure emerged from the fog-like surroundings, moving easily through the intricate web. She was a beautiful young woman, with long, black hair as fine as silk, and a matching black, backless, silk gown exposing smooth, white skin. Beyond her the web began to grow clear, like it was taking form for the first time. White walls and floor appeared, just out of reach.

  'Jorogumo,' Wind Talker said softly. 'She's a demon, don't be fooled.'

  'Now then,' she said, gently scolding him. 'It's not polite to call people names. How do you know mine?'

  'I always know the names of your kind. Artemis granted me the ability.'

  Stalker watched carefully as Jorogumo moved towards Wind Talker. When the demon's back was turned, Stalker began carefully guiding the strands of web that held her, attaching them to one another instead of her. She moved slowly, carefully avoiding attracting the demon's attention.

  'Did you build this web?' Claws asked. 'It's incredible.'

  He had seen what Stalker was doing and was buying her time.

  'She built it,' the lilting voice of the beautiful demon replied. 'The other one.'

  'Where is the other one?' Claws asked.

  'Around.'

  Stalker stopped working and looked around anxiously.

  'So there's someone else here? Another demon entirely?' Claws asked.

  'Yes,' she replied silkily.

  'You're lying,' Claws said, a wry smile on his lips. 'You're the spider, Jorogumo.'

  The demon let out a rattling breath, quite different from her musical voice. Stalker hurriedly went back to trying to free herself, she just needed to get enough of the web off her to be able to shift.

  The demon began to change, black stalks protruded from her pale back and her skin grew darker. The stalks sprouted and lengthened, her body thickened and hair grew all over her lower body. Perched daintily in the thick web stood an enormous spider, with a bulbous lower body, but the torso and head of a woman. Stalker shoved her revulsion aside as she worked carefully and quietly to remove the web from her clothes and hair.

  'Little flies, tasty treats. Not all for me, of course, got to save something for The Hunger.' The demon's voice scratched at the air like nails on a blackboard, and her web vibrated all around Stalker and the others. She moved around Wind Talker, looking him up and down. She moved easily on the web, ba
rely causing it to tremble, despite her great bulk.

  Stalker paused for a moment, watching the demon nervously. Once satisfied that she was still going unnoticed, she resumed extracting herself.

  'Did you expect us? Or did we stumble into your web by coincidence?' Claws asked.

  'Stumble, stumble, stumble. Oh yes, quite by chance.'

  'Were you expecting someone else?' Claws pressed on.

  'Now that's a question. Curious little fly.'

  'Well?'

  The demon burst into laughter, her legs peddling frantically on the spot, causing the web to bounce. Stalker was flung loose and she reached out, desperate for something firm to grasp onto. But there was only web. Her reflexes kicked in and she shifted form rapidly before she fell into the web below and became even more tangled. She focused her energy on mimicking Jorogumo's form, and shuddered as extra legs erupted from her body. She couldn't take the form of the demon, but she managed a large spider, and scurried adeptly over the web and onto cold, hard ground behind the demon.

  Jorogumo shrieked and scuttled after her, but Stalker was too quick. She shifted back into her human form, drew her dha and sliced easily through the web. Eyes fell down a few feet, before being caught in another layer.

  'No!' yelled Jorogumo, and she darted back to try and retrieve Eyes.

  Stalker stooped and ran under the vast web, running her dha through it as she went. Limb Chewer's remains crashed to the floor. A gap opened up and Eyes fell through it, landing heavily on top of Limb Chewer and rolling to the floor. Claws dropped too, but again got caught. Jorogumo went after him and sunk her fangs into his shoulder. He cried out and writhed around, entangling himself further in the thick web.

  'Get Wind Talker,' Stalker ordered, and Eyes charged over to where the Alpha hung suspended above them. He began pulling at the web, slowly loosening the bindings. Stalker moved swiftly underneath the demon and thrust her dha up through the web. She caught the back end of Jorogumo's enormous body, and the demon screamed in pain and lurched higher into the web to get away from Stalker.

  'Pointy, stabby! Bad fly!'

  Claws jerked down in the web, upset by the sudden movement. Stalker reached up and grabbed hold of him. She pulled him down and scraped as much of the web off him as she could. She held onto his arm and tried to cross the veil. Nothing happened. The veil was thoroughly coated in the demon's silken trap.

  'Let us go,' she demanded, staring up at the vile creature, as it hurriedly spun more web to replace what had been cut away. Eyes had got Wind Talker mostly free, both of them were furiously scraping the clingy white silk from their clothes. Claws lay limp on the floor, his hand clutching his bleeding shoulder. His face was pale and clammy. Something wasn't right, he should be healing from what was a relatively minor wound.

  'No,' snapped Jorogumo. 'Shan't let you go. You're mine; breakfast, lunch, dinner and supper.' She jabbed one of her eight legs at each of them in turn, saving Stalker for last.

  Stalker lifted one of her dha, and sneered at the spider.

  'Let us go, or I will kill you.'

  The demon flinched and hissed.

  'I will let three of you go. You must leave a sacrifice, for The Hunger.'

  Stalker instantly raised her free hand and pointed a finger right at Wind Talker, with no trace of hesitation.

  'You can have him.' Stalker's voice was as calm as still water. There was an instant of total silence in which Stalker lowered her arm, her gaze never leaving the demon.

  'What?' Wind Talker snapped. Stalker felt his eyes on her.

  Jorogumo cocked her head to one side and regarded Stalker carefully.

  'Excellent,' she clicked. She leaped down from her web and landed in front of Eyes and Wind Talker, snatching the Alpha in two of her legs and biting into his neck in one fluid movement. He went limp in her grasp, his eyes glazed over and he fell unconscious. She began bundling him up in more fresh web. As she did so, the demon raised another leg and parted the web overhead.

  Stalker felt the veil ripple, just as it was meant to. Just as she was about to take a step through it, a whistling sound reached her on the breeze through the veil. It grew louder and louder, like a rocket zooming towards them. She leaped to one side, throwing herself over Claws to shield him. Eyes dropped to the floor beside them and a pair of shoes materialised in front of Stalker's face. Weaver's shoes.

  Stalker looked up just as a blinding flash filled the white room. Unchained Lightning landed with a thud that made the floor shake. Web fell away in the power fae's wake, hanging limply from the ceiling and walls. Static filled the air and the demon let out a piercing scream. She gathered Wind Talker close to her body and tried to climb up into what remained of her web. Unchained Lightning whipped his tail towards her with a crack of thunder, and she dropped the Alpha. He landed with a thunk underneath her, and Eyes dashed over to him.

  'We'll be going now,' Weaver said, her voice ringing with authority. She stooped and hooked her arm under one of Claws' arms, Stalker did the same with his other arm. He winced as they hoisted him up, and gingerly put his weight on his own feet. Eyes had hold of Wind Talker and they all stepped across the veil. They ended up in Hepethia, Unchained Lightning arrived a moment later, and Stalker felt the veil fall closed, shutting them off from the demon realm that they had stumbled into.

  The factories of Northgate were alarming monstrosities in Hepethia. Living, lumbering and tireless machines, chugging out smoke, and belching chemicals. They stood on a bumpy track between two such monsters, too small to be noticed by them.

  'You came for us,' Claws croaked. Stalker looked at him, he was gazing at Weaver, a soppy smile on his face.

  'Let's get back to the house,' she replied coldly.

  Unchained Lightning crackled and took flight, soaring overhead, brighter than the full moon in the sky.

  'I can't carry him,' Eyes said, letting Wind Talker's unconscious body slide to the ground. Stalker stiffened, part of her resented that he hadn't been left behind. How had it been so easy for her to make that sacrifice? It had to be the coldest thing she had ever done. She had been feeling extremely angry towards Wind Talker, but she was just as surprised by her willingness to sacrifice him as he had been.

  Weaver placed her fingers in her mouth and let out a shrill whistle. There was a sudden rumbling sound and a rush of air, as a huge black taxi roared into view and hurtled to a stop beside them. The door popped open and Stalker was surprised to see Tar Peter in the driver's seat.

  'Get in, hurry,' he snapped. Weaver helped Stalker ease Claws into the back, then helped Eyes with Wind Talker. Weaver slammed the door and got into the front beside Tar Peter.

  'You called the cavalry?' Stalker asked Weaver through the little window, as the car started moving. Weaver ignored her. Stalker felt a frown crease her brow and she settled back into the seat, Claws slumped sideways against her. 'Are you okay?'

  'Yeah, shoulder's killing me though.' He tried to laugh but a wretched cough hacked out of his throat instead.

  'Do you think she was poisonous?' Stalker asked, suddenly very worried for her brother. Somehow, she couldn't feel the same concern for Wind Talker, who lay unconscious and partially wrapped in thick web on the cab floor.

  'Yeah, I think she was,' Eyes replied, his eyes cast down. He was perched awkwardly on the little folding seat behind the driver and he clung to the seat tightly with both hands as he stared at the unconscious Wind Talker. Stalker felt anger pulsing out from him, but she couldn't tell who it was directed towards. In that moment she would have given anything for their old telepathy.

  Tar Peter drove extremely fast, taking the corners at such a speed that the car tilted and Stalker had to grab hold of the large, yellow handle on the door.

  'I don't blame you,' Claws said softly, barely audible over the roar of the engine and squeals of the tires.

  'Sorry?' Stalker said, dipping her head closer to his.

  'For what you did back there. You were trying to get most of us
out of there alive. I understand.'

  'Thanks,' she muttered, her cheeks flushing.

  'But he might not,' he said, jerking his foot slightly towards Wind Talker.

  'If he survives,' Stalker whispered. She didn't think it was loud enough for anyone to hear, but Claws lifted his head and looked her in the eye. He didn't say a word, he didn't need to. He sat up and inched away from her, repulsed by her callousness.

  The taxi skidded to a halt and Stalker looked out of the window to see 32 Grove Street right next to her door. Weaver was the first one out, followed by their driver, who came to open Stalker's door and help Claws out.

  'Thanks,' she muttered, not quite wanting to look at their demonic ally. 'How do you have a taxi in Hepethia, anyway?'

  Tar Peter grinned and winked at her. That was all she was getting out of him. Weaver approached him and gave him a hug. Stalker couldn't hide the surprise from her face, so she hurriedly looked away and helped Claws to the house door. She heard the car doors slamming shut and the wheels spin as Tar Peter drove away.

  Once they were all inside and assembled in the living room, an icy chill filled the air. Weaver stood in the doorway, her arms crossed. Eyes diligently cleared the strands of web off Wind Talker, and the Alpha started to come around, groaning at first, then turning his head and lifting his arm to his face.

  Weaver disappeared and came back a moment later with a glass of water.

  'We'll need to treat the poison in both of them,' Eyes said, taking the water and sitting Wind Talker up to feed it to him.

  There was a crackle of static throughout the room, Unchained Lightning was present, even if he couldn't fit into the house. The charge seemed to shock Wind Talker into full consciousness and his eyes popped open. They darted around the room, taking in his surroundings and finally settled on Stalker. She felt her cheeks redden and looked resolutely at a worn patch on the sofa.

  Before Wind Talker could open his lips to berate her, Weaver strode across the room and slapped him hard across the face. The sound was like a whip cracking.