Shift - 02

by M. R. Merrick

  The elders turned in their chairs and began discussing amongst themselves. I sat in discomfort and the bright lights twinkled in my vision. I readjusted in my seat and shook them away. The pain faded, but enough remained for it to be irritating. I tried to ignore the discomfort and strained to hear the elders’ rapid whispers, but their words were muffled at best.

  After an eternity, Blackwell turned in his chair with a serious expression on his face. “Mr. Williams, please remove the ring. We’ll need some time to review and examine the artifact.”

  My stomach tightened as he spoke each word.

  “Don’t give it to him,” Rayna whispered.

  “I’m sorry Lawrence, but that isn’t going to happen,” Marcus said.

  “I beg your pardon?”

  “You heard him,” I said. “I’m not taking it off.”

  “That ring is an essential piece of evidence for our investigation. It is an ancient artifact crafted by the goddess herself, creator of the hunters. Therefore, it is the rightful property of the Circle.”

  “This ring was crafted for the Protector. For the hunter who passed the goddess’ test and proved himself worthy. Those were the words from the spirit herself,” I said.

  Blackwell snorted. “This is not a request. I don’t care if the goddess herself handed you that ring, you will give it to the council.”

  “You made it very clear I’m not part of the Circle, so you don’t get to demand anything from me anymore. This ring isn’t coming off my finger.”

  “Must we continue down this road?” Blackwell pulled the glasses from his face again and set them down on the paper in front of him.

  I knew what was coming and I tried to brace myself. The gray of Blackwell’s eyes washed over the whites and his magic came to life.

  “You will deliver that ring to us or we will remove it from your finger. Whether or not your finger is still attached to your hand is completely up to you.”

  “You’ll have to pry it off my cold, dead fingers.” I stood from my seat and started to pull the magic up from my soul when Blackwell’s element hit me. The air around me became heavy, and the oxygen in my lungs vanished. There was no chance for me to gain my focus; the air was gone and I felt the color drain from my face. I hit the floor, catching myself with my hands as the force of his magic shoved me down. A thin gloss filled my eyes and Marcus’ power broke into the room to strike back.

  Air rushed back into my lungs and Blackwell soared through the air. His small body crashed against the far wall of the room and collapsed to the floor. The other elders sprang into action, bringing their magic with them. I climbed to my feet and called my element. I pulled the fire towards my hand and a dark blue flame ignited in my palm. I fed it more power, watching the flame flicker and grow.

  “Don’t do this, Blackwell. This is not the way,” Marcus said.

  Blackwell was crumpled on the floor and using a chair to help himself to his feet. Marcus’ magic hung around him, and his wrinkled features grew pale.

  “Stand down,” Marcus commanded the other elders.

  The elders’ magic receded, but didn’t vanish.

  “You’re a powerful elemental, Blackwell. You all are, but there is no need for lives to be lost tonight.”

  Blackwell finished pulling himself up and looked to Marcus, gasping for air. “You’ve grown stronger, Starkraven.”

  “I have. And so has Riley. With his new powers he bested both me and Tessa Williams at once. We have a common enemy Lawrence; let us not make war amongst ourselves.”

  Blackwell looked up to the council. The elders watched, unsure of what to do. Their magic roamed beneath the surface and their combined power was impressive. I prayed Marcus’ diplomatic skills could get us out of this alive.

  “We need that ring, Marcus.”

  “You cannot have it, and you will not get it until every one of us is dead.”

  “That can be arranged if you so wish it.”

  “As can the fate of you and your brothers. You won’t all make it out of this alive.”

  “You speak with such confidence. You’re a lone hunter Marcus. Your element is strong, but it cannot save them all.”

  “You forget the company I’m in. Chase’s magic is here, and stronger than you know. Rayna’s power is unique, with unseen boundaries. Vincent is one of the most powerful of his kind, and behind him stands an entire family whose lineage is so ancient, it can’t be fully traced. That in itself is a war you don’t want at your doorstep. Tiki is a half-breed unlike any that we’ve seen. An entirely new breed you’re not prepared to face. And Willy…Willy has an extraordinarily powerful grandmother.” Marcus looked to the council who stood strong and united, each waiting to unleash a fury of magic upon us.

  “We will have that ring, sooner or later.”

  “That has yet to be seen.”

  Blackwell and Marcus stared at each other for a long moment.

  “Stand down,” Marcus repeated.

  Blackwell looked to the other elders and nodded. “Do as he says.”

  One by one, each elder let their magic fade. Marcus released his elemental grip on Blackwell, and although the others had withdrawn, I could still feel Rayna’s and my elements boiling at the surface.

  “Jameson!” Blackwell shouted.

  After a few moments, the large doors creaked open and Jameson walked into the room.

  “Escort these people off the property immediately!”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Jameson walked into the room and ushered each of us out. Nerves hammered around inside me, battling each other like iron against steel. I followed Jameson, but continued to look over my shoulder. When the elevator door slid shut, I finally let my magic recede.

  The elevator dinged and the doors opened, revealing the dimly lit garage we’d entered through. Jameson led us out into the open space of the facility and I let the fresh, cold air rush into my lungs. A strange tingle moved down my spine and my eyes darted to each corner of the grounds.

  “What is it?” Rayna asked.

  I knew that feeling. It was the feeling that a demon was near. It caught me off guard at first. I’d gotten so used to having them around me that I hardly noticed it anymore, but this was different. This was new.

  “Keep it moving, Williams,” Jameson said.

  I glanced back over the grounds and nothing but darkness stared back at me. I shook the feeling away and started walking.

  “You okay?” Rayna slowed her pace to match my own.

  “I’m fine. It's…nothing.”

  “You sure?”

  I looked back over my shoulder. “Yeah.”

  Jameson escorted us to the car, and I didn’t have the energy to argue with Willy as he claimed the shotgun seat. I reached for the handle, and my pulse jumped as the sound of feet brushing gravel scattered behind us. I moved for the daggers strapped to my back and wrapped scarred fingers around them. Two hunters walked out of the forest, and I released the breath I held.

  “We need to get out of here,” I said.

  “Agreed,” Marcus replied.

  I took a breath and opened the door to the backseat when the voice came.

  “There he is,” a man growled.

  Startled, I jumped back from the car. A chill shot through me again and I’d wished we had left moments earlier. A group of people were walking out of the trees. Nearly a dozen pushed through the brush and stepped into the clearing. Men and women stood side by side and made their way towards us in a wall of power and grace.

  “That’s the hunter who killed Jack.” A man leading the pack pointed at Jameson. He was tall, with a large build and bulging muscles I didn’t know existed in the human body. Then again, he wasn’t human.

  Brown hair hung down around his shoulders with natural waves rolling through them. Dark eyes gleamed under a thick, furrowed brow. His shirtless body glistened with sweat as he stepped into the light. Baggy sweats barely hung onto his waist and were torn in multiple places.


  “We're going to need backup. We’ve got shifters on the grounds.” One of the hunters spoke into his radio.

  “Did you think we wouldn’t find you? You killed one of ours, and tonight you’re going to suffer the repercussions of the Shadowpack,” he said.

  I dropped to the ground at the sound of gunshots. All the hunters fell to their knees and aimed at the pack. We were caught in the crossfire of the shifters’ suicide mission.

  One of the pack members screamed as a bullet hit him. His eyes lit up with fear as he reached for his shoulder. Silver liquid poured from the wound, spreading through dark red streams of blood that ran down his body.

  The entire pack reacted with rage and roared into the midnight sky. The injured member collapsed, and the feeling in my gut told me things were about to get a whole lot worse. The pack moved as a single unit and dropped on all fours to the ground. Before their hands hit the earth, they were replaced by massive paws. Clear fluid exploded into the air, mixing with blood as their skins split seamlessly. Fur pushed its way over their bodies as blood and fluid dripped from their skins.

  Their faces cracked and deformed as long snouts filled them. Human teeth grew and shifted with their bodies, letting ferocious fangs fall from their gums. Their muscles swelled and tore at their skins, while bones broke and dislocated themselves, moving into more agile positions. Their bodies grew longer and taller as the bones restructured. In seconds, there were eleven angry wolves with teeth bared, standing on all fours. Some were small, while others stood taller than me.

  The one who’d been shot was on the ground in human form, trying not to get hit as more bullets fired towards them. His torso was covered in red blood with silver lines sizzling through it. The hole where the bullet entered was steaming. The skin around the wound was already a dark purple and looked infected.

  The pack split into two parts. One went left and the other right, dodging the spray of bullets coming at them. The Circle’s facility came to life as the garage lights came on and alarms sounded. More of the bay doors opened. The trampling of feet on concrete and the clanking of metal echoed in the air as soldiers rushed into the field.

  Tiki pulled me to my feet. I didn’t know what to do. On one hand, I wanted to watch the events unfold; on the other, I was still a hunter.

  My mind was made up for me as a wolf leapt over the car. It stopped and turned, bright blue eyes aimed at us. Its jaws opened and lips curled back, baring teeth in a fierce snarl.

  I called my element, but before it came, there were two more wolves on either side of us. Howling filled the air as more wolves rushed from the bushes. This wasn’t a suicide mission; it was a full-blown assault.

  Dozens of werewolves jumped through the brush and came from all angles. Wolves growled and jaws snapped, the sound of flesh tearing beneath their teeth. More hunters joined the fight and the battle quickly balanced itself. Gunshots fired and echoed through the compound. The hunters weren’t even using their elements now; they were resorting strictly to weapons.

  Three wolves surrounded us and we had no choice but to react. I pulled the fire up and unleashed it on the wolf closest to me. It yelped in pain and scurried off as singed hair smoked, leaving nothing but the horrible scent behind.

  Another wolf pounced towards me, and it took all my strength to keep its jaws from my throat. The wolf was easily seven feet tall on all four legs, and its strength was immense. Its gray and white coat was thick and coarse. I pushed at its neck to hold it back.

  Earth exploded from the ground as Rayna called her magic. Rocks burst through the grass protecting her and hitting the approaching wolves.

  Bursts of wind crashed through the trees, knocking wolves off balance. More wolves soared through the air in pairs as Marcus pushed the onslaught of reinforcements back. His element moved with ease, leaving the air around us thick with power.

  Tiki picked up wolves by the neck and threw them effortlessly. Long supernatural talons jutted from his hands, cutting deep into leaping werewolves. His muscles flexed as he pushed the shifters back. He was a fierce warrior. Strange fangs dropped from his mouth and razor-sharp bones burst out of his forearms. White plates split through his skin, revealing solid bone that protected his arms, shoulders, and part of his torso.

  Vincent was on the ground draining the blood from a small brown wolf. Furry bodies lay motionless around him, torn in multiple pieces. His skin was translucent, black veins pushing against it as though they could split his flesh at any moment. Solid black filled his eyes and they glowed with a primal need. His long razor claws had fur and skin stuck on them.

  Drool fell over my face as the wolf fought my resistance. Thick and sticky, his saliva slid down my cheeks. I focused my power and called to my water element. I ripped the cool rush up from my soul and let it crash into the demon.

  The wolf tried to pull back as water flooded into its lungs. I gripped its white fur with everything I had, but it jerked back and tore itself from my grasp.

  I jumped to my feet and kept the magic flowing. I wasn’t touching it anymore, but my magic still poured into it. I didn’t stop to question the power. I kept pushing. The power moved in a fluid motion from my hands and into the wolf, filling the air between us.

  Two more moved in around me and I let the energy surround me. All three wolves yelped and tried to step back from my elemental grasp, but it was too strong. Their thick legs pushed at the earth, unable to move. I didn’t know how, or why, but I didn’t care. Nobody was going to bite me without my say so.

  Power crashed through me and water drizzled out of the wolves. Their ears, eyes, mouths, and noses released waves of water until their bodies gave in and collapsed. I waited until their forms went limp before I pulled my magic back and turned back to face the battle.

  Everyone kept the shifters at bay, but I could see another half dozen trying to creep up behind Tiki and Marcus. I moved in front of them and pushed the magic out. A glowing ball of power grew between my palms and the wolves sprinted towards me.

  Drops of liquid formed idly in the air, shaking as my power drew them in. Streams of water slid towards me, like rain riding the windshield of a moving car. As each bead of water came together, the power built and grew in my hand, creating a wall of water. The wall hovered in front of me as the power expanded until I couldn't hold it anymore.

  A wave of dark blue water burst forward, rolling over the ground and crushing the Underworlders back with liquid force. The water pushed their limp, furry bodies across the earth.

  Adrenaline pounded in my veins and the battle filled me with a rush of excitement that I hadn’t realized I’d been missing.

  I was disappointed as I heard the howls. Several of them called into the sky and turned to retreat into the woods. The other shifters followed, and in moments, the grounds were vacant of any breathing wolves.

  Half a dozen lay dead in a deep puddle of my own making near the driveway, and single bodies were scattered everywhere. Injured hunters called for help, while others lay motionless in the moist grass, painted red with injuries. Those still standing and fully able radioed for more backup and began collecting their wounded.

  “Chase–” Marcus started.

  “I don’t know what happened,” I said in a rush. “I’ve never been able to do that.”

  “Your power is growing more rapidly than usual.”

  Tiki, Vincent, and Rayna came to stand beside Marcus, and before anyone could say anything, I realized someone was missing. “Where’s Willy?”

  “He–, Here…” Willy gasped. “Ov–, over here.”

  I ran around to the other side of the car to find Willy sitting against it. Huge teeth marks marred his scrawny, pale flesh and blood poured from his shoulder, covering his body.

  “It’s okay, Willy. I’m here buddy,” I said. I fell down beside him and called my magic back. I pushed a calming wave up from my soul and let it fill him.

  He gasped at first as the cold magic leaked into him. His skin changed from its n
atural white to the shiny black of the car behind him. I opened his shirt and panic filled me. Huge teeth marks had sunk deep into his flesh. Chunks of skin hung from the wounds, only threads of flesh keeping them attached. Blood leaked from each hole, and they hadn’t even started to heal.

  I could feel myself wavering on the brink of exhaustion. My elements were still taking a lot out of me, but I tried again. I pushed the magic harder this time, black dots spotting my vision, but the bleeding didn’t slow.

  “Why isn’t it working?” My anger came out in my words, but I was talking mostly to myself.

  “Water is an unusual element, Chase. It can’t magically heal everything,” Marcus said.

  “It’s worked every time I’ve tried.”

  “The magic is unpredictable. It could be that the werewolf’s bite has something to do with it, or it could be based on what kind of demon Willy is.”

  Marcus popped his trunk and pulled out a first-aid kit. He reached over and cut the shoulder off of Willy’s shirt, pulling it with ease from the wound. He tore open packages of gauze and bandages, but by the time he’d covered the wounds, they were blood-soaked. He unrolled a long roll of gauze, wrapping it around Willy’s shoulder. Marcus folded a thick blanket over top and used another strip of bandaging to hold it in place.

  “He’s a demon. This bite isn’t going to keep him down,” Marcus said.

  “Are you sure? Can’t it infect him or something?”

  “No,” Vincent said. “He’s already a demon. The shifter virus only transfers to humans.”

  Willy was sweating now. Thick drops fell from his messy hair and ran down through the patchy stubble on his face. I reached up and touched his forehead, but it was too hot to keep my hand there. He was burning up.

  “Hang in there, Willy.”

  Willy tried for a smile but winced in pain. The thought of having yelled at him for wanting to stay home entered my mind. I couldn’t keep the guilt away as it seeped in and threatened me with sadness.

  Marcus put the first-aid kit back and pushed the trunk closed. “Let’s go.”

  “Don’t we need to stay or something?” Rayna asked.