by Jaymin Eve
I tilted my head back so he could lean down and gently lay a kiss on my lips. We pulled apart as Ria, followed by Lucy and Colton, crept out of the bushes to our right.
“The rest of the packs are around us in the trees.” Ria’s words were so low I barely caught them. “There was no activity in the fringe entrance just before, so follow me and we will hit them hard and fast.”
I gathered energy, keeping it close to the palm of my right hand. Josian had been teaching me how to load my arm up like a gun, saving precious seconds when I needed them.
“Let me go first,” Brace murmured. “I’ll clear the initial path.”
With a nod Ria made sure Brace stayed close to her. She waved toward a large leafy overhang that was bordered on one side by a waterfall. On the other was a massive ravine. There was only one entrance, under the overhang.
It was the perfect camouflage from anyone looking down from the canopy. You would be able to see nothing but overhanging leaves framed by two natural wonders. Although, unless I was mistaken, there seemed to be animal furs hung in the branches of the trees surrounding the area.
“Under the canopy,” Ria murmured.
Brace shifted around her. I could feel him gather energy. Our powers were connected with each other, but his energy dominated mine. The buildup sent shivers along my skin. The hairs stood up on my arms.
Could everyone feel the powerful storm he was about to release?
It felt as if the jungle knew. The leaves around us turned inward, moving toward the source of power.
My mate took two large steps and, with both hands thrust forward, he released his energy. The leaves ruffled on the fern-like plant, but I knew the real burst would come in the underground lair.
He held his hand up for one moment, halting our shifting.
“Okay,” he finally spoke, “we can go now.”
Klea let out a rumble, which was quiet, but seemed to echo through the trees, ricocheting from one large branch to the next, and before I knew it the rumbling sound filled the space.
All of us moved as one – and we weren’t alone. The pack guards came in from all sides to join us. I ducked my head as we hit the entrance, although leaves still brushed along my curls. The sensation was wet and unpleasant.
Under the canopy was a large tunnel opening. My eyes adjusted as we moved into the initial darkness, but there was light just ahead. The space wasn’t really underground. Instead it moved along the edge of the waterfall, and we emerged on the other side into a large space hidden behind the falling water.
“So clever,” Ria said, “the thunder-falls hide their activities. They have plenty of food and water here. It is the perfect place to set up a base.”
The space wasn’t empty. Brace’s energy had knocked down the ones who must have been closest to the entrance. I noticed that the fallen fringe were mainly bera, and I was glad to not be facing these seven-foot enemies straight up. Although there were a few bodies that didn’t look like pack.
I stepped around three small ones, squinting as I looked closer. They reminded me of garden gnomes with bulbous noses and rosy cheeks, and they’d be cute if they didn’t have that creepy gremlin feel to them.
Next to them was a stick insect in man form, about the size of a large rabbit, and lastly something that resembled a boulder with eyes and short arms and legs.
“What’s that smell?” Lucy asked, wrinkling her nose.
“Blood,” Brace said shortly.
“Yes,” Colton agreed, “much blood has been spilled in this area.”
“This is where they skin our dead,” Ria bit out.
She pointed her hand across to the wall and as I turned to examine the macabre scene a coughing gasp fell from my lips. Was there a way to scrub one’s mind? Because I really needed to unsee everything about this scene.
There were two carcasses suspended upside down against the back wall. One was a munk and the other a jag. There were round wooden bowls beneath them to catch the blood as it dripped down.
Beside them were two more, but I couldn’t tell what they had been because they no longer had their skin. Instead they were just bloody masses of muscle, organ and bone.
And behind them there were literally hundreds of skins spread out in various stages of drying.
“I do not care any longer about offering them a chance to surrender. They all die,” Ria said, her voice as sharp as broken glass.
The howls and shrieks that accompanied her words indicated the packs agreed.
And I totally understood.
This was a horrific thing to see, and if any of my family members had been strung up like that ... Well, I’m not sure how I would have reacted.
The guards swiftly dealt with the fringe who’d been knocked unconscious. Let me tell you, their teeth and claws were as sharp and lethal as they looked. I turned my head at the last moment, right before the heads were severed.
No matter how much I immersed myself in this life, and how much battle and carnage we caused, I was never going to be comfortable with death. There was too much Earth human in me. We’re raised to fear death. Humans have short, often volatile lives, and they live knowing they may not be there the next day. I guess it’s the same for all worlds, but some races are harder to kill than others.
“Twenty dead, Queen, which is but a fraction of their numbers.” Klea strode over to where we stood.
We were close to the entrance. I stood as far from the dead and as close to the fresh air as I could.
“Let’s find the rest,” Ria said. For the first time there was no warmth in her voice.
“Just like mother nature,” Lucy whispered to me. “One minute she’s all warm and sunshine, the next a lightning bolt hits you in the ass.”
I stifled my laughter. Perfect analogy to describe Ria.
Once we moved from the waterfall, the cavern darkened. There was one path that led away. Assuming that this was where the fringe had disappeared, we started to move through.
I was drifting along with everyone else, but I was almost against the left wall, my arm scraping the solid black dirt-like material.
Then at some point in our journey I was nudged hard enough to solidly stumble into the wall. I expected a hard thud, but instead of slamming into rock I ended up tumbling straight through the wall into the other side.
I gasped as I finally found my footing and looked around. I was in another tunnel, which I expected ran parallel to where I’d just been.
And I was alone.
I couldn’t hear anything, and pushing against the wall resulted in nothing. It must have been one-way. With an audible swallow I turned to face the darkness.
“You’re okay, Abby, there’s nothing hiding here in the dark.” I spoke to myself, deciding it was better to be crazy than pee myself in fear.
I released a small energy ball of light. It hovered near my face. The tunnel was low and narrow, the air stuffy, and for the first time in ages my claustrophobia started to react.
“Don’t think about it,” I muttered as I crept forward. “There’s nothing in here with you and the dirt isn’t going to cave in on your head.”
I was too panicked to even think about tracing out of there. I couldn’t focus long enough to find a tether.
Re ... Red … hear me.
I stopped as flickers of Brace’s voice sounded in my head.
Hello? Brace, I’m in a tunnel next to yours.
My words sounded a little frantic. Why was I so scared right then? There was no reply from Brace.
“You shouldn’t have left your friends.”
The words echoed around me, and yes, if I’m honest, a small shriek escaped as something brushed my arm.
I spun around, the light drifting with me, but I could see nobody. Who had spoken?
“I’ve been waiting for you, my precious little half.”
Bile rose in my throat. No way. Was that the Seventine?
There was nothing around me but the echoing of the ghostly words. I al
most hit the ceiling when something brushed me again. I made myself repeat the words that the Walkers had said at the gathering. The Seventine couldn’t do anything physical in their current state. They couldn’t really do anything to hurt me until they were all released. I must have spoken the words out loud as well, because it answered me.
“The Walkers don’t know everything. I have plenty of power. No one truly remembers the originals.”
I started to run then.
I didn’t care what was ahead of me. I couldn’t stay there by myself with the Seventine taunting me. My heart raced. I couldn’t remember being that afraid in a long time. Echoing laughter followed me.
I screamed as something grabbed me from the shadows.
At the speed I was racing I couldn’t believe anything could have plucked me out of thin air like that. Without hesitation I flung out my arms and legs, and they landed on something very solid. This was not a Seventine; this was something else.
Growls started, and by the time I remembered my light it had swung around to highlight a monster.
Okay, maybe a monster was an exaggeration, but it was freaking scary.
It held me in its large claws. I could feel the tips cutting into my biceps. Its snarling snout was close to my face.
I threw my head back as it snapped once. No doubt those sharp teeth would have severed my throat if I hadn’t moved.
Its snout was coming at me again, so I released my previously loaded blast of energy and found myself flung to the ground. I jumped to my feet, ignoring the pain.
This animal was fast. It didn’t hesitate to come straight back at me.
Seeing it in the light again, I realized it had definite wolf-like characteristics, but with less human mixed in with the animal – the other packs on Regali seemed to be almost half and half – but it was also not a full wolf either. It had an extended snout, but shorter than an Earth wolf. And the yellow eyes definitely shone with intelligence.
I continued to back away and turn in a circle, never taking my eyes off it. It growled at me. I knew it was communicating, but I didn’t speak wolf. Where was Colton when I needed him?
“I am not your enemy.” I held up a hand.
Maybe my words would stop this creature like it had the leon when we arrived.
Nope, I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The moment the words left my tongue its snarls increased and it leapt at me again. I threw my head back, avoiding the jaws again, but it changed course at the last second and its razor-sharp teeth bit straight into my right shoulder.
I gritted my teeth, whimpers falling from my lips in short, shrill cries. It wasn’t letting go and, considering it stood over six feet on its hind legs and was powerfully strong, I didn’t know how to free myself. My right arm hung uselessly at my side. I knew that could only mean that the tendon and nerves had been severed.
Using my left hand, I clawed at its eyes. My stomach rolled as my index finger squished into the soft wet socket, but it was about survival now.
It howled, and the lock of its jaw lessened, so I dug deeper. It flung me away, its long tongue darting out to lick at its wounds.
Then it faced me.
One eye was useless and empty, but the other was conveying the fact it was pretty pissed off. My blood coated the lower half of its face and flecked its fur. I noticed something that I’d seen on the other fringe members but hadn’t really registered. There was red speckles throughout their fur and, like this freak, it looked like blood. Old, dried crusty blood.
I pulled myself to my feet, right arm still useless and my blood raining down. I almost fell as blood mixed with dirt and rock to create a slippery mess. The pain was a dull register, just sitting behind the adrenalin. I knew I was going to feel it soon, but right then it was time to survive. The creature was blocking the path forward. The only other way was back to the Seventine. And I didn’t know which was worse.
While I was trying to decide what to do, it caught me by surprise. This time it latched onto my calf.
I knew what it was doing: systematically cutting off my ability to escape.
By that stage I was down to one functioning arm and leg.
With my last iota of energy, I pictured Ria’s loft house and grabbed onto the largest of the shining tethers.
I was jerked through, but in my panic and haste I had forgotten one important factor. Anything touching me was going to come also.
Red.
The roar came through our bond loud and clear this time. Whatever had been blocking us was gone.
Help.
The blood loss was getting to me. I knew what was happening and if I couldn’t get away soon I’d probably black out, and then this creature would rip out my throat.
The creature was wrenched away from me and it dropped me again. A large thump sounded in front of me. I lifted my head to find one of the guards: Klea, her golden fur shining in the light from the open doorway.
“Wolver,” she growled. “What are you doing here?”
So this was the infamous wolver. No wonder they’d been so ferocious with Colton. Wolvers were not nice puppies.
In my dazed state I struggled to track their fight. But it was clear that Klea had incredible skills. She sprang around the open tree loft with speed and agility. With one eye gone, the wolver had no chance of keeping up. It took her seconds to land on its back. She brought both clawed hands down and with a ripping motion severed its head.
I levered myself up on my good arm. Pain and tingles were replacing the numbness in my right, so it was starting to heal.
“What the Fu –” Brace’s roar was interrupted by Klea eviscerating the wolver right in front of me. The dark red of its blood landed in splatters around me.
“Red.” Brace lifted me up, supporting my weight with ease. “Baby, are you okay?”
I raised my head, ready with a reassuring smile. Black eyes dominated his face and fear creased his features. He’d been afraid for me.
“I couldn’t feel you, I couldn’t contact you. What the hell happened?” He was yelling and pulling me closer.
“Can’t breathe,” I managed to gasp out. I didn’t care, though.
“Shit, sorry, I’m probably hurting you.” He pulled back far enough to assess my injuries.
His hands brushed gently over my arms. In their wake warmth descended, and I knew he was using his energy to help the healing. His features tightened as he reached my collar bone, but he said nothing until he was finished.
“You okay?” Klea crouched down, her feline features examining me.
I nodded. “Thank you, how did you get here so quickly?”
“When you went missing Ria sent me back here in case you returned to her home. I will let her know you are safe.” She howled once into the air and it was in that moment I noticed that it was starting to darken under the canopy. Night was falling. “I need to get back to her,” she finished.
“Wait.” I stopped her before she leapt from the platform. “I can take you back instantly.”
Brace never questioned my decision. He just helped me up. I loved that he was protective without stifling my independence. Mates were definitely designed to complement one another. I grabbed a shirt from my bag to replace my old one, which had been torn to shreds. I turned to the leon.
Klea regarded me with suspicion, but eventually laid her paw into my out-held palm. I curled my fingers around, gripping into the soft fur, thankful that her claws were sheathed. Brace held my other hand.
“Hold on,” I said.
Closing my eyes, I mentally pictured the room behind the waterfall. Avoiding any tether in close proximity to the wall of death, I grabbed a glittering strand.
We were there in an instant.
Klea pulled her paw back, looking around with huge eyes. For the first time she looked surprised, but that didn’t stop her from shaking out her large mane and bounding along the path we had taken earlier. I got the feeling she didn’t like to leave Ria alone for long.
/> “What happened?” Brace questioned me as we followed at a rapid run.
“Got knocked into the wall and this weird trapdoor spun me into another tunnel. I thought I was alone in there, but I kept hearing someone speaking.” My voice faltered a little. “I think it was the Seventine.”
Brace growled. “That’s about the only explanation for why there was a breakdown in our communications. Melding bonds are strong. I didn’t know what to think when I couldn’t find you. I was getting mental flashes of your panic, but nothing else.”
“Yes, well I took off to try and get away from the voice and that wolver took me out.” I winced, remembering. “Took me out in the worst kind of way.”
Brace reached out and captured my hand as we continued to follow Klea down the path.
“I’m glad Klea was already in the tree-house. I opened a doorway as soon as I felt you, but I might have been too late.”
I squeezed his palm. “You can’t always save me, Brace. Sometimes I’ll save myself, sometimes others will save me and sometimes I’ll be the one doing the saving. You have to learn to share the responsibility.”
He laughed. “Red, you’re now and always my responsibility. I’ll always be the one to save you. I’ll always come for you. Nothing will stop me.” He managed to land a kiss on my lips, even at the speed we were traveling. “You’ve given me everything, just by existing. So you’ve done your part for the rest of our lives, now it’s my turn.”
His words created an unusual feeling inside my chest. Like this weird, warm, heart-flipping-over thing.
“Well, I love you, you crazy control freak,” I teased.
He laughed. “I love you, despite the fact you’re a pain in my ass.”
“That has to be Abbs. I can feel the sappy romance coming down the tunnel.”
Lucy’s words echoed toward us.
I couldn’t help the smile that crossed my lips. I’d probably think we were a bit hard to handle too if I had to see it every day. But when you’re in love, you’re in love. Not much you can do about it. The need I felt to be with Brace was never going to end.
I bit back the pain of Lucy’s vision and the chance I was going to lose Brace. Ironically enough, it was his love that gave me the strength to know I could sever the bond to save everyone. If it came to that.
