by L M Adams
Lucien goes to a large bag and starts pulling out weapons; he holds the gun belt with a nine-millimeter towards me, I go and grab it from him quickly. He pulls a back-harness scabbard with a sword from the duffle bag and hands it to me. I take it in my hands, it’s so lightweight. I pull the blade. It gleams in the first light of the day. Shining and deadly.
I know the edge is razor sharp, it’s almost blue. This was made at home, at the Kindred Palace, with the skill of centuries in the art of sword making. Which the Japanese have always excelled in. We all call them katanas, but this is more formed in the shape of a tachi, the cutting edge usually worn down on the side of the Samurai. Reapers wear our swords across our backs, however. The blade will never dull, never chip, never fade. It’s a magic metal.
The pommel of the sword is tightly wrapped deep purple and black leather. It feels good in my hand. It’s modeled very closely after a katana, just a bit shorter. I’ve trained with a sword, very much, almost as much with my blades. I was going to have a sword commissioned after my Reaper naming. That day never came for me. Reapers are the only ones allowed to carry this type of sword. I look to Lucien then. He won’t look at me, instead staring at a spot off in the forest with the most intensity I’ve ever seen. He does that when he’s nervous.
“Thank you, Lucien, thank you.” My voice is filled with emotion.
He just doesn’t understand how much this means to me, no one can. Now finally, I feel like a Reaper. If it’s weird that I feel such unending gratitude being given a really big knife when most women would love to have an engagement ring. Well then fuck it, I’m weird, I’m Jae, I’m a fucking Reaper and I like really big knives more than chunks of rocks.
If the man wasn’t so dark I’d swear he’s blushing right now. Fucking me every way to Sunday, stomping around butt naked, none of these things even faze him. But giving me a gift? Embarrasses him to the core. I snicker and strap it on. The harness is perfect. Like Lucien’s, it sets across my back with the pommel angled for a right hand draw, the cutting edge faced down so at least I won’t have to worry about chopping off my hair.
I test the draw of the sword. It is wonderful.
“I still can’t believe everyone is here, wolves and vampires fighting together.”
“They all have their reasons, Jaevia. You underestimate your worth if you think when the call went out they would not come.” Lucien whispers.
“You sacrificed yourself, and a vampire, to get our Amarok out,” Annette steps forward, I hadn’t seen her. “You kept your promise to me, even when I did not believe. You will always have the wolves’ loyalty. You are pack, if not by blood then bound by honor.”
Howls ring out as every wolf strips and begins changing. Big Mike stands, healing easily; making a connection to the Wolf Mother, to the Earth, even the Moon Goddess on the far side, through Peter. My friend Peter, his change into wolf is so smooth, so easy. The pain he went through to change just a day ago a distant memory. I don’t know how this has happened, what Big Mike has done.
“Peter will give back the pack once this is done,” Tabari explains.
I look to my brother, his wolf eyes glowing. At least he’s back standing on the ground and not pulling so harshly from the EM field any longer.
“Tabari… I apologize for my behavior. The things I did, the ways I…”
“You are still the sister of my heart; and all is forgiven and forgotten between us.” I rush over and hug him tight. Things loosen as I feel his arms come up hugging me in return.
“I’m so happy you’re safe, and she is dead. I knew that couldn’t be you. I knew it in my heart that wasn’t you.” I don’t bother correcting him, all of it had been me. Even I cannot lie that well.
“I owe you yet again, brother.” I pull back, smiling.
“You always do.”
We turn as a howl comes from far off, then another, then hundreds; not-wolf howls.
“They know,” I whisper out.
“You should say a few words,” Tabari says, clearing his throat and stepping back.
Oh great, more public speaking; at least there’s no barbeque sauce on my mouth. Am I supposed to imagine them clothed or naked now? Why can’t I ever remember that part?
“Thank you all for fighting with me and for me. Know that I will always be here if you need me. You only need come ask. I will never forget today and the blood we shall spill together.” Wolf eyes, vampire eyes stare back at me, not one of them looking inspired.
Speak from your heart.
I suck in a breath, from the heart.
“They thought they would kill us, they thought that they could break us. But those things that are broken can mend again; those lives that have been taken can be avenged. Whether wolf, vampire, or daemon, you are all my brothers and you are all my sisters. By blood, by death, by life, by the sun, by the moon, I swear it! I will bleed with you, I will live with you and if Abbadon demands it, I shall die with you! But the air shall reek of their blood, the Earth will drown in their blood. We shall have our due before we go!”
I throw my head back and demand my vengeance. I tell my enemies of the death that rides in my heart. The wolves howl, the vampires scream a high-pitched noise, both eerie and beautiful. I’ve never heard the blend before, and yet it matches more perfectly than I could ever imagined, the sound has probably not been heard since the First Great War of the Night.
Death is coming, I think, rolling my neck. We spread out through the forest, vampire and wolf alike. We run forward, the not-wolves are quick and we clash in the street separating the two sides of the forest. I pull my sword separating a human head from a not-wolf body smoothly. Power and blood lust thrum through me, I let my eyes glow, I let my horns show, I let the evil in me out as I slay Sheba’s creatures, the last of her twisted power dying with them.
This is only the first wave. We finish them quickly and then we are running full out through the woods towards the encampment. We pick off those we find. Lucien at my right, Jack at my left, Tabari behind us, setting them afire with a thought. I do them a kindness and take their burning heads from their burning bodies.
Who is a kind and generous Mistress? We are.
We reach the grounds of the hospital and the real battle is on.
War is a horrid thing, no matter your reason, no matter what you are. When so much death comes, it eats the soul. What makes me a Reaper, what makes Lucien and Tabari Reapers, is that we offer up that part of our souls freely. We give its due as we send our offering to Abbadon. For those that revere him, may yet be saved when death calls their name.
I find myself separated from everyone, I’m on the side of the main building. Three not-wolves have me cornered. My back is to a wall at least, a few feet away. That’s the best of this fucked up situation. All three of the not-wolves are four legged and so are quick. One, sure I can handle easily; three on one just isn’t fair. I watch them all hunch, ready to leap towards me at once, overpowering me.
I turn and run towards the wall full out. Goddess help me, I haven’t done this in two fucking years. When I reach the wall I run up it, one, two, three, I need more. I push my thighs, my calves to give me more. I’m able to drag two more steps of sheer vertical climb out of myself with a force of will. I kick off the wall, turning midair. I take one of the wolves’ heads smoothly as my body rolls.
I hit the ground hard, rolling to absorb the impact. Tumbling is a beginner’s art, but it’s tried, true, and fucking useful. I roll right up to my feet smoothly with a grunt. Sword out to my right side. I feel rather than see the wolves turning to attack my back. I turn around kicking back, letting my body fall as the not-wolves leap at the air I was just standing in. I roll to a knee, dropping the blade, drawing the gun smoothly, I let off five rounds in each of the not-wolves heads, going back and forth between them. Their bodies begin to heal the damage quickly, but not before I take their heads.
Don’t start shit you can’t fucking finish.
I make it back to the
area in front of the main building; it’s where the thickest of the fighting is. The not-wolves keep coming from the gorge, not to mention the occasional meddlesome guard with their machine guns and silver tipped bullets. We are tiring; daemon, vampire and wolf alike. Some of us have fallen, I knew we would.
I feel Peter tug for more power, the wolves need more. Peter can’t commune with the Mother Wolf here, not with the gems still active. I am his only power source and even my bottomless pit is starting to show a bottom.
We need more power, I need more. I swing at another not-wolf, he’d gotten entirely to close. I find myself fighting beside a vampire pureblood. I don’t know his name. But he’s good. And if I can’t have Lucien, Tabari, or Jack at my side, he’s not a bad fucking choice.
“Can you call Jack, can you get him here?!” I scream above the roar of battle. I think he can do it, call Jack, just as any Blood Master or Mistress can call a member of their clutch. Jack is the ruler of all vampires; hopefully that mental connection extends to him.
The vampire nods his head, I guess so. His eyes glow, molten silver and blood red. I draw one of my knives and begin fighting two handed. I do damage, my vampire buddy strikes the death blow.
Jack catches up to us, killing and moving at a speed that I just didn’t think was possible. Blood Lord, he finally accepts.
“Jaevia, are you ok?! Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine, but the wolves need power.”
I watch his eyes mix into the burning, molten blue that says he’s drawing on Moon and Vayrá at once.
“No, not from you, never from you again.” I promise him. “Can you get me to Tabari? Or Tabari to me?”
He grabs me around my waist and leaps, I don’t even have a chance to prepare myself. My stomach drops out.
“Oh fuck.”
When we land we are on top of the main building.
“I cannot fly yet, but I can jump pretty well.”
“No shit.” I take a shaky breath.
I start looking through the battle trying to find Tabari. From so high up, I can see everything. There’s a line of wolves at the top of the gorge, trying to at least slow the number of not-wolves that escape.
Vampires, dance and slice as quickly as they can, but there always seem to be more not-wolf bodies leaping in the air riding the bodies of my friends to the ground, falling on them and ripping them apart viciously.
I spot Lucien finally; there’s a mountain of not wolf bodies around him, I do not know the music that sings in his veins right now, but it is a song of death to be sure. His body dances to it perfectly.
We are making a stand but barely. The vampires are managing better on the whole, because Jack is keeping them fed with pure power. I need to give the wolves something. I need Tabari.
“I don’t see him, do you?” I ask, scanning the field of death.
“No, Jaevia, I don’t.”
I keep searching desperately. Peter keeps pulling me for power. I don’t have much left to give, keeping a pack of fucking wolves fed is impossible without a direct connection to one of the major three, Earth, Moon, Spirit.
“Then Lucien, there. Get me to him. He can help me,” I cry out desperately. I turn. Jack isn’t even looking.
“Help me,” tears roll down my face as I demand he helps me.
“On your knees, Jaevia.”
“No, Jack, no!”
“I am the only one here. I am not taking you to Lucien in the middle of a battle to fuck. We are relatively safe here. I have no desire to feel your power again, but too many lives rely on it. Just let’s get this over with!”
“I won’t,” I say softly staring at Jack. I’d rather die.
I send Peter everything in me, emptying my own Chakra again, letting my body shut down. It’s all I have to give you, Peter, use it well. I pray that he understands.
Jack’s face blurs, I collapse. I pray that it’s enough, please let my life be enough.
Abbandon I give you my life freely, carry me in your embrace to the Nightlands, let me walk with death once more.
It’s the prayer of the Reaper, the only prayer we have.
Chapter Fifty-four
To the victor go the spoils of war
“Just give her some space, Lucien, she will be fine.”
“Why didn’t you fucking feed her!”
“I tried! She would not have me!”
“What do you mean wouldn’t have you? Then you should have taken her by force.”
“Are you saying I should have raped her?”
“Yes! No! I don’t know!”
“Please stop yelling at one another.” I blink my eyes open slowly; there’s a white ceiling above my head and now Lucien’s angry face.
So not the Nightlands then. I don’t think Lucien would look at me like he wanted to kill me if I was already dead, right? Although if you wanted someone killed twice, I’m sure Lucien could arrange it.
“Why didn’t you feed from him, Jaevia?!”
“I couldn’t take power from the vampires to give the wolves, Lucien.” I lie smoothly, Jack could get enough to feed both species easily. I’m just never going to use my power on Jack again. I’d rather die. And let everyone die with you? Sometimes lines must be drawn in the sand. No matter the cost? No matter the cost.
“How is everyone?” I ask, sitting up. I’ve been lying on a table, I swing my legs to the side. We are in a small room, furniture piled haphazardly everywhere.
“The battle still goes, the rest of the vampires are here, and Peterus and his team; it’s making the difference. Tabari found all the gems, he’s neutralized them. The wolves are fine, Peter can give them the power they need now from the Wolf Mother; he can commune with her. The last bit you gave, they held on.”
I nod my head, my body aches all over. I’m so sleepy it’s ridiculous. Lucien reaches for my stretch pants.
“What are you doing, Beast?”
“You know what. I don’t want to hear one word.”
“Lucien,” I object as he lifts me, yanking down my panties and stretch pants as far as they’ll go with my thigh sheaths.
“Jack guard the door, this will have to be a quickie.” He turns me and bends me over the table, I hear him undo his pants. I’m dry, I’m not even somewhat wet, I don’t want this. I don’t want to use my power.
He presses against me feeling how dry I am.
“Stop making this difficult. Do you think I want to fuck you while a battle rages outside? We do not have long, and you cannot fight in this condition, tell me you understand, Jaevia.”
“Hurt her!” Jack shouts, turning from the small window at the door. “Pain makes her wet, she won’t be able to help it.”
Lucien takes off his thick leather belt, I try to get up and turn. He grabs my arm twisting it behind my back. He forces the front of my body flat on the table with a thunk. The first strike of the belt meets my exposed ass and I scream. I jerk trying to get away and yet he doesn’t relent. I try to hold out, but as my ass warms and stings with the pain, I can’t any longer.
“I understand, Lucien, I understand!” I shout as the wetness pools between my thighs.
He rams inside of me without warning, I scream at the feel of him ripping me open. He bangs me out. That is the phrase, it is hard and fast and painful. The table rocks and knocks at the force.
“Say the words, Wench, and you better fucking feed or you get the belt again.”
“I belong to you,” my pussy quivers around his thickness and I send my power into Lucien and taste the power of the sun once again. I let him fill me, feed me, and I lap at his power greedily. He jerks once more spilling between my thighs. He pulls from me and begins yanking my pants and underwear up. No kiss, no good job; hell, I’d take a pat on the ass right now.
“Wasn’t so bad, Jaevia. All done, all better now.” Did I just get a flu shot or fucked?
I’m so far into shock and disdain that I blow out a breath. I can’t even form words. I turn and find my weapons and b
egin to re-strap them to my body. I miss my tablet. Hopefully, I’ll be able to find it later.
Jack opens the door. We file out, sticking to a wall. I’m in the main building. Near a back door, fire exit. Jack must’ve gotten me in here when I passed out.
Tabari comes up the stairs from the subbasements. I smile at him.
“Glad to see you up and running again.”
“Any doubt, brother?”
“With you? I doubt it every day.” I shake my head at him, always giving me shit.
I hear gunfire all of sudden, exploding from the first floor. My heart thumps in my chest; it’s time to let the fire of the blood lust burn once more.
“There are probably witches, warlocks, and guards in the basement, maybe not-wolves, but they were caged before.” I say, turning to Tabari a little.
Tabari shakes his head no. They aren’t there anymore? Or he killed them?
“We will discuss it later, but no threat will come from there.” he answers the questions written on my face. I shrug my shoulder, ok.
We walk through the doors into the main room. Soldiers are ducking behind the furniture pilled at the windows, at least twenty of them, this must be the human’s final stand. They didn’t know we were already in the building.
There’s broken glass from the windows all over the floor. Sunlight streaming in the room, what a beautiful day to do some killing. I unsheathe my sword. I love the sound of it now.
I turn to the first small group to my right. They are so caught up keeping whatever is outside, outside. They forget about the monsters already in the room with them. I could kill them all quickly without them even knowing what happened. But what would be the fun in that?
“Hey!” I shout. I stand patiently as they turn to look at me. I smile my sexiest smile. “Hi, boys.” I don’t move until they take a step towards me. A bullet grazes my left arm, it stings and burns. Nothing I can’t handle or haven’t felt before.
I spin on my right leg in a roundhouse kick, letting my left leg connect with the jaw of the one who dared to shoot at me. I break his neck. I let the momentum carry me as I set the left leg down and kick out with my right leg I think I only break that one’s jaw. I have to remember to poke him with my sword in a second to be sure. Two others I cut down quickly, their warm blood splashing on me.
