Yesterday's Ashes

by Kim Faulks

  Natalie searched for the leader, the beast who rode her body, taking her to the brink of insanity. She skimmed the hunkered outlines, stopping at the Minotaur. His were the eyes that haunted her, hateful and cruel. His smashed face was just the same as she remembered. Hardened knobs formed the ridge of his brow, his cheeks sunken, jaw tight with muscle. He snorted, his breath turned white in the frigid air and she caught the subtle shift of his weight before he launched.

  She tensed her body as the blow caught her in the stomach. Her feet left the ground. Chains rattled as she hurtled through the air, hitting the mountain. The impact cracked bones, tearing the breath from her body and the animal inside froze. Pain tore through her body. She felt the inside of her body give, splintering, rupturing and then in an instant it was gone as her body healed. Natalie slid to the ground and closed her eyes. The animal snarled. It wanted blood. It wanted revenge.

  Howls cracked through the air. High above them Natalie could feel the mountain grow restless and the snow shift. At first the rumbling was distant. She remained curled at the base of the rock, face in a mask of mock pain.

  "That's enough. She's only a new vampire, she can still be killed."

  She felt someone grab her. Her head smacked against something cold and she was wrenched across the ice. The avalanche was getting closer, the roar echoing down the pass.

  "Hurry, get inside." Kaige screamed.

  The bright daylight dimmed as the deafening rumble swallowed the cave. The hands at her side let her go. She fell, hitting the ground with a thud. How long could she pretend? The question was how long would they wait before tearing into her once more? She kept her breaths even and steady, hoping it would be long enough. Keep fighting, Natalie. We're coming. Please, just a little longer my love. Natalie felt the pull in her chest as Alexander's voice echoed through her. Hold on, just a little longer.

  The cavern came alive with the roar of the avalanche. Natalie pressed her back against the wall until nails punctured the skin on her arm and the sight of yellow flames danced in the darkness in front of her. "If you think reaching out through my brother was going to save you, then you're very much mistaken."

  The demon had avoided her until now. She'd taken a chance, hoping they would fall for her pleas and so far her plan had worked perfectly. She nodded. "Understood."

  "I wanted to kill you. To string you up by your feet and gut you, leaving you to die in the freezing cold. But Kaige had other ideas. Remember that the next time you reach out to me.”He snarled before shoving the wolf out of his way.

  ****

  Silver eyes peered at her in the darkness. She could feel the wolf edging closer. The scrape of its claws echoed inside the cavern. It wasn't alone, others waited while she listened to the distant howl of the wind, waiting for this to be over.

  "They've missed you, Natalie."

  Kaige sat beside her, watching the wolves and the beasts behind them. Even in the dimmed light Natalie could see the spark of excitement in her eyes as the wolf edged closer. She tensed, catching the movement as Kaige reached for her. Nails raked her face, sliding down her throat to grip her breast. "We all have."

  Her voice was not her own, cold, dangerous. The animal was in control now. "Get your filthy fucking hands off me."

  She felt Kaige's touch still, before she lunged, grinding her body against the ground. The stench of blood and old meat wafted over as Kaige snarled. "You are mine. I'll take what I want, when I want. I'll use you and discard you as I see fit. Do you understand me?"

  Natalie understood perfectly—but the animal—that was a different matter altogether. She tried to keep the danger from her words, but the animal wanted to end this now. But that wasn't how this had to happen. "If you want to kill me, then kill me. You want to fuck me, then fuck me. I'm not scared of you, or your fucking dogs."

  The growl reverberated inside the cavern, standing the hairs on her arms. She waited for the attack. She didn't have to wait long.

  She felt the weight of her maker shift from her body, leaving her exposed. Natalie jerked her arm, gripping hold of the thick chain. The binds which kept her here weren't made of steel—it was the truth left untold. The pain and suffering others had endured because of her. But no more. This would all be over soon.

  Natalie felt the wolf advance.

  "Before I leave you to the wolves I need to understand one thing, Natalie. Why did it take you so long to come to me?"

  Natalie froze, of all the things she'd been prepared for, this question wasn't one of them. She could hear the scraping of claws on the ground, edging closer while inside she scrambled for something to say, something that would make sense. A flicker of a thought, weak... Kaige expects me to be weak. "Alexander kept me locked in a cell."

  She could almost feel the bitch's excitement.

  "He, of all creatures should know, there's no denying a maker. Did he forget the call of his own so easily? I could hand you a knife right now and know I'd be completely safe, even when your body is being ravaged and your screams fill this cave I'll be safe. Because you’re weak, Natalie. Even as a vampire, you'll always be weak."

  Kaige leaned in to grip the crease between her thighs. Natalie hissed, as the vampire squeezed. "You'll always be weak, because of this. Because that's all he ever wanted was to own, was this."

  Her words cleaved through Natalie's resolve. It wasn't her body that Alexander loved—it was her heart, her soul. She held onto that thought as she felt the breath of the wolf against her skin and felt its claw’s shred her clothes.

  Chapter 11

  "We have to hurry." Alexander growled as they wove through the slippery roads at breakneck speed.

  Malik gripped the wheel and and eased the accelerator. Alex could feel the car shudder in response, but his gut urged them faster. He prayed it wasn't already too late.

  Grayson shifted in the backseat. Alex could hear the male's heart thundering. He could almost taste the iron of the human's blood on the tip of his tongue. The need for blood mingled with the urgency, making him grip the hand rest, until his nails punctured the leather. "Faster."

  Malik shook his head, a slight jerk toward the backseat was all that was needed. If they crashed, Grayson would never survive and Natalie was fragile as it was. They couldn't risk it and Alex felt hope slip away.

  Romania was all but snowed in, only one airport had been open. They were lucky to find any flights at all. He'd been able to keep track of her, right up until two days ago when her connection went cold. Since then there'd been nothing, no matter how many times he tried to reach her all that remained was an empty cold silence.

  He glanced to the Djinn, hunched over the wheel, his grip melting the plastic, leaving the bare metal to steer. He'd not been game to tell Malik he couldn't feel her anymore. After leaving Makkah, the Djinn had barely spoken to him. Alexander was afraid this would push him further away.

  Even Grayson was sullen, the glazed expression and hands jammed under his armpits was one thing, but the stale stench of his fear filled the car. The human wasn't at fault. The blame was his alone. He was the one who turned down Makkah. His decision was based on his own selfish reasoning—just as it always had been.

  The car careened across the road, the tires useless in the snow. A moan came from the back seat. Alex risked a glance over his shoulder to the ashen male. "Don't lose your lunch."

  "Pull over." Grayson snarled.

  Alexander shook his head. "No time."

  "Let me out and you can get there faster for fucks sake."

  Alexander eyed the mortal. "What and leave you to die out here? You won't last the day."

  "The way we're going I don't think I'm gonna last anyway. I think I'd rather take my chances out there, than in this tin can."

  Malik tapped the breaks, slowing the car. For a second he actually thought about it, leaving Grayson here and pushing the car harder. Would they make it in time to save her? Maybe, but was it worth risking another's life to take the chance?

&nbs
p; "Don't slow, keep on driving. There's no stopping, here or anywhere, so get the thought out of your head."

  Grayson stilled. He could picture the events racing through that little mind of his. I can open the door and jump, maybe I'll make it, maybe I won’t, but for Natalie, it will be worth it. A pang caught Alexander in the chest, hadn't this been his exact response only days ago?

  Grayson's hand twitched and he glanced to the car door lever. Alexander reached for the male's arm before he had a chance to move. "No one is going anywhere. We will make it, just hold on a little longer, okay?"

  It took the male far too long to nod.

  They hugged the mountain pass for hours, keeping to the middle of the road until something caught his attention. The connection was only fleeting, but it was there, hidden under a barrier solid enough to keep him out. "Stop the car, this is the place."

  Malik fought with the wheel, lightly tapping the brakes until they finally pulled up further down the road than Alexander wanted. He climbed out and scanned the dip from the road before lifting his gaze to the mountain. He could feel her out there somewhere, waiting for them to come. We're here, Natalie. Just a little longer my love.

  Car door slammed behind him. He traced the shuffle of boots to the back of the car and heard the hinges of the boot groan in protest. None of them were equipped for the snow, least of all Grayson.

  "I found these."

  Alex turned, catching sight of what looked like a racket, woven with vine to hold the pieces together.

  "They're snow shoes. They'll help cover the distance, faster."

  Alexander lifted his gaze and shook his head. "The Djinn and I are fine, just try and keep up."

  Grayson swung a pack over his shoulders and tightened it at the front. The butt of a shotgun poked out and Alexander caught the sharp scent of gun powder. "Just be careful where you shoot that thing. With all this snow you don't want to bury us in an avalanche."

  "Yeah, I already had that thought. As long as we find her, I don't care what happens after that."

  The car boot slammed and Grayson knelt, lacing up the shoes under his boots and in a second they were off, sliding down the embankment, gripping the tree trunks for support.

  Grayson kept up as much as he could. The valley came alive with cursing as he fought with the things on his feet. But Alexander was focused on one thing, Natalie. His feet sank in the snow, wetting his trousers to the knee. The snow was fresh, light. He glanced up at the clear sky. They'd barely had any since they started driving. This snow must be at least a day or two old. His last connection to Natalie was older than that, so her tracks would be gone, hidden underneath the ice. Tracking her would come down to instinct alone. He wrenched one foot out, only to sink once more and caught something moving past him, fast.

  "I think I got the hang of these things now."

  The human slid by, concentrating on moving his feet in a see-saw motion to cover the ground. He looked bloody ridiculous, but the bastard was moving—fast.

  Malik started clawing through the snow, the more pissed off he got the hotter he became, until he cleaved a path through the ice wide enough for Alexander to follow.

  They followed the pass all the way to the bottom to where the face of the mountain yawned with greedy mouths and the barbarian stench was strong. Malik stopped suddenly and stared at the entrance to the cave. Alexander searched the rocky ledges hidden under a blanket of white. He could feel the skin on his arms crawl as his gut clenched. Did they just walk into a trap?

  Eyes quick, he scanned the surrounds while inside he was frantic. Where was she? He could be able to sense her somewhere? He could hear Grayson's heart speed. The sound, a trigger for the animal inside him. His lips tingled as he let out a growl. Blood, revenge, he wanted them both.

  Alexander inhaled, the smell of a fire still lingered. The scent was old, a day or two at the most. He searched for any trace of Natalie amongst the stench--there was none. The growl erupted, shattering the cold silence as he screamed. "Damn you Kaige! Where is she!"

  "Over here."

  Alexander wrenched his gaze to the right catching sight of Grayson. The human was down on one knee, brushing at the ground with his hand. Alexander pushiness his was out of the rut and slid across the ice.

  "Something went through here. A whole lot of something's to be accurate. Look here."

  Grayson pointed to the trodden snow, compacted underneath a tread. Alexander leaned in closer. "Hoof marks."

  The human nodded. "And a shit load of other tracks as well. Now I don't know about Romania. But there's no way in hell a beast would leave tracks like that through the snow back home. And that's not all. There's human prints, small, about the same size as Natalie. It's almost as though they were herded through here."

  For the first time Alexander felt the chill down to his soul. "Or they were herding someone."

  "Can we track it?" Malik growled behind them.

  Grayson nodded, standing up. "We can sure as hell try."

  Alexander turned, following the muddy tracks back the way they came until the concern in Malik voice had him spinning back. "What the hell is that?

  He followed Malik's gaze across the mountain ridge, searching for what held the Djinn spellbound. At first there was nothing. He focused, scanning the trees and beyond until he caught movement. His muscles tensed, his gaze sharpened. Someone was heading toward them, fast.

  Was it one of Kaige's beasts, coming back for them? He tensed. One beast against the three of them? This didn't make sense. He let his gaze fall behind the raider and caught the subtle shift of the terrain. There wasn't just one invader, there were more three at least. "Holy shit."

  He shifted his gaze back to the leader. His head was down, fighting against the wind that buffeted the rocky slope. Why in the hell were they coming across the mountain? Why not around the mountain, the way they'd come?

  Alexander spun, searching for a way out. His gaze lingered on the cave's entrance. They'd be dead before they knew it, trapped in there with no way out. There had to be another way.

  "They aren't beasts." Malik muttered.

  Alexander turned back to the soldier, moving at pace. "How do you know?"

  "Look at him, hunched over, but his gait is strong, even. There's something familiar about him."

  Alexander tried to see what the Djinn could, but inside his gut was screaming. They were running out of time. Natalie was running out of time.

  "I know who it is." Malik whispered and breathed a sigh of relief. "I know who it is."

  The Djinn took off, running across the valley. He couldn't believe it, goddamn suicidal idiot.

  "What the fuck is he doing?" Grayson muttered.

  "I have no damn idea. Whatever it was, he just gave away the only thing we had left. Our damn element of surprise.”

  He followed Malik as he raced toward the intruder and pulled up short. The raider stopped and lifted his head and for a second Alexander felt weightless. He was burdened no more. His lips stretched wide as he smiled. They were going to be okay—they were saved. Sakhr and his men had come.

  Chapter 12

  The sound of laughter kept Natalie rooted to the spot. She gritted her teeth and steeled her spine while the fire crackled and the old barn filled with smoke. Her body trembled against the wooden slats. She could no longer feel her legs, or the chains. All she felt was the gnawing hunger of the cold and her fragile hold on the animal inside.

  They'd tracked their way along the ridge after leaving the cave, until the bitter cold and the driving wind forced them to seek shelter. The wolves scouted ahead, finding the abandoned building in the middle of nowhere. For the rest of today and tonight, this would be home.

  The wind howled through the cracks in the walls and she knew he was out there somewhere, searching for her. Alexander. It won't be long now. She let down her walls, just enough for him to trace. Her need for blood equaled her need for revenge.

  "Look at you, staring at me with those hate filled
eyes. Enjoy the show, Natalie. You're next." Kaige called out from the floor below.

  Natalie held the bitch in her gaze as she danced around tantalizing the beasts with her bare breasts. The claw marks from the wolf still stung. Each step pulled at the wound on her side, but the pain had kept her sharp, focused. The strike from the wolf was all they'd done to her, but that would end soon. Sex and violence ran this pack. Her body clenched. She prayed this would be over before it ever came to that.

  The animal, pre-occupied with getting her out alive had been quiet, until now. The power inside her pushed at her boundaries, wanting to consume. Natalie closed her eyes for a second and licked her lips. Just a little longer and you can have what you want, okay? The deadly growl from her chest responded. There wasn't much time left.

  Natalie opened her eyes and caught the arc of a blade. The dagger Kaige kept at her side shone, reflecting the flames from the fire. Kaige slashed down, drawing the tip across her open palm and held it out to the horde. "Come, drink from me."

  Paige held out her hand, moving from one beast to another. The wolves sniffed, licked carefully. The largest of the pack lifted its head, staring into her eyes before dipping its head and the bitch moaned with delight. "That's it, take me."

  Natalie could hear the low whine as Kaige moved onto the Minotaur. She dipped her body, pressing her breasts against his face. The creature wound one arm around her waist, pulling her close. Revulsion filled Natalie's stomach. This display was not just for her benefit. This was something more, some primal need to belong and as Natalie watched their eyes glisten and their muscles twitch she knew these beasts loved Kaige and would do anything to protect her.

  Her maker started to sway and one of the beasts slapped his hand against his thigh in a slow beat. Natalie had seen this ritual before and knew what was to come. Still, she couldn't look away, not because of the desire to witness this act, but for the satisfaction this was all about to end.

  Kaige froze. The icy wind that ravaged the barn was nothing compared to the rage that reached them. Natalie couldn't help but smile. Kaige spun, her eyes glinted like the steel in her hand.“He’s here. Alexander's finally come."