Yesterday's Ashes

by Kim Faulks

  The barn was filled with silence, not even the rasping breath of the half-bull beasts were heard. Kaige stepped toward Natalie, gripping the blade tight in her hand. "He's come here to save you, but it is he that needs saving. Isn't it Natalie?”

  Natalie made a feeble motion, jerking the shackles at her wrists while she forced a whimper. "Don't hurt him. Take me. That was the deal, Kaige, you promised. Take me and leave Alexander and Malik alone."

  The bitch could only laugh. The animal inside responded in kind, tipping back her head, a throaty chuckle escaped. It was the sound of madness. Of darker things that lurked under the surface. But Natalie's hold on the animal was slipping. Her maker stopped, head cocked to one side while she stared. Natalie could almost read her thoughts, trying frantically to put this puzzle together. The animal was impatient, wanting this to be over, wanting blood.

  A growl ripped through the barn. A warning. Danger wasn't coming.

  Danger was already here.

  The Alpha wolf shot forward, hackles raised. A midnight slash against the endless white that disappeared. The rest of the pack surged forward, standing guard at each corner of the building. These beasts were used to being the predators. Taking what they wanted, whenever they wanted it and now, they looked confused, rushing to perform a task they had no idea how to perform. Natalie smiled.

  These predators were now the prey.

  A ball of fire shot through the building. Natalie tensed as it hit a bull beast squarely in the chest. He careened back, arms flapping widely. Natalie could see the plumes of black smoke erupt as his screams filled the barn.

  "Help him! Someone help him for fucks sake!" Kaige screamed, staring at the others. But there was no saving this monster as his knees buckled. The blacked, charred flesh of his chest glowing like a cinder. Bone and flesh were no match for fire. They were no match for Malik.

  "Pull back! Get behind the bitch. They won't hurt her."

  The others shot one look at Natalie. Natalie remained silent, still watching the biggest Minotaur shift his gaze from Kaige and back to her. That's the way, come running back up here you piece of fucking shit.

  "We can't hold them up there." He growled, his muscled face contorting with every word. Even when he remained silent he was fucking ugly, but the bastard had a point—one his mistress was missing.

  "It won't matter, we'll use her as a damn shield if we have to. There's no way they'll attack with her in front of us."

  He shook his ugly head. "We can't trust her."

  "We don't have to trust her. She's weak and under my control."

  She could feel Kaige's gaze seeing the truth in her eyes. She remained mute, staring straight ahead as a battle cry shook the walls. A whimper followed, quick, ending with silence. Another one down.

  She caught movement between the broken slats on the barn walls. The movement was quick, military and Natalie closed her eyes, her senses searching for Grayson. He came to her quick, strong and very pissed off.

  Malik came next consuming her like a wildfire, leaving her breathless, filling her with a need matched only by her own. The two men were the ones she loved, they were the ones she desired—but they weren't the ones she needed.

  Natalie searched for her weakness amongst the ice, tracing the perimeter of the barn and into the valley outside. Yet to her, Alexander remained untraceable. He may as well be invisible. She knew he was out there somewhere and somehow Kaige could sense him where she couldn't.

  Her maker took refuge behind her, positioning herself to the left, as the towering Minotaur took the right. Kaige seized the back of her neck and squeezed as Malik and Sakhr slipped into the barn with Grayson behind them. What was left of Kaige's horde moved into position in front of them, weapons drawn. It was six against three. There was no way for them to win. Without Alexander, they would be slaughtered.

  Chapter 13

  "Where is he? Where is Alexander?”

  Natalie felt the hiss against her ear as her senses searched the snow covered trees surrounding the property. Had he decided not to come? Had Alexander forsaken her?

  The pain to her chest was brutal. Her gaze froze on Malik, searching the icy blue flames in his. Where was he?

  Something flickered, cold like steel. When she tried to seize the connection it was gone and she felt Kaige sense the same behind her.

  "You're out there aren't you? Why are you hiding, Alexander? Why won't you show me your face?"

  "I am here Kaige."

  The deadly growl came from the doorway. Electricity raced along Natalie's skin as Alexander strode into the barn. His eyes shot to hers. The split second gaze conveyed the unspoken. I love you. I'll do whatever it takes to save you.

  She knew what that meant. Even before he said the words. "You wanted me here, Kaige and here I am. How many centuries must this continue? Let Natalie go and I'm yours."

  Natalie felt his words like a punch to the stomach. Alexander moved toward the Alpha wolf, passing Malik and Sakhr. He'd meant every word he'd ever said to her. He would die to protect her and yet it wasn't his death which would set her free.

  "Stop right there, don't come any further." Kaige snapped. Her grip tightening on Natalie's neck, making her body bow.

  "Enough!" Alexander shouted. "You wanted me here, now I'm here. Let's not waste time with a damn pissing contest. Say what you want from me Kaige and let Natalie go." His words softened, turning seductive. "I remember how you wanted me, Kaige. How you couldn't get enough of my power. How you liked me to fuck you covered in another woman's blood."

  The moan behind her triggered a snarl. Natalie held Alexander in her gaze, demanding he look at her. Their love had been the only thing that kept her sane and safe. A bond that was undeniable and had always been there, until now.

  Now as she searched there void between them there was only emptiness. Alexander refused to look at her. Instead he focused on Kaige with a determination that set fire to the jealous side of her nature.

  "Me for Natalie. That's the deal. You don't even have to look at her. Just let her go, break the bond as her maker and you and I can walk out of here." He lifted his hand, palm up, eyes imploring.

  "You take me for a fool, Alexander." Kaige snarled. "You think I don't know what will happen the second I turn my back? You'll ram a stake through my heart and watch me die. No, I gave up on having a future with you a long time ago. Now... I'm content with revenge."

  The Minotaur grabbed Natalie, wrenching her off her feet. Her shirt was yanked, fabric tore, splitting down the seam to expose her bra. A guttural growl vibrated against the skin on her back as the beast slid her strap down, exposing her breast. No, not here. Not like this. Natalie could feel the animal rising, wanting to take them all down before it turned on her, but Kaige's voice was what kept her from rising to the killing edge, from ending this once and for all.

  "She was always the one, wasn't she, Alexander? Kasia was always the one you loved more than me. I hated her then, just as I hate her now. All these years searching for her, yearning for her, knowing you're the one who destroyed her in the end... that's what you think, isn't it? That you killed Kasia?"

  Alexander stood spellbound by her lies, the devastation was more than Natalie could take. "You know the truth Alexander. Malik, tell him."

  The blow took her by surprise. Kaige wrenched back her arm, whipping her hand across Natalie's face. "Shut the fuck up."

  Her head snapped back onto the Minotaur’s unforgiving chest. Natalie felt the barn tremble. She tried to shake off the feeling, but the sensation stayed.

  "What the fuck is that?" The beast snarled and Natalie knew they felt it too.

  The animal was getting stronger. It wasn't listening to her anymore.

  "Did you ever wonder why Malik was there in the first place?"

  An echo of the past came back in that moment. Get away from her Vampire! What have you done! Kasia... Kasia, please don't die on me. Kasiaaaaa. Malik's voice tormented her from a lifetime ago. Natalie tensed her stom
ach, straining her head so she could find him. Malik stood in a fighters stance, fists ready, but his gaze was on the ground. A warning sounded a silent alarm in her stomach.

  "Tell them Malik, tell them why you were even in Egypt in the first place?"

  Malik remained silent and the warning in Natalie's gut wailed louder.

  She could hear the glee in Kaige's voice. "Malik was sent to kill you, Natalie. Isn't that right?"

  Alexander spun. "You?"

  Malik's gaze shot up at the accusation. "I didn't kill her. I swear on my eternal damn soul. I didn't kill her... I fell in love with her for Christ sake. You were the one in the alley, Vampire. You were the one with her blood on your hands!"

  Alexander shook his head, the dark pools of his eyes seemed so wide they could swallow him whole. "I... I—I didn't mean….”

  The deep throaty laugh was cruel. "You didn't kill her you weak fucking fool, I did. I went to see what was taking Malik so damn long and instead of finding a body, I found them in fucking love. First it was Alexander, then Malik. I couldn't chance losing anyone else to the damn slut, so I slit her throat and left her to die in an alley."

  "I didn't do it." Alexander muttered, as a thick, bloody tear slid down his cheek. "I didn't kill her."

  This was the moment she'd been waiting for and the look of relief on Alexander's face was worth all the pain. All the turmoil and as the last hold on the animal weakened, Natalie felt the connection with Alexander once more.

  She grabbed the Minotaur’s hand and bore down, breaking his hold. One shove and he was tumbling backwards, his eyes widened, a feeble grunt of surprise bursting from his mouth. Natalie was on top of his chest before he could raise his hands to defend himself. The animal was in control now and there wasn't a thing she could do about it.

  She reached through flesh and bone, her fingers like claws, to rip his heart free from his chest. It was the beasts turn to buck and howl, tears snapped as a sickening wet tearing filled the air. The animal laughed, rearing back to toss the pulsing muscle aside before turning on her maker.

  Kaige stumbled back, her wide eyes shot to the writhing monster before coming back to her. "Stop, I command you.”

  But there was no one to command. The animal bowed down to no one. Natalie raised her hand, motioning Kaige forward as she snarled. "Come here, maker. See what you have created."

  Kaige flinched, her white skin turned ashen. She wrenched her head toward the others, scanning what was left of her army. The Alpha whimpered in response. "Kill them all!"

  The wolf and the last two minotaurs lunged toward Alexander. Natalie felt her body freeze and then the animal let out a cry. Her throat burned with the effort, her lungs were on fire. She caught Alexander spin as the first Minotaur reached him. She couldn't let them get hurt—not now when the end was so close. Her thighs tensed, she shot forward lunging for the bitch's throat. Kaige stepped at the last moment. Her nails raked the skin on her face instead.

  Blood welled in long lines down Kaige's face. Her eyes widened, stunned. "You can't do this, you're not supposed to hurt me."

  "Kaige you never were my damn maker. You're just the stupid bitch who pissed me off, not by tearing my throat out and letting those savages rape me, but by coming after those I love."

  Natalie could hear the screams behind her. But the animal wanted blood. She could feel the ground swooning under her feet. The air was thick, hard to breathe. She stumbled forward, reaching for the vampire. It was time to end this.

  The bitch snapped her head forward, catching Natalie on the cheek. She felt her bones snap from the impact. Pain blinded her. She stumbled, her hands wound around Kaige's arm. The contact shot power through her body. Fire lashed out from the center of her soul, pouring out through her hands into the vampire.

  Kaige may have lived if it was only fire, but with the flames came the ancient power of Makkah, driving the heat like a stake through the vampire's heart. She felt the severing of their connection the instant Kaige's life was over. Her body glowed like hot coals from the inside out, her skin blackened, turning to ash in her hands. In one second there was a woman, a vampire and the next there was nothing but a pile of cinders at her feet.

  She spun, searching for the others and caught sight of Grayson lying face down in a pool of blood. Her dead heart kicked like a mule. Natalie scuttled forward, leaping to the ground, her legs pumping, making the distance in a second. "Grayson!"

  Natalie yanked at his shoulder, rolling him over and into her arms. The vacant stare was all that greeted her. Her lover, her partner was open from the waist to his chest with claw marks. Organs bulged out of the deep gash. He was gone, without one last goodbye. She leaned over, finding his still lips with hers as a slick tears fell onto his cheek. "I'm sorry, Gray. I love you."

  The wolf moved in on Sakhr, forcing the warrior to step back. The blades of his swords flashed through the air as he whipped them across his body, back and forth. Revenge fueled her as Natalie placed Grayson gently back to the ground. Malik and Alexander had the last Minotaur on the ground, Alexander pummeling the beast with his bare hands while Malik infused the beast with his flame. The Alpha wolf was all that was left.

  "You son of a bitch, you killed him!"

  The beast was in her hands before she knew. The animal was savage, tearing into the wolf's flesh with her teeth, tearing apart his limbs with her bare hands. From the corner of her vision, Natalie saw the blades still as Sakhr brought the werewolf down until the growl that erupted from between her lips still him.

  "Sakhr, step back. She has him, look." Alexander called carefully.

  "What is wrong with her, why does she look like that?" The Arabian warrior whispered and she could sense what he saw. The animal inside wanted blood, but it wasn't the blood of her enemies—it wanted hers.

  The werewolf snapped, and howled. One jerk of it's head and the neck snapped in two. Heat poured from her hands, singing the fur, melting the flesh just as she'd done to Kaige, until there was nothing left.

  "Natalie. It's okay now, there's no one but us left." Malik called. She snapped her head up, still hunched over the soot at her feet and let out a growl.

  Alexander was the first to move forward. His steps were slow and steady. "Natalie, can you hear us? Are you in there?"

  She was in there, trapped under a power that was all consuming, knowing that the moment had come. This was finally the end. From inside her body Natalie reached out to the animal inside, the three powers that no being alive could hold, let alone wield. Please let me say good bye.

  There was nothing and then the animal inside slowly retreated. She reached for him and felt his cold hand in hers. Alexander was the only man she'd ever die for, the only one who she knew had searched for her. Would he do it again? She hoped so. "You have to do it, Alexander. I can't go on, not like this."

  She felt his body still as he understood the full weight of her words. He shook his head, the burden too great. "Please don't ask me to do this, Natalie."

  "You have to. I'm dying inside myself. I'm alive but I'm dying. This is no life, Alexander. This is existing. But it is no life."

  Malik knelt down beside her, taking her other hand. "She's right, vampire. Look at her, look at what we've done."

  There was only silence as the two men left in her life came to terms with what had to be done. "I love you both. I will always love you both. But if I have to exist like this I won't ever know what that love feels like again. Isn't it better that we start over?"

  She caught Alexander's throat work as he tried to swallow, his voice a rasp. "I can't do this alone."

  Malik answered for her. "We'll do it together."

  "We both take her life?"

  Malik shook his head. "No, we both give her life back."

  Their hands tightened on hers. Alexander leaned forward and kissed her, his lips were perfect on hers, soft subtle. "Are you sure?"

  She nodded. "Yes, I'm sure."

  Malik leaned in, his mouth was hungry, lips
devouring hers, urgent for one last taste. "I will come for you."

  Natalie smiled. "You'd better."

  She caught Sakhr's gaze behind her vampire and her djinn. "Thank you, my love."

  He nodded, watching the incredible unfold.

  Natalie lay down. Her hands still clasped in theirs. There was time for one last smile. She held each of their faces in her mind and whispered. "See you in my next life."

  The power that tore through her mind and body severed every thought, every connection and in the blink of an eye there was nothing left, no Natalie—no animal—only the hope of a better life.

  Epilogue

  Thirty years later

  The passkey lock glowed red as she raised her hand to swipe her access card on the door to her apartment. Carrie stared at the tiny red light and felt a shiver pierce through the exhaustion and race up her spine. I'm sure I armed the place when I left. She lifted her gaze to the locks. There were no scratches on the metal plate, nothing to indicate someone had forced their way in.

  The next doors cat slinked its way along the wall, it's tortoiseshell glistening in the overhead lights. "What's up Leo?"

  One loud meow rang out as the cat rubbed against her leg and moved against the door frame. Carrie lifted her hand toward the lock and slid the key all the way home as the animal stopped, turned toward the doorway and hissed.

  Her head snapped up, senses on alert, but it was too late now as the lock snapped back and the door swung in. She stood in the doorway, staring into the black hole of her apartment. Boxes lined the entrance.

  She'd been in the apartment for a month and already she was over it. The noisy neighbors and their damn animals was one thing, but if her place was going to broken into every month, well, she'd be better off back home. Without thinking her hand lifted to her face, the broken cheekbone a reminder of why she left. Love paved the way to heartbreak and hell—there was no way she was going back there.