by Kim Faulks
The growing blot swallowed the cupboard, pushing the door wide. Each shriek from the rusted metal hinges ripped through her, shredding her nerves. From inside the cupboard, she heard the crack of a whip, followed by a scream so faint, she strained to hear. The sound of her name echoed from inside the cupboard. The brutal cry for help was from a voice she knew better than her own. The impact of the sound was like a blow to her stomach. Helaine staggered forward, reaching for the wooden door. "Claire! Claire!"
Darkness spilled through the crack in a never-ending fog, creeping along the ceiling and across the floor, reaching for her with a determination she sensed in her gut. Terror gripped her heart and squeezed. She stared into the inky gloom. A flicker of movement, a blink. Someone—or something—blinked.
Something stared back.
Am I crazy after all? For an instant, the scent of disinfectant overwhelmed the stench of blood. The hospital, the drugs, the nurses’ fake tones of patience and concern resounded in her skull. The lie in Mark’s eyes when he said he loved her.
A louder voice shattered those painful memories.
Move or you will die. Move or you will fucking die!
A creak echoed through the room. Helaine whimpered and dropped to her knees. Death was coming for her. Death was finally coming and no amount of jasmine could help her now.
She gripped the pathetic knife and crawled around the counter, not taking her eyes off the door. This isn't real. It's not really happening. Helaine tried to shake the fog from her mind. There were many things she didn't understand in this world—cruel things that kept her awake at night. But what she knew in this moment–what she understood with chilling clarity–was that Claire was hurt and she was somewhere inside that cupboard.
A growl echoed through the dim room. She clenched the knife and let out a snarl. Claire was all Helaine had left in this world. She was the only one who hadn’t abandoned her when she needed someone the most. There was no way she’d let her friend down now. The handle of the knife slipped in her palm. She moved the blade to the other hand and wiped the sweat on her jeans, determined to meet death head-on. Like a cancer, the shadow already devoured half her dining room. The disease consumed all the light, reaching for her, ready to take her into the depths of whatever Hell it'd come from. The growl deepened, sending shivers along her skin.
She caught movement at the edge of her vision. Something dark and big rushed from behind. She screamed and jolted sideways against the counter as the head of a massive beast came into her side view. Helaine gaped as the biggest dog she'd ever seen glanced at her and then shifted its attention to the darkness.
The hound's glossy coat was marred by thick scars. One of its ears was mangled, but the creature’s brown eyes were sharp and alive. The dog caught her stare. In those big brown eyes she saw kindness… she saw love, love like she'd never seen before. In that moment, she knew she wasn't alone. Someone was looking out for her, someone from above.
Helaine's heart slowed, even though each hard thump still reverberated through her body. Slowly, she reached for the animal's thick coat, running her fingers over the muscles in its shoulders, taking comfort in the animal’s presence. She whispered, "Thank you."
The beast whimpered softly and then turned to the growing shadows in the room.
"Helaine! help me! Don’t leave me here! Don’t leave me here!" Claire's distant screams reached out to her. She mirrored the beast beside her in a whimper. She could feel death reaching for her, and this was no blissful embrace. This death was cruel and cold. This death would take her for eternity. The warrior-creature beside her snarled. Teeth snapped and the darkness reeled back. But not for long. It was coming again and Helaine knew to her bones it was coming for her.
The world around her slowed while her heart raced out of control. The shadow reared and so did the dog. Helaine stared in horror as the hound and the shadow collided in mid-air. The muscled beast lunged at the inky blot. Its huge body shuddered on impact with the shadow. How can that be? Her mind reeled from the fact her eyes revealed.
A shriek rent the air, but Helaine didn’t think the sound came from the dog. With a deep growl, the animal lunged again, only to flip and drop onto its back.
The dog’s head lolled toward Helaine. Their eyes met, and for an instant, Helaine felt another surge of hope. Springing to its feet, the beast howled, causing every hair on her body to stand. He shook himself and sprang forward.
Run! That voice inside her screamed, distorting the haunting howls of the beast that fought for her. Run!
Helaine dropped the knife and scurried toward the hallway, eyes fixed on the open door to the hallway. She had to get out of here. Tears blurred her vision. She bounced off the door frame. The impact forced the air from her lungs and for a moment, none returned. The sound of the dog's howls followed her. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't see. This can’t be happening.
Something told her that more than Claire’s life was at stake. The shadow held her friend’s soul in its bony fingers. Part of her mind screamed, Hurry! Help her! But she had no idea who she called out for. Who could fight a shadow made of stone?
The animal’s howls turned to shrieks of pain—until the hideous noise ended, leaving a silence just as harrowing as the sound. She hit a wall and stumbled backward. Stunned, she blinked. The wall grabbed her. Her mind rejected the idea, but strong hands came out of nowhere, gripping her.
She reacted, screaming and hitting. Her blows bounced back from a hard chest.
"Hey! Stop! I'm not here to hurt you."
Helaine dropped her fists and stared through her tears into the stranger’s eyes. Only he wasn't a stranger. She knew him from somewhere. This is the man from the other night—the party.
He gripped her, his hands engulfing her upper arms. Movement behind him drew her gaze. Men flanked him on both sides like an army. One kept his face hidden, his hood drawn low, but the rest stared at her with eyes that showed no fear. The grip around her arms tightened. One word made hope flare to life inside her.
"Where?"
"It's in there... it's going to kill him." Helaine pointed to the open doorway.
They lunged past as one, leaving her to flounder in the hallway like a trapped bird. Her chest ached, the pressure building until she realized that she was holding her breath. She stumbled to the wall, staring as they disappeared through her apartment doorway. There was no sound from inside her home, no screams of terror.
Only endless silence, accompanied by the thrashing of her heart while at the end of the hall the sun dimmed. Shadows reached for her while the day slipped from her grasp. The voice inside remained silent.
Helaine waited, each second a slow death until a figure strode from the doorway, followed by another and then another. The blond man was last out. He cradled the limp hound in his arms. She tried to race past him, averting her eyes from the blood glistening on the animal’s black fur. An outstretched hand to her chest drew her up short.
"Let me pass,” she cried, her fists clenched, swallowing the pain in her wounded palm, ready to fight anyone who stood in her way. “She's in there, somewhere.... Claire. Claire!" She stretched on tiptoe, trying to see past the cloaked figure blocking her path.
"It's okay, Fate. Let her through," the blond commanded.
Helaine stumbled through the doorway. Claire had to be in there somewhere. She had to be... The kitchen was empty. She ran into the dining room. The splattered walls and carpet forced her gaze to the one spot she was afraid to look. The wardrobe gaped open, dark and hungry. Short, deep gouges marred the inside of the door, as though someone tried desperately to get out. Helaine stared into the abyss, her chest heaving, her mind screaming.
"Your friend's gone."
She spun, catching sight of the man in the doorway. “Gone? What do you mean gone? I don’t understand any of this. I don’t understand—Claire, I have to find Claire!”
“We will find her.” He raised the wounded animal in his arms before she could demand to kno
w how they’d find Claire. “He risked his life to save yours. Do you want us to leave him here to die?” He dropped his eyes to the animal in his arms, but Helaine sensed his focus was on her. There was nothing here. Her stomach sank as she took in the silence. The apartment was empty. Claire was gone, only the smears of blood remained. She swallowed and nodded, moving to the bleeding hound.
Reality seemed so twisted, all she could focus on was the dog. "No. We have to get him to a vet."
As he stared from beneath raised brows, his blue eyes darkened. "No vet can save him. His spirit's wounded more than his body. It's infected with the Corrupt."
His words made no sense. The dog whimpered in pain. One by one, the group of strangers pushed past, leaving her standing in the corridor alone and feeling stranded. Helaine glanced around her apartment. There was nothing inside she wanted. Everything she'd loved was now gone. Still, she reached inside and flipped the lock before slamming the door shut.
“I don ‘t understand what that means. But we have to try and save him somehow.” Her words were left behind. They never slowed as they headed for the stairs. They’re taking him somewhere. She had nowhere to go. The thought of going back to Claire's made the panic inside her flutter. The police didn't believe her. Neither did her ex. She was alone.
"You best hurry if you're coming with us."
Her head snapped up at the command. The man halted in the middle of the hall with his back to her, waiting. She swallowed, weighing the options on her scale of fractured reality and took a step forward. He heard her take the first step and marched ahead, making her race to catch up to him as he disappeared down the stairs.
Helaine followed him to a black four-wheel drive. The truck sat sideways in front of her building. The vehicle’s front wheels crested the curb, making the vehicle resemble a modern-day battering ram.
The others climbed into the vehicle while her blond-haired savior strode around to the back. She followed him, watching the muscles in his arm bulge as he bent over the tailgate, carefully placing the massive hound inside. She heard a soft whimper and sprang forward, squeezing past the man. Throwing her leg over the gate, she slid into the back. The blond held the animal, seeming not to want to let it go until she whispered, "I'll hold him. I'll take care of him."
The growl of the engine filled the interior. He let the animal go and stepped back. Within seconds, the black-tinted window slid closed, blocking out the rest of the world. The dog whimpered as the car slid forward. She cradled its head in her arms. Drops of blood shone against black fur. Helaine wriggled closer. After lifting the dog's head onto her lap, she patted his flank, feeling the muscles quiver at her touch. "It's okay. You're going to be okay. You're going to be fine."
This animal had given its life for hers. She'd never witnessed anything so selfless, or felt a love so pure... except....
Her stomach pained with an ache that welled from the center of her soul. The dog whimpered. Helaine shuddered and smelled jasmine.
"Jesus." The man barked from the backseat. "Rein it in while we're driving, for Christ's sake. You want us to total the car and be on the six o'clock news?"
She jerked her head up and was met with icy stares from the two warriors in the backseat. What did I do? She kept her hand moving, stroking the dog's head and rubbing his ears. All she cared about was saving this animal. They could yell at her, they could hit her. She didn't care. Nothing else mattered.
One of them shifted in his seat and caught her gaze. His jet black hair and kohl-lined eyes triggered a memory of lust. The image of gyrating hips and glistening bodies filled her mind. Helaine felt her face flush at the memory. The man beside him didn't help her discomfort, with tousled bedroom hair and the most perfect lips she'd ever seen on a man.
"Wait a fucking minute." The exotic one muttered as his eyes widened. "She doesn't know, does she?"
“Know what?” she croaked.
"Enough, Nile. Now's not the time." The blond barked from the front seat. Nothing made sense and her head hurt from the strain of trying to make things make sense. "I don't understand. What's happening?"
The car swayed, throwing her from one side to another, because the man behind the wheel took the corners in Sydney's cluttered backstreets a little too fast. She steadied herself gripping whatever she could to remain upright, silently urging them to go faster. They took tight corners with hand-brake turns while the hound’s labored breathing slowed. The world outside spun as her heart ached. She held his head and stared into his eyes. "Stay with me, please. Stay with me."
The four-wheel drive slowed. She caught sight of a dilapidated warehouse. A steel door slid up, and before she realized what was happening, they were inside. Car doors opened and slammed shut, and in a second, the back window slid down.
The blond jumped from the front seat and stalked along the side of the vehicle. He reached through the open window. His long hair fell across her arms when he lifted the huge dog like a baby, taking the animal from her. She scrambled over the tailgate and had to jog in order to follow him down a narrow hallway. The others walked ahead of them, one man’s robe billowing out as they moved.
Her canine protector whined in the stranger’s arms. She raced to catch up. "Please, hurry."
The narrow corridor gave Helaine a sense of familiarity. This was the hall from the other night, the one she stumbled into seeking safety, only to find something completely different. In the light of day, the place looked different, nothing like the seedy sex pit she'd left. She followed the man through the hall to a set of stairs. He took them two at time, leaving her behind.
Her thighs burned as she matched his speed—until she caught sight of a giant standing outside a doorway. The man turned his attention toward her. His cold stare made her steps falter. He was the biggest man she'd ever seen in her life, dwarfing even the blonde beside him.
"You don't wanna go in there."
Helaine jerked her head around at the new voice. The woman perched on the railing around the top of the stairwell. Helaine was sure she'd encountered her before. The two men disappeared inside the room, locking her out. In the light, she caught the sweep of the woman's breasts and the flare of her hips underneath the dark cloak. This was the woman from the other night... the one in the shadows.
"Now." The woman said, dropping her legs from the railing and swinging to face her. She took one slow step in her direction. Helaine felt her stomach clench, watching the distance between them disappear as the woman growled. "I think it's about time we had a chat. You know, woman to woman."
CHAPTER FIVE
"We have a problem."
The Chosen tried to focus on the point of the map where the rogue witch Sarah had been seen until her frustration got the better of her. She spun to face an Elder. He clutched the arms of a human who looked like bloody bag of flesh and bones.
"She fought back." The beast explained with a shrug, dragging the body behind him.
She glanced down at the limp figure. The young woman's blonde hair was matted with bright blood. This was a problem, a big problem. The Ancient needed power to gather strength. The sheer amount required to turn the tiny nucleus into an all-consuming entity was astounding. Every meat-bag they bought here served a purpose. They prayed, and prayer funneled power like a high voltage wire straight into the heart of her Father. This had been centuries of work, years of obtaining and flogging these… pathetically naïve humans until they died. Her rage simmered, shooting sparks of fury to the surface as she stared at the motionless sack at her feet. Dead naïves don't pray. They don't do a damn thing except stink up the place. "Tell me you didn’t just bring me a dead human."
"No. I... I don't think so, but this isn't the problem I meant." The beast dropped the body and it hit the ground with a dull thump.
The Chosen didn't have time for this shit. She had a battle to prepare for. Her jaw muscles screamed as she clenched her teeth, waiting for this walking body bag to speak. The elder in front of her was gaunt and still had that
new demon stench she hated.
"What? Wait, which one are you?" she growled, and then realized she didn't really care. "Well, are you going to let me in on the problem, or do I have to find a crystal ball? I’m dealing with bigger problems here. "
His stupid expression on his face made her want to lash out and beat him to a bloody pulp. Disgust rolled through her. "Just spit it out and get out of my face."
He spoke too fast. She had trouble catching up. "There was an incident, a big incident. The beast came from nowhere. At first, I thought we had the right one, but when the target came through the door and headed toward me, I knew I’d been mistaken. I had to adjust the plan."
She could feel a twitch on the edge of her eye. "What woman?"
"The one from the alley. The one you wanted us to watch."
The bloody blonde moaned. Apparently she was still alive. The Chosen had bigger things to worry than some brain-dead moron, fucking shit up. Her stomach tightened like a fist. What fucking woman? She tried to keep her anger under control. "I didn't ask for anyone to be followed. I want to know everything. Who gave the order and when?" She focused on this animated sac of flesh and took one step closer. "I want to know everything. And I mean everything."
He glanced at the motionless body on the floor and then lifted his eyes to her chin. "The dog came out of nowhere. I was lucky to escape with my life. I've not felt a connection like this before. The deity that covets this woman is ferocious—" The elder stopped mid-sentence. His eyes widened before he continued. "I was only doing what I was told."
She forced a smile and reached out, patting the animated corpse on the shoulder. He shrank from the flames that glinted from her long black nails. She longed to strike him in the face, to draw blood with the rings which adorned each knuckle. She held her power in check—for now. "I understand. Please. Tell me about the woman."
"We followed her, just like you asked, but she got away from us. We tried to go after her into the alley like you said, but the wards were too strong... we lost one of our own in the process—"
