by Salem Cross
Arthur’s eyebrows rose, and he played with his goatee. He said nothing, and the silence stretched between us. I leaned back on my hands and looked up.
“I wonder if you were affected by whatever negative energy was sent out over the park, or if your body reacted defensively the same way it did with Jasmine? What if your body was not allowing the energy to affect you, and its response was to reject it from your system?” Arthur said after a long silence.
I looked at him curiously. “I don’t follow.”
“When Jasmine tripped the internal switch inside you that caused your power to react, it threw us backward, and we were warned that only the worthy could wield the weapon, or rather, you. You blacked out for that. Whatever affected Jasmine and me, it got into our minds and manipulated us. That same energy tried to enter you, so it is possible that your body was trying to reject it.”
Arthur frowned and looked away again. We fell into a companionable silence while we got lost in our thoughts.
“Arthur,” I said when my thoughts became too dark to further dive into. I looked at my friend and asked, “Can you teach me how to meditate?”
Arthur smiled.
“Of course, but if you fall asleep, I will leave you out here for the mosquitoes.”
I laughed softly and promised not to sleep through his lesson.
“Alright then. Sit straight up, and close your eyes.”
I did as I was told.
“Now focus on your breathing. Think about how your chest and lungs expand and contract with every deep breath you take in. Good. Now, I want you to imagine you are in a dark room with no sounds and no smells. Picture that dark room and focus on it. You are there in that room simply to find solace. Keep taking deep breaths and slowly let them out as you focus on being in the moment in that dark room. Now, that dark room is your mind. Not a thought can enter that room. Here you will find solace, the inner workings that make you Mae. Remember to keep breathing…”
Initially, I thought nothing would come from this, but I had needed a distraction. But as I followed his instructions, I found myself sinking into darkness. Everything seemed to slowly fall away as I focused on that dark room that was my mind. Arthur’s voice faded away and time meant nothing.
Here in this dark room, there was nothing to worry about. There was no fear of the impending doom that Zyroe and Autumn had threatened. There was no pain in my life, and the life I was going to live would not be cut short. I wasn’t an orphan or a college school dropout. My power was an extension of me, not this abstract weapon I had to learn to wield. In this dark room, I was no longer the monster I had named myself. I was just me.
“Mae.”
The sound of my name pulled me from the darkness. I blinked my eyes open and found Arthur staring at me wide-eyed. Behind him stood Rylan and far behind him, I could make out Jasmine’s shadow leaning against the house. Everyone was watching me.
“What? Did I fall asleep?” I frowned. “I thought I was doing it.”
I felt strange. Last night, after Joining with Rylan, my whole world seemed to make sense. This morning I had woken up feeling buoyant and loved. Right now, it was like the final piece of the puzzle had clicked into place.
“You were meditating,” Arthur was quick to assure me. He tilted his head to the side as if to see me from another angle. “It is what happened next…”
“What do you mean? What happened?”
“You were lighting up like a sparkler,” Rylan answered as he came over to me. He crouched down in front of me with a frown. “Are you alright?”
“Like a sparkler?” I repeated, confused. “I didn’t feel my power reacting at all.”
“You were pretty deep into your meditation,” Rylan answered. He gave me his hand, and I took it. Rylan lifted me to my feet as he rose from his crouch and said, “You have been out here for hours.”
“Hours?” I stared at him stunned then looked at Arthur for confirmation. Arthur nodded, his eyes still wide. “Geez… Sorry, I didn’t notice time flying. Thanks for not leaving me out here, Arthur.”
Arthur laughed as he rose from his mat. He clamped a hand down on my shoulder. “Any longer and I would have.”
I gave him a rueful smile as Rylan led me inside.
Chapter Eight
Rylan
Mae insisted on fighting me at every turn. While I understood her reluctance to leave the others, her safety was more important to me than anything else. I attempted to reassure her that once she was out of here, Jasmine and Arthur could call others in for back up. But Mae was quick to remind me that the others could be affected by whatever had triggered the mania the day before. When I told her that I would come back once I knew she was somewhere safe that sent her into a whole new rage. If her power had been as reactive to her emotions as they had been before her trip to the Pocket, the house would have crumbled under her fury.
In her attempt to protect everyone she suggested to Arthur and Jasmine that they should come with us.
“We have an idea of what we’re dealing with now,” she had started, speaking quickly. I could feel her fear for them through our bond. “How about we all leave and make a plan on how to tackle the issues here. Then once we have a real plan we can come back with reinforcements…”
Immediately both Arthur and Jasmine had objected. The three of us Guardians had promised to handle this for Patricia and her pack. All of us leaving was not an option. Mae had become even more upset after that. Her frustrated tears were unshed as she stormed away from us.
She refused to eat breakfast and refused to pack. Her power was glowing bright this morning under her skin. Through our new connection I could feel her discomfort, teetering on the verge of pain. But she refused to go outside and expel any of it. I tried being reasonable, and I tried being firm, but when she would not budge from the couch in the family room after I had finished rounding up our stuff, I was fed up.
At any moment, whatever energy influenced the behavior of others could happen, and she would be in jeopardy. I could not allow anything to happen to her. I had to get her out of here. But when I demanded that she get up Mae simply crossed her arms over her chest, raised an eyebrow, and clenched her jaw in a show of defiance. I almost stormed over to her and threw her over my shoulder. The idea was certainly appealing. But the last time I had done that she had been royally angry and I did not want to fight any more than we already were. This should be our honeymoon stage. We should be tangled up in each other’s limbs, tasting each other’s skin and drowning in ecstasy. I stomped down the idea and decided to shift tactics. If demanding her compliance was not going to work I knew what would.
“Mae, the longer we stay the more likely we will run into problems. If the three of you lose it while we are here on this property you could end up unintentionally killing them. Or what happens if they end up hurting you? Can you imagine how they would feel if they did anything to harm you?” I asked her as she sat, unmoving on the couch.
Immediately the anger and fear that I felt through our bond shifted to guilt. It was a low blow, but I had not lied. They would feel just as terrible about hurting her as she would feel about hurting them. Her stiff shoulders sagged, and she looked down into her lap.
“We will figure out how to help Arthur and Jasmine from a distance,” I told her gently. “We will not leave them to the wolves.”
Mae scoffed at my poor attempt at a joke to lighten the mood.
“Alright… let’s go,” she conceded with a deep frown. I helped her off the couch and we headed towards the front door.
Stay safe, I said to both Guardians as we walked outside. The moment Mae is safe I will be back.
Both Guardians had disappeared after saying their goodbyes in the hopes that it would help sway Mae to leave. Guilt caused a knot to form in my stomach. I had tried to sleep last night to no avail. While I knew it was best for Mae to be as far away from here as possible, I was putting the other two in danger.
Her anxiousness and worry g
rew as we walked towards the SUV. It was so strong it no longer felt like an echo. I could sense the connection between our minds strengthening. I would not be surprised if I would be able to hear her thoughts within a few hours. I cringed as I thought about what she was thinking of me now. While I was eager to know the inner workings of my mate, I could probably wait until she cooled down to peek into her mind.
I opened the passenger door for her to get in but Mae paused. She looked up at the house, her eyes searching the windows for something… or someone. Was she watching for Arthur and Jasmine? As she stared up at the house I was sure her mind was frantically racing for ways to save the others. My stomach twisted in guilt again.
“We will figure out something,” I told her again.
She pulled her gaze away from the house and turned to look at me. She lifted her hand to place it on my chest. But just before her hand made contact I was suddenly knocked off my feet and thrown backward. Years of training kicked in. I twisted in the air and landed in a crouch, twenty yards away from the SUV and Mae.
Mae’s eyes were wide with surprise. We stared at one another, stunned by what was clearly an accident. A curious expression crossed her face, and she turned from me to face the SUV. For a moment, I was sure she was going to climb in. Instead, she raised her hands, and a violet wave of energy flew from her palms. I stared, shocked, as the SUV was thrown across the front yard and slammed into a tree, totaling it. Mae turned slowly towards me; her mouth hung open in surprise.
“Did you see that?”
Her whispered question was rhetorical. Of course, I had seen her fling a vehicle a hundred yards away. The grin that spread across her face was full of satisfaction and excitement.
“I did that on purpose. I controlled it! I did it!” Her squeal of delight was paired with a spin of elation as she turned to study her handiwork.
My shock was overshadowed by my pride. Her excitement and joy fizzled through my body and I grinned with her. After two years of being unable to control that chaos within her, the simple act of throwing the SUV was monumental for her. Hopefully this meant that with a little time and patience she would have that control she so clearly wanted. As she did another spin with excitement I began to walk towards her.
I was an arm’s length away from Mae when I sensed the intruder. How was that possible? No one could cross through a Guardian’s territory without a Guardian knowing. My eyes swept the woods, my senses expanding outwards looking for the danger. The hair on the back of my neck rose as I felt eyes watching me.
“Mae, go into the house.”
“Really? Are we stay—,” Her question was cut off by a loud, distorted howl just beyond the tree line nearby. Another howl answered the first on the other side of the house. The call was wheezy. It was not the howl of shifters. Mae’s soft gasp of alarm caused my body to tense up tighter.
“Get in the house, Mae, now!” I ordered without looking at her.
A snap of a twig was the only warning I had. The thick, hairy, muscular body of a werewolf leapt towards us with a speed unmatched by most creatures. Mae’s scream faded to the background of my mind as I threw myself at the abomination. I slammed into the werewolf’s chest, throwing it backwards where it skidded across the ground. The creature jumped back onto its feet and snarled. Saliva dripped from its mouth. Its hairy body trembled with rage. My wings ripped my shirt to shreds. Freed from the confines of the material, I reached down to pull my sword from the mark on my abdomen.
The werewolf took a step forward while it bared its rotting teeth at me. I didn’t wait for the next attack. I lunged for the creature, sweeping my blade low, knowing what it would instinctively do next. The werewolf jumped back but immediately shot forward. I twisted my blade in my hand, and with a grace that came from centuries of practice, I effectively skewered it. Its claws raked across my torso. Pain flared through my chest, but I pushed it down as I shoved the creature away with my free hand. The werewolf stumbled several feet away from me as the wound I had inflicted bled profusely.
Another snarl from behind me warned me of our second trespasser. I knew, without looking, Mae was still outside with me despite my command. Anger and fear collided. Werewolves, while bulky monstrosities, had a speed that most underestimated. The fact that they could clear the distance of a football field in a single bound was enough to strike fear into even the bravest warriors.
The sound of multiple bolts of lightning exploding up from the ground was enough to pull my attention off the wounded werewolf in search of Mae. She was right where I had left her, except now her legs were spread apart and her hands were curled into fists. Her brows were drawn together, and her concentration was focused on something in front of her. Around her were blackened spots where her power had erupted. I followed her gaze to find a werewolf watching her from the woods by the side of the house.
A third howl alerted me to another member of this unusual pack. The sound was cut off abruptly. The werewolf watching Mae turned its attention towards the third party, and I moved. I flew across the space between us. I wrapped my arm around her waist, twirled her around, and put her behind me as the wounded werewolf I had left behind staggered to its feet. Dark, black blood dripped from its chest. Its breathing came out as rough pants. It snarled and took a step towards us. The second werewolf in the woods cautiously stepped from the tree line, baring its teeth in an evil grin.
I took a step back, which forced Mae to retreat so she was flat against the house. The second werewolf lunged at us. I brought my sword up and braced myself. Before it crossed half the distance between us, it was hit from the side and thrown off course. Jasmine landed in front of us, her sica drawn and bloody. The werewolf I had wounded stumbled towards me, and I lunged at it, knowing Jasmine would keep the second one at bay. My sword sliced through its flesh and cut through bone. I ignored the shriek of rage as I pulled my sword out of its pelvis, ducked as its large claws swiped out to wound me, and slammed my blade straight into its chest where the heart was located.
The moment my blade cut through the organ, the werewolf stopped moving. Its yellow eyes grew large before the life snuffed out of them. I pulled the blade from its chest and kicked the beast backward. It stumbled and collapsed. The body began to contort. I turned quickly and headed back to Mae, whose eyes were pinned to the creature spasming on the ground. I grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to the front door.
“Do not watch,” I commanded.
“What’s happening to it?” Her horrified whisper tugged at my heart.
Instead of answering her, I opened the front door and shoved her inside. I shut the door behind her and turned to Jasmine, but found she and the werewolf had disappeared into the woods. The mutilated body that had reverted to its human form lay naked and lifeless. As I walked over to it, Arthur landed next to me.
“How did they get past our markers without us knowing?” he asked me as he pulled a lighter from his pocket. He lit it and tossed it on to the body. Instantly, the lifeless human turned to ash. Jasmine stepped out from the woods, her face grim.
“The creature escaped. He vanished right from under my nose.” Her grim expression turned confused. “I have no idea how that is possible.”
“A werewolf ran and disappeared,” Arthur muttered to himself in disbelief. “That is not in their nature.”
“They were working together…” Jasmine said with a shake of her head. “Werewolves do not run in packs. This is too unusual to be ignored.”
“The most concerning part,” I looked at them both, “is that they were able to sneak up on us without detection. That should be impossible.”
Jasmine sighed. “How did Patricia track these werewolves? They hardly have any scent to follow.”
“Speaking of Patricia—,” Arthur started but the front door burst open. Mae ran out, eyes wide. Her whole body was glowing, and her panic became mine as it swirled in my gut.
I was halfway to her when she screamed, “Run!”
Suddenly her whole bod
y stiffened, and she came to an abrupt stop. I watched her face go blank. Fear quickened my pace as I closed the distance between us. I grabbed her wrist and yanked her away from the house knowing what was about to happen. I had seen her like this only once before, but once was enough to know things were about to get ugly. I pulled her into my chest, ready to scoop her up and take her into the air to put distance between her and the house. Before I could get airborne, Arthur slammed into me, knocking Mae out of my arms.
An animalistic snarl bellowed up through my chest and out of my mouth as rage consumed me and I got to my feet. I slammed my fist into Arthur’s face. As his head whipped to the side, I saw the wild, unbridled insanity shining in his red eyes. It was the same look he and Jasmine had shared when they had attacked each other the day before. I punched him again before I jumped back to give myself some space from Arthur. I put myself between Mae, who lay unmoving on the ground, and the others.
Jasmine attempted to fly past us, towards Mae. With my lightning fast reflexes, I grabbed the female warrior by the arm, ripped her out of the air and threw her across the front yard. She landed in a crouch before leaping back into the sky. In front of me, Arthur pulled his flail from the tattoo on his shoulder blade. As he brought his weapon up to strike me, I slammed my fist into his gut and then elbowed him in the jaw. He swung his flail, and I had to step out of the way to avoid being hit, which left Mae unprotected. A flash of movement overhead caught my attention. Jasmine was now speeding down towards Mae, her sica in her hand.
Abruptly, the world around us became blanketed in a violet hue. The ground beneath Arthur’s feet exploded and a thick rope of violet lightning struck him. I watched in awe as Mae’s power snaked through him. His body twitched and spasmed; his eyes bulged from their sockets. The veins under his skin began to protrude. Another bolt of lightning flashed up from the ground just inches from me, striking Jasmine in her descent.
