by Marie Hall
Ewan ran to her as he called his unbecoming. Half man, half wolf, as he latched onto her with paws and hefted her to her feet. Fire sizzled through his veins, touching her was like touching a live wire. Power so strong rolled off her in waves, made him clamp his teeth against the scream trapped in his throat.
Dizzy with sweat, he gulped in air, trying to keep her steady on her feet. She swayed, blinking huge owl eyes back at him. They were still purple.
“Ewan?” she whimpered. “I’m scared.”
“I got ye, Red. Stay with me. Listen to my voice.” He patted her cheek, trying to get her to focus. But her head kept lolling side to side.
She was mumbling and he could only catch snatches of it. “…what did I do? Wicked… Dead?”
“Nay, lass,” he shook his head. Trying hard to tamp down the stomach churning memory of Kermani broken and bloody, so that he could answer her with a calm, reassuring voice. “He will live.” Maybe. “Yer nay wicked, Red. Now wake up.”
There was clapping and the caw of several thousand birds and Ewan’s heart sank to his knees.
“My big black wolf.” Malvena’s voice was bottomless, insidious. “And so we meet again. I thought you dead.” There was a ghostly quality to her voice that was both lyrical and wickedly disturbing.
He shuddered, trying to keep Red firmly tucked within the shelter of his body. She was still mumbling.
Malvena stepped out of the shadows. She wore a robe spun of midnight and stars, it cut along the length of her body, exposing tantalizing bits of naked flesh beneath. Her red hair crackled like the flames of a chimera. Her rose red lips were curved up in a plump, luscious smile.
Crows sat on each shoulder, their beady black eyes drilling holes through Ewan’s skull. Malvena petted one of them.
“Is baby hungry?” she cooed.
The crow snapped its beak with a loud thud. Malvena’s deep blue eyes glowed with satisfaction.
“Why are ye here?” Ewan snarled, rubbing a soothing hand down Red’s cold arm.
Malvena cocked her head. “That is none of your concern. You no longer work for me. Tell me,” she ran her long red nail up and down the bird’s back, “did you like being Danika’s whore?”
His mouth curled.
She touched her breast, the slight curve of it peeking out beneath the robe. “When you could have had all…” She continued trailing her hand slowly down the peekaboo path of skin, down to the vee between her legs, hidden by the flimsiest bit of tassel. “This.”
Then her eyes hardened and something dangerous flickered within. “Instead you choose to betray me!” Her voice grew deep, full of tempestuous hate. “Aero. Aria. Go.”
The crows shot off her shoulders and she cackled as they bomb dived his head, their sharp beaks slashing at the back of his skull, drawing blood.
Ewan swatted at them, while trying to shield Red’s body.
Then there were more. Ten. Twenty. Thirty. He was blinded by a choking cloud of feathers and beaks as blood poured into his eyes.
Red screamed, tiny fingers dug into his chest.
“Oh don’t worry,” Malvena sneered, “they were only sent to kill you, Ewan. Little Red Riding Hood and I have much to speak of.”
Even though the cawing of so many birds nearly deafened him, he’d heard her every word. Chunks of flesh were picked off his body, too many birds to keep up with.
Malvena snapped her fingers, and with one final scream, Red was yanked out from beneath him.
“Violet!” Ewan roared, but there was no answer.
Malvena and Red were gone, all that remained were killer crows.
Chapter 16
One second she was in his arms, terrified, but safe. The next, she was bobbing in water. Teeth chattering, Violet rubbed her arms, coughing and sputtering as salty waves slapped her in the face.
The sky was a dark greenish-yellow and streaked with thick ribbons of clouds.
“The Heartsong. At last we meet.”
Startled, Violet twirled. A miniature woman floated above her, broad black butterfly wings flapping languorously behind her. “Malvena,” her voice cracked. “Where’s Ewan? What have you done to him?”
The fairy flicked her wrist. “Oh nothing that I shouldn’t have done ages ago. But tell me,” her blue eyes sparkled, “was he as good in the sack as I always thought he’d be? He’s got such a hard on for you.”
“You’re disgusting,” Violet said, and then a wave smacked into her. She swallowed the briny water, coughing violently as she tried to expel it from her lungs.
“Oh, please don’t tell me you didn’t sleep with him.” Malvena smirked.
The woman was mad.
Pulse ringing in her ears, spitting sea water out, Violet jerked around desperately trying to spot land, anywhere she could get out. Another long swell lifted her in the air, she stretched her arms, letting the wave drag her up. Where was the land?
“Don’t bother,” Malvena smiled, “you’re in the middle of the NeverSea. There’s no land for miles.”
Violet opened her mouth.
Malvena tsked. “I wouldn’t scream if I were you. You see, the Sea Hag makes her home here and she hasn’t eaten in a couple weeks.” Malvena laughed and whispered conspiratorially, “I wouldn’t disturb her if I were you.”
Panic ate at her brain and with the panic came the darkness trapped in her soul. It seeped up through her blood like a slow toxin.
A glint of something malevolent winked back at Violet and then Malvena inhaled, eyes rolling to the back of her head. The rainbow colored mist beginning to escape through Violet’s body rolled toward the demonic fairy.
Violet jerked, sucking in a breath as a chill radiated through her bones, feeling as if her soul had just been leeched from her body. She cried out and wiped the back of her nose, a red streak marred the back of her hand.
Malvena clutched her chest and danced, wings flitting happily as she crowed loudly. “So much power.”
Tiny fangs drew down from the fairy’s mouth.
Her powers wouldn’t work on the Black. Couldn’t work on her. Malvena could suck her up too; clean her out like a vampire draining their victim’s blood. The crone had done it too, but Malvena was much, much stronger.
Sea water stung Violet’s eyes, mingled with the tears running down her cheeks.
Vi started to swim, anything was better than staying put and letting herself be eaten alive by the cannibal.
“I told you, swimming is fruitless.” The voice no longer sounded feminine. “Come here, girl!”
It was like invisible bands wrapped around Violet’s middle and yanked her back to where she’d been. She thrashed, but the bands were unyielding.
“You misunderstand me, Little Hood,” Malvena smiled and then licked her lips. The serpentine forked tongue made Violet tremble and her stomach drop to her knees.
“You killed my crone, and made mincemeat of Kermani.” She laughed with a sound like the demonic toll of Hell’s bells. “You are not the same miserable, pathetic girl I searched for before. You are strong, powerful.”
She flitted closer and Violet winced when the tiny claw dragged along her jaw.
“The hate, it burns in you.” She inhaled. “You like killing, the taste of power. Embrace it, Violet, for it is our friend.”
Violet jerked away, swimming backwards, kicking her feet to get away from the ten inch nightmare. “Why are you telling me this? Where’s Ewan?”
Malvena smiled. “You like him,” she laughed, “you do know he killed Jana.”
“Because she was working for you!” Violet snarled. “She was going to kill me. He saved me.”
“He worked for me too, little girl. Or did you not know that part of the story?”
The crux of it, the whole point of her anger toward Ewan, was that right there. He’d been sent to kill her. By Malvena. And he would have done so. Except she was his mate. And from that moment on, he’d done his very best to rectify his misdeeds. A soft smile pulled at her he
art and tugged on her lips.
“I know it. I also know he’s mine.”
“Ohh,” Malvena tapped her chin, “you’ve claimed him too. How very interesting.”
Water moved rapidly beneath Violet’s feet. She kicked, feeling the rolling balls of waves slap hard against her legs. Glancing down, she frowned at the muddy water.
“Then here’s your choice, Red.” Malvena held up a finger. “I won’t kill you. I’ll release you and give you Ewan as your lifelong mate,” she rolled her eyes, “and in return all I ask is one itty bitty favor. You won’t even miss it. Much.” She shrugged.
Violet’s heart clenched. “He’s alive?”
Malvena nodded. “For now.”
A small favor. Violet seriously doubted anything would be small with the Black. This was a devil’s deal, she’d be stupid to make it. Everyone knew the devil always lied.
“What?”
“I want your soul.” She didn’t smile, laugh, or even twitch a brow. Malvena’s words were sharp, clear, and unswerving.
Violet slapped her palm over her heart. “My soul? Why? Why do you want me?”
“Oh come, come.” Malvena rolled her wrist. “Let’s not get all theatrical about this. You don’t even need a soul to live. You’ll still be immortal, but with none of your wicked powers. And honestly, wouldn’t it be a blessing to let go of that evil side of you?”
The way she said it, so calmly, rationally, Violet couldn’t help but consider it. She didn’t want to be bad. To crave hurting things. What would it be like to live the rest of her life without the darkness inside her?
She licked her lips.
Malvena flitted closer, holding out her tiny hand. “All you have to do is say… yes.”
It was so tempting. So, so tempting…
Malvena’s full lips curved. “I had a daughter once. She looked a lot like you. Blonde hair, green eyes, with a smattering of freckles along her nose.”
Her words were soft, yearning. It made her seem less monstrous, more human. Violet leaned in ever so slightly.
Malvena settled on Violet’s shoulder, her insubstantial weight barely felt as she tucked strands of Vi’s wet hair behind her ear. Gently patting it into place.
“My reasons are entirely altruistic. I’m simply a mother who wants her daughter back. Can’t you understand?”
In that moment, in that second, Violet didn’t see a deranged or even evil fairy, she saw something that was grieving. Desperate to make right a wrong. How could she deny her that chance?
“STOP!”
The scream shattered Violet’s thoughts, startled, she glanced up. Her Aunt flitted beside another tiny fairy. Miriam was grabbing her chest, heaving for breath. The traveling portal was little more than a sliver of a rift in the brackish sky.
“Get away from us, Shunned!” Malvena’s voice was pure malic again, dripping with deadly intentions.
“Danika,” Miriam pointed to Violet, her hand trembled, gray wisps of hair frizzed around her head with static power, “stop her.”
A pink ball of light zoomed like a rocket toward them. Violet could barely understand anything that was going on. Then the pink ball crashed into Malvena and a scuffle broke out. They were clawing, gouging at each other. Danika’s fangs became thick and long.
“She’s mine!” Malvena screamed.
Then a tiny set of teeth pierced Violet’s neck, breaking through the vein, and started drinking.
It was like being envenomed by a thousand wasps, prodded with ten thousand scorpion tails, and burned alive. Violet screamed as something cold and dark welled up from the pit of her stomach, leeching life and soul from her body.
Then the teeth were ripped out and blood leaked down her breast. Her head swam as the waves that’d calmed while Malvena spoke to her, now raged. Wracked with chills, she could barely move even though the water frothed and bubbled, churning with rage, lathered with fury. All around, it looked like the water bled red. Was she bleeding? Dying? There was so much blood, it was everywhere.
Violet’s heart stuttered when a series of undulations rolled just below the surface; with a green glint of scales beginning to peek through.
“Aunt Mir,” Violet screamed, finally able to find her voice.
Her Aunt’s arms were wrapped around her. She was back to normal size, but her skin looked worn, her eyes ragged. “Calm yerself, me love.”
“Danika, have you got her?”
Something big and very rough brushed Violet’s feet. She lifted her feet, tucking them beneath her bottom, even though the position forced more sea water into her mouth. There was something underneath.
“Help,” Danika cried, her wand pointed at Malvena who--though her nose was busted and bloodied--wore a smile. The veins in her neck pulsed and twitched violently. No words escaped her lips, but there was a rigidity in her mummified stance that said she was fighting whatever enchantment Danika had thrown at her.
“I’m too weak,” Danika said, arm trembling.
Aunt Mir withdrew her wand, a pink bolt of energy sang from its tip and Malvena’s back arced, the robes were the only things that moved.
“This won’t hold her long,” Miriam cried.
“What are you doing?” Violet gasped as Malvena’s eyes began to bulge from their sockets.
Aunt Mir was sweating, her nostrils flared tight. “We’ve bound her, but it won’t last long. You must kill her, Violet.”
Just then the beast that’d been thrashing the waters broke free. All Violet saw was a dog’s face with tusks the lengths of her arms.
“Bloody damn!” Danika sputtered. “We can’t stay here, Mir.”
“I can hold her long enough for you to open the portal,” Miriam cried, a shiny drop of blood dripped from her nose.
Aunt Miriam cried out when Danika moved to flick her wrist and open a portal. The dog faced hag swooped in, razor teeth grinding maliciously, its fetid breath bathing Violet’s face when she was yanked by her collar through the portal. Taken to only the gods knew where.
Where was Ewan?
Chapter 17
His mouth was full of feathers and gore, his breathing was harsh and ragged. Ewan stood in the center of a pile of dead crows. Small black eyes unblinking, beaks opened, some with dangling bits of fur and flesh still in them.
He’d kill one and two more would take its place. Pecking, gouging, and tearing at him. His fur was matted with blood, mostly his own. One of the beaks had nearly pierced through to his lungs.
A soft wuffing sound happened whenever he exhaled. His muscles spasmed with each painful step he took. Blood clouded his vision, he licked his muzzle, but the thick liquid only ran harder when he broke up the clots.
Where had Malvena taken her? They could be anywhere. Anywhere. Dead crows littered his feet, Ewan threw back his head and howled. There was no scent, no trace of them.
Long he called, voice rolling up and down in a haunting melody of anguish and sorrow. But there was no answer. The woods were pregnant with silence, thick with secrets.
Calling the unbecoming, he grit his teeth through the transformation, grunting when his bones popped and snapped back to human proportions. Panting, covered in sweat and his own gore, he dropped to his knees. Black hair covered his face as he tried to remember the stories his sire had told him long ago.
His father had never talked much with Ewan, an absent father most of the time, a drunkard the rest. But once he’d overhead him while thick in his cups, swearing that his bitch whore could never screw the neighbor’s runt again now that he’d marked her.
Ewan had hidden within deep shadow inside the den, trembling when his father had yanked his mother by her hair, dragging her out and laughing in her terrified face that she now bore his mark and she could never run off again without him knowing about it. He’d never seen his mother again after that, his father had become little more than a ghost passing in and out of his life, leaving a seven year old Ewan to care for his three younger siblings.
Ewan
had marked Red.
But he didn’t know how to track her, always relying on his smell, but there was none to find here. Malvena had covered all traces.
Ewan gripped his skull, tugging his hair and gnashing his teeth.
“Red,” he croaked, “where are ye, lass?”
The wind stirred leaves, whispered through feathers of the dead carcasses at his feet. His body ached, screamed whenever he twitched. But he held still and tried to focus on something other than the frenetic beat of his wild heart.
