Awakened in Shadows

by Tigris Eden

  “You hitting on my intended, Walker?”

  Dietrich ignored Enri and made a grab for Jo’s hand again. Once more, she deflected.

  “Do that shit again and I’ll toss you over my shoulder and fuck some sense into you.”

  Jo halted in her tracks, inhaling sharply. He did not just say that. NuNu covered his laugh by coughing, but she also thought she heard him call Dietrich a caveman. Jacobi looked everywhere but at them. Jes laughed, and Draven smiled. Even Mouth had nothing to say, and he always had something to say. Jo started walking again, trying to catch up to the brothers. Enri smirked as she walked past, triumph in his eyes as his posture straightened. He put a hand around her waist and tried to pull her into his side when she stopped walking again.

  “Get your hands off me. I’m not some prize to be won. By either of you.” She looked past Enri to Dietrich to make sure he understood that her speech was for him, as well.

  “Honey, you know the rules. If the Walker wants you, he needs to come through me.”

  That got everyone’s attention. Jo included.

  ~ ~ ~

  They say violence begets more violence. So if Enri felt the need to challenge Dietrich, he would have no problem answering the call, fist for fucking fist.

  “You must be a fool,” Dietrich chuckled, making sure he snagged Jo around the waist, bringing her close. She didn’t struggle. She didn’t go willingly either. “Does it look like she intends to do anything with you? Be your bride, wash your clothes, cook your food, or suck your dick?”

  Jo’s eyes widened at his taunt. Her mouth dropped open as if she were about to say something, but she must have thought better of it, because she closed it seconds later.

  “Don’t care what she wants, but I will indulge you, Walker. You want her; I may just give her up. For a price.”

  There he went with this shit again. Trying to make a deal. He wasn’t going to agree to anything where Enri was concerned.

  “This dude is always trying to make deals, like he’s a genie or some shit,” Dietrich commented.

  “We will not indulge violence here. Do I make myself clear?” Gregor looked first to Dietrich and then Enri.

  “Gregor, if I wish to accept a challenge from the Walker, I’ll do just that,” Enri growled over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off Dietrich and Jo.

  That was the wrong thing to say to Gregor. His eyes closed slowly. When he opened them again, they were a blood red. His teeth became razor sharp, and a clawed hand reached past Jesminda to strike Enri’s chest, opening his rib cage and exposing the Fallen’s heart. Blood spurted in all directions, some hitting D’s chest and covering Jo’s face and hair. There was even blood splatter on Jes and the others. No one moved, save for Jo.

  Her entire body shook, and he could feel, as well as hear, the erratic beat of her heart. She stared, holding her breath as she looked at Enri’s open chest. He wasn’t dead. It would take a lot more than an open chest cavity to end the Fallen’s life. What it did do, however, was shut him the hell up.

  “As I said, I will not tolerate violence,” Gregor reiterated and nodded in Enri’s direction. He turned and continued to walk down the corridor. Jesminda grabbed Draven’s hand. NuNu and Jacobi followed Gregor and his two brothers. Mouth looked ready to comment, but swallowed his words and followed suit, and again was speechless. Dietrich hung back. He could still see where the others were going as he checked to make sure Jorunn was all right.

  “Peaches… Peaches? You okay?” Her eyes were blank, lifeless. “Baby, look at me.” D wiped the blood from her face. He removed her bloody shirt and pulled off his own, covering her shaking form. “You gotta snap out of it.” He pulled her into his arms and held her close.

  “He just split him open, right in front of us.”

  “Shhh. I got you. It’s going to be okay. Shit happens.”

  The Angel’s body was beginning to twitch with life, and D didn’t want her around for that show. She was stiff as a board. She wasn’t going to move on her own, so he picked her up and carried her the rest of the way. The entire time he held her, she kept repeating the same sentence.

  “He just split him open, right in front of us.”

  They entered a room with a stone table and chairs.

  “Have a seat.”

  Liam walked over to a wall that moved aside with a wave of his hand, and walked inside. He returned with a clean towel for Jo and a linen shirt for Dietrich.

  “Much appreciated, thanks.”

  D took the towel and began drying Jo’s face and hair. He didn’t seat her next to him but kept her in his lap. She rested her head against his shoulder but said nothing else. At least she’d stopped her ranting. He knew she was still in shock. She’d probably never been witness to that sort of violence before. Jes, of course, was numb to it after all she’d been through with her ex and the punishment she’d tossed out to Cyrian and Odessa back in Asa. Jes wasn’t like Jo, who still thought there was a slice of goodness left in the world.

  “What are you going to do about the fool back in the hallway?”

  Gregor looked to NuNu, who’d posed the question.

  “He will be dealt with,” was Gregor’s only response.

  The stone table was carved with more of the same markings as Jorunn’s. A gloss-like finish made the stone smooth.

  “You are here for the cup and the blood.” Liam looked to the wall behind him and raised his hands. The entire wall came to life. At first, it looked like a stone wall with pieces of rock jutting out in various places. But after Liam waved his hand, it began to move and swirl. Arms reached out from within the rock, then legs. The limbs tangled with one another as they reached for something above that had yet to reveal itself. Other patterns swirled and danced, until the writhing limbs formed an entryway. What was on the other side Dietrich couldn’t comprehend, or put into words.

  ~ ~ ~

  Brutality and beauty. That’s all Jorunn could see when she looked through the entryway. It was like peering into a world filled with wonder that was, at the same time, ravaged by creatures she could not put names to. She wasn’t going to look at first. She was still trying to get over the malice committed against Enri. Something whispered across her mind that she had to look, though. Had to witness what Liam was showing them. She watched as a large beast walked up to the entryway. Its eyes finding hers. There were large black antlers, with what looked like silver tipped horns, protruding from its head. Its body was in the shape of a very large horse, but its face was more oblong. Razor-sharp fangs dripped saliva that sizzled and burned the ground with every splatter. Its neck and back were covered with silver scales, and they danced in the light.

  “What is that?” Jorunn asked in awe.

  The beast whipped its silver mane back and forth rapidly before bowing its head.

  “This, Lady Jorunna, is your home world, Fion. The beast on the other side of the mirror is called a Runon.”

  “Stop calling me Lady Jorunna. It’s Jorunn. Just Jorunn. Or Jo.”

  “But it is your given name. The one that your Marsu gave you.”

  “Marsu?”

  “Yes, your birth mother, she was the Queen of the Keep.”

  Was? As in past tense. And did he say “home world?”

  “You said home world, like another planet?”

  Gregor stood, pointed to the entry, and the portal closed.

  “Not another planet, just another world within this one.”

  “What do you mean another world?” Jesminda asked.

  “Doesn’t take a genius to figure this out, Jes. He means another dimension. Am I right?” NuNu bragged. He was pleased with his response, but Jorunn had a feeling they were about to go deeper and deeper into something she had not been prepared for. She knew there were other dimensions parallel to this one. How else could you explain immortals? But other worlds, within the one they inhabited now? That just didn’t make sense. Maybe she was overthinking it. Maybe it was another dimension or another realm, an
d the wording they’d chosen was just different from hers.

  “No, not a dimension, another world. A dimension is space; it’s a concept of something. Like Earth, it’s four-dimensional. Then there is three-dimensional and five-dimensional. There is even a two-dimensional space, which is essentially flat. But when we say multiple dimensions, we mean multiple spaces. But a world, well, it’s a way to describe that dimensional space, and it can sustain life. Not all dimensions are life sustaining. There are three worlds on this one, they all co-exist and are interdependent on the other. You have the Cumul, which is where air dragons dwell. Draven, you employ a half-breed, born of air and water. Solum, which is land, is where we currently reside. Within Solum, are multi-dimensional facets that can sustain life. Then there is Fion, which is where Jorunn is from. You call it the ocean, we call it Aecor. But the Aecor is merely the protective barrier to Fion, its atmosphere in a way.

  “So, I’m not an alien.”

  Caelian laughed.

  “No, not an alien to this world.”

  Jo let her body relax, she tried to move from Dietrich’s lap, but he wouldn’t allow it. His hands tightened on her waist, stopping her from rising. Everyone at the table caught their interaction, but instead of making a scene, she let it go.

  “Okay, history lesson over. We get it. Jo’s people live beneath the ocean. You told Phineas you had the cup and could tell us where the blood is.” Draven stood, he was beginning to get agitated. He was also right. They were here for a reason.

  “The cup and blood, Gregor. Please,” Jo said softly. If he didn’t cooperate, she would compel him.

  “As you wish. Caelian, please give the Unit what they’ve come for.”

  Caelian stood and waved his hand in front of another wall and a shelf was revealed. He walked to it and pulled a bone-white chalice down from the top shelf. He sat it in front of Draven, who slid it over to Jesminda.

  “Now the blood, where do we find it?”

  “You’ve been carrying the blood all along. It’s Jorunn’s blood you need.”

  That was not what Jo expected to hear.

  Chapter 17

  “Well, you can all go fuck yourselves ‘cause I’m not giving up my blood,” Jo heard herself say. Who did they think they were anyway? Like she’d just lay her life down at the drop of a hat. She hadn’t signed up for this. She’d come in hopes of getting answers about herself, and to live. Not die. Dietrich jostled her in his lap and pulled her hair away from her shoulders to whisper roughly in her ear.

  “It’s not going down, Peaches. I got you.”

  “Jorunn, it’s what you were brought here for.” Liam walked over and took the chair next to her and Dietrich.

  “What? I’m supposed to give up my life so the world can possibly go on? I call bullshit with a capitol B on that, Liam.”

  Caelian choked on his laughter as he looked up at the ceiling.

  “No one wants to kill you, love. They just need your blood. But in order to do that, we will need you in your true form,” Gregor explained. That didn’t sound horrid. She’d been poked and prodded before. Giving up some blood was a walk in the park. But it was the true form thing she had some reservations about. What was her true form? How did they expect her to undergo that? She was about to ask when Enri stumbled in. His skin was pale and his hair was dripping with sweat as he approached the table. He flopped down in a chair, his breath sawing in and out, as he tried to get enough air. He looked at Jo, then Dietrich, a blank stare on his face, before it lit with a strange glint.

  “You wound me,” his voice cracked as he struggled to speak. “I offer my hand, a position at my side, and what do you do? You jump into the arms of the man who basically used you to get information on you and your father. You’re a fool, he doesn’t want you, girl.”

  She already knew this.

  “He did it to get his sister back,” Jo reasoned.

  Dietrich stood with her in his arms and promptly set her in the chair they had both previously occupied.

  “Why don’t you shut the fuck up, man? Jorunn is with me.”

  “Only because she thinks you want her.”

  “This is all very touching,” Jesminda chimed in, standing from the table. “Boy meets girl. Girl falls for boy, and his jerk friend comes between them. I think I saw this on a Friends episode. We came here for a reason, save the drama for another time, meatheads.”

  Enri shook his head and smiled over at Jesminda. But it wasn’t a nice smile. It was more than that. It was the kind of smile that hid secrets that no one was privy to.

  “I don’t recall asking for your input. I’m the fucking reason your child’s alive. Show some respect, bitch, or I’ll have my friend Mr. Black here–,” he nodded over in Draven’s direction, his eyes going momentarily black before changing back to their green, “rip your throat out.” As if to prove his point, Draven growled in Jesminda’s direction. A second later, his eyes began flickering between black and green. Jes inhaled, and Draven was clearly agitated that he was being controlled by the Fallen.

  “Fuck you, prick! You can try it!” Draven growled, holding onto the edges of the table, his claws digging in as he tried to control his anger.

  Jo stood, taking Dietrich’s arm as the atmosphere changed drastically. The brothers all stood, as well, as the situation grew more intense. Enri arched his back and looked towards the couple behind him.

  “The nightmare you dread having at night, Jes, the fear that weighs heavily in your gut but still gives you the strength to fight… That’s because of me. I helped your daughter through that window that night. I was the one who tortured you and made you who you are. I could have killed your mate, but I didn’t. You both owe me your lives. Literally!” Enri’s words were heated and bordering on rage.

  His body contorted. His arms lengthened into bat-like appendages. Longer than his legs and heavy. It made him bend forward and use the clawed tips of his wings for balance. He stood somewhat upright, but hunched forward, as his back stretched and bones popped through his skin.

  “I think this fool is batshit crazy,” NuNu said, pulling his gun.

  “Put your gun away. It will only piss him off more,” Liam hissed, standing back.

  “What is it you want, Enri?”

  The Fallen looked more beast than man now. He turned to Gregor and yelled, “I want what’s rightfully mine, and I fucking plan on doing it with the female at my side! Now, hand her over!”

  Dietrich stepped forward, telling the others to stay back.

  “You can’t have Jo.”

  “Says the man who only used her for his own personal gain.” Enri was twice his size now. Why was everyone just standing there?

  Dietrich grunted. He wasn’t the least bit scared of the monster Enri had now become. Jo was scared. She was terrified, but knowing Dietrich was standing up for her made her feel safe. Protected.

  “Don’t be a bitch, Enri. Take it like a man.”

  Enri laughed.

  In a rapid movement, he lashed out, striking D across the face with his once arm, now wing, tossing him clear across the table. NuNu went for his gun again. Jacobi moved to stand in front of Jo. Mouth had pulled his gun too, as Jes and the others prepared to take Enri down.

  “No violence, was that what you said, Gregor?” Enri stretched his wings, shrouding the room in darkness. “Violence is who I am, and chaos is my mistress. It was a big fucking mistake putting your hands on me, monk.” Enri stood to his full height in his new form. He was a cross between a dragon, a man, and a bat. The tips of his wings scraped against the ceiling as he stepped forward. His shoulders were hunched, and his arms were an extension of his large, hulking form. Saliva dripped from his fangs, his jaws were sunken, and his eyes narrowed into slits.

  Dietrich righted himself and walked towards Jo, pushing her towards the door. The others were already making their way towards the exit, trying to get clear of Enri’s wrath. Jo was stunned. Unable to move, she stood in awe of his transformation.
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br />   “Go, Jo! Now!” Dietrich yelled, almost making her stumble as he backed away. Liam and Caelian were on the other side of the stone table with Gregor, who’d turned into the creature he’d only half-shifted into back in the corridor.

  Her feet moving, Jo followed Jesminda, who was making her way up. But they were getting turned around. The place was like a maze.

  “Jesminda! Wait!” Jo screamed, barely able to see in front of her. Where were they? The sun was nowhere in sight. She couldn’t tell if the others were following close behind either. She knew if she stopped, things would go sour, so she pushed on. She kept moving forward, hoping she’d bump into friend and not foe. As she rounded the corner, she ran smack into someone’s chest. She almost let out a squeal, when a hand was placed over her mouth.

  “Shh,” came Jes’s harsh voice. Only, the hand covering her mouth was clawed. Jo tried to struggle, panicked it wasn’t Jesminda at all. “It’s really me, now quiet or we’re both gonna be really dead.”

  Jo tried calming herself. Her body was shaking from an overabundance of adrenaline. She knew that, but couldn’t stop it. At least she hoped it was the adrenaline. Because if it was the blood wearing off, she was in deep shit.

  “I’m gonna move my hand, slowly. Don’t scream. The others will find us eventually.”

  Eventually didn’t sound good, but she nodded anyway. Jes removed her hand. The sound of heavy breathing accompanied by hissing made Jo tense. She tried to adjust her eyes to the dark, but all she could make out were shadows. At least her markings weren’t glowing. The frantic beating of her heart, sounded like a large percussion band. She thought she could even hear Jes’s heartbeat.

  Her body felt trigger-happy. Ready to bolt at the slightest movement. She could feel the darkness closing in. The real darkness, it was getting closer and closer. A large mass passed by, but it wasn’t large enough to be Enri in monster form. It wasn’t one of her companions either.

  Someone let out a loud growl, and Jes moved quickly, almost tripping Jo to get past her in her haste to inspect who was approaching.

  “Stay in the corner and don’t move. I’ll come back for you.”