by J. D. Brown
I’m already hunting, remember? My target is much larger, and much more dangerous than a sparrow.
I glanced over my shoulder. Trees blocked any view of the road, and I could no longer hear the engine of the Volkswagen. I hadn’t gone that far, though. The driver must have put the car in park and turned it off. Good thinking. I ventured a little farther, just to be on the safe side. A beam of silvery moonlight filtered through a break in the forest canopy and illuminated a small patch of dead leaves on the ground. I figured that was as good a mark as any.
I pulled off the hood, tore the band from my ponytail, and then wound it several times over a thin branch. That would point me back toward road later, should I get turned around. I went to the silvery beam of light. According to my eyes, it burned yellow, like a ray of sunshine, but my head knew better. I unzipped my pockets and set to work.
Adders Tongue, as it turned out, was a fern with a spore stalk that forked from each leaf, resembling a thin tongue. The kind I’d stashed in my coat was dry and crumbly. Prefect for creating smoke, and perfect for blending with the foliage. I dumped the contents of one bag in the center of the moonlit spot and spread it evenly over the ground so that it lay flat. Then, I grabbed a handful of dry pine needles and tossed them in the center, just in case I needed something to feed the fire with later. Finally, I placed a few choice maple leaves for appearances, and prayed that my creation didn’t scream I’m a trap!
I decided to keep the second bag of herbs on hand just in case Valafar tried to duck out early. I stood and patted my hands against my jeans to clear them of dirt. My palm hit the lighter in my pocket, like some kind of subconscious reassurance to myself. To say I was nervous would be the understatement of the year. I hadn’t even thought about what I would say to convince Valafar. I’d better think quickly. I was supposed to be heading toward Jesu already.
I went north as planned, or as north as I could estimate. My inner compass wasn’t the best. Good thing it was Jesu’s job to find me, and not the other way around. Every hundred steps or so, I paused to break a few branches so I could find my way back to the Adders Tongue later.
Water babbled in the distance. I followed the sound until the vegetation gave way to a creek. It didn’t look very deep—I could see a bed of pebbles and stones straight through the clear water—but it stretched several feet wide and the current flowed at a strong pace. I glanced downstream, wondering how far it ran and in what direction, while piecing together a map in my mind. If I was correct, the river ran from northwest to southeast, and I needed to go northeast. In other words, the creek blocked my path. This was actually a big help. I could easily find my way back to the Adders Tongue and the road, using the creek as a landmark. I glanced around and took in the pattern of the trees, the number of large rocks stuck along the bank. I committed to memory this specific spot, and then levitated across.
Dr. Gordon hadn’t said anything against levitating.
The soles of my shoes landed on a layer of twigs and mud, and I continued the hike, leaving the creek behind. As I wandered through the woods, stepping over fallen logs and pushing back stray branches, I thought about Jesu and wondered how he planned to attack me. Long-range with a weapon? Or would he lie in wait, until I got close enough for him to pounce? It didn’t really matter. I just needed a distraction from the aura of the forest. The wild night called to my Nephilim genes and the urge to hunt stretched through my being, growing stronger with each prowling step. My fists opened and closed, and I ground my fangs together.
Focus on the mission. Hunt the incubus.
That was the only thing keeping my head straight; the promise of a challenge.
A branch snapped in the distance, and I froze. Moving only my eyes, I surveyed the forest, but couldn’t detect any movement. I inhaled through my nose, casting my senses outward. A million scents buzzed through my mind. Minerals, ferns, five different kinds of tree, fresh water from the creek. Jesu smelled like nature. Like earth and grass and rain. So that didn’t exactly help.
Then I caught it—the potent stench of a predator. My lips curled in a grin. “Gee, I wonder who’s there.”
Another snap cut through the air. I turned left, facing the direction the sound came from, and inhaled again, searching for the scent of his shampoo, his clothes, his aftershave, anything. When none of those scents came, a tingle of doubt wormed its way under my skin. I narrowed my gaze and scanned the landscape. The forest stood still. Too still. And silent. Something was amiss, but who would be out here besides Jesu? Unless it was Valafar, or the Crone, but why would they hide?
Movement flickered in the corner of my vision, pulling my attention to a row of closely-standing pine trees. Thick shrubs skirted the base, standing tall enough to hide a crouched man. The leaves rustled just slightly—not the way leaves did when the wind blew, but more like when an animal skittered underneath.
Gotchya!
I stood my ground, waiting for Jesu to make his move. The shrubs parted, and a big furry paw with sharp yellow claws stepped forth, followed by the lean majestic body of a mountain lion. Its piercing golden eyes pinpointed me. Its maw curled back to expose teeth as long as my fingers, and twice as thick.
Well that is definitely not my little love kitten.
Jesu wasn’t capable of shifting into a lion, was he?
The cat growled and licked its lips.
Nope. That’s definitely not Jesu.
“Don’t do it, kitty,” I whispered. “You don’t want to mess with this meat.”
The mountain lion charged.
My legs froze solid and an internal war raged between the logical side of my mind and the illogical instincts coursing through my veins. My head screamed, run! But my Nephilim side wanted to stay and fight the beast. Shoot, what do I do? I couldn’t allow myself to fight it; the stress could hurt the baby. Phasing would definitely hurt the baby. I could outrun it, but would the lion give up, or would it track me? I didn’t know how mountain lions worked. I could simply fly into the air and ignore the animal, but that put a chink in my plan. Jesu expected me to be on the ground. He couldn’t attack me in the air.
Running it is, then.
The lion’s teeth narrowly missed my calf as I whipped around and sped back the way I’d come. I was about to kick up my speed to supernaturally-fast when a bolt of purple light shot past and disappeared in the distance.
What the—?
I stopped and twirled around just in time to watch while a second purple beam hit the lion in the back of its head. The animal roared in pain and then tripped over its own paws and collapsed. The body lay still for a moment, then it convulsed. Its bones popped apart and shifted in terrifying angles. Golden fur became black hair. Hide became pale skin. Paws became hands and feet. I gasped as the shift completed. There, where the lion once lay, was Prince Brinnon’s stark-naked body. He didn’t move. I inched closer, hoping like hell that he wasn’t dead. What on earth was Brinnon doing out here, disguised as a lion, of all things? Why not a Golden Retriever?
“Let’s go.”
I jumped at the man’s unexpected voice and lifted my gaze. Valafar stood next to me, wearing tight red corduroy pants, a black turtleneck sweater, and a knit cap that failed to hide the curly tips of his black hair. On his slender form, the digs made him look like a model right out of a fall fashion magazine. Too bad it was June.
Valafar’s penetrating violet eyes bore into mine and he scowled. “Now. Move.”
He grabbed my wrist, but I phased my arm and twisted away. “Brinnon…”
Valafar narrowed his gaze and scanned me. His nose scrunched like he smelled something foul. “You’re wearing it too?”
I glanced at my jacket. Wearing what? Was there something on my coat? Well, besides dirt and burrs. I tilted my chin to ask, but he grabbed my wrist again, and yanked me forward.
“Come on! Before the vampyre wakes up.”
I phased out of his grip a second time. “That’s King Nikolas’ son. We can’t leave him
here.”
Valafar glanced at his empty fist, eyes wide, as though dumbfounded by the fact that he couldn’t keep his hold on me. “He attacked you.”
I shook my head. “There must be some mistake. Brinnon wouldn’t hurt me. The Aplan crown is my ally. They signed a contract. He signed a contract.” I went to Brinnon’s side and lowered to my knees. His chest slowly rose and fell with breath. I sighed in relief. Thank God he’s not dead. The scrapes and cuts he sustained in his fall were shallow and would heal in seconds, but…
I gently took Brinnon’s head into my hands and turned it to the side. A decent sized burn charred the back of his skull. I winced. “Please tell me that will heal and not leave a mark.”
Valafar came around and stood opposite. He looked with mild interest at the prince’s face. “Lad’s lucky he’s a vampyre. That blow would have killed a real lion.”
Nikolas was going to kill me if he found out about this. “His head?”
“Will heal.” Valafar straightened his posture and looked away. “So will his insides.”
“His insides? What did you do to his insides?”
Though he didn’t face me, I could detect the smirk in his tone. “Like I said, the lad’s lucky.”
I narrowed my gaze to slits and scowled. “Take off your sweater.”
Valafar scoffed. “I appreciate your directness, but this is hardly the time, love.”
“What?” I deadpanned. “Oh my God, no, you dork. In case you haven’t noticed, Brinnon’s naked. I need to cover him.”
“You don’t need to make excuses, lass.” Valafar winked and then crossed his arms in front of himself and lifted the black wool over his head.
I opened my mouth to say something cunning—something about why I would never in a million years want him to strip for any pleasure of my own—but then his bare alabaster abs stretched taut not more than five feet from my face, and I clean forgot what I was going to say. The turtleneck caught his cap and pulled it off his head, sending a cascade of dark tousled hair to fall over his eyes. The dazzling ultraviolet of his irises looked ten-times more menacing when he was topless. My lips pursed and my eyes grew wide as he tossed his head back and raked his fingers through his thick hair. He threw his sweater at me and grinned. “Try not to drool, darling.”
My cheeks burned and I threw my gaze to my lap.
Valafar chuckled.
Damn incubus. Sex demon indeed. The women of yore probably threw themselves at him.
Brinnon stirred. I quickly laid the sweater over his man-bits. Brinnon wasn’t as tall as his father, but he was just as wide, with coils upon coils of muscle thickening his biceps and thighs. Valafar’s clothes wouldn’t fit him.
The incubus shifted his weight and glanced at the prince, his purple gaze darkening. “I don’t appreciate your trickery.”
“Excuse me?”
“I know about the Adders Tongue and your plan to trap me in it. It was smart of you to change your tactic when I wasn’t listening, but make no mistake; Nikolas can keep his petty cash. I don’t work for entitled half-breeds.”
Well, there goes that idea. Wait, was Valafar spying on us?
Brinnon’s eyelids squeezed tight. He groaned while pulling his knees to his chest, curling into the fetal position.
“How much pain is he going to be in?”
“Hopefully lots.”
I glared at Valafar. “How can you say that? Brinnon wasn’t hurting anyone.”
“It’ll teach the lot of you not to try tricking me again.”
“I had no idea Brinnon was going be here, okay?” I gazed at the poor prince and gently lifted his head into my lap, careful not to put any pressure on the back of his skull. “It was supposed to be Jesu.”
“Aye, and I would have let the two of you wander the woods like a couple of gits until the sun rose.”
My brow furrowed, but I bit back the urge to make a witty retort. “Help me carry Brinnon to the car. We can talk there.”
Valafar laughed. “Are you mental? I already gave you my answer. I’m. Not. Helping.”
I rolled my eyes. “Then go ahead and—”
A thunderous boom! shook the earth. My heart leaped into my throat and Valafar stumbled forward. Birds took to the sky, cawing in warning. I leaned over Brinnon to protect him. Thankfully, the trembling passed just as suddenly as it happened, and the forest stilled.
“What was that?”
Valafar stood and brushed dirt from his pants. “Earthquake,” he said while grabbing his cap and putting it on.
“They have earthquakes in Germany?”
“Never said it was a natural earthquake.”
I wrinkled my nose at his elusiveness. “If nature didn’t cause it, then what…?” My brow rose as realization dawned. I only knew one person who could give Mother Nature a run for her money. “Jesu.”
Chapter 11
“Stay here,” I said, easing Brinnon’s head from my lap.
Valafar snorted. “I don’t think he’s going anywhere, love.”
“I meant you. You stay.”
“I’m not his keeper.”
Ignoring the incubus, I stood and then took off toward the north.
“Hey! You’re in no condition to run head-on into the jaws of danger. You could cause a miscarriage, you know?”
That made me pause. I let Valafar’s warning, and all that it implied, sink in. Then I clenched my fists and pushed onward anyway. Valafar cussed, but he stayed put with Brinnon.
I went a few yards before the ground trembled again. A large crack ran between my footing, splitting the earth in half. The right side suddenly sank, and I lost my balance. I levitated before I could fall, and decided to fly the rest of the way. Someone shouted in the distance, followed by the snapping of tree branches and the grunts of two men in a fight. I followed the sounds, recognizing at least one of them as Jesu’s disgruntled voice.
Movement flashed in the horizon and a clearing rose in the distance. I landed near the last line of trees, and gasped at the scene taking place beyond. The grassy field had transformed into some kind of warped battleground. Potholes pocked the earth, while other areas were elevated, creating huge jagged cliff formations. Trees had been ripped by the roots and thrown, broken branches scattered everywhere.
Jesu stood at one end, his long black hair whipping in the wind. Some kind of black battle gear armored his body. He held his hands in the air, arms apart, like Moses. At the other end stood Jalmari, fists clenched, leather jacket torn, a growl on his lips.
What’s he doing here? Not that I was completely surprised. I didn’t buy the sabbatical excuse. Jalmari wouldn’t give up that easily.
Jalmari’s shoes left the ground as he shot twenty feet into the air, turned, and then charged toward the earth, aiming for his brother. Branches reached for him like skeletal claws, placing their limbs in his path, but Jalmari dodged them. The earth suddenly tore apart again, making the whole forest tremble while a ten-foot tall boulder placed itself in Jalmari’s path. He phased through the rock and then twisted around a whirlwind of flying debris.
Jesu’s hands slashed through the air. The movements were very precise, his muscles and joints tensing as though he pushed and pulled something far more tangible than oxygen. The earth seemed to explode at the flick of his fingers. Trees moved with the wave of his hands. My jaw dropped as realization dawned. It wasn’t coincidence. Jesu really did control the earth. He had turned a flat surface of the earth’s crust into a live obstacle course.
Unfortunately, nature didn’t deter Jalmari. It was difficult to beat a man who could fly through solid objects, so Jesu kept moving. He dodged his older brother by running up trees and jumping from cliff to cliff. The earth moved to aid him. Jesu didn’t even have to watch where he was going. He kept his eyes on Jalmari and threw attack after attack at his brother.
They could do this for days, I wagered. I didn’t think either of them really wanted to harm the other. Not too much anyway. They were brothers,
after all.
Jesu’s vision blinked to the side, where I stood. He did a double-take, and our gazes locked. Jalmari noticed Jesu’s distraction and followed his brother’s line of sight. Spying me, Jalmari’s wicked mouth curled into a grin. He stopped mid-flight and changed course, heading in my direction.
“Ema,” Jesu shouted. “Run!”
I couldn’t.
Some integral part of my being flipped a switch in my mind, and instinct overthrew logic. My hands went to my pockets, fumbling for Jesu’s lighter. I felt the rectangular object in my right palm, pulled it out, and struck the thumbwheel. The flame sparked to life moments before Jalmari could grab me. A feral desperation pinpointed his wild gaze as his fingertips came within a foot’s reach. I tossed the lighter in the direction of his face, then ducked.
I had absolutely no idea if Jesu saw the lighter, or understood my intention, but it was too late now. I got on the ground and tucked my face between my knees while wrapping my arms over my head. Not more than five feet above me, a bomb exploded. The flames licked my hands and the heat stung like hell, but I gritted my teeth and took it like a woman.
Something heavy landed beside me and released the most blood-curdling scream I’d ever heard in my life. I jolted upright, nearly peeing my pants at the agonizing sound. A hot, gray fog thickened the air and blurred my vision. My lungs burned and choked from the smoke. I lowered to my hands and knees again, remembering what I’d learned about fire safety as a child. The grass beneath my palms was blissfully cool compared to the ribbons of smoke floating above. I pressed my nose to the sweet vegetation and focused on breathing until the air cleared. All the while, the screams of agony continued to ring in my ears.
Jesu came out of nowhere and grabbed my shoulders. He yanked me to my feet and then shoved me behind him. “Get away from him!”
That’s when I realized the terrifying screaming came from Jalmari. I stood on my toes to look over Jesu’s shoulder. The prince yelled and bawled in pain. His body writhed, and he kicked his legs. Third-degree burns blistered his red hands, but that was nothing compared to his face.
