by K. F. Breene
“Well, it was a three, I think. A really nasty one. They had to sacrifice three people to summon it—two humans called it, the lunatics. Guess who it killed first? Served them right.”
“So the one we have isn’t that strong. But, are you sure? Because Jonas was really freaked out. And Stefan is out of his mind...”
“Jonas lost his dad,” Charles said without thinking. He thrust a finger through the silent air, straight into her face. “If you say one word—one word—to anyone that I just told you that, I will make your life hell. Do you understand me?”
“No you won’t, because Jonas would’ve already killed you.”
True. Shit.
Worry melted the grin off her face. She peered at the large building a ways in front of him, then at the Boss. “What are we waiting for?”
As if on cue, the Boss’ gaze flashed into the car and pommeled Charles. Charles could feel the power push into his body, buckling his spine and having his gaze headed for the ground before he could stop himself. This was the Boss that everyone feared. Everyone. The mean sonovabitch that fought his way to the leadership role with teeth and nails, taking down males twice his age, experience, and size. If he found someone he couldn’t cripple with brute force, he used his honed intellect. That failing, he used his friends.
Jonas and Jameson had been infallible wingmen, Charles had heard. Still were.
The Boss had started ascending shortly after his parents were killed. He wanted to make sure no other kid would go through what he did. And so far, he had.
But he hadn’t had a demon show up to prove his prowess. Until now. With his chick on site. And not only that, but she’d have to actually face the demon, too.
Charles should have picked another occupation.
Knowing what was coming, Charles spilled out of the car as he clicked on the child lock, slamming the locked door before Sasha could follow. The large, lethal shape of his leader came around the hood, bristling with danger. He did not look scared at all. He looked formidable.
Charles gulped.
“If shit goes sideways, get her out of here,” the Boss growled, putting a heavy hand on the door in an act of protectiveness, keeping Sasha from letting herself out. “I don’t care if you have to knock her out and run, get her out.”
“No problem, Boss.”
Charles felt the dark stare as the Boss ensured those words were heard. When he tore his gaze away to walk to the front line, Charles couldn’t help a sigh of relief. Only to be sucked back up when the crazy sidekick stalked up next.
“You keep her alive, or you better hope you go down with her,” Jonas threatened, his eyes alight with his thirst for blood.
“Don’t tell me my job, bro. I got this.” Charles flexed, wishing that other male’s stare didn’t have the power to give him the heebie-jeebies. Jonas could really turn into a hardass when he placed himself as a protector of someone. Especially someone in danger. Like the pissed off human in the car.
The scar on Jonas’ neck stood out in relief as he smirked. He didn’t spare a glance for the hard rapping on the inside of the window.
Charles took a deep breath after both males had moved on. “Well, goody, rainbows and unicorns. Lovely working conditions.”
He opened the door to a bag of cats.
“What the hell, Charles?!” Sasha yelled, clambering out. “I’m supposed to be his damn equal, and the two of you lock me in the car?”
“Sorry, he’s bigger. C’mon.” Feigning confidence, Charles jerked his head toward the warehouse. “Dominicous is already out of his car and headed over there. You need to show up before he does.”
“Why, would he usurp my power or something?”
“Yes. Him hanging back is a nod to the Boss. And you. He is letting everyone know that the Boss is leading—why do you not know this?”
“I can’t learn everything in a few months, Charles. Magic came first. Stupid hierarchy of egotistical penises had to take a backseat.”
“Penises don’t have egos. And what about the women in command? They can be pretty damn bitchy.”
“The women have bigger balls than you do, Charles. Let’s get focused.”
Kind of a dick thing to say.
The warehouse crouched on the deserted road, silent and foreboding, housing some sort of hellion that could tear families apart. He had never seen one, true, but from a lifetime of ghost stories, he wasn’t in a great hurry. He liked the little life he’d set up—he didn’t really want it getting torn apart right now.
They stepped beyond the cars. A large circle of Mata waited around the warehouse, facing the building. They stood sentinel with resolute expressions and fisted hands, just in case that thing inside got out. Dressed in loose sweats, with most primed to change form, they waited for war.
Walking toward each Mata guard, ready to take over, was a clan member dressed in battle leathers with glowing swords.
The Mata didn’t plan to step aside. The clan members would try to make them.
“What a mess,” Sasha muttered.
Charles agreed wholeheartedly. “I thought you used a concealment charm?”
Adnan caught up with them, shadowing Sasha.
“I took it off when we got here. Remember me yelling at you to shut it so I could concentrate?” Sasha rubbed her temples, her nerves fraying, looking every bit as out of her element as Charles felt.
In front of the building, facing off, stood the Boss and Tim. The Boss was bigger, more heavily muscled, with an elegance to his grace that made a male’s hairs stand on end—he was a world ender.
But Tim…Charles had to hand it to him. He wasn’t a wimp by anyone’s standards, especially when he changed into that colossal Kodiak bear. He faced off, meeting the Boss’ stare with one of his own, power and brawn ready to be unleashed.
“C’mon,” Sasha said, half to herself. She marched out toward the two men.
“What’s going on?” she demanded as she got within speaking range.
It was Tim that answered. “Stefan has decided he reins this territory, and as such, is trying to send us packing. I have politely informed him, as is my place, that when we lose one of ours, we are given license to step in. This was an agreement reached in witness of Dominicous and his authority of office as it represents the council.”
Sasha stepped forward to make a point. The Boss held out his hand to block her advance, trying to keep her at a safer distance.
“Back off!” She pushed at the Boss’ arm. Her brows lowered dangerously when she had no effect. Next they heard a metallic crackle, zapping the Boss with a shot of fire as only she knew how.
The big male took one step back, every muscle on his body taut in pain. Jonas, standing a few feet away, rolled his neck—he’d flown three feet when Sasha had done that to him.
Her gaze slid to Tim as her brows lowered. “You, too.”
Tim stared back for a moment, before taking one step back.
Wise, Charles thought.
“This is my rule,” she addressed both males. “Tim, you came here as my guest, which makes you subject to my leadership. Had you investigated on your own, per the signed treaties, given that it was only your men affected, then yes, you would be licensed to step in. For right now, until I abandon my rights, you do not take a primary role. Not until the threat is neutralized.”
Charles couldn’t help his mouth dropping open as Tim nodded, somehow not looking as shocked as Charles felt. Who was this girl? And more importantly, who’d been working with her? Genius, whoever it was. And obviously extremely patient.
Her gaze swung to the Boss. “I will repeat, this is my rule. I will soon defer to your leadership, since you have more experience in these matters, but regarding the Mata’s right to be here, I have the rights to approve that, and I do. We do not have time for a challenge, so I hope you don’t make one. I woke up whatever that thing is. Somehow. It’s loose in that warehouse. I can feel it eating away at my magic. It’s doing a really good job.”
> “The last time these mongrels offered aid,” the Boss said in low, hate-filled tones, “they whimpered like curs and ran, leaving us to deal with it. There is no way I’m leaving holes in the defense. This is easily settled with them leaving now before the demon is released.”
The breath left Sasha’s body, a brief flash of compassion covering her face. Just as quickly, it was gone; business.
“The pack before me consisted of a loose band of scared individuals,” Tim argued. “Our kind don’t do well in that setting. I stepped up, disbanded the old regime, and instilled the new order. We aren’t cowards, and we do not back down. He’s working with haunted memories, no matter how potent. Like a child.”
The Boss flexed, probably hating that comment. His gaze flicked toward the warehouse, deciding. Probably realizing it was a hopeless argument with Sasha in control. Finally, he glanced at Sasha without a word.
Picking up the cue immediately, her gaze shifted to the warehouse. “We’re out of time.”
A strange black mist billowed within the building, creeping out of the broken windows. If not for a glossy sheen containing it, that stuff would’ve been spilling out onto the street. In the middle of the door, standing on two clawed feet, with long, stringy arms ending in another set of claws, stood a ghastly creature that could only be a demon. It was just as vile and terror-inspiring as Charles had always heard.
It stared at Sasha.
“That black mist is not my magic,” Sasha whispered, squinting at the warehouse. “I don’t know what it is, but it’s not me.”
Strange sounds erupted from the gnarled and twisted thing, deep and scratchy. The Boss stepped right to Sasha’s side, scary as all hell, ready to protect her with his life. Charles stepped up, too, ready to be her backup line of defense, or her first line of defense—whatever she needed.
“Yeah, right,” Sasha answered the thing. Charles felt his magic stir. She was calling the elements. “Plentiful rewards, right? You creeps are all the same. Although, I gotta admit, you are way scarier than the other ones.”
Charles felt a cold hand on his shoulder. A pale arm and a flat, blue stare was attached. “We must link. She cannot work the demon on her own,” Toa said, an urgency in his gaze Charles had never seen before.
Charles’ balls started to tingle in warning. Toa freaked out couldn’t be good…
“Is she talking to it?” someone asked in a terrified whisper.
“Who else?” Dominicous asked Toa, his face a stern mask of determination, not unlike the Boss.
“I thought she didn’t know how to link?” Charles asked hurriedly, aiming for a steady tone. He didn’t really know how, either. He’d only done it in class a million years ago, and that had been under calm conditions, with him already pegged as the clown in class—he didn’t have to be serious. This was…different. Unstable. Lives depended on it this time.
“Maybe I should just use my sword,” Charles murmured as Sasha took a step toward the thing in the doorway, still staring at her. Still talking to her.
“Hurry!” Toa pushed.
The Boss grabbed Sasha’s arm, pulling her into his body. His sword swung out, white with a gold frost, the effect of taking her blood. Within their line, glowing swords came up in a rush, the Boss’ readiness an unspoken command. Orange, red, and one green flashed; this crew was packing some power.
Toa shook Charles, knocking him out of uncertainty. “Link, damn you! We are out of time. She is already feeling out the magic attached to the demon!”
He felt a tickle of magical touch as Toa’s hand on his bare arm heated up. “I am ready to engage the link. You must reach out to accept it—keep the pool of magic central.”
What the hell does that mean?
Charles took a deep breath and pulled a balanced mix of elements. He felt the energy reaching for him, jagged and sticky. Like threading fingers, Charles linked his magic with Toa—surprisingly easier than he expected. Energy swirled between the two of them, yanking at Charles, then pushing.
“Keep it central,” Toa said again, his brow furrowed in concentration.
Charles clenched his teeth and wrestled with the flow of elements, trying to move his pool of magic away from his body and along the invisible line of the link between him and Toa, like shoving it out along a tightrope. Their combined effort steadied, shaky but manageable.
“Phew, that wasn’t so bad,” Charles reflected, too soon.
“Dominicous,” Toa said in a monotone.
A blast of power surged through the link from Dominicous, shoving way too much magic Charles’ way. He wrestled again, trying to keep it from infusing him and shell-shocking his body. It tried to force its way in, though, tingling along his skin like hot needles, singeing and burning. Too much—it was too much magic!
“Centralize it, you fool!” Toa yelled, his hands balled in fists, sweat standing out on his face.
Charles squeezed his eyes shut and concentrated with everything he had, trying to force it back out along that tight rope. Trying to breathe through the crushing weight of all that magic; trying to rip off his skin and flash-burn his bones.
Inch by inch it went, back to the middle. Balanced, as much as it could be, seemingly hanging out in the air, waiting for Toa to dip in and use it. So much power. So hard to deal with.
Charles longingly grabbed the handle of his sword as Dominicous asked, “Who else?”
“More?” Charles couldn’t help the whine. This was way out of his league.
“We only need three of high level,” Toa said calmly, once again staring at Sasha. “She is already analyzing the magic.”
“Let Toa handle the chants, Sasha,” Dominicous commanded in a firm tone.
She didn’t acknowledge. Her gaze was locked on that demon, body bowed slightly, brow furrowed.
The demon stared back, its too-large mouth filled with gnarly teeth, grinning manically, always talking. Rasping out incoherent words as she stared.
“Yuck, you’re gross. Lots more power than the other ones. But…” Sasha took a few unconscious steps in its direction, as if working out a tough math problem. “You’re a runt, aren’t you? You aren’t all the way here, or something. You’re…practice.”
“Stop her!” Toa shouted as the Boss pulled her back. She didn’t notice any of it.
Which was not like her.
Magic swelled, dragging Charles attention away from Sasha, the power wobbling within the link between the three of them, the bubble of power starting prickles up Charles’s arms.
“Focus on the link, Toa, Charles is inexperienced. He is drawing the power to him in his protectiveness.” Dominicous stepped forward, up beside Sasha and the Boss, facing the demon. “We don’t need him passing out before he can be of use.”
The link trembled, the center of magic yanking toward Dominicous. Toa’s forehead beaded in sweat.
“Let it loose, Sasha. Let me handle it,” Toa instructed.
The thing had started making those horrible sounds again. Like a blade scraping across decaying bones. Black mist spread out along Sasha’s magic. Pulsing. A smell of burning hair drifted from the warehouse.
“Oh yeah, I’d get to lead until you got free,” Sasha spoke to the demon. “Lot of good vast riches and mind-blowing power gets me, since you’d just suck my power dry and kill a bunch of people. Nah, I think I’ll just kill you.”
Power surged in Charles, Sasha unconsciously bolstering him as she always had in classes. They didn’t have a link, but they had a deep connection through friendship—she always had him in her unconscious bubble. Except, this time, he wasn’t excited about the extra magic.
The link wavered, the extra push from Charles battering toward Toa.
“I cannot maintain this balance with the two of you drawing inconsistently,” Toa yelled.
Tim stepped closer to Sasha as he pulled off his sweats, ready to change. Knowing it was coming soon. Whatever happened in the past, Tim was not one to run away, and he was proving it.
&n
bsp; “It could be sucking the magic out of her right now,” Toa warned. “It uses speech to enact a kind of trance.”
“It’s not,” the Boss growled, still holding her. “She’s not expending any energy right now.”
The thing started its grating again. Sasha waved her hand through the air. “Right, well, banishing you out of your mobile form might as well be killing you. And guess what, ugly, you aren’t real mysterious. Your creator was practicing—I can see that now. You’re an experiment gone wrong. You’re no stronger than a messenger, isn’t that right? All I have to do is…”
“No!” Toa shouted.
The sheen around the building cleared away in an instant, that black plume of smoky vapor spilling out onto the street. Charles could feel it, sucking at him, draining his energy and power even before it touched his skin.
It tumbled forward as the creature surged, rushing, aiming directly for her.
The Boss tossed her behind him, bracing in front of her. Dominicous stood right beside him, sword out, knees bent. A quick blur and blast of magic, and suddenly a Kodiak bear lumbered in the place of Tim. A huge roar rumbled the ground. Bursts of magic lit around the circle, various animals taking the place of their human counterparts. Growls, shrieks and barks sounded a battle roar.
“Cut it down!” the Boss roared.
Glowing swords swung out, three males running forward to cut off the charge. And not a moment too soon.
The maniacally grinning demon reached the first line of defense as the ranks closed in behind it, locking it in a circle of glowing tattoos, swords and fur. A claw struck out with a blur of movement, swiping the midsection of a male with green power. Three gapes in leather bubbled forth a sludge of red, the claws cutting through leather and skin like fingers through foam. Another demon claw swung out, catching a furred arm. The demon snarled, legs whipping out, catching someone on the thigh as a red blade swooped down into the melee.
Magic and metal cut through a thick demon hide, a sizzling swirl of smoke rising from the wound. The howl battered through the street, hate and rage filled. Claws lashed out, downing one male and one wolf.
“No!” Sasha yelled, dagger yanked from its holster. The blade was burnished gold, dimming fast.
