Through Time-Slamming

by Conn, Claudy

  ~*~

  A moment later, hand in hand they stepped into the Queen’s chamber to find Breslyn stomping about and saying they had to act immediately. His beloved humans were being tortured and eaten throughout Dublin.

  Trevor stood straight and squeezed Jazz’s hand reassuringly. She realized she was shaking at the picture this presented in her mind. This latest news was horrifying. Pestale would not rest. Danté with Z beside him shifted in and announced that he had sent his Lugh warriors to champion the humans in Dublin. He wanted permission to join with them in the battle.

  “I know you have other plans for me, Aaibhe,” Breslyn was frustrated. “I need to go in and protect them…”

  “No, my prince. The Lugh warriors have this. Pestale may have sent in a variety of Unseelie castes into Dublin, but Danté and his efficient crew will swiftly cut them down.” She waved a hand. “You must realize that Pestale means to draw us out and take our measure. Let us not play his game. Let us defeat him with but a small fraction of what we are and what we can do.”

  Breslyn nodded and said, “My Queen, I must do something. Danté and his fighters shouldn’t be allowed to have all the fun.” He winked at his old friend, but it didn’t hide the grimness behind the mischievous look.

  “And you shall help, very soon. We all shall do a great deal,” she answered. “I have not yet heard from Princess Royce, but I do not believe it will be long before she and Shee Willow will find the Twalla. Once we have that, everything will fall into place. In the meantime we must contain them.”

  The Queen sighed heavily and suddenly reached out for Radzia who had been biting her bottom lip and looking like an anxious and crazed female. Aaibhe touched her hand. “I see you are very upset. You need to have a clear head. You must not think of those who have passed, but of those you will spare. In this, you must forget your human side. You will fight with Danté, back to back. You and your warriors will finish them off and return here as soon as you are able.”

  Radzia nodded and turned to Danté who gently ran a finger over her cheek and then tweaked her black hair. Then without a word Jazz watched them shift off.

  Dublin was under a major attack.

  She knew that in spite of what the Queen had said that this was awful. Jazz wrapped her mind around it—every single time the Seelie got matters under control, Pestale threw another monkey wrench in just to send them scrambling. She was sure he was trying to hit at their morale, but she knew the Seelie well enough to know that was not happening!

  However, Jazz was on edge. She cast Trevor a worried glance as he put his arm around her shoulders and drew her close.

  No one spoke as they waited for the Queen to continue. When she did, her brilliant eyes were alive with determination.

  “Pestale has sent in his shifters to Dublin and I will not soften the blow by telling you we have matters completely in hand. We do not. Pestale’s Unseelie army is extensive and ours is not. He has sent in a variety of Unseelie castes to Dublin and some of these abominations, as we have witnessed, feed by eating their prey alive. Others suck the life-force out of their victims, while still others feed on the fluids of their victims. These Unseelie always prefer humans over animals as their source of food.” She eyed Jazz and said steadily, “you will be met with a horrendous vision when you join the battle again. The attack on humans will only get worse and you all need to be prepared for what you will see.”

  Jazz knew the Queen was speaking to the human in her just as she had spoken to Radzia. She stood straight and silently nodded that she understood.

  Aaibhe looked up at Morgan who put a hand to her back. Her glittering lashes fluttered sadly a moment before she continued. “Many eons ago Queen Mab maintained the equivalent of what humans…” she looked at Jazz. “…would call blueprints of all the castles Fae constructed in Scotland and Ireland. Queen Mab has always been far-sighted, much more so than I.” Aaibhe blinked and a map was laid on the long table she had transported to her private chamber for this meeting.

  “We have this drawing of the inner design of Morrigu’s Castle.” She frowned for a moment as memory flitted through her mind and said idly. “Morrigu always loved Scotland. I can’t think why she left to follow the Dark King. I have always put it at infatuation and he was so wrong to allow it and then to discard her when she was no longer welcome in Tir.” She sighed heavily. “Nevertheless, we have this blueprint and it clearly shows us the exterior walls and the original interior, which was left shielded all these thousands of years while she was lost in the Dark Realm.” She eyed Breslyn. “I am certain Pestale has made some changes since they have taken it over. Thus, I have asked Deimne to fly overhead and get a mental picture of the interior as it is now. He will meet with us soon and then we will plan our next move.”

  Jazz became anxious. “Where…” she bowed her head respectfully, “…my Queen, is Frankie?”

  “She is with Nuad’s daughter, Suade training in the Pavilion. I thought it best if she did not hear about the atrocities being committed,” Aaibhe sighed. “Indeed, Breslyn show us what progress Danté has made.”

  Breslyn gritted his teeth, waved his hand, and parted the airwaves as though he had installed a large movie screen. A live picture of Dublin was presented.

  They watched in abject misery as they witnessed their beloved Dublin under siege by monsters.

  Dublin citizens were under attack from nightmares come to life. At first, they were unable to grapple with what they saw coming at them. They were so beyond easy targets Terror gripped students and professors alike at Trinity where monsters stepped out of the atmosphere and began grabbing and taking out their eyes, their hearts, and eating them while others were frozen with fear and disbelief.

  And then mass hysteria took over.

  As they ran in all directions, people ran out in front of cars and screamed about aliens and monsters. The Unseelie fed with a gluttony that left Jazz unable to look.

  But humans are resilient. Some were not willing to just stand there and be killed. As hopeless as it seemed, some took up weapons and quite by accident, one of those weapons was made of iron. Iron bars left at a construction site. The word quickly spread that the monsters had a weakness to iron.

  The Lugh warriors grinned to see the humans fight back. When one large human swung hard and took off the head of one of the insect Unseelie, it slumped into its gooey death and a roar of victory went up.

  Jazz whooped, but it was short lived. There were just too many Unseelie. The screams of agony, the shouts of terror of those unable to fight back, of babes and innocents being ripped to shreds and eaten was almost too much to bear.

  Unable to stop herself she called for her sword, which appeared in her uplifted hand. She was unused to her role as a Fae. She was unused to taking orders from the Queen. She couldn’t wait for permission as she announced hoarsely, “I am for Dublin, my Queen.” She didn’t even wait for Trevor or wonder if he would follow as she shifted out to do her part.

  ~*~

  She stood for a moment taking it all in as around her cars and buses slammed into one another. Unseelie took over the heart of the bustling city. If Pestale wanted chaos, he certainly had achieved that goal and terror reigned.

  Brave Garda looking like the swat teams she had seen often enough on TV, were armed and shooting, but bullets didn’t work and the Garda became a part of the causalities.

  From above, a helicopter fired round after round at the monsters, while another helicopter with a news crew shot a live video of the onslaught below.

  Jazz shifted into the very midst of this and without hesitation, Slammed twenty Unseelie to the ground and dove into the fray. Taking off heads with her Death Sword, spearing them as they lay helpless on the concrete, and taking on one after the other like a demon crazed.

  She knew the helicopter was overhead and was certain the Queen would not want the humans to see and film her. She enacted the Féth Fiada. Invisible now, they would watch and wonder what was killing the mons
ters.

  No time to think about that as she turned and found a seven foot centipede with the head of a young and lovely human coming at her. She froze for a moment, staring at the innocent face as its many scrambling insect arms reached for her.

  It went down suddenly and she saw Trevor with his Death Sword dripping green . She smiled at him, but he wasn’t smiling back. He took her upper arm and brought her in close, his voice a low hard growl, “Do you want me sick with worry? Is that what you want? Do you want me rushing in and unable to fight properly while I search for you?” he shouted at her.

  “No Trev, I couldn’t stand by…”

  “Don’t ever go off like that again, Jazmine Decker. You owe it to me to speak with me before you rush into battle. I have that much right, do I not?” he said as he shifted his hold to her waist and drew her closer still. Even in the midst of death and destruction, his love was like a halo all around him. He glowed and she felt his love as she said, “Okie dokie.” Now, let’s do this!”

  “Right, but you need to know that Breslyn demanded and received permission to come in with the Dagda Warriors as well, so he will be surrounding the city and moving in with Morgan LeBlanc and his Milesians. We will have them contained so you and me, Jazmine Decker mine, we go back to back. You don’t leave my side. We’ll work the heart of the city while they bring in the rest.”

  “Agreed, Trev, agreed.” She stepped away to fling her sword into the back of a giant slimy thing. It looked like half Lizard, half human in appearance. The creature dropped where it stood as she called her sword back to her. She saw Trev grin out of the corner of her eye. She suddenly realized that she had somehow turned into a warrior.

  Chapter Sixteen

  RECONNAISSANCE WAS A thing Deimne usually enjoyed, however this time it was difficult to think of anything other than the fact that the bastard monsters were stealing his time with his daughter. More than anything, all he wanted to do was be with Frankie and hear about her dreams and her needs. He wanted to tell her stories of their heritage, get to know her, and allow her to know him. He was a father and that was all he wanted to be.

  Frankie should have all his attention. She should have all his time, every minute that she wanted should be hers.

  He found himself adoring her. She had such a sweet and caring nature and there was great wisdom in such a young life. He could only imagine what she would grow up to be.

  He had always come first. He had always put his needs first in the past and it struck him as momentous that he now first thought of Frankie’s needs above his own.

  How very odd.

  As Morrigu’s Castle came into view Deimne shifted into Sluagh invisibility. It was one of his special powers. Although other Daoine and Seelie Fae would be able to see through it, Unseelie could not.

  He smiled at the notion of tricking the Dark Princes and getting what his Queen needed for their next move.

  He had during his flight, already received news via his mind link with Queen Mab regarding the atrocities being committed in Dublin.

  He was certain from his experience and observations of the Royal Seelie that they would contain it, but the human authorities would now be drawn into battle with their armies. Soon the land he loved, his beloved Scotland, his glorious Highlands, and his sweepingly lovely Ireland would be covered with blood.

  Containment first and aggression next. That is what he had told Queen Mab and she had agreed.

  First, he would follow through with Queen Aaibhe’s idea. She was a brilliant Daoine and the Seelie were lucky to have had her, he proudly thought. Then a rush of darkness swept into him and he sucked in air and steadied himself as he felt the Dark Magic frigid power.

  Pestale was somewhere below.

  He would have to get this done as quickly as he could for he had always been concerned about the power of Dark Magic. Queen Mab maintained that white magic was always stronger than dark, but he wasn’t so sure.

  The plight of the humans flitted through his mind and he found himself surprised by the empathy that he felt for their present situation. He had discovered over the centuries that humans could be most endearing when they least realized it. He had always held himself aloof from them, but he had not always been blind to their many trials and tribulations. On the whole, he thought that the human race was an undeveloped life force who did not have immortality to protect them. In spite of their fear of death they were forever diving in to save one another or an ideal to secure their freedom. Indeed, it was his race’s duty to keep the Dark Ones at bay and out of their world. Perhaps they would develop into a finer race in the end.

  He thought of Frankie’s mother. He had adored her. He could not remember a time when he believed he cared for a female to the point of bonding. That had not happened for him, but he had come close with Frankie’s mother. She had been a beauty whose soul had called to him. How had he not seen that she was a Fios?

  Had he known, he would have insisted she come with him to Sluagh and be his mate. Indeed, he now believed they would have been happy. He should have insisted they raise their child together. He should have, but she seemed to love that farmer human of hers and his pride had been jolted. And now, because he had wanted to please her, he let her do what she said she needed to do. She was now gone. He had made a poor decision. He should never have given up his right to be with his child.

  Now he would set that right and he damn well meant to make this world free of the abominations presently traversing his dear Ireland and Scotland. All so that Frankie’s life would be carefree.

  As he circled the Grampian Mountains that hid Morrigu’s Castle, he cloaked himself in his Sluagh shield in addition to his invisibility. He felt he couldn’t be too cautious when it came to Pestale and his black power.

  Pestale had an uncanny way of guessing what and where the Royals would go and do and he was forever preparing his little surprises for them.

  Deimne’s flight brought him directly over Morrigu’s castle. He hovered high in the clouds. His great white, glittering wings were strong as they worked to keep him in place as he surveyed the scene below.

  Maxine Reigate came to mind.

  She was a High Druid Priestess and had the powers of a Fios although she was not one in the true sense. She had threatened him with the wand upon their first encounter. It made him smile for she was not an immortal. She was so brave. She was his friend and he had learned a great deal about humans from her, as he had from Shee Willow. He had learned to trust what they told him was his gut.

  He knew now what that meant and his gut was screaming that something below was very wrong.

  Death hissed its hoary tune.

  Destruction pounded in his ears.

  And then he knew why…

  Even as detached from human sufferings and daily lives as he had forced himself to be, he saw the villages around the castle and felt a wave of sorrow and convulsion of sympathy shake his inner core.

  The villages whose charming little shops and narrow avenues had teamed with locals going about their business only an hour ago, lay still and desolate. There was naught but scattered bones.

  Clothed skeletons, some on steps, in the streets, on the curbing, and inside those charming shops. Shops now devastated with broken windows and doors. Some hanging from their hinges with only the skeletal remains of humans left behind everywhere. Horrific.

  He knew why. Pestale had set the lowly non-shifters on the town. He had sent them in to feed during the night, before the humans would know what hit them.

  He had chosen the non-shifters caste for they were the only ones able to multiply simply from feeding.

  A sudden need to return to Tir where he had left his daughter to train with Nuad came over him. He wanted to hold and kiss her head and make certain none of this horror touched her. And a sudden warm feeling came over him. He was no longer the last of his kind, for he had Frankie.

  His attention returned to Morrigu’s Castle and he felt the pulse of the Unseelie below. He c
ould hear them grunting with pleasure as it sent a shiver of repulsion through his Daoine blood. Daoine were always one with nature and Unseelie were the unnaturals.

  The Unseelie had been created not by the Wheel of Life and not in the natural way, but by the Dark King’s science and magic combined. It had gone all wrong.

  Frankie’s eyes flashed into his mind and he was determined to be a part of making her life special. In order to do that he had to find a way of sending the demons back to their hellhole.

  He increased the volume of his hearing as he flew closer to the castle and began taking mental pictures of the interior with his built-in radar. Just as he was preparing to leave, he heard the sound of the human machines in the air; what they called helicopters.

  Soon the tragedy below would be on the news.

  Panic would be rampant as it now was in Dublin. Scotland and Ireland would band together, but they didn’t stand a chance without the Seelie Fae. The Seelie had to maintain their invisibility. No one could know they existed or life would never be comfortable for Fae again.

  The Team was running out of time.

  And then he saw Pestale looking up towards in the sky as though he could see him.

  No, Pestale could not see him.

  He immediately shifted back to Queen Aaibhe’s quarters.

  Chapter Seventeen

  DUBLIN HAD BEEN cleansed of Unseelie, but Jazz wasn’t done. She turned to Trevor and said, “I have to do something first before we go back.”

  “What?” he frowned at her for the Queen had recalled them.

  “I have to give them a head’s up. I have to tell them to use iron for bullets and rockets. They need to know.”

  “And how do you propose to do that?”

  “With finesse. Want to see?”

  He grinned wide. “My Jazmine Decker always has something up her sleeve. Yes, I want to see.”

  Protected by their invisibility, Jazz shifted into the military’s headquarters and looked around until she saw him. The man in charge was a four star general.