†
The massive tidal wave hit the shore and crashed into the resort with tremendous force and a thunderous slap. Doors and windows shattered simultaneously under the pressure. Water crashed into the lobby in a massive flood and rushed through the main hallway and secondary corridors. The entire lobby was under water within seconds, allowing furniture to float haphazard. The lights flickered and went out throughout the entire hotel. The massive flood of water struck the creatures and non-human staff before slamming against the banquet hall doors with tremendous force. Water engulfed the entire corridor.
†
The banquet hall continued to vibrate causing bottles of alcohol to fall from the bar and shatter. Heavy chairs danced along the floor in rhythm with the rumbling. The sound of rushing water echoed throughout the room. As the lights flickered and went out, everyone gasped and looked around. The walls, doors, and windows creaked loudly as massive cracks appeared. Water poured in through the cracks but remained beyond an invisible force field. The doors and walls bulged and groaned loudly. There were more terrified gasps and screams from the frightened men and women. Skyler remained still and fixated with his hands out in front and behind him. His hands began to tremble, the veins on his temples bulged, and blood ran from his nose. The room continued to vibrate and creak loudly as the echo of water pressure could be heard just outside the walls. Mel looked at the water beyond the window and watched dead creatures float past. The water was too high even to calculate. They were completely submerged under water in their protective, waterproof bubble.
The water rushed back into the ocean as furniture and creatures were carried out with the tide. Every window up to the sixth floor was shattered and the rooms were undoubtedly flooded beyond repair. Debris from the lobby and the garden littered the beach and resort grounds.
Within the banquet hall, everyone stared at the cracked walls and ceiling in silence as the water rushed away as quickly as it had arrived. Skyler slowly lowered his hands, gasped, and collapsed to his knees. He touched his bleeding nose then looked at the small pool of blood that had collected on the floor near where he had stood. Rafe, Vance, and Logan hurried toward Skyler to check on him. Vance and Logan helped him to his feet, although he remained weak and unsteady. Rafe stared at Skyler with some disbelief and shook his head.
“Not half bad,” Rafe casually announced. His look immediately turned serious. “Where’s Hailey? Is she okay?”
Skyler slowly nodded. “Yeah, she’s fine. She’s pretty drained after her little water show. She’s on her way back to her room to retrieve Lucinda’s necklace where you hid it.”
Rafe hurried across the room toward the broken door, which now lie on the floor, and ran from the banquet hall. Vance and Logan stared at Skyler while shaking their heads as they marveled with disbelief.
“It’s always the quiet ones,” Vance remarked then chuckled while slapping him on the back.
Skyler grimaced from the back slap. Mel handed Skyler a cloth napkin and offered a warm smile. He gratefully accepted the napkin and dabbed the blood from his nose.
“Thanks,” he said gently.
“No, thank you,” Mel announced then kissed him quickly but firmly on the lips.
As she pulled away, Skyler stared at Mel with surprise and his cheeks immediately reddened with embarrassment. Vance and Logan snickered softly to each other.
Chapter Thirty-five
There was still a foot of standing water remaining within the once elegant lobby, which contained the carcasses of several dead creatures sporadically lying about. The water continued to recede, leaving the need for extensive repairs from the damage. The elevator doors opened to reveal Lucinda and Marcus. Both stared at the remaining water as it flooded into the elevator to greet them. Lucinda saw one of the dead creatures lying within the water across the hall. They heard laughter and cheering coming from the banquet hall. Her precious pets and her entire colony had been destroyed, yet the humans survived their extermination. Lucinda glared at Marcus with a venomous look that almost matched his.
“I want her and her council dead!”
She violently hit the penthouse button until the door closed, taking her and Marcus back upstairs to the twentieth floor. As the water receded from the lobby, a flood of guests passed through and marveled at the damage before heading outside. Vance, Logan, and Skyler followed the guests into the water-damaged lobby. They stopped and looked around, nearly awestruck by the amount of damage it had sustained.
“What a mess,” Vance casually remarked.
Talbert entered the lobby behind them and looked around with horror. “Look at my hotel! This will take forever to restore!”
After his initial outburst, Talbert seemed at a loss for words. He looked at Skyler as if sizing him up for the massive undertaking of cleaning the lobby.
Skyler caught his look, snorted a laugh, and threw his hands in the air. “Don’t look at me,” he announced callously. “You fired me, remember?”
Skyler casually cast himself onto a nearby sofa. It sloshed beneath him, soaking his pants. He shut his eyes and groaned softly to what had to be a very uncomfortable feeling. Talbert displayed his annoyance and continued across the lobby to survey the damage. Every window was broken, furniture was displaced, and anything lightweight that fit through the door had been taken out to sea. The desk seemed to be the only piece of furniture still in its original location. Vance and Logan looked at each other and grinned in silent celebration.
“How about a drink?” Logan suggested cheerfully.
“How about several?” Vance teased while holding his arms out with enthusiasm.
“You’re on,” Logan replied then looked at Skyler where he remained on the soaked sofa. “You coming?”
Skyler didn’t seem in the mood for celebrating just yet, and it probably had little to do with his wet pants. “No, you go on ahead. I’ll wait for Hailey.”
They nodded in response and headed down the hallway toward the lounge. If they were lucky, they’d be able to find some booze stored behind the bar, providing it hadn’t all been sucked out into the ocean.
†
Hailey slowly entered her suite while half clinging to the wall for support. She was completely drained. Her legs were so weak; she didn’t know how she made it down the stairs from the roof. She slowly crossed the room to the fireplace, took a moment to catch her breath, and then moved to her knees before the opening. She felt around inside the chimney, but every small movement was an effort. She didn’t know how long she’d feel drained and wiped out, but she had to find the necklace. Her fingers touched a smooth stone. Hailey breathed a sigh of relief and removed Lucinda’s soot covered stone necklace from the chimney. She brushed some of the soot from the stone and grimaced at the sight of it. It truly was a hideous looking thing. She then heard the sound of a gun being cocked behind her. Hailey tensed to the sound and slowly turned on her knees to face Marcus, who stood over her with his gun aimed at her head. He snatched the necklace from her.
“You’ve ruined everything we’ve spent nearly two decades to achieve,” Marcus snarled with a look on his hardened face that frightened her. “I can’t wait to be rid of you.”
Hailey slowly stood and stared at the gun aimed at her face. She didn’t exactly like her predicament. She was powerless and weakened while alone in her suite with Marcus. Although, she was never truly alone. As if on cue, the cougar mysteriously appeared from alongside the sofa and leaped for Marcus. Marcus saw the cougar, showed little emotion, and casually shot it in the head. He watched the cougar fall bloody and limp to the floor. He then turned his attention and his gun back on Hailey, but it was too late. Hailey had already set her counterattack in motion. With every ounce of strength, she swiftly kicked Marcus in the groin. She was getting a little tired of everyone killing her cat! Although she nailed Marcus firmly between his legs, he barely flinched and immediately backhanded her across the face in response. Hailey was thrown against the fireplace. It was a sur
prisingly hard slap, which felt more like a punch. She attempted to straighten while plotting her next move. She summoned her powers, but felt nothing building inside her.
“Stupid girl--”
Marcus aimed the gun at her and tightened his finger on the trigger. Rafe was suddenly alongside Marcus and knocked the gun from his hand. As the gun flew across the floor, Rafe punched Marcus in the face. The necklace fell from his hand and slid beneath the coffee table. Surprisingly, Marcus didn’t go down from the powerful hit. Any normal man would have been unconscious on the floor.
Marcus glared at him and smiled evilly. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this day, Rafe,” he snarled. “It’s going to be a pleasure tearing you apart.”
“Give it your best shot,” Rafe growled in response.
Razor sharp claws appeared from Marcus’ fingertips. He then smiled to reveal sharp, cat-like fangs. Rafe was almost as surprised as Hailey was.
“That’s not good,” Hailey gasped as her body twitched, but she was still unable to summon her powers.
Marcus didn’t take his eyes off Rafe. “You really have no idea what you’re dealing with,” he snarled.
He slashed at Rafe, who leaped out of the path of the claws. Hailey scrambled to the floor for the discarded gun. It was just within her reach. The gun was suddenly kicked away from her fingers. Hailey looked up and saw Lucinda standing over her with an evil, fanged smirk beyond her plump red lips.
“I don’t think so, my dear,” she hissed.
Lucinda grabbed Hailey by the throat and pulled her to her feet. Claws appeared from her fingertips as well and nearly pierced Hailey’s neck. Hailey stared into Lucinda’s yellow cat eyes and attempted to struggle against the clawed hand that held her throat. Hailey needed her powers to return, but she could do little more than grasp and clutch at the woman’s wrist in an attempt to loosen her grip.
“Numinous!” she gasped with all her breath even though she didn’t need to speak aloud at all.
Lucinda seemed humored by the cry for help and added a throaty chuckle. “Your little friends can’t help you,” she remarked. “Not anymore.”
†
Several hotel guests returned from gawking at the exterior damage to the resort and now milled around the lobby, surveying the water damage to the ceiling. Most were fascinated by the events that had unfolded. Some even took selfies with the few dead creatures lying scattered about the room. Skyler now paced the lobby while waiting for Hailey to return from her suite. Mel leaned against the desk and watched him marathon pace as he alternated shaking his head and running fingers through his hair. He suddenly gasped and placed his hands to his temples almost as if in pain. His eyes were wide with horror as he turned to Mel.
“Hailey’s in trouble,” he cried out. “Go to the lounge and tell Vance and Logan to meet me in Hailey’s suite!”
Mel nodded and both ran in the direction of the corridor. Skyler turned toward the elevators and suddenly stopped. He clutched his temples and doubled over with surprise. Mel suddenly stopped, turned, and looked back at him.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
Skyler stared blankly a moment longer as if unable to speak. His body twitched as if going into a seizure. There was a flash of Rafe lying motionless and bloody followed by another image of Hailey being shot. Skyler jerked out of his twitching trance, gasped for air, and then looked back at Mel while straightening.
“I saw Hailey and Rafe dead,” he cried out in panic. “I have to get to them!”
Skyler ran for the elevator and punched the button roughly. The door immediately opened as if on command. It was possibly the first time in his life anything ever went his way when he needed it to. He darted inside as Mel ran down the hallway the reach the men in the lounge.
Chapter Thirty-six
Lucinda tightened her grip on Hailey’s neck. Her hard fingers were crushing her throat and the tips of her claws now pierced the skin, allowing droplets of blood to run down her neck. It would be a race to see whether Lucinda would slice her jugular or crush her throat first. Hailey clutched Lucinda’s wrist and summoned every ounce of strength she had left within her. Nothing happened. The cougar’s lifeless body twitched, catching both women’s attention. Lucinda groaned lowly with annoyance, although it had no effect on her viselike grip on Hailey’s throat.
“Why won’t that damned thing stay dead?”
From a few feet away, Rafe saw Lucinda holding Hailey by the throat, but Marcus wasn’t about to let him through to rescue her. Rafe leaped into a fast, hard kick, struck Marcus in the chest, and sent him flying backward into Lucinda. Lucinda and Marcus crashed to the floor, taking Hailey with them. Hailey was tossed further away from the other two. Despite being momentarily dazed, she looked across the floor and saw the necklace within her reach just beneath the coffee table. Hailey grabbed the necklace. Before she could get to her feet, Lucinda saw her with the necklace, violently tossed Marcus off her, and leaped for Hailey. Hailey saw the menacing woman about to pounce on her and rolled out of her path. Lucinda struck the coffee table with enough force that it should have seriously injured her, but it barely slowed her down. Hailey realized she was seriously outmatched in her weakened condition against her inhuman boss. She scrambled to her feet as Lucinda slashed at her, narrowly avoiding the sharp claws. Rafe looked across the room at Hailey as Marcus came back at him.
“Hailey, run!”
As Hailey looked back at Rafe, Marcus slashed him across his abdomen, leaving bleeding scratches. Hailey cried out, fearing for the worst. If Rafe knew he’d been injured, he didn’t show it. Instead, Rafe spun into a roundhouse kick and struck Marcus harshly across the face.
Rafe met Hailey’s concerned stare across the room. “Go!” he shouted his orders.
Lucinda leaped for Hailey with her claws slashing for her face. Hailey gasped and, against her better judgement, bolted for the door, leaving Rafe to his own devices. Lucinda grabbed the discarded gun from the floor and ran after her. The black panther suddenly emerged with renewed vigor from the cougar’s pelt. The pelt disintegrated. Marcus lunged for Rafe and both crashed onto the coffee table. The table broke beneath their combined weight, leaving Marcus on top of Rafe. The panther ran across the suite for the door, momentarily stopped, and slashed Marcus across the back before running from the room. Marcus cried out from the deep gashes across his back. That split second was all Rafe needed to get out from under Marcus. Both men jumped to their feet and prepared for another round of punishment. Rafe kicked Marcus in the chest as his claws slashed Rafe’s leg.
Rafe cried out from the sudden surge of pain, caught his balance, and kicked with his left leg, nailing Marcus in the mouth. Marcus flew backwards several steps but still didn’t go down. Rafe clutched his bleeding leg, sneered, and approached Marcus. Marcus again slashed at Rafe, aiming for his throat. Rafe attempted to block his claws and received four gashes across his lower arm. He cried out and clutched his bleeding arm. Despite his injuries, Rafe kicked Marcus in the groin so hard it elevated him from the floor. Marcus clutched himself and fell to his knees. Rafe attempted to catch his breath and slowly approached Marcus on the floor. He crouched over him and grabbed him by the throat with blood-covered hands, prepared to deliver the deathblow. Marcus suddenly came to life and slashed Rafe across the chest, slicing him to the bone. Rafe cried out and fell onto his backside on the broken coffee table while clutching his bleeding chest.
Marcus slowly moved to his knees, maneuvered over Rafe, and was about to slash him across the throat. Rafe raised his free hand, which held the broken coffee table leg, and impaled Marcus through the chest with the thick shard of wood. Marcus gasped and slowly moved to his feet while clutching the jagged wood in his chest. Rafe weakly moved to his feet, now panting to catch his breath. Marcus attempted to pull the wood from his chest. Despite his weakened state, Rafe delivered a hard kick, driving the wood deeper into Marcus’ chest. Marcus gasped as blood ran from his mouth while staring into Rafe’s dete
rmined, hateful eyes. Marcus remained standing a moment or two then collapsed to the floor. Rafe clutched his bleeding chest, almost as if feeling the enormous pain for the first time, looked at the massive amount of blood spilling onto his hand, and frowned his annoyance.
“This day officially sucks,” he muttered.
“Rafe,” Vance was heard calling out from across the room. “Where’s Hailey?”
Rafe slowly turned toward Vance in the doorway and weakly shook his head. “I don’t know.”
Vance saw Rafe’s blood-soaked body and appeared horrified by his injuries. “Rafe--?”
“Hailey needs you,” he announced nearly out of breath. “I’ll be along shortly. I need to rest a moment.”
Vance stared at Rafe’s severe injuries with concern then slowly backed away. They both knew the inevitable outcome, but neither said it.
“Yeah, you’ve got it,” Vance said softly, almost choking on his words. “I’ll look after her.”
As Vance ran from the suite, Rafe slowly collapsed onto the sofa and rested his head against the back.
†
The sky remained dark and threatening as the wind continued to whip. The creatures were no longer a threat, but the storm was still sideswiping them. Lucinda silently walked along the roof looking for Hailey. She tapped her claws together then looked at the helicopter still positioned where she had landed it several days ago. She grinned, exposing her sharp fangs as she approached the helicopter. She ran her claws along the side of the helicopter, making a hideous grinding sound as she left scratches along the glossy exterior. She threw open the back door to reveal Hailey hiding on the floor. Lucinda maintained her evil smile and extended her clawed hand. Her bloodstained claws were long and sharp, commanding Hailey’s attention.
Misfits, Inc. Page 21
