Dance of Ashes and Smoke (Age of Monsters Book 1)

by Harley Gordon

  I couldn’t afford it.

  Liv groaned from her spot in the corner. “Is the bitch here yet?”

  The side of my mouth crooked as I turned from the window to face her. “Not yet. Malek is patrolling from the air. Just waiting for his signal.”

  “Is Jax taking a turn in the sky?”

  Jax laughed. “I’m too big, I’d be sighted.”

  “That’s a shame. I know Liv was looking forward to riding you.”

  “Oh, she’ll get her chance soon enough.” He leered at me.

  I hid my face in the crook of my arm to muffle my laughter and hide my scorched face. Jax tickled my side and pulled me close as Liv lost control and kept snorting like a pig. A touch of hysteria edged our humor, too long without a decent sleep, too long spent waiting.

  I pressed a swift kiss on Jackson’s lips before slipping from his grasp and snuggling beside Liv. She leaned her head on my shoulder and grabbed my hand. I smiled as our fingers threaded together.

  We’ve always been one another’s anchors, staying grounded together, stronger, the calm in the storm. We were still alive because of it, still sane, still unbroken.

  I loved her more than anything and we would win this fight together as well.

  She raised a brow at me. “You’re doing that thing again?”

  “What thing?”

  “Taking yourself too seriously.” She kept her voice at an almost inaudible hiss. At my confused frown, she explained. “You’ve got that noble, determined look on your face that says your internal monologue is verging on self-righteous.”

  I harrumphed, yanking my hand from hers. “And here I was thinking such sweet thoughts about you. I take them all back.”

  She chuckled. “So, you weren’t thinking something along the lines of our last stand? Maybe, you and me side by side, taking her on?”

  “Of course not. I was thinking how you’d probably be knocked out pretty fast and I’d be forced to stand guard over your fallen body.”

  A piercing shriek reverberated through the air, cutting off her retort.

  The grin melted from Jackson’s face, settling into a stone mask. “They’re coming.”

  I scrambled for my weapons and over to the window. Malek still circled the darkening sky, but I saw no sign of Tashia or her army. The light of dusk turned the whole world red. I prayed it wasn’t a bad omen.

  Malek shrieked again and spiraled to the ground, changing back to human form the moment his feet hit pavement. Summer raced out to him and he spoke fast, none of it reaching our ears, but based on the way Summer’s face fell, it wasn’t good news.

  She held up her hands, signaling over seventy-five monsters five minutes out.

  I reached out my hands to Jax and Liv, squeezing them hard before I prepared myself, refusing to say goodbye, to say anything poignant, to speak any last words.

  Liv grinned wide, flashing her bright teeth. “See you on the other side.”

  We tapped fists, and Jax and I headed downstairs. Liv was acting as a sniper for the time being, one of our best shots. She hugged her new rifle to her chest as she watched us leave, in the same way she used to hug her cello.

  I prayed it wouldn’t be my last memory of her.

  Outside, Jax and I joined Summer and Malek and a few others in the middle of the street, preparing for the war party’s imminent arrival. We took cover behind vehicles, in small alleys between buildings, anywhere we could hide, but still take aim.

  Shadows closed in on us as night came on swift feet, darkness embracing us.

  I kept wiping my hands on my jeans, not wanting to lose my grip on the gun. The seconds counted down in my head, ticking like a clock. Sweat ran down my back and dampened my hair as tension coiled inside me, writhing like a snake.

  Jackson stayed glued to my side behind the metal trash can, and I was glad. He needed protecting.

  They came on us like a swarm of bees, buzzing through the air and across the street. Monsters of every type, with Tashia and her familiar somewhere in the middle.

  We waited for Summer’s signal, trusting her to spring the trap at the perfect moment.

  My eyes roved for a sighting of my targets, but the drove of monsters was too thick to tell anything and the dark purple sky didn’t help either.

  Summer took her shot, the lead vampire going down as the stake from her crossbow drove into his heart.

  And chaos reigned.

  Gargoyles, dragons, and other flying monsters dove on us, shooting flames and taking bites. The vampires and shifters spread out, diving for cover, using human weapons against us.

  Our flying monsters took to the air, keeping the others busy so those of us on the ground had a chance. Jax rubbed my back before he joined them. I put him from my mind; worrying over him would get us both killed. I squinted through the murkiness of twilight, trying to keep track of everything. Muzzle flashes lit up as beacons in the night.

  I ran for the fray, exchanging my gun for my swords, worried about shooting someone on my side by mistake.

  My world became a dance of death and blood, teeth and steel, screams and pain, smoke and ashes.

  Until Summer fell.

  Melody’s scream tore through me, raising every hair on my body. I shoved through monsters, slicing with my swords to reach Summer. Melody reached her first, terror straining her face. I fell to my knees beside them, a trembling hand reaching for Summer’s pulse. Relief almost tipped me over when it beat against my fingers, weak but steady. Blood streaked her short blonde hair, making a shade of scarlet that chilled me.

  A shriek sounded at my back, but before I could turn around the Jersey Devil shifter was dead. Liv kept everyone off our backs.

  Malek landed beside us and he and Melody carried her away to safety.

  I ignored the fresh blood staining my knees and rose to my feet, rejoining the fray. Brightly glowing, blue, purple, green, pink butterflies fluttered through the air, lighting up the night. Hundreds of them.

  They were exquisite and beautiful.

  Everyone’s weapons fell to their sides as we stared in awe. It was like peering into a nebula as the colors morphed and swirled together. I couldn’t look away, my eyes glued to them. They hypnotized us, lulling us into a dream-like trance.

  And attacked.

  They became an avenging swarm, their wings razors, slicing deep cuts into our faces, necks, hands. They ripped through jeans, leather, flannel. Screams and howls of pain rose around me, but all I could see were the billowing colors. I couldn’t move, or fight back.

  This was Tashia. It had the edge of creepy cruelty she had so much fun with.

  Rage simmered, growing stronger and stronger until it boiled over with a howl of rage, and released me from the spell. I flapped at the bugs and yelled for our people to retreat.

  Somehow, my command got through to everyone. They emerged through the cloud of butterflies and we raced for cover at the bank. Once everyone was inside, I shoved the doors closed and leaned my body against them while a few others brought over desks and chairs to help keep the monsters at bay.

  I took stock, searching for Jax or Liv, but neither one of them was inside. I swallowed hard, telling myself they were fine. The butterflies converged on those of us on the ground, not those in the sky. And Liv was smart enough to close the window if they came her way.

  Our pathetic excuse for an army collapsed on the floor, gasping for air, covered in cuts and blood. And our leader was out of the fight, hurt or dying.

  I struggled to keep myself upright, the wounds from the butterflies burning, muscles aching from the battle. “Is there a magic in here of any sort?”

  Shrugs and head shakes answered me. Smothering a groan, I peeked out the window.

  And smiled.

  Aria had taken care of the butterflies. They were nothing but smoke and ash dancing through the air.

  “We’re clear. Everyone get up and let’s move. We’ve a witch to burn.”

  We poured from the bank, joining those
who emerged from other buildings. The monsters scattered and surrounded us. I barked out orders, shocked to see them obeyed without question.

  Liv emerged through the smoke and shadows, tension flaking away as she stood with her back against mine.

  I grinned over my shoulder at her. “About time you joined the fun.” I brought down my swords on the neck of a growling wolf and sliced until the blades scraped together.

  Her laughter shook us both as her shotgun boomed, followed by the clatter of a dying gargoyle. “I needed a little nap.”

  I spun around at her grunt and together we took down a vampire.

  Wrinkling my nose at the rotten smell, I got back to my feet. “Sorry we were boring you.”

  “You had it under control.”

  For the moment, the monsters gave us a break. “Have you seen Jax? Summer?”

  “Jax is flying around somewhere. I don’t know about Summer.”

  I grabbed her arm and gasped.

  She whipped her head around looking for the reason I’d gasped. “What? What is it? Who do you want me to kill?”

  My entire arm shook as I raised it to point. Liv frowned as she searched for what I saw. A feral grin to match mine spread across her face.

  There they stood, the sorceress and her chimera familiar, under the glow of a street lamp. They didn’t fight, merely watching, detached expressions on their faces while the rest of us burned.

  Liv and I moved as one, stalking them through the burning shadows. This was it. Our moment. Together. I yelled for one of our magics, needing them to cancel out her power or we wouldn’t get close.

  Two of them came at my call, trailing behind Liv and I.

  We didn’t even have to fight our way there; the magics swept them to the sides.

  Tashia and her pet stared at us, watching us come, no hint of fear or worry in their faces.

  But there was none in ours either.

  The magics behind us muttered spells, binding Tashia’s powers. I hoped.

  Tashia smiled. “I won’t play with you two darlings this time. I’ve had enough trouble out of both of you.”

  “Should we be honored you remember us?”

  “You should. Few humans make an impact on me. You are ants to be crushed beneath my feet.”

  I didn’t even try to hold back the laughter. “You can’t help yourself, can you? You really love your precious clichés.”

  The chimera snarled. “How dare you.”

  I raised a brow and my swords in response. Tashia threw her hands into the air with elaborate movements, but nothing happened.

  I was done exchanging barbs and nasty comments.

  We attacked.

  The chimera threw herself in front of Tashia before I could reach her, cutting me off. I wanted the sorceress for myself. The monster shifted into her chimera form, her skin rippling like an alien baby was about to burst from her. Most of her morphed into a saber tooth tiger except for the snake tail and the goat head growing from its back.

  I almost dropped my sword in horror. I’d never seen anything so freaky and nasty in my life. How was I supposed to fight her? I bent my knees a little to keep them from knocking together and braced myself.

  But instead of attacking, she ran away.

  I froze. What should I do?

  She headed towards the church where the townspeople hid. I glanced over at the triumphant sorceress, longing to cut her down where she stood.

  Aria landed between me and Liv. “What do you want me to do?”

  Why was it my decision? “Help Liv. Kill the sorceress. I’m going after her familiar.”

  I ran after the monster, leaving bits of myself behind. But I trusted Liv and even Aria. They had as much to lose and as much right as I. And if I could take out her familiar, she’d lose some of her power.

  Jax soared down and helped clear my way, but the fighting had gotten too thick. He landed in front of me and without a second thought, I leapt onto his back. My heart swooped with the relief he was okay. And then swooped some more as we rose higher in the sky than I was comfortable with.

  He dove back down and it was like I was ten again on a roller coaster. From his back I switched back to my gun and fired at the monsters, praying I didn’t hit any of our people. The chimera was almost at the church. How did she know they were in there? My blood pumped icy hot through my veins and I forced myself to breathe.

  From up here I could see the ravages of the battle. The streetlights and moon and burning buildings lit up the carnage. Monsters and humans lay dead and dying. Blood ran through the streets like a flood, splatters of it across the cobblestones. Screams, moans, begs for mercy. It was horrible.

  We had to end it.

  I couldn’t see how Liv and Aria were doing against Tashia, but I had to trust they had it under control.

  I leaned down so Jax could hear me over the whipping wind. “Get me low enough I can leap on her back.”

  He whinnied back at me. I smothered a giggle. It was so cute.

  I traded back my gun for my swords and prepared myself to jump. I had one chance or splat and if I didn’t finish the familiar, Liv might not have a chance against the sorceress.

  Jax flew lower, right above the chimera. I swung one of my legs over his right side and waited for my moment.

  And didn’t take it.

  I squeezed my eyes shut. We were still so high.

  Jax huffed and got back into position. The chimera was almost at the church, no one had been able to slow her down.

  I let out a silent scream as I forced myself off of Jax, the ground rushing at me. I landed on the chimera’s back with a yelp, staying on her back by grabbing the goat head around the neck. It tried to bite me, but I was able to strangle it before it could.

  Her snake tail hissed and darted at my face. I swung at it with my sword over and over until the head flew off. The chimera roared and lurched beneath me. I’d lost focus on the goat head, remembering when its teeth sank into the flesh below my shoulder.

  I screeched and spun back around, fighting to keep from being thrown off. She shook herself, trying to knock me off, her tiger head and goat head both reached for me with snapping teeth. I swatted at the goat head with my sword, but missed.

  My sword flew from my hand when she jerked again.

  I almost followed, ripping out handfuls of fur to keep from being thrown off to be trampled under her feet. Screw this. I yanked my gun from my thigh holster and shot the goat in the face.

  The chimera roared again and fell to her side, throwing me off. I slammed into the side of a building, gun clattering to the ground. The world swam and tilted, everything going blurry. Something wet dripped down my neck, probably more blood.

  I crawled on my hands and knees through broken glass and rubble towards my gun. My knife was useless against a tiger. She hadn’t yet gotten to her feet, still on her side, writhing in pain.

  Jax made worried horse sounds from the sky as he flew towards us, but he was busy with a dragon. My face contorted from the pain shooting down my neck and back and the agony of glass and rocks digging into my palms and knees. The gun was so close. Just a few more feet.

  Jax neighed a warning, and I threw myself the last couple of feet, scooping up the gun. I rolled to my back and fired at the chimera over and over until I emptied my clip.

  She finally collapsed, landing on the bottom half of my body, turning back into a woman, no longer able to hold her monster form.

  A scream of pain loud and filled with darkness spread across the town. It reached deep and ripped through me, bringing a darkness welling to the surface.

  Tashia.

  I scrambled out from under the chimera and searched the sky for Jax, but he wasn’t there. Malek soared above, his feathers pure gold in the moon’s glow. The sight of him banished the darkness. It gave me a last burst of strength.

  Ignoring my tortured body, I raced for Liv and the sorceress.

  And got back to them right in time to see Tashia blow out a wav
e of power, knocking down Liv, Aria, and the magics.

  I didn’t make it to the sorceress before she disappeared into thin air.

  We spent a day resting up in the church, treating our wounds. Malek slumped around exhausted and gray from the amount of tears he’d shed over the life-threatening injuries.

  Summer was alive and fine, but still weak. I still handed out orders in her place while she regained her strength for the convoy trip to the army base.

  Liv, Aria, and I finished our makeshift bath in the lake. The three of us along with Jax were acting as a scout team for the convoy, so we were leaving first.

  Liv remained silent and glum as we dressed and left the lake for Jax to take his turn.

  “It’s not your fault.”

  She jerked her head in a nod, but still didn’t reply. She blamed herself for not taking out the sorceress when she’d had the chance.

  “We’ll get her. Without the strength and magic kept in her familiar, she’ll be weakened, off licking her wounds. When we move on Austin, we’ll get another chance.”

  Liv snorted. “That’s ironic coming from you. This whole time you’ve thought of nothing but killing her. If our places were reversed, would you cut yourself a break?”

  With a sigh, I squatted down to check the tires on my bike. “Probably not. But you were the one who made me see there was more to live for than revenge.”

  She slammed her pack onto the back of her bike, tying it down with bungee cords. “I’ll try telling myself that when she kills again. When she leaves more orphans alone in the world.”

  Aria hovered behind me, her voice hard to hear. “She just needs time.”

  I nodded and forced a smile over my shoulder. “I know.”

  Liv stalked off, Aria trailing in her wake, leaving me alone in the woods with our bikes while I waited for Jax. A chill breeze swept through the leaves, signaling a cold night. I shivered.

  When Jax returned to our bikes, I shivered for a whole new reason. He hadn’t put a shirt on after his dip in the river and his chest gleamed with droplets of water, black hair soaked and in messy waves, jeans slung low on his hips. My face flushed when he caught how low my eyes had traveled and his mouth curled into a wicked grin.