Dark Curse (Deamhan Chronicles Book 2)

by Isaiyan Morrison

  “That’s a nice setup you have going on back there.” Kenneth pointed to the cages. “I didn’t think this was all that serious, Selene.”

  Ignoring his statement, Selene growled at Anastasia. “Why did you bring her here?” She rushed at Anastasia and in one movement, Selene pinned her to the floor. Her black eyes widened and she snarled.

  “I’m not here to fight.” Anastasia felt Selene’s hardened grip on her chest.

  “Then what did you come here for?”

  Kenneth spoke up. “She helped me find the piece of The Dark Curse you’ve been looking for.”

  Anastasia jumped to her feet, pulled out the fake piece from her pocket, and handed it to Kenneth.

  “I hope our deal still stands.” Holding the piece, Kenneth extended his hand to Selene.

  Lucius eyed it and said in exhilaration, “That’s it. Now it’s complete.”

  Selene relaxed but her eyes still remained on Anastasia. At that moment, Anastasia felt her head beginning to throb and a sharp sensation over-take her thoughts. It brought her to her knees and her eyesight began to fail. The pain traveled down her spine to her feet and suddenly she felt paralyzed.

  Kenneth stepped back. “We have a deal, Selene.”

  “Yes.” Selene snatched the piece from him and she examined it carefully. “Anastasia, on the other hand, isn’t part of it.”

  “Fine by me,” Anastasia grunted, “but I wouldn’t be so quick to kill me now.” Just then Anastasia felt the pain subside and her eyesight return to normal. Her legs wobbled as she struggled to stand back on her feet. Pulling a rule from Remy’s handbook, she replied with a snicker. “I have something else that might help you and if you want it, you have to play nice.”

  “What do you have that we would want?”

  She reached in her pocket. “This.” She pulled out the amulet and held it out in front of her. “If you want it, take it.” She watched as Selene’s eyes twitched at the sight of the amulet in front of her. Lucius also slowly crept forward. Anastasia expected one of them to grab it and for the amulet to take effect and do what it was created to do. It was the first step in Remy’s plan and so far, it was working perfectly. But what she didn’t know was that Kenneth would bluntly betray her.

  “Touch it and it’ll kill you!” he yelled out to them.

  Anastasia quickly pushed Kenneth to the ground. In Deamhan speed Lucius rushed her and his movement proved too fast for her, making her jump slightly at his now up and close presence.

  “Is that your goal, Anastasia?” Lucius whispered to her. “To kill us?”

  “She told me that it protects whoever wears it from Deamhan.” Kenneth swallowed hard and he raised himself up to his feet.

  “Why are you doing this?” Lucius grabbed Anastasia’s wrist and squeezed. “I don’t want to kill you, but you’re giving me no other choice.” The pressure made Anastasia wobble and she tried to stay on her feet.

  Suddenly they heard the sound of the front door to the warehouse blast open and the frantic footsteps of mercenaries heading toward the elevator. Above, the small basement windows shattered and she witnessed multiple movements in the dark. The human mercenaries, all dressed in black, began to crawl through the shattered windows, gripping automatic machine rifles and wooden stakes.

  Seeing the humans carrying guns was almost enough to make Anastasia snicker while still in pain. Bullets hurt their kind but it wasn’t enough to fear them. The sounds also echoed from the mercenary’s radio and he screamed back into it. “Team 456, move in!”

  A blast rang out and Anastasia watched as bullets slammed into Selene and Lucius. Before she could react, she felt a sharp pain in her right shoulder followed by another pain in her back. She fell to the ground next to Lucius who dropped his tablet piece-the real piece-to the floor.

  More shots rang out and Kenneth picked up the piece, stuffing it into his pocket. “Did you really think I’d make a deal with Deamhan?” He turned and yelled out to the mercenaries flooding the room. Anastasia attempted to get up but Kenneth’s foot connected with her midsection, knocking her back to the floor. “You’re all evil demons who need to be dealt with.”

  Anastasia heard more shots whizzing by her head and body. She managed to look up, seeing Kenneth running for the elevator, passing several mercenaries headed in her direction.

  Lucius stood to his feet and he slammed his hand into the chest of the one mercenary, killing him in his tracks. She felt more slugs rip through her flesh and she watched Selene, still lying on the floor, being riddled with bullets. She gathered her strength again and raised herself up from the floor just in time to place her hand around a mercenary’s neck, snapping it.

  Anastasia reached Selene and knelt beside her. “This is what your behavior, your blind judgment has done.” She felt another bullet enter her lower back and she hissed. “You’ve started a war.” Gripping the amulet in her hand she raised it, preparing to place it over Selene’s heart.

  “A war is exactly what we need!” A trickle of blood poured from Selene’s mouth. “Get away from me.” With her right foot she kicked Anastasia hard in her abdomen and Anastasia found herself airborne, landing several feet away on her back.

  She immediately stood up, watching helplessly as Selene, now on her feet, joined Lucius in his slaughter.

  Just then Anastasia heard Remy speak behind her. “And they say never trust a Deamhan.”

  She turned around, watching Remy wipe the dust and dirt from his white, crisp T-shirt. “Where are the others?”

  “Killing mercenaries outside. They’ll be in shortly.”

  “We were stupid to let Ayden open his mouth to Kenneth about the amulet.”

  “What happened?”

  “He told them before I could act. When the mercenaries came in, he ran off with the piece Lucius had.”

  “Well, that’s a shame.” Remy grinded his teeth.

  “Veronica’s father is in the back. We have to get him out of here.” Anastasia pointed to a room near the far back. “Kei is there also.” Over the noise of shooting and screaming, they heard the elevator door open. Anastasia watched as Maris and Ayden walked out slowly. Upon seeing Kyra, Ayden ran up to the cage.

  “Go!” Anastasia pushed Remy away. “I’ll handle them myself for now.”

  A bullet grazed Maris’ right arm. She stared at her wound before her fangs dropped from her gums and she rushed in Deamhan speed toward three mercenaries who continued to fire at her. She sank her fangs into the face of one of them while she reached to her right and left, slamming the remaining two mercenaries into each other.

  “I have a better idea.” Remy grabbed the amulet from Anastasia and he rushed off toward the backroom. She took off after him, jumping over the bodies of dead and dying humans as she angrily called out his name. He was going for Kei, to kill him, and that wasn’t part of the plan.

  He broke through the office door and he paused in the entryway at Veronica’s father who remained chained against the wall. Anastasia pushed him inside and began to free Mr. Austin.

  Gawking at Kei’s unlucky situation, he walked around the desk, staring at him staked to the top of the wooden desk. “They really had some fun with you.” He admired Kei’s gruesome state.

  “Our plan is to free Veronica’s father,” Anastasia said.

  “I know, I know. Can I just stir in the moment?”

  Continuous sounds of human screams coming from the commotion outside of the office didn’t persuade Remy to move a step faster. Instead he took his time. He snagged at one stake embedded in Kei’s stomach, yanking it free. Kei screeched in agony, distracting Anastasia from Veronica’s father.

  He positioned the amulet an inch away from Kei’s heart. “You killed Veronica’s mother.” Kei spat and a glob of spit mixed with blood landed on his cheek. In return Remy smacked him across the face.

  “Remy, if you’re going to kill him, do it now.” Anastasia turned her attention to Mr. Austin. She cocked her head, noticing that his righ
t hand was missing and the nub wrapped in a blood-soaked towel. She easily freed him from his chains. His weak body, caked with blood, fell forward and she caught him, placing him over her shoulder.

  Remy slowly wiped the spit from his cheek and he clutched onto Kei’s neck. “Patience is a virtue.”

  “Remy!”

  “Alright. Fine.” He walked over to Mr. Austin. He proceeded to slap his forehead, getting the old man’s attention. When Mr. Austin opened his heavy eyes, he placed his hand underneath his chin and turned his head in Kei’s direction. “He needs to see this.” He walked back to Kei. “This amulet is supposed to protect the wearer from Deamhan. I wonder if it acts just like a stake.”

  He placed the amulet over Kei’s chest and he stepped back, watching Kei scream and gasp in pain. With his eyes widened Kei grasped at the amulet, trying to toss it off his body, but he was unable to do so. Just then the skin underneath the amulet began to turn dark. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and his arms turned into dust, followed by his legs, his torso, and eventually his head. Blood pooled onto the floor and the amulet, now sizzling, fell to the floor.

  “Wow. I didn’t expect that.” Remy grabbed the amulet from the floor. “It looked pretty painful.”

  “Remy,” Anastasia whispered. “We have to go. Now.”

  Remy poked at Kei’s sizzling remains. “Yeah, it’s time to go.”

  They walked out of the office.

  “Get him out of here.” She handed Mr. Austin over to Remy and in return he handed her the amulet. The plan was back on track. Now she needed to use it against Selene and Lucius before they gained the upper hand. Little did she know that Selene headed straight for them.

  She looked around, watching as Lucius continued to strike down the human mercenaries while Ayden still remained near Kyra’s cage, trying to free her. She then felt a hard blow to her back which pushed her to the floor and onto her stomach. Cold hands lifted her to her feet and she found herself airborne again, landing against the wall and barely missing a stack of pallets by inches. The amulet flew from her grasp, landing nearby.

  Dazed, she watched Selene push Remy aside and she reached down, grabbing Mr. Austin by the neck. She lifted him in the air and began to feed. Anastasia shook off her dazed state and she headed straight for Selene in hopes of stopping her. Instead Selene dropped the body, grabbed Anastasia in midstride and pinned her to the nearest wall. Selene’s knee gently pressed up against Anastasia’s crotch, lifting her a few inches off the ground. Staring back into Selene’s cold dark eyes, Anastasia felt her long Ramanga teeth reveal themselves.

  “I’ve waited so long for this moment,” Selene replied.

  Anastasia continued to struggle, finding Selene’s strength hard to overcome.

  “I don’t see what Lucius saw in you,” Selene said. “You’re nothing. You’re weak. You can’t defeat me.”

  Anastasia gathered enough strength to push her off of her. Selene promptly returned in her attack, grabbing a handful of Anastasia’s dark hair and dragging her to the ground. With one hand she grabbed both of Anastasia’s wrists and moved her arms above her head. Anastasia moved her feet, trying to find leverage.

  “Why not face me when you don’t have Pure blood in your veins?” Anastasia asked in an attempt to get Selene off her.

  Selene’s mouth opened and her eyes danced devilishly in the dark. She struck Anastasia across her face, blinding her for a second. That moment was all Selene needed to hastily revert back to the office, grab a stake, and return, stabbing Anastasia in her upper left arm near the armpit. The pain caused Anastasia to slightly jerk and grit her teeth. Selene held the stake by her teeth and she punched at Anastasia’s chest, breaking through her sternum. Anastasia felt her bones being pulled back by Selene’s grip and the air tickling her now-exposed organs.

  Without delay, her body shut down and grew extremely weak. Her wound throbbed in uncontrollable pain and her eyes fluttered. No Deamhan in existence had ever brought so much pain to her like Selene did now. Anastasia opened her mouth, wanting to scream, but she told herself that no one, especially Selene, would hear her call out in torment. She welcomed death however, she welcomed Selene’s death even more. Looking to her right, she saw that Lucius had Maris cornered.

  Selene took the stake from her mouth, raised it, and Anastasia closed her eyes, waiting for the strike. Selene stopped short and the sharp edge of the stake pricked Anastasia’s heart. A gust of wind blew over them and Anastasia no longer felt the stake at her flesh. She opened her tired eyes to see Selene’s stake now in Remy’s hands, deeply embedded into Selene’s heart.

  Anastasia looked at Mr. Austin’s still body. She tried to listen for a heartbeat but heard nothing. “Remy! Grab the amulet. Get Mr. Austin out of here.”

  “But the plan is not working!” Remy yelled back at her. “We still have to kill Maris—”

  “Just get him out of here!” She watched Remy grunt before he left Selene and headed back to Mr. Austin. He lifted Mr. Austin’s body over his shoulder, grabbed the amulet, and rushed in Deamhan speed for the exit.

  Anastasia slowly stood to her feet but her body, weakened from Selene’s attack, made it almost impossible to walk. She covered her opened chest with her hands and with each step she took, her bones arched out and she lurched forward. Still standing against the wall, Selene grabbed the stake and pulled it from her chest.

  “Stakes don’t harm me anymore.” Her wound slowly closed. “Their blood protects me.”

  Anastasia stepped back in awe, watching Selene approach her. Blood curdled in her throat.

  “You won’t win. Not today.” Selene struck her across the face and she fell back.

  For once, Anastasia felt defeated. Remy’s plan had dissipated right before her eyes and without the amulet, there wasn’t any way she could take on both Lucius and Selene. A loud explosion from the rear of the room caught their attention and Anastasia turned to see Maris hitting the wall like a ragdoll and Lucius slowly walking toward her.

  Body parts of mercenaries lay strewn about the room and blood dotted the concrete walls and floors. Ahead she saw Ayden had ripped the cage open. He grabbed Kyra and dragged her toward the elevator.

  Anastasia felt a gust of wind and hands that pushed her onto the grated walkway. She regained her focus, watching Lucius twist Maris’ arm behind her back and push her to the floor. He then slammed his foot onto her back, keeping her held down.

  “Eat, Anastasia. I don’t want to kill you when you’re at your weakest.”

  Anastasia looked over her shoulder at Selene who stood over her. She crawled forward and to her right, she grabbed onto the lifeless body of a mercenary. She bit into his thigh and began to suckle. She felt her sternum start to heal and the pain slowly faded away. Her bones moved back into position and her skin moved itself back, covering her chest. The dead blood helped a little.

  She continued drinking, as fast as she could, until the flow of blood decreased. Her body filled with little energy and she stood to her feet, facing Selene. If ever there was an opening, to strike Selene, the time was now—despite the fact that they weren’t prepared for what was to come next.

  She rushed at Selene again and again, in one hit, Selene sent her on her back. She stood over her, smiling. “This is pathetic.” She moved back. “You can do better than this.”

  Anastasia grunted and again she got to her feet. Selene was right. She couldn’t win but she didn’t wasn’t going to run away with her tail between her legs. She never ran; not from anyone or anything. She was a Ramanga and she would fight to the death. “You don’t have the Dark Curse. You can’t free them. It’s over, Selene.”

  “Who says we need it when we have her?” Selene looked over her shoulder at Maris.

  “She doesn’t know anything,” Anastasia replied back, knowing that what she said wasn’t the truth.

  “Oh, we have exactly what we need,” Selene said with a smile. “Kyra’s mind told us how to translate it. Maris’ blood
will allow the gates of Limbo to open and you,” she pointed to Anastasia, “you’re going to be the Dark Mother’s first meal.”

  Anastasia charged at Selene, only to feel a sharp pain in her stomach, chest, and both legs, which crippled her in mid stride. She fell and gazed at her body, now riddled with wood fragments. She turned her head to her right, watching what looked like pieces of wood hovering in midair. They began to pepper her, striking her in the face and her arms, yet none of them struck her heart. The pieces that remained in the air suddenly dropped to the ground.

  Anastasia reached into her wound in her upper thigh, attempting to pull out the biggest shard. It burned the tips of her fingers and she jerked her hand away. She looked up at Selene who smiled deviously back at her.

  “Like I said before, you have no idea who you’re up against.” She placed her hands on her hips. “You can’t fight against gods with power like this!” She slammed her foot into Anastasia’s back. “Face it. You and your friends have lost. All you can do now is embrace the change and welcome the Pure Ones back to this world with open arms.”

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  DARK CURSE. DEAMHAN CHRONICLES #2

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

  Anastasia felt whatever blood remaining in her ravaged body flow to her chest and to her legs. With her arms pinned high by a thick metal chain, she felt helpless as she watched Selene and Lucius standing back and admiring their victory. Lucius dragged Maris who kicked and struggled against him, and he chained her next to Anastasia.

  He gently placed his hand underneath Maris’ chin and raised her head slightly. “You should be thrilled. You are the only Deamhan who can give us our salvation.”

  Maris jerked her head away.