Seventh Mark (Part 1 +2)

by W. J. May

  Damon cleared his throat. “We – I believe – Caleb will protect his understudy.”

  “And this girl, she is the offspring of Bentos? Without a doubt?” He asked the question again to Damon. Would a Grollic lie to his Alpha? How tight were their bonds?

  Even in naked human form, the Alpha was terrifying. He charged toward my still frozen frame near the tree and grabbed my chin. Forcing my head left then right, he dropped his hand in disgust. “She stinks. Like liquorice. Her bloods tainted.” He spat. As he spun around he swung back and pulled my collar down, scratching my skin. “She’s not marked.”

  “She’s the one.” Damon shook and then whispered, “She is the last one, my lord.”

  The last? Of what? Had Damon somehow found me as the perfect target for this horrifying tirade and planned to use me to try and impress his Alpha?

  “I’d don’t believe it. She’s a coward.” He shook his head once. “Bait her for the Fallen, and kill her.”

  “With pleasure, my lord.”

  Suddenly a shaggy-haired Grollic came running out of the forest and jumped over the circle of Grollics. As it leapt into the air, it changed into human-form and dropped one knee down as he landed.

  “What say you, scout?” the Alpha barked.

  “Th-Three of th-them…” the young man panted. “One’s fighting Janice at their cabin… Two are headed this way.”

  “The twins?”

  “Two men, my lord. I believe one is their Alpha.”

  My heart skipped. Michael and Caleb.

  The Alpha clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Finally. I want that ol’ bastard destroyed.” He shot a glance at me. “Damon, take the girl by the water. Make sure they see her, and then drown her.” He turned to the others, “You take the lesser male. No one kills the Alpha but me.” He released a low hum which turned into a howl as he shifted into his grotesque Grollic-form.

  Damon grabbed me, and threw me over his shoulder. He began to run towards the lake at breakneck speed. I bounced around and tried to keep my teeth clamped tight so I wouldn’t bite my tongue.

  “Put me down.” I pounded against his back and tried thrashing my legs. He tightened his hold, his shoulder knocking the breath out of me as he dug it into my gut. My nose started to bleed again, and as I tried to suck air in through my mouth, I watched drops trail from my nose into the snow. I had nothing compared to the strength of Damon - human or shifted.

  Tears sprang at the thought of Michael and the risk he was taking. I didn’t want to die, but it seemed inevitable now. Would Michael? What could he do once surrounded by the pack of Grollics?

  I continued the feeble beating of my fists on his back which probably acted more of an annoyance than causing any pain. I wanted to get back to dense forest and help Michael. Do something, not be so weak and useless. I hated myself, and despised the grollics even more.

  Damon’s running slowed to a walk and his arms came around my hips to toss me over him. I landed in a snowdrift and, angry as I felt, began shaking. I hadn’t even realized the cold until the snow pressed against my bare skin and thin top.

  Instinct made me stand and try to shake the snow off my exposed hands and wrists. I began rubbing my hands and blowing hot breath on them to warm them up. Blood mixed in with the snow and turned it crimson. Disgusted, I tried flicking it off.

  Damon, standing fifteen feet away from me, laughed at my meagre attempt to create heat. The laughter stopped when I met his gaze. “What do think of your wonderful life now?” he mocked. “You’re about to die, about to have your immortal boyfriend die, and all for what?

  Nothing but a silent war I knew nothing about and an idiot saying I was the one they wanted dead.

  “How ironic does it feel?”

  I refused to answer. Ferocious growls and sounds fighting erupted in the forest, but here by the frozen lake, it was silent. With my back towards the water, I could feel the wind coming off it, making me shiver even more.

  “You still don’t get it, do you? Wait.” He paused, tilting his head slightly. A grin full of scorn spread across his face. “You think you’re one of them! You think, because you don’t know your folks you might have their blood inside you.” He snorted. “Impossible! You are the Seventh Mark.”

  My heart dropped lower than my stomach, which had just dropped itself. “I’m not marked,” I whispered.

  “Not above your chest.” He pointed, his finger stabbing in my direction. “But you are. When you’re dead, I’ll cut your heart from your chest and find it. How about I show it to your boyfriend?”

  My voice caught in my throat. I had nothing to say and nothing to protect Michael with.

  “Answer me!” He snarled, and stepped closer, his arm now drawn back and hand balled tightly into a fist. “I want to see your fear and terror! How does it feel to know you are about to die from the one thing you despise? And I’m not going to kill you quickly. I promise you will hear Michael scream before I finish you off.” He laughed a horribly, vicious laugh.

  I forced my shoulders back and straightened, pissed at my own weakness and his pure evilness. “Screw you! You’ll never be half the person Michael is. What do you have in your life? A pack of beasts who’ll try to beat you any chance they get?” Damon’s jaw tightened and his hands clenched together. Ahhh, hit a nerve there. It fuelled me with more courage. “An Alpha who doesn’t give a toss if you live or die? You’re expendable to him, you know? I’d choose torture and death over your life any day.” I couldn’t be sure if I now shook from rage or cold. “And here’s something you don’t know: I have Bentos’ book. I know everything.” I knew jack squat, but wasn’t about to let him know that. I spread my arm out towards the forest. “I can kill you, and your whole damn pack.”

  Damon’s face turned dark red. He growled, and his eyes burned dark, ugly yellow. Like the sun covered in blood. He took two steps and leapt, midair changing into Grollic.

  Chapter 25

  I stepped back and nearly fell rear-end into the snowdrift. Pushing my foot down hard through the snow, I managed to catch myself, for a second, before stumbling when the drift ended and I fell. Right onto the frozen lake. Facing the bank, I struggled to my knees and then tentatively stood, having to fight to keep my balance on the smooth ice.

  Damon landed a few feet in front of me still on the ground. He snarled and swiped my arm with a paw. The claws caught me on my shoulder and ripped through my jacket and sweater. The sharp pain came instantly and I fell, sliding further onto the frozen lake. Damon sat on his hunches not venturing off the snow. He tried to swipe again but I leaned out of reach. Wind from the swing shot by my face making me flinch. He snarled, flashing sharp, yellow teeth.

  “What’s the matter? You scared of ice?” I jeered as I rose, struggling again to keep my balance. The ice was smooth like a mirror. “What’ll your precious Alpha think of you when he hears this?” Silly girl taunting a Grollic. He probably couldn’t even understand in beast form.

  He growled. Leaning forward, he tried to take another hit at me again. I shuffled back. Better safe than dead. The monster paced the edge of the lake. Would he turn back into a human and step onto the ice to kill me?

  The matted, greasy hair on his back rose and he glanced back toward the forest as a vicious howl erupted and suddenly cut off. I hoped he’d run back to the fighting. No luck. A small cry shot out of my throat when he turned and pushed off the bank onto the ice toward me.

  Eyes wide, I struggled to keep my legs from slipping as they tried to move backwards as fast as they could. The beast leaped into the air with his jaw open, aiming for my throat. Or anywhere in that vicinity… probably my heart.

  Instinct made me cringe, and my feet slid out from under me. My head hit hard against the frozen water, but an ear curdling growl told me Damon had missed me and hit the ice instead.

  I rolled to watch him struggle on the ice. His four paws slipped out from underneath his massive weight. A resounding crack of the ice echoed loud in t
he air and he thumped underneath me.

  Crawling on my hands and knees, I edged towards the bank and lurched myself on the snow the moment I hit it. I swore Damon’s breath was brushing against my neck. I pushed upright and began running hard, needing as much of a head start on land as I could get. Just over the snow drift, a loud cracking noise sounded again, followed by a terrified yelp.

  I glanced behind and froze in my tracks.

  The ice gave way and Damon disappeared into the cracked ice.

  Water splashed as he struggled to get a clawed grip onto the frozen wet ice around him. Just as he seemed to be gaining ground, his paw slipped and Damon disappeared from the small opening. Muffled thumps echoed under the ice as he struggled to break through from beneath its surface. The noise slowed, weakened and eventually stopped.

  My heart beating so fast I was sure it would explode, I scanned the lake and waited for the monster to break through. My head tried to tell me what my eyes and body would not believe. Nothing’s coming out of the ice.

  He died instead of me.

  At least, I wasn’t going to die at that exact moment or place. Now I had a chance to help Michael.

  His name brought me out of my frozen state. I turned and raced back into the forest, terrified I’d now be too late. My shoulder blade burned. I pumped my arms to move faster. The pain only made me push harder.

  As I got closer the noise became deafening. Each contact of body with tree and each growl reverberated against my chest.

  I slowed my pace to assess the situation and possibly sneak in without being noticed. I stepped over a dead Grollic, blood oozing from a jagged cut in its neck, and hid behind a tree to locate Michael and Caleb.

  Back against the tree, I closed my eyes and took a few deeps breaths. Part of me still thought Damon would burst through the trees. Deep down, I knew he was dead, but fight or flight continued to wreak havoc with my brain process. Peering from the one side of the bark, my heart rate quickened with what I saw.

  Michael.

  Covered in blood, he still looked very much alive as he fought against two massive beasts. His fighting seemed like a dance he led with the Grollics trying to keep up.

  Caleb and Seth’s lack of appearance set my teeth to chatter. I squinted to focus on Michael, and as if I had mentally called to him, his head turned slightly toward me. His eyes widened and immediately his fight took on a stronger vengeance. Leaping off the ground, his feet connected with one Grollic’s chest and he used that momentum to get higher into the air, one arm bent back. He moved so fast, I only caught the glimmer of silver before it sunk deep into the other Grollic’s chest. Before the beast hit the ground, Michael pulled the blade out and stabbed it again and again. He repeated another four times in the same area and then wiped the blade on his pant leg.

  Mesmerized, I could only watch. There were still seven Grollics attacking, but he continued to fend them off. It dawned on me that they were working on surrounding him, trying to encircle and tire him. They began attacking him two at a time, then pulled back to have two others attack before quickly retreating for another two Grollics. A game. A bloody, taunting game. I swore I heard their laughter.

  Michael began to slow from fending off mortal bites and gouging claws. The Grollics fighting skills seemed meticulous. There were a lot of them, but they fought as if they were one mind.

  Horrified, I could only cover my mouth to keep back the scream when Michael sustained a huge swipe from a pair of claws down his back. It looked like he had been whipped five times.

  He stumbled from the blow, his eyes closed and nostrils flaring. He pressed his lips tight as if refusing to show anything.

  He needed help, and I was the only one here. Who knew where Caleb could be. Or if he’s still alive?

  A howl erupted as two Grollics managed to pin Michael down. Michael kicked and thrashed in the snow, the white turning to crimson and brown. He managed to free one arm, and clasped it under him only to pull it out a mere second later with a long, thin blade. Faster than my brain could register, he sunk the dagger into the Grollic holding him down. The beast fell, flaying as he went and going limp seconds later.

  Before Michael had a chance to react, another Grollic grabbed both Michael’s arms and pinned them high above his head. The Grollic gnashed his teeth and barked at another Grollic nearby. It came toward Michael, his mouth opened wide. Straight for Michael’s neck!

  I couldn’t stay hidden and watch him die. I jumped out from behind the tree and in clear view of the Grollics, I whistled. The hands in your mouth, screaming whistle. The terror in Michael’s eyes scared even me. He shouted "NO!" and struggled harder against the Grollic holding him down.

  Another monster turned and reared, already pushing towards me into a jump of attack. His jaws were open the way Damon had just come after me. Without even consciously thinking, I shouted, “Vilkacis Diakonos!” The words came from the Grollic book.

  Wild static hit the air followed by a silent, almost sonic, boom. The one Grollic stopped mid-flight and dropped into a lying position at my feet. The others instantly stopped their attack on Michael and dropped onto their haunches, each staring directly at me.

  The area became dead quiet. The Grollics did not move, as if waiting for something… someone. Their Alpha?

  Michael still lay on the ground, his chest heaving.

  “Are you hurt?” I asked, unsure that if I moved, the Grollics would break from their strange, almost frozen state.

  It seemed like eons before he pushed himself up and stood slowly. His eyes never left my face. I think the expression on my face must have been similar to his dumbfounded one.

  “What did you do?” he whispered.

  I hesitated, afraid to look away from his face. “I-I-I’m not exactly sure.” I tore my gaze from his ice blue eyes to the mammoth Grollics now sitting like good little puppies. My eyes narrowed as I recalled how intent they’d been on killing me and Michael. They were following orders from their Alpha, but I could feel their hatred towards us even as they sat, unable to move.

  Waiting. Waiting for orders from me. I knew it without doubt. The answer ran through my veins…In my blood.

  “Go! All of you! Head to the lake” I pointed at each one. “Every one of you—”

  Caleb appeared from behind a large tree, Seth close on his heels. Both had signs of fighting, but were alive. They dropped into a crouch position, Seth pulling a long blade from behind the side of his boot.

  The Grollics growled but none made a move or even slightly rose from their sitting positions. Their eyes darted towards Seth and Caleb, but constantly came back to focus on me.

  Caleb started to speak and Seth seemed about to pounce. I panicked and cleared my throat loudly. I needed to finish whatever I’d planned on saying before I lost control of the pack and somebody got himself killed. Blinking, I tried to focus, not sure what to do. What if the Alpha came back? Glancing at the spray of blood across Caleb’s coat, I assumed it wouldn’t be. “Head to the lake, all of you, and find where the ice is thinnest.” I swallowed. “Join Damon under the ice. Your Alpha is defeated and dead. If you manage to survive, change back to human form and forget all of this. Forget you were ever a Grollic, that you ever saw me, or any of us. Live your life with no memory of being a beast.” I glanced at Caleb who stared at me with blue eyes large as golf balls. His mouth hung open, but he said nothing. Even Seth’s face had shock written all over it.

  I snapped my fingers and pointed in the direction of the lake. “Go! Now.” The Grollics tore past me toward the lake. There was no sound but their paws hitting the snow followed by the slap of water as they jumped into the hole where Damon had disappeared into. Each splash made me cringe and I grew colder and colder.

  Michael rushed to me and caught me just as my knees gave way. He pulled me into his arms and didn’t say anything, only held me tight against him.

  “What the hell just happened?” Caleb hollered.

  “Not now.” Michael’s voi
ce came out crisp and clear. “Rouge needs warmth or she’s going to die from hypothermia.” Without another word, he picked me up and started walking. Seth and Caleb followed alongside.

  Exhausted, I let my head fall against the warmth of Michael’s muscular chest. Before dropping my lids, I caught sight of Seth’s grin as he winked at me.

  The steady bouncing of my head and body from the rhythm of Michael’s walk made my body relax. Michael’s safe, alive and holding me. I slipped deeper into him.

  I jolted awake when Michael’s walk changed and his thighs brushed again my back. We were going up steps. Caleb’s cabin. The sun had begun to drop but the broken glass and splintered door were impossible to miss. The cabin had taken a beating, from the inside out.

  Michael gracefully stepped over the splintered wood and headed straight for the torn, but still in one piece, couch. “Seth, get the fire going. Caleb, is there any food here?”

  “Of course. Why wouldn –”

  “Go get something. And warm it up.”

  Caleb scowled at Michael and crossed his arms over his massive chest. He stood, staring down at me, not going to the kitchen.

  Exhausted, and my shoulder burning, I didn’t have the strength to fight him. “Caleb, what d’you want?” Screw politeness.

  “It appears you are a lot more useful than the typical human.”

  “Get the food!” Michael shouted, glaring at Caleb.

  “Fine. I’ll get it.” He returned the glare. “But she needs to answer some questions.”

  “I’ll get the wood.” Seth stepped outside and bent down. He came back in carrying the remains of the door. He grinned and shrugged. “No sense in keeping this.”

  He kneeled down and got to work on the fire. Michael stayed close to my side, trying to check my shoulder. I kept swatting his hand away. We could look at the cut later. It stung but my arm wasn’t going to fall off.

  Caleb returned with a steaming cup. He handed it to me and tossed a bag of chocolate chip cookies on the couch.