by Gaja J. Kos
Chapter 43
The accumulating energy hummed inside the wolf-man. Whatever Psoglav did, he truly transferred the power of deities into his second-in-command. If the creature unleashed the full strength of it, Rose would burn in its flame and her pack along with her. She opened her mind, tracing the lines of the bond to those it connected; Jens was still alive, still hadn't reached the point of the shift like the others the wolf-man had touched with his poison-tipped claws. Nevertheless, the vibration of his life echoing through the bond was faint, nothing more than a murmur.
Jürgen moved around his twin, circling his dying form in a prowling, prepared position, and fighting off the WVs that dared to approach. A pile of bodies had already accumulated around him, and the werewolf used the dead flesh as barricades. It made it harder for the assaulters to initiate swift attacks without the risk of stumbling over their fallen brethren. Jürgen waited patiently for them to slow down as they crossed the wall of bodies and struck at them when their concentration and their balance were thrown off, giving him room to strike at them with a single killing blow without the risk of placing himself in a compromising position.
Evelin's fur had turned into that deep, dark hue. The crimson of blood flowed over the werewolf's pure black color, making it, in a macabre way, almost beautiful. Rose could feel just how much Evelin reveled in wearing the shades of her enemies' death on her. Of all the werewolves, save for Zarja, she had the highest body count and continued to add to that number as she rampaged through the massive warrior physiques driven by the demon spirits, maneuvering through them with that graceful movement only animals possessed.
Tim had taken on a group of WVs, taunting them to the point where their irritation drove them into following him, which, in turn, allowed him to lead them in the opposite direction of Rose and the wolf-man. He likely intended to begin the slaughter once the distance was great enough that even if some of the WVs decided to bolt away and return to the aid of their master, he would have time to cut them off mid-way. He wove through the bloodlust-driven bodies, setting himself as bait with small, carefully planned attacks that acted like blows to the warriors' egos. No one trained in combat as well as these werewolf vetalas should have sustained injuries that had befallen them with such ease. Tim had tipped their minds into that state where the bloodlust coats everything, and killing your opponent becomes the single task your life is devoted to. And with that psychological game, he had turned the demons into lethal, but at the same time almost ridiculously easy, prey for someone with a cool and calculating mind.
Zarja had stalked a short distance away from the rest of the battle, farther than Tim had taken the small enemy group. She lured a single WV away from his brethren, and through the bond, Rose learned it was Libor. Even without the ethereal link, Rose understood the werewolf's need to be the one that laid her cousin's body to rest and was happy her pack mate would get the chance.
It wouldn't have made a difference if Zarja joined the rest of the pack in taking down as many WVs as possible. Once the wolf-man unleashed the full strength of his power, nothing awaited them but death. Killing Libor's stolen form would bring Zarja the closure she needed. And that way, maybe the were would have at least a small sensation of serenity to hold on to when the ultimate moment came.
As Mark fought off another WV, he used the small break in attacks to try and rush the wolf-man from behind. Through the bond, Rose had been aware of his plan even before she noticed her pack mate prowl towards the creature's back, but even though nothing in her body language had given her friend's stealthy attack away, the wolf-man knew. He rebuffed Mark's strike, lashing out at him with an immaculately directed wave of energy without even turning around. The power crashed into the werewolf, the impact making him airborne and throwing him across the field.
Rose's stomach clenched at the whimpering moan that trickled from his muzzle when he hit the ground. The WVs closed in on him like vultures, the thick smell of their determination to finish him lurking in their body odor.
But Mark got up before the demonic creatures could fall upon him. Even though he couldn't hide from the bond the fact that he was hurt, the emotion that accompanied the sensation had a calming quality to it. He knew how to use his body despite being at half strength, his years of training making him lethal even in otherwise compromising situations. And as he took down the first WV that tried to use the opportunity to go in for a kill, Rose finally muted the bond, allowing her own energy to take her completely.
The wolf-man took a step forward, pushing his power into Rose with even more force than before. The sword of Mokoš dropped to her side as her whole body fought against the intrusion. If he came closer, she knew it would take only one slash of those toxin-filled tips of his claws to bring her down. But he couldn't, not while all her concentration and strength were poured into maintaining the shield her aura of golden power provided. It kept the wolf-man out of reach, but it also restricted her into maintaining a defensive position, nothing more.
Despite her attempt to coax the energy into lashing out towards the creature, the golden light remained inside her, trickling into her aura, yet not extending beyond its confines. It flowed into the cracks the wolf-man's attack had created, smoothing the surface of the protective layer; but without being able to stop the creature, it was only a matter of time before she couldn't keep up with repairing the damage the wolf-man kept on inflicting. There was a limit to how long one could stay in a defensive position, and even if the basis of the fight was metaphysical, the rules nonetheless remained the same. You simply couldn't hold your ground forever.
The werewolf vetalas kept the pack busy, denying them the opportunity to throw off their master's concentration by mounting an attack. Rose continued to feed her power into the weres through their shared bond, but in light of the sheer numbers of the WVs they were facing, it aided only in keeping them alive for as long as she could hold her position.
With some effort, the wolf-man took a step forward, almost touching the outer rim of her golden shield. He used the momentum to cast another wave of power, ramming it into the now kneeling werewolf. Hairline cracks formed throughout the dense field of energy that vibrated around her and knew the damage was much worse than it appeared on the outside. The cracks were deep, reaching almost down to her bare skin. She tried to encourage the power to flow into the marred areas, but she couldn't change the laws of nature.
With the fixed speed of the healing process, she knew she would never be able to fill the cracks in time. The impact of the wolf-man's next attack would carry his power all the way to her exposed, vulnerable skin. She wasn't certain if the power that flowed inside her body would have the ability to heal that kind of wound.
She thought of never wrapping her body in the comfort of her dark-haired god, tried using the knowledge that once she was out of the way, there would be no one to bring over the lost souls the toxin trapped into the world of the living... But nothing she could think of could call more power up to the surface. Even the visual of Veles's hold on the underworld crumbling under the wolf-man's attack couldn't unlock that tightly closed compartment.
The creature twisted his muzzle into a smirk, as if he knew what she was trying, and failing, to achieve. He took another step closer, his eyes set on her kneeling form in front of him, and she felt that final burst of power accumulating inside the wolf-man.
She captured his gaze, lifting her head higher. When death came, she intended to stare into her murderer's eyes as she burned in the flames of his ethereal energy.
Chapter 44
A blur of silver darted in front of Rose, cutting off the rushing current of deadly power a split second before it reached her. Rose moved her gaze from the wolf-man, trailing the silver form to where it rolled away, carried by the impact of the blast.
“No...” she whispered, forcing herself to stand.
Regardless of how weak she felt, she ran towards the place where the silver body finally came to a stop and remained lying
motionless on the ground. She kept mouthing no, no, no, no, no as she kneeled by the beautiful winged creature, her tears landing silently on the thick texture of the simargl's silver fur.
She placed the being's massive head gently on her lap, running her hands over the soft, silken surface of his coat again and again, cradling the fallen body. The simargl whimpered under her touch, opening his eyes in painful effort, and turned them up towards her. But when their gazes met, there was no regret, no hatred in his stare. The only emotion in those deep pools of ancient life was love.
Muffling her cries into soft sobs, she placed a kiss on the delicately formed spot on his forehead that lay in the center between his eyes, and simply held him, allowing him to read the love that saturated from the now opaque golden energy which flowed around her. The simargl leaned farther into her embrace, rubbing his head against the skin of her cheek in faint movements.
Rose forgot about the wolf-man, forgot about the battle that continued to take place across the clearing. And when she finally looked up, she found the creature of Mračaj standing over them. A content grin played across his wolfish muzzle when he tilted his head to the side and observed the devastation on her face. She felt that unmistakable prickle of power as he gathered his energy into a tight, shapeless form, but instead of unleashing it onto her, he looked down at the body she still cradled in her arms, and bared his teeth in a smile.
The simargl twitched violently when the power made contact, crashing into him with full force. His whole body convulsed as the dark energy rummaged through the being, burning out his life wherever it traveled.
Rose held the massive silver body in her arms, trying to calm the spasm, but she knew she couldn't offer the simargl anything more than the touch of a person who loved him. Whatever darkness ruled the wolf-man's energy, it prevented her from easing the pain it caused. She sat there, helpless, as she watched the simargl twitch with one final, violent shock, and felt the ancient life leave his flesh.
Her whole face was soaked from the tears that ran down her cheeks, but when she turned to face the wolf-man, her eyes held only hatred. Every sound around her muted until she became deaf to the outside world, her focus fixed solely on the half creature in front of her. Rage washed over her, and she gave into its sweet appeal. Her thoughts slipped away, the part that made her human submerged in the impenetrable silence of anger.
She got up on her knees, carefully placing the simargl's body on the ground next to her. The wolf-man watched her with amusement, but under it was a hint of hesitation. Her rage began to burn her up from the inside. She took the blaze, and as a scream tore from her lips, she channeled the burning sensation into her energy, flaring it up until it combusted outwards in a maddened blast, drowning the whole of Mračaj in its golden haze.
The pure brightness of her power was the last image imprinted on her vision when her consciousness slipped away.
Chapter 45
The soft scent of macaroons was the first thing she noticed when consciousness finally returned. Rose blinked into the light. It wasn't her blinding brightness that filled the space, but daylight, the kind only her world could boast of. She turned her head to the side, following the alluring scent to find an assortment of brightly colored macaroons sitting on the small square table beside her bed. The fragrance alone told her they were Parisian, and the handwritten note that lay next to them only confirmed what she had already known.
Until you are well enough to travel.
She smiled at the promise of a trip to Paris with her mother, and it was only after that miniscule piece of reality touched her mind that she finally took in her surroundings, and realized she knew exactly where she was.
She occupied the bed in the single room her TCM doctor's establishment held, but through the open door she could peer to the other side. Doctor Xu was leaning over a patient lying on his stomach, meticulously placing acupuncture needles in various meridian points. From what she could gather, the doctor had focused mostly on the bladder meridian running down the back and lung meridians in the patient's arms. Rose knew those points all too well. Dr. Xu's ghost wings reflected in the sunlight as he bent over the body in front of him, making them appear as if they were made of the purest crystal. She smiled at the sight of the Chinese man who had eased her childhood by helping her energy flow more freely while she learned how to control the shifts. But as her gaze returned to the patient on the table, she tensed.
The sight of Jürgen's bare back filled her vision with the image of his twin lying on the ground, the toxin slowly robbing him of his life. Her first impulse was to shout out, to bring someone to her that could tell her if Jens was still alive... But the fear caused her power to stir within her and remind her of the ever-present bond.
She stretched her mind along those vines, finding her pack members one by one; Mark and Evelin were both roughed up, but well enough to be at home by Rafael's side. Evelin felt Rose through the bond and let out a wave of acknowledgment, welcoming her back to the world of the living. Zarja was in bed, sleeping off the ache in her muscles and enjoying the calmness that came after she had cut down Libor's flesh and killed the vetala in the process. As Rose had hoped, the werewolf had used those final moments of battle to find the closure she had so desperately needed. And now she could finally rest. Tim was lying in the bed that had been set up next to Jürgen's; they both needed doctor Xu's help if they wanted to heal some of the worst injuries they had sustained during the fight much faster than they would have on their own.
The normality of the pack made Rose hopeful. As she traced that final vine, the one that would lead her to Jens, she found it entwined with life. Tears of relief welled up in her eyes. The werewolf was unconscious but breathing, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat letting her know he was stable. The music the werewolf could hear, but wasn't actively aware of, told her that doctor Xu had set him up in his private office, which lay only one floor below her.
Still smiling at the thought of her pack all making it out alive, Rose let the tiredness that rooted itself deep within her body wash over her and fell into an undisturbed sleep.
The gentle pressure of lips brushing against her mouth called her up from sleep. Rose didn't know how long she had been out, but at that moment, nothing mattered but the familiar warmth and softness of the kiss. She smiled even before she opened her eyes to see Veles's perfect features framed by the mass of falling hair as he leaned over her.
“Had to see if that whole true-love's-kiss-can-wake-the-princess thing works, srček,” he whispered into her mouth, and the corners of his lips pulled into that self-assured, satisfied smile.
“So not just a deity, but a fairy-tale prince, as well.” Rose laughed, pulling away from the kiss so that she could take in the whole view. She traced her fingers down the god's sculpted cheekbones and finally buried them inside the black strands of his hair.
She opened her mouth to speak again, but as her eyes met the rich olive green shade of his, she merely shook her head and brought the god down into another kiss. She filled the caress with all the emotions that had built up inside her ever since she left his side to go to Mračaj until the kiss turned into waves of passion that caused them both to come up for air.
“Can't wait till I'm healed and we can finish this properly,” she breathed, rubbing the tip of her nose against his.
The god let out a deep chuckle that vibrated down her skin. “Deal.”
Rose placed the pillow higher up and propped her back against it while Veles moved the chair that had been by the window closer to the bedside. He sat down with that easy, graceful motion that only he could pull off and handed her a lavender-flavored macaroon she had discreetly eyed a moment ago.
“Doctor Xu will probably be here in a few minutes to give me another treatment,” she said as she nibbled on the French delicacy and lifted her shirt to show the round marks from the cupping therapy on her stomach. “But since I'm conscious, I have a strong feeling I won't escape the good old needles.” She
finished the macaroon, picking up the crumbs from the sheet. “And because my brain will probably be in that pleasant state of mush afterward, I'd like to squeeze in a talk before that happens.”
The god sighed. “I just hope Xu won't stick a needle in me for that...”
Rose lifted her eyebrows in question.
“He said you still needed as much rest as you can get to put your body back into balance after that outburst of energy. He said you were lucky the power didn't burn you out. So no emotional imbalances until he does his magic. And that places stressful conversations firmly on the no list.”
She studied the sharp lines of his face and realized the god was serious; he had actually acknowledged doctor Xu's authority over him. Rose reached for his hand, wrapping her fingers around the warmth of his skin.
“But he also says that if you bottle up things, it obstructs your energy flow. I need to know, Veles. And if he threatens you with needles, I'm sure the two of us can take him.”
Veles let out a half laugh, half sigh, but quickly returned her grip. “I'll hold you responsible if I leave this place with needles poking out of my head.”
Her husky laugh released the tension that had been straining Veles's features. He nodded, finally, and leaned back into the chair, motioning her to begin with her questions.
“What exactly happened in Mračaj? I only remember the final blast of energy...”
“You burned it all,” Veles replied, his voice gentle.
The room drowned in silence for a moment, and Rose took a deep breath before continuing. “The wolf-man? The werewolf vetalas?”
Veles's lips formed a soft smile. “All of them. Including what remained of their land. You were lucky Mračaj spat you out when it dissolved.”
