Despite all the effort that went into her plan, I can see something Selene overlooked, just one minor gap in her logic. “How is Krystal supposed to find me here? You can’t exactly send her a ransom note.”
Selene actually laughs, and says, “That’s simple. She’ll be able to sense your energy, and when she realizes who you’re with, she’ll come running.”
“What makes you think I’ll be stupid enough to let her find me?,” I ask. In response, Selene snaps her fingers, and for a few seconds nothing happens. I’m just about to say so when Alyssa’s fist collides with the side of my face, sending me stumbling sideways. I rub my cheek, and ask, “What the hell was that about?,” but she doesn’t say a word. She just watches me, her eyes glazed over, unfocused. I call her name a couple of times, but she remains eerily silent. Then, I notice the pentagram pendant on her necklace glowing bright red.
Mere seconds after I put two and two together, Selene calls out, “There’s more than just an inhibiting spell on that tacky chain around her neck, you know. It grants me complete control over Alyssa’s body, and that enormous power of hers. You know… just in case.”
Alyssa starts moving slowly towards me, while I take several steps back. Selene and the others back away to give us room, though I’m not sure how safe they’ll be once Alyssa’s spells start flying. I don’t want to hurt her, but I may have to resort to knocking her lights out. Unfortunately, before I can close the gap between us, Alyssa lifts me up with a flick of her wrist, and throws me against the stone wall behind me, the back of my head slamming against it so hard that I can almost feel the cracks spreading across my skull. I could easily cancel out her spell with one of mine, but if I did, Krystal would sense it and run straight into Selene’s trap. Whatever issues I have with her, I can’t afford to let that happen. So there’s nothing I can do but stare pleadingly into Alyssa’s soulless eyes, and let out a yell as she sends me flying across the room, landing hard on the filthy ground.
Before I can get back on my feet, I become aware of a low growl coming from the wall. I look for the source of the sound, finding only Rachel’s sleeping family. One member is awake, however, and on all fours. Her clothes are ripping apart at the seams as her muscles expand, and fur erupts from her follicles. Over the sound of tearing cloth, I can hear her bones snapping and scraping against each other as they rearrange inside of her. Her mouth and nose, already elongated into a snout, are sprouting the same shaggy red fur as the rest of her body, but her eyes remain the same, retaining their humanity in stark contrast to the animal growing around them. I watch, transfixed, as the last traces of Rachel the human disappear, and Rachel the werewolf emerges.
Some part of me is tempted to run, but at the same time, I get the feeling that I’m not the one in danger. No, when I look into her eyes, I can tell that Rachel’s still in there, still aware of what’s going on somehow, even if she can’t speak. So I grin at her, then nod towards Alyssa before whispering, “Mind helping me kick some ass?” It’s not a move that I’m proud of, but I’d rather avoid having to hurt any of my friends.
Rachel pulls her lips back into the closest thing to a smile she can manage, and lets loose a howl that echoes throughout the room. Then she stands on her hind legs, easily reaching seven or eight feet tall, and lunges at Alyssa. I hear the sounds of the struggle, but I ignore them, and take advantage of the opportunity to go after Selene.
Most of the clan seems distracted by the unexpected presence of a werewolf, and don’t notice my approach. Before I can tackle Selene to the ground, though, a few members of Penumbra form a wall between me and my target. I don’t wait for any of them to take the first swing, instead keeping my forward momentum and burying a flying kick into the chest of the girl directly in front of me. I try to force my way towards Selene, but hands grab at me, pulling me back, nearly tearing my t-shirt in the process. Someone lands a blow to my gut seconds before my fingernails dig into their face, pulling away strings of flesh. Flailing arms swing at me like clubs, but I duck under them, kicking first one then another spellcaster away from me as I try to break free of their grasp.
I finally escape the cluster of spellcasters surrounding me, but the rest of the clan has become aware of my presence. They’re not nearly quick enough to catch on, though, as their attempts to drive me back are in vain. I run a jagged path between, around, and occasionally over the bodies between me and Selene, until I’m close enough to her to run at her head on. She seems to be focused on controlling Alyssa’s body; her eyes are closed tightly, her hands pressed palm to palm, as if she’s praying. I aim a punch directly at her nose, but the instant before my fist makes contact, my body stops moving entirely. I can’t move a single muscle of my own accord. Selene opens one eye to glance at me, and smiles as she asks, “You didn’t think it would be that easy, did you?” Then she throws me backwards, and I slide along the ground until I hit the wall on the far side of the room.
Little by little, my body comes under my control once again, as Selene releases her spell. I wince as I stand again, suddenly aware of the pain in my left arm. I must have slid across the remains of a broken beer bottle; my arm’s bleeding profusely, but I think can still use it if I need to. Screams reach my ears from the other side of my room, and I turn to see Rachel slashing at a cluster of very frightened spellcasters, instead of fighting Alyssa as I’d originally asked. In the split second it takes for me to realize what’s going on, I roll out of the way of a huge chunk of rock aimed at me, making sure to roll onto my good arm. Since Rachel’s busy elsewhere, there’s no one left to fight Alyssa. No one but me. I start sprinting towards her, and she hesitates before running at me as well.
I have to dodge a couple of spells that she throws my way, but eventually Alyssa and I collide, both of us letting out a cry as our bodies crash against each other, and fall to the ground in a tangled heap. I’m the first one up, but she grabs my leg, and pulls until I fall over again, gasping in pain as the shards of glass in my left arm are pushed in even deeper. I instinctively kick out at her with my free leg, until she releases me, and I scramble to my feet once again. Alyssa likewise comes to a standing position, not by pushing herself up as I did, but simply rising through the air like a puppet on strings. I become so fixated on her vacant expression, and how like a marionette she’s become, that I almost don’t deflect her punch in time to avoid injury.
We exchange a few punches, and eventually, I manage to land one to her cheek that sends her spinning to the ground. Before she gets back up, Alyssa points her palm at my face, and I can tell by the faint purple glow emanating from her palm that she’s going to do more than just throw me with this spell. I’m not sure exactly what she intends to do, but there’s no doubt that at point blank range, it’s going to cause some major damage. I have no choice. I throw up a shield around myself at the last second, and Alyssa’s spell splits, curving around me harmlessly, and striking the wall behind me.
There’s a rush of air, and I turn to one of the room’s several exits. What had previously been an empty space is now occupied by Krystal, Nick, and a large, snarling lupine form standing on its hind legs that I can only assume is Landon. Everyone drops what they’re doing, even Rachel, to look at the new arrivals. Krystal steps forward, and says, “This has gone far enough, Selene. You want me? I’m here.”
From her position on the opposite side of the room, Selene watches Krystal carefully. Without looking at anyone in particular, she says loudly enough for everyone to hear, “Detain her.”
The moment the words pass Selene’s lips, the room devolves into chaos. Almost every member of Penumbra rushes towards Krystal, firing spell after spell in her direction, none of which make it past the invisible barrier she erects around herself and the others. Rachel hacks and slashes at anyone still unfortunate enough to be in her vicinity, her claws and muzzle drenched in red.
I roll out of the way of a spell shot from Alyssa’s palm, and try to wrestle her to the ground. We roll around for a
moment, punching each other and struggling for dominance until finally, Alyssa manages to pin me to the ground, her hands around my wrists. I lay under her, gasping for air, unable to throw her weight off of me, or wriggle out from under her legs. Alyssa’s pentagram pendant swings just an inch from my face, still glowing brightly. I realize that if I remove the chain from around her neck, she’ll be free, no longer bound by Selene’s spell. I struggle to pull one of my arms from Alyssa’s iron grip, and when I succeed, I grab the pendant and pull, harder and harder, until the pewter chain splits, and falls onto my face.
For just a moment, Alyssa’s eyes return to normal, and I could swear she mouths me a silent “thank you.” Then, a red tint enters from the edges of her eyes, filling them, until her irises have shifted from their usual gold to precisely the same color as blood. She shuts her eyes, and without warning, she begins to scream. It’s a terrible sound that echoes throughout the room, and she’s holding her head in her hands, as if she’s trying to keep the contents from pouring out of her ears. The ground beneath us begins to shake, and just past the straight sheets of purple hair obscuring my view, I can see large cracks splintering the ceiling. I try to cry out, but it’s too late. The ceiling sags towards the middle, then splits into thousands of pieces, raining a nearly endless stream of debris on everyone in the room.
For a split second, I think I can see the night sky, before everything goes dark.
Chapter 29
I blink a few times, and wave my hand in the darkness to see whether or not my vision’s failing. I can just barely make out movement a few inches from my nose, so my eyes aren’t the problem. Alyssa must have teleported us to safety, because I don’t remember having done so. But where did we wind up? I can hear people crying and shouting for help down below, possibly hundreds of them. Evidently, most of them are just as confused as I am. A considerable weight lifts from my chest; I suppose Alyssa must have finally stood up. I push myself onto my feet, noting that it feels like I’m standing on marble.
My eyes are adjusting to the lack of light, but not by enough to figure out what’s going on around me. I use a spell to turn my palm itself into a light source, and hold it high, surprised to find that I’m actually standing on a balcony. Just above me, I can see the stars I’d noticed moments before, painted onto the ceiling, and I realize I’m standing in Grand Central Terminal. Beneath me, hundreds of people are trying to find an exit, or cowering in a corner with their loved ones, while some are content to stare up at the light source I’ve provided. All of them are doing their best to avoid the gaping hole in the ground, and the cracks spreading around it. My guess is that the hole goes all the way down to the abandoned tunnels below, where tons of rubble must have fallen on any of those unlucky enough to still be down there.
A lump forms in my throat as I realize who’s still trapped underground. Krystal. Landon. Nick. Rachel’s entire family. Rachel herself. I even feel a pang of sorrow over Selene, and all the spellcasters that could have been crushed. Did any of them make it out unscathed? I look to Alyssa for answers, but she’s in her own world, staring at the ground and trembling. She must be fighting to control herself in her enraged state. I hope she can hold out; even if I were willing to kiss her again to snap her out of it, I’m not sure if it would be enough this time.
Someone behind me clears their throat, and I spin around, expecting an enemy. Instead, I see Nick, covered in dust and debris, with his fangs extended, ready for a fight. “There you are,” he says, “I’ve been looking all over for you. Krystal zapped us all out before we suffocated, and she’s been trying to evacuate the main concourse.”
Relief courses through my veins, only to be followed by further worry. “And Selene?”
“Probably calling for reinforcements as we speak. It’s not over yet.”
Krystal materializes at Nick’s shoulder, breathing heavily. “Alright, most of the civilians are clear. If Selene wants a fight, she’s got one.”
There’s an edge to Krystal’s voice that I’ve never heard before; it’s almost as if she’s looking forward to a showdown with Selene. Cautiously, I ask, “No more hiding?”
“No more hiding,” Krystal confirms. “I’ve been in self exile for years, but that time is over. Whether it’s me or Selene, one of us won’t be making it home tonight.” She holds her hands outward, and closes her eyes for a moment. Almost simultaneously, her twin pistols materialize in her hands, their silver and crimson finish shining in the light. She opens her eyes, and explains, “Summoning. It’s a trick I haven’t taught you yet. Hopefully, there will be time after this.”
Alyssa grabs my hand, and spins me around to face the balcony across from ours. Nick’s prediction was right; Selene has returned, with what looks like hundreds of spellcasters at her command. Under my breath, I ask, “Is that the entire clan?” Alyssa nods, her lips still pressed tightly together. “Okay,” I say more loudly, “so what’s our plan?”
“Take out Selene,” Krystal says from behind me. “Cut off the head and the body dies.”
“And how are we supposed to get past her army?”
“That’s already taken care of.” I turn to look at Krystal; what could she possibly mean? She just smiles, and snaps her fingers. One moment, it’s just the four of us standing on the balcony, and the next, we’re surrounded by at least thirty werewolves, various species of werecat, a few werebears, and a creature that looks like an angry squirrel the size of a bobcat. Over the sounds of their growls, Krystal says, “I had Landon make a few calls before he transformed. They’ll handle the grunts while we fight our way to Selene.”
I nod, and turn back to face Selene’s side of the room. They’ve started rushing down the stairs towards us, and several dozen members of our own miniature army are leaping straight down towards the incoming enemy. I almost hop off the balcony along with them before someone grabs the back of my shirt, and holds me back. I don’t want to be stuck watching when I could be helping out, though, so I teleport myself directly into the middle of the fray, and immediately have to duck to avoid the claws of a werelion that missed his target. I’m not sure, but I think I can see a few strands of my hair hooked on his claws.
Most of the Penumbra warriors look surprised to see me, and seem even more surprised when I manage to knock them to the ground, or incapacitate them with just a few quick punches. The majority of them have no idea how to fight with their bare hands, so it’s a while before any of them manages to land a hit on me. I give the unlucky owner of the leg that struck me a moment to gloat, before grabbing the back of his head in both my hands, and pulling it down to meet my rising knee. He slumps to the ground, and I move on to the next person in my way.
It takes a full minute for me to realize that Selene isn’t actually among the spellcasters on the ground floor. When there’s a minor break in the action, I glance around, finding her standing on the balcony, watching the fight intently. Since she seems to have no intention of coming down, I’ll just have to climb up to her. It seems she’s a step ahead of me, because the moment I start heading for the stairs, a wall of flame springs up from the ground in front of them. I’m guessing she’s already put up a spell preventing anyone from teleporting straight to her side, since Krystal and Alyssa haven’t done so yet. It looks like the only option left to me is climbing the hard way.
I knock out a few more spellcasters, before breaking away from the chaotic fight in the center of the room, looking for someone who can help me out. A werewolf with reddish-orange fur stands close to the ticket booths just under the balcony I need to reach, claws dripping with the blood of whoever is laying at her feet. I dash towards her, while shouting, “Give me a boost!,” and pray she’s lucid enough to know what I mean. Evidently, she does understand, because I leap towards her, her clawed hand catches the undersides of my Converse, and she launches me skyward. There’s a feeling of being suspended in midair for a split second, and then I land on my hands and feet a mere three yards from where Selene
stands.
We stare each other down, each assessing the other, neither of us daring to move. I can’t imagine what’s holding her back, or even why I’m hesitating, but after a moment, it hits me; I don’t know why I’m here. This isn’t my fight. Krystal and Selene are the ones with history, it’s Krystal that should be standing where I am. Then I remember what Selene had done to Rachel and her family, and hatred floods my veins, even stronger than before. Krystal may have more of a right to this moment, but I have my own score to settle with this woman. I push myself up onto my feet, and launch myself at her, my shoes squeaking against the polished marble floor as I run.
Unlike the rest of Penumbra, Selene appears to be a skilled hand-to-hand fighter, more so than me. Each of my punches is either deflected or dodged, and the one time I land a kick, she grabs my leg before I can pull it away, and flips me onto my back. I try not to let myself get aggravated; she’s clearly toying with me, and judging by the amused look on her face, she’s enjoying it.
I push myself up into a defensive position, but she’s already stepped in under my guard, has her hands around my throat. She’s skilled, but not very strong, so I manage to pull myself from her frail grip, and push her from me, before taking a high kick to the face. I stumble backwards, and decide I’m fed up with fighting this way when it’s clearly not getting me anywhere. I gather up a massive amount of energy from my reserves, and release it from my palms in one huge torrent of power.
Selene looks shocked, but responds with a stream of her own energy, and when her crimson stream collides with my blue one, there’s a loud, persisting crack, like the sound of solid rock being split down the middle. She takes a few steps back, and tries to overpower my spell, but this time, it’s me that’s holding back simply to humiliate her. I push a little harder, and Selene struggles to push back with all her might. The force of our spells combined is enough to shatter every window around us, and those around the entire main concourse, resulting in at least half of the surfaces being covered in a fine layer of glinting shards. Not even the neon Apple logo above us is spared, and the remnants rain down upon us as we struggle for dominance. Selene evidently determines that trying to outlast me isn’t worth the effort, and she teleports out of harm’s way just before I prepare to finish her off. As a result, my stream of energy hits the wall in front of me, punching a massive hole through layers of brick and concrete.
Spellbound (the Spellbound Series Book 1) Page 21
