Moonlight Equilibrium: Book 3.5 of the Preternatural Chronicles

by Hunter Blain

  The metal felt like ice, robbing the side of his face of its warmth in an instant, but curiosity kept him in place.

  Hector was a connoisseur of many things; forcing a whole orchestra of differing noises in response to pain was one of them. The whimpers coming through the steel were those of a man teetering on the edge of drawing his last breath.

  Something slammed into the bottom of the panic room, throwing Hector off his feet and onto his ass with a whoosh of air. A sharp pain shot out from his lower back where he landed, reminding Hector he was no longer a young man. The indignity of being thrown down enraged him, as did the knowledge that his gold-plated AK had clattered to the ground where only a thin rug provided any cushion. Had whatever caused him to fall any concept of how expensive that weapon was?!

  Something was pulling the panic room down from the second story, and Hector barked out a string of hysterical laughter with a trembling voice.

  The rage was quickly swallowed by the mammoth monster that was unbridled fear as his sanity began fraying. With each rumbling drop of the steel cage, the terrifying thought that the panic room might very well become a steel coffin stole Hector’s shuddering breath.

  Dust collected like a light fog, and the thought that Hector would have to fire his maid crept into his mind as his brain attempted to create a sense of normality. The floating debris stuck to Hector’s face, instantly making his eyes sting and mouth to dry while he posted on hands and knees as the room continued to steadily be pulled downward. Hector could feel the dirt sticking to his sweating face in a thick layer.

  The lights flickered as something popped — reminding Hector of the sound of breaking glass — before inky blackness swallowed the room.

  “FUCK YOU!” Hector cried out in vein-bulging defiance, prompting the room to abruptly stop moving. His breath caught in his throat, doubting the necessity of his outcry.

  The unmistakable sound of something sharp being dragged across the steel door caused Hector’s face to shoot in the general direction of the noise. Bathed in darkness, trembling, numb hands began frantically patting the ground in search of his AK-47 while another earsplitting squeal made the cartel boss flinch in pain. For some reason, the thought of a giant fork being dragged across a rug-sized dinner plate came to mind.

  His hands electrified with blasts of adrenaline as Hector widened his search in the dark, his arms outstretched and moving in wide arcs as if trying to make a snow angel while crouching on his knees. A long whimper escaped Hector’s throat, punctuated by each thump of his speeding heart. The sound reminded him of a clown he had seen as a kid; he would let out a single note while lifting his chin and smacking his tight throat with his fingers in a way that sounded like a gallop. The image of the clown’s painted smile seemed creepy at that moment, as if he had been mocking Hector with a wordless, unsolicited prediction.

  Another claw racked across the door, this time piercing the thick steel door and leaving a thin line almost across its entire length.

  Blessed light shone through, glinting off the gold-plated Kalashnikov like the lighthouse of a harbor in a churning sea, promising safety.

  Hector clamored on hands and feet to wrap his fingers around the cool metal of his weapon. As he did, the light vanished as if Hector had closed his eyes.

  The cartel boss pivoted on his knees and brought the rifle up to his shoulder as he aimed the muzzle toward the door. What he saw made his bladder release.

  A yellow orb, tinged in red and with a black slit up the middle, seemed to glow from where the metal was torn open.

  “Dios mío . . .” Hector exhaled as he lowered his gun, his arms no longer able to receive signals from his brain to hold it tight while his mind hysterically tried to comprehend what he was seeing.

  The eye squinted — because that’s what it was, Hector realized — before jerking to the side as if noticing something else more interesting than the man in the box.

  The signals in Hector’s brain seemed to catch up, and his arms lifted the rifle back into position right as the slit in the metal was cleared. Light resumed shining through, bathing a swath across Hector’s legs.

  His finger hovered over the trigger, primed and ready to squeeze off some death-dealing rounds to whatever showed its face again.

  There was a thumping sound followed closely by a loud crash as something burst through one of Hector’s damn walls. He decided right then that his next house would be completely encased in steel. As his eyes reminded him of where the only light was coming through, he added, Thick steel, mentally.

  Chapter 19

  J ose launched himself at the giant wolf with enough kinetic energy to crack a bank vault, knocking them both through the outer wall of the house.

  The smaller wolf tumbled away, clawing at the ground in an effort to halt his momentum. As he skidded to a stop, predatory eyes locked onto the giant wolf that was lying on its back. It . . . it seemed to be chuckling at him.

  Jose’s ears flattened as his tail went between his legs while a challenging growl escaped his throat. With each breath, the metallic smell of blood wafted from the coated fur around his muzzle. Pins and needles tingled in his back leg where he had been shot.

  The giant werewolf brought one hand up in an arc to meet the ground next to the other. A leg followed suit, and the monster turned its body to rest on all fours. It was taller than a car even in this position. Blood leaked from its own bullet wounds.

  Eyes that were illuminated with humor lifted to lock onto Jose as the beast slowly, purposefully, rose to its full height on two feet.

  Foolish child, it mentally projected into Jose’s mind, startling the were. The tone used was that of complete authority intermixed with the humor of watching someone beneath them learn a lesson.

  You killed my family! Jose cried out as his four legs began ripping up the earth as he hurled himself toward the bastard beast.

  The giant wolf barely noticed the oncoming attack and simply backhanded the massive creature as if he were nothing more than a cotton pillow.

  Jose slammed into a nearby SUV, which skidded across the dirt driveway as a storm of glass spilled shards to the ground.

  Fueled by avenging rage, Jose pushed off the metal frame of the vehicle and launched himself toward the beast again. He feigned leaping high again only to drop low as the beast swung in the air where it thought Jose was going to be. The smaller wolf crashed into the left leg of the bipedal monster and began tearing chunks of flesh with snapping jaws.

  The monster roared in earnest this time as it wrapped surprisingly nimble hands around Jose’s hips and yanked him up until they were eye level. Jose swallowed a chunk of the torn flesh.

  You killed my family! Jose mentally cried out again.

  No, fledgling. You killed them. And your punishment will be a lifetime of knowing they died by your claws and fangs. The wolf took a large step to the side and flung Jose through the roof of the home. He landed in a sprawl as debris rained on top of him.

  Two of Jose’s legs were broken, and he knew it with complete certainty. He lay, whimpering, as the musty smell of old clothing, holiday decorations, and forgotten mementos invaded his nostrils.

  A warmth spread from his stomach, giving his veins a nitro burst of electrifying energy that tingled his skin.

  His disfigured limbs began to pop and force themselves back into their original configuration. Even the bullet wounds — which had gone cleanly through and through — began to heal.

  The image of white sheets stained crimson as they clung to lifeless bodies flashed through Jose’s mind. The whimpering morphed into growls of building rage as he got to steady feet.

  Jose sprinted toward the hole that had been made using his body and leaped through and sailed to land on the ground below at a full run.

  The beast was staring out at the horizon, near some mountains that were several kilometers in the distance. Jose took advantage of the monster’s lack of attention and slammed into the wolf’s back just between the sho
ulder blades. Snatching teeth latched onto large shoulder muscles and began tearing at exposed flesh as the monster howled in pain and surprise.

  They toppled to the ground, with Jose digging his feet over and over again into the upper back of the giant wolf as if searching for a bone in the yard. Blood began to ooze before geysers started shooting high-pressure streams as Jose cut through bone.

  Fierce jaws clutched around vertebrae, prompting the heavy monster to roll onto its back, smothering Jose. The smaller wolf yelped as an unimaginable weight pressed down on him, threatening to send precious organs shooting out of any orifice they could escape from.

  As quickly as the pressure had come, it dissipated as the giant wolf began to climb to its feet again.

  While trying to catch his breath, Jose watched in dismay as the ample blood flow slowed before stopping completely. Skin began knitting itself together with alarming efficiency, signifying to Jose that he would never be able to stop the monster, but it could easily stop Jose, should it choose to do so.

  Jose got to shaky feet and took several steps back as the wolf continued to ignore the threat.

  Something tickled the inside of Jose’s ears and he perked them up while his preternatural eyes followed the giant monster’s gaze toward the mountains.

  Flashes of something in the distance pulled at his focus with unrelenting force, promising he would be very much interested in what was happening on the other side of the mountain range.

  What is it? Jose asked the larger wolf, who continued to ignore him. All his rage was swallowed by fear of the unknown threat that was thick in the air, like the humidity after a light shower in the middle of summer. Squinting eyes flicked over the far landscape as nostrils flared and ears pivoted in search of what was coming.

  You are on your own, child, the wolf projected mentally before taking off in a sprint at speeds Jose would have thought impossible had he not been witness to them.

  Jose fought the urge to chase after the wolf, sensing two things: the first being that he couldn’t possibly catch up to it, and the second being that he was worried about the alpha wolf’s behavior. Jose had torn into its flesh and exposed bone, but the monster had barely seemed to notice as something in the distance demanded its entire focus and attention. That startled Jose to the point of inaction.

  Bitterly accepting the undeniable truth that Jose would never be able to best the beast — at least not this day — he turned his attention back to the house where Hector awaited his sentence. At least he could make Hector pay for shooting at his family, throwing him in a cage, and flat-out calling him a liar.

  Anger shifted like a flea leaping from dog to dog, dropping away from the wolf to land squarely on the man who ran the region’s cartel. It was his fault Jose’s family was dead. Had he refused him the job, none of this would have happened. Besides, Jose could eat and grow stronger until the day he could face the big bad wolf again.

  Jose took a single step toward the house before turning to look at where his maker had disappeared to. One day. One day, I’ll find you.

  Chapter 20

  F rom inside his steel prison and with bated breath, Hector peered out of the slit created by the monster’s claw. Eyes stared from underneath a dripping brow.

  “Hello?” Hector called out hesitantly with a whisper that was masquerading as a hushed shout. “Hello?” he called out again with a shout that was reminiscent of a whisper.

  Debris crunched under a heavy foot, catching Hector’s breath in his throat as he brought the muzzle of his rifle up to his shoulder. A low growl rumbled from somewhere out of Hector’s sight, causing the man to take a step backward and squeeze his AK tighter. He could smell his deodorant beginning to falter from the influx of sweat that stained his pits. Fuck, even the small of his back was soaked through, sending tickling cascades of perspiration down his ass crack to smack into his pristinely manicured balls.

  Something rose from below the peephole, and Hector barked out in anger and terror as a yellow orb stared from the darkness. This one wasn’t tinged red like the bigger one had been.

  “Jo-Jose?” Hector asked. The wolf answered by squinting its peering eye and chuffing once. He didn’t know if that was an answer to his question or simply a predatory reaction to facing a cornered prey.

  “Yeah, yeah. It’s you, alright,” Hector concurred as he straightened his posture and exuded an air of authority.

  In answer to Hector’s wordless declaration, Jose growled while slowly lowering himself out of sight.

  Hector lowered the rifle while a malicious smile graced his face. There was comfort in power, giving Hec—

  A room-shaking clang rang out as the door dented in a fraction, followed by the sound of paws landing on carpet and stone.

  A quick gallop, and another clang threw Hector to his hands and knees, his rifle skittering somewhere in the dark.

  “JOSE! Stop it, NOW!” Hector screamed with vein-bulging intensity. Drool spilled down his chin as he heaved rasping breaths in a beautiful mixture of anger and fear.

  Clang.

  More light shone through, and Hector realized Jose was targeting the gash in the steel, expanding on the damage the impossibly large monster had caused.

  There was another earsplitting clang followed by the horrifying sound of metal giving way as preternaturally strong paws pulled the wound open further and further.

  More light began to pour through, and Hector searched manically for his rifle with hands that slapped the ground in an erratic dance.

  Metal screeched as it gave way to unrelenting claws. The wolf stuck his snout in and began barking while snapping at the air, eager to get to his meal. The wolf could almost taste the cartel boss’ flesh.

  An explosion rumbled in the distance, giving the wolf pause. A curious snout pulled from the opening in the door and glanced outside as a whine of fear escaped.

  In the darkness, Hector’s patting, searching hands landed on the cool metal of his AK. He snatched it up and began screaming with abandon while squeezing the trigger before the muzzle was fully sighted on the door. Silver rounds ricocheted around the room before finding a home in fallen debris of his panic room. One discovered a safe place to retire right in the warm, comforting space between kneecap and bone.

  Hector cried out as he collapsed to the ground, trembling hands dropping the now empty AK to grasp his gushing leg. The agony was indescribable; both numb and electrified all at once. His frantic heart throbbed in the puckering flesh as hot, sticky blood spilled between dirty fingers.

  The cartel boss clenched his jaw as he heaved shallow breaths through gritted teeth. Scowling eyes took in the damage, only to realize that light was evident in the darkened room. He looked up to see the doorway was clear, which for the briefest of moments, dulled the white-hot fire pulsing in his destroyed knee.

  With remarkable self-control and an undeniable will, Hector grabbed his gold-plated AK-47 and used it like a crutch. Getting to his feet, Hector winced audibly with every movement as he began making his way toward the door, his gimp leg dragging in the floor under him.

  With a hand coated in copious amounts of blood, Hector’s grip slipped, and he toppled to the ground with a sharp inhale of anguish. The pain radiating from his leg made his vision swirl and face begin to tingle, starting at the tip of his nose and bottom lip.

  Forcing himself, Hector took in meaningful deep breaths that showcased a measure of control that few could muster. The numb sensation left his nose and lips as his vision cleared.

  Cursing under his breath, Hector wiped both hands on his expensive, tailored suit before grabbing the AK again.

  Hoisting himself to his good foot, Hector carefully hobbled to the door, resting his free hand on the wall for support.

  Disciplined eyes slowly inched toward the edge of the enormous gash in the solid steel door to allow for the most visibility into the room beyond.

  Hector was confused momentarily by the sight of the living room instead of the office he k
new should have been on the other side of the door. Eyes taking in the room widened at the understanding that the monster had pulled his panic room through the fucking floor.

  “Sweet Jesus . . .” Hector drawled as he continued to look around. His weight unconsciously shifted, and his breath was stolen from his chest as his useless leg protested any increase in workload.

  Grabbing the torn metal, a thought came to Hector. His hand explored the opening, testing his theory. Maybe Jose had helped Hector find a way out after all.

  Hector placed a hand on a portion of the door that was bowed in enough to be almost horizontal and kicked off the floor with his remaining leg. The man didn’t put enough effort into the movement, and his weight came back down. Spittle flew out as a shrill cry reminded Hector that half of his legs were completely useless.

  Hopping on his remaining good leg until his weight was centered completely, Hector lifted his rifle and tossed it through the hole. It clattered against the carpet louder than he had anticipated, making Hector freeze for several heartbeats. He waited, frozen and listening. Nothing answered except for a series of gunshots from somewhere in the city.

  Usually, something like automatic fire going off in his city would be alarming to Hector, but for some reason he couldn’t quite put a finger on, it seemed to be at the bottom of his list of important items.

  Placing both hands on the portion of the door that was bent inward, Hector pushed himself up while kicking off with his good leg, much harder this time. Hands quickly moved and grabbed the outer edge of the door, cutting one of Hector’s hands. Once again, the man had no time for such trivialities and kept his grip firm, lest he slip and cut something much more valuable.

  Hector pulled while shimmying over the metal until his upper torso was in the living room.

  Daring a quick glance around, he could see that the room was free from any supernatural monsters. He moved his hands until they were under him, giving the man a platform to push himself forward until he was freed to the waist.