`There is another?' Ivy muttered from behind.
`Yes.' Mason nodded, waving Wilson to come out. `Our son.'
He watched Wilson slip the pistols into a tree before stepping out of his hiding place.
`Are all your clan like this?' Ivy asked as Wilson jogged towards them, face creased in a frown.
`The son isn't as stubborn or as irritating as the father,' Renee said, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. `But still gifted.'
`Who's that?' Lilly stepped past them, Rose clinging to her arm.
`Wilson.' Mason said, glancing at Lilly before studying Rose's missing teeth and swollen face. `Rose, you look like crap.'
`Nah,' she muttered. He decided to leave it.
`So, what the hell have you done?' Wilson ignored the crowd of women and waved his arms wildly. `I thought you were in the club.' Ruth hugged him and he went quiet, hugging her back, but staring at Mason.
`We're fine.' Mason shifted under his son's stare. The lad had a right to be worried.
`It's all right, Wil,' Ruth said, holding him. `Everything is all right.'
`Uh-huh, then why is the sand moving?' He staggered and clung to Ruth.
`Is it Gaia?' Mason asked, keeping his balance as sand rippled underfoot.
`Yep.' Ruth let Wilson go as the sand rose up.
`Hmm, this is unusual. Troubling.' Tashia stepped forward but all the other women, including the Flowers, shuffled back. `Gaia does not reveal herself like this. To us.'
`Things are getting freaky again.' Wilson followed his mother towards the moving sand. Mason glanced around at the Darkells gathered near the fire. Ivy nodded to him. Lilly helped Rose stand.
Yep, it was freaky all right.
`This isn't part of the evening celebrations?' he asked Tashia when she joined him.
`Our paths are very different. Our energy is sourced off-world, you might say. Gaia's is bound to the earth we stand on.'
`Different paths, but not enemies?' He glanced up at her. Gaia was taking form near Ruth.
`There have been misunderstandings in the past but no major conflict. Humans are her children and so it is Bloodells she wars with.'
`She does?' He glanced back at Ruth waiting for Gaia. `How?'
`The goddess has many ways of influencing the earth and its elements. They can kill.' She touched him with a long finger. `But when things are dire, Gaia can unleash something far more dangerous than any Unnatural.'
Mason folded his arms, thinking he knew what she was suggesting. `You mean me.'
`At first. But nowâ¦' Tashia looked at Ruth and he went cold. She was reaching out to touch Gaia. Nikki stood close behind.
`Ruth? How?'
`Would we be standing here if Ruth had died a year ago?'
`No.' He rubbed his nose. The darkness in him began to uncoil, pain and memories roiled deep inside. `You know about that?'
`Hmm, I do. Without love and your family you are just a butcher. Just a mindless killing machine with a limited lifespan. Even you figured that out.'
He snorted and ground his teeth but couldn't argue. She spoke the truth.
`To kill out of revenge is to hate.' She leaned over close to his ear. `But if you kill to protect your kin, to keep them safe...' She placed her hand on his shoulder and goosebumps tickled his skin. Understanding seeped in.
`Hunter?' She squeezed his shoulder then let him go.
Ruth hugged Gaia's form while Nikki watched. Renee stood to one side, watching him.
The odd one out, just like me,
he thought, as Ruth waved him over.
He shook his head and went to join Ruth. Everything was changing so fast, but all he knew was he wasn't alone any more. That couldn't be bad.
Gaia's eyes settled on him. Ruth reached out but Mason could feel it already. Gaia wanted more from him. A lot more.
Everything about Gaia made Ruth feel safe. Her touch, the warm energy that flowed from her. The very sense that they were connected gave Ruth comfort.
`He will need you tonight.'
Gaia's liquid blue eyes moved to Mason as he walked towards them.
`It will be you who has to be strong for him. The darkness within him must not speak here.'
`They're all staring at us, Mum.' Wilson edged closer to her. `And Dad doesn't look that happy either. What's going on?'
`They didn't expect Gaia.' She felt his hand on her shoulder, strong like his father's.
`And apparently something else is going to happen here. Nikki?'
Nikki stood looking skywards while Renee paced around her.
`What's wrong with her?' Mason thumbed at Nikki as he joined them. `And what's Gaia doing here? Tashia and the rest are all edgy about it.'
`Be ready. She comes.'
`Magi?' Tashia approached Nikki, but stopped just short of Renee's reach. Renee seemed different â more feline, violent â and even Tashia stood back from her. `Nikki! Can you sense it?'
`It's more.' Nikki didn't move, her eyes still skywards. A chill settled on Ruth and she reached for Mason, pulling him closer as Renee stopped pacing, eyes on him.
`The Dark Energy. It comes?' Tashia stepped back. The air became colder and Ruth felt her skin tighten. Mason's flesh went hard under her hand.
`No.' Nikki's voice deepened as tendrils of a black fog slithered over her.
Wilson's grip tightened on Ruth's arm as they watched the fog cover Nikki. Renee edged away, towards Mason.
`Mum, it's everywhere,' Wilson said, shuffling.
Something brushed her foot. Ruth watched long thin tendrils of black fog creeping low to the ground. A tendril crept up her leg, past her knee, its touch soft and cool on her skin.
`It will not harm you. Let it feel who you are,' Nikki said.
Ruth took a slow breath as the tendril slipped higher, curling around her thigh.
`Leave her be.' Nikki's voice boomed in the cold air.
The tendril fell away. Ruth watched it drift among the others then the fire flickered to a black light. Many of the women reached out to the fog, welcoming it.
`Nikki's face,' Wilson whispered. `It's, um, scaly.'
`Hey,' Ruth whispered, pulling at an immobile Mason. `Mason?' She moved to touch his face but Renee slipped in beside him, teeth flashing. Ruth withdrew her hand.
`What's that about?' Wilson whispered as Renee touched Mason's face with a clawed hand.
`I'm not sure.' Ruth's stomach went cold as Mason covered Renee's hand with his own, both so alike.
`Treaty.' The voice came from Nikki, deep and powerful. Ivy moved closer to Nikki and Ruth's focus was drawn back to her. In the corner of her eye she saw Renee touching Mason again.
`You speak for Darla?' Ivy moved closer, the tendrils of fog caressing her.
`No.' Nikki turned to Ivy. `
I
am Darla.'
Ruth shivered. Everything about Nikki had become alien. The scales had now covered her face.
Murmurs ran through the crowd and Renee made a low sound in her throat. Ruth struggled to keep Renee in sight as Nikki turned to face her.
`Treaty.'
Ruth stared at the dark hand being offered.
`What she offers is true.'
`It cannot be.' Mason stepped forward. `It is false, like everything that comes from the darkness. False.' He stepped closer, drawing Renee after him, her hair shifting into a tight mane.
Ruth struggled to breathe.
`Here you must lead, Ruth. The Hunter must not speak for you. He is blinded by his anger and will not see the truth. Only as Mason can he see the truth in those around him.'
`Let her speak, Mason, please.' Ruth let Gaia go and slipped past him to Nikki. To Darla. `We need to understand what's being offered.'
She looked at him and her stomach churned. His face was hard, eyes black. Her Mason had gone. Butcher stared back.
`No!' he spat. `Everything they offer is false, just like the Bloodells.' He stepped towards her, holding his hand out for her to take. `They trap people with false dreams and then tear them apart. I've seen it too many times to let this go on. Unnaturals cannot be trusted. We're leaving.'
Ruth pulled back from his hand. No. He needed to listen.
`You're wrong, Mason.' Ruth clenched her hands. `Our life has been shit since this all started, all the fighting and killing. This family can't go on like this. We can't do this alone anymore.'
`Alone? We're a strong family Ruth, and what they're doing isn't for us. They're offering false hope, using what you desire to twist your view of what is happening. We must leave.' He reached for her again, his teeth bared at Nikki.
Ruth slapped his hand away. He couldn't see how much they needed allies. Gaia was right.
`Give me my Mason back right now. Not this ugly thing. Let me see my Mason.'
`Mum!' Wilson joined Mason. `Stop it, Dad's right. We need to leave. This is all wrong.'
`No, it isn't.' The sand moved under her and they weren't listening. The were both blinded by anger. She felt it at her core. Peace with the Darkells meant stability and safety for them. More than that if she could believe Gaia at all.
`How can you trust them, Ruth? Why trust them after all that's happened to us?'
`Because I want to. Because I want us to have some sort of life together. Mason, it's terrifying for me knowing that any second you can become that, that
thing.
And it's infecting Wil as well. I won't let you make him into that.' She saw a flicker of indecision in his eyes.
`That's it, we're out of here.' Wilson grabbed Mason. `If we go, Mum will have to follow us.'
They couldn't leave. She wouldn't let them. Mason was in there. She'd seen him.
`No, Wilson!' Her connection with the earth flared and she understood what she could do. The sand obeyed. They would not leave.
Energy coursed through her. The elements would obey. They would not leave.
`Holy shit.' Wilson jumped back as someone screamed. `The sand. It's become a wall.'
Ruth commanded the sand. A wall of sand formed around the clearing. No one was leaving. `Give me back Mason. Show me the man I love!'
Wind came and her own anger flared as Butcher, still before her, stood defiant. `Show me!' The air roared. Trees cracked but she did not care. Huge water spouts exploded into life, spraying everybody with seawater. The island shook and Darkells women fell around her.
`Mum.' Wilson's voice was lost in the roaring wind. Ruth only saw Mason, the darkness and hate fading in his eyes. He had heard. His face softened and colour bled into his eyes.
`Mason.' She let her own anger go and the island fell silent. Her legs grew heavy. She needed to sit down.
`I don't know if I can do this.' He moved towards her. `It's hard for me to accept that what they offer is real.'
Ruth grabbed his arm before she fell. `I believe what they say, and more. Can you believe too, for me? Can you believe in me?'
His hands held her, warm and soft. Her Mason. She closed her eyes for a second, listening to his heartbeat slow. Ruth felt his hand touch her face and she opened her eyes.
`I believe in you.' He half-smiled and looked past her. `What is it you offer?'
`Treaty,' Nikki boomed again, her hand held out to Ruth.
Ivy nodded at Ruth. `A treaty with the Goddess Darla means that our clans will be joined. What she offers isâ¦' Ivy turned to Nikki. `Magi, Darla, are you sure about this? He'sâ'
`Treaty.' Ice cold energy crackled and Ivy staggered then bowed her head.
Ruth remembered to breathe.
`The Goddess Darla offers her treaty with the Douglas Clan and her children â us.'
Mason nodded at the women behind Ivy. `How do we know they will keep the treaty?'
`Her word is binding, Mason,' Ivy said looking up. `If Darla makes treaty with you then it is a law we dare not break.'
`None will break it,' Tashia said. She stood beside Ivy, looking every part a warrior, her silver tattoos bright upon her skin.
`Like you, Mason, our clan laws run deep in our blood.' Tashia crossed her arms. `See the truth of my words, Mason. I am flesh and blood before you, not one possessed by another. I know you have the gift. See into my eyes.'
`Aye,' he nodded. `There is no lie in your words. I believe you.'
`So what do we do next?' Ruth asked. She was relieved, but Nikki's alien appearance continued to unnerve her.
`Treaty.' Nikki's hand hadn't moved and Ruth looked at it surrounded by its dark energy. Cold and dark, and offered to them. Mason moved and she moved with him. Wilson joined them, standing quietly.
`Treaty it is, then.' Mason paused, then took the dark hand in his own. `We will honour the treaty. Our word is binding, Darla. The Douglas clan does not break its word.'
`Bonded we are,' Nikki's voice deepened and she stepped closer. Ruth shivered. Cold radiated from the reptilian scales that covered Nikki's familiar face.
`Done. What's next then?'
`Blessing.' The goddess glanced at Ruth, the darkness in her eyes thickening and she moved impossibly fast, burying the dark hand in Mason's chest.
Ruth hauled on the hand, blood spraying across her and across Wilson as he wrapped his arms around her.
Ruth screamed. `No. You promised treaty. Let him go!'
`Blessing.' Nikki smiled.
Tears burnt Ruth's eyes. She could hear Wilson screaming at her but his words were lost to her. How could they do this? She dug her fingers deep into Nikki's scaled arm. `Let him go!'
The goddess smiled and nodded. `Blessingâ¦comes.'
Ruth froze. Mason stiffened. A tendril of black fog raced down Nikki's arm and into Mason before spreading into her, a cold searing presence.
Nikki's face faded into the darkness. `Blessing for you all.'
Â
`Damn it.' Mullet lent against the railing of the
Monarch
. `Bloody bladder.' He whistled as he emptied it. `What theâ?'
The
Monarch
rocked, making him grab the railing with both hands. `Son of a gun. Waterspouts! Goddamn monster, freaking waterspouts!' He fumbled with his fly as the boat lurched again.
The radio crackled. `
Monarch, Monarch,
do you copy, over?'
He staggered into the cabin, watching the waterspouts roar past, grabbing the radio. `Jesus Christ, boss. This is the
Monarch
.'