Unnaturals (51 page)

`Stand ready!' Eleanor yelled, using her gift to make sure all heard. Ripples ran across the inky energy of the portal. `Move back. With me!' She stepped back a short distance.

Ricco rumbled beside her, shifting into his Wolf.

Eleanor tensed as her gift flared into life and her human form faded. Thick, battle-scarred leathery armour covered her. Her civilised form burnt away as hands and feet hardened, nails lengthened and became razor-sharp. Tattoos representing the power she had earned or won warmed to life in silver filaments chasing across her warrior's body.

Ricco huffed beside her. The portal shook, sending a shower of icicles over them. The scent of Wolf blood bloomed in the air. Energy crackled on the portal and she knew he was coming.

`Here he comes,' she said, unaware she'd spoken aloud and calling all she had to her hands, determined nothing would get past her.

Air popped and two figures fell through the portal. No god or army. Just two men covered in blood.

She stared. Ricco moved, growling as the men rolled on the sand, covered in their own blood, and wrestling like ancient gladiators. Their faces were a shock. Both men were Mason. The Wolves rumbled where they stood, frozen. Confusion swarmed around her. One of the men had to be Bemeon.

Mason broke free and scrambled to his feet, his chest bloody. Mason groaned on the sand, rolling onto his side.

`Kill him, Eleanor,' demanded the Mason who had regained his feet.

She looked at them both — him and the Mason struggling to stand. They smelt the same. Looked and sounded identical. Even the energy that lived in them tasted the same. How?

`He killed them both. My Ruth and Renee.' He wobbled on his feet and coughed up blood.

`Eleanor. Eleanor. He lies,' the other Mason called, struggling to stand. `They're alive.'

A great weight bore down on her. She knew that every second Bemeon was in her world the stronger he would get. She had to choose fast or fail just as completely as if she chose wrongly.

`The Song,' the first coughed, mouth bloody. `I can call the Song. I am Hunter.'

`We both can,' the second said, angry.

Eleanor had faced many battles but none like this. She had to choose or all would die, and it would be on her head. `You will both die!' Deadly energy flared. She could see no other way.

`No!' The first Mason held his hand up, and she hesitated. `You need me to lead the Hunt.'

`You're right. Kill us both.'

She smiled a battle grin. There was her answer. Only one would put his family's safety before his own. Only one would consider death a reasonable option. The other was the true monster.

Eleanor unleashed her gift, searing flesh. The false Mason began to melt under the raw energy, but was it enough?

`I have to go back!' Mason yelled at her, scales beginning to form. `They're still in there, facing an army.' He dived through the portal without a backward glance.

Eleanor gritted her teeth and pushed more into her gift. Bemeon had not fallen. Something was wrong.

`How can he survive that?' Ricco rumbled.

A shape moved within the deadly ball of energy.

No! Of course. `He must have fed on human blood!' She pushed harder, trying to force the god back towards the portal.

`So?'

`He has connected with this world.' The understanding had driven a cold spike though her gut. Shapes continued to form within the very energy that should have repelled him. Her gift faltered. Columns of dark energy shot skywards. She staggered and fell back. Tentacles and a torso formed at the apex of the columns.

Ricco dodged when a tentacle lashed downwards. Huge eyes opened under a writhing mass of smaller tentacles, forming a crown.

`Goddess, help us.' Eleanor stood fast but her heart burned. The Twisted god Bemeon stood upon her world and she could not stop him now.

 

`No!' Wilson nearly screamed the word, reigning himself in. Mason had dived back through the shimmering portal.

`He will find her,' Nikki said, keeping her distance. Wilson's fire had broken free and now covered him.

`Yes.' He ground his teeth in frustration, watching Eleanor's energies burn the creature who had come through with his father.

Sally stepped closer. `What is that? It's growing.'

Wilson pushed his frustration aside. He itched to fight, to follow his father. Something touched him and he glanced down at Sally's hand on his arm, accepting the fire, accepting him.

`The god has found his footing,' Lilly muttered. `A god who has fed on the blood of a world's people bonds to that world. Our histories tell us so. Eleanor cannot vanquish him because he is part of this world now.'

`You are well versed,' Nikki said, changing to become less human.

White energy which he had only before seen on her hands now crept across her body. Silver tattoos covered her face. Wilson sensed his brother's fear from within her womb. No words. Just emotions. Calling him.

`Doesn't matter how or why.' Wilson clenched his hands while the god rose up into the night sky. Fire roared through him in answer. `Everything burns.'

 

Mason rolled on the hard sand and stood as Hunter. Without Bemeon's lies to cloud Mason's thinking, Hunter was unhindered in the god's world. He focused. A seething mass of giant Twisted wolves and creatures surged toward the portal from the darkness. Bemeon's army.

Everything stopped.

Mason felt the terrible weight as their minds reached out to him. For a moment he enjoyed the power the assembled army offered him. Their question remained unspoken as he flexed his wings. Power filled him. Here was everything he wanted. The Song hummed inside him. Bemeon's pack would be his. He would be a true Hunter. Lead them. Be their god.

They shivered with anticipation.

`No.'
A sweet voice cut through the building hum.
`Remember who you are.'

The army marched forward, to him. He could lead them. They would be an unstoppable pack. But there was an itch. Something else he wanted. Something he had come here to find.

`
Let them go.
'

He blinked. A huge Twisted wolf, an alpha, broke towards him.

'Father. We are your pack.'

Yes.

Wings thrust. He shot up and over the wolf as it plunged through the portal. Beneath him the army roared and surged forward. He could see Ruth on the altar. Renee circled with Michelle, and Ralph loped injured from the darkness towards Ruth.

`G
et us out of this place.
'

Black energy crackled, reaching for Renee.

Wings folded, he dropped feet first, landing directly in front of Bemeon's priestess. The energy blast slammed into him. Renee snarled behind him.

Energy tore at his armour. Dark energy. His energy.
I am your master
.

What energy remained on him faded, absorbed. Michelle could not hurt him.

`You're wrong. My master is out there now. Making your world his, while you play in here,' she whispered, sounding almost coy. `He will win and come back for her.' Michelle nodded at Renee.

`I understand that, but you've come back for her, too.' She pointed to Ruth, but without losing her focus on him. `You've come back for a weak woman who doesn't respect you. That shows me how weak you are. That will be your undoing.'

`What would you know of love?' Renee spat. `Your own child ran away to escape you!'

Ruth moved and so did Michelle, her hand finding Ruth's throat. Ralph growled. Mason waved him back.

`Of course you know all about Lilly.' Michelle flexed her nails into Ruth's neck until she drew blood.

Mason flinched but could do nothing. He was fast, but not fast enough. She would have ripped Ruth's throat out before he had finished taking a step. If he jumped she would know as well.

`Why do you think she was allowed to meet you? And your sweet boy? Even better if she becomes part of your family? It would be the safest place to keep my daughter, in Hunter's own clan.'

`Don't,' he said reacting at the sight of Ruth's blood seeping out on Michelle's fingers. `Stop hurting her.'

`See. You are so weak.'

Hands, fine and scaled, reached out from the darkness and snatched Michelle away.

Mason leapt for Ruth, calling healing energy.

`Not all follow Bemeon,' came a soft voice from the darkness. `Some wait patiently for his destruction.'

A small woman melted out of the shadows, her hands locked around Michelle's throat, making the priestess thrash. Energies swirled. `This one cannot hurt me. Nor can she be free unless I will it. This is my world, more than it is hers. I am Mari.'

`Kill her,' Renee said. `Kill the priestess.'

`No,' Mari said, easing her grip. `That is not for me to do, but I can promise you, she will remain in this world when we flee.'

`No,' Michelle gurgled. `Not here.'

`You want to leave this place?' Mason could feel the warmth flow back into Ruth as he stared at Mari.

`This world is dying, poisoned by Bemeon's madness. I sent my child into your world to seek treaty with one who could give us safe passage and sanctuary.'

Suddenly it made sense. `Scarla?' Mari was her mother, no mistake about it. Mari's plan had been waylaid by Michelle and her control collar. Ralph sniffed in agreement. But hadn't Scarla called Bemeon her father? `You and Bemeon—'

`Yes, not an experience we enjoy but it is how we survived.'

More faces came out of the darkness, all female, some only children. All like Mari, slim, scaled. And naked. `We offer ourselves to you. Please.' She tossed Michelle into the darkness. `Take us with you.' Michelle's screams filled the air. Mari showed her teeth. `Not all here can leave. Many are too old but now they have
her
to amuse them.'

Renee went to Mari as Mason picked up Ruth. `Come with me, we can...' She looked to Mason, who nodded. No one should be left behind.

`We can give you a home, sanctuary, a place where you don't have to give yourself to another in order to survive.'

Mari swayed. Disbelief covered her face. `This is much more than I, than we—'

`It is our way, Mari, to accept those who ask for help, no matter how different. In return we become like kin, living and protecting each other, as a clan. Free.'

`We have to leave. Now, Father!'

Mason held Ruth tighter, his daughter's cry raw.

`Time to leave.'

Renee spun around, more Huntress than human, Ralph by her side. `Follow me, then. It's going to be a real shit fight on the beach and we don't want any of you mistaken for the enemy.'

Mason followed. His first thought was Ruth's safety, and then he would deal with Bemeon.

`You ready for this?' Renee asked him, hesitating at the portal. `Not going to go all feral on me again once you get your teeth into a few of Bemeon's creatures?'

`Maybe,' he said, suddenly finding his sense of humour. Ruth snuggled into his chest. Ralph glared at him with a huge yellow eye.

`You're a strange one, all right.' Renee grinned back with razor sharp teeth. `I love you, so don't get lost.' She plunged through the portal with Ralph close behind.

He paused, knowing what chaos lay beyond the portal, knowing it may be his last battle ground.

Mari touched his shoulder. `You will prevail. There is great passion and love in you. That will be enough to defeat the hatred and darkness Bemeon wields in your world.'

`Maybe.' He tucked Ruth against him. `But it's not my love I'm going to give Bemeon.'

 

Fire. It raged out of him, licking towards the god.

Bemeon roared.

`Burn that bastard!' Lilly yelled. Chunks of black goo exploded from the creature.

Nikki's white energy joined his fire as Bemeon scooped Eleanor up. `Mother!'

Wilson acted with her. Together they severed Bemeon's arm and Eleanor fell limply to the sand.

Sally grabbed his arm and pointed. `Fuck, Wil!'

He hesitated, shocked by her curse and what she'd seen.

`Bemeon's army. Twisted gnarled wolves.'

`Kill them!' Nikki roared. `Packs of the free lands, let none of Bemeon's monsters pass.'

Chaos erupted as Wilson struggled to process the nightmarish scene. Earthbound wolves surged into battle. Bemeon's army flowed through the portal like a river of twisted death. Blood both red and black erupted into the night air.

`There are so many,' Sally whispered hoarsely.

Nikki snarled, eyes full of rage. `We must not fail. Burn them, Wilson. Fight with me.'

She held his eyes for a second. Then he howled. Nikki's shrill war cry joined in.

Black flesh and bone exploded as their fiery rage tore into the surging army below them.

He knew that he was human no more. He had to be more than that to survive.

He had to be an Unnatural.

 

Mason heard Renee cry out. Fire roared across the beach as a gigantic shape, the god, took a staggering step away from the portal.

`Mother!' Renee raced across the sand towards a jumble of limbs. Eleanor.

`Mason?' Ruth muttered against his chest.

Ricco appeared with Pete close behind.

`It's a fucking nightmare!' Pete yelled as Ricco fended off a goblin-like creature. `And that thing is moving.'

Pete had pointed but Mason didn't need to look. He had felt the god move. He passed Ruth into Pete's arms. `Take her to Wilson. He'll protect you.' Fire swept the beach, Twisted wolves exploded at its touch. `Ricco will lead the way. Follow him.'

`We won't make it!' Pete yelled, looking at the seething mass covering the beach.

`You will,' Mason said feeling out Wilson's mind. `Go. Wil knows you're coming, and who you're carrying. He'll make sure nothing harms you.'

In response to his promise, fire tore a path through the army of creatures. Pete staggered, then steadied himself, wide-eyed.

Mason pushed him towards the gore-covered path Wilson had cleared to the seawall. `Ricco is right behind you.'

Pete lurched off, Ricco pushing him as the big man gained speed through the layer of still-steaming flesh and blood. Walls of deadly fire kept the path clear. Mason stared at his son for a moment, a living being of fire with Nikki beside him, their gifts protecting Ruth and Pete as he bolted towards them.