Awakening the Mare (Fall of Man Book 1) (20 page)

My mouth dropped open. “Your lack of morals
shock me.”

“Oh my God.” He laughed again. “Vala, she has
a boyfriend now, not then. Okay? And it was nothing.”

“So you used her.”

Tanner brought his hand to his face with a
slap. “I didn’t use her. I was bored, she was bored, it was
something to do. I wanted to make out. If you were around I would
have asked you.”

“I am not a slut.”

Tanner shrieked a laugh. “That’s hysterical.
You aren’t a slut if you kiss and I like that you know that
word.”

“Blame
ALF
.”

“I will. But I would have.”

“Would have what?”

“Invited you out.” He playfully nudged
me.

“I wouldn't have accepted.”

“Yes, you would have.”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

“Yep, you would. You would have said,” then
Tanner changed his voice to a high and feminine one in an attempt
to mock me, “Oh, Tanner, I would love to have you be my first
kiss.”

I gasped.

Tanner smiled. “You like me. Admit it. That’s
why you got jealous.”

“No.” I turned and continued picking
grapes.

“
I
like
you
.”

I stopped and looked at him.

“I do. How can I not? You’re pretty
awesome.”

My stomach fluttered and I was frozen in a
moment of shock. I would have said something, made a comment, but
the moment was broken when a high squealing sound not only drew my
attention, but the others in the field.

Marie called out, “Why am I hearing air
brakes?”

“Air brakes?” I asked.

Tanner replied, “That’s the sound. It’s
coming from out there.” He pointed east and toward the edge of
Lyons Estates.

“Are we expecting a truck?” Marie asked.

Tanner shook his head. “Not that I know
of.”

I searched for the noise, and located the
source as the squeal grew higher pitched and stopped. It came from
the eastern edge of Lyon Estates. Whatever made the noise was
shiny, reflecting the sun. “There.” I pointed.

“It’s a semi,” Tanner said.

It was a truck, big and long, and the back
end was facing us. It was just parked there as if someone just
brought it and dropped it off.

Tanner took a few steps forward, as did Marie
and I. As we moved, the sun blindness subsided a bit and the truck
was less masked.

Two figures appeared beside the back of the
truck. They were still somewhat shadowed by the sun, but I could
make them out.

“Ancients,” I said. “They look like Ancient
soldiers. They’re here for me.”

Before anyone could say anything, a third,
smaller and slender figure appeared.

Tanner drew his bow.

Marie held out her hand. “They’re too far.
You have to get closer.”

Tanner nodded and walked forward. I joined
him. I was going to fight for my freedom. The slender figure
climbed to the top of the truck. It was clear it was a woman and
even more clear… it was Nito.

I spun around to Marie. “That’s Nito!”

Marie grunted. “She is not coming anywhere
near you.” She charged forward.

Tanner was ready to shoot, I was ready to
fight, and Marie was prepared to take on Nito.

“Vala!” Nito shouted. “You have been
warned.”

We stopped to rethink our strategy.

Nito opened the back of the truck and out
poured hundreds of Day Stalkers – charging our way.

It was like nothing I had ever experienced.
Why would I? The closest thing I came to a full blown attack was
when the Savages pounced on us at the beach. Tanner had never
experienced anything like it either, and I saw it clearly on his
face.

How many Day Stalkers did she have in the
truck? They flowed out and ran our way though the high grass of the
fields. They didn’t move like Savage Sybaris, they stood upright
and were superfast. When the last of the Day Stalkers came from the
truck, Nito jumped down. Focused on me, she followed behind the Day
Stalkers as if they were her wall of protection.

“Everybody back!” Marie shouted. “Run!”

I moved backwards, unsure of what to do. Did
I go and hide in the retreat room or stay and fight?

I heard the scream of a child as he ran.
That’s when it dawned on me. We had to protect the children.

“Mindy!” I hollered to her. She stood frozen,
seemingly in shock. “Go to the house. Get in the retreat room,
now!” I ordered and backed up.

Mindy acknowledged what I said with a nod of
her head.

“Vala, what are you able to do?” Tanner
asked. “Are you powerless against them or can you fight? I need to
know.”

“I… I don’t know.”

“She isn’t powerless against them,” Marie
said, “but we need to take the kids now. Now! Go warn the
villagers, hurry!” she instructed Tanner.

Her words spurred me to action. I spun around
and took off running. “Tanner!” I yelled for when I saw him still
standing there. “Come on!”

“I’m gonna fight them,” Tanner said.

I ran back to him, grabbed his arm, and
yanked. “You can’t! Not alone. Help me warn the people, and once
you get the kids get to safety, you need to go get Davis. That’s
all you can do.”

“What about you?”

I looked over my shoulder at Nito, so assured
and confident, moving my way. Her two soldiers were a few paces
behind her.

“I have to help the others to safety
first.”

There were four children in the vineyards
with us, Marie grabbed one of them as she raced to the house,
Tanner grabbed two, and I lifted a child into my arms as well.

We bolted to the safety of the houses, Tanner
screaming out, “Retreat! Retreat!” He lifted his whistle and blew
it loudly and continuously, a clear warning signal to all. “Day
Stalkers! Retreat!”

Would the retreat rooms hold? I didn’t know.
They were designed to withstand Savage attacks, and I had heard the
Day Stalkers were stronger.

We had reached the back door of Marie’s home
and I set down the child I carried. It was not until then I
realized Mindy wasn’t with us.

Marie took the four children into the house
while Tanner ran toward the center of the village, blowing the
whistle and shouting out the warnings.

“Vala!” Marie called. “Let’s go! Get
inside!”

Where was Mindy? Finally I spotted her. She
was moving slowly, holding her stomach. She was winded, and in her
pregnant state couldn’t move fast. Behind her, making up the
distance and closing in were the Day Stalkers.

“Get them in the retreat room,” I told Marie,
not taking my eyes off of Mindy for more than a second at a time. I
stepped off the porch and grabbed the first thing I could, which
was the stirrup hoe. I didn’t need much, I needed a focus for my
ability. I wasn’t going to fear them, nor was I going to lose
control.

I stayed focused. I was stronger than
them.

With Mindy in my scope of vision, I ran
toward her.

Her eyes connected to mine and she reached
her hand out. Her shoulders dropped as if in relief that I was on
my way and then… a Day Stalker lunged over the vine and landed on
her.

“No!” I screamed, picking up speed.

Another Day Stalker joined in, then
another.

Mindy screamed, a long, deep, bloodcurdling
shriek that conveyed unbearable pain and fear.

I was motivated by rage and anger and I was
so close. Just as I arrived, hoping against hope to help her, the
Day Stalker stood. He was covered in blood. The second Stalker
stood with something horrifying; in his hand he held Mindy’s tiny
baby. He lifted it high and victoriously like a trophy. It was
small, its arms flopping over his hands.

I didn’t know if the child was dead or alive,
but I couldn’t allow them to have it.

Instantly I was reminded of my baby brother
and I used that as emotional fuel. I could have easily aimed the
stick and focused, but instead I leapt his way, swinging out,
hitting him hard with the stirrup hoe. I wanted my anger to be
focused on my intended target.

When the long handle end connected, it seemed
to melt right through him, dividing his head in two. As he dropped
to my feet, the infant in his hand rolled from his grip and before
I could grab it, another Day Stalker snatched it and hungrily
brought it to his mouth.

With a war cry, I struck down at him before
he could consume the child. I knew there was one more there. I spun
around ready to engage, and took out that Day Stalker before he
could strike.

More were coming, they had to be. There were
hundreds of them. The Day Stalkers ignored us and ran toward the
village of Lyon Estates.

I dropped to my knees, landing in a puddle of
fresh blood.

A feeling of devastation consumed me as I
looked down at the tiny baby not even ready to be born into this
world. He never got his first breath, never had a chance for life.
All that had ended at the foul hands and mouths of the vicious Day
Stalkers.

I couldn’t even look at him. There wasn’t
much that remained.

I had failed the baby. I had failed
Mindy.

She wasn’t dead. Her stomach was a wide open
wound, the umbilical cord dangling from her. She coughed blood with
every gasping breath and her head twitched to the right.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” I reached down to
her.

“My… my….baby.”

“I’m sorry.” I wanted to scream. Sobs built
inside of me and Mindy whimpered. One small whimper and then she
died.

Everything that transpired around me seemed
to freeze in time and I swam in the aftermath. Briefly, I forgot
about the attack. Then Mindy’s eyes opened. Her mouth widened, and
she made a hideous sound.

She had transformed.

For the final time, I apologized to her,
lifted the hoe, and using the handle, I ended her short time as a
Day Stalker.

The stirrup hoe dropped from my hand and
everything came back to me in a rush.

There were screams and cries all around,
coming from Lyons Estates. The people there, like those in Rio,
were being attacked.

Children cried in pain, women and men
screamed in agony.

Knowing I would deal later with the grief
over Mindy, I had to fight.

Once again, gripping the only weapon I had, I
stood.

“Going somewhere?” Nito asked. She held her
hand back to her soldiers, keeping them at bay.

I wanted to attack, I wanted to go after her,
but I also knew she was the single source that could end it for
Lyons Estates. “Stop this. Please,” I pleaded. “Stop this now. Call
them off.”

“If I do, you will go?” Nito asked, stepping
toward me. “I will stop this. I will call them back. However, you
will return to Akana and you will choose me.”

I was about to answer, prepared to drop my
weapon and surrender when Marie’s angry voice blasted from behind
me.

“She will do no such thing!” Marie stepped in
between Nito and me, holding a spear. She didn’t show a single
ounce of fear. “We’ll end this and she stays. We kill the Stalkers
and then you’re next.”

Nito laughed. “You feeble old woman. You know
nothing.”

Marie did not take her eyes from Nito, but
she moved back, spun her spear and struck at Nito. It hit Nito in
the side of the face, sending her backwards.

A soldier moved for Marie and with the spear
end out, she quickly impaled him in the chest. When she retracted
it, Nito had gained her footing.

“Vala, go!” Marie yelled, swinging toward
Nito, only Nito caught the spear. They engaged in a struggle over
the weapon.

Marie wanted me to leave, but I couldn’t.
What if she needed me? Even though I knew Marie wanted to handle
it, I stayed.

The remaining soldier came forward to
intervene and Nito screeched at him, “I have this!” With a grunt,
she took control of the spear, swung out, striking Marie. The blow
stumbled Marie back and blood poured from her forehead.

That didn’t stop Marie. With a closed fist,
she struck Nito, causing the spear to drop from her hand.

I believed Marie was facing her victory. Nito
was actually bleeding from her lip.

Then it all happened so fast. Nito acted so
quickly, I barely caught movement. She reached out, grabbed Marie
by the throat, yanked her close, then with a wicked, demonic
scream, struck into Marie’s chest and ripped out her heart.

Nito looked at me with a snide smile. “We’re
not so different after all, are we, Vala?”

Marie was still alive, because her body
jerked and twitched. Nito released her and Marie lifelessly dropped
to the ground.

That was it. With a bellow of rage I raced
toward Nito with all intentions of taking her down. She was
done.

I was a Mare. I could take her, of that I was
certain.

I came within an inch of stealing her life,
an inch of striking out at her, when she grabbed hold of me with a
strength I didn’t know she had.

Her hand clutched tightly to my throat and I
gasped for air. I couldn’t breathe. My throat felt as if it were
crushing as she lifted me from the ground.

Nito's face blurred in my vision, and my life
was slipping from me.

Her eyes connected with mine and she spoke.
“You stupid little girl. All you had to do was come back. Now you
have no—”

Nito’s eyes widened, she coughed once, and
blood shot from her mouth, splashing against my face. Her grip
loosened and she released me. I dropped to the ground, gasping for
air. Coughing and choking, I looked up to see an arrow protruding
from her torso. It had entered her from a side angle.

Before Nito fell to the ground, her remaining
soldier grabbed hold of her, swept her in his arms, and took off
across the field.

“Oh my God.” Tanner dropped down beside me
and reached out. “Vala, are you—”

“Don’t…” I said hoarsely over my ragged
throat, “don’t let her get… away. Kill… kill her.”