Defender's Blood Alex's Destiny (An Urban Fantasy) (18 page)

They stopped and looked back, as the rear door was thrown open and Bri jumped out and threw up. Poor Bri, Alex thought, I know how you feel. In a few minutes Bri stood up and returned to the vehicle. At this point Alex noticed that there was a mist, as he had thought, it wasn’t too bad but still impaired what could be seen.

A little farther on and they were truly in the middle of nowhere. There were some hills, nothing near the size of the Cairngorms, but hills all the same and Duncan said they were close. He stopped the car and took the satnav from the dashboard.

He spoke and his voice still was loud, especially in the confines of the vehicle. “We should walk fae here, it’s up there at the base oh that hill.” He pointed in front to the nearest hill.

Everyone got out and they got into the formation they had agreed on. Before going in front of her Zach pulled Alex into his arms and kissed her with no embarrassment of the others looking on. He pulled away, turned and took his place with Vlad and William.

Bri and Rhianna joined Alex and the other three men took their positions.

Rhianna started chanting and moving her hands about, she looked like she was dancing with her hands, and then very suddenly Alex felt a powerful wave come over them. The shield was in place.

“
Okay guys we can move on now,” Rhianna said. “Bri, it’s up to you when we get to the hill to uncover the doorway.”

“
I know.” Bri responded quietly – and they all started walking.

It wasn’t easy terrain and the girls especially found it difficult. With no powers such as the Wolves or Vampires had, they were struggling and Alex was glad of the combat boots that Zach had acquired for her.

Very quickly Duncan shouted. “Wait! Ah smell somethin, it’s fuckin awful whitever it is! I also smell human, more than one, no sure exactly how many.” Duncan’s face was all screwed up as if the smell was making him feel ill.

Vlad put a hand straight up with his fist closed, they stayed in place. Vlad turned to Zach. “You’ve got the best senses my friend, can you feel anything?”

Zach closed his eyes in concentration and let his senses flow ... out ... farther ... a bit farther ... YES – there they were.

Zach nodded as he addressed everyone. “I can feel them. Definitely Demons there and I think at least a dozen humans. We need to be ready guys.” When Zach finished Vlad’s arm dropped and they continued on. Alex was very nervous indeed.

As they moved closer with only a short distance to go William held his hand up and whispered “Stop.” Everyone stopped.

Before William could say anything Duncan spoke “Somethins close boys, never smelt anythin like it, it’s rotten, whitever it is.”

The men took out whatever weapon they were happiest with. Zach had his sword in his hands, Vlad had his crossbow and the others had a mishmash of guns, knives and daggers. Apart from William who held his hands out and looked to be concentrating very hard.

Alex looked over her shoulder and up, for Duncan, and couldn’t see him. Fuck. Where was he? Then she heard a growl, she looked lower and saw him, he had turned into his Wolf.

What a beast. He made the Wolf that Irina turned into look like a puppy. His fangs were bared and he scared the shit out of her.

The Wolf turned so that it was walking backward his massive head going from left to right. Watching that nothing came up behind them.

William’s mouth moved but she couldn’t hear what he was saying. Rhianna moved Alex so that she was in the middle between her and Bri. Alex tried desperately not to let her fear take hold.

They had continued walking now and were very near the hill. “I can sense the doorway – hold on,” Bri spoke and then started her part. Her hands flew in all directions while muttering some spell or other. Alex wasn’t listening, she was looking at what was in front of them.

Shit. Shit. Shit. There were two of the things that had attacked back at the compound, Demons. Plus three others who looked to be smaller ones, and quite a few humans.

“
Alex – DO NOT go in that doorway alone. No matter what, you wait for at least two of us to go with you. Do you understand!” Zach shouted back at her.

“
Yes,” she managed to get out.

The Demons looked at them and did that sound that Alex thought was a laugh. She lowered her eyes, she didn’t want to see them. She had to focus.

William’s hands flew faster and faster and suddenly he threw them out forward. One of the large Demons and one of the smaller ones standing next to it flew backward and landed on the hill. The large one tried to get up but couldn’t seem to manage it. The smaller one lay in a crumpled heap not moving. The other large one looked at it and a look of incredulity crossed its disgusting features. It hadn’t expected that.

William collapsed to the ground breathing hard. “Go,” he said, “I will need a minute to recover.” He looked ghastly, his face was pure white.

“There!” Bri shouted and pointed over to the right of the large Demon. A hole appeared on the hill and it was dark inside. They started to walk towards it when the large Demon threw out its clawed hands and a huge ball of flame came rushing at them.

Everyone scattered to get out of its way.

Vlad and Zach took off to the side with Zach roaring “Dmitri!”

“
Got them!”

Dmitri threw himself at the girls and grabbed them in his huge arms, throwing them down and to the side. Stuart and Duncan bellowed and moved away from the oncoming fire. The burning flame missed all of them – but only just.

Humans now ran at them. Some had large scimitar type swords in their hands and looked as if they knew how to use them.

The girls got up and started walking once again, trying hard not to look at the humans coming at them. The humans had split up and were trying to come from different directions, effectively splitting up the guys who were to protect them.

They ran fast, too fast, far too fast for humans and Zach realised that the Demons must have given them help in some way. Stuart dropped his knife and turned with a flash – his Wolf almost as large as Duncan’s.

Zach and Vlad flew forward leaving the others to protect Alex and the Witches. Soon it was obvious that everyone was going to be needed as there were too many for a one on one.

Vlad slung his crossbow over his shoulder and pulled out a large knife and dagger, wielding them with practised ease.

“
Stay close Alex, don’t stray from the shield.” Rhianna spoke breathlessly.

Zach and Vlad had reached the first of the men. Vlad ran straight on heading for some others, while Zach engaged the one in front. The scimitar that this man held was shining and deadly. Zach parried the stroke with his sword. The strength behind this so-called human’s thrust was far beyond what any human could do.

Zach wasted no time in finesse, he cleaved this body in two with a powerful downward stroke of his sword. The body in front collapsed in a bloody heap and he turned and ran after Vlad.

Vlad was in battle with two others. They were circling, one would try to distract while the other tried to tear into him with their blades. Vlad was too quick for them but he couldn’t get close enough to either one to take them out.

Zach roared as he approached and swung his sword at the one nearest to him, taking the head clean off. This left the other one staring at his fallen comrade and Vlad moved in for the kill. He grabbed him from behind and slit his throat quickly, easily and very efficiently.

Stuart and Duncan were fighting some of the other humans. All of the men there to protect Alex and the Witches were now otherwise engaged and three more of the humans made their way towards the now unguarded females.

Rhianna saw them and yelled. “We need to move faster – look!”

Alex saw what she meant and Bri let out a light scream. The humans were almost on them. The girls tried to move faster and away but there was so much going on around it was difficult.

They couldn’t chance getting caught up in one of the fights. With swords, blades and Wolf jaws snapping all around, they could easily get hurt. The girls had forgotten about Dmitri. He ran from behind them to stop the humans from attacking them.

Dmitri went for the middle one and very quickly snapped his neck. As he turned for the others a large scream hit all of their ears and the smaller Demon appeared. Right in front of Dmitri.

The smaller Demon was a lot stronger than any of the humans, and it and Dmitri started a terrifying battle. Alex gasped, the other two humans were still coming at them, swords in their hands, laughing manically with spittle flying from their mouths.

“
RUN!” Dmitri roared, all the while trying to kill the thing in front of him. The order reached their ears and each one reacted at a slightly different moment.

Alex was first, she took off running, pumping her legs as fast as she could get them to move. Bri was next running behind her. Rhianna, however, was last to react and she was some way behind the other two. Which meant that Bri and Alex were no longer under any kind of shield.

One of the humans caught up to Rhianna and he knocked her flying. Intent on Alex, he didn’t waste any time on killing the Witch. Rhianna went down hard and as the air was knocked from her lungs, her eyes saw the rock on the ground a millisecond before her head hit. She was out cold lying on the ground, blood seeping from a deep gash on her forehead.

The human reached Bri and grabbed her hair which was flying behind her. It brought her up short with pain lancing through her head. She screamed loudly – and Alex looked back.

She saw Rhianna on the ground and Bri in the hands of one of the humans. She didn’t think, she just reacted. She ran back, drawing one of her knives as she did so. As soon as she was directly in front of Bri she moved her arm quickly. She threw what looked like a roundhouse punch towards the head area of the one holding Bri, who was struggling to get free, fear etched on her face.

Suddenly Bri was free, nearly falling to her knees. She steadied herself and turned to look behind her. The knife which had been in Alex’s hand was now embedded in the throat of the human. He grabbed the blade and tore it free. Big mistake, as his blood spurted out like a fountain and he fell to the ground a dazed look on his face.

The second human was right behind them now and Alex knew they couldn’t outrun him. She pulled her second knife out and put Bri behind her. Alex automatically went into a fighting stance and waited on the human getting closer. Close enough so she could use her knife.

*****

Zach and Vlad had finished off the humans and the one smaller Demon, hacking it into a bloody mess. He turned searching for Alex and saw Rhianna on the ground. NO!

A split second later he saw Alex pull a knife out and get Bri behind her, facing one of the humans full on. What the fuck is she thinking!?

His thoughts were running wild as he tried to get to her. He ran fast, very fast and in the next instant he was between her and the human. His sword took the head clean off and he turned and looked down at Alex.

*****

Alex had realised something as she saw the carnage in front of her, it came as a surprise to her, she wasn’t terrified with fear. She was scared, yes, but she wasn’t feeling what she had expected she would. A crippling sense of terror that would make her useless to them.

No, she felt strong, capable. She was going to do this.

She felt proud watching Zach in action. He was absolutely deadly, his movements were precise, meticulous and the skill he had with the sword was like a fine craftsman. He looked very at ease with it, as if he had a lot of practice.

The bodies made her nauseous, the first with his insides hanging out, but she didn’t feel sorry for them, not one bit! That was when all hell broke loose and they had tried to get through to the opening in the hill.

When Dmitri had yelled at them to run, she was quick to obey. Only after hearing Bri scream had she realised they weren’t all together. She saw Rhianna on the ground and realised the shield would not be in place, and one of those fuckers had Bri in his hands.

A great sense of anger came over her and she ran back while pulling one of her knives free. She didn’t think twice about ramming it into his neck. When the body fell to the ground she noticed the other one right there. They couldn’t run so she took her other knife out and placed Bri at her back.

She was ready to fight this fucking bastard and kill him. Suddenly Zach was in front of her and took the head clean off with his sword. Then he turned and looked at her.

As Zach gazed down at Alexina he saw a strength in her that none of them had realised she had. Her face was fierce, and one arm was still protectively behind her shielding Bri.

He spoke softly. “You’re quite the fighter little one. Although I thought you were to stay in the shield?”

She answered quickly. “Dmitri roared run so I ran. I didn’t know Rhianna wasn’t there until I heard Bri scream and turned round.”

Zach nodded his head, there was still some fighting going on and he noticed Vlad had went to help Dmitri with the other smaller Demon.

He motioned down to the human who had blood all around him and a vicious wound in his throat. “Did you do that?” Alex looked down and only nodded her head.