Unnaturals (45 page)

`Don't worry. We won't let anything happen to you,' he said, wondering how he could protect her; if Lilly would risk herself for Sally.

`I don't want that. Give me a gun.'

`What?' He focused, seeing her properly. She was calm and he knew that look. She was deadly serious too.

She glanced at Lilly. `When you were in hospital and I stayed with your mum, we talked about a lot of things. One night we had a conversation about something like this. A time when she mightn't be here to protect us. Wil, Ruth showed me how to use a pistol and made me swear not to tell you. But now it is the right time, so give me a gun. I know what to do.'

He struggled to speak. He had never pictured Sally in danger, let alone using a gun.

`What would you like?' Max asked from across the room. He picked a black case from under a desk. `Take your pick.' He flipped the lid open.

`No, hang on, Max,' Wilson said.

`This in my choice, okay Wil?' She went to the case and chose a weapon while he watched, unsure of what he felt.

`Full of surprises, she is,' Lilly whispered. `Just make sure you don't argue with her from now on.'

`Shut up.' He watched Sally pick up an automatic pistol, balancing it in her hand. `I don't like this.'

`Too bad,' Lilly whispered, nudging him with her elbow. `Go on, be with her now. Obviously she is dead serious and you need to be part of it. She's prepared to fight with us, Wil.'

`This one,' Sally said, pulling back the slide and checking the firing chamber. `This is what Ruth trained me with, a 9mm auto. You got another clip and ammo, Max?'

`Yep.' Max pulled out the holster and four more magazines. `I've got its sister here as well if you like?'

Wilson stood beside her, seeing another side of Sally. Her hands moved with confidence, handling the pistols correctly, and without fear. She took the second one and loaded and slipped it into the shoulder holster Max gave her.

`Mum really did train you.'

`Yep,' she said, adjusting the holster and making it comfortable. `Now I understand what's happening, you don't have to keep worrying, Wil. I'll only use these if I have to.' She patted a pistol. `But now I've had a good cry and I'm over the shock, I can see that Ruth was right. You see things a lot clearer.'

`More!' Ricco yelled making Wilson jump. `More scent found. The packs are coming here. They want to hunt.' Ricco seemed to shift and flow from human to Wolf and back. `The packs seek the Huntress. A Gathering is called. We have to be ready. Many will come.' Ricco was like an excited kid, round-eyed.

`Understood.' Max opened his laptop. `Let me know when our guests arrive, Ricco. And if Mason decides to jump again.'

`Wolf understands,' Ricco almost snarled, moving across the warehouse, looking outside.

`So, just to be sure. The Wolves are on our side?' Sally asked him as they walked towards the huge kitchen.

`Yep.'

`Okay, then,' she said, stopping at the sink. `I'm starving. It's been hours since we've eaten. Where's the food?'

`Cold room,' Max said, not looking up. Wilson found his stomach agreeing with her. They needed to eat.

`Sweet,' Sally said, pulling the door open. `You keep an eye on the TV and we'll find some food.'

He didn't argue. She disappeared into the cold room, Lilly close behind. Outside he heard a howl growing closer. The security footage still showed dead Bloodells and no sign of his father. Max was engrossed in his laptop.

Wilson pulled a chair out from the table and sat.

Hunger grew in him. His gift simmered within, waiting. He needed to be doing something.

Clarity. He was not a boy anymore. Normal would never fit into his life. He would be doing something soon enough.

The war had come home.

`Over here!' Ralph yelled. `There's something.'

Mason stepped back from the scorched van. The scent of death lingered.

`We have an audience,' Renee said, joining him. `We have to leave.'

`Soon.' Mason stilled. Fear. It reeked in the air. Vomit and urine added to its tang. He moved across the car park towards Ralph. `I'm not finished yet.'

`Here, look.' Ralph stood in a garden bed, looking down at his feet.

Mason pushed a shrub aside.

`Is it a child?' Ralph asked, squatting, not touching the small, charred body.

Mason knew. `Her name is Scarla,' he said, joining Ralph. He poked the charred remains of the collar she'd worn, studying her closely. `I think they controlled her with that collar thing. I remember—'

`She's got something in her hand,' Renee whispered, kneeling to touch Scarla's charred clenched fist gently. A fine gold chain glinted.

`Careful.' He touched Renee's hand. `Don't break her.'

`A Bloodells amulet,' Renee said, sliding it free and holding it up in the fading light. `I've seen these in Mother's books. They are used to hide one's mind and scent.'

`They use magic to hide her from you,' Ralph muttered, touching Scarla's face with his fingertip. `This Scarla must have removed it.'

Confusion pervaded him. Scarla had
helped
Ruth, then. Had she always been trying to help?

`Renee, on the island we met because of her. She can teleport and blend into the background, yet we all saw her at the same time. Did she—'

`You think she did it on purpose?' Renee moved closer to Scarla, looking hard. `That she wanted us to meet?'

Mason nodded, feeling tears form. The little scaled girl had been playing a deadly game. She had been on their side though he could not begin to understand why. She had helped Ruth and paid dearly. Why would she do that? And even if she had helped Ruth, he didn't know her. Why did it hurt him so much see her twisted in such agony?

Renee touched his tears. `But, we didn't even know what she was.'

`Ruth. She suffered for Ruth.' He knelt to touch Scarla's cooling arm. `We're nothing to her, but she wanted to help.' He cupped the curve of her face. `What happened is so wrong.' Tears ran freely. `She deserves a chance.'

`No. Mason.' Renee knelt beside him. `She is gone. Nothing but ash remains. This is not Nikki. Scarla has gone.'

Mason looked down and felt energy shift inside him. Healing energy flowed but nothing happened. It didn't matter. Somehow, he knew he had to save her.

`I don't think he's going to listen,' Ralph said. `In fact, Renee, I think we need to move.'

Mason closed his eyes, searching for Scarla, reaching out. A well of darkness filled Scarla's body.

Cold, hostile, death stared back at him. But he thought he could feel Scarla in there. He pushed harder. Dark tendrils lashed back. Icy pain cut sharply at him.

`Mason!' Renee's voice came from a vast distance. He could feel his own blood on his skin. Death would not give Scarla back.

`Scarla!'
He called her name out to the darkness. The well of darkness quivered and thickened before him. More pain reached for him.
`SCARLA!'

Nothing. No voice replied. Tentacles grew razored claws and rose to meet him. No.

`SCARLA!'
He screamed her name again. The tentacles lashed and tore. But why? If she had gone, why defend against him so strongly?

She was still there. She must be.

`Hunter.'
The whisper came through the well. More tentacles grew, knitting across the well mouth. She was in there. Alone.

`GIVE HER BACK.'

Anger began to replace pain. Claws slashed him. It didn't matter. He was right. He had heard Scarla in there, calling.

Mason let Hunter come. She had wanted Hunter, not Mason. His armour hardened and the tentacles writhed, shrinking, entangling.

Hunter spoke.
`Give me Scarla!'
The darkness grew colder. Many tentacles became one — a thick, black tentacle.

He felt the earth warm under his knees, shifting, trembling. He looked down and saw colours swirling just beneath the soil. Energy. Stored within the earth for millennia, it responded to his touch. His to command.

`You're insane.'

The ground heaved and rocked. He heard Renee running. Then Ralph. Nodding to himself at the sound of their informed hasty retreat, the spines hidden deep in his arms slid out to become conductors.

`I will have her!' he yelled at the twisted char under his hands. Black tentacles slithered up from it, tearing at his scales. The well snarled back at him.

`Burn then.' He drove his spines deep into the earth, releasing the trapped energy. `Give me the girl!'

Agony ate into his arms. White hot energy coursed up from the earth to meet cold, sharp energy. Flesh tore, his scales offering no protection. The well mouth howled. A shadow flickered. The tentacle lashed at him.

He ducked but could only move so far. Screaming, he could look down at the inky black devouring his hands where they touched her body.

Rage. It had her. `Is that it?' he writhed. Darkness raced up his arm. `My turn then. Burn!' All that flowed from the earth he focused down his arm into Scarla. Rivers of white hot energy pulsed through him into the dank chill of the well of darkness.

`Give her to me!'

Sulphur filled the air. Soil under him liquefied. Over the roar of energy he heard the earth rumble and crack.

Darkness grew and pain raced up his arm. Scarla lay lifeless and the earth shook under him.

`Ignore pain. Ignore all distraction. Focus.'
Hunter growled.
`The well is your target. It protects itself with illusion. Stop being human. Let me come.'

Mason gasped. Coldness crept into his chest. Focus on the well. See with Hunter's eyes.

Clarity came and he could see, through the tentacle, a smooth, cold sheen. From the depths of the well came a voice.

`Help me!'

There, a face shimmered. He saw her. Huge claws raked at his face, flesh sliced and tore, blood filled one eye, but he knew it was illusion. The truth was, he could see Scarla. He seized the darkness, drew it closer, howling, to a shimmering hand's breadth away.

`Hunter?'

A small hand pressed against the skin-like membrane covering the well. She reached for him, but could not break through. Mason drove his arm into the savage cold of the well and a small hand grabbed his. He buckled then. Used up. The well howled, triumphant, its noise making his head swell.

`Fuck you!' He pulled with everything he had and a hand came through the wall, bringing with it gushes of black ooze. He leaned back, digging in his feet, feeling his shoulder blades popping under the strain.

A body slammed into him and he was knocked backwards. Cool fine scales rasped against his. Fine lips kissed his ear. A purr.
Hunterrr.

Silence.

 

Ralph ran, laughing. Mason was a crazy bastard with balls. Huge balls!

`There's a bomb!' Renee yelled at the terrified witnesses sheltering inside the truck stop. They scattered.

Ralph didn't slow, but soon she was beside him. Asphalt heaved. Heat bloomed behind him. `He's not going to stop!' He couldn't stop grinning. They could die but at this moment he didn't care. Maybe Mason would bring them back.

`No shit, Ralph!' Renee yelled, heading for the drain beside the highway.

`Down!' He reached the drain and Renee landed on top of him as the blast tore over them. `So you like being on top,' he said, grinning, enjoying the sensation of her breasts hard against him even as the fireball brushed across them. She smelt so good.

She pushed his hand away. `You can't help yourself, can you?'

`Nope, no chance of dying from the curse now. All part of the plan.' He held her as the earth bucked under them. `Now that Mason has broken it. You're fair game.'

`You wish.' She pushed against him to get up. He didn't let go. `Stop being such a shit stirrer.'

`Serious. I'm all for the free love thing Mason has going.' He looked straight into her vivid green eyes. `He knows, Renee. The man isn't that conceited.' She didn't speak or move. He took a breath. Now was as good a place as any to say it. `Look, the weird geas thing is gone, yeah? But, if you want me…' He stopped, her finger resting on his lips.

`Enough. Touch me again and I'll break your arm.' Her eyes darkened and he let go. `Unless I ask you to. Understand?'

`Wait. Unless you ask me?' She hadn't said no!

`Not now. It's complicated.' She stood. `Let's survive this first. I need you to be my alpha now. Ralph, I love Mason. But I can't ignore you. We had something.'

`Okay,' he said uncertainly. `So, you've changed your mind? Or what?'

`Shut up and get moving,' she said. `We need to find Mason and get out of here.'

He shook dirt off him and moved. He had the strongest feeling that now was not a good time to try to sort out this riddle. Had he seen Renee waver?

The car park was chaotic. Cars and truck lay scattered like toys, the asphalt torn up like paper.

`Find him.' Renee strode away.

`Yes, boss,' he murmured, tasting the air as he watched her walk away.

`And stop looking at my arse,' she said over her shoulder, making him snort.

`A guy can look.' He jogged with her, stepping around cooling lumps of lava peppering the area. Half-smiling, he picked his way over to the crater Mason had made. Renee skirted around it, checking wreckage. He took another look at her. Could she be avoiding him?

She stopped at some corpses, took something from a pocket, and smoke and dust formed. The corpses began to disintegrate.

Not avoiding him. Just busy.

`Hi.'

Ralph yelped. The voice came from his feet, unexpected. He stepped back, found a dull red lump of lava. Jumped again.

A scaled girl — Scarla, he hoped — lay among the smouldering lava alongside an unconscious Mason. Her hand moved on his chest.

She smiled, revealing many sharp pointed teeth. `You're Hunter's alpha?'

Blood rushed to his groin and he had a moment to regret the skin-tight nano suit. The woman was naked and her fine scales were a delicate pink. But it was her voice that made him hesitate. She oozed desire. But he could hear another problem approaching fast. He picked his way down her. `You'd better stand up, quick.' He didn't want Renee to see this. Or suffer what would follow.