Unnaturals (48 page)

`You were always a gifted Wolf, child,' she whispered, rubbing his Wolf face with affection. `And now you are he, the Alpha of the Three. Our Ancients have come back.'

Mia let him go and stepped back, baring her throat. Mason felt the shift ripple through the packs. She offered the alpha her loyalty and allegiance, if he decided not to take her life there and now. She offered respect.

Respect. Everything a Wolf desires.

`So you,' Ralph paused, still the kid and not quite understanding what Mason saw so clearly. `you'll hunt with us?'

Mia howled. The packs followed. Power rippled through Mason, making him stagger. The Wolves sang around him.

Blood. He wanted to hunt, kill, and taste the sweet bitterness of a Bloodells.

`This is us.'
Renee grinned at him with fangs exposed.
`Their Song is ours. Together we become one.'

`No Bloodells bitch makes a kill in our land and lives!' Mia shouted to the packs. `Treaty is broken. Hidden we are no more. Tonight, we hunt!'

Concrete shook under Mason as the Wolves stomped their huge paws in agreement. Deep inside him his own Song began to build, rushing up through the darkness. He could not contain Hunter's call. Instinctively, he morphed, letting Hunter free.

Wolves glowed earthy red, eager to hunt. The rush came again.

Like the Wolves, Hunter tipped his head back and howled his rage into the night air.

 

Light seeped into the darkness smothering her. Muffled sounds moved around her.

Ruth tried to move a hand. It hurt, but it moved. She tried her legs. Nothing. Voices came, low and fast, filtering in on the edge of hearing. Incoherent.

Ruth made a fist and white-hot pain shot up her arm. No cry came, her lips wouldn't move and her tongue felt thick. Trapped. Still.

`We are close to Father.'

Ruth stopped, listening.

`I will call to him, but I am not strong enough. I must take from you, Mother.'

Ruth focused, feeling the presence within her, willing her gift towards her daughter's mind.

`Do it.'

`Much pain, danger. I am frightened. You will suffer.'

Ruth's connection wavered but she would not let it go. Fierce emotions flared. Protective instincts surged. Adrenalin spiked her blood.

`Take what you need.'
Pain exploded. She screamed silently as the child consumed her life force. She clenched her hand, nails tearing painfully into the soft flesh of her palm, the only reaction her body could give. It was nothing compared to the sensation of her child tearing at her body with thousands of tiny sharp teeth.

White flashed. Then came nothing. No pain, no sensation. Nothing. She flailed, trying to stay conscious.

`He will hear me now.'

Ruth, numb through every part of her, couldn't answer. She couldn't even hope as the silence engulfed her in the darkness.

 

`Is he still Mason?' Sally asked, watching from the doorway.

Wilson let his fire fade. A scaled, winged creature howled with the wolves. He didn't know.

`Mostly,' Nikki said behind him, making him start. He hadn't heard her come downstairs.

She stopped, eyes on Mason. `The creature you see now is Hunter, but Mason is at the core of that being.'

Wilson breathed out noisily as the creature stood tall and spread its wings, so alien. Claws moved on the wings and the Wolves howled again. Where was his father in that? `I just wish he didn't seem to enjoy it so much.'

`He has accepted what he is,' Nikki said, touching her stomach and drawing Wilson's attention.

`What about him?' He pointed with his chin. `Will he be like Dad?'

`No idea,' she said with a small smile. `Does it really matter?'

Wilson opened his mouth and closed it. He didn't know if it would matter. Would it?

`Probably not.' Though he was still uncomfortable with the idea she carried his half-brother. Joining with his father to save her had been instinctive. He hadn't had time to think of the dying woman as his mother's lover, his half-brother's mum.

`You don't quite approve of me.' Her tone was neutral.

He didn't reply, oddly relieved at how she had summed his feelings up.

'Help us.'

Wilson buckled.

`Brother. Father. Come! The people's beach.'

`Wil!' Sally held him as his stomach churned. Bile burnt in his throat. It was his sister's 'path. Intense. Full of pain and fear she'd been unable to mask.

Hunter roared. Wilson stood to face him. The Wolves had fallen uncannily silent.

Hunter's face softened. Mason reached out. `She is alive. In Sydney. At Bondi.'

`Yes. The beach.' He grasped his father's scaled hand. An understanding passed between them, unsaid. They would do whatever was necessary to save Ruth and keep their family free of the Bloodells.

Mason spoke to the big, bald man waiting nearby. `Take Syrus and Pete. Work with Max.' He glanced at Sally then moved closer to Nikki. `Death is coming here tonight. Both of you, stay close to Wilson.'

Wilson caught the look Mason gave Nikki as he moved to touch her belly and their unborn child with the back of his hand. That was all Mason, Wil realised. Underneath the scales he was all Mason, still his dad. He cared. And nothing could stop him from caring.

Ralph came up behind Mason. `We have their scent!'

`Dad.' He touched his father one last time before Hunter's features flowed across the familiar face. `We will win.'

Hunter looked at him with hard black eyes for a second, then was gone.

 

Max slipped on his armoured vest. He had always worn it when hunting with Mason. The thing had saved his life more than once and tonight he would need every advantage a human could take.

`You don't fear him.'

He stiffened. Eleanor rattled him. She'd crept up on him again.

`Of course not.' He checked the vest, making sure it was snug. Avoiding looking at her. Not now, at least.

`Tonight you will see many things.' She stood close. Too close. Too warm. `I will not be me, but more like Hunter, when the time comes.'

`And this is important, how?' He checked his pistols were loaded. She touched him. His pulse surged. Damn.

`When you see me, try your best to remember me here, now.'

He found her arms around him, soft sweet lips on his. He didn't resist, wrapping his arms around her. No question, Eleanor excited him. She was older. Sure of herself. Dangerous. Bold. And Unnatural.

`You're not shy,' he managed to gasp as she broke off the kiss. Her flavour lingered strong in his mouth.

`No,' she whispered, breasts hot against his chest. `It's been a while since someone has interested me as you have.'

`Interested?' Max disentangled himself. `So, I'm just interesting?'

`No. That's not — oh, curse it.' She turned away.

`Eleanor.' He turned her back to face him. `I'm sorry.'

`No need to be sorry. You're right.' She pulled away, pausing when the night was filled with howls. `It's time. Hunter and the pack have the Bloodells' scent. We go to battle this night. We may not survive. Come.'

`Wait.'

But the office stood empty except for him.

 

Mason flexed as Hunter's armoured body settled. Wilson's words echoed in his mind. They would win.

`Call the Hunt.'
Huntress whispered, body hot on his back, ready to fly.
`Let the ancient Song free, Hunter. Call the Hunt.'

Red filled his vision. It thrummed from the mass of Wolves before him. Ralph's aura rippled as a slim, black shape leapt upon his back. Scarla. She had changed too, wearing her own dark scales. Together, Ralph and Scarla made their own hunting pair.

The Wolves waited.

A single note echoed inside him, up and out through lungs and mouth. Instinct took over and he became airborne, Huntress riding his back while the wolves boiled out into the streets below them.

`Let them hear you again, my love. Sing. Drive fear into the black hearts of the Bloodells. Make the night ours.'

Colour filled the night. Wolf red. Humans showing as oranges and yellows scattering before the red surge. Street lights were a harsh and alien bright white.

Ahead lay the ocean. Dark. Natural. Welcoming.

`Sing, my love. Fill the air with our Song. Make the bastards feel true fear.'

The air shimmered. Colours expanded out from him as his Song boomed across the city. Fresh red flared to the south.

`They come, the highlander packs.'
Huntress moved on his back.
`And Mother is coming. Look.'

He glanced back. Diamond white burnt below, weaving through the streets. Darkells afoot. Unmasked, their colour almost burning, it was so bright. Ahead, a rank and Unnatural scent slapped at him. Bloodells.

Huntress thumped his back, her excitement at the looming fight clear.

Hunter did not reply. Every sense Mason possessed was focused on trying to find Ruth. Fear moved deep inside. What if he wasn't strong enough to stop the Bloodells?

Could he fail?

Hunter rumbled.
Never!

 

Scarla wrapped her claws deep into Ralph's thick coat, his huge body hot under her scales. Muscles moved with a fluidity that excited her more than the fight ahead.

She heard people screaming as Ralph leapt high over a car. Chaos echoed behind them. Scarla grinned, looking back at the wave of wolves following. Never had she dreamed of this.

A shout made her look forward. A man stood with a pistol. She knew what it could do to unprotected flesh. Ralph's muscles bunched, but she didn't wait, propelling herself off his back to land on the human. Hot blood sprayed across her. She didn't pause, launching herself back into the sky, gliding over the street and back onto Ralph. Unable to resist, she tasted the blood. And moaned. So sweet. So full of energy.

No wonder Father craved them so much.

She felt the Song before she heard it and sat erect, holding Ralph with her legs and basking in the ripple of energy from Hunter's Song. He was powerful. Accepting of what he had become.

Scarla let her own high-pitched Song free into the night. She knew this world was where she belonged. Even if Hunter succumbed to his darkness, Scarla could see herself thriving here. Ralph would be a fine mate. His heart was strong and his desire was true.

Ralph twisted sideways to dodge a car and she sat back down on his back. Something bumped her leg. Ricco, eyes hot as he watched her.

Scarla showed all her teeth at him. Ricco did the same. Did the pack share their females? The idea sent a bolt of renewed excitement though her.

Yes, this world would be her home.

 

Yani felt the sweat bead down his back as they crested the last hill into Bondi. Stars winked back at him, reflected off the ocean. Lights shone brightly from individual houses.

Such things had never mattered to him before, but everything looked different now.

`What's wrong with you?' Michelle asked, driving the van.

Yani had to swallow, his mouth was so dry. In the distance he heard it again, the sound that made his skin tighten and bile churn within. `How many men will be at our stronghold?'

`Many,' she said, looking hard at him.

He looked away, staring into the rear-view mirror. He wanted to run. Instincts he had not felt for millennia muttered inside.

`Why?'

`You can't hear it, can you?'

`What?'

He was one of a very few living who could recognise the Song. Never did he think to experience the terror twice in one lifetime. `How soon before our Lord is with us?'

`Shit, Yani. What's with all the questions? We're nearly there and He will come once
I
am there.' Michelle checked her mirrors. `You're still rattled by Butcher and his whore Darkells'

`No.' He caught a flash of colour through the houses.

Again he spotted a flash of colour and movement. Not human. Wolves. `Shit.'

`What now?' Michelle snapped as they slowed, entering the beachside car park.

`Wolves.' He unclipped his seat belt and leapt out. They had to move fast. He had killed many Wolves. These would be dangerous, strong and many. He would not be able to stop a pack.

`So what?' Michelle waited while he checked Ruth, then carried her out of the back of the van. `They aren't immune to my gift?'

`No, probably not. Where to?' Claw raked concrete. More than one Wolf. A lot more.

`The beach,' Michelle said, suddenly moving fast. Perhaps she'd realised how dangerous the car park was.

He followed her down onto the empty sand. `Mistress. Our stronghold? Our soldiers?' He was panicking. He heard it in his own voice.

`Here.' Michelle stopped at the water's edge.

Yani frowned. He hated swimming. `The wolves are close.'

A wild chorus of howls filled the air. Yani nearly dropped his hostage.

Michelle went very still beside him. `Worry not about the Wolves. Bemeon comes.'

Ice formed around him. Yani watched as the ocean froze over with black ice. Again the Wolves howled. They were nearly at the beach. He could smell them now. Their scent reached out for him. An army of Wolves howled for his blood.

`Michelle,' he had to catch his breath, chest tight, `it's more than a pack!'

`Who cares?'

Wind roared across the frozen ocean. Yani was torn between watching it and the approaching Wolves.

`This is our Stronghold.' Michelle raised her arms and the ice moaned and cracked.

Yani stepped back as the ice rose up before him to create a huge portal, its centre humming with liquid dark energy. Over the wind he heard the scuff of paws on sand.

Michelle turned, her eyes going wide. `Go!' She pushed him and Yani didn't hesitate, diving into the cold darkness. Many hands touched him. Some took the human from his hands. Darkness rippled around him. Bemeon, his god, was close.

`Save her,' a voice whispered beside him. `Or you will die.'

He was spun around and shoved back onto the beach. Michelle's gift covered her; energy lashed at the shape bounding towards her. Hundreds of eyes watched from the sea wall. Wolves.