Werewolves Be Damned

Chapter Nineteen


Blending into the shadows by a fancy hotel, Nexi peered across the street and spotted the tailor shop. The brown brick building was nestled between a deli and a restaurant, and air conditioners hung out from the top windows. She squinted, staring at the large front window and taking a second count to be sure, but the view remained unchanged. “I’ve counted ten wolves.”

Drake nodded. “Yes, ten.”

Valor lifted his head, taking a deep sniff. “There are ten on the lower floor, but more upstairs.”

Not at all what she wanted to hear, considering even with only the ten on the lower level they were outnumbered. “Do you have any idea how many more?”

“I can’t say for sure.” Valor’s nose lifted higher, and he sniffed again. “Their scents are all mixing together. It’s impossible to tell them all apart unless I stood here for a while and concentrated.”

“Well, we don’t have time for that,” she retorted.

Turning to the building again, she studied the wolves passing by the windows every so often. While nerves about this fight ahead did rattle her, she stuffed them down. Now she needed to be unafraid…for Kyden. “Any guesses why they’re not coming out and attacking us?”

She looked at Briggs to catch his shrug as he said, “The packs are huge, and most wolves wouldn’t have met Valor, so they don’t know his scent.” He gestured toward the building. “They might assume there are wolves and guardians nearby. Besides, from what we’ve seen of them so far, they believe they’re untouchable. We can only assume they have no fear of being found.”

These werewolves were damned idiots, and, if anything, it made her happy to clear the world of such stupidity.

Drake nudged her arm, garnering her attention, and his eyes were soft. “I suppose asking you to stay here is out of the question?”

“You suppose right.” Inhaling to focus, she caught a whiff of garbage mixed with stale air, then she stepped out of the shadows. “Ready?” As soon as the question passed her lips, she wondered if it even mattered. Could anyone ever be ready for the shitload of trouble they were about to land themselves in?

Briggs nodded, dauntlessly. “Batters up.”

With quick nods from Valor and Drake, Nexi charged across the street, the men right next to her. Once at the front door of the tailor shop, Drake kicked the door and it flew open. Clearly startled, the werewolves jumped to their feet.

Wide eyes greeted her. “It’s you,” a dark-haired one said.

“That wasn’t exactly what I expected to hear,” Nexi muttered.

Valor shifted, growling deep.

With the sound rumbling against the walls, the men shifted into their wolf forms as if Valor had ordered them to. Nexi figured that maybe his magic contained that type of power. Who knew. Who cared. Not her.

Nexi’s entire focus became about the werewolves who pounced toward her, as all hell broke loose. The table and chairs in the room either broke or went flying in the air. A wolf leapt off the ground and when he was only a hairsbreadth away from biting off her head, she drew her sword and decapitated him. “One down.”

Before she could move, the black wolf flew toward her. In the same moment, another beast slammed into her from the side. A slice followed by a splatter meant that Drake had dealt with that one.

Not taking her eyes off the wolf approaching her, a low growl sounded beside her as fur brushed against her arm. A loud crunch followed by a heavy thud declared that Briggs or Valor took out the other fluff ball.

The wolf finally reached her with his lip pulled up, displaying a healthy set of white teeth. He sprang forward, but before he had the chance to bite, she landed a hard right hook on his furry head, sending him soaring away from her.

Once he landed hard to the floor, he shook his head in an apparent attempt to recover, then he lunged. Not giving him the advantage, she grabbed her sword from the ground and flung it at him. The sharp silver blade lodged into his chest and he dropped. “Two down.”

Right then, fur tickled her left side. Nexi glimpsed next to her and found Valor. The way he positioned himself beside her seemed protective. It appeared he allowed her to kill, but guarded her. Sweet, even if she didn’t think it necessary.

She jerked her attention back to the fight as another wolf leapt to attack her, and she dove toward her sword. Just as he was about to land on her back, she spun around and shoved the blade deep into his neck, drenching her stomach in his blood. “Three down.”

Hopping to her feet, she scanned for her next target. There wasn’t one. She lowered her sword and spotted that all the werewolves—along with their blood—had vanished. She snorted. “Well, that was anticlimactic.”

“I prefer that when you’re around,” Drake stated, heading toward the door at the back of the room. “Come. We must keep moving.”

Nexi followed the men toward the far end of the tailor shop and she passed by the broken furniture from their fight. She stopped behind Briggs—who had shifted into his human form again—as Valor mounted a set of stairs at full speed, while she followed behind Drake and Briggs. When she hit the last step, she breathed, “Oooohhhh…shit.”

She’d expected trouble—just not this much trouble.

Twenty or so wolves stared with the intent to kill.

For the smallest moment, doubt struck her hard in the chest. That was, until she realized how easily they’d defeated the werewolves on the lower level. She had two of the most powerful werewolves in existence with her, and she had Drake, too. Plus she decided she was pretty kick-ass herself.

She prepared herself and got into her fighting stance, shedding that little amount of uncertainty as one of the werewolves growled. Then only a split second passed before chaos erupted…again.

Suddenly furry bodies knocked Nexi around, causing her to stumble, and her only recourse was to slam her fists against everything and anything, hoping to hit something vital. She couldn’t tell their faces from their butts. The most disconcerting part was she didn’t know where their mouths were.

Not a single breath later, her worry became justified when sharp teeth plunged deep into her side. “Bite me, you SOB, and I’ll bite back.” She punched his snout with more power than she knew she had, then lurched to her feet and stabbed his side. “With my sword, that is.”

Before she could grab her sword, another wolf hit her from behind and she screamed as he bit into her shoulder. A fierce growl broke through, followed by a piercing yelp at her back, then he was no longer a source of pain.

Nexi spun on her heel, discovering Valor, in his wolf form, standing over the dead beast with blood dripping off his teeth. If only she had time to thank him. “Look out.” Snatching up her sword from the ground, she stepped forward and with a quick slice, he was no longer a threat.

She surveyed the room in a fast sweep, and surprise consumed her. By her count, only seven wolves remained. Being that the dead ones appeared torn apart, Valor and Briggs obviously handled the majority of them.

Drake currently fought two, leaving five wolves cautiously approaching Valor, Briggs and herself. Now that the level of danger had ceased, she remembered they’d come here for a reason, and she hoped that plan hadn’t gone to shit. “Efren?” she called to no one in particular, hoping to hell he hadn’t been killed.

Valor shrugged his fury shoulders.

She turned to the wolves to find them exchanging a look, then all five of them glanced at the wolf fighting Drake. She took that as an introduction. “Drake,” she shouted. “Don’t kill the one on the right. That’s Efren.”

The wolves who approached snarled before they shot forward. Two of them came straight for her while the other three went for Valor and Briggs. Now that Efren was within reach, this needed to end.

Kyden’s location was so close she could almost touch it, thrusting her into an urgent frenzy.

Throwing a hard punch to the one wolf, she noticed the other one pounce. He didn’t make it. She soared through the air, sliced down the middle of him, sending all sorts of yuckiness spreading over herself.

The scent of death became so engulfing that she held her breath, hoping the bodies would vanish soon. The wolf’s front half fell and the other half followed. Ignoring the less than pleasant view, she spun to the other wolf only inches away from ripping off her arm. Drawing on all her strength, she kicked out. He yelped, then he hit the floor.

Striding by him, she slammed her blade into his chest and immediately pulled it back. “Damn wolves.”

Drake remained in a fierce battle of his own as she suspected he did his best not to kill Efren. Nexi saw a clear advantage: Efren and the other wolf were so distracted by Drake that neither thought to keep an eye on her.

Stepping in between them, the two idiots flanked her, and she whistled. Both beasts looked at her. Not a moment later, the other wolf was dead.

Efren shifted and rolled onto his back. “Don’t kill me.”

Nexi ignored Efren, since Drake’s mutilated arm held her focus. Bones, among other nasty things, were visible. “Good grief, are you okay?”

Drake looked at his arm for only a second, showing no sign of pain on his face, then he gestured to Efren. “I’m fine. Get what you need.”

“Yeah, right.” She snorted. “Your arm is freaking inside out.”

Using her sword, she cut off a piece of Efren’s white T-shirt, then she wrapped it tightly around Drake’s injury. She noticed his wince in pain, even if he did his best to mask it. After she secured the bandage, she turned to Efren. “I’m in no mood for bullshit. Tell me where Kyden is.”

Terror shone in Efren’s clear blue eyes. “You don’t understand. Lazarus will kill my family. He knows the names of my cubs. If I don’t do as he said, he’ll take their lives. The safety of my family is at stake.”

Now she understood the claim Lazarus had over Efren. He likely made all the wolves promises of a new life, then threatened them once he could. She had wondered why the wolves would kill for him so easily when it put their lives in danger. They had to have known there was a good chance they’d face the Council’s Guard, but what Efren said explained it.

As much as she understood that, she didn’t understand another something at all. “Why didn’t you worry about your little fluff balls in the first place? Why leave your pack, where you were safe?” Again, these wolves were so damn stupid, and she was so done with the sad story. Not letting him answer, since at this point his reasons didn’t matter, she asked, “Where is Kyden?”

Efren looked between her and Valor, clearly struggling with himself as he tried to choose his course of action. They didn’t have time for this. Nexi grabbed onto his shirt, pulled him up, then punched his jaw. He sailed across the room, and when he landed, Drake lunged forward and stabbed down into Efren’s stomach. The wound wouldn’t kill him to ignite the magic in the blade, but now he’d take them seriously.

“No. Wait.” Efren screamed in agony. “Please. Take my cubs into your safety until this over,” he cried at Valor. “Promise me you’ll make sure harm doesn’t come to them.”

Valor inclined his head. “I give my word.”

Efren grimaced from the sword stuck in his gut, then nodded bleakly. “Lazarus returned to New York City by using a portal.”

Nexi pondered how he’d managed to achieve such magic as vampire, which made her wonder if he did have a witch working alongside him. How else would he obtain a portal? But the Council and Kyden had concluded Lazarus’s gifts came from Tillie’s blood.

She had a hard time imagining that being one of his gifts, but right now, she only cared about getting Kyden’s location. She kept her questions to herself, as Efren added, “I’ve seen Lazarus and the guardian at his home at 634 Eleventh Street only an hour ago.” He looked at Nexi. “But I do know he planned to take the guardian to your home in Carson City.”

She blinked. “My home?”

The thought of the psychopath Lazarus being at her home made her stomach churn. At the same time, hope drifted up. They were closing in. Soon, Kyden would be safe, and Lazarus would die. That motivation drove her now.

“What’s your plan?” Valor asked.

She considered a moment, knowing they were kinda stuck in a hard place and only two options remained. “As crazy as this is—since it’s the one rule you never break involving dangerous missions—I think its best we split up. The longer we take to find Kyden, the less likely it’ll be that he’s alive.” She glanced to Drake as he pulled his sword from Efren’s lifeless body.

Nexi couldn’t help but feel a wave of despair for the wolf. While they’d been discussing an attack on Lazarus, he’d died without ceremony or solace. Wasn’t it possible that he’d made a mistake? Hadn’t she, herself, made mistakes?

She shook her head, clearing her mind of such thoughts. Mistakes or not, Efren had caused pain, suffering, and death to so many people and she needed to protect herself and those she loved.

“What do you think?” she asked Drake.

“I agree with you,” he replied, sheathing his sword. “It makes the most sense.”

She turned to Valor. “You two can take a trip to Lazarus’s house. If no one is there, head back to the Otherworld and grab the Council, then meet us at my parents’ home. With the portal that should take what…ten minutes tops?” At receiving answering nods, she added, “I think that’s a safe plan. We’ll find Kyden, but we’ll act quickly to get back together and bring the Council to help fight Lazarus.”

Valor nodded. “I’m agreeable.”

“All right. Time’s a wasting.” Turning on her heel, she hurried out of the now-vacant tailor shop with the men at her back. Once outside, the warm air brushed over Nexi’s skin and she exhaled, releasing the adrenaline raging through her veins.

Valor placed a hand on her shoulder, the warmth of his touch comforting her. “I wish you a safe journey.”

“You as well…and be as fast as you can.”

Valor and Briggs both gave her a quick nod and turned, heading toward the portal. Nexi went to follow, but Drake grabbed her hand. “Let them go through first. The portal will remain because we have need of it. Please stay with me a moment.”

Once Valor and Briggs vanished, Nexi turned to Drake again. His eyes were tormented, his voice equally so. “Are you able to handle this?”

“Yes. Let’s go.”

When she attempted to walk forward, he tightened his fingers around her hand, forcing her to look at him. “You’re returning to your family’s home. You haven’t been there since your parents’ deaths. And you’ll need to keep your head straight, or you’ll get killed.”

Nexi sighed, understanding his worry. This wouldn’t be easy for her. However, only one thing truly mattered. “If Kyden is there my focus will be on him, and only him. And if Lazarus is there, I will kill him.”

Drake smiled, pride oozing off his expression. “Keep those thoughts on your mind. Stay focused.”

With a smile back at him, as she experienced that rich hunger to hunt and destroy Lazarus, she spun on heel. Trudging her way toward the portal with Drake on her heels, a rustle of the grass sounded next to her, and she slowed to a stop.

One moment there was nothing blocking her way. A second later, a wolf’s muzzle came right in front of her, inches away from ripping her apart. Not two seconds after that she wasn’t standing at all, she was tumbling backward. Landing on the pavement with a loud oomph, she bounced up immediately, then her world froze.

Drake had thrown her behind him and positioned himself directly in the line of the wolf. From there, everything happened in slow motion. He turned to her with a cold fear in his eyes, and Nexi charged forward, trying to get there to help him. He didn’t have time to pull his sword, nor did he have time to act. The wolf was too close to him for a punch to have any effect and only mere centimeters were between Drake’s throat and the wolf’s teeth.

“No,” she shrieked, spotting softness touching Drake’s features as his smile became warm and accepting.

Only another second passed before the wolf slammed into Drake’s chest and pushed him straight to the ground. He tried to get away and fight off the wolf, but the wolf’s teeth on Drake’s neck pinned him. Nexi heard her own screams blasting through the dark, city street, as she begged her body to move faster.

Seconds seemed like a lifetime.

How could fate bring her father back only to rip him away like this?

Before Nexi’s eyes and still too far away, the wolf sank his teeth deep into the side of Drake’s neck and ripped into his throat. In that exact moment, Nexi got a good look at the wolf. He wasn’t a stranger. She’d never forget that black stripe running along his head and over his snout.

The wolf killing Drake was the one who’d gotten away at her parents murder.

Rage so intense and wicked burned her blood, and Nexi finally grabbed the wolf. She reached for her sword, swung her blade to slice lengthwise through the wolf. His blood spread through the air soaking her. She only wished she could’ve made his end more painful, but Drake held her concern.

Sinking to her knees, she pushed her hands against his neck, trying to stop the bleeding. She stared down at her hands, watching his warm blood pouring through her fingers so rapidly. “Don’t leave me,” she gasped.

Drake’s eyes glazed over and blood spewed from his mouth, as he gurgled. Tears filled her eyes, blurring her vision. “Stay with me. Don’t leave me. Oh God, this can’t be happening. You have to fight. I can’t lose you.”

Her chest tightened and she couldn’t even find the strength to sob. She only stared in utter dismay. His blood continued to spill over her hands and it didn’t matter if she pressed harder, it only made the blood come out faster.

Nothing she could do would stop this.

He would die.

“No, God, no…” She shook her head, sending tears falling down her cheeks. “Don’t take him.”

Less than a second after that, she recognized her prayers would be ignored, as the life drained from his eyes. She drew in a ragged breath, realizing no matter what she did, she couldn’t stop this, and a surprising wave of calm washed over her as her father faced his death.

Eating back her screams, not wanting the last thing he heard to be the sound of her cries, she accepted her reality. She pressed her forehead against his, and his clammy skin connected with hers. “I’m so glad I met you. No matter how short our time together was. I don’t regret a moment of my life. Not then. Not now. Not ever.”

His gurgling weakened. His force to stay alive slowly exhausted away. She raised her head, searching his eyes, hoping to see some spark declaring he was still with her, but she suspected he only saw darkness now.

“I’m here…with you…I’m right here,” she whispered.

A long gasp sounded from Drake’s mouth before all the air escaped his body. She released his neck, sitting back on her legs, watching his chest. It no longer moved. She explored his eyes, but they were empty. She pressed against his pulse point, she felt no heartbeat, and she sobbed a breath.

Her hands trembled as she looked down at them, completely drenched in his blood. “No.” How could she have lost him? Her stomach tightened as she studied Drake, searching for breath—any trace of movement to confirm this untrue.

He had died.

A pain so intense ripped through her soul. An emptiness that was bottomless and profound filled her so that she couldn’t think, breath, or move. A cold sweat gathered along her skin as reality settled in. She closed her eyes, trying anything to wake up from this horrible nightmare—an endless nightmare that begun the night of her parents’ murder.

Time ceased to exist.

The world escaped her.

Nothing existed around her. Nothing, but the intense, unfathomable agony that broke her heart into pieces. She inhaled the wretched scent of death, which deepened her anguish, yet fueled her need to push on.

As much as she could have given in, wept until her tears ran dry and her suffering emptied away to exhaustion, this wasn’t the time to mourn. She needed to fulfill the reason they set out on this mission, or Drake’s death would be for nothing. She had to save Kyden and end this with Lazarus, once and for all.

Emptiness made her insides ache as she forced her eyes open and stared at her father’s lifeless body. Her stomach clenched with a horror she didn’t think she could survive. She stood, grabbed her sword from the ground with shaky hands, then pressed the tip into Drake’s stomach.

Within seconds, no evidence that Drake ever existed remained. His body vanished. His blood, gone from her hands.

Only she remained.

She, and the score she burned to settle.