Chapter
“Incoming.” Titian called out and pointed toward the sky. The shadowy slippery figures of a dozen spectral warriors bore down on them. “Go, go, go. Into the canyon.”
Black grabbed Kady’s hand. “Can you push them back to give us time to get into defensible positions?”
She nodded. His fierce curvy warrior.
Their hands glowed where they touched and she drew the power, closed her eyes and pushed it out in a burst of light toward the spectrals.
Unlike all the other times Kady had used her magic the spectrals had dissipated before their eyes. Some had reformed, but were visibly weakened. But, this time, when she threw her burst of power at them, they swerved, bobbed, and weaved around the lights.
“They’ve learned.” Black shouted. He was surprised it had taken them this long. “We need to find a defensible position, where the witches can work together.”
A tide of soldiers, blank faced, but in battle gear, marching forward, weapons drawn, appeared on the dirt road.
Stark shouted, “We won’t make it without some help. Where’s a broom when you need one?”
They heard an engine rev behind them and the screech of tires coming up fast. Black glanced over his shoulder and saw Kady’s red and white vehicle break free from the restraints of the trailer it was tied down to and accelerate into the parking lot.
It took out three soldiers, knocking them to the ground and running right over them before racing across the road and pulling up in front of their group.
“Herbie?” Kady’s jaw dropped at the sight of her vehicle, engine running, ready to go.
It honked it’s horn for her.
“Well, hello, Herbie. Long time, no see.” Topper patted the side of the vehicle and jumped into the open bed of the back. “Come on, people. Don’t stand there, we’ve got a fight on our hands.”
Black pulled Kady into the cockpit while the others piled into the back. “He is yours, drive him into the canyon, see if you can find a covered position.”
She threw the vehicle’s gear control forward and grabbed the steering wheel. Her small spiky pet sat atop it.
“I’d be surprised you’re here, Percy, but I’m clean out of surprise. Nice to see you, little buddy.”
They sped down the road, but instead of following it, Kady steered them over the edge of a cliff.
“Hold on to your butts.” The Herbie accelerated and by the feel of it, hovered over the ground. They flew over rocks, past trees and into the canyon below.
Black pointed to the mouth of a cave. “There, quickly.”
Kady nodded and aimed them for the hole in the rock. “It’s too tight. We’re not going to fit.”
She wrinkled and wiggled her nose. Just as they were about to hit the rock wall, the Herbie transformed beneath them, tumbling all but Kady into the cave and the dirt.
Kady came to a soft landing sitting astride a broom. “Sorry. I was going for a big broom for everyone to ride on.”
Black would contemplate that bit of sorcery later. “Lacey, Topper, quickly, erect Margreth’s wards around the cave.”
The women, joined by Margreth, said a series of words, and drew symbols in the air. In a breath, a buzz and a short flash burst around them. Not a second too soon. The first wave of spectrals crashed into the protection the wards offered.
“With this many spectral warriors attacking, we don’t have much time before they break through the wards.” Margreth pointed to several spots that were already showing cracks.
“My magic didn’t work on them this time. We’re stuck in here.” Kady walked back and forth in the small space afforded by the cave, holding her broom and biting her lip.
Black took her free hand to stop her nervous pacing. “They’ve learned our attack strategy. So, we’ll have to change it up.”
Titian looked out the front of the cave and waved the rest of them over to see. “Look, the troops are gathering in expected areas. The way I see it, the best chance we have is to eliminate the soldiers and the spectrals attached to them.”
Which meant killing humans who were likely innocent. Black knew he, Titian, and Frost had taken lives before in the line of duty, but not innocents.
“Suggestions?” Titian was a crafty strategist, so if anyone could come up with a plan to get them out of this FUBAR, the fox could.
“If the witches can spread their magic like a directed scatter bomb, we could follow with our side arms to eliminate the humans.”
Frost nodded. “I don’t carry anymore, but I still have the power of Glacier. I’ll freeze the bastards in their tracks.”
“Stark, what have you got?” Titian asked.
“A few tricks up my sleeve, young pup.”
Black folded his arms and stared at each of the member of his impromptu team. “Good, then let’s make some magic. Kady, show ‘em how it’s done.”
Kady reached out, touching his arm and drew on the heat between them. “It comes from deep inside, and I have to pull on the magic first, and then transform it into the shield. When it comes into contact with the spectrals they literally dissolve. I have to warn you, it hurts, especially the first time.”
She let her magic recede and stepped across the space to take Lacey and Topper’s hands. “I don’t know how else to show you, but to bring it up in the same way I do with Black.”
Kady closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Before she blew it out again her soft glow had encompassed both women.
“Oh, yeah. I got it,” Topper said.
Lacey laughed. “It’s a bit like foreplay.”
Lacey and Topper both took the hands of their mates. Lacey closed her eyes and soon a soft blue-white light glowed on her skin. Topper’s magic was a mix of blue and purple.
Black put his arms around Kady’s waist. Her golden light grew and overwhelmed the room. “Frost, Stark, it will help to strengthen the magic if you can, uh, show some affection to your ladies.”
“Lay one on me, Starky baby.” Topper pulled her mate down for a kiss.
Lacey took Frost’s hand and placed it over her belly. Her own light grew almost exponentially and matched Kady’s. If he had to guess, Black would say she was pulling on the power of three souls, not just the two.
“Do you feel how its surrounding you? Try changing its direction, pushing it out. That’s how I turn it into the shield, and a weapon.”
The other people in the room dissolved from view as Kady surrounded them in her magic.
“I think I’ve got it, but you two are the only ones who disappeared.” Lacey’s voice penetrated the shimmering translucence.
Kady lowered her shield and the rest of the people reappeared. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how else to help. I wish I knew more about how magic works.”
Topper tilted her head to the side, thinking. “I’ve been around magic a lot of years, and what I do know is everyone’s gifts are a bit different. We’ve got the basics of your spell, but I doubt either Lacey or I will get that disappearing part down. We can still fight the spooks off.”
“Once they break the wards, there’s no putting the same ones up or even reinforcing them. I suggest you all get ready, because here they come.” Margreth pointed to the mouth of the cave where three spectrals were all flying at a crack together.”
“Fates be on our side.” Black brought the bear as close to the surface as he could without shifting and stepped in front of Kady. He saw Titian do the same with his fox and stand in front of the Gundersons.
“On my mark, ladies, let it loose.”
The spectrals crashed the wards, one recoiling back, but the other two bursting through the barrier. Their soldiers followed fast behind.
“Now, now, now.”
Black shifted fully into the bear and let out a great roar shaking the cave and throwing the soldiers on their asses.
The full power of the soul magic whooshed past him. One spectral swerved to avoid Kady’s light, but got caught by Topper’s.
Lacey’s magic obliterated the other spectral at the same time as Frost turned the soldier to ice and shattered the body.
Black stepped forward gaining ground with each burst of magic and light from behind him. He slashed and tore at the throats of the soldiers nearest to them. A team of three jumped out from behind a boulder and fired their weapons.
This time he was prepared for the sting of the metal projectiles. He rose up to his full bear height and bore the fire, protecting his team behind him.
Titian fired his weapon, taking all three out just as their spectrals were swooping down on Black’s head.
The Gundersons helped even without conventional weapons. Turned out Sigar had a mean Fallenball arm, tossing rocks the size of his head at the soldiers. Margreth erected quick temporary wards, blocking the spectrals paths.
The group tore through two dozen soldiers and their spectrals with their combination of might, fight, and magic. Black suppressed all emotion, only allowing the warrior bear’s instincts to guide him in keeping Kady and the others safe and pressing forward.
“Black, dead ahead,” Titian shouted, “check out the asshole wearing the black suit and sunglasses.”
“That’s not an asshole,” Kady cut in, “that’s a douchecanoe.”
“Whatever he is, he’s the head of this Fates-forsaken hydra. We take him out, the rest will fall easily.”
Black found the target Titian and Kady identified. Tree weasel. A dark hollowness filled his chest. It wasn’t fear, at least not for himself. Something compelled him to do everything he could to get closer and attack the TFO man who they’d crossed paths with too many times now.
A growl grew from the deepest part of his chest. Swirling above was a spectral, that was not any part of the tree weasel man’s soul, but was his mother’s.
A hatred Black had never known before stretched across his muscles and tore at his heart. He didn’t know how, but this lowly, puny, worthless human man had stolen his mother’s soul and now had control of it.
He would kill the bastard.
A new reign of weapons’ fire barreled down on them, striking him in the neck, the chest, his shoulders. His fur became coated with blood, his power to heal not keeping up with the new wounds. Still he pressed forward, knowing Kady had his back.
Her magic slashed out, no longer a shield, but a sword, a saber of light. The spectrals weren’t fast enough to avoid her strikes. The soldiers weren’t cognizant enough to escape his claws.
They were close enough now to see the sweat pooling on the face of the tree weasel. He was scared, and he should be, his death was impending, and it would not be quick or painless.
They had taken out all the other soldiers and spectrals except for the final ten troops surrounding the lone man.
Black would love to charge forward and sever the jugular with his teeth, but he couldn’t leave Kady or the team exposed. One step, two. Closer they crept, Black no longer feeling any pain from the weapons shooting at him.
Tree weasel raised a communicator to his face. Calling for back up now was futile. This day’s battle was nearly over. Victory would be Black’s soon.
A bladed ship dropped down into the canyon, it’s blades narrowly missing the rock walls. Fuck, if they dropped a ladder as they had before, he would miss this opportunity to avenge his mother.
He shifted back into a man and pulled Kady to him. “Lend me your power, imbue me with the strength to take out our enemy.”
Kady stretched up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his lips. It tingled and burned the same as the very first time he’d touched her. Her magic flowed over him, into him, filling his heart and soul, until he was sure he would burst. He broke their kiss and roared into the sky.
“I love you, Black,” she whispered and stepped back, stumbling. Frost caught her before she could fall.
She was pale and exhausted. He moved to help her, be there for her, but she held up a hand and waved him off. “Go. Save the world, mah wah.”
Her words filled him with even more power. He looked to Frost. “Take care of her.”
Frost’s nod was all he needed. “Titian, give me cover.”
“Fuck, yeah. Lacey, Topper, hit those bastards with everything you’ve got left, ladies.” Titian filled the air with suppressing fire, and whips of blue, white, and purple light snapped through the air.
Black put his head down and ran forward at full speed. The bladed ship was dropping fast and the bastard was already moving toward it. Only a few more steps and he could tear the limbs from the man.
The spectral that was his mother’s soul hovered, unmoving, until the tree weasel raised his arm and let a glowing amulet drop and dangle.
Black’s soul ember. The piece of his soul intended for his mate, for Kady.
Bile rose at the back of his throat, filling his mouth with pure bitterness. No wonder the spectrals and the TFO had been able to track them down again and again. It wasn’t just Kady’s powers that attracted them. They literally had a piece of his soul.
The bastard pointed the ember at Black and the spectral screeched, rushing at him. He heard the shouts behind him for Lacey and Topper to shoot the spectral down, but their attempts missed.
If he could get to the ember before the spectral attacked, at least there would be a part of him for Kady to have. A part of his soul to soothe hers when he was gone.
A meter before Black reached the bastard, the spectral flew over his shoulder, skimming his skin with it’s cold touch.
Spectral Warriors didn’t miss, they attacked their victims mercilessly. If his soul was not already ripped from his body, he was not the prey.
A chasm of fear opened in his chest. If not him, then…
He pivoted mid-stride and watched in utter horror as the spectral tore through the air, directly for Kady.
“Nooooo.” The light of his life could not be stolen. He transformed instantly into the bear and bounded forward, overtaking the speed of the spectral in a moment.
It screeched one last time and dove for Kady. Black pushed off the ground, his back legs filled with the power of a thousand bears, throwing himself into the air, blocking the spectral warrior’s path.
For Kady.
In an instant light flashed before his eyes and a pain worse than a thousand cuts lashed through him. His soul was torn from his body and all the hatred and darkness of every being for a thousand millennia overtook him.
He tried to reach out, call to Kady, to tell her how he loved her. In a final fiery blast, his thoughts and free will splintered, his mind, body, and soul shattered.