Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
Tempest
My skin was on fire, but my bones were ice.
My chest rattled with every breath, and my skin ached and burned.
I was covered in sores. Blood slowly seeped from exposed wounds all over my body.
Every time I coughed, I tasted blood, and as fast as the Agattealia Pontella in my blood tried to heal me, the more Disease threw at me.
I hadn’t been sure it would still work, if I wasn’t a member of my coven anymore, but so far it was working hard to keep me alive.
Whether that meant I was still a Matilda, I had no idea.
Disease had forced me to use my door handle to get us here hours ago, then dragged me into the caves under the blue cliffs, and used his power to pin me to the wall.
Brigid’s ward had washed over me. I’d felt its touch, but it hadn’t resisted our entry.
That could mean one of two things: she remembered that she’d granted me free passage and had kept her word, or after I gave her back one of her knives, her fear and rage had finally receded, and her ward with it.
That didn’t explain her allowing Disease entry. She was terrified of him, though, and that was as good a reason as any for her retreat.
“Tell me what was in your potion?” Disease snapped at me once more.
I said nothing. I would not betray the Matildas again, and I sure as hell wouldn’t give him a way to create another virus that Agattealia Pontella couldn’t stop. I was positive that’s what he’d do if I told him what he wanted to know.
He closed the space between us and placed his hand on my chest. I gasped, and my eyes rolled back. I struggled for breath. Oh goddess, my chest was so heavy, like my lungs had filled with fluid. I couldn’t breathe.
I need you. The words were a sharp cry for help. To my coven, to my sisters. Come back. I need you. The Matildas were my family, and I wouldn’t survive this without them.
Oh sweet mother, finally. There you are, B.
I froze as Matilda W’s voice filled my mind, and a tear slid down my face. You left, I said to her.
No, child, you locked us out. That was O.
What’s happening? M said. What causes you so much pain?
I failed you, sisters. I broke the rules.
I used Agattealia Pontella to save the sick.
I hurt people, and I let them down, and I…
I fell in love. I had to confess, to get it all out, because I could feel my heart slowing, my organs shutting down.
I might be able to survive longer than an average person, but I wasn’t sure if I could survive Disease’s constant attacks.
I’m sorry. I’m going to die, and there will be no one to take my place.
“Why won’t you just die?” Disease snarled, unaware that I was no longer alone, or privy to the conversation going on in my head. “I loved you, Brigid, but you betrayed me. You tried to destroy me!” he roared. “And now you’re trying to do it again. Tell me what you used to defeat my virus. Tell me!”
Disease called me Brigid, not for the first time since he brought me here.
It was hard, but I opened my eyes. He was sweating, looking almost as bad as me now.
Disease was fevered, confused, and his mind was playing tricks on him.
My use of Agattealia Pontella had harmed him.
Healing those sick with his virus had weakened him.
“I did what I had to do,” I choked out, playing along for now.
This could be a good turn of events or a terrible one, but I wasn’t sure he’d believe I wasn’t Brigid, even if I did try to deny it.
Who is this male, what does he speak of? That was Matilda the Strange.
He is Disease, one of the Wraiths of Destruction. They mean to bring about the end of times. I quickly explained what had happened, the reason I had let my guilt and fear overwhelm me so thoroughly that I’d managed to lock them out.
And your mate, he will come? W asked. Her voice tentative, curious.
Yes. Somehow, I knew it. His distress lived inside me, his urgency to get to me. He was coming for me. I’m not sure he’ll make it in time though.
Matilda the Hopeful rushed forward. Let me take your place for a while, child. Let me take the burden.
Yes. Let us take the burden.
This is my mess. I won’t let you suffer for me. I couldn’t bear it.
That is what we do. We protect one another. Let go for a little while, B. Let us carry the load just for a while.
Their warmth wrapped around me. I was so tired and in so much pain that when W’s gentle arms pulled me back, I went, and I let H take my place.
I don’t know how long I floated in their warmth, while one by one, they took turns inhabiting my battered and diseased body, and every time a new Matilda took my place, their power rushed through me, fighting back whatever illness Disease had given me.
It enraged him and made him sicker with every switch they made.
But our power had limits, and eventually my sisters were depleted.
Embracing them all, I pushed forward, taking back my place in my body. I’d had some time to recover. Not enough to truly fight, but enough to hold on a little longer.
His eyes burned green fire as he limped toward me. His skin was raw and bleeding, and the stench of his decaying organs filled the space that had once been Brigid’s sanctuary.
“I won’t let you win, Brigid,” he hissed.
Just surviving as long as we had was an attack to his body.
We’d hurt him as well, but that wasn’t enough.
His mind was weak, and if I had any hope of surviving, I had to break that as well.
I stared him down, letting my eyes fill with the rage and hatred I truly felt for him.
“I never loved you,” I said, pretending to be Brigid.
“How could I love someone so evil, so hateful and cruel?”
“No!” he roared. “You are lying!”
“I hate you,” I yelled at him.
He gripped the sides of his head and screamed as the blow hit its mark, causing him almost as much pain as the sicknesses he was suffering.
Lurching forward, he slammed into me, barely able to hold himself up.
Still, he managed to grab me by the throat, his grip stronger than should be possible.
“I will watch you rot. Do you hear me? You will die in agony,” he hissed.
The fire, M whispered. Use your fire, B. Burn him until there’s nothing left.
Fender
The fastest way to the cliffs was via Hell, the same way we’d gotten here last time.
Roman barked and pawed at the ground, telling me to hold up when I ran through the gateway, and I forced myself to slow when it was the last thing I wanted to do.
We had to move in carefully, though, and not give ourselves away.
Tempest was still alive, I could feel her, but if Disease knew we were coming, he might hurt her even more. Or worse.
The cliffs loomed above us, and I tilted my head back, breathing deep. Her scent was heavy now, and her pain was a visceral thing that scraped over every one of my nerve endings. She was suffering. Badly.
If Brigid’s ghost decided to cast us out like last time, before I could even get to Temp, I wasn’t sure what the fuck I was going to do.
Which was the main reason we’d chosen to come in our beast forms. Maybe Brigid would think we were just animals and leave us be.
But that wasn’t the only reason. I was faster like this, more agile, especially with my leg fucked up after sprinting from Pan’s realm.
If I needed to get Temp out fast, this was the best way.
We weaved our way up to the entrance and bounded over the threshold—then paused. Waiting.
Nothing happened. No Brigid. Scanning the caves, we walked on.
Tempest’s cry echoed from somewhere deeper, and I burst into a run. It only took a second to realize where I was going. Disease had her in Brigid’s cave, where we’d found her body.
The scent of blood and decay was thick in the air now.
He was killing her. Oh fuck, he was killing her.
I exploded through the entrance to the cavern, and my legs almost collapsed under me when I saw her.
Tempest was barely recognizable. Her body emaciated, her skin so raw she looked as if she’d been flayed, and her breath wheezed from her, as if the next would be her last.
Her gaze slid to me, her eyes cloudy as if she was already gone.
Disease stood in front of her, not looking much better.
He’d spun to us, and as I leaped for him, he threw up a hand.
It was like someone had punched me in the chest. My heart squeezed and my lungs filled with fluid.
I shifted, as if someone had kicked the beast back and yanked my human form forward.
Roman dropped beside me, exploding from hound to human form as well, but he was unconscious.
I was in agony, my arms and legs made of lead. Tempest reached for me, her mouth moving but nothing came out. With the remaining strength I had, I crawled toward her, dragging my body across the stone floor, trying to get to her.
Disease turned away, dismissing me, then he grabbed Tempest’s throat—and squeezed.
He was going to kill her in front of me, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.
Tempest clawed at his hands, trying to suck in desperate breaths. “T-Tempest…” Barely any sound left me, my voice nothing but a hoarse whisper.
She went limp.
“No!” I roared, tasting blood. I choked on it, unable to draw breath.
Something bright flashed to my right, moving at speed.
Brigid’s ghost. She appeared out of nowhere. Something in her hand glinted a moment before she thrust it into Disease with a shriek that shook the cave, bringing down rubble and dust. A knife, the one Tempest had given her, was buried in his back.
Disease released Temp’s throat, trying to grab for the blade, but couldn’t reach it.
Sucking in a gasping breath, Tempest lifted her head.
Her gaze grew bright, filling with rage and magic before it locked on to Disease.
“You can’t hurt us anymore, Dad,” she said as blood, black and foul, poured from the knife wound in the center of Disease’s back with so much force, the blade burst out, hitting the floor.
Dad? She was delirious, somewhere else. She wasn’t seeing Disease anymore, she was seeing her father.
“Feel your veins burn,” she gasped as tears slid down her face, and as more blood burst from Disease, only now from his eyes, nose, and mouth as well.
He fell forward, leaning against her.
“There is no coming back,” she cried out, shaking from exertion.
A soul-shaking scream echoed through the cavern then and two dark figures emerged from Disease.
Mayhem and Annihilation, twisted and coiled, fighting to separate themselves from the now mortally wounded vessel they’d inhabited, then finally tearing away, and with furious and inhuman sounds, they flew from the caves, escaping.
Disease fell then, taking Temp with him, and they both hit the floor.
She landed on him, and immediately crawled higher, looking down at the evil fuck.
“I am not weak. I never was. I am Matilda the Brave, you piece of shit, and I live to destroy evil like you.” She snatched up the knife that lay on the floor beside them and slammed it back in.
She hacked at his throat, trying to remove his head.
I reached her then and covered her hand, helping her finish the job.
He was dead, he was already on the way out as soon as Brigid stabbed the god killer in the back, I’d felt the illness rapidly leaving my body almost instantly, but if Tempest needed this, then she would have it.
I didn’t stop until the fucker’s head rolled from his shoulders.
Grabbing a trembling Tempest, I pulled her into my arms. “I thought I’d lost you,” I said, holding her tightly to me.
She looked down at what was left of Disease’s body. “I killed him.” Her gaze sliced to me. “Mayhem and Annihilation, they were released…”
“It couldn’t be helped.” I cupped her precious face, trying to be careful of her still raw skin. “Thanks to you, the virus will be no more, and we have the weapons to fight Mayhem when he makes his move.”
Her arms slid around me, and she pressed closer. “I knew you’d come,” she choked out.
I held her tighter to me. “You are my mate, Tempest. I would have torn these cliffs down to get to you.”
She lifted her head. “I’m sorry for the way I ran off… I was scared and confused, but I don’t want to run away anymore. I want to be with you.”
“Good, because I’m not letting you go. I love you, peaches.”
She smiled, blinking rapidly. “I love you too.”
Roman groaned, finally waking, and pulled himself up, taking in the cavern.
I didn’t have my prosthesis. I’d need to shift to get her home. “I’m gonna have to go beast to get you home, baby, you think you’re strong enough to hold on?”
Her smile widened. “That won’t be necessary. I have a shortcut. If you’ll pass me my bag, Roman, I’ll get us to the clubhouse in a flash.”