Chapter 21 #2
Jena nodded still looking at Mrs. Hill. “She’s questionable at the very least, but right about now, I’m glad the coven has her.
Whoever’s responsible for compelling Greg isn’t going to be walking away from Havers.
” She wiped her eyes again and turned to the door leading down, her expression hardening. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”
Gideon crouched on an icy parapet, his eyes narrowed on the shadowy alley below.
Smoke striated the air, rendering everything in shades of gray.
The sun had been reduced to an opaque orb slipping toward the western horizon, and the temperature was dropping fast. They had maybe four more hours of daylight, and then things were going to get interesting.
Not that they weren’t now.
Something skittered below, and Gideon tensed, leaning forward.
A woman’s form darted across the alley’s mouth, backlit for a brief moment.
He surged forward, diving for her, his wings tight against his back.
The vampire hissed, his weight taking her to the ground.
She exploded into a writhing mass of rats as they hit.
Gideon rolled, crushing as many as he could beneath him.
It wouldn’t kill the vamp, but it would slow her down.
He was fairly certain this was the second time he’d tussled with her and based on the brief glimpse he’d gotten of her irises, it’d taken its toll.
She’d need to feed soon, else risk going into a frenzy.
As long as the townsfolk stayed out of the way, Gideon was fine with that.
The creatures couldn’t seem to access their powers when they were in the throes of madness, becoming much easier to put down.
A scuff came from behind, and another of them slammed him to the filthy asphalt, its fangs ineffectually scrabbling at his neck. Gideon reared up, tearing the creature away. His talons ripped across its throat, severing its head with a wash of gore.
Case in point. Gideon scowled, tossing the limp body of the revenant to the side and wishing they all died as easily.
He’d come across several dozen of the creatures, but had only managed to reduce that number by half.
To say that was frustrating would be a serious understatement. He got to his feet, listening.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
The streets were eerily quiet, distant screams and the crackle of the dragon’s fire a subtle backdrop of destruction.
Within his mind, he could feel the beast hunting, playing with its victims. Hopefully he’d put down the lion’s share of them.
Once Nyxx’s rage was temporarily sated and he became bored, he’d fall into deep sleep as the soul continued to meld with its new form.
Which, considering Gideon had no idea what to do with the beast, was probably for the best. His thoughts went to the weres, wondering if that could be the source of his angst.
He launched himself back into the sky and flew to the far side of town.
The main body of the Westside pack had formed a line, facing the bank of roiling fog occluding the docks.
Others grouped together in reserve. Gideon landed beside one of the larger beasts, and the wolf turned its head, catching him with its bright blue stare.
He huffed and gestured with his muzzle for Gideon to follow him to a covered bus stop, out of the wind.
A moment later, its form wavered, bones cracking and popping, and Chase stood before him with nary a stitch on.
“Goddamn it’s cold,” he shivered, cupping himself.
“Indeed,” Gideon said, immune to it. “And it appears you’re at a stalemate.”
Chase nodded, coughing. “Yeah. It doesn’t make sense to run out there, and for the most part, whenever one tries to pop over, it doesn’t last long. There’s another group of us hunting down the ones that got away. How about you? What the hell’s up with all the smoke?”
“The node saw fit to install whatever soul volunteered into what remained of your dragon,” Gideon said tersely. Although effective, dealing with the beast going forward was bound to be more than a little problematic, especially if it didn’t have an alternate form.
The man blanched. “You serious?”
“I am. My apologies in advance, but Nyxx has reduced everything on the northern side of town to scorched earth, including the twin to what’s out there,” Gideon said, nodding toward the bank of fog. “I imagine having him do the same here would be less than desirable?”
“Yeah, you could say that,” Chase snorted, rubbing his arms. He frowned. “I don’t fucking like this. There’s something we’re not seeing. Why the hell would they attack now?”
Gideon frowned. “I had the same thought, but don’t—”
“Pst-pst-pst-pst!”
Gideon started. What the devil was that?
“Pixies,” Chase said, as if Gideon had asked the question aloud.
Gideon’s brow furrowed, looking around for the tiny nuisances, then scrubbed a hand across his face. He didn’t have the time nor the inclination to deal with their nonsense.
“Pst-pst-hey-stupids!”
“Shhh-quiet-dummy-just-go!”
There was a bit of a scuffle, and one of the creatures zipped up from a sewer grate to hover inches in front of Gideon’s face. He snarled, drawing back.
“Nah-nah-nah-thump!” the inane creature jabbered, waving his hands and pointing where he’d come from. “Trouble-trouble-trouble!”
“What?” Chase asked.
Another one of them appeared, shoving the first out of the way. “In-the-Below-trouble-trouble-trouble-argh!” She put her fingers in front of her mouth like fangs and lunged at her compatriot’s neck.
Gideon went cold. “Vampires. In the sewe—ah, the Below?”
The two nodded rapidly. “Coming-coming-coming-super-super-bad!”
“Super-bad,” the first said with some kind of a gyration Gideon was fairly certain was meant to be a dance move.
The second punched him. “Going-to-Jena’s-Jena’s-Jena’s!” she shrilled, pointing in the direction of the Witchery.
Ophelia.
Gideon launched into the air in the same breath Chase resumed his wolf form, thundering through the streets toward the shop.