The Darkness That Hunts
Chapter 14

Securityprowls in force tonight and we are careful to avoid the glare of theirflashlights. Any time we overhear the static from their radios, we alter ourcourse. Kamiron leads us from the cabins towards Andhakar Lake and the treesand clearings that cluster around it. The dampness coating the ground keeps thebranches and leaves from cracking underfoot but the boys are ill-experiencedwith creeping unnoticed and I replace myself wincing at the noise they make, mutedthough it is.

As Kamirondirects us nearer and nearer to Andhakar Lake, I start to notice ominous signs.My heartbeat slows and I halt. The boys crowd around me while I rub my arms--asif by doing so I can brush away the slimy traces of defilement.

“What isit?”

“Somethingreally bad.” I try to keep my voice low and even but panic taints it. “He’shere.”

“He?” Zakktenses. “You mean--”

“Shh!Don’t say his name,” I hiss. “He can sense it. Do you see the trees?”

“Are those. . . icicles?”

I nod.“When The Darkness-That-Hunts is near, you’ll notice them. You’ll feel . . .”

“Dirty,”Hamilton offers, “the kind that don’t wash away.”

We creepcloser. In the gloom of the night and fog, the ground below us suddenly drops,revealing a steep, bowl-shaped depression. Pines, brambles and bracken surroundthe basin like morose sentinels. To the south I can hear the gentle waves ofAndhakar Lake breaking against the gravel shoreline but the thick fog blocksall view of the water.

I shudder.I wanted to escape the evil that lurks beyond the lake, but circumstances keepdragging me back.

Crawlinginto a ditch, we press our bellies against the cold, wet soil and wiggle untilwe get a good angle on the basin. The stench of corrosion assails us. Below,Sandra kneels in a ritual circle much like the one I saw her in before, only weare far from the campsite with the fire pit and the corpse of a security guardlies broken and mummified nearby.

Alsounlike the first time, Andhakar, The Darkness-That-Hunts, is more than just aghostly apparition. Unlike the first few times I’ve seen him, shadows don’tcircle him like a living shawl. Instead he wears surprisingly modern clothes.Black leather pants hug his long legs and a matching coat trails across theground. The top beneath looks like translucent cobwebs against his brown skin.A headdress of bones holds his midnight blue hair from his face while at histhroat a basalt crystal dangles from a silver chain and pulsates with arcanelight.

So that’s why Sandra continued to kill despite Andhakar’swishes--she wanted additional power to bring a corporeal form across. From his glower and pacing, I don’t think Andhakar is too pleased withthe summons. Their voices wan and wax with the ambient noises of the woodlands,but we hear enough to follow their conversation.

“Attentionwas worth it,” Sandra continues, keeping her head bowed and her shouldersstooped. “I needed the strength.”

“Again,for what purpose but to defy me?” Andhakar’s voice hisses through the pines.

“She hasfound the others.”

My heartpounds. How could she have known that? The boys freeze and I can practicallyhear their hearts thumping.

“When?”

Standing,Sandra stretches her body as if to loosen stiff muscles. “I’m not sure. Hermind, it’s blocked to me. I’ve tried several times, but--”

“You meanyou are not certain that she has succeeded?” Andhakar’s tone is soft, almosttender. I shiver. People die when he adopts that tone.

Again,Sandra collapses to one knee. Her hair spills over her left shoulder like acrimson shawl. “It is why I have brought you in this form, Master. I know shewithholds critical information about the Blood Shield. With it, I can route outthese traitors.”

The Darkness-That-Huntsis quiet. He walks contemplative circles around the Steel Fang. “How would youbring her to me?”

“My human . . .”

I lose therest of the sentence.

“Ah, yes.Your ‘Kamiron.’”

At themention of his name, Kamiron tenses. Dace rests a warning hand on his shoulder.

“And Sharitrusts him enough to follow him into the night?”

Sandrascans the tree line. “I’m sure he will replace a way.”

Dread fills me.“Kamiron--you wouldn’t.”

A tremor runs up his armuntil it’s practically thrumming. “I haven’t.”

“I suppose you are right,”Andhakar sighs and crosses his arms. Long black nails scratch at his elbows.“Have him bring her to me. I cannot afford more wastes of time. I tire of thisBlood Shield.”

Sandra rises like smoke onwater. I cock my ear to the side, drinking in the clamor of footsteps crunchingthrough brambles, blundering through the woods like some kind of elephant.

“Security?” Kam gives us aquizzical look.

“No flashlights, no radiostatic . . .” Hamilton refutes.

Dace peers over his shoulderand then along the rim of the basin. “Where’s it coming from?”

Zakk tilts his head. “Theright, I think.”

The footsteps increase pace.I keep my focus on Sandra and Andhakar. They have stopped conspiring and waitsilently. Weak, yellow light hobbles between the barks of the pine and spruce.When the light breaches the basin, it winks out entirely. I listen to theirritated admonishments and the repeated thunk of plastic against flesh.

“Oh, no.” Hamilton handsball into tight fists and his lips settle into a grim line. One glance at himand I know he’s picked up the thoughts of the trespasser.

“Who--?”

The intruder stumbles outfrom between a row of tangled bushes and startled gasps echo beside me.

Even Sandra cannot keep hermouth from gaping open. “What are youdoing here?”

Melissa pauses and rests herhands on her knees, gasping with exertion. She takes no notice of Andhakar orthe dead guard.

“I could ask you the same.I’ve been looking everywhere. I heard voices and turned this way.” Melissastraightens and spears Sandra with an accusing glare. “I didn’t see you orShari in the cabin, so I thought something must have happened--”

She chokes on the rest ofher sentence when she catches sight of Andhakar--and the corpse rotting in thenight. A scream wells up inside her, brimming through her eyes and convulsingin her throat. She steps back and her purple flashlight tumbles to the ground.

“Look at me.” Andhakar’s command crackles across the darkness,snatching Mel’s scream from her vocal chords. Electricity pulses and Melissa’sgaze locks on him. His crystal darkens with the use of power. “Good. Now, whatwas that last thing you said?”

Mel’s voice is monotone andhusky. “I came to replace Shari and Sandra.”

Sandra scans the tree line.Andhakar’s mouth curves. “What is your name, child?”

“Melissa. Everyone calls meMel.”

“Mel.” TheDarkness-That-Hunts crooks a slender finger and immediately Melissa stridestowards him. Her gait is uncharacteristically confident, sexy.

“We’ve got to save her,”Kamiron whispers.

“’Xactly how you propose wedo that?” Dace fires back. “We don’t have any weapons. I don’t even know what trench coat guy is, and yourgirlfriend’s a damn homicidal psychic vampire.”

“We can’t just sit by and donothing,” Kamiron admonishes. The muscles across his broad shoulders and backtense and loosen beneath his T-shirt and he looks prepared to bolt at anysecond.

“Hush, you both.” Zakkgestures to the unfolding scene.

Andhakar tilts Mel’s headback. His fingers, each boasting one joint too many, splay against her chin. Hesmiles. He has a heartbreaking smile. Beautiful and deadly. In the night, hiseyes look like an owl’s--hypnotic amber globes that never blink.

“I don’t,” Mel responds tosome question I can’t hear. The Darkness-That-Hunts presses his nose againstthe nape of her neck and inhales deeply. Mel nearly purrs. “She just wasn’t inher bed.”

“She made no mention ofwhere she was headed?” presses Sandra. She paces and I feel--fury?Excitement?--radiating from her.

Mel doesn’t take her eyesoff Andhakar. Pressing his lips against her throat and then her jaw, he tiltshis head back just far enough to grace her with a benevolent smile. A blushcreeps up her cheeks and her lashes flutter.

“You’re so . . . beautiful.”

“Thank you.” I watch him nipthe corner of her mouth and Mel presses herself against him. His hands slide upher jaw, his nails sink into the curls of her hair. “Is there nothing you cando to make yourself useful to me, Mel?”

“We’ve got to do something,”Kamiron stresses once again. He moves to climb out of the ditch, but Hamiltonand Dave hold him down.

“I touched her bed.”

Sandra pauses from herpacing and Andhakar raises a dark eyebrow. Mel continues, her voice breathless.“When I did, I caught a glimpse. Residue.”

Her breath hitches asAndhakar’s mouth nears hers. Their eyes lock. His knuckles trace circles acrossher brow. Sandra hovers near them all but forgotten, like a discarded birthdaycard. “Shari intended to go to Firestarter.”

“Oh, fuck me,” Dace exhales.

Sandra starts to speak but TheDarkness-That-Hunts makes some motion I can’t follow before continuing. “What’sin Firestarter, my dear Melissa?”

“Her friends. Kamiron.”

My mind races, cursesfrothing inside. This is going to end badly unless I do something about it.

“You must stay hidden, allof you,” I warn.

“What are you . . .?”

“No, Shari,” Hamilton forcesme to look at him. “I see what you would do, but it’s crazy.”

“Have to try. Won’t let themhurt you.”

“--Little slut is withKamiron, then I’ll bring her to you myself,” Sandra rails.

“Unnecessary.” Andhakarrewards Melissa with a deep, toe-curling kiss before turning squarely to theditch where we hide. Heart in my throat, I motion for the boys to stay hidden(I’d prefer they run) and pry myself from the bushes. I try to display aconfidence I don’t feel.

Sandra hisses and crouchesas she watches me pick my way down the hill. Fear quakes in me. I hear screams.I see the wasteland of Ater stretching before me, promising torture andundeath. Sky a deep shade of crimson, clouds the color of black opal.Desecration and a chill that saps all will to resist.

“Saved me the trouble oflooking for you,” Sandra all but spits.

“Glad I could help,” Irespond coolly, pausing far enough away that I can keep them both in my line ofvision.

The mummified corpse near myfeet doesn’t smell but the decayed grass around it stinks of sulfur andcorrosion. Defilement. I swallow a rise of bile and instead focus on anythingthat can be of use. I notice the gun in his belt holster. A nightstick.Flashlight. Radio. Bloody combat boots.

I don’t think about hisfamily or his final night spent alone in the arms of the Steel Fang. I don’tthink about how his body looks as if it belongs in an exhibit, his thickenedskin browned with advanced age. Gray hair falling out in patches. Eyes gone,sunken into a twisted and broken skull.

Instead my gaze swivels toMelissa.

“Oh, hi, Shari,” she greets,her voice still thick with enthrallment. “I was just looking--there’s a curfewand the buddy system, you know. You two shouldn’t be out here! Something badcould happen to you.”

The Darkness-That-Huntstucks her close and studies me.

“Let her go,” I order, myvoice composed although all I want to do is scream. I feel a tornado swirlingdown my spine. It slams against my ribs, shoving aside the doubt and fear.Tranquility spirals inside me like wind. I inhale it when I breathe.

Wait for it, girl, the masculine voice offers.The same one that guided me through Sandra’s psychic attack and sounds likewarm breezes through vacant meadows.

Sandra practically froths atthe mouth but Andhakar clutches her leash tightly. Almost as tightly as hegrips Melissa’s shoulder. I pray the guys stay hidden. I pray they escape whilethey can.

“I confess I am disinclinedto grant your request.” His chin tilts back and he ignores Melissa’spain-tinged whimper. “You have something I want. Have always wanted.”

Sandra cuts her eyes from meto him. “But Master, she is pathetic. A human. You can’t possibly want her.”

To Andhakar, it’s likeSandra doesn’t exist much less has spoken. “Comeback with me.”

I take three steps towardshim before I shake his enthrallment from my skin.

“Release Melissa. She’snothing to you.”

“Who are they, Shari? Tellme, and I will release your friend.”

“I don’t know for certain.”

The air shifts and thenSandra is on me, her fingers curled around my neck. Her manicured nails diginto my skin and my pulse thunders in my ears.

“Lie,” she snarls.

I don’t look at her.Andhakar and I have eyes only for one another. He smiles at me but there is nowarmth. “Remove your hand from Shari.”

“My lord?” Doubt flickers inSandra’s tone. Andhakar says nothing more. Sensing her danger, Sandra’s handfalls but she doesn’t move away. She blocks the corpse and my chance at thegun.

Patience, the voice reassures. My tornado blossomsinto a tempest. Ferocious winds lap inside me. I feel dizzy but I hold firm. Itwill be soon now.

“Whom do you suspect?”Andhakar continues.

I take a deep breath.“Myself.”

Sandra laughs. It soundslike broken glass and alcohol. “She lies with every breath. Allow me to showher pain. That is medicine for liars.”

“She does not lie, SteelFang. Why do you think I’ve let her live? I know what she is.”

If I weren’t already reelinginside from a tropical depression, my legs would have lost the ability tosupport my weight. Instead, the gale snatches the information from my ears andfiles it in my mind for later processing.

Beside me, Sandra thrumswith energy, nearly vibrating from it. Malice, jealousy, spite. It riddles her.But my focus is Andhakar.

He and I are at anunderstanding.

Crunching shoes and cursingis what breaks my concentration and rips my gaze from The Darkness-That-Hunts.Kamiron comes trumpeting down the hill towards us, flanked by Zakk andHamilton. Dace reluctantly follows, a scowl darkening his face.

“Sandra, what’s going onhere? What have you done?” Kamiron demands. His stride towards us is sure butcautious.

The Steel Fang freezes. Shestops her humming and vibration. Her expression belays something I neverthought to see: shame and fear. She glances at Andhakar and back again atKamiron.

“You should not be here,”she mumbles.

Recognition sparks inAndhakar’s golden eyes. The rectangular pupils dilate. “I remember you. Youfound Shari that night.”

Kamiron turns to TheDarkness-That-Hunts. He doesn’t say anything in response, but gives a curt nod.Hamilton grabs my elbow and yanks me back, tucking me under his arm. I want toyell at them. I had things handled, but now . . .

Andhakar angles Melissa’shead to him as she is about to greet the boys.

“Please don’t hurt her.”Kamiron takes a step forward. “It’s us you’re after--the ones Shari wassupposed to replace.”

I attempt to kick Kam, butHamilton crushes me against his chest. “Easy, love.”

“You should have stayedhidden,” I growl. Hamilton’s shoulders rise and fall in a shrug.

“Now or never.”

Sandra is confrontingKamiron in the blink of a false eyelash. Her stance is defensive as she barsaccess to her master. Though she says nothing, her gaze implores Kamiron tostay silent.

But the damage is done.

Andhakar feathers anotherkiss across Melissa’s wide face and she all but melts. Andhakar’s golden gazeturns molten, searing us over Sandra’s tense shoulders. His mouth purses incontemplation. Hamilton grips me even tighter and eases me behind him so that Ihover close to the corpse. I angle my nose away from the smell. Nearby Dace shivers,murmuring expletives. Zakk and Kamiron stoically wait for TheDarkness-That-Hunts’ next move.

“You neglected to tell me,Sandra, that your Kamiron could be a possible one.”

She shifts her defensivestance so that she can keep both Kamiron and Andhakar in her sights. “I didn’tknow--”

“You should have suspected.I rely on your instincts. What do they tell you about your ‘friends?’”Andhakar’s voice is butterfly-soft, almost gentle, but Sandra winces as if he’sslapped her.

“I-I don’t know.”

The maelstrom in me reachesfever pitch and then folds in on itself. Like a black hole, a pinprick ofimmense pressure that reclines against my pelvis, it becomes quiet andimmobile.

Hold on to it, the masculine voice croons.

“There are five here. Evenwith Shari, that still leaves one too many.” Again, The Darkness-That-Hunts’eyes rake us as if he can pick which one of us he doesn’t need. At last heshrugs. “Since I can no longer rely on your instincts, my Steel Fang, killthem, starting with your Kamiron. Bring me Shari unharmed.”

Sandra gasps and I lock eyeson Andhakar. I need Mel away from him, but how?

He winks at me. “Too late,pet.”

Melissa crumples like abroken toy. All that remain of her eyes are steaming, empty sockets. Her mouthis stuck in a shocked, half ‘O.’ Russet foam dribbles down her chin and stainsthe green fabric of her “I <3 Iowa” hoodie. Part of her spine juts throughthe skin of her broken neck and glistens white in the night. My scream rendsthe air and before I can attack, Hamilton tugs me to the ground. A half-secondlater Sandra streaks over us, growling and cursing the missed blow.

Everyone is yelling.

Hamilton straddles me, hisattention never leaving Andhakar as he takes to the air, floating in a skyobscured by clouds and shadow, his trench coat billowing like batwings. Sandracircles us, searching for a way to get to me. Kamiron plants himself near myhead, his legs wide and arms outstretched as he attempts to talk his girlfrienddown. Zakk and Dace each take a side, forming a triangle around me andHamilton. Sandra bares her teeth.

I reach for the black holeinside me, trying to pull it up and use it to defend my friends, but I might aswell have been trying to lift a SUV. The whatever-it-is doesn’t budge.

“Shari.” Hamilton glances atme, brow furrowed as I struggle to get out from under him. The reek of decayand sulfur from the grass surrounding the corpse makes my throat convulse but Itamp down on the urge to vomit. Fear and worry tighten in my stomach and Ishove at Hamilton’s shoulders.

“Go, Ham! Get out of here!”

He shakes his head, violeteyes near black in the night. “Can’t leave you, Georgia.”

A deep bronze aura settlesover Hamilton and he hisses. With him still straddling me, I feel the burningcold of the aura, like dry ice charged with electricity. I beg Andhakar, pleadwith him--anything but this, please, anything--but The Darkness-That-Hunts onlytilts his head, navy hair curling down his back, and smiles. Hamilton reachesout for me, fingers splayed as he drifts up into the air. I try to grab him andhold him to me, but our fingers miss by a fraction of an inch.

Sandra snarls somewhere tomy left and I vaguely hear Kamiron yelling at her to stop, to leave me alone. Idon’t turn to look at her. My hands dig through the corrupted soil around me,searching until my fingertips bang against the dead guard’s holster.

Gun.

My hand closes around thecool metal. I’ve never touched a gun before--never really seen one except inthe movies. I fumble with it as Hamilton climbs the sky. Andhakar watches me,unconcerned. I can practically feel Sandra lunging for me. I raise the gun andfire at Andhakar.

All I hear is a click.

The safety.

Shit.

Shit.

Shit.

The gun trembles in my handas I wrestle with the safety. Andhakar chuckles and suddenly he has Hamilton inhis arms. Ham doesn’t move, immediately entranced. Andhakar brushes Hamilton’swavy hair from his face, exposing the shaved side of his head. Andhakar’sslender finger traces Hamilton’s scalp and his nail draws a thick stripe ofblood. Hamilton doesn’t so much as flinch. His expression is vacant, caught inenthrallment. The Darkness-That-Hunts inhales deeply and then a black tonguedarts out, lapping at Hamilton’s skull.

Golden eyes replace me, and TheDarkness-That-Hunts’ smile is terrible. All teeth and malice. Without takinghis gaze from me, Andhakar kisses Hamilton’s collar and then his mouth, leavingcrimson smears with each press of his lips. The bronze aura around Hamiltonflashes, blinding me.

A shriek. Behind me, Sandracurses Kamiron, tells him to get off her.

A second flash sears myeyes. Andhakar’s voice echoes in my head, cold and bemused.

Thanks for the new pet.

And he and Hamilton aregone.

The safety clicks off. Iroll and bring my attention to Kamiron and Sandra tumbling on the ground. Hegrunts as she kicks him in the groin and then picks him up and hurls himseveral leagues into the air. His body disappears into the spruce and pine thatrim the basin.

I don’t wait.

The bullet jolts her back,hitting her in the left shoulder. Whirling, she bares her teeth at me. Her blueand green eyes narrow and in them I read the dark knowledge that she won’t bebringing me back to Ater.

I pull the trigger again.

Her head snaps back. Brainmatter sprays in a crimson cloud and she drops. I stagger to my feet. Mystomach knots around the pinprick black hole in my belly. I stumble to Sandra’sbody and unload the clip.

“Fuck,” Dace breathes, rushing to my side. He stares at the bodiesaround us and swears again. Zakk tugs on my arm.

“We’ve gotta go.”

As if to further spur us,the dead guard’s radio flares to life. Static voices announce that a bronzelight was seen flashing in the sky and reports that shots were fired.

I drop the gun.

The shock wears and horrorfills me. Bile clogs my throat, tears burn behind my eyes, and another screamthreatens to claw free. Zakk is there and a brook flows over me, shoving awaymy emotional outburst. Up the ravine, we see Kamiron tumble out of the bushes.We rush to him. Dace hooks his arm under Kamiron’s and starts dragging himaway.

Kamiron spits blood. Cutsand bruises litter his body, and his shirt is in tatters. Leaves and grassclutch at his ink-black hair. “Sandra?”

“Shari clocked her.” Daceshakes his head in disbelief.

Kamiron’s gaze settles onme. I read sorrow and accusation in them.

She tried to kill me! I want to shriek, butinstead I mutter, “She’s not dead.”

Zakk floats between theboughs of the pine trees, vigilant for the flashlights and thud of securityteams converging on the basin behind us. “That was a headshot, Shari, and ifthat didn’t do the job, you pumped her full of bullets. No way she’s comingback.”

Kamiron makes a stranglednoise and falters. I ignore him.

“She’s not human. She’s theSteel Fang. Bullets will do nothing to kill her.” Uncertainty wars inside me.What do we do? Where could we go? “I’ve bought us a few minutes. She’llregenerate soon.”

“You sound calm consideringKamiron’s pissed-off zombie vampire girlfriend is going to be hunting us.”

I disregard Dace’s quip. “Weneed a plan.”

“We need a place to lay low,” Dace counters.

“I don’t think there’s aplace Andhakar can’t reach us.”

“He’s gone,” I assure Zakk.“Even with Sandra’s enhanced summoning, he can’t be here for long. He weakensthe further he is from the Lake. It’s Sandra we have to--”

A trio of howls shatters thequiet of the camp and we freeze in our tracks.

“Tell me that’s coyotes,”Dace gulps.

I shut my eyes. Althoughlong healed, my wounds from when I first arrived at Camp Genki throb. “Hounds.”

Kamiron straightens,glancing at my neck and calf. “You mean . . .?”

“Yes, those.”

“We need to get inside.”

“Yes, we do.”

Zakk guides us onto thepavement. The squat tōrō cast more shadows on the sidewalk than light. “I knowwhere to go. Follow me.”