Shadow of a Doubt Read online

  With Baleius in control of my body, I dropped to a crouch, hands curled at either side of my waist like I was cupping invisible tennis balls. I waited for my chance before I made my move.

  The world went still then. No one moved as both sides assessed the other.

  Warn him about getting cut, I instructed Baleius, who had full control over my body. He didn’t respond or do as commanded. The only sound was Magni’s panicked breathing of.

  I SAID—I began, raising my voice, until a rogue breeze blew onto the battlefield, somehow signaling to everyone that the fight was on.

  Howls of delight rang from both sides of the road as the Shadow Fae rushed in like two tsunami waves competing on who could swallow us first.

  I screamed in fierce concentration as my hands exploded upward, palms facing the stars. A line of flames several feet high ignited on either side of the road as if a line of gasoline had been lit.

  Howls of hunger changed key to screams of pain as the flames lifted higher into the air, feeding on my energy and the dense, dry brush along the roadway. Tree to tree and everything in between was washed in brilliant orange light.

  The shadow giant bellowed in rage and charged forward, wisps of smoke peeling off from where the light burned his incorporeal flesh. I was exposed where I stood, holding my attack for as long as I could lest we be overwhelmed by an enormous wave of claws and teeth.

  I watched as the bringer of darkness approached like a freight train at full speed. Amethyst eyes fuming with rage as razor-sharp teeth chomped at the air. I kept my hands up, focusing on the flames keeping the horde at bay. I tried to pour more energy into exciting the molecules of the air to produce a brighter flame before the beast could decimate my sexy, supermodel body, but the creature was already committed and nothing would stop it from reaching me. I could see the flames down the road through the hole in its torso.

  Jump! I cried out to Baleius. He didn’t respond or move. Dude, are you listening!

  When the beast was a few paces out, a familiar shadowdagger formed in its hand. It lifted the weapon up and brought it down toward my head, intent on splitting me in two.

  A silver-infused sword startled me as it swung in an upward arc right in front of my romance novel face. It slashed through the dagger, which evaporated into smoke as it lost contact with the monster. The beast reared in pain, and I dropped my hands to jump through the hole at its center.

  As I landed on the other side into a roll, I heard Ludvig grunt in pain. I dared a glance over my shoulder and saw him tumbling backward on the ground, his sword clanging to the ground off to the side. The monster’s gigantic foot set back down after, presumably, kicking the Hunter away.

  Turning my head, I located the silver kukri and rushed to it. As I grabbed the weapon, shadow monsters started jumping through the diminishing flames that I had lost my focus on. A few were incinerated from the still powerful tendrils of flames that snaked up toward the sky at random intervals. My fire was just as stubborn as I was and refused to die. Someone get me a “Proud Dad” bumper sticker.

  I turned and began running toward the shadow assassin, who was moving toward Magni. Ludvig was still recovering from the massive blow he had sustained.

  As I ran, several Shadow faeries leaped through the dying fire and began scrambling toward me, sharp claws beating on the asphalt like the pounding of rain on sheet metal, but my focus was on Magni; that is, until I saw some of the Shadow faeries leaping onto the big monster and being sucked into its flesh. The bastard was healing by using the bodies of its soldiers!

  Cheater! I cried out as I watched through the windows of my mind.

  While running, I stuck my free hand in front of me and willed the molecules to ferociously excite in my grasp. I poured my energy into the manifestation, knowing it was either lose the energy or die. A ball of plasma with the scaled power of a star radiated light in all directions, searing the shadows that leaped toward me. The light cut through the faeries like water dissolving cotton candy, evaporating them in the intense power of the microstar.

  With every action, there was an equal and opposite reaction. I didn’t know if that fit, but it sounded good. Why was I saying this? Well, you see, the flesh from my hand began melting off as I tried to contain the power of my John Star. Bone pierced through liquefying skin.

  YYYYYEEEEEEOOOOOOOWWWWW! I cried out as nerves sang their song of torment like a church choir. But it had the desired effect. Shadow monsters stopped swarming us to retreat into the darkness, allowing me to run up to their leader, who was rearing an arm back to strike a petrified Magni.

  The light struck the beast and he turned right as my hand—which had been reduced to brittle bone under the unforgiving heat—fell off. The light winked out as my hand shattered on the ground like dried dirt; but some of the light had damaged the beast, who shrieked in rage as it turned to swipe at me. He was missing an arm, and half his face was decimated, leaving bubbling skin that I could make out now. Good. Let the bastard burn.

  As the monster swung at me, I brought the kukri up and removed his swinging arm before halting in front of the beast and slicing in the opposite direction at his waist. There was a low-pitched wheezing sound that escaped the monster as its top half fell to the ground like a thick tree which had been expertly cleaved by a lumberjack. Well, I did have the beard already. Lumber-John. I liked it.

  I grabbed Magni and dragged him to where Ludvig was sending torrents of flames into the darkness. I noticed the Hunter’s face was crazed, with spittle shooting from between his lips as he laughed manically. He had gone berserker or something.

  Letting go of Magni, I placed my hand on Ludvig’s shoulder, trying to get him to flee with us. He whirled on me with eyes blazing and bloodshot, forcing me to deflect his wand hand with my elbow as he brought it around.

  “We have to get the fuck out of here!” Baleius shouted through my mouth. I concurred wholeheartedly.

  Ludvig’s crazed eyes locked onto Magni and his features visibly relaxed a tad. He returned his gaze to me and nodded. The blood on his face was dry and cracking from the intensity and heat of his attack.

  “Keep them off us,” Baleius commanded through my mouth as impressive wings sprouted from my back. I saw that they were bigger than normal, and was about to ask why when I grabbed Magni and brought him close. I reached for Ludvig with my other hand before remembering it was a bubbling goo on the pavement. I could feel Baleius focusing as he tried to heal it, but nothing happened.

  Shit. That ball of light prevents me from healing?

  It was plasma, Baleius told me, frustrated. I didn’t anticipate having to use so much energy.

  Good to know, I said, filing away the information for later use. Something snagged my attention and grew in the back of my mind like the sirens of an ambulance approaching from a distance. I looked back out the viewport of my mind and noticed I was panting heavily.

  How much energy did we use on the plasma ball? I asked Baleius, turning to where he stood at the wheel.

  Too much, he answered weakly.

  How much do we have in reserves?

  I don’t know, and I don’t want to try and use any more. It’ll take a while to build back what we have lost.

  Are you sure I can fly with the weight of these two? I know the wings use up a lot of energy to provide lift.

  What choice do we have? Baleius barked, exhaustion wearing his patience as thin as roast beef from the butcher.

  Oh, I don’t know—what about the Mage-a-din all hopped up on Berserker-flavored Mountain Dew?

  We don’t need him, Baleius responded sharply, agitated at the thought of needing aid from anyone else.

  Well, carry on, then, Mr. I-don’t-need-no-man.

  Baleius ignored my jab while letting his consciousness spill back into my body.

  I reached for Ludvig, wrapping my nub under his armpit and against his chest to secure him.

  I looked to see the shadow assassin was grabbing his lower half and bringing it
to meet his torso. I watched in anger laced with awe as the shadow flesh started stitching itself back together as more of its soldiers sacrificed themselves to their master.

  So that’s what it feels like, I said, suddenly having empathy for every opponent I had ever faced.

  I was about to rocket into the night when Ludvig cried out, “Wait!” as he broke free and rushed to his sword on the ground. He sheathed the weapon, pulled his goggles down over his eyes, set his breathing apparatus in place, and finally tightened the drawstring on his fancy hat.

  “You done?” Baleius said through my mouth, annoyed. When Ludvig nodded, we resumed our escape position, and I leaped into the night.

  Magni screamed in terror as the ground rushed away from us at an alarming speed. Over his cries, a piercing screech sent waves along my wings. I almost lost my balance trying to hold on to the heavy Ludvig as both hunters struggled to cup their heads after the cry almost ruptured their eardrums. I dared a glance back and saw something that would probably haunt my dreams for the rest of my life—if I made it past the night, that is.

  Two glowing orbs trailed plumes of purple smoke as they soared to catch us.

  Shit! I cried out.

  “Shit,” Baleius echoed out loud, a tad calmer than me.

  As I watched in terror, two rows of white teeth birthed into existence under determined eyes. I couldn’t see exactly what was chasing us, but I could perceive what the darkness blotted out as the body moved. Streetlights and a ground that was illuminated by the moon were obscured as enormous wings flapped.

  A purple mist enveloped the crashed van we had left behind before orienting on us as we fled.

  Oh, Lilith, that’s not mist…those are eyes!

  Be quiet, Baleius commanded, focusing on the situation at hand.

  An army of amethyst eyes rushed to join the two giant orbs of the big shadow monster. The Shadow Fae had taken a cue from their leader and morphed into nightmarish birds that had razor teeth in their beaks. They were catching up.

  I helpfully offered sage advice to Baleius in the voice of Jeff Goldblum, Must go faster! Must go faster!

  We’re too weak! Baleius yelled back, his air of calm and control beginning to crack. We need to drink one of them.

  No way, man! Don’t do it. We have to have something in our reserve tank.

  Are you willing to risk permanently losing the energy we have spent centuries building? Baleius asked harshly.

  What’s the point of having it if we don’t use it? After a moment, I added, But…you know, don’t lose it. Okay?

  In response, Baleius grunted before opening the floodgates of my reserves, sending a rushing wave of tremendous power throughout my body.

  As the shadow monster opened its jaws to snap at my feet, I abruptly changed direction and dove downward, spinning as I went. Magni passed out from the g-force and went limp as the still hopped up Ludvig fought to aim his wand.

  “Hold steady, damn it!” Ludvig yelled over the din of screaming, furious shadow birds and the rush of wind. I obliged and leveled out; but from how I held him with my nub hand, I couldn’t fly straight and turn him easily. He struggled to fire behind him, missing our pursuers entirely.

  “Grab my belt, fool,” Baleius barked out with my mouth.

  Without hesitation, Ludvig stuck his hand between my ripped, six-pack abs and the thick leather of my belt, and turned while flying a few hundred feet in the air. I let my grip around him slip as he positioned himself. My ample belly pressed against the top of his hand—to, you know, keep him in place. I’m not fat.

  Near freezing wind tugged at his legs and Helsing-style coat, making it difficult to aim.

  Ludvig began laughing hysterically as he started throwing elemental magic at the purple-eyed birds flying at us. I looked over my shoulder to see a wall of amethysts blot out the stars. A blast of wind gusted out of Ludvig’s wand, doing absolutely nothing to the shadows. Next, he tried fire, which kept them at bay but didn’t destroy them. Magni continued to hang loose in my grip, his feet dangling at an angle behind him as we flew.

  I can’t keep this up forever. I’ll run out of energy eventually! An idea shot through my head. Let me grab the wheel.

  No, Baleius responded coldly. This is no time to give you control.

  He was right. I’d probably drop Magni or fly us into a damn power line or something.

  Fine! But I have an idea. Tell him to aim for their eyes.

  A look of recognition swept over Baleius’ face as he said, You’re right!

  “Aim for their eyes!” Baleius shouted over the howl of the wind to the paladin mage.

  Ludvig didn’t need to be told twice. He sent out an arc of lightning that missed the first target he shot at. Another blast forked out and slammed into the eyes of a bird that had dared to get too close. It shrieked in surprise before exploding into mist, the stars becoming visible behind it before being replaced by another shadow.

  “Woohooooo!” Ludvig cried out in sadistic joy as another beast exploded.

  The shadow assassin didn’t like what was happening and squawked its wrath. The wall of purple began to swirl as Ludvig continued his onslaught, taking out bird after bird as they gained on us.

  The wall of shadows dive-bombed toward us, and I wrapped my wings around my body to fly downward like a lawn dart.

  “I can’t attack like dis!” Ludvig cried out as we plummeted back toward Earth. I was impressed at his dedication to the battle, but we were flying downward nearing terminal velocity, which harshly pulled his feet skyward from the air friction.

  We need to make it toward light, I said to Baleius, who didn’t acknowledge my statement.

  As we approached the ground, I unfurled my wings and soared just below the streetlights. The wall continued its kamikaze trajectory before the front line was swallowed by the bright LEDs. A few made it through, being shadowed by their dying brothers’ bodies, and struck home.

  One shredded through a portion of my wing, while another took off one of my legs, narrowly missing my passengers.

  I screamed in pain as I was struck. We began to lose altitude from the hole in my wing, the speeding road fast approaching and eager to catch us.

  I positioned my wings perpendicular to the road to create drag and slow us down. As I did, the hole in my damaged wing split open like a stubborn bag of potato chips, tearing from tip to tip. We began to tumbled toward the ground.

  “Drop!” I cried to Ludvig, sucking in my gut to free his hand after our speed had decreased precipitously. As he did, I pulled Magni to my chest and wrapped my wings around us. We smashed into the pavement with bone-shattering force and immediately began tumbling, the road tearing my manifestations to shreds. Pain radiated down my spine from where the asphalt had ripped my energy-laced wings from my body. I held Magni tight in my arms, absorbing as much damage as I was able, and cursed as I felt my beloved trench coat start tearing now that my wings were gone.

  We came to a stop, and I immediately sat upright, letting Magni lie on the ground, protected for the time being by a bright streetlight shining above us.

  Still in control of my body, Baleius willed a silent chain saw to existence and smoothly removed my leg above where the darkness was spreading. It was odd seeing a working chain saw without the accompanying roar of the combustion engine. Then again, I knew we didn’t need one to make the blades work.

  Holy shit! A freaking chain saw? How had I never thought of that?

  I do not know. The mechanics are quite simple.

  As he spoke, I used some of the precious energy to heal my foot and then my hand. It took some intense focus and energy, but my ball scratcher grew from my wrist, making me whole once again.

  Right then, just as I was feeling like things were looking up, something massive slammed against the top of the pole and sent the light housing exploding into the night. Along the road, streetlights on both sides of the pavement were met with the same fate. With each crash, the night swallowed more and more of
the world around me. A feeling of dread swelled in my chest alongside the growing darkness of the night in a twisted dance that I couldn’t escape.

  Ludvig hobbled over to where I sat, stuck out his hand, and said with a delighted smile, “De fight is not over yet.”

  We clasped forearms and I got to my feet, kicking off my remaining boot as I did to even out my stance. Fighting in one steel-toed boot would have been troublesome, or at the very least, distracting.

  We turned to face the shadow assassin as it landed and morphed back into the massive featureless monster. All I could make out besides its eyes and teeth were thick limbs that blocked the moonlit scene behind them.

  Purple eyes swirled above us like water circling the drain, watching the culmination of the show.

  They know we have nowhere to go, I mused, feeling the last of the hope I had wither and die. I walked to the wheel in the control room of my mind and locked eyes with a Baleius who had fear in his eyes. If we are to die, mind if I drive?

  The demon or pure mental personification of my vampirism or whatever he was, removed a hand from the wheel and took a small step to the side. I stood next to him, grabbed the wheel, and said with an empty smile, I hope the apocalypse is as much fun as all this has been.

  The monster before us didn’t attack. Instead, he turned his head to regard a portion of air next to where he stood. He placed one of his three dense fingers at a point in front of him at shoulder height, and then dragged a claw to the ground. The air split open like flesh that had been cut, curling at the edges from the release of tension. Out stepped a formidable boot of black armor etched in red linings. A similarly covered leg appeared after, followed closely by a bare hand and then the rest of an impressive body.

  “Oh…poop…” I lamented as King Oberon snapped his fingers, stitching the portal behind him closed.

  “Hello, John,” King Oberon said jovially as he pulled his helmet off. A warm smile spread over his face as he rested the piece of armor in the crook of his arm. His gladius was sheathed at his side.

  “What have you done with Queen Tatiana?” I demanded.