walker saga 07 - earth (30 page)

“You think you can kill Mother Nature? You will suffer for this.” Her words echoed in a monotonous flow.

I shifted out of the way, and had to jump to the side when large ropy threads of roots started to shoot up from under my feet.

My head swiveled back up to Que, and it was now obvious what had happened. The vines were dead. The ones holding Que had shriveled away and within seconds were no more than blackened stems beneath his feet. The rot continued to bleed out from the spot where Que’s feet were planted, as if the Walker himself – as Ria had said – was poison. Ria’s plants tried to close the space again, but they couldn’t even get close before they withered and died.

A sob escaped from the beautiful Regali half. She was fighting, but Que was stronger. Her sorrow was enough to crush us. It flooded along the bond and entangled itself within our souls. I knew she fought not only for the plants here today, but for her beloved forest of Artwon, which was also dying. Slowly and surely, the plants were losing against the Seventine and Que, and it was painting black tar across her psyche.

“Okay, let’s give Ria a boost,” I said. “Add some of our other powers to show Que that he’s not in control here.”

The sacred animals took off in a single line, leaving our sides to spread around the perimeter of where Que stood. We’d practiced this move and I knew it was our best chance. The well inside me was full, our energy was at maximum capacity, so we would give it everything we had.

Ria was still visibly distraught, but she managed to rein in her flow of energy, before sending her element to intermingle with all the others.

The colors exploded, until we had a shimmery mass, tinted with threads of gold. The golden tones were from my conduit abilities, and I ferreted more of my power into it, increasing our combined elemental mass to almost epic levels of strength.

Of course, at that moment, the Seventine decided to screw with us some more and they released their hold on their minions. Trees, zombies and the large scaled fire-lizards sprang to life. Noise echoed around us again; they were trying to distract our attack on Que.

“You focus on Que. We’ll keep the rest off you,” Brace said, giving me a quick kiss.

Josian and Samuel saluted me and took off. Quarn paused long enough to give me a wink before joining the others. They all jumped straight into the fray, engaging the enemies around us. I returned my attention to Que, who stood so arrogantly. The slightest smile twisted his hard features.

Go!

I spoke to the sacred animals, and they did not hesitate. Power burst free from within them, each of the animals an extension of their half-Walker female. But also with their own special kick. Fury’s kitty was scary as heck when he was in his prehistoric panther size, plus Crete was a little badass. He didn’t hold back like the rest of them. Flames tinting his fur, he crouched low, and with a pounce landed directly behind Que.

The Walker spun but was way too slow. The panther’s weight knocked him to the ground, and the flames burst to life. The scent of burning flesh was not a pleasant aroma. It’s not a smell I’d ever get used to, but it’s always unmistakable.

Que was burning.

I heard his bellow, and a ricocheting of his energy knocked Crete and two or three of the guides back.

“Oh hell no!” Fury was running. She was getting her baby kitten and no one was stopping her.

The rest of us followed.

I urged my legs to pump harder so I could catch the white-haired, red-skinned angel of death who was flying across the blackened planes.

Que had pulled himself to his feet. He was a little unsteady and I could see holes in his black leather where the blue fire had melted through to his skin.

Walker healing would fix him up, but it would take much longer to heal an injury inflicted by our power. He was going to suffer for a while still.

You know I very much like this evil streak in you, Red. You really shouldn’t distract me. I might get bitten and turn into a zombie.

I snorted.

Brace and Lucy loved to make fun of me for my minor freak-out when I’d been bitten by a zombie. I think I had a legit reaction to what could have been a tragic situation.

Laughter trailed after me as I finally caught up to Fury, the other half-Walkers around me.

I chanced a quick glance over my shoulder and shook my head at the pile of destroyed Seventine creeps that my father, brother, guardian and mate had amassed. They were cutting through them without pause, and none stood for longer than a few moments. Samuel was the least skilled, but more than held his own. I knew he’d spent many years training with Brace and Josian, so he was still pretty awesome with a blade and bow.

Focus on Que. Don’t underestimate him.

Brace’s gentle warning was enough to bring my scattered attention back to the scene before me.

Que was battling the animals – his clothes still smoking – as each one blasted out with power. They were close to him, but cleverly avoided the touch of his hands. Lina glided across and with a perfectly placed blast of wind and thrust of wings, she managed to not only knock him down but also sliced both of his arms. His robotic-looking arm was visible now through the burnt and tattered top, derived through power he’d stolen from the originals. Power I needed to divest him of.

The seven girls fell in with our animals. I slipped in next to Cerberus, and the giant hellhound towered over me, keeping my back safe.

“You cannot beat me. I can’t be killed and, I don’t care if my son loves you, I will not hesitate to end your existence, Aribella of Doreen.”

My father-in-law hated me. I would be completely devastated except he was an asshole who needed to die. Yeah, okay, the hatred was mutual.

I whipped out at him with power, drawing from all of the girls. I aimed for his heart. Eva had said that was a weakness.

Que’s hands crossed over his chest, blocking most of the stream of energy.

But not all of it.

He was knocked down, and I was surprised to see that he looked stunned. As if that blast had disorientated him.

We need to form a cage, and hold him so that Eva can try and free the spirits,
I said through the bond.

We had done this once, and not very successfully. But there weren’t many other options. Cerberus must have sensed my intentions, because as Delane’s wind energy whipped up, my hellhound sent it out in a flash to connect us all. A circle of wind formed, like we had done in the white realm with fire.

Spread out. Surround him and stop him from escaping.

Our guides moved first. I followed in Cerberus’ shadow. Que tried to snarl, but it wasn’t quite successful. The right side of his cheek and lips had been burnt, and the skin wasn’t healed enough for the facial muscles to move.

He lunged for me, but the wind which buffeted between my body and the other seven girls knocked him back. I continued to pummel him with the air element, pushing down with the power between us. I looked around for Eva, hoping she was preparing to move toward him. My eyes flicked about, but I couldn’t see the Earth half.

I’m cloaking her,
Sapha said.

Sure enough, as I focused, the ripples in the air gave me a brief idea where Eva was. She was creeping forward while Que remained distracted by the cyclone. Lugi, her lycan, was holding her place within the elemental circle.

“Cerberus, hold the wind for me,” I said.

Sure enough, as the hellhound rested both heads onto me, I could feel my place in the circle shift. The energy still swirled through me, but I wasn’t actively holding a mass of wind.

I stepped into the center, crossing over to stand before Que. If he was focused on me, he would never look for Eva. He expected me to be the one to attack; he knew I was powerful.

“You chose the wrong side,” I yelled over the wind, ignoring the tendrils of my hair which whipped around me. “And you have lost any chance you had with your son.”

The former Abernath princeps was a tough old asshat. He blasted out with enough energy to push back the wind, and then he was on his feet again. His power continued to battle against the elemental push from the girls.

“I love my son. Everything I have ever done was to make him stronger. To make him a leader. The male you know today is because of me.”

Not freaking likely.

“Brace is an amazing leader and Walker, not to mention a beautiful soul. But that isn’t because of you; it’s in spite of you. You gave him strength, but he’s the one who chose to do good with it.”

He sneered, “You think such simple thoughts. Good, evil, right, wrong. These are not real concepts. There’s just power. There’s just control. There’s a reason that some of us are above others. It’s our duty to keep control.”

He’d lost his freaking mind.

Eva was right behind him then. I couldn’t see much in her expression, but I sensed her fear as she reached for the Walker.

I stepped even closer. I was just beyond his arm’s length. But if he lunged for me, I would be in trouble.

“You’re going to die today,” I said. “Your essence will be reborn, and I hope in the next life the Walkers with your energy choose to do something better. You’re a waste.”

As I let him know exactly how I felt, Eva reached out and grasped onto his neck, right in the bare skin between his coat and hair line. Time stood still for a second.

Que seemed stunned as he blinked a few times, before letting out a harsh expletive. As he started to spin, trying to dislodge the female attached to him, I lurched forward and managed to punch him once in the mouth. My fist throbbed. Dude had a jaw just like his son. Hard as brick.

Que reached up and rubbed at the trickle of blood which marred his lower lip. “You’re going to pay for that, bitch.”

Bring it.
I settled in, knowing I was about to get my ass kicked. I’d fought Brace before, and was no match for him at all. Que was just as good as his son. Of course, against Brace I hadn’t used my power.

Just as Que came in for the fight, Eva still attached to his back and trying to free the souls, Cerberus was in front of me. The hellhound whipped his hind legs around and booted Que right in the gut.

I can’t free them, Abby. I feel them, but there’s no way to sever the connection. It’s like a sticky glue holding them down.
Eva sounded hysterical.

I knew she felt very connected to the ghosts she saw.

Don’t worry; we’ll figure it out. Now get away from him, Eva. Hurry.

I saw the blur as her shadowed form fell away from the Walker, and scurried across the ground.

She’s clear,
Delane said.

Great, time to focus on Que. Who was coming straight back at me, hands out. I could sense he was going to use his touch of death this time. An idea sprang into my head, and without considering all the consequences I severed the connection between the fourteen of us.

The howl of wind died away, the cyclonic circle disappeared, and the silence was almost deafening.

It stunned Que.

He halted his run and swiveled his head as if trying to figure out what he was missing.

I didn’t hesitate. I sent forth my tether, aiming to connect to the souls which Eva saw littering Que’s body. I willed it to connect. To find some way to tear the energy free and release it to the universe.

It was a great idea in theory.

But, as always, theory often did not translate to real life. My golden cord smashed against Brace’s father, and I could sense its will to connect, but there was nothing there to touch. Eva was right: it was like a sticky glue which left this cloying residue taste on my tongue and within the tether. I persisted for as long as I could, but the souls remained outside my grasp.

Que grinned. “Conduit power not everything they told you, little Doreen? Don’t worry; you won’t be around much longer to live with such a weakness.”

Holy eff, I’m in trouble.

I was just about to send my tether out to the girls again, hoping like hell I’d be fast enough to hold Que off when a shriek had my head spinning.

“Aribella!” Francesca burst into sight. “I had a vision,” she yelled again. Her white eyes and hair stood out dramatically against the blackness. “You must touch Que. Only your power can end this suffering.”

What was she talking about? I’d just tried to use my tethers to free the souls. Nothing had happened.

Que was moving again, but not toward me this time. Dodging around the sacred animals, he sprinted for my aunt.

“Brace!” I screamed as I scrambled to gain my footing and follow the evil Walker. “He’s going after Francesca.”

My aunt was so focused on getting her message to me that she never even saw him coming for her. Therefore she did nothing to protect herself before he was almost on her. In desperation I reached for a tether, using my aunt as the anchor to draw me. The world went dark for a second, and the yanking sensation thrust me forward. I ended up body-slamming Francesca, landing on top of her.

Her pupil-less and freaky-as-heck eyes locked on to mine. “Touch his hands, Aribella, it’s the only way. It’s the portal for his power, and you’ll free the souls.”

Her words were hurried, falling over each other.

I shook back strands of red that had fallen around my face. “He kills Walkers with his touch. I can’t … there has to be another way.”

“You hold original power. He won’t kill you. The energy will want to come to you. You’ll know what to do when you connect.”

Heavy hands landed on my back, and I was hoisted up and flung free of my aunt. Francesca held on to me for as long as possible, but we didn’t have the strength to stop Que. He tore us apart, and I ended up about fifty yards back. Dude had an arm on him. I landed heavily,
ouch,
just missing Brace, who had been sprinting across.

My mate never broke stride, reaching out a long arm and gathering me up off the ground. He tucked me under that same arm, and continued bulldozing toward his father. From my angle I couldn’t see my aunt. Que was crowding over her, but I could tell that he hadn’t attacked yet. We still had time to stop him.