“Ari!” Maverick reaches for her as she clamps onto Daemon’s shoulder, an animalistic nature taking her over. He shouts as water slices at Ari’s arms, loosening her grip enough for him to slip away. Chains drag through the leaves, nearly tripping her.
She leaps after Daemon, vampires and other creatures stalking closer. Ari lets loose on them, flinging bloodsuckers flying and pummeling a gargoyle into nothing with her fists.
“She’s can’t keep it up for long,” I offer, stealing a glance at Ein and Maverick. They’re both pale and looking like they’re about to throw up. I groan as I leap forward and yank Ari back. She turns on me and claws at my arm, drawing blood.
“Frick,” I mutter.
“You won’t get through to her,” Maverick calls, kicking a guy in the face. His eyes glaze over and his jaw slackens as he hits the grass. The man makes a gurgling sound as ichor dribbles from its mouth.
A zombie?
Maverick hesitates as he turns to fight again, but before he can get another whack in, a figure drops from the canopy and annihilates three creatures in one swoop with her claws. She grabs the second set of chains and hauls Ari away. I swear she smirks as she glances over her shoulder.
Mikey.
She subdues Ari, even as the woman fights with everything she has. She tosses her like a discus deeper into the trees and follows her. Five vampires land on top of Maverick, dogpiling him. Ein calls out for him before he’s overrun, too. My muscles scream for sleep, but it won’t be coming anytime soon.
Ein elbows the wolf on his back, but is taken down again as Aurora completes another gigantic polar bear. It barrels into the fray as her hands start to tremble.
Ein’s voice erupts from the crackling and hissing. “Go!”
I turn to where he’s pinned, Kola pawing at his arm as the vampire shoves Ein’s face into the ground. A blue glow emanates from his chest as he heaves upward, and a burst of energy explodes from him, icy fire setting the vampire alight. It screams as it turns to ash, and Ein finds his feet. He puts another red vial into his gun, his shirt singed as a blue gem radiates from his sternum, and he sets fire to the trees once again, thrusting the line of remaining vampires back.
The flames rise higher and higher as the enemy retreats, but there’s no sign of Maverick. Daemon shouts through the fire that this isn’t over, that he’ll find us, and then mutters about how the fire’s evaporating all available water before he disappears. I hear Mikey wrestling with Ari behind me, trying to tame her.
Through the smoke and flames comes a figure whose hair has been cut, steam lifting from his skin as he wipes away blood from his mouth. Mire and gore coat his every inch, but there isn’t a scratch on him.
He made it out.
His presence crackles with danger, like the moments before lightning strikes, hot and deadly. Ein, however, is unphased by Maverick’s personality switch. Since the beginning, he’s been nothing but flamboyant and understanding, wise beyond his years, almost. But since that night at Mikey’s shallow grave…
Ein lets out a sigh of relief as he picks up Kola and holds him tightly. Maverick walks up, squinting as he gestures toward the sounds behind me.
Mikey has Ari pinned against a tree. Ari shouts in her face, but Mikey gives it right back, her cry longer, louder, more demanding. It resonates in my chest, as if I understand it. She’s telling Ari she’s in charge. To not defy her, and to calm down.
Ari suddenly falls quiet. She stares at Mikey, the two of them seeming to have an unspoken conversation. Finally, Mikey releases her and Ari stumbles to the ground, resting on her fists like a gorilla. Mikey stands tall, but Ari snarls in defiance. Clicks echo from Mikey’s throat and she finally yields, tilting her head in defeat. The surprise on Ein and Maverick’s face tells me everything I need to know.
I exhale in disbelief. “I guess she really is the Queen of Bleeders.”
Mikey’s eyes find mine and holds them. Thin crackles charge the atmosphere as Ein reloads his gun with one light blue vial after another and aims at the trees. Freezing water and air smothers the fire, sending a wave of cold rippling through the suffocating heat.
I readjust my shirt and turn to Maverick and Ein. “You two should start explaining. Now.”
They share a glance as Kola paws at a leaf, trying to bite it.
Maverick’s shoulders tighten as he runs his fingers through his matted hair. It falls to his shoulder blades now, jagged. “All I’ll say is those people are dangerous and you should stay far, far away from them.”
Mikey creeps nearer, baring her teeth at him. Surprise lights his face at her defiance.
“Mikey saw her dad at The Trench, owned by Daemon, and he disappeared behind a wall with that symbol on it. The tower and the mountains—”
“Rook,” Maverick corrects, acid in his syllable. “It’s a rook, not a tower. Does no one teach kids how to play chess anymore?”
“Either way, that symbol led her to hearing about something with Zombie Island, and that’s why we took the Glub Sub. And then a Kraken ate Macy the Fish.”
“Ziz.”
We turn to Mikey. Another word.
There’s a mix of elation and jealousy that turns Maverick’s irises green.
“Zeke,” she says, staring into me. She furrows her brow like she’s trying her hardest to say more.
I inhale and shove away the impatience clawing at my sternum. “His name is William Kent. Every time she pursued him, he disappeared.”
Maverick watches Mikey with an intense expression. “You never told me you saw your father.”
Mikey huffs impatiently, glaring at Maverick.
He smirks. “I know I haven’t been easy to talk to lately,” he admits, his gaze flickering to Ari for a moment before returning. “But we should regroup and find shelter. How do you four feel about stopping by Sonny’s again? I’m sure your siblings would like to see you, biscuit.”
Mikey violently shakes her head, backing away. Embarrassment filters through her features.
Maverick rocks back on his heels. “Or not.”
An idea lights in my brain. “No, let’s go to Sonny’s.” If I can get that sphere… “Mikey and I are going to my house.” I find her eyes as they deepen, trying to read my thoughts. Finally, she perks up and nods. “We’ll meet you back there as soon as we can.”
“Ya have everythin’ ya need. There are most definitely spies staking out yer house, lad.”
“We’ll be in and out. I have to grab something.”
Mikey gently snaps her jaws. She tries to speak, but no words come out. There are a few clicks that fill the void of her silence instead.
“We have the coin. I promise we’ll use it if we need it.”
Ari sits with a, “Humph,” taking the attention off me for the moment. Finally, Maverick’s voice dips low. “You’d better.”
“What do we do with Ari?” Ein asks, sizing her up as she rips a branch from a tree and repetitively hits the trunk with it.
Mikey looks at me. Even though I can’t currently hear her thoughts, it’s like I know exactly what they are. “We’re not bringing her with us.”
Her shoulders slump and she pouts.
“She’s coming with us,” Maverick decides, his tone sharp. “I’m not letting her out of my sight.” His eyes cut to Mikey. “Especially if there’s hope now.”
Mikey grunts in response before turning and walking over to Ari. Over a series of grunts, Ein saunters over to the vampire. “You sure you can handle her if she—”
“I can,” he practically shouts, the air shivering. I’ve only seen him transform once, when he said he’s the reason Bleeders exist. Apparently vampires have a second form that’s a lot like Raging Out… and suddenly I wonder how closely they relate on a molecular level.
Kola whips around and licks his cheek, making a face as he tastes blood. Maverick’s tense muscles relax as Kola reaches out to be held, and. with a soft exhale, he takes him from Ein and scratches his head. Kola nuzzles into him, gore staining his pristine white fur.
“You’re lucky you’re cute,” Maverick mutters under his breath, placing his forehead against Kola’s.
Mikey and Ari approach, both holding their wrists out. I suddenly remember the key and pull it from my pocket, glad it hasn’t tumbled out. At this rate, I’ll need chainmail to keep my clothes from being shredded.
I twist the key in Mikey’s lock, and the shackles land with a loud clang on the stone below. She rubs her wrists as I reach for Ari’s. Maverick stops me, reaching up to touch her face. She jerks away, grimacing, causing every muscle in the old vampire to tense. He clenches his fist and exhales. “Ari, you will listen to me and do whatever I say.”
Ari grits her teeth in response.
The vampire turns to me and flashes a strained grin. “Don’t get into too much trouble.”
I swear Mikey chuckles, like Maverick should know we don’t get into trouble.
We cause it.