Chapter 19

 

““This can’t be right.” Ryker frowned at Nicholas and Meridan.

Meridan shrugged. “The old Lycan said this was the place.”

Max leaned around the tree she was hiding behind and stared at the small cabin situated in the field just beyond the trees. Calling it a cabin was generous, she decided. It was nothing more than a run-down shack.

She glanced quickly at Nicky. He, along with Andric, were tying the horses to the trees and she studied him carefully. She had spent the night with him before sneaking back to her room in the early morning of dawn. Her legs and pelvis muscles were aching and sore and she stretched them gingerly.

“Do you smell that?” Doran asked Andric in a low voice.

“Aye.” Andric replied.

“Leeches?” Nina whispered.

Meridan shook his head. “No. Gogmagogs.”

Ryker stared at the empty field. “Where are they?”

“The better question is - why would we smell them?” Doran replied. “Gogs hate leeches.”

“Maybe they were just in the area but are gone now?” Nina said timidly.

Nicholas began to strip off his clothing. “We need to check the cabin. If what the old Lycan said is true, then this is the leech colony.”

Ryker snorted. “Ridiculous. The colony is very large. Do you believe they’re crammed inside?”

Nicky ignored him as he took off his shirt. “We stay together. Stick close to each other and stay alert.”

He glanced at Nina. “Stay close to Max. Do you understand?”

Nina nodded. Meridan smiled at the young girl and kissed her lightly on the forehead.

“It will be alright, Nina. We will find your father and take him home. I promise.”

“Thank you, Meridan.” Nina hugged him fiercely and Meridan kissed her forehead again before stepping back.

Nina took Max’s hand and Max squeezed it reassuringly as the rest of the Lycans stripped and shifted. Nicholas barked softly and the group crept quietly from the trees toward the dilapidated cabin.

Max, her heart racing and her legs shaking, followed Andric closely. Nicky was in the lead, followed by Doran, Ryker and Andric. The hired Lycans were behind her and Nina, and Pavina and Meridan were bringing up the rear.

The sun was reflecting off the snow and she squinted at the cabin as they grew nearer. No birds sang in the forest behind them and she could feel her unease growing. Something wasn’t right, something –

There was a soft thump just behind them and she whirled around as Pavina snarled and Meridan gave a strangled yelp. She froze, staring in shock and disbelief at the Gogmagogs rising from the ground.

She realized with horror that the Gogs had been hidden in chambers beneath the ground and she screamed a warning as, all around them, the snow rippled and heaved as the Gogs threw back the heavy wooden doors buried beneath the snow and emerged into the bright sunlight. There were at least twenty of the giant beasts and they grinned viciously as they attacked the small group.

Max stared wide-eyed at the Gogs. She had never seen one before and she couldn’t get over the sheer size of them. The smallest of them was still over ten feet tall and they towered over the Lycans and the humans. Their thick, muscular bodies were covered in a layer of dark hair beneath the pelts they wore.

Nina, her entire body trembling like a live wire, shrieked Meridan’s name and darted toward him. The Gog who had grabbed the old Lycan roared with pain as he sunk his fangs deep into his wrist.

“Meridan!”

Nina screamed again as the Gog wrapped one meaty hand around Meridan’s throat and the other around one madly-flailing back leg. With a scream of triumph, he tore the old Lycan in half.

Pavina, howling in shock and anger, leaped on to the Gog. She scrambled up his back, her claws digging into the wolf hide he wore as the Gog dropped Meridan’s body and reached behind him. Before he could pull Pavina away, her mouth was at his throat. She sunk her fangs in and blood flew from his throat in a thick spray. He screamed weakly and dropped to his knees as Pavina tore his throat wide open.

Nicky snarled loudly behind Max and she turned to see him and Andric taking down a Gog that had Doran by the front leg. There was a sharp crack and Doran howled with agony as the Gog dropped him to the ground.

Andric, growling fiercely, bit the Gogmagog in the face. The Gog screamed as Andric’s teeth punctured his eye and Nicky’s fangs tore away his lower jaw. There was movement to her left and she cringed in horror as she watched two of the Gogmagog’s simply stomp one of the hired Lycans into the ground. Blood and brains splattered across the bright snow as they crushed the Lycan’s head beneath their boots. The remaining hired Lycans turned and fled into the forest as Ryker screamed hoarsely. With a wild look of fierce determination on his face, he swung his sword and sliced off the left leg of the Gog in front of him. As the Gog screeched and fell to the ground, Ryker swung his sword again and chopped its head from its body.

“Max!” He shouted as another Gog approached him. “Do something, you stupid bitch!”

There was a loud keening noise as Nina knelt beside Meridan’s body.

“Meridan, no! Please, no!” She begged to the dead Lycan. “Oh, Meridan.” She moaned and wept, her body shaking with her sobs.

A Gog appeared behind the young girl, his face breaking into a grin to reveal his stained yellow teeth.

“Pretty human.” It muttered and reached for Nina.

“No.” Max said softly.

Her entire body was vibrating and she could feel the power soaring through her. It throbbed and pulsed within her, begging to be released, and with a small, strange smile, she set it free.

Nicky, his sides heaving and his face and chest covered in blood, looked up from the Gog he had just killed as the wind began to blow. Andric barked sharply and Nicky followed his gaze. Max, her hair standing on end and the wind rippling her clothing, raised her hand toward the Gog about to snatch Nina.

The Gog had time for one brief look of confusion before he was lifted into the air and flung across the field. He crashed into a tree head-first with a wet smacking sound, his large body shuddering once before he slumped to the ground.

Three of the Gogs charged at Max. She turned to face them, a bitter grin on her face, and shook her head.

“No.” She flicked her hand at them and a brief whine of shock escaped Nicky’s throat as the three giants burst apart. Blood and guts rained down on the snow as the remaining Gogs roared with surprise.

Max looked at Nicky and his fur rippled and snapped with energy as her gaze fell on him. “Behind you, Nicky.” She said in a soft, dreamy voice.

He whirled to see a Gog reaching for him. Before it could grab him, he felt another weird ripple of energy and the Gog exploded. He was immediately drenched in blood, his white fur stained red, and he shook the hot liquid from his eyes before staring at Max.

Andric had shifted and he gave Nicky a look of fear. “What in the gods name?” He shouted hoarsely over the rising wind.

Nicky shifted, wiping the blood from his face as he stared in disbelief. The Lycans and humans watched as Max, with almost lazy gestures and flicks of her hands, destroyed the suddenly-terrified Gogmagogs, one by one. When there was nothing left of them but shreds of clothing and bits of bone and guts and the snow was stained with their blood, she dropped her hands. The howling, raging wind died down, and the group stared silently at the woman standing in the midst of the carnage.

“Max?” Nicky approached her cautiously but when he reached out to touch her, she shook her head warningly.

“Look at me, sweetheart.” Nicky said quietly.

She raised her head and he took an involuntary step back. Her different coloured eyes were glowing with a strange light and she gave him a wide, vacant smile that chilled him to the bone.

“You shouldn’t touch me, Nicholas. It isn’t safe.” She said softly.

Nina wailed loudly. She was still cradling Meridan’s dead body but instead of going to the young girl, Max turned and walked toward the cabin.

“Where are you going?” Nicky called after her.

“To find your father.”

Nicky crossed to Nina and crouched beside her. “Nina, I’m sorry, little one. We must keep going.”

“Meridan?” She gave him a look of anguish as Kala peeked out from her hair and stroked her cheek anxiously.

“He’s gone, my love. I’m sorry.”

She wailed again and Nicky hugged her tightly before lifting her to her feet. “We must keep going, Nina.”

“A-alright.” She whispered. She turned to look at Meridan’s body and Nicky shook his head.

“No, little one. Do not look again.”

Pavina approached and she licked Nina’s hand consolingly before shifting.

“I’m sorry, Nina.”

“Keep her with you.” Nicky said and she nodded before putting her arm around Nina’s shoulders.

“How badly are you injured, cousin?” Nicky knelt next to Doran.

Cradling his left arm, he winced as Andric heaved him to his feet. “It’s only a broken arm but when I shift I won’t be able to walk on it.”

Nicky squeezed his shoulder. “Aye, stay in your human form. We will protect you.”

“You or her?” Doran looked over his shoulder. Max, Ryker following closely, was nearly at the door of the cabin and Doran gave Nicky an earnest look.

“Nicky, what she just did – what she’s capable of – I don’t know if it’s safe for us to be around her.”

“We have no choice, Doran.” Nicholas replied grimly. He headed toward Max and Ryker and, after a moment, Andric and Doran followed.

* * *

 

“I told you they weren’t here. It was nothing but a trap.” Ryker hissed at Nicky.

They had gathered in the cabin. There was a large worn rug on the floor and a few broken pieces of furniture but nothing else, and Ryker stared in disgust at the beams of sunlight that shone through the boarded up windows.

Andric glared at him. “We can smell the leeches. This is the place.”

Ryker rolled his eyes. “There isn’t – “

He stopped as Nicky pushed past him and shoved the rug back. There was a trap door hidden in the floor beneath it and Nicky grabbed the thick iron ring attached to the door.

“Nicky, wait.” Pavina said anxiously. “There aren’t enough of us. We should go back and – “

“No! They’re down there and, if he is still alive, so is my birth father. This is what we came to do.” Nicky said harshly. “We don’t turn back now.”

He pulled on the ring. The door opened with a harsh squealing noise and Nina cringed back as Nicky peered into the darkness below. He glanced at Max. She had wandered away from the rest of them and was staring between the boards of one of the windows with the same soft and almost dreamy look on her face.

“Max?”

“Aye?” She didn’t turn around.

“Are you ready?”

“I am.” She crossed the room and, without hesitating, sat at the edge of the trapdoor and dropped into the darkness.

Nicky stared at the others. “Let’s go. Stay behind Max.”

* * *

 

The small band of humans and Lycans followed Max down the narrow path beneath the shack. They were descending deeper into the earth and despite the total darkness, Max moved forward quickly and confidently.

After nearly five minutes of walking, the path widened into a large cavern. Max paused at the opening as Nicky inhaled deeply. The air was damp and humid and the stench of leech was overpowering. He heard Pavina make a soft gagging noise as she placed her hand over her nose and mouth.

“Where are they?” Andric muttered as the group stepped into the cavern. “I can smell them but where in the gods names are they?”

Without speaking, Max pointed upwards. As one, the group looked up and Nicky heard Nina take a deep wavering breath. The girl was going to scream, he was sure of it, and he pushed past Andric and Doran and clamped a hard hand over her mouth.

“Stay calm, Nina.” He breathed into her ear.

She nodded and he released her mouth cautiously as Max wandered deeper into the cavern. He glanced upwards again, feeling sick to his stomach, as he stared at the leeches hanging upside down from the rocky ceiling.

The cavern was filled with the filthy bloodsuckers and he squeezed Nina’s hand when her cold fingers wrapped around his.

“Why are they not killing us?” She breathed into his ear.

“They’re in their daysleep.” He murmured. “They will not wake until the sun goes down. Do not worry, baby sister.”

He hoped he was telling her the truth. Much of what he knew about the leeches came from stories and with over a hundred leeches hanging from the ceiling like overgrown bats, they didn’t have a chance. The leeches would destroy them in minutes.

Max had crossed the cavern and was standing at a large, thick wooden door. She traced the carvings on it before squinting at the carvings in the stone wall next to it. She moved closer, her foot dislodged a stone and it clattered down a small dip in the ground. The rest of the group froze, staring wide-eyed at the leeches above them, but Max took no notice. She continued to study the wall as Doran leaned closer to Nicky.

“The gods be damned, Nicky. Did they – did they build this?”

“They must have.” Nicky muttered. “Come on.”

He dropped Nina’s hand and, moving slowly, crossed the large cavern. The cavern was not particularly high and he ducked carefully past a low-hanging leech. The scent of humid earth and putrid leech was making him nauseous, and he covered his nose and mouth as he moved toward the wooden door.

When the entire group had gathered at the door, Nicky pulled the handle gingerly. It opened easily enough and all of them winced when it squealed loudly. They stared upwards in fear but not a single leech moved, and Nicky nodded to the others before stepping through the doorway. They clustered together just beyond the door and Nicky gave them a quick glance, frowning when he didn’t see Max.

He called her name softly and when she didn’t appear, began to shoulder past the others. Before he could get to the door, Nina had darted back into the cavern.

“Nina!” He growled her name softly in frustration.

She reappeared, holding Max by the hand, and gave him a timid smile. “I have her. She’s fine. Let’s – “

Nicky snarled in surprise when a leech, its eyes glowing red and its fangs dripping with saliva, dropped in front of the two women. It stared unblinkingly at Nicky, its eyes widening with surprise, before it bared its fangs and hissed loudly. Its long, pale fingers gripped the door and Nicky leaped forward as the vampire slammed the door shut. His body hit the door with a hard thud and he howled with rage and fear, slamming his fists against the door as he heard the soft thuds of the leeches dropping to the ground and Nina screaming.