The Mark of Fallen Flame (Weapon of Fire and Ash) Read online

  There was a crack like thunder then a wall shot out of the ground, raising up several stories high, blocking what little light they had. What the—?

  Emma brought her arms up, shielding her face just before she hit the wall with an oomph. Adrianna screamed as she collided with it less than a second later. The rough, stone wall was as cold as the air outside, but it did little to soothe the sting in her forearms from the impact. Adrianna swore loudly. Their eyes were wide as they stared disbelievingly at each other. Emma’s hands shook as she slapped her burning palms against the solid stone. It was real.

  “What the hell?” Adrianna cried, scraping at the wall, unable to find purchase. They were blocked in.

  Emma’s throat was too thick with terror to respond. The creatures made high-pitched noises of glee behind them.

  Slowly, Emma turned, pressing her back into the rough stone, hoping it would swallow her up. The three shadowy creatures with deadly, glowing eyes like wolves, scuttled gracefully closer. The darkness that clung to them dissipated, revealing tattered skin, and exposed bone and sinew.

  Adrianna whimpered, then spun and began pounding her fists against the wall, screaming for help, but Emma couldn’t move. Her eyes were fixed on the three creatures. The light her phone emitted lit the one closest to it from the side. They were all at least seven feet tall with elongated heads with sharp chins, and two rounded bulges on the top of their skulls. But it wasn’t that, or the way their dark skin hung off their bodies like tattered rags that made Emma gag. It was the smell of burnt, decaying flesh mixed with the sharp, metallic scent of blood. Beside her, Adrianna struggled to keep her dinner down.

  “Sssso fun,” the first voice said in a taunting, snake-like voice.

  “Myyyy favorite part,” the second chimed.

  But the third, the one touched by the dim lighting, taller than the others, cocked its head to the side, its glowing eyes fixed on Emma. It stepped forward in one gigantic, smooth stride. Emma pressed herself harder into the wall, willing it to swallow them whole.

  Adrianna sobbed, shifting the creature’s gaze to her for a second, then as if dismissing her, looked back at Emma.

  “Interesting,” it rasped. This one’s voice was different from the other two. It sounded more…human. A chill snaked down Emma’s spine.

  She thought of her mother and closed her eyes, waiting for death. She’d had to beg and plead with her mother to go out with her friend tonight.

  Emma wondered how long it would take for her body to be found. People would undoubtedly notice a wall had enclosed the alley that held the back doors of several shops. But someone would have to break it down to find them. By the time she was discovered, her mother would have worked herself into a flurry of panic. Her mother’s bright smile and shining eyes filled her mind. Tears slipped from under Emma’s tightly shut eyelids.

  The putrid smell was practically suffocating her now. A deep, throaty inhale made her eyes shoot open. A pair of large, sickly yellow eyes stared back at her.

  “Very interesting,” the creature repeated.

  “P-please. Let us g-go,” Adrianna begged through poorly-stifled sobs. Emma reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a light squeeze. At least she would face her last moments with her friend. Neither would have to die alone. Emma tried to speak, but her mouth wouldn’t open.

  The three creatures gave another round of laughter.

  “Ah,” the middle one said after breathing deeply. “Tasssste that fear, brothersssss?”

  “Enough of thisss, I’m ssstarving,” the one furthest in the darkness hissed.

  Emma saw the two creatures lunge for Adrianna. The one standing directly in front of her had her practically caged in against the wall, making it impossible to help her friend. Its mouth opened, stretching wide enough to fit an entire human head inside of it.

  Emma’s reaction was quick, her fist coming up in a right hook. It collided with the cold, papery flesh of its low-hanging jaw, snapping it shut. A jolt of something dark and powerful flooded her. Her blood burned like fire in her veins, and she cried out.

  The creature’s eyes widened in shock. It felt it too. The sensations of power and heat faded, but the creature remained stunned. A scream echoed deeper in the alley and Emma leaped around her attacker. One of the creatures had its long, spindly arms wrapped around Adrianna like an enormous insect grasping its prey. The other was trying to get its gaping mouth around her thrashing limbs.

  Emma charged at the two creatures, but her movement startled her attacker from its stupor, and it grabbed for her with its hand-less stumps. It moved sluggishly, and she dodged its limbs, but not before its skin brushed against hers again. The creature screeched so fiercely that Emma spun back toward it. Another surge of what felt like pure adrenaline coursed through her.

  More something inside her demanded. Her head spun as she lunged for it, wrapping her arms and legs around its thin, spider-like arm. She ignored that smell that filled her nostrils and made her stomach roll. A rush of energy crashed into her, invading every cell with power. A laugh of pure ecstasy bubbled up out of her throat.

  The creature’s scream was more of a croak. It tried to shake Emma off, swatting at her with its other three uncoordinated arms. But everywhere its skin made contact with hers, the heady rush grew, and the creature stiffened. Emma watched with fascination and wicked delight that didn’t feel like her own as the enormous figure began to wilt. Its dead eyes lost their glow and shrank back into its skull. After another moment, the energy stopped pumping into her, and a dry, brittle husk crackled into a fine powder in her arms.

  Emma couldn’t help but stare for another moment before her friend’s agonizing screams made her whirl around. One of the creatures had gotten Adrianna’s arm in its mouth and clamped down. It slurped noisily as blood dribbled from its mouth and onto the pavement. Emma sprinted toward it, her body light and fluid.

  She moved so quickly that everything was a blur. She flung her body around the decaying flesh of the creature’s leg. The creature shrieked and writhed, releasing Adrianna, who hit the ground with an audible snap and a strained sob. It stepped back with slow, jerky movements. Emma clung to it, needing to feel the incredible power that filled her. She could snap the entire thing in half with ease, but the thought of letting go for even a second made her cling tighter. She wanted it. No, she needed it. The remaining dregs of energy permeated her skin like a sweet, sticky sap. The second creature was a heap of dust before Emma got to her feet. It coated her clothing, her skin, and her hair. Head lowered, her eyes locked onto the remaining creature. More.

  Emma stalked forward. She wanted to enjoy this next one. She wanted to drain it slowly. She wanted to watch the life leave its eyes. A grin split her face as she prowled forward.

  I want you to look at what’s left of your friends and know what’s coming for you, Emma thought. It backed away, stumbling as if it heard her thoughts. The lanky stick-creature hit the side of the building and hissed threateningly.

  “What are you?” it asked, each word a hiss. Its fear was like a drug that Emma craved, and her smile grew. All she cared about was getting close enough to touch it. Seeing it cornered like they had done to her, filled Emma with a glee that whispered: death. It was unlike anything she had ever felt before. She felt alive.

  “Emma.” The name made something inside her freeze. It sounded familiar. After a moment she realized it was hers. She turned slowly on the spot.

  A girl cowered on the ground, bleeding from her arm. She gripped her ankle, staring at Emma. She blinked, as the heat inside her slowly dwindled. Details started to click back into place. Who she was, what she was doing here, and more importantly, that the injured girl was her best friend.

  Emma took a step toward her and Adrianna made a sound akin to the pained whimper of the mutilated dog. Emma stopped dead as her heart lurched painfully. The remaining energy inside her le
ft in a rush, and suddenly she was ice cold all the way to her bones. Her skin ached, her muscles strained and overworked. A bitter taste had filled her mouth, making her want to spit.

  She whipped back around to drain the last creature, only to find that it was no longer there. She searched the alley, and her eyes landed on the open street, which was no longer blocked by a wall. That must have been what Adrianna was trying to tell her.

  Emma spun back toward her friend and rushed forward, but the girl scooted away fearfully.

  “A?” Emma said tentatively. “I’m not going to hurt you. I would never hurt you.”

  Adrianna’s eyes were filled with uncertainty, her brows creased, but she let Emma close the distance between them without moving again, her eyes never leaving Emma’s.

  She bent down, observing Adrianna’s bloodied arm first. The teeth had only punctured around the elbow and could be explained away as cuts, but she didn’t know how deep they were. She did a quick scan of the rest of Adrianna’s body, her gaze landing on her ankle. It was at least twice its normal size, and she could make out a bone jutting to the side, stretching the skin. Definitely broken.

  “Let’s get you to a hospital,” Emma said, offering her hands to help her up. Adrianna flinched, forcing Emma to meet her gaze. “What’s your deal, A?” she demanded. Her chest swelled as emotion worked its way up her throat. She had just saved Adrianna’s life, and now her friend was acting like she was a plague.

  “Your eyes,” Adrianna whispered. “They were glowing.”

  Emma shook her head. She had no idea what had just happened, but nothing made sense. She looked over her friend’s shoulder to her phone, and her stomach dropped.

  The dog that had died right before her eyes was no longer there. There was no blood on the pavement except for Adrianna’s. No evidence of anything that had just happened. The dusty creature’s remains were already being swept away by the brisk breeze. For a split second, she questioned her sanity.

  “The dog isn’t there anymore.” Her voice was a whisper. She wasn’t even sure if she was saying it to herself or her friend. Adrianna twisted slowly, wincing as she looked behind her. When she turned back to face Emma, her eyes were wide and filled with tears.

  “What’s going on?”

  Emma shook her head again. “I don’t know. We couldn’t have both imagined the dog and the wall. We touched them. They were real. And I killed…” Her voice cracked. She had killed. They were horrible, inhuman things, but she had killed. Her head gave a mighty throb.

  Tears spilled over Adrianna’s cheeks. Her whole body shook, struggling to contain her wails. Their fear was bone-deep. But there was relief too. They were alive. Emma rubbed Adrianna’s back until her tears slowed to a stop. Then her friend asked, “How did you kill those two things?”

  “I don’t know,” Emma replied truthfully. “My touch sort of…dried them out from the inside?” Even as the words left Emma’s mouth, she knew they sounded insane. I drank their power, she didn’t say.

  “This is too freaky.” Adrianna tried to move to her feet but immediately collapsed again, unable to support her weight on her ankle.

  “Let me help you,” Emma offered. She placed her hands under Adrianna’s arms and pulled her to her feet.

  Adrianna leaned into Emma as they hobbled out of the darkness, stopping briefly so Emma could grab her cellphone, keeping the flashlight lit. Once they reached the light from the street lamps, they both let out a sigh of relief. Adrianna handed over her keys before Emma lowered her into a sitting position on the curb and told her to stay while she grabbed the car. She heard Adrianna give a small, humorless laugh before she sprinted to the next block where the car was parked.

  Emma helped lift her friend into the passenger seat, her arms and legs quivering with the effort.

  “The hospital is only a few miles away,” Emma said as she fastened her seatbelt. Adrianna nodded stiffly, her eyes closed.

  They drove in silence, Emma pushing the speed limit just enough to get them there faster, her mind still racing. She pulled up to the emergency entrance, then shifted to face Adrianna.

  “You fell, cut up your arm and broke your ankle. Don’t mention monsters or anything else, okay?” Emma said. Adrianna nodded. “You tripped and fell on the way back to the car. Glass cut up your arm.” The words didn’t seem terribly unbelievable given their footwear, but the lie seemed to glare back at her.

  Adrianna unfastened her seat belt with a shaky breath before Emma went to grab a wheelchair from inside the sliding doors. Within a few moments, several staff members came out to help load her friend into the wheelchair while asking them both a slew of questions.

  Emma paused outside the automatic sliding doors, as a tingling sensation crept up Emma’s neck, sending goosebumps down her limbs. She turned, squinting out past the area lit by the parking lot lights, into the darkness beyond. A cold lump dropped into her chest as her heart picked up speed again. You’re safe, she told herself. No more monsters. But she couldn’t shake the sensation that somewhere within the shadows, she was being watched.

  3

  Levaroth

  Screams rang out through the house, announcing that the prisoner was awake. A slow smile danced on Levaroth’s lips before he pushed up from the musty, threadbare armchair. The floorboards creaked as he stalked from one end of the derelict house to the other, where a set of stairs led to the basement.

  Ragged sobs grew louder with each step he descended. The smell of mildew, the prisoner’s fear, and agony mixed in the air with his blood, making Levaroth’s stomach clench hungrily. He drew in a deep, greedy breath through his nostrils.

  His gaze drilled into the thin man dangling by his wrists in only his boxer shorts. Dried blood caked on almost every bit of exposed flesh. One leg was bent at an impossible angle, and the swelling in his chest indicated a broken rib, possibly a punctured lung. His eyes were blackened, and one was swollen completely shut. A purposeful move.

  Levaroth enjoyed seeing their palpable fear, particularly in their eyes. Fear registered on the man’s face as he began thrashing against his restraints. New screams reverberated around them and fresh blood trickled down his wrists from where the metal ripped the scabbing skin raw. Levaroth watched with rapt fascination as one bead wended its way through the maze of blond hairs on the outside of his forearm before disappearing around his thin bicep.

  “Please, I told you everything I know,” the man wheezed in broken English.

  Levaroth smiled. “I know you did.”

  “So, you vill let me go?” he replied hopefully. Levaroth chuckled.

  “Why would I do that? I still have use for you, Robert.” The man started at the use of his name, and hope seeped from his pores. Killers rarely used names; they bred a humanization that left guilt in its wake—but Levaroth was incapable of such emotions. His lip drew up in disgust.

  To clear away the annoyingly bitter taste that had left an unpleasant burn in the back of his throat, Levaroth stepped forward. He wrapped invisible tendrils of power around the man’s neck. A grin spread on Levaroth’s face as he squeezed. The man’s eye bulged as he choked and sputtered. His mouth worked like a fish as he tried to take air into his lungs. Before any irreversible damage could be done, Levaroth released his hold. The atmosphere was thick with fear again, making his mouth water. His blood hummed with anticipation.

  He crossed the room to the sleek, metal table where various tools and instruments were laid out. They all winked with the promise of death. His fingers hovered over a twisted tri-claw tool that looked more suited to gardening before selecting the gleaming scalping knife. His gaze inspected the rectangular blade for dullness. Then he turned on his heel to find the prisoner sagging in his manacles. The fool was unconscious again. Levaroth gave an exaggerated huff of irritation.

  He smacked the man’s bruised and bloodied face. Nothing. This time harder. Stil
l nothing. The anger that always burned just beneath the surface began to boil under his skin. He turned his empty hand palm up. A single flame danced and twirled within it. With a small smirk, he pressed his hand to the man’s chest.

  Robert’s eye-lid flew open, a blood-curdling scream forced from his scorched vocal cords. Between his ribs, the skin was blackened. Beneath the torched flesh, his heart thundered loudly enough for Levaroth to hear.

  “That’s better. It’s rude to pass out while I’m torturing you, Robert,” Levaroth said.

  “Please, just let me go. I have a sick mother and two sons who need me,” the man begged, slipping into Russian, his voice hoarse.

  “Not going to happen, Bob. Do people call you Bob?” The man was speaking again, but Levaroth continued chatting, more to himself than to the prisoner, “That’s not a very Russian name.”

  The man’s eyelids shuttered. He was slipping again. Rage erupted, and the blade in Levaroth’s hand glowed red as it sliced into the man’s chest. Once. Twice. Three times. The gleaming edge cut through bone and tissue like warm butter.

  “Ssssir!”

  Levaroth’s triumphant roar silenced and he turned slowly. Warm, thick blood coated his face, filled his mouth and dripped onto his crisp, pressed suit. He wiped it from his eyes with his sleeve and then grimaced. He’d have to have his favorite suit cleaned yet again.

  “What, Berak?” Levaroth snapped. The tall, thin creature looked past Levaroth to the suspended man who was now dead. A rumbling, animalistic growl sounded in the back of Levaroth’s throat as his already thin patience threatened to snap.

  “There was an incident in Seattle this evening—”

  “Well I should hope so, that is your job.” The dark, disfigured creature dipped its head in a show of mock respect, though its eyes were filled with loathing.

  “Three of ussss wassss lookin’ for a bite when we sssspied two wee hum’n girlssss—”