Page 38

CHAPTER 37

W e head deeper into the trees, and I stick close to my mistress’s side, not liking the ghoul being this close to her.

“Do we even know where we are going?” Fang mutters, stumbling over a twig with a disgusted look.

“There has to be someplace we can fortify,” Tate murmurs.

“What about going to the pack of wolves Simon mentioned?” Addeus suggests.

“No, I won’t take our troubles to them. They have faced enough. This is my team, my problem. Besides, if some of the most dangerous monsters in the world cannot defeat five ghouls, then we don’t deserve to be alive,” she snaps, scanning our surroundings at all times.

“There’s an old electricity station about two miles up,” the ghoul says. We all look at him, and he ducks his head. “We scouted the area for the pack for a while and found it then. It had a fence and was locked to stop trespassers.”

“Why would you help us?” the fae asks.

He looks at Tate then, who glares. “I should have helped back then. I was weak and scared, but I’m trying to atone for that now.”

“We cannot trust him, mistress,” I admit quietly.

“No, but we don’t have much choice. We will scout it first.” She nods. “Okay, lead the way, Eric.”

He nods and slides past me, giving me a wide berth, and heads farther into the trees. Everyone is quiet, but then the ghoul’s voice fills the air again. “I have to ask, how did you survive? I was sure you were dead when Black came out. I thought he killed you.”

“He tried.” She smirks at him before her eyes go to the trees. “He didn’t succeed then, and he won’t now.”

He nods, glancing at her and stumbling over rocks before righting himself. “And the monsters you’re with? I always knew you sympathised with some, but Tate, they are the enemy.”

“No, my enemies are the very people I was supposed to trust who tortured me and left me for dead.” She glances at him, snarling, “You might not have driven the blades into my skin, Eric, but you watched and did nothing. A bystander is just as bad as those doing the act. You never once tried to help me despite being my teammate and friend. These people around me have fought by my side without me asking. They would die for me, so no, they aren’t the enemy. Monsters never were. It is our duty to cleanse evil from this world, but not all monsters are evil. I guess you will know now, though, since you’re one of them. Ironic, isn’t it? The man who hated monsters so much chose to become one just to cheat death. Tell me, Eric, where’s your stubbornness and belief now? Your unwavering dedication to Black’s belief that all monsters are evil and deserve to die when you are one?”

“I didn’t know this was what he planned,” he whispers.

“And that makes it better? You are not a child, Eric. Grow up. You cannot be innocent in this. You are as bad as Black,” she warns, tugging his rope to make him stumble. “Now focus and get us there quickly.”

Heading towards my mistress, I slide my hand over her side, offering comfort. This man betrayed her, and she trusted him. He was a friend, now he’s an enemy, and that is wearing on her, not that she will ever show anyone.

“Are you okay, mistress?” I ask quietly, hoping the ghoul does not hear. She doesn’t like to appear weak, priding herself on being so strong nothing can hurt her.

“Fine,” she snaps, and then her expression softens as she glances at me. “Thanks, Tem. Can you help me keep an eye on him?”

I know what it cost her to ask that, so I stand taller, proud to be able to help her. “Always, mistress.” I walk at his side, feeling her eyes on me, and when I glance back, she’s grinning as she glances around the woods.

I burst at the seams, knowing I could cheer her up, and nearly skip.

The ghoul glances at me. “So what are you?” he asks.

I don’t respond, and his eyes narrow. For a moment, I see something in the darkness, the veins crawling farther across his face. He might have been an innocent, weak human before, but he certainly isn’t anymore.

He’s a monster, and we cannot forget that.

“Answer me.”

“I only answer to my mistress.” I shrug.

“Mistress . . . Tate?” he scoffs. “Jesus, she really has lost it.”

My good mood disappears, and I feel the transformation come over me. My shadows pour from me, expanding into the woods and wrapping around him as I change before him. He falls to the ground, his eyes wide in horror as I roar in his face, shadows covering every inch of him.

I might be easy-going, and the others might look at me like I am nothing but a puppy to our mistress, but nobody, and I mean nobody , will ever hurt her emotionally or physically when I am around.

I am hers in every sense, and I am the most powerful being to ever walk this Earth, and she controls me. It’s time they realise that.

“What are you?” he exclaims, gaping up at me as my shadows dive into his skin and start to pull him apart from the inside out.

“Your worst nightmare. I am the hand in the dark, the evil in the shadows, and she is mine!” I roar.

He nods, his mouth opening to speak, but my shadows invade him. We might not know how to kill ghouls, but I can keep trying until we figure it out.

“Tem,” Tate calls, and I turn to see her walking through my shadows without hesitation. They allow her passage, caressing her skin as she stops next to me. She reaches up, her hand cupping where my cheek would be. “We need him alive. If we didn’t, I would let you rip him to pieces. Can you let him go for me?”

“He insulted you,” I hiss.

“He has done worse than that, but we need him for now.” Her voice is soft. “Release him for me, please.”

I instantly shrink, put my shadows away, and step back from him and into her as she smiles. “Good boy.”

“Anything for you, mistress,” I say as I kiss her softly. She lets me and even takes my hand.

“Come on, let’s get moving.” She keeps hold of my hand as she tugs the rope and Eric is dragged forward. “Either get to your feet or be dragged. Don’t slow us down or I will let Tem eat you.”

He scrambles up, and this time he keeps a wide berth from me as I walk at my mistress’s side. Fang chuckles behind me, and I wink at her as she shoots me that same gesture again with the thumbs.

We stand in the trees that seem to surround the abandoned electrical station. It’s overgrown, and there are no signs of life. There’s a huge barbed-wire fence the entire way around the one-storey building, a pylon to the right of it, though the wires are cut.

“It will do.” Tate nods, and I know she hates it, but she glances at the ghoul, clearly not wanting to trust him or leave him with us. “Addeus, Zee—fae, go scout it for any signs of life.”

They nod and head out. “Tem, take Fang and scout the woods. Check for any signs of life anywhere. We don’t want to bring trouble to anyone or vice versa.”

“Yes, mistress.” I nod, and Fang and I slip away, heading through the woods. I stretch out my senses, even as I check with my eyes, wanting to be sure.

“You’re doing good, you know, to get her to fall for you,” Fang remarks.

“Fall for me?” I repeat in confusion.

“You know, to make her love you,” she scoffs, her gaze on the woods.

“Mistress already loves me. She saved me.” I shrug.

“Right.” Fang coughs with a smile.

“Have you always enjoyed the company of other women?” I ask.

She snorts, laughing even as she looks around. “Yes, they are better than men. Men are just walking idiots. No offense.”

“I am not a man. I’m an ancient tempest.”

“Good to know, but yes, I’ve always enjoyed the company of other women.” She grins. “They are just soft, sexy, and so much fun. It’s like your best friend and partner rolled into one.”

I nod. “I like my mistress. She’s sweet and soft and tasty too.”

“That she is.” She grins. “But she’s also strong. She makes me feel safe when no other has.”

“You are important to my mistress, therefore I will protect you. She cares for you,” I say. “Nobody will hurt you again, Fang.”

“Family,” she blurts. “That’s the word you are looking for. We are a family.”

“Family . . . I have never had one of those.”

“Me neither, apart from my brother,” she says. “I like it, even if we are trekking through the woods and avoiding ghouls.”

“Life is never boring with my mistress.” I grin.

“Say that again.” She chuckles. “Would you like to be friends, Tem?”

“Friends . . . Best friends?” I ask as I stop, hope blooming in my chest.

“Sure, best friends.” She grins. “I’ll help you make Tate love you and vice versa. We will have each other’s backs.”

“What else is required?” I murmur as I scan the ground. “I want to make sure I am a good best friend.”

“Erm, you comfort me when I’m sad, help me if I’m in trouble, watch movies with me, eat with me, support my delusions, and help me hide bodies.”

“Very good, I can do all of that,” I respond, and she laughs. We become quiet for a moment. “What is a movie?”

“I’ll show you.” She smirks. “They have some great ones you will really like with men and women embracing.”

“I like the sound of that. What are they called?” I’m learning so much about this world through my mistress’s people. I like it.

“Porn. Ask your mistress about it,” she says.

“I will.” We circle back around, and when we come upon Tate, I shake my head. “There are no signs of life anywhere.”

“Good, we’ll wait for the others then go in,” she murmurs, and I glance at Fang, and she raises her eyebrows at me.

“Mistress, do you like to watch porn as well? We could watch it together.”

Her head slowly turns towards me, and she stares at me incredulously as I tilt my head at her.

Fang bursts into laughter, and we both glance at her. “Another thing besties do, Tem, is tease each other.”

“Tease? Mistress doesn’t like porn?” I frown.

Fang grins. “Maybe she does. I bet she’s into the kinky stuff.”

“Kinky porn?” I repeat.

“Oh my god, stop saying porn!” Tate gapes. “It’s like kicking a puppy, Fang.”

“Sorry, I couldn’t resist.” Fang giggles and moves to my side. “Ask her again later.”

“I will.” I nod, still confused.

The others come back with the same news, and Jarek simply breaks the lock on the gate. Once we walk through the fence, he and the fae stand side by side, working their magic and laying barriers of protection before we head inside through the open front door. It’s dark in here before Tate and Fang set out some lights in the engineering room.

The ghoul is tied to a pole in the back while the others spread out, resting and relaxing as we wait for our next orders. I munch on some fruit from Tate’s bag, sharing with Fang as Tate watches the ghoul and he watches her right back.

Fang gives me a confused look, and we all wait quietly until Tate sits forward in the rolling chair, her hands hanging between her parted thighs, a knife in one.

“What will you do with me?” he asks.

“I’m still deciding that,” she replies.

He nods, looking around. “How long will we stay here for?”

“However long I want,” she snaps then turns to us. “I want one of you out front and one out back at all times. Decide between yourselves who is first.”

Addeus climbs to his feet along with Jarek, and they head out without a word, leaving us with Tate and the ghoul.

Time passes slowly as we wait for Ronan. “So you woke up like this?” Tate asks, filling the silence.

Eric nods carefully. “In the parking lot I died in. I don’t know how much time passed, but I was so hungry, and the next thing I remember was devouring a rabbit, covered in blood, when Black and the others found me. I stuck with them because I didn’t have much choice.”

“Even though he wants to attack Stalkers’ Rest and our people?” she snaps.

“I didn’t have a choice. I was scared, Tate. I didn’t know what I was and what was happening, and Black seemed to.”

“He’s controlling you the way he always did, with fear, power, and knowledge,” she scoffs.

“He wanted to go after the wolves. That’s why we went back to the lot, and then he smelled you,” he says, leaning back.

“Smelled me?” Her brows draw together as she watches him.

“You smell.” Eric nods. “It’s a distinctive scent, and he knew it was you, so we followed it right to your door.”

Her lips purse as she stares at him.

“I’m scared. Tate,” he says, and it seems to soften something in her.

“Eric, we will find a way to help you, but in the meantime, tell us how to stop them,” she demands. “Okay?” She crouches before him. “You can rectify your wrongs now by being like you used to be, but better.”

He nods, lowering his head as he sniffles like he’s crying, and she lays a hand on his shoulder in comfort despite everything he did to her. Suddenly, that sniffling grows louder, and I realise he’s not crying.

He’s laughing.

He starts to laugh loudly, and she frowns as his head lifts. “The old Eric is dead, and you fell right into our trap. Sweet, kind Tate, always trying to save everyone. We knew you would try to save me, even now after everything. We’ve been waiting for you.” His grin is pure malice as he leans back into the wall. “They will be here any minute. You came just like I said you would.” He pouts his lips. “Poor, defenceless Eric needs protection, and big bad Tate always wants to be the saviour. You couldn’t even save your own daddy, though, could you?” She flinches, stands, and steps back as I get to my feet. “And you won’t save any of them either.”

Just then, an explosion rocks the earth.

“Time’s up, Tate. Welcome to the end,” he says with a smirk, the veins crawling over his entire face.