Page 39 of His Sunshine Baby (The Silver City #2)

This is it. The big fight we have been anticipating for weeks… Hundreds of wolves gather at the north border and, as the sun sets, the vampires slowly come creeping around. They hide in the shadows, avoiding the sunlight, their white faces clearly visible in the darkness surrounding them.

The wolves start growling. I channel my inner wolf, connecting to as many people as possible. I had never tried that before, but it feels incredible. I can feel every single wolf in our enlarged pack, like an invisible thread linking me to their hearts. There are hundreds of us, all connected to me and Damian Black. It’s strange how the Alphas appear brighter, while my friends have more color. Is it because I know them well? The closest to me are Levi and Danny. Their wolves shine with a gold or bronze shade, something that warms me up.

The Black brothers are like dark shadows, each more terrifying than the other, even to our kind. All the wolves around are wary of them; the King and his brothers are easily identifiable no matter where they stand, even if they haven’t shape-shifted yet.

Actually, as I look around, we are almost the last ones who have yet to take our wolf form. Aside from Nate, Liam, and Damian, only a handful of werewolves are standing on two feet. Among them, Lysandra Jones and Tonia are standing next to each other and talking while watching the forest, so softly I can’t hear. Probably something private anyway.

Boyan too walks up to Daniel and I, looking more serious than ever.

“You okay?” he asks.

“Doing fine so far. How about you?”

“I just hope Nora and the kids stay safe,” he says, looking determined.

I often forgot that, besides being her best friend, he is Nora’s bodyguard. He’s probably the first one, besides Damian, willing to defend her and her children… no matter the cost.

As I look around, there is still one person missing, one I can’t mind-link though.

“What is Sylviana doing?” I ask Liam, a few steps away.

“She’s still at the hospital. Don’t worry, she’ll be here in due time,” he answers while glancing at the sunset.

I hope she does. I think the vampires will be hard to handle already, but if we have no defense against the witch either…

The fact that Chris and Iris’ whereabouts are still unknown is bothering me. Why is this timing so perfect? Disappearing today, of all days? The one when Nora gives birth, the one when the battle happens? I can’t shake off that feeling that something bad will happen. I hope it’s just my instincts going crazy.

Just when my heartbeat and anxiety are about to blow through the roof, I feel a hand in mine. I don’t even need to look.

“It’s going to be okay,” he whispers. “We’re going to be back to our baby star by sunrise.”

I nod.

Nathaniel’s right about one thing at least: this will be over at dawn. The vampires are obviously waiting for the sun to go down and the sky to get dark. If this war lasts until the morning, we will have won.

Strangely, in this very moment, I miss Nora. She’s like my other half, the power that completes mine completely. I can feel her, her aura linked to all of the wolves just like mine. It’s pure white, not like my golden, shining light. It’s similar, yet different, like the lights of the Sun and the Moon. I’m sure we would be invincible together. I have to make sure I can be strong enough for two as long as I can.

I try to channel my inner wolf as much as I can while this unbearable wait goes on. More and more vampires gather. I can’t see them all, but we can feel them, like pests crawling and lurking in the shadows. There are a lot of them. I’m starting to wonder if this woman told the truth. If there are thousands…

Suddenly, I feel Nora’s bond with the other wolves and I weaken. I can tell. Her labor is starting. I glance up, and sure enough, that barrier I was feeling is shaking too. The Royal’s Aura is going down. Sylviana had poured her magic into that barrier, but whatever it is, it won’t be enough.

The sun’s almost set, and the enemies have gathered. My friends and I spread among the wolves, getting ready to fight. I exchange one final look with Nate.

“ I love you. ”

“ I love you too, my sunshine. ”

Once again, the barrier shakes. The vampires come closer, just a few feet away. All the wolves are growling.

“Wait until my signal,” yells Damian.

Time to see if our weeks of preparation will pay off. All the wolves are waiting, ready to fight, but staying within the perimeter we marked while the vampires come closer. I don’t see the witch! We need to find the witch and kill her as soon as we can! Sylviana hasn’t arrived yet either, but the hospital is so close…

Suddenly, one of the vampires screeches, a horrible sound familiar to their race. A lot of wolves growl back, but as expected, no one disobeys the King.

As all of the other vampires screech in response to the first one, the warning becomes terribly clear. There’s a fucking lot of them. I can’t count them all, but one thousand or two is the minimum. Holy Moon Goddess. How many did that bitch of a witch gather?

“It’s gonna be one fucking feast,” sighs Liam before jumping into his black wolf appearance.

“They are not touching a hair on my children or my wife,” growls Damian back.

That’s it. Once they are done screeching, a handful of vampires start running, and dozens follow. No one on our side moves yet. We are all waiting, as Damian and I glare at the line of our border. Suddenly, Nora and Sylviana’s protection disappears at once, and the vampires keep running, wide, scary smiles on their faces. Yeah, keep smiling, you monsters.

The first bomb explodes a couple of seconds later. One by one they go off, following the line we established and blowing up dozens of vampires each. Their limbs and blood is sprayed around, and some wolves step aside to avoid it. In a few seconds, the fifteen bombs we had planted exploded, killing maybe two or three hundred vampires at once. The ones who were running behind them slow down, and Damian’s grin is terrifying.

“NOW!”

The King shape-shifts in a split second, the huge black wolf’s appearance exhilarating everyone. All at once, the wolves start running, going past the ravaged line and jumping on the first lines of vampires. I start running too.

“ The bombs! Can’t believe we used the fucking Gold Moon’s idea! ”

“ Liam, shut the fuck up and fight! ”

Sure enough, I don’t have time to squander any more time chatting with him about my idea. It’s a fucking battle here. I jump on the first vampires I see, using my silver poles to beat the shit out of them. I want to use my weapons as much as I can before I shape-shift. I am the only one who can wield silver, the one thing both of our species fear.

Despite the ones we blew up, there’s still way too many vampires waiting for us out there. We start holding a clear front against them. The best warriors target the groups of vampires, while the weaker ones of us attack the isolated ones.

I have to focus on fighting my own battles while keeping up with everything going on and directing the others with Damian when needed.

“ The east! Guard the east! One just ran past us! Joe, get him! ”

The betas are acting as the second line of defense, planted to kill any vampire that gets past the alphas and warriors. Levi and Joseph are the busiest, as the Lewis’ are faster and right behind Lysandra, who’s mostly playing around.

“ Lysandra, just go for the kill! We don’t have time for that! ”

She growls but obeys, and her wolf starts making a slaughter of her surroundings. We made sure to keep the Alphas among us isolated, as we tend to get violent. Damian, Nate, and Liam are terrific too. I almost can’t recognize them, it’s a bloodbath in their area.

Unlike us, the vampires are uncoordinated and acting randomly, counting on their huge numbers. They are focused on one thing: entering Silver City, and probably killing Nora. We are not going to allow that.

I keep fighting, hitting every vampire I can, avoiding their bites and claws and kicking without distinction. My poles are covered in vampire blood, sticky and smelly, but I don’t give a damn. I’m caught in that dance of death, I can’t slow down or catch a break. It’s a race against time, and it has just begun.

More and more vampires keep coming; I can feel some wolves struggling to keep up and soon, the first mortal bites. As soon as one of ours is in bad shape, two more wolves jump in to help them, but the situation is not so good. Except for our line of Alphas, most wolves are giving their all, and one second of inattention is fatal. I need to go on, I can’t stop to mourn the dead, but I can feel it. The ties that were binding me to them, brutally cut off, or slowly growing thinner until they are no more. Shit.

I pour my rage into my fists and my will to fight. Our line of Alphas is merciless. Damian, Nate, William, Arthur, Lysandra, and I are not leaving them one second to rest. Around us, all the wolves are running around, catching any vampire they can and tearing them apart. The fight is getting so intense, all the soil is ploughed everywhere, leaving the mud to meld with the stench of the blood.

All this time, I’m trying to focus on the fight, but the deaths are crushing my heart, making it harder to breathe and to focus. I am a warrior, I need to get through this. I’ll mourn the dead later! I take a deep breath and send two more vampires flying Liam’s way with one blow. He’s only too happy to jump and tear their throats open. I didn’t think the Alphas would work so well together. Each one of us is holding their ground; we have barely moved a few steps since the beginning of the fight. Our line is doing a good job of thinning out their troops while acting as a barrier. We picked positions within a few feet of each other, so that only a few vampires can go past us, enough for the betas to deal with if they are not killed by the other wolves before that.

After a while, it becomes clear our plan is working, but I’m also aware this is only the beginning. The vampires just don’t stop coming at us, as if there are an infinite number of them just waiting.

Also, the main players of this game haven’t appeared yet, and I’m well aware everything will change then. What the heck is taking so long? Truth is, I’ve lost track of time. It’s night time, that’s all I can say. With the moon’s shine and my wolf vision, I have no trouble seeing, but there is just too much going on all around. It’s a blurry mess everywhere. I hear growling, screeches, and screams. Some wolves are wailing, crying for their lost loved ones. I’m lucky none of my loved ones are in difficulty yet, but I’m not prepared for it.

Suddenly, I can sense something’s wrong on our west flank. Too many wolves are in pain at the same time!

“ William! What’s going on there! ”

“ The water! She’s here! The witch is–! ”

He’s gone. I lose my breath. William’s wolf is gone, completely gone, leaving a big void where I felt him just a second ago.

Oh Moon Goddess, I can’t believe it, but I can’t be wrong either. I know this feeling all too well. Just like Reagan… I keep mind-linking anyone I can in that area, trying to figure out what the fuck is going on. Their voices die one after the other. The witch is there. The water’s attacking.

It’s a fucking nightmare. I want to cry, but I can’t. William died and now, there’s nothing I can do about it. I need to settle this.

“ Damian! ”

“ Stay where you are! ”

“ But–! ”

“ Stay where you are, Selena! ”

I growl, pissed. I know it’s our plan, but our people are dying on the west side! Suddenly, the earth starts shaking under our feet, and roots erupt from the ground, impaling nearby vampires before diving back into the soil. Sylviana! It was fucking high time!

I take a second to catch my breath as most vampires around us are being wiped out by the Earth Witch. Thank Moon Goddess. I didn’t realize I was so exhausted, out of breath, and dirty. I’m covered in blood, vampire blood, and it stinks. Next to me, Liam shakes his head, catching his breath too.

Sylviana appears at my side. Instead of her usual flowery dresses, she is in jeans, barefoot in the mud with a simple top, quite a difference from her usual look. She looks exhausted already, a pearl of sweat on her neck. Is she draining so much energy already?

“Tell me you still got some fuel left?” I growl.

“I’ll be fine,” she nods. “I just… I’m not ready for this to happen.”

While I’m lost trying to understand what she means by that, she agitates her hand, killing a nearby vampire.

“What now?” I ask.

“I need to confront her. She’s probably controlling the Vampire King or Queen somehow. If I can stop her, we can stop them.”

For the first time, I realize Sylviana looks really afraid. She’s fearing that confrontation, it’s obvious. She’s looking towards the west with that worried look in her eyes.

“You can do it,” I tell her, trying to share some of my inner strength with her.

She chuckles shyly.

“I hope you won’t judge me too badly when you hear the truth.”

“What? What truth?”

But before she can answer, new vampires attack us, and we both have to fight a new wave of vampires. Sylviana starts progressing toward the west, her butterfly, five times its usual size, following behind her.

I have to dodge a new attack, then riposte with a kick, and I slowly realize, the vampires are coming in larger numbers. Did they increase because the Water Witch is there? Or in response to Sylviana’s powers? No matter which it is, the fight resumes, more savage than before. They are now coming at us by the dozen, and we all struggle to keep up the rhythm. It’s one wave after another, and I have no idea what’s going on elsewhere. I can’t stop to focus on everyone. I try to push my wolf to its limit, spreading my mind-link like a web around me, catching as many wolves as I can and making sure to hold on.

I pour my aura and strength into our link, galvanizing our troops. I feel Damian Black, like a black monster scaring all the vampires and making a bloody slaughter around him. Liam is toying with them, tearing them to shreds and making a mess out of it. Nate is also being one scary Alpha, but with an unusual elegance to it. He takes them down, one by one, not showing one ounce of fatigue, and I’m proud of my man.

I try to feel the other Alphas. I can feel Lysandra, fighting like a lioness, and… and… Arthur Seaver. I can’t… I can’t feel him. I didn’t even realize. Our link was so thin…

It means there’s a big gap in the west. Whether the witch got him, or the vampires, I can’t tell, but his wolf is nowhere to be found.

“ Damian! Nate! ”

The King knows too. He turns his head to me, nodding. The witch is in the west; now that we are sure, that’s where we need to move. We break our former line, letting Lysandra Jones and all of the betas take our place to fight the new waves of vampires. I hope they will be able to hold on long enough. The Black brothers and I start running, but our run is cut short.

A few paces away, standing behind several lines of vampires, is a woman. Her blue-green eyes and human appearance can’t be mistaken. She’s dressed all in black, and looks younger than I had imagined, maybe about Clark or Reagan’s age. We run to Sylviana’s side, who stands facing her, though they are a few feet apart.

“So… Those are your little guard dogs. The sons of Black…”

Her voice is strangely hoarse, like she has been screaming for days. Next to me, Sylviana is fiercely staring at her, her fists closed.

“Enough, Nephera. You need to stop all of this, now.”

The Water Witch chuckles.

“Nephera? Is that what you call me after all this time?”

We frown, confused. What the heck is she talking about? I exchange glances with the Black brothers, but even Liam doesn’t seem to know what’s going on. Suddenly, the Water Witch laughs loudly, staring at us like something funny is going on.

“Don’t tell me? Sylviana, after all this time? You couldn’t tell them? Really?”

What the fuck is she talking about? Sylviana looks utterly sad and sorry right now, making me fucking uneasy about whatever’s going on. The Water Witch stops laughing, and sighs.

“Really, my little sister. You’re as weak as ever.”

You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.

I turn to Sylviana.

“She meant that metaphorically, right?” I ask, channeling the three brother’s words echoing in my head into one question.

“We are half-sisters,” confesses Sylviana, white as a sheet.

What? I did not see that one coming. Sisters. That Water Witch and Sylviana. Why did she hide this from us this whole time? Even Liam? He looks as confused and shocked as all of us. I would never have guessed. How many years apart are they anyway? Sylviana is Damian’s age, give or take a few years, but that woman is much older. They don’t even look alike, except for maybe their eyes? Damn it, what is going on?

The Water Witch sneers.

“That’s right, we are,” she says. “Witches, daughters of the same wretched mother. You didn’t tell them anything, did you, Sylviana? Isn’t that why you were Mom’s favorite? Always the little werewolves’ friend…”

“Nephera, you must stop this. Whatever Mom did to you, she–”

“What she did to me? You think this is only about our mother, Sylviana? Oh no, I’m going to destroy these packs and take this city. It was mine to begin with, wasn’t it?”

“What the heck is that woman talking about?” I growl, glancing at Sylviana.

Just then, the Water Witch turns to me. It’s odd that all the vampires stopped attacking when she started talking. It’s almost like they froze up. Is she really controlling them all? It’s like she’s holding her dogs back.

“Your golden eyes. Aren’t you Gabriel’s precious daughter?”

I’m speechless. She knows my biological father? What the heck!

She looks at all of us, her eyes going slowly to Damian, Nathaniel, and Liam as an ugly smile appears on her face.

“Isn’t that perfect. I already have four of you right here… Sylviana, did you do this on purpose? How thoughtful of you. Now you’re going to watch while I make these dogs suffer.”

For a second, a very scary thought crosses my mind, that maybe this was all part of their plan. It’s wiped away as soon as I see Sylviana’s horrified expression though, and how she steps forward in a protective stance.

“Nephera, enough!”

“Keep yelling and screaming all you want, Sylviana. I’ve been waiting for this for way too long, little sister. If you’re going to hinder me again, I’ll kill you too.”

“Mom didn’t want this, Nephera. She–”

But the Water Witch clicks her tongue before Sylviana finishes her sentence. She’s obviously angrier now.

“Oh, I bet she was a great mother to you, wasn’t she? Danica was so obsessed with protecting Diane and her children, what did she care about me!”

Danica? That name sounds familiar. I’m sure I’ve heard it before. Where have I heard about Danica…? I try to remember a witch named Danica… Oh, Moon Goddess!

“Danica,” I repeat. “I know about Danica, the Fire Witch. Reagan told me about her; she was a friend of Queen Diane, the witch that was protecting the Blue Moon pack… Don’t tell me you are Danica’s… daughters?”

“That’s right,” says Nephera with that scary smile of hers on. “It all comes around, doesn’t it? Diane’s granddaughters, Danica’s daughters, and… Judah’s little bastards.”

Judah, like Judah Black? Not only my birth father, but now theirs too? What the heck is going on? How does she know us all? The brothers start growling around me.

“ Why is she mentioning our father? Do we know her? ”

“ No idea. ”

Nephera sighs.

“Oh, well, since Sylviana didn’t even bother to tell you the full story, I guess it’s my chore? At least you’ll know why you must die.”

I don’t care much about how she wants to kill me or why, but I am curious to how the fuck she knows both my dad and Nate’s father, and also be Sylviana’s sister. I feel like something’s ringing like crazy in my head. Moreover, we could use a break, and buy some more time for Nora too.

“Let’s go back many, many years ago,” says Nephera. “You’re a big girl now, you at least know who your grandmother was, Selena, don’t you? The mighty, holy Queen Diane. The Alpha of your pack of Blue Moon wolves. I was born one year after her twins, Lilyan and Gabriel. Of course, the birth of a little Water Witch was nothing compared to the Moon Goddess’ reincarnation giving birth to twins. Even my own mother, Danica, didn’t care much. Most witches don’t have much of a maternal side, do they, Sylviana? So, when the younger sister of Diane left with some of the pack, to find a better location, she dumped me in with them!”

I remember that. Nora said that’s how Cynthia, William’s grandmother and our great-aunt, came to live and settle in Silver City with a part of the Blue Moon clan, about fifty years ago. Tragically, once she got here, Cynthia never could contact her older sister Diane again after that, and the Blue Moon clan became the Sapphire Moon here.

Damian and I exchange a look, agreeing silently to let her finish her little speech. He’s probably mind-linking Nora to let her hear this too; I can feel her presence with us. I open my link to her, feeling her snow-white wolf. She’s enduring the pain, for now, but her baby isn’t born yet. We need more time…

“Imagine, the little witch I was, so young, suddenly coming to a big city like this one!” says Nephera. “My mother, Danica, had sent me so there would already be a witch at the destination, ready to protect Diane’s precious children… I was supposed to help Cynthia establish communication with them too, but we knew that would take a few years before I was strong enough to do that.”

Moon Goddess, so…