Page 131 of Within the Veil
My eyes collidewith Oberon's the moment we exit Charlie's portal, and without a second thought, we take to the air. My eyesight sharpens, piercing through the darkness of the shadows that seep from Oberon's blade, my wings propelling me forward as, for the first time in my memory, not only do I let myself shift completely, but as I rip the head off of a fucking Moonshade Harrier, I also give into the twisted hunger that has always been the plague of the Arallu demon. I bring his still-twitching body to my mouth and feast on the blood of my enemy.
Tossing his body from the sky, I roar my satisfaction that give the other Harriers pause enough for Oberon to hack through several of the hardened warriors.
When is the last time you've seen Moonshade Harriers?
Oberon asks, without pausing as the enemy starts to attack us with a new fervor, sensing their demise and probably not wanting to die in battle without putting up the fight that their people are known for. Except in this case, I am positive that they either haven't been informed of who they are up against, or Nici has no knowledge of Oberon's ability to wield the shadows. The former is much more likely, considering the binding placed upon the camp when Oberon and Hudson sparred. Li'Ella's father wouldn't have been able to let that information slip, the traitorous piece of shit.
As for Oberon's question, I try to rack my brain as I continue to feast on my kills, my claws ripping through everyone in my path while the spikes on my wings eviscerated anyone who came too close. Moonshade Harriers, known as such for their dark skin that cast a shade on the brightest of moonlit nights as they meld into shadows that render them near invisible, were--or I supposeare--known for their covert assassination missions. The Fae, for the most part, crave power and, as such, have no problem flaunting it. But the Moonshade? They had no need.
Not only were they ruthless warriors, if they engaged in battle at all, their unique brand of murder-- one where they left the person not only completely devoid of blood and organs, they were flayed, with a surgeon-like proficiency, from their skull to their toes -- was brutal, efficient, and almost beautiful in its savagery. Beautiful because they then painstakingly sewed the skin back together, leaving it draped over their victim, branded with a half moon, so there would be no mistake of who the target was or who did it.
Normally, wellnormal to the Fae,something so unique, even if it were a strange sort of macabre artistry, would be respected and even celebrated. But after a few missed payments, it came to light that the skins of their victims were also spelled with a unique brand of potent magic so that it couldn't be destroyed. While the target's family could choose to at least hide the skin of their deceased, the person who ordered the kill and failed to meet the requirements of their arrangement would have the skin reappear in front of all to see at the most inopportune times. Imagine having a formal meeting with a rival family for that family to find the skin of their murdered brethren laid on top of the table where dinner was to be served. Full payment wouldn't stop the magic either; the Moonshade were prideful sons-of-bitches, and the damage was already done.
The Fae deal in treachery as a form of currency, but it is always underhanded. One can alwayssuspectthat a rival had gotten the best of them, but it wasn'tknown. So for their dirty dealings to literally be put on display for an eternity? It didn't go over well. So, because of their magic and the perceived slight to their honor, the Moonshade went from coveted assassins to the highest bounty and eradicated.
Or so we thought. The sheer amount of these assholes in the air is mind-boggling, and between their ability to hide in the shadows and Oberon's magic, they are impossible to see to anyone fighting below. Clearly, we weren't only grossly misinformed, but these Harriers were stronger, faster-- I'm actually putting in effort in this fight.
Not for fucking centuries. They were supposed to be gone. How the fuck Nici found an army of these fuckers is beyond me. My father had dealings with them, but their leader at the time never sat well with me. There is Dark Fae, and then there is an Unseelie. That motherfucker was Dark. Not all of the Moonshade were like him, but these are cut from the same cloth.
Oberon hums in understanding,I met him. He lost. He died. But I know he had a son. One I could never find. Makes me wonder...
He trails off as the Moonshade start to realize that despite their added strength, they are outmatched and they start to split their attacks they split their attacks, a group keeping us engaged while the other tries to race towards where I still sense Li'Ella's soul. Before Oberon and I make the decision to split, I see a familiar form shoot up into the sky and start hacking at the Moonshade, trying to flee.
"My condolences-NOT to you and all those who will soon be deceased. The dildo of consequences never comes lubed, my friends. I would say spread the word, but if you open your mouth, you'll be too busy moaning my name as I spread your cheeks and fuck you with my PHALLUS. Yes, you will be punished by my Phenomenally Handled Artifact of Lethal Liberation and Unmatched Sorcery," Charlie cackles as she expertly spins through the air as though she has been flying for centuries, moving with a ruthless intensity, striking each Moonshade with precision and yet, feminine finesse that I've only seen from Hudson. Whatever 'iced coffee' is in Shea's bloodline is steeped in sexuality and savagery.
Oberon's amusement comes through clearly.She truly is a replica of our Hudson.
Before I can respond, I feel a spike of concern coming from Grayson, followed by an ear-splitting roar that cuts through the sky before Hudson warns us all to shield.
Dragons are fucking huge.Is the last thing I hear come from Hudson before the sky is ignited by flames.
* * *
Charlie
* * *
You never really know what toexpect when you wake up in the morning. Ending up in a different realm with a long-lost sister and about to kill some child-murdering winged fuckers wasn't in my itinerary, but it damn sure was up my alley of expertise at this point.
Some, might wonder why I'd instantly follow a mysterious doppelgänger --averypregnant, Disney character, looking doppelgänger, to be specific-- a massive fucking lion, and several hulking men through an invisible barrier into another world. Others, might be baffled that I didn't even pause to ask questions, while my mates hadbarelyfive minutes of 'what the fuck,' to make pointless inquires. Well, it's quite simple.Some and Others,aren't my fucking keepers, and who the fuck says baffled anyway?Meddling cunts who want to stop my fun, that's who.Besides, even if I did have keepers, they could fuck right off, too.
There are very few things that I will ignore when it comes to my instincts. For instance, my instincts to bomb the entire Council building, take over and make 'Pride Day' into 'Pride 'EveryDay','' and have everyone wear rainbow leathers to train. Okay, only one of those is an instinct, the others are a part of my secret plans. Regardless, the moment I saw Hudson,it felt right. It felt like...destiny.
I have never been one to run from destiny or duty, for that matter. I ran to it. I ran to everything and everyone who needed me because life was finite, and if there weren't those willing to help, then the bleakness would take over. I have protected Darnika for the majority of my life--fought and killed for people, with whom I technically have no direct relation. So, it only makes sense to fight and kill for someone who, according to the lion's projection in my head, is my long-lost sibling.
We step through the portal last, and it snaps closed behind me. Hudson goes from a waddling woman playing dress-up in combat clothes to a skilled warrior in seconds. I'm not sure what type of BCAA that spear is infused with, but she cuts through almost 15 attackers before we even get a chance to play.
"All these fighters for a little girl?" I push through to Hudson and my mates.
"No, all these sniveling little shitheads for the only prophetess in over 300 years and the mate of my children," Hudson's furious voice pours into my head and my mates', judging by their reactions. Guess that's something to dissect later. "Li'Ella! BABYGIRL, I'M HERE," a deep, almost frantic voice rings out. I turn as I swipe my short swords through the neck of a particularly ugly inky beast and see a large, impressive fighter cut his way through as many attackers as he can. They keep coming, and we keep hacking and cutting. Suddenly, a sharp scream rings out, and everything blurs. The world stops for a moment as Hudson lets out an answering scream of fury, and suddenly the entire forest turns black as an ear-shattering roar comes from above.
"Shield, now," is the only warning we get before we quickly shield ourselves. Suddenly, it feels like we're baking in an oven. The heat is excruciating, but when I look down, there's no damage to my skin or to any of my mates. The surrounding forest and any attackers are obliterated. I look up, dumbstruck, as a large, shimmering Dragon stands behind a group of six who hold a bundle in their arms.
Cautiously, we approach Hudson and her mates. She holds a young girl, no older than five, in her arms with a gaping wound in her chest. She struggles to breathe, and I throw myself at her, immediately reaching to grab her from Hudson's arms. The men growl, but the dragon peers at me curiously.
"Give her my charge, Queen Hudson, please keep your hand on Li'Ella, close your eyes, and open your soul to merge with your sister. I will keep an eye out from the sky with my siblings," her deep voice, thick with emotion, echoes around all of us as her powerful wings thrust her into the sky above us.
I look at Pixie, who's blinking back tears, and Dante, who can't hold his back, Dimitri, who's scowling to stop his emotions altogether, Luca and Etienne fanning around us with Julian and Drew. All of this in the blink of an eye as I reach for Hudson's spirit, open my reservoir, meld with hers, bite back a gasp at the pure power radiating from her soul--much like my own--and pull that golden string of healing, pushing it toward the girl whose breathing is getting shallower. I push and pray, and the gaping hole starts to close quicker than I've ever witnessed. I breathe easy as her breathing turns normal, and her eyes flutter open. She locks those impressive green eyes on me, offering a soft smile.
"Charlie, you look so much like my new mommy; my real mommy is dead now. But I have Hudson and my new dads too," I gasp, and Hudson bites back a sob. She looks briefly at Hudson. "Don't cry, Mommy. Now Charlie and Pixie are my new aunties, and I have four new uncles too. This will be the biggest family ever," she sobs quietly, the emotions on her face belying the words coming out of her tiny mouth, her voice determined to sound more upbeat. "Daddy Grayson? Can you pick me up, please? I feel safe with you," her little voice drifts off as the frantic giant, who I can now call Grayson, picks her up tenderly and quickly heads across an invisible wall and disappears. Well, I guess that's the Veil the jerk was talking about.
I run my hands through my hair, cringing at the blood-soaked strands.
"So what's next?" I ask, voicing the question in all of our minds. Hudson stands up, her eyes glowing purple, the blood on her face, lips, and dripping from her white hair giving her a dangerous look.
"Now?" Hudson pauses, licks the blood from her lips, and moans, "We bring this war to them. Ready or not, here I come." She flashes out of the forest, and her mates look around in alarm before turning towards the Veil, us on their heels.