Darlings (31 page)

“Trust me,” Gwen said softly and the girl
nodded apprehensively.  The moment Gwen touched the frightened
girl she could feel the energy enter her open mind. When she had
filled the hole, she stopped and removed her hand. She was made for
the shield. The energy flowed so smoothly. Gwen held out her palm
commanding the shield to form above her. It started as a small
bubble but as Gwen felt surer of herself, it expanded. She stood as
the dome rose. With her free hand, she motioned to Lilly and Tiger
to join her. Lily pressed her daughter into her body as she darted
for the laundry pile. A small hole appeared in the bottom of the
shield as Lily and Tiger slid through. 

“We’ve got to…run,” Gwen said through
clenched teeth. Gwen began moving the shield as they ran. Lily
pushed the distraught girl ahead as fireballs bounced off the
shield like a trampoline. 

“Just up ahead is the door. That one to the
left,” Lily shouted. Gwen saw it about thirty feet away. A large
steel door. 

“Mama, I’m scared,” Tiger squeaked as Lily
hushed her. Gwen could relate. Fear rushed through her veins like
ice chunks in a fast flowing river, despite the shield. Suddenly, a
pirate appeared in front of them. He was large and bloody. Refusing
to stop Gwen kept running, leading the shield right into him.
Electricity flew as the pirate convulsed and slumped to the ground.
The shield was electrified from the outside. Amazing, though Gwen
could feel herself weakening from the bout of energy she expended.
The door. They had reached it. Gwen reluctantly lowered the shield
and held her hand out to open the steel barrier but stopped. She
heard ferocious growls and roars from inside the fence.
Andrew. 

Andrew, what’s going on in there? Is
everything ok? We’re at the door.  

Gwen waited impatiently. 

“Gwen behind us. Look they’re coming!” Lily
pointed to a group of six pirates running full speed at them. Put
up the shield!” 

Gwen wanted to obey, but knew she wouldn’t be
able to open the door if need be. Finally. I’m here. Back up he
said. 

Gwen braced herself as iron claws dug through
the metal yanking the door off its hinges. It was a blood bath.
Pirates’ entrails were strewn everywhere. Manticans had completely
obliterated the immediate guard pirates and left them in messy
piles. Andrew was intimidating in his mantican form, his thick
chest swollen with pure muscle. With a single swipe of his massive
paw, her protector swiftly moved the girls out of the way and
gorily ripped the approaching pirates to shreds.  His blood
stained brown fur glistened now soaked with blood. 

“Andrew, watch out!” Gwen screamed as a ball
of fire came whizzing through the air. Instinctively Gwen closed
her eyes and held out her hand feeling the shield forming over a
crouching Andrew. The burning ball bounced back into the air as he
made his way to the girls. 

Maticans poured out of the now open door to
reunite with their immortal and fight like they were born to fight,
as one. The pirates were no match for their prisoners. Soon the
final shriek came from the last guard pirate in sight. Panting
manticans and weary immortals stood in short lived
victory. 

Immortals mounted their unsaddled protectors
as they ran past the Mantican’s work fields as they had so many
times alone. They reached the short spot in the fence and began
climbing over disappearing into the dark forest.

The plan is to scale the fence in hopes of
joining the rebels in the rebellion. Andrew’s voice appeared in
Gwen’s head as they stood face to face. 

You don’t sound sure. Gwen said
quickly. 

They’re stronger than you think. See the
fairies circling the forest? Gwen looked overhead and
nodded. 

Don’t be fooled, Jamison, a plan. 

“What are we doing?” Lily demanded looking
over her shoulder. “We can’t stand here,” she said adjusting Tiger
onto her other hip. 

What do you think we should do? Gwen silently
asked, touching her mark and watching hoards of sworn ones scale
the fence to make their escape. 

Just then, Gwen felt thunder beneath her feet
she looked to Andrew who already began throwing her onto his huge
back. 

Three red eyed mangy looking manticans
rounded the corner, running at full speed. They were huge, bigger
than Andrew for sure. Gwen could feel her strength fading as she
attempted to put up the shield. 

“I can’t hold it for long!” Gwen
screamed. 

Andrew threw the shield girl on next as Lily
handed a trembling Tiger to Gwen. 

Andrew reached for Lily who pulled herself
away. What was she doing?

“Lily, come on!” Gwen yelled, staring at the
approaching manticans. Suddenly, Lily’s eyes began to change and
her mouth turned into more of a snarl. 

No! Andrew yelled inside Gwen’s mind. Gwen
stop her don’t let her do it. 

Gwen was horrified as she watched Lily begin
to snap and crack as she screamed out in pain. Before her eyes,
Lily had changed into her primitive form. She had become a
mantican. 

Andrew, what’s happening? Gwen
thought. 

She was huge, close to Andrews’s size but
darker in color. With one last glance at Tiger, she crouched down
and ran head on into the approaching enemies, who swarmed her like
a rabbit in the middle of a wolf pack.  

With a loud growl, Andrew made his way over
the fence, moving faster than Gwen had ever seen before. He flew
through the forest, like a hawk soared above the trees, not missing
a step. 

Andrew we can’t leave her go back!  “Go
back!” Gwen went between shouting at Andrew in her mind and
out. 

We can’t. She’s dead. Even if they don’t kill
her she’s dead! He said lowering his snout to his chest. 

What the hell are you talking about! Gwen
screamed, tears running down her face, she held on to Tiger even
tighter now. 

She used her one change. Every mantican gets
a change, sworn or not…they die afterward. There’s no coming back.
Fuck! He yelled as he pushed harder, running even faster. 

She died? She sacrificed herself? Lily wasn’t
coming back. Gwen could feel hot tears searing her eyelids. She
never even got a chance to thank her. Tiger, oh god, Tiger. How
would she tell Tiger her mother wasn’t coming with them. That she
died in that hell. What would Pete say? Anxiety took over her. Gwen
could save her. Yes, she could save her. 

Andrew I’ll bring her back. I’ll bring her
back. Get me to somewhere safe and-

Andrew interrupted, You can’t. 

Yes I can. I can do it Andrew I did do it
with Samuel and Etu and-

You can’t bring back a mantican who uses
their change. They killed themselves Gwen. There’s no on left to
bring them back. He panted. We’re almost there, but get ready. I’m
sure they’re not far behind. 

Her heart sank. Lily was gone for good. Gwen
could feel the little immortal hugging her waist slump into her
back. The energy drained quickly from Gwen’s body. 

Andrew, wait! Gwen thought. Reaching out a
hand to keep the girl from sliding off. 

I can’t stop, hold her. The rebels are right
ahead. He was right. Gwen saw them. An army standing in formation,
preparing for battle. They parted as Andrew ran through and skidded
to a stop. The immortals that made it were sitting in a group most
covered in blood. Their manticans still in their animal forms
sitting guard beside them. 

“Adeline, take her,” Gwen said horrified as
she handed Tiger off. 

Sliding quickly down, she pulled the lifeless
girl from Andrew’s back. Her eyes were closed and she wasn’t
breathing. Gwen felt for a pulse on the girl’s loose neck. Nothing.
She was dead. 

“Damnit!” Gwen yelled. As she ran her fingers
through her Auburn waves. Andrew grabbed her by the back of the
cocktail dress with his teeth, sliding her away from the still warm
corpse. 

“My mantican said her sworn one, Briella, was
searching for her…she must have waited too long looking for
her...the fairies got him,” Adeline said softly, holding a now
sobbing Tiger. 

“Gwen,” she heard a familiar voice behind
her. Pete. He was fully armored and ran to her. Taking her dirty
face in his gloved hands he pressed his forehead to hers. She
wanted to melt. Cry. Stay safe in his arms. His smell. His messy
brown hair. His green eyes welled with tears. The same eyes that
lied to her. That sent her to hell. She stood lifeless in his arms,
as the refugees watched with adoring eyes. A show. She’d put on a
show. No use for more panic…right now. He was going into
battle. 

“Jonah and Mike?” she whispered, her lip
quivering.  

“Safe at the cabin with Art. He stayed in
middle earth with them. My god Gwen I’m so glad you’re ok,” he
whispered. “I did all I could to come for you,” he lied.

 Gwen smiled back softly. “I’m sure you
did, but I’m here now. We’re together,” how she wished she spoke
the truth. “I. I met someone Pete. Lily…and your daughter.” Pete
searched the crowd. 

“Gwen I wanted to tell you, please believe me
I wanted to tell you but it wasn’t the time. I wasn’t even sure
she…they were still alive.” He stopped. “Is that her?” 

Gwen nodded. “And Lily? Where is she?” Pete
asked anxiously.

Real tears fell down Gwen’s cheek. “She
didn’t make it.” With a nod Pete made his way to his daughter.

He studied the girl in Adeline’s arms.
“Hello,” he whispered, stroking her black hair tenderly. Gwen’s
heart ached. She brought her hand to chest and watched as Pete met
his daughter for the first time.

“Who. Who are you?” Tiger said through
sobs. 

“I. I’m…Pete,” he settled on, staring in
amazement at the tanned little girl. How could he have sent her?
Gwen thought. It was clear his love for his daughter was true,
but…his love for her? Was it true as well? 

“They’re here!” a woman’s voice shouted. Pete
looked torn. With one last glance at his daughter, he ran back to
Tokala and Koli. “I’ll be back Gwen,” he said “I
promise.” 

The first wave took off to meet the
approaching dark manticans. The ones that killed Lily. 

Did I hear that correctly Gwendylon? Please
tell me I didn’t. His velvet voice appeared in her head full of
rage. 

Hear what? Realizing her hand was placed
against her mark. Damn. 

He sent you…us? To our probable
deaths? 

I…yes. I was going to tell you after all of
this. She could feel the tears begin to flow once more. He sent us
for Tiger. Gwen said. Andrew grabbed her carefully by the back of
the dress once

more and pulled her aside, dragging her
further into the forest, until they were away from the group. In
the solace of Andrews fur covered chest, Gwen broke down. She
pushed her faced into his coarse coat and bawled gut wrenching
tears. She threw her arms around his neck as he stood unmoving. Her
rock. 

I’ll kill him. Andrew said. 

You’ll be killed. Don’t be
ridiculous. 

He shook her off and knelt down, until he was
nose to nose with her. Gwen avoided eye contact with him, ashamed
she let him see her like that. Gwen.  He set us up. You could
have been killed. We went through hell. 

For your niece. Gwen said, forcing herself to
stare into his angry brown eyes. Gwen heard the rumble of battle
grow closer. 

And for that I am thankful. It’s the only
reason I’m not tearing Pete to shreds as we speak. Well, and for
you…

Gwen felt him tugging at her heart. I
know. 

“Andrew!” Gwen screamed just as Captain
Jamison Hookner appeared behind her protector. He was guarded by
only one dark mantican, twice the size of hers. Turning, Andrew
shoved Gwen behind him and prepared to fight. 

Jamison was smiling eerily, stroking his
mustache as he spoke. “Well Gwendylon, I underestimated you, and
Lily for that matter, feisty little thing she always was but so
selfless? I didn’t know she had it in her.” At the mention of
Lily’s name Andrew bore his teeth and lunged at the captain only to
be faced with the dark animal stopping him in his tracks with his
paw. Andrew rose his paw to his chest. 

“Don’t bother beast. I’ll be gone before they
get here,” with that a portal began forming behind him. 

“I just came to say good bye Gwen…for now,
and congratulate you on your small, insignificant…victory. The war
has just begun princess and while you might have won this tiff, you
are sadly mistaken if you think you’ve begun to make a dent in my
plans,” the portal grew with every word he spoke. His slicked back
hair and refined clothing made him almost appear…human, though Gwen
knew it couldn’t be. No human would do to people what they had done
in that camp…would they? He sensed Gwen’s disgust. “You think I’m
so terrible darling, Pete is no different than me. He kills in the
name of protection. He slaughters my people, he puts himself first.
He’s just the other side of the game my dear. The side with the
prettier covering and the same…guts.” Gwen’s stomach turned at the
way he said the word. “Another player killing in the name of
protection. Killing for good, killing for evil, it’s all the same
in the end isn’t it? Feel free to join me Gwen, on the winning
side.” Andrew again snapped at the man. “Down puppy,” he said. “The
princess doesn’t have to come. Just remember I warned
you.” 

The black mantican growled and the hair on
his scabby back stood like a black cat on Halloween. He paced bath
and forth behind the captain, just waiting for the chance to tear
Andrew to apart. 

Just then, Tok and Koli appeared in the
distance, sprinting ahead. The portal was full size and with a snap
of his manicured fingers he ordered the massive mantican through.
Reluctantly, the mangy beast jumped inside, vanishing from
sight. 

Jamison began backing towards the spinning
circle, still smiling. “Tell Petren hello for me, and Andrew, I’ll
miss your sister’s…beauty,” he said his licking his lips. All at
once, her protector snapped. He unthinkingly lunged ahead at the
captain, clamping his lock tight jaw, filled with razor sharp
teeth, around Jamison’s hand – severing it from his body. The
handless man fell backwards into the portal, screaming in agony,
until in an instant the portal closed, and silence replaced his raw
screams. Andrew held the hand in his teeth, blood spilling from the
detached end. Tokala and Koli walked slowly to Andrew’s side, as
Gwen backed up behind them. He was full of blind passionate
rage.