Hunter (18 page)

Nova's mind
raced. He'd been wearing tinted glasses to protect his eyes from
the bright spotlights. If he was going to see in the dark again he
would have to take the glasses off. But then he would be vulnerable
to light.

This last
thought shot through Nova's mind just as a heavy weight landed on
her back. The air rushed out of her lungs and her chin smashed
against the container. Her tongue caught between her teeth and
blood swelled through her mouth. The sudden collision caused her to
drop her bow, which scattered away to her right.

She rolled
over so that the weight was on her stomach and stared desperately
into the darkness above. Sharp teeth shone in the
semi-darkness.

The lecheon's
arms swung through the air, trying to grab hold of her hands and
pin them down. She refused to be caught. She thrashed out with her
fists, smashing them into every part of him that she could reach.
He grunted as she landed a fist into his stomach but he didn't
stop.

Nova's mind
raced. The arrows were pinned behind her back. The wooden knife was
in her boot which was out of reach while the creature thrashed on
top of her. She scrambled her hand across the metal surface of the
container. There had to be something, anything. Her hand brushed
over the radio Briggles had given her as a backup, and her bow
which she dropped when she had been tackled. There!

Nova clasped
the thick plastic and pressed the button. She swung her arm up just
as the torch burst into life. It shone a bright beam of light
directly into the lecheon's eyes. He cried out with pain and
clutched at his face. He fell back from her, his weight lifting
from her stomach and allowing her to breathe.

She wasted no
time. She kept the beam pinned on the lecheon's face while she
jumped to her feet and plunged her hand into the quiver at her
back. She fell forward and without a second thought she thrust the
arrow into the lecheon's neck. It pierced through skin, muscle, and
bone until it protruded out the other side and collided with the
metal container, scraping like fingernails on a
blackboard.

The lecheon
screamed even louder, but it had been replaced by a wet gurgle.
Blood surged out around the arrow and poured out of the lecheon's
mouth. His eyes widened, staring, as he looked at Nova with a
mixture of hatred and disbelief. He lifted his hands in a desperate
attempt at defence before laying still.

Nova didn't
have time to feel sick at the blood staining her hands. The sounds
of attack were everywhere. Good men and women were dying all around
her, and she couldn't see a damn thing!

She ripped
the arrow out of the lecheon's throat. They were too precious to
waste. She turned around but all she could make out was the end of
her own container. The other spotlights had gone out and the entire
yard was plunged into utter darkness. It was time for Plan
B.

"Cal, turn on
Crusader's lights," she thought. Her mental chip relayed the
message to Cal.

"Aye, aye,"
Cal replied.

An engine
whirred overhead and the shipping yard was thrust into light once
again. This time more lecheons collapsed to the ground, clutching
their eyes. Their tinted goggles hung uselessly around their
necks.

Nova notched
the bloody arrow and shot it down at a writhing lecheon. Before the
lecheon had time to die Nova was already moving on to the next one.
She pulled another arrow, aimed and fired. Another lecheon fell to
the ground. Around her, her human companions were regaining their
ground. In the bright light the lecheons were next to
defenceless.

"Nova?" Cal's
voice said in her head.

"Yes?" Nova
said through gritted teeth as she pulled another arrow from behind
her back. How many was that? Eight? Her mind raced. There were
still a lot of lecheons down on the ground and even as they
screamed, they pulled their goggles back over their
faces.

"Our scanners
are picking up a large vessel. They have their guns locked on us
and it appears they plan to shoot," Cal replied.

"Grishnak!"
Nova swore. "Take evasive action, but don't you dare take that
light off us. If it goes dark for even a second I will take you
apart myself, piece by piece."

"Message
received," Cal replied.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

"This is it, everyone," Corvus
announced.

He had
recovered remarkably after the dose of blood Selene had given him.
His muscles surged with new strength and the agony in his chest was
now a dull ache. He wouldn't lead the attack, but he could still
fight. Besides, he had a score to settle.

"Those
without goggles, try to protect your faces. There is almost no
doubt that they will have some kind of lighting equipment. Don't be
surprised when it comes on," Corvus said. "Those with goggles, take
out the lights as quickly as you can. The humans are useless in the
dark."

His coven
nodded back and fingered the goggles hanging around their necks.
There hadn't been enough time to get a pair for everyone,
especially with the new recruits from Byzant's coven, but it would
have to do. Their eyes would burn, but as long as they kept their
wits about them, they would survive.

"Remember, if
we take out the bitch and the Inspector, the others will probably
turn and run. They'll have no chance of stopping us." Corvus said.
"Now go!"

The coven
leapt into action. They ran up the main ramps which surrounded the
shipping yard. These tunnels had been specifically designed for
escape. The containment yard was perfect. The labyrinth meant that
his people could approach the pitiful humans from all directions
and surround them.

Corvus nodded
as his people disappeared up into the air. He pulled his own
goggles up over his eyes and lifted his dark hood. His right side
was strapped and bandaged, pinning his arm to his chest, but that
didn't matter. He would kill the bitch with her own gun. He held
the ancient thing in his left hand, his glove protecting him from
the nasty wood he could feel just below.

He glided up
the nearest ramp just as the spotlights flashed on. He nodded to
himself; they were doing just what he expected. Unlike his
companions who were attacking with full force, Corvus crept along
the edges of the compound. He kept to the far line of containers,
the ones right up against the wire fence which surrounded the area.
He crept between shadows, casting his gaze up to see if there were
enemies lurking above.

His strapped
chest hampered his movement. But he would make her pay; oh, he
would make her pay. She would be near the centre, in the middle of
the action; of that he could be sure. If he came up behind her,
she'd have no idea until it was too late. He was breathing deeply;
his body hadn't recovered from the poison and his muscles ached
even with the mild walk.

The goggles
were insufferable. The way they pressed down on his cheeks and nose
was painful and they blocked his peripheral vision. He felt like
he'd become blind on either side and had to keep turning his head
to make sure the pitiful humans weren't sneaking up on him. Still,
it was better than being blinded by the damned
spotlights.

Crash.

Corvus smiled
as a portion of the yard was thrust into darkness. Human screams
erupted from the shadows, making his pulse race with
excitement.

The last of
the lights went out in a shower of broken glass and Corvus was
surrounded by darkness. He lowered the goggles from his eyes and
the world opened up around him. Everything had a green tinge, but
he could see it all as clear as day.

Up ahead, on
top of a container stood a human. He peered into the darkness
around him, his hand clutched around a gun, panicked. Corvus could
hear the man's erratic heartbeat. He could almost feel the blood
surging through the man's body. It wouldn't be as good as a young
girl, but it would still be tasty and exactly what he needed after
his injury.

Corvus crept
up to the container on silent feet. The man had no idea that his
death was lurking just beneath. He spun in desperate circles,
panting with fear. Corvus smiled and bent his legs. He thrust the
small gun into the pouch at his waist. It would be harder with only
one arm but not impossible. He crouched low and sprung up towards
the edge of the container, his good arm grabbing hold. He used the
momentum of his leap to haul himself over the top.

The clang of
Corvus's landing alerted the man. He backed away from the edge and
pointed his gun in Corvus's general direction.

Corvus's nose
curled. He could smell the fear; it dripped out of the man with
every drop of sweat. It was such a shame that fear always made the
blood taste bitter. He didn't waste a second longer and rushed from
the edge of the container. He ran at an angle, out of the line of
fire. He crashed into the human and they both fell onto the metal
container.

The gun went
off but the wooden bullet sailed past Corvus's head. It was too
late. Corvus slammed the man's hand onto the metal, making him let
go of the gun. It scattered out of arm's reach.

Corvus buried
his face into the man's neck. The black leach extended out of
Corvus's mouth and began to suck. The blood was so fresh and warm;
it slid down Corvus's throat like ecstasy. He grinned as the tangy
iron filled his mouth, his throat, his stomach. The strength of
fresh blood filled his muscles and slowed his breathing. It dulled
the pain in his chest even further.

The man
struggled, but Corvus's hand over his mouth stopped him from
screaming. He thrashed with his arms and legs for the first few
moments, until the blood was drained out of them. Finally, his face
went pale, his eyes becoming wide and glassy, and then he was
dead.

Corvus sucked
every last drop of blood out of the man until he was just a flaky
corpse and got to his feet with a grin. He glanced down at his prey
one last time before surveying the rest of the yard. His people
were everywhere, taking down the humans as they spun in their
stupid circles.

He saw an
officer on the ground and recognised him immediately. He'd had a
gun with wooden bullets at the police station; he'd killed Geya.
Corvus snarled; he'd get revenge.

Corvus leapt
off of his container and pounced on the unwary officer. They both
tumbled to the ground. Corvus ripped the night-vision goggles from
the man's face and tossed them away. The man punched Corvus in the
ribs.

Corvus
grunted and rolled away. His side flared with pain; the bastard had
got him right on his injury. The officer patted the ground in
search of his goggles. Corvus strode over and laid his boot against
the officer's neck.

"You've
killed good lecheons."

"There's no
such thing."

"I'll make
you pay."

"Just try
it."

The officer's
hand whipped to his belt and pulled up a gun. Corvus snarled as the
scent of wood and deadly sap poured out of the weapon. He lifted
his foot and slammed it into the officer's neck.

The bones
snapped with an audible crack, the officer's lifeless body lying at
an awkward angle.

Corvus kicked
the dead body twice. He spat onto the corpse and leapt up the
nearest container. His injured side twinged with the effort, but he
ignored it. There was someone else he needed to get revenge on;
someone much more deserving.

He drew in a
deep breath through his nostrils.

There! He had
her scent and spun towards it. She was on top of a container,
wrestling with someone, who was it?

Winton.

Corvus
recognised his companion just as the bitch shoved an arrow through
his throat. Winton convulsed and collapsed, dead.

Anger boiled
in Corvus's stomach. That woman had to die. She had killed too many
of them, worst of all Laticia. She had killed his beloved Laticia,
and she would pay.

Corvus
stepped back and made a run for the edge of the container, meaning
to leap to the next. Just as he got to the edge a new light flashed
on and surged into his eyes. Blinded, he stumbled at the edge. He
leapt with as much strength as he could muster, reaching his hands
out to cushion his fall.

Instead of
landing on top of the next container, Corvus slammed into its side.
His arm was crushed between his body and the wall and his face and
teeth smashed against the metal. He cried out but could do nothing
more than let his body fall blindly to the ground where his legs
crumpled beneath him.

The pain in
his arm and chest was unbearable. It surged anew with the impact;
even his recent feedings couldn't take away the pain. He tasted
blood but not the type he enjoyed; this was stony blood, his own,
leaking from his cracked lip. He rolled into a crouch, gasping for
breath as each beat of his heart carried more pain through his
body.

He squeezed
his eyes shut against the glare, begging for darkness. His neck
tingled at the thought that there could be a human creeping up on
him at that very moment. He had to see, he had to move. Corvus
forced his left hand up and with great effort pulled the goggles
from his neck and over his face. Only then did he risk opening his
eyes and glancing at his surroundings.