The Tainted Web (The Godhunter, Book 7) (31 page)

“
What the hell is that?” Trevor gaped.

“
I think it's Spiderzilla,” I tried to laugh but it came out more like a choking, dry-heave.

“
He's wondrous,” Arach was staring up at Iktomi like he was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

“
Yeah wondrous,” I punched his shoulder. “Do you have any ideas on how to kill it?”

“
Decapitation?” Arach huffed. “Isn't that the only way to kill you gods?

Trevor snarled at Arach and I sighed. Their beasts were probably at it again. We didn't have time for this, so I ran off into the battle, leaving them to shout in dismay and then chase after me. The shouts came again as I leaped onto one of the spider's shiny legs, spearing it with my claws to get the leverage to climb. The leg shook beneath me, lifting and swinging through the air, but I held on and climbed higher, focused on reaching the head.

As I clawed my way onto the bulbous body, a bird the size of a sailboat swooped out of the sky, legs extended as it descended. It's talons dug into one of the spider's eyes, sinking deep enough to foul the feathers on his upper legs. A horrible screeching came from the beast below me and the bird took off triumphantly.

I crawled my way through the bristles on its body, using them as handholds to pull myself along, and after what seemed like an eternity, I reached the head and its one remaining eye. With great satisfaction, I sank my claws into the crevice formed at the juncture of head and body, and started to tear it open.

I was up to my elbow in yellow goo when the wound started healing around me and I realized it was a wasted effort. I growled in frustration but the growl was cut short by the cry of a wounded animal. A wolf. I jumped free of the rapidly closing wound and searched for the injured Froekn.

It wasn't a Froekn though, it was Fallon, my werelion. His mate, Samantha, was beside him and it was her cry I heard. One of Iktomi's legs had pierced Fallon through the shoulder, pinning him to the ground. Samantha clawed at the leg but her wolf claws were no match for the spider's shell and Fallon remained pinned.

His face was paling and I could feel the thread that connected him to my magic spreading thin. That spear-like leg was dangerously close to Fallon's neck and heart. If he went down, his tie to Samantha would ensure that they died together and I'd lose one of my best lions along with my best friend.

“
Not gonna happen,” I ran for the edge of Iktomi's body and once more sank my claws into the carapace. I hauled myself over the edge and began to climb and slide my way down the leg that was pinning Fallon.

Iktomi shivered, lifting his leg and freeing Fallon so he could shake me off. As I fell I saw Samantha pull Fallon to safety, Teharon running for them to help, and knew my lion would be alright. I breathed a sigh of relief, even knowing that I was about to be in a world of hurt.

I landed with the cracking of bones, my spine being one of them. The breath rushed out of me as one of those broken bones pierced my lung and I felt it collapse under the pressure. Blood was on my lips, rushing out of my nose, my ears, and assorted places where bone had broken through skin. I was paralyzed from the waist down and I couldn't even scream.

Yet even with all those injuries, my body was healing itself quickly and the pain was receding just as fast. It would all have been just another horrible memory if the recovery hadn't cost me precious seconds. My lungs were starting to fill with air just as I saw the enormous talon descending over me. The sun glinted off the black exoskeleton, giving it the appearance of glass, and I knew it would easily remove my head before I could even scream for help.

So here it was, the fate we'd been trying to avoid. I thought I might feel fear when death finally came for me, or sorrow, something other than the peace that filled my heart. I'd been given so much, so much magic, so much love. I'd seen amazing things, known incredible beings, and had wondrous experiences. I couldn't regret the path I'd chosen. If this was the price I'd pay for it, if this was the way it ended, then so be it.

I closed my eyes and said goodbye.

But all I felt was a rush of air as the roar of a dragon filled my ears and heat bathed my body in delicious warmth. I opened my eyes to see the shiny black underbelly of Arach's dragon form and when I looked up his long neck, it was to find a severed spider leg hanging from his mouth.

“
I'm such an idiot,” I sighed.

The dragon spat the mangled leg out to the side, looked down at me, and said, “Yes, you are. If you had just waited a moment, I would have handled this beast for you.”

He stomped over my prone form, swiping out at the toppling spider as Thunderbirds swooped from the sky, cracking pieces of carapace off and tearing it away. Arach roared and everyone pulled back so he could roast the spider inside of his shell. A pitiful screeching rent the air as smoke filled it but then suddenly, the spider was gone.

“
What the fuck?” I sat up and searched for a sign of Iktomi.

A Thunderbird dove from the sky, plummeting straight to the ground and pulling up a split second before he hit. He stabbed at something beneath his feet and then held it aloft triumphantly. A black spider within his beak. Amid screams and cheers, he closed his jaw and squished the spider before opening wide and swallowing him whole.

A cheering started but stopped short as the bird began to flap awkwardly and then fell backwards with a horrible cry. The other Thunderbirds circled lower but before they could reach their companion, the grounded bird was split open, a man emerging from its center.

Iktomi shook off bits of blood and feathers as he walked casually toward me. He picked me up by the neck and lifted me aloft, smiling at me like a long lost lover. I could hear shouting, the thunder of help approaching, but I knew they'd be too late for whatever Iktomi had planned.

It was okay. This time the calm that filled me wasn't due to acceptance of my fate but the fact that I had one last trick up my sleeve. I didn't have the time to use it before but now, he was giving me the sweet seconds I needed to drain him.

I reached out with my witch's senses and found the burning core of his magic. With mental fingers I grabbed it and pulled it out of him and into me, through the emerald on my neck. Iktomi's eyes went wide, shock loosening his hold on me. I fell with a thump, my still healing body aching with the motion.

The pain was minor though, compared to the throbbing pulse of power pouring into me and then safely into the earth beneath me. The emerald had taught me this little trick, how to take energy without keeping it, and I was going to keep taking until Iktomi was nothing but a shell at my feet.

Help had arrived but they realized they were superfluous and so simply stood back and watched as I continued to drain Iktomi from my prone position. Iktomi clutched at his chest, falling to his knees and bringing his face closer to mine. I heard him gasp something but I had no idea what it was, there was a roaring in my ears that drowned everything else out.

The whirring sound was a backdrop to Iktomi's magic. A high-pitched mixture of beeps and clicking with a low humming undercurrent. It flowed with the magic through me and I tried to concentrate on the sound instead of the toxic energy that had been tainted by Iktomi. It clung to my insides as it passed through, with the sticky tenacity of a spiderweb, and I hoped that nothing would be left behind when it was all over. I couldn't live with the remains of Iktomi's magic.

It kept coming and coming, waves of energy that finally started to feel clean. I gave a sigh as Iktomi collapsed at my feet and I got to my knees, to loom over him. I needed to watch him die, needed to know without a doubt that this demon was dead. So I continued to pull the magic from him, even after his eyes closed and his hands fell to the sides, even after I heard his heart stop beating. I pulled the magic out by the roots, till there was nothing left, and I pushed it down into the ground for good.

I stood, my bones already healed, and walked forward on shaky feet, leaving Iktomi's corpse behind me. The Thunderbird's rushed past me and I heard a horrible rending sound along with vengeful screeches. I left the birds to their fun and continued forward to the last Thunderbird, who seemed to be waiting for me.

Before I reached him, his wings swept inward and grasped the edges of his beak, pulling it open until it split and Kohana's head emerged from it. The beak fell wide around him while he stepped out of the bird like it was a suit. Beneath it, he was dressed in immaculate Indian leathers and when the beak broke apart, each half becoming a clasp and the rest of the body becoming a feathered cloak, he fastened it to his shoulders.

I stared, gaping at him a second before I could speak.

“
That was the most awesome shapeshifting I have ever seen!” I exclaimed.

“
Thank you,” Kohana's golden brown skin turned a little pink in the cheeks as he smiled at me.

“
And that was the most reckless and irresponsible behavior
I've
ever seen!” Arach was back in human guise but he glowered at me like a dragon. He was also very naked but he didn't seem to care.

“
Da,” Kirill was suddenly there, also naked,“and stupid too!”

“
If it wouldn't mean my own death, I'd kill you myself,” Trevor growled. He at least had pants on.

“
Alright,” I held up my hands, “I agree it was a risky move but I wasn't thinking clearly. He hurt Fallon.”

“
And you are more important than Fallon,” Arach snarled.

“
Wait a second,” I started to snap back but Trevor grabbed me by both shoulders and shook me till my teeth rattled.

“
You
are
more important!” Trevor yelled in my face. “You have the lives of every Intare tied to you, you have
my
life tied to you! How many times do we have to tell you that you risk more than yourself every time you fight?”

“
So I'm supposed to just sit at home and wait while you big, strong men handle everything?” I flicked his arms from me and his eyes widened. I don't think he realized how much stronger I'd become ever since I'd accepted my dragon. “Fuck you, Trevor! Fuck you all if you think for one god damned second that I'm ever gonna sit it out. I take care of those I love as best as I can but I will not hobble myself for them and in case you didn't notice, I just saved you all. Iktomi wouldn't have gone down without me.”

Applause met my words and I turned, stunned to find an audience of Intare, Thunderbirds, gods, and imps. The imps and Intare were especially boisterous. I glanced at my lovers and saw with some satisfaction that they were gaping at the others.

“We don't want a Tima who hides behind us,” Fallon seemed pretty steady for a guy who'd been recently speared through. He smiled fiercely at me. “We want one who stands before us and leads us against our enemies!”

“
If she falls,” Darius continued, “she will fall in battle, with blood upon her lips and flesh beneath her claws. We will fight for her until the last of us dies and that is the way of the Intare.”

“
Our Queen doesn't cower!” Meilyr shouted and held a slime covered fist into the air. “She rushes into the fray with vengeance on her tongue and death in her eyes!”

“
For she is the Queen of Fire,” Bearach stepped forward, “and fire rages, it consumes, and it cares not for the danger that comes for it!”

More shouting and feet stomping as my men came to stand beside me and I looked up at their sheepish expressions with a smirk. I knew that sometimes in the heat of battle I didn't have time to think things through and I didn't always make the best decisions but it was good to know that I didn't have to worry about others holding me responsible for their lives. I didn't have to let fear for people I love hold me back. They knew they were bound to me but they wouldn't have me change for it.

“Alright, alright already,” Trevor held up his hands and waved everybody down. “We'll lay off her, okay?”

Roaring and clapping. I smiled at Samantha, who was holding tight to her husband and smiling at me with understanding and gratitude. She was Froekn, she'd been killing since she could hold a knife, and I knew she'd never stay out of a fight just because Fallon was worried for her. She loved him but she'd sooner spit in his face.

“I was actually about to tell you before I was so rudely interrupted,” Kohana strode forward after the shouting died down and slid an annoyed glance at my lovers, “that this was the most impressive attack I've seen in a very long time. All of you fought valiantly but we couldn't have won without Vervain's talent for removing magic. It was an honor to have fought beside you, Godhunter.”

“
And you as well, Kohana,” I smiled and looked over at the other Thunderbirds before remembering that they'd lost one of their own. “I hope you'll stay and join us as we honor the life that was lost and celebrate the victory he helped achieve.”

“
Losing a friend is always hard,” Kohana nodded and looked over to his fellow Thunderbirds. “But death is easier to accept when it brings honor and peace. We will stay and celebrate the life that Bidziil's death has won.”