Chapter 1: All That Remains
All that Remains
In Death there are no memories of the pain or all of the destruction which led to this end. Sudden thoughts about everyone you have ever loved flash before your eyes within a matter of seconds. Then comes the void. Your last breath. No worries, no stress, only absolute peace.
So, I was lead to believe.
Screams of terror filled my ears and the pain etching across my skull was excruciating. The sickening smell of burning flesh mixed with the metallic odor of blood suffocates me. My chest burned and my body felt heavy as if I were trapped beneath a bolder.
Muffled screams.
Distorted voices.
Clogged ears waiting for them to pop.
I can’t move.
The voices becoming clear.
denali...
DeNaLi...
DENALI!
Marco
I didn’t know what to expect entering the hospital. All I know is my mate is locked in meditation until Denali and Saben return. The shield over Crimson Falls has been compromised by the unauthorized entry of an injured scout who is contaminated by Bakari’s dark rogues. Melia could now possibly die as a result of a contaminated injured scout being brought through the shield which is spiritually connected to her. Leaving Nandie to keep the shield in place without having any experience and maintaining it for a whole region.
Shit’s falling apart.
The long empty hallways of the hospital echo with the sound of my boots on the shiny vinyl floors. Abandoned beds, wheelchairs, and various types of medical equipment littered the dimly lit halls. The townspeople and the pack rallied together to evacuate the hospital quickly over the last few days. No one would ever believe this place was ever occupied by the looks of things now. I enter the OR finding Baron and Chi using every incantation in the book to analyze the situation. Lance paced back and forth visibly panicking over Nyx.
“Can you save her? I mean... fuck!” His voice strained, tone desperate as he paused pacing an invisible ditch into the floor. His eyes bloodshot and cheeks soaked in tears.
“So, what’s going on? We clearly have a breach of the shield. How bad is it?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
Baron turns to me, his face grim. “It’s bad, Marco. The rogue was infected with a powerful dark magic that has spread throughout the forest outside the shield. Nyx and other fae scouts were injured and killed. We are keeping her asleep to slow the progress of the toxin.” I clench my fists in anger. This is exactly what we feared would happen when Bakari’s rogues started attacking our pack.
Lance returned to pacing back and forth, his thick black hair donning a white streak that wasn’t there before. He wore his stress and worry like a heavy suit of armor. “I asked her not to go. I know we all have a part to play in keeping Crimson Falls safe, but I just needed her not to volunteer herself this time. I wanted her to stay close. I needed to be near her. To protect her...” The guilt in his voice deep, woeful.
Baron placed a hand on Lance’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. “We all know how much you care for Nyx, but she is strong and capable. She was just doing her duty as a scout.”
I can see the pain in Lance’s eyes as he looks at Nyx lying unconscious in the containment vessel. I know that feeling all too well. The fear of losing someone you love, the helplessness of not being able to protect them. My stomach twisted and turned with thoughts of Nandie bound to shielding the land.
“Melia said they were on their way and we have to trust that they will arrive in time. For now Nandie is holding the shield for as long as she can. Hopefully, Denali and Saben will make it either before the Blood Moon rises or before my mate is unable to hold the shield any longer.” I spoke with a confidence I really didn’t feel, but I have no choice but to believe.
Baron nods in agreement. “We have to hold on until then. The pack and allies are doing everything they can to protect the borders and stay prepared.” He turns back to Chi, who was still chanting incantations while hovering over Nyx’s body.
“Chi, any progress?” I ask, hoping for some good news.
He shakes his head sadly. “The dark magic is strong and complex. It will take time to fully analyze it and find a way to counteract it. Bakari is a demon born of a demon and a Goddess, making this even more of a difficult task.”
“Just keep her contained. We need to focus on making sure no one crosses the shield. We have to try to hold things together for as long as possible.” I instruct them, but inwardly unsure of what we may be up against. The elders have experienced this before and here I am telling them what to do.
“Don’t beat yourself up Marco. You are doing just as a Beta should. Stepping up in the absence of your Alpha,” Baron came to stand next to me, patting me on the back while offering encouragement.
“We will give it all we have, but we must have faith and keep the frequency positive. The moment we start to lose hope, is the moment Bakari will take hold of the upper hand. This is not just a physical fight, but mental and spiritual also. So, believe in yourself.” Chi looked at me with a strength and determination that resonated with my soul.
“I am doing the best I can Elders, but it’s looking mighty questionable right now.” I couldn’t lie about everything going full throttle into a pool of shit, but I can’t lose hope.
“We need Denali and Saben to show up soon. We are a few hours away from sunset. Nandie and everyone here will be vulnerable to Bakari and the rogues. Keep her contained, while I make sure we are completely secured. Lance you need to come with me and let the Elders do what they do. The best thing you can do for Nyx is to help keep things together until the Alpha and Luna arrives.”
Lance hesitantly looked back and forth between me and the containment unit holding Nyx. He knew his duty to the pack, but I could see the conflict battling inside him. The guilt of not protecting her from her current condition broke him inside, but to save her required him to follow the Beta.
Me.
“Let’s Go!” He finally turns back to me with a strong look of determination and loyalty. We were going to hold Crimson Falls down for as long as we can or die trying.
Bakari
The weight of missing the chance to seize Alayna’s power has thrown a wrench in my plans. Yet, the unexpected twist of having one of their own tainted with my essence and inside their shield is more than I could have hoped for. I can sense the panic rising, now that Melia’s protection is gone. Her daughter stands in her stead, leaving them vulnerable to my every move. I must act swiftly; my rogues need to strike hard and syphon from the fallen before my enemies can recoup. Their minds will be wide open to me. The tides are turning, and I will exploit every opportunity to destroy them all.
We settled in an encampment just under twenty miles from Crimson Falls and close enough to multiple souls to feast on. Though it may take longer, I will have the power I need to cause as much damage as possible before the rise of the Blood Moon. Every kill my rogues make is a feast in my honor. They have no fucking idea what’s coming and there is nothing they can do about it.
“I believe a little reunion is in order. Isn’t that right, Lucas?” I stroke his dirty curly hair as he kneels before me like an obedient pet. His eyes pitch black and his mouth full of jagged fangs covered in long strings of black drool dripping down his chin. He’s just a shadow of his former self, but a very powerful soldier among my rogues. “You have done so well that you might have a reunion with your daughter Denali tonight. You can have her heart after I take that bitches head!”
I stood walking naked toward the huge fire of bodies and fallen wood with flames high enough to lick the sky as the sun inched it’s way down towards the horizon. The stench of burning flesh engulfing the area like a welcoming feast to death itself. My powers are increasing at an accelerated manner and the number of species within my army is growing by the second. I find myself aroused by the shear thought of killing every ally and every member of Crimson Falls.
“Come to me Thalen!” I call to the man who was once Zander, a weaker form of himself. He strides over to me with his huge muscular, burly frame with a confidence he had not displayed before. His fangy grin created a warmness in my belly and wetness between my thighs that I have not experienced in centuries. His gaze melted over my naked body and lust radiated from him as large curls of grey smoke rolled from his nose. His eyes glowed and sparked orange like the flames of the bonfire.
“How may I service you, Bakari?” His deep voice shaking me to my core as he snatched me aggressively against his body. I should have been angered by the motion, but it was the opposite. I wanted this. His hot breath caressing my skin like multiple hands all over my body and my hardened nipples stung with excitement.
“Service me... in the way that I need,” I demanded, not wanting to sound submissive, though my voice and body quivered with need.
As swiftly as the words left my lips, he cupped my ass firmly and hoisted me onto his shoulders, burying his bearded face between my thighs. His mouth devouring me as if he were starving and I was the only thing he desired to satiate his hunger. I gripped him by his ginger hair grinding hard against his face. The friction of his beard against my flesh added an extra sensation. His tongue searched so deep inside me, taking my focus to nothing but the levels of pleasure his skillful mouth was taking me too.
“Thalen!” I couldn’t hold the moans as the pressure of his tongue against my clit nearly pushed my soul from this body. The building pressure of my orgasm was becoming too much to hold and he became relentless in making sure I came.
“Stop holding back and give me what I am seeking woman! Cum for me. Now!”
Fuck! The way he growled the last word destroyed my control. His voice deep, dark, and demanding in my head. Was I so open to him making it easy to access my mind? Or was this an after effect of Zander’s connection to Adina’s body. I don’t like feeling vulnerable, but I was too far gone to stop it.
“Oh! I’m cumming Thalen!” My body shook as I released all control and let the waves of pleasure take over. He held me tight, his mouth never leaving my wetness as if he wished to suck my very soul from between my thighs. He gently lowered me to the pallet of blankets on the ground, his eyes still glowing with desire.
“Have I pleased you, Bakari? Or would you require more?” His words were like a spell, pulling me in. The bulge in his pants was evidence enough of how much he wanted me. The warm closeness of our bodies and our minds filled with the primal urge to tear each other apart making things even more sticky.
“Yes, but there is always room for more.” I reach between us cupping the huge bulge straining against the restrictive denim of his pants. “And I... require much more.”
