Nate

I stare at the boat; the flames rise higher and higher into the sky. They give off an almost ethereal glow in the night sky, with the way the flames reflected by the nearby water brushing up against the boat with each wave. My throat feels hoarse, and I bow my head, digging my fingers into the sand, and hoping that everything is a horrible, horrible nightmare.

“I - I don’t understand, I mean Witchy was comin’ here to help, I mean how did she even end up on the boat?” I ask.

“That would be me, not that I was alone in that endeavor. right cousin, dear?” Keira is standing cocky with a smirk on her face. “Oh don’t look so shocked. Surely you wondered about the position of this little coven of ours. I mean, how does one stay this far West and not be attacked? Surely you’re smarter than the rest of your kind.”

I lick my lips and try to process what’s happening in front of me.

“My kind?” I ask. “So because I’m a Bobby, you assume Imma dumb piece of shit. Is that what you’re saying?”

“No. I’m saying you’re a dumb animal because you’re a shifter. All shifters may as well be animals.”

“Wow, prejudice much.”

“Please! I call it as I see it.” She perks up, looking over my shoulder, and I twist to see NTSCU agents coming down the shore. I turn back to catch sight of even more of them slinking out of the shadows.

“I see you’ve held up your end of the bargain. Great job, Coven Dolon.” Marcus steps up to the front and once again appears to be the clear leader in this situation.

“Of course I saw no problem with honoring our past agreement,” she tells him. If I thought anything but a whine would leave my throat, I’d tell her exactly where she can shove her agreement.

“Vanessa has perished,” Kore’s chimes in, and I tilt my head to gaze, taken back by her tone. I’d call it emotionless, but there’s an asperity to her words that have me on edge.

“Yes. Even if she managed to set that blaze, no witch on record has ever survived death by fire,” Marcus states. He turns to me and looks me over. If I didn’t know any better I’d say there’s guilt in his eyes. “You, on the other hand, will be coming with me.”

I manage to growl at him, and that seems to deter anyone from coming any closer.

“I never could understand your fascination with this Bobby. What makes him so special?” Kore asks Marcus. She glides closer, with each step, I see the life seeping out of the ground.

“My client is very interested in hybrid specimens. We’ve never come across a Bobby and werewolf hybrid that hasn’t succumbed to the Rot already. A chance to… study him was impossible for him to pass by,” Marcus states, all while eyeing me. He’s answering her, but it feels as if he’s talking to me.

I scrutinize the scar on his face, something that from the look of it came from a Bobby. The man obviously has knowledge and experience, and it begs the question of whether he knew the truth about what I am this whole time. His expression is guarded, but from what I’ve seen, he doesn’t take any sick enjoyment from his so-called job.

Even if he knew what I was back in that desert, why hadn’t he said anything? He was going to shoot me straight in the head simply because of ‘malfunctioning’ equipment. Was he just being lazy? Or was whatever was waiting for me so terrible and that would’ve been a small mercy?

I tremble as I have no idea which would be the better option. Of course, this is all speculation; for all, I know my assumptions are all wrong, but seeing as I’ll probably be dead soon, it’s all I have left.

“You brought them here,” Kore accuses, and for a second, I’m afraid she’s blaming me for the trouble this whole situation must have caused. I may not have known her long, but I knew she was the type to stop the bullshit Keira was spitting.

“Oh, don’t say it like that,” Keira responds.

“Our people died because of you,” spits Kore.

“If they died, they were weak people. We all knew the cost of our deal. We lead them to other witches or whatever crosses our path, and we’d be spared. Don’t you remember growing up and feeling safe because we knew nothing was going to harm us?”

“That was when the NTSCU stood for something else — when we led criminals and psychopaths their way, not innocent survivors. This is not right — you are not right — and I will not stand for it any longer.”

“What will you do, dear cousin? Kill me? Please, we both know you don’t have the guts.”

“Perhaps you are right,” Kore admits, but then she looks me dead in the eye, “But I know someone who is willing to do the deed for me and with glee.” I study the girl I slowly befriended, and a conversation we had months back comes to mind.

Kore’s eyes darken to those familiar black pits that I love — loved — to see in Nessa’s eyes. She raises her arms, and I am still in shock as the ground splits open, allowing roots and the dead to rise forth.

I always thought that Bobbies with severe Rot were the creepiest creatures I had ever seen and would ever have to lay my eye upon. Oh, Goddess, I was so wrong. People often mistake Bobbies for the living dead, but these guys are the real deal.

I was used to the hanging, rotten flesh of the Bobbies, but they have nothing on stench that comes off of these suckers in waves. The odor causes an attack on my senses, making my eyes water, and I slam my mouth shut as acid hits the back of my throat. A centipede crawls out of out of one of their mouths only to crawl back in behind the loose eyeball that’s hanging on by a few nerve strings.

They move towards Keira and even though she tries to get away, they grab hold of her. They toss her into the air, and she skids across the sand landing within my reach. Focusing on Keira, who was the main cause of Vanessa’s death, and has turned her back on people that thought were safe under her protection.

There are many things that I can stomach. Traitors are not one of them. In a world where all you have is your word and the people you care for, throwing it away for a few comforts. Unforgivable.

I stalk towards Keira, enjoying some predatory pleasure when I smell the fear pouring off her. I open and slam my fangs together to show just what I plan on doing to her. She crawls onto her hands and knees, crying for somebody to save her.

“Kore please, you’re my family,” she pleads. I watch with dark amusement as the roots shove her onto her back. “You idiots, your job is to protect me, so protect me from this beast,” she screams at the NTSCU agents that have been staying on the sidelines.

“No, our job is to acquire a hybrid specimen and bring him back in one piece. If he wishes to tire himself out with attacking you, who am I to get in the way of that?” Marcus explains, but even to my ears, it’s a weak excuse. Not that I care. He’s basically told me I can tear the meat from her bones, and none of them will be lifting a finger to help her.

I stride up to Keira and grip a hand into her hair, jerking her head up. Without releasing her and ignoring her pitiful hits, I reach down for my knife. Thankfully Vanessa always bothers-bothered- me to keep the thing sharpened. I bring the blade down and start to take swipe after swipe until all she has is some choppy remains of what used to be glorious hair.

Plus, thanks to all the tidbits from Nessa over our time spent together, I know this is worse than any other torture I could possibly dish out. This will haunt her more in the little time we have together before my apparent demise. I drop the knife and admire the blubbering mess Keira has become in such a short period. Oh, how the prideful fall. I rear my hand back and close my hand again to do the little trick Dewitt had shown me right before my departure.

The grip on my elbow is tight and unrelenting, I would feel like a cowed child if not for the fact I had tried to run off once he let go earlier.

“So what’s this about,” I ask when it seems like Dewitt isn’t going to tell me the exact reason he dragged me out here.

“You and Alistair haven’t talked yet, but I’m sure you’ve surmised that you’re not just a Bobby.” I nod, feeling no need to lie to the man. “Good then this will be quick.” He lets me go and pivots so we are face to face. “I must humbly apologize,” he states, bowing slightly while taking his right fist and pounding it over his heart three times.

“Whoa, whoa, come on that’s not necessary.” I stumble back, glad that my tanned complexion obscures the blush I feel upon my face.

“No, this was a smidge in my judgment, and I will correct it,” he states without moving from his bowed position. “I saw what you were, but even if it was understandable at the beginning, we realized shortly after our second encounter that you had precise control of yourself.”

“But I couldn’t bring myself to take any chances with my pack, and I never gave you a chance even after knowing who your family was. In retribution for that, I want to demonstrate a skill that you should be able to learn.” I arch my eyebrow at him in question and gesture for him to continue.

Instead of opening his mouth, I’m shown his hand mere inches away from my face. I get a close up of the claws that take the place of once human nails. I look in awe and reach up to drag a finger along one of them.

“Can all shifters do that?”

“Yeah, but the process is a little different for hybrids.”

“Hybrids?”

“Yeah basically anybody with mixed blood no matter how far back it goes. But that’s something we can talk ’bout once you come back, alright?”

“Yeah, a’ight.”

I give Kore one last chance to make sure this was something she was truly okay with, and provide a fang baring smirk as she grimly nods her head. I bring my hand down hard and fast, making sure to dig my claws especially deep into Keira’s neck.

I rip through the arteries that I know lay in her throat, gauging deep ravines into the whole front of her neck. I release my hold on her hair and watch as she flops bonelessly to the ground, grasping her throat to stop the bleeding instead of breaking her fall.

Her actions are in vain, though, as a small pool has already oozed onto the ground from her neck. I bend down and give a throaty chuckle as she attempts to wrench away from my touch, but I just move faster and shove my fist inside of her throat.

I dig around until I grasp my prize and rip her windpipe out. This way, even if someone has the misguided need to help her, they’ll be missing a vital piece Magic may be amazing, but it can’t fix what’s irreparable.

Keira pitifully starts to crawl to Kore, as if now she’ll show her mercy, but is blocked by the undead army. I eye her grasping onto life in revulsion, glad that even if this is my last action that I took that bitch down with me.

“Hmm, you’re not going to eat her?” Marcus has finally made his presence known.

“Nah, gotta watch what I put in my body, you know.” I refuse to look at him as I know once I do this will all be over.

“Nate,” Kore calls. I glance at her and breathe out a heavy sigh. She has tears streaking her face, and blood stains her lips, whether from overworking herself or bringing her lips, I’m unsure. “Please…” What she’s begging for is unclear, but it doesn’t matter as she collapses and with her every single entity under her command. A hand grabs onto each of my arms, and I work to keep my breath steady. They’re human, surely if I fight, my odds of comin’ out on top are positive.

“Now before you get any bright ideas, I’ll remind you, we have this whole place surrounded, you fight back in any way, we will attack. You give my men or me any look that I don’t like, we will attack. You try to escape in any way before we get to get to our destination, we will come back and attack them,” he announces. “Do you understand?” I lick my lips before looking back at Kore.

“And what makes you think I care about these people?” I glance towards Marcus and am surprised with a smack to my cheek. I have to bite my lip to keep my scream in as a burning sensation overcomes my face. Those aren’t normal gloves. He says nothing else, just eyeing me and giving a sardonic smirk. He turns, and I see that his face is tilted towards Kore.

“Now choose your next course of action wisely. But just a tidbit of information:when the NTSCU gets sent to destroy a coven we always start with the leaders. Makes the others much more pliable; most of them lose any sense of morale.” I shut my eyes and hope that the end is quick.

“Kore, somebody’s goin’ come lookin’ for me. Please tell them I love them, and if I had a choice, I’d have made it back to them.” I practically sob, and watch as Kore realizes what is happening. I keep my shoulders tense and still as her screams fill my ears. I let my tears fall as I’m pulled away. I hope I’m doing the right thing.

Despite our differences, a small number of people in Dolon had earned my respect. For that reason alone, I will not drag these people down with me. Besides, I know for a fact children still reside in the camp, and I refuse to add their deaths to my conscience. I’m shoved down the beach and onto a path that eventually leads back to the harsher desert lands. I see a truck that resembles a Hummer, but the name slips my mind. Not that it really matters.

I keep my head down and my hands resting at my sides. My feet drag in the sand, not to draw out the walk but because I can’t find the energy or will to make full steps. The goons behind me obviously don’t share the same sentiment as somebody attempts to shove me forward. I go with the motion to at least keep them appeased.

Marcus stands in front of the vehicle, his hands behind his back, and a stony expression upon his face. Without saying a word, he brings forth thick shackles and some other metal object that looks like it may have a terrifying function. Marcus stalks forward and snaps the shackles onto my wrists, fastening them together with a force so great I almost land on my face.

“This,” he states, “is a mouthguard. You are going to open your jaws at a human measure, I’m going to place it inside, once that happens, you will not bite me. If you do, you remember my warning from before.” I stare off into the distance but give a slight nod at his words. Somebody decides to grip a handful of my locs from behind and jerk my head back. I almost start growling but hold myself back at the last second.

The metal is placed in my mouth, and as soon as the strong iron taste hits my mouth, I immediately want to spit it out. Marcus taps on my lower jaw, so I close my jaw over the metal once more. The metal guard is soon digging itself into my gums, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d say the thing was permanently embedded in my mouth. I can’t help the whine that I make, though the sound vibrates throughout my chest more than anything else.

“Don’t worry, once we get to the Base my client will insist on that coming off,” Marcus claims. I glare at his face and see disgust not aimed at myself, causing me to worry even more about the next destination.

“We’ll be there before you know it,” Marcus states. I feel a slight pinch and then watch in a daze as the world slowly fades away.

When I come to, I’m no longer surrounded by the hot, humid sandy desert. Instead, everything reeks of bleach, and that in itself causes my head to spin even though I’m lying down. I try to stand and am stopped. I look around and spot my limbs being tied down by wraps of some kind. I try to tug at them, but my arms are so stretched out that it makes the task impossible.

Instead of panicking, I focus my gaze around the room and am disturbed by what I find. In the dim lighting, I can see there are jars littered everywhere: some empty and some filled. One specific jar holds what looks to be teeth; from what I can tell, the label is a bunch of random numbers. A door slams open, and I am grateful for the scent of Marcus and someone new that rushes into the room.

“Ah, I see that my newest guest has arrived. Great work as always, Marcus,” a slimy voice greets my ears, and I’m already eager to get this over with. “Tsk, I see your company is still using such barbaric ways of keeping them detained.”

“Yes, I apologize about that. But policy is policy, as you know.”

“Yes. I’m aware. Now let’s get these out of your mouth, shall we?” He violently yanked my mouth open and ripped the metal guard out, taking several patches of my gums and teeth with it. I keep in all sounds as I refuse to end with these assholes getting the better of me. Refuse to let them reduce me to nothing but tears and screams. “Oh he’s a great piece; you’ve truly outdone yourself. Never before has somebody managed to bring me a hybrid of this mix still so intact. Where was he found?”

“Traveling around the Southwest with a spellcaster.”

“How strange. But still some of your best work truly, Marcus.”

“Of course. Maybe now we can take the time to discuss my payment.”

“Ah, I’m sorry to say that will not be possible.”

“What do you mean?”

“That particular specimen got too out of hand, and we put it down.”

“She’s gone.” Marcus is quiet, and I don’t know the man, but even I can hear the fury just hiding in the background of his words. “I see that’s quite alright if nothing is needed of me I will be off.”

“Of course, and thank you for understanding. I wish we had more competent agents in that godforsaken organization of yours.” All I heard in response to his words was a door slamming. “Well, it seems like it’s just us now, 1201. No better time to start but the present, that’s what I always say.” A small prick pinches the side of my neck, and I prepare myself to be knocked out, but somehow I stay awake.

The straps on my limbs all disappear, and I don’t hesitate to jump up to cross the room. Dolon is still on my mind, but I know Kore. By the time we were rounding the corner, she was already gathering her survivors and moving camp. If I’m going to escape, it’s got to be now.

The second my legs hit the ground the world starts to turn on its side, I end up falling to my knees and hands. I attempt to crawl towards the door, but am soon out of breath, and it’s like lead is being pushed on top of my body.

“Oh, how strange. That should have left you paralyzed. Hmm, that’s the highest dosage that doesn’t kill one of you beasts, but it would seem like you can’t go very far, so there’s that.” I get flipped onto my back, and for the first time, I get a glimpse of the man who holds my life in his hands. He’s middle-aged and seems to be of a smaller stature.

He moves away, and I hear the sound of clinking metal before something cold sheathes around my ankles. I glance around the floor and am confused once I notice all the drains that are scattered on the ground. I grunt as I’m pulled across the room by my ankles until I’m hefted to hang in the air positioned in the middle of the room.

Something cold glides down my abdomen, and I try to cringe away, but that’s kind of hard to do suspended in the air. Go figure. I bring my hands up and am glad that I do indeed have pants on, at least I can die with some dignity. Pain erupts right below my heart, and I bring my head up long enough to spot a scalpel sticking out of my body. I breathe in through my nose to regulate the need to scream out.

“It’s okay to scream. They all do in the end.” He jerks the knife towards my pants, and I feel little rivers of my blood rush down the surface of my stomach. The blood continues its path down my neck, drips down my face and then onto the floor. It would seem like your last meal was pretty recent, but no other blood but that spellcaster was found on your person,” he mutters while sticking a finger deep into my gash and wiggling it about.

“Why don’t you just finish it already?” I ask, already tired of being this man’s plaything

“Oh dear, has nobody informed you?” He stands in front of me and drags the knife down my cheek. “We will be enjoying each other’s company for the foreseeable future.” With that, he takes the knife and plunges it into my neck before dragging it through my chest until it reaches the edge of my pants.

I get the sick visual of my intestines falling out and dropping to the floor. The metal clenching my ankles releases its hold, and I drop next to my organs, thankfully not crushing any of them. “Yes, this isn’t the end, Twelve-Zero-One; this is simply the beginning.”