Scarlet Dawn (17 page)

S
erena, close your eyes; I’ll be your lover tonight.

Axle blinked at the words that echoed all around him, unable to fully grasp their meaning. The pain in his head had spread and become a misery that consumed his entire being.

A misery that now seemed to taunt and condemn him.

A misery that seeped like a dense, pale fog from deep within his chest until he was surrounded in the cold, bitter clouds of his own despair. He whimpered, feeling the powerful self-loathing come down on him, forcing him to gasp against the weight of his own hatred; a hatred that turned the air in his lungs to ice.

Serena, close your eyes…

Just outside the ghostly wisps of fog were the dark phantoms of leafless trees that slowly began to define a forest that he suddenly found himself surrounded in. All at once it became clear that he was trapped there; condemned to the frigid, barren forest of his own condemnation.

“Hello?” Axle spun around in a frantic attempt to spot the source of the words that seemed to carry on the very fog itself, “Who’s there?”

I’ll be your lover tonight.

“WHO’S THERE, GOD DAMMIT!!”

Out of the corner of his vision, he spotted eyes—a pair of mismatched orbs that followed his every movement—and he spun to face them. But he found himself face-to-face with only one of the dark, dead trees.

Serena…

Spinning around again, he caught sight of the eyes again, this time several pairs that scattered across the landscape in his peripheral vision. Every time he turned his head to face them head-on, however, he saw only trees.

Silver and blue.

Silver and blue.

Silver and blue…

No matter where he turned the damned eyes watched him just out of his focus.

There was no escaping them!

Growling in agitation, Axle turned away—starting towards a direction that in no way differed from any other—and hoped that it would take him somewhere; anywhere! But for every step he took, his setting didn’t change; the scenery didn’t move.

And the eyes didn’t stop staring!

Snarling, Axle forced his body to transform, feeling that he might find some comfort—some sense of safety—in his therion body. The pain of the change flooded his system as his body pitched and tossed, and he relished in every excruciating moment, knowing just how much stronger and faster he’d be when he ridded himself of…

His human body!

Looking down at his hands, he was rewarded with nothing but the sight of his weak, pink human hands. The only thing that held was the ache, which clung to his body like a freezing, mocking cancer.

He could try to run…

Buddy, what’s the point!

Axle spun, growling and swiping his fists at empty air. “SHOW YOURSELF!!”

I may never know why I let you go…

Axle whimpered, fear sinking into his heart as he drew back, “Please… leave me alone—”

I’m sick of waiting!

The ground shook with violent tremors that seemed to extend into Axle’s own mind—every quake causing him to tremble like a child; every distant sound of destruction seeming to fracture a part of
himself. The chaos drew nearer, the trees that had stood proudly over him and held him captive succumbing to the pitching of their soil and beginning to collapse with thunderous roars that reverberated behind Axle’s eyes. As the tremors continued, the ground beneath his feet began to split into violent, spider-webbed cracks—bright, blood-red light pouring from the cracks and casting a visceral haze over the forest—that began to collapse into the crimson oblivion below.

I’M SICK OF WAITING!

“Please! What have I done to—”

The lonely plot of land that Axle stood upon began to crumble, and he howled in panic as his only foothold vanished. Desperation sinking in, he hurled himself towards the nearest tree and grasped onto the upturned roots that had presented themselves in their fall. Scrambling to keep his grip he found the roots too slick to hold, and as he looked at the mass within his bone-white fist he saw that he was trying to hold himself from strands of platinum-blonde hair.

I may never know why I let you go. Serena, close your eyes…

“NO!!”

I’ll be your lover tonight.

“NOOO!!”

Losing his hold, Axle plummeted into the depths of the crimson abyss. As the void grew all-consuming, he felt himself swallowed in its sticky warmth, and with every drop that rolled across his skin he felt new levels of pain—heard new decibels of screams and wails—and saw the mismatched silver and blue eyes looming over him in the distance.

Why I let you go…

And then it was gone. Every drop of the ocean of blood vanished, leaving him stranded in an urban mockery against a curtain of blackness. All around him the skyline held no promise of any concept of “beyond”—no stars nor moon nor hope—and he found himself staring at a vacant street that stretched infinitely both ahead and behind him. Only a short distance away, he spotted his only possible solace:

Serena!

Axle’s eyes widened and he began to sprint down the road towards her, ignoring the tremors that once again threatened to rip the world apart.

None of that meant a damn thing to him. Nothing else mattered.

Throwing himself into a mad dash towards her, he rolled and vaulted and dove and duck under everything that the tremors dropped in his path.

A sedan—its wailing alarm fading in and out as it rolled towards him—was easily cleared as he kicked off from a runaway hotdog stand and barrel vaulted over the runaway car’s hood.

Landing in a tucking roll, he caught sight of a portion of a building that threatened to block his path. Refusing to slow down, he pushed that much harder, the collapsing rooftop landing around him—boxing him within its weakened walls and threatening to dump its collapsing roof on top of him—and offering only a cracked window ahead of him to illuminate the space. Hurdling towards the single pane of glass, he threw himself into a screwdriver dive that freed him from the collapsing structure and sent him sailing into a new set of obstacles.

A sailing double kong over a picnic table.

Monkey vault between a set of concrete barricades.

The city came alive in an attempt to stop him from reaching Serena, who seemed to never be closer but never too far…

The ground ripped free and began to disappear beneath him, leaving Serena—his prize—growing ever distant at the bottom. Crying out her name, he flung himself over the edge in what he was sure was a suicidal air bomb and…

He landed, rolling with the momentum and pulling himself to his feet right in front of Serena.

The bed stretched across the meridian of the street; the wind-licked sheets gripped tightly in her hands as her naked body writhed and heaved in orgasmic pleasure just in front of him. She was so close…

He reached out, eager to escape the chaos of this world and sink into the bliss he saw in her.

“All the things you’ve done,” Axle whispered to her as his hand wavered in the ether between him and her, “have made me fall in love with you.”

Serena’s silent orgasm rolled on before him, her sweat-glistening breasts heaving as she spread her sex before him; further inviting the invisible source of her pleasure.

And then his hand found the barrier.

An unseen wall that kept Serena just outside of his reach.

“I’ll never know why I let you go, my love.”

Looking up towards the source of the familiar voice, Axle spotted a man—his pitch-black hair interrupted by a single silver bang that hung between his silver and blue eyes—perched atop the barrier; squatting atop the massive, transparent cube that kept him from the only thing that mattered to him anymore.

“Who are you?”

“Who are you?”

“ANSWER ME!”

“ANSWER ME!”

“You…”

“You…”

“Can’t…”

“Can’t…”

“Have…”

“Have…”

“Her!”

“Her!”

The two roared at one another, their voices mirroring one another as though the thoughts emanated from a single source.

“I’m tired of trying…” Axle groaned, leaning his head against the barricade, “Serena, I would do anything to be lying with you…”

“I’m sick of waiting!” The man growled.

Then Serena was gone.

And, before Axle, only the man.

“You don’t belong here,” he growled, stepping towards him. “You don’t belong with her!”

“WHAT WOULD YOU KNOW ABOUT IT?” Axle roared.

“More than you know,” the man threw the first punch; a solid right hook that took Axle across the jaw and threw him to the road.

But no pain…

Somewhere behind him, Axle was somehow aware of one of the many buildings collapsing under its own weight.

“I’ve been forced to watch this scene, and all that’s happened has led me—led us—to this bittersweet abyss. Now you need to go—you need to do what will set things right—or I will rip you out and do it myself.”

In the distance, Serena’s cries of ecstasy rose over the horizon, chanting a name that Axle couldn’t bring himself to hear.

The man nodded, “Serena, close your eyes. I’ll be your lover tonight.” He sighed and looked up at Axle, “This is the lullaby to sing the tortured to sleep…” he charged towards him, “And you MUST sleep!”

Fists flew.

Feet struck.

Flesh and bone slammed with apocalyptic force.

And all around them the buildings crumbled and collapsed.

I have broken free! You hear me? I’m free! FREE!

You can’t deny me; can’t defy the truth!

I have been reborn!

“WHO ARE YOU??” Axle roared, throwing his elbow back in an attempt to catch his attacker in the skull, only to have him duck beneath the blow and deliver an uppercut to his gut.

And then Serena’s voice called out, and the name rang like church bells across the eternity of their battlefield.

“ZANE!!!”

The man nodded, closing in on Axle as the buildings collapsed all around them, “Yes, my darling. I’ve been reborn. Tonight… we say goodbye!”

S
erena sighed as she sat in her study, pretending—even to herself—to look over the accounts for the clan. Despite the responsibilities at hand, her mind was determined to keep her thoughts on only one thing.

Axle.

She growled after her mind replayed the scene of the kiss inside her head once again and she shook her head, pushing the paperwork aside. Sighing, she rested her head in her hands.

“Why did he kiss me…?” She whispered to herself.

Zane was still out there—somewhere—and though there was something in Axle that kept her second-glancing him, there was never a moment when her heart didn’t know
exactly
where her loyalties lay.

Zane…

The one who had saved her; the one who had protected her.

The one who had loved her in ways that she’d never thought possible.

So what was it about Axle that kept the two names bobbing side-by-side?

What was she trying to tell herself?

A knock on the door jolted her from her thoughts and she quickly moved to answer it.

“Yes?” She blinked a few times as Zane’s face greeted her, and forced herself several times to remind herself that it was Raith standing at the door.

“You got some time? I need to talk to you,” he frowned.

“Uh, sure. I suppose that’s not a problem. Do you want to come in?” She moved out of the way to let him through. After a moment of him not moving, she sighed and nodded, “Alright then! A walk it is!”

The walk was a quiet one through the city and Serena was beginning to worry that Raith wouldn't say a word to her at all.

She wanted to see Axle again and clear things up…

Turning to look at Raith, she found herself swept into memories of Zane.

“It must be hard, eh?” Raith finally said.

“Excuse me?” Serena found herself yanked back in the present. Back in the cold streets of the city. Back in the world where she didn’t have Zane.

“To look at me, I mean. Having me
squattin’ in your man’s body must be tough for ya,” he frowned. “I just sort of feel like I should offer my sympathies. If it had been up to me it wouldn’t have happened like this.”

Serena looked over and nodded slowly, before offering a small smile. “Even so, it must’ve been hard for you as well.
To watch through your friend’s eyes. Especially Zane’s… we all know he hasn’t had the best of years.”

“He’s definitely a lot darker and more grim than he was before…” Raith sighed.

“Was he very different then? Before whatever happened to create
Maledictus
, I mean.” Serena asked.

“Completely different! Granted, he was a still a fan of the ladies, but he was a gentleman and charmer back then. He was…” Raith sighed, “He was the sort of guy you wanted to have around no matter what, whether it was at the greatest of parties or the most vicious of battlefields. He had looks, charm and a positive attitude towards life.” Raith sighed, “But after the Taroe… Well, it was all too much for him.”

“I understand… and
Maledictus
certainly didn’t help with his outlook on life,” Serena shook her head, biting her lip and shivering, “We were surprised that… that
beast
had actually taken a liking to me.”

“That
beast
doesn’t know the difference between friend or foe, I’m afraid. What it felt—well, what it
feels
—for you can’t really be defined by anybody. But what you showed it that when you first met Zane…” He shrugged.

Serena blushed and looked over, “So… you saw all of that then? That night and all the times that…”

Raith shrugged, “I don’t want to make this awkward, but I don’t want to lie to you either. There was a reason that
Maledictus
always talked about himself as ‘us’ and ‘we’,” he looked over and pointed to himself, “The curse needed all of us—Zane, me,
and
it—to become that thing; it was my therion heart that fueled the change each time. It’s why, without him in here with us,
Maledictus
can’t come out and I can’t transform. This body is just a vampire body now.” He pointed to his right eye, “And this has changed back to my normal eye color?”

Serena stared, “
Your
normal…”

Raith nodded, “Yup. The taroe were nothing if not thorough, I’m afraid. Part of the
Maledictus
curse was to choose a subject—Zane—and embody him with the means to ‘carry’ any accomplices with them. Along with my heart, they gave him my eye so I’d always be forced to watch the
Maledictus
while he committed his acts; we were condemned to watch side-by-side as the monster we created did what it was created to do.” Raith sighed, “Now that a crucial part of the equation is gone, my eye is no longer empowered by the therion drive that fueled it, so it shines with the color of my human form.”

Serena smiled, “I think it’s pretty. You must have been really handsome.”

“Nothin’ compared to your boyfriend, sweetheart, but Nicc’oule seemed happy with the way I looked.”

Serena nodded, still having to remind herself that their Nikki hadn’t always gone by that name. “Well, I see the way she looks at you… well, not
you
, but you know what I mean. Anyway, I don’t think it has much to do with looks with her.”

Raith smiled, “But would it be any different for you if your Zane was in any other body?”

Serena paused on that a moment. “Any other body…?”

The sharp sound of a nearby trashcan smashing against the ground jolted both of them to their surroundings and they started towards an alleyway. Reaching the source of the commotion, they found nothing more than a vacant alley, a bunch of scattered trash…

And a partially skewed manhole cover.

“Oh come on…” Serena rolled her eyes. “They don’t
really
expect me to go down there, do they?”

Raith frowned, “They?”

Serena nodded, “Whatever deities I’ve angered enough to be doing this…”

“Well,” Raith yanked the giant metal slab away from the entrance into the sewer and started down into the depths, “just imagine the karma you’re earning.”

“Oh now
that
is just fucking wrong!” Serena’s eyes widened as she took in the lizard-like appearance of the ykali stooping a short distance ahead of them.

The three reptilian creatures were mostly covered in baggy street clothes, but—for the sake of enjoying their meal—they’d drawn back the hoods and scarves that hid their scaly, hairless, protruding snouts and jagged teeth. Hearing the
two drop down to the muck-soaked ground, the three had turned away from the body they’d been feasting on and had begun an appalling hymn of enraged hisses and dry, airy growls.

“Serena! I got the one on the right! Take the left and we’ll get the middle together!”

Serena watched as Raith rushed towards the first ykali and she quickly turned her own target. Not wanting to touch the repulsive creature, she threw out her aura and shaped it into a bow that she “held” in her right hand. Though it was an unconventional method with others, the self-trained archery enthusiast had found a greater degree of control and focus in wielding her aura as a tangible, polymorphous weapon rather than a shapeless extension of herself. Drawing back her “arrow”, she waited for the ykali to make its move and started a slow approach towards it. Snapping its jaws, the giant lizard lunged at her and she loosed the bright purple beam, letting it pierce through her attacker and hold it. With her aura still gripping the creature, she swung it around, using the “arm” of her auric limb to trip the third ykali in the center and bringing it towards Raith’s opponent.

“GET DOWN!” Serena warned.

Not waiting to question her reasons, Raith ducked down and allowed the thrashing ykali impaled on the end of Serena’s aura to crash into the first. As the two collided, the pair went into a panic-fueled berserker rage and began to slash and bite at the other.

By the time Serena expanded the auric hold within the
ykali she’d “shot”—causing it to explode into leathery, scale-covered chunks—the damage to the first had rendered it as good as dead.

“Hells-fucking-yea, you walking purse-assed motherfuckers!” Serena cheered.

Raith turned to face her, “Did you just say ‘purse-asse—LOOK OUT!”

The third
ykali let out a loud ear-piercing shriek, and Serena threw her aura out in a blind hail Mary that only seemed to piss it off. Taking the hit to its chest, the creature rolled around the attack and began to run faster towards her as it threw out its greenish-brown fist into Serena’s stomach. Serena cried out as she lurched forward from the punch before quickly recovering and swung her right foot out in a high kick that landed in the ykali’s already injured chest.

“You gross fuck!” Serena glared as she threw out her right fist and directed her auric energies into the punch as she swung into the
ykali’s face over and over again before finally throwing an auric-empowered kick into its side.

The
ykali shrieked and flew back, crashing into the brick wall of the far side of the tunnel—the sound of several of its bones breaking echoing—and fell into a large pool of filth.

Hearing a grunt, Serena looked over as the first
ykali that she’d counted out of the fight earlier had continued its injury-induced rampage on Raith. Holding the snapping jaws back with his left forearm—which he’d lodged under the creature’s chin and against the base of its throat—he repeatedly drove his right fist into the side of the monster’s head. Casting out her aura, Serena threw the battered ykali from Raith and watched as he kicked to his feet and drove his fist through the ykali’s chest. Letting out a startled gasp, the creature fell back—falling free of Raith’s hand—and let them both see the still-beating heart that he’d earned in the process. Serena looked over and sneered for a moment at the sight of the dying organ.

“That’s disgusting!”

“You want it?” Raith smirked, “It looks kind of cool!”

“Why do I get the idea that if you could,” Serena wretched, “you’d jar that thing up and keep it?”

“I don’t think Nicc’oule would appreciate that!” Raith laughed.