BLOODWIND: A SOUL'S WORTH
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
KESS POV
I turned to my younger sister she looked straight forward with a shit eating grin on her face. Yet there was something in eyes I had seen before long ago. Disappointment? Whatever she had said to him, his reaction must have disappointed her. Probably about killing, she never hid who she was from those who wished to get some semblance of a relationship from her. I pull myself deep into thought I remember only two men, that had completely accepted her Luke and Constantine.
The latter died, she could have turned him immortal but he begged her not to. He wanted death immortality wasn't meant for him, he was forced into it. Even though her own heart was breaking into a million pieces and she had begged him to reconsider he had refused. She hated him after that she hated herself even more. She gave up on love after that because her love wasn't enough for him to endure immortality with her.
We all even her understood his pain but at the same time we hated him to. El loved him more than anything. The scars on his face and body did nothing but build her love for him. He couldn't give her children. She didn't care, he wasn't out worldly handsome but he wasn't someone you would look twice at but she loved him. she saw something in him no one else did that made him an Adonis in her eyes. Now Paul, that kid wasn't half bad, if I remember correctly from the books he was an arrogant jerk a previous womanizer and had little respect for anyone or anything for that matter. Even when he had imprinted on Jacobs sister he was an ass. Unlike our youngest I don't see the good in people first I expect disappointment.
I know its bad but if you had lived as long as I have and been through and seen what I did you would think the same. I just grabbed her shoulder and squeezed. Right now she was probably going through some memories of her own and a hug wouldn't help her at the moment. She looked at me then around the car and soon whatever was in her eyes vanished. I knew that feeling, our pack was close knit and we loved each other and would die without hesitation for one another which some might consider borderline unhealthy.
We knew each other in and out each twitch of a muscle to the pitch of a laugh. Every time we were together it was just warmth. My phone vibrated I took it out seeing a message from Lee to meet him in the forests that borders the wolves and Cullen's. It was an odd meeting place but that meant that there was probably someone who couldn't get past our wards. I told everyone about Lee's message and not needing to elaborate further. We all discreetly called upon our powers and stretched our muscles slightly. You learn never to take things with face value. Emma, Tom and I would go first, we could use the excuse that El was still talking to Paul when we arrive. Matt and El would hang back and wait till we spiked our energy in a flare to say whether or not we need them. We stopped at the closest point to the treaty line and began hiking from there Mat and El stayed behind to wait for our energy signature.
It was an hour walk human pace we didn't mind and gave us a chance to look at our surroundings finding the best escape route etc. Listening to the river that was close by. Swim if we had to. We tried coming down wind to mask our scents and try get a whiff of theirs. So far, we had smelt Colby Lee and the others. They seemed in perfect health no blood or abnormal scent lingering in them so we assumed they were unharmed.
The other four scent's on the other hand. It was like chlorine mixed with other cleaning products almost like they were walking hospitals sterile and clean. It was an unusual smell that had an underline of brimstone? No. Ash? No, it was like a blacksmith work shop with steel and sometimes flesh smell. It was almost as if the hospital bleach was meant to block it out. Arrg the blacksmith scent would have been better. It was dark already the moon was full and the stars were out. There were no clouds blocking its rays. We could see either way, but being a a moon maiden it brought solace. The moon maiden story is for another time. Right now, I had to make sure we didn't start a post-apocalyptic battle in the middle of the woods. As we got closer to the clearing Lee's back was facing us. He was in dark jeans and black shirt. No one else knew this but this was his fighting gear, why ruin a perfectly good Armani shirt for people who deserved less. I was quite pissed I was wearing one of my new Dolce and Gabban boots and would hate to get blood or guts on them. Oh well. When we finally stood side by side with our older brother I looked across from us. I took a sharp breath in. Tokoloshe djinn. Dammit now I wish I had swapped with El. They were native to Africa. They were not what Africa folklore portrayed them to be well actually there were different levels of tokoloshe djinn.
The ones the human which doctors could summon were small imp like creatures that looked a lot like the goblins in harry potter yet so much uglier and without clothes. They enjoyed havoc and blood like their higher ups and depending on the job sacrifices must be made. Usually human. Or they would drive whomever they are helping insane or take sexual favours if the master was female. Crazy little fuckers ugly as shit but if you wanted easy to dispel without drastic consequences.
They spoke in riddles and slobbered but were pests more than threats. The ones in front of us however. These could only be summoned by very powerful shaman human or otherwise. They were used in wars and genocide like curses and were seer's powerful seers able to see all paths and all outcomes. They worked with Satan himself. Their payments were souls. Unlike like their little brothers they were quite straightforward and didn't like fooling around. Always straight to the point. We had never used them; their price was to high even if it did guarantee 100% results no matter the task. What the hell did they want?
They looked like trolls mixed with elves wait they looked like those dark elf orcs from Lord of the Rings with no hair and their eyes were either a pupiless abyss of black or spine tingling pupiless yellow. We got lucky we had both. They were hunched over slightly drooling slightly their teeth. Which were all sharply pointed sticking out of their mouths. You could still see them stained with blood. "Where is our kindred" I couldn't help, but shake a bit their voices were feminine old women wispy, its bloody creepy. There was no point in lying to them they had probably already seen the several outcomes of this meeting. I took a deep breath and answered them. Now I knew why they hid their scent. The blacksmith scent was from the pits of hell if they had allowed their full scent to come out. We most likely would have stayed far away, we had all been to hell. Trust me you never forget that smell. I'm guessing they took on human appearance because there is no way Lee would have come otherwise
We wouldn't have come not at all whatever news they bring was never good and they always gave you a sense of hopelessness when they told you about what they saw. "She's waiting in the car till we call" the all looked at me. EEEEEEW really were ugly gruesome things. I sent a mental prayer to god to make them stop looking at me. "summon her and her kin". Aww man "whatever it is we can relay the message" Lee spoke now. Thank you, God. They were now looking at him. "Your master has an interest in my sister and I do not trust you not to exploit it" they gave a low hiss. We all stiffened ready to fight if necessary. They paused their eyes still. They then calmed themselves down. Whichever futures they saw they didn't like. "So be it".
We all relaxed slightly not enough to seem venerable but enough to show them we wouldn't be attacking first. "Your path has changed" well no shit Sherlock "You will take to the stars, your powers known, your hearts might belong to others but death is always by your side, the rules have been wiped clean you may do as you wish how you wish it. no consequences a new rule is you must save the females." What the fuck. You know the part where I said they don't speak in riddles well I changed my mind they are fucken Bilbo Baggins of riddles…. I need to speak to El about the movies she makes us watch. That made no sense at all "What the hell you hunchback troll that made no sense" I kept in a giggle when Colby spoke.
Yet before they could respond another smell entered the air. Animal blood, alcohol, sex and dark magic. You have just got to be kidding me. The Tokoloshes looked just as surprised by the turn of events as us and trust me when I say you can tell they didn't see this. As they came into view I spiked my energy, I didn't know what they wanted but maenads were never a good thing. Their bodies were naked, lithe and slender their curves dipping in all the right places and their breasts perky and standing to attention to the chilly winds. The moonlight made their skin seem silky and smooth. They were beautiful in a naked nymph way.
They had different colour hair ranging from red brown blonde and black. Four of them? They very rarely came like this is in a group, they had left the human world well most of them, some had become disgusted with how humans are. Some took the 21st century by storm, drugs, alcohol, music demonic practices and abortions all in abundance and some started young. The only thing you could see on them that weren't human were their hands. They were tri-pied claws that looked as if it could slash through a tree in one swipe. Their eyes were white with a blue dot that served as a pupil in the middle. They looked. Hungry. "My my my what a perfect surprise, it's been what 5000 years Ramon?" the red head had spoken she reminded me of Victoria in a sense her hair wild untamed and seemed to be the orange sun in the night.
Ramon had stiffened next to me his lips set in a grim line as he stared hard at the red headed maenad as if to will her away. Oh, this must be Acantha. God Lee hated the slut. Manipulative bitch and was a thorn in his side for at least 200 years her name sake served her well. "What no kiss hello?" she smiled at him her teeth white and beaming her two upper canines looked like fangs. I never understood maenads really, they were like those friends who never wanted to stop partying and going out unlike those friends who eventually grow out of it, maenads could make you do it 24/7 7 days a week till you died from exhaustion and no I don't mean figuratively either. Besides that, not that we have anything to be ashamed of we all look damn good naked but for Pete sakes the whole naked in the woods thing was so sixteen hundred.
"Acantha, Avoca, Hera and Manalo. Such an interesting evening I must say seeing you here in all your glory." El had taken charge, you could feel the electricity in the air and the drop-in temperature, shadows surrounded the maenads giving them the subtle message of FUCK OFF FROM MY PACK. "And to what do we owe this visit" she barley glanced at the tokoloshe's they weren't a threat if you don't make a deal with them. Maenads on the other hand, her gaze was fixed upon them. Acantha who was so confident moments before too a small step back. And her smile waned off her face I couldn't help but let a smirk appear on mine.
My sister was bad ass in the underworld. "Trinity, so glad to see you again" the dark-haired maenad steeped in front of her sister who had lost all her courage once El stepped on the scene. El beamed at her "Hera long time no see like Acantha said maybe 5000 years?". Though she looked friendly her voice and posture spoke volumes. The maenads had now gotten fidgety. "Sister Mistress" it took all my self-control not to jump out my skin as the djinn spoke. El turned to it and gave him a stiff nod. She detested that they called her anything but her name I couldn't blame her being related to one of those things (Which she isn't) wasn't something to proud of. I looked around. There was a thick fog building up almost soup thick, this couldn't be could, the air smelt of magic. The maenads were summoning something. El snapped to look at them and let out an ominous screech at them as she crouched in a feral cat position. The maenads hiss back but didn't have the same venom as ours "WHAT DO YOU SUMMON?"
I tried attacking them and was met by a force field. OW since when could maenads do that? El was in front of him hiss at them daring them to come and attack her. They stayed behind their protective bubble. The maenads were now close together crouching low whispering their ancient words continuing the summon. The fog was getting thicker the smell of magic turned putrid whatever it was. It was big old and pissed off. The djinn tokolosh were looking around frantically letting out piteous wails as the fog grew closer El herded me back towards the group never turning her back on the four naked women.
"Sister mistress let us fight with you". That made us stand stock still. They had said with you not with us meaning whatever this was it was bad enough to strike fear in what we thought were the oldest summons in the world. The maenads began to cackle "This time you will pay and serve us for the rest of eternity" the red head now had a shit eating grin her face "I like a nonstop party and martyrs don't you sisters" the responded with giggles. I don't know what it was in me even though I knew we could overcome whatever was out there I couldn't help myself. I reached in myself looking for two white threads one glowing red the other a sky-blue I pushed my panic and fear and screamed their names frantically hoping they would come to our aide.
We couldn't do this alone and besides it was an no holds bar match now it didn't matter if we revealed ourselves (assuming I decoded that mystical message from the djinn correctly).The only thing I could hope was that they made it in time. The fog drew closer el still look at the maenads dead in the eye "One of you will die by my hand" her voice was steel and cold. The maenads smile faltered they knew that voice it was a promise and everyone supernatural who knew El knew in the years she has lived, she never breaks her promises.
I felt a deep rumble beneath my feet as if a thousand hooves stomped in sync to the ground. Slow howls rose above the mist and the rank smell of rotten flesh and putrid blood tainted the air. There were also hisses that sounded like laughing I really couldn't be sure. I reached for the threads again and screamed at them. I wasn't scared not I have been in countless wars and I was with my family. I just felt we would need all the help we could get. This fog had death riding it like a cowboy at a bull ride and we knew if we didn't defeat it, it would consume the forest and village.
I hope those idiots got here soon. I felt something scrap my foot and strong hands yanking me away from the fog that had moved closer surrounding us. The maenads stood maybe 20 feet away still smiling but no longer laughing. El and Lee had summoned their swords. El's Kusanagi Sword was a bright red with flames that covered the whole sword she held it in her left hand twisting it back and forth getting ready. I decided then to summon my Yata Mirror ethereal shield. It was a crystal blue and protected the whole of my left arm. It gave me a sense of solace. I then got my Angel sword which was covered also in a blue flame to match its brother. I steeled my body and cleared my mind. It was time to fight no one else existed whether Jacob and the others made it was irrelevant. I could feel Lee's Totsuka Blade from here it was greeting all the Ethereal weapons lending them some power of dark souls. I opened my eyes again the fog was less than 2 inches from where I stood.
We had all made a circle and had prepared ourselves for the fight. Colby, John and Fergal had activated their Mangekyō Sharingan. They not as old as us so don't know how to use their natural eyesight to predict moves ect whatever as long as they know their weakness. The fog is one inch away now. Why does it have to be so damn dramatic? I closed my eyes again. I pulled my flame a little closer to the surface. "Gör dig klar" Els voiced out I could feel the fog even without opening my eyes. It weighed heavy on my skin like a blanket that was put in water it felt stick wet on my skin I breathed in trying to decipher the different scents in the air I smelt a number of animals both dead and alive wafting in the fog. I could smell the creatures breath from here it was a horrid smell like not brushing your teeth after smoking smell but worse this one also smelt dry if that makes any sense. The air shifted ahead of me. So it starts.
Most of the swords are from Naruto. I do not own twilight or Naruto but I do own the monsters that come next.