Near Touch

Chapter 27: The Only Way

With iridescent grey eyes and dark hair that hung woven in an exquisite braid over her breast, she was the most beautiful woman Amy had ever seen. A flick of her wrist had forced everyone's unconditional surrender; Amy's knees ached from the brute impact.

No matter how much she willed it, her limbs would not obey her. Watching Caleb's horrified, slack-jawed expression poisoned Amy's blood with mortal fear unlike any other.

"... Dae... na," muttered V. Or Virgil, as the young woman had referred to the blond man. "Daena... you..." Every word, every twitch of muscle seemed like an eternal anguish for Virgil. If he just hadn't tried to murder Caleb, Amy would've felt something akin to pity for him.

With superlative effort, Virgil finally managed to get on one knee.

Daena's voice was heavy, offset with an air of regality. "No need for courtly salutations, old chum. This is an informal meeting."

V spat at her feet. "You... were c-cast out. You deserve... nothing."

Daena's fist clenched and Virgil's back contorted in an impossible arc; he screamed in agony. The woman stated, "A suspension that still places me well above your station, lieutenant."

Surely her eyes were deceiving her, Amy wondered. No words expressing her perplexity came forth. Even if they did, Amy'd be snuffed by this entity before she could ever hope to hear an explanation.

V gnashed his teeth. "This is my assignment."

"And I see what a remarkable job you've done. Letting a mortal get mixed up in our affairs."

Crackling, savage laughter spewed from V's lips. Each passing second seemed to bring his power back, ounce by ounce. "You failed to stop that Seager boy from resurrecting his paramour. ... I will not... hear criticism – from the likes of you."

Seager? Resurrection? Amy almost forgot to breathe hearing the chaos of conversation unfold before her. What does any of that have to do with Caleb?

Daena sighed. "Cold titanium is more malleable than you, Virgil." Extending her hand out of the folds of her ultramarine cloak, she said, "Dagger, please."

"No."

"Why must you always be so contrary?"

Deep shadows churned near Virgil's feet and his tawny Maine Coon took shape, lunging at Daena with its feral claws extended into sabers of purple fire.

Just as the feline neared terrifyingly close to the cloaked woman's face, a dark mass smacked it dead to the ground. The beast sank its teeth into the cat's delicate neck and ripped it clean off. Growling deeply, hackles raised, an enormous mastiff stared straight into Amy's soul. A ripple of terror washed over her skin and it broke out in a febrile sweat.

The stygian mastiff dropped the dismembered head from its jaws and it slowly dissolved in a tar-like, oily liquid by the beast's heavy paws. As it stalked them, Amy shook with fear. Henry had his eyes cemented shut.

Virgil bowed before Daena, his forehead flat against the vinyl floor. "They are getting close... to immortality. Closer... to us. The drug – we cannot allow it."

However hard she tried to connect Anaxan to immortality, Amy failed to establish anything remotely credible. Even neck deep in a calamitous crisis, her brain searched for answers, explanations, and reliable conclusions. When it failed beyond measure, Amy was left with only one thought: Virgil with his incomparable strength, and Daena with her unimaginable powers... they were not human.

What are they?

Daena's monster towered over Amy, saliva drooling from its mouth and into her hair. On its chest, just below an elaborate iron collar, was a patch of white fur shaped like a four-point star. The dog barked and Amy felt the soft tissue in her ears rip.