Page 32 of Shattered Veil
Still, a part of me revels in the darkness, in the sheer force and power that surges through every molecule of this twisted dimension. It calls to the shadows in my blood, urging me to let it in.
I shove those thoughts aside. Focus.
The landscape in front of me is a nightmare come to life. Leafless trees with shriveled branches, their bark oozing a glutinous black liquid. The ground beneath my feet shifts and curves. In the distance, I hear wails that could be the wind, or something far worse.
I press on, my senses on high alert. Every step feels like walking through deep water, the very air resistant to my presence. But I’m no stranger to places that don’t want me. I’ve spent my whole life in them.
“Rory!” I call out, my voice sounding muffled and distant even to my own ears.“Where the fuck are you, you overgrown puppy?”
No response. Just more of those eerie wails. And the fucking alarming feeling of being watched by something I can’t see.
Frustration seethes inside me. Why am I even here, risking my ass for some mutt I barely tolerate? The answer comes too fast: Brigid. Her face, her scent, the way her power collides with mine.
“Dammit,” I mutter, scanning the desolate landscape.
A twitch of movement catches my eye. I spin, shadows coiling around my fists, ready to strike. But whatever was there is now nothing more than a half-formed thought, melting back into the gloom.
Time feels different here. Has it been minutes? An hour? I can’t tell. Brigid won’t be able to keep the rift open by herself for long. I need to find Rory and get the hell out of here before we’re both—
A howl cuts through the air, distant but unmistakable. Rory.
I take off running, my feet barely touching the writhing ground. The howl comes again, closer this time. I round a twisted outcropping of rock and there he is, backed against a cliff face, fending off shadowy figures with snapping jaws and razor claws.
“About fucking time.” I leap into the fray.
My shadows lash out, slicing through the apparitions like smoke. They dissipate with unearthly screams, but more materialize to take their place. Rory’s eyes lock onto me, wide with disbelief.
“Marius?” he gasps, his voice hoarse.“No... you can’t be real.”
I roll my eyes, ducking under a phantasmic claw.“Does this look like a fucking illusion to you, dog?”
Rory backs away, shaking his head.“You’re not really here.”
Rage bubbles up inside me. We don’t have time for this shit.“Listen, you idiot. Brigid’s holding a rift open, and if we don’t move our asses now, we’re both fucked.”
At the mention of Brigid’s name, something that could be hope, or more likely lust, glimmers in Rory’s eyes. I can’t tell, and I don’t care.“Move. Now.”
Rory’s eyes narrow, searching my face. Then, finally, he nods.
We take off running, the void’s creatures hot on our heels. I reach out with my magic, feeling for that connection to Brigid. It’s there, a thin thread of shadow leading us back. But it’s wavering, growing fainter by the second.
My heart jackhammers in my throat and I feel a burst of adrenaline and desperation. Brigid’s power is fading fast. If we don’t make it in time...
“Faster!” Rory’s lagging behind. His werewolf stamina should be kicking in, but the void has clearly taken its toll.
“Fuck off,” Rory wheezes.“Some of us have been surviving hell on a daily basis.”
We crest a hill of shifting shadows, and there it is—the rift. A jagged tear in reality, edges flickering like a dying flame. Through it, I catch a glimpse of Brigid, her face contorted with the strain.
“Move your ass!” I shout, shoving Rory ahead of me.
The rift contracts, and panic claws at my throat. Not like this. Not when we’re so close. I channel every ounce of shadow magic I have left, reaching out to Brigid’s fading power.
Our magics converge, dark and sinuous. For a suspended moment, I’m lost in the sensation, the unbridled intensity of it that feels more natural than sex. Then reality snaps back as Rory stumbles through the rift.
I dive after him, feeling claws rake across my back. Pain sears through me as I tumble onto solid ground, the rift slamming shut behind us with a thunderous crack.
I barely have time to catch my breath before Brigid’s there, throwing herself at Rory. Her usual mask of guarded indifference shatters as she wraps her arms around him, burying her face in his chest.
