Night is Forgotten, as was his wish. Struck from the memories of the Black Dagger Brotherhood and even the Chosen's records, he lives with the only member of the vampire race who knows him: his son, Mehnace. With Mehnace's transition into adulthood...
"What do you mean you didn't bring the shovel?" V scowled.
"What part of, 'I left the shovel,' don't you understand, V?" Phury grumbled. "I'll go back and get it. It's not a problem."
Phury dematerialized and headed back to the stands. As he did, he zipped past a large group of pigs who were startled by him whizzing by in mist form. They panicked and ran... straight toward Night, V, and Kyle.
Kyle's eyes went wide when he spotted them. He pointed. "Quick! Herd them into that small ravine up ahead. I saw a tree down at the end. Maybe that will catch them long enough to take a few out."
As if a charging sounder of feral pigs coming at them wasn't enough, the sticky-sweet, rotten-to-the-core scent of lesser wafted over them. Night whirled to it; he hadn't smelled the stench in centuries, but one did not forget it. Where the fuck did they come from? In a gut-wrenching flash, Night remembered when he was the last line of defense from the lesser threat... and failed. He froze.
"Fuck!" V cursed, aiming his crossbow at the nearest lesser and letting his bolt fly. It caught the paled-out former human in the shoulder. Enough to do damage, but not enough to deter a determined attacker. Its rifle muzzle swung around to aim at Vishous, who dove for cover a little too late. The round hit his shoulder, spinning him around and landing in the middle of the trapped sounder for feral pigs.
The pigs squealed and scattered, trampling V in their panic. One of the two-hundred and some odd pound sows toppled and landed on his leg with a resounding crack. When V rolled over in pain, the largest boar's hoof caught him on his tattooed temple, and it was lights out.
From his vantage point in the tree, Kyle took out the second lesser with a satisfying pop! of light and falling ash, but not before it shot its rifle. It hit home a split second after he let the bolt fly and toppled him out of the tree. He landed with a sound that let Night know the shot had done its job.
Night roared out of his stunned state, and he rushed the lesser. He grabbed the rifle muzzle first, not caring about the hot metal, yanked, then baseball-batted the lesser in the head. He dropped the rifle, tore the tactical knife he carried from its sheath, and plunged it home, popping itback to the Omega. The first lesser was crawling toward the rifle it had dropped, but Night was faster with his knife. And, as suddenly as it began, the fight was over.
He could feel the dawn coming. There was no saving Kyle, but he thanked the Scribe Virgin that V was still breathing. He came to when Night lifted him.
"Jane," V groaned before he passed out again.
Night hefted him into a fireman's carry, running for the ATV. He drew up short when Jane faded into existence in front of it.
She looked around, confused, then shouted, "V!" when she saw them, rushing forward to them.
They heard other rifles go off, echoing through the trees. "Ace! Rhet!" Night shouted, but only the sounds of fighting made it their way.
"Dawn is coming!" Jane exclaimed, tugging on Night to get him moving again.
He sprinted to the ATV and propped a half-awake V up in the rider's seat behind the driver. "Vishous. V, you need to hang on to me, okay?" When the big male nodded, Night mounted, started it up, and took off toward the stands. V flopped forward and was firm on his back. He glanced back and saw Jane behind her hellren, pushing him into place so he didn't fall off. Reassured, Night opened it up wide.
We're not going to make it. Impending failure ate at Night's gut, but he kept on. What else could he do?
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
