Into the Wild Dark

CHAPTER 19 - JACK

September 2 | Night

At first, I believed it was the side effects. A cascade of sensations launched–an efflux of adrenaline, followed by pounding headache, followed by sudden fury and phobia–falling like dominos. I snatched at calming techniques developed over weeks of dealing with the unpredictable surges, but instead of dissipating, everything kicked into high-gear.

I'm gonna die, I thought. My raging heart battered against my ribcage. Muscle contractures put the screws to my skeleton. I thought I was having a heart attack. Then perception divorced itself from my body, and I couldn't feel anything. Hysteria struck. I'm gonna die from Mr. Cyprian's experiment.

I grabbed at the patio table, and my unsteady weight banged it forward. The clanging, clattering din of objects tumbling barely registered. "Call an ambulance," I grunted. Sunny flew to my aid, but I searched for Mal across the table, and she just sat there. Her backstabbing ass looked nonplussed.

"Sunny, return to your station."

"I have to help him, Mal!"

Mr. Cyprian wiped his mouth and threw what appeared to be a bloodied napkin onto his empty plate before rolling his eyes. "Get your man under control. I thought you said he was vetted."

"He's doing his job, Darcy. He thinks Jack is hurt," Mal said tersely.

"Do I look like I give a fuck what he thinks? He's interrupting the show! Now, control him or fire him. Delilah wants to see this, don't you, mon amǐ?" He tipped his drink toward his clapping wife while his frigid green eyes blasted Mal with contempt.

"Aw, Jack! Did you drink the absinthe? It's a hallucinogenic," Delilah giggled.

Mal straightened to her full height and authority. "Sunny, get away from him. There's nothing you can do here. Besides, Jack's life isn't in danger. I promise this will pass soon." I heard the faintest gentling of her voice. Sunny retracted a step. I wanted him by my side. Dread rose within me like mercury in a thermostat.

"Tell me what the fuck is going on, Mal," I hissed through clenched teeth. I had picked up enough clues in the prior conversation to understand that important details of my contract with Mr. Cyprian had been left out by her.

"You're ch-ch-ch-changin'," Mr. Cyprian sang. "That's what's going on, Jack. For purebreeds, the cardinal transformation isn't quite so dramatic, but crossovers seem to have a tough go of it. Some don't make it. Keep your fingers crossed. It's risky business, but this was the only way I could secure a win for you at the Battle Royale. Well, this and getting the council president to rig the results."

"Bravo, meistro," Delilah breathed in awe.

They shared a laugh. Tottering to my feet, my lumbering body collapsed to the warm pavement. I didn't know if I should run or curl into the fetal position. Cry for help or clamp my lips shut for fear of what would be released? The peril didn't seem to only come from the outside. Something within me felt like it was trying to claw free.

I weakly backpedaled across the cobblestone until my heels dug into the fragrant soil. I scrambled farther back, back. Back from the too bright candles and crazy talk, into the cool wash of the moon, and I lay there catyching my breath. The stars sang. I stared at them. I heard them. A trillion voices weeping.

With my head spinning, the vividness of the world around me seemed foreign. My vision tunneled down to microscopic vignettes I had never noticed. I clung to sanity's embrace as fractals blossomed doorways to another world, and the people meandering toward me from the patio table morphed into monsters: Vampires, wraiths, a gleaming golden demon.