The Last of the Twenty: Broken Pawns

Chapter 46

Mark parked his truck for the last time. He stepped into the cool of the night and looked up at the peak of the mountain. The moon was high, but it had not yet reached its zenith. He had time. A jog up the mountain wouldn't get him there as fast as was possible, but it would at least give him a few extra minutes to think before his hand was forced.

Leaving Alex unconscious on the floor tore at his emotions, but it was necessary. Mark didn't have the ability to travel between and would have been unable to get to Nadia before Alex. There was only one more link left in the chain of his binding, one final wall that prevented Alex from regaining all his memories and learning the truth. He had to get rid of Nadia before that link snapped.

Crushing a cigar underfoot, Mark's eyes began to glow yellow as he took his first steps towards the summit. He could sense others watching his progress, could even see the occasional red glow of eyes peeking at him from the shadows as he made his way up the trail. About half way up he felt a kind of sickness in his gut, a terrible feeling that something worse than enslaved vampires hid in the shadows.

Every now and then the air would condense into a bitter chill, frosting his breath for a minute or two before heating up like an explosion of fire. The yellow glow in his eyes brightened. Mark scanned amongst the shadows and trees as moved, looking for any sign of disturbance in the air. The sudden changes and feelings in his gut could only mean one thing.

The hellhounds were following him.

Although they were between worlds Mark knew they were there. He was close enough to the hellish fire that lit the mountaintop with evil to sense the vail thinning between the realities. The only question remaining was their purpose.

Were they readying an ambush? Preparing to take him? Mark knew what they were used for, and he knew the danger they presented. But now the advantage of surprise had been lost to them, and Mark would be ready. He had fought them before, he'll fight them again. If Samyaza had plans to take him so be it, but he would not be taken easily.

Mark broke through the tree line just as the moon was beginning to reach its peak. The peak was within sight, if he ran he could be there in less than a minute. From his vantage point he couldn't see Nadia or the vampires surrounding her, but he knew she was there. He could feel her soul in the dark flames, the one flicker of life in a sea of death.

He began his ascent when movement in the distance caught his eye. The white form of a wolf ran past the tree line first, a smaller figure clinging to its back. It bounded lightly across heavy granite boulders as it made its way easily up the steep slope. It was followed closely by two others, darker in color and not as fast. They separated just beyond the trees, the two darker forms changed direction, veering off to either side before beginning their own ascent.

The wolves were followed closely by vampires. More importantly, vampires who had yet to fall under the spell of the dark fire. Two of the vampires followed behind the darker wolves while the others stayed closely behind the first. They could only be there for one reason, and it was a reason Mark would hopefully be able to use to his advantage.

He stopped and watched, eyes glowing brightly ashe watched their steady climb. He would join them soon enough. Once they sprangthe trap meant for him he would move in and take care of his problem once andfor all. All with the added bonus of being able to blame Nadia's death on them.He only hoped Alex would remain unconscious long enough for her to die.