Death Cursed (Death Touched, Book One)

Chapter 10

Jack pulled her through the maze of desks with Peter behind them and led the group to the door leading to the foyer. The Corrupted flew in front of them and landed on the tiles before the door. The three skidded to a stop before it as the creature rose from the floor and lifted its red eyes to glare at the pair. Its temple where Jack had shot it oozed with a black thick muck the consistency of tar and the smell of sulfur.

The thing shoved its hand toward them and the tips of its fingers lengthened into sharp blades. The blades stretched outward and flew at them. Jack shoved Nena behind him and lifted his gun, deflecting the sharp blades with his weapon. Sparks flew from the contact before Jack pushed them away and fired off a shot. It struck the creature's shoulder and more tar oozed from the wound.

The Shadow tilted its head back and let loose a terrible screech. The noise echoed across the large processing room. Nena gasped as the floor beneath them shook and cracks opened and widened. Dozens of blackened hands reached out of the holes and sank their claws into the tiled floor. The hands dragged the rest of the body out of the holes and revealed themselves to be dark shadows like the zombie officer Jack had destroyed. Among them were wolf creatures, hags, robed wizards and pointed hat witches.

Peter stretched his arms out in front of him and opened his fingers. The bits of silver flew out of the bag and struck the creatures in the heart. They collapsed into piles of dust, but many more replaced them. The front line lunged at the group. Jack lifted his gun and pointed at the leader, a hulking werewolf figure.

Shots resounded through the room, but they didn't come from Jack's gun. Dozens of bullets tore into the dark Kinder, shredding their bodies until the remnants of the creatures fled back into the hole. Nena and Jack looked past the creatures and found a line of the uniformed zombie officers with Romero at the front.

Romero swung his gun up, a massive magnum, and pointed the barrel at the group. "Duck!"

Jack pulled Nena against him and the bullets flew past them. They struck the Death Shadow in the chest and shoved it backwards against the wall. Peter swung around and his silver bits flew past him to slam into the hands and feet of the Shadow. The Shadow opened its mouth beyond the capabilities of the human body and revealed an endless black hole at the back of its throat with a hint of a red glow at the bottom.

Nena's eyes widened as she gazed down into that bright glow. She felt herself pulled by a silent calling that made her take a step toward the creature.

Jack grabbed her upper arms and whipped his head to Peter. "Hold it still!"

Peter slammed six of the silver pieces into the creature's chest. The thing whipped its head back and screeched, breaking its hold on Nena. She stumbled back into Jack's chest as he raised his gun and fired. The Shadow sank back into the darkness and the bullet was embedded into the wall.

"Damn it!" Jack snapped before he turned to Peter. "Where'd it go?"

Peter shook his head. "I do not know."

Romero lowered his gun and studied at the piles of dust. "That is one way to clear the cells." He glanced at the three as they stood near the door. "Is it gone or not?"

Jack shook his head. 'Not by a long shot."

Romero nodded at Nena. "Then get her far away from here. I don't need any more Corrupted popping up."

"Way ahead of you," Jack agreed as he grabbed Nena's hand and pulled her through the door.

The companions rushed through the foyer and out into the open space of the Terminal. They were rushing along the shop fronts when the screaming started. Shoppers rushed out of a clothing store just ahead of them. One of the last ones, a young man in a robe, stumbled out and dropped to his hands and knees in front of the group which forced them to stop. He looked up at them with wide eyes and revealed the growing darkness that traveled out from beneath his shirt collar and up his neck. The young man leaned his head back let out a terrible scream as he was consumed by the darkness.

The next moment he looked back at them with red eyes. He curled his lips back and lunged at them. Jack whipped his gun up, but the creature knocked it out of his hand and wrapped his black hands around his throat. It slammed Jack onto his back on the ground and shoved its face into his, hissing at him with sharp teeth.

Jack ripped his glove off and thrust his transparent hand into its chest. The Kinder whipped its head up and its eyes widened a moment before it exploded into a cloud of dust. Jack grabbed his gun and climbed to his feet, leaving the glove on the ground.

More shops were evacuated by their screaming shoppers. Several of them were affected by the Corruption as their skin blackened and their eyes changed to the glowing red.

Jack turned to Peter. "Slow them down while I get Nena out of here."

Peter nodded and summoned the silver parts from their bag. The bits flew forward and embedded themselves into the Kinder. The creatures screamed and lunged at him. He lifted his hands and slammed them into the chests of the Kinder. A quick draw backward and he held their hearts in his hands. The hearts, and their former occupants, turned to dust.

Jack set his gun-occupied hand against Nena's back and shoved her toward the tunnel through which they'd entered. "Get going!"