Page 50 of A Spark Of Revenge

“The Regalis brothers are set to show up sometime today. I’m supposed to escort them to the castle to meet with Senior Axford,” the one with the blue stripe says, running his hand through his dark brown hair as he looks back at the lower trail.

“You think they are going to join up? I heard the Russians forced them out for helping with the breeding rings,” the one with the red stripe mutters with a grim smile. The blue guy shrugs and looks around, eyeing the trees behind me with a frown before looking back to the red guy.

“Axford is a convincing man. I’m sure he’ll earn their support one way or another.” The sounds of voices makes the two guys stand up straight as a man comes into view on the lower trails. He rides a horse at a gentle gait and nods at the men who dip their heads in greeting, just as an entire group of men, some on horses, others walking, slowly appear on the path below. Three more Hunters emerge from the cabin as a man with long, greasy black hair rides to the center of the group and dismounts his gray horse, sneering at the men who have walked up to greet him.

“The Regalis crew, I assume?” the red guy says with a smile as he holds out his hand in greeting. Greasy hair man looks down his nose at the young Hunter, then yanks his gloves off his hands and sidesteps the men, staring up at the mountain above with a sparkle of excitement in his dull green eyes. The large group of men and horses draw to a stop behind him, taking up the majority of the path as they watch their leader with closed-off expressions.

“Lennox Regalis,” he sneers, not looking at the men as he sniffs and wipes his running nose with the back of his hand. I grimace, wrinkling my nose before I realize what this man just said. Lennox Regalis… at the base of the mountain. My eyes widen as I piece together what I'm seeing. The list of the Regalis brothers written on the paper Nox had kept in that locked box on his desk—the word DECEASED in big letters next to the names.

The distinct snapping of a branch nearby is my only warning of what's about to happen as I spin toward the forested area behind the cabin. My heart races as an arrow flies through the air, arching in perfect form before it slams into the neck of the greasy Lennox Regalis. I cover my mouth with both hands in shock as I watch a cloaked figure step out from the tree line and pull back his hood, revealing a face that I know… yet is different. It’s lighter and a little softer than the one I have grown accustomed to.

“Razar?” In the next moment, my heart drops into my stomach as a large, black Beastia prowls next to the man who looks like Razar, and I have a feeling this must be the brother Creed had talked about. The one they lost in this very fight. The similarity between this man and Razar is unmistakable. They look identical in every way but coloring.

Where Razar is dark, this man is light. Where Razar is cold and hard, this man is soft and kind-looking. Even after releasing the arrow that just tore through a man's throat, Razar’s brother looks like one of the kindest men I have ever seen, which only makes him more terrifying.

There is a horrendous gurgling sound behind me, and I peek over my shoulder in time to see the real Lennox Regalis grab his now bleeding throat. His hands wrap around the arrow sticking out at either side as blood spews from his dry, cracked lips. Then he crumples, falling to the snow below, staining its pristine white surface red.

There is a brief moment of stunned silence as two more cloaked fighters step out from the tree line, one significantly larger with an enormous ax clasped in his hand at his side, then… chaos erupts. Arrows are launched through the air, and men run at the Demons as four more cloaked figures step to their sides. But what sends me to my knees in fright is the bone-chilling howl that Razar releases moments before he throws himself at three men on horseback. Men run around me, never seeing me curled up on the ground, watching their inevitable deaths as the Demon Princes bring them to their knees.

Oh God! I need to get out of this dream! “Valen?” I shout, looking around for my dream guy. “Valen!” I spin, then freeze as a large chest stands directly in front of me, then peer up into the dark green eyes of a Demon Prince. “Nox,” I whisper, stepping back a little so I don't have to hurt my neck looking up at him. Nox’s eyes furrow as he watches me, his ax raised slightly at his side, and then they widen in recognition.

“Meyer?” he rasps and shakes his head, confusion running over his face as he looks around him. “What… how are you here?” he asks, but then his eyes narrow, and he swings his ax, making me shout in surprise and stumble back from him in fright. Just as I move away from him, a particularly large man rushes Nox, a sword almost as big as Nox’s ax in his hand, and I gasp as the men begin to fight. They twist and turn, their movements so precise and smooth that it looks like they’re engaging in a deadly dance.

“Meyer! Get out of here, now!” Nox demands, swinging his ax at the man's head and splitting it in two, making me gag as blood splatters all over Nox and the surrounding area.

“I-I can't!” I stammer, stumbling back a few feet as more Hunters rush from the cabin, weapons raised as they descend on Nox. My hands move to my sides, desperate for a blade or any kind of weapon that I can help with. But would that even help? The only one that can see me so far has been Nox and this is a dream. There is no changing the outcome.

On the other side of the clearing is the brother I have never met—the one I’ll never meet—as he fights, blade in hand, twisting and turning, blocking blow after blow before doling out his own deadly attacks. There is a trail of bloody bodies lying crumpled on the ground behind him, and I shiver, a sense of excitement rushing me as I watch the man kill like it's an art form.

Nox’s curses pull me from my shocked state; I turn and then gasp when I see a blade sticking out from his back.

“Shit! Nox!” I run forward just as a cloaked figure jumps to Nox’s side, twin swords spinning, lashing out at the Hunters and mowing them down before they get too close. Movement behind the Demons makes me shout a warning, but it's too late. A large body collides with the cloaked man, taking him to his knees, knocking back his hood, and revealing soft-looking brown curls.

“Creed!” I shout, but he doesn't hear. The swords in his hands spin and arch, one slices through the man's shoulder, making a sound erupt from him that doesn't even sound human.Then the other cuts through the pale skin at his throat, stopping the scream and turning it into a garbled hiss before he falls to the snow, unmoving.

Creed bounces back up, shouting Razar's name as he runs forward, and my eyes widen when I see six men backing the Beastia into a corner, one with a deadly sharp black blade in his hand. Nox spins, killing another Hunter before he staggers and falls to his knees, breathing heavily as I rush to him, dropping to kneel at his side as another Beastia howls, then another. Panting, Nox grabs an arrow that is lodged in his side and yanks the bloody tip out as he frowns and looks around us.

“I’m in your dream?” he asks, and I shake my head.

“Uh, no. I think I’m in yours,” I admit, and Nox nods.

“Yeah, that makes more sense, but how are you physical? Why are you physical?” he asks, reaching up and touching my cheek, frowning. “You’re freezing! Wait… how do you have this?” he asks, hand dropping to my neck where a black onyx pendant lies. I frown and shrug. I hadn't noticed it until he pointed it out.

“You're the only one who can see me so far, and yeah I'm freezing. It's fucking winter out here, Nox!” I point out as I lean back and look at the blade stuck in the center of his back. It's a big one, at least five inches long, and lodged completely to the hilt. There is another howl, and I look over at Razar, who is limping, his legs shaking as Creed slices through the Hunters attacking his brother, desperate to reach his side. I know this is a dream... I know there is nothing I can do... But fuck! I hate seeing it.

“That wasn't Razar,” Nox whispers in confusion, realizing the same thing I just did, and I close my eyes as horror runs through me. No, they can't show up in Nox’s dreams too… can they? “That’s not right. There wasn't a Beastia attack during this battle,” Nox rasps, face already pale from the knife in his back.

“I need to get this out,” I whisper, fear filling me as I reach for the blade at his back.

“Meyer! You're physically in this dream. I can touch you,” Nox whispers, an odd tone to his voice that I have never heard before.

“Yeah. I need to get this out of your back, and we need to start running,” I announce, grabbing the blade and giving Nox my ‘I’m sorry, but this is going to hurt like a bitch,’ smile before yanking the blade from his back with one hard pull. Nox grits his teeth, his back arching as he grunts in pain, then falls forward, catching himself on his hands as he releases a pained groan. “Heal yourself right the fuck now!” I shout, standing up and looking at the trees as more howls fill the air. What's left of the Hunters turn and face in the same direction, their own expressions turning to ones of fear and terror just as the first, black needle-covered monster stalks out from the trees.

“Shit,” Nox grinds out, looking at me and then the Beastia as it launches itself at the nearest Hunter, tearing its claws into the man's belly and ripping his throat out in seconds. “They’re fucking physical too?!” Nox glares up at me, and I nod, my mouth opening and shutting as another Beastia follows the first into the clearing. “Meyer! You need to wake up! Now!”

I nod and step closer to him as a Beastia’s soulless, black eyes fall on us. If what Valen said in my dreams was true, then Nox can get hurt right now as much as I can. This is his dream I’ve somehow walked into, and now there are physical Beastia where there shouldn’t be.

“Meyer!” Nox grinds out, shoving himself to his feet before standing protectively in front of me. “Can you wake yourself up?” he asks resignedly, glancing back at me for a moment with a hint of sadness. I bite my lip as tears flood my eyes and shake my head. Instead of the yelling I’m expecting, Nox nods and grips his ax as three more Beastia rush into the clearing, their razor-sharp teeth snapping as they tip back their malformed heads and howl.

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