Jagged Embrace

Chapter 95 - Will

Will used the arm of the wight to knock the demon into a tree. The impact made the surrounding trees shake and the tree cracked in protest. To his right, the revenant had killed another GI agent. He ignored it. For the moment, the monster was useful in the shit show. He had to get back to Ander and Maeve. Racing to the ruins, Will took down another Greystone Industries agent and draugr before he cleared the forest.

It ripped the air from his lungs when he saw Ander. He rushed to him, catching him just before he crashed to the ground. When the barrier had collapsed, it was hard to miss. Fucking explosive light and a wave of power had rippled around him and through the woodland. He'd known then something was wrong.

Seconds later, Maeve was racing toward him with something in her hand. The color drained from her cheeks when she spotted them and she picked up the pace. He carried Ander, taking off toward the area he'd cleared earlier, trusting she'd follow. They passed the revenant. Will felt a pull to destroy it, but nothing like before. It was like the strength of the desire to kill it was almost... quiet.

It saluted him before it destroyed another Greystone agent. Will noticed its eyes weren't glowing anymore, they were just brown. He hated leaving a monster to run free, but Ander appeared and seemed dead. He had to get Andy out of there. They ran two miles back to the SUV, clamoring in as the sun rose. The noise had died down in the forest. Will loaded Ander into the back.

Ander was cold - corpse cold. Will wished it wasn't familiar but even as icy as Ander was, his chest rose and fell with shallow breaths. The stupid fucking cuniform was lit up too, probably as bright as it had been in the swamp. Some of his veins were dark purple - probably on their way to turning black. His face was covered in his own blood. Images of Ander at medical school superimposed over his face. Then more piled on top - in Mason's keep. They couldn't save him, no matter what they did he kept fucking dying...

"Soldier," a familiar voice called. It was the fucking revenant.

Will's body tensed as he closed the door and faced the monster.

"Here." It tossed him a glowing small rock. "Got it off one of my former co-workers," it chuckled. "There aren't any left. So as far as anyone knows, I broke the barrier and stole the page." It winked.

"You're a fucking monster. I let you walk today... I'll just come for you another night," Will said.

"Of course, but today we're even. Until you find me, I'm going to hunt down every one of those bastards and end them." Its mouth broke into a toothy smile.

Will didn't want to admit it, but he could respect the single-minded determination. "Until I end you." Will got in the driver's seat, slipping the healing stone in his pocket.

The revenant tipped his head at Maeve before he dipped back into the forest. Fuming, Will got on the road.