Chapter 32

“Hey hold up Ferg, isn’t that Joe trotting through the trees?” asked Ben.

“Well yeah, I think so. He’s really out of bounds this time innit he?” replied Ferg.

“Yeah he’s never escaped out this way before, I wonder what’s up?” said Ben.

“You want me to wait while you round him up?” said Ferg as he pulled to a stop along the shoulder of the road.

“Nah that’s okay, I think he’s on the way over now. You go ahead and see to your moo cows, I’ll be fine riding Joe back to the ranch,” said Ben.

Sam was not a vengeful sort. You’d think that a powerful demon, well regarded in hell, would be all vicious and pissy at being thwarted not once but twice by a bunch of girls and a high school teacher. Sam had learned many things in his five thousand plus years of working with these human creatures. Number one was that getting too emotional about events concerning them just didn’t make sense. They were unpredictable and somehow always were stronger than they should be considering their frailness. It never paid to let emotions cloud your judgment and allow you to underestimate them.

That being said, he felt a bit of smug satisfaction, even pleasure, as he contemplated them being torn asunder by his hounds. Maybe he’d even have a chance to play with them himself, although he was not going to take any chances.

He almost laughed in glee as he watched the vehicless pull around the corner from the steakhouse and head out onto the county road. It would be good to put this all behind him so he could move on to the next evil creation project he thought with a smile as he put down the binoculars.

Sam had timed it all carefully. First, he activated the glamors that sealed the roads around the compound. To a Normal it would appear that the roads were shut down for construction. Next he had his strongest ally cast the magic that would shut down all communications within the area around the ranch. Both of these had cost him dearly. The dark entities that had been severely punished for trying to interfere in the previous attack wanted revenge but not if they were going to risk what had happened to them before. That Tiger Bitch had caused them more pain than they had experienced in millenia.

Sam knew though that she couldn’t touch them if he attacked her people outside of the warded area. Rules were rules. Humans had their treaties, so did gods and demons. His borrowed Hellhounds and the magical assistance would keep him in debt for a hundred years, but it would all be worth it if he could proceed without the threat of these humans at his back. Sam thought it was only a matter of time before they came after him if he didn’t destroy them first.

Now he just had to wait for the howl signal from Barghest that the targets were in the teeth of the ambush and he would cast the final magic.

“Goddamit Joe, what the plu-perfect hell are you doing way out here?” said Ben as he approached the agitated appaloosa.

“Sorry Boss, but something is really really wrong and I had to get out to warn you!” replied Joe.

“He’s right,” said Hottee the Nunnehi.

Both Joe and Ben jumped as the Nunnehi appeared suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere.

“What the?” said Ben.

“Sorry for the surprise. I thought something might be happening. Now I am certain. I could feel forces shifting around the ranch, but I couldn’t see clearly. I still can’t pinpoint anything, but I think it’s happening toward town.”

“A bit of warning would’ve been nice,” said Ben.

“Some events are too vague to be of use, other events, we are forbidden to speak of,”

“Forbidden?” asked Ben.

“Yes, it’s a very long story that we don’t have time for now. You must hurry. I gathered some items that I think you and your warrior horse will need,” said Hottee.

“Can’t you just warn the Fae security to send a patrol out for us?” asked Ben.

“I wish I could, but just as I arrived here all ways of far talking, magic or not, were shut down. I can’t even move myself around right now. This kind of interference takes mountains of magic. from very powerful beings. You and those you love are in very great danger,” replied Hottee.

Ben pulled out his cell phone and discovered that it wouldn’t even turn on.

“Please trust me, you don’t have much time. You will need this,” said Hottee.

The old man stepped forward and thrust a feathered and painted thrusting lance into Ben’s hands. Ben instantly recognized the stout 6 foot long shaft as the lightning struck sapling he had brought down from the mountain with him. New to the shaft was an 18 inch long wickedly sharp double edged obsidian spearhead nearly a hand wide. The flaked stone shimmered in oily looking rainbow colors. Ben remembered that unreal sheen from the arrowheads on the arrows that had come with the bow he and Sarah had been gifted.

“I see you recognize the stone. I created this for you from thunder glass. It comes from the Mountain Where Lightning Lives. I knew someday you would need this. I had hoped though that I would have time to teach you more about how to use it,” said Hottee.

As Ben shifted his grip on the hard maple shaft the painted symbols glowed neon blue as did the lightning whorls around his forearms.

“Good it recognizes you. It should allow you to use your power to destroy any from the other side” said Hottee and turned toward Joe.

“Joe, I have retrieved some things of yours that you will need as well. These were made for you when you were born. Your birth name is Ipsunute. It means ‘Walks with Thunder’ and you are descended from a very long line of warriors. These things will allow you to listen to your ancestors and to die with honor should you need to,” said Hottee as he withdrew several items from a large buckskin bag that was hanging over his shoulders.

First there was the braided and beaded horsehair and eagle feather war bridle that Hottee carefully fitted around Joe’s lower jaw. Then there was a stout braided and looped horsehair band that Hottee fastened around Joe’s muscular barrel.

“This will allow Ben to brace his feet while riding so that he may thrust the lance with power,” said Hottee.

The old man next bought out clay pots of paint from the bag and began quickly but surely painting symbols on Joe’s body with his fingers. Each stroke glimmered with power as Hottee applied the paint.

“This is so you will see the enemy even when they are behind you,” said Hottee as he painted dark red circles around both of Joe’s eyes.

“This is so you will run with the speed of the lightning and never tire,” said Hottee as he painted blue lightning bolts on Joe’s chest and flanks.

“This will allow you to strike your enemies true and send them back to the world from which they came,” said Hottee as he painted symbols on each of Joe’s hooves.

Strangely, these last symbols were unseeable. They were there and visible, but the human mind just couldn’t decipher them into any meaningful shape. With that Hottee turned back to Ben.

“Nephew, now I must paint your death mask. It will allow your ancestors to recognize you should you return to the Upper World. I can only paint this on those who I know will never turn from the enemy. I see this in you Nephew and I am honored to do this for you,” said Hottee as he painted several long streaks of gray and black symbols across Ben’s rigid face.

“What should we do now Uncle?” asked Ben.

“I don’t know exactly, and if I did I would not be allowed to tell you. I only know the direction and that those you love are right now in danger,” replied Hottee.

Ben’s thoughts flew to his girls, right now likely on their way back to the ranch. The perfect timing and location for an ambush! Ben strode to Joe and with a hand in Joe’s mane and one holding his lance, leapt onto Joe’s broad back. He had to get to them! As he spun Joe around in a whirl of dirt clods and hoofs, Hottee raised his hand.

“Go with my blessing, that of your mother and those of the light!” intoned Hottee as the small clearing they stood in was enveloped in a pearly iridescent glow.

Joe’s massive hindquarters bunched underneath Ben and he could feel the thrust trying to push him backwards as Joe launched them forward like a missile. They flew past the thin screen of trees and onto the shoulder of the road headed toward town.

Ben bent low over Joe’s neck to lessen the wind resistance and for a second wondered at the speed they were moving. Ben had no need to encourage Joe or to urge him on, Joe knew the stakes.

Ben knew instinctively that no other horse could match this speed. He just prayed that it would be enough!

The instant Jean heard the unearthly howl penetrate from outside the moving vehicle her combat instincts kicked in.

“Sarah, gun up NOW! Load silver. Follow my lead,” the former Gunnery Sergeant radioed to the trail car. “Everyone, guns now!”

She could see the flurry of activity in the rear view mirror matching their own in the lead car. Mei quickly unlocked the weapons console between the seats and began passing out pistols. Lizzy was probably doing the same in the rear car. Jean had ordered silver ammo as she knew from that eerie howl that the imminent danger was not coming from anything of this world.

Just as she switched magazines in her HK MP7. Jean felt a lurch and the SUV began to lose power.

“Coast us to an angle on the shoulder ahead,” said Jean quickly to Kelly who was driving.

“Sarah have Eesha coast into an angle against us on the shoulder with the open end forward. I think the attack will come from the rear. We’ll use the vehicles as a barricade until we figure out what’s happening,” she radioed.

The lead vehicle slowly rolled to a stop with the second vehicle coming alongside forming a wedge. Jean thought that at least they would only have one open side to defend and their flanks were protected. Ironically they had stopped in a idyllic, peaceful appearing location where a gently curving stream burbled not too far from the road just through a thin line of maple trees. The road curved ahead of them, limiting their visibility in that direction, but something told Jean there wasn’t going to be a rescue. They hadn’t seen another car since they left town.

In a normal ambush scenario speed is your friend. Marine Corps doctrine and Jean’s combat instinct said to attack into the ambush, but they didn’t know the type of threat yet. Jean knew one thing though, staying in the vehicles would make them a death trap. They had to maneuver to stay alive.

“Everyone, un-ass the vehicle now on my side! “ said Jean calmly but forcefully.

She knew Sarah would do the same, keeping the vehicles between them and the potential threat. As Jean exited the vehicle she did a quick 360 scan of the area. Sure enough, to the rear 600 yards or so away she saw dark shapes along the road. They were moving steadily toward them in an unorganized mass. Then she heard a string of Elvish curses and one word she really did not want to hear.

“Hellhounds!” said Siofra.

“There must be hundreds of them!” said Mei.

Jean had to think quickly there was no way they had enough ammo to hold them off! Thankfully the Fae queen spoke up.

“Gunny Jean, we must get to the water! Hellhounds hate water!” said Queen Jess.

Jean hesitated. She hated to leave the shelter of the vehicles but she trusted Jess’s judgment and knew that the Fae had years of experience in fighting this threat. Looking toward the creek she saw where a log jam had been thrown up in a curve of the creek by the spring floods. It might be more defensible than this.

“Sarah, you take everyone to that bend in the creek and get behind the logs. I’m going to try and slow them down enough to give you time to get there,” said Jean.

“Jean no...” started Sarah.

“Goddammit go! They need you to protect them. I’ll be right behind you,” said Jean as she began snapping off shots at the lead beasts and Sarah reluctantly began shepherding everyone the 50 yards or so to the creek.

Six hundred yards was well outside the range of the MP7 but Jean could see the lead animals hesitate as one of them took a dropping bullet to the shoulder. The others stopped briefly, confusedly swirling about. Jean thought perhaps at least some of them had never encountered firearms. The confusion didn’t last long though, a few seconds later and the beasts were again charging- each stride covering 20 feet or more.

Lizzy, Mei and Kelly were helping Adona, Jill and Consuela over the logs while Sarah and Eesha stood watch when Jean realized she had left it too long. These fucking things were fast!

Jean turned and started sprinting to the log pile. She was only a few feet away when she felt a massive blow to her back and she was pounded into the soft dirt sending her long gun flying. She spun around onto her back drawing her pistol from its shoulder holster just in time to realize that she was going to get her throat torn out by red tinged slavering fangs.

She felt a snap just over head and the beast’s head exploded in a spray of blood and fur. She was just getting to her feet when another animal slammed into her lower body and she fell headfirst into a log. She was stunned and the world was spinning about her when suddenly a whirlwind of movement surrounded her. Sarah! She was moving so fast that Jean could barely make out her figure. Her sundress was in streaming tatters and she was barefoot and magnificent! She wielded a flashing silver blade literally carving out a space from the flesh of the black furred beasts surrounding them. They fell by droves wounded or dead.

Jean tried to get to her feet again when she felt arms around her, She was thrown over a shoulder, Mei? Mei must have fired the shot that saved her from the first Hellhound. Mei then handed her over the makeshift barricade into Lizzy’s arms. Mei turned and started shooting into the mass of stinking black fur trying to give Sarah enough time to clear the barricade herself.

At last the damnable hounds backed off from the mayhem that was Sarah snarling and howling. Sarah and Mei backed to the log pile and quickly leapt over it. While Lizzy and Eeasha shot any animal that got close.

“Sorry Jean, I tried to put them to sleep but nothing worked!” said Mei. “Are you okay?” said Mei.

Jean just nodded. Sarah was incredibly brave to risk herself but Jean didn’t think anything on earth could touch her in a fight as long as they didn’t overwhelm her by sheer mass. Mei on the other hand didn’t have Sarah’s reflexes or combat skills. She had risked everything for Jean and that had to be one of the bravest things Jean had ever seen. For the briefest of instants Jean nearly broke down crying, then she realized what Ben would think if she allowed anything to happen to Mei or any of the rest of his family. Shit! He’d kill her. She’d better get them out of this.