Memento Mori -- Chapter 16
#2 of Eben Black Series -- Memento Mori
© All characters and storylines involving said characters belong to me: Eben Black.
Sawyer and I caught up with Kane and found him standing on the stone veranda overlooking the swimming pool. Kane was standing, blade in hand, he was looking around instead of launching down to where the others were. The wolf turned and gestured for us to come closer. He crouched so that Jasper could not see us from below. He looked at us and explained why he was being so silent all of a sudden. "Jasper's down there, but I can smell that scent. I could smell it when Helena was tormenting Sawyer, but as soon as we attacked her, the scent vanished. Its back now somewhere out there," he explained in a low voice.
"So what do we do?" I asked with a cautious look. Sawyer and I had crouched down to meet him.
Kane peered between the banister's stone design and spotted the scene below. I followed his eyeline and found Jasper.
Jasper was dressed in the same attire he'd worn the night we met him. He was standing near the edge of the pool, gazing down at the glacial surface, unaware of us even being here. I could see three bound forms on the grass to his one side, and another bound form kneeling in front of him. The form in front of him was small. A fall of dark hair and a panicked look. Nirvana was bound and gagged staring up at Jasper as he ignored her. Maximillian was tied to both Aleksander and Basil. The three were back to back and unconscious. Black tigers were strewn across the ground, all unconscious too. The one thing that puzzled me was the white lions. I couldn't see them anywhere. Kane seemed to sense what I was thinking and whispered, "The white lions are down there. Dead in the pool. I can smell their bodies through the water. But Leon's not with them."
"He's not with them? Where did he go?" I whispered back.
"I don't sense him anywhere within the manor either. Its possible he ran," Sawyer explained in a hushed tone.
"He ran?!" I hissed, "He was so adament about protecting his people, and he ran, he left them behind?" I demanded.
"You know something! When you get pissed off, your beast rises and I can sense you a lot better!" Jasper called from the poolside.
Kane sighed and then stood up. I followed suit and helped Sawyer stand too. Sawyer was still wounded, but at least his powers weren't restricted anymore.
Jasper grinned and applauded as we marched down the stone steps and joined him poolside.
"What did you do to them?" I demanded, nodding toward the unconscious threesome bound and gagged.
"You think I could subdue all three on my own? As well as our Basil's private armada? Oh no. That pleasure was reserved for another," Jasper replied with a broad grin.
"Let them all go. And release Nirvana!" Kane demanded brandishing his blade and taking a step forward.
Jasper raised both hands, one out in front to ward Kane back, and the other, palm open and wrapped around Nirvana's whimpering face.
"Nirvana," Kane breathed.
"How annoyed do you thing Simba over there will be, if he finds out your hot-headed attitude was the reason his beloved was set alight?" Jasper growled.
"I said let them go! Now!" Kane snarled back.
"Toss your sword into the pool."
"Kane, do as he says," Sawyer added from behind.
Jasper looked passed Kane at the blue feline and grinned. "Don't think I don't know about you. You make one wrong move, one hint of bespelling me with your fucked up imagination, and you'll have to deal with them."
I raised an eyebrow and repeated, "Them? Whose "them"?"
Kane suddenly threw his sword away. And with a hiss it sank beneath the water's surface. Jasper had heated up the pool. No doubt to boil the white lions out of madness. I dared not look and see what remained of them.
"Do you not remember what Basil said. The Seer of the beast council possesses his own assassin squad, they have no name, and are recognised only as them. That's who I can smell out here," Kane growled.
"They are actually here?" Sawyer murmured as he scanned the shadows of the back yard. Tall trees, shadowed areas. The skies had darkened and it made things difficult to see.
"The Seer borrowed me his personal army for tonight. One mention of them being here, and their leader packed up and ran away," Jasper added, nodding toward the pool.
"Leon did run then." I frowned at the thought of Leon leaving behind his people.
"So what is it you want then?" Sawyer demanded, he glared over at Jasper as he spoke.
"Its simple. I told you to abolish the coalition. But you persisted and ran from me, thanks to the black cat over there!" Jasper growled, as he nodded toward Basil's unconscious form, "I figured a lethal death would break up your little club. But I never thought those humans would end up killing one of the big dogs!"
"Humans?" I repeated.
"How do you think the human protestors knew where you'd be? I let them know you were at the hospital. If anything I thought they'd target this pregnant bitch here!" he sneered, "But instead they blew a hole through Reed!"
"Your the reason Donovan died?" I stammered. I let go of Sawyer and the blue tiger collapsed to his knees beside me.
"E-Eben, calm down!" his breath clouded as he spoke.
"Donovan's dead...because...of you!" I growled low in my chest. My fur bled to its palest white and my power flourished around me like some frigid breeze.
"Kane? Kane, reason with him, please!" Sawyer demanded.
Kane was standing there, silent and trembling from head to foot. His power pulsated around him as he tensed up and glared at Jasper.
Sawyer grimaced and staggered to his feet. He grabbed Kane's shoulder and touched his other hand to my chest.
"Guys! Guys, you need to relax! If you lose control, Nirvana dies! You don't want her blood spilled in Donovan's name! He wouldn't want that!" Sawyer pleaded.
Kane literally stopped trembling and the pressure around him receeded. He shook through the shoulders and then dropped to one knee, he was breathless.
I cooled down and my fur bled back to light grey again. Exhaustion washed over me but I managed to remain standing.
"Good, good boys. Now either you disband or I'll reduce the numbers of your little coalition!" Jasper snarled.
"Kane, what do we do?" I breathed.
"I don't know. I can't make a move against him, he'll set Nirvana alight!" Kane sneered back.
"If Basil wakes up he can get Nirvana out of here," Sawyer whispered.
"I don't think that will work. Dreamweaver made sure that they won't wake up anytime soon," Jasper grinned. Dreamweaver? Was that another member of the council?
I suddenly had a thought. "Wait a minute, where's Snow!" I demanded as I tried to take a step forward, "And Bartholomew!"
Jasper smirked and then looked across the pool.
Bartholomew stepped out of the shadows of a tree, he was dressed in a tailored suit and adjusted the tie, while he grinned across the pool's surface at me. He watched me with those eyes, and I noticed something different about him. Arrogance. He buried his hands in his pockets and smirked as he said, "Hey guys, how's things?"
"Bartholomew? What are you doing?" I demanded.
"You don't know?" Jasper asked with mock surprise, "Gentlemen, I'd like you to meet another member of our council, Dreamweaver."
"Dreamweaver?" I repeated.
"I think the name should give away what he can do, Eben. He's the reason everyone except us and Nirvana are asleep," Kane explained. He stood and trembled a little.
"Your more than a pretty face and a blade, aren't you, pup?" Bartholomew grinned as he blew a kiss to Kane.
Kane grinned back and breathed, "I'm gonna enjoy ripping your head off!"
Jasper laughed, that deep, roiling sound. "Now, now, gentlemen, lets not lower the tone shall we?"
"Bartholomew? Why? What about Snow? Isn't he your brother? How could you do this to the ones he loves?" I demanded.
"Oh yeah, about that. I know we look alike and everything, but I'm not the bastard's brother. I have no idea who his family is." Bartholomew loosened his tie and grinned again, that malicious sneer that made me want him dead.
"It all makes sense now, think about it, Eben. Snow starts having dreams about his past, and then this guy shows up and pretends to be his brother. There was no way we'd question something that meant so much to Snow," Kane explained as he tensed again and clenched his fist shut. He growled, "Snow did not deserve to be fucked around with by you two!"
"And Helena didn't deserve to be killed by you three, either!" Jasper snarled back, "You think I don't know what you did to my poor, sweet Helena!"
"She had it coming!" Sawyer grinned back.
"Hmm, maybe your right. Then again, how does that human saying go: an eye for an eye?" Jasper tensed his hand and we all made to move forward. Nirvana winced and closed her eyes.
"No!" I whispered.
"Don't you dare touch her!" Kane snarled.
"Then again, maybe I'll keep her alive. Have some fun with her? She's pretty for a pussycat, don't you think?" he grinned. "The boys back home would love some sloppy seconds, too."
"She's pregnant you fucking animal!" Kane growled.
"N-Nirvana?" Maximillian was waking up! He looked up as Jasper turned and faced the proud lion with a malicious smirk.
"That one's good. He's been fighting the slumber since he was put under," Bartholomew grinned from across the pool.
"N-Nirvana! What have you done to her!" Maximillian growled as his drowsiness faded.
"Tut-tut, don't make assumptions that aren't real!" Jasper snarled back. "Same rules apply, lion! One wrong move and she goes up in flames!" he added. Maximillian tensed but stopped trying to stand.
"Where's Snow, Bartholomew? Answer me!" I demanded, looking back at the white tiger.
"My brother?" he replied. "He's right here." He swung an arm out and out of the shadows Snow padded out, dressed in the same suit. His eyes blank and staring ahead. He looked distant, like he wasn't even there.
"Snow," I whispered.
"Its amazing, the wereanimal mind is so malleable, like putty in my hands, literally. I can keep him half-conscious, his mind sealed away and he doesn't even know what's happening. His body and power mine to abuse."
"I'll kill you..." I murmured.
Bartholomew grinned and asked, "What was that?"
I looked up and the cold returned, swimming around me, the surface of the water froze at the edges as it spread out like fire. "I said I'll fucking kill you!" I shouted.
"Eben, remember Nirvana!" Sawyer pleaded again.
My power simmered a little, but my fur still bled to purest white again.
"Is everything finalised then, Dreamweaver? Is he a total puppet?" Jasper demanded as he looked over at his comrade.
Bartholomew roughly tapped Snow in the temple. He never responded. "Yeah. Mission accomplished."
"Mission accomplished? What does that mean?" Kane demanded, "You came out here for Snow as well as tormenting us!"
"Snow is somewhat unique. No one knows where he came from. He has no family, no home to call his own. No memories before you. And yet when he came into contact with you he awakened this new power inside you." The flame throwing bastard caressed a hand over Nirvana's face. "And since then one by one you've attracted powerful alphas, and even brought some into their power. Take the wolf for instance. I can taste him from here, he tastes like a veteran Level Three! And all because you and Snow met and bonded. Its a dangerous combination, and one we needed to keep in check for the sake of wereanimal kind! Now that Walker's Law is abolished, what will save you? Nothing. The humans will hunt you down. But have no fear. If you survive their future onslaught, then by all means, come find us and join us," Jasper grinned as he spoke.
"Jasper, we need to get out of here soon. I made the phone call, the police will be here momentarily," Bartholomew explained. He turned and walked back towards the shadows. Snow turned and followed.
"S-Snow? Snow, wait! Come back, Snow!" I demanded, as I watched the white tiger leave with his "brother".
"Don't even think about following him. He's ours now, Eben Black. You want him back? Then you come find us. But for now, you may want to run!" Jasper raised his hand and snapped his fingers.
A huge eruption shattered the quiet skies as flames erupted all around the manor house. Bits and pieces of the old country club littered the ground around us like shrapnel. Kane and Sawyer shielded me as the manor house was reduced to nothingness. Nirvana mumbled something through her gag, and Maximillian cried out, tears streamed from his eyes. The lions! Their lions, their family had been in there! No. Maximillian struggled against his bonds as he tried to get up. Jasper grinned and clasped a hand to Nirvana's head. "What did I say?" he growled. A second later flames erupted and I had to close my eyes. Muffled screams rang through the darkened gardens, while I heard Maximillian scream out his beloved's name. I heard a splash and opened my eyes to see a blackened form sinking beneath the pool's surface. Nirvana was nowhere to be seen. He'd killed her. Maximillian sank to his knees and looked at where Nirvana had been, a burned scorch mark on the poolside. Jasper smirked and turned back to me. "Do you comprehend what you've all done?" he demanded, "Your goals, your ideals led to this. It could've been avoided, but here we are. A manor house blown up by a renegade bunch of wereanimals, monsters recognised by the state. Like I said, run and hide, and if you survive, come and find us." He turned then and walked around that pool to where Bartholomew and Snow had disappeared.
With Bartholomew gone, Aleksander and Basil began waking up. Kane rushed forward and freed them. Maximillian collapsed, he'd blacked out. Sawyer shrank down beside Basil and explained in a hushed voice about what had happened tonight. I looked up at the flames that had erupted where the manor house once stood. The lions. Donovan's body. All burned to ashes. Aleksander and Kane had lifted Maximillian between them and supported him. Basil stood and helped Sawyer stand too. I looked at them as the wolf inside me howled in the distance again. The power around me dulled and disappeared as my colouring returned.
"Now what do we do?" Kane asked as he looked up, "Sirens! They intend to make us look like the guilty party here!"
"Eben? Eben, you awake in there!" Aleksander called. His cheetahs had been inside the manor house too.
"Why aren't you upset, Aleksander? Your people were hauled up in there too." Tears flowed, but I was too numb to break down and sob again.
"They were good people, and I want to mourn for them, but right now we need to go before we all die as well! They would not want that!" he growled.
"B-But...Donovan was...still inside?" I stammered.
"He was dead. Eben, there was nothing we could do. We did the best we could, remember? Now come on! We need to leave now!" Kane declared.
"But where do we go?"
"We can haul up at my place for the time being. Figure out what to do next," Aleksander suggested.
"Is it far from here?" Basil demanded.
"Its in central LA, but so long as we make it there, the house arrest order still stands. We won't be shot on sight if we sneak inside," the cheetah replied.
"The council never targeted your place, like they did ours. Its our best bet! Eben, come on, we're going!" Kane growled. They all started moving, and slowly I followed behind them. I could hear the sirens now. The police were so close. I was numb, but followed behind them all. We ran and ran. What had happened was a tragedy for all involved, but right now we needed to survive. Kane was right. We'd done the best we could, and although it wasn't good enough, we still had a chance.