Chapter 11

(Chapter song ‘Word Up' by Korn)

GRAHAM Kita walks out of the house in a white robe. I feel this overwhelming urge to grab her and take her.

She’s like a dream. Her voice echoes in my brain.

Her gorgeous black hair cascades down her back and her eyes look out to the soft rain falling on the mountains. She leans on the railing and places her bare foot on the bottom rail. Her robe falls, exposing her soft, luscious leg.

Her form moves out of focus as she turns her head slowly to me.

‘Break through. You must find yourself.’ She spiritual voice floats across my mind.

“What does that mean?”

She lifts an arm and points out to the mountain.

I turn my head just as a wide open mouth with sharp teeth, bites down on my head.

Scream as jolt into a sit. I’m breathing heavy. I run my fingers through my hair and rub my nape. “That was fucked.” I mutter.

As the fog clears, I hear my phone. It’s a message from the Unit.

Phoenix: Enemy coming in hot. North field. All units to base. Code Red.

I rip my sheets off, get dressed as quick as possible and grab my pack from my closet.

I rush out of my apartment building and hit the streets, running.

A convoy is already headed to the crack.

I watch a few trucks drive by and jump. Grabbing the handle on the side, I swing around and open the door. Fighting the bumping truck, I swing myself around and enter the back. I close the door and turn around.

“Hey guys!” I look down the walls at the heads staring at me.

“Graham?”

I look as I hold the support bar in the canvas top. “Brody?”

“What are you doing? You’re not on a Unit.”

I make my way down and stop to where he is. I arch a brow to the guy beside him. “Excuse us.”

He shoots me a look then gets up. I plop my ass beside him.

“Dude.” Brody motions to the guy.

“He'll get over it.” I slap his arm. “So big fight, huh?”

“Graham…You haven’t fought since you got back. What the hell?” He looks me over.

“I just think it’s time. Need to get back in the saddle at some point.” I grin at him.

“Okay, but Lefus out there. Seriously? You looking to die again?” He sits forward and looks at me.

“Ah.” I wave him off. “I’m not dying anytime soon. Besides if I do, just toss me in the pool and I’ll be good.” I cross my leg and sit back.

Brody shakes his head. “Nah, bro. Sawyer’s gonna flip! You know how he is with you. You’re retired. You can’t just jump…”

“Shut up. Hear that?”

The truck slows down and it was clear as day. A smirk grows on my lips as the growls, howls and barks rise from the desert.

I whip my head to Brody. “Time to kick demonic ass.” I growl and get up.

“Graham!”

I kick the door open and stick my head out. I lean to the side and look around the trucks as we all park in the sand.

‘MOVE!MOVE!MOVE!’

“Time to go!” I lean back and launch myself out of the truck. I shift and land on my paws.

“GRAHAM!!”

You aren’t stopping this hungry mother fucker. I’ve waited a long time for a fight like this. My brown wolf runs like a bullet through the desert. His tongue hangs out as he pants. His eyes fixate on the rising dust clouds ahead. I can smell them, hear them and soon I’ll taste their blood as I rip them apart.

The Unit’s finally catch up. I watch Ash, Sawyer, Hunter and Peter run past me with soldiers surrounding me. Beautiful.

I look up ahead and the lycans come into view first. God, there’s hundreds. The ground rumbles as they get closer.

‘GO FOR THE THROAT! REMOVE THE HEADS! GUNNERS TAKE POSTIONS!’

‘UNIT 12 FALL WEST! UNIT 3 FRONTLINES!’

‘UNIT 4 EAST! UNIT 7, WHERE'S MY GUNNERS?’

Orders are barked through the link and like schooling fish, hundreds of wolves split off in three directions. We're boxing these guys in.

I don’t have a unit, so I’ll just stick with Alpha Unit 1. I scan the runners and see Darcy. I make my way over to him through the formations. Once beside him, I bark.

‘Graham? You fucking crazy? What are you doing here?!’ he links.

‘KICKING ASS!’ My wolfs jumps in the air with excitement and takes off.

The distance closed fast and the growls shook the planet as we clashed in the middle. I get a rogue under me and shake the shit out of him before ripping his head off.

I grab another and throw him into a pin. I grab his top jaw, step on his chest and pull his head apart. I see one run by me and my wolf growls loud. He chases him and lowers his head as he catches up. I open my jaws and clamp down on the back of his thigh. He arches back and yelps loud. I twist and rip his leg off. I was about to end him when his head was crushed by a huge lycan. He looks at me and roars in my face. My wolf barks back and lunges. We fall and I dig my claws into his chest. I wrap my teeth around his throat and bite hard. His neck explodes in my mouth.

Fuck, this is great! Woo! God, I love spilling blood! I think it’s almost better than sex. Almost.

I get sideswiped by a dire and skid across the sand. Brush and twigs jab my skin as I skip over them and roll. I shake my head and look for the fucker.

My wolf has a quick sense of doubt when the Dire comes into view and squares with me. His growl is deep and dark and his thin mouth has a lot of fucking teeth. Holy shit!

His paw steps forward and I just happen to notice that it’s twice the size of mine.

‘The bigger they are, the HARDER THEY FALL!’ My wolf growls and I spring from my spot at him. He’s got at least a head on me and I bite at his muzzle. He tries to swipe me like a cat, but I duck under his paw and clamp my teeth on his leg. I try to crush the bones, but the thing’s made of steel. Oh my God!

I scramble under him and he wraps his long, thin tail around my neck. My wolf starts to choke as he drags me to his teeth. I see his long Sabre teeth and frantically look for a plan. I roll unto my back and he steps just right. Perfect. I lift a back leg and ram my claws into his balls. He screams and lets me go. He stumbles back and shakes his head. He looks around then finds me. Lowering himself to me, he bares his teeth and his fur stands on end. Like all his fur. He looks like a dam porcupine.

‘OK. Should be easy.’ My wolf gears up and runs at him. The tops a no go. Time to hit the deck. I slide under him and sink my teeth into his soft belly. I pull and rip out his stomach. His intestines fall on me and I’m completely grossed out.

The Dire falls over and bleeds out.

I go to turn when I’m picked up and slammed into the ground. I shake it off and was about to get up, but a lycan grabbed me and landed a bell ringer right to my head.

My head is pounding. I hurt all over and I can barely stand. I open my eyes and can’t see a thing. Everything may be a blur, but I can fucking hear!

I stand and spin around quick. The blurs around me are growling, barking, biting and tearing each other apart. I feel blood splashing on my skin.

I get hit with a body and roll away. Something gets in my face and I scream. I scramble to my feet and fucking run. I trip and fall into the blood soaked sand. A pair of wolves roll me over.

“FUCK! GET OFF!!” I shove my way out and crawl for a short distance.

I stand again and try to see…anything. I’m in full panic mode.

“WHAT THE FUCK?!!”

I smell a familiar scent coming at me. I reach out and grab Sawyers tail. He stops and shifts.

“Graham?!”

I see his image, but barely. “Sawyer?...WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING IN THE MIDDLE OF A PACK WAR?!!!” I shake him as I yell myself hoarse.

“WHAT THE HELL? ARE YOU CRAZY?!”

“APPARENTLY, I AM!! GET ME THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!!”

“Ok. Here.”

I feel him attach something to my pack.

“You’re tethered to me. Shift and I’ll pull you out.”

I nod and shift. A second later, my pack is pulled. I try to lock onto Sawyers scent as we dodge the fights, but the blood is getting thick and there’s rogues here. It’s getting harder to follow.

I feel my rope yanked and I try to keep my balance while the blur of Sawyer fights a wolf, I think.

I’m yanked again and pulled through the rest of the fight.

We slow when we get to scents I recognize. Medics.

“Get this soldier some medical attention!” Sawyer barks as we both shift and he unties me.

“Medical attention? I’m fine.” I say to him.

“You can’t feel that?” His image touches my side and a blast of pain rips through me.

“UGH!” I cringe and look down. The color red fills my eyes. “What the hell?”

A medic joins us.

“Dire bite.” He turns. “Get a cot!”

“What? Dire?! I’m gonna pass out.” My breathing speeds up and I feel my knees give.

“No, Graham. It’s OK. You just need a few stitches.” Sawyer says as he supports me.

“Ok?! I’m not fucking Ok, Sawyer! I have a gaping hole in my side and I’m bleeding out!! How is that Ok?!” I yell.

“CALM DOWN! You’re not dying! Deep breaths!” He barks as he leads me into the tent and sits me down.

I try to take deep breaths and calm myself, but it’s not working.

“What are you thinking? You can’t be here!” Sawyer scolds.

“I know! I don’t want to be here. I don’t know how I got here!” I say to my friend.

“OK. What’s that mean?”

“I-I don’t know. I…”

“ADAM, NO!”

A loud booming voice rang across the battle field. I scan the battle and it’s almost like Adam’s image is clearer than the rest. I watch him run through the fights with soldiers chasing him. I follow his path to a large, dark figure standing in the middle of the fight.

“MY BLADE!! NOW!!!” His voice is like an angry God of hell and shivers hit my blood.

“Lefu.” I whisper.

“WE DON’T HAVE IT!!” Jake yells.

“YOU WON’T GET IT, DEMON!” The second voice is almost as deep and dark as Lefus.

“That’s Adam. Is that Adam?” I ask Sawyer.

“Yeah. I gotta go. Stay here.” He shifts and takes off.

I watch Adam swing at Lefu and Lefu fires out a magic ball and like he aimed it at me, he hits Adam in the chest and we both fly back and bounce across the ground.

I scream and cover my eyes with my arms. I feel my atoms tear apart and my blood boils.

“COME HERE!”

“What?” I’m grabbed and I drop my arms.

As I’m lifted to my feet, my eyes widen and my mouth goes small. My vision is clear and terror fills me.

I’m back in the battlefield, only everything goddamn thing is blue.

My heart pound on my ribs, I start to sweat profusely and I start to shake. “I’m back.” I whisper as my eyes flick all over the place.

“What the hell are you doing?!”

I whip my head to Deacon beside me.

“Dea?”

He raises his gun and fires. I flinch at the shots and look ahead. Black wings, fangs, teeth and claws head this way.

“Hey, shithead! Start firing!” He yells at me as he backs up.

“FIRING?! WHAT? WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!!” I whip my head to him and the raging army. I look down and I’m in a black Ops uniform. “What?!” I pull at the vest and pants.

I asses the situation with complete dread. All of Phoenix is here and Lefu is charging on us.

“DON’T JUST STAND THERE, ASSHOLE! KILL SOMETHING!” Deacon yells.

I quickly put 2 and 2 together. “Uh…no.” I spin around and take off.

“DIRES!!”

Run through the parked trucks and one is shoved hard. It hits the other truck just as I clear it. Crunching metal was so loud I felt it in my back. “WHOA!” I spin around and shock fills me at how close that was.

Growls fill the air and I turn.

“Shit!”

I duck behind another truck as a Unit’s worth of gigantic Dires run past and over the trucks.

Glass smashes and the trucks cave under their weights.

I make myself small and cover my head. Yelping and screaming, I try not to get killed as some jump over me and take off.

The trucks are bumped and I see the tires slide. I can’t be here. I stand and look around for escape.

As I breach the trucks, I’m clothes lined by something hard across the throat and I land on my back with a painful thud.

I cough it out as I hold my chest and roll to my side. A large hand grabs me, picks me up by my neck and lifts me in the air off my feet.

My eyes meet very familiar ones. Ones that I planned on never seeing again.

He looks me over and smirk. “Hey, G. How’s it going?”

“Rex.”

“You remember. That’s good. Gold star for you.” He flicks my hair. “Listen. We have to come to an agreement here.”

“Agreement? What?” I scrunch my face.

He squeezes and I start to choke as I claw at his hand.

“Join me, Graham or I will kill everyone you know.” He growls.

I squeak as I try to breathe. My legs dangle as he glares into my eyes.

Gunfire erupts and Rex jolts forward. I can just make out Phoenix fighters in the white haze of my slit eyes. He drops me and spins around. “YOU ASSHOLES ARE GETTING ON MY FUCKING NERVES!!”

He throws lightning and I haul my ass out of there as fast as I can.

‘Graham!’

I look around the trees as I run.

“Kita?” I huff a whine in confusion.

‘Follow me. Quickly.’

“Follow? FOLLOW WHERE?! WHAT?!”

‘Feel me. Feel my words. Quiet your mind.’

I slow and stop, lean my hands on my knees and I’m on the verge of tears. “What’s happening to me?” I choke.

‘Let me guide you.’

Just as her words finish, I feel like something leashed my back. I'm forced to take in a loud, deep breath as my body is lifted in the air and rocketed backwards through the trees like I have turbos on my ass. My arms and legs flail as I scream bloody murder.

I land on my ass hard and my body feels like it’s on fire.

“Graham.” I feel a weight fall on me.

“Kita. How?...” I start.

“I went fishing. Put these on.”

“Fishing, what?” I feel the arms of eyeglasses slide on my face and the most stunning eyes I’ve ever laid eyes on come into focus.

“Kita.” I breathe. Then reality hits. “Kita? What the hell? How are you here?! What’s going on?”

She grabs my arms and pulls me up to my feet. “Please. It’s not safe. He can’t find you. You’re not ready.”

She pulls me to the tent entrance.

“You don’t have to tell me it’s not safe. I fucking know that. What are you talking about? Who can’t find me? Ready? Ready for what?” I’m flooded with confusion. I don’t know which way us up anymore. This is fucking nuts!

“You can’t have the answers. Not yet. First, I must save you.” She says as she looks around.

“No, Kita. If you know something…”

“Come on!” She grabs my hands and yanks me out the door. I struggle to keep upright as she runs toward the battle.

“KITA, IT WAS SAFER THE OTHER WAY!” I protest as I try to stop her. Fuck, she’s strong.

“MY BEACON! IT-S IN THE TREES!” She yells back as we get consumed by the war.

A wolf flies over us and we duck. “BEACON? TREES?” I look around and sure as fuck, there's a little forest in the middle of the open desert on the other side of the battle. I stand with my mouth agape. “That’s not normal.”

“COME ON!”

She pulls me again and we run around the fights. I lose her as I skid to a stop and stumble back and a Dire and a Phoenix fighter clash in front of me.

“SHIT!”

It sounded like two angry trucks colliding as they try and rip each other apart. They roll out of the way and all I can do is watch them.

“GRAHAM!”

I find Kita. “Right!” I break into a sprint and catch up.

We dodge and jump through the battle. We breach the other side and make a break for the trees. Once we hit the trees, it’s like the battle stopped. It was quiet. I hop to a stop, turn and look the way we came. At least 50 feet off us is a bloody battle, but I can’t hear a damn thing. The only thing I hear is forest sounds.

“What is this?”

“A pocket. Come. We must leave.”

“Leave? Leave where?” I turn to Kita. “Kita, we're stuck here now. We should have stayed in the tent."

She walks up to me. “No, you weren’t safe there. I promise. Your questions will be answered in time. Right now, you must be kept safe.”

“Why? Safe from what? You’re acting like I’m public enemy number one.” I step closer to her.

She presses her lips together. “I can’t tell you, but just know that I am here to help you.”

“Then tell me what’s going on?” I lean to her and look in her eyes.

She reaches up and runs her fingers front of my eyes and they close. “Not yet. You would not understand. We are leaving.”

I feel like I have just been hypnotized. All my fear leaves me and I feel light as a feather. The world disappears and I actually feel a peace wash over me.

As I float in my mind, I feel her full lips touch mine and they part. I feel a heavenly energy fill my body and mind. My tongue caresses hers while my hands hold her cheeks as I deepen the kiss. Her skin sends a warmth across mine that I haven’t felt since my resurrection. What’s more, usually I can’t touch people because they’re electrified and I feel like I’m getting shocked, but with her, I feel nothing. It feels so great to really touch someone without pain. Instead, I feel a power that goes through my arms to my chest. It hits my heart and I feel it surround me.

I pull back, sucking on her bottom lip as I do and open my eyes.

My face falls as I raise my head and look around. I’m in my apartment. I look at Kita with shock and step back. “How?” I mutter.

She clasps her hands in front of her. “I pulled you from the battle to where you’d be safe. I have a skill that allows for teleportation.”

“What are you?” I ask.

She smiles. “Nothing. Just Kita.”

I eye her. “You’re a teleporter.”

She nods. “I can help you. If you choose it.”

I rub my forehead and put my other hand on my hip. “This is nuts. Crazy! If you know something.”

“I don’t. I don’t know what you need to know. All I know is you need to be safe.” She says.

I step to her. “Why? Who’s after me?”

She raises her hand and touches my temple. “Sleep.”

I feel myself fall and blackout.