And…The Sun Stopped Shining

Tell your partner…that she’s a bad partner.

I shot Alec a glance that warned him to keep quiet–both with his mouth and telepathically. Sometimes working with another wizard was a blessing, but if you ever got stuck with Alec while on a spy job, it could be a curse.

I grunted when he handed me the talisman, a gold lion’s head the size of a brooch. On the surface it did little to catch one’s eye, but if you’ve just used it to engulf a warehouse storing Nazi weapons and equipment, then it becomes a coveted item. It also didn’t help that we stole it from them. If those two warlocks were the only ones after us, maybe we wouldn’t have to crouch in this alley with a magical shield over us. However, someone else far deadlier decided to join the party.

“We can’t stay here long,” I whispered. He refused to take back the talisman, probably afraid it would be a beacon of light calling our predators right to him. I motioned for him to follow me, but we both shivered and froze in place when something blotted out the sun and the scent of dark magic enveloped us.

Alec licked his lips. “There’s a small safehouse down the road…”

“No it’s not, that’s a brothel.”

A man with dark hair who dressed like he was on his way to a business meeting turned into the alley and stood still. Something blotted out the sun again, and we could hear wailing and screams rise throughout the city of Brussels like a howling wind. I could smell the taint of dark magic pouring off him and it reminded me of burnt flesh.

When I lower the shield, Alec’s voice said in my mind, shoot him.

He didn’t have to tell me twice. I nodded and aimed my pistol at the warlock, though my hands shook and my grip slightly loosened with sweat. When he approached,  Alec withdrew his shield and I fired at the man, hitting him in the left shoulder.

He sensed us immediately, and before I could fire another shot he made the air around us spark and crackle.

“Fire!” I shouted.

The sparks became flames and danced in a halo around us like dust. I had already pulled out my golden knife and with a few flicks of the wrist created the alchemical symbol for Wind. When the flames gathered like a fireball and came crashing toward us, I fed enough energy into my Wind spell to send the fire straight back toward him. He merely absorbed the flames and heat.

“He’s an elemental.” Alec grabbed my arm and started to pull me away so we could make a run for it.

“Look!”

An invisible force sent the warlock flying straight up into the air. He didn’t even have time to scream when his head hit one of the sharp iron fixtures on a fire escape and was impaled. For once, Alec said nothing, and just stared in horror at the body hanging from the bottom of the fire escape.

Something blotted out the sun again and an explosion ignited somewhere south of the neighborhood. We could hear gunshots and more shrieks coming from every direction. However amidst the cacophony I could hear a familiar Russian accent.

“Isabella! This way.” She eyed the warlock’s body with neither satisfaction nor sympathy, and didn’t even bother to use her telekinetic power to bring it back down.

Alec and I turned and rushed toward her. “Nikon, what happened to you?”

“Did you finish at the warehouse?” Her yellow hair fell in messy waves around her shoulders and she had a cut above her brow.

Alec stayed my hand just as I was about to reach into my pocket for the talisman. “Yes, but we lost the lion’s head. There’s a Black Wolf in the city; we saw it eat another wizard.”

She stared at him, and then me. “Let’s go.”

When she motioned for us to follow her and turned her back, I shot a question to Alec, hoping he had kept the line of communication open.

Why don’t you want me to give her the talisman?

I don’t like her.

Go to hell, she’s my partner. I’ve known her for almost a year–and I’ve only known you for a week.

If she’s so wonderful, then why does she have a psychic seal on her mind?

Perhaps she doesn’t want you to annoy her like you’re annoying me?

Be careful, Isabella.

Why?

I don’t know, I just feel something.

Okay, whatever. Wait…what happened to the sun?

If I told you, you’d be howling with the rest of this city.

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From December 26-31 our blog tour The Day The Sun Stopped Shining will take place. I sincerely hope you can join us. Writers, readers, and lovers of fantasy, paranormal, and horror stories–you are all in for a treat! Blog hop with us to read cool interviews featuring Yours Truly and my fellow authors. You can win prizes and sign up for giveaways, and don’t forget to stop here each day of the tour to participate in some fun blog contests!