The Beasts and Brave - Chapter 18
#2 of Eben Black Series - The Beasts and Brave
© All characters and storylines surrounding these characters belong to me; Eben Black..
Balthazaar was dead. That much was certain. But why was I still anxious and scared? Donovan invited Sawyer back. It seemed that Sawyer's confrontation of Balthazaar had earned him some respect in Donovan's eyes. The wolf had no plans of trusting the blue feline, but for the time being we needed answers and Sawyer was the one with those answers. So here we all stood in that elevator again. Sawyer and I stood on our own, Donovan was holding up that half-conscious cheetah. Aleksander had one eye open and he still looked exhausted. He leaned heavily on Donovan's shoulder as the werewolf held him up. There was a shame there in those startling bright green eyes. He was an ashamed King. Sawyer was the only one of us who was smiling. The doors opened and we all stepped out and down the corridor into the lounge. Sawyer took in the wreckage and the broken glass and the blood stains before that feline turned and faced me with a confused look.
"Do you have a new wierd sense of decoration?" he asked.
I opened my mouth to answer when suddenly a deep growl ruptured the silence throughout the lounge.
The two of us followed the growl and found Kane, still bandaged, but conscious and armed. His blade in one hand.
"Kane-"
"What the fuck is he doing here!" he snarled.
"Nice to see you too, pup." Sawyer crossed his arms and smiled.
"Shut up! Just shut the fuck up!" Kane sneered at the blue tiger. "Donovan, what's happened?"
"Balthazaar almost killed us, but Sawyer stopped him."
"And because of that he gets an invite into the penthouse?" Kane demanded.
"Relax, Kane. He's not here to cause trouble, and we need answers." Donovan carried Aleksander across the room, "Take him and put him to bed. He needs sleep."
Kane took Aleksander, and then considered Sawyer. He frowned deeper and then stalked off with Aleksander in tow.
Sawyer smiled and said, "He still hasn't forgiven me for my last visit here?"
"No one's forgiven you for that, Sawyer!" I snapped back.
"Talk about holding a grudge," Sawyer murmured.
"Holding a grudge? You tried to kill Kane and imprison me for your wierd experiments!" I snarled back.
"Don't worry, that plan went right out the window about a month ago." Sawyer looked serious as he spoke now. "Donovan Reed, you wanted answers?"
"Yeah, I did. Back there when you knocked out Balthazaar and announced his failure. Is that what called forth that Jackal?" Donovan demanded.
"The Jackal is the one who watches over the Gates of Hell. He took back what with his."
"And what exactly was his?" Donovan asked.
"A month ago I made an amazing discovery, a discovery that would change the way we look at the council. And that Jackal plays a good part in it."
Donovan sighed and replied, "This is making no sense."
Sawyer smirked. "Then let me explain what the council really is."
The two of us went silent.
"It has been said that the council is compiled of the oldest and wisest wereanimals of all time. That much is true. I myself am six hundred and three this weekend." He grinned. "But as you both know, those who live on the council have been bestowed with new abilities. Both myself and Balthazaar were handed new powers, as well as you, Eben Black. The one who give us those powers was that Jackal. The Jackal has taken it upon itself to hand out these abilities and when the host of those powers dies, their soul and body are sent into the depths of its home. Some call it Hell, some call it Limbo. I believe it to be some other domain where the Jackal toys with those he has captured. But Balthazaar isn't the only one whose died as a result of these abilities. Three more on the council have been killed as well."
The words fell and stopped us dead. I gazed across at Donovan who was standing and looking wide-eyed and stunned at Sawyer's words. Sawyer walked around the lounge and stood at the broken window pane, looking down over LA below. He turned and faced us. Donovan took a deep breath and asked, "How did those council members get killed?"
"They were deemed failures. The Jackal deemed them pointless and soon he claimed them back. But the thing about the Jackal is the fact he replaces the council members. Balthazaar will be replaced soon."
"Replaced? That means, that right now the council is back at full strength?" Donovan asked.
"Indeed. Even I was replaced, which I'm not pleased about." Sawyer smirked as he spoke, "That Jackal is the reason the council has become maddened."
"The powers are driving their hosts insane with power?" Donovan suggested. Sawyer nodded. "So what happens now? What does that Jackal want?"
"He wants to witness the world crumble around those he has granted power to."
"He's playing with the world then?" I asked.
"Indeed. He's something of a God, and has grown bored with simply watching the world turn. He wants to watch it unravel before him."
"That's insane."
"You have no idea."
"And that was the discovery you made a month ago?" Donovan asked.
Sawyer nodded and added, "As soon as I realised what was happening I realised that taking the power from Eben would be useless with him dead. The power would return to the Jackal and be lost."
I frowned and replied, "So what are you proposing now?"
He turned to Donovan and smirked, "You've seen what I can do. At the moment I'm the only one here who can stand against the council. The reason the council has taken an interest in Eben, is because he had recieved a power that the Jackal never bestowed upon him. He's curious and is sending the council to find and look into his capabilities. Balthazaar was meant to investigate and return to Europe. He failed because he deemed the power dangerous and wanted Eben dead. The Jackal may rule them, but in the heat of battle a man must make his own mind up about the situation. More will come, Donovan. More will come and try to claim Eben for him. Your going to need someone who can stand against them."
"What are you suggesting?" Donovan demanded.
"Let me remain here and watch over you all."
"Your out of your mind!" I stammered. I looked at Donovan, and expected shock, but found him smiling.
"You won't cause us anymore trouble will you?"
"Not until that Jackal is dead."
"Fair enough. I'll have Bishop set you up a bedroom and you can move in whenever you want."
"D-Donovan, are you serious?" I stammered.
"Is he serious about what?" a deep voice asked. I looked around and found Snow pad into the lounge. He was nude and bandaged, but looking comfortable as Hell. "Whats wrong?" he asked.
"It seems I am your newest housemate." Sawyer grinned as he walked across the lounge and looked at the weretiger.
"Fair enough." Snow smiled warmly at the blue feline.
Sawyer frowned and asked, "You don't hate me anymore?"
Snow grinned and replied, "If Donovan's letting you stay here, then you must have done something right. Besides, its his place, not mine."
I was stunned. What was happening? Sawyer was the enemy, surely.
Donovan touched a hand to mine and said, "He won't harm you until that Jackal is dealt with, and besides, he's a powerful asset. It'll be good that he's around."
"I'm just going to need some time to adjust."
"You'll be fine," Donovan said as he leaned in and kissed me. He stepped away and let his fingers fall from mine. "I'll go see how Aleksander is doing."
Snow stepped up to me and wrapped his arms around me from behind. He snuggled me closer and asked, "You wanna take a shower?"
"Do I look like I need a shower?" I replied.
He considered me for a second, kissed me on the side of my neck and then said, "Yeah. Yeah, you do."
"Then lets go and get washed up." I took his hand in mine, still feeling numb from seeing Sawyer, our enemy, standing in our home, a welcome guest. I didn't trust. I never wanted to trust him.
I don't think I ever would trust him, so long as he lived under this roof.