God anymore: he just knew that whatever had happened between them over these past few days-he knew he loved her. How could he love her? How could they be together? She wasn’t even a human, not in any way that made sense. It would be like a pirate loving a mermaid. And he didn’t believe in mermaids but he damn sure believed in her.
“I… no one has ever said that to me before,” he said. “And what I told you yesterday, in the valley. I’m with you all the way, I will kill Malachi with my bare hands if it means saving you, because I…
But before he could finish the first of the Archaics emerged from the mine.
It was on.
Chapter Seventy
One came out first. Then three more, then they straggled out in groups. Surprisingly to Jonas, they looked almost like humans waking from a deep sleep. Rubbing their eyes and stretching, as more and more of them emerged.
“They look like they’ve been sleeping. You said that’s good, right?” he asked.
“Yes. Malachi has chosen this place because it is very similar to our homeland. Mountainous. Largely deserted. But he has gone through the surrounding territory, found enough humans, and started raising his army.
“As a result there are few if any humans left nearby to feed on. And what humans they have found have been given to Malachi. Feeding on Huma Sangra makes an Archaic much stronger.”
The Archaics continued to pour out of the mine, more than a hundred so far.
“He’s been feeding,” Hollister said. “But his army hasn’t. At least not as much. So that makes them weaker.”
“Yes, but do not be fooled or careless. Even without Huma Sangra, they are much stronger, faster, more vicious than humans. They likely have been feeding on animals from the woods and plains nearby. Just as I have. They will still be formidable. And Malachi…”
“What? What about him?” Hollister said.
“He will be the strongest of all of them. You must leave him to me,” she said.
“But you haven’t had human blood either, have you?”
“No, it is forbidden by the Old Ones, and I have kept my vow. But they have also prepared me. Do not worry, Jonas. Malachi is strong. But so am I.” She smiled.
He tried not to worry, but it didn’t work. All he could see was Malachi as he had seen him on the plains so many years ago, the bullets bouncing off him like pebbles. Being thrown on the ground like a rag doll. Sitting on Hollister’s chest, Malachi’s fists pounding on his face like anvils dropped on his head. Only he saw Shaniah being beaten this time and the thought terrified him.
“What are you going to do?” he asked. It was all he could think of to say.
“I need you to open fire when Malachi appears. The wind is with us. They will not smell us yet. Pray the wind does not shift. Concentrate on the Archaics. You are unlikely to hit him anyway. He will be too quick for most of your weapons. I will focus on him,” she said.
“What if you don’t find him?” Hollister said.
“Then he will find me,” Shaniah said. “You see, Jonas, he has been waiting for this moment ever since he escaped our homeland. He will not let it pass.”
“I don’t like this,” Hollister said.
“I know,” Shaniah replied. “But you made a promise to me. Do you intend to keep it?”
He looked at her, memorizing her face because he knew he might not see her alive again.
“All the way,” he said.
M ore and more Archaics flooded out of the mine. Through the collapsed wall of the building, he could see Chee in the shed, hands on the Gatling gun, ready to wreak havoc. He couldn’t see Dog, but he imagined him next to Chee, coiled and ready to attack anything that moved when given the command.
At the Point he’d been trained to determine enemy strength by counting a group of ten, getting a read on the size of those ten then roughly counting the number of groups that size in the force arrayed against you. Using the technique, Hollister guessed there were about three hundred Archaics. He’d expected more, so he was somewhat relieved; but killing them wasn’t easy, so he’d count his blessings. He readied the Fire Shooter.
Something was happening at the mine. The crowd was parting. Malachi emerged. Even after all this time, Hollister had no trouble recognizing him. It was the same man who had killed his men. His hair was longer and even from this distance he seemed taller. But there was no doubt in Hollister’s mind it was him. He stepped up on some crates that had been pushed together like a small stage, as if he were about to give a sermon at a revival
“There he is.” Hollister turned to tell Shaniah.
But she was gone.
M alachi looked out at the crowd of his Archaics, their faces eager for him to lead them. They were hungry and desperate to feed. He would send them to destroy the train and then…
He was about to speak when images of Shaniah flooded his brain. She was here, and very close by. He knew she had been coming but this surprised him. He studied the woods and the nearby mountainsides. To the south he smelled horses. But she was not there. Even after all this time, he would know her scent anywhere. The woods surrounding the mine clearing were also devoid of her presence. Where was she?
His eyes settled on the buildings. They were less than one hundred yards away from where he stood. She was not there either, or was she? Strange smells came from the structures. Had she masked her scent somehow? Someone was there, and from the buildings came another odor he faintly recognized. Whoever it was would need to be dealt with. Quickly.
“Listen!” he said loudly and the Archaics surrounding him quieted instantly. “We have been discovered. Shaniah is here. And she is not alone. We must find her. Those buildings hide those who seek to destroy us. Kill them.”
The Archaics turned in concert, readying themselves to charge.
T he buildings were just far enough away that neither Hollister nor Chee could hear what Malachi was saying. When the entire group of Archaics looked at the buildings, they knew they been discovered.
Hollister wanted to wait until they got within forty yards before using the Fire Shooter to make sure they were within range. First, he started picking them off with the Henry. It was extremely accurate at this distance and he’d chosen the load of wooden bullets dipped in holy water. Whenever he could hit one directly in the heart it made for an agonizing death.
Once Hollister had fired off a few shots, the group targeted his building. Hundreds of them running and leaping across the ground. To Jonas it felt like they would be upon him in seconds. Until Chee opened up with the Gatling.
It cut them down like a scythe in a wheat field. Archaics might be stronger and faster than humans, but they were not immune to pain, and the sound of their screams echoed off the surrounding mountains as they went down in waves, twisting and writhing on the ground.
Yet, some still made it through and while Chee kept the big gun chattering away, Hollister opened up with the Fire Shooter. It caused mass confusion at first, then more cries of agony as body after body burst into flames. In the course of two minutes, they had greatly reduced the numbers heading toward them.
Hollister still saw no sign of Shaniah, but he could see Malachi standing on the crates, watching the devastation take place before him. Hollister kept the trigger down on his Fire Shooter because there were still Archaics charging forward. But he looked at his Henry rifle leaning against the wall and for a moment toyed with the idea of picking it up and taking a shot at Malachi. From this distance, if he could hit him in the heart, he could end this whole thing. But he couldn’t risk it. There were still too many of them coming and they could be on him before he could get the shot off.
He looked at the gauge on the Fire Shooter. It was already down by half. This was going to get interesting in a hurry.
