by J. B. Garcia
“Are you ready boy?” Khan threaten Travis, “I am old man.” Travis sends him a sarcastic smile. My mother comes to me grabbing my hand and I rip it away from her as her skin burns mine. “Your hands are on fire.” She looks at me and I cannot help but giggle for a moment, then I remember where I am. I look out to Travis and Khan but they continue just to stare at each other. At the same time they bow and then crouch to the floor both shifting at the same time. Travis is a large black and sleek wolf, but Khan is at least three times his size and he is as white as snow. His fur looks as if it was made of silk.
They begin to circle each other and the growls are echoing through the woods. Travis launches at Khan rearing into the air and they collide. My stomach turns as I watch them battle. Khan opens his huge jaws and latches onto Travis’s neck. He howls out in pain and I almost collapsed onto the ground. “Travis! No!” Khan rips him back and forth and Travis becomes lifeless. He drops him to the ground and blood begins to pour from his neck. Khan turns his gaze towards to me and begins to prowl towards me. He shoulders rise and fall as he gets closer and closer. I can’t help but be afraid of him. I have no idea how to shift and I have no idea what powers I have or how to control them. I feel heat rising next to me and I look to my side and my mothers entire body burst into flames. Before she can make a move Travis flies through the air sinking his fangs into the back of his neck. Khan howls out in pain and he bucks vigorously trying to get Travis off. He hangs on with all his might thrashing back and forth ripping pieces of flesh from his neck. Khan finally throws him back to the ground and before he can attack him, a ball of flames flies from my mother's palm and crashes against the side of Khans ribs. He yelps in pain and stumbles onto his opposite side rolling vigorously trying to extinguish the flame burning off all his fur and melting his flesh.
Troy runs to Khans side removing his grey jacket and hitting the flames. Troy finally puts them out and he looks to my mother with hate burning in his eyes. He takes a few steps towards her and before I can react, she pushes me away from her and throws flames towards him. He dodges them and lunges into the air. Before he reaches her my father jumps in the air connecting with him and slamming him into the ground. He quickly gets up from the ground leaving Troy in a painful mess on the ground. His nose is pouring out blood as he looks up to the sky rolling onto his back. He tries to stand but before he can, mom is standing over him. She thrusts her hands down towards him enveloping him in flames. He screams out in pain and rolls around the forest floor. He tries to roll away from her and she takes steps towards him never letting the flames die down. He stops moving and once his screams die down she stops. She collapses to her knee exhausted and my father rushes to her side picking her up. I look to Khan as he shifts back into his human form and walks over to Travis gripping onto his ribs in pain. I rush over to him and stand in between then both. I look back to Travis and he has shifted back into himself. He lies motionless on the floor and my heart begins to break. I look around for Asclepius but she is already tending to my mother. I turn back to Khan and before I know it, he raises his hand and back hands me to the ground. I quickly get to my feet and hear my inner wolf screaming in my head. Let me be free! Let me out! Give me control! I ignore her and keep my composure. Blood is seeping from the corner of my mouth. I feel the pain begin to subside and realize that my body is healing itself. Khan shakes off his pain and I look to where he was burned and it has completely healed.
“Well Queen it looks like you have lost. Your mate lies dead on the ground. Now it is your turn.” I get ready for the fight of my life and before I can attack Khan disappears in a cloud of black smoke. I look to my father who is looking around for Khan. I turn and fall to my knees grabbing Travis’s hand, “Baby please wake up!” I turn my head to Asclepius who is tending to my mother, “Get over her now Asclepius!” She turns and sees Travis lying on the ground and she rushes over to us. She holds her hands over him and begins to chant. I get up from the ground looking around for Khan. He is no where to be found. I look for Ares and Aaren and they are also gone. Something is going on… it seems that we look around for hours but only minutes go by. Aaren and Khan appear again in the block smoke in the middle of the circle of the trees. She grabs the back of his shirt and pulls him down onto the flat stone. His body lands with a loud thud, “What are you doing!?” Khan screams. Out of the darkness Ares rushes and jumps through the air landing on Khan head with his knee. Smashing it against the stone. We all stand silently in shock. Ares turns to my mother and screams at her, “Burn him now!” My mother sits dazed on the ground, “Get up NOW! Before he heals! Burn him!” She gets up and rushes over to Aaren and Ares. She looks down at the bloody mess on the stone and looks away as she thrusts her hands down enveloping his entire body in flames. Once his body steadily burning she begins to step back away from the stink of burning flesh.
Everyone is silent and watching Khan burn and I cannot believe that its over. Aaren and Ares are staring down at Khan as he turns into a pile of ash. At the same time they say, “For Grizel.” I recognize the name but I cannot place it. I look to Travis who is still laying on the ground as Asclepius chants over the top of him, green mist seeping from her hands and into his body. I look back to Ares and Aaren and they begin to walk towards me. Before they can speak I remember Grizel. She was the sister Aaren spoke of and her mate must has been...Ares. They stop feet in front of me, Ares bows and Aaren curtsies. In unison, “My Queen.” Ares takes a step forward and speaks, “My Queen, I cannot express how sorry I am for everything that you and your mate had to go through. Once my own mate was murdered...for no reason...I realized the pain I was inflicting on others and I could not follow Khan for another moment.” Although forgiveness is not on my mind, he did just murder his King so that must prove something. I bow to Ares and he returns it.
I turn back to Travis and rush to his side. Asclepius is still working on him and I kneel down next to him and I cannot fight the tears that are rushing down my face. He lies motionless on the ground with blood covering his body. The smell of metal is so strong that I make my stomach turn and I can taste it on my tongue. My mother and father slowly walk and kneel down beside me. My gaze stays on him waiting for any sign of life. “Travis...please come back to me. Don’t leave me alone...please.” Time has seemed to stop as we all stare down at him waiting for something. I look to where Khan ripped his throat and it has completely healed. Every wound has closed and yet he still has not stirred. I look to Asclepius who has stopped chanting, “What is going on? Why isn’t he waking up?” She looks away from me with tears running down her face. She says nothing and I can’t help but scream as loud as I can. It echos in the silence and I throw my body atop of his sobbing harder than I ever have before. My one true love is gone and there is nothing that I can do to bring him back. My mother places her hand on my back and I push it away. “Don’t touch me!” I lie back down on him and then there is a beat. It fades and a few moments later there is another beat. It quickens and then I feel warmth caress my back. “Are you crying for me baby?” I look up and Travis’s eyes are open. I grab his shirt and pull him up squeezing him close to my body. “I thought you were dead!” He wraps his arms around me, “I was… I heard your voice and followed it back to you.” I kiss him harder than I ever have before and revel in this moment.
We sit for a moment just absorbing everything that just happened. He pulls me away and looks into my eyes, “Where is Khan?” I look over to the flat stone where nothing remains but a pile of ashes. He looks over and then back to me, “What happened?” I look to Ares and Aaren. “It was them.” Travis stands and walks to Ares. He extends his hand to him,”Thank you Ares for saving my mate.” Ares looks surprised at him and then shakes his hand. “Our Queen could have done it herself but he took something that was very precious to us and my life would be meaningless if I could not return the favor to him.” Travis nods his head and then turns back to me helping me up from the ground. Aaren chimes in, “We have to go now my Queen.
We must return to the Realm your subjects are waiting to meet you.” I look back to my mother and father. I walk over to them and throw my arms around both of them. “Please come with me. I don’t think I can do this without you.” My mother breaks down sobbing and my father pulls away. “I don’t think that we could go back knowing what we know now.” Happiness floods through my body, “So you’re coming with me?!” They both nod yes. I turn back to Travis and walk towards him. “Are you ready?” He nods yes.
I turn to Aaren and Ares, “What do we do now?” He looks to Aaren and smiles. “Take each others hands.” Travis grabs my hand and my mom grabs the other with my father gripping on tightly to her other hand. Ares takes hold of Travis’s arm and Aaren takes hold of him. Aaren looks to me, “Are you ready to leave my Queen?” I nod yes and in the blink of an eye we are out of the woods and standing in front of a enormous castle on a cobblestone road. Ares is the first to break the silence, “There it is my Queen. Your new home.” We all look at each other with the bright sun beating down on our faces. For some reason I feel at ease. Like this is where I should have been my entire life. The coble road leads straight to the steps of the castle and green fields line both sides of the road with bright flowers of every color.
We take our first steps down the road and The front doors of the castle open. There is a sea of people that come rushing from the castle. They are dressed as if we are in an updated version the renaissance. Every step we take my heart begins to beat faster and faster. This is the moment that I have been dreading and yet I couldn't be happier. The wind blows through my hair and I hear Renee’s whisper Welcome home my darling, your life has just begun. I can’t help but smile just hearing her voice. I look to Travis who clothes are torn and blood stained. “I guess this is it.” He looks confused and giggles, “Oh baby this is just the beginning, you still have to learn everything that the Blood Moon gifted to you. We have a long road ahead of us.” I grab his hand and stop him, “As long we are together.” He kisses me deeply and I return it with all the love I feel for him. He pulls away and looks deeply into my eyes moving lose pieces of hair away from my eyes as the wind twirls around us. This is a moment that I will never forget. I turn to face the castle and we start towards it again. The people that rushed from the castle stop about fifteen feet in front of us and as if they practiced it, they bow. Its completely silent and as they rise, a cheer breaks out. We keep walking towards them and they make a path right down the middle of the crowd. The clapping and cheering continues and I look to my mother who has a smile plastered across her face and she is gripping onto my father.
The threat against the Human race is over...but my life has just begun...
Thank you for Reading
I appreciate you reading my book. I hoped that you enjoed it. This is going to become a series so stay tuned to my page for updates.
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