by M. O. McLeod
“What do you think will happen to us?” asked Jackie. She and the girls had relocated to the stone museum in the park, avoiding the train station all together. “Think we can ever go back to Snowhill?”
O’bellaDonna hung by the hole in the wall that resembled a window. “Never. The Jeers have probably elected a new leader by now.” She tossed a rock up in the air, feeling bored and hungry. “I hope Kurma has a plan.”
“She does,” Rimselda said. “She told me that the first thing she’s going to do is take over the mayor’s office.”
“Get the hell out of here,” Jackie said. That was too high up there. But she was definitely down for the thrill. Last night had been crazy to say the least. She was still reeling from learning how to change back and forth between her Raptor form and her human body. “There’s so much we can do, the five of us. For sure we’ll be unstoppable.”
O’bellaDonna agreed. Her mind shot off a hundred ideas of where she could go and what she could do. She smiled to herself. “Rimselda, teach me how to change into a Raptor.”
Chelsea and Jackie had turned into Raptors when they’d reached the park. O’bellaDonna had been too exhausted from running through half the city and had instantly fallen asleep. She was up now and ready to start her new life. “I bet I’ll look so hot when I’m Raptored.”
“I’m the cutest Raptor, hands down,” Chelsea yelled up from the bottom of the crumbling stairs. She had refused to sleep on the second level, afraid that it would collapse under all their weight.
Jackie yelled down at her. “Just because you have pink wings doesn’t make you the cutest!”
O’bellaDonna and Rimselda laughed.
“Let Kurma show you,” said Rimselda. “She’s the best teacher for all that.”
“Well, where is she?” asked O’bellaDonna. “I haven’t seen her at all since we’ve been up. I’m ready to get this party started!” O’bellaDonna stood up and ran around the circular room, pretending to spar with an imaginary person.
Rimselda rested on the floor and looked up at O’bellaDonna. She could have showed her, but had thought better of it. “She went on the roof. I think she doesn’t want to be bothered right now.”
O’bellaDonna stopped sparring and gave an exasperated groan. “So what do we do now? We just have to sit around until she feels better?”
Rimselda knew O’bellaDonna could get very competitive, and enjoyed every minute of her not being able to command her Raptor state. She put her arms behind her head and got comfortable. This would be a long and hectic ride with all these girls.
“Rimy!” screamed O’bellaDonna.
But Rimselda only tuned her out and waited for Kurma to return.
37.
BlueK Dynasty
The high pine trees blocked out the sun long enough in Dover Park Square. Kurma had to fly atop the stone museum’s slated roof to catch a glimpse of the first sun rays. She sat by herself, knees to her chest, naked in her human form. Her hair hung limply down her back, adding warmth to her skin. From the roof she could see the skyscrapers of downtown Alexandria. She heard the screams from the inner city and knew things hadn’t died down. The park was her little haven for the time being, but even that wouldn’t last.
Kurma looked at the tallest building, the Olivares Tower. It housed the most important individuals in the city: government officials, millionaires, and business tycoons. If they were smart they would have left the city last night. The Olivares Tower would be ripe for picking, and more importantly for living.
If Kurma planned on building anything then she needed a headquarter—one as splendid and exclusive as the Olivares Tower. Here in Dover Square, she was too exposed, too open. Santino could easily scour the city looking for her, planning an attack for his revenge. She had to be smarter than him. She would need a fortress, more Raptors, and power to keep the Phantoms at bay so she could build her Raptor legacy.
Kurma had high hopes for her new life. It had only been seven days since she had been transformed into a Raptor. She was still here. Nothing had defeated her so far. She had battled Phantoms and Jeers, and had formed a solid assemblage of Raptors. Whatever had caused her and Santino’s changes had opened up Pandora’s Box, and out had popped Phantoms and Raptors. Kurma had stumbled onto an entire area that had yet to be seized. She was the first of her kind, and Santino was the first of his kind. She had every intention to win, to create a world where she made the decisions and rules, and where Raptors came first. This was only the beginning. Kurma was a young leader in the making. She would create a dynasty, the BlueK Dynasty and be the first Raptor ruler there ever was.
Kurma transformed. She stood up with her head high and spread her blue wings, then flew up off the roof, aiming straight for the heavens with the sun against her back.