by Janelle Peel
Her eyes widened in shock as she realized what was happening.
The taint of her magic left a bitter taste in the back of my throat as I continued my assault.
She dropped me to the hard bricks like she’d been burned and stepped back with her upper lip lifted. “My,” she scoffed, “aren’t you just full of surprises.”
I smirked, “You have no idea, Bitch.” Using my speed, I flashed from the ground and tackled her. My stomach rolled with the abrupt motion and I swallowed hard. Calling to my center, I drew on the thunderstorm. The wind howled through the courtyard, hungry and ready to do my bidding. I needed to get her out of here. A place where there were less innocent bystanders, Giselle included. Decision made, I bade the gale force winds to carry us to the beach. Wrapping my legs around her torso, we rocketed into the sky as LA zoomed below us at dizzying speeds.
Slowly, she started to revive and dug her sharp nails into my back. I cried out as she stripped the skin from the bones along my ribcage. Satisfied that we were close, I unlocked my legs.
She held on for one desperate moment; then her grip slipped. Her claws raked my thigh as she plummeted the hundred plus feet to the hard, packed sand.
The wind softened into a warm salty breeze, lowering me beside her.
Ruby blood streamed from her temple as she dragged herself across the beach.
“No,” I whispered. Silver light shot from my hand, lassoing her ankle with a whip of pure energy. Jerking my wrist, my magic pulled her back toward me.
Flashing, she flipped onto her back and tossed a handful of sand into my face.
Instinctively, I dropped to a crouch just as something sharp grazed my scalp. Blinking furiously, I tried to clear my eyes while listening for her approach. My blurry orbs caught a flash of scarlet just before a flaming ball of magic scorched my chest; knocking me onto my back into the wet sand.
Lifting a hand, I reached for the ocean. The sea rose as a massive wave answered my call. The wall of water crashed down, drenching us both as it cooled my blistered skin and cleared my eyes. Caught in the turmoil, I struggled to get my feet below me.
The water retreated just as she slammed into me from behind.
Her arms banded around my torso like iron chains. “This ends now!” She screeched, sinking her fangs into my neck.
A roar rent the air in the distance.
Blaze, my chest pinched at the sound of his rage.
Blaze
He tore through countless Mages in a blind rage to get find his Mate.
His chest ached with a heaviness he’d never felt. Something was very wrong.
Finally, he made it to a rectangular courtyard.
A silver and red ball was the only source of light as he stopped to take in the situation. Where was she?
The sphere winked out; revealing a sobbing, old woman.
No! He was at her side between one blink and the next. The old woman gasped and slapped him across the face.
“Leave her alone!” She screamed.
He raised his hands in a placating manner, “I’m Blaze.”
Her blue eyes widened in comprehension before she slapped him again. Her arm lifted and she pointed to the west, “Then find her!! Find my daughter!”
Sora
Left with nothing else, I touched her hand and pulled, harder than I ever had before.
Her red, angry magic entered my well, polluting my silver flames as chills broke out along my skin. It was too much; my body couldn’t handle it for much longer. Black tar dribbled from my mouth as my body struggled to find a way to get rid of the of her toxic magic.
She growled, greedily swallowing more of my precious blood as my vision began to dim.
This was not happening! Redoubling my efforts, I decided to try something new. Closing my eyes, I let go and searched for her center. My consciousness raced along my skin to where it touched hers.
Hideous images snagged my attention as the thousands of souls she’d collected screamed out for release. The never-ending chasm deepened like the darkest pits of hell. Frantically I searched, screaming for someone, anyone to help me find her core.
A bright star lit, further than my previous searches had revealed. The light reflected off an oil slicked lake with scarlet flames dancing along its surface. Was that her well?
My mind stuttered.
What was I doing?
Thump… Thump, thump.
What was that sound?
My heart pumped again, thump.
I was dying.
Thump.
Despair racked my thoughts. I wasn’t going to make it. Faces of my family flashed through the haze. Everyone I’d ever loved, everyone I’d ever lost.
With no other choice, I dove into the lake.
The oil stuck to every inch of my psyche, polluting my thoughts with its filth. Still, I pulled, devouring every inch of her evil.
When I thought I could take no more, I woke up on the beach; soaked and choking. Lit entirely in dire-fire, my flames sparkled like a small star. The sand began to melt, cooled by the waves as it hardened into glass.
‘Release it…’ Her voice whispered on the wind.
My scrambled brain tried to make use of the information. Release what?
Darkness swallowed me whole.
Blaze
With her scent in the forefront of his mind, he flashed faster than he ever had before. Time was running out.
His nose found her before his eyes picked out her still form on the sand beside a pile of muddy ash. Rushing to her side, he gently lifted her limp body into his arms.
“Sora,” he whispered as his heart splintered inside his chest.
Ripping open her tank, he pressed his ear between her breasts.
No breath escaped her lips, and her body was completely silent.
A loud roar left his lips, echoed by the cry of howling wolves somewhere in the city.
Chapter 15
Jackson
“No, I want the expansion to extend this way. The original barracks will be assimilated into the Training Grounds. The new location for the barracks will be here,” he tapped the touchscreen tablet for emphasis.
Jonas nodded, “Okay. I’ll have Mason draft a new plan then.”
“Good.” Jackson muttered. He didn’t know why everything was so dammed difficult. Leading an entire Clutch was like trying to corral feral cats. He grinned at his own pun. Some of the Felidae were wild cats.
“What’s so funny, Jackson?” Viv asked, joining his side.
He shook his head, “It’s just hard.”
She spun in a circle beneath the sun and settled onto the grass. “Sit with me,” she said, patting the spot next to her.
He sat and debated the best way to say what he meant. “Well, I was always a little jealous of Blaze. He found his Mate first, had more power than I, despite my being the elder sibling, and became the leader of our Clutch.”
Viv laid back, “And now?”
He shrugged, “I certainly don’t envy the position now. It’s hard, Viv. There’s so many variables, I’m struggling to keep track. No one does what they’re supposed to.”
She giggled, “Poor Jackson, getting a taste of leadership.” Her hands fisted, wiping imaginary tears from her eyes before she sobered, “It could be worse.”
He sighed in frustration. “That’s just it, here I am bitching about it, while my Brother wastes away inside his room. I just don’t know what to do to get him to snap out of it. We need him.”
Softly, her hand ran the length of his back in a soothing motion. “All we can do is pray.”
“You really think that’s going to help?” He scoffed.
Her emerald flecked eyes hardened, “You know it will.”
Slumping his shoulders in defeat, he nodded.
Nat
Following Bex’s bushy tail through the shrub, I marveled at all the new scents. With the Council’s disbandment, the curfew had been lifted and we could roam as we pleased.
A
n enticing scent entered my nose. Ooh, a cotton tail.
Bex took off like a shot, trying to get to the prize before I could.
With a snorted chuckle, I put on an extra burst of speed on followed.
Twenty minutes later, we were both sprawled in the dirt outside the bunny’s den, panting with exhaustion. Who knew they were so dammed fast?
Bex’s blue eyes snagged mine as she jerked her head toward home.
Sighing, I heaved myself upright.
Her chuff met my ears as her lips lifted into a mischievous smile. Before I could blink, she was racing home as fast as her little white paws could carry her.
I snorted, this was one race she could win.
Viv
It was hard watching Jackson struggle with the weight of his new mantle, I mused. Sure, the long nights sucked sometimes, and I missed my best friend terribly, but somehow, I knew we would be alright.
Now that the danger had passed, I’d decided to reopen my treat shop in Pacific Beach, and the renovations were coming along nicely. Mel had taken to it like a duck to water. Then again, it was under his orders that the Pack had trashed the place to begin with.
“Do you like this color, or this one?” I asked, lifting a brow at Allie.
“I think the ocean blue,” she said, tapping her finger on a color swatch. “It looks so tranquil. Plus, it doesn’t have AC, right? The blue will help it feel cooler.”
Sasha nodded, “I agree. I think you should go with the lime countertops, though. The contrast will look amazing.”
I sighed, “Too bad I can’t eat any of the froyo.”
Ever since Sora had given us the gift of sunlight, it seemed we were all dhampirs. Kind of? I didn’t even know what the hell to call it.
Allie clapped from the couch and snatch a pen from the side table, “Sasha, grab me a piece of paper. I want to make a list.”
Sasha’s dark brows furrowed for a moment. With a shrug, she reached beneath the bar and grabbed a notebook. Her long mocha legs made short work of the distance as she padded to Allie and dropped the pad in her lap. “What are you doing?”
“Making a list, silly.” Her pen moved across the page, “Ok, so we can walk in the sun. What else?”
I lifted a hand, “Drink blood, but food tastes like dirt and makes me barf.”
Chuckling, she scribbled another line.
Sasha picked up on our line of thought, “We still heal.”
Allie frowned, “Is anyone aging?”
I shook my head, “Not that I’ve noticed, but it’s only been 7 months.”
Her pert Irish nose wrinkled, “Hmm. Okay, what else?”
Sasha’s eyes squinted, “We still have enhanced speed, agility, hearing, and eyesight.”
Allie wrote down a few more details. Biting the end of her pen, she tapped it onto the page, “Okay, so what should we call ourselves?”
I threw my hands up, “Don’t look at me, I have no clue.”
Rolling her toned shoulders, Sasha answered, “I think we should just stick with Daywalkers.”
Allie’s face broke out in a wide grin, “Sounds good to me. Viv?”
Lifting a hand, I flashed her a thumbs up, “Sure, Babe.”
“Good,” she clapped again, “It’s settled. Now, what are you going to rename your shop?”
My brow furrowed, “Does it need a new name?”
Her eyes widened, “Um, yeah? It’s going to have a grand opening. Plus, Sasha and I have already picked out our uniforms.”
“Really?” I laughed, “And what do they look like?”
Sasha’s lips tipped into a devious smile, “I think we should name it Sweet Fangs.”
I guffawed, “You’re kidding, right?”
She tipped her head, “You got something better? We could all dress up like slutty Vampires. We don’t even need to buy the fake teeth!”
Slapping a hand to my face, my shoulders shook as I tried to contain my giggles. Sweet Fangs?
“I love it!” Allied joined in, “Like Sweet Things. It does have a nice ring to it.”
Rubbing my eyes, I met their excited expressions, “Fine, Sweet Fangs it is. Go show me the uniforms.”
The words had barely fallen from my lips before they were flashing out of the room.
Sweet Fangs, huh. Who’d have thought?
Mel
He’d tried to keep his distance from Nat, but unfortunately, that had only turned him into a perverted, peeping tom. And she did not like that one little bit.
In fact, in giving her space, he’d alienated himself from the Pack. They came to her with their problems now, despite his Alpha status.
He couldn’t lie, it stung his pride.
Lifting another weight onto the bar, he tried to calm his thoughts. The last time he’d gotten distracted during weight training, he’d dropped a fifty-pound dumbbell onto his foot. It wasn’t his fault though, he mused. Nat was sparring with Viv on the dojo mat. Who wouldn’t get distracted watching that?
At least she’d smiled at him then, even if it was at the expense of his throbbing foot.
He missed Sora. It seemed that she could always read any situation, and her sage advice had definitely helped him a time or two.
With a sigh, he settled onto the weight bench and gripped the steel bar.
Sora
A loud beeping slowly drew me awake. Groggily, I wondered if it was my alarm clock. Did I have to work today?
Cracking open an eyelid, I looked around the room. Whose room, I wasn’t quite sure, but it seemed, oddly familiar.
The silver veined wallpaper butted up against white baseboards and a black carpet. Who the heck had black carpet? How… gothic.
Shifting onto my side, I noticed a plastic heart rate clamp tethered to my index finger. Curious, followed the cord to the source of the sound.
Beep.
Beep.
The green line moved in a zigzag across a small display that counted my heart beats. Was I in an accident or something?
Next to that machine, a long tube snaked out of another contraption and ended just inside my elbow. Red blood filtered through the tube to another machine on the opposite side of the room. Why was I hooked up to an IV?
The muscles of my back ached as I tried to sit up. Abandoning the idea, I rolled further onto my side and quickly found that I couldn’t.
My fingers found the edge of a soft grey sheet and I looked down to my stomach.
Shock coursed through my veins as the beeping kicked up to a loud wail. Reaching down with a trembling hand, I touched the rounded protrusion. A hard kick met my palm and I gasped. I was freaking pregnant!
My emotions skyrocketed from disbelief, to fury, then back to confusion. Sick of the shrilling machine, I flailed an arm helplessly at the contraption.
Silver flames lit my exposed skin as an arc flew from my fingers, instantly melting the squawking device.
Silence reigned as I studied my flaming appendage.
What. The. Fuck. I didn’t have magic.
Attempting a monotone, I whispered, “Go away.”
Nothing happened.
Panic started to creep in as the flames licked further up my arm.
Closing my eyes, I bit my lip. This could not be happening. This could not be happening!
A loud thump sounded through the door, snapping my lids open.
Terrified, I lifted my palm towards it and prayed for the flames to melt the lock. I didn’t know who was out there, and I sure as hell didn’t want to be caught unawares.
To my amazement, another bolt shot from my hand and hit the handle with a hiss. The metal turned red as it melted and began running down the door like molten lava.
Another thump hit the wall.
Safe, I started to relax.
Slowly, the silvered light seeped back into my skin and vanished.
Sighing, I touched the firm ball that had taken up residence where my flat tummy had been and closed my eyes.
What was the last thing I rememb
ered?
Giselle… My chest ached as I recalled her sweet face. My shift at her diner…
Then, nothing.
Frustrated, my lids fluttered open. I needed some answers, and I needed them now.
With a rocking motion, I finally leveraged my body up into a sitting position. My bare feet hit the floor and sank into the thick carpet. Ooh, that was kind of nice. Using the bed as a support, I slowly stood. At least I wasn’t naked, I thought, fingering the satin hem of my silver robe. Taking a step, something knocked against my shin and I squeaked in surprise. Leaning forward, I braced my palms on the mattress and looked down.
A catheter, gross. Following the thick white tube, I located the bag hanging from the foot of the bed. Gripping it in one hand, I hung it on the IV machine and wheeled it behind me. Where did the other cord go, I wondered, and traced its path with my eyes.
Another bed had been set up next to mine. The tube disappeared beneath a stack of white sheets. Tentatively, I reached up and pulled back the layers. Blonde hair poked out at odd intervals atop a very emaciated face. A long beard grew along his cheeks and disappeared beneath the covers. He didn’t move, not even to breathe as I loomed over his prone form.
Why was I hooked up to a dying man?
Lifting a finger, I tapped his forehead. “Hey, buddy, are you alright?”
No response.
Internally, I mused at my own stupidity. Maybe I was the one keeping him alive. Perhaps there was an accident and I was his only blood match. Ugh, I mentally face palmed myself, that was even more ridiculous. They never took blood from pregnant people. Wait, did they? I’d never known a pregnant person, but I was sure I remembered something about it. Maybe in a movie? What was the last movie I had seen anyway? Something with a talking pig in it. Who did I watch that with?
My inner monologue caused me to miss his eyes opening.
He stared.
I stared.
Why did he look so familiar? His cobalt eyes examined every inch of my face before settling on mine with a hopeful expression.
“Sora?” He croaked.
I stepped back in shock and rolled the IV pole between us, “Who the hell are you?”
His face fell as he whispered, “Blaze.”