Kalima watched him fall. He growled his pleasure for seeing it.
Devish rolled over just behind a large, heavy wooden chair just to the left of an equally large fireplace mantle made out of gray stone. He then picked himself up to his hands and knees. “Impressive.” He huffed heavy air. He felt winded. He completely loved this fight, and admired his brother for it. “You have grown stronger. You have grown in size.” He sat up to his knees. The pain in his back had already begun to fade some, and with it, he was able to catch his breath. “You have become my equal.”
Kalima snarled.
Devish noticed a smile. Seeing it, believing that it was just that, he became enraged. He stood back to his clawed paws, came to the back of the chair in between them, grabbed it by its large wooden back, and with everything he had, flung it towards Kalima.
The chair came at him fast. It shattered just as he brought his left shoulder up to it to blunt its strike. Pieces of it crashed all around him, as he fell back to his right. The impact was enough to spill him to the floor.
With him down, Devish rushed him fast. He pounced on his left side and plunged his right long fingered claws straight through Kalima’s left back.
The pain screamed. He felt it burn straight through his side, just above his hip. He yelped from it. He grabbed at Devish’s forearm and pulled.
Devish only plunged his nails deeper, until his fingers actually went through the flesh. He continued until his second knuckle wouldn’t plunge any deeper than that. “That’s right my brother. Pain is eternal.”
Kalima yelped, but there was also something else happening that he could not have happen. He could feel his human eyes starting to wake up and move. He was going to turn back. He was losing the wolf because of the injury to his side. Without him, he knew that he would not be able to fight him. He could not do it as a human, so he forced himself not to change. He called on the wolf to stay. He forced his eyes back.
Devish could feel his body begin to bulge beneath him as he lay on top of him on the floor. He could feel him losing the wolf. “That’s right my brother. Turn back, so I can take you fully.”
Kalima roared. He bellowed. With his left arm locked to his side, he brought his right from beneath him and pushed. It took everything he had, but he did manage to get up off the floor.
Feeling him push, Devish knew that he needed to go further, so he called on his wolf to come forward.
Kalima felt him change. Out of the corner of his eye, he watched his bat like face form into a long and protruding snout. His hair flushed gray, and his skin turned bronze and then black.
Now turned in to a large gray wolf, Devish pushed in with his head and went for his neck.
He felt his teeth pierce his flesh just at the left side of his head. He felt them puncture his neck. He felt them reach to his bones. With it all, he yelped again—this time louder. This time, his human voice came in with it as he felt his human form slide forwards again. This time, he could not stop it. He turned. He became Jimmy again as his black skin turned white.
Feeling his human form beneath him, Devish let his human form slide back through.
Jimmy felt him change. With it, thankfully, the bite left his neck and the claws to his side came out.
“Yes my brother. You cannot defeat me. You never could.”
Jimmy felt him get off him and stand up. Free do so, he rolled over to his side and brought his left hand to his side. He felt his breathing become short. He felt the pain burn through his neck and down in to his shoulders. With it all, he screamed again.
Devish stood over him and looked down. “You will give me what I want my brother. You will give it to me now.”
Jimmy cringed. He choked some on his own blood that was now pooling inside his mouth. He coughed some of it up, and it splattered against his face. In the end, he just lied there and looked up to Devish. “You may be right.” He did finally manage to say. It took a lot to say anything at all. “But you need to understand something first.” He looked at him and felt the burn in his side beginning to fade. The blood in his throat began to stop. He knew that he was already beginning to heal.
Devish heard this and it made him shrug. “What is that my brother?” he had to ask. He could not believe how arrogant his brother truly was. Here he was, dying and losing this fight, and he still brimmed with confidence. He oozed with everything at once.
“Why?” Jimmy was able to say. It was becoming easier to breathe. It was easier to talk. “Why did you block her? Why did you lose then?”
Devish blinked. He felt fascinated beyond words, so he shrugged again. He just did not understand if this was a trick or not. He could never read his brother, and now was no different. He just had to listen and go from there.
Jimmy smiled as he pulled himself up in to a sitting position and winced. He was now nearly healed. “Why did you do everything you did?” He blinked. This is the time. This is the end. He was right. It was about time to say everything that he always wanted to say. It took a millennium to come to this. It was about time. It was about time to say it right, but before he did, he needed Robert to do what he had to do. He only hoped he would realize it before it was all too late.
41
Brandon watched Vincent circle him with the sword at his side. He watched him closely as he reached up with his right hand and covered his wound. Blood streaked down his shirt. He could feel it beneath his palm, but he could also feel something else. The wound turned warm. It heated his cold hand and this alone boggled his mind. I’m a vampire. I shouldn’t be warm. My blood should be as cold as ice. Suddenly, an explanation came to him all by itself. The wound, the deep gash in his shoulder, he could feel it beginning to close. He could feel it healing. I took Jimmy’s blood. It’s making me heal. I’m healing from the blow. Feeling this, knowing it, he watched Vincent smile.
“And you thought that you were the strong one.” He stopped right in front of him and admired the blood. He loved the pain on his face. With him injured like this, he knew that he could take him. He could fight him like this.
Brandon suddenly heard his thoughts. He heard his mind and with it, he knew what Vincent didn’t know. He did not know that he was already healed.
Vincent raised the blade. “With you gone, I will be the one again. I will be the true master of my family.”
Brandon watched the blade come up towards his face. He looked Vincent in the eyes. He saw everything. He knew when the blade was about to come.
Vincent smiled. He pushed the sword forward. He aimed it right at his throat, and meant to take off his head.
Brandon did not give him the chance. He moved fast. He moved faster than he ever thought he could, so when the blade came in, he reached up and grabbed Vincent’s right arm so fast that it startled both of them.
Vincent was even more.
Without so much as an effort, the young vampire grabbed his arm, pulled it down and spun the sword back around so it was now facing his own chest.
With it firmly gripped, Brandon pushed.
The blade plunged through Vincent’s chest almost like a spoon slicing through butter.
Vincent moaned feeling the sword crash through his sternum, continue through his heart, and finally emerge from his back. He could not believe how it felt. He felt the coolness of the blade. He felt the sharpness of its cut, and after realizing what happened, he lost every other feeling he ever had.
Brandon watched it push through until the hilt stopped it from moving on. He then watched the blood flow from the hilt. He watched the blood streak down his white dress shirt, and watched it spill to the tops of his shoes. He then looked back up to his eyes. “That’s right you son of a bitch.” He smiled. He took pride in what he saw. Feeling Vincent’s heart suddenly stop, he even felt pleased.
Vincent instantly lost all of the feelings in his legs, and because of this, he fell to his knees. He fell to his buttocks and then to his back. He was gone before he hit the ground.
Brandon watched h
im fall. He watched and felt him die. He just stood there over him and took a deep breath. “That’s right. I am the stronger one.” He nodded with everything he did.
42
With the field now clear, Sandra, Sasha, Sharlia, Kenar, and their friends made it to the wall. They climbed it without breaking their strides.
Sharlia brought Jason with her and set him down at the top of the wall.
Sasha grabbed both Kenar and Sandra by their waists, and still in wolf form, she pushed off with her hind paws. With great strength, she jumped. She flew high. She cleared the wall, went over it, and landed on the other side of it to the courtyard below them. Once there, she dropped them back to their feet.
“Holy fuck!” Sandra could not believe what just happened. She had never felt the true power of a black wolf before, and now that she did, she was blown away because of it. She was literally lost for any other words.
Kenar only laughed. “I told you they were special.” He stopped and looked to the wall of the castle; saw nothing but darkness, so he turned to his left.
Several yards away, several other black wolves were deep in combat with dozens of Nightwalkers, Shades, and wolves all along the wall. Three black wolves were closer to the castle wall, and they were tearing apart four or five other wolves with their claws. Another black wolf was ripping out the throat of Shade. Blood, a pale red color that he could see, was flying everywhere.
He watched them winning the fight. “We have to find our way in.” He looked back at the castle.
Sharlia joined them after she jumped off the wall.
Just as she landed, a Shade flew low, and aimed right at the back of her head.
An open claw struck her neck, gashed her flesh, and pushed her to the castle wall. She hit it hard. She fell to the ground just after it.
Sandra saw this, and watched the Shade then land right in front of them. She then watched it turn back to its human form, and when it did, she recognized her face. “Samantha, I should have known you would strike someone from behind like that.” She felt pissed. She meant what she said.
Sasha saw her and roared. She then took one heavy step.
Sandra took her arm and stopped her in her tracks. “I’ll take her.”
Sasha did not understand, but at the same time, she did stop.
Samantha heard this and laughed. “You have got to be kidding me.” She saw her step in front of the black bitch, and laughed again. “Don’t you remember the last time you tried to fight me Sandra? I’m surprised that you want another go at it.” She laughed harder.
Sandra huffed. She of course remembered that fight. It was about sixty years ago in New Orleans. Samantha found her and picked the fight. She gave her as well as she could, but she did kill her. She stabbed her through the back. “I do remember. I remember that you cheated. I remember how scared you were.” She let her eyes flow blue. She felt the power ebb and flow. She brought it forward as it came to her mind.
Samantha saw her eyes flare, and called on her bat form.
This time, Sandra did not give her the chance to change.
The wind built up in front of her to the point of feeling like a wall. It continued until she could feel it turn cold. When it was strong enough, she pushed it forward.
Samantha’s wings formed when the wall of air struck her face. It struck her chest. It struck her hard.
Instantly, she lost her feet. Instantly, she went back and struck the stoned wall behind her. Instantly, the air continued to push.
Sandra kept it firm. She kept it strong. She continued to push.
Samantha felt her flesh begin to be squeezed by the air. She felt her chest hard to expand. She felt her bones begin to break, until suddenly, her entire body flattened to the wall.
They all watched her instantly squished into the stone. They watched her blood splatter all around her, until she no longer looked human. She looked flat. She looked splattered. She looked like a mess.
Kenar watched her hue fade to black. “Remind me to never piss you off.” He chuckled some. He felt sickened with it too. In the end, he just did not care.
Sasha watched this still as a wolf. When it was over, she stepped to Sandra’s side, turned to her and moaned.
Finished, Sandra let her eyes fade. With it, she calmed instantly, and turned to Sasha.
Their eyes met.
Sasha moaned again.
Sandra smiled. “I told you I had her.”
Sasha just whined.
Sharlia recovered from the blow and looked to her left. Blood was all over the wall. Pieces of flesh and what looked like bone was all over the ground at her feet. Seeing everything, knowing somewhat of what happened, and who it was, she looked back to the others. “I always hated her.” She joined them.
Together again, they turned back to the castle. Now all they had to do was to get inside.
43
It took several minutes to gather his thoughts, but when he did, Robert rolled out of the dirt and pieces of wood covering him, and slid in to the foyer. He coughed several times while doing it too. When he regained himself, he sat up. He brushed his clothes off, and looked back to the stairs—or more likely—where the stairs once were. They were gone. Only the balcony of the second floor was left. My God. He looked back to the massive pile of wood and dirt. Rana? He looked for her, but did not see her. She must be buried. He had to find her. He had to try.
Slowly, he crawled back to the debris and just as quickly, he began to dig.
He removed several large pieces and tossed them to his left. He found more and tossed those to his right. After several more pieces, he saw her jeans. He found her shoes. He found her.
“Rana?” He removed everything on top of her until he found her beautiful face.
Her eyes were closed. She didn’t move.
“Rana?” Tears streaked down his face, as he lifted her up with his right arm beneath her neck. He then cradled her to his chest. “Rana, dear God, Rana.” He wiped her face. He cleared it until he could see her skin. “Rana?” He rubbed her cheek gently. She looked like she was dead, but she was still breathing. He could feel air coming from her nose. “Rana, please Rana.”
She opened her eyes.
Oh thank God. He thought he killed her with the collapse of the staircase, but realizing it now, that he didn’t, he truly did sigh.
“Rochie?” She blinked. She coughed some because of the dust. She looked him in the eyes. “Rochie?” She blinked again.
“I’m so sorry Rana. I didn’t mean to do that. You gave me no choice.” He let his tears fall.
She blinked again, and then held her eyelids closed. When she opened them again, her eyes went completely blue.
Instantly, he froze. Instantly, he felt locked in place.
With him immobilized, she sat up. “That was a good try Rochie.” She stood up. She walked around behind him and stared at his back. “You thought that you could best me. You were wrong.”
“Rana, please Rana.” He tried to breathe but found it hard to do. He tried to move but couldn’t. “Rana please, you can’t do this. This isn’t you. This isn’t you at all.”
She looked down to his right, saw a large piece of wood, and picked it up. She then held it with both hands over his head. “That is the last time you will stop me from doing anything Rochie. You will never learn.” She looked at the back of his head. She looked at the wood block and then at her own hands. Suddenly, she could not believe what she was about to do. He is my brother. She blinked. Her hands began to shake. I have to do this. He will never stop. He will never let Devish live. She looked back to his head.
“Rana?” He could not see where she was. He did not know what she had, so he closed his eyes. He looked to her mind and thought about her. Suddenly, he saw through her eyes. He saw the block in her hands. He saw her looking at his head. “Don’t Rana.” He truly felt fear. He truly felt pain. He truly felt for her. “This isn’t you Rana. This is not you.” He let his eyes flare blue, and brought his powe
r forwards. Still seeing through her eyes, he noticed another large piece of wood on his left. He concentrated on it until he could feel its smooth surface wrap around his mind. He felt its weight. He felt its strength. “I’m sorry Rana.” And he closed his eyes.
“I have to end this.” She lifted the block over her head. She did intend to strike him. She did mean to kill him. She meant everything and more.
“I can’t let you.” He let the wood move.
She didn’t see it until it hit her chest. The piece smacked her hard enough to knock her back to her buttocks, and worse yet, it made her lose his grip.
Free, he stood up and turned to her. “Rana?”
He rushed her fast.
He grabbed her arms.
He grabbed the wood from her hands.
“Why?” She did tear up. She did begin to cry. Her anger only grew. “Why did you kill him? Why did you have to hurt me like that?”
He held her arms in front of him and stared deeply into her eyes. “I had to Rana. I never meant to hurt you.” Tears continued down his face. “I never meant to cause you pain.” He watched her eyes. He watched them fade back to brown. “I never meant to…” he stopped. The word pain echoed through his mind like thunder striking out of a deep blue sky. Suddenly, he heard Kalima’s voice say over, and over again, Release the pain. Release the pain. Release the pain. With this, he did have to blink. He did have to think. It did blow his mind. That’s it. He didn’t mean my pain, but hers. He watched her eyes turn blue again, so this time he held her arms tighter. If she froze him now, she would also freeze herself. He had her in his grip. He held her firmly in his hands. What do I release? What do I do? He thought again. Release the pain. He looked back at her. I blocked her. I blocked her pain. He could not remember ever doing it, but this did not surprise him much. He had done it before. He like Kalima has blocked himself many times before in the past. That has to be it. I blocked her pain, and he knew I did it.
A Werewolf's Saga Books 4, 5, & 6 (A Werewolf's Saga Boxed Sets Book 2) Page 60