I struggled to think of another way to salvage this situation. I needed these shifters to help me track Devlin, and so there had to be a way to resolve this. I did not want Breandan and Conall to start killing them for that would achieve nothing, and we would be back where we started. And I was starting to like it on the Pride.
“That is true, so I have made my decision. The fairy Breandan, shall fight a champion chosen by the fallen ones kin.”
I started. “Uh, that’s it?” If Byron wanted Breandan to kill another of his Pack that was fine by me.
“You look happy,” the Alpha said to me, cocking his bushy eyebrow.
I shrugged. “Your loss, not mine.”
“Oh?” He looked at me with pity when he called over his shoulder. “Sabine, I relinquish my right as Saul’s Alpha to name the champion. This burden falls to you. Which male do you pick to champion your father?”
The skinny girl marched forward and grinned wickedly. “Alec,” she said loudly. “I choose Alec our Omega as my champion.”
“What?” I blurted, incredulous.
A thundering roar of the Pack hollering Alec’s name barely registered in my mind.
I turned and darted back to where he, Conall and Breandan stood. They seemed calm, as if they had expected this.
Alec sent me a weary look and spun on his heel. As he walked his body twitched then he fell to his knees. I turned away, no longer in anyway curious to see him Change, but as is with all gruesome things I couldn’t help but keep turning until I faced him again to watch.
Face contorted in pain, Alec bowed, convulsed once then his spine cracked and a long length of bone jutted forth. Skin wrapped around the new appendage as a thick and dark sweep of hair sprung from the new pores. His hands thickened, wicked sharp claws snapped out, and his head whipped back. A feral snarl tore from this throat as his mouth and chin lengthened into a muzzle filled with dagger like teeth. His nose flattened as his ears moved to the top of his lengthened head. Eyes wide and glowing with a pain and beastly fervor I was strangely ratified to recognize. He hunched over completely, his arms morphing into powerful forelegs ending in fat heavy paws, even as his legs shorted and broadened, rippling with compact muscle. Torso bulging and waist shrinking he shuddered as his glossy coat covered his dark skin, ebony black and gleaming with perspiration. His rolling eyes settled – the pain retreating to leave deadly focus and raw passion.
Breandan hissed, low and long, baring his own teeth. Rather than fearing him in such a dangerous state of mind, I stepped forward, the urge to grab his head and claim that proud mouth with my own the most compelling thing I had known.
Breandan stiffened under my touch and seemed surprised when I crushed my mouth to his, but he did not pull back. Instead, he met my ferocity with his own, his lips daring mine to take more. I started the kiss but he ended it, breaking away from my mouth to kiss my forehead.
Breathless and flushed I said, “You can’t hurt him.”
“That,” he said faintly, “may be difficult. He certainly will try to hurt me.”
I glanced over at Alec who now paced back and forth in cat form. His sleek face was focused, in the zone. He growled, the hair on his back standing up in stiff clumps and paws scratching up clumps of earth.
“Say-so,” I agreed. “Just don’t kill him then.”
I tugged his head down and lightly brushed my lips across his, blushing a deeper red all the while. I stared into his silver eyes and lost my train of thought. A small smile played on the corners of his mouth and he arched an eyebrow. I blinked and glowered at him, not impressed with his ability to confound me by just existing.
“Be careful,” I begged.
The smile became a cheeky grin, a spectacular show of dazzling white teeth. “Alright.”
A smile that lit his whole face up, and made him blaze with white light. How could I leave him when he looked at me like that? He seemed to sense my reluctance to leave his side since he handed me off to Conall who dragged me a few steps before picking me up, and taking us both over to stand beside Byron. He set me down and I scowled, feeling all flustered and hot under the collar.
“I hope that fairy is strong,” Byron sounded amused. “Alec is the best I have. My Omega, second-in-command.”
“Breandan is a warlord, he was a Guardian of the Wylds. I hope your Omega chose has no dependants.”
Byron opened his mouth to retort then his face paled at the look of rueful apology on Conall’s face. My brother was certain my fairy-boy had this in the bag. Before I could tell them both to stop making light of the situation, Alec roared and leapt at Breandan’s face, claws slashing.
Chapter Three
I stood on the balls of my feet, ready to throw myself in there. Conall kept a restraining hand on my shoulder, as I bounced up and down.
Alec lunged forward and Breandan side-stepped him easily. Twisting, Alec lifted up unto his hind legs to drag his paws across Breandan’s torso. His claws ripped into flesh drawing blood and my fairy roared. When Alec jumped, sank his teeth into Breandan’s shoulder, I snapped and spun around Conall to dart into the fray. I had zero idea what I was going to do to help in this situation, I only knew I could not stand by and watch these two boys tear each other apart.
Before I got two steps Conall was in front of me swinging his huge hand toward my face. I tried to block him, but the swing altered mid flow and jerked down to thump me in the stomach. Realistically, I knew if he wanted to hurt me, Conall could have hit me hard enough to break ribs. Instead, all the air left my lungs and my legs seemed to lock up. I staggered back and looked up at him wide eyed.
Breandan shot me a cursory glance out the corner of his eye. He made a low noise toward Conall, and my brother rolled his eyes. He came at me again and I rolled back, gaining my feet stand before him, hands fisted.
“What the hell are you doing,” I hissed.
“Today you learn how to fight.”
He came at me again, with the deadly grace of a cobra, this time his foot flew toward my upper arm, and I blocked him, barely. I still ended up being shunted two steps to the side from the impact.
Conall wrinkled his nose. “You have no technique, no instinct. You fight like a human. You must use all your senses; feel what I am going to do before I do it.”
“Now is not the time for this lesson,” I said seriously, trying to reason with him.
I pointed at Breandan and Alec who alternated between quick swipes and bites, to rolling around, pulling away, regrouping then attacking again.
Breandan’s torso was riddled with scratches. I swear my own skin itched in the exact same places.
“Never will you have a greater distraction than a friend in danger,” Conall said firmly. “You must remain calm and focused even in the face of losing everything you hold most dear.”
“Fine,” I said sweetly. “You asked for it.” I reached to magic and it flooded me with white-hot rage.
Conall’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “You practiced as we ran.”
“Hell yes.” I sent a blast of golden energy his way and followed it through with a smack to his gut with my fist. Before he could recover, I darted round to his back, and kicked his leg out from beneath him. Conall fell, but he twisted round to land on the tips of his toes and the palms of his hands. His legs bunched up before he sprang up, body curving into a perfect crescent moon before landing lightly on his feet and shooting me a quick grin.
I laughed. “You think that’s good?”
He came at me, and I flipped backward, again, and again, cutting through the middle of Breandan and Alec’s fight, the amulets bouncing off my chest as I went. Though the world spun, but I was acutely aware of my surroundings. Before I was a fairy had I executed this move the world would have been a chaotic blur. Now I saw everything. I even saw the confusion flicker across Alec’s face when I passed him, my legs up in the air and my back arching. It was odd because he was a cat mid snarl, but still clear as day, I saw how startled he was by catch
ing his eye. As I flipped upright, making an odd square between the four of us I thumbed my chin at Conall who looked mildly impressed.
Breandan’s gaze locked on mine. Mischief flicked across his expression and he winked at me. At the playful gesture, my mouth dropped open.
My brother waved me forward the same time Breandan rushed forward to meet Alec’s charge. I somersaulted over and he slipped under me. Our faces came inches away from each other. His silver eyes twinkled at me before the love in them was replaced with hardness as his gaze twitched to lock on Alec.
I landed with my back to Conall, no longer caring that we were sparring and watched as Breandan finished his fight by grabbing Alec’s jaw in his hands. He straddled the shifter’s back and forced him to lie down.
The Pride fell silent.
And this was it, the horror they had brought upon themselves. Alec had lost; his life was Breandan’s to claim.
My heart pumped double time in my chest. He would not do it. It was not in his nature. Oh gods, please. I knew I could not interfere this time. This was Pack law, no something I, Conall, or Breandan could override. The thought of leaving passed through my mind, because if we left, right now, this need not happen. We could try and track Devlin another way.
Was this boy’s life worth my revenge?
I pressed my eyes together and waited for the sickening crunch.
There was a soft, warm pressure at my mouth. My entire body relaxed and I wound my arms around the boy who teased my lips open with his. I breathed him in. Sunlight and soil mixed with the faint tang of salty sweat. The firm skin of his back burned under my palms.
I heard a fierce roar and my eyes flickered open.
Breandan smiled down at me, and I pressed my fingertips to his cheek, reverent. Words could not express how proud of him I was.
His face was animated with mischief and he jerked his head to where Byron stood, clapping a panting and weakened, human Alec on the shoulder. “We dance,” the Alpha roared.
His Pack took up the chant as I wondered if they had lost their minds.
Alec stumbled up to me with a dazed smile on his face. His dark hair stuck up in awkward bloodied clumps and his body was coated in a thick sheen of sweat. He looked as if he had enjoyed the tussle, invigorated. “You dance?” he asked me, breathless.
I scoffed, “No.”
He looked at Breandan inquiringly. “A fairy that does not dance?” He sounded doubtful.
Taking my hand in his Breandan followed behind the shifter-boy toward the bonfire in the centre of the Pride.
“Why do you think you cannot dance?” he asked.
Embarrassed, I wanted to tell him that I did not like to dance, and that it was dumb simply to save face. Instead, I said, “Two left feet with no rhythm. And it’s not like we had much chance. Most of my time was spent studying how to kill demons.” I shrugged. “We did nothing but learn how to become the best at what we did.”
He snorted. “The best? I have seen you throw a punch. That does not come close to the best at hunting other beings.” He slanted a look at me. “I will have fun showing you how to use your body.”
I stuttered, trying to think of some snappy response but managed only to totter behind him, lead by the hand with a absentminded expression.
That was how I came to be standing in front of the fire when the first drumbeat echoed into the night. A slow, leisurely pounding that had my entire body shivering. The sound seemed to sweep over my skin and ripple to the tip of my tail that flickered mischievously. The shifters danced, throwing themselves into the beat; ready to release the stress through laughter, music, and movement.
A hard hand caught my chin and turned my head. Breandan motioned me to watch him. Releasing me, he inclined his head and pointed downward to his feet. It was a simple thing, this dance. Booted feet a shoulder width apart, he rolled up onto the tips of his toes then back onto his heels.
The drums were loud, urgent, and insistent. Breandan rocked back on his heels then to his toes. He looked at me expectantly. I did the same. His lips twitched with the beginnings of a smile, and he matched the time of his movement to mine.
Conall was beside us doing something similar, and having one hell of a time judging by the relaxed satisfaction dominating his usually stoic expression. One of the braver females stepped up to him, smiling coyly, and waved him forward. He joined her, accepting the invitation gracefully. They danced, but never did they touch. It was like they were connected in some other, unseen way. Eyes closed, heads flung back, lost in the beat.
Breandan’s limbs entwined with mine, and continued to rock us back and forth. We pressed together in the writhing mêlée of bodies, and for a while, we swayed. Our bodies twisted slightly so we could stare into each other’s eyes. A sigh of awe hitched in my chest at the sight of him. When I began to feel faint, I looked away, across the heart of the Pride to see the entire Pack lost in dance of passion and hunger. I was shocked to see some of the shifters in cat form, heads bobbing to the beat, tails curling around the air in loose, lazy patterns. They weaved through the crowd, backs arcing in pleasure as people stroked and petted them as they passed. Some rolled in the dirt playfully, purring up a storm.
I spotted Alec. He was near his Alpha, jumping in smooth, audacious movement.
The shifters danced differently than the fairies. The movement was bolder and slower in comparison to the liquid-like slink of Conall.
My view of the dance abruptly changed as I was lifted high into the air, Breandan’s arms around my waist. Down I came, and remembered to rock back on my heels then up onto my tip-toes. Breandan pressed closer behind me, matching the curves of my body to his. I was tense now; my eyes wide and mouth parted.
“Let go,” he murmured in my ear.
I sank my teeth into my bottom lip, felt pain when the sharp tips sliced the delicate skin. Nervous at the suggestion of giving into the wildness of my nature, I licked up a sliver of blood as a flare of pain signaled my healing. Trusting in him, the one I was bonded to, I did. I relaxed and closed my eyes. Again, he lifted me up and instinct took over. My arms rose up above my head; I arched my back causing my wings to flutter, and gently kicked my legs forward. Down below the crowed rejoiced and crowded closer.
It was a jubilant crush of bodies. The ground became damp with sweat as we danced. The floor beneath my feet shook. Everything I was hummed, joining into the collective ecstasy of being outside. Free. Alive. Smoke hung heavy in the air, mixing with the smell of wet grass and warm bodies. The drums beat on. Louder, harder. Forced us to move with wild abandon.
A tingle of pleasure ran across my lower stomach as Breandan’s hands drifted down to my hips and coaxed me into rolling in time with the beat. I let my head loll back and opened my eyes lazily to look up into the sky. Stars already twinkled above in the dusk.
The tempo increased, driving us ever higher, and I was off the floor, swinging my head to the side. My arms flew up, legs thrashed. The breathless wail torn from my throat was crystalline. A melodic cry infused with power. It seemed to come alive and shoot sparks across the sky. As I fell the air whistling past cooled my heated skin, but the moment my feet touched back down I was enveloped in heat. Breandan spun me round to lift me up so I could lock my legs around his solid waist. He ran his hand up my back, and kissed my neck then nipped it roughly. My pulse leaped as I nipped him back and felt his chest rumble with approval.
He set me down and jumped high in the air, landing silently. For a moment, I worried my bite, and his lust had driven him crazy. Then I saw the shifter males did the same thing. Unsure of what to do, I watched the females. I matched the strange patterns of their limbs with my own. As the males stomped the floor the torsos of the females rippled, their chests rose and fell, hips bucked. As they daringly ran their hands over the shoulders of their dance partners, they smiled seductively, sensually trawled their fingers through their hair before spinning away, faces turned upward to watch their men soar into sight with powerful leaps.
Their bodies beckoned their chosen ones to come back down to touch and play.
My hazy focus was drawn back to my own partner, and when Breandan came down for a third time I caught surprise flitting across his face when I placed my hands on his chest. Face hot, I stroked down over the smooth, hardness of him as my body moved in soft undulations I had not thought possible. His hesitation in returning my touch was brief. His arms wound around me as he accepted my offer to join closer.
Over his shoulder, I noticed the younger shifters, the cubs, were being guided away by their mothers. Conall was no longer dancing, but glaring at us. My eyes flicked to Alec. He shook his head, avoiding the advances of several young shifter-girls trying to coax him into the dance. Byron stood slightly in the shadows, arms crossed over his broad chest. He nodded once at each young couple that slowly left the light of the fire, consumed in each other. They stroked and kissed as they faded into the coming darkness.
It seemed odd, almost ritualistic. What dance would mothers not want their cubs to see? That Conall or Alec refused to partake in with the female younglings … couplings the Alfa must approve of ... Breandan’s arms tightened around me, and I was distracted by how close he was. I felt his chest expand, drawing an intake of breath that carried the scent of me.
The drumbeat changed, slowed into singular thumps.
We were the only two left dancing. I followed my fairy around the circle in a series of simple, but beautiful steps that had me forgetting my confusion, and smiling shyly at him. I ducked my head down so my hair covered my face when he smiled back. He was so handsome. Not even the scar that ran across his cheek lessened his silver-kissed beauty.
The fire deepened to rich violet. I glanced at the horizon; easy on the flat grassland the heart of the shifter Pride rested upon. I saw the sun, a slender arc of shady orange visible in the distance that had yet to set completely. My fairy eyesight – which transformed the world into a vision of electric blue and purple at night – was not what had changed the colour of the fire. The longer I looked I was sure I could see naked forms dance among the flames. A warm wind wrapped round my body and swept around me playfully.
Demon Day Page 9