Regaining my feet, I danced away, keeping my eyes fixed on her. She ran at me, blade raised, eyes full of fire.
The back of my heels hit the edge of the platform and I gasped, reaching for purchase as I teetered, catching hold of one of the chains suspending it in the air. A collective gasp sounded from the audience.
As the Reaper slashed the blade at me, I swung around the chain, landing behind her and throwing a kick into her spine.
She flailed on the edge, but threw herself backwards onto the platform, rolling with agility and springing into a low stance. The Reaper approached once more, holding the blade out before her, cat-like as she moved in a crouch.
I moved back as she moved forward, our steps perfectly matched. Heat flooded through my body. I was wounded, and if I didn't get that blade soon, I was never going to have the advantage.
The Reaper dove at me, but I shifted sideways, spinning out of reach once more. She let out a cry of frustration in my own voice.
Blood trickled down my cheek, dripping from my chin. I wiped it with the back of my hand, continuing to move backwards, grimacing at my assailant.
The Reaper came at me again and I slammed an elbow into her head, knocking her off balance. The scythe tore down my leg and I screamed out, falling backwards onto the floor. I gripped the wound. Luckily, it wasn't too deep, but it stung like hell.
In seconds, the Reaper fell atop me, pressing the scythe to my neck. I caught her wrists, pushing back with all my might. We were as strong as each other, locked in an impossible fight.
I roared my defiance, pushing back against her whilst she pushed down.
Blood pumped in my ears, I trembled with exertion. Heat rippled down my spine and suddenly my whole body went into spasm.
Panic scored through me as I thrashed sideways. Pain ripped up my side, throwing the Reaper off of me with phenomenal strength. I scrambled away, my spine contorting, my body stooped forward. I couldn't fight it; my body wasn't my own in that moment. It was changing, morphing. Rust-red hair sprouted from my hands and I gasped in alarm, stumbling backwards.
A ruckus sounded from the crowd, but I could barely see them through the blinding lights, and the way my pupils kept dilating. My jaw extended, my shoulders popped, my mouth filled with pointed teeth.
I fell forward and my hands hit the floor. But they weren't hands anymore. They were paws.
I tried to scream, but all that came out was a loud snarl from my muzzle. I was a wolf. An actual Werewolf.
The Reaper gazed at me, blade in hand, momentarily confused. It ran forward, murder in its eyes and I didn't have a moment to hesitate. I charged, unused to the strange movements of the wolf's body, diving into the air and planting my paws on the Reaper's chest. She hit the ground and I gazed down into the mirror image of my own face, seeing a red wolf reflected in her emerald eyes. A blade ripped into my side and I clamped my jaw around her throat, sinking in deep until I heard a loud crack.
Blood poured across the platform. I released the dead Reaper, resting my paws on its chest. Its form withered away until it returned to a pile of bones, its head now severed from its spine.
Cheers filled the air and applause consumed my amplified hearing. On instinct, I threw my head to the ceiling and released a high-pitched howl, letting blood pour from my mouth and smother my fur.
The rush of my heartbeat made me feel alive. The tingle of my heightened senses, the power in my muscles. Holy crap. I was a living, breathing wolf.
Jameson
If I'd ever doubted that I was in love with Cass, I could no longer deny it. I watched her battle an effigy of herself – trying to ignore the distracting thought of two Cass's in my life - rooting for her every second of the way. But when she turned into a wolf, my heart felt like it had been melted with a blowtorch and left dripping through my body like an overcooked marshmallow. Her fur was gloriously red like a sunset, her eyes as bright green as always, calling my soul to hers.
I was practically drooling when she killed the Reaper and started howling. Of course, half of me was still thinking 'why the hell is she here?', but the other half was consumed by the very sight of her.
I noticed Silas leaning over the balcony railing, his eyes wide, his microphone slack in his hand.
He cleared his throat, lifting the mic to his mouth. “Thank you, the trial is over. You can go.”
The bridge extended out to the platform and Cass padded across it, heading through the door on the other side.
Ulvic and Aflric were distracted, talking in low, anxious murmurs. So when Silas marched from the balcony, I darted after him. Nadine hissed my name as I left, but I didn't stop, slipping away from the pack as the crowd started cheering again. As Silas walked, he prattled out an introduction into his microphone, evidently knowing the line-up by heart. The next to be put to the test was a Siren-Vampire Hybrid. Was that another one of my friends this guy had messed with?
Silas picked up his pace, curving around the long corridor of red carpet. I kept my distance, but remained close enough to keep him in sight. My instincts told me he was going to lead me to Cass. So I was going to follow him no matter what, even if he started flapping his arms and flew to the moon.
When Silas paused beside a door, wrapping his knuckles against it, I shrank back against a wall, watching from afar.
“Open up,” he commanded.
“I can't!” a man's voice cried from within. “She's not turning back- ouch – you little bitch. Get away from me.”
“What's happening?” Silas asked, leaning a palm flat against the door.
“She keeps nipping me!”
“Oh for heaven's sake,” Silas muttered. “Open the door.”
A wrenching of metal hinges sounded and the guard fell onto the carpet at Silas's feet. A blur of red fur trampled him and my heart flew into my throat. Cass charged in my direction and I stepped away from the wall to block her exit.
“Firefly!” Silas called as she skidded to a halt before me.
I lifted my head. Firefly? Who did this guy think he was? No one called her Firefly but me.
“Cass?” I breathed.
Her eyes gripped mine and her lips rolled back on a snarl.
I raised my palms. “You just have to relax and you can change back into a human.”
Cass snapped her teeth at me, but I didn't flinch.
“Be careful,” Silas warned. “She may not be herself. This is the first time she's turned. I didn't know it was possible...”
I served him a casual glare before lowering to a crouch, coming eye to eye with Cass. Yeah, I reckon I can handle myself against a newborn wolf, thanks Silas. Especially one who's my future mate.
My brows drew together as she met my eye, releasing a low growl. “What did this guy do to you?”
Cass whimpered then her body began to shift, her shoulders shuddering as she morphed back into a human. Thinking fast, I shed my jacket and threw it over her before Silas and his guard pal got a good look at her naked body.
She almost disappeared beneath it as she curled up into a ball, a trail of red hair curving its way toward my feet. I knelt down before her. “Are you alright?”
She gathered the jacket around her, rising up on shaky legs. I averted my eyes, following her upright whilst she adjusted the jacket around her body.
“How are you here?” she asked, shaking her head in confusion.
“I was going to ask you the same thing,” I laughed. She didn't laugh.
Silas moved to her side, pulling her into his arms. “Are you alright?” he gazed into her eyes, checking her over. My hackles rose.
That was my job. But seeing as I was still bound by Ulvic's command not to lay a hand on her, I was forced not to intervene.
“Have some Larkspur brought to my room,” Silas ordered the guard. “She needs to recover.”
“Your room?” I echoed, narrowing my eyes.
Cass ducked out of his hold. “I'm fine,” she said quickly, though the wound on her neck was sti
ll bleeding. “I just...I'm a little confused.” She looked to me again, her face pale. “What's he doing here?” she asked Silas, which pissed me off further.
I cracked my knuckles.
“He came with Alfric Hund and his son,” Silas said, seeming baffled as to why Cass cared so much. “Do you know him?”
“Yes...his name's Jameson...he's...” Cass's alabaster cheeks turned scarlet and Silas's eyes filled with some dawning comprehension.
“This is him?” Silas turned to me, looking enthralled.
“You been talking about me, Firefly?” I asked, heat pooling in my stomach. Maybe I'd misread her response to me. Maybe she'd told this guy all about her sexy Werewolf boyfriend.
“I er-” Cass drew back her shoulders, her worried expression turning to stone. “Yes, I've been telling Silas what a grade A asshole you are.”
Then again, maybe not.
“Oh.” My smile died. Like Cass had dragged it out into the woods and killed it with a shovel.
Silas held out a hand to me. “Pleasure to meet you.”
I folded my arms, ignoring the gesture. “Can't say the same, sadly. You've been making my gir-er-friend play screwed up games. I don't much like people who do that to her.”
“Well your friend, did so by choice.” Silas patted my arm, spilling adrenaline through my veins. “What are you, Omega? Beta?”
“Alpha,” I growled, extracting my arm, giving Silas a look that said 'what-the-hell-are-you-touching-me-for?'.
“Perfect,” Silas said, beaming. Weirdo.
Cass stepped around him, looking concerned that I might hit him.
“To be honest dude, you're kinda creeping me out.” I ran a hand down the back of my neck.
Silas ignored me, carrying on with his interrogation, “How were you turned, bitten or born?”
I gave him my most dangerous stare. When I wanted to be intimidating, I sure as hell could be. “I said, you're creeping me out. That wasn't code for, 'please keep asking me personal questions random guy'.”
“I'm just curious...” Silas looked to Cass. “It's important that I get to know the fa-”
Cass punched him. Outright punched him in the face. And he bloody well fell to the floor at my feet. I was half elated, half majorly turned on.
“Shut up,” she snarled. “No more questions. I just turned into a wolf, killed a Reaper with my teeth, and now I'm dealing with a serious headache. You never said this trial was going to involve any of that Silas.” She stepped toward me, looking feral and super hot. If she was trying to turn me on, she was doing a very good job. But that probably wasn't her main angle...
“And you,” she hissed. “We are not friends. Not even close.”
I wanted to grab her and kiss her, but I couldn't do either of those things. I was desperate to explain what had happened. Tell her the truth, beg for her forgiveness, but my tongue was stuck to the roof of my mouth. This was not the way I'd imagined us reuniting.
Silas spat blood on the carpet as he rose to his feet. “I deserved that,” he conceded.
Cass shouldered past me, hurrying away.
I squared my shoulders at Silas. “You wanna explain what she's doing here? Seeing as the last time I saw her, she was safe and sound?”
Silas gave me an apologetic frown. “Maybe it's better you hear it from her.” He placed a hand on my shoulder, turning me in the direction Cass had fled. I shrugged him off, but started walking. If he was going to let me speak with Cass, I wasn't gonna argue.
When we reached the closest balcony, he clicked his fingers at a guard in a balaclava. “Please show this man to my room.” Silas turned back to me. “Forgive me, I must continue with the trials.” His eyes trailed over my face again like he was hungry and I was hiding food. What was his deal?
I headed after the guard down the corridor. As we stepped into a stairwell, I heard Ulvic's frantic voice carrying to me.
“Where the hell has Jameson gone?”
I quickened my pace, glad when the door swung shut behind us. Sucker.
As we walked, I got all of two words out of my escort (shut up) and he promptly departed the moment we arrived at Silas's room. I considered knocking, then barreled inside instead, figuring Cass was probably going to turn me away otherwise.
I wasn't quite sure what I was going to say yet. Or what Ulvic's command would allow me to say, but the least I could do was find out how Cass had ended up here. I couldn't help but think fate had brought us back together. I'd always lapped up the idea of destiny. But I'd never thought it would tangle me up with a girl. Now I wanted it to spin a web around us so thick, that she'd never get away.
“Firefly?” I called, the sound of running water carrying to me as I gazed around the place.
The room looked like the 90s had thrown up on it. I headed toward the bathroom, leaning against the door. “You in there?”
“Yes...” she said quietly. “I'm in the bath.”
I nodded, sinking down to the floor and leaning back against the door. “You wanna tell me what the hell's going on? 'Cause my minds running in circles out here.”
She started to explain, telling me about the raid at The Sanctuary, the operation they'd put her through, the daily assessments, the Werewolf heart they'd shoved in her chest (which must have been taken from some poor sod). But there was one glaringly obvious thing she wasn't mentioning. “And Silas? 'Scuse me for pointing out the obvious, but from the story you just told me, I'm not sure why you two were chatting back there like good chums.”
The water splashed in the bath and a moment later the door opened. I fell flat on my back and Cass stumbled backwards just before I got a view up her towel.
“Not my fault,” I said innocently and her lips pulled up at one corner.
My heart did double flips. “Was that a smile?” I scrambled to my feet, reaching for her. My hands curled into fists before I could touch her, returning stiffly to my sides. Goddammit.
“No,” she insisted, side-stepping out of the room. Her hair hung in damp strands around her shoulders. The scent of jasmine floated from the bathwater: Larkspur. Her wounds were healed, so apparently she couldn't heal like a V anymore.
I hounded after her toward the bed. “So? Silas?”
Cass opened a wardrobe, stepping out of sight behind the door. I spotted her towel drop around her ankles and a lump rose in my throat.
“Silas has taken care of me. I know what he did was wrong and of course I want to get out of here. But...I dunno, he's not what you think.”
“Well I was thinking he's a creepy asshole who has no personal boundaries.”
Cass shut the door of the wardrobe, now wrapped in a pale green robe. “Well you're wrong. And anyway, it's not him who runs this place, it's his father.”
“Like father, like son.” My brows lowered. “I know that all too well these days.”
Cass's hard expression melted to a hopeful gaze. “Did you find your pack?”
“Yeah.” I dropped onto the edge of the bed, tonguing my cheek. “Didn't exactly turn out as planned though...” Once I'd finished telling her as much as I could about Ulvic's turn-coating and our fun outings with the Hunds, she'd moved to stand before me.
“I'm so sorry,” she breathed. “Perhaps Silas can help...”
“No,” I snapped, angry that she'd suggested it. I stood up so there was only an inch of space between us. But it might as well have been an ocean for how impossible it was to touch her. “I'll figure this out on my own.”
“You're being stubborn,” she huffed.
She was so, so beautiful. My heart wouldn't rest. I needed to pull her into my arms, but they were as stiff as boards.
I didn't care to argue any further. I stood quietly, soaking in her presence, breathing in the scent of jasmine on her skin.
Goosebumps spread across her arms and she looked up at me beneath her long lashes.
Touch me. For the love of god, I have to feel you against me again.
My heart was a roari
ng fire, begging her with all its might to come closer and be warmed by its flames.
“Perhaps we can help each other,” she said quietly.
“We could run?” I suggested, but she quickly doused that idea in ice-cold water.
“We can't leave the others. Our friends are here....your pack.”
I nodded and Cass lifted a hand as if to touch me.
Please do.
“I really am glad you're okay...” she dropped her eyes.
“You too,” I managed to say through my teeth. But nothing else. Not, I missed you, I love you, I want to cut off Ulvic's head and feast on his body on our wedding day. None of those things would come out of my mouth, though.
My heart pumped blood through my veins at a phenomenal pace. She was life itself, her presence made my soul dance.
Her fingers were a hair's breadth from my arm, when the door flew open.
“Jameson! Out!” Ulvic's command took hold of me and yanked me sideways. I marched out of the room barely before I'd registered what had happened. Bastard.
“You stay away from him,” Ulvic snarled at Cass before slamming the door shut. A masked guard stood awkwardly beside us. From his familiar smell, I could tell he was the one who'd brought me here before.
“You are not to leave my side again, do you hear me?” Ulvic ordered as we headed back toward the balconies.
I shut my eyes in frustration, grunting an affirmation.
I hate you, I hate you, I hate you.
Mercy
Things were getting worse since Alfric had taken Jameson, Ulvic and the rest of the pack away. I'd heard the helicopter from the attic, crawled to the small dusty window at the far end of the room and watched as they all headed toward it through the woods. I'd banged my fist on the pane to catch their attention, but it was too late. They were gone. And I didn't know when or if they'd be coming back.
I was now under the watch of another man in addition to my 'carer'. Lynch was the kind of guy I knew well. He reminded me of the spectators who'd come to watch the V Games at my family castle. He was arrogant, rude and had a sense of entitlement that made him dangerous. I'd found out the other man was called Colt after Lynch had shouted at him for taking too long changing my bandages.
Wolf Games (The Vampire Games Book 4) Page 21