Wounded Pride

by Kaye Draper

  Black danced around his opponent, his motions just as fluid and quick as the fae. He had removed his leather gloves. The fae tried to set some spell on Black, but the incubus simply slipped in closer and slapped his bare hand to the fae's cheek. The fae froze, and I watched in fascination as Black's one visible eye began to glow with blue fire.

  The fae hit his knees with a groan and I saw his essence leave him, pulled into Black like a soul-sucking vortex.

  The fae slumped over, dead. Black dropped his hand and sank to his knees, panting as he pulled on his gloves.

  I paced around the outer edge of the deadly circle made by Oisin and Henry, looking for an opening where I wouldn't end up sliced to ribbons.

  But it was a wasted effort. Oisin was a way better fighter, and Henry needed Oisin alive if he wanted to use him, so the bigger fae was pulling his punches.

  Oisin smiled as he let a spell hit him in the shoulder. Completely unfazed by the other guy's magic, Oisin stepped close, brought his blades together in front of him, crossed his arms, then flung them to the sides in a scissoring motion, neatly snipping the other fae's head right off his body.

  I gaped as the fae fell to the floor next to his companions, painting Oisin and half the bookstore with blood in a mockery of the red and green decorations around him.

  Hisashi rushed to put a hand on Oisin's shoulder, but the gory fae moved out from under Hisashi's hand. "Save the pity party, love." He paced toward me. "Get your gun and knife, gryphon. Make sure Con is hidden somewhere safe."

  My heart clenched at the urgency in his voice. "Oisin, what's going--"

  The door crashed open and the bells and the bundle of mistletoe fell off, landing with a sad splat in a puddle of fae blood. The wards buzzed, then completely died out.

  Oisin spun back to face this new threat as two hulking, black-clad men came through the door. One wore a belt of vials and charms, much like the one White's mage had. The other toted a weird-looking staff with a big stone on the top.

  Oisin's expression went feral and his voice was an animal growl. "My sire has arrived."

  Chapter 13

  I stared in shock. These mages weren't like White's mage at all. There was something wrong about them. Heavy black torques twined about their thick necks, like collars. Their buzz-cut heads bore traces of runes tattooed on their scalps.

  They moved forward as one. Glass shattered somewhere near the back of the bookstore and I realized we were being surrounded. They had followed the fucking fiancé and used him as a distraction to disable the wards and set a net to trap us inside the bookshop. My wings exploded from my back, but I held back a full shift until I knew exactly what was going on.

  The mages in front of us parted and another fae came through the door.

  This fae was nothing like the poor ex-fiancé. The power oozing off this fucker made the other fae look like a bug by comparison. Long, sparkling silver hair drifted over some sort of tarnished silver maille. This fae was taller than Oisin, and his eyes were the sparkling red of rubies. I swallowed bile as I took in the sight of Oisin's beautiful face painted across the pure malice of a monster.

  The fae radiated power, twisted and dark-edged, as he stepped over the headless body of his ex-business partner and moved toward Oisin. He didn't stop to monologue. He simply raised his hand at Oisin, closed his fist and made a yanking motion. "Come."

  Oisin took a couple of halting steps toward his sire, then dug his heels in. "Fuck you, old man."

  Shit. Apparently my fae got his powers of compulsion from his daddy.

  Those red eyes blazed with madness as he stared at his son. "You've ruined all my plans, Oisin. I will not tolerate your disobedience this time."

  Oisin laughed, the sound brittle and bitter. "To the hounds with your plans." He pointed one of his swords at the monster. "Your reign ends today."

  His father tilted his head, silver hair falling in a cascade over his shoulders, those red eyes sharp and perceptive. It was eerie and fucking terrifying how much the expression looked like Oisin's. "Come now, or I destroy this moldy old building you love so much...and everything inside it."

  His red gaze slid to me and I felt it like a touch on my skin. Fucking gross. I growled.

  Then the creepy fuck lifted his head and moved his gaze around the room. He took in Black, crouching on the floor with his bare hands pressed to the floorboards, waiting to spring. Then his eyes swiveled...and his gaze landed on Hisashi. He smiled in surprise, revealing sharp teeth, and pulled a massive sword from his back. "Oh...what have we here?"

  Oisin let out a feral sound as his father's eyes landed on the young, powerful nine-tailed fox. My fae lunged, swords flying.

  The mages moved forward, two in front and four of the fuckers pouring out from the back of the room, cutting off the exits. The place erupted into total chaos. I dodged a ball of lightning, hissing as it singed my ass on the way by before it burst into a bookcase, sending a confetti of ruined book pages and splinters raining down around me.

  Oisin reached his father and they danced around each other trading blows—physical and magical—evenly matched as Oisin tried to use his smaller blades and shorter stature to dive under his father's guard.

  I tore my eyes away from Oisin. I had everything I could do to beat back the asshole mage who was trying to murder my ass. I dodged the fucking mace he whipped at my head and managed to slash open his forearm with my talons.

  He clapped a hand over the artery I'd just severed and muttered something, pouring magic into his hand to stop the bleeding. I moved in close and punched him in the face, grinning as he staggered backward. These assholes might have magic to fling around, but I was stronger.

  I had to be. I wouldn't lose Oisin, damn it.

  I rolled and slid to a stop, barely avoiding a ball of energy that was headed right toward me. Another mage stalked me. The one I'd punched was shaking it off and getting to his feet. Across the room, Hisashi had half-shifted and was flashing in and out of realty in that misty not-here way of his as he darted in to slash a mage's throat open with his clawed hands.

  I kicked out as one of the mages grabbed my leg and caught the fucker in the chin. His head snapped back, and I pushed to my feet, ripping my clothes off as fast as could so I wouldn't get caught in the scraps of fabric when I shifted. I unbuttoned my shirt, flung it aside and reached for my pants.

  A ball of energy hit me. I staggered, feeling light headed, waiting for the burn of lightning that never came. Something slithered over my skin and I shook my head. I reached for my magic to pull my gryphon out.

  But she wouldn't come.

  Panic made it hard to breathe. My gryphon was a part of me. I had never been without her inside me. The beast part of me was a constant, solid companion. My source of strength. The lack of that left me reeling. The fuckers had done something to prevent me from shifting. I was stuck in a half-shift with claws and wings, but a fucking human-shaped body.

  Growling, I stalked toward the closest mage. His wide eyes reflected the deranged image of me in half-shift, wearing a bra and a pair of half-undone jeans. He was about to be murdered by a crazy woman. He punched me in the face, but I kept my feet under me, turning the other cheek and grinning before I swiped a talon across his torso, gutting him.

  It was fucking disgusting. I chased imps and chihuahua-eating supes for a living. I didn't kill people. This was way past me. But the animal part of me that was buried somewhere under their damned spell didn't care. I roared with triumph, turning to scan my environment, my only thought to protect my pride.

  The force of that need nearly blinded me, made it hard to think.

  Oisin still grappled with his father, both fae throwing magic and blades around so fast my eyes couldn't follow. Two mages were closing in behind Oisin. I moved forward to help, but a blast of gunfire stopped me in my tracks. Con stood on the stairs, holding my gun as a mage stumbled back clutching his chest. Fuckers hadn't expected someone to bring a gun to a magic fight.

&
nbsp; I was proud of Con for about three seconds before I realized he shouldn't be down here.

  Kai stood at his side, her dark blue eyes flashing with rage. I got distracted again, wanting to protect the people I loved, but not sure which way to move. Someone punched me in the face and magic hit me again. I went down, screaming in agony as red-hot fire consumed me. I was burning alive, inside and out. I jerked and thrashed on the floor, helpless against the onslaught of magic as I scraped my face across the floorboards and choked on my own drool, my vision filled with flashes of fae blood and solstice decorations.

  Blackness consumed me for a time, and I don't know where I went or for how long. I came back to an aching body as the spell faded and my natural healing abilities kicked in. I glanced down to see that I wasn't actually burned. Whatever it was had done something to my mind to make me think I was being burnt alive. Fae and their fucking trickery.

  I gasped as I dragged myself to my hands and knees, choking down the urge to vomit. Across the room, Con lay sprawled on the floor, not moving. Kai stood over him, fucking tentacles erupting from the middle of her torso, whipping out and smacking anyone who got near. As I watched, she caught the mage who was circling her by the throat and lifted him from the floor, slowly choking him to death.

  My ringing ears started to clear and sounds slowly came back to me. The first thing I heard clearly was the hoarse sound of Hisashi's scream.

  I pushed to my feet and turned to find Oisin trapped in the clutches of the two burly mages who remained amidst the carnage. My fae's lip was split and he had a black eye. His shirt hung open where someone had scored a slash to his chest. The wound had already healed, but dried blood crusted his pale skin. His green eyes were feral.

  His father barely had a scratch on him. He held a hand out toward Hisashi, holding the enraged fox immobile with his compulsion.

  I could feel Hisashi's magic building, feel the temperature in the room dropping rapidly. He was going to fucking lose it if Oisin's dad didn't release whatever hold he had over the nine-tail. And who knew what would happen then.

  Oisin glared up at the monster who had sired him. "Let him go."

  His father faltered, dropping his hand for a moment. I stared in shock as I realized what was happening. Oisin's stare intensified and he winced in pain. Blood started to dribble from his nose.

  He was using his fucking mind control on his father.

  "Pick up your sword," he panted, blood dribbling from one pointed ear.

  The older, more powerful, fae reached down and grabbed his blade.

  "Plunge it through your black heart, you fucking disgrace!" I had never heard Oisin's voice so rough and raw.

  Oisin's father lifted his arm, turned the sword and leaned toward the blade, his red eyes blazing at his son in defiance.

  More blood poured from the corners of Oisin's eyes as he fought the older fae for control.

  Then his father stood and cast aside the blade, laughing as Oisin gasped and sagged. "You would try to use my own power against me?"

  He paced to his son and slapped him across the face. Oisin's head jerked to the side and he hung limp in the grasp of the two mages, his feet barely touching the ground.

  My heart broke at the sight of my snarky, confident, powerful fae looking like a used-up ragdoll.

  I moved closer, silently stalking the old fae. He had probably dismissed me as a non-threat, since I couldn't fling around magic. The fucker was about to die. But I had to be smart about it. I couldn't just rush him head-on, not with the strength of his magic.

  Hisashi growled and I glanced to the side to see him engulfed in a blue aura, wispy white energy swirling around him like a tornado. I shook my head at him. Don't fucking do it, fox.

  I managed to get almost close enough to Oisin's father. The man moved to stand to Oisin's side, bending down to examine his son with cruel eyes. Oisin lifted his head enough to glare at his deranged parent with blood-filmed emerald eyes.

  "Still some fight left in you?" his father said, voice full of amusement. "Good. I always knew you were my strongest heir. That's why I let you lead. Taught you the hunt. Raised you up to almost be my match. Even though you repaid me by uprooting all the seeds I planted and cultivated. Some delicacies are best left to age on the vine." He grabbed a handful of Oisin's hair and tugged his head back, forcing him to meet his eyes. My fae bared his sharp teeth in a silent growl. "Fool I was, I didn't realize you had hidden that little bitch from me for so long. But it looks like my blood runs through your veins after all, since you've snuffed her out too."

  Oisin smiled and spit blood in his father's face. "You won't have my power. Never. I'll die first."

  His father made a gesture and Hisashi stopped his advance, once more caught under fae compulsion. "You will wish you were dead," Oisin’s father said with a smile. "Of that, I will make certain."

  Oisin's eyes slid over his father's shoulder and met mine.

  I was close enough to lunge. I was only trying to decide if I should go for the head honcho, or if I should rip a mage's arm off so Oisin could get free. I wasn't sure how much help he'd be, as drained and battered as he looked.

  But that gaze stopped me in my tracks.

  Oisin lifted a weak hand toward Hisashi. The nine-tail had taken a halting step forward, even under the older fae’s compulsion. "Don't fucking do it, fox," Oisin whispered at the man who was about to risk his life and his sanity by unleashing himself on the fae and his mages. Oisin smiled sadly. "Sit, boy."

  More blood gushed from Oisin's nose as he pushed down with his hand. Hisashi, caught under the compulsion, sank to his knees with an anguished howl.

  Oisin's father laughed. "Selflessness will be your undoing, my poor, idiot boy."

  Then he realized I was behind him. The fae spun and regarded me with a smirk. "And what do you hope to accomplish, gryphon bitch?"

  I took a step forward and one of my legs protested. I think it was broken. I didn't give a fuck. One quick move and I could take out one of them. I'd end up dead, probably, when the others reacted. But I could get Oisin free.

  His eyes met mine, full of fierce determination. "Just do it, Gesa. End this."

  Tears fell from my eyes as I stared at him. I recalled then, in vivid detail, the day he told me if his father ever came for him...he wanted me to kill him rather than let him be taken.

  I clenched my fist, opening and closing my talons in the mere seconds I had to decide. If his father took him now, Oisin would be condemned to torture. He would spend his last few days or hours on earth knowing his power was fueling a madman, while his sanity and his life slowly ebbed away.

  I could do it. One step, one hard slash. The guards would think I was coming for them. So, they would be too surprised to react before I slit Oisin's throat. Fae healed fast, but not fast enough for that.

  His eyes bored into mine, pleading.

  I lunged.

  My talon caught Oisin's father in the side of the neck, but it snagged on his fucking armor, and I couldn't finish the slashing motion. The fae hit me in the gut with a hidden dagger and a wallop of magical energy. I fell to my knees gasping, hands wrapped around the fae blade.

  "No!" Hisashi surged to his feet, his magic coming unleashed. But it was too late.

  Oisin's eyes met mine and all the fire faded from them. I had failed him. Horribly. The last sight I had of my fae before his father and the mages vanished with him was the expression of complete betrayal and despair painted on his face as he hung lifeless in their grasp.

  The air crackled with whatever magic the fae and the remaining two mages had used to transport themselves away. It tasted like bitter ashes on my tongue.

  Hisashi flickered, as if he was about to vanish from sight. Damn it, he was going to try to shift himself somewhere else, try to follow them. And I didn't even know if he could. This was what Oisin had tried to prevent with his last actions. He hadn't wanted to be used. I had failed him.

  He also hadn't wanted Hisashi to die tryi
ng to protect him. I couldn't fail him again.

  I dragged myself up and yanked the dagger out of my guts with a hiss. Blood pulsed out of the wound, but I ignored it. It would close. Or not. I really didn’t care.

  I made my way to the fox on trembling legs, my whole world black and numb. Hisashi turned toward me, solidifying for just a moment, pain etched into his face.

  I hit him so hard his head rocked back. The flickering stopped and his wild blue eyes met mine. So, I hit him again, right at that sweet spot in the temple.

  The fox blinked at me, then collapsed, unconscious. He'd heal fast. But it would keep him from charging off into the nothingness between worlds, at least for now.

  I turned and stared blankly at Kai, who sat on the floor by Con. My kraken was blue around the lips and gasping for air as she tried to shift back to human.

  A fallen bookcase creaked and groaned. Black stood from under a pile of rubble in the corner and pulled his gloves on. I dimly noted that the wall on that side of the room was on fire. He walked across the room, scooped Kai up into his arms and headed upstairs. "I think she needs water," he said softly, disappearing from sight with the Kraken, who gasped and held her hands out toward Con the whole way, tears streaming down her cheeks.

  I ignored her. A black haze in my mind was making it hard to think, to move. To feel.

  I knelt down by Con. He was breathing. I couldn't find any external injuries.

  The crunch of glass under a booted heel had me lifting my head against the heavy numbness.

  Another mage came through the door, stepping over bodies and rubble.

  "Shit, son. You lot don't do anything by halves, do you?"

  I watched redneck Vanhelsing stride across the room and crouch down in front of me. He stared into my eyes and I felt nothing, even when I saw he had pushed his goggles up and was regarding me with the strange eyes he had probably ripped out of a fae.