Fighting by Anaya Phoenix (black books to read txt) 📕

“Valerie!” She was there instantly, magick flaring in her hands and anger in her face. I slammed the body down, knowing we wouldn’t have long until the demon came back. I nodded toward the head and she nodded in acknowledgement.

“Mom-“

“Back.” She hissed to her daughter, looking to me before kneeling beside the body and being careful not to touch it. I rushed to Vixie, standing in front of her and struggling to keep my heart beat low and steady. I watched as Valerie focused on a spell, her hands and arms humming and glowing pale blue with magick, as she skimmed her hands over his skin. She was soaking up the magick for herself, purifying it first. It would ensure that the runes would have no power and he would be stuck in his human casing until he finally died. I furrowed my brow as I smelled small magick, something different than Valerie’s and knew I would kick myself later. My body stilled as Vixie’s magick surrounded me and she walked around me, her wide eyes looking at everything her mother was doing.

“Mom, I can-“Valerie looked to her daughter then to me and, upon seeing what was about to happen, screamed at Leo to get Vixie out. I couldn’t hear anything, really, it was all muffled. Leo looked to me and his face cleared off all emotion as he reached for Vixie, but she was too fast; too tiny and entirely too cunning. Running to where her mother knelt, she called her magick to her and placed her hands on the demon and I felt her pain through the link that I had with all wolves and howled before I was no longer in control of my body.

~Seamus~

     We all heard the howl, but I imagine for the victors it bounced around in our skulls so we couldn’t ignore it if we wanted to. From the way that everyone, victor and not, scrambled to their feet I could tell nobody wanted to. I scrambled to my feet and ran to the sound of it, beating all of the regular shifters and even the bear victor. I slid to a halt, my eyes soaking in the information but my brain not being able to fully comprehend. Luna sat in a corner, her red hair frizzy and her green eyes wide and panicked. She only had a bra and underwear on so I could see her muscles twitch and spasm and knew it had to hurt a little. All I saw was the fear and craziness in her eyes. The fae sat on her knees, her lips moving fast but no words coming out and I could smell the earthy tang that was her magick. She was working over a decapitated body, demon from the smell of it, and it looked like she was sucking something out of him. Her face was terse, but I doubted it was from the magick, she seemed to be at peace whenever she was doing that. No, this had to do with the lion victor holding an unconscious tinier version of the fae in his hands as he looked at Luna warily.

“She’s gone into panic mode, Vixie’s pain was enough to push her over.” Leo said softly, I knew he was talking to me but I could only assume because his eyes remained on Luna.

“They probably didn’t let them sleep much, and whatever sleep they got was probably riddled with… She’s a strong one.” He continued to say, pain crossing his face for a minute before it cleared and he held the tiny girl closer to him.

“I’m sorry, what? Panic mode?” I said matching his soft tone, instinct telling me I was in the midst of a very dangerous predator; one that wouldn’t be well to agitate.

“Ever seen a rabid wolf? A wolf that’s been running for way too long and is exhausted beyond compare? Imagine that, but that wolf is a mother she wolf and would rather die than let her cubs die. They become feral. The same is the case for were’s, but it’s a million times more dangerous. The wolf in her is in complete control, but that wolf is exhausted and sees itself in danger.” The fae said, seeming to almost be done with whatever she was doing but she looked at him. There was power swirling in her eyes, power and fear and a Molotov cocktail of so many other things.

“Look, kid, she doesn’t particularly like you, the whole hyena thing, and right now she isn’t herself. Maybe let some of the bigger kids handle this one.” Felicia said softly, stepping forward carefully and keeping her eyes averted.

“Doesn’t she have a mate?” I asked softly, wondering what the poor bastard must be going through.

“I’ve got him covered, heavily sedated and locked up tight.” The bird victor said softly through the mental link we all shared and I looked to Luna then. She was staring at some spot on the floor with so much interest that it might’ve been the freaking Dali Llama.

“She looks calm enough.” I said softly, cocking my head to the side and narrowing my eyes on her.

“Knowing our Luna she’s probably trying to buy us time, trying to find a way to knock herself out.” There was so much love in the lion victor said that it made me question exactly how close the pair was.

“Well-“Felicia said softly but was interrupted by the scream of the tiny fae. I winced and looked at her, how she bowed in his arms and her eyes popped open; one misty blue and the other a darker blue. The fae rushed to her shushing, before putting her open palm on her forehead. Her daughter quieted, but not before her fists clenched and blue mist surrounded them.

“Oh, Victoria, what have you done?” The fae asked softly, a whisper meant for her daughter but that a room full of shifters was able to pick up easily. I was going to ask if she was OK, before I felt something next to me and everyone sucked in a breath. I slowly turned and looked to my right. Luna stood there, her eyes red and blazing, and she just stared at me. Breathing.

“What do I do?” I asked in the link, knowing well enough to not speak out.

“Do nothing. You haven’t hurt her directly, her wolf is measuring your sins.” Felicia said softly, her voice in my mind so close to a whisper I had to struggle to hear. Luna blinked once, and then twice before looking elsewhere almost looking bored. Her eyes settled on Felicia and before I had registered what had happened Luna rushed Felicia and tackled her into the wall outside the door Luna’s room.

“Mason, get Vixie to safety and Leo take the demon somewhere secure, he’ll heal and even though I took his magick he’s still powerful.” The fae barked out orders and the two listened. I watched as Felicia pushed against Luna, but Luna only grabbed her hair and slammed her head back which cracked something. I winced as I saw Felicia’s eyes slam closed in pain, only to open and be as bright and red as Luna’s.

“Sister, you’re letting your human get the best of you again.” She said laughingly, her claws came out and dug into Luna’s shoulder blades. If it hurt, she showed nothing to prove it. She only gripped her hair tighter and threw her down the hall.

“Hyena.” I looked to the fae who stood from the body and who only stood up to be mid chest height.

“Try to stop that, as little damage as possible would be nice. Don’t hurt either of them, though. You’re new, they won’t be kind enough not to remind you of that and kick your little Irish ass.” With that she used her magick to leave the room. I stood alone in the room, only rushing to move when I heard a roar of pain. With a groan I tore after the two, knowing I was still going to get my Irish ass kicked either way.

     Luna had her in a headlock, a rather impressive one seeing as Felicia couldn’t seem to get out of it, and was striking blow after blow into her head.

“Luna! Soon I’m going to get very angry at you!” She grounded her, her voice muffled by the constant hits. Luna said nothing, she just continued to hit her. Felicia’s hands grew into gigantic paws with very sharp looking claws attached to them and started whacking into Luna and, by the sound of it, she wasn’t holding back. Whenever Luna calmed down, I knew she would several broken ribs and probably severe internal bleeding. But, for now, she let no pain show. She just grabbed the tigresses hair and swung her around. With the mightiest of sigh, knowing this was gonna hurt like all hell, I stepped forward and clenched my fists.

“Oy, Luna!” I yelled out, knowing she’d have to pay attention to me, otherwise she would’ve let the interruption of her kill go. I might not have been a wolf, but hyena’s think the same way. Dog mentality stretched universally.

“Fighting against cats? Really? I thought I was the one you hated? Come on little puppy, show me how good that hatred is!” Her face lifted in a slight sneer but she turned around and stalked back toward Felicia. Internally groaning and cursing the God that chose me for this I summoned earth to me and formed a life size boulder and, very calmly, through it at her. It her whole body and I heard several things crack, but when she fell down she didn’t stay down. No, she hopped right back up and turned to look at me, really look at me, her eyes a bright and rage filled anger.

“Running away? That’s not like an alpha, Luna lass.” I said, putting as much condescendence in it as I could muster. She narrowed her eyes, cold and red, and walked toward me. I could see the magick gathering around her body and I knew she was brewing something dangerous that would do very unkind things to me, were her hands to land. Guess they just have to not land then, my hyena whispered and I nodded. I was fast, she was probably faster having been trained, but I could probably last a long while without being touched. I opened the victor link.

“As many of you that can get here, please get here. I can keep her busy, but think of something to knock her out. I won’t be able to last for long. Tell all of your shifters to stay in, I have a feeling she isn’t reckless enough to hurt innocent people, but take precaution.”

“We know.” They all seemed to groan out, but I could sense they were going to do what I asked. Knowing what I was about to do was a suicide act, she was a beast now in human form; whenever the beast was enraged it either wanted sex, a chase, or food. And since I wasn’t a rack of lamb and wasn’t her mate, the only thing I could offer was the chase.

“Follow me if you dare, Luna.” I sneered her name before turning on my heel at the sound of her snarl and ran, putting in my full speed, knowing if I was caught I’d be good as dead.

~LUNA~

I was chasing something, or somebody. Everything was dark here, I could just feel the cold grip of deathly anger and I knew I had slipped into panic mode. If I didn’t get control of it, and soon, the Gods would pull me and keep me on watch for a while. Something I was not only not looking forward to, but something I wouldn’t allow. Blindly I searched for something that would pull me back, something that would allow me to take control of my own body. My hand snaked around something and the tiniest bit