Authors: Penelope Fletcher
My sense of self-preservation was
obliterated by feral anger. I wanted to tear them both apart. Smash
their heads into the wall and beat them senseless to have my way. I
was done watching these to fools snip at each other, and I was over
this jealousy foolishness in a big way.
Even as I thumped him in the stomach,
Breandan jabbed right around me then swung left – raining blows
down on Tomas.
The vampire changed his tactics. He
kept low. His punches alternated between uppercuts and loose-handed
swipes. But then he sprung up, entire body lengthening, and brought
down an overhead swing that landed square in Breandan’s forehead.
Stunned, he stumbled. Tomas followed the move through by going for
his neck – fangs glinting, fists flying.
Grabbing Tomas’ wrist as it sailed
past my torso, I dealt my vampire a blow that had him shunting
sideways; his arm bent too far the wrong way and snapped. He fell
to his knees with a scream of pain.
I spun round to Breandan, unsteady on
his feet, and launched myself at him with a shriek of rage. My
ankles locked behind his neck and I threw myself backward. My hands
hit the ground, and with all my might, I pulled my knees into my
stomach. His weight smoothly shifted from my calves to my thigh and
stomach muscles then released completely as gravity took over. He
flipped over and slammed onto his back. My body bowed, elbows
jarring as I landed hard on my chest, my butt sticking up in the
air. I unlocked my ankles and slid my feet apart to keep my
balance.
It had taken me an entire month of
Disciple training to learn that move and never did I think I would
find use of it.
I frog leaped backward and straddled
him, but he twisted his hips to unseat me. He pushed forward so I
fell back and smacked the back of my head on the concrete, softened
by nothing but rainwater. We rolled in an indistinguishable haze so
fast was our movement. Mid tumble he gained the advantage, his
combating dexterity superior to mine, which was nothing more than
frenzied instinct. He grabbed my wrist and yanked my arm high up my
back. I howled in pain and jerked my head. There was a loud crunch
and my wrist was released. The back of my head throbbed, but as I
scrambled up, I saw his hurt was worse than mine. His nose was
crooked and bloodied. It jerked oddly and healed as he swiped his
forearm over his lips to clean away the blood. Not giving him a
moment’s breather I boxed his ears, kneed him in the gut, and
brought my foot down hard on the back of his knee, feeling the
joint shudder under the strain.
All this was accomplished at inhuman
speed I had thought only warriors the like of Conall
possessed.
Gasping for air, I backed a step away,
and opened my mouth to speak.
Breandan darted past me and collided
with the vampire, whose broken arm had locked back into place, and
was already springing forward to meet him half way.
I was half a step behind.
I punched Breandan in the neck causing
him to gurgle oddly then twisted round to plant myself in front of
him protectively when Tomas tried to maneuver him into a chokehold.
Grabbing the vampire by his coal black hair, I rammed my fist into
his solar plexus. I pivoted on the ball of my foot, and with my
back to him snapped my elbow into his nose then again into his
stomach. The double tap was done with a speed and sharpness beyond
my own comprehension. His feet left the ground and he flew back. He
rode his own darkness like a wave, somersaulting in the air, and
landing silently. He snarled at me – entire body trembling in
rage.
I tugged on the darkness trying to
appeal to his better nature. It was a thick broiling cloud. It
swelled the edges blurry but more present than I had ever felt. It
called to me, the sinister depth alluring.
Breandan tried to use my pause to his
advantage and sped past. I beat my wings twice and lifted from the
floor. I kicked him in the stomach and again higher up on the chest
with the other foot – running up his body – using the powerful
impacts to flip over and land in a crouch with my left leg sliding
out to expel the spare momentum. My fairy staggered back and glared
at me balefully.
Chest heaving, I held my
hand out to him and pleaded with my eyes. Words could not to convey
the sentiments I felt, so I sent a plea with a wave of love.
Please
. The entreaty hit a
wall and dissipated.
Breandan was done letting me sway his
decision when it came to my vampire.
Reason had fled this place.
The air crackled with the intensity
radiating from the three of us – elemental power pure and potent.
Neither boy looked ready to quit and I was long past rationale. I
buzzed with anger. Strength and speed were physical burdens racing
through my veins.
Breandan pulled his gaze from the
vampire to flick over my face. His jaw worked, but never did the
tension in his body lessen. He saw it in my eyes that I was in this
to the end like he was. He understood. I would not back down, not
now, not ever. Apprehension flickered in his eyes when he glanced
at me, quickly repressed by cold calculation. I focused my mental
abilities on the barrier he had erected to keep me out of his
mind.
I tuned into our bond, throwing myself
into it like I never had before. Reaching out with mental fingers
to slip past the barricades and trenches he’d created across his
psyche to keep me out. I was sucked down a channel of emotion
crammed with the intentions behind his actions. A flash of
knowledge burned into my mind’s eye as the jealousy and hatred he
felt for Tomas poured into me. My nature panted in
approval.
Dragging myself back, I saw the world
with my own eyes once more and understood Breandan with a lucidity
that defied logic.
My feet slid apart, boots making a
soft scraping noise as I eased them apart. My knees bent and I
bounced from side to side. I was hyper aware of everything. The low
growl from Tomas that never left his lips rang loud in my ears.
Breandan’s heart thumped into his ribcage – racing with the thrill
of the chance to rid himself of this rival for my heart.
The three of us measured each other
and acknowledged that this fight would take everything.
If Breandan got the upper hand, Tomas
was dead. If the vampire managed to get his fangs into the fairy’s
neck, he could drain him in seconds.
The blood rushed in my ears as the
finality of this moment swept over me. Neither of them would back
down so I had to win this. If not, one would be lost to me forever.
Oh gods. A bubble of panic had tears threatening to fall. No. I
needed to stay calm and focus. I had to use what I had seen and
manipulate it to my advantage.
Breandan favored his left fist and
would always swing left if presented with a choice. Tomas’ fangs
and his ability to cloak his next moves in darkness were his
greatest weapons. Breandan had difficulty in anticipating his next
strike so he had to take the blows and deliver his own with enough
force to wind the vampire. Both were blinded by the fact they hated
each other, and were sloppy in executing their defensive blocks.
They wanted to attack, advance, and cause pain. Both focused their
energies on the offensive rather than defending their vital
spots.
Breandan stepped closer, as did Tomas.
I had no choice but to move forward too. Our circle closed step by
step until we were a mere leap away.
“
Rae,” Tomas growled. “You
must leave this place.”
“
Agreed,” Breandan said
simply. His eyes were opaque gray, pupils dilated.
My chin lifted as a sudden gust of
wind whipped my hair into my face. “I will not.”
We three stood, tense, aware. Silence.
Who would make the first move? Who would be the one to start the
beginning of the end?
Tomas broke first – a flurried lunge
and swipe. In slow motion, I watched as Breandan’s foot shot out
and clipped him in the jaw. The fairy’s fist swung toward me and I
reacted – realizing a fraction of a second too late his other arm
headed for my torso. His open palm connected with my upper body
even as his left fist sailed past my head as I jerked to avoid
it.
I had trusted my instincts and my
instincts had been wrong. My mind reeled as the end of this fight
became horribly clear to me.
By the gods, it was
impossible. No one,
nothing
, could move
that fast
.
The blow to my chest vibrated my whole
body. The force behind it sent me airborne, soaring back until I
hit the building steps with such momentum they buckled inward. With
immeasurable speed and unbeatable grace – even as I flew through
the air – Breandan’s legs shot out in a double kick that jerked
Tomas to the left then instantly to the right. Tomas crumpled to
the ground in a tangled sprawl of limbs. My fairy was on him and
rained blows upon his limp body; a left hook to the ribs, a
straight jab to the face. Finally, he gripped the vampire’s head in
both hands and slammed their foreheads together. Tomas’ head
bounced off the floor and there was a hollow sounding crunch. Blood
spattered – beaten beyond recognition – he spasmed.
Hissing, Gwendolyn landed in front of
me. Before her clawed fingers could grab my throat Daphne jumped on
her back. She sank her teeth into her Queen’s throat, mauling, long
braids jiggling madly as she buried her fangs deeper. Snarling they
fell backward entwined. Gwendolyn tried to scratch Daphne’s face,
but the girl threw her head back gasping, blood dribbling down the
corners of her mouth and throat. Even as her eyes fluttered in
pleasure, she rammed Gwendolyn’s head into the concrete in a
powerful push that cracked the pavement. She sprung up and dragged
the vampire Queen back up the stone steps by those dark ringlets
she was so fond of – smacking her head on every ledge as she went
for maximum damage. Gwendolyn’s legs flailed and she shrieked in
high-pitched squeals of rage.
My heart skipped a beat before
pounding erratically. The balance of power shifted and Breandan
filled the street with the influence over magics I lacked. I fought
him, trying to claw the power back to me, but it was done. His
power had grown to fill the void mine had briefly
vacated.
Fisting his hands in Tomas’ shirt
Breandan hauled the limp vampire onto his knees. He swayed and
Breandan wrapped his large hands around his head, fingers pressed
into his skin. His wings unfurled, gleaming silver, until they
fully extended from his body. My fairy-boy glowed like the sun, a
specter of light.
I was afraid – terrified – of what
would happen next.
Dragging myself up I tottered on my
toes. My body screamed at me to lie back down, but I gritted my
teeth and took an unsteady step. Already the bond tugged on me, the
urge to touch my other half flaring to become a desperate thing.
No! I would fight it. I would not be overcome this time.
Tomas’ face healed revealing the bold
and unusual features that had stunned me the first time I had met
him.
I clutched my chest and applied
pressure to the stabbing, wrenching agony I swear was more than my
heart could handle.
“
Please,” I mumbled so
quietly my lips may have not moved. My head swung sluggishly from
left to right. “Don’t do this.” Breandan eyes were riotous. His
nature wild and aggravated – ready to destroy. “Wait,” I held my
hands up and drew in a ragged breath. “Just wait. Let him go. We
will leave this place and never look back.” He shook his head
causing my heart to thump and quiver. A tear rolled down my cheek,
slid across my lips then dropped from my chin. No doubt, it was
lost in the cold rain streaming down my face. “Don’t. Don’t do
this. Wait.”
“
No,” he roared. “I am done
being patient. I no longer understand nor do I care to. You belong
to me. We are bonded and
that
is the end of it.”
Gwendolyn’s grip on the stair railing
tightened until the metal groaned and warped.
Daphne held her by the hair and the
strain on her face was horrible to see. Her eyes were locked on
Tomas and they filled with sorrow and acceptance. The Nest Queen
tried to crawl forward, but Daphne tightened her grip in the
fistfuls of ringlets she held, and yanked her head back.
Gwendolyn had no choice but to stay
crouched as she was. The railing buckled under the force of her
might as she wrung her hands. “Leave him, fairy,” she rasped in
panic. Her eyes pinged from my fairy to her vampire consort. “I’ll
let you leave. I’ll let you both leave.”
Breandan’s nostrils flared,
but not once did his eyes stray from me. “This has to happen
because he will never stop. Do you understand, Rae? He will
neve
r stop wanting you. I
will not live in fear that he may take you from me. You are mine
and there can be no other. The blood tie will leave you open to him
for the rest of your life. I let you save him once, and still he
pursued you, brought you closer to danger. At one point your light
winked out completely and I thought he had–” He choked up. “You
nearly
died.
I
cannot let this go. I will not.” Abruptly, Breandan’s mind touched
mine. He twitched when he felt the darkness that connected me to
what he saw as an enemy. He openly recoiled when it twisted inside
me, whispering for me to embrace wicked things, for me to save my
vampire.