Tegan left Kai standing on the dancefloor, making her way to Cord who stood tall, a small smile playing about his lips as he watched the female Lycan approach him. Cord looked completely unruffled as they approached, and Tegan could hear the alarm bells going off in her head.
“Protector of the Free Lycan,” Cord bowed low. Even from her distance away, Tegan knew he was mocking Tove and she hurried her pace.
Tove moved swiftly to him and Tegan found herself hurrying to intercept her. “Tove, what is it?”
They were attracting attention, Tove’s eyes were tight with fury. “Tell her, Castor.”
Cord remained quiet as Tegan looked between the two. She looked around briefly, confused as to what was happening and noticed that Cornelius and Salem had also approached, along with Michael and Sloane.
“Tell me what?” Tegan asked looking past the small group to the openly staring crowd of onlookers. “Tove, you’re attracting an awful lot of attention.” Tegan muttered self-consciously.
“Tell her, Castor,” Tove growled taking another step forward.
“Tove you’re making little sense,” Salem touched her arm, drawing her attention from Cord for a moment, who still stood silent, not at all outwardly perturbed by Tove’s glare.
“He knows,” Tove snapped. “He knows exactly what I mean.”
“Why don’t you tell us?” Cornelius rolled his eyes. “Are these dramatics necessary? They’re so emotional – Lycans,” the Elder muttered.
Tove didn’t look at the Elder but Tegan saw her bristle at his words. Tegan moved to Cord’s side, he glanced at her, his face a mask. “What is it?” she asked him. Cord turned his attention to her, his mocking smile gone, his eyes serious as he looked at her. Slowly, his hand came up and his thumb stroked her cheek.
“Don’t you touch her,” Tove stepped forward angrily. “Or I will remove your hand from its wrist, Castor.”
“Tove!” Tegan gasped, tearing her eyes away from Cord, heat flushing her skin from where he touched her.
“I would dearly love to see you try, Lycan.” Cords words were calm and cold, like he was with everyone, Tegan realised. Not you, the voice whispered in her head.
“Tegan, my dear,” Cord turned his attention back to her. “I fear Tove may have been misinformed but since she is so eager to share and seems unnecessarily emotional, I fear any chance to talk reason with her would be lost.” Cord purposefully ran his thumb over her cheek again. This time, Tegan moved back, Cord’s repetition of Cornelius’s mocking words angered her.
“Misinformed?” Tove scoffed. “I have witnesses,” she whispered furiously.
“Witnesses to what?” Tegan snapped, losing her own patience. “What is going on here?”
“Of Cord Ivanov sacrificing Lycan to Velvore,” Tove hissed.
Every pair of eyes in the group swung in shock to Cord, who stood tall amongst them. He drank the remainder of his champagne, the glass disappearing when he was finished with it. “Well that sounds positively damning,” he drawled drily.
“Cord?” Sloane asked looking between his brother and Tove uncertainly.
A huge bang sounded within the hall, drawing everyone’s attention to the main doors of the hall. A Drakhyn strolled into the hall, the head of the announcer dangling from its talons. Screams erupted from those gathered, shouts of anger mixed in. Tegan looked at the scene in disbelief. The Drakhyn’s eyes fell on her and she felt others move closer to her as the Drakhyn smiled and put on a pair of sunglasses, shielding its eyes from the brightly lit hall.
More and more Drakhyn entered the hall behind the leader, fanning out and facing the Akrhyn with malicious intent. They looked barely restrained. Sentinels broke free of their stunned shock and started forming into defensive groups, but it was a ball and weapons were few. The Drakhyn pulled its sunglasses further down its nose, its gaze swept the hall, before coming to rest on Tegan and her group again. It uttered one word to the mass behind it.
“Attack.”
The Drakhyn attacked the first Akrhyn they fell upon. Female Akrhyn were being pushed to the back of the hall, while Sentinels scrambled to make anything a weapon. Few Sentinels were armed fully. Tegan reached under her dress, ripping free the knives she had strapped to her thighs, grateful for her combat boots she still cursed the full skirt of her dress. Cord noticed her weapons and grinned at her.
“Michael, your sister,” Salem directed as he too pulled two long daggers from his back. “Cord, can you slow them down?” he asked tersely.
“I can.” Small fireballs started appearing between the Drakhyn, but unlike the last time, these Drakhyn were moving, making it harder for any of the fireballs to catch on their clothing. Cord cursed in frustration before running further into the melee.
“Stay close,” Tove instructed Tegan. “I knew I shouldn’t have put this dress on,” she muttered.
“What did you mean about Cord?” Tegan demanded as she readied herself.
“This isn’t the time,” Tove snapped at her. “Focus on your enemy.”
Tegan saw some of the Castors had grouped together and were muttering incantations as they disabled Drakhyn, but there were so many and their surprise attack was wreaking havoc amongst the guests.
“You ready?” Salem looked back at her.
“I am,” she nodded.
“Stay close to me, you too, Tove,” and then he led them into the fray.
Tegan pushed unarmed Akrhyn out of her way as she advanced on the Drakhyn. Salem, Marcus and Tove were already engaged in fighting, trying to keep Tegan free. There were too many of them. A Drakhyn advanced on her, its teeth bared, talons raised, ready to strike. It swung low and Tegan sidestepped the blow, her skirts hindered her, when the Drakhyn quickly followed the first swipe with a higher blow, she spun slightly on the contact. Recovering slower than she would have liked, she met the next blow with her knife, piercing the Drakhyn’s hand. It howled in pain, jerking back out of range. Tegan went to advance when a sword slid through its neck and the head tumbled to the floor.
Kai stood behind the corpse, breathing heavily. He had acquired a sword from who knew where, and Tegan didn’t care. He held his hand out to her.
“Come on,” he urged. “Sloane has Zahra, we need to get you out of here.”
“I need to stay and fight,” Tegan answered as she saw more Drakhyn coming.
“You’re not equipped to fight and that dress isn’t helping,” Kai grabbed her arm. “Come on, we need to move.”
Tegan looked around quickly and saw that many of the Akrhyn were not advancing on the Drakhyn but shielding the females and herding them to another door. “We’re running?” Tegan demanded incredulously.
“We’re protecting our females, these Drakhyn are making no move to harm them, it’s only males they attack,” Kai told her even as he ran through another Drakhyn with his sword. He pulled the sword out, causing the Drakhyn to slump forward in pain. Kai swung his sword down over the neck of the bent over Drakhyn, cleanly decapitating it. “Come on, Tegan, let’s move.” He urged her back. Tegan’s every instinct was to take the sword off Kai and rush headfirst into the throng of Drakhyn, but she saw Salem look over at them and he shouted for them to go. Tove was also being moved back by Marcus. Growling in frustration, Tegan shook her head even as she took a step back.
A Drakhyn leapt on Kai and he was suddenly fully engaged in defending himself. Tegan threw one of her knives at a Drakhyn that had caught a female Akrhyn, its hand was on her throat, its talons ripping her dress. Tegan’s knife got it in the shoulder. Hissing, it turned to her and she ran forward even as she threw her other knife. The Drakhyn knocked the female it was holding away, and she stumbled backward. Tegan’s knife pierced its eye and it fell to its knees screaming as it ripped the knife out and threw it away. She kicked it savagely in the head. The female that Tegan had saved rushed forward, wrenching Tegan’s dagger from the Drakhyn’s shoulder and tossed it to Tegan, who quickly slit the Drakhyn’s throat. It wasn’t a decapitati
on, but it would keep it down.
“Run,” Tegan ordered her. She nodded and headed to the small door at the side of the room. Picking up her other knife, Tegan looked up and saw Cord in the middle of the hall, head bent, murmuring quietly. Absolute chaos was happening all around him but he remained still and focused in his incantation. She saw him open his eyes as his head snapped up, the spell erupted from his fingertips. Fire rained down from the ceiling, Drakhyn and Akrhyn alike cried out in shock and then everything alive in the room was trying to avoid burning. It took a few moments before the Akrhyn realised the fire did not burn them, it ignited solely on the Drakhyn. Tegan saw Cord stumble and rushed to his side, she hooked her arm around him, and he raised weary eyes at her.
“Little tiger, you should be gone,” he told her.
“I’m not leaving you barely standing, lean on me,” she instructed. “How long will it last?”
“Until I stop it or I pass out,” Cord groaned as she moved him forward.
“So dramatic.” Of course he would use a spell that took all of his energy. And it was fading fast, she realised. “Any chance you are carrying a sword?”
“None,” he grinned at her painfully. “Two daggers, under my tunic.”
She pulled him into a wall as a curtain of fire cut her off. “I can go through this?” she asked, uncertainly. Her mind rebelling the information she thought she knew and telling her body it would burn.
“No, that’s particularly potent,” Cord grimaced.
“’Course it is,” Tegan muttered with a long look at him. “Okay, I apologise.” She thrust him against the wall and boldly lifted his tunic, her hands slipping quickly up onto his sides.
“I don’t think this is the time, little tiger,” Cord quipped, he spun her suddenly, pressing her into the wall as a Drakhyn’s talons clawed his back. His groan of pain as his weight fell against Tegan had her clutching him to her. Her hand met the hilt of his dagger and she pulled it free quickly. The Drakhyn went to strike again and Tegan pushed Cord off her as she jumped forward to stab it in the heart. As the Drakhyn fell, Tegan grabbed for Cord again.
“I hope you are not attached to it, I need it to stay in the heart to immobilise it.” She wrapped her arm around him again and started forward once more.
“Tegan, stop,” Cord groaned. “How many Akrhyn are still in the hall?”
Tegan glanced around quickly, surprised to see most of the hall empty except for Drakhyn. A few Sentinels fought on, the dead lay at their feet. “A handful,” she replied tersely. “Almost everyone is gone.”
“Velvore forgive me this act,” Cord murmured words Tegan didn’t understand as he gripped her closer and then fire was not only raining down but rising up. The screams were not only Drakhyn’s this time as the fire found purchase and Tegan fought back tears. Cord’s head slumped onto her shoulder and with a final whisper, he portalled them out of the hall.
Tegan’s hand flew to her head, it came away wet and she suspected she was bleeding. She was on the ground – the cold wet ground. Sitting up, she swayed momentarily before steadying herself. Looking around wildly, she saw Cord’s crumpled body in a heap a few steps away. Scrambling to her knees, she rose and stumbled over to him, dropping down beside him in alarm. Cord was on his side and she gently pulled him onto his back, his eyes were closed but his breathing was steady. He looked unharmed in the dull light of the moon. She ran a hand over his face, he was unmarked. He must have passed out when they portalled and let go of her. She thanked Arflyn that he had managed to keep her near. Shivering in the cold, Tegan looked around trying to get her bearings.
They were in an alley. She could hear sounds from the street beyond, cars passing, people making their way about their evening. It was so cold, Tegan knew she had to get out of her dress and into something warmer. Quickly checking Cord’s body for any injuries, cursing herself for not checking his back when he was on his side. Tegan hoped he was merely exhausted as she sat back on her heels as she thought about her options. She had no idea where they were, she would need to leave the alley to determine that. Tegan knew it wouldn’t take her long but she was loathe to leave Cord defenceless. Biting her lip, she looked down at him again and started when she realised he was looking back at her.
“Cord?” Tegan leaned over him, his hand came out and snaked into her hair, clasping the back of her neck. Pulling her down to him, he pressed a firm, but chaste kiss on the corner of her mouth.
“You’re okay, little tiger?” He asked as he loosened his hold on her neck.
“Yes, my head is cut I think, but I am okay,” Tegan whispered, the shock of his action unsettling her.
“You’re hurt?” he tried to rise but groaned in protest. “Note to self; try not to use all of your energy on three spells at once,” Cord grimaced.
“How long before you begin to feel better?” Tegan asked worriedly, she was shivering.
“A while maybe?” Cord pulled himself up into a sitting position. “We can move, I just won’t be able to Cast.”
“Is your back okay?” Tegan asked worriedly, as she went to inspect for damage.
“Bruised only I think, I have another layer on.”
He struggled to his feet and swayed slightly. Tegan caught him and he hissed when he felt how cold she was. “You’re freezing, little tiger, here, help me.” Cord stepped away from her and struggled to unbutton the top three buttons on his tunic. Tegan stood and stared at him as he lifted the tunic. “I actually meant help me,” Cord said sardonically as he swayed again.
“What are you doing?” Tegan asked as she suddenly moved to help steady him again.
“Giving you my tunic,” he replied as he pulled it off over his head. He had a dark t-shirt on underneath and shivered at the loss of the layer. He eyed her in the dim light, frowning as he looked at the claw marks from the Drakhyn on the tunic. Sighing, he handed it to her. “You need to lose the dress.”
“I beg your pardon?” Tegan looked at him aghast.
“You’re going to draw attention to us, you need to get rid of it,” he assessed the dress critically. “We could cut it, have you any knives left?” Tegan silently withdrew her dagger from her boot and handed it to him. “Is there an underskirt?” Cord asked her, looking as uncomfortable as she felt.
“Yes,” Tegan whispered as her hands clutched the satin. He nodded as he got on his knees again. “Cord, wait.”
He looked up at her, his face half shadowed in the moonlight. “What is it?” he asked tiredly.
“It was my mother’s dress,” Tegan whispered. She felt foolish. She was freezing, Cord was injured, now was not the time to start being sentimental.
“I don’t think she would mind, little tiger,” Cord’s soft, cynical smile made Tegan huff in amusement, as she looked away from him, towards the alley end. “Tegan?” his soft question brought her attention back to him. A curt nod and he reached forward for her dress skirt. “This satin is thick, it will keep you warm,” Cord murmured. His cool hand skirting up her leg made Tegan freeze in place. His deft fingers felt the material of the underskirt, occasionally brushing her thighs. He glanced up at her and frowned, “Why haven’t you put my tunic on yet?”
Blushing, Tegan hurriedly pulled his tunic over her head. It was thick, and still held some of his body heat. It hung long on her. Cord sat back a little as he looked at it.
“Okay, you may not be fashionable but it will bring less attention than this dress,” he said as he ripped the underskirt from the main dress. Tegan felt her heart race as he leaned forward and his hands reached up to the waistband of the dress, his hands skimming her behind as he pulled forcibly. There was a mini tug of war between the dress and Cord, but with a hard pull and a cry of victory he tore the fabric away. Cord tossed the underskirt to the side and then his hands were under her skirt again.
“What are you doing?” Tegan found her voice as his hands circled her legs.
“Measuring,” he murmured.
“Measuring what?” Tegan
asked breathlessly as his hand slid up her legs to her thighs.
“You used all knives?” he asked as his hands glided over the harnesses.
“Yes,” Tegan bit her lip as his hands slid down her legs again. “You could just have asked me,” she whispered heatedly.
“I suppose I could,” his rakish smile made her catch her breath.
“Are you finished down there?” Tegan snapped, feeling self-conscious that his hands still loosely held onto her legs.
“My my, little tiger, such an invitation,” Cord grinned at her.
“Get up!”
Chuckling, he grabbed the bottom of her dress. “One more thing,” he said and then pushed the dagger through the material, when he had made a sizeable hole, he pulled the dress taut and sliced through the satin, cutting away some of the length, until the result was more of a heavy skirt instead of a full length formal gown.
Tegan helped him to his feet, and he stepped back and assessed her in the dim light. “I think humans call it emo.”
“Call what emo?” Tegan asked looking down at the black tunic and torn skirt.
“Your outfit,” Cord said with a small smile.
“I’m pretty sure they call it homeless,” Tegan replied as she reached out to steady him and he laughed at her reply. “Will you be warm enough?”
“Yes, my body temperature runs a little higher,” Cord slipped his arm around her. “When we walk out like this, people are going to think you and I were down here for a good time.”
“There’s nothing here,” Tegan said as she looked around.
“Precisely,” Cord stopped for a moment to steady himself again. “Remind me never to deplete my energy like this again,” he grumbled as he leaned back into her.
“I think you at least killed all the Drakhyn in the hall,” Tegan whispered as they made their way to the entrance of the alley.
“I did,” Cord replied stoically. “And you can say it, the remaining Akrhyn as well.”
Into Darkness: The Akrhyn Series (Book 1) Page 26
