by Maia Star
He nodded, excited, backing up and away holding out a hand as if he thought I would get up and run even with the ropes tying my ankles down. “Just stay there. I’ll get myself sorted out. It’ll just be a few minutes!”
And then he was gone, running back to some hidden nook I couldn’t see.
When I was sure he was gone, I got to work slicing the rope.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Felix
Every second I was in the air, flapping my wings, was like an ice pick to my heart. Every second I didn’t feel Lily’s weight on my back and her hands touching my neck was a blistering reminder that she was kidnapped.
Right under my nose too.
I don’t think there had ever been a time that I felt worse. Sure, maybe there was the time I couldn’t bring myself to apologize to my parents for some stupid fight we had years ago, or how I had accidentally smacked some poor young kid with my dragon tail one day at a public beach. But now, it was like there was a yawning hole in my heart, a space that was ripped out of me. Lily was my hope, my greatest love, and now that Hunter took her, all that was left was a burning rage.
I had no idea what the night-going people of San Francisco must have thought of me swirling around the city, looking down from up high and blasting fire into the air. Where they scared? Did I look like a monster about to swoop down on the city, ready to see it burn for one little slight? Not that it truly mattered to me what anyone else thought. I was a dragon shifter, one of the strongest types of shifters around, and some lowly wolf shifter decided to take away the best thing that had ever happened to me.
Somewhere far below, whether that be in the sewers or on the wharf, or even in a house on the outskirts, Hunter would be looking up at me in fear, waiting to see when I’d finally spot him like the rat he was. And maybe, just maybe, Lily might be looking up at me too, trying to get my attention.
That thought irked me and made me nauseous.
I really did want to burn the city from top to bottom at this point. If I just destroyed everything, then I would find Hunter’s hiding spot eventually. He couldn’t just keep running from me. Sooner or later, we would meet face to face, and I’d get my claws on him, tearing him apart piece by piece.
But I couldn’t focus on my revenge just yet. Lily came first. I needed to get her out and then face that terrible wild beast.
Finally, it felt like my wings were about to snap, so I glided over to a tall, flat-roofed building and perched myself on the edge, gazing around.
If I were Hunter, where would I go to hide? Probably somewhere abandoned and secluded. I mean, he was doing this to be with her anyway, so of course, he would want some alone time with Lily.
I felt a vibration in my mouth, and so I shifted back to my human form and reached in my mouth to take out my smartphone, slimy from my saliva. Once I held up the phone, I saw the police were calling me.
My eyes widened, and so I hurriedly put it up to my ear. “Have you found her yet?”
“Slow down, sport,” the same officer from earlier said. His voice came through softly, though with the blaring of his siren, it was a bit hard to hear him. “Listen, we might have a lead on where your lady-friend was taken.”
He paused for extra effect, and I was already ready to slam him against the ground the next time I saw him. “Just tell me already! What’s the lead?”
“Well…” he coughed. “We had a few witnesses claim they saw a giant wolf carrying a woman zigzagging through the city. Very few could decide on what direction he sped off in, but a few said the wolf seemed to be going towards the piers, maybe towards some abandoned warehouses on the water.”
I stood taller, peering out towards the Golden Gate Strait, seeing the line of warehouses at the edge. My heart pounded when I realized Lily was somewhere over there, waiting for me to rescue her.
“I have men getting ready to storm each warehouse we come across. If we see the wolf shifter, we’ll be ready to shoot him down.”
“Good,” I said. “Just, please make sure you don’t shoot Lily instead. He might use her as a meat shield.”
“We aren’t stupid. We’ll be careful. The same goes for you, by the way. If you happen to find him before we do...well, try not to do too much damage to your surroundings when you fight him off, okay?”
“I can’t guarantee anything.”
The officer laughed. “Fine, then. I’ll be watching to see you soar overhead.”
With that, the officer ended the call, and I was left alone, standing naked on top of a roof for all to see. I glared at the row of piers and warehouses down by the water, trying to decide which one to search first. Hunter could have taken Lily to any one of them. But at least this is a start.
I pictured the first time I saw Lily. She had already been entangled with Hunter, leaning away from him, telling him off. I would have helped her out quicker, but I was struck by her beauty. The next thing I knew, I was briskly walking up, placing a hand on Hunter’s shoulder. I knew he was a wolf shifter instantly, with that wild look in his eyes. I could tell from the get-go that this guy had started to go feral. Yet it never crossed my mind that I would be here, looking for ways to kill the man. I would have killed him back then if I’d known where this was all headed.
Jumping off the building, I let my body feel the thrill of the wind smacking into me. I shifted in mid-air and took off just before landing on the street. I arced diagonally into the sky and then turned to soar towards the strait. With every flap of my wings, my heart beat faster, and the adrenaline that coursed through my veins heated up. My inner dragon wailed for wolf blood and the touch of my mate.
I barely felt the wind as I glided over the piers, looking down to see the police roll up, their flashing red and blue lighting up the streets. Onlookers stopped to stare, and even take pictures or record as the police filled out and jogged into the first location.
Fine, if they want to start here, I’ll go to the other end.
Darting away, I scanned every building in sight, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Anytime I saw someone running across the street, or peeking out from some alley, I stopped to peer closer, only to find those people freak out when they saw me and dart away themselves. None were Hunter or Lily, and while I tried to stop myself from panicking, I couldn’t help but become more frantic in my search.
The minutes passed by, and my body became more fatigued. It was like the idea of Lily being nearby was weighing hard on me.
Finally, I had to take a breather, coming to land on the roof of a warehouse I was sure was completely empty at this time of night. I sucked in air, using this moment of rest to gaze around and just listen. Maybe, just maybe, I’d be able to hear one of Lily’s shouts, or even hear Hunter’s growling if I tried hard enough.
Steadying myself, I went rigid, staring, listening. I heard the breeze, the squawking of seagulls behind me, the sirens far down the road.
And then, without warning, I heard the pained howl of a wolf somewhere to my left. I unfroze myself and jumped to the next roof, eyes wide and lowering my head to listen closer. I could hear crashes of machinery, a woman’s cries, the pounding of paws on concrete. The roof vibrated from the sheer force of the wolf’s steps on the ground.
It’s Hunter! It’s got to be. Then that means the crying woman is Lily.
Rushing to jump to the street, I ran in my dragon form, shaking the ground with every step I took. I listened for the battle, for the pitter-patter of human feet. Damnit, Lily, give me a sign. Where the hell are you?
Then I glanced down the road and saw a blonde, dirty woman rush out from a side door, see me, and scream for help.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Lily
I cut the rope on my wrists a little while later, the sudden jerk sending a new ripple of energy into my tired limbs. Hunter was still growling and battling with himself somewhere hidden in the warehouse, which was perfect for me. The longer he couldn’t get a grip on himself, the more time I had to free myself.
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Swiftly turning around, I attempted to untie the rope with my chafed hands, though frustratingly, the rope would budge. Cursing silently, I moved back and placed my ankles on the sharp edge of the platform, quickly moving the rope back and forth, hoping to cut enough away so I could quickly undo the rest with my fingers.
I kept expecting to hear Hunter crawl out, sane and ready to pounce on me at any second, but maybe my luck had changed because I managed to free myself. For a second, I stared dumbly at the rope before shaking my head and hurrying to untie the rest. Every moment was precious, and I found myself trembling when I was completely free. It almost didn’t seem real.
To stand safely, I pushed on the platform as my knees wobbled and my shaky breaths came and went. My eyes stung from my recent crying, and I became lightheaded as I glanced around. Even if my eyes had adjusted for the most part, it was difficult to find a clear exit. I stumbled blindly in one direction, hoping that I would find a wall soon, maybe bump into a door handle by a happy accident.
But as I trudged quietly away, I heard what sounded like a dragon’s roar somewhere in the distance. The flap of wings above stilled me, and through the narrow windows near the ceiling, I saw a dragon flit by.
Felix!
Hope filled my body like a hot fire, and suddenly I was moving faster, my feet echoing off the containers and rusted lifts.
Hunter cried out from the other side of the room. “Lily! Lily! Where are you? Are you trying to leave me?” He didn’t get to say much more than that, as then he was screeching and howling out, his voice thick and strained. His growls turned wolfish, and I realized that he was shifting. Maybe he was finally losing all of his sanity.
When he finished shifting, he howled out wildly, apparently unafraid of Felix flying close by. He began to stalk towards where I had just been, sniffing and growling low.
Alarms went off in my head, and I decided to climb into an open crate, quickly closing the lid.
When Hunter discovered I wasn’t tied up anymore, he went wild. He roared and stomped around, smashing into the three stacked containers and forcing the top one to fall to the ground. The resulting crash thundered throughout the warehouse, and I clamped my hands over my ears to keep them from bleeding. He continued to thrash crazily about, swiping all sorts of machinery this way and that. Some of the walls became dented by the machinery slamming against it and then falling to the concrete.
I could practically hear Hunter’s voice through his raging snarls. “Where are you, Lily? Come out! I want to see you!”
When the noise stopped, and the warehouse became eerily quiet, I was almost tempted to sneak out of the crate. Luckily, I didn’t because I heard the slow patter of Hunter’s paws pass by, sniffing around, looking for me. I did my best to keep my mouth shut, and even to quiet my frantic breathing, but that wasn’t enough to stop Hunter from flipping over my crate, sending me sprawling out to the other side of the shelf the crate had been placed on. Hunter snarled, trying to snap at me through the shelf. I screamed as I sprinted away, trying to find a smaller spot that Hunter couldn’t get into.
Hunter was quick, though, scrambling around to launch himself at me. Yelping, I slid under a rusted truck, where there was just enough room for me. He slammed into the vehicle, turning it over, and I had to crawl back to avoid getting crushed. Luck was in my favor again as Hunter reeled back, scratching at his nose.
I ran over to crouch behind another stack of crates, my eyes looking all over for any doorway.
Hunter shifted back to his human form, and he roared in frustration. “Lily! Stop running from me. I’m trying to save you!”
No, Felix is the one trying to save me, I wanted to shout. But I thought better of it and kept quiet.
Felix flooded my thoughts, keeping me from losing myself to complete and utter panic. His smile, his laugh, his strong arms holding me. I wanted all of it, all of him, to come find me. He was so close just minutes ago, yet still so far away. If I could just get outside, then I could find him.
Just then, I heard a pounding on a door on the other side of the warehouse. My eyes went wide as I heard the creaking door sliding open and two officers stepping inside.
“This is the San Francisco police!” one shouted, his voice confident. I looked between the cracks of my crates to see him leading the other officer further inside, both wielding pistols and flashlights. “If anyone is inside, please call out to us.”
I stood to do precisely that when I saw Hunter creeping up on them in the dark. He was doing an amazing job of keeping out of where they flashed their lights, and fear suddenly crept into my mind.
“Hunter’s next to you! Run!” I shouted. The officer’s turned their flashlights on me, and just as the lead was about to speak, Hunter charged him, tackling him to the ground. The other shot wildly with his pistol, the bullet ricocheting off some sheet metal. The first officer screamed as Hunter tore into him and then jumped off when the other officer shot again, dodging the bullets. I cried out for Hunter to stop, but he didn’t.
So the second officer took my advice and ran across the floor, bumping into the piles of metal and a crane, all while firing wildly back at Hunter. Hunter shifted the moment the other officer stopped to reload and charged him.
In the chaos that followed, I sprinted over to the downed officer, finding him staring up at the ceiling, three bloody gashes across his chest. I forgot to breathe as the other officer was snatched up in Hunter’s jaws, his death cries drowning out everything else. I felt like screaming, and so I did.
When Hunter had finished with the other officer, he turned to me, and suddenly I was vaulting to my feet, sprinting through the door the officers had opened.
I found myself stumbling into an alley that was lit up by streetlights. I was barely aware of my surroundings, even as I vaguely heard the thumping of Hunter’s paws far behind me. Looking down the street, I spied a dragon. Felix.
Time slowed down as I called his name and waved. Hunter roared out, crashing through the wall of the warehouse and loping towards me, jaws wide. I ran again, just barely dodging his teeth. Down the street, Felix matched Hunter’s roar and charged towards us. Hunter rounded on me, to get another chance at chewing me up. I couldn’t stop staring at his fangs, the size of his head, and I barely heard the sound of the police sirens in the distance.
I gulped, leaping forward, believing this would be the moment I died.
But then Felix flew over me, barreling into Hunter and sending him flying back, causing the ground to shake and trip me up. I fell on my face. My head pounded, but I managed to keep my eyes open to see Felix shift to his human form and rush over to me. I think he was calling my name, but my ears rang.
He lifted me in his arms, smiling grimly down at me, and I touched his cheek with my dirty fingers, leaving four dusty prints. He pressed his forehead to mine, and I felt the warmth radiate from his skin. I was relaxing, matching his smile, and sniffling. My hearing cleared and I heard the sound of my voice as I said his name.
“Felix…”
“I’m here for you; don’t worry, Lily.” He grinned. “I won’t screw this up again. You have my word.”
I embraced him, feeling a renewed strength in my body.
Our moment was broken, though, once Hunter stood up and roared.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Felix
Hunter wasn’t about to give Lily and I a moment to rest and embrace. Before I could even say something witty, he was charging us. Cursing, I pushed away from Lily and motioned for her to get back and then shifted to meet his charge.
The wolf shifter seemed faster, a fact that rang true when he crashed into me before I could brace myself. He bit down on my front leg and used the bulk of his body as a wrecking ball to force me back. I grit my teeth and fought through the pain, though I couldn’t stop the backward motion, and I couldn’t prevent myself from rolling onto my back with Hunter on top of me.
Roaring, I swiped at him, but I failed to connect as he dodg
ed to the side. Hunter’s eyes quickly found Lily backing away just a dozen feet away, and he growled. Guessing his aim was to either kidnap her again or kill her, I acted on instinct and reached up with my mouth to close around his tail as he bounded away. I just barely caught him, and the wolf was scrambling at the sensation of my teeth sinking into his tail. The pain must have really gotten to him because he whirled and clawed at my face, hissing and howling all the while.
I held firm until I could roll to my feet, taking him with me, lifting my head to use his tail to swing him towards the other end of the street. Farther down, dozens of officers now were heading our way, guns drawn. Hunter skidded on the pavement until he was yards away from us. It took time for the wolf shifter to rise to his feet again, but when he did, he howled and turned his attention to the officers.
Shit! I thought. Even if they do some damage with those guns, he’ll still tear into them.
Rushing forward, I managed to pin Hunter down once again by stomping on his tail. He yelped and turned to fight me, but I just started to hit him back and forth, left and right. Every time he stood up, I swung my massive claw and smacked him back down. Eventually, Hunter went still, his body curling up.
When I deemed it was safe, I stepped off his tail and backed away, angling myself to outmaneuver him if I noticed him about to go for either Lily or the officers. A few officers ran over to me, yelling at me, their guns drawn, so I begrudgingly shifted back to my human form.
“Wait, wait!” I shouted. “I’m the good guy! He’s the feral one.” Pointing at Hunter, I raised my brows at the three officers in front of me. They exchanged glances.
“You’re Felix?” One of them asked.
“Yeah, I’m the one who told you all to look all over San Fran for my girl.”
Hunter’s body jolted.
