by Blue Saffire
We run toward the vehicle meeting up with a beaten Civic, Ghin and Branem who are holding the knocked out new guy. I blanch when I see that the side of Ghin’s face has been burned off. Seeing my look of horror, he winks at me. “Don’t worry about me, I’ve gotten worse.”
I shoot him a wary look. As I see the others, I realize they all need to be healed, especially Radu. The wound at his side hasn’t slowed in its bleeding.
Taking control, I push them to get in the vehicle and snatch the keys from Ghin, who attempts to protest. I know the one place we can all go. Not only to get healed, but to give us a bit of respite from everything that has happened. I get in the driver’s seat and slam the door. Quickly, I turn the key in the ignition and whip out of brick city.
Chapter 9
La Morta Family
Kraken
I should’ve known that human had something up her sleeve when she’d approached us so confidently. I curse as I fight the long vines that attempt to squeeze the life from me. The others are using their magik in order to free themselves.
It’s like fighting a living, breathing monster as it continues to grow, thrashing back and forth. The air fills with the irony smell of blood. Rage fills my mind as I lose the fight against this patch of grass.
Ratnik’s face appears in my mind’s eyes. How close had I been to killing him. Now I’m being prevented from my goal by vines. Those vile purple-eyed bastards continued to breathe because I’m trapped here. I’m the rightful leader of the Drakin, me.
“Papa.”
Pain explodes from behind my eyes, a voice cutting through the cloud of rage in my mind.
“Daddy. Daddy.”
My temperature spikes as I’m dragged deeper and deeper into the depth of my subconsciousness. I squeeze my eyes shut against the false memory that tries to permeate my brain.
Grabbing ahold of my mind, I bite back a groan as my bones crack and creak. I will not give into it. My breathing grows harsher as I force my shift. My wings stretch and grow within the cage of vines.
As if sensing the danger of my change, the vines pile atop me, one by one imprisoning me tighter and tighter within its grasp, but nothing can stop me. With a roar, I push against them. The scent of blood dimming as smoke fills the air around me. Soon, I open my mouth wide enough to release a ball of flames.
Fire bellows out, covering me as well as consuming the vines. The screams of my minions increase steadily as my fire grows. I have one mission and that’s killing my enemies.
With a rending sound, I pull my shifted body from the vine’s hold and explode into the air. The wind whips and cuts against my scales as I release a screech of freedom. The sky is expansive.
The urge to keep going fills me, but I change back into my human form and land a few feet away from the crater where the vines had been born. Glaring at the sky as it opens up, pouring rain down upon me, I sneer.
“The woman is the key to the Drakins,” Burns says, his words nor his survival a surprise. I think back to the way Radu held the woman and smile.
“Yes, and once their Ratnik falls that will end their fight.”
“Indeed.”
Satisfied with our new strategy, we leave behind the screams from those still trapped within. Only the strong should survive. The weak can perish and feed the earth.
Deci
“You know, I’m not sure whether I should be happy you finally brought men home or worried.”
“How about moving out of the way so they don’t die at the door,” I snap as I glare at Astro.
As usual she’s wearing an apron stained with paints and her hair is piled high atop her head. A mass of curls carefully balanced on her crown. She narrows her eyes on me before slowly looking toward Radu who leans against me.
“Is Jaia here?”
She releases a huff and steps aside. “You know she is, as are the others. You used your gift, everyone felt it.”
I sigh, already knowing what’s waiting for me. “Are you sure we’re welcome?” Radu whispers in my ear, his voice pained.
“Of course.” The truth is, I can’t be too sure. It all depends on how my mother feels. She’s the one who could kick me out for not answering her text messages. “Just lean on me.”
I watch as the other three enter ahead of me before I follow them holding up Radu. I can tell he’s growing weaker as he steadily leans more and more against me. I say a quick thank you to my sister who shuts the door behind us. I use the last bit of my strength to get Radu to the living room before I’m jumped by my mother.
“Decima Anne La Morta.” Speak of the devil.
I lower Radu to the couch and attempt to smile as I turn around to meet the sharp eyes of my mother. Lesly Dusk La Morta is a fierce woman at five six. Her dark skin is still smooth, defying time. Her eyes are a brighter topaz compared to mine and my sisters.
“Fourteen texts and not one response,” she angrily hisses, her glare going from Radu to Civic, Branem, and Ghin. We left Orwain in the car to sleep after Ghin explained a concussion is something their kind can heal from with a simple nap. “And then you come home with this.” She returns her eyes to me. “Pissed doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel.”
Crossing her arms over her Nirvana T-shirt, she manages to look down her nose at me. “I would ask about the fact you aren’t wearing a shirt, but at this point—depending on how you answer—I might have a heart attack or flip you on your back.”
Did I mention my mother is the main reason I was forced into martial arts? I lift my hands in an effort to calm her down. “Mom, mom, look, I can explain everything after these guys get seen by Jaia.”
Her brows rise at my words, but I’m hoping her natural inclination to help people outweighs her urge to express her anger. She proves my hope right when she glances over her shoulder and yells, “Jaia, come help.”
“Coming.”
The cheerful response is followed quickly by the appearance of my cousin. When she enters, her eyes grow large immediately at the sight of the four men. Releasing a low whistle, she looks at me with amusement. “When you fuck up, you fuck up big.”
“Language, Jaia,” my mom chides.
“Shut up,” I snap.
With a wince, she sends my mom an apologetic look. She walks over to Ghin, who seems to become curious about my cousin the minute she stops in front of him. “Hello, little human,” he says.
Hearing this, she glances at me with humor and silently mouths his words. I shrug. “It’s their thing.”
Humming thoughtfully at this, she turns her attention back to Ghin. “Well, this little human is going to heal you, so don’t flinch, big guy.”
He doesn’t. Instead, he grins down at her. “I would sooner flinch if you stabbed me.”
Jaia scoffs at this. Copying my earlier gesture, she presses her thumb against her tooth and draws it across. The blood swiftly flows from the cut she makes and she presses it to her opposite hand, spelling out her full name.
Like me and all the other La Morta, she has a gift from her fairy tale, but Jaia’s is a rare one—even among our people. Her curse is based on someone who truly existed. Mom has joked that the curse of Mythos had been running out of stories to use. Either way, the woman had been a healer, which luckily means Jaia has the same gift.
I watch as she presses her hand gently against the burned side of Ghin’s face. I want to rush her, but I know it’s better for her to do the smaller injuries first. I glance at Radu, feeling my impatience grow.
Slowly, a cool mist leaves her hand, covering his face and hiding the bad burn from sight. Suddenly, like clouds breaking before the sun the vapor disperses to reveal his perfect features.
“There we go,” she says with cheer. “You’re all good now.”
Before she can remove her hand, Ghin captures it and smiles softly down at her. “I, thank you, little one.”
“Um.” Jaia looks at me nervously. “No problem.”
Seeing she’s anxious, I decide to speak
up. “Ghin, let my poor cousin go. She’s not good with your type.”
“Deci.”
I shrug at her look of annoyance. “What? It’s true.”
“My apologies.”
Ghin quickly let’s go of her hand, allowing Jaia to step away from him and move to Branem and Civic who take their healing in stride. When it comes to Radu—who’s remained mysteriously quiet—my breath hitches in worry. He’s not the type to remain quiet for so long. I’m tense hoping the wound isn’t so serious that he’s unable to recover and his silence is only making that worry grow.
Jaia kneels in front of him and looks him over. She frowns. “I can heal you, but it will take a lot of your own energy, you might sleep for up to three days. Is that okay?”
“I will sleep for a day,” Radu announces arrogantly, even as his breath comes out in short bursts. He looks from her to me. “Your cousin’s gift is similar to one of our own.” He turns his attention to the others. “As you’re already healed, go to Anaes and report our findings. Once I am done here, I will follow.”
The three give a short bow, before they prepare to leave. Ghin lingers for a moment to send Jaia a deep look that makes me a bit uneasy. He turns to leave with the others on his heels. Astro jumps quickly out of their way as they rush to the door.
“I like the big one,” she says as she stares after them. Groaning, I decide not to respond to her.
Radu gives his attention to Jaia. “I am ready.”
She gives him a somber nod, before reaching out to press her hand to his knee. His entire body is quickly covered by mist. Like before with Ghin the mist fractures and breaks, revealing a healed, but sleeping Radu.
Quickly, I take her place in front of him, removing the bandage from around his waist. A rush of relief runs through me, causing me to fall onto my bottom as my legs give out.
“Decima?” My family calls in unison.
“I’m fine,” I wave them back. “It’s just been a lot these last three days.”
The silence that meets my remark makes me look over my shoulder. “What?”
Instead of answering me, my mom claps her hands together. “Well, you can explain it all after you shower.” Her nose wrinkles in distaste. “And take care of those scratches.”
“Let me rearrange Mr. Giant here and then I will.”
She accepts this before she turns to exit only to stop short, throwing her next words out for Astro and Jaia. “Let’s leave Deci to it.”
They reluctantly follow her. I know they have questions for me, but I need some time before I can answer them.
Radu
“Radu.”
Hearing my name, I turn to face my father. He stands strong before me, the pale coloring that his skin had taken after his death gone.
“You’re dead.”
“As are so many of our people,” he says with sorrow in his eyes.
“I haven’t had a moments peace since I received notice that…”
I can’t release the words from my lips. For a Drakin to die not in battle, but by poison is shameful. Even during our uprising, the Drakins fought to have the freedom to die in battle. But my father hadn’t died this way, he’d been killed by a cup of tea.
“I have had to make peace with my ending. You, my son, have to make peace with it as well. You cannot fight your own kind. It is time to reconcile.
The anger inside of me grows. “Kraken is the one who planned your death. He is the one behind the plot along with the Magik Users who nearly annihilated our entire race,” I bellow angrily.
I inwardly curse the Magik Users who feel we’re nothing more than ingredients for their potions and labor for their fields. They are the reason the clans had to come under my father’s flag all those years ago. Day and night, we fought for our freedom, until we were left with the shameful choice to run.
If my people wished to live and prosper, we had to leave that place. I’d killed plenty of the Magik Users before my brother and I left along with our father. Their slick blood becoming rain as I fought to keep both women and children safe.
He shakes his head, his eyes holding so many words, but he only says to me, “You mustn’t hate him.”
He’s telling me once again not to hate my enemy, not to hate Kraken. I ball my hands into a fist. “You shouldn’t say that to me.”
“Our enemies are numerous. Too many to fight amongst our own kind.”
“No, it’s exactly why I must fight him. He’s the reason they’re here.”
My father only stares at me in silent judgment. My anger increases. “Why did you have to take him in? If you had never felt pity for him, this never would have happened. He wouldn’t be working with our blood enemy.”
Yet, they’re here. Instead of leaving us to our newfound peace, they have come after us. They truly intend to hunt our kind to the ends of the earth and Kraken is assisting them. This I can’t forgive.
“He has reasons for his actions as we all do.”
I look at my father in astonishment. His words are like a glitch in my brain as I try to process them. Kraken, more than any of us, should hate the Magik Users. They’re the reason he has no clan or family.
However, Kraken has no regard for himself. How could he care for his people? In every move he made, he opened himself to attack. Kraken is far smarter than what he’d shown then. The man fought with no care for his own safety. The only thing preventing him from dying was his prowess in fighting and speed. I cannot lie and say I’m surprised by his reckless use of strength.
I look at my father, caught between my duty as a Ratnik and my loyalty to my father’s memory. What he asks of me is too great a risk to our people. I turn around, giving him my back.
“I’m sorry, father, but I must protect my clan. If that means Kraken dies, then so be it.”
A layer of the blackness surrounding me lifts. The weight of my father’s absence presses heavily upon me. My resolve hardens.
I vow to perform my duty to my clan. Kraken showed me his weakness earlier. I could see clear as day that his flame had remained close to the surface the entire time, his eyes bisected like lizards and his teeth lengthening as the fight drew on. Kraken had lost not only his pride, but he’d also lost his honor. He has to be put down.
If it hadn’t been for Decima, I can’t be sure I would have made it. My mind turns to the memory of her form as she stood bravely before our enemies that clearly outnumbered us. Her hands hadn’t trembled, her voice had remained steady. My senses had been overwhelmed by the smell of her blood as she wove magic that allowed the birth of thorn vines that ate at the cement and rushed the men before us.
“Is he still sleeping?” Hearing this, more of the darkness slips away. I become alert to my surroundings.
“Yes, but the longer he sleeps the better he’ll heal, right?” Decima replies.
A voice I don’t recognize answers. “Yes, and the longer he sleeps the longer you have to explain to me what’s going on.”
“Isn’t what I told you already enough?”
I want to laugh, but instead I hold back. Sounds like my kitten is growing irritated with the other person’s questions. Her temper matches mine in shortness.
“Right, because hunting the same guy is the beginning and end. What about the part about him kidnapping you from work?”
“He didn’t really kidnap me, more like… borrowed me.”
“Deci.”
“Okay, okay, so, he kidnapped me, but that’s because he and his brother were trying to find their father’s killer.”
Silence meets that remark. “So, your law and order now.”
“Don’t be an ass.”
“Well, what am I supposed to say when you’re out there trying to live your best fantasy life? I mean Dragon people, c’mon.”
“Actually, I think it’s paranormal life.” A new voice adds.
“Lacey, it’s fantasy, there are Dragons involved.”
“No Astro, it’s paranormal. They’re shifters. Anything th
at changes from human to animal is paranormal.”
“That doesn’t explain the magic then.” Lacey’s voice turns smug. Apparently, this conversation has switched topics, I’m not sure what they mean by paranormal or fantasy anyway.
“Yes, it does. Discovery of Witches, Charmed, and The Lost Royals are considered paranormal.”
“Are you serious? Charmed had angels.” It seems this Astro female has reached the end of her patience for this particular conversation.
“Hey, I didn’t create the genre, also it’s in a city.”
“City?”
“Yeah, a city involved automatically makes it paranormal.”
“No, it doesn’t,” Astor argues, “it makes it urban fantasy.”
“Oh, for the love of god.” Deci cuts in. “Paranormal covers fantasy. Shifters or city, it’s all paranormal, then it breaks down from there, everyone knows this.”
“But… shifters?” Lacey insists, but it would seem my Kitten is done with the conversation.
“Enough, you guys wanted to know and now you do.” Decima’s voice cuts through the disagreement. “And now that you know and I’m done being thoroughly chewed out by mom, do you mind letting me have few minutes of peace?”
“Okay, but don’t think this is over,” the Astro female warns, before I hear a sigh of relief come from Decima.
The sound of slight movement clues me into the change of Decima’s position as she comes to my side, taking a seat on the edge of the couch I lay on. “I love them, but also want to strangle them,” she mutters under her breath. I feel the brush of her fingers along my brow.
“Now, I need to figure out what to do with you.” I wrap my arms around her waist, flipping us over so that she’s trapped beneath me. Her body aligned with my own. “Agh,” she yelps.
Her lips part as she stares up at me. We observe one another. “I can think of some things.”
