by Harper Wylde
Damien shifted us, angling himself into me to deepen his strokes, and when he plunged forward once again, I screamed.
“Damien!” I held on to his name as stars exploded behind my eyes. I’d never felt so good, so incredibly free, and I absorbed every radiant, ethereal thing I was feeling as I flew. My chest heaved with every unsteady, gulping draw of air I pulled into my lungs. When I finally floated dreamily back down to earth and opened my eyes, I saw pure happiness reflected back at me from the faces of my mates.
This feeling, this indescribable emotion, was what I lived for. No matter what we had to face, no matter what challenges the future held… it was this moment right here that would carry us through.
Nine
Nix
I flopped to the ground with sweat rolling off my body, and my chest aching as I dragged in huge gulps of air. “I’m done,” I gasped, letting the snow melt into my heated skin. My Phoenix chirped happily in my head—she wasn’t nearly as exhausted as I was from the training. She actually enjoyed it, loved feeling her own strength and showing off for her mates.
“Back on your feet, Nix,” Killian called, grunting as he traded blows with Damien. I turned my head to watch the pair of them dancing across the snow, their sweat-soaked shirts molded to their frames as they blocked and kicked.
“Nah, I’m good,” I yelled with a wave. “This show is better.” Killian stumbled, only barely managing to deflect a hit as he shot me a look that, from this distance, I couldn’t name as amusement or reproach.
“Come on, mikró pouláki.” Ryder held out a hand, pulling me back to my feet and waving a hand toward the targets I had been busy shooting fireballs at. It was physically draining, especially when I alternated self-defense moves with each attack, but it was also boring.
“We’ve been at it for hours,” I pointed out, brushing off the snow that hadn’t melted yet. “Isn’t it time for a break?”
“We’ll do dinner in a little bit.” Joshua stepped up behind me, patting my shoulder gently. I could feel the others tense, Ryder’s smile turning a bit forced at the edge as he watched the other man with wary eyes. I sighed, exasperated. This new revelation had been hard on us all, but it was draining to have to continue playing peacemaker between them. Learning about Joshua, and exploring my feelings for him, would have been hard enough. Add in not just one, but five territorial mates? It was more of a nightmare than a dream right now.
“How about a bet?” Ryder wheedled, drawing my attention back to him, the sparkle coming back into his eyes. The others stilled, drawing closer as they listened to our exchange, and my lips twitched. I wondered what they would ask for in return if they won.
“What kind of bet?” I inquired warily, though I warmed a little at the remembrance of a Twister session. I doubted we were all at that point yet, and I wondered if we would ever be. This was far more awkward than I would have ever anticipated.
“How about combat?” Surprisingly, it was Damien who made the suggestion. “It’s easy to see you’re getting bored. Why don’t we try switching it up?”
“Careful, D,” Killian growled. Damien shot him a look.
“She’s going to need to know how an actual battle goes. She can practice all she wants on targets, but it’s only going to do her so much good. She has the skill, now we need to start other kinds of training,” Theo chimed in with a shrug. I sent the Kraken a soft smile, enjoying the way he blushed.
“I can heal any wounds they create,” Ryder added. “It’d be better if I wasn’t the one to fight against her.”
“I’ve been doing martial arts for years,” Killian protested. “We all outweigh her by a solid fifty pounds or more. How exactly do you think this is going to work?”
“Have her fight in her alter,” Joshua suggested quietly. When the others glared at him, he shrugged. “If she does end up in a real battle situation, fighting in her alter will give her the best chance at both survival and victory. Few can follow her, so flying is a necessary skill. You’re right, she will probably be much smaller and less experienced than those she’s fighting. Her Phoenix will give her an advantage in that sense. Add to that, her Phoenix’s powers will be strongest when she’s let free, it makes the most sense.”
“We’re not going to experiment with the two of you again,” Killian snarled. “You killing her once was enough.” Joshua winced as though he’d been punched.
“Killian!” I walked to him, reaching up to frame his face. “That’s not fair and you know it.” I met each of their eyes in turn. “We set that up. We planned for me to die there. We did it, and you know the reasons. It was my choice. Our choice. No more blaming him for doing exactly what we wanted him to do. He’s part of this group now… in some way.” I blushed at the possibilities, but continued, seeing hope rising in Joshua’s eyes. His expression was intense and pleading, and, taking a deep breath, I approached him and brushed a light kiss on his cheek. “I don’t know yet what he and I will be to each other, but I can tell you he’s a friend. I’ll protect him like I do all of my friends, and I know he’ll protect me in return. And that protection extends to all of you as well.” I arched a brow. “Okay?” I didn’t want this to turn into a fight, but there had to be some give from the guys if we were ever going to make this work. No one answered, but I received a few nods from Theo and Damien.
“How about Damien?” Theo was studying each of us, as if weighing us out.
“Me?” Damien asked in surprise, rubbing at the back of his neck.
Theo shrugged. “We won’t put her up against Joshua, and Ryder needs to be able to heal you so he’s out as well. I obviously can’t shift and battle her. Killian’s Puca specializes in defense, and we want her to have an active battle, so he’s not the one we call.” Killian growled and I reached over to stroke a hand down his back. I knew he was sensitive about that, although I hoped he’d realize how important his role actually was. “Besides, you’re able to fly. She needs experience with an aerial battle in the event she meets another foe who has the same skills. It’s a lesser known skill set, but she’s far from the only mythological who’s able to do it. So that rules out Hiro as well, for now.”
“You want me to fight Damien? As his Gargoyle?” I knew my hesitation was clear on my face, though my Phoenix hissed at me for my doubts. How could I not have doubts though? Damien’s Gargoyle was impenetrable. “So, what if I lose?” I questioned cautiously, and I didn’t miss the way Killian’s skin went pale at my question.
“More practice,” Theo stated, and from the way the others scowled at him, I was sure that wasn’t the answer they had in mind. “We’re trying to prepare for a war. If she can’t beat Damien, she’ll need it. It’s for her own safety.” Theo scowled back and I saw some of the other guys’ expressions ease as they realized Theo’s infallible logic. “Longer practices, more often, for at least two months.”
“Two months!” The words were a squeak as I gaped at him. “What the hell would I win?”
Ryder sighed, shoving his hand through his hair. “Dealer’s choice.”
I cocked my head to the side, considering. What could I ask for? My first thought was demanding they accept Joshua, even if only as a friend. I knew it wasn’t logical though. They didn’t know him as well as I did. It would take time for all of us to get on the same page, to see each other as a united group. A memory of a conversation with Rini tickled the back of my mind and I smiled. “You all have to show off for me. Put together a talent show. Together. As a group.” I shot a pointed look at Joshua. “Even if it’s not one act, it can be multiple, but you have to communicate and work together.” Taking in the looks of shock and horror ranging across their faces, I shrugged as a blush worked its way over my cheeks. “Rini told me you guys know how to dance. I’ve always wanted to see if she was right.”
Killian glared at Damien. “No, there’s no way this is happening. We’re not going to fight, Nix,” he snarled, his anxiety clear in his tense jaw and taut muscles.
“And
who else would she train with?” Ryder challenged. “If she doesn’t fight one of us, she’ll never learn the art of combat. It’s us or nothing, and nothing isn’t really an option.”
Killian growled, started pacing, and scrubbed a hand down his face as he mumbled to himself.
The guys started ignoring Killian, but I couldn’t take my eyes off of him as he visibly struggled to come to terms with my training. I didn’t understand. Killian was usually all for pushing me harder and making sure I was as prepared as I could be when it came to self-defense.
“Rules,” Theo declared. “One on one fight, no interference.” He looked at Damien pointedly. “Try not to strike to kill, of course. The first one incapacitated, or to surrender, loses.” I nodded my acceptance, and Damien mimicked the motion.
“Please,” Killian begged, with a hint of desperation I’d never heard from him before.
“What’s going on, Abra?” My question hung softly in the air between us, and Killian finally turned toward me, his eyes tortured, reflecting an ache that nearly stole my breath.
“I’ve seen this before.” He waved a hand toward the backyard. I was confused, but apparently I wasn’t the only one.
“What do you mean?” Theo tried to decipher the Puca’s strange mood.
“The fight. I’ve seen it happen before.” Killian carefully enunciated, and it finally clicked.
“You’ve had a vision of Damien and I fighting?” I questioned in disbelief. “Why wouldn’t you tell us that? Why is this the first time we’re hearing about it?”
“I wasn’t sure I should share it when I didn’t even know what it meant. But now I do.” Killian ran a hand through his hair, tugging harshly at the red strands. “It’s this training session.”
“What exactly did you see happen?” Theo crossed his arms and leveled a hard look at Killian, appearing unhappy that Killian had chosen not to share something important with the group. I’d seen that look before and it wasn’t fun to be on the receiving end of it. I wanted to go to Killian, wrap my arms around him and make him feel better. I fought the urge, however, needing to hear what he had to say.
When he was done filling us in, Theo sighed. “It’s a risk. However, we don’t know if your visions are absolute or can be altered.” Theo turned toward me. “I think we need to leave this decision to Nix and Damien, since they were the ones Killian saw in his vision.”
I sighed and eyed a wary Damien, then said, “Much worse could befall me. We’re joining the rebellion. We always knew that meant we were joining a war. Ryder’s here to heal me if I get hurt and vice versa. We can’t live our life in fear of your visions, never knowing if they’ll come true or not. All we can do is our best to prepare for the worst. I need to hone my fighting skills in my Phoenix form. I think it’s a chance we take.”
“Nix is right, as much as it pains me to think about hurting her in any way,” Damien chimed in, but I saw the indecision in his eyes. “If she wants to train, I’ll train her.”
“It will be alright, Killian,” Theo interjected, trying to soothe the riled Puca.
Killian grumbled, “I don’t like this,” but he stepped back, taking his opinion out of the equation.
“Alright, let’s do this. The sooner I win, the sooner you guys have to perform,” I joked, trying to lighten the mood. Hiro chuckled, Theo smiled, Ryder grinned widely, Joshua shook his head, clearly amused, and Killian grunted. Damien stretched his arms and cracked his neck before starting to undress for his shift.
I glanced at Joshua beside me, blushing slightly as I realized I’d need to strip. Color mantled Joshua’s cheeks as well, and he cleared his throat hurriedly. “I’ll, uh, make sure we have water for them,” he declared, striding across the training ground to dig through the water bottles Ryder had ingeniously stuck in the snowbank. I hurriedly pulled my clothes off, tossing them aside so I had room to shift.
I wanted to stare at Damien as he tugged his soaked shirt over his head, exposing all of that hard, tanned muscle, but I focused on my shift instead, letting my Phoenix pull forward in a wave of heat and flame. She chirped and cooed, ruffling her feathers and straightening her wings. Excitement poured through us both. She was thrilled with the idea of challenging one of our mates and showing them just how strong she was.
“So gorgeous.” Joshua’s comment was so quiet I nearly missed it, his tone almost worshipful as he gawked at us. My Phoenix preened, and I would have been blushing if I was still in my human form. The tingle of magic raced over us, and I knew Damien had shifted as well. He spread his wings wide, stretching them as the others stepped away, leaving only us in the center of the training yard.
“Ready?” Theo called.
The Gargoyle nodded, his sharp teeth appearing as he smiled at me. My Phoenix ruffled her feathers, not waiting for the all clear call before she shot into the air at a speed that would’ve made me dizzy as a human. Chuckles floated up from the ground as I weaved through the air, the chill of it on our feathers thrilling. Damien followed us, his wings flapping hard to keep his heavier body aloft.
“Go!” I wasn’t sure who had called that one out, but we shot up into the air, analyzing Damien as we danced around each other, both darting and weaving without striking a blow. I felt a tickle in my mind, and knew Damien must be searching for cracks in my wall, wanting to whisper to me, to see what I was going to do next. I made sure my walls were solid, and I tried to think of any way I could possibly win this. My Phoenix let out a blast of fire, hot enough that I winced, worried about Damien. He didn’t seem to feel it, his rocky hide still completely unmarked. My Phoenix chirped her annoyance, and blasted him again and again as we darted through the sky. Damien gave chase.
It’s not working. I pushed the thought at her, trying to force her to communicate. His skin is too hard, we’re not going to be able to melt it. Irritation was clear in my thoughts as she lashed out again. I knew that every shifter had a weakness, it was only logical, but I hadn’t really taken the time to learn what my mates’ weaknesses were. I had focused on their strengths, and now I was regretting that. What were Gargoyles weak against? Silver, of course, but it wasn’t like I had any of that on me at the moment. Clearly not fire. Damien lunged at us, reaching out as if to pull us into his arms, and I only barely managed to spin away.
“Be careful with her!” Killian roared up at us. I squawked an irritated reply. Killian had been the one to mainly train me. Did he not think I could defend myself? Or possibly even win?
Pride flared up inside me, along with a rapid curiosity. Whatever the hell Damien’s talent was, it had to be good—or very, very bad—for him to be this insistent on not showing it to me. I couldn’t lose this. I knew Damien was probably holding back, fearful of hurting me if he hit me at full strength, hence why he focused on catching me instead. I wondered briefly if he was holding back his speed, but my Phoenix poured disbelief into that. We had gotten strong enough that we were nearly as fast as he was, something I hadn’t even realized until now.
“Come on, Nix!” Joshua cheered from the sidelines. Ryder joined in, whooping as we darted in to peck at Damien’s chest before sliding away again. He was fast, but we were smaller and more agile, sliding away from the tips of his fingers as he tried to grasp us.
“Be careful!” Of course it was Hiro who would call that out in the middle of a fight.
He has to have a weakness. I pushed the thought to my Phoenix. How were we weak? The thought flashed through my head and my Phoenix hissed, an image of our wings blasting into my mind. Of course. Our wings. I studied Damien intently as he continued trying to get close enough to grab us, earning pecks and burns for his trouble. I doubted they caused him any true discomfort, since they didn’t even mark his thick skin, but it was distracting for him, enough to let me plan. How do we get to his wings though? And what part of his wings? Again, my Phoenix had the answer, showing me an image of where they connected to his back. The joints there didn’t look as protected as the other parts of his wing, maybe d
ue to the need to move and fold so freely. The question was, how did we reach them?
Frustration began to build inside of me as we tried to dart around him. It was too risky to get close to his hands, and I was running out of energy and time. If I could just slow him down! As I thought the words, I felt heat work its way through me, a disconcerting wave blasted forward out of my control and I screamed, the sound echoed by my Phoenix’s screech. Damien didn’t seem to be injured in any way, aloft in the air in a solid piece, and I nearly sobbed in gratitude before the realization hit. He wasn’t moving. None of them were moving.
Did we freeze them? I asked my Phoenix in awe. She chirped and warbled, pride surpassing her confusion, as she darted around behind Damien. She was as competitive as I was, and happy we had managed to gain the upper hand. Not too much, I warned, reining her in as she built up a blast. He could be really hurt. She grumbled her agreement, a sense washing over me that she’d never truly harm our mate and she was irritated with me for even suggesting it, before letting loose a small, concentrated set of flames right into his wing joints, as she clasped her clawed feet onto each wing.
Damien roared, the stillness that had taken hold of the clearing suddenly breaking as we fell toward the ground. We leapt away, beating our wings hard to stay aloft as Damien hit the ground hard. The ground shook and snow fell from the treetops to scatter over the others as they all gaped open-mouthed at Damien. Ryder was the first to come to his senses, possibly due to my plaintive chirping, and run to Damien’s side. With his hand outstretched and glowing lightly, he reached down to heal the burns I had caused.
“How the hell did she do that?” Killian asked, his green eyes wide with awe as he studied me. I settled softly onto the ground, my Phoenix preening as she flipped her feathers.
