His bear bellowed, and he let it take charge. His form shifted smoothly, and he threw the lion off. Zack rebounded quickly. Daniel was just able to deflect the charge. Rage fueled him as he rammed his body into the smaller lion. He bit down on Zack's shoulder, but the cat slipped out of his grasp and flung himself around, unsheathing his claws to strike across Daniel's face.
The blow had his head reeling, but Daniel shook it off. He reared back on his hind legs and when Zack dodged in, he let his whole weight crash down onto the lion. Bone snapped. Zack wheezed. Daniel dug his claws into the lion's belly and tore at his flank while Zack buried his teeth into Daniel's thigh.
There was no subduing him. Daniel let more of his weight crush the lion. If he didn't kill Zack, he'd be dead. A brief moment of regret flashed across his mind, but he shoved it aside as he wrenched his head to one side, ripping off a strip of fur.
"Stop it!" Mandy screamed. "Just stop!"
Daniel did, for just a fraction. His distraction cost him. Zack squirmed his way out from underneath the bear. Daniel turned and bit at his neck, but the thick mane prevented him from getting a good grasp. Zack head-butted him in the chest. A wave of pain blacked everything out as his injuries all screamed at once. Daniel stumbled back, gasping for breath. He struck out blindly, knocking Zack away.
"Zack, stop. Please! Please!"
The lion ignored Mandy as he advanced on Daniel. The bear kept his face towards his enemy, struggling to find an advantage point. The fight with the wolves and now the lion was catching up to him. Adrenaline and rage could no longer sustain his attack.
With a scream, Zack leaped over his head. He twisted mid-air and landed heavily on Daniel's back. Sharp teeth sunk into the base of his skull.
"No!"
A streak of green light shot through the air. It hit Zack squarely, blasting him off Daniel's back. The bear turned and threw himself at the lion. He grabbed Zack's face in his mouth and pressed his paws down on the lion's throat. He shook his body as hard as he could, wrenching the lion's head first one way then another. A snap. Claws frantically digging into his body. Then stillness.
Daniel dropped Zack and stumbled back, watching the lion closely. There was no movement. A wave of exhaustion had him collapsing to the ground. Zack was dead. Mandy was safe again–for now.
But now it would just be her and him against the vampire. Stupid lion couldn't even wait until the world was safe before he went crazy.
His head spun, and black waves washed over him. It took several minutes for the pain and nausea to recede enough for him to look for Mandy. The witch stared at him, face ashen, hands pressed to her mouth. He shifted and opened his mouth, but before he could speak Mandy stumbled away. She collapsed against a tree and vomited.
"Mandy," he said, but another wave of pain hit him and he had to drop back to all fours and just breathe until it passed.
When he could see again, Mandy was sitting at the base of the tree, staring at him. He stared back, not sure what to say. He hated the tears running down her face, hated that he was the one to cause her so much pain.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
"S-sorry?" Her eyes widened. "You saved me. What do you have to be sorry about?"
Daniel gestured helplessly at the body. "I shouldn't have let it end up like this. I should have been stronger."
New tears rolled down Mandy's face. She rushed to him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Salty kisses pressed against his face over and over again.
"You can't be everywhere. You're doing what you can, that's enough." Another kiss to his mouth, long and slow this time. "That's enough."
No-one had ever told him he was enough before. He clung to her, soaking in her strength. He was always used to having to be the strong one and maybe between the two of them he was… but that didn't mean that she was weak. That didn't mean he had to be invincible.
He buried his face into her shoulders. A lump rose in his throat and his eyes burned. He hated this, hated having to kill. Even if the lion deserved it. Maybe he was known for a temper he long since tamed, but that didn't mean that violence came easily to him.
Mandy carded her fingers through his hair, letting him be vulnerable, letting him be weak, without judgment. It was like the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders.
"It's okay," Mandy whispered again and again. "It's okay."
Eventually, the shaking of his body stopped. He held her for a moment longer, then pulled away. The pain was still lancing through his body, he managed to get to his feet. His injuries would heal. He just needed a good night's sleep and some food. Mandy wrapped her arm around his waist as she stood with him. The teeth marks in her chest still oozed blood, and there were dark circles under her eyes, but they couldn't stay here. The noise from the fight and the scent of Zack's dead body would bring their enemies.
"We need to kill her," Mandy whispered. "We have to go back and kill her."
Daniel's grip on her tightened. "Yes," he agreed. "We do. But for now, we need to find a safe place to rest, so that we have the strength for it."
Mandy nodded. Her red hair stuck to her sweaty skin, eyes red and swollen from crying. She was so beautiful. Daniel's resolve hardened again. He would do whatever was necessary, even die, to protect her. He ran his fingers over her cheek, wondering when his feelings had gotten so deep. It wasn't like they had known each other for a long time. He was always under the impression that it took a long time to fall in love.
But maybe that was just because he hadn't met the right girl before.
Slowly they left the clearing. Every step made Daniel feel like he was going to pass out, but he refused to give in. He and Mandy leaned against each other as they shuffled through the forest. At some point, her legs gave out and he carried her, despite her protests. He made his way to the river and walked down it for a few miles before climbing out again.
There was no completely safe place to find rest, so eventually, Daniel stopped in a patch of rose bushes. The thorns dug into him, but they would also provide a measure of protection against their enemies. He pulled Mandy into his arms. Her head fell against his chest, and soon she was snoring softly. Daniel fought the sleep pressing against his eyes. He needed to stay awake in case their enemies came on them in the night.
But in the end, it was futile. His injuries and exhaustion got the upper hand, and he drifted off.
Chapter Thirteen
Mandy
Mandy woke in the morning feeling crusty and disgusting. There was the taste of bile in her mouth. She tried to swallow it down, but only ended up choking. Her coughing woke Daniel, who jumped to his feet with raised fists and a growl in his throat.
"I'm okay," she rasped. "I just need water."
Daniel slowly lowered his hands and looked down at her. He nodded once and helped her to her feet. He was even more crusted with blood than she was, and she ducked her head as her eyes burned. Zack was dead. He was going to rape her, and now he was dead. Her head spun, hardly able to believe either one of those statements.
Do I have that bad of instincts that I didn't see that coming? she wondered, then shuddered. Was he under Eleanor's enthrallment?
There was no answering that. She knew she would never get an answer, and it made her heart clench. But as much as she hated that Zack had to die, she couldn't help but feel a tiny bit of relief. What sort of woman did that make her? Or was that her instincts telling her that Zack would never have left her alone, and it would have ended badly no matter the situation?
She pressed her fingers to her temples and tried to push it aside, even as her stomach still churned.
"There's a stream this way we can wash up at," Daniel said, stroking the back of her hand with her hand.
His injuries had healed, or at least the visible ones had. Her own wounds were better but still tender. Sleeping had done wonders for both of them. Her healing magic was topped up again, so she made sure to divert some of it to her chest and ribs.
They made their wa
y through the forest, climbing over logs and ducking under branches. The river was cold but refreshing. Mandy took off her clothing–the skirt was so torn and dirty there was no saving it–and let the healing water clean her body. The area around Daniel turned pink as he scrubbed himself, but it was quickly washed away.
Her stomach clenched at the thought of going through that all again. Fighting Zack had been bad enough. What if when they went to kill Eleanor she ended up fighting her own mother? She rinsed her red hair in the water, trying to cover up her shuddering as just being cold.
"We'll need to find things to eat as we go back," Daniel said. "We will also get a vehicle again. We need to get this done before more of Eleanor's thralls find us."
Mandy nodded slowly. She gazed at his magnificent body, and an overwhelming desire to be against him, to feel his strength coursing through her, to remind herself that she was alive, welled up in her. She struggled against the river's current toward him and grasped his big bicep when she was close enough. Her hand looked tiny in comparison to his bulging muscles. Well, she was tiny compared to him.
Daniel looked down at her, and she could see her desire reflected in his eyes. Her body started to grow warm, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Daniel lifted her from the water and kissed her. The rushing river beat against him, but he stood strong while he held her by her thighs, her legs circling his hips. A feeling of safety washed over her, letting her fears melt away, if only for now. Goosebumps were all over her skin from the cold river, but Daniel was so warm she didn't mind.
He carried her to the edge of the river, where he gently laid her down on a bed of moss. It tickled her back, but she soon forgot about that as Daniel closed his mouth over her pebbled breasts, one at a time until they had softened from his warmth only to harden again with desire. Mandy carded her fingers through his damp hair, loving the silky, smooth texture.
He buried his face into her skin and she pulled him closer. Was he thinking about what they had to do? Maybe it wasn't a good idea to expend their energy like this.
"We don't have to if you don't want to," she said.
A chuckle answered her. "Not want to? You're crazy, woman. I need you. Before this all goes to hell."
He moved back to her mouth, giving her a scorching kiss that left her breathless. His huge body caged her. She trailed her hands down his body, exploring the contours of his muscle. Her fingers followed the defined V beneath his sculpted abs. She could hardly reach, but when her fingers wrapped around him, he gave out a guttural groan. Mandy smiled, loving that she would have such an effect on him.
"On your back," she ordered.
She gave a little tug, and he rolled over so quickly she was thrown to his other side. Daniel's eyes widened in worry, but he relaxed when she started to laugh. The chuckles made his chest rumble, and Mandy quickly took the opportunity to suck him into her mouth. His back arched towards her and he let out a mighty groan that had everything inside her tightening even more.
"Mandy," he moaned, and she loved the sound of her name on his lips.
What she wasn't expecting was for him to clasp a meaty hand over her thigh and pull her over him so she was straddling his chest. His hand cupped between her thighs, and a shiver ran down her spine. Her eyes fluttered closed.
"Do you like that?" he asked, his voice husky.
She moaned in response as she took him deeper. He responded by sliding a finger into her, and it was all Mandy could do to keep focused on her task. His fingers were quick and huge, awakening a response in her that a hand had never been able to do before. She whimpered in her throat as everything tightened even further inside of her.
She wasn't sure if it was her or Daniel who was trembling when he grasped her hips again. He spun her around like she weighed nothing and lifted her into the air when her knees were at his hips. He held her in place there, both of them panting as they shared a deep kiss. He entered smoothly and laid back.
Mandy moaned as zings of pleasure shot through her. Daniel held her tight as he started a rhythm that she struggled to keep up with. Her hands pressed into his chest as she leaned over him, moving her body with his. Her breath burst out of her in little cries.
Their movements became more desperate, coming together and breaking apart like the swells on the ocean, desire darkening their gazes as their mouths clashed. Tongues plundered each other's mouths. Mandy's body was wound tight, muscles clenching, everything inside of her begging to be undone, to welcome the blissful thoughtlessness of becoming fully one, bodies and souls merging.
His hands slipped between their bodies, finding their target quickly. Everything inside of Mandy snapped at once. Her head fell back. Her jaw hung slack. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head. Warmth spread throughout her whole body. She collapsed over Daniel and he kept moving for several moments before he, too, was still.
Eventually, Daniel eased her off of him but remained holding her on the bed of moss. Mandy's eyes grew heavy, and she was almost able to forget about their grim mission. She knew they needed to get up and get moving again, but leaving this moment, with the two of them locked in each other's arms, felt like an insurmountable task.
If only she had the magic to freeze time. She would stay here forever, with the coolness of the river washing over her, Daniel's warmth comforting her. The sound of water and birds in her ears. If she closed her eyes, she could pretend that this was all there was to the world, that she was the fabled First Woman and Daniel the First Man that so many cultures told tales of. They could start their own lineage, just the two of them.
Daniel ran his fingers through her hair. "Are you afraid?"
Mandy licked her lips and shrugged. "Yes. I know we have to do this, but I'm afraid that we'll fail… I'm afraid that I'm going to have to fight my mother. I'm afraid that she's already dead."
His arms tightened around her, and she remembered that his brother was also Eleanor's captive. A shiver traced down his spine. What if they went through all of this, only to find that Eleanor had already destroyed everything they loved?
"We're not going to fail," Daniel whispered, his voice full of steel despite the low volume. "We are going to destroy that vampire, once and for all. The world will never see her again."
That was the cue for them to reluctantly pull away from each other. Mandy glanced at her clothes and sighed. She hated putting them back on, but she didn't like the idea of walking around naked, either. As she dressed, she glanced at Daniel. His hard jaw was locked in determination, eyes gazing eastward with a glint of steel in them.
A rush of warmth washed over her. She opened her mouth to tell him the thoughts going through her mind but closed it again. Every time she told somebody that she loved them before they told her, it ended badly. She fell in love too quickly, or so she had been told, and she didn't want to have to go through that again. So she kept her mouth closed, and turned her mind back to saving the world.
"I won't fail again," Daniel muttered, hands clenching. "This time, I won't fail."
Mandy touched his arm. "You've never failed."
He looked down at her. Once more, Mandy wanted to tell him that she loved him, but again she bit down on her tongue. Eventually, he nodded and shifted. She climbed onto his back and they turned back towards the vampire–and quite possibly their doom.
Chapter Fourteen
Daniel
He expected more hesitancy from Mandy as they approached her coven again but her jaw was set, eyes determined, and she showed no sign of backing down. From what Zack had said, they hoped that Eleanor would still be there. It would be a hassle to make the earth mages travel to a new location just to kill them, wouldn't it?
They reached the town around noon but didn't dare enter right away. Instead, they kept to the forest, hiding and watching. When night fell, they crept from their hiding place, keeping to the shadows. They hadn't seen Eleanor, but that didn't mean she wasn't still there. The town was far too still, clearly indicating that som
ething wasn't right.
The first thing they did was break into a house at the edge of the coven and change into dark clothes. The ones that Daniel found ran a little too tight, but it was the best they could do. Then they slipped back outside.
"We need to find the earth mages," Mandy whispered.
Daniel shook his head. "Even if we find them, chances are Eleanor still has them enthralled. We need to take her out first."
She shuddered but nodded. "Where will she be, though?"
"She considers herself a queen."
"City hall," Mandy said instantly. "It looks a little bit like a castle."
Daniel nodded. "Lead the way."
They slipped through the streets, sticking to the edges of houses and avoiding street lights. Eventually, they came to city hall, the largest, most impressive building in the town. It was made all of stone, with stained glass windows that were more reminiscent of a cathedral than a castle. The clock in the large, domed tower read eleven. The streets were utterly empty, but there were dozens of people standing outside of the hall, staring inwards.
Daniel recognized several alphas in the group. Bear, wolf, coyote. So many of them. His blood ran cold. The vampire controls all their packs, even if she didn't have physical control over each individual. All she needed was the alphas to start her war to destroy the shifters.
It couldn’t come to that. They had to find and kill her before she had a chance.
"Look at the way they're staring. She must be in there," Mandy whispered.
He slipped his hand in hers. "Are you ready?"
Grim-faced, she nodded. She glanced up at him and swallowed hard. "Are you? Even if worse comes to worse?"
He pressed his mouth to hers, trying not to think about how he might find his little brother. "I am ready."
Daniel tensed, preparing to shift and attack, but Mandy pulled him back. Her eyes were wide. "Wait. I have an idea. The earth mages are being held, right? Well, what if they are in there?"
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