Caged Fire

by L M Preston

  The DJ was on stage with scantily clad dancers who kept the crowd pumped. EmVee had to stop herself from swinging her hips with the hypnotic tones of the EDM music. The crowd seemed to move in the same rhythm as the rising beats in the music. EmVee started bobbing her head to the song.

  That scent teased her again. She caught the movement of pale white curly hair with wisps of orange within it bopping through the crowd in front of her. Odd.

  The announcer, a tall guy, looked to be in his mid-twenties with a buffed chest and tank shirt with Deadly Sorrows Hype Man on it. He sauntered onto the stage. His dark skin was smooth, his eyes slanted and hair cropped. He had a charisma about him. His voice was strong as he started dancing, pumping his hands high.

  The crowd roared.

  “Hands up in the air. Hands up in the air. Now wave. Wave. Rage!”

  The kids bumped into each other with waved hands.

  “Louder! Louder! Pump that base.” The guy’s deep rumble filled the room without need of a mic.

  She couldn’t help herself; she started dancing until she spotted a pale, freckled, green-eyed boy. He was staring at her in curiosity. He turned his face side to side as if studying her and pondering if she fit in or maybe in challenge of her perusal of him. The crowd danced around him. He didn’t seem to be a normal part of it. Unlike most of the males in The Void, he was slender, not particularly fit, but more European sleek. He was handsome in a strange, weird way that made you want to follow him if only to get a closer look.

  The boy gave her a nod, lifted an eyebrow, and in a flash was gone.

  All EmVee could capture was the glint from a gold elongated tube that resembled a flute but had no holes. She frowned.

  “Are you ready? I got some Deadly Sorrows for you. Singing a new song. Something we’ve never heard.”

  The DJ pumped the music louder then slowly lowered the volume.

  Boom!

  Fireballs dropped from above the stage. The DJ’s stand and Hype Man were sinking into the stage floor, which lit up with a rainbow of colors in rhythm with the beats of the music. The crowd went wild cheering.

  Vents opened in the stage, slowly pulling the colored smoke within it.

  Kayson.

  The band. Each of them tall, dark, and handsome. Thick muscles, long hair—either in dreads or shaggy—just past their ears. All five of them were gorgeous and talented as they played their instruments. Guitars lighting up, drums illuminated, shoes stomping on the stage, changing the pattern of the rising colors, it was visually hypnotic.

  She blinked. They all wore rings. Soul Thief rings. EmVee dipped her finger into her bra. Tucked in a small pocket she’d sewn in it was the ring from her father’s bag. Something was wrong. Why would all the band members be Soul Thieves?

  Kayson’s tempo rose as did the music.

  He’d wrestled back her attention as if part of him knew she’d moved her gaze from him.

  Kayson ripped off his black T-shirt and tossed it into the vibrating crowd.

  EmVee’s mouth watered. Kayson bare chest was thick with a light trail of black hair leading downward. Black jeans hung onto his waist and shaped his strong legs that matched his sleek stride on the stage. Did he have a nipple ring? He did. It was bronze and black, hung with a design under the piercing.

  She gasped. He exuded raw male sexuality unhinged.

  The deep, rich song belted from his lips, rode the wave of rapid beats that grew more intense with each moment. His voice seduced the crowd, taking them on a ride, louder, deeper, more powerful, until it captured her.

  Every cell within her seemed to throb with the music—his voice, the words of longing, rage, and pain in his song. It was beautiful, dark, hopeful, and about her. His love for her, her contempt for him, his mistakes, his darkness, and his fight to get to the light of his soul.

  Tears leaked from her eyes unchecked.

  Kayson’s gaze fell on her as he uttered the last verse. “To love me is to own me, bonded forever.”

  The band members from Deadly Sorrows repeated it on the soft beat then repeated it again as the rhythm rose to a rapid dance pace.

  Then Kayson started a new song, jerking his gaze away from her and crooning to another group of girls in the audience about a dark wolf, a hunter, a savior, a broken one.

  Her Kayson.

  And the band played louder.

  The band played for about an hour. One of them glanced to the side of the stage frequently. She followed his gaze and saw Zagan. He was dressed in a white shirt, coal colored slacks, with a diamond earring in his left ear. He reminded her of a singer her mother loved named Seal. Except, Zagan’s face was smooth and dark like that of her father’s but with less bulk.

  He watched.

  The band members seemed to be waiting for something.

  Kayson appeared oblivious as he sang the final song, riling the crowd to a frantic pace in their dancing. It was almost as if he was pushing the band, capturing their attention, keeping them on edge. Musicians didn’t want to distort their music. Kayson was making them stay with him even though EmVee suspected they were aware of Zagan standing there.

  He was likely their mentor with his more mature appearance compared to their youthful ones.

  Kayson’s song ended; the entire club went black.

  Didn’t matter. EmVee could see and see well, thanks to Silas’ curse. She ran toward the stage, not holding back her strength as she pushed people out of the way. Kayson was fighting them—hard. The stage started to descend.

  The crowd went crazy; everyone was pushing to get out. Bombs were going off, and smoke filled the already dark space.

  EmVee leaped over rows of people onto the stage. She ripped off the dress, saying a silent apology to Megan. Prepared for a fight, she’d worn a form-fitting red body suit under the dress. Her knife was strapped to her thigh by a wrap sewn to it. Snatching it out of its case, she jumped down the descending platform amid the growls and muffled sounds of a scuffle.

  They were jumping him. Kayson refused to go down. They weren’t regular humans; they wore Soul Thief rings, and even though they stumbled in the darkness, their punches nearly landed. Kayson jumped out of their way, but the hits kept coming.

  “Get him!”

  “You’re gonna die!”

  “Killed my sister,” the blond guy ground out. He landed a punch to Kayson’s jaw. “Remember her, from your band?”

  “I didn’t do it!” Kayson ducked a punch.

  They didn’t notice EmVee. She landed in the corner of the elevator-like stage. She grabbed one of the assailants at the neck, wrapped her leg around his thigh to secure him, and silently choked him. He slammed her up against the wall. She forced the back of her knife into his open mouth when he tried to yell.

  “You scream, you get cut. Let’s go…relax,” she whispered in his ear. He froze temporarily. He must have been considering his options. EmVee wanted him to know he had none. She tightened her hold, careful not to break his neck. She pressed in, causing him to bleed. Then, she hit him with the base of her elbow, knocking him out.

  The guy dropped to the ground, and EmVee jumped down to get the next one.

  They had knives and were stabbing Kayson, still unaware of EmVee. It was just the way she wanted it. There were four more to go; they were strong and dirty fighters. EmVee smiled because so was she. Placing the knife back in the belt on her thigh, she crouched.

  She leaped on the back of one of the guys trying to get his turn at Kayson.

  “Ugh!” He tensed before pulling her up and throwing her against the wall. His attention turned to EmVee with rage.

  She smiled. “Come on, I’ve been waiting for a real fight.”

  He charged. Folding her arm, she landed a blow with her elbow. He bent forward. EmVee jumped, bending her leg around his neck, then brought the other up to snatch him down to the ground. Squeezing her legs, she grabbed his flailing arm with hers until his body went limp.

  Another came at her. She swayed
side-to-side then surged forward with a kick. She snatched him by the collar and head-butted him. He stumbled then righted himself to grab her by the neck. Though he was landing punch after punch, EmVee shook off each. No pain, only anger fueled her as he lifted her by the neck and slammed her against the wall.

  “Uh!” EmVee pressed her thumbs into his eyes as hard as she could. Then kneed him in the chest.

  He punched her in the stomach. She took his head and rammed into the wall behind her. Then jumped on his neck, slid her arm around it, and squeezed. He coughed and struggled, but EmVee didn’t let go until he fell limp.

  The wall opened to a corridor. Then the back wall slid open to reveal the thick woods surrounding the back of the club. A white van was there waiting.

  Zagan stood there clapping. “Enough! Get them to the van.”

  “No!” Kayson yelled.

  Zagan’s hand went up, and he laughed. Electricity formed from the middle of his palm. A burst of light came forth, hitting Kayson’s chest.

  EmVee ran, bent her legs, and slid a kick into Zagan’s stomach. The other guys were at her back.

  An abnormal growl escaped Kayson’s lips. He wiped the blood from his lip. The cracking of bone and the tearing of skin tickled EmVee’s ears. She kicked one assailant and sliced another with her knife. She dodged a blow from Zagan, and he ducked one of hers to land a kick into her chest.

  EmVee flew and hit the wall. Her head slammed back. The sharp pain caused bright dots to distort her vision, but she blinked them away.

  In the darkness that surrounded the white van, EmVee caught the glimpse of dark spots, similar to the ones that formed when shadow hounds were arriving.

  “Kayson! Shadow Hounds are coming.” EmVee kicked one and then another of the wannabe Soul Thieves. They kept recovering, even the ones she’d knocked out before.

  Kayson elbowed one and pivoted around to clash gazes with EmVee.

  He’d changed. His eyes were rimmed gold, the pupils large, his hands holding claws where his fingers once were, and his mouth was overrun with sharp teeth. His nose was wider and hair longer. But none of that frightened her as much as the fury within his gaze.

  “Don’t look at me. He’s behind you!” Kayson’s voice was deeper, ending in a snarl.

  A sharp pain hit her shoulder and was dragged down to her back. Zagan’s arm wrapped around her neck. “You have it? Did your father give it to you?”

  EmVee choked back a gasp from the pain. “What…are you talking about?”

  “Don’t play dumb. My ring glowed when you were present. It only does that if there is another Soul Thief ring nearby.”

  “He…wasn’t a Soul Thief. I don’t know…maybe a Soul Trainer’s blood is in me. That’s what you saw.”

  “No, I saw that too. The necklace is of no use to me. I am the recruiter for Soul Trainers. It’s the Soul Thief’s ring that will give me the power I need.”

  Kayson charged forward and punched Zagan’s face.

  Zagan stabbed EmVee in the leg.

  Her knee gave out. “Ugh!” Her eyes teared.

  “She doesn’t have a ring! Let her go. It’s me you want.” Kayson sliced a clawed hand at Zagan’s face.

  Zagan laughed. “No, it was her I wanted. The first time in the Vampire Province. You were a consolation prize. Something for my lady to pick apart.”

  “Your…lady? A Soul Trainer?” EmVee moved her foot to drag the knife she’d dropped close. Zagan grabbed her by the hair, tugging her under his chin.

  “Shut up! I will beat it out of you—kill you if I have to, but I will get that unclaimed ring.”

  “Take one from them! Your groupies,” EmVee spit; blood mixed with her saliva to land on the side of his face.

  Zagan’s eyes filled with rage, and he kept punching her over and over again. “Theirs are claimed. Unclaimed rings from a dead Soul Thief add power to a living Soul Thief.”

  EmVee pulled her weight downward, forcing Zagan to drop with her, then she reared up and hit him with her head.

  “The ring is claimed.” EmVee staggered, punching Zagan’s dropped head.

  His grip loosened, but he quickly recovered to tighten his arm around her neck. “You are strong, but you aren’t aware of what my ring can do.”

  “You have no idea of what I can do!”

  Letting anger fuel her strength, EmVee grasped Zagan around the neck, dropped her weight, pulling him with her. She jerked him downward to the left of her. His head smacked the cement floor. She elbowed his torso and crouched to land a kick to his thigh.

  “Shadow hounds coming!” Kayson growled.

  EmVee searched for him in the fray of Soul Thieves beating on him. They were piled on him, stabbing him with sharp stakes, and kicking him.

  Zagan flipped up then jogged to the truck and those creatures. He yelled to them in some language EmVee didn’t recognize.

  She ran toward him.

  Zagan turned. “Give me the ring your father stole!”

  EmVee stopped cold. “How do you know my father?”

  Zagan grinned. “Stop stalling. Give me the ring, and if you have the Soul Trainer charm, I’ll take that too.”

  “Where is my father?”

  Zagan chuckled. “He got what he deserved. I can help you. Tell me what you want.” His eyes narrowed, his smile curled up into a sinister mockery of his words.

  “Freedom?” Her voice was deep, feminine, yet different. It hurt to speak, as though with each octave, her throat was changing. Forcing the words out was painful.

  “If you survive this…” He threw a knife, piercing EmVee in the stomach.

  She coughed, the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth. Her eyes never left Zagan’s as she grasped the handle of the knife and yanked it out of her, letting the sting of it fuel her. A rumbling growl emitted from her chest, something that sounded like a hunter, even to her ears. It was soft but throaty and sinister.

  It was hers.

  She stepped toward Zagan, her vision crisper and clearer in the darkness. The creatures he’d summoned seemed to sense a change in her and weren’t moving as quickly in her direction as before.

  Even Zagan hesitated as he reached behind him, his eyes narrowed. “What are you?”

  EmVee snarled. Behind her, there was a stronger roar. Animalistic, angry, and it spurned something in her, a call, a demand, the change.

  Excruciating pain ripped through her. Cracking, ripping, blinding, it felt as though her body was imploding on itself, and something else was fighting to get out. She fell to her knees.

  Zagan threw the knifed star at her. One then another with flames of blue fire. EmVee didn’t know how she did it in her pain-ridden state, but her claw—once a hand—smacked the weapons away, which seemed to speed up the process of the change.

  The cracking of each vertebra of her back forced her on all fours. The shadow hounds attacked, jumping on her, biting and stabbing at her with their clawed hands.

  EmVee didn’t feel any of it. The burning heat from within was more than she could take. She was growing, expanding, widening, and she wasn’t alone in her mind. It was as if she was watching while the beast took over.

  The beast was angry, irritated and hungry—for anything, but especially the man standing near the van, bending in a challenge position.

  Did he want to play? He smelled good, not like the creatures. Those she’d tasted just because they were so close. The beast dipped lower then bit, tore, and threw one creature toward the wall. One scrambled away. Her beast leaped and crushed it to the floor with her fore paws. Its nails cut into the creature and the beast’s mouth opened twice its size to bite the head off of the squirming thing.

  The other creatures and humans bearing the tang of magic, littered the floor, already ripped apart by her alpha—the male. He was finishing off one last Shadow Hound. Her alpha smelled enticing, but she wanted food, and she’d get it for him. Her alpha could have the man after she’d killed it.

  Her beast leaped.
>
  Zagan charged with sword in hand, sliding under her huge form. A sharp cut to her underbelly made her howl.

  Her beast snarled and slashed its claws to rip into the man’s face beneath it.

  The alpha jumped over her, growled at her to stop, reached his forepaw, and dragged the food from beneath her.

  She snarled, sank to bite the limp body.

  The alpha howled louder, dropping low to lick her.

  Her beast whimpered at her alpha and slowly sat; its breathing calmed, and there was darkness.

  Someone was carrying her. She was cold, but he warmed her. His skin against hers was soothing; it comforted the aching all over her body. Blood, there was some, but it was dry, old, and stale. EmVee didn’t want it; the beast wanted to lick it away.

  EmVee woke with a gasp. “What? Where?”

  “I’m taking you to the van. Demi and Sax should be waiting there. Damn Megan never showed up.”

  Her arms tightened around Kayson’s neck. “Put me down.”

  She gulped, noticing Kayson didn’t have on a shirt, and his pants fit him loosely; they weren’t the ones he’d worn the last time she saw him.

  Kayson stopped and gave a nervous look around.

  “I’ll put you down, but don’t be mad. We can’t stay in this part of the woods long.”

  EmVee nodded then straightened her legs. They were bare. She had on a long shirt, and that was all. No bra and— “Kayson! Where are my clothes?”

  “Shh!” He put up his hands. “I got you a shirt.”

  EmVee pulled at the hem of the shirt. “But where are my clothes?”

  “They ripped off you when you—” He wiped his hand down his face. “—changed. That damned Megan, she set us both up to die.”

  “You don’t say.” EmVee took a deep breath. “Did we…did we turn into Silas?” Dread filled her chest, and her stomach felt nauseous.

  “No, we didn’t bite him or the others and secrete the gene to feed. If we had, that could’ve changed things.”