“I’m fine.” Elizabeth removed herself from the embrace without returning the gesture. “I’ve come to check on you and Jack to make sure they’re keeping their end of the bargain.”
“What bargain?” Abigail took a step back, finally noticing Elizabeth’s appearance. “What are they doing to you?”
“I was promised that you would be kept safe as long as I trained under Leah,” Elizabeth recited. Dark bags hung under her tired eyes. “They haven’t hurt me. She’s teaching me what my power really is.”
“What does that even mean?” Abigail looked to Jack for help. “You can’t tell me you’re okay with this. Once the queen—”
“The queen already knows about all of this!” Elizabeth laughed out loud. There was no joy in the act. “Leah Noble and Queen Eckert are sisters. There’s no help coming for us. And to be honest with you, I’ve learned a lot about who I am already.”
“Elizabeth.” Jack shook his head, trying to understand why the queen would approve of these actions. “Remember who you are. Magic can do strange things to your mind, especially the kind of magic that Leah is using. That power can be intoxicating.”
“For the first time in my life I know who I am.” Elizabeth’s voice took on a deeper tone. Her red hair began to shine like fire in the illumination of the mage light. “I’ve always been that strange girl. Once I was used as a lab rat by Doctor Livingston’s men, I was labeled as a lunatic. And you know what? I’m okay with that. Maybe that’s just what I am.”
“No.” Abigail went to her sister and took both of her hands in her own. “Elizabeth, you’re not a weirdo or a lunatic. You’re my sister. I know how much you have to give to the world, and it’s full of laughter and hope, not this dark magic.”
“She said you’d say that.” Elizabeth ripped her hands from Abigail’s grip. “She said you’d want me to be what I was before. But I’m not that person anymore, Abigail. I’m a witch now. I can control magic. I might even be stronger than Leah Noble herself.”
“Don’t forget who you are in the process.” Jack couldn’t stay quiet any longer. He wanted to give the sisters space, but he knew he had to say something more, soon. “My father taught me magic, but not to impose my power on others, to use my ability to help.”
“And that’s what I’m doing, Jack.” Elizabeth moved toward the door. “I’m saving you and my sister right now.”
“Wait.” Elizabeth ran to the door to try to block her sister. “Don’t go, not yet.”
“I have more training to do.,” Elizabeth pushed past Abigail and opened the door. “Don’t cause any trouble while you’re here. I’m working on a deal to get you out.”
The next moment, she was gone.
Abigail’s jaw clenched and unclenched. Jack could see the muscles bulge and relax like the beat of a heart.
“We have to get out of here.” Abigail stared at the door. Her hands clenched and unclenched at her sides. “She needs us. They’re poisoning her mind.”
“I know.” Jack heaved a heavy sigh. “I think I have a way we can get out of here, but we’ll need a healthy dose of luck on our side for it to work.”
Chapter Nine
Sloan
Kimberly wasn’t kidding, the entire rear of the house was basically one large gym equipped with sparring pads, a weight room, mats, and boxing equipment. Sloan followed the gargoyle through the house as she pointed at her favorite workout routines.
“I have a rock wall that actually goes up into the second story.” She pointed to a room with an open door as they passed. “Physical exercise, it’s what keeps us sane, not tearing out one another’s throats on a daily basis.”
Sloan peeked into the dark room. It was sparsely decorated. Kimberly’s rock climbing wall made up one of the entire walls and disappeared up into the second floor.
“You need a rock wall even though you can fly?” Sloan asked their guide as she kept pace with the gargoyle.
“I wouldn’t expect a human to understand,” Kimberly huffed.
The group finally reached a pair of open double doors that led outside. It was still dark. If Sloan had to guess, it was already into the late hours of the morning. Kimberly’s backyard was just as nicely tended as the front, with one colossal exception.
A gigantic, raised triangle ring was set into the middle of the yard. All around, gloves and pads littered the grassy lawn.
“Glorious, isn’t it?” Kimberly beamed with pride. Instead of waiting for a response, she gave instructions. “I’m trusting that you won’t have a change of mind and run.”
“You still have someone I need.” Sloan jumped up to the ring, surveying the area where the fight would take place. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“For a human, you are either insane or disturbingly sure of yourself.” Kimberly also jumped up beside Sloan, surveying the inside of the ring. The spot where Kimberly’s feet landed sagged under her weight. “You do understand I’m about to beat you into a bloody pulp. I’ll probably end up killing you.”
“The thought crossed my mind.” Sloan nodded slowly, thinking of how her own newfound abilities would stack up when fighting a gargoyle. “But what’s a girl to do?”
Sloan looked over to find Kimberly grinning.
“I like you, human. I’m going to be sad pounding your face in.” Kimberly leaped over the three ropes that acted as a perimeter around the ring. “You seem like a nice girl. I’ll give you a few minutes to prepare. When the bell rings, we’ll begin. We’ll use three-minute rounds. As many as are necessary until there is a winner, but I should warn you, no one has ever made it past the first round with me.”
Kimberly walked to her chosen corner, the very top of the triangle-shaped ring. She left Sloan to choose which of the two lower corners she’d use as her own. Sloan vaulted over the rope, walking to the triangle ring’s bottom right corner.
The guard with the nasally voice ran to act as Kimberly’s water boy. The other guard made his way over to a bell that stood beside the left side of the ring.
Edison, Oliver, and Elwood followed Sloan on the ground right beside the ring.
Sloan removed her smelly cloak and started to stretch. The canvas of the ring had at one time been a light blue, but that was a day a very long time ago. It was darker now, with generous splatterings of dried blood that now looked more black than red.
“Elwood, put down the cereal and help,” Edison barked to his magical assistant. He listed off items at a rapid pace. “Towel, stool, water bottle.”
Elwood placed his empty bowl on the ground and reached behind his back. His magical ability as a gnome allowed him to conjure anything he could hold in one of his small hands. As ordered, Elwood conjured a fluffy white towel; a clear, cool bottle of water; and the smallest stool Sloan had ever seen.
The gnome looked over at Sloan and gave her thumbs-up, offering his advice in an excited chatter.
“What did he say?” Sloan looked over to Edison for translation.
“He said to kick her in the nuts.” Edison placed the stool in the corner of the ring and handed the bottle of water to Sloan. “Sorry, he’s a bit confused about gargoyle anatomy, doesn’t quite get it yet.”
Sloan squirted a gulp of water into her mouth as she eyed the grinning gnome who continued to pantomime kicking motions.
“Gargoyles are turned to stone under the light of the full sun.” Oliver jumped up onto the apron of the ring, offering advice. “When she’s in her awake stage, her skin will be tough, but not impenetrable. If you can place a few shots to her head, you might be able to stun her. She still has to breathe like everyone else, so get her into a choke hold and make her tap. But above all, be careful, Sloan.”
“I appreciate the words of wisdom.” Sloan jumped up and down on her toes. “I already have a plan.”
“Oh, you haven’t seen her fight yet.” Edison looked over to the doctor. His voice dropped to a whisper as if he were exchanging government secrets. “She’s been injected with the vampire elixir
and the Phoenix Serum, remember?”
“You what!?” Oliver took a step back, blinking through his still-broken glasses. “You never told me that. What were you thinking? You could have killed her.”
“I was almost dead anyway.” Sloan rolled her neck from side to side and swung her arms out, stretching them in preparation for the fight. “I’m fine.”
“Yes, I’m sure you feel fine, but we need to do tests.” Doctor Oliver Livingston looked at her with concern. “Sloan, we need to make sure your body is adjusting appropriately to what was done to it.”
Sloan already knew that Doctor Livingston was interested in her. Even back when she thought he was a creep and she worked for the queen, he hadn’t exactly kept his interest a secret. The idea that what he said now stemmed from his interest in her made her pause.
The bell rang.
Elwood gave her another miming motion of kicking someone in the crotch.
Chapter Ten
Sloan
Sloan turned, taking in a large breath of the cool night air. The weather was perfect—not too cold, but chill enough to bring a light ripple of goosebumps down her skin. The mat below her feet shuddered under the gargoyle’s weight.
She moved forward, hands up and knees bent. The light from the moon and stars aided by a few flaming braziers in the backyard were plenty of light to see by.
It didn’t seem like Kimberly was in a talking mood. Her hands came at Sloan like battering rams. No doubt the gargoyle knew what she was doing. The form she chose for her boxing stance was the best Sloan had seen from any fighter.
If it hadn’t been for Sloan’s transformation into something more than human, she wouldn’t have a chance. But she was something different now. Her own movements were faster than any human’s had a right to be.
Sloan ducked and weaved out of the range of Kimberly’s strikes. Sweat began to bead down Sloan’s forehead as she took her time, looking for an opening in her target’s defenses. Likewise, Kimberly was beginning to understand there was more to her opponent than met the eye.
“Stand still,” Kimberly growled as she pushed forward with another onslaught of punches.
Sloan ignored the request as she continued to telegraph the blows and maneuver out of the way. Once her opportunity came, she knew she had to take it. Kimberly opened up her left rib cage to an attack, and Sloan pivoted her hips, sending her full body weight behind her right fist.
Her hand slammed into Kimberly’s ribs so hard, there were two separate snaps: one from Kimberly’s ribcage, the other from Sloan’s hand. Both women stumbled back. Kimberly went down to a knee.
Pain, one part numbing and one part fire, lanced through Sloan’s hand. She brought in her right fist to her chest, cradling her injured hand. She had seen and endured enough wounds herself to understand she had broken her wrist.
But along with the pain came a warm sensation that wrapped itself around her palm. In seconds, the discomfort was gone. Sloan looked down at her hand. She flexed her fingers. She made a fist and opened her palm a few times over to make sure what she was witnessing was, in fact, real. Her hand was completely healed.
“How?”
Sloan looked up to see Kimberly struggle to her feet. She held her left ribs with her right hand. Her face was contorted into confusion and rage.
“What are you?”
“I don’t really know yet.” Sloan raised her hands and moved forward to finish the fight. “But after we finish here, I intend to find out.”
The bell rang, signaling the end of the first round. Both combatants glared at one another before returning to their respective corners of the ring.
“That was remarkable,” Edison breathed as he and Oliver, along with Elwood, entered the ring to check out Sloan’s injury. “You can heal at a rate that far surpasses any vampire soldier we created.”
Elwood offered water and the towel to Sloan.
Sloan squirted the cold liquid into her mouth.
“You caught her by surprise the first time, but she won’t let it happen again.” Oliver knelt by Sloan, giving her a look she had seen a thousand times before. It was the look men usually gave her when they knew she was going to put herself in harm’s way. “Be careful.”
Sloan wondered if Oliver would give the same caution and worry to a man if he was going into a boxing ring.
The bell ran again with two quick chimes.
Sloan was back on her feet and walking to the middle of the triangle-shaped battleground.
Kimberly had wrapped her side in white tape. The stark white bandage contrasted against her dark grey skin and brown leather shorts and sports bra she wore.
This time when Kimberly came, she wasn’t in her perfect boxing stance, neither was she ready to talk. The gargoyle rushed Sloan, taking her off guard. She swooped in, half-running, half-flying as her massive grey wings spread out on either side of her back.
Soon, Sloan wasn’t only blocking fists; she was blocking wings and a tail. Kimberly fought like a demon incarnate. Still faster, Sloan did everything she could to avoid the blows, but sidestepping an onslaught from so many strikes and from so many different appendages proved too much.
Blows landed across Sloan’s face, opening lacerations that spit dark red blood. Sloan’s arms felt like rubber as she blocked fists, wings, and the gargoyle’s tail.
Hold it together, Sloan thought. You’ll heal. If you’re going to have to stand here and take the blows, might as well give her a taste of her own medicine.
Sloan abandoned her original idea of picking apart her opponent with well-placed, patient strikes. Now she began throwing her fists at Kimberly, hitting her just as many times as she was being struck in return.
Somewhere in the back of Sloan’s mind she knew the rounds were only three minutes long, but while she was in the middle of the ring, exchanging blows with the gargoyle, time felt like it was dragging on into an eternity.
Soon, Sloan’s arms began to tire. Apparently, where speed and strength were among her new abilities, endurance had not been added to her box of tools.
When the bell rang again, both combatants were a bloody mess. There was so much blood in Sloan’s eye, it obscured her vision. Her dark blonde hair was plastered to her face with a mix of sweat and blood.
Kimberly stumbled as she took a step back. The gargoyle didn’t look much better than Sloan. Her height had made it difficult for Sloan to land many strikes to her face, but she had opened a cut that bled profusely down the giant’s left side of her lip. Along with this were dozens of bruises so intense, they already began to show through the gargoyle’s grey skin. Along Kimberly’s arms and chest, she was showing a variety of black-and-dark-blue marks.
“Whatever you are,” Kimberly said over her shoulder as she made her way back to her bench, “I’m going to finish you next round.”
Sloan didn’t bother responding. She was gauging the place of the moon in the sky. The very edges of the horizon were beginning to shift color now, from a dark black to a dim orange.
The sun would be out soon. They had another two, maybe three, rounds if the fight lasted that long before Kimberly would be forced to find shade or be turned to stone by the sun.
“That was amazing.” Edison placed the stool down for her, wiping away the blood and sweat from her face with the towel Elwood had provided. “How are you feeling?”
“It still hurts as bad as it ever did when I get hit or a cut opens up, but within seconds, I can feel it healing.” Sloan opened her mouth for Oliver to squirt in a gulp of water. “She’s tough. I’m landing punches all over her body, but I really need to gain some height to hit her in the head. I’m starting to tire. I don’t know if I can make it long enough to wait for the sun to come up.”
“I think you’re right.” Edison took away the towel. It had lost most of its whiteness and was now a deep shade of red. “She might have more endurance than you, but you’re stronger.”
“I agree.” Oliver began moving out of the ring as the ne
xt bell signaled the fighters forward. “You’re stronger than she is. You can finish the fight now if you push yourself.”
Sloan nodded as she forced herself to her legs and met Kimberly in the ring for what she hoped would be the last round.
Chapter Eleven
Sloan
There were no words wasted between the two. Sloan was saving her breath for fighting; Kimberly was baring her teeth in rage.
The two combatants began walking toward one another, when Sloan had an epiphany.
If you’re going to try to end the fight before you gas out, then there’s no reason to hold back now, Sloan coached herself. Come on girl, this is it.
Sloan channeled the same warrior spirit she had come to love over the years. The same aggressive attitude that had seen her through brutal training drills in the army and live combat in numerous fights.
Sloan’s walk to the middle of the ring turned into a jog, and then a full-out run.
Kimberly saw her opponent charging and returned the act, her heavy footfalls booming against the mat as she came. A roar split the air as the gargoyle took flight and soared a few feet over the mat.
An idea so ridiculous it had to work entered Sloan’s mind. Her timing would have to be perfect, but still, it should work. As the two combatants were about to collide, Sloan jumped, cocking her right fist back. With every ounce of her strength, Sloan let out a roar of her own as her fist made contact with the gargoyle’s face.
For the second time in the fight, Sloan felt like her hand had been broken. The force with which her fist broke on the gargoyle’s face was enough for Sloan to wince under the pain. The discomfort in her hand was short-lived. Kimberly had collided with her so hard, it took Sloan’s breath away, and the two fighters rolled over and over again a mess of arms, legs, and wings.
When they finally came to a stop, Sloan found herself on top of the gargoyle.
The Complete Vampire Project Series: (Books 1 - 5) Page 40
