Page 13 of Of Flame and Fury
“Tye!”
Tye shoves his body against the wall, narrowly shifting out of the way of my lightning. The bolts continue down the hall, neither fading nor dissipating in strength. If that doesn’t suck enough, Tye is now stuck to the side of the wall.
I push forward without him, watching the vampire lead the Lesser away. They can’t hear me. Maybe they’ll feel me. I shoot a bolt directly at them.
Like the previous strike, it bounces away from them. I duck when it rebounds and I reel around to destroy it when it heads for Tye.
Now in human form, Tye’s face and body are red with how badly he’s raging. “Taran, Celia is walking into the building. Forget this shit and get to her while you can.”
“I’m not sure I can,” I admit. I haven’t stopped moving. It’s just getting harder, as if I’m wading through quickly drying mud.
Sweat drips into my eyes from how hard I’m working my muscles. I wipe my eyes, feeling its salty sting as I exert myself past my physical limit.
Excited murmurs spread along the crowd. Celia is here. I fall forward, my elbows and arms sticking at the top of steps in time for her arrival.
Celia steps from a rear hall closest to the kitchen.Weresin their beast form—some wolves, some bears, and two cheetahs—lead the way, forming a protective barrier around her as she’s escorted through the crowded foyer. They spread out, creating an arc, keeping the curious and most threatening away with warning growls and vicious glares that would have me bolting.
“Ceel,” I call out. “Get out of here. You’re in danger.”
Like everyone else, Celia doesn’t hear me. I watch helplessly as she walks deeper into the grand foyer. Her steps reflect the confidence of her inner tigress, the lethal creature waiting beneath a petite young woman who prefers marathon-length runs along the shores of Lake Tahoe to mingling with supernatural royalty.
Celia’s inner kitty does a good job of hiding Celia’s shyness. I see it though. For all that my sister is a lethal predator, this isn’t the path she chose. It found her anyway. Just as Aric found a way into her heart.
Our younger sister Shayna skips beside Celia. The sword Shayna created to “slice any dude in two” dangles against the side of her ballerina build. She’s wearing dress pants and a smooth teal silk shirt. Her long dark hair is in her signature ponytail and, like her, bouncing and all set for a pep rally and not bodyguard duty.
Shayna is our perpetual cheerleader. Koda, her mate, not so much. In dark slacks and shirt, he’s undressed for the occasion, but like a dangerous storm, ready to obliterate anything that dares cross his path.
“Celia,” I scream as she walks farther away from me. “Celia, run!”
My right arm creates a vicious strobe effect. She’s bursting with savage magic, and it wants out. Unlike before, the magic gluing me in place now works on my right arm. These spells are learning my power,sonot what I need.
Three of my fingers are all that remain free. I point them at Koda, who, although he has advanced several feet, remains my closest ally. Streams of blue and white mist flow from my fingertips, swerving through the crowd to find my target.
My spell weakens as it weaves through the cluster of bodies who strain just to steal a glance at Celia.
“Miakoda Lightfoot,” I say. I add force to my words as my power reaches him “Warrior to the Alpha of the Squaw Valley Den Pack and Mate to the Mistress of Weaponry and Skill, hear me and heed my warning.”
My stream reaches Koda and wraps around his wrist. I tug him hard and add more energy. Koda’s midnight hair brushes against his waist when he glances in my direction. I think he hears me until his attention bypasses me and continues along the open hall. He’s in security mode and conducting a sweep of the surroundings. He nods to thewereswho take point on either side of me. Everyone is in position to watch the carnage about to take place, and no one will be able to stop it.
I don’t stop yelling. I don’t stop fighting. I also don’t move one damn inch. Tye is back inwereform. Most of his flesh is missing from his side, and his growls are more rabid and pronounced since Celia’s appearance. He can scent her and is restless to save her.
Celia reaches the center of the foyer. Like me, she’s five feet three at best with long, lean muscles I’ll never develop. Her striking green eyes scan the foyer for Aric, and her long wavy hair skims her shoulder blades as she advances. The crystal chandelier casts light along the golden highlights in her hair. Unlike most females who arrived in elaborate hairstyles and jewelry threaded through their tresses, Celia left her hair down just as Aric likes it. She hates the spotlight currently trained on her and continues to search for Aric. I search for Aric too. He’ll protect her. He’ll save her. At least, he’ll try.
The longer Celia waits for her mate, the more I urge her to hear me, and the more her inner tigress grows wary. Celia’s beast doesn’t take kindly to predators surrounding her, let alone how they regard her and whisper. It’s like we’re back in school again. Except, instead of the bullies who target us and call us the “Weird Girls” as a play on our last name, “Wird,” the crowd eyes her, waiting for Celia to do something glorious.
The ankle-length black dress Celia wears fit her perfectly just the other day. But her little one grows in crazy, magical spurts. He must have had one tonight given how he’s pushing the fabric on her belly to its limits. God, she’s so vulnerable, and try as I may, screaming and writhing, there’s not a fucking thing I can do to protect her.
A hush falls on the crowd when Koda lifts his hand and orders everyone to stop. Those in attendance crane their necks, anxious for a peek of the supernatural savior growing inside Celia.
Celia swallows down a growl, she and her beast were affronted by the increasing curiosity and mounting intensity. If it was up to Celia, we’d spend the evening watching classic 80s movies in our living room and munching on popcorn like it was our job. If it was up to her tigress, she’d eat everyone here.
I don’t initially notice Misha. He materializes with Ileana’s arm draped through his. She says something to him, smiling against his ear when she tugs his lobe with her teeth. Misha ignores her and the way she laps the blood that trickles. All he sees is Celia.
Celia glances up, smiling softly when he winks at her. It’s only then she appears to breathe. With all the tension her arrival stirred, she’s happy to see a familiar face. No. I take it back. She’s happy to see her friend.
Tye’s roars rattle the hall. He’scallinga warning. Like me, his efforts go unanswered.
My voice cracks with how battered my vocal cords are when I call to Misha. “Misha,Misha. Something’s after Celia.”