Snarls and grunts carried across the wind, and Riley fought against a hound in the distance.
‘Get your arse to the surface, K!’
Kace’s return was a simple snarl.
Xander turned, throwing his knife into the head of the man who tried to grab Kyra. It sunk in deep, and in the same movement he unsheathed his sword.
The air prickled, his beast brushing along the inside of his skin, wanting to play, to tear and shred.
“I think that’s enough,” a dark voice sniggered. “My Little Black Witch, what present have you brought me?”
Xander tightened his grip as he steadied his stance. Kyra stood beside him, her breathing heavy as her arm trembled.
“You must be Dirk,” Xander growled, his tattoos rippling to life beneath his leathers as Riley joined them. Thick cuts sliced across his shoulder, his body repelling the venom from the Shadow-Veyn’s bite. It dripped from his wounds, hissing as it dropped against the grass.
The Daemon stood across the field, his hand resting on top of the head of a young druid, Dirk’s long nails curling around to break the skin around the man’s face. There was no awareness in the man’s eyes, no indication of pain. His chest was bare, revealing thick veins pulsating beneath transparent skin.
The Daemon inclined his head, his smile cruel as his other hand reached across to the man’s throat, pressing a thin blade against the skin. “And you must be a certain Guardian My Little Black Witch has been telling me so much about.”
Kyra stilled beside him, the wind whipping at her hair as she stared straight ahead.
Dirk’s gaze flickered to Riley, and then to behind where Kace appeared from within the farmhouse. Death clung to him like a second skin, his beast the closest to the surface.
“Ah, it looks like it’s a party.” Dirk’s smirk disappeared, eyes hardening. “Kyra, come here.”
“I don’t think so,” Xander snarled.
Dirk flicked his gaze between the three Guardians once again before cutting back to Kyra. “Give me my witch, or I’ll kill him right here.” He sliced deeper into the man’s neck, drawing blood.
“No, please!” Kyra cried.
“Don’t,” Xander warned her as she stepped closer.
“He will kill them all if I don’t,” she whispered, her eyes glittering when she turned her head. “Please, you need to trust me.”
Xander stiffened, forcing himself not to reach forward and physically stop her.
‘You sure about this?’Kace asked, his voice more of a deepened rumble.
Riley was silent, his anger an almost physical heat by his side.
‘No.’Xander clenched his jaw, his beast raging as they watched her walk the short distance across the grass.
Dirk grinned as Kyra stepped closer, his release on the druid dropping. “She’s such a good girl, doing exactly what she’s supposed to,” he purred as he kicked at the fallen druid and grabbed Kyra around the hair, yanking her towards him. It caused the gun to fall from her grip, landing by her feet.
The druid lay against the grass, unmoving with blank eyes staring at the sky. He was dead, blood pumping from his jugular.
Dirk reached up to grip Kyra’s chin, forcing her to face forward. “Tell me Guardian, what was it like to have fucked someone who always planned to betray you?”
Kyra struggled against the grip on her jaw.
Dirk pulled tighter, and her face paled in pain.
“Come on precious, we can tell him now.” Dirk’s lips brushed against her ear, his powerful wings widening to block out behind him. “Tell him how your dark magic helped that innocent druid through the first stage of the transition. The one that’s now dead.”
Kyra stopped fighting entirely, her hands resting against Dirk’s. She met Xander’s gaze, lips opening slightly before the Daemon screamed behind her. She threw herself forward, breaking the grip and Xander was already moving as she dropped to her knees beside the gun.
Dirk’s cry shut off, replaced with an angered howl as Xander swung, slicing across the Daemons chest with ease. He shot forward, sword already swinging before a bullet zipped past him, hitting Dirk in the shoulder. The momentum caused Dirk to spin, and Xander took the opportunity to slice down his wing in one clean sweep, Riley on his other side.
