Suddenly, I’m at the far door.
Surprisingly, nobody’s coming for me.
Behind me, both men and women crouch and slump, their wings hanging low. Their bodies are so bloody that I replay my actions in my mind. Did I really whirl through them so hard?
Yes.
Yes, I did.
I consider them carefully, drawing myself upright when they remain where they are, not a single one coming at me.
They may be vicious mercenaries, but their heartbeats tell me they aren’t all cold-blooded killers. In fact… the way they’re already assessing each other’s wounds tell me they have a close pack mentality. It’s the kind of pack mentality that means their leadership determines their actions.
A toxic leader makes for a toxic pack.
Well, fuck that.
Taking a chance to pause for another moment, I snarl at them. “My father put you in front of me like animals to slaughter. I would never do the same.”
With that, I ram my claws through the door’s handle, shredding the wood and cutting through the lock before I hurry on through.
I stop.
Gad and Valki stand on the other side of the corridor I’ve entered. Gad’s vampire fangs are extended and Valki’s muscles gleam a little, even though she’s furiously chewing gum, an action that seems to keep her berserker nature under control.
They both take a glance at the carnage I left behind before the broken door swings closed.
“Fuck it,” Gad says, tugging at the collar of his shirt. He’s wearing a business suit, and as usual, there’s a drop of blood on his white collar.
He glances at Valki and she gives a nod, lowering the arm on which she wears a metal wire that she likes to use as a garrote to strangle people.
“Your father’s this way,” she says. And then, beneath her breath, she adds, “He can fight his own fucking battles.”
If I peer closely at them both, I can make out what looks like a burn scar across Valki’s bare shoulder, visible because of her short-sleeved shirt.
And a similar burn scar across Gad’s temple.
Most likely from slaps of light magic.
I snarl. “I see my father’s been making use of his new power.”
Neither of them answers me, but they flinch a little, a confirmation of my guess.
Then Valki chews more furiously on her gum and mutters around it, “Fucking light magic. Should be fucking outlawed.”
Gad throws her a warning look, and she snaps her mouth closed so fast that her teethclack.
We turn the next corner and then another, finally stopping at a set of large, wooden doors.
They both shuffle on the spot.
It won’t look good for them if they open the door for me.
I grin at them.
I’ve wanted to clobber them both and I can’t say my dark heart won’t enjoy it.
My fist shoots out, smacking Gad across the face so hard that he drops to a crouch as I spin and rake my claws lightly across Valki’s arm, drawing enough blood to make a mess without causing any real damage.
