As the redheaded druid stalked towards me, I sent my energy forward and gave it a push, using Isaac’s earth magic as he’d taught me. The ground suddenly shook; tree leaves rattled and the redhead stumbled andfell.
Yes!
Next, I sent that energy below me, shaking up the mud and water that held me, to loosen it, I asked the Earth to absorb it and free me. It was a bit slower going than I hoped, but the mud slid away from my ankles, which were soon free to move. It was a good thing too, because redhead was up and holding a fiery ball, looking pissed as hell. With a little effort, I pulled my left foot fully out of the waterlogged mud, and then my right. Stepping onto dry land, I met the druid head on just as she threw that red energy ball. With a shout, I brought my magic forward and thrust it out, spraying the oncoming ball with fire, it dissipated in my flames. But just as easily as I’d done that, a ball of water doused my flames and the front of my shirt. She was powerful. Andfast.
Looking up, I saw the redheaded druid grinning at me, water dripping from her hands. “You’re a fire druid! I’ve always wondered how a fire and water druid wouldfight.”
Okay. Burning her seemed like a less likely option, but I had other ideas, things that would make Sophie proud. “Oh, I’m sure we’ll figure something out,” I told her while I pulled a twelve-inch hunting blade from my leg holster. She pulled a blade too, a glowing red one, and again that sick grin dotted herface.
With a quick glance behind me, I saw that backup had arrived. Keegan was running out of the bus with his shotgun in hand. I spun back around just in time to see a flicker of fear cross Red’s face before she lunged at me with acry.
I dodged her easily. Her move was sloppy, lacking grace. I swung out with my knife hand in a wide arc, cutting into her exposed upper arm. She shrieked and stumbled, but caught her footing before righting herself and coming at meagain.
If Sophie had taught me one thing about knife fights, it was that I sucked at them, and would never win one. I had short reach and was slow. So I did what she’d told me to. I took the druid to the ground with one hard kick to her knee, hearing the satisfying crack of bone. A roar of pain flew from her lips as she tumbled backward awkwardly. Then I whipped out my gun. It had been tucked into my lower back. I hadn’t wanted to use it until I had her right where I wanted her. I put my finger on the trigger, holding the barrel over her chest and … faltered. Was I a killer? Like this kind of killer who just shot people in the chest while they were on theirback?
My moment’s hesitation was too much. Out of nowhere she threw a red ball of druid magic right at me. I didn’t have time to block it, or spin out of the way, not even hold my breath. It crashed into my stomach, shoving me back with the force of the blast—just as I popped off two shots into her chest. I hit the ground hard right on my ass and the breath flew out of me, a searing pain igniting in my abdomen. My dragon shrieked and pushed against the surface of my skin. I’d always wondered what getting hit with one of these little things felt like. Oh, it hurt like a mother, but I wasn’t dead, so I was assuming I was going to be okay. I gingerly sat up and surveyed the scene beforeme.
Red was dead, lying in a puddle of blood with her eyes fixed on the sky. I stared at her chest for a good thirty seconds to make sure there was no life left in her. The ultimate proof came when green magical mist began to rise up off of her body.Dragon magic. I scrambled to my feet, unwilling to let one drop of my people’s magic be wasted. I stepped into the green haze, inhaling it into my every pore. Power pulsed through me and I felt my dragon swell inside, catching and filtering the magic. I stood there for half a minute breathing in the green mist, and let my eyes roam around the sceneahead.
Dylan was now in his human form, bleeding with a harpoon stuck in his shoulder, and Logan was in dragon form, standing before Dylan and his girlfriend, roaring fire onto anyone who stepped near them. These druids were powerful; there had been a dozen of them before and it looked like only half had been killed. A good amount still remained, and even though we’d brought a shitload of shifters, these druids were raining fireballs at them and taking cover in thetrees.
‘Are you okay?’Logan spoke through thebond.
I didn’t want to lie, but I also didn’t want to distract him while he was fighting. My stomach hurt something fierce, but I’d keep that tomyself.
‘I’ll be fine. I’m going to sneak up behind those druids in the woods and spray them down withfire.’
A cluster of three druids were standing with the heavy tree cover at their backs, throwing every weapon, magical or otherwise, at our pack from the safety of theirposition.
‘Be safe,’was all hesaid.
I was so far behind the fight that I had been forgotten by the druids, which was good. I was ten feet from our car and could easily slink off into the woods unnoticed. Now that no more green magic was rising up off of the redheaded druid, I was one hundred percent certain she was dead. I moved slowly towards the tree line and crouched down, trying to get lost in the ground brush of green leafy ferns. My stomach felt like I’d swallowed razor blades and would start bleeding out of my ass any moment, but I pressed on. I didn’t want to think about what that red fireball had done. Once we took care of the threat, I could have Eva heal me, or I’d hug a tree orsomething.
As I dipped into the woods, padding my bare feet into the mossy forest, I tried to avoid sharp rocks, or sticks that would break and alert my presence. Gingerly, I made my way closer and closer to the three druids tucked away in what they thought was a safe position. I looked down at my hands and took a deep breath, pulling my druid fire magic up into me and out of my palms. A small flicker of purple fire shone on my palms and I nodded. Just checking. Didn’t want to run at these guys with a battle cry only to find out it wasn’t working or something. Part of me feared that red fireball might have snuffed my power … but it seemed to just be tearing apart myinsides.
As I got closer I could see Keegan through the trees, facing the men I was about to sneak up behind. The druid farthest to the right had a knife in his hand, the blade glowing red. He lunged for Logan, who was about ten feet away in dragonform.
That’s when all hell brokeloose.
I lurched forward, pushing out my magic. It fled from my palms in a long stream of fire, bathing the two druids in flame. The third had jumped out of my reach to go for Logan, only to be intercepted by Keegan. It was like watching a train crash in slow motion. Keegan must have been out of bullets, because he was holding his shotgun like a bat, ready to crack the druid in the head, but his aim was off. The druid was halfway to Logan, crouched low, but upon seeing Keegan jump in front of him he slammed the knife into the alpha’s ribcage. It went in with such force that it didn’t stop until it reached thehilt.
I couldn’t breathe, couldn’tmove.
Danny’s voice ripped through the woods as he screamed his lover’s name. Yellow magic flung everywhere. I was blown a few feet up into the air with the force of Danny’s power, and then fell down hard on my ankle, hearing it pop, it had undoubtedly broken. The two druids I’d doused with fire were running away into the woods, engulfed in purple flames that didn’t seem to die no matter how much they pattedthem.
My stomach felt like I’d eaten the spiciest Thai food alive and my ankle was shot, but at the sound of Danny’s wails I propped up on one leg and hopped towards Keegan. He was lying on the ground in a puddle of blood about five feet from the druid who’d harmed him. The druid was dead; it looked like his neck had been snapped, lying at an odd angle. If he didn’t have glowing yellow veins, I wouldn’t have known that Danny had somehow magically killedhim.
The sorcerer was on his knees. He’d pulled the blade out of Keegan’s side, shoving moss into the wound with one hand, and stroking the alpha’s forehead with theother.
“No. No. No,” Danny wasmumbling.
Keegan grinned, looking loopy and out of it. “I knew you … wanted me back,” herasped.
Danny laugh-sobbed. “Of course I do. It was always my intention to be with you eventually. You know that, right? That I love you and…” He couldn’t finish, the sobs had taken hisvoice.
“EVA! Do something,” Logan shrieked. My mate was standing half naked with wide eyes and shaking hands, staring at his best friend bleedingout.
Eva approached, her hand to her mouth in shock. “Logan, I heal magical maladies. Thisis…”
