“Why are we in a cave and not a house?”
“Do you have an issue with living in a cave, Strega?” Brio asks sharply.
“No, but it’s not human. They don’t do things like this. Aren’t we trying to pretend to fit in?”
She has a good point, but I don’t know what to say. No one knows what happened or how our tempers exploded to create a cube of water in the house. It’s a completely and utterly new and bewildering ability, and we don’t know how to undo it, so in order to not end up fighting with Diablos, we are here.
Not a single one of us is volunteering that information to her, though.
She strips off her clothes, and I watch, my own blood heating as the firelight turns her skin golden brown. She’s put on a bit of weight being with us and doesn’t look so skeletal, but you can see the muscles in her body, the tight and toned form that is still so utterly, captivatingly female.
Scars and runes cover her body, and I have a moment to wish all the ills on whoever got to put those markings on her.
Except…wait. Her runes shimmer and float down into her body, and a different one comes to the surface. It’s like a constantly moving dance.
I edge closer, inspecting the ones on her shoulder; it really is incredibly beautiful.
“Who gave you your runes, Strega?” I ask.
“No one. I was born with them.”
I jerk my head upright, staring at her intently. She was born with them? I don’t know anyone who has this kind of ability.
She lifts the blanket and covers herself. It’s like another bucket of cold water waking me up from a stupor that I have been lost in. I back away from her and out of the cave.
I stand on the shore and watch the push and pull of the waves until I feel the wrongness in the world. I draw a long staff from the air around me and look up, scanning the sky.
A maniacal laugh erupts. I think I hear a vicious curse, and then the male voice shouts. Two creatures plunge towards the ocean, but at the last minute, they are both grabbed by a third.
He’s got massively huge leather wings. He dumps the fallen male on the sand, he gingerly holds the female like she is a most precious item.
“Isla,” he says, and I can’t place his accent. “Are you hurt?”
She tosses her head back, her nostrils flaring.
“Take care of him, or I will.” Her voice is pure rage.
The creature folds his wings in and inclines his head. “It won’t happen again.” He’s got black, inky hair with silver tips and silver eyes. The thing on the ground has black feathered wings and is completely and utterly naked.
“Get off my beach,” I growl.
The girl snarls at me but doesn’t even turn to face me. Her hair is light pink, and she’s covered in tattoos.
The feathered asshole jumps up and lunges for her. She slams a box against his neck, and he drops to his knees, then rolls, his whole body shaking and arching.
I peer at the box in trepidation.
“I swear to fuck, Raz, if you do anything like that to me again, I will remove your testicles with my teeth.”
“Ooh, I’d love that,” he gasps out.
“You crazy fuck, of course, you would. Masochistic winged idiot.”
“Who are you?” Ronit says loudly, and I feel my shiver gather around me.
“None of your fucking business!” the human snaps. “God damn you all to hell, but if I have to answer to another misogynistic, over the top, asshole monster, I am going to shove my taser up your asses and press the button and watch your insides melt.”
I blink.
