Page 38 of Found In Destruction

It bounced right off her palm, and she redirected it, hitting the assailant right in the heart, an automatic killshot. Then she used his corpse to tackle a large, wolf-shifter to the ground.

Oisín met her, and they locked eyes, having a silent conversation.

“Sounds like a plan,” she said before running toward the back of the ballroom.

16

DIANA

You want to turn into dragons and burn these fuckers to ashes?Oisín asked, a manic sparkle to his smile. He seriously had the craziest ideas.Aerial views are the best, and this is a vaulted ceiling…

You just like turning into a dragon, don’t you?My brother was a showoff and didn’t care who knew it… He also morphed into an adorable green dragon.

Like you don’t,he snarked back.Come on! I’ll go on one side and you can go on the other and we can meet in the middle.

My magic teemed underneath my skin, revved up and ready for a fight. I felt like I could conquer the world. The buzzing hum of magic, grunts, and screams were my soundtrack as I raced to the back of the ballroom, dodging attacks left and right in search of a space big enough to morph. If I had these skills back in grade school PE class, maybe I wouldn’t have been bludgeoned to death in dodgeball so many times. Or bullied so much for not being able to duck a hit.

A fireball hit me square in the back, and I turned, finding a creepy, tall figure in a black plague mask. The beak was long andcurved, with blood splattered haphazardly across it.What in the fuck is this–a Halloween costume contest?I think the design was meant to frighten people… Honestly, it just looked stupid. I flung the mask off his head, revealing a cocky, angry man. His eyes were yellow, with slits for pupils, feline in nature. Before I could guess what kind of supernatural he was, he shifted into a tiger.

‘A' for effort, but D- for flair.My brother and I could morph into creatures that ate big cats for breakfast, so this parlor trick did nothing for me. I peeked over and found O fighting a bunch of reptilian shifters, so I had some time. My wings sprang from my back, unfurling to their full span. I didn’t need to be anything other than myself to fight this asshole.

He charged at me, leaping into the air. Before he could tackle me to the ground, I froze him, lifting him high enough that everyone could see and hear his struggling, then encapsulated him into a sphere of fire. I had learned a few things from my older brother during training sessions, and this trick was top of the list.

What a nice distraction for his comrades. Good thinking,O’s voice rang through my mind.

Checking in,Ares responded.What are you up to, LG?

You’ll see,I teased him.

I made it to an open space in the back, and morphed into a sleek, blood red dragon the size of a yacht, keeping the embellishments to a minimum. Despite feeling invincible, I preferred to conserve my magic. I flew high, almost to the ceiling in search of the fuckers who dared to crash my fucking party.

Holy shit! Pick me up!Ares screamed through my mindlink.Let me ride you now and you can ride me later…

I busted out in a deep, rumbling cackle that scared the shit out of everyone. Red’s soldiers started running for their lives,giving me a good idea of how dedicated they were to the cause. Ares’ extra-as-fuck humor knew no bounds, but it was exactly what I needed to keep myself focused. Scanning the room, I found him dead-center with my fathers. I lowered myself enough that he could grab my paw and pull himself onto my back.

“I’m ready to barbecue my little baby back ribs,” he cooed, rubbing my scales. “Let’s go!”

We flew through the air, using our fire to pick off Red’s forces. Judas locked the ballroom doors, leaving some of them huddled by it, desperate for an escape. Their shouting and screaming were in multiple clashing languages.

This chaos is music to my ears, LG. Wish you could see some of these seated dance moves,Ares lamented.

You can show me later after my ride,I quipped back.

The fear in the air was so palpable, Mal must have been having a feast. Oisín took the soldiers by the door out with one blast of fire and their charred corpses crumpled to the ground in a heap. Ares and I worked on the far side of the room, picking off the rest of the soldiers with masks.

The ballroom doors burst open, and Red sauntered in, his red robe hood pulled up to block his face. The mystery and subterfuge seemed pointless now and didn’t give me the chills it used to. I can’t believe I was ever scared of this pathetic man. Everyone on both sides stood stone still, as if they were frozen. Everyone but myself, Red, my men, and my family.

“Diana Morningstar!” His magically amplified voice radiated throughout the room. “Surrender, and I won’t slay your lovers and family. I’ll let them live.”

Don’t stand down,Lucifer ordered me. His freeze spell can’t work on higher level magical beings, and he’s bluffing.

“Are you here to welcome me back from my mission?” I asked him, trying my best to sound bored. “I see you didn’t bring a gift–how rude.”

He stopped, chuckling. “You’re just like your father, a glutton for sarcasm and flair. But those cheap tricks won’t sway me. Stand down, before I shoot you down.”

The thought of being shot out of the sky shot ice cold fear down my spine.

No, Little G,Ares whispered through the mindlink as he rubbed my scales.Take that fucker down, and we can bathe in his blood together. I know you can do it.

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