Page 84 of Queen of Wrath

“Why are you looking at me like that? You don't know a thing about me.” Diesel gritted his teeth, growing more aggressive the more I stared at him.

I was terrified. I felt the fear right down into my bones. But I was tired of running from him.

He’d been the ominous figure haunting my dreams ever since I could remember.

No more!

If I must meet with death here today, I’m going to face it with everything I’ve got.

“I know a lot more than you think.” I willfully antagonized him.

Sharp teeth began to elongate from his gums as he bared them at me.

His permanent werewolf eyes stared me down, the yellow in them as poisonous as his soul. “I'm going to gut you right here in the middle of the street, and then I'm going to go after everything you've ever loved.”

“You've already done all that to me. You can’t threaten someone who’s got nothing left to live for anymore.” As the words flowed out of me, so did a sense of courage.

I knew this wasn't a fight I could win, but that wasn't the point. Someone had to stand up to him, and that someone just happened to be me.

“What are you talking about? I don't even know who you are,” he snarled, his anger mixed with confusion now.

I turned my shoulder away from him, discreetly reaching my hand into the pouch strapped to my side. I wasn't sure what potion I grabbed, but I didn't have time to check. I pulled it out and hid it behind me.

“You might not remember me…but I certainly remember you.”

Enough talking. It's time to end this.

As Diesel opened his mouth to speak again, I brought my arm around at full force, chucking the vial straight at him.

It shattered against his chest, and the purple liquid quickly seeped into his shirt. It was only then that I realized what potion I’d thrown.

I watched as it ate away at his clothing, then moved on to his skin.

Diesel hardly seemed to notice as he produced a potion of his own. I was already familiar with this potion from the last time we fought.

He effortlessly crushed the vial in his hand, and held it above his head as both glass and liquid dripped into his open mouth.

He truly had become completely unhinged!

Diesel began to grow the same way he had last time. I could almost hear his muscles stretching and ripping as they expanded far beyond what was normal.

I have to act now. Once that potion takes full effect, I'm as good as dead.

I reached for another vial and threw it at his face. This time, it didn't matter what kind of potion it was, I just needed his eyes closed for a moment. I grabbed a handful of the Port Powder, and dropped it at my feet.

Here goes nothing?—

I vanished into mist right before his eyes, but as the remnants of the powder quickly wore off, I went from defying gravity to falling out of the sky.

I focused on Diesel, who looked like a small dot from where I was plunging back down to earth.

I only have one shot at this!

I shifted quicker than I ever had before, extending my claws out toward him.

Still obliviously searching his surroundings on the ground, Diesel didn’t think to look up, which cost him. My paws punched into his head and shoulder, my claws digging into his flesh with the extreme momentum of my fall.

Then I thrusted my muzzle forward, almost unhinging my jaw to clamp down on his neck.

---