Page 15 of Unexpected Mate

“Let’s stop beating around the bush,” he said with a smile. “You will allow yourself to be sacrificed and the wizards will be allowed to go free, completely unharmed. I understand that, unfortunately, your vampire mate will not survive your death, but the wolves and your faux wizard mate will live. As he will become the next in line for the blood driven throneupon your mate’s death, Damien will be required to form an alliance with me. He too will be returned to his kingdom unharmed. Refuse this generous offer, and my men will attack immediately; everyone will die, and I will still take whatever power I can from your dying body as you watch those you love be slaughtered. I have ten men to each of your men, you cannot win today. Their blood will be on your hands.”

I thought I watched a lot of TV, but apparently Draven watched a lot more. He had me confused with idiot women who can’t see two minutes into the future and fall for the lies fed to them, believing their loved one will be spared. Idiots. If I agreed, he would take my power, and not only kill my mates and team, but then use my power to destroy countless other lives. It would be the beginning of an apocalypse. I loved my mates more than life itself but attempting to save them now would just cause them infinitely more pain in the future.

I snorted in derision.

My magic swirled, and I felt my stature change; my limbs grew longer, my hair and nails lengthened and glinted like the sun on a blade’s edge. My vision shifted, my pupils turning to slits and causing the world around me to explode in color and detail. Blue light radiated around me as at last my wings burst free. I spoke into the mental bond, likely my last private moment with my mates.

If I die today to save your lives, it will only mean your death later at his hands, and the deaths of many innocents. My time with you all was far too short, but it was also more than I had ever dreamed I would have. I love you all, and I hope weend up snuggling in bed later, trying to forget how bad today has sucked.

I mentally cradled the luminous ball of energy in my chest. I had learned over the past few weeks how to pull from it to perform some neat battle tricks and pranks. A smile tugged at my lips as I recalled throwing energy balls at Damien’s butt and burning the rear out of several pairs of his pants. His vampire speed had proved no match for my butt-seeking missiles.

I gently separated the energy into six sections, and mentally sent that magic into our bond. They would not be able to wield it as a weapon, but it would enhance their supernatural gifts. I prayed that it would be enough to ensure their survival today.

Twisting around, I became a blur as I rushed toward Draven, my swords poised in front of me, ready to destroy him or die trying. Draven roared in frustration, apparently not happy to see his perfect plan crumbling. The clang of sword slamming into sword, screams of fury, and howls surrounded me.

Deja vu. I had already been here. Horror froze the blood in my veins as realization stole the breath from my lungs. This was the battle from my nightmare weeks ago. I clung desperately to the hope that my nightmare was just a dream, and not a vision of what was to come.

My magic warned me seconds before a soldier tried to tackle me from my left side. Without slowing my run, I ducked, sending the assailant sailing over my head. I thrust my blade upwards, slicing across the top of his thighs to sever his tendons. He screamed in agony, but he would live.

I sprang back to my feet, only to have another attacker rush me from the right, his sword drawn and raised as he prepared to bring it down on my neck. Tucking my wings against me, I rolled and slammed my body into his knees. He tumbled to the ground, trying to keep his grip on his weapon; a wasted attempt since moments later I slammed the hilt of my sword into the back of his head. He went limp under me as I shoved his body off me and blurred toward Draven again.

He wasn’t trying to get away; he wanted me toreach him, but he wanted me tired and weakened. I didn’t want to admit how drained I was feeling after dividing my energy. I was keeping my magic trip-wires around me as a warning system, but I could only spare enough to alert me about the few feet around me. Hopefully, it gave me enough of an edge to survive this day.

I braced myself as two men tried to tackle me at the same time. Ducking and dodging, I managed to avoid the bulk of their impact, but the force still sent us all hurtling into the ground. I had lost a sword in the collision, but I still clung to the other. I rolled to the side, trying to get myself out from under the soldiers’ crushing weight. Flinging out my hand, the hilt of my sword connected with a sickening thud against the one man’s temple, and he dropped like a box of rocks.

The second man wrapped his hands around my neck, cutting off my air supply. I thrashed under him, trying to kick his family jewels, and when that didn’t work, I clawed at his hands with my pointed nails. His face tightened in pain, but he didn’t let up. Out of options, I stabbed him with my sword, it’s thin edge cutting through him like jello. His hands left my neck, and he groaned as he clutched at his side. Warm blood flowed across my hand and my stomach heaved. I hadn’t wanted to kill Draven’s followers; I wanted to hand them over to their leaders for trial.

Stop being an idiot. The fantasy world you have created in your mind doesn’t exist. These men made their choice; they’re not innocent. Your mission is to defeat Draven before his evil spreads, at whatever cost necessary. Stop wasting energy trying to disable these goons with non-lethal injuries.

I staggered back to my feet, stumbling for a moment as my ankle wobbled again with my weight. Darting my gaze around, I realized that twelve men were circling me, while Draven moved toward me, no doubt waiting to jump me once I was subdued by his mercenaries.

Not today, Satan. Not today.

A blade sang as it flew through the air. Spinning, I kicked out with my boot, sending it hurtling into one of the men. Two more blades were thrown at me in rapid succession. I whirled, spinning as I jumped again, slamming my boot into the blades and lodging them in my attackers. I winced as I landed, but thankfully my bone was healing and the pain had dulled.

One of the mercenaries rushed forward, throwing punches with his meaty fists. I was surprised at his speed given his size, and he managed to catch me in the ribs and my shoulder as I dodged and kicked. I gasped for air as he knocked the wind from my burning lungs. A second man used that moment of distraction to rush forward, grabbing my wing. My stomach churned in disgust. No one touched my wings except my mates.

I roared in outrage, trying to yank it free, but he held on and moved to grip the bones above and below the last joint. A sickening crack was followed by pure agony ricocheting through me.

I had been trying to conserve as much of my energy as possible for my showdown with Draven, but at this rate, I would be too weak to fight him. We had worked so hard, and it had been for nothing. I was strong, and I could easily take down several highly-trained supernaturals in a fight. But theseodds would have been impossible for any supernatural, male or female, and especially one who wasn’t at full power.

It was time to put out or shut up. My parents had helped me escape the night this monster murdered them, but I would not run or cower this time. Never again. I was a goddess - a baby one with very little control of her powers, but a freaking goddess nonetheless.

I screamed out every bit of fury, feeling the ground quake under my boots, and the dragon fire in my chest began to spread through me. My tattoos began to pulse, the sapphire color changing to the colors of fire. Heat began to swirl around me, creating a spinning vortex that kept me in its eye as I moved.

The surrounding men had frozen, either in fear or awe. Draven’s lust-filled eyes locked with mine. It wasn’t a lust for me; it was a lust for the power he craved. I released my hold on my energy, and allowed it to merge with me, knowing I had precious little time to finish this before it was expended completely. It would replenish with rest and time, but that wasn’t going to help in the middle of a battle. This was basically the equivalent of powering up in a video game and rushing to finish the level before the extra ability’s time ran out… except this was real life, and the fate of the world was kinda hanging in the balance. No pressure.

I lifted my fists into the air, and then quickly brought them down to my side as though smashing a table. The men around me found themselves tossed onto the ground like rag dolls, the force creating craters around their bodies. Not a single man groaned or moved; I wasn’t sure if they were aliveor dead, but I couldn’t allow myself to care about that right now.

Draven remained standing, apparently the only supernatural besides me to be able to use magic right now. I focused solely on him. Moving my palm, I held it between us in the universal sign to halt, quickly slamming my other palm against the back of the first. Energy shot from my palm, striking Draven with a force that flung him to the ground. A smile made its way to my lips as I heard the crunch of bones.

Staggering back to his feet, his lips moved as he spoke under his breath. The ground beneath my boots shook and shifted, swiftly turning from parched dirt to quicksand. Ignoring this impressive trick, I continued walking toward him, my vortex lifting me up with care and setting me down smoothly on solid ground. Draven’s eyes widened in shock for a moment, and then he began whispering again.

Wind ripped across the clearing, gathering dust and debris into the air as it circled like a predator. I knew the instant it found me; the wind changed from a dust cloud to a spear as it shot toward my chest.

My fingertips slid along the side of my personal tornado, petting it like a beloved dog. It danced between my fingers and I let my energy begin to flow out into the vortex, the two swirling around me like playful dolphins. The spear impacted against the side of my windy cocoon. My energy sizzled along the length of the spear, my vortex whipping it around before hurling it with the accuracy of a sniper. All this happened in the blink of an eye. Draven was expecting me to fall; he didn’teven realize the spear had been redirected until it pierced his chest.

This time, he did not get back up. His hate-filled eyes glared up at me as I accessed his injuries. The spear had dissipated, but the gaping hole in his chest remained. Blood pumped out at a rate that even I knew spelled certain death. He struggled to breathe, each breath making a wet suction sound.

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