Page 38 of Scales and Seduction

“Alright, motherfuckers, time to get out of my club,” Silas screams, his voice booming unnaturally, as though he’s screaming into a microphone I can’t see.

A blast of fire hurtles toward Silas from the far end of the hall. He doesn’t dodge it, or allow it to enter the room, Instead, his pink horn glows brilliantly with a pale pink light. He deflects it, the blazing ball hurtling back toward the draugr. It collides with one of the creatures, slamming it into the back wall with a loud thud. “Go take a dirt nap, asshole.”

Gideon shoves past him the moment he steps into the hallway, summoning a radiant energy sword from a ball of light. The blade burns so blindingly bright that the room seems to darken as if it pulls every ounce of light in with it. “Let’s go!” he commands. Then we’re piling into the hallway, which isn’t much wider than the room we were in; however, it’s longer.

Beyond the curve of the hall is the bar, where I can hear violent screams and crashing of glass. Gideon slashes his sword through the air, cutting down one of the attackers who’s shambling toward us with a rusty-looking mace in a dangling arm. It cleaves its body into two pieces. He takes that one down, only to whip his tail toward another, forcing it backward into the hallway.

My heart pounds in my chest as the rush of blood roars in my head. We finally come from the hallway into the open club.Surprisingly, there are far fewer magical creatures left behind to face the hundreds of draugr than I expected from a community full of magic.

Opal’s flying overhead, tossing what appears to be giant mud balls from a leather satchel. One of them comes into contact with a draugr’s shoulder, exploding into thousands of flower petals. The petals must be magic because the moment they touch the target, his shoulder is sawed from his body, and his sword drops to the ground. “Git out, yah fuckin’ arses!”

“Atta girl!” Silas screams, pumping his fist into the air. The moment he speaks, the hundreds of draugr who were previously occupied slowly turn in unison, cocking their heads with a rickety, chattering click.

As if they’re all the same consciousness, their mouths open and point directly at the four of us. “Hand over the human…” Their voices pierce the air in a venomous growl.

My blood runs cold as one of the draugr steps forward. His eyes are dark pits, and there’s hardly anything left to his jaw for his mouth to work at all.

“You won’t take her.” Gideon’s shoulders tense as his hold on his sword tightens.

The room of them erupts into cruel laughter. “You don’t understand, do you? We don’t want your pathetic human. We want what brought her here,” the one says, pointing at me. “She doesn’t belong here, and if we have to tear this entire place apart to find it…so be it.”

The words settle into my head. The attacks weren’t to force me out of hiding—they were to search for the app. They don’t even fully realize it’s possible multiple people in the town have the same app installed. If they don’t know, then they think it’s all Gideon’s doing.

Before I can fully process the revelation, another explosion of magic rattles the walls. The front doors burst open,splintering into pieces as huge, hulking orcs step inside. The one leading the charge is the council member Dothan. He’s still in full leather regalia, though now wielding a sword of his own. He screams something in a language I can’t understand, which makes every orc move.

The room erupts into chaos as a flash of fire whizzes past our heads right into the bar’s backing, and a table flies past us, cracking up against the bar. I barely have time to catch my breath as Gideon’s tail tugs me in the opposite direction with a swift jerk. My heart is racing, and through the noise, a low, guttural growl rips through the air behind us.

Suddenly, I’m aware that a large creature with rippling musculature stands beside us in the haze. Turning, I’m immediately surprised by Noodles, though he’s not the fluffy lovable housecat I know—he’s in full werecat form. His crimson eyes burn like molten lava, his roar vibrating in my chest and through the cement floor below us.

Ruby, Prince Gideon, please follow me to safety.His head turns to the two of us, radiating ferocity and power in just his gaze alone, though his teeth are smeared with blood.

“Gideon, get her out of here!” Silas screams in agreement as a blast of energy hits him squarely in the chest, knocking him back three feet.

I can’t see Gideon’s face, but he nods. “Loran, remember what I said!” he screams as the half-orc steps forward.

“I assure you I will do my best!” Loran yells as his foot collides in a roundhouse kick to the middle of a draugr’s chest.

“Meet us at the cottage!”

They’re cutting down attackers left and right, and the room becomes a blur of movement as sparks of magic and flower petals clash. I don’t move, unsure where to go.

“We need to go,” Gideon screams, wrenching his tail out from behind him to me. It snakes around my waist, gripping metightly as he jerks me closer. The chaos is everywhere as we pass through clashing swords and blood.

My heart aches for everyone we’re leaving behind. They’re sacrificing their lives all for mine. The weight of it settles over me as I look one last time behind us—I’m nothing but a burden.

The street is utter pandemonium. The moment we step out of the club, the acrid smell of smoke mingles with the metallic tang of blood. The haven of the Vale, once filled with vibrant life and laughter, is in ruins. Fires burn unchecked, casting orange and black smog into the air. The scent of fresh-baked bread from the bakery three doors down has been replaced by the reeking scent of decay.

Noodles strides ahead in his enormous shifted form. My throat feels tight, and my thoughts are focused on a singular purpose, to get Ruby to safety. She’s human and fragile in a way that the rest of us aren’t. Every attack, every clash of magic sends my fear spiraling higher. The thought of her being hurt makes me unable to breathe. It’s a weight against my chest, pressing me down. I can’t lose her. Not now, not ever.

I can feel her pulse against my tail as I pull her along the sidewalk, thumping in an odd rhythm, likely from her own terror. Her silence has done nothing to ease my fears, and for just a moment, I pause, allowing her to her feet. “Ruby, are you alright?” My hand tenderly lies against her cheek, hating the way unshed tears bubble in her eyes.

“I…I’m okay,” she stammers, her trembling fingers against mine. “I just want to get out of here.”

Noodles halts ahead, his molten red eyes cutting through the darkness as he glances at us with annoyance.No time for that…MOVE!he growls urgently in my head.

Reluctantly, I allow my hand to drop from her cheek, though I clasp her hand in mine immediately. I refuse to let her go. Ruby meets my gaze with a hesitant look, her lips thinning into a tense line as she squeezes my hand.

“Alright, Noodles,” I call back. “We’re coming.”

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