Page 38 of Under Dark Skies

You’re a liability out here. Maybe, if we get through this, it’ll be different.And that was the key. They had to make it out of here alive.

Layla understood how useless she was in battle and yet she desperately wanted to dosomething. There were no obvious weapons magically floating within easy reach and even if she had the bars, who would she call for help?

A quick survey of the surroundings further sank her hopes. Though the sad little station was barely big enough to hold a counter, a one-seat bathroom, and maybe a vending machine, it didn’t matter because the place was dark and probably locked up tight. The parking lot was also deserted, there were no cars on the road, and the nearby woods weren’t exactly teeming with friendly forces either.

The lighting on the platform was harsh, throwing stark shadows around the battlefield. It almost looked like four combatants had entered the chaotic free-for-all. It made her dizzy and she backed away to huddle against the side of the station house.

The metahumans fought with a strength and fury she’d never get used to. Their moves blurred and made her eyes ache. Witnessing the battle made her feel every bit of her human frailty.

She’d been afraid before. Childhood frights had given way to adult fears. She had a sunnier disposition than most, but it wasn’t like she hadn’t ever experienced existential dread.

She’d been afraid of growing old alone. Spiders and clowns gave her the heebie-jeebies. She’d often carried her keys at the ready in case she was attacked on the way back to her car.

Noneof the things that had scared her came close to preparing her for this—the battle wasn’t some abstraction, it was immediate. It was blood, muscle, claw, and bone.

The pair were locked in—focused only on victory and survival. They punched, slashed, kicked, and spun. Both carried marks.

I could lose everything. Rafe, Darla, everyone. A war between wolves and humans will only grow. And a war between supernatural metahumans will tear the world apart.

Layla was learning fear could be ocean deep and ready to swallow you whole. Its currents could lull you into submission and drag you far from shore. It was salty and bitter.

The fear hit her like a rogue wave, crushing her under its weight. Breathing became a struggle.Am I getting too much oxygen or not enough? Her heartbeat sounded alarmingly loud as it pounded in her ears.

Thinking about what was going on in her body created yet another swell of panic. It sent her reeling and she pushed against the wall.

What had only been a handful of minutes felt like an hour. The fight continued. And Layla did the only thing in her power.

She kept on swimming.

Thirty-Four

Rafe

The train station was not the best place to start a fight. But Rafe was beginning to get used to the fact that he was losing control over when and where he had to battle these traitors. There was something large going on, with multiple shifters and humans working together, and it was bigger than the both of them.

“Stay back there.” Rafe ordered Layla to hide in a corner so the assassin couldn’t get at her. She did as she was told as the woman followed her with her gleaming eyes.

“Don’t fucking look at her!” Rafe barked.

The woman smiled. She was wearing all black, clearly a PEACE uniform. But still, she was a human. He knew that immediately when they were attacked. She was tall and lean, powerful and quick. Perhaps she was young. But nevertheless, full of conviction.

“What do you want from us? Who are you working for?”

The woman silently plunged toward him. Rafe was able to block her strike and divert her body sideways, but she recovered fast, then rebutted with another strike. That one hit him directly in the nose. He felt the bones cave in like sugar glass.

“FUCK!” He tumbled backward onto the marble floor. Anger began to surge through him, making him only see red. He knew that she was the excitable kind, which meant that she was willing to take a cheap shot. She would come for him as he lay, so he braced himself for impact.

And that was exactly what the mysterious woman did. She leapt high in the air and landed on top of him. He raised his knees to block her entire weight from landing on his torso, but still felt the wind being knocked out of him. He puffed and panted as she reached her paws toward his throat.

“Why are you at PEACE? You’re a traitor to your race if you’re at PEACE!”

The woman glared at him, refusing to answer questions. She nearly got to his throat when he managed to kick her forward. Once again, she recovered fast, then drop-kicked him in the side. Rafe thought he felt his pelvis slightly shift.

He did not fall though. Instead, he bared his teeth and twisted his fingers so his wolf nails exposed themselves. He wasn’t sure if Layla had seen him in his semi-wolf form yet, but a battle like this called for it.

He swiped at her as she tried to swipe at him. He managed to nick her arm lightly. She retreated slightly, getting angry that he had managed any touch. This gave Rafe both time and confidence, so he lifted his shirt from off of his body, tossing it aside. He went on all fours and allowed his body to shake.

Turning into a wolf wasn’t painful. His muscles tensed and his feet swelled.

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