Page 79 of Lost in Darkness (Akrhyn 2)

Cord grabbed Marcus and felt his Flare flicker. “Do not even think about it,” Cord growled into the night, ignoring Marcus’s startled look. With a surge of power, he portalled the three of them to the medical wing.

“Jameis!” Cord shouted into the room. He ignored the commotion in the room he had previously left. He saw Salem running, and swiftly Cord flung his arms up. Salem and Michael both fell. “They cannot see her like this,” he said quickly. “Sloane, out! Take her!” He did not need to check to see if his brother complied with his orders. He knew he would and that he would take Tegan with him.

Rorik was in front of him as was Jameis. “You need to lay her down, Marcus,” Rorik said urgently. “I can feel that she will not last much longer.”

As Marcus lay the small female on the white bed, her condition was highlighted more severely against the stark white sheets and harsh overhead light. Marcus heard the others collectively gasp around him as they looked at her.

“Everyone out,” Rorik commanded. “Jameis, Esther, stay. I need Perda too.” Rorik glanced at Marcus. “Do you need aid?”

“No,” Marcus said softly. “I will stay with her.” He met the Prime’s eyes, and the Prime dropped his gaze from the glowing golden eyes of the alpha. “She needs someone here she trusts when she wakes.” Marcus turned quickly and grabbed Cord’s arm. “Tove and the others?”

“I’m going back now,” Cord told him. “Just let me get her family out.” Cord pointed at Salem and Michael and told two Elite Sentinels to remove them.

“Thank you for spelling them.” Marcus turned back to Zahra as the Castors rushed to save her. “They should not see her like this.”

“I will be back soon,” Cord promised with a long look at Zahra. He had no real like for the Akrhyn betrothed to his brother, but as he took in her beaten and bloody body, he felt his heart harden. “I have Drakhyn to hunt.”

“Kill them all, Castor,” Marcus growled as he met Cord’s eyes. “Kill themall.”

“On my honour.” Cord nodded once and was gone.

Cord portalled back to the pack lands he had come into earlier with Tove. Tove was standing with a number of Lycan around her, gearing up for a fight. Most were in their wolf form, and he did not waver as they turned to him, teeth bared. Tove stood beside a smaller Lycan, whose blonde hair shone even in the pale moonlight. She had two young Lycan with her, early teens, Cord noticed. Both looked at him suspiciously.

“Tove,” Cord called softly.

“Marcus?” Tove asked, looking over his shoulder for the alpha.

“He will not leave her,” Cord told them. “I have removed her family from the room. I made a promise to Marcus.” Cord looked around at the pack as he spoke.

“Your promise?” Tove asked him quietly.

Cord turned to look at her and grinned in the moonlight. “We kill them all.”

Tove’s answering smile was equally vicious as the pack started to howl. Tove hugged the female Lycan briefly before speaking to the two teens. After ducking into a tent, Tove removed her clothing and changed to her wolf.

Can you hear me, Castor?

Cord looked at her in surprise as she emerged from the tent. Her wolf was russet brown, and she was as imposing in wolf form as she was in Lycan.

I can,Cord looked at her in surprise.I did not know that I could.

It is a gift not many share with other Akrhyn. I let you in to see here, and I kept the link open for this. The pack’s Second has come back from when we left them. The Drakhyn are regrouping, but they think they have them on the run.

Then let’s hunt.Cord checked his weapons.I will burn them all.

Yes! Let us hunt, Castor.

He could feel Tove’s grin in his head as they set off from the pack. Not far from the camp, they met other Lycans who were waiting, and as one, the pack fanned out and hunted through the woods for their enemy.

Cord did not slow as he ran. He kept pace with the wolves, and though there were many who had speed on him, he knew he was not holding them back. He ran as swiftly and as surely as the Lycan did in the dark of night. When he saw the first shadow fall from the trees, his ball of fire exploded in the night, lighting up the trees and allowing all the Lycan to see their hated nemesis. Zahra’s broken body flashed in Cord’s mind as he set another Drakhyn on fire with his magic. Annihilating these monsters with his magic was not enough—he needed to feel their death with his own hands.

Physically.

He wanted to feel their lives leave them as he took their heads. Cord drew his short swords and lunged on the nearest Drakhyn. As the embers of his fire burned out, Cord flowed through the dark like he was one with it. As the wolves fought with claw and teeth, Cord fought the Drakhyn with the weapons he had grown up with. Two short swords were his weapon of choice. He had a kali stick on his back and nine throwing knives on his body.

He didn’t need his weapons. As a Castor, he could take the enemy down without it, but as he fought, he was aware of the Mark burning. Not in warning, as it had been recently, but burning as ingrowing. Cord flipped himself over the head of a Drakhyn just as it fell to its knees from his blow to its gut. As Cord landed, his swords crossed at its neck, slicing the head off its body.

They’re running!Tove cried in his head, and he noticed that there were many Lycan pursuing the Drakhyn as they turned and fled.

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