1. Savage Beast
CHAPTER 1
Savage Beast
Rez
“ H ow the fuck are we going to defeat that?” Knox yells, back in his human form again.
When L.A.M.B. mentioned the Gatekeeper’s beast, I only imagined one, which, technically, I’m still staring at one creature. But what is it? I don’t know of any monster that has the body of a lion, the wings of a bat, and a scorpion’s tail. Let alone one that has porcupine quills all over it and is a jack-of-all-trades type of monster, considering the way it keeps changing shapes.
I didn’t think of the monster at first. Then again, this isn’t supposed to be our fight to have. This is supposed to be L.A.M.B.’s, but somehow, we’re the ones designated to come, and they’re the ones staying behind, holding back a mob of demons.
How did my life come to this?
Movement catches my attention, and my eyes widen as I watch my best friend step before the monster and mimic its form. What the hell is he doing?
‘Lynx! What are you doing? Stop. Get back here so we can come up with another plan!’ I yell at him through our link. Did he hit his head and suddenly get the idea that he’s invincible and can take this thing on?
It’s no use as Lynx launches himself at the beast with his claws out, but it’s what I see from the corner of my eye that has my throat closing and my heart shuttering to a stop. A large venomous barb at the end of the scorpion’s tail swings right at Lynx’s open flank.
“NO!!!” The group yells, and I throw out my shield to protect Lynx, but I feel the barb smash through it, jarring me to the core. Someone’s hands steady me, but my eyes are glued to my best friend as I watch his imminent death race towards him.
As the scorpion barb pierces Lynx’s flank, his claws dig into the tail and pull the monster off balance as he rolls to the side, toppling the beast on top of him.
“Lynx!” I yell, breaking free of whomever has me, only to stop short when I reach the mass of limbs. Instead of seeing blood and the barb impaled through Lynx’s body, I find it wrapped around him in a hug and his paws kneading against the tail as if he’s a baby kitten suckling his mother.
A streak of pale white whips next to me, and I get a quick look at Moni before she lands on my shoulder. “Is—is he dead?” Moni asks, grabbing my earlobe.
Before I can answer, a sound vibrates throughout the cavern. What?
“Is someone…purring?” Knox asks as I lean down and take a closer look at Lynx. His eyes are half open, and his cheek is rubbing against the beast’s chest.
“Lynx?” I ask apprehensively.
The pile of limbs shifts, and in its place is not my Lynx at all. Instead, a tall, broad-shouldered man with jaw-length blond hair stands in front of me. He’s shirtless, and a pair of black sweatpants hang off his slender waist. He glances at us, and my breath catches as his eyes meet mine. His dark turquoise eyes look so much like Lynx that I swear I’m looking at his twin.
As Lynx shifts, he reaches down pulling him up and into a bear hug.
“What?”
“I’m lost?”
“Did we die?”
“This has to be a trap.”
The pair release, and the taller, older man, swings his arm around Lynx’s shoulders as he faces us with a smile in his eyes and looks back down at my best friend. Lynx is all smiles as he glances back and forth between the man and our group until his eyes focus on me and my mixed expression of shock and confusion.
“Oh. Hey, guys. This is my dad, Lennox,” he says with a goofy look.
“Your dad?” I’m so surprised, a slight breeze could knock me over.
“Shit, if that’s what you have to look forward to, Rez, Lynx is gonna be smokin’ when he’s older!” Moni says, and I hear Chester yell an indignant “Hey!” in the back. “Oops! I have to go play emotional control.” She blushes a light pink and flies off my shoulder.
I swear, one of these days, she is going to get her phrases right. I’m pretty sure she meant damage control.
“Are these your friends, Son?” Lennox asks, gesturing to us.
“I guess I need to give introductions,” Lynx says, stepping away from his father for a moment.
A loud shrieking noise rings throughout the cavern and drops me to my knees. Quickly covering my ears, I squint enough to see I’m not the only one on the ground. My group, along with Lynx and Lennox, are also immobilized, writhing in pain.
As fast as the sound comes on, it disappears and is replaced with a magical sound filled with fire.
“Lennox Alexander, what in the world is taking so long out here?” the voice filled with fire yells.
My eyes shift to the door, and where it once stood, a woman in a long yellow dress now stands. Her long brunette hair flows around her torso like an avenging angel, with the light shining behind her. Whoever this lady is, she’s gorgeous and I’m a little bit envious of her in this light. Talk about an entrance.
“Sierra!” the apparent Lennox cheers. “Come see!” he says, quickly jumping up and approaching the woman.
“What’s going on? Where did he go?” Zeke asks, looking around in a panic.
“Wait, you can’t see him?” I ask, pointing in the direction of the door.
“You mean you can?” JP asks with a look of surprise.
I nod as Zeke helps me up, and I turn my attention back to the couple.
“No,” the woman says, crossing her arms. “Explain to me first why the door isn’t fixed. That awful noise is unbearable. We don’t have to worry about protecting it. It’s gonna kill anyone that comes near,” she hissed.
A smile breaks out on his face, and he waves his hand behind him to indicate us. Ripples of a film waver before it disintegrates into sparkles between us. I had no idea we were hidden from each other. I need to get a better handle on these powers.
Her jaw slackens, and suddenly her eyes tear up. “My little cub?” Her voice wobbles. She hesitantly reaches out to Lynx, but at the last minute, she covers her mouth as she releases tears and her bottom lip trembles. “He’s dead!” she screams, falling into Lennox’s arms.
“Well, I see where you get your theatrics,” Levi says to Lynx as he steps up to me and looks me over for any injuries. Lynx shoots us a look of panic before rushing to his mother’s side.
“Mom! What are you talking about? I’m not dead. At least I don’t think Dad killed me. I did the roll and tuck that he taught me when we used to play,” Lynx spits out quickly as he tries to get her attention. He gently pushes her blonde hair out of her face to look at her dark blue eyes.
“You’re…you’re not dead?” she repeats, reaching out to brush the side of his cheek, as if to see for herself that he is a completely solid form. He reaches up and grasps her hand.
“No, Mom,” Lynx reassures her with a smile and a squeeze.
Smack!
“Then how dare you scare me like that?”
As Lynx apologizes to his mother, I take the opportunity to check on everyone. The ones that are around me seem to be okay, but my stomach hits the floor when I focus on my Door Knight.
“Knots!” I yell.