Chapter Five
I chuckle as the guys face turns practically purple with his indignation.
“Er Sage I’m not sure it’s a great idea to wind up the vampire just before a fight.” Kysen says quietly behind me as I move forward further into the makeshift ring of people that has formed around us.
“It’s what she does, she likes winding up dangerous men to the point they unravel.” Jax says, a small amount of tension in his now musical voice.
I can understand that, although I have no doubt that my men could annihilate the vampire it would still fill me with tension to watch them do it.
“I’m not even sure how to reply to that.” Kysen says, “Listen you can use your gifts and any weapons you already have on you. We can’t give you anything, fortunately I know for a fact that you're all armed. Most people are in this realm to be honest because of this reason.”
“Dude you nervous babble.” Hunt chuckles.
“Sorry mate.” He replies.
“It’s a good job I’m already armed, I imagine its quite difficult to behead someone with your bare hands.” I comment deliberately trying to antagonise the vampire.
I think I have a problem I can’t help but piss people off more when they want to kill me.
The vampire snarls and snaps his elongated teeth in my direction. Spittle flying everywhere. This one is easily riled.
“The only one losing their head today will be you!” He hisses.
“Bring it.” I reply dropping down into a fighting stance and drawing my twin curved blades from the sheaths on my back.
I’m hoping that my Nyx blades will stay put in the tattoos on my wrists, if they suddenly appear it might give away more about me and our group than I’m willing for anyone to know at this point.
However in the brief time that I’ve had them I’ve come to learn that they have a mind of their own completely, I don’t have much control over them yet.
I’m hoping that if we get in to the Blood Moon Academy like the Enforcer, Declan is in the process of sorting out, they’ll be able to teach me better how to control it or at least some information on it.
Nyx did spend more time here in the demon realm and in the Fae realm than in the Earth realm, they did at least teach us that much at the Earth realm academy.
The guy has no finesse of any sort as he just charges for me.
His sword raised like he thinks that’s all it will take to end me.
I easily dodge out of the way spinning on my heel and raising my swords to stop his downward motion as he swings for me again.
The crowd moves uneasily. He grunts before pushing backwards, I run forward swinging my sword and easily getting through his guard and spearing him through the stomach he looks at me shocked not expecting me to be able to fight at all apparently.
I’m a bit shocked too if I’m honest I was expecting this guy to put up a bit more of a fight considering all the talk he was giving to the crowd.
I pull out my sword and lift my other one high swinging it in an arc and effortlessly removing his head. It thumps when it hits the floor rolling a small ways as his body crumples behind him, reminding me of when Creep decapitated the Director.
The crowd stares in shock, the fight lasting barely a few minutes.
“Come on, lets get going before they all snap out of their shock, realise just how far up the hierarchy they could get if they defeated you and you get even more challenges.” Kysen mutters.
I turn to face the guys and their proud grins. There’s no time for any sort of conversation though. I don’t want to be stuck here doing challenges. We don’t have the time.
Surprisingly the stable hand already has the horses ready and we quickly get on as the crowd starts to stir and mutter.
“I had a feeling you’d be wanting your horses proper quickly miss.”
“Thank you.” I say, tossing him an extra gold coin.
It doesn’t hurt to have friends in all sorts of places. I’d ask him whether he’s heard any rumours about a Bonded group anywhere near here but Kysen’s already urging his horse forward and we all follow. I can come back at some point hopefully.
“Nyx be with you.” The guy mutters and I send him a shocked look, wondering if he knows something more than he’s let on, I let it go and follow quickly after the others.
Thankfully we get out of town without much incident.
Exiting the large enclosed place on the opposite side to where we entered.
We ride hard trying to put as much distance between us and the town as possible, finally we slow down and give the horses a well deserved drink at a river that winds along next to the dirt road.
“I know you said that you’d try to make it last a bit longer but . . .” Levi starts.
“Hey!” I protest interrupting, “I honestly thought he was a better fighter. He was talking like he was.” I defend.
“I don’t think I would’ve been able to make it last much longer.” Kysen admits. “I’d put money on him trying to raise his status and not having the skill set in order to do so. So he picks on travellers he perceives weaker than him and most likely exhausted from their travels.”
“An absolute prick then.” Maverick says.
“Completely.” Kysen grins. “There’s a place about an hour or so ride from here that will put us closer to the next town but not close enough that we have to worry about people from the town stumbling across our camp.”
“Sounds good.” Levi says and once the horses have had their fill from the stream and we’ve all refreshed ourselves with water from our newly purchased canteens we start on our journey again taking it slower and more leisurely now that we’re a good few hours from the last town.
I hope not all of them are going to be like that.
Although the violence in me enjoyed it, we are on a kind of timescale.
My parents are somewhere in this realm. Fuck knows what’s happening to them or what they were taken for.
I just know that we need to find them not only because they are my parents but because Nyx sent Nicole that vision for a reason and I can only assume that this is the path that she wants me on.
The sound of angry muttering pulls me out of my thoughts and I watch as Kai moves past me so he’s just in front of my horse, with Jax riding next to me.
I slap my hand over my mouth as soon as I realise why Kai’s muttering angrily.
He’s taking his cloak off since it’s started to warm up now its past midday and every few strides or so his wings flap lazily and try to lift him off out of the seat of his saddle, they manage to get him about a foot up before he angrily chastises them and they plop him back down in the saddle with a thud.
Drooping like they’re sad they then start the whole process over again after the five minute mope.
Jax burst’s out laughing next to me, his laughter instantly setting my own off and making Kai swivel in his seat to glare at us as the other guys turn to see what has us laughing.
“What are you guys . . .” Hunter starts to ask but before he can finish his sentence Kai’s wings start their antics again and makes everyone laugh.
“Ah I remember those days,” Kysen chuckles, “how long have your supernatural sides been free for?”
“About a week maybe if that. Honestly Dude so much has fucking happened I don’t even know any more.” Kai answers.
“They should calm down and start to behave a bit soon. If they’re anything like my tail though they’ll still get you into trouble no matter how long you’ve had it.”
“You’re part of a Bonded group?” I ask trying not to sound shocked I definitely saw him as Cole’s Bonded.
“Oh no, I’m a born supernatural but we learn all about Centre’s and their Bonded at the Blood Moon Academy.
We learn about all the different, species, there’s even a special extra course you can take if you’re interested in studying the various more uncommon subspecies.
Don’t they teach you that at your academy? ”
“Nope. Our academy has been sabotaged, the Director was doing pretty much everything to make sure that the students that attend have as little information as possible and are wildly under prepared to the job they’re supposed to be training for.” I explain an edge to my voice.
“Yeah that’s if the entrance initiation doesn’t kill you first.” Maverick growls.
“The what?” Kysen says already sounding pissed.
“You know the Earth realm academy teaches supernaturals and humans who have been exposed to the supernatural realm right?” Levi asks, taking over the explanation.
Kysen nods.
“Well before the supernaturals can attend they have to go through an initiation. A certain number get picked up by one of the academy’s drivers, on the way they are then left stranded on a deserted road and someone comes to get the driver and then the students are attacked.” Levi explains.
“We were attacked by vampires but I don’t know if it’s the same rouges they use for everyone.” Maverick adds.
“Right, so there’s weapons in the trunk of the car but your not given much time to find them so if you aren’t armed you’re fucked.” Levi finishes explaining.
“That’s fucking barbaric.” Kysen says horrified, “Why would she insist on doing that?”
“We think she was working with the Order for some unknown reason.” I say.
“The Order are human though.”
“True but really think about everything they are capable of. There have to be some supernaturals betraying their own kind in order to help them.” Maverick says logically.
“I guess.” He replies the wheels in his head clearly turning as he starts to think about it.
“What the hell?” Jax curses as he stares up at the sky.
I takes me a minute to realise that its raining but what has Jax cursing is that the rain is bright red looking like blood although thankfully it’s not got the same consistency as blood and is more like normal rain in the respect at least.
“Don’t worry it’s just rain. I know it looks different in the Earth realm.” Kysen reassures us. “We probably should speed up a bit though to make sure we have camp set up by nightfall.”