Fire & Flood (Mythverse #1)

Book 2 Chapter 31

31

Any of the other monsters that are not too wounded to run have fled.

Except for Falcus and his family.

The students form a circle to watch the final fight.

“Stop,” I say.

It’s quiet, and doesn’t come out with any force, or fire. I’m exhausted, physically and emotionally. I drop to my knees, and suddenly Cassie is by my side.

“Edie,” she says. “Edie, you’ve got to stay with me. I need your help.”

“Are you injured?” I ask, desperately afraid for her.

“No, I need your help with them.” Her voice is so clear and powerful. Where is she finding her strength?

I open my eyes, and see her own wide ones, not far from mine. She’s looking at the manticore—Falcus’ wife—and the baby. She doesn’t look scared. She isn’t shaking. And suddenly I understand. That’s why Cassie is here. That’s what she meant about finally being useful.

Cassie is going to save the baby she delivered.

But not if Maddox has anything to do with it. Falcus is failing fast, one arm bloodied and dangling, the other swinging the axe in deadly arcs…but not quickly enough.

Nico, in wolf form, is dodging in and out, taking bites from the minotaur’s muscular legs, while Maddox gracefully dodges out of the circular swings of his axe, her spear arcing in and just grazing Falcus’ ribs with every jab.

“They’re playing with him,” a voice says, and I look up to find that Val is at my other side. He grips my elbow, pulling me to my feet.

“This isn’t right,” I say, breathlessly, just as Nico feints to the left, then nips Falcus’ heel.

The minotaur roars in rage and spins to face Nico, only to have Maddox’s spear take one of his ears off. Reeling again, he turns to face her—and Nico makes his move. With the father distracted, Nico grabs the baby from the mother’s arms and darts into the crowd of students.

The manticore screams, and Falcus wheels again, ready to protect her—and his child.

Gods and monsters aren’t all that different from us, I remember Mavis telling me. They have enemies and old feuds and good friends…and they fall in love.

Love. These aren’t monsters facing down students in a war. This is a father protecting his wife and child—outnumbered by tormentors.

“Stop!” I say again, louder this time. I am yet again ignored.

Maddox runs her spear through the minotaur’s meaty upper arm, and he loses his grip on the axe. Maddox plucks it from the air and delivers one quick swing. Falcus’ head spins off into the night, his blood spraying onto the upturned face of his wife.

There are cries among the students—some of them in victorious celebration, but more than a few sound horrified. There’s a sharp wail and I turn to see Cassie has wrestled Nico to the ground, her anger stunning him, his unwillingness to hurt her giving her the advantage as she tears the monster baby from his arms.

“My baby!” The manticore screams, still on her hands and knees. And then Maddox drives the axe downward, slicing the mother’s head in two. Everything goes quiet, and Maddox stalks out from inside the stone circle to face Cassie.

“Give that thing to me,” she says, one blood-covered hand held out to Cassie.

“No,” Cassie says, holding the bundle close. “You can’t have it.”

“Listen, seer,” Maddox says. “You’re lucky we even let your dead weight along on this ride.”

“Lucky?!” Cassie scoffs. “Yes, I’m so fortunate to have witnessed this massacre.” She waves her free arm around, taking in the toppled torches, the wounded students, and the dead monsters. “This isn’t war, Maddox.” she says. “And you’re no solider. This is a pillage, and you’re the monster.”

There are a few gasps, and Nico rolls onto his feet, a low warning growl in his throat.

“Vampire,” Maddox says, directing her words at Larissa. “Restrain the traitor.”

“I am, how do you say, sorry?” Larissa says in an exaggerated accent. “I do not understand you, as English is not my original language.” She smiles as she steps in front of Cassie. I want to hug her for her loyalty.

“Don’t hide behind your ignorance.” Maddox steps forward, axe aloft. “Oh Hades, I’ll take you both down with that squalling thing, then,” she says, with a shrug. “You certainly won’t be the first vampire I’ve killed.”

Across the circle of students, Val bristles as well. Maddox tosses the axe at Cassie’s feet then shifts into her wolf form. She’s horrifying, large and sleek, dark as the night around us.

“Last chance, seer,” she growls at Cassie. “Drop the baby.”

“No,” Cassie says, “Make love, not war.”

She’s shaking and I see her color fading as Maddox advances. I shift, although it takes all my energy, and fold my wings around her. But Cassie looks up at me, meeting my dragon’s eyes. She shakes her head and then turns forward and purposely steps beyond the shelter of my wings.

I realize she doesn’t want me to protect her. Not this time. She needs to stand up for what she feels is right, find the purpose that has eluded her at the Academy for so long.

Still I stay in dragon form, in case she needs me.

Another growl joins Maddox’s, but it’s different, higher, almost like a question. Between Cassie and his mother Nico paces, looking undecidedly between them.

Maddox crouches lower, ears laid back, leg muscles bunching. She howls up at the sky. I feel it down the length of my long curving spine.

There are several answering howls and I whip my head towards them just in time to see three werewolves attack Val. He falls beneath them and disappears.

“Val!” Larissa cries.

Despite his injuries, Jordan is the first to jump into the fray. I’m not far behind.

I grab one of the wolves by the scruff of his neck and lift a few feet of the ground. The coward immediately begins to whine pitifully. Remembering he’s a fellow student, I pitch him towards the ground like he’s a bowling ball. Predictably he rolls several times before coming to a stop on his back. Planting two claws on his chest with my talons resting what I hope is uncomfortably close to his belly, I screech at him.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

The smell of urine fills the air and I realize he’s peed himself. Whimpering, he tells me, “Maddox told us to. When she gave the signal—go for Val.”

I rise into the air and whirl around, my heart in my mouth.

I see Cassie running toward the portal, the wailing of the baby manticore trailing in her wake.

Behind her Larissa and Hepa work together blocking Callie from Maddox. Hepa throws balls of fire from her hands.

Pop. Pop. Pop.

One after another they hit Maddox. They don’t seem to slow her down much, but at least they’re a distraction. And they seem to throw off her sense a little, allowing Larissa to get in close and do some damage.

Larissa may be small and dainty, but she is a vampire. I’ve never seen her fangs—she always keeps them politely hidden. But now her deadly vampire nature is on full display.

I watch Cassie disappear through the portal at the same time that Larissa comes at Maddox again. But this time Maddox is waiting for her.

Larissa screams as Maddox’s teeth close around her shoulder. She claws at Maddox, her fangs useless, but she still has her vampire strength—enough to pull out great fistfuls of fur.

Still, Larissa isn’t looking good as Maddox gets her on the ground, with a giant paw over her chest.

I am already in the air, wings parallel to the ground for maximum speed.

But it’s too late.

There’s a sudden, sharp c***k, and I when I look back I see Maddox sprawling over Larissa’s body, her neck at an odd angle, the light gone from her eyes.

Larissa is dead.