FOREVER KNIGHTS: #6 Malevolent Attentions

"Go..." Deragan heard a familiar feminine voice.

"Calisto?" He looked around

"You can't fight him. You're outmanned! Run."

Deragan snarled. Backing up to stay just from the reach of licking fire.

"Run, Deragan!"

"Dammit!" Deragan rounded and lunged across the lawn.

Radix and Chavias leapt through the window with Worthington clumsily following. Cutting his hands on the broken glass in the sill.

The black crow flew out the opening. Taking to the sky.

Glancing back, Deragan saw Chavias step in-front of Radix. Rounding to face the demon who stared up at him darkly.

Wha

Unable to hear them, Deragan focused on evading licking whips of fire. Ducking and rolling to dodge one.

Radix gestured violently after Deragan, fury written over his face.

Nonis poured from every corner of the property. Leaping on Chavias and tearing him to the ground, piling on him before he could move his swords. Just as they had so long ago. Several sinking teeth into muscle and rending it loose. Splattering red droplets over the perfectly manicured lawn.

Hearing thumping, Deragan looked near his feet. A Noni ran next to him, tracking his movements for the demon.

Understanding their telepathic link well, brought a smile to Deragan’s lips. It’s cost me plenty in the past. Nigh time it costs him something. Shifting into the silver wolf, he dropped to all fours mid-step. Leaping sideways to catch the Noni in his jaws. Feeling its body crunching, he tightened his teeth purposefully. It struggled, screeching in distress.

Radix’s screams.

With a final rough shake, Deragan felt the satisfying snap. It’s back separating. Tossing it aside, he swung his head around and saw the ground behind him scorching black. Radix screamed in fury and pain.

Plants died behind Deragan. Radix’s murky reach touching the treeline and crumbling trunks to ash. Shriveling grass slumped and eventually disintegrated.

Black wings burst from Deragan’s shoulders. He began to fly. Legs jerking, his body shivered then swelled. Wings carrying him higher even as clumps of fur fell from him. Talons jutted where canine limbs had been. His neck cracked and expanded. Wolf’s face peeling aside to expose a horned dragon’s head. A rough shake caused the sails on his neck and framing his head to snap free and catch wind, flapping. As his body lengthened the long, scaled tail flipped from underneath him, dragging the ground. Noni’s doggedly leapt after it. His fur was replaced with shining blue-black scales.

He was gone before Radix’s ashen reach could touch him. A black dragon disappearing into the night sky.

Stumbling across the lawn, Worthington tried to get a better look. Arms akimbo and jaw slack he watched the black blur disappear. Shape rippling as though behind heat waves.

Pursuing Deragan, the demon emitted a sound half shriek, half roar.

From her kennel in back, Maxine whimpered.

Looking at the demon dumbly then back to the sky, Worthington sputtered.

Bleeding badly, Chavias rolled onto his stomach. Struggling to climb to his knees. While Nonis heaped on him.

Radix spun, gray cloak snapping as he stomped to loom over the warlord. As Radix stepped into his view, Chavias met the demon’s fury unflinchingly. Challenge written on his expression.

Worthington snapped his jaw closed and looked from one to the other.

“Get to her first!” Radix barked. Quivering with rage, he refused to look away from Chavias.

For once Worthington unquestioningly did as bid. Willing to flee rather than witness whatever horrible fate awaited Radix’s shadowy warlord.