FOREVER KNIGHTS: #9 Feral Breed

Vision blurring from lack of air and pain, she squinted.

Black hair and black clothes turned him into a dark blur. His hand outstretched in her direction. Fingers curled he turned it palm out in slow motion. The carriage backed from the tree, untangling the door as it dropped to the ground. Settling enough she could slip from the seat to the ground without falling.

Focusing on his tall shape, she assessed broad shoulders and a slim build. Drawing a quick breath. She recognized the stranger’s blue eyes. Even through her hazy vision.

Deragan hissed an indrawn breath. Closing his eyes made her vision shiver.

Tapping into her mind he was assailed by the vision she experienced of his penetrating blue eyes driving into her. Face etched with longing. Dizzy from the force of her memory, he clutched his stomach to keep from retching.

She’s getting more powerful. Quickly. Hand lowering, he staggered into the trees.

“Don’t leave me again!” She cried from behind him. Her voice hitting him like a whip.

He froze in his tracks. Wishing to obey anything she’d ask. Keep going. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself on. Ignoring the pain it caused him to separate from her.

“Twice you’ve been with me when I needed help!” She called. The carriage creaked under her movements. “Twice you’ve vanished. I just want to speak to you!” Her voice was soft like rain on a tapestry.

Not now. I’m changing. I can feel it. I won’t be able to mask what I am. He looked over his shoulder and saw her dropping from the driver’s bench and landing on her hands and knees. Crushing leaves hidden in the grass in her disorientation. Her breath regulated. Heart slowing, she turned a bleary gaze to the trees.

A twig cracked under his dark boot. He looked down at the crumpled bit and back to her.

She was climbing to her feet, head averted in his direction. She rushed into the thick cluster of maples behind him. Chirping birds quieted. Behind the layer of denser trees.

He rushed away from her moving fast enough to keep hidden behind the trees.

But she was so close at one point that a branch he past nearly hit her in the face when it whipped back.

Hissing between his teeth he felt a wave of fear. What would I say to her if she caught up to me?

She jerked to a stop as she heard another rustle. “Is-is s-someone there?”Utter silence. Her shoulders were so tight they ached. Slowing, she glanced back to the broken carriage then forward to the deeper trees. Squaring her shoulders, she followed the hushed sounds. Rushing after the lumbering shadow.

Go back.

But this time she was ignoring him.

She caught flashes of his form distending. He tried to mask his image by making it ripple like a mirage.

Her heels drug as she followed at a safe distance...until a pile of leaves crunched underfoot. Diving behind a tree she saw twin blue orbs turned on her. Shimmering like moonlight under a lake, from the shade of willows and maples. Above those she noticed a stone overhang.

Deragan’s snort to warn her away, emitted a foul sulfuric odor. He drug his way backward through the trees. Ducking as he rounded to enter the rock cave. Until only his flicking tail worked from sight.

Don’t follow me. He was fighting to control the changing of his body. Willing his temperature to cool. I’m overheating. He was still swelling. The ridge down his back unfurling. His arms bulging and thickening to front legs. Black scales were seeping through his pores like sweat.

Terrified of what she’d seen and the voice’s warning for her to go back. She feld feet flying in the direction she’d hoped the house was. Over her shoulder she glimpsed a charcoal gray shape. Chasing her on feet that looked like hands. Head swinging it wove through the brush. Snapping branches. She shrieked.

A terrifying scent shook Deragan to his core. No!

Targue. Blue eyes darkened. Jerking around he cracked his head on the stone ceiling. Shrinking from dragon form.

Damn it! It’s driving me into my primary shape. An instinctive reaction to that smell. To the threat.

His roar cried over the forest. I can’t shift any faster!

I need to get out of this cave so I can change and get to her.

Nora’s calf was bleeding again. Deragan could smell it. Hear her stumbling over debris. Feel the rise of her panic as she looked over her shoulder and saw the thing pursuing her.

Red eyes, shaped like a human’s but laced in yellow and orange, glittering malevolently. Viper tongue flicking out to swipe hungrily over its mouth as it crossed the distance. Loping so smooth it appeared floating. Drawing near enough she heard it breathing. Behind her it ducked a branch and prepared to lunge.Closing in until she felt its pants on the back of her neck.

She can’t outrun it. Deragan was rushing from the cave. Trying to get to her.

Her feet slowed, and stillness settled through her as she turned on her heel to face her assailant. Hands fisting and chin lifting, she waited for it to cross the last few steps.“What are you?” She whimpered.