6. Nikolai

6

NIKOLAI

“ I understand why they call us gods-blessed,” Lev says to my left.

I don’t have to look at him to know that his face is shining with excitement. He and I, the only two with wings, took to the skies as soon as we stepped out of the caves. With the others on the ground, using their magic to sense and search for the wildspont base, I decided it was best for the two of us to fly so we could scout ahead.

The fact that I have never felt such great exhilaration in my life is just a bonus.

“Do you feel anything?” I ask as I bank to the left, letting a tendril of magic pull me in the right direction. At least, that’s what I hope.

Since the wildspont can spit us out at random – a downside to the explosive and uncontrollable magic – we don’t know exactly how far we are from the wildspont. And the Council wasn’t feeling particularly helpful enough to send a scout. They believed that if we are so strong – Brinda doesn’t try hard to hide her disdain for those who don’t worship her – then we could find the base on our own.

My wings stretch so wide that it almost hurts, and I have to fight the grin that wants to spread across my face. I have never had the luxury of soaring like this, of tasting fresh air like I was intended to.

It’s absolutely incredible.

“No, not–” He pulls up short and I stop in reflex. “Did you hear that?”

I turn my head, noticing how the other accolades stop below us. I’m just about to respond when I pick up the quietest sound. It’s a cry – one of anguish.

And for some reason, it feels like it’s gutting me.

I don’t even think. Pinning my wings in closer, I tell Lev, “Get to the wildspont base.”

“Wait– Nikolai!”

But I’ve already taken off, my wings beating heavily and then tucking into my body so that I dip through the air. The sound erupts again, closer, and my heart feels like it is trying to claw out of my chest.

“Find the base!” I shout back, knowing that Lev will do as he is told.

The cries grow louder and more agonized as I fly recklessly through the forest, weaving between the trees. It doesn’t take me much longer to recognize that the screams belong to a woman. Whoever she is, she's in unimaginable pain.

The sound claws at my heart, spurring me faster through the canopy. I have to find her. Have to help, though I don't understand this compulsion.

Then I see them – a pale man leaned over a woman pinned beneath him on the ground. My vision flashes red at the sight. No wings mark this man as vrakken, but his fangs are buried in the woman's shoulder as she struggles weakly.

I angle into a dive, coming up behind the pair. The woman is human, terror and pain etched on her delicate features. Her wide eyes are already starting to roll back in her head, but her body keeps striving against the pain. She’s strong, that’s for sure.

Rage ignites within me. I land in a crouch several feet away, my wings tucking instinctively as every part of my body screams to stop him. The vrakken's head snaps up, blood coating his grin. He starts to rise from the woman's still writhing form.

My vision blazes crimson once more. Every instinct roars for me to rip this creature apart, to make him pay for harming her. Blood pounds in my ears, fury choking my throat.

But I harness the rage, leashing it tightly. The woman needs me coherent. With immense effort, I remain still, muscles coiled to spring, waiting to see the vrakken's next move. My priority is getting her away from here safely.

The vrakken prowls forward, circling me. His lips peel back to bare blood-stained fangs. "She's mine, winged one."

I mirror his movements, positioning myself between him and the woman. "Not anymore."

With an enraged hiss, he leaps at me, hands out to grab me. But I'm faster. I spin left and his hands swipe through empty air. As he lands, I smash my palm between his shoulder blades. He crashes face-first to the ground with a satisfying crunch.

Before I can subdue him further, the woman lets out another tortured wail behind me. She thrashes weakly, lost in agony despite her unconscious state.

I'm at her side in an instant, conflicted. Soothing her pain is critical, but to do so requires giving this woman my bite. Though humans were meant for us, I’ve never tried it.

A part of me fears that I won’t be able to stop myself once I have a taste.

As she screams again, the debate ends. I bare my fangs and strike, piercing the tender flesh of her wrist, her veins pounding against the skin. Her flesh is feverish, and a new wave of anger hits me.

Every vrakken has the ability to numb their prey. It’s meant to aid in hunting, but many do it for the comfort of the humans. Most find it to be enjoyable, euphoric even, and this vrakken denied her, left her to writhe in pain instead.

He’s going to fucking pay.

Relief washes over me as her cries fade, her body starting to settle as my numbing agent spreads through her. Soft moans escape her, stirring something new in me as she seems to take pleasure in what I’m giving her.

But then her unique taste explodes on my tongue – sweet yet tinged with spice, utterly addictive. I swallow reflexively, savoring it despite myself.

A rumbling purr echoes through my chest. I know I should withdraw, but cannot make myself pull away. Not until her racing pulse steadies under my lips. Only then do I retract my fangs, shaking off the hypnotic draw of her blood.

A low snarl behind me reminds me we are not safe. I turn, wings flaring, to face the furious vrakken. He will not have this woman. I will make sure he will never think of threatening her again.

The vrakken surges to his feet with an enraged snarl, blood oozing from his nose. He launches at me, swiping for my face.

I catch one wrist but he rakes his hand across my cheek before I can twist his arm. Blood sprays as he lays open the skin from temple to jaw. The pain only fuels my fury.

He screams as I wrench the broken arm behind his back, then smash my elbow into his shoulder. Another crunch rings out as I dislocate the joint.

"She is mine," I growl as he howls.

With renewed strength, the vrakken lunges, raking his claws across my chest and abdomen. Pain explodes through me as he shreds through skin and muscle, nearly disemboweling me.

I may be strong, but I am not well versed in fighting. I wasn’t trained to be a scout or a warrior, and it is showing now.

I crash to my knees, crippled by the vicious wound. The vrakken looms over me, grinning in feral triumph, claws dripping with my blood.

"Not so strong now, are you winged one?" He grabs me by the hair, wrenching my head back to expose my throat. "I'll take back what's mine."

As his fangs descend toward my jugular, my bleary gaze lands on the woman's motionless form. A primal need to protect her surges through me, overpowering the agony.

With a roar, I surge upwards, clamping my hands around the vrakken's head and slamming my skull into his. He jerks back with a roar, giving me the opening I needed.

I hurl him away. He crashes into a massive tree, blood spraying the bark as vines weave up his body to hold him in place. Before he can slide down, I grab him by the throat and slam him back against the tree. His feet dangle helplessly.

Clamping my other hand on his shoulder, I dig my fingers deep and rip downward. Flesh tears like paper, muscle shredding as I carve him open diagonally. Intestines bulge from the yawning wound.

He wails, thrashing in my grip. "Please! Mercy!"

"You showed none to her." I drive my fist into his exposed organs. They rupture under the force, acidic bile flooding the cavity. He chokes as it rises into his throat. I drop him contemptuously to the ground.

He slams his remaining palm into my knee, shattering the one and making me fall. He doesn’t even seem to notice the pain from his eviscerated stomach as he jumps on top of me. "She’s just a human," he grits out, spit and blood bubbling on his lips.

The words only enrage me. I flip us over, getting my foot underneath me as I keep him pinned to the ground. I step on his leg, feeling the bones splinter.

"Give me one reason why I shouldn’t tear you to shreds." When he remains silent, I stomp savagely on his knee, pulverizing the joint completely.

His screech echoes through the quiet forest. As I revel in it, he drives his knee up, knocking me over as my hip dislocates, but no real damage is done. He tries crawling away, dragging his mangled leg. I let him think he can escape as I push the joint back in place.

When he's a few feet away, I stomp on his back, driving him into the dirt. He chokes as I force his face into the earth. Gripping his remaining good wrist, I wrench upwards as I plant my boot between his shoulder blades. The arm detaches with a wet rip.

He screeches, thrashing beneath me. I roll him over and pin his head down with my foot. "Look at me!" I snarl.

His pain-filled eyes meet mine. I grasp his leg just below the knee. "You will not touch another human. Say it." When he just whines, I twist sharply. The limb separates, more raggedly than the last.

He howls, back arching. "I won’t! I won’t touch another!"

I toss the severed limb aside. "Was that so hard?"

To his credit, he swipes at my leg. I am slowed down by my injuries, blood coating my face and abdomen and one of my legs is practically useless. But I’m still faster than him with far less damage.

I haul him up by the hair and slam my forehead into his nose, crushing the cartilage. Limp in my grip, I hurl him into a tree trunk. He crumples at the base, head lolling, face a mask of blood.

One arm dangles by only strings of muscle. He's barely conscious, moaning weakly as his wounds sluggishly knit back together. I will leave him there, satisfied he will never threaten another again.

A soft sound comes from behind me, pulling my attention away from the vrakken – the woman shifting on the forest floor. I turn to see her eyes open, my bite having drawn her back from oblivion.

As her gaze meets mine, something unfurls within my chest. A feeling I have no name for. It steals the breath from my lungs and makes my pulse pound like war drums.

She sits up slowly, pale and disoriented. I stand frozen, unable to look away, torrents raging through my veins. I want to go to her, protect her, spirit her away somewhere safe. The instincts clash with my duty, leaving me reeling.

"Who are you?" Her voice is weak but steady as she eyes me warily.

I open my mouth but no words emerge. Something fundamental has shifted in my core, realigning my world off-axis.

And I have no idea what to do about it.