Chapter 12

Vedrac

As I handed the axe to the orc, he did the strangest thing. He placed his hand on my shoulder and held it there.

"Thank you, friend."

I could have used that touch to drain him dry. It was a true offering of trust and it moved me deeply. So few people had dared touch me for such a long time. The word friend meant something to me when accompanied with a gesture such as this.

"The guards dumped the minotaur's mate here. They are up to something."

I'd seen his energy mixed in with hers and knew immediately that they were mates.

"Well, then. Let's pay 'em back for whatever it is."

I nodded. He charged into the minotaur's cell and began swinging. He emerged a moment later and threw the woman behind a table. Then he launched himself at the crowd of angry monsters. It was a sight to behold. A small bird emerged and began attacking at the orc's command. A wondrous thing. They moved together like the most practiced of warriors.

A monster tried to sneak behind the crowd and get to the woman. I simply walked over and placed a hand on him. He felt like a cool refreshing drink of water on a hot day. His energy flowed into me and he dropped to the floor. I felt like I'd stood up too quickly for a moment. I hadn't fully drained someone for a long time. The energy that rushed through me was angry. I felt like the world owed me something and I was going to punish everyone for not giving it to me. It was almost overwhelming.

I let the feeling settle, and the caring and love that was the root of Heather's anxiety inside me dampened it slightly. A few monsters nearby looked at the corpse at my feet and backed away. I didn't need to be a big fighter or pretend to be anything I wasn't. My power spoke for itself. I could take down this entire cell block without breaking a sweat.

One of the walls to the cell block exploded and the minotaur appeared, eyes red and snorting with maze madness. The orc shouted to him and then ran out of the hole the minotaur had left behind. The orc's energy was mixed with a feminine feeling red, and I knew he was off to find his own mate. I glanced at the minotaur; he could definitely handle himself against this lot. Anyone who went up against a maze mad minotaur would get what they deserved.

I darted out of the hole. The minotaur wasn't far behind me with his mate over his shoulder. Monsters flowed out after him, seeing their chance for freedom.

Some didn't follow him and took off in a couple of groups. They were looking for fights and probably retribution against the guards that had held them here.

I headed in the direction of the infirmary and hoped Heather would be there waiting. I could hear shouts and fighting behind me. Some monsters tried to run ahead of me. These weren't the innocents or those who deserved second chances. These were the worst of us, staying to cause harm. Every monster that tried to get ahead of me, I placed my hand on and left them on the ground without a backward glance. Nothing would get to Heather before I did. Nothing.