The End of Innocence: Book 3 of the Kinstone series

I walk past the empty door frame, stepping in between my knights. I peer out onto the driveway, seeing that Lana, Mistral, and Irina didn’t come alone.

Standing before us are over three dozen people, many of whom appear to be my age or a little older. A few vampires and lycans stand there, but mostly humans. Some I recognized from the Court.

Lana and Mistral stood in shook at seeing Kateryna and Orga, hearing them whisper, “She has actual Dewlouran knights.”

My gaze then draws upon on particular individual, one I have met before. I tilt my head in confusion, “Jimmie? What are you doing here?”

A brown-haired boy stands next to Irina, his paling skin matched her own, if only barely, “Been awhile, Aria.”

Jimmie was Jenn’s boyfriend, whom I met last summer when I visited her. He seemed to be a nice guy, but I thought he was just a normal person.

I shook my head, “You didn’t answer my question Jimmie. You also broke Jenn’s heart you ass.”

The boy shrugs, “Had to be done, and I really didn’t care for her all that much to be honest. Your Coven has been a real pain to deal with and my family was sent to bring you into our fold. But alas, here I am, serving at my master’s call to take you out.” I growl at him, to which he only smiles.

Lana, having regained her composure, stares at me, “You’re outnumbered Aria, even with your knights, tin soldiers, and wolves.”

I raise my hand, snapping my fingers. Spotlights erupted on, each bearing the combat maids. Abigale stands on top of the Manor, bearing a pair of talon-like claw weapons. Lyra rests against the bottom of the stairs, fully clad in armor, swords in each hand.

Marie hovers near the garage, appearing more robotic with her legs having transformed into triangular stalks, still able to bend, and carrying what appears to be a sniper rifle and with two little floating crab-like robots.

Bianca stands to my right, her uniform shorter, her normally jet-black hair now a deep blue, ending in lite purple, and appeared more ice-like, her skin a lighter shade of blue.

I look back to the crowd, feeling Fenris standing behind me, “I might be outnumbered, but you’re outgunned.”

Mistral laughs, “You think by adding four more people to your meager defense will be enough to scare us, Aria?”

I sigh, shaking my head, “They are more than enough for the likes of you.” I then turn to Irina, who now wields a sword, “You spoke of showing you hospitality. Well, every home has rules.

1. The title of “guest” is a courtesy and can be revoked at any time.

2. Never threaten anyone who calls the Estate home.

3. Threats shall be met with equal force.

And lastly,

4. The will of the Lady of the Estate is absolute.”

I stare deeply into the crowd, “And with my mother gone, I am the Lady of the Estate.”

My voice echoes throughout the driveway as my allies turn and bow to me. I feel a surge of magic swirl around me, bolstering my own, causing my hair to fly up for a moment. It’s as though the land itself acknowledges my claim.

I clench my fists, and raise a foot, slamming it onto the landing. The driveway rumbles for a moment, causing those standing there to stagger as hundreds of onyx-colored pillars shoot up from under their feet.

Many of them are sent flying into the air, with some dodging, only to slam into each other. The moans of the crowd echoed off of the house, with several lying on the ground.

“Don’t kill them,” I order, glancing at my allies, wordlessly giving orders to everyone. Each of the maids knows their role in a fight. My knights bow their heads in acknowledgment.

I take a step back and leap out from the stoop, using wind magic to carry me along, and landing on the central pylon. A few look up as I stand ten feet above them. I cross my arms, transforming into a kitsune. My eight pinkish-blonde tails sway in the air, with golden eyes glaring at them.

One of the invaders hurtles a bolt of magic towards me, causing me to flip off of the pylon and down into the crowd below. I land between a pair of them, finding a punch being thrown at me. I block the jab, spinning around, and landing a kick to his gut, causing him to double over.

My ears twitch back as I hear another assailant coming at me from behind. I slide to the right, hearing his sword swing down. I leap back and draw my kodachi, intercepting yet another sword strike with my gauntlet, watching the blade glide harmlessly off of the plates.

I roll around and reach out with one my tails to grab hold of a pylon, pulling me towards it just as a third person lunges at me. I duck behind the pillar and emerge on the other side, landing a series of kicks into them.

I pull out a few tags and chant into them, summoning a trio of clones in a puff of smoke. They charged in, distracting the invaders, with many split on who was the real “me”. I smile, charging into them, jumping onto a pillar only grab hold of it and swung around to another.

Few are able stay in step with me, while others continue to be disoriented by the dark spires and my constant running around. I never stop moving, nor do my clones. The invaders snarl as they chase after “us”, a few run into each other due to how close the battlefield is. They had chosen poorly on where to fight me and I intend to keep them there.

This is what I had been training for since I first discovered the pylons nearly a year ago. To use them as my personal launch pads and fight a foe in extremely close-quarters. Here I reign supreme. Here no one can touch me.

But as Fenris once told me, “To never allow arrogance to dull my senses.” So while I held a distinct advantage while in the midst of my “playground”, I shouldn’t let it go to my head. I have to remain vigilant and always on the move.

This also isn’t a game; they are here to kill me. Unlike what happened over a month ago, I am now at home, where I am at my absolute strongest, surrounded by many more allies. Although I wish Rachel, Silvi, Velhemina, Marron, and everyone else were here now. The added help and the fact that I had more loved ones around would be a big plus.

I lunge for another pillar, kicking off of it and fired dozens of kitsune-bi at them like a machine gun, pelting them with bluish-white foxfire. They stagger back into each other while I wrap several of my tails around them and spin in the air, slamming them into the hard stone ground.

My left ear flicks back as I hear someone running up to me. A mass of black fur emerges and pounces onto the would-be attacker, pressing him hard into the pillar. I smile over to Fenris, who turns and slaps his tails into the ground.

Water soon splashes onto them, to where Fenris quickly freezes his targets in place. I spin and dash through the trapped teens, slicing into them with my kodachi. I look up to see the forms of Bianca and Kateryna flying overhead, snatching a few of the invaders.

A loud howl echoes from behind as Sebastian charges into fray, grabbing many of the teens, and tossing them into the pillars. Swords clash and spark as Lyra parries several vampires. The glow of spells flash off of the pillars. A stray thought enters my mind as to the idea of a few of them having guns and possibly threatening my allies.

This fear is mitigated as dozens of shots ring out, hitting a number of the teens, destroying whatever guns they brought with them. I grin, knowing the Marie had taken the role of overwatch, making sure that no one stepped too far out of the field.

Orga dove into the middle of a group of teens, kicking and punching several of them. Their weapons couldn’t even scratch his armor.

I parry another sword strike, while twirling midair and having a couple teens wrapped within my tails. I land hard onto the ground, sending the captured ones also in the paving stones. I fire out several Orbs in every direction, hitting many while my allies easily dodge them.

I run towards another pack of teens, leaping to a pillar, kicking off of it and flipping into the air just as Mistral fired a flurry of fire bolts at me. I responded by firing a pair of Orbs at her from my tails, hitting her. She growls, summoning magical chains which reach out and wrap around my tails, pulling me back hard to the ground.

My body bounces a couple times off of the driveway, causing me to cough up some blood. Several teens soon converge on me, each grabbing for my tails to hold me down. I snarl as I struggle.

My gaze then turns towards the pools of water that lined the Manor. I hold out my hands, summoning the water held within and sent it at them, washing them off my back. I roll onto my back, to then discover another barrage of firebolts being hurled at me. I flip back, swatting them away with my tails.

The gleam of a sword catches the corner of my eye, forcing me step back and raise my left arm, causing the blade to sheen harmlessly off of my gauntlet. I glare up to see Irina on the other end.

She grins darkly as her sword shortens into that of a dagger. “So, you're a disgusting kitsune now are you? Such utter revolting beings yokai are, hailing from a backwater country.”

My eyes narrow as the fur on my tails bristle, “I know a pair of daiyokai who would love for you to say that to their faces.”

She grins, slicing her weapon down at my again to be parried by my kodachi. I spin just as the sky above us erupts into flame, glimpsing as Mistral’s wand shone brightly.

The magus grins, bringing down the enormous ball of inferno down onto the battlefield. The heat, while indeed intense, is nothing compared to dragon flames. I dodge and parry several strikes from my immediate opponent.

Just as the ball of flame is to impact, it quickly dissipates once it touches the top of the pillars. I glance over to see the look of shock on her face, smiling and remembering Rachel speaking of how the pillars were used to weaken or dampen an enemy’s magic.

I roll to the side, again parrying a string of slashes from Irina. I spin dodging another of her strikes and drive the pummel of my kodachi into her gut, causing her to stagger back a bit. My body spins forward and weave through the pillars, seeking to end a troublesome bother.

Mistral looks up at me just as I come into her view. My tails are alight with clear bluish-white flame. I leap into the air, twirling around and firing them at her. The girl blocks several, while taking a few to the face.

She snarls, thrusting her wand into me, piercing my stomach. A dark grin rose on her face, only for it to disappear as her target erupts into a plume of smoke.

I emerge from behind her, landing a sweeping kick to the side of her face. She flies back a few yards, quickly rolling back onto her feet and fires torrents of lightning. The bolts flare and arc around me, striking my body. I coil back in pain, dropping to a knee.

The girl smiles darkly, “Already you bow before your better,” intensifying the spell, “you are an utter disappointment to your mother.” I yell out in pain, tails slamming into the ground. I stare at her, fangs bared. I hold up my sword, attempting the redirect her spell into it.

She steps closer, sending another surge into me, her grin broadening. I stab my sword into the driveway, and slowly begin to bring my hands together. Her spell starts to deflect around me as it is gradually drawn into the center of my hands, concentrating hard not to lose consciousness.

Her eyes grow wide, as she begins to understand what I’m doing. All of her lightning dissipates around me. I fall forward a moment in relief, and then grab the hilt of my sword, sending most of the energy harmlessly into the ground.

She stumbles backwards in shock, “That…that’s impossible.”

I look up at her, still possessing some of her magic. I hold up both of my hands and gather the remnants, firing a concentrated beam at her, sending her flying into the driveway. I take a long breath before standing up. My body shrugs off the lingering pain, tails shaking free a few loose sparks.

Soon another barrage of fireballs come flying towards me, moving faster than before. I dodge and dance through the storm, snatching up my sword with my tail. I glance over to Mistral, wand raised and glowing.

I groan, maneuvering closer to her, blocking and slicing her attacks. Her face grows wide with indignation the closer I drew. I rushed to her, passing through her body, while also striking her with a pair of magic bolts which were trailing my tails. She groans, stumbling back a step or two.

I exit behind the girl and wrap my tails around her neck. Pulling her backwards, I jump and spin, landing a dropkick to her face, watching her bounce hard off of the paving stones.

I kneel down and pick up her wand and break it, tossing the pieces away. “I wish you and I could become friends, Mistral,” I whisper. “I think we might’ve had a lot in common. Plus it doesn’t hurt to have a few extra sparring partners.” I slowly start to walk away from the unconscious girl.

A flash of steel then bursts forth into view as Irina materializes from the pillars. Her assault was faster than previously. I had little time to dodge before it slices into my right arm.

I stagger back a few paces, clenching the wound, feeling hot blood run down my arm. The wound wasn’t deep, but still burns with pain. She quickly proceeds to thrust and stab at me, trying to sink her blade into me. I roll and weave through her barrage, finding her movements not as intimidatingly fast as they were a couple years ago.

I slip under her, slashing at her ankles, trying to weaken her. She spins out the way and lands a kick to my face, sending me sliding away a few feet. I open my eyes just as her dagger come slicing downwards.

I hold up my Han kote to block it. A swirling of air engulfs the gauntlet, catching the blade and sending blast of wind at her, flinging her back. I flip back onto my feet, gazing down at it. I smile, stroking the gauntlet, Thank you Yukari, Asha.

I look over to my opponent, watching her stand back up. I clench my hand around my sword, and sweep back my right foot, holding up my blade behind me. The vampiress glares at me with blood-red eyes, fangs bared, and snarling like an animal. I smirk, holding up my left hand, beckoning her to come at me.

Irina growls, launching herself towards me, and slashing viciously with her dagger. I parry her strike, to which she slashes upwards. I punch her attack away, wrapping my tails around her, sending flames through them and igniting her. The vampiress grabs my tail, screaming in pain as she spins and hurtles me into the air.

I float over the field of pillars, watching as my allies continue to push back the invaders. I glance down to see Bianca however getting surrounded, fighting desperately.

I flip in the air, forming a platform of ice from some of the lingering water still around me, and Rushed to her. Magic surges into the blade, to where I slam it into the ground, sending a pulse of magic followed by wave of dragon ice around me, causing her attackers to fall to their feet while others are now frozen in place. I dispel the ability and drop to a knee, panting.

The glacie staggers over to me, placing a hand onto my shoulder, “Are you all right Young Miss?”

I peer at her, blood and sweat dripping down my face, “Yeah…yeah I’m fine.”

I look her over, blood flows down her arm and her legs bore several deep slashes and some of her hair was missing. I struggle to my feet, with her looping my arm over her shoulder. I smile to the ice girl.

The sounds of battle begin to shift. Lyra flies past us; one of her wings appeared broken and bloodied with her armor being shattered in a few places. Five teens lunge at her, all swinging down various weapons only for her to bat them all away, sending them crashing into pillars.

“Lyra!” I call out to her, “you ok?”

The valkyrie holds up her sword, smiling to me, “I am doing well Young Miss. This battle seems rather lopsided, if you ask me. It makes me feel guilty fighting against children.”

I smile nervously to her, “Just don’t get yourself killed. I still need to you teach me that multi-combo.”

She grins, “Then I shall not disappoint you,” flying back into the fray.

Bianca’s hand grips mine tightly; her deep blue glass-like eyes gazing into mine. I smile, standing back to my feet. I took in a deep breath, feeling something soft brush up against my left hand.

I look over to see Fenris beside me with a pair of teens wrapped tightly between his tails, and pinned to the ground. I smile to him, stroking his fur. The wolf obviously looks unharmed, not even breathing all that hard.

“Having fun Papa Wolf?”

He snorts, tossing his captives away, “I too find no pleasure in battling against children.” I sigh, still listening to the sounds of the battle raging around us.

Suddenly a blast of magic slams into me, sending me flying into a pillar. I cough heavily, spewing blood as Irina then comes into view once more, dagger in hand. The vampiress launches herself, slashing at me.

I roll away, narrowly missing the razor end of her blade. I slash up at her with my own, nicking her arm. She growls, grabbing me by the hair, and pulling my head forward, kicking me in the stomach. Blood once more splats from my mouth as I drop to the ground.

“We’re not done little doll, or did you forget that you and I have a score to settle?”

I look up at her, wrapping my tails around her legs and pull hard, causing her to fall backwards. I quickly rise and leap onto her, punching several times before she kicks me off. I flip over on the ground, blasting her with gust of wind.

Soon more hands grab for me. I dodge them and run for the nearest pillar, kicking off of one and landing on another, wrapping my tails around it. I pull out another set of tags and chant into them, sending them flying around the group of boys who tried to grab me, and begin to glow.

I close my eyes and continue to chant, hearing them beginning to scream as their own shadows began to lift off of the ground and turned into hideous demons. Blood and drool drips from their mouths, long fangs sprouted from their maws. Long dagger-like claws adorn their fingers, ready to rend flesh from bone. The boys slash and hurl magic at them, trying desperately to fend off their new attackers.

A hand then grabs me by the throat and slams me back into the pillar. I open my eyes to again see Irina before me. Her fangs glistens in the light as she then slices at my arm. I groan in pain as she does the same to my thigh.

“You think that I will kill you swiftly, you filthy little fox? Oh no, I am going to take my time, cutting you a piece at a time.”

I stare into her crimson eyes, my own fangs baring defiantly at her. She grin, “Such pretty fangs, perhaps I should pull them out and feed them to you.” I spit in her face. She snarls, punching me in the gut, causing me to cough. Again I feel steel slicing through my flesh, this time across my stomach.

I feel myself growing weaker as blood trickles down my body.

She grins, leaning into my arm, and rakes her tongue against my skin, lapping up my blood. A wave of revulsion ripples through my body, nearly making me want to puke.

She coos in pleasure, “Such a lovely taste, so young, and innocent. Perhaps I should instead turn you into my pet, and showing the pleasures of my chambers. What would you say to that little doll?”

Blue light glows around Irina, causing her to look back. Surrounding her were all eight of my tails, each with a ball of blazing fire.

She looked to me, grinning, “You think your little candlelight is enough to frighten me? Foxfire merely tickles a vampire.” She was lying, as her face bore heavy and deep burns.

“It’s…not just kitsune-bi,” I rasp out, “I mixed in dragon flame.”

Her eyes grow even wider as the fireballs of deep sapphire erupt in intensity. I groan, slamming them into her, setting Irina ablaze, and forcing her to drop me to the ground.

I cough heavily, regaining my breath. My head pans up again, watching as Orga easily bats away a group of vampires, and slamming them into the ground, knocking them out. I lower my head, panting, drawing in a few long deep breaths.

I slowly rise to my feet, using a pillar as a brace. My ears then stand up, hearing the sound of a couple of swords and magic aiming straight at me.

I roll out of the way, blocking the sword strikes with my gauntlet. My body then danced and flipped in the air, dodging and weaving through the spells. I slash at my attacker, feeling my blade slicing into the bodies. Blood spatters from their wounds as they drop to the ground crying out in agony.

I stagger back to my feet, holding the wound over my stomach, feeling blood pouring over my hand. I feel light-headed from losing so much blood, struggling to keep my eyes open.

I shake my head, trying to wake myself up. My hand begins to glow a soft green, slowly feeling the wounds close up and heal. I stand up, but soon is rocked by an explosion, sending me hurtling through the air towards the outskirts of the driveway and to the forest.

Landing hard on the stones, I slide for a few feet before hitting up against something. I look up to see a familiar and very welcomed face.

“Throwing a party while your mother is gone?” asks Marron, shaking her head, “tsk, tsk, and here I thought you called me over because you were lonely.”

A smirk stretches across my face, “Wasn’t my idea, they just showed up. Plus you’re late anyways.”

She grins, helping me to my feet, and pulls out a small vial containing a red liquid, “Drink up.” I shake my head, popping the lid and downing it, feeling the potion coursing through my body, restoring some of my strength. “You look terrible.”

I cough, “Oh shut up.” She chuckles, while handing her the vial.

I take another deep breath, watching as she blocks an incoming bolt of magic. I kneel down and pick up my sword.

Marron leans in close, “So…want to show these punks what real sisters can do?” holding up her whalebone needle.

A grin rises over my face, instantly knowing what she has in mind. I look at her, “Oh yeah.”

Soon surrounding the both of us stand over a dozen of teenagers who had managed to slip past everyone. Amongst them is a pair of vampires, all grinning with their fangs gleaming in the moonlight.

Marron and I quickly turn and press our backs to each other. She and I glance at each other and grin just as the first of the vampires leaps towards us.

My sister drew forth a long strand of magic coming from the end of the needle, which grows longer and longer. She quickly twists and ties it around the boy, ensnaring him.

I smile, grabbing a group of twisting strands and yanks them down, forcing the youth towards the ground. I leap and spin into the air, kicking him. Soon the others jump in, all firing spells and swinging their weapons at us.

Marron and I easily dodge and weave our through the flurry of attacks. I reached out with my tails, grabbing several of our attackers with Marron waving her hands around, weaving more and more of the magical thread around them.

She and I kick and punch at them, with each other leaping and flipping over the other in an almost dance, as if in rhythm to some song we had rehearsed to. My ears flick to the unheard music, letting it guide my motions. Each unspoken lyric, each silent beat dictates every action and counteraction, letting strikes and spells drift harmlessly past and in between us.

The unheard music slowly begins to the form within our minds; a song the pair of us had listened to together to synchronize our rhythms. Gotta love Latin guitar riffs, fast-paced, each plucked note a fierce step or blow, a simple turn of the body as swords harmlessly flew away from our bodies.

Granted the song we each were unconsciously listening to is in actuality a JPop song from a series I really love the music from. A heart pounding duet, with fact switches and long notes. I even twirled and made several quick taps on the stones, clapping my hands like a dancer. My sister grinned at my flourishment much to the frustration and infuriation of our attackers.

I dodge and duck several attacks, letting them slip past me only to be meant to swift counters from my sister as her threads wrapped and trapped the assailant. I would then follow up by leaping onto them, kicking one and soon moving onto the next.

I soon dash under Marron as she spins and kicks a young lycan girl only for me to emerge behind her and slash at another. A large smile steadily grows on my face as we soon reverse positions with me flipping over her and dropkicking another girl and with my sister looping more thread around the other vampire and delivering a massive palm to his jaw, actually cracking his teeth. The teen flips back, landing headfirst into the paving stones.

As I dive once more under my sister, dragging a girl that I had snatched, I twist my hand into a nexus of thread and yank on it, pulling the ensnared group into us, for which Marron fires a stream of lightning along the intricately woven webbing, electrocuting them. I follow up and sending streams of spectral flames along the threads, igniting them.

Our opponents fall the ground, charred and with sparks flickering off of their hair. I looked to my sister, bearing a huge grin. We had only practiced this formation when she had visited for my birthday a year ago, quickly honing our combination as we heavily practiced it for the brief time were able to. While this isn’t what I had in mind when I invited her over, I’m still happy beyond words that Marron is here fighting alongside me.

She smiles to me, “Looks like our little ‘dance recital’ was a smash hit.”

I giggle, watching her retract her thread, “Looks the way,” pans over to see the battle tide shifting somewhat as Lyra and Kateryna each corrals a group of teenagers, blasting them into a small bunch.

Marron flips up the needle, “Now, let’s start the endgame of this little party shall we?”

I hold up my sword, “Lets.”

She grins, “You know what to do then. Just keep them occupied, if not soften them up a bit,” winking to me.

I giggle, “You got it.” I turn and dash back into the fray, glimpsing her throwing the needle behind me, watching it fly alongside me.

I spin to dodge an incoming slash of a dagger, blocking it away with my gauntlet, and stabbing my assailant in the leg, forcing them to the ground. I leapt for a pillar and then to another, climbing higher into the air.

I glance over to see several of the pools were still filled with water. I turn to see Bianca and Fenris fending off a small group of teenagers.

“Guys, freeze the area.” The pair gazes up at me, with the wolf hoisting the ice girl onto his back and jumps onto a pillar.

I jump high into the air, summoning torrents of water from the pool to me and crashes it into the area below. My allies scatter before they could be doused and possibly washed away. My bonded and the glacie land on a pair of pillars.

Fenris howls, creating a massive blizzard, followed by Bianca as she too joins in the attack. The combined spell freezes nearly everyone below, encasing them in ice.

I land on yet another pillar only to jump back up into the air. I spin around and hover in the air for a moment, with my tails outstretched. Magic swirls and accumulates in my hands, forming two massive spheres of energy. A gleam of white wove through the encased invaders, piercing them.

I bring both hands together and fire thousands of bolts into the field, striking everyone frozen in place. The ice around them shatters as I slowly descend back into the middle of the field. I hold up my hands forming dozens of tiny ice sheets, grinning as the needle bounces and ricochets off of them.

My ears twitch, hearing the sound of metal slinking in the air. I dove back to see Lana standing with her rapier, watching as its segments recombine into a single blade. Remnants of ice flakes from her coat, which she then flings away. The girl has few slashes to her right arm and a bruise to the leg, most likely from fighting with Kateryna.

“I’ve seen you wield that pathetic excuse for a sword, and must begrudgingly offer you my respect in wielding it,” she said, forcing the words.

I pull my kodachi back, tails flowing and waving in the air, “Then stop this and we could become sparring partners, maybe even friends if you’ll let me.”

She raises the sword in front of her face, “Sadly, my disdain for you won’t allow such frivolity. You are not going to live past this night Aria.”

She thrusts her sword, watching as it breaks into tiny linked segments. I launch myself at her, parrying the strike and drawing in close. She pulls back her sword, recalling the segments and reforming it back into its original state and thrusts the rapier at me, to which I parry. She thrusts her weapon again and again, each time her speed and frequency of her attack grows, until they are but a blur.

I block and parry, spinning my body and dodging her attacks. Sparks flew each time our blades clashed. We dance around the pillars, weaving our way amongst them. I leap back and latch onto a pillar with a tail and swung behind it, only to emerge on the other side.

She grumbles, swinging her sword, and breaking it into segments. I sidestep her attack and dash towards her. She reels back her weapon, reforming it and once more fires it towards me.

I jump onto a pillar and dive over her attack. Time seems to move slowly as I hover over her attack. Blue fire erupts from my tails, as my feet touch another pillar. I spin off of my landing and fire two kitsune-bi at her, blinding her for a moment to where I land below her and slash upwards at her chest, revealing a small breastplate underneath her shirt.

Lana takes a couple beleaguered steps back, holding her wound. I run towards her and jab the pummel of my sword into her gut. She drops her knees, grasping for air.

“I won’t kill you Lana, even if you came here to kill me,” I say, panting a little.

She glares up at me, “You’re nothing but a hypocrite. What…what about your rule about meeting threats with equal force?” I kick her across the head, watching her fall to the ground.

“Call me what you want, I really don’t care.” I turn and run off.

My attention is soon grabbed, watching as Abigale gets stabbed in the stomach.

“NO!!!” I scream, running to her. The kikimora turns and smiles. I leap into the middle of her attackers, wrap my tails around them, and blast them with fire. They run off screaming as they burn.

Abigale drops to her knees, blood pooling over her outfit.

I quickly catch her, laying her gently onto the driveway and starts healing the wound, pulling out the sword.

She smiles to me. “Are you all right Young Miss?” asking weakly.

I look to her with tears in my eyes, “Shut up and let me heal you.”

She smiled, raising a hand to my face, stroking it, “I’ve never been more honored in my life than to serve you Young Miss.”

I grit my teeth, pouring more and more energy into her body, trying to curtail the bleeding, “You’re not going to die. I’m not losing any of my family tonight.”

The maid’s hand slowly begins to feel cold the more I tried to heal her. I stare into her eyes, watching as the light begins to fade away.

I grip her hand tightly, looking around to see that everyone was still locked in combat. In the distance I saw Marron still in the midst and weaving her spell while kicking and dodging attacks. Orga and Kateryna both were surrounded by teens, only to be knocked away.

Fenris was occupied fending off and groups of young lycans, who soon joined by Sebastian, whose white fur was stained red from a few wounds. I turned back Abigale, trying desperately to keep her alive. Please…please someone help me.