I no own Max. D:

Not much of a flight, but Total nevertheless flew the book to Ella and she promptly started to read.

Chapter 116

"Look who's come to the seashore." Ella and mom groaned. It really was pretty much a recurring theme in my life of one thing after another and having enemies show up at the 'worst moment' and us kicking butt and flying away safely. In fact… looking back it was kind of repetitive.

I laughed and Fang looked at me like I was crazy.

"I'll explain later," I mouthed and he shrugged but eyed me all the same.

The low voice, smooth and full of menace, woke me from sleep that night. My body tightened like a longbow and I tried to jump up, only to be held down by a big booted foot on my throat.

Ari. Always Ari. I laughed again, trying to keep it light, but it was a little forced. My late brother was still a slightly touchy subject for me. Jeb's eyes hardened.

In the next second, Fang and Iggy woke, and I snapped out my free hand to wake Nudge.

Adrenaline dumped into my veins, knotting my muscles. Angel woke and seemed to take off straight into the air with no running start. She clutched Celeste tightly, hovering about twenty feet above us. I saw her look around, saw her take on an expression that had disaster written all over it. "Well nothing screams danger like a six year-old hovering twenty-feet off the ground…" Iggy said, causing us all to laugh.

I looked around too.

And gasped despite myself.

We were surrounded by Erasers, more Erasers than I'd ever seen before. Literally hundreds and hundreds of them. They'd been growing these things in quantities I could hardly imagine. Jeb nodded gravely.

Ari leaned down and whispered, "You're so pretty when you're sleeping – and your mouth is shut. But what a shame to cut your hair." "Nobody asked you," Ella muttered briefly.

"When I want your opinion, I'll ask for it," I spat, struggling against his boot.

He laughed, then reached down and stroked my face with one claw. "I like 'em feisty." "And, that's creepy," she said, her voice louder this time. I nodded my head in agreement, I never quite understood his weird fascination with me.

"Get off her!" Fang launched himself at Ari, taking him by surprise. Ari outweighed Fang by a hundred pounds, easy, but Fang was coldly furious and out for blood. He was scary when he was like that. I grinned at him, and Iggy shuddered. Ella touched his shoulder and he said simply "Never get on Fang's bad side." Everyone but Iggy laughed.

Iggy and I leaped up to help and were instantly grabbed by Erasers.

"Nudge and Gazzy – U and A," I yelled. "Now!"

Obeying without question, the two of them leaped into the air and flapped hard, rising to hover next to Angel. Erasers snapped at their legs, but they'd been quick and were out of reach. I was so proud, especially when Nudge snarled down meanly. "That's my girl," I said, throwing a grin her way and received a beaming smile in return.

I struggled, but three Erasers held me in a tight, foul embrace. "Fang!" I screamed, but he was beyond hearing, locked in battle with Ari, who raked his claws across Fang's face, leaving parallel lines of red. "Oh yeah," I said, my smile not as wide. "Kitty Cat Fang." Fang glared at me and a laughed lightly.

The six of us are superhumanly strong, but even we don't have the sheer muscle mass of a full-grown Eraser. Fang was badly outmatched but managed to chop Ari's collarbone.

Ari yelped and bared his teeth, then pulled back and swung hard, catching Fang upside of his head. I saw his head snap sideways and his eyes close, then he dropped like a dead weight onto the sand. "Fang!" Mom said quietly, clearly lost in the book. I shook my head, but still shivered at the sight of it. "We thought you were …" Nudge started out, but couldn't finish it. He'd been closer to death, and we all (well, not mom and Ella) knew it. Angel shivered, but smiled at me.

Ari seized Fang's head and brought it down hard on a rock. And then he did it again. I felt Fang's arms wrap around me, pulling me closer to him, and welcomed them. It was rough hearing this all again. Sue me.

"Leave him alone! Stop it! Please stop it!" I screamed, a mist of fury swimming before my eyes. I struggled against the Erasers holding me and managed to stomp on one's instep. He yelped a curse and corkscrewed my arm until tears rolled down my cheeks.

Fang's eyes opened weakly. Seeing Ari over him, he grabbed sand and threw it into Ari's face. Fang scrambled to his feet and launched a roundhouse kick at Ari that caught him square in the chest. Ari staggered back, wheezing, then recoiled fast and cracked Fang with an elbow. Blood sprayed from Fang's mouth, and again he went down.

I was crying by now but couldn't speak: An Eraser's rough, hairy paw was clapped over my mouth.

Then Ari bent over Fang's body, his muzzle open, canines sharp and ready to tear Fang's throat. "Had enough," he growled viciously, "of life?" "No," Iggy said. "The prince has not had enough." I laughed shakily again. Iggy smiled. Fang's arms tightened around me.

Oh, God, oh, God, not Fang, not Fang, not Fang – "A little worried, weren't you, Max?" Mom asked me with an eyebrow raised, noticing our position on our bough. The girls snickered. Then, like the mature birdgirl I was, I stuck my tongue out at them. I could practically feel Fang smiling.

"Ari!"

My eyes went wide. I knew that voice too well.

Jeb. My adopted father. Now my worst enemy. Jeb winced, but I didn't take the time to feel bad for what I said. I may not 'detest' him as I once had, but I still don't 'like' him.

"That's the end of the chapter," Ella said, holding the book out to Total who flew it to mom who accepted it and rubbed Total's back between his wings.

AN: Wow. It's October? -_- guys. I'm so sorry. But to my faithful readers: take heart! For the end is nigh! I HAVE NOT GIVEN UP so please don't you give up either, for what is a writer without her readers?

I'll have the next set up soon, I promise. I'm sorry there's only one chapter, but hey, it's the first beach scene, so that has to count, right?

Please leave me a review, okay? I love getting them.

Until MUCH MUCH sooner,

Jezi Raewin. : )