Chapter 3.
Oh hell…Keller looked up, she didn't need to thin for even a moment before realising what the creature in front of her was. Her mother sat horrified, not in the sight of the dragon, whom – at the moment – looked like a normal human girl. But more because of the sight of three lions, two vampires, a witch and a werewolf, all looking on at her with savage expressions on their twisted but beautiful faces.
Keller's mother was a night person, she could figure exactly what they were. Keller – on the other hand – had only one thought, got to get her out of here…they don't want me…
It wasn't family love that moved her towards the female dragon – her second dragon – but instead the mission. She couldn't help it, she wanted more than anything to feel something for this woman, knew she was supposed to for the person who had lain in a hospital very alike this one while she gave birth to something looking not-quite-human, yet she didn't. the year they spent together – nine months of it being inside her – meant absolutely nothing.
She reached for the pin, damning herself for not leaving it on now, and yelled through it, "I need backup, now!"
Then she changed, she felt herself grow lower but more powerful, felt the muscles pile on top of one another. Then she pounced. There was no question about who she was going for, the witch could be taken out by Thea when she got here. Thea was a direct descendant of Hellewise and therefore had to be more powerful than this woman. The werewolf could be Quinn's. the vampire's, Rashel's and the three lion's: Galen's.
She figured this out in a fraction of a second, ready to give the orders when they came, knowing they'd leave Eric – the only human there unknowing of how to fight – in the car ready to drive. First though, this dragon had to die, she didn't know who was raising them – or why – but she wasn't going to let another one loose to command the shape shifters. She was a female in the form of someone looking about twelve, with angelic straw-blonde hair and large yellow eyes. If it was meant to make Keller think twice about attacking her, she was going to be in for a surprise.
Her claws felt skin, ripped it away easily, and only hoped that it had been the forehead, she bounded right over the top and dropped the skin to the floor while the dragon barely noticed it was gone. With a motion of the small girl's fingertips, the others charged at her.
Guess it wasn't the horns then.
A disturbance came from the doors that Keller had entered through, but she didn't turn around, she bounded at the dragon again, extending her claws to their full length and ripping a good percentage of her face off, she felt something sharp in her claws and hoped desperately that it was the horns. She let go. Two horns fell to the floor in a bloody heap.
Keller! the voice was in her head, and she turned to see Galen staring at her, in his leopard form, talking through the telepathic soulmate link they shared. He was alone, and apparently surprised. But he bounded over as he spoke.
Galen! She replied, feeling orange fire from the witch sink into her fur and set her skin alight while the lions pounced on her, she howled out in pain, swiping them back, then continued the sentence, Get Elle out of here! NOW!
Keller was used to being obeyed, and was almost surprised when Galen didn't go to the bed, lunging to the nearest vampire, who was coming up behind her, taking it down onto the floor and flattening it beneath his weight, I can't leave you!
Just go! I'm expendable, remember? She, she jerked her head at her mother, apparently is not.
I have to buy time…she realised when Galen didn't move. She jumped onto the werewolf, wipping her teeth into the flank at its neck, hoping that it would be enough to put it out of commission for a while, it thrust forward and tossed her of its back easily. She looked up to see Galen.
He didn't agree with her, she could see that by the way he was staring at her, tender and hurt, even in leopard form, but he changed and ran to the bed. The dragon went for him, changing as it moved, but Keller lunged, and the distraction was enough for Galen to reach the bed and help her mother out of it.
Rashel? Quinn? Thea? Keller asked, knowing that he wlould know what she ws requesting. She rounded the dragon as it changed, halfway through she went for it while it vulnerable. Two more horns popped off. Gone. It was dead.
Downstairs, there are more that this, Keller. a lot more. They're securing the passage for her. No need to ask who the her was.
Good. Go.
Then she felt a sharp pain like nothing she had ever felt before, and the whole world went black.
This is it. She told herself, this time…I really am dying.
Galen ran out of the door, holding the woman up, he didn't see the flash of red lightning that could doom his soulmate, but was instead down the hall in a second. Dead bodies lined the hallways and he half expected to see a blonde girl with gentle brown eyes, or two people so dark but pale, looking lifelessly up at him. No. it looked as though Circle Daybreak were getting out of this alive again. Thank goddess.
"Keller!" the woman gasped out as she hobbled across the hall, "we can't just leave her!" she seemed in anguish, but no matter how much pain she was feeling, Galen was getting it a thousand times worse. She was his soulmate, his fiancée… this woman didn't even know her.
Let her be alright, he pleaded, not knowing who he was praying to, please, oh goddess, let her be alright.
She was too brave, almost suicidal in her courage, and Galen loved her for it, but still. She had to be okay.
"Galen! Over here!" he heard a call and Eric was standing beside the front door of the hospital, surrounded by vampires that he no doubt didn't kill. Eric was one of Galen's best friends in the group, being even quieter and shyer than he was; now, he couldn't help feel a little resentment for the fact that he was here, safe, while Keller was still fighting. Nonetheless, he passed Ms, Panter to the boy and changed into his leopard form, ready to fight if anything else went wrong.
Nothing did. They made it to the van safely, the woman hobbling, being so very pregnant as she was, Eric suspending her, and Galen on the look-out. Eric and the woman got into the back of the van, where Thea and Quinn were waiting. Galen opened the front door and jumped in next to Rashel.
"Keller?" Rashel asked sharply, expecting the worse. And Galen knew that she did care. Keller and Rashel were good friends, and he knew Keller appreciated Rashel more than any other girl in Circle Daybreak, apart from perhaps Winnie and Nissa: they were the same, fighters.
Galen took a deep breath, "she's still in there, fighting."
"We'll wait," Quinn interrupted, "but you know our orders, Galen. We have to be out of here before sunrise."
Quinn wasn't being cruel, just realistic, if they waited past light there would be more chance of them getting caught and hauled to human authorities. Galen nodded slowly.
"Don't worry," Thea put in softly from where she was sitting with the woman, holding her hand. At first he ignored her, thinking she was talking to Elle Panter, but then she added softly, "she'll get out, and if we're not hear, she'll find her way back. She's Keller after all."
Galen had to wonder if that was the truth.
