"No!" Alina yelled, tugging at the Oprichniki holding her in place. Her knees were starting to numb from the pressure and the death grip of the guards was burning her wrists. Tears welled in her eyes as she stared at David's lifeless body. She wasn't certain if he was dead yet or just dying.
Kirigan stepped over his body, disregarding him like he was rubbish on the ground. He stood tall and dark, gazing at Alina.
"You murderer" she spat and Kirigan kept a hard look on his face.
"He was a traitor Alina, I can't allow that in my country" he said, his voice calmer now. Kirigan held his hand out, palm up and spoke gently.
"Now come to me".
Alina felt the tug inside her, that pull she needed to resist but it only grew more as the guards held her back, a pain in her chest. She glanced at Mal who was now barely breathing, rasping in the sand, being kept alive but on the edge by Ivan. She took a shaky breath, looking back at Kirigan.
"Let him go" she demanded and Kirigan huffed.
"Not a chance" he shook his head. He had enough problems with the tracker but he wasn't going to make it known to Alina that he intended on imprisoning Mal forever to watch him be tormented by the fact he had Alina. Alina was quick to answer.
"Let him go and I'll come" she breathed and Kirigan's face softened slightly.
"Your right, I can feel it, that pull you always talk about, you said it before, we are equals, we are the same" Mal turned his head to look at Alina, eyes wide as he clutched on for dear life.
"If you kill Mal, I'll never be your equal, never be beside you but if you let him go, I will be there like you are for me" she said quietly and Kirigan blinked. He didn't drop his hand and he narrowed his eyes slightly.
"I wasn't lying the other day when we kissed, I wanted it, wanted you" she whispered and Kirigan's body relaxed.
"We are all we need Alina, you and I can rule this country together, we will be so powerful" he said and she nodded.
She didn't mean a word of it, but it was the only way to get the guards off her and have so hope of escape. Kirigan gave a swift nod to the guards to let Alina go and she brushed them off, standing from the sand, rubbing her wrists. Kirigan held his hand out further for her to come and she gave a quick glance to Ivan.
"How do I know you'll let him go" she said and Kirigan looked over at Ivan. With hesitation, he dropped his hands, letting his heart rendering go and Mal sucked in a breath, finally able to breath and he gasped rapidly, looking up at Alina.
"Alina no" he said but she had already begun walking to Kirigan. Her heart was beating so fast and she felt sick inside. Nervous butterflies swarmed inside her stomach and she caught that smile on his lips as she neared him.
She looked at his hand, the one with the stag's antler fused on the back and she stepped closer, inches from him now. She looked up into those dark eyes of his and slowly placed her hand in his, his fingers wrapping around. She stepped into the gap between them, looking from under her lashes. The pull inside her tingled and she felt his hand on her cheek, pulling her gaze up.
She stared up, her eyes fixed on his and slowly he started to lean down. His nose pressed against hers and she felt a short breath of his on her lips. She hastily swallowed that lump again and arched her head up so that her lips touched his. Her chest tingled and that pull inside her felt like she had been resisting. But as she gave it, it warmed her inside, pleasured her and she felt as if she was falling deeper. Their lips pulled away slowly and Alina blinked up at him.
Suddenly a shot rang out and a loud pang sounded next to Alina's ear. She pulled away from Kirigan's embrace as he pulled his hand from her cheek, clutching it and stumbling back. She turned to steal a look over her shoulder and saw Mal stood with a rifle in hand, smoke coming out the other end. She looked back at Kirigan who clutched his hand, black blood pouring out from where he had been shot.
Adrenaline ran through her veins and body and Alina took this opportunity. She pulled a ball of light and threw it at Kirigan, the light blinding him and he groaned, falling backwards. Ivan held up his hands to stop her but Alina was quicker and she threw another ball his way. The light swooshed against him and he yelled, stumbling backwards. Alina turned, her hair whipping against her face and her eyes landed on the bloody knife that Kirigan had thrown to the side. She threw herself at it, grabbing it and pulled herself from the sand only to be met with a slap by Ivan. She landed with a groan, her cheek stinging and she felt his weight on top of her, grabbing her wrists to fight her as she tried to stab the knife his way.
Mal turned the rifle to the Oprichniki, preparing to shoot as one charged at him but before he could pull the trigger, the guard grabbed the end, pulling it in the air and the shot rang out, smoke blasting out the other end. Mal kicked the guard in the stomach, using the butt of the rifle to whack him around the face. The other guard whacked his leg to try and bring him down, Mal yelling in agony but he threw a punch his way, knocking the guard to the side. He kicked him in the stomach, the guard coughing and gasping as the wind was knocked out of him. Mal turned to see Ivan fighting with Alina and he rushed over, his face hard and fists ready to punch.
He skidded on the sand and threw his fist up to punch Ivan but was knocked back by a sharp elbow in his stomach. He stumbled back, clutching it to see Kirigan standing before him, eyes hard and deadly and a scowl on his face.
Mal spat out to the side and prepared to punch him, fists held up in defence and he swung his right fist to him but Kirigan knocked it away, punching him square in the face. Mal groaned and brought himself back up, determined to fight him. He advanced on him and Kirigan sent his fist in his stomach with Mal grabbing his shoulder and punching him in the side. Kirigan staggered back and Mal retaliated by kicking his stomach, sending him to the ground. He made quick work in punching him hard on his nose, the pain in his knuckles and Kirigan grunted, his hand stretching up to grab Mal's fist but it only meant Mal could punch him with the other while he was distracted. Kirigan's head fell to the side, his eyes half closed and Mal turned him on his front, kicking his side as Kirigan lay there weak.
Alina pushed against Ivan's hands, her teeth gritted together and she lifted her foot to kick him between his legs, a sharp groan escaping and she shoved him off. Mal came up behind and gave him a kick as well.
"Come on, let's go" he held his hand for Alina and she grabbed it, yanking herself off the sand. Mal staggered a little as they ran across the sand, their direction to The Fold. Alina didn't dare look back; her eyes focused on getting to The Fold to escape. She was getting ready to summon her light and as she pulled her hand from Mal, she was suddenly thrown back as something hit her stomach. She coughed and looked up to see one of the Oprichniki had hit her with his rifle.
Mal grabbed him, preparing to fight him and the guard threw the end of his gun onto his face, blood pouring out his nose, presumably breaking it in the process.
"Mal" Alina called and she scrambled from the floor, ready to throw her light but she was yanked backwards, the rifle of the other Oprichniki against her throat, strangling her. she gasped and felt herself being dragged backwards, her feet scraping the sand and she kicked and yelled. She used her foot to kick his shin and the guard groaned, giving her the chance to grab the rifle and free herself. She slapped him around the head with hit and he fell to the ground.
She looked with wide eyes as the Oprichniki stood over Mal with his gun, ready to fire as he lay on the ground and Alina ran up to him, shoving him away. The shot rang out and Alina's heart stopped for a second, fear inside her and she look to Mal, who stared over to the side, breathing heavily. Alina looked in the same direction, seeing the guard on the floor clutching his foot which had blood pouring out of it. The gun shot had gone through his own foot as Alina had pushed him.
She kneeled on the floor next to Mal, helping him up.
"Come on" she urged, helping him from the floor. He was getting weaker and she needed to help him across to The Fold. Mal screamed in agony as they walked as his foot had been injured by one of the guards. Mal limped over the sand, his arm around Alina as they trekked to The Fold, the shadows rumbling. But then, an even louder rumble came and a crack echoed, the ground shaking underneath them. Alina and Mal stopped, their eyes widening and with terror in their faces, they hesitantly looked behind them.
"THAT'S IT, I HAVE HAD ENOUGH" Kirigan screamed as he pushed himself from the sand. He shot a death glare at the two of them and he raised his arm up, his fingers curling. shadows started to swirl behind him, morphing higher and higher into something. Alina stared in shock, her eyes not leaving the sight in front of her. The shadow continued to form a four legged creature, long legs with sharp shadow claws, a muscular body leading to a large head with a shadowy mane. The face of it was completely black, the shadows forming a nose and mouth with jagged sharp teeth. It had no eyes but it was stared forward. The creature stood behind Kirigan, a low growl forming from its mouth and the shadows vibrated as the sound came out.
This is his army, Alina thought. This was what Mal had been talking about. The Volcra had given him this power to create life with shadows. Creatures to do his bidding. Mal stared in horror as well and the two felt like they were glued to the floor.
"Go" Kirigan commanded, his voice above a whisper and the creature roared before charging forward. It ran across the sand, its shadows dragging in the air as it targeted Alina and Mal. Alina lifted her hands to summon her light, using her stag's collar to amplify it but she was too late. The creature threw itself on top of her, sending her flying back into the sand, lying on her back, a scream erupting and she looked in horror up at the shadow creature, it's mouth inches from her face. With a sharp growl, the creature opened it mouth wide, jagged teeth splintering out and it lurched forward, bringing its mouth onto Alina's shoulder. Alina gasped, her breath being knocked out and she froze in pain and shock. The shadow creature dug its teeth further inside, a sting emerging as it bit down and shadows loomed inside, flowing into her shoulder, through her veins. Her body became weak and frozen.
"That's enough" the command broke the bite of the creature and it jumped off Alina, retreating back to Kirigan.
Alina felt a tightness inside her, the pull she had experience now ten times harder and softly gasped for air. Her world around her felt silent and the next thing she heard was Kirigan's voice, soft and gentle this time.
"Bring her to me" Instead another shadow creature came to her. This time it stood on two legs, tall and bulky. Its long arms dragged down and had claws on the ends of its fingers, a large head and a hunched body. It picked up Alina and she felt like a rag doll being dragged over. As she looked up, she saw Mal once again clutching the floor as Ivan held him down, his face hard with anger and pleasure as he brought pain to Mal. Alina was thrown onto the sand, black boots in her vision and she felt Kirigan's hand wrap around her wrist, tugging her up. She didn't have the energy to pull back.
"You are mine, you power belongs to me and so do you. We are one now and nothing can change that, I am the only person who can give you what you need, your only shelter" he whispered, eyes deadly and blazing into her. Alina stared up, her mouth parted open as short breaths came in and out.
We are one
He had done what Mal had said. Bound Alina to him so they were soulmates. The shadow army creature had entered her body and now she was his soulmate, for eternity. Nothing would match up to him, nothing would put out that fire inside when he wasn't there. The only cure for that pull… was him.
"Your tracker will spend the rest of his days in darkness and you will forget about him. He will be nothing but a stranger to you and eventually he will die while you and I live on for eternity".
Alina didn't have the strength to say anything. She felt warmness inside her, the clutch on her wrist fuelling her desire inside and she had no urge to pull away. She didn't want to; she didn't want him to let go.
"It's just you and me now Alina" he said softly and when he dropped her wrist, she fell to the floor and the pull she knew all too well came back. Kirigan turned on his heel, slowly trudging through the sand and as he grew further apart, Alina felt that tug grow stronger, her insides aching.
"Bring them".
Hey so I hope you like it, what do you think will happen next, let me know in the reviews