Is it just me or have I been using Fang's Pov a lot lately? Don't worry, I'll have some Max POV coming up soon. Well this chapter took an unexpectedly long amount of time to finish. I swear I had writers block every three sentences I wrote this. Finishing this story has been quite the challenge for me.
IMPORTANT: I really, really hate the F-word. You have no idea how much I really despise that curse. I'm sure many of you do as well, so I want to apologize right now if you are strongly offended. It pains me to use that word but the emotional impact wouldn't be as prominent without it. I'm really, really sorry if you are offended.
WARNING: Violence, language and description of injuries. Not overly graphic as it is still within the limits of the T Rating...I think.
Chapter 19: His Promise
Fang POV
When I returned back to Clarke's office, I saw Iggy sitting on the ground Indian style, sullenly wrapping his own wound while Nudge was dabbing Bridget's head wound with an antiseptic. Iggy was no doubt sulking his wounded pride and had refused to let Nudge wrap his wound. I rolled my eyes when he blatantly tried to avoid my gaze.
"Let me you idiot." I said and took the bandages from him. Iggy "humphed" softly, but made no move to stop me.
"Oh quit sulking Iggy, it's just a flesh wound! The bullet barely grazed your skin." Nudge shouted from the other end of the room.
"Shut up! I don't need to hear it from you!" Iggy shouted back childishly, here I rolled my eyes again. (Note-to-self, too many eye rolls equal headaches and impaired visions, thanks for that Iggy.) Bridget chuckled at their interactions and softly thanked Nudge for helping her. I nodded in her direction.
"Bridget," I greeted dryly.
"Fang," She said, mimicking me wryly. A subtle grin stretched across my face, looks like she hasn't lost her sense of humor.
"How're you doin?" I ask, thinking it was the most brilliant reaction at time. Seems like, depending on the situation, it was either right question to ask because she seemed just about ready to ramble, or the wrong if you weren't ready to hear it. But Bridget didn't do either; she just took one long deep exhausted breath of air.
"Well I was kidnapped on my anniversary, woke up blind folded, told I was just bait and worth no value to my captor, and now I'm sporting a rather ugly bruise on my head. What will my husband say when I get back?" She mused, and then her gaze settled on me, suddenly becoming all serious. "What about you?"
I shrugged, and Iggy snorted at my reaction.
"Don't play it cool Fangles, you're hands are still shaking." Iggy pointed out. I glared, but didn't bother to snap back. My hands were still shaking, as they always did after a kill. I suppose that was the difference between me and Maximum Ride. Max had always stayed cool and strong after a kill, she'd never outwardly show how effected she'd been by it. I guess despite my stoic nature, I could never hide my fear. I still had a long way to go to match up to the great Maximum Ride.
Thinking of Max made me feel better, and my hands stopped shaking shortly after. Iggy, now correctly bandaged, went on look out to scope the hallways. I knelt down next to Bridget and carefully scooped her up bridal style.
"Thanks." She said a slight blush on her cheeks. I grunted in response and told Nudge it was safe to turn the power back on…I didn't really fancy walking the stairs with Bridget in my arms.
"Where are we going? Aren't we going to fly out?" Bridget asked confused.
"Not yet, we have another friend to save first." Nudge shook her head as she began playing around with the electrical panel on the wall. I tried to watch her movements, maybe learn something about the wires she cut and rewired together, but I gave up after a while.
I watched Nudge carefully. I'll be the first to admit; watching Nudge cry tears of blood scared me senseless. The girl was too reckless for her own good—sort of like another reckless birdgirl I knew. Someone had to look out for her, and that someone most likely had to be me. Geez, the girls in my family sure loved to give me a hard time. Not that I would trade it for the world.
"The coast is clea-WOAH! Fang…what are you doing?" Iggy asked. I gave him the "are you dumb or something" face and nodded towards Bridget's sprained ankle. "Oh right, once we get outta here, we'll get you some more bandages. We should probably also get our boy Ari some grub."
"Ari? As in Jebidiah's son?" Bridget gasped. "I thought he died years ago."
"Yeah so did we. But that kid's one persistent bastard." Iggy shook his head fondly, but then looked confused. "Who's Jebidiah?"
"Language Iggy," I snapped.
"Yes Mom!" My blonde haired brother and best friend saluted. I shook my head exasperatedly. Yeah, yeah, I know, we're still in some deranged scientist's equally deranged lab and Iggy and I were going at it like five year olds? What can I say? It's a coping mechanism. Honestly, I was grateful for the bro. I don't what I'd do without having Iggy as punching board sometimes.
Iggy suddenly shivered. "Ugh, why do I get the feeling someone's thinking threatening thoughts about me?" He frowned. I fought hard to keep a smug grin off my face.
"I'm done children! Let's get out of here!" Nudge announced, finished with her tinkering. Teenagers…gotta love them. I glanced at Bridget. She was still sporting that baffled "I have no idea what the Fnick is going on here face." I sympathized with her; the flock had to learn the hard way to adapt the "just go with it" attitude, and to think about whatever life threw at us much later when it would haunt us in our dreams. Comparatively speaking, the disaster with Clarke was not the most bizarre situation we'd ever been in. Comparatively…
We managed to get to the elevator safely, and from there finding Ari's coffin – ahem—sleeping chamber was easy. We didn't run into any wyverns or scientists along the way. Now see, that was an instant red flag, fire alarms, ambulances ablaze kinda trigger. Where the heck was everyone? It was more disturbing that we hadn't run into any trouble so far, and that could only mean there would inevitably be trouble later.
"Does it bother you that we haven't seen a living thing in sight?" Iggy asked, obviously thinking allowed. Bridget shook her head in my arms.
"Never look a gift horse in the mouth." Bridget answered philosophically. I scrunched my nose.
"A gift horse?"
"It's just expression."
"Right," I say distractedly. We reached Ari without a hitch, and after a quick, awkward re-introduction we high-tailed it out of there like roadrunner. Taking off from the ground would have been the dumbest thing we could possibly do while carrying a 125 pound fully grown woman and 90 pound skin and bone kid-ified Eraser, so we ran back to the sixth floor and smashed the tall window panes. I carried Bridget, and Iggy had Ari.
Bridget squirmed for a bit, undoubtedly not used to heights or something, but after a few irritated grunts from me I think she figured out she was giving me a hard time. Ari feel asleep in Iggy's arms almost immediately while Iggy was complaining about being stuck carrying a dude. Ari's exhaustion was worrying. Though she doesn't remember him, I don't want Max to see her little brother with his pasty white skin stretched thin over his bones and sunken red eyes. Just thinking about what Ari might have been put through made my blood boil. But I calmed down when I remembered that bastard Clarke couldn't hurt him anymore.
Flying back to our mountainous home in Arizona was a bit impractical as it was a little less than 2,500 miles from Washington. Our best bet was public transport, i.e. a tin can bus or a steel rolling pin train. The train it was! At least it had a bed and stuff. With Bridget's expertise and our Max card, we were able to purchase a few train tickets and also managed to snag a first aid kit and some light foods for Ari.
Once aboard the train, our first priority was fixing up Ari.
"For goodness sakes! Hold still!" Bridget cried exasperated. Ari tried to look sheepish but we all knew not to trust that "seemingly" innocent facade. Bridget glared and held Ari's boney arm tightly and this time successfully managed to inject some supplements into Ari's body.
"Sorry Dr. Dwyer, but did you have to poke me?" Ari whined a little. The sight of the needle no doubt made him a bit paranoid. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little jittery at the sight. Bridget gave Ari a sharp look and the kid instantly clammed up. Damn, what is it with woman and their death glares? I wonder if they practice in the mirror.
Great. I'm going on a tangent again. I shook my head, trying to clear them of nonsensical thoughts. Easier said than done I suppose. Just in time, Nudge and Iggy appeared in the door way, their arms loaded with foods.
"Alright, we've got some soft foods for Ari, soups, yogurts, fruits and stuff. For Bridget a veggie burger, and Count Fangula and Iggykins get pizza!" Nudge exclaimed ecstatically. I deadpanned at the nicknames.
"How long have you been waiting to use that?"
"Since we picked up the food." She winked and handed us our meals. I grabbed my food and ate uneasily. It was strange. I was a survivor; I ate regardless of my …emotions. But now my stomach was twisting so damn badly, looking at the pizza was making me sick. Iggy then punched my shoulder.
"If you're just gonna glare at it, I'll eat your share too." Iggy said coyly. I snorted and took a huge bite just to spite him. Iggy grinned like he'd won something and went back to his own food. I could hardly hide my grin as I devoured the meal. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without Iggy's idiocy.
"Achoo!" Iggy sneezed. "Fang! Stop insulting me." He whined. I dared to crack a grin.
"Can't you lovebirds just eat in silence?" Nudge rolled her eyes. Nudge too, I don't know what I'd do without either of them. I somehow managed to finish eating and ignore the rock at the pit of my stomach. I was even holding a civil conversation with Iggy when Bridget finally snapped.
"Alright. What's wrong?" She asked seemingly out of the blue. Startled, I just shrugged in response. Though they thought I couldn't see them, I saw Nudge and Iggy share worried looks. I could have lied. And I probably should have. But even I couldn't stop the words that spilled from my mouth.
"Bad feeling." I responded bluntly. The flock shut up immediately after. We might only be 2% avian but our animal instincts weren't so subliminal that our sense of danger was no greater than the average human. Nudge and Iggy took me seriously. If our time with Max taught us anything, it was to never question gut instincts. They were never wrong. She was proof of that.
My mind spun in circles. Why did I keep getting the feeling that we forgot something? Some minute detail that we wouldn't realize till it struck us in the faces. I'd pull my hair out if it wasn't so out of character for me.
I snuck worried glances at my four injured companions. Nudge overused her abilities and though she was putting up a front I could tell she was severely weakened. Hell, she fell asleep on Iggy's shoulder even though they were fighting just a few hours ago. Iggy's arm would be fine, he was the resident medic; he can handle himself at the very least. Ari, now this kid worried me. He was extremely malnourished, practically skin on bones with all his muscle mass atrophied, and couldn't stay awake for longer than two hours without exhausting himself. Bridget too was shaken from her experience with Clarke. It wasn't outrageous to assume she might have a concussion from the head wound. She hasn't said anything about it yet so she's either fine (unlikely) or just putting up a tough face (Very likely).
It was going to be a long ride home.
# # # #
And a long ride it was. 12 hours. 720 minutes, 43,200 seconds; that's how long it took us to get home. We skedaddled out of the train like it was on fire—none of us, especially Ari it seemed, could handle enclosed spaces for such long periods of time. I couldn't even remember how the last 12 hours passed by, but I do seem to recall a certain card game involving poker faces and a bratty nosed kid with a ridiculous luck.
Without resting for food or a break, I wordlessly lifted Bridget into my arms, and Ari in Iggy's and did a fast up-and-way not caring too much about who would see us now. I was anxious to get home. I needed to see Max, Angel and Gazzy for myself. Hell, I even wanted to see Jeb again. I wanted Max to know that her sister was safe and I wanted to assure Angel that everything was fine now. We'd no longer have to live on the run. Gazzy had spent the last week and a half crying, though he won't admit it, about having to leave his room behind. The kid had grown real fond of it. It really killed me that these kids were about to lose the only normalcy in their lives, but now they don't have to. Clarke is dead, Bridget is safe, and Max was slowly becoming herself again.
It seemed too good to be true.
We flew in silence. No doubt the train had been taxing for Nudge, she hadn't uttered a word since we began flying. It was even hard to pay attention to the wind running across my face or the sun beating down on my back. All I could think about was the silence. Even the city beneath us seemed like it was sleeping. There were no car's honking, no loud music, or shrill screams. I couldn't hear a thing. Was I going mad? I can see the cars on the road, but I can't hear a thing. It wasn't even night yet. In fact the only sound I can hear is my own heartbeat. What the fnick is going on with me?
"Fang, are you alright?" Bridget frowned in my arms. "You've been acting weird since we got off the train." I shook my head at her. It's nothing, I tried to convey. She understood and clamped her mouth shut. Iggy and Nudge were sneaking glances at me. I really needed to stop worrying them.
My shoulders felt a few pounds lighter when I caught sight of the familiar red roof and long spanning deck in front of it. I couldn't help but smile, a tiny one of course I have an image to keep up, at the sight. In just a few moments Max would be in my arms. Clarke will be a long forgotten memory and finally, finally, we'd be allowed to live in peace. Was what I thought but in that moment images began flashing behind my eyes.
The front door opened with a bang. A flash of red followed by hundreds of scaly beasts.
Screams. Someone was screaming.
A dark grotesque claw ran its nail's across soft flesh and plunged deep into his heart. He was dead.
Frightened, helpless blue eyes. He couldn't fight. He couldn't escape. The claw reached for his face. The sound of tearing skin in the air.
Soft sobbing, golden ringlets spilled over a stilled body. A whimper, a scream, and a gasp. Gold turned to red and blue faded to gray.
Tears- her beautiful tears flowing like escaping droplets. A hand grasping the sensitive flesh of her neck. She can't breathe. A flash of red and it all goes black. A thud. They've lost everything.
"NO!" A scream tore through my body before I could even recognize the voice as my own. I pulled my wings in hard and nosedived towards the porch. Bridget was screaming in my arms, Iggy and Nudge were screaming behind me. But I couldn't stop. I landed carelessly and dropped Bridget ungracefully. My heart stopped at the sight of the broken lock on the door.
"Fang! What is going on?" Nudge cried, landing with a thud beside me. A moment later there was another thud and I knew Iggy had landed. I felt a hand on my shoulder. But I couldn't move. My body froze with a fear like nothing I'd ever felt before. They fell silent when they saw the forcefully broken bolts on the front door. I didn't hope for anything as I pushed the door open.
My heart stopped.
There was blood splattered on the walls like it been thrown like a can of paint. There wasn't a single piece of furniture that wasn't shattered. The carpet was ripped to tatters and our electronics smashed to pieces. There was broken glass scattered across the wooden tiles soaking in pools and pools of blood. The inside of our broken house was painted in blood.
Amidst the blood I saw it. A head of gold, matted in red, shaking over a body, barely conscious.
"Angel." I whispered. The body flinched and slowly she raised her head and her blue eyes met mine.
"Fang…" She breathed without any strength in her voice. She titled her head back and smiled softly. "Gaz—Gazzy's hurt Fang." Her voice broke and tears rolled down her face washing away blood as it dripped off her cheeks. A dark gash ran down the side of her face, barely disguised by her gold-red locks of hair. She tried to reach out for me with her small, weak, and battered body. I was frozen as her strength gave out and she fell to the floor with a soft thud.
"Angel!"Nudge's scream broke my trance. We rushed to her side, unseeing and uncomprehending of anything but our littlest member's broken appearance. I gather in her in my arms and her close to my chest.
"Angel, Angel, wake up." I whispered. She was struggling to breath in my arms.
"I-I'm tired Fang. I want to sleep now." She whispered. I shook my head fiercely.
"Stay with me Angel. You can't sleep now." I hushed her and brushed her bangs aside. I looked around helplessly. She couldn't die. Not Angel, she was just a kid. Panic seeped deep into my bones and my arms shook around Angel. Her eyes flickered back open and her small mouth twisted into a tiny smile. I could barely contain a sigh of relief.
"I-I'm okay. Just tired and dizzy." She whispered. "Y-you have to help Gazzy h-he's hurt badly." She hacked, blood spilling from her mouth. I looked in the direction that Angel struggled to point at and felt like I had been shot in the chest all over again. Surreal, that's what it felt like to see Gasman's broken body, lying in a pool of his own blood, emotionless, and the right half of his face clawed off.
A life time of experimentation and my intimate familiarity with the gruesome sight of blood and injury was the only thing that kept me from wanting to puke my guts out.
"Oh God…Iggy, Gazzy needs help," Nudge whispered shakily. She then turned to me. "Go help him, I'll stay with Angel." Nudge, just a fourteen year old girl, she grew up way too fast. She cupped Angel's head like she was a doll and pulled the nine year old into her lap. Bridget -who'd been the only one who hadn't frozen on sight- had the foresight to rush to the kitchen and grab rags to clean Angel's wounds. She quickly handed them off to Nudge and the two worked together to wrap Angel's head as quickly as possible.
"Angel will be fine, Fang." Iggy finally appeared next to me. "It's Gazzy I'm worried about it." My jaw set in clenched, and my eyes drifted towards Gazzy. If I was being honest with myself, I knew he was lying there while we were treating Angel, but I couldn't bring myself to look over in that direction. Iggy's statement only further intensified my worst fears. Iggy was no medical expert, but he's been treating us for the past seven years and frankly I trusted his judgment more than any other.
Having our advanced DNA and other birdkid perks like fast healing and limitless immunity to human viruses—Iggy never had any serious troubles treating our injuries in the past; with the exception having been that time I was shot out of the sky. Even then, Iggy didn't lose his composure. Sure I could have possibly died from blood loss, but I think Iggy believed—no, he knew somehow I could easily get my wounds treated and walk away with just a scar. But the Iggy that stood before me now, he was barely maintaining that damn emotionless mask I was all too familiar with. Gazzy's condition was far more serious than what I would like to believe.
I felt my hand trembling, imperceptible in our current situation, but I knew I'd be useless to Gazzy the way I am right now. Hell, I was no good with helping Bridget with Angel either. I was…not in control of myself right now. Nothing could be more dangerous to Angel or Gazzy then my own lack of control over my emotions. I took a deep breathe, willing myself to somehow cool down.
"Ig, I need you to wake Gazzy up." I set my face in stone and froze my heart against any emotion that threatened to penetrate my walls. Iggy's eyes widened in fear and for a moment I saw his eyes haze over with deep disgust. Disgust that I deserved—I knew I was monster for bringing the kid into consciousness. Hell, being unconscious with a wound like his was a real blessing. I must not be human if I can be rational enough to hurt Gazzy for answers.
Though his fists were clenched and there was a visible sneer in his expression, Iggy didn't argue with me. He gently splashed Gazzy's face with hot water and I watched with a steely expression as Gazzy sputtered into consciousness.
"F-fang?" The small boy gurgled through the pain. I felt bile rushing up my throat but swallowed hard and maintained my composure. Iggy glared at me; I would no doubt face the brunt of Iggy's hatred for a while.
I knelt down beside Gazzy and brought his head in my lap, just as I had with Angel. Iggy quickly applied hot towels to Gazzy's open wounds and heavily scarred face. "Gazzy…I need to know. What happened?"
The Gasman blinked slowly coming to full awareness. His dark blue eyes met mine and tears began rolling down the sides of his face. I saw his pain. It was not the physical one, but the mental pain that had reduced Gazzy to helpless tears.
"I-I'm sorry Fang. I-I couldn't protect them." He cried, his hand curled around my arm. He kept his eyes on me searching for the disappointment on my face. As if I could ever be disappointed in him.
"Who did this to you?" I continued. Gazzy's breath hitched and hacked out a wet sound cough. He sunk back into my arms dizzily and I could tell that Gazzy wouldn't remain conscious for much longer.
"L-Lissa came with her w-wyvern thingies." Gazzy began to explain in hushed tones. "Angel and I—we tried to protect Max, but Angel and I were attacked by the w-wyverns. J-Jeb tried to help us but…Oh god Fang. T-they killed Jeb!" Gazzy cried, and a fresh set of tears rolled down his face. I stiffened and my eyes instantly flew to Ari. The boy had been helping Bridget out but that didn't mean he couldn't hear Gazzy.
Ari sat frozen mid handing something to Bridget. His mouth began quivering as his dark chocolate colored eyes met mine. The tears finally spilled over and Ari silently curled into himself, tucking his head into his arms, his body trembled over. Gazzy's had briefly glanced over in Ari's direction at first there was disbelief but then his tears only grew stronger.
"I-I'm sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't stop Lissa from taking Max. I'm sorry I couldn't stop the wyverns from hurting my sister. I'M SORRY I WASN'T STRONG ENOUGH TO PROTECT THEM!" Gazzy cried and finally broke down into a sobbing mess. Iggy pull Gaz out of my arms the small pyromaniac clutched onto his older brother like a lifeline and sobbed uncontrollable.
I looked around me. Broken glass and furniture, Angel crying as Bridget worked to patch her up, Ari falling apart as Nudge held him tightly, Gazzy's small heart breaking into pieces as Iggy tried to hold the little guy together braving against his serious wounds and lastly…I saw the emotionless body of our father figure buried under the furniture—a gapping whole in his chest like his heart had been ripped out of his body. No Max.
"Iggy. Get them to the hospital. Now." I ordered emotionlessly, rising to my feet and pulling out the weapon I had concealed under my jacket. Iggy's head snapped up sharply.
"What the hell are you planning Fang?" He asked through gritted teeth, his eyes were burning fiercely, I'd never seen such a look in Ig's eyes before. But I didn't have time to stand in awe.
"I'm going after Max."
"I'm coming with you."
"NO!" I roared before I could stop myself. Iggy froze in shock, betrayal showing in his eyes. "No. Gazzy and Angel are seriously injured. Ari is going to pass out any minute now, Bridget probably has a concussion, Nudge exhausted her powers and you have a bullet wound. None of you are in the condition to be fighting right now."
"Don't be an idiot Fang! Look around you! Lissa killed Jeb, Fang. She tore this place apart like it was cotton. What the fuck could you possibly do on your own?" Iggy stood in my way, blocking the path between me and the front door. I glared at my brother.
"Don't make me repeat myself. Get out of the way!" I shouted. Iggy's scowl deepened and he grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and reclined his fist back to punch me. There were screams all around us from Nudge and Ari and Bridget, but neither of us paid any attention. I glared at Iggy, daring him to go through with that punch, daring him to stop me from going after Max.
His fist stopped millimeters from my face, his face was red and he was breathing hard. "You better come back alive." He whispered and shoved me as hard as he could.
I nodded and readied the weapon in my hands, quickly tucking it under my shirt. I paused at the door and turned back to face Iggy. "I'm glad you've got my back Igs." I smirked.
"Anytime Fnickles." The blonde idiot grinned back.
"I'm coming Max…" I whispered and dived into the blood red sky without looking back.
# # # # # # # I was going to stop there, but how cruel would that be? # # # # # # # # #
I flew upward at speeds I didn't I was capable of. Higher and I higher I flew, just until I could make out a whole bunch of tiny specks about two miles north of where I was flying. I mentally thanked my bird genes for my eyesight and nosedived like a fish that had been taken out of the water for too long. My eyes focused in on the sight of Max like a camera zooming in on its target. In that moment I could see nothing but the woman I loved pinned to the ground by green scaly beasts driving their clampers deep into her legs forcing Max onto her knees and her arms spread wide with either hand in a beast's mouth splayed out like a crucification. An ugly red-headed creature stood over my Max with her disgusting hands under Max's chin, forcing Max to look into the beasts foul green eyes.
The adrenaline flowed straight to my brain and I began spiraling faster and faster towards the surface. I heard screaming—Max was screaming—and blood dripping from her hands fast. Lissa laughed over her and lean in close to Max's face. The dumb red-head never saw me coming. I pummeled into Lissa's side and punched her gut with all the strength in my body coupled with the effect of the nose dive. Basically, it was a killer punch. I felt my fists meet with a warm body but it wasn't until my feet hit the ground that I realized one of the Wyvern's had gotten in the way of my attack.
"F-fang…" Max whispered tearfully, her body trembling from pain. I growled murderously and round-house kicked the wyverns on Max's arms. Max ducked instantly and my kick flew over her head knocking the two creatures in their long snout like faces. I grabbed the one clamping Max's legs and pried its jaws open and pulled it apart until it snapped with a sickening crunch. Max wrestled the last one away from her and I quickly pulled her into my arms.
"Fang. Oh god, Fang. I was so scared." She cried into my arms. My arms tightened around Max like I was holding onto my life. Because that's what Max was. She was my life.
"FANG!" I heard a banshee-like growl and a fuming red baboon's face was suddenly right in front of me. "How dare you! How dare you keep ruining my plans!" Lissa hissed like the feline she was. Her cat ears popped out from her mess of thick red hair and tail hung straight like a predator poised to attack. Her green eyes were slits and her fingers adorned sharp claw like nails. They were stained crimson with blood.
"You just don't learn, do you?" I whispered darkly. My dark bangs hung over my eyes hiding my obsidian eyes, I'm sure if she could see them Lissa would have been nothing but a quivering puddle where she stood. She was lucky I was trying to control myself for Max's sake; otherwise I would have ripped her lungs out before she could have uttered a word.
The look in Lissa's eyes suddenly changed, her features smoothened her thin lips twisted into maniacal smirk.
"You are pathetic Fangie. I don't know what I ever saw in you." She raised her clawed hand in our direction and said, "After them! Making them fall to my feet!" she shrieked the orders. I watched thirty—no forty some wyverns rise from the hind legs and stalk forward with drool dripping from their jaws an intelligent and hungry look in their yellow eyes.
Max tugged my shirt and my eyes met hers for a split second. I grabbed her hand and we began to make a run for it.
"Fang we can't out run them!" She yelled over the wind. I only tugged her harder and pushed our legs harder than we ever had before.
"We can't fly! It's suicide." I yelled back at her. Max nodded in agreement. We may have lived with wings all our lives but those creatures were as graceful in the sky as they were clumsy on land. The ground was our best bet for now. We heard loud growls echoing from behind us, from my peripheral vision I watched them changing formations.
"I think they're communicating!" Max shouted over the wind. I grunted and twisted my neck around to take a better look. The wyvern was running in a V-formation with Lissa at the very back and center seated upon a wyvern three times the size of the grunt chasing us. I was so busy running for our lives, I didn't notice Max gasp and then suddenly come to halt. I was jerked back with her and watched her sway unsteadily on her feet.
"Max! Max we have to run!" I growled at her. Max looked at me with pleading eyes but her legs gave out and I caught her in my arms. I quickly pulled her face close to mine and slapped her cheeks. "Wake up Max, don't back out on me now!" I shouted desperately as I watched her beautiful eyes roll into the back of her head dizzily. She came through for a moment but she seemed too disoriented to even realize that I was the one holding her.
I looked up in panic when I realized we hadn't been attacked yet. The closest wyvern was ten feet away from me, watching us with condescending look in its eyes.
"You have nowhere to run, Fang. Give up and hand that bitch over to me." Lissa told me with exaggerated sweetness in her voice. I shook my head and took a step back. The wyvern pack took a step forward. Breathing hard, I tried to do a 360 like Max had taught me. Behind me there was a narrow bridge of land before the cliff broke off in steep slopes hundreds of feet deep.
Damn, we were cornered.
"We can end this right now Fang. I can't let you live of course, but I can give you a painless death." She giggled without humor.
"Shut up." I hissed at her. Lissa frowned.
"Don't make me any angrier Fang. I only stopped my precious beasts because I'm so fond of your pretty face. You should be grateful to me. I could've made them kill you when your little bitch passed out." She tsked in false cheery voice. I felt my anger spike sharply, my teeth bit the inside of cheeks hard enough to draw blood. I couldn't even form coherent words.
"Who are you calling a bitch, you monster?" Max suddenly whispered from my arms.
"Max!" I sighed in relief; the anger drained, and steadied her on her feet. Max raised her head to glare as fiercely as she could at Lissa.
"Fang is not pretty. He's handsome and he's mine, you beast!" She shouted loudly and in a way I haven't heard since before she lost her memories. I never felt as proud of Max as I had in that moment. This was her. This was the real Max.
"ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK! Kill them, kill them right now! I don't even care anymore! Just rip their fucking heads off!" Lissa cried like a howler monkey, squeakily and annoying.
Max struggled in my arms like she wanted to fight back. I held her tightly with arms wrapped around her thin waist and her back pressed up against my chest; I chuckled into her muzzled hair. Despite our situation I couldn't help but feel elated. God I loved this girl. Max calmed down immediately and looked to me with curious eyes. I smiled freely now, because I wanted too. I tucked a tress of blonde hair her behind her ears and kissed her forehead.
"I promise I'll protect you Max. So promise you won't move from this spot." I whispered into her ears. She stood limply against my chest; I could practically feel her hesitation. It wasn't in Max's natures to sit back from a fight, memories or no. But she and I both knew she lost too much blood to be any good in a fight not including her utter lack of practice. She shook her vehemently after a second and held her tighter, practically crushed her body in my arms. "Please Max." I whispered desperately, because I was. She went limp and let me tug her behind me.
I turned to Lissa and looked her dead in the eyes.
"Send them all at once if you dare Lissa. I swear I'll die before I let a single fucking beast get past me."
The wyverns charged at once.
Wow, I really surprised myself with how dark this story turned out. I really wanted to avoid an angsty story but oh my gosh, once I started writing the feels, the story just took a life of its own.
By the way, I was totally imagining King Kong as I wrote Fang's fight with the wyvern. Hehe, I guess that makes Max Ann Darrow. Though the sight of Fang pounding his chest and crying war is rather hot in its own way….I take that back.
Bear with me everyone; we have only one chapter to go and epilogue. My long four, going on five, year journey with this story is about to come to an end.
Lightly edited, so please pardon the glaring mistakes. One day in the distant future I'll finish editing all these chapters.
Review, review, review.
Kiki1770