CHAPTER ELEVEN

Edenian Rage

James's laughter grated on my nerves like nails on a chalkboard, a smug, self-satisfied sound that dripped with arrogance. He acted as if he were invincible, like this was just another hunt where the prey had already lost. Beside him, the red-haired woman—Victoria—was a study in contrast. Her every movement betrayed her nerves. She shifted her weight, glancing behind them as though already planning an escape. It made me wonder—did she have some sort of gift? Could she sense what was about to unfold?

James finally spoke, his voice laced with mockery and menace. "You know, I was sent here to fetch you for my master. But damn, I didn't expect to catch the scent of someone as delicious as the human girl whose blood is all over your clothes. Nice touch, by the way," he added, smirking as he gestured at the bloodied hoodie I still wore. "Clever trick. Too bad it doesn't mean shit in the grand scheme of things. Here's how this is gonna go: I'll beat you within an inch of your pathetic life, then, have a little fun with your sister, Oh, I'm going wipe out that coven she's shacking up with—because, why the hell not."

The words hit like gasoline on a raging fire. My anger, already smoldering, roared to life, burning hotter and brighter with every syllable that left his mouth. Before Victoria could speak—her lips just parting to say something—I snapped my hand up, clenching it into a fist. A shimmering, translucent ball of telekinetic energy enveloped her, silencing her before she could utter a word.

"Quiet," I said, my voice sharp and cold. "The grown-ups are talking."

Victoria's eyes widened as she struggled against the invisible prison, but it held firm. I turned my full attention back to James, my muscles coiled like springs, ready to explode into action.

"It's just you and me now, vamp," I said, my voice steady but brimming with barely restrained fury. "Let's finish this."

James's grin widened, his sharp teeth gleaming in the dim moonlight filtering through the trees. "Oh, I've been waiting for this," he said, his tone dripping with sadistic glee.

I concentrated, pulling every ounce of strength from my body and mind, feeling the raw power of my abilities thrumming like a live wire. My telekinesis wrapped around me like armor, and I steadied my breath, preparing for the storm.

James didn't waste time. He lunged with inhuman speed, faster than I anticipated. His first strike was like a freight train, slamming into me and sending me skidding back.

"Fuckin hell," I hissed under my breath, realizing immediately that this wasn't an ordinary vampire. He was a predator honed to perfection; every movement calculated to kill, had this master enhanced him, like Hansel?

I dodged and weaved, trying to anticipate his strikes, but he was relentless. Each blow chipped away at my defenses, and even my telekinetic shields couldn't fully block his claws.

He swiped at my torso, and though I managed to sidestep, his fingers still raked across my arm, leaving searing trails of pain in their wake. Gritting my teeth, I retaliated with a powerful kick, amplifying the force with my telekinesis. The kick whistled through the air, but James ducked under it with infuriating ease, spinning to deliver a brutal uppercut.

The blow connected, lifting me off my feet and slamming me into the ground. The impact knocked the wind out of me, and I gasped for breath, my vision blurring momentarily.

"Is this all you've got?" James sneered, looming over me like a dark specter. "Pathetic. I expected more from someone who thought they could take me on."

I spat blood onto the dirt, forcing myself back to my feet. My body screamed in protest, but I ignored it. Pain was temporary—this fight wasn't.

"You talk too much," I growled, wiping my mouth as I steadied myself.

James's eyes gleamed with malice. "You're not just weak—you're stupid. I'm going to tear you apart, piece by piece. And when I'm done, I'll make sure your sister knows exactly who killed you before I drain her dry."

My blood boiled, but I forced myself to focus. Emotions wouldn't win this fight—strategy would.

James lunged again, and I barely managed to dodge. His claws sliced through the air inches from my head, the whoosh of displaced air chilling me to the bone. I turned and unleashed a telekinetic blast, aiming to hurl him backward, but he rolled out of the way with maddening precision.

"You think that's going to stop me?" he taunted, his voice a low growl.

This time, he lunged faster, catching me off guard. His claws sank into my shoulder, and I bit back a scream as pain exploded through me. He yanked me closer, his breath hot against my face.

"You should've stayed out of this," he hissed, his tone dripping with malice. "The master wants you alive, but he didn't say you had to be whole. Maybe I'll take a few limbs before we're done here."

My vision blurred with pain and rage, but I refused to give in. Summoning every ounce of strength, I focused on the ground beneath us. With a sharp gesture, I raised my hand, and the earth erupted into a wall between us, forcing him to release me.

I staggered back, clutching my injured shoulder as I tried to catch my breath. James growled in frustration, circling the barrier like a caged animal.

"You're just delaying the inevitable, little edenian," he snarled, his voice filled with venom.

I clenched my fists, feeling my power surge as I healed, the pain in my body dulling to a manageable throb. "You're right," I said, my voice steady despite the pain. "This ends now."

Channeling every ounce of my anger and determination, I unleashed a telekinetic blast so powerful it cracked the ground beneath me, sending shockwaves rippling through the forest. James staggered, his predatory grin faltering for the first time.

"Not so cocky now, are we?" I shouted, advancing on him with renewed fury.

This wasn't over—not by a long shot.

James's guttural growl rumbled through the tense forest; his once-smug expression now twisted with unfiltered rage as he pulled himself upright. "You're just delaying the inevitable," he sneered, his voice dripping venom. "I've faced creatures greater than you kid. You'll fall just like the rest." He sprang toward me with terrifying speed, a blur of malice and power.

I barely saw the punch coming. His fist slammed into my jaw with the force of a freight train. Pain erupted in a white-hot flash, and my vision tilted violently as I staggered back. The world slowed; every sound muffled like I was underwater. My body refused to respond, and gravity claimed me. The impact of my back hitting the ground drove the air from my lungs in a harsh gasp. My vision blurred, darkness creeping at the edges.

James loomed over me like a specter of death, his grin triumphant and his golden eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure. "I warned you," he jeered, his voice cutting through my fading consciousness like a dagger. "You should've known better than to challenge me."

The darkness threatened to consume me, a cold void beckoning me to give in. But as the shadows closed in, a sudden sensation rippled through my mind. The sound of a chain snapping rang out like a gunshot in the silence, echoing in the depths of my psyche. Lyra's voice, calm and commanding, resonated in my head.

"Wake up Dorian, the fight is not over. Stand strong, my champion, I will give you the strength to vanquish the foe."

Energy surged through me, fierce and untamed, like a tidal wave washing away the agony in my limbs. My wounds knit together at an impossible speed, the pain receding as though it had never existed. My senses sharpened—every rustle of leaves, every drop of dew on the blades of grass beneath me became startlingly clear. Strength filled every fiber of my being, invigorating me.

I pushed myself up, standing tall and steady, my breath even and calm. James froze, his grin faltering for the first time. His eyes narrowed, confusion and a flicker of fear breaking through his arrogance.

"Back for more?" he mocked, masking his unease with bravado. "I see why the master wants to break you himself. You're a fighter. Too bad it won't save you. Time to end this, little Edenian."

"Let's finish this," I growled, my voice low and steady, my renewed power making the air around me hum. With a flick of my wrist, a burst of compressed air slammed into James, sending him hurtling backward into the nearest tree with a sickening crack.

I didn't give him a chance to recover. Blitzing forward in a blur of motion, I closed the distance and delivered a crushing blow with an ice-reinforced fist. The impact resonated like thunder, sending shards of frozen mist scattering into the air. James retaliated, clawing and swinging with wild ferocity, but I was faster now, my movements a dance of precision and power.

I weaved between his attacks with ease, countering each of his strikes with bone-shattering force. A telekinetically enhanced punch drove him back, his body skidding across the forest floor, carving deep grooves into the earth. He scrambled to his feet, his cocky veneer cracking to reveal frustration and fear.

"How?" he bellowed, his voice raw with disbelief. "How are you this strong all of a sudden?"

I smirked, relishing his disbelief. "I eat my vegetables," I quipped, driving a telekinetic kick into his chest. The sheer force shattered his ribcage, black cracks spiderwebbing across his skin like fractured marble.

James coughed violently; his confidence replaced by desperation. I could see it in his eyes—he knew he'd lost. But I wasn't done. Not yet.

With a telekinetic pull, I dragged him toward me, his broken body jerking helplessly against the invisible force. My leg shot out in a devastating earthquake-powered kick, the ground beneath us trembling as the blow sent him flying. He landed in a heap, his body trembling and broken, surrounded by a shimmering telekinetic cage I conjured to trap him.

As he writhed inside the cage, I raised my hand. Lightning crackled above us, illuminating the night with an eerie glow. I directed the bolts downward, the raw energy slamming into him with unrelenting ferocity. His screams filled the air, the sound raw and guttural, but I didn't waver.

Then I summoned it—a floating psychic sword, shimmering with deadly intent. With a thought, I directed it toward him. The blade sliced through the air, severing his arms with surgical precision. James howled in agony; his blood red eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at his mangled form.

"Do you understand now?" I growled, stepping closer. My voice was cold, devoid of mercy. "You picked the wrong family to mess with. Now go to hell, and tell the devil I said hello."

Blue eldritch flames ignited in my palm, roaring to life as I aimed them at his broken form. The fire surged forward, engulfing him in an all-consuming blaze that crackled with otherworldly energy. His screams reached a crescendo, filled with pain and desperation, but I felt nothing for him—no pity, no remorse.

"NO!" Victoria's anguished cry pierced the night. She pounded against the telekinetic bubble that held her, her face twisted with rage and despair. But she was powerless to intervene.

The flames devoured James until nothing remained but ash. The forest fell silent, the only sound my ragged breathing as I stared at the spot where he had been. I let the flames die down, their light fading into the shadows of the trees.

I turned my gaze to Victoria, her terror-stricken eyes meeting mine. "Your turn," I said, my voice a deadly promise.

The night air hung heavy with the scent of charred earth and ash as I stood over the smoldering remains of James. The flames had died down, leaving nothing behind but a darkened scorch mark on the forest floor. My chest heaved as I tried to calm my breathing, my body still buzzing with the electrifying rush of power Lyra had unlocked within me. The world around me was eerily still, as if nature itself was holding its breath.

I turned my gaze toward Victoria, her fiery red hair glowing faintly under the moonlight. Trapped within the shimmering telekinetic bubble, her hands pressed desperately against its walls, her sharp eyes darting from the spot where James had been to me. The rage in her gaze was unmistakable, but beneath it was fear—a deep, primal fear she couldn't hide.

With a flick of my wrist, the cage dissolved, and Victoria tumbled unceremoniously onto the forest floor. She caught herself on her hands and knees, breathing heavily as she scrambled to her feet. The predator's grace she usually carried was gone, replaced by a fragility that betrayed her sense of loss.

I stepped toward her, my boots crunching against the scorched earth, and fixed her with a glare so cold it could have frozen the air around us. I poured every ounce of disdain I could muster into my words. "So, what's it gonna be, Victoria?" My voice was low, dangerous, laced with venom. "You want to join your partner in hell, or are you kindly going to fuck off out of Forks?"

Her lips trembled, and for a fleeting second, I thought she might lunge at me. But the fight had drained out of her. Victoria's sharp features twisted with a mix of fury and anguish, and without another word, she turned on her heel and bolted into the darkness.

The forest seemed to sigh in her absence. I watched her retreating form until she disappeared completely, her presence fading like a bad memory. Despite the satisfaction of driving her off, I couldn't ignore the weight of what she'd lost. Love or not, James had been her mate, and now he was gone. But I wasn't about to let sympathy cloud my judgment. She'd chosen her path, and she'd have to live with it.

As the adrenaline began to ebb, I felt a powerful surge of energy ripple through me. Lyra's voice, calm and steady, echoed in my mind like a soothing balm. "I have unlocked another bind, Dorian. Use the power well."

I closed my eyes, focusing on the sensation coursing through me. My wounds had healed in seconds, my senses were sharper than ever, and every muscle in my body felt coiled and ready to spring. The power was intoxicating, like a fire roaring in my veins. I experimentally reached out to Lyra, calling her name in my mind.

"Yes, Dorian?" her voice came instantly, smooth and familiar.

I grinned, marveling at the connection. "Wow, we can talk like this now? Without the whole mindscape thing?"

She chuckled softly, her mental tone warm and amused. "Yes, and the more binds I unlock, the more I will be able to assist you, and the more of my abilities you will be able to use."

Her words filled me with both awe and determination. "The power feels… unreal," I admitted, clenching and unclenching my fists.

"That's because it is," she explained. "This bind didn't just double your strength—it's amplified your abilities tenfold. Your telekinesis, speed, reflexes, all of it has been enhanced. You're becoming what you were always meant to be, Dorian. But be mindful. Great power demands control."

I nodded to myself, taking her advice to heart. The flood of potential within me was both exhilarating and daunting. If this was only the second bind, I couldn't begin to imagine what unlocking them all would feel like. The thought sent a thrill down my spine. With enough strength, I could challenge Kragas. The idea burned in my mind like a beacon, filling me with purpose.

The forest, once alive with the sounds of our battle, was now silent. The air was thick with the aftermath of destruction, the scent of burned ozone mingling with the earthy aroma of pine. The moon hung high, its silver light filtering through the trees, casting long shadows that danced eerily across the forest floor.

I took a deep breath, letting the cool night air ground me. It was over. James was gone, his reign of terror ended. But this wasn't the end—it was only the beginning. The world was still rife with dangers, and I would face them all if it meant protecting my family.

My thoughts turned to Bella. She needed to know it was safe, that the nightmare was over. I clenched my fists, my resolve solidifying. I wouldn't let anything harm her again—not while I had the strength to stop it.

With one last glance at the blackened patch of earth where James had fallen, I turned and began the trek back to the Cullens. The forest around me seemed less menacing now, as if it had been purged of the malevolence that had tainted it. My steps were steady, each one echoing with the promise of a new chapter.

I had walked through the fire and come out stronger. The darkness had tried to claim me, but I had emerged as something more. A protector. A force of nature. And I was ready for whatever came next.