Page 108 of Rafe

Despite her effort, it didn’t yield a transformation. Frustrated she jumped up and down, adrenaline flowing through her body. Skylar focused on Rafe, igniting her own magick from within.

A guttural scream tore from her lungs, demanding the universe comply. “Please work, please work, please…come on! I need to help him! Now! Let’s go!”

Her anger lit a wick of magick, sparking her transformation. She flapped her wings and took off in flight. She called on the birds, a cry for help.

Rafe and Greyson continued to battle Zyaire, the creatures now attacking. With a roar, Kenji swooped and scorched the earth, temporarily holding them at bay.

In the distance hundreds of ravens swirled in the air, energizing Skylar’s mission. At its precipice there was no other choice. Either she’d help trap this bitch back into the underworld or she’d die trying.

20

Zyaire was no illusion. Yet up until the second she tossed him across the desert, Rafe had hoped they’d all wake up from the nightmare. The mutant humanoid monsters she commanded scampered like insects on all fours, their gelatinous bodies trailing bloody mucus in their wake.

What the actual fuck now? Rafe shook off the pain and looked up to see an enormous eye manifest on the back of her head.

The wolf took off running with one thought. Destroy. As he circled Zyaire, he sensed that she struggled to keep her focus, unstable on her feet. The giant began to quiver as she shrunk down to nearly ten feet in size as Greyson attacked.

Running, he glanced up to the mountain where he could no longer see Skylar. Dominique attended to Ilsbeth who remained injured on the ground. Kenji continued to make intermittent passes, torching the creatures and keeping them at bay.

Dozens of ravens circled above, the ominous conspiracy swirling around Zyaire’s head, distracting her. She flung her arms at the birds who tightened their ring of attack. A sole raven above repeatedly swooped down, pecking at her forehead.

Rafe. The wolf heard her voice as if Skylar had been standing in front of him. The conversation about her shifting to a crow flashed in his mind as he looked up at the black mass of ravens attacking the witch. Skylar? Instinct warned him not to overanalyze the insane situation given the black magick whipping throughout the desert. Whether it was a hallucination or not, the birds gave him cover for his attack.

The pads of his feet gripped the dirt as he launched himself up into the air and lodged his teeth into her neck. Greyson materialized, and barreled into her, toppling the witch to the ground. The unkindness mobbed her as she flailed, ravens pecking skin from her flesh. Flames shot out of the portal, more creatures crawling out of its abyss like spiderlings emerging from a spider egg sac. They tugged on his hindlegs, attempting to release their master. Rafe held tight to his prey as Zyaire writhed on the ground.

Ilsbeth crawled toward her sister on her hands and knees. Though weary, she stumbled onto her feet. She raised up her hands, sending a beam of light onto Zyaire, who instantly froze.

Stunned by Ilsbeth’s energy, Rafe released his grip on Zyaire and rolled to the ground. He sensed Greyson’s hand to his shoulder and dematerialized, reappearing behind the High Priestess. Rafe shook out his fur, spitting out the evil blood that choked him. The ravens continued to circle, refusing to leave as the High Priestess held her sister to the ground, bonded by her magick. Thorn appeared and tossed out a diamond-shaped silver object onto the ground.

“Enough!” Ilsbeth called out to Zyaire. “Soror mea. Fempusas in profundum inferni reicioco ut eam in regnum mittat ad purgandam. Empusas in profundum inferni reicio.” Lightning flashed in the sky. “Jubeo te ad inferos redire!”

The ravens mobbed the mutants, corralling them towards the portal. The creatures screeched, scampering into the swirling gateway, squealing as they fell into the flaming hot lava.

Rafe considered the ease with which Ilsbeth commanded her sister, yet instinct warned him to stay on alert. Ominous cool winds gusted through the desert, and he kept his eyes trained on Zyaire.

The demonic portal appeared to pulsate. Rafe looked to Greyson who shook his head and shrugged. Ilsbeth began chanting an inaudible mantra, her energized light beam pinning Zyaire. Though it appeared Ilsbeth had frozen her, a dark energy crawled over him, warning of impending danger.

With his hackles raised, Rafe growled, warning of a dark force that had not yet revealed itself. As light projected upward out of the portal, his wolf readied for attack.

A horned beast with talons and tail rose from the fire, levitating. It released a wicked screech, its glowing red eyes trained on Ilsbeth.

Rafe concentrated, the Alpha judging his options. You are the prophecy, the High Priestess told him. Rafe imbibed her powerful magick. The Alpha would fulfil its destiny.

Rafe growled at the beast, warning him off as it drifted closer to Ilsbeth. Closer. Closer.

“The vessel. It must be at her feet!” Ilsbeth yelled to them.

Greyson bent over, capturing it like a football and disappeared.

“Dear sister, I compel you to the vessel. You are not welcome in this realm!” Ilsbeth’s face turned red, her body weak as she released her energy.

As the horned beast lunged at her, Rafe leapt into the air, transforming to human, and shoved it into the fiery portal.

A loud guttural cry sounded from the witch as Rafe rolled onto the other side of the crack. Zyaire writhed on the ground, her body shrinking, shriveling on the desert dirt.

Ilsbeth reached for the vessel and pressed it to her chest. Zyaire shrieked as her body disintegrated.

Confusion swept through Rafe as Ilsbeth lingered at the edge of the portal, clutching the metal container. Tears streamed from her eyes.