Entwined Realms Volume One(92)
Wulver shook his head. “We are not to go near her unless it’s a direct order from Kyo.”
That started Fallon up again. She threw up her hands in a violent motion and started pacing again, though this time she kept her focus fixed on him. “Fuck, Wulver! She needs to be here! I don’t know how the hell she fits into their plans, but they want her bad. I don’t want to be sitting here while she plays ga-ga eyes with a gargoyle!”
He’d already had enough crap dealing with Kyo this morning. He didn’t feel like going through everything again because Fallon couldn’t accept reality. He growled as any alpha answering a challenge would. “It’s over,” he said, and even to his own ears his voice was deeper, with an echo of a wild animal running through it. “And you will not touch her. Am. I. Understood?”
Fallon’s jaw worked as she stared down Wulver. Something flickered behind her eyes. It reminded Wulver of a lizard, that inner eyelid they had that would close and reopen. It was so fast it barely registered in the conscious mind, but it left him unsettled. Abruptly, Fallon relaxed her shoulders and took a step back, her arms coming to hang beside her body. “Yeah. I understand.”
Wulver breathed deep, relaxing his own muscles that locked during the argument while he struggled to control the alpha roaring in his head to pin her into submission, bare her throat and feel his teeth digging into the soft flesh, taste blood on his tongue. He turned his attention to Aislynn to help gain control. “We have other problems to deal with now. Merc took the job and the spellbook is under his control.”
Aislynn’s calm acceptance went a long way to help him regain control. Her jaw tightened for only a moment, but her voice was even when she spoke. “This is unhappy news, but not a surprise. It was a matter of when, not if. What of Rhaum and the Dream Crafter?”
Fallon must have decided to keep a lid on any more emotional displays to keep tension levels at bay. She replied, “Inara tells me that he expects to have her in a couple weeks and to be ready for his mini-majesty’s summons when the time comes.”
If Rhaum said he would have her, it was as good as done. “I’ll want you and Laire to meet with her and explain the situation.”
Fallon’s mouth quirked, but her eyes still held that unsettling flicker. “Sure. Why not? I always enjoy playing puppet master to someone’s life.”
Before the conversation could go any further, the building shook violently motions, which had the three of them scrambling to stay on their feet. “What the-”
The shaking stopped and deep bellows sounded from the corridors, followed by the clang of sword on sword and high-pitched screams of pain.
Wulver spun away and ran toward the sounds of fighting. Before him, orcs and goblins overran every free inch of space, their mottled green-skinned bodies blocking exits and using swords, axes, and bows to strike down anyone who came out to fight them.
As soon as he was close to the main section Wulver leapt. The shifting pain within was dim, far away, easily ignored. Bones lengthened and teeth sharpened and senses magnified. With a hungry growl he crashed into the largest of the orcs. His jaws clamped over the creature’s face, tearing away skin and bone before he ripped into the thing’s throat, disgusting sludge coating his tongue and sulfur clogging his nostrils.
Aislynn’s arrows whizzed by his head as the archer stayed back to rain down death. Fallon took up position beside Wulver and in concert they destroyed their enemies. Orc after orc stepped close to the fighting Fallon, only to have Aislynn’s arrows bring them down. Fallon twisted Tenro and plunged the sword into the chest of the creature in front of her. Before she could yank her sword back out an orc attacked from behind. She kicked back to hit the creature in the knee, bringing him down. Freeing Tenro, she sliced the orc in half and used the momentum to get the orc who came at her next.
Aislynn’s arrows flew past, striking some of the orcs in the distance. Pandemonium erupted across the control room. For every enemy brought down, three more took its place.
Darkness swirled across the floor and Shadow rose to join the fight, taking out a goblin at Aislynn’s back. The elf tipped Wulver a quick smile but did not stop her assault on the advancing hordes.
A ball of fire erupted in the middle of the latest group of goblins, creating piles of flame and ash and the explosion knocking down several nearby.
Fallon turned. “Dammit Laire, what took so long?”
Laire shrugged. “Had to find my shoes.” Motioning with her fingers, she brought down bolts of lightning from the ceiling and fried the orcs in front of them. “The whole place is in chaos. Everywhere needs help.”