Winter
“You need to get this right, Winter, again!” Leigha shouts at me as she pins me on the floor for the seventh time today. She jumps off me and stands.
“I can’t beat you,” I wheeze and roll over to push myself up. I’m glad we came back to the pack to train because I’m sure the witches would lose any respect for me when they see army brat kicking my ass.
“You’re the daughter of a half goddess. You are part demon and you are also part vampire. You can do this,” Leigha tells me. I know she’s right but I just want to throw things at her. The past week has been like hell. Leigha demands me for training in the pack at five in the morning, every morning, then, she doesn’t give me even a water break until ten.
“Yes, but I can’t,” I pant out.
“Stop whining. Do you think your enemies are going give you a chance to whine about your problems?” She says while charging towards me with her sword. I have just enough time to deflect her blow with my own sword as I pull it off the floor. My arm shakes as our swords clash, she’s circling me, and landing hit after hit with her fast speed. My part vampire side is slowing her down in my mind, so I can at least see her attacks. My forehead is lined with sweat and my power builds up like an inferno inside me. I try to stop it knowing Leigha wouldn’t really hurt me but my power doesn’t listen. My body glows blue, just before the blue wave escapes. It goes in all directions, looking like a wave of blue smoke as it hits everything in its way. Leigha goes flying, smashing through the training room door, breaking it off the frame and disappearing from my sight. I quickly drop my sword and run into the room. Harris is pulling Leigha up, both of them staring at each other like there isn’t anyone else around, not noticing the ten people in room. Luckily for Harris and Leigha they aren’t looking at them, they are all looking at me. I raise my hand to see I’m still glowing.
“Let’s try something else,” Leigha says coming over to me.
“You okay?” I ask and she waves a hand at me. I see the slight cut on her forehead and I wince, I didn’t mean to do that. My power keeps attacking her, and anyone nearby us. That’s why we were training outside in the first place.
“Nice to see you, Winter,” Harris comes over and gives me a hug. I watch in fascination when I see Freddy fighting another boy his age. Freddy has two long swords that look too big for him to hold; yet he does and fights well with them. The other boy has long blonde hair that stops around his shoulders and he is just using one large sword to fight against Freddy’s two. They circle each other, hitting hard and moving even faster. They don’t take their eyes off each other as they fight.
“They are both very impressive. The other boy is called Mich, he’s the only person around their age who can keep up with Freddy.” Harris tells me. Mich jumps into the air and somersaults over Freddy’s head; he lands perfectly and places his sword at Freddy’s neck.
“That was incredible.”
“Yes. They will both be strong wolves when they are older.” Harris says. Freddy and Mich shake hands. When Freddy spots us watching him, he puts his swords down and runs over.
“Hey little wolf, awesome job in the fight,” I say as he gives me a hug. I hug him back and notice that Mich has followed him over to us. The boy has really strange eyes; I tilt my head to the side to look at him. His eyes look like someone has swirled blue and grey paint together and it hasn’t mixed. It’s really nice.
“Hello Mich, your fighting was really good,” I say over Freddy’s shoulder. Freddy lets me go and grins at me.
“Mich doesn’t speak. He’s deaf, but he understands you.” Freddy says and taps his head.
“How?” I ask but Mich answers.
“I can speak inside minds, like witches do. Thank you for your words,” he says, his voice deeper than I expect from a boy his age.
“Oh, well that’s a cool power.” I say and Mich nods.
“Let’s go for a run,” Freddy nudges Mich’s shoulder and they both run towards the doorway, where there used to be door. I watch them both chuck their tops off and shift, ripping their trousers. Mich is a grey wolf, the one I saw before when Jaxson was crowned. Both the tops of his ears are missing. Freddy’s wolf is much bigger than the last time I saw him, at least half the size of me now. They both quickly run off out of sight.
“Everyone, your queen needs your help,” Leigha says loudly next to us as Harris moves to her side. I see his hand gently brush hers. It’s so sweet and I have the urge to help them be together. I know it’s not accepted but isn’t Freddy proof enough that two races can be together?
The wolves all stop what they are doing to come over and bow at me.
“Please stand in a line by that wall,” Leigha says and I glance at her with a ‘what the fuck’ expression. Harris joins the others until they are all lined up, around a metre apart.
Leigha walks off and grabs a belt that has a line of throwing stars on it. She hands it to me and I slip it over my head. I know where this is going and she is bloody mad.
“I want you to throw one star at each person, just above their heads,” she says, confirming my thoughts.
“Are you crazy?” I whisper harshly and she just looks at me with a blank, not impressed face.
“No. Just do it, Winter,” she says and steps away. The distance I’m standing is at least ten metres away and every one of the wolves looks nervous. I try to give the first guy a reassuring smile, if anything he looks more nervous afterwards. I pull a star out the belt; it’s light and made of black metal in the middle. Each end of the five star points are silver and look very sharp.
I pull my arm back and try to calm myself. I close my eyes and open them just as I throw the star. The star hits perfectly, just above the man’s head, a little of his hair caught around it. Harris starts clapping and grins at me.
“Again,” Leigha says. I move down the row of men, throwing star after star until I run out. I turn and Leigha smiles at me as the men clap with Harris.
“That is a power of yours, proof that you are strong and in control. If you weren’t, you would have killed one of them. When we are fighting, you need to let your senses and mind take over. Stop thinking about how to beat me, and trust that you will. Like you trust your power to make those hits perfect.” Leigha says. She chucks a sword at me from off the wall as I put back the star belt. I think about her words, I need to trust my powers.
“Come on then, Princess,” Leigha says with a nod and we face each other on one of the mats. I watch her closely, knowing when she is going to attack and I move to deflect her. I pull the calm feeling I use when I threw the stars to me. I feel myself move, faster than I thought I could and I finally understand what Leigha means. I can’t think about every move or plan the fight. I have to feel it and trust myself. I move quickly towards Leigha as we battle. She pushes me back step by step with each hit. I feel myself getting close to the wall so I throw a hard hit to her sword. I turn and run towards the wall, Leigha quickly following me. I jump, using the wall for momentum to push off, and land behind Leigha; kind of like how I saw Mich go over Freddy’s head. I pull my sword up and point it at her back, not enough to cut her but enough so she knows I’ve won.
“About time,” Leigha turns and bats my sword away. I lower it with a grin and wipe the sweat off my forehead.
“I won’t say this again, but you were right,” I tell Leigha. She simply smirks.
“Why do I never hear you tell me that?” Jaxson says behind me and I grin, turning to see him walk through the doorway. He glances at the door on the floor and back at me.
“Guys are never right man, best learn that quickly,” Harris says walking over to us.
“Can I have a word?” Harris asks Leigha.
“Outside,” she says and walks away with Harris following her. I walk over as Jaxson picks up the door. It’s really hot to watch him carry the door likes it’s a bag of potatoes to the doorway and rest it near the wall. He goes into the cupboard and brings out a large toolbox.
“I'll fix this lass, Dabriel wants to see you in the main cabin.” He says while I watch him as he slowly pulls his shirt off; like a teenager discovering her hormones for the first time. I’ve seen him without his shirt plenty of times but hot damn; he gets me all flustered every time.
“Err yeah, I’ll get to that,” I blurt out. Jaxson merely smirks at me and slaps my ass as I pass by him. I find Dabriel in the dining room, books all over the table he’s sitting at. Just the top of his white wings and white hair can be seen as he leans over a massive book. I walk around the table and rest my hand on his shoulder. He takes my hand in his and kisses the tips of my fingers as he speaks.
“I missed you this last week,” he whispers.
Dabriel went back to the angels to find a way to kill demons or anything that can be used on them. The angels apparently have a large library and many records, if anything could be found, it would be there.
“Me too.” I sigh. Dabriel pushes the chair back with his large legs, his wings hanging over the back and spread slightly out. He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me onto his lap. I wrap my arms around his neck, resting my head on his shoulder. We don’t say a word for a while; just enjoy being near each other.
“Did you find anything?” I eventually ask as he runs his large fingers up and down my back. The effect is soothing.
“No, well not really.” He says.
“Not really?” I ask and he sighs.
“There was one book, about a bundle of weapons that could kill demons. The writer says they were Fray touched.” Dabriel says, his voice sounding annoyed.
“Fray?” I ask, having no clue what that is.
“Fairies. The writer believed that fairies exist and that they can place their magic in weapons. These weapons can kill demons.” He answers, but his tone is laced with frustration, suggesting he doesn’t believe it.
“Do fairies exist?” I ask.
“No, my little wildfire. I don’t think they do,” he says and I stay in his arms for a long time. If only I knew how to speak to a fairy.