His Prowl

Part 26

Chapter 26

Red stained the sheets, matted in her white hair, and flowed onto the ground.  Nothing he did could stop his hand.  No matter how hard he tried to pull back, he couldn’t.  Whatever held him wasn’t going to let him go.  The knife arched down again, but instead of stabbing her body, as it had before, it slammed into her throat.  Gurgling noises echoed through the warehouse, but the noise was lost by the roaring sound. 

A force slammed into his body, but this time, Blake could see the man on top of him.  As Zeke’s fist flew towards his face, Blake just lied there, knowing that this was what he deserved.  Maybe, they would sentence him to death for killing one of their own.  Maybe, they would banish him.  No thoughts running through his mind panicked him as he thought they would.  Any punishment they gave him would be just. 

“Get the hell away from me,” Zeke growled, his teeth elongated to a point that Blake knew he was just on the edge of a shift. 

Blake shook his head, but didn’t say a word. Pushing Zeke off him, he crawled towards the bed.  Blood coated his palms, making it hard to get across the slippery floor.  The closer he got the more pain he experienced.  Whatever had made him do this was gone.  There was no underlining magic flowing through him.  Her pale hand came into view.  It sat there, on the edge of the bed, still as the rest of her body.

As Zeke yelled for help, Blake lifted himself above her.  Pulling the sheet back, he stopped the emotions from overpowering him.  This was his fault.  If he were stronger, he would not have been overtaken.  Looking down on the body, he couldn’t help but wonder what if.  What if this was Ally?  What would he have done if he had killed his Ally?  His hand was snatched back, making the sheet fall and cover her face again.  Still, Blake couldn’t get the image out of his mind. 

Blood was splashed onto her face.  Her eyes stared at the ceiling.  Once they were bright, but now, with the light gone, they showed nothing but a dull lifeless color.  He knew he was punishing himself when he glanced down at her torso.  Maybe, he should have been thankful that the sheet covered the carnage he had caused, but he wasn’t.  He wanted to see what he did, but the hand that gripped his kept him from doing so.

Looking over at the man holding his hand, Blake let out a growl.  He was tainted.  Blood now stained his hands.  Did the man not see that?  Did he not understand what was happening?  “Ally sent me,” he said with a cold expression in his eyes.  “I’m Barron.”

Blake just stared at him.  Where was Ally?  If she had sent him, she must be hurt.  What else could cause her absence?  “Zeke made her leave.  There is something going on here that makes it dangerous for her.  Do you understand?  Come on,” Barron growled.  “Snap out of it.”

Blake snatched his hand away from the man and began walking away.  He heard a slight growl sound from behind him.  He recognized that growl.  It was Zeke.  Blake waited for him to leap onto his back.  Zeke wouldn’t kill him that way.  The man would wait until he was facing him before ripping out his throat. Blake knew that; he had seen it happen before.  No matter how angry Zeke was, he would never kill someone in such a cowardly way.

No one slammed into his back though.  Blake shrugged it off, but when he heard another set of growls he recognized, he glanced over his shoulder.  Zeke stood there, his chest rising and falling in harsh movements as he growled at the tiny form separating the two of them.  “Move.”

“No,” she mumbled, her hair whipping around her face.  “If you attacked him now, there would be no fight.  He would let you kill him.  Don’t you understand?  He blames himself.”

“He should,” Zeke growled, and Blake silently agreed.

“It was magic,” she whispered.  “Magic made him do it, and you know the only one who holds that much magic.”

Zeke’s eyes narrowed at her.  “What makes you think you can speak to me in such a way?”

“You may have trained me,” she growled, taking a step forward, “but you do not own me.  Who is the only one who has enough magic, Zeke?”  When Zeke didn’t say anything, she took a step forward.  “Who?” she shouted, causing nearby people to jump, but Blake stood still.  There was little that could shock him now.

Zeke glanced away from her.  “My father.  Are you happy now, Amaya?  Are you glad that I admitted it?  You may be blind, but hate how much you see.” Zeke turned his back on them and walked towards the body.  Stopping, he glanced over his shoulder.  “When you aren’t a pathetic ball of pity, I want a fight.”

Blake nodded, knowing that Zeke had that right.  If Amaya would not have stepped in, they would be fighting now.  Blake turned back towards the exit, but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.  Turning, he glanced down at her with blank eyes.  What could she want?  What more did she want to say to him?

“It’s not your fault, Blake.  You didn’t kill her, someone else did.”

He looked down at his hands.  Bringing them up for her to view, he said in a steady voice, “I killed her, Amaya.  Maybe you do not understand what it feels like not being able to control your actions, but I do.  You don’t know what it feels like to slide your blade into someone over and over again with nothing to do but watch it happen.  It was me, Amaya, and Zeke will blame me for the rest of my life.  I killed his sister.  There is nothing I can do to take that back.”

“You’re wrong,” she mumbled.

He shook his head. “What can I do?”

“Find him, Blake.  Find the man who made you do this.  Make it right.”

He listened to her words; make it right.  He could make it right, but not in the way she thought.  He would find him, but he wouldn’t seek revenge for himself; he would seek retribution for Kris, and he wouldn’t do it alone.  Pushing Amaya’s hand off his shoulder, he made his way back towards the bed, back to where Kris’s dead body lied motionless. 

“Zeke.”  The man turned towards him, his eyes filled with anguish and anger.  “I’m going after him.”

Zeke stood to his full height, overshadowing Blake by a few inches.  “That is my job.”

“No,” Blake said with the most emotion he had showed since the incident.  “It is mine, but I’m letting you come with me.”

“You’re letting me?” Zeke said with a harsh laugh. “You couldn’t stop me if you wanted too.”

Blake tilted his head to the side.  “I’m done with letting people run over me.  You can come with me, if you want, but I’m calling all the shoots.  She may be your sister, but this is my fault.”

Zeke shook his head, a slight smile on his face.  “It’s our fault, Blake.  Mine for letting my father live when I knew he would only cause more harm, and yours for not being strong enough to fight against him.”

“Our fault,” Blake agreed, “and I’m not going to stop until he suffers.”

“This is cute,” a voice drawled out, “but the two of you aren’t going alone.”

Blake looked over at the man who had called himself Barron.  Next to him, Amaya stood there with a glare on her face.  Blake just shook his head.  “You two are staying here.”

Barron smiled.  “Queen’s order.  ‘Don’t let the two of them out of your sight.  They’re going to do something stupid, and without me there to stop them, you’re my only chance.’”

“Sounds like her,” Zeke mumbled.

“What about Amaya?” Blake asked, looking at her.  He didn’t want her to come along.  Killing Kris had hurt, had made him feel empty, but if he did anything to Amaya, he would never be able to forgive himself.

Zeke smacked him on the shoulder, harder than what could be described as friendly.  “She has a mind of her own, and if it will make you more miserable, she’s coming along.”

Blake let out a sigh, knowing he had no choice.  “When do we leave?”