Lux
Sara Elizabeth cowered behind Declan in the alley. The assailant growled, his eyes feral and glowing as he squared off against the sorcerer and witch. Lux came skidding to a stop and her mouth fell open in horror as the man's skin sloughed off, drifting to the ground in flaky sheets. A rough, stone gray covering took the place of the discarded hide. His tall frame lost a few inches, but the talons sprouting from his fingertips more than made up for any disadvantages created by a loss in height. His features narrowed, becoming more feline than human, and pointed teeth curved over his bottom lip.
"Ah, hell no," Travis whimpered, backing until his body pressed against the wall. He looked so fragile compared to the roaring beast just feet away from them. Even Kitty, with her doll-like features and petite stature, seemed unbreakable in comparison with magic coursing through her veins.
"Stay back," Lux warned, sounding far more confident than she felt. She didn't know what this beast was, but he threatened her Circle. She required no other information.
Kitty made eye contact with her and nodded, moving closer to Travis to shield him. Lux crept toward Declan. Neither he nor the beast noticed her approach.
"Give the girl back, and you may leave here unscathed," the creature commanded, his voice echoing in the alley.
"Funny," Declan replied through gritted teeth," I was going to offer you the same deal, but as I already have the girl, you really have nothing to bargain with."
The monster thundered his disapproval. Declan raised his hands, palms facing out and fingers splayed. He spoke two strange words- more vibration than enunciation. From nowhere, leather and metal slipped down his biceps and twined around his hands and wrists. Wicked looking spikes rose from his knuckles, and if she squinted just right, Lux could detect a force field buzzing around the gloves.
Declan did not wait for the beast to strike. Moving with viperous grace, he stepped to the side and swung a fist toward its face, contacting with a satisfying crunch. It bellowed and reached for Declan, its movements clumsy as the sorcerer twisted the metal pieces still lodged in its skin.
Gray sludge-like blood gushed and sizzled when it splattered to the ground. Declan withdrew, feinting to the left to avoid another strike, then blurring away. The creature grabbed at his wounds, panting in rage as he searched for the man who'd injured him.
Lux searched too, wondering how he'd disappeared so quickly, but a moving shadow caught her eye, and Declan flickered into view just before landing another blow, spikes sinking deep into the beast's belly. He pulled his hand free when the beast staggered backwards and collapsed. He stared at the dying form for a long moment before shaking his odd gloves as if to free them of blood.
"Are you okay?" he asked Sara Elizabeth, who was now huddling behind a trash can.
"What the hell is that thing?" she screeched.
"An incubus," Declan sneered. "What it's doing here so close to an established Circle is far beyond me."
The cheerleader shuddered and rubbed her arms. "It looked human."
"The more powerful demons can glamour themselves to look human, much like certain species of Fae."
"D-demon?" Travis shrieked.
Kitty patted his shoulder. "Tried to tell you we weren't making this up."
He shook his head and straightened his shirt. "No darlin. You told me you could levitate shit. You did not tell me that there were demons that would try to make snacks out of cheerleaders with crappy haircuts."
YOU ARE READING
The Opal Witch
Fantasy[Completed] Lux's senior year of high school had been carefully mapped out since her freshman year. Snag the lead in the school play, chalk up a few more volunteer hours, and ace her AP English class. Maybe even get her first kiss out of the way bef...
