The Kitten Has Claws

The Kitten Has Claws [Chapter 29]

He turned his head to look at her and hissed, "Wouldn't you like to know."

"What is wrong with you?" she asked worriedly. Ignoring the protests of everyone, she took a step towards Sage and narrowed her eyes, trying to figure out what was so different about him. She noticed a flicker of red in the pupil of his eyes before he turned away from her again, focusing on Finn.

"Now, what shall I do with you?" His fingers elongated into sharp claws as he pressed the tip of his thumb into Finn's jugular, drawing a drop of blood. He licked his lips and hissed, revealing fangs.

"Sage!" Violet cried, "What are you doing? You aren't acting like yourself!"

Sage gave a frustrated growl and glared at Violet, "You are mine. I am eliminating the threat to solve the problem."

"I don't want you," she said stubbornly. "Please," she begged, "please don't do this. The Sage I knew would never act this way." He seemed to waver visibly before slamming a cold mask over his face.

"I have changed, just as you have."

Raine watched the whole exchange with narrowed eyes, taking in Sage's reactions and Violet's words. He didn't know Sage as well as Violet, but he also could see that something was off with Sage. Could he possibly be the one possessed? It would explain his erratic behavior. It wouldn't hurt to test and see.

He focused his attention on Sage and called upon his Alpha side when he called out, "Daemonium declaro." Sage screeched painfully and jolted when the Latin words reached him, wrapping their power around him. He loosed his grip on Finn and glowered balefully at Raine.

"Emorior," he hissed, wishing death upon his enemy.

Raine took a step forward and pointed a finger, commanding sternly, "Abeo!" Sage shook with rage and let go of Finn, choosing to fight Raine instead. He seemed to be experiencing an inner struggle as well as fighting off the power of Raine's words. Behind Raine, everyone else had stood up and watched the proceedings with wide eyes. Noelle clutched Delilah next to her and bit her lip painfully. This couldn't end well. She was afraid to watch, afraid to see Raine get hurt.

No one noticed Theo grimacing and holding his head painfully.

Raine feinted to the left and quickly grabbed Sage from the right. He held him by the throat and shook him roughly, "Abeo!" Sage let out another unearthly howl before chuckling madly.

"You can't win, pardus. The Vessel is ours." Sage's eyes rolled into the back of his head as his body started jerking painfully.

"No!" Raine roared, trying to stop the convulsions, "Abeo, Daemonium, abeo!" But Sage and his demon were too far-gone. A mad chuckle echoed throughout the room before Sage's body went limp in Raine's grip. He let out a curse and dropped Sage's body, letting it fall in an ungraceful heap on the floor.

"Sage?" Violet whimpered. She ran over to his side and fell on the ground next to him, brushing his hair out of his eyes. A trickle of blood was in the corner of his mouth, and his skin was deathly pale. He was gone. She felt tears start to stream down her cheeks. Even if she hadn't wanted to marry him, she still loved him as a friend and it hurt like hell to lose him. "What happened?" she asked Raine, demanding to know what went wrong.

Raine rubbed his forehead, giving a frustrated sigh. But before he could say anything, Theo took a couple steps forward and kicked Sage in the side, "Idiot," he muttered.

"Sage wasn't an idiot!" Violet snarled, pushing Theo's foot away.

Theo gave her a mocking look, "I know, I was referring to Hadrian."