Flight School: Predator

Enemy's Aid

His stance was weary; sharp—on the verge of turning aggressive if the raven were to advance. Luka had made his decision the moment he turned on the girl, who he considered a rival in simple terms. She was his opponent. The other contestant. And he would not let her have what was his.

"A mild one, aren't you?" She tested with the most provoking smile. "And they say eagles take pride."

"We do."

The raven laughed. "Really," her gaze turned carnal in a blink and she crouched to shift—but before she could come at Luka with a burst of aggression, a wave of heat blasted in the faces of both predators; the ground beneath their feet singed the air in mere fractions of a second, distorting their visions of another.

Their senses, cranked high in the heat of the moment, held still at her presence. Luka was never one to give in; not to needs that were impulsive and temporary, if he ever had any at all. As far as he understood, a quiet mind was free of consequences—as long as it remained so. This therefore, allowed him to feel rightfully wronged. There was no need for fear.

"What is this," the phoenix stood in the doorway of the room, not quite asking for an explanation. He could not see her eyes.

"Phoenix."

The raven stood down after a nervous swallow, gaze returning to a state of control. She looked from left to right. "Nothing. We were just playing."

"Playing?" Jing repeated with a contrasting indifference. The intensity of her flames—unseen by the naked eye—remained. "Where is Iolani."

She posed this to the eagle who stood behind the girl, eyes slightly ablaze. "Where is Iolani."

He frowned, then turned. Io was not in his bed.

*

Abigail had been the first to hear of the news, having passed the corridors of the staff quarters after breakfast. There was nothing to do but to explore, now that Reyes had announced their first lesson cancelled and an insistent curiosity probed for the cause.

Jane had reported the sparrow missing, and worse—in heat. Viktor took this all within his stride and sent her to the facility's infirmary for help while he gathered a private search team. Without a doubt, no one else was to be informed.

"The raven?" Was her effort to remind Viktor of others seeking to exploit Iolani's time of weakness. There were variables beyond their control. Kirill's team being one of the many.

"Leave her," he turned to excuse himself. "I've already sent someone to search for the sparrow."

This was all very new and attractive for Abigail, who had always been rather inclined towards a fruit that was ripe and ready to be consumed. She considered the prospect of sharing such a delicacy, and found—for the first time—it to be most enjoyable. It didn't take her very long to find out why.

"Tori's in heat?" Dmitri's eyes were very wide. "Is Sullivan rejoicing yet?"

"This isn't a good time," Jeremiah had his fingers steepled in thought.

"As though they had a choice," Lucienne pointed out correctly, folding her arms as she did so.

"I was referring to the fact that we don't have the...necessary means to deal with that kind of heat here." Jeremiah did not seem very keen on going further in his explanation. "And what about the raven?"