Secrets Intertwined

Chapter 10: Part 2

"Don't touch me!" she screamed, fighting with everything to dislodge the man who pinned her down.

The man ignored her as he dragged a knife down her spine, reopening an old injury, drawing a strangled cry from her throat. A moment later, he had his palm pressed against her wound.

Aislyn shrieked as she felt her internal well of power slowly drain down to nothing. Trying desperately to summon whatever little power she had left, she found that she couldn't. There simply was nothing left.

Whilst the man was occupied of ridding her of the last bit of energy that she needed to wield her abilities, she stretched her arm out, straining against the searing pain that ran down her back, to reach for the knife that the man had so foolishly tossed to the side. 

As soon as she had a good hold, she reached back and plunged the knife into the man's side, roughly shoving him off.

Aislyn rolled to the side, biting down on a cry from the stinging sensation she felt on her back, and, with the same knife, threw it at one of the other men who stood over her, lodging it straight through his eye.

She pushed herself to her feet and looked to her right, seeking out the remaining assailant when she saw the claw coming straight for her face. She jerked back but it was too late. The claw scraped its way down the side of her face, her blood immediately spewing from the new wound.

She held her face in her hand and began to convulse, howling in pain.

Her head shot up when she heard wings flapping in the room and she felt strong arms wrap around her middle. She began to thrash against her restraints but stopped when she heard Galen's voice say, "Ais! It's me."

This time she began to thrash so she could get back to kill the man, the thing, that had just marred her forever.

"Let me kill him!" She wailed, slapping against Galen's hands.

"No! He's stronger than you!"

Aislyn blinked through the blood that poured over her eye to see a creature, prowling against the wall, snarling at her. It looked like something out of a nightmare. Leathery skin stretched over the humanoid form, and yellow beady eyes glared at her from the top of its head. Foam spat from its mouth as it snarled at her. It's extended arms, ending in a single, long, curved claw, reached to the floor, even as the creature stretched to its full height.

Even though she knew she was in no state to fight anything, she continued to flail against Gaen's grip.

Not so much as a wince left him as her nails scratched his hands and he continued to back away towards the window, eyes glued on the beast before him. His arms left her waist for less than a second before they gripped her under her arms and lifted her out of the window, releasing her so she could drop the few feet to the ground.

Aislyn fell to the ground and dropped to her knees, not so much as a noise leaving her lips. She crossed her arms over her bare chest and began to rock back and forth, paying no heed to the sounds of the struggle inside.

Suddenly a hand touched her shoulder and she flinched back, blood dripping from her face, looking up she saw it was Galen, she whispered, "Don't touch me, Raven."

Galen crouched down to her height and she could see the pure panic dancing in his eyes.

"Azure," he said, worry lacing his voice, "we have to get your face and back sort out, I hav-"

She wrapped her arms around herself, even tighter than before and jerk back.

"Don't touch me!" She shrieked at him, blood that had dropped into her mouth spraying him.