They swung open the cage door, cattle prods at full power, humming with electricity. The man lazily lifted his hands in surrender. "Now, now." He said softly. His voice was like velvet. "No need. I'll do as you please." The man in the cage said, his...
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Snowflakes twirled silently down around them, beginning the pileup on the bodies of his fallen comrades. Theophania's new form towered on its two legs- a queer mix of human and wolfish beast. Her black claws were covered in blood, and the sheer heat of her skin melted the snow.
For the first time, Kiril began to sweat. The silver blade in his hands seemed a paltry weapon compared to her size, but it was their last hope.
In a flash of movement, Ivan was on her, ripping and tearing at Theophania's throat with a fearsome determination. It wasn't enough. Even across the field, and even with his human ears, he could hear Ivans bones snapping.
"STOP!" His voice boomed. It was such a foreign thing, the loudness. Not in years had he found it in him to scream. Not since Vsevolod had taken over. "Do not do this. Take back control of yourself!" he continued.
With an almost lazy motion, Theophania dropped Ivan to the ground. Her savaged throat poured smoking blood, but she seemed to take no mind. "How do you think she gained this power, little beast?" The voice shook him to his core, but he remained steady. What was this creature before him? He hadn't thought such depravity existed in the young woman he'd come to respect so deeply.
She stalked forward towards him, but something flickered behind the golden eyes of the lycan. A familiar warm brown. It was gone so quickly that he thought he'd imagined it.
Theophania lunged, quick as a snake before he could think. Instinct took over and he rolled, barely processing her words. "You belong to me!" As he regained his feet, she turned, clumsy now. Perhaps the blood loss was having an effect after all.
Now the beast's eyes were all brown, the brilliant golden color washed away into their rich depths. He raised the knife once more, his eyes sending forth a silent plea for her to stop. He had no desire to end things here. If only they could suppress the beast.
Theophania staggered forward, and then before he could act, cast herself forward onto the knife in his hand. Her great jaws hovered just over his head, and he was sure it'd be snapped off at any moment, but the attack never came.
He tore the blade out with a scream of agony- the wound was undoubtedly mortal. Tears brewed in his eyes but he didn't dare to let them fall. "Why would you make me do this again?" he whispered as she staggered to her knees and began to transform.
Her dazed face appeared as the canine jaws melted away into nothingness. "Don't leave me now," he whispered to her, going to his knees at her side and taking her hand in his own as he cradled her.
She gave no indication that she'd heard him at all, and her eyes drifted past his face, taking nothing in. Up they wavered, until finally, silently, they closed.
"No," he said to himself, and then again, louder. "NO!" Kiril dropped the knife and plunged his hands down to the wound in Theophania's abdomen, trying to stem the flow of blood. It scalded him with the fading heat it put off.
