The Two Sides of a Sword

Chapter Three

Kofi growled, diving towards the two bodies. Rocki screamed, gripping him as tight as she could. The man holding Aley turned, a snarl on his face when he saw the winged creature approaching. He ducked when Kofi reached for him, avoiding the outstretched hand ready to throw him off balance.

The brunette cried out as she almost fell from her flying captor's single-handed grip, scrambling to keep her hold tight against him. Don't fall. Don't fall. Don't fall.

"You're too late, valicaran," snapped an unfamiliar voice. Rocki whimpered as five more men jumped from Aley's apartment. They all had grey skin and tight black clothes. "Now give us the other girl."

"Never," snarled Kofi, tightening his one arm around her back. He held out his other hand and fired a blast of plasma-like substance at the band of unearthly people. They all dodged as the fire burned a black spot into the pavement. Each creature brandished their wrists, and a slew of blades came flying at Rocki and her captor.

She shrieked, clinging to him, as he dodged the razors that had come out of nowhere, glasses almost slipping from her face. He growled again, shooting another blast of whatever-it-was at them as he flew back. One of the other creatures was not swift enough to jump out of the way, taking the blow on his shoulder.

"You can't win, valicaran. Give it up, hand the sister over," said the creature holding Aley, who was wriggling in his arms, doing her best to make his job difficult.

The brunette stopped, however, when she heard his words. Her eyes met Rocki's for a split second as the opposing forces watched each other warily. "Rocki!" she screamed, beginning to struggle against him again. "Let me go, you—you—freak!" She kicked his kneecap, instinctively making the man flinch. She almost escaped in his moment of weakness, but he renewed his grip. The woman shrieked angrily.

Her captor grimaced beginning to back away. "Get the other girl," he said to his troops. "I'll secure her."

"Aley!" called Rocki, twisting in Kofi's arms as she reached out toward her sister. They were close enough to the ground she didn't think it would hurt her too badly to fall. "Put me down! I need to get my sister! Don't let them take her!" The man holding her sister tossed her over his shoulder and began running, stealing Aley farther and farther away with every moment.

The flying alien hesitated, undecided. While he contemplated, the band of other monsters threw another round of blades at him, one almost clipping his wing. With a snarl, he twisted around and flew away from their attackers. His wingbeats were heavy and desperate, carrying them quickly away from the battle.

"What are you doing?" Rocki cried. "I have to get Aley! Stop!"

"Sorry, blue eyes," he said, glancing over his shoulder. "It's more important that we have at least one of you rather than risk losing both. We will get your sister, just not now."

Rocki whimpered, holding on for dear life as they zipped over houses. "You have to take me home. I have to get Aley. Please." She tilted her head back, trying to get a look at his face to see if he would cave—not that she would be able to tell by his facial expressions since she wasn't the best at reading people. But even with her terrible reading skills, she could see he wasn't about to fold.

He glanced down at her. "Sorry, tiny." A blade soared past his head, startling both of them. He flipped around to shoot the plasma at their pursuers, wings heaving them higher into the sky. "Freaking sariuns," he muttered, black eyes watching them, ready for their next move.

They're too far away, Rocki thought, almost relaxing as she realized it. They can't hurt us all the way up here.

In rapid succession, each creature brandished the wrists, shooting a blade at Rocki and her winged companion one at a time instead of all at once. Despite his quick dodging, two of the blades pierced the bottom of a wing, making Kofi growl, although they didn't stick. He shot another plasma blast to warn them away and started flying again, flapping hard to take them higher and faster. A flurry of razors followed them, but none found their mark.