Bruno:
Her words literally caused my body to kick into gear. I felt muscles that hadn’t been used for months, start to pulsate and shift. My paw snapped back into place, fur giving way to the skin I had missed so much. I stood upright; being on two legs had never felt so good.
And it seemed to terrify Inga.
I reached my hand up, slowing Blue down so that she felt lightly at my feet, passed out but alive.
For now.
“Bet you didn’t think that a pathetic human could have such an effect,” I muttered, stepping towards Inga. She backed away, hissing. This was a Mage. Evil, ugly, foul creatures. They could hide behind beauty and charisma. But it was a façade. There was nothing real about a Mage. Tricksters and liars.
“But that’s the thing, Inga; humans can feel things. And through feeling, they create meaning. And there isn’t much point to living when you have no meaning.” My lip curled into a sneer. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t rip your throat out now. Right now.”
“You can only try,” she snapped. “If you could kill me, you’d have done it years ago.”
A chuckle escaped my lips before I could help it.
“See, the thing about a pledge, Inga…” I said, scooping Blue into my arms. “When someone means it, really means it, there’s a bit of a power surge. You know how it is; sharing the love etcetera.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“In short,” I continued, gently stroking the hair out of Blue’s clammy face. “You come near Blue and I again, I kill you and your clan. I won’t even hesitate.”
“Pledges are old magic,” Inga taunted, reverting back to her beautiful self. “They’re not nearly as powerful as you claim. They’ll give you powers, but they won’t protect you, you stupid mutt.”
I smirked.
“That so?”
With a click of my fingers, we were surrounded by flames, the stands engulfed in fire. The screams of burning Mage rang in my ears, but all I could concentrate on was the look of terror on Inga’s face as she realised just what was going on.
“You’re a daemon.”
“Wolf, daemon.” I shrugged nonchalantly. “Not much difference in the grand scheme of things.” I moved towards her, letting her watch as her empire crumbled around her. “I want you to suffer. I want you to watch all you worked for die. I want you to hurt.”
Inga leaned away from me, her eyes wide with fear.
“Stay away from Blue,” I whispered. “Or you’ll find yourself in the same position as your friends.”
And with that, I parted the wall of flames with ease, walking from the burning stadium as though it was the most simple thing in the world.
***
“You’re alive!”
I laughed as Tabby threw her arms around me, gently manoeuvring her around a still blacked out Blue. I’d been talking her for the last hour as I walked us both towards the edge of the forest, trying to coax her from the deep sleep she had fallen into.
“Did you doubt her?” I asked, quirking my eyebrow as I set Blue down on the grass. I’d been so preoccupied with what had happened with Inga, that it hadn’t entirely registered with me that Blue…The Blue had pledged. That was us now. Forever.
I was the luckiest man alive.
“Of course not,” Tabby murmured. “She loves you; it’s quite clear to see.” Elation swelled inside me, and I tried to hide the triumphant grin that broke across my face at the thought of Blue and I together forever.
YOU ARE READING
He Was A Dog When I Left, I Swear!
Humor"I can't really remember much before I was four," I admitted, shrugging my shoulders. "Four seems to be where I stop." He nodded, digging his teeth into his lower lip as he stepped in front of the window, as if to protect us both from someone lookin...
