Songbird

Chapter 21 ~ Sirens

Just as Jace was about to reach Devin to help, a figure stepped out of nowhere.

The messy blonde hair was unmistakably Isaac's. Isaac launched himself at Devin's provoker, leaping onto the poor man's back and beating on his head.

Devin wiped blood from his eyes. He dived for the man's legs, knocking the man to the ground with Isaac still on top. Together, Isaac and Devin started kicking and punching the man on the ground, who had curled up into a fetal position.

And Jace had never felt so proud.

He continued onward, trusting his friends were in good hands if they had each other. Jace's stomach burned, pain flaring up his side with each little movement he made. He pressed on, making his way toward the barn entrance. After not finding City in the barn, maybe she had already found her way outside.

As soon as Jace stepped outside, he realized she had.

But she wasn't alone.

His small, cold eyes found Jace's the moment Jace set foot onto the snow.

"You let go of me!" cried City.

Henry Craton stood beside City, holding her hair in a firm grip as she knelt beside him. Her hands clawed at Craton's arm, but he seemed unbothered. He stopped dragging her toward the SUV, turning his head. City followed his gaze and gasped.

Jace was standing there, one had on his stomach, his other hand balled in a fist. His jaw was locked, set firm with a pure rage. Under his hand on his stomach, blood was slowly dripping onto the snow.

The crimson falling on the white caught Craton's eye, too.

"Is the great Songbird injured?" asked Craton in a mocking voice. He smirked, his eyes not leaving Songbird's, nor Songbird's leaving his. Craton continued, "Just like that time I sent Javelin to sink that knife into your side during your fight... It was harder for Javelin than I'd thought, and it got him banned for life... But seeing you injured was worth it. Worth it then, worth it now."

Jace had a fury in his eyes that City had seen before, in the Pit. It was the same kind of wild spark that he got before a fight.

Craton tightened his grasp on City's hair, and she let out a wimper of pain. She didn't mean for it to escape, because she didn't want Jace to see her in pain, but her hair was being pulled tightly.

The wind had stopped, and so had the snow. Freshly fallen white powder littered the ground. It was only the three of them standing out there... Everyone else was in the barn. City could still hear the shouts and thuds of the fights. Her mind wandered slightly to her brother. She hadn't seen Wesley in a while...

"Give me the girl."

Jace's voice rang out clearly, strongly. He removed the hand on his stomach and curled that into a fist as well.

Craton grinned. City felt the pressure on her hair drop, and she scrambled, half tripping, away from Craton. She would only be distracting Jace if she stayed to fight. The snow was cold on her legs, its wetness soaking through her jeans, but she didn't care. She leaned against the tire of another SUV that was parked there, Jace and Craton standing before her, the barn a little beyond them.

"Come and get her, then," responded Craton. He positioned himself in a fighting stance.

City watched Jace take a deep breath. He didn't look her way, but instead stared down the large, bearded, tattooed man before him.

"COME ON!"

Songbird charged. His smaller frame clashed with Craton's huge one, and they were suddenly locked in a battle seemingly to the death. Fists slashed through the air. Jace fell at one point and Craton got in a few kicks before Jace was back on his feet. He threw snow into Craton's face as a distraction and rained down blows.