Blood Land, J.R. Lawson [electric book reader .txt] 📗

we started!  You want to fly me home and protect me!  I already told you I don’t need protecting.  I want to take care of myself!”

The conversation on the other side of the house was getting louder now, signifying that Aaron, Jay, and Kari were possibly getting closer, on the verge of finding them.  This indication caused Kale to gain a slightly urgent tone to his voice. “What can I do then?” he begged, “What can I do to allow you to do that?  How can I get you to come back with me?”

Nora looked down at her snow covered feet for only a moment before then answering, “Make me a full hybrid.”

Kale just stared at her in a mixture of shock and confusion but didn’t respond.

“I’m only one drink away,” Nora went on, now looking up at his baffled expression, “Turn me.  Right here.  Right now.  And I can fly with you.  And…I’ll come home with you.”

“Nora…” Kale almost debated but the growing sounds of the three hybrids behind the house now made his worry grow to an almost panic.

“It won’t take but a second.  Please…you said you wouldn’t hold me back anymore…now is your chance to prove that to me,” Nora spoke openly.  

Kale heaved a huge sigh as he thought for only a moment and then hastily answered, “O.k.”

Nora’s eyes perked up, “Really?” she gladly asked.

“Yes,” Kale reiterated, “I made a promise and I’m going to keep it.  You’re right.  I’ll do it.” It was then that he pulled a small pocket knife from his jean pocket and flipped it open.  He held out his left arm and prepared himself for the incision he was about to make.  Suddenly, however, he was stopped by Nora, who quickly placed her hands on his arm, putting a barrier between it and his knife.  Kale said nothing but looked into her eyes with much question.

“It’s o.k.” was the answer Nora gave in response to his expression, “You don’t have to.”

“What do you mean?” Kale then softly exclaimed, “I’ll make you a hybrid…I will!”

“I know,” Nora calmly stated with a soft smile, “I just wanted to see if you would.”

Kale now relaxed a bit and dropped his arm that held his pocket knife in it.  He proceeded to close it up as he looked back at Nora with a slight bit of exasperation.

“Let’s get out of here,” Nora then professed, “Take me home, Kale.”

A small smile of relief made its way across Kale’s face. “With pleasure,” he responded as he then turned around and spread his large wings.  Not too much sooner did Nora then hop on his back and Kale took off, flying into the night sky and away from the house.

Unfortunately, the two of them didn’t get too far before they were suddenly hit on one side by another dark, flying figure.

“Can’t get away that easy, asshole!” The two of them looked over after Kale regained some balance and saw Aaron flying next to them laughing at his own comment.  However, Aaron wasted no more time and flew towards them again, aiming to bombard them a second time and even though Kale tried his hardest to dodge him this time, he was unsuccessful and the two of them went cutting through the air sideways.  Kale tried vigorously to spread his wings and stop his momentum but in the process his stomach dropped at sudden realization that he could feel Nora’s grip on him loosening.

“Kale!” Nora shouted as she could also feel her fingers losing their clasp, but it was too late, she couldn’t hold on any longer and she could now feel herself falling downward toward the ground.  She screamed as she looked up to see Kale immediately dive in an eager attempt to reach her.  However, to both of their dismays, it was Jay who, suddenly appearing underneath Nora instantly caught her.  Kale stopped his decent only long enough to make eye contact with Jay before he disappeared with Nora.

“No!!” Kale shouted, “Nora!!!!”

BAM! Kale was then suddenly hit again by Aaron, this time falling and landing on the snowy ground beneath them.  He then shakily got to his feet while looking ahead at the clearing in the patch of forest he had landed in.  A small movement in the distance sparked his attention as he thought it could possibly be Jay and Nora.  He wasted no time in then springing forward and flying, low to the ground to avoid Aaron, all the while dodging and weaving around the trees in his path.  He had only one thing on his mind: get to Nora.  He just found her.  He wasn’t going to lose her now.

Unfortunately, his endeavor was soon cut short by a huge gust of wind that came from behind him and knocked him forward and eventually to the ground, into the clearing amongst the trees.  He slid a bit on his stomach on the cold, hard ground before finally coming to a stop.  Kale lay there for a moment in pain before finally deciding to pick himself back up.  He wasn’t his strongest right now, and he knew that.  It was still a bright moon out, so he couldn’t transform into a hellion.  Not to mention, he hadn’t been hunting for a while and his exhaustion level was quite high due to the many sleepless nights he had spent looking for Nora in the past week.  However, he was determined not to let that show too much.  He had to get past Aaron and get to Nora.  He just had to.

Suddenly, Kale was knocked out of his thoughts by another gust of wind.  This one knocked him to his back.   He groaned as he lifted his head to look at his attacker.  It was, of course Kari.  She was standing a distance away from him, her arms straight out in front of her with her hands clasped together.  Aaron suddenly landed on the ground in between them.  He was in his full hybrid form, and he turned to look at Kale with a hugely arrogant expression, only just before then looking over at Kari and exclaiming, “Get him again, babe!”

Kari lowered her arms for a second only to blow a kiss in Aaron’s direction before then pulling them back again and bringing them forward for another clap.  Aaron took that as his cue to fly upward as another large whoosh of air sped its way from Kari’s hands all the way toward Kale.  Kale, however, had no time to react.  Before he could even decide what to do, the wall of wind had hit him and pushed him backwards again, this time causing him to forcefully hit a large tree behind him.  His back crashed into it with a crack and as he attempted to stand up on his feet, he could feel all of his limbs shaking.  He wasn’t sure how much more of this he could take.  Not to mention, every second he spent here, battling these two, was a second that Jay was getting further away with Nora.

Kale tried his hardest to move forward, but he was unsuccessful, yet again.  Kari was now making alternating windmill motions with her arms, practically hurtling the wind around them in his direction, hitting him constantly with her power.  Kale could feel it pressing against his body as he was basically being pinned up against the tree and, much to his dismay, couldn’t even move an inch.  He only wondered what the point of this maneuver by her was for a moment before he then heard the sound of the tree cracking and he turned his head to look beside him.  It was there that his eyes widened in astonishment as he saw Aaron’s arm bursting through the tree’s trunk.  Aaron wasted no time in grabbing Kale’s arm and then doing the same on the other side of the large tree.

Kale could hear Aaron’s smug laughter from the other side of the tree as he tightened his grip on his arms.  It was also then that Kari stopped her constant wind from where she stood and lowered her arms.  Kale took this slim opportunity to struggle a bit, attempting to tear himself form Aaron’s rock hard grip.  Aaron continued to laugh as, of course, his fight was ineffective.  Kale was really getting angry now.  He couldn’t stand listening to Aaron laughing at him and he especially couldn’t stand feeling so weak and helpless.  He had to get out of this!

All of a sudden, Kale looked out to where Kari was standing to see her position change.  She lifted her arms up and with her palms facing each other, began to rotate her hands, almost as if she was spinning something invisible amidst them.  As she did this, wind appeared to blow between them and she seemed to have to brace herself a bit in order to really control it.  Kale could only wonder what she was about to do.

He didn’t have to wonder for long as Kari suddenly made a tossing motion as if she were throwing an invisible Frisbee and the amount of wind she launched made its way toward Kale.  He could only barely see it as it approached him quickly.  It was then that he, making a swift but lucky decision, moved his head at the last second only to have the invisible disc of wind hit the tree trunk next to him and only graze it, slicing a bit of it and then dissipating.

Kale heard Aaron grunt behind him as he then shouted, “Careful, babe!”

Kari nodded from where she stood and then shouted back, “The next one won’t miss!”

Kale wasn’t sure if that comment was meant for him or Aaron but regardless, she began spinning her hands again in order to make another wind saucer.  Kale, however, took this small opportunity to think of a plan.  He had to do something to get out of this situation and he had to think of it quick.

It didn’t take long for Kari to be done preparing as she then tossed the second air discus.  It was while it headed in Kale’s direction that he decided to act quickly.  He put every ounce of strength into his concentration as he suddenly jettisoned his wings out of his back and as they opened themselves, they instantly pushed their way in between his arms and Aaron’s causing Aaron to become startled and lose his grip.  Kale wasted no time and turned around quickly, grabbing both of Aaron’s arms and pulling downward, making the most painful crack sound echo throughout.

“AAAAAHHHH!!” Aaron screamed in pain at the breaking of both of his arms.  Kale, however, had no time to gloat because the powerful saucer of air was now right behind him.  He instinctively ducked and the dangerous air passed right above him, slicing the tree and cutting it completely through.  Kale looked up only for a second to now see the large tree beginning to fall forward, right for him!  He jumped out of the way, attempting to dodge, but as the trunk came crashing down, he wasn’t fast enough and the absolute pain of the enormous tree crushing his foot caused him to scream out.

“AAAAAAHHHH!!!” Kale’s screams were now cut off as he heard Kari scream out as well, in the most blood curtailing manner. “OH GOD!!!!” She was looking in his direction, but not at him.  She was looking past him; behind him.  Kale turned to see what she was looking at and immediately saw the cause of her terror.  It was Aaron, his arms still stuck in the trunk, however, his head was gone.  His neck was right where the cut of the tree was, spurting blood everywhere.

“Oh shit…” was all Kale could get out in utter astonishment.

“YOU BASTARD!!!” Kari angrily screamed as Kale now turned to see her furiously march toward him.  “I’LL KILL YOU!! I’LL KILL YOU FOR KILLING HIM!!!” She finally stopped in front of him and raised a hand.  Kale had no idea what