Page 90 of Soulmateless
I’m in a room a little down from where Amias and Sabina are, my legs buckling.
I’m dead. I have to get out of here. She'll kill me.
“I only need to find that piece of shit traitor and we’ll have a three for one murder!” Vasilisa snickers from the other side of the room.
I shudder. I swore her scent was on this side of the building. I left Sabina to make sure I didn't just hallucinate a smell.
“Get out!” I hear Erasmus snap. “You don't want to fuck with both of us.”
Children cry and screech as glass crashes and breaks. My mind wanders to Sabina. A fire consumes my fear, my hands balling into fists.
I can't let Sabina get hurt. Or Amias. No matter how scared I am.
Why do I have to keep saving the grandson of Amara?
I focus on my form, an itchy feeling taking over my body as purple fur appears on my skin. My feet and hands turn to paws and my ears enlarge.
After a few seconds, I'm in dreamscreecher form, on all fours. My head throbs with the memories of Vasilisa's brutality, begging me to go away.
No. I won't leave Amias and Sabina behind.
I immediately rush out of the room to see black dreamscreechers chasing kids and the orphanage staff, baring their sharp canines and ramming their horns forward. The kids scream down the dark wooded hallways, shoving and shouting at each other as they reach the door. The staff members stay behind to fight the dreamscreechers and every kid out. My ears pin back.
I can't lose Amias. I can't let Sabina die.
Glaide rushes out past them, holding a screaming and crying child in his arms. I perk my ears. There's a whiff of a familiar scent in that direction.
Was that Sabina? Is she okay?
I refocus and rush to the room I left Amias. He’s twisting blood red flowers around Vasilisa’s neck, his eyes glowing the same color. My fur puffs when a flash of black slams him into the ground. Amias punches the dreamscreecher before they can bite him.
I run to help him when a cry alerts me to Erasmus laying across the room. Two dreamscreechers lunge at his neck. Erasmus blocks one bite with his arm, and the dreamscreecher sinks its teeth in. He barely blocks the other dreamscreecher from his neck with his other arm.
The dreamscreechers spill blood from both brothers. If I leave them alone for too long, they'll overpower and kill both.
I screech the loudest I can, my eyes straining as everyone stares at me. The attackers step away with flattened ears.
“Get away from them!” My voice isn't as steady as I would like it, but it's all the confidence I have.
Vasilisa purrs. “How lovely. The traitor’s come out to play.” She licks her lips, slowly approaching me.
My ears flatten. I hear her previous victims scream just by looking at her.
Vasilisa sniggers. “It's nice to see that the traitor is still a coward.”
I snarl despite my wobbling legs. “Leave them alone. They have nothing to do with us.”
I duck my head when she steps closer. She snickers. “Look at you, nothing more than a frightened little kitten. I'm going to have fun killing you.”
She towers over me. My ears start ringing again. I want to run but my paws stay planted.
I will stand up for Amias. He’s supported me and risked his life for mine. He’s worth fighting for.
Erasmus is different but Amias loves him. I’ll protect him for Amias' sake.
Vasilisa purrs before striking her claws against my forehead. I roll on my back to dodge her and swat at her neck and face. She swings her head sideways, before raking her claws across my right cheek. She's quick!
Her second swat is too quick to escape, earning a yowl as she slices my brow and eyelid. I shut my eyes before she can gouge them out. My stomach drops. Fuck, she could've blinded me.
