Aquarius (Guardians of the Stars Book 2) by Faulks Kim

Author:Faulks, Kim [Faulks, Kim]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2016-06-23T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

I stared up into the night sky and wished for morning as the bonfire crackled and hissed. Drums resounded inside my head. Tension coiled like a dangerous serpent inside with each hard beat.

Abrial and Marcus stood between two mammoth pines where our courtyard met the mountain. The snap of fire and bones was the only sound heard over the hush of the pack. No one spoke, no one moved. The wolves were frozen, staring at the myth—the Bloodletter—as he shook free the confines of the man and became the dragon.

Bone crunched, skin split as horns punched through my brother’s forehead. His thick body grew; shining red scales replaced pink flesh. I followed the line of his back as it bent and bowed. Talons speared from vertebrae, driving through flesh to glisten with blood. The Bloodletter was a gruesome, magnificent sight. So alive, so powerful, and it only made me envious.

I turned inward and sent a flare, searching for life.

Dragon, you there?

Silence filled me. The kind of deathly silence that fills you with fear. I hadn’t needed him for so long. The mortal world hadn’t needed us—they moved on—just like the mother earth had moved on. I hadn’t needed my dragon. I’d barricaded myself into this mortal form, forgetting my purpose was to keep the innocent safe while he howled in pain. Give me life, Victor! Give me life!

Day after day, year after year, until one day, I realized his tormented cries had ended.

How long must you hate me?

The low growl ended my plea. It seemed the Tormentor could hate me forever.

The Bloodletter rose to his full height, scales rippling, growing, swallowing the night to scrape the trees. He arched his back and stretched his wings. Wind whipped my hair, scattering bowls, cups, and anything not nailed down.

The new wolves bowed before them as Abrial's words still lingered in my ears—spoken like a true Alpha.

We shall carve a new path. We shall stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves, and we shall welcome all here. Every lost and wandering soul—women and children shall be our lambs to protect, and along with the dragons we will become a force to be reckoned with.

My own lost soul waited, bowed at the knee along with the others. She turned her head. Her brown eyes glistened with excitement. The new Alpha’s calling power lingered in the air, growing softly with each hour that slipped past. The current raised the hairs on my arms and stole my breath.

I scanned the crowd. Michael watched me from the other side of the crowd. He moved to scratch the shadow on his chin and nodded. I mirrored the gesture and raised my own hand to rub my cheek. Hard prickles scratched my fingers. I hadn’t noticed the beginning of a beard until now. I hadn’t noticed a lot of things.

My Virgo brother dropped his gaze to Odessa. She stared at Marcus and Abrial, and then slowly closed her eyes as the tempo of the drums filled my head with the echo.

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