Fuller than a Tick by Kimbra Swain

Author:Kimbra Swain [Swain, Kimbra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Crimson Sun
Published: 2018-11-22T07:00:00+00:00

Phelan took the first swipe at Ingo who quickly dodged the strike to land a couple of punches as he moved. They landed just under Phelan’s arm around his rib cage. Phelan growled in frustration. I feared we would see them shift before our eyes, breaking the rules.

“No matter how mad they get, they will not shift,” a familiar voice said behind me.

“Dominick,” I muttered.

“Good evening, Grace. Levi,” he said politely. I couldn’t see him, because he sat directly behind me. I was sure he wasn’t sitting there when we sat down.

“Nick,” Levi responded.

“Nick?” I asked.

Dominick chuckled behind me. “Yeah, my friends call me, Nick,” he said.

“I didn’t know you were friends,” I muttered loud enough for both of them to hear above the cheers of the crowd as the two in the ring continued their dance.

“Sure, we are,” Levi said tersely. Obviously not.

“Definitely,” Nick added.

“Whatever,” I responded. “Why won’t they shift? I know it is against the rules, but can it be helped?”

“It’s a teaching tool. If they shift, they are banished from the pack. It’s about controlling the beast inside no matter how dire the circumstance. While the wolf is strong, you have to convince yourself that you are stronger than it,” he explained.

“I see. Banishment seems rough,” I said, knowing my own experience.

“We haven’t had to do it. No one shifts,” he said.

We watched the two men fight for a little while longer until the quicker opponent wore down the larger one. Ingo eventually won with a hard punch to a much slower Phelan, knocking him to the ground. Nothing seemed to be off or untoward here. I couldn’t understand why Finley insisted that we come. I saw Tennyson and Remy exchanging money, but I wasn’t appalled by it. If Troy thought it was fine, then I wasn’t worried about it.

Stepping between them, Troy proclaimed Ingo to be the winner. The victor raised his hands over his head in celebration. The crowd cheered. The wolves were enthusiastic with their support. Dominick clapped lightly behind us. While the dark-eyed man across the way locked eyes with me again.

Suddenly the world swirled around me and my vision blurred.

“Grace!” Levi yelled. I felt his arms encircle me as I drifted into sleep.

Only it wasn’t sleep, it was darkness. Echoing footsteps approached me. The dark-eyed man appeared in the shadows with his focus on me. He walked slowly toward me.

“Who are you?” I asked.

“Gloriana, don’t you remember?” his deep, accented voice asked. Something middle eastern twinged along his English.

“No. You do seem familiar, but I cannot place it,” I said. At first, he intimidated me, but now even in the darkness, he seemed kind.

“My name can be spoken here,” he said.

“Where is here?” I asked.

“It is the place where the yazata walks,” he said.

“Yazata. Angels? Are you an angel?” I asked.

“I am a soul, separated from my body, forbidden to return because of the curse your father laid upon me,” he said. “The yazata allow me to walk here.”

“Why am I here?” I asked.

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