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Saleos never looked my way; he was too entirely focused on Axel. I noticed then that their skin was blistered from the bomb and I drew in a heavy breath, noticing that Axel had the same marks. The bomb had meant to kill me first.
Saleos hadn’t wanted my help. He’d been far too focused on getting his revenge on his brother and murdering me in cold blood had been the first blow Saleos had planned to land. Once I was dead, it would just be him and Axel. If anything, that probably wasn’t the first bomb Saleos had planted. There was no doubt he’d been trying to kill me this entire journey and the only reason I’d been able to survive because Axel had been there to protect me.
I looked off in the direction that Axel had told me to run to and slowly began to move, knowing that I had to be ready. Edging out of the cave and along the rock wall, I moved. I didn’t plan on running, but if I had to, I would.
Vicious snarls echoed all around me, bouncing off the walls of the cliffs and the rocks surrounding us.
Wild and unrestrained, yet cool and calculating, the two men fought.
It was a hard battle to watch. At once, Axel would gain the upper hand and then his brother would do the same.
Axel roared in anger as Saleos ran for him. Axel grabbed his brother’s arm and swung him hard. Saleos flew backwards, slamming into a massive boulder behind him and the sickening crack of his head against the rock made me gasp. For a long moment, he looked dazed as his eyes rolled back in his head and Axel tore at him. One claw caught Saleos across the throat and although the wound looked shallow, it began to bleed.
Saleos blinked once and then his face screwed up in anger.
His arms flew forward, gripping Axel by the head and he twisted his body and smashed Axel’s head into the rock right beside him. Axel cried out in pain, momentarily stunned while Saleos ripped into him with his claws, scoring deep jagged wounds across Axel’s back. I cried out in shock.
Axel roared with pain and anger and I watched as his muscles rippled with it. He looked back at me, catching my eyes once and I knew he hadn’t allowed himself to completely embrace his beast. He’d held back because of me.
I nodded once, trying to fight back the tears that wanted to fall.
I knew what he was afraid of. I knew if he went too deep that he may not be able to come back, that he’d kill me if I got too close, that we wouldn’t be able to escape in time before the bomb fell and I choked with the emotions swirling through my head.
Sa
leos grabbed him and Axel roared before meeting my eyes one last time.
In that single look, he told me everything. He loved me, and he would sacrifice anything for me, including himself. He smiled softly for a split second and my heart beat for him. I prayed that somehow, we’d make it out of this together, both of us very much alive and I could show him just how much he meant to me. We held each other’s gaze for just a moment longer.
Then he was gone. His eyes had turned into red balls of flame.
The beast had taken over completely.
Axel’s skin burned darker than ever, a fiery blaze that glowed and simmered like boiling lava the color of blood. His eyes glowed brighter red than I had ever seen before and he snarled viciously in Saleos’ direction.
His brother began to look uneasy.
Axel tore forward and the only thing Saleos could do was block his brother’s advances. Axel landed blow after blow and I could see Saleos tiring under the constant onslaught.
Axel snarled viciously, the sound loud and reverberating and I shook from the complete rabid nature in that sound. He grasped his brother’s arm hard and pulled it down and Saleos howled in pain. Axel whirled around, lifted his brother over his head and slammed him on the ground. The sounds of bones breaking made my breath tear from my lungs.
Saleos’ skin color turned darker, close to Axel’s but not quite as dark.
He rolled and jumped to his feet, one arm hanging loosely by his side, useless.
He began to cackle.
“My brother. Finally letting loose completely and it only took a tasty human cunt to do it,” Saleos murmured.
By this time, I’d made it to the opposite edge of the clearing. The brothers paused their fight for a long moment, staring at each other before Axel rushed at his brother once again.
Saleos simply stepped out of the way, extending his arm at the last moment, only Axel had anticipated his movements. His leg swept out in a circle, causing Saleos to lose his footing and slam to the ground. He rolled and rose to his knees only to start laughing once more.
“You’re a fool,” Saleos shouted. “She’s just a fucking human!”
I watched, taking note of the fact that Saleos was no longer trying to fight, only to avoid Axel’s blows. It was like a well-coordinated dance. Axel would lunge, swiping his claws and Saleos would sidestep, just missing each strike.
That’s when I heard the drones.
