already been taken care of.”
Julian winced. What had they done to Jack Foley? To her credit, Florence showed no fear at all.
“A pity you need those blades to fight a werewolf,” she said contemptuously. “So much for a fair fight, eh?”
“Whatever gets the job done,” Rindell grunted, moving to the side with the obvious intention to flank Florence.
“You need to pick a side, brother,” Dennis said with a glance at Julian. “I’m sure Hector will forgive you if you help us now.”
Julian blinked, cold dread gripping his heart. “Forgive me for what?”
Rindell snorted. “For losing your heart to a lycan. How pathetic.”
Julian looked at Florence, then at his old friend Dennis. “How did you know…?”
“So it’s true,” Dennis said with a smirk. “You’re a liability, Banes. Always have been. Why don’t you sit this one out and we’ll deal with you later.”
“The hell you will,” Julian said firmly, anger welling within him. “Florence Underwood is under my protection and I will not see her harmed.”
Rindell shrugged, spinning her sickle theatrically. “Simple. You both die.”
Julian uttered a primitive grunt and launched himself through the air toward Rindell, the closest foe. One thing he’d learned as an aquilan was that one beat of his wings could propel him very quickly over a distance of twenty yards or so.
He cannoned into Rindell and sent her flying backwards. That left him open to attack from behind, and Dennis didn’t hesitate in swinging his sickle ruthlessly. He felt a stabbing pain in his right wing as the blade tore through the fibrous membrane. He howled into the night - the pain was unlike anything he’d experienced before.
Florence appeared behind Dennis and ripped at his throat. Blood splattered to the ground as Dennis tumbled forward and away from Florence’s reach.
“Their wings,” Julian gasped, his pain threatening to consume him. “With enough strength they can be torn where the membrane joins their collar bones.”
“With pleasure,” Florence growled with primitive fury.
For the first time their opponents showed hesitation in their eyes. Rindell was still somewhat rattled by Julian’s frontal attack, while Dennis was spitting gobs of blood to the ground. Like lycans, the aquila were able to self-heal at a rapid rate. The only way to kill them for good was to tear their wings free.
Julian looked at Florence and met her gaze. She nodded. They had some kind of understanding, a bond that would hold them in good stead during this battle.
Florence passed wide in might have looked like a possible attack. Knowing it was a feint, Julian hung back until the last possible moment before launching himself a second time, this time at Dennis. He struck the aquilan flush in the rib cage, narrowly avoiding his sickle.
With amazing dexterity Florence ‘caught’ Dennis as he was sent tumbling backwards. With a snarl she wrenched one of his wings free, The crunching sound was like a dagger to Julian’s ears but there was no time to mourn the loss of his old friend. He squared off against Rindell, who advanced upon him quickly.
He ducked and swerved out of the sickle’s path but was left off balance. Rindell was about to cut him open when Florence barreled into the female aquilan and knocked the sickle to the ground. A close quarters brawl between an aquilan and a werewolf usually had only one ending. Despite Rindell’s disciplined, well-trained defense she couldn’t stop Florence’s choke hold. The tawny werewolf took advantage of her superior position to tear off both wings at once. She was splattered with aquilan plasma for her trouble. Grimacing, she turned to Julian.
“That stuff doesn’t smell good,” she said. Julian stood silently contemplating the bodies of his former comrades.
“I’m sorry,” Florence said. “I was insensitive.”
“It’s ok,” Julian said distractedly. “I’m just trying to absorb all this.”
“Well at least
Julian winced. What had they done to Jack Foley? To her credit, Florence showed no fear at all.
“A pity you need those blades to fight a werewolf,” she said contemptuously. “So much for a fair fight, eh?”
“Whatever gets the job done,” Rindell grunted, moving to the side with the obvious intention to flank Florence.
“You need to pick a side, brother,” Dennis said with a glance at Julian. “I’m sure Hector will forgive you if you help us now.”
Julian blinked, cold dread gripping his heart. “Forgive me for what?”
Rindell snorted. “For losing your heart to a lycan. How pathetic.”
Julian looked at Florence, then at his old friend Dennis. “How did you know…?”
“So it’s true,” Dennis said with a smirk. “You’re a liability, Banes. Always have been. Why don’t you sit this one out and we’ll deal with you later.”
“The hell you will,” Julian said firmly, anger welling within him. “Florence Underwood is under my protection and I will not see her harmed.”
Rindell shrugged, spinning her sickle theatrically. “Simple. You both die.”
Julian uttered a primitive grunt and launched himself through the air toward Rindell, the closest foe. One thing he’d learned as an aquilan was that one beat of his wings could propel him very quickly over a distance of twenty yards or so.
He cannoned into Rindell and sent her flying backwards. That left him open to attack from behind, and Dennis didn’t hesitate in swinging his sickle ruthlessly. He felt a stabbing pain in his right wing as the blade tore through the fibrous membrane. He howled into the night - the pain was unlike anything he’d experienced before.
Florence appeared behind Dennis and ripped at his throat. Blood splattered to the ground as Dennis tumbled forward and away from Florence’s reach.
“Their wings,” Julian gasped, his pain threatening to consume him. “With enough strength they can be torn where the membrane joins their collar bones.”
“With pleasure,” Florence growled with primitive fury.
For the first time their opponents showed hesitation in their eyes. Rindell was still somewhat rattled by Julian’s frontal attack, while Dennis was spitting gobs of blood to the ground. Like lycans, the aquila were able to self-heal at a rapid rate. The only way to kill them for good was to tear their wings free.
Julian looked at Florence and met her gaze. She nodded. They had some kind of understanding, a bond that would hold them in good stead during this battle.
Florence passed wide in might have looked like a possible attack. Knowing it was a feint, Julian hung back until the last possible moment before launching himself a second time, this time at Dennis. He struck the aquilan flush in the rib cage, narrowly avoiding his sickle.
With amazing dexterity Florence ‘caught’ Dennis as he was sent tumbling backwards. With a snarl she wrenched one of his wings free, The crunching sound was like a dagger to Julian’s ears but there was no time to mourn the loss of his old friend. He squared off against Rindell, who advanced upon him quickly.
He ducked and swerved out of the sickle’s path but was left off balance. Rindell was about to cut him open when Florence barreled into the female aquilan and knocked the sickle to the ground. A close quarters brawl between an aquilan and a werewolf usually had only one ending. Despite Rindell’s disciplined, well-trained defense she couldn’t stop Florence’s choke hold. The tawny werewolf took advantage of her superior position to tear off both wings at once. She was splattered with aquilan plasma for her trouble. Grimacing, she turned to Julian.
“That stuff doesn’t smell good,” she said. Julian stood silently contemplating the bodies of his former comrades.
“I’m sorry,” Florence said. “I was insensitive.”
“It’s ok,” Julian said distractedly. “I’m just trying to absorb all this.”
“Well at least
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