WingSpan (Taken on the Wing Book 1) (37 page)

Only half way down a pair of armed gryphons blocks his path and Talon wakes the vicious hunter inside, draws his skyblade and picks up speed. They crouch, human-made weapons drawn, and the hunter snorts at their overconfidence. Talon’s diving roll aims to hit the ground two feet behind them. He carries enough speed to impact just below their bent knees. One falls forward into a well coordinated landing. The other drops awkwardly to the side, his right leg severed just above the ankle.

While the wounded gryphon is still figuring out why he can’t stand up straight, Talon bounces to his feet as quickly as the gryphon he knocked over. His raised skyblade draws attention up and away from his left hand which has shifted to full claws; a first for him, driven by his urgent rage. He barely has time to notice his unusually boney fingers’ skin is toughened and yellowed and ending in sharp black claws.

Blue light from Talon’s wings shines on his sword as he dodges a dagger, grabbing his opponent’s hand as it passes just under his throat. He crushes the other’s fingers against the handle, twisting as he feeds the skyblade under the doomed rogue’s ribs and stopping only when the bloody tip appears up out of his shoulder.

Talon releases the skyblade only long enough to use his opponent’s dagger to eviscerate the other, who out of sheer ignorance of his injury still stands.

Another female’s cry stings his ears. The hunter doesn’t understand the human words but he knows his mate’s voice and her urgency. With a boot on his first kill Talon uses both hands to draw his skyblade free and without a backward glance at the two nearly dead gryphons behind him he bounds further down the tunnel.

The only light in the dead eyrie tunnel comes from the sparks of threat on his wings. At the end of the featureless descent the tunnel levels and straightens and half way down firelight shines from a den to the right.

Another gryphon blocks his path. She’s fully furred and feathered, the slight roundness of her breast and absence of male genitalia confirm the adversary is female but that doesn’t make her any less dangerous. Talon knows from experience that so completely shifted she retains little of her human self and even if she’s poorly trained she could be as deadly as Talon on a good day. She’s alone, seated peacefully in the center of the tunnel, and Talon assesses his options.

Although this opponent wears no armour her natural weapons are sharp and capable of granting a devastating death. Her raven black talons and wings contrast with her warm golden hindquarters.

Even seated she makes an intimidating silhouette against the orange glow behind her and Talon is certainly impressed. His instincts tell him he’d be better off taking a pass on this one. But age doesn’t always imply experience and his terrified mate on the other side doesn’t make a graceful retreat an option. In spite of her outward look of confidence something tells Talon this isn’t what it seems.

A full shift is a waste in such tight quarters and is far better suited to aerial combat. The hind legs are awkward when upright and unless she can get Talon in an embrace on the ground they’re utterly useless. It can only be a display to discourage an attacker but he has to be sure.

As the black gryphon’s golden tufted tail curls around her black talons the shrieks further down the tunnel mask the struggle of combat and Talon moves closer. He feels the pressure to act and knows he’s running out of time. The scuffle ends in the echo of snapping bone the black gryphon’s tail slaps the stone in a nervous twitch.

It’s game on.

Talon breaks into a run. The gryphon before him rises; her wings wide with threat. She prepares by drawing her claws but sitting has cost her a precious advantage. He leaps, gathering as much air beneath his partially extended wings as he can. It’s a move she can’t counter in time though she bends her knees to jump in the air to meet him.

She’s too late.

Talon’s boots hit her square in the chest, giving him some distance from her ebony claws as his skyblade comes down into her left shoulder. She sinks her other claw into his thigh, the nails only making it a half inch through his armour as her left arm and wing are nearly cleaved from her shoulder. They roll to a stop. The fight hasn’t left her in spite of the fact she’s nearly in two pieces. A slash of her claw rips Talon’s protective collar from his neck as he scrambles for a dagger and pulls her on top of him.

His gamble that she’s too close to death to support her own weight and get at him with her hind legs pays off but not completely. Two claws tear at his thigh and open the knife wound from the day before.

The skyblade is too long to use this close so Talon uses her weight to drive his dagger deep into her chest.

He shoves the dead gryphon aside and runs for Shadow’s den.

Talon stops in the entrance to the fire lit room. As the hunter rages inside for vengeance, Talon struggles to retain control. His white winged mate yells a familiar name; maybe his, maybe that of his
child
dangling helplessly in Torrent’s grip. One hand is buried past the second knuckle of his yellow clawed talons into her side and the other holds the back of her head. Throat exposed, Cloud’s eyes blink before she offers him a weak smile of recognition. Shadow’s bloody dagger is on the floor beneath her. The third female carries the scent of his sibling and though she’s crumpled against the wall, the weak beat of her thready heart says she isn’t gone yet. And then there’s what Torrent did to Swift.

The fucker is going to die.

Torrent growls as his fused upper and lower tooth plates move toward Cloud’s throat then he too shows pleasure at Talon’s arrival. With a smirk which would set Talon off all by itself Torrent laughs, mocking the hunter with nonsense syllables. Talon is impatient to leave the arrogant gryphon with several gaping bloody holes and ignores what can only be jabs about his sister, common parents and his size and strides into the room like Death rides on his shoulder.

This is your end,
Talon hisses in the old words.

Torrent only registers surprise for a moment then opens his jaw wide, making the joint crack as he tosses Cloud at Shadow.

The honourable Talon wouldn’t kill an eyrie by destroying its only heir,
Torrent gloats.

But the hunter doesn’t see the logic. The only honour here is avenging the damage Torrent has done to the females in Talon’s life. Talon drops his weapons so he can squeeze Torrent’s spirit from his body with his bare hands and starts with a blow that should shatter his skull. Torrent dodges and Talon narrowly misses shattering his hand on the rock behind.

Talon’s wings tighten around his body to let momentum hurry him around and his left elbow catches Torrent on the chin. Although it isn’t as hard a hit as his first attempt, he feels Torrent’s flesh rupture under his elbow. As they face off again Torrent is already making his move by knocking Talon’s guarding left clear with his right bracer. He follows up with a navel to throat slash of his claws. Talon is caught on the chin but Torrent has both arms raised, leaving himself vulnerable.

A single step closer is enough for Talon to take control. He starts with a fist to Torrent’s stomach and when Torrent drops his hands for protection Talon is ready. Talon catches both wrists and holds the claws at bay while bringing a knee into Torrent’s side and with a satisfying snap a rib breaks beneath the heavy armour.

“Talon!” a male behind him yells, not in alarm but instead attempting dominance.

Fuck you, the hunter thinks and pulling Torrent’s arms up and apart, he swings another right. Then a couple more as Torrent staggers and Talon goes for his throat.

Cease!
A new voice declares.
You will not harm him further.

The hunter knows he must listen to his Sire but all he can do is watch as Talon rains blow after vengeful blow upon the battered and bloody gryphon before him.

“Talon,” Shadow whispers. She doesn’t understand the words Lev speaks but he clearly wants Talon to back off. His fists pummel Torrent, many blows unanswered. It can’t have gone on as long as it seems. As much as Torrent deserves it, destroying Jasper by killing its only heir is as atrocious as his own acts against Shadow and Cloud’s eyries.

Shadow checks the wad of leftover cloth on Cloud’s side but it isn’t enough. Blood oozes out from underneath and the teen’s hand comes up, cradling Shadow’s cheek.

“Sshhh,” Cloud comforts. She’s pale and Shadow pulls her closer desperate to keep life inside her.

When Shadow looks up it’s just in time to see Lev and Soar cross the room as one. Talon’s enraged cries are cut off as he’s tackled, leaving Torrent to crumple to the floor.

Lev sits on Talon’s chest as he continues speaking words Shadow doesn’t understand. At first he mutters with quiet urgency then louder as Talon fails to calm. Talon roars in defiance until Lev’s hand comes down, slapping Talon’s cheek and knocking his head to the side.

“Enough, Master Talon,” he declares.

Talon gasps for air as his struggles still. His black eyes return to normal and he looks at Lev like he’s only just noticed him in the room.

“Sire,” Talon mumbles and turns to Shadow. “I’m…”

“Talon,” Shadow says for him. “You’re Talon.”

Whoever the monster was who strode in after Torrent is gone.

Lev stands, staying between Talon and Torrent. Soar offers a hand and pulls Talon to his feet. He sways for a moment before coming to Shadow. Talon’s eyes flash to Feather and Cloud as his face falls. Looking at them is too much to bear so he focuses on Shadow. She won’t let his courage leave now that he’s made it to her side.

“I was too late,” he whispers and Shadow reaches for him, pushing his chin up in praise before he falls to her shoulder.

“She didn’t believe you were dead,” Cloud coughs and Talon rests a hand on her head.

The den opening fills with gryphons, Firn and Dove in front followed by two of Lev’s guard.

“Sire,” Firn says. “I thought I told you to save some for—”

But she stops as they spot Cloud and Feather.

“Get this disgrace from my sight,” Lev orders with a click of disgust. Soar steps aside as the two rangers haul Torrent from the room. “When he can fly, toss him from the eyrie.”

Firn and Dove cross paths to get to Cloud and Feather. In unison they pull flasks from the rear pouches of their vests. Dove wets her hands and places one on Feather’s head and the other between her shoulder blades. She’s as still as her dame is pushy.

Firn shoves Talon aside and rests her hands on Cloud’s stomach.

“What is your name, gryphon?”

“Cloud,” she says. Her voice is barely above a whisper.

“You will do as I say, Cloud,” Firn instructs. As her hands move she glances at Shadow and Talon.

“Can you help her?” Shadow asks.

“Quite,” Firn answers as she wets her hands in moonwater. “Keep still, Cloud. Stay awake.”

Cloud nods bravely and moans as Firn grabs the gaping wound in her side.

“She followed me,” Shadow cries on Talon. “When Torrent defeated Feather, Cloud stood to defend me.”

“Ah,” Firn breathes. Sweat drips from her brow and steam rises from her hands. “More water.”

Shadow’s hands shake as she pours a slow trickle over Firn’s; once on the wound then on her belly. Talon adds his hand to steady the flow. Only a few feet away Dove still hasn’t moved. She sighs and shifts her weight.

“Cloud,” Firn says. “Do you wish to be a ranger? A member of Shadow’s guard?”

“Yes,” she wheezes.

“In that case you must obey the guard’s master. In a moment Master Talon will order you to draw your wings in. Do it then and not a moment sooner,” she turns to Shadow and continues. “Her blood loss is great. Once I have stopped the flow and she shifts, the extra blood volume from her wings should keep her alive but she needs more care than I can grant.

“Human doctor, do you understand?”

“Yes,” Talon whispers.

The seconds tick far too slowly and for too long until Firn nods.

“Cloud,” Talon says. Shadow jumps at the force and authority of his voice. “Draw your wings in.”

Barely conscious, Cloud grinds her teeth but nothing happens.

“Cloud, now,” he orders more loudly and her eyes open. The longest of her flight feathers fade as she grimaces then the next and when the long bones begin to disappear a slight pink returns to her grey cheeks.