Changed by Fire (Phoenix Rising #6) - Harper Wylde Page 0,135

it would have been to fight Risa, and I wondered if that was part of her strategy. With Risa, I could have just kicked her ass for what she’d said. With Hugo, I bore no grudge. I didn’t like his beliefs, but I couldn’t say I didn’t understand them.

Something flickered in his eyes, as if he could sense my emotions. He attacked again, landing a blow on my cheek and another in my side, as he attempted to knock me to the ground. I threw my knee into his balls and shoved my fist into his nose, dodging away as blood spattered me. He staggered before hitting the ground hard. Air dragged through my throat like razors, and I winced at the pain from where he’d gotten me. From the feeling, I’d guess he’d broken a rib with that last hit. I wasn’t going to last much longer this way. If the bastard pinned me, it’d be over. And that wasn’t going to happen.

I darted in before he could get to his feet, kicking him hard in the face, and then again in the balls. I danced away, stripping my clothes away as fast as I could before he regained his balance. Valleria had insisted on a loose top and athletic shorts, and now I understood why. They were easy to shed before I transformed, and not too loose to hinder me during the first part of the fight. I hoped my mates were right that my power would call to his as I pushed my Phoenix forward with a flash, withholding my flames, and took to the air. I needed the distance this would give me.

Light gathered around Hugo and flared for a moment, blocking my view. Animals ran through my head as I tried to think of weak points—rhino, elephant, bear, lion… As the light receded, one thought barreled into me.

Well, fuck my life.

A giant bird stood where Hugo had. He was easily five times the size of my Phoenix, and I didn’t recognize it. It spread its huge wings, flapping hard as it attempted to raise its heavier body into the air with me.

So much for gaining distance and being able to avoid his attacks, I thought wryly.

I could see the pale, worried faces of my mates far below me as I darted and weaved through the skies. My Phoenix hissed and screeched her displeasure, and no fear of the other bird raced through her system. I tried to impress upon her that it wasn’t terror of what Hugo could do to us, but what losing to him would force on my mates.

I’d anticipated a chance to dart away, assess each attack, search out weak spots. With the help of my Phoenix, I could tell his bird was mostly black with a large, white stripe across its wings, white legs, and a white tail. Its beak was massive, the color a brilliant yellow, as it hauled itself into the sky to challenge me. My Phoenix, more daring than I, darted in with a screech to rake her talons across his head.

Hugo dodged, though I scraped feathers from his crown. I wheeled, facing off with the giant bird. In this form, I was about the size of a pheasant, absolutely tiny in comparison even with my longer plumage. Hugo was giant and, though slower than my mythological’s speed, not nearly as slow as I needed him to be.

Again and again we connected in the air, the sharp pieces on the bottoms of his talons scoring over me as he attempted to grasp me in his claws. He was bleeding from the strikes of my beak and talons, but I bore a number of wounds as well, my blood dripping to the ground below to sizzle in the snow.

My Phoenix was furious and desperate to use her powers, but only fear for our mates kept a stranglehold on her. The blood loss was tiring me, and I wasn’t going to be able to last much longer. Hugo was fucking faster than I’d expected, and my goal to attack his eyes and his wing joints wasn’t working well enough. Sure, I’d done plenty of damage, but not enough to end the fight. Even beating the hell out of him when he’d been a human wasn’t enough. I needed something, and I needed something fast…

I struck again, my talons scraping the sensitive bones of his wings and making him screech as I thought frantically. An idea came to me, and I