me, anger like no human or supe possesses. This is pure monster rage. I feel its urges to kill, to feed, to make them all pay for what happened to me.
For being cast out, tortured all my life…for what he did to me.
It’s a battle, but eventually with the help of my tiger and wolf, I manage to cage it up deep inside me. I sag against the tree then, opening my eyes as my heart hammers and sweat slicks my body. That was too close. If it got free, no one would be safe. This world would be ripped apart until nothing but a bloody mess remained.
I don’t know if I was born with it. I never felt it before that night…so maybe it was always there, hiding. I don’t know. All I know is when I had been at my lowest, when I was near death, my blood slicking the forest ground, my body broken, my animals cowed, it appeared. It filled me with its warm embrace, changing me, protecting me.
Saving me.
I know without it, I would be dead, but ever since, I’ve been different. Quicker to anger, more heightened emotions…and my bloodlust is stronger. Is that the price I’ll pay every time it’s let free? I don’t know, but I can’t risk it.
So locked inside it stays.
With the only person who has seen it dead, I will go to the grave with my dark little secret.
A roar fills the forest, followed by a flapping of wings. I look up in astonishment to see a dragon soaring away from here. Luckily, it doesn’t spot me, those bastards are nearly impossible to kill. I wonder what it’s doing here. I watch it swoop away from the city and disappear into the clouds.
I give myself a moment to recover before I get dressed, my body still shaking from that near miss. I feel better with my clothes on, and after giving myself a shake, I step from the forest and walk quickly to the edge of the city. I make my way to the slums where I left my bike and pull the cardboard free. Swinging my leg over the seat, I waste no time gunning it towards my locker. My house is too far, but I have an emergency evac locker not too far from here.
After all, you never know.
Pulling into the storage center, I wait for the barrier to rise as it recognises my number plate before I pull around the back of the building and to the far units where I hid mine. Turning off the bike, I dismount and stride over to the steel grey shutter, which is rolled down and locked. Not with just any lock though.
Magic, bitches.
I look around at the dark empty lot, grinning as I turn back and press my finger to the big, old-style lock there. I feel the magic pass through me, checking it’s really me. It can see past enchantments, shifters, and even glamour. I got it from a pixie who owed me a favour after I helped fake his death.
Leaning down, I pull up the shutter and slip under. It falls shut behind me as the automatic lights flicker on with a slight buzz, illuminating my armoury, as I call it. All three walls are covered from floor to ceiling with LED back lit shelves. In the middle of the big space are three metal tables with boxes of amulets, spells, and books I might need. They also hold my go bag with ten passports, money, two phones, weapons, a wig, and change of clothes. To the right, next to the end of the shelves, is a railing of tactical clothing, dresses, and anything I might need in a pinch.
I’m not big on guns, but I have a few next to the rail on the shelves. Some are filled with refracted sunlight to slow down vamps. There are others with silver hollow points that leak pure molten silver when they hit a shifter, and one that shoots a bullet of holy water for demons. A girl can never be too prepared. I also have a flamethrower, but I haven’t tried that baby yet. I’m saving that for my next nest of vamps.
Stripping out of my jacket, I head to the back wall. My favourite one. From floor to ceiling, it’s filled with blades. Some are dipped in spells. Some are cursed. Some are plain silver. Some are forged from holy steel. All of them, however, are for kicking