Page 102 of Power Shift
“The left!” Moira shouted.
I veered left, my night vision so much better than it ever had been, sweeping my gaze across the forest to acquire my second target.
There.
A hint of white and red speeding through the woods. I dipped low, edging the tips of the trees, and realized the bastard had fledthrough the heaviest cover to evade me. Amusement tinged my lips.
Fire from…another head—somewhere on my body? I didn’t know, but I took advantage of my new powers and scorched the trees, to uncover Finn.
Guilt speared me at the damage, but I’d heal them later. Right now, I had to take care of this threat, this thing that had brought so much trauma into my life.
Finn veered right. I lowered my bulk closer, tearing through trees and brush in my pursuit. A primal scream ripped from Finn’s throat when he made the mistake of looking back. Whatever he saw scared the shit out of him, but I didn’t care. I’d worry about it later and hope it wasn’t permanent.
He shifted into a sleek panther, dark as night with jade green eyes, and attempted to slip away.
But I could still see him. I could see everything.
I could feel everything. Power roared through me, but all I felt was the urge to kill, kill, kill the threat.
Finn. I had to kill Finn.
I toyed with him, keeping my speed steady enough to keep up with him but not overtake him, even though I easily could. When he attempted to veer away, I’d send a blaze of fire out and make him head the other way. I pursued him for what felt like hours until the edges of his ribs heaved, his tongue hung out, and his speed slowed. Eventually, he stopped and collapsed, rolling onto his stomach.
Finn shifted into human form; fear etched into the very bones of his face.
“Evie,” he croaked, his chest heaving and nostrils flaring as he sucked in oxygen. “Please. It was never anything personal.”
Not personal to him. That was the difference. Everything he’d done to me was personal. It affected every single thing inmy life. His actions kept me from living, kept me hidden away, afraid of myself and my power, afraid of love.
Simply afraid.
I loomed above him, staring at him dispassionately.
“You—” His throat worked. “You are stunning. I’ve never seen the Chimera’s true form. None of us have ever been able to shift into it.”
A sliver of calculation brimmed in his eyes. “I can help you become what you were meant to be. I can show you what you can do.”
I roared, the sound shaking the tops of the trees.
Finn snapped his mouth shut and stared at me. A wet spot soaked the front of his jeans.
I felt no sympathy or empathy. I was past the point of such human emotions. This thing had ruined me and deserved to pay.
“Evangeline,” a voice said quietly.
I shuddered. Caelan came into the clearing, proudly nude and bloody. Scratches grazed his face and chest, but nothing serious. His gaze traveled over my form, his lips pressed tight. Golden and green magic shimmered around him, and his eyes blazed with power.
He exhaled and nodded to himself as if he’d come to a long overdue conclusion. “First rule of shifting, Evie. We don’t play with our food.”
I huffed, a puff of fire burning the leaves off the tree to my left. My back feet had hooves, but my front were tipped with retractable lethal claws. I lifted one up and sent my claws out with a powerful snick.
Caelan’s lips edged upward. “Yes, pretty kitty. I see how beautiful you are. How lethal.”
I was a cat? Cool. But no. I had wings and hooves and…paws. What in the actual fuck?
He jerked his head toward Finn. “Would you like me to finish him?”
Another roar that blew Caelan’s hair back. The Lord held his hands up and took a step back, a huff of laughter escaping him. “Fair enough.”
