FURIES - Shannon Burton (graded readers .txt) 📗

is the gift she was talking about." I mused.

 

At that moment there was a loud explosion and I burst into action.I had almost forgotten about Mikael and the rogues.

 

I was out the door in three seconds flat and down both flights of stairs in just a few more.I heard voices shouting my name but I had to make sure that Mikael was safe and unharmed.I started running towards the field that we were in the day before and all I saw was blood and flesh everywhere.I froze where I was and gazed at the carnage before me.It felt as if I was having an out of body experience and I was able to see everything in third person.

 

"Zhara!" A voice yelled.

 

To my left I saw Derek pulling the head off of a rogue.He stalked towards me and checked me for injury.

 

"Zhara what in the fuck are you doing out here? Why do you look like an Acaiden?"

 

"I was looking for Mikael.Where is he?" I asked while glossing over his second question.

 

"Dammit.Mikael is going to kill us if he finds out you were out here.You have got to go back inside."He told me.

 

"No not until I find Mikael." I demanded.

 

"Fine I will take you to him but if he tries to kill me you better take the blame." He growled.

 

"Okay I will but I need to make sure that he's safe."

 

"Stay behind me.No running off do you hear me Zhara."

 

"Yes! Yes! Now can we gooo?"

 

These Acaidens were just so damn pushy all the time.

 

Derek walked me into the forest that surrounded the field and pass bodies that littered the forest floor.Some were our own but most were rogues and that made me happy.What really caught my attention was the fact that seeing these dead bodies didn't make me sick; instead I relished in the spilled blood.

 

"So are you going to tell me why you look like an Acaiden?" Derek asked quietly.

 

"It's a gift from Rayon? I answered.

 

"I see."

 

We continued to walk in silence but after a few minutes my ears picked up on yelling and tearing.We ran quietly in the direction and found Mikael, Jodi, and Lance surrounded by eight rogues.Jodis' shoulder was severely shredded and Lance looked like he might go down at any minute.Mikael had minor injuries but exhaustion was wearing on him.

 

"Stay here." Derek ordered.

 

He slithered out from behind the trees and took on his Furie form.He flanked Mikaels left side and together they all fought.The rogues were using a fighting technique that caused the group to seperate their fromation and soon there was fighting in different parts of the forest.

 

I ended up losing sight of Mikael so I ran to the side of the forest that I saw him disappear into.He wasn't there any more and I grew worried.I moved deeper into the forest to see three rogues carrying Mikael off.He looked like he was out cold and he had shifted back into his human form.I realized that I only had one choice.I had to get him back.I ran up behind one and used what I had been taught but as soon as I side swept one,another smashed me into a tree and effectively knocked me out.That was the last time I saw Mikael alive.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 8

"Zhara please wake up.I don't know what I'm going to do without you.We came into this whole mess together and now it feels like were being torn apart.Damien told me what happened with you and Mikael and how you two were suppose to be mates and now your changing because of some destiny bullshit..." Tera rambled on and on.

 

"Tera I am begging you to please shut the hell up." I grumbled.

 

My voice sounded horse to my own ears and my muscles were extremely sore.What in the hell happened?

 

I remember being woken up by Corrinne and I got angry at Talon because Mikael was out fighting without any communication.And then..then I changed.

 

"They took Mikael." I breathed out.

 

"Yes but they have been looking for him for the past few days." Tera chattered.

 

"Days? How many days have I been out Tera?

 

"Uh oh.I gotta go." Tera got up as fast as she could but my hand on her arm stopped her.

 

"I swear to god if you don't tell me now I will end everything beautiful in your little bubble of a world." I growled.

 

Tera immediately froze.I wasn't the kind of girl to make threats like this but I couldn't stop the natural flow of the words.They tasted sweet on my tongue and I reveled in the level of adrenaline they gave me.

 

"Three days." She squeaked.

 

Dammit.I had been out for three days and that meant that Mikael and the rogues could be anywhere in the world at this point.I had to get up and help out anyway that I could.

 

"Zhara you really shouldn't get out of bed.You suffered a serious.."

 

Her words trailed off as I sent her a deadly glare.

 

I went over to my closet and rummaged through the clothes and found a black pair of leggings and a black knee length trench coat to pair with my combat boots.I wore nothing but a lace bra underneath my coat and it made me feel incredibly sexy.

 

When I came out of the closet Tera was already gone.Snitch. I went into the bathroom and brushed my teeth and hair.I wore my hair back into its usual braid and I opened up one of the buttons on my coat so the tips of my lace bra could show.Hmm sexy and dangerous.

 

I took my time heading down the stairs and found most of the Acaidens gathered in the diningroom.They were all yelling and arguing about Mikael and something about a successor.As soon as I stopped through the arch way all conversation ceased.With my hands in my pockets I made my way to one of the large windows and waited.

 

"You should really be in bed Zhara." Talon said as he comforted Tera.

 

"I didn't ask for your commentary on what I should be doing Talon." I replied.

 

The words were calm yet came out with an edge of danger and Talon instantly averted his eyes from my steady gaze.

 

"So what were we talking about?" I questioned.

 

"I really don't think you wanna know." Damien said with his head bowed.

 

"I appreciate your concern but I would rather that you answer my question." I snarled.

 

I didn't mean to be impolite but I surely wasn't getting the information that I wanted.

 

"Ok no need to be snippy but we were all discussing Mikaels successor." Ada said sadly.

 

"His successor?" I threw the word around in my mind and began to pace slowly.

 

"You honestly are thinking about replacing Mikael when you don't even know if he's dead."

 

I looked around and met each persons eyes but they turned away quickly.

 

"It's not that we want to replace him but we have to focus on making sure that we are safe?" Damien remarked.

 

And then it hit me.

 

"You want to be his successor.Don't you?" I concluded.

 

Damien said nothing and his silence was all that I needed.

 

"Luca can you please come outside with me." I asked sweetly.

 

I walked from the room and out onto the front lawn.Luca wasn't far behind me and he looked pissed.Mikael was his bestfriend and he would do anything to get him back.

 

"I need you to train me." I said as I faced the sun.

 

Luca was one of the best fighters in Acadia and I knew this because Mikael had personally trained him.

 

"If I do train you, what are you gonna do?"

 

"I am going to destroy every fucking rogue in my path." I said calmly.

 

"Then I'll train you.We'll start tomorrow morning so be ready to go."

 

He turned to head back into the house but something kept nagging at me.

 

"Luca, do you think Damien wants to be leader?"

 

"Yea.And truth be told he would be a good leader,but we as Acaidens need a great leader." He explained.

 

Once again a thought from long ago came back to me.It was like the Mona Lisa painting.The first one ever painted was painted with great care and each brush stroke became imprinted on the paper.It was perfection because it was the first one ever created.Many copies came after but none would ever have those same exact  brush strokes.It was like Damien and Mikael.Damien would forever be a copy; a mere shadow to Mikaels greatness.

 

"What are you thinking Zhara?" Luca asked.

 

"I'm thinking that I will tell you when the time is right." I replied.

 

"I'm going to trust you on this but all I ask is that you don't keep me to far in the dark."

 

"Your trust means more to me than you will ever know." It was the first sincere thing I had said in a long time.

 

Luca gave me a brief nod and headed back into the house.I didn't have the patience to listen to their debate so I started walking towards the town.It was a cloudy day and looked like it could possibly rain.Everyone seemed to be at that debate and that left me free to look through the shops and kiosks unhindered.

 

I went inside a small shop called Coats N' More and saw only a man in there.As I looked through the coats and sweaters he began to speak.

 

"Your Zhara, aren't you?" The older Acaiden asked.

 

"Maybe I am.Who are you?"

 

"Forgive me, I am Jeremy." He replied.

 

"What do you want?"

 

"I would just like to talk with you about your mate. Uuum what's his name..Mikael?" He laughed.

 

He was dangerous and I could sense it but I decided to play dumb and glean as much information as possible.

 

"My mate? What are you talking about?" I asked.

 

"Come and have coffee with me and I will tell you everything I know."

 

"I really don't know what your talking about Mister but I do think some coffee in this cold weather would do me some good." I smiled.

 

"Perfect.There is a coffee shop about two blocks down and I would be more then happy to escort you." He reached out his hand and took my shopping bags.

 

"Right this way my lovely." He held open the door and escorted me down to the coffee shop.

 

We found a nice quiet corner in the back of the shop and we ordered to hot chocolates.

 

I looked up at him and studied his features.He had short dark brown hair, pale blue eyes, and high cheek bones.The only thing that gave away his age were the crows feet around his eyes and the light dust of gray at his temples.Other than that his muscular build and his taut features gave him an aura of youth.

 

"Alright lets cut the crap princess.You have to be Mikaels mate otherwise you wouldn't have been able to get into Acadia.I was watching you before and I know for a fact that your human." He growled.

 

Wonderful.He was they guy that was a t the starbucks Tera and I had went to.He also just let me know that he could be easily duped because he sounded like he was getting his facts from somewhere else.

 

"No. No silly.I'm Luca's mate.But I did hear about that guy being stolen.I met him when I first got here and gosh was he nice." I giggled.

 

He gave a perplexed look and I knew I was right.He had an outside source.

 

"Wait. So you aren't Mikael's mate?"

 

I shook my head and tapped my fingers on the table.The waitress appeared with the hot chocolates and gave Jeremy a long lengthy perusal but