Taming Darkness

~Darius~

Her wings spread wide, burning as brightly as the lava on which she walks. Yet when her lips part to scream again, the sound matches that of her Phoenixes. With her flaming wings and her fierce expression. Her dark hair and blazing eyes add to her formidable presence, and the intensity of her voice echoes the power of a thousand Phoenixes.

It erupts out of her, shattering the building windows around us. The sound is so powerful. Even the ground below me shakes like an earthquake.

Our mate truly is a thing of beauty, grace, and unseen dominance. She is a force to be reckoned with. Whoever has the gall to think of Aleera as less than she truly is, is in for a massive surprise. And pain. A lot of pain.

Her scream sounds like chaos and destruction. It roars and tears out of her as if the process causes her physical pain. Those sounds grow louder as she lifts her hands.

The moment she does, the crater of lava behind her explodes, and lava spews out and morphs. In amazement, I watch as the droplets of lava merge and form into snakes, slivering out of the crater. The snakes instantly attack, hunting their prey, just as her Phoenixes dive and pick them off.

Aleera's magic is unimaginable. It's powerful and strong, twisted and wicked, yet insanely beautiful. I can't find better words or ways to describe everything I witness happening before my eyes. I never dared to assume something like this might be possible. Her mother, wild with rage, screams for her minions to grab Aleera. I smirk as soon as I realize what's happening, and a moment later, Lydia orders them to attack. The power hunters don't want to obey her. They are hesitant at first to do her bidding, yet once their true nature shines through, the morons are eager to steal her magic.

Aleera moves almost as if she is dancing, so light on her feet. She looks graceful with each precise move she makes. Somehow, she manages to create a performance as she shows off her skills. She flaunts her magic in front of those who are unworthy of holding so much power in their hands.

Watching her, one would think she had trained all her life in combat. Assume that battles and wars were all Aleera ever knew. Her anticipation of every move reveals instinct, intuition, as though it is built into every fiber of her being. Once she gives into the primal instinct of her nature, of her magic, the power hunters are no match for her.

One by one, Aleera cuts them down. Every hunter that tries their luck against our beautiful mate falls at her feet. They can't even get close enough to hurt her. Her wings are sharper than any sword and are one of her biggest weapons. They cut and slash through skin and flesh, leaving clean, deadly wounds.

Our Aleera. My Aleera looks like the angel of death. She is magnificent, indescribable, and unreal. After all the vile things I have done, I still can't believe she is mine.

Yet, as much as I love to admire my mate, her combat skills, and her magic, I can't stand aside and stare like a fool. We are at the epicenter of war and my mates, all of them, need me to survive just as much as I need them.

Just as I tear my gaze away from Aleera, Lydia turns her attention to the fight. Finally, her hand clutching the knife falls from my neck as she screeches at her men, telling them to grab her.

I move quickly, sweeping her legs out from under her. The blade flying from her hand as she hits the ground.

Getting to my feet, I attempt to grab her when she lifts her hand, blinding me with blue light. My eyes become scorched, and I am temporarily blinded when I feel her foot connect with my stomach. Then all of a sudden, I feel myself falling.

Wind rushes past me when I hear her whistle. The sound is loud, like a siren call, to which I turn and throw my hands out to open a portal when Ryze swoops below me and then passes. Her talons sink into my arm as she flaps with all her might to slow my fall. Ryze screeches loudly, her wings skimming my face as she shoots off toward Aleera.

I run for her too. Aleera needs me, she needs all the help she can get. F**k! This was my battle to begin with, and now, all my mates are involved. If any of them get hurt because of me, I won't ever forgive myself. Ever. From the corner of my eye, I notice that Aleera's mother opened a portal and is now standing on the council stairs.

Aleera, however, is too busy fighting the man who holds Kalen's leash in his fist. I curse under my breath as I watch Kalen's face turning purple. The god-damn leash is caught around a pole as he fights not to let go.

Time slows, and my eyes widen when I see Lydia raise the remote in her hand. She doesn't hesitate to push one of the buttons, which as a result jolts Kalen's body. The purple shade of his face turns into deep red, the pain traveling through the bond, nearly forcing me down to my knees.

Just in time, Aleera pivots. Her wings slice through the leash the man holds. Finally, Kalen is released. He instantly sucks in a breath and gasps for more, as if he has been deprived of it for centuries.

Kalen hits the ground in a heap, and my breath lodges in my throat as I see him scramble to undo it. Just as, Aleera's mother raises her hand, clutching the remote again.

My heart slows down before it starts pumping erratically. I almost screamed when I noticed Lycus racing in Lydia's direction. I know he wants to stop her as much as I want to, but his decision is outrageously dangerous.

So many things are happening around us that I only hear a sickening, slashing sound. I don't realize what has happened until blood splatters on my face. I blink as Aleera's wings slice another man in half.

A second after the fragments of the man hit the ground, her wings flex. Feathers as sharp as razors and strong as steel fly off her as she turns, coated in blood. One sharp feather slashes my cheek as it passes me. The feather heads in the direction of her mother, while more slice through our enemies.

However, it doesn't hit Lydia, but the remote that is in her hand when she hits the button. Lycus howls, and I scream as her feather cuts through it.

My eyes widen in horror, moving to Kalen just as he unclips the collar, tossing it aside. I wait for the explosion, but it doesn't come. Lycus' body crashes into Lydia's, and he tears into her, only to be blasted with magic. The loud ringing of Lydia's magic makes me clutch my ears.