Hawk took to the air as the foxes attacked. They snapped their jaws shut at the air, his legs out of their reach. She watched him hover away despite the ceiling being low. Sprinting forward she jumped swiping her claws at him. He swerved to the side avoiding her and swung his wing striking her across the back.
Hissing she glanced at the ground and one of her foxes jumped off her back and then dug its teeth into his shoulder. He snarled and tried to throw it off but it wasn’t budging and just dug its teeth in harder. Spinning Hawk glided backwards and swung one of his wings into the ceiling.
Grinding the fox across the ceiling the fox eventually bounced off, crashing into the ground. It hopped back to its feet, limping slowly. Gen turned to watch Hawk as he flexed both shoulders and pointed his wings at her. Feathers rained down and she darted away to avoid them.
She stumbled backwards as her back hit the wall. Gasping in surprise her gaze jerked upwards as he dove at her again. Bracing her arms in front of her face the foxes sprang to action one grasping each his wings. They tried to dragged him down, one wing digging into the ground but another went through her side.
Letting out a shout of surprise she slid backwards and slammed into the wall hard. Using his wings to keep him in the air he swung with his fist punching her in the head then chest. Floating forward he slammed his head into hers and she stumbled backwards before slumping down.
“What did you think was going to happen Gen?” he smirked. “Hit me with some of your kung fu nonsense and take me out? The sky is my domain.”
He moved one wing and she jerked in response glowering at him. She glanced past him as her foxes came to life and rushed at him. He watched and kicked one away before it got close. The second he had to turn and swat away with his free wing but unbeknownst to him a third rushed from behind. It leaped biting into his side.
Letting out a shout he reached back at the animal but it fell off before it could be swiped away. He flew backwards to face the trio of them and Gen got to her feet shakily but got more confidence in her movements. The foxes growled as he rose to the air outside of their grasp.
“God I hate these mutts of yours,” he growled. “I think they should all just be put down.”
“A poor piece of shit like you?” she broke into a laugh taking a step forward. “You aren’t good enough to clean their teeth let alone put them down.”
The foxes all opened their mouths unleashing their flames. They engulfed him from the ground. Even with her armor she felt the heat, so she could only imagine at how much he was feeling. Watching with the flames dancing on her visor she squeezed her hand into a fist and they ceased.
Stepping backwards the foxes closed their mouths panting. Hawks was a smoldering shape floating in the air but as the flames started to fade away. He slowly began to sink to the ground until he landed on one knee panting. “Look at you Hawk. A burnt pigeon. Not talking so big anymore are you?”
Hawk held his head down panting and Gen continued to walk forward confidently. Snapping her fingers, the foxes started to close in as well and she folded her arms. “Got anything else smart to say before you become fox food?”
“Yeah. Leave the lines to your writers.”
Each of his feathers rustled along his wings and then he shouted. Standing quickly he shoved both his arms out and sent a barrage of them in every direction. She recoiled away and heard each of her foxes cry out. None of the feathers found their way into her and she looked down to see one of her foxes had protected her.
She crouched stroking the neck and head of one of the foxes and it whimpered under her touch. They weren’t real animals, she knew that, but they were hers. Part of her in the same way a car or a lucky shirt was.
Breathing harder he stood up again and his wings flexed though in some spots there were missing chunks. He looked down at the downed animals and laughed. “Look. There are some loyal bitches around.”
Raising her head, she snarled with a sound that was on par with the canines at her feet. The foxes turned into dust and gathered at her side forming into a bigger animal. It’s nine tails thrashed at her side and it growled taking a step forward along with her. Gen raised her head back with the animal, taking a deep breath.
“Kill.”
The fox sprinted forward, low to the ground. It snarled as the lightning raced across the tails. Hawk stood ready to fight back, slashing one wing. It leaped over the wing, flipping over his back. It blasted him with lightning forcing a shout of pain as he crumpled. When he looked up Gen’s knee found his jaw.
Her hand darted forward, picking him up by the throat. “I may not be a psychopath like you but I know how to put someone like you down.”
She raised her other hand above his head before bringing it down swiftly. His hand lurched forward catching it by the wrist. He looked up at her, his eyes flashing red. His other hand darted forward and dug deep into the wound he’d already made in her armor. Gasping she stared at him and then jerked as he ripped his arm backward.
She stumbled backwards and looked at his hand. She stared at the black orb in his hand and sank down to her knee. Chuckling darkly the light faded slowly revealing a stone cut to perfection. It hummed in his hand and he closed his hand around it.
Gen screamed and leaned back, pain flaring in her mind. It was like peeling the skin from her body one inch at a time. Several times she thought she’d pass out but somehow, she was still conscious for what felt like hours but in reality, were only a few seconds. When the pain ended her armor was gone and so where the foxes.
Sinking down slowly she collapsed against the ground covered in sweat, the pain in her side muted in comparison to the pain radiating from her everywhere. Hawk slumped forward his wings going limp but his footing even. “Thanks for the boost movie star. Good luck with the career. Hope you don’t die out here.”
Stumbling backwards he straightened his wings and jumped to the air. He broke through the ceiling and flew away. Gen didn’t even see him go. She curled up into a ball trying to breathe. Time got away from her but her pain subsided and she felt something soft against her body where it wasn’t before. “Don’t worry Ms. Fang. I’ve got you.”
The Harlequin Library 