A Court of Shadows and Stars (Azriel Fanfiction)

Twenty Two- Cruisin' for a Bruisin'

Twenty Two- Cruisin' for a Bruisin'

"Kaira? You okay love?" It was Morrigan who was shaking my shoulder gently. I was still standing, staring at the mirror which now revealed my reflection. He was really gone. Brandon. That's it. Nothing more. Memories rushed through my mind and I had to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from losing it.

"I need some air," I said before pushing pass everyone and making my way through the house. I didn't know where I was going or where I wanted to go to but I found myself leaving the house and making my way to the town. Thankfully no one followed.

I didn't realize that I had made my way to the slums until my boot sunk deep into a pile of mud. I pulled it out, pissed and frustrated over the entire situation. Why did he have to kill Brandon? He could've just locked him up or paid him handsomely to keep his mouth shut. Brandon would never tell a soul if uncle had threatened his life. He would've kept it to himself.

Better yet Brandon would've passed off the entire portal situation as some hallucination and blamed it on something he'd smoked before I had arrived.

God! He had the fucking nerve to just kill people whenever he wanted to.

But then again, he had a point. There can't be any untied ends. Everything needs to be carried out smoothly. That's how we always worked. It had to be done.

Brandon's smiling eyes and laugh flashed through my memory and this time I couldn't stop the sob that racked through me. It was followed by another and I bit my fist to stop myself from turning into a tearful mess.

"Oh little mortal can't stop crying now can she?" A voice taunted from the shadows. I stopped, looking up to find a group of Fae who were dressed in ragged finery. Their gazes had a wicked glint to it along with a hunger that ravaged in them. I knew where they were from, the Hewn City. Running into them was not a good option.

And yet right now I was thirsting for a fight. My body ached for a release.

"She looks a little lost. Maybe she needs help getting home," a female said tauntingly. She wore a dress of blood and gore, all torn and tattered up. I had a distinct feeling such was the fashion in the Hewn City.

I shrugged, "Maybe I do need help getting home," I said edging in some innocence and fear into my words. The Fae seemed to like that I was cowering at their presence and moved closer.

"Oh she's a pretty one, maybe I can keep her as a pet," a male said as his eyes roamed over me making my skin crawl. He lunged and grabbed onto my arm, pulling me closer in the process. This close I could smell the alcohol in his breath. They were all after a good dose of it. It was a plus point for me seeing that I wouldn't be dealing with sober ones. I still had my gun under my jacket along with my twin blades securely tucked in my boots.

I could do it.

Before he could at least place a finger on me, I had whipped a blade from my boot and slashed it across his arm. He hissed in pain as his fingers cleaved smoothly from his hand and fell down like pebbles clattering against wood. They gained in on me as quickly as I pulled out my second blade. There were six of them, four males and two females and although they were drunk they were good fighters.

We were a mass of claws and blades and teeth. I didn't stop even as a Fae slashed his taloned nails across my back, cleaving open my tunic and tearing through my skin. The pain only fueled me to fight harder. Around me I could hear screams and hisses of pain whenever my blades made contact with them. They were backing away and advancing at the same time. The alcohol in their system making them braver. My blades seemed to be burning through them and I didn't let myself lag behind as I kept on attacking. Two tried to grip my arms but I was too quick for them, turning on my heel and shoving one blade clean through a males heart. He dropped dead like a sack of potatoes. His companion, a female with dark red hair screamed as she watched the light go from his eyes. I cut it short by slamming a knife into her temple.

A male grabbed my shoulder roughly, popping the bone right out from its socket and on instinct I dropped the blade I was holding as blinding pain flashed through me. The Fae made no move to get it instead lunged on me. Caught between four of them I kicked and struggled, using my free hand to shove right into the eyes of a male. He hissed in pain, staggering backwards- his grip on me loosening as he reached up to his eyes. I used it to my advantage and kicked him in the gut. He fell down to his knees while clawing at his eyes. Before the others could surround me again, I twisted my wrist and cut through the arm of the female with the one blade I had. She screamed as hot smoke rose from the wound and as her grip loosened I head butted the male behind me and he dropped me to my feet. Landing in a squat I sliced through the calf of the male in front of me. He roared in pain, kicking me in the jaw before reaching out to scratch at my face, the female advancing in on me at the same time. A quick work with my blade and the male was a dead pile of bones and before the female could react I shoved the blade at her hip.

"You rat!" The male behind me was back on his feet and before I knew it, he had his arm around my throat, choking me in the process. My grip on my blade loosened as I struggled to loosen his grip, my breath coming out in short bursts. He was laughing as he watched me struggle, "You may think and act like a warrior and use Ashwood blades on us but in the end you're still a mortal," his rank breath fanned against my face and I reached back up to tear his arm away. The female was recovering and she was taking menacing steps towards me, a maniac glee in her eyes.

I reached back, pulling my gun out of its holder and aimed it at her. I was always a good shot and as soon as I pressed the trigger I watched as the bullet ricocheted to the centre of her forehead. Before she even knew it she was dead at my feet. The male who had me in a chokehold roared in anger, before he could end me then and there I lifted my gun and turned it towards him. A shot fired and his grip loosened. I pulled free and got to my feet.

Four of them were dead and one was on the brink of dying. From the wound at his waist I knew that I had hit a vital organ. The other male stared up at me in horror as I neared him, "Don't- please," he begged- raising his arms up in surrender.

I stared at him unphased. This wasn't the first time someone had begged me to spare their life. I stared him down as he began mumbling incoherently, just as I raised my gun to shoot I got his scent and something in me seem to click in place.

I turned to find Azriel in the shadows. He was staring at me, wide eyed. His eyes held no fear for me, only worry- almost as if he worried for me. And there was something else, a realization. There was only silence between the two of us as I fully turned to face him. Something in me desperately needed him and I tampered it down. My fucking ex just died and here I am staring intently at another male.

Before I could act on the raging thoughts in my head, I shoved my gun back into its holder and limped over to my blades. Putting them back into their respective holders I made my way out of the slums, not once turning back to see what destruction I had left behind.

And the male with the intense hazel eyes.