Storm's Break (Completed, Editing)

Chapter 19

Ren~

I stare as Shinra falls away in shards of ice to reveal a high fae.
"I'm not drunk enough for this" Lizzy mutters, at the same time Ashen says "I'm not sober enough for this."

I chuckle, then frown thoughtfully. Lizzy is a healer... she should be the most sober at the moment... Ah well. She's also earthsworn, and earth vampires love their alcohol... eh, I need to focus on the situation at hand.
"Right, start talking mister, who are you?" I hiss at the High Fae - Winter Court if I had to hazard a guess.

He glares at me and raises himself to his full height - impressive, despite having to lean against the wall for support. An iron circlet crests his brow, and his hair, longer at the back then the sides, hangs around his waist. An alarming number of metal piercings mar his regal features, the sharp cheekbones casting severe shadows across his face. He has three eyebrow piercings, those weird Earl piercings near his tear ducts, wolf bites - two lip rings top and bottom, plus a nose ring and those spiked devil bites just beneath his lip.

Quite the effect, but I'm not intimidated, and raise and eyebrow. He bares sharpened canines and ice crackles throughout the room, clinging to his hair and jacket. Perfect, matches the thunderstorm brewing in my hand.
"I am the king of the Winter Fae Court!" he snaps in a voice demanding respect - to which I roll my eyes.
"And I'm the Master of the Roseheart Vampire Protection Coven." I snap back.

He glares viciously, trying to no doubt intimidate me. All he's succeeding in doing is allowing me to notice that he's quite handsome. And still injured. With a slow smirk, I reach over and poke the unhealed cut across his shoulder. The High fae screeches and doubles over, much to my chagrin. I forget how strong vampires are....

Lizzy sighs and interposes herself between the two of us, golden healing magic illuminating her hands again.
"If the two of you are quite done your little pissing contest, you need to heal." she states, poking the Fae's chest.

The two of us look at eachother, and our expressions, and crack up.
"Gods, we're no better than cavemen!" I laugh.
"Agreed! I'm Shiki Demab by the way." he chuckles.
"Ren Tensa, and that's my second, Ashen Reine and the rest of my coven - this division at least." I hum.

Lizzy finishes healing Shiki and I toss him a beer, watching as he cracks it open and takes a long drink, grimacing at the taste and wiping his lip.
"So what happened to ya mate?" Vic asks.
"Got chased by a group of hunters while hunting Elk back home. I fell through the wrong Trod." he shrugs, his silver skin blushing a wintery blue.
"What's a trod?" Lizzy asks.
"Fae methods of traveling, they take you through the inbetween. Watch out for hooks. This was the nearest place I knew I could get help and well... I know you're friends with Shi." he explains, sounding more exhausted by the second.
"Wait - you know Shinra?!" I exclaim.
"Not personally, he fought alongside my mother - Queen Mab - and my father Ash, the warrior prince of the Iron court in the hundred year war." Shiki shrugs.

I'm silent as I digest this information. It's the most I've ever heard about Faerie...

Lizzy makes another comment about being too sober for this and we all laugh, passing around more information and chatting freely, mainly about the upcoming school trip. Turns out Shiki is a student at Taiga, the school we'll be partaking with. He has a few tidbits to share with us to make the trip even more interesting.
"From what I've understood from Jazon - our teacher - our respective classes - as well as a two student class taught by Zero the Windrunner - will be partaking in combat classes with a variety of supernatural cultures before heading out to a Rhadai Rip where we can practice on all layers of reality. Apparently after that we're all heading out to a restaurant for dinner before staying overnight at a pretty high end hotel." Shiki hums. Then makes a shushing motion. "Don't tell anyone I told you!" he giggles and passes out.

It's strange how quickly a friend can become an enemy, I mean, I'd been about to cut his head off if Shiki threatened my coven...

Because I'm not paying attention [yes I know I should have been Luke-] the witchblade suddenly pressing against my throat makes me jump. Bad.
"What the hell?!" I exclaim.
"So easy to fool, you Vampyres, to think I had you eating out of my palm for three years!" Lizzy's voice croons in my ear.

Behind me Shiki shouts in surprise while my coven cuss. A brief glance of the situation reveals Slayer chains binding most of my friends, Shiki on his knees, kneeling before a slayer with an iron sword. The King of Winter and Prince of Iron winks at me.
"Why Lizzy?" I ask quietly of the witch who had us all fooled.
"I have all the information I need!" she laughs, too drunk on her success to consider magic.
"And what about us?" I ask, forcing the words out, heartbreak crushing me.
"You truly fell for that bullshit?!" she laughs and I swear my heart shatters audibly.

Shiki calmy stands up, bare-handedly brushing aside the Slayer's iron sword.
"Stand up Ren." he commands quietly, for I had dropped to my knees in shock.

The command washes over me with a soothing wind, clearing away the heat of the Witchblade. I stand.
"This is not the end of the world. Rise, and fight. She knows everything we know. Now that information cannot leave this room." Shiki states.
"I shall hurt everyone you ever cared about! On your knees!" Lizzy screams, swinging an arch of witch magic - which cracks against Ashen - who screams.

Fury hardens my broken heart and I whip around with a furious scream.
"YOU WON'T LAY A HAND ON THEM!" I roar, lightning phasing through my body into my dagger as I plunge it deep into her chest.

Blood arcs across my skin, staining my hair, my room, and a heartbroken sob rips through me as I drive the blade home, ending the life of the girl I thought I loved.

Shiki finishes the remaining slayers and I collapse, dropping to my knees and screaming, bloodstained hands covering my face as I sob.