The Last Lunar Phoenix

The attack came on the fourth night while I was in the training room with Osilus, working on controlling the Phoenix fire without letting it consume me. Sweat dripped down my spine as golden flames moved across my palms, and I focused on keeping them contained, controlled.

"Good," Osilus said, circling me slowly. "Now try to..."

The estate's alarm system screamed to life.

The fire in my hands exploded outward, and Osilus barely managed to throw up an earth shield before it would have scorched him.

"What's happening?" I demanded, the flames guttering out.

"There's a serious breach," he said, already moving toward the door. "Someone's broken through the perimeter."

Avalon's voice crackled through the intercom. "Osilus, get Zephyr to the safe room. Now."

"No," I said, following Osilus into the hallway. "I'm not hiding while..."

The window at the end of the corridor exploded inward and three wolves crashed through in a shower of glass. Behind the chaos stood three massive snarling wolves with red bands around their necks that marked them as rogues for hire. Behind them, more howls echoed through the night.

"Zephyr, run!" Osilus roared, shifting mid-stride. His wolf was enormous and brown and he met the first attacker head-on.

I ran, but not away. I ran toward the sounds of fighting, toward where I felt Avalon and Zane through the mate bonds.

The main hall was chaos.

At least a dozen rogues had entered the estate. This wasn't a random attack, someone had paid well for this.

Was it Father? I thought with cold certainty. Or Bron.

Avalon was in the center of the hall in his wolf form which was massive and white as winter, with ice literally forming where his paws touched. He tore through rogues like they were paper, but there were too many.

Zane fought near the entrance, still human but moving with speed it was hard to focus on him. Fire surrounded his fists, and every punch left burns and broken bones.

"Zephyr!" Avalon's voice in my head, sharp with command. "Get out of here!"

"No," I said aloud, and let the Phoenix fire rise.

It came easier this time, responding to my rage and fear. Golden flames erupted across my skin, and the temperature in the hall rose.

The nearest rogue turned toward me, seeing easy prey and thought it was a good idea to lunge at me with jaws open ready to tear out my throat.

I threw my hands forward, and Phoenix fire poured out. The rogue didn't even have time to scream, he was ash before he hit the ground.

Every wolf in the hall froze, staring at me.

"Anyone else?" I asked, my voice echoing with something not quite human.

Two more rogues charged me together, thinking numbers would help.

I pulled the fire inward, condensing it, then released it in a wave that swept across the hall. Both wolves went down screaming as their fur caught fire. The smell of burning flesh filled the air, and I felt nothing but cold satisfaction.

"Zephyr, behind you!" Zane's warning came too late because before I could react, claws raked down my back, and I screamed. The pain was white-hot, and I stumbled forward. The rogue's weight crashed into me, driving me to the ground.

I felt it's hot breath on my neck as its jaws opened to deliver the killing bite.

Then ice exploded across the rogue's face, and Avalon's massive wolf form tore him off me. There was a sickening crack, and the rogue went limp.

"Zephyr," Avalon shifted back to human, kneeling beside me. Blood streamed down his chest from a dozen wounds. "How bad?"

"I'm fine," I lied, even as blood soaked through my training clothes. "There are still so many of them"

"We know," Zane said, appearing beside us. He had a slash across his face, and his knuckles were raw and bleeding. "This is just the first wave. I think they're testing our defenses."

"Or trying to keep us busy," Osilus added, joining us. He was still in wolf form, limping slightly. "While someone else..."

Just then, an explosion rocked the estate.

"The vault," Avalon said, his face going hard. "They're after the Phoenix blood."

"Go," I said, struggling to my feet despite the pain. "I can handle this..."

"You're injured," he cut me off. "And you're their real target. The blood is just a bonus."

He was right. This whole attack was designed to either kill me or capture me. The rogues, the explosions, all these distractions.

"Then let's give them what they want," I said, and saw understanding dawn in his eyes.

"You want to be bait?" Zane asked, grinning despite the blood on his face. "I like it."

"I don't," Avalon growled. "It's too dangerous."

"Everything is dangerous," I shot back. "But at least this way, we control the situation."

Another explosion happened, closer this time and the chandelier above us swayed dangerously.

"We don't have time to argue," Osilus said, shifting back to human. "If they reach the vault..."

"They won't," I said. "Because I'm going to draw them out. All of them."

Before Avalon could protest, I pushed past him and walked toward the main entrance. My back screamed with every step, but I forced myself to move.

The night air hit me like a slap. The estate grounds were crawling with rogues with at least twenty more waiting in the shadows.

And standing at the treeline, watching with cold calculation, was Bron.

"Hello, sister," he called out, his voice carrying across the lawn. "Enjoying your inheritance?"

"Bron," I said, and Phoenix fire flickered across my hands. "I should have known you wouldn't have the balls to face me yourself."

"Why would I?" He stepped forward, and I saw the silver blade in his hand. "When I can pay others to do it? Though I must admit, I'm impressed you survived this long. Father said you'd die in the first wave."

"Father's here too?" I asked, scanning the treeline.

"Watching from a safe distance," Bron said with a smirk. "He's very interested to see if the rogues can take you alive. The vampires are paying a fortune for living Phoenix specimens."