She sprang up and hurtling towards Beast Kain, she knocked into his muscular back putting him off balance from his standing position. He fell forward just missing Nik who had the good sense to lean to the side at the right time. Beast Kain swung round, pounded after Jaz and hammered into her before she could move. She gasped unable to breathe before he had her pinned against the cage wall, his claws forking into her neck. The blood flowed freely from the wounds and her vision blurred. Her chest was constricted and of what little she could breathe felt like she was inhaling acid.
“I'm gonna enjoy this,” he growled. His head then suddenly jerked forward and he dropped her just before buckling into the cage bars.
Jaz focused on Nik as he stood there, his shoulders sagging, his fist bloody and clenched. She hurriedly crawled away from the unconscious Beast, not able to look Nik in the face. He was so ill she didn't recognize him. If she saw surrender in his eyes, she feared it would mean the end for both of them.
Jaz heard a sharp grunt and was flung to the side. Beast Kain's paw smacked against Nik's face, slicing his cheek and sending him flying back. The force knocked the wind out of him and made him throw up.
Jaz screamed after him just as Beast Kain was about to strike. She jumped in between them. Her right hand tingled and she let her inner Beast take over. Her fingers lengthened, the nails hardened and grew into razor sharp claws. The Change in her hand happened within the time it took her to dive in front of Nik, shield him, and when her face met Beast Kain's, she slashed him across the throat. A choked gurgling sound escaped his jaws; he clasped his paw to the gushing wound, jumping back in alarm.
Jaz smiled at him despite the voice in her head telling her it was a very stupid idea.
He took it badly.
His claws lifted up ready to maim; his long jaw opened wide, revealing blood-soaked, razor teeth. She held her ground, trying not to scream.
Then came a whistle of metal. A spray of blood. Beast Kain stopped mid-stride, his wide eyes froze then glazed over, and he crashed to the floor like a rhino.
Jaz hid her hand but there was no need: it had morphed back.
She stared down at Beast Kain's body. A bullet hole in his head.
What had just happened?
Then there was havoc. The crowd roared and cheered. It took a moment for Jaz to realize they thought she'd killed him. But then they must have wondered how she could have slashed his throat when she hadn't Changed? However, that was the least of her worries.
The clank of the cage doors opening caught her attention and then Nik's hand touched hers. She looked back to see him kneeling on the floor, his head knocked back to look into her eyes, a faint smile on his bloody, pale face. She bent down to grab him, but then a loud, bellowing bray that sounded like...
She turned and her eyes widened, filled with the light of the fireball about to hit her. Nik lunged forward, just pulling her down in time, but it didn't really matter.
The fireball found a new target.
Alf stood in front of them as a human shield, the fireball smashing against the side of his fist and forearm. The ball broke off into several pieces hitting the bars; flecks of fire spat out just shy of the crowd missing Nik and Jaz by inches.
Alf wasn't so lucky. Most of his hand and forearm were charred to the bone, his face red and bleeding like it had been hit with shrapnel.
Numbed by shock he reached for his face.
“Don't!” Jaz cried out. She sprang up holding the elbows of Alf's jacket that weren't singed from the fire, to keep him away from his damaged skin.
Choking on her tears, she shrieked, “Why did you do that?!” She could barely recognize his face or her own voice. Underneath all the blood and burnt skin, she didn't know if he'd ever look the same again.
“I made a promise,” he said in a hoarse voice riddled with agony. The skin on his face was red raw and bubbled. Blood seeped from open wounds that scattered across his skin like the fire had exploded in his face. She looked down at his deformed hand, most of his fingers were burnt away; some of the wounds higher up his arm were deep enough to expose muscle and bone. She released a sob and his good arm gripped her. Even though he must have been in agony, he still thought to comfort her and she could only cry harder.
Nik got to his feet with the help of Carr craning him up.
The sound of the fireball lighting up again made everyone flinch.
“Turn off that fucking fireball, RIGHT NOW!” Carr blasted. Someone somewhere listened and the whirring sound of machinery halted.
Then the medics came. Nik and Alf were put onto stretchers. There was a moment where they were side by side; Alf's good hand was next to Nik's. Nik reached out and clasped it, tears in his pain-stricken eyes. Alf clasped back. And then they were separated. Taken away.
Jaz was left behind, guided out by Carr. She stared at the corpses lying in the sand, which was soaked red. The overpowering stench of burning flesh made vomit shoot up her throat and she bent over to spit it up. Carr pulled her up to stand and she stumbled all the way to the open gate, letting Carr guide her through the death-pit.
He stayed close to her, his hand round her shoulder.
Jaz wanted to ask him why he wasn't with Nik, why he was with her instead. She looked at him, frowning in question.
He whispered in her ear, “We have to get you out of here. I think that fireball was meant for you.”
~Chapter 41 - Confess~
Early next morning...
Saturday July 2nd, 6:02 a.m.
Deer Creek