Chapter 136: The Maw Feast (5)
No, no, no.
That can’t possibly be right.
They couldn’t leave the caves.
It must be a creature she hadn’t seen yet.
But the pale skin... The red eyes...
It tilted its head, a grin forming wide, revealing... yep, a pair of fangs.
This one wasn’t naked. Was it really a vampira? They seemed to just let it all hang loose for some weird reason...
It took a step in Nova’s direction. Her heart stumbled. Her breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t fought one properly. But they were deadly. Confined in the caves for a reason.
"Nova?" Yoa’s voice snapped its head back and before he walked around the tree it zipped out of existence in a blur.
Blinking hard, she searched again, but only shadows settled over the woodland and the goosebumps settling over her flesh as a reminder that this ordeal had been real.
"Did you see that?" Nova whispered, her voice tight as she reached for him, hand curling into his bicep, eyes still trained ahead.
His gaze snapped to hers instantly, sensing something was wrong. "What did you see? Where?"
She motioned subtly toward the treeline. "There. It— it looked like—" She faltered, not wanting to say it aloud.
Yoa clasped her hand, and their eyes locked. Nova’s eye colour dissolved and shifted into gold, rimmed in red as she allowed him full access to what she’d just seen, focusing on the memory before it grew too grainy. But Yoa saw it. He saw the red eyes, the pale skin.
Yoa’s eyes snapped back to the treeline. "Go back to Atia," he instructed.
"No." Nova’s hand tightened in Yoa’s, her arm extended out from where he had started walking forward, his senses on high alert, his target locked. His head swivelled back at Nova’s refusal, his brows knitting together. She never said no.
"Please," she whispered, eyes wide, flicking back in the direction the vampira was. "Don’t leave me. Don’t go. Not alone."
She knew it was weak and pathetic of her, but seeing that creature outside of the cave freaked her out too much. Well, she hoped someone had dabbed some sapo into her skin and she was hallucinating. "Please," she added again. "Take me back, and maybe take Atia?"
Even then, she didn’t really want him returning. Gosh, what was wrong with her? Her mate was literally 7 foot, a guardian, and had been training since he was probably in diapers—if that’s a thing here, she still needed to confirm that.
That didn’t mean she never worried about him.
Yoa could sense it through the bond, and although his body was tense with the need to protect, and fix the problem, he listened to his Serakai and let her lead him away. As he did, he briefly brushed his hand along the trees, silently communicating with them to block off the nearby caves. If there really was a loose vampira, then he could stay outside until the sun came up.
"Stay close," he said, voice low and sharp.
Nova nodded, but unease lingered like a stone in her chest.
Yoa’s hand flexed, the beast beneath his skin restless. His golden eyes glinted feral for a heartbeat before he forced them back. He’d already agreed to stay by Nova’s side. His beast fought for dominance a moment more before he sensed Yoa’s line of thinking, his eyes watching Nova’s paler complexion.
She’d gained a tan from living here on the island, but right now she’d paled from seeing that ugly creature.
Life on the island had bronzed her skin, but the sight of that ugly creature had drained the colour from her face. He wanted to pummel it to death just for ruining her peace. Being among the Apatka as well wasn’t helping. Their beasts were loud and eager for blood, which made his wild heart beat louder, and claws sharpen beneath his skin, in need of a release.
He scanned the treeline again, every muscle taut. But the figure was not there.
The drums pulled the crowd back into frenzy as another fight began. This time it was faster, blood spraying across the rocks as a warrior’s nose broke under a savage strike. The cheers drowned everything else.
But neither Nova or Yoa were into it. He took her back into the safety of the crowd. Though, it didn’t feel safe enough. What if he wasn’t the only fanged creature free from the cave?
How was it free from the cave? The ancient magic should have kept it concealed in.
They found Atia and Aiyana again, and he instantly sought Atia’s gaze. It took Atia a single glance to notice the change in Yoa.
They stayed with the girls a while longer. Yoa was focused on the bond, on Nova’s feelings. She was good at concealing herself, like now her eyes were trained on the fight, but her mind was elsewhere. Once he saw her gasp at the violence, he nodded at Atia.
"You will be safe here with Aiyana." Yoa kissed the top of her head. "We won’t be long."
Panic flickered across her blue eyes as she looked back up at Yoa.
"We will only scout the area. Make sure the caves still have their barriers. Then we will return, I promise," Yoa added.
Nova released a breath and nodded. Yoa never lied, and if he was promising that was all he and Atia would do then she accepted it. "Be safe." She squeezed his hand.
Atia held Aiyana’s gaze for a moment, sharing some silent message before he turned away. Nova watched as the pair marched away, their aura’s brimming with violence.
"What happened?" Aiyana asked, stepping closer to Nova instinctively, protectively.
"They are scouting the area..." Nova trailed off. She didn’t want to make any of the Apatka panic by speaking the words aloud.
Looking at them though... would they really panic? Or just pick up their weapons and demand a fight. Which, knowing them, was exactly what they would do.