Wings of Beasts: Claim It

  Wings of Beasts: Claim it

  by

  R. Holland

  Wings of Beasts: Claim It

  By

  R. Holland

  Copyright © 2015 R. Holland

  All Rights Reserved

  This book is recommended for mature audiences due to strong language, gory violence, and some sexual situations.

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to real people, historical events, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author's imagination, and any resemblance to actual events, locales, persons living or deceased, is entirely coincidental. The author holds exclusive rights to this work.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without explicit permission. You may however quote short excerpts in a review and with the kindle community. By purchasing an authorized copy, you are supporting the author R. Holland as an Indie author.

  Table of Contents:

  Wings of Beasts: Claim it

  Chapter One: Dorian A’Kraine

  Chapter Two: Amyna Carter

  Chapter Three: Amyna Carter

  Chapter Four: Calinan

  Chapter Five: Amyna Carter

  Chapter Six: Amyna Carter

  Chapter Seven: Amyna Carter

  Chapter Eight: Melyssa Carter

  Chapter Nine: Amyna Carter

  Chapter Ten: Tarvos

  Chapter Eleven: Amyna Carter

  Chapter Twelve: Shane Carter

  Chapter Thirteen: Shane Carter

  Chapter Fourteen: Amyna Carter

  Chapter Fifteen: Amyna Carter

  Chapter Sixteen: Amyna Carter

  Chapter Seventeen: Amyna Carter

  Chapter Eighteen: Amyna Carter

  Chapter Nineteen: Amyna Carter

  Chapter Twenty: Amyna Carter

  Chapter Twenty-One: Amyna Carter

  Chapter Twenty-Two: Dorian A’Kraine

  Chapter Twenty-Three: Dorian A’Kraine

  Chapter Twenty-Four: Tarvos

  Chapter Twenty-Five: Amyna Carter

  About the Author:

  Chapter One: Dorian A’Kraine

  Rays of warm sunlight gleam in from every corner of my chambers. I awaken, lying in the heated comfort of my divan and check to my side. Sadly, they are still here, lying next to me. I lift up the moist, silky black sheets, easing my way out of the bed, being extra careful not to cause them to stir. Grabbing a pair of black silk pants, I slip them on, then exit my grand personal chambers; leaving behind three young, gorgeous Eclayvens, sound asleep. All three, exhausted from their master’s vigorous, sexual activity, are wrapped in nothing but the sheets and each other’s warm embrace.

  I trot downstairs, in the best of moods, heading to my storage unit in the eatery. Normally, I would request my servants to bring up my breakfast. However, I have a vigorous burst of energy, and truly want to escape from the confines of the ladies’ grasps.

  It never goes over well, eating in front of Eclayvens, who are always expecting a romantic breakfast themselves. Of course, they would want me to share my delectable eats. However, I am not known for being the sharing type. I open the door of my unit, searching inside, and to my dismay, my favorite fruit of sorts is nowhere to be found. I turn to my left, looking into thin air, and wave my hand in a circular motion. Appearing in open space is a clear screen with reddened symbols. I push two markings and listen until I hear a familiar voice come from the screen.

  “Yes, Master?”

  “Where is my Clibayan fruit?”

  There is a long pause. My personal and long-time servant enters the kitchen with apprehension and a perplexed look upon her face. A creature, much like myself, stops five feet in front of me. A few others of my slaves have gathered behind her like her own shadow.

  “It is in the preservation unit, Master,” she answers. My other slaves look to one another, nodding in agreement.

  I stare at her unamused. “I have no time for games, Mellitaa. I stand here, gazing into the cooled unit, hating the breeze that blows upon my bare chest, and yet you intend to play mind games with me about my fruits’ whereabouts as if I lack any speck of intelligence.”

  My servants fear for their safety and step back as if they may take off running at any second. Although, I would never hurt them — especially Mellitaa — they are well versed with the dire consequences and know not to take chances with angering my kind.

  Mellitaa has taken care of me since I was just a babe. Dark auburn ringlets are pinned up on her head with a tinge of gray. Though wrinkles are nowhere to be found, she is undoubtedly older.

  Another slave steps forward. “A-apologies, M-master. I-I assure you, I keep the unit stocked full of your favorite Clibayan fruit,” Reylin, one of my younger slaves, answers. “It was here. Somewhere. Someone must have taken it,” she speaks with the softest of tones.

  I am forced to believe her. She aims to please me. I growl at my slaves, uninterested in Reylin’s excuses, all knowing that they had better produce my fruit to me soon. Patience is a virtue I lack on my own accord.

  I run my fingers through my wavy hair and take a deep breath, purposely narrowing my eyes, adding further intimidation. “Who could have been so inane as to enter my private cooling unit and take my fruit without my knowledge?” I demand an answer.

  Clibayan fruit, though kept in a cooling unit for preservation, can maintain its own temperature and remains warm inside as if kissed by the golden sun.

  “I-I do not know, Master.” With skin as pale as the moon and purple slits for pupils in her large, round, black eyes, Reylin is truly at a loss for a viable excuse, and appears as if she may break down crying in a sea of tears at any moment.

  Luckily for her, her master is not known for brutal behavior against his servants. However, it is well known that a slave who proved of no use, would be sold at the auctions; and it is also well known, that there are no masters as gentle to their servants as the one who stands before her. There are stories of other masters so vile and ruthless to their slaves, that some slaves end their own lives before they know if the rumors are true or not.

  I look over my shoulder as Tarvos walks towards us, holding a Clibayan fruit in his hand. My fruit. “Don’t be so brash on the poor child.” He takes a bite, chewing some of the juicy, sweet substance in his mouth.

  I watch with further disdain as he precariously hops on my black marble countertop.

  “I didn’t think you would mind, brother. I’ll have some shipped in from our planet today.”

  I catch myself standing frozen, trying to evaluate my next move and in awe that Tarvos would be so foolhardy as to enter my domain and my private cooling unit to take my favorite fruit. The Eclayvens have awoken and trickle down the stairs with glee, adding to my discontent. Wearing the same fleshly attire they had on last night, and the same erotic smile, they stop just before me and clamber over me, beseeching for my affection. They attempt to take turns kissing my lips, but I reject them, gently brushing them off like loose down. My eyes remain focused on my brother as I ponder why I want to kill him so badly. The Eclayvens follow my eyes and seductively walk over to him, seeing as how they have lost my interest after our night’s engagement.

  Tarvos fancies the attention and places my fruit to one of the female’s lips, allowing her to take a bite. His eyes cut towards me as he smiles in a state of mockery. At this very moment, I am forced to continue to attempt towards holding it together, but something snaps, unleashing the beast from within, as I watch Tarvos take another bite out of my fruit. The blue, warm juice dribbles down his chin from the corner of his lips as he smiles.

  Without thin
king for another second, I attack my older brother, knocking him off my countertop, and willing to kill him if he makes one wrong move. I slam Tarvos into the cement pillar, sending brick and mortar raining down on our heads.

  The Eclayvens and slaves who had gathered around, quickly exit the vicinity before they are injured in the mix.

  With the tightest of grips around his scrawny neck, I stare into Tarvos’ eyes, challenging him. I growl to let him know the severity of the situation. This is about more than fruit. This is about him assuming he can enter my domain and take what is mine. An Aubadian with no boundaries can be lethal if not put in check by his master. And even though he is my older brother, I am still his young master.

  Sagaciously, Tarvos realizes the danger he is in. “I concede, brother,” Tarvos manages to choke out.

  I do not utter a single word and hope for now my actions speak volumes for Tarvos to never touch my property again. I roughly release him, turn my back to the coward, and walk away.

  From the reflection in the stainless steel storage unit, I can see Tarvos scowling at me from behind. He should be tired of everyone getting the best of him. I shake my head in discontent as, stubbornly, he decides to strike while my back is turned. I have had enough! He soars towards me, and just before he can make contact, my wings escape the confines of my shoulder blades as my eyes glow a maddening gray. I whip around, grabbing him by the throat and toss him through my glass wall, sending him into the courtyard. Tarvos skids across my beautifully, just completed landscaped, grand backyard, uprooting grass and greenery. This infuriates me more as I tromp on the broken glass, walking outside to finish him. Although, I try to protect my family with everything I hold dear, he would not be the first brother I have had to kill.

  Tarvos picks himself up off the ground, brushing off the broken glass and blades of grass and readies himself for an honorable death with his great prince. Since he is my blood, I will make his death swift and painless.

  Before either of us can make a move, Calinan appears in her most seductive wear ever. A pair of thick sunglasses shields her eyes. A hooded golden, see-through veil covers her body from head to toe. That is all. She has been outside basking in the sun, enjoying the heat upon her flesh.

  “Really, brothers? We are at war with the human race. And you choose to kill each other now, when the whole purpose is to protect the longevity of our kind?”

  “He started it!” Tarvos whines.

  “He took my fucking fruit from my personal cooling unit!” I call attention to the real problem, still aggravated about the whole ordeal.

  “Well, I am finishing it!” Calinan snaps. “Dorian, I will have your Clibayan fruit shipped in tonight.”

  “I want it now,” I growl.

  “Well, you shall get it tonight!” Calinan snaps. If she had fangs, surely they would come out now. Her well-manicured nails are sharp enough, prepared to do her bidding. “And, Tarvos, your dwelling is almost complete. If you want fruit, you can have it shipped in with Dorian’s and sent to your domain.”

  “I have tried. They will not allow it. Said all shipments of the fruit are to go to the great Dorian A’Kraine. No one else.” Tarvos breathes heavily.

  Calinan takes her attention back to me. I am sure she wishes she could kill us both now and inherit Earth for herself. “Is this true, young brother? Did you make that call?”

  I fold my arms, wondering why in the hell we are even discussing this. “Yes. I found the fruit on the planet Nuberis. It is mine.”

  She releases a slow breath, trying to calm herself and not go off on her brothers. This is not the time to put us in our place. “Dorian, dear sweet brother, do you not think you could find it in your heart to share with your brother, Tarvos, who has been fighting by your side, this delectable fruit which you hold so dear as your favorite fruit in all of the universe?”

  I do not give my sister’s request a second thought. “No.”

  She turns toward Tarvos, forcing a smile. “Then, there you have it, brother. He will not be sharing with you. Therefore, you are to stay away from his property, and most of all this Clibayan fruit,” she finishes through gritted teeth. “Are we done here? There will be no killing of a brother today. Have I made myself clear?”

  “We are done here.” Tarvos walks off, more pissed than ever for my violent acts.

  “And you will have your slaves clean this up by nightfall!” I call out after Tarvos.

  I growl once more, pissed at the mess my brother has made, but he knows my threats and demands hold true, and Tarvos will have this cleaned up by nightfall. Or else.

  Chapter Two: Amyna Carter

  Grant turns on his cellphone and begins to calculate how far and how long it will take us to reach Canada on foot.

  He looks up at us. “It’s two thousand, three hundred and fifty- seven miles.”

  We all stare at him like he’s crazy, and I hope he miscalculated the mileage.

  My dad picks up a stick and kneels to the ground to start writing in the ashes. “The average person can walk three miles per hour … maybe more. If we can walk for at least ten hours a day non-stop, keeping a steady pace of thirty miles per day, we can make it there in a little over two and a half months.”

  There’s an awkward silence as everyone gets deep in their thoughts. It’s no surprise that Mr. Buchanan is the first to complain. “We’ll never make it!”

  My dad rests his hands on his knees. “Well, Charles, we won’t know, until we know. You know?”

  Charles again looks all stressed as hell. “What the hell is that supposed to mean, Shane?”

  “It means we won’t know unless we try, Dad.” Ethan seems to be losing patience with him as well.

  “How do we even know we’ll be safe from those things once we make it?” Mr. Buchanan asks.

  I almost want to tell him he can stay here. But I know that puts Ethan, Nina, and Kate in a predicament.

  “We know the cold kills them. So surely, once we get to colder temperatures, they won’t be as hot on our asses,” Grant answers.

  “Yeah. We can put in schedules, eat on the go. We may even be able to make it sooner than that,” I add, putting in my two cents. Either way, I’m ready to get the hell out of here. By the time we make a decision, it will be two and a half months.

  “Who the hell is she now? Annie Oakley?” Charles spouts out.

  I stare him down, wondering if he’s going to make it to Canada or not. He seems too high-strung and, if we are chased, he won’t make it. I think Ethan knows his dad is going to be the weakest link. If those things are after us, I call Mr. Buchanan as being caught first.

  My dad starts searching through our packs, making sure we have all the things we’ll need. Then he hands me my pack. “She’s right. We’re done standing around here cackling about this like old hens. We’re leaving. There’s no more discussing it. Anyone who doesn’t want to go, can stay.”

  I start following, as him and my mom walk off. Without another word, Grant and his guys and Ethan’s family follow behind. I’m glad my dad put it into action.

  Ethan catches up to me. “You want me to carry your bag?”

  I notice he’s already carrying a backpack of his own. “No, thanks. I got it.” I adjust the pack on my shoulders, relieved he’s not still mad at me. I take a glance over my shoulder. “I’m sure your parents will need your help more than I will.”

  His dad pulls out a red rag and dabs the sweat on his forehead. His mom keeps slapping her arms and legs to keep the bugs off, all while trying to drag young Kate along.

  “If those Kold-Bloods don’t catch us, I’m pretty sure the mosquitoes are going to give me West Nile,” Nina says.

  Ethan pulls the backpack off from around his arms and turns around. He puts Kate on his back and holds the bag in his hands, then makes his way next to me.

  My cell phone starts vibrating and I notice I have twelve missed calls. The caller I.D. shows Alexis. “Hello?”

  “Girl, where the hell
have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you. These things are everywhere. They got my parents. I’m with Marcus. We’re hiding in an abandoned…”

  “Alexis, calm down. I can barely hear you. Is Marcus with you?”

  She continues to talk in a shaky, broken voice, and I know the signal is about to be dropped.

  “Alexis? Alexis? Lex?”

  And just like that, my phone goes dead. I try to call her back, but all I get is the busy signal.

  “Don’t drain the battery,” my dad warns.

  “Dad, that was Lex. She said they got her parents and she and Marcus are hiding.”

  “Well, hopefully we’ll get in an area where you can talk to her. Make sure you tell her they need to get to someplace cold.”

  I send the text: Get someplace cold, and then turn my cell phone off to save the battery.

  Suddenly, we all stop as we hear a sound of something moving in the woods. Everyone gets quiet and Lloyd and Grant get their weapons ready. They take opposite directions and we wait to see what it is. I heave a sigh of relief, as a doe stares at us, not sure whether to run or not.

  “Should we kill it? I see food,” Lloyd whispers.

  “The gunshot will make too much noise and lead them straight towards us. We’re not stopping here anyway,” my dad answers.

  Lloyd lowers his gun and the deer sees this as her chance, as she takes off in the woods.

  We continue to walk in silence, each of us in deep thought. I wonder about Lex and Marcus. Hell, everyone, for that matter. We left before the shit got really bad, but what about the others? What happened to those who didn’t make it out?

  ***

  A man dressed in the finest of black leather, enters the stage of a high school auditorium. His unbuttoned shirt is open to display his broad, masculine chest. The temperature inside the building is warm and stuffy. Perfect for their kind. The room is quaint, and the Aubadians wish to make the sale of the humans as quickly as possible. There are so many to auction. Thousands in this town alone. It is dark, but the spotlight is on for the lone human they drag in against her will. A heavy metal collar is securely engaged around her neck as they lead her to the center of the stage by a leash. The collar is nothing flashy, but it will be if she is purchased and owned by a new master.