Chapter 21

Shane Wang lunged forward to attack Akaya. His fangs and claws out ready to rip her off. Akaya just laughed out and held out her hand, her palm facing the NightWing Phoenix as it shown in a yellowish light.

"Talk to the sparkle moron". Akaya said. The light seemed to have froze the chief in place causing him to fall on the forest floor in a loud thud.

"W-What. What did you do to me?". Chief Shane Wang asked, he was trying to move but his body muscles couldn't cooperate.

"Oh is the big NightWing chief now helpless?". Akaya asked, kneeling beside him and leaning forward, inches away from the Chief's face.

"I'll kill you". Chief Shane Wang muttered through gritted teeth.

"You had a chance but you failed. Now, it's my chance. Let me tell you one thing Shane Wang.... ". Akaya said as she leaned further to whisper in his ear. "No one will miss you".

That was a lie. Shane Wang was a good chief. He was just filled with pride but he always thought of his clan and took care of them. He was surrounded with an evil group of councillors but he never failed his people. Surely, his clan members would miss him apart from the evil councillors and Carl who were thirsty for power and the Chief's title.

"They will avenge me you witch". Chief Shane Wang hissed.

Akaya huffed a laugh, "Tsk! tsk! tsk! you wish. The same whom you claim that they'll avenge you, are the ones whom will hold up a cerebration for your fall".

"My son will surely avenge me!". Shane Wang muttered.

"I will be waiting". Akaya replied with a smirk on her face before revealing her sharp thin fangs and digging them fiercely onto the man's throat who shrieked in pain. Her eyes became slits and her long nails thinned into claws holding his face into place since he was trying to struggle free from her.

She was morphing into something else.

Her lower body lengthed and fattened, her clothes ripping off as her body was covered with grey silver scales... crushing the air out of the chief's body.

She sucked him dry.

Chief Shane Wang was dead.

Killed by her.

Akaya shifted into her human form again from the snaky form she had morphed into earlier.

She was naked and the body beside her didn't look like a body anymore. It was just skin and bones as if she had sucked the flesh and blood from him.

She looked at the body beside her then at herself. She wasn't pale anymore. The blood she had sucked from Shane Wang would last her for several hours or days before she could take down another person for blood.

She was miserable.

She couldn't help it but cry because of the person... the creature she had become now.

Lucky would never love her now. Lucky was never going to accept the new her... Lucky was never going to accept that monstrous side of her. Lucky was going to hate her or even worse, kill her. She couldn't think of anything else but the negativities of what Lucky could do or think about her. It hurt so much... it hurt her because it was the reality... Lucky would openly reject her..

"I'm a monster now!". She sobbed out loudly wrapping her arms around her knees.

"I don't deserve to have Lucky in my life... I really don't". She added. Nothing was beautiful anymore. Nothing gave her reassurance that all would be well. Lucky mattered most to her but now... did she matter most to him?. She needed to know... she craved for him and his embraces... the sloppy kisses he gave her when he was younger... she craved for everything. Everything!... But no! She was different now, a monster and didn't deserve him.

She certainly did not deserve the good things that the world offered. Her world offered Lucky but she couldn't have him. Rejection was evident. She was afraid of hurting him too now that he couldn't awaken his Phoenix, how was he going to protect himself?. She was so desperate to know how he had defended and kept himself safe for the past twelve years... she wanted to know but at the same time she couldn't get close to him in the fear that she would turn him into prey.

She was determined. She was going to watch and protect him from afar. Protect him from his enemies... Keep him safe from herself and other dangers. That was what she was going to do.

••••••

"Father, how are you feeling now?". Lucky asked, budging in Plutonic's room.

"Manners son. You should have knocked the door first". Plutonic answered, sitting upright on his bed as he pushed some papers aside.

"Oh".

"Ever heard of privacy?". Plutonic asked.

"Dad?". Lucky questioned. "Is there any form of privacy between us?".

"What if you found me naked or... or doing something else... you know!....". Plutonic trailed off, Lucky's brow perched up before he gagged.

"Thank God you weren't doing either of that, right?". Lucky asked slumping down gracelessly on the bed beside his father while shutting the door using his druid powers.

Plutonic sighed, "But seriously, you should knock next time".

"As long as you knock on mine, then that's a deal".

Plutonic let out another sigh, "How's Rufus?. I heard him talk".

"The ritual worked. He's safe now but he... he has no Phoenix Dad. I'm.. I'm scared of how he will react once he realizes that a part of him is missing".

"It's not wrong to be scared son. It's not but I'm here for you no matter what". Plutonic remarked placing his hand on Lucky's shoulder.

"It's my fault he has no Phoenix now".

"Why say so?".

"Because it was my idea".

"It's not your fault son. What you did was save his life. It's the Hunter's fault, they're the ones who caught and injured him". Plutonic explained.

"It's not easy as you think Dad. This is my best friend and he has no Phoenix now. He was used to having and living with it and now it's like a hollow in him".

"It's not your fault. You saved his life so you should stop blaming yourself for this son". Plutonic remarked.

Lucky sighed, "No promises dude but you still owe me that condo".

"Another one?". Plutonic asked, raising his brow.

"Yes. Two. One for payment and the other one to appreciate me!".

Plutonic raised his other brow, "Seriously? Are you a salesman now or what?".

"C'mon Pops why won't you spoil me for once? We have lots of cash that even our kids won't finish them". Lucky protested turning his head to look at him.

"I'm already spoiling you enough".

"Then buy me my own personal car. I'm sixteen for Pete's sake Pops". Lucky urged.

"Are you trying to bargain?".

"Yes. At least this will take my mind off a little of what we're going through".

Plutonic exhaled sharply raising his hands in defeat, "Okay son. You can look up any type of car you want then give me the details or have Rick my P.A look it up".

"Woohoo that's good Pops. I want a Camaro or a Porsche and make sure the color is dark". Lucky replied cheerfully.

"Is that your dream car or something?".

"Or something. Why?".

"Seems you had already done your research before you came here".

"Oh that? Ha ha. Don't mind me". Lucky chuckled.

A genuine chuckle not the others that he lets out just for the sake of. But it was quickly gone the same way it had come. Plutonic missed the warmth around his son's laughter and it's sound. He missed his genuine happiness. He missed those happy moments that he didn't have time to savour. He wanted Lucky to be this happy.... Always!.

"I'll buy you both then". Plutonic said.

"Thank you Pops. You're the best!". Lucky replied giving his Dad a side hug.

"'welcome. You know, when I was twelve, my dream car was a probox".

"A probox?". Lucky questioned. "Seriously dude? That was your dream car of all cars in the world?".

"Uh-huh". Plutonic replied.

"That was a weird dream. Thank God we don't live in the same head".

"Hey drop that attitude. Besides, all dreams are valid!". Plutonic blutered out. "It's not such a bad car".

Lucky chuckled again.

"I never want to have such a dream no matter how valid it is then".

"Just go to your room son, you're breaking my feelings". Plutonic answered touching his chest in mock hurt.

"Ha ha okay Pops. I'm off to face my problems". Lucky said as he stood up from the bed and left Plutonic's room. He now had to find a way of solving the issue at hand. How he would comfort his childhood friend.. he had to know how and fast.

He walked to his room, shutting the door behind him as he stripped off his clothes and got in his bathroom, under the cold spray of shower to cool himself off. Not because it was hot or anything... he just needed it.