Under the Blood Moon by Jenny Garcia (latest books to read TXT) 📖

“Oh my Queen I am sure that you have. I am sorry to say that your royalty will be short lived so enjoy it while it lasts.” I look to my side and see my family standing strong beside me. My mother has flames illuminated in her palms ready to strike. I look back to Khan, “King Khan step down from your throne and I will spare your life.” He smug grin fades and he takes a few aggressive steps towards me. “How dare you speak to me that way.” I feel my palms burning and without hesitation I raise my hands and a white pulse of energy pushes from my palms. Khan is knocked back a few steps and his subjects who stand behind him fly back and hit the trees crashing into the ground with a loud thud. As they slowly get to their feet Khan holds his glare on me. “Well Queen you have gained some new talents.” I had no idea that I could do that. Its like my body knew what to do before my mind. I have no idea the level of power that I have and this must be a small sample of it. For Khan to only move back a few steps but everyone else fly through the air must prove how strong he is. Travis takes a step forward and stands close to me. Khans glare ripes towards him. “This must be your mate. He is very protective of you, I can smell anger radiating off of him.” Travis tries to take a step forward but I raise my hand motioning for him to stay where he is. “Khan this is your last chance to step down. I know what you're planning to do and I cannot let that happen.” He crosses his arms and looks around. “Is that so Queen and what is it that I am going to do?” I let my arms hang delicately in front of my body with my hands gently placed one atop the other. “After you murder myself and everyone I love, you plan on destroying the entire human race and I cannot let that happen.” He walks towards me circling me with anger. I never let my back face him and I turn with him. “You think you’re smart Queen. I am sure that Renee told you everything. She never understood my vision.” He stops in front of Asclepius. “Well once this is over, you will die with them traitor.” She takes a step away from him and moves towards my mother standing behind her. He turns his gaze to my mom and his face loses some color. “You have a Pyros for a mother. You are very lucky to have hidden her for all these years. I should have killed you along with the rest of your race.” Her body begins to steam with anger and flames illuminate from her shoulders. He backs away from her and walks back to his group. “Queen, you already know Ares my General.” He points to the second man he is with, “This is Troy he is...how do I explain it…” Asclepius interrupts, “Your assassin!” He points to her, “Thank you girl! That was the word I was looking for.” Anger is building inside of me and it takes everything that I have just to keep me standing where I am. I want nothing more than to run to him and kill him where he stands. I have never felt this type of anger or confidence before and I have to say that I am enjoying my new power. He walks to Aaren, “And lastly this is Aaren, my transporter.” I cut him off, “Khan cut the pleasantries let's get down to business.” He turns to me and smile sadistically “As you wish my Queen. Where is Denise?” He looks around our group and realizes that she is no where to be found. “She is dead Khan.” My words are broken as the wound is still fresh in my mind, He puts his hand over his mouth to stop his laugh from escaping. “Well I am glad you did it for me, one less thing for me to do.” Travis is starting to lose control of his anger and his body heat is rising next to me. I grab his hand and I can feel his heart beat in his palms.

 

“Well Queen, If you want me to step down you must take it by force, but since you have taken a mate, your mate must take my place.” He looks to Travis and runs his hand through his dark hair. I bring the attention back to myself, “Yes Khan we are aware of the rules. Is there somewhere more formal that this should be happening or just out here in the darkness.” He looks arounds, “I think that this is good enough Queen. That way the animals can pick at your bones once you’re dead.” I nod my head and move to the side. Travis is fully ready for this battle and I can hear him growling deeply in his throat.

 

Khan stands at one end of the circle of trees with his subjects behind him. We stand on the adjacent end of him with my family behind Travis and I. “Stand aside Queen, this is between me and your mate.” I look to Travis and pull him into me kissing him passionately on the lips and he wraps his arms around me and deepens it. I can hear Khans disgust and it only makes me want the kiss to last longer. Travis pulls himself away from me and gives me a playful wink. He turns to Khan and pushes me behind him. Khan removes his robe and throws it on Ares. Khan looks at us in disgust and takes a step forward. Travis does the same until they meet in the middle of the woods.

 

“Are you ready boy?” Khan threaten Travis, “I am old man.” Travis sends him a sarcastic smile. My mother comes to me grabbing my hand and I rip it away from her as her skin burns mine. “Your hands are on fire.” She looks at me and I cannot help but giggle for a moment, then I remember where I am. I look out to Travis and Khan but they continue just to stare at each other. At the same time they bow and then crouch to the floor both shifting at the same time. Travis is a large black and sleek wolf, but Khan is at least three times his size and he is as white as snow. His fur looks as if it was made of silk.

 

They begin to circle each other and the growls are echoing through the woods. Travis launches at Khan rearing into the air and they collide. My stomach turns as I watch them battle. Khan opens his huge jaws and latches onto Travis’s neck. He howls out in pain and I almost collapsed onto the ground. “Travis! No!” Khan rips him back and forth and Travis becomes lifeless. He drops him to the ground and blood begins to pour from his neck. Khan turns his gaze towards to me and begins to prowl towards me. He shoulders rise and fall as he gets closer and closer. I can’t help but be afraid of him. I have no idea how to shift and I have no idea what powers I have or how to control them. I feel heat rising next to me and I look to my side and my mothers entire body burst into flames. Before she can make a move Travis flies through the air sinking his fangs into the back of his neck. Khan howls out in pain and he bucks vigorously trying to get Travis off. He hangs on with all his might thrashing back and forth ripping pieces of flesh from his neck. Khan finally throws him back to the ground and before he can attack him, a ball of flames flies from my mother's palm and crashes against the side of Khans ribs. He yelps in pain and stumbles onto his opposite side rolling vigorously trying to extinguish the flame burning off all his fur and melting his flesh.

 

Troy runs to Khans side removing his grey jacket and hitting the flames. Troy finally puts them out and he looks to my mother with hate burning in his eyes. He takes a few steps towards her and before I can react, she pushes me away from her and throws flames towards him. He dodges them and lunges into the air. Before he reaches her my father jumps in the air connecting with him and slamming him into the ground. He quickly gets up from the ground leaving Troy in a painful mess on the ground. His nose is pouring out blood as he looks up to the sky rolling onto his back. He tries to stand but before he can, mom is standing over him. She thrusts her hands down towards him enveloping him in flames. He screams out in pain and rolls around the forest floor. He tries to roll away from her and she takes steps towards him never letting the flames die down. He stops moving and once his screams die down she stops. She collapses to her knee exhausted and my father rushes to her side picking her up. I look to Khan as he shifts back into his human form and walks over to Travis gripping onto his ribs in pain. I rush over to him and stand in between then both. I look back to Travis and he has shifted back into himself. He lies motionless on the floor and my heart begins to break. I look around for Asclepius but she is already tending to my mother. I turn back to Khan and before I know it, he raises his hand and back hands me to the ground. I quickly get to my feet and hear my inner wolf screaming in my head. Let me be free! Let me out! Give me control! I ignore her and keep my composure. Blood is seeping from the corner of my mouth. I feel the pain begin to subside and realize that my body is healing itself. Khan shakes off his pain and I look to where he was burned and it has completely healed.

 

“Well Queen it looks like you have lost. Your mate lies dead on the ground. Now it is your turn.” I get ready for the fight of my life and before I can attack Khan disappears in a cloud of black smoke. I look to my father who is looking around for Khan. I turn and fall to my knees grabbing Travis’s hand, “Baby please wake up!” I turn my head to Asclepius who is tending to my mother, “Get over her now Asclepius!” She turns and sees Travis lying on the ground and she rushes over to us. She holds her hands over him and begins to chant. I get up from the ground looking around for Khan. He is no where to be found. I look for Ares and Aaren and they are also gone. Something is going on… it seems that we look around for hours but only minutes go by. Aaren and Khan appear again in the block smoke in the middle of the circle of the trees. She grabs the back of his shirt and pulls him down onto the flat stone. His body lands with a loud thud, “What are you doing!?” Khan screams. Out of the darkness Ares rushes and jumps through the air landing on Khan head with his knee. Smashing it against the stone. We all stand silently in shock. Ares turns to my mother and screams at her, “Burn him now!” My mother sits dazed on the ground, “Get up NOW! Before he heals! Burn him!” She gets up and rushes over