But I wasn't fast
enough.
Grabbing me out of mid-leap, Elena lifted me into the air once again. Her hand began to slowly clench. I felt my throat being crushed under her invisible grip. "How dare you steal my collar,” the old Witch hissed. “Do you know how long I worked that case?" Elena's eyes were filled with rage as she spoke. Her Hispanic features were drawn into an evil sneer while the power she drew in was whipping her long, black hair around her head. My gaze settled on the pulsating silver amulet she wore around her neck. She wasn't thinking clearly, otherwise the old Witch would have never let me get this close. Lashing out with my claws I tore the necklace from her throat. As it hit the floor, I felt her grip on me release. Dropping onto the balls of my feet, I returned the favor. Snapping my clawed hand around Elena's throat, I lifted her easily from the ground. She gasped and coughed trying to draw breath. Unlike me, crushing her throat would kill her. She still needed to breathe. I dug my thumbnail into her flesh letting a small trickle of blood loose. I could smell her power in the blood. It smelled of earth and flowers, like a garden. I had never bled a Witch before, but in this case I would make an exception. "Stop!"
I snapped my head around just in time to see several green spikes headed for my chest. Letting go of Elena and twisting slightly, I kept them from becoming a killing blow by piercing my heart. Instead the spikes dig into my shoulder. As the barbs pulled free, I gasped in pain and crumbled. I felt like my flesh was on fire. With Elena on the floor next to me gasping for air like a fish that had just been pulled from the water, I looked up to see my attacker. I wondered what took him so long to intervene. "What the hell are you two doing?” Maynard's voice was low and angry. His usually soft brown eyes were glazed over green.
Maynard Markham was the head honcho of the Las Vegas branch and a Dendro Demon. Dendros are basically tree monsters that can grow spines on their limbs which carry a deadly poison. Known for their extreme heights, bark-like flesh, long lives, and abundant patience, Dendros are perfect for management positions. Maynard had been gifted with a spell that allowed him to appear human at will. It was so good that it could even fool most of the Witches in the building. Only the oldest, like Elena, and those of keen smell, like myself, had any idea he wasn't human. He was tall with perfectly kept blond hair styled into the latest fashion. He was an intimidating specimen with the physique of a body builder, but he had a huge heart. He was also one of the few Inhumans in the office not afraid of me, probably because he didn't have any blood.
To really upset him, like he was now, was a truly rare occurrence and in my position, very frightening. Maynard's body was wood. His spikes, which were sharp and hard enough to easily pierce flesh, were also wood. One good shot to my heart and I was dead. I made no move to pull myself off the floor even though it still felt like I was on fire. "I can't have my two top Seekers tearing each other apart,” Maynard growled again. Elena, rubbing her throat, decided to pipe up. “She stole my—" "I know who started this,” Maynard barked at the old Witch, stopping her in mid-sentence, “and I will speak to you in my office privately.” He waited for a moment to see if she moved. “Right now!” He
Grabbing me out of mid-leap, Elena lifted me into the air once again. Her hand began to slowly clench. I felt my throat being crushed under her invisible grip. "How dare you steal my collar,” the old Witch hissed. “Do you know how long I worked that case?" Elena's eyes were filled with rage as she spoke. Her Hispanic features were drawn into an evil sneer while the power she drew in was whipping her long, black hair around her head. My gaze settled on the pulsating silver amulet she wore around her neck. She wasn't thinking clearly, otherwise the old Witch would have never let me get this close. Lashing out with my claws I tore the necklace from her throat. As it hit the floor, I felt her grip on me release. Dropping onto the balls of my feet, I returned the favor. Snapping my clawed hand around Elena's throat, I lifted her easily from the ground. She gasped and coughed trying to draw breath. Unlike me, crushing her throat would kill her. She still needed to breathe. I dug my thumbnail into her flesh letting a small trickle of blood loose. I could smell her power in the blood. It smelled of earth and flowers, like a garden. I had never bled a Witch before, but in this case I would make an exception. "Stop!"
I snapped my head around just in time to see several green spikes headed for my chest. Letting go of Elena and twisting slightly, I kept them from becoming a killing blow by piercing my heart. Instead the spikes dig into my shoulder. As the barbs pulled free, I gasped in pain and crumbled. I felt like my flesh was on fire. With Elena on the floor next to me gasping for air like a fish that had just been pulled from the water, I looked up to see my attacker. I wondered what took him so long to intervene. "What the hell are you two doing?” Maynard's voice was low and angry. His usually soft brown eyes were glazed over green.
Maynard Markham was the head honcho of the Las Vegas branch and a Dendro Demon. Dendros are basically tree monsters that can grow spines on their limbs which carry a deadly poison. Known for their extreme heights, bark-like flesh, long lives, and abundant patience, Dendros are perfect for management positions. Maynard had been gifted with a spell that allowed him to appear human at will. It was so good that it could even fool most of the Witches in the building. Only the oldest, like Elena, and those of keen smell, like myself, had any idea he wasn't human. He was tall with perfectly kept blond hair styled into the latest fashion. He was an intimidating specimen with the physique of a body builder, but he had a huge heart. He was also one of the few Inhumans in the office not afraid of me, probably because he didn't have any blood.
To really upset him, like he was now, was a truly rare occurrence and in my position, very frightening. Maynard's body was wood. His spikes, which were sharp and hard enough to easily pierce flesh, were also wood. One good shot to my heart and I was dead. I made no move to pull myself off the floor even though it still felt like I was on fire. "I can't have my two top Seekers tearing each other apart,” Maynard growled again. Elena, rubbing her throat, decided to pipe up. “She stole my—" "I know who started this,” Maynard barked at the old Witch, stopping her in mid-sentence, “and I will speak to you in my office privately.” He waited for a moment to see if she moved. “Right now!” He