Samia launched at her again, but Vivienne met her mid-air this time, flipping the woman so she would go down first. The colors faded out to red, and she saw a look of confusion pass Samia’s eyes moments before she drew her nails across Samia’s unmarked cheek. As four red lines appeared, Vivienne grunted her approval. Tit for tat.
“He doesn’t want you, bitch.” And then she began choking her. Samia clawed at her hands, opening her skin with her sharp claws. Despite the pain, Vivienne shook her head, and smiled. There was something delightful about watching a person struggle to take in air, knowing they wouldn’t be able to get it. Shaking her head, Vivienne tried to retain control. Something was trying to take over. The darkness.
She stood and dragged Samia up by the throat, lifting her until her feet were off the ground. The woman continued to scratch at her hand, but Vivienne only tightened her hold on her neck.
“Give up,” she heard herself say in a dark voice.
Samia stopped struggling, and when Vivienne thought the were would do exactly that, she lifted her feet, and kicked Vivienne in her belly.
Vivienne released her, and doubled over. Her midriff hurt and she imagined Samia might have broken a rib as well, but the pain only refueled her. When she straightened, it was to find a partially naked Samia, tugging at the rest of her clothing.
A ripple went up around the crowd as Samia stripped naked, sneakers and shirt flying every which way. A bright light exploded, and the red wolf charged her.
***
Vivienne waited until the last possible moment, and then she lifted her hands, allowed the power inside of her to come forth, and blasted the wolf back. There was a sharp whine as Samia landed hard on her back. Another ripple of excitement went around the circle like a pulsing wave.
The red wolf slowly got up, stretching her limbs, and stared at Vivienne. She was breathing hard, panting actually. Samia circled her once more, and Vivienne knew she was trying to find a weak spot. She allowed the wolf to circle her, barely turning her head to see where she was, before she felt the shift in the air as Samia went for the back of her neck. She twisted at the last possible moment, and blasted her again.
The wolf came up once more, shaking her fur as if to shake off the latest attack, and padded lightly around Vivienne. She suddenly stopped and approached her slowly, cautiously.
In her eyes, Vivienne saw a grudging type of respect. She tamped down the darkness as Samia fell to her side. Sloan had said something about the wolf having to show her belly, and Vivienne assumed that was what Samia was doing.
She assumed wrong. Before she could blink, Samia shot up, going directly for her throat. Vivienne threw her hands up, and then cried out as the wolf’s massive jaws closed around her arm. Under the pain and weight of the wolf, she was thrown off balance. She fell forward and found herself eye level with Samia.
Vivienne read victory in the wolf’s eyes and knew that in a second, she would move in for the kill. Something in her answered, and her mind was suddenly filled with the image of the white wolf.
Her body grew warm. Maybe it was the delirium setting in from that bite, and Vivienne felt the urge to close her eyes and relax. Considering she was moments aware from being mauled by a wolf, it was a very stupid urge.
A sharp pain rushed her, and she snapped her eyes open, wondering if Samia had attacked her again, but she quickly recognized that the red wolf had backed up and was watching her.
She heard a scream, followed by another. It was then she recognized those screams belonged to her. The pain. Oh God, the pain. Her bones felt like they were breaking, her muscles were stretching. What is happening?
And then, as suddenly as the pain came unmistakable pleasure. She blinked, glad that whatever had happened was now over, and turned to look at Samia. The red wolf had moved even farther away from her.
Vivienne looked around the circle. Every eye was on her. She found Conall and saw he’d taken steps forward and was now standing still, his head cocked to the side as he stared at her.
It wasn’t like she was bleeding out. Her thoughts shifted when a bulldozer rammed into her. Well, Samia rammed into her, and she landed hard on her side. She recognized some things then. When she pushed herself to her feet, she stood on four, not two, limbs, and she was at a considerably low height, considering she was five-eight.
What the hell—? That thought was left unfinished because Samia came at her again, and Vivienne barely managed to get out of the way. She turned to face her nemesis, trying to figure out a way to get back to her original height before Samia killed her. Samia rushed her again, this time sinking her teeth into her side.