Cross to Bear Universe: The Poisonous Butterfly 1

AZRIEL

The scent of vanilla and cinnamon mingled together, coaxing a smile from my usually stern lips. It was a comforting, delicious aroma that I hadn’t experienced in a long time. It filled my lungs and stirred something deep within me, but what was it exactly?

I began to shift on the bed but froze when I felt movement beside me. My eyes flew open in surprise to find Luna nestled in my arms.

Taken aback, I pushed her away and quickly stood up. Luna merely grumbled in her sleep, seemingly unfazed by my abrupt actions. I tried to provoke her into a heated argument, but she barely stirred. I moved again, and the blue silk sheets slid down her body, revealing her bare chest.

Embarrassed, I quickly averted my gaze. I took a deep breath before reaching for the sheets and pulling them back over her. I touched my face, feeling the heat rising in my cheeks. Why was I blushing when I’d seen naked women before?

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. I glanced over my shoulder to see Luna shifting in her sleep. I quickly got up and headed for the door, not wanting her to wake up and find me still in the room.

“Yes?” I called out as I opened the door and stepped outside. My brother Lorcan, taken aback, stepped back a few paces. “Is something wrong?”

“You’re awake?” Lorcan asked, his gaze drifting back to the closed door.

“Yes, I was just leaving,” I replied, starting to walk away.

Lorcan just stared at me, his expression full of unasked questions that made me uncomfortable.

“Did something happen?” he asked as I opened the door to my messy room, unchanged from the night before.

Ignoring his question, I said, “I need some servants to help clean up. I also need a new bed and some furniture. I’d like to stay in a different room while things are being changed, if that’s okay.”

“Stop avoiding the question,” Lorcan growled.

“I’m not. I’m just stating my needs. Can’t you see that?” I gestured around the room. Lorcan sighed and walked away, muttering to himself.

I was relieved he didn’t press me further. I was feeling frustrated and confused by everything that was happening.

***

I closed the closet doors behind me and reached for a hair tie to secure my long hair.

“I thought I told you to stay out of my room,” I grumbled.

Luna straightened up and crossed her arms over her chest, standing in the corner next to the bed.

I gave her a once-over. Was it really that hard for her to change her clothes?

“Anyway…” I muttered, reaching for my belongings.

“You’re early,” Alastair greeted me and Luna. I put on my gloves and picked up a sword.

This morning, Alastair and I were going hunting. But we weren’t hunting animals, we were hunting traitors.

“How many of us are going?” I asked.

“Just four,” Alastair replied with a grin. “Let’s get going. We won’t have to travel far, our destination is nearby.”

Our journey was indeed short, just as Alastair had promised. To my surprise, Maximilian and Briony were the other two people Alastair had mentioned would be joining us.

“You guys finally made it,” Maximilian said. I gave him a friendly pat on the back, while Briony shot me a scowl.

Frowning, I turned to face the house.

“Are we doing this quickly?” I asked, kneeling next to Maximilian.

“Yes, it will be quick. There are only six of them inside,” Maximilian replied. “The ones who set fire to the city’s homes are here.”

“Good, we should split up and finish this quickly,” Alastair murmured.

I scowled when I noticed a shadow behind me. Luna was standing near a rock, her back to us. I assumed she wouldn’t be joining us.

“Since Luna is your guardian, she goes wherever you go,” Alastair replied to my unspoken question.

“The dog follows the master,” I grumbled.

“No, the master is holding back the dog,” Briony retorted.

I flipped her off, thoroughly annoyed.

“Can you two stop it? It’s always the same with you,” Alastair snapped.

I sneered at him and started looking for secure entrances instead of focusing on Briony.

“Why don’t we set the house on fire?” Maximilian suggested. I couldn’t help but grin at the idea.

“That’s not a bad idea, we could finish this quickly,” I agreed, sitting down on the dusty ground.

“But what about the survivors?” Briony interjected. “We don’t know if there’s anyone inside.”

“I don’t care!” I snapped.

“Mother would be very upset with you!” Briony shot back, her eyes flashing gold, red, and blue.

“Are you going to tattle on me?” I taunted, knowing it would rile her up.

“I wouldn’t hesitate to do so,” she retorted, glaring at me. “You need to be kept on a leash.”

I lunged at her, but Maximilian grabbed my collar and held me back.

“Stop!” he ordered, his tone sour. “Uncle, if you touch Briony, I’ll kill you.”

I scoffed, adjusted my gear, and stood up. Why did we have to bring these kids along?

“Where are you going?” Alastair asked as I started down the hill.

“To end this,” I replied, flashing my long nails.

I moved silently toward the wooden house, targeting the man standing near the entrance.

I bit into him, drained him, and tossed his body aside. His blood tasted awful.

I was about to kick down the house’s door when I froze. There was a strange aftertaste in the blood I’d just consumed.

These weren’t vampires, these traitors. They were demons in disguise.

“Shit!” I cursed, leaping aside just in time. Something crashed where I’d been standing a moment ago, embedding a large ax into the wooden floor.

“What a delightful sight,” a raspy voice commented.

Three strangers emerged, their hands full of weapons. I turned to face them just as Alastair tackled one of them.

“Always doing things your way,” Briony scoffed as Maximilian engaged another demon.

“Shut up!” I snapped back, but Briony landed a hard kick to my knee, sending me to the ground.

She growled and kicked me in the chest. “I don’t know what Mom sees in you, but all I see is a nuisance,” she spat.

I dug my claws into the ground, struggling to control my anger.

“You’re crossing a line, Briony!”

“No—” Maximilian’s call cut her off. Briony shot me one last glare before turning to help her brother.

I got up and surveyed the area. Three more assassins emerged from the house, surrounding us.

I moved quickly, grabbing one by the neck and throwing him to the ground. The sound of his neck snapping confirmed that I’d killed him.

“Are there more?” I asked Alastair, who had moved to stand behind me.

“I’m not sure,” he growled. “It seems there are more than we initially thought.”

I drew my sword, ready to slit their throats.

“Don’t even think about drinking their blood. Find someone else or wait until we get back to the clan if you need blood,” Alastair warned.

“Do you think I’m stupid enough to do that?”

“You’ve already drunk one of their bloods. So yes, you’re capable of anything,” he retorted.

I charged at the demon, quickly dispatching him. I moved on to the next, and then the last, slicing his throat cleanly. Once they were all dead, we turned to face the house.

“We should burn it,” Maximilian suggested.

“NO!” I objected, raising my arm to block his path.

“Uncle, there are demons inside. Let’s finish this quickly to save time,” Maximilian argued, pushing my arm aside.

I hissed, stopping him in his tracks. “There’s someone inside.”

“Are you sure?” Briony asked, rushing over to us.

“Yes, one or two humans,” I confirmed, focusing my senses on the house. It seemed there was a basement we hadn’t been aware of. “Let’s check inside,” I suggested.

“No!” Alastair objected, stopping me.

Maximilian grabbed my arm and pulled me back. “Luna will go.”

“What?” I snapped. “Why her?”

Luna, standing beside me, seemed unfazed.

“I can handle this!” I shot Alastair a determined look, but all he did was growl in response.

“Luna, can you check it out? If it’s clear, you know what to do,” Alastair ordered her.

I nodded, watching as Luna disappeared from sight. I tried to wriggle out of Max and Alastair’s grip. Something about this situation felt off. It just didn’t sit right with me.

Suddenly, I spun around to face the woods behind the house, hearing a rustling noise. I pushed Maximilian out of the way. Briony screamed, but I was already being tackled by the attacker. We both rolled down a hill next to the house. I tried to get a good look at their face, but we kept tumbling, hitting rocks along the way.

I groaned, quickly getting back on my feet. I turned to face my attacker, taking in the large, intimidating figure before me. I wrinkled my nose at the stench of demons.

I looked back up the hill, toward the house and everyone else, hearing grunts and other noises. With no other choice, I flexed my fingers, preparing to strike.

I tried to grab the demon’s face with a lightning-fast reflex, but he dodged me and landed a punch in my stomach. I spat out blood, but quickly regained my composure and launched another attack.

Spotting a boulder, I picked it up and threw it, distracting the demon long enough for me to land a direct hit. I grabbed his face, surprised, and slammed it against another rock. I pinned him down with all my weight. Then I lifted his head and smashed it against the rock three times until his brains were splattered everywhere.

I wiped my hand on my pants before running back to the others. More demons had shown up, and everyone was surrounded.

“Where did all these guys come from?” I asked, joining the others.

Briony growled. “It’s an ambush.”

Alastair yelled to Maximilian, who was pulling off his gloves to reveal sharp claws on his hands.

I glanced back to see Briony stepping in front of Maximilian. The twins started to form a large rune, circling each other.

“Are we retreating?” I asked.

Alastair replied with a worried look. “Yes, it’s a trap, and we’re at a disadvantage. I can’t risk Maximilian or Briony getting hurt. Amari and Maximus would kill us.”

I stiffened, knowing he was right. Even with the power of the two dragons, we were hesitant to attack.

“Get in the circle,” Briony ordered. We both did, but as I took a step, I remembered Luna.

“I can’t.”

“What?” Briony frowned.

I turned to Alastair and said, “Luna’s still in there. We can’t leave her behind.”

“She can take care of herself!” Briony yanked on my arm, exasperated.

“No, you guys go ahead,” I said. “I’ll get her and catch up.”

Briony let go of me with a frustrated groan.

“Die, bastard,” she muttered, making me grin. I nodded to the group and quickly entered the house as the others tried to distract the demons.

The house was a mess. I found stairs and an open entrance after running down a few hallways. The smell coming from downstairs was so bad, I wanted to gag. I doubted anyone was still alive down there.

“LUNA!” I called out, but there was no response, not even a sound.

As I reached the top of the stairs, I looked around at the hallways. Torches lit the walls, and cobwebs hung from them like decorations.

I closed my eyes, trying to sense Luna. My eyebrows furrowed as I finally picked up a familiar scent. My eyes snapped open, and I ran to the left. The distance from the scent suggested that this was an underground tunnel, not a basement. As I ran down each hallway, I noticed the various doors and cages.

Finally, I spotted Luna as I turned my head. To my surprise, she was unconscious on the ground.

“Luna?” I knelt down next to her and picked her up. There was a large, bleeding wound on her head.

I swallowed hard. The smell was so enticing; my teeth started to grow longer uncontrollably. I quickly let go of her and fell back. I had to distance myself before I lost control and did something stupid.

I covered my mouth with a gloved hand. I could feel my sharp teeth piercing my lower lip. Was this the scent Lorcan and Alastair had mentioned?

My mouth watered at the mix of cinnamon and vanilla. I turned to look at the hallway I had just come from when I heard a loud explosion. I grabbed her jacket, trying to cover her wound, tearing it into pieces until I managed to cover some of her injuries.

Once I was sure no more blood would spill, I picked her up.

“Guess we’ll have to find another way out,” I said.

I ran down the hallway, carrying Luna in my arms.

***

We had been running for almost an hour, and we still hadn’t found an exit. What bothered me more was the size of this place. It was like a maze. There were doors and hallways leading to all sorts of places.

I leaned against the wall, deciding to take a break. Luna still hadn’t woken up.

“I should have let you die.”

Luckily, I had managed to keep my monster at bay. I wasn’t as drawn to her as before. Standing back up, I pulled Luna closer to my chest when she started to mumble. I glanced at her quickly before leaning over and sliding down the wall.

“Hey!” I gently slapped her cheek as I called out. “Luna, wake up!”

She started to mumble. I kept slapping her until she finally opened her eyes.

Her blue eyes met mine immediately, making me catch my breath. I tilted my head to the side, sighing with relief. Luna was silent, just staring at me.

“You’re finally awake.”

“What happened?” Her voice was raspy. I helped her sit up, but she winced immediately.

“Do you have any injuries?” I asked, following her hand to her shoulder.

Luna rubbed it and muttered, “It’s nothing.” I frowned but decided to let it go.

I wasn’t even sure why I had come to her rescue. Why had I come here at all if I just wanted her gone?

“What happened?” Luna asked, looking around.

“We’re deep inside an underground labyrinth. We have demons on our tail,” I briefed her and stood up.

“What about everyone else?” She took my hand as I offered it to her. I carefully helped her up and watched as she steadied herself.

“Everyone else has already left,” I said, letting go of her hand. I looked away.

“Why did they leave? What about…,” Luna started to ask, her face filled with worry.

This woman was really stressing me out. “Don’t worry, Luna. We just need to find a way out,” I cut her off and started walking.

“You should have left me here,” she said, making me stop and growl.

“Do you think I didn’t want to?” Her eyes widened as I spoke. “But I didn’t, as you can see.” I muttered, ignoring her hurt look. “I came to get you, so don’t be a burden and let’s go.”

***

After a while of wandering through the maze, we came to a fork in the path.

“We should split up and check out the different paths,” Luna suggested.

I took one path without saying anything, and Luna took another. I tried to sense anything by sharpening my senses, but before I could react, something attacked me, and I was thrown against the wall.

I growled and kicked at whatever was attacking me. The strange creature stirred and swung at me. I dodged his attacks, confused. He moved quickly and was able to keep up with me. Feeling helpless, I jumped onto his arm and tried to kick him in the face.

This thing was so big, it would take more than two people to take him down.

I pulled, trying to break his neck, wrapping my arms around his throat. The whole place shook as the creature let out a deafening howl. I dug my nails into its skin, making it scream even louder.

I was distracted by the sound of rushing footsteps. Was that Luna? The creature moved when it heard the noise and threw me against a pillar.

I cursed and quickly got up to push her out of the way, but before I could get completely clear, the creature’s claws dug into my side, making me scream.

“Your Highness!”

The creature attacked again, and I dodged.

“Leave, Luna,” I told her, who looked terrified.

“But—”

“Just go!” She flinched when I yelled at her.

I got up, saw the creature again, and ran in the opposite direction to give Luna a chance to escape. The creature was right behind me.

“Damn it!” I came to a halt, cursing under my breath. I was trapped in a cul-de-sac.

I spun around to find the hulking creature glaring at me, its mouth smeared with blood. Is this how it ends?

“Really, I should’ve let you die,” I grumbled, my gaze still locked on the beast.

With no other options, I braced myself for the final showdown. Despite the fatigue from blood loss, I had to seize this moment. I could only hope Luna had managed to escape.

“All right, let’s get this over with,” I said, a smirk playing on my lips. I charged at the beast, meeting it head-on. The monster lifted its massive arms, and I slid under them, delivering a powerful kick to its ankle that forced it to kneel.

The beast lunged forward, its face colliding with the wall in a deafening roar. I chuckled, leaping onto its back and using my claws to find its eyes.

The beast let out a piercing screech as I yanked hard. The sound was so thunderous that the entire place shook, forcing me to cover my ears.

This is it.

The beast’s arm struck me as I sprang to my feet, sending me sprawling a few feet away. The wind was knocked out of me, leaving me gasping for breath.

My vision blurred as I coughed violently. I mustered my remaining strength and, clutching my wound, I began to retreat.

Just as the creature prepared to strike again, a figure appeared before me. Her radiant purple light obstructed the beast’s view as she began to chant in an unfamiliar language.

The voice beckoned me, “Come!” and helped me to my feet. “We need to leave.”

Leaning against her, I mumbled, “So you didn’t run away.”

Luna’s voice held a hint of amusement as she replied, “I have to keep you safe.”

A smile spread across my face as I wheezed out, “I thought you were my guardian when I lost control, not my bodyguard.”

“Yes, but…” Luna pulled me into a hug and whispered, “I can’t let you die for me.”

I frowned in confusion, but she simply shook her head.

“Never mind,” she said, just as another blinding flash enveloped us.