"You've got to be fucking kidding me," Kieran cursed under his breath through gritted teeth as he stepped into the car park, balling his hands into fists and readying himself for yet another fight of the day.
"Stay away, or she dies!" The beast he was facing, a rare breed quad element wielder dragon, snarled at him, gripping the neck of his victim for the day—one of Kieran's staff members—and using her as some sort of shield.
She had already fainted, figures given how both Kieran and the dragon were emitting aura, trying to intimidate each other. One whiff of that magic-filled air always managed to render the humans unconscious no matter the age, size, or gender.
"You do realize who you're talking to don't you?" Kieran asked the dragon in an icy voice, lowering his gaze just enough to intimidate the guy.
Bravado.
His words and actions were nothing more than him trying to maintain his reputation as the ruler of the Noctus Domain—beast kind's largest faction in the world—and as the last living beast of his kind… a doppelgänger. Truth is, he was weak right now, probably more so than he had ever been in his entire life given how he had just come from another intense aura-sucking fight.
This one was going to be his fifth for the day.
The dragon, a beefy guy wearing black with tattoos all over his body let out a hearty chuckle, one that Kieran took as an attempt meant to mock him.
"How could I not know who you are, oh, great Doppelgänger lord of the west? Master of coldness, cracker of bones," another chuckle, "and slayer of his own kind just because we choose to do what comes naturally to us." His eyes fell to the woman in his hands, licking his lips as if he was already imagining eating her.
Kieran fought back a grimace, collecting himself as he waited for one small mistake from the guy. One opening was all he needed to attack, or rather, it was all he could manage at this point, otherwise, he and the woman were toast. The woman for obvious reasons since she was prey, but as for Kieran, if word got out that he was getting weaker, his faction was bound to perish… and him along with it.
He couldn't let that happen.
He had to carry on living, had to find the man who killed his family when he was just a boy—to avenge them. But for that to happen, he had to handle the repulsive bastard standing before him, now gripping his victim's cheeks with his claws and slowly digging into her skin.
Thank goodness she wasn't awake or she would be screaming in pain.
The dragon withdrew one bloodied claw from the woman's face, licking it whilst looking at Kieran as if to provoke him before adding, "I know you're strong but damnit boy, why can't you just let us be? Protect humans this, don't kill them that, what, you think they know of your existence?
Even if they did do you think they'd worship you? The little things go about killing and using each other like shit daily, but when we do it it's suddenly wrong? Ha! Stop fucking kidding me, I'm a centuries-old dragon on the brink of death from hunger here, and the first thing you think of is her, not me?"
"Because she deserves to live just as much as you—and you don't need to eat humans to survive. Normal food is just as effective," Kieran replied, now focusing his energy on making a clone of himself.
One clone was all he could manage to create with the amount of aura left in his body.
Anger.
He was going to create his anger clone. That guy's rage and reckless attacks were good enough to handle the dragon, and given how Kieran was sure he couldn't hold the clone for much longer, he needed a version of him that could leave the old beast tired in just a minute. Besides, his clones were able to copy other tribal abilities at just a glance—the main reason why doppelgängers are the most feared tribe among beast kind… or used to be at least.
"Except, eating human flesh will nourish my belly for days, and I won't have the need to go about looking for food," the dragon replied, licking his claw again, pulling the woman closer when he noticed Kieran taking a step forward.
"Normal food can do that too," Kieran reminded him, scanning the car park for an opening to attack. Then he saw it, the Mercedes behind the dragon.
Good, that would do. His anger clone was tactful and daredevil enough to handle an attack from that range. Now to just set the mood…
"Let her go and I'll let you die a painless death, or else—"
"Or else what?" The dragon cut him off, his grin seemingly wider now. "You'll torture me? With what exactly, that butchered aura of yours?" He let out a loud cackle, the kind that scraped at Kieran's ears and had him clenching his teeth.
The fucker had seen through his weakness—not that it was a secret to begin with. Every beast needed an Anchor for one or so reasons, but it was common knowledge that doppelgängers had it worse.
"Guess you haven't found an Anchor to ease your deflating power, have you? Tsk, why am I even asking such a silly question? They all died along with your tribe during the great war didn't they?" Another cackle and lick of his bloodied hand before adding, "Vlad that cold son of a bitch, he made sure he had secured his Anchor and then killed his kind like they were pests. How did you even survive that massacre? You should've died along with your—"
The dragon didn't get to finish speaking before suddenly, his tongue was sliced off and fell to the ground with a low thud, the woman he was holding just moments ago now out of his grasp, in Kieran's hands.
He didn't even get the chance to counterattack before Kieran's anger clone copied his ability in a flash, gripping his face with dragon claws identical to his—probably even bigger—and unleashing an ice attack that froze his entire body in an instant. Elemental magic was that potent.
"Why the fuck did you let me out in such a cramped space, old man? This kind of setting is meant for that logical, smart bastard, not me."
"Shut up and drag him out of here then kill him, he made the mistake of dragging our family into this."
Kieran didn't need to tell his clone anything else before they were both glaring at the now frozen dragon, the clone's grip tightening around the face as a devilish smile crept up his.
"I am going to smoke him alive."
"Whatever, but don't drag it out. The aura left in me can only last fifteen minutes tops."
The clone snickered. "That's good enough time to shove a razor-sharp claw up his ass and dissect his insides after defrosting him. I'll make sure to enjoy this."
Without wasting any time, the clone activated an eye-shield barrier around him and the dragon—just incase any humans were near—and produced wings in the blink of an eye. Then he flapped them majestically and soured out of the car park, leaving Kieran and the half-dead woman alone.
Kieran let out a sigh, pitying the dragon a little for being his anger clone's victim. The beasts that labeled him the "cracker of bones" clearly hadn't fought this constantly mad version of him that thought going on killing sprees was a workout session.
Sighing, he rummaged his pockets for his phone to call Kalena—his magic user friend and guardian—so she could heal the woman in his hands, and probably clear her memories. He hadn't even unlocked his device however, before the echo of what sounded like someone running in heels came from behind him… And it was drawing near with each click from what he could hear.
Furrowing his brows, he adjusted the woman he was carrying in his hands and pirouetted, readying himself to face the looming danger—but he was slow. A sharp kick slammed right into his left eye before he could even think to counter it, making him stagger backwards.
"Fuck!" He hissed, trying his best to detect the aura of the beast that just attacked him…
But there was no lingering aura in the air, meaning his attacker could only be human; and given the heels, it was bound to be a woman.
That managed to settle his blaring survival instinct.
Forcing one eye open, Kieran wasn't shocked to see her glaring at him, taser gun in hand as she readied herself for battle, angrily whipping her long curly fiery amber hair behind her ears. Not her first time fighting, Kieran noted after seeing the way she was poised, as if to throw another kick at him. Given his current weak condition, she was a major threat to him at the moment.
Not to worry though, the lingering aura he and the dragon had emitted was bound to make her faint anytime soon.
"Let her go right now you pervert, or I'll fry your brains!" The woman hissed, pointing her taser at Kieran's face.
He raised his brows in annoyance. "Pervert? I think you got the wrong idea here ma'am—"
He didn't get to finish his speech before the woman charged at him again with practiced precision. However, this time Kieran was ready for her. He gracefully dodged her attack, bending himself low enough to avoid getting kicked in the eye again, all whilst carrying the unconscious woman in his hands and making sure not to strain her already damaged body. Heavy work given how he was tired, but he still managed to do it either way.
Although, his weakness was the last thing on his mind as he evaded yet another attack from the pretty stranger, with more to follow after the kick landed right behind him on a car.
Why hadn't she fainted yet?
He was sure she had inhaled lots of aura-filled air given how hard she was coming at him, but still, she wasn't showing signs of weakening. Could it be…
Was she an Anchor?
A loud thud resounded in his chest at the thought, but he pushed the thought to the back of his head in an instant, ducking as another kick whooshed past his face. Right now he had to focus on getting the woman to calm down and talk—then he would analyze her.
Only, how was he going to calm such an athletic fighter whilst protecting a woman, all without revealing he wasn't human himself?
"Fuck."