My eyes were painfully burned by the bright light in the dining hall, where the battle continued and the losing side was obvious. I understood where the crackling sound I'd heard earlier came from when I saw my father. Or rather, I only guessed it was Kostya by the dark wolf head that had replaced the face I knew. The transformation wasn't complete: everything below the neck looked quite human. Only the turtleneck was left in tatters, patchily covering a bare torso that had filled with strength. Strength that now belonged to me too.
Every cell in my body vibrated in unison, starting from the fingertips and rising in a wave, filling me with energy. I had felt echoes of power before, but it was nothing compared to the euphoria that now overwhelmed me. I looked at my hands and saw my nails lengthening and thickening, turning into massive claws. Flexing my fingers, I examined my palms and noticed I was seeing things differently than before. It was unusual to observe everything from above, but to be honest, I liked it.
My admiration was interrupted by the sound of breaking dishes. It was Violetta, who, clutching Maria, toppled with her onto the narrow serving table where containers of fragrant dinner had recently stood. Food was scattered in scraps on the floor, and the potatoes were crushed underfoot into an unappetizing mush.
Viola freed her mother's arm from her grip and raised a knife for a strike, aiming straight for the heart. I sprang up, but my legs tangled as if tied together, and my body pitched forward. Yielding to an instant impulse, I dropped to all fours and quickly gained speed. One last burst, and I jumped higher to intervene, but I bumped into the enraged Stas with my shoulder. Still, it didn't knock me off course, unlike Smirnov. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Stanislav turn around from the impact, as if the blow had been so strong he couldn't stay upright.
A split second later, I reached my target. Throwing my paw-like hands forward, I pounced on Viola from above. My claws slid easily across her skin, tearing through the fabric in their way. Where the claws had been, deep scratches appeared. They quickly bled, and the beast inside me rejoiced. It wanted more. More blood.
"Let everything turn red!", a mad thought flashed through my mind, and my vision blurred. I became even angrier than before, feeling the lives burning in my hands. So much power in a single touch, sweet control. And the terror in Viola's eyes, lying on the cold floor beneath me, made me press her throat harder, waiting for the rasp. This was the limitless power that would grant me freedom.
"Stop," someone croaked in a voice unfamiliar to me, growing louder after a moment. "Stop before it goes too far!"
The new voice caught my attention despite the whisper in my head, and I turned around. What I saw made me freeze and blink hard because I couldn't believe my eyes.
Nick was standing in the doorway. He looked bad and sickly in a stretched-out T-shirt, his long arms tightly wrapped in bandages visible beneath it. A woman leaned on Karimov's shoulder. The stranger looked as fragile as Diana, only older. Much older. Her hair was disheveled, with silver strands coloring the right temple.
"What's this now?" the stranger stared at me puzzled, struggling to find words.
The fight immediately stopped, and everyone present looked at the woman as one, who carefully stepped toward the center of the room, trying not to step into the mush of scattered baked fish and potatoes all over the floor.
"Ma-ma?" Viola asked in a choked voice, as if she couldn't believe her eyes.
Someone grabbed me under the chest and yanked me off Viola. At that moment, I felt like a powerless doll once again and became furious. Only now I had something to fight back with.
Without thinking long, I kicked out, but it didn't loosen the stranger's grip, so I dug my claws deep into soft flesh. A growl sounded, and to my surprise, I realized the sound came from me. Wow!
"Asya, quieter!" Kostya shouted right by my ear, not expecting resistance from me. "You'll scratch me all over!"