Shangri-la
Chapter 24

“Iris!” Lotus found herself screaming, managing to pull away from Alder and dashing to Iris. Throwing herself on top of the girl’s body, Lotus pulled her up and hugged Iris against her chest, turning to glare at Alder. “What did you do?” she growled.

Alder seemed surprised, but after a moment his eyes narrowed again in a decisive victory. “It’s over, Lotus. Let her go.”

“No, it’s not!” Snatching at Lune’s aura, Lotus embraced it hastily, pain shooting through her body as the sloppy transformation completed, and she ran at Alder, leaping toward him with her fangs bared. Alder brought up his arm to shield himself, and Lotus’s teeth dug into his skin and muscle.

“Damn bitch!” he yelled, grabbing the top of Lotus’s muzzle. “You lost!”

Unable to stop the high-pitched noise, Lotus whimpered and her grip on Alder’s arm loosened. Using the opportunity, he pried her teeth away and tackled her to the ground.

“Woman!” he shouted into her eyes, grabbing both of her ears. “Your true form is woman!”

Panic surged through Lotus as she felt herself shifting back into a human against her will, unable to call Lune back to stay as a wolf. As the last tuft of fur disappeared, she found herself lying on her back with Alder straddling her middle, his hands twisted in her hair on either side of her head.

“Get off me!” she shrieked, but when she jerked to get away, stinging pain shot through her muscles and paralyzed them.

“Stop fighting against me, Lotus, I don’t want to hurt you,” Alder whispered, pressing down against her. She could feel his chest against hers, and their hearts were racing in unison, as if there was only one heart beating.

“Why?” Lotus asked weakly.

“Because I love you.” Alder brushed his lips against hers, and she quivered but didn’t struggle. Opening his mouth slightly, Alder very gently kissed her, easing his entire being into the action as he gave in to his deep longing. Lotus’s jaw twitched slightly, and slowly she reached her hand up to touch his cheek.

“Lotus!” Iris yelled.

Pulling away, Lotus strained to turn around and look at Iris. “H-help,” she called weakly, before Alder slammed his hand into her throat.

“Don’t you dare!” he hissed. “Don’t you dare turn against me now!”

“Lotus, hang on!” Iris’s voice was shrill, frightened and yet determined. Lotus knew that Iris would save her, that in the end her strength and been nothing more than pretense, and that she was the one who was helpless. It was no wonder that Iris was the key, and not her.

“Lotus, please.” Alder leaned closer to her, his lips touching her cheek right underneath her eye. “Please say that you’ll be with me.” His hand moved away from her neck, slowly caressing the curve of her clavicle and sliding out to her shoulder. His touch was freezing.

“I am sworn,” she whispered, the promise of warm sunlight and scented breezes flitting through her mind, “to Shangri-la alone.”

“No!” Alder brought his hand up to strike her, but he was suddenly thrown backwards. “Goddamn you!” he roared, staggering up to his feet and holding his arm against his middle.

“A wolf,” Iris said smugly, “can do more damage than a hawk. Kara, again!”

Alder stumbled again, falling down to one knee. “Talon!” he called, and his body began transforming, sprouting feathers while shrinking to a different size, and soon a hawk was flapping into the air, flying away.

Iris quickly ran over to Lotus and knelt down on the ground next to her. “Are you okay?”

Lotus nodded, tears flowing from her eyes. “I’m fine.”

“Lotus, I figured it all out! I know how Alder can see our spirit guides, and I know what they can do!”

Turning her head away, Lotus rolled to her side and pulled her knees up, hugging them. “I’m glad . . .” she choked, then shook as a sob pounded against her ribs. From behind, she felt Iris’s warm arms wrap around her, but she ignored it. Crying uncontrollably, Lotus felt the weight of the truth crushing down on her. Even though she loved Shangri-la, it didn’t need someone as powerless as she was to help it. She was useless.

 

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