Changer's Blood (Balancer's Soul cycle) (21 page)

As he b
egan stepping out of the ground Mark
quickly started running at
his
ultimate
speed
,
in a circle around him. As
he
kicked up a storm of sand and rock
he
searched for
Connor’s
blind spot.
Connor stood there
motionless
in the center of
Mark’s
tornado-
like
ring
.
Mark
couldn’t see
or
find a
single weak point to attack
and exploit when he
crouched
in his battle stance.
Even with his eyes closed
Mark
could tell his defense
i
s flawless.

Deciding to take a
chance
Mark
pulled out of
the
circle and tried striking his back
side
. As
he
leapt for his back
Mark
though
he
could wrap
his
legs around his
friend’s
and hold his chest, but
he
was wrong.

Just before he grappled his friends to the ground
,
Connor open his eyes and they were glowing. He was using his sonar to track
Mark’s
movements.
His eyes
were startling and unnerving. Connor
took that moment of opportunity
and hesitation to
vanish from Mark’s
line of
sight.

Suddenly,
massive arm
enfold
around
his
armored
neck and
large
legs wrap
ped
around
his
ribcage
.
T
hen
Mark
felt the
immense
pressure
of his squeeze
when Connor’s other arm locked his
head
.
Mark
had to react quickly
or
else
he
’d make him
lo
se
consci
ousnes
s
in a few seconds
.
O
nly one way
had been left available
for Mark to keep Connor from making him
pass out.

Mark
focused on
his
sleek hair armor.
T
he strands
began to
unwind and then c
a
me
back together into
sharpened
, needle thin
spikes.
Mark
made
his
mane also become a single pointed spike instead of a
defensive
shield.
All over
,
his
entire
body
transformed
in
to
sharp
,
needlelike
spikes
ready to pu
ncture any who dared to touch him
. They
protruded
from
every angle from the top of his head
, down
the
back and arms and even
his
legs
were well defended
.

As Connor felt the
defensive spikes he released his hold and
Mark
spun
,
trying to subdue him. Connor quickly took
his
legs out from underneath
Mark
by spinning on one leg and the other being straight.
Mark
fell on
his
back and
Connor
did as well
,
after completing the spin.

They
both laid there on the ground
,
side by side
as
they
tried catchin
g
their
breath.
Mark
spoke first
.
“
I haven’t had a workout like
that in over three centuries.” Mark
continued
breathing hard
from the exquisite release
from the
tension of
true
battle
.
It was one of
his
most remarkable fights.

“You almost had me
back there
with th
em
spikes of yours.”
Connor
said
while
still breathing heavily.
“I would look like a pincushion if I didn’t move away
in time
.
”

“You
’
r
e
only the second person who has forced me to
use my armor like that and the
very
first
one
to survive.”
Mark
admitted
without remorse
.

“I feel honored for that
,
Bud.”

Moments later
Mark
turned
his pointed
ears
,
after hearing
four sets of footfalls quickly heading in
their
direction.

J
ack
was the
first
to say
“That was one hell of a fight
, boys
. I could barely keep up
with either of their movements
.” He started laughing
to someone
.

S
omeone’s head
moved and
block
ed
the sun from
Mark’s
eyes. Kara bent closer and as her sandy blonde hair was now undone
,
it
fell
around her face
making her look breathtaking
. “Honey
,
are you ok?”

“I have never had a fight that fun
before
.”
He
barked a laugh.

He
saw her look at
his
chest
in an odd way.
Mark looked down and saw his
hair
s
till
remained
spiked all over
his
body. She reached to touch one of
the spikes and before he
could say no
,
she touched one.

“Ouch!” She quickly jerked her finger back
after being pricked
. He
watched as a drop of blood pooled from the small puncture wound
on her index finger
.

He
instantly made
his hair
armor change back into its
soft furry
form. Mark
sat up and asked “Did it hurt you too bad
ly
?” She sucked the blood from her finger while shaking her head no.
She
i
s a terrible liar.

Mark turned his
head and saw Connor still l
a
ying on his back. Sarah kneeling beside him with her hand on his exposed chest.
Mark
figured they were having a
n intense and
private conversation because just before he sat up
,
they smiled at the same time.
He
began to wonder what that would be like
, to share
true
thoughts with the one you love..
.

Connor and Mark stood at the same time. Mark
asked
calmly
“Sara
h,
are you doing any better?”

She smiled weakly
and her tone matched.
“
Yes, and thank you for helping Connor
take my mind off the
um
…
incident
.”

He
nodded
and said he do it any time
and Connor said quickly
,
as he glanced at the sky “It is almost
one
and I think we should call it a day. We all have thin
gs to do
before the day’s over.” Mark
thought personally,
I don’t
have any more plans
.
“How about we meet here again
at the same time in two days?” Connor
asked the group.

Kara pulled her pricked finger from her mouth.
“Brother
,
why not meet
back
here tomorrow?
I liked today.
” She asked while petting Mark’s
arm
with her other hand
.

“Because
,
I’m going to start
up
my business.” He stated.

“What kind of business?” Jillian finally spoke up.

“Survival and outdoors camping.” He said
simply
as he
began
walking away. He
stopped and Mark
saw h
im look at something. Suddenly
Tool
and his ripped black shirt
shot across the field and
Connor caught them in each hand and slid his weapon in his pants
before he
wrapped the ripped shirt ar
ound his hand. Both Sarah and his
best friend started running and waving goodbye.

Jillian started walking and Jack followed later
,
carrying his weapon over his shoulder. And they too vanished as they waved goodbye.

“So what are your plans for the rest of the day?” Kara asked
Mark while
wearing a hilarious grin.

“What ever you want
to do, S
weetheart.”
He
spoke too soon.

“Good
,
because I want to go to your place and I want to know more about you and what you are.” Her feral grin returned.

She retrieved her bow and hooked it over her back.
S
he adjusted her belt as
he
went back down on
his
forelegs
,
after
he
reduced the size of
his
muscles back to their original size that
he
usually use
s
.

She then leapt atop his
back
without pause
. When
M
ark felt her get a solid grip of his
mane
he
started gliding through the trees at a measured pace.

Looking down
Kara
watched Mark
’
s
powerful
muscles move as he ran. With
her
legs wrapped over his middle
she
could feel each breath he made.
He was a powerful creature that held a tranquil side that soothed all who met him.
His
furry
hair
remained
soft
at the moment
and comfortable
, feeling
like she
was riding a horse
,
bareback
.
It was a different experience,
but
also fun in a way.
She
also watched as his pointed ears twitch
ed
and swerve
d
to and f
ro
as he listened to things even she
possibly couldn’t hear.

Just before
they
reached the Branderson’s property
,
Mark stopped and looked back at
her
with those dreamy silver eyes
again and
her
heart sputtered
.
She hoped that his hearing couldn’t detect her heart’s reaction towards him.
His muzzle
pulled back into a
smile
and she
knew it was time to exit the living
vehicle
.