Karizma: Reborn
Chapter 30: Ryleigh

Kristopher’s hands wrapped around Ryleigh’s throat, and he snarled at her. “So, this is how you came back,” Naomi’s voice spoke through Kristopher’s lips. “I should have known it would be the Lycans.”

“Let Kristopher go,” Ryleigh growled. “Kill me yourself, you fucking coward.”

“I’m far from a coward. I think of myself as more of a sadist right now. You see,” Naomi continued as Kristopher’s grasp tightened around Ryleigh’s throat. “I’m going to make you kill him.”

“No, you won’t,” Ryleigh gasped.

“Oh, but I will. My bewitchment is locked deep into the Karizma Killer. He no longer feels pain or self-restraint. He is completely mindless, except for his mission. He will continue on his mission until you are dead, and then he will kill himself,” Naomi said.

“How do you know that I will let him kill me?”

“Because it was more than bewitchment between you two, wasn’t it?” Naomi asked. “And now I know who to target first in this war. The Lycans have declared war on the vampires by bringing you back to life. Goodbye, Ryleigh.” Naomi’s voice silenced, and Kristopher’s snarling filled Ryleigh’s ears.

Lukas grabbed Kristopher and buried his canines into Kristopher’s neck. Lukas immediately howled and ripped his canines away. Ryleigh saw that Lukas’ bottom jaw was torn and split. Kristopher squeezed Ryleigh’s throat even tighter. Lukas snarled and slashed his claws against Kristopher’s back, and another heartbreaking howl filled Ryleigh’s ears. Lukas’ claws were gone. She looked down at Kristopher and found them embedded in Kristopher’s back. Lukas’ claws were ripped out. He cannot feel pain, and he is under the control of magic. Ryleigh felt a sob bubble in her throat. She is right. Kristopher won’t stop until I’m dead.

The heat of Ryleigh’s magic intensified on her skin as she buried her claws into Kristopher’s chest. She heard the sizzle of his skin as her magic melted it away, but the haunting violet eyes never left her gold ones. Her magic strengthened as pain wrapped around her claws like a vice. She looked down and realized that removing her claws from Kristopher would result in her being de-clawed as well. She did not only just make Kristopher into a weapon, but she also made his body into one.

Ryleigh’s magic penetrated Kristopher’s body, and she cried out. The magic inside of Kristopher felt like a tornado of glass. Ryleigh felt the magic cut across her skin as it tried to defend itself from the intruder. Ryleigh’s magic quickly shifted into a rain of lava, and the tornado of glass slowly began to melt. Her magic moved slowly into Kristopher’s body, trying to assess the damage that was done to him. Almost immediately, Ryleigh screamed out as Naomi’s tornado of glass revived itself. The child’s lightning began shattering each piece of glass that came in contact with Ryleigh’s skin, but she knew that they could not fight like that forever. Naomi’s magic was tied to Kristopher’s body; as long was Kristopher was alive, Ryleigh would be dying.

While her child’s magic shattered the threat temporarily, Ryleigh quickly surveyed the inside of Kristopher. Kristopher’s internal organs were obliterated. No. Her magic quickly shifted to his subconscious, but there was only silence. She pushed further into his mind, desperate for any noise that remained of him. He has to be here. She searched frantically, desperately, waiting for his voice to greet her, to tell her that he was trapped in a coma while Naomi controlled his body. Yet, the only noise that she received was the horrendous nothingness. Kristopher was gone.

Ryleigh withdrew from Kristopher’s body with a scream. The tornado of glass was confined beneath Kristopher’s skin, but his grasp tightened around her throat. I don’t have much time left. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I love you.” Ryleigh’s magic burst against her skin, and fire consumed every inch of her body. Kristopher’s grip only tightened on her throat. Ryleigh screamed again, and her magic plunged into Kristopher’s body. The tornado of glass was pulled into a vacuum of fire and lightning. The vacuum swirled within Kristopher’s body. She watched as Kristopher’s skin began to tear as the vacuum grew inside of him. She heard Lukas shout something to her, but her eyes never strayed from Kristopher’s. The violet eyes continued to challenge Ryleigh’s gold ones, and Ryleigh’s magic funneled the vacuum beneath his skin even more. She saw his skin begin to slough off his body as the heat of her magic began to melt him from the inside out. She gasped as she felt the pressure build-up in her magic. “I love you,” she repeated.

Kristopher’s body exploded. Ryleigh was thrown backwards at the impact as the pieces that were once Kristopher landed around her. She screamed again as agony tore through her. Her magic rattled the building in response. A part of her had wondered if they would just kill Kristopher regardless, but she was so blinded by the possibility of Naomi’s desire to feed from the Karizma line. She knew that I would request a meeting, she fucking counted on it. The only thing that matters to her now is world domination.

“Ryleigh?” Lukas’ pained voice called out to her. She jumped to her feet and rushed over to him. She exhaled in relief as she saw that his jaw was almost healed. She gently held one of his hands and slowly poured her magic into him. Her magic began to ease his pain while his wolf worked to heal him. “What happened?” he asked.

“Kristopher was dead,” Ryleigh muttered. “Naomi’s magic was just using his corpse as a puppet. She knew that I would want a meeting to get him back, so she saw the best way to eliminate me.”

“She didn’t think you’d kill him.”

“She didn’t count on my magic replaceing out that he was already dead.”

Ryleigh felt her magic slowly retreat from Lukas’ body. She looked down and found Lukas’ claws had returned to him. “Are you okay?” she asked him.

“Me?” Lukas asked in bewilderment. “You just blew up Kristopher. Are you okay?”

“I can’t—” Ryleigh choked and shook her head. “That can’t matter right now. Naomi knows how I was brought back. The Lycans are going to be her first target. We need to get home. Can you walk?”

Lukas simply nodded and rose to his feet. Ryleigh flinched as she allowed herself to observe the carnage around them. Kristopher painted the warehouse with flesh and blood, puddles of dark red pooled at their feet. “Fuck,” Lukas said bitterly. “What happens now?”

“We were worried about a vampiric army taking over the world. But if she can control corpses like that?” Ryleigh shuddered and struggled to breathe. “We have to end this, Lukas. Whatever it takes.” Ryleigh took a step forward, and her shoe squished and slipped in blood. She immediately doubled over and vomited. She felt the waves of anguish and agony threaten to spill out of her with the vomit. She would make sure that Naomi suffered for what she did to Kristopher, what she made Ryleigh do to Kristopher. Ryleigh’s heart ached, and she heaved again. Lukas slipped his hand into hers, and she immediately clutched it for stability. Ryleigh inhaled a shaky breath and stood up straight. Their pack was in danger. I can’t do this right now. She squeezed Lukas’ hand and began walking out of the warehouse. I can mourn when we win.

THE END.