Catch a Tiger (Tiger, Tiger #1)

4. Vix

Chapter 4

Vix

T he warning came just in time.

Vix stole the rest of its pain and pushed off just as a coyote slammed into the trunk where she’d had her ear pressed to it a split second before.

Laughing, she dodged the second attack and pounced on the third, rolling in the snow with the girl like they were pups again.

Yips tore through the silence of winter, and it almost felt like the world was alive as she played with them. Vix dodged the alpha and landed behind him in a crouch, grinning when he whipped around with a snarl.

Too slow , she teased.

Vix ducked as his mate attacked from behind until she was low enough to the ground that snow tickled her chin.

Four coyotes stared back at her, their tails wagging as they waited to see what she would do.

She took off, snow flying as she ran, glancing back as her laughter made the icicles shatter around them.

Come and get me , she taunted, ducking behind another tree when Tiva almost nipped her heels.

Calian closed in on the other side and Vix dug her claws into the tree, lifting herself up at the perfect moment to make those two smash into each other.

Dropping down, she tapped them both on the nose and took off again, dancing around the trees as they followed her north and away from the danger of strange eyes until they were back in raven territory.

Kimeya caught her first this time and Vix rolled with her, laughing as snow managed to trickle down her back to melt with cold little kisses. She looked up at the massive alpha female who had her pinned, tongue lolling in silent laughter as Vix was forced to endure aggressive licking from Rain.

Alpha, I think it’s gone . She reached up and took his face in her hands, tilting it from side to side, which made him huff in her face.

That awful smell never leaves you, child . His mind voice was deep and soothing, like she imagined a father’s would be – like Kenji’s. But it’s better than having no scent at all.

Not my fault I don’t have a scent . Shoving his face away from her did nothing because Kimeya lay down on top of Vix, crushing her. I’m not cold, Kimi.

You’re always cold, my little winter child . Kimeya licked her face just once before looking at Calian and Tiva as they trotted up. You two need to run more if she can outrun you on only two legs .

Both of them huffed a sigh and glared at her.

Vix stuck her tongue out at them, which earned her a growl from the alpha.

Let her up .

Kimeya instantly obeyed her alpha’s command, eyes twinkling with mischief as she trotted over to her children.

Vix, get off the ground. You aren’t wearing fur .

“But I am,” she said as innocently as possible, spreading her arms wide to show him all the furs covering her from head to toe. “I’m okay, Alpha.”

He sighed, looking exasperated with her already. You know what I meant. Now get off the fucking ground, Vix.

The alpha command washed over her and she laughed when it tickled.

Rolling to her hands and knees was for his benefit, but not because she couldn’t resist that adorable little command. Rain wouldn’t like it if she challenged him. “Did you get what I asked for?”

Crouching before the alpha with her arms hanging over her knees put her head lower than his. It was the only acceptable position if she wanted to stare into his pretty blue eyes that glowed like stars.

I put it in the usual place , he told her, sniffing her hair and neck like he’d find traces of that nasty smell he hated so much. Did you bring what I asked for?

“That tickles.” She pushed him off her and grinned when he huffed in annoyance but didn’t resist. “It’s right here, Alpha.”

Letting the pack slide to the ground, she opened it and took out the titanium chains she’d filled with magic. They dangled from her fingertips and the coyote licked her face affectionately when he smelled the ozone and chaos oozing from the metal.

Well done, Vix . He rubbed his face against hers and she closed her eyes, sinking her fingers into his fur. It’s a shame you’re not coyote-kin.

“As if you could ever get rid of me. You’re part of my pack even if I’m not coyote.” Her fingers dug into him, holding the alpha close to her body so she could feel the strange pulsing that told her he was a little different from the others.

The bass note of his wild alpha nature wove beautifully through the universe, tying his mate and children to him effortlessly – born to keep less dominant creatures safe from harm. It soothed the aching loneliness in her chest just a little.

Rain had claimed her as if she were one of his own children, and Vix would be eternally grateful for that small kindness from another scavenger.

“Stay north for a while,” she whispered into his fur. “Stick to the raven’s territory until you hear from me.”

Rain stiffened, a low growl escaping him. Should we shift and head to the city?

The tree had said strangers, which meant they could be something the coyotes could handle, but if it was something that would recognize that these four weren’t mundane coyotes…

A scream tore through the evergreen ocean and she covered her ears as it tried to split her brain in two.

Then it ended as quickly as it began.

Take them to the city until I say otherwise , she urged, shoving him toward the rest of his pack. I’ll handle the infestation before winter ends.

Winter never ends for you, Vix . Rain eyed her for a moment when she stayed in a crouch, contemplating if he should order her to come along with him just like he always did.

Then he took off, knowing she would never go with him when cockroaches infested her sea of green and white.

Vix tugged on her magic and closed her eyes as it spiderwebbed around her, ever outward until it pinged each of her traps that covered the entire Pacific Northwest and then some. It went as far north as the endless winter of Canada’s most northern shores all the way down to the ancient redwood trees that always spoke to her like she was an annoying termite.

Baring her teeth at the idea of more vermin in her trap, Vix knew it wasn’t chance it was south of all places.

It didn’t matter.

More would come and soon this forest would be bathed in so much blood he couldn’t ignore her anymore because she was his damnation .

She would drag that asshole into purgatory with her if it was the last thing she did.

Necklaces dangled from her fingers and she felt the chaos take hold of her as they tinkled against each other in the winter wind, whispering more secrets if she only had the time to listen.

Slipping them back in the pack, she hung it on one of the low-hanging branches of the tree with a curse that would obliterate anyone other than those four coyotes if they tried to take it.

Then she turned her body south, no longer able to fight the feral grin as she let go and ran as fast as she could.

A white, green, and brown blur was all she saw as she moved through the universe with the kind of speed she shouldn’t possess no matter what she was. Her magic guided her as bright spots of glowing green helped her navigate through the world until she was digging her claws up and into another tree.

It wailed against her vicious chaos, but whispered everything she wanted to know in the hopes she would take the pain away as she had for the other.

Fingers like knives , it moaned, shuddering as she slunk out farther along one of the branches. There is no remedy for this aching cold.

Her claws dug in deeper and it hissed into her mind like a wounded animal.

Make it quick , the tree begged and Vix watched as blood oozed out of it instead of sap. Please , make it quick.

The pain would linger no matter what she did, but she wouldn’t drag this out if she didn’t have to.

Then she focused on the thing thrashing around in her trap, magic binding it like a demon to this location…so close to the source she wondered if Gabriel might actually know what she had planned.

It took him a while to figure out he was rooted to the spot, but there was a small circle he could pace like a caged animal.

Wings burst from his back, and she tilted her head as divine fire erupted in his eyes. Wrath tried to tear through her seal, but it wouldn’t work because she’d stolen things she shouldn’t have – things no mortal should possess.

Finally, he stopped and his chest heaved with that righteous fury.

As always, seeing one of them scattered her thoughts and sanity as her body tried to remember what she couldn’t. The visceral need to slaughter them—extracting information as she did…

It was the most familiar feeling in the world, not that she knew why.

A dark grin spread across her face and she flexed her claws, feeling nothing but ecstasy as she threw herself from the tree.

There was a brief moment where it felt like she was flying and then she dropped onto his back, right between his wings. Her claws dug into him and Vix waited as she held on while he did everything in his power to get her off, but she was in the perfect position between his wings with her claws digging into his throat.

It wouldn’t kill him, but the blood drenched everything and sprayed across the snow with burning heat when she tore .

Feathers sliced into her, but she ignored it as she ripped into him over and over – keeping up with his terrifyingly fast healing. This one was stronger than the other, but not by much.

Finally , he summoned it.

Silver gleamed despite the cloudy day and that blade made of stars tried to stab her through the eye.

Sliding down his back, she felt the whistle of his deadly blade ruffle the dark mass of tangled curls covering her head. Vix dropped to the ground and tore through the ligaments of his ankles with her claws, eyes closing for a brief second when his knees thudded into the earth so hard she felt the world shudder.

Every time she did this, that earthquake threatened to shatter her mind.

She snarled when his abominable blade pierced her side, but the pain was too cold to distract her when she was made of ice.

Gripping his hair, she summoned her own blade, the one she’d stolen so, so long ago.

Angels were like cockroaches – practically impossible to kill and she’d fucked up the last one. This time, she had to do it right.

She swung the blade in a perfect arc, using all her strength to cut through his neck in one clean slice. “Decapitation kills damn near everything,” she whispered, repeating the words Kenji had said so many times she never forgot them.

Silence that promised more snowflakes echoed in the forest the moment his head slid free of his body and the universe froze, almost as if it couldn’t believe what she’d done.

Unfortunately, decapitation didn’t kill angels.

Kicking the body to the ground, she eyed the fingers that twitched before focusing on the snarl of the angel who wasn’t quite dead yet.

“Vile creature,” he snarled. “Who are you to commit such blasphemy?”

Vix smiled at him, glad this one would speak with her. “ I’m vile?”

“ Revolting .”

Her boot pressed the body into the ground to keep it from getting any ideas and then she set the head down beside it, making sure he had a good view.

Blood seeped into the snow, making it shift and melt. Steam rose, polluting her beautiful winter with that disgusting smell.

The angel was about to say something else, but she took the handle of her blade with both hands and lifted it high above her head before plunging the sword through his back.

Purposefully missing the heart.

“If you have the right weapon, sink it into the heart and twist ,” she muttered, Kenji’s words keeping her from making the mistake of killing this one too soon.

All that strength in her body was focused on this one task as she forced her blade through his flesh until it had him pinned to the earth he’d been built to protect.

“Blasphemy,” he hissed.

Vix slid her gaze over to the head and grinned. “Wicked even.”

His mouth snapped shut and his eyes narrowed when he saw she wasn’t afraid of him.

Dipping her fingers into the steaming blood that seeped into the earth, torturing this poor forest along with her nasty magic, she stood and left her blade where it was.

Blood dripped as Vix prowled toward him and it was delightful the way he flinched, as if the way she moved through the world disturbed him.

Good, because the way they moved through mortal lives like they were disposable had always disturbed her .

The tips of her bloody fingers painted an angel glyph onto his forehead, the movements so familiar she didn’t falter even once as magic tore through her, binding it to his flesh. It lit up like a red beacon to match the one carved into the back of her hand – making the creature roar in pain.

Birds scattered from the trees at the sound of it, and Vix hated him for poisoning this beautiful place.

“ Do you feel…mortal?” she asked, the Latin words made all this feel like a dream…as if she were in a trance.

“Who are you?” he demanded, something almost like fear flashing in his eyes.

“You don’t remember?” she asked, relishing the pain that felt like speaking with razor blades in her mouth. “Neither do I.”

His eyes flicked to his body, but it wasn’t going anywhere with an angel blade pinning him to the seal she’d carved into the earth – hidden by all the pretty snow he’d ruined .

“He took everything from me,” she murmured, reaching out to caress his cheek.

Heavenly fire stared back at her and she grinned down at him, relishing in the familiar sight of wrath.

It never got old.

Wrapping her bloody hand around his hair, she stood with him, holding the head up high so he could see her magic light up the trap she’d built just for his kind. “And I’ll take everything from him .”