Iris Loganna
Chapter Five

“See you, girls,” Dominick’s friend said as he waved them goodbye before they drove off in their shiny plum red BMW. He closed the door and then went to turn on the TV when he realized Dominick wasn’t up. “Funny. He doesn’t usually sleep this late.” He started upstairs, but what he didn’t know was about to happen was about to put him in real danger.

Dominick lay sleeping still as Iris landed on the roof. She wasn’t sure if it was Dominick’s house, but the smell that filled her nostrils told her it was. Extending her claws, she slowly climbed down the side of the house. Dominick stirred just enough to get her attention, and Iris looked in the window, startled. Seeing it was Dominick, she smiled, but then remembered why she was there. Iris held onto the window sill and flipped her body around so that she was facing right side up. The window was locked, but that didn’t stop her. She gathered all the strength she had in her, but this made her face look dark, and her eyes began to glow. Although she didn’t realize her fangs were exposed, and her face looked that of a shadowed werewolf, she went ahead and punched through the glass. This woke Dominick, caused him to fall off the bed, and instilled a fear in his friend who was still coming up the stairs. Dominick turned over on the floor, and then sprang up, ready to defend himself, but before he could do anything, or even see who it was that broke the window, he was abruptly thrown into the wall. Dominick’s friend was now concerned and went back down for his rifle. He stood again and saw what, not who, it was that now stood before him. Her face was still shadowed and now looked like it was giving off very small amounts of smoke from the side of her face. He stepped forward, looking hard to see if it was who he thought it was. “Iris?” Her face softened, and then his friend came bursting through the door.

“No, Collin, wait!” Dominick said, running to get in front of the gun. Iris, however, responded too quickly and clung to the ceiling as Collin fired at the wall.

“Collin stop!” Dominick said, trying to convince him that he was no match for Iris. Iris crawled around on the ceiling as Collin stared, frightened, at her, and dropped the gun. She hissed at him, and Collin ran for the broken door, but Iris quickly snatched him up.

“Iris!” Dominick called out before his friend got killed.

She stopped, hovered, and looked down at him.

“Don’t do it,” he asked, and again her face softened. Collin struggled slightly and whimpered. “Bring him down.”

Iris slowly started to flap just enough to let her get back down to the floor. “That’s right.” Collin’s feet touched the ground, and he pushed her off but tripped as he turned around. Iris growled, feeling threatened again, but Dominick stepped between them, and looked up into her eyes, for she still hovered just a few inches off the ground. Looking back into his eyes, Iris saw what he was asking, and then she looked past him, seeing Collin was silently crawling to his gun.

As she shrieked, Dominick turned to look at Collin, but he was snatched up and both Iris and he flew out the window, somewhat breaking the wall around it. Collin took his aim, still on the floor, and fired, but missed. He got up and went over to the whole n the wall, and went to take another shot. Looking back, Dominick saw this, and let her know. “Iris, watch out!” She looked over and was fortunate that she did because that bullet would have gone through one of her lungs. Collin grunted and threw his gun down as he watched them fly away. As they flew a little further, Iris turned him so that he was facing forward, and wrapped her tail around his legs to keep balance.

After another few minutes of flying, Iris found an old, abandoned building that they could land on. Just before she landed, she unwrapped his legs and set him down first as she flew a little past him, turned around and landed.

“Iris? Is it you?”

Seeing that he didn’t truly recognize her, she knew something was wrong with her appearance, so she hid behind what looked like a cooling system shaft. Dominick slowly walked over to where she hid, and then looked at her again, recognizing her long red hair.

“Iris,” Dominick said knowingly; but as she heard him say her name, she zoomed up, and went behind another metal box, close to where she set him down. He just smiled and shook his head. That confirmed that it was her because while she was in the air, her wings looked like the dragon wings he saw last night. Dominick turned back around and walked back. He found her huddled up, hiding her face in her knees, and crying. Squatting beside her, he put his hand on her shoulder, which caused her to shoot her head up - startled.

“Don’t, don’t fly off. It’s okay,” he said, rubbing her shoulder.

Iris stayed silent and turned her head the other way. Her face began to turn back to normal, but then stopped and lingered as she stared into the distance. “Iris, look at me.” She didn’t, and then Dominick took his hand and placed it under her chin to turn her around. Iris just lifted her head to prevent it, but that didn’t stop him from getting to look into her bright green eyes. He stood, and went around to the other side of her. She didn’t turn her head to face the other way but made her eyes turn to the side so that she wasn’t making direct contact.

“I know it’s you. Come on, Iris. Look at me. I don’t care what you look like at the moment. I just want to look into your eyes and see the same girl I met last night.” A tear rolled down her cheek, and it made her skin turn back to normal, but only in that small trickle. She finally looked at him.

“There. That wasn’t so hard,” he told her as he put his hand on her jaw bone, and wiped her tears with his thumb. This made some more of her skin clear, and then he pecked her lips.

The sun burst through the cloud behind them and made Iris’ hair glow radiantly as she went to kiss him again. As the sun grew brighter, her face became normal again, and the fangs and claws went back into her body. He pulled back just a little, but put his forehead on hers, eyes closed. Iris breathed somewhat heavily, but then opened her eyes as she pulled back to look at him normally again. He did the same but kept his hand on the side of her neck.

“Welcome back,” he said kindly, but then the pupils of her eyes grew thin as she widened them, thinking that he was part of something more. She then pushed him aside and went into the air so he couldn’t reach her.

“Do you work with Genievo?”

“What are you talking about?” He asked, brushing off the dirt from his shoulders.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. Or, you should, but that’s beside the point. Do you work for a man called Genievo?” She shouted.

“I don’t even read the paper if that’s who you’re talking about.”

“I’ve just discovered something, and now fear that I have been played like a harp.”

“Iris, I’m not playing you, now can you please tell me what’s going on?”

“Are you part of a plot to capture and expose of me and my kind?” Dominick fell silent, staring up at Iris. She returned his gaze but was not pleased with his almost stunned silence. Iris turned.

“I see.”

“No, no, no, wait. Just wait. What plot? I don’t understand.”

“Oh, why are men so stubborn?”

“Excuse?”

“You got me to fall head over heels for you just so that you could turn me in to Genievo and whoever else he’ll hand me over to.”

“So you’re telling me that you’ve had a history with Genievo?”

“We were enemies of old. We are enemies of old.”

“Wait, what?” Iris grew tired of being in the air and shot down in front of him, causing a small wave of dirt to rise at her feet. Dominick turned his head a bit because he expected to get hit, but he didn’t. “I’m not human. Okay? I am not, human. You should know this by now.” She scolded as she stepped towards him rather quickly. “I’m not human. I don’t know what the name is for my kind, but I know that my kind was bred for a single purpose. To destroy evil, or create it. We never die unless wounded at the heart. Shot, stabbed, anything, but through the heart. Otherwise, we just have scars and internal pain the rest of our lives.” She turned around fiercely, but then slowed, and held her arm as she began her tale of tales. Dominick took a step forward, ready to listen to what it was she has to say.

“Long ago, my kind lived in the woods of what is current day Canada and Europe. We were well known amongst the villagers for we protected them from any evil that threatened the land. From armies from distant kingdoms to common thieves. And from unjust kings to hell razing dragons. Yes, they were real. We were the protectors from shore to shore, and no one knew the extent of our powers. There were rules, regulations we lived by so that we didn’t set fear into the hearts of our friends and families. Then things took a turn for the worst. An army of both fire and shadow declared war upon the most powerful kingdom there was. We were losing too many lives due to the fireball catapults and fiery arrows that burned the villages and destroyed most of the western wall. Genievo was the leader, but he had a dark secret he didn’t want his newly found troops to find out. He was one of us. Genievo betrayed his own kind to gain power over the lands. Those of us who were left didn’t tolerate that, but half of us were told to save those of the villagers who weren’t dead and flee into the mountains. The rest of us? We had to fight to the death. Though the troops were flame and shadow, it was difficult to defeat them. Then, seeing that there was no chance in winning because of their great numbers, we called a full retreat, and followed the villagers to the mountains. Genievo ruled the land for a thousand years. By that time, he had enslaved survivors and slayed all those who opposed him with no mercy. However, during all that time, our numbers had grown immensely. We went back, stronger, and ready for battle. Although we had surprised Genievo entirely just by showing up, there was another surprise in store. Some of us had new powers that were beyond his imagining. Powers that he had not evolved to or known. They grew wings and looked like they were creatures not of this world. What you saw me as a minute ago. The shadow knights shivered in fear for they had never seen anything like them, and for that very reason, they fled. Never to follow Genievo again.” Dominick began to understand.

“I’ll never forget the last words he said to us before he vanished to find this civilized world we live in now. ‘No!’ he cried as he looked at me. ‘I will hunt you down until you are imprisoned, humiliated, and killed. You will come for me, but only to fall into my trap. You will come…and you will die.’ And then he disappeared in a cloud of smoke, never to be seen again. Victory was ours, but that threat hung over each and every one of our heads until the day we died. We started to disappear, one by one, and for no explainable reason. Now, I am not even sure how many of us are left.” Iris turned around to face Dominick. “Knowing that, it is my duty to finish him. To be the one who disposes of his evil and be free of his curse.” “So…you’re saying that his trap is sprung and he has knowledge that you’re out here.”

Iris nodded, and Dominick saw that she was hurting, so he went and wrapped his arms around her. “You’re scared that you’re the only one who has the ability to kill him, and you don’t want to do it alone.” He felt her head nod up and down on his chest. “Well, what if I helped you?” Iris pulled back enough that her arms were still around him, but she could look into his eyes. “You’d do that?”

“Mm-hmm.”

She wiped her eyes. “Well, I guess that settles it then.” Dominick cocked his head to one side in question. “If you’re willing to help me, then you can’t be on Genievo’s side. Unless it’s a trick.” “No trick. Just me.” Iris smiled.

“One question though.”

“What?” Dominick looked at her wings, and then asked, “Are those a part of your body?”

“What, my wings? No. Well, …they were at one point.” Dominick’s expression spoke for him, and she told him what had happened. “I had one encounter with Genievo, not long after that battle I told you about. I was walking in the forest with someone I thought was my friend, and when we reached a clearing, I was viscously attacked. A hard blow taken to the side knocked me down but put my guard on a bit too late. Fighting back, I saw that it was him.” “Genievo.”

“Mm.” Then a flashback entered her mind vividly.

“I told you that you’d fall into my trap. However, I will admit that it was sooner than expected.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Oh? Did you honestly think you were on a quiet afternoon stroll with a friend?” He looked back at the woman Iris walked with, but she looked away, ashamed of her actions.

Betrayed, and angry, Iris pushed him off so she could get up.

“What happened then?” Dominick asked, interrupting the vision.

“I was angry because I was betrayed by a friend I’d known for years. So I fought back.” Iris sighed. “We fought for what seemed like hours. Then he did something I didn’t expect. Getting behind me, holding my arms painfully behind my back, he took his other hand and ripped the wings off my body.” The flashback came again.

“Ah!!!” Genievo pushed her on the ground, admiring his misdeed, and then threw the wings alongside her. “Huh. I expected more from someone like you. You disgrace the very nature of who we are.” He then knelt on the other side of her, put his head down right beside her ear, and then yanked her head up by her hair. “Enjoy your suffering. But I will see you again.” And with that, he threw her head down, walked towards her friend, and killed her.

“As time evolved, I found technology that no one else has and used it to help get my wings back. They’re mechanical now, so I can change them as I need to.” Dominick felt he understood her theories, and train of thought, so he nodded, understanding.

“Enough about me, though. We have business to take care of.” She finished and then motioned for him to turn around so she could carry him again. Dominick smirked, slightly laughing through his nose, and turned. Iris slowly came up behind him and admired how broad Dominick was. She didn’t realize it, but she was also slowly rubbing her hands up and around his back and shoulders. Dominick laughed again and shook his head, knowing what she was doing. Hearing this, Iris snapped out of it, and clamped her hands onto his chest, wrapping her tail just above his ankles. Then, looking up, she flapped her wings six times before she got high enough to zoom down into the valleys, and back roads no one used. They zoomed in and out, barely missing dumpsters, ladders, and a couple parked cars, before Dominick asked, “No offense, but can you go any higher?” Iris just smiled, and then made her body go straight into the sky, like a rocket.

“But sir, she would have killed me had I not done what she asked.”

“Fool!” The man rushed over faster than light and put his hand to Arthur’s neck. “You allowed yourself to forget the mission, and be persuaded otherwise.” He threw him to the ground, and Arthur sat gasping for a moment. “However,” Arthur looked up at the man. “You did do well in confirming her existence. And for that, I congratulate you,” he said bowing his head.

“Thank you, sir,” Arthur coughed.

This, the man did not like, so he forced open his eyes and glared at Arthur. “What was that?” he asked, seeing him still rubbing his neck.

“What?”

“I’ll say again, what was that you said?”

“Thank you? Sir?”

“That’s what I thought.”

“No. No, sir, spare me!”

The man stepped forward, and Arthur shuttered.

“What? Is little, pathetic Arthur scared?”

Arthur scurried for the door, but they closed, rather suddenly, on their own. He tried to pull them open, but they wouldn’t budge. Sweat began to bead down the back of his neck. He turned around and what Arthur saw then was something he’d only dream up in a nightmare. A dark, shadowed figure with wings the size of a full grown bull elk and beady yellow eyes stood before him. It had longs fangs, razor sharp claws that stretched 5 inches long, and medium-sized horns that curved back and up like a crown upon its head. Its body sort of looked that of a man’s, but also looked that of a wolf, for it was furry from the mid stomach down. Arthur slid down the doors, as it growled, and he curled up, covering his head as it roared fire.

“So, what’s the plan here, Iris?” Dominick asked.

“Well, first I have to let my computer, Charles, know that I’m alright, and then we have to find you some different clothes.” Dominick made a confused expression, but Iris didn’t take notice.

“And what will I be doing with these new clothes you speak of?” “I’m going to be dropping you off at the Men’s Warehouse so you can find some appropriate attire, and then you’re going to go to his place of business and head to the office on the top floor.” “What makes you think he’ll be there?”

“He’s always liked to have a view of what he thinks will soon be his.”

“Oh. Wait a minute. Where will you be then?”

“I need to wipe your friend’s memory, and I have some loose ends to take care of.” She told him, flapping her wings to where she could take a left turn.

Iris put on her earpiece. “Mistress to Charles,” she said, testing the little speaker that hung at an angle.

“Oh good, you’re safe. What do you need?”

“Just wanted to tell you I was alright.”

“Splendid. Where are you?”

“Squatting on a roof beside the park; waiting for my dear friend Arthur.”

“I see, and what of Dominick? I would think, by now, you’d bring him in on your little adventure.”

Iris shook her head.

“Well?”

“He’s about to disguise himself to look like a employee at Genievo Press.”

“Good grief, you didn’t?”

“I did.”

“Do you really think he has the capability to face him alone?”

“Relax. He’s not going to be fighting him. I’ll do that later.”

“Alright, I hope you know what you’re doing.”

Meanwhile, Dominick had picked his disguise and headed for the Genievo Press Tower, which coincidentally happened to be right next door. Before he entered, he took a deep breath in. “You’re just talking to the guy. No worries,” he thought, and then pushed open the doors, heading straight for the elevator. So far, it seemed that his presence was going unnoticed, and he relaxed enough so that he wasn’t so tense. He had reached the elevator. “Okay, now just push the button, and get to the top without any other stops on the way.” It wasn’t ten seconds later that the door opened; so he stepped out in relief once he saw no one was around. Then, after the door had closed again, he leaned against the wall with his hands in the jacket pockets. The whole 20 floors up, no one had joined him, which he was glad of, and Dominick only had one other thing to worry about. The secretary.

DING. The elevator rang as he reached the desired floor, and Dominick stood straight again, pulling his hands out of the pockets. The coast looked clear, and he stepped out. Step by step, he looked around, hoping to not run into any secretary. The office door was in sight, and he was only an arm’s length away when the correcting cough of an older woman sounded on his right. He stopped, closed his eyes, but opened them, smiling as he turned to face her. It was an older woman who also had red hair, but hers was short and tightly curled. Her spectacles sat low on her nose with chains that kept them from falling hung low and looped around her neck.

“Can I help you, young man?” she asked.

Dominick was quick and thought up a very convincing lie. “Uh, yes, I think you can. I was sent from the board of directors to come and speak to Mr Genievo about his distribution techniques.” Changing her expression quickly, she said, “Oh, well go right on in. Should I let him know you’re coming?”

“No. No, the board said to just go and surprise him. Board procedures, you know.”

“Oh, okay. Well, go right ahead.”

Dominick gave a slight bow, and said, “Thank you,” before he entered. Dominick faced the door, and took another breath, but looking back at where the secretary sat, he grew puzzled, because she had disappeared. Facing the door again, he shook it away and entered. Genievo looked up, still hunched over something besides his file cabinet.

“Genievo, I’m from the board of directors, and have a few questions to ask you about your distribution process.”

Genievo stood straight. “Really? I didn’t get any phone calls or notification of your arrival.”

“All because the board has agreed to keep things tight and on the down low, due to recent criminal activities.”

“I see. Tell me, what is your name?”

“Donavan, sir. I’m from the distribution circuit of this operation.”

“Huh,” he said, with his mouth slightly open and his index finger curved in front of it. “Okay, Donavan. I’ll make you a deal.” He said sitting down in his executive roller chair. “Deliver these files to someone who will be waiting in the park, and then we’ll talk about my distribution process.” “I’m sorry sir, I can’t. I’m under strict orders to just observe the process, and report back to headquarters,” Dominick lied.

Then, seemingly out of mid-air, Genievo pulled out a gun and had it pointed at Dominick; but, Dominick did not flinch like most people would. He simply stood there, for he had grown accustomed to people pointing things at him. “You don’t seem surprised.” “No sir, I don’t.”

“Nor did you ask where I pulled it from.”

Dominick stayed silent, and Genievo continued. “Are you used to these kinds of situations, Donavan?”

“Even if I wasn’t, I have been trained to not convey any personal concern during negotiations. Bad for business.”

“So you’re telling me that you also work for someone else?”

“Perhaps; but then again, perhaps not.”

Genievo smiled, and gave a slight chuckle. “Well then. I guess I have to be a little more persuasive.” He then zoomed up next to Dominick and held a knife to his neck.

Here, Dominick had to pull his head back to avoid getting killed.

“Deliver these,” Genievo held out the files, “or every person you know and love will disappear.”

At first, Dominick didn’t move, but then Genievo slit his shoulder.

“Ah, hey, this is a new suit.”

“Do what I ask, or what I said becomes reality.”

Pretending to be scared, Dominick took the files.

“Good man.” Genievo backed off and walked back to his desk. “We could become great partners, Donavan of the Distribution Circuit. You and I; we could go far. Deliver those to the park, then we’ll talk.” He looked at the clock; it was 5 ’til noon. He looked back at Dominick. “Time is running out.” Dominick nodded and walked out the doors, files in hand. Back, safe, in the elevator, Dominick examined his shoulder. “This was a good jacket too,” he thought.

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