A to Z Challenge - X is for Xenophobic

This is part of an ongoing story throughout the Challenge.

If you're just joining me now, please start with A is for Abby.

X IS FOR XENOPHOBIC

The world seemed to shatter around her, but it was only Abby's heart. She fell to her knees, shaking her head as the tears streamed down her cheeks. It was her fault Demetrius was dead. She knew honor meant much to him, but she knew the real reason he stayed. He protected her because he fell in love with her. And she had let him stay because she loved him too.

"Now I have the mighty warrior on her knees before me." Burrows chortled and walked over the fae's body toward Abby. "Brought down not by my fighting prowess, but by her own fear of loss. This is better than when I killed my first Fearless. She was pathetic compared to you."

Abby didn't move. She couldn't take her eyes off Demetrius. She'd never feel his lips on hers again nor hear his sexy, gravelly laugh.

"Soon the rest of the Fearless will fall just as you did. Warriors you might be, but you're all so pitifully human." Burrows spat onto the floor. "Then I will rule. The big bad wolf wins in this story."

"What?" Abby wasn't sure she had heard the beast's mad ramblings, but it was slowly sinking into her head. "All the Fearless?"

"Oh yes." Burrows clapped her hands with an excited little hop and stopped five feet in front of Abby. "Why do you think I wrote all those books? Do you honestly think I have aspirations to be an author?" She snorted. "No, no. I want to rid the world of you Fearless and then the monsters can roam free. I'm seeding the minds of children. Not every one of them will be special enough, but there are more and more out there with imaginations fertile enough to create magnificent creatures like me. Children are not as xenophobic as adults. They will live with us and we will live off them."

The children.

No one in this town had protected the children. And if this beast had its way, there would be no one left in the world to protect them.

Abby's hands grew brighter and the glow slowly worked its way up her arms.

"Powering up for one last desperate attack?" Burrows smirked, rolling her eyes. "Ah, how you amuse me."

The glow picked up speed. It went past Abby's shoulders across her chest and back. The empty ache within her dulled and determination replaced it. Her whole body glowed as she raised her head.

"This your imitation of a nightlight?" Burrows' snark wasn't as confident as it had been a few seconds ago.

"The big bad wolf never wins." Abby rose to her feet. Her purpose had never been more clear. "You will never harm another child."

"I've rewritten the ending." Burrows hissed and struck out at Abby. The first tendril that hit her sizzled and melted with no effect. The monster screeched and lashed out with several tendrils. Each one withered if it didn't retract.

"You're not one of the Fearless. I broke you." Burrows shuddered with rage. "I took from you what you feared most to lose. I will take your pathetic life!"

"I've never feared death. And now you've taken away those I care about." Abby stepped forward, feeling lighter than she ever had. "There's nothing left I fear. You didn't break me. You made me truly one of the Fearless."