Wild Keepers

by Dee Bridgnorth

  The ship was here. The Manta. Waiting like a dark sentinel of doom in the docks.

  “Sienna.” Lola had taken her hand. “Don’t take what the others say too hard. I am sure this Zach of yours is trying to find you.”

  Sienna forced herself to smile, gazing at her friend. “He is different, Lola. He is like me in many ways. He has to live with the fact that he is not like other people.”

  “In what way?” Lola had stared at her. “Can he tell the future like you?”

  Sienna shook her head. “No. I can’t quite believe it, but he’s a shapeshifter. He can turn into a wolf. That’s why I said that when he finds us he does have the power to fight them.”

  Lola’s eyes had widened. “I’ve heard of it,” she whispered. “At Julia’s there were rumours that a pack of wolf shapeshifters lived in the city. Has he shown you?”

  Sienna shook her head again. “No, he told me.” She took a deep breath and turned to gaze at her friend in the face. “He told me because he thinks I am one too, Lola. Not a wolf like him. An eagle.”

  Lola paled. “Is it true? You’ve never mentioned it before!”

  Sienna sighed. “I didn’t want anyone to think I was more of a freak than I am. And I’ve always fought it. Zach thinks I could control it because of my other powers.” She paused. “I’ve never had the courage to transform, even though I’ve longed for it, in many ways.”

  Lola took a deep breath, squeezing Sienna’s arm hard. “But this is wonderful, Sienna! You need to gather the courage to finally do it. You could fly away from this! You could save yourself!”

  Sienna gazed at her. “Lola, I would never leave you and the others. I would never save myself over all of you. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.”

  Lola frowned. “I love that you say that, Sienna. But even if one of us escapes then I will be happy, and I know the others wouldn’t blame you either. If any one of us got the chance we would take it.”

  Sienna shook her head stubbornly. “I don’t even know what would happen, anyway,” she said. “If I transformed. I’ve never done it before. What if something went wrong? It scares me, Lola.”

  “You need to find your power, Sienna,” Lola stated. “I can feel that you are different. Even when you came in here, as frightened as you were, I sensed that something had changed for you. And is still changing.” She paused. “This Zach has helped you so much, hasn’t he?”

  Sienna blinked back tears. What could she say about Zach? That he had stood by her, never once leaving her side, even though she had run away from him and told him to go? That he had liberated her, finally breaking through all the protective walls she had built around herself, by showing her that even though she was different she was still okay? That he had shown her what her potential truly was?

  “You love him, don’t you?” said Lola softly, staring into her face.

  The tears she had been trying to hold back suddenly fell freely. She nodded. “Yes. I love him. I think I have loved him forever, even before I met him. It’s like I’ve been waiting for him, somehow, without even realising it.”

  “You’re lucky,” said Lola, her eyes shining. “To have found love like this. I’ve never found it. I’ve had many guys whisper the words to me, and I’ve been fooled a few times, but it has never been the real thing.” She took a deep breath. “Even if everything goes to ruin, at least you will always have that.”

  Lola’s words echoed in Sienna’s mind now, as she stared around at the sleeping women. Yes, it was true. Even if they were all put on that ship tomorrow and forced to sail away, at least she would have the memory of Zach, and what they had together for such a brief time. Forever. Whatever path her life took, and whatever misery she had yet to endure, they could never take it away from her.

  She blinked back tears, again. She was the luckiest woman in the world.

  ***

  Zach’s eyes fluttered open slowly. His head was pounding viciously. What had happened? Where was he?

  It was dark, he knew that. And he seemed to be in the back of a van. He could feel the movement of the vehicle, jolting over pot holes. The motion intensified the pounding in his head. He squinted, seeing a man sitting next to where he lay. A figure in dark clothing. His eyes could just make out the outline of a gun.

  Memory flooded back into his mind, and it was all he could do to stop himself screaming in frustration. He had been so close to getting off that boat and starting to search for Sienna. And now he had been bundled up into the back of a van, hurtling through the night to God knows where. What was Fitzpatrick going to do to him?

  The man had been raving, he remembered that. Something about Sienna losing her powers. And that his masters wanted to make Zach’s acquaintance.

  Zach’s blood ran cold. The Vilgath. Fitzpatrick had told him that the Vilgath ruled him. And that Julia had told them everything about the Wild Keepers.

  Fitzpatrick knew that he was a wolf shapeshifter. And he was taking him to the demons.

  The van bumped over another pot hole, causing him to roll painfully on the floor. He had to get it together. He had to figure out a way out of this and get to Sienna before it was too late. But he also needed to urgently get to the warehouse and inform the others that their secret hideout was blown.

  He twisted on the floor, suddenly realising that his hands and feet were tightly bound with rope. They had made sure to secure him. Even if he made the effort to transform into the wolf right now, it wouldn’t help. The wolf would be as tightly bound as he was. He strangled another cry of frustration, desperately trying to figure a way out of this mess.

  His thoughts flickered to Sienna, and how frightened she must be. Fitzpatrick had admitted that she had been taken somewhere to wait for the ship that would spirit her away from him forever, to a life of degradation and cruelty. His beautiful Sienna, who had already suffered so much. He tried hard not to think about how she had felt in his arms; how right it had been. How he longed to hold her that way for the rest of his days.

  He loved her. The knowledge fell into his mind like shattering glass. It seemed now that he had always loved her. That he had been simply waiting for her to appear in his life. He had been marking time until he had seen her face for the first time. That beautiful face that had stared at him from an old photo, calling to him.

  He knew now why he had never been able to fully commit to Crystal. He had tried to fall in love with her, but it had been impossible. Crystal was never the right woman. The right woman had been out there in the world this whole time, waiting for him to find her. Sienna. Beautiful, impossible Sienna, who had believed that the very thing that made her so special was something to be despised and repressed.

  Sienna was a magnificent eagle. A bird of such power and beauty that it soared through the skies as if it owned them. She had been beaten down and caged her entire life, but still the bird longed to break free and soar through the air as if on wings of fire. He felt tears prickle behind his eyes just thinking of it.

  The van was slowing down. It jumped as it went over some large mounds, before grinding to a halt.

  They were at their destination. Wherever that was.

  He could hear people getting out of the front of the van, and then the doors were pulled open. He stared around frantically as he was dragged out. He could see sand stretching out before him, along with spindly shrubs. The twisted shapes of Joshua trees stood in the distance, and hills rose as far as the eye could see.

  He was in the desert.

  The men who had taken him here were silent as they unbound his feet and hands. Then they calmly climbed back into the van and drove off into the night.

  He stood up, shaking. The plaintive howl of a coyote suddenly pierced the night air. He suppressed a desire to howl along with it. The moon, three quarters full, shed a pearlescent light over the hills. A desert creature scurried through the sand, startling him.

  A wind whipped up around him. A dark figure moved suddenly and swiftly beside him. He froze, t
urning his head around to locate it. But whatever it was, it had disappeared.

  What was going on?

  He started stumbling through the sand, heading back in the direction of the road. If he could remember which way the van had gone, he might be able to find it, and get some sense of where they had dumped him. The urgency of finding Sienna pressed on him like a vice. He had to get out of here before it was too late.

  He saw movement again in his peripheral vision, just at the corners of his eyes. A swift force brushed against him, causing him to stagger slightly. He straightened, only to be pushed again by another from the other side.

  His heart started pounding, the sound filling his skull. He was being attacked. Something was playing with him in the dark. Pushing him and pulling him before vanishing entirely.

  He growled, low and deep in his throat. He felt his fangs start to descend, and he bared his teeth, snarling into the night. The wolf was coming. It was sensing the danger all around.

  He was knocked sideways by another dark shadow. It whistled around him like a black wind, filling his nostrils. Evil was here. The smell of it was like acrid smoke in the desert night air.

  Zach shuddered, feeling his spine arch. His clothes were breaking, tearing at the seams. He twisted and writhed on the ground as his growl intensified. The transformation was almost complete.

  The wolf stood up, rising on his haunches, snarling into the night. A wolf with a coat of fur the colour of black coal. Zach’s brown eyes stared out of his face, assessing the danger swiftly. He could see further than when he was in human form.

  The wolf sniffed the air. Smells assaulted his senses from all directions. The lure of a jack rabbit, bounding in the distance, was almost irresistible. The wolf suppressed the urge to flush it out, instead concentrating on the danger at hand.

  He yelped as he was knocked over again, so suddenly that he was winded. He rose to his feet, his head whipping around, assessing the danger. Where was it coming from?

  Suddenly, he heard a hissing. He gazed around, growling. They were coming out of their shadows, now. Slowly creeping along the sand. The wolf counted five of them. Demons. Their spindly grey legs and arms moved sideways across the ground towards him, scuttling along like crabs.

  The wolf was surrounded. He hunched low, ready to pounce.

  The first assault came from the left. The wolf fell on his back, tearing at the air, trying to connect with the demon’s grey, leathery flesh. The demon lashed out with its long claws. The wolf felt one tearing into his fur.

  And then suddenly, it retreated, crawling away into the shadows.

  The wolf felt searing pain in his right foreleg. But he got to his feet shakily, whipping his head around to see where the next attack was coming from.

  But all five of the demons were advancing on him, now. Their hiss filled the air, and the wolf could see their black eyes glittering in the dark menacingly.

  He was outnumbered, and he knew it.

  He started running at the exact time they all pounced, clawing the air in their hunger to get at him. They were close. So close he could feel the trail of their claws against his fur. He sprinted forward, his lungs bursting.

  They were running almost alongside him, turning their heads sideways to watch what he was going to do next. He veered to the right suddenly, causing two of them to fall into a ravine, tumbling to the bottom. But he knew the others were still in hot pursuit. With an almighty burst of energy, he lunged upwards, sprinting up a hill with all his strength.

  But they were keeping pace. He could see them when he turned his head slightly. They jumped over bushes and navigated the terrain as if they had been born to it. He could feel himself slowing down. How much longer could he keep this up?

  The wolf leapt over the top of the hill, staggering slightly. He could hear them behind him, but he had lost sight of them. Suddenly, he saw a cave to the right. He sprinted towards it, hurling himself into the darkness.

  He crouched down, pricking his long ears. He could hear that they were out there, searching for him. His tongue lolled out of his mouth, panting furiously. He forced himself to slow down his breathing. If they heard him, they would know instantly where he was hiding.

  He whimpered slightly. He knew now that he was being hunted. They had brought him out here to play with him.

  And it was then that he heard it. The mournful cry of a pack of wolves, howling to the moon. He raised his nose to the air, desperate to join in. But then the face of the woman that he loved like no other suddenly appeared in his head, and he could hear her voice whisper on the wind.

  You have heard your pack, but you must not howl.

  He is coming.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Sienna stirred in her sleep restlessly. Her eyelids flickered, as if watching something from a distance. The dream was so intense she felt like she could reach out and touch it. But of course, she couldn’t. She no longer had hands, or fingers. They had changed into the soft brown and gold feathers of her wings. She turned to the side, admiring them. How light they felt, and how natural….

  She started flapping, and before she knew it, she was in the air. Soaring high over a landscape of red and brown. Sand. The endless sand of the desert. Everything on the ground was so small. She could make out small animals scurrying through it. The sun was high in the sky, and if she closed her eyes, she felt that she might be able to dive into that pure gold and become a part of it forever.

  But then it all changed. The sun vanished, and along with it the clear blue. Now, it was night. She could see the moon hovering over the landscape. She dipped her wings and headed downwards towards the earth.

  She could see him. The wolf. Her heart leapt as she gazed at him. He was sitting on the top of a hill, the fur of his fine black coat moving slightly in the breeze. He was proud. He was beautiful.

  He was her mate.

  She flew towards him, almost bursting with happiness. But then she saw the creatures scurrying towards him, from all directions. Scuttling through the sand on arms and legs. They were fast approaching. She squawked, trying to warn him. But the wolf didn’t hear her. They were almost upon him, gathering their power.

  Suddenly, she was choking. Spluttering violently. By the time it stopped, the wolf and the creatures pursuing him had all disappeared.

  Her heart plummeted. She had failed him. He had told her to find her power, but it was too late. She couldn’t help him.

  Suddenly, the scene changed. They were standing back to back, as the man and the woman. Before her astonished eyes, they slowly turned into the wolf and the eagle. And the flames were pressing closer with every second…

  “Sienna. Wake up.”

  She jolted, lurching forward. All was dark. She was in the shipping container, surrounded by the women. Lola was staring at her, frowning.

  “It’s too late,” she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. “It’s too late.”

  “What is too late?” Lola’s eyes were wide.

  “They are coming for him,” Sienna whispered. “I had the chance, but I couldn’t save him.”

  She buried her face into the other woman’s lap, weeping softly. Lola stared down at her, bewildered, soothing her with soft words.

  “It’s only a dream, Sienna,” she whispered. “It’s only a dream.”

  Sienna stopped weeping, gazing up at her. “But it’s not,” she cried softly. “Can’t you see? It’s never just a dream.”

  ***

  The wolf raised his head slightly, pricking his ears. He couldn’t hear anything. Had they retreated?

  He must have fallen asleep. He had been having the strangest dream, about a great bird of prey soaring through the sky. It had come down and hovered over him, shaking its gold and brown feathers, but it hadn’t concerned him in the slightest. He had known, somehow, that it meant him no harm. That it wanted to help him.

  He got up, shaking his fur. He couldn’t stay in this cave forever. He had to go out and face whatever was out
there.

  He stepped out, cautiously, seeing that the long shadows of the night had retreated, and the sun was coming up over the hills. Enough light to see where he was going, at least. Even though his eyes were good in the dark, it was still better running in the daylight. Especially if he was being pursued.

  He stared around, crouching low, ready to spring to action at the slightest sound. But there was nothing. They seemed to have gone.

  He sprinted through the sand, feeling it curl up between his toes as he moved swiftly through it. He was happy. The demons had gone, and he was free to run as fast as he wanted. Another burst of energy flooded through him, and his lungs filled with air. He felt like he could run forever.

  But he knew he couldn’t just run for the pleasure of it. He had to go somewhere, urgently. The woman’s face appeared in his mind again, and he whimpered at the thought of her. She needed him. He had to get out of this desert and find her, before it was too late.

  He stopped abruptly, causing sand to fly in all directions. He had run randomly through the night, so far that he no longer knew where he had come from. He had to retrace his steps carefully. If he could get back to the place that the men had dropped him off, then he could work out where he was, and where he had to go.

  He put his nose to the ground, sniffing thoughtfully. Then he raised his head and one paw in unison. He knew which way he had to go.

  He set off again, loping through the sand. Sometimes he would stop and sniff the ground again, finding the trail. The sun had risen high in the sky now, and he was getting hot. His mouth was so dry he could barely breathe. But he knew that he couldn’t afford to waste time looking for water. Once he was back where he had come from he would be able to drink his fill.

  He was running at a good pace when he heard it again. The howl of the wolves. His pack. He knew it was them by the unique tones in their howls. It was how they recognised each other if they were ever separated and needed to come together again. And at the back of his mind he knew that his pack needed him, as well. They were in danger somehow.