ROMANCE: SHIFTER: Shifter to the Max Collection (Dragon, Bear, Wolf and Panther Shifter Romances) (Paranormal Fantasy Romance Collection)

by C. J. Ayers

  On impulse, Karyn followed the apparition. After a few moments of filtering out everything else in her mind, she began to hear strange voices and sounds that she hadn’t noticed before. It was like it had been back at Department 99 during the simulation. Everything was jumbled together, and she couldn’t seem to make sense out of any of the sounds around her. Karyn continued to follow the ghost down the narrow corridor as it twisted and turned. Karyn realized that this was not the way she had come in with Killian, and she vaguely wondered what would happen to her should she get lost down there. Then, she thought of Killian and the sacrifice he had made for her. If he could do that for her, the least she could do was try to save everyone else.

  Tentatively Karyn pushed her thoughts out towards the ghost. “Do you have a name?”

  The ghost swirled around Karyn’s head again and Karyn clearly heard the ghost’s reply. “My name is Samantha. I need your help.” Without knowing why, Karyn put out her hand, brushing the passing ghost with her fingertips. Immediately she fell to her knees, her mind being instantaneously overwhelmed with images. She saw Samantha out walking alone at night down a long street lined with trees. Out of the darkness in front of Samantha, stood a tall muscular man dressed in a black suit. His hair was slicked back and his eyes were a strange myriad of colors all shifting together like a rainbow. Samantha slowed in front of the man and was captured by his eyes.

  Karyn watched helplessly as Samantha’s body was literally separated from her soul. Samantha’s body moved rigidly behind the man, while Samantha’s mind was contained in the form of this ghostly shape.

  Karyn wiped at her face feeling the tears as they ran down her cheeks. It was an appalling violation. “Why?” Karyn asked without thinking.

  Just as before, Karyn heard the ghost’s words being spoken directly into her mind. “He’s using my body as a conduit. Without my mind, he can control me in any way he chooses. He used my body to ring the bell. He’s using me to release the restraints on all the creatures from other worlds in order to destroy the human race. He wants to claim this world as his own. Right now, my body is in a room in this hospital. You have to find my body and destroy it.”

  Karyn was horrified. “That will kill you, Samantha.”

  The ghostly shape came closer and Karyn found the strength to stand again. Samantha’s voice rang in her head. “I would gladly sacrifice my life to save all of the other lives on this planet. I don’t know why you can see me, but you are the only one who can. You must do this, or we will all die.”

  Karyn placed her hands on the wall to steady herself. Why was all of this happening to her? Once again, she heard Killian’s strong voice in her head. “You are a shadow-walker.” Karyn straightened. She knew what she had to do. “How is this man using your body? How is he controlling you?”

  Samantha wavered in the air. “There is no more mind or soul in that body. He simply tells it what to do and the body does it.”

  Karyn thought for a moment. “Is he with your body now?”

  “No,” Samantha said. “He does not need to come anymore. He has a new link.”

  Karyn began to move forward. “Show me where.”

  Killian’s body was growing tired. He had been fighting off the three vampires for what seemed an eternity. He had taken one down early on in the fight, but had gained no ground since. The blond haired vamp lunged and Killian barely managed to get out of the way. He jumped into the air using the vamp as a springboard, vaulting himself across the room at the second vamp. Just as they were about to collide, Killian twisted his body in midair-- his legs scissoring around the vamp’s neck. If he hadn’t been so tired, it might have even worked. Killian was just a fraction of a second too slow, and the vamp had just enough time to counter.

  Before Killian had realized his mistake, the vamp had turned his body into Killian’s and grabbed him by the throat. Killian wished silently to himself that he had told Karyn how much he cared for her, and now he would never get the chance.

  As Karyn rushed down the hall, she quickly formulated a plan. The halls twisted and turned endlessly and Karyn feared for every second the trip took. For all she knew, Killian might already be dead, but she could not give up hope. “Do you know what to do when we get there?” Karyn asked.

  Samantha’s ghostly form slowed and her voice rang in Karyn’s mind. “In there.” Karyn wasted no time. She rushed headlong into the room, where Samantha’s robot body was sitting on the floor chanting. It seemed that Samantha was repeating the same words over and over again.

  Karyn quickly ran to the body and knelt in front of it. Instinctively, Karyn laid her hand against the side of the body’s head and pushed her own thoughts forward. “Stop chanting,” she commanded. Immediately the body in front of her stopped speaking. Karyn resisted the urge to squeal with joy. It had actually worked. Now for the hard part. Again, instinctively Karyn slipped her thoughts into the soulless body. Somewhere in the fringes of space, Karyn could sense the man who had commanded poor Samantha’s physical form. Without hesitation, Karyn followed his essence. Karyn felt a shock as his mind recognized her invasion. She could feel the panic, as his mind tried to pull away from her, but couldn’t. Karyn was holding on too tight.

  She sent her thoughts out in one long powerful stream. “I know where you are and I know what you are doing. I will stop you. You will never again be able to dominate another living soul.”

  Karyn pushed her mind out quickly. This time, like a whip she struck at the man’s mind again. Karyn reached her hand out within her mind, and found what she was looking for on the other side-- his optic nerves. In one quick motion she placed an immovable shadow over them, completely blinding the man, and immobilizing his powers. She could feel the man flailing around in darkness, struggling against her power—but it was too late.

  Karyn pulled her thoughts back and reached out once again; this time she was searching for someone else. “Are you there yet, Sam?”

  The voice came back loud and clear. “Yes, he’s right in front of me.”

  Karyn pulled every ounce of strength she had. Here goes nothing. “Jack, follow me!”

  One moment, Jack was sitting at his desk thinking about Chinese food and the next moment he was staring in horror at some wispy image of what looked like Karyn-- only she wasn’t solid. Jack jumped out of his seat, stubbing his toe in the process. “What the hell?”

  Karyn could feel herself tiring. She had to hold on. “No time, Jack. St. Peter’s hospital. Killian hurt. Bring everyone.” There was no more time. Karyn hoped she had saved enough strength to get back. She was using her energy to give Samantha’s ghost a voice and enough form for Jack to see it. It was taking all of her life energy to do this.

  As soon as Jack started moving, Karyn felt Samantha flying back. Now she had to get to Killian. Karyn couldn’t get through the steel door, but Samantha could. If Karyn could just hold on, maybe she could save Killian.

  Killian was about to die. For the first time, he truly tasted fear of mortality. Vampires were not supposed to die. Fearing death was not a part of their species. Yet, here he was, only moments away from the certain end of his long life. He had spent most of his life working to take lives, and now here he was dying, trying in vain to save someone else. The vampire behind him cackled, and his hands clamped down against the back of Killian’s throat. The blond haired vamp stood in front of him, his foot against the front of Killian’s throat. It was the way of vampires to die by decapitation when deemed necessary. Killian had been on the other side of this ritual many times before. Somehow, he never thought it would end like this for him.

  Samantha’s body was almost there. The steel door was directly ahead. Karyn used every last ounce of power that she had left. The instant Samantha’s ghost was inside the room, Karyn pushed all her strength back into Samantha’s apparition and gave it form. Karyn screamed Killian’s name as Samantha’s near-solid form slammed into the back of the blond haired vampire. Karyn had just enough time to see the startled
look in Killian’s grey eyes, and then everything went dark.

  Killian saw the ghostly form right before it slammed into the back of the vampire. He heard Karyn’s voice as she screamed his name. Killian had no idea what was happening, but he knew that this was his only chance. Just as the ghost slammed into the blonde vamp in front of him, Killian tucked his head. He came up fast, climbing up the back of blondie. Killian grabbed the vamp’s blond hair in one hand, pulling back and at the same time, shoved his feet forward against the vamp’s back. The blond head came off with a loud pop. Killian tossed the head at the last surviving vampire, distracting him just long enough.

  Killian bounded forward. At the last second, he slid to the ground reaching up and grabbing the vampire by the throat. He pushed his knee into the vamp’s middle. The whole thing was over in less than a second. Killian collapsed to the floor, his own grave injuries suddenly hitting him like a freight train.

  Killian had to find Karyn. That was all he could think about. He had to keep moving. He didn’t know how or why, but somehow he knew that Karyn had just saved his life. He dreaded the possibility that it had been at the expense of her own survival. Killian could usually feel her presence, but now he sensed only emptiness. All of his vampire skills were failing him; he was not immortal after all. Killian was dying.

  Killian blindly pushed forward, his vision almost completely gone. His energy spent, he stumbled over his own large feet. All he could think of was getting to Karyn before he died. He needed to see her one last time. Through the fog of his mind, he began to hear voices. It seemed that the sounds should be familiar in some way, but he couldn’t quite put the pieces together.

  Jack looked down the tunnel and saw the still stiff form of the strongest man he had ever known. The sight almost broke him. Jack rushed forward and caught Killian as he buckled forward. “It’s ok, buddy, I got you.” Jack’s hands found the side of Killian’s head and began healing. Jack couldn’t believe how close this was. The healing took almost an hour, and even then Killian was not fully restored.

  Killian looked up and saw Jack kneeling over him. Everything was hazy for a moment and then everything came crashing back. Killian jumped to his feet. “Karyn! I have to find Karyn.”

  Jack shook his head. “We have a whole crew of guys in these tunnels. We’ve been searching for over an hour, Killian, there’s no sign of her.”

  Killian clapped his hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Thanks for coming to my rescue.”

  Jack nodded. “I had to come. When a ghost shows up and starts screaming at you, you had dammed well better listen.”

  Killian nodded. “She’s here Jack, I can’t sense her anymore, but she’s here.” Killian closed his eyes and took a deep breath. As he did so, he caught the faintest hint of something…his eyes popped open. “I found her. Jack, come on.”

  Killian took off at a dead run, glad for the first time that he was a vampire. Karyn had cut herself, and he could still smell the blood. Killian turned and twisted down corridors he never knew existed, not wavering for even a moment. He knew how to hunt. Killian came into the room in a rush with Jack and about twenty other Department 99 guys. Karyn’s body lay slumped on the floor next to a young woman who stared blankly at the wall. Killian rushed to her and knelt beside her, cradling Karyn’s limp head in his hands.

  “Jack, she’s still breathing.” Jack wasted no time.

  Jack had been working on Karyn for twenty minutes and there had been no change. “It’s not working, Killian. I don’t know what’s wrong with her, but it’s like there’s nothing for me to get a hold of.”

  Killian rocked and rocked, feeling like everything he ever hoped for in life was fading away. “Don’t you die on me, Karyn. You can’t come into my life and make me fall in love with you just to let go.”

  Jack stopped and stared at his friend for a long moment, and then an idea hit him. “Killian, I have an idea.” Jack laid one hand on the side of Killian’s head and his other hand on Karyn’s head. Killian was as close to immortal as you could get. If Jack could filter Killian’s life force into Karyn, it might just be enough to save her.

  After what seemed like ages, Karyn’s eyelids began to flutter open. She looked up and found herself staring into Killian’s intense grey eyes. The sensation was like coming home for the first time.

  “Hey,” she whispered.

  Killian smiled. “You are one hell of a courageous woman.” Killian grumbled.

  Karyn smiled back. “I love you too,” she whispered and then fell back into darkness.

  part 4

  DESCENDED

  Samantha opened her pale eyes and squinted as her tiny pupils struggled to adjust to the bright lights now within the room. Department 99 personnel bustled around, and both Killian and Karyn hovered over her, watching intently. Samantha stared, still wide-eyed, as Killian placed his large hand on Karyn’s shoulder. Karyn had saved her life. Samantha couldn’t remember the exact details of how, but remembered that much.

  Samantha sat hunched down on the floor, digging her long fingernails into her knees. Her mind whirred, and her body felt strange, and as though she somehow now inhabited new skin. She felt almost as though she was in the wrong body. Just the feeling of being confined within flesh and blood felt weird and alien. Somehow, digging her fingernails into her knees seemed to help. The pain grounded her, and helped her to orient herself within the room.

  She narrowed her eyes onto Killian. There was something a bit different about him—something strange. Even still, he looked intensely concerned about her own well-being, which she took as a sign to mean that he was a decent human being. His intense concern made her feel safe.

  A young red-haired woman named Stella pushed her way forward, sporting a medical kit in one manicured hand. “Don’t you worry, sweetie,” Stella said with a slight southern accent. “We’re gonna get this situation straightened out. Can you tilt your head back for me? There you go.”

  A second investigator named Forge, pushed his way forward. He wore dark thick glasses, and looked much like a psychoanalyst. “My name is Dr. Forge,” he spoke softly to Samantha. “Can you tell me your full name?” Samantha swallowed for a long while. “It’s Samantha… Samantha...nuhh…waaa… grrr.” Her gums seemed to flap, and her mind went blank when tried to focus on her last name. Dr. Forge looked over at Stella and nodded his head slightly.

  Stella began to pull a few metallic tools out of her medical kit. In true Department 99 fashion—the equipment was tremendously advanced and complex.

  “I’m guessing that she was under was some kind of mind control.” Karyn spoke up, trying to be helpful.

  “Honey, I’m already on it,” Stella replied. The red-haired technician pulled out a device, which looked like a flashlight, and began to scan the tiny instrument all around Samantha’s head.

  Dr. Forge started to explain the process, “Don’t be frightened, Samantha. You’re going to hear a few clicking sounds, but nothing will touch you. Try and keep your head as still as possible.” Samantha’s neck stiffened. She still looked as though she felt awkward in her skin—almost like a ghost, wearing a human-suit.

  Stella raised the small machine up to Samantha’s forehead. The machine whirred and then began to beep. “Yup, just like we thought. We’ve got tracers here; Dr. Forge--- I’m reading at a 7.9 on the pull scale at a 0.5 descant interval.” Dr. Forge nodded, considering the information. Forge placed a hand into his pocket, waiting patiently.

  Karyn turned to Killian with a questioning look. What was a pull scan?

  “A pull scan will show the residual traces of another person’s essence. Basically, when you control someone’s mind, you leave these little specks—a lot like fingerprints, all over their energy signature. 7.9 means that she was virtually totally under someone else’s control.” Killian swallowed. “The meter only goes up to 8.”

  Karyn’s eyes looked sad for a moment. She turned back to Samantha, who grabbed her hand gently and squeezed.

 
“Thank you,” Samantha smiled. “You saved my life,” Samantha smiled kindly. Something intimate passed between them, and Karyn averted her glance, feeling a bit vulnerable. There was something that felt really good about being near Samantha, and Karyn felt a bit confused by their connection. Were it not for social convention, Karyn would have hugged the woman and perhaps kissed her on the cheek.

  “What about the descant number? What is that?” Karyn asked Stella. Stella shifted uneasily and looked to Dr. Forge for permission to proceed.

  Dr. Forge coughed. “It helps us to measure intent. Intent to harm has a different energy signature than energy intended to heal.”

  Killian grabbed Karyn’s elbow gently, “It means she was under the control of someone involved with demonic forces.” Samantha heard Killian’s comment and seemed to grow uneasy. She began to whimper.

  Sensing her discomfort, Stella chimed in—“Oh don’t you worry, child. We’ll get that bad mojo cleaned right on up. You’ll be good as new in no time.”

  Karyn’s stomach turned over uneasily. She felt bad for Samantha—the woman looked so fragile lying there on the floor, and she wondered if it would be possible for her newfound friend to make a full recovery. As if sensing Karyn’s inquiry, Killian whispered into Karyn’s ear—“It’ll take a little time, but she’ll be okay.”

  “Well, I can see that you’ve been through a lot,” Stella smiled. “You’re a pretty little thing too, ain’t you?” Stella smiled kindly a second time. “I’ve got a son that lives in New Hampshire and he would love you.” Karyn knew that Stella was trying to put Samantha at ease, but even still—Stella’s comment didn’t seem very appropriate. Samantha chuckled for a brief moment, and Karyn caught her glance. Karyn quickly averted her eyes and focused on the floor. Her heart fluttered within her chest for one brief moment.