I was fast. So fast that I had to hide the truth from everyone. I'd timed myself running on secluded roads where no one would see me. That's when I knew for certain that I was a freak. I beat all the records.
It wasn’t a hobby or part of a fitness regimen. I was compelled to run by an inborn instinct which saved my ass more than once. I’d get angry because of a cruel comment or unfair situation. Then, before I knew it, I was lacing up my sneakers and running out the door, escaping before my rage could reach the boiling point and turn dangerous. At least that was my fear. That there was a part of me that could lose control and do serious damage.
I sat on the edge of the bed and wondered if my kidnapper could catch me if I jumped out the window and took off, but the thought of getting caught by him and what he might do to me sent shivers through my bones. That guy was quick and quiet. I wouldn't get far.
I jumped when I heard a knock on the door. I hadn't heard him walking down the narrow hallway. My hearing was usually great. How did he do that?
He didn't try to open the door. “Kid, I made you something to eat. You need to get your strength back. It’s been over a day since you’ve eaten.” I listened for his retreating steps but heard nothing until I noticed the sound of the refrigerator door opening and closing in the kitchen.
Wait, did he say over a day? Was it already Monday night? For the first time I thought about the family that had adopted me a year ago, Maggie and Justin Crawford. After growing up being passed from one family to another, they'd actually seemed to love me. Are they searching for me? Have they called the police? Knowing them, they probably have the town turned upside down with search teams out in force and my face already on milk cartons. If only there was some way to let them know that I wasn’t hurt.
The odor of food reminded me that I needed to eat to get my strength back. I stood, reached for the doorknob and froze. Decision time: run or stay. Something in my gut told me that if the man had wanted to kill me he would have done it already. When he’d warned me about running away, he hadn’t really sounded threatening, just matter-of-fact.
The delicious smell of cooking meat grew stronger and so I sighed, unlocked the door and slowly turned the knob, peeking down the empty hallway toward the kitchen. I brushed a few loose strands of hair out of my face and grimaced with resolve. Maybe I could somehow convince him to let me go. I’d talked myself out of tough situations before. I was actually pretty good at it. Tonight I'd need all my skills.
Chapter Three
The dark haired stranger turned as I walked into the small kitchen. “Sit here”. He smiled and motioned to one of the three wooden chairs pulled up against a small round table. I sat down hesitantly and he handed me a steak knife, fork and napkin. There was a pitcher of ice water on the table and he told me to help myself so I drank down a glass, not minding the mild stomach ache from the ice-cold liquid hitting my empty stomach. He placed a large bowl of salad on the table followed by another with bread, then handed me a dinner plate laden with a large steak and fries.
I watched him as he served up his own food, careful not to let him notice me doing it. His back was broad, but his waist was slim as were his long legs. He looked young when he smiled, probably around twenty-two or twenty-three. He’d managed to find the time to change his shirt and clean up while I was still in the bathroom. When he moved he was graceful like a martial artist, but I sensed that underneath the smile and the elegance was a dangerous man.
He sat across from me and said, “Eat, Jackie and I’ll explain a few things."
He knew my name. Had he looked in my wallet? I glanced around the room hoping to find my backpack and couldn’t see it anywhere. My cell phone was in there, something else I hadn’t thought about. Jeez, I'd definitely been drugged if I'd forgotten about my cell phone. Taking a big bite of the steak, I realized that I was totally starving. I forgot about everything else, shoveling in mouthful after mouthful as fast as I could chew and swallow them.
His voice was soft and soothing. “Slow down a little, kid. There's plenty. My name's Rob. I’m not going to hurt you, but I'll have to restrain you if you try to run away.”
“You’ve already shown me the cuffs.” I glared at him over my water glass. Now that the drugs seemed to be out of my system, I found that my fear had turned to anger.
Still, he smiled at me, as if my attitude was no big deal. “Good. You understand. Makes things easier.”
“Easier for you, or for me?” I asked, continuing to scowl between bites.
“Both of us, but mostly for you." I was annoyed that he wasn’t taking me seriously. I squirted out some ketchup and chewed on a fry, watching him as he took another bite of his salad. The food was making me feel a lot better. Maybe later tonight I could sneak away.
“Why did you kidnap me?" He just kept on chewing. "They’ll find me and you’ll go to jail.” I bluffed, not sure at all that someone would find me in this remote location.
He swallowed then hesitated for a moment, as if wondering how to proceed. “Jackie, no one is searching for you. No one will report you missing. Your family told your school that you were moving for your dad to start a new job in Colorado. They’ve already left town. You’ll be able to see them again in a month or so." I didn't respond. "Justin and Maggie love you. They felt terrible about not being able to talk to you first. But we had no choice. I’ll be calling them regularly to fill them in on your progress. They’ve actually helped us like this before, although you’re the only child they’ve adopted.”
I was speechless. This can’t be real. My family cared about me. They definitely wouldn’t leave town without me. They wouldn’t want me to get hurt or to be frightened or to be alone or...
It was suddenly way too much to deal with. “You’re full of shit,” I yelled, standing and knocking the chair over. I started backing away, holding my steak knife in front of me and searching for a way to get out. Rob moved so quickly that I had no time to react. The knife clattered uselessly to the floor as he secured my arms in a tight grip, his face only inches from mine. My nostrils filled up once more with his cool wintergreen scent and I shuddered, then found my muscles relaxing against my will.
Intrigued by his strange ability, I looked up into his dark brown eyes. Who is this guy? I panic, and he soothes me. I was ready to explode ten seconds ago and now…
I gritted my teeth. I wasn’t going to let him bully me into submission. "Let go of me,” I demanded, trying to pull away unsuccessfully. I hoped that he realized I wasn't really going to stab him with the knife. I’ve never been a violent person, but this experience was stressing out my sanity circuits.
“I’ll let go of you if you sit down and eat more of your meal.” Rob’s voice was stern as he led me back to my chair which had somehow been righted without me noticing. I sat, but didn’t feel hungry anymore and so I pushed the plate away.
“If you don’t eat, it’ll take longer to recover from the meds.“
“What did you give me?” It had actually flashed in my head for a whole thirty seconds that Rob wasn’t so bad, but then I remembered the dizziness, nausea and the blood. I narrowed my eyes and fantasized about trying out one of my martial arts moves on him.
He seemed to be amused by my anger, which annoyed me even more. “It’s a new drug created for a specific purpose. You had your first dose a few hours ago and didn’t exactly react the way the others did. You ran off and I couldn’t find you for an hour or so.” He laughed at his own private joke. "You're pretty damn fast."
“You did this to others?”
“Yes. There’s a good reason, if you’ll just listen.”
No way was I listening to Mister Minty Fresh the serial kidnapper. “I should have just kept running. You wouldn’t have caught me.” Slapping my hands down hard on the table, I glared directly at him, too angry to be afraid.
He quickly leaned across the table, placing his hands over mine. I tried to pull away, but they might as well have been crazy-glued to the table. He spoke q
uietly in his deeply soothing voice, “You’re wrong, Jackie, I would have found you. There are things you need to listen to and try to accept. I know that this is very difficult, but the sooner you can recognize the truth of your situation, the easier it will be for you to adapt.”
He released my hands and relaxed back into his seat, taking another bite of his steak. There was something compelling about him when he spoke in that calm clear way. I wanted to believe that he didn't want to harm me, but I was afraid to let down my guard.
My stomach growled again. I looked down at the delicious steak and decided to keep eating. I’d need my strength to escape, I reasoned, so if he wanted to talk while I ate, I guess I could pretend to listen. Later I’d run and then he’d be eating my dust.
He handed me a clean knife and picked up the one I'd dropped, tossing it into the sink.
"I wasn't going to stab you. I was—what you said was hard to hear."
"Try to trust me, Jackie. I won’t lie to you."
"Where are we?"
"We’re on Isla Solitaria, which means lonely island in Spanish. We locals call it Solo Island. You’re miles from mainland California. There’s nowhere for you to run, no matter how fast you think you are.”
He smiled at me and I crossed my arms. Huh. He had no idea.
“You'll leave here when I think you’re ready and not before. After your training you’ll be able to live where you like. You’re not really a prisoner.” He took another bite of his food and waited for my reaction.
I stopped eating as I tried to process what he’d said. He’d just told me that he was going to train me to do something and then let me go. Yeah, like that wasn’t total BS. As I watched him eat, I tried to figure out what he did want. He hadn’t tried to touch me other than to keep me from running and help me into the cabin, which was a good thing ‘cause I didn’t think I could fight him off for long if he wanted to rape me. I took another look at his biceps and broad muscular chest. Nope, my only chance was to run.
Rob glanced down at my plate then back at me, raising an eyebrow. I shoved a French fry in my mouth to placate him, then chewed and swallowed. “But why did you kidnap me? What do you want?”
“I’m kind of a recruitment specialist. I work for a diverse group who share a similar interest. One person in particular has observed you on and off the last few years and is very interested in your potential. He called me in to train you.” He buttered a slice of bread as he spoke.
I snorted and almost choked on my next fry. “My potential? As what, a runner? That’s about the only thing I do well." He didn't answer so I asked, "This friend of yours was watching me?” I pushed away the stray pieces of salad and took a bite of the bread he'd handed me, shuddering as I remembered another day and other men who’d watched me.
“Have you ever heard of the term shapeshifter?” He seemed to be scrutinizing my expression carefully.
“What, like werewolves?” I asked.
“No, not like weres, although shifters do take the form of animals. Shifters aren’t ruled by the phases of the moon and are able to shift under almost any circumstances, as long as they’ve gained enough control and are physically strong. Also, shifters don’t live under such a rigid societal structure as wolves and so enjoy a lot more freedom. Werewolves are more powerful physically, at least when they’re healthy, and are definitely more volatile. They make dangerous enemies but can also make loyal allies. It’s important for a shifter to know which variety of wolf they’re dealing with.“
This must be some kind of weird joke. “You’re talking like werewolves and shapeshifters are real creatures. Are you taking your own drugs?” Why is he telling me this ridiculous crap? I tried to figure out his motives as he sat and watched me. Maybe he’s just nuts. That thought did nothing to relieve my anxiety.
“They are real. Vampires, witches, sorcerers, the fae and many other supernatural beings inhabit the world with humans. I know you don’t believe me now, but in a few months it'll all seem pretty mundane.”
I was not going to be anywhere near this guy in a few months. “You said the fae? Like—fairies?” I almost laughed at him, but then thought better of it. He could be seriously crazy and laughing at him was probably not a good way to get him to let me go.
“They’re more like Galadriel than Tinkerbell. The ones I’ve met are extremely powerful. Many of them have lived for thousands of human years.”
"Oh." Treading carefully, I said, “You still haven’t answered my question. Why me?”
“You’re a shapeshifter, Jackie. I’m sure you’ve noticed that you’re very different from the people you’ve lived and gone to school with. Usually shifters make their first change a couple of years after puberty, but some are late bloomers. You and I are here on the island to force your first change away from anyone who could get hurt. It’ll happen eventually anyway. I’m just going to bring it on a little faster and that’s what the drug is for. I’m here to help you get through your first shift as safely as possible.” He watched me carefully, waiting for me to bolt or cry or react in some way.
I decided not to freak out, just yet, and to pretend to play along with his strange little fantasy. “Why bring it on now? Why not just wait until I change naturally?” I played with my fries, my appetite having suddenly disappeared. Shit, I need to find a way out of here fast. He’s sounding crazier and crazier.
Rob continued, "Two reasons: If your first change occurred in school or your home, you’d have been terrified and could've hurt someone. Also, shifter populations are thinning out. We’re always on the lookout for shifters, like you, who’ve slipped through our radar. We have dangerous enemies and most of us feel that bringing strong young recruits into the mix will only help strengthen the community.”
Rob stood up and moved slightly away from the table. “I’m a shifter. A black leopard.”
I felt a strange electric charge in the air, my body tingling pleasantly as energy filled the small room. I watched in complete astonishment as Rob’s hands turned into enormous black paws with lethal looking claws. He flexed them slightly, retracting the claws when he noticed my wide-eyed expression. Just as quickly the paws transitioned back to his large human-looking hands. The change seemed effortless. He wasn't even breathing hard.
Stunned, the reality of the situation hit me like a two-by-four in the face. “But I don’t want to change,” I pleaded with him.”I’m human, not an animal. You can’t force me to change!” I'd stood without thought and begun backing away, rage and fear smoldering in the bonfire of my jumbled emotions. There was no way that I was going to let this pseudo-nice creep inject me with some weird drug to make me turn into a bird or a bear or whatever. Maybe this was some kind of governmental test site, although Rob didn’t really look like a scientific geek. More like a Land's End model.
“Please sit down.” His soothing voice and comforting wintergreen scent made most of my tension float away. Suddenly my knees were bending and I was sitting again.
He rubbed his hands, maybe massaging away the effects of the transition. "The drug I'm giving you doesn't turn you into a shifter. Shapeshifters are born, so you must have had at least one shifter parent. The drug simply encourages your body to do what it would probably do in a few weeks anyway. But I don't see the point in waiting around for it to happen. I don't want to have to keep you here on the island any longer than necessary." He smiled kindly. "I know this is rough for you to take in."
I crossed my arms over my chest and looked down, trying to bury my fear where he couldn’t see it. His hands had definitely changed to a leopard's paws. That wasn't some hallucination. I should be screaming or crying, but instead I decided I wanted some answers. I lifted my chin. "Where did all the blood come from? I don't have one cut. And why can’t I remember anything?”
“Amnesia is a side effect of the tranquilizer I gave you outside your house. You probably won’t ever remember your trip to the island. You struggled quite a bit after I administered your first dose of the e
xperimental meds four hours ago. Your hands began to shift and you did some damage with your claws. Some of the blood was yours from self-inflicted injuries and some of it was mine as I tried to subdue you, but most of it belonged to my other guest in the back bedroom. Come, I’ll introduce you.”
As I followed him, my head was spinning with ideas. Someone else was here? Was there another prisoner like me? Maybe we could team up and get off this island. Of course I only had his word that we were even on an island. He might be lying. What did he say about my hands changing? I looked down at them and they looked perfectly normal to me, except for the missing scars.
We walked quickly to the back of the cabin opening a door on the left. I couldn’t believe what I saw.
Chapter Four
The room was smaller than mine, still managing to fit a double bed and an old pine dresser. The walls were freshly painted a pale green and there was a multicolored rug over a portion of the worn wooden floor. Two windows overlooked the woods behind the cabin, giving its occupant a slightly different view than mine.
I caught the scent of eucalyptus. It was strongest near the bed so I turned in that direction, coming face to face with a beautiful cougar busy lifting his head from his paws to stare back at me. His ears perked up at attention and he stretched like a typical cat then jumped down, opening his mouth in a yawn to give me a good view of his very sharp teeth. His furry coat was a lovely sienna brown across the top of his back turning lighter as it traveled toward his stomach and down his legs.
I noticed that one of his front legs was cuffed, attached to a thick chain leading to a metal plate bolted to the wall. Even though Rob was in front of me, I found myself inching backwards into the hallway, wondering if the restraint was in place because Rob thought he was dangerous.
Rebirth (Rogues Shifter Series) Page 2
