by K. F. Breene
“Sasha.” He seemed to be trying to soften his gravel-infused voice. Apparently thinking I scared easily. Probably not wanting to get hit with an unpredictable blast of magic.
“Hi, Tim,” I responded, scooting over so he could sit next to me.
He angled his body toward me, glancing at the book on my lap for a second before honing in on my face. “How goes it?”
“Not well. Toa lectures me about my magic, tells me how to use it, and then expects that to be enough. It just doesn’t sink in. So, I try to mimic him, and I blow things up or create monsters. Then he yells at me because I’m doing things in opposite land.”
I didn’t want to admit that Stefan was right to send Darla. That I wasn’t getting it; that I was letting him down.
“You need a practical lesson. I had a great many new subjects that had never attempted a controlled change. I needed to work through it with them. Explanations are for theoretical knowledge. They don’t help with actually doing something.”
“I know, but no one has my type of magic. No one can show me.”
“Well, keep at it. You’ll get it. Stefan seems to have faith in you, so you need to have faith in yourself. That is one of the biggest needs in any type of leadership role. You can’t second-guess yourself or wander around without a purpose. If you do, people will think you aren’t in control.”
“I’m not in control. And Stefan has so much faith he sent Darla into harm’s way.”
“He is a great statistician with risk and a great leader.” Tim paused for a moment, and then placed a comforting arm around my shoulders. “I don’t know if his actions were right or wrong, but I, too, thought he had more faith than to send reinforcements. Nonetheless, he has his reasons. Maybe the decision isn’t what it seems. Maybe he is vying for the Regional position and wants to leave a successor.”
“I don’t know, but crying about it isn’t going to help.” I blew out a frustrated breath. “What I really want to do is just punch her in the mouth.”
“Atta girl,” Tim said softly.
“How come you guys can change into animals?” I asked to sidetrack the conversation.
Tim sat farther back, his arm still around my shoulders, continuing to lend support which I took greedily. “We think it’s a mutation in a person’s genetic makeup. Unlike Stefan’s kind, we are all human. At some point in a person’s life, we develop what the doctors think is an advanced stage of cancer. We either get treatment or we get a terminal date. In some people, it takes a few months to make the change, some longer, but the body priming is a painful affair. The person affected stops eating, has to stay in bed, loses sleep—you can see why they continue to think it is cancer even though some medical tests might seem strange. At the end of the body’s transformation, the person undergoes their first full change, which is often scary and sometimes dangerous.
“We try to find these potential Shape Changers and help them through the change. We can smell it coming, you see. The body’s chemistry changes, changing a person’s scent. If we get there in time, we can help a person through it. If not, we have to hope they don’t endanger themselves or others. Some have gotten shot because the townspeople thought a wild animal prowled the streets.”
“I bet. If I was walking around willy-nilly and saw a giant wolf I’d be a bit nervous, all right.”
“Exactly. We are pretty good, though. We constantly have people looking. There aren’t so many that make the change.”
“But, that’s in this area. What about the rest of the world?”
“This…affliction happens all over the world. Like Stefan’s kind, we have a larger pack system. We’ve had to develop it to keep our people under the radar—keep us safe. If potential mutants landed in human hands, we’d spend our lives in a research facility or be hunted.”
I nodded, because that was a very realistic view of what scientists would do. And if they didn’t, the Homeland Security people would step in, trying to engineer a new weapon. Or just kill on sight.
“Is that why you are joining with Stefan? To unite forces?”
“It’s smart. Plus, we were approached by Andris. They are trying to organize a power shift with humans. They want to dominate, and to do that, they need to up their numbers. We were a logical choice, of course. We are human, and exist within the human society. What better group of people to infiltrate, and then bring the humans down from the inside. But in that way lies death, which Stefan and his Council know from experience. Andris is smart, but power hungry. He will eventually emerge from the shadows, but not until he has a clear way. I am trying to help Stefan put up a roadblock.”
“I’m supposed to help with that.”
“And you will,” Tim said softly, his eyes losing their alpha strength. I marveled at their soft depth, their color a deep auburn.
“What animal do you change into?” I asked, entranced by those eyes.
“A Kodiak,” he whispered.
I noticed for the first time his face, broad and defined, with a strong jaw and straight nose. He was a handsome man, if no Stefan, with strength and power tempered by a slow way about him. “Are there many grizzlies?”
“No, just one. We have quite a few wolves, a few large cats, some smaller animals; an all-around mix.”
“So if you bite me, I won’t turn into an animal?” I smiled, hiding the gulp when his eyes traveled my face.
“You will, but only until climax.” He chuckled, prompting an edge of uncertainty to crawl into my awareness.
I turned my face away, suddenly hyper-aware of our proximity. “Anyway,” I said, “I should probably go and find Charles. He gets in trouble when left to his own devices for too long.”
“He said the same thing about you yesterday evening.”
I snorted. Figured.
As I stood and headed for the door, my book forgotten, Tim said, “And Sasha…”
I turned back, seeing Tim stand, his large shoulders straining the cotton of his t-shirt, currently molding to his defined pecks like spray paint. “Yeah?”
“Watch out for Jonas, okay? He’s made it pretty clear he doesn’t trust humans.”
The only reminder I needed on that score seemed to come from Jonas himself whenever we were in the same room. That hard stare was not easy to forget. Neither were the warning tingles up my back.
A stocky man with giant arms stepped in front of me as I tried to exit the room, his eyes, a weird shade of light hazel, almost gold, rooted me in place and had my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth.
“Something is happening, where are your guards?”
Tim was there in a flash, bristling behind me. “What is it?”
“Alpha.” The man bowed his head quickly. “A large group is coming. The sentries sense a large amount of mag—ˮ
The messenger was cut off as a wolf song broke through the walls. Sorrowful and haunting, it caused me to shiver, my familiar warning butt tingle making me wrap my magic around me like a cloak. I needed to get the hell out of there. I didn’t know how to use my magic well enough, and I didn’t have Stefan to protect me. Tim and his crowd were great fighters, but they couldn’t balance my potentially fatal draw of magic.
“Get her to safety and then meet me in the front!” Tim pushed past us, moving down the hall with massive, lumbering steps. The bear side of him wasn’t far from breaking free.
“Sasha!” I froze at that nightmarish growl.
Jonas stalked up on liquid joints, his tattoos glowing a furious orange. His fierce gaze took in the were-tiger Tim had ordered to escort me to safety. “Run along kitty-cat, I’ve got her.”
A deep growl rumbled out of the man’s chest, shaking my bones and making me step to the side, out from between these two wild men. Jonas struck out with his hand, grabbed my arm and dragged me near. The intensity in his eyes shocked into me a second later.
“They’re here for you. We gotta get you outta here.”
“But… I should fight…” I started, much rather facing a horde
of unknowns than this one man alone.
“You fight, you die. The Boss trusted you to my care. You’re coming with me.”
I stared at the burly man, unsure. He stared back, no expression, turning my bones to liquid. Jonas was right, though, Stefan trusted Jonas for some reason.
I hadn’t told Stefan about that first battle. About Jonas leaving me to die in that first battle.
But still, he trusted Jonas, and not the Mata. I trusted Stefan. I didn’t have much to go off of, so I had to trust the lesser of two evils.
I started to jog next to Jonas, his long, hurried steps nearly impossible for me to keep up with. “Where’s Charles?” I asked in as close to a normal voice as I could muster. It sounded like a wobbling, squeaky bicycle.
“Charles can look after himself.”
I opened my mouth to push the issue, ducking into the twilight under Jonas’s arm. The evening was just falling, creating that strange gloom that hid things even in plain sight. A light breeze ruffled my hair as a surge of magic pounded in my chest. Freezing cold trickled down from the top of my head, a sure sign that those Dulcha monsters were near.
“Hurry!” Jonas urged, grabbing me by the arm and yanking.
“Why are we going toward the woods?” I asked, trying to avoid branches that thwapped me in the face.
In answer, Jonas turned to me, a vicious glint in his eye. Without uttering a word, he ducked down and scooped me up, immediately starting to jog deep into the trees, the first blast of battle sounding behind us.
Panic welled up, his harsh grip and haste sending pain and uncertainty into my core. I could shock him and get out of his hold, but then what? My power could beat his, but my use of it was truly lacking. Then where would I go? To the front line, where the Dulcha would chase and hound me? I couldn’t hide. Already I could feel them, seeking me, drawn to my power.
I wiggled, still uncertain, hearing all the warnings over the last few weeks. Everyone had cited Jonas as someone to watch. Someone to steer clear from. Stefan trusted him, yes, but friendship could disillusion a person. And didn’t Stefan say he trusted me? That he had faith in me?
But then heʼd sent Darla to basically sit on her hands and wait for me to fail.
Tim and the Mata were my friends.
I would not fail.
Decided, I sucked power into myself, feeling the darkness as it warred with the daylight, drawing it into myself and feeling my limbs heat. Jonas flinched, trying to hold on, but was unable to as my body electrified to his touch.
He jumped and released me suddenly, leaving me sprawled on the ground.
“What the fuck are you doing?” he asked savagely, reaching down to me with a giant hand. “Do you want to die?”
I scrambled away, ready with a blast of magic. I raised my palm and registered the widening of his eyes just as Adnan burst through the trees ahead of us, his blade glowing red, his throwing star in his hand.
“I knew it, Jonas! Trying to steal away Sasha? You failed last time so you wanted to do it in person this time?”
Darla stepped through the trees next. Sinewy and graceful, she held two deceptively delicate-looking daggers, each glowing deep red. Her confident gaze took in Jonas and she shook her head and tsk’d. “The Boss’s childhood friend. But then, we all saw this coming. Didn’t we, Adnan?”
“Why are you helping me?” I blurted, focused on Darla.
Her gaze never left Jonas, as she worked with Adnan to block Jonas and myself from continuing on our path.
“I’m not helping you, I’m helping the Boss. You are just a stupid human. If I save you, I save the day.”
“What is it you think you’re saving her from?” Jonas growled. “I’m going to the underground safe house to cut off her magic from the Dulcha.”
“Would that work?” I asked of no one, which was exactly who paid attention to me.
Chapter 9
Stefan walked through the south-end corridor on the third floor, his focus on the turmoil within the link. With Sasha as far away as she was, he couldn’t feel much, but what he did had him disconcerted. She’d been in some state of unhappiness since she left, but this was altogether different.
He saw two flesh covered forms writhing against the wall, one between the legs of the other, thrusting in great swings. Stefan’s balls tightened, the three weeks of abstinence playing hell on his concentration.
“Knock it off,” Stefan snarled as he passed, stopping the figures in a tight embrace.
The young male looked up with the fervor of lust. He wouldn’t dare question orders, but the blank stare said he obviously didn’t know why he should refrain.
“There is a ban on sex in this area. We house a pregnant female and her offspring. She does not want her children seeing fornication when they wander out of their rooms.”
A red hue suffused the youth’s face, the female looking down to hide her embarrassment. They muttered apologies as they disengaged, then hurried away. Shaking his head, Stefan knocked politely, waiting for one of the Shape Changer children to open the door.
Esmine waited inside, lounging on a sofa, rubbing her belly. She looked up at Stefan’s entrance, smiling a greeting.
“I came to ensure your continued comfort,” Stefan stated, looking over the room to make sure it had been cleaned regularly. He’d stopped by once every few days just to check on her. Seeing all was well, he returned his gaze to the female.
“Yes, thanks,” she replied demurely, the lupine gaze he sometimes saw retracted now. “Your people have been kind and gracious.”
“You have everything you need?”
“Again, yes, thank you.”
A small child bounded over to her, looking at him through the shyness of youth.
“They are enamored with your people,” Esmine said with a laugh as she put a comforting hand on the female child’s head. “They stare and gawk, only to squeal and giggle when one of the helpers assigned to us plays. I had no idea everyone here was so good with children.”
Stefan lounged so as not to appear impatient. “We cherish children here. We try hard for them, and are only rewarded occasionally. We protect them with every fiber of our being.”
Esmine nodded. “Continuing the line. We know something of that.”
A fast rapping interrupted them, the door swinging open and Jameson marching in. “Boss, we need you.”
“What is it?” Esmine asked, rising onto her elbows, her pregnant belly awkward and hindering. “Are we in danger?”
“I assure you, you are not in danger. I will send someone in shortly to fill you in on whatever is happening. We are safe within these walls.” Stefan bowed to her. “Excuse me.”
“They are planning to attack Sasha’s location,” Jameson said as soon as they were out of earshot. “For the last three weeks we haven’t seen one Dulcha. Not one. We’ve seen increased numbers crossing our borders, but we only engage in skirmishes.”
They nearly flew down the stairs, heading to their strategy room where Dominicous would be waiting. “We knew something was up, but couldn’t find out what. Then our spy overheard Trek and Andris speaking. They have someone on the inside.”
Stefan burst into the strategy room, accounting for each member of their battle council, noting the presence of Rich, Tim's Beta, then taking a seat at the head of the table. Dominicous stood just off to the side, allowing Stefan the authority to preside by removing himself. It was an incredibly helpful gesture of good faith. Not many in the chain of command would relinquish power to one lesser. Stefan understood, however, that it wasn’t permanent by any means. Simply expeditious.
“What are their plans?” Stefan asked, focusing on a map in the center of the table.
“They’re putting all their efforts into what appears to be Sasha’s location. They plan to create one hell of a distraction, killing anyone they can, while a small group spirits Sasha out the back. We should receive a small scale attack here, keeping us busy, and them under the impression they are the onl
y ones with a spy. Andris and Trek will be heading the distraction, though. They do not think they will fail.”
“They never think they’ll fail. It’s their greatest downfall.” Stefan considered a minute, the room silent as he weighed the options. “Send a team in right now. We may be too late, but we need to at least warn the Shape Changers. We’ll leave a group here to defend the mansion, but we need to gear up and meet Trek head on.”
“Another team, you mean?” Andrew asked, his face screwed up in puzzlement.
“What do you mean another team?” Stefan shot back as Dominicous straightened.
Andrew shook his head in jerky movements. “Maybe I’m wrong, but Adnan, a student of mine, mentioned he wouldn’t be around because he was personally asked to help warn Sasha of a spy. He said it was a test of his skills so that he might make the Watch Command. He went with Darla and someone else. I thought him a little young for the assignment, but he has great rapport with Sasha, so I didn’t question your judgment—else I would have asked you about it.”
“Darla?” Stefan asked in controlled fury. “When did they leave?” And how the hell had Darla known Sasha's location when even he had not been told?
“About two weeks ago, if I’m not mistaken.”
“I haven’t seen Darla around,” another council member added thoughtfully.
Fear froze Stefan’s insides. “We haven’t any time to lose. Get Esmine and the children to a safe location. Rally everyone else.”
*****
The ground shook with an explosion, the telltale sign I’d be caught up in yet another battle. What had happened to my quiet life of boredom and hoping for some action? I missed those days.
“C’mon, Sasha, come over here,” Adnan said, his sword pointing at Jonas’s face.
“You two are under the impression you can take me, is that it? Did anyone happen to mention she shoots black?” Jonas asked in his scary voice.
