“What the fuck!” He exclaimed as he sat up.
“What do you remember?” Billie asked.
His face turned stony. “Her voice in my head. She wouldn’t leave me alone.” His face drew tight and he looked squarely at his Beta, sorrow and anger twisting his face. “I didn’t wanna kill John.”
“You're not responsible for John's death.”
“I killed him,” he insisted.
“No,” I said from across the room, panting with fatigue. “She killed him. She used your hands, but she killed him. You had no way of stopping yourself.”
“Maybe I could 'o if I tried harder,” he argued.
“I saw what she did to your mind. There was nothing you could do.”
He froze. “You're one of them?”
“I'm Sadie, Billie's mate. I'm a Mage, but I am not one of them. Trust me, though. There was nothing you could have done to stop yourself from following her orders. She is responsible for all of it, and she's dead now.” He looked at Billie for assurance, and with her nod, he accepted our explanation. “We need your help. Are you up to it?” I asked.
“Uh. Kinda depends on what you need. I'll do my best.” Billie glowed in pride at his willingness.
I explained. “I need to release the others one by one, and I need Billie to sit with them when I do it. Can you keep everyone busy and distracted after they're free?”
“Uh, yeah.” He wasn't clear on what I asked of him, but he was eager.
“Everyone else is getting a little spring cleaning on their memories,” I explained to him. “They're not going to remember anything about Mages and Wolves - only Humans. They will believe they were kidnapped, drugged, and made to do horrible things. But they will not remember killing anyone or watching anyone get killed.”
“I can sit with them. Thank ya for leavin' me my memories.”
I smiled. “You're welcome, but you should thank Billie. It was her decision.”
“Thank ya, Beta.”
She inclined her head in acceptance. “Don't let them leave if you can help it, and don't let them back in here. But don't force them or scare them.”
“I can do that,” he declared.
“Good. Why don't you grab some fresh air while you're waiting for the first one.”
He's resilient. I gave him due credit.
Very much so. She beamed at her Pup.
I called the Humans and corralled them into the adjacent room. Three women and three men remained. I didn't even know she was here. I said to Billie when I saw the third woman.
I found her while you were asleep. She was collared to Alexander. Her mental voice sizzled in anger and disgust. I'd find out soon enough what was done to her. Who do you want to start with?
Julie.
Billie called Julie out and set her on the couch just as she had with Nathan. This time I sat beside Billie, not concerned about the woman’s claws and teeth.
I drew on the power and entered Julie's mind. Chaotic and devastated on every strata, I still undid the damage easily compared to Nathan. Dimly I heard her screaming. Easily finding her memories of shooting the Mages, I erased them. Searching for other such memories, I discovered she'd witnessed two other murders. I erased those too along with all reference to Mages and Wolves.
When I opened my eyes, I found hers wide and fearful. Billie spoke soothingly to her, and after a few moments she managed to focus. “Do you remember what happened?” I asked. The seductive tendrils of magepower ran through me, and I held onto it this time. I could hold off exhaustion so long as I kept hold of the power.
“It's really foggy. There was a man. Mark, I think. He made me sleep with him!” she declared, outraged.
“He drugged you and a few others. He’s gone now, and the drugs are wearing off. You're safe now,” I replied.
Billie looked steadily at the woman. “My friend is outside. He woke up before you. Would you like to join him?”
“Sure. I guess.” Billie led her out to Nathan, ready for the next when she returned.
One by one I released the trapped minds, erasing the worst of the memories as I went. Can I go back and kill Alexander myself? I asked after removing the worst of his pet’s memories. Alexander had been a sadist, and he'd used her cruelly.
Only if you can revive him so I can kill him too, Billie replied. She'll be recovering from this for the rest of her life.
Onto the next one, I announced.
Before long I’d freed every human. I released the power easily and took a deep breath. As the power drained from my body, and I came back to myself, I trembled from head to foot, this time in anger. “How can anyone do this to another being? How can anyone be so cruel?”
“I don't know,” Billie replied, sharing my anger but channeling it differently. “I'm just glad you were able to undo it.”
“There are others in the area,” I stated. “She had a bunch of scouts, and I'm going to find them all. They're not as bad off as these were, but they deserve better.”
“We'll find them,” Billie promised. “But not today.”
“How's Nathan doing with all of them?”
“You're not keeping watch?” She was surprised.
“No. He's had a Mage in his head for months. I'm not even going to brush the surface of his mind after that.”
She nodded appreciatively. “He's keeping them occupied. He's a talker, and he's feeding them. It's working. But we need to figure out what to do next. Some of them want to go to the police.”
“They should,” I agreed. “Will the police find anything they shouldn't find here?”
Billie grimaced. “Not unless they bring in forensics. It'll pass a general inspection. Nathan and I cleaned the place while you slept, and everything that needs to come with us is already in the Jeep.”
“We should get out of here soon, shouldn't we?”
She listened to the conversation. “Yes. He won't be able to keep them entertained forever.”
“If they remember us, the police will come knocking, I bet.” I frowned. I didn't want to adjust their memories any further than I had to.
“Probably,” she replied.
“I don't want to clean us out of their memories completely. They should remember the people who were kind to them. It'll help them recover. I'll blur the image, so to speak. They'll remember us, but not well enough to identify us.”
She nodded. “Nathan would like us to hurry. He's losing one of the men.”
If Billie could hear Nathan, Nathan could hear me. “I'm ready. We'll be right there, Nathan.”
We walked out together and found them in the kitchen. Nathan started applauding when he saw us in the doorway. Others joined in, thanking us with genuine appreciation. Nathan crossed the room and put an arm around my shoulders. “Now we're all still a little fogged in the head. But we'll always remember the angels tha’ saved us.”
He genuinely meant the compliment, and he planted a seed in the humans to remember us as angels once I'd blurred their thoughts. On one hand it sounded smart, but it made me uncomfortable. I was no angel.
“You're going to be okay,” I said to the group. “We have to go, but there are several cars you can use to drive out of here.” I drew on the magepower, and Nathan hissed in surprise. He hadn't noticed me do that earlier, and it reminded him of Cassandra.
In less than a minute, the humans didn't remember our faces, names, or anything identifiable to us. They appeared a little dazed. Let's go, I said to Billie as I released the power. She motioned to Nathan, and we left without another word. Once in the Jeep, Nathan spoke. “They'll make it outa here just fine. You did good, Sadie.”
“Yes, you did,” Billie agreed as she revved the engine and started down the dark road. “Gods, Nathan. It's good to have you here with us!”
He grinned. “You sound surprised. Didn't you think you'd win?”
Billie looked gravely at him, but her voice sounded elated. “I thought we'd win, but I didn't think we'd get you back. I didn't even k
now it was possible.”
His expression darkened. “I thought I was stuck there for good, too.”
“I wouldn't have left you like that,” Billie assured him.
He nodded, understanding. “Being trapped like that is worse than death. Good thing yer girl proved us both wrong.”
“Good thing,” Billie agreed, pulling me into a side hug and kissing me on the cheek. “We did it!” she shouted suddenly, startling us with a loud woop.
“We did it,” I agreed. Exhaustion hit me again. “Wake me up when we're there? Wherever there is,” I asked.
“Of course. Sweet dreams, love.”
Chapter 18
The road bounced me awake before Billie had the chance. The sun began to peek over the horizon, and I couldn't believe morning had come already. Nathan soaked in the mountain landscape, his wild nature calling him to run. Billie parked the Jeep in the same spot as before, and it felt like deja vu.
Stretching and breathing in the fresh air, we relaxed and let the tension fade. “Can I shift yet?” Nathan asked Billie.
“Not yet. We're waiting for someone.” She listened intently, certain Kato would greet them.
“I thought we were on the outs with the Pack,” Nathan said, confused. Apparently she'd filled him in while I slept.
“We are. This Wolf is different. Can you sense him, Sadie?”
“No. But that doesn't mean anything.” I yawned, still waking.
She listened and sniffed the air, a smile spreading across her face beautifully. A red Ethiopian Wolf trotted out of the camouflage and sat before us, eyes bright and grinning.
“Nathan, I'd like to introduce you to our Eldest, Kato.”
“Nice to meet you, sir. I've never seen a Wolf like you.” Kato shimmered into his human form.
“I am from Africa. Welcome, Pup.” He embarrassed the young Wolf by embracing him fully naked. “It is a blessing to have you whole once more.”
“We did it, Kato,” Billie exclaimed. “We stopped them.”
“You reached beyond courage and found something greater within you, Beta. I am proud.” He hugged Billie tightly and kissed her on the cheek.
When he faced me, his eyes reflected the mountains around us. He seemed more magical than ever. He stood in front of me and placed a hand over my heart. “The vision of the Pack's destruction no longer exists. Our future is as it should be once again, Muzi.”
“Thank God.” I breathed a sigh of relief. I couldn’t convince myself it was over until his confirmation. Joy bubbled up from deep within me, and I laughed. I hugged my Muso and laughed freely.
“As Pack we run,” he announced. “You have run before, but not free as a Wolf should.” He spoke to Nathan. “Follow your Beta and follow me. Most of all, follow your instincts.”
Billie pulled our pack out of the Jeep, ready and waiting for us. She brought it to me apologetically. “Don't apologize, love. I got a little sleep. I’ll carry it so you can sprout fur and run with Nathan. It’s his first run.”
“I feel like I'm leaving you with the work so I can go play.”
“I'm on two legs either way. Catch me something for dinner, and we'll call it even,” I teased her with a kiss on the nose.
“I was going to do that anyway,” she replied. Nathan and Billie stripped and stowed their clothes in my pack. One by one, human forms gave way to wolf forms. Billie and Nathan bounded and yipped, enjoying the freedom of four legs. Nathan chased a bird enthusiastically, looking like an overgrown puppy as the bird escaped into a tree.
Time for hunting lessons! Billie commented with a laugh.
He's adjusting well, I replied. Better than I would have thought.
Same here. He's resilient. I think you have a new little brother with him.
She was right. The adoring way he looked at me mimicked that of a boy’s affection for his big sister. I've never had a brother before.
John was like this with me. He was four years younger and became Wolf six months after I did. She missed him. She ran her head through my hand affectionately, and the coarse hair lifted my spirits. Then she bounded off with Nathan to hunt down our dinner. Kato fell in step beside me, and I ran my fingers through the fur on his neck.
Why are you troubled, Muzi? This is a joyous day.
I'm thrilled about today's success. But I learned some things about my family that I didn’t want to hear. And we're still separated from the Pack.
Enjoy your triumph. The rest will come in its own time.
I sighed. I miss the pack, but it's worse for Billie. I'm just worrying instead of appreciating, aren't I?
Yes. Feel the sun on your face. It shines only in this moment. The sun does not shine on the future or the past, so what purpose is served by living there?
I like that. Deliberately I felt the morning lightly warming my face and smelled the pine trees around me. The weight I carried began to lift.
Do you hear the blackbirds singing? He encouraged me further, and I nodded. They sing to today.
Listening to the birds, I began to feel at peace. Billie and Nathan hunted in the distance, and it felt right. She has a Pup to care for now.
She finds purpose in guiding and protecting. It is her nature. Where do you find your purpose, Muzi?
I thought about that and had no answer. I don't know. Today wasn't about purpose. It felt more like an obligation.
It becomes what you perceive it to be, even if not true. What obligation did you act on?
Mages were threatening the people I love.
How were you responsible for their actions?
I wasn't.
Then what debt could you owe for their actions? I didn't answer immediately, pondering over his words.
I did what I did today because it was the right thing to do, I replied after a time.
Yes. Now enjoy the sun on your face, free of the debt you never owed.
I did as instructed, and by the time we reached the cave, I hummed softly to myself. Kato shifted into human form so he could gather wood, and I set up camp. Billie and Nathan ran, and I joined them through Billie's mind for a while. Nothing compared to running on four legs as they did. I'd only slept a few hours since the morning before, so I napped with Kato curled by my side. Periodically, he patrolled the area, but mostly we lay around and enjoyed the respite.
As the sun neared its peak in the sky, I sensed Billie and Nathan's return. They moved slowly and loudly through the brush, and as they came into view, I understood what had taken them so long. Each had hold of a large carcass, dragging it home with effort.
“Oh my God, Billie. Is that an elk?” I asked the proud wolf in front of me.
What's left of her. She's very small, and Nathan and I ate so we didn't have to carry so much.
“You brought home an elk for dinner?” I couldn't believe what I saw in front of me.
We'll eat well, and we deserve to.
Nathan left the elk mostly intact, dressing part of a haunch expertly. He had several large steaks prepared by the time I had the fire ready. Billie disappeared into the trees and returned with a few herbs for flavoring. “I packed salt. It should be in with the dishes.” Nathan sniffed the herbs appreciatively and declared himself master of the elk steak.
“I can't cook anything else worth a damn. But I can cook meat.” I watched him brighten at the task.
“You know,” he mentioned while the pan sizzled. “It's not cold enough to keep her from spoiling.” He pointed at the dressed carcass. “Sadie won't be able to eat any more after today unless we do something. I can smoke some.”
He’d caught Billie’s interest. “You've done that before?”
“Yep. Several times. It's pretty easy. The biggest trick is to not overdo it.”
“That would be great!” I beamed at him. “I've never had smoked elk before.” The steaks tasted delicious, tender and juicy. I complimented him profusely.
“I know who I'm putting in charge of the barbecue next full moon,” Billie decided. She and
Nathan had already eaten their fill, but they munched on the steaks for pure enjoyment. Even Kato ate a few bites before he shimmered into wolf form and ate from the carcass.
Smoking the elk for me made Nathan happy, and he went at it with gusto. As soon as we finished eating, he said. “I saw some wood downstream that'll be better flavor than this pine.” With that he took off whistling.
Billie shook her head at his retreating form. “The Nathan we thought we knew was nothing like this man.”
“He was just a shadow before.”
“That's right. You met him once. Jason ordered me to keep you away from him. I keep forgetting that you didn't.” She remembered how I'd spied on her, successfully. “I thought he was haunted because he was made Wolf by force.”
“You didn't know him before Cassandra got hold of him. His friends wouldn't have recognized him.”
“You knew.”
I shrugged. “I'm a Mage.”
“You're more than that, and you proved it today,” Billie said. “You're the most powerful Mage in the world, and you used it to help people.”
We hadn't spoken yet what I'd discovered about my family and origins. “They were so terrified of my grandmother that they chose death over angering her. My grandmother killed my parents because she was afraid of me before I was even born. Somehow she knew who I would become.”
“Kato mentioned a vision about you,” Billie reminded me. “Maybe it's time to ask him.”
“We may speak openly while our Pup cannot hear. This is not for others to know yet.” Kato replied from the mouth of the cave.
“Cassandra was my cousin, Muso. She told me things about my family.” Kato nodded and motioned me to continue as he sat in front of me. “My grandmother believed that I would destroy all the Mages, so she tried to kill me before I was even born. She killed my father. My mother must be dead too. She had no powers.”
“A Mage cannot keep a secret from a Kratos. A mother would die to protect her young. I believe your mother took her own life to keep you safe.” Kato affirmed my thoughts.
“You said my life was foretold. Is this why my grandmother believed I’m a threat to Mages?”
Psyche Honor (Psyche Moon) Page 20
