Mutts Like Me

by Keri Armstrong

  Toshio smiled and stretched out a hand to help me, which I ignored. It was awkward enough trying to get off the floor and keep from flashing anyone. I needed both hands to keep the robe closed. My face started burning again as a horrible thought occurred to me. He’d brought me here, and the whole time all I had on under the robe was a t-shirt and a pair of yesterday’s panties—ones I’d had since the eighth grade, with a big hole next to the loose elastic at the crotch.

  Oh, god.

  My hands shook from humiliation as well as fear. I could only hope and pray no one saw anything, but I was unconscious, wasn’t I? No wonder Cassandra sneered at me and Alex looked like he was going to burst into laughter any second.

  A loud thump at the door had us all turning toward the sound. “You guys about done in there? Laurent needs the office,” a voice called.

  Cassandra opened the door and a tousled head peeked in. She moved back and a guy who looked like he could be her brother entered. He zeroed in on me, and smiled. “Hey, you’re up!”

  Kill me now. Just how many people saw me come in? Even though he was cute as could be and his smile friendly, I just stared at him.

  He didn’t seem fazed by my silence. He walked over, still smiling, and stretched out a hand. “I’m Caleb. Welcome to the group.”

  My eyebrow twitched. I was part of a group? Of what, kidnappers? Nevertheless, there was something so engaging about his open smile I found my hand involuntarily reaching out to shake his.

  He clasped my hand warmly for a moment then let go and turned to the others. “So, you going to be much longer? Laurent sent me in to find out.”

  Cassandra frowned. “Why didn’t he just come himself?”

  “Busy training another newbie. You know, the ‘Top Secret’ kind, wink-wink.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I don’t know how anything can be secret with you around.”

  He pinched her cheek and she slapped his hand away, but there didn’t seem to be much heat in it.

  Toshio spoke up. “Tell him we’ll be right out.” He looked at Alex and Cassandra. “Let’s go to the kitchen.”

  I jerked away from the hand he put on my shoulder and he let it drop.

  “Follow me,” he said.

  We filed out of the office into a large, open area. It appeared to be some sort of gymnasium but with an industrial feel that made me think it was a converted warehouse. A shiver passed over my arms. All around, people were engaged in various martial arts activities, some even fighting with swords that looked real.

  I slowed down then stopped to watch, and the others did the same. After a second, it occurred to me that there were only a couple of adults. Most of the fighters were about my age or just a couple of years older. The few adults were just giving pointers. There was a lot of noise as swords clashed, wooden poles cracked against one another, and people thumped hard against the mats.

  These guys were doing some serious training.

  A particularly vicious pair snagged my gaze. They were engaged in hand-to-hand combat, broken sticks lying next to their mat. The punches and kicks those two were throwing out were deadly. My own body flinched against the sounds of flesh and bones smacking against one another in ways they weren’t supposed to. There was a particularly loud crack as the two came down on the floor, missing the mat altogether, but the guy who took the hit the hardest still held the other in a chokehold. Light shimmered around them for a second and I blinked. I blinked again when my eyes couldn’t process what came next. The smaller of the two, the one who was being held down, had disappeared. In his place was a coyote wriggling out from the other’s arms.

  My jaw unlocked and I whirled around as Alex put his hand on my arm. The grin he gave was anything but comforting.

  “Welcome to your brave new world.”

  Chapter Three

  Toshio took hold of my other arm. “Kitchen, now,” he said.

  I stumbled along beside him, my body going numb. Surely I didn’t see what I just thought I saw? I glanced back over my shoulder then nearly fell forward, still unable to believe my eyes. Toshio palmed a door open, hard, and we went in. He guided me to a chair just in time for my legs to give out.

  “It’s okay, Marti,” he said gently, kneeling down next to me. “You’re safe here.”

  My head snapped in his direction. “Safe?”

  Tiny lines creased between his brows. “I swear to you, you are safe here with us.”

  “There are….” I didn’t even know how to name what I saw out there. I sputtered for a moment then settled on, “You kidnapped me!”

  He sighed. “I saved you.”

  “From what? I was home alone with my grand—” I suddenly choked. Oh, god, how could I have forgotten my grandmother?

  My voice shook as I asked, “Where is she? What did you do to her?”

  My fears grew as they all suddenly seemed uncomfortable. I glanced around and even Cassandra wouldn’t meet my eyes. Toshio put his hand on my shoulder and I jerked back.

  He looked grim. “I’m sorry, Marti,” he said softly. “Your grandmother passed away sometime during the night.”

  My head started shaking back and forth but he kept talking.

  “That’s why I had to get you out of there. We couldn’t risk DCFS or the police coming to take you away. Not right now.”

  A roaring sensation like a tornado grew in my head. “No. You’re lying.”

  He sighed and I could see Alex move to stand behind him, his hand on Toshio’s shoulder, his pitying gaze on me.

  “No!” I repeated.

  “I’m so sorry,” Toshio said.

  I stumbled as I tried to get out of the chair. I didn’t even care if my robe was falling open. I just had to get out of there. Unfortunately I didn’t make it far. My legs gave out again as I tried to stand.

  “I’m getting Caleb,” Cassandra said as she stalked out the door.

  I grabbed the edge of the table to pull myself up then slapped away Toshio and Alex when they moved closer to help me. I clutched at my robe and backed away. “Let me out of here now. I’ve got to see my Gran.”

  Both boys sighed, their shoulders slumping.

  I glared at them, ready to fight but was interrupted by the entrance of Caleb, who looked far more serious than he had earlier. Cassandra stood just behind, watching over his shoulder. I saw her gaze catch Toshio’s, then she shook her head and turned away as Caleb entered the kitchen.

  He met each of the guys’ eyes and some sort of silent communication passed between them before he took a step closer to me. “I’m sorry about your grandmother, Maritza,” he said.

  My head resumed its negating shake as I backed up until I felt the cool metal of the refrigerator behind me.

  “Who are you people? Why did you bring me here?”

  He frowned and looked toward Toshio, who showed his palms and said defensively, “There hasn’t been a chance. She’d only been awake a few minutes before you came to say Laurent needed the office.”

  “But you walked her through the gym?”

  “Fastest way to the kitchen,” Alex offered.

  Caleb turned back to me, pity evident in his golden brown eyes. “I’m so sorry things happened this way, Maritza. It wasn’t the way any of us would have wanted it. Especially not your father.”

  There it was again. A reference to my unknown father. “What the hell do you know about what my dad would’ve wanted?”

  Three pairs of broad shoulders suddenly slumped, and three pairs of eyes shifted briefly away from my gaze. I swallowed past a new lump of nervousness that clogged my throat.

  I looked at Toshio and stuttered, “T—Tell me what you know.”

  When he looked as if he’d rather do anything but that, my resolve hardened. “You promised,” I reminded him, drawing strength from the anger that flared through me again.

  Caleb drew in a breath then, as did Alex, whose eyes widened. Toshio looked at them then swiftly looked back at me, and also sniffed the air.

&nbs
p; “You’d better make it quick,” Caleb said. “She’s about to change.”

  Change? What the hell were they talking about? I rubbed at my arms, suddenly itchy under the robe. In fact, my whole body was feeling warm and uncomfortable.

  “What are you talking about now?” I demanded, rolling my increasingly tight neck and shoulders. The tension was making me ache.

  Alex made an impatient sound and stepped forward.

  Toshio quickly stopped him. “She’s mine.”

  I blinked. His?

  Alex smirked, and Caleb gave Toshio sharp look.

  “My responsibility,” he stressed.

  “Hey, jerkwads. I’m nobody’s responsibility here.” I pointed at Toshio. “You kidnapped me.” I turned toward Alex. “You just stand around smirking like everything is some big game and take me to see a freak show.

  And you,” I directed my wrath toward Caleb, “Well, I don’t know who the hell you are, but you’re all mixed up some shit I don’t want to be any part of. Now just get the fuck out of my way and let me go home.”

  I tried to march past his bulk as they stood there looking surprised, but was stopped by the appearance of an older, well-dressed, angry blond god at the door.

  I looked up, and up, at him. He was well over six feet tall, with long, pale blonde hair that fell past his shoulders in thick waves and blue-green eyes that were filled with annoyance.

  “What’s going on here?” he snarled.

  The fact that he had fangs was the last thing that registered before the floor rose to greet me.

  I was saved from another complete tumble when the fanged one scooped me up quickly then deposited me just as swiftly into one of the chairs at the table.

  Caleb and Toshio began speaking at once and were silenced when the latest arrival to the party raised a hand. He bent down next to me, even more gorgeous up close. He looked to be in his early thirties, and for an old guy, he was amazingly hot.

  I leaned back, even though his eyes were kinder now. He put a hand on my knee and I flinched but, still was unable to look away from his eyes.

  “Hello, Maritza,” he said. “I’m Jean-Marc Laurent, but you can just call me ‘Laurent’ like everyone else does. I know you must have a lot of questions, but please know that we want to help you.”

  So this is Laurent…

  “Help me, how?”

  His eyes shifted toward the others briefly, then back to me. “What have you heard about your father, Marti?”

  Once more I shrugged back into my robe. How did they all know my name, and why did they keep bringing up my dad? It was starting to piss me off, but I couldn’t deny the burning curiosity. “What do you know about him?” I demanded.

  He stood, rising tall above me and I tried to stand with him. He put a hand on my shoulder and said, “Maybe you should remain seated.”

  Any argument I had died on my lips when I remembered nearly fainting about the news of my grandmother. A swift pang went through me. Surely she wasn’t really dead?

  Focus, Marti! I narrowed my gaze at the man before me. His face was serious but not unkind.

  He turned toward the others. “You brought her in through the gymnasium, didn’t you?” His flat, unhappy tone made it clear the question was rhetorical.

  Toshio’s sharp inhale gave away his nerves yet he remained straight as an arrow as he answered. “Yes.”

  Laurent’s face tightened briefly. “And you thought it wise because…”

  I have to give Toshio credit. He neither backed down nor made excuses. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking. I made a mistake in my haste to remove her from the office.”

  “‘Not thinking’ gets people killed. I’m disappointed in you.”

  I almost felt bad for Toshio when his face fell, until Laurent’s words registered.

  Gets people killed?

  “It won’t happen again,” Toshio said.

  Laurent nodded curtly. He turned his bright blue gaze back to me. “I’m sorry you’re here under these circumstances, Maritza, but it couldn’t be helped. I know you must have many questions and I promise they will be answered. Right now, however, I suspect you might like to get dressed, perhaps eat a bit?”

  I hesitated. I did want to wear something other than my robe, and surprisingly, I was hungry. But the questions burning through my brain demanded top priority. Why was I here? What happened to my grandmother? What do they know about my dad? And what the hell did I just see a few minutes ago?

  Shit.

  Before I had a chance to speak, however, Laurent sent Caleb off in search of clothes, directed Alex to bring me some juice and protein, and then turned back to Toshio. “I expect you to take care of this this properly.”

  Toshio nodded, and Laurent simply said he’d speak to me later and then left the room.

  My attention was snagged by the scent of a sausage bagel that Alex placed in the microwave, and the orange juice he was now pouring into a short glass. In fact, I was suddenly overwhelmed by several smells: From the normal scent of food to the cold metal of the refrigerator, the plastic of the chair in which I sat, and most of all, the salty, musky, wild scents of the two boys in the room with me. I could easily pick out each—Alex was cool leaves, water, a bit of citrus and…was that…blood? I knew I should be alarmed, but somehow, I wasn’t. I drew in a deeper breath. Toshio….

  I closed my eyes briefly and inhaled the scents of forest, steel, and something oddly familiar but couldn’t quite place it. He smelled like…home? Frowning, I opened my eyes and found them both staring at me strangely, twin looks of speculation in their eyes.

  Alex leaned in next to Toshio. “She’s getting really close,” he murmured.

  “I know.”

  “Close to what? What do you know?” My voice rose to a decibel just below screeching.

  Alex clapped a hand on his cousin’s shoulder and said, “Sorry, brah. You’re on your own here. I’ll be in the gym if you need me.”

  As Alex started to walk out, Caleb walked in bearing what looked like a folded gray sweat suit with a pair of socks and a hoodie. He handed them to me, smiling. “These might be a little big, but they should be warm and comfortable.”

  I took them and glanced over at Toshio. His pinched face looked like he was getting a headache and I felt a petty surge of glee.

  Kidnapper was suffering? Good.

  I turned back to Caleb. “Where can I change?”

  Alex snickered slightly from the doorway before leaving. I frowned at his retreating back, wondering what that was about.

  “I’ll go get Cass for you. She can take you to the girls’ locker room,” Caleb said.

  “That’s okay,” I said quickly. “Just show me where to go.”

  Toshio moved to my side. “I’ll walk you over.”

  I looked up at him and frowned, not knowing whether he was the lesser of two evils. I really didn’t want to put up with Cassandra again, and sure as heck didn’t want her in a room while I changed clothes. Yet walking off with my kidnapper and possible killer of my grandmother wasn’t on my favorite to-do list, either. Then again…at least I might be alone somewhere I could escape.

  I shrugged like it didn’t matter. “Fine. Lead the way.”

  We went back out into the noise of the gymnasium and I looked around quickly but there were no animals around. I began to wonder if they’d drugged me and I’d just imagined things.

  Things like people turning into animals, and gorgeous guys with fangs….

  I shivered and clutched the bundle of clothes tighter. Just as we rounded a corner and came to a door marked for women, Cassandra caught up to us and took Toshio by the arm.

  “I’ll see her inside, she said.

  “All right.” He leaned down and muttered something in her ear that I couldn’t catch, and she laughed.

  “Oh, you know me,” she said to him as she made a big production of opening the door for me. “I’m always nice.”

  Chapter Four

  I so did not h
ave a good feeling about this as I pushed past Cassandra into the locker room. The small hairs on the back of my neck stood when I heard her sniff at me as I went by. I whirled around, self-preservation flying out the window as she shut the door.

  I gripped the borrowed clothes tightly as I glared at her. “What? What is your problem?”

  Her eyes narrowed and I could have sworn she growled. I blinked as she rolled her shoulders and neck, her eyes seeming to glow gold in the fluorescent light.

  “Just get somewhere and change clothes. Or maybe take a shower first. I’m tired of smelling your piss.”

  My face flamed and I spun around, heading toward the showers. I nearly turned back to confront her when she laughed, but decided to ignore it and see if I could figure out a way to get the heck out of this place. I went as far to the back as I possibly could, taking the last stall. There were a few others in use but no one seemed to have noticed my arrival. I sent up silent thanks that the stalls had shower curtains, unlike my old gym class. God, that would have been an even worse nightmare.

  I slammed into one of the empty showers in the back, putting my borrowed clothes just outside of the curtain and tossed my robe out beside them. I fervently prayed that no one would take the clothes but, I wouldn’t put it past Cass to do so. I flipped on the showerhead and kept an eye on the pile of clothing as I rinsed off. By that point, I was ready to take down anyone who came near.

  I wondered briefly about the wisdom of being naked in this place, but my wounded pride wouldn’t let me go back out still smelling like pee. At least I’d be clean and clothed when I found a way out of this hell. I scanned the ceiling area to see if I could find any windows. There weren’t any that I could see. I soaped and rinsed quickly, careful to not disturb my hair, then poked my head out from the curtain. No one was about so I grabbed my robe to use the clean bits as a towel and then swiftly pulled the other clothes over my damp skin. It was uncomfortable, but better than before.

  Now I just needed shoes. I guess no one thought about that, or maybe they had and figured I’d have a hard time running away barefooted.