Daughter of Lions

by Banks, Catherine

  I heard the front door shut and then the living room television turn on. Mark must have done as I had asked and sent Brandon away. I closed my eyes and let myself sleep. I would need all the energy I could muster for tonight’s plan to work.

  At noon Mark woke me up for lunch and then sent me back to my room to sleep. I slept for three more hours and then got up to pack a bag for the night. I tiptoed out to the room and found Mark sleeping on the couch. I walked back to my Dad’s office and grabbed a thick nylon rope, zip ties, duct tape and one of the hidden daggers in his bottom desk drawer. I set the bag in the closet in my Dad’s office and then went back to my room to prepare mentally for the night.

  Assuming they left Mark, I could tell him I needed to use Dad’s computer and stay in there for a while before running out. If they left Sarah I would have to keep her in the kitchen and then say I was going to the restroom. I couldn’t think of who else they would leave with me, so I didn’t think anyone else would be a problem.

  I heard Brandon and Paul come into the house, but Mark stopped them in the hallway before they got to my room. “She wants to be alone right now.”

  “Mark, just let him apologize to her,” Paul said.

  “No.”

  “Please,” Brandon whispered, “I need to talk to her.”

  “You can talk to her later when she’s up to it. Now go on home.”

  Brandon grumbled and Paul sighed, but a moment later both left the house. Mark opened my door and looked at me curiously. “So, you want to tell me what happened?”

  I shook my head.

  “Alright, well I can only send them away while I’m here. Your Dad will be home soon so you will have to tell him something.”

  “Thank you,” I whispered, feeling as though I were betraying his trust, because, well, I was.

  He nodded his head and shut my door. I laid out my clothes for the night and then heard my Dad pull in. Mark spoke with him a minute and then I heard him leave. Dad opened my door and frowned at me. “You only went to one class?”

  “Bob was there,” I whispered.

  Dad snarled, his fangs elongating a quarter of an inch. “What?” he asked angrily.

  “He’s attending the high school there.”

  Dad ran a hand through his hair. “That worthless mutt. Alright, I guess you won’t be going to that school until we finish this war.”

  “Could you do me a favor?” I asked softly.

  “Maybe,” he said suspiciously.

  “Could you not let Brandon in my room tonight?”

  “What happened?” he asked.

  “I don’t really want to talk about it,” I admitted. His words still stung.

  “Well I can keep him out for the next hour, but then I will be leaving for the hunt.”

  “Okay,” I said, “Thank you.”

  “Darlin’ you need to give the guy some slack. He has been through a lot.”

  “I know,” I whispered, “I just don’t know if he can be mates with a hybrid.”

  “That’s something you need to discuss with him.”

  “I know, Dad.”

  “Alright. Well come out and eat with me and then you can hide in your room the rest of the night.”

  I followed him to the kitchen and helped him make dinner. We ate in companionable silence and then I hurried to my room to change and get ready. Dad left as soon as it was dark outside and I heard someone walking down the hallway towards my room. I finished lacing up my running shoes and then sat on my bed. I had at least five minutes before the pride went on their hunt and then I could make my escape.

  “Victoria,” Brandon whispered from the other side of my door. “Can I please come in?”

  Brandon! Of course my Dad would have Brandon guard me tonight. This plan had just proved incredibly more difficult. “What do you want?” I asked instead of letting him inside.

  “To talk to you.”

  “I think we’re done talking,” I whispered as pain clenched my throat and guilt constricted my heart. Brandon would probably never forgive me if I ran off and got killed by Bob.

  He sighed. “We need to talk. Please.”

  I hated when he said please. “Talk then.”

  “I want to look at you so you know that I am telling the truth.”

  Why did he have to be such a pain? I walked to the door and opened it. “Fine.”

  He zipped inside my room and crushed me against him as he kissed me. Despite my intentions, my body reacted to his and I relaxed into him. He pulled back and whispered, “I’m sorry. I said things without thinking and I truly did not mean them.”

  I pushed away from him and straightened my clothes. “I think you’re lying more to yourself then to me.”

  “Tori, I…” He stopped talking as the pride roared, preparing to go on their hunt. I saw the longing in his eyes and the tension in his body.

  “If you were with a lion you could be out there right now,” I whispered.

  He looked at me with golden lion’s eyes. “Is that what you want? You want me to be with someone else?”

  I looked at the ground, refusing to meet his eyes. “I want you to be happy.”

  “And what about you?” he asked as he moved closer to me.

  “You’re going to be an Alpha which means soon you won’t be able to think about yourself, you will only be able to think about others. You should think about yourself and what will truly make you happy while you can.”

  “You don’t think you make me happy?” he asked.

  I couldn’t look at him. “I think I make you happy sometimes, but I think you would be happier without me.”

  “Without you or with someone else? Those are two different things.”

  Damn. How did he know me so well? “Either. I’m not sure which would be better for you.”

  “Come eat with me,” he whispered. “I need food.”

  I followed him down the hallway and thought about the rope. Could I tie him up fast enough? I shook my head. No, there was no way he would fall for the same trick twice. He would get free before I had even made one knot. I would just have to leave him to use the restroom while he was distracted cooking and sneak out then.

  I took out steaks from the freezer and then set pans on the stove. He nudged me away from the oven and I took the opportunity. “I’m going to the restroom. I’ll be right back.”

  He nodded his head and resumed seasoning his steak. I watched him one more moment, memorizing the image for myself and then walked to my Dad’s office. I grabbed my backpack and took a steadying breath. I flung open the sliding glass door and ran for all I was worth. I made it to the freeway before Brandon caught me and picked me up in his arms. “Nice try.”

  “Put me down!” I yelled as I struggled against the vice-like hold of his.

  “No. You are not going to go kill yourself.”

  “How do you even know where I am going?” I demanded.

  “Because I know you and I know that you will do anything to try to fix yourself, or die trying.”

  “Let me go!” I said, “You don’t want me.”

  He set me down inside the front door of the house and closed it behind us. “Who ever said I didn’t want you?”

  I pushed his chest, making him step back away from me. “You did when you said you wanted a normal girl.”

  “Tori, I didn’t mean that.”

  Something scratched the front door so I pulled it open, expecting to find Sarah or Mark in their lion forms trying to come inside. It wasn’t Sarah or Mark or any other lion. It was a red wolf and he was snarling at me. I tried to shut the door, but the wolf knocked me down and then grabbed my shirt in his teeth, carrying me as he ran away.

  “Victoria!” Brandon yelled in shock as he raced out the door after us.

  I punched at the wolf and swung my body to rip my shirt in his teeth and finally the wolf dropped me. I rolled away and ran back towards the house and Brandon, but a human body slammed into me. I screamed as I felt a rib break and was sl
ammed into the ground, getting the wind knocked out of me. My attacker punched me in the face three times before Brandon tossed him off of me. I tried to get up, but couldn’t move because I was in too much pain. It hurt to breathe or move. Multiple bodies came out of the shadows and eight guys surrounded Brandon. I needed to help him. I needed to get away, but every time I moved the pain was unbearable.

  “Run, Brandon. Go,” I whispered.

  “I’m not leaving you,” he growled.

  “Get help. Get Dad.”

  “No!” he yelled as three of the guys attacked him and two came at me. I couldn’t do anything and after approaching me and realizing it, one of the guys picked me up and said, “Keep him busy long enough for us to get her out of here.”

  “Brandon,” I whispered as the jarring of the guy carrying me made it impossible to breathe.

  “Victoria!” he yelled as he knocked out two of the guys. Someone came up behind him and hit Brandon in the back of the head with a large object. His body dropped to the ground and despite the pain it caused me, I screamed in terror. Why was this happening again?! The guy carrying me punched me in the face and the world faded into darkness.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  “I told you not to hurt her!” Bob yelled.

  “She was struggling and started screaming when we knocked out that guy. We couldn’t have the pride coming and following us,” said one of the guys who had stolen me.

  I opened my eyes and stared across the forest floor to where Bob was yelling at the guy who had punched me. I did not recognize this forest, which meant we were not on pride property anymore. I could smell the Minters pack everywhere, so I guessed we were in their territory.

  “What are you planning to do with her?” Brandon asked angrily from somewhere nearby.

  I tilted my head slowly so as not to draw attention to myself and saw him tied to a tree a few yards away. He was snarling and the bones of his face moved like worms under the dirt as he tried to control his rage and hold back from changing.

  “I am planning on doing something that you were too selfish to do. I am planning to make her happy. You keep tormenting her. I have watched you the last few months and see how she looks at you. I would have killed you already except that I want you to see how I fix her and watch as I make her my mate,” Bob responded.

  That was not going to happen! I flexed my fingers and toes and took inventory of my body. Nothing was broken or bruised, and there was slight soreness in my face, but other than that I was great. Thank goodness for fast healing or the broken rib would be unbearable still. There were two men plus Bob, so I had to take out the others first and then deal with Bob. I hopped up and ran at the first guard, only to be knocked off my feet by chains around my ankles.

  I whined in pain and pulled at the chains, trying to break them.

  “Good, you’re awake!” Bob said happily. “I was worried my friend had damaged you beyond repair.”

  “Let me go!” I said angrily as I kicked at the chains, which were bound around the tree behind me.

  “Stop being dramatic,” Mary said as she moved forward from the trees to show herself.

  “Mary?!” Brandon asked in shock. “What are you doing here?”

  She snarled at me. “Doing what should have been done years ago. She is nothing, but a hindrance for our pride. I am thinking about what is best for us.” She walked towards Brandon and he snarled at her. “Don’t be like that. She’s turned you against me. After she is gone, you will see that I am the right choice for you,” she said with a smile.

  “You helped them get in and out of our territory, didn’t you?” I asked her as I began to put it all together. Now it all made sense.

  She turned and smiled at me. “Yes and if that idiot hadn’t messed up the first time you would have been dead before anyone else had gotten involved.”

  “My Dad won’t let you live after this,” I said calmly to her. “Once he finds out that you were involved, he will kill you. You betrayed the pride.”

  “You aren’t pride!” she screamed.

  “You betrayed your own pride!” I screamed at her. “You allowed them to come in and kill Michael!”

  She cringed and whispered, “He caused his own death by protecting you.” Even though I knew she was the real culprit, her words stung. She was right that if I had not been here, that if he had not had to protect me, he would still be alive.

  Bob, who had been watching us passively until then, walked to me, helped me stand up and smiled at me, “I’ve missed you.”

  “I am going to kill you both!” I snarled as I tried to bite him and scanned the area for any useful weapons.

  Bob reached out towards my face and Brandon thrashed against his chains, his eyes were his lion’s eyes and I could see the bloodlust simmering in them. “Don’t touch her!” He screamed.

  Bob sighed. “I have grown weary of this debacle. Let’s get this started so that we can get to the happy-mated-couple part.” He grabbed me by the neck and spun me around so that I was staring into Brandon’s face. I struggled against him, but he was stronger than me. Once again I was helpless.

  “What?! I thought you were going to kill her?” Mary asked in shock as she moved towards us. “You can’t let her live!”

  “You have outgrown your usefulness,” Bob said and looked at one of the males from his pack standing nearby.

  The guy grabbed Mary and before she or any of us realized what was happening, he snapped her neck. Mary’s body fell to the ground and I stared at it in shock. I had not liked her, I hated her for being part of Michael’s death and I knew that Dad would have to kill her for betraying the pride, but I still hadn’t wanted to witness her death.

  Brandon groaned as he struggled against his chains, making me look at him and his gaze softened. “I’m sorry. I love you, Victoria,” he whispered.

  This was so not the time or place for him to admit that he loved me. “Don’t apologize for something that you haven’t done yet,” I said with a smile. If he started telling me how he felt I would start to panic, assuming we would not be able to get out of this. There had to be a way for us to get out of this. There had to be a way for us to escape!

  He smiled back and wiggled his arms around, trying to get them out of the chains.

  Bob gently moved my hair to the right side of my body in a simple caress and then pulled me back against his body. I felt like I was going to vomit. “Soon you won’t be lonely anymore. You will never have to deal with being different again.”

  I heard his bones popping and then he pressed his wolf muzzle against my neck. I whimpered in fear and he licked my neck with his tongue, right over my pulse. So much for him not killing me. I couldn’t move my arms since he was holding them in a vice-like grip behind my back and my legs were still chained. How was I going to get out of this?

  Brandon snarled in rage and pulled on the chains, trying to break them. I could hear the metal straining and the other two wolves did too. They ran forward and pushed him against the tree to keep him still.

  “Watch,” one of the wolves said to Brandon.

  “What is he going to do?” Brandon asked in a deep growling voice, his golden eyes fixated on Bob.

  Bob opened his mouth and I felt his hot breath on my skin. Brandon’s eyes widened as he realized before I did what Bob was planning to do. Brandon screamed, “NO!” as Bob bit into my shoulder. I screamed in pain and would have fallen if he had not been holding onto me.

  “No!” Brandon yelled. “Let her go! Stop it!”

  “This is what you wanted, isn’t it?” one of the wolves asked. “Now she will be a shifter like you.” He laughed. “Well, I guess you would have wanted her to be yours and a lion afterwards, but you can’t have everything.”

  The bite began to burn and then fire spread throughout my entire body. I screamed again and Bob let me drop to the ground. “Victoria!” Brandon yelled as he pulled at the chains and the guys holding him.

  I finally understood what Bob had m
eant about a cure. He was trying to turn me into a full werewolf by injecting the disease straight into my bloodstream, to try to convert what human DNA I had.

  “Now she will be a wolf and she will be mine,” Bob said as he walked towards Brandon.

  He was wrong, I would not become a wolf. When you carried any type of shifter DNA in your body you could not be infected with another type. So, the little bit of werelion DNA I had would kill the werewolf DNA. All he had done was give me a large bite that burned while my body fought off his DNA and would possibly kill me from creating so much turmoil in my body at once. “You idiot,” I whispered. I curled into a ball on my side and cried at the pain of his bite and the loss of blood.

  “She will never be yours,” Brandon snarled in a much deeper than normal voice. I wanted to agree with him, to stand up and keep some of my dignity, but I was in too much pain to move and if I spoke the blood pumped faster out of me.

  I heard Bob cry out in pain, Brandon saying my name and the sound of wood breaking, but none of it mattered.

  The dark abyss swirled up around me and for once I was thankful to faint.

  * * *

  I opened my eyes slowly and moaned in pain. I felt like I was flying and everything around me flashed by in greens and browns.

  “It’s okay, I’ve got you,” Brandon whispered.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

  “What?”

  “I love you, Brandon, but…tell everyone I’m sorry.” I let go of my determination and let my body go weak.