by Lee Morgan
Connor made himself appear smaller and not so menacing or dangerous.
Ryan spoke first after they stopped. “Jack… it seems like you’re still as thin as ever.” Connor’s father-in-law nodded stoically, but he knew the look when Jack’s rage builds. His azure eyes began blazing yet his tongue held back from the insult. “Well if it isn’t my youngest grandchild. How fares your past twenty five years?” His voice was thickly Irish as he spoke.
Sarah stood up and smiled, but it was forced through cold, rigid steel. “Very well Ryan. I have had an exciting life recently.”
Laura’s eyes immediately sneered in Connor’s direction and her accent was also Irish. “So it seems like you finally found a mate, lass. He looks like an uneducated backwater American to me.” Ryan nodded with a mocking smile.
Connor looked when Veronica made a silent growl which left the others out except for those with exceptional hearing. She looked over at Connor and stopped when she saw him smiling. He had to change the atmosphere before they drug their audience with them too far. “Sorry, Sarah, but I’ll introduce myself.” He stood and looked down at them, hiding no longer. They finally noticed and realized how large he truly is. Connor cooled his expression go be cold and impassive, which was relatively easy. “You caught me quick enough. And you look like a one time party trick, Laura. I would rather you call me Connor, but I’m not going to be bothered by your insignificant insults. It’s not worth my time or my family’s. You’re both welcome to stay if you’d like, but only if you remain polite. If not, I will be pleased if you would leave us. If you insult any more of us…” Connor spread his arms to encompass all of his companions. “Let’s just say this will be a meeting you’ll never forget.” He spoke all this with an even voice while looking at the two of them. Jillian had already taken her seat by Jack.
They were both acting like he just slapped them, but actually Connor slapped their ego’s. Ryan spoke in a deep and menacing voice. “Boy, you had better watch that flippant tongue of yours.”
“No Ryan, you had better watch yours!” This came from Connor’s now fuming mate which silenced them instantly. “We were going to remain pleasant, but the first thing you two do is insult the man I love. We were both looking forward to meeting our family and distant relatives. Unfortunately as it is, the two of you are neither any longer.”
“Girl, keep that mouth of yours shut! You know better than to talk that way to me.” Ryan’s right hand began to reach behind his back while he spoke.
Connor’s patience came to an end. Ryan went too far by making that threat and gesture. Like lightning Connor grabbed Tool and he stuck the hatchet’s blade right up to Ryan’s throat before his hand completed its path to his back. He was shocked from such speed and gall for holding a blade to his throat. Behind him Connor heard four separate and dangerous growls. From his peripheral vision a pair of sandy blonde claws wrapped around and began to pull Sarah away from his side. A second later, on either side of him, Connor saw two canine muzzles with their teeth showing that they were both ready for a fight the opponent couldn’t win against on their best day. Laura was standing completely still with shocked expression as blood drained from her features, making the freckles stand out more.
Connor leaned in closer to Ryan and spoke on an emotionless plane of existence. “Do not ever come near us again. You can make all of the snide comments you want at me, but to do it to your granddaughter is a whole other subject. Next time we cross paths I would suggest you stay clear of me. If you don’t, then the next time my blade won’t stop.” He pulled his weapon from Ryan’s throat reluctantly.
The two of them slowly started backing away, but Veronica put in her last words. “I would suggest that you two hatchlings pick a fight that you know you can win. You both came out lucky to be alive.” They were soon gone, but not before Connor stole a good look at Ryan. Behind his back was a leather whip with metal spikes at the end of the line. Connor felt justified in his actions.
Ryan was going to strike Sarah.
He turned around to see Mark and Kara’s heads right in front of him and they were both looking dangerously calm. Connor rubbed the tops of their heads and they enjoyed it a little too much. “Thanks you two.” He looked to see Sarah standing beside Veronica’s right leg with each hand on a Fang. Veronica was standing in a protective stance while Clarein was gently cradling the egg. He stepped around the two and moved closer to Sarah. “I’m sorry for losing my temper like that.”
Her face went a shade red. “They should be the ones to apologize. They had no right to treat us like that on our first meeting together.” Veronica sat a single claw on her shoulder. Sarah looked up and said “I’m sorry you had to see that, my friend.”
Veronica’s eyes were soft as she shook her head. “None were at fault, but them. I saw that man trying to do something malicious, but Connor moved before I could strike.” The golden eyes turned in his direction. “That was a very fast move. If I were to have reacted, things would probably have become…Messy.”
“I don’t doubt your words for a second.” Connor looked around to see several of the closer spectators intently looking at them. “How about we all get back to the game and let the little intermission remain in the past.” Reluctantly everyone sat back down and watched the game. Veronica got her egg back and she winked at him as she lightly tapped the metal covering.
They all stayed and watched play after play. Some of them gave great ideas that he could easily implement into his skills. They all left and ate dinner together and Firon didn’t show up, but they had already known that. After all came to an end they all split up. Sarah and Connor went to the bath house before going to bed.
When they made it back to their room that night after having a pleasant meal with everyone, Connor and Sarah found the room to be quite chilly. The bed sheet barely knocked the chill away so they both put on their clothes minus the armor before finally getting to sleep.
Sometime in the middle of the night Sarah awoke when Connor sat up abruptly and made the springs bounce. She rubbed her eyes and also sat up. She yawned while asking “What’s wrong, Connor?”
All that could be seen was the silhouette of his head and body in the dark bedroom. She scanned the room to see nothing out of place. He spoke calmly and extremely quietly. “I’m not sure, but something doesn’t feel quite right.”
“Did you hear something that woke you up again? I swear your hearing is something to be both desired and cursed.”
She saw his shadowy head shake side to side. “No, I didn’t wake up from a sound. Something else woke me up… a warning feeling. I feel as if something bad is about to happen.” His head turned to the right wall that separated their room from Mark’s.
Suddenly a violent sound of a door crash open was followed by Kara’s bloodcurdling scream. “AHHHHH!!!!”
Instantly, Connor flew out of bed and at the door, ripping it from its hinges as he tackled it into the hallway. Before Sarah leapt out of bed, their room filled with ambient light as Connor leapt into the hallway and vanished to the right. Sarah’s bare feet landed on the cold wooden surface as she ran around the door frame. Kara screamed again and it was followed by a sudden sound of snarling animals.
Sarah made it to Mark and Kara’s room in the blink of an eye. She couldn’t see well in the dark room, but knew Connor was already inside so she flicked the light switch on. Their room was set up exactly like theirs is. Suddenly she saw what was happening inside and it wasn’t good.
Mark was panting face down on the floor, naked, and covered in blood. His eyes were tightly closed and his teeth were grinding together from tremendous pain. Kara was in shock on the bed with the white bed sheet covering her chest. Her silver eyes were wide and her eyes were only on Mark as he became still on the floor. A crashing noise on the wall brought Sarah’s attention to see Connor holding the back of the necks, or manes, of two enormous Changers who were in the form of golden lions, to the wall. Connor was taller than both of them and
his face was red with rage and unleashed fury. Connor instantly became prepared for battle and his victims didn’t stand a chance. He pulled them back from the wall and lifted them clear off the ground. As they swung back like a pendulum, Connor pushed down when they were both facing towards the wood floor. Then he slammed them face first into the ground. They both jerked and went instantly limp under the force he put them under and the impact with the solid ground. They were lucky Connor didn’t send their heads through the flooring or shatter their skulls completely.
Off to her left Sarah saw a sudden flash of movement heading her way.
A third, uninvited Changer stood in the room trying to make a quick escape, but they screwed with the wrong family. Sarah entered the female’s mind out of habit. She was afraid of what would happen if Connor gotten a hold of her and she thought Sarah would be weaker. Sarah stepped to her right as the female panther, covered in black fur came within striking range. She swung with her left hand to impact the base of the attacker’s skull. She connected with enough force to render the Changer unconscious, even before she slammed face first into the flooring of the hallway.
Jillian and Jack flew out of their rooms a second later. Sarah’s father looked quickly at the unconscious panther at her feet and demanded “Sarah, what is going on out here!?”
She couldn’t stop and answer that just yet. She entered the small room and ran up to Mark and knelt. “What is going on? Are you hurt anywhere?”
He sucked in a deep breath and Sarah saw he was clutching his wrist with his left hand. His entire right hand had been eaten down to his wrist. His blood was beginning to pool beneath the stump. In a panting breath he said through gritted teeth “Three of my kind…tried to kill us…as we slept. I tried fighting, but I…was knocked off my balance when they surprised me…the big one bit my hand clean off… Is Kara safe? How…is she?”
A familiar hand on her shoulder told her that her husband was right there. “She is unharmed, Bud. They didn’t get even close to her. You protected her properly.” Connor spoke calmly. “When I arrived I pulled the two off of you and knocked them out cold. It will be awhile before they regain conciseness again, if at all.” Connor smiled. “Sarah took care of the other one before she could get close enough to Kara.” Connor pointed for Sarah to go to her sister-in-law. She stood and wrapped her arms around Kara as she shook from the shock. Connor scooted closer to Mark so that his large body could cover up most of the blood that came from his best friend. He did it for his sister’s sake and sanity. “Listen to me, Mark. Focus on healing and let me worry about them.”
“I’ve already…begun healing.” It was true because a strong light reflected off the bloody floor from his pupils. All Sarah could see from Mark was the back of his head.
She looked at the front door to see that her father had gone to get Haunt and he held it at the ready as he guarded the unconscious captive. All he was wearing were his brown pants. Jillian briskly ran inside the blood soaked room, wearing nothing but her red silk night robe. Her dark hair flew behind her. She came over to Kara and her daughter. She spoke directly and soothingly to Kara. “It’s alright Sweetie, Mark will be fine in just a minute. Let the men take care of him. I promise that he is in good hands. We need to get you dressed before someone anyone else gets here. I don’t think you want other men ogling at you.”
Kara was somewhere else in her stunned mind.
Carefully the two women stood Kara up. Sarah covered her eyes as they walked around her bloodied mate. Jillian led them to her room and Sarah grabbed a quick pair of Kara’s clothes from her dresser. She had more than one pair of leather gear so she grabbed the clean ones. Before she left Connor, she saw that Mark’s eyes were still glowing. His palm had nearly completely re-grown and his fingers were starting to develop again from the once bloody stump. He still clutched his wrist tightly.
Sarah entered her mother’s room to find that Kara had finally quit shaking. She looked at her young friend and her eyes were no longer terrified, but wrathful. “Mark will be better in a minute. I got these out of your drawer.” Sarah handed over the leather top and pants to which she took and quickly slipped on. Her hair was alright for now. Sarah also saw that her mother had as well quickly put on a pair of clothes.
As they left the room several people were seen with their heads sticking out their doors. Some people were outside their doors and walking this way to see what the commotion was all about. Sarah saw two male balancers and three Changers heading their way. Suddenly Kara hissed at the other silver eyed Changers and growled “Stay Away!” They didn’t seem shocked by her tone, but they remained exactly where they were. Her threat was unmistakable.
They walked up to Sarah’s defensive father and Kara asked in a weak voice “Is he alright, Mr. Branderson?”
Jack stepped over the unconscious panther-woman, her ribs were still expanding so she was breathing, and he looked inside the room. He turned to look back at them. “Mark is just putting on his pants right now.”
A few seconds later they heard a scraping and dragging noise. Mark emerged from the room with a cold mask on his features. His hairy chest was matted with red and slicked with fresh, wet blood and his hands and face were smeared as well. He wore only his leather pants that weren’t yet stained. He looked up and down the hallway until he stopped on Kara. His mask disappeared and he quickly rushed past Sarah and up to her. “Did any of them touch you? Were you harmed?”
She cupped his only clean cheek with her hand, but didn’t hug him because his blood was still wet. “No, they didn’t get even close to me. Now tell me how your feeling!” It wasn’t a question, but a straight faced demand.
“I had to use up a little of my nutrients to grow a new hand, but other than that, I am unharmed.” He looked at Sarah after Kara removed her worried hands. “You and Connor made it just in time to save us. I’m glad you weren’t a second later or we would have been in worse shape.”
That dragging sound kept coming from inside their room again. Then Connor stepped out the mangled door first. In each hand was a padded pawed leg of the two male lion Changers who remained in the room. He looked at Sarah and then to Mark. “Do we need to take them to the Guards?”
“Yes, they all broke the rules and must be dealt with by the law.”
“Then you take the woman and come with me, Bud.” Connor walked completely through the door, still dragging the two male’s on their backs. Their faces were both bloody from Connor slamming their faces into the floor. They had short but wide muzzles that could open quite widely and deliver a powerful bite. Their chest muscles were well developed and covered by fine blonde hair. Their eyes were both closed and Sarah could see them breathing shallowly. They were both wearing cotton shorts of different colors. Their arms dragged behind them and she saw their bloody claws and cringed. The larger male had bloody teeth from where he ate off Mark’s right hand.
Mark did as Connor said and grabbed the ankle of the female that she alone incapacitated. He also dragged her one handed down the hallway. And the four of them followed closely behind. Some spectators followed at a distance.
They made it all the reception room when Connor looked over the front desk. He dropped the legs of his enemies and jumped over the front desk. “Liz, are you alright?!” Sarah quickly moved forward to see Liz. Her teeth had transformed into that of a shark’s as she tried chewing through a metal and cloth. She stopped struggling once she recognized who came to help. Her arms and legs were tightly bound together behind her back as she was on the ground. It was a painful position to be in and impossible to gain leverage from. Connor untied the steel chains binding her extremities first. Once he finished she sighed in relief as the pressure on her joints eased, and she eventually took the gag off herself after Sarah’s mate sat her up. “What happened to you?”
She still seemed slightly disorientated, but was coming quickly.
It took a few seconds for her to stand up on her legs. Connor steadied her until she regained the n
ecessary balance. Her eyes lit up and her teeth became normal once again. “They took me from behind. Was anyone hurt?”
Connor laid a comforting hand on her shoulder and she visibly relaxed. His tone took on a calming effect on all present. “Will you please come with us and bring those chains with you. We will explain everything soon enough.” Connor removed the latch and lifted the desk so that they could walk out instead of jumping over it again. He smiled softly as he looked at Sarah and picked up the two enemies legs once again.
Liz opened the door at Connor’s polite request. She did so happily, after looking at what he was dragging behind him. He walked through as did Mark. Sarah noticed that they were being followed by more people from the lodge who heard the commotion. Anyone else still outside and awake decided to join and see what was happening. As Connor easily dragged the two heavy Changers over the stone floor, she walked up by his side and silently walked beside him. Sarah overheard the people following them as they were all whispering. Connor kept dragging the two loudly past the central pillar and up to the Keeper’s lodge. The time told that it was 2:38 a.m.
He suddenly stopped, dropped the legs and took a deep breath.
Sarah entered his mind to see what he was doing. His eyes were concentrating. He was feeling out the different minds in the lodge, trying to locate a specific one. Once he found it he said “Firon, Can you hear me? It’s Connor!”
Sarah also picked up on Firon’s mind and its grogginess. “Connor…? I just went to bed. Is it important or can I go back to sleep?”
