Kaylid Chronicles Bundled Set

by Mel Todd

  She and Perc bounded away, and Cass glared at the ground. So much vegetative matter on the ground trapped the heat. With a soft growl she began to dig and grinned internally when her claws easily cleared a space for her to flop. She noted JD panting and cleared an area for him too.

  ~Here, sit. The earth should help cool us down.~

  He took the offer and both of them lay in the dirt and Cass very firmly did not think about bugs.

  18

  Food Options

  More employers are offering bonuses for shifters to work in certain high-risk jobs. The documented healing factors that are present with shifters are starting to drive lower insurance premiums for some. Jobs where injuries are relatively common such as construction, firefighting, and day labor are offering extra pay or even signing bonuses. While no ‘curing’ of diseases has been found, there haven’t been any reports of shifters getting sick since The Calling. ~KWAK News

  They lay there letting heat dissipate and Cass fought her exhaustion. She shouldn’t be tired after being unconscious for so long, but all she wanted was water, food, and sleep. But at this point that might still be awhile.

  ~We found water. Head our direction.~

  McKenna’s words had her head jerking up.

  Oh, thank you! Water.

  The need for water gave her aching body the energy to get up and get moving with JD close behind her. She caught the sound of Toni moving occasionally but the jaguar just seemed to disappear.

  Should I see if she is alright? Well, I mean I know she isn’t alright. But still.

  Cass pushed it to the back of her mind. Water had priority.

  The river could clearly be heard as they moved over and saw McKenna and Perc looking at a narrow aspect of the river but she looked at JD.

  ~Stop,~ she said forgetting to put it just in their private channel. He did, blinking at her even as she sensed his humor. With careful motions, the long claws still not something she managed perfectly, she removed the net with the hard drive and set it down carefully. He headed into the river and flopped down as she headed down and drank.

  The first mouthful of water tasted like salvation, and she had to remind herself not to gorge. After she thought she might live, she started to pay attention to the discussion going on with the fish.

  I bet the net could catch some. I made it pretty tight.

  She pulled herself away from the water. She’d drink more before they left and went to the net. Placing the drive out of the way she pulled the net to her and tied it slightly differently. It took longer than she wanted but when she finished, she carried it over to them. Walking on three legs was much more difficult than four.

  Friendly banter ensued but ended with JD moving over and holding one side while Perc held the other, and much to her joy, fish were caught.

  Using her claws, she sliced it up into neat sections, reviewing body parts even as she ate, wondering about the type of fish. While not her favorite meal ever, hunger, need, and opportunity meant she ate until she figured one more bite might cause her to explode.

  Wefor supported that rationale. They spent longer at the river than she thought anyone had planned. Food and water mattered more than anything, except their families and the poison running through their bodies.

  McKenna got them up and going and Cass found herself falling into a nice steady pace. The heat, and the fact that in her life overall she didn’t exercise that much, still dragged at her but this time the walk let her examine more of the surroundings. Still, after a few hours she found herself just putting one paw in front of the other, unaware of anything except the presence of JD next to her.

  ~We should stop and rest.~

  The words signified salvation and Cass struggled to not collapse where she stood, instead paying attention to McKenna.

  ~Anyone see a good place to rest? I'm not an expert at all. ~ McKenna asked.

  Hey, something I might be able to help with, if I don’t fall on my face.

  ~Dry, under trees, and away from any active insects. I can dig a space for us, to clear away detritus. ~

  She felt McKenna’s curiosity, but the woman just replied, ~That sounds great. Give me a minute.~

  The cat disappeared and Cass just sat, waiting. All three of the cats moved so much faster than she or JD, so she’d let the cougar find the place then she’d move again.

  Before too much time had passed McKenna called them over to an area with a lightning struck tree and relatively new undergrowth.

  Cass looked it over thinking about the best way to clear the area though even this level of thought made her struggle. She was that tired.

  ~Yeah. Move back and let me show you what a wolverine can do.~ She tried to be upbeat and positive, even if she just wanted to let her legs collapse under her and not move for the next day.

  Everyone stepped back, and Cass began to clear. It felt good to move in a different way and after their earlier break she had a better idea of how to make the ground move in the way she wanted.

  Well, mostly.

  ~Sorry!~ She called cringing as a clod of dirt smacked McKenna on the side. She refocused to make sure she didn’t do that again.

  Idiot, watch what you are doing.

  It didn’t take her too long. She looked over the area, cleared of debris and most insects, the lush dark soil calling like a siren to her weary body and mind.

  ~There a nice cool bed for us.~

  Wait, sleep? How are we going to sleep? I am not shifting back to human and sleeping in the dirt, I’d go insane.

  ~How are we going to sleep?~

  At McKenna’s mental laughter she wanted to cringe, but the next words made her feel better and realize McKenna had read her words differently. Which she appreciated very much.

  ~On this part I speak from experience. We cuddle up and enjoy the warmth and comfort. Your animal body isn't interested in sex. Check. This body is more driven by hormones and cycles and none of them are there right now. And we are safer together and you'll find a level of comfort to have the other creature next to you. It was the only thing I missed from that entire situation, the kids piled around me like a living blanket.~

  Minutes later she found herself curled up next to JD and falling into the darkness that welcomed her as an old friend.

  She didn’t dream but something rubbed against her fur and even in her exhausted state it felt familiar and wrong at the same time. The mixture pulled her up, and she looked around trying to figure out what it was that grabbed her attention.

  The brush happened again, and she turned and a sound she couldn’t have made if she tried, burst forth from her throat as her animal, with no input from her, launched itself at the snake that had wrapped around JD’s throat and tried to strangle him.

  I hate snakes.

  The thought wailed in her head even as she fought to sink her teeth into it. Her claws slashed as she tried to cut it in half, but its girth had to be thicker than her human thigh. The lower half of the snake lashed and wrapped around her body, but she kept fighting, trying to get it to loosen its hold on JD and ignoring everything else.

  She heard words in her head, but she couldn’t concentrate enough to understand them. All she could do was fight.

  Suddenly the spotted beige fur of Perc filled her field of vision and his huge jaws wrapped around the girth of the snake and sunk in, severing it nicely. Panicked she fought to unwind it, terrified in its death throes it would kill JD.

  ~Please, JD, please don't die.~

  Only when she heard the echo in the mind space did she realize it hadn’t been a private thought, but she ignored it as everyone fussed over him and got the snake away from him.

  She let him talk even as she curled up tight next to him and tried not to shake. Their attention shifted to her, and she mentally scrambled to figure out what to say.

  ~He bumped me when he started to thrash and all I could see was the snake. I hate snakes, and I freaked out a bit. The rest you know. You two saved him.~

&nbs
p; I was useless, couldn’t even call for help.

  McKenna said in the common space. ~Perc and his prehistoric jaws did that, but you did good in waking us up. Remind me to never fight you. Watching that terrified me. Perc, yes we need a watch.~

  She wanted to sigh, but she hurt. Her heart hurt, her body hurt, and mostly she didn’t know why she was here. Even the comment from McKenna didn’t make her feel better. She didn’t know how to fight or do anything as an animal.

  [You should eat, but reports from the other nanobots are coming in. The poison has only been slowed, currently there is no evidence it can be cured.]

  Wefor’s words registered, and she didn’t know if that made her feel better or worse that part of the pain was from the poison and not just her failure.

  19

  Decision Time

  There has been no news for four days about the kidnapping of Detective McKenna Largo, Detective JD Davidson, and NFL Player Perc Alexander. Police are asking for any information regarding events, or anything anyone in the area might have seen on Saturday. On a side note, a local researcher is missing. At this time foul play is suspected, but no other information is currently available. If anyone has seen Cassandra Borden, they are requested to call the police. ~KWAK News

  The excitement of the next day with the alligator attacking Toni, plus her frantic wish she had any of the tools the dreams had taught her, or at least thumbs, kept her quiet most of the day. She cleared a space for them that night and curled up next to JD, just wanting this to all be over.

  The warrior form freaked her out, and she didn’t know if she could do that. At this point she figured she would get them all killed because she was useless. Even the skills she’d learned didn’t do any good when she didn’t have thumbs or the tools they had taught her to use.

  She didn’t mention the pain, and it hurt, rippling through her body in waves. It hit bad enough that she only kept walking because she didn’t want to seem weak in front of these people. Besides, it didn’t seem like they hurt that much, so she was probably just being a wimp.

  Coming up on the camp almost came as a relief. At least now it was closer to being over. With all the walking they had done, she’d had time to review her feelings on this killing matter and it boiled down to the knowledge she’d kill half the world if it would keep her sister and Troy and Laila safe. What it cost her didn’t matter. They might never know what she did, but she would know. And in the long run she would live with it because she couldn’t live with it, if they died because of her inaction.

  Creeping up to the camp she sat and watched them, once again her uselessness beating at her.

  See next time you get a wonderful gift USE it. Maybe then you’d be more helpful.

  Everyone seemed agitated and worried, which perversely made her feel better and allowed her to tease them when they started trying to see how high they could jump.

  The cats were amazing and once again she felt a bit jealous, but for now she waited, determined as always to hold up her end. When McKenna called them, JD led the way. By this point they moved through the jungle in relative silence though animals still fell quiet as they passed.

  JD killed the guard with a swift efficiency she admired and then had to blink at that thought.

  Did I really just find a bear sexy because of how quickly he killed someone? I might need lots of counseling after this.

  They went down the hole and traveled a well dug tunnel to a ladder at the other end, the three animals quiet, blood and dirt the only smells.

  ~You two have stairs?~ McKenna asked in the mindscape though the thoughts were directed to Toni and Perc on the other side of the camp with their own tunnel.

  ~No. We’ve got another ladder here at this end. We’ll have to shift now.~ Perc’s steady voice replied.

  McKenna leaned forward and glanced up the stairs.

  ~Us too. Time to get to the game faces. Perc, Toni’s never gone to warrior. Can you help her?~

  ~If I can. Not like I did it before consciously.~ His voice had a wry quality, and she wanted to laugh.

  ~I have faith. Let me know if either of you have issues.~

  ~Glad you have faith, I’m a bit freaked.~

  ~If both of you would quit flirting, can we get this done with?~ Toni’s voice had annoyance and amusement mixed together.

  Cass smirked at the mental alarm from McKenna and realized, she really liked these people. McKenna shook her head and spoke.

  ~Let’s change and do what we came here to do.~

  McKenna glanced at them, then her body shifted. Cass had seen the after effects of JD’s change, but watching McKenna made it more real. She felt JD shifting too and glanced at him, starting to panic.

  I’ve never done this. How do I shift to that form?

  Even as panic gripped her, she thought about what they had called it, a warrior form, and looked. There behind the animal another shape loomed.

  Why didn’t I see that when I looked before?

  She reached, and it flowed up; the shift feeling odd, different, yet right. When she opened her eyes, she realized the viewpoint and angle was the same as in the dreams.

  Cass glanced down at her hands, frowning to see long, wicked claws that would have put Freddy Krueger to shame.

  I never saw those in my dreams, why?

  Just the thought let her slide the claws into her hands then back out.

  Holy crap, it is just like that superhero. This just changed back into totally cool.

  She took a moment to inspect herself, aware of McKenna’s scrutiny.

  ~Remind me not to get in a fight with you.~ McKenna said pulling her out of her reverie.

  ~I was thinking the same thing.~ Cass said then looked at McKenna, her eyes wide. ~You're scary looking and yet oddly sexy. And that is just disturbing.~

  JD’s snort of amusement had her ducking her head.

  ~Enough. We need to go before anyone notices that guy didn't come back.~

  But his tone had fondness in it, even if McKenna shook herself and snapped back into commander mode.

  ~Perc, Toni, we're going in. Be careful.~

  ~You too.~ Came the two voices as one.

  With a swallow that didn’t move the lump in her throat, Cass followed. Everything seemed unreal and distant but her heart sped up as they climbed the ladder. At the top she followed McKenna in past a small room, doing her best to be silent, which proved easier than it should have.

  McKenna pushed open a door and in a blur of movement attacked the men in there. Cass followed, terrified something would happen because of her lack of skills. One of them men jumped up, trying to run towards the wall, and a button on it. Not thinking Cass reached out to stop him, to try and grab him but those long claws were there first and slid through the man without any resistance. He looked down at the claws piercing his chest and she watched the light fade from his eyes.

  Oh god! I killed someone! Oh god!

  She pulled her hands back slowly and let the body fall to the floor. The man looked smaller somehow, laying at her feet with blood seeping from the wounds.

  I pierced his heart; I altered my trajectory to specifically pierce his heart. How did I know to do that? Why did I know to do that?

  But the answer lay in the back of her mind. It was the classes she’d sat through, even though she didn’t know how her dreams had translated to reality.

  The scream from a man about a monster had her jerking up her head in time to see McKenna kill him with brutal efficiency.

  Is that what we are? Killing machines?

  ~Split up, don’t get shot.~ McKenna said as she headed one direction. Cass turned to look at JD, struck again by the power that radiated from him in this form. Claws from the end of his fingers, but they were shorter and thicker than her almost dagger like claws.

  ~This way.~ Even in her mind his voice rumbled more than it did as a bear or when he spoke as a human. It sounded like someone who she could depend on.

  Where McKenna went to the left, t
hey headed to the right. But the kitchen held nothing put a pot soaking in the sink. They kept moving through that end of the house finding a garage, storage, and a dining room. But no people, which relieved Cass to no end.

  ~Now what?~ Her question whispered on their private channel.

  ~Not sure. We need to make sure we didn’t miss anyone and make sure backup isn’t coming.~

  ~That security room. Let’s go back there. I can get the cameras up and we can watch and see if anyone is coming in to help.~

  ~Sounds good.~

  They headed back, and Cass brought up the systems, taking a minute to go through the screens and orient it from what she could remember of the compound layout.

  ~There. I’ve got it all set up. I’m safe here, go help McKenna.~

  ~You sure?~

  ~Yep.~ She tried to bolster her word, to make herself believe it. It probably didn’t work, but he brushed a hand over her shoulder and headed out.

  She kept her eyes on the cameras and tried to figure out what would happen now, but her mind spun in circles.

  ~We have the second lieutenant, but we have men running towards the building.~ Perc’s voice rang in her head and she searched through the cameras and found what he was talking about.

  She felt disconnected and numb as she heard herself provide the information.

  ~From the outside, headed to the main door.~

  After letting McKenna know where she was, she kept watch and saw McKenna head towards the door, a head dripping blood in her hand.

  Cass swallowed at the terrifying image McKenna made, and even on the screen she had to resist shrinking back from the figure of death standing in the door.

  The action at the door, McKenna talking to them in Spanish, the almost worshipful respect, and then the people offering to serve them all felt like she watched a movie. It was so fraught with peril, she couldn’t take her eyes off of it even as she wanted to curl into a ball and hide.

  She agreed to stay and monitor, even though it felt like the coward’s way out. The dead man still haunted her, and she fought with her emotions. The decision had been made, but the blood on her claws made it more real.