Whisper in the Dark

by Charlene Perry

  “You think playing the hero will get you into her pants? Been there, done that. Bitch doesn’t struggle for long-”

  The sound of my fist connecting with his jaw is a very satisfying sound. He stumbles backward but I follow and pound him again before he gets the chance to recover. Pain shoots up my arm as blood sprays from his mouth.

  Hell yes, that felt good.

  A chorus of growls and the bellow of a grizzly fills my ears.

  “I got this asshole.”

  They back away but I sense they’re ready and willing to jump in if I ask.

  Luke regains his footing and makes like he’s going to charge, then thinks better of it. I step toward him, and he backs up a step. Guess he’s got a brain in there somewhere.

  A moment later, he’s back in wolf form and disappearing into the trees.

  “I pictured these people being a little more welcoming.” The grizzly steps up beside me, his human body almost as imposing as his bear.

  “They will be.” I’m having some serious doubts at the moment.

  I shift back to panther form, leading the way on the final leg of our trek through the forest. I’m glad we can’t talk amongst ourselves. In human form, they like to chat. It’s understandable. They’re full of questions and thoughts and ideas as their minds expand. I remember that feeling well.

  I don’t feel any of those things anymore. I have a task, a mission, and I don’t care to make any friends along the way. My body might have a purpose that keeps me busy, but my heart is elsewhere. They know enough of my story, between the media and whatever Tarek told them. I don’t really care to elaborate.

  We break through the trees into late afternoon sunlight. I shake the dewy moisture of the forest out of my fur and survey the sight in front of me. It’s mostly unchanged from my last time here.

  Shifters in all forms mill about the pathways between tents, tending to cook fires and children. Away to my left, a few men are chopping wood. Shirtless and gleaming with sweat, they talk and laugh as they work. In the open space between forest and tents, gardens are being tended. To my right, a black bear and a jaguar work together to haul a sizeable deer carcass out of the forest.

  A woman in the gardens spots us, lifting her hands against the sun to get a better look. One by one, more people take notice of our colorful little pack. I shift to human form, turning to instruct the others to do the same.

  We walk in silence past the onlookers, no one trying to approach us or prevent us from entering the village of tents. I expected a welcome party, considering the story Luke would have returned with.

  When Hope rounds a corner into view, her violet eyes are blazing. There’s a streak of blood on the front of her white t-shirt, and her hands are curled into fists. I guess he knew exactly who to take his story to.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” She points a finger in my face, then gestures to the six men around me. “I saved your life. I trusted you with our location. Now you come here with your friends and attack one of ours? What do you expect-”

  On impulse, I grasp her face in my hands and kiss her forehead. She gasps in surprise, and maybe I do too because I did not expect to be this happy to see her. It’s the most emotion I’ve felt since... A wave of guilt hits me. I didn’t come here for myself.

  She doesn’t pull away, and so I keep my hands on her face and look into her eyes, making sure she’s looking back at me. “And did he tell you what he said about you to earn that ass kicking?”

  Her eyes narrow, but the anger fades away. “No. He didn’t mention that part.” She reaches a hand up, lightly covering one of mine that still grips her face.

  “Has he hurt you?”

  Her face turns to genuine confusion. “No... why would you say that?”

  “If he laid a hand on you, I swear I’ll-”

  “No. He didn’t. Never. You’re scaring the shit out of me here, buddy. I don’t even know your name and your acting like...” Her words trail off as she pulls out of my grip.

  “Damon.”

  My sudden possessiveness of her is out of line. I don’t know why I’m feeling this way. It’s not sexual. I could never want anyone but Whisper that way. But I know in my gut that I would kill that bastard if his claims were true.

  I owe this girl my life.

  “Okay. Damon. Nice to officially meet you.” She steps back a few paces, crossing her arms in front of her. Her eyes drift to take in the men standing with me, and I fill her in on who they are and why I’ve brought them here. I keep to the relevant facts, not bothering to mention that it was Whisper’s request that I start this little venture.

  She seems satisfied with my story. Unlike Luke, she welcomes them with genuine warmth.

  “I’ll introduce you to some of the Alpha’s,” she offers. “We can get you settled in somewhere for now, and talk about...”

  I don’t bother listening to the rest. I shift to panther form, and lope back the way we came. Out of the little village of tents and past the gardens. I reach the edge of the forest, then stop to wait.

  I’m not interested in hearing about what comes next. Settling in, finding a place to sleep. This isn’t my home. As far as I’m concerned, I don’t have a home. And that’s just fine with me. I do feel connected to these people, though. My people.

  Hope’s white wolf follows my tracks, her violet eyes catching mine as her tongue lolls out in a lupine grin. She settles down on her haunches beside me, close enough that her lush coat brushes against my dense fur.

  We sit like that for moments, as I look out over the Meadow. She watches me, waiting, and then her wolf is replaced by her small, human form.

  “What happened, Damon? When you left here you were going back to a female... to a woman you loved.”

  I heave a sigh, shaking my head to clear my thoughts. I waited here to talk to her, but now it’s too personal. I shift, pulling a deep breath into my human lungs before I answer.

  “She’s gone.”

  A sharp inhale is her only response. She waits quietly, and I’m grateful for the space to think.

  “Whisper’s the reason I’m here. She’s the reason I’m alive. The reason I’m free.”

  Hope sniffs, swiping at her cheek. “Whisper and Damon. I didn’t make the connection.”

  I look at her with obvious confusion.

  “You two are a little bit famous. Or, I guess infamous is the better word. She defied the system and earned the title of Elite. Then she turned on her boss and tried to kill him. I heard her Shifter was killed in the fight, and Whisper was fired. It drove her crazy, and she took her own life.”

  “It’s bullshit.” I growl through clenched teeth.

  “I believe you.”

  She makes the statement so easily, that I don’t doubt her sincerity.

  “I want to destroy it. BioSol Labs. I want to burn it down and end this entire system once and for all.”

  “Woah.” She rocks back on her hips, tucking her knees up under her chin. “That’s a fantasy we’ve all had at some point. We’d need an army, and it would-”

  I stand up and move away from her, feeling the rush of energy as my body stretches and bends to become the dragon. I flex the thick muscles of my legs, sinking sharp talons into the earth. I flare my wings as I look down at her, so small beneath me. Her eyes are wide, a hand covering her mouth, but she doesn’t look afraid.

  I bend my thick, scaled neck until my nose is close enough for her to touch. The human words are like gravel in my throat, but I force them out.

  “I... Am... An... Army.”

  A rumbling growl travels up from my chest, and I feel something new. A burning sensation at the base of my throat. A tendril of grey smoke rises in front of my eyes.

  Hell, yes.

  I fight the urge to take to the sky and test this new ability. Instead, I release my hold on the dragon and shrink back down to sit again in human form. The expression on her face as she looks at me now is one of pure awe.

  It feels g
ood to be looked at this way.

  Hope holds her hand up, and I realize that a crowd has gathered between us and the tents. She gestures for them to stay back. I look at them as they watch me, the same awe in their expressions as in Hope’s.

  “I think that’s the most excitement we’ve had around here in a while.” Her playful tone carries a hint of uneasiness.

  “It’s not a fantasy. I can bring that place down.”

  “It’s not that simple.”

  “It could be.”

  “It isn’t.” She stands up, wiping the dirt off her backside before crossing her arms. “If we attack them, if we hurt them, what do you think that will tell them about us? Innocent lives will be lost.”

  “Innocent lives are already being lost.” I stand to face her, my back to the tents. “What about the females who are culled at birth? The males that don’t make the cut and die from not having a bond. Or the ones that live, and never amount to anything but a pet.”

  “We just want to live. We don’t want to hurt them.”

  I growl, scrubbing a hand through my hair. I hear the truth in her words. My own truth. I’ve never had a stomach for fighting, for violence. I’m just so fucking angry.

  “You saved those men. You gave them a chance at a life they didn’t know existed. Isn’t that good enough?”

  I nod, opening my mouth to answer, but not able to find the words.

  “And we have eyes in the Lab. We save the ones we can, without drawing attention. Keeping the Meadow safe is our priority, so we can live and protect our families in peace.” She reaches up to place a warm palm on my cheek, coaxing me to look at her again. “Can this be enough? For you, I mean. Could you be happy here?”

  “I’m not interested in being happy.”

  She drops her hand, nodding as she chews on her lower lip.

  “But you need protection. More than just that jackass running around in the woods.”

  A grin spreads across her face as she rolls her eyes. “We’ve done all right so far. A few of the men, like Luke, were Protectors. They have implants. They can defend us if it comes to that. I’ve done my fair share of hunting, too.”

  I scoff at her statements. “You need more than that. It’s only a matter of time before this place is discovered. The men I brought are good fighters. Tarek’s more than comfortable in his dragon form, and the Eagle he’s working with now is a pro. We can train your males, set up a better perimeter. Get ready.”

  “Sounds like you’re staying, then?”

  I ruffle her hair. She squeals and ducks out of reach, laughing as she punches me in the bicep with all the force of a bunny.

  “Yeah. For a while.”

  I told Tarek how to get here, so he can find his own way easy enough. It’s the best way I can think of to honor Whisper. I’ll stay. I’ll help them prepare for the worst. I’ll keep helping more Shifters wake up. And I’ll rain down hell on anyone who tries to harm this place.

  I couldn’t save her. I’ll carry that pain with me until I die.

  But I’ll damn well die for something that matters.

  Heavy rain pelts against the cab’s windows, the steady drumming making my world feel very, very small. I rest my forehead against the cool window, my heart aching as I take in the blurry view outside.

  Kelsey’s bar. I haven’t been back since that night with Damon. I haven’t contacted her, either. Like everyone else, she thinks I’m dead. Though she’s probably the only one that doesn’t believe the official story. I’m tempted to reach out, to let her know I’m okay.

  “Let’s go.”

  The cab driver steps on the gas, and I breathe a quiet goodbye against the glass.

  Our next stop hits me with a different kind of sadness, though I should have expected no less. The little home I shared with Damon is bright and cheery, even in the face of the deluge pouring down from above. Warm light floods out from the windows, framing the silhouettes of a young couple sitting close together at the small kitchen table.

  It would have been sold after news of my death. My possessions would have been picked through and auctioned off. Still, I’d held out hope I might get one more chance to step inside.

  No matter. I wouldn’t have been staying for long anyway.

  “Take me to Base.” The driver squints at me through the rearview mirror, his eyes tired and impatient. It might be early morning, but I get the feeling his shift is coming to a close. “The Headquarters of the United Army of Terran Protectors. Just drop me off there, please.”

  He nods, and we pull away from the curb. I’ve got nothing but the clothes on my back, and this little, red credit chip in my back pocket.

  The only thing I took from Gliese was a small chuck of change. Barely a chip off the estate of a Pharaoh. Here on Earth, the conversion rate means I’ve got enough credits to cover me wherever I want to go, whatever I want to do, probably for as long as I live.

  Technically, it’s not stolen. May’Na helped me load it up before I passed on the title.

  When we park in front of the familiar glass doors, I swipe my card to pay the driver, adding on the biggest tip I’ve ever had the means to offer.

  “Thanks,” I say, as I step out into the biting rain, sprinting the ten feet until I can duck inside.

  I’m not worried about anyone recognizing me. If my red curls aren’t disguise enough, I’m also wearing bright green contacts and a face full of makeup. I look more like my mother than myself, and that thought brings up a whole other dump of emotions I don’t care to entertain just now.

  My clothes most definitely paint me as far from home. My loose, crimson pants flow like an ankle-length skirt. My snug, black shirt is embroidered with the symbols of Gliese in gold thread. It’s about as far as you can get from the worn-out dress I was shipped off in, or from the tactical gear I usually wear on these grounds.

  I ignore the side-eyes and outright stares from the Protectors and civilians I pass. Chin high, shoulders back.

  “Hello, beautiful lady,” a distantly familiar voice speaks up behind me.

  I stop, twenty paces from the front desk, and hold my breath. I turn slowly, to see none other than Agent Nutsack. I bite my tongue.

  “Can I help you with something? You look like you’re far from home.” His voice is smooth. Polite even.

  I glance around for the tawny wolf that’s never far from his side, but it’s absent. I look up at his face, waiting for him to add something disgusting to his greeting. His eyes look almost sad.

  I try to feel some satisfaction at the idea that he might be suffering a measure of personal tragedy, but I can’t manage to summon any pleasure from it. He’s the product of the system we all live in. As am I.

  “Yes, I...” I clear my throat, attempting to sound more aristocratic. “I’m looking for Commander Charles Jeffries.”

  “I can let him know you’re here, if he’s on site. Who should I say is looking for him?”

  I open my mouth to answer, then hesitate. Agent Nu... Agent Thomas... catches my lapse and tilts his head slightly to the side.

  “Jane. Tell him Jane’s here.”

  He nods, moving away from me to talk privately on his comm. When he returns a moment later, his smile is warm.

  “The Commander is in his office. I’ll show you the way.”

  I follow him toward the elevator, waiting as he touches his comm against the security gate. When he presses the panel beside the elevator door, he turns and looks at me with narrowed eyes.

  “Thank you.” I step in front of him as the doors slide open. “I can find my way from here.”

  I slide into the elevator, turning to find him considering me with a look that says he knows he’s met me before, but can’t quite place it. I give him a polite smile, averting my eyes. When the doors slide closed, I release the breath I was holding in one, long sigh.

  Only Yours

  “Are you fucking with me?”

  Charles chuckles at my reaction, but it’s a humorless sound. I f
lip through the three pieces of paper he handed me, scanning my eyes over the black-and-white ink for the hundredth time. I hiss as the smooth edge of the last page slices a minuscule, stinging paper cut on the inside of my index finger. Fucking paperwork.

  “I assure you, everything on those pages has been written with the blessing of the Elders.”

  “How did they know... who...”

  “The Pharaoh of Gliese was assassinated by a Terran. A Terran who then took her place as a living deity and ruler of their entire race. That’s the kind of news that travels fast.”

  I look up at him, feeling numb and utterly dumbfounded. I came back here expecting to dodge the law for as long as possible. To eventually be caught and tried for treason. Or maybe just eliminated quietly.

  He gestures to the papers in my hands, sliding a fat pen across his desk. “Sign the papers, Whisp. You earned it.”

  “I don’t... They...” I’ve lost the ability to speak or form coherent thoughts. My mind is racing. On one hand, it seems so simple... sign the dotted line, and it all ends. On the other hand, I know that what I do in this moment will affect more than just my own future.

  I set the papers down on the desk with an audible slap, then slouch backward into a padded chair. Elbows on my knees, I lean forward and try to make all this new information fit.

  “It’s all there in the report.” Charles moves around his wide desk, picking up the papers as he leans against the solid pine. “The newly ascended Pharaoh of Gliese issued a public statement that the previous administration had been doing business involving human trafficking. She stated that Gliese would no longer take part in such ventures, condemned anyone who supported such things, and specifically named Horizon Zero as the primary offender. She also released a few specific names and addresses.”

  “I expected that would earn me more enemies.” I gesture to the papers in his hands. “Not this.”

  “Well, there aren’t too many systems confident, or stupid, enough to be at odds with Gliese. Within a matter of hours, Horizon Zero started to implode. They turned on each other. Clawing to be the first to come forward, to earn lenience for cooperation. Within two days, a quarter of the Elders themselves had either resigned or been forced into early retirement, pending investigations. Aid centers were set up to process the girls and women who had been taken, helping them to reunite with family or find housing if they had none.”