Death Be Shifted (The Terra Vane Series Book 6)

by Katie Epstein

  “All right, all right. Do it. But any sense of danger or if something isn’t right, you let go. Let Torroro go. And we’ll come up with another plan for another day.”

  “Agreed.”

  “I mean it, Terra.”

  “I know. And I promise. I won’t be stupid.”

  He pressed his lips together and nodded.

  “Come on.” I slowly pulled him closer to where we’d left the rock. “It’s time for me to go don the body of a reptile shifter.”

  32

  Dropping my shields was a cinch. Trying to seek Torroro’s energy beneath many layers of soil… not so much.

  It had taken longer than I would have liked to seek him out, but my gift finally did so, working with me to focus through the barrier between us.

  The white mist came first, the one that whisks me away from my body and into that of another—or latches my energy onto that of another, maybe. Who knows? I have no clue how this works. But as our energies connected, I opened my eyes in the white room my brain had conjured to deal with the crazy evolution of my gift.

  Focusing on Torroro once more, I heard a wail, a whisper of fear. Clawed hands wrapped themselves around my throat, and I elbowed whatever had grabbed me in the gut.

  When I heard a yelp, I turned to see Torroro fall to the floor, and readied myself for another attack. But the energy of Torroro wasn’t the hungry Torroro in charge here. It was the frightened one. The one saddened by his actions. The one who only wished to be with his mama. The one who tried not to hurt others until the hunger became unbearable.

  Not sure what to do, I fell back on good old discipline. “No!” I ordered when he came close, my hand out in a firm finger point. He stopped. “Go over there. In the corner.”

  He whimpered at the sternness of my tone and scurried off to the area where I directed him. “Good, Torroro. That’s good. No one will hurt you. Okay?”

  “Okeray,” he said, barely a word. But he’d understood. He wrapped his arms around himself and stayed in the corner.

  With the energy of Torroro, now calm and still—at least for the moment—I took in a deep breath and focused on the soil around his body and the dampness of the earth.

  Something caressed my shoulders, tingles erupting down my spine. Suddenly I felt cold, but comfortable as if the cold eased my aching soul.

  Darkness cascaded over my vision, and I panicked. But I smelled the richness of the soil over me. I’d done it. I’d connected.

  I stretched out my fingers, seeing long claws appear before me. I struck out, punching into the soil. My body sliding with it, fluid and robust. I effortlessly clawed my way out of the ground.

  The moonlight hurt my eyes as I broke free, and I knew on a deeper level dawn would soon approach. Mother Nature held me close, and I could hear her heartbeat, her rhythm. Everything in Torroro’s body responded to her.

  “Terra?” Kaleb questioned from the side of the hole I’d dug out from. I nodded, the skin around my neck stretching with the motion. He looked relieved, and I blinked several times, the world around me suddenly filled with color.

  The leaves, once green, now vibrated in a sea of orange.

  “Come on,” Kaleb said with urgency. I watched as he picked up my limp body, holding me with tenderness. He went to run but halted when I didn’t follow. “Are you okay?”

  The scent of the earth called to me. I heard his voice, but it sounded muffled. I felt the weight of something around my neck. It hurt. Reaching up to touch it, I clumsily held onto a stone on twine, one similar to what the other prisoners wore to stop us from tracking them. But then I noticed something else: a locket.

  “Mama’s.” Torroro’s voice whispered in my mind, and I thought of his mother, Nuo. I stroked it with a leathery thumb, Torroro’s emotions blending with my own.

  It scared me. My body wanted to go back underground. I felt exposed. Naked. And vulnerable. A searing pain crossed my stomach.

  Oh shit.

  Throwing myself onto all fours, the smell of Kaleb suddenly became intoxicating. His scent made my eyes water, and I involuntarily snapped my fangs at him.

  “Are you kidding me right now?” he whispered, his face stern. “Stop looking at me like you want to eat me. You can do that later. When you’re human.”

  His words confused me. My body on full alert, I wanted to chase him. I wanted to hurt.

  Then he pinched me.

  “Ow!” I said in my mind, but it came out of Torroro’s mouth as, “Oweeey.” But it did the trick. And I remembered those times at the hospital when I used to sing to keep the energy of others at bay. It might not be the energy trying to distract me now, more so the instincts of a reptile, but maybe it would help?

  Kaleb broke into a run, holding my body securely in his arms, and I followed in the body of Torroro. The jumbled lyrics of familiar tunes bounced around in my head, allowing me to stay focused. I sailed across the ground, the body I’d hijacked made for speed, but I didn’t want to go racing back to the grove without Kaleb in tow. I slowed down and gave him the chance to catch up.

  When we crashed through the trees into the grove where we’d left Mayra and Zax, even in this form I sensed the relief of no one other than my two friends present.

  Zax, the second he sensed me, jumped in front of Mayra, guarding her against the threat. But Kaleb rushed in behind me at the same time I decided Zax’s throat pulsed with the promise of food. I snarled, ready to pounce.

  Kaleb slapped me around the back of my scaled head. “Cut it out.”

  Reality returned, and I continued to belt out the lyrics in my mind, distracting myself once again.

  “Terra!” I heard Mayra shout, and, even in her weak form, she raced up to Kaleb, who still held my limp body in his arms.

  “She’s fine. But there’s no time to explain. Chain up Torroro. Now!”

  Zax snapped into action. Kaleb carefully placed my body on the soft ground, leaving me in Mayra’s care so he could help Zax.

  Both of them worked together, and the chains were pinching my skin. “Oweeey!” I yelped again.

  “Sorry,” Kaleb muttered, tying up Torroro’s feet. They lay me on the ground, and I forced against the onset of panic, trusting Kaleb with every fiber of my being. “It’s done,” he said, but I heard the urgency in his voice. “Come back to us now.” He hesitated, looking off into the trees. “And hurry.”

  Closing my eyes, I forced myself to breathe against the fear brewing inside me. I thought of the white room, of Torroro, begging for my gift to guide me back in a way where I wouldn’t feel broken.

  The white room shimmered around me, and I noticed Torroro’s energy, still in the corner. He wept.

  “Don’t be scared, okay, Torroro? It will be fine. I promise.”

  His eyes blinked as he followed my voice.

  “We’re tying you up to send you back to the prison. To the Evolvers. You liked it there, didn’t you?”

  He blinked again, his tongue lashing out. Then he nodded.

  “Good.” Something pulled at me hard. “I have to go. But I won’t let anyone hurt you. Okay?”

  “Okeray,” he whined, stretching his mouth wide. I stepped back from his energy, allowing the white mist to take me into its fold.

  Honing in on Kaleb’s voice, I thought of his warmth, his caress, his touch, so I’d return in one piece. The past couple of times I’d done this, I’d returned successfully but the memories of the time I’d tried to take control of the energy of a vamp still haunted me. Back then I’d returned with force, shoved out of the vampire’s body by the vampire himself. I felt unstuck. Unnatural. And it had taken all I had to put myself back together again.

  “Terra,” Kaleb whispered. Someone stroked my hair. I sailed down through a white sky with a smile on my face, my soul happy to return to him. He chattered away, and I used his voice as an anchor to return. To find my way back home.

  My eyes flickered open. “There she is,” he said, a smile on his face. He leaned down and kis
sed me, gently lifting me into his arms as he kneeled by my side.

  “Hey,” I croaked, glad not to have panicked with the gasping need for air like last time. “Did we do it?”

  “We did it.” He grinned, helping me sit up. I saw where Torroro lay in chains. Mayra took my hand.

  “I can only guess,” she said, frowning at what I’d down. But I also saw relief.

  It was over.

  Now we could make the arrangements to get Torroro back to the prison, get the hell out of the shifter lands, and go home. Or at least to our temporary home while working on the next case.

  I tried to get to my feet but staggered some. Kaleb caught me. “You’ll be all right in a moment. Take a breath. Steady yourself.”

  “I’m good.” I held onto him. “Your touch helped. And your words. That’s the easiest I’ve ever returned.”

  “Something to remember then, eh?” A slight smile played on his lips, drinking me in while gently brushed the hair back from my face.

  Torroro wailed.

  “It’s okay,” I said, trusting myself to stand free from Kaleb. I crouched next to the whining reptile. “It won’t be for long. I promise.” I remembered the pain I’d felt in my stomach when I’d inhabited his body. “We’ll try to get you something to eat. Okay?”

  He nodded, relief shining in his eyes. I’m sure Brent or Anya could rustle us up some raw meat from somewhere.

  Standing up to my full height, I stretched out my arms, grateful to be back in my body. My weapon now holstered, I looked around the grove to see how much we had to take back with us.

  “We need to sort out the logistics of getting him back to the cabins,” I said out loud. “We also have to find Cole and talk to him about the arrangements of getting Torroro back to the prison.”

  “Well, he wasn’t among those with my father,” Kaleb replied. “He’ll probably be in one of the guest cabins. Let’s use the darkness of the remaining early hours to take Torroro back to our cabin. We can keep him there, so we don’t get disturbed by other shifters.”

  I nodded. “Can you and Zax manage it?”

  “Hey,” said Zax. “I might look like I can’t bench press anything above a couple hundred pounds, but I’m still a dragon shifter, remember? I can pack a punch.”

  I hid a smile at the frown on his face. “I’m sure can both manage it. Sorry, Zax.”

  At that, both Zax and Kaleb stiffened.

  “What it is?”

  Kaleb didn’t have time to reply as a bunch of wolves crashed into the grove.

  One by one, Theodulf, Eli, and a few of Theodulf’s bodyguards appeared, followed closely by Brent and his wolves. They’d shifted into their human selves. I took a step closer to Torroro protectively.

  “I see you’ve caught the culprit!” Theodulf said, clapping his hands together. “Do you see how our traps worked!”

  “Your traps?” I began, but he brushed me off.

  “I told you, Brent,” he continued, “us shifters would manage the job. And look here, my son. He’s caught the reptile you failed to.”

  Brent went to say something, the anger on his face clear to all, aside from Theodulf, who had his back to him. But Eli stepped forward, cutting him off.

  “He’s not all that,” Eli said with a scowl. He kicked Torroro’s legs. Torroro whined.

  “Hey!” I shouted, turning on Eli. “Back off!”

  “Why? He’s just a piece of shit lizard. A lizard who has killed shifters, may I add. He doesn’t deserve kindness.”

  He went to kick Torroro again, so I kicked Eli hard and unforgiving at the top of his thigh. “I said back off.”

  Eli snarled. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

  “Someone who will have your ass thrown in a cell if you don’t back off. We have handled this situation, something that falls under our jurisdiction. Not yours. Now cool it!”

  Amber swallowed the blue in his eyes, fury seething as his nostrils flared. Kaleb put a hand on my own.

  “Leave it, Terra. Eli knows not to cross that line.” He stared at his younger kin. “Don’t you, brother?”

  “Don’t I?” Eli laughed humorlessly. And before I could stop him, before I could even comprehend what he was about to do, Eli snatched the Pulsar from my waist.

  Stepping back to block Kaleb, all my thoughts believing Eli would aim for him, I didn’t expect Eli to aim for Torroro instead. Kaleb swung me out of the line of fire.

  “No!” I yelled, unable to move fast enough. I helplessly watched Eli fire the Pulsar at Torroro’s head. Kaleb held me back, and I roared, fighting against him. The smoke swirled out of the deadly wound. Torroro’s head slumped back. “No!” I shouted again, forcing my way out of Kaleb’s grip. I didn’t stop; I didn’t hesitate. I knocked the weapon out of Eli’s hand and hit him, kicking and punching him with all I had, deflecting any hits he threw my way. Kaleb pulled me back, but I still kicked and hit and screamed as Eli fell back like the coward he was. Mayra rushed forward, but Zax pulled her out of harm’s way. Surprise and shock fell across everyone’s faces as my voice roared into the night.

  “You’re under arrest, you son of a bitch!” I yelled, fighting against Kaleb’s iron grip. “You evil, nasty, stupid ass coward!”

  Eli, shocked at my outrage, soon pulled himself together when his precious daddy and bodyguards came striding over. He grinned, winking at me, and wiping the blood from his mouth.

  “Terra,” Kaleb urged, “calm down.”

  I couldn’t. I saw red. I wanted to take Eli out, for him to crumble beneath my hands. I’d promised Torroro he would be okay. We tied him up with the vow I’d see him safely back to the prison. He’d complied and let me take him over. He’d submitted to me, trusted me. And now that piece of shit Eli had shot him while tied up—while he wasn’t even a threat. I roared again.

  “Get him out of here,” Kaleb said to Brent, his arms encasing me in a solid grip. Theodulf thought it only right he should gain supremacy once more.

  “Now see here, Kaleb!” he snapped, “Eli has taken out an enemy who killed our own. He has done nothing wrong in my eyes. I think you need to get your girlfriend out of here while we tidy up.”

  “Oh, I don’t think so,” Kaleb mumbled, and even I stilled at the ferocity in his tone. “I am Gamma to his wolf. I supersede him. And on these lands, Brent supersedes you. Brent!”

  “I’m coming.” Brent stepped forward, but the wolves of Theodulf’s pack stood in the way.

  Kaleb growled. “Father, if you do not relent and let Brent get Eli out of the way, then I will put down a challenge.” He glared at Eli.

  “You would not dare!”

  “Try me.”

  “But pack challenges are to the death!” Theodulf said exasperatedly.

  “I know.”

  “He is your brother.”

  Kaleb sneered. “I know.”

  Frowning, not sure what card to play, Theodulf finally relented. “Very well.” He glanced at Eli. “But he doesn’t need someone to lead him away like a rabid pup. Eli, let’s go.”

  “No,” Eli said, taking a step toward me. Kaleb growled threateningly.

  “Eli!” Theodulf bellowed. “We leave. Now.” He turned to his other wolves. “Grab the reptile.”

  “I don’t think so,” I said, wanting nothing more than to go in on Eli again at the thought of Torroro lying there. Dead.

  Kaleb intervened. “The body falls under our jurisdiction. Brent will help me transport it back. Leave. Now.”

  Theodulf pressed his lips together in frustration. “So be it. Eli, move!” He ordered his wolves to coerce Eli into leaving. Kaleb’s brother struggled with a decision, but eventually relented, his eyes just for me as they ordered him away.

  If looks could kill…

  Once they’d gone, the tension remained. Brent stepped forward, putting a hand on my shoulder. “Swallow it. For now. You don’t want to stir up things with Theodulf Cipher. Or Eli.”

  I shrugged his hand away, stepped ou
t of Kaleb’s hold. “I’ll do what I have to do. And I intend to arrest the bastard.”

  “Terra…” Kaleb warned, but my chest heaved with rage.

  I walked over to the body, a burning hole in Torroro’s head the size of a fist making me squeeze my eyes tight. When I opened them, I saw the locket still hanging around his neck, a sign of his love for his mother. Now we’d have to tell her the news of her son’s death.

  I would make sure she got the locket. I would make sure she knew Torroro thought of her with love. Mayra laid her hand on my shoulder. “Terra,” she said, her voice soothing, “they’re right. There’s a time and a place for vengeance. Arresting Eli won’t do any of us any good.”

  “Not unless you’re willing to be part of a trial with the Consilium,” Zax added from behind us. “And you don’t want to risk that. Not when we suspect there is corruption woven in the Senates.”

  I took a deep breath, then another. Part of me listened at least. But as for the rest of me… I wasn’t sure if I could hold it back. I turned to look at Kaleb to see his anger palpable. But he’d kept it back. He’d held it again for the greater good. Only I couldn’t rationalize what the greater good was.

  Looking down at Torroro’s lifeless body, I eventually nodded. I looked up at Brent. “I’ll let this go on one condition.”

  “What’s that?”

  “You claim responsibility for Torroro’s death.”

  He frowned, a gasp coming from the wolves who’d headed out with him. “What?”

  “To your people. You claim the hunt ended in his death. Tell them that the threat is now over. You make sure every single one of them knows it was down to you. Not Theodulf.”

  “But why?”

  “Are you that dense?”

  Brent straightened, insulted, and Zax came to my aid. “What Terra is trying to say is that Theodulf wants the credit of taking out Torroro. Make sure he doesn’t get it.”

  “And I’ll ask again,” Brent replied, “why?”

  “Something bigger is going on, Brent,” Kaleb replied quietly. “And if you can’t see that, then you’re not the wolf I thought you were.”