Skin Walkers

by Susan A Bliler

  Briel’s soft features quickly sharpened into a fierce scowl. “How dare you! You don’t know us. You don’t know me.” She jabbed a finger in the direction of the door, “I would die for that little girl. Literally! Fucking! Die! I would never put her in harm’s way for any reason, least of all because of my own stupid pride.”

  Tyce’s eyes flashed dangerously. “You’re doing it now.”

  “You’re wrong.” Shoving to a sitting position, she shook her head and instantly regretted it. The room tilted, and she pinched her eyes closed, bracing both hands on either side of her hips to steady herself. She moaned and fell back onto the bed. “What did you do to me? Did you drug me?” Behind her closed eyes, tears gathered, and she felt too wretched to even attempt to stop them as they slipped free.

  Above her, Tyce’s tone softened and the bed near her hip sunk. “Angel,” he crooned. “I didn’t drug you.” His voice turned harsh when he commanded, “Send Pyper to my suite now!”

  Her eyes blinked open to see who he was talking to, but the room was empty except for the two of them. Briel’s head dipped as she lost some of her steam. “You can’t keep us safe. If my father couldn’t, you certainly can’t. Besides, it’s our association with you that’s put us in danger in the first place. I don’t care what happens to me, but I can’t let anything happen to Fena. None of this is her fault.”

  Ignoring her words, Tyce held out the glass of water. “Drink this.”

  Briel eyed the glass then Tyce.

  “Drink,” he commanded a second time.

  She turned her head away and lied, “I’m not thirsty.” Then she added as an afterthought, “And I won’t be ordered around.”

  When he leaned over her, her head whipped around and she jerked away from him. Her cheeks flushed at her reaction, and she kept her eyes down as Tyce spoke.

  “I’d never harm you, Briel. But I won’t let you harm yourself either. I know you’re thirsty because I can scent your body’s distress.”

  Her brow furrowed in silent question.

  “I can scent your body’s chemistry and your emotions. I’m a Skin Walker. There’s very little you’ll be able to hide from me. So…please,” he held the glass out to her, “drink. It’ll help ease the residual effects of being collared.”

  Collared? She lifted a trembling hand to the object around her throat. “Wh-what is this?” She dropped her tired arm as her eyes pooled with a fresh bout of tears. “Is this some sick game?”

  “It’s my halo.”

  “Halo? What does it do? What’s it for? And if it’s yours, then why is it on me?”

  “It means…”

  Chapter 15

  For a moment, Tyce stalled in answering. Finally he answered, “It means that you’re staying here. You can’t leave now.”

  “Am I like a dog? Like your property?” she bit out, lifting a hand to jerk on the halo more firmly. “Is it a shock collar?”

  “No. It’s not a shock collar, and you couldn’t be further from a dog.” His expression hardened as he continued to hold out the glass of water.

  Cautiously Briel reached for it, pulling it from his grip to hold it close to her chest before dipping her head and drinking slowly. After a few shallow swallows, she swiped the back of her hand across her lips and looked up at Tyce where he towered over her. “I want to see Fena.”

  Tyce dipped his head once. “Of course.”

  He stood up and turned and Briel expected him to leave the room. Instead, he crossed to the door and opened it.

  As if summoned up by her wishes, Fena bounded into the room. “Sissy! Holy, you slept a long time. Uncle Tyce said you were really tired.”

  Briel’s eyes flicked to Tyce as she embraced her little sister. “Yeah well, Uncle Tyce was right. I was really worn out.” After a brief hug, Briel held her sister at arm’s length, looking her over closely. “How are you? You doing okay? What did you do while I slept?”

  Fena wriggled out of her sister’s grasp. “Oh, Uncle Tyce showed me the house.” Her eyes grew huge. “It’s like a castle!” Fena climbed to her feet on the bed and began bouncing up and down near Briel’s feet. “Did you know I have my own princess room? And Uncle Tyce has a wolf. A really big one, I saw it.”

  Briel tried to look interested but Fena’s jumping was making her queasy.

  “Come on sweetheart.” Tyce clapped his hands and spread his arms wide. Fena took one big bounce and jumped for him. He caught her easily, swinging her to the floor. “Why don’t you go see if Aries and Wynter finished baking those cookies?”

  Fena didn’t look back as she bounded out the door, “Okay!”

  Briel slid her eyes from the now vacant doorway to Tyce. “Uncle?” her brows rose mockingly.

  He shrugged one shoulder. “It helped put her at ease.”

  Briel lowered her brows, realizing she should have been thanking him for taking care of Fena while she’d been incapacitated, but her gratitude was swiftly replaced by anger when she remembered that he’d been the cause of her incapacitation. “Who are Aries and Wynter?” she bit out tersely.

  “Aries is the wife of Commander Drago. You met her in DC. The maid. Wynter is Aries and Conn’s daughter. They’re good people. Aries’ll take care of Fena.”

  Indignation swelled in Briel. “Good people don’t kidnap innocent women and children. And I’ll take care of Fena.”

  Tyce’s lips thinned. “When you’re recovered. For now, you’ll rest.”

  Briel slid her dark eyes from him to frown at the curtained window. “Why am I sick?”

  “It’s the collar. It’ll pass. Pyper’s on her way to check you over.”

  “Pyper?”

  “She’s our resident doctor. She’s very knowledgeable. You’ll like her.”

  Hearing Tyce speak favorably of another woman was surprisingly irritating. To mask it, she growled, “You can’t keep us here you know.”

  When Tyce responded there was amusement in his tone. “As I said, Aries is married to Commander Drago. His team resides here with me permanently. They keep our enemies out, and keep who I want in.”

  “It’s illegal.”

  Tyce laughed. “We’re Walkers. We do as we please.”

  “Like killing an innocent man?”

  “We didn’t kill your father, Briel.”

  “Yeah? Well, who did?”

  “Don’t know, but I’ll find out.”

  Briel frowned up at him. “And I’m supposed to just trust you? I’m supposed to just take your word? You collar me with this…this…thing that’s making me sick. And you won’t even tell me what it’s for.” Her eyes welled with tears. “Is it killing me slowly?” With each question, her tone grew more shrill. “What does it do? Why is it on me, Tyce?”

  “It’s not a collar,” Tyce sounded offended. “It’s called a halo.”

  Briel sniffed and waited.

  “It means that…” His words faltered, and a flash of uncertainty washed over his savagely handsome features before he straightened to his full height, steely silver eyes boring into hers. “It means that you’re my…” At the last second, he chickened out. “My responsibility.” She needed time to adjust, and heaping everything on her all at once, wasn’t going to help, but fffffuck, how he ached to tell her the truth.

  Chapter 16

  Tyce watched Briel pale further. Worried, he instantly connected with Pyper through the mist to boom, “Get to my suite, now!”

  Briel’s worried expression made him feel sick.

  She scooted a little away from him and stammered, “Wh-what do you mean your responsibility? I’m not your responsibility,” she snapped. I’m…I’m your enemy!” Confused eyes looked up at him. “Right?”

  Her question lacked certainty, like she was asking him to tell her they weren’t. His gut twisted at her vulnerability. “No, Angel. We are not enemies.” Her words had his beasts clawing at his insides, so he rushed to soothe her. “What do you know of Skin Walkers?”

  He wanted to laugh w
hen her eyes pinched at the corners and her lips thinned into a disapproving line. “Why are you always answering my questions with questions?”

  “Fine,” he clipped. “An answer for an answer.” When he stalled answering hers, she rolled her eyes with a huff.

  “I know you’re like werewolves, but you turn into giant cats with vicious claws and sharp teeth.”

  His brows hiked, and he waited.

  “And you all wear,” she lifted a hand to the halo around her throat. “These…things.”

  “Halos,” he supplied.

  He waited some more, and when she didn’t continue he asked, “Is that the extent of your knowledge?”

  “I know you’ve been experimented on by some military group. I know Monroe StoneCrow is one of you. I know you don’t want your secret out. Oh, and you can rip grown men apart and walk away like nothing ever happened. And yeah, that’s it. That’s all I know.”

  “We’re not werecats.” He stared down at where she still rested on the bed. Behind him, Dr. Ames entered quietly and, without speaking, began pulling out equipment from the bag she carried. With swift efficiency she started hooking up the devices to Briel, who balked at first, but permitted it after Tyce kept talking.

  “We’re shape shifters. We can take many animal forms, not just cats, and we’ve been in existence since the beginning of time. We are as ancient as the Anasazi, and we aren’t monsters.

  We exist in differing stages. Stage one Walkers are typically newborns; they’re just learning to shift and are still unsure how to use their abilities. Stage two Walkers are capable of shifting to one form for a limited amount of time; it’s how we are as teenagers. At stage three, Walkers are able to shift freely to the form of a few different animals.

  I’m a stage four Walker, which means that I can shift to any form I choose and stay that way for as long as I like. Lastly, there are Indigenous Walkers. They’re extremely rare. We only know of one.

  And I wouldn’t be so quick to judge on what it is you think you know about Walkers and their willingness to defend themselves or those they love. You yourself were willing to use that knife against me back in DC to keep Fena safe. Weren’t you?”

  Briel tore her eyes from his and didn’t answer. Instead, she grabbed the halo around her throat. “And this?”

  “It’s gonna keep you safe, Angel. It lets other Walkers know that I’m watching over you. It tells them you have my protection.”

  Briel rolled her eyes. “Why not just get T-shirts made that read ‘Property of Tyce’?”

  “Not a bad idea,” he teased, before his smile faltered, “It’s more than just a show of ownership. Aside from protection, it can lead me to you.”

  Perfectly manicured brows knitted. “If you stopped kidnapping people you’d probably make fewer enemies and then you wouldn’t have to tag your guests with tracking collars.” She sighed heavily, and he could scent weariness tugging at her.

  Inhaling slowly, he dissected all her scents. Exhaustion, confusion, fear, illness. He looked at Pyper. “How is she?”

  “Fine,” Pyper clipped out without looking up from where she was checking Briel’s blood pressure. “Collared at a piss poor time,” she bit out bluntly. “She was already jet-lagged, hungry, dehydrated, and exhausted. The illness though, that’s the affliction.” She turned and pushed her glasses up her nose before looking at Tyce. “Only one way to fix that, and it ain’t in this bag.” She held up her medical bag as she started shoving her tools back inside. Turning back to Briel, she smiled. “I’m Dr. Pyper Ames, resident physician. There aren’t many women here, so if you need anything, just pick up any phone and dial eleven; it’ll connect you to me.” Pyper studied her quietly for a moment before frowning, “Never thought I’d ever actually meet you.”

  The doctor’s words made Briel tense. What is that supposed to mean?

  Before she could ask, Pyper stood. “Get some rest and plenty of fluids. I’ll have the kitchen make you up some soup. Welcome to Apex, Briel.” She exited the room without looking back.

  “You heard her.” Tyce drew Briel’s attention back to him. “We’ll get you fed and then you’ll get some sleep. When you wake we’ll discuss this further.”

  Panic flared in her eyes and she reached out a hand as he took a step back. “Fena?”

  “Is fine. I won’t let anything happen to her. You have my word.”

  “How do I know you’ll keep it?”

  “There are many things you’ll come to know about me, the least of which is that I never make vows I don’t keep.”

  Briel lifted her hand to her throat where his halo rested. “Maybe you should let Fena wear your collar…if it truly is for protection.” She didn’t know how it worked, but she was certain that it must. A man like Tyce wouldn’t indulge in anything as tacky as mere superstition.

  A crooked smile hiked his lips. “It doesn’t work that way. Halo’s,” he corrected, “go on adults only.”

  “Then how do you protect your children?”

  “Walker children are protected by their scent. Their Walker parent’s DNA is enough to protect them until they are able to generate their own halo, which in turn protects them until they’re able to protect themselves.”

  “Generate their halo?”

  “Yes,” Tyce continued, “it’s similar to a deer generating antlers.”

  “What of adopted children? Non-Walker children?”

  Something flickered in the depth of his eyes and he crossed his arms to stare down at her. “Are we talking about Fena?”

  Briel’s face flushed and she shook her head before dropping her eyes. “No. We’re just…talking.” She lifted her head. “I don’t know how any of this works, but I know that Walkers aren’t safe. You all are being hunted just like Fena and I are. I just wondered if you’re allowed to adopt, and if so, how do you keep those children safe?”

  Tyce uncrossed his arms. “All Walker children, whether adopted or born, are safe. They’re safe because every Walker looks after every Walker child as if that child were their very own.” Tyce smirked and boasted, “Walker children are the most protected children on the face of the earth because they are so rare.”

  “Have any of them ever been…taken?”

  Tyce shook his head firmly and his tone turned deadly. “Not from me.”

  Briel shook her head in response. “It doesn’t make sense that they’d be that safe. If Walker’s don’t live together, how can they protect their children?”

  “You assume Walker’s don’t live together. You’re wrong. Monroe StoneCrow’s Estate is a Walker colony, a community, including a school for the children who live there.”

  “But you’re not there.”

  “No.” He shook his head. “I call Apex home. I’m a Dominant, like an Alpha. Where a pack can’t have two Alphas, Walkers have difficulty living under two Dominants. Monroe rules StoneCrow. I rule here.”

  “Why are you telling me all of this so freely?” Her brows knitted. “You shouldn’t be sharing this information with just anyone.”

  “I’m not.” Tyce turned and strode to the door. “I’ll go get your food, and then you’ll get some sleep. We’ll talk in the morning.” As an afterthought, he added, “Don’t worry about Fena, her room is just next door.”

  Before he left she stopped him with a shaky, “T-Tyce? You’re sure we’re not enemies?”

  He turned to face her. “I’m more certain of that than I am of anything else.” He turned to leave but she stopped him again.

  “Tyce!

  He looked over his shoulder at her.

  “I don’t need your protection. And…” she stalled a moment. “And you need to stop kissing me.”

  The only response she got was a slight dipping of his chin as his eyes narrowed on her and an intense look took over his features. His jaw ticked like he was debating saying something, but he simply tore his eyes from hers and left, clicking the door closed behind him.

  Briel downed her remaining water then p
laced the glass on the nightstand. She felt dehydrated, sluggish, and sick. She lay on the bed worrying about Fena and digesting everything Tyce had told her, it wasn’t long before her swirling thoughts swept her up and an exhausted sleep finally claimed her.

  Chapter 17

  Slinking down the long hall with Fena’s hand in her own, Briel turned to look down at her sister and pressed her forefinger to her lips in a silent command to be quiet.

  She’d awakened feeling better and found a dome covered tray of food on a folding table beside the bed. It hadn’t housed the soup she’d expected, but she did eat the entire plate of lamb chops, stuffing, green beans, and a buttered roll. Everything had been cold by the time she’d woken up except for the can of Coke beside the plate, which had been piss warm. Still, she’d polished it off with all of her food, and then, because the house was silent and it was dark out again, she ventured out of her room to see if Tyce had told the truth about Fena’s room.

  She’d guessed on which door to try first, the one on her right or the one on her left, and had gotten lucky when the one on her right revealed a tiny Fena sleeping in a gigantic bed in a room that was exquisite even if it was half the size of Briel’s own.

  Covering Fena’s mouth, Briel had woken her gently and told her they were going on an adventure. She’d made Fena wait while she scoured the room for the girl’s shoes and coat, delighted to find both in a closet near the door. With Fena dressed, they tiptoed through the hall and down the stairs. The front door was just at the bottom of the steps, and honestly, Briel was surprised at how easy it was to make it through the large house undetected.

  At the door, she peeled back one of the curtains on either side and peeked out into the night. It was dark as sin, and she couldn’t make out much in the waning moonlight. Snow, snow, and more snow. Remembering the drive from the airport to Apex, Briel knew they were basically in the middle of nowhere, which meant she and Fena would never make it on foot. Luckily, by the grace of God, there was a bowl sitting on a stand beside the front door that was full of several sets of keys.