“She can’t understand you yet son. She’s been with them too long. We need to cleanse her mind first, then she will see reason.” A deeper voice said.
“She’s pretty and smart. How could she be fooled by them monsters? They ain’t nothin’ but stupid animals.”
“She was tricked and corrupted before she knew what was happening to her. Seduced. We will help her. I promise we will.”
The van sped away and Shauna tried to think, tried to orient herself so she would know where she was, but what good would it do her? These men had taken her off the street in the middle of town, they weren’t afraid of being caught. They were crazy. She tried to get the hood off her head, but it was tied somehow. She wanted to panic, but she fought it down.
She would escape if she could, but she didn’t know the area and who even knew if she would live long enough to try? She had heard the stories of what these people did to those they thought needed cleansing. She wasn’t sure she was strong enough to withstand it.
Tears flooded her eyes. Dakota needed her, somehow, she had to find the strength to get through this. Ricky would come for her, the Howlers would find her, she just had to survive until they did.
She had to think. She tried to catalogue everything around her. The handcuffs were metal and felt solid. The hood over her face was nothing more than a cheap pillowcase. The van had been white with no windows. None of it would help her, but the details helped to calm her mind, giving her something to focus on.
“When we get her home, we can see what damage they have done to her.” She heard the deep voice say.
“Think she will ever be clean enough for one of us to have?” Pete asked causing Shauna’s terror to skyrocket.
On one hand, they weren’t going to kill her right away, but on the other, they wanted to keep her as, what? She didn’t want to think about it.
“Maybe, we’ll see.”
Shauna struggled against the handcuffs that had been fastened around her wrists. The cold metal bit into her skin making it burn, but she couldn’t stop struggling, she couldn’t just give up. It seemed to take forever before the van slowed and rolled to a stop. She was pulled out of the van and blinked at the brightness of the sun.
“Oh no. Look at her wrists, she’s been fighting like an animal. I hope she’s not too far gone already.”
Shauna looked up to see a woman wearing a long, yellow skirt and white blouse. Her graying hair was fastened on the back of her head in an unforgiving knot and the look on her face was one of disappointment.
“Bring her around back and we will see what we can do with her.” she shook her head in disgust.
“Please, let me go. I have a son, he will be missing me. Please let me go home to my son.” She begged. “He’s only seven years old. He needs me. Please.”
The woman looked disappointed. “That boy is an animal. He can’t feel anything. He will forget all about you in a few days just like a stray dog. We will help you here, clean your mind and your body, cleanse the filth from you so you can live a clean life. I’m sorry you can’t understand that now, but with a little time and patience, you will. I’m sorry you got mixed up with them animals, I am, but we can’t look back, just move forward and don’t get mixed up in it again.”
The woman’s words sent fear skittering down Shauna’s spine. She didn’t want to know what they would do to cleanse her, but she would soon enough.
“Take her behind the house and get her stripped down. Harmony has the water started. Get me the soap and we will get started.”
“Yes ma’am.” the boy hesitated. “She’s real pretty. If she comes along good, maybe…”
“Get going now. You will marry Harmony and I won’t hear another word. If it works out maybe we can give her to Douglas.”
“Harmony don’t like me.” He grumbled. “Maybe she would like Douglas better.”
“Well, then, teach her to.” The woman threw up her hands. “Do I have to do everything around here?”
Shauna was led around the house. She fought, but the men were too strong. They slipped a rope around her neck and tightened it so she had to stand straight to avoid being strangled. Then they started undressing her which took almost no time since she only wore a robe and panties. She feared at first that one of them might molest her, but they avoided touching her skin completely as if she repulsed them, for that, she was thankful.
A woman, Shauna assumed to be Harmony, walked out holding a big, iron pot full of steaming water. One of the men held up a water hose and turned the icy water on Shauna. She screamed, but couldn’t escape the streams of cold hitting her skin. Then came the woman in the yellow skirt. She wore long rubber gloves that reached her elbows and carried a brush on a handle. She dipped the brush into the steaming water and reached for the soap that one of the men had brought her.
“This will not be pleasant for any of us. We are here for you. We will listen. This will help you cleanse your mind and heart as I cleanse your body. You should scream if you need to and I’m sorry, but you will. Scream out all of the ugliness, cry and weep and be healed of it all. When you are ready to beg forgiveness, you will be heard.”
She worked the soap between her gloved hands and then lathered the brush. She began with Shauna’s hair, the brush catching in her auburn tresses and ripping them from her scalp. The brush was made with stiff bristles that scrubbed the skin from her body. She screamed until her throat was raw and cried her eyes dry. She soon lost the will to stand and let her body sag against the rope. Blackness engulfed her, allowing her to escape the hell she found herself in.
How could these people call anyone a monster when they were so much worse? How could anyone do this to another person without feeling or thought?
They were monsters.
12
Ricky paced the floor like a caged animal. Shauna had been gone for hours, it was almost dark and there was no sign of her, nothing, she’d vanished and she knew. He would find her, but what then? She would never forgive him for what he’d done and he didn’t blame her one bit.
Dakota was terrified and if he were honest with himself, Ricky was too. Shauna had been taken right from under their noses, in their town and it was a miracle that Mallory wasn’t gone too.
Dice had lost his mind and it would be a while before either man would be able to relax.
Then there was the guilt. He’d sworn to keep her safe and he’d failed and why?
That was the part he couldn’t figure. She should have been safe in town.
Hate, it was like poison in a person, but he was starting to feel it take hold of him too. He was starting to hate the groups that protested shifters. He couldn’t help who he was, what he was and he damned sure shouldn’t have to hide it to live in the world and Shauna was just an innocent in all of it.
Shauna.
He took a long pull from his beer and let his mind focus on her. He could see her in his mind, every detail.
That scared the shit out of him.
Shauna was more to him than he wanted to admit and it had scared the shit out of him. He wasn’t mate material, but hell neither was Dice and look at him. He was as happy as shit shacked up with Mallory and that kid of theirs. They had their issues and Sam was still a very sick little boy, but they were as happy as could be expected. Dice was almost normal; his wolf was almost a docile as a tamed house dog when Mallory was around. It was a damned good thing too because everyone was tired of getting shredded every time the damned monster took a notion. The fact still remained that Dice was the craziest asshole there was outside of the caves at Lost Lakes and he had a mate.
“Dice took the kid out to stay with Mallory and Sam. Some of the girls showed up, figured Shauna wouldn’t like the show he’d be getting if he stayed much longer.” Clothesline spoke, interrupting Ricky’s thoughts when he pulled out a chair and straddled it. “Lucian is over there having a little meeting with Dice. There’s no place on earth safer for that kid. Lucian said he owed the kid for something, any i
dea what that’s about?”
He nodded. He knew that Pie would be dick deep in a woman as soon as one walked through the door. Dakota didn’t need to see that. He let out a breath. What kind of life was this to offer a woman, any woman, but one like Shauna was even worse. She would never be able to accept this life. She had lived a good life with Maverick, he’d given her everything and Ricky knew he would never measure up. He had never measured up.
“Care to let your me in on the secret?”
It took a minute for Ricky to understand that he’d spaced out. “Lucian is the man who commissioned Maverick and Shauna to write the shifter laws. It was part of his big master plan.” Ricky shrugged.
Clothesline seemed to consider that. “Did Lucian kill the kid’s father or did the hyenas really get him?”
Ricky shook his head as pain lanced through his chest.
“I can feel your pain brother. You need to share this shit and let me help you carry it. Whatever it is. You know I won’t hold it against you. We all have our issues.” Line said in his ruined voice.
“I can’t.” Ricky shook his head and lifted his eyes to his friend, his brother.
“That’s fine. You need it out, you know where to find me.”
Ricky nodded and tried to shove it all away. The whole thing had been ripped open again since Shauna had come into the picture, but he had to keep a grip on himself.
“Lucian had a hand in Mav’s death, but I don’t know that he ordered it.”
“What does that mean?”
“Hyenas injected Mav with that damned serum. It fucked his wolf up. He sent Shauna and Dakota away before it got too bad.”
“What did that shit look like?”
“Remember when Sam changed in the shop and tried to kill everybody?” Clothesline nodded. “Imagine that with a full-grown wolf, a monster.”
Line let a string of creative curses flow before he let out a huff and shook his head.
“That’s seriously fucked. That why he called you? Knew you’d handle shit? That what we are looking at with Riv?”
Ricky considered his words, but there were none, eventually, he just nodded.
“Means he trusted you brother. That’s not a little thing. Don’t let it get to you. We need to be careful of this thing though, these fuckers start trying to stick us we are in a hell of a place.”
Ricky felt his stomach churn. “Why haven’t they died off yet?”
“They are. They are dying off, but not fucking fast enough.”
“Did that lead give them anything at all to help Sam?” Line shook his head. Ricky knew it was killing him.
“Will the kid ever make peace with his animal?”
That’s what the Sickness did, it turned the animal on the human and it destroyed the sanity of the sufferer.
“Hard to say. Dice does ok with his most of the time and Sam seems ok when he changes. His wolf is a monster though. I don’t know if it’s because of the sickness or just because he takes after his daddy, but he’s a beast.”
Ricky couldn’t help his chuckle. Dakota’s wolf wasn’t a beast, he was cunning though. He’d taken to huntin like a duck to water and he’d found his own methods. He was so much like Maverick it was heartbreaking.
“Cheer up brother, I brought you a present.” Line grinned and nodded toward the back room.
Ricky stood and walked back to find an old woman from town sitting in a chair. Her face was streaked with tears, but her eyes were defiant and filled with condemnation.
“I’m not telling you nothing. That girl is better off. She can live a clean life if she’s away from you monsters, away from your filth.”
Ricky felt his blood start to boil. “That girl is a woman who knows her own mind. That girl is a fucking brilliant lawyer who isn’t even with one of us. She is here because she is afraid someone will hurt her son. She is amazing, smart, loving, and she is a good mother. What the hell are you?”
“Her mind was corrupted by a monster. We will help cleanse her of his filth. We will help her remember what she should be.”
“What she should be? What she should be is here with her boy, here with me.”
“That boy is nothing but a monster and neither are you.” the old woman spat.
“You haven’t seen a monster yet.” Ricky felt his teeth grow, it was painful to force a partial change, but he wanted this woman afraid, too afraid to keep secrets. The terror in her face told him it was working.
“Where is Shauna?”
The woman’s eyes were wide with fear, but she stayed silent.
“I’m getting hungry old lady.” He snarled. “Or maybe I should just bite you, turn you, see how you like being a monster.”
“You wouldn’t, you can’t do that. The news says so.”
The smell of terror filled the room. He’d found his way to get her to talk.
“Ricky, don’t do that, we don’t want to do that.” Clothesline soothed him, it was a nice touch, Line knew how to play the game.
The old woman screamed and fought against her ropes, but she couldn’t break free.
“No! Stay away from me you beast from hell!” She ranted.
“Oh, I think it’s just what she needs Riv. let her feel what it’s like to be hated, to be feared. Let her feel the animal ripping her apart.” He licked his lips and stepped closer. He let saliva leak down his chin to drip onto her arm, she screamed in terror as if he’d dripped acid on her skin.
“They are radicals, zealots. They took her.” She babbled as she looked at the droplets on her arm. “We got a call from that lady on the news, McFadden she said that Shauna had been a good girl until she fell in with a monster. We just want to help her.”
“Where is she?” Ricky snarled and snapped his razor-sharp teeth inches from her face.
“The old orchard.” the old woman hung her head in defeat.
“Head on out there. I’ll get Mouse to handle this and be right behind you.” Line offered.
“Thanks Riv. I’ll take Books, Dice if he’s back around.”
Line gripped his shoulder. “These people are fucking crazy. If your head ain’t in it, stay right here and have a little snack.”
“Can’t argue with that. It’s a nice offer.” Ricky sent the old woman a wink and walked out of the room. He knew there would be traps, maybe it was all a trap, but these were not hyenas, just regular old humans who had lost their minds. That should be a piece of cake.
13
Shauna fought against the rope that bit into her wrist. She’d woken in a shed, not even clean enough to be inside the house, not yet, she was told. It actually made her feel better to know that they saw her as filthy, it saved her from being handled by any of the men. It was a small blessing.
These people were nuts and crazy people were dangerous. She had to be careful or she would end up buried in a shallow grave where no one would ever find her.
No. someone would find her, Ricky would find her and he would make these assholes pay for this. She had to be strong, have faith and stay alive. Dakota needed her.
She had been afraid when they’d taken her and cleansed her, but now she was just pissed off. Monsters. The only monsters around here were these wackos. Her skin was raw and even the thin dress she wore chafed her. They had told her that the pain would help cleanse her, but it was making her mind sharper and they would regret that.
She heard a sound, scraping, snarling. She shivered, that wasn’t human. She looked around frantically, but saw nothing. She suddenly felt almost glad to be trapped in the shed. Whatever was outside sounded pissed off and it didn’t sound like it was a rescue party. She struggled harder. If that animal got inside she didn’t want to be helpless. She looked around for something to use to cut the ropes, but nothing was in reach and the room was so dark she couldn’t see to search very far. She tugged at the knot, hoping it would give way, but it only pulled tighter on her wrist.
“Be careful with that. We really don’t need you to bleed.”
She turned sharply when she heard a whispered voice. The young woman came into view, Harmony.
“What the hell do you want?” Shauna spat and was stunned when Harmony let out a laugh.
“Hang onto that fire lady. You may need it before this night is over.”
She came closer and tossed a pocket knife onto the cot Shauna was tied to. She snatched it, but kept a warry eye on Harmony.
“What are you doing in here?”
“I came to bring you something to eat.” She whispered and produced an apple from the pocket of her skirt.
“I thought I wasn’t supposed to eat until I had given up on my evil ways.” Shauna rolled her eyes. “This is all complete bullshit.”
Harmony stepped closer. “Do you love your son, really, even knowing what he is? You love him? You don’t care what he is? You love him the way a mother is supposed to love a son?”
There was something in the girl’s eyes that made Shauna measure her words carefully. “More than my own life, he is my world. I have to get home to him. Please, if you can help me…”
There was another sound from the back of the shed, it rattled the filthy windows and cut off Shauna’s words. Harmony didn’t seem to notice.
“I came to make a deal with you.” She cut her eyes to the door and looked terrified. “I’m risking more than you could understand, but if you agree…”
“What do you want from me?” Shauna questioned.
“Look, you can get out of here and I won’t do a damned thing to stop you. I’ll take the punishments for letting you go and they won’t be fun and I may not survive. Or, you can take me with you.”
Shauna stopped. “I thought… You’re one of them.”
“I’m not and I will never marry Pete. If he ever found out...” She shivered. “I have to leave and you are my only chance.”
“Why do you stay? You could leave anytime.” Shauna questioned. It could be a trap, all of it. Harmony could let her go and whatever was outside could chase her down and eat her, taking the blame off of the family.
Ricky: Howlers MC : Book 2 Page 6