Shifted (The Oblivion Series Book 1)

by Barb Shuler

  Ramport glared and growled out a command to stay. My body was not listening to him. Or me.

  Oh, God.

  7

  Talia

  It was as if someone else was in control of my body and mind. The look on Ramport’s face said it all. He knew.

  What was he doing to me?

  His lips started to move again. There was a black shadow surrounding him. How was I going to get out of this? I couldn’t breathe. My God! What was happening? I slammed my butt into the floor and growled as I pawed at my muzzle. The warmth of my blood flooded over me. Whimpering, I pushed myself up and ran, my paws quickly padding across the floor. With a smooth stride I leapt out of the window.

  The glass shattered as my furry form crashed through it. I was panicked. Frantic, even. What is this? What is happening? There is a zing in the air and I come to a stop. A bare hint of pressure shifted in the air around me. My heart pounded as I spun to face the black shadow that now came towards me.

  I snarled, my paws scraping the earth below me. My nails marked the land. My land. I would not let them get to me again. My heart was pounding out a beat to a silent drum. I yelped as a shock of pain shuddered through me.

  Snarling, I charged the black mist in front of me. I leapt, my nails making purchase in the mass. There was a grunt of pain and I was tossed to the side. The hissing words reverberated around me as I fought for control of myself. I had to stop. This wasn’t right.

  Voices filled the woods around me. The sounds of fighting bombarded my mind. I was thrown to the side again, landing hard against the earth. My muzzle lifted, my lips peeling back from my teeth as I let out a snarl of rage.

  “Talia, watch out!”

  I lifted my head, snarling in frustration Then, I was rolling. Something, no someone had slammed into me, knocking the wind from my lungs. I shifted my feet and pushed my paws against the body that was trying to get up. Growls surrounded me as I pushed away from the unfamiliar wolf.

  His body moved in lithe motions as he stalked me. I spread my front legs, my nails digging into the earth.

  With a roar, I leapt. Our bodies collided with a ‘thwack’ and we were rolling again. Howling sounds erupted around us as it’s teeth snapped at me. My shoulder blazed with a fire when his teeth made purchase.

  Kicking out, my back paws ripped at his hind end and I spun away. My front paw went out to swipe across his muzzle. There was a low whine from him, but before I could retaliate again there was a booming voice behind me.

  “ENOUGH!” Ramport’s voice spoke to me in a way that had been lost at first.

  I shook my head as I tried to clear the fog away. Chuffing I sat, my haunches slamming into the earth under me. It was then that I heard the growl of the wolf I had been hit by.

  My lips curled into a vicious snarl as he paced around me.

  “Natalia!” I turned my head back to see Joshua coming towards us. He was stopped and held back by Javi and Malcolm. A rumble left me seeing my mate. My mate.

  Wait, what had just happened?

  “Stay away from her! Father, stop him!”

  “Kato, stand down. This is not as it looks. I was in no danger from her,” Ramport’s words struck a chord with me.

  I met his gaze. There were healing scratches across his face and forearms. I couldn’t imagine what it looked like under his T-shirt. I lowered my head and groaned softly. The gravelly sound spread throughout the growing group like a wildfire.

  I had hurt Ramport. Me!

  How had that happened? I shook my head and stepped back when the wolf came closer.

  “You called us for help, Ramport. We come into your home and see you being attacked by a mangy cat, and you want us to step aside,” an unfamiliar voice filled the now silent clearing. I hissed as the dark skinned man looked over at me in disgust.

  “You are in my territory, I advise you to mind your mouth. I do not take kindly to your attitude. I said to step down. If you do not, you will be leaving in pieces,” Ramport snapped.

  His growl left no room for discussion. He was not backing down. I watched the man once again give me a scathing look as he stepped back.

  “Talia, sweetheart, look at me,” Ramport’s voice was softer now. I backed up as he came forward. “Joshua, to me.”

  “Father, what is it?” he asked, his eyes never leaving me.

  “She’s got the fever, I say you get rid of her,” the dark skinned man grumbled. The growling from our people made him shut his mouth, but he still looked peeved.

  The other wolf, the one Ramport had called Kato, was backing off, moving to the dark skinned man’s side.

  “I shall not tell you again. Mind your mouth.”

  “Talia, love, do you know where you are,” Joshua said, slowly moving towards me.

  “Love? Are you kidding me Ramport? You let your pup mate a cat?”

  The man was getting on my nerves. The haze around us had dissipated.

  I pawed the earth under me, standing. I shook out my fur and slowly made my way to where Ramport and Joshua stood. Falling over at Joshua’s feet, I turned my head away from him, submitting in front of everyone to them both.

  “Come on, my sweet girl, enough of that,” Ramport spoke to me in a hushed tone as he squatted before me.

  His fingers dug into the scruff of my neck and gave a squeeze to acknowledge my submission.

  “Let’s see if you can shift back, yes? Then we can get you back home.”

  “Ramport, I demand you explain yourself. It’s bad enough that you ask my pack to come and help with guarding a vampire, but you expect us to help guard some feline? You have lost your sanity, my old friend.”

  You know, I was really tired of this man. I turned my body and stood, once again shaking out my fur. I growled his way, a ripple of energy rolling through me as my anger rose. He thought he was so much better than I was? Pfft.

  As I slinked towards him he growled. I felt a hand on my scruff and halted.

  “Shift.” The one word ran through me as a pain lit my muscles. I was on fire, but that fire slowly turned to ice as my body morphed from its four-legged form to two. I coughed through the last of the tremors. My body heaved in air as I shook off the last of the change.

  “That. Sucks,” I rasped out. My arms were shaking and I felt Joshua kneel in front of me. He ripped from his back and he blocked my front as he got it over my head.

  “Can you stand?” I heard the concern in Joshua’s voice. I nodded and with his help I stood.

  “She’s not much to look at,” a grave voice said from beside us.

  I glanced over to see the wolf that was at the dark skinned man's side was now back in his human form. I sneered at him, fangs bared. His eyes widened and I felt vindicated.

  “What-what is this?” The dark skinned man demanded.

  “This is the reason you are here. Everyone, return to your cabin. Javi, accompany our guests to my cabin. Talia, dear, return to your cabin with Joshua. Sheri is there waiting on you. She will help you clean up while Joshua joins us,” Ramport’s words drew a shudder through me.

  “Okay,” I said, curling into Joshua so I didn’t have to look at anyone else.

  RAMPORT

  When the door to my cabin was shut I turned to Malik and glared.

  “You and your mutt were asked to come as a favor. I did not invite you here to disrespect my orders or to attack the one we need to protect.”

  “What would you have me do? She was attacking you,” he asked, a smile pulling at his lips.

  “Do not act as if you would truly care if such a thing were actually happening,” I snapped.

  Javi moved to flank my right side as we moved to the sitting room. I was beyond pissed that they had gotten to her again, and with me standing beside her. Now to add insult to injury, I had these two buffoons to deal with. Spirits be with me.

  Javi cleared his throat as the door to the cabin opened. I nodded at Joshua.

  “How is she?” I asked him, genuine sincerity in m
y concern.

  “I-I don’t know. Them being here has put her on edge again,” he said.

  His gaze moved to Malik and Kato, a growl slipping from his lips.

  “Joshua,” I warned as I turned back to face our guests.

  “Father, I left Talia trying to tell Mother what happened in her room. What made her shift back to her feline form. Something happened, I am not sure what, though. I did not see, nor did I feel anything, not until she reacted to it. I believe they were messing with her mind. She thought you were the black form from the stream. That is why she attacked. I encouraged her to not fret about it, but she continues to beat herself up over her actions. I don’t know what to do to make her better. I feel so helpless,” he grumbled.

  I gripped his shoulder, my fingers pressing into his skin.

  “I will speak to her once she has had time to calm herself,” I said, nodding slightly.

  “Please, inform us as to why we are here? I am utterly confused by your actions, Ramport. You have a thing in your pack that can shift from vampire to cat, yet you do not destroy her. Is there something more to this than we were told? I was under the impression this was a female of worth that needed protecting,” Malik hissed.

  My ire rose as I took a step towards him.

  “Do not speak of her in that manner. That girl has more value than you can see. Do not test my graciousness, Malik. You and Kato owe me this favor. Do not forget your place,” I growled.

  They both took a step back as I continued to glared at them. My gaze never moved from theirs until their eyes were lowered.

  “Now, we must decide how to help her. The Druids are playing with her in order to make her weak. If she loses herself, she may go to them to make it all stop. This is new to her. She has only just learned of her ability to shift. They must have known where she was. They have not appeared before this. Why now, though? What is special about this time? We have to find a way to detect when they are close, before they cause her any more trauma.”

  “What would you have us do? You want me to risk my pack for this... thing? For this girl? I need to know why? What is so special about this, this... demon child? How can she be a cat pawing at your face, then be a hissing vampire? I want answers, Ramport, and I want them now!” Malik demanded.

  I growled, stepping closer to him, my canines showing as I let him see my anger.

  “You will do as I ask, or the next time you and your pack are in over your heads I will not step in. Traitors have no say as it is. You do as I ask, or you lose more than you are worth,” I hissed.

  “I am of a mind that she is evil. How are we to know this is not a trap to cause my pack trouble?”

  The door to the cabin flung itself open and as we turned my eyes went wide.

  Trenton, Prince of the Vampires and Talia’s father, stood in my doorway. His clothes were tattered, and he was covered in blood and dirt, but he was standing. And he was pissed.

  I had wondered if he was still alive. I hadn’t heard from him in many years. However, I was guessing we would have known for sure if he was taken out. The so-called king would have made sure everyone knew that there was no longer an heir to challenge his rule or his claim to the throne.

  “You will help him, mutt, or I will rip you into tiny pieces and feed you to the birds.”

  “Holy Gods,” Joshua whispered.

  “Trenton?” I asked in surprise.

  “That devil child you speak of is my daughter. Mine and Natalie’s. You will show her respect, or I will end you. Got it?” Trenton continued in a snarl.

  The room fell silent.

  8

  Talia

  My mind and body were still trying to understand what in the world had happened to me earlier. I fumbled to explain what I felt. Sheri had listened to me babble on and did her best to keep me calm. It was like a ghost had possessed me and made me go crazy. I closed my eyes again and let out a frustrated sigh, the tears starting to build in my eyes.

  “I’m… I-I hurt Ram….” I stuttered out my words.

  Sheri was shushing me, placating me even as she washed me in the hot water that filled my tub. I started to sob into my knees, pulling them tightly against my chest. Sheri started to sing to me. It brought back the memories of my childhood. She would sing to me whenever she bathed me as a child, or anytime she needed to keep me calm. It was months before she could get me to sleep at night without singing to me.

  My dad had left me, what else could I do?

  “Hush, child. Ramport is perfectly fine. Do not fret,” Sheri crooned.

  Her soft words and caring smile did more for me than I could say. I nodded and tried to get myself together. I let her continue to care for me. My body was still shaking with adrenaline, so I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing. It was the best way I’d found to keep my panther, my otherside, calm.

  My eyes popped open and I wiped the tears from them when a tug pulled at my awareness. My head came up further and I looked around. Frowning slightly, I saw nothing. I looked down at Sheri who had stopped singing when we heard raised voices coming from outside.

  I stood up and stepped from the tub. I pulled on the robe Sheri had brought in earlier.

  “Sheri… there’s-” I trailed off as the voices quieted.

  Unease filled me. The unease was coming from my connection with Joshua. It made my gut clench. I growled and dashed towards the door, running full speed.

  “Talia! Wait!” I heard Sheri’s voice behind me but she was too late.

  I was sprinting across the yard and with a hop up three stairs I was slamming the front door to Ramport’s cabin open. I snapped my mouth shut and stumbled to a stop when my gaze met my father's.

  My Father?

  “Talia? What… Mother?” Joshua’s voice came to a quiet hush when Sheri moved to touch my arm. I couldn’t look at her. I could only stare at my father.

  He’d come back? Why now? Where has he been? Was he all right?

  So many questions ran through my head as my body began to tremble. My head shook back and forth when he took a step towards me. I stepped back to maintain the distance between us, brushing against Sheri as I made my way back onto the porch. I squeezed my eyes shut as a new kind of pain shifted through me.

  I grabbed at my head, a ringing sound beginning in my ears. The pain increased as the volume of the ringing in my ears grew.

  “Talia, love, you need to relax. She will take you over if you don’t,” Joshua said.

  “Her? What’s wrong with her?” I heard my father’s booming voice and jerked back at his closeness.

  I fell back and landed on the ground. My butt slammed into the packed dirt. A whoosh of air left me. I shook it off and I crawled back away from him. My body shook with each of his forward steps. I growled at him. An unreal rage flooded me all of a sudden. I curled my hands into fists as he came to a stop. I stood up, facing him. The darkness from earlier was back. He was covered in it. I shook my head and panted.

  No, it couldn’t be him.

  “Natalia Marie, it is I. Do not fear me, child. They are in your head. Let me help you,” he said.

  I stood there, unmoving as I watched him move closer.

  “NO!” I jerked away, falling to the ground once again, my body shaking uncontrollably. I tried to regain control of myself.

  “Talia, look at me, love. You have to fight this,” Joshua’s voice was a wash of calm over me.

  I closed my eyes, my back arching. I can beat this. Breathing in a deep breath, I jerked at my father’s touch. The black cloud around him wrapped around me and I couldn’t breathe. I pawed at my throat, gasping. The warmth of his arms wrapped around me, restraining me as I fought to get away.

  “Natalia, relax, my child. I am not here to harm you. Please, my sweet girl, let me help you.”

  I screamed and my body jerked again, then I was seeing things in a whole new way. I was covered in fur, growling as he moved to hold me against him.

  “Trenton, what’s the meaning of t
his?”

  I could distinguish Sheri’s voice over everyone else.

  I continued to thrash, fighting my way out of his arms. Then, I turned and attacked him. My rage, my hurt from him leaving me boiled over. The fear of the blackness surrounding him. It was all too much.

  What was real?

  I wasn’t sure at the moment, but I knew I couldn’t fight my body’s instincts any longer. Minutes passed before I was pinned to the ground. The growl that left my father’s lips made me cringe. Twisting my body under him, I growled in return and tried once again to get away.

  He had abandoned me. No word came from him, not once, during the years I had been with Ramport and his pack. And now, when crazy things start happening to me, he decides it’s time to show up! The struggle to calm my inner beast was real. She was no happier with him than I was.

  “Natalia, enough!” His roaring voice covered me.

  I shuddered and shifted back to my human form. The power that rolled across me gave me no warning, no choice. One moment I was fur-covered, the next I was in my human skin again. There was no rebuking it. He was powerful and I was… well, not.

  I didn’t have any time to process that thought, though. Nope. I let the rest of what I was feeling out. I jerked at my hands, trying to get free.

  “Get off of me! I don’t want you here!” My voice rang out through the space between us. “You left me. Threw me away, and now, now you just show up!”

  “I had no choice but to leave you. I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

  “Liar!”

  I tried to push myself free of his hold but couldn’t. A growl rumbled from him, matched by one of my own.

  “I did this to save you from them. You have to understand, I did this to keep you safe! I couldn’t lose you as well. I lost your mother, I wasn’t going to let the same thing happen with you. I knew you would be safe here. Dammit! Trust me, I know I don’t deserve it but please trust me!”