Crossing Paths: A Brooklyn Shifters Romance Book 1

by Daphne Snow

  "Your mate wouldn't help me but you will. With your body that is. I know some men prefer some squish." His smile was wide. As he unrolled the cloth to reveal a branding iron with a large cursive K on it.

  "It's time to get you settled into your new role." Kaiser took the branding iron and set it on the hot pipes. "You need to know who you belong to now. I can't wait to see Bensons face once he gets a glimpse of my brand on you." Mina watched helplessly as the man then ran a finger across Frannie's chin which halted her screaming. He pulled at her fuzzy pants with cartoon characters sprawled across them, exposing her thigh.

  Frannie said nothing as he slapped at her thigh and laughed menacingly. Her face was like stone resigned to the end that they were facing. Mina continued to scream and fight at the short man. But less so, she didn't want to grab Kaiser's attention again.

  There was a part of herself she hated, her self-preservation. Her best friend, a woman like a sister was about to get branded but she did nothing. Unlike Frannie who had screamed and yelled to get their attention, Mina had just quietly shouted and fought her would-be rapist.

  Her throat was hoarse as the man ripped her tank exposing the bra she had thankfully worn. He grabbed at her breast, roughly pushing aside the fabric. Any thought of escape, any coherent thought of what to do next died in her brain. His touch felt like slugs on her skin revolting and constantly moving from her still covered behind to her open bra.

  She just kept kicking and struggling blood flinging from her wrist and arms onto the floor. It dripped past her shoulder and down her chest to soak into her bra. Crimson droplets flung onto the man's face but he just smiled up at her disgustingly.

  Mina hated a lot of criminals for a lot of different reasons but she hated pimps and rapists the most. She feared them the most. Taking what didn't belong to them in the most intimate ways and destroying a person's will to live in the process. She wasn't going to make it out of this with her mind intact.

  The roar that surrounded her next seemed almost inaudible to her own scream. A beast roared so loud she almost didn't recognize it. But there in the room was a black bear, its feet bleeding extensively and teeth bared.

  Frannie? It was obvious it was her. She looked around and didn’t see Fran, at least in her human form, anywhere.

  Kaiser stepped back hitting his hip on the table. He didn't seem afraid but cautious. The silky-looking bear was not focused on him however but on Mina and the troll.

  Fey raced towards the haunched man jumping at him and raked its claws against the sides of the man's face and neck. Threx the troll had slow reflexes so he had barely put his arms up in defense before he was on his back. His wheezing cries muddled with the ferocious sounds of a very pissed off black bear. The bear gnashed its teeth at him until his body lay still and lifeless. His sickly parlor now white as the blood drained from him.

  As the bear turned presumably to eye Kaiser, who had watched a smirk form on his lips, she snarled. His response was simply to narrow his eyes and cross his arms. Mina breathed but just scarcely as she still needed to get out of these stupid fucking ropes. The fear rippling through her dimmed just slightly but her frantic beating heart told her this was not over.

  "If you turn back now I promise the punishment won't result in your death. Do not continue to defy me, Miss Bianchi. You killed a perfectly good man; he would have at least been gentle with you both. I can't promise the next one will. " The bear just roared at him louder. Mina struggled again, finally able to feel Mya enough to shift her hand and start slicing at the rope. Mya still hadn’t spoken though and that worried her more.

  Fey, Frannie's bear in all its sleek black beauty was tumultuous no matter how small she was. Kaiser and Fey did this kind of circle standoff. Kaiser skimmed the sides of the room as the bear stood in the middle following his every step. Just as Mina was nearing the release of ropes Kaiser ran to grab the branding iron and the just narrowly escaped Feys ripping claws that still had flesh from the man who lay dead on the floor.

  Mina made a thunk to the floor as her wrist finally free and she was just about to shift to help Frannie when Kaiser grabbed her wrapping his arm around her throat and holding the hot brander to her stomach. His heaving slowed and it looked like he was feeling back in control as he straightened blowing a stray hair out of his face.

  Clearly, her best friend had the goon on the ropes if he was this out of sorts.

  Mina had never seen Kaiser as anything but cold, calculating, and unfazed. To see him this flustered made her smile. "You're gonna fucking die down here." Mina coughed out as his hold on her tightened. He gritted his teeth at her and then shouted at the bear who was stepping ever so closely.

  "Shift back and I'll let her go. I don't care about her" He moved his hand to grip her mouth squeezing her cheeks painfully making her eyes water. "Or her smart little mouth. I just want to teach Benson a lesson. I just want you, so shift back and i'll let your little friend go." The bear hesitated for a moment it's glowing eyes going back to a deep chocolate amber for a moment.

  "No Fran, leave go and find Benson, find my brother." Mina struggled against his arm to no avail. Her twisting limbs doing nothing but tiring her out.

  "Do it" Kaiser nearly screamed out gritted teeth holding the poker closer to Minas thigh starting to burn through her baggy sweatpants.

  Mina shook her head but the bear softened as it looked at her with sad amber eyes. Suddenly in a naked form, there was Frannie, her bloody paws now bloody wrist and hands. Her honeyed skin was covered in dirt and grim.

  "That's a good girl." His shoulders started to relax a bit and Kaiser heaved a shy, an ominous smile curving on his face. "Too bad I don't play nice." As the words left his mouth he bore the heated metal into Mina's upper thigh. She screamed her voice unrecognizable to even herself. Her vision went white with pain as she thought she was going to pass out. Unfortunately, she didn't. Frannie also screamed and she could hear the woman's sobs mixed with her own.

  The smell of her burning flesh made her vomit right there and she hoped it had landed right in Kaiser's face. The pain was excruciating way beyond anything she had ever felt before. Her nevers felt like they were on fire. She couldn’t stop screaming. Eventually, he removed the metal leaving behind his initial letter K.

  He dropped Mina to the floor and she surveyed her leg. The dark black burned flesh marred her otherwise flawless brown skin. She took pride in her glowing skin and how well she took care of it. This man, this monster hurt her, ruined her pride and the feeling of belonging only to herself. She would not, could not ever forgive him for that.

  Kaiser stepped closer to Frannie probably no longer worried about the sobbing Mina on the floor. That was a mistake. "Your turn." Before Kaiser could reach Frannie whose eyes had gone black with the start of her shift, Mina shifted the burn in her leg blinding and felt even by her leopard.

  She went for Kaiser rage pushing her past the pain. She hated the man and wanted him to feel the same pain he had just put her through. Her sleek leopard with all its shiny fur leap through the air and latched onto Kaisers back. Clawing at his throat and chest from behind. She didn't stop even as he fell to the floor, his groans fading. She didn't want to stop, she couldn't not until she saw bone.

  But Frannie rushed to her side shaking the leopard and regaining Mina's attention. The leopard in its blind rage however lunged at her pinning her to the ground. Frannie was shouting at her through the words not quite reaching Mina's ears. They sounded muffled and echoing. Frannie started frantically pointing to the half-open door and Mina got the hint.

  She tried to speak to Mya to tell her to calm down. They needed to run to leave before anyone else got in their way. But Mya wasn't talking, not responding to her. She struggled to even shift back, the cat becoming increasingly difficult to reason with.

  Even as the leopard released Frannie she didn't allow Mina to change back. Making her see everything through the cat's eyes. Her will was stronger than Minas own. Did she think she was
protecting her or was there something wrong? Why wasn't Mya talking to her? If they were somewhere near people she had to shift, she'd be shot dead by humans if she was still in form.

  Frannie opened the door wider, poking her head out and looking both ways. She gave Mya a thumbs up and then they dashed out of the door into a dark and very musty smelling hallway. With her superior sense of smell, Mya had picked up scents that for the most part, Mina could only interpret as a sewer.

  As Mya ran Mina consistently told her to slow down to wait for Frannie. Even if Frannie was in her bear form she wouldn't be running very fast. Whatever they were drugged with slowed them down making their movements sluggish.

  "Please, Mya. I will take care of things." She spoke to her. Minas voice was soft trying to comfort the panicking feline. Mya stopped and sat on her haunches, Frannie hot on her tail, her naked body running into the cats swishing tail.

  "We need to leave!" Her voice was frantic Frannie was panicking in a way only Mina could help, not Mya. I am scared, this place reeks, they want to hurt us. Mya confessed her broken voice fading with each word. Mina knew exactly how she felt she was terrified as well. Mina hushed the cat and soothed its fear then reassured the big cat she would handle this for them. After another moment though hesitant, Mya let her take the reins and Mina shifted back, her naked body feeling weak, her leg burning.

  Frans' face visibly relaxed a bit as she saw Minas face instead of the unyielding leopard.

  Mina staggered a bit and Frannie reached for her steadying her steps. "Let's go Mina, we can't be here." Mina nodded ashamed that she wasn't taking the lead. Ashamed she had been scared, had let Frannie down. But that would be a conversation they could have later.

  The halls were dark and several cries for seemingly empty hallways resonated bouncing off the walls. They echoed from everywhere and it dawned on Mina they had dozens of women down here but she couldn't stop, she couldn't get them help if she was equally trapped. They had to keep moving yet with each sob or hiccup of pain Minas steps faltered. Her skin prickled with sweat and fear. Only Frannie's strong-willed face helped her move on.

  She knew whether it was her or Frannie they wouldn't leave this woman down here wouldn't let them rot in this disgusting place. Amongst the smell of rotting garbage and excrement, she smelt them humans and shifters alike. Some leopards like her, a few foxes and even a wolf. Regardless she would come back for them all.

  They kept going, their legs burning but no one stood in their path. There was no one to stop them. Each step wading through garbage and undesirable gunk and at one point Mina was sure she had tripped over a rat or alligator.

  Kaiser may have the beginnings of a workshop going, Mina had to admit, but clearly didn't have the support to back it. They wouldn't have gotten this far if he did. Then a thought struck her, had Zelik allowed them to get captured? Had he allowed Kaiser to do this? Did he hate her so much that he decided to get rid of her?

  That couldn't be it. No, it couldn't. Minas sob caught in her throat as they continued. Frannie helped her along the way. The staggering pain in her leg was nearly unbearable.

  Sure they fought but he wouldn't sell out his own sister. Zelik was all about family as annoying as it was. It was why she rarely left the house and why he was such a stickler for not letting men around her. He cared, didn't he? She had been pretty ruthless to him lately finally getting fed up with his controlling ways. Mina did know he was dangerous but never assumed he would hurt her or allow her to be hurt.

  It didn't make sense.

  But some lingering piece of her heart told her Zelik allowed this to happen. Gave Kaiser the green light. Maybe that's why he was so pissed he couldn't get in the house. Maybe he wanted in on hurting them. Again that lump in her throat hurt, even more, she couldn't breathe.

  Her breath finally let out as she stepped her leg throbbing once more where he had branded her a disgusting K her leg. She belonged to no one, not to Zelik, not to Kaiser to no one. When she got out of the rotten place she would show them she was her own person. She would live the life she wanted. No longer trapped in a brownstone to cook her brother his food every night.

  Eventually, their efforts led to a heavy metal door with a fading exit sign glowing above it. Mina hopped out of Frans grasp and leaned against the wall as Frannie tried to push it open. As it scraped along the floor Mina couldn’t help but ask, desperate to be told she was wrong.

  “Zelik?” Fran paused and looked at her with exhausted eyes. She knew what she was asking.

  “He was angry but he loves you. I don't think he would do this. At least not to you.” With a last painful sounding shove the door opened. The two nude women stumbled up a flight of stairs and out a relatively easier door to open. It led to a larger dark tunnel, red lights slowly blinking along the walls.

  "Were in the subway." Frannie said looking around them still holding onto Mina as she hobbled a few steps. Cold metal and hard rocks scraped the bottoms of their feet. Mina should have known but she wasn't one hundred percent sure. In all reality, she never had to use the subway much.

  Surprising, since she had spent her whole life in Brooklyn, she just never needed to use the subway. Her brother didn't let her go anywhere there was a crowd, and anytime she went to Frans house as kids someone drove her usually Ya-Ya.

  Frannie walked in a direction and Mina out of her element followed. The adrenaline from before now started to wear thin as it seemed they were out of immediate danger. As they continued walking she had come to the realization that this either must not be a very well-traveled tunnel or it was extremely late at night. No trains were coming; they didn't hear anything or anyone besides the scurrying of rodents across the metal of the subway tracks.

  "We are almost there. I promise. Remember we will get all the aspirin." Frannie joked but Mina saw the hard lines in her face. She was exhausted and scared. Yet here she was being strong for the both of them when Mina could barely muster a choked sob.

  She loved Frannie by the good graces of the gods, and even if the world ended tomorrow, she would know that she was okay because she had the most reliable, caring, trustworthy friend anyone could ask for. All she wanted was to see Fran happy with her man, she’d be safe with him, Mina knew that. If they could just get out of here Mina would tell her to take her head outta her ass and accept the guy already. But the blazing pain in her leg stopped her from saying much of anything.

  Eventually, a lighted walkway came into view. E 143rd St on black signs attached to blue steel beams. Movie posters lined the walls with their various ads. The yellow tile was stained from years of patrons walking by and the floor had garbage and interesting looking stains on it. But there was also a wood bench and Mina was dying to sit down and get off this leg. There was a small ladder off the side of the walkway and Frannie helped Mina over the many rusted metal beams.

  "You go first. I'm right behind." Her shaky winded breath was telling. They were both naked and exhausted from getting knocked out, almost raped and assaulted by mad men. They were both not physically equipped for all this exertion. Sure Mina was a tad smaller than Frannie but with the burn, in her leg, she was just as worn out if not more.

  Mina climbed the ladder with frightful slowness. At this pace, Kaiser was gonna come back from the dead and haunt them already. But she did make it up there and stood leaned against the beams as she waited for Frannie. Thankful for the weight taken off her leg. Mina looked around, the subway platform was empty of people, not a single face in sight or the echo of talking nearby. Was this normal?

  Just as her eyes came back to Frannie she screamed. Frannie looked up at her, a face of innocent confusion before it was ripped from her. In her view was a skinny wiry brown panther bounding towards her, bloodied and snarling. Frannie fell forward onto the platform, her head made a cracking sound onto the dirty floor.

  The panther raked at her back, splattering blood all over the floor. Skin ripping under its nails. Mina screamed a blood-curdling sound of horror.

/>   Frannie also screamed as the pain coursed through her, destroying her body. "Stop!" Mina screamed even though it was clear the wrathful panther didn't care. She hobbled forward tumbling onto the grimy tile. Her body and mind spent. She was hardly able to move.

  "Hello?" A timid concerned voice of what smelled like a male human sounded from a distance. She had to think of a plan, anything to save her friend. No one mattered more to her right now.

  Mina reached to Mya asking her to take over a plan formulating in her mind. She would hate it but she had no choice. Mya instantly took over shifting the brand showing through her fur, the beautiful black rosettes there destroyed.

  A snarl came from her sounding towards the other animal garnering his attention. They faced off against the panther, its tail swishing in the air in an elegant yet furious way, she knew this was Kaiser.

  Minas eyes were on Frannie as the bloodied creature stepped off her best friend and stalked towards them, he left crimson footprints in his wake. Frannie lifted her head, her eyes glazed over, life leaving her body. Still, though once the monster had been distracted, she crawled dragging her mostly limp body towards the stairs of the subway. Snow and sunlight streamed down the stairs like a gateway to heaven. It was oddly angelic.