Can you guys take on tigers because whoever was fighting that one to start wasn’t doing too well?
We can fight them fine, we are just a little smaller than tigers. Matt said.
I smirked. Small huh? Now you know how I feel, but surely if you can make yourselves smaller into cats, can’t you make yourselves bigger?
They all went silent for a minute and I wondered what I had said wrong before James said suddenly.
That girl is brilliant.
Andrew you should stay out of this since you don’t know how to resize. Mark said.
And so should you Cayla. Dom said.
Like hell, I just saved your arses. I can tie you back up again if that is what you wish.
You don’t know how to fight, you’ll get hurt.
I’ll heal, trust me. I cut off the last of Denise’s bonds and before Dom could object more I added including the crocodile in my broadcast. Now go.
They reacted faster than I thought possible and there were suddenly black panthers and then larger black panthers as their sizes increased to tiger size. Andrew was staying back and hid behind the tree, I gave him a smile and he said.
“Go get ‘em girl.”
I stuffed the crocodile tooth into my pocket and shifted into a tiger and ran for the battling oversized cats in the centre of the clearing. It didn’t take long to discover that my tiger family were a bunch of cowards and it almost made me ashamed to be one as they slowly scattered and ran away from us. I was fine with letting them get away except for the one who had, had it’s knife held up to Dom’s throat and I had kept note of which tiger he had turned into and now I wanted his blood.
He took off across the clearing and I put as much power into my four legs as I could before sprinting after him. Despite him being a shifter longer than I had and probably being much more used to his tiger form I caught up with him quickly and let my predatory side descend on her prey before sinking my teeth into its neck. Without pausing I clamped my jaw around his throat and ripped away taking half of his neck with me before he stopped struggling beneath me.
When my tiger withdrew a little now that I had completed my kill I felt terrible that I had really killed someone and took a few steps away from him. I had never thought I would be able to kill someone, but I had just murdered someone and I wasn’t really sure how to deal with it. As I stared at the body he slowly returned to human form and yep he was definitely the one who had attempted to kill Dom, but it didn’t make me feel any better about it.
Before the guilt had a chance to consume me my tiger came to the surface again when I felt a pierce of agony slice down my hip, I turned around in time to realise the wolves had returned. My tiger knew that they weren’t a challenge for me and my claws unsheathed themselves before I swiped down the wolves. They got in a few swipes and bites at me before help arrived.
The other tigers having escaped, the panthers jumped in and took on the wolves, they didn’t really need my help so I drew back and returned to human form before falling to my knees as I stared at the dead body I was responsible for. I wasn’t even aware of the pain slowly disappearing from the injuries as I tried to stop myself from feeling guilty.
“Cayla, are you ok, where are you hurt?” Dom asked suddenly arriving at my side.
I closed my eyes and shook my head. “I’m fine.”
“Really? Because I saw those wolves get in some pretty good swipes.” Matt said.
“I’m fine.” I hissed. “I healed ok.”
“No one heals that quickly.” Mark stated.
“Well, I do.” I said standing up and turning in a circle. “See no injuries.” They still looked doubtful so I grabbed the crocodile tooth from my pocket and held my palm out to them to prove that it was clear before cutting it with the sharp tooth.
They could clearly see the blood being drawn and Dom’s eyes flashed yellow before I wiped my palm on my shorts and showed them my now healed palm.
“See, fine!”
“How long has that been happening.” Denise asked.
I shrugged. “I first noticed it when I got a paper cut when I was moving in my apartment.”
Now that I had made them believe me I was back to staring at the dead guy feeling the guilt stamping on my heart like a parade. I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to hold back the tears.
“Nice, you ripped his throat right out.” Owen said walking up to us from somewhere.
“It is not nice!” I almost yelled at him. “I just murdered someone! I’m eighteen years old and I’m a freaking murderer!”
“Hey, it’s ok.” Dom said trying to calm me.
“It is not ok! How is it possibly ok when I just killed him?”
“Why did you kill him by the way? There were plenty of others, but you went right for him like he had done something to offend you.” James said.
I shrugged knowing exactly why I had gone for him, but not willing to tell anyone.
“Who is he anyway, I’ve never seen him before and we usually know all of the tigers.” Matt asked.
“He’s new.” An unfamiliar voice said and we all turned towards him. “He has done some pretty bad things so you really don’t need to feel bad about it and he had a knife to that guys throat.” He pointed at Dom.
They all raised their eyebrows at me and I looked away embarrassed before glaring at the newcomer. He had light brown hair, golden eyes and can’t have been much older than me.
“Who are you anyway?”
He smirked. “The croc.”
“Oh, thanks for your help.” I said.
“Thanks for yours, I thought I was doomed to be stuck with those guys forever.”
I shrugged and held the tooth out towards him. “Here’s your tooth, erm thanks for letting me use it.”
He chuckled. “It’ll grow back you can keep that one.”
I frowned at it before putting it in my pocket. “Erm thanks I think.”
Matt laughed suddenly. “So, let me get this right? You jumped into the lake with the croc, made all friendly with him, stole his tooth and cut us free?”
I smirked. “No, but that sounds more impressive so let’s stick with that story.”
When they all stared at me for a few minutes I sighed and told them the real story about what had happened. Dom ground his teeth together before asking.
“Did you know the croc wasn’t going to eat you before or after you made a jump for that branch?”
I completely ignored him and looked up at the sky. “Hmm, it’s a nice night tonight.”
“Cayla.” He growled.
“Fine, after, but it was either that or get eaten by wolves or tigers.”
I stared at the dead body again with a frown still trying to get rid of the guilt plaguing me.
“You really shouldn’t be sorry about it.” The croc said.
“Yeah, well I can’t help thinking that he probably has a family out there somewhere and now he will never go back to them.” I muttered.
“He didn’t have a family, but he did lead an attack on someone else’s.”
I frowned. “Why?”
“I’m not sure of all the details, but apparently the tiger line isn’t the true line at the moment and if the true line decided to take over they could so they wanted to wipe it out. A few months ago this man arrived claiming he knew them, said he was the brother, but the shifter power wasn’t as strong in him. They did a few tests to make sure he really wasn’t that strong and then they began to watch these people.” Everyone was watching him as he spoke, we were all curious as to what had happened now. “It wasn’t long before they traced the family tree back and then after watching them found proof that he was telling the truth and these people were in fact descendants of the true line. They decided they couldn’t attack head on because they wouldn’t stand a chance so they had to make it look like an accident. The guy who was betraying them set them up to be at a certain place at a certain time, paid for their vacation and everything and they caused a car accident
, killed them out right they didn’t even stand a chance. This guy here led the attack.”
“Who would set their own brother up?” I asked disgusted.
He shrugged. “Beats me, I think it was a jealousy thing. It went so far that he didn’t even care that his own son was in the car when it happened. The son died as far as I know, but I think his brother’s daughter survived so they never did wipe them out.”
I gulped as the pieces began to fit together a little too well with what had happened to my family.
“Did they ever find the girl?” James asked.
“Nah, she went to live with her Uncle, but turns out she ran away from him a little while ago. They were debating weather to wait for her to change and use her. I guess they took too long to decide.”
My eyes widened and I began to feel a little faint.
“Doesn’t this sound a little familiar to you?” I heard Andrew whisper to Matt behind me.
“Sure does.” He muttered.
“I don’t suppose you know the name of this girl do you?” Dom asked apparently getting the same idea.
He shrugged. “I never heard her name, but I did hear that the parents were called Craig and………..” He trailed off with a frown. “What was her name?”
I felt my throat clog up, but I managed to choke out. “Penny?”
“Yeah, that was it! Did you know them?” He asked.
My legs gave way completely and my knees hit the floor before I whispered.
“They were my parents.”
Chapter 13
The pain of the loss tried to consume me, but I refused to let it and instead let the rage at my Uncle replace it. I tried to take deep breaths and eventually I managed to get to my feet again.
“I am really sorry, if I had known I would have never said anything.” The croc said quickly.
I shook my head holding back tears. “No, it’s fine. I’m glad you told me.”
“You are?” Dom asked doubtfully who was now standing extremely close to me as if to catch me if my legs decided they couldn’t hold me again.
I nodded. “Of course.”
“Not that I am complaining, but why are you ok with this?” Andrew asked.
“I’m not freaking ok with it, I defended that betraying bastard!” I growled. “I’m glad he told me because now the next time I see him I won’t feel the need to defend him. When he sees me again he is going to regret ever messing with my life.”
I began pacing trying to get rid of the rage running through my body, but I wanted to hurt my Uncle so bad for what he had done. Pausing by the dead body I kicked it hard and yelled.
“And screw you, you piece of shit, I hope you rot in hell!”
“I’m no expert, but it seems like this is her first turning and I was always told that a lot of emotion combined with that wasn’t a good thing.” The croc said suddenly as I continued to pace.
“It’s not.” Mark answered.
“So, should we knock her out?” Matt asked.
“Don’t make me kick you.” I growled at him.
He frowned at me. “Hey, how come her eyes never change?” Andrew asked.
“Because her tiger eyes are blue too.” Dom said.
“And I thought the anger thing disappeared after your first change?” He added.
“It’s supposed to.” Mark answered. “But all the emotion is kind of defeating that and if she doesn’t calm down the rage could destroy her.”
“Go and sort her out.” Matt ordered Dom.
“I’m not going near her, I’ll just make her worse do you not listen to the things I tell you?” He hissed.
“Yes, I do and I also listened to something very interesting she told me earlier so just trust me and go over to her.”
“Shut up Matthew!” I growled feeling like the anger was slowly taking over my senses.
“I’ll go.” Andrew sighed.
“No.” Matt said suddenly. “It has to be Dom, just trust me ok?”
Dom sighed before walking over to me, grabbing my arm and leading me away from the others. Under normal circumstances I would have pulled my arm out of his grasp, but I knew right now that he was the only one who had a calming affect on me that I couldn’t even explain and he was my only chance at stopping this rage from ruling my mind.
We came to a stop beside the lake and he turned to me hesitantly as if half afraid I would slap him and run away, but I didn’t do either of those things. Instead I looked at him and waited.
“Listen Cayla, I have absolutely no idea how I am supposed to help you with this, but if there is anything I can do I-.”
“Just hold me.” I cut him off.
“Excuse me?” He asked seeming to think he hadn’t heard me correctly since I had done nothing, but try to stay away from him.
“Hold me.” I whispered.
He didn’t need to be told again, without another word he pulled me into the comfort of his arms and I felt the rage disintegrate until there was nothing left of it. I never wanted to pull away from him after feeling so relaxed in his arms, but I knew I would have to eventually and then go back to keeping my distance. I breathed in his scent that I had missed so much and tried to memorise it, store it away in a part of my brain that I could reach when I felt lonely and in need of him.
What happened next knocked me out of my world of Dom, I didn’t know what made me look in the trees above Dom’s head, maybe it was just instinct from the tiger or maybe it was just blind luck, but I was glad I did.
My eyes weren’t good enough as a human to make out what it was immediately, but I knew enough to know that they were up to no good and after a few seconds it was clear to me that they were taking aim at something. My heart almost stopped when I realised it was Dom, without thinking I shoved him to the side. He didn’t seem at all surprised, I think he just thought I was pushing him away again, but when the whizzing sound of the arrow passed close to his ear he tilted his head as if to identify where the sound was coming from before it sliced into my stomach with the ease of a knife through butter.
His eyes turned yellow in anger just as another one slid into my shoulder and I fell to my knees, his gaze slid towards the trees and it didn’t take him long to locate the little shit within the trees, he wasn’t exactly hiding out too well.
Dom yelled for the others apparently not wanting to leave me, I didn’t know what my healing abilities were, but apparently they didn’t reach to the extent of pushing arrows back out and healing me.
Owen and James took off into the trees upon locating their prey and shifting. I had a feeling that, that guy wouldn’t make it to see the morning.
“Who the hell uses bows and arrows anymore?” I muttered just as the others reached us.
“I though you could heal now?” Matt asked with a frown.
“How can she heal when she has arrows in her?” Andrew asked him with a glare.
“Exactly, please just pull them out and I’m sure I’ll heal just fine.” At least I hoped I would.
“And if you don’t?” Mark asked.
“Then I’ll have two holes in me that I never wanted.” I answered grinding my teeth against the pain.
“I’m going to have to push them all the way through, if I pull them out it will bring half of your insides with it.”
I laughed in disbelief. “Oh, that’s great I would have just hated it if it was going to be any more painful than this.” Mark just frowned at me so I said. “Please, just get them out, it really is quite painful.”
“Hold her up son.” Mark ordered and Dom lifted my body off of the ground where I had laid only moments ago making me wince.
“Why the hell did you push me out of the way?” Dom growled as Mark snapped off the feathered end of the arrow.
“Because you were going to get an arrow in the back.” I stated.
“I’d rather I had one in the back than be helping my dad remove them from you.”
I shrugged wincing at the movement. “I’ll bear that in mind nex
t time.”
“Good.” He muttered.
“I’ll still push you out of the way, but I’ll bear it in mind.” I smirked at him.
He glared at me before Mark said. “Ok, this is going to hurt.”
“Figures.” I muttered.
On the count of three he began pushing the arrow through my stomach and I really felt that he hadn’t prepared me enough by just using the word hurt to describe it. Agony might have been closer, it really felt like he was slowly ripping my stomach out.
“You’re lucky he missed anything important.” Mark said as he continued to torture me.
I grunted in response trying so hard not to scream. When he finally pulled it all the way through my stomach was burning and I waited for it to lessen, but nothing happened. I began to panic just as Mark examined the tip with squinted eyes before muttering.
“Dirty bastard used poison.”
“And she isn’t healing.” Dom growled lifting the bottom of my top up as if to make sure I hadn’t healed in secret or something, but the hole the arrow had left was still clearly visible.
“She wouldn’t do, she needs the antidote first.” He said before setting to work on the arrow in my shoulder.
I groaned. “This just keeps getting better.”
Mark handed the broken arrow that had just been removed from me to Denise before saying. “Find out what you can about the poison and get an antidote if you can.”
She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before taking off and a few minutes later the second arrow was out leaving another gaping hole. I knew that I was losing blood fast and it was making me feel a little weak, but I was sure I was holding up better than I would have been before all this self healing stuff had begun.
“Well, this is going to be a night that we won’t forget in a hurry.” Matt stated.
I snorted before mumbling. “I’m sorry guys.”
“What for?” Dom asked with a frown.
I was about to shrug before remembering it wouldn’t be a good idea and said. “For being a tiger, I mean I am one of the enemy, which kind of sucks and I completely understand if you don’t want anything to do with me after tonight.”
One Of The Enemy (Hidden Descendant Series, Book 1) Page 18