by D McEntire
“Rayne.”
He heard Dana call his name and looked at her.
“You can’t blame yourself for what happened or for the loss of your people. If you were there, what would have happened? What could one man, even one hawk for that matter, do against the Rogues? You would have been killed like all the rest. Then, there would be no more of your people left. You, Rayne, are their legacy. You.”
Rayne saw the pleading look on her face for him to understand. He also saw her conviction she believed wholeheartedly in what she was saying. Maybe she was right. Maybe there wasn’t anything he could have done to save them.
One hundred years ago…
He followed the scent of blood to a clearing and stopped in his tracks. A man, tall and muscular, battled eight creatures lashing out at him with long claws and flashing bloodstained teeth.
What seemed like mere minutes passed as they battled, the creatures falling one by one to their death.
The battle was over, but its aftermath seized his heart. The bodies of the creatures bubbled and sizzled until they disappeared into ashes.
“What are you doing here, boy?” the man asked while cleaning his weapons.
Insulted at being called a boy, Rayne raised his chin before answering.
“I am not a boy. I am Rayne from the Karankawa tribe. I have been tracking the monsters who murdered everyone in my village.”
Anger coated the wound in Rayne’s heart, and he focused on the rage.
When the warrior approached, he was astounded at how graceful the man moved—like a large cat stalking its prey.
Trying his best not to let his fear show, he held his ground and stared at the man who was giving him the once-over.
The warrior smiled brightly, seemingly approving of what he saw in Rayne.
“I am Stephanus Olivia. The monsters you speak of are vampires, but not ordinary vampires.”
Rayne felt the man’s gaze bore into him as he continued to speak. “Do you know about vampires?”
He had heard of them.
“The elders spoke of vampires, but I believed them to be stories, myths.”
The warrior chuckled softly and shook his head. “They are far from myths, my boy. These vampires are Rogues—killers hunted by ones such as myself, and I, my friend, am also a vampire.”
His ego pricked at being called a boy once again, but was quickly overshadowed by shock, then fear at the man’s declaration. Rayne took several steps backwards, distancing himself from the vampire and readying for battle.
“You needn’t fear me, for I am no threat to you. I am only here to hunt and kill the Rogues, and search for brave warriors to join me in this mission. There are many of us now, and our numbers are growing all over the world.”
Anger showed in the warrior’s eyes as he spoke of the rogue vampires. Rayne began to relax.
Rayne felt not even an ounce of indecision and set his jaw. “I will join you in the hunt for rogue vampires.”
Present…
Rayne brought himself out of his memories and blinked as he realized he had gone silent for quite some time. Both Dana and Shayla were staring at him intently. Embarrassed, he turned away and settled his gaze on the barn.
“Well, that’s about it. Once I became a Watcher, I turned my back on my totem, mostly out of guilt. I guess I felt I didn’t deserve the gift the Spirits had bestowed upon me. I certainly failed the responsibility. I had failed the spirits, and I had failed my people.”
From the corner of his eye, Rayne saw Dana sit back in her chair before he heard her long sigh.
“Rayne, did Suma talk at all about her people? I have been wondering who she is and why she is here. How did she know about the Rogues in the park?”
Rayne thought of their conversation in the trailer. He turned around and settled against the deck’s railing.
“Suma said she is Ute and from the reservation in Utah. She is here with her people, who are participating in the Pow-wow on the waterfront. She said she is here to protect them.”
Rayne shrugged a shoulder, confused with Suma’s situation.
“My guess is she is protecting them from Rogues. I was also curious as to why she is here in Indiana and at the state park instead of on the waterfront with her people, especially if she is supposed to protect them. When I asked, she quickly changed the subject. I have a funny feeling her people do not know she is a Skinwalker. None of it makes sense.”
Rayne turned again and placed his hands on the railing.
“While we were in the trailer, it seemed everything was fine until the Skinwalker part. When I refused to discuss the issue, then…” Are you denying you are a Skinwalker? Are you denying you are like me?
Rayne groaned aloud as Suma’s questions roared through him. He lowered his head and closed his eyes. “Damn. It’s my fault. Once again, I really screwed up.”
“What are you talking about?” Dana asked.
Rayne spoke over his shoulder.
“Suma asked me why I wasn’t wearing my totem necklace. She felt I was denying what I am, what she is. Of course, stupid me didn’t tell her differently. I have been denying to myself I am a Skinwalker for so many years, I didn’t feel it to be a part of me anymore, I pushed the truth out of my life.”
“Oh, Rayne. She probably thinks you are ashamed of it—ashamed of her. Either she likes you and cares about what you think of her, or her own people don’t accept what she is…” Dana shrugged, “…or it could be both.”
After a few moments, he heard Dana’s voice again.
“I take it she doesn’t know any of this? About you and your background?”
Rayne shook his head. “No. When she confronted me about being a Skinwalker, it felt like my entire past came crashing down on me. Looking at her, and seeing how she has embraced her gift and is fighting hard to protect her people, I just couldn’t go there. My shame took over, and I couldn’t speak.”
Rayne grimaced. He certainly had not envisioned reacting to his own emotions about his other identity would upset Suma. Hurting her was the last thing he had wanted to do. He had been attracted to her since first laying eyes on her. She had a beauty, grace and sheer bravery he had never seen before in a woman. She had an air about her which screamed goddess, and he wanted nothing more than to get close to her.
Angry with himself, Rayne slammed his fist on the railing.
“I’ve got to find her. I doubt she has any idea where she is since she’s not from this area, and if she is in the wolf form, she could be in great danger. I’m sure there are a lot of humans around here…sorry…people…who would enjoy nothing more than to bag a wolf for show and tell.” Rayne glanced at Dana to make his correction. He was so used to speaking with his Cell-mates, he had forgotten he was conversing with a human.
Dana nodded then stood. “Yes. You’re right. Maybe you should check the park. In wolf form she may be able to find her way there. Maybe she has a vehicle parked somewhere. I’d go with you, but I think you two have some sorting out to do.”
Rayne nodded. He and Suma did have some serious talking to do.
“She has a truck with an attached camper at the state park. That’s probably where she’s headed.”
The need to find and talk to her gripped him hard, and he sprinted to his Jeep without another word to Dana.
The sense of urgency pushed him past every speed limit from Dana’s house to the park as his mind raced with thoughts of Suma. Remembering how he could not sense the wolf at the park, even after checking the spot on which she had stood moments earlier brought new concern. How was he going to find her, especially if she was still upset and did not want to be found?
Chapter Fifteen
Suma felt groggy and nauseous as the tranquilizer began to wear off. Realizing she was in human form, panic set in and rose even more with the discovery she was in a cage.
Her heart pulsed as she ran her hands over the metal. She frantically scanned the area to see if anyone, especially the man who had b
rought her here, was nearby. She prayed to the Spirits he had not seen her in human form.
Quickly, Suma grasped her totem in her hands and called forth the black wolf, telling herself she needed to hold the form until she could find a way to escape. If anyone found out what she could do…
Thoughts of being locked up in a laboratory and poked and prodded for the rest of her life threatened to steal her breath.
I should have known better than to leave Dana’s place.
Suma closed her eyes at her stupidity. She had left the trailer, taken on her wolf form and ran as fast as the wolf’s legs would carry her in an effort to do the impossible—run away from her life and herself.
With every touch of her paw on the ground, she had told herself nothing in her life had changed. All was the same as it had been yesterday, and the day before. She was still a Skinwalker and shunned by her people because of it, still responsible for hunting vampires and protecting her people and still alone.
As she blindly took to the streets, her heart had filled to overflowing with despair, and the wolf had cried out to the wind.
Suma took in a shuddering breath, feeling the sorrow once again.
The crunch of gravel caught her attention. She snapped her eyes open and backed away from the front of the cage. Instinctively, the wolf stood ready to attack. When she caught the scent of the man who had tranquilized her, the wolf growled low, its lips peeling back from its sharp fangs.
“Well, well. Looky what we have here. You’ve just made my day, little lady.”
The man gave a sly smile. One, which made Suma even more nervous.
Oh, no. Has he seen me in my human form? Suma tried calming herself. Now was not the time to panic. She had to get out of here. Never before had she needed to know how long she could hold her wolf form, and this was not how she wanted to find out.
She watched him bounce on his heels, obviously pleased with his catch. Suma found herself wanting to remove his smile—with her teeth. Her thoughts came out in another vicious snarl.
“My, my, my. Aren’t we a nasty thing? You’ll settle down soon enough. If you don’t, guess I’ll have to drug you up a little to keep you mellow for the shows.”
Jed jumped back when the wolf lunged forth, snapping its teeth together with an audible click, but her inner glee at seeing the smile on his face turn to fear was quickly doused by the bark of laughter which erupted from his throat. The sound sent shivers down her spine.
“Shoowee, you’re an ornery cuss! I’m gonna be making some good money off you, that’s for sure. Damn. If I could get my hands on a male wolf…you look like some purdy good breedin’ material.”
She watched him stroke his chin as if in contemplation. “Hmm…I wonder how much wolf pups would go for.”
His words chilled her to the bone. Thankfully, he turned and walked away. Suma closed her eyes, fear gripping her heart. She had gotten herself into one big mess, and had no idea how she was going to get out of it. Her thoughts turned to her people. She was about to fail in her vow to protect them and fail in her promise to her grandfather.
Dana paced the living room of her house, unable to control the unease pulling at her which had begun after Rayne left. Finally, she went out on the deck and listened to the night, hoping to hear Suma or the wolf come back, or to hear the wolf’s howl in the darkness.
No longer able to withstand the feeling something was terribly wrong, Dana decided to join Rayne in the search for Suma, if only to ensure herself the girl, and the wolf, were all right.
Dana opened the door and popped her head inside.
“Uh, Keith?”
“Yeah?” Keith answered from his recliner in the living room where was watching a game of golf.
“I’m going to run out for a minute. I’ve got a craving for a cup of coffee.”
Dana hopped in her truck and headed down the drive. She was going to follow her gut, and it was telling her to check out Jed Parker’s place. “Please don’t let her be there.”
The sign above Jed’s driveway “Wildlife Refuge” came into view from the glare of the truck’s headlights. Not wanting to be spotted coming up the drive, Dana turned the lights off and cruised slowly, praying if Jed was home, he wouldn’t hear the crunch of gravel underneath the truck’s tires.
The lights were off in the house, which had Dana hoping he was not at home. She pulled the truck to a stop and turned off the engine.
Easing the door closed behind her, she kept her eyes peeled for any sign of Jed. Her mind brought up his threats and the knowledge he would surely shoot her on sight for trespassing on his land.
The mercury vapor lights illuminated much of the area around the various cages and pens. Dana heard a rumbling growl from Justice, who was pacing back and forth in his cage.
“Hey, Justice. Good boy,” she soothed as she slipped by the cage, hoping the tiger recognized her and wouldn’t throw up any alarms.
Dana kept to the shadows and crouched low as she made her way around the cages. Her heart hammered at the reality most of the exotic animals Jed kept were nocturnal and out of their houses, watching every move she made.
I hope they’ve been fed and don’t think I’m here to do it.
She kept going, holding her breath with each step, praying the creatures didn’t start a ruckus from her presence.
A cage sitting not too far from the barn and away from the others caught her attention. As she got closer, two green eyes blinked at her. Suma.
“Suma,” Dana whispered. “I’m so glad I found you. Rayne is out at the park looking for you. He is so worried, Suma.”
Dana ran trembling hands around the cage, desperately trying to find where it was bolted or locked, aggravated the darkness hampered her efforts.
“Oh, where does this damned thing open?”
Dana’s fingers hit a round piece of metal. She shoved it upwards, crossing her fingers she had found the bolt and dislodged it.
Without warning, the wolf stepped back and snarled, its white teeth glowing through the darkness. The move startled Dana. She jerked and almost fell from where she had been crouched in front of the cage, sitting on her heels.
“Well, well. Mrs. Dana Viers.”
Dana’s stomach dropped.
“I want you to put your hands up where I can see ’em, stand up, then turn around real slow like.”
Dana lifted her hands slightly above her shoulders on each side. When she turned around, she found she was looking into the barrel of a rifle, and Jed was all smiles.
Her throat tightened as she watched Jed pull a toothpick out of his mouth, replacing it with a sly grin.
“Looks like I’ve got me a trespasser. Didn’t I warn you about getting into my business?”
Dana couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. She had to lock her knees to stop the tremble in her legs, and grit her teeth to keep them from chattering in fear. She knew what Jed was capable of. The man was bad to the core. She had no doubt a person who would not hesitate to hurt an animal would have any qualms in hurting a person. The thought scared her even more.
“Jed, let the wolf go. You don’t know what you are doing. You have no business keeping it here in a cage.”
Dana knew she was talking to the wind and probably doing more harm than good for her situation, but she hadn’t come up with any ideas as to what to do besides distracting him. Her mind was in overdrive, hoping a thought would hit her before a bullet did.
“What? Do you think I’m stupid? I’ve got a lot riding on that wolf, and it’s not going anywhere. But you, however, are. Move.”
Jed motioned with the rifle for her to head toward the barn. She took one last glance at the snarling wolf, then shot her eyes to the bolt she had hit earlier, hoping Suma understood.
Dana walked around the side of the barn, following the instructions Jed mumbled behind the toothpick in his mouth. Before she realized the direction he was steering her, a cage housing a cougar came into view.
Oh, no.
She had been around the cougar enough to know the large female was more than cantankerous—she was deadly. There was nothing tame about her, and she was always out for blood.
Much to her dismay, Jed stepped around her, still keeping her directly in front of the barrel of his gun.
“You’re gonna get inside and play with the little kitty here. She’s been itchin’ to have a new toy you know.”
Dana narrowed her eyes at him.
“You won’t get away with this, Jed. Someone will hear my screams, and you’ll be caught. How are you going to explain my being locked in the cougar’s cage?”
Jed’s smirk made her blood run cold. He’s really going to do this!
“You were trespassin’. Must have been tryin’ to free ’em or somethin’. Everyone knows about the animal rights and other crap you spew. Looks like you jest messed with the wrong animal and somehow got shut in the cage. Instead of releasing her, you became her dinner, or should I say, nighttime snack?”
Her heart pounded in her ears. It was so loud she wondered if Jed could hear it. She swallowed audibly, at a loss for words, as he unlatched the cage then grabbed her arm and began pulling her to the door.
“Let me go!”
Survival instincts kicked in, and Dana tried to wrench her arm out of Jed’s tight grasp, but he was bigger and stronger. Stars flashed before her eyes when he grabbed her by the hair on the back of her head, and slammed her face into the cage. Tasting blood, she stumbled a little and tried desperately to keep her focus, needing to get out of his grasp before he pushed her into the cougar’s cage.
Dana was no match for Jed’s brutality. When the door opened, she felt a hard shove to her back, sending her to the concrete floor and startling the cougar. In horror she watched it perch on the remnants of a fallen tree Jed had placed in the cage, its gaze tracking her every move.