Stone Heir (The Kahlian Series Book 1)

by Aimee Hunter

  Standing in the shadows of the abandoned corridor, Dominus seethed. No one was supposed to possess power to such a degree as the Stone bitch just displayed. The being had taken great, extreme measures to ensure that they were the only one with that kind of ability. And now, to find that one had slipped its grasp. Been right under their nose. It was beyond bearing. It began to walk after her, to rid itself of this rival and potential threat, when rational thought forced its way through the white hot rage gripping its brilliant mind.

  Taking a deep, calming breath. Letting the fear and rage fade away. The beast within, slipping back to wait within the dark confines of the soul. The dangerous green energy that was used to render Damian unconscious, receded back into the shrouded body, leaving them with the cold practical thinking of a well-practiced killer. Dominus continued on the way they had been heading before they discovered Mason, deep in thought. True, she posed a threat. But maybe, they were over estimating just how big of a threat she was.

  It had been so long since there was someone with the ability to challenge them that the reaction had been nearly instinctual. She had power, of that there was no doubt, and now that they were aware of it, they could move to counter it should she use it tomorrow. Even still, Dominus couldn’t shake the feeling that the brief touch had been carefully controlled so as not to reveal her true strength. And that, is what worried them the most, they realized. Not the fact that she had it, but the fact that she was able to conceal it so effectively from them. This concerned the ancient shape shifter greatly.

  Dominus stepped from the stale passage into the clean, fresh air. Halting, tilting its head to the side and listened intently for so long that the forest, which had gone quiet upon his exit from the underground, once again became alive with the sounds of life. Sneering disdainfully at it as they listened, a look of curious interest stole across its features. It would seem that Damian had caught something of value.

  Deciding to see exactly what his puppet had acquired, Dominus began moving through the woods. Smiling coldly at the instant silence it left in its wake. Confidence restored, even creatures of nature, who had no care for humanities, or its various branches, struggles and power plays knew not to draw their attention. Something Mason Stone had been foolish to do. Very foolish indeed.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Diana turned the beleaguered little group north as the moon reached its zenith. They still had a little under two hundred miles to go. She let Kylie take the lead, even though the landscape had changed, this was still the part of the country she had been born and raised in. Diana brought up the rear, keeping a close eye on the few who remained. They had started out with sixteen. Now only ten plus Kylie, herself and Captain Dumas remained. She didn’t know their names; she didn’t care to. All she was concerned with was finding out which one had betrayed them.

  Returning to camp a few hours prior, she’d debated with herself on a course of action. She decided to keep her knowledge to herself, the only person she was sure of was Kylie. The others; she suspected them all. Now the moon was high in the sky, the stars glittered brilliantly and they had been back on the road for two hours.

  Once Xavier was fully awake, he had peppered her with questions. Diana ignored them by standing up and rousing his soldiers. Looking at each one before addressing Kylie, who acted as surprised as the others.

  “The Impure scouts have found our scent. They’re leading the others straight for us. We need to move.” Kylie was already in motion, getting the soldiers on their feet, helping them gather the few belongings they had managed to hang onto.

  “How did they find us?” Xavier asked. Diana shrugged while picking up her saddle bags that Kylie had had the presence of mind to grab.

  “The Impure have a very acute sense of smell. It’s not difficult to pick up the smell of human sweat and blood.” She told him. “Which means, we need to move faster.” She was already heading north out of the camp when Xavier grabbed her arm.

  “We can’t go any faster! We’re out on our feet, we have to rest.” His tone was as close to begging as he was ever likely to get. Diana pulled her arm from his loose grip gently, laying her own hand on his shoulder.

  “I know. Just give me until dawn,” she cajoled. “Then we can all rest.” She knew what she was asking of him and his troops, but she had no other choice. Diana hoped she’d know who the guilty party was by then. But now, having been marching for two hours, she still didn’t have any clue who it was.

  Where are we going now? Kylie sent to her now, startling Diana out of her thoughts.

  I have a way to get to Sanctuary by tomorrow evening, she confessed. Kylie’s disbelief flowing into her mind.

  How? The younger woman asked quickly.

  Diana smiled at her obvious excitement.

  There’s a truck hidden another couple of hours’ march northwest. It’s big enough to accommodate everyone. It runs on stored solar power. She explained as her eyes shifted through the shadows on either side of her group. Partly looking for anyone lurking around, mostly looking for any of the tell-tale red scrapes of cloth. She felt more than heard Kylie’s questions.

  Towards the end of the War, what was left of the government, felt there might come a time when humanity would once again inhabit the surface. They figured they would need better transportation than horses. So they stock piled every type of vehicle that ran on solar power, leaving caches of vehicles and supplies scattered throughout the country. She explained as they walked. Only problem was that they forgot to tell anyone about it. Diana finally spotted one of the soldiers consistently separate from the rest. His clothing becoming more tattered as they went.

  How did you find out about it? Kylie wanted to know, also keeping a surreptitious on the young man. Her mother’s laughter vibrated through her like a physical touch.

  I used to work for the U.S. Government, remember? As a member of the Intelligence community, I knew all their secrets. The two women shared a smirk at this. Besides, I may have planted the idea in a few minds. Diana admitted, calling a halt.

  “We’ll rest for a bit here, then head out again.” She said loud enough for everyone to here. Keep them busy for me, Kylie. I’m going to go have a chat with our friend. Feeling Kylie’s assent through the link they shared, she followed the young man as he slipped from the group again. Diana was able to get a good look at him as she trailed him. He kept looking over his shoulder as though he feared discovery.

  The boy was handsome. Past the awkwardness of adolescence, he had blonde hair and big hazel eyes. His featured were familiar in a way she couldn’t place and still retained some boyish charm. Though he was tall and broad shouldered, he had the whip thin form of a young low ranking soldier from poor beginnings. He paused, looking over her shoulder one last time before laying a red strip of cloth on a low thorny bush.

  “Do you often betray your friends?” Diana asked in a low voice from the darkness behind him. His head snapped up as he spun a full circle, trying to pinpoint her location. “Do their deaths weigh on your conscious yet?” The night seemed to ask him, it’s voice dripping with sarcasm.

  “No!” he cried, turning this way and that. Trying to track one of the many shadows dancing just beyond his grasp.

  “Then why do you do it?” the voice asked. Diana was constantly moving. Not giving him an opportunity to see her exact position.

  “I have no choice!” the boy cried desperately. The Kahlian snarled, stopping just out of arms reach from him.

  “There’s always a choice, boy” his head whipped around, his gaze landing on her immediately. He turned to face her.

  “Not for me there isn’t.” he said very quietly.

  “Why not?” she asked, willing to hear his story not yet sure what to do with him.

  “Because they’ll kill the only family I’ve ever known if I don’t do what they say.” Diana frowned at him, taking a step closer. Her frown deepened when the boy took a hasty step backwards.

  “Who will kill your famil
y?” she asked softly, having a fairly good idea.

  “Prince Devon and Damian Augustus.” Not surprised to hear those two names linked together, Diana let a short huff escape her in frustration.

  “You won’t have to worry about them much longer.” She informed him.

  “How do you know?” he asked hesitantly, not quite willing to believe her.

  “They’ve crossed the wrong Stone sister one too many times.” She told him cryptically. “You don’t have to continue this anymore. My sisters will protect the people of Culville.” She tried to reassure him. He shook his head sadly, looking at the ground.

  “They can’t protect everyone.” He insisted stubbornly. Diana’s frustration mounted to greater heights. They really didn’t have time for this.

  “No. They can’t,” she allowed. “However, Devon’s duplicity has been discovered. He’s fled the city, taken all those loyal to him, including Damian.” She insisted, trying to reach past the walls he’d built around himself.

  “Really?” hope flared in his liquid gold gaze as he met Diana’s eyes for the first time since she had discovered him. She felt a sense of vertigo, her eyebrows drawing together as she waited for the feeling to pass.

  A soft breeze picked up, bringing the frightened young boy’s scent to her sensitive nose. She stiffened, her gaze sharpened, her mind going back to something he had said.

  “What did you mean when you said ‘The only family I’ve ever known’?” she asked him. He shifted restlessly, made uncomfortable by her intense scrutiny. He sighed heavily, meeting her gaze directly.

  “I’ve lived a long time by myself, Lady Diana. I never knew the family I was born too. The Koontz’ were the ones who took me in when no one else would.” He looked away, gathering his thoughts. “I’m different.” He said so harshly she could guess that he had to force them out. Diana took another step closer to him, noticing this time that he didn’t retreat.

  “How so?” she wanted to know. The boy’s throat bobbed as he nervously swallowed. He debated if he should reveal himself to this woman that had so easily caught him. He was still trying to get over his astonishment at the fact that she had managed to sneak up on him. No one had ever been able to do that before. Thinking about it, she shouldn’t have been able to. Plus, she hadn’t started pressing about where he came from until the wind had shifted. He narrowed his eyes at her, deciding to roll the dice so to speak. “I can change into a wolf at will.” He immediately regretted his gamble when her head jerked back and her eyes widened in shock.

  “Show me.” She demanded in a coarse voice. He tilted his head to the side, that wasn’t what he had expected her to say.

  “You don’t believe me,” he said tiredly. She gave a small smile.

  “I believe you.” She fell silent just staring at him. This continued for so long that he began to become self-conscious. “I’ve been sensing one of us since we left Culville.” It was like she was talking to herself instead of him. “At first I thought it was just Kylie. But the smell I kept catching wasn’t her. It was you.” Diana looked at this man, this kid, incredulously. “What is your name, boy?” she finally asked of him.

  His gaze became measured as he weighed his options.

  “Colin,” he finally told her.

  “Colin,” she murmured. “Will you please show me your wolf?” she asked gently. Figuring he had nothing left to lose, he undressed quickly before calling the change. The purple glow enveloped him, and when it faded a large gray wolf with gold eyes sat in his place.

  As a wolf, he looked to be no more than two years old. He had the slim, lanky build of a fledgling youth. All legs and paws.

  Kylie, she sent to her adopted daughter back in camp.

  Is everything ok? Came her instant reply.

  Yes. He’s one of us. Bring me the extra set of clothing from my saddle bags, please. She requested.

  Be right there. Diana observed the shimmering glow when Colin changed back, sighing when he began scrambling back into what remained of his uniform.

  To say that Colin was unsettled by the older woman’s non-reaction to what he just did, would be an understatement. He couldn’t help but feel fear begin to coil in his gut. He didn’t know what was going to happen now, no one had ever watched him shift as though it was a common occurrence. He was still hopping into his pants when the woman held up her hand, making him stop. He waited with bated breath. Colin was no fool; he knew he stood no chance against this woman if she decided to kill him. He’d seen what she had done to the mutants when they had been surrounded.

  “I have someone bringing you clothes.” He frowned at her words, but finished pulling his pants up all the same. “Why did you join Culville’s army?” she asked unexpectedly. He shrugged, buttoning and zipping his pants.

  “Seemed like a good idea at the time.” He murmured. There was a rustling behind Diana, making him tense. Colin reached down, snatching up his shirt as he prepared himself to flee.

  “It’s alright. It’s only Kylie.” She told him, holding up both hands, trying to calm him. He didn’t relax until he saw the raven haired girl appear with an armful of clothes. He frowned in confusion when she handed it all to him.

  “It should fit. They belong to my sister, Mason.” Diana explained. “You can’t go around wearing what you have now.” She teased gently, earning an embarrassed grin from Colin.

  “How did you know it was her? That she was bringing them?” he asked as he exchanged the clothes he had been trying to put back on for the ones he had just been given, then carefully hid his uniform.

  “You really don’t know anything about who or what you are, do you?” Diana observed.

  “I can become a wolf. Isn’t that enough?” Colin said quietly. The older Kahlian shook her head, turning to address Kylie.

  “You should probably keep an eye on the others.” Kylie nodded her understanding, laying her hand on the other woman’s shoulder, squeezing gently.

  If you need me, she sent, only leaving when she saw Diana tip her chin down in affirmation.

  Turning her attention back to Colin, the blonde clasped her hands at her waist.

  “My people,” she caught herself, smiling gently at the skittish young man, “our people,” she corrected herself. “Are called Kahlian. We are shape shifters. Both human and wolf,” she paused, letting the information sink in. She gave a stray thought to how many times she had had this conversation in the past few days. “However, that is not our only ability.” She said watching his reaction.

  “What other abilities do we have?” he asked, his voice tight with tension. He knew of at least one other ability but he wasn’t about to reveal that. He wasn’t even completely sure she was like him as she hadn’t returned the courtesy of showing him her wolf. Regardless of how familiar she seemed.

  “Well, for starters,” she began aloud. We have the ability to speak to each other with our minds, she finished telepathically. Upon hearing Diana’s voice in his head and seeing that her mouth hadn’t moved, Colin paled several notches.

  “How…how did you do that?” came the shaky question. Diana smiled in approval, the kid had guts. Between Colin and Rena, the newest generation of Kahlian’s were shaping up rather impressively.

  “I honestly don’t know. Something to do with telepathic projection and firing neurons or something along those lines. We never allowed ourselves to be studied. The only thing we know is that it’s as natural to us as changing. Try it.” She urged him. Colin swallowed hard.

  Can you hear me? He sent tentatively. Diana’s smile widened.

  Yes. It’s more feeling than hearing though, she sent back. He relaxed visibly, trying again.

  Is this how we talk when we’re wolves? He felt her chuckle in his mind and wondered at it.

  Yes. You have a lot to learn, Colin. And a short time to learn it, she told him. She felt his impatience at his own lack of knowledge.

  Will you teach me? He asked uncertainly.

  It would be an honor.
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  “Thank you,” he said aloud, forgetting for a moment that they had been communicating with their minds.

  “You’re welcome,” Diana also spoke aloud. “We should probably head back.” She suggested turning to do just that before stopping short. “Promise me that you’ll stop leaving a trail for the Impure to follow.” She demanded forcefully. His eyes widened, having forgotten for a moment what had precipitated their meeting.

  “Only if you can promise my families safety.” He gave his own demand, despite the trembling that overtook his body. Diana gave him a long look before continuing on to the camp.

  “I’ll radio my sisters. Ask them to keep an eye out for them.” she granted after a few minutes, ignoring the way he sagged in relief.

  “Then I’ll stop leaving a trail,” he was almost light headed from the feeling of a weight being lifted. They walked in silence back to camp, finding Kylie waiting with food for them when they arrived.

  Chapter Twenty

  Rena slowly drifted back to consciousness inside of a massive tent. It was so dark inside that at first she wasn’t sure if she had been rendered blind or if she was just blindfolded. A deep throbbing pain brought her hand up to the back of her head, making her wince when her fingers made tentative contact with a large bump. Her fears of being blind growing upon the discovery. She didn’t know who had knocked her out or where she was. The last thing she remembered was arguing with Jonathan, the fight with the guards then an excruciating explosion of pain. The next thing she knew, she was waking up here. Wherever here is, she thought.