Change

by J. A. Smith

  I didn’t move when the door was unlocked the next night, I knew it would be Emily. She came in with a small flash light shining it in my eyes before placing her hands on her hips.

  “Well I can’t have you die on me, not without getting anything out of you, so come on” she said walking out the door. I slowly got up feeling dizzy, I had to place a hand on the wall for support as I followed. When there were no more walls to hold me up I fell to the floor with a Smack! Emily laughed. I just laid my freezing check on the floor taking deep breaths. I heard Emily snap her finger, and then I was lifted up, held by two vampires. They brought me into a kitchen where the vampires released me causing me once again to fall to the floor at their feet.

  The food I smelt caused my noise to twitch, I smelt steak, pig, lamb, deer; my mouth started to water.

  “Feed her enough to give a little strength; then hose her down to get the stink off” Emily was telling someone. The Leg of a newly killed deer was thrown in my direction; with a snarl that sounded more animal than human I lunged forward only to be pulled up short by whoever held the end of my chain. Emily had left me with the two vampires who thought it would be a hilarious to wave the leg in my face just to pull it back at the last minute. I could feel my eyes getting warm out of crazed hunger, when I lunged once more I got a small piece of raw meat not chewing at all just swallowing. I had been quicker than the vampire who now took several steps back from his crouched position looking at me with a sinister smile on his face.

  “Let’s have some fun shall we” The chain attached to my neck was pulled with such force that I hit the ground with an “oof”. The vampire that had tugged was also smiling as he pinned my hands above my head, the other vampire grabbed my legs and pulled them apart as his shins held my thighs down. The leg of the deer was dangled above me close enough that I could strain my neck and eat, not caring what was happening to my body as I did. When the first vampire was done with his rutting they switched positions, I was rewarded with another leg until they were both sated and finished. My stomach was full now and all I wanted to do was sleep but again I was hauled up, this time I was taken outside to be washed off with fireman’s hose. My skin burned like shards of glass were slicing through me; but the ungodly smell was finally washed away.

  I was given no towel to dry with and again taken down to the cell that had to be a freezer. My skin hurt from the extreme temperatures and my teeth chattered, but I could feel my strength returning, all that mattered was survival at this point.

  I was informed to get undressed for I would be fighting and these were the only clothes I would be wearing; if I damaged them then I would have to walk around naked for the remainder of the year.

  There was snow on the ground of the arena, I could barely feel my toes as it was, but I held up high as I looked up at the King and Queen. I bowed in respect as was accustomed before facing forward awaiting my opponent.

  A young man came out from the cage across from me, I could tell from his thoughts that he was a werewolf.

  “CHANGE” Richard yelled. I thought I heard Amelia yell “no” but I couldn’t be sure or have the time to ponder. I crouched down and changed into my form quickly. Everyone in the crowd stood to their feet; you could hear whispers saying the Siberian was back. Then the cheering started. The wolf leaped for me at the same time I leaped at him; we collided into one another the sound of our bones meeting one another echoed. I ended up on top, pushing both my paws down into the center of his chest until I heard bones snap under the force. A mournful howl then a gurgle was the only sound he made before he died.

  I got up not thinking about the life I had just taken and walked back to my cell still in tiger form.

  Emily was already there taping an impatient foot as she looked at me.

  “You have to give the crowd a little more than a quick kill” Emily stated like I was child.

  “Why” I asked once I changed back. Her eyes blazed at my question before she pushed the button that would cause an electrical jolt to go through the collar around my neck, I expected pain or at the very least a tingling sensation, but when I felt nothing I was confused. I could hear the electricity going through it but it didn’t hurt at all it only felt like a slight tickle, maybe the collar was defective.

  Emily’s eyes started to glow red from anger before she grabbed my arm clearly forgetting I didn’t burn under their touch.

  I didn’t smile at her though I wanted to. I just stood there and brought my jaw up stiffly. She hit me across my face with all of her strength causing me to flinch slightly. The weakness I had felt the past three days was nowhere in my limbs, I felt perfect, strong and dare I say evil. Clearly taken back by my lack of response Emily slammed the cell door closed telling the guards I was not to be fed again for four days. I felt an evil smile tug my lips, I might just have to start eating my kills then. The thought sobered me up enough to realize the cell door was being opened once more. Amelia came through unexpectantly, I gave her no reaction just watched her movements, she was stupid to come into my cell alone and vulnerable. I was among enimies now, no matter how much I enjoyed the time I had spent with Richard and Amelia it was like a fading dream and the only thing I knew was there was now a vampire in the cell with me that was not my master.

  “She has broken you hasn’t she?” the female vampire asked, it was almost as if I couldn’t understand her words, I felt parts of myself slipping free that would only leave an empty shell in its place, I welcomed it.

  “Lana I have never seen Emily treat any shifter like she is treating you, and that scares me” she said sounding a little scared. I tilted my head considering the female.

  “My Queen what are you doing in here?” Emily asked from the open door.

  “You are treating her badly for someone that wants a lot of money Emily” the female vampire addressed my master.

  “Your highness, she has been away for a while and she needs to become obedient again” Emily said bowing in submission, well if my master was bowing to this female than I should be on my knees. I dropped so suddenly that my master and the female both jumped back. “What are you doing Lana?” I heard the anguish in the female’s voice but didn’t understand it. Something had happened to me in this last fight that I didn’t understand, it was like part of myself was locked away in a tower I couldn’t reach anymore nor did I want to. I knew for many years I had lived behind a wall of indifference but this felt different I actually became the indifference. My head lay on the concrete flooring awaiting my master’s approval or command to move. My teeth wanted to chatter from the cold temperature on the floor that seemed to be soaking into my naked skin, but that would be a weakness I could not afford.

  “If you let her freeze down here she will no longer be yours, do I make myself clear?” the female vampire’s voice was harsh. “I understand your highness” My master responded though it sounded like she was clinching her teeth. I heard their feet shuffle out of the cell, I still did not move, not even when I felt a large blanket draped over my shoulders from someone showing kindness. I was told to dress and eat and did so without complaint.

  Over the next year I would learn respect for those I killed, I envied them when they died for they would not have to endure the pathetic life they lived. If they were weak enough to die by my hand, they were not worthy to be at their vampire’s side, this is what my own master had told me. So I killed and killed many, sometimes two a night in hopes to find the challenge I so desperately needed.

  We were to be going on a long trip to somewhere called the States, where we were going I did not care only that this was supposed to be what I had been training for the past year. I carried the luggage out to the awaiting car, jumping in the trunk that I knew was where I was supposed to be until the vehicle stopped and we boarded a large boat. I was held in the cargo hold though I was had been chained in sometime even my collar had been taken off by my master; some
thing about it not working anyways. She still kept a chain around my neck so she could yank me around when needed to.

  Three days later we arrived in the States. I only had four days left before my year was up; I could feel my heart trying to chisel away the ice that had incased it. There was a black limo waiting for us when we arrived, I went through the normal routine of carrying the luggage and was about to place myself in the trunk as well when my master halted me, saying I was to sit in the floorboard instead. Puzzled I did as she bid, quietly with a bowed head I sat in between my master’s knees. There was a male and female vampire sitting across from us, I heard an intake of breath as I entered but wasn’t sure who it was from.

  “What have you done to her?” The male yelled at my master causing me to jerk my head up. Reconginition of Andre had my emotional wall crumbling bit by bit; his eyes were a fire burning red. I said nothing as I began to feel things I hadn’t in the past year. Anger was the strongest at this point, a boiling rage just below the surface of my skin.

  “She is mine to do with as I see fit” My Master Emily stated.

  “Not for much longer. You only four days left Emily, them she will be set free”. The excited jump of my heart beat frantically at the thought this torment was nearly over.

  “Yes your highness” Emily said bowing. I just kept quiet. I hadn’t spoken for a year now and I wondered if I still had a voice. Andre had a female vamp sitting next to him, but since I was now looking at the floorboards and had been too caught up with Andre being here I couldn’t tell you what she looked like.

  When we pulled up to the mansion I was the first to get out, when I did I smelt something that had me growling and crouching down to better attack the threat.

  “Calm down Siberian it is just one of our guards” Andre said from inside the limo.

  I straightened up and bowed my head. I saw the tiger come out of the darkness, he growled at me. I didn’t move, though I was very tempted to.

  “Come Siberian” Andre said trying to take my hand. I hissed at him when he tried to touch me. Emily grabbed the chain around my neck and yanked it till I was on my knees. “I’m sorry your highness, she doesn’t like to be touched, by anyone” Emily stated the truth. Andre just looked at me stunned, at what I had done.

  “It’s alright. Most wild animals do not like to be touched or caged though I didn’t think Lana was an animal when I let you take her” Andre said bending down to look at my face.

  “Lana, are you in there?” Andre asked me as he searched my eyes for something that no longer existed.

  “You’ve managed to do what no other could Emily, you have broken her” Andre said in discussed.

  “She broke herself, she hasn’t really spoken a word since we left, she only fights and eats, she is truly an animal sire” Emily said sounding scared at Andre’s reaction; I didn’t blame her.

  “I knew I should have never let you take her” Andre said yanking the chain from Emily’s grasp, before he unhooked it from my neck. I automatically dropped to one knee once I was released out of habit.

  I still didn’t move, I still bowed my head. I wasn’t used to anyone being kind to me anymore; my animal instincts had completely taken over. I was broken down to the bare bone; I wasn’t sure how to get back, it was like the map had been erased from my mind.

  “She is blank, I only hear anger in her. She isn’t human or shifter? What is she my dear?” the female vampire I had nearly forgotten asked Andre.

  “She is unique Selene”. Andre said in a calm tone, I didn’t look up but the name Selene sounded familiar.

  “Come Siberian” Andre commanded but I waited until Emily gave me to okay to stand before I did. I kept my gaze on the floor as I had been taught to do this year, if I failed to do so I would usually be forced to fight more than one shifter in a night.

  “She is very beautiful for such a lonely soul even with her hair cut so short” the female vampire was talking to Andre who was ahead of Emily and I.

  “She had always been beautiful and always will be” Andre responded sounding sincere. I just kept thinking to myself that this was almost over. I was startled when the female vampire came over to whisper in my ear, I gave her credit she didn’t flinch when I growled at her.

  “Yes, it is almost over” I jerked my head up looking at her, to my knowledge mind reading wasn’t a normal ability and I had only heard of three people that could do it, my uncle Bill, me and… I looked at her; she was blonde with sky blue eyes. I had seen her somewhere before but couldn’t place where. She was looking at me with the same confused expression.

  “Do I know you child?” it was near a whisper but I shook my head No, I didn’t know her I had just seen her face somewhere before, but my mind was blocking it.

  “The Siberian is a one of a kind and she must get ready for her last fight” Andre said snapping his fingers. I was lead downstairs to the basement where all the cells were housed to get undressed. I walked with my head held high trying to figure out who the hell the female vamp was and why her name sounded so familiar.

  As I got to the entrance of the arena it was like I had been hit in the head with a baseball bat. Selene was the name of my mother, and she could also read thoughts. The gate opened and I banished the thought away for a better time to figure out my thoughts that seemed to have scrambled. I looked up at the crowed and bowed Andre and to the female vampire… my mother?

  The other gate opened snapping my attention back to what was more important, survival. My heart stopped as I saw the Amazon woman Ainia step out. I heard the whole crowed go silent with fear. I would have started shaking if I wasn’t so shocked; I might die tonight.

  Once I shifted I looked up to see Ainia smiling down at me. In the heavy accent she simply stated

  “With your death comes my freedom”.