The Gathering

by Lily Graison

  “Then why are you here?”

  “To make sure the Collective fails, why else?”

  * * * *

  When Rayna woke, she was facedown in the back of a vehicle. Trying to move, she realized moments later, was useless. She was tied hand-to-foot, her arms stretched behind her back so tightly the strain left her shoulders aching.

  She lifted her head and looked around. She appeared to be in an SUV from the size of the back compartment she was in. A storage cover was above her head and the sound of voices was a low hum beyond the constant racket of tires against pavement. She couldn’t make out who was in the SUV with her from their voices. It wasn’t Victor talking. Him, she knew she’d be able to recognize.

  Straining to hear, she made out three different voices. None of them sounded familiar. When someone laughed, she realized how hopeless her situation was and laid her head back down, trying to figure out what to do.

  Victor had made no secret of what his plan was. She’d known from the day Malcolm tried to infect her. The Collective wanted to go public. They wanted the world to know they exist and it looked as if today was that day.

  The SUV came to a stop. The voices were silent as the doors were opened. Rayna waited, listening for any sound. When the door to the cargo area was opened and the storage cover was removed, she groaned. Thaddeus Mears stood smiling down at her. She should have known he would be there.

  “Did you have a nice nap, Ms. Ford?” Thaddeus didn’t wait for a reply but grabbed her arm instead, pulling her roughly to the back of the vehicle. “If you promise to be a good girl, I’ll take these ropes off.”

  She glared at him but he cut the ropes anyway. Blood rushed back into her hands and feet, the sting of restored blood flow leaving her limbs tingling and feeling paralyzed. She was pulled from the car, her knees buckling when she was forced to stand. It took her several minutes to get the feeling back in her legs. Thaddeus stood by her side, waiting.

  A quick glance around, and Rayna knew no one would find her anytime soon. A large warehouse stood beside the SUV and several more could be seen in the distance. The entire area looked rundown. Trash and broken glass littered the road, the pavement busted and cracked with tuffs of grass shooting up from the ground through them.

  The sound of sea birds rang in the air. The breeze carried the faint smell of the ocean and with a look behind her, Rayna saw a lighthouse with its faded black and white stripes standing in the distance. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of it. A hurried look around the area and the sense of familiarity struck her. She knew where she was. She was home. “Why are we here?”

  “You know why.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her along with him toward the warehouse. Once inside, she looked at every corner of the building. The room was bare except for one chair sitting in the middle of the floor. A length of rope sat behind it and it didn’t take a genius to realize she would be tied for the duration of her captivity. She was led to the chair and forced down into the seat before Thaddeus let go of her arm. “I trust you won’t try anything foolish.”

  “Define foolish.”

  “You make a move to get out of that chair, Ms. Ford, and I’ll tie you to it. It’s your choice.” She raised an eyebrow at him. Did he honestly think she wouldn’t try to free herself?

  “You’re not going to stay, are you?”

  “Would you?”

  “Probably not.” He grabbed the ropes and tied her feet to the chair legs before pulling her arms back behind her and securing them. When he was finished, she couldn’t move anything but her fingers. “Now. Be a good girl and sit quietly until the others arrive.”

  He walked away, back toward the door. The other men that were with him were nowhere in sight. Rayna stared at the building interior. The wood was rotten; the smell of filth stung her nostrils. Dirt covered the floors and dried leaves and broken glass littered the area. She might as well have been outside. It didn’t look any worse than this did.

  She tugged at the ropes. They didn’t give an inch but she struggled to free herself anyway. Sitting there, waiting for her death to come, didn’t seem like a smart idea. Garrett was facedown in the pit, unconscious as far as she knew, and help wouldn’t be coming. No one knew where she was or where to begin searching for her.

  The sound of car doors being shut outside drew her attention. She stared at the door, wondering who would be joining her. When someone finally walked into the warehouse, a shaft of sunlight obscuring their features, she waited. The sway of hips as the person walked and the clicking pop of heels on the cement raised her hackles. She should have known.

  “Well, well. Look at Garrett’s wonderful mate now. All trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey.”

  Rayna bit her tongue to keep from saying anything. It was Carmen, followed closely by Victor.

  Carmen’s heels clicked on the floor as she walked across the room. Rayna didn’t trust her at a distance, let alone within inches of her. When the woman stopped, the smug smile on her face was near blinding. Whatever Carmen wanted from all of this, she wasn’t far from gaining it.

  “You have no idea how long I’ve waited for this day to come.” Carmen circled the chair, the smile on her face never faltering. “To think, six months ago this seemed like only a dream, now, here you are.” She ran her fingernails down the side of Rayna’s cheek, increasing the pressure once she reached her chin before stopping. “By this time tomorrow, you’ll be famous and I’ll have a wolf pack of my own—and my mate back in my bed.”

  She was talking about Garrett. Rayna felt her wolf stir at the thought of him. The thought of him and Carmen together. How could they have come this far only to be back where they started?

  Looking up at Carmen, Rayna sneered, the hatred in her eyes evident to any who looked. “I don’t think Victor’s plan was for you to bore me to death. Say what you’re going to and get the hell out of my face.”

  The punch to the side of her head rocked the chair up on two legs. Carmen grabbing her by the hair before it tipped over was the only thing that saved her from falling. The pounding inside her head was nothing compared to the heat she felt pulsing through her limbs. The burn at the tips of her fingers was signal enough. The wolf was provoked again.

  She wondered for a brief moment if she could call the wolf and get out of her current situation. There were only a few people in the building with her. Surely she could get out before they grabbed her.

  But then what?

  Run into the city, a newly born wolf? She only had stories of what happened once a wolf was born and none of them were pretty. Bloodlust would force her to feed and she wasn’t in the mountain forest of Wolf’s Creek where wildlife was abundant. She was in Bluff’s Point. A city full of people she knew.

  She’d be shot the moment she attacked someone. If they didn’t shoot her on sight. But isn’t that going to happen anyway? She’s dead regardless of when or how she shifted.

  If Victor and the other Breed leaders want the world to know they exist, then why not give them what they wanted? It would end her current torment. She was tired and the waiting was causing fear to creep in. Not to mention Carmen was there to taunt her. She didn’t have to be told to know that and she already knew what Carmen’s weapon of choice would be. Garrett.

  The thought of him calmed her somewhat. His face materialized in her minds eye and she held back the smile she felt tugging at her lips. She wished she’d had time to tell him how much she regretted leaving the mountain. Leaving him. Her heart ached knowing she’d probably never get a chance to now. She knew, even though the last time she’d seen him he was face down in the pit, that he would come for her. Nothing would stop him from reaching her. He’d said the others, the wolves from their pack, were waiting for him. They’d get him out of Victor’s house and he’d come for her. He was smart. He’d figure out where she was.

  And he’d get himself killed.

  Rayna closed her eyes at the thoughts of Garrett’s death because of her. She didn’t want to be
there if and when it happened. She had to do something and there was only one option she could live with. She had to shift now and die alone.

  She knew from what Judith had told her she could call the wolf to her at any time but it was hard without the pull of the moon. Normally. The situation she found herself in now wasn’t normal. It wasn’t dark out and the full moon had passed days ago, still, she had to try.

  Forcing herself to ignore Carmen, Rayna concentrated on the wolf. She saw her inside her mind taking shape. She focused on the creature and felt her. Felt her anger and knew that was the key. The wolf always showed itself when Rayna’s emotions were highest. She’d come to the surface several times and anger had been what drew her.

  It didn’t take much to incite her once Rayna recalled everything that had happened over the last week. She replayed every event in her mind, taking the frustration and turning it inward until her chest burned and her limbs shook from the force of it.

  Carmen’s voice was an echo inside her head and she latched onto it, drew it in and fed the beast with the hatred she felt for the woman. She knew the moment the others in the room noticed what she was doing. Their shouts were muffled but the shocked tone of their voice forced her eyes open.

  The world looked different through the wolf’s eyes and Rayna knew it was only a matter of time before she was free. She pulled at the ropes holding her and with little effort, they fell away. The growl rumbling in her chest erupted and drew an anguished scream from her as the fire consuming her body burst and the wolf started to crawl to the surface.

  * * * *

  Garrett didn’t trust anyone inside Victor’s house but had little choice given his current situation. He needed to get out of the pit and Nicolas seemed willing to help him do that.

  He paced Victor’s dungeon when Nicolas left to grab him a change of clothes and Garrett hadn’t expected him to return. Sabriel had assured him he would but he had his doubts until he heard footsteps on the stairs. He turned and saw Nicolas and he accepted the jeans and shirt he handed him without comment. When he was dressed, he looked at Nicolas. “Is this the part where you say you were lying or is this where we actual leave?”

  Nicolas laughed. “This is the part where we actually leave.”

  They made for the stairs but Garrett stopped before starting up them. “What about Sabriel?”

  Nicolas turned his head to look at the vampire sitting against the wall. “It’s still daylight out. Besides, I have a plan to get you out. I’m not sure they’d buy my excuse for taking a vampire along.”

  “It’s fine,” Sabriel said. “I’m in no shape to go anywhere at the moment. Until I’m fed, I’m useless. I haven’t the strength to even stand at this point.”

  Garrett studied him for long moments before nodding his head. “When this is done, I’ll come back for you.” He waited for Sabriel to acknowledge what he’d said before he and Nicolas headed up the stairs and onto the upper landing. He stopped when Nicolas turned to look at him.

  “Just play along with me regardless of what I say.”

  “Do I have a choice?” Garrett asked.

  “No.” Nicolas grabbed him by the arm and ushered him toward the door on the opposite wall. A series of hallways, another flight of stairs and they were on the main floor of the house.

  “Okay,” Nicolas said in a hushed whisper. “This is where the ‘play along regardless of what I say’ part comes in. Got it?”

  Garrett nodded his head and followed behind Nicolas.

  Two men stopped them when they reached the front door of the house. They eyed Nicolas suspiciously before turning to study Garrett. “What’s he doing out of the pit?”

  “Victor wants him. Something to do with the girl.” Nicolas smiled and gave Garrett’s arm a rough tug. “Apparently they need a little help persuading her to play along. This is Victor’s insurance policy.”

  Garrett watched the men stare at him before looking at each other and talking quietly. They weren’t buying Nicolas’ story. He wouldn’t either if the situation was reversed but he hoped the two men in front of him were as dumb as they looked. Being this close to freedom, the desire to run was strong but Garrett bit his tongue and played the part of prisoner.

  “Look,” Nicolas said when neither man looked as if they were ready to let them go. “Thad called me not ten minutes ago and said to bring the wolf. Call him yourself if you don’t believe me but don’t blame me when he castrates the both of you. The girl is giving them a fit and Victor is already pissed.” He reached into his pocket, pulling out a cell phone before dialing a number. He looked up and handed the phone out to the men. “Who wants to talk to him?”

  Neither of the men looked interested and after another quiet talk amongst them, nodded toward the door. “Go on.”

  Nicolas pocketed the phone, cursed under his breath and pulled Garrett along with him to the door. When it shut behind them, Garrett saw the car waiting out front. “What now?”

  “Now, we go get your girl back.”

  Once inside the car, Garrett waited until they were on the main road before looking behind them. No one was following. He turned to look at Nicolas, studying the man’s profile. “You can drop me off by the clearing up ahead. My friends are waiting for me there.”

  “No they’re not.”

  Garrett raised an eyebrow at him.

  “Oh, they’re waiting for you, just not there. Trust me.”

  “I’ve never been big on trust.”

  Nicolas laughed. “Obviously. Your friends weren’t either. They are waiting though.” He glanced over at him before reaching into his pocket for the cell phone. “You can call them if you like but we’ll be there soon.”

  “Be where? And why are you going against Victor? Don’t you want the Collective to succeed?”

  “Not everyone in the Collective is playing on Victor’s side. Most had no choice in the matter. You either agreed or paid dearly. Our friend Sabriel is proof of that. There are a few people with Victor who have been keeping me, and my friends, abreast to what’s happening. My friends grabbed your pack and took them to the site Victor plans to expose us. They’re all waiting for us there. We’ll have Rayna within the hour.”

  Garrett was still weak from the drugs Victor’s men had shot him with and leaned back in his seat before closing his eyes. “Who are you?” He asked, still not sure he could trust this man.

  “Nicolas Mears. I thought we already covered this?”

  “Your name doesn’t exactly answer my question.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Well, let’s start with why you just lied to those men and helped me get out of there? Why you’re willing to help me get Rayna back? What’s in this for you?”

  Nicolas chuckled. “Well, I had to lie to get you out the door. Rayna’s in for a world of hurt if they make her go through with this and as for me, I don’t want the world to know what I am. I prefer to keep my secrets to myself.”

  Garrett opened his eyes and turned his head toward Nicolas. “Is that the only reason you’re doing this? So your secret is safe?”

  “No.” Nicolas didn’t say anything for long minutes. Garrett watched him, waiting. When he cleared his throat, he gave a bitter chuckle. “I’m sure you know how hard it is to meet someone with Lycanthropy hanging over our head.” Garrett nodded. He did know. He’d spent years trying to keep that secret from people, especially women, and it wasn’t easy. “Well, there’s a woman.” He smiled and glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. “She knows. About me, I mean. It took a hell of a lot of work to get her to a place where she wasn’t scared of me. Where she accepted who I am and can overlook it. Imagine if the world knew what I was. What do you think she’s going to do when everyone we know looks down on her because she’s fucking a monster? How long do you think I’ll be able to keep her then? How long do you think my beast will let her stay gone?”

  Garrett didn’t answer him. There was no need. He knew the answers. He’d lived them up un
til Rayna was infected. It was his one saving grace.

  A part of him often wondered if his wolf didn’t infect her on purpose. It solved so many problems with Rayna being one of the monsters herself. The fear he’d hurt her was gone. His wolf could have his mate, a true mate, and not have to worry about her leaving. Her wolf wouldn’t let her. And he’d never have to worry about her looking at him in disgust. To look at him and be repulsed at what he was. She was like him now. They were both monsters.

  The drive was longer than he thought it would be but the moment he spotted a familiar area, he sat up straight in his seat. He knew where they were headed then and a sense of unease settled in his stomach.

  When the city limit sign for Bluff’s Point was visible, Garrett knew whatever happened in the next few hours would dictate their lives from then on.

  If Victor got his way, the world would know what they were and they’d live the rest of their lives in fear. More so than they did now. They would be hunted like animals and shot on sight. Their mountain retreat wouldn’t be a safe haven as it was now. It would be a prison. One they could never escape.

  When the car pulled to a stop, Garrett saw Dillon and Chad standing by a group of people talking. The others came into view then, smiling as they saw him. He gave a relieved sigh after opening his door and grinned when Chad gave him a look that said he thought he was a dumbass. He knew the look well.

  “Still alive, I see,” Chad said.

  “Of course. I told you I’d be fine.”

  Chad gave him a once over, his gaze lingering over Garrett’s face. He made a noise in the back of his throat before shaking his head. “Well, your face didn’t improve with the rearranging they did.”

  “It’s good to see you too, Chad.”

  Nicolas rounded the front of the car and pointed toward the group of people standing near the sidewalk. “Let’s go meet the others, Garrett, and I’ll let you in on our plans to get Rayna back and piss Victor off in the bargain.”