Nothing except people.
I remembered how I’d awakened on the hill last night, the day of my first transformation, covered in blood. I’d washed myself off in the creek, but never for a moment had I even considered the source of the blood. It wasn’t mine, since I was uninjured, and there was too much of it for it to have come from a minor wound I hadn’t noticed. So where had it come from? Had I killed someone?
Perhaps catching my reaction, Asena smiled comfortingly, her striped face lighting up. “Oh, you’re so precious. Just look at you.” She inhaled, shaking her head, seeming to drop the tough-girl act. “What? What is it?”
It felt utterly insane to be asking this question, but I had to know. “What do we… eat?”
Asena stared at me, a wide smile on her face. “Food. Normal human food. Chips, salad, steak. Instant noodles.”
I breathed an audible sigh of relief. “Okay. You had me going for a bit.”
I expected a smile, a chuckle maybe, but Asena’s expression slowly faded. “We eat what we ate as humans, but know this. There is one thing we have in common with our former species, that despite existing for thousands of years, we’re still—to a varied extent—bound to our instincts, some of us more than others. Those instincts are to hunt live prey. Although we live like civilised people, sometimes our instincts get the better of us, and sometimes they take over. Usually an animal satisfies us, but sometimes… sometimes they don’t.”
That was worrying. Waking up on the hill, seeing all that blood, played over in my mind once again. It had been a cold night. People generally didn’t go out on their own, but…
“We try to avoid killing even animals, though. Doing so leaves behind carcasses, marked by our claws, and we risk being spotted during our hunts.”
Nodding, I pulled the blanket up a little more, feeling a draft chill my shoulders. “Makes sense.” I looked around the dark cave, hesitating slightly. I didn’t know how much to trust this new Rakshasa, but my instincts told me that she was friendly enough, and she knew Ishan. “I… think I killed something. Last night. I woke up covered in blood. It was my first transformation, and I didn’t know—”
Asena’s smile widened and she stepped over to the bed, sitting down right by my feet. “You did. A roo buck. Your first kill—I saw it myself. You’re quite the huntress, you know. It’s quite common for one’s first transformation to be bloody, but you were exceptional.”
A kangaroo. Far less serious than I had imagined. Nobody would miss a single roo.
“I don’t remember a thing about it. You were watching me?”
Asena reached over and patted my shin. “We all were, from a safe distance, of course. The Rewa too. We all take a very active interest in fledglings, since the Champawat Tiger started preying on them. They’re important to the species because fledglings are how we—” She made little finger quotes. “Reproduce.”
That piqued my interest. “I… we’re sterile?”
She laughed. “No, no. I have a young kid, myself, and I had him after my bloodline manifested. It’s just he’s, well, human… at least as far as we can tell so far. He’s not old enough for us to know if he’ll manifest properly, so he stays with my cousins. They know about us.”
“Ah, right. Will he eventually become one of us?”
Asena pursed her lips. “The gift is more common in children of Rakshasa, but it’s not guaranteed by any means.”
I nodded understandingly. “Ahh, right. Otherwise there’d be a lot more Rakshasa running around.”
“Right.”
I looked towards the entrance of the cave. I was feeling better, but my mind was slow, as though I were deathly tired. “How did I get here?”
No answer, immediately, but then Asena inhaled. “I was hoping you could tell me. We found you, bloodied and wounded, near the entrance to the cave network. We don’t know who brought you here.”
I didn’t know what else to say, so I just said it. “Ishan of the Rewa brought me here.”
Asena said nothing and I feared that I’d angered her. “I was unconscious,” I explained. “I didn’t know where he was taking me.”
“I know.” She reached up, pinching the bridge of her nose. “It’s okay. Not your fault. It’s just… going to cause some problems for us. Both clans are very territorial and trespass is viewed dimly.”
I slumped back in the bed, dejected.
Asena gave my leg a squeeze through the thin blanket. “There’s plenty of other people for you to meet, first. When you’re feeling up for it.”
I certainly wasn’t feeling one hundred percent, but for some reason I really didn’t want to spend any more time in bed than I had to. I threw back the covers with a sigh and slid my feet out to the ground. I felt woozy for a moment but, with a little effort, I was able to stand.
“Sure. Let’s do that.”
7
The Garden of Shadows
The cave system was surprisingly complex, winding itself deep into what I presumed was one of the many mountains around Canberra. Asena lead me through the winding, eroded limestone passage, deeper into the Earth, underneath the mountain.
Although the stone was cold against my bare feet the air was warmer than I expected. The way was lit by the dim glow of electric lights. I had no idea where they were getting their power from. They didn’t seem to be plugged into anything, merely nailed into the wall.
“This way,” beckoned Asena, gesturing with her paw. I squinted. I didn’t have my glasses on and the cave was very dark.
“Why don’t you turn up the lights?” I asked, gingerly extending a foot, moving in small shuffles to prevent myself from falling over.
A knowing smile crept across Asena’s features. “We did, actually, when we brought you in. Normally they’re a fair bit darker.”
“Darker? But I can barely see as it is!”
“Of course, but as your power grows you’ll find this light to be more than adequate. The most powerful of our kind can see in total darkness. Mind the slight drop here.”
“Oh.” I slid my foot forward, finding the edge. Slowly I eased myself forward, putting a hand on the smooth stone wall, using it to guide me. “How long will that take?”
The shadowy figure of Asena shrugged as she moved forward. “It varies,” she said, “from Rakshasa to Rakshasa. Some take only a few weeks for their vision to improve, while others take months or years.”
Years. That thought distressed me. “I didn’t used to like the dark, you know.”
Asena smiled over her shoulder. I could only tell because her white teeth appeared below her green eyes, glinting slightly in the barely-lit cave. “You’ll get used to it. Don’t worry, we’re almost there.”
And we were. I could see the beginning of light around an upcoming twist in the cave. Making my way towards the faint glow, I stepped around the corner.
It was a two-story suburban house, snuggled up against the wall of the cave as though it had grown out of the stone. It had an old-timey feel to it, Victorian era maybe, with a single lamppost set out at the edge of the yard.
A yard. It seemed so out of place here, bright green grass growing on the lawn. It even had a mailbox.
“What is this?”
“This is our, and your, home away from home.” Asena’s form slowly melted away as she spoke. Her tiger stripes faded and she became a tallish Caucasian woman with red hair. She seemed about thirty years old and had freckles on her face which complemented a strange, easy smile.
I really didn’t know how to say it, so I just came out and said it. “Huh. I thought all the Rakshasa were Indian.”
“That’s the first question I hear. Every. Single. Time.” She laughed, stepping up to me and wrapping her arms around my shoulders, giving me a warm hug. “One of my ancestors was part of the British army. As far as I can tell, he met an Indian woman, fell in love, had a kid. He brought the kid back to England when his time was up and, generations later, me. There’s a spark of India in me, though, and it doesn’t take muc
h. It’s kind of like what I said before. Sometimes the bloodline manifests itself, and sometimes it doesn’t.”
She released me and I nodded. “Right.” I pointed to the house. “A house, underground. Cute.”
Asena beamed, skipping along the stone towards the building. She seemed a lot more playful and less serious when she was in her human form. “Well, yeah. It’s been here for years. As long as I’ve manifested, anyway. We call it the Garden of Shadows.”
I moved closer, as well, grateful for the light. “Garden? It’s more of a house.” As we approached the lamppost, though, I began to see what she meant.
I could see, now that I was closer, that the garden was growing on the inside of the house as well; the interior walls were thickly lined with greenery. Asena hooked her hand in mine, leading me up to the front door, turning the knob and pushing it open, the heavy rosewood door creaking as she opened it.
As she led me inside I was struck by the strangely natural beauty of the interior garden. Verdant vines and creepers crawled up the walls, to the point that I could see nothing beyond them; blossoming yellow flowers dotted the carpet of green, a kind of species I’d never seen. The grass rustled underneath my bare feet as I brushed them across it. It was just like the grass from my dream, and the sensation caused memories to fly into my head. Memories of the dreams Ishan and I had shared. Memories of the love we’d made in those dreams.
I could tell, right away, that this house was going to be my favourite place in the world.
“It’s beautiful,” I said, but words couldn’t really describe how I felt at that moment. The house felt more like a home than anywhere else I’d ever lived. “You live here?”
Asena shook her head. “We have rooms in the cave system like yours. Only the garden lives here.”
A whole house for a garden. It seemed strange, but I accepted it. Curious about the rest of the house, I looked around. There were no stairs. “Can I see what’s on the second floor?”
“Not yet,” she cautioned. “Not until you’ve joined the coven entirely.”
I frowned slightly. “Why? Is it like this?”
She gave a wry smile. “Not quite.”
I filed that one away for later. “Well, what now?”
Asena regarded me, her hands on her hips. “Well, you’re looking a lot better,” she said, “so I could introduce you to the others, if you like?”
I did want to meet the rest of the coven, but another urge pulled at me, so raw and strong I couldn’t resist it. “I want to go outside. I want to run.”
Her face split in a wide smile and Asena gave a little jump on the spot. “Of course you do!” She laughed joyfully, tugging my hand again. “Fledglings love to run. Come on, I’ll lead you out.” She began dragging me back out to the dimly lit cave and although I wanted to stay in the garden forever, I reluctantly went with her.
8
Fledglings Love to Run
Asena led me into the light and I stood, blinking, in the glare of day. We were standing at the mouth of a cave halfway up one of the mountains that were southwest of Canberra, and I had a beautiful view of the valley that stretched out to the next slope, an endless sea of trees. This was the Brindabella Ranges, a series of mountains in the Bimberi Nature Reserve that separated the Australian Capital Territory from New South Wales. It was cold, this high, but strangely the temperature didn’t bother me.
I wanted to run so I did. Shoeless and wearing only a t-shirt and shorts I sprinted into the wild, expecting to not go far, a little surprised when the sharp stones underfoot didn’t hurt, didn’t slice up my skin. I ran for hours; the sun climbed across the sky and began to descend, my breath appearing in a white cloud as I ran from open space to open space. I moved fast, faster than a human should have been able to, at a pace that would have killed an Olympic athlete.
I was getting stronger.
I travelled down a valley, then began up the other side, and that’s when I saw it, stashed under a fallen tree. The corpse of a kangaroo, a bundle of grey fur and flies, smelling of decay and rotting meat. Strangely curious, I drew close and inspected it, barely panting despite the hours of exertion. The carcass would have been about a day and a half old, rotten and partially eaten.
A sudden flash in my mind. A memory of flashing teeth and slicing claws. Of a kangaroo hopping frantically away from me, but of me leaping upon the poor creature, crushing the life out of it with my massive jaws. I’d watched it die. Then I’d feasted upon its flesh, starting with the muscles, storing what I didn’t eat.
Oddly, the sight and sudden flash of vivid memory didn’t disturb me. It would have in the past, though. Libby the Loser would have been puking and crying, distraught and grossed out by just seeing dead animal, let alone hunting it down and killing it herself. Let alone eating its raw flesh, still covered in warm blood.
But now I saw the dead kangaroo just as I might have seen steak in the supermarket: something natural and expected, something I could eat. Red and tasty.
I moved on, returning to my run, running up the side of the mountains. I climbed and ran, feeling the air thin as I got higher and higher. Then down the other side, tearing down the tree-covered slope as though it were as easy as a stroll down an empty street. Ahead was the wide open, bright green valley between two hills, a creek running on the far side of the clearing. I ran out into the grass, casting a glance at the larger mountain ahead of me.
I was halfway across the gap when I felt eyes upon me and slowed, coming to a complete standstill in the open, grass up to my ankles. Instinctively, I kept my gaze forward, at the mountain ahead of me. The eyes came from there, then, stepping out from behind the tree line, attached to the tall, strong bodies of a half dozen Rakshasa with brown stripes and white in-between. The same as Ishan.
They walked towards me, faster than it seemed possible for mere humans to move, and within moments they were within hailing distance.
“Am I trespassing?” I called, worried about what Asena had said.
The six Rewa exchanged curious glances, then turned back to me. “No,” said a shorter one with stocky shoulders, his voice growling as he spoke. “Not yet, anyway. The creek marks the territorial line. This clearing is neutral territory, where we come to discuss our quarrels. Have your Altaican fellows not yet taught you about the border of their lands, fledgling?”
I shook my head. “No. I only met them today. I think they didn’t think I’d go this far. Neither did I, to be honest.”
Low chuckles from the Rewa. “Typical,” one observed, her green eyes narrowing mirthfully.
They all had brown eyes, I had noticed, except for the female who had green like Asena. Ishan’s, though, were blue.
“Well, I didn’t mean to, anyway. And I’m not going to trespass if I can avoid it.” I offered a slight smile. “I’m Aurora. It’s nice to meet you.”
The stocky Rakshasa spoke again. “I am Hailstone, but forgive me if I do not return your enthusiasm. The Altaica are not welcome in our lands and, were you more mature, we would not have given you the courtesy of our greeting. Your intrusion would be met with force.”
The six of them looked strong and confident. I doubted I could take on even one of them. “I really don’t want to fight any of you,” I said, “I was just running.”
Hailstone inclined his head, folding his arms in front of him. “I know. We have all felt what you feel now, fledgling, so we are all tolerant of your mistakes… but it is important that you learn and learn quickly.”
I had planned on doing exactly that. “Where is Ishan?” I asked, curiously. I wanted to see him. I wanted him with me, sharing my run.
“He is resting,” said Hailstone, “although he is scheduled to visit the city later this evening.” The Rewa’s eyes narrowed slightly. “He has told us of the bond you two supposedly share and, while we do not understand it, we accept it… for now. I cannot say we are pleased by this development, although it does not appear that fault lies with either party.”
The green-eyed female spoke up again. “Wait.” She turned to Hailstone. “Maybe we should take her back? See what she can tell us?”
Hailstone frowned. “No. She is a fledgling and will know nothing anyway.”
I looked between the two. There was some tension there; I could feel it. Some unresolved dispute that I was not privy to. The female seemed like she was going to say something, to argue, but instead just threw her hands in the air and looked away.
Hailstone turned back to me. “I think it’s best you leave and do not return this way unless you have business with the Rewa.”
I nodded and took a few steps back, then walked back where I came from, occasionally casting a glance over my shoulder. The Rewa stood where I’d left them until I reached the treeline, at which point they turned and darted back towards the mountains, vanishing the moment they moved away from the clearing.
9
Waiting to Dream
I knew that I should head back to the coven at the cave, but the news that Ishan was visiting the city drew me back to Canberra. We definitely had a connection; he was there, so I needed to be there, as well. I needed to feel him again, to hold him in my arms, to kiss his lips.
As I approached the edge of the city I spent a moment straightening my appearance. I had no shoes, nothing I could do about that, but I tidied my hair and adjusted my clothes so that I didn’t seem so… wild. It didn’t take a moment and, when I was ready, I casually wandered along the road as though nothing were wrong.
I heard a car slow down beside me, pulling off the road in front of me. A new model Hyundai, sleek and black. Curious, I watched as the door swung open and the driver stepped out. It was Jacques, a guy my friend Katelyn had hooked up with at a club, the same night I’d met Ishan.
20 Shades of Shifters: A Paranormal Romance Collection Page 98