“Elianna ah, attacked—bit—me, at the end of July. A few days later, Real brought me here, the same evening they killed Justin.” He licked his lips again.
“Oh gods, it’s the second of December,” she said, shocked.
Just then, Jax stepped back into the room with a triumphant gleam in his eyes. “Didn’t find bolt cutters, but I did find these.” He held up a set of keys and Thaniel’s eyes widened as Jax knelt down and began to work on unlocking the cuff around his ankle.
A moment later, Sami walked in holding a blanket. “The only clothes here are big enough to dress an elephant,” he said and stopped just inside the door, giving them space. Tierney was grateful. She knew Sami would never harm Thaniel, but he was a very large guy and she didn’t want Thaniel intimidated.
It took a few tries, but finally the lock clicked. Jax carefully eased the cuff off of Thaniel’s ankle. Then, triumphant, he set the restraint aside and reached to unlock the neck collar, but Thaniel hissed and shied away.
“Shit, sorry.” Jax backed off and didn’t move, horrified at having scared the guy.
“Here, I’ll do it,” Tierney offered. Jax’s eyes rose to hers, and his hand trembled as he held the keys out to her. Tierney covered his hand with hers for a second before taking them from him. “He’ll be okay.”
Jax nodded, but she could feel his doubt.
“Thaniel,” Tierney said, and waited for him to look at her. “I won’t hurt you.” She willed him to read the truth in her eyes. But Thaniel shook with fear until finally, the desire to be free won and tilting his head, he pulled his hair out of the way.
Tierney tried to be quick, but her fingers accidentally brushed his neck, making him hiss again, and yet he continued to hold still. However, the touch, though fleeting, swamped Tierney with a multitude of Thaniel’s memories. She only got a glimpse of some of them while others rushed past, way to fast, but the ones she did see left her horrified.
***
His mother cried and begged his daddy not to leave, but Daddy tossed some papers at her. “You’re a lying, cheating whore.” Then he pointed at Thaniel, a sweet, little blond child who appeared to be about four years old. “That is not my son.” Daddy grabbed his suitcase and Thaniel, scared at having made him angry, latched onto his leg.
“Daddy, don’t go!”
His daddy, who had always been loving and fun, snarled, and roughly pulled Thaniel off his leg, shoving him back. “Get away from me, you little bastard!”
Thaniel lay on the floor, stunned. Tears ran down his face as guilt and a terrible heartache filled him. He didn’t understand what he’d done to make Daddy so angry. Then the door slammed, rattling the pictures on the wall.
Hurt and confused, Thaniel choked back his tears as his mother collapsed to the floor and started to wail.
“Momma.” He tried to crawl into her lap and comfort her, but she shoved him, making him fall back and hit his head on the hardwood floor.
“Get away from me, this is all your fault, I hate you. I should have drowned you when you were born,” she shouted at him.
***
Memories surged past swiftly, and Tierney could only catch fragments here and there. But it seemed that his sweet, loving mother, suddenly hated his very existence. They ended up in a small, one-room apartment in a shitty building, while his mother became a prostitute. She blamed Thaniel for that as well. Every night she woke him up, dragged him to the cold, dark closet, pushed him inside and shut the door. Then he had to listen to her have sex with strange men on their only bed.
At first Thaniel cried, but her beatings quickly put a stop to that. Still, he hated being stuffed in the small space. Sometimes his mother let him out afterward, while other times she’d fall asleep and forget about him until the next morning. Soon, his mother’s pimp had her pushing drugs to her clients, and then she became an addict as well. Concerned only about her next fix, she began to seriously neglect her son, and Thaniel slowly started to starve.
His only friend was ten-year old Clary, who lived next door with her dad. Every morning she stopped by before school and gave Thaniel her lunch, knowing it was the only meal he got. They would sit outside of their apartments after school, before her dad got home. “I gotta go, Thaniel,” she said one day.
“Where?” he asked.
“I can’t stay here no more, I gotta run away,” she answered.
“Why? I don’t want you ta go.”
“I have to—” Clary, face drawn and pinched, refused to say anymore, but Thaniel had heard her crying at night, and knew all to well about parents who hated their children. “You wanna come with me?” she finally asked.
He nodded, but that was the last time he saw her. He thought she ran away and left him, but a week later the police found her body in her room and dragged her daddy away.
By the time he turned five, Thaniel learned to wait until his mother slept before he snuck outside, and searched the garbage in the alley behind their building for something to eat. He should have been put in school but, as tiny as he was, no one in the building realized, or cared. Then, when he was eight, his mother overdosed and died.
Thaniel was put into the foster system and started school, which proved to be difficult with his lack of social skills. He immediately became a target for bullies. He was thirteen when he ran away to live on the streets.
A year later, Real found him fighting off two men in a dark alley. Real fought the men with strength no mere human could possess, and left them moaning in pain. Though he was often gruff, he took Thaniel under his wing.
The memories skipped ahead to Thaniel down in the basement and Tierney wanted to scream at the abuse Arlow and his wolves inflicted on him. They’d dangle him from the hook in the ceiling, until the only thing he wanted was to die. She saw the horror and guilt etched on Real’s face whenever he came to check on Thaniel, sneaking him food when he was able. Then the last memory showed Thaniel curled up on the mattress, all hope gone.
With the horrible images, and the emotions that went with them, now imprinted in her brain, tears ran down Tierney’s face as she struggled, hands shaking, to unlock the metal collar around his neck.
“What the hell?” Sami asked, and she could feel his horror while Jax sucked in a deep breath. Realizing what had just happened, Tierney threw up her shields, but it wasn’t soon enough to protect them from seeing, and feeling everything she just had.
“Sorry.” Sick and saddened at what Thaniel had lived through, Tierney turned her face away and wiped her eyes, as the collar finally clicked open. “I’m sorry guys, I touched his neck and got swamped with his life—really didn’t mean to share.”
Once free, Thaniel backed away again, and although she just wanted to curl up and cry for him, Tierney forced her tears away. Then, without taking his eyes off them, and with his hair still hanging in his face, Thaniel reached out and picked up the hoodie. Shaking now himself, Sami came forward and handed him the blanket. “H-here.”
Thaniel continued to eye them with mistrust as he hastily pulled the hoodie on, but when Tierney tried to hand him the blanket, he cowered back again. A sob stuck in her throat as she waited, aching to pull him into her arms and reassure him that he’d be okay now.
Instead, she drew on her empathy to soothe him. “Thaniel?” She waited as pale-blue eyes met hers. Then, careful not to move overly fast, she reached out and touched his hand. “I don’t blame you for not trusting us, but none of us will hurt you.” She motioned to Jax and Sami, both silent and pale. “Use your senses, and you’ll find that I’m telling the truth.” As a supernatural creature, he should be able to sense a lie. Then again, as a new Were, he may not be in tune with his inner beast.
She could sense his struggle to trust, but when she raised the blanket again, he stayed still and let her cover him. Then he took her hand and let her help him to his feet.
Jax led the way, and Thaniel stuck close to Tierney, as they wove through the basement and up the stairs. But he stopped
when they walked into the living room. Looking around, he licked his lips and his eyes widened.
“Hey, you okay?” she asked, touching his arm and making him shy away. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” she said and moved away to give him some space. Then the hair on the back of her neck tingled, as Thaniel’s beast started to rise. “How long since you ate?” she asked, getting worried.
Thaniel turned startled, faintly-glowing eyes on her and shrugged. “Ah, I don’t know. A week and a half, two weeks?”
She wanted to cry for him, then realized that the time coincided with Kyrian’s last contact with Toren.
Still, the poor guy must be starving. Tierney turned away and wiped her eyes again, hating how nonchalantly he acted. Although from what she had glimpsed of his life, he was used to starvation. Saddened by the thought, and knowing that as a new Were, with little control, being hungry could be a deadly big deal. She glanced at Sami and Jax. “Thaniel’s about to change,” she whispered, while Thaniel scanned nervously around the room again. His eyes grew brighter as he caught the scent of blood.
Jax tried to pull her away, but she refused to move. “Thaniel, try to slow your breathing.”
“I … I can’t.” His eyes filled with panic.
“Yes, you can,” Tierney encouraged, moving close, put her hand on his arm. “You can.”
For a second, he managed to calm down. “I did it.” A tiny smile lit his face before disappearing. Then his eyes flashed a bright blue, and he trembled as his beast took over. “No, no, no—” Thaniel mumbled and panic bright in his eyes, he jerked away. “You should have left me downstairs.” He yanked the hoodie off and tossed it to the floor.
“It’s okay, Thaniel. Try to relax,” Tierney said, feeling useless as Jax pulled her back to stand beside him and Sami.
Thaniel whimpered. His gaze darted around the room before looking back to her. “I—I’m sorry,” he said and suddenly dropped to all fours as the change took him.
Tierney cringed as bones broke, and twisted, snapping and cracking to accommodate his new form. Damn, how did anyone survive the pain of it? “He won’t to be able to control his beast,” she said.
“Yeah.” Sami stared as white fur, with black spots sprouted all over Thaniel.
“Where’s the big bad wolf when you need him?” Jax whispered.
“What do we do?” Tierney asked.
“Dunno, but whatever we do, let’s not piss Thaniel off.” Sami stared pointedly at Jax.
“Why you looking at me?” Jax asked, puzzled, and almost making Tierney snort.
“Might be a good idea to get out of the house.” Jax nodded at the door, but Tierney glanced at the window which was covered with cardboard instead of glass. “No, he’ll go through there, putting others in danger. Besides, I can’t leave him.”
“So, what? Do nothing and let him eat us?” Jax asked sarcastically.
“Wonder if we can be turned into Were-animals?” Sami pondered.
“Yeah, I have enough trouble with the dragon, thank you. I don’t need to add any other freaky shit to the list,” Jax griped.
Sami grinned. “I figured you’d be all “more is better”.”
“Yeah—not.”
“Would you two stop?” Tierney glared at them.
“We need to get control of his beast,” Jax said, serious all of a sudden.
“You make that sound so easy,” Tierney grumbled.
“Think you can get into his mind?” Jax asked.
“Don’t know. Guess we’ll find out.” Tierney closed her eyes and concentrated. She tried to relax and slow her racing pulse. She needed to hurry because Thaniel seemed close to finishing. Slowing her heartbeat, she reached out to Thaniel’s consciousness and found his first shield, a wall, keeping her out. Thinking of the battle of pain she just went through with Jax during his awakening, she now imagined knocking at Thaniel’s door, and then smiled when he answered. But behind him stood another wall, where his beast lurked.
She could sense his anger and fear as Thaniel, now a pretty white snow leopard, snarled and hissed. Hissed? Without thinking, Tierney moved forward, only to be pulled back by Jax as Thaniel began to advance on them, teeth bared and snarling.
“You pegged ’im. There was a cat downstairs.” Jax smirked at Sami, who rolled his eyes.
“Thaniel, we need to calm your leopard down.” Tierney sensed his puzzlement and imagined reaching her hand out to him. “He needs to let us in.” She pointed to the wall behind him.
“How?” Thaniel asked.
“I have an idea. Come.” She led him over to the wall. “Put your hands here,” she instructed, and Thaniel did what she asked.
“We need to concentrate, get him to let us in,” she repeated and they stood for what seemed like an eternity—but was really only a second—before Thaniel’s beast finally responded.
The cat took another step toward them, and Jax and Sami backed up closer to the door, pulling Tierney with them. “C’mon, Tiern—” Jax muttered “Calm Kitty down, get a leash on him.”
Ignoring him, Tierney concentrated on Thaniel. “Tell your leopard he’s okay, no one’s going to hurt him.” She sent soothing thoughts to the cat, who resisted a moment before the wall wobbled and started to collapse. Then she watched as Thaniel and the beast merged into one.
When she opened her eyes, she found Jax in front of her, shielding her, while Thaniel’s cat stalked them. “No!” she yelled, still connected to the beast. He hesitated, growling and hissing, before backing off.
“It’s okay,” she reassured him as she stepped around Jax and put her hand out. The leopard’s eyes remained riveted on her, and then it lowered its head so Tierney quietly repeated her earlier words. “We’re not going to hurt you.” The cat tilted his head in puzzlement as he studied them.
Listening to her voice, Kitty slowly eased back onto his haunches and then lay down on the floor. Then through their mental connection, she told him that they only wanted to help. She started to smile at the progress they’d made, when the front door squeaked, making them all—including Kitty—jump.
With awful timing, Soroyan walked inside. Thaniel’s leopard sat up and hissed again. Surprised, Soroyan paused and glanced from the cat to the three of them as Kitty began to advance on him. Eyes narrowing, Soroyan shot a wave of power through the room, making the leopard whimper and cower back in fear.
“Enough!” Tierney glared at Soroyan. “I just calmed him down, and now you’re stirring him up again? Leave him alone. He’s scared enough as it is.” Then she turned back to find Kitty backing away, shaking. “Thaniel, you’re okay. Soroyan will not hurt you,” she said, glad the connection to him remained open.
The shock on Soroyan’s face that she’d stood up to him, quickly changed to his usual scowl. Tierney bit back a grin. Ha! Bet no one ever dares talk back to him, or tell him off. Finally, her grin slipped free as she cautiously moved forward.
Though Thaniel’s leopard watched her, he didn’t move. Encouraged, she took another step and then crouched in front of him. “You’re okay, he won’t hurt you. You’re safe.” Careful not to startle him, Tierney reached out, and after sniffing her, Kitty rubbed his face against her hand. He began to relax and finally let Tierney rub under his chin. Then, a faint purr sounded as pale-blue cat eyes stared up at her.
“You’re either very stupid, or very brave,” Soroyan said before turning and walking back outside. Still grinning, Tierney used her connection to tell Thaniel to change back. They needed to get going. But the cat yawned, and lowered his head to his paws, ready for sleep. Surprised, Tierney stood and glanced back at Jax and Sami.
“Maybe he needs to wait a certain amount of time before he can change back?” Sami suggested.
“Never thought of that.” She turned and stared at the now calm, but very large cat.
“Getting Kitty to the car is gonna be fun, if that’s the case,” Jax remarked, as they all imagined trying to convince a scared, spooked leopard to climb in
to the back of Jax’s car.
Tierney used her connection to ask Thaniel to change back again, and waited. Thaniel’s eyes never left hers, but a moment later the hair on the back of her neck stood on end, as he started to transform. This time, he went from animal to human in a matter of seconds, and it appeared painless.
Tierney quickly covered him with the blanket as he lay on the floor. “Are you okay?” she asked, crouching in front of him once again. Thaniel sat up and averted his eyes as he pulled the hoodie back on, before wrapping the blanket around himself. Then his gaze finally met hers. “What are you?” he asked, staring at her suspiciously.
Chapter Seventeen
Mind Power
TIERNEY COULDN’T ANSWER Thaniel. She didn’t know what to say. She wanted to tell him the truth, but they never told anyone their secrets. As she stood up, Jax saved her from having to say anything. “C’mon, we’ll talk later.” He held the door open. “Right now, we need to get out of here before something else happens.”
But Thaniel didn’t move.
Tierney looked at him. “Thaniel, we’re looking for someone named Toren. We want you to come with us. Who knows, maybe we’ll find Real. But either way, I don’t want to leave you here.” Actually, she hated the thought of leaving him behind.
“Yeah and dude, you need some clothes,” Jax said. Tierney shot him a glare. “What?” he asked all innocent like, making her want to roll her eyes.
“Nothing,” she said instead, and held her hand out to Thaniel. “C’mon, we’ll get you some food and something to wear.”
After a moment’s hesitation, he finally took her hand, got to his feet and followed her out the door. “W-who is that?” Thaniel asked as he peered timidly at Soroyan who stood leaning against Jax’s car with a bored expression on his face.
“That’s Soroyan, he won’t hurt you,” Tierney said drawing a scowl from the big guy. “Soroyan, can you ride up front with Jax? Sami and I will climb in the back with Thaniel.”
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