by J. C. Diem
Scraped, bruised and bloody, Kala’s fist stopped an inch from my mashed nose. I focused on her face to see tears streaming from her golden eyes. “I can’t do it anymore,” she said and sagged to her knees.
“You don’t have to,” Flynn said and eased me to the ground beside her. He gathered us both in close and put his arms around us. His cheeks were also wet with tears. “Is it enough yet, Garrett?” he asked Reece bitterly, as if our pain was his fault. “Has she gained enough control, or do you think Kala should use her knives on your mate next?”
Reece flinched and his fists clenched, but his expression remained stony. “She’s proven she can control her wolf,” he said then walked away. This had been my idea, but he still felt responsible for the pain that we’d all been put through by these sessions.
“I’m sorry,” Kala sobbed and put her head on my shoulder. “I’m so sorry. I know we had to do it so you can learn to stop yourself from changing, but I hated every minute of it.”
“It’s okay,” I told her and stroked her hair. “It had to be done.” I’d finally learned the control that I needed so desperately. No other shifter had ever managed to change at will before and it frightened me that I was the first. One thing we monsters had in common was dark magic of some kind. Shifters were bound to the moon and we were ruled by its force. I had no way of knowing what would happen if I transformed completely when it wasn’t the right time. Maybe I’d lose my mind. Worse, maybe I wouldn’t be able to change back.
“I’m glad that’s over,” Flynn said and used his sleeve to wipe away his tears. “I don’t think you’re going to lose it so easily again if you could withstand that kind of beating.”
Kala sobbed harder and I patted her on the back. “I’m fine, Kala. There’s no permanent damage and my face has already healed.”
She leaned back to examine me and I did my best to smile. My nose was back to its normal shape again and the pain was already gone. “I’d feel a whole lot better if you’d punch me in the face a bunch of times,” she said.
“Will you settle for making me a cup of coffee instead?” The thought of attacking her didn’t hold any appeal for me at all.
“I guess,” she replied and pushed herself to her feet.
I headed upstairs to shower and change out of my bloody clothes. I felt calm and in control when I returned to the lower floor. Flynn was right. If I could stand being beaten almost unconscious by someone I loved and not become enraged, I could probably withstand almost anything. It would take a lot more than physical pain to make me lose control now.
“You’re not mad at us?” Kala asked when I took a seat on the couch next to her. Flynn was sitting on the edge of his seat, watching me intently.
“Nope,” I replied truthfully. “I’m grateful.”
“Grateful that we just spent the past couple of weeks beating the crap out of you?” she said incredulously.
I lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug. “I’m grateful you care enough about me to put yourselves through that.”
Guilt turned Flynn’s eyes a lighter shade of green. “It was just as hard for us as it was for you.”
“I imagine it was worse for you two.” They grimaced in agreement. “Just think of what might have happened to me if we hadn’t gone through those training sessions.”
“That’s just it,” Kala said with a glance up at Mark in the coms room. “We have no idea what would have happened if you’d changed.”
“For all we know, you might not be able to change back,” Flynn said in a low voice, echoing my earlier thought.
I held in a shudder of dread. Losing my humanity for three days out of every month was bad enough. I enjoyed it when I was a werewolf, but I didn’t want to become one permanently.
₪₪₪
Chapter Thirty-One
Packing the SUV with our gear, we prepared for the long drive back to Lilydale. Tomorrow night we would descend into the tunnels and flush out the mob of ghouls. Tonight, we would be staying at a property near town, but hopefully not close enough for the head ghoul to know that we’d returned.
We were all cranky from being cramped up for too long by the time we arrived at a farm. It was ten miles from town and was extensive enough to be hunting grounds for the werelions and their assorted band of felines. Unlike our compound, the property didn’t have electric fences surrounding it. That was a good indication that Cole could indeed control his pride.
Reece drove through the gate and down a long gravel driveway to a sprawling house. Both it and several more large buildings were painted a soft cream color with moss green trim. It was soothing and pretty, not the combination I’d expected to see. The other buildings weren’t as fancy as the main house, but they no doubt offered adequate accommodation.
Cole loped out through the double doors as we pulled up. Kala sucked in a breath at his shirtless state. His jeans rode down low enough to show his hip bones. I had to admit that he was gorgeous, for a feline.
“Try to ignore the eye candy,” I whispered and she shot me a sour look.
“This is going to be harder than I thought,” she muttered before opening her door.
I let Zeus out and his hackles immediately rose at the overpowering scent of feline shifters. He looked up at me and I reassured him they were friends, even if it was only temporary. You’d better stay outside, I told him and he agreed. The lions might not want him in their house and he didn’t particularly want to be surrounded by them either.
Cole smiled nervously and offered Mark his hand. “Welcome to my home, Agent Steel.” He was making an effort to be polite to a being that he saw as inferior. He nodded at the rest of us then turned his attention to Kala. “It’s good to see you again, Kala.”
She swayed towards him and Flynn elbowed her in the side. Crossing her arms, she tore her eyes away from his face and scowled at the ground. “I wish I could say the same,” she said. “The only reason I’m here is because we have a job to do.”
“Ah, yes. The ghouls,” he said with a wry smile, as if he didn’t quite believe us. “I’m looking forward to seeing them. I thought they were just a myth.”
“They’re no more mythical than shifters are,” Mark said mildly.
Cole inclined his head. “Point taken. Please, come inside.” He gestured to the door then stepped aside to let us enter first.
Kala sent a last desperate look at the SUV, clearly wishing she could make a run for it. I caught her by the elbow and urged her inside. She remained tense as we traversed down a hallway and entered the lounge.
I was surprised by the elegance. Cream carpet covered the floors and tasteful paintings hung on the pale walls. The furniture was understated and blended in with the overall cream décor. The biggest TV I’d ever seen was mounted to a wall. Half a dozen chairs and couches were angled towards it. Two small coffee tables were placed strategically between the couches.
Cole’s entire pride had gathered to greet us. All were male and were pure bloods, of course. They watched us with varying degrees of interest. “Are we really going to hunt ghouls tomorrow night?” a guy around Reece and Flynn’s age asked. He was as golden as his rex and also wore only jeans. From their resemblance, I’d say they were brothers.
“We are,” Reece confirmed.
“You didn’t give me much information over the phone,” Cole said as he motioned for us to sit. He perched on an armchair while we made ourselves comfortable on the couches. “Perhaps you could explain what we’ll be up against in more detail.”
“There were originally nearly two hundred ghouls,” Mark said. “We eradicated around fifty of them before they banded together to confront us. They’re being controlled by a leader, who we now believe is the first ghoul to ever exist.”
He paused and received incredulous stares from the pride. “We drew them away from town and inadvertently chose the head ghoul’s lair to make our stand. I threatened them with a grenade and we were instructed to leave or they’d wipe us out. It seemed prudent for us t
o leave town and come up with a plan to destroy them without suffering any losses on our side.”
Cole struggled to hide his shock. “So, there really are ghouls living beneath Lilydale and there are still a hundred and fifty of them left?”
Mark nodded. “Roughly. We don’t have exact numbers.”
“What is the plan that you’ve come up with?” Mason asked. The bouncer slid an uneasy glance at me before quickly looking away. He hadn’t forgotten that I’d taken control of him and he was wary of it happening again.
“I’d like you to send some people in to dig some strategic holes into the tunnels tomorrow afternoon,” Mark proposed. “The ghouls should still be sleeping then and your excavations will hopefully go unnoticed. When the moon rises and you turn, we can split into several groups and begin flushing them out. Their instinct will be to head to the surface where some of you will be waiting for them. I’m hoping you can herd them to one central location from above and below. You can then band together to wipe them out. ”
“That’s a clever plan,” Cole said in admiration. “They’ll be no match for us once we shift.”
“How many lions can you spare for the hunt?” Reece asked.
Cole waved his hand at his kin. There were twelve, including him. “We are all eager to take part. Will you require the assistance of our females as well?” He flicked a wary glance at Kala as he made the offer. Her lips tightened slightly.
“It would be helpful. How many lionesses can you muster?” Mark asked.
“Our lionesses won’t be participating,” Cole said. “I’m not willing to risk their safety.”
“But you’re willing to throw away worthless lesser felines like me,” Kala said bitterly.
He frowned, but didn’t deny it. “How much do you know about our species?” he asked instead of becoming angry at her accusation. She jerked a shoulder in response. “Our females only have one or two children each and our offspring are often male. Our numbers have been dwindling for centuries. I only have four lionesses in my pride and one of them is currently pregnant. Can you blame me for not wanting to put them in danger?”
Sighing, she looked down at her feet and didn’t answer him. I was quietly impressed that he cared about their welfare so much. While he appeared to be frivolous, he was being the best leader of his people that he was capable of. Now that he was aware that it was wrong to hold bitten captives with his charisma, I hoped he would pass this on to his heir, whoever that might be.
“How many females will be able to assist us?” Mark asked.
“Fifteen,” Cole answered.
“How much control will you have over them?”
“Our Rex’s control is absolute,” his younger brother said. “He speaks and we obey.” They all nodded and none of them seemed angered by it. To them, it was normal.
Mark went quiet as he thought about our chances. “We’ll have thirty-one shifters against around one hundred and fifty ghouls.”
“Sounds about fair to me,” Flynn said with a grin.
One of the felines had been staring at us intently. He was just as tall and well-built as the others, but his coloring was darker and he stood out as a result. Instead of being blond, his hair was dark brown. His skin was only a few shades lighter than Flynn’s. His eyes were a pure, clear light blue. “What are you?” he asked Flynn. “You don’t smell like any shifter I’ve ever encountered before.”
“I’m a wereconstrictor.”
The lion looked blank. “He’s a snake,” Kala explained curtly.
Most of the pride turned to Cole for his reaction. He looked as baffled as they did. “I’ve never heard of your species before. Are there many of you?”
Flynn shook his head. “I doubt it. I think we’re pretty rare.”
“Were you bitten or are you pure blood?” the brunette lion queried.
“That’s classified,” Mark said firmly.
The strange lion pouted. He didn’t like his questions going unanswered. “What about you two?” he said to Reece and me. “You’re not normal wolves.”
“Felix,” Cole said warningly.
Kala sniggered before she could control her amusement. I shared a quick look with her and bit my lip to stop myself from laughing. Felix seemed like a clichéd name for a cat. Instead of being insulted, he grinned and winked in clear sexual invitation. I did a double take when I realized the invitation had been meant for me.
Reece saw the interaction and glowered at the lion. He might have put a hold on our relationship, but he didn’t want anyone else to make a play for my affections.
Mark intervened before the meeting could turn nasty. “Could someone show us where we’ll be staying tonight?”
“I’ll take you,” Cole said and stood.
“I’m available if any of you would like company tonight,” Felix offered with a languid smile. I wasn’t the only one who was surprised and disturbed by that.
Cole sent us an apologetic glance over his shoulder as he led the way out into the hall and to a set of stairs. He waited until we were on the second floor before speaking. “Please ignore Felix’s behavior. My cousin has always been peculiar.”
“That’s an understatement,” Flynn said quietly.
“I thought it went against our instincts to mix with different species,” I said. I felt very young and naïve at the look that Kala gave me. She had far more experience than I ever would when it came to sex.
“Felix doesn’t discriminate,” Cole said with a distasteful twist of his lips. “He enjoys both men and women and he doesn’t seem to care what species they belong to.”
“You’d better lock your door tonight,” Kala said to me. “You might end up with a horny lion in your bed.”
Over my dead body, Reece thought without realizing that I’d heard him. Instead of filling me with joy, it only added to my anguish.
“I promise he won’t bother any of you,” Cole said as he gestured to the rooms that stretched along the hallway. His gaze lingered on Kala as we each chose a room. Mark frowned at us being separated, but he didn’t insist on Kala and me being roomies this time. Cole had given us his word that he wouldn’t attempt to recapture her. It would be insulting if we didn’t trust him. Unfortunately, we needed his help if we wanted to take down the ghouls without losing anyone on our team.
₪₪₪
Chapter Thirty-Two
Leaving my duffle bag on the floor beside the bed, I was filled with the usual restlessness that came when it was nearly time to shift. Dinner was still a couple of hours away and I was too filled with energy to read.
Knowing Zeus had to be hungry by now, I headed outside with food for him. He trotted over to me and gobbled it down then pestered me to play fetch with him. With nothing better to do, I obliged him. The exercise was enough to take the edge off my growing tension and it made my companion happy as well.
Feeling eyes on my back after a while, I turned to see Felix watching me. Moving with sinuous grace, he walked over to join us. Zeus dropped the stick and growled low in his throat.
“I don’t think he likes me,” the werelion said with a wry smile.
“Zeus is wary of strange shifters. He doesn’t trust anyone who isn’t in our pack.”
He studied my face as I soothed Zeus with a pat. “Why do you and your mate smell like vampires?” he asked.
I looked at him in surprise then bent to pick up the stick. Zeus was reluctant to leave me, but the lure of the chase had him racing after it. “You’ve met a vampire before?”
He nodded then checked over his shoulder to make sure no one was within hearing distance. “Don’t tell my Rex, but I’ve copulated with a female vampire.”
My nose wrinkled in automatic distaste. “How is it that you’re still alive?” Vampires and shifters were mortal enemies. We usually killed each other on sight.
“She caught me when I was alone one night several years ago. She was much stronger and faster than she looked,” he said sheepishly. “She dragged me into a
n alley and I thought she was going to drain me. Instead, she offered herself to me.” One bite from a vampire was death to our species. Their venom killed us swiftly and painfully.
I had many questions, but could only manage one. “Why?”
He shrugged philosophically. “Perhaps, in her own way, she’s as perverted as me. She said she’d never had a shifter before and she was curious about what the experience would be like.”
My mind went blank at the thought of a shifter and a vampire having sex. I’d had no idea the undead were still interested in sex at all. I thought they were only interested in blood. “Was it, um, enjoyable for you both?”
His smile was slow, but wide. “Oh, yes. Her body was cold, but her passion was hot.”
My upper lip drew back and he chuckled at my discomfort. Running a finger down my arm, his eyes widened in sick excitement when I grabbed it and bent it back painfully. “You can punish me for my transgression, if you like,” he offered. “You can do anything that you wish to me. Anything at all.”
“Felix!” Cole shouted from the doorway of the mansion. His tone was foreboding and the werelion flinched. He jogged over to join us. “Go inside and do not speak to my guests again.” With a regretful look at me, Felix obeyed.
I waited for him to amble inside before I spoke. “There is something seriously wrong with him.”
“I know,” Cole said with a heavy sigh. “I don’t know what to do about him.”
“You could have him neutered.”