"It was here. The shape of a woman, slim, small, long hair. I couldn't see her features. She looked at the wolves and watched as they were being carried away. She's powerful. That's why I could see her. She was in charge, I'm sure of it."
"A mysterious woman in charge of the mutants," Mr Moon mutters. He doesn't sound convinced. "Anyone else got something? Any traces? Scents?"
Nobody replies. His team is either really bad or there isn't anything to find. I'm very tempted to say 'told you so', but that wouldn't work with the professional persona I'm trying to keep up. Not that it's working; the knife-against-his-throat wasn't my usual business style at all. I like to threaten and intimidate, but not with a blade and definitely not when I want something from the other person. Let's hope he forgets that little episode.
"Jack, can you follow the shimmer?" He says the last word with distaste.
Jack nods. "For a bit, but I'll need some more of the Linking or I won't be strong enough."
"We can't do that again," Mr Moon says vehemently. "It's taken too much of a toll on everyone already. Is there no other way you can do your voodoo?"
"Not voodoo," Jack complains. "I'm just a little more sensitive to some stimuli than others."
Mr Moon rolls his eyes as if he's had this conversation before.
"It might help to have someone touch me who's seen the mutants. Who's touched them."
Ehm, is he talking about me?
"No touching," Lennox growls, suddenly beside me, pushing my back so that he's in front of me.
Down, doggo. But I don't say that. I don't want to embarrass him in front of the other wolves. I may let him act all alpha and macho now, but he's got something coming once we're back home. I'm going to show him exactly who's boss. Heat blossoms in my core at the thought. Yes, he's going to be put in his place.
"I need to touch her, it's necessary," Jack argues. "She's killed the wolves and therefore their traces are on her. If I can get a good read of her memories, I might be able to track the woman."
"Wait, you're going to look at my memories?" I push past Lennox and stare down Jack. "No way."
He bows his head, even though he seems surprised about it. I guess he's not used to showing subservience to people who're not part of their Pride. Least of all cats. "Not memories as such, miss, just...imagine it like footprints. I can't see the man who left it, but I can estimate his size and weight. It's like that, except that it isn't."
"Jack is our resident philosopher," Mr Moon groans. "Half of what he says doesn't make any sense, but occasionally, he's right about it and has a brilliant idea that helps us. It's why I keep him around."
Footprints. Shimmers. Linking. My head is swirling with all those strange concepts. And here I thought that this was a just a simple tracking exercise. I wish I was back home in the warm wagon with a cup of hot chocolate, a catnip cookie and one or more warm bodies to lean against. At least I have Lennox here with me. I step back until I'm pressed against him, as if by accident. He doesn't react - well, most of him doesn't. I repress a smile. Someone's happy to touch me.
Which brings me back to the issue at hand. "So you can't see my memories?" I ask just to confirm.
"No, your secrets are safe with me." Jack grins at me, his goatee twisting strangely as he does. How very comforting.
"I guess I don't have a choice then." I stretch out a hand. "Here you go, that's as much as you get to touch. Please hurry up, I've got better things to do than being...touched."
Lennox snickers softly, just loud enough for me to hear.
Jack carefully takes my hand between his, as if he's scared I'll gut him if he does anything more. Which he's right about. My other hand is at my waist, close to the hilt of my dagger. If he does a wrong move, I'll have his throat cut before he can even open his mouth to apologise.
"Close your eyes, please, and remember what happened here," he says, his voice suddenly a lot deeper and calmer. I do as he says, but I don't relax. Closing my eyes doesn't mean I ignore all my other senses. I'm still on high alert, even if I may not look like it to the outside world.
"Think of when you arrived. You were here for the cat, right? Was it injured?"
"She was being attacked. Cornered by three wolves."
"You don't have to say it out loud," he mutters. "Just remember, picture it in as much detail as you can."
Alright then. What a weird thing to do.
The kitten's meows. The wolves, rabid, saliva flying from their mouths. Their claws, sharp, reflecting the morning sun. The smell of the leaves as I run towards them. The wind tousling my fur. The first bite, the blood. So sweet that I couldn't help myself.
"That's good, very good," Jack whispers. "Keep going."
The first wolf, dead on the ground. The second, jumping high above me, then organs raining down on me. More blood. The third wolf, me on his back, my teeth around his neck. Another kill. More blood. Then the kitten, meowing in shock.
"Gotcha. Boss, you're not going to like this."
I open my eyes as soon as Jack lets go of my hand.
"Why, what is it?" Mr Moon asks, his voice serious.
"It's her. The Hypnotisse."
Chapter Seventeen
Lennox and I are waiting for an explanation, but Mr Moon isn't in any state to give it. He's fighting his shift, brought on by the anger blazing in his dark eyes. Black fur is erupting from his skin and his fingernails are curving into claws. He's close to the point of no return, but he's strong. He might make it without the whole shift.
Everyone's stepped back and is watching from a safe distance. Getting close to a shifter trying to control himself is never a good idea. In the midst of the shift, we're vulnerable, which makes our instincts go into overdrive. If he suddenly thought that was one of us is a threat, he'd complete the shift and be at our throats before we'd even know we were his prey.
"Do you have any idea what this is all about?" I whisper to Lennox, keeping my body language completely calm while Mr Moon groans and shakes.
"Not the faintest. I didn't even know Jack could do this. I've not been very active in the Pride recently though, as you may have noticed." He grins at me. "I've had more exciting things to do." He lowers his voice even further. "Some of them are saying I shouldn't come back at all. I stink of cat, apparently."
"Well, if they throw you out, you know where your real home is. Once we have a proper home again, I mean."
He squeezes my hand. "Let's see how the future will turn out."
I'm a little sad that he didn't tell me right away that of course, he'd move into the new house. That he'd stay with me rather than return to his Pride. I guess it's a wolf thing. They like being around their own kind, far more than us cats do. We tolerate each other, and families do have certain bonds, but what Ryker has done - creating an entire feline community - is highly unusual.
Slowly, Mr Moon is getting calmer and his fur recedes. His eyes are still glowing, but that seems to be almost normal for him. He's a strange man, I give him that.
I stifle a yawn. The last few days have been exhausting. Make that the last few weeks. I could do with a holiday. Maybe that's what we should do. Travel to different cities, explore them until we find one we like, then buy a house there. A holiday with house shopping included. I bet Lily would love me forever; she adores travelling. Not sure about the others. Except for Gryphon, we're all from this town or at least the area. But what is really binding me to this place? Nothing. On the contrary, once the Pack is completely destroyed and I no longer have to worry about other shifters being in danger or my sisters being tortured, then I'll be completely free. A new town might be just what I need. A new beginning. No baggage. Just me and my family and a suitcase full of cash.
"You look happy," Lennox mutters. "Care to share the joy?"
"Later," I promise. "I think your boss is about to be fully back to normal. Let's solve this puzzle so we can save my sisters."
That's what this is all for. My sisters. Not that I don't care about wolves but... yeah, I do
n't really care. They're just glorified dogs who lift a leg to piss and don't have their tails under control.
Mr Moon straightens his frayed coat and runs a hand through his wild mane, then comes over to where Lennox and I are waiting. He doesn't apologise for being a little feral.
"Have you heard of her?" he asks without preamble. "The Hypnotisse?"
I shake my head. "No. Is that even a word?"
He growls softly. "It's what she calls herself, even back at the Pack. She's one of them. A siren. Their most powerful weapon. I've never met a more deranged woman in all my life, and that says a lot." He laughs. "You should have met my ex. She was crazy as fuck."
I barely manage not to roll my eyes. I have no interest in his love life. For all I care, he could be rutting with ten naked virgins each night while drinking blood. No, let's not keep that image in my head.
"So she's a siren?" I ask and his reminiscent smile disappears.
"That she is. Strong, as I said. She could control even us shifters without having to try hard. And she loved it."
"Sounds like a true siren," Lennox mutters. "They do love forcing others to do their bidding."
"She was very...unstable," Mr Moon continues. "When I first met her, I thought she was a teenager going through a very wild puberty, but she was already in her early twenties then. Her mood swings were the cause of countless deaths. When she was unhappy, people had to suffer. At the same time, whenever she was happy, folks around her would go into a strange state of ecstasy, dancing and kissing and taking off their clothes. I kept my distance from her, and pitied the ones tasked to look after her."
"Why would anyone let her run around free if she had that effect?" I ask. "It's not like the sirens have any problem with incarcerating people and experimenting on them."
Mr Moon smirks. "She's the daughter of the most high-ranking siren in the whole region. That made her untouchable. Besides, her mother is a little crazy herself, so I doubt she ever realised the whole extent of her daughter's madness. Anyway, when the Hypnotisse reached her mid-twenties, someone suggested she take on a project. It was basically meant to keep her busy and stop her from killing Pack members, but it backfired. She started experimenting on sirens and shifters alike. I don't know any details, but from what I heard, she made Project Indigo sound like a lovely wellness experience. She might be the most dangerous woman I've ever met because she hides her intelligence behind the facade of madness. I think she has more control of herself than she lets everyone believe." He sighs deeply. "And now she's mixed up in wolf business. I guess it's time to face her and bring her to justice."
Mr Moon is such an arrogant dick. He didn't care while she was doing terrible things to other people, but now that wolves are affected, he suddenly wants to act. Pathetic.
Lennox clears his throat to get his boss's attention. "Do you still need us? It's getting a little frosty."
"No, you run off, I'll be in touch when we can use your assistance. Lennox, we will need to have a chat soon about your future. Miss Feln, I'll contact you tomorrow with the information you require about Project Indigo."
I give him a short nod and turn away, glad to be out of here. I can still taste the blood in my mouth and I hate how much I crave it. If a mutant wolf came across us now, I wouldn't be able to stop myself from gorging myself on his blood."
I suck.
Ryker and Gryphon are already in bed by the time we make it home. They're still awake though, talking, but they stop as soon as we enter the wagon. Secrets? I shall have to find out. I love a good mystery, especially if it involves me.
Someone has left a plate of sandwiches on the table. How very thoughtful. They deserve a pay rise. I snatch the only salmon one and take it into the bedroom, happily munching on the smoked fish. It helps distract me from the echo of blood in my mouth. I hope this is going to end soon; I can't continue like this. I'm starting to feel like a vampire.
I let myself fall onto the bed, right between the two guys. Lennox disappears into the bathroom, giving me a moment alone with them.
"How did it go?" Ryker asks. "You stink of wolf."
"Urgh, tell me about it. Next time, I'm taking you with me as back up. Far too many dogs in one place. It reminded me of the Pack, except that there was a lot more testosterone."
Ryker laughs. "Did they mark any trees on the way there?"
Gryphon snickers. "You two should hear yourselves. If I didn't know better, I'd say your racist. Dogist. Wolfist?"
I throw a pillow at him, almost losing hold of my sandwich. "Oi! I'm a very tolerant person, but I'm a cat at heart and my instincts are telling me that wolves can't be trusted."
"With exceptions," Lennox shouts from the bathroom.
"Of course!" I yell back. I wouldn't have needed to; his hearing is good enough to hear whatever we're talking about.
Gryphon sits up and wraps around me from behind, his head on my shoulder. "I think you smell of the forest. I like it."
"You're blessed with your inadequate nose," Ryker grumbles. "You don't have to imagine how they were all over her."
"Nobody was on me. I shook Mr Moon's hand and one of his wolves touched my-"
Ryker growls, his yellow eyes flashing in anger. "He did what?"
"-my hand," I complete the sentence, amused at his reaction. "What did you think? The only wolf allowed to touch more than that is Lennox."
"Thank goodness!" he shouts from the shower. I need to tell him that it's rude to eavesdrop. But then, I would have done exactly the same, obviously.
"Why did he do that though?" Gryphon asks. He shifts his position, rubbing against me. And then he takes a bite from my sandwich. That little devil! Here I was, thinking he wanted to cuddle when all he was after was my precious salmon.
"I'm not going to tell you now." I pout. "That was theft."
Gryphon chuckles and kisses the back of my neck. "What can I say, I'm an excellent thief. But since I made those sandwiches, it's not really theft at all. You took one without asking so you're the one in the wrong."
"Wait, you made them? I didn't know you could cook."
"It's not what I'd call cooking. I cut a few slices of bread and threw stuff on them."
Yeah, okay, he makes it sound easy. It isn't. Making sandwiches is extremely difficult. I never manage to get the toppings onto the bread without eating them straight away.
"Would you hurry up eating that so I can kiss you?" Ryker complains.
"No kissing before I'm back!" Lennox calls out.
"Do I get a say in this?" I ask, still practising my pout.
"Nope. But maybe get a shower too, I don't want to kiss someone smelling of wolf." Ryker grins innocently. "I'd be happy to help you shower, by the way. You know, to make sure all their scent is gone."
"We need a bigger bathroom," Gryphon sighs. "And a bigger bed. And a bigger everything."
I let them bicker while enjoying my sandwich. When I'm done, I'm still a little hungry. I could have needed that bite Gryphon took from me. As a punishment, he's not going to take part in the shower.
I take Ryker's hand. "Shower time."
Chapter Eighteen
I wake up draped across Ryker with one hand each on Gryphon and Lennox's chest. Even in my sleep, I claim them all.
The room smells of sex. There's a tiny window at the top of the wall, but I can't be bothered to get up and open it. Ryker is nice and warm and I love the way his chest moves whenever he breathes, pushing me up and down like a wave.
I close my eyes again. I'm no longer tired, but I'm comfy and happy in this position. There's no need to get up before I really have to. Snoozing is a wonderful thing.
Staying in bed until everyone's woken up naturally, then a lazy breakfast with lots of milk, then lounging outside in the sun, doing absolutely nothing.
A knock on the front door makes me sit up.
I shouldn't even have dreamed of a quiet morning. Those don't happen to people like me.
I extend my senses. Nobody else is home
who could open the door. Not even K2. Damn.
Wait, no K2. Fuck.
I jump up and grab a random shirt from the floor. Gryphon's, this time. How is it that they always bury my own clothes underneath theirs? Not that I care. I run out of the room, through the living room and into the second bedroom where K2 was last time I checked. Empty. Her scent still lingers in the air, as does Benjamin's. He was too ill to leave the room yesterday, so he either recovered really quickly or they were taken.
"What's going on?" Lennox yells from the other end of the wagon.
I don't answer and hurry to the front door. Unsurprisingly, it's Mr Moon. Bad timing.
"Not right now," I tell him and shut the door again before running back to the bedroom.
"Gryphon, did you sedate K2 last night?"
"Bethany did, yes. Why?"
"She's gone."
That makes him sit up fast. "Gone?"
"Nobody else is here. It's just us." Panic creeps into my voice.
"Could the humans have taken her for a walk?" Ryker asks, sounding worried.
Gryphon shakes his head. "No way. She only walked when I told her to. She must have woken up from sedation earlier than planned. Maybe the Pack sirens somehow took control of her again."
He gets up and puts on clothes as fast as possible. I realise I'm only in a t-shirt and quickly do the same. If K2 has kidnapped the M.E.O.W. team, we need to search the area.
How the hell did this happen? I don't usually sleep this deep. I never shut off like that, I always keep aware of what happens around me even when I sleep. Except for last night. I've become complacent. Fuck. This is bad. I'm losing myself. Maybe being with the guys is a bad idea. It's distracting me from being the person I need to be.
"I'm going to talk to my cats, maybe they saw something," Ryker announces and hurries out of the room while whistling loudly, his trademark call to his cats.
"Ask them to get the twins," I shout after him. I'm sure he's got his cats watching them. I have no idea where they stay when they're not with us, but Ryker wouldn't be Ryker if he didn't have his spies follow them.
Hisss Page 12