The sisters watched in amazement. Her hands shook violently, and sweat dripped from her face and fingertips while she chanted. When she was done, she got eerily quiet. She stayed that way for what seemed like forever. She was waiting for his breathing and heart rate to slow down. When he was ready, she opened her eyes and looked at Juanty. “Now,” she said.
“Me? You want me to turn him? But, but I can’t!” Juanty’s eyes were wide as saucers.
“NOW, Juanty! Hurry!” Zaire yelled.
Juanty was afraid but obeyed. She kissed his lips, squeezed her eyes shut and let her canine fangs extend. She bit into his shoulder and drew on the vein that was there, pulling his blood into her mouth and swallowing. Once she took in enough, she released her saliva that freely flowed into the tiny gashes she had made. She did this until Zaire instructed her to stop. After a moment, Johnathon’s body began to convulse, then went still. Juanty licked over the bite marks to soothe the pain. She looked down at him, and although she would have never wanted this to happen, especially this way, thoughts about the two of them and a future together blossomed in her mind.
“Juanty, I will stay with him. You have done all you can. There is nothing more that can be done here. If the transformation is successful, he will get some much-needed rest to let his body heal before he wakes in a few days. You three go get that baby. He would want that. I will take him home and meet you there when your task is complete.”
“Thank you, Zaire. I owe you everything.”
“If this works and you and your mate are able to be together, then we will talk about what you owe me, but I will tell you right now, I like my bubble baths nice and hot.”
Juanty smiled, then kissed Johnathon softly on his lips. The three stood and hugged each other and walked out of the room. Once outside, Juanty looked at the bright sun. She squinted and used her hand as a visor. “Ladies, can I have a moment alone, please?”
Pearl and Ayanna looked at each other and walked over to Juanty to give her a hug. Ayanna kissed her cheek, and the two walked over to the car and hopped in. Juanty walked behind the house and sat on one of the patio chairs on the spacious deck. Johnathon’s back yard was beautiful. The manicured lawn was landscaped with an array of colors. There was a rose bush that sat at the corner of the ranch-style home. He told her Rachel had planted the bush and had planned to plant others so that one day, they could enjoy a rose garden. Unfortunately, she died so suddenly, the garden never happened. She wasn’t jealous of the stories he shared about his former wife. She had also shared stories of her husband and how he was a fierce protector until the end. She again looked up to the sky.
“Hey. I need a little help down here.”She wasn’t sure who she was talking to, but she knew there was something or someone more powerful than she was. Someone who was taking care of her husband and baby girl. Someone who could help her defeat the evil that was threatening to take away what she loved. “I don’t know where to find my precious Olivia. I love her and want her back home where she belongs. If you could please help me return her safe and sound to her father, I promise to stop all these vigilante killings, but only after I kill Elizabeth. She would be the last one.”
She opened her eyes and sat quietly, thinking about where Sye could have possibly taken her. After about ten minutes, Juanty was mentally drained and about ready to give up hope when a tiny hummingbird flew right up to her face. It was beautiful, with a black body and shades of green and blue on its sides and back. Its neck was a brilliant red, and the wings were pointy and seemed to flutter back and forth at least a thousand times per second. She couldn’t take her eyes off the creature. As hard as it was working to stay in the air, it had an unbelievable peace attached to it.
She stared at it long enough to be able to hear what it was trying to tell her. Along with Juanty’s ability to hear the thoughts of her own species, as well as humans, she could hear the thoughts of any animal if she really listened. After a few moments, the lovely bird flew away. Juanty stood and hurried to the car where her friends awaited.
“Did you figure out where she was?” Ayanna seemed eager for a response.
“I’ve got an idea.”She looked up towards the sky and mouthed the words, “Thank you.”
Chapter Thirteen
Juanty pulled up to the park where she saw Elizabeth and Sye talking earlier. The trio got out of the car and walked towards the area where she had seen them shift earlier that day. It was still daylight outside, so they needed to be careful not to be seen. Juanty’s tiny flying friend had arrived as well and was hovering just at the entrance of the wooded area where Juanty had witnessed Elizabeth and Sye shift.
This was unfamiliar territory, but the ladies shifted once they were deep enough into the forest. They each took to a tree and climbed high enough to see what was below. They made their way deep into the terrain, just as dusk was settling over the horizon. The three were not sure what they would find but planned on searching every square mile of the area until they found who they were looking for.
They stretched their limbs from branch to branch, focusing on everything and anything that moved or looked out of place. The air was thick but quiet. Unusually silent. There seemed to be no birds chirping, snakes hissing, not even a bee buzzing. There was only a slight agitation of the leaves as the wind blew. Ayanna was the first one to break the silence.
“Do you ladies see what I see?” Juanty heard Ayanna in her head and had definitely noticed the small shack a distance away. It reminded her of where she lived most of her life as a child and a human adult. The bile rose in her throat, and she felt the need to pace back and forth. Her body shook from the tip of her nose to her tail. She sniffed the air and smelled a species not unlike her own. They were in the right place. There was a sense of urgency in her movements.
“What do you want to do, Jay? You want me to eat this bitch, or I can just crush her skull into a thousand-piece puzzle. Just let me know,” Pearl said.
“My concern is for Olivia. I don’t want to do anything that might harm her.”
“Well, you better hope she makes this easy because, if she tries to get slick, I will have to lynch that ho like she tried to do you, but only after I cut off her balls.” Pearl was dead serious.
Ayanna turned to look at her friend, exasperated. “Pearl, women don’t have balls.”
“Have you seen that bitch when she shifts? I bet I can’t tell you what that thing is, but bet money she got balls. How much you wanna bet?”
Juanty tuned everything out except the task at hand. She was listening for anything that would let her know where Olivia might be, but she wasn’t getting anything. She hissed at her sisters to stop bickering, then climbed down the tree. The sisters followed her towards the shack.
“We aren’t alone,” Ayanna warned.
“Why these bitches like to surprise you with their ugly? They should have a, ‘Beware, ugly lives here ‘sign posted or something to let you know they are in the area.” Pearl shook her head and stared at the naked man coming into view. “Oh, shoot. My bad, y’all. He fine as hell.”
“Where did he come from?” Ayanna asked.
“I don’t know, but I’m about to lick his balls and make him mine,” Pearl responded.
“What is it with you and balls today?”
“Beats me, but today is my lucky day. You ladies stay back. I’ll handle this.”
“Pearl, no! We don’t know who he is. This could be a trap.” Juanty strode over to Pearl and stood next to her. “Something doesn’t feel right about this,” she said.
“Jay, I got this.” Before Juanty could give her refutation, Pearl had shifted back to her human form, standing there naked as a jaybird and swaying her hips as she approached the tall, 6’5 frame of chocolate muscle.
Pearl’s soft locks were straight and hung to her waist. She was a deep amber color, and her skin glowed, making her case strong for being the most beautiful in the group. She was tall and curvy with eyes that were as blue as the Atlantic Oc
ean. She was a beauty to be reckoned with, but as deadly as she was gorgeous. She smiled at the man as she came near. The lust-filled look on his face showed he thought she was beautiful as well.
“The mistress has been expecting you,” he said. His voice was deep and sexy as hell.
“WHO? Oh, I know you not talking about the bitch me and Jay’bout to kill. She ugly as hell, and about to be dead, so you couldn’t possibly be calling her your mistress.”
The man clutched his chest and laughed heartily. “She saved my life, and for that, I am eternally loyal to her. I will kill you and your friends, then go inside to make love to my white queen.”
“Well, I be damn. It really is happening. All our black men are crossing to the other side. Haven’t you been watching YouTube videos? Black girl magic is where it’s at these days. You hear this bullshit, Jay? The white slave owner is screwing this fine specimen. What is the world coming to?” She lifted her arms in frustration, then looked at him. “Okay, so I hope you know if you sexing ole girl, you can’t have all this.” She turned around in a circle, swaying her hips in a motion that was sexy enough to make any man drool, then grabbed her breast for good measure.
The man tilted his head to the side and admired the beauty before him, then his eyes changed colors, and the bones in his neck popped. His skin began to melt from his arms, and grey, dingy hair replaced it.
“Oh, Lord, please don’t tell me he turns into one of them ugly things. He too fine for that. Damn, you turned into The Walking Dead. You give new meaning to the word dog.” Pearl stepped back to watch the full shift. She wasn’t worried. She and her sisters were stronger than most wolf or dog-shifters because of the blood that ran through her veins. Zaire was a queen in her former life, and her bloodline was special. Anyone Zaire turned directly carried her bloodline within and were strong. Very strong. The three of them could easily handle most male shifters, so they knew he posed no true threat.
Once the grotesque animal was in full shift, Juanty attacked. Ayanna followed while Pearl stood watching. They tore into the creature's legs, immobilizing him before Ayanna clamped down on his head. The male never anticipated the other two animals being there and was caught off guard by their strength. Juanty actually ripped off his leg, and he howled in pain before striking Ayanna in the jaw with his paw, drawing blood.
Pearl got upset and partially shifted. She was still human, but her nails grew sharp and her fangs extended. She was hairy, and her blue eyes were illuminated. She reached down, used her nails to swipe at the male’s testicles, and caught them in the palm of her hand. She stood and licked each of them before tossing them to the ground.
“Look, Jay! I done turned into a freak like you. His balls were musty, though.” Pearl frowned, then completely shifted. Ayanna clamped down on his skull, allowing her teeth to penetrate the skull bone, slowly crushing it. Juanty had been suffocating him by clamping down on its throat. Once she knew he was dead, she released him.
She had no interest in him. She only wanted her precious Olivia. She didn’t understand how she could love her so much this soon, but this little girl was special to her, and she wanted very much for the three of them to be a family if Johnathon survived the shift. She thought about the process of changing from a human to Ilumu. It was excruciating, to say the least, and sometimes, the person making the change would not survive. This is why Iluma hybrid humans are so rare. Iluma are typically born as animals who can shift into human form once they come of age, and not the other way around. The thought of Johnathon suffering right now made her blood boil.
She faced the shack. She no longer had any patience. She wanted to get her family back. She crept her way to the porch and sniffed. Without hesitation, she leaped through the window, breaking the glass and causing wood to splinter everywhere. She landed in front of Sye. She was naked, and Jay’s jealousy got the best of her. She wondered if Johnathon had done things to Sye that he had done to her. The thought made her want to kill. She hissed, and a low grumble sounded through her chest. She took in a deep breath and let out a roar. Sye hissed and glared at Jay with her fist balled at her sides.
“I didn’t want to hurt the baby. I loved her, but I knew Johnathon would never accept me around Olivia once he knew what I had become. I hate you.”
Juanty responded by snarling, growling, and pacing the floor. She only needed to know one thing before she killed her. She shifted and charged, stopping inches in front of her enemy.
“Where is she, Sye?” Juanty grabbed Sye by the neck and squeezed. “I know you have been feeding her poison to make her sick. Help me get her the help she needs before it’s too late.”
Sye looked away and suddenly felt as naked as she was. She almost seemed redeemable, but hardened as quickly as she had shown weakness. Her body stiffened under the pressure of Juanty’s hand. “It is already too late. I gave her to the master.”
Juanty looked deeper into her eyes. “The master? Do you mean Elizabeth? Why would you call her that? She is not your master. Sye, I need you to tell me where they are.”
Sye’s eyes stared back at Juanty, but she was not all the way there. She looked empty inside.
“I did all of this, and now she won’t let me have him.”
“Have who?” Juanty released her neck. She hoped she could get Sye to talk.
“Johnathon. Once she turned me, she promised me, if I helped her hurt you, she would reward me by giving me Johnathon as a gift. I said no at first, but then she threatened to kill all of us if I didn’t do it. She said once I do exactly what she asked, she would let me have him, but it was all a lie. She will never leave me alone. I gave her Olivia, and now she wants me to bring him to her. I just can’t do it. I have loved him since the day I laid eyes on him. Did you know we were in the club the night you met him?”
“Oh, shit. This is getting good,” Pearl said in Jaunty’s head.
“Where is Olivia?” Juanty’s voice was elevated now.
Sye ignored Juanty and continued to talk. “I got him to the club. I knew it was your grand opening, and I figured that would be a good moment for the two of you to meet. He hadn’t hung out since his wife died. All he did was sit around the house, mourn his dead wife, and take care of Olivia until you came along. I convinced him to go. I was surprised he even accepted my invitation. Elizabeth followed us there, and when you left to go upstairs with your headache and upset stomach, Elizabeth pushed Johnathon into you, making sure he noticed. That was all it took.”
Juanty frowned and a deep crease appeared in her forehead. “How did you know I was ill?”
“I was the one who put the poison in your drink. The same thing I gave Olivia. Poor thing. She is so sick.” Sye let a tear fall, then quickly wiped it. She shook her head as if trying to shake away her thoughts, then continued. “I never thought he would fall for you. I took such good care of the two of them. I couldn’t believe he would do that to me. It’s like he fell in love with you the moment he saw you. I don’t understand. Am I worth nothing?”
“Sye, if you ever loved Johnathon, please tell me where she is. I will take good care of her. She deserves that. She has already lost her mother. She deserves a good life. I promise to give her that.”
“It’s hard to control my animal. Several times, I almost shifted and attacked her. Aren’t you afraid you will hurt her? She is not safe around our kind. The master told me.”
“All it takes is practice and love. You can learn to control your animal in time. My sisters and I will show you. You have been tricked into believing there is no good in this life. Elizabeth is full of hate and lies. She’s using you. She could never give Johnathon to you because he never belonged to you. You cannot force something that is not meant to be. Each of us can find love and happiness if we just learn to trust who we truly are.” Juanty paused and thought about what she had just said. Did she finally believe her own words? “Johnathon is my true mate. That is the reason for our connection. It is fate. Your mate is out there, too. You have just b
egun your new journey. Welcome it. We will help you get through this. You don’t have to go through it alone. I promise. Please, tell me. Where is she?”
Sye turned her back to Juanty and Pearl growled, inching closer.
“No, Pearl. It’s OK. She wants to help us.” Pearl hesitated. She licked her nose and grumbled deep.
After a moment, Sye turned back to face the ladies. She dropped her shoulders and spoke quietly. “I killed your mate today, and for that, I am sorry. I didn’t mean…”She let her words trail off. Sye left before Johnathon’s turning. She had no idea he was still alive.
“I cannot make amends for that, but I will help you save the baby. She is at the edge of the lake at the top of Toleta Falls, just a few miles from here. I will take you there. She will be expecting you. I am to lead you to her. She will kill the baby in front of your eyes while you watch. She wants to see you suffer the same fate twice before you die. She instructed me to tell you to come alone. If anyone in your family comes with you, she will know, and will kill Olivia.”
Juanty stood still, and beads of sweat covered her forehead. She bit her bottom lip, and her nerves began to eat away at her flesh. She could not let anything happen to her family. Yes, they had become her family in every sense of the word. She loved them both and would die to save them.
“She stole everything from me once. She will not do it again.” Juanty let her claws extend, and her sharp teeth made their way to the surface. She shifted, then growled in agony at her sisters. They understood her cry. Sye seemed to understand as well. She shifted and stood at the entrance of the small room. Juanty let out another angry cry, and the two took off into the muggy, evening air, leaving her sisters behind.
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