Copyright © 2010-2012 by Kymberlee Elliott. This work is protected under the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act of 1988. All rights are reserved; any infringement of this copyright can be punishable by law. Infrigements include any unauthorised selling, broadcasting, copying, duplication or distribution of the work.
Chapter 32
I glanced up at the moon, which to me looked full, but I was assured there was another day to go. Looking back I noticed Kit seemed to glow in the soft light, his eyes were reflecting silver like two mini moons. ‘Can you feel the pull?’ He turned to me and I saw longing in his face. ‘Yes.’ His voice was dreamy and soft in the night. I nodded and sat down in the clearing. ‘Ok I need you to focus on the full moon and how it makes you feel. Kit I need you to shake off your veneer. If tomorrow your wolf is going to be in control I need to know what he feels like.’
‘We are one and the same glykia mou.’
‘I know that Kit, but tomorrow you are going to be following a different set of instincts and I need to know what that part of you feels like.’ He turned away from me and sighed. ‘That part of me is dark Isabel; it is animalistic, it has no moral code it only knows survival.’
‘Kit I have been in every corner of your mind, there is nothing you can hide from me; believe me you cannot scare me.’ He walked over and sat opposite me before closing his eyes. I gazed at his strong face before closing mine and casting my mind out. I brushed up against Kit’s mind and felt his answering touch. Calming his agitation I smoothed across his mind and searched for what I was looking for.
I cannot fully explain what I see when I enter someone else’s mind as it isn’t so much visual, but if I were to try and explain it would be like a night sky. Everyone’s mind is a vast black space; on one level there are webs of bright colour that indicate neural pathways, these congregate in the areas of the brain we recognise. There is the frontal lobe, which contains most of the lights in people’s brains as it controls motor control, language, intelligence etc. There is also the parietal lobe which contains all the data needed for touch, pain spacial mapping etc and the occipital lobe, which controls vision. In Kit all of these areas of the brain were eclipsed by the supernova located at the back and base of his head in his hindbrain. This is the oldest part of the human brain before evolution opened up other areas and is often called the reptilian brain – it is responsible for all of our basic and primitive needs, survival, dominance and breeding and in Kit it was like the fourth of July. If I go down another layer I can see these sections in more detail and start catching some of their thoughts and feelings, which is what I did now.
Honing in on his hindbrain I skimmed over the surface of his thoughts and realised Kit was more different to me than I had thought. Churning through his mind was a tangle of instincts all relating to the need to dominate and breed. I was amazed he seemed as normal as he did and it also made me appreciate the control all the Shifters’ showed on a daily basis when their brain was literally screaming at them to fight and dominate every second of the day. This part of Kit wasn’t as soft and playful, it was geared towards survival, there was no room for kindness or pity – it was kill or be killed. Trying to assimilate the pattern of his thoughts as quickly as possible I didn’t notice his consciousness at first.
Usually when I entered somebody’s mind they were unaware, but because of our bond and the fact that Kit knew I was there it meant he could focus on me and follow me about in his mind. That was fine except for the fact that it was a more primal version of his mind that was brushing up against my shielding. I suddenly got impressions of open land, running on four legs and the thrill of killing. Swallowing hard I brushed against him and watched a firework display go off in his head. The minute I made contact with him every pathway in his hindbrain lit like a rocket and then I was snapped back in to my own mind and body by a large Shifter suddenly pouncing on me.
Blinking and trying to adjust to my re-entry I looked up and met Kit’s gaze, which was the most animalistic I had ever seen it.
‘Mine.’ I raised a brow at the claim growled in a voice that was barely human, but very cleverly decided not to argue with the 200lb wolfman currently straddling me. He tilted his head back and as I watched his throat rippled and then an eerie howl ripped from his throat. I have tried (as I assume most children have) to howl, but the chilling noise cannot be produced from human vocal chords; Kit managed the noise giving me an insight in to his current physical make-up. He watched me carefully before lowering his head, but before he could make contact he stilled and I felt every muscle in his body tense as he growled long and low. He wasn’t staring at me anymore, but rather watched the treeline. Turning my head, which was the only area of my body I could move at that moment, I saw several pairs of bright eyes. As they left the wood I saw Greg, Matt and Bryant; the worry on their faces scared me more than anything Kit had done.
‘Iz you OK?’ I nodded at Greg who relaxed, but slid forward another step. Kit hunched down closer to me and bared his teeth stopping Greg dead in his tracks.
‘Christos what are you doing?’ Matt’s voice was pitched low and soothing, but that did little to calm Kit and his growling didn’t pause. Wriggling slightly I saw Kit flick his gaze at me before shifting his weight again as he stood. I breathed deeply and then squawked unattractively when he hauled me in to his arms.
‘Kit what are you doing mon loup?’ He tipped his face to me and rubbed his cheek on my head purring. Stroking his chest he slowly relaxed until Bryant moved closer. His head snapped up and his teeth came out again, but this time he meant business. I scanned his head and wasn’t reassured by what I saw. Kit was operating by a different set of rules now and they did not like Bryant at all. Turning my head I held a hand out.
‘Bryant stay where you are; Kit isn’t himself at the minute and he really doesn’t like you.’ Bryant carried on like he couldn’t hear me.
‘Bryant stop now.’ I didn’t want to take control of him, but if he didn’t back down Kit was going to rip his throat out. The arrival of Edge and Owen was like a match to touch paper; the situation went up in flames. Kit roared and Bryant jumped for me. I was swung aside by Kit who pushed my back against a tree trunk and then met Bryant head on.
Greg and Matt raced to my side and checked me over as Edge tried to calm the situation. It didn’t work. Kit threw Bryant at a tree and I watched in horror as he went through it making a man sized hole in the trunk. Kit waited a second and then turned back to me, but stopped when we heard a crunching and then a howl. I turned to Matt and swallowed when I saw his face pale.
‘Izzy you have to get out of here right now; run for the school. GO!.’ I turned but hadn’t even taken two steps when something moved out of the corner. Turning slowly I felt my heart stop as I saw what was moving towards Kit.
At first I thought it was a bear, it had long front legs and shorter back ones and was covered in shaggy brown hair, but when it lifted its head I realised what or rather who it was.
‘Jesus H Christ.’ Easily the size of medium sized horse it was heavily muscled with claws the length of my fingers and wickedly curved. His neck was thick and corded with muscle leading to a head and muzzle that seemed to be made entirely of teeth, razor sharp teeth. As I watched he lifted his head and howled; the noise was so loud I had to clap my hands over my ears. Turning to Matt and Greg I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Before I could comprehend what was happening Kit tilted his head back ad answered the challenge, but big as he was he looked like an ant compared to Bryant. It didn’t matter though once I realised what was happening; Greg and Matt had both stilled and then tipped their heads back and answered their alpha’s all. This was going to be a blood bath.
As I watched everyone converge on Bryant I am not afraid to admit I freaked out. I had no idea how to stop the train wreck that was playing out in front of me all I knew was that wolves were predators and in a group formed a pack mentality going after the weakest, which in this case was Bryant…except Bryant wasn’t the weakest here, I was. Not stopping to think about what I was doing I reached down and grabbed a sharp rock from the floor and sliced my hand open gasping at the sudden pain. Squeezing some blood out I took a deep breath and said a prayer or three.
‘Hey stupid!’ Six pairs of inhumanly bright eyes turned as one and my forebrain shut down. Suddenly I was all instinct and that was saying run…very fast. Spinning on my heel I took off through the woods hearing several large bodies crash through after me. I knew Bryant would reach me first seeing as he had four feet, but a couple of other cracking noises and realised more than one of them had shifted.
Moira, how quickly can you get a group of dominant Shifters’ together and to the woods?
About ten minutes why?
Make it five and because I am currently running for my life through the woods with six wolves after me at least three of which are on all fours.
Where is Kit?
He is one of the wolves after me.
I heard several swear words and then the mental connection broke, which was just as well because it was all I could do to stay on my feet. I couldn’t see anything in front of me and was getting ripped to shreds by branches as I crashed through. My lungs were burning, but my adrenaline was still flooding my muscles as I heard the panting and howls behind me. Turning on myself I started heading towards the school, which I could just see in the distance. Speeding up I thanked god for my coltish legs and put my head down. Crashing through the treeline I saw several figures ripping their clothes off as they ran towards me. Wheezing out a laugh I set my sights on them, but I was still a hundred yards away when I was felled from behind.
My chin hit the ground scraping on the rocks and I bit my tongue if the metallic taste of blood in my mouth was anything to go by. I heard shouts and screams, but it was the monster on my back that had most of my attention. I wriggled and turned until I saw the mouth full of razors that was hovering above me. The giant head lowered, but was ripped away as he was hit from the side by a light grey wolf. Surging to my feet I took off again, but was once again brought down. I managed to stay on my knees as I took in the face in front of me. The shouting hadn’t eased up behind me, but it was too late. I was going to die. Bracing myself as the head lowered towards me I closed my eyes and hoped it would be quick; the rough wet tongue was something I had not been expecting. When I re-opened my eyes the wolf in front of me was grinning (at least I think it was) with a tongue lolling out. A second and third wolf came over jostling each other and causing mini earthquakes as they jumped about and played.
Finally the others caught up and stared in shock at the playful wolves. I stood on shaky legs and saw Kit push his way through the others. He shook his head at me and that was all she wrote as I passed out cold.