I raced through the woods with the rest of my pack after our prey. A young hunter who happened to be out after bed time. Being the only female of the pack, I was fastest. I caught up with the hunter and nipped him behind the knee with my teeth. Blood touched my tongue and instinct kicked in. The hunter cried in pain and fell to the forest floor. He obviously didn't know what he'd gotten himself into. Not many young hunters did. They sought out pride and money in hunting our kind. But to the older, more mature hunter's it was about revenge. They'd probably lost someone special to us and had grown to hate us with something deeper. They had taken away half our pack. We were in hiding but when a hunter stumbles through, well we had a snack.
I placed a paw over the hunter's chest and pressed down. He screamed and blood shot out of his mouth.
"Teach you to come into our territory." I growled and dug my teeth into his neck.
For me being a hound meant life or death. My pack leader, Mathis, had put a stomp on us using our human bodies and said if he caught us as humans, we'd be his dinner. Mathis didn't lie. I hated being a hound. I wanted a human life. Not one that involved eating people and sleeping outside and fleas. No, I wanted to eat normal food and sleep in a bed and have a shower. Sadly, none of that was possible. Most of all, I wanted someone to be my other half. I couldn't have that with my life style. I'd put them in danger and my pack. My pack came first. That came with instinct. I couldn't abandon them. My spirit and body wouldn't allow me to. We were all linked together. Through body and spirit. We were all one. We hunted as one. We ate as one. We killed as one. I was laying under my favorite oak tree, drifting off towards sleep when Trevor trotted over towards me and collapsed in front of me.
"If you know what's best for you, you'll go sleep some where else." I growled.
"Same old Slone. Always grumpy even after a tasty snack." He mused.
"How can I feel any different? I'm stuck with you for the rest of my life."
"You should feel grateful."
"Ha, you wish. I'm exhausted so take you stinky ass some where else."
"Would that lighten your mood?"
"Nope."
"Then I'm going to sleep. Smell ya in the morning." He gave a low chuckle then started lightly snoring. I didn't feel up to sleep anymore so I took a jog. I got several miles away when I heard a vehicle on a near by road. Nothing unusual. I started in the opposite direction when I heard the tires come to a screeching halt then start in my direction, along with gun shots.
"Shit." I thought. I ran and zig-zagged through the forest as bullets hit near by trees. I growled and took a new direction, deeper in the trees. I thought I'd managed a good distance when something snagged the back of my legs and sent dozen of volts of electricity shot through me. I howled in pain and fell to the ground. My eyes were flickering and before they went black, two figures came into view pointing guns at me.
What felt like years later I awoke in a cage. A silver cage. Like most of the myths silver had a effect. It didn't kill us unless penetrated the heart but it did make us weak and burned to the touch. I growled in pain and tried to get back to my feet but I was bound in cuffs and chains. I saw movement to my right and a dark haired human stopped in front of my cage.
"You've kept it alive too long." A voice said behind the dark haired male.
"We need it if we wanna get the rest of the pack." the dark haired one said.
"IT is a girl and it can hear you." I growled. They turned toward me.
"You can talk?" The blonde asked.
"Obviously smart one." I smirked.
"Don't get cocky." He sneered, pointing a gun in the cage.
"Why don't you stick your hand in here instead. I'm kinda hungry."
"I'll shoot you, you animal."
"Cam, stop. She's doing it to make you mad. You shoot her and we start all over." Said the dark haired on, placing a hand on Cam's shoulder. Cam lowered the gun and stormed out of the room. The dark haired one locked eyes with me then followed Cam. Time to think. Ok, if I stay in this cage any longer I'll be too weak to fight them and staying as a hound would mean the others will have a link to me and know I'm in trouble. Also meaning I lead them to a trap. Only one option.
Mathis would understand. I squeezed my eyes shut and felt the transformation take place. I hadn't changed in over five years and it felt wrong. My paws turned to hands and my fur shrunk back into my light skin. I gasped for air and suddenly the chains and cuffs lid off. My hearing and eye sight stayed the same and I could hear the two guys talking in the other room about a plan. Before setting up I realized I was naked. Great. I reached outside the cage for the lock when the cuffs on my hands slid off and clattered to the cage floor, and the boy's ran in pointing guns at me but they're expression's changed to confusion and shock.
"She's a girl?" Cam said but sounded like a question.
"No shit." I smiled.
"Well this changes things." The dark haired one said.
"Like hell it does." Cam growled and aimed the gun at me but the dark haired one jerked it down. "What are you doing Jase!" Cam yelled.
"She's human!" Jase yelled back, thrusting a finger at me.
"No she's not. She's a monster who's killed people like us. What's gonna stop her from killing us if we let her out?"
"Maybe the fact that I only have human strength now." I added in. "But I still have my senses."
"You see." Jase argued to Cam.
"Why should we believe her?" Cam yelled. The boys glared at each other then Jase spoke.
"Get Willard."
"Willard? He's going to say the same thing."
"Just do it!" Jase yelled. Cam turned and went towards the door and slammed it behind him.
"Mind getting me some clothes?" I asked.
"Sure." Jase muttered. He went into the door he'd first came out in and brought back a red t-shirt and black tank, along with a pair of blue boxers and tossed them in the cage.
"Boxers?" I laughed, pulling on the tank top.
"Sorry, we don't have many girl's here. It's boxer's or over sized jeans." Jase replied, turning around to give me some privacy.
"Boxer's it is." I sighed pulling them on and rolling them down to create lose shorts.
"Have a name?" Jase asked, looking me over. I grinned.
"Slone."
"Slone?"
"Slone."
"That's uh, cool. I'm Jase, if you haven't heard."
"Nice to meet you Jase. So did you really think your plan would work? Catch one of us and let the pack track us down? Well sorry Sherlock, but we're not stupid."
"It would've worked if we'd known your kind could become human at will."
"Not really at will. We aren't supposed to. I haven't been human in over five years and I definitely need a hair cut. Have a razor?" I asked.
"Should I trust you?" He asked.
"Nope but I'm in a safe silver cage and there's no way I'm getting out on human strength so humor me."
"Ok." He turned and opened a cabinet and placed a razor on the bottom of the cage.
"Thanks." I muttered and went to work on myself. Two razors and a few cuts later I was smooth. After 20 minutes Cam returned with an older man who must be Willard. His eyes widened in shock.
"You!" He yelled.
"Me?" I shrugged.
"Jase, open the cage!" Willard shouted.
"Open the-" Jase started but Willard cut him off.
"Open the cage!"
"Ok ok! Opening the cage." Jase muttered shoving several different keys into the locks and caught my eye. His eyes were gorgeous. A dark blue. They looked almost too dark to be blue. I gave him a wicked smile and he opened the cage door.
"Don't do anything stupid." He said, grabbing my arm and pulling me out of the cage. As my feet touched the ground I would've collapsed if Jase hadn't had a hold of me. I hadn't walked on human legs in years and it was an odd feeling. My knees wobbled but Jase held me up.
"Are your legs broken?" Cam asked.
"Obviously not, jack ass." I hissed, trying to gain my balance, gripping Jase's arm. He pulled me over to a chair and sat me down. Willard's eyes locked on mine and he glared. Before I could speak he walked over and grabbed my face in his hand and jerked me up.
"Your kind is not human! You are not supposed to be human!" He growled. I shoved his hand away and feel onto the floor in my attempt.
"Well obviously I am!" I yelled.
"No. You are not human. You are a disgrace!"
"Thanks old man." I smiled. He brought his hand back and back handed me. I laughed.
"You're gonna have to do better than that." I sneered.
"Hounds don't become human! It's against nature!"
"What do you want me to do about it! I didn't want to be a hound!"
"I haven't seen this happen in years. Not since I was young."
"Wait what!" Cam yelled. "You've seen this happen before?"
"Yes, fool! But no matter. I know how to keep her from changing back." He growled. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small brown sack. He opened it and pulled out a silver bracelet with a single red jewel in the center. "This bracelet was made by my ancestors. It will not allow her to change back between forms and seeing she is less dangerous human, we put it on her now. The only way to get it off is by the one who placed it on her. This is never coming off you."
"Over my dead body." I growled and tried to get on my feet but I fell into the cage and it burnt into my flesh. I yelled in pain and fell to the floor. Strong arms wrapped around my waist and jerked me off the floor. Willard rushed forward but I kicked him in the chest and he fell back. Cam brought his fist back and punched me in the jaw. I fell to the floor clutching my face. Cam jerked my head back and held my arm out to Jase. Jase latched the bracelet onto my arm and I screamed. It was searing hot and I was afraid it would burn through my flesh. I clawed at it and I watched as Jase and Cam took a few steps away from me. The sound of a dripping faucet faded and colors became less bright. My hound senses were gone. I screamed louder. This also meant I wasn't connected to my pack.
"You!" I scream at Jase. He glared down at me. "I'll kill you!"
"Shut her up!" Cam yelled, who was now helping Willard set up. Jase walked over and grabbed my hair.
"Not if I kill you first." He growled and collided his fist with the side of face. Blackness covered my eyes.
I awoke tied to chair with a sharp pain in my jaw. Getting punched twice in one day was not working. I heard the three guys talking a few feet away.
"We have to move." Willard said. "The connection may be broken but they know where she is. We have to go!"
"I thought we wanted the pack to come here?" Cam argued.
"Things have changed Cameron."
"Just because she changed into a human?"
"It's much more than that. This could change everything."
"No it doesn't! They are still heartless killers!" "Killer's, yes. Heartless, no." I mumbled, against my sore jaw.
"Shut up!" Cam yelled at me. I smirked. Willard grabbed Cam's shirt and threw him into the wall and grabbed his throat.
"Listen and listen good. She is valuable. Don't kill her. There could be others out there they are changing at will. If so, we have a problem."
"Kill them all then." Jase said confidently, sending me a look.
"How? We could wipe out the entire planet and probably not get them all."
"I thought we were close to extinction." I said, suddenly alert with the conversation.
"Your pack maybe. But there are more out there." Willard stated. "Can you all change at will?"
"No. If you are born a hound, you don't get the chance to cheat and become human. Lucky for me, I wasn't born one."
"Yea, lucky for you." Cam muttered.
"So you're saying, people we know could be hounds?"
"I don't think the population is that big but I'm sure it's a decent size. There are very few of those bracelets so the ones changing are probably keeping a low profile."
"How are we supposed to know the difference?" Cam asked.
"We'll figure that out later but right now Cam and I are going to load the trucks. Jase watch her." Willard ordered and left the room, dragging Cam behind him. My mind was buzzing. There were more like me? I couldn't believe it. I thought my pack was the last. I looked up and caught Jase starring me down.
"What?" I asked. Now looking at him, he was good looking. Very good looking. Dark brown hair, a nice tan, built. Man was he built. I caught the hint of a tattoo just below his shoulder that went up and under his sleeve. It was solid black from what I could see and had many ridges so I assumed it was a tribal tattoo. His shirt was snug so I could make out a six pack. Not bad at all.
"Making sure you don't pull anything stupid." He answered.
"Well I'm obviously not. Kinda tied to a chair here. With silver cuffs may I add."
"Gotta make sure."
"So how many of my kind have you killed, Jase?"
"I should be asking you the same question."
"Hard telling. I had one last night. Tasty." Anger appeared in his eyes. Angry looked good on him.
"You're a monster."
"I've been told."
"Why do you do it?"
"Predator and prey. Food chain. Instinct. Gotta survive."
"Why not kill animals?"
"That would kill off your food supply and then ours." Jase didn't seem to have a better argument so he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. His shaggy hair falling into his eyes.
"So where are we going?" I asked.
"None of your business." Jase replied.
"It kind of is. Seeing I am being taken against my will."
"All the better reason not to tell you."
"I see. We'll see how this works out." I tried pulling my hands out of the cuffs and a sharp pain went through my hands where I'd burnt them on the cage. I hissed in pain and clutched my hands into fists. I looked up to see Jase walking towards me and looked at my hands.
"Hurt?" He asked, nodding to my hands.
"A bit." I muttered. Experiencing pain as a human was worse then being a hound. Ten times worse. My wrist was still on fire and my hands were agonizing.
"Good." He smiled. I narrowed my eyes at him as he walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a first aid kit. He ripped an ankle wrap in half and grabbed a bottle of alcohol.
"Open your hands." He demanded, crouching behind me.
"Will it hurt?" I asked, opening my palms.
"Kinda." He said then poured the alcohol on the burns. I gritted my teeth against the pain and squeezed my eyes shut. The alcohol dripped off and he wrapped my hands.
"Not the smartest thing for a burn but it'll keep from infection and you getting anything in the wounds." He stated, going back to the wall in front of me and re-crossing his arms. I wanted to say thanks but it didn't feel right saying it to a hunter.
Twenty minutes past and Willard and Cam made several trips into the building we were in, taking multiple things out. Mostly weapons, silver, and survival gear. Finally Willard came in and told Jase to take me to the truck. Jase wrapped a blind fold around my head covering my eyes.
"Smart move." I smirked.
"We're not stupid." Jase said, pulling me out of the chair and down a hallway then stairs. He had to support me through the hallway. I was horrible at walking and l stumbled a lot. We found fresh air and darkness. Well, I assume it was dark outside. I couldn't see. I listened to our feet slap the ground when a door opened and he sat me in the seat. He typed my hands behind my back then feet my feet together. He slammed the door. After a quick chat with Willard he got into the drivers seat and pulled out.
After a few hours I heard the sound of howls. My head jerked in the direction and Jase's hand shoved me into the floorboard.
"Son of a b-" I was cut off by gun shots. "Stop it! Don't kill them! They don't know I'm with you! Don't shoot!" I cried. The truck slammed to the right and my head smacked the glove department. I heard the dials of a phone being pushed then Jase spoke,
"How did they find us so fast?" He yelled in the phone. Someone, Willard, yelled back.
"We obviously took too long getting ready!"
"What are we going to do?"
"You guys keep heading that way. Cam has a plan."
"No, don't do this without me. What if you get killed?"
"That won't matter. Go to the place I told you and stay there until time to move again."
"What are you going to do?"
"Make them think she's dead." The line went dead and Jase threw the phone into the back seat, fuming. After a few moments I spoke,
"Mind helping me back into the seat?" Jase's hand grabbed my arm and pulled me up into the seat and pulled off my blind fold. It was dark outside, still. When Jase's hands finally loosened up on the steering wheel I said,
"Well seeing as I am human and all, I need to eat and probably get some more clothes." Jase sighed then turned off the highway and towards a McDonalds sign.
"How hungry are you?" He asked.
"Probably two hunter's." I replied. He glared. He pulled into the drive through and ordered four cheese burger's and two things of fries and two cokes. He paid and un-cuffed me to eat."Wow, I forgot how good human food was." I mumbled, starting on my second burger. Jase was still on his first.
"If the food doesn't kill you the grease will." He said tossing his wrapper into the bag.
"It's not going to work you know." I stated.
"What's not going to work?" He asked, making another turn and got back on the highway. A sign for Colorado was my only way of knowing where we were.
"They won't think I'm dead. They'll look for a body."
"You're not the only hound we've had." Now it was my turn to glare in hate. I suddenly wasn't very hungry and leaned into the seat and stared out the window. I hadn't known I was asleep until Jase opened my door, causing me to fall forward. He caught me and pulled me out into his arms. I caught a glimpse of a motel sign then passed back out.
"Slone, wake up." I heard Jase call my name but I ignored him. Sleeping in a human bed was great. No twigs to stab you accidentally, no birds laying on you, nothing falling on you. Just great.
"I'm gonna count to three and if you don't get up, you're gonna have your first shower."
"Are you gonna strip me, Master?" I mumbled into the pillow.
"Won't have to. A bucket of water should suit your kind." He replied. I shot up and rubbed my eyes against the sun that was shining in through the window.
"I'm up, I'm up." I muttered running my fingers through my hair. I could feel my long hair was a mess and that I needed a hair cut. Badly.
"Set here." Jase stated, pointing to a chair in front of him. It was like he read my mind.
"Want me to crawl?" I asked. He sighed. He pulled me up and sat me in the chair and cuffed my hands to the back.
"Don't pull anything stupid." He said and took a brush to my hair. After a few painful minutes later he took scissors to my hair.
"Do you even know how to cut hair?" I asked.
"I know the basics. My mom was a beautician."
"Was?""Yea." He fell silent and started cutting my hair. He'd cut it just below the shoulder blades and thinned and layered it.
"Bangs?" He asked.
"Sure." He grabbed a few strands of hair on the right side of my face and cut them downward then on the left side he grabbed a few less strands then before and did the same.
"There." He said and took the scissors to the sink and then swept up my hair off the floor.
"Not bad." I stated, turning my head side to side.
"Now you need clothes."
"That would work." I said looking down at my t-shirt and boxers.
"Come on." He said pulling me out of the chair. I stood up straight then took a step then another. "Well you're making progress." He nodded. "I'm still gonna have to support you." He un-cuffed me then draped my arm over his shoulder and wrapped his other arm around my waist and helped me into the truck. We hit several different retail stores and by the time we were done, I had five of everything and a pair of out door tennis shoes.
I decided when we got back to the motel and I was dressed, I'd make my move.
"I'm gonna take a shower." I stated.
After three hours of shopping my walking had become better. I still stumbled but not near as bad. I jumped in and lathered soap all over my body and hair then rinsed. I pulled on the essentials then my jeans and dark blue t-shirt. I opened the door and Jase was snoozing on his bed. I pulled my shoes on then quietly walked to the door. I pulled the chain down and had the door opened five inches when I was jerked away and pushed into the wall then slumped to the floor. The door was slammed shut.
Jase jerked me up off the floor and sat me back in the too hard chair. Just as he was about to put the cuffs on, I head butted him with the back of my head. He yelled in pain and I jumped out of the chair, realizing that he'd managed to cuff one of my hands. I had the chair up by its legs and shoved it into Jase's stomach. He gasped then jerked it to the side with me still attached. I resisted and the leg broke, freeing my hand. I used the leg and smacked Jase in the face. He tripped over the remains of the chair and fell on his back. I jumped on him and went to drill the leg through his throat but he caught my hands and flung the chair leg to the other side of the room. Fuming, I punched him in the eye. He caught my hand for the second round and rolled over on me, pinning me down.
"Give up?" He panted.
"No!" I shouted and tried to fight back but it was no use. I was pinned.
"I'm nice to you and this is what I get?" He muttered. His eye showed signs of a black eye. "My fault and it won't happen again."
"Did you really expect anything different." I growled.
"Possibly but never mind. You're on lock down now." He pulled me up and sat me in a cushioned chair with thick wood work and cuffed my hands to the arms and did the same with my legs. I wasn't getting out of this one.
After that Jase didn't speak to me and he never took his eyes off me. He allowed me to eat and shower on my own but he still kept a close eye on me. The chair became my new best friend. A few days went past and we were back on the road. I didn't know where we were going. All I knew was that Jase was on the phone a lot and that Willard and Cam were going to meet with us soon. Apparently, my pack fell for their trap. I need to get this damn bracelet off but only Jase can take it off me. Maybe if I got him to trust me and I talked him into it, maybe, just maybe, I could get him to take it off. Sly chance.
The more time I spent with Jase the more fond of him I became. I also kept slapping myself for it. I knew he was a hunter and I knew he was only keeping me alive because they needed me but the way he looked at me sometimes crushed me. He looked at me with longing and concern and sometimes even pity. I didn't know why. We didn't know each other well enough to even have the slightest feelings for one another. But almost a week on the road with an extremely hot guy who'd also kicked my ass a few times, well softened me a bit. But I didn't let him know that. He would have to be the one to brake the ice.
We checked into another barren motel and crashed for the night. I hadn't made anymore attempts to escape because one, I was bonded to the bed post when I slept and two, well I was human, and it's what I had been dying for. My inner hound was clawing at my inside's trying to break loose and join the rest of my pack but my outer body was stronger. I didn't want to go back. Not yet.
I had just gotten to sleep when I felt Jase lean over me and un-cuff my hands. I opened one eye to look at him.
"Have I been good, master?""Don't push your luck."
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Nothing stupid, right?"
"Right." After he pulled away, I propped myself up on my elbows and watched him climb into the dingy motel bed.
"Why the sudden niceness?" I asked.
"Should I keep you under lock and key regularly?" He replied, taking his shirt off and tossing it to the floor, which he did every night. With his shirt off I could see his whole tattoo. It started just below the shoulder and ended mid-collar bone. It was solid black and had several ridges. Very unique.
"Maybe. Do you trust me?"
"Well you haven't made anymore escape, attempts."
"What if I tried now?"
"I'd drag you back."
"Why?"
"We need you."
"Another, why?"
"I can't tell you."
"Because?"
"You ask too many questions, Slone."
"Do you have a family?" I asked, not thinking. He rolled over and looked at me from his bed. When he realized I was waiting for an answer he sighed and sat himself up."I did." He said, softly dragging his hands down his face. "They were killed. By hounds."
"I'd say I'm sorry but it probably wouldn't be right." I mumbled.
"Yea. Mathis killed them." Jase stated, casting me a sad look.
"Oh." I said in a small voice.
"I also had a fiancé."
"Had?" Jase gave me another look and I understood. "Jase I-" I started but he jumped out of bed and crossed the space between us. He got in my face pressing his forehead against mine.
"Look, I don't expect you to feel sympathy. That's the last thing I want. Just understand if I see your precious pack, I'll kill them." He promised, his eyes never leaving mine. My breath caught in my throat and I knew he wasn't joking. I pulled away from him and sat up on my knees making me about chest level with him.
"Don't take your hate on my pack, out on me." I stated and shoved him away. He caught my arms and jerked me down with him. He fell onto his bed and I landed on top. We stared at each other. Jase looked at my lips then back to my eyes. He leaned forward his lips just brushing mine. I felt all fluttery inside. I was about to kiss him back when he pulled away quickly and slid me off him. I could still feel the warmth of his skin on my hands.
"Sorry." He mumbled.
"I don't want your sympathy." I echoed. He cast me a look then started climbing in bed.
"You're weak." I stated. He looked up and raised an eyebrow.
"Excuse me?" He asked, half in his bed , half not.
"You're weak. You're scared to kiss me." I stated. He stood up and crossed his arms.
"Really now? As I recall, I just kissed you."
"Ha! You call that a kiss. You're afraid of me."
"Don't flatter yourself."
"Prove it then. Prove you're not afraid of me." In the blink of an eye he was in front of me. He grabbed my shoulders and pushed me against the wall. He looked down at me breathing hard. He hesitated at first and then he kissed me. His lips were hard and hungry on mine. He pressed his body against mine and I wound my hands in his hair. His tongue touched mine and I shuddered. I slipped my hands down his smooth back, feeling the warmth of his skin. His own hands came off the small of my back and cupped my face. He pulled away and kissed me lightly.
"Now do you believe me?" He whispered. My heart was playing the drums in my chest.
"You win." I whispered back. He nodded then turned and crawled into bed. A thousand different thoughts flew through my head. What if Willard and Cam find out about our kiss? What if my pack does? Did he really feel what I felt when we kissed? I wasn't too sure what I felt but I'm smart enough to know that the increase in my heart rate in the butterflies in my stomach when he's around isn't friendship.
Time to wake up because the hunted has fallen for the hunter.
I awoke to the sound of the shower in our small motel room. I rolled over and pulled the blanket over my head ignoring the fact that the blanket had uncovered my ass. I was almost back to sleep when a cold hand touched my hip. I flipped over quickly and a dripping wet, Jase looked down at me.
"Get dressed, we have another three hour drive to make." He said flat. All events of last forgotten. I sighed and climbed out of bed. I lathered myself in soap and soaked until my body was glowing from the heat of the shower and my hands were wrinkly. I towel dried then walked back out into the room. Jase turned his back to give me some privacy and I pulled some clothes. No words were said. I stared at his muscular back as he pulled on a shirt. He turned and caught my eye.
"What?" He asked, throwing his duffle bag over his shoulder and giving me an impatient look.
"Just remembering something is all." I muttered.