Chapter 21

A/N: Well, all we have left is the epilogue, and I've already written it, so expect it in a day or two. Oh, and at the end of the epilogue I'll have a list of thank you's to all my faithful readers. So read on! The prequel is coming too! So stay posted. – Bookdreamer17

I woke with a clear mind and sharp focus, my eyes snapping open instantly.

" Welcome back, Kate."

I sat up on the cold concrete floor, and peered into Marcus's somber face, my eyes fixed intently on his robin egg blue one's. " Where's Victor?"

He stood up from his chair. His shoulders were relaxed and his face held a small smile in the corner. He looked at peace.

" How interesting." He mused, with genuine curiosity while running a calloused hand through his stubbly brown hair. " That you inquire about your husband before your own wellbeing. Most would ask: Where am I? What are you going to do to me? Is that why he keeps you- your altruistic nature?" He shrugged slightly, not needing an answer from me.

I looked around the room in silence. The room was roughly the same width and length as a standard soldiers bunkroom: white walls, metal door, and absolutely no aesthetic appeal. Though the bunks had been removed and floor space was completely barren. All that occupied the wide space was one chair- the one Marcus sat on, and a radio by his feet. Marcus, a radio and me – was this some type of secret dance party, because I hate dancing. Taking a closer glance at Marcus's feverish eyes though procured in me an inkling more sinister than dancing.

" So Marcus, what do you have up your sleeve?"

He chuckled throatily, sat back down, and picked up the radio by his feet. Cradling it in his hands, he flipped a few dials, and pushed a few buttons.

I eyed him suspiciously but not with fear.

" Always the jokester." He smirked and then held up a finger for me to be silent. Muffled voices crackled through the speakers, as we listened. He tuned the radio the voices clarified and I recognized the General's and Victor's voice.

" I don't like your tone, solider." The General said.

" Damn my tone! Why did you change the plan without consulting me?" Victor snarled.

" I gave no direct order of that sort, Kate was the one to break command and change course."

" She said that Marcus-"

I jumped slightly when Victor's voice fell silent. Obviously Victor still didn't know about Marcus' little game…yet. With a little click, Marcus turned off the radio, and leaned back in his chair- his smile growing more pronounced.

" We got a little time- do you mind if I tell you a story?"

" Do I have a choice?" I asked, eyeing the door.

" Nope." He chuckled, " Don't worry it wont take long."

" What if I said screw you and left anyways?" I was getting kind of pissed at Marcus's game of cat and mouse, and Victor had taught me that if they don't kill you within the first five minutes, then they might not have the stomach to do it at all. Anyways Marcus hadn't even threatened me yet, so I was going to push the envelope and see how he responded.

Still smiling Marcus pushed away his coat to reveal a shinny lethal looking gun. Well I think that qualifies as a threat. I raised my eyebrows, as if questioning his ability to kill me.

" Just sit quietly and listen to my story…please?" Like the person with the gun had to ask.

Rolling my eyes I motioned for him to get it over with. He opened his mouth to begin but I cut him off. " Wait! Are you going to kill me?"

" Are you incapable of being silent?" He fumed, his hands clenching into fists.

" Well… It would be a lot more comforting to know if you're going to kill me or not… you know helps the concentration." I smirked at his irritation.

" Fine. Yes eventually I'm going to kill you. Happy?"

" Exponentially. Now, please continue with your lovely story that you kidnapped me so I could hear." Even though my heart had skipped a beat when he had said yes, I knew that Marcus was longwinded and Victor's sense of smell was unparalleled to any tracker. So I could sit back in relative ease and listen to Marcus's maniacal story.

His reaction was visual; veins appeared on his forehead, and his breathing became labored, but with some effort and a few deep breaths he reclaimed control.

I think Victor was rubbing off on me because I was enjoying flustering Marcus way more than was healthy.

Marcus began.

" Ten years ago a beautiful baby girl was born to parents who had waited long for children."

" Congrats."

He gave me a baleful glare and continued. " They loved and cared for her until when on her second birthday, they found out that she had leukemia. That year a new drug had been approved and distributed by a " reputable" pharmacy and the doctors suggested that the child be put on the drug. " He paused and took a few more breaths. His fingers twitched slightly, and I sighed looking at the door.

Come on Victor, how much more of this sally sob story are you going to make me listen to?

" The drug seemed to work- for awhile, but soon she began to deteriorate even more rapidly. The doctors didn't know what to do, and she died a few weeks later. Do you know what it's like to see you're daughter fade for months and months? Later it was revealed that the "new" drug had been contaminated and thus recalled. The mother overcome with grief committed suicide a year later." He paused and looked at me expectedly. The fever in his eyes seemed to be spreading like a virus to his face, and he looked a little crazy, but he remained silent.

" Soooo…. You want to kill me because your daughter died?" I was having a hard time tracking.

" The company that produced the botched drug was Shaw pharmacies.

That got my attention because Shaw was my maiden name. Shaw pharmacies was owned and run by my father, David Lewis Shaw, self-made millionaire.

He chuckled, though his eyes were deadly serious. " Ringing any bells? Yeah I thought so. Hold that thought." He grabbed the radio and turned up the volume, voices crackled to life. We both listened intently.

" Shut down all exits, and search the premises!" The General shouted.

" Where the fuck is he? I'm gonna rip his throat out!"

Victor's roar was cut short. It wouldn't be long now, I thought smugly.

" Almost time for the grand finale." He said gleefully, " but we have a little bit more time, so bear with me." Marcus said calmly, apparently not stressed that Victor was bent on ripping out his jugular.

" Where was I?" He mused to the ceiling.

" You blame my father for killing your daughter." I said drolly.

" Ah yes, thank you."

" No problem."

He settled into his chair and continued his twisted story. " So I did what any loving father would do in my situation- I sought revenge upon the people who had taken everything from me, but I had to be smart. So instead of going after the company's heart, I went after the man's who allowed this tragedy to happen. I was going to rip out his heart the way he had mine. I would take his daughter from him."

Actually it made sense, in some twisted way, and if it wasn't me he planned to kill I could almost appreciate his plan from a purely technical standpoint, for he waited years to execute his revenge. Crap! I was becoming like Victor.

" So I laid low for awhile- planning and preparing, and then about a year ago I set the plan in motion. I thought everything had gone according to plan: You were dead, though I would have liked to had done it myself, and no one could trace it back to me, but little did I know that the lying bastard had kept you for himself!" He fumed violently.

My mind spun as I processed his words.

" You're the one? The one who hired Victor to kidnap me?" I asked stunned. Even Victor hadn't known who had hired him! I sat silently and stared at the floor. My fear started to grow in my chest like a deadly flower that would strangle my heart with its vines.

" Yes I was, so imagine my surprise when I found you of all people in that root cellar when we raided Victor's house! I would have killed you then, but Steven, annoying as he is, was there." He stood, and began pacing around the room and in his hand he held the gun, using it to emphasize points in his rant. " THEN! Saul couldn't even kill you; he just had to start up a conversation with you, giving Victor time to hunt you down! Can no one do anything right!" He screamed at my face, spittle flying at me. " Do I have to do everything?"

" I know, it's just so hard to get good mercenaries these days." He turned and charged towards me. "Slow down Marcus, you're losing it." I cautioned, and kept my eyes pined on the weapon he was flailing about.

" Losing it!" He screamed like a lunatic. " I've already lost everything! Because of YOU!" He pointed the gun at my chest.

I held up my hands, and tried to speak calmly. " So what's your plan? Just kill me?"

" No, no, no. " He chanted softly. "Oh! I almost forgot!" He leapt up and ran back to the radio, then turned back to me before turning up the volume.

" At this very moment, I have sent a decoy car out of the compound and the stupid General and your husband are currently chasing it, thinking I've got you in it, and by the time they figure it out, you'll be dead. Because who would be stupid enough to kidnap someone and then stay on the premise?"

" I can think of someone." I muttered.

"Let us listen, shall we? You've waited so patiently all night and the finale has finally come."

He switched on the radio and I waited with bated breath.

" Order all squads to the outer gates and detain that car before it leaves the premise." The General curtly ordered. " Shoot on sight."

"Meet you there- Oh and forget the soldiers just send the janitor, because they'll be nothing to shoot when I'm done." Victor said, and I could practically see the wicked gleam in his eyes and his fanged smile.

" Solider! Wait for the rest. That's an order!" General Reed screamed, at Victor's back. " Steven go after him! Damn Victor! He muttered.

There was silence on the other end for a few seconds, and then a shock wave of sizable proportions rocked through the wall and smashed into us, knocking me over on my back. It reverberated the walls and the radio dies for a minute before spitting out more noise and voices like a machine gun.

" Get all units on scene immediately! There's been an explosion in the South West entrance, all units report NOW!" Another moment of silence from the General." Goddamn it!" He muttered. " I hope they're alright- poor Kate, and Steven."

Marcus turned the radio off. Something wet landed on my hand and I realized that tears streamed down my cheeks and plopped down on my lap.

Not Steven, God please not Steven too. He couldn't die. I shook my head back and forth. I had faith that Victor could survive the blast, but Steven and the other innocent soldier could, had not. I shuddered to think of their fate.

" Opps… did I forget to tell you that the car was rigged with enough C-4 to blow up a tank? Sorry, my bad." He smirked and sat down again. " Getting nervous now Kate?" Marcus inquired politely.

I shook my head back and forth, back and forth, trying to think straight.

" He'll be okay. He'll be okay." I chanted up at his face. Trusting Victor to do the two things he did best: killing and taking care of me.

" No more Victor- he's just a pile of fur and meat. No more Steven, no more protection, no more anyone, and now I'm going to kill you. I've finally done it." He shook his head wonderingly. "- Made retribution, you heard your loved one die, and now I'm going to take away the daughter from the man who took mine." His face was placid, but his hands roamed compulsively over the shiny handle of the gun.

My heart was palpitating erratically and my mouth was dry with acid tasting fear.

I could hardly see for all the tears in my eyes, but no sobs came to my throat. I just sat mutely, clutching my hands. I didn't think that Victor was dead, but even he would need some time to heal from that kind of a blast.

It would take time for him to heal- time that I didn't have. By the look in Marcus's eyes, he was starting to rap up his infamous villain monologue, and move on to the portion of the show where he kills me.

I began to tremble, a deep-set ache in my heart. He wouldn't make it in time. I was going to die. For some reason, I couldn't find pity for myself in my heart, but Victor- he would be alone again. At least I hadn't willing left him; I don't think he could have taken another rejection like what Logan had done to him. Even though he had never spoken of it, I knew that it had stabbed him to the core. I was going to miss him, even when dead, and I shuddered to think of the wake of destruction that he was going to wreak after my death. Though some sick part of me felt comforted in the knowledge that my death would be thoroughly avenged. Oh yes, Victor would make sure of that.

We both looked up when a knock at the door sounded, and then the handle turned slowly. Byron's handsome face appeared from around the metal frame.

My heart leapt sluggishly in my chest, daring against the odds that I could be rescued.

" Byron!" I croaked softly.

Slowly he walked over to where Marcus sat stroking his gun. " I felt the shockwave, everything okay, Sir?" He inquired formally, as if Marcus outranked him. My hopes plummeted and the tears began again.

Marcus nodded brusquely. " Just finishing up, then I'll be out. Just make sure the plane is ready, we'll have to move fast. For now just wait outside for orders."

Byron saluted and nodded. On his way out the door, he made a pit stop to where I sat on the floor.

" See ya around, honey. Or not." He smirked and reached down and patted my cheek roughly. With that, he left and firmly shut the door behind him. I stared blindly at the closed door, and I had the sinking feeling that it wasn't going to open again.

When we were alone again, Marcus and I just stared at each other. Slowly he rose and stalked towards me, his determination and purpose plainly written on his face. The fire in his eyes spilled over, and his smile was tense.

" Time to say goodbye." He flicked the safety off the gun, and aimed it at my head. I stared into the dark eye of the barrel, and then closed my eyes.

As I waited for the end, images of the past and of the future I wouldn't see flooded into my mind with a fury.

Flashes of the few short months I had spent with Victor, and the even fewer months that I actually enjoyed it. All the love I felt for him, and all the pain that he would feel when I was gone, made be feel sick inside. I wanted to protect him from the pain! Then the images of our home in the mountains, warm days, and even warmer nights spent in his arms- all that I would lose, all that I would never have. I would never hold my child in my arms, or have him suckle tenderly at my breast. I would never see my beautiful unborn children grow up or revel in life's glories.

Anger I have never known grew in my heart, anger for the man who was going to rip away my life. He had no right! I would get home! And no one would stop me!

My heart began to burn with fire in my heart, my hands clenched and unclenched quickly, and my muscles tightened. All that fury bubbled to the surface, and erupted in a loud howl of suffering and wrath.

I stood, not caring about Marcus anymore, I was too consumed with my feelings and the strange happenings in my body. Streaks of pain were crawling up my body, starting from my feet through my body and to my fingers. I ground my teeth in rage, and craved release from this pressure that was bottled up in me.

I longed to rip Marcus's head off in a nice clean swipe. I craved claws like Victor's to destroy this man in front of me! My eyesight was beginning to blur and I wondered if I was crying tears of blood, because I was seeing red- literally. Letting out another howl, I stretched out my hands to grab Marcus and to my to my surprise I found my hand was grossly distorted. It was ballooned out to twice its normal size, and dark mats of thick hair lay in patches. Then there were my nails- they were turning black and they were growing before my eyes.

I growled, and Marcus almost gagged. He still held the gun on me, but he was transfixed at by my arm.

" What are you?" He asked in a whisper. A fine sheen of sweat lay on his forehead and he was ghost white.

In that instant the pain in my body centered in my belly, and I slumped over in pain. My arms and legs seemed to be growing, and I couldn't move them anymore. The anger still burned in my heart, but I writhed on the floor in pain- unable to move as my body hijacked me.

I knelt on my hands and knees, and screamed in pain. A long piercing sound that ended in a sick gurgle. Again I tried to scream, as my heart beat out of my chest, but all I heard was a low growl and snarl. Again I tried, and again the same result. It was me! I was snarling!

All the bones in my body felt like they had snapped in half and were now wiggling around in my body, trying to find a new home. I howled again, as my head felt like it split in half, and my body grew exponentially.

Then with a snap, everything fit together again. My bones stopped moving and my head cleared. I still lay hunched on my hands and knees but I was taller.

I looked up at Marcus, and I discovered that he had flattened himself against the wall, and was raising the gun at me. I gave a guttural roar of rage, and then he fired. The gun bucked back into his hands, and the explosion sounded like an atomic bomb to my ears.

The bullet hit me in the upper shoulder, and pain rippled through my muscles, making them contract and release convulsively- but that was it.

The rage urged me on, and I took a step towards him, but I remained on all fours. In confusion I looked down, and to my surprise saw thick stumpy legs that had wicked looking claws attached to hard leathery padded paws. I had become a bear, a large and lethal grizzly bear.

Not caring how or why this had happened, I gave a short howl of glee and lumbered as fast as I could straight at the petrified Marcus.

He didn't run. He didn't scream or fire his gun. He shoulders slumped and he leaned against the wall.

When I reached him, it only took one swipe from my paw. Only one swipe, and he was finished. Everything was finished.

I didn't even see his head roll to the floor or his body double over, because my sensitive ears picked up a commotion behind me.

The door fell forward with a loud thump as it was thrust forward from the outside, and the disfigured bloody corpse of Byron landed with a squelch on the it. Stepping neatly over the body, Victor entered the room. As he surveyed the surroundings and I hungrily took in every fiber of his face and body.

His face looked haggard, his eyes, black spots of coal and the few wrinkles' around them were pronounced. Blood seeped around the side of his mouth from an already healed cut, that his fangs had inflicted I presumed, and his cinnamon lips shone out against his skin which was drained of color and looked as white and fragile as eggshells. His eyes on the other hand, blazed with unquenchable fire that sparked and crackled. He looked so petrifying I wouldn't have been surprised if he opened his mouth and engulfed Marcus's body in a torrent of flames.

Clothes hung from his body in bloody rags, and the tears exposed deep gashes gouged in his sides and abdomen. His hands dripped wetly with Byron's blood, the drops landed with loud plops in the eerie silence of the room. He cocked an eyebrow in Marcus's direction.

"Damn." He let the word slowly slide off his tongue.

I turned and lumbered my 800 lb body around to face him. My muzzle flared as his overwhelming scent filled my body. It was consuming and intense- his scent, his being. It was animal like and wild, like forests, streams, fire and rain all melded together. I rocked my head back and forth as I inhaled the man who smelled like an animal. My animal senses categorized the man invading my territory- whom my human part knew as my husband, assessing his threat level.

He advanced a step closer into my space. I reared my head back and a low growl radiated from the deep cavern in my chest, as my instincts screamed at me to flee. They told me that though I was larger, that I was prey and I was in danger.

He came another step closer. I bared my teeth and braced my back legs for an attack.

" Do you really want to fight me, pooh bear?" He said softly, though an undercurrent of anger and sarcasm ran through it.

I sniffed again, and my hackles roses as I smelled his rise in anger. With great effort I suppressed my fear and natural instincts and lowered my body to sit on my haunches. Once sitting, I slowly rolled over on my back- exposing my tender underbelly. I lay still, bloody paws in the air, as Victor approached me, neatly sidestepping the corpse next to me. He crouched down next to me and extended his equally clawed hand to touch my belly. He left his hand there for a second, before slowly rubbing my soft fur in small circles, occasionally using his claws though his claws felt a lot different with a protection of fur.

As he touched me, the animal part of me rebelled but my human reaction was stronger. Feelings boiled in my stomach, and swirled searching for release- feelings that could not come to fruition in the form of a bear.

I reached for him in need, and as I did, fur and claw fell away from my paw exposing my pale fingers, like a shed snakeskin, dead and lifeless. I felt something cold and hard on my stomach and looked down to see Victor's claws still laying my stomach, expect now my stomach was soft skin. His eyes were back to warm brown and I was grateful for that.

" Felt good didn't it? Letting the rage consume you?" He purred.

I didn't respond, but my eyes told him the truth. It had felt good.

As I took a deep breath, I discovered that the world fell flat and dull. The bear's enhanced sense of smell had added a layer to life like nothing I felt or known- and without it I felt numb. No longer could I smell Victor's musky scent, or sense his change in pheromone levels - guess I would have to rely on plain woman's intuition.

As I struggled to sit up I felt weak and like a newborn baby. Victor quickly scooped me up into his arms, and held me close. Laying my head against his chest I realized two significant things with great clarity. One, that I was naked, and we would have to solve that problem relatively quick. Two, that with all my obsession of getting home I had missed a glaringly obvious fact- that I was home- here in the arms of my husband, a home that couldn't be destroyed.

Sighing contentedly I closed me eyes and listened to the steady beat of Victor's heart.

THE END