Discovered (The Shalean Moon) (14 page)

“Well why should he?” She wondered if her voice sounded reasonable.

‘Nope, you sound like you want to spit nails.’

‘Good, because I want to.’

“You are one of us.”

“Sorry, wrong film. I’m me—Rachael Marie Connor. Not
one of us
—just me. Now, where are my dad and Brios?”

“Here” There was a rather impressive clap of thunder and the door burst open.

‘The cavalry has arrived.’

That was Donny. She chuckled, earning a glare from Mr. Who-ever-he-was. He reminded her of the first dentist she’d seen; he never smiled either.

Brios was magnificent; he sent shivers down her spine.

Whew, that roar!
Which was weird because he was here as Brios—the boy. Either all this was really happening, or the bang on her head has seriously affected her, because everything seemed so right.

Her dad and Leira flanked Brios; and behind them was the tall blonde woman.

‘Melinde McCrea.’

Oh well, of course. Duh, and that means what?

‘Trust her.’

At this point Rach was finding it hard to trust anyone. However, she had to start somewhere.

Brios was speaking. “Whoever you are, you err. You will be accountable to us,
and
your council. Speak your lies, and then listen to the truth.”

Rach listened to that burr, which was more pronounced when he spoke formally. The elder understood what he was being told, because he twitched and moved from paw to…

Oh my God why is he in his fancy dress again?

‘It is not fancy dress. Watch, and learn.’

‘It was a joke, I know it isn’t now. But, hey how much can a girl with a sore head get her mind around at once?’

Rach glanced at her dad to see if he was as confused as her. He was smiling at Brios and his dad, and seemed not at all perturbed by what was in front of him.

Ri-i-ight, so, maybe this isn’t a dream, and it’s all real; but, what now?

No way was she watching people change to leopards and back again without fully understanding how she was involved. This definitely was the weirdest night she’d ever had.

“Rach?” That was Brios. “Go and stand next to your dad and Melinde, please. Leira, you are invited to join us.”

“No thanks. What’s Donny doing there with them?” Leira’s eyes were flashing. She didn’t seem very happy. Rach realized how it looked.

‘Leira, it’s not as it seems. He was asked to be here by Brios.’

Rach knew her projecting was a bit hit and miss, she wasn’t sure if Leira had heard her. The only answer was a growl.

Brios watched the interplay between his sister and Rach out of the corner of his eye, the rest of him focused on the leopard in front of him. He knew he was going to have to shift and he hoped to hell it didn’t totally freak Rach out. It seemed she had taken the Rogues in stride, according to Donny who had been keeping him up to speed on the way here. Tony, he assumed, must have seen his wife shift and would be fine with it, but Rach was an unknown quantity. She was too important to him for him to want to upset her, but he had to shift.

Rach was walking past him to her dad. She flashed him a quick smile.

‘Be careful, he’s an ass. The elder—I mean—not my dad or Donny.’

He chuckled inwardly.

‘No, he’s a leopard.’

‘Oh well, duh!’

“Okay Chicken?” He heard Tony ask as he gave his daughter a hug. He waited to hear if Rach did her usual ‘Da-ad.’ He wasn’t disappointed, she did.

‘Rach? I’m going to shift. Just keep an open mind. Please?’

‘Shift? What on earth do you mean? Move somewhere else? Why?’

‘No, look, it’s all tied in with this mind sensing. Stand next to your dad, he understands. Melinde is here to help you both. Will you trust me?’

He waited, hoping she was open-minded enough to do as he asked. He knew it would be a big shock, but he knew she was mature—she had to be mature to be able to sense and project—and she’d have to get used to a lot more than this if he had his way.

‘Well let’s face it Bri, I don’t think much else can unnerve me today, do you? As long as someone tells me what the hell is going on—and soon.’

‘I promise.’

He blocked her off. This was going to be the most important thing he’d ever done.

He gave a prayer of thanks that his dad had brought Melinde with them, so Rach had a woman with her. He guessed Leira was so pissed off at seeing Donny there that she wouldn’t be much support. That was going to take a lot of explaining later.

It would be difficult to shift right here in front of the others, but he knew a sign of power was needed. Generally, unless it was really important, shifting was a private deeply emotional thing. In public, you lost some of your sense of wellbeing, and it could hurt a lot more. He took a deep breath; blanked his mind, and began. It was almost as if he watched himself in a mirror; his mind absorbing every change of bone, every piece of fur that appeared. Slowly as the ‘Shalean Shimmer’ surrounded him, his body took on its alter ego and his leopard appeared. He heard Rach’s gulp, and the soft “wow” under her breath. She sounded more excited and impressed than scared.

He shook himself, making his fur dance wildly before it settled into place; his spots bright and commanding.

He wondered if Rach realized the color of her hair was reflected deep in each spot; and if she knew what it meant. He knew he would have to explain it to her one day; tell her how they were meant to be partners, but not now. Now he had to secure their future—well, part of it. There would still be Struan to contend with later.

He prowled across the tiny room, which was crowded now, and really smelling quite unpleasant. He smelled big cat; fear; and something he couldn’t define. Could it be hope or strength? He’d sort it out later.

Brios stood square in front of the ringleader.

‘Gregor Grier.’

He knew everyone present would understand his projecting; even Tony. His dad was able to arrange such a thing and—judging by the look of awe on Tony’s face—he’d done so.

‘Gregor Grier, what have you to say?’

There was silence, and then a growled clearing of the throat.

‘Well?’

‘She’s one of us, she needs to be here. You and her father wish to destroy us and deny her heritage. He took her mother away—my chosen one—and he stole her! This girl should have been my daughter. She needs to be with us, not with you.’

Eh? That made no sense at all.

Suddenly Brios realized what the man was saying.

‘You’re saying Rach’s mother was your chosen one?’

Behind him he heard a gasp that could only have come from Rach. What a way to learn about her mum.

‘She was mine, and she was lured away by that man. Now you’re trying to do the same with her daughter. She should be one of us.’

There was a stamp and an anguished growl. Rach ran across the room, darted around him, and jumped hard on one outstretched paw.

‘Rubbish, and don’t you dare talk about my dad that way you fur-ball! He’s worth ten of you. He doesn’t go around abducting people and scaring them to death. You’re a big furry coward. I hope you molt.’

C
HAPTER
T
HIRTEEN

Brio found it difficult to keep the smirk off his jowls. He watched as Gregor Grier hopped on three legs; as best a leopard could. He waited patiently for him to stop moving. He could sense Rach’s annoyance.

‘Rach, enough, I’ll deal with him. Please go to your dad and Melinde. I need to have all my wits about me; I can’t be worrying what you’ll do next; and please, please, please, take Leira with you.’

He didn’t need any senses to hear her sigh.

‘Oh, okay, but you have a lot of explaining to do mister; believe me.’

He did.

He watched as Rach grabbed Leira’s arm and all but dragged her out of the room; her dad and Melinde following. Right now he had to sort this mess out, before he went and sorted the new mess that seemed to be happening—namely Rach and her past; and Leira and her future.

***

Both past and future were about to go into overdrive.

Rach pushed a muttering Leira in front of her, and found they were in a large airy room with picture windows overlooking a loch. The big French windows were wide open, so Rach wandered through onto a wide patio. She needed fresh air. The others followed her.

“Where on earth are we?” she asked no one in particular. “This is beautiful, too nice for those assholes.”

The woman standing next to her dad, Melinde-someone, smiled.

“It is beautiful,” she agreed, “it’s Loch Katrine. The Rogues shouldn’t be here. It’s
my
house. They knew I was away.”

Right and you are?

“Your help-meet, my name is Melinde. I’ll be guiding you.”

Leira snorted beside her; it seemed she did not agree with that statement.

‘Yeah, and your dad; watch her—she’s voracious.’

‘Pardon?’

‘Just watch her.’

“Um, pardon Mrs. er”

Yup, that sounded about right.

‘Good for you Rach; show her she’s not part of your family and friends’

The woman smiled. “Leira, I sensed that. You forget, I’ve been Shalean for many years. You weren’t projecting to me, but I received it. I’m no enemy to you, Rachael, or her dad.”

‘So she says and if she senses this, well so what.’

It seemed she didn’t, or if she did she decided not to comment.

Rach could tell Leira was not convinced. She’d reserve judgment until she found out what was happening—which had better be soon.

“Why are we out here? Shouldn’t we be in there trying to find out what this crap is all about? If you’re an elder, why aren’t you in there doing your stuff?” she asked Melinde pointedly

‘Way to go Rach. Boy, does she bug me. Not because she’s an elder, just because; she’s like a spider with a fly. Eeeew.’

Rach giggled. Trust Leira to put it so succinctly.

“Language,” her dad reprimanded her. She blushed. “Sorry, but shouldn’t we? Some loonies in what I thought was fancy dress— okay, I know it isn’t just fancy dress now …” she added hastily, “they kidnap me, bring me here, start going on about my mum and goodness knows what else, and we just say ‘oh, okay, see you and bye?’ I don’t think so. Hold on …” Her face went white; she looked like she had dipped it in flour.

“That was what Brios did wasn’t it?” Her voice trailed off. “I thought I was in a dream,” she muttered, “and I was going to wake up in my bed any minute.” She looked at her dad’s face. “I’m not, am I? It’s all for real? I really do fancy a Sha…” her voice trailed off as she realized what she’d almost said. Admitting to herself she fancied Brios was one thing; saying it out loud in front of a comparative stranger was another.

He nodded sympathetically.

Melinde moved towards her and gave her a hug.

“I know it’s hard, Rach, but wait until Brios and Tony are ready, and then all can be revealed.”

Ha, she sounds like someone out of a trashy novel.

‘I told you; cuddling you now, and your dad later! There’s something really crappy going on here, and Donny is right in the middle of it—and don’t you go making excuses for him, or my brother. Damn them! I’m going back in; I was invited right? Brios invited me, so now I’m taking him up on his invitation. I need to shift. See ya.’

Leira ran back into the house. Snarls and growls were heard and Rach looked anxiously at her dad.

He smiled reassuringly. “It’ll be fine.”

Oh sure—I find out mum could turn into a leopard; the boy I fancy did turn into one; and I can talk with my mind—and I get told everything will be fine! Mum was engaged to a baddy who wants me to be a baddy too; but don’t worry. Oh yeah, here’s a bridge to buy!

“Um, I’m not sure how you can say that when the safari park seems to have left one of its cages open.” She pointed—carefully, so as not to make any sudden movement—towards the lawn where it seemed a leap of leopards was approaching. She was quite pleased she knew the proper name for it. Strangely, it had been a question on a school quiz a couple of days before she’d been paired with Leira, who knew the answer.

Well, duh, no wonder
.

Her dad and Melinde looked to where she was pointing. Neither of them looked the least bit worried. In fact, Melinde was smiling.

Things were getting screwier and screwier.

The foremost animal stopped and Melinde put her hand out to it, touching it on the shoulder.

‘You need to come back in now, Rach. All of you.’

‘Look Bri, if I don’t get out of this nightmare and back into my real world, I’ll be fit for nothing.’