Fang Chronicles: Zenya's Story (6 page)

“What happens after we cross the border?”

“Then the fun really begins, because the wolves will try to kill us.”

“What’s your destination?”

“Amy and Marcus.”

“Do they know you’re coming?”

“No.”

“Do they want you?”

Zenya broke in vehemently. “Yes, they do.”

Nicolas turned to her. “Can you telepathically communicate with Amy?”

Clans communicated with their same clans telepathically, but he had no idea if it worked across species lines.

“Yes, but the cats have a vampire who can intercept telepathic communications and we don’t know where he is. I haven’t been in touch with Amy or Marcus since two weeks after I left. I’m sure they think I’m dead.”

“I guess you need to explain exactly why you need me.”

“When I left and came here, Amy and Marcus declared me a traitor and placed a bounty on my head. It was the only way to keep me safe from the cats. We need you to offer safe passage when we run into the wolves.”

Nicolas looked at Vorlyk. “Tell me about your clan.”

“They’re all female. Talya is the youngest.”

“How fast can she travel?”

“She can keep up good enough in human form, but all my cats have issues.”

“Such as?”

“You haven’t met Sheeba. She’s blind.”

Nicolas’s thoughts were scurrying. “How did you come by your group of cats?”

“It wasn’t easy. Raykon has no respect for women. He enjoys torture and dishes it out at the smallest excuse. Each cat cost me favors.”

“Do I want to know what kinds of favors?”

“No.”

“Why should I trust you?”

“We have nothing to gain by deceiving you. If we stay here and do nothing, the wolves will lose this war. Us going to the other side is no guarantee the wolves will win, but we feel it’s the better side to fight for.”

“And you think the wolves will fight with you.”

“Right now I’m only asking one wolf.”

Nicolas didn’t say anything for several minutes while he let all he’d learned sink in. After taking a deep breath he asked, “How soon can you be ready?”

“It’s you I’m worried about.”

“I’ll be fine, and I want to leave before daylight tomorrow.”

“So be it.”

Chapter Nine

Preparations began immediately. Madayah was in charge of readying food and water. Everyone would carry a backpack. Zenya needed to speak with Nicolas privately, so he followed her through more rambling turns. They stopped in a large room holding gym equipment.

She turned to face him. “I thought you might want to shift before we start out tomorrow.”

“Thank you. It’s been months.”

“I’ll give you privacy.”

She turned to walk away, but his chiding words stopped her.

“You think I need privacy to be wolf?”

“Well, no, I just thought you might not want a cat around.”

“I think it’s something I need to adjust to because tomorrow it’s going to be thrown in my face whether I want it or not.”

“Fine then, shift.”

He was already removing his clothing. She stood watching.

Everywhere on his body that hadn’t been healed by a vampire after being tortured held a scar. He relished each one because they reminded him of what he’d lost. Not the marring of his body, but the maiming of his soul. He turned to lay his clothing on a nearby table and heard her soft gasp. He knew his back held the most damage, and now that he was clean it stood out. He looked over his shoulder, but her face showed no expression.

The shift flowed naturally through his body, and in an instant his wolf form took up the space where his human body stood a split second before.

It felt wonderful to stretch his canine muscles.

A gray wolf replaced the man, nothing exciting, but big. He was the largest beastkind wolf in the United States.

He slowly walked around the gym, taking in the odors. Someone cleaned the room recently, but he still smelled cat. Sadly he was getting used to the obnoxious odor. After ten minutes inspecting his surroundings, he moved closer to Zenya. She stood her ground and allowed his nose to travel down her leg and then back up. His snout heading to her crotch was natural, but she batted his nose away anyway. He laughed inside his head, almost wishing he could communicate with her.

Would he ever communicate silently with another beastkind again? It was a gift passed from a vampire to his or her clan. Nicolas no longer had a clan, and with Fredrick’s death the gift of telepathic communication was gone. Nicolas stepped back on four legs and then shifted to man.

“What’s wrong?” Her steady voice asked.

“I can’t converse in my wolf form.”

“I’m sorry. Amy’s able to communicate with all beastkind, but it was months before I could link with Marcus and his entire clan.”

Zenya’s eyes looked everywhere but at his incredible body. He almost smiled knowing he affected her. He didn’t miss a beat over the revelation about Amy communicating with more than one breed of beastkind, different vampires had different gifts. Zenya communicating with the wolves was different and opened the possibility of different beastkind sharing telepathic speech. “You are able to communicate with wolves?”

“Yes.”

“Interesting. I guess we don’t know enough about cats and wolves to understand our differences, much less the similarities.”

“Why do you think that is?”

“That’s a very simple answer.”

“Well?”

“Dogs don’t like cats.”

She grinned and looked at him. “It’s as easy as that?”

“Yep. It’s in our genes.”

“You know that’s ridiculous.”

“Not to a dog.”

“I’m totally understanding why cats don’t like dogs.”

“And why is that?”

“Because you’re idiots.”

The full grin changed the hard lines of his face, but his lips tightened and he switched subjects. “Are you up for a workout?”

“Sure, I could use one.”

He put his pants on and they worked out for an hour. Although he craved the exercise he knew not to overdo it. Admiring the sensuous flow of her muscles as she lifted weights was nearly impossible. He could almost put aside her smell and consider the beautiful woman she was. Almost. It was impossible to let go of his hatred of cats even if he knew she wasn’t his enemy.

Zenya sat down the hand weights and looked at Nicolas. “How about a dip in the pool?”

“Sounds good, and then I need to eat again.”

“You know we should wait another day before leaving.”

“Do you really think that it’s safe?”

“No, but you need to rest.”

“So do you. Will it stop you from going?”

“No.”

“Then we leave.”

The two of them walked through the twisting turns of the compound and made their way to the hot springs. Sweat cast a damp sheen over their bodies from the workout and the misty steam from the hot springs added to it. Zenya removed her pants and turned at the noise close behind her.

They stood looking at each other; dark eyes staring deeply into green. His arm came forward and his hand caressed her shoulder, tightened, and then pulled her close. Everything in his mind was telling him not to do it but his body had a will of its own. When she was close enough, he took her lips with fierce hunger. They didn’t close their eyes, both wary of the other, until finally she pulled away.

“Will any female body do?”

His breathing slowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’re a dog, I’m a cat.”

“A simple no will work.”

“No.”

He turned without another word and removed his pants, then got into the pool. He couldn’t believe he kissed her. What the hell was wrong with him?

“Get in. I won’t bite,” he snapped.

She kept the sports bra and underwear on and entered the water. They didn’t speak, each lost in their own thoughts. A few minutes later Talya entered the room.

“Madayah is planning a big dinner for tonight and wants everyone there. Vorlyk told me we’re leaving tomorrow.” She looked between the two of them curiously, and her excitement over their coming departure was evident.

“It’ll be dangerous, Talya,” Zenya said.

Talya whirled around, her hair whipping over her shoulder, and gave a parting comment, “That’s what I’m hoping.”

“What’s her story?” Nicolas asked when Talya was out of hearing.

“She was passed around Raykon’s men for years and then Vorlyk was able to bargain for her.”

“But she’s still a child.” The horror in his voice was plain.

“Raykon doesn’t care. He’s sadistic and can’t take women without torturing them.”

“And you know this how?” To his surprise, Nicolas felt his anger boil.

She looked him squarely in the eye. “I just know.”

She stood to get out of the pool, but he grabbed her arm to stop her. “Did he hurt you?”

“All he does is hurt. I don’t want to talk about it. Ever.”

He let go but remained angry. His imagination was probably making it worse. The truth was, he’d been one of Raykon’s amusements, and there was always the possibility that what Raykon had done to Zenya was worse.

Chapter Ten

It was the first time he saw all the she-cats at once. They were a sadly endearing group, juggling infirmaries and animosity with a quiet strength weaving in and out of their personalities. Getting them out of cat territory would not be easy.

Esta was the cat referred to earlier as the Amazon, and she didn’t hide her hatred of his species. She appeared to be the only cat without some kind of physical problem. Everyone babied Sheeba, but she batted their hands away when they tried to help her do anything. Nicolas thought that her blindness wouldn’t be as hard to work with as Talya’s missing limb. Zenya explained that Nikka didn’t speak but that she was tough like Esta.

Desi and Corla were sisters, and both had burns that covered much of their bodies. They refused to look at him, and quietly ate their dinner, sitting side by side, while physically leaning into each other.

Vorlyk kissed them softly on their cheeks when he joined them for dinner. He looked deceptively youthful for a clan leader. Every now and then, Nicolas saw deep weariness in the vampire’s gaze, but then he would shake it off and smile or laugh. There was no doubt Vorlyk loved these women.