In the Dark by Lila Rose (24 page)

But I didn't shift. Because if I turned, if I started, I wouldn't be able to stop, and then I'd have death upon my hands. Death of humans. If they had been anything else, they would have more strength than they were using, which was lucky for me in one way. No matter how much they hated me, wanted
me
dead, I couldn't bring myself to retaliate.

Therefore, I took it all and prayed once they finished, I'd still be alive enough to kill the one who deserved to be dead.

Even with all the sounds around me, nothing blocked out Sofia's gasp as MaryJane bit into her.

What I was surprised to hear was the spitting and cursing. "What in the hell are you? You taste disgusting."

Turning my head, I was able to see, through my swelling eyes, MaryJane take a step away from Sofia.

"It's called dog." Sofia took the distraction to her advantage. She punched MaryJane in the face and ran towards me. "Get the fuck off her." She pushed and punched her way through the people to fall to her knees beside me. "Leila, oh God, Leila, can you hear me?" She pulled me against her. My left eye, the black one, was still somehow able to stay open and searched her worried face. I managed a small nod. There was no chance I was going to be able to speak for a while. I already felt the skin around my face, back, stomach, legs, arms—okay, practically everywhere—swelling and bruising.

The agony in my body was unlike anything I had ever felt. The fear from it beat my heart hard in my chest, had my body shaking like a leaf
. I didn
't want to move, didn't want to breathe; even that hurt.

The people around us shuffled from foot to foot. I could sense their unease. They wanted to continue, but whatever they saw with Sofia made them pause. Laughter started to the left. MaryJane came forward, giggling away.

"You silly girl, do you honestly think you can stop this? It's too late." Her laughter abruptly stopped. Sofia stiffened as MaryJane's gaze took hold of her. "Grab her. She will no longer give you trouble while I have control," she ordered the others. They moved closer, grabbing the stiff Sofia by the arms and dragging her a few feet away.

MaryJane sighed. "I can see I'll have to finish this myself." She bent quickly and in one swoop had me by the neck, dangling in front of her. "I would love to taste you, drink you dry, but I have a feeling Isaac would sense your blood flowing through mine. So I won't. Such a pity. Still, now at least I can witness your life end, as I squeeze it out of you."

Her grip tightened. My hands came up trying to loosen them around my neck. Kicking out, scratching her arms and ignoring the stabbing, aching pain wanting me to stop, I fought.

I wasn't going to let her do this to me and leave her with my family. I dug deep within myself for the strength I needed. Pushing the pain down, I dropped my shields. Her look of surprise actually brought a smile to my aching face, and no matter how much it was going to be excruciating, I was prepared to do it before my last breath ran out, and before my lungs burst in my chest.

I shifted into my feline form.

A scream ripped from my throat then turned into a growl. MaryJane hadn't moved her stunned body. At least her shock gave me the chance to move. Her grip had eased a little after my neck grew in size and, because of that, I was able to breathe again. I swiped my left paw with my long, sharp claws at her face, opening up a huge gash down her right cheek.

Unfortunately, it brought her out of her stunned silence. She dropped me and bounded back, levitating up into the sky. I landed on my feet, like all cats did, and glared up at her. Screaming started behind me; a couple of the others ran for the house, leaving Sofia on the ground.

"Leila?" Sofia whispered.

From MaryJane's lack of concentration, Sofia was no longer held under her spell. Violent screams ripped through the night as the rest of the others came out of their trance. They quickly fled into the house. I watched as Jason followed them with a frown.

"What a nice little trick you have,
Leila
. I wonder, does Isaac know? Oh, well, doesn't matter. You'll still end up the same way. Dead." She circled me in the sky.

Even I had to admit it was cool she could fly like that. Was Isaac able to do it too? I shook my head. I didn't have time to admire it.
Focus
,
damn it
. The air around me thickened. I felt her power building. She was preparing herself for something and I had no doubt that
something
was going to be aimed at me.

Her movement stopped. She hovered above me, her hands out at her sides, her fingers twitching. What was she going to do? Next thing I knew, I dodged to the left as a bright blue glow came from her hand, shooting down towards me. I only barely got out of the way.

Growling started behind me. I jumped around in time to see a large dog running toward MaryJane. It leaped into the air, bouncing off a tree, which shook from the force behind the bound. The dog had its mouth open heading straight for MaryJane's foot. The same blue light hit, and the shifter fell to the ground in an unconscious form, but its body shook from whatever the bitch had done to it.

I ran to its side. My own body wanted to break down and stop working with every step I took. I breathed deeply at the dog's side. Its scent filled my nose and I knew then it was Sofia lying there as a large, Samoyed canine.

She had been telling the truth.

A sizzle sounded behind me as MaryJane fired off another shot. I moved just in time to see it land where I'd been next to Sofia.

I've had enough of this bitch. I have to take her down.

Running off into the woods, I leaped into the trees and circled around on her. Hoping to take her by surprise. I jumped into the next tree to my right, knowing from the scent it would bring me out near her.

"Leila, you can't win this," she yelled.

Silently, I crept forward from one tree branch to another, and just as I came out behind her, ready to attack, she turned. Still, I jumped, landing right on top of her. The force from my weight brought her to the ground quickly. We landed with a thump. Immediately, she wrapped her arms around my waist. Tighter and tighter they squeezed.

A rib or two cracked and I howled in pain.

The only thing I could do was bite through her neck. She must have sensed it, because a second later, I was thrown off her, landing several feet away.

I got to my feet quickly, my body screaming at me to stop, to just lie down and rest. I had no time for that. MaryJane slowly rose to her feet, never taking her eyes from me.

"I didn't want to do it this way. It's a quick way to die and I wanted you to suffer. But I see I have no choice now." Her power stretched out and surrounded me. I could feel it wanting to crawl inside of me. Thankfully, I had my mind shield raised.

"Let me in," MaryJane screamed, her insanity riding her hard. She really was one crazy bitch.

Before I could even blink, she picked up a rock and threw it at me. It slammed into my face. It didn't matter. She could bring on all the hurt she wanted, but nothing would be able to break through my shield, even distraction.

Using speed unknown to humans, she disappeared into the woods. Backing away from the tree, I took myself into the centre of the opened area, while making sure all the advantage points were visible from her coming attack. Only in the last second, I remembered to look up, and there she was, descending fast. I jumped up to meet her, my jaw sinking into her arm. She screamed in pain, but managed to wrap her other arm around my neck.

"Let go, you beast."

As I tightened my jaw, she let out a fierce hiss. Her own grip increased around my neck.

I scissored my jaw back and forth, remembering not to swallow the blood pouring out. I had only a few inches to go before her whole arm would fall from her body below the elbow.

No. Not now. My vision blurred; I was on the verge of passing out, and if I did that, I'd be as good as dead.

"Stop!" a voice bellowed into the night.

Once MaryJane's body stiffened, her grip loosened. At the same time, bodies fell from the sky. Okay, so maybe they jumped from the trees, but it was a bit hard to see when I was busy chewing down on the arm of my enemy.

"I said stop."

And that was when all my focus went down the drain.

Ty moved forward into my view. He was dressed entirely in black. Earlier, I'd come to the conclusion, once I didn't see him there at the start, I'd imagined his scent.

However, there he was.

With five others standing behind him, also all dressed in black. With the new distraction, MaryJane was able to pull her arm free, throw me to the ground and pin me with her foot on my throat.

My strength evaporated from within me. I had nothing left to fight. My body was tired, my mind consumed with all the suffering my body had been through.

I was empty.

In the background, I heard weapons drawn and then guns being cocked and… growling?

"You will s-stop or you die," Ty ordered.

MaryJane released the hard pressure on my throat, though I remained pinned to the ground. She looked up to Ty and laughed.

"You can't stop me, fool." She raised her leg and I knew it would be my end as soon as she brought it down upon me.

"Maybe he can't, but I will."

Oh, sweet Lord, I know that voice. I loved that voice.

"Isaac," MaryJane squealed, her eyes wide and set in panic. She backed away from me quickly. I felt his power surrounding me. It was almost choking. I turned my head in time to see Isaac walk calmly from the woods. Following him were Jeremiah, Jezanna, Caelen and two of Caelen's friends from Boozers.

All of them, except Jezanna and Isaac, were tightly holding another person. MaryJane's guards? Also approaching from within the woods with their own prisoners were Adan, Xavier and Darik.

"What do you think you're doing, MaryJane? I told you no harm was to come to her, and yet here you are. Explain now." Isaac stopped a few feet away.

She dipped her head as if in shame. "I would, but you'll not like it."

"Try me."

Her head raised. She turned her angry glare to me. Not daring to move, I stayed on the ground, on my side. My eyes healing enough for me to see.

"She will always be between us if she's here." She looked from me to Isaac. "I wanted to remove the pest, so we can go on to how it was before. I want to help you lead.
I
deserve to be the one beside you."

"No, you don't. You deserve nothing when you're in allegiance with the one who wishes me dead," Isaac snarled. MaryJane's breath hitched.

"You, you know?"

"Yes."

"Then there's no longer any reason for me to be here." With that, she disappeared from sight.

"Peter, Henry, Kalvin, s-spread out and look for her. Sh-she has to be taken into custody," Ty ordered… his people?

"Darik, Adan, go with them. Find her, kill her."

"You have n-no right here, Isaac." Ty glared.

"I have
all
the right. She's one of my people, and by the laws, I have every right to do to her as I wish," he barked.

Isaac didn't wait for a reply, but turned his attention to me. Who, I might add, was not stupid, so I was still lying very still, trying not to be noticed. He glided over to me and knelt, reaching out a hand to run through my fur at the side of my face. I couldn't stop the flinch, even if I wanted to, because the power he had pouring out of him made me wary, besides the fact he'd just ordered a death sentence on his girlfriend. Wouldn't it be better to capture her, find out all the information she had? Maybe beat her along the way. That could be fun.

He removed his hand quickly and sighed loudly. "Please, Leila, don't be too angry with me. I've had my reasons for the occurring activity over the last week. I can only hope you will understand them."

"You need to back away from her, Isaac," Ty warned. Isaac didn't move. He looked over his shoulder at Ty, who trained a gun at him.

"You dare threaten my master," Xavier yelled. He threw MaryJane's vampire he held to the ground and unsheathed his sword, pointing it toward Ty's neck.

Ty didn't even acknowledge him and continued, "You may have a lot of explaining to do, but right now isn't the time. Sh-she's hurt badly and bleeding, so back the hell off."

"Do you think I would chomp down on her when she's like this? All I've wanted is to protect her," Isaac growled. He gave a signal only some would notice to stop Xavier. Instead, Xavier grumbled about something and went back to the other vampire, roughly securing his arms once again. At least MaryJane's vampire didn't attempt to fight or leave.

"Funny way of showing it. Now move," Ty demanded.

"Come, brother," Jezanna called. "Let's all take a step back and think clearly."

Isaac stood and took one small step away. "You have some explaining to do yourself, Ty. Leila will have her questions, as do I. Will you be ready to answer them?"

"Of course," he said.

Hell yes, I had many questions. Was he another one who'd played me all along? Who could I really trust?

It was Ty's turn to look over his shoulder to one of his men. "Penny, you ready to do your thing inside? We have too many w-witnesses."

Okay, I was wrong. There were men and women; there could even be a super-agent goldfish for all I knew. People did like to lie to me. Wait, didn't Ty have a sister named Penny? Was that her, or was it another lie?

Penny moved off towards the house.

"Jezanna, Caelen. Go with her and help, please."

Before Caelen left, I reached out to his mind.
Caelen, you need to contain Jason in there. He helped set all of this up. He needs to pay.

He will, love. Do you give me permission to deal with it?

Even though I wanted my own revenge, I wasn't up for it and I wanted Jason dealt with as soon as possible. I knew Caelen was gleefully ready for the job.
Yes.

"She doesn't need it." Ty glared.

"Just in case."

"Yes, master." Caelen bowed and then nodded to me.