Change (The Shape Shifter Series) (11 page)

He avoided her questioning eyes, looking anguished. He muttered quietly, brushed his hair and hit the wall. The knocking didn't stop. “I'm coming! Shit. I'm so sorry, love.” Finally, he glanced at Marie and opened the door.

Four men stood at the door. Marie hadn't seen them before, or maybe she had but she couldn't remember. They looked scary. All of them had almost yellow eyes that were as narrow as the eyes of the wolves, and they were all staring at her in anticipation. They were tall, muscular men and Marie had a strange feeling they were some sort of mercenaries. Shape shifters for sure, but not the same kind as the others she had seen. These men looked cold-hearted and merciless, as if they wouldn't hesitate to use raw power on her if she disobeyed.

Tiamhaidh stepped between them and Marie. “Let's go. They're here just to escort us. They are not the elders and they will not harm you,” he said firmly, staring at the men.

“He's right. We mean no harm. We’re here to protect you and escort you to the healing cave,” said one of the men, bowing his head, though his eyes never left Marie, and that felt kind of creepy.

She moved carefully to the door. Why did she get the impression that the elders were the ones she should be afraid of? She knew Tiamhaidh couldn't tell her, but something in his voice told her that she should be afraid. She grabbed her jacket from the couch and went out. She could almost hear the men sighing with relief. What was going on? She glanced at Tiamhaidh, but he didn't look at her. Instead, he took her hand and held it tight in his.

“What’s a healing cave?” she asked the man next to her.

“It’s a big cave that we use when someone is sick. You would probably call it a hospital. But as it’s not a house but a peaceful place that nature offers, we call it the healing cave,” he responded mechanically without even looking at her.

She knew hospitals. So this one couldn't be worse than the others, right? And it had to be somewhere near, as they went higher up the mountain, not down to where the cars were. She was right.

After they had walked about ten minutes they came to a place where you could see the top of Mount Breitinden as well as the other
mountain tops that surrounded the lake. The door to the cave was almost invisible and covered with bushes. They could've missed it if the men hadn't known exactly where it was. Marie stared at it in shock. The door looked like a rabbit hole. A big rabbit hole for sure, but still it was nothing more than a big hole.

Two of the men went inside and the others gestured to Marie and Tiamhaidh to follow them. Marie shrugged and went in. The cave was huge. It was way bigger than most of the flats she had seen back home and it was lit by hundreds of candles. It looked kind of ancient and she could almost imagine people with Neolithic clothes and simple spears being in there. She couldn't see any furniture, but the floor was covered with soft furs that seemed suitable for lazy lounging on the floor or even sleeping. Instinctively, she knew that she was the first human that had been there for a long time and that she should be honored that they had allowed her to go there. Several primitive, weird-looking fireplaces
emitted their heat throughout the cave, and without the twelve stone-faced people sitting in the middle of it, it could've been quite cozy.

Marie focused on the people. There was something between them and when she looked closer she saw a bed. It felt odd. It wasn't a bed where you wanted to sleep, but more like a bed you saw in hospitals. White sheets and thin mattress and no blanket whatsoever. Oh, and cold metal rails you could lift up if needed. And on the ground was a pile of pots and vials, and everything looked frighteningly sterile. She didn't want to see more. She stepped back and swallowed. A hard hand touched her back and she didn't need to look to know it was one of her escorts. The whole scene looked like a ceremony they had planned for her. The hand pushed her closer and the people stood up.

“Madainn mhath, leanabh,” Faol said softly.

“Good morning,” Marie answered shakily.

“And how are you today?” Faol asked.

Marie looked confused but managed to smile a little. “Good. I guess.”

Faol smiled. “Good.”

Marie stared at the others. These were the same twelve people that she had seen yesterday in her mind. Did they know what she had tried to do? She glanced at Tiamhaidh and he shook his head secretly. What? What did that mean? He shook his head again. Everyone was looking at her. Erag stared at her coldly, but the others looked at her in amusement and curiosity.

Siobhan came closer. “Do not fear,” she said and took her hand. “We are here to help you, not hurt you.”

One of them, a young, rebellious-looking man, came closer as well.
“Mi faic thu, óg, Marie. I'm Liam and I'm very pleased to meet you.”

Marie mumbled something back. He held her hand and kissed it. She felt uncomfortable. He was heart-breakingly handsome, but there was something slimy in him that she didn't like.

Tiamhaidh grunted behind her, but Liam ignored him. “We have been waiting for you, daughter of Sofia,” he said formally and smiled at her. His eyes didn't leave hers and she felt kind of dizzy.

She was scared. Something in the way he had said it made her want to run as far as she could, but her legs seemed glued to the ground.
Unconsciously, she started to mimic Liam's moves and she felt like a marionette. She tried to move her eyes, but he seemed to be sucking out all her energy, and soon she was too tired to even lift a finger. Her head felt muddled and all she could hear was his hypnotic voice.

“Come,” he urged, and she noticed herself moving.

She swallowed and gathered all her powers. With one quick move she turned her eyes from Liam's and glanced at Faol and Baz. They were smiling, but refused to meet her eyes. She tried to back away, but Liam grabbed her arm.

“Come,” he whispered again and managed to catch her eyes. This time, however, the grip of his
gaze was much stronger. He licked his lips and flashed his perfect white teeth.

Marie gasped. She wanted to fight against him, but part of her felt like sleeping and she didn't have any strength.

He kissed her hand again and let his lips stay on it a bit longer than was appropriate. “I know you're tired and confused, but soon you'll feel better. I promise. We have so many questions for you, but they can wait. First we must drink some tea.”

“Don't hurt her!” Tiamhaidh's shout broke the spell.

Liam turned slowly and stared at him in annoyance.

“Please, don't hurt her,” Tiamhaidh whispered desperately.

“Don't worry. We won't.” Liam smiled deceptively.
“Much,”
he added, but only Tiamhaidh could hear it inside his head.

“No!” he cried out. “You promised she would be perfectly safe here! You promised to cure her!”

Marie looked at Tiamhaidh and saw that the yellow-eyed men were holding him so he couldn't follow her.

“Liam, what's going on?” Faol asked in confusion and moved closer to Marie.

“You want me to cure her don't you?” Liam snarled.

Faol nodded.

“Then stay out of my way and let me do my job!”

Faol hesitated for a moment.

“Now!” Liam snapped.

Baz took Faol's hand and she stepped aside.

Marie was deathly white. “Tiamhaidh!” she screamed in horror. “Help!”

He tried to struggle free, but it was impossible.
The men holding him seemed to have overwhelming powers, and though he managed to hurt them, he was losing. They pressed him down roughly and finally one of them knocked him out.

Marie went crazy. “Tiamhaidh! Oh my God! You bastards! You killed him!” She tried to struggle free, but Liam's grip was like iron. She looked at Tiamhaidh, who lay motionless on the floor. She looked at Faol and Baz, too, and they looked as horrified as she was. Siobhan was holding back tears and one of the older women had turned her face away from the outrageous vision and was lulling
herself softly.

“
Tiamhaidh!”
Marie's silent cry tried to reach his mind. He didn't answer.

“Shh. You don't need him, gaol, not now. Just relax and let me take care of you,” Liam murmured in her ear.

“No!” she cried. Liam's fingers sank into her arms. “No!” she cried again and tried to struggle free.

“Shh,” Liam calmed her and slowly moved his hands from her arms to her head. He pressed his palms lightly on her temples and a weird calmness filled her. Nothing seemed important anymore and she barely noticed the people around her, not even Tiamhaidh, who still hadn't moved. “That's right,” Liam's honeyed voice persuaded. “Forget everything. Just relax and let me help you.”

Marie nodded feebly and felt her eyelids slip closed. She lifted her hand in a trance and Liam grabbed it gently.

Liam led her to the back of the cave and poured her a big cup of tea. Marie didn't want to drink it, but he kept staring at her so demandingly that finally she lifted the cup to her lips and drank. It tasted divine. She hadn't drunk anything like it before. She couldn't help herself and drank it all in a blink. She knew she shouldn't, but she looked at Liam and asked for more. He poured her more and she sniffed it. Yes. It smelled heavenly. She could detect black pepper and cardamom in it. She took a long sip and the cup fell from her hand. She looked at Liam goofily and waited for him to pick it up. He didn’t. He just watched her face carefully and looked curious. What was wrong with her? Her vision started to blur and she struggled to keep her balance. Liam was still watching her with a slight smile at the corner of his lips, and even though she stumbled he did nothing to help her. She tried to focus her gaze, but it was impossible. Finally, her knees gave way and she fell to the floor. Liam's gloomy image floated above her and she tried to reach his hand. He laughed dryly.

“Why?” she managed to whisper.

He didn't answer.

She tried to get up but
couldn't control her body.

Liam kneeled in front of her and brushed her hair gently. “Stop fighting, Marie. It'll be over soon and you'll be better. Trust me. I could never harm you, mo beag seillean-dé,” he whispered. “I've waited for you so long.”

Marie was numb. She couldn't move or speak. It felt like she was watching herself from afar. The man who held her was gorgeous. His eyes were so deep and bright she could've drowned in them. Her mind was spinning and she could see all the different shades of green in them. “Oh my,” she sighed. The man grinned widely. She heard someone growling behind him and tried to remember who he was. She was sure she knew him. That he was important, but she couldn't remember why. The gorgeous man took her in his arms and carried her to the bed. The others came closer and she saw sadness in some of their eyes. Why did they look so sad? She didn't understand. She felt so good. Someone's hands undressed her and for a while she was lying on the bed in nothing but her underwear, but she didn't care. The man looked at her admiringly and someone growled even louder. She was then dressed in a white gown and her limbs were tied to the bed. She didn't resist. Some people kissed her face and her hands and she heard some kind of humming. Funny, she thought. She felt like she was some ancient princess that the nice priests were about to sacrifice.

“Marie!” someone shouted.

She couldn't answer. The man in front of her took her head in his hands and kissed her. It was the strangest kiss she had ever had. Not that she’d had many. She felt nothing. A stunning man was kissing her gently and she felt nothing. The man looked disappointed. He had expected her to kiss him back, but she couldn't. He kissed her again. Still nothing. She stared at him, understanding nothing, and her lips formed a silent no, but he didn’t care. The gentleness in his eyes disappeared and was replaced with something cruel. She tried to struggle her hands free, but her limbs felt so heavy she could barely lift her fingers. He smiled and she closed her eyes. This felt so wrong! A memory tried to push through from the mist that had blurred her mind and she felt her lips curling. She had been kissed before, she was certain of that. And that kiss had been nothing like the one she just had. She remembered soft, warm lips that had gently brushed hers. Probing and tempting. Giving her a kiss that made her body tremble and hunger for more. And she could almost picture the man who had held her, but just as she was about to reach his image, it slipped away. However, one thing was certain, she wasn't supposed to kiss this man who was looking at her. She didn't feel any bond with him and felt he had insulted her by kissing her.

Suddenly, her mind started to resist and everything came rushing into it. She reme
mbered the man she loved - Tiamhaidh - and she remembered how this man - Liam - had drugged her. She wanted to scream but she couldn't.

“Look at me,” Liam ordered.

She tried to keep her eyes closed, but something made her obey.

He grinned evilly and bent closer. His lips stayed on hers for a moment as if he
were waiting for her to move first, but she couldn’t. Wouldn’t. She wanted to spit on him, but she wasn’t sure that was a wise move so she stayed still. He pressed his lips on hers and kissed her again. She started to cry but he didn’t care. He kissed her over and over again, like he was sucking something out of her, and she wanted to make him stop. His mouth wasn't gentle anymore. It was rough and it hurt her. Marie's mind screamed for help. She struggled to free herself, but his hands pressed her down cruelly and made it impossible to move. Her mind kept screaming and she prayed someone would hear her and save her.
“Mom!”
she screamed silently, but something blocked her mind. A thick wall stopped her thoughts and she knew no one could hear her. Her heart raced frantically but her body lay still, defeated. He’s never going to stop, she thought, but all of a sudden he let go of her.