The Beast Within (15 page)

What if I’m wrong? What if there’s no one in the room, or worse—it belongs to someone else?

Connor imagined an elderly man coming to the window, disturbed from his afternoon prune juice, or worse, Randolph smiling at him from the inside of the window as he called the guard. Regardless, Connor knew he needed to get inside. He didn’t know if he could make it back to his room. Ever so gently, he tapped on the window with the toe of his shoe.

Nothing. Connor tried again, this time more urgently. His hands were beginning to cramp and he was losing his grip. Just as he was considering whether to kick the window in or try to jump to the ground, Katie’s familiar face cautiously peered out. Katie’s eyes widened and her mouth opened. She immediately clasped her hands over her mouth to stifle a scream.

Connor smiled at her and motioned with his head at the locked window. Giving him an awkward half nod, she complied, unlocking the window and pushing it open for him.

“Connor, what are you doing here?”

He entered the room and placed his forefinger to his lips, motioning her to keep quiet. He pointed to his own ear and motioned in the direction of the closed door and the Elite that stood guard. Katie nodded, waiting for him to take the lead. The room was an exact replica of the one he’d woken up in that morning. Connor took her hand in his and led her to the bathroom, turned on the fan and light, and closed the door behind them.

Katie launched herself at him. He held her just like he’d held her so many times before. Katie wasn’t a crier. She cried now in his arms. They weren’t long, mournful sobs, but tears and quivering breaths of joy and relief.

Katie separated herself from him, wiping her eyes on the sleeves of her cardigan sweater. Katie looked as healthy as ever. The bite on her neck, much like his own, was healed, leaving not even the slightest hint of a scar. Her hair was down and eyes shone brighter than he remembered.

“Oh, Connor, how are you here? What’s happening to us?”

Connor needed to make a choice. He was forced to decide exactly how much he was or was not going to tell Katie. On one hand, he didn’t want to lie, on the other hand he didn’t want to burden her with all of his problems.

“Connor Moore, you tell me everything.”

“What?”

“You have that look on your face when you’re deciding exactly how much you should or shouldn’t say. I remember that face when Major Waffles died.”

Connor smiled, he knew exactly what she was talking about. Major Waffles was the guinea pig she’d owned when they first started dating. One day she had forgotten to lock him up and he escaped, meeting his end halfway down the street under a garbage truck. Connor found him, and not wanting to upset her, told her that Major Waffles succeeded in his attempt and was probably off enjoying an escaped convict’s life. A year later, Connor let slip what actually happened. Katie decided to let it go because she knew he had been trying to help her.

This time, Connor decided to tell her everything. For better or worse, she was in this with him and she deserved to know. There, under the halogen glow of the bathroom lights, Connor told her everything. He told her of meeting Laren and Lu, of being turned himself, about the Five Families, finding out who his father was, the prophecy, and their current dilemma.

Katie stared incredulously, stopping Connor every now and again to ask questions or to gain clarification on a certain point. “Joe and Pete are dogs? Wait, you killed someone? Oh, that’s so gross—you jammed his eyes with your fingers?”

When Connor was done, the two were silent, Katie sitting on the edge of the tub and Connor leaning against the marble sink.

“So, what now? What are we supposed to do?”

“There’s nothing we can do. The Council has to make their decision. If they decide I’m the one the prophecy foretold, we’ll be safe. If not, well then, I guess the trial will continue and Morrigan would call on you for your statement.”

“There’s still so many holes that need to be filled. I don’t even know where my mom is or if she’s even alive. I must have gotten the gene from her side of the family. Did she know? Did she know about this all along and hide it from my father and I?”

“I’m sure she’s fine. I’ll see if I can find out anything.”

“I hate waiting.”

“So do I, Kat. It’s all going to work out. In the meantime, we’re basically both superheroes.”

“Leave it to you to find the silver lining.”

“Just wait till we learn how to use and control these abilities, Katie,” he winked. “Things are going to start getting better—you’ll see.”

“I’m just glad you’re here now and at least I know what’s going on.”

“I promise, I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

“I know you won’t.”

Katie got up from her makeshift seat and again pressed herself into his safe embrace. The two stood there in that moment, forgetting everything else. They dismissed their present circumstances, what the future held for them, and lost themselves in each other.

“I better get going soon, Kat. People are going to start wondering what happened to me, if they haven’t already.”

She looked up at him and nodded.

Hand-in-hand, they entered the main room and walked toward the open window.

Katie stopped him before he climbed out onto the ledge and whispered in his ear. “I always knew there was something different about you, Connor Moore. Whether you’re this savior fulfilling a prophecy or not, you’ll always be my knight in shining armor.” She kissed him on his cheek and smiled.

Connor didn’t know what to say. He gave her a smile and pulled himself onto the ledge. It was dark now; the sun had given up its battle to the moon and its army of stars. The trip back along the ledge seemed easier. Connor wasn’t sure if that was due to the fact that it was familiar now, or the kiss Katie gave him added strength to his quest.

Connor entered the room and quickly closed and locked the window, then drew the curtains. Opening the door, he looked at the clueless guard to his left and waved. Connor turned to his right to begin his journey in finding his own quarters for the night.

Following his original plan, he made every left on the return trip. The halls were dark now, illuminated only by dim lights that sprouted from the walls every few yards. The moon’s rays shined through the exposed window, scattering down the hall whenever an open curtain permitted. The scene was eerie. A few hours ago, Connor had run across more than one passerby, now the halls were deserted.

As he was passing one of these particularly dark and desolate halls Connor heard a noise. It was faint, coming from a hall on his right. Whatever it was stopped him. It was a sound he’d never heard before. The closest thing Connor could compare it with was the humming of a high-end sports car.

This noise was soft though, almost non-existent. He turned his head and looked down the hall to see where the noise originated. The passage was like any other of the dozens he’d already passed, except the last door at the end of this hall was slightly ajar.

Connor would usually just ignore the noise and go on his way, but this time he couldn’t. Not only was he hearing a noise he wouldn’t previously have been able to fifty yards away, it was calling him. It reeled him in, demanding his presence.

Connor put one foot in front of the other and quietly made his way toward the noise. The sound was steadily growing in intensity.

Connor reached the door and saw it was hardly ajar at all. The door was a fraction of an inch from being closed all together. Inside, the noise was steady. Connor hesitated and decided against knocking. Ever so gently, he placed his hand on the doorknob.

He winced as he gently pushed open the door, praying it wouldn’t make a sound. His luck held. Connor opened the door just enough to be able to make out what was inside. His mouth fell open.

Chapter 13

T
he room was furnished with
a bed on the opposite side of the room and a plain carpet. A large window occupied one wall. Connor had seen all of this before, what held his curiosity now was the person and the object sitting in the middle of the floor. All the lights in the room were off and only the moon shone through the glass window. Connor stared at what looked like a circular mirror floating a few feet from the ground. It wasn’t large, maybe a foot in diameter. It glowed an unearthly blue and emitted an unnatural sound.

Connor struggled to see what it was. The object’s profile faced him, making it impossible to decipher. The person kneeling, looking into the glowing disc, however, was a face Connor knew all too well. Faust was shirtless, the slacks he’d worn earlier that day hung from his waist; his shoes were nowhere to be found.

Faust’s glasses were gone and two empty sockets stared into the hovering disc. His hair was disheveled; both of his hands lay lifeless by his side. He hunched slightly as he stared motionless, consumed by the humming. Connor debated whether or not to leave the disturbing scene. Then Faust spoke. Not to Connor, but to the object.

“No, Divine One. The sorceress Morrigan Hayes, in her attempt to buy more time, has claimed the half-blood as the savior foretold in prophecy. The Council has taken the rest of the day to decide this matter. Do not worry, my lord. He will be dealt with swiftly and severely. I have a plan for him, I’m going to—”

Faust stopped in mid-sentence. Connor was confused; there was no noise, no voice coming from whatever Faust was talking to. Besides the unearthly hum, there was no sound at all. Still, Faust’s sightless eyes stared into the disc.

“I understand. Yes, my lord. It shall be done. Upon your arrival everything will be ready. Our enemies have not the slightest clue of the power you have been able to recover. When the time comes, we will take them by surprise and restore you to your rightful place.”

Connor was unsure to whom Faust was talking, however, from the dialog, he could tell there was a lot more going on than a simple conversation. Connor felt a sense of dread and his instinct told him he had been privy to a secret exchange.

Faust straightened and sniffed the air. Connor took this as his cue to leave. He gently closed the door as Faust’s eyeless face swung in his direction.

Connor knew there were only seconds before Faust would be at the door, smelling and listening for a possible eavesdropper. He launched himself toward the closest window a few feet away. Connor opened the window and wrapped himself in the thick, musty curtains. That was all he had time for before Faust yanked open the door and stood in the hall.

Tilting his head to the ceiling, he sniffed. Faust slowly turned in a complete circle, searching for a scent. His pale body glowed in the moonlight. He stopped sniffing and stood silent, listening for anything out of the ordinary.

Connor stared at Faust, a mere six feet away. Connor was wrapped from head to toe in the dusty, burgundy curtain. The warm breeze from the open window gently flowed into the hall and Connor hoped it would be enough to mask his presence.

Faust turned and stared in Connor’s direction. The black sockets where his eyes used to be were ghastly. A few minutes later, Faust seemed content to end his search and felt his way back to the room, closing the door behind him securely.

Connor let out a huge sigh. He unwrapped himself from the curtains and headed for his room. Reaching the stairs to the second floor was easy. Finding his room on the second floor proved to be more of a chore. Three wrong turns and a conversation with a servant later, Connor finally found his room.

Connor felt his stomach growl, reminding him he’d missed dinner. He spied a cart parked next to his door. A large covered silver platter sat on top. He said a silent prayer of thanks to Morrigan, Laren, or whoever left him the food. It didn’t matter who left it, it was food.

Wheeling it into his room, he stuffed himself with cold chicken sandwiches, fries, cookies, and soda. Finally content, Connor stretched and looked at the clock next to his bed. It read 11:15 p.m. He didn’t bother with changing and was content to take off his tie, dress shirt, shoes and socks. He threw himself on the bed and was asleep within minutes.

Morning came with a sharp knock on the door. Connor squinted and looked at the alarm clock. The unearthly numbers of 5:30 a.m. stared back at him. This had to be another nightmare. More knocking, this time sharper and in greater number.

“Okay, okay, come in.”

Morrigan opened the door carrying a brown bag in her left hand and a garment bag in her right. She wore light brown slacks that hugged her tall legs and a short sleeve white blouse. She must have been up for hours because her hair and makeup were already done and she was way too cheerful.

“Rise and shine, Connor. The trial begins in just over two hours.”

Connor was laying sideways on his bed, not too far removed from the position he’d taken when he first threw himself there. One eye open, he responded, “You realize I’m a guy and can get ready in fifteen minutes, right?”

“I’m sure you could, although that wouldn’t give us much time to train you, would it?”

Connor’s interest piqued. Sitting up, he stretched and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Still dressed in wrinkled black slacks and a white undershirt, he rose to his feet. Unsure if it was his heightened senses or just the normal smell of breakfast, whatever the case, his hunger directed him to the bag Morrigan held in her hand.

“Not a chance. Not until you shower,” she said as she handed him the black garment bag. “Here, put this on when you’re done.”

Connor reluctantly complied, taking the clothing from her. He hopped in the shower snd scrubbed away the sweat and dirt from the previous day. While Connor soaped his hair, he considered telling Morrigan about the previous night’s events. Not so much seeing Katie, but rather the interaction he’d witnessed between Faust and whatever it was making the humming sound. Deciding against it for now, since he really couldn’t describe what he saw, he dried himself and opened the black bag.

Morrigan had chosen a dark blue suit, white shirt, and a black and blue striped tie. Like before, the suit fit him perfectly.

How does she do that?
Connor wondered to himself. He looked in the mirror and decided the few days of stubble growth on his chin should come to end. Searching through the drawers, he came across a shaving kit and put it to use.

Looking in the mirror, Connor didn’t even recognize himself anymore. At home, he had worn a suit just a handful of times. Connor felt taller now and even his dark brown eyes held wisdom uncommon in an eighteen-year-old.

“If you’re done admiring yourself in the mirror, breakfast is ready,” Morrigan called from the other side of the door.

“What do you think? Do I look like a savior?” he said, exiting the bathroom.

“Every bit.”

Surveying the room, he looked for the much-anticipated breakfast he was promised. “I thought you said we had breakfast?”

“Oh, you do. You just have to find it. Think of it as the first lesson in using your sense of smell.”

“You really hid the food?”

“Well, we can always skip smell and head straight to sight if you’d like.”

“No, no, that’s fine. I’ll find it.”

Connor closed his eyes and tilted his head like he’d seen Faust do the previous night.

“Concentrate not on the familiar smells, but the unfamiliar.”

Focusing, he breathed steadily through his noise. Connor dismissed the familiar smells of soap and the new suit he was wearing, forcing himself to search further. He began to encounter different scents: Morrigan’s perfume, the smoke from a cigarette somewhere down the hall, fresh air from an open window. Then, the sweet, sweet fragrance of sausage, bacon, eggs, hash browns, and pancakes.

He walked to the door, opened it, and continued down the hall. Turning the corner, he saw another cart parked against the wall. On top of it rested the brown bag.

Connor returned to the room, his mouth full of breakfast sandwich. He beamed at Morrigan. “I love training.”

“I’m going to remind you later that you said that. Well done, Connor. Why do you think you were able to smell the food from so far away?”

“Because I’m an Elite now. My extra-strength senses did it for me.”

“No, Connor. You were able to sniff it out because you focused and controlled your ability. Never think this gift you’ve been given has a mind of its own or does things for you. You control it, with focus and practice, and you decide the outcome.”

Connor swallowed the last bite of sandwich and nodded. “I understand.”

“Good. Now let’s see how your vision is faring.” Standing up, she made her way to the large window and threw back the curtains. Summer sunlight washed the room in its brilliance, blinding Connor. Morrigan unlocked and opened the window, taking a seat on the ledge.

“Come and tell me what you see.”

Connor reluctantly placed the remaining food back in the bag and stood next to her at the window. The sun was rising. Servants were running to and from their destinations, some eager, some reluctant to be about their morning tasks. Familiar fields and hills opened before him, and birds chirped their morning songs, happy to be alive.

Connor knew Morrigan didn’t want him to describe any of the things his human eyes could see. She wanted him to tell her about the scene his Elite eyes could access. Focusing again, Connor furrowed his brow and strained his eyes to see more than ever before.

Slowly he was able to zero in on specific details. It was as if he was looking at the same scene, but this time through binoculars. Birds went from simple flapping objects in the sky to chubby brown sparrows and sinister-looking crows. He was able to see people’s distinct features a mile away, whereas before he would have struggled to tell their gender. One of the gardeners walked with a slight limp and had a scar across his chin. A young male servant running across the lawn with an armful of wood was destined to fall due to an untied shoelace.

Connor smiled as colors became more vibrant and details were laid out in front of him in a way they had never been before.

“There’s a car pulling onto the property with a nail in the tire. Back left, see? Oh, look. Right there. Just past the tree line you can see two squirrels playing. Hey, that little kid is fixing his wedgy, way over there in the corner.”

“All right, all right, Connor, that will do. Remember to blink. Why were you able to see all of this?”

Connor hesitated for a moment, thinking about his answer, “Because I focused. I controlled my abilities and used them to bring about a desired goal.”

“Well put.”

“When do we get to the fun stuff? Speed and strength?”

Morrigan glanced down at her watch. “Unfortunately there’s no time for that today. Don’t worry, we’ll be getting to that soon enough. I want to spend our remaining time going over more of our people’s history and preparing you for the trial today.”

Connor took a seat beside her on the windowsill and gave her his full attention.

“We’re all hoping the Council will see what I see, and recognize you as a Judge. That would be the best-case scenario. However, if they do not and the trial continues, you should know that I have a witness I’m planning to call. Katie Huber, as you well know, was bitten the same day you were, and she has also become an Elite. The gene was passed down to her from her mother’s side.”

Connor felt somewhat dishonest as he feigned surprise. He couldn’t tell Morrigan that he’d snuck around the castle and basically scaled a wall to see Katie.

Connor felt so uncomfortable that he was about to tell Morrigan about his visit with Katie. He changed the subject. “Morrigan?”

“Yes?”

“If I ask you a question, will you be completely honest with me?”

“Of course.”

“In the dream I had when you talked to me, those statues were my ancestors, weren’t they? Previous Judges?”

“Yes, they were all great warriors from your bloodline that rose up when they were called upon.”

“Every warrior carried a weapon, a sword or a spear or something. Even the last Judges. None of them held guns. Is there a reason for that? Come to think of it, when Faust and Randolph were going to kill Lu and Laren, they didn’t have guns, either. They were just going to beat them to death.”

“Firearms are useless against our kind. Sure, they hurt and it’s a nuisance trying to dig bullets from your body; but they aren’t lethal. The only way for one of us to die is at the hands of a member of our own kind. The strength we possess is required to deliver blows brutal enough to null our healing factor. In the beginning, clubs, axes and spears were the preferred weapons. Now warriors are known to train with anything from knives to their bare hands.”

“Or pickaxes,” Connor mused. He could still see the look on the Elite’s face he had killed that night in the forest. The glossy film that covered his eyes as the pickaxe was drove into the crown of his skull was a terrifying memory.

“Or pickaxes,” Morrigan agreed. “Well, it’s about that time.” Turning her brown eyes on Connor, she looked at him, her face serious. “No matter what the Council has decided, I know you’re the Judge we need. I have faith that you will see this truth soon.”