Court of the Shifter Chapter 1

“Eli, come in.”

The shrill static filled my ear as Greg’s voice came over the walkie-talkie on my desk, and I sighed in relief as I looked up from the stack of paperwork in front of me.

May in Bitterroot Range, Idaho was used for paperwork and preparation for campers in the range. Our lower-elevation campgrounds were already full of families soaking in the lakes and views this mountain range had to offer.

I preferred being in the field, but it was Tuesday. That meant Greg and Terry were out in the field, and I was stuck paper-pushing.

I set my pen down, reached up, and turned down the volume knob on the walkie before I took it in my hand and pressed down on the worn button.

“Eli here, go ahead,” I said and released the button, and then I ran my free hand through my hair.

“Hey, man,” Greg said. “I need you to come down to campground number, uh… forty-nine.”

“What’s going on?” I asked, and then I stood and placed my hat on my head with the walkie still in-tow.

“We’ve got a family down here, two adults and two kids, and they’re saying they were hearing howling coming from the old den last night,” Greg said. “Terry’s helping an old couple find the gift shop. And when I say old, man…”

“That doesn’t make sense,” I said as I clipped my gun back onto my hip and reached for the keys for the Polaris out front. “We relocated that pack to another den ten miles away from the campgrounds.”

“I know,” he sighed. “But you and your weird animal shit could come in handy. Terry is scared of squirrels, you know that.”

“Do you remember how I told you that you need to work on how you word things?” I chuckled and shook my head as I left the small, simple cabin we called base, closed the door behind me, and hopped into the Polaris. “You’re going to give people the wrong impression.”

“You know what I mean, so just get your ass down here, Whisper,” Greg said through a laugh, and when the radio clicked off, I started up the vehicle and headed down the dirt road.

I knew exactly what Greg was talking about. Ever since I was a kid, I’d always had this weird connection with animals. It never mattered if it was a cat, a cow, or a wolf. I could always seem to let animals know my intentions.

I remembered when my childhood dog, Bongo, got his foot caught in a baby gate trying to jump over it. The little bastard howled and lost his mind, and I went over to him to help. When I reached out, he bit me out of an instinct, but I told him I was going to help, and he immediately calmed down in my hands.

I’d known Greg for years, and since he knew about my “gift,” he’d affectionately given me the nickname, “Whisper.”

The other rangers didn’t use it as lovingly, though.

The drive down to campground forty-nine from base was relatively short, and I made it to Greg’s location in nearly no time at all.

About twenty yards away in the parking lot was a family of four huddled together near a red Yukon. The kids didn’t seem to give a shit about the threat of a wolf den, in fact, they peered into the woods and pointed every so often before they laughed in hushed voices and looked for another potential monster in the forest.

Once I parked the Polaris, my coworker approached me. His tan brimmed hat hid his hairless head, and his sunglasses blocked the view of his brown eyes. Greg was an average height, but JROTC in high school and going to West Point for college made him gain muscle like nothing I’d ever seen.

“There you are,” Greg sighed, and he pulled off his sunglasses and let them hang off the lanyard around his neck. “You know I don’t do well with this shit.”

“I know,” I said and hopped off the vehicle. “You’d rather knock a drunk out than hurt an animal.”

“Damn straight!” He crossed his arms and smirked to himself. “Animals don’t know any better, but that bastard Jacob down at the bar does.”

“Excuse me, sir,” I heard, and I turned my head to see who I assumed to be the father of the family. “Do you think it will be safe for us to camp here?”

“Hey, I’m Eli,” I introduced myself with a nod. “I’m going to check everything out. I’m thinking it might have been a pack passing by, but I’m going to make sure the dens are clear. You and your family are welcome to continue on with your day while we are out here. Greg, when Terry gets back, have him pull tracking records for the packs in the area.”

“Thank you,” the man said, and then he turned and reunited with his wife and kids.

“Got it.” Greg nodded. “If anything fucky happens, radio in.”

“You know I will,” I said, and then I adjusted my hat and headed toward the campground.

In the past few years, wolf and elk management had become a top priority in Idaho’s wildlife and park services. Many rangers were hired in an effort to safely and properly relocate wolf packs as well as manage new ones where necessary, and since the parks had grown, we warned hikers and campers of the potential wildlife threats.

But I was always the one called in to handle the animals.

I knew the closest den was about a mile to the west, so as I made my way through the growing vegetation, I scanned the ground and the trees for any tracks or markings.

“Nothing…” I muttered to myself, and soon I made it to the den itself. If the pack was near here, there would definitely be signs outside of their home: claw marks, droppings, remnants of meals, etc.

The burrow itself was a small cave-like structure underneath a massive Douglas fir tree. The packed dirt seemed undisturbed, and if there was a pack in here, they either hadn’t left in a long time, or they’d somehow figured out how to remove evidence of themselves.

The former was much more likely of the two.

I pulled my flashlight from my belt and clicked it on as I lowered into a crouch to get a better view of the tunnel. The lightbeam continued on for what seemed like forever, and I adjusted the width of the light a few times to see if it was a trick of the light.

From here, the burrow seemed to continue like Pan’s labyrinth.

I sighed and adjusted the brim of my hat before I stepped into the entrance of the den. The opening itself was probably three-and-a-half feet tall and four feet wide. Most of the structure was naturally-formed, but I could tell the bottom had been carved out and adjusted to a pack’s liking.

Suddenly, I heard scurrying down further in the tunnel, and I turned my flashlight to illuminate the darkness of the cave.

It didn’t sound like wolves.

“Hello?” I called out. “Anyone there?”

I also had to take into consideration that it could all be a joke some teens were playing to scare other campers. The amount of times I’d had to call parents on teens…

I closed my eyes for a moment to strain my ears and listen. I heard the drip of water, but other than that, there was nothing, so I shuffled in my crouched position and decided to further investigate.

The last thing I wanted to do was leave an active den without fully knowing if our visitors were safe.

Not everyone had “animal tongue” as Greg called it.

Then, as I took another crouched step forward, the ground seemed to drop at my feet, and I felt myself slide down. My flashlight tumbled from my hand, and my hat flew off in the interim. I braced myself as I slid, and once the ground evened out, I used my hands and legs to slow myself to a stop.

“Fucking hell…” I swore, and I clapped my hands free of the dirt. The little cuts on my palms and arms stung, but it was nothing some peroxide and time couldn’t fix.

I looked around for my flashlight, and as soon as I spotted the light, it flickered out.

Then I heard more footsteps, and my heart skipped a beat.

“Hello!” I called, and I listened for a response.

I was met with nothing.

I dug in my pocket and fumbled around for my lighter. After numerous times of flashlights dying on me, I always carried a Zippo with me, and once I felt the smooth square metal in my hand, I pulled it out and flicked it open. A bright flame illuminated the immediate area around me, and I sucked in a deep to calm myself.

I could tell at this point there weren’t wolves in this den, but that didn’t mean I was down here alone. I wanted to reach for my gun, but the last thing I wanted to do was put bullets into some rambunctious kids, so I refrained from drawing my weapon.

For the time being, that is.

“It’s just a cave, nothing you haven’t been in before,” I reminded myself, and then I turned in a circle to try and find my flashlight again. When I saw the glint of the dark metal, I kept my sights on my target and took careful steps as I closed the distance.

Finally, I took hold of the flashlight and clicked the button. It turned on, so I closed the lighter and glanced down the tunnel to get a view of my surroundings.

Down the cave about ten yards, a figure rushed behind the wall and into the darkness. As soon as it disappeared, the flashlight flickered off again.

“Shit.” I sucked in a breath and hit the head of the flashlight against my palm. It took a few hits, but then the flashlight came on with full brightness.

My heart raced in my chest, and I cleared my throat. I turned back to where a little bit of sunlight was still visible, and I considered climbing my way out and calling for backup.

Then I caught sight of the actual drop-off, and it was way higher than I remembered.

“What…?” I shook my head.

There was no way I tumbled down a nearly ninety-degree, twenty-foot drop.

I raked a hand through my hair and turned around to make sure the figure wasn’t back. I adjusted the width of the lightbeam, and the area spilled out before me. It was as dark as it was quiet, and I felt like I was being watched. The drip of water was much louder down here, and the blood in my ears rushed through like roaring rapids.

At the back of the area there was another tunnel where the figure disappeared into, but I could tell this one was man-made.

What the hell was going on?

“Ayo, Whisper! You alright in there?” Greg’s voice echoed through the walkie on my hip, and the static alone was enough to make me nearly jump out of my skin.

“Jesus!” I took a few breaths and then yanked the device off my belt, held the button down, and talked in a low voice. “I think there’s someone down here.”

“A person?” Greg asked.

“No, Greg, fucking Gollum.” I rolled my eyes. “Yes, a person. I think it might be a few bored teens. I’m going to check it out.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to call in Dave?” my friend asked.

Dave was another ranger who had been with the park service for thirty-some odd years. He was the guy we called when shit seemed off or if there was a potential need to call state patrol.

“No, I don’t think so, but I’ll let you know, so standby,” I said as I took a few steps toward the tunnel’s entrance.

“Alright, boss,” Greg said, and then I heard the walkie click off.

I made my way to the tunnel, and I backed myself against the wall before I stepped into the rock corridor and flashed the light down the way. It continued on for about fifteen feet before it took another curve.

So far, there was no sign of another person.

My footsteps were silent as I moved along, and I kept myself at attention. The silence was almost deafening, and a faint ringing began in my right ear. Once I made it to the other curve, I repeated the process of taking my time and turning the corner without hesitation.

Then I lowered the flashlight with confusion as I came upon a dead end. The tunnel ended with a hefty wall of raw stone, and I shined the light around and above me to make sure I wasn’t missing something.

“Where did they--” I muttered under my breath as I stepped forward toward the dead end.

Then the ground shifted under my foot before it gave out from under me.

“Ahhh!” The floor beneath me changed into a smooth, slick stone slide with close walls, and I kicked my feet trying to find some purchase. I lost grip of the metal flashlight, and it tumbled ahead of me as we both descended into darkness. I kept my eyes open as I fell into darkness, and I soon saw a blue light at the end. Before I knew it, the confines of the trap opened up, and I sucked in a breath and straightened out my body as I quickly realized the blue light was actually water.

The cold made my body tense up as I plunged deep underwater, and once I breached the surface, I gasped, coughed, and then looked around.

The room I was in now was mostly filled with water, and there was an opening in the ceiling that allowed an abundance of sunlight to enter and fill the area. Beneath the skylight was a patch of stone that backed up into the wall, and I focused my efforts on reaching the rock formation.

It wasn’t until I made it to land and pulled myself out of the water that I realized the engravings in the rock.

“What the fuck?” I ran my fingers over the geometric shapes connected together, and the engravings traveled all throughout the stone. It reminded me of crop circles, but the detailed work was much more intricate and thin. I could also see what looked like writing all throughout the rock, and it looked like a mix of Russian and Latin.

Of course, I knew how to read neither.

I pulled myself to a standing position and combed my hair back with my fingers. Then I reached for my walkie, and I clicked the button a few times.

“Greg, come in!” I said into it once I heard the static come on.

“El-i, a--ood?” Greg’s voice came through the speaker muffled by static, but I could tell the walkie had taken damage.

“I’m in a cave,” I said. “I don’t know how, but there’s a massive skylight formation above me. Send aerial.”

“I ca--ear y--. Wh--ong? Wh-re you, bo--?” my friend said in another broken voice.

And then the walkie completely died.

“Fuck!” I swore, and I glanced around to see if there was anything I could use as I clipped the useless piece of junk back to my belt.

Near the water on the other side of the rock landing, I caught sight of a piece of rope. I rushed over to it, and I followed the soaked, splitting rope to the other end.

Then my mouth dropped, and my eyes widened when I found what the rope was attached to.

Tucked behind a boulder on the rock landing, the remains of a human sat still mostly in one piece. The rope was tied around its neck in a noose, and the clothes on its body were so tattered and worn that I couldn’t use them even if I wanted to.

“Oh my god…” I whispered as I took a step back, and then I shook my head and looked up at the skylight.

Did this person fall? Was it suicide? How long had they been down here?

I needed to get the fuck out, but first, I needed to sit long enough to come up with a plan.

I went to the other side of the rock landing away from the dead body and kneeled in front of the water. The pool was clear enough to see down into the earth, and I could tell it was natural spring water from how it seemed to fill the area.

I cupped some of the cold water in my hand and splashed my face before I pushed my hair back once more.

What the hell was I going to do?

Then I opened my eyes, and a white, wrinkled hand suddenly shot out of the water and took hold of my wrist. It was only attached to a forearm, and the nails were long, pointed, and painted the color of red wine.

“What the--!” I yelled, and I went to jump back from the disembodied limb.

Before I could get away, the hand yanked me forward, and I swore I heard laughter as it did. I managed to fill my lungs with air before I was pulled into the water and dragged further down.

My hands grabbed the pale white arm and fought to pull it off me, but the grip it had on me was too strong. The nails dug into my skin, and I gritted my teeth and tried to use my feet to pry the arm away.

Suddenly, the arm picked up speed, and soon I was zipping through the water like a sea creature. The water against my eyes made it hard to keep them open, and I tugged my arm as I tried to escape.

Even though, at this depth, I wouldn’t make it to the surface in time anyways.

My lungs began to burn as I fought to hold my breath, and I tried to focus on not panicking so I wouldn’t waste the air I had.

For a split second, I was able to open my eyes and catch a glimpse of a blinding light the arm was taking me straight toward.

I couldn’t remember seeing a light before, but as soon as its existence registered in my head, I felt myself meet air once more, and my body fell onto the ground.

Wait.

I coughed and groaned as I tried to fight the dull pain that radiated through my entire body from the impact. I’d landed on my stomach, and when I lifted my head, the ground beneath me was a cobblestone road.

I jumped again, positioned myself in a sitting position, and scurried backwards until my back hit a wall.

As I looked around, I realized I was in an alleyway. Heavy rain fell from the dark clouds above, and the smell of petrichor wafted through the air. There was also a hint of fresh bread and food, and my stomach grumbled at the thought.

But where the fuck was I? And how the actual fuck did I get here? One second, I was deep in a cave, being drowned by a creepy pale arm--

“Shit!” I sucked in a breath and cast my eyes around for my attacker, but I was alone in the alleyway.

This only confused me more, but now I was starting to take in some of the details around me.

Tall plaster and wood buildings with thick stone foundations towered above me, and I could see the pigeon roofs on some buildings through the end of the alleyway. Small sets of stairs led to the backdoors that dotted the alley, and a taller set of stairs led to stone bridges that connected some of the rooms up above and to another alley at a higher elevation.

Then I heard a door swing open, and I froze in place and turned my head.

A man stepped through the door and tossed a bag at the bottom of the stairs. He was tall and muscular, and he had a bloodied apron on.

Was he a butcher?

His dark hair was pulled back, and his skin looked gray in the overcast lighting. Then his gaze fell on me, and he sniffed at the air before he narrowed his eyes.

He bared his sharp teeth at me, and he let out a deep hiss before he slammed the door behind him. I heard a hefty lock turn into place, and I could hear commotion from inside the building.

I definitely wasn’t in Bitterroot Range anymore. Or maybe I was, and I’d hit my head when I tumbled into the wolf den. Was I dreaming?

If so, this was a really fucking vivid dream.

I patted myself down quickly, but as my fingers grazed my belt, I realized my walkie-talkie was gone.

Fuck. Guess I wasn’t going to call Greg for help.

But, even if I could, where would I tell him to search?

Dream or not, I decided it would be best to get out of this gross alley, so I pulled myself up and walked toward the street. When I stepped through, a beautiful city spilled out before me.

“Whoa…” I whispered to myself as I craned my neck back to get a full view.

I was like I’d stepped into late medieval Paris near the turn of the Renaissance. While many of the buildings were plaster and wood, others were made with a smooth, pale stone. Metal detail work was used on the larger buildings, and I could tell some of them were more high-end or important than others by the way they were built.

Lanterns hung outside of storefronts as well as dotted the streets. They were made with a dark metal, and they radiated a bright warm light that contrasted with the dull film that covered the city. I couldn’t tell if it was lit by a flame or something else entirely, but I liked the lanterns as a light source.

“If this is a dream, my brain is fucking awesome,” I muttered.

I decided to keep moving in case it would wake me up, and as I walked, I stayed close to the buildings to try and avoid getting rained on as much. The awnings of the stores were either made of wood and stone or fabric, but they managed to keep me mostly dry. My stomach kept growling, though, which was odd in a dream, but maybe I needed to find a place to get food to wake up, and all I was passing by were boutiques and specialty stores.

“By Azurantha, what is that smell?” I suddenly heard, and just in front of me, I saw a middle-aged woman setting out a sign for her fabric and dye shop that I could see through her shop windows. Her blonde hair fell loosely around her face, and her dress was black and covered most if not all of her skin. The dress was very traditional in its cut and style, and the skirt poofed out slightly from her waist. Then she turned her nose to the air and followed the scent until she caught sight of me.

“What is your kind doing in Marbrooke?” the woman hissed at me, and she narrowed her amber eyes.

It was then I noticed her canines were much more pointed than a normal human’s.

What the hell?

“I-I’m sorry, but I have no idea what you mean.” I shook my head and took a step back. “I don’t even know what Marbrooke is.”

“Don’t play dumb with me,” she snapped. “Listen, the gates are just behind you, straight on. Follow that road and crawl back into whatever rancid hole you came out of.”

“I…” I took a deep breath and sighed. “Yeah. Thanks.”

If only I could, lady, but I had no idea where the hole even went.

I continued on my way, and I heard the bell of her shop door dingle as she rushed back inside.

What did she mean by my ‘kind?’ And did I smell bad?

And what the fuck was up with her teeth?

Maybe this was a nightmare instead of a dream?

As I walked, I noticed the majority of people around me seemed less than thrilled I was around. They ducked their heads or sped up their pace when I passed them, or they simply watched from a distance with eyes that could kill.

I kept out of everyone’s way as I came upon the town center, and a magnificent carved marble fountain with the statue of a woman sat in a circular formation. Straight ahead, I could see more shops and businesses as well as the eastern gate. To my right, the main street continued down, and it seemed to be the older part of town as well as apartments. At the very back of the city, I could make out the metal and stone structure of the southern gate, and beyond the walls, the expanse of dark forest stretched out over the horizon.

To my right was a grand set of stairs that led up to a beautiful and elegant chateau, and it, as well as several other impressive buildings that flanked the mansion, sat at a higher elevation and looked over the city. I could also see the spires of a church near the mansion, but I couldn’t catch a glimpse of the structure itself. The same red, black, and white flag flew proudly from most of the official buildings, but I couldn’t make out the details of the insignia.

I pinched myself as I took in the grand, foreign city around me, but the small zap of pain still didn’t wake me up, so I decided to head straight to see if I could find an inn of some sort that would allow me to at least dry off.

I rounded the fountain and scanned the shops, and I finally caught sight of a sign that had two beer mugs clinking together on it.

Fucking finally.

Then, as I neared the entrance to the tavern, I heard a few voices yell throughout the streets.

“There he is!”

“Get him!”

I turned to see a group of about fifteen men tumbling out of another side street, and their sights were set on me. They wore all black, and their eyes were so dark I couldn’t make out a color. They carried a variety of bladed instruments, and a lump formed in my throat.

I quickly looked around and behind me, but I was alone near the fountain, and as the group of blade carrying ninjas rushed forward, I realized they were coming straight for me.

And they didn’t look like they wanted to be friends.

“Fuck!” I swore under my breath, and I turned on my heel and sprinted toward the fountain.

Then another group of people rounded the corner from the direction of the castle, and they skidded to a stop when they saw me.

A woman and an older man were accompanied by three other men, and they wore the colors of the flag. We seemed to stare at each other for an endless moment that couldn’t have been longer than a split second, and then this second group also raced toward me brandishing their own array of weapons.

What the fuck was happening?

Panic settled into my stomach and reverberated through my bones, and for a moment, it was like all of the air in my lungs left. At the same time, I’d never felt more in tune with my body. It was like someone had flicked a switch in my brain that I never knew was there. I could feel every heartbeat and hear every breath. Then a rush of energy coursed through my veins, and I felt like I’d just emerged from a wall of flames with how hot my body was.

I skidded to a stop, and there was a fraction of a second where my next decision would change the trajectory of this situation completely.

Before I could stop myself, I turned to the fifteen men in black.

“Fuck off!” I yelled.

Suddenly, it was like I’d jumped into a jacuzzi. A warm but intense fizzing sensation shot through every nerve in my body, and my chest rumbled as a growl somehow came from my mouth. Each of my muscles was pulled taut but not uncomfortably, and then I felt the mass of my muscles grow and my height increase.

That was when the people of the city began to scream and scatter, and they made a point to get away from the fight and particularly away from me.

When I pivoted to address the smaller group behind me, the woman was already closing in.

Her pointed teeth were bared, and her crimson eyes were set on mine as her hand reared back for an attack. She moved with such speed and precision that I knew if I took my eyes off her for a moment, it would be over.

I was going to die.

Then she leaped into the air, flipped over me, and landed with her nails digging into one of the men in black’s eyes. The bastard let out a cry of pure anguish, and the woman lifted her foot and kicked his head off his body like it was a soccer ball.

Holy shit.

The older man who accompanied the woman then rushed past me and plunged the tip of his sword into one of the knock-off ninjas, and two of the others with him started taking headshots with bows at the men in black.

But none of those five attacked me.

Why were these guys helping me?

Then I sensed the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I turned on my heel just in time to dodge the swing of a sword from one of the bad guys. The metal lodged into a crate behind me, and I instinctively lifted my hand and swiped at the bastard’s face.

Long claws shredded his skin like cheese, and he fell to the ground as his hands tried to keep it all in one place. The older man from the people helping me finished the man off with his blade, and he gave me a look and a nod before returning to the fight.

Then I looked down at my hands again, and I couldn’t believe what I saw.

My hands were no longer my own. The skin was now increasingly more textured, and my forearms bulged with muscle and veins. The hair on my arms had also thickened and traveled further up my hand. My nails were replaced with sharp, dark claws, and there was a rigidity to the appearance of my fingers.

Then my senses hit me like a freight train. Suddenly, I could smell the roses and hydrangeas up on the hill near the mansion, the bread from the bakery two blocks back, and the scent of the alleyway that clung to my skin and uniform.

But it didn’t take long for the pungent, bitter, iron smell of blood to completely fill my nostrils.

It smelled like I’d walked into a rusted metal factory. The sharpness of my sense of scent made my nose burn, but the uncomfortable sensation didn’t last long, especially when I could hear the clattering of dishes in the tavern across the way, the cutting of fabric inside the seamstress’ shop, and a flag rustling up on the hill in the wind.

“What the fuck…” I murmured, and I sucked in a quick breath as my head spun. “What the fucking fuck.”

Before I could spend any more time wondering what had happened to me, another assailant lunged forward and smashed his fist against my jaw.

Pain exploded through my face, and stars burst to life in front of my eyes.

Okay, this definitely wasn’t a dream because that shit fucking hurt. I stumbled back blindly, and then I grabbed the sword lodged in the crate, yanked it free, and swung it as if I knew what was doing.

I was surprised the sword not only felt natural in my hands, but I sliced the man’s neck open with ease. He tumbled to the ground as leaden-colored liquid puddled beneath him before it was carried down the street by the rain.

When I readied myself for another attack, I realized there were now several dead bodies in the middle of the street.

Across the street, I watched as the older guy apparently on my side landed a final blow with the slash of his sword. He then pivoted, and I forced myself not to blink in fear of losing sight of him. The man moved with such precision and speed that he could be in a completely different place in a fraction of a second.

It was fucking badass.

Then, about ten yards to my right, I caught movement, and I turned to see the woman pinned against a wall by a wannabe ninja. In her hands was a piece of wood that looked like the end of a spear or broom, and she used it to keep her assailant away as he struggled and gnashed his teeth at her like a rabid animal.

Fuck.

Suddenly, another scrawny fuck hurdled toward me, and I instinctively reared my hand back and clawed at his throat. Blood sprayed all over me like someone hit me with a water balloon, and the pungent smell of iron burned at my nostrils.

I ignored the corpse as it dropped to the ground with a gaping hole in its shredded neck, and I sprinted in the trapped woman’s direction. A primal kind of rage was pulsing through me like a wildfire, and everything in me was screaming to save the woman.

It was like an alarm going off inside my head.

Save her, save her, save her.

I cleared the distance a lot faster than I anticipated, and then I zeroed in on her attacker.

Time slowed as I took the final step, grabbed the bastard by the shoulder, and wrenched him off the women. He stumbled before he regained his footing and faced me, but before he could attack, I pulled my hand back and thrust my claws deep within his abdomen. Then I closed my fist tightly around whatever I could grip.

“Take this, fucker,” I snarled before I lifted off the ground, tossed him away from me, and yanked my hand back.

A tangled knot of entrails connected me to the man as his body crashed into the ground, and I watched as he gurgled and choked on his own ichor before the light died in his eyes.

Then a small sound drew my attention, and I snapped my head up to see the woman I’d saved staring at me intently.

Her bright maroon eyes were wide in surprise, and she moved her wavy, dark chocolate hair out of her face with the back of her hand. Confusion seemed to war with some other emotion in her red irises, but then she nodded once and rushed off in the blink of an eye to rejoin the fray.

Before I knew it, the remaining assailants in black were finished off, and the group of five who’d helped me stood over their kills. Then the woman and older man shared a look before the female crossed her arms. Her eyes fell on me, and I took notice of how they lingered.

“He did fine, alright? I’ll give him that,” the female said in a sultry voice, and I couldn’t help myself from scanning her body as well.

She was gorgeous in every sense of the word. Her nose was curved and buttoned, and she had luscious lips that were stained red. Her strange uniform offered nothing to help the imagination, but I could tell she was toned and fit. Her hands were covered in blood, and then I realized she’d used her nails as weapons as well as brute combat and strength.

All in all, she was an alluring and sexy individual.

But my eyes kept being drawn to the blood on her skin, and the metallic scent and taste was thick in the back of my throat.

“Cal, we’re lucky we even found him in time,” the older man said.

He stood just a few inches taller than me, but somehow his presence was significantly more imposing and demanding. His dark hair was short with a little bit of gray dusted through, and he kept his face cleanly shaven save for a neatly-groomed mustache. He had golden eyes and olive skin, and he spoke with a calm and even cadence.

Then, as all eyes turned in my direction, I realized they were talking about me.

“I need some answers,” I said. “What the hell just happened? And why the hell do I look like this?”

I held up my bloody claws for emphasis, but now that the adrenaline was fading, reality started to crash in around me.

Holy shit. I’d just… killed people. A lot of people. Viciously.

Or maybe not people? The things that attacked me certainly didn’t look or act fully human.

Still, my stomach churned at the gore on my hands, so I tore my gaze away and focused on the people around me.

“Right.” The man nodded before he gestured to himself and then the gorgeous woman beside him. “I’m Nicolai Amadeus, and this is Calantha Mithtari. The men who attacked you were rogue vampires, and you look like that because you have partially shifted into your animal form.”

“Yeah, thanks for the help,” I said sincerely, but then my eyes widened, and my heart stopped in my chest as what he said registered in my head. “W-Wait, did you say--”

“Vampires and shifters, yes,” Calantha said quietly as if to make the shock of it all not as intense. “It’s not safe for you out here.”

“Calantha’s right.” Nicolai nodded. “We need to get you inside before you’re spotted by others.”

My mind spun like a runaway top, and a million questions shot through my head like shooting stars. I tried to settle on one of them, but when I opened my mouth, they all came pouring out.

“Well, how do I shift back? I-I mean, I didn’t even mean to do that. I actually shouldn’t be able to do that, I’m human… I think, anyway, but the claws are throwing me off. Uh, wait, do you know what humans are? No, nevermind. How the hell did you know I could shift? And how did you find me? Also, how the fuck did I get here? One minute I was in a cave, and the next I landed in some dirty alleyway in this crazy fucking city. And rogue vampires? What the fuck does that mean?”

I sucked in a deep breath as spots danced in front of my vision, and the five vampires just blinked at me in silence for a moment.

Vampires. Jesus christ. Had I gone insane?

I didn’t think this was a dream anymore because my jaw still throbbed, and every other sensation felt cranked up to eleven. The rain struck my skin heavy and wet, the scent of blood was strong and metallic in the humid air, and my hands had turned into some kind of freaky claws.

How the fuck did this happen? I was just a park ranger, for god’s sake.

“I know you have a lot of questions, but--” Nicolai started, but then Calantha stepped toward me and cut him off.

“If you want to live, come with us to the mansion,” the beautiful brunette said, and she held out a delicate hand covered in silver rings as she gestured to the massive structure atop the hill. The metal jewelry glimmered as rain droplets hit the rings and filled her palm, and like everything else about her, the sight entranced me.

“Uhhhh, I don’t even know you,” I said as I tried to get my brain back on track.

“Not yet, but in the meantime, we can protect you as well as answer your questions,” Nicolai ensured.

I frowned as I considered their offer. I didn’t know where I was, and these people had already helped me. They were also the first to not turn their nose at me-- literally. Plus, I’d somehow turned into a monster, and they seemed to have the answers I needed. I didn’t know how to feel about taking off with a bunch of strangers, but as far as I was concerned, I needed to trust them for now.

At least for my own survival.

“Plus, the whole wet dog look isn’t cute on you,” Calantha added with a wide grin, and I could tell there was a lightheartedness to her words despite the urgency in her eyes.

“Yeah, I guess some dry clothes would be nice.” I managed a small grin at her joke. “Okay, I’ll come with you.”

Nicolai nodded once, and then the five of them surrounded me as they led me through the streets. When I glanced back, there were already people working to clear the streets of the bodies, and I shuddered as I wondered who those men had been and why they wanted to kill me.

It was time to hopefully get some answers.