8. Chapter 8
I awoke with a start when I heard the toilet flush and groaned as my eyes adjusted to the dim light coming through the curtains. It was too early. I checked my phone and saw a message from Isla.
Isla: Find anything yet?
Of course she was all business, no ‘How are you?’ or ‘Hope you’re still alive and not involuntarily participating in some fucked up twisted medical experimentations targeting your species.’
Me: Maybe.
I didn’t know what else to tell her. There was a lot.
We needed to talk, but I’d have to wait until I was alone.
I wasn’t sure what I’d witnessed last night, and I didn’t even know where to begin with Nadia.
The memory of what I saw made me shudder and I closed my eyes, trying to remember any details that could be useful.
She’d want information and information was something I was seriously short of at the moment.
Isla: Don’t take any risks, you’re there to observe.
That message annoyed me. I was already involved and telling me to remain passive felt like I was being leashed and forced to watch a building burn with people inside.
What happened to those women was the worst fear of any shifter, dying as neither human nor beast. I shivered again, then got up, opening the curtains and letting the dim light into the small room.
I had to get back out to that compound, but they didn’t seem like the sort who would take kindly to a stranger sauntering up and demanding entry into their personal space.
I got dressed and waited for Nadia to emerge from the bathroom. When she did, I was happy to see that she looked better.
“Good morning,” she said, lowering her eyes as she twisted her hands together awkwardly. She could feel the discomfort too, the intense need. I couldn’t imagine how disconcerting it would be to go through heat with no support. “Thanks for letting me stay here.”
“Of course.” I’d get another room. If I stayed in the same space with her, I risked driving myself insane. “I’m, uh, going downstairs. Come down whenever you’re ready and we’ll talk.”
She smiled and I left, inhaling the sterile air in the hallway by the lungful in an attempt to wash her out of my system.
Eileen greeted me at the front desk and I waited impatiently as she finished typing something into the computer.
She was her usual cheery self and once we were done with the pleasantries, I got down to business.
“Is the room next to me available?”
“Yes. Is there a problem with the one you're in?” Eileen asked and I shook my head, unable to formulate a reasonable response.
“No, I just need both.” I said and slid my credit card across the counter.
“Is that young lady who was here earlier coming back?”
“No, someone else. A friend.” I replied curtly. I hated the subtle prying, but there wasn't much else going on and she obviously needed fodder for the insatiable gossip machine.
“Should I put your name on it?”
“Yes.” This was taking way too long and I thrummed my fingers against the counter as she typed the info into the ancient computer and slid my card through the reader.
Nadia was behind me. I could physically feel her presence and I licked my lips, then wiped away the thin layer of sweat that had formed on my forehead. I wasn't sure how much longer I could handle such close proximity and resisting her was an absolutely herculean effort.
“Okay, Mr Grayson, I'll need you to sign right here,” she said as she slid a piece of paper across the counter and I scrawled my signature across it. That was followed by a key and I thanked her, then she shifted her attention to Nadia. “Is this the one staying in the room?”
I turned to face my guest, then looked at Eileen. “Yeah, this is Nadia, uh… Nadia.” I didn’t know her last name. She was still dressed in my t-shirt and sweats, but radiantly beautiful and she offered her hand to Eileen.
“Well, it’s nice to meet you. Mr Grayson knows the prettiest girls, doesn’t he?” I mumbled something awkward in response and Nadia smiled, taking the compliment. “You two have a seat and I’ll get you something to eat.”
I chose a table in the corner and pulled out a chair for Nadia, then sat where I could keep my eye on the lobby. She stared at me and I wasn’t sure what to say.
“We can go to your house and get your things, if you want,” I offered and she nodded as Suzie brought two mugs of steaming coffee and placed them in front of us, side-eyeing Nadia as she left.
“I’d like that. I don’t have much.” She sipped the coffee calmly. It was time to start asking questions. I needed her to tell me what she knew, and I got the impression that she knew a lot.
“Where are you from?”
Basics first, then on to the rest.
“Russia. A small town outside of Vladivostok.”
“How did you end up here?” It was a loaded question, one that I wasn’t sure she was ready to answer. She rested her elbows on the table, looking towards the fire crackling beside us.
“I…I don’t know. I was walking home from shopping and a man I knew offered to give me a ride.
I woke up inside that house and I was like this…
.” Her eyes teared up and she wiped them away.
I hesitated, then rested my hand on hers and waited.
The food came a few minutes later, plates piled with sausage, eggs and toast, and Nadia licked her lips as she stared at it.
She was hungry.
“Eileen said to let her know if you want anything else,” Suzie said curtly, then walked off, leaving us alone. A million questions danced through my mind, but I needed to stick to the important ones. Now that she was here, safe, I had plenty of time for the rest.
“Tell me what you know about the compound, about what’s going on inside.”
She sniffled, then wiped her eyes, the hollow expression returning. I knew how she felt, that hopelessness, the complete loss of control. It was devastating. I amended my question.
“You said that you woke up here, like this?”
“Yes. I…,” she paused, her eyes crinkling.
She’d been through a lot, and needed reassurance that she was safe.
I saw this reaction when we rescued a few girls from a lycan biker gang in Nevada.
Of course, Isla was much better at dealing with this type of situation than me — I was the muscle, she was the one they trusted — but I tried to remember how she handled it, how she genuinely cared about the women and what they were going through.
I couldn’t let my anger at the situation cloud my interaction with the very real, very upset person in front of me.
“Listen, I want to find out what happened to you, to…” I almost mentioned the other woman, but if they had known each other a revelation like that could break her completely.
“Were you alone?” I lowered my voice, double checking to make sure no one else was listening. “When you woke up? Was there anyone else there? Any other women?”
“There were more. I…” Eileen sauntered up, clearly smitten with Nadia and chose the absolute worst moment to butt into our conversation.
“How’s breakfast?” She asked, and I forced myself to be pleasant.
“Delicious. Thanks.” I assumed she’d move on, but she stayed put like she was waiting for something.
“It’s reindeer. Just the way my mutti used to make it. Rosemary takes away that gamey taste.”
“I thought I tasted rosemary.” I said politely.
“It’s very good,” Nadia added and even I could tell that Eileen was beaming from the compliments.
“Do let me know if you want more and if there’s anything else I can help either of you with, just ask.” We both thanked her and she finally moved on. Nadia shook her head, smiling. She liked the older woman. I did too, but we wouldn’t be able to have a real conversation in such a public place.
We finished breakfast in silence and I escorted Nadia back to her room.
She sat on the bed and I stared at her. God, she was beautiful, and it wasn't just the heat, she was perfect and forcing myself to keep things professional was torture.
I paced, thinking about what she had said and what I needed to know.
“Do you remember anything about the men who took you: names, nationalities, any unusual abilities?”
“I don’t know,” she said, her frustration clear.
She was exhausted, tired of running. I knew the feeling, knew how alone and scared and overwhelmed she was.
“The men only spoke English when they were all together, when they were separate, it was a few different languages, maybe some sort of Turkic, but I don’t know for sure. ”
“When you woke up, did they tell you anything about what they had done?” She shook her head. “And none of your family is like you?” She shook her head again. “You said there were others?” She paused, her eyes carrying that haunted, distant stare and she nodded slowly.
“I saw another, she was blonde, German, very beautiful. It was while I was escaping. I wanted her to come and she tried to shift, but she got…stuck.” Nadia inhaled sharply and covered her mouth.
“It was so horrible. She was this half human, half wolf creature and she screamed so loud, but there was nothing I could do to help her, so I ran.”
“Jesus.” That sounded like the woman from the photo.
They must’ve dumped her body when they found her half shifted.
Did they kill her or did she die from the failed shift?
It was too horrible to think about. “I’ll find a way to get you back home, back to your family, okay?
” I grabbed her hand again and her gaze met mine. I saw true fear.
She was a person, not just a victim or a lycan in heat. She had a life, a family, a future before this and I had to keep that in mind. The case was important, but so was she.
“What is it like, where you come from?”
“Just a village.” She sniffled and smiled. “My parents died when I was young and my babushka raised me.” She paused and stared at me. “I can't go back.”
I wasn't sure what to say to reassure her. “Whatever you want…I’ll do whatever I can to help you. You're not alone.”