Chapter 1 #2
Another scream refocused Heather’s mind on the present.
Patrick was the least of her problems tonight.
Her safety with the cats had not been guaranteed, but they were a better option than either the wolves or the raptors.
Maybe she should just take off, escape into the forest, and find the feline village on her own.
The thought was ridiculous, and she knew it.
The feline village was somewhere in the valley far below the mountain on which the raptor shifters lived.
She’d been brought to Eagle Village in a skimmer, so she had no idea which direction she should travel or how long it would take her to reach her destination on foot.
Heather drew up her legs and wrapped her arms around her knees.
A mad dash into the night wasn’t an option, but she really did need a workable plan.
If the wolves made it upstairs, the females would likely be taken to the lupine village.
If the raptors prevailed, the other women would be safe, but Heather would be in even more danger.
Each day she spent in Eagle Village increased the chances that her secret would be discovered.
She had to get back to the feline village. It was her only hope.
Heavy footfalls echoed in the hallway outside the bedroom. Deep male voices called to each other, but the words were muffled by the door.
“Is the fighting finally over?” Susan asked, her eyes wide and uncertain.
The other women watched the door in anxious silence, unsure what would happen next.
The door inched open and light from the hallway spilled into the bedroom. The male’s face was lost in shadow, so Heather didn’t recognize him until he spoke.
“Is everyone alright? Did any of the wolves make it upstairs?”
Heather sucked in a breath as she heard Patrick’s familiar voice. She pressed back into the corner and pulled the hood on her sweatshirt up around her face. Please, God, don’t let him recognize me.
“We’re fine,” Susan assured him. “If any of the wolves made it upstairs, they didn’t come in here.”
“Good. Stay put and I’ll—” His penetrating gaze landed on Heather and his words ended abruptly.
“You.” The word was a bitter accusation.
“How the fuck did you get in here?” He strode across the room, expression revealed as he neared the bed.
Hatred ignited in his emerald-green eyes, and his infuriated scowl made his angular features appear even sharper.
“I’m sorry,” Heather blurted as her heart thudded wildly in her chest. “I never meant to hurt you. I did everything I could to help you and the—”
“You left me in hell!” He grabbed her ankle and dragged her to the edge of the bed.
“I had no choice,” she cried, fear making her voice shrill.
He caught her arm and yanked her up off the bed. “There are always choices.”
Heather screamed and twisted, slapping wildly as she tried to avoid his grasp. “Let go!”
He ignored her protests and her struggles as he dragged her out into the hallway.
“I’ll leave the village,” she sobbed harshly, fighting to free herself from his hold. “You’ll never see me again.”
“I should snap your neck,” Patrick sneered, “but death is too good for the likes of you.” Bending suddenly, Patrick threw Heather over his shoulder and secured her thrashing legs with one of his muscular arms.
Heather didn’t believe him. If he got her alone, her life would end. She screamed again and fought even harder, bucking and twisting, punching his back, all to no avail. He jogged down the hallway and pulled open the door leading to the back stairs.
“Patrick!”
That sounded like Raphael, one of the leaders of the raptor village. Patrick didn’t even slow down. His brawny arm tightened around her legs, and he took the stairs two at a time.
Hopelessness combined with fear and Heather found herself babbling. “Please, please, please. I’ll be good. I’ll never… I’m sorry. I don’t want to die.”
He moved to the open area behind the bunkhouse and shifted her into his arms. Golden light burst within his eyes, and a strangled groan was dragged from his throat.
Energy pulsed around Heather, making her gasp and shiver, then enormous wings formed behind them, unfurling with an audible snap.
Rather than the feathered wings of an eagle, Patrick had chosen to manifest leathery, spike-boned battle wings.
Very few of the hybrids had this much control over their shifts, but she’d always known that Patrick was special.
“Hold on,” he ordered gruffly.
It was the only warning she got before he leapt into the air.
His massive wings flapped strongly, propelling them ever higher.
They flew up through the trees, then soared over the treetops.
She cried out and wrapped her arms around his neck.
One glance downward had her burying her face against his chest. The night was cold, the wind easily penetrating the sweatpants she used as pajamas.
She wasn’t wearing her boots, but at least thick wool socks covered her feet.
Her hoodie was relatively warm, but tension and the cold wind soon had her entire body shivering.
“Where are you t-taking me?” she whispered without lifting her head.
He said nothing, just flew on through the night.
Clinging to her captor, Heather allowed herself to cry.
She wasn’t feeling sorry for herself. She simply needed the release.
The past ten days had been torture, every moment filled with fear and dread.
Now that the waiting was over, she felt a sense of relief.
She’d made mistakes, horrible mistakes, and now she must pay for her decisions.
If Patrick had wanted her dead, she would be dead already.
This was about retribution, and she was so encumbered by guilt that she was ready to make things right.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked again.
“You’ll see,” was his only response.
The air grew colder, the trees thinning as he headed farther up the mountain.
She could no longer see Eagle Village. Clusters of trees were now interspersed with outcroppings of rock.
The ground sped by, blurred and indistinct as he soared along the treetops.
She had no idea where he was taking her and knew she would have little control once she arrived.
He would punish her. Of that she had no doubt, but what form would that punishment take?
Before she could torture herself further with speculation, he flapped his wings forcefully.
She gasped and wrapped her arms around him more securely.
They ascended along a sheer cliff wall, then he landed on a wide stone ledge.
He set her down and motioned toward the rocky steps in front of her. “Up.”
The steps were wide and irregular, seven in all.
Were they naturally occurring or had someone chiseled them out of solid rock?
She climbed up, unsure of what she would find.
The cliff was much larger than she’d first thought and most of it was covered with trees.
She’d expected barren rock or windswept grass.
This felt like a continuation of the forest.
“There.” He pointed toward a structure half hidden in the shadows to their left.
When she didn’t immediately walk toward the building, he grabbed her arm and pulled her along as he walked.
She started to ask why he’d brought her here, but they both knew the answer, so she remained silent. Explanations and excuses filled her mind next, but she disregarded them too. What could she possibly say that would make him hate her any less?
More of the structure became visible as they approached.
The cottage was simple, but well-constructed with a steeply pitched roof and functional shutters.
He opened the door and urged her inside.
Darkness enveloped her for a disorienting moment and then a row of lights inset high in the walls activated automatically.
Heather looked around, more curious than afraid. A kitchenette sat off to the left, a bed over to the right. Matching chairs were arranged near the fireplace. It was rustic, yet cozy. Under different circumstances, she would have found the place charming.
“Strip,” he snarled as her attention returned to him. “You’ve lost the privilege of wearing clothes.”
Her heart sank and she helplessly shook her head. “Please, don’t do this. I tried to help you. I—”
He grasped her upper arms and yanked her toward him, face bent close to hers. “You will be silent unless you are asked a question. Is that understood?”
She nodded as tears flooded her eyes.
“The proper response is ‘yes, Master.’” He accented the statement with a fierce scowl and a warning squeeze of his strong fingers.
“Yes, Master,” she echoed. “I understand.”
He nodded once, then ordered, “Undress. I want you naked and on your knees.”
She understood the power of humiliation. Her supervisors at Nuevo Biotech frequently used it with ruthless effectiveness. “Patrick, please. It’s much too cold to—”
He lunged for her and roughly pulled her hoodie off over her head. She wasn’t wearing a bra, so she instinctively crossed her arms over her breasts. The reflex made it easier for him to tug her sweatpants and panties down to her ankles.
“I was naked each time you worked on me,” he snarled. “Why should this be any different?”
She lowered one of her hands to her pussy while keeping her breasts covered with her other arm. “I brought you blankets and smuggled in food. I—”
“Knew damn well what they were doing to us, and you didn’t give a damn!
” He bent and lifted one of her feet off the floor, leaving her off balance and helpless.
He tugged off her sock and one side of her sweatpants and panties, then switched to the other foot.
Within seconds she was naked, and he kicked her clothes across the room. “On your knees.”