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Sheila’s awareness sparked to life, and she immediately regretted waking up. What in the world had she been drinking? Her head pounded like she had a dwarf inside it, hammering away at her brain. And her stomach? It protested just as painfully, cramping and churning wildly. What was going on? She’d never had this kind of side effects to drinking. It was the monster version of a hangover.
Every attempt to see where she was, failed. Either she couldn’t feel her head moving or she was paralyzed. She was also blind, because the darkness wasn’t clearing. But she was sure she had her eyes open. Sheila blinked. Yes, she felt her eyelids slide over her eyeballs. Had the fine sand of the river bank had taken residence inside her eye sockets?
“Move! You need to move!”
The instinct was so strong it startled her. It felt like someone had been screaming the words inside her head. But they weren’t words. It was a powerful impulse telling her something was wrong. Well, she knew that already. Then, she tried to move and her stomach protested violently. Cursing inside her head, Sheila fought to breathe through the waves of acrid vomit coming out of her empty stomach.
Minutes later she slumped on the hard, icy surface of a... room? Cell? She did not know. Despite the pounding in her head, her senses started coming back. Her head cleared slowly. Throwing up was disgusting but, by the Mother, she felt better!
Then screams rose in the air, and shivers of dread lifted the hairs on her body. Sheila’s short-term memory clicked back on. “Oh! May demons and mange eat his flee-ridden skin! Why Ben? Why have you betrayed the pride?” The curse ran through her head.
Another high-pitched shriek of agony made her flinch. It was a woman’s cry of terror and pain. Was she in the torture chamber of a demon? Or in the devil’s pit?
The scream came again. The instinct telling her to flee heightened even more. Static electricity filled the dark room. Sheila’s chest hurt. It felt like something was sitting on her lungs, preventing her from taking a deep breath. Panic rose inside her. The darkness seemed to grow thicker, crushing her. She was about to die.
Dead. Marcus was dead. A strange filling invaded her chest. She suddenly wanted to die. For the pain to be over. Were those her feelings? No. But the feeling was so strong! Eva! Was Eva there? Were those her friend’s feelings she was sensing? Why was she experiencing Eva’s emotions?
Sheila crawled through the dark room, scraping her palms on the rough concrete.
“Where am I? Please... help me,” she whispered through the tears falling down her face. No one answered. But the female scream came again, and male laughter accompanied it. A smack of flesh on flesh sounded closer to Sheila’s position. She kept moving, searching for a way out.
Time had no meaning in the dark enclosure, but she finally found a wall. Using that as a reference and support, Sheila stood slowly. Her legs felt like they were made of rubber. Shaking, she walked silently around the room. She ignored the buzzing in her ears, the tightening in her chest, the pain in her head and the panic threatening to cut off her air. She wanted to get out.
“Stay focused, Sheila. Keep your mental eye on the prize.” Her father’s voice rose as a beacon of light and calmness inside her head. Sheila took a few deep breaths. Shuffling to the side, her hands encountered a different texture to the walls; wood. Excited, she explored the panel until she encountered a doorknob. It was a door!
The scream of pain came again. Sheila flinched. Then she heard the men laugh. The sound was clearer and closer. Pressing her ear against the wood, she listened carefully. She tried to figure out how many men were on the other side of the door.
Two male voices were close, talking and laughing. She tried to hear the conversation, but something else caught her attention. The rhythmic slap of flesh on flesh and the sobbing of a woman were unmistakable. They were raping someone.
The door suddenly flew open, pushing Sheila back, and making her fall on her ass. The light coming from the other side of the door blinded her. She couldn’t see a damned thing! Blinking and protecting her eyes with a hand, she finally saw two large shapes.
“Well, well, well, look who’s awake. Come here, bitch.”
Before she could react to the sudden appearance of the men, one of them grabbed her by an ankle, dragging her into the light.
“Let go,” Sheila gritted through her clenched teeth. She hit the man’s hand with her free foot until the other man grabbed it. Sheila struggled to get free. Before they could drag her further into the new room, she grabbed the edge of the door, holding on for dear life.
“Let go or I’ll break your hands! Fucking animal!”
She still couldn’t see clearly, so she did not know which of the men cursed her. One thing was obvious; they weren’t skittish of hurting a woman. The men pulled hard.
“Ah! No!” Sheila’s shoulders popped, and she lost her grip on the doorway. Her fingers bled and her arms hurt, but she couldn’t think of that. The men were dragging her to a... was that a bed?
“Yo, B! I got the bitch. You want the first round at her?”
B? Was that for Ben? Was the traitor there? She will kill him! Sheila tried to get her bearings, but everything was happening too fast.
“No, I won’t dirty myself with her. I have what I want right here.”
It was Ben! Sheila will always remember his slimy voice. Rage burned inside her. Her muscles tensed, preparing for a fight. Then that high-pitched scream came again. Sheila winced, but focused on the place it came from. Her vision was still hazy, but she distinguished the shape of a bed. Someone with pale skin was kneeling on the mattress, holding... No, please Goddess, No. Let it not be Eva.
“Besides, the Doc said she needs her untouched.”
“He needs her cunt untouched. He said nothing about her breasts or her ass. I can fuck her there.”
“Suit yourself.”
“Hey, what about me? I want a turn at her.”
It was the third man speaking.
“You broke your toy so you can wait your turn, dickhead.”
“Fine. But it wasn’t my fault that the tiger bitch broke so fast.”
What tiger bitch? What were they talking about? Eva was a panther, not a tiger.
“I don’t care, but the Doc might. He wanted the females in perfect condition for the experiments.”
“Then why is Ben fucking that panther bitch?”
Oh Mother! No! Sheila shivered in terror and revulsion. Eva! Ben was raping her beautiful friend at that moment! The slapping sounds she was hearing were his. The screams? Eva’s. The pain of loss her friend must endure at that moment was tremendous. Fucking slimy, Ben! She will kill him for what he had done!
Sheila blinked away the tears threatening to spill over. It was not the time for crying. It was time for fighting. Her fingertips and gums itched. She wanted to have claws and fangs so she could rip the bastards apart.
The men dragging her over the concrete floor tossed her on a cot. This room was windowless as well. But the lightbulbs illuminated the space. Sheila rolled off fast, grabbing the first thing she encountered; an opened bag of laundry detergent. The bulky man who tried to straddle her chest missed her by millimeters. The third man rushed for her and she threw the powder in the third man’s eyes.
“Ah! Shit! It burns!”
Sheila rolled again, throwing a chair in the path of the bulky man coming for her.
“Ben! Help me get the bitch. This one is feisty, and the Doc wants her alive.”
Sheila blinked. The fog covering her eyes cleared a bit more. Her fast metabolism was burning away the sedative they had injected her with.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Ben release Eva’s legs and get off the bed. His shaft was still hard and leaking. Disgust and rage filled her chest. Eva still sobbed, unaware of what was going on.
“Shit! Can’t you do anything by yourselves? I have waited years to enjoy my woman. But you have to ruin it.”
His woman? Was he insane? Eva had mated with Marcus. Sheila scrambled away, hitting a stack of long metal rods. They fell, clanging and spreading around her. She grabbed one. Using it as a crutch, she was on her feet in an instant. This was leveling a playing field. Three to one, but the one had a weapon now.
Her eyesight was suddenly sharper and her head clearer. The presence inside her head fought for control. Sheila panicked. It could not be real! She didn’t need to have her first transfer in the middle of a life-or-death fight! Nevertheless, the pressure inside her head grew, clawing at her mental barriers.
“Fuck! She’s changing! Get her, Carl!”
The bulky man, Carl, lunged for her at the same time Ben did. Sheila held them off, swiping with the metal rod. She rejoiced when the metal hit Carl over the head, cracking his skull open. The man fell to the ground, silent and bleeding like a freshly stabbed pig.
“Fucking bitch. I always hated you. The princess of the pride. A fucking mutant. That’s what you are. Did your daddy tell you that? Did he tell you the humans created you in a vial just like half shifters?”
Sheila shook with shock, keeping her attention on the advancing Ben. “You’re lying. They don’t have the data to create new shifters.” She would believe nothing he had to say.
“It’s true. I was part of the team that hunted down that doctor who stole you from the lab. That woman who, subject A-44313, aka John Black, had found in that cave twenty years ago. It took us a while to find your trail, but when we did, the Doc let you grow in the pride environment. It’s all about the experiments for him. So, I joined the pride to monitor you.”
The information shook Sheila to the core. They were still creating shifters? “I don’t believe you,” she whispered, but Ben must have seen her distraction.
He lunged. Quick reflexes were all that saved her from his dirty clutches. She ducked to the side, spinning the metal rod. When she came up from the duck-and-roll, she allowed the weapon to follow its arc. The hit to Ben’s stomach was satisfying, but not nearly enough.
The traitor’s words reverberated through her mind, imprinting themselves there. Sheila pulled the rod back, stabbing it forward towards the third man coming for her. With his red eyes from the detergent powder and his face shifted by rage, he resembled a demon. The man’s momentum was too great. Sheila had to grip the rod tighter as the man impaled himself on the thing. The shock on his face was priceless.
Before she could release her weapon from the man’s body, she saw Ben lunging for her. The primal animal inside her roared to the surface. Sheila could feel herself being pushed to the back of her mind. Her head was pounding. The pressure of two beings trying to inhabit the same brain was painful.
Knowing her cat had a higher chance of fighting off Ben, Sheila retreated mentally, allowing the beast forward. Claws push out from beneath her fingernails. Inside her mouth, she could taste blood as her fangs emerged. She didn’t have time to shift all the way. Ben tackled her, taking her to the ground with him.
Sheila fought. She scratched and bit, hissing at the half-shifted male. He was bigger and stronger, but she was faster and more determined to save herself and her friend. Ben pinned her to the ground, trying to turn her on her belly and make her submit. Sheila slashed his face open. Angry, he lunged to bite, but she placed her forearm in the way. His fangs scraped the bone.
Screaming in rage, Sheila’s cat grabbed Ben’s neck with her free hand, squeezing until he couldn’t breathe. The sharp tips of her claws penetrated his neck. Ben released the bite. He lifted his fist, going for her face. Sheila was faster. Wearing only underwear, he had all his male parts available for torture. She grabbed his dick through the thin fabric. Squeezing, she sank the sharp tipped claws above his balls.
“Ah!” Ben howled.
With his head thrown back in agony, Sheila’s cat took advantage. She didn’t want to give him the chance to retaliate. With one sudden move her claws ripped the flesh away, neutering the evil bastard. Ben’s howls of pain and the scent of his fear permeated the room.
She squeezed the male’s throat tighter, cutting off his wailing. Ben looked at her and she saw in his eyes the understanding of his upcoming death. She had no mercy in her for a beast and traitor such as him.
With no warning, she sank her fangs into the side of his neck, ripping out his jugular. Blood splattered all over her, the wall, and the floor. Sheila left his carcass crumble to the side. She lay on the floor for a minute, catching her breath. The adrenaline pumped through her body, keeping her fight-or-flight instinct heightened. She listened for voices or footsteps, but it was quiet.
No, it wasn’t! Small sobs and whimpers came from the bed where her friend had been viciously brutalized.
“Eva,” Sheila whispered. The pressure in her head stopped the moment her cat retreated. She heard her friend’s soft cries and relief filled her heart. Eva was alive! Standing slowly to check her balance, Sheila rushed to help and comfort her friend. The relief turned to horror, then grief when she saw what Ben had done.
Eva was naked and had her hands cuffed to the iron headboard of the bed. She had bruises and cuts all over, but especially between her thighs. Sheila glimpsed the marks of hands who had squeezed too hard.
“Sheila?”
“Yes, Eva, I’m here.” She caressed her friend’s golden hair with trembling hands. Tears fell from her face, matching Eva’s.
“They killed Marcus,” Eva sobbed.
Sheila closed her eyes in grief. “I know. I know. It’s going to be alright but we need to get out of here.”
“Sheila?”
“Yes, Eva?” She watched the shame on Eva’s face and knew what her soul sister was about to say.
“They hurt me.”
Sheila kissed her cheek. “I know, baby. I know.”
“They hurt me anally,” Eva sobbed.
Sheila stiffened. “Shush, darling. They are dead and you are alive. You will be fine, I promise.” She meant every word. She will help her friend heal from this.
“They’re dead?”
“Very dead, and we need to get out of here. Do you know where are the keys to the cuffs?”
Sheila looked around the room. Her eyes widened in shock at what she saw. In the corner opposite from them, there was a young woman chained to the wall. She was also naked. Was she the broken toy? The tigress the men had mentioned? The woman’s head was down and her black hair was covering her face. One look at the frail body told Sheila the girl had suffered the same treatment Eva had received.
“His pocket,” Eva said, not looking at Carl’s corpse.
Sheila rushed to the body, turned him over and, with a grimace of disgust, searched through his pockets. She really didn’t want to have her hands so close to the man’s junk.
“Got it.” She rushed back to Eva, opened the cuffs, putting a comforting arm around her best friend’s waist. She helped her stand up and looked for something to cover her with. The tablecloth was big enough for a toga. Then she looked at the unconscious woman.
“Can you stand and walk? Because that woman is out cold and I have to carry her.”
Eva nodded and stood carefully. “I’m hurting, but I can make it on my own.”
When she was sure Eva had her balance, Sheila stepped away.
“Good. Let me know if this changes. Do you know who she is?” Sheila asked while she headed for the other female.
“No. She was like that when they brought me in.” Eva started crying again.
Sheila used the other set of keys attached to the first one to release the female. The woman was so young. Sheila would bet she wasn’t older than eighteen.
Careful not to fall or hurt the girl more, she threw her over her shoulder. Taking Eva’s hand, they exited the windowless room. The space they entered resembled a small hunting cabin. The daylight came in through the small windows and everything was made of wood planks and logs. Through the glass, Sheila could see the forest. They were still in the Black Mountain area.
After a minute of listening for any noise, she tugged on Eva’s arm and headed for the door. Sheila paused at the wood panel. Was it locked? She grabbed the knob and turned. It opened but creaked. Wincing at the loud sound, she listened for footsteps. Nothing. Opening the door further, she motioned for Eva to stay behind her. Slowly, she peeked out of the cabin.
The sun was lowering behind the tree line, turning the sky black. A trickle of unease raised the hairs on her body when she didn’t recognize the area. What if they were in another pride’s territory? What if that pride wasn’t a friendly one? Well, there was one way to find out.
Standing on the cabin’s porch, Sheila looked around. She searched for a clue telling her in which direction they should go. On the right side of the cabin, she saw a rough-terrain vehicle.
“Thank the Mother,” she whispered. They really needed a miracle. Her entire body hurt, but she was sure she could drive. It wasn’t her favorite thing in the world, but as long as it took her away from that cursed place, she was all for it.
“Let’s just hope it works,” she grumbled and headed for the car. A howl rose in the distance. Both female’s heads came up. They listened to the sudden quiet of the darkening forest.
“We need to leave now.” Sheila was ready to get the heck out of there.
Eva whimpered in fear behind her. Sheila grabbed the handle of the back door and pulled. It opened easily. She placed the young woman in the back seat.
“Can you see something to cover her with? I don’t want her to be naked if she wakes up.”
“Uh, yes. It’s a blanked on the front seat.”
“Great.” Sheila covered the girl, then pulled the seatbelts over her. When she entered the car, Eva was already in the passenger seat. They both let out a sigh of relief when they saw the keys in the ignition. Sheila started the car. It purred to life immediately.
“And we have a full tank of gas,” she mumbled. Then she took off as fast as she dared, praying the enemy wouldn’t catch up with them before they crossed the border into another territory.
Hopefully, her father’s.