This was the moment I’d dreaded and longed for since I’d set out on this crazy ride with Kory. Finally, I get to see the Defenders’ headquarters.
After chatting with several more Tongans who were busy setting up the area for the night’s festivities, Kory had informed Kalepe that he wanted to show me the progress they’d made firsthand. Kalepe had told us he’d meet up with us in a minute; there were a few last things he needed to oversee.
It had only taken us a few minutes by flight, with Kory holding me, to stop in front of the only real building I’d seen on the island. Kory told me he needed a state-of-the-art facility. Walking through the front door of the squat, stucco building, I was surprised at how hot it was inside, though.
Kory glanced over at me as I lifted my hair up, tying it into a knot. “Sorry about no AC. Don’t worry; it’s something I’m working on for us.”
I shrugged. “I don’t mind. Besides,” I glanced up at the ceiling, “there are nice fans everywhere.”
Kory seemed pleased by my response, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze. I was glad he didn’t try to make a romantic moment out of it. Perhaps the island’s humidity and heat was enough of a deterrent. I didn’t want anyone to touch me. Being indoors, you lost the nice island breeze.
Kory led us down a short corridor that opened up to a square space—one entire wall covered in clear glass. I stepped closer, my curiosity getting the better of me. I had to know what lay on the other side.
I couldn’t help the gasp that escaped me. It looked like I was staring into an old army hospital wing, with dozens upon dozens of white beds forming straight lines across the floor. Only there were no war soldiers filling the beds, only Polynesian men. Hooked up to IVs. All seeming asleep. I saw no monstrous forms, no bug-like faces, no wings…
“I don’t understand. Are these the ones being changed into Defenders?” I asked.
“They are already Defenders. These are some of the last ones to receive Sammy’s DNA. They’ve all been sedated, in case you’re wondering, so they aren’t in their defender form right at the moment. Once they have completed the process, they will be like Kalepe. Free to roam around and be normal, until they are needed to transform.”
“And then what happens?”
“When I need them, they will be ready,” he said, not really answering my question.
“So they don’t just fly around like us?” I asked, wondering just what these Defenders were really like. Maybe they had less control than what Kory was making it out to seem. Maybe they were a little more like Jaxon after all.
Kory gave me a strange look, and I realized my blunder. “I mean, like you do. And I will soon,” I quickly added.
“No, they don’t,” he said with a tight jaw. His face brightened a bit. “But that part has gotten better, thanks to your contribution from your sister.”
“What do you mean?”
He seemed to hesitate. “Well, one drawback to being a Defender is that they aren’t quite as human as you will be as a damsel. Or what you see me as now.”
“Less human, how?” I loved that as Jocelyn, I got to ask questions without him getting suspicious.
“You and I still look like ourselves—are roughly the same shape and size. Defenders get much larger. Their wings are different. Their faces are… not quite the same.”
So in other words, I wanted to say, they are every bit the monster Jaxon is.
I stared out the glass, getting a rough estimate of how many beds there were. Three rows of twelve. Makes thirty-six. Thirty-six bugs. I wanted to puke.
“So Kalepe and the rest of the islanders are already Defenders, just not in their form then?”
Kory nodded.
“So how many are there total?”
“Kalepe was part of the first batch. I only did it to twelve with him. Wanted to make sure it’d work and have no adverse reactions. When I saw how well it worked, we set up this room. I think we’ve filled it three times now already.”
Three times thirty-six, plus twelve. My head was spinning. There were over a hundred bugs! How many more did he plan to change? Time to find out.
“You said these aren’t the last ones. How many more do you need to change?”
“There are still twenty more Defenders I need to give Sammy’s DNA to. They will be next in here, after these guys are done. Then everyone will be back to normal.” Normal. Ha. Hardly. “Can I see them?”
“Who?” he asked.
“The ones you haven’t given Sammy’s DNA too, yet. You said it made a big difference. Just wanted to know what they were like.” I pointed out the glass. “Before this.”
Kory’s lips hitched to the side. “I was planning on showing you, but now I’m not so sure.” “How come?” I turned to face him.
“I don’t want to freak you out since they are very different from what you’ll become.”
“Are you worried that I’ll change my mind?” I tried to give him a reassuring smile. Really, I was dying to see these raw Defenders. Were they more like Jaxon? Because what I’d seen of Kalepe, he seemed a lot more in control of his inner demon. Did my DNA really make the difference? If it did, why hadn’t it worked on Jaxon? I more than remembered how he’d already sampled my blood, deep within his cave.
I tried not to shudder at that memory and took a step closer to Kory, hating I had to reach out and caress the face I wanted to slap. “Nothing could change my mind. I want to understand the world I’m going to be part of, that’s all.”
Kory leaned into my hand and kissed it. Ugh…
“Okay. But promise me that you won’t freak out, kay?”
“You have my word.”
He pulled my hand down from his lips and led us from the room, back into the corridor. This time, we veered to the right. A few paces down, he stopped and turned toward a metal door. It seemed out of place, since the rest of the doors in the place had been made out of wood.
Seeming like he came out of nowhere, Kalepe was suddenly standing behind us. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. Did he run here?
“Didn’t want you going in alone, just in case,” Kalepe explained quickly, swiping his forehead with a handkerchief.
Not noticing any pockets in his lavalava, I wondered where the cloth had even come from. When he tucked one edge of it in at the side of his clothes, my question was answered. Seeing how tight Kalepe’s muscles were at the moment, the danger of the situation weighed down on me. Twenty bugs were on the other side of this door. Maybe I will be seeing Kalepe in his Defender form after all.
“Thanks, Kalepe, but I’m sure we will be just fine.” Kory proceeded to pull a key from his pocket. With a few twists, he unlocked the door.
He pushed it open, and I sucked in my breath. Here goes nothing.
Even expecting to see a barrier between the Defenders and us, I was still shocked at the cell-like cages before me, two rows of ten, with a narrow walkway between them. Within the barred-up up cages, monstrous, brown, winged bodies lay sprawled out. Most appeared to be asleep or resting. Some gazed about with boredom. One look at their oversized heads and bulging, black eyes caused adrenaline to tingle through me. It was unearthly quiet.
Kalepe wasted no time and stepped further into the room, between the cages. The Defenders stared back at him with little interest. Kory pulled me in as well, licking his lips and fidgeting with my fingers. For all his show of bravado, the way his eyes darted to the cages and back at me, I could tell he wasn’t as comfortable in this room as his comrade was.
I squared my shoulders, telling myself there was nothing to be scared of. They were all in cages after all. I’d passed the first few when Defender heads began popping up. Necks turned my way. One by one, their nasty black eyes honed in on me.
I gulped back the panic. It was like seeing twenty Jaxon’s, only bigger, blacker, and with even more fanged teeth. Almost in unison, heads reared back and a fever-pitched roar ripped through the room. Instantly, the Defenders were on their feet, grasping through the bars with clawed hands, all trying to reach me.
Kory jumped back immediately, pulling me back with him, cursing as we went.
Kalepe doubled back too, muttering, “Wow, wonder what’s got them all fired up today?”
I had a hunch I knew what it was. Sensing the bugs’ lust for me, I didn’t protest as Kory led us out of the room and back into the corridor. I hadn’t realized how badly I was shaking until he wrapped his arms around me. I caught the funny look he tried to hide when I met his gaze.
“I’m sorry, Jocelyn. They don’t usually act like that.”
I wanted to say, Wanna bet? Instead, I said, “I’m fine. It was just a little freaky, that’s all.”
“It was freaky,” Kalepe confirmed as he joined us. “They are settling down now, sir.”
Kory nodded back. “Good. We’re going to my hut to rest before tonight’s activities.”
“Good idea, sir. I will stay here and make sure they all calm down.” Kalepe rubbed the back of his neck. “It will be good when this is all over. Nice to have my friends back again.”
I stared at him, realizing how true his statement was. Those weren’t just monsters to Kalepe. Just like Blake with Jaxon, Kalepe was anxious for his friends to overcome the beast within them.
Kory cleared his throat. “I hear you there, Kalepe. But thanks to Jocelyn here, we are that much closer to the end.”
Thanks to Sammy, you mean. Now, I just need to figure out what the heck she did.