In answer to my silent question, Garan indicated to the monster’s tail, where a small tuft of brown hair sprouted from the tip. “I thought you’d want to see this.”
Leaning closer, I peered at the outlier’s tail. There was no hair on any other part of the monster, and the silky fibers seemed at odds with the thick leathery skin that covered the rest of the creature’s body. At first, I didn’t understand what Garan was implying, but then my gaze flicked sharply back to him as realization settled in. “It’s from the herd?”
Garan’s expression darkened. “It appears so.”
“Fuck,” I cursed.The city’s livestock was under guard day and night, and yet one of our domesticated animals had been turned into an outlier. The brown hair resembled that of one of our herd of cattle. If our domesticated animals were now turning into outliers, it would severely impact our food supply. Not to mention, we had hundreds of livestock just beyond the city. If they all turned into outliers at once, it would be as though an army of outliers had descended upon us.
“I’ll head over to the farms next,” I said, shoving to my feet. “Maybe someone out there saw something. Thanks for the heads-up.” I didn’t have as much power now that I was no longer a part of the House of Nesarin, but I was still respected enough that the farmers would answer my questions. The citizens of Katakin knew very little about the outliers, and even though the Taratun council and alphas of the high houses knew more, they still chose to ignore the threat. Warrick was the only one studying the outliers in his efforts to try to understand why the curse was changing, and it was the one thing we agreed on. Finding a cure for the curse.
Garan gave me a slow nod that was probably the warmest gesture the gargoyle could manage, and I moved away from the scene before stretching out my wings and launching into the air. I was grateful for the relationship Garan and I had. General to the gargoyles who watched the city from the sky, he was a powerful ally, and had remained so even after I had cut ties with my house.
We weren’t the warmest of friends, but more so, we had a mutual understanding that we would help each other out from time to time. This strange understanding had forged between us when we were surviving our childhoods. When you save another from death enough times, at some point, a bond is formed that transcends time and any socially acceptable confines of even our world. What I had with Garan wasn’t the same as the friendships I had with Kade, Asher, and Darian, but I was thankful for it, nonetheless.
My blood went cold then as I thought of Raine back in the mountain. I’d left her with Kade and the others, so I knew I shouldn’t have worried for her safety, but the protective bond in my chest urged me to go to her. It took all my effort to keep flying toward the edge of the city, rather than to the mountain and where I knew she was.
Two fucking nights.My own words echoed in my ears. That was what I’d given them. My brothers had two nights to get Raine to change into a monster using methods other than fear, and then it would be my turn. But as the eastern edge of the city came into view, the endless buildings giving way to farms boasting fields of green, yellow, and red, I couldn’t help but think about how it wasn’t only Raine who was in danger. If we didn’t figure out why our animals were turning into outliers soon, there was no telling how many nights Katakin had left.
CHAPTER 2
~ Raine ~
Iranthroughtheforest, my breathing ragged as I leaped over fallen logs and dodged past bushes and trees, not caring when the twisted ends of branches scratched my arms and face. The pounding of heavy footsteps sounded behind me, thudding loudly on the forest floor, but I didn’t dare turn my head to try and glimpse my pursuers.
Gasping for breath, I broke through a layer of trees and burst into a clearing. The open space was shrouded in darkness and as indecision went through me, I took a shaky step backward. An animalistic cry pierced the air behind me, and a crashing sounded in the forest, the impact shaking leaves from the trees. It was enough to spur me into action again.
I launched forward, my heart pounding in my chest as panic heightened my senses. On the second step my bare feet slipped on the slick grass, the ground wet as though it had only just rained, but I managed to stay upright and pushed myself forward.
I was halfway across the clearing when a tree fell to the ground behind me, but I didn’t stop. If I stopped, I knew I would die.
I had to keep…
A sweet song filled the air, the sound leaking through the trees ahead of me, and I abruptly halted, my muscles locking up. I frowned, dazed for only a moment before a slow smile spread across my face, all thoughts of monsters and running instantly forgotten.
The music wound around me, sinking into my skin and warming me until my chest felt light and my body loosened. I blinked and Darian was before me, a soft smile curving his lips and an arrogant expression on his face.
Moonlight had broken through the clouds above, and the male was shirtless, the pale skin of his bare chest gleaming under the light. The forest was quiet around us, and the clearing sparkled as if the grass was a sea of silver. Gems hung from the branches of the trees and even the air seemed to glitter.
Music continued to wrap around me, an almost tangible thing that slid through my fingers. The melody called to me, and I began moving toward Darian, my bare feet gliding over the soft grass.
The siren was like a god before me, his regal face watching as I approached, and satisfaction went through me at the idea that he was looking at me and only me. I needed his skin on mine, his body…
I paused midstep and frowned, tilting my head to the side.God?No, I knew this male wasn’t a god. He was a monster. Wasn’t he? I peered at where Darian was before me, but his image shimmered and almost disappeared before solidifying again.No, this isn’t…
Ijoltedawake,myarms and legs flailing in the water. For a moment, I struggled to recall where I was, but then I remembered Kade taking me to the washroom after our training session and me blissfully sinking into the warm water. After Locke’s father, Warrick, had visited the common room hours earlier, Locke had stormed from the room. Kade was tense, and he’d been quick to load us both up with weapons. Leaving Asher and Darian, he’d taken me to a small unoccupied cavern, and we’d trained for hours until blisters had formed on my hands and my legs shook from the strain. But I still didn’t change into a monster.
I wanted to know what it was about Warrick that had Locke and Kade so on edge, but I didn’t ask. I had other problems. Like you know, still being the only human in a land filled with monsters. I’d deal with Locke’s cruel father if it came to it. Until then, I just hoped he’d leave me alone.
Dropping my feet, relief went through me as I found purchase on the cool stone at the bottom of the pool, and I stood, my top half springing out of the water.
Scowling, I glared at the silver-haired male who watched me from the side of the pool with only his fingertips in the water. No sound was coming from him now, but an amused smirk twisted his lips, and I knew what he’d done. His song, his power, had infiltrated my dream. Sure, I’d been having a nightmare, but he still didn’t have any right.
“I could have drowned,” I groused.
“That you could have, Raine lovely. Hasn’t anyone warned you that sleeping in water is not a good idea? Not unless you’re a water monster, that is,” he responded.
For a startling moment, I peered down at my body, frantic that I’d find a tail, or gills, or worse…tentacles. When nothing appeared out of the ordinary, I let out a sigh.Thank the Mother Falia.Now that I realized having monster abilities would help me find my sister, Cara, I wanted to turn, but I was hoping to become something useful like a vampire with wings or a demon with instant healing abilities. Gaining a fishtail wasn’t high on my list. “Still human,” I said more to myself than to him.
Darian’s grin grew wider. “Then you should be thanking me for saving your life. When I found you, your head was almost submerged.”
