We arrive at a large, reinforced door, and he puts his hand over a biometric scanner. “One of tomorrow’s jobs is to key you in to all the security around the palace, as well as show you the vault, but for now, I’ll open everything for you.”
A light flashes, and a small beep rings out as the door unlatches, and we step into a huge, circular room with a large domed roof. It’s empty except for a small seating area around one side. The rest of the guests file into the seating area to observe, while Lucas toes off his shoes and gestures for me to do the same.
“Most shoes don’t have the same spells as the fabric,” he warns. “It’s easier if you kick them off so your animal doesn’t get tangled up in them when you shift.”
I do that and put them off to the side out of the way. Before Lucas can go any further, Gracelin approaches, holding out a black velvet bag. “It’s time to remove the charm. Drop it in here,and I’ll give it back when you are done,” she tells me, and Lucas frowns with confusion.
“What does she mean?” His eyes drift to the pendant and cord around my neck, and his eyes widen with surprise.
“Oh, I hadn’t realized you put it back on.”
Gracelin nods. “Yes, I think it’s part of the spell. It encourages you not to notice it. She was wearing it after the first influx of magic again, and nobody put it back on her. It’s why none of you could feel an animal inside her.”
“That is some very powerful magic. Where did you get it?” Lucas doesn’t sound angry, just curious.
“From a friend in the human zone who has an interest in magic.” I don’t give him any details, and he doesn’t push for them.
I remove the pendant and drop it in the bag. There’s a chorus of grunts and shouts of surprise, and when I look up, everyone is once again on their knees with their heads bowed, including the king.
He gapes at me in shock. “I have never felt anything so powerful before in my life.”
I coax my animal to ease up on the dominance, and I see exactly when it pulls back. Everyone is able to get to their feet again.
“I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to help you,” Lucas admits as Bryson approaches us and Gracelin returns to the viewing area, the bag containing my pendant held away from her body.
Bryson eyes me with caution and curiosity, but it doesn’t feel malicious. “Your Majesty, will you allow me to assist the king in coaxing your animal out? I believe it’s going to take more than just him.”
“Please call me Colbie, and of course, any help I can get is much appreciated.”
Lucas shakes his head like he’s trying to clear his mind. “I don’t know if the two of us will be enough. Whatever she is, its dominance and power are off the charts. I’ve never felt anything like her before, and I think I’ve met all the different kinds of shifters over the years.”
“What if all the boys help? Surely when faced with that much dominance, we should be able to force a shift.”
Lucas nods, and Bryson gestures for the rest of the men to join us. “I’m sorry, Colbie, this is going to hurt, but hopefully with all of us, it should be quick. If I do it on my own, it’s only going to draw the shift and pain out.”
I nod my understanding as we all move to the center of the room. Bryson and Lucas take their spots, and Adam and the four night watch males fan out around me.
“Everyone, step back a few steps. Let’s give the girl room,” Mia calls out from her spot, and when I look at her, her eyes are narrowed in concentration, but Evie gives me a thumbs-up and a smile of encouragement.
“You’ve got this, cupcake,” Gretchin shouts, and I raise my eyebrows.
“Cupcake?”
“Meh, you smell like them, so it seems fitting,” she replies, and I chuckle nervously but take a small sniff of myself. I can’t smell anything, but I appreciate her attempt to distract me.
“Okay, on three I need you to command her to shift, but unlike when you’re commanding a regular shifter and you only use a little bit, you need to use as much dominance as you contain. We’re actually lucky most of you are on the higher end of the dominance scale, and unlike when you stop once a shifter starts to change, you have to focus on her through the whole shift. The first time is the hardest. Alright, is everyone ready?” Lucas asks after issuing instructions.
He gets nods and murmurs of assent, and then he counts down. I can’t stop myself from bracing for the pain again, but there’s a throb of reassurance from inside my chest. When Lucas reaches one, there’s a loud, echoing boom as the seven men command me to shift.
I was expecting resistance and pain, but what happens is nothing short of miraculous. My body seems to fold into itself, the sensations gentle, calming, and encouraging. I mostly lose track of what’s happening, the feelings becoming disorienting, and when I blink my eyes open, my perspective of the world has changed. My view is multifaceted, like I’m seeing through multiple pairs of eyes from all sorts of angles, and it takes my mind a little time to sort it all out, but eventually, it all seems to filter in, and my brain processes everything differently. There’s still a sense of myself, but there’s an overriding sense of otherness as well—a more animalistic me. A myriad of scents assaults me, and I try to filter through them, but they are confusing, and it’s tricky. A few of them make my mouth water, like I want to take a big bite out of whoever smells like that. I lick my lips and do a double take.
“Holy fuck.” It’s a whisper, but I have no problem hearing it. I swing around to look at the person. With that action, I finally comprehend I have more than one head. “She’s a fucking hydra.”
I look down and notice I have a huge, serpentine body as large as Hunter’s dragon, but I’m skinnier and don’t have wings. I’m more streamlined, like I’m designed for gliding or swimming, and I have six heads with long necks. I’m a gorgeous blue green color, which I bet camouflages beautifully in the water. I lift a clawed front leg and try to take a step forward, but I misjudge and stumble and go down hard, my body awkward and uncoordinated. I’m unable to slow or stop the descent.
“Shit, watch out!” The men scatter so they are not trampled or squashed by my massive form.
A mournful wail escapes my mouth as I squeeze my eyes shut in the hopes I can pretend I’m dead, feeling embarrassed beyond belief at how uncoordinated I am. Someone approaches me, and when I open my eyes, Brodie stands there with a look of awe on his face, his Caribbean blue eyes shining with his inner animal. He smells so good, like the woods on a hot summer day—pine and cedar, crisp and refreshing, with a hint of warmth like the sun shining through the trees. He strokes a hand over my head.
