“I’ve been looking for you for alongtime, Bowen Thomas.”
Hearing my name from their high-pitched voice was more than a little unnerving. Though I had told my name to the creature in the corner. Hell, most of the animals in Southern California knew my name; I gave it out freely as I introduced myself to new critters.
“Why? What do you want from me?”
The figure shook their head and tsked. “No. Not from you. From him.” Their head angled toward the being still concealed by shadows that seemed to pulse and squirm. When they returned their featureless face toward me, they leaned in closer. I pulled as far back as I could, trying to keep some distance between us. “You… are thekeyto getting what I want.”
My brow furrowed, and I shook my head. I didn’t know what they thought I could do, but whatever it was, I wouldn’t help them.
The figure stood to their full height, towering over me in my seated position. Lifting a hand toward the other being, I saw the shadows tighten like bands, squeezing and constricting. A gurgling, choking sound came from behind the moving wall of darkness, and panic rose in me.
“What are you doing? Stop!” I yelled out.
The figure lowered their hand, and the shadows loosened. I still couldn't see whoever was in the corner, but I could hear him gasping and coughing.Shit. Shit. Shit. I desperately wanted to go to him and check on him, but I couldn’t. Instead, I threw everything I had into reaching for his mind. I didn’t know how to initiate it without a connection already there, but I had to try. Perhaps since I had taken the first step of communication and understanding the language he spoke, it was enough to open that door I needed.
Searching in the dark, tracing the sound of him struggling to breathe, I pushed with my full focus. “Are you okay?”
What I hoped to be comforting brought out a reaction I didn’t expect. The being let out a loud roar, and it sounded like he was thrashing against the shadows that bound him. “Nooo!”
Fuck! I knew it was a strange sensation at first, but I was only trying to help.
“Excellent. We’re already making such great progress.” The satisfaction in the nasally voice made my stomach sour.
I forced myself to ask, “What… what do you mean?”
The figure bent down to look at me, and a shadow gripped my chin, forcing me to look toward the being in the corner. Darkness separated enough to reveal a large creature with his arms held straight out to the sides and a rope of shadows around his neck. His very thick neck. My eyes drifted up to see a wide face. Large, blocky features with a broad… muzzle was the only word that came to mind. His eyes were set deep with pronounced ridges. A thick gold ring hung from his nose, and atop his head were two massive horns.
A bull? No… the features of his face were strikingly bullish, and while the rest of him was still concealed by shadow, the hands and arms that were exposed and held in place were clearly human-like.Minotaur.The word came into my mind, and I tried to conceal a gasp of surprise. He was a minotaur. I didn’t know they were real. But then, until recently, I didn’t know about werewolves, griffins, or dragons either.
The creature thrashed against his inky bindings, and the one around his throat tightened, forcing him to still. He snuffed an angry breath through his large nostrils. The sight of him like that made my heart clench tight.
The figure before me leaned down once more, drawing my attention away from the bound minotaur. “Look at him. He’s a monster. No need to concern yourself so. I just need one little thing from you.”
A monster.The word soured my stomach. According to legends, my Rudy was a monster, too. Except he wasn’t. He was the sweetest, gentlest being I’d ever met, and the wolf side of him that was protective and possessive… fucking incredible. He wasnota monster. The sour feeling turned to anger.
“From where I sit,you’rethe monster.”
The figure stood up and inspected their shadowy fingers nonchalantly. “That may be, but you’ll play your own part if you don’t do what I wish.”
With that, the shadows tightened around the minotaur’s throat, forcing his head back as he struggled to breathe. “Stop! Stop! Stop hurting him!”
The shadows relaxed, and the creature drew a breath. His eyes narrowed and slid between the shadow person and me. I reached out to his mind again, even though he seemed to hate it before, but I wasn’t sure what else to do. “What can I do to help? What do you need?”
“Stay. Out. Of. My. Head!” the minotaur bellowed aloud, shaking his large head back and forth.
Fuck, fuck, fuck. Wrong move. How the hell was I supposed to help if the one thing I could do only angered him?
The shade of a person clapped their hands. “Wonderful. You’ve breached through; now I’ll need you to dig a littledeeper.”
My head snapped upward, trying to make out the features of a featureless face. “What?”
A black hand turned my head again, forcing me to look at the minotaur, who stared at me like I was holding a red cloak and he was ready to charge.
“You see, this…monsteris an ancient being. It is said people would sacrifice seven of their young men and women each year for him to hunt and kill.” The figure turned toward the minotaur, whose muscles in his arms flexed as he tried to fight against the restraints on his hands. “Only you found a way to steal more than their lives, didn’t you?”
The minotaur’s anger subsided for a fraction of a second, showing a mix of regret and dread. It disappeared as quickly as it had appeared, morphing back into anger. I still didn’t understand why that anger was directed at both of us when I was also tied up.
“Secrets. Secrets are a currency far more precious than gold. My shadows collect secrets in the dark and bring them to me. I have amassed such wickedly delicious treasures, and yet… there’s more. This creature…” The figure pointed at the minotaur. “He has remained hidden for many years, but I could sense him. I could feel the vault that he has within him. Centuries of precious gems hidden away. He’s brimming with them, but he’s a stubborn one. This monster has them locked tight, and you, Bowen Thomas, are my key to opening that vault.”
