Drayden respectfully waited before he, too, changed. All around Weres shifted and soon the area was filled with animals of all kinds.
::Come, my friends. Death to the leader of the traitors!::
Raucous calls answered Isabella's summons. She took the lead and lumbered to the building that held Zina. Once and for all, the matter of who ruled shall be settled. Humming with anticipation, Isabella entered and made it only a few feet when a telepathic scream scraped her mental ears and pulled a snarl from her. The Weres with her voiced their pain. Some lost control of their animal form and returned to human, clutching their heads and screaming in agony.
Who was that? So powerful, was Isabella's last thought before she blacked out.
~***~
Laylah could only stand, rooted to her spot in total panic and disbelief as Donil was injured by Zina. What should she do? He needed help! No one was there to help, except the wolf.
When Zina called the wolf, Stefan, Laylah became wary. Was Stefan going to turn on her? She had to stop this madness. She couldn't take it anymore!
“...I'm going to kill you, Stefan. But first, I need to get rid of this runt of a problem,” Zina giggled and stabbed her claws downward toward the prone Donil. “Yes! Die, Boy!”
“No!” Laylah screamed and felt her other self, the strong girl she dreamed of at night, rise up and, with that surge, came the power. She'd never felt so powerful before, except in her dreams. Laylah was moving, the dagger she had freed herself with still clutched in her hand. She realized that she loved Donil too much to let someone like Zina take his life away.
Stefan's howl of warning did not faze Laylah. She let all her pent up rage and fear fill her and spill out. Zina was like Violet, always seeking to harm others.
::“No!”:: Laylah roared and her perception became altered. Time seemed to slow. ::I'm not going to make it!::
::You will make it. Remember, you can do anything you want. Believe and it will be so.::
Laylah heard the kind voice and felt a tingle of familiarity. Time resumed and, with only seconds to grasp the situation, she flung herself across Donil. Zina's claws sliced into Laylah's back and she screamed as fiery pain blossomed along her nerves.
“Laylah!” Donil panted, too injured to help her, his eyes glazed and unfocused.
“Shh, I'm here,” she whispered, ignoring her hurt back. She was yanked off him and spun around to collide with Zina's fist. Laylah felt blood spray from her nose and this new source of pain made her scream.
“Stupid, prey! How dare you interfere! Now he'll pay dearly for your interruption!” Zina slapped her hard and Laylah's vision swam.
::You know what to do. Always save the thing you love. Fight, Laylah, fight for it!:: the kind voice urged.
“Why don't you die, you evil bitch!” Laylah yelled and blindly lunged forward with the dagger. She gasped at her abrupt release.
Zina's incredulous expression didn't connect with Laylah at first. She was too stunned to do more than stare at her tormentor.
At the same moment, they glanced down. Laylah's hand gripped the hilt of the dagger, the only visible part as the rest was buried in Zina's right side.
Laylah started crying. “I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, but I won't let you hurt him,” she whispered and let go of the dagger. She stepped away from the older woman.
Zina stumbled backward and hissed, “This isn't over, whelp. You can all die together!”
Laylah sank to her knees beside Donil, too emotionally drained to do anything. Her fingers sought his. If she was to die, at least she wasn't alone. She closed her eyes as the room began to shake and the sound of breaking things filled the air.
Chapter 66
Saturday, 4:30 am
During the fight with Donil, Zina had been in full bloodlust. Everything was going well until the prey stabbed her. She couldn't believe that wimpy, pathetic girl had found the courage to defy her. Enraged, Zina gathered her Alpha energy and slammed the telekinetic blast outward, starting a tremor that would bring down the building and kill everyone inside. Zina threw Stefan one last look and left him, Donil and the prey in the room.
In the corridor, Zina paused to pull the dagger out of her side. She flung it away. She would seek revenge. No one bested her. No one!
::Now, now, that was a waste of a good blade.::
Zina flicked her hair over her shoulder and ignored the two wolves at her back that blocked her only avenue of escape. No matter. She would be leaving. She had to start recruiting again. First, she had to take care of this last problem.
Zina snorted. “Oh, give me a break. Henry, isn't it past your bed time? Oh, wait, you only take cats to bed and not a proper wolf. It's why your brat is so weak. Lupine and feline don't mix. Don't worry. I took care of the abomination. She's dying as we speak. Come to me, my true Alpha mate. Let us rule together. Ditch the Council and let's start our own. My looks and strategy coupled with your smarts and money make the possibilities are endless.”
She turned to the wolves who stared impassively at her. “Well?”
::Not today. We have loftier ambitions. You are, however, a thorny issue that I will rectify here and now.:: Henry bared his fangs.
Zina's fists clenched. Henry had rejected her yet again! “Very well, Backstabber. Pick one — quick and merciful or slow and excruciating?”
::How about D, none of the above.::
Zina's gaze flew to the south corner of the hall and she snarled. She shifted to Werehum and charged Isabella with claws swiping at the other female's face. Isabella, in polar bear form, avoided Zina's claws, displaying an agility that Zina was unaccustomed to seeing in bears. She bellowed her rage and prepared to attack again. ::Still sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, Bella?::
Isabella laughed. ::You have more to worry about than my nose.::
Zina heard a whisper of movement and spun to face her new attacker. It was Henry in Werehum form. Even knowing death stalked her heels, Zina had to admire his body ::It didn't have to be this way. We could have been great.::
::Only in your imagination, Zina. Now, dance!::
She let out a ringing roar and charged.
~***~
Jacques stared at the sun. A new day had arrived, yet it brought little joy.
He was stuck on a hill while others went to rescue Laylah. Jacques didn't understand Henry's reasoning, not that his Alpha had bothered to explain. If anything happened to Laylah, Jacques would never forgive himself or his Alpha.
“Jacques, look. There's our Alpha!” Kenneth pointed to the middle building where dozens of Were streamed out and around Henry.
Jacques didn't see Laylah and his heart thumped painfully. “He doesn't have her.” Jacques tensed and made a choice. “Let's go. No more waiting.” He ignored the other Betas' stunned expressions and raced down the hill toward his Alpha. He came to an abrupt stop a foot away from Henry. “Is she alive, my Alpha?”
Henry sighed. “Laylah, Laylah, Laylah! It's all you talk about. Careful, Jacques, that I don't start thinking ill of you. She is fine. So am I, though the she-bitch's blood has stained my fur and skin. Bring Laylah to the mansion. She's grounded until further notice. I need to go change. Oh, and tell Alpha Yon that I shall meet up with him later.”
“Yes, my Alpha.” Jacques bristled at the orders, but remained calm until Henry was gone. He entered the building at a run and sneezed at the heavy coppery smell. He recognized the scent as well as the severed hand on the ground. “Guess Council law prevailed.”
“Jacques? Jacques!”
He turned toward the sound and was nearly bowled over by a sobbing Laylah. She buried herself against his chest, clutching at his shirt and shivering.
“It's over, Laylah. Shh, you're safe.” Over the hysterical teen's head, Jacques saw movement in the shadows.
Stefan stepped a little into the light, his eyes going to Laylah.
::She's hurt, Jacques. Get her back checked out by a doctor. Zina clawed her pretty good.::
r />
Jacques' gaze locked with Stefan's and he nodded. Stefan gave a mock salute and faded back into the darkness.
“Come, Laylah, let's get you home.” Jacques scooped up his precious burden. He kept her head turned so she wouldn't see the pieces of Zina that were strewn about. He made it to the limo and placed an exhausted and slumbering Laylah inside. Disaster had been averted and, now, maybe things could get back to normal.
Chapter 67
Aftermath
Laylah sat on her bed and stared at the wall. Absently, she ran her fingers down the dagger in her lap. She had found it inside her locker at the academy covered in ordinary brown wrapping paper with a small envelope attached. She was still trying to work up the courage to open the envelope. Writing on paper was rare and expensive and she couldn’t think of anyone immediately that would use something like that for her.
Only a month ago, her reality had shattered and changed. Laylah was still trying to cope. No one in the house talked about her kidnapping. If she did mention it, the conversation was redirected to safer topics. Strangest of all was the switch in her father. No longer was he giving her the cold shoulder. He wasn’t overly warm, but he wasn’t constantly demeaning her either.
It still didn’t feel true. Laylah caressed the envelope. Dare she open it? Or was she going to get another nasty surprise?
Curiosity won and she tore the flap in her impatience. Inside was a slip of paper that slid easily into the palm of her hand. She felt her heart race as did her thoughts.
“Here goes,” she muttered and unfolded the letter. Laylah’s hands clenched as she stared at the neatly written words before her.
“Free yourself from your gilded cage.
Seek the truth, little one, before your prison
becomes your grave.”
Her gaze slid to the dagger. She clutched it to her chest, ignoring the bite of the blade into her flesh. Blood dripped from her hand. “Truth will be mine,” she whispered, her eyes filling with tears.
###
Author's Notes
The Founding and Struggles of New Terra
by Laylah Le Croix
In the twenty-first century, the Earth and all its numerous inhabitants, were steadily reaching technological highs that were unheard of decades and centuries past. Within these many nations lived those who were disturbed by such advances. While they welcomed some changes, they feared others.
It was because of this fear that these individuals began to reach out across the Internet and through language barriers to come together. Not all were poor men. Many came from the upper echelons of society. They all shared one ideal--a desire to preserve their heritages. There was, however, another reason some answered this call. They were a group that had lived in secret, blending in with humans. But the Earth was getting too crowded for them and the desire to run free in their natural environments was strong.
And so the Weres approached their human counterparts and a bargain was struck. They pooled their assets and, with the help of covert government agencies, began building a ship to take them to the uncharted reaches of space in search of a home to call their own. Construction began on the ship, Terra Freedom, in the year 2000 on a protected and unexplored island in the Pacific.
Some of the most brilliant minds in the various fields of science and technology worked together to make the venture a success. It was decided to maintain the same level of twenty-first century technology at their new home, but with improvements. Gone would be the gas-emitting vehicles and the need for fossil fuels. Instead alternative methods for powering vehicles and buildings - solar energy, wind-powered turbines and more - were to be used.
In 2030, construction on the ship was moved to space to accommodate its large bulk and keep it safe from protest groups on Earth.
The ship was created with five thousand cold sleep storage units for passengers and crew. It boasted an impressive sixty cargo bays. An advanced A.I. would pilot the ship to the new planet and wake the crew upon arrival. A sample of every known flora and fauna was also stored. Building materials and tools, along with keepsakes from each family, would fill the cargo areas. Only construction vehicles that used solar energy were allowed on-board.
In 2050, the invitation was extended to Weres and humans willing to venture into the unknown regions of space to apply for berth on the ship. Two thousand human families and two thousand Were families were put into cold sleep and launched into space in the year 2060.
Their journey took them to the Triangulum Galaxy. Upon arrival, terraformation of the chosen planet, New Terra, began. The families were awakened and sent to their new home in 2105.
Everything seemed to go well until rising inter-species tensions between humans and Weres led to a planet-wide power struggle for control of the land. The Were-Human Compact of 2110 set aside protected forest areas and habitats for the various Were groups. This was done in an effort to appease the Were community and move the more aggressive Were clans away from the human populace.
Weres, not satisfied with the handout, waged legal battles to get the same rights and representation as their human counterparts, who dominated the upper levels of government. The Weres threatened war and, after three years of intense scrutiny, the Accords of 2130 was reached. Weres and humans had to have equal representation in the legislative and judicial levels and all key government positions had to have at least one Were representative assigned as co-decision maker.
The Accords of 2130, however, were only a temporary solution. Hatred and riots flared and continued to grow in intensity. A breakdown in peace talks between the Were Councils and the human governments led to the call to settle their differences on the battlefield.
In 2150, humans and Weres went to war. Most of the technological advances during this time were few and far between. The fighting was bloody and raged for a decade. It wasn't until a deadly virus was unleashed, decimating humans and Weres alike, that the attitudes of both sides began to change.
Banding together, the two groups caught the culprits and called a cease-fire. A cure was found and dispensed to all those infected. The two populations had lost many to the disease. A peaceful accord was reached and the 2160 Hesen-Anderson Peace Accord was signed into effect. Today, Weres and humans live in relative peace, but there is always the fear that another Human-Were war could erupt.
Author's Notes
Were Society
Within Were society, there are some general terms that describe a Were's status, type and relationship to others.
Clan – Species name (example: Lupine, Feline)
Tribe – Breed name (example: Wolf, lion.)
Family – Ruled by an alpha male, alpha female or alpha pair. Most families are made up of members from the same tribe. Some times families form that have a cross-section of tribes and are ruled by the strongest alpha, no matter the clan.
“Alpha” refers to the leader of a family. “Beta” refers to the second-in-command. Most families have multiple Betas who also double as enforcers. “Omega” refers to the lowest ranked member. They are often scorned by other pack members.
An “enforcer” is a Were member who is used as hired muscle and security. Betas are usually assigned this role as well.
The Were Council is the ruling body for Weres and each territory has one. The Council is made up of 12 to 20 members.
Weres have three forms: human, Werehum, animal. The Werehum form is a combination of the human and animal. In the Werehum form, Weres walk upright on two legs.
An “outcast” is a Were who has been barred from a clan or family. There are very few crimes which warrant this punishment. An that catch an Outcast out in the open can kill them.
A “sanctuary” is a specific area where Outcast Weres can live without threat of death or reprisals.
Lakisha Spletzer loves hearing from readers. She invites you to join her: https://www.kishazworld.com to learn more about her and her stories. She also likes email:
[email protected] *If you would like to the participate in the online writing event known as NaNoWriMo, and you are 13 and up, please visit https://www.nanowrimo.org. If you are younger than 13 and want to join in the writing fun, visit https://ywp.nanowrimo.org
About the Author
Lakisha Spletzer is a single mother of two who lives in Citrus County, in Florida. A native of Coeburn, Virginia, she moved to Florida in 2004 and credits the rise of her creativity to the warmth and sunny days.
Lakisha has an Associate of Art & Sciences from Mountain Empire Community College and a Bachelors of Arts in Communications from the University of Virginia-Wise. She teaches dance at Dance Central in Inverness, Florida and works for H & R Block during tax season.
When she isn't reading books by authors Elissa Malcohn, K.L. Nappier, and other science fiction/fantasy/paranormal authors, Lakisha can be found writing down the adventures rattling around in her head as well as poetry that strikes without warning.
She describes her writing style as a blend of her favorite genres. This is her YA first novel.
Email:
[email protected] Website: https://www.kishazworld.com
About the Illustrator
J. D. Hollyfield is an artist in many mediums including wood, leather, metal, paint, and graphic design. He currently resides in the mountains of southwestern Virginia.
Visit his website at https://www.jdhollyfield.com
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