Seduced by Lies (8 page)

Which dreams indeed are ambition, for the very
substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream.

— William Shakespeare, Hamlet

BEING IN WOLF
form with my family felt so good, despite the reason Derek, Dean, Tammy and I were scouring the woods tonight. In human form I would have been nervous, but as a wolf, the thrill of the hunt consumed me, setting aside all worries about what would happen if we actually found the lycan we hunted.

We'd found a set of tracks near where Curtis and I had been attacked. They looked like wolf, but larger and longer. We now knew these kinds of tracks to be lycan.

We followed them, sniffing out the trail and only finding a human scent that wasn't distinct in any way. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that I probably wouldn't recognize this scent if I met the person attached to it, despite the fact that I was smelling it right now. It had a forgettable quality to it that I now attributed to magic.

We'd hoped to find a new trail of human prints, something that would lead us to the person turned lycan. To the murderer.

Instead, the tracks stopped near the edge of the woods. They just… disappeared. As if the person or animal had flown away.

Dean whined in disappointment, his big eyes frustrated. Derek nipped at him when Dean didn't turn back toward our base where we'd left our clothes.

Heads down, still sniffing, we made our way back and started to shift back.

I had to admit I wasn't entirely comfortable being nude in front of Dean, and despite the general assumption that all shifters were okay with nudity, I didn't think Derek loved the idea of his brother seeing me naked either.

I hid behind a tree and Dean turned his head as I shifted.

But.

I.

Couldn't.

Shift.

Panic took over as I willed myself back to human, only to remain in wolf form. I howled, scratching at the ground. Derek and the others had already shifted and were dressed. Derek approached me, concern on his human face. "Rose, what's wrong? Why aren't you shifting?"

I whimpered, nudging him with my nose, shaking as I tried to force the change.

I couldn't breathe, couldn't think, as I laid down and stared into the forest.

My shaking increased, and I realized Derek's arms were around me.

Human me, not wolf me.

I'd shifted. Thank the heavens.

Breathing deeply, I pressed myself against him.

"What happened?" he asked.

I didn't want to talk about it now, so I pulled on my clothes. "We'd better get home."

He looked worried, but didn't push it.

As we headed to the car, Derek noticed someone looking at us. His body tensed. "What's he doing?"

I looked to where he pointed. "That's Billy, the brother of one of the victims. He was with us when we were attacked. He saw me shift."

Derek growled low in his throat and stood guard as I got into the car.

As we drove away, Billy watched us with squinted eyes, hands gripping his shotgun.

Despite our day, or maybe because of it, I needed Derek inside of me, needed to feel him close to me. If we could become one body, I think I would do it, just to be closer to him.

After, our bodies gleaming with sweat, our minds’ empty, I nuzzled his chest, running my fingers over his hard muscles and the soft hair that trailed down to his cock.

It twitched, and I smiled. "Ready for round two?"

He kissed me and something stirred deep in my belly, but my mind inexplicably flashed to earlier, when I couldn't shift out of wolf form.

Breaking the mood, I pulled back, just enough to look at him. "Why can't shifters turn into animals other than wolves?"

He paused, and I wondered if he'd brush me off again, but he surprised me by answering. "It was forbidden long ago by our people. There are stories, horrific stories, of people shifting back to human, but parts of their body staying in the animal form they embodied. This never happens with wolf, but any other animal that has been tried, has resulted in failure of some kind. Sometimes a person would shift and be stuck as that animal forever, eventually losing all humanity and turning wild. There's never been anyone in our history who has mastered the act of shifting into anything other than wolf without paying a very high price for it."

His words chilled me to the bone and as he held me, falling asleep, I lay awake thinking about what it felt like to be stuck in wolf form, and what it felt like in my dream, turning into a bear and dying.

Doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love.

— William Shakespeare, Hamlet

A POUNDING WOKE
me. I jerked away, reaching for Rose instinctually. She lay sleeping beside me, but woke quickly at the next wave of knocking.

Her eyes looked swollen from lack of sleep, and I wondered what she dreamed that had her tossing and turning lately. "Who's at the door at this hour?" she asked in her sleepy voice.

I slid out of bed and pulled on jeans. "I'll check."

Drake stood on our porch, his face a mask of grief. "You and Rose should come to the infirmary. Curtis is dying."

When I went back to get Rose, she was already dressed. "I heard. Let's go."

The small room was crowded when we arrived. Father Patrick and Bishop Sarlo were already there, discussing something in hushed tones. Ryder was absent, which was a good thing for him. Paul sat in a chair by Curtis' bed, and I was sure he hadn't left all night.

Sam and Drake arrived. "Sorry it took so long," Sam said. "We had to find someone to watch Ana." She walked over to Curtis. "How are you feeling?"

"At peace," he said, smiling.

Just then, Professor Shaw walked in, still wearing a suit and tie from his trip. "Forgive me for being gone so long. I got back to the country as fast as I could." He gripped Curtis' free hand. "I'm so sorry this has happened to you."

It was good to have him back, though he was looking particularly worn out.

Curtis cleared his throat, and we all fell silent. "Thank you for coming," he said. "I fear I won't last long."

Paul sucked in his breath. "I can't lose you. Not yet. Should we…" he paused. "Should we marry? Father Patrick can perform the ceremony now."

Curtis shook his head. "I love you, but I won't tie you to a dead man. I want you to promise me you'll live a happy, full life, in my memory, and for yourself."

I felt like we were intruding on a private scene, but these were our friends, our extended family and, if Curtis wanted us here, we'd stay.

Before Paul could respond, he was interrupted by shouting coming from outside.

It was 3 a.m. Any loud noise was cause for alarm, plus we had kids in different dorms sleeping.

Ocean, who hadn't been as close to Curtis as we had, stormed into the room. "You guys have to come. There are people outside screaming and, I think they're picketing us. They have signs, poorly written and misspelled signs, saying things like 'dye freaks'—spelled with a y, by the way, and 'mutants are evil.' Some of them look armed."

I pulled away from Rose. "I'll take care of them."

Ocean looked at everyone, and her eyes fell on Curtis. "I can't believe they're doing this now of all times. I can use the water in the lake to drown them."

Ocean was a powerful witch and had control over the water element. She really could drown them if she wanted.

Curtis sat up in bed. "No. Please, don't. The people just don't understand. They're scared. Please, help me up."

I hesitated, once again torn between doing what I thought was right, and doing what was good.

His eyes, sunken into his hollow cheeks, pleaded with me. "Please, help me."

And so I helped him, and with Paul supporting him on the other side, we all walked out into the warm summer night together.

I knew this was a bad idea, but I felt powerless to stop him when this was essentially his dying wish.

A decent-sized group had gathered outside the mansion, led by that creepy meth head, Billy, the guy who'd been watching us in the woods.

We walked in short shuffles toward the gate where the people swarmed, and a piece of rotten fruit hit me in the chest. The bastards were throwing shit at us. I couldn't believe it.

Billy noticed Rose and shouted to the group. "There she is!" He pointed at her. "There's the demon. Her kind killed my sister."

The crowd became one being, roaring and raising its fist in anger.

Curtis raised his hand to call for attention, but his voice was too weak to be heard over the screaming. I lent my voice, but it wasn't enough.

Then Curtis called out, "Am I a monster? Am I a monster?"

The people stopped and listened.

Curtis leaned against me, his body giving out, his skin tinged with red, and yet more pale than before. "We are different, it is true," he said through shallow breaths. "But you have nothing to fear from me or my friends."

"Your kind killed my sister," screamed Billy.

"And your kind killed my father," Curtis said. "He died while out shopping late one night. A robber shot him at a convenience store. Does that make all humans murderers?"

I could see the crowd simmering, unsure about how to take his words. But Billy was still furious. "Your kind is dangerous. You can kill any of us."

This ignited the crowd again as they raised their voices.
Groupthink at its best.

Curtis pulled his hospital gown off his shoulder, exposing his wound. "The monster who killed your sister also attacked me. I will die from its bite. I'm not your enemy."

Nobody listened. "It's a trick," said Billy. "They can't stop all of us. That's why they're hiding behind their fence. The law is on our side."

Curtis turned to me. "Open the gate."

I shook my head. "No, that's insane. They'll kill you."

He chuckled. "I'm already dead, but maybe my last few minutes of life can change the course of our history. Open the gate."

Father Patrick nodded, his eyes sad. Against my better judgment, against everything I believed in, I opened the gate.

And Curtis walked into the mob.

For a moment, it looked like it would work. Around him, the crowd went silent, stunned that he'd given up his protection.

He walked up to Billy. "Do you really want to kill me?"

Billy hesitated, his eyes darting around him like a wild cat. "Your kind needs to be controlled."

"I swear to you," Curtis said, "I have never broken any laws. Do you still think I deserve your fury?"

Billy remained silent, chewing on his lip.

"Here I am," said Curtis. "You can fight me, if you want. But I won't fight back."

Billy raised a stick. The crowd stood ready.

Beside me, Paul reached forward. "Curtis, no!"

"My sister's dead," said Billy, crying. "You deserve this."

"I won't fight you," Curtis said, his face calm and serene even as I was ready to beat Billy to death with his own stick.

And then Billy hit him in the gut.

Curtis collapsed.

I lifted the gate, screaming my rage.

Billy hit him again. And again. Stomach. Kidney. Knees. Arms.

I rushed toward them, pushing through the crowd as it swarmed me, ready to kill Billy and save my friend.

Curtis looked up from the ground, his body broken and bleeding, but his eyes calm. "No. Derek. Don't fight them."

I couldn't take it, couldn't let this happen. Paul screamed at me to save Curtis. Drake joined me, his fists clenched. He may not have had his super strength anymore, but he was still stronger than most of these fools.

Billy hit Curtis one more time, then stepped back, gloating.

Curtis lay on the ground, bloodied, cringing. People watched in horror, their minds splitting from the group as they saw a defenseless man being beaten to death. Some started to walk away.

"Do not fear us," Curtis said, spitting out blood.

"Shut up," Billy screamed, kicking him.

Curtis groaned and looked at the crowd, locking eyes with individuals, forcing them to see his humanity. "Do not fear us. We are not the enemy."

"I said shut up." Billy raised his stick again, but someone caught it.

A big man in flannel glared down at Billy. "Stop this."

Billy looked stunned. "He needs to pay. He's a monster, yo."

"I see only one monster here," the man said, pulling the stick away. "Get lost."

"No." Billy tried to attack Curtis again, but men grabbed him from behind, dragging him away.

"Take him home," said Flannel Man. "And don't you return, Billy. Or I'll call the cops myself, ya hear?"

I watched, stunned, as they pulled Billy away and Flannel Man and his friends picked Curtis up and carried him to us. To me.

We gathered around him. Me, Rose, Drake, Sam, Paul, Father Patrick.

Flannel Man choked back a tear as he laid Curtis on the ground in the center of us. "I'm sorry."

My anger wasn't ready to forgive. "How dare you?"

But Curtis stopped me, putting his hand on my arm. "It's okay. They'll learn. They will learn."

"You should have let me fight them," I said, knowing he was nearing the end and unwilling to face this.

"No." He closed his eyes, breathed a ragged breath, and opened them again. "I thought fighting was the answer once, but no more. No more."

"Don't die," Paul said, openly weeping. "Don't die."

"I am done with this world," Curtis said. "Thank you, for making me feel welcome."

Unbidden tears burned my eyes. "All are welcome here." I yelled toward the crowd, and toward the Bishop with his hateful heart. "All are welcome here. No matter how different. All are welcome at Elysium."

I kneeled again next to Curtis, giving Paul enough room to be by his side in these final moments.

"Elysium," Curtis smiled. "I'm glad to have been here."