“Dustee!” Someone shouted close beside me as their arms shook me from my nightmare.
I opened my brown eyes and jumped out of my bed, lunging for my daggers in record time and whirling towards the unknown threat. My Master would have been proud of me for reacting, but I didn’t think he’d approve of me using my skills against allies. When I realized who it was, I dropped weapons and fell to my knees, clutching my heart as I gasped for breath.
“Dust? Are you okay?” Aggie asked as she knelt beside me warily. She was not only my partner, but my best friend along with Daniel, or Danny to his friends, and Steven. They were across the hall from us in our small apartment, and I knew that they probably heard my screams, since I usually scream in my nightmares, and would be on their way soon.
I swallowed again and tried to soothe my ragged breathing with one deep lungful of air. It helped some though I was still panting slightly, but it’ll have to do though because I could hear Danny and Steven’s door open. I met Aggie’s green eyes with my own and with her help I got to my bed with only a little stiffness from pulling a muscle in my leg, which is why you stretch before you make maneuvers like I just did moments earlier. Her caramel colored hair was coming out of her messy bun, falling in her freckly face carelessly. She moved some curly strands out of her eyes impatiently and rubbed my back as the boys came bustling in.
If I hadn’t just woken up from a nightmare I would have found some amusement in their appearance. Danny’s usual neat honeysuckled hair was in messy tuffs, sticking out from his head like someone had rubbed a balloon against it. His mouth had a little drool on it from his slumber and he only wore his Mickey Mouse boxers that I always teased him about ever since we first met. Unlike Danny, who only wore boxers to bed so he could show off his six-pack, Steven wore a shirt to bed and he claimed that he got cold at night, which is why Aggie and I always keep the thermostat below seventy degrees as much as possible. Steven’s tousled black hair stuck to his face from his sweating and he had a red spot from where his arm pressed too hard to his cheek while he slept.
Danny watched me through calm and non-groggy cobalt eyes that glittered at me like twinkling little stars in the night sky. When I looked over at the clock to get away from his gaze, the thing said 3:02 A.M. I almost groaned out loud with disgust. I hated waking up so early in the morning and both Danny and Steven hate it when I complain about it, too.
It’s only bed two months since the attack, and I’m still having the nightmares. I barely went alone at night in the woods to patrol, and what’s worse, is that every time I go, my heart pounds and I break out in a cold sweat. Steven said that it just means I won’t make the same mistakes as before, but I think it’s just because my scarred body is remembering what happened to it here. Aggie hated seeing me so caught up in my memories that she made Daniel come with me now. I didn’t really blame her, I mean, I’d hate to see someone literally shaking with their fear and see the panic in their eyes for a whole three hours, too. ‘Sides, Danny keeps me calm anyway what with his abilities, plus he makes me feel safer. Knowing that I had a strong and capable of killing man beside me helped me get over the panic attacks that were always close to the surface.
“It was the same dream again, wasn’t it?” Danny asked, regaining my full attention from my thoughts and musings. When he saw me nod glumly, he sighed and gestured for Aggie and Steven to head for the hallway. Without another word the two left, Steven putting a comforting arm over Aggie’s shoulders as he shut the door behind them. When the sound of the florescent light to the kitchen buzzed on, Danny sat down beside me, throwing an arm around my waist, and spoke soothingly to me, his voice buzzing against my ear. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“How can I talk…about what happened? Dan, I’m scared to death of going outside. I mean, look what it did to me. Every time I look in the stupid mirror it’s like I’m reliving the whole damn thing again. Maybe I should quit the Order and take a few years off, don’t you think?” I leaned my head on his shoulder, squeezing my eyes shut to keep the tears at bay. I hated crying and it seems that I’ve been doing more lately ever since after…after the attack. I know it’s only been a few months, but I hadn’t expected the panic attacks or the nightmares to come over me. I needed to be strong for my team, not some little baby that needed all the attention.
Danny stiffened at my declaration and grabbed my chin gently between his thumb and forefinger so he could look into my face. He waited patiently for me to open my eyes and once I did this, he murmured to me. “That’s not you to quit on anything, Dust. Don’t let that stupid dog get the last laugh, you’re stronger than that. I know it and you know it.” He paused for a moment, as if thinking over something he was about to say. I waited for him to recollect his thoughts and absently fixed his messy hair. “Dustee, why don’t you try to talk about it to someone. It should help with the healing process, and I know you don’t want to, but I think you should try. Okay?”
“Okay,” I mumbled into his shoulder tiredly. I didn’t know why, but I could hardly keep my eyes open an longer. I intertwined my arm into his and relaxed against him, enjoying the safety and warmth he brought with him.
He ran his fingers through my long bronze ringlets and I fell asleep listening to him hum to me.
* * * * *
When I woke up again, it was light outside and to my dismay, pass lunch time. My stomach growled at me that it wanted to eat and I hastily got out of bed to grab some clothes for my quick shower. I can’t believe they let me sleep that long! This is why I hate to be babied. You have one bad panic attack every night, or early morning in my case, and they start to baby you.
I sighed and headed towards the bathroom, ignoring the mirror as much as I could as I set my clothes down. I stripped and turned on the shower, hissing in slight pain as the hotter than normal water slapped my skin. My taunt muscles relax and I leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths as I let the shower’s steams soothe me.
I almost forgot that I was irritated when the guys that I stayed in the shower longer than I planned. I peeked out from behind the shower curtains and gave an annoyed glower at the towel hanging too far away from the shower. Who hangs a towel across the freaking shower? I stretched my scarred hand out towards it, my magic coursing through me as I curled my fingers towards me. The towel came to me like it had legs and rested on my hand, and with a smile of triumph, I dried off.
I stepped out of the shower and reached for my clothes, but this time I looked in the mirror.
The scars on my face glittered with that same intensity whenever light hit it right, making my face glow. Humans and any other creature of the Moon could see them and I’m pretty sure they could even trace the scars with their fingers if they wished, or if I allowed it. The most scrutinized scar on my face was the one of my right eye. The mark looked exactly like the moon’s waning crescent and covered most of my features. Yes, I think it’s a little weird that the mark resembles the moon and I was attacked by a crazed werewolf, blah blah blah. Well, to become a werewolf that person must have the submissive gene that most decedents of werewolves have, but I don’t and my magic protects me from such things anyway. Besides I turn into something different and that protects me as well.
My body had slashes and tears that almost covered my tanned skin, but Steven had reassured me that my skin will get more color after a while. He was right and he usually is, but I had my reasons to doubt it. The one jagged indentation is the one on the middle of my back, which is a jagged zigzagging line that ends just at my hips. It was the same exact line that was on my left hand, a birthmark that is almost gone because of the damage.
My wet hair dripped on my shoulders and I grabbed my large shirt to put on. I turned my back and took a deep breath to calm my breathing as I dressed. I headed back to my room to brush out my hair and wondered whether I wanted to blow dry it or not.
I was still deciding when Aggie came in the room, still wearing her green tank top and boy shorts. She came up from behind and grabbed the blow drier and made my decision for me. She always enjoyed playing with my hair because hers was just a hassle and she was getting it cut soon anyway. The only reason why I keep my hair long—and it’s down to my waist now—is so she can play with it. It seemed to relax both her and me, but I simply enjoyed having her hands running through my hair, so gentle and soothing that I purr sometimes.
“Dustee, I know you didn’t want to sleeping this late, but I was kept sleeping until almost lunch, too. I just ate and I heard the shower going so I knew you were up and running.” Aggie grabbed the hair brush to hold it against the drier’s heat so they would dry faster. She spoke louder then she usually does because of the blow drier’s constant wail. I usually let her blow dry my hair because my sensitive ears just can’t handle it and I hate things that make loud noises.
“What’s for lunch?” I asked, turning my head away from her before she could ask me to.
“Pancakes,” she answered and went back to her work. If she wasn’t an agent for the Order then she’d be a great hairdresser.
I smiled. The boys either stayed up or got up early—if you call almost noon ‘early’—and fixed what they only know how to fix: pancakes, eggs, and bacon. Aggie and I mainly did all of the cooking while they did the dishes and whatnot. I never understood why or how they can make the best pancakes and eggs, but not anything else. Whenever Aggie or I tried to make pancakes and eggs, they wouldn’t taste as good as the guys’. I think it might have been because they make it so often that it’s always perfect.
“Yo, Dust!” Steven shouted from the kitchen before there was a loud crashing sound of a plate being broken.
Both Aggie and I sighed, rolling our eyes at the same time. Boys and their constant wrestling, I thought. I pushed back from the stool I was sitting on and left Aggie to take her shower in peace while I calmed the boys down. When I walked into the kitchen, the walls were splatter in either syrup or pancakes and the two were wrestling in the middle of the floor, shoving each other into isle hard enough to break rib cages. I jumped into the fray and shoved the two apart, Danny slamming into the sink and Steven making a new acquaintance with the cabinets.
I glowered at them both then looked sadly at the wasted food that would not meet my stomach. I sighed, “Did ya’ll have to wrestle in the kitchen? I mean, ya’ll don’t wake me up until after lunch. If the two of you keep wasting food and breaking plates, I’m going to throw you out of here so fast, your heads will still be spinning by next year! Now, clean it up.”
I salvaged what I could from the fridge and sat on the couch, watching them through narrowed eyes as they cleaned up. For two almost-adults who’ve seen a lot of dead bodies and killing, they sure act like goofballs. I’m surprised they haven’t killed one another yet since all they do is either train or wrestle. I finished my orange juice and leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes as my stomach gave a happy gurgle. I heard the shower go off and I tilted my head towards the sound of Aggie getting dress before getting bored with the sound.
“Hey, Dustee…” Steven said in a mischievous tone that had my eyes snapping open just as they poured ice cold water in my face.
I sputtered and blinked the water out of my eyes. I tackled Steven with enough force to throw us into the opposite room. He grunted as he hit floor and shoved me off of him. I heard the scuffing of Danny’s socks hitting the carpet and dodged at the last second. He landed on Steven and together they slid across the carpet and into the wall. Steven was going to have one heck of rug burn until Aggie or I healed it.
“No fair!” Daniel cried as he backed off of Steven and helped him up while he was at it. “No using your cat senses!”
I grinned at him, showing my teeth playfully, “Well, maybe next time you’ll let me rest in peace while I can.”
Danny opened to retort, but Aggie came in and with a gasp at my wet state she ushered me away from the boys, snapping at them to clean up their mess. I giggled as both Danny and Steven protested, but we all knew that you just don’t say no to Aggie because she always gets her way, and I don’t mean that in ‘she’s spoiled brat’ way either. You just don’t argue with her because A) she can read your mind and tell you off and B) she make you have the worse disease ever. Aggie is what you call a Healer, a person who can either take the imperfections away or give it. Humans get this confused with ‘witches’, but Aggie’s not a witch, just like I’m not a werecat, but a shapeshifter. I can’t infect someone else with a bite or by almost killing them, that’s the werewolves. I would know this because both Daniel and Steven are werewolves, and I know what you’re probably thinking. How can you feel safe around werewolves when one attacked you? Well, they saved me for one thing and stayed by my side like glue until I opened my eyes to meet theirs—hell, even Aggie stayed beside no matter how much our superiors ordered them to get some rest. I loved them all the more because they refused to enjoy being alive and well while I was fighting to stay alive.
“I spent almost an hour trying to get your hair to get the way I want it,” Aggie complained to me. I laughed at her face and sat on the stool while she got out her tools to fix my hair again. I wished she would let me change out of these clothes, but it’ll have to do until she’s finish.
She grumbled to herself and I hummed to myself to pass the time, ignoring the jokes the guys knew I could hear in the kitchen.
Yeah, just a normal regular day for the four us, but then again, maybe I should have said ‘abnormal’ because none of us are human.

“I cannot believe the two of you broke three plates! They don’t grow on trees, you know? Since the two of you broke them, you get to go buy some new ones,” Aggie snapped at them again, as they mumbled apologies and shuffled towards the door.
I called after them from my position on the couch in the large living room where I watched TV, or well I was acting like my attention was to the TV but I was really enjoying the two great agents getting their pride handed to them by a girl. “Hey, guys, could ya’ll go pick up some take out from somewhere? I’ll pay you back!”
I heard Steven mumble ‘yes’ and I turned to the TV again, watching Saturday cartoons. When the door clicked shut, I busted out laughing as Aggie came to sit beside me. She giggled as she turned to the TV, enjoying that stand-off as much as I did, though I wouldn’t necessarily call it a ‘stand-off’ because neither Danny nor Steven argued back, they just took it like the crazy guys they are.
“I bet you they get Chinese because they know how much I hate Chinese food.” I watched as Tom tried to scale up a rail to catch Jerry with a grin on my face. I stretched out my legs and let them rest on Aggie’s lap gently, a silent request.
“Yup, they’ll probably do that and let you starve again.” She agreed, moving her hands so I could put them more firmly on her thighs. I sighed in content, enjoying the fact that I could still enjoy my friends’ acting up and Aggie getting on their case about it.
Aggie knew that by propping my legs on her lap, allowing her to touch me at all for that matter, was a sign of trust and most shapeshifters and werewolves are very paranoid when it comes to others of the Moon and humans. For example, if I were to be alone in a house with a person I didn’t know that well then I wouldn’t let that person behind me or touch me until I knew he/she wouldn’t hurt me. When Aggie, the guys, and I first met, we were all wary of each other, not letting one person too close or behind our backs. Healers aren’t as paranoid as us, but they will be very tentative when meeting someone new. Aggie and I became great friends because I was interested in her kind and she in mine; the guys were very cautious of me, having heard the many rumors of my abnormal powers and abilities. I enjoyed their caution, but knew I had to trust them and they me, but it didn’t mean I couldn’t find some amusement while I waited for them to find their courage.
Danny was the first to finally talk to me and I later found that the two had made a bet on who would be the first to cave in and talk to me. Steven, having won the bet and now had in his possession of forty bucks, came and joked around with Aggie and me the next day. Instead of being outraged I laughed at them so hard that my sides were stiff for the next two days. To this day, I’m still known as ‘Tomato Face’ because when I laugh as hard as I did that day, my face turned the same exact shade of a tomato. I haven’t let that one down, and probably wouldn’t, no matter how hard I tried.
The sound of my phone ringing had me snap out of my thoughts. I sighed as I recognized Danny’s ringtone and got up from my position on the couch with a stifled groan. I grabbed my phone off the isle and answered it in a slightly irked tone. “What’s up, Dan?”
I heard him curse something in a ragged breath and the sound of someone screaming sent chills down my spine. I blanched and my eyes widened as I waited anxiously for him to answer, making an exaggerated gesture for Aggie to come here. By the time Danny answered me, Aggie was already by me, a look of alarm on her face as she watched my phone with panicked eyes. “Dust, get Aggie and come downstairs… And bring your damn daggers and the first aid kit.”
He hung up with a grunt, but we both heard the sound of Steven’s labored panting.
I shoved my cell into my back pocket and rushed to my room, grabbing both of my daggers and tied their belt around my waist, and shoved my bare feet in a pair of running shoes. I hastily put my copper colored hair in a messy ponytail that held back all of my hair in a high side ponytail. The end of my hair stopped at the middle of my back when I kept it like that and it was handhold for an enemy to grab which is why I usually keep in a tight bun, but I was in a rush and didn’t really care. I heard the cabinets open and slam shut in the bathroom as Aggie grabbed what she needed for the guys’ injuries. In an afterthought, I grabbed Aggie’s sword and held it out to her when we met in the hallway. She hastily put the strap over one narrow shoulder and together we rushed outside in record time.
Aggie headed towards the elevator, but I grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the stairs in a hard pull that had her almost tripping over her feet. I threw her over my back—shapeshifters are very strong and fast—impatient at the pace we were going. She had the decency to be quiet at my sudden movement and I let my assassin instincts kick in as I rushed quickly and quietly down the flight of stairs. Damn the fifth floor, I thought with frustration.
When we finally arrived at the exit of the apartment, I set Aggie on the ground quietly and motioned for her to stay silent with a finger to my lips as I withdrew my daggers from their sheaths. I stretched out my sense of hearing and smell as far as they could go. I heard the labored breathing of two males, the sound of their hearts pounding against their ribcages as adrenaline was pumping into their system. The sound of a collapsed lung almost sent me through the door with a mighty crash if I hadn’t forced myself to remain as still as possible. I couldn’t just trust my sense of hearing, but I couldn’t use my sense of sight until I opened the door, and I wanted to make sure there was no one waiting on the other side of it. I took a deep breath of dusty air and closed my eyes as I sorted out the many scents.
I could smell Aggie’s sweet floral smell with an over bitter scent of her fear as it tinged the air. The smell of mold and sweat had my sensitive nose wrinkling up in disgust, but I continued on with my observings. I could smell both Daniel’s and Steven’s pain and recent rage that only could be brought out of them by rogues. I swallowed back my growl and double checked to make sure it was just them. I could smell the rotting bodies that vampires only brought with them when they were dead. I didn’t smell something spicy or fruity, but I couldn’t just rely on the normal smells of a vamp. They usually smell like spices or some kind fruit, but the unusual ones can smell like their favorite pass time like working in a garden or salt from a pool or ocean, for example.
I turned back to Aggie and gestured her to hide behind the stairwell just in case. She and I both knew that she was a good fighter, but we needed her to be at her strongest so she could heal the others. She nodded grimly and hid while I cautiously pulled the door open as quietly as I could, praying that it wouldn’t squeak. It didn’t, and I almost sighed in relief when a rogue vampire lunged for my jugular.
I dropped to the ground and propelled myself upward, towards his vulnerable stomach with a hard shove of my powerful thighs. By the time he realized what I was doing it was already too late and I stabbed him through his heart. My dagger glowed a bright blue-yellow as it met the his heart. The bloodsucker screeched as we slammed into the concrete, just a few feet away from Danny’s motionless body, his cell phone a few inches away from his bloody fingers. With my other blade I removed the vampire’s head from his body, ignoring the sick wet sound it made as I cut through skin and bone.
I scanned the area quickly for Steven and found him propped up against the stone wall, his face bruised and pale as he tried to keep himself breathing. His Skillet shirt was covered in his and the rogues’ blood, along with his jeans and shoes. I ignored the bile that threatened to overcome my mouth and scanned the area for another threat, and when I found none I whistled a low note to Aggie who returned with a high pitch one. The low note meant ‘the close’s clear’ and the high note was a ‘got it’ that we came up with a few years back.
I went to Danny to check him out while Aggie rushed over to Steven, her hands anxiously touching his chest here and there. I kept an eye out for any more intruders and touched Danny’s neck for his pulse. I breathed my sigh of relief when Daniel’s hand shot out and grabbed me by the hollow of my neck. I coughed and sputtered for a second before screeching at him in outrage, “You big idiot, it’s me!”
He blinked at me for a few minutes before letting me loose. I coughed for a couple of seconds and glared at him, shoving him back down so I could take care of his wounds. He resisted at first, but when I reached out to touch his forehead he immediately scuttled back until he was leaning against the concrete wall. That’s what I thought, big boy, I thought triumphantly as he closed his brilliant blue eyes and swallowed hard as I poked and prodded. When he checked alright in his vital areas, I touched his scrapes and gashes with a glowing hand. Aggie’s not the only one that can heal, but even so, I’m not as good as a Healer.
“What happened?” I asked as I sealed another cut on his cheek.
“I don’t really know,” he answered, opening his eyes to meet mine. “One minute we were coming back from the store and the next they popped up and attacked us. They ganged up on me and I couldn’t help Steven when he got in a jam, but I tried…That damn bloodsucker jabbed him hard in the side and I heard his rib snap. I only had a couple more left to deal with when I called you.” Daniel looked over at Steven, his eyes darkening as he frowned. I touched his face with a gentle hand, silent but commanding for him to look at me. An injured wolf is a dangerous wolf and the last thing we needed was for him to go on a rampage. He turned his face to me, his eyes a brilliant icy white that told me his wolf was at the fore. I dropped my eyes submissively and Daniel threw a hand over his face, continuing his tale in a bare whisper. “I finished off the last one when I heard Steven cry out, but when I turned to look for the leech that attacked him, I was picked up and thrown into the ground like a rag doll. I could barely hear the whispering of your quiet steps, and I figured he heard them too because he disappeared. When you came out that door I tried to shout, but I couldn’t seem to find the strength, but I needn’t have worried though. You saw him coming and reacted just like I thought you would.”
He grinned at me through calm eyes and I shook my head in mock disappointment. Turning to take a look at Steven and Aggie, I shifted Danny on my shoulder so he wouldn’t bare all of his weight on his own, but knowing him he probably take his full weight and act like I needed the help. Another thing about werewolves, they don’t like to show weakness to a potential threat, but the only other threat here, besides another injured werewolf, are the human authorities and more rogue vampires that could be on the way if we didn’t move it.
With that scary thought in my head, I called to Aggie in a slightly panicked voice, “We need to call the Order and get out of here. There could be more on the way.”
Danny stiffened as the last sentence rolled off my tongue. I dragged him up with me, ignoring the strain of my tired muscles, and hauled us towards the back door. I heard the shuffling of Aggie’s footsteps close behind us as we headed up the stairs.
This might take awhile, I thought with a groan.
* * * * *
Once we sat the boys down on the couch and gave them some raw steak to maw on, I cursed the flight of stairs to the heavens. Both Aggie and I were covered in sweat and stuck like a freakin’ skunk sprayed us. Not only was this really nasty, but also very bad because any supernatural could easily track us with our scents. Aggie giggled at me as I ranted and paced the length of the living room, both of the boys watching me absently as they ate. I could hear her feet head towards our bedroom as she began to pack what we needed for the new safe house. I tried to rein in my temper so I could call headquarters, but I couldn’t stop thinking of Steven and Danny laying lifeless on the ground. The thought of my best friends dead scared me shitless. My skin itched with the need to Shift and if I didn’t calm down, I was going to change into a big cat and we didn’t need a animal to handle this. They needed me to figure out what the hell to do since I was next in command.
If I wasn’t still healing from the attack then I would be excited and eager, but now I’m nervous and anxious. Worst of all, I’m both panicking and scared because we could all die if I made a screwed up choice. I swallowed and took a deep lungful of air, digging out my phone from my back pocket in the process. I dialed the number I’ve come to know by heart and waited as it rang once…twice…three times…
A gentle purring voice answered the phone after the fourth ring and I sighed in relief as I recognized it, “Hello, Little Cat.”
Lady Vestry, a shapeshifting lioness, is one of the people who helped me recover and learn to function regular body parts. She and Lord Gregory, my Master, helped take care of me while the others went on missions—whenever I insisted on them to go which wasn’t that much. They practically raised me as one of their own and I learned a lot more about the Order and it’s kinks and links. I even called Lady Vestry and Lord Gregory when I needed advice or someone to talk to besides my team.
“Good evening, Lady Vestry, I’m very sorry for interrupting your meeting, but it’s quite urgent here.” Rule number one when talking to a leader of the Order, always address Them either as Lord or Lady unless they give you permission to call them by their Legendary Names. “My squad has just been ambushed by a squadron of rogue vampires, and I’m afraid that they may find us soon if we don’t leave.” Also speak very calmly and very respectfully to them, do not sneer or snap or sound impatient, or accept the consequences.
“We hadn’t realized that they would find you so quickly, Little Cat. How many of your squad were injured?” She asked, speaking in plural form as if she was the Council of the Order, not just a part of it.
“Only Daniel and Steven, Lady Vestry, but their injuries will take time to heal, even if Agatha helps speed up the process. I have a bad feeling that the rogues will overwhelm us if we remain in town much longer.” After a second of thought, I added, “They could have Trackers with them.”
Trackers are half-werewolf and half-human, who have a better sense of smell than any supernatural. They are strong and fast with the ability to Shift slightly into their wolf halves. Though, when they Shift they basically look like a slightly larger, very hairy with claws instead of hands and an elongated jawed man. They have red eyes that can scare a man to death and yellow teeth that ooze with their saliva. Most half-breeds join the Order to become agents while others join the Shadow’s Society.
The Shadow’s Society is the complete opposite of the Order. They are the darkest of the shadows that roam the night under Mother Moon’s light. The Society consists mainly of vampires, Trackers, witches, and bruins. They use the darkest of magic and do not care for life or the consequences of their magic. The Society is well known for their outburst for killing the humans or making them like us.
“How long until you think the Trackers will find you?” Lady Vestry snapped something in Italian to someone, and I couldn’t translate it for my own life. She even sounded a little impatient which is a first because it takes a hell of a lot to make her snappy.
“If I can erase our scents from the room we’re at, and get us movin’ then I’d say for a few days, but I don’t feel comfortable staying in a town that long with two of my squad down.”
Silence.
I waited patiently for Lady Vestry to collect her thoughts, ignoring the sounds of deliberating leaders. I turned to look at Danny and Steven, watching them fall into a cat nap that probably wouldn’t last long from Danny’s constant leg twitch and Steven’s taunt shoulders. I heard Aggie come bustling in the room and come to their sides, tapping them both once on the shoulder. With a start they jumped to their feet, but to fall back down from their still weak bodies. I stifled a giggle at their frustrated faces and jumped out of my skin when Lady Vestry finally answered in a harsh tone that she only used when she was very pissed off. And it’s hard to make Lady Vestry mad enough to voice it to a lower member of the Order.
“Little Cat, we’ve sent someone to meet you at your new safe house. I suggest you leave that apartment ASAP and call us when you reach these coordinates, understood?” She gave the directions to our new house, and I hastily grabbed the pen on the coffee table and scribbled it down. I repeated it back to her and when she was satisfied, she ordered, “Memorize it and burn it, Dustee.”
She hung up.
“Okay, guys, you ready to go on a hike?” I asked them with suppressed excitement and fear.

“Hey, Dustee,” Steven called from behind Danny and me.
I shifted my grip on him and continued forward, ignoring my pains and the fear as I quietly, or atleast I hoped quietly, had a panic attack.
We had to trudge through the forest to get to the small but large cottage to avoid the rogues. Both Aggie and I were tired and stiff from holding up two thick, two-hundred pounds of pure werewolf muscle. Aggie seemed to have given them something to keep them calm before we left the apartment because they were quiet yet alert. I could still feel their beasts rising to the surface with each step, but atleast they wouldn’t Shift into their wolf halves and give us more problems. Thank God, I thought, that it’s not close to a full moon.
Before leaving the apartment, I was able to confuse our scents so the Trackers would have problems finding us for awhile until we had back-up or, better yet, left this town altogether. I was worn out from that—confusing scents of an entire apartment is hard work and takes up a lot of magic—and we still had a little ways to go before we made it to the cottage. Plus, I had to deal with Steven’s constant whining, my constant rise of panic, and still had to half drag Danny there. We had no lights and even if I’m the fastest of us I wouldn’t be able to go for my gun without having to somehow get Danny out of my way. I turned my head to check behind us again, not liking Aggie behind me where I couldn’t see her.
“Yes, Steven?” I asked, not even wasting my energy to roll my eyes or share a look with Danny.
“Are we there yet?”
Danny chuckled into my ear while I gritted my teeth in annoyance and tried desperately to keep my voice from sounding snappish as I answered. “Yes, Steven, we’re almost there.”
“But you said that the last time and we still ain’t there!” Steven whined yet again in his poor grammar which I was bound to go insane if he didn’t sound like a Yankee instead of a redneck. It’s like he’s trying to make me mad. I’m from south Mississippi and ever since I told him where I came from he’s been making fun of me and my accent.
“Well, maybe if you’d shut the hell up and let us get farther than twenty feet then we’d make some progress.” I snarled, turning around so he could see my cat through my gaze. “Maybe we should have left you there, Steven, because then I wouldn’t have to listen to your drug induced whining!”
Aggie giggled as I finished my rant, whispering softly into his ear. “She’s just upset and frustrated, Steven. We’ll be there before you can say ‘potato chips’ ten times.”
I growled rudely causing Aggie to giggle again. I was beyond frustrated and panicked that some werewolf will come at me and I won’t be fast enough to stop him. I’ll just be helpless and the others will be killed because I was too slow. They would have to come and rescue me again and I’d be a complete failure. A cat that is scared of its natural home and let’s her teammates baby her instead of standing tall and bearing my own weight. I still remember what that monster did to me, I could feel my skin being sliced and ripped apart as it tried to eat me. It’s like I can feel its’ teeth raking through my stomach—
I wheezed as my throat closed in panic. I had been fighting this one panic attack since we stepped into the forest and I couldn’t hold it back now. I fell to my knees, bringing Danny with me as I coughed and fought the blackness that wanted to push its weight on me. Tears pricked my eyes and fell on my flushed skin. Bile thrust itself upwards to leave my mouth and I moved my head just in time to avoid hitting Danny with it. It came out of my nose, too, and I curled up into a ball, ignoring the fact that I’d get bile on my already stained clothes and getting it in my hair. I squeezed my eyes shut and buried my head into the sanctuary my body provided, not responding the shakes and calling of my own name. I panted and pushed against the blackness, wanting this to end so I could get out of this. So I could get my team to safety.
“Dustee? Hey, it’s okay. You’re safe and nothing is coming to get you. No one is going to hurt you, Dust.” Danny whispered into my ear, his breath brushing my hair away. He grunted as he picked me up, and if I wasn’t in the middle of a panic attack I would have snapped at him for doing something so stupid as this. He was still too weak and yet he was picking me up and carrying me across the forest to the safe house, which was still a good mile away.
I gripped his shirt and opened my eyes to look up into his. I let him see the fear in there, the utter panic, and the frustration that I tried so hard to hide from them. I didn’t want them to worry, yet here I am making them worry over my own welfare. Danny kissed my forehead and continued forward, his strides picking up speed as he ordered Aggie and Steven to pick up the pace.
Then the blackness overwhelmed me.
* * * * *
“They shouldn’t have made her do this so soon,” I heard Danny say in a frustrated voice.
Someone sighed, clearly agitated too. “They must have their reasons, but it doesn’t mean anything. She wasn’t ready for this, we’re lucky Aggie was able to get rid of the vomit so the Trackers couldn’t find us. Should we call them again and tell them we can’t wait for their man?”
“No, we need to be patient. Even if we did leave, Dustee might have another panic attack. I was amazed at how far we got before it overwhelmed her, but that’s still impressive considering the circumstances.”
Aggie’s whispering footsteps echoed across the room, coming somewhere close to my right. Instinct told me to open my eyes and protect myself, but I could tell who it was, and besides Aggie wasn’t the enemy. I relaxed my taunt muscles and let her scent wash over me, her floral smell reminding me of the vast wild flowers of my home. The sweet smelling lilies and daisy flowers that I used to run through when I was younger, back when I never knew anything about the Order or the Shadow’s Society. Back when I didn’t think about killing rogues or people. Back when my Mom and Dad were still alive and only telling me what I needed to know when I was five. Back when my twin Tillie and I played tag in the forest in our other halves. Oh, how those days were so much fun…
“She seems to be coming closer to consciousness, I bet you she can hear us now,” Aggie declared, patting my hand lightly before moving away. Giving me space since the last time she didn’t she almost got a knife in her jugular.
Had it only been a day since I had my nightmare? That we were all joking around, Aggie snapping at the guys for breaking something valuable and me teasing them for having their pride handed to them? Always trying to make me starve by bringing back something I didn’t like and forcing me to eat it? All of us laughing and joking around like a group of regular humans who didn’t need to worry about rogues, the Society, or whether we’d live to see another day? Not having to look over our shoulders or patrol constantly to make sure we were safe? If only we didn’t have to deal with this…this endless war to protect the humans and kill off the Society’s flunkies.
I opened my eyes reluctantly and blinked away the crap out of my eyes. Sighing, I threw my legs off the twin sized bed that they had put me on and stood stretching. I felt my back pop and enjoyed the sensation before turning my head slightly to look at my friends. They looked relieved to see me up and running, not even an ounce of fresh fear coming from me…yet.
“Hey, guys, what’s shakin’?” I asked, walking towards them.
Steven shook his head, his hair falling in his still pale face. He looked like he was trying to hide the grin that was dying to show from the way his lips twitched. Danny watched me warily, as if I was going to go into another panic attack at any second. I rolled my eyes at the thought and punched him playfully in the shoulder, grinning at Aggie. She smiled back, going along with my ‘let’s forget about Dustee’s panic attack’ plan.
“How do you feel?” Danny asked, apparently not getting the idea.
I sighed, flicking my knotted hair out of my face so I could make eye contact. “I’m fine. Really I am it’s just going to take some time for me to get used to it.” I gave them a half-smile now, unsure how far I wanted this to go. I changed the subject, not wanting to go any further than that for now. “Did you guys call the Order?”
“Yeah, they wanted you to call Lady Vestry when you woke up. She said she needed to tell you something about the guy—advice she told us.” Steven handed me his cell and I fumbled a little bit on the touch screen because my hands shook slightly as I came more aware of my surroundings. I took a deep breath and dialed the number I knew by heart again, this time my hands decided they wanted to be more steady. They watched me now, waiting for me to lose my composure again. I flicked my hand impatiently at them, wanting them to believe that I was going to be alright because if they didn’t and I didn’t then how was I going to get better?
By the third ring Lady Vestry answered. Her voice was so calm and soothing that I felt something inside of me relax. I didn’t understand at first what I was hearing, but after my brain started whirring to life to identify the sound I realized that it was a purr. Lady Vestry is a lioness shapeshifter, so of course she would be able to purr just as easily as a domestic cat. I turned away from the others letting the tears I tried to hold back fall as my memories smacked me in the face. I remembered my mother purring to Tillie and me when we were scared, remembering Daddy telling us stories before he tucked us in. Remembering…remembering…
“Dustee?” Lady Vestry asked bringing me back from my thoughts.
I cleared my throat, ignoring the little hitch my breath made as I answered, “The guys told me you wanted to tell me something when I woke up…?”
“Oh, yes, of course.” She sounded flustered, as if she just realized she was purring to me like Mom did.
Focus on the here and now, I told myself sternly. I waited patiently for Lady Vestry to collect her thoughts and I was soon rewarded.
“The man I’ve sent to you is one of the Society who witnessed the killing of your parents,” she told me calmly.
My breath came out in one big loud burst and I felt my heart slam into my chest as images of the night my family was murdered came to the fore. It was like I was reliving their pained filled cries, their grunts as they tried to fight off the Society’s agents, and their bodies hitting the floor with a thump-thump as they became limp and cold. I could remember seeing their glazed over eyes, forever glaring at their murderer with pure hatred. I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth, trying desperately to keep both my fear and temper in check. When I replied, I still sounded a little pissed off, but not too much that I was being disrespectful.
“Why is he helping us? He watched them murder my family, Lady Vestry. I don’t like this.” I glanced towards the others, letting them see my smoldering glare of frustration as I paced the length of the cottage. I glanced at the door every few seconds to see if our little guest was getting closer, but nothing happened. No one came to the door while I talked to Lady Vestry.
She sighed and I could hear the echo of the empty room she was in, but she wasn’t alone in the room completely. The sounds of someone else breathing close beside her made me believe she either had a body guard with her or Lord Gregory was making an appearance. “I knew you were going to say something like that, but he was a spy for Old Hickory himself back when the man fought against the British for New Orleans Port. He told Dominic—the agent I’m sending to you—Dominic to spy on the Society. When your parents had their first born, Dustee, the Society became very interested in this little miracle of a shapeshifter and witch having children together. They believe that if they took the child and raised its powers to be of Darkness then they could dominate us in battle. Dominic was suppose to keep an eye on them, to make sure they weren’t going to try and kidnap William—” My eldest brother who was gone that fateful night on a mission, “—to use whatever gifts he possessed. When nothing happened for years and he was close to graduating the Academy, we relaxed our guard on them. It was a big mistake because when you and Tillie were almost old enough to start in the Academy—both of you showing great promise—they attacked and by the time we heard of it, it was too late. They had already killed your brother Georgie, your older sister Hillary, and your parents, but both you and Tillie were still alive.
“When we arrived to just find you, Little Cat, we knew that they either killed Tillie or took her away to be trained in the Dark Arts.” The memories she brought to me began to make me question why I was the one that was to be saved and not her. Tillie was all sweet and kind, like the blooming wild flowers we used to run in when we played tag. I could almost hear her beautiful laughter as I remembered. “Word had gotten to William that his family had been slaughtered, and he rushed back home, leaving his squad to come and see if his youngest sisters were still alive or dead. When he found you, Little Cat, I distinctively remember him calling you ‘Erisalle’ or was it ‘Eris’?” She paused, waiting for me to answer her question.
I swallowed back sobs, my voice coming out raspy from trying so hard to hold in the sorrow. “‘Eris’. He called me ‘Eris’ because I was chaotic most of the time and Tillie was always calm and quiet. I was the loud one.”
She was silent for a moment, as if thinking over what she had told me, probably wondering why my voice was so rough. I won’t know for sure because the doorknob twisted and turned as someone tried to open the locked wooden door of our safe house. My heart leaped into my throat and I stilled as both panic and fear clawing itself to the front of my emotions.
Damn, damn, damn.
“I’ll call you back,” I murmured quickly before hanging up the phone. I moved toward the window, waving my hand at Steven and Danny to take up positions along the little hallway that Aggie had disappeared into to hide. I swallowed again and breathed in a lungful of air to slow my heart down and to smell the scent coming from outside.
The smell of something spicy with a hint of cinnamon made me stagger back a step. The back of my knee hit the wooden table, making a little noise as my weight moved it against the wooden floor. I winced slightly at the sound, but took a tentative step towards the door, cursing myself for that stupid mistake. The doorknob continued to turn and I could barely hear the grunt of frustration the man made from the other side. It was quite obvious that it was a man on the other side; you don’t see a lot of females in the Society. I peeked through the blinds, barely breathing as I saw a man taller than Steven’s six feet try to pick the lock with a picking lock kit that looked badass.
The moon’s rays glinted off his silver-blonde hair and I noticed that it was long, almost meeting the bottom of his ears. I’m not a big fan of boys having long hair and I told both Steven and Danny that it’s ridiculous to get hair that long. Why would boys want long hair? It makes no sense whatsoever and it makes me wonder if they like looking like a girl from the back…depending on their physique. Anyway, his eyes were bright in the shadows—even with my cat vision it was hard to make out his facial features—they were a brilliant honeysuckled gold that were as bright as the sun when they glinted from the dim lamp on the porch. He was more lean than brawny, but he looked like he could lift up a car as easily as a werewolf could. He wore a jeans jacket with a white button up shirt and khaki cargo pants, and—get this—he wore freaking flip flops. Who the crap wears freaking flip flops when hiking in the woods? I mean, come on. Why would you put flip flops on anyway? They make too much noise when they hit the bottom of your heels, and you’ll get freakin’ sticks and other crap in between your feet and the soles. I hate them with a burning passion which is why I’m more a tennis shoes and combat boots kinda girl.
The sound of the lock clicking made me jump out of my criticism of his clothes and into battle mode. I could hear the guys’ breathing quicken, Aggie’s footsteps moved quietly towards the room and the sound of clacking metal came to my sensitive ears. I saw her briefly before she tossed me my daggers. I caught them and quickly shifted them in my grip, the blades facing behind me rather than in front of me. My Master told me that it was both bad and good. Bad because I would have to shift my grip again on the hilt if I wanted to stab someone and good because I could cut someone deeply easily.
The doorknob turned and I felt my heart beat faster in my chest, my eyes narrowed, and my lips pulled back in a snarl as the man entered. I got the full impact of his gaze now and I felt not only that but that this man was a vampire.
I snapped out of his compulsion and snarled at him, the sound like a tiger’s warning before she struck. He blinked at me as if he was just seeing me for the first time, his eyes widened in shock, and his head tilted slightly in confusion. I looked at him again myself. Now that I thought about it and I could actually see him better, he looked a lot like…
“Dustee?”
That voice… It couldn’t be… He couldn’t be…but how could he be…?
“Alexander?” I gaped, “You’re…you’re supposed to be dead… I saw him stab you… How…?”
He gave me a sad smile, his topaz eyes filled with sorrow as he answered me in a soft tone that he only spoke in when he was truly upset. “I never died, Dust. Don’t you ever use that nose of yours? Your parents taught you how to use it when you were four and yet you still don’t use it. Remember that scent you smelled just before someone grabbed you from behind?” When I nodded, hooking my daggers in my belt loops of my jeans, he continued. “That was me.”
I never thought that my best friend had lied to me, had told me that he’d never leave me, was Dominic, the man who watched my parents die, and probably with a sardonic smile on his beautiful lips.
At that instance, I was mad, so angry that I wanted to get my knives and stab him in the heart myself. My eyes must have showed the rage I was feeling because Alexander—no, Dominic, he didn’t deserve that name anymore—held up his hands in surrender, not wanting my wrath anymore than he wanted the guys’ or Aggie’s. “Dustee, look, calm down, I was under orders to spy on them. I couldn’t stop what was already done, but I couldn’t just let them get you—”
“Why are you here then?” I hated that I had to look up at him, but that wouldn’t back me down. Like I always say, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.
He gave me a small smile, enjoying his height a little too much. “Why do you think I’m here, sweetheart?”
“To watch us die,” I snarled, flashing my teeth at him as the guys came in the room.