Compelled (Shadow Beast Shifters Book 5)

With the drama done, those who hadn’t already started to move, headed into the fenced area to get this part of the selection over with. “Bring your kills back,” Assface shouted as he ushered us inside. “Drop them off so we can count them.”

As I stepped inside, my wolf stirred, rising at the feel of predators around us. There were none visible in the large open space before the first building, but I knew they were out there.

I could feel eyes on me like ants crawling over my skin, and if I’d been wearing my fur, it would be bristling. Nothing weak or prey-like had survived in this prison, and I would hazard a guess that what remained in here was the strongest of their kind. Of course, vampires would be the larger threat, so none of them were concerned. But I wasn’t a full vampire.

“Bee!”

I turned to see Lucien near the fence. “You get your ass right back here if it gets too much in there. Do not risk yourself, do you hear me?”

Unlike Carter, he didn’t inflict his will to stop me going. The order was because he cared, and that was where the other master had a lesson to learn.

“I hear you,” I called, and with a deep breath, I readied my bow and walked slowly into the grounds.

There were no other selected in my line of sight, all of them having taken off the moment the hunt started. My wolf howled inside, and I knew she wanted me to let her free. If it gets bad, we’ll shift, I told her.

When we reached the first building, I peeked inside and immediately backed away. It was pitch black, and even with advanced senses, I could only pick up a vague shadow. Stepping into another creature’s territory when you were blind was suicide.

There had to be another path around, or least another path to get me out of the sight of the masters so it looked like I was giving this my full effort. If I failed out for lack of kills, that was okay, but I couldn’t fail out for not trying.

Rounding the side of the building, I found myself in an empty lane. It was dirty, filled with some old bones and what looked like half-chewed tree stumps. The ground was a heavy gravel and the side of the warehouse grey-brown, conveying no happiness or joy.

It was almost as if this entire place was devoid of color, with the red sun unable to lighten the dark. There were no creatures though, or at least that was what I thought until I was about halfway along that path.

A scuffling sound had me grinding to a halt. Bowley popped its head out, and I felt my wolf push against her cage again. Trusting those two, with stronger instincts than mine, I lifted my bow and waited for the inevitable. Not like I could really get through this entire thing and not see a creature.

“Bowley, watch my back.”

I felt my hair shift as it moved into a better position to keep an eye out, and I stepped slowly forward, arrow nocked in place. This bow, as unfamiliar as it was, felt comfortable in my hold. And while I wasn’t planning on killing anything, I would shoot to scare or maim it if needed.

The first creature emerged from the shadows a moment later, and I paused, examining it while it examined me. It reminded me of a brown bear, but its structure and shape implied that it remained on all four legs permanently. It also had a bulky and hairy body, large snout and jaw, and ears that stuck up high in narrow points. The face was more catlike with two elongated eyes above its snout.

As it lifted its head and scented the air, I forced myself not to panic. Keeping my heartrate steady, I made no provoking movements, even going so far as to lower the weapon. No matter what happened, I would not be bringing back a kill count. Winning Lucien’s heart would have to be done another way.

Bear-cat sniffed and moved forward, and I continued to hold the line.

And hold. And hold.

Right up to the point it was all but sniffing at my face, the cat eyes examining me like it had no idea what I was. My wolf continued to linger just under my skin, but she wasn’t aggressive, and I wondered if I might have an advantage here after all—two predators recognizing each other.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” I said softly, having no idea if it could understand me. “I’m just here to stay alive. If you walk away, I’ll do the same.”

Bowley moved again, sliding across my shoulder and racing down my bow arm.

I elevated my hand slightly so it wouldn’t just fall off.

Bear-cat reared up before landing heavily on all fours again. I expected it to attack, but instead it nudged the froden on my hand with its snout. Then the two remained locked in eye contact for a long time. I had no idea if they were communicating, but since no one was attacking, I didn’t move.

As the three of us lingered in this weird standoff, more creatures started to appear. They crept out of the shadows, and I had to blink at the many different shapes and sizes. Some were large and horse-like, others smaller and standing upright on strong hind legs like a hare. Nothing was the same as an Earth creature, but I could find enough similarities to liken them to familiar animals.

The more surrounded I was, the scarier it felt, but still… nothing attacked. “Should we be running, Bowley?” I asked it, looking around as they closed in on me. “I’m not sure even you can take this many on.”

It made some squeaking noises, which gave me no real answer.

“If you want me to run, return to my shoulder and hold on,” I said in a low murmur. “If it’s safest for us to stay, just remain where you are.”

Bowley quivered, rolling into a little ball, and my muscles tensed in ready for it to return to my shoulder.

Only it didn’t.

It curled up where it was and… relaxed. A second later the bear-cat rubbed its head against my hand.

Now, I’d never had a pet, but I’d seen enough shows to know that was a very catlike move of affection. It wanted to be petted. Using my arm not holding the bow, I reached out and brushed my hand over the head of the creature. Its fur was coarser than my wolf’s, but still soft under my touch.

“They said you were all feral and dangerous,” I murmured, as it started to purr.

Fucking purr.

None of the other animals moved closer, remaining where they were in a circle surrounding me. An idea of what I was going to do now came to me, and it was crazy as hell. But, seriously, what part of my time here hadn’t been weird?

Keeping one hand on the bear, I continued to pat it as I slowly turned to retreat out of this alley and back to the open section before the fence. All of the animals followed my movements, almost like I was the sun and they were orbiting in my gravitational pull.

As I started to walk forward, the bear-cat fell in at my side, my hand on its head. Bowley returned to my shoulder, and I let the bow fall to the ground, it and the nocked arrow clattering as they landed. Next was the useless quiver. These creatures didn’t need weapons—they needed someone to give a shit about them.

I made my way back toward the barbed fence; a quick glance around told me that there were dozens of animals with me. As we got closer, Carter and Lucien came into sight, right behind the closed gate. There were more tier one masters here now, along with many other vampires. All waiting to see who would win.

Looked like I was about to demand change with a big audience in tow.

Or as some might call it, an army.