Change (The Shape Shifter Series) (12 page)

“Done,” he snapped and wiped his mouth as if her lips had been dirty.

It was silent. The humming had stopped and the others sat around her with their eyes closed.

Tears were falling from Marie’s eyes. She felt betrayed and empty. Liam had definitely taken something from her, but she couldn't figure out what it was.

He stepped further away and in a second Tiamhaidh was there. He had been crying, too, and looked shaken.

“Mo gaol, mo beatha,” he whispered and fondled her hair with shaking hands.

Marie couldn't answer. He looked around murderously while untying her. He took her in his arms and rocked her, like she was a small child, and all she could do was cry. It didn't matter that he was the one who had brought her there. The one who had handed her to the elders and to this horrible man who had raped her mind.
She didn't even want to know why he had done it. All that mattered was that he was there now and he was furious. Every doubt in her mind disappeared. She was sure now that Tiamhaidh hadn't known what the elders were about to do to her. If he had, he wouldn't have taken her there. He could never hurt her.

He stood up, holding Marie in his arms, and started to walk towards the exit.

An old man got up and stopped him. “No. You can't take her away from here. She could be in danger if you do,” he said.

“Step aside, old man. We're leaving,” Tiamhaidh snapped, revealing his teeth.

Baz stood up. “Tiamhaidh, please. Liam just took out all the medicine that was in her and now she has no protection against the seizures. Trust me. You'll have to stay.”

Tiamhaidh stepped back, shaking his head. “Trust you? Why would I trust you? I trusted you once and I saw what you did to her! You could've done it differently. You didn't need to drug her or let him kiss her,” he said, pointing at Liam, who was grinning.

“I know that. But I’m just one and it was a decision that we all made together. Besides, it was the quickest way. So please, stay here,” Baz begged, but Tiamhaidh knew he could've ordered him to stay as well.

They were stuck in this cave with the grinning Liam and the others that he didn't know. He didn't like it. He didn't like it at all.
“Sofia
.
”
His mind carefully tried to reach Sofia.
“Sofia, we need to talk.”

“
Tiamhaidh?”
Sofia's voice whispered in his mind.
“What is it? Is Marie all right?”

“
Can you protect our minds?”
he asked stiffly.

“
Sure,”
her voice echoed in his mind and he could almost hear the next question.
“But why?”

“
We're not alone,”
he said, trying to control his fury,
and sent an image of the twelve elders. He felt a flash of warmth and a pressure that hurt a bit. It was just as if a mosquito had bitten him. He could feel Sofia's anger and how worried she was. Siobhan glanced at him and he smiled faintly at her. He tried to look calm, like nothing was going on in his mind. He put Marie gently on the floor and sat beside her. She clung tightly to his arms and he kissed her hair. “It's going to be all right,” he whispered.

She nodded and tried to prevent her body from shaking. She looked around and saw the look in Baz's eyes. He turned his eyes away quickly. She felt sore and hurt. She could feel that she wasn't safe there and yet her grandparents had reassured her that she was. She could sense that something weird was going on in Tiamhaidh's mind, but whatever it was she didn't want to draw the others’ attention to it.

“Done,”
Sofia's mind whispered.
“Now, what did you want to talk about?”

“
Are you sure it's safe?”
Tiamhaidh questioned.
“I mean, this place is full of elders and mindshapers, so I can't risk anything.”

“
Are you doubting me?”
Sofia's voice felt almost like a smile.
“I can assure you that no one will break through my shield. After all, it's Marie we're talking about here.”

“
Okay,”
he sighed.
“I understand if you hate me after this, or if you don't want me near Marie, but please try to understand that I didn't want it to happen like this.”

There was a long pause before her voice echoed in his mind.
“What have you done?”

He tried to find the right words but he couldn't. He had betrayed the ones he cared about and he felt awful, so he opened his mind completely to her and let her search it.

She entered carefully and searched every corner of him, and in the end there wasn't much to say. She had seen the guards that had escorted them into the cave like Marie was their prisoner. Liam brutally sucking the medicine out of Marie and enjoying the pain he made her feel. She had also seen the look on some of the elders' faces, the look of hatred and disgust.

Tiamhaidh felt, if possible, even more ashamed.
He could feel her surprise. How she tried to swallow her anger and focus on Marie. He prepared to hear a lecture, but it never came.
“So, now you know,”
he said, embarrassed.
“And I'm deeply sorry I couldn't protect her better. That I let this happen, and I understand if you want nothing more to do with me
.
”
He paused and she could feel his pain when he silently added,
“I'm willing to take any punishment you order on me. Even leave her, if that’s what you want.”

“
I see,”
Sofia's touch was
strained.

Tiamhaidh felt the coldness spreading inside him and the thought of losing Marie was killing him, but he said nothing. Just waited for her to strike. She inhaled deeply and he closed his eyes.

Marie moved restlessly in his arms and he shushed her tenderly. He fondled her hair tenderly but his hand stopped when he heard Sofia’s voice again.

“
You should've come to me.”

Tiamhaidh nodded even though she couldn’t see it.

“
I am your pack leader and no matter what, you should've come to me,”
she said.

Tiamhaidh wondered whether the calmness in her mind was a good or bad thing. After a while he could feel her sighing.

“If I didn't know better, I'd say you don't care about Marie at all and I’d make you leave her, but I know you. At least I thought I did.”

“
You do know me! Mathair. I made a mistake and that will never happen again!”

“
Don't…”
Sofia hesitated.
“I don't want to discuss this now. Do you think you can keep her safe for a couple of days?”

“
I guess so.”

“
No!
” her voice thundered.
“That's not what I asked! Can you keep her safe?”

He swallowed. “
I don't know.”

There was a long pause and when he heard her voice he trembled with fear.
“If anything happens that you can't handle, call me. Do you understand? I don't care if it's a small or big issue, you will call me at once if needed.”

“
Okay,”
Tiamhaidh said humbly.

“
I can't help Marie now,”
Sofia breathed.
“The first and most important thing is to get David safe.”
She paused before snapping,
“You shouldn't have let me bring him here. Not when you knew what we were facing. But I forgive you, as I know you did what you thought was best for Marie, and I know you.”

Tiamhaidh waited to hear the ‘but’ part. He had earned her rage. Heck, he had even earned her hate, but what was done was done. Nothing could change that. But the rest never came. She receded quietly from his mind and soon he was alone with his thoughts again.

“Tiam, what's going on?” Marie asked tiredly. “I felt something, but I couldn't quite reach what it was.”

“It was nothing,” he said and looked at the elders harshly. “Try to rest, okay?”

“Okay.” She closed her eyes, relieved.

Tiamhaidh got up and lifted her in his arms. He didn't feel her weight. He didn't feel the warmth of her body and how she settled herself into a better position. He was so full of cold rage that he felt nothing. He stepped closer to the people and asked coldly, “Is there a place where she can rest?”

Faol motioned wearily to the back of the cave with her arm.

Tiamhaidh nodded shortly. If they were waiting for his forgiveness they would wait forever. He would never forgive them. He had known that this place was not safe for humans and yet he had brought Marie there. And not only that; he had allowed David to come as well. He had kept his mouth shut and said nothing to Sofia, and that was his mistake, but from now on he wouldn't make any other mistakes. He would do what he should've done in the first place. Trust Sofia and let her decide what was best for her pack. He knew she wouldn't forget what he had done and he'd have to prove himself worthy, but he didn't mind. He deserved every punishment she might order. He'd trusted the wrong people. He'd trusted Baz and Faol blindly, but what they
had said was true and he should've realized that. They were in no position to promise anything. The elders were not just one but many, and no single person could make any promises on behalf of the others.

He carried Marie to the back and found a smaller cave with a soft-looking bed in it. He put her on it gently and sat next to her.

“Tiamhaidh?” Marie asked wearily.

He stroked her hair. “Shh.”

“I don't want to be here.”

“Me neither. But I don't think we have a choice. I'm sorry I brought you here. I'm so sorry, mo gaol.”

“I know.” She kissed his hand. “It's okay. I just don't understand why they won't let us out.”

“Oh, they will. Maybe not now, but believe me, they will,” he said harshly.

Marie nodded. “I believe you. Tell me something about this place while I rest.”

“Sure.” The look in his eyes hardened.
“I'll tell you everything I know.”

“First of all, the elders that you saw are not the original elders that used to be in charge,” Tiamhaidh began, making sure his mind was fully open to Sofia. “These elders are nothing like the old ones. Most of them refuse to live peacefully side by side with humans. Some of them have talents beyond our imagination and are the most powerful shape shifters that have ever lived.”

Sofia grunted quietly in his mind and he could feel her contempt. But as she said nothing, he continued.

“They don't care about how good a person is or what harm their powers can do. Heck, they don’t even care about the law! Power is the only thing that matters to them.”

“
That I already figured out,
” Sofia growled dryly, and he could imagine the rage on her face right now.

He decided to ignore her and concentrated on Marie. He squeezed her hand and smiled reassuringly. He wasn’t sure if she’d heard
all of his story, as he’d sensed her tiredness. But when he looked into her eyes he saw nothing but awareness. Good. Maybe they’d finally manage to link their minds again, and maybe whatever might happen would bring something good to her.

Marie looked at the man who was obviously guarding the doorway. She wasn’t sure why. Were they afraid Mom would rush in and
attack them, or were they afraid Tiamhaidh and she might try to escape? “But that can't be,” she stated abashed. “They can’t all be bad. Not my grandparents anyway.”

“No. They’re not. But you heard what Baz said. They’re not one but all, and what the majority decides the others must abide by.”

She frowned. “But I thought the elders were supposed to be the oldest shape shifters, not the most powerful. Wise and understanding, more like a council than a jury.”

“Well, times changed. They’re like a council, all right, but they're more like a super shape shifter council than a real council. They rule by fear not by justice, and if you defy them...” He drew his finger across his throat.

“But that's horrible!” she gasped. “Does Mom know?”

“She does now.” He grinned savagely. “And she also knows that they asked Gunward to join their little human-haters club.”

“They did what?” she almost yelled.

“Shh! They asked Gunward to join the elders. After all, he is almost two hundred years old and is a very powerful shape shifter.” Tiamhaidh felt Sofia's rage hardening.

“So did he?”

“Oh yes. And he did a lot more. Because of him, the shape shifters hate humans even more than before. Your father stole his woman, and not only that; he had offspring with her. I think Gunward is more dangerous now than ever.”

“Dad,” she whispered in horror. “Dad's in danger!”

“That's true, and I think that's why Faol and Baz wanted him to leave.”