Return of the Matka-Zem (The Sorain Chronicles) (9 page)

"
I have no memory of my past." She did not want to tell Donna she was an alien, so she tried to explain her situation simply. "For the past ten years I've been imprisoned in the Canadian wilderness by a woman I called the Keeper, because she wouldn't tell me her name. When the old woman died, these horrible creatures started chasing me. There was this man, who helped me escape, but the monsters wounded him and I had to leave him in a hospital." When she saw the disbelief in her new friend's eyes, she stiffened her spine. "Sam and Helen gave me a ride to Vancouver where I boarded the bus." She looked away and took another, much smaller drink of the auburn liquid. "I know you don't believe me, but I'm telling the truth."

"
Well, it is hard to fathom that monsters are killing people to find you, Jane," Donna answered in a gentle tone, "But I believe that you believe it." Donna patted her on the back again then hauled her to her feet. "Now get some rest. I'm hopping in the shower and getting some Zs too. We have a busy day ahead."

"
Thank you."

Jane crawled into bed and stared at the ceiling, listening to Donna softly hum in the shower. Inga had followed her to the elderly couple and killed them in a horrid way. She was sure they
'd told Inga all they knew of her, and she did not blame them. She would have done the same. It was just a matter of time before the cook and her pets arrived at the apartment. She had to find a way to convince Donna to leave her beloved city in order to stay alive. However, how to get the talkative woman to believe her without using her Gift to show her was another question.

"
How can I make her understand she is in danger?" Jane whispered to the dark room. As her eyelids grew heavy, she still had no answers.

***

Inga growled deep in her throat, a feeling of unease settling over her as she looked out at San Francisco. The city was larger than she had hoped, and finding the princess's scent would be difficult. Armed with the information from the elderly couple, she located the bus the princess had ridden and the stops it made along the way. The Glauc-tuko picked up the princess's scent at its last stop in a small mountain town. By their reaction, they were not far behind their prey.

Inga leisurely strolled to the truck she acquired to transport the Glauc-tuko during the day and pulled out a map of the city. It was getting too light to start the search, and she could feel fatigue wearing her down. She placed a finger on a wooded area in the middle of the city called
"Golden Gate Park" and smiled. That would provide cover for her to rest, and when darkness fell, she could release the Glauc-tuko.

***

A mixture of spices and smog drifted into the small apartment through the half-opened window to assault Jane's nose. With a yawn, she rolled onto her back and tried to return to a peaceful dream. The sounds of the city prevented her from doing so and she sluggishly swung her legs over the edge of the bed. With a deep sigh, she ran her hands over her face. After retrieving the clean clothes from her backpack, she sluggishly made her way into the tiny bathroom. She splashed her face with ice-cold water to wake her sleep-fogged mind. With her face still dripping, she peered into the little mirror above the sink.

"
I'm going to make them pay." Although her voice was monotone, her eyes darkened with hatred. "Somehow, some day, I will make Inga pay for what she did." She visualized the loving elderly couple and the caretakers at the compound. "I promise." A spark of power flared inside her abdomen. As the Gift fed on her hate, the power intensified and she felt her mind cloud with a swirling mist of loathing and, surprisingly, ecstasy. She clenched the sink as she tried to avoid succumbing to its intoxication. Beyond the mist, she felt a presence of an entity, slumbering in a pit of blackness. The rhythm of its heartbeat pounded in her head as she searched for a way out of the mist.

"
Don't leave me, Princess!
" A faint voice echoed in her mind.

Whimpering in relief when she spied glowing, yellow eyes floating in the mist, she clenched at the outstretched hand that materialized in front of her.

"Thane!" Jane heard herself speak the Mlinzi's name. A dizzying spinning sensation slammed into her subconscious, and moments later, she opened her eyes to find herself sitting on the toilet. Rubbing a hand over her face, she drew in a deep breath to control the fear that raced through her.

"
What in the hell just happened?" Although she spoke the words, Jane knew she'd lost control of her Gift. If it had not been for the Mlinzi, she would not have found her way back to reality. She was not sure how he managed to save her, but she was thankful he had the ability to enter her mind. Rising shakily to her feet, she splashed more cold water on her face and left the bathroom.

"
Ah, you're finally awake." Donna entered the apartment just as Jane opened the bathroom door. She had a shopping bag in her hand, which she sat on the tiny, round kitchen table. She looked at Jane and smiled. "You were dead to the world."

"
I guess I needed the rest," Jane said, as she watched Donna remove the items from the bag and put them away in the appropriate cabinets.

"
Good, you're going to need your energy. We have lots to see." Donna smiled brightly at her. "A long romp around the city will be good for you." Jane was about to refuse when her friends bubbly smile vanished. Jane knew she could not get out of going, which Donna confirmed by saying, "You're going sightseeing even if I have to drag you."

"
I don't think you could drag me anywhere." With her extensive battle training, she was confident she could easily subdue the smaller woman if she'd been so inclined. The desire to experience a life as a regular girl, even for a tiny bit, overruled her common sense. "But, against my better judgment, I'll go peacefully."

"
Great!" Donna busted out in excitement, and skipped over towards her. She laced her arm through Jane's and gave her a slight tug towards the door. "Let's go eat."

After they had a light meal at one of the local restaurants, the two girls browsed around China Town for a few hours. Jane enjoyed the odd souvenirs that cluttered the shops along the crowded streets, but refrained from purchasing unnecessary items. As they strolled through the streets, she pushed any unpleasant thoughts out of her mind. She wanted to enjoy the day, savor her freedom, and have fun for the first time in her life.

"You would look beautiful in this." Donna held up an emerald geisha dress for her to see. She made a show of eyeing the length of Jane's body and made a face before she returned the garment to the rack. "You're too tall though."

"
But
you
would like great in it, Donna." Jane placed a hand on Donna's shoulder and guided her out of the store. "Show me more of your city."

"
Pay close attention to the grip-man," Donna laughed as she hoped into the trolley car.

"
Who?" Not sure who she was talking about, Jane scanned the trolley car.

"
That guy." Donna pointed to a man standing by a large metal brake. "A grip-man operates that lever to grip and release the cable that runs under the street," Donna explained as she leaned out of the trolley. "He controls the brakes so the trolley won't go crashing into the bay.

They caught the California Street line cable car that ran a straight course through Chinatown and over to Nob Hill. Jane marveled at the architecture while the cable car rolled up the steep hills of the Bay City.

"I really don't know what the fuss is all about, but the tourists like to see it," Donna explained when they briefly stopped to visit Lombard Street. They had time to spare, so they went to see the curvy street while they waited to catch the Powell-Mason line, which would take them just three blocks from Fisherman's Wharf. "Lombard Street is known as the most crooked street in the world, but it really isn't."

"
It's beautiful." Jane studied the brick-lined street that zigzagged around the residences' bright flower gardens.

"
Come on! We have more to see." Donna hauled her to the approaching trolley car.

The smells and sounds of Fisherman
's Wharf were tantalizing, and for the first time since the Keeper's death, Jane forgot about her plight. She and Donna salivated over fresh Dungeness crab served steaming hot at one of the outdoor stands, each took in a lungful of the fresh sourdough bread baking from the local bakery, and then they savored some locally made chocolate. As the two women strolled towards PIER 39, Jane peered at the sea mammals gathered on the docks, cavorting, eating, and basking in the sun. When she leaned on the railing to watch the animals, one of the creatures raised its head and stared back. One by one, the other sea lions followed suit until all remained quiet. The tingle of power started to build inside her, but she quickly quenched it before it had time to manifest.

"
That's weird," Donna proclaimed when the lead mammal wobbled over to where they stood and bumped against the railing.

Jane stared into the brown eyes of the sea lion and once again felt a spark of energy deep inside her chest. Beads of sweat formed on her brow as she fought to extinguish the flare of power. The desire to touch the creature was fierce, but the Keeper
's warning not to use her Gift overruled the instinct. Stiffening her back, she tried to calmly stroll away, hoping the distance would help. The sea mammals barked, snorted, and occasionally bumped their heads against the pier in a futile attempt to get her attention, and she didn't hear the stop until she was out of site.

"
Man, those seals sure liked you!" Donna exclaimed when they left the pier. Jane caught Donna glancing at her from the corner of her eye. She could tell her new friend was starting to form questions in her mind.

"
Yes, they did." She tried to sound surprised, yet a nervous giggle escaped. When she could no longer hear the creatures bellowing, she located the nearest street performer, and pretended to listen. Beside her, Donna tapped her tiny foot in rhythm of the music. But Jane didn't hear a single note. She was surprised how the sea lions reacted to her, and some questions of her own were bubbling to the surface once again. Who was she?
What
was she?

The Gift had almost imprisoned her in her own mind, and she was afraid to tap into the power again. The energy within her reached out to anything living and she had to find a way to keep it under control. She gave her friend a sideways glance and wondered what her reaction would be if she witnessed her wield the Gift. Would Donna be afraid of her?

"Come on, Jane. There's more to see!" Donna grabbed her arm and hauled her down the street. After a leisurely tour of Alcatraz Island and a walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, they ended their sightseeing at Coit Tower, perched on Telegraph Hill, to get a bird's-eye view of the city.

"
I love this place," Donna said softly as they watched the sun slowly set into the bay and a thick, evening fog eerily floated onto the streets.

"
We'd better head back," Jane said, an uneasiness stirring inside her. The elderly couple's death two days ago had given her pursuers her location and by now they would surely be in the vicinity. She doubted the smells of the city would put them off her trail for long, and she worried what the night might bring.

It was dark when they returned to Donna
's tiny apartment. Jane crawled out the window, onto the narrow fire escape, and crouched down on the tiny balcony to peer at the night sky. To her disappointment, the city lights prevented her from seeing the stars. She still found it difficult to believe she had come from one of the twinkling specks hidden by the lights.

For a brief moment, the waxing moon showed its face before the silvery mist of fog obscured it. Jane observed how the streetlights illuminating the thick haze made it seem denser.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spied a flash of movement, but when she turned her head, she saw nothing. Her heart skipped a beat when another shadow emerged from the grey mist, then she recognized the shape of a jogger, darting from one light to the other. A shaky chuckle rattled out of her chest. Unnerved by her own imagination, she took a moment to breathe and rose to her feet.

"
Hey! What are you doing out here?" Donna popped her head out the window before crawling out to stand beside her. "Isn't this fog creepy?" Donna peered at the street below. "This fog can get so thick you can barely see your hand in front of your face." An inhuman screech filled the quiet night before Jane could respond to her friend's comment.

"
What the heck was that?" Donna gasped in alarm.

"
It's a Glauc-tuko." Although Jane's heart pounded at the shriek, she was not surprised to hear the creature's call. By the echo, the creature was still far away. Trying to remain calm to consider her options, she turned to look at her puzzled friend. "Do you have a gun?"

"
Yes, I do." Donna stared at her in disbelief. "You aren't serious, are you? There is no such thing as a Glauc whatever!"

"
I didn't believe it either, until those creatures started chasing me." When she saw disbelief in Donna's blue eyes, she grabbed her shoulders and gave her a rough shake.