From Out Of The Shadows Read online

  Her cottage sat at the end of a row of similarly built cabins. Numerous lanterns and torches lit the interior of the village to where she could see people milling about in the early evening hour, doing what they needed to do before night fell.

  Human-looking people. People laughing and conversing. Acting no differently than what she would see ordinary people do in her own village.

  No, wait.

  To her far right a Lupan walking on two legs crossed paths with a man and woman couple. The three exchanged greetings before continuing their separate ways. Tora rubbed her eyes and looked again. The men and women were dressed in free-flowing clothes: tunic tops over loose-legged pants and boots for the men, billowing skirts and blouses for the women.

  He had on some kind of loose white shirt.

  Tora gasped. She thought she had dreamed about Croat coming to visit her last night, which meant she had imagined what he would look like as a man…and his clothing. But…what if it hadn’t been a dream? Staring at the people walking by, she was beginning to doubt herself.

  Oddly, a Lupan sauntered across the walkway. A dark blue skirt covered him from waist to midthigh. Behind him a human woman held onto the hand of a Lupan child, pausing every few steps to scold the youngster for something. It was a scene both strange yet commonplace. Everything looked so natural, so normal, so right…except for the presence of the man-beasts.

  “Oh! You’re already up!”

  Startled, Tora took a step back. Deelaht smiled from where she was standing near a path a few feet away. Apparently she had approached the cabin from the rear.

  “Sorry to frighten you, my dear,â�� the old woman apologized. â��I was hoping to return before you awoke.â�� She held up a basket draped on one arm. â��I brought you something to eat.”

  “Is everyone here Lupan?â�� Tora asked as she allowed the elderly woman to lead her back inside the cottage. Once she returned to the bed, she watched as Deelaht set the basket down on the table and prepared a tray.

  “Everyone you see in the village is Lupan, myself included.â�� Deelah grinned. â��Yourself excluded.”

  “Then why do some of you walk around looking human, and others look…”

  “It’s easier for us to be human when we’re working or relaxing. Those who go out to hunt or on guard duty do so in their other form.”

  “And the children?”

  “Shifting between their two forms is a way for them to stretch and grow. Much like a birdling learning to use its wings. Have you been feeling any pain?â�� the old woman asked, pouring Tora a mug of weak wine.

  “No. None so far,â�� Tora said. â��Tell me, why do the Lupan, when they’re animals, wear skirts? I saw one of the man-beasts wearing a skirt.â�� She stared at the roasted fowl and vegetables sitting on the table, waiting for her. She glanced back up at the old woman. â��All of this is for me?”

  “You need to eat to regain your health. And all of us, male and female, wear a breechcloth when we are about in public in our other form. We would no more go outside naked in our human form than we would as Lupan.”

  “But the ones who came to rescue Croat and me…”

  Deelaht reached over and laid a thin hand on Tora’s good arm. â��When we are forced to let our darkest animalistic side take over what makes us human, we shed every facet of humanity. That includes our clothes. When we must go to war, we don’t wear any kind of adornment. No armor, no jewelry, no helmets, because they would only impede us. When Mengar and Gessat, and the others went in search of Croat, they went unclothed and prepared to wage battle. To give up their lives, if they must, to bring Croat home.”

  Tora remained locked on the dark, inner depths of the old woman’s eyes. There was much Deelaht hadn’t told her. So much more she herself had yet to discover.

  Except for one very important thing.

  “Your people would risk everything for him, wouldn’t they?â�� Tora whispered. At Deelaht’s nod, her suspicions were confirmed. â��He’s your prince, isn’t he?”

  “No,â�� Deelaht murmured sadly. â��He’s now our king, only he doesn’t know it yet. Rolfgah was killed three days ago, shortly after Croat left the village. Soon I’ll have to go tell him the sad news.”

  “You? Why you?”

  Deelaht managed to give her a small smile. â��Because I’m his grandmother. Croat is my grandson. My only grandchild. And, other than myself, the last of our line.”

  [Back to Table of Contents]

  Chapter 11

  Revelation

  “Sit down, Mengar. You’re making me nauseous.”

  Mengar paused in his frenetic pacing to look over at Croat propped up on pillows in the bed. â��I wish you would reconsider,â�� he repeated for the third time.

  “I have reconsidered,â�� Croat snapped. â��It’s all I’ve done since we got back.”

  He tried to adjust his position to ease the growing cramp in his lower back. He had already made up his mind that the worst part of being an invalid was not the pain or the recuperation period. It was the fact that he couldn’t get any decent rest. Or even find a halfway comfortable position that would enable him to doze off. Sitting up or lying down, one pillow or twoâ��nothing was adequate for longer than a few brief minutes. If it wasn’t for the sleeping draught Deelaht gave him, he would be in almost constant pain. As it was, he was tired and in a foul mood.

  It was not that way when Tora was holding me.

  Croat tried to adjust himself again for the umpteenth time as he silently reminisced.

  Face the truth, old man. You want her here with you, touching you. Making you feel stronger than you really are.

  After he had been beaten and kicked and pummeled nearly to death by the baron’s men, Croat had thought he had not felt much pain because of the numbness that had crept over his body. Numbness brought about by shock and his body’s attempt to survive. It hadn’t taken him long to realize he had been mistaken.

  It was Tora’s touch, Tora’s Sensitive abilities, which had calmed him, allowing him to recuperate and heal enough to enable him to escape. Somehow she had managed to shield his pain from him. For that alone he owed his life to her.

  “Are you leaving?”

  Gods, it had felt so real! He could even remember the incredible softness of her cheek and hair, like rose petals. Her dark brown eyes had stared at him with surprise and trust. Her pale skin almost blended into the sheets and pillowcase.

  Lupan rarely dreamed. When they did, it was considered to be an omen, a portent of what was to come. Or a reflection of the consequences of his actions. Croat knew he hadn’t actually visited Tora last night, but deep within himself he wished he had. He wanted to. He still wanted to, if for no other reason than to stroke her the way she had stroked him.

  He caught himself staring down at his free hand lying palm up in his lap. He had been bathed and cleaned until all traces of blood were gone. His Lupan claws remained sharp and deadly looking. The images of horror they had provoked when they had been coated in gore were gone.

  “…for us.”

  Croat jerked his head up to stare at his good friend. â��What?”

  Mengar frowned. â��I said having a human here is going to cause nothing but problems for us. You know that. I don’t even know why I’m having to say it, much less repeat it.”

  “For the godsâ�� sake, Mengar, I nearly had to eat her! She helped me escape the baron in spite of what I was! If we can’t offer some form of sanctuary to her, and to others like her, then we’re no better than the baron and his disciples. You know as well as I do that animals don’t turn on their allies, but humans do. Animals do not practice deceit, not like humans. We’re Lupan. I’d like to think we’re the best of both man and animal.”

  Grabbing a chair, Mengar turned it around and sat facing the back, propping his arms on top of the headrest. At the same time, a tall, russet-haired man with a thin face walked through the do
orway on the other side of the room. Silently, he walked over to Croat, and the two men clasped arms.

  “How are you feeling?â�� the young man asked in a deep voice that seemed to come from the center of his chest.

  “Sore. Tired,â�� Croat answered, giving him a small smile. â��What have you found out?”

  The young man sat at the end of the bed, as Mengar had the only chair in the room. â��It looks like you surmised correctly. Baron Agrino is amassing a bigger, more powerful army. He’s had three wagons loaded with guns and ammo delivered as recently as three days ago, but we’ve heard conversation among his generals that the firepower is secondary.”

  “Secondary? Then where’s his primary interest focused?â�� Mengar asked.

  “On us. On Lupan.”

  Croat shook his head. â��I thought I’d dreamt it, Gessat.”

  “Dreamt what?â�� Mengar questioned as he glanced from one man to the other. â��What haven’t you told me, Croat?”

  “That the baron has discovered the truth about Lupan,â�� a voice said from the doorway. All three men turned to see the figure standing there. â��He plans to hunt us down and capture us, and force us to do his bidding. Make us fight his wars for him as his secret weapon. Make us his first line of offense.”

  “You mean he’s tracking us down?â�� Mengar asked, eyes widening in fear.

  “One of these days I’m going to find out how you know so much,â�� Croat told his grandmother as she walked into the room.

  “Years of experience.â�� Deelaht smiled.

  Croat snorted, knowing there was a lot his grandmother wasn’t telling him, and probably never would.

  “Forget the experience. Let’s discuss the fact that the baron is hunting us down,â�� Mengar said.

  Gessat looked over at him. â��There’s no need to fear him finding us, or the village.”

  “What makes you so sure?â�� Mengar challenged.

  Croat answered. â��For one thing, the baron’s men couldn’t track a stampeding herd of wild horses. Anyway, even if he tried to use dogs to come after us…well, you know as well as I do that dogs won’t track us. They fear our scent.”

  “But what if Agrino manages to hire someone to search for us?â�� Gessat thought aloud.

  “You mean like a bounty hunter?â�� Mengar asked.

  “We’ve dealt with professional trackers before,â�� Croat reminded him. â��We’ll spot him long before he spots us.”

  “What about the woman?â�� Mengar mentioned again. â��She can’t stay here. All right, so she helped you out of Agrino’s dungeon, but she’s not one of us! Listen to me, Croat!”

  Croat felt his anger flare. â��What do you want me to do, Mengar? Send her away from here because you think she might lead the baron’s men to us? If you do, you’d better get that thought out of your head right now before I beat it out of you! Tora is staying here as long as it takes for her to heal. And then, if she wants to leave, that’ll be her decision, not ours. And it won’t be made under duress. Understand me?”

  His eyes snapped back to the old woman standing nearby with a grin on her face. â��Speaking of, how is she?”

  “Why don’t you ask her yourself?â�� Deelaht said, and stepped to one side.

  Slowly, hesitantly, Tora walked into the small bedroom, peering around Deelaht to where Croat lay on the bed. She looked wholly different than she had in the cell. She appeared younger, for one thing. The pale blue nightgown she wore with the ruffled collar shielded her body, but did little to mask her overall thinness. She gave him a tremulous smile.

  “Croat?â�� Her eyes shifted over him. â��You look…better.”

  Croat returned the smile, aware of how everyone was watching them. He patted the mattress in silent invitation. â��I still look Lupan, you mean. My grandmother’s nasty potions are doing their job. I should be able to shift back to human form in another couple of days. How’s the arm?”

  Tora sat down next to him as she glanced at her bandaged arm. â��We have matching slings.”

  He couldn’t deny how wonderful it felt seeing her again. She was like a living potion, except he didn’t need to drink this one. He simply had to lie there and soak up her aura. Croat started to tell her how happy he was that she had come over with Deelaht when Mengar interrupted his thoughts.

  “Something I don’t understand, Croat. How did the baron learn about us? How did he find out we exist after we’ve managed to elude detection for so long?â�� The man gestured toward him. â��How in creation did they manage to capture you?”

  Croat saw the questioning look on Tora’s face, and realized she was unaware of who the men were. â��Tora, this demanding gentleman is my closest friend, Mengar. We grew up together. And the silent one over there is my cousin, Gessat.”

  “I’m happy to meet you,â�� Tora softly said, giving them a smile that was both honest and more than a bit fearful. Croat realized she trusted him implicitly, but couldn’t help being wary of others like him, even when she was seeing them as men. Croat found it an amusing dichotomy. After all, he was the one in Lupan form, while everyone else was human.

  “Actually, you’ve already met them, although you hadn’t been introduced,â�� Croat told her. â��Mengar and Gessat were in the rescue party who helped us return to the village.”

  “Oh.â�� She blushed, adding, â��I’m sorry. I-I didn’t know. I mean…â�� Tora blushed even redder.

  Chuckling, Croat reached over and laid a hand on her good arm. Whatever he had planned to say to alleviate her embarrassment went out the window as a soft, sweet fog began to descend over him. He briefly closed his eyes, not realizing how much he had missed it, when the fog abruptly left, and a feeling of sharp coldness replaced it, biting through his lungs. Croat gasped, and his eyes snapped open. He found himself staring at two pairs of guarded looks. It was Gessat who finally broke the silence.

  “What’s going on, Croat? What’s the matter with you? Is there something you’re not telling us?”

  “Yeah, Croat. What’s with the odd looks? I thought you two had just met.”

  “We had.”

  “The woman is a Sensitive,â�� Deelaht announced, looking pleased with herself.

  Croat didn’t bother to ask his grandmother how she knew. In some ways, the old woman could have been a Sensitive herself. But the news had an immediate effect on the two men. Mengar jumped to his feet, instantly on the defensive.

  “By the gods, a Sensitive? Croat!”

  “What has she done to you?â�� Gessat demanded in a calmer tone of voice as he also stood.

  “Both of you sit back down,â�� Croat ordered. He could feel Tora’s fingers gripping his arm as she lent him her nonverbal support. He wondered what the flash of coldness had been, or what it had meant, but this was not the time to speculate.

  “I said sit back down,â�� he told them a bit harsher this time. As they slowly resumed their seats, Croat sighed loudly. â��Yes, Tora is a Sensitive.”

  “She’s bewitched you!â�� Mengar said.

  “She’s done nothing of the kind,â�� Croat denied, hoping they wouldn’t notice his own indecision.

  “She’s in league with the baron,â�� Gessat said. â��The moment she leaves here, she’ll lead the baron’s men straight back to the village.”

  “No, I won’t,â�� Tora tried to defend herself.

  Mengar pointed at her and nearly snarled his next comment. â��You practice the dark magicks. The baron is known to practice the dark magicks. Why else would you be at his castle?”

  “I was his prisoner!â�� Tora rebuked him. â��The baron’s men have no inkling of what I am, or else they wouldn’t have put me in the dungeon to die.”

  “Tora was chained in the dungeon for me to kill and consume,â�� Croat defended her. â��I had no idea what she was until she touched me.”

&nb
sp; “She touched you to get information from you!â�� Mengar almost shouted. â��She’s tapping your mind for all our secrets!”

  “I touched him because I pitied what the baron’s men had done to him!â�� Tora shot back. â��I didn’t know he was Lupan when I reached out to him. I don’t work for the baron, and I don’t use the dark magicks. And I definitely can’t read minds when I touch someone!”

  “Sensitives don’t read minds,â�� Deelaht confirmed in a soft voice, but it carried in the room. When she was sure she had everyone’s attention, the elder walked over to the side of the bed, next to Tora, before continuing. â��From what I’ve been taught, Sensitives can sense the feelings of those they touch. And in extreme cases, a very gifted Sensitive can help cover or cloak those feelings.â�� She gazed down at Tora and gave the young woman a gentle smile. â��That’s what you did for Croat, wasn’t it? You cloaked his pain so he could heal. So the two of you could escape from the baron’s dungeons.”

  “I watched the baron’s men bring Croat into my cell. They beat him terribly. There was so much blood after they left, I thought he was dead.â�� Tora looked over at Croat. They still maintained contact with each other, but Croat couldn’t tell how she was feeling. It was as if she was blocking herself from him.

  “All I knew was that I couldn’t let him suffer if there was any way I could help him. So I reached for him in the dark, and…and that’s how I found out what he was.”

  Deelaht slowly nodded. â��You discovered he was Lupan, but it didn’t stop your need to try and remove his pain.”

  Tora nodded. At the same time Croat felt that familiar warmth curling through his chest. He clung to it like a dehydrated man being offered a mug of water.

  “We’re not evil. No more than you are. We can’t turn away from someone who’s in pain. Like right now, I can tell how badly you want to get some rest.â�� Tora aimed her last statement directly at Croat. Her wide eyes appeared huge in the candlelight.

  “How can we be so sure you haven’t bewitched him?â�� Mengar questioned, still leery despite Deelaht’s calm demeanor.