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“How?” The pain in her voice eviscerated his insides.
Colton picked her up, cradling her against his body as her eyes closed. He had no idea what the ramifications would be for starving a demon turned fledgling, but he didn’t want to find out. His alpha emerged, overtaking her shadow easily. Both she and her demon were too weak to fight the transition to the shadow pathway. Their molecules broke down before he entered the single pathway that led from his home to the forest. They rushed through the darkness in non-corporeal form. Their molecules swirling together in the controlled mass Colton created.
He chose a spot in the forest that was frequented by hunters, but checked that there were no human heartbeats in the vicinity before he coalesced on a thin trail amongst the evergreens and low shrubs. He scented what he was looking for in seconds, before carrying Riley to the trap. He lay her on the ground beside the brown rabbit covered in blood.
“That rabbit will be dead by the end of the day. The trap has snapped its back as it’s meant for a larger animal. It won’t make for much for a meal but it will take the edge off.”
Riley pushed herself to a sitting position, running her hand over the blood-soaked animal. “My dad taught me that you shouldn’t leave an animal in pain.” Tears streamed down her face as she leaned down. Her fangs extended before she bit into its neck. Her sobs echoed in the forest as she finished. She put her head between her knees, wrapping her arms around them, while her body continued to shake.
Colton couldn’t remember a time he’d felt so helpless. He pulled her to her feet, wrapping his arms around her waist so she could cry against his chest. Her scent reeked of anguish and lavender. It twisted in his gut, cursing the demon who brought her such pain, while acknowledging he was grateful, she was here. There was only one person who could help him with a female transition, and that was the Queen herself.
“Do you feel better?” he asked.
She sniffed. “The pain is gone, but I feel like a monster.”
“You showed that animal mercy. That is not the act of a monster.”
She wiped away her tears. “I don’t know if I can live like this, but I will take some time to learn about your world before I make a decision.”
He wanted to argue. To tell her there was no instance where he would allow her death, but decided on a more tactful approach. Dannika had fought and run from her destiny many times before she accepted it. While it wasn’t inherent to his personality, he attempted to show some patience. “Let’s return home. I’d like to know more about your family.”
She put her hands around his neck, relaxing against him as his shadow enveloped her and entered the pathway. The trip back to the treehouse was quick, and they coalesced inside his front room in each other’s arms.
His entire body hurt. Yearning to move his hands down her hips under her shirt. It had been years since he had felt a mild attraction to a woman. This was a tsunami of desire, flooding his tissues and making him struggle for control. He released her and backed away, taking a seat on one of the coaches and indicating she sit.
“Tell me more about your heritage,” he said.
She sat and clasped her hands in her lap. “My mother died when I was thirteen. She was murdered. The police found her body in a dumpster near the homeless shelter. They assumed she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. There was an investigation, but her murderer was never found.”
“Was her body drained of blood?” Colton asked.
“I don’t know. My father was very protective of me. He tried to shield me from the investigation as best as possible. He barely let me out of his sight after that. That didn’t change until he was diagnosed.”
“You mentioned your father is in a care facility.”
Riley nodded. “Yes. I also volunteer there. I have a shift at the care home tomorrow.”
Colton’s hands tightened on his legs before he forced himself to relax. “Riley, you can’t work in the human world. This is your home now.”
Black mist swirled on her shoulders before she got herself under control. “You never said anything about quitting my job.”
Colton cleared his throat. “It isn’t just your job. You have to cut ties with the human world. Our presence has a negative impact on humans. Trust me when I tell you it’s not something you want to experience.”
Riley stood up, flicking her finger in Colton’s face. “It isn’t just my father. There are many elderly patients in the care facility that have no one. I won’t just disappear and allow them to think they don’t matter. They do. To me.”
Colton leaned back on the couch. “If you truly care about them, you will let them go. You are a predator. Humans can’t see it, but they can sense it. Nature will protect them the only way it can.”
“No. I won’t leave him. I won’t leave them,” she hissed.
Colton stood. “You don’t have a choice.”
Her shadow warrior broke free as black mist permeated the surrounding air. “There is always a choice,” she said as her claws extended from her knuckles.
CHAPTER8
The rustle of leaves moving in the wind did nothing to drown out the local growls emanating from Riley’s throat. She took a step towards Colton before pain radiated in her head and she dropped to the ground, clutching her temples. Her shadow warrior receded, shying away from the barrage of images piercing her skull.
This was nothing like the visions she would have in the middle of the day. Dreams that occurred while her eyes were wide open. This was a nightmare that rolled through her mind, pausing on each painful moment.
