Page 62 of Anger

“That sounds like a plan to me,” Mac agreed.

Lanie smiled and glanced at Ranson. “Want a good old steak?”

“Sure do,” he replied.

Barbeque, some beers, ice cream. Everything sounded great.

???

Lanie blinked and groaned. Her head was banging, and when she blinked she realised she had a cut on her head She looked around, rubbing her eyes, and found she was in a dark room. A cellar?

Her hands were tied behind her back, and her legs were tied at the ankles. Lanie tried to shuffle forward but realised she was attached to a pipe.

“Mac? Ranson?” Lanie called and coughed. Her throat was dry, and it also hurt. Her eyes stared into the darkness. She sensed someone was there but wasn’t sure who.

“Hello?”

“Monster,” a man cooed, and Lanie reared back. “You can break free if you show your true self.”

“Who is this?” Lanie cried.

“You know who I am,” Simon Clare called.

Lanie did but wasn’t going to admit it. That placed power in Simon’s hands. While she could shift and free herself, something told Lanie that was not a good idea.

“No, I do not. Who are you? What is this? Where are my security team and my fiancé?” Lanie demanded in a scared tone.

“You don’t question me!” Simon screamed, and Lanie winced at the madness in his voice. “You answer to me.”

“What do you want? Money? You won’t get it. My company has a policy, and we will not pay ransom demands,” Lanie cried, interjecting fear into her voice.

“I want you to change. To prove to the world I am not crazy,” Simon demanded.

Lanie went silent for a few seconds. “You’re that insane man, the one who thinks I’m some sort of Medusa.”

“Lamia! Lamia, damn it, Lamia!” Simon screamed.

“Okay! Lamia!” Lanie shouted back.

“Shift and show them, Lamia,” Simon snapped.

“I can’t.”

“Do it!”

“I don’t know how to. I’m not a shifter!” Lanie cried. “And you are frightening me. How do I prove I can’t shift?”

“Lamia, Lamia, just do it, and all this will be over.”

“I can’t. Damn it, why can’t you understand? I do not know how to, I’m not a shifter. It doesn’t matter how many ways you demand it, I can’t do it!” Lanie yelled.

“Don’t make me hurt you!” Simon warned.

“Hurting me won’t change facts. You think monsters exist? They don’t. You’re completely crazy, and you are living in a fictional world!”

“Change your shape!” Simon screamed, and something hit Lanie hard. She fell over on her side, and her head hit the floor.

“Mac, where are you?” she whispered.

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