Page 51 of Waste
Shelley groped for the door handle, but Drew reached out a hand and stopped her. “I tried to warn you, I really did. But you wouldn’t stop,” he said sadly. He shifted into Ghoul and, before Shelley could scream, took them both through the mirror.
Shelley landed in a heap in a stone room. Ghoul reached down to help her to her feet, and Shelley batted his hand away. She was regarding him with suspicion. Mary Worth gazed at Shelley impassively, and Ghoul knew that didn’t mean well.
“The board has discussed this, Ghoul. As you are unable to handle and control Shelley, we will,” Mary promised.
What did that mean? Shelley scrambled to her feet, searching for a way out. “If I disappear, my family will never stop looking for me. The police know I left the station with Drew. The solicitor does too!” Shelley snapped as her eyes latched onto the door.
“Do you think you’re the first to discover our secret?” Mary hissed with laughter.
“Well, it’s not common knowledge… oh.” Shelley’s mind made connections, and she didn’t like the conclusions she’d drawn.
“Yes, some died. Others had their minds wiped. If you’d only listened to Ghoul, this wouldn’t be necessary. But you thought you knew best; you needed answers. Well, actions have consequences, and this is yours,” Mary said and sprang forward.
Shelley shrieked and moved backwards, her cast impeding her, and she hit the ground hard. Ghoul headed towards her, and Shelley scrambled away as best as she could.
“Watch out!” Ghoul hissed just as Shelley smacked her head into a mirror frame. Shelley’s eyes rolled back, and she collapsed on the ground.
“Did you have to frighten her like that?” Ghoul demanded furiously.
“You were wool-gathering and wavering like a fool. You won’t handle Shelley; the board has decided to. She is too dangerous to us,” Mary snapped in reply.
“She didn’t deserve this!” Ghoul retorted.
“You didn’t have to shift!”
“I thought it might comfort her.”
Ghoul ran his hand over his bald head as Mary gazed at him in disbelief.
“You thought shifting might help Shelley? Are you mad? How on earth would that reassure Shelley?” Mary asked incredulously.
“Oh, shut up,” Drew replied, knowing that she was right. He’d panicked at being cornered, and Mary’s sudden appearance hadn’t helped any either! He carefully picked Shelley up and turned to Mary.
“Nobody will harm her,” Ghoul hissed.
“No. But she will lose her memories.”
Shelley
Flashes of voices fractured the darkness. Shelley wanted to speak but knew she had to stay quiet.
“She’s waking up,” a woman said.
“Keep her under; it’s easier to remove the memories,” a man replied.
“I know how to cast a memory removal. Don’t tell me how to use my magic!”
“I’m not sure if I’m comfortable with this. Maybe—”
“Ghoul, you had your chance to stop this human chasing you. You failed. We will now take care of this matter.”
“I’m having trouble. Shelley has a natural shield,” the woman stated.
“If you’re unable to do this, Lilith, the only other option is death,” the man replied coldly.
“Over my dead body,” Ghoul snapped.
“That’s just it! It will be over our dead bodies. This stupid, ignorant human was capturing the attention of Hunters. She was leading them right to us. I have a family now, Ghoul, a mate and babies. I won’t let an idiotic human endanger them, and she was. Like all humans, she thought she knew better and was completely ignorant of the damage she was causing. And when warned, her ego surpassed common sense. If Lilith can’t remove her memories, then she’ll be killed!” the man ranted.
