Page 37 of Feral

“I didn’t have anything to do with that business with your clan,” he said, holding out his hand as if to keep me back. “I swear it. That’s not me!”

Anger rolled through me, and my fur stood on end. I stalked toward him, backing the Orc toward the far wall.

“What business with my clan?” I growled.

Something impossibly bright flashed through the room, momentarily blinding me. I cried out and clutched at my face, the sounds of scuffling in the room the only thing that told me what was happening.

“Damn it,” James hissed. “Fraser, you alright?”

I blinked, bright spots dotting my vision as the room slowly came back to me. James appeared unaffected, likely because he’d raised his stone skin in enough time to avoid whatever that had been.

“He used an artifact, are you injured?”

“Naw,” I snarled, “just very angry!”

When I could fully see the room, the Orc was face down on the floor, James holding him with one large foot. Around the Orc’s wrists were a pair of glowing handcuffs.

“Elliot Ness’ handcuffs,” James explained. “Unbreakable and compels the wearer to tell the truth.”

“Get the fuck off me!” the Orc snarled. “I don’t know anything about the clan!”

I bent down, and bared my teeth at him. My blood was running hot from the fight with James and now this. I scraped one of my razor sharp claws along the wood floor by the Orc’s face, carving deeply into the grain.

“Is that supposed to scare me?” he asked. “You two don’t know what scary is.”

“What is it then?” I growled. “Tell me, so I can prove that I’m the thing ya should fear.”

He pressed his lips together, trying very hard not to say something. I glanced at the handcuffs that were glowing brighter.

“Trying to resist the cuffs isn’t pleasant,” James said with a sinister grin. “But by all means, keep trying if you wish to be in excruciating pain.”

“Who are ya afraid of?” I demanded.

“The other agents!” he screeched.

“What other agents?” James asked.

He gasped, sweat breaking out on his forehead.

“I…I can’t…tell you!”

He screamed like someone was carving him up.

“Just tell me and the pain will end!”

“I-I can’t! They’ll kill my mother…they’ll hurt her bad!”

The Orc began to sob and James sighed.

“I know who it is,” he said. “The rogue agents, the ones that stole the shipment in the first place. He’s just one of several places where they’ve stashed the artifacts until they can move them. Isn’t that right?”

The Orc sobbed out a “yes” and shuddered.

“Where are the artifacts? I swear, we will protect you and your mother but you have to tell us where they are.”

“You can’t even protect your own shipments,” the Orc shot back.

I wanted to know about my clan, not the damn shipments but I also knew that James tended to be single minded when it came to his mission. I glanced up at him, and he must’ve seen the questions churning inside of me. He let out a long exhale and gave me a short nod.

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