Page 79 of Stalked

This will never end.

I cried out, “No!” Everyone turned to me, and I shook my head, knowing they would fight me on what I had planned. “We can’t keep doing this, guys. I won’t risk any of your lives when it’s me they’re after.” I knew running would never end until we knew who or what would come for me. If I allowed myself to be taken by them—my friends would be safe, and maybe, just maybe, I could find a way to take them down from the inside. I would gladly let myself be taken in their place. They didn’t deserve to be wrapped up in my mess. It wasmydestiny.

“Get in the car, Mercy!” Caleb growled through his teeth.

I shook my head again. “No, Caleb. You can’t save me this way. We’re just running.” I threw my hands up. “Where are we going to go? How many lives will be lost from you trying to protect me? I refuse to lose my family.”

I looked over at Joel and Lily coming toward me. Caleb’s hands were clenched into fists, and Riley and Amber circled the car in their wolf form. I gulped down the guilt that was coming, but I couldn’t let them sacrifice their lives for mine. I bit my lip and took a few steps back, quickly throwing up my hands, creating a force that pushed Lily and Joel back.

“Mercy, stop! What are you doing?” Lily cried out, unable to move her legs forward anymore. Riley and Amber were also held in place, pushed down to their bellies. I could see the pleading in Riley’s blue eyes, and I had to look away.

“Mercy!” Caleb hissed again, straining against the energy that held him. “You better get in the goddamn car before I drag you in myself!” Caleb’s face turned bright red. “Now!”

Joel pleaded. “Don’t do this, kiddo. Please.”

“I won’t let any of you get hurt because of me,” I said, releasing the energy force. I could hear their feet pounding against the pavement as they chased after me. But I didn’t look back. I didn’t stop. The sound of massive wings flapping echoed across the sky.

“Here!” I shouted, waving my arms. “Over here!”

Seconds later, I felt the eagle’s claws dig into my shoulders, pulling me up into the air. The talons punctured my skin this time, and the pain was intense. As I watched the ground and my family disappear from sight, I took a deep breath, trying to plan the next step.

The truth was, I wasn’t giving up. I would still fight, but the farther the creature was from my family, the better their chance of survival.

I tried to communicate with the bird verbally, but it wasn’t responding to me. I tried to speak to it telepathically, but still nothing. I lifted my hands to use levitating power on its talons to pry them from my skin to ease the pain, but remembered I was now extremely high up, and it would be awful if I fell. I closed my eyes, trying not to think of the pain, knowing I’d be able to heal myself once we landed, but the feeling was unbearable. Time seemed to slow, but as my body felt like it could no longer bear it, I looked down, seeing the Salem Witch Museum. The eagle tilted its wings, and we started descending. It gently set me on the ground and removed its grip from my shoulders. Fresh blood was soaked around the puncture marks in my hoodie, but the actual wounds sealed up immediately.

The animal lowered its head between its front claws, and its body suddenly grew larger and larger. The feathers seemed to fold into themselves while human skin formed around them. There now stood a very well-built man before me.

He was insanely tall, maybe six foot eight, with an athletic body, dark brown hair that grew past his shoulders, and a long goatee. A large tattoo in black ink spread across his chest, over his shoulders, and wrapped around his muscular arms. The man’s eyes were a light shade of brown, and his skin was dark tan. He was huge, the tallest man I had ever seen.

His tattoos resembled mostly animals: an eagle, a bear, a wolf, and a lion specifically, all on his chest alone.

He walked over to a nearby trashcan, lifted a plastic bag, pulled out some clothes, and proceeded to get dressed. I thought about using my powers on him, but whoever sent the shifter would send another. Not to mention that people were walking around the area now and using magic would put them in harm’s way. The only way to fight these monsters was to start from the inside, from wherever he was taking me.

At least I have some protection, I thought, placing my hand on my chest to touch the jet stone.

Oh. Shit! The training. I had left it in the training room.

The man sauntered over, and I noticed he held a metal bracelet in his hand. He grabbed my arm gently and fastened the bracelet around my wrist. I tried to pry it off, but I saw it required a key.

“What is this thing?” I tried again to pull the bracelet off, but it was still no use. I tried to call up fire magic to melt the metal off, but there was only an empty feeling there. “What did you do to me? Take this off.”

“Sorry, Akasha. That bracelet prevents you from using your powers.” His voice was low and masculine and had a hint of an accent.

And I’m officially fucked. Also, what did he call me?

“Akasha? My name is Mercy.” I fiddled with the bracelet again. “Fuck.”

I can’t fight them without my powers.

“Akasha is what vampires call you. It means Spirit or Fifth Element.” He frowned. “What would you rather me call you?” He was oddly polite.

“My actual name,” I said. “Mercy.”

“Alright, then. Mercy, we walk from here.” He grabbed my arm and escorted me to a nearby park.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked, but he stayed silent. I moved around, hoping he would ease up on his grip, but he didn’t. “Will you at least tell me your name?” I asked, hoping a simple question would get him talking.

He glanced at me. “Noah. The master sent me to retrieve you.” He gestured ahead. “We aren’t far from the house.”

---