Skin Walker: The Shadow Assassin

Thane

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 My breath caught in my throat, an uneasy feeling brewing in my gut. He was an Untouchable. For minutes I just sat there, my mind a whirl of chaos. There was only a few things that would make a Skin Walker lose his animal, his other half.

It was a doomed fate. Worse than death. A punishment rarely given for it caused most to go mad.

"What did you do?" I kept my voice low so the other hunters wouldn't hear.

His eyes turned dark. He opened his mouth to spit back a reply when Kerr interrupted.

"Get up!" he growled.

I slowly rose from my spot on the ground, the heavy chains they had put on yet again weighing me down. "Faster!" he bit out.

"What's the magic word?" I muttered under my breath, struggling to keep the smirk off my face.

"What was that, Kitten?" Kerr got up in my face, his breath snaking down my neck.

I shuddered at his nasty breath. "Nothing Dog. Nothing at all." I was fed up with all this testosterone business. Couldn't I just get one lousy break?

Kerr grabbed the front of my shirt, Draven's shirt more like, and threw me onto the ground. I rolled to lessen the impact and protect my shoulder and side. Dusting off the best I could in my bound state, I got to my feet.

Now I was angry. I felt Fang try to come out as my hands ached at the need to change into claws, my eyes blazing as they transformed from their normal blue and yellow color. I let out a nasty growl, reminding him who he was messing with. Before I could lash out in my blinded fury I felt hands encircle my arms, just tight enough so I couldn't wriggle free. I sensed a face next to mine and then heard a whisper, "It's not worth it, he's not worth it. You need to calm down. You need to let it go." I recognized the voice as the untouchable's. My brain told me to get as far from him as possible, but my gut told me to stay. His thumbs moved up and down my arms, trying to sooth me. Though he kept his grip on my arms in case I tried to get away and attack that idiot.

I felt myself calm down until the pain in my body faded and I no longer felt the desire to shift or pummel Kerr into a bloody mess. As soon as my shoulders relaxed the hands lifted. I looked up to see Kerr dumbfounded, blinking rapidly as he tried to make sure what he just witnessed actually happened.

By now most of the hunters were all standing in a loose circle, ready to leave. Draven and three others were missing. Apparently Draven had taken them into the next town to receive greatly needed medical attention after our little "fight" and we were to meet them there as soon as possible. With Thane in charge and Draven gone, I started to doubt I would make it that far.

***

We walked relentlessly, the Untouchable near the front with a chain attached to Godzilla (I still didn't know his real name) with me bringing up the rear with a chain attached to Thane. So basically I wanted to die.

"Didn't you miss this Ira? It's just like the good ol' times." Thane sneered.

I wanted to give some sly remark but for once in my life my tongue was tied. Flashes of the past danced across my eyes, my own cruel torture. So instead I kept my mouth shut and continued to look straight ahead. I wouldn't let him get a reaction out of me.

After a few minutes of silence I snuck a quick glance at Thane and immediately wished I hadn't. He looked put out by my lack of reaction, but more so he looked evil, like he had a trick up his sleeve that he couldn't wait to use.

We continued to walk and slowly but surely I began to let my guard down. Out of nowhere I felt a hand on my back and froze. It stroked up and down feather soft. I wanted to vomit. I knew instantly it was Thane's. He did it a few more times while I remained stalk still, the rest of the hunters oblivious to what was going on. After a few more strokes his hand slithered under my shirt and traced the raised scars that overtook my back. Bile rose to my throat.