Challenged - Skinwalker Book 2

Chapter 4

The time alone in human form gave her a chance to take stock of recent events. The agency members she'd met appeared to be regular people - or, at least, regular creatures. Nothing about them or the place gave her a sense of foreboding or made her feel wary. In fact, she was excited about the meeting and eager to learn more. But something was worrying her – it was the ridiculously strong compulsion she'd succumbed to in the rec room, and the way that a similar craving had started to surge through her veins shortly after watching the woman emerge from the water. She'd never, ever been unable to control her urges before.

Kalko was right – she'd behaved recklessly. Now that Sierra understood what he likely was, she realised just how irresponsible her behaviour could have been. She'd promised Jason that she'd be careful and not give away too much about herself, but by transforming in a room full of people within minutes of arriving, she'd pretty much done the opposite.

Before she'd understood the strange hum of electricity that bounced off unknown were-creatures, she'd been instinctively afraid to let her skin come into contact with theirs. But now that she understood the process and had savoured the feeling of taking on different animal forms, her newly-discovered ability seemed to be consuming her with an intensity similar to that of a street-drug-induced craving.

Her body was humming even as she pondered it, her nerves seeming to sear through her body at the mere thought of so many unknown were-creatures all lounging in such close proximity to her. Sierra realised that she probably shouldn't go anywhere near the rec room any time soon, even though she desperately wanted to. She finished tying the laces of her shoes and stood, ironing the creases from her clothes with her hands as she looked around for her hairbrush. She found it in the side-pouch of her backpack and she started working away at the knots that the journey had put in her dark gold locks.

I can't let this thing control me. I have to get a grip! If Adam hadn't stopped me I could have killed Kalko. I could have... I could have killed myself!

That new realisation stunned her. She let herself sink to the bed, feeling suddenly overwhelmed by the enormity of it all. A cold chill flashed over her skin, easing the inward fire that had been tearing at her fibres. Her heart slowed to a steady, consistent rhythm and, for a moment, she seemed to stop thinking altogether. When a knock sounded on her bedroom door, it startled her. She realised then that she'd been staring blankly at the opposite wall, completely lost in thoughts she was now unable to recall.

"Sierra? May I enter?"

It was Luc, his smooth French accent only just carrying through the thick wooden door despite the fact that it sounded like he was speaking loudly. Sierra realised then that what an asset such fixtures were in a building filled with were-creatures.

"Sure," she replied as she leapt to her feet and spent a second fretting about her appearance; though she'd already messed up, she still felt the need to try and make a good impression.

The door swung noiselessly open on its sturdy old hinges and Luc lingered in the doorway.

"I have been asked to fetch you for the meeting," he informed her with a reassuring smile.

Sierra nodded her understanding and shoved her brush back in her bag before heading out the door at his side. He led the way down the landing to the mysterious door centred on the far side where Devon was standing waiting for them. A whiff of fresh soap and clean skin drifted over to her, and she realised that Devon hadn't wasted a second freshening up. Sierra mentally cursed herself for daydreaming instead of doing the same, since smell was such an issue for most were-creatures. She resisted the urge to sniff her own armpits to see how bad she reeked and turned her attention back to Luc.