Saving Grace: The Guardian Chronicles Book 2

Chapter 21.

Chapter 21.

Sitting in the plush wingback chair in the library, Marie could not stop running her hand over the velvety fabric, watching her finger marks appear and disappear when she stroked it one way, then the other. Her nerves were on end, restless energy practically thrumming through her body as she waited for her boss and the man who seemed to be her anchor in the chaos she had fallen into to finish discussing her fate, as well as the fates of the others milling about the room. After hastily leaving the downtown Saint Louis high-rise, the group had fled to Aiden's family estate, still thought to be a protected location. The mansion was situated on several hundred acres of what appeared to be feral farmland.

She peered up to the high ceiling. Mahogany shelves and rich burgundy leather leant the feeling of being in another century, as the luxurious decor dripped in excess from every surface. The musty smell of old books was comforting to Marie, and she again tried to turn her attention to Jack London's The Call of the Wild. It had been one of her favorite stories as a child and she sought its comforting familiarity. However, as she read it this time, she could identify more so with the wolves than the man. Since she had first turned so many weeks ago, she had worked in private with Xavier to control her "cat" as he had called it. There were so many new feelings roiling inside her, as if she were now one of two inhabitants in fighting for control of her body. No longer was she just Marie. Now she felt as if she were being nudged out of herself. Xavier had told her she had to dominate her inner beast or it would take over and she would not be able to shift back to her human self. She held onto the fragile reigns of control he had helped her to grasp, unwilling to lose her identity to a beast who had only just reared her head.

Trying to distract her thoughts from the sensation of a pacing cat in her stomach, she thought to the last session she had with Xavier, where he was trying to teach her to stop midshift, in order to control if the beast forced her way out. He had asked her to shift on demand, but she was unable to do so. They had learned if she thought of Arazel or her other captors, she would become angry enough her beast would burgeon forth protectively. Once, she had become so upset, she remained in cat form for a whole day and night. Xavier had let her run, drawing her into the countryside, following at a safe distance as her beast reveled in the newfound freedom. He had coaxed her back to the apartment, and Marie had been surprised when he simply left her on her bed. Deep inside the beast, Marie held a part of the collective consciousness of her and the jaguar. She had enjoyed letting go, not having to try to control the animal wanting to run free.

On the day he wanted her to stop the shift, she was exhausted. She had fully shifted to her feline form five times, and had phased back to her human form, each time more painful and slow than the last. She had initially been self-conscious, as she had been fully nude during these exercises, as she had already trashed several jogging sets. She had been tired and became angry when Xavier had called out, "Again! Try harder Marie. I've seen you do it before when your eyes flashed green. I know you can do this!"

"I didn't know I was doing it, Xavier. I don't know how I did it! What the hell do you want from me?" she had cried, sweat rolling down her back, and plastering her short hair to her face.

"I want you to own your cat," he stated simply.

"I do own my cat!" she screamed. "It rips my body apart time after time, and it never goes away! I'd like to see you try this!"

What he did next had been completely unexpected. He reached out and clasped the nape of her neck with one large hand, and brought the other to her cheek, urging her to look up at him. "I cannot imagine what you go through. I only know what I have learned about other shifters, and the most powerful can do this. I feel the power coming off you when your beast rises. You must conquer her, or she will conquer you."