Mountain River Girl

Chapter 17: Under Lock And Key

UNDER LOCK AND KEY

One moment I was sitting on the edge of the couch, the next I was flat on my back and had a heavy weight pressing down on me. I pushed back to create some space between my face and Kieran’s chest, but no matter how much force I used, he didn’t budge.

“Kieran!” I tried to shout, but he pressed his body even closer and his name came out all muffled.

Trudy’s high-pitched scream still rang in my ears when I heard glass break, wood crack and then a loud growl.

I squeezed my eyes shut and whispered, “No.”

The tingles that ran through my body were all too familiar and not to be mistaken for anything other than a transformation – a shift between species. Despite the fear of what I’d find, my curiosity overpowered my control and I managed to wring some moving space between Kieran and myself. I wanted to know who had changed. I had to -

“Kieran?” Alex shouted over the noise. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” I heard Kieran’s voice rumble in his chest.

“Seda?”

I wasn’t sure if the question was directed at me or Kieran, but I answered anyway. Not that it mattered, because at the sound of my name, a loud growl drowned out my okay. The hair on my arms rose as a shiver ran through my body.

“Fine!” Kieran shouted back. “I’ve got her. Just get him out of here!”

Alex started barking orders. “Eric, Maverick, get him outside!”

Kieran’s body still blocked my sight, making it hard to keep track of what was happening around us. Another growl erupted, to which Trudy’s panicky screeching grew even louder. She was on the verge of hyperventilating, if not closer to passing out.

“For Christ’s sake, woman,” Alex paused. “Do us all a favor and stop with the damned screaming already. You’re giving me a headache!”

Trudy didn’t stop. I bet she couldn’t stop even if she wanted to.

“Jonathan, can you get her somewhere to calm down? I have to think and I can’t even hear my own thoughts.”

“Sure.” The sound of shuffling footsteps followed his reply.

“Don’t come near me!” Trudy shrieked. “Stay away! Please let me go! Don’t, no don’t! Please, just –“

A thud reached my ears, and all of a sudden, Trudy’s cries died.

What had Jonathan done to shut her up?

“Put her in one of the beds upstairs,” Alex sighed. “And let’s hope she can be reasoned with by the time she awakes.”

Alarmed, I tried to break free from Kieran’s hold. “What happened? Is she okay?”

“She is fine.” Kieran tried to calm me, but he didn’t budge.

“Let go of me! What did you do to her?”

“It’s okay,” Alex said, and finally, Kieran released me by turning his body away from mine. He slouched next to me.

Alex, who stood near the door, Kieran and I were the only ones left in Don’s living room. Or what was left of it anyway. The room was destroyed, and that was putting it mildly. Most of the furniture was scattered around the room, the majority of it in pieces. Two or three paintings had come down from the wall, not to mention the papers that dotted the carpet and furniture. The glass coffee table was smashed, and one of the windows was missing.