Klaus
I’m almost to the Eaters’ compound when I have to pull over my bike. I feel the bile rising up in my stomach and I think for sure I’m going to be sick. I’m hunched over, the pain worse than anything I’ve ever felt in my life, but nothing comes up. I fall backwards, landing on my butt, with my head between my legs. A cold sweat forms over my body and I sit there, taking deep breaths in and letting them out slowly.
Images start fleeing across my sight, and I blink, trying to push them out, because it’s causing me even more pain. But I can’t stop them; they keep flashing across like a movie right in front of me. When I see Mona, my whole body freezes, and I open my eyes wide if that’s going to help me see her.
As soon as I see Mandala in the same room as Mona, I know she’s in trouble. I know she needs me and that’s the pain that I’m feeling. I struggle to get to my feet, run to my bike, spinning the tires in the middle of the road to go back the way I just came. I fly back across the hill to get to her, praying the whole way that I’m not too late.
As I’m riding, the connection to Mona goes quiet and I know then that there’s something seriously wrong.
I fly up my driveway and as soon as the house comes into view, I see Mandala carrying Mona to a truck, laying her in the back of it. She’s unconscious, but even from here I can hear her heart beating. It’s the only thing that keeps me going. I no sooner get off my bike than I shift into my grizzly bear, running straight for Mandala.
There may be two other men there, but my focus is on Mandala. He shifts before I get to him, his black bear big, even bigger than me, but I pounce on him, causing us both to fly across the gravel. We get to our feet, facing off. The other men have shifted and they start to join in, both of them moving toward me, but Mandala motions for them to stand down. I’m standing there on all fours, panting, wanting this over with so I can get to Mona.
Mandala paws the ground in front of him, and I know he plans on charging me. I brace for it, knowing the first move he takes, I’m going to meet him in the middle, knowing I can’t lose. Not now.
He takes off toward me a split second later and we meet in a bundle of fur, blood and growls. We fight and I tear at him, biting and clawing every part of him I can reach. He gives a good fight, but I know I’m getting the best of him. He’s older and obviously not in shape; he’s panting and even whimpering in pain. But I don’t give up. I won’t until he’s dead and I know he’ll never touch Mona again.
Just when I think it’s over, the other two step forward. Their nostrils flare and they walk around me in circles. One raises up on his back paws and the other one goes low. They torment me as I turn in circles, ready to fight them both. I’m injured, my own blood and Mandala’s blood coating my fur.
The more I circle around the closer they get. Finally, tired of waiting, I jump on one, the bigger one, wanting to meet him full force and hoping I can take him down before dealing with the other. I lunge at him, taking him backwards as I pull at his leathery skin with my teeth. He doesn’t go down without a fight. He uses his back paws to kick me off of him, and I land ten feet away. Before I can even get up, the other one is on top of me, ripping at my skin. I fight. I give it all I’ve got and when they’re tired of wasting their time, they both take me on at once. Exhausted, bloodied and beaten, I collapse right against the broken steps of my porch. They both then go and pick up Mandala, putting him into the truck.
They drive off with Mona in the back, and they’ve left me for dead.
My body is working to heal itself, but it’s not happening quick enough. I try over and over to get off the ground, to go after them. But I can’t. I can’t move. My head hangs to the side and all I can think is I’ve let her down. I let them take her. My Mona.
Chapter 14
Mona
I come to in a strange room. I still myself, knowing I’m not alone, but also trying to wake myself up and get my bearings. I’m in human form and I’m lying on a dirty white sheet on a bed that I’ve never seen before.