Chapter 16
Tyce watched Briel pale further. Worried, he instantly connected with Pyper through the mist to boom, “Get to my suite, now!”
Briel’s worried expression made him feel sick.
She scooted a little away from him and stammered, “Wh-what do you mean your responsibility? I’m not your responsibility,” she snapped. I’m…I’m your enemy!” Confused eyes looked up at him. “Right?”
Her question lacked certainty, like she was asking him to tell her they weren’t. His gut twisted at her vulnerability. “No, Angel. We are not enemies.” Her words had his beasts clawing at his insides, so he rushed to soothe her. “What do you know of Skin Walkers?”
He wanted to laugh when her eyes pinched at the corners and her lips thinned into a disapproving line. “Why are you always answering my questions with questions?”
“Fine,” he clipped. “An answer for an answer.” When he stalled answering hers, she rolled her eyes with a huff.
“I know you’re like werewolves, but you turn into giant cats with vicious claws and sharp teeth.”
His brows hiked, and he waited.
“And you all wear,” she lifted a hand to the halo around her throat. “These…things.”
“Halos,” he supplied.
He waited some more, and when she didn’t continue he asked, “Is that the extent of your knowledge?”
“I know you’ve been experimented on by some military group. I know Monroe StoneCrow is one of you. I know you don’t want your secret out. Oh, and you can rip grown men apart and walk away like nothing ever happened. And yeah, that’s it. That’s all I know.”
“We’re not werecats.” He stared down at where she still rested on the bed. Behind him, Dr. Ames entered quietly and, without speaking, began pulling out equipment from the bag she carried. With swift efficiency she started hooking up the devices to Briel, who balked at first, but permitted it after Tyce kept talking.
“We’re shape shifters. We can take many animal forms, not just cats, and we’ve been in existence since the beginning of time. We are as ancient as the Anasazi, and we aren’t monsters.
We exist in differing stages. Stage one Walkers are typically newborns; they’re just learning to shift and are still unsure how to use their abilities. Stage two Walkers are capable of shifting to one form for a limited amount of time; it’s how we are as teenagers. At stage three, Walkers are able to shift freely to the form of a few different animals.
I’m a stage four Walker, which means that I can shift to any form I choose and stay that way for as long as I like. Lastly, there are Indigenous Walkers. They’re extremely rare. We only know of one.
And I wouldn’t be so quick to judge on what it is you think you know about Walkers and their willingness to defend themselves or those they love. You yourself were willing to use that knife against me back in DC to keep Fena safe. Weren’t you?”
Briel tore her eyes from his and didn’t answer. Instead, she grabbed the halo around her throat. “And this?”
“It’s gonna keep you safe, Angel. It lets other Walkers know that I’m watching over you. It tells them you have my protection.”
Briel rolled her eyes. “Why not just get T-shirts made that read ‘Property of Tyce’?”
“Not a bad idea,” he teased, before his smile faltered, “It’s more than just a show of ownership. Aside from protection, it can lead me to you.”
Perfectly manicured brows knitted. “If you stopped kidnapping people you’d probably make fewer enemies and then you wouldn’t have to tag your guests with tracking collars.” She sighed heavily, and he could scent weariness tugging at her.
Inhaling slowly, he dissected all her scents. Exhaustion, confusion, fear, illness. He looked at Pyper. “How is she?”
“Fine,” Pyper clipped out without looking up from where she was checking Briel’s blood pressure. “Collared at a piss poor time,” she bit out bluntly. “She was already jet-lagged, hungry, dehydrated, and exhausted. The illness though, that’s the affliction.” She turned and pushed her glasses up her nose before looking at Tyce. “Only one way to fix that, and it ain’t in this bag.” She held up her medical bag as she started shoving her tools back inside. Turning back to Briel, she smiled. “I’m Dr. Pyper Ames, resident physician. There aren’t many women here, so if you need anything, just pick up any phone and dial eleven; it’ll connect you to me.” Pyper studied her quietly for a moment before frowning, “Never thought I’d ever actually meet you.”
The doctor’s words made Briel tense. What is that supposed to mean?
Before she could ask, Pyper stood. “Get some rest and plenty of fluids. I’ll have the kitchen make you up some soup. Welcome to Apex, Briel.” She exited the room without looking back.
“You heard her.” Tyce drew Briel’s attention back to him. “We’ll get you fed and then you’ll get some sleep. When you wake we’ll discuss this further.”
Panic flared in her eyes and she reached out a hand as he took a step back. “Fena?”
“Is fine. I won’t let anything happen to her. You have my word.”
“How do I know you’ll keep it?”
“There are many things you’ll come to know about me, the least of which is that I never make vows I don’t keep.”
Briel lifted her hand to her throat where his halo rested. “Maybe you should let Fena wear your collar…if it truly is for protection.” She didn’t know how it worked, but she was certain that it must. A man like Tyce wouldn’t indulge in anything as tacky as mere superstition.
A crooked smile hiked his lips. “It doesn’t work that way. Halo’s,” he corrected, “go on adults only.”
“Then how do you protect your children?”
“Walker children are protected by their scent. Their Walker parent’s DNA is enough to protect them until they are able to generate their own halo, which in turn protects them until they’re able to protect themselves.”
“Generate their halo?”
“Yes,” Tyce continued, “it’s similar to a deer generating antlers.”
“What of adopted children? Non-Walker children?”
Something flickered in the depth of his eyes and he crossed his arms to stare down at her. “Are we talking about Fena?”
Briel’s face flushed and she shook her head before dropping her eyes. “No. We’re just…talking.” She lifted her head. “I don’t know how any of this works, but I know that Walkers aren’t safe. You all are being hunted just like Fena and I are. I just wondered if you’re allowed to adopt, and if so, how do you keep those children safe?”
Tyce uncrossed his arms. “All Walker children, whether adopted or born, are safe. They’re safe because every Walker looks after every Walker child as if that child were their very own.” Tyce smirked and boasted, “Walker children are the most protected children on the face of the earth because they are so rare.”
“Have any of them ever been…taken?”
Tyce shook his head firmly and his tone turned deadly. “Not from me.”
Briel shook her head in response. “It doesn’t make sense that they’d be that safe. If Walker’s don’t live together, how can they protect their children?”
“You assume Walker’s don’t live together. You’re wrong. Monroe StoneCrow’s Estate is a Walker colony, a community, including a school for the children who live there.”
“But you’re not there.”
“No.” He shook his head. “I call Apex home. I’m a Dominant, like an Alpha. Where a pack can’t have two Alphas, Walkers have difficulty living under two Dominants. Monroe rules StoneCrow. I rule here.”
“Why are you telling me all of this so freely?” Her brows knitted. “You shouldn’t be sharing this information with just anyone.”
“I’m not.” Tyce turned and strode to the door. “I’ll go get your food, and then you’ll get some sleep. We’ll talk in the morning.” As an afterthought, he added, “Don’t worry about Fena, her room is just next door.”
Before he left she stopped him with a shaky, “T-Tyce? You’re sure we’re not enemies?”
He turned to face her. “I’m more certain of that than I am of anything else.” He turned to leave but she stopped him again.
“Tyce!
He looked over his shoulder at her.
“I don’t need your protection. And…” she stalled a moment. “And you need to stop kissing me.”
The only response she got was a slight dipping of his chin as his eyes narrowed on her and an intense look took over his features. His jaw ticked like he was debating saying something, but he simply tore his eyes from hers and left, clicking the door closed behind him.
Briel downed her remaining water then placed the glass on the nightstand. She felt dehydrated, sluggish, and sick. She lay on the bed worrying about Fena and digesting everything Tyce had told her, it wasn’t long before her swirling thoughts swept her up and an exhausted sleep finally claimed her.