Sky was sitting at a table in the bar nursing the shot of whiskey Link had gotten her.  She wasn’t a big drinker, but at the moment she didn’t care. Her nerves were shot, and she couldn’t seem to control the shaking her body was doing. The burn from the alcohol in her throat seemed to be helping some. 

She just shot a man, and Sky had no idea how to wrap her head around that.  She wasn’t a violent person, but she couldn’t let him shoot the guy that had sparked such an interest in her earlier and held her so sweetly just moments ago.  Her gut told her that the man was important, and Sky had learned a long time ago not to question those feelings.

Tuck came into the bar and sat down with her.  "Pix, we need to talk."

Jeez, didn’t everyone hate to hear those four words?  Every time someone said, “we need to talk”, it meant something bad was about to happen, and Sky had enough bad right now. 

"The man you just saved from getting his ass shot up is Sebastian Frost.  He is Link, Whisk, and Talon’s brother, but he also works for a company named NAC.  They are a security firm with a far reach and they handle cases you couldn’t even imagine.  Your cousin has made their radar for some reason, and Bas was sent here to look into her.  The stuff that happened out there, I can’t explain, but Bas has asked me to keep an eye on you until he gets back.  He has some questions that he would like to ask you.  It is your choice if you want to talk to him or not.  No one will force you. Do you understand what I’m saying?"

Sky was numb.  She didn’t know what to say or what to think, so she just nodded her head.  Sebastian, that name did things to her brain.  She wanted to say it out loud so she could feel it on her tongue as well.  When he was holding her Sky felt something happen between them. It was almost electric, like a line connected the two of them and snapped into place just from the touch of their bodies.  She couldn’t explain it, understand it, or justify it.  She just knew it had happened.  The other thing she knew without a doubt was that she most definitely did want to talk with the man again.

"I get it if you don’t understand any of this, but I have worked with and know this man’s boss.  These are good men, but whatever Shelby has gotten into this time is major.  You need to understand that Bas wouldn’t be here if she were pulling her typical stunts.  This goes beyond fleecing little boys. This is far more serious.  Do you understand?"

The only thing that kept on playing over and over again in Sky’s mind was run.  Maybe after she got her and Shelby somewhere safe, she could contact Tuck again, the Sebastian guy, not so much. If he was here for Shelby, then Sky’s problems were only just getting started.  Shit, she needed to get out of the bar, grab Shelby, and leave town as fast as she could.  It might not be the smartest thing she had ever done, but it was the only thing she could come up with right now.  If this Sebastian was here because of Shelby and she was in trouble, Sky felt she needed to at least give her a heads-up and a head start.  Sky felt like she owed her Aunt and Uncle that much at least.

"Pix, I can see the wheels turning in that mind of yours, and I’m going to tell you to stop and think before you flip out and do something stupid.  We can protect you. Let Bas do what needs to be done with Shelby and move on with your life.  Whatever she is up to can’t be good, and you don’t need to be involved. It is for the best." 

Sky did the only she knew that brought these bad ass men to their knees. She started to cry.  Not tiny little whimpers either, but full on sobs with lots of snot.   It was a low move, but she also knew a guy like Tuck wouldn’t know how to handle her tears.  True to course, Tuck started to freak a little.  He began by awkwardly patting her on the shoulder and then tried to hug her. When that didn’t work, he stood up and started looking around. For what?  Sky wasn’t sure, but when he leaned down and said, "I’m sorry, Pix, let me go and get you some tissues or something." She found her opportunity. 

"No, it’s okay," Sky said, over exaggerating her emotions and sucking in a breath for effect. "I’ll just go to the bathroom if that is okay," Sky replied in a defeated sounding whisper. 

"Shit Pix, sure, go ahead. Take as much time as you need. We can talk when you come back out."

"Thank you." Sky sulked to the restroom, dragging her feet along the way.  She hoped that she was portraying a dejected woman.  Yeah, she was playing it up, but she also knew if she didn’t, then Tuck would never let her out of his sight otherwise.  No, she just needed to come up with a plan and get the hell out of there.

The bathroom didn’t even offer a window. After taking a couple of minutes, Sky peeked out the door. Thankfully no one was there because right at the end of the hall was an exit.  Walking as fast as she could without breaking out into a full out run and drawing attention, Sky got to the door as quickly as possible.  Trying the knob and finding it was thankfully unlocked and that there wasn’t a security alarm attached to it, were blessings Sky needed right now.  Opening it, Sky peeked her head out and looked around, making sure no one was hanging out back there that could stop her. Finding no one, Sky took off for the apartment.  Thankfully it was only four blocks away.

Coming up on the back of the building, Sky ran up the stairs, taking two at a time.  Her only goal was to get to Shelby as soon as possible. It was one decision she would sincerely regret in a matter of seconds. 

Throwing the door open, it took Sky a couple of seconds to process what she was seeing.  Shelby was on her knees in front of a man, and it looked like she had been beaten.  Stunned, Sky just stood there because she was still unable to process what in the hell she was seeing. The man was tall and lean but nice looking. Why had he been hurting Shelby?  And why wasn't Shelby trying to get away from him instead of just sitting there?

When the man looked up, Sky cringed back from the slimy evil feeling that seemed to encase her body. When Bas had looked at her, she felt warm and fuzzy, but this man made her feel cold and clammy.  It wasn’t a good combination.  

Taking a step back to escape the man, Sky was surprised when she ran into something solid.  When beefy hands gripped her arms, she wanted to scream.  Damn, had she been hit by the stupid stick today?  She knew better and yet here she was, for the second time, getting caught unaware. She tried to look back and see who her new assailant was, but his grip was tight.  When she tried to move her head he only pulled her in closer to his body, preventing the movement.

"Ah, I see the guest of honor has finally arrived," the creepy man said with a slight lisp. He said that all while never moving his hands from Shelby.   

Shelby was looking between the man and Sky. The words that came out of her mouth surprised Sky more than she could have ever thought possible. "See, I told you she would be here. All you had to do was wait. Now you can just take her and go.  You don’t even have to give me the money you promised.  I will just leave, and we can call it even okay, Dean?"

"Oh, I don’t think so, Shelby, you silly, little girl. We can’t risk you running those lips of yours, now can we?"  He ran his finger over Shelby’s lips when he said those words. 

"I swear, Dean, I won’t say a word. Just take her and I’ll leave. You will never see me again, I promise. Please, I did what you asked.  You can do whatever you want with her, just let me go!"

"Oh, I plan to. But I’m sorry to say; you have outlived your usefulness, Shelby. We can’t have mongrels running around, now can we?  They are fun to play with for a little while, but in the long run, must be put down for the greater good. Don’t you agree?"

Sky watched as Shelby shook her head back and forth.  The whole time she couldn’t believe what all she was hearing and when she was finally able to comprehend what was happening it was too late because the gruesome man grabbed Shelby by the jaw and quickly jerked it to the side unnaturally far.  The act only took a second, but to Sky it was as if everything was in slow motion at that moment.  The look of fear in her cousin’s eyes, feeling every beat of her own heart threatening to jump right out of her chest, and the sickening sound of her cousin’s neck bones breaking, amplified the moment. Sky wanted to look away and not see what had just happened. She even tried to close her eyes. But the sound of her lifeless body hitting the floor of the apartment once again drew her attention, and it was like seeing it happen all over again.  Sky’s knees buckle beneath her. Now the mystery monster was only holding her up from behind.

"Oh, my dear. Now, now, no need to fret. The girl was just useless trash.  Her time has come and gone. Don’t worry your simple mind over such mundane things."  Then the man stepped over Shelby’s prone body as if it were nothing, like he hadn’t just killed her right in front of Sky and continued to talk.  He then proceeded to stalk towards Sky.

"Now, I am sorry, but I must make sure she had been telling the truth." With those words the man yanked her wrists forward and turned them so her hands were palm up, as if looking for something. He reverently ran his thumb over Sky’s birthmark.  Without looking up, he said with a pleased tone, “I’ve been waiting a long time to finally meet you, my dear.  My only regret it that your training didn’t start sooner.  But I will fix that soon enough."

Sky was only able to mutter one word, "What?"

"No worries, Miss Thomas. Everything will be explained in time, but we really must be going now. It seems you have been a rather bad girl tonight.  We will have to talk about that later as well. I don’t particularly like my minions being dispatched without my knowledge.  You will pay for that later, but we really need to be going.  I don’t want anything to delay our departure further. It’s already been too long." 

The man continued, "Your father thought he could keep you away from me. I told him that wasn’t going to happen, but he wasn’t as loyal to our cause as we thought.  No matter, all is well now that you are back within the fold.  I will take great pleasure in teaching you the ways of our people and the woman’s true role in our society." 

The man stepped back, releasing her wrists. He then placed his hands on his slim hips and vulgarly perused Sky from head to toe.  Shaking his head in disgusted, the man made a sweeping motion with his hand down Sky's body, "This will never do!  It seems the first thing we will need to address once we get home is your lack of proper attire and appearance.  We do, after all, have a reputation to uphold.  I have no idea what you are wearing, but it is far from acceptable.  No woman of mine will ever dawn peasant’s clothing.  If I had the time, I would make you change into something more appropriate."

The man looked up and down Sky’s body in disgust like she was wearing a G-string and pasties.  The sneer made Sky look down at her clothes herself, almost surprised when she found exactly what she knew she would.  She was wearing jeans, flannel, and a tank; the same things she wore most days.  What the hell was he talking about and damn and why did he care about what she was wearing?  And what was that about her Dad?  Did she just enter the twilight zone?  Shit, she must be in shock or something.

The man started to walk around the apartment, consistently shaking his head like he didn’t like or couldn’t understand what he was seeing.  "I can’t believe your parents would have allowed something so sacred to our people live in such squalor and filth."  He continued to mumble about the apartment and her clothing, but Sky was ignoring him.  Right now, the man at her back had her focus.

His grip on her hadn’t moved or loosened.  She couldn’t see him or get away.  From the feel of him, he was large and definitely strong.  When she felt his erection on her lower back, she started to struggle.  Unfortunately, that only brought the other man’s attention back to her.  He walked over and once again took her by the wrist.

Then the horrible guy did something really creepy and moved his tongue in and out of his mouth super-fast, making a weird sucking noise.  Kind of like that guy from Silence of the Lambs, but in a different and way more disturbing manner.  Sky cringed back from him and his touch.  Whereas Sebastian’s touch had drawn her in, this man’s touch burned, almost like acid or poison. There was a burning sensation under her skin, and it was painful and repulsive.

"Seems that you have been around one of our kind. I wonder, will you be forthcoming with the information or do you need persuasion?  Hmm, let me see if my skills are working." The man then leaned forward and smelled Sky’s neck. She wanted to cringe back, but the dude behind her was keeping her still locked in his grasp.  When he all out licked her, Sky felt the bile rising up in her throat.

"I scent bear, late twenties, maybe early thirties, and very dominant!"  The man gripped Sky’s chin and forced her to look at him.  The touch was painful, but Sky didn’t allow him to see that reaction.  She was pretty sure it would only make him happy. 

"That could be a problem, Miss Thomas.  We can’t have you cavorting with other Shifters, now can we?" 

Sky’s brain was reeling. She didn’t have a clue what she was hearing. The man had just killed her cousin, criticized her clothes, mentioned her Dad, and now he was talking about Shifters and bears. What the hell? 

Sky’s brain was going into meltdown mode.  She knew she needed to do something. But Sky was so stunned that she couldn’t even form a coherent thought, let alone do anything about the situation.  The man in front of her scared her more than anything had ever scared her in her life, and apparently when faced with those things, Sky froze like a statue.  Unlike before, when she fought with everything she had, now she just stood there waiting for something to happen. 

Suddenly, Sky felt a jolt at her back. The strong hands that had been once holding her in place moved off her arms and away from her body.  Then there was a thud of a body hitting the floor.  Sky was pushed off balance by the movement, but she quickly corrected herself, thankful that the man had fallen backward and not taken her down with him.  A person would have thought that would have gotten Sky moving, but it didn’t.  She was still staring at the man in front of her.  She could hear feet pounding up the stairs outside, but she was still frozen in place, unable to move.

When the man stepped back and smiled, Sky cocked her head to the side. She still couldn’t figure out what was going on. 

"Well, my dear, it looks like our reunion will have to wait a little while longer. No worries though. Trust me when I say I will find you again." 

Sky had no idea what the man was going to do. She was standing in the only doorway to the apartment, and his accomplice was currently lying on the floor in front of it.  But the man was acting like it was no big deal.  She knew the answer to that question in the next seconds because the man that she had been staring at, immobilized in shock and terror, morphed into a snake right before her eyes.  She felt like she had to be losing her mind. She was now seeing things that could not possibly be there.

Sky blinked a couple of times, but the scene didn’t change. No, there was a big assed snake right in front of her, and the man was nowhere to be seen.  Sky didn’t know snakes, didn’t like them and couldn’t have cared less what types there were in the world.  All she knew was this one was huge, unnaturally so, with yellowish coloring and some markings.  It had also been a man once. Her head was swimming in a fog, desperately trying to force a comeback to the reality she seemed to have lost at some point.

When she was grabbed from behind and pulled out onto the landing, Sky was speechless and could only point at the snake.  Her frazzled brain recognized Tuck as being the one that grabbed her, but nothing else.  It took her a couple of minutes to actually say anything, but by that time she had already been carried down the stairs and was being thrown into a car.  The slap to her cheek brought her out of her shock, and the man in front of her brought welcomed relief.

"What the fuck, Sky?" Tuck screamed right into her face. All Sky could do was grab onto his neck and hug him. Then the real tears started as the overwhelming reality of what had just happened hit her.