Shifters in human-appearing form congregated in small groups on cushions along the walls and around the large fire at the center of the room. It reminded her of a humongous family gathering. Games and cards were scattered on the low tables. Books lined one of the walls. Nice to know they did something other than try to kill each other.
Everyone had stopped to stare.
She straightened and tried to smooth her nest-like hair. Sweat beaded on her forehead and trickled along her face. She clenched her fist so no one could see her hands shake. What did Kele first tell her? Control her fear or they’d be all over her? A little too late to remember.
“Is this the troublemaker?” The deep voice came from a large shifter, who lounged among the multi-colored pillows. He motioned in her direction with a pewter cup.
Susan glanced from Kele, who lay sprawled on her stomach before him, to the shifters surrounding her. Unsure of what to do anymore, it seemed safer to join her on the floor. No matter how degrading. Every fiber in her body shook in defiance as she lay beside Kele, but if it kept her alive…
Crap, she didn’t even understand why Kele’s crazed mother wanted to rip her head off. All she did was offer to shake hands. Note to self: keep hands in pockets from now on. She glanced at the imposing male before them.
With cool blue eyes, he assessed her. Sharp intelligence was reflected in his assessing stare. She should tread carefully. He ran a hand over his long, orange shirt that fell mid-thigh. Leather straps crisscrossed his chest matching his tan leather kilt. The touch of white at his temples was the only sign of his age.
Kele elbowed Susan in the kidney and then pointed at her eyes, then to the floor.
Grinding her teeth, Susan bent her head and stared at the colorful, Persian-like rug.
“Father, this is Susan. I met her on the way to the Temple.” Kele cleared her throat. “I took her from the Apisi alpha when she crossed onto our lands.”
“Sorin crossed our borders because of this female?” He spoke softly since room’s silence allowed his voice to travel easily.
“He was chasing her.”
“Typical. She doesn’t seem attractive enough to warrant such recklessness. He must be desperate.”
A loud snarl to Susan’s left cut through the alpha’s comment. She followed the direction of the angry noise and caught a sound of surprise in her throat. Silver Mane—Sorin—hung from chains by his wrists. Naked. Suspended like a gruesome marionette. Dried blood had formed small trails along his torso. His face was contorted in a fierce scowl as his gaze met hers.
For a split second, she saw through his anger and knew he took offense at the insult tossed her way. She almost laughed, since what Kele’s father had said was true. Nobody would consider her much of a catch. She returned her gaze to the carpet. At least Sorin still lived. Had he really broken pack law to get her back? Something fragile within her chest fluttered.
”Sorin wished her return but I denied him. She’s not a shifter and bears no marks. He didn’t heed my warnings.”
Kele’s father’s silence weighed heavily on Susan. It took every ounce of her self-control not to glance up.
“Doesn’t explain why you prostrate yourself at my feet, Kele.”
“May she remain here as my guest?”
A roar announced the arrival of Kele’s bitchy mother. “Little disrespectful beast jumped me for a stray.”
Kele trembled.
Touching Kele’s hand, Susan steeled her spine for another attack. How awful to be related to that wicked female.
Her new friend glanced at her. “Stay strong.”
Susan’s stomach clenched and her eyebrows shot up. How the hell did she stay strong if she was weak to begin with?
A body hit the ground, hard, on the other side of Susan. She turned toward the noise and found Ahote lying on his stomach, face to the floor. A set of bloody scratches ran down his shoulder and arm.
Sandwiched between Kele and Ahote, Susan took a deep calming breath. It would do no good to run again. Think wolf, not human. The wild animal documentaries she’d watched all advised against running. Instinct could make the shifter chase her more. Running meant fear and gave them power over her. They’d continue treating her like prey. In other words, they’d tear her to pieces.
Kele yelped, causing Susan to twist again. Her mother had sat on her.
Fuck this. Susan lifted her head and faced Kele’s father. Wasn’t he going to do anything about his crazy wife?
He sipped his drink, a small smile on his lips as he watched his family. Next to him sat a slighter male with thick brown curls trimmed close to his head. His gaze met hers. He nodded before smiling and flashing fangs as long as a tiger’s.
So her day could get worse. This must be a vampire. Fantastic.
“Enough.” Susan’s shout echoed in the cavern, and she sat on her knees. “I’d like to go back to the Temple. At least there I only had one shifter trying to eat me.” She pointed at Sorin and ignored Kele’s spastic sputter.
“Eat you?” Kele’s father ran his fingers through his thick blond hair—the same pale shade as his daughter’s. He glanced at his companion, the one sporting fangs, and smirked. “Is that what the Apisi do to their females?”
The vampire’s grin grew wider. “You have to admit, your people come off as a little brutal on first impression.” He took a sip from his cup; all the while his gaze never left Susan. “This is about dominance, not food, young female. You must have done something to set Chaska off.” He gestured to Kele’s mother at the unfamiliar name. “That doesn’t take much.”
A growl rumbled deep inside Chaska—the unnerving creature Kele called mother. “The stray attempted to touch me without submitting first. I’m due at least that small measure of respect, vampire.”
Susan gaped at her. This was all about respect? She took mental notes. If she was going to survive she needed to learn the rules fast. No touching before showing respect. Check.
“Not everyone lives by shifter standards. You should unleash your mate and let her travel outside the forest more often, Inali.” The vampire addressed Kele’s father.
Susan started to file away what info she’d gathered into her mental cabinet for later examination. The vampire lived outside the forest? She hadn’t made it this far in her field of science by being stupid. Her mind was her biggest asset and her best weapon. The shifters lived in the forest but their laws didn’t extend past it. Who inhabited the area outside their borders, and were they easier to live with?
“My mate’s duties lay with the pack. Not dealing with outsiders. That glorious task is my responsibility.” Inali set his cup down.
Chaska dealt with pack problems, like Susan, and Inali took care of things outside the pack, like the vampire. That made some sense. Did that mean dealing with Inali would be easier? Somehow she doubted it.
Inali approached Susan. Even when he squatted, his size dwarfed her kneeling form. Twice as wide as her, probably close to seven feet tall, and all muscle. If she needed to imagine a shifter leader—alpha—it would be Inali.
Kele squirmed next to her under Chaska’s weight. The smaller female sent Susan a warning glare.
Susan comprehended the danger of her situation but she lacked the details on how to react in this culture and the consequences of those actions. Should she bite him? Take off her clothes? Maybe offer to cook them a meal? They obviously didn’t play by human rules.
He smiled at his mate, but no warmth shone from it. “Why are Kele and Ahote involved in this drama?”
“Our daughter attacked me and stole the stray from my hands.”
His hard expression turned to surprise. “Is this true, Kele?”