Tighter. Tighter, I thought. The ropes continued to squeeze him until his eyes rolled back and he stopped moving.

Troy stumbled, fighting to regain his balance. Then he let out a roar so full of anguish I could tell he was devastated by what’d happened to Cole.

The other two Vaktare came forward.

One of them must have had the ability to conjure my worst fears because suddenly I saw myself hunting. The vision was so real I smelled the mountain air, the scent of their fear. I heard the leaves rustling in the breeze. The scene changed and I was feasting on a body, the insides torn out. A quick look at his face told me it was Adam, his eyes open and staring blankly at nothing. His hair wet with blood.

If I hadn’t had my primal instinct, I would’ve fallen victim. Instead I took his ability, pushed it into a compact little box and sent it back. Show him his worst fear.

Immediately, the Vaktare on the right started screaming, shifting as he ran out of the house. He stomped through the landscaping, tearing up flowers and trees, fighting invisible enemies that only he could see.

The other man’s ability slammed into me and I felt him try to take control of my body. I reversed it, compiled it, and sent him out to battle the Vaktare ruining the front yard. To the death, I thought.

Adam was at my shoulder. I glanced at him. “Are you okay?” I asked, feeling terrible that I’d hurt him.

“I’m fine. The bigger question is are you okay?”

“No, actually, I’m not. I’m super pissed off.” I pushed past Adam and shoved Professor Pops off Will. “Where the hell is he? Where did you send Cole?”

I grabbed Will by the fur at his neck and shook him. Hard. He glanced away, swallowing, one hand clamped over his bleeding throat. I smelled his fear.

“You’d better tell me, Will, or I’ll take your gift, you’re little balls of light, and send you and it to the bottom of the pool.

Will laughed. “You’re a big talker, Bea. Nothing more. Just a spoiled bitch.” He opened his mouth. A ball of light formed.

Will’s ability will no longer work for him, I thought.

Immediately the small light in the back of his throat vaporized. I smirked. Even though I didn’t comprehend how such a thing was possible I was grateful.

“What have you done?” Will gagged. He flicked his hand but no light appeared. He tried again with his mouth.

“It’s gone, Will. I took it.”

Furious rage boiled over and he roared, twisting out of my grasp. Professor Pops was a step behind, ready to grab him if I needed his help. Adam was on the other side of me. Troy stood behind Professor Pops, his wings flapping irritably.

Will shook his body. He was breathing heavily. “You won’t win, Beatrice. You can’t. You lack the courage and conviction necessary to lead your people or save our realm.”

Stop! I put an arm out without speaking a word aloud.

Will’s body froze. “What the hell?” He was truly scared now, his features contorted in anger and shock. “How are you doing this?”

I didn’t know and at that moment I didn’t care. I just wanted to stop him. The first thought in my mind was to put him to sleep. Will became stiff and fell onto his side with a thud. His eyes closed. I glanced down. It made no sense that I could make other Vaktare’s abilities do as I commanded within my mind. I thought each Vaktare was only supposed to receive a single ability. Why did it seem like I had so many?

I moved closer to Adam and hugged him. “You’re a mess.” Blood streaked his blond fur and there were wounds all over his body. A chunk of his ear was missing.

Adam gave me a once-over. “You should see yourself. You’re incredible.”

“Really?” I was thinking he was pretty freaking amazing but I held up my paws, checking them out. My fur was no longer honey brown but a deep rusty red. “What happened?” I asked, surprised.

Adam smiled. It was one of awe.

“Yeah, why is her fur a different color?” Troy asked. His eyes were no longer brown but a deep bronze with silver rings around the outside. Professor Pops had a hand on Troy’s scaly shoulder. I sensed a great sadness rolling off them both and I knew it was because of Cole. They felt responsible. So did I.

Adam smiled, but it was filled with sadness. “I never would’ve believed it if I wasn’t seeing it with my own eyes.”

“What?” I asked.

Adam glanced at Professor Pops. I did too. His eyes no longer glowed as red though they were still flashing. I figured he sensed the danger was gone for the most part.

Adam stood, pulling me with him. “There is a story told to all the Vaktare and Locanis children about the Unduyee, a great red warrior that would one day come to Hiraken. It was said that the red warrior would be the keeper of all abilities and that her humility, benevolence and warm giving heart would return peace and equality to the land. Of course, we all believed it was a tall tale.”

I remembered the story. I’d read it back in the Museum for the Supernatural. “What are you saying?”

He spun me around, allowing me to see myself in the piece of broken glass still hanging on the wall. “See. Red fur.”

I stared at my reflection. That was the first time I’d truly seen myself, other than the one time in the pool water. But it’d been dark then. Seeing myself in the glass was much different.

My face was shaped like a large cat and covered in red-brown fur. My teeth were long, sharp, and white. My eyes were fully orange, like the final light just before the sun went down. I stood back so I could see more of myself. Adam was still taller than I was and a werewolf instead of a cat, but we made a good-looking pair. I turned around and hugged him with such force that I nearly knocked him to the ground. I was so happy he was okay.

Adam returned my hug ferociously. “You shifted on purpose this time. Do you have any idea how to shift back?”

“No. My body just kind of does its own thing.” I rubbed my nose against his furry cheek.

Professor Pops cleared his throat. I let go of Adam. “I’m so sorry about Cole,” I said to Professor Pops, barely able to meet his or Troy’s gaze. They’d lost so much because of me. “But I’m going to get him back.”

I walked over to Will. He was no longer in his Vaktare form, no longer the scary black werecat. Instead he lay on his side, still asleep and totally naked. I went to the main closet, grabbed a trench coat that was my dad’s and covered the worst of his nakedness. “Wake up,” I commanded, kneeling over him.

His eyes blinked open. “What? Where am I?”

I grabbed his neck, piercing it with my claws. “You’re still at my house, Will.” I squeezed. “And you aren’t going anywhere until you tell me how you opened that thing and where Cole went.”

I felt their presence as the others stood behind me.

Except Professor Pops. He came to stand on the other side of Will. The Professor’s eyes were red again. “Young Vaktare, Cole is my son and I will find him. So this conversation is going to go two ways.”

Will’s eyes flickered back and forth between Professor Pops and I.

“One, you can choose to tell me how to find him.” He paused and brushed some of Will’s hair out of his eyes. “Or, you can say nothing and I will kill you.”

From behind, I heard Troy growl and felt the heat of his breath. It singed the walls over my head.

Tears leaked from Will’s eyes. “Then I’m dead either way. So do what you must.” He clamped his mouth shut.

Troy’s large head appeared beside mine. “I can make him talk. Let me do it, Grand Pops.”

The Hunter glanced at Troy. His face changed from scary to calm.

“No, Troy. I want you to go home.” He glanced away, his eyes searching the sky outside. I followed his gaze, wondering what he was looking for. “If your father shows up . . .” Professor Pops didn’t finish his sentence, but I got the feeling he believed there was someone or something scarier than he was out there.