Kane staggered backwards as if he had been shot. The jolt of electricity that had burst out from her left him unable to move. It reminded him of the time he had been walking through the park on his way to work and had watched a man, a shifter, being cornered. One of the policemen had panicked, thinking the guy was about to change, and he had drawn his Taser. The shifter had arched his back as the electricity shot through his system, and then collapsed on the floor, his body in spasms.
He lifted his hand and clenched and unclenched his fist. What had she done to him?
The second shock of the evening hit Kane. On his wrist he wore his father’s bracelet. Darius had given it to him when he was five. His uncle had told him how precious it had been to the father Kane had never known, and Kane had vowed to never take it off.
It had always been there, a thing, a part of him that he never noticed, in the same way his body took in air, constant, but unobserved. Now as the moonlight caught it, it shimmered cold and dull, just like the collar the woman, he couldn’t recall her name, wore around her neck.
He itched to take it off. But if he did, and he was one of them, his life as he knew it would be over.
Kane closed his eyes and drew on his inner strength. This couldn’t be rushed into; he had to be careful and calculated in his actions. He had to behave exactly as his uncle had taught him.
Damn it! None of it made sense. His uncle was training Kane to take full control of his growing empire and Darius would never, knowingly, pass it on to a shifter. The business world would never accept him, and the law made it impossible. Shifters were not allowed to own property, let alone a successful corporation, in this part of the world. They had their own country across the border in Shifters Prime.
Kane sank to the floor, sitting on his haunches while he formulated a plan.
What plan?
He either stayed here, living a lie. Or he jacked everything in and went across the border to Shifters Prime and a life as … a what? What exactly did this bracelet prevent him from becoming?
Standing, he walked quickly to the house. He had to corner her. The woman who had been here under the full moon might be able to help him. Or might very well be on the phone now to the press. This story would pay off her debt and set her and her family up for life. It was just what the paparazzi were looking for.
His walk became a run. Although as soon as he reached the drive, which was floodlit, he slowed to a walk to avoid drawing attention to himself. Because now, in Kane’s eyes, he was vulnerable— the slightest mistake and he would be outed.
Touching the bracelet, feeling its cold hard surface, he wondered if he was overreacting. Maybe it was just a trinket his father had picked up on his travels. It might be completely innocent, of nothing but sentimental value, and if he took it off, Kane would be completely the same. Completely normal.
Yet as he walked into the house, the moon reflected on the glass pane in the door and he knew that wasn’t true. He had felt the change in himself, the pull to rip his skin off and become something else, something more.
His uncle must know. Darius was the only person in this world he truly trusted, and he should be the person Kane spoke to first. Would that take away his choice? If Darius had been shielding Kane’s true identity, once he knew the secret was out, would he have to force Kane to leave?
What was he supposed to do?
All his life he had known what was expected of him, how he was supposed to behave. Darius had brought him up to be strong, and truthful, in all he did. Taught him to listen to others, and how to treat those under him with respect. Was he supposed to throw that all away? For the unknown.
He took a deep breath, straightening his clothes, smoothing his hair. Head held high, he assumed his normal persona, blocking out the pull of the moon, becoming his usual self. Becoming normal.
Why would he want to be anything else?
4
Shaken, she went to the kitchen, quickly returning to her chores. If you worked hard, then no one noticed you, and she wanted to be unnoticed.
Well, she had royally screwed that one up. She had brought herself to the attention of Kane Reinier, and no doubt her behaviour would be enough for her to be moved on. Her contract sold to someone else, and her life would be miserable.
Amara had been lucky to be brought here by Darius. She had no skills, no training to be a housemaid, and yet he had insisted. Now he would regret his actions and she would end up in one of the sweatshops in another part of the world. Her only skill, as a seamstress, would ensure that.