The past ten years were a learning experience for sure. I had traveled the mountains and forests for what had to be a few years, living off whatever I could find. Then someone had found me and taken me to a city. I didn’t wait around to discover if they wanted to hurt me, I’d ran again but this time I hid on the streets. The city had supplies that someone like me could steal and survive a lot easier than being alone in the wilderness.
However, when I met Allie a few years back while she was being attacked from street thugs, I realized that for some the city streets were dangerous. Allie and I had hitchhiked until we found a backwater town surrounded by woods and near a river. We’d arrived a few months back and took to sleeping in abandoned buildings and stealing provisions from houses when the owners weren’t home. It was simple and we had been safe. Until now.
Sliding the backpack up my arms and into position, I turned to head to the window when a shadow fell over the space in front of me.
“Prospect, in here,” a gruff voice called out.
I froze for a split second and then rushed for the window. An animal leaped in front of me and I spun away at the last second and ran for the wall opposite. Using my speed, I ran up the wall until I was able to grab ahold of the board across a hole in the ceiling.
“Damn it…” the deep voice cursed. “...why do I always get the shit jobs?”
The words distracted me for a second and before I could even lift myself a few inches someone much larger than myself grabbed my legs and pulled. As I fell, my mouth automatically opened and I screamed. The shrill sound bounced off the walls and echoed down the hallway.
When someone wrapped their arms around me, I screamed louder and began to kick my legs in every direction as I twisted and tried to force him to drop me. But something was wrong. This man was way stronger than I was used to… Fear surged as I remembered the man who hit my mama and ordered my death all of those years ago.
Was this man working for him? I knew from the voice that it wasn’t the same man but it didn’t mean he wasn’t some asshole getting a paycheck to murder little kids.
My skin began to tingle and burn as I felt my instinct reacting. A roar vibrated inside of me and I pushed it out of my mouth as a scream. A whimper sounded from the window and the man holding me grunted as he tightened one arm so he could use his other hand to cover my mouth.
Tears burned at the corners of my eyes but I refused to let them fall.
I stilled and went silent when my breath was essentially blocked off by the large hand.
“Alright. You done, banshee?” The voice was soothing and I struggled to keep it from tricking me into being weak.
“Prospect,” he yelled. A hiss sounded at my feet and I looked down into glowing gold eyes. The large cat was covered in midnight fur and the intelligence in his eyes told me he wasn’t a real cat… he was like me.
I tilted my head up and looked into the rugged face of my captor. Was he like me too? I wondered as I went limp in his embrace.
“I’m going to set you down, Banshee. Then I need some answers.” His words were demands not questions and I heard him inhale before he addressed the cat. “There’s another one. She’s human. Find her.”
The cat took off and I stiffened at the thought of Allie. Did she get far enough away to stay out of reach of panther?
“Don’t worry. Your friend is safe, little ghost. Now, I would like to know if you’re the one who has been causing me so much trouble.”
“Let me go,” I hissed.
His response was to spin me around to face him.
“My names Roark and you’re on my turf, so you can answer my questions here or I can find some other way to –”
A roar filled the early morning air coming through the window.
“He caught your friend. Maybe you’ll talk to save her?”
“You fucking asshole. Eat dirt,” I screamed into his face.
“Why do they always want to go the hard way?” he asked while he bent and pulled me over his shoulder. His movements were so fast that I didn’t have time to react.
“So, Banshee, I’m guessing you need a home? We have a spare room… all you have to do is answer my questions.”
“Fuck off,” I spit at him.
All he did was laugh as he carried me down the stairs and away from my old life.
316
Banshee
Present Day…
“Pay attention,” I screamed as the newest prospect fell on his ass. “You cannot underestimate your opponent.”
“Yes, VP,” he responded with a groan as he rolled to his feet.
I straightened my sunglasses as I kicked out my leg and he went back down. “And, when you do go down you get back up faster than your opponent can kick you down again.”
“Yes, VP.” This time he rolled and sprung up a few feet away while he replied.
“Better.” I rolled my shoulders and waved him back over to his sparring partner.
This new bunch of prospects was a joke. There was no way any of them would make it as an enforcer. I growled and tugged my sleeves back down to cover my skin. Even with my heavy-duty sunscreen, I’d still burn if I wasn’t careful.
“Going that well, huh?” Roark spoke from my side.
“I’m still pissed at you for assigning them to me,” I grumbled and tugged my ball cap lower over my eyes. Fucking sun.
“Banshee, you’re our best fighter. You know way more than anyone
