Seas Of Passion

Chapter 4

“You are to stay right here for two hours and then come and find me,” Lara said to the taxi driver as she walked toward the doors of the facility. She couldn’t sense well inside of it, but she was able to detect at least that the second shifter was there and still alive. As she drew closer to the doors, they opened and Gordon Manfree smiled tersely at her, extending his hand.

“Hello again Lara, I see you aren’t attacking, to what do I owe this visit?”

“Gordon, I can’t imagine how someone like you survived so long, your kind gets eaten so quickly in the wild. I’m here for the second shifter; I need to speak to him.”

“I’d love to allow that Lara, but I would first have to clear it with my supervisor, if you would be willing to wait a bit then I could see if I could.”

“And if I say no? Don’t tell me that you think these men here can stop me Gordon, you’ve forgotten who you’re dealing with.”

Lara’s eyes flashed and all four of the guards shuddered imperceptibly for a moment as Lara gained control of them for the next two hours.

“I’m going to go talk to the second shifter Gordon, you can stay here, do not follow me or I’ll have your guards shoot both of your kneecaps, is that clear?”

Gordon looked quickly at his men and how vacant and expressionless their faces were and knew Lara was telling the truth.

“O-Of course, go right ahead.”

“Good boy. I had to control those guards of yours, but I don’t even need to do that to you, you’ll do whatever I say even without using my abilities because you’re a horrid little parasite of a man. You four stay right here and don’t let this man leave the room; if he tries to then you are to each shoot him in the kneecap.”

Lara walked off, her heels clicking on the tiled floor as she headed through the facility, going down winding corridors in search of one that led to the shifter. Gordon stood motionless; trying to keep his composure as he hoped the guards wouldn’t notice him pressing the small hand-held alarm-remote in his pocket, calling another set of guards to his position. They arrived, but Gordon noticed that the guards under Lara’s control still stood unblinking.

“You four, that shark woman is in here somewhere, she can control men with a glance, so watch out for her. These four here are keeping me from leaving, so I need all of you to go outside and place this transmitter into the taxi she came here in, hurry!”

The guards nodded and left swiftly, looking back at the unnerving expressions on the faces of their controlled comrades as they exited the building. Deeper in the facility, Lara had given up finding the room herself and was looking for a guard so she could force him to take her there. Eventually she saw one patrolling and called out to him.

“You there, where is the shifter being held? I need to speak with him.”

The guard looked her up and down, and then frowned.

“Who are you? I’ve never seen you here before. Do you have proper clearance for that?”

“Don’t worry about that, it’s not your concern. Just do as I told you and take me to the room where he’s being held.”

The guard walked forward and took out his taser, aiming it at Lara as he grabbed his radio with the other hand. “This is 4398; I’ve got an unauthorized pers-”

Lara shook her head and stared at the man, focusing on taking control of him. He twitched briefly and seemed to try to pull the trigger on the taser, but then his arms went slack and he became passive and mute.

“Stupid human, you’re going to get it for that. Now, take me to the shifter.”

The guard walked off immediately, Lara following behind him and taking note of the directions. Soon they were at the door to the room and the guard input his code and walked in with Lara.

“Good job, that’s all I need you for. Now, how will I punish you?” She said as she looked at his belt.

“Hm, no gun. Since that’s out, you are to go slam your head against the wall as hard as you can until you pass out or die.”

The guard walked over to the wall and soon a dull thumping began as Lara walked over to the cell holding the second shifter.

“It’s been a long time Dervhal, or do you go by your human name now?”

“I do, I am no longer a shark, I’m Jacob. Why are you here?”

“I’ve got a proposition for you. The young male that was sent to kill you is probably on his way here to do it, but I claimed him as my mate a long time ago, though he resists. I will free you from this miserable place if you help me to kill the female he has with him. ”

“Why would you need my help to kill a human girl? I haven’t become a shark of my own will in years; I barely even have the abilities all shifters do.”

“She’s been seeded by him and has become a shifter at least partially, I could tell by her signal. I’m not going to leave anything to chance and I get what I want, so you really do have to come with me, I’d just rather you agreed on your own. If you refuse I’ll simply keep controlling you every two hours until I’ve finished with you, and then kill you.”

“You are as heartless as ever I see.”

“I have a heart, that’s a foolish thing to say. What is so horrible about being a shark that you would give it up Jacob?”

“Nothing, I just like being a human more. There are so many things that taste good, they actually have a taste that isn’t just bland meat, fat and thick blood. There are amazing things to do and see, even if it’s hard to do them because there isn’t water everywhere. Human women aren’t like female sharks and humans even mate for fun. None of that exists as a shark, just endless combat and roaming the seas…”

“You were given a mission to learn about them and you became sympathetic to them despite how they treat all other creatures, what a weakling you turned out to be Jacob.”

“If that’s how you feel there’s nothing I can do about it Lara. I’ll help you though, you don’t need to control me, besides, that takes a toll on your human body that shifting doesn’t fix. How will you get me out of here though? The guard there is either unconscious or dead.”