Adult-FanFiction.org : Books

Prelude to the Beast	By : snakecharms Category: Anita Blake > General Views: 5019 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Anita Blake series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 11
- 12
Chapter 12

Water that Flows

Haruko trusted me enough to stay out behind the door. I needed to be alone with the animal but told him if he heard me scream I wouldn’t mind a bit of help. He said we had a deal.

Now that everyone else had gone it was quiet and I could finally do a bit of thinking. I started with a loud sigh and running my fingers through my hair. Would it be possible for me to do this? Work with a bear…an angry bear. I started doubting myself as I looked across the room in silence. But I knew I had to stop and start thinking positive. Doubt wasn’t going to help matters.

I took a few steps forward, testing the ground so to speak. When the bear didn’t make any sort of sudden movements or sounds I kept going until it charged, jumping forward a few feet with its fangs bared. Suddenly I recoiled jumping back and nearly out of my own skin. But at least now I knew what the bear’s comfort zone was.

“All right…everything’s fine now. I won’t hurt you.”

It’s dark eyes washed over me, examining me. Compared to it I was nothing, perhaps equal to that of a fawn. With one swipe of its paw I’d be dead, no passing go or collecting 200 dollars. With that thought in mind I took another step back.

Finally I decided to get the ball rolling and knelt on the floor. With my eyes shut I took in a few deep breaths, clearing my mind of all impurities. Then I concentrated.

Other’s who were true psychics or had some sort of mental power, usually saw that power as an element. Wood, metal, wind, water…etc. And with that image one could build a shield or push that power outward. I saw water.

It was blue, Caribbean blue, t oft of light reflecting though giving it a charged glow. At the moment it was dormant, a giant wall of water surrounding me. But then it began to ripple. Just small circles at first but then they grew, the top growing into choppy waves until it was no longer stagnant and began to flow. It was as if I had just torn down my own dam and my small hands were forced to control it all. When I had first realized that I had some sort of psychic power I thought it impossible to control what I had. Now years older I had found control but it was still no where near what I had wanted it to be.

My power rushed through me like white water rapids, going every which way. I had to envision two hands plunging into the blue rapids guiding it, pushing it onto a path. But my hands were so small, I knew it impossible to gather all that power. I never could. But I always managed what I could, and usually got the job done. I pushed and guided my stream of power toward the other mind in the room, the one across from me. I could see the charges within glowing and then I saw my hand, the hand of power. The one I used to touch Haroku with. My stream of power filled it to the brim. The fingers flexed with the newly found energy. Watching it always made feel excited because I knew this was mine and mine alone, no one else could marvel at its beauty because they couldn’t see it. Only I could.

As I was about to let my power loose I smelled an aroma. An alluring mix of sweat and musk surrounded me, running along my skin. I swallowed and could practically taste it. I was starting to panic, unable to put a finger on what was happening. Then I realized what it was. It was Haruko’s scent. All over my skin, the inside of my mouth. Then I felt fur, as if it were rubbing against the most sensitive par my my skin. I could almost see its white texture, black stripes running through. My heart sped. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Panicking I opened my eyes. And that was all it took.

My power lashed out, jump-started perhaps by Haruko’s strange power. The hand reached out grabbing for the bear. I tried to stop it, afraid of what my power would do if it were left to its own devices. But I couldn’t. It was as if I wasn’t its master anymore. I felt the power rush the bear’s mind, felt it grab hold as if claiming it for its own. I fell forward, forehead making contact with the floor. And then I felt it dive in. The first rule I had set for myself was never to go to deep into an animal’s mind. You skim, like treading water along a deep lake. All you wanted was a bit of information to draw an educated guess of sorts. You didn’t dare try and swim to the bottom, where you couldn’t see a hand in front of your face. What monsters would you find there? What damage would you do to yourself and the animal? Would you drown…?

Images flashed through my mind as if someone was flipping through channels at Mach 5. I heard a noise and wasn’t sure if it was the bear roaring or if was me screaming. I was afraid. My power was diving to deep and the images kept coming at me faster and faster. I was no lo in in a room with a bear I was in a dark, dark place with nothing but images for company. Images I couldn’t even make out. My worst nightmare was somehow being trapped in this darkness forever, perhaps a vegetable to the outside world. I concentrated, desperately trying to reclaim the power. Slowly the images stopped flashing and everything went black.

I saw a man. His body seemed chiseled out of solid marble. He wore loose fitting pants and a fur sash over his shoulders. I was willing to bet he was Indian due to his darker skin tone, but before I could finish the thought he delivered a blow that sent me reeling backwards, seeing stars of all the colors of the rainbow. My eyes struggled to focus once again. I could barely tell up from down but I did know I was sprawled on the ground surrounded by familiar faces. The faces made me feel afraid. And before I could manage to get back to my feet one kicked me square in head. I reeled back in another direction, feeling confused as well as scared to death. I couldn't understand why they beat me when I thought I was obeying them to the best of my ability. Then I realized what it was. They were getting enjoyment from this. I looked toward the one I answered too, the Indian man. He sat on what seemed to be a stone throne of some sort, a pleasant look on his face. I then realized that there was no hope for me. Another blow to my back drew blood but unlike the others didn't knock me too the floor. Then out came the hot pokers, tips glowing a deadly red. I looked to the Indian man once again but knew in the pit of my stomach I would receive no mercy. I was scared...so scared.

The smell of musk and fur surrounded me once again, caressing me out of the dream. I thanked god nearly a thousand times as I allowed myself to curl up like a cat, practically pulling that comfort closer to me. I didn't want to go back to that dream. Not ever.

"If she's dead I might as well as go and make my noose right now or feel the wrath of Kanaye." I heard a voice say. It sounded like Dom but another voice hushed him.

"She's alive." Haruko said softly.

The voices were like a trail of breadcrumbs I followed into consciousness. My eyes fluttered open, focusing on the faces nearly inches away from my own. I was huddled in Haruko's arms with my fingers entwined in his hair. This was the second time tonight I had unwillingly found myself in the arms of a man. Recoiling, as usual, I realized I was still a little light headed and did a bit of a wobbly crawl away from the two.

"Take some deep breaths and calm down." Dom said with a wink. "You're hearts beating so loud its practically echoing in here."

Haruko waved his words away. "Are you all right?"

I took Dom's advice and did a few deep breaths. "They beat me." I said. My voice sounded strained as if I was fighting off tears. The two exchanged looks and then focused back on me. The feel of something warm running down my cheek confirmed it. I was trying to fight off tears.

I hadn't cried in years and here I was now looking like an idiot. A softy. I wiped them away as quickly as I could with the back of my hand.

"I take it you could see its memories?" Dom asked while rubbing his bare arms. I nodded still trying to save face. "Jesus, for some reason just being near you is starting to make my skin crawl."

“Thanks for the words of comfort.” I said with a sniffle.

“Who was it you saw? Did you find a name?”

I sat back on the hard floor, legs outstretched in front of me with these two men at my crouched at my feet. I concentrated on the vision I had. The bear identified the man by image not name since it obviously couldn’t speak. But it had known the name that ‘those who walked on two legs’ said whenever they were speaking to him. I rubbed my eyes one last time, sure that I had fought off the tears for good, and stood up.

“Padma,” I said, “who the hell is that bastard?”

For a second I thought Dom had quit breathing. Obviously the name had rung a bell…a really bad one.

“Shit…” he muttered under his breath as he stood in one fluid motion, rubbing the fine hair on his arm.

“What?” I asked. “Who is he?”

“No one.” Haruko stood, pushing his locks behind his back. He was lying and I wasn’t sure if it was my psychic abilities or just my intuition that told me so.
- 11
- 12
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Prelude to the Beast