The Changeling Read online

  “I want to show my new changeling,” Katie said. “It is not about parading you around to anyone. Why am I even talking to you? Get down here right now.”

  “No,” Tam replied. “Now go away. I am not scared of the dark anymore, I was yesterday but now I am better. I can go another month in that place easy, this time why don’t you make it two or even a full year.”

  “Scratches, if you come down here I will give you a nice fat steak or a rabbit to hunt,” Katie said and Tam could hear desperation in her voice.

  “My name is Tam not Scratches,” Tam snarled. “I hate that name and I hate you.”

  “I know you hate me,” Katie said. “But you will starve up there, now come down here.”

  “Then I will come down when I get hungry,” Tam said.

  “What is going on?” Katherine asked as she walked into the kennel then saw Tam up in the rafters.

  “What are you doing up there Scratches?” Katherine said annoyed. “Come down from there before you hurt yourself.”

  “I don’t want to,” Tam said. “I don’t like your daughter and I want her to know it. She plans on parading me around like a freshly killed rabbit. She even has a leash like I am a whipped dog. I am not like the broken ones.”

  “You are a changeling Scratches,” Katherine said. “Many of your kind see walking around on a leash held by a mage as a status symbol along with the collar. No one would dare touch a mage’s bonded changeling.”

  “Well I don’t,” Tam said. “It is a symbol of oppression.”

  “Will you come down from there for me?” Katherine asked as she moved a strand of gray hair from her face.

  “Why would I do that?” Tam asked. “I know what awaits me down there and I am not strong enough to fight you both off along with the broken ones, especially that great big whipped puppy Stone whom I can smell from here. He must be hiding somewhere ready to fight if I strike out.”

  “If you come down from there I will give you something to eat,” Katherine said.

  “Like what?” Tam asked.

  “I just offered to give you something to eat,” Katie said angrily. “We are already bonded, you are just being difficult.”

  “Let me pat your head and give you a bath,” Tam said looking down at Katie. “Then if you are good I will hold out a piece of meat and I want you to eat it from my hand. Later let me put you in a collar and walk you around the human settlement.”

  “That is ridiculous, why would I let you do that?” Katie asked.

  “Exactly my point,” Tam said. “Your mother is not a torturer like you are. I like her even if she doesn’t use my name. I hate you and want you to know it. Everything you find degrading, I do as well.”

  “You are an animal,” Katie growled.

  “Then why am I able to talk to you?” Tam asked. “You can’t communicate with an animal the way you are doing with me.”

  “Mother do something,” Katie pleaded.

  “Scratches if you come down here you can be in any form you wish but you have to keep on your collar,” Katherine said. “And you cannot walk around naked in that form, it is not proper.”

  “I don’t want to dress,” Tam said.

  “You get cold in that form and clothes are warm,” Katherine said. “Won’t you at least try it before you hate it? You will still get the food I promised.”

  “I want you to bring it,” Tam said. “I do not trust her food, it burns going in and out.”

  “That was just to get you to bond,” Katie said angrily. “Why would I hurt you now?”

  “Because you are an evil human who took me from my home and beat me” Tam said.

  “He just doesn’t like you Katie,” Katherine said. “In time maybe he will – once he sees you are not trying to hurt him and want him to be happy – but not now.”

  “Can you just get him down?” Katie asked.

  “Come on down Scratches,” Katherine said. “I will get you whatever you want.”

  “I want water,” Tam said. “My own watering hole, and I don’t want to stay in here. I want to live outside of this place. I want to be able to jump in the water and move around. But for right now I want whatever that big slab of meat was that was being thrown in here when I first came.”

  “You can have it,” Katherine said. “Now come down and grab your collar.”

  Tam climbed down in his human form and noticed both women gave him looks. If he was a little older he was sure the Baroness would be interested in more than just looking. Katie looked at him angrily as he ignored her and grabbed his collar. He wanted to rip the thing apart. Katherine looked at him and saw what the two months there had done to his body. He moved like a sore person and his skin was splotchy and rubbed raw around his neck and many other places.

  “Why don’t you let Katie heal you? Katherine said looking at his neck.

  “I would rather go back to the dark,” Tam said. “You promised me a big piece of meat.”

  “You are not getting anything,” Katie snapped and was surprised that Tam was already in beast form as the fire washed over him.

  The fire didn’t even make him scream. He turned his face away from it and it hit the new hair that had grown which was fire resistant. It didn’t even burn. Katie changed tactics and tossed a lightning bolt at him. The bolt hit him true and flung him down, but Tam got up quickly and was none the worse for the wear. His body had adapted. The month in the dark had given him better senses and apparently helped to increase his magical resistance a lot more once he was able to rest. Tam shook himself and turned his back to Katie whom he knew was trying to get a strong blast going. Tam had discovered as a pureblood he could squeeze the bond a little and prevent his magic from leaking out. He knew how much magic Katie had and clamped down on their bond. Another lightning bolt hit him, but it was weak compared to what he had been hit with before.

  “It is mocking me,” Katie said as she could feel Tam’s emotions. “It has stopped me from taking its power somehow.”

  “If you want it back I want everything that is owed to me,” Tam said as he transformed back. “And I get to feed you a piece of meat and pat your head and rub behind your ears.”

  “You are not touching me,” Katie snapped.

  “And you are not getting anything from me,” Tam said. “I know all about this bond. You are weak compared to your pack mates.”

  “They all have changelings boosting their power,” Katie said under her breath.

  “Doesn’t matter,” Tam said. “Katherine you said you would give me food.”

  “You are supposed to call her Milady, not Katherine” Katie said angrily.

  “I am not doing that,” Tam said. “Just like I am not letting go of my magic. I know you have some place you have to leave to and I won’t go. You can’t travel too far away from me and your magic doesn’t scare me.”

  ~

  “You will travel with Katie and you will do it now,” Baron Glades said angrily as Stone growled.

  “Or you will do what Kevin?” Tam said. “Sick your broken little doggie on me?”

  “I have had enough of this,” Baron Glades said. “You have gotten everything you wanted. That pond you cared about so much is being built now and you are walking around like you are human.”

  “She wants me to travel all leashed up to her,” Tam said. “I’m not doing it and I don’t care if I go back into the dark. At least I will not be around you or your cub.”

  “He only listens to mother,” Katie said as she gripped her leash. “I can’t leave him father. My magic is laughable already. What will they say when they see I am the only noble without a changeling?”

  “This is why cats make horrible pets,” Baron Glades growled. “If you do not get in there right now, I will never feed you again!”

  “I barely eat your garbage anyway,” Tam said. “Most of my food I hunt for myself. I am not like your little doggie.”

  “Stone,” Baron Glades snapped.

  “If you send your little d
oggie, I will be up in a tree where I will stay” Tam said. “I will scratch that little doggie across the nose or maybe I will bite him. If he is strong enough he may be able to shake off my poison but he will look horrible for a few days and I will still be out of his reach. Why don’t you throw me back into the dark and let your cub travel by herself.”

  “Tam get into carriage,” Katherine said annoyed.

  “You called me Tam,” Tam said and smiled. “I don’t like your cub and you want me to spend a large amount of time with her. I would rather go to the dark than pretend to like my kidnapper and torturer.”

  “You wouldn’t be spending that much time with her,” Katherine said. “There is a separate school for bonded changelings to attend so they can learn to complement their mage more.”

  “You want me to spend time around the broken ones so I can become like your little doggie Sue?” Tam said laughing.

  “Tam,” Katherine said as she put her hands on her hips.

  “His name is Scratches,” Katie said. “Not Tam mother.”

  “Tam if you go I promise when you come back your pond will be built and I will even fence off an area for you and fill it will animals,” Katherine said.

  “Are you going to hunt with me?” Tam asked.

  “Me?” Katherine said surprised.

  “Then my answer is no. Now do your worst,” Tam said and tensed his muscles.

  “Yes I will go hunting with you,” Katherine said.

  “Not your little dog, just you,” Tam said.

  “Just me,” Katherine said.

  Tam looked at her then walked by and got into the carriage. Tam could hear the rest of the group sigh as Katie got into the carriage and sat down. One side of the carriage had a bench for humans, the other side only contained a big mattress that Tam assumed was for him if he was in his beast form. Tam sat down on the bench and made sure to stay to one side, Katie sat down at the other window and the carriage lurched forward. Katie spent her time between staring at Tam and looking out of the window. Tam knew she wanted to say something but probably didn’t want to break the fragile peace they had between them. The first half of the day was spent in silence. Tam had dozed off and wanted to change into beast form. It was a lot more comfortable sleeping on the floor than it was leaned up against the walls of the carriage. When the carriage finally stopped for lunch and to rest the horses, Katie finally said something.

  “Are you coming inside to eat?” Katie asked.

  “Not with you” Tam snapped at her.

  “Why do you like my mother so much and not me?” Katie asked. “Is it because fell beasts abandon their young and you grew up with no parents? I have read all about fell beasts and that is the only reason we could find.”

  “Yes,” Tam said. “And she treats me well. She said she would go hunting with me.”

  “I would go hunting with you,” Katie said.

  “No you wouldn’t,” Tam said. “You would hold your little leash then release me like I am one of your broken little doggies while you stand back and watch like you are really doing something. And even if you wouldn’t I still wouldn’t hunt with you.”

  “You are angry you were caught,” Katie said.

  “And you wouldn’t be?,” Tam asked.

  “You are an animal,” Katie said. “And you could be a well-kept animal. I would even mate you if you wanted.”

  “As if I would ever do anything like that with you,” Tam said.

  “Not me,” Katie said in shock. “There are other cats out there. The magic of the bite is stronger if it is your blood that is bitten.”

  “I wouldn’t do that for you,” Tam said and turned his head.

  “What do you mean you wouldn’t?” Katie asked. “You are an animal and a boy. It should be the only thing you are thinking about.”

  “I am thirteen,” Tam said. “At least I think I am.”

  “Perfect age for being a deviant,” Katie said.

  “Says the person who watches me naked all of the time,” Tam said. “I can smell you, you know.”

  “Smell me?” Katie said confused.

  “I can smell when you are in season and when you are looking to do something more than stare,” Tam said.

  “I don’t know what you are talking about,” Katie said flustered.

  “Sure you don’t,” Tam replied. “Well off with you. Go get your food.”

  Tam watched her go and stripped off the human clothes he had on and took off his collar. Tam had snuck out and eaten a sheep the night before and was still full. He thought he was going through a growth spurt and right now he was sleepy. Katie’s guards looked in on him once but Tam ignored them. He changed into the beast and curled up on the mattress. Tam knew he slept for a couple of hours. He could feel a tug on his neck and knew he must be in that damn collar. Tam shot his eyes open and was going to swipe at the leash. But he caught sight of something outside and wanted it. Tam leapt out of the carriage. He tried to chase down a man holding a torch. Katie was surprised by the move and was dragging behind him. The man dropped the torch and Tam picked it up and shook it with his teeth. Katie was yelling something at him that he ignored until he snapped the torch in half and the fire went out. Tam stamped on it with his feet and could feel Katie tugging the leash she had on him. Tam thought about changing back and destroying her leash but saw too many new humans and some of them might injure him. Tam let himself be dragged into an inn and saw the triumph on Katie’s face as she gripped the leash tightly.

  People stared at him and tried to pet him. Tam snapped and swung his claws at all of them. One bold human he snarled then roared at. The man fell down and knocked over a table as he tried to get away. Katie sat down at a table and Tam tried to pull away but knew if he used his strength the girl would go flying.

  “This is the way it should be now settle down,” Katie said. “And you didn’t have to snap at everyone. They have never seen a fell beast before and just wanted to touch your coat.”

  Tam was about to snarl at her when a small human girl came over and hugged him around the neck. The cub’s parents were in shock and wanted to get her, but were looking warily at him and Katie. Tam decided to purr. He had never done so for Katie or her family including Katherine but did so now loudly. The small human giggled as Tam licked the top of her head. She put her hand in his mouth and felt his teeth then picked up one of his paws and made his claws come out. Tam licked her again as she left then came back with whatever food she was eating. Tam ate it. It was green and was prey food but he took it anyway. The girl smiled then came back over with some meat. Tam ate it then laid his head on the ground, whereupon the small human climbed on his back and laid down on top of him. Tam felt her go to sleep under his purring The cub’s parents eventually came to get her but were worried about getting too near Tam who visibly tensed when they approached. The parents talked to Katie about how old he was and wondered what he was. Most people thought he was a big, shaggy, scary black cat and were shocked to learn he was a fell beast. Katie tried ordering him something he ignored, he didn’t let her feed him and went to sleep until he felt her tugging on his collar. Tam looked around then swiped his claw across the leather leash, it snapped quickly and Katie almost fell on her backside.

  “Get up,” Katie said. “It is time to go to bed. You can sleep in my room with me if you stay how you are now or you can sleep outside if you don’t.”

  Tam got up and walked outside. Sleeping in the carriage wasn’t hard and it was away from her. Tam decided to stay in beast form for the night. In the morning he was already changed back into a human and had on the clothing he had been given. Katie was annoyed to see him and climbed into the carriage and stared at him annoyed.

  “Why did you purr so loudly for that little girl,” Katie demanded? “I could feel you liked her scratching behind your ear and you won’t even let me touch you.”

  “I like the small cub,” Tam said.

  “And you don’t like me,” Katie said finishing his sente
nce. “I could scratch you behind your ears too. The entire time we were in there I couldn’t enjoy myself because all I was getting from you was hatred and annoyance until that girl came up. I ordered you a big piece of meat and you made me look like a perfect fool for not accepting it.”

  “I told you I didn’t want your food,” Tam said angrily. “And you put that damn thing on me, I am glad it’s destroyed.”

  “Scratches this is the way of things,” Katie said. “I am your master and you are my changeling. You are supposed to be on a leash or people will think you are feral. Even in your human form a smart person could tell you are a changeling.”

  “There are not many changelings around,” Tam retorted.

  “Not in my small barony but there are where we are going,” Katie said. “There are many slaves, free citizens and bonded. Your collar is what stops someone from mistreating you.”

  “My collar lets them know I am some broken thing, like the doggies,” Tam said. “I will never be one of them or comfortable with you parading me around.”

  CHAPTER 4

  Tam looked out of the window as he came into the largest human settlement he had ever seen. There were many tall buildings and the deeper he went into the place the better looking the buildings became. Tam watched as the carriage went into a part of city where there were many human guards, He could smell changelings there. Most of the ones he saw did not have on a collars. They were busy cleaning things or hauling something. They looked defeated Tam thought. He must have looked like that when they took him out of the dark. It made him feel sick.

  “You should consider yourself lucky you are not them,” Katie said. “Some are slaves who were unlucky enough to get bit, while others are changelings looking for a master. They throw themselves at young poor mages in the hopes they will be taken care of when the mage graduates. Anyone of them would kill to switch positions with you at my feet.”

  “Then you should have taken them,” Tam replied. “I would rather be them. At least I wouldn’t be in this carriage and would be in the forest instead.”