Badlands: The Lion’s Den(37)

She shook her head in disgust. “You were looking for me from the moment I arrived in Darwin, weren’t you? That council person must have contacted you as soon as I crossed the border. That’s why your men lied about me trespassing and tried to take me from the Lion’s Den. That’s why you’ve had all those extra patrols out. But how did you know I was friends with Madison?”

A door swung open and Jennifer walked into the room, with a smug, triumphant look on her face.

“Our new friend here came over and told us.”

Flora shook her head in disbelief. To think she’d actually felt sorry for her before. “Jennifer! Are you crazy? I don’t care what you’ve got against me. These people are rapists and criminals. How could you?” Flora demanded.

“I did it to protect Finn from you. You’re all wrong for him.” Jennifer’s eyes were huge, and they glowed with a mad light. “With you out of the way, he’ll see how much I care for him. He’ll love me just like he loved my sister.”

“When he finds out what you’ve done, he’ll kill you,” Flora snarled.

Jennifer gave her a crazed grin. “He’ll never know,” she said.

Flora turned away from her in disgust. Jennifer was an idiot if she thought her plan would work, but she didn’t have time to worry about that now.

“Even if I could set things on fire, what makes you think I’d do it to help you?” she demanded.

“Your friend Madison’s life depends on it,” Ruben gloated. “And your cousin’s. We just picked her up.”

Panic clutched at Flora’s heart. Krystle must have seen her headed into bear territory and followed her.

“Where is she?” she said, struggling to keep her voice from trembling.

“Tucked away safely.” Ruben favored her with a cruel, gloating smile. “To ensure your cooperation. Now, we’ve got a nice cozy cell where you can wait while we finish fireproofing our little experiment area.”

“When you torture Flora? I get to watch,” Jennifer said greedily. “Maybe I’ll help. I have some ideas.”

Ruben looked at her in contempt. “Bitches don’t tell me what to do,” he said.

“Hey, I helped you!” Jennifer squawked indignantly. “You promised—”

Ruben leaped to his feet, stalked over to her, and backhanded her so hard he knocked her to her knees. She let out a snarl of fury, and two guards quickly grabbed her.

“Take her away,” he said.

The guards hustled a crying, furious Jennifer out of the room.

Flora was quickly taken out of the room and dragged down to a basement area, which had been made into a dungeon. There was a dark, damp hallway with a row of doors that had small, barred windows in them.

“Madison? Krystle?” she called out as the guard shoved her into a room and slammed the door.

“Flora! I’m here!” Madison called hoarsely from down the hall. At the same time, Krystle yelled out, “Flora, are you all right?”

“Shut up!” one of the guards yelled, and she heard something bang on one of the doors.

“Make me, fartbreath!” Krystle yelled, and Flora groaned. She heard the guard roar with rage. Damn Krystle and her hot temper! She was going to get herself killed.

Flora looked around the cell for anything that she could use as a weapon, but the room was empty. Not even a stick of furniture in there.

“What’s the matter, scared? Are you a bear or a pussy?” Krystle taunted the guard, and Flora heard the door bang open. Panic seized her.

“If you touch Krystle, I will never help you!” she screamed.

From Krystle’s cell, she heard the sound of furious feline snarling and an answering roar. Krystle had shifted – but she’d be no match for a bear.

Flora felt anger flowing through her like she’d never felt before. It filled her up like a hot, raging river, and suddenly she felt as if her rage were flowing out of her. She heard agonized screams and smelled burning flesh and fur.

“Krystle!” she shouted.

An endless minute went by.

“Krystle, answer me! Say something!” Flora screamed.

The lock turned, and the door swung open. Krystle stood there, naked. She must have just shifted back into human form. Her pupils were enormous.

“The fire,” she panted. “The power. It’s back. I think it’s because you’re here.”

“We have to get Madison,” Flora said, rushing out into the hallway. Two guards lay there, still smoking. Flora gagged on the smell.

“It’s you,” Krystle said. “That’s the secret. That’s the answer. When I was near my mother, I had the power too. I only have the power when I’m near a female relative.” Then she grinned fiercely at Flora. “We can burn them, Flora. We can burn them all.”