Read Pieces of Three for Free Online

obeyed and hid her face in her hands.
    Porter pulled him over to the door. “You’re better with the boat and need opposable thumbs and I have extra aggression right now.”
    “I’m the Captain, or will be, stop telling me what to do.” He straightened up. “Everyone goes but the girl.”
    They both glanced back at Alyssa and Porter shifted into his complete animal form, a massive brown beast down on all fours with his fangs already bared, eyes glowing. The only items left from his human form were the scraps of ripped clothing left in his wolf’s wake.
    Julian stepped aside and Porter lunged for the door, knocking it down and ripping it off the hinges.
    Wind hit them the second the door collapsed. Cold, cutting wind, the kind that brought with it chaos and mayhem. The sizzle of electricity, seawater and rain pelted them. They raced up the stairs to the deck.
    The storm raged, bringing with it massive waves that crested over the sides of the ship and soaked the deck. In less than a second, he was drenched, but he welcomed the water, the air and the open space, anything normal, natural and organic was a treat. Never again would he be caged.
    Porter stalked away, staying in the shadows to complete his job while Julian assessed the scene of mass hysteria unfolding in front of him. “They need to take down the sails.” At least someone had the sense to turn the ship into the storm. He made his way around the deck counting the crew. A huge strike of lightening illuminated the entire situation for him.
    Apparently in times of emergency whatever code the humans conjured to control shifting was disregarded. Several Arktosian guards transformed into their bear form, standing upright with their long fur covering their entire body and using the strength only an animal possessed to attempt to bring the ship under control.
    Even in the midst of devastation, the human crewmembers stood by doing nothing but holding lanterns and watching the animals with their weapons ready.
    He smiled. The crew and the guards numbered less than ten. With the antidote, the numbers were on their side.
    “Take down the sails!” A human came out on the deck.
    Julian fought a laugh. The human was a little late.
    One of the bears lumbered ahead and climbed up the mast, but before he reached the sail, the ship veered the other way and shot the animal into the sea.
    “Someone let the dogs out.” A uniformed human came forward. “I order you to help us now.”
    “I don’t answer to you.” He kept his focus on the sails. Another bear attempted the climb up the mast only to meet the fate of the first.
    “You answer to who I say you answer to.” The man prodded him with the butt of his gun.
    In the holding cell on land, he had prayed for the opportunity to be handed to him. With a grin, he caught the gun, twisting out of the crewmember’s hand. The man fell, and he stomped over him. “I hate rats on my deck.” He lifted the man by his collar and threw him over the starboard side.
    Another wave careened into the ship and he crouched down to keep his balance. The water washed over him, dulling his senses. With the numbers thinning on the deck, he waited until the water retreated to sneak into the quarters, performing a quick search to ensure no stragglers were left behind.
    Again, the ship let out a groan, the wood weakening under the stress.
    “Ready the lifeboats!” one of the humans screamed from outside.
    With mayhem breaking out, he entered the bridge and smiled. Not everyone listened to the Captain, one human lagged behind, a coward. He took hold of the gun, spun around and aimed the weapon in the face of the leader.
    The Captain held his hands up. “You should have stayed down below. We need no help from you.”
    A shudder ran down his spine and he caught the faint waft of a stench as another entity entered the bridge. The distinctive odor of his own personal torturer would be forever imprinted on his mind and he vowed he would never breathe