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of
the deputies could get to her. She saw both myself and Lucas shift. We think
she got a ride into town.”
    “What does she look like?” Doctor Trask asked. “I have
not had any injured women come into the urgent care, but I will let you know if
anyone does.”
    “Her cell phone was damaged. I can’t give you a name
yet, but I got a look at her. She has long light brown to dark blonde hair,
brown eyes, and was around one hundred and thirty pounds. She was about five
foot four, and was wearing a black T shirt and blue jean shorts—”
    “I saw her.” Blair stood up and waved her arms.   “I picked up a young woman matching that
description off the highway and brought her into town.”
    “Where did you take her?” Cole asked standing straighter
now that they were getting leads.
    “The motel. She was injured
and I wanted to take her into the clinic, but she refused.”
    Myra nodded. “I was getting her settled when Warren
called me to the meeting.”
      “Well why you
didn’t tell me you were getting the woman we are looking for settled, woman?”
Warren growled.
    “I didn’t know you were looking for her.” Myra rolled
her eyes at him. “Besides I know how you would go after her with your questions.
You are no longer the Kelach , but you still carry on
as if you are in charge of protecting our territory.”
    “Well I need to ask questions. What if she saw
something and tells other people? She can bring hunters, the human military, or
worse, humans that would want to dissect us.”
    Several murmured their agreement while others shook
their heads. “Most humans are good people,” Blair called out.
    “You keep thinking that when you are strapped to a
table about to be cut open,” Neil Clemmons, the owner of the bar yelled out.
    “Or have poison dumped in your veins,” Will Jenson
said in an ominous tone.   Everyone knew
his sister Allie, who had been bonded to a guardian in the next territory, had
been murdered by an insane scientist.
    It was silent for a moment. Allie’s death had changed
many people.
    Michael cleared his throat. He knew the full story,
and could never figure out why Lucas struggled to move past Allie’s death. Lana
had been able to move on from her own mate’s death and was happy once again.
“She isn’t a hunter, or a scientist. I would have sensed the evil in her,”
Michael said firmly.
    Arguing broke out among the shifters gathered. “We
should have her memory changed now,” Neil yelled.
    “We do not even know what she saw,” Blair hollered
back over the rising volume of chatter. “She told me a dog attacked her. If she
was going to tell anyone, it would be a stranger who rescued her.”
    Michael raised his hands while Cole whistled to get
everyone’s attention. Michael understood everyone’s worries. The military could
see them as a threat, or try to exploit them. As Neil feared some would want to
see how to make more by experimenting on them. They had been attacked by a
psychotic scientist wanting to turn them into weapons once before. It was a
valid fear. Then there were the humans that would see them as nothing more than
a prize to kill to hang on their wall, intelligent prey for them to show off.
Michael had got a good look at the woman. He did not think she was a threat. He
was more concerned for her health right now than who she would tell, especially
since her phone was broken and in his pocket.
    Michael looked at Myra. “How is she?” he asked feeling
relieved she was found.
    “She was very frightened. I was taking care of her
since it looked like she was coming out of a numbed shock and starting to have
trouble. Her name is Cassandra Morgan.”
    Several townspeople stood up. “Let’s go and get her,
now. Bring her back here and question her,” Warren yelled.
    Michael raised his hand. “All of you sit down.
Cassandra has been through a terrible ordeal this evening. We are not going to make
it even worse on her by rampaging into her room, with our