Taming the Tiger

I woke groggy and unsure where I was. I tried to recall what the last thing I did was, I remembered going into the club, feeling a bit weird, going over to chill with Shamus and that chick that was cute, she was there, and then, I took a drink and I started feeling queasy.

Shamus had sold me out, sold me out to that cute girl. The thought wasn't that bad, but, still, it reminded me why I didn't trust people. I groaned and sat up slowly.

I was in a small car with black tinted windows; it was dark outside as well besides the headlights on the dark road. She was sitting in the front seat, driving, she looked bored.

"You're awake," she said and looked back at me quickly.

Her eyes were a grey blue colour. There seemed to be a guilt hanging over her, as well as sadness, plenty of sadness emitted from those eyes.

"You kidnapped me," I stated looking around the car.

My head hurt a little bit, but I had assumed that I would still be groggy, but then again, I didn't take drugs, the only time I had been slipped shit to make me lose a wrestling match, it hadn't affected me at all.

"I expected you to be out for at least another hour," she said picking up a mobile phone.

I took it from her and held her arm still so she couldn't get it back.

"I expected to get drunk and laid tonight, but we don't always get what we want," I said trying to get into her phone.

There was a pin code on it so I gave up and threw it on the ground.

"I only do what I have been ordered to do," she said, it sounded as if that was the only reason she still lived, because she was ordered to. It was sad because she was so lovely, not the most exciting conversation, but her face was perfect, her long hair was beautiful and she had a thin body shape, she could make a man very happy.

"Well that seems like a boring life, your parents seem like boring sods," I said and relaxed back into my seat.

She stiffened in her seat and accelerated faster until a servo came into view. She slowed down quickly and got out of the car, popping the fuel cap in the process. Obviously I had hit a nerve there.

I got out of the car and went to lean on the drivers' side door watching her fill up the fuel. I looked at her as she filled up the tank. She looked tired, not just from lack of sleep, but as if she was had lost herself somewhere along the way. The air I got from her was she was hurting pretty badly and had given up on almost everything. I could sympathise with that feeling; nowhere to run, no one to turn to for help and left to figure out what comes next.

I remembered dreaming that I had a beautiful girl who I loved, a nice place away from my parents, free of drugs and the devastation they caused in their wake. I had only two parts of my dream made a reality, I was free from my parents and I had never taken drugs. Life was a bitch, but I had learnt to deal with it.

She walked away from the car and went to pay for petrol then came back and pushed me out of the way of the driver's door. I shrugged and got in the passenger's side rather than get back into the back seat.

"We're making good time," she said quietly and began once again her led-foot drive to where ever the hell she was taking me.

~~

He was just watching the road as we passed over it at one hundred and twenty kilometres an hour. Maybe an hour and we could be there. We were in fact making excellent time. I could almost feel the peace beginning to surround me. Having all day to relax, meditate and think in peace without the loneliness plaguing at me in my dead families' house. I took a deep breath and focused on the hour I still had left.

I drove up the long driveway. I was so close to the freedom that I could taste it. Meditation would do me some good. I parked in the drive way and popped the boot, grabbing out my three bags and motioning to my passenger the rucksack that Shamus had organised for me to have. I moved quickly to the main building, I was of course familiar with this place. My brother had brought me here when I was fifteen, ever since then I had come back at least three or four times a years to relax and meditate with my brother in this holy place. This was the first time I had been here without him in four years.

Nineteen, alone, vulnerable, that was just the exterior though. I was ready to do anything; my brother had trained me to do almost everything. I could beat him now, I had been able to beat him, I couldn't beat someone who was dead.

The doors opened before me and I walked through them, feeling the calm wash over me as I entered the Master's building. I left my bags at the entrance, making sure he did the same. I walked onto the polished floor boards, looking up at the familiar glass ceiling. Just before the Master's desk, I knelt to the ground and placed my forehead on the floor.

"I seek refuge, Master, and bring with me the man that you sought," I held my breath, hoping he would not say no.

"Kaiya, news had already reached us of your return. We are sorry for your loss and welcome you into the clan."

My breath came out in a loud woosh and I sat back on my knees, though I did look at the floor. My brother had taught me well. Kyle always told me that you could not make eye contact with the masters because it was considered rude and would signify that you thought that you were of equal rank to the masters, which was certainly not what I thought.

"You are dismissed, Kaiya, of the Wolf Clan."

I nodded my head in respect, got up and walked out of the hall, making sure to grab my bags so that I could head to my room. This was going to work; I would once again become whole.

~~

I watched her walk from the hall; I now had a name for my kidnapper. Kaiya, a beautiful name, perfect for her. I watched her, even after she had left the room.

"Take him," the old man now said.

Two big men were all of a sudden at my side grabbing my arms, and holding me as a third man walked towards me, shuddering slightly. As I watched his body seemed to ripple and change, sprouting fir and all of a sudden his clothes ripped and a large wolf seemed to sprout from his body.

Now I was not one to get scared easily, it took something large to shake me at all, but by god, was I scared now. The wolf padded towards me, growling from his chest and barking at me when I tried to move away. He sniffed me over and then shook his head at the two men holding my arms, who quickly moved away. I was paralysed with fear, that and the beasts yellow eyes seemed to hold me in place.

His paw came up quickly, pushing me to the ground, now my true fear had kicked in and I was ready to run now, I got on my stomach and began to crawl away from the large beast. A painful yell was ripped from my mouth as the beast stepped on my back and bit my shoulder between its large teeth.

"Help!" I yelled, hoping that someone would find me, anyone.

"Welcome to the brotherhood, Jay," the old man said. "Take him to a room."

Just like when I had been drugged a few hours ago, my sight began to waver and black spots appeared before me.

"You can't do this," I slurred.

They dragged me out the back of the hall and across the ground, I was cold, blood was dripping down my shoulder, it felt like I had a few broken bones, possibly a few torn muscles as well. A door opened in front of me, but I never saw the inside, because I finally blacked out from the pain.

~~

'Imagine a single light in your sight, just a white light, a small dot in front of you in the darkness. Now, make that dot move, and change colour, focus only on that light, nothing else Kiaya, good girl. Now if you put a face in your mind, eventually, you might be able to tap into their consciousness and talk with them telepathically,' that was what my brother had said to me when we had meditated together.

So I imagined Kyle's face in my vision, trying to tap onto him. But another face kept distracting my attention. For the meantime I pushed Kyle's face out of my mind and let the other thought wash over me. A cute brown haired boy, messy hair covering his face, green eyes brimming with laughter.

"Ugh!"

I opened my eyes giving up and moved out of my room. I needed to fight, to try and get everything else out of my mind. When I got to the training room, I took off my jacket and track pants, standing before a practice doll in shorts and a singlet. I rolled my arms and jogged on the spot. I needed to get warmed up first. I bounced up and down on the spot and then raised my hands in their fighting position. I closed my eyes for a moment feeling my stance and the way the air rushed past me. Calmness was the key to success.

I stuck out at the doll and began a series of familiar defence and attack movements that I had run though with Kyle every day after school.

This had been the extent of my days for the last two months. Wake up, meditate, give up when I couldn't succeed and then come and take my anger out on a manikin. I yelled out in rage as I jumped up and kicked the manikin in the middle before landing on my feet and hands.

I stood up slowly, barely puffing from the exercise and decided I needed a run. I got onto the treadmill. Not for the first time, I wondered what had happened to Jay, it had actually taken me a while to remember his name, but now I wondered what had happened more than once a day.

I turned up the treadmill, I wasn't tired enough obviously, I still wasn't sleeping well and I still wasn't feeling calm or relaxed yet. I was doing something wrong obviously. I wondered suddenly if it was because I was feeling guilty about taking Jay prisoner and then leaving him. I had not heard from him since I had walked off to find my room once being dismissed by the master.

I was thinking too much again.

I sighed and got off of the treadmill, grabbing my things and heading to the master's hall.

Once I got to the hall, the doors were already opened and I could hear fighting going on from inside. I walked in slowly, hoping to not disturb anyone. Inside I saw my friend Jackson, fighting with a stranger in the middle of the master's hall. They looked almost similar, long hair tied back with a leather strap and a small tattoo on their hips. They both fought without shirts on, wearing only lightweight pants that clung to their legs and made moving easy.

Jackson had a white scar over his left arm, while the stranger had a white scar running from his right shoulder down to his back, almost as if he had been attacked by something. Then I remembered that this was the clan of the wolves, and if the myths were true, then that was how you could tell if someone had been turned or not. If they were scared and tattooed then they were lucky enough to have been granted extended life and the speed and strength of the king of the woods.

I was in the presence of two guardians; that thought scared me and awed me. Still though, the stranger's identity was a puzzle, I had not seen him around since I had been here, nor had he been here when Kyle and I had come. Kyle had been chosen as a guardian, he was going to be coming up here on his twenty-third birthday to accept his fate and I was coming up in the hope to join them. Something that I didn't want to do now with Kyle's death, no murder, the thought of that ass that had ripped my family from me once again set my teeth on edge and made me extremely angry. I closed my eyes and in only a moment I was calm and held the bored expression that was more than often present on my face since their murder.

I saw Master Aukin looking at me and quickly lowered my head. I shouldn't have been here, it was clear now. I moved back to the entrance so that I could leave and try to find something else to do, but I heard his voice calling the match to an end and beckoning me closer.

"Tell me, child, what brings you here?"

"I have been restless, Master, calm seems to be escaping my grasp, I only wished to come and find myself so that I could live my brother's dream of becoming a guardian," I kept my eyes hidden and tried to stay calm.

"You know of the guardians?" Jackson said with a low growl building in his chest.

"My brother told me of this, it was our dream, that we would become guardians together, now, with him gone, I find calm an impossible emotion and peace far from my reach."

Jackson growled again. He was obviously angry at me for even knowing about the guardians.

"Jackson, keep calm please," Master said.

I heard him moving from behind his desk and coming to stand before me. He put his hands on my temples and moved my head up so he could look in my eyes.

His eyes were the lightest shade of blue I had ever seen, like a swirling mist locked in those wise eyes. He had seen so much and helped so many. He had become like a father to me over the last few months. Although I was still lost, I felt like I was at home and I had a place, but nightmares still haunted my dreams and I still felt broken and without a purpose.

"You cannot expect to find yourself alone. Loneliness will only make it worse," he said stroking my cheek like a father would.

"If I have no one, how can I not be lonely?"

Master nodded his head and then moved away from me.

"Jackson, take her, put her with him, unharmed," he said and walked from the hall, I was confused but Jackson just told me to gather all that I needed and then return here.

I worked quickly and I was done in only a few minutes, I had a case packed with clothes, my pictures and most valued items. I walked back up to the hall and waited for Jackson to be ready, the blonde haired stranger had disappeared and Jackson was just tidying up the practice hall.

"Let's go," he said and walked out the back and to a Ute that was already running with the blonde haired stranger in the driver's seat.

We drove off leaving the buildings behind; all I could really get was that we were heading further into the woods. We came up to a large building with a front door that was locked. Jackson got out and unlocked the door waiting until I was at it before he opened it.

"Just be careful, there will be plenty of places for you to hide, but don't wait until it's too late."

With that he pushed the door open and quickly pushed me inside before the door was once again shut behind me and I was locked into the house. It was lighter than what I thought it would be inside the building.

I was distracted from my appraisal of the house when I noticed a door that was locked from the outside; I went over to it slowly and pulled back the bolt letting the door swing open. I left my bag at the opening and cautiously moved inside. The room was large, there was a bed over the other side of the room and another room leading off that looked as if it could lead to a bathroom, the room was untouched, so I went to grab my bag and put it on the beg. There was a key lying on the bed and a note as well.

The door locks from inside as well as out, no one has been in here because the room was shielded for you. Be safe.

What a strange note. I picked up the key and then went out of the room to explore.

I moved through the house quietly, opening doors and looking into them making sure that there was also enough food and water as well as electricity to warm the water and cook the food.

The last room I came to was locked from the outside as well, this one however did not seem to be shielded, just locked, for what purpose, I was about to find out. I pulled the lock open and pushed open the door, once again walking cautiously into the room. The room was setup similar to the room set up for my use. Except there seemed to be a kitchen and bedroom in one.

Two kitchens, I was defiantly confused. I shrugged my shoulders and walked out of the room and into the main area of the house, there was a fully operation training room and a large sparring area as well. No one to disturb me and some time to meditate and think of my situation. The house was well lit up, with lights that seemed to have a sensor as well as a timer on them; all of the lights seemed to turn off at a specific time, though at which time I was unsure. I shrugged again and moved to sit in the middle of the room where a few cushions were spread out. Sitting on one I closed my eyes and began my calming techniques in the hope that the new atmosphere would help with my meditation.

All of a sudden though, I felt the need to move. I stood up and looked around the room seeing a CD player with a range of CD's that I would hopefully enjoy. Thankfully one CD did indeed grab my attention and I put it in before yet again finding a manikin and taking my frustrations out on it. Once I was bored, I decided to take a shower and put my pictures up around my new room. I turned off the CD player and moved back to my room and realised I had forgotten to lock it, I shook my head and then went and had a shower, the warm water was refreshing, it calmed me down and gave me the opportunity to think about a few things now. Like why I was in this house and how long I would be here for. I sighed and jumped out of the shower, wrapping my long black hair in the towel and then looking in the mirror. I was skinny, with small hips and average sized breasts. My stomach was flat with slight abs showing from all of the work I had done to keep myself fit. I was plain and that annoyed me, I remember going out with my brother to a party last year where all of these girls were all over him, one girl had the most beautiful body, my brother even commented on how hot she was, but he always said that I was the only girl he needed in his life and I was far more beautiful than all of the girls in the world put together. I really couldn't see it though.

I sighed and grabbed another towel to dry my body with, I hung both towel up and walked out to the bed completely naked, I went through my bag grabbing some underwear, I pulled it on and then grabbed an oversized shirt that I pulled on over my underwear. I started to unpack my clothes and my photos then started to put the photos around the room, reminding me who I was working so hard for. My brother's smiling face always made me laugh even when I was upset, but those photos now made me brood.

I spent more time brooding than living. I sighed and sat on the floor holding a picture of Kyle and me. We were sitting out the front of our house, wet from running under the sprinklers cause it was so hot outside and in. He held me protectively in his arms with the biggest grin on his face. The photo brought a tear to my eye and I had to shove it aside and leave the room before I burst out crying.

I went to the kitchen and fried up an egg so that I could fill up my stomach and stop the grumbling in my stomach. I ate slowly, savouring the food and starting to feel sleepy. The clock on the wall read eight pm. I sighed and started to wash my dish. On the way back to my room the lights went out and I groaned at the prospect of stepping on something or walk into a wall.

I slowed down using my senses to try and figure out how far I was to the bedroom. Once I reached the room, I walked through and shut the door, locking it behind me.

I yawned and felt for the bed, pulling the blankets back and crawling into the blankets. I sighed as warmth started to seep through my body. I did my normal routine of relaxing muscles and clearing my mind, it seemed to work much better tonight though. It was the quickest I had ever fallen asleep in ages.

Darkness, covering me, a time when my brother had not been there. A hand grabbing me and throwing me to the ground, ripping at my dress, grabbing my thigh, spreading me apart, attempting to invade me. I had never been so scared in my life, I remembered screaming for help. Screaming for someone to find me and help me; that was when I realised that I was able to fight.