The Lost Children, Tome 3: Reborn

CHAPTER ONE

The bald eagle soared above. Her wings spanned twelve feet, almost double the size of a normal female. The eagle swooped to the ground in the surrounding desert, her magnificent wings cupping to slow her descent. Piercing, razor sharp talons opened. The rabbit didn’t see her coming. Her approach was silent. Deadly.

Cold winter wind whipped my dark red hair around my shoulders. Di and I stood on the deck of our remote Northern Arizona home. Susannah continued to claw the rabbit in the desert, beyond the walled backyard.

Di crossed her arms. “Do you know how long it’s been since she’s transformed, Lena?”

“Over three days.”

A brooding expression grew on Di’s face. “That’s the longest she’s gone yet.”

The air rustled her black locks. She’d cut it the other day, complaining that her hair was getting too long. Those midnight locks now sat perfectly shaped at chin length. The cut framed her oval face, complimenting her olive skin and dark eyes. The bob suited her personality. Sharp, severe and straight.

A shiver struck me. I wrapped my arms around myself. I hadn’t grabbed a jacket when Di and I raced outside to watch Susannah fly overhead. “She’s becoming more animal than human.”

Di sighed heavily. “I know.”

“That could be a problem. If we knew she’d never be spotted by the DNR or an astute bird watcher, we wouldn’t have to worry. But she’s too big. Someone’s bound to notice, and if they choose to investigate, we could have trouble. No other eagle comes close to her size.”

“You’re right.” Di’s gaze didn’t leave our newest family member.

In the distance, Susannah, in her eagle form, tore apart the now-dead rabbit. Her giant beak opened and ripped a chunk out of the animal. I imagined congealing blood dripping from the puncture wounds as she pierced the hide, crimson drops falling into the Arizona desert sand. Susannah let out a sharp cry. With a few flaps, she climbed high into the sky. The rabbit dangled listlessly from her talons. Susannah grew smaller until she disappeared from view.

I didn’t know where Susannah went when she fled to the mountains. Probably some place close to open water, since most eagles preferred dwellings by large lakes or rivers. The dry, open terrain around the house wasn’t exactly eagle friendly. The desert also didn’t give her many good places to perch. And while she’d sometimes return and perch on the home’s deck railing, she was doing it less and less.

The impressive backyard, with its fifteen foot tall perimeter walls and expertly landscaped rock gardens, stretched in front of us. The grounds were huge. We had plenty of space to roam even though twelve of us lived in the house. However, Susannah frequented it less and less. A lot of times, it was just eleven of us.

I shivered again. It was the beginning of December. Each day the high mountain desert sent promises of snow in her chilly breeze and crisp mornings.

“Maybe being exposed is what we need.” My teeth chattered. “If everyone knows about us, what harm can Marcus do?”

Di’s eyes grew hard. “I won’t be studied again. Doctors will want to study us.”