BK 3 - Chapter 3 - The Shifter Rescuers
Leaving her family was harder than Melanie imagined, but she had to do it. The Shifter Rescuers were in Brazil, so she booked the next flight out of Sacramento. It was a redeye, but she didn't mind. She'd sleep on the plane. Her mom cried, and her dad went over all the ways he'd taught her to protect herself, but they still voiced their support for her decision.
Chika talked her into sending a text to Saxon to let him know her plans. Melanie didn't want to, but she figured she owed it to him. She felt better when he responded by thanking her for letting him know where she was going and to call if she needed anything. Chika was right; being honest with him was a good thing.
Melanie slept for most of the seventeen-hour flight. She'd been out of the country a few times with her parents, but when she landed in Rio de Janeiro, she felt a sense of freedom that made her heart sing. The emptiness inside from being away from Saxon was still there, but it wasn't strong enough to make her run back home.
As she walked through the airport, she smiled to herself. Everyone was speaking in other languages, but most of them she understood. She knew she wanted to see the world from an early age, so she became fluent in several languages. Melanie looked around when she stepped outside and saw a young man and woman waving at her. She recognized them from their video calls. They were Vincent and Karlee. He was tall with short brown hair and blue eyes. Where she was petite with long curly red hair and dark green eyes. They were mates and werewolves.
"Well, it looks like the cat has finally decided to join the dogs." Vincent teased her.
"I figured it's about time we show you what we're made of." Melanie hugged each of them before following them to their car.
"We're so glad to have you here. We've heard about all the incredible work your parents have done with the human kids. Right now, besides the three of us, there are four others. We hope to recruit more people to help, but it's not easy work." Melanie nodded in agreement as she looked around. It was afternoon, and the sun was shining bright with a slight breeze in the air. The smell of flowers was all around her as she got into the back of the car.
"I'm happy to be here. I've wanted to do this for a long time." Karlee and Vincent shared a smile. They had heard about Melanie being a hybrid lion and caladrius. With such a unique background, they were sure she would be one of their most vital assets.
"Unfortunately, Rio is the hotspot for shifter trafficking right now. There are so many children and young adults being traded in this area. The numbers are mind-blowing. We've been able to rescue a few, but we can't find the mastermind. Have you found your mate yet? You're eighteen, right?" Karlee asked, turning in her seat to look at Melanie.
"Yes, I'm eighteen, and yes, I know who my mate is, but I told him I'm not ready to be mated yet. It's a long story, but I want to do something with my life before I'm tied down to one person." Karlee and Vincent were a few years older than Melanie, so they had a little more experience. However, neither of them could imagine being away from the other after they had met.
"Wouldn't he support you coming here?" She asked the lioness.
"He would support me and probably be here helping if I asked him to. I told him where I was but asked him not to follow me. We grew up together, and he's known I was his mate since I was a cub. I haven't had the feeling as long as he has." Karlee looked at her in confusion.
"He knew about you from the time you were a cub?" Melanie nodded, and the other woman gasped. "Is he a vampire?"
"Yeah. Why do you look so surprised? It's not uncommon for shifters to mate with vampires." Melanie looked between the two in front, trying to read their faces. Her senses told them there were excited, but she didn't understand why.
"We've been trying to get a vampire to help us for a long time. I understand you want a life before mating, but do you know how rare it is to find one that thinks of others before themselves? I can't believe he let you leave without a fight." Melanie couldn't help the slight anger that came over her at their assumptions of vampires. She may have been feeling protective of him as well.
"Saxon is a beautiful man who would do anything for anyone, no matter their species. His parents are the same. They have helped my parents a lot over the years. I may ask him to come here eventually, and believe me, he would drop everything to be here. I just need some freedom first." Karlee nodded before turning back around.
"We didn't mean to offend you. We've just never met a vampire that was kind and caring." Vincent explained as they pulled into the parking lot of what looked like an empty warehouse.
"I'm sorry I snapped at you. The vampires I've been around have some of the biggest hearts of anyone I know." Melanie stated. She didn't want to start off on the wrong foot.
"We would welcome all the help we can get. Let's go so you can meet the others." She grabbed her bags and followed them into the warehouse. When they opened the door, Melanie looked around in disbelief. It was nothing like the outside.
There was an enormous open area with couches, chairs, tables, and a TV. It looked like a common area. Off to one side, she noticed a large kitchen. There were other doors that were all closed, but she was impressed already.
"Wow, this is amazing," Melanie said as the other two chuckled.
"We bring the ones we rescue here, so we like to make it comfortable for them. There are many bedrooms here, but we haven't needed them all yet. If we can get ahead of the trafficking, this place will be full." Karlee led her to a door on the other side of the room.
"You can use this bedroom. After you get settled, come out, and we'll introduce you to everyone else." Melanie nodded as she opened the door. She wasn't expecting much, but it was actually quite comfortable. There was a double bed with a small table and dresser. She didn't care if they gave her nothing but a cot; she was just glad to be doing something worthwhile. After putting her things away and stepping back out to the main area, she noticed four others had joined Karlee and Vincent.
"Melanie, this is Eli and his mate Harper. They're werebears." Melanie looked up at the large muscular man whose skin was the color of milk chocolate with eyes as black as coal. He had a kind smile despite how intimidating he appeared. His mate was tall as well, being at least six feet. She was thin with short blonde curly hair and lightly tanned skin. They made a beautiful couple.
"It's nice to meet you both. I'm guessing when he said werebears that you're grizzlies?" Melanie asked with a smile making the couple laugh.
"That obvious, huh?" Eli asked with his deep voice. She shrugged in response.
"I've met a few, and they all had a few things in common. Their large size and friendly smiles." Everyone in the room chuckled.
"I can't wait to see what you say about us." Melanie turned to the other couple. "I'm Ava, and this is my mate Brandon. Want to take a guess of what we are?"
Melanie studied the pair thoughtfully. Ava was tiny and couldn't be more than five feet tall, but she was muscular. Her long black hair and blue eyes reminded her of her mom. Brandon was about average height but built like a tank. His hair was shaved, so you couldn't tell what color it was, but his eyes were a piercing amber. Melanie smiled as she nodded.
"I'm going to say that you're werecheetahs. You have the spunkiness I've seen before with the stockier muscle tone." Ava smiled brightly before running over and hugging Melanie.
"Wow, you're good. Most people don't pick up the differences that fast. We're going to be great friends. Do you have a mate?" Ava looked around, not seeing anyone with her.
"Uh, we haven't marked each other yet. He stayed back in California." She wanted to avoid getting into the full explanation about Saxon again.
"That's okay. We've got lots of work for you to do so you won't miss him too much. Let me show you the workroom." Ava took her hand and pulled her toward one corner, where there was a door she hadn't seen before. As they got ready to go in, she heard Karlee say something under her breath.
"Crap, the cats are going to turn this place into a litter box, aren't they." Melanie stopped and turned toward her with a smirk.
"At least we know how to clean up after ourselves. Dogs just go wherever they feel like and wait for someone to clean up their mess." The entire room erupted in laughter, including the two werewolves.
"I like her. She'll fit in well." Harper said with a smile. Melanie followed Ava and Brandon into the workroom feeling more at ease.
The room was a large area with several old desks. It kind of reminded her of the old police stations she would see on cop shows. There were two whiteboards on the wall, one that had pictures of kids of various species and another of young adults. There was a third board on another wall that said, possible traffickers. Each desk had a computer and piles of paperwork.
"How long have you been here?" Melanie asked while looking at the pictures of the children. Her heart broke knowing what terrors they were facing. Experiments, abuse, and death were only a few. How could anyone want to be that cruel?
"We've been here about six months. This is the worst we've ever seen. Every time we think we're getting somewhere, they change everything up." Melanie could hear the despair in Ava's voice.
"Are these pictures of the ones you've saved?" She noticed the sadness in Ava and Brandon's expressions at her question.
"No. Those are all the ones we've found dead. They're a reminder of what we're trying to prevent." Melanie gasped. There were dozens of pictures. She suddenly felt as though she had walked into something much bigger than she thought. Was she ready for this?
