Chapter 50 – The Reaver

Information, and facts.....Brandon thrived on knowledge he gained on a day by day basis. From the first book and words he had ever learned, he’d felt a hunger for more. Learning was what kept him alive. IT was what filled the gaping hole inside of him. He needed to know everything about everything around him.....because he knew so very little about himself at all.

Brandon didn’t know where he was going...

Brandon didn’t even know WHAT he was supposed to do...

And he definitely didn’t know why something like him existed at all.

Anything Brandon could take in or attach to the empty blank slate that he had to stare at everyday....was vital to him feeling like a normal man. Learning and questions seemed like all he had to cling to in life.

“So I need get over myself , huh?” Ezekiel smirked clearly done-in by Brandon’s blunt words.

Ezekiel finally looked up from his cup and rolled his eyes in ex-pirated consent.

Brandon was overly relieved to see that his gaze was as clear as water. His pupils were still slit like a beasts and they still glowed slightly, but the cloud of anger was gone.

“You know? Your tongues going to get you in deep water one of these days?” Ezekiel as he stood up and walked over to Brandon leaving his cup behind him. He softly pulled up a chair, and faced him and gave him an attentive head nod. His student proximity making Brandon want to lean in.

“Alright fine. ..since you’re so curious, that you feel the need to be rude after all of that....go ahead and ask away.” He said with an open gesture of his hand.

"Stop sassing me." Brandon ignored his glib tone and turned towards him, or turned towards him as much as his stiff side would allow before he jumped right in a subject that had been on his mind since Lander had first started to pick at him. “I’m not rude and this is about your brother Lander...” Brandon began.

“I don’t want to talk about my brother with you, Brandon.” Ezekiel slightly growled. And instantly Brandon wanted to be offended by his tone and he would have been. If he wasn’t secretly impressed by Ezekiel obvious affection and loyalty for the members of his family....no matter how obnoxious one of them seemed to be.

So rather than be offended Brandon lifted a hand in a calming gesture.

“Hey....cool it.” He snipped at Ezekiel slightly. “It’s nothing bad.....I was just saying, before me and Lander got into it, he told me that he could read minds...and that he had tried to read my mind, but had been unable to do it.” Brandon explained, then shook his head. “What the hell? Is that true? Can you Shifters read minds?”

“So, he told you that...” Ezekiel sighed. A small bit of understanding seemed to dawn on the Shifter and he rubbed a hand against his blue eyes.

"Try to understand. Most of us tend to only talk about our...abilities only if we have too.” Ezekiel told him, hesitating for a second before continuing. “But to answer your question, not all Shifters read minds.′ He explained. “In fact Lander is the only one who can minds in the entire Clan...While the rest of us can do other things...”

“Like what?” Brandon inquired, and Ezekiel sighed at him.

“Are you serious?” He asked. “I thought you mortals were all about science and facts...do you actually believe anything that I’m saying right now? Believe we have powers?”

“Who knows? I don’t have any real reason to doubt it, do I?” Brandon pretended to contemplate, even while he worried that he had walked into a verbal nurse. He didn’t want any of the Shifters analyzing him....or asking questions about him. He needed to seem normal, he needed them to stay away from him. So he tried to shift the focus. “I’m mean who cares what I think, if the truth is infront of me....I don’t run from it. Are you telling me the truth?”

“Well, yeah and you’re honest, at least.” Ezekiel conceded tapping a knuckled on the side of the counter top, suddenly. “But, for the most part the abilities that a Shifter has or doesn’t have varies by what they are and where they are in relation to Shifter territories.”

“Ok...Meaning what?” Brandon pushed.

“Meaning...that a bird Shifter will never have the abilities of a Leopard Shifter. ” Ezekiel answered him, shifting in his seat slightly.

“And...” He continued gesturing with his hand. “There are only ever two Shifters in any one Clan that has abilities they can use at all. For example A bird Shifter will have Powers more related to thier build, environment as hunting style the same could be said for a Leopard Shifter.”

“Alright. But how do you get them...?” Brandon asked stating to enjoy the back and forth. “And why do you have them in the first place?”

Ezekiel shook his head. “No Shifter knows or really cares about that part.” He revealed with a shrug of indifference.

“We are supernatural creatures these powers are just apart of our lives. We don’t need to know WHY. Most of us simply chalk it up to nature....or God...or an overabundance of energy coming into us when we are born.”

Ezekiel shrugged. “But most Shifters don’t ever posse powers so its hard to track it....or the reasons for it to exist in our people. If anyone wanted to guess I would tell them to assume that it is a fluke, mother and all that jazz. It is what we are.”

Brandon was easily intrigued by the conversation, as well as surprised to hear a Shifter speak of such a thing as a possible deity or “God”. He had assumed that their people wouldn’t cling to such things as religion or faith in higher beings.

Things Brandon had learned to shy away from long ago.

Brandon had heard of God.

He had prayed to a silent God.

...But Brandon had also killed the one that had taught him about the idea of God and benevolence and he had killed many more after killing that person.

Whatever GOD existed, if one or many existed at all, He would surely not listen to Brandon now. And Brandon didn’t want to pretend and pray to the silence, anymore.

Brandon turned from that thought and smirked at Ezekiel.

“So you’re telling me that your brother was granted these amazing abilities, by complete chance?” He asked the Shifter rounding the conversation back to the original topic.

“Yup, but I wouldn’t call the abilities amazing.” Ezekiel told him, a heavy undertone hidden in his voice that Brandon didn’t quite understand. “Lander can read minds....up to a point.” Ezekiel explained putting stress on his words.

“All abilities that I know of are different, and have different hang-ups. For example Lander can’t read a few of the Shifters out in the Clan for reasons no one really understands. He also can’t read my elder brother Walter or my Father and sometimes he can’t even read my Mother Glen either.....” Ezekiel stopped as if he suddenly remember something, he turned his gaze on Brandon.

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“The first night you got here Lander told us that he couldn’t read you either....Have you felt anything....cold or like a pressure on your mind?” He asked Brandon, perfectly describing the things Brandon had felt just a few minutes ago with his brother, but of course Brandon didn’t let on that he knew what Ezekiel was talking about.

He simply shrugged. “Nope. All I know is that your brother was saying something about me blocking him out and then he started calling me names.” Brandon said and left that sentence there for Ezekiel to interpret.

And Ezekiel did with a small head nod. “Lander calls it “Blocking”, but what he means is that there is a wall around a person’s mind that he can’t get past. Some Shifters can do it if they have practiced it like my Father....” Ezekiel informed him. “But Lander says that mortals rarely have the know how to do that kind of thing.”

Brandon waved a hand in the air. “Well, then I’m just a rare case.” He said, trying to insert as much nonchalance into that sentence as he could.

“Who knows, either way it gets under Lander’s skin....he’s a little emotional when he can’t get his way....” Ezekiel unnecessarily tried to explain as they both looked away for a moment, each gathering thier thoughts.

But Brandon simply remained silent. Soon another few moments had passed and he looked back at Ezekiel as a new question eventually popped into his head.

“Well back to the point....” He began, trying to move away from Lander and more towards other topics. “Before we got into that argument....your brother told me that you all had powers of some kind in this place. Does that mean that the rest of your family have these powers too?” Brandon asked him.

“Well it’s mostly me and my Brothers.” Ezekiel corrected him. “My mother and father have no abilities, but they are strong in other ways. They wouldn’t be the Clan Heads if they were weak.”

Brandon pulled up an image of the men standing around his bed from the night he had first came fully awake and he counted their shape mentally, before he said. “That’s four Shifters in all, if I’m counting you with your brothers.” He said recalling that all the men that he had met before showering with glen had been Ezekiel siblings. “But, I thought you said only two Shifters ever get to have abilities in most of the Clans around the world.”

“It was a fluke.” Ezekiel shrugged supplying this as the only answer. “But we all have different powers. And so far....You’ve already been on the receiving end of what I can do.”

Ezekiel told him, leaning on the counter top and staring at Brandon expectantly. And at first Brandon wasn’t fully catching on to what he meant, then it clicked. He remembered Ezekiel’s hand on his head. Brandon remembered sleeping after that touch, feeling warm and cold all at once.

“You used your power on me when you put me too sleep.” Brandon said to him and Ezekiel nodded as he sat up in his seat.

“Yes....and so you know formally we just call them, Innate abilities.” Ezekiel calmly explained. He turned his gaze from Brandon’s as he leaned back in his seat, taking a deep breath and stretching slightly, before settling back down.

“Innate abilities often show up after we Shift for the first time. And in my family’s case, it just so happens that I and all of my brothers were born with them. I can’t reveal Walter and Nates abilities to you without their permission, but you already know that Lander reads minds.” Ezekiel admitted, shrugging a slight apology before he moved on. “And as for me? I can implant my own feelings, emotions and even memories all with a simple touch of my skin on yours.”

Ezekiel tapped a finger on Brandon’s hand, striking the leather covering his hand. “Happiness, misery, joy and even grief, I can manipulate It.” He pulled back. “But as a personal rule I only do it with permission and only if the person in question really needs me to do it to them. They have to be open to the manipulation for it to work most times too.”

“Innate abilities? Hmmm.” Brandon made an impersonal sound, then shook his head. “So you can make anyone feel anything if they let you touch them, but....Why do you only use your abilities when people ask you too? It seems like your brother uses his abilities on everyone all the time.”

Brandon inquired, positively intrigued about the other power the Shifters he was staying with could wield. Of course Brandon had lived with monsters all his life. See things that no one would understand or believe. He had even read, small passages about the Shifters before meeting one.

Little blurbs in tiny books that had alluded to the idea that their kind were able to perform supernatural feats, but it was one thing to read about it and something else entirely to experience some of it.

But even though Brandon was intrigued, in the back of his mind was the knowledge that he could do things none of the Shifters in that entire clan would be able to withstand. There was the knowledge that there were monsters after him....monsters just as horrifying as him. Men with powers he didn’t want to see anyone subjected to ever again.

Brandon shook his head to knock away the heavy thoughts and pulled his attention back to the man sitting beside him.

“If I had abilities like you and your brothers...” Brandon admitted, purposely ignoring the fact that he did have power of his own. But the power that he possessed couldn’t touch other people and for all he knew it had no name.

“I’d use that ability all the time, Ezekiel. Just one free happy memory to replace one sad memory for everyone I meet."

“Ah, but you know it wouldn’t stop at just one bad memory.” Ezekiel laughed cynically and raised his palm. “If you could have nothing but happy memories all the time...wouldn’t you ask me to implant them and erase everything else in your mind? Every sickness or fight or....a bad dream turned to sleepless night?” He remarked.

And Brandon knew that that last part was directed at him, but he didn’t raise to the bait, instead he resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the Shifter.

Would I ask you to erase every memory of a bad dream or sickness I’ve ever experienced!? OF COURSE I WOULD!!! In a fucking heartbeat....

Brandon wanted to respond. He felt the dark, the fog of his past festering like a gaping wound that no stiches or scalpels would ever be able to seal or cut away.

“Well...” Brandon responded weakly instead turning in his seat to look at the Shifter. "I know its not like you actually can erase it all, but who wouldn’t want to be happy Ezekiel?” he asked quietly.

But Ezekiel growled in denial and lowered his hand.

“It’s not real happiness if I have to create it for them, and my power lasts only for a brief time because of that fact.” He responded simply. “That’s the problem with my ability. It can’t last.... because you can’t be happy and subconsciously, deeply miserable at the same exact time. Besides its incredibly hard to do it most times.”

Then Ezekiel shrugged. "Besides In the end you have to create your own happiness, its not supposed to be easy, or painless...Right?" he asked confidently, something in his tone hinting at a heaviness...or sadness, and try as he might....Brandon didn’t have a rebuttal. So he moved on.

" I guess your right.” Brandon replied nonchalantly, then quickly blurted out a new question.

“So um...can you do anything else?” Brandon asked him, looking away from his calm eyes, as Ezekiels gaze felt far too direct all of a sudden.

Ezekiel hesitated for a second then discreetly clenched and unclenched his right hand before responding. “I have a few other abilities, but they aren’t anything I feel like discussing at this point.” He said, his words nearly as cold as a slab of cement between them. But Brandon couldn’t help but want to chip at it slightly....if for no other reason than because he didn’t like Ezekiel’s cold reaction to his inquiry.

“Dose....does it have something to do with “Reavers?” Brandon asked him going back to what Lander had said, and tried not to stutter when Ezekiel full on glared at him in displeasure.

“Can you tell me what that’s about? Sorry if Im stepping over a line, but your brother was growling about something like that before he left and..and...ummm....” Brandon continued until he finally had to look away from the intense blue gaze.

“I dont know why he said that! Lander....has a big mouth.” Ezekiel hissed softly finally breaking off his glare and sighing.

“But....Reaver is sickness and in Shifter society, we don’t discuss them...or how Shifters become them.” he commented, obviously not in the mood to discuss the new seemingly heavy topic.

Brandon didn’t understand so he kept pushing.

“So...Reavers.....are Shifters?” Brandon slowly pieced together.

“Yes...” Ezekiel replied as thought the answer were a tooth being pulled from him. It was so obvious from his displeasure that this was something he didn’t want to talk about with anyone. But the reason why....remained obscure, so Brandon asked the first question that came to him.

“And....are you a Reaver, Ezekiel?” Brandon asked him quietly and not knowing why he was speaking in a hushed tone. The word “Reaver” Brandon didn’t understand it or know what it meant, but he got the feeling that it wasn’t a good thing and it was at that point that Ezekiel cut him off.

"Dammit! Look, you couldn’t know this but it’s rude to ask that stuff around here Brandon....Reavers are lunatics.” Ezekiel hissed in a tone only a few octaves higher then Brandon’s whisper, as he grimly clued Brandon in.

“Reavers are Shifters, born with something in their blood. Like a virulent disease. They will go mad at the drop of a hat and slaughter anything and everything around them. They are Shifters with unnatural speed and strength. Most Reavers caused with this disease have only one fate and one fate only....to slip into complete madness and die alone and forgotten. ”

Ezekiel turned to him, the mesmerizing glow in his eyes almost menacing but also hissing deep pain and resignation. “It’s rude to ask me if I’m a Reaver, but since we’re past the point of no return just know that you should fear me. You should fear my anger...just like all the rest. You would be insane if you didn't keep your distance...like most do. ” He annunciated the sentence in a stern voice that left absolutely no room for further discussion on that matter.

And yet Brandon couldn’t help but marinate on that information in silence. He wanted to understand why or how someone even became a Reaver, but Ezekiel must have sensed him stewing in his thoughts, because he started him up talking again with a new question of his own.