Uncaged: A Paranormal Romance

By S. Kathleen Ring

Taken from her parents when she was just a young girl, Aurora was forced to perform in a dirty circus. Her ability to shift forms kept her the main attraction until she was saved. She was suddenly thrown into this world of the lost souls. She only wondered if she’d found love…or was it gratitude?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 16, 2021
• ISBN: 9781662442988

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Uncaged

A Paranormal Romance

S. Kathleen Ring

Copyright © 2021 S. Kathleen Ring

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING, INC.

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2021

ISBN 978-1-6624-4296-4 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-6624-4298-8 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Prologue

It was a warm October day, and the sun was beating down from high from the cloudless blue sky. A small park was nestled in the woods surrounded by trees on three sides; the fourth was a parking lot that led to a small dirt road. It boasted one big wooden and plastic play gym and a set of four swings that were swaying lazily in the warm breeze. During the summer, this park was the place to be for children of all ages from the small town it inhabited. But now, since it was a school day, it had an abandoned feel to it. A burgundy minivan pulled into the parking lot, shattering the serenity. As it pulled into a parking spot, before the van was even put into park, the side door slid open noisily, and a young girl raced out, heading toward the play equipment. She appeared to be about eight or nine years old, long ashen hair waving behind her as she ran, her arms and legs pumping hard. She laughed merrily as she dashed across the open field to the slides. Her bright-red jacket stood out as a beacon against the natural beauty of the area. A woman climbed more sedately from the driver’s side. She was a short, average-sized woman with shoulder-length auburn curls. She called out to the child to be careful, but she was laughing as she said it, enjoying her daughter’s merriment. The woman smoothed out her skirt and reached into the door left open by the child to pull out a blanket and a picnic basket. She walked toward the play area and veered to the right to a tree that would provide the perfect shade. After laying the blanket out, she sat down.

The woman called out to the girl, Kit, you have about fifteen minutes to play before lunch.

Then she pulled a book from the basket and settled against the tree to read, glad to enjoy some peace and quiet before having lunch then the science lesson. She worried a lot about Kit, but here in the park, she knew that she would be safe. It’s a mean world out there, and Kit must be protected from it while she was still so young.

Kit watched as her mother settled in. She knew that as soon as her mother got into the story, she wouldn’t be paying that much attention, and then Kit could do what she really wanted to do…some exploring in the woods before it became an assignment for her teachings. Her mom was so protective of her, and she never got to have any fun or alone time.

As her mom turned another page in the book, Kit called out, Look, Ma!

She slid down the twisting slide on her stomach, jumped up at the end, and did a front roll to her feet.

That’s nice, Kit, her mother said without even looking up from the book, and Kit knew then that she could easily make her escape.

She had always been told not to go into the woods, but it was so boring since she didn’t have anyone to play with. She used to have her older brother, Gabriel, to hang around with. Unfortunately, he just turned thirteen and had learned how to control his emotions enough that it was safe for him to go to school and make friends. Sometimes she wished she was older so that she could go to school too. Kit sighed. She would just have to learn to control herself quickly, she supposed. Standing at the edge of the woods, she sent a furtive glance toward her mom, checking to make sure it was still safe to continue. Seeing her mother chuckle at something in the book, she smiled to herself and headed into the woods. Kit walked farther and farther into the woods, confident that she could find her way back no problem; after all, with her abilities, she could smell her way back, if need be. Walking around, she felt more liberated than she ever had, listening to the fall leaves crunching under her small feet.

At home she was free to wander through the forest surrounding their house, but there were conditions, and her mother, father, or brother were always somewhere nearby in case of a wild animal. But she was big enough to take care of herself if something came along, she thought. And her mother wasn’t far; but there was no one to keep an eye on her, and she could explore to her heart’s content. She made a few twists and turns, and doing a few summersaults and cartwheels, exploring the area with a child’s delight, seeing the woods through a child’s eyes filled with awe and imagination. She was so absorbed in this new environment she didn’t notice the scent of another person until it was too late. A cloth came over her nose and mouth, startling her, and she breathed in the funny, sweet smell. Her heart started racing, and she began breathing rapidly, fear quickly consuming her, as she realized that this was a danger that she hadn’t anticipated, and she was in real trouble. She felt her body morph, and she started feeling nauseated just before passing out.

He had come in the hopes of catching another child, perhaps skipping school, for his own sick and twisted gains but had found a gold mine instead. The yellow-haired girl would’ve been a nice addition to his collection, but as he stared down at the white feline cub now in his arms, he saw himself making millions. Jack Childe had a quick mind and devious intentions. He could use this beast to create a circus that could hide his immoral dealings. It was a dream come true to him. Glancing around, he knew that he had to hurry. Someone would definitely be looking for her soon, and he wasn’t about to just give her up. Besides, he wasn’t sure how long the chloroform would last on this unique creature, so he had to hurry… He had to get a cage to keep her, it, in. He walked quickly to his vehicle hidden a few yards away and threw the cub in before taking off, an evil grin plastered on his face.

Chapter 1

The young girl looked at the remains of the circus as performers and crew alike packed everything up. Time no longer meant as much to her as the days, weeks, and then years had passed and blended together since her capture. She watched as children and performers alike appeared and disappeared. Only she remained constant. When she had first come, she had tried to make friends with the small, frightened children, but she soon found out that the pain from their loss when they disappeared was greater when she knew them than when she didn’t. Besides, the beatings Jack gave her when she was caught talking to the merchandise, as he called them, made her change her mind about trying to be friendly. But then again, he beat her all the time anyway, trying to get her to change into her cat form. The girl knew she had to learn to control her shift soon because she might not be able to survive Jack’s anger much longer.

It was autumn again, and Jack came by to celebrate the anniversary of her capture. She dreaded these celebrations, as he always reeked of alcohol, and she was usually beaten at the end of his drunken story.

Five years, girl, Jack slurred as he crept closer to the cage where he kept her. It was a bright, sunny day when I snatched you from that park without a problem. You were going to be my salvation, my greatest idea come to life. But after five years, you still refuse to fall in line!

He backhanded her through the cage, sending her tiny body flying against the rear bars. She crumpled to the floor, and her eyes flashed in anger as she shifted into the cub.

Yes! he screamed at her, stumbling closer. This is what you need to do! Perform for the circus! Become my star attraction! I can’t keep the circus going without a draw, and you’ll be worthless to me if you don’t help.

She ran at him, growling low in her throat, and she swiped her small paw at him, slicing his shirt but barely catching any skin. He backhanded her again, and she bounced off the back wall, whimpering as the pain racked through her body. A man stepped up behind Jack, clearing his throat to make himself known. Jack spun around; his arm arched back as if to hit him for interrupting him. Halfway around, Jack realized his mistake, and he fell drunkenly to the ground when he tried to stop his momentum. Unsteady, he pulled himself up and straightened his clothes before looking the man in the eyes. The stranger wore a blue uniform, signifying his position as an officer of the law. The girl’s eyes lit up with hope, and she shifted into human form.

Please, Officer. Help me. I want to go home. Her voice shook with pain, emotion, and embarrassment as she laid naked and shivering.

The coldness in the officer’s gaze as it raked over her caused her to close her eyes in shame. He turned his eyes back to Jack.

"Your payment is late this week. If it’s not paid in full tomorrow night, we will raid you. His eyes darted to the naked child once more before continuing. I can only imagine what we might find here if we do that."

The girl’s hopes were dashed, and the light left her eyes as she realized that this man, the officer, was not going to help her.

Of course, Officer Brady. Your payment is in my office. Let’s take care of this pesky problem right away. He reached over to the officer, guiding him away. And I’m sure I can find something you’d like to compensate you for your troubles. We got a new one yesterday who is just your type.

The girl watched them go, hatred filling her eyes as she realized that the man was one of the men who hurt the other kids. The new kid was a small boy, about five, and the older man was a police officer! He was supposed to help and protect them, not use them for his own twisted plans. She spit the saliva from her mouth and noticed it was tinged red with blood.

Sighing in defeat, she started to curl up in the corner when she noticed something shiny on the floor outside the cage. As she moved closer, she realized that Jack, in his drunken stupor, had dropped his keys. Knowing that she didn’t have much time before he came back looking, she quickly reached out and snagged them. She moved to the door and began trying the keys one by one until she found the one that opened that cage. Dropping the keys back on the floor, she ran to the entrance and lifted the canvas of her tent to peer out toward safety. The area was clear, and she made a mad dash for the trees edging the circus grounds.

The woods were thick in the area, and she walked into the woods a bit before finding a nice, sturdy tree to climb. She sat in the top branches, resting until nightfall. As she waited for the sun to drop below the horizon, her thoughts drifted to her family. Their images were vague by now, Jack’s hatred and evilness having almost completely obliterated them from her mind. She remembered a loving family, both parents and an older brother. She wondered if they were still searching for her or if they had given her up for dead yet. She missed her family and the life she was forcibly taken from. Emotional pain took over the physical pain inflicted by Jack, and she allowed the tears to fall freely. When she came out of her thoughts, the sky was beginning to darken, and she could see flashlights moving about the circus grounds and through the woods. Her breath caught as she saw one walking closer to her. Fear coursed through her as she recognized the man below as Roger, Jack’s right-hand man and bodyguard. She knew that if Jack got a hold of her again, she wasn’t going to be able to speak or move for a while. He might even kill her, which she thought was almost preferable to her current situation.

Here kitty, kitty, kitty, Roger called softly under his breath. Come to Roger, and you won’t be hurt…much. He chuckled quietly.

The sound was disgustingly creepy. She shivered and hugged her knees, praying to an unseen and mostly unbelieved-in god that he didn’t look up. He paused beneath the tree and leaned against it. Watching him cautiously, she feared making any sound. He kicked away from the tree, and she let out a silent sigh of relief. Turning to face the tree, he looked around briefly, causing her heart to jump to her throat, as she thought he might have heard her. She heard a soft, zipping sound, and the smell of urine hit her nose before she realized what he was doing. She covered her mouth to hide the nervous giggle that threatened to escape. A beep came from his belt, almost causing her to fall as it startled her. Roger took the walkie-talkie from his belt.

Yeah? he said into it as he zipped his pants back up and ran a hand through his unwashed, dark-blond hair.

Get back here, Roger. I have another plan, Jack’s voice came through shockingly loud, and the girl caught herself looking around for him.

On my way, Boss.

Roger hooked the radio back to his belt and headed back off toward the grounds.

She watched him go, her eyes adjusting to the night readily. She waited a long time to see if anyone else would come this way before climbing down the tree in the darkness and heading toward the sounds of vehicles driving by. Surely, someone would help her. She thought about shifting into her cat form as the night became chilly, and she was wearing no clothes. But she vaguely remembered her mother telling her to never let a human see her in cat form because they might shoot first and ask questions later. A naked girl would bring attention, but a cougar cub would bring out the guns. She shivered. As the sounds of the vehicles came closer, the girl picked up her pace. She stepped up to the side of the road, and an old pickup truck pulled over.

She walked quickly to the vehicle and jumped in. The driver was an older gentleman in his late forties, early fifties. His salt-and-pepper hair was mussed from a long day of working, and his coveralls were covered in grease and sweat.

Hey, sweet thang, he said, his eyes roaming over her lithe, young body. Where are you headed?

Anywhere, she answered sleepily as the heat blasted her chilly body. I need to go home.

The driver handed her a blanket from behind the seats. It’s a bit rough, but it’ll help warm you. He smiled, showing several missing teeth. I’ll take you back to my place tonight where you can rest, and then we’ll take you home in the morning.

Okay, the naive, young girl responded, almost completely asleep now.

When she opened her eyes next, she was lying on a dirty, sheetless bed. Her