A Force of the Hand

So, once again, I was alone in my own mind. I just sat there in the dirt, trembling, trying to regain my composure. My companions simply stared at me, unsure what to do with themselves.

Tony was crumpled at my feet, tears streaming down his cheeks. Bits of dirt clung to his face & hands where his skin was sticky with blood & tears. He wept, like a small child, awakened from a nightmare.

I crawled over to him; I meant simply to comfort him. To calm him.

Fingers outstretched, I reached for him.

Abruptly, his tears stopped. His mannerisms shifted.

He became...still. Cold. The weeping child was lost, & I no longer recognized this person beside me.

In a blur of motion, he was atop me, a jagged stone clenched in his fist. Tony brought the rock down swiftly, connecting with my temple. He hit me with such force that my vision swam.

I kicked him off of me, & instinctively shifted forms. I traded human skin for black fur & sharp teeth.

In my canine form, I had my teeth around his jugular before he could come at me again.

His eyes were black as night, not like anything I'd seen before.

This was not Tony. Fuck, what the hell am I dealing with here?

The boy squirmed beneath me, & I clenched down, just a little. Just enough to puncture his skin...little droplets of salty sweet blood on my tongue.

The others closed in; I growled to keep them at bay. Justin & Gabriel backed off, just a little bit.

Tony's eyes faded back to their natural shade. "Torrent?" his voice came out a strained gurgle. "What are you doing?...."

I didn't loosen my grip, just released another threatening growl...warning the others to keep their distance.

I'd handle this.

Someone is fucking toying with us...three guesses as to who it is. The first two don't count...