Dominique Gibson

Part of the Truson S.E.T. Series

Interested in learning more? Please check out the Truson S.E.T. Series on the following websites:

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An Orman’s Revenge

An Orman’s Fate

An Orman’s Allegiance

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***

Mandy decided to bury her feelings and try to meet Ford halfway by catching up to him. Their footsteps echoed against the black and white tiled floor as they stepped into the enormous kitchen. The stove, sink, and refrigerator were side-by-side but allowed enough room for lots of active movement. In the middle of the kitchen was a huge marble table that stretched from one wall to the other.

It reminded her of an ER stretcher.

“You can make yourself comfortable by sitting wherever you want,” Ford said. “I’m going to start cooking.”

“Fine,” Mandy said. “Well, can I at least get settled first while you are making dinner? I have a funny feeling I’m going to be staying here against my will for a while.”

“Sure. I guess I can give you that option.” Ford paused. He thought about how wrong it would be if she were left alone. She’d already hinted at escaping, and there would be too many opportunities for just that. There had to be a way she could stay in the cabin without the chance of her escaping.

Ford grimaced. “Come with me please,” was all he could muster. He swiftly moved past her and bolted up the stairs. He glided down the short hallway until he reached the third bedroom at the end. Ford turned the knob and pushed open the door. As soon as they stepped inside, the lights flickered on.

Mandy flopped down on the bed and stared out the window. She could hear Ford enter the room but chose to ignore him, never taking her eyes off the moonlit waters crashing against the white crested snow. She remembered how good she felt after the transformation process ended and decided she needed to take a shower before settling down to eat dinner with someone who she hardly knew.

Mandy rose to her feet. “If you will excuse me, I’m going to take a shower. It’s been a very long day, and I’m going to need plenty of rest after the horrible ordeal I went through.” She went past him and found her way to the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

***

He couldn’t believe what he saw.

There, perched on a bed was a woman with flowing red hair and eyes that glowed like green crystals on a winter’s night.

Although he wanted to hear the conversation between the familiar woman and the unknown man gleaming in the moonlight, Lex Stevenson knew better than to get involved in someone’s personal affairs.

Not yet anyway.

“I want you to go to the island and kill someone.” His father’s words echoed in his ear. The words faded from his mind. He squinted at the couple for a few more minutes before he decided to drag his backpack towards him. He grabbed his binoculars to get a closer look.

He stared at the woman again. It can’t be her. She’s dead. He remembered how upset he was when the police came to the door and told him the news about Mandy. His father shed tears about Mandy’s death and how sad it was that her life had to come to such a horrible conclusion.

“It had to be done,” Lex remembered the words so clearly. “We needed the money to survive. She had to die.”

Now his father was the fool.

Lex shook his head. He didn’t want it to be true but had to face reality–Mandy Stevenson was alive and well…

***

Mandy fluffed her hair in the mirror before taking off her clothes. The comments Ford made to her were enough to send her clothes flying across the floor. Electricity surged through her body. She needed to be careful. She didn’t want to set the whole place on fire like she did last time.

She took a couple of breaths and smiled as she thought about how she handled herself. She may have lost her memory, but she was smart enough not to let a man get the best of her. She was no pushover, that was for sure. She certainly wasn’t going to give Ford or anyone else permission to treat her like crap.

Not anymore. Her mind replayed images of a young woman being slapped and flying across the table. She didn’t understand who it was, but it kept coming until she turned on the faucet and stuck her hand under the cold water.

She thought about the images. What could they have possibly meant? Did they hold any value to her identity? And if the woman she saw in her flashbacks was beaten up by someone, what wasn’t she able to stop it in time? The questions kept flooding her mind as she put one foot down in the tub. She quickly got in and put her hair under the shower.

Mandy collapsed against the wall and tried to regain her balance, but her body failed her. The water she’d hoped would soothe her consciousness ended up being her worst enemy. It stung like icicles. Images kept popping faster than before.

A man drowning in a vast pool of water. A little girl who didn’t look any older than fifteen or sixteen running towards the beach.

“Don’t run in the water. You will get killed.” The woman’s voice repeated itself.

Mandy kept hearing a buzzing sound as the woman’s voice got louder and louder. Her body started vibrating. Flashes of light danced out of her fingertips and onto the tub.

Who was the girl running towards the water? Could it possibly be her? The images of the man drowning in the pool and the woman that told her not to run in the water looked oddly familiar. Could they have been her mother and father? Mandy closed her eyes and said to herself she was okay, that it was all just a horrible nightmare that would eventually go away. She kept her eyes open.

“Okay, relax. These are just stupid dreams, none of them mean anything,” Mandy told herself. The familiar rush went through her body. She needed more water. Panicking, Mandy got out of the tub and stared at the mirror.

Black and white patches deepened her features and covered her face. There was a small bump forming on her forehead. Her legs pressed together like a glue. She tried her best to pry them open, but they wouldn’t budge.

She was transforming…again.

It seems like this story is taking a deeper turn than we realize. What is going to happen next when it comes to the Truson S.E.T. series when it comes to Mandy and her transformation? Find out in the next episode, episode nine of An Orman’s Revenge.

Dominique Gibson

Part of the Truson S. E. T. series

Note: This is chapter Three of An Orman’s Revenge

Knowing he couldn’t wait too long for the elevators, Ford bounded down the stairs, hoping to catch her before she ran out the door. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found her outside the door, puking. Ford pushed it open and saw how pale her face looked when she gawked at him. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and leaned out.

“I’m sorry. I wish this transformation was easy for you.” Mandy bolted upright.

“Just leave me alone. You can’t possibly understand what I’m going through.” She grimaced. She hunched over and waited until the contents in her stomach landed in the snow.

“Actually, I do know what you’re going through. I was much younger than you but not as young as my students when I transformed,” Ford said. He walked to where he was within reach before he squatted down.

“Yeah? How old were you?”

“Well, I died when I was in my twenties. Like you, Dr. Madison found me washed up on the Hawaiian shores and decided to fly me back here to the Island of Truson.” He stood up before extending his arms. “The great Island of Truson.” Ford put his arms down. “This is the place where Dr. Madison brought me back to life as an Orman.”

“Half-human, half-orca,” Mandy said. She put her hands on her knees and exhaled.

“You may not know this, but the name ‘orca’ is the scientific word used to describe what we usually call killer whales.”

Mandy nodded. “Right. So how did I become an Orman? I didn’t ask for this. Why did Dr. Madison choose me for this stupid experiment? Couldn’t she find someone else?”

“That’s the first thing that came to mind when I found out who I had become. I didn’t like it. Who would want to have a killer whale as an alter ego? That would mean spending some of my time in the water. Why would I want that kind of life?”

“Right,” Mandy said, lifting a brow.

“But then I quickly realized that after Dr. Madison explained it, that there were criminals who are also sea animals. They have existed since the Egyptian days. The federal government tried to shield them from making contact with humans for years. They were successful for a while, but within the last twenty years or so, the government decided that keeping them a secret was a bit harder than they realized.” The wind suddenly picked up speed. Snowflakes that fell from the darkness tangled with the wind, stinging her face. Ford reached for Mandy.

“I have to take you inside before it gets too cold. May I walk you to my cabin?” Ford asked. Her light green eyes peered back at him. The sensations she felt the night before bubbled inside again. She felt the tingling sensations flowing through her veins when she had her hand on his.

***

Ford pushed the feelings out of his mind, but his body was saying otherwise. His alter ego gave him a slight nudge, letting him know he was alert and ready to be out whenever possible. He kept telling himself it was just physical, that after the training and finding the information he needed on who killed his wife, Mandy would be able to leave and go back to the life she wanted, knowing how to control her power when it came to her emotions.

“So, what happened when it became too much to handle?” Mandy said. Ford felt the snow invading his boots, trickling into his socks.

“The federal government decided it was time to take action. They were very successful capturing the Ormans but weren’t very smart about keeping them in jail or imprisoning them on the island.

“They needed to escape so they could transform into their other side to survive.” Ford dug into his pockets to look for his keys.

“This is where you’re staying?”

Ford glanced at the cabin before he went back to searching for his keys.

“Yes.”

“Wow,” Mandy said.

“I know,” Ford replied. Where were his keys? He wrecked his bratin trying to remember when the last time he saw them. He eventually wrapped his fingers around something in his pocket.

“How long have you lived here?”

He flipped the keys into his hand and used his fingers to separate them until he found the key he was looking for and opened the door.

“Ten years.”

Mandy stepped inside. She caught sight of how beautiful the cottage was and inhaled. Crystal chandeliers full of sparkling real diamonds and jewels hung from the ceiling. The room had a mahogany couch with two small square shaped pillows with unusual patterns of triangles and squares spread throughout the fabric. Mandy stepped closer.

A few inches away from the couch was a small cocktail table made entirely out of glass. Mandy bent down and carefully glided her fingers along the smooth surface.

“You must really like the way it’s decorated,” Ford said, locking the door behind him.

Mandy shrugged. Her eyes focused on the glass, her own reflection staring back at her. Flashbacks of a little girl in pigtails invaded her thoughts,, causing her to lift her hand off the table.

“Are you all right?”

Mandy straightened herself up.

“Yes, I’m fine. You have a beautiful table here.” Mandy turned to see a widescreen TV spread from one side of the wall to the other with a huge fireplace underneath. “How long did it take you to decorate?”

“A couple of months.” He paused. “Would you like something to eat? You must be starving after the experience you had.”

“Uh…no thanks. I think I’m just gonna lie down for a while.” Mandy walked a couple of steps towards the stairs but came to a halt when Ford stationed himself in front of her, blocking her from her destination.

“I think you should have something to settle your stomach. It’s been two days since you’ve eaten anything. You need food to build your strength. Come with me please.” He turned and led the way into another room. “Are you coming?”

“No,” Mandy said. “I’m tired. I just want to lie down.” Mandy proceeded to the stairwell. “Which one of the rooms are vacant?” Mandy waited for his response. Her stomach growled.

“If I’m not mistaken, I believe your stomach is telling you otherwise. If you stop being stubborn and actually listen to what your body is telling you, you won’t have any more problems.”

“Don’t you mean if I listen to what you’re telling me?” Mandy sassed. “I’ve only known you for two days, and I’m already starting not to like your attitude.”

“Same here,” he replied. “Your stomach is growling, I can hear it. You need food to keep up your energy. I’ll fix you something to eat. Come.”

Mandy wanted to protest, but her stomach didn’t. She needed her strength if she was ever going to get out of this place. She had to agree with him on that. Plus, he was holding all the cards to her identity. She needed to know who she was and why Dr. Madison picked her to be an Orman.

So many questions. Not enough answers.

There’s still more to come in this story. Find out what happens in Epsiode eight of An Orman’s Revenge.

Love what you are reading so far? Here is where you can find the Truson S.E.T. Series:

The Truson S.E.T. Series on Amazon.

An Orman’s Revenge

An Orman’s Fate

An Orman’s Allegiance

Thank you for all the support I received when it comes to reading the Truson S.E.T. series. It is truly appreciated!

Dominique Gibson

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Dominique Gibson

Part of the Truson S.E.T. series.

He knew who it was and shifted his weight against the wooden frame. After three tries, he finally managed to push himself inside. Smoke and burnt ashes invaded his face, causing him to cover his nose and mouth. He scanned the room.

She had to be here somewhere.

He was relieved when he saw Mandy crouched in the corner, shielding her face from the smoke by putting her head in-between her legs. He scooped her up in his arms and bolted out of the room. In the hallway, he found his best friend, Stin Vanderson, heading in their direction.

“Are you guys okay?” he asked. His eyes cut from Ford to Mandy. He placed a hand on Ford’s shoulder to get his attention. “Are you okay?”

“She’s fine.” Ford stared at her. “She’s just a little shaken up, that’s all.” Ford tore his eyes away. He knocked down the door. Half of the room had been engulfed in flames. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

“I need to get in there before the room is completely destroyed,” Stin said.

Ford nodded. Stin galloped into the room as the students came up the stairs. Ford gained control of the crowd while a massive gush of icy winds enveloped the room, dousing the flames within a matter of minutes.

Damn, Ford already felt guilty about leaving Mandy alone in the room without supervision. Now his students had to come and see the damage left behind. What the hell was he thinking? Why did he let her get to him to the point where he stormed out of the room, leaving her alone for someone to come and rescue her?

He shook his head.

There was no time for self-pity. He needed to know what happened and to find out who was responsible for it.

“Mandy?”

She stared at the wall, not moving, not even to blink her eyes.

“Mandy?”

Finally, she blinked and focused his attention on him.

“Yes?” she asked. Ford saw the fear before her light green eyes flicked into a bright blue halo.

“What happened Mandy? Who did this to you?”

The halo quickly disappeared.

“Mandy, I know you’re upset about last night. I get it, but you need to tell me what’s going on.”

Tears trailed down her freckled cheeks. “No–no one tried to hurt me,” she said. “I got upset and ripped the pillows.” She sniffed and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

A gush of wind blew on Ford’s skin. He shivered. He knew what that meant. Stin was using his powers of snow and ice to fuel the flames. The wind was an indication that the entire room was an icebox , and no one was allowed in unless they wanted to get frostbitten.

“Then I grabbed the cover from the bed. I tried to swing it to the other side of the room. That’s when it happened,” Mandy said, breaking Ford’s thoughts.

“When what happened?”

“I set the place on fire, Ford. I nearly destroyed the room!”

Mandy stood up.

“What did you guys do to me after the accident? And what is with these terms I don’t understand? Mandy inched closer to Ford. “Tell me the truth. I need to know everything.”

***

Ford could have gone on and on about someone trying to murder her. Or he could have gone a different route and told her about who she was, what kind of life she led from childhood until she married the worst man on Earth. But he couldn’t. Not yet. He knew what he needed to do.

He rubbed her shoulders.

“I know this is hard for you to understand, but I’m not the enemy here. We need to start trusting each other. The only way we can do that is if you do as I say,” Ford said. “I won’t be able to save you from yourself if you don’t.”

“What does that mean?” Mandy scratched her head before she massaged her scalp. This whole situation scared her. She didn’t know what was going on or what she was doing. How could she possibly set an entire room on fire? She was losing her mind. She needed to be someplace safe, away from the chains and the machines holding her back.

She just wanted to be alone. Her thoughts slowed down as Ford rubbed her back.

“I will explain everything to you, I promise. Just not here. There are too many people around. I need to take you somewhere safe.”

“Hey, it’s Mr. Mayfield!” Someone yelled. Ford smiled as his students gathered around him and gave him hugs before some of them noticed Mandy standing next to him.

“Who’s she?” One of the students asked. Never removing his hand from her back, Ford tried to inch her forward to no avail.

“This is Mandy, one of the newest members of the Truson Super Elite Team.”

Some of the students said hi.

“So, Mr. Mayfield, when are going to start teaching us again? We miss you, man.” The male student put a hand on his shoulder.

“I will be teaching you guys very soon. For right now, I have to make sure my friend Mandy gets well-adjusted to her new life as an Orman.” He paused when he saw Stin strolling toward the door.

“Whew. That was some fire,” Stin said. “Do you guys know who did it?” Mandy didn’t say a word. She couldn’t make eye contact with anyone. Weird sensations rocked her entire body as she replayed what happened again in her mind. None of this made any sense. She could feel the tension squeezing at her throat.

She needed air. If she didn’t get out of here soon, she was going to have a panic attack.

“Yes. It will be taken care of, don’t worry about it,” Ford replied and showed his pearly whites to Stin and the students. “As much as I would love to chitchat on this issue, I think Mandy may be feeling a little ill. I’m going to take her someplace where she will feel better.” Ford’s eyes landed on her. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yes, please get me out of here.” Mandy walked down the hall while Stin and Ford stared at each other.

“Mandy, don’t go too far please.”

Stin looked past Ford’s shoulder. “Uh…you might want to go after her dude. She’s already ahead of you.”

Ford’s head turned down the hallway. Dammit, he did to again. He let her escape from his sight. What the hell was the matter with him?

“Ford?” He heard Stin and a few of the other students call his name, but he was far too busy searching for Mandy. His heart raced. Blood rushed through his veins. He thought about the possible scenarios if she were ever to escape the island.

He could afford to let that happen.

Uh-oh! Mandy has escaped and Ford has lost track of her. Find out what happens next in Epiosde Seven of An Ormna’s Revenge.

An Orman’s Revenge – Part of the Truson S.E.T. series

Note: This is a continuation of chapter two of An Orman’s Revenge

Ford inched closer to her. His expression told her she had hit a nerve. What she wasn’t expecting was the change in his eyes. The aquamarine suddenly turned into a fiery orange. Mandy looked closer. Flames were shooting out of his irises.

“Dr. Madison is a pharmacologist. She’s a person who likes to study dead human and animal cells, mix them together and see what results she comes up with. Although I respect her in her field of choice, she needs to realize her place on the island. I’m the boss of Truson Enterprises which includes running the Truson School for Shapeshifters,” he said.

Mandy scoffed. “That’s a good statement, but it still doesn’t explain why you’re keeping me against my will. What is it that you want from me?” Mandy watched his reaction. The expression softened, and Mandy relaxed.

Yeah, she planned to escape from this horrible place after the argument she’d heard, but she needed a plan. The last thing she wanted was for them to stop her from it.

“I want you to do what you are told and stay here on the island until I feel you are ready to leave. Right now, you and I both know you need more rest. We don’t want another disaster on our hands like last night.”

Mandy tried to remember what happened last night. She remembered the pain she felt inside her body. It was the kind of pain she’d never experienced in her entire life. Mandy also remembered Ford laying her on the snow.

“Oh, you mean almost killing me?” she said. “What the hell were you trying to do anyway?”

“I was trying to save you. You were transitioning to your orca form or what the team likes to call your alter ego. If you didn’t change inside the water, you would have died. I told you that you are no longer a hundred percent human. You’re half-human and half-orca, which is another word for Ormans.”

“It’s in your blood now. It’s part of who you are,” Ford said.

His thumb and his forefinger came together at the bridge of his nose. A part of her wanted him to just apologize for being so irresponsible and scaring her half to death. But the logical part of her thought this whole idea was silly.

There was no such thing as a human turning into an orca or any other animal he was bound to make up. She thought of the many reasons why he would make up a story, but she couldn’t find any reason except one.

“Look–” She paused. “What was your name again?”

“Ford.”

“Right. Listen, Ford, I don’t know why you are making up stories like this. There is no such thing as a human who can transform into an–orca, you call it?”

“Yes,” he said. He put his hand inside his pockets. He shifted his weight and locked eyes with Mandy. The physical intensity she felt at that moment traveled through her body.

She shivered.

“Are you cold?”

The question brought her back to the conversation.

“No, I’m fine.” She took a moment to figure out what she wanted to say. “Like I was saying, there is no such thing as a human transforming into an orca or any other animal you think of. I just really wish you could be yourself around me.” Mandy put her hands on his shoulders. “It’s okay. Just say what you mean and tell me who you are. You don’t have to impress me.”

Ford scoffed. “Impress you? Why would I say all of this to impress you Mandy? If I didn’t know any better, I would say you are calling me a liar.”

“Well liars make up stories to suit their needs, don’t they?” Ford’s jaw tightened at ther remark.

“What’s wrong? Did I hit a nerve?” Mandy saw the intense look before he turned and headed for the door. No, you have to stop him. He has the answers you want. “What’s the matter, Ford? Did someone rip your tongue out?”

He paused. Mandy’s heart jumped into her throat. Dammit, she couldn’t just let him walk out the door, could she? As she wondered why her mouth wouldn’t shut up, Ford turned his head.

“No, I tried to be nice and understanding about this situation, but apparently being nice to you is getting nowhere so you’ve given me no other choice.” He paused. “You are in my care. If you so much as walk off this property, you will regret your decision.”

Ford’s eyes cut to her. “You need rest, we both do.” I will check on you early tomorrow morning.”

The door slammed behind him.

Mandy couldn’t believe her ears. How dare he tell her what to do? Wasn’t she a grown woman who was capable of making her own decisions? Mandy stormed back to her bed. A surge of electricity flooded through her as she tore the pillows in half. Mandy gripped the blanket and was about to throw it across the room when she noticed sprouts of electricity forming around it.

She bent her head forward to get a closer look, and the blanket suddenly exploded into flames. She dropped it and stomped at the orange tentaccles, hoping to stop the fire, but more sparks of electricity flicked from her bare feet. Mandy ran back into the wall.

***

Ford charged down the hallway until he got to the elevators. He couldn’t believe what happened. Him, a liar? Never. He always hated liars, especially the ones who lied in other people to get what they wanted. He had experienced the worst kind of liar ten years ago when he found out how his so-called friend decided to go after Roxanne.

It was the worst kind of betrayal he’s ever faced.

Now here he was ten years later being called a liar by a woman who barely knew him. He didn’t need to put up with this. Someone else could deal with this garbage, not him. Ford tried to remember the reason why he’d gotten involved in the situation in the first place. He searched for a clock. What time was it? He wondered what the children were doing while he was working on Mandy. Was it lunchtime? He wanted to know what they were doing and how they were adjusting to their new lives.

Just as the elevator doors swung open, Ford heard someone scream. He wasted little time speeding down the hallway, trying to figure out where the voice was coming from.

“Help!” Someone screamed between coughs. Ford searched for the voice and saw thick white smoke coming from under the door. With a curse, he ran to the door and placed his hands on the entrance. The flames hadn’t reached the door yet.

“Help!” The voice rang out again.

Oh no! Will Mandy escape the fire? Will Ford be able to rescue her in time before the flames hit? Find out in the next episode of An Orman’s Revenge.

Wanna know more when it comes to Ford and Mandy? Check out An Orman’s Revenge on Amaazon, Barnes and Noble, and more.