by RJ Blain
Chapter Three
Since owls couldn’t cry, I shifted, hid under the table, and hooted my shame over falling apart. My retreat didn’t help; Daniel followed me, freeing me from the scraps of my ruined clothes.
“I’ll take you shopping after you’ve gotten something to eat. While your cards should be ready by the end of the day, we’ll worry about picking them up tomorrow to give you a break and a chance to get settled. In the meantime, we’ll use mine, and I’ll make sure your work is covered. I’ll even take back everything I said about the cupcakes. You can get as sick on as many cupcakes as you want.”
If I was going to get sick anyway, cupcakes would make it worthwhile—maybe.
“How does this sound? I’ll get a bracer, I’ll take you to my hotel, and then you can shift and get settled. You really need to let a CDC doctor have a look at you. I don’t want you to get ill, and you probably will. You’re stressed and hungry.”
Fluffing my feathers at the idea I couldn’t take care of myself, I stood on one foot and displayed my talons.
“Yes, you have pretty feet.”
I hooted at him and clicked at his misinterpretation.
“I have no idea why you’re annoyed.”
At least he’d gotten that part right. I’d lost count of the reasons to be annoyed. If a CDC doctor poked at me, I really wouldn’t be able to hide again. Minute by minute, my chances to disappear faded to nothing.
Daniel would hunt for me again, and I believed him to be persistent enough to find me.
“Are you worried about the doctor?”
With no other way to communicate with him, I settled my feathers, clacked my feet, and bobbed.
“The doctor isn’t going to hurt you. You need a basic health exam and a virus scan. If you’re sick, the scanner will pick it up. It’ll also help let us know what you need in your diet. Everything will be all right. Once the doctor’s done, you’ll be able to eat and get some sleep. Within a week, you’ll feel a lot better.”
If he fed me for an entire week, it’d be a good thing I didn’t own extra clothes; I’d balloon in weight and nothing would fit. When I hunted and caught something, a single meal reduced me to a near-comatose state. My virus wouldn’t be happy with my inability to pursue its desires, but I’d grown used to its flighty nature.
For the moment, it wanted Daniel, but it would be disappointed if it thought I could be bought for a few cupcakes, steak, and lobster.
A knock at the door startled me into retreating from Daniel, and he twisted around to glare at the door. “It’s open.”
Miranda strode in carrying a leather brace. “This was the best I could find. It’s for falcons, so try to convince your owl to keep your arm intact.” The woman leaned over and peeked under the table. “Startled her into shifting again?”
“Something like that. Can you send a doctor, preferably a woman, to my hotel room?”
“Already ahead of you. She’ll be there in twenty minutes. Head on over and take your lady with you. I also asked the doctor about what to feed her and sent someone to bring around everything you need. Sorry, Emily. No cupcakes for you today. The sugar will make you really sick.”
Foiled. I fluttered my wings, poked my head out from beneath the table, and waited for Daniel to strap the leather bracer around his forearm. Once he seemed ready, I took flight and settled on the leather, careful to keep from digging my talons into his skin.
“Well, she’s cooperating, and her general flight control is excellent. She’s better at a floor takeoff than you are.”
I preened at the compliment.
“She’s not!” he protested.
Miranda pointed at the floor. “She is. She barely left a gouge in the hardwood.”
Daniel stroked his hand over my head and back. “She’s lightweight because she’s starved.”
“Relax, Mr. FBI. You can posture for her when she’s better able to enjoy it. I’ll tell the folks upstairs you’re going to need the week to nurse her back to health, and I’ll make sure Brad stays away while she’s resting. The last thing we need is for you to lose your shit because you perceive a threat to her.”
“I won’t complain if you convince the CDC to send him packing for a while.”
“No one would complain if the CDC encased the fucker in concrete and tossed him into the bay, either. But they won’t because that’s illegal.” Miranda wrinkled her nose. “I’ll compile a list of legal ways we could get rid of the fucker permanently.”
“You’re forgetting I’m an employee of the FBI and the CDC, Miranda.”
“No, I’m not. I’m deliberately giving Emily ideas so should Brad go after her, breathe the same air she does, or otherwise provokes her in any fashion, she gets away with it. You could deal with a few months of community service, right?”
I could deal with a few years of prison for the satisfaction of picking pieces of Brad out of my claws. I hooted and bobbed my head.
“See? She likes the idea.”
“Please stop encouraging her,” Daniel begged.
“No, I don’t think so. I want a proper wolf for Christmas, Danny. This year. And she’s my best chance of getting one. I’ll even get on my knees and beg.”
I spread my wings, puffed my feathers, and clacked my beak at her.
Daniel bounced his arm beneath me. “Emily, she wants a proper wolf for Christmas. I’m an owl, remember? Just like you. She’s not infringing on your territory. You get him out of here for the next few weeks, and we’ll talk about getting you a proper wolf for Christmas. But it’s going to cost you, especially if I lose my job because I ignored two women on a mission.”
“You’re joking, right? No one with a single grain of sense is going to get in the way of two scorned women on a mission. Just let us ladies do the real work and stay out of the way. We’ll talk, Emily,” Miranda promised. “I’ll make sure the asshole is evicted from the state and given some hard labor to keep him busy while I do the legal footwork to see just what we can get away with. I’ll stick around as long as I can, which shouldn’t be too hard because your little lady is going to need a lot of legal advice to get back on her feet.”
“Thanks, Miranda. I appreciate it.”
“Just get her to your hotel room and settle her in before you bite someone. Also, remember the doctor needs to come into your room to care for her, so you can’t be a territorial idiot today.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Good. Run on, now. I have calls to make and a case to build. And if you run into Brad, Emily? Tear his face off for me.”
If Brad was stupid enough to come near me again, I would, and I wouldn’t even care how long I spent in prison over it.
Daniel’s hotel room was a two-bedroom suite. A doctor waited inside, a pretty red-haired woman too interested in him for my liking. At the rate I fluffed my feathers and spread my wings, I’d remain a ball of anger for the rest of my life. Clacking my beak didn’t deter the woman, although her attention shifted mostly from him to me.
“Relax, Emily. Sorry, Annie. She’s hungry and annoyed I’ve turned things upside down on her. How’d Miranda coerce you into coming over? I thought you were working the San Francisco circuit today.”
“I got called in as soon as word got out you’d found her. Miranda warned everyone there was a cranky hybrid with an even crankier female in need of medical attention. The rest of the office fled in terror. I had six people volunteer to take over my shift, so here I am. I see she picked up your virus. She’s a lot smaller than you are, though.”
“She hasn’t been able to eat much.”
“And that explains the cooler of raw beef and chicken someone delivered five minutes ago. I’d told Miranda she’d want to feed her as a human; I’d missed the memo you were bringing her over as an owl. Feed her first. There’s no point in running the scanners if she’s going to try to take my hand off because she’s hungry and I’m made of meat.” Annie pointed at a cooler positioned next to the couch.
Daniel
chuckled and headed over, sat down, and flipped it open. A treasure trove of bloody meat demanded my immediate attention, and I hopped off his bracer onto the edge of the cooler.
Even though the meat was sitting in a cooler, it was still warm. I hooted and snatched a piece, gulping it down before attacking the next morsel. No matter what, my stomach wouldn’t stay empty for long.
“I was going to feed you,” Daniel complained.
“Dan, when a woman’s that hungry, your job is to provide the food and get the hell out of the way. How far undersized do you think she is?”
I liked the way the doctor thought, and I devoured as much as I could without choking on it. Within a few bites, my abused stomach bulged.
Daniel dared to stand up and dislodge me from my perch before dragging my cooler away. Hooting protests, I hopped after him. The bastard shunted the cooler outside and closed the door to keep me in and my dinner out. “You’ll get sick. Digest for a few minutes, then you can have some more. Frankly, I’m impressed you didn’t choke. Let Annie look you over in the meantime.”
“Why don’t you go find her a small treat, Dan? That way, I can get a better look at her, discuss her options, and get her settled. Take two hours. No coffee or foods with high caffeine, and try to limit the sugar to tolerable degrees. A small treat. I’ll make sure she eats the appropriate amount while you’re gone, and it’ll give her a chance to relax without you hovering like a lunatic.”
Daniel tensed. “But what if she runs?”
“Give me a break. She rode on your arm the entire way here. She has wings. She could’ve easily flown off. Look at her. She’s cranky you rationed her food so she doesn’t get sick, but she’s remarkably patient and non-aggressive. Go find her something she’ll enjoy. If she flies off, I’ll accept responsibility. She doesn’t need you hovering during her medical exam. Remember: small treat. Save your overtures for a better time.”
Something turned Daniel’s scent sharp and unpleasant, and he stormed out of the room spitting curses at Annie, who grinned at his departing back. He even slammed the door, startling me into hooting.
“Unmated lycanthrope males. So much drama. All right, Emily. Why don’t you go into the bathroom and shift for me, then we can get this exam out of the way and have a talk about your situation. There’s a bathrobe inside, and I’ll take your sizes so we can get you some proper clothing.”
I wanted to avoid the talking, but the lure of being a human again, a human who could eat and do the little things I’d missed for so long, goaded me into hopping to the bathroom, slipping inside, and shifting.
While shifting to an owl had suppressed my tears, the instant I returned to my human form, they spilled out. While I wanted to find somewhere to hide, Annie joined me in the bathroom, sighed, and grabbed the robe, slipping it over my shoulders. “Part of that is your virus, Emily. Just let it out. Your virus has a life of its own, and it perceives safety and security in numbers. Since Dan has the same strain of virus, it’s relieved. That translates into you becoming a sobbing mess with little provocation. Lycanthropes of any stripe don’t do well alone. Add ready access to food, thrown in someone willing to make certain you don’t starve again, and it’s no surprise you’re a mess. The first few times you eat as a human, you’re going to get sick. That’s going to alarm Dan because he’s an invested lycanthrope male and that’s what they do. He’ll hover until it drives you insane, but there are advantages to him being around. He’ll keep unwanted people away, and he’ll give you a chance to rest and put on some weight.”
I floundered, and Annie handed me a box of tissues. “I hate crying.”
She grinned at me. “Considering how prideful I’ve been told you are, no surprise there. Don’t sweat it. You’ll keep Dan on his toes, which is exactly what he needs, and you need a man who is up for the challenge of handling you. A woman capable of hiding from a joint FBI-CDC task force is someone special. But, that said, you’re not going to be caged, tested, or otherwise treated like a monster for having lycanthropy. You could’ve gone for help.”
“I didn’t want to be infected.”
“I know. He told me what you’d wanted to study growing up. Well, there’s good news for you. There are options. You don’t have to give up everything because of your status as a lycanthrope. Sure, it’ll be tough, but I hope you’ll one day be able to fully accept what you are now. Dan’ll help if you let him. He’s invested, and he’s not going to give you up without a fight. Your behavior around him has given him hope. I may as well be the bearer of bad news here, but he’s loved you since he laid eyes on you.”
The truth hurt. It always did. “He’s in love with a memory, then.”
“I disagree. If anything, he loves you even more than he did when you were in school. It takes a whole lot of woman to do what you’ve done. As far as lycanthropes go? Every unmated male in the country is going to want you when they find out you exist. You’re elusive, smart, and can take care of yourself. And they’re all turned on by pride. Pride is what gets them into squabbles with their mates, and mated lycanthropes love squabbling. That’s why Dan’s so touchy right now. Anyway, let’s get the physical exam portion of this over with. Then we’re going to alternate you between eating as an owl and having soup to get as many calories into you as possible so you can start the recovery process.”
Annie tortured me with food. She started with a bowl of soup, mostly broth with a few token vegetables tossed in to make me feel better about the situation. Once I drank enough to please her, she insisted I shift and let me gorge on however much meat I could stuff down my throat. She repeated the process over and over until I emptied the entire cooler and counted my soup consumption in gallons.
She fed me straight into a dazed stupor, directed me to the nearest bed, and promised she’d stick around until Daniel returned.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept while someone watched over me. The last time I’d slept as I human, I’d awoken to smoke and fire, struggling to breathe. My home had burned, my skin scalded from the surging waves of heat the wildfire spewed as it devoured everything in its wake.
The terror of burning alive jolted me awake, and the dim memory of screaming haunted me. Warm hands cupped my face, and Daniel leaned towards me. “Emily, it was just a dream. Look at me,” he ordered.
I fought to catch my breath, and I had no choice but to stare into his eyes. He pressed close, and my virus responded to him as always but in a new way. It settled and quieted, which made recomposing myself easier. The memory of facing my death still lingered, but his voice and firm but gentle touch offered sanctuary from the terror of the world burning around me.
“I can confirm your lungs are healthy. You have one hell of a scream. You all right?”
Instead of my home burning around me, a darkened hotel room enveloped me as much as Daniel’s hands, caging me and reminding me I was human.
I sucked in a few deep breaths to steady my nerves. “Sorry. Just a dream,” I whispered.
“Some dream. Most would call that a nightmare. I was about to slap you awake,” he confessed.
Being slapped beat incineration any day of the week. “I’m fine now, really.”
Without hunger constantly cramping my stomach, I could feel my heartbeat throbbing through me after having been startled awake. I ached in new ways, and the exhaustion I fought every day won more ground than usual. I rubbed my eyes, and Daniel lowered his hands and gave me space.
While I pretended I had control over the situation and continued composing myself, Daniel checked his phone. “It’s about time to get up. I found a cupcake for you, and Annie even approved it.”
“A cupcake for breakfast? Nice.” Cupcakes beat nightmares, but if nightmares got me cupcakes, I wouldn’t mind having them.
“The real breakfast Annie has planned for you isn’t nearly as nice as my cupcake.”
As I’d already gotten the lecture, I groaned. “More soup. Then she’ll make me shift and gorge on meat. Then I’l
l have to eat even more soup.”
“I’m afraid so. She wants your weight up yesterday, and that’s the fastest way for a lycanthrope to gain weight. Next week, she’ll add solid foods. Honestly, the only reason you’re getting the cupcake is because I gave a wolf a run for his money in the whining department. She’s tolerating it to keep me from annoying her.”
“Heaven forbid we annoy the doctor. Pay up. I want my cupcake.”
Daniel chuckled. “All right. I’ve been ordered to remind you this cupcake is not a part of my courtship efforts.”
“Noted. It’s going to cost you a lot more than a cupcake to trick me into anything, Mr. FBI.”
He bowed his head. “Miranda’s already teaching you bad habits.”
“Is Mr. CDC more accurate?”
“Alas, I’m primarily employed by the FBI although I am an official employee of the CDC as well.”
“You hate being called Mr. FBI, don’t you?”
“Miranda does it because she knows it annoys me.”
I smiled. “That sounds like an invitation to me.”
“I can’t win this no matter what I do, so you can call me whatever you want and I’ll like it.”
Banter and play beat fixating on my nightmare, and I forced myself to smile despite the lingering fear of burning to death. “That’s good to know.”
“What will the right to court you cost me?”
He asked a good question, one I didn’t have the answer to. My virus had mostly given up hope I’d find a male I found tolerable. It wanted me to jump Daniel and get on with it, but I ignored its interest. “To begin with, tell me the full story about Miranda and that asshole.”
He sighed. “There’s not much to tell. He didn’t disclose his status and talked her into sleeping with him. He got her drunk enough they had intercourse several times. He lied about using condoms on top of talking her into a blowjob or two. What she thought would be a fun bar pickup ended in infection and a mating bond with a man she hates. She’s been with him ever since, hoping someone would off the bastard so she can find a new mate. Her virus won’t let her kill him; she didn’t realize what was happening until it was too late for her to act.”