Rebirth - Book 1 Rogues Shifter Series

by Gayle Parness

  Chapter Thirty

  Maya was seated at her large walnut desk typing away at her laptop as we entered her office holding hands. I wasn’t surprised to find her office beautifully decorated with expensive art and pottery. Apparently, being a member of the Shifter Council paid well.

  “Hello, Maya, how have you been?” Garrett’s greeting was forced as he lowered himself gracefully into one of the expensive leather armchairs facing her desk. I decided to remain standing, waiting to see how this interaction between them played out.

  She gestured around the room so we’d be sure to take note of her prosperity. “I’ve been very well, and you?” She smiled in my direction but no warmth shone in her eyes.

  He pulled on my hand to bring me closer, never taking his gaze off of Maya’s. “Better than ever.” I was surprised Garrett was flaunting our relationship, but then I didn’t know much about their history together. Still, this encounter was turning into a pissing contest.

  Her eyes narrowed for an instant and then swung back toward me. I kept my expression neutral, hoping to avoid conflict. She decided to get down to business. “Jackie, we’re going to start working on your psychic skills this evening. Please sit down.” I sat in the matching chair next to Garrett. “I’m going to have to ask you to leave, Garrett. She’ll never be able to concentrate if you’re here.”

  “I’ll be as quiet as death.” He smirked and didn’t budge.

  “I have to insist. If you don’t leave, I’ll be forced to report to the council that she refused to cooperate.” Her threat wasn’t lost on either of us. If he didn’t leave, I’d be screwed.

  “She’s here on time and cooperating fully.” He stayed where he was, but his eyes had darkened to navy, usually a sign silver dots were about to follow.

  “Cooperation is such a general term, subject to interpretation, isn’t it? The council will believe whatever I tell them.” Her anger was building. Great, this session was going to be so-o-o much fun.

  Garrett scowled at her and sent to me, “I’ll be right outside. Keep a line open to me. I’ll come immediately if anything gets out of hand. You’re safe.”

  He kept telling me I was safe, but something about Maya made me wonder if he was right. He must know me well enough by now to know I wasn’t gonna let her freak me out, no matter what. “I can take what she dishes out.”

  “Of course you can, my love.” He stood, kissed me on the forehead and left without a word of goodbye to Maya.

  Her smile never touched her eyes. “It’s such an intimate experience, communicating psychically, isn’t it? Garrett and I used to spend hours exploring each other’s—minds.”

  She was baiting me and I wasn’t falling for it. I sat in silence and waited for the lesson to begin.

  When she saw she wasn’t getting a rise out of me she shrugged and said, “Forgive me. Garrett and I have a history and we seem to enjoy tormenting each other. It’s become a game of sorts.” She sat up a little straighter and pulled out a yellow legal pad. “I know you can build a strong wall to protect yourself, but there’s much more to learn. At the meeting I couldn’t pull out all the stops, so to speak. Let’s begin. Please pull up your shield.”

  I tapped into the lines to strengthen my wall and placed myself on a hill surrounded by farmland. I felt it was a defensible position because no one could sneak up on me. I really wasn’t sure how this worked but I resisted taking her to my cliff. That was a private vision I shared only with Garrett. This grassy hill was neutral and the illusion was easy to maintain.

  I felt her nudge my wall. “It’s remarkable you’re this strong after only a few day’s training. I’m going to speak to you now, so you need to let me in.”

  I felt her gently push on my wall, so I allowed a section of my shield to melt away. Immediately, I noticed her power felt very different from Garrett’s. His was a cool refreshing stream; the illusion of himself he projected was always tinged with his comforting blue aura. Maya’s was hot and dry, a desert valley. Her aura was a bright orangey yellow, burning with excitement.

  “Lesson number one. Never open a hole in your shield to communicate. You can simply fine-tune your aura’s magical pulse to mine to absorb what I send to you. Then, if I attack, your wall would still be able to protect you. Right now you’re completely vulnerable.” A hot jab of energy hit my back, knocking me forward. I opened my eyes to find myself kneeling on the floor of her office, my hands on the carpet in front of me.

  “Jackie?” Garrett’s concern came over my mental airways loud and clear.

  “I’m good.” I stood up, not taking my gaze off Maya. I could see her at her desk, but also on the hill behind me, the two realities making me dizzy. To get some relief, I shut my eyes and concentrated only on maintaining my vision and defenses, reinforcing my wall. As adrenaline began to pump through my system, my heartbeat quickened, my initial shock turning to anger.

  I was surprised when the vision in my mind smiled. “Excellent. I sense no fear, only a readiness to do battle. You might become a fine warrior with the correct training. Try to keep your eyes open, even though it’s strange at first. Some of our enemies have the ability to fight psychically and physically, so you need to be aware of all that is going on around you.”

  When I opened my eyes she was positioned in front, facing me. “Keep your wall strong and try to match my aura’s rhythm as closely as you can. Then you should be able to send to me and hear what I send to you without leaving yourself vulnerable.”

  In my mind I watched her saffron haze pulse with power. I reached out to feel its rhythm in my chest and after a few tries, matched my aura’s tempo to hers. She sent, “You learn quickly.”

  “Why don’t I have to do this with Garrett?”

  “Your natural auras are congruent. Your emerald green and his sapphire blue are harmonious and blend naturally together. Yours is the aura of a healer, a lover, someone in perfect balance with nature. His signifies clarity, truthfulness and a loving nature. You balance each other beautifully.” She sent this to me in a straightforward way without any feeling of resentment or anger.

  “What does your orangey aura signify?”

  “My aura demonstrates an intelligent scientific mind with a tendency toward perfectionism. All true, I admit. Much tougher to blend with.”

  “How do I ... fight with the magic?”

  “To attack someone, we draw the ley line power into ourselves, shape it as a weapon and, using your own unique pulse, push it toward your enemy. The difficult part at first is controlling the intensity.”

  “You can fight using magic?”

  “Yes, because I’m a cheetah. But I’m no healer. Liam is the only other healer I’ve come in contact with, and he’s fae. 99% of shapeshifters and wolves use magic instinctively when they shift, but can’t control it in any other way. The older undead can pull from the lines to some degree along with some sorcerers and witches who learn to connect when they spin a spell. You must study each of the races so you are able to fight them efficiently if it becomes necessary.”

  “What about the fae?”

  “The fae are unique. Magic permeates their cells. They feed the lines because they are the lines.”

  She sighed as she relaxed back into her chair, speaking out loud again. “There’s great evil in the supernatural world. My best advice is to learn quickly how to use your powers. If you stay with us, you’ll be called upon to protect others who can’t protect themselves. If you’re not willing to help, there’s no place for you here in Crescent City.”

  Maya’s gaze locked on mine in challenge, but I didn’t flinch. “I’d like to help.”

  She nodded, accepting my response with cool efficiency. “Please sit down. Some scientists believe cheetahs are the most ancient of the big cats. Perhaps this explains our mystical connection to magic. We’re natural warriors, which means that because you’re also a healer, you’ll constantly have to work to balance between your urge to fight, to defend your loved ones, and your urge
to heal, to repair the damage. When we meet next, we’ll begin working on your fighting skills.”

  I must have started to glaze over from the overload of info, because she smiled. “This is overwhelming, I’m sure. I’ll dismiss you for tonight and give you homework to work on with Garrett. I’ll need to take time to decide how best to approach your special situation.”

  Relief washed over me. “Thank you.”

  Her face grew curious. “Do you find yourself reaching out to touch people when you talk to them?” I nodded, surprised. I guess I hadn’t realized it. “This is one way a new healer transfers her energy to someone. Not everyone appreciates it. You may want to talk to Liam.”

  “I'll see him tomorrow morning.”

  Maya continued to speak with a professional tone. “Although we’ll never be friends, I’d rather you don’t think of me as your enemy. Please call or email me if you have questions. I’ll set aside time to answer them.” I respected the honesty, even though the delivery was kinda bitchy.

  I jumped when Garrett flashed into the room and laid a hand on my shoulder. Maya wasn’t fazed at all by his vamp speed, continuing to write on her legal pad. Handing him the top sheet of paper, she returned her attention to me. “Garrett’s done a competent job, so he may as well continue.” She ignored Garrett’s annoyed grunt. “Work on solidifying your shield and the basic drills I’ve put on the list. I’ll have you back for a test in a couple of weeks. Control is our major concern. If you can demonstrate you won’t be a danger to the shifters and others in this community, we’ll be happy to let you stay.”

  She turned to Garrett. “If this team of rogues can truly work together the way you and Rob say they can, I’ll be your strongest supporter.” She allowed herself a half smile and this time Garrett smiled back. “Go on, get out of here.” She turned away to her computer and began to type. Garrett and I headed out the door without a backward glance.