Knight Shift

by Paulette Miller

  While they ate, the twins learned that Penny grew up near the Adirondacks and had very protective twin brothers, Max and Morgan. Based on the gleam in her eyes when she spoke of her family, they knew she cared for them deeply.

  Smoke said, “You seem very close to your family. Why did you move away from them?”

  “I saw this as an adventure. I’m twenty-five and need to learn to stand on my own two feet. After working here for a few years, I plan on moving back to Virginia. What about you? Is your family local?”

  Fire said honestly, “Our real family abandoned us when we were about seven. They couldn’t handle us and we ended up living on the streets.”

  Penny gasped and her hands instantly reached out, pressing on top of theirs. “That’s horrible. How did you survive?”

  Fire answered, “A man named Ice found us. He took us in and made sure we had clothes and food.”

  Smoke added, “He actually saves many homeless kids like us and finds places for us to live.”

  “Ice…he sounds like a knight in shining armor. Did he raise you?”

  Fire said, “No. He brought us to a couple in this town that took us in. They were also formerly living on the streets and Ice helped them move out here about ten years ago. All of us live in a really cool home tucked high in the mountains. My brother and I’ve lived there for about five years now.”

  Smoke added, “The couple couldn’t have children of their own so their family continues to grow by taking in others.”

  Penny asked, “How many are in your assembled family?”

  Fire replied, “Well, Susi and Sam are our adoptive parents. Ice brought Chad a couple of years before we arrived. Ben’s the youngest and is about eighteen. He moved in only a year ago, so he’s still trying to adjust to his new life here. There were many others that have come and gone over the years.”

  Smoke added, “Others randomly stop in whenever they need a safe place to stay. Susi won’t turn anyone away and welcomes anyone into her home.”

  Fire nodded and added, “Like Ice. Although he doesn’t live with us full time, Susi insists that he have a room waiting. He comes and goes as he pleases.”

  Penny asked, “Ice…is that his real name?”

  “No, it’s his street name. Through some digging, Sam somehow found out that his real name is Jax, but he never uses that name and neither do we.”

  “I would love to meet him to thank him for what he’s doing. Why don’t you bring him by the store sometime?”

  Fire said, “Ahhh, that wouldn’t be a good idea. He’s a bit…cranky.”

  Smoke laughed. “That’s a polite word for him.”

  Penny replied, “But taking people in off the streets… He’s doing a wonderful thing. Why is he so unfriendly?”

  Fire answered, “He grew up on the streets and was forced to learn how to survive. Ice fears nothing and trusts no one. His life makes ours look like we grew up in Disneyland. He’s extremely protective of Sam and those he brings out here.”

  Smoke added, “For some reason, he even watches out for my bro and I.”

  Penny’s face fell. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to grow up without a family. It’s just not right.” Trying to lighten the mood, she asked, “Based on your credit card information, I know that Fire and Smoke are your street names. Would it be alright if I used your real names?”

  The twins stared at each other, silently deciding whether they should allow themselves to become even more personal with the Human sitting beside them. When Fire shrugged his shoulders, they both turned back to Penny and Fire said, “Call me Taylor.”

  Smoke said, “And I’m Tadd.”

  “Nice to officially meet you, Taylor and Tadd. Your family sounds fascinating. Maybe someday I could meet them.”

  Taylor replied, “Maybe, someday,” but he knew that could never happen.

  Tadd added, “Well, since you’re far away from your family and it’s obvious that you miss them, Taylor and I are more than willing to step in as your annoying brothers and keep an eye on you.”

  Although Tadd spoke with humor in his voice, she could sense the sincerity behind his words and she was touched. “Thanks. That means a lot to me.”

  They spent the rest of the meal comparing stories of pranks that they had pulled on family members and friends. The twins won by a landslide. Penny wasn’t sure how their adoptive family survived with those two around.

  When they finished their meal, the twins insisted on picking up the bill. They walked Penny to her car and she shocked them both when she gave them each a very tight goodbye hug and a kiss on their cheek. The act left them speechless.

  As she drove away, Smoke said to his brother, “You know we shouldn’t be friends with her. She’s Human. If Ice knew...”

  Fire said, “I like her and we just have to be careful that Ice doesn’t find out.”

  Smoke replied, “What’s the odds of that? We’ve never been able to hide anything from him. He somehow always manages to find out.”

  “Then we’ll have to be extra careful.”

  Tadd asked with true concern in his voice, “But what if Penny figures out what we are?”

  Taylor replied with confidence, “Actually, I think she could handle it.”

  Tadd warned, “You may be right, but she wouldn’t be safe if she found out. Remember what Ice did to the last Human that discovered our secret?”

  Taylor replied, “We’ll have to keep Penny at a safe distance.”

  Looking up and seeing a full moon, Tadd suggested, “Hey, the night is young. Why don’t we go for a run?”

  “Sounds like a plan, Bro.”

  The twins drove up into the mountains to their favorite nighttime spot. They hid their motorcycles in a small shed and stripped. With a growl, they shifted into their wolf-like forms and ran off into the woods with a howl.

  *~*~*~*

  A week later while the twins were once again visiting Penny at work, she asked, “Are either of you good at electronics?”

  Taylor replied, “You bet, Pumpkin. What’s up?”

  “I’ve been living in my home without a television for a couple of months. I’ve tried to set it up several times, but I’m useless. Would the two of you be willing to stop by my cabin on Wednesday night and help me? I’m not a great cook, but I’d be willing to make you dinner.”

  With a fake look of concentration, Taylor said, “The two of us alone with you in your home…” After a brief pause, his face lit up and he said, “I’m in.”

  No matter how many comments the twins made, she knew that she was safe with her new friends. They were already very protective of her when other customers would become a little too friendly. She scribbled out directions to her cabin and her cell number, handing the slip of paper to Taylor. “I live on E Lolo Pass road, about thirty minutes from here. Could you stop by around 5:00 pm?”

  “We’ll be there,” they announced in perfect unison.

  *~*~*~*

  On the afternoon of the dinner with Penny, the twins rode their motorcycles over to her home. Per directions, they turned off onto a side road that led them into the foothills of the Mt. Hood National Forest. They found her cabin at the end of a long gravel drive, tucked in a grove of trees that rested along the edge of the Sandy River.

  Once they parked, they took a quick look around. Tadd asked his brother, “Isn’t this the old Peterson’s hunting cabin?”

  Penny, who had stepped out and overheard the question, replied, “Yes it is. When I knew I was moving here, I contacted a local real estate agent and asked her to find me a cabin in the woods. She was friends with Bob and knew he was thinking of selling. He loved this place and agreed to sell it to me only if I fixed it up. I had to do some sweet talking but, in the end, he gave me a great price and I took it. The rest is history.”

  Looking around Tadd said, “You’ve really cleaned up this place.”

  “It still needs a lot of work, but it’ll come in time and as my budget allows. I think it
has great potential.” She gave the twins a quick tour and explained all the changes she wanted to make.

  Seeing how desolate the area was, Taylor asked, “Aren’t you afraid to be out here alone? There isn’t anyone that would hear you scream.”

  At first she thought his words were teasing but, when she saw the genuine concern in his expression, she smiled and said, “I don’t just sell hunting equipment, I’m a good shot and I can handle myself with a knife. Anyways, I feel much safer out here than in town. A bad guy would have to do some serious hunting to find me.”

  When she led them into her bedroom and showed them a sketched outline of a tiger mural she planned to paint on the wall, Tadd yelled, “Excellent! Who’s the artist?”

  Penny replied with pride, “I am. Someday I hope to create theme rooms for people for a living. I’m hoping to save enough money from my current job to start my own business. If this room turns out well, I’m going to use it as my advertising. I’m taking pictures as I progress to make a cool video of a before and after transformation.”

  Taylor said, “I can’t wait to see what it looks like when you’re done.”

  Tadd added excitedly, “I’m handy with video equipment and I would love to help you make the video.”

  “I would welcome the assistance. Speaking of equipment, let me show you what I dragged you out here for.” They headed back into the living room and she showed them her electronic nemesis. While they worked, she cooked. They were finishing up when she called them to come eat. It was a beautiful night so they ate outside at the site of her future deck.

  When she asked them for advice on group hiking locations, Taylor suggested, “If you’re up to it, how about we take you out to see some of our favorite spots?”

  Penny replied, “I have to work this weekend, but how about we head out on Monday at daybreak, stay overnight, and come back Tuesday night?”

  Taylor exclaimed, “Slumber party…that works for me! We’ll pick you up here at sunrise.”

  After they discussed equipment needs and finalized their plans, the twins rode off toward their home. Penny wasn’t sure if it was a good idea to go hiking with two tricksters, but she saw it as just another adventure and was excited about the trip.

  *~*~*~*

  The morning of their outing Penny woke exceptionally early and didn’t bother trying to get back to sleep. She was too excited by the prospect of spending time out in the woods. Although she knew everyone questioned her sanity for spending time with the twins, she found them wonderful to be around. They were quickly becoming close friends and having someone care about her was something she missed most about moving away from her own family. She no longer felt alone.

  By the time the twins rode in on a couple of old off-road dirt motorcycles stowed with their gear, Penny already had her equipment packed and ready.

  Taylor called, “Good morning, Honey Buns. Are you ready?”

  After giving them each a hello hug which they accepted without hesitation, she put her hands on her hips and asked, “Okay Taylor. I have to ask. What’s up with all the nicknames?”

  He replied, “We have street names, so I thought you needed something special too. I just can’t seem to find the right one. But don’t worry. I’ll keep trying.” He gave her a brilliant smile.

  Her shoulders slumped, knowing that there was no way to stop him until his mission was complete. In resignation, she nodded and said, “Let’s go.” She got onto her motorcycle and the group of explorers headed out on their adventure.

  Taylor led the way and, after riding some distance and stopping periodically so that Penny could chart their path on her GPS, he guided them to a small clearing tucked under an outcropping of stone. They used it to hide the motorcycles and it also provided their vehicles some protection from the weather. She noticed several cans of gas ready for them so that they could refill before heading back down the trail.

  After Penny logged their position, she called the local ranger and the small band of adventurers headed out on foot.

  As they explored the mountainside, the twins gave her a very thorough lay of the land. Penny was pleasantly surprised by their knowledge of their surroundings as well as the history of life on that mountain. As they talked, she filled a small notebook with all of the details she was learning, many she wanted to share with the customers that she would soon be guiding through these same woods. Since the twins hadn’t grown up in the area and still didn’t associate well with any of the locals, she knew that they had to have gained this level of knowledge by studying. She chuckled at the image of the twins sitting down long enough to actually read a book.

  After they setup camp for the night, Taylor said to Penny, “We still have a few hours of light left. You’ve already proven to us that you can hike. How about you show us your hunting skills? That is…unless you were lying about being able to handle a gun.”

  Penny walked over to her gear and pulled out her rifle, saying “Let’s go, boys.”

  For the next few hours they tromped through the woods. Although Penny was able to offer some assistance in hunting prey, she was in absolute awe of the twin’s natural abilities to track both large and small game.

  When they returned to the camp with Tadd carrying several large rabbits for dinner, Penny said, “I have to tell you two, I’ve never seen anyone with hunting abilities like you.”

  Taylor replied, “I guess we’ve spent so much time in the woods that we’re becoming more animal than Human.”

  Tadd added, “You did alright for yourself. You took down one of these fur balls for us.”

  Penny smiled and said, “Only because you helped. I never would have spotted that rabbit on my own.”

  Taylor replied, “Well now we have something better to eat for dinner than pre-packaged camp food.”

  When Penny went to help clean their dinner, the twins waved her off, saying “The one that kills dinner doesn’t need to clean it.”

  Tadd said, “Me caveman. I make fire.” He beat the ground with a stick.

  Taylor added, “Me Tarzan. I make meat.” He beat his chest and let out a Tarzan yell.

  Penny laughed and said, “Me Jane. I make food.”

  Working together, their camp was soon filled with the wonderful aroma of their dinner cooking over an open flame.

  While they ate, the twins insisted on hearing stories of Penny’s life. Although she tried to get them to share details about their own lives, she found them very resistant to offer anything about themselves. Knowing their rough upbringing, she didn’t press the issue and hoped that, over time, they would learn to trust her and open up without fear.

  Although they had setup two tents, when the night turned unexpectedly cold and they decided to call it a day, the three crawled into the same tent for warmth. While wrapped up in their blankets, they continued to talk until the sun peeked up over the horizon and Penny’s deep breathing told them she had fallen asleep.

  The twins had never spent so much time physically close to a Human since they turned because they often lost control with lethal results. It was completely different with Penny. They found her presence calming. As they watched her sleep contentedly between them, they knew she had nothing to fear from them. They would never harm a hair on her head no matter how much time they spent together. They even found themselves letting down their guard and falling asleep next to her.

  By the time their camping trip was over and they escorted Penny back to her cabin, she had become an official member of their self-defined family. They even initiated the goodbye hugs and their embrace was filled with the genuine affection they held for her.

  As they started to drive away, Taylor called back, “Until next time, Turtle Dove.”

  Chapter 3 - Death Sentence

  Ice arrived at home after being gone for over a month. He was in a foul mood. During his absence he had been forced to severely reprimand a group of Changelings that had gone on a Human killing spree. Although Jax didn’t have any problems killing Human
s, he did it to protect his kind. The action of this particular group had gone over the line and had put many innocent Changelings in danger, forcing him to use lethal force on his own kind to regain control.

  As he headed to his room he overheard the twins talking about going to visit someone named Penny. Assuming that the twins had gone against his implicit instructions to stay away from Humans, Ice instantly appeared from the shadows.

  “Stop that!” Taylor yelled after Ice’s sudden appearance caused his body to involuntarily shift and rip his clothes.

  Ignoring their actions, Ice asked with an ever present growl in his voice, “Who’s Penny?”

  Tadd answered, “No one in particular. She’s the new assistant store manager over at Gone Wild.”

  “Where?” Ice questioned.

  “That store we like to spend your money at.”

  Taylor added, “She’s cool. You should have seen her the day we met her. Fire got fresh and she flipped him, pinning him to the floor.”

  Without thinking Taylor blurted out excitedly, “That’s nothing. You should see her hunt.”

  Ice roared in anger when he realized that the twins had spent time with this Human in the woods.

  Recoiling at his displeasure, Taylor quickly added, “Don’t worry. She doesn’t know anything and we’ll never tell her.”

  Ice was furious. “No Humans can be trusted. No matter what they say out loud, secretly they want to see all of us wiped off the face of the Earth.” He glared at them and warned, “Stay away from the Human and that damn store or I’ll resolve the situation my own way.” He disappeared back into a shadow.

  Once the room was Ice free, Tadd said, “We need to be more careful, Bro. He takes care of all situations the same way—with a lot of blood.”

  Taylor replied, “Sorry. It won’t happen again.”

  The next day, as Ice drove toward town, he contemplated on how he could quickly remove the thorn with the name Penny. Although he knew that the twins would be upset if she were to disappear, he also knew that it was the best course of action before they became attached to yet another Human pet. His primary concern was protecting their secret and no Human was worth risking their survival. In time, the twins would understand.