It was just before dusk when Ice pulled into the store’s parking lot. After he walked in, he asked the first worker he saw, “Where’s Penny?”
Quinn instinctively took a step back as he stared at the man that stood over 6 feet tall and dressed in black. He had a shaved head and a tribal tattoo that started at the top of his hairline, ran over a deep scar over his right eye, and ended on his cheek. He pointed to the back of the store and said, “She’s giving lessons on the climbing wall.”
Ice walked through the main aisle and everyone naturally gave him a wide berth. When he spotted a female worker coming down the rock wall, he stepped into an aisle. While he acted as if he was looking at a display of shoes, he examined the woman that was now putting away the climbing equipment. When he caught the name ‘Penny’ on her name tag, he confirmed that she was his target. Although he thought she was pretty, he didn’t see anything overly special about her.
He whispered to himself, “Just another ordinary, dime a dozen Human.” Seeing her petite frame, he groaned with disappointment. “This one won’t even be a challenge.”
When she started to walk toward him, he picked up a pair of climbing shoes. He expected her to avoid him as every other Human did but, to his surprise, he heard a soft voice next to him that said, “I highly recommend those shoes. It’s what I wear to climb.” She lifted a foot to show him her matching shoes.
When he locked eyes with Penny, she surprised him again when she smiled at him and asked, “Although you’re larger than our typical climbing customers, would you like me to see if we have them in your size?”
He gave her an intense stare, trying to figure out her lack of negative reaction. When his mind returned to the task at hand, he said coldly, “No.” He dropped the shoes back on the shelf.
Sensing that he wasn’t the kind of customer that liked to be bothered by a sales person, she said, “I’ll let you shop in peace but, if there is anything that I can do for you, don’t hesitate to ask. My name’s Penny.”
The first response that came to Ice’s mind was, “You can die quick and silently.” Instead of saying what was on his mind, he gave her a stare so intense Penny felt it in her chest. As he walked past her, he inhaled her scent deep into his lungs and then bumped against her hand.
Penny felt a slight prick and, when she examined the spot, she saw a small dot of blood. Assuming that she must have snagged herself on his clothes, she rubbed the sore and watched the man walk away. She sensed something was different and very frightening about this unusual customer. Although his appearance was intimidating, she couldn’t stop from wanting to learn all about him. How did he get the scar across his eye and then chose to highlight it with a tattoo? Why did he choose to accentuate both by shaving his head?
Her interest in learning more got the best of her and she called out, “Please come back again and ask for Penny.”
Her words made him stop walking. He turned and looked back at her to find her giving him a brilliant smile and a friendly wave. He gave her a nod in acknowledgement of her request. He knew that they would soon be seeing each other again, but not to help him pick out climbing gear.
As he walked out of the store, Ice licked a small dot of blood off of a finger that had just shifted back to its Human form from the shape of a small dagger. He closed his eyes for a moment and let the hunter within focus all of his senses on memorizing the taste of her blood and her scent. Even the small dot of blood felt like fire on his tongue. His pulse began to race as he imagined how good she was going to taste with his teeth sunk into her neck. He decided that instead of killing her quickly, he would take it slow and enjoy every drop until she gasped out her last breath.
*~*~*~*
Penny had to work late that night since she was going to be off work for the next few days laying out the path for her first group hiking expedition. She let all of the workers leave while she finished up the last of the paperwork and instructions for those working the next day. Once she was ready, she turned off the lights, locked the doors, and headed to her car. Although as Assistant Manager she was allowed to park by the door, she refused. Instead her car was sitting on the far side of the lot where all of the other workers were required to park.
While she walked, she chuckled at all the silly things that happened that day and her smile faded when her mind filled with the image of the strange man that had come into the store. She had never seen anyone quite like him and was intrigued to learn who he was and why he was so angry with life. As she walked across the parking lot, a sudden chill filled the air, making her shiver. “Crap! I hope a storm isn’t coming,” she said as she looked up into a clear starry sky and looked for signs of clouds. It had been a warm day and she hadn’t heard that the weather was going to change. She didn’t want her plans to be rained out.
Before she continued on to her car she noticed the eerie silence. “How odd,” she said while wondering why the air was void of the buzz of insects and other typical sounds of life at night. As if the lack of sound wasn’t enough, she suddenly felt like she was being watched by a thousand pairs of eyes.
She called out, “Is someone out there?”
No one answered.
A chill ran up her spine when she heard a low growl. She turned slowly, scanning into the dark shadows in an attempt to see what was making the noise. She snapped her head to the side when she thought she saw something out of the corner of her eye. As she stared at a large dark section at the woods’ edge, she absentmindedly checked her thigh, searching for the knife she carried whenever she went out hiking or hunting. She cursed when she remembered that she had left her weapons safely locked in the trunk. It was company policy—no personal weapons allowed in the store.
Thinking of her brothers’ instructions, she pulled out her keys and placed several between her fingers, locking her fist tight. She then started for her car again at a more urgent pace.
The sound grew more intense and her pulse started to speed in response. When the growl turned into a snarl, her hair stood up on the back of her neck. She knew that whatever it was, it was getting closer.
All of a sudden, she recognized the feeling growing inside her. She recalled a similar, but less intense, version of the sensation from her many hunting outings with her brothers. Sometimes they would turn the tables on her and make her the prey. She knew without a doubt that she was being hunted, and the one currently after her wasn’t Human.
“Maybe a wolf?” she speculated. She shook her head knowing the sound was larger…maybe a bear. She debated on going back into the store, but she was now closer to her car than to the building. If she ran for it, odds were it would trigger the animal to chase and attack. Her best bet was to walk briskly, but calmly, to her car. She was a few feet from her door when she saw something large creeping forward from the dark of the trees. Still hidden in shadows, she couldn’t make out what it was. Given the large size, she gasped and whispered, “A grizzly?”
She jumped when headlights flashed in her eyes and temporarily blinded her. She sighed in relief when she saw that it was a patrol car making his rounds. She waved him toward her and, as he pulled next to her, she looked back at where she had seen the animal. It was gone, but the sounds of nature had returned.
She told the policeman her story and he said, “I’ve never heard of a grizzly coming this close to town, but anything is possible.” Seeing her trembling in the warm night, he said, “You’re a bit shaken. Is there someone that you want me to call and come give you a ride home?”
The first faces that entered her mind were the twins, but she didn’t want them to think of her as being scared of a boogieman, so she shook her head and said, “No, I’m fine.”
“If you’re going to continue to work late, I would suggest that you carry some bear spray in your purse.” As he helped her into her car, he said, “I’ll follow you down the road to make sure you’re safely on your way.”
She replied, “Thank you. I know I’m being silly, but I really apprecia
te it.”
*~*~*~*
After a long run, Ice stopped along the edge of the river and shifted back to his fully Human form. He picked up a rock and threw it hard against a tree trunk, causing shards of wood splitters to explode out in all directions. He was livid that his planned hunt had been interrupted and he vowed to find out Penny’s address so that he could pay her a visit the following night.
When Ice arrived at Sam’s home, he stormed into his room without saying a word to his housemates. After he disappeared behind his door, Tadd asked Taylor, “What’s up with him? He looks even more pissed off than normal.”
Taylor shrugged his shoulders and said, “I don’t know. Maybe he’s still angry because of Penny.”
Tadd said, “May those two never meet.”
Taylor added, “Never.”
Chapter 4 - Prey
The next morning before the sun was up, Penny was already dressed and heading out the door. She carefully tucked survey maps into a side pocket of her backpack and got on her dirt bike. As the sun crested the horizon, she was well on her way.
After a long ride, she found the hidden trail that the twins had shown her and headed up the mountain side. As dirt and rocks billowed behind her, an adrenalin rush made her pulse race and a smile of excitement washed across her face. When she found the location she was looking for, she parked the motorcycle and checked in with the local ranger station to provide her location. She tucked her knives into the sheaths on her thighs, hooked up her backpack, and strategically placed her rifle. After taking nature deep into her lungs, she headed into the wood. She loved facing what she knew was going to be yet another adventure.
*~*~*~*
In his room at Sam’s, Ice was doing some tracking of his own. Using his vast online resources, he searched to find everything he could about his prey. In record time he found out that her name was Penny Blanchard. He thought his luck couldn’t get any better when he read that she lived alone in a cabin out in the woods. It felt like nature was offering her up to him on a plate. With his mouth watering he snarled and said, “Be prepared to run, my little rabbit. My lips will taste your sweetness tonight.”
Just after midnight, Ice emerged from the woods outside Penny’s cabin and his excitement increased with every step. He reviewed the basic plan within his mind—he would go in and drag Penny out. To elongate his pleasure, he would bite her to thoroughly memorize her taste and then release her. After giving her a healthy head start, the hunt would begin. Only once he became bored with the hunt, would he take her down—but not quickly. As he remembered her wonderful scent and taste, he reminded himself that he was going to enjoy his catch until her last heartbeat.
Without making a sound, he stealthily entered the cabin. He quickly caught her familiar scent in the air around him, making his mouth water even more. After a quick lay of the land, he headed toward the bedroom. He was unable to contain his excitement for the night ahead.
Using the shadows, he slipped into the bedroom like an evening fog and the air around him became cold. He approached the bed and, to his dismay, found it empty. Scanning the room, he checked the bathroom. When he didn’t find her, he searched the rest of the cabin. After confirming that she wasn’t home, he cursed profusely. Not willing to give up his plans, he decided to stay and wait to see if she was just out late. She would be greeted enthusiastically as soon as she walked through the door.
While he waited, he took a moment to learn more about his prey. When he found many unopened moving boxes and piles of construction materials, it was obvious that she hadn’t lived there long and that she was attempting to remodel the old cabin. He liked what she had done so far. It was becoming a comfortable hideaway to get away from the world. He decided that once the Human was out of the way he would make this place his private retreat.
When he went back into her bedroom, he noticed the sketched mural on the wall and the chicken wire frames, loosely resembling the crude shape of trees. He was intrigued and couldn’t help wondering what she was making. He shrugged, saying “I guess it doesn’t matter. She won’t live long enough to finish the project.”
After waiting a couple hours for her to return, he decided to head out into the woods. As he left the cabin, he said, “Enjoy your reprieve while you can. I’ll be back tomorrow.”
He let out his inner hunter and disappeared into the trees.
*~*~*~*
In a tent tucked high in the woods, Penny awoke and cursed, frustrated with her inability to sleep throughout an entire night. It was a problem she had since she was young. As she stared at the top of her tent, she heard sounds outside. Welcoming a distraction, she grabbed her rifle and decided to greet her visitor.
After slipping on her shoes, she crawled out of the tent and called into the shadows of the night, “Come on out; I know you’re there.”
When she received no response, she lifted her rifle and teased, “I’m armed and dangerous. Don’t make me hunt you down.”
Again no response but, when she heard several twigs snap and a low growl, she recalled the scene in the parking lot. Her smile instantly disappeared and, within seconds, she had her weapon cocked and at the ready. She scanned the darkness around her and, when she spotted the glowing eyes of a predator reflected off the moonlight, she locked her sight. The animal stalked forward out of the dark and Penny found herself staring back at a beautiful, but very lethal, mountain lion. Although Penny was more than capable of killing, she knew she was the intruder in the animal’s space and had no desire to end its life.
After taking a moment to marvel at nature’s handiwork, she whispered, “Be gone and find yourself a better tasting prey.” She shot into the ground in front of the animal and sighed in relief when it turned and ran back into the dark.
A voice sounded beside her, saying “I hope you weren’t trying to actually hit that animal.”
Penny spun and instantly had her rifle aimed at her new target. She gave the visitor a smirk and warned, “You really shouldn’t sneak up on an armed woman.”
As Taylor’s body stepped out of the shadows and was exposed by the moonlight, he nodded and said, “I do apologize. We were tracking that animal when we noticed it heading toward a camp. Since we knew that you were coming up here tonight, we wanted to check and see if it was you.”
Tadd added, “We actually came to save you, but I see you require no protection.”
Penny still had her rifle up, so Taylor asked with his arms stretched wide, “May we enter your camp?”
Penny lowered her rifle and waved them forward, saying “Come on in, boys. I would love the company.” Pointing to the smoldering pile that earlier was a blazing campfire, she said, “You can help me rebuild the fire.”
Once the camp was lit by the light of flames, Taylor scanned the site and commented, “This is a great location for a camp.”
“Thanks. It’s one of the spots you pointed out when we went on our hike. I was planning on using this spot for my first guided tour group.” Seeing the twins empty handed, she asked, “By the way, where is your gun? You said you were hunting that cat.”
Thinking quick on his feet, Tadd lied, “We didn’t want to kill it. We were trying to track it.” In reality, they had been hunting and their weapons were their teeth, claws, and unnatural speed.
After several hours of talking and laughing, Penny yawned and said, “It’s been a blast, but I’m going to crawl into the tent.” As she stood she said, “Do you want to join me in bed?”
When their eyes bulged out and they gave her a smile like they could already see her naked, she clarified her suggestion with her cheeks red. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it the way it came out. I just wanted to offer a warm, dry place to sleep…nothing more.”
Although the twins thought another slumber party was a great idea, they were out in the woods because they needed to feed. They weren’t completely sure if they could control their Changeling nature well enough to lie touching their favorite Human. Since neither wanted to ris
k her being injured or killed, Taylor replied, “Although the idea of staying with you sounds great, ugly over there and I need to head back to our own camp.”
Penny was actually touched that he made an adult decision instead of trying to take advantage. She nodded and said, “Then I’ll see you again soon. I bid you two a good night.”
Several hours later when the twins walked into their home after a successful hunt, they found Ice in the kitchen fixing something to eat. Based on the look of their clothes, Ice asked, “Good hunting?”
“Just out playing with some mountain lions.”
Ice said calmly, “I thought maybe you would have been playing with Penny.”
Taylor replied, “Why would you think that?”
Ice shrugged his shoulders. “No reason. You just spend a lot of time with that Human. Are you going to see her again today?”
The twins were suspicious of Ice asking questions about the woman that they knew he would like to make disappear. Taylor lied and said, “No, she said that she would be out of town for a few days visiting friends.”
Tadd added, “You don’t have to worry so much about her. She’s different than any Human I’ve ever been around and we’ll be careful to keep our secret.”
Ice grunted and said, “You two don’t have the best track record. Remember the last Human pet you tried to keep? I had quite a mess to take care of.”
“That was completely different.”
Ice stood and his calm demeanor instantly changed, making the room cold. He warned, “Get rid of her before you become attached. If you don’t break it off now, it’ll make it harder on you when you end up losing control.”
As Ice walked away, the twins stared silently at each other, knowing they were attached and were already planning when they would spend time with Penny again.
Knight Shift Page 4