Meanwhile inside the house, Ice emerged from his bedroom fully dressed. Although he had spent private time with Chloe, he made sure she was out of his bedroom in time for Penny’s normal night time stroll. Catching her scent lingering in the air, he knew that she had recently passed by. He guessed that she was in the kitchen so he casually walked to the door so that he could accidently bump into his favorite nighttime stroller.
Outside Penny shivered as her mind was brushed by a chill. Sensing danger, her eyes shot open to see Logan leaning against a nearby boulder with a grin from ear to ear.
When they made eye contact, Logan decided to face his suspicions head on and asked, “You aren’t just their painter, are you Human?” No longer trying to hide his nature, he gave her a smile that showed off his fangs. Seeing her lack of reaction confirmed that Penny wasn’t so clueless about those that called this place home.
Penny slowly backed toward the door and said, “I have no idea what you mean.”
In a flash, Logan appeared blocking her retreat and said, “Not so fast. While Chloe’s getting frost bite from the Iceman, I thought you and I could take a few minutes to get better acquainted.”
Although Penny had a very good idea what he meant about the frost bite comment, she didn’t dwell on it. Her mind was completely focused on the self-defense moves she planned to use if the Changeling attempted to touch her. She stared him down and non-verbally warned him to stay back. When he took a step toward her, her confidence gave out completely and she decided that she needed to call for help.
Although her mouth opened to shout, no sound would come out. She also found that her body was frozen in place. Her paralysis wasn’t from fear, it was as if her mind was temporarily disconnected from the rest of her body.
Seeing her shocked expression, Logan walked slowly and deliberately toward her with a chuckle, saying “Normally I love a good struggle, but time is limited and I don’t want to waste a second.” After he positioned himself in front of her, he added, “You teased me earlier with an appetizer and now I’m hungry for the full meal.” Using the tip of one finger, he gently pushed her head to the side to expose the line of her neck. Penny was forced to obey on the outside, but she cursed profusely within her mind. He caressed the small marks that told him that someone had bit her recently, informing him that he wasn’t the first that had snacked on her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against him while his other hand moved her hair out of his way. He leaned in and slowly penetrated her neck with his fangs.
Unlike Ice’s bite, Logan’s caused a spike of pain to shake through her body. Within her mind she screamed in agony.
While Penny suffered in silence, Logan moaned deep as her taste registered. His euphoria quickly ended when a massive Rottweiler hit his body like a battering ram, sending the two combatants sailing through the air and slamming against the kitchen door.
Just as Logan managed to toss off Chad, Ice burst through the door. Surveying the scene, he instantly jumped in front of Penny protectively. Chad scrambled back to his feet and positioned himself next to Ice, snarling at their now unwelcome guest.
As Chloe and the rest of the family came running, Logan got back onto his feet and brushed off his clothes lazily.
Sam asked angrily, “What’s going on?”
Logan replied calmly while licking off Penny’s blood that was on his lips, “Your Human pet and I were getting to know each other better when we were rudely interrupted by your mutt.”
Chad growled deep and low.
Sam quickly looked over at Penny and asked, “Are you alright?”
With Logan’s focus on Penny’s mind broken, control slowly came back to her body. She cringed and said, “I’m okay, but he bit me.” To herself she added, “And it hurt like hell.”
Ice spun around and quickly examined her wound. She was shocked to see true concern in his normally emotionless eyes. Luckily the wound wasn’t bad, but it was still bleeding. Knowing the scent of her blood needed to be removed from the scene immediately, he stared down at her and commanded, “Don’t move.”
Penny nodded numbly and she let Ice lick her wound closed. It took all of his strength not to react to the taste that was pleasantly burning his tongue.
Logan watched the exchange and cursed at Ice within his mind for taking what was rightfully his. He licked his lips and said out loud, “Exhilarating, isn’t it? I see why you keep her around. Would you consider a timeshare option? I would be happy to pay handsomely for the privilege.”
Ice snapped his head toward Logan and the twins came forward to join their angry glares to the standoff. Although Ice wanted to rip Logan’s head off, he had vowed to not take the life of another Changeling unless there was no other option. Knowing that option was looking more appealing by the second, he said between clenched teeth, “Get. Out. Now.”
Taylor added, “You had better listen to him because, if you aren’t out of our sight within the next two minutes, I guarantee that you won’t leave here in one piece.”
Logan chuckled. “So protective of a Human. Very interesting. You might want to put this pet of yours on a leash. If she were to wander off alone, someone might happen to come along and claim her as a stray.”
Ice caught the warning and started to growl.
Logan ignored his projected anger and pushed his way between the twins. Just as he passed them, he made brief eye contact with Penny and gave her a wink. She gasped as she felt herself wanting to take a step toward him against her will. Instinctively she grabbed onto Ice’s arm to steady herself and he pushed her behind him to break the connection. His touch helped her shake off Logan’s mental influence.
Ice shifted into his darker side. He caught Logan easily and pinned him by his neck to the side of the house. With his mind filled with the image of Logan fangs in Penny’s neck, Ice continued to slowly tighten his grip, knowing that he could snap the bones with little effort.
Logan’s attempts at freedom were futile and, when his body started to go limp, Chloe begged as calmly as she could, “Please Ice. You’re killing him.”
Although Ice now had no issues with taking this particular Changeling’s life, a part of his mind did hear Chloe’s pleas. He went against his instincts and called back his inner hunter. After he loosened his grip, Logan fell to the ground in a heap, gasping for air to return to his lungs.
Trying to defuse the situation, Logan managed to reply with his voice raspy, “She’s just a Human. I didn’t know that she was so important to you.”
Ice said, “She may be a Human, but the twins and the others have grown attached to her. As long as they consider her family, she’s under my protection. Hear my words. If you come anywhere near Penny or the house again, your life will pay the price.”
Logan could tell there was more to the Penny situation besides being the family pet and the feelings her blood left within his body was proof of that. But he was also aware of Ice’s talents and that he didn’t threaten—he promised. He forced himself to his feet and said, “My apologies, Ice. I’ll leave.” Although he agreed out loud, he vowed to himself to someday find a way past Ice’s protective barrier to make the Human pet his.
As Logan turned and headed off toward the car, Chloe approached Ice and said, “I’ll find him something sweet to feed on to quench his thirst. I’m sorry for his behavior. I’ve known Logan for a very long time and I’ve never seen him react to a Human like he did tonight. I guess he waited too long between feedings. I promise you that I’ll keep a close eye on him.” She didn’t want to lose her welcome so, after a moment’s pause, she whispered into Ice’s ear, “If the family truly cares about Penny, warn them to keep a close eye on her. Even I could sense there’s something different about her that was extremely enticing. If others learn about her, you’ll have your hands full.”
Ice nodded silently in acknowledgement of her words.
She said to the group as a whole, “I’m sorry for Logan’s behavior toward your house guest. I’ll make s
ure he leaves the area.” She gave Ice a smile and said, “It was good to see you again. Call me if you need me.” She reached up and kissed him on the cheek, turned, and ran off to catch up with her traveling companion.
Once out of sight, Ice grabbed Penny’s wrist and pulled her in front of him. As he glared down at her, he said, “This is why our races can never mix. If you insist on staying connected to our world, you had better prepare for others like Logan to cross your path and we won’t always be there to protect you.”
As he released her arm and stormed off to make sure Chloe was successful in forcing Logan to leave the area, Penny felt tears welling in her eyes. Susi fought the draw of the scent of her blood and attempted to wrap her arms around her new friend’s shoulder to console her, but her draw was too strong. The twins quickly took over and pulled her into their embrace to not only console her, but to protect her.
Penny welcomed their comfort and said, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to cause any problems. I needed some fresh air and I thought everyone was outside in front of the house. I would never have come out here if I knew Logan was waiting in the shadows.”
Taylor shook his head and said, “It’s our fault. I saw how he looked at you earlier and we should’ve kept a better eye on him.”
Chad shifted back to his Human form and said, “No, it’s my fault. I should never have left you alone.”
Penny replied to Chad with much gratitude and affection, “If you and Ice hadn’t shown up when you did, I’m not sure Logan would have let me live. You both saved me tonight. I tried to yell for help, but for some reason I couldn’t speak or move. Logan did something to me.”
Ben said, “Since he arrived, I had sensed something odd from his mind. I knew that he had mental abilities, but I never would have guessed that he could wield that level of control.”
Sam added, “The ability to freeze another is a perfect skill for a blood drinker. It allows him to feed while his victims are trapped and can’t fight back.”
Susi said, “‘I would never have let him in the house if I had known. He’s no longer welcome here.”
Penny rubbed her wrist where Ice’s cold fingers had held her and shook her head. “Maybe Ice is right. I’m the one out of place here, not Logan.”
While the family took Penny into the house and tried to convince her that she was still welcome in their home, Ice watched Logan’s car disappear into the night. His thoughts swirled. He was furious at what had happened, but even more irate at himself for caring what happened to the Human. He was just as guilty as the twins. He was also getting too close to Penny and needed to rid himself of these unwelcome feelings.
As he headed back inside, his decision was quick. He would have to break his night time addiction and never visit Penny within her cabin again.
Chapter 12 - Project Completed
Although Penny stayed at Sam’s that night, she slept very restlessly. In the morning when she came down from her room, she had hoped to see Ice to once again and apologize, but he was nowhere in sight. After she ate a quiet meal with the twins, she insisted that they drive her home.
The days that followed were difficult. She wanted desperately to talk to Casper but, to her dismay, her ghostly friend was once again absent and didn’t visit any day throughout the week. What she didn’t know was that Ice had guarded her cabin each night to make sure she remained safe. Although he refused to let himself go in, he found a spot tucked into the woods and watched her from the window. He had to look away every time he saw her staring longingly into a shadowed corner or called out Casper’s name.
When Penny’s next day off approached, she wasn’t sure what to do. Although she was very hesitant about going back to Sam’s, she was hired to do a job and she planned to see it through. When she arrived at Sam’s door with a new set of paintbrushes in hand, everyone greeted her warmly, except Ice. She saw him only from a distance and he completely ignored her presence. She knew he was still angry with her and she hoped that before the painting project was over she would have the chance to speak with him privately and attempt to make things right.
On the night that Penny was planning on unveiling the completed room to her Changeling family, out of the corner of her eye she caught Ice step outside. His behavior was making her angry so she decided to address the situation head on. She squared her shoulders and followed him outside so that she could confront him whether he liked it or not.
Once she was in the night air, she called, “Ice.” When he turned around she said, “I would like to speak to you for a moment.”
He wanted to turn and walk away, but he had been avoiding her and knew that he needed to face the situation. Now that her hired job at the house was almost done, his time was running out.
Penny said, “We haven’t had a chance to talk since that night with Logan. First I want to thank you again for saving me.”
Ice replied coldly, “The ending could have been much different.”
She replied just as sternly, “I’m very aware of what could have happened. I know that I’m an outsider in your world and that it’s dangerous for me to be a part of it, however, I won’t turn my back on my new friends.”
“Your curiosity could cost you your life.”
She let out a loud huff in frustration. This wasn’t a game to her and she wanted him to understand how much his family meant to her. “It isn’t just curiosity. I care for them all as if they were my family. If spending time with them means that I could die, that’s a risk I’m willing to take.”
He took several steps toward her, making her instinctively take a step back. While looking down at her, he asked with a hint of anger in his voice, “How do you think those inside right now would react if something happened to you? In the short time that you’ve been here, they’ve grown very attached.”
“And they’re very important to me too. You’re a big part of their life so, even though I know you hate me, I care about you as well. But I won’t live my life fearing what might be waiting for me in the shadows.”
His voice softened as he replied, “If you continue stay a part of this family, I can’t always be there to rescue you.”
Hearing his change in tone, Penny said, “I wouldn’t expect you to. That’s the second thing that I wanted to talk to you about. I want you to know that you’re under no obligation to protect me here or anywhere else on this planet. And if something does go wrong, there’s no one to blame but myself. I’m grateful for every day that I’ve been able to call this family mine and I’ll cherish every day I spend with them in the future. I just finished with the painting project and, although I won’t say goodbye to my new family, this is your home too. Once I leave here tonight, I promise that I’ll stay away. I hope that someday my presence doesn’t cause you so much pain. I know that I’m Human, but I would really like it if you and I could be friends.” With sadness in her voice, she added, “I don’t have many friends and even my ghost Casper has abandoned me. Like you, I’m hoping that he’ll also forgive me for whatever I did to make him angry and will come back soon. I know it sounds stupid, but I miss him.”
As she started to walk back into the house, she said, “I’m going to unveil the room right now. I’d like it if you would join the family and be there to see my work. Afterwards, I’ll go home and not come back.”
Ice nodded and said, “Go ahead and I’ll join you in a minute.”
As Penny went back into the house, he thought about her words and felt her sadness and regret. If he was honest with himself, Penny had made a real difference in the family. Susi needed female companionship and he had to admit that Chad and Ben were smiling and laughing more than he had ever seen them. Maybe it was time for him to recognize what Penny brought to the table and accept her for who and what she was.
As everyone gathered outside the bedroom door, Penny hesitated for a moment, hoping that Ice would join them. She was pleasantly surprised when she saw his dark eyes staring at her from the back of the group. She looked between
Sam and Susi and announced, “This project was a labor of love and I hope you enjoy it half as much as I did painting it. May you think of me every time you see it.” She opened the door and stepped back to make room for everyone to enter. After everyone filed in, she waited for their reaction.
Penny had used the stone in the walls to make it look like part of the room was the mouth of a cave looking out over a deep valley. To emphasize the concept, along the edge of the cave opening she had parts of trees extended out into the room. This visual break led the eyes to the valley itself, which was filled with the deep greens and browns of nature. The ceiling above the cave was dark with twinkling stars that grew steadily lighter as the sky led your eyes down into the valley, where a colorful sunrise was waiting. Using hidden lighting she designed into the room, she made the room shine as if the sun was actually rising.
As she watched everyone silently staring at the walls, she broke the silence by asking hesitantly, “Well, do you like it?”
Susi turned to new friend and said, “Do I like it? No, I love it. It’s breathtaking.” Susi came over to Penny with tears in her eyes and pulled her into a tight embrace. Soon other arms were added to their group.
When everyone was finished marveling at Penny’s work, Sam announced, “Let’s go downstairs and have a drink to offer a toast to this amazing work of art.”
After they left the room talking excitedly about what they had seen, Ice held Penny back and, once alone, he said, “You’re truly gifted and the look on Susi’s face was priceless.”
Penny replied, “I know how much being able to watch a sunrise means to her. I hope this helps her feel less trapped in the dark.”
“As Humans go, you’re extraordinary and I’m glad that you’ve become a part of this home. I can’t wait to see what you do to the rest of the house.”
Knight Shift Page 11