SHIFTED: The midnight series

by Toni Goode

  “We should kiss.” She smiled at him.

  “What, No. I don’t.” He began but she was quickly on her tippy toes as her lips met his. He pulled back quickly. “Stop Briana!” He called out loud and she looked startled.

  “God it’s just one kiss, like seriously dude you need to chill out.” She rolled her eyes and pushed against his chest, but he didn’t budge. “You are so not fun!” She huffed and pouted.

  “Oh, trust me sweetheart I know how to have fun.” He said sarcastically.

  “Yeah ok fun killer.” She rolled her eyes and went to walk past him, and he held onto one of her arms. “I’m hungry and thirsty.” She continued as she pulled her arm to walk away from him, but John didn’t let go. “So now I have to starve too?” She rolled her eyes and laughed.

  “I need you to listen and understand what I am saying.” John said seriously as he pulled her in front of him. “You are a wolf now and you can never go home. Do you understand?” Briana just stood there, suddenly she was feeling very much sober even with the medication running through her. He was serious as he stood before her. She swallowed hard. “I need you to say it.”

  “No.” She shook her head. “That’s not possible, It’s not real.” Her words came out as a whisper.

  “You know what you saw. Deep down you know it’s true. There is a lot of things you do not understand but I swear to you that it is all true.” He said honestly.

  She pulled her hand from him now as she backed up. How could she possibly believe all of this? How could any of this be true? These were things that movies were made of. Werewolves? How would it be possible? She felt sick as she stood there. “How?” She finally asked as she looked at him. “You’re a wolf.” She said as a statement. She turned and stared across the room. “How?” She turned and faced him now.

  “Because I bit you.” He began, and she shook her head quickly.

  “No, not that. How are you, how is any of this real?” She felt her throat tightening as she stood there.

  “It just is.” He said honestly. He never really had to explain himself to anyone. Everyone that he knew was either like him or was human and the humans he ran across never knew of his true nature.

  “I don’t feel so good.” Briana said honestly as she walked towards a chair and went to sit down but she collapsed first. John tried to get to her in time but failed and the next thing he knew she was on the ground having a seizure.

  “Michael, Michael hurry!” He yelled as he tried to hold her convulsing body against his.

  Chapter Seven

  The next few hours were touch and go as Briana fought to stay alive. She was in and out of consciousness. She would spike a fever and then crash into a seizure. It was horrifying to watch and John nor his brother knew what her fate would be. It wasn’t often that humans were changed successfully. They also knew it wouldn’t be much longer that word would travel around the town about the newcomer and John wanted to keep everyone calm because not everyone would be happy about the new edition to the pack. Thankfully as of right now most of his pack thought he was still out of town and he wanted to keep it that way. He still had to deal with Ana because he knew that by now she had heard of what the future held for her. Ana was not quiet about her affection for him but the thought of marrying her made him uneasy not that he hadn’t found comfort in her bed after his wife’s death. He had been distraught, and he had wanted to lose himself and she was so god damn willing. He hated himself for it.

  He paced the living room as his brother looked over Briana. Maria fidgeted nervously with her hands. “What if she dies? Shouldn’t her family know?” She said with sadness in her voice.

  “As far as they know she is already dead.” John said dryly, and he wasn’t lying. He had to make things look as though she was dead, and it wasn’t easy. The survival of his kind depended on it. He knew people, powerful people. It was all said and done now, and everyone was better off for it.

  “You don’t need to be so damn rude about it!” Maria huffed as she stormed out of the room and Michael looked at his brother as he walked over to him.

  “She’s hormonal.” Michael shook his head as he left the room and went after his wife.

  John watched as Briana laid still on the couch and he slowly walked over to her. She didn’t move and if it wasn’t for her chest moving up and down as she breathed then he would think she was dead. He reached down and pushed a piece of her hair back. It was amazing how much she looked like Kate. They had the same bright red hair. He was half tempted to bring one of the locks up to his face and inhale deep like he used to do when Kate slept beside him.

  Two years prior

  It was times like these that he treasured the most. The sun was not up yet, and the bedroom was lit only by the moon and it seemed bigger today, brighter almost as he ran a finger through a red lock of hair that laid against the pillow. Her hair was always so soft. It felt like silk and her scent made his body harden almost instantly.

  He constantly had to ask himself how he had gotten so lucky to have her. They had been together for nearly twenty years. It’s like he needed her like he needed air to breathe. It wasn’t just a connection of minds but of souls. He truly felt that. She was so beautiful, and he was so proud to call her his wife. She made him stronger. She made him better. Life without her would be impossible. He couldn’t help the smile that crossed his lips as he twirled her hair on his finger.

  “You know its rude to just stare at someone when they sleep.” Her words snapped him out of his thoughts as her eyes opened and she smiled.

  “How did I get so lucky?” He said as he moved his face closer to hers.

  “Luck has nothing to do with it.” She grinned as she closed in the distance between their bodies. Their mouths connected, and it was like a fire went off inside of him. He could never get enough of her. He pulled her tighter against his aching naked body as she let out the sweetest of moans.

  Briana’s eyes fluttered open slowly and she was shocked to see green eyes staring back at her. The look he had was intense and for a moment she forgot everything. He moved his face closer to hers as he knelt down and the next thing she felt was his lips crashing into hers. The kiss was powerful and breath taking. Was she dreaming? She didn’t care if she was. She fell into his kiss and her hand found the back of his head as she ran her hand through his long dark hair and she pulled him even closer. The kiss deepened quickly, and she found herself trembling for his touch, aching for it as their tongues danced wildly against one another. She had never kissed a man like this before, not even with Chris. He seemed like such a distant memory now. Johns hand skimmed the top of her breasts and she let out a moan against his lips as she held his head possessively.

  The kiss was over as quickly as it begun because the sound of a throat clearing made John’s mouth abruptly move from hers and then the look in his eye was replaced with something else. Shock and confusion.

  John turned to face his brother who stood in the doorway with a shit eating grin on his face and then John looked down at Briana as she touched her swollen lips. He didn’t say a word as he quickly left the room and went in search of a drink. He needed one and he needed one badly.

  Briana began to sit up as Michael came over to her quickly. “Don’t move fast ok.” He said as he helped her to sit up some. Her heart was still racing as she looked at Michael. She felt oddly refreshed. How long had she been laying there? He looked worried but not as worried as she felt.

  “I feel weird.” She said honestly.

  “I’m sure you do; do you remember anything?” Michael asked with concern. He really did not want to keep shocking her with the truth. He wasn’t sure how much more her body could take.

  Briana swallowed hard. “Yes, but still confused about it all.” This all still felt like a weird dream to her. To think that the world went on for this long and a secret lived right beside it, and no one knew? It made her wonder how many other things were real; how far did this supernatural world go?

>   “Trust me I live in this world and I am confused all the time.” Michael said with a soft smile as Maria came walking into the room slowly. She had a cup of tea in her hand and a sandwich. “You should eat, you will feel better.” Michael said as he went to find his brother.

  Maria walked over to Briana and handed her the tea and sandwich. “You should start to feel better soon.” She said softly.

  “I will?” Briana took a sip of her tea.

  “Honestly? I don’t know. This doesn’t happen often.” Maria said with a shake of her head.

  “This?” Briana asked with confusion.

  “You.” Maria said honestly. “We haven’t had a transformation since I was a child and even then, it was just a tale that my mother told me.”

  “Wow, this is all real.” Briana said with a deep breath. She had always wondered if she would find adventure in life and she had now.

  “Its not so bad.” Maria said softly as she rubbed her very pregnant belly. “I think the thought of motherhood is scarier than anything.”

  “Oh yeah I couldn’t even imagine.” Briana shook her head. At one point she had thought about having children, but Chris had destroyed that. “My family is probably really worried; can I just call them and tell them that I am ok.” She could only imagine that her mother would be beside herself with worry and what about Emma, her best friend.

  Before Maria could answer her Michael came back in the room alone. John had wanted some time to himself and Michael was going to give it to him. Things were going to be changing around here and fast. He felt bad for Briana though, in the span of a few days she had lost everything that she had known, and her life was about to change even more. “How are you feeling?” He asked as he walked over.

  “Good, tired but good.” Briana said with a nod of her head. “Good tea.” She took another sip. “I was just saying that I think I should call my family before they really freak out. I won’t say anything to them, just want to let them know that I’m ok.” She said honestly as she sipped her tea but the look shared between Maria and Michael made her stomach sink. “My mom is a bit worry bug.” She tried to keep it light but before either of them could speak John came back in the room.

  “You can’t call your family.” He said seriously as Briana blinked in shock.

  “I’m sorry, what? Why? I won’t say anything.” She said with anger rising up in her. Who the hell did this guy think he was!

  “I think what John is trying to say is that its too soon, you need to rest more.” Maria quickly said as she looked at John and then Briana. She forced a smile.

  “No that’s not what I am trying to say.” John snapped as he looked at Maria. “She’s not a child and she has to learn sooner or later.” He began as Briana looked between all of them. Her heart had started to race. What was happening?

  “Now really isn’t the time John ok. She needs to rest.” Michael began as John shook his head with annoyance.

  He walked right up to her. “You can’t call home not now, not ever. As of right now your dead to them all. There will be no calls or reaching out. That life is over and the sooner you accept that the better off you will be.” He said coldly as Briana blinked in shock. Anger and fear began to wash over her as she let his words sink in.

  “Jesus John be a little more compassionate!” Maria snapped at him. “Make him stop!” She then looked at Michael.

  Before Michael could say anything, Briana did. “What the hell does that mean??” Briana stood now. Her voice was shaking from fear and a growing anger.

  “It means what I say it means. The old you is dead and gone. Show her Michael.” John said coldly as she blinked in shock.

  “Don’t do this right now. Your upsetting her!” Maria yelled out as tears filled her eyes. Briana looked between her and the guys. She felt like she couldn’t breathe.

  Michael shook his head and whispered an ‘I’m sorry’ to Maria as he walked over to a table and picked a paper up off of it. It was a newspaper.

  “I can’t believe you’re doing this.” Maria said with tears and then she looked at John. “And you, you deserve everything you get!” She snapped as she quickly ran out of the room.

  Briana couldn’t even speak as she stood there. She was visibly shaking as Michael held out a newspaper to her. “It’s for the best.” Michael said as he handed it to her and then he shot his brother a nasty look before leaving the room to find his wife.

  Briana held the paper in her hand as tears began to fall down her cheeks. On the front cover of the local newspaper of her town was a picture of her and the heading read TRAGEDY STRIKES SHEPPARDSVILLE. The paper went to go on and talk about her life, Briana’s life. She gasped when she realized what it was, an obituary. She really was dead. She looked up to John who stood there without any emotion. “How dare you!” She yelled out as she slammed her hands into his chest. “You did this! I hate you, I hate you, I HATE YOU!” She yelled out as she hit him over and over again as tears raced down her face.

  John stood there unmoving as she beat her hands into his chest. He knew that the sooner she accepted all of this then the better off she would be. Michael came running into the room as Briana looked up at him. Her eyes red and swollen. She could barely see through the tears rushing out of her eyes.

  “You stay the hell away from me!” She yelled at John and then rushed past him as Maria came down the hallway. “I... I...” Briana cried as Maria rushed over to her. She was crying as well.

  “I am so sorry.” Maria said as she shook her head. “Just come with me.” She said as Briana followed her. She felt so alone. She felt like she had absolutely no one in this world. Her family thought she was dead and the grief alone was enough to make her vomit. She followed Maria into a bedroom and then the women cried against each other. Briana honestly did not know how any of this could ever get better.

  It’s not everyday that your life changes drastically and everything and everyone you knew is gone. This is what Briana’s life felt like now. She felt cursed and she remembered all the scary movies she had watched as a child. The ones filled with werewolves and monsters. She was the monster now and nothing could change that. Her old life was gone, and she couldn’t get it back. For the first time since all of this had happened she honestly wanted to see Chris. As much as she hated him she wanted to find comfort in his arms. She wanted him to tell her that all of this was a nightmare. She wanted to wake up.

  She didn’t even fully understand what she was now? Would she change into a wolf? Maria didn’t even know because apparently it wasn’t a normal thing to happen. She was a black sheep even here among her own kind. She felt sick, depressed and angry. Days had passed, and John had left his brothers place and as much as she was happy that he was away from her it also dug at her. Who was he to play god? Maria had explained to her what had happened that lead her to this dark place and Briana honestly wished that John just would have let her die because death would be better than this. To be alive but to be lost was no way to live. She only wondered how much worse everything would get.

  Maria was her only saving grace and even that felt forced. She saw the way Maria and Michael looked at her. They felt bad for her, sorry for her even. They took pity on her and she hated it. She tried to ignore it and act as though she was fine at least then she wouldn’t get that look from them. She wanted to see John again, she wanted to yell at him. Hell, she wanted to hit him and make him feel pain but most of all she just wanted him. Her mind couldn’t stop thinking about the way he kissed her, and she hated that she thought about it. She wanted to forget about it but, how could she? He was apparently the leader to an entire pack, the Alpha though that was not surprising. He had a power about him and a smugness that she wanted to smack and kiss all at once. She knew very little about him but from what Maria would say, he had been married before, but his wife died. Briana tried to understand things from Johns point of view and she even wanted to feel bad for him, but she couldn’t.

  She also learned about the othe
r secret parts of the world. The vampires, witches and demons. All of those scary tales from her childhood were real and living side by side. Maria told her of the truce that they all had so that they could live among the living. No one could know, at least not everyone because some humans were aware. Maria had said that this reached as far as the government and that for two hundred years they have all lived in a sort of harmony except for a few rogue ones that had to be dealt with. That was one of John’s jobs. He was like a bounty hunter for rogues, something that had ultimately lead to his wife’s demise. Maria didn’t like talking about it and so Briana didn’t question her often.

  For days she stayed with them and she tried to act as though everything was normal and sometimes it actually felt that way. Sometimes she could just sit and watch a movie with Maria and it felt as if she was with Eve. Maria was compassionate and strong. Briana really liked her, but she didn’t want to be cooped up all day in the house. She wanted to leave the house. Michael said it wasn’t safe until she felt in control of her wolf. She didn’t understand any of this. Sometimes she felt so angry that she wanted to tear her own skin off. It was a horrible feeling. She felt sad and happy all rolled into one. She felt like she was truly losing her mind.

  Chapter Eight

  It had been one week since Briana’s life had been changed forever and she was still trying to adapt to what she was now, but it definitely was not easy on her. Throughout the day she had counted about twenty times that she felt like she was on an emotional rollercoaster, but one emotion stayed with her more than the others, anger. Michael was letting her roam a bit more now too. They were forming a trust and it worked both ways. For the most part Briana trusted Maria and she felt like her intentions were pure but Michael was confusing to her but that was mainly because his brother was John. The supposed Alpha of the group though with his constant disappearing was starting to make Briana feel like he was more of a coward than anything. She used her anger and rage to her own benefit. For the first time in her life she was working out and not just the aerobic videos on the tv, but she was punching bags and lifting weights. It seemed to help her deal with the crazy emotions raging through her.