by Zelda Knight
“If I leave here, where would I go?”
“Anywhere far enough away from here. Leave for long enough and they’ll lose the scent. Not to mention, demons aren’t known for their long-lasting patience. They’ll get bored with no-one to attack and go looking for another target.”
Kat finished the last of her drink. “Oh, I have so many questions, I don’t know where to start with all this.”
Ethan squeezed her hand reassuringly. “I’m sure you do. I doubt I can answer them all, but fire away.”
“I’m not sure if I really want to know, but what do demons look like?”
“Just like you and me. The only way you’d know they aren’t human is their eyes. They can’t hide the hellfire inside.”
“Okay, that’s not scary, at all! So, you said they’ve been hanging around for a few days. Why didn’t they attack me before if they were already here?”
“Well, I’m not an expert on demon behaviour, but I’d guess they were testing to see if there were any protection spells on your house and seeing if, and how, you’d respond to them poking around. Not even a demon wants to walk straight into a fire fight with someone who has magic.”
“That makes sense. And speaking of which, how did I not know I had magic?”
“I don’t know. I guess it takes longer to come out in some people. Does anyone in your family have it? I’m guessing not?”
“No. I thought all this was just myths and fairy tales until tonight.” She smiled, wryly. “I’m still half convinced I’m dreaming, to be honest.”
Kat poured them another drink and leaned back in her chair, the initial shock beginning to wear off. “So, tell me about you. I hope it’s not rude to ask, but what are you?”
Ethan laughed. “Direct. To the point. I like it. I wouldn’t go asking everyone in polite company, though. Some people are sensitive about it, but I’m fine with you asking. I’m a jaguar shifter. I can change forms at will.”
“Are there others like you?”
“Yes and no. Shifters are pretty common but I’m what’s called a dual shifter, and I have the ability to change twice. I’m made to do that. It can be pretty handy, too. That’s really rare, though. To the point where I’ve never met another one.”
“Can you change into more than the cat and the jaguar?”
“No, just the two. From what I know about it, the two animals have to be similar enough for it to work, so you might get a wolf shifter who can also turn into a dog, but you’d never get a lion shifter who could shift into a chicken or anything.”
“Wait a minute, if you could change back into you, why didn’t you do that when I walked in and saw you as a jaguar?”
“It takes energy to shift and, after a battle like that, I needed a minute to get my energy levels back up. And I didn’t want to scare you with shifting either, so I stayed as I was at first.”
“You thought an enormous black jaguar with the biggest teeth I’ve ever seen would be less scary than being you?
Ethan grinned at her. “Well, I didn’t think a strange man in your house in the middle of the night would go down well, either. Anyway, my turn for the questions. So, Inky? You thought you’d call me Inky? Still think I’m a sweetie pie?” he asked, trying to lighten the mood.
Kat glared at him, “Well, how was I supposed to know you were really the great big, hulking rugby player type underneath all that fur?”
Well, that had certainly taken her mind off her troubles. Now all she could think about were his muscular arms and abs you could bounce a coin off. Focus, Kat!
“Hey, I just thought of something. When you were the cat, you saw me get ready for bed.”
“I didn’t peek.”
“Really?” She stared at him, disbelieving.
“Okay, I may have peeked a bit.”
Chapter Three
The following morning, fresh drifts of snow piled up against the house and Kat and Ethan realised they were going nowhere. The few restless hours of sleep they’d had brought no more answers for what they were going to do or for how Kat was going to discover her magic.
After breakfast, Ethan had her seated in the centre of the lounge, cross-legged.
“I don’t know what I’m doing,” he said, “but I think being relaxed can only help you. Close your eyes, slow deep breaths, right from your diaphragm. Try and let your mind go blank and relax.”
Kat did as he asked, settling herself down onto her cushion and letting her shoulders drop. She closed her eyes, doing everything she could to let the events of the previous evening go and empty her mind.
She wriggled her shoulders and circled her neck, trying to get the tension out.
“Okay,” Ethan said. “Now, concentrate on your breathing, in and out, nice and slow. You can do this.”
Several minutes of long, slow breaths later and Kat was no nearer to either relaxing or producing any magic at all. She blew out a long breath and tried again. The problem was she had no idea what she was looking for, how it was supposed to feel or what do to with it if anything happened, any more than Ethan had.
If only she had a family member or a friend with magic to describe it for her, maybe she’d have more success. She screwed her eyes tightly closed. Come on, concentrate.
After a few minutes, she frowned, “Stop staring at me. You’re not helping,” she said.
“You could feel me staring at you? Maybe it’s working.” Ethan began to pace the room, excitedly.
“Nope, not a flicker. I could just tell you were there. I could hear you breathing.”
“Anything at all, yet.”
Kat opened her eyes, “I don’t know. I don’t know what I’m doing either,” she wailed. “What if I can’t make it work?”
Ethan took hold of her hands. “You will. The magic is inside you.” He placed a hand over her heart. “It’s right here, and we just have to find some way for you to tap into it. That’s all.”
Several days passed as Kat practiced over and over again to the point of exhaustion, trying everything she could to bring out her magic, but nothing worked.
She’d tried yoga, meditation, online reiki, and tai chi to relax, tarot cards, spells off the internet, Wiccan groups, episodes of Charmed, and an extremely strange call to a medium hotline, which cost her a fortune, and where the woman wanted to know all about her before she told her anything, which was really not the way Kat had hoped it would go. She really had tried everything she could think of. And she wasn’t sure where to go next.
Ethan continued to protect her, somehow managing to fight off attacks from the demons, though she had no idea how he did it.
And as they got to know each other, the more she realised she couldn’t fight the attraction she felt for him, and nor did she want to. The more she learned about him, about how funny, warm, and caring he was, about how much he protected the people he cared for, and even people he didn’t know at all, the more she fell for him.
But each time, he came back just a little more damaged, a little more the worse for wear. But he always made it. He always came back.
She just didn’t know how long he could carry on for, if she couldn’t make this work.
Chapter Four
Another day, another attack, and still not a flicker of magic from Kat. Ethan knew it was there and, although he hadn’t known her for long, he had no doubt that she would succeed eventually. He just hoped it would be in time. But for now, it was time to concentrate on the kill. Or at least the bite hard and scare off, in the case of the demons.
Protect our mate, grumbled his jaguar, wanting action. That was the other thing. His mate. He’d known that she was his mate from the moment he saw her, but this was hardly the time to bring that up and give her even more to think about. She had enough to concentrate on.
His jaguar, though, as usual, had other thoughts. Our mate. Want her. But bite first.
He hushed his jaguar and went back to the task at hand, though he was surprised that the demons hadn’t done more to try
and deal with him. It was almost as if they were waiting for something.
Lowering his head, he stalked his prey through the undergrowth at the bottom of Kat’s garden; his smooth, graceful movements hardly stirring even a single blade of grass. He opened his mouth and scented his prey. There he was, just ahead of him. This would be easy.
His body shimmered as he turned back into his ordinary, domestic black cat. He peered out through the grass, checking the demon was still there and then sauntered boldly into view, keeping his distance just a little. While he knew the demon would see him as no threat, he also knew they weren't renowned for their kindness to animals.
"Meww," he said, acting the part of little lost kitty.
The demon turned its head and sneered at him. "Beat it, cat. Before I make a meal out of you. Well, more like a small snack." The demon chortled at his own wit and Ethan sighed. Demons weren't renowned for their standup performances, either.
He took a risk and moved a little closer to the demon, aiming to get into the perfect position for a pounce, then as the demon aimed a kick at him to drive him off, Ethan leapt. He launched straight at the demon's face and part way through his leap, he shimmered into his jaguar.
The demon's face was a sight to behold. He'd started off expecting to grab a domestic shorthaired cat out of midair and kill it, and now there he was on the ground, with Ethan's jaguar on top of him. It was clawing, biting, and taking huge chunks out of his flesh. The demon screamed, thrashing, and writhing to shake Ethan off and get away and, after a very satisfying few minutes, Ethan let him.
The demon limped off, as best it could, and Ethan purred in satisfaction, knowing it would be at least a couple of days before that one would regenerate enough to bother anyone.
Next! More bite, more kill, exulted his jaguar, who wasn’t given to articulate, full sentences when he was excited.
He circled the house, silently, listening out for more demons and scenting for another loner to attack.
At the far side of the house, he found the perfect target, and hunkered down, awaiting his moment. This one even had its back to him. Piece of cake.
He crouched low, butt wiggling in excitement, before trotting out behind the demon and getting ready to pounce.
In focusing so much on what he was doing, and thinking about protecting Kat, he didn't notice the three demons hiding upwind of him until it was too late. Before he could shift again, one member of the group grabbed him from behind, by the scruff of the neck. He immediately shifted to his jaguar, but it was too late. More demons piled in to hold him down.
Kat heard the banging on the back door, and then an oily, sickening, singsong voice, that would give her nightmares years later, called to her, "Lady. Oh, layyydeeee. We've got your cat, Kat. Just think of all the things we're going to do to him. We're going to enjoy that. And then we're going to come for you. Or you could save us the trouble. Come out now, give yourself up, and maybe save your friend."
The dish she'd been holding fell from her fingers and she sank down onto the nearest chair, trembling, and trying not to imagine what Ethan might be going through. She leaned forward, head between her knees, feeling faint and dizzy, and utterly panic stricken. If she'd been trying to delude herself even for a moment that he didn't mean anything to her, all that was gone now. She loved him, even after such a short amount of time, and the thought of being without him now was unbearable.
She made her decision and stood on shaky legs. Going to the door, she opened it slightly and shouted through the gap, "I'm coming out. Don't hurt him."
An anguished roar sounded from outside, "No. Kat, don't do it. Stay insi—" Ethan’s voice was cut off, abruptly.
"Come on, Katy Kat. Come and get your cat. He won't be looking so good soon. Though I'm sure he'll still be tasty." The sickening voice turned her stomach and her gorge rose, but she somehow managed to hold herself together.
Kat opened the door and stepped out to meet her fate.
Chapter Five
On the ground, face down against the earth, Ethan tensed again as he heard Kat’s voice.
“I’m here,” she called, her voice quavering slightly. “Let him go.”
"Walk towards me, lady. We're not letting him go until you come to us."
Ethan fought the urge to struggle against the arms that held him down, waiting for the right moment until the demons were distracted. He heard Kat step onto the patio outside. As she neared the group, the arms holding him down loosened as all the demons turned their attention to Kat.
Before anyone could move, he shifted back into his domestic cat, easily leaping free from the demons' grasping hands. Turning back towards Kat, he raced towards her, shifting rapidly again, back into his jaguar. He pushed her away from the group of demons and back towards the house. As he neared the door, he shifted to human, picked her up bodily over his shoulder and powered back into the kitchen, adrenaline pumping. He slammed the door behind him and locked it.
He dropped Kat into the nearest chair and slumped down behind it onto the floor, bleeding all over his back from the wounds the demons had inflicted.
Kat recovered her breath and hurried over to him. "Ethan. Ethan, are you okay?" She knelt in front of him and flung her arms around his neck, kissing him all over his face. "I thought I'd lost you. I thought I might never see you again."
Ethan stirred and took her face in both hands, "My lovely Kat, I'm here. I'm okay."
Kat touched his cheek, gently. “I think,” she swallowed hard, “I think you should leave. It’s me they want, and you shouldn’t have to keep taking this.”
Nooooo, his jaguar roared. Ours. Claim her. We stay.
Ethan shook his head, “I’m not leaving you, Kat. I love you. I’ve known for a while, shifters always know. You’re my mate. Shifters only have one mate in their whole life, and you’re mine.”
Kat beamed at him, her heart leaping as she realised he’d put into words what she’d known and felt too, “I love you, too.”
He pressed his lips to hers, hearing his jaguar roar in his mind, Yessss, ours. Our mate.
Much later, Kat wrapped herself in her dressing gown. "We need to get your back seen to. We should have done that before, but you seem to have distracted me."
Ethan grinned. "Did I? Can I do it again?"
"Later. Come on. Up! Let me look at your back."
In the bathroom, Kat washed his skin, gently, and applied an antiseptic. "You know, some of these are quite deep. You should really get these looked at by someone who knows what they're doing. Oh, wait. Do you visit the vet or the doctor?"
Ethan half-growled, playfully. "Funny lady. What a question."
Kat cocked her head, smiling. "Personally, I think it's a fair question."
"We have our own healers who know what we are, if we need them, but shifters heal really quickly. These will be gone by tonight, don’t worry. Now, I’m going to have a nap, if you don’t mind. It helps with the healing."
“Of course.” Dropping a kiss on his cheek, she headed downstairs.
In the kitchen, Kat began putting together something simple for lunch. She wasn’t a great cook anyway, and there was no way she was focusing all her energy on food right now, but they had to eat to keep up their strength.
She took out a pan from the cupboard next to the oven and was about to put it on the stove, when a noise behind her made her turn around. Her heart nearly stopped in her chest as she stared a demon right in the face, from only a few feet away. Without thinking, she threw the pan at him with all her strength, but it just bounced harmlessly off his shoulder.
Kat watched helplessly as he muttered under his breath, forming his hands into a circle and folding them over and over until he produced a fiery, shimmering ball of energy.
“Die, witch,” he growled, as he flung the ball straight at her.
Kat flung her arms up protectively in front of her face and closed her eyes, although she knew it was no use. Ethan would never get to her in time and she wouldn’t c
all him anyway. He might get himself killed trying to save her.
A sizzling, crackling noise filled the air, power surged through her chest, and heat briefly washed over her arms, then she heard the demon cry out and opened her eyes to see that there was nothing left but a small pile of ash on the floor.
She looked at her hands in astonishment. Finally! Finally, she’d done it. She didn’t know what she’d done, but she’d done something.
Kat whooped, exhilarated, and Ethan came running down the stairs to see what had happened.
She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him thoroughly. “I did it, I did it.”
“What did you do? What happened?”
Kat described the attack and her reaction and Ethan picked her up and swung her around the kitchen. “You brilliant, brilliant woman. Well done! We’ve got this. We really have.”
Outside, the sun disappeared as the sky darkened, and an eerie wind swirled around the garden, cold fingers reaching out to the house, seeking entry.
Chapter Six
“Can you feel that?” Kat stood and paced around the kitchen, turning this way and that, as if to try and pinpoint the source of her unease. “Something’s not right. Something’s different.”
Ethan’s jaguar sniffed the air, hackles raised. “I can’t feel it in the way that you can,” Ethan said, “but my jaguar knows something’s wrong.”
Someone hesitantly knocked on the door, and Kat and Ethan looked at each other.
"That doesn't sound like a demon," Ethan said. "Expecting anyone?"
Kat shook her head. "In this weather and with all that's going on? Hardly."