Shifting Shadows

by Barb Shuler

  The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I turned just in time to see a wolf lunging for me. I caught him by the neck. With a flick of my wrist my claws embedded in his skin, and his head fell to the side with a snap. I dropped him unceremoniously to the ground. I dodged as another lunged for me. I growled, my hands shifting and my canines biting into my lip. If they wanted to play, we’d play.

  “Kill him!” The big man ordered.

  Two wolves charged me. I dodged the fists of one shifter and the canines of another. I’ll give them credit, they were fast, just not fast enough. I kicked out, my booted foot making contact with another wolf’s muzzle. He whined and stepped back, shaking his head. Another man snarled and tried to grab for me. He was big, but he couldn’t match me in speed or skill. As we tussled, I struck him in the neck, my claws cutting across his jugular with ease, like hot knives cutting through butter.

  I spun towards the wolf that was lunging at me now. Guess that kick didn’t hurt bad enough. I grabbed him with one hand, raking the other along his underbelly. His blood and insides covered the ground at my feet.

  Two more wolves went down before I spun to the big man by the burning barrel. He snarled but made no move towards me. “This isn’t over, Guardian!” He took off towards the tree line. I had a moment to consider. Did I chase him down, or get rid of the mess I just made? With a grunt I shifted.

  A small pain shot along my right side. I looked down to see my shirt had two long marks through it. My skin was already knitting back together, so I shrugged it off. It wasn’t as if I didn’t have scars already, what was a few more? The clean up was easy enough. I piled the bodies up, and used the small stone Kelanie had given me. With one word they were in flames so hot that I had to step back. There would be nothing left in minutes.

  I took off running towards town. I needed to find Ty and do a last circuit before I went back to the cabin. Those thoughts came to a halt when the scent of shifters once again swamped my senses. There were two groups of them. With a curse I decided to follow the trail that went back towards the bookstore where Jasmine worked. She wasn’t there today, but they’d not know that. It didn’t take long to catch up to them. I was hit from the side by a massive body. He may have been big, but he was no match for me. I ripped his throat out as we rolled across the gravelly back road. With a snarl I shifted to my Jaguar. My teeth and claws tore into his flesh. Another roar escaped me as one of the shifters shot at me.

  Seriously, the motherfucker shot me. I felt a bolt of pain as the bullet entered my left flank. I snarled, fighting the sting of the silver laced bullet. Oh, this bastard was going to die. Painfully!

  Sixteen

  Horatio

  With a vicious snarl I leapt at the shooter from where I stood. His head hit the ground before the gun could fire a third time. My side now hurt, which only served to piss me off more. I took off after the shifter who thought he could outrun me. I easily caught him but not before he let out an ear piercing howl. It was answered by others. I ripped into him. His howls cut off as the blood that was once inside him covered his neck and chest.

  I was drenched in his blood as was the earth around us. My breathing was becoming labored. The pain was growing. I did not need this right now. There was a thundering sound coming from behind me. I spun, my snarl dying when I saw Ty.

  I shook off the pain and tried to shift. Nothing. I growled and tried again. The air shifted, and suddenly Kelanie was kneeling before me.

  “Relax, I will not hurt you.” Her fingers never touched me but I felt the pull of her magic as she ghosted her hand over my flank.

  “What happened?” Ty asked. His voice was a loud boom on the wind. My muscles start to shake; something bad was happening inside me. I stepped back from the Fae, hissing in pain. She narrowed her eyes as she looked up at Ty.

  “Hold him. I have to get the silver out. It’s been laced with Reaper blood-”

  “What? Motherfucking-”

  “Hold him!” she snapped. Ty knelt down and wrapped his massive arms around me. His touch was more of a balm than what the Fae was doing. I jerked as she began a chant.

  “Hold on, baby. I’ve got you,” he said, his hand running along my spine. I closed my eyes and let his warmth and calm rush through me. There was a spark of pain that made me to buck and cry out… then my vision went black.

  TIBERIUS

  “What are you doing!?” I snarled at Kelanie as I fought to keep a hold of Horacio. His beast was losing it, then, he went slack in my arms. I panicked. I felt my canines and claws start to extend.

  “Watch yourself, Bear. I’m not against having a new rug.” Kelanie didn’t even look up from me as her fingers prodded the wounded area of Horatio’s left flank and side. I took in a deep breath, which was a bad idea. Now I could smell the Reaper blood as she pulled the silver bullet from him.

  “How did they do that?” I asked, my voice a deep rumble from inside me.

  “I am unsure. Shifters shooting shifters? Pathetic,” she spat out. The bullet was put into a small pouch and slipped into one of the many pockets of her elaborate council robes. I hadn’t seen her wearing those in ages. “There is something bad coming this way.”

  “Why are the wolves so hell bent on getting to Jasmine?” I asked. She knew something we didn’t, and dammit, we needed to know what was going on here.

  “It’s not for me to speak of. I say to you, ask for a meeting of the minds. I cannot say more. I must be going. Go home. Keep my granddaughter safe. Clean his wounds and he will heal soon.”

  The pop of air she left in her wake made my ears ring. I scooped up my mate in a fireman’s carry and took off running towards the cabin. The trees passed me in a blur as I focused on getting us back to the cabin safely, before any more wolves could show up. The call to arms the last one had sent out was sure to have them swarming the area. Fucking mutts!

  I felt him before I saw him. I slowed my steps when he stepped out from the trees. He waved his hand and I felt a wash of magic in the air, then it was gone.

  “Do not fret, Guardian, I’m here just as a precaution,” he said before disappearing back into the trees. If Asheron - one of the council's Fae assassins - was here, things had definitely taken a turn for the worse. I made it up the stairs and onto the porch. Her scent hit me just before the door opened.

  “What happened?!” Jasmine shrieked when she caught sight of me carrying Horatio. I moved to lay him on the big rug before the fireplace, where a fire was crackling. I looked up to meet Jasmine’s panicked gaze.

  “Jassy, baby, can you get me some warm water in a basin, wash cloths and the first aid kit? Please,” I asked. It took her a moment, but she nodded.

  When she came back I grabbed a cloth and quickly wet it. I needed to clean the wounds because for some reason they were healing slower than they should have.

  “Ty, please. What happened?” Jasmine asked. I opened my mouth to tell her when both Kelanie and Lalamke popped into view.

  “Don’t fret, granddaughter, mine, he will be fine.”

  “Don’t fret? Are you blind? Do you not see what I see?” Jasmine growled out. Kelanie just smiled at her.

  “I am no more blind than you, child. He will be no worse than he was this morning in a few moments,” she said. Her hand waved in the air as Lalamke knelt beside Horatio.

  “The Reaper blood is almost gone. He’s burning through it,” he said.

  Lalamke’s hands moved along Horatio’s body. He started to chant. My heart was hammering about as hard as Jasmine’s was. She watched him as she knelt beside me on the floor. I wrapped my arm around her and she reached out to touch Horatio. Her fingers curled into his scruff.

  “Re-reapers d-did t-this…” she stuttered out. I could feel her entire body start to shake. I raised a brow when she jerked away from me and got to her feet. “Reapers… no. Reapers… I thought… oh, God.”

  “What is it, my sweet girl?” Kelanie asked as she moved to stand before Jasmine. Jasmine shook her he
ad, tears rolling down her face. Horatio growled, and I moved to pull him against me. If he woke up and felt threatened he’d lash out. I spotted him as he began to shift. His body shook, then went still in my arms. His chest rose and fell until he was able to blink his eyes open.

  “That. Fucking. Hurt!” he grunted.

  “You came close to being a rug. It’s a shame. Your pelt is so pretty,” Lalamke said, a smirk tugging at his lips. Horatio scowled but made no move to get back at the Fae.

  “He-he’s okay?” Jasmine stuttered out.

  “Yes,” Kelanie said. “There was not enough Reaper blood in him to do lasting damage.” She pauses to look back at Horatio. “This time, at least, he was spared. I can’t say this won’t happen again. I still am unsure of how those shifters got bullets laced with Reaper blood.”

  “Cowards, the lot of them. You should’ve let me take them all down,” Asheron said from the doorway. Damn, I hadn’t even felt him, nor had I heard the door open.

  “Do not despair, you will have your fun soon enough. They will be back.”

  “It’s my fault…” Jasmine whispered, then bolted out of the open door.

  Seventeen

  Jasmine

  This was my fault. All of it. I ran into the trees, my heartbeat thundering inside of my chest. I ran towards the clearing. I needed air. The pounding of feet behind me sent a jolt of panic through me. Shit!

  “Jassy!” Huge arms wrapped around me. I was lifted into the air, a scream escaping my lips. “Shh baby, it’s me. It’s okay.”

  A sob broke through me. Reapers… the Reapers are here because of me. I should have told them.. But he said not too. This was my fault. Horacio had been hurt because of me! My body shook as I screamed again, this time from anguish, not fear.

  “Is she okay?” I heard Horatio say. He sounded a little breathless. My gaze met his and then I threw myself - as best as I could, since Ty was still holding me - at him. Strong arms released me into another set of arms. “I’ve got you.”

  “Jassy, baby, what is it?” Ty asked. So many emotions were playing across his face as he looked between me and Horatio.

  “They’re-they’re here ‘cause of me!” I screamed, trying to get free of the arms holding me.

  “Stop, baby,” Horatio said.

  I shook my head as I cried. “He-he said so.” My body once again shook with sobs. I felt Horatio stumble slightly, but Ty steadied us. I panicked, my own worries momentarily forgotten. Damn, he looked pale. I cupped Horatio’s cheeks as my feet hit the ground. “I’m so-sorry...”

  “I’m okay,” he whispered, pressing a soft kiss to the inside of my wrist.

  “Kelanie!” Tiberius roared. “What is this!?” The air around us shifted and and she appeared. Her face was pulled into a tight grimace.

  “This is not my doing,” she snapped.

  “Then who’s is it? Why is our mate freaking out at the mention of Reapers? People she knows nothing about?” Ty snarled.

  “Ask her! I don’t know,” she said, her finger pointing my direction.

  “My-my father…” I whispered. Every eye in the clearing turned to me. Three men I’d never seen before stepped out of the tree line. Their faces were full of shock. Why was the mention of my father a big deal?

  “Your father?” I nodded at my grandmother.

  “Are you sure?” One of the men behind my grandmother asked. I didn’t know who he was, but since neither Tiberius nor Horatio reacted to him being there I figured he was safe. I nodded. But was I really sure it was my father? He said he was. He looked like the man from my dream…

  “I-I don’t know… now.” As the words left my mouth, a chill ran through me. As one we all turned to see a large man - a really large man - came through the thickets of trees. His long hair swung behind him in a ponytail. The worn brown leather pants and vest he wore added to his menacing appearance. The sound of his boots clomping on the ground sounded like a herd of buffalo. I got a good look as my Grandmother moved to greet the man.

  He was bigger than my boys… Holy Hell. I took a step back. My stomach rolled at the possibilities. Was he a Reaper? What was happening here?

  “Micah, what have you done?” Grandmother asked him. He shook his head as he moved past her. The large man stopped before the boys. I had wedged myself between, yet behind them. Yeah, I was a chicken shit, but with good reason.

  “Micah,” the boys both replied, not sounding all that enthused that he was here.

  “Kelanie, what is going on here?” The man called Micah glanced at her then turned back to face me. His brows pulled together in confusion.

  “I was hoping you would enlighten us, oh great one,” she said, distaste clear in her tone. His eyes flashed gold and he spun to face her.

  “Do not test me, Fae!”

  “You do not speak to me this way, wolf. I will make a rug out of you, yet,” she muttered. I watched them with rapt attention. His lips curled up in the corner before he spun back to face me. His eyes glowed a deep gold. It was as if he had a fire in his eyes. Something in that gaze held me transfixed.

  “Later, maybe, right now I need to speak to my daughter.” I gasped as the memories of what I had seen flashed back in my head. I stumbled backwards. It was different now. This was the man that was in the clearing with my mother. Not the one who had told me of the Reapers. I gripped my head as pain shot through me. It felt as if my body was on fire.

  The sensations ripping through me quickly dissipated when a cool hand laid across my cheek. My eyes fluttered open to see my Grandmother kneeling beside me. “Calm now, child, you are safe.” I let out a shaky breath as the arms around me loosened slightly.

  “What. Was. That?” I panted out.

  “A curse?” someone growled out in question.

  “No, it was a safeguard established when she was born. It has been released now…”

  “A what?” I croaked.

  “It’s gone now. Do not fret, my girl. It was not meant to harm you.” I met my Grandmother’s gaze. I saw the pain in her eyes. I reached up and cupped her hand with mine. I remembered her words from the dream..the memory I’d had. She had bound my powers… what kind of powers did I have?

  “I’m okay, I think.” I glanced around to see everyone was staring at me.

  “Would someone tell me what in the hell is going on here? Why are my mates being targeted? I swear I will rip this entire city apart,” Ty growled, starting to pace. The lines of muscles in his back shifted with each move he made. I sighed and rubbed my face after my Grandmother stood.

  “The same reason her mother was. They both hold true to the old prophecy of a rebirth. There is no easy way to say this-”

  “Jasmine, my daughter,” the large man - my father - spoke as he knelt before me, his head bowed momentarily before he stood again. “You are a shifter-fae hybrid. Your grandmother hid your powers and your ability to shift so that you could not be tracked by the Reapers.” The growl that rumbled through him made Ty sound like a cub. I shuddered. “I am unlike your mates. I am unlike most shifters. I am part of a dying breed, which you and a few others like you will help bring back.”

  “What-what are you?” I asked, wide eyed. I saw Tiberius exchange a look with Horatio. Grandmother looked away from me before he spoke.

  “My daughter, I am a dire wolf.” His eyes once again blazed gold. I blinked at that.

  “You-” I laughed. A small laugh but a laugh. He was a dire wolf. An ancient, extinct animal? Someone had a Game of Thrones obsession. I shook my head and pushed back from Horatio.

  I was going back to the cabin to have a hot bath and pass out. When I woke up, this dream would be over and my life would not be as big of a chaotic mess as it now seemed.

  There was no way that this was real. I refuse to believe it!

  Eighteen

  Horatio

  The last few days have been a wild ride. Jasmine hasn’t really adjusted to the changes around here. With the news of the Reapers being on the hunt for
her, the local wolf pack trying to get to her, and in turn, us, things are a little tense. I’ve been sidelined due to my injuries, which has me and my Jaguar pacing the cabin. The Reaper’s blood kicked my ass. I’m better, completely healed and all, but with the tense situation around us me being sidelined might be best. This way I am here with Jasmine, even when Ty’s out on patrols.

  “You’re wearing a hole in the floor.” I jerked, turning to snarl at the Fae behind me. Damn, I hadn’t heard or felt, her coming in. Amandrell scowled at me. It took a moment to straighten from my attack position.

  “Do you damn Fae not know how to knock on a door?” I growled out. I hated when they snuck up on me. It made me jumpy.

  “Don’t get pissy with me, cat. Where is the girl?” she asked. I raised a brow and gave her an uneasy look. Why did she want to know where Jasmine was?

  “She’s busy,” I said. My arms crossed over my chest.

  “Well then, give her this. It is from her grandmother.” She handed me a rolled scroll. I snorted and shook my head. It was an official message from the council. I’d recognize it anywhere. It also smelled like Micah. I sighed and nodded my head.

  “So it shall be,” I muttered in the formal tone I used while before the Guardian Council and turned to walk away from her. This time, I felt the air shift with her departure. I moved to the back of the cabin to our room. I slowly opened the door and peeked inside. Jasmine sat in the middle of the bed, her nose buried in one of the books her Grandmother had given her the other day. She was reading about her “people”, well, our people, I guess.

  Her soft words as she read to herself made me smiling. I pushed the door open a little more and slid to the floor. She needed her time, but I’ll be honest, just hearing her voice made my inner beast calm.

  “On the day of the great awakening, the faery prince, Montroy Vikord, set a blazing wall of hellfire across the greenery surrounding his castle in Faery. The winged Draykons, or Drakes as they were called, in his command took to the skies. The supersized land beasts ran for the open forests as the large bird like creatures with wings made of fire soaring above dove to greet the newest of their beings. Now free of the castle, they were able to travel into a new land, one that moved slower, yet was harsher. It was what is known now as the human realm.