by Ava Hunt
Ken stepped in and asked, “Can you read thoughts both as a human and as a bear.”
“Yes. Though I think the ability is stronger when I’m a bear. I don’t feel like I have to focus as hard as when I’m human.”
“If we’re right about humans having defense mechanisms that protect our brains from the effects of the solar storms, he could have some of the same defense mechanisms built into his human brain,” Ken reasoned.
But Gretchen was thinking of something else. “How exactly do you transform, Justin? What do you have to do to make it happen?”
He shrugged, “I mostly just focus on what I want to become.”
“Physically? Like you envision what you’ll look like?”
“Mmm…” Justin thought for a moment. “More like how it feels to be human or bear. I remember when I was little, we lived out in a cabin in the woods for the longest time. I couldn’t control the change yet, nor the bear itself, so my parents kept me hidden away. One day, I had changed into a bear, and I was out of control, worse than usual. My mother was there, talking to me in soothing tones, trying to help me calm down and change back. I hate to admit it, but I clawed at her. Her arm was bleeding and she was crying, and somehow, my bear mind imagined how she must be feeling, how hurt and scared she must be. I changed back immediately.”
He could feel the excitement building in Gretchen before she said a word. She sorted through her thoughts for a moment before she burst. “That fits perfectly! You felt empathy for your mom! Your supramarginal gyrus was active! How old were you, six or seven?”
“Yeah.”
“Children don’t display cognitive empathy until about that age. It all makes sense!”
“But I never think about other people now,” Justin argued, hating to dampen Gretchen’s mood.
“Don’t you see? As a bear, you developed empathy for your human self, and vice versa. Your two forms are different enough that you don’t have to think of other people at all!”
It seemed ironic to Justin. Over the past ten years, he had become more and more selfish, but he had never struggled to shift. It was because he only felt empathy, if you could call it that, for himself.
“I could stay here all night, finding more tests and scans to figure all this out,” Gretchen said, “but I know you’d probably like to get home. Would you mind if we just take some blood samples before you go? We’ll get them processed tomorrow and see what we can find out.”
Justin agreed, not failing to notice that Gretchen had exhibited empathy as easily as she breathed, much like Kimber. He couldn’t remember the last time he had independently bothered to think about how someone else felt, which made him feel terrible. When Ken poked him with the needle and started to draw blood, he couldn’t help feeling as if he deserved the pain.
When Justin left the lab, he had several text messages from Elle. “Can we go to dinner tonight?” “Where are you?” After that, it was more of the same but with progressively more cursing. He sighed. He had called her after lunch to do some damage control. During the phone call he had mentioned that he had a late work meeting, and yet his high-maintenance fake girlfriend still felt the need to verbally abuse him for being busy. Normally he would have blown her off and dealt with the consequences, but right now, he had to be extra careful, so he called her, diffused the bomb, and arranged to meet her for a late dinner.
Dreading his dinner date, he called Kimber to talk as he drove to the restaurant. “Hey!” she said warmly. “How was everything at the lab?”
“It was great.” He explained some of the research team’s findings, but he made sure to leave out how they arrived at them.
“You sound so excited. I’m glad that you decided to fund this research, and I think it’s great that you’re getting more involved in it.”
“Actually, I think I’m going to continue to work with Ken and Gretchen after this. They’re pretty fantastic, and they’re so passionate about their work, it’s contagious. It’s refreshing to branch out into a different industry.”
“Well, you’ve pretty much mastered the computer software industry. I bet it’s exciting to do something new.”
“Definitely. And I have you to thank for it.”
Kimber chuckled. “You’re thanking me for guilting you into philanthropy? I feel like I wasn’t very nice about it.”
“That was exactly what I needed. You know, this is why we work so well. You see my potential, and you’re not afraid to force me in that direction. Meanwhile, I’ve always had a bit of a soft spot for you, so you’re the only one who can get away with it.”
“Yeah, I’ve left work several days wondering if I would still have a job in the morning.”
“You’re just lucky that you’re such a good assistant,” Justin teased.
Laughing, Kimber said, “I guess so. Hey, what are you up to now?”
Justin could tell by the slight hesitancy in her tone that asking the question made her nervous. She probably wanted to suggest that they get together. Justin would have liked nothing more, but instead, he had to let her down and lie to her. Their relationship was off to a great start, thanks to Elle.
“I’m actually heading home, but I didn’t get much done at work today with all the time I spent at the lab, so I’ll be working pretty late. Can we plan on spending time together tomorrow after work? I’d love to take you to dinner.”
“I would love that too. Well, I hope you’re not up too late.”
“Me too. But if I am, it will be your fault.”
“What? Why?”
“Because I’ll be distracted thinking about how I’d rather be with you.”
“Oh, you’re so sweet. A little cheesy, but sweet.”
“I do what I can,” Justin said, pulling up to the restaurant where he would meet Elle. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait.”
CHAPTER 12
Justin’s heart dropped when he saw Elle sitting there in their usual booth at Sofia’s. They had been here together so many times, but he had never been so tempted to walk away and leave her sitting there all alone. Unfortunately, she spotted him and waved as if nothing had changed. He joined her, giving her a reluctant kiss on the cheek and faking a smile. “How are you, babe?” The pet name tasted sour on his tongue.
“I’m just fine. Look what I bought today.” She held out her hand to show him a ring with a vintage setting and a huge sapphire. Justin tried not to visibly balk. He was sure it had cost a couple thousand dollars, and even surer that she had used his credit card to buy it. Honestly, at this point, he was just glad it wasn’t on her left hand like an engagement ring. He wouldn’t have put it past her.
“It’s beautiful,” Justin said, taking her hand in his to get a closer look, even though he couldn’t have cared less.
“I figured I deserved it after the ordeal you’ve put me through over the past few days, especially after you stood me up this afternoon for lunch.”
Justin defended himself instinctively. “I didn’t stand you up. I didn’t know you were coming.”
She stared him down, her mood shifting instantly. “We’ve always had a standing lunch date on Tuesdays. You told me nothing had to change. You already went back on your word.”
Justin could hear her mentally revisiting the idea of blackmailing him, so he backpedaled quickly. “I just meant that I lost track of what day it was. I would never intentionally miss our Tuesday lunch date.”
Elle eyed him distrustfully, but then their server arrived to drop of some bread and take their orders. When he left, she switched tactics. “You should have seen Kimber’s face when I showed up at the office today. It was as red as a tomato. She looked completely ridiculous. I knew she didn’t like me, but this was extreme, even for her.”
“Well, she knew we were reconsidering our relationship. When I came in on Monday, I must have looked miserable because she wouldn’t leave me alone until I told her what was going on. She was probably just surprised to see you.”
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“Surprised? More like infuriated. That poor, pathetic girl. You must know how lovesick she is. She’s delusional, thinking she could ever be good enough for someone like you.”
Justin’s nostrils flared as he breathed deeply, focusing on the bread he was buttering, trying to control his temper. At this moment, he felt some serious remorse for ever letting Elle make fun of Kimber. She was cruel, and she was wrong. He ached to stand up for Kimber, or better yet, stand up, leave, and go find Kimber. But he knew Elle would do everything in her power to destroy him if she found out what was really going on between him and his assistant. Instead, although it was heart wrenching, he agreed. “Yeah, it’s pretty sad.”
The server brought their drinks, and Elle took a sip as he walked away, characteristically neglecting to thank him. “By the way, you never told me what you thought of the party. Not that you were actually there for very long,” she said, taking a stab at him wherever she could.
“You did a fantastic job putting it all together. I was having a great time until that business call took me away.”
“Then why did you tear it all apart and scare everyone half to death?”
Justin froze, like a deer in headlights. He had hoped she wouldn’t put that together, but he had to admit it would have been pretty obvious once she found out he was a shapeshifter. “I was frustrated by the business call. Our client was wanting to add more features to the program that they wanted by the end of the next business day.” He lowered his voice as he said, “I shifted to help cope with the stress.”
“Don’t you have any self-control when you … you know … change? Because that sounds terrifying, Justin.”
He was cornered. He wasn’t willing to divulge any information about his mind-reading, especially because he didn’t want to tell Elle about how he’d found out that nobody actually liked him. His social connections were part of his appeal, and he was afraid that she might be less inclined to continue dating him if she thought they were in jeopardy. Yet he couldn’t think of any other reason why he would have crashed the party. His mind fought for an explanation, even venturing into hers to see if he could find an excuse that she would find acceptable.
“All out of lies?” Elle asked.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“I’m not sure I want to date a guy who can do what you do, especially if you can’t even control yourself in that form.”
“But I can. I’ve never done anything that I hadn’t consciously chosen to do.”
“So you wanted to ruin the party I threw for you? I’m not sure that’s any better.”
The server appeared again, interrupting the argument as he placed their plates of food in front of them. Neither of them even bothered to pick up their utensils.
“It had nothing to do with you, Elle. I was frustrated and angry and I wanted everyone off my property. I admit, it was an overdramatic way to handle it, and I’m sorry that I hurt you. That was never my intention.”
Elle was quiet, deciding if the apology was enough. Feeling that she needed more to convince her to back down, he added, “Let me make it up to you. What if we go to Maui this weekend? Would that help you feel better?”
“Maybe,” she pouted.
Justin could feel that she was just trying to milk the situation for all it was worth, but he was willing to play along. “We’ll charter a private yacht and everything.” If he hadn’t figured out how to get rid of Elle by the weekend, it was going to be pure torture.
“I guess it’s worth a shot,” Elle shrugged. She acted so nonchalant about it, and looking into her mind, Justin could see that this wasn’t that big a deal to her. He couldn’t help imagining Kimber’s reaction if he had offered to take her to Maui, spur of the moment like this. She would be thrilled, not only about the trip, but also to spend time alone with him. In fact, as soon as he neutralized the threat Elle represented, he would hop on a plane with Kimber and spend a whole week in Hawaii.
The two of them finally picked up their forks and began to eat in strained silence. After a few minutes, Elle laughed out of nowhere. “What’s so funny?” Justin wondered.
“See that girl over there? In the purple dress? It’s the same dress Kimber was wearing at your party. She must have gotten it at, like, Macy’s or something.”
“Not everyone can afford custom-made dresses, Elle,” Justin said. Had she always been this mean? Had she always felt the need to pick on Kimber like this? It had never bothered him them as much as it did now.
“It’s not just that. That girl looks okay, but Kimber doesn’t exactly have the body for a dress like that. You know what I mean? Like, it wasn’t doing her any favors.”
Justin was sick and tired of her superiority complex, and he refused to be party to it any longer, especially if it meant criticizing someone he cared so much about. He couldn’t let this go any further. If Elle decided to take him down, so be it.
“Is this really necessary? Does this make you feel better about yourself? Who cares what Kimber decides to wear? Who cares how she looks in it? She, and every other girl for that matter, should be able to wear whatever she chooses without people like you making her feel inferior for the shape of her body.”
Anger was brewing beneath the surface as Elle said, “Is that right?”
“Yeah! I can’t do this anymore, Elle! You are conceited and condescending and just mean. I don’t understand how you can put up with yourself. I don’t understand how I put up with you for so long. This is it, Elle, no matter the consequences. We. Are. Done.”
For several moments, the former couple just stared at each other, their food forgotten. “You can’t dump me,” Elle eventually growled.
“Actually, yes, I can. I just did.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You really don’t want to do that,” she threatened.
“I really do.” Justin leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. “What are you going to do about it?”
“Oh, nothing. As long as you agree to my terms. If not, I’ll make sure the whole world finds out what you are.”
Justin rolled his eyes. “What do you want?”
“I think about ten million dollars ought to do it.”
“You’ve got to be kidding. Do you have any idea what kind of difference someone could make in the world with ten million dollars?”
Elle laughed. “And when have you ever given a dime to make a difference in the world? You’re just as selfish as I am. You think you’re better than me. You think you want to change, but it won’t last. Selfishness is innate in people like us.”
“You don’t have to do this, Elle. I swear you’ll regret it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You can’t touch me. You can either give me the money, or everyone can find out what kind of monster you really are. I’m sure Kimber will be especially thrilled to know you’ve been lying to her.”
“Kimber? What does she have to do with anything?”
“You really are a good liar! If I hadn’t seen the way you interact with her every single day, I might have actually believed that you don’t care about her.”
“Can’t you just leave her out of this? She’s a good person. This is about you and me,” Justin argued.
“That’s true. But if I really want to hurt you, I have to go through her. Isn’t that right?”
By this point, Justin was fuming, and it was a struggle to stay in his human form. His bear wanted to tear her to shreds, just like he had done to the party last night. He wouldn’t have minded transforming and scaring her a little, but he couldn’t do that in public. Besides, he was afraid he wouldn’t be able to control his animal instincts when he was this angry, and he didn’t want to have her blood on his hands.
Aside from physical violence, Justin didn’t see any way out of Elle’s blackmail, especially without putting Kimber at risk. He didn’t have to feel her raging emotions to know how vindictive Elle could be. She wouldn’t hesitate to hurt Kimber, just to get to him. With a sigh, Justin gave in, sa
ying, “Fine. You’ll have your money by tomorrow evening.” He knew it wasn’t a long-term solution. There was no way to make sure she completely deleted the video when it could be saved to her computer or even uploaded to a secure online storage service. Still, he hadn’t given up hope yet. He had just less than 24 hours to outsmart Elle.
CHAPTER 13
When Kimber had ended her call with Justin about an hour earlier, there was a huge smile plastered across her face. She went back into the restaurant, walking over to the bar where she had left Vivienne when she stepped outside to take the call. It was clear that she had been unsuccessful in trying to subdue her grin when Viv observed, “Someone looks happy. What did he have to say?”
“He just told me what he found out at the lab. And he said he has to work tonight, but he wants to spend some time together tomorrow night.”
“Kimber, this is your fairy tale. You’ve wanted this for, like, ten years or something.”
“I know,” Kimber said, beaming radiantly. “I can’t believe it’s actually happening. I’m trying not to get my hopes too high, though. Who knows what will happen over the next few days?”
“Oh, come on. You’re the most optimistic person I know. This is just the catalyst that puts all your wedding plans into action. I know you’ve planned it all out.”
“I have not!”
“You’ve never considered it?”
“Well, I am a typical girl, and I’d be lying if I said the thought had never crossed my mind. But right now, I’m just enjoying it all.”
“As you should! So, I feel like I need to live vicariously through you. Tell me how it all happened.”
“Well, we got into the elevator after work, and that’s when the power –”