The Touch of Snow

by Anna Edwards

  "There are more?"

  "I'm afraid to tell you that there are all sorts of shifters in the world, not just the ones you have seen here. Some are pure breeds, others are hybrid. Some live alone, some in packs."

  "I never knew any of this existed. Then again, it's not as if I know very much." She sighed. "What about the others?"

  Kas, and those you saw downstairs fighting, they are what I call my Glacial Blood family. We are not the same blood, but that doesn't mean we are not family. We exist to protect each other and live together. I guess ‘glacial blood’ is a play on words."

  "Good. For a minute, I thought you were going to tell me you had vampires here as well."

  "No vampires here. There are vampire bat shifters but not in our pack. “I'm a snow leopard, Kas is a polar bear, we have two lions, Scott and Emma, Katia is a tiger-lioness hybrid, a wolf called Tyler, and a brown bear called Zain. That is the pack that live here. We have additional people around the world though, but I prefer to just interact with a few people. Plus, we have Jessica, she is a witch."

  "No vampires, but witches. Got it." If her head wasn't going to explode before, it was now.

  "How did you all meet?"

  "Kas' family owns the land we are on."

  "I thought it was a national park." She raised a taunting eyebrow.

  "That is what we allow the humans to think." Brayden smirked.

  "Silly me."

  "He met my father shortly after he'd taken over as the leader. They were young and became good friends. When my dad died I was given a place, for life, in the pack. Zain arrived when I was fifteen. He was seventeen and had been traveling for at least a year. We think he was running away from something, but he's very quiet and doesn't talk about his past. Jessica and Kas were friends from youth. When she split from her lover, she became a permanent member here. Katia and Tyler grew up here. Their parents were here for several years. They are still on the land, but not in the main day-to-day part of the pack anymore. They are enjoying a well-earned retirement."

  "You mentioned an Emma?"

  "Emma is like a little sister to me. She was abandoned by her family as a baby. We have a Council that governs all shifters, that’s what we call ourselves. It's all very secret. Anyway, the Council asked Kas to take Emma in. We had a few females around then, that were able to nurse her. Kas will never turn away a stray."

  She pulled away from him and sat up so that she could look directly into his jade eyes. He still held her hand through the sheet.

  "This is a lot to take in, isn't it?" Brayden asked.

  "Almost as much as it probably is for you to see me change when you touch me." She smiled.

  "Yes, that was a bit of a shock. I was bracing myself not to think about being a snow leopard. I really didn't expect you to grow fur instead."

  "What is going to happen to me?"

  "Kas is going to help you discover who, and what you are. Mom is downstairs. She wasn't impressed that I took you. I'm just glad I'm too big to go over her knee. Though I don't think I'm getting any steak from her in the foreseeable future."

  Food. She pulled her hand away. "What do you eat?"

  "Are you asking me if we eat humans?"

  "Yes." Now wasn't the time to beat around the bush, Selene thought.

  "No, we don't eat humans. Yes, we have killed people before when they have threatened the safety of the pack. We have been respectful and given them a proper burial, on consecrated ground based on their religion. As for what we eat, well you've already seen me eat ice cream and a burger. I even ate the lettuce you put in it. Snow leopards are rare, in the cat world, in that we eat vegetation with our meat. We go to the shops like anyone else and buy meat, we just generally prefer it rare. If we are up in the mountains or on a hunt, then we eat wild animals. Kas loves seals, he requires a lot of blubber in his diet. Zain is typically found in a lake after fish or with his hand in a beehive after the honey.

  "Doesn't that hurt?"

  "You would think so, but apparently not. They can't penetrate his long fur. It's actually quite funny to watch. He shoves his hand in and grabs the comb. Then makes a dash for it, shaking them all off him like water droplets. It's normally the other guys and I who get stung."

  "You seem very close, despite obvious differences in your natures."

  "We are. Like I said, they are my family, brothers and sisters."

  "It's nice. You have a playful nature. I saw that with the two lions fighting. It looked savage, but every movement was orchestrated not to hurt."

  "We are just like a litter of clubs playing, really."

  "That's a good analogy."

  Brayden wrapped his hands within the sheet and took both of hers in his.

  "Selene, I know I scared you the other night. What I did with the dart, bringing you here. I'm sorry. I panicked."

  "Yes, you did, but then, I'm not exactly normal."

  "You want to find out where you come from. That is why my mom called me, isn't it?"

  "Yes."

  "Here and now, you have my word. Together we will find out." Tears started to form in Selene’s eyes, it had been such a stressful few hours. In fact, it had been a nightmarish six months. She had no idea where she'd come from or even what she was doing here. But in this moment, with Brayden's ardent stare telling her she could trust him, that she wasn't something bad and evil, or someone’s dinner, she was finally feeling relaxed. Maybe she had a purpose, and together they would find out what.

  "Thank you." They both moved closer, their lips inches apart. Was this to be a kiss? Was this to be a chance at hope?

  A knock at the door broke the trance. Brayden pulled away and jumped off the bed. The door opened and the woman she'd seen shift into a lioness, earlier, entered.

  "Sorry to interrupt. Kas wants us all in the lounge. Miss Harper, as well. Jessica is here."

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Brayden sat on his chair, his strong hand stroking the rough stubble on his jaw. Selene stood in the middle of the room surrounded by the pack. His mother sat beside him and Kas reclined in his usual chair.

  "Zain, you go first." Kas' commanding voice bellowed out his instructions.

  "Why do we have to do this? Surely we know she changes." The big bear folded his arms across his chest.

  "We need to just test the strength of Selene's powers. Ensure that it is all animals she shifts with and not just certain ones," Jessica told Zain.

  "Ok, I'll do it; but if she changes, and goes after my honey, then I won't be a happy bear."

  Brayden tried not to laugh. Zain was always very protective of his honey. He had pots of the stuff in a cupboard in his room and kept it locked, and the key on him, at all times.

  "Zain." This time it was Selene's turn to provide reassurance. "I promise you, I will not touch your honey. It is safe. I'm not a big fan of it anyway."

  "You don't like honey?" Zain's face looked incredulous. "She doesn't like honey." Zain turned to Brayden. "Is that why she is so small?"

  "She might be small, but she packs a punch. I've still got bruises to prove it; and there is a jock in Death Valley who is probably still singing falsetto after she hit him in the balls."

  Zain whipped his head back to Selene, "New rule, she can have all the honey that she wants, but she has to leave my testicles alone."

  Kas groaned and put his head in his hands.

  Selene said, "I promise you, Zain, your testicles are safe. I think you better touch me so we can see if I change, or Kas might go after your honey." Zain growled in Kas' direction. The polar bear responded in kind. Selene took matters into her own hands and touched Zain's flesh. Her hand started to shift into a bear’s paw.

  "Enough," Kas called out, and Brayden saw Zain jump back. Selene returned to her natural state. "Tyler, your turn."

  Brayden watched as Tyler stepped forward and touched Selene. She again started to shift, into a wolf. Emma and Scott followed, Selene stayed true to her sex and became a lioness both times.

>   Next up was Katia, the lion-tiger hybrid.

  "You're a tiger and lion, aren't you?" Selene queried.

  "Yes, my mother is a white tiger and my father a lion."

  "A hybrid, like Brayden is."

  "With Brayden, I change to a snow leopard, what will I change to with Katia?" Selene turned to ask Jessica.

  "I'm not sure. It could be both, or it could be the more dominant. With Brayden, his leopard side is the strongest because humans are weak." She looked at Jane, "No offense, Mrs. Dillon."

  "None taken." Thankfully, his mother smiled.

  "The only way we will know is if you touch her."

  "Okay." Selene stepped forward. Brayden leaned forward in his seat; as intrigued, as everyone else, by what she would change into. Her body began to transform. Golden fur. No stripes. Katia's touch turned Selene into a lioness.

  "Yes, lions rule." Scott jumped up and pumped his fists into the air.

  "It would indeed appear that my father's genes are the stronger of my two. I secretly hoped you would be, at least a little bit, tiger."

  "I'm sorry. If I could explain it, I would try to make me more tiger."

  Katia laughed, and Selene joined in. It was the first time since they'd had lunch together that Brayden had heard her laugh. It lit up the room.

  He adjusted his position, his, suddenly, tight jeans needing a bit more space.

  "When Katia shifts, is she mainly lion?"

  "Katia, shift." Jessica had caught onto Selene's train of thought. The tigress removed her clothes. This time it was Selene's turn to blush. She'd get used to the nakedness. Especially with Tyler’s penchant for removing his clothes whenever possible. Katia shifted into her natural state, a brilliant white lion with jet black stripes.

  "Wow, she's beautiful." Katia rubbed against Selene's long skirt in a thank you. She reached down and, when she stroked the tigress, black and white stripes appeared on Selene’s arm. Katia shifted back to human and hugged Selene tightly.

  "Katia, could we please put Miss Harper down? I think you may be scaring her." Kas shook his head.

  "Sorry. I'm just so happy that my stronger form as an animal is a tiger. Tigers rock." She stuck her tongue out at Scott, who just rolled his eyes and went back to scratching behind his ear with his foot.

  "So, Brayden is stronger as an animal in both his forms?"

  "Did you touch him when he shifted?"

  She looked at him. Had she? Brayden couldn't really remember.

  "I don't think so."

  "No, I think I just froze. I was probably too worried about being eaten by my boss' son than to think about stroking the pretty kitty behind the ear."

  "I'm not a pretty kitty." He hissed back at her.

  "Sorry, a great big manly specimen of leopard-hood." Selene taunted.

  "Better." Brayden smugly folded his arms over his chest.

  "Do you want to test the theory?" Jessica proposed.

  "I'm not entirely sure Selene should be reading his thoughts at the moment." Tyler howled with laughter.

  "What, you scared that she might find out I'm planning on eating you for dinner tonight?" Brayden rasped out a commanding response.

  "I'd like to see you try." The wolf puffed up.

  "Children." Jane interrupted. "Brayden, shift so we can see. Selene needs to know everything she can about her abilities."

  He stood and shifted before shaking out of his clothes.

  "I hope you don't expect me to tidy them up." His mother sighed behind him as he padded towards Selene. The young waitress was shaking, and his keen eyesight let him see her take a deep swallow. She'd not been as scared of Katia in tiger/lion form. He could smell the fear coming from her. Why was she so afraid of him?

  Slowly she got down onto her knees before him. Her head bowed. He moved around her, being careful not to touch her flesh. The room had gone silent. He was marking her with his scent before them. She was his. He stopped in front of her, his face inches from hers. She lifted her hand, and he growled softly. She hesitated and swallowed again. He mewled and jerked his head to let her know she could touch him. She stroked her hand down his head, and fur and claws started to appear. She let out a long breath, and he purred. He shifted back, and she averted her eyes when he stood naked before her.

  "Brayden, please warn your mother before you shift." He looked to his mother who had her hands over her eyes.

  "Sorry, Mom."

  "So, it would seem that Brayden is strongest as an animal as well. You cannot read any of our thoughts as we are predominately animals." Kas spoke, while Brayden grabbed his clothes and dressed.

  "It would appear so, but I'm interested to see what happens next." Jessica stepped forward.

  "You are human, surely I will just hear your thoughts?" Selene returned to her feet and stood directly in front of Jessica.

  "I don't know what will happen. If you touch me, it could blow this room up. Or nothing will happen. Or you will just hear my thoughts."

  "Okay, then."

  "Do you still need us?" Tyler stood. "I thought maybe we could..."

  "Sit Tyler. Proceed, Jessica."

  Selene reluctantly held her hand out, and Jessica took it in a firm hold. Brayden held his breath, and a green hue started to travel up Selene's arm. Both women watched as pagan symbols began to appear all over her skin. The transformation happened much more quickly that it did for changing to an animal. In a matter of seconds, Selene had completely transformed. Jessica took her other hand.

  "I'd almost forgotten what a witch's natural state looked like."

  "Green with weird symbols, it seems." Selene didn't look too sure about what was happening to her.

  "I want to try something. Do you consent?"

  "It doesn't involve trying to blow the room up?"

  "No. I want you to do a small spell. You see the chair I was sitting in? I'm going to clear my mind and incant a few words, and I want you to concentrate on the chair rising up off the floor. Normally I would do both. I want to see if, while joined, we can split the magic."

  Selene looked over to Brayden, and he gave her a nod.

  "Imagine the chair rising up. Got it?"

  Jessica shut her eyes only to open them, moments later, to reveal clear white orbs where her eyes had been. Selene tried to pull her hands back, but the witch held tight.

  "I don't know if I want to do this." Selene was panic-stricken. Brayden had seen Jessica go like this on numerous occasions, but for a first time, on top of everything else, it was probably pushing Selene's boundaries.

  Kas looked over to him, willing him to reassure her.

  "Selene, you can do this. We are all here for you." Being a team player wasn't really his strength.

  "Please."

  He got to his feet and went to her. Without touching her skin, he placed his hands on her shoulders.

  "I'm here. Look at the chair. Imagine it flying. Like the birds in Death Valley."

  "You mean the vultures?"

  "Whatever helps."

  She looked at the chair, her stare narrowing as she focused on it. He lifted his hands but made no movement to return to his seat. Selene would be able to feel him close.

  "Rise." The word tumbled from her lips, and at the same time, Jessica started to chant her spell. "Rise, rise, rise."

  Everybody focused on the chair. It started to wobble. Selene's breath hitched. The chair lifted off the ground, into the air, and slammed into the ceiling. People yelled as it smashed into pieces and parts of the ceiling came falling down. Selene pulled her hands away from Jessica and thrust herself into Brayden’s chest; her hands outstretched behind him, so she didn't touch his flesh.

  Jessica returned to the living world.

  "Wow. I didn't expect it to work that well. It appears that you not only take on my powers but also amplify them. That could be very useful."

  "You know what Selene is?" It suddenly dawned on Brayden that this had all been testing by Jessica. It was putting Selene through somet
hing she didn't need to go through. He growled and pushed Selene to the side. "Talk."

  "I had to be confident about what the Council told me." Jessica backed away.

  "Certain of what?" he hissed.

  "Selene is a very rare type of shifter, a multa-transfiguarian. They are created by the gods, gifted to the Earth. There are only five of them known to exist."

  "Created?" Selene pushed him aside as she stood up to Jessica this time.

  "You can’t remember anything before waking up, because, there was nothing before you woke up."

  "I've no mother or father?"

  "No, but so little is known about your kind."

  "My kind?" Her response was curt. Selene felt affronted, she may not know much about what she was, but she knew she didn’t like being referred to as a ‘kind’.

  "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that offensively."

  "I know." Selene's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Who is this Council?"

  Kas stood up to answer this question. “The Council governs all shifters, and other non-humans, around the world. They came into existence because of arguments between us that turned really nasty. Each pack was allowed to choose a representative. Any problems are decided democratically. The Council collect records for future generations, provide teaching to those that need it, and sanctuary as well. Due to the disputes, many shifters have lost their homes. They go to the Council and are placed with other packs." Kas’ explanation of the Council seemed pretty simple and particularly polite for a man who would rather not deal with them.

  "Why didn’t they come for me when I was created?"

  "That is a good question, and one I cannot answer." Jessica responded.

  "What happens now? Can I go home with Jane?"

  Selene was facing Kas again.

  "I would advise against that."

  "Why?"

  Jessica was at her side. "The Council assures me that one day you will be able to control the powers you have. Learn the imprint of the creatures you touch and choose when to shift and return to your normal state. Until then, you are vulnerable."

  "Vulnerable, like I could have touched Brayden in the middle of the café and exposed him?"