“If someone asks, tell them we’re monitoring wildlife,” I said, taking one last bite of toast.
“I agree.” Matt stood, brushing crumbs from his shirt. “Make sure you dress warm it snowed last night.”
“What? It’s only September!” I groaned.
“Get used to it kiddo, we’re going to be here a while,” Dad said.
Get used to it? Yeah, right! There was like one season here: Winter. I trudged to my room and pulled out my thermal underwear, blue parka, mittens, hat and boots. Keetah shoved in the door with me and snorted.
“You better not be laughing, buddy.” I threatened my dog with a glare.
“Leave her alone, Keetah,” Matt said from the hall. “Or have you forgotten she’s going to make you into boots?”
“Ha-ha,” I said.
Keetah eyed me again then rushed from the room.
“Thanks Matt, you’ve given my pup a complex.” Once dressed, I ventured into the living room.
Matt chuckled and pulled my hat down over my eyes. “He’ll get over it.”
With our gear on, we grabbed the equipment and headed to the truck, where Dad already had the ATV loaded. I glanced down at the snow on the ground. There was only about three inches, which didn’t seem too bad but the winds whipped across the yard making the air frigid and my nostrils burned like I was drowning.
The snow blew about creating sparkling cyclones, the gusts of wind howling like a pack of wolves during a full moon.
“Lovely weather we’re having.” I wrapped my scarf around my face.
“Yeah, you might want to grab the sunscreen so you don’t get burned.” Matt laughed, pulling his gloves over his hands.
We loaded into the truck. This time, I hopped in the backseat with the equipment and supplies. Dad guided the vehicle down the gravel road, before veering away from town. Out here, there weren’t real roads, so he took it slow.
The vast white land spread out before us, sparkling like someone had dumped a bottle of glitter. I reminded myself winter in Alaska even though beautiful could be the death of someone. Kind of like a predator luring in its prey. I quaked at the thought of being one of its victims.
After a while, Dad pulled the truck to a stop and he and Matt unloaded the quad.
“Matt and I are going to hike up a ways.” Dad slung a gun over his shoulder and grabbed a couple of cameras.
“Okay, so what do you want me to do?” I said with a shrug.
“Take these two cameras and put them up somewhere nearby. I don’t want you wandering too far. There are dangerous animals out here.”
“In other words, turn your walkie-talkie on and stay on the ATV unless you’re mounting a camera,” Matt said behind me.
Sometimes it was hard to discern which of them was my father. But I nodded my understanding and set my walkie-talkie to the same channel as Dad’s. I started the quad, shifting it into gear then rode to an outcropping of rocks and shrubs I saw on our way in. When I got there, I slid off the seat and took off my gloves. I hung the camera on a small tree, tightening the straps and turning it on. When it was in place, I waved my hand in front of the lenses, making sure the motion detector picked up my movement. When it snapped the picture, I wrote down the location according to the GPS then tugged my glove back on.
My walkie-talkie crackled to life and I jumped losing my balance. With my free hand, I grabbed the steering wheel, almost falling off the ATV.
“You doing okay?” Dad’s distorted voice asked.
“Roger,” I said with a laugh. “I got my first camera mounted and am heading further east to get the second one in position.”
“All right, check in with me or Matt after you’re done,” he ordered.
I placed the device in my coat pocket then turned the four-wheeler around. I drove slow, trying to keep the wind from tearing my scarf off. At last, I came to a place to put the other camera. There was a nearby stream that wasn’t frozen yet, which would be a perfect watering hole for animals. And depending on the possible shifters we might be dealing with, this would be an ideal hunting spot. I do say, “might” because although my dad’s brilliant, there were times when we came away with nothing. I believed in legends and folklore, but nothing in this town convinced me there were people shifting into animals.
A small splash startled me, as I set up the last camera.
“Get a grip,” I whispered, peering around.
As I turned to go, I heard the distinct sound of rustling coming from the brush. I stopped walking and spun around to search behind me.
Pit-pat-growl.
At first, I didn’t see anything but I had enough sense to start moving in the direction of the four-wheeler. Before I got there, an arctic fox stepped between my ride and me. Normally these creatures were shy and stayed away from humans but this one didn’t appear to be right in the head.
It snarled, baring its small but sharp teeth. Holy crap! I had nowhere to go. Frozen in place (no pun intended), I wagered my options. Then I spied a large boulder next to the stream. It was high enough up that the fox wouldn’t be able to reach me. So I went against every nature show I’d ever seen and ran like hell. My fingers dug into the rock, and I boosted myself up onto it, using a crack in it as a step. Then I began to slide backward.
“No!”
For a brief moment, I thought for sure I was going to slip off the icy surface, but by some miracle, I clung on and pulled myself on top of it.
With shaking hands, I reached for my walkie-talkie only to find it missing.
“Come on, where are you?” I said. My gaze shifted down to see the fox picking it up in its mouth and chewing on it. The animal acted so strange and I realized it might be rabid.
The fox glanced at me with crazed eyes. Wonderful, I was stuck. I tried shifting around to see if there might be another way off the rock but every small movement I made caused my pursuer to freak out.
“Help!” I shouted.
My ears strained as I listened for an answer, but the only sound I heard was the snarls from the creature below me and its teeth chomping on plastic. Please help, I thought in desperation, and wrapped my arms across my chest in an effort to stay warm. Snow stuck to my coat as it continued to fall. I felt like I was trapped inside a snow globe.
This must be what a treed animal felt like, helpless and scared. I wondered how long the fox would stand by the rock. What if Dad couldn’t find me? The ATV tracks were nearly covered by snow now and I didn’t have my walkie.
With my face titled upward, white flakes kissed my skin. God, I was too young to die, especially in the Alaskan wilderness. I pictured the headlines now “Teen girl treed by fox dies in a puddle of her own pee trying to stay warm.” Okay, maybe it was a bit early to consider my demise.
The wind blew unchallenged, chilling me to the bone, and I pulled my knees to my chest in hopes of keeping my body heat radiating. I peeked down again to find the fox glaring back. This so didn’t look good!
The small doglike creature turned his back on me and his ears pricked up. I sat listening and nearly cried when I heard the sound of someone running. Suddenly, Talon burst into the open.
“Talon,” I cried.
His eyes met mine before turning to the fox. Talon stood, staring down the animal until it scurried off.
Then he spun to face me again, his features softened. Gone was the usual guardedness I’d grown accustomed to. “Are you okay?”
“Ye—yes,” I stammered, toying with my glove.
He stared at me for another moment, before his shoulders stiffened. The tenderness was soon replaced. His jaw clenched, and his eyes darkened. He fisted his hand at his side and I wondered if he might punch something.
“Hey, I found her,” he called behind him, his voice bitter.
Carsen came into view his face masked in worry.
“Jump down, I’ll catch you.” Carsen rushed over with his arms raised.
I slid off the rock and found myself nestled close to Carsen’s chest.
He embraced me like a warm blanket, fresh out of the dryer.
“How did you guys find me?” I asked.
“Talon heard you screaming.”
“Thank you.” I peered around Carsen.
“What the hell are you doing out here by yourself?” Talon glowered.
Right, what was I doing out here by myself? I paused to get my story together.
“Me, my dad, and Matt were hiking a while ago and thought we’d do some bird watching. Dad saw some rare bird and went to get pictures of it, and I stayed back,” I lied.
Okay, I’m the worse liar ever. Talon looked suspicious but held his tongue, whereas Carsen didn’t question my motive at all, instead he hugged me as if he alone protected me from the world.
“Ima, you really shouldn’t wander around out here by yourself. There are wild animals that could hurt you,” Carsen said against my hair.
“What about you guys?” I asked. “You’re not exactly armed.”
Talon sneered. “Trust me, nothing out here is gonna touch Carsen and I—we’re local and know how to handle our own.”
Soon Dad and Matt flew around the corner in the truck. Dad barely waited for the vehicle to stop before he leapt out.
“Ima!” he shouted.
“I’m right here,” I said with a wave.
“We’ve tried calling you on the walkie for the last ten minutes.” Matt stopped in place when he saw my rescuers.
“Yeah, that kind of got eaten by an arctic fox.” I bent down to pick up the chewed device.
Dad examined it. “Arctic foxes usually aren’t aggressive,” he said lost in thought.
I didn’t need him getting into this now so I cleared my throat. “Dad, this is Carsen Shinew and Talon Yutu.”
“Good to meet you.” Dad gave them a forced smile.
“Hi,” Carsen and Talon said in unison.
Dad eyeballed Carsen’s arm draped around my shoulder. Great, this means I’ll get the “talk” on the ride home. Every so often Dad gave me his own version of the classic birds and the bees talk, which consisted of stories about a “mommy” Loch Ness Monster and a “daddy” Loch Ness Monster. And of course, what they did to make the baby Loch Ness Monster.
“We should get back to your grandma’s.” Talon nudged Carsen in the ribs.
Talon’s gaze tangled with mine and a strange humming gathered in force, reverberating in my mind. Tendrils of silvery mist reached between us, like tiny ropes and webs trying to wrap around us. My fingers itched as I reached forward to touch the magical strands, but my hands went right through them and it scattered like wisps of fog.
Talon went rigid, and took a step back like I might catch him on fire. With a glare, he started to walk away.
“Thanks again for helping me.” I smiled, which probably came out shaky at best.
Talon merely waved over his shoulder and kept going. Carsen frowned at his friend before glancing at me.
“Just ignore him. He’s got an attitude today,” Carsen said, noticing my dad’s watchful gaze. “I’ll see you around.”
“Bye,” I said and watched him amble away into the snowy backdrop.
His tall frame was made even more magnificent against the coalescing beams of sunlight that punctured through the clouds like blades. Everything about him reeked of confidence, and I sighed as he disappeared from sight.
“You seem to be getting on well with the Shinew boy,” Dad said.
“Yeah, he’s nice.”
Matt grinned when he realized where the conversation headed. “I think I’ll get the ATV loaded onto the truck,” he said.
I glared at him for leaving me alone with Dad. And I immediately looked around for a distraction, but unfortunately, there wasn’t any.
“Now Ima, you need to be careful. Boys that age are hormonal and have some mighty big expectations.”
“We’re friends. Besides I’ve known him for like three days hardly long enough for me to—you know…”
“Well there are lots of teens who do it on the first date,” Dad said with irritation.
The last thing I wanted to do was discuss sex with Dad. Eew!
“Dad!” My mittened hand covered my face. “Can we like not talk about this?”
“I’m just saying be careful.” Dad stared off into the distance. “You’ve got your whole life ahead of you. You’re not ready for this.”
No kidding. Seriously, Dad had no worries.
“How come you don’t give me these talks when Brady and Matt hug me?”
Matt came and stood beside us with his arms crossed over his chest and smirked. “Yeah, why don’t you?”
“Because those two know better.” Dad smiled.
I rolled my eyes. Hmmm, would he still think that if he knew Brady and I almost kissed this summer? Sometimes my dad’s a real idiot. Not wanting to start another argument or embarrassing lecture, I hopped into the truck and kept my thoughts to myself.
“Oh, I forgot to tell you we’re going to head over to the Kalgi Center tonight,” Dad said from the front seat. “Glenn, from the store invited Matt and I to play cards with some of the men in the village.”
“Am I allowed to go?” I teased.
“Yeah, he said a lot of teens hang out there too.”
Maybe I’d see Carsen there. I smiled at the possibility, which meant I was falling fast and hard. Problem was, I had no idea what to do about any of it. Zero. That’s how much experience I had when it came to boys. Unless you counted friends and family, which I didn’t. In other words, I needed to find some self-help dating guides or pray I’d figure it out before I made a fool of myself.
****
When we got back home, I ran into my room to change for the night out. I put on a pair of blue skinny jeans, with brown suede boots. Then I jerked on pink camisole and a brown, v-neck sweater. I added a few small braids to the front of my hair and left the rest of it hanging loose. I grabbed a pair of hoop earrings and some pink and brown beaded necklaces to finish off the outfit.
“You look nice.” Dad glanced up at me
“Thanks.”
“Should we set up a bodyguard schedule before we leave?” Matt tugged on one of my braids.
“Good idea, you take the first shift.” Dad chuckled. “We’ll put the fear into any boy who thinks he’s gonna date my daughter.”
“Right, let’s not and say we did.” Please let them behave themselves. Not, that Dad would embarrass me in public. Okay, so he would! Ugh! I just needed to lose myself amongst the crowd and hopefully Dad would find some adults to mingle with and stay away from me.
We piled into the truck and headed over to the Kalgi Center. When we got inside there were tables set up and an empty dance floor where Matt said they held both school and traditional dances.
People glanced at us as we made our way inside, making me feel uncomfortable. They leaned in to whisper to one another, their gazes never leaving us. Why did I feel like they were sizing us up?
“Do you think we’re welcome here?” I whispered, clutching a hold of Matt’s arm.
“Of course you’re welcome.” A deep voice sounded behind us.
We turned to find a tall man with dark hair standing there.
“Glenn,” Dad said, shaking his hand. “We finally made it over.”
“Glad to have you. I hope you’re enjoying Point Hope so far,” he said.
I forced a smile as I stared into his penetrating gaze. His kindness seemed genuine, yet I sensed his distrust. The way he squinted and scrutinized my every move. Matt squeezed my hand in reassurance, and I gripped his arm tighter.
“We’re enjoying it. It’s beautiful up here and my daughter’s made some friends,” Dad said.
“Good,” Glenn said. “My nephew tells me he saw you hiking today?”
He knew! But why would anyone care if we hiked? My eyes focused on the room in an attempt to keep calm. I envisioned people coming at us with torches and pitchforks. Sometimes I hated my wild imagination.
“Yeah we d
id. I blame it on my bird watching obsession. No one else in their right mind would be taking pictures in the cold,” Dad said with a laugh.
Glenn grinned but the humor never reached his eyes. I shivered and Matt pulled me closer to him as if he knew what plagued my thoughts.
“Be careful where you go around here, Mr. Berry, the wild animals could be the death of you if you don’t know what you’re doing,” Glenn said in a low voice.
Alarm bells echoed in my mind. Was he warning us or threatening us? Maybe I read too much into the whole conversation. But I didn’t think so. The way everyone seemed so focused on our arrival, the knowing looks on their faces. I wanted to get away from this guy—his eyes saw far too much for our own good.
“Thanks for the warning.” Dad’s tone remained casual. “I do have some experience in the wilds and carry a gun for protection.”
Glenn nodded. “Well enough of this serious talk, why don’t you and your friend join us for a game of cards.” He gestured to a table at the back of the room.
I noticed his invitation didn’t include me and chewed my bottom lip.
“I think my nephew wants you to join him.” Glenn pointed to Carsen, who stood against the wall staring at me.
This time I didn’t need to force my smile. I let go of Matt’s arm, and headed toward Carsen and Ferren.
“Hi,” I said in a breathless tone.
“Hey.” Carsen grinned.
He reached out and unzipped my coat then helped me take it off. I followed him to a coat rack, where we stood gazing at each other until Ferren broke the trance.
“Okay, are you two going to stand there all night?” she asked.
“Don’t tempt me,” Carsen answered. He gave me a wink.
He reached forward, grabbing my hand. His skin felt warm as he entwined his fingers through mine. A soft sigh escaped my parted lips and a low buzzing reverberated between us.
The more I tried to pretend I wasn’t aware of his closeness, the more it became obvious. I cast quick glances his way only to find him staring back. What was wrong with me? I couldn’t think straight, my palms were sweaty, and my stomach fluttered like someone had busted open a jar of fireflies inside me. There was only one logical explanation. Carsen Shinew. He was gorgeous, nice and giving me all of his attention.
Seeking Shapeshifters Page 6