The Shifting Storm (Book 4)

by Jeff Hale

  So now here I was mingling with my classmates, frat brothers and sorority sisters, trying to have fun, and seriously missing Darien.

  “Hey, babe, what’s wrong?” Warren asked me. I was sitting on the edge of one of the couches, staring vacuously at the large screen TV while a group of people butchered some song on Guitar Hero.

  “Hmm?” I looked up at him. His eyes were lingering on me, but then again, I was wearing my favorite turquoise bikini with a pair of denim shorts on over the bottoms. I’d picked the style up from Celeste. I glanced her way where she was talking to someone by the fireplace. She was wearing a lilac one piece, her denim shorts partially unbuttoned. I almost felt like we were the Bobbsey Twins.

  “We’ve been here for a couple of hours and you’ve been in a grumpy mood the whole time. Did I do something wrong?” His hand settled on my back, over the tie to the bikini top and I felt him stroke the skin there.

  “No, no you didn’t. I’m just… thinking,” I said absently.

  His fingers stilled and I heard a sigh come from him. “About your ex-boyfriend.” It wasn’t a question.

  A mad little voice in me wanted to ask him which ex-boyfriend he was talking about, but I knew he meant the more recent one, Darien. Poor Warren, he seemed to be always dealing with my ex-boyfriend fallout. It didn’t help that Aerick had shown up to one last class over the week.

  I gave him a sad smile and nodded. “I’m sorry, Warren. It’s going to take a while for it not to hurt anymore.” I didn’t tell him that a while equated to forever.

  “You still love him. It took you forever to get over the other one.” He seemed to deflate a bit, which was not an easy task for a man as big as he was. “Are you ever going to give me a fair shake at a relationship?”

  I patted his hand. “I like you, Warren, I do, it’s just going to take some time…”

  “Time, yeah, I got that, I’ve heard that before too.” A disappointed look crossed his face. “I could use a drink. Want one?”

  “Yeah, thanks. I’m going to go bug Celeste, so I’ll be over by the fireplace.”

  He headed off to the kitchen and I pushed my way through people who were dancing to get over to the fireplace.

  “Kat, everythin’ okay?” she asked me, taking a sip from her soda. “Ya’ll seem kinda depressed. Missin’ Darien?”

  “Yeah. And there’s something going on with Kris too. She’s not mad at me or anything, but something’s bugging her. I’m going over to her place later tonight and talk to her.”

  She nodded at me. “I’ve noticed that she seems a bit on edge lately too. I dunno, I kinda get the idea that maybe she wants ta break up with Matt.”

  “Me too.” I sighed. “Everybody’s relationships seem to be having problems lately. You should dump Travis, then we can all be single together.” I forced a laugh.

  “Ha. Ya jus’ want me ta date that friend of yers, Alex.” She grinned mischievously.

  “Would that be so bad?” I asked.

  “Maybe not.” She chuckled, and then something caught her eye and she gave me an apologetic look. “Uhm, Kat? I kinda forgot ta tell ya somethin’.”

  “What?”

  “Ya know yer ex? Not Darien, the other one? Uhm, I invited him ta the party.”

  I sucked in a breath. “Why?”

  She frowned. “Well, I ran inta him and his friend at the Sonic before he started comin’ ta class, and I invited him then. I didn’t know he was yer ex then.”

  I sighed. “Well, you couldn’t have known. But why are you bringing this up—shit, he’s here?”

  “Language, Kat. And yeah, he jus’ showed up. Here. Hold this while I go intercept.” She held her soda out toward me.

  “Sure.” I took the drink, looking in the direction she took off in. Wonderful. Aerick was here. So much for a fun evening. Maybe I would luck out and he would be civil like he had after class the other day. He moved into sight, standing on the other side of the crowded room, a small firebird perched on his shoulder, and Dave right next to him.

  Despite her comment, Celeste seemed happy to see him, a bounce to her step as she crossed the room to him. I saw Dave lean in and whisper something in Aerick’s ear and then I could have sworn I saw Aerick’s eyes settle briefly on me and a tight smile curve his lips.

  I had my second shock of the evening when Celeste pulled Aerick into a tight hug and I saw them side by side. I felt my knees go weak for a moment, found a nearby recliner to drop into and set the soda down before it ended up on the floor.

  Celeste had always seemed familiar to me, something that had drawn me to her to introduce myself that first day of class last fall, but I just assumed that she reminded me of someone that I never could place. And who could fault me? Now that I recognized her, I knew that I’d only ever seen two pictures of her, one so briefly that it was barely a glance.

  But the other picture, it had been the one in Aerick’s wallet, the one of a much younger him and his beloved Serena. Seeing them side by side now, that picture flashed through my mind and it clicked into place as to why Celeste had seemed familiar.

  She was the girl in the picture with Aerick, a few years older maybe.

  I was confused though, because this girl who was my friend called herself Celeste, not Serena. I was confused because Serena was dead, Aerick had told me so himself, and Celeste was walking, talking, breathing. And Celeste had been with Travis for a long time, had never mentioned a previous boyfriend.

  Poor Aerick. He had to see how much she resembled his Serena, he had to wonder if, somehow, it was his Serena. I didn’t see how it could be; Serena had died after all, but the world wasn’t exactly normal anymore either. Still, even if she wasn’t, and Celeste was probably just some girl who looked like her—there was that theory that somewhere in the world everyone had a twin—it had to be driving Aerick mad to see her.

  A hand slapped down on the arm of my chair and Aerick was suddenly right in my face, the little firebird flying off to perch in a nearby plant.

  “I take back my statement form the other night. You’re not a cunt. You’re a cunt and a half! You kept her from me?! What the fuck were you thinking?! You knew she was here, that she was alive, and you never fucking told me?!” Aerick snarled at me through clenched teeth.

  I cringed away from his anger. I felt tears spring to my eyes and I didn’t bother to hold them back. Every word he said felt like someone was driving sharp little knives into me.

  “Oh, I know, you were hoping to keep her from me so that I’d still be single if things didn’t work for you and your emo fucked up werewolf stalker!” he continued venomously, “Which, considering the other night, it didn’t. Couldn’t keep her secret, could you? I found her. And I know it’s her. She may think she’s someone else, but I know that’s Serena, and you aren’t going to keep us apart! I mean, fuck! You didn’t even say anything about it at school either! I mean you knew I saw the two of you thick as thieves in Bianca’s class! And yet nothing! And to top it all off you knew she was dating that douche and didn’t do a damn thing about it! Didn’t even let me know so I could do something about it myself! ”

  “Come on, Kat, what the fuck?” Dave asked from behind Aerick. “You could have told him.”

  “I didn’t know. Not until now,” I finally managed to get out, my voice breaking. “Not until I saw her with you just now. It didn’t click.” And it hadn’t; hell, even if I had realized that Celeste was a dead ringer for Serena, Aerick hadn’t been around for me to tell anyway, and since he’d been back, things had just been a little messed up.

  “Likely excuse. What the fuck ever. You’re just as fucking worthless as Nina.” Aerick just about spat the words at me.

  “Hey. You! Get away from her!” Warren’s voice was loud and when I glanced up, I saw him grab Aerick by the shoulder.

  Shit.

  “Dude, I so wouldn’t do that,” Dave warned. “Especially not tonight. He’s so not in the mood.”

  “Warren, don’t!” I mustere
d up the strength to yell. He had no clue what he was getting into trying to start something with Aerick when Aerick was this angry. I appreciated that he was coming to my defense, but dying for me was more than I wanted from a guy right now.

  “Get away from her, asshole,” Warren told Aerick calmly, and I could see his muscles bunching under his faded blue jeans and UNLV tank top.

  Aerick wasn’t the least bit intimidated. “You realize you really should listen to my friend and the lady, right? Now, if you were intelligent, you’d back off. I don’t like having my personal space violated.”

  Great. Like that’s going to get Warren to let it go. “Warren, just go back to the party. Please. Everything’s okay. Really,” I begged him.

  “Not until this asshole leaves you alone,” Warren said, then shoved Aerick.

  I covered my eyes; I didn’t want to see this.

  “Okay. Not intelligent. Okay, well, if you were at least somewhat smart, you wouldn’t do that again,” I heard Aerick growl at Warren.

  “Warren, it’s okay. That’s my ex-boyfriend,” I spoke up, trying to mollify him, thankful that Aerick hadn’t hurt him… yet. “You know, the one I was always talking about? It’s fine, he won’t hurt me.”

  “No way, this asshole needs a lesson taught to him to not mess with Alpha Sigma Delta girls.” Warren pushed Aerick, again.

  Shit. Fuck. Shit.

  “Okay, obviously dogs are smarter than you.” Aerick’s voice was a calm whisper. He turned his back on Warren, his motion supernaturally fast, and elbowed Warren in the ribs.

  I winced at the noise Warren’s ribs made, saw Warren double over, just as Aerick dropped to a crouch, spun back around to face Warren and came up, hand striking out to grab Warren by the throat, lifting him off the floor and slamming him into the brick wall next to us.

  “You ever touch me again, you fucking brainless twat, and I will end you. Got me?” Aerick threatened loudly. When Warren nodded, Aerick let him go.

  “Whoa, hey dude, no one is going to fuck with Warren and not pay the fucking price!” Kevin shouted from the nearby stairwell. The expression on his face suddenly changed to one of fearful respect. “It’s cool dude, I’m sure he deserved it, always was a trouble maker.”

  “Aerick! That was rude!” Celeste complained in annoyance. I twisted in my chair to see her standing near Kevin. “I invited ya here, an’ ya go an’ start fights?!” She stomped over to Aerick and I could see that she was upset with him.

  “It’s okay, Celeste,” I said, standing up. I didn’t want this to escalate into a worse argument. “Me and Aerick were having a bit of a disagreement between the two of us,” I pinned Warren with a look that he didn’t seem to take well, “and Warren stuck his nose in trying to start a fight with Rick, probably because he was jealous.” Even though I was trying to diffuse the situation, I was almost certain that I was right anyway. Warren had tried the same kind of thing with Darien.

  Warren gave me a look like he couldn’t believe what he had just heard. “What the fuck ever, you crazy bitch. I’m done with you,” he threw at me, then turned his back and started to walk away.

  His words hurt, but I might have deserved them a little. I wasn’t sure.

  “What did you just say to her?” Aerick called out to Warren, surprising me by coming to my defense. He made to go after Warren but Celeste put a hand on Aerick’s chest to stop him, then reached out to grab Warren by the arm and spin him around. She gave Aerick a look that clearly said ‘stay out of it’.

  Celeste poked Warren in the chest with a finger and scowled at him. “Warren, yer one ugly little man, talkin’ ta a lady like that! Apologize ta her! Now! Or ya can kiss yer place in the fraternity goodbye as soon as I tell Travis what you said ta Kat.”

  “Pffft, what the fuck ever. You talking about me treating girls poorly? How about how Travis treats you?” Warren demanded, ignoring her finger.

  Kevin walked up behind Warren. “That’s none of your fucking business, Warren. Let it drop. Now. Apologize to Kat and Celeste.”

  “Fuck all ya’ll. I’m fucking out of here. I’m going to Florida State, they told me that I could get into the NFL over there if I wanted. Only reason I stuck around was for that stuck up bitch.” Warren made a dismissive hand gesture towards me then stormed out.

  Even though his words were mean, I hadn’t realized just how much Warren had liked me, and now here I had hurt the man. I slipped up the stairs, not wanting to hear any more of what was going on, not wanting to be there for more stinging words from Aerick. I just wanted to find some place to curl up and cry. I had just found an empty room upstairs and sank down onto the bed when I heard a voice from the door.

  “Slinking away now like the bitch you are?”

  I looked up to see Dave leaning on the door frame, a look of contempt in his brown eyes, dark-blonde hair hanging loose around his shoulders and face. He was wearing nicer jeans and a dark t-shirt that read ‘The Best Place To Take A Bullet… Is In The Girlfriend’. He had a habit of wearing shirts with questionable slogans, and I could only assume this was a passive shot at Nina. He was maybe the same height as Darien, only skinnier.

  “If you came up here to hurl more insults my way and accuse me of doing more things that I didn’t do, then you can just go away, Dave,” I sniffled. I met his eyes with mine.

  He frowned at me, shifted as someone in the hall bumped into his back, then took a step into the room and shut the door behind him, leaning against it.

  “So how come you didn’t tell Rick about that girl, the one that looks like Serena?” he asked me, his voice only slightly less accusatory.

  I glared at him, hot tears running down my cheeks again. “First off, I didn’t know it was her. I knew she seemed familiar, but I didn’t know it was her! It’s not like I knew her like all of you did. Second, even if I had realized that it was her, when the fuck was I supposed to tell him? Huh? He’s been gone for almost a year! Was I supposed to say something while he was trying to avenge you against Henry? Was I supposed to say something while him and Nina were fucking on his desk?” I knew it was a low blow and I saw pain go through his eyes but I didn’t care.

  “Was I supposed to tell him while he was accusing me of asking my father to try to kill him?” I continued on, almost choking on the words, my voice ragged. “If I had known she was a doppelganger for Serena, I would have told him, even if it was to throw it in between the words of hate he’s been spewing at me since I’ve seen him.” I wrapped my arms around myself and looked at the floor.

  Footsteps as he came closer. “Well maybe he wouldn’t have so much hate for you if you’d just pretended you cared. He loved you! And you couldn’t wait to jump in the sack with the first people you could when he left!”

  My head snapped up. “Where the hell did you get that bit of misinformation?”

  His eyes bored into mine. “Is it? Nina told me.”

  I laughed mirthlessly. “Oh my fucking god. And you believe that bitch? You, of all people, should have the least reason to believe her. For your information, Aerick broke it off with me when he left so if I did have sex with someone else I wouldn’t be cheating on him! But guess what? I didn’t. I didn’t sleep with anyone else until that damned familiar of his showed up and told me that I would be better off moving on from Aerick, and for all I knew that was a roundabout message from Aerick.”

  I stood and emulated Celeste, poking a finger into his chest. “You don’t know what it’s like being a new shifter, being a new cat shifter, when one of our affinities is for lust. That’s part of the reason why Nina’s gone apeshit, only it shouldn’t be that bad. I managed to fight it off for a long time while I waited, yes, I waited almost a year, for Aerick to come back!”

  He took a step back, sighing. “And how do I know you’re not lying to me right now, to make yourself look better?”

  I threw my hands up in the air. “You don’t, Dave. But when have I ever given you reason to disbelieve me on anything? So either take me for my
word, or believe that lying, cheating, slut of an ex-girlfriend of yours.”

  Dave just stared at me for several moments, considering, and then he sighed and gave me an apologetic look. “Nina’s going to be a cat shifter? Like you?”

  I almost growled at him, closing the distance between us again. “Not like me! That bitch can’t keep her damned legs closed! She slept with Aerick, she slept with Darien! I want to scratch her goddamned eyes out!”

  “Whoa!” He put his hands up, almost touching me. “I knew she had slept with Aerick, he told me, but I didn’t realize you saw it. And she slept with your werewolf boyfriend?” He saw my anguished nod. “That’s fucked up.”

  He was right, it was, and I felt an almost visceral vindication that someone who had been hurt by it as much as I had agreed with me. The cat inside me stirred, roused by being reminded of her own hatred for Nina tampering with what was hers, prodding me to do something that was probably not a good idea, but once again, I didn’t really care.

  I reached up and slid my arms around Dave’s neck, pressing myself against him and standing on tiptoe so that my face was inches from his. He froze like a rabbit in headlights.

  “We could get even, you know, me and you.” My words were a husky breath. I wound one hand in his hair, caressed the back of his neck with the other, and felt him shiver. I kept the lust vibe securely under wraps, not wanting to influence him with it or I would be no better than Nina.

  “Even?” He didn’t move away, just gave me a wary look.

  I swung around, taking him with me, and toppled him backwards onto the bed so that I was leaning over him, one knee on the bed next to his hip, my hands on either side of his shoulders while I lowered my face towards his. A part of me knew I was doing something I shouldn’t, but a more primal part wanted to regain back some of what that bitch had taken from me.

  “Yes.” I brushed my lips against his, lightly, pulled back when he didn’t return the kiss. “Nina slept with your best friend, my ex-boyfriend, and my current boyfriend. If you sleep with me, maybe we can cause her a little bit of pain right back.”