Adrenalize

by Trina M. Lee

  No, that could not be relief I felt upon hearing that Paul had been with Storm last night instead of Rowen. Not at all. Refusing to acknowledge the guys or their discussion, I smacked a bag of chips in frustration and closed the cupboard.

  “Nice timing, Spike.” Looking like the cat who’d caught the canary, Paul sauntered over to squeeze in next to me so he could rifle through the fridge. “Looks like you’re not the only chick on tour making her way through the guys. Think she’ll go for Arrow next? I guess that depends on whether he gets kicked off tour or not for smashing people’s faces in.”

  Without a second thought, I slammed a fist into his shoulder, not at all holding back. “You might want to start worrying about your own face. Because that’s where the next one is going.”

  His face crumpled in pain and he grasped his shoulder. “Holy shit, the two of you are vicious. Sid and Nancy indeed.”

  A remark like that wasn’t worth acknowledging. Turning to address the rest of the front lounge I asked, “Did one of you idiots eat my protein bar? Ladies excluded of course.” I nodded toward Tash and Rubi who sat across from Rowen at the table, tapping away on their phones, doing all they could to pretend they weren’t here.

  Not one of Paul’s guys spoke up. They all kept right on with their video games.

  Leaning back in his seat, one leg propped beside him, Rowen held up a crumpled wrapper. “This protein bar? Sorry about that, Spike.” Lifting a brow flirtatiously, Rowen winked a fiery amber eye.

  There’s no way he didn’t know it was mine. I’d been eating them for ages. They were always in my cupboard at home. What was he trying to achieve here?

  Because I wasn’t sure how to play this, I reached back into the cupboard for the cheese puffs that I knew were Rowen’s. They were a far cry from a protein bar. Whatever point Rowen tried to make, I fired it right back at him. Snatching the entire bag, despite having no intention to eat any of the puffs, I flashed him an impish grin and flounced back to the rear lounge.

  When I stepped into the back lounge there was palpable tension. Arrow and Sam both stared at Jett who sat huddled alone across from them on one end of the couch, hands trembling in her lap. As we all watched, her fingernails slowly lengthened into claws.

  Using my body to block the doorway, I glanced back to make sure nobody was coming. “Jett? Are you going to be okay? Is there anything we can do?”

  When she finally dragged her gaze to mine, it was wolf eyes I saw. “Come in and close the door.” After I did as requested, Jett said in a strangely calm tone, “I need to get off this bus. It’s not so bad right now, but after dark, it just might start to get scary.”

  “Oh... shit.” My mind raced. I wasn’t sure exactly what time we would arrive at the next city. “Maybe we can get the driver to stop. Like at a truck stop or something. How much time do you need?”

  Her disheveled purple ponytail swung about as she shook her head. Her fingers twisted together, clenching unbearably tight. “I don’t know. A few hours maybe.”

  Arrow and I shared a look, heavy with concern and the obvious wariness for the safety of everyone on the bus. But especially for Jett. If she were to expose herself as a werewolf, the repercussions could be a death sentence.

  “It will be ok,” I promised her. “Just hang in there. Let us know if there’s anything we can do.”

  Jett drew a joint from her bra and sparked it up, the action awkward and clumsy with clawed fingertips. “Yeah, you can keep the rest of those shitheads away from me. Don’t let anybody back here outside of our group.” She dragged heavily on the joint before spewing smoke toward the open window. “That’s the stuff. Takes the edge off a little.”

  I grabbed my phone to check the map, seeking out any truck stops we might pass after dark. “There’s something here, Jett. This truck stop, looks like they have room for truckers who need to crash overnight. Seems like it’s pretty much in the middle of nowhere. If we can get the driver to stop, it might be our safest bet.”

  “Oh, there’s no if about it. This bus will be stopping one way or another.” Her head fell back against the couch, and she released a long, shaky breath.

  In the several years that we’d been best friends, I had seen Jett in rough shape, ready to wolf out and kill anyone who got too close. But in those times, she’d always had somewhere safe to go, a pack to run with, and older, more experienced wolves to rely on. She’d never been trapped on a bus in the middle of nowhere with twelve people she could accidentally kill.

  Because I didn’t want her to sense my nerves, I left her with Arrow and Sam and went to the front of the bus to speak with the driver. It took some convincing. Resorting to tales of female woe and monthly cycle illness was enough to get the guy nodding and agreeing, waving a hand to shut me up.

  Well, it technically was a monthly cycle. Not a total lie.

  It was about two hours after sunset when we pulled into the truck stop. The moon was on the rise. Jett was a nervous bundle of tension, scratching at her skin like she couldn’t wait to get out of it. When our fellow passengers asked why we were stopping, we told them that she was feeling sick and needed a short break outside to get some fresh air.

  Also not a lie.

  The truck stop consisted of a large parking lot where half a dozen semi-trucks were parked. A small diner and gas station were the only buildings. Everything else was field and highway.

  Everyone exited the bus, including the driver who went inside the diner to make use of the washroom and grab a coffee. Once everyone had gone inside, we made our way around to the back of the diner.

  Other than a back delivery entrance, it was empty and dark, completely unoccupied. Arrow, Sam, and I accompanied Jett behind the diner while Rowen went inside with the others. He’d promised to keep an eye out, to let us know if anyone came our way. I held my phone tight in one hand, keeping an eye on the screen for his call or text.

  Jett broke away from the three of us, needing her space. We all hung back to give it to her. When she began to tear her clothing off, Arrow averted his gaze. Not that Jett cared. Werewolves quickly got over any issues with nudity.

  “Are you sure about this?” I asked, staring out across the dark field. “Will you be able to shift back within an hour? I’m not sure how long I can hold the driver off. He’s really sticky about the schedule.”

  “Fuck the driver,” Jett grunted, falling to her knees. Still wearing her bra and underwear, she fumbled to remove the offending articles of clothing.

  All right then. There was no arguing that. If the driver wanted to come and argue with this crazed werewolf, that was on him.

  Jett shed the rest of her clothing and, with a guttural cry, shifted to wolf in one fluid motion. It was a mind fuck to watch. The changes happened to her body so fast it was hard to make sense of. Then it was over, and a sleek brown wolf stood in her place.

  In the very same moment, Paul strolled around the side of the diner, opposite from where the three of us stood. “Good time to drop a deuce if you need to. They have a decent shitter here.”

  My phone buzzed with Rowen’s warning a moment too late. Paul appeared so suddenly, none of us expected it. Unfortunately, neither did the amped up werewolf. She spun suddenly, hair raising on her back in defense. Sam and I both rushed forward as Jett sprang toward Paul.

  Sam got there first. He threw himself between Jett and Paul. She hit him full on, claws raking his chest as she took him down. Paul gave a startled shout and back stepped so fast he almost went down.

  In a panic, I grabbed the back of Jett’s furry neck and tried to haul her off. She was stronger than me, and it was near impossible. A roiling ball of shadows nailed her in the side and flung her away. That shook her out of attack mode. Jett took one look at Sam on the ground, the blood seeping through the scratch marks in his shirt. Then she turned tail and ran.

  While Arrow helped Sam up and checked his injuries, I gazed after Jett. I couldn’t very well go after her. Wings would be faster than feet, b
ut this wasn’t the time or the place for that.

  Because we had a witness. What we had hoped so hard to avoid had just happened.

  I turned to find Paul gaping at the three of us, eyes wide in total disbelief. Excitement stole over his face, and his voice quivered with it. “I knew there was something shady as shit about you guys.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  “JETT IS A WEREWOLF?” Slapping both hands on his thighs, Paul leaned forward to laugh long and hard. “You know that just doesn’t surprise me as much as it should. Kind of explains a lot about her actually. Now what about the rest of you?”

  I exchanged a look with Arrow who merely raised a brow and squinted in thought. Far more chill than me. The last time Paul had discovered something he shouldn’t have, Nova had been there to wipe his memory. We were on our own this time. Unless he decided to pop in, although I didn’t see it happening.

  “What about the rest of us?” I repeated. “You seem to be imagining things.” Trying to convince him that he didn’t know what he’d seen wasn’t the best plan, but it was my only plan.

  I couldn’t decide if the real problem at hand was Paul witnessing Jett in action or Sam’s injuries. Four long scratches marked his chest. Though they weren’t especially deep, she’d drawn blood, and that’s all it takes. Sam would turn on the next full moon.

  “I definitely did not imagine the wolf that just tore out of here, and I’m pretty sure I wasn’t imagining that weird black ball of magic or whatever Arrow threw at her either. So what are you guys? Witches?” Crossing his arms over his chest, Paul seemed to be both impressed and curious. But he wasn’t nearly as afraid as he should have been. Maybe he was in shock.

  “Yep, you got us. Just a bunch of witches and werewolves. But now that you know, we’re going to have to kill you.” There wasn’t a shred of humor in Arrow’s tone. So serious he was that he even had me convinced.

  Paul’s smile began to fade. “Are you fucking kidding me? Is that why people keep turning up dead? Is it you guys?”

  I barely managed not to roll my eyes right out of my head. “No, you moron, it isn’t. But we can’t trust you, and now you know our secret, so we’re going to have to leave you out here in this field.” The words fell out of my mouth before I could stop them.

  “Of course you can trust me. Who would I tell? Who would even believe me anyway?” Now Paul showed the first real signs of fear. “Come on, guys. I know things haven’t always been cool with us, but I won’t say a word. I swear.”

  Keeping our identity a secret was vital. There was an entire supernatural organization dedicated to that very thing. Pretty much the very first rule of being anything other than straight-up human was don’t let anybody find out. Protect the secret.

  “We can’t trust you. There is only one thing we can do with those we don’t trust when they get too close. I’m sure you understand.” It felt wrong in every way to threaten him like this.

  I wasn’t a killer by any means, but our only hope was to frighten Paul into keeping his mouth shut until Nova could deal with him. I didn’t have a backup plan for this type of scenario. This was it.

  I advanced on Paul, holding up a hand. A fireball burst to life within my palm.

  “Oh, fuck me,” Paul muttered, running both hands over his face like he hoped this was a bad dream he could wake up from. “Spike, please, I swear I won’t say a word to anyone. If I could prove it, I would.”

  “Witches and werewolves are just two of many creatures you never thought were real. It just gets crazier from there. If you expose us you’ll draw the attention of many others. They will never let you live. Do you understand?” I stopped close enough for him to feel the heat of the fire in my hand. Never had I used it on a human, and I hoped that I never would.

  Paul nodded vigorously, hands held up in surrender. His surprised excitement had given way to raw, real fear. That was more like it. “Anything you say. Anything you want.” Voice higher pitched than I’d ever heard it, Paul pressed his knees together, like he tried to keep from pissing his pants.

  I was pretty sure I could have gotten him begging on his knees. Since what I wanted was his silence, not his utter humiliation, I didn’t push it that far.

  Arrow wasn’t content to let Paul off so easy. “I’m not sure that’s good enough.” Eyeing Paul like the turd he was, Arrow moved to block him on the other side, trapping him between the two of us. “If you talk it won’t just be you that we come for. It will be anyone and everyone you care about. Your mom, your sister, your dog. Nobody will be spared. Got it?”

  My stomach turned. Arrow’s threat left me feeling sick, but we didn’t have a choice. Keeping Paul quiet was essential. I’d never act out in violence against him, but he didn’t need to know that.

  “Yeah,” Paul gasped, face ashen. He twisted his fingers together in a nervous gesture that made my skin crawl. “Got it. Not a word. I swear it.”

  “We don’t want to hurt you, Paul,” I said because I felt like I had to. “We’re not bad people. But we have to protect ourselves.”

  Arrow chuckled, a sinister sound that made me do a double take. “She’s not a bad person. Me? I wouldn’t make such a claim.”

  Aware that he was trembling like a scared little boy, and with good reason, Paul drew himself to his full height. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and met Arrow’s gaze head on. Fear darted through Paul’s eyes. It shone in the glow of the fire in my palm. But something else glimmered there too. The desire to survive.

  “You made your point, Arrow. I’m not going to say shit.” Paul’s chin jutted forward as he tried to save face. “So what are you really?”

  “I thought we were going with witches.” With a lazy one shouldered shrug, Arrow looked to me for an opinion.

  Paul pressed his lips tight together, considering the heaviness of the last few minutes. “It doesn’t feel right. I think there’s more to it.”

  Telling him the full truth wasn’t an option. Still I didn’t feel content to allow him to draw his own assumptions. No doubt they would be the absolute worst.

  Gnawing my bottom lip, I opted for a partial truth. “Let’s just say that we fight forces far deadlier than we are. Don’t let Arrow fool you. We’re the good guys. But sometimes even the good guys have to do bad things. Just don’t make us do a bad thing, Paul, and we’ll be all good.”

  Paul weighed my words, having no choice but to accept them. “Fine. We’re all good. So what’s gonna happen to him?”

  He pointed to Sam who paced in a slow circle, muttering beneath his breath. Now that the immediate threat of Paul’s discovery had somewhat been dealt with, I could give my attention to the person who needed it most.

  “Sam?” Gently I said his name. When he didn’t respond, I put myself in his path to force him to a halt. “Are you ok? Can I see?”

  He stood there in a numb shock, lips moving but nothing coming out. Finally he managed to say, “I guess it was bound to happen eventually. Right?”

  Well, yeah, he was probably right. It didn’t take much for a werewolf to wolf out at the wrong time. High emotion, danger, and even sex could trigger it. According to Jett, of course. Sam had gotten involved with her knowing the risk. Still, I felt for him. I couldn’t imagine what he must have been feeling.

  “It’s going to be alright.” It was a promise I wasn’t exactly authorized to make. Patting his shoulder, I glanced at the claw marks slashing through his shirt and cringed inwardly. It could have been any of us. “Really. Everything will be just fine.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  BY THE TIME WE ARRIVED in the next city, we were all ready to be free of the tight confines of the bus. It had taken almost two hours for Jett to return. The driver had understandably been irritated by her disappearance. We could only assure him that she’d needed to go for a walk to grab some air and wouldn’t be long.

  After several years driving a bus for musicians, the guy had shaken his head and pulled out a book to read while he waited but on
ly after we promised to take full responsibility for any trouble it may incur with Jordan or anyone else.

  Jett and Sam hid themselves away in the back lounge for the rest of the night and the following day. More than once I heard the sound of her soft sobs through the door. She was beating herself up for a mistake that hadn’t been her fault. Through the door Sam’s calm voice reassured her, but that only made her dissolve into bigger sobs.

  I could count on one hand how many times I had seen that woman break down. She’d faced so much trial and loss that it had created a stone front. But the rare chosen few were allowed to see the real Jett, the big softy inside. I was honored to be among them. And it killed me that, right now, when my best friend was falling apart, there wasn’t anything I could do.

  For the first time since the tour started, Paul spent the day being a decent person instead of an antagonistic jackass. The sudden change in his behavior was almost suspicious. When he retreated to his bunk to grab something from his bag, I trapped him in the tiny hallway.

  “You really suck at being inconspicuous, you know that?” I hissed, keeping my voice lower than the sound of video games blasting through the front lounge.

  “What? Why?” His phone charger forgotten in one hand, Paul gawked at me uncertainly.

  “Don’t you think it’s going to look a little suspicious to your friends and mine that you’re suddenly being all cool and peaceful with us after riding our asses every day of this tour?”

  He glanced over my shoulder to where the rest of his band sat swearing at one another over some black ops game. “I suppose so. Can you blame me for being afraid to lip off a girl who can make fire in her hands?”

  I waved a hand frantically to shut him up. “Just be normal. Or whatever is normal for you.”

  Paul huffed, and a shaggy lock of brown hair flopped about on his forehead. “Forgive me if I don’t know what normal is anymore. Trying to adjust here. The next thing I know I’m going to find out vampires and demons are real. Maybe Bigfoot and Superman as well. This is kind of fucked up, Spike.”