by J. L. Weil
Heat crept over my cheeks. It was an invitation I found I was unable to refuse, and there was something in the glint of his eyes sucking me in, mesmerizing me. I’d shifted in front of Devyn multiple times, but usually in the face of danger. This time there was something exotic about shedding my human skin for the fox with Devyn watching. I swallowed and gave in to the fox, letting the animal inside me loose.
Relinquishing my control I shifted, feeling bones, muscle, and skin reform. It was cool and creepy at the same time. I shook out my fur like a dog, removing the lingering effects of the transformation.
He bent down so we were at eye level, lifting a hand to run it over my head. “It never ceases to amaze me, seeing you change. It’s incredible. The air shimmers with magic. I can feel your shift inside me, as if your soul touches mine.”
They were just words, but the power they had on me was profound. Devyn wanted to keep things between us less complicated, but if he kept looking at me like he was now, I knew I wouldn’t be able to hide what I didn’t even want to admit to myself. It was easier to concentrate on his less-than-redeeming qualities. Why did he have to make me feel so confused?
I brushed the side of my face against his. Warmth engulfed me.
We walked on the beach for a little bit. I almost took a chunk out of Devyn’s calf when he asked if I wanted to fetch a stick. Jerk. Baring my teeth, I let him know I was no dog. The time I spent in fox form was therapeutic, an escape I desperately needed. The sun slowly started to drop, painting the water with pinks and purples, reminding me I needed to get home for dinner.
I was about shift back when my hearing picked up something in the distance—voices. My ears perked up, and I lifted my head.
Oh shit.
Chapter Five
Anthony and Felicity came stumbling down the beach, a six-pack of wine coolers in Anthony’s hands. They were the last two people I expected to intrude on my personal spot. Giggling and laughing, overall being obnoxious, they spotted Devyn and then me, the little white fox at his feet. Devyn had straightened to his full height at the first sign of my distress.
“Oh, my God, is that a dog?” Felicity squealed, and released Anthony’s arm to rush over to where I stood on all fours beside Devyn.
Wrath and Fury had conveniently vanished. I wished I could disappear. Having two people I went to school with—and didn’t particular like—so close to a secret I kept guarded, made me edgy.
Hard lines etched around Devyn’s eyes. “She’s an arctic fox.”
Arctic fox, huh?
“Is it even legal to have one?” Anthony asked, narrowing his eyes at him.
“About as legal as it is for you to be drinking those,” Devyn replied, his head nodding to the liquor dangling from Anthony’s fingers.
“Riiight,” he winked.
What a dumbass.
While Devyn and Anthony continued to size each other up, Felicity crouched in front of me and lifted her hand. A low growl formed in my throat. If that skank touched me I was going to rip off her fake nails with my teeth, and if she was lucky I’d let her keep her hand.
She was actually going to pet me.
Snap. I snapped my jaws, sending a warning I hoped she wouldn’t forget.
Devyn finally took notice. “Whoa, no touching the fox. She’s temperamental.”
I let another growl, refraining from taking a nip at him. Temperamental? How about I didn’t want her stink transferring to my white fur.
“I’ll say,” Felicity glared, cradling her hand.
What a baby. I hadn’t even touched her.
“You look familiar. Do you go to school here?” Anthony asked.
A muscle along Devyn’s jaw thrummed. Anthony was trying his patience. “No, I just moved into town, but I’m friends with Karina Lang. Do you know her?”
A stupid, silly grin crept over Anthony’s lips. If I had been human, I might have hit him. “Yeah, I know her. She’s a hot piece of ass.”
My jaw hit the ground. Who the hell says something like that in front of his girlfriend? It just solidified Hannah’s and my theory that Anthony was a douchecanoe of the tenth power. I actually felt sorry for Felicity.
Thump. Devyn’s fist shot out, connecting with Anthony’s face. I hadn’t seen that coming.
“What the hell, man,” Anthony hissed, coddling his cheek.
“Get in the car,” Devyn barked. I knew he was talking to me.
Holding my furry head high, I trotted up the sandy hill to Devyn’s car and hopped in when he opened the door. I was still smirking when I shifted back into my human skin. “You’re my hero,” I said.
He shook his head and started the engine. “I’ve saved your life countless times, and it took a single punch to a worthless piece of shit to get hero status.”
I was grinning like a fool. “I’ve wanted to do that since third grade.”
“Too bad I wasn’t around then.”
I ran my fingers through my hair, fixing any out-of-place strands. “No kidding. Did you see his face? I would pay a week’s salary to see you do that again.”
“It can be arranged.”
By the time Devyn pulled in to my driveway the high of Anthony getting what he deserved had worn off, and as I stared at the two-story white house with its black shutters I was reminded of everything wrong with my life. Letting out a heavy sigh, I sank deeper into the plush seat. “Devyn, how the hell am I going to do this? It’s crazy. I don’t know what I’m doing, but I also can’t sit around doing nothing and watch my mother die.”
“We won’t. We’re going to figure this out. You’re going to get your powers, and we have all summer to crack the mystery behind your tails.”
I wished his optimism would rub off on me.
I had one hand on the doorknob when I remembered. “Oh, before I forget. My mom wants you to come for dinner.”
“Why?”
The expression on his face was classic. I wish I could have bottled the look to use against him later. My lips twitched. “You look petrified.”
“I do not.”
“Don’t worry, she doesn’t bite. Not anymore.”
Devyn didn’t like my sense of humor.
“Hey, Dad,” I greeted, seeing my father sitting on the couch.
He pulled his gaze from the TV. “Who was that boy who dropped you off? I don’t think I’ve seen him before.”
Uh-oh. I recognized that tone. It was his military voice, the one he used when I was in trouble, but I wasn’t sure what I’d done wrong. “Devyn. He’s a friend.”
“Why is he driving you home? You have a perfectly good car in the driveway.”
Good question, and one I’d rather not answer. “It was just a ride. No big deal. Kids do that, you know, carpool.” I thought it best not to mention Devyn didn’t go to my school, or any school for that matter.
He wasn’t satisfied with the answer, brows thinning so they almost formed one straight line. “Why not ride with Jesse, then? It would make more sense.”
It looked like I was going to get the third-degree. Sighing, I leaned against the wall. “I don’t see why me catching a ride home is something to get worked up about.”
He pointed to his watch. “School ended hours ago. It’s dinnertime, Karina. What were you doing with him?”
What is going on? It wasn’t like this was the first time I’d ever come home late from school. On the days I worked, I didn’t make it home sometimes until after ten pm. Why was he suddenly in such a tizzy about my whereabouts? “Nothing. We went to the beach.”
“That’s not how we do things in this house. You know your mother needs you.”
He was pissed because I was out with a boy. What did he think I was doing? Having random sex on the beach? The first tingles of anger fluttered within me. “Don’t you think I know that? I’m doing everything I can. I want her to get better as much as you do.”
Dad shifted forward to the edge of the couch, leaning his elbows on his knees. “How much do you know about
that boy?”
I know he would do everything in his power to protect me. He would probably give his life for me, but I couldn’t say any of that. “He’s a friend, and I trust him.”
“Well, I don’t. You’re not safe with him.”
I snorted, but I didn’t mean for it to come out so loud. “You’re wrong. He’s the only person I am safe with.”
“Are you sure about that?” he challenged. “What about your other friends? Do they trust him?”
I gnawed on my lip. Hannah wanted to smother Devyn in sloppy kisses, and Jesse wanted to rub his face in the dirt. I didn’t have to say anything, for Dad already knew the answer. It was written in my expression.
He folded his hands together. “I don’t want you seeing this boy again. No driving you home after school or picking you up in the morning. No sneaking off with him after school. Is that clear?”
Well, that was going to be difficult. I wanted to hurl the truth at him, tell him he was issuing Mom’s death sentence by forbidding me to see Devyn. “That’s so ridiculous. You can’t tell me who I can and can’t see.”
“As long as you’re living under my roof, I can.”
Oooh. I hated when they pulled the I’m-the-boss card. Dad and I rarely fought, especially about boys, but then, there really hadn’t been boys to fight over. Jesse didn’t count. I bet we wouldn’t be having this argument if it were Jesse.
Backed into a corner, I didn’t have a choice. “Fine, then maybe I won’t stay under your roof!”
All the arguing and fighting, it wasn’t good for any of us, not for Mom or me. It only added stress to the mountain building up on top of me. This conversation was over. Snatching my bag off the floor where I’d dropped it, I slung it over my shoulder and stomped upstairs. Mom called my name as I rushed down the hall but I didn’t stop, not until I slammed my bedroom door. Then the tears came.
I was kind of a pro at sneaking out of my house, and tonight was no different. I’d been doing it most of my life. The problem was in where I was sneaking off to and why. If Jesse saw me…
I shuddered to think. He would be hurt and maybe even feel betrayed. I was going to another guy’s house for comfort and company. This wasn’t the first time I’d run away from home. There was the time I was five, when I’d thought I’d rather live with Jesse. I lasted two hours. My parents had thought I’d gone to play.
There were so many things I could have done to blow off steam…
Write my essay for English.
Clean up the mess cluttering my room.
Wash my hair.
And yet, I was going to Devyn’s—to the forbidden boy.
Over the years, Jesse and I had done our fair share of sneaking in and out of each other’s houses, and I wasn’t sure why I was running to Devyn instead of Jesse. Or why I was running at all.
To prove a point?
I don’t know, but I had to do this, just as I had to do everything in my power to save Mom, whether my father understood or not.
Glancing around my room, I tried not to think about all the memories and sense of security this small space had offered me my entire life. It wasn’t like I’d never be back, but at least for a night I needed to clear my head, concentrate on finding a way to get my next tail and move one step closer to being able to restore Katsura.
Opening the window, I tossed a bag to the ground. It was pitch black outside, only illuminated by the soft glow of the moon and the street lights. My house was silent. Slinging my leg over the window ledge, I stepped onto the lower hang of the roof. Once both feet were planted on the grey shingles, I turned around and gently shimmied the window closed.
My phone buzzed in my back pocket and I whispered a curse. Who was calling me at this hour?
Rolling my eyes, I dug out my phone and looked at the name glowing on the screen. Devyn. The fool was going to have to wait. I was on a roof for God’s sake, and unless I wanted to end up splattered on the ground I needed to keep my wits.
Sliding along the house, I kept my back pressed to the siding until I reached the drop to the fireplace ledge. Hopping down, I landed on the small concrete slab before making the last leap to the ground. Just like riding a bike.
I dusted off my hands and crept around the front of the house to where I had released my bag. Unzipping the front pocket, I dug out my keys. I felt like a thief in the night, all dressed in black. The keys jingled, and I stared at them, rethinking my initial plan. Now that I was outside, breathing the night air, I wanted to run. Not on two legs but four.
Making a rash decision, I shoved my bag under a bush and jogged to the side of the house. I scanned the yards surrounding mine, making sure Mrs. Jones from next door didn’t have her nose stuck to the glass. The coast was clear. I shook out my hair and let my inner Kitsune free. The shift was smooth, something I’d come to enjoy. Never thought that would be a possibility, but there were definite perks to being a shifter.
Satisfied, I emerged from around the corner, trotting down the driveway. I made it to the sidewalk when Mrs. Jones’ asshole dog, Maddie, started barking.
Damn mutt needs a muzzle, or a chicken leg.
Picking up my pace, I disappeared into the night.
Chapter Six
There was something magical in the air tonight: the chatter of insects in the grass that would soon need mowing, the dark shadows of willow trees lining the road as I traveled closer inward toward the city, and the perfumed breezes of midnight. I found I enjoyed the solitude of the long, curvy road, the sound of the water in the distance lapping against rock, and the squawking of the gulls.
My soft pads glided over the blacktop as I ran, away from one problem and straight to another. I climbed up on a piece of driftwood and lifted my face, letting the cool air drift over me. I didn’t want to think about the worry my parents would endure in the morning when they realized I wasn’t in bed. I didn’t want to think at all.
It was because of the calm night I picked up the sound of footsteps. I was being followed, and judging by the hair rising on my neck it wasn’t something of this world. My little interlude was over. Taking off toward Devyn’s, I was only a few blocks away and should be able to outrun them…hopefully.
I didn’t think about what or who was trailing me, only where I was going, letting my instincts take over. In fox form they were always stronger, clearer. Within minutes I was running along the side of Devyn’s building. I leapt over a discarded cardboard box, shifting midair and landing crouched on two feet, my hand out in front of me. Shoving to my full height, I powerwalked to the front of the building, looking over my shoulder as I rounded the corner.
I half expected some grotesque creature that could have been the Predator’s cousin to pop out and make me pee my pants, but the only thing lurking in the alley was the rats.
Punching the four-digit code onto the keypad, a series of beeps sounded before the door clicked open. I quickly turned the handle, swung the metal door open, and rushed inside. Exhaling, I leaned against the wall. The automatic door clicked shut behind me like a gunshot going off. I jumped. Dumb door. Stupid nerves.
The building was tomb-silent. Clap. Clap. Clap. My tennis shoes hit the carpeted stairs as I climbed my way to Devyn’s floor. He had given me the code a few weeks ago just in case. This was a just in case situation.
The door was unlocked when I tried the knob, as if he was expecting me. That might have been a strange assumption, but he seemed to know what I needed before I did.
Foregoing a knock, I let myself in and softly closed the door behind me. I also flipped the lock. Devyn might be nonchalant about breaking and entering, but I was going to play it safe.
I slipped out of my shoes, feeling a sense of security the moment I stepped inside. The room smelled of Devyn—masculine and woodsy. His bedroom door was open, the even sounds of his breathing drifted through the doorway, summoning me. Entranced, I padded across the main room to the hallway, laying a hand on the doorframe as a wicked thought that had no business bein
g there crossed my mind. My gaze went straight to the bed, and there was nothing I could have done to stop the flutters in my belly.
He was sprawled out on the oversized bed, one arm resting on the pillow beside him, sheets twisted around his waist. He was bare-chested, a temptation I found hard to refuse. Moonlight highlighted the chiseled lines of his cheeks. In sleep, his menacing features were softer.
In a weird way he looked more human like this, younger maybe. He had an otherworldly beauty that I found fascinating. Yes, I was standing in his doorway watching him like a total creeper, but it didn’t feel that way, and it was unnerving. What was it about Devyn that made me want to do reckless, out of character, things?
Like crawl into his bed in the middle of the night.
Would he turn me away, or welcome me with open arms?
The fact I wanted to find out scared me, but not enough to leave.
I must be crazy. This wasn’t what I had come over here for, but now it was in my head, and I couldn’t stop thinking about what it had felt like to kiss him. I tiptoed into the room and the floor creaked, stopping me in my tracks. Devyn suddenly rolled over and I held my breath. Just fabulous. He was going to wake up with me hovering over him like a stalker.
What had I been thinking?
That I was going to crawl into bed with him?
I wanted to hide under the bed and die of mortification. Before I actually did make an utter fool of myself I backed out of the room, content to sleep on the couch. My ninja skills were rusted and I tripped over the threshold, stumbling backward into the hall. My elbow rammed into the wall, producing a hiss that escaped from between my teeth. I cringed. It was pointless to tiptoe into the family room. A herd of elephants couldn’t have been quieter than me.
Snuggling up on the leather sofa with a throw blanket, I absently I rubbed the soul talisman between my fingers as I became enthralled by the stars swimming around the moon.
What a night.
Who would have thought I would end up here? I had woken up on this couch not long ago, thinking Devyn had kidnapped me. The memory brought a ghost of a smile to my lips.