Dead Shifter Walking

by Kim Schubert

  “Forgive me, Olie,” Blake whispered when he was finished.

  “Don’t leave me,” said the thirteen-year-old inside me.

  “Never,” he promised. As blackness swarmed my vision, his sky blue eyes were my last sight.

  I had been to this place once before when I had almost died. Cultures call it different things, but it had always felt like twilight to me, when you can’t tell if the sun is rising or setting and the things that go bump in the night start making an appearance.

  I thought this was the place the lion had taken me. Here’s to hoping I was right as my eyes flew open and I sat up abruptly.

  Looking down, I saw my body as wispy smoke intertwined with my physical body. It worked; I was here. Fantastic, I was dying. Standing, I stumbled slightly unused to the lightness of my body, knocking over the glass of water on the table.

  “Oops,” I muttered.

  Blake sighed audibly. “It worked,” he said more to himself. “Forty-five minutes baby and not a second longer.”

  I squeezed his shoulder, looking down. I expected to see my same leather pants, ass-kicking boots, and blue shirt. Instead, a black dress drifted on me, moved by a breeze I couldn’t feel. Odd, yet the oddest thing was the thick red cord that disappeared into my chest. Touching it lightly, I felt shock waves, screams of the victims I had watched, the bellow of the lion trying, fighting, and always reaching me.

  Removing my hand quickly I walked through the front door, past the worried looks from my friends and the stony denial of Logan. It was asinine that I had to clean up this mess; it was his and his alone, yet here I was, straddling the line between the living and the dead in an attempt to solve all of his problems.

  I should just take over the damn shifter nation, if the head of the damn U.S.A. branch can’t keep his ducks in a row. Why hadn’t they ousted him and found someone who could?

  Chapter 24

  My rope ended at the docks, and I honestly don’t know why I was surprised. It was dark, dingy, and dirty with plenty of places to hide and lots and lots of boxes to shove over and trap an unknowing victim.

  Twisting my way toward the center of the building, I noticed Steven had carved himself out a nice little place to play with jars of paste and herbs circled around a shallow brass bowl, dimly lit by the fading sun, sending orange hues across his annoying face. I wished I could kill in this form; it would solve all my problems quickly and painlessly, not to mention there would be no trail back to me.

  The sound of crying had my smoky head shift to the side. My mental ranting was silenced as my eyes rounded in horror. Trapped in a large dog crate were the twins, their thin forms huddled together, careful not to touch the side of the metal enclosure. Squinting, I could see orange power twisting over the black metal. Son of a bitch.

  Steven’s magic had a color; this was far worse than I imagined.

  Like a rocket, I shot back to my body, being pulled rapidly. The sleeping city flashing by in hues of bright whites and pale blues.

  Slowly, I drew a deep breath, feeling fatigue in my limbs. Clenching my fists, I whispered, “He has them.”

  “Who?” asked Blake from far away.

  Rolling to my side, I forced my eyes open, meeting Logan’s gaze. “The twins.”

  …

  “I realize it may be ‘ard to understand through me accent, but me answer is no,” Blue said again, tilting his head at a sharp angle to argue with the impossibly tall Logan.

  “He is one of my mine,” Logan growled, leaning menacingly towards Blue.

  “How decent of you to admit responsibility now,” Blue said, his cobalt blue eyes dancing merrily.

  I smiled from the couch I had earlier recovered on. Unfortunately, sex wouldn’t pull me back from this one. I needed time to replenish the blood I had lost; an IV drip taped to my wrist greatly sped up the process.

  “Let us not forget yer previous attempt to gain control of this situation led to Olivia having to save yer arse once again,” Blue said, his lips turned up in a smile; he was enjoying the goading.

  Blake paced behind me, on the phone with Tate in low whispers.

  “The vampires are going?” Logan asked, losing ground.

  It took all my strength, which wasn’t much, not to laugh aloud. Blue grinned, answering, “Aye, they are.”

  Logan’s jaw muscles twitched as Blue continued, “Aside, someone be needed to tend to Olivia,” he said, blasting me with a full leprechaun grin.

  My mouth hung slack as I met Logan’s wary gaze.

  In the silence, I heard the click of Blake hanging up. Turning on my back to look up at him, I pleaded with my eyes not to let them leave me alone with the pain-in-the-ass shifter.

  He leaned down, resting his lovely chin on the couch back. “Sorry love, someone does need to stay here with you, and if Logan goes with us, no one will listen to Darren.” He met Logan’s gaze for the next statement. “And they need to listen to Darren on this one. After all that has happened, it is important he secure his position.”

  Huffing, I crossed my arms, pulling the IV and scraping my underarm with my watch, hissing.

  Jerry walked in the front door, followed by Mark. “Leave Mark with me,” I suggested hopefully.

  “Sorry, sister, I am not leaving Jerry’s side. He is going to need all the support he can to fight off the bad mojo magic of Steven.”

  “Shit, I forgot to tell you, Jerry, his magic is orange,” I said, worry creasing my features as I rolled to my side.

  “Orange?” Jerry repeated.

  I nodded, searching his face, the hard lines in his forehead creasing as he said, “I am going to need more supplies.”

  Mark watched him retreat into the kitchen before turning to me. “What does orange mean?”

  “That he has moved above the average abilities. Mage’s ranks work much the same as a rainbow: red, orange, yellow and so on. To move into the ranks takes a great deal of time and effort; Steven has been planning this for some time.”

  Mark nodded as Jerry came back out. “What level are you?” Mark asked Jerry with concern.

  “High enough to take his ass out,” Jerry responded, trying to force a light tone.

  Mark just nodded, throwing me a last glance before following Jerry out.

  Blue crouched by my head, stroking my temple before placing a kiss there, turning, and leaving silently. I watched Logan’s house empty of shifters, vampires, and a few trusted human police, leaving the place feeling empty and watchful, or perhaps that was just me.

  “So you and Blue,” Blake said lightheartedly, sitting on the coffee table in front of me.

  I smiled at his attempt at a joke. “No, there never was me and Blue. I taught him how to fight, how to kill, and gave him a job.”

  Blake nodded, knowing full well what Blue meant to me, but did he know what he himself meant to me. Being bound to my emotions guaranteed he knew how I felt but not why.

  Clearing my throat, I was shocked at the hot tears I felt. “Come back to me,” I whispered, unable to articulate all the reason why I needed him. All the change forced its way into my soul, and I hoped desperately that I would be given the opportunity to explore all these new sensations with him at my side.

  My words were inadequate I realized as Blake bowed his head to me, kissing my pale knuckles. “Always,” he promised, his eyes somber with the battle ahead.

  I nodded, feeling a tear slip down my cheek as the door closed behind him. Closing my eyes, I was aware of Logan’s stare. “Go ahead and say it, Logan,” I said softly.

  He remained silent and I didn’t care to hear his disapproval of me, so I ignored him and tried to ignore the nagging voice in my heart that demanded I go by Blake’s side.

  When I had my emotions under control, I opened my eyes to find Logan sheepishly watching me with understanding. After all, his brother was facing down a powerful mage as well.

  “TV?” he suggested, holding up the remote.

  “Sure,” I agreed, needing something
to keep my mind off of everything.

  Lorraine slammed doors from the second story, letting us know just how upset she was. Neither of us cared.

  The question slipped out before I even realized it had. “Why do you put up with her?” I immediately regretted asking. “Never mind; it’s none of my business,” I said, turning back to the TV, careful of the needle in my wrist.

  Logan sighed surprising us both with an answer. “I don’t know.”

  “Why do you stay with Blake?” he asked.

  Rolling to my back, I pushed up against the armrest to look at his haggard appearance before answering, “Because I am so tired of being alone.”

  Lorraine slammed another door as something delicate crashed to the ground followed by her yelling.

  “Is it worth it?” I asked, suddenly genuinely interested.

  “Is what worth it?” Logan mumbled, still staring upstairs after Lorraine’s cursing.

  “Having a mate?” I asked, turning on my side sliding back down.

  Logan narrowed his caramel eyes, watching me. “You should know that answer.”

  “I don’t. I’ve never had a relationship before; never had restraints and commitments.” I shrugged turning on my back staring up at the ceiling.

  “It can be,” Logan answered hesitantly.

  I nodded, restlessly turning on my side to watch the sunset through the plantation shutters. Deep reds turned into purple, bleeding way to pink before the giant ball was swallowed up entirely. My nerves grated as I chewed on my lip, my stomach a mess.

  Casting a glance at Logan, he mirrored my own anxious expression, staring blankly at the TV blasting some news channel, waiting for news that mattered.

  Chapter 25

  I slept, arms crossed over my middle, breath coming and going in easy exhales, too spent to be worried about the front door being cracked open.

  “What are you doing here?” Logan asked. My lids flew open from the hostility in his voice; I was careful to keep my body still.

  “We need to talk,” Steven’s pathetic voice announced.

  My easy breathing became labored as the giant remnant of Logan’s grandfather walked in behind Steven, closing the door and lumbering in a dark trance, his eyes a burnt red.

  Taking a deep breath, Steven let it out as a loud sigh. “You have taken our clans on the wrong path,” he said, beginning to pace, as I pushed myself into a sitting position, watching him keenly.

  Throwing a hand to indicate me, he continued, “You aligned us with succubi, allowed your own brother not only to impregnate one but marry her as well.” Steven shook his head, pacing in front of the TV. “Let’s not even get started on her corruption of the innocent Hannah.” Steven stopped, pulling off his glasses to clean them on his dress shirt.

  He cast a desperate look toward Logan. “I should be able to kill you, to take over and lead us down the noble path we were born for, but I want you to be a part of that picture,” he said hopefully, placing his glasses back on his ugly face as Logan sat ridged in his chair.

  “You have killed innocent children,” Logan said, testing the waters of his insanity.

  “Bah, freaks all of them; we are the true shifters, the true bloods, and we shall make our clans great once again,” he said, the future glimmering madly in his eyes. “We are the rightful rulers of all the supernatural races; we are the superior life form,” he claimed, gaining strength, puffing his chest out. “We shall force the humans into slavery, as is fitting for them, and rule all,” he finished, captivating both Logan and myself by his sheer insanity.

  “We cannot enslave humans,” Logan said, adjusting in his chair to give the appearance of relaxed nonchalance, while his energy vibrated with alert rage, ready to pounce on the rogue shifter.

  Steven sneered with an ugly look on an already ugly face, and I cringed.

  He rounded, catching my disgust. “Demon,” he insulted.

  I rolled my eyes. “Why am I not passed out right now?” I asked, genuinely curious, and, as any good movie watcher knows, the villain always loves to boast about his brilliant plans. Too bad we were going to ruin those.

  He scoffed, throwing a disdainful look at Logan’s grandfather. “Yes, I have heard of your ability to link with my pet. Not sure how you managed it, but it only seems to happen when I force him to do something he finds distasteful. Surprising, considering he was known as the Terrible, Destroyer of Many, and now he flinches at disposing a few impurities.”

  “How did you fool me?” I asked, worry growing for Blake and the others.

  He growled at that question. “I didn’t. Your minions successfully ruined my ritual killing of the twins, but not before I trapped them in the warehouse.” He adjusted his stance, insecurities showing as his shoulders hunched forward. “You will reveal how you did that before I bleed you,” he hissed, his beady eyes narrowing.

  Swinging my legs down, I slipped the needle out that was delivering sweet blood to my arm.

  “Doubtful,” I taunted, resting my forearms on my thighs, gathering my strength, reaching for my dark pools.

  Steven foolishly walked closer, the front of his gray slacks brushing against the steel coffee table.

  I knew my eyes were dead, I knew the beautiful sea green I use to see in the mirror had changed into the dark green of a forest possessed by night where the truly disturbed beings lurk. He didn’t notice the change or didn’t care; it made no difference. Darkness began to coat my cells, unleashing the killing beast I kept just below the surface.

  From the corner of my eye, I saw Logan leaning forward in his chair, muscles bunching under his shirt, deadly eyes trained on Steven. I felt his shift, the unbridled power being released, stroking against my own, and I couldn’t help but smile.

  Steven sneered. “What the fuck are you smiling at bitch?”

  My grin widened. “You had the dead perform your demented deeds, used others’ hands to end life, took the coward’s way out,” I said leaning forward, watching his jaw clench as I reduced him to the pompous ass he was. “You forgot we are true killers,” I informed him, my voice softening. “We are the reason darkness is feared, the ruthlessness that keeps order in a chaotic word; we are contained by the rules we choose, and you, Steven, have walked straight into our judgment,” I ended, smiling like a fool. I might be half-dead, but his death was guaranteed this hallowed night.

  He looked nervously to Logan, whose fangs had lengthened, his massive bulk forcing apart the seams of his clothing. Logan chuckled softly, his eyes twirling as he licked his lips.

  “You forgot,” Steven said, straightening his hunched shoulders out, “I have the undead on my side.”

  I smiled before pointing to Logan’s grandfather. “Sit,” I commanded, drawing power into my words. He did so without hesitation.

  Steven’s eyes widened behind his wire-rimmed glasses as his most valuable pawn obeyed my command. He was left with only his own abilities to finish us. Judging by the fear that now stiffened his limbs, he didn’t think it would be enough.

  “Never bring a knife to a gun fight,” Logan said, standing slowly from his chair.

  I couldn’t help but join in with a dark chuckle.

  Steven turned to his dead shifter sitting on his heels, his elongated thighs feeling no stress as he watched us, his empty eye sockets glowing a dim red. My heart felt the pain Logan’s grandfather did, caught and forced between worlds. His destroyed body caught in midshift, unable to become his true lion form, he managed in a half shift, his human body lengthened to unnatural proportions.

  He was grand in life and equally impressive in death.

  Muttering words I couldn’t understand and didn’t care to, I watched Steven’s futile attempt to once again force his minion into doing his evil bidding. What he didn’t understand, and, I admit, I didn’t either, was that Logan’s grandfather’s energy was bound to mine, intertwined and pulsing inside of me.

  He would obey me exclusively.

  Slowly I stood, navigating the ne
w sensations of power throbbing inside of me. My vision took on another layer as I saw the blood red cord connecting Logan’s grandfather to Steven. Reaching out with my own muted red power, I tugged gently against the cord, feeling the pop of release as Steven’s gaze found me, shocked.

  Blowing out a breath, I maneuvered the cord back to Logan’s grandfather, feeling it pulled into his decaying chest.

  That’s when shit got weird.

  The power cord disappeared into his chest, and, instantly, he was bathed in golden light too painful for my eyes as I turned away, feeling the heat of magic on my back.

  A deep growl had me turning around to an older, yet regal version of Logan. Strong naked shoulders, caramel eyes, and strands of gray hair wound through dark blond hair. His eyes narrowed, crow’s-feet sprouting up, as he took a powerful step toward Steven.

  Steven regarded him in awe, mouth hanging open before turning his wide eyes to me. “How?” he asked before being thrown across the professionally designed living room.

  I smiled, leaning against the arm of the couch, watching the destruction as Logan came to stand next to me, hardly containing his violent nature. “Can we move this outside?”

  “Sure, as long as you have a great explanation for the neighbors and news crews?” I reminded him.

  He growled low as Steven was thrown through the banister of the second story, his body flopping back down. His cries reached us, pathetic attempts to beg for his life, to explain how he only had the best of intentions in mind.

  I scoffed, enjoying the sound of bones breaking. I had been forced to do things against my moral code, and I understood how Logan’s grandfather needed to punish Steven. It helped ease the pain, the guilt, and the self-hatred.

  Lorraine picked that moment to come down the stairs, screaming.

  “Fuck,” I whispered, turning to look up at her ashen face.

  “Go back to your room,” I ordered her without thinking. She screamed again, unable to move as the lumbering giant tossed Steven’s body precariously close to her own.

  “Shit,” I whispered, turning to Logan for assistance only to find myself staring directly into his beast. I averted my eyes as quickly as possible, but it didn’t matter.