Albert lifted her and tucked her into bed, but before he let her sleep, he forced her to drink a glass of water. “The massage pulls blood into your muscles and your body will get that liquid from itself or from drinking water. Unless you want an unpleasant tomorrow, always have water after a massage.”
She chuckled. “Thanks, but I knew that one.”
He snorted. “Sorry. I did a few years as a massage therapist before I went to culinary school and before that business college and before that a stint in nursing training. I have been tumbling all over myself to find out what I am destined to do, but I have to tell you, this is the first time I have ever felt like I was in the right place.”
She nuzzled the pillow under her and sighed as she dozed off. “Me too.”
Precisely seven hours later, Spike woke up with a jolt. She sat up and looked around, but there was no sign of Albert.
She got up, took her glass and filled it, draining it while she stood next to the sink. She filled it again and headed back to bed. Humming to herself, she dug her watch out of her bag. She didn’t like to wear it if she was going to shift, but that didn’t seem necessary today.
To her surprise, a phone began ringing. Listening closely, she managed to track it to the living room where an old-style phone was rattling in its cradle. She picked up the earpiece. “Hello?”
Teebie’s voice came through. “The current time is eleven. You have five hours until the shower.”
“How did you know that?”
“You got out of bed. I do the housekeeping in the homes, so I know when folks leave their beds. The phone was added this morning. I do so love the classic touch.”
The wall-mounted mouthpiece with the cradle for the earpiece connected by a cable was definitely classic.
“So, it’s eleven?”
“More or less. Time is a little fluid here, but since you are on a night shift, I thought a phone was a good idea. Never worry about being late for anything here. We can all call you.”
Spike yawned. “I think I need some more water.”
“Go and hydrate. See you at four.”
“Bye.”
Spike placed the receiver back in the wire cradle on the side of the phone. She was halfway back to the bedroom when the door opened and Albert came in with takeout from the café.
He paused. “Good morning.”
“Morning. Is that food?”
He extended one of the packs to her, and she took it from him and headed to the dining table.
She sat and dove into the food without utensils. She stuffed the scrambled eggs and bacon into the pancake and dumped syrup over the whole thing.
She turned her head sideways and took a bite.
“Did you just make a breakfast taco?”
She held up one central finger and kept eating.
Chapter Eight
After breakfast, Spike tidied up and got dressed. She declined Albert’s offer to use up the last of the syrup in an intimate moment.
“Sorry, Albert, I am still too tired.” She yawned again.
“What woke you?”
She ran a hand over her hair. “If I were to guess, I would say that it was you closing the door. Something sent me bolt upright.”
“I will have to work on my technique.”
“Or you can start cooking breakfast once I have signed my life away and we return to an enlarged house. I am fairly sure it will have a kitchen.”
He perked up, “Seriously?”
“Yup. Teebie said so, and she seems like a woman who can make things happen if she is so inclined.”
Albert suddenly looked shy. “Do you think she would take suggestions?
Spike laughed. “Get a pen and paper and start drawing. It couldn’t hurt.”
He was nearly gleeful as he scampered into the bedroom in search of drawing implements.
She sipped at the coffee but still couldn’t shake the achy flu-like symptoms. With a sigh, she carefully removed her clothing and watch before shifting.
Albert came back in and looked around for her. She lifted her head and nosed upward and he grinned. “You are adorable.”
She hissed.
He reached out and she let him pick her up. He was careful with her and rolled her gently from hand to hand.
When he set her down, she snapped into a ball and he prodded her again. She hissed again, unfurled and scampered out of his reach on her thin little legs.
Spike made it to the edge of the table and shifted back to human, sitting on the table and feeling much better.
“Feeling achy after the massage?”
“Yup. Feel better now though.” She stretched and wiggled her fingers and toes.
“You are lovely.”
He was staring at her with admiration.
Spike blushed and put her clothing back on. “I am not. I have seen lovely. It doesn’t resemble me. I am cute but that is as far as it goes.”
“The sun is gleaming on your belly, caressing your knees, shadows are hiding between your thighs and your strength is only hinted at by the muscles in your arms. Your neck lends you an air of grace, your breasts give no doubt as to your femininity and your face has the elfish charm of a woman who finds joy in life at all times.”
She gave him a narrow-eyed look. “Literary studies?”
His expression was sincere but there was definite pink to his cheeks. “I dabbled in poetry.”
She walked over to him once she was fully clothed and wrapped her arms around his neck. “The sentiment is appreciated.”
She kissed him but kept it quick. “Draw your dream kitchen. I will see what I can do.”
“Do you have any preferences?”
“Nope. My kitchen is where I find my microwave.”
He winced. “Horrors. I am guessing I will do the cooking?”
“Do you make mac and cheese?”
“I can arrange it.”
“Good. If you can do that now and then, I will be content.”
“A woman who is easy to please. Good to know.” He grinned and doodled what started as a basic design and then rapidly got more involved.
Spike decided that it would be a good idea to do some stretching in the small living room. She needed to keep flexible when she was working in the space designed for men over a foot taller than she was.
“So, tomorrow is our day out. What do you want to do after your appointment with your warren master?”
She gave him a considering look. “Can we go for ice cream? Oh, and then your people.”
“We will take care of my family first. It should be a quick signature. They are waiting for it.”
She liked that he was thinking it would be a quick thing. When it came to signing off on blood rights, it was rarely a quick thing.
She kept stretching for a few minutes until she had warmed her muscles.
“I think I am going to see what they have at the general store. I will be right back.”
He was busy with his drawing. She ruffled his hair as she passed and headed out into the bright afternoon.
The general store was full of fun clothing, daring shoes and a surprising amount of practical items for kitchens and bedrooms.
She checked her watch, and when she had spent half an hour looking at the selection, she headed home.
It was time to get ready for the shower.
The Open Heart Bed and Breakfast was the perfect venue for the party. The ladies of the Crossroads had their improvised gifts, and when Lee came through the door, all was ready.
Spike loved baby showers. Everyone was happy and the mother-to-be was relieved and excited. She opened box after box of tiny items and teared up at each one.
Spike sat with Teebie and nibbled at tiny sandwiches in fanciful shapes.
When the large box from Spike’s family arrived, Lee broke into sobs. The Markums took family life seriously, as did their warren. Lee had enough clothing, cloths, blankets and tiny socks to last the baby through its first year.
The bassinet that held
it all had cradled generations of bunnies. It was a warren heirloom, but they had given it up without a whimper, or at least without a wiggle of their noses.
Lee looked up through watery eyes. “Spike? Was this you?”
Spike shrugged. “I explained your situation to my mother and she did the rest. Teal and Tony arranged the transport and reception of the box and Teebie picked it up and kept it here. All I did was make a phone call.”
Lee got up, pushed through the presents with all the grace of a ship under full sail and she grabbed Spike and hugged her.
Pregnant women had hugged Spike before, but the kicks to her abdomen caught her by surprise. “Lee, the baby is feeling squished.”
Lee hugged harder. “Don’t care. Thank you. The more I depend on others, the more I realize that they give more than help; they give hope.”
Spike winced and her spines started to ease from her skin to loosen Lee’s grip. It was not something that she was doing deliberately, but all shifters had reflexes that they couldn’t hold in.
Lee chuckled and released her, rubbing her forearms absently. “How did they get it all together so quickly?”
Spike smiled. “I grew up with rabbits. Baby clothing close at hand is part of our community motto. The basket was mine when I was little.”
Lee snorted. “You are still little.”
“Small body, big heart.”
“I can personally attest to that.” Lee pressed her forehead to Spike’s. “Thank you and while I abhor the reason you are here, I can only be grateful that you were here when I was leaving.”
“You won’t be gone forever.”
Lee shrugged. “Who knows? If this child is the beginning of a trend, there might be a new life out in the human world for me.” She rubbed her belly. “Beyond this one.”
“Change is good. You will be surprised by what a proper and well-balanced human community can offer you.”
“I have seen one when I was nursing and am looking forward to immersing myself in it this time. It is James I worry about. He has been here over a decade. Hopefully, his family makes the transition easier for him.”
“I hope so. Cranky tigers aren’t good for the block parties.” Spike smiled.
Teebie announced some party games and the rest of the event dissolved into giggles as pin the tail on the lion made for some entertaining results.
Spike watched the party and drank some punch. There were nine different species celebrating the pregnancy of a lioness. It had to be some sort of record.
She sat and packed away the gifts once they had been properly recorded for the purpose of thank you notes.
Teebie came up next to her. “Do you have a lot of brothers and sisters?”
Spike sighed. “No. I am an only child. Nine pregnancies, one baby.”
Teebie winced. “You must be precious to your family.”
“I am, but when it comes to the community, I am just the storyteller. I have learned all the tales of the warren and I tell them to the children to keep them occupied on bunny day and others as well.”
“Bunny day?”
“Ah, Easter. The religious aspect is fine, but a day devoted to rabbits is too much temptation, so we have crafted our own traditions.”
Teebie started to tidy up, and Spike helped her while the other women played games about baby names.
“What kind of stories do you tell them?”
“I tell them tales of the Easter bunny and its travels. The older ones want to know how I can be a hedgehog when my parents are rabbits, so I tell them tales of randoms throughout history.”
“Leading travellers, knocking out highwaymen, that sort of thing.”
Spike chuckled. “Exactly. They were born and decided to protect their communities even if they could not be part of them. Wolves have been born in warrens, foxes and even bears. All of them had rabbits as parents.”
“Where did the Easter bunny come from?” Teebie smiled, and the moment they got around the corner with the trays, the dishes disappeared.
Spike grinned. “That is a tale for another time. I have to get to the bar.”
“Say good afternoon to Lee and be on your way. Don’t hesitate to ring if you need anything. My phone number is three.”
Spike was still laughing as she kissed Lee’s cheek and said farewell until later. The purpose of the Crossroads was to provide shifters with the opportunity to meet and mate. She was now part of that purpose.
Chapter Nine
The transport had been smooth and directly into her home. Albert was standing behind her, his hands on her arms. “This isn’t cutting you off; this is making all the societies of shifters responsible for you. Remember that.”
She nodded and swallowed as she quickly moved through her bedroom and packed her clothing. There wasn’t a lot. She tended to destroy most of her clothes. Even her dresses were put on as she went about her day. Sprouting piercing spikes was a little hard on fabric, even when she shrank.
Since today’s events were formal, she removed her normal armour of jeans and a t-shirt and put on a summer dress with matching heels.
“You look lovely, Spike, or should I call you Sicily while we are here?”
“Whatever you wish, Albert.” She settled the bags on her bed and looked around.
He came up behind her and rubbed her arms. “This isn’t the end.”
She nodded but was having a hard time holding the tears back. She had fought long and hard to get this home on her own. Even though it was on warren land, it was hers. Most rabbits stayed with their parents until they married and moved into their own home. This had been her second act of familial rebellion. The first time she went against her family had been enrolling in the council’s intelligence program.
She lifted her head and sniffed. “It’s time.”
Albert stayed behind her as they walked out of the house and down the lane toward her family home.
Her parents were waiting next to their home, but there was no sign of Roger.
She hugged her mother and father in greeting before she looked around. “Where is everyone?”
Verona shook her head. “I don’t know. I confirmed an hour ago. Everything was fine.”
A sense of dread filled their quartet.
“Mom, Dad, get behind me.”
She put herself between them and a shadow that streaked out of the forest. Albert deflected it and the sleek panther growled at him.
The second and third black cats took Albert to the ground and kept him there while a fourth moved toward Spike with a low growl.
Spike took a few steps toward the creature and stopped. “What do you want?”
A woman with sleek black hair and poisonous green eyes grew out of the cat. “I want you dead, hedgehog. I have taken care of the others; you are the last one left.”
The woman was getting closer, Albert was still fighting the panthers and her parents were still behind her; she flicked her fingers toward them and she hoped they saw her motion.
“Where is the rest of the warren?”
“They are safe on that island in the lake, but the boxes we have them in will not let them shift. They will need help to escape, so I would rather not kill your parents.”
Sicily stood calmly in her dress and heels. “Why are you killing all of us?”
The panther moved toward her until she was three feet away. “Because you would kill me.”
Sicily didn’t hesitate. She extended her arm and generated her claws. A fast swipe across the woman’s throat knocked her back with a yowl.
The three beasts on Albert backed off, and it was all he needed. She heard the tearing of fabric and huge wings burst from his back. His eyes were deep gold and he swung and opened the wings as weapons. The panthers were scattered in moments, and he leaped after them, snapping one neck before lunging toward the next.
The woman on the ground gargled. “As it was foreseen. You have destroyed me.”
Sicily knelt next to the woman as her blood slowed.
“You would have killed me first. If you had left us alone, none of this would have happened.”
“She said I had to stop you…” The woman’s eyes went dull as the last bit of blood streamed out of her.
Sicily felt her mother’s arms on her shoulders. “Come on, love. Time to find the others. Your friend seems to have the other panthers are on the run.”
Sicily nodded and her father helped her to her feet. Both of her parents ignored her bloody arm. They headed toward the lake, and to Sicily’s surprise, Albert was already on his way to the island.
She blinked. “That isn’t Albert.”
Two more swans swam at speed to the island, and they broke the cages with sharp impacts of their beaks. Apparently, swans were dangerous as well as lovely.
Albert came striding out of the woods with blood on his wings. Only a little bit of it was his own.
Her mother sighed. “I was worried about him. You two seem attached to each other.”
Sicily snorted. “You could say that. If you don’t mind, I would like to wash this blood off.”
Her mother and father let her go, and she jumped into the lake, scrubbing at her hands and the dress she had just ruined. As an afterthought, she reached down and pulled off her shoes, tossing them onto the shore.
The swans were ferrying the rabbits back to the bank, and one by one, the warren took human form again.
The pile of shaking and naked folk took on a new dimension when everyone was over and Sicily had unbuckled the cut collar from Roger’s neck. The warren master should have been able to fight free of the box but not with the confinement on his neck stopping his ability to shift.
The swans stood next to Albert who was sporting wet wings with only a few cuts.
“Sicily, this is my mother, Agatha, my father, Arnold, and my sister, Anise.” Albert smiled. “My family enjoys alliteration.”
Edgar smiled. “We carry on Verona’s tradition. Her family names the child after where it got its start.”
Sicily covered her eyes. “I think alliteration would be less embarrassing.”
Albert put his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Your people are safe now.”
Spike's Day Out Page 5