Chosen: Shifters of London

by Hanna Maria Jones

  He refilled my tea, a flicker of smugness twitching at the corner of his mouth. “Anyway, I’m worried I haven’t heard from my cousin. At least I know my family hasn’t got to her, the braggarts.”

  I resisted the urge to point out it seemed to run in the family. “You really think they’re still safe?”

  “I hope so.”

  We were quiet as we finished our tea.

  “Didn’t you offer me breakfast?”

  “There’s food to cook in the fridge.” He waggled his eyebrows at me.

  I scowled, but I was far too hungry to refuse on principle. I grabbed my cup to put in the sink, and then opened his fridge. I expected it to be somewhat empty save for takeout, but that turned out to not be the case.

  Within no time I had eggs, beans, streaky bacon, and potatoes waiting to be turned into a scrumptious breakfast.

  My stomach growled.

  Not to boast but my cooking skills were better than passable, at least with breakfast foods. I could feel him watching me again as I broke eggs and chopped potatoes.

  The air soon filled with the scent of cooking meats and the pop of frying food when I heard a sharp little knock.

  “Bollocks! You can’t be here!” He jumped up to his feet, grabbing my shoulders.

  For a second neither of us moved, looking at each other.

  “In the pantry!” he hissed, shoving me toward the door.

  “What, but--”

  Too late, he opened the door, shoved me inside and hissed. “Don’t. Breathe.”

  I bit my lip, annoyed and terrified all the same time. If they were really planning on luring Heath out by capturing his cousin, coming here was probably not the smartest idea I’ve ever had.

  I heard his fading footsteps and the click of a door opening. I pressed my ear against the wood and held my breath.

  “Lovely, lovely Rose! What brings you here?”

  “Step aside, please,” she demanded, and dread pooled in my stomach.

  “I’m quite swell, thank you. How are you?” He quipped, as if she hadn’t just been rude.

  The door closed again, and his heavier tread was followed by sharp little clacks. “Are you cooking, Ryland?”

  “Obviously.” His voice lost some of its shiny veneer as she walked around the kitchen.

  “I didn’t know you could cook. Didn’t Pandorea usually do those domestic chores for you?”

  “Pandy’s not here, Rose.”

  “I think it’s adorable that you think I’ll take your word for that.”

  “Then I’d try my bedroom, it’s the only window with a high enough sill for her to escape through.”

  The sound of heels stopped in the kitchen. “Now why would my sister be running away from me?”

  I was struggling to not breathe loudly, even my heartbeat sounded like a hammer in the tiny space. Couldn’t Heath have picked a nice normal girl to hole himself up with?

  “I couldn’t imagine,” Ryland said flatly. I could hear the scraping sounds of a spatula in a pan. “Why don’t you stick around and eat? We can chat about all the reasons she doesn’t have to fear you.”

  The clacks started again, this time heading away. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you, so she could get a head start.”

  I let out a shaky breath.

  His footsteps became fainter as well. “I haven’t seen her, Rose.”

  “Then next time don’t leave an extra cup in the sink.” The door slammed as, hopefully, she left.

  I sagged in relief. I didn’t think my heart could take all this excitement. This would be a fine time to find out I had a heart problem, wouldn’t it?

  The pantry door opened abruptly with me still leaning against it, and I staggered right into a very solid chest.

  Ry steadied me with a light touch on my shoulders, the tenderness a painful reminder of yesterday. He looked down at me, his eyes darkening again.

  I would let him kiss me if he wanted to.

  Ring ring!

  He smiled roguishly at me as he took a step back.

  I shot him a disgruntled look and pulled out the mobile. It wasn’t a number I recognize, which was disappointing on several points to say the least. “Hello?”

  “This is Kurt. Have you gotten a call from Heath yet?”

  Honestly, I’d have known who it was just from his deep voice. Once I realized what he said, more disappointment flooded through my gut. “No. You haven’t found him?”

  “Not yet. Did you leave the flat? Where are you?”

  Ryland was hanging over my shoulder, so I stepped into the pantry and partially closed the door. “Of course I left. I’m just--” The acrid burning smell of food finally hit me. “Bollocks, my bacon!” I cursed and swung open the door to dash over to the stove. Men, they would be the death of me by starvation.

  “What?” he asked, confused.

  I frantically slammed cupboard doors open and closed looking for plates. Finding them behind the last door I searched, I grabbed one and started scraping bacon and eggs onto it. The potatoes were a bit crisp, but fine otherwise.

  “Are you in trouble?”

  “No, I just burnt my breakfast.”

  Ryland grinned at me, one eyebrow raised ever so slightly. “You mean you ruined my breakfast.” He even attempted to speak right by the phone.

  “Gemma, who’s that?” Kurt asked narrowly.

  “Just a friend,” I said desperately, a lot more concerned about Kurt figuring out the who than assuming it was a boyfriend.

  “Just a friend? I’m hurt.” Ryland grabbed his chest and deliberately took a step closer.

  I shooed him with my hand. It was about as successful as I thought it would be.

  “I don’t care who you’re with, as long as it's safe. You’re safe?”

  “Probably,” I muttered, then said louder, “I’m fine, just disappointed in the food.”

  The git next to me had a funny smile playing along his lips, eyes glinting with mischief. “Be a duckie and grab my trousers off the couch. You have to be more careful where you throw them in the future.”

  Blushing hotly, I threw him a rude gesture before flipping the potatoes.

  “Who is that?” The growl in Kurt’s voice stopped me short.

  “Just a friend,” I repeated loudly, physically pushing Ry’s face away from the phone as he continued to talk about strewn clothes.

  “I know that voice. Is that--”

  I didn’t hear the rest as I yanked the phone away from my ear and searched for the button to hang up. Cowardly, but I didn’t know what else to do. Ry, however...

  I shot him a look more bitter than the ruined eggs. “That might have been my boyfriend, you know.”

  “If you had a boyfriend, you wouldn’t be flirting with me.”

  Me, flirting with him? He made it sound like I was chasing him. I turned my back on him and tried to salvage bacon pieces. It would be a shame to throw food away.

  My eyes filled with tears unexpectedly, and I had to blink them back fiercely. I felt a light touch on my shoulder, but I stuck my nose up in the air and ignored it.

  “I didn’t say I wasn’t flirting back.” He nudged my chin until I looked at him. He was very close, eyes darkening to that molten steel again. He hesitated just a breath away, and when I didn’t move, he closed the distance between us.

  Chapter 5

  It was a sweet kiss.

  We stood in place, only our mouths pressed lightly together. His fingers brushed my cheeks as he deepened the kiss, moving his mouth languidly against mine. He concentrated on my lower lip, tip of his tongue swiping along the skin there.

  Just I started to raise my hands to touch him, he broke the contact by tilting his head back.

  “Don’t burn the rest of it,” he murmured before walking to the fridge and peering inside innocently.

  I wish I had said some sort of witty comeback instead of just standing there with my hands still half-raised. The sound of sizzling potatoes brought me back to reality, a
nd I picked up the spatula with a sigh.

  I snuck glances at him as he casually poured himself a glass of milk. Did he mean anything by this kiss? I couldn’t assume he was the type of person to do that with just anyone. Or was it wishful thinking to hope he wasn’t?

  “Breakfast is ready.” I grabbed another plate and filled it with food, passing it off to him as he passed by.

  He popped a piece of bacon in his mouth and grinned. “Thanks.”

  I sat at the table across from him, barely realizing I had forgotten forks when he produced two. I took it from him, managing a smile. “Thanks.”

  Silence reigned yet again as we ate, but apparently both of us took eating very seriously. My parents used to lament that their food bill increased by leaps and bounds, but a growing girl needed her sustenance.

  I didn’t speak until my plate was all but licked clean. “Do you hate werewolves?”

  He didn’t answer right away, finishing his milk first. Then he got up and poured himself another full glass. He sat down again, still looking troubled.

  “You do, don’t you?”

  “Yes? I don’t know. I know I can’t hate Pandy for falling for one. I always assumed she’d end up with a human, she’s not like Rose.”

  I was completely lost. “Isn’t she a shifter too?”

  “No. Rose wasn’t either. Their family was unlucky enough to have two. It didn’t go well for them.”

  “Oh.” Was it my fault my parents never left anywhere? Were they shunned by family members I never met or heard of?

  He took a long drink of milk. “You’re special, duckie. Anyway, Rose wanted to be Turned so badly she aligned herself with someone she shouldn’t have. She had always been prideful, but now she’s cruel as well.”

  I looked at my empty plate. Rose didn’t seem like a nice person, but I couldn’t imagine being hated for something I couldn’t control.

  “No, don’t feel sorry for her. She had a choice on how to live her life.” He started to gather the plates. “You can cook breakfast for me anytime.” He winked at me as he passed by his hands full.

  I wasn’t sure whether to blush or frown. Then I remembered the kiss and the blush won. “Umm, are there any positive sides to Shifting?”

  “Other than having animal magnetism?”

  I groaned at the pun.

  He grinned. “Well, I couldn’t attend school. It also limits career choices, due to the regular absences I’d need to take.”

  I looked around his flat, it was much nicer than ours. I wondered what job he did have to afford to lived in a gated community. “I should probably go. Thanks for the food.” I searched for my jacket for three seconds before remembering it was in the closet with what was either a long dagger or a short sword.

  “Wait.” He touched my wrist as I passed by. “I’ll walk you to your car, just in case.”

  “Alright.” I shrugged on my jacket when he brought it to me, and we walked to the door.

  He held it open for me, smiling in a rather adorable way. It was probably a smirk, but I still found it adorable.

  Oh Gemma, that’s not good.

  We got to the car without much incident, except I tripped over air and he grabbed my hand to keep me from falling. He took the last two steps to the door while still holding my hand.

  I think I floated the rest of the way. However, being a strong and unflappable woman, I rolled down the window to say coyly, “Call me.” I threw him my best Amanda Barrie nod, and pulled away from the curb. I did check the rearview mirror, and he was grinning like he knew exactly what I just did there.

  I was quite pleased with myself until I remembered I called him from a pay phone.

  Speaking of ill-thought out blunders, I resigned myself to calling Kurt back. He was my best chance to get ahold of Heath at this point. After all, who would a twenty-three year old male call first, his best friend or his baby cousin?

  He growled instead of answering in human words.

  “Kurt?” I ventured.

  “You’re lucky I didn’t head down there. I’d recognize that shifty purr anywhere.”

  “Excuse me? You said you didn’t care where I was!”

  “As long as you were safe!” he thundered. “I meant it when I said they’d use you to get to Heath.”

  “I’m not even there anymore, Kurt.” I was not used to anyone yelling at me, but I was trying to remain calm. “Ry let me leave, he’s just worried about his cousin.”

  “I just bet Ry is so worried.” His voice lowered several octanes.

  If I weren’t so outraged, I’d really enjoy that rasp when dropped that deep. “I appreciate your concern, but he didn’t threaten me.” Not after the ‘no screaming’ bit, but that seemed like a bad idea to mention ever.

  “Just because he didn’t threaten you with violence doesn’t mean he’s not using you.”

  I don’t think he meant it the way I thought, but I colored up real fast at that. “Maybe I’m using him too. If he finds Pandorea he’ll find Heath too, I’m sure of it.”

  He scoffed.

  I was tempted to hang up. However, my parents taught me manners. “Why don’t you just call me when you’ve heard anything. I’ll do the same.”

  “What you’re doing is a bad idea,” he warned.

  “I’ve got to go now.” Hanging up now after a goodbye, however, was not rude.

  I tossed the phone on the passenger’s seat. I didn’t really have any direction in mind as I drove. There was a cluttered used book shop not too far from our flat. The owner never seemed to mind if I hung around and read for awhile so long as I bought a book.

  I wish I could say I made it there and spent several hours wiling away the day.

  Instead, I found myself heading in a completely different direction. I wasn’t too surprised when I found myself pulling up to my parent’s house.

  No, they wouldn’t believe nothing was wrong, but at this point that was the least of my worries. I knocked on the front door, smoothing down my hair.

  After several long minutes, the door opened. My mother, Millie, was a tiny wren of a woman with light brown hair and soft brown eyes. “Oh, sweetheart! Richard, our daughter has come for a visit,” she called over her shoulder. She gestured come in and shut the door behind me.

  It looked so much the same. I ran my fingers over the end table with its tiny frog and toad figurines as I followed her in.

  My dad stepped out of the kitchen, enveloping me in a hug before looking me over. “How’s my girl? You look...the exact same.” He smiled widely.

  “Same to you, dad.” I relaxed, patting the hand resting on my shoulder. “How is everything going?”

  “The practice is doing well. I’ve had to refer a few young people over to the clinic, college students you know.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I’ll keep that in mind while I’m partying and skipping classes.”

  My mother had disappeared in the kitchen, but at that she popped her head out. “That’s nothing to joke about, honey. You’ve always been such a good student.”

  “I still am,” I reassured her, and took a seat on the squishiest sofa chair in the room. “I did have a light load this weekend, so I wanted to drive down.”

  “We’re so glad you did.” He smiled at me.

  My mother came back in, setting down a full tray with tomato and cream cheese sandwiches. I tried to sneak a biscuit to start off with, but she moved its plate away deftly. “Sandwiches first, please.”

  “Yes mum.” I did just have breakfast, but these were light enough to have a few nibbles to go along with my tea.

  She handed me a hot, full cup and took a seat next to my dad. “Are your classes going fine? Is your cousin keeping food in the house?”

  “Yes mum,” I dutifully answered. She worried so much about how much I ate, one would think I didn’t spend every meal inhaling my food while I lived here. “On both counts. I was doing some thinking though.”

  “Dear, you can always move back in with us.” Sh
e quickly said, rather eagerly. Didn’t most parents want their children to be independent?

  Even my dad chuckled at that, shooting his wife an affectionate look.

  “Thanks. Anyway, I’ve really been noticing a a definite resemblance between Heath and you two.”

  Both my parents looked blank, but I could catch a slight glimpse of something behind her eyes.

  “He’s so exhausted sometimes, for days at a time. Then weeks go by and he’s fine, then it happens again...isn’t that odd? Then I remembered you both would get so tired for days as well."

  “Well, everyone’s different honey,” my mother quickly said. “Your father and I just need a few days in the house after working so hard. You have so much energy, and I’m always relieved you don’t have our issue.”

  My mom wasn’t a bad liar obviously, but I was really looking this time. Her fingers twitched, but she maintained that happy mummy baking pie smile.

  A little voice in the back of my head piped up that they did work hard outside the home. They had their own practice for as long as I could remember.

  “I guess I am lucky.” I might have let it go at that, but she couldn’t leave it. She never could.

  “Has Heath said anything? He’s not dragging you to parties, is he?”

  “No, no.” I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. “He’s very protective. He doesn’t mind hiding things from me either.”

  Now she looked both relieved and a little confused, as if unsure what reaction would work here.

  My father looked resigned.

  “Honey, I’m sure there are things college boys don’t want their baby cousins to see--”

  My father held up a hand, halting the flow of words from her. He looked at me directly. “What is he hiding, Gemma?”

  I bit my lip. I was hesitant to push him, but the way he seemed to know... “You’re...you’re.. aren’t you?”

  “What?” he prompted gently, but firmly.

  My mother was utterly gobsmacked, opening and closing her mouth as if she could stop what was happening but she didn’t know how.

  I twisted my jacket in both hands, staring at only him. “Werewolves,” I whispered. “Aren’t you?”

  His mouth tightened as he breathed in, but it softened as he exhaled slowly.