Chosen: Shifters of London

by Hanna Maria Jones

  Heath reached out to smack the offered arm. “Go wag your tail at some other unsuspecting girl.”

  “There aren’t any left,” Willie said so woefully that even Heath laughed.

  “Be that as it may. We actually do have keen olfactory senses. It’s one of the few traits that carries over. Their kind has good hearing, you see, not smell. Otherwise we’re all just quite strong in either form.”

  That explained a little about how Alec--that is, Simon, managed to pass so long as he didn’t hang around too much.

  “Lyall is sure that the information they wanted was about the Summit, but he’s informing other leaders in case they don’t want to take a chance. Anyone living here can go to another safe house, if they choose to. We’re not going anywhere.” Heath smiled at his girlfriend, squeezing her hand.

  “We’ve run enough,” Pandorea agreed quietly.

  “After he’s done, I need to talk to Lyall.” I couldn’t let myself get side-tracked again. If I waited too long, who knew what else might come up?

  “What’s wrong?” Heath asked seriously.

  “I want to show him how I can be helpful at the Summit.” I bit my lip, preparing for an outburst.

  He frowned in concern.

  I was glad he didn’t overreact. I should try and remember that my cousin was actually fairly calm. It was his friend that wasn’t.

  “I think we already have proof how you’re surprisingly resourceful.” Willie chuckled.

  I basked in that kudos. “Thank you, but my first trip there was...illuminating in other ways.”

  Now all three pairs of eyes were on me.

  “What’d you find out?” Heath asked.

  I twisted a curl around my fingers, hesitating. “I really want to wait for Lyall to be here too.”

  “What about Lyall?” Clover came out the hallway, shuffling a towel over her short red hair.

  “Gemma is going to try and convince him she should go to the Summit.”

  “Oooh.” Clover grabbed a chair and sat backwards on the seat with her chin on the headrest. “Are you going to regale us with your harrowing adventures last night?”

  “It really wasn’t that interesting.” I rubbed the back of my neck. “I had help though.”

  “From one of those evil bastards? Sorry, Pandorea.” Willie added as an afterthought.

  “I’m surprised as well.” Pandorea shrugged, not seeming to take offense. “Who was it?” she asked me, curiously.

  I smiled at her. “Your cousin Ry, actually.”

  “Ryland?” She lifted a hand, touching her chin. “That’s not a surprise. We’ve always gotten on well. Marius and him often disagree on how the other is living their life. A murderer and a layabout, respectively.”

  “He was really worried about you.” I confessed. “That’s how we met, he overheard Marius and Rose talking about you, so he followed them to the flat.” I didn’t add all the details, the rest of the audience already looked suspicious.

  “I’m not saying he didn’t help,” Heath started, “but the motive might not be altruistic here.”

  That was true enough. I thought of Tiberius. His reasons ran along the lines of sabotage and hatred. “You took a risk though, didn’t you?” I pointed out, glancing at Pandy.

  Heath looked at Pandorea and back at me, cocking his head. “Is it like that then?”

  “A little,” I hedged. Ry and I didn’t exactly confess our undying love, but I did find him immensely attractive. And he was good at snogging.

  “A little what?” Kurt asked as he entered the kitchen with grocery sacks in hand.

  Willie piped up, damn him. “Gemma has a thing for her cousin’s girlfriend’s cousin.”

  Kurt set down the bags harder than he should have, given the crumpling sound in one. “Ryland?” he practically spat.

  “He’s fit. I’d bite that.” Willie continued, utterly oblivious to the spike in tension.

  “How do you all know each other?” I did my best to avoid the brewing argument. “I mean, for mortal enemies it’s a little strange, isn’t it?”

  Nobody jumped to respond for a long moment.

  Pandorea finally spoke up. “My parents were Hunters for Septimus, so were Ryland’s parents. It was expected that Marius and him would be Hunters as well, and that Rose and I would marry them.”

  “Aren’t you cousins?” I wasn’t the only one who made a face.

  “We’re barely related actually, we just use that word because we grew up together. About Rose and Marius, as children of Hunters, they took it in their head as teenagers to go around taunting other teenage shifters that one day…” She made a sharp motion across her neck.

  Huh. I still wondered how they knew where to find each other, was there a hangout for shifters who weren’t old enough to be taken and killed? I couldn’t help but notice that most of them averted their eyes from one particular person; Kurt.

  If it was his secret to tell, I should give up all hope now of finding out. Instead I imagined a mouthy Rose and a cold Marius following them around and being threatening. “Creepy.”

  “Yes,” Pandorea agreed with a shrug. “Marius became a Hunter as expected, and Rose set her sights higher than him.”

  “Have you ever met Andrew?”

  She shook her head. “We never went with our parents to the Manor. Once neither of us made the Change, we especially weren’t allowed. Rose had to work her way in, but I never had wanted to.”

  I was disappointed. I would have liked to hear about my brother when he was younger, before Septimus turned him into...whatever he was.

  The meeting in the other room must have ended, because I heard the front door open and close, and Lyall came in the kitchen. “We’ve got extra precautions set up for Saturday, now that we’re sure they know the location.”

  “Why not just change it?” I was trying to not get sidetracked, but I had to ask.

  “Too many people to notify, some are bound to show up to the original spot and be easy pickings. We decided it’s better to keep the location and mount a proper defense.” Lyall poured himself a cup of tea and sat heavily in the remaining seat.

  “Gemma wants to be at the Summit.”

  Thanks Heath, I sarcastically thought.

  “Maybe she’ll invite her werepanther boyfriend.” That was from Kurt.

  I turned and gave him a nasty look. He looked completely unrepentant. I shifted back around and cleared my throat. “I actually could be of use. At least, more use than hindrance.”

  Lyall, to his credit, ignored the squabbling and paid attention to me. “I can’t promise anything, but I’m listening.”

  “I can, um, I can tell people what to do.” That was just my starting point, but of course there were interjections.

  “She is bossy,” Heath said, albeit teasingly.

  I tried to think of an example that didn’t make me look like a complete berk. I noticed Lyall holding his cup.

  “Drink.” I said forcefully, looking him straight in the eye.

  He lifted his drink halfway to his mouth before he stopped.

  “Drink!” I insisted, louder this time.

  The second time was a success, though he sloshed tea as the cup reached his mouth. Lyall wiped his chin, perplexed. “I couldn’t help it.”

  “Septimus said that’s how he knew that I was...Andrew’s sister.” I hadn’t mentioned the lie about who was our real parents and didn’t plan to. Ever.

  Everyone was staring at us, waiting.

  Lyall set his cup down, wiping his hand with a napkin. “Are you saying you, and Andrew, can make other people act on your words?”

  “Word, actually. It’s temporary obviously, but you had to do it, didn’t you?”

  He stared at the hand holding the cup for a long moment, and looked at me with consideration. “I can’t say I’ve ever heard of such a thing. I believe you, but…”

  “Do me, do me!” Willie jumped up, holding his arms out.

  He could have chosen diffe
rent phrasing, but I wasn’t about to quibble. There was no chair behind him, so I settled on the old standby. “Sit!” I commanded.

  He immediately folded down to the ground, at first genuinely surprised then delighted. “That is brilliant!”

  I was glad he thought so. Kurt watching me with narrowed eyes. Considering I had done it to him twice, I felt guilty and looked away from him.

  “And you’re saying Septimus knew about this?” Lyall asked.

  “He’s not the only one. Even Ry was very interested in this.” I pointed to my eye. “I’m thinking it’s because of Andrew and his own unusual eye trait.”

  “I’m torn,” Lyall said slowly. “It could be an advantage. But given its short-lived application, I’m not sure I want to risk you.”

  “They’ll use theirs.” I blurted, suddenly sure of my realization. “That’s why Septimus told Rose she wouldn’t have to worry about you lot anymore. He’s going to bring Andrew.”

  “Well, it’s not very--”

  “No no,” I felt like the thoughts were on the tip of my tongue, “Andrew can do more than that. That’s why Septimus made him do it to my parents. Because he wanted to see how much control he had over him. That’s why I have to be there, because Andrew might listen to me. I’m the only one who has a chance.”

  “Wait, you lost me.” Lyall tried to call me back down.

  I looked at him, blinking. “He can force a werewolf back into human form.”

  “What!” Heath interrupted, incredulous.

  Clover covered her mouth with one hand, expression arrested.

  “How do you know for sure?” Lyall asked, the lines on his brow deepening.

  “I heard it happening. Once my parents are awake, they can confirm it.” Painfully so to boot.

  The younger shifters were sharing disturbed looks amongst each other. Lyall was still watching me. “You heard it happening?” he asked in a low voice.

  I blinked back unexpected tears. I had been hoping to get through the explanation neutrally, but a wave of the terror and sorrow I felt last night washed over me. “Septimus kept telling him to continue, and he did. I’m the only one who has any chance to stop Andrew.”

  “If he can revert us back to human that fast right after the Change, then yes, it will leave us vulnerable to capture en masse.” Lyall reasoned out, almost to himself.

  “If you fail, you will be surrounded by Hunters,” Kurt said.

  I blinked, stung. Good to know he wasn’t afraid to point out the worst results.“Then I have a chance to slow them down by screaming Stop! over and over.”

  "Hmm. Can you do the same as he can, causing the Change?” Lyall asked slowly.

  “I...don’t know.” I frowned. “Andrew can only Change werewolves he said. I mentioned it to one of the others, and he said I didn’t have the Moon in me…” I stopped. Almost dreamily, I raised my fingers to touch just beneath my right eye again. “But I do have feline.”

  Everyone was quiet again, undoubtedly all gazing at my once unusual-but-harmless feature.

  “It’s a nice theory,” Lyall said, “but we don’t have any way to test that.”

  I was stymied at that, but my eyes strayed to Pandorea. I wasn’t the only one.

  Heath jumped once he noticed. “She’s not a shifter!” He grabbed her hand again, as if someone was going to drag her off.

  “No, but she can convince one to help us.” I finished the unspoken thought. “It has to come from her.”

  Pandorea looked uncertain, then resigned. “He’ll come for me if I ask. But if he tries to leave…” With that bit of ominous permission, she stared at Heath’s hand on top of hers sadly.

  I twisted in my chair to Lyall again. “If I can, are you going to let me go with you all?”

  Lyall dropped his head in his hands, raking one through his sandy blond hair. It took a while, but he finally raised his head again. “Yes,” he said, “Selene help me, but yes.”

  Chapter 18

  “When is he going to be here?” Clover whinged, her bare calf bouncing on the armrest.

  “How would I know?” I mumbled crossly, trying to study while lying on the other couch. Ry’s arrival was being met with very mixed responses. Heath was uneasy, hovering over Pandorea in the kitchen at the moment. Willie went off somewhere to prepare a room downstairs for Ry in case he needed to stay for awhile.

  Clover seemed way too enthused about meeting him, and my parents were still sleeping off their own stay in the Cat Castle.

  “I love meeting new shifters. It makes it all the more exciting that he’s not our kind, is that wrong?” she chirruped.

  “I certainly don’t care.”

  She turned on her stomach to look at me, feet still kicking rhythmically in the air. “So he’s not off-limits?”

  “That’s his choice to make, not mine.” I wasn’t going to go be that girl who thought snogging meant he wasn’t free to pursue anyone he wanted. I had no real claim, and wouldn’t be sad if he didn’t want me.

  Not sad at all.

  The doorbell rang, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

  Clover jumped up, straightening her yellow top and wriggling her daisy-patterned skirt. “If you change your mind…” She leered playfully.

  I scowled at my book.

  I heard her open the door and say sweetly, “Hello, you must be Ryland!”

  “I certainly am. Who might you be?”

  “My name’s Clover. I’m pretty close with your cousin. I’ll take you to her.”

  I glanced over as Clover wound her arm in his. Ry raised an eyebrow, then spotted me. He smiled and raised his hand in a wave.

  “Nice to see you.” I wedged my arm out from the pillow to wave back, but she was already leading him to the kitchen. I was in the perfect position to kick myself, but I settled for just mentally doing it. I did quickly scoot across the couch to listen though.

  “Ryland!” Pandorea exclaimed, and her light steps rushed along the floor.

  “Oof!” He grunted, then chuckled. “Great to see you. You look happy.”

  “I am, very much so. Ryland, this is Heath.” Pandy said softly. The two men greeted each other in short welcomes.

  Ry cleared his throat. “I hate to bring this up, but Rose has been on quite the rampage. Are you sure that remaining in London is a wise idea?”

  “Everybody in the Pack is in danger from Hunters and they continue on. I want to be like that.” Her sweet voice was surprisingly confident. I had a feeling she was holding Heath’s hand.

  “Are you going to let yourself be Turned?” Ry paused. “It’s a risk, you know, turning you to a wolf when you’re born to us. Is that why you called me here, to Turn you?”

  “Not exactly,” Heath spoke up. “Are you aware of Andrew’s abilities?”

  More curious now, I leaned over the back of the couch in hopes of seeing inside the kitchen.

  Ry was still standing, facing Pandorea and Heath who were hand in hand. Ry rubbed the back of his neck, looking away. “Yes.”

  “We think Gemma can do it too.” Heath continued.

  Ry didn’t even blink. “They are siblings. But Andrew, he’s had a lot of practice.”

  This damning statement was dropped so casually that I almost wished I wasn’t listening. I realize not hearing it would make it no less true, but at least it wouldn’t have to be my truth.

  “I hear he can only do werewolves,” Heath said somewhat bitterly. “But given their different markings, we think Gemma can do your kind.”

  “One could hope.” Ry chuckled.

  I blushed up a bit, leaning back as my cousin looked out the kitchen. He didn’t think it was funny, clearly.

  “Anyway,” Heath said crossly, “we only know one of your kind that might be willing to let themselves be tested on. You.”

  “Ahh.” Ry said, exchanging looks with Pandorea.

  She looked alternatively apologetic and pleading. “We’re hoping to keep next week from becoming a Summit Slaughter. Please,
Ryland?”

  Ry sighed. “What do I have to do?”

  Heath finished up the explanation with a “I’ll come down with you two.”

  “Why?” I piped up, drawing three pairs of eyes.

  “He’s going to Change. It might be safer.”

  “I slept in the same house as two werewolves you know. At least I think I did, do you turn wild when you Change?” I wasn’t sure yet if my parents snuck out on full moons or simply curled up on the bed.

  “We retain our minds. But--”

  “I should be fine then.” I interrupted raising an eyebrow at him. I think he just didn’t trust Ry, but he couldn’t very well argue the point in front of Pandorea.

  “Right,” he blew out a grating breath. “I’ll walk you two down and lock the door.”

  I smiled in satisfaction. I will admit I had an ulterior motive; I had no idea what I was doing, and didn’t want to look like a complete idiot to extra people.

  The downstairs was utterly plain save for some chairs and two closets full of blankets. There were two additional doors, bedrooms I imagined, and one small bathroom.

  At least Ry might have seen Andrew in action before. But I immediately regretted asking him that very same question once we were alone together.

  Ry’s face changed, a painful wince. “No, I’ve never seen it.” He seemed rather hurt I thought he had.

  “I’m not saying you’d enjoy it, just...he seems the type to make people watch it, knowing they can’t do anything.”

  Some of the hurt eased off his expression, and he merely looked pained again. “I’ve heard Marius and Rose talking about it. My brother does enjoy it, very much so.”

  Here I thought my estimation of his brother couldn’t get any lower. “I don’t suppose he mentioned a hand motion or word Andrew used, did he?” I didn’t think there was some incantation, I had overheard enough of the torture to figure that out.

  “Not at all. You have no idea what you’re doing, do you?” He chuckled.

  “Obviously not,” I said with all the dignity I could must. “So why don’t you just take a seat while I practice lighting you on fire with my mind.”

  “Don’t you mean--”

  I stuck my nose in the air. “I know what I meant.” But I ruined the effect by grinning.