Sere from the Green (The Shape Shifter Chronicles Book 1)

by Lauren Jankowski

  “Any news from our informants concerning the Key or the possible assassin power struggle? Are we still working under the impression the Key is a flashdrive?” Remington asked and Jet shrugged.

  “We have never known exactly what the Key is, aside from it being a destructive force. The way the prophecy is worded suggests it evolves with the world, so chances are it’s linked with technology in some way. We’ve seen magic evolving to affect and even interact with modern technology,” Jet explained, stopping when Remington raised a hand.

  “I know your reasoning, my friend. You have explained it many a time,” he laughed.

  “Oh right,” Jet said, smiling despite the unease he felt. “Then no, I haven’t heard anything new or different from our informants or allies. The sudden lull in crime leads me to believe it might have been dropped somewhere. But that’s just a theory. Ugh, Remington, why can’t we ever be faced with simple quandaries? The kind that can be solved in an afternoon preferably.”

  Jet groaned as he sank down on the lounge, glancing over at Remington, who offered him a sympathetic smile.

  “The path of a protector has never been an easy one nor shall it ever be,” Remington replied, pausing to sip his port. “Still no idea about who created the Key or their purpose for doing so?”

  “I figured we’d worry about that once we retrieved the damn thing, whatever it may be,” Jet answered. Remington nodded, but Jet could see he didn’t agree with the dismissal.

  “I can only worry about so much, Remington,” he protested. Remington leaned forward and placed his glass on the table.

  “It just strikes me as interesting that we find Isis and then there’s a sudden lull,” he said. “Even the assassins seem to have gone quiet, which you wouldn’t expect if someone was challenging Adara’s position.”

  Jet stared at him, confused. “Are you implying that Isis is somehow connected to the Key?”

  “I’m just pointing out that some events have been quite convenient, which is why I believe you shouldn’t just dismiss the origins of the Key or the possibility of there being a connection to the unrest among assassins and even to Isis,” Remington replied in his usual calm and patient manner as he sat back, a thoughtful expression crossing his features.

  “Point taken,” Jet said after a moment, his gaze returning to the empty fireplace. A comfortable silence fell over them. Remington’s eyes traveled back to Jet.

  “Jet?” Remington’s quiet tone suggested that he was going to bring up a sensitive topic. Jet turned his gaze back to his mentor.

  “Have you spoken to her at all?” Remington asked, watching his former student to gauge his response. Jet swallowed, shaking his head.

  “After what I did, I figured it best to give her space,” he explained, turning his face up toward the ceiling and shutting his eyes. “I certainly have more than enough to keep me busy.”

  “You didn’t have a choice,” Remington reminded him gently.

  “Why Rem, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were on my side,” Jet commented with an almost playful tone. He could tell by the old trainer’s expression that he had surprised him. Jet had expected it: he hadn’t used that tone since he had been an impatient young protector, eager to make his parents and Remington proud.

  “This is not a situation with sides,” Remington replied. “Though I never did agree with the High Council’s decision.”

  “They were too harsh,” Jet agreed. “It bordered on cruel, not only to Passion but to Isis and Electra as well.”

  “They have their reasons, no matter how baseless they sometimes appear.”

  “Oh, come on Remington,” Jet said, rising to his feet and striding back to the windows. “Passion represents change and the old-fashioned guardians, particularly the men, have always despised that. They were just looking for an excuse to make an example of her.”

  “What’s done is done, Jet. We can’t go back and change the past,” Remington stated, turning his head to the side. “We have to focus on the present and the future.”

  “He’s right, my love,” a feminine voice came from the doorway. Both men turned to see Lilly standing there, framed by the warm glow from the hallway wall sconces. She was wearing a silky pine green dress that glistened in the low light. Lilly smiled at both of them, but her eyes turned to Jet.

  “Passion is impulsive and hot-tempered, but she won’t cut us out of her life. Give her some time and she will forgive you. You’ll see,” she reassured.

  “I don’t know, Lilly,” he said, tiredness seeping into his voice as he turned his gaze back to the dark summer night. “I’ve never betrayed her trust like this before.”

  “I believe I will retire for the evening,” Remington said as he rose from his chair. “We can talk more in the morning, Jet, but please think over what I said.”

  He nodded to Lilly as he strode past her. “My lady.”

  Lilly gave him a gracious smile and nodded her head as well before turning back to her husband, who now stared out the clean panes of glass. She approached him and stood at his side, following his gaze into the tranquil night. Every now and again, a shadow would move about in the numerous trees on the property.

  “Remington seems to think that the flashdrive, or whatever the Key is, has something to do with Isis and also the unrest among the assassins,” Jet mentioned. “He does have a point. The timing is awfully convenient. The flashdrive surfaced shortly before the factory, which was located close to a known assassin base, and then it disappeared when Isis arrived here. What it means, I haven’t the foggiest idea.”

  Lilly lowered her slender body so that she was resting her weight on the window bench and facing Jet. The moonlight gleamed in her golden hair, creating a halo about her head.

  “All the more reason we should try to find and retrieve it before it falls into the wrong hands. We should consider sending the Four out to find some leads,” she mentioned. Jet glanced down to her sapphire eyes, which were fixed on him. He looked back out the window and shook his head once.

  “I don’t know if that’s wise, Lilly,” he replied. After the disaster with Gia, Bryn, and Nat, he was hesitant to send out another team. It was a dangerous world out there, more so than most would ever know. Silence fell over the library, broken only by the soft ticking of the grandfather clock in the hall outside.

  Lilly watched her husband, understanding the fear he kept buried deep within his heart. Jet was incredibly compassionate and empathetic, and losing the three women originally thought to be part of the Four had wounded him deeply. It was something that he would probably never get over entirely. Now that Isis was in the picture, Jet would be even more cautious. Though Passion had ended their friendship, Jet was still loyal to her and would protect her daughter with his life.

  “It would be unwise to wait longer,” Lilly said as she gazed out into the night again. “Every night the Key is out there is one night too long. Trust them, Jet.”

  Jet sank down next to her. “I do, Lilly.”

  “You’re not ready,” she observed, easily reading the emotions that crossed Jet’s face. She reached over and stroked his cheek with the backs of her fingers. He leaned into her touch, closing his eyes.

  “No, I’m not. People are killing for this thing and the assassins are more active than they have been in quite some time. I don’t even want to think about what would happen if an assassin managed to get ahold of it. And if it has something to do with Isis . . .” he trailed off and shook his head. Lilly studied her husband in the pale light, which highlighted his weary appearance. He hadn’t been sleeping much lately and it showed. Dark rings had started to form under his eyes and everything about him seemed dull, almost lifeless. Stress was beginning to take its toll.

  “All the more reason to act now, while there’s a lull in crime,” Lilly pointed out. “If we can retrieve it, we’ll know more.”

  “I don’t even know where to begin, Lilly,” Jet replied, running his hands over his face. “It doesn’t make s
ense that someone would just lose it, a tool that powerful. It had to have been dropped, but it could’ve been dropped anywhere.”

  “We won’t find the answers tonight. You need rest. Are you coming up to bed?” Lilly asked, running her fingers through her husband’s thick hair and gently kissing his cheek.

  “Eventually,” Jet replied, turning his head and meeting his wife’s lips in a kiss. “I just want to spend a few more minutes down here.”

  Lilly nodded as she stood up and began walking toward the entrance of the library. She paused when she heard Jet call her name, twisting to look back at him.

  “Thank you.”

  She smiled before turning again and continuing to the hallway. Jet watched her go before turning his eyes out to the star-filled sky. His eyes easily found the brightest star in the sky, one that he remembered from his childhood. Sirius.

  *~*~*~*~*

  Early in the morning, the throbbing beat of fast-paced music pounded through the basement where the Four were working out. Shae was hanging upside down on one of the bars in the far wall, doing curl-ups. Alex was stretching on a mat just behind the boxing ring. Jade and Isis were in the boxing ring. Jade was twisting a water bottle back and forth, watching Isis with a sly grin on her face. Isis was standing on the opposite side of the ring, resting her arms on the ropes behind her.

  “Tigress,” Jade suddenly said. In a little less than a minute, Isis had shifted into a large orange tigress. She licked her enormous chops and turned her gold eyes to Jade, who twisted the cap off her water bottle.

  “African wild dog,” she said before taking a swig of her water. Another few seconds and the tigress had shifted into a long-legged dog with a brown, black, tan, and white mottled coat. She tilted her head, awaiting Jade’s next command. Jade was quiet, watching the animal in front of her.

  “Polar bear,” she commanded. It took a few more seconds, but the wild dog became an enormous off-white bear. The bear stood on its hind legs before dropping down to all fours again.

  “Red fox.”

  A small orange fox with a bushy white-tipped tail soon took the place of the gigantic bear.

  “Cat.”

  A black cat with piercing green eyes took the place of the fox. Jade took another swig of water and pointed up, twisting her finger in a circle. Soon the cat melted back into human form. Isis watched her as she capped the water again. Jade purposely took a long time putting the bottle down and then straightening up. She looked at Isis, an impressed grin dancing across her lips.

  “You still take a little longer shifting from different sizes, but it’s something that’s corrected with experience,” Jade reported. “Otherwise, you’re doing great.”

  “Why don’t we ever practice shifting into insects?” Isis asked as she leaned against the ropes again. “Wouldn’t that make the most sense for spying and infiltrating places?”

  “Yeah, if you’re willing to spend a week in utter agony,” Alex commented from where she stretched on the mat. Isis glanced over her shoulder at her. Of all her teammates, Alex was probably the one she knew the least about. She knew that Remington had taken her in when she was very young, but that was about it. Alex kept to herself, almost as much as Isis did, and wasn’t naturally chatty. She was a bookworm and Isis often saw her with her nose buried in a book from the mansion’s library.

  “Alex is right,” Jade commented, drawing Isis’ attention back to her. “The smaller the form, the more taxing it is on the body. Insect forms cause the muscles to burn for weeks. Plus, smaller sizes make for serious disadvantages. Something that small is very easy to kill or damage. As a general rule, we never go too small.”

  “Oh,” Isis said. All three glanced over at Shae when she let out a long groan.

  “I’m so bored,” she moaned as she grabbed the bar and flipped her legs over her head. She let go of the metal bar and easily landed on her feet. When she straightened up, Shae put her hands on her hips.

  “Let’s go out,” she suggested.

  “No,” Jade answered immediately. Shae rolled her eyes.

  “Jade, we’ve been training non-stop for months,” she protested. “I think we can handle ourselves on one little outing. We’ll be together so we’ll have each other’s backs and we’ll be in public, meaning lots and lots of witnesses. I haven’t been dancing for so long. Please.”

  Isis smiled and shook her head at Shae’s pleading look. She could manipulate anyone with those green eyes of hers. Isis was still trying to figure out how she could make them appear so innocent. Her cousin could express everything through her eyes.

  “Shae, no,” Jade repeated just as firmly. Shae moved over to where the sound system was and turned up the volume dial, cupping a hand behind her ear. Isis winced and pinched the bridge of her nose, not enjoying the loud music.

  “What, Jade? I can’t hear you,” she yelled. Jade turned back to Isis, who shook her head without looking up. Mercifully, Shae turned the music off.

  “Come on,” she continued. “When was the last time you let loose and had some fun? I say we’ve earned at least one night off.”

  Jade ran her hands over her face. The sound of peeling brought Isis’ attention over to the supply table where Alex was focused on removing the tape from her hands. Alex met Jade’s eyes and shrugged.

  “I’ll go alone if I have to,” Shae threatened.

  “No, you won’t,” Isis mentioned. “You’ll drag me out with you and wind up getting both of us into trouble.”

  Jade looked over to Isis, who waved a hand dismissively. She could hear Alex snicker behind her.

  “Experience,” Isis explained, looking back at Shae. “I grew up with her.”

  Shae got up on her knees on the edge of the ring. “Isis can tell you that we don’t give up easily.”

  The lights buzzed above them, illuminating everything with unnatural brightness. It was unusually quiet as all three looked to Jade, awaiting her answer. She glanced over to where Alex was standing nearby.

  “What do you think?” she called over to her.

  Alex gave a small half-shrug. “It could be a learning experience or it could go horribly wrong. I have no strong feelings either way.”

  Jade turned back to look at Isis and Isis could tell she was debating her response. Isis wasn’t sure which she preferred. They had been constantly warned about the dangers outside, but the mansion had begun to feel stifling and she had started craving a change of scenery. There was a thin line between being safe and being unreasonable. Isis suspected they were getting close to the latter.

  “Fine, but two hours tops,” Jade finally agreed, sounding resigned. Shae let out a happy laugh and jumped into the ring, hugging Jade, who didn’t look thrilled with her decision.

  “Don’t worry, Jade. I’m going to show the three of you a great time,” Shae promised. Isis raised an eyebrow at that statement, wondering if Shae remembered the last “great time” she had shown Isis. That evening had concluded with them almost ending up in jail.

  “It’s six o’clock now,” Shae said, looking at the dark blue watch on her wrist. “We’ll meet in the garage at seven sharp and arrive at the club around seven-thirty, eight o’clock.”

  She clapped her hands and bounced on her heels in excitement. “We’re going to have so much fun.”

  Isis rolled her eyes, knowing that those words inevitably led to trouble. Still, she was eager to escape this world. Even if it was only for an hour or two.

  *~*~*~*~*

  Passion was in the gym in the Meadows, striking a punching bag. She was wearing her normal black and red workout clothes. Her midsection was bare as were her arms, something that would have probably annoyed her mother had she been there. The sound of Passion’s fists hitting the bag echoed softly in the empty room. The light from the guardians of day and fire entered through the window and cascaded down to the floor of the room. Sweat ran down Passion’s neck and back. It was rare for a guardian to sweat, but Passion had been punching and kicking the bag
for hours on end, releasing every emotion she was feeling on the apparatus. She was so focused she didn’t hear Adonia enter.

  Adonia stood behind her granddaughter and crossed her arms over her chest, her silky orchid dress moving with her slender limbs.

  “Destroying that isn’t going to change what happened,” Adonia commented. Passion froze for a moment, her entire body becoming rigid. She shook her head and turned her attention back to the punching bag, striking it even harder.

  “I’m not trying to change anything. I’m pissed off and hitting something makes me feel better,” Passion growled tersely as she began kicking the bag, enjoying the satisfying thwack of her foot hitting the smooth material.

  “Who are you angry with?” Adonia inquired, though she already knew the answer. Passion let out a bark of laughter at the question.

  “Well, let’s see. Off the top of my head,” Passion stopped kicking and faced her grandmother but did not make eye contact as she listed names on her fingers, “Artemis, Jet, you, the list goes on and on and,” Passion paused as she spun around and kicked the bag again, causing it to swing back and forth. “On.”

  “I understand your anger and it is justified, but Passion, I know you’re smart enough to realize Jet did what he had to do,” Adonia explained. “His actions were not malicious.”

  Passion glared at her, her blue eyes flickering red for the briefest of moments. Her grandmother was always right and Passion hated that. She turned around and kicked the bag one more time, wishing she had something to stab it with. Behind her, she heard Adonia turn and start to make her way out of the large room. Dammit, Jet, Passion thought when she remembered the protector’s request when she last saw him. At the time, Passion had been too furious to even consider asking his question. She stopped her violent workout for a moment.