Soulshifter

by Barbara Pietron

  Jack had mixed emotions about her revelation. Put in the same position as this other guy, how would he feel? Just starting to get to know a girl and then suddenly she’s engaged? “He’s gonna be destroyed.”

  Shera snorted. “He won’t. It was just for fun. We knew it wasn’t going anywhere.”

  The cavalier way she spouted out an explanation surprised Jack. Was she covering hurt feelings because she thought she had no other choice? Or was she actually that flippant about the situation?

  At the sharp shrill of the teapot, Shera popped up to tend it. “You like tea, don’t you?”

  “Sure,” Jack replied, though the idea of drinking tea seemed odd.

  “I have a special blend for you to try.” Her tone hinted at a secret, but she returned to their thread of conversation, chattering about working on the yearbook and how she’d met this guy and they started hanging out after meetings. With her back to him, Jack only half-listened while he watched her lithe and graceful form reach for mugs. Blue highlights caught in her straight, black locks which nearly brushed the top of her jeans. In the few years since Jack’s family moved to Ketchton, Shera had stretched out and left her girlish roundness behind. She’d been beautiful then. Now she was stunning.

  The ramifications of their situation began to sink in. His dream had come true. So why had he decided so quickly to leave?

  Because this wasn’t how it was supposed to happen.

  Jack had never considered himself the hopeless romantic type, but the circumstances were too forced. Not to mention that tomorrow was the most important—most challenging—day of his life so far. He needed sleep. And a clear head.

  He’d have a cup of tea with her and then explain he had to go. She’d understand—maybe even be grateful for a chance to get to know each other a little better.

  Shera crossed the room slowly with two steaming mugs. She set one on the table next to his chair and then carefully returned to her spot on the couch. Her gaze settled on him over the rim of her cup, watching through the steam.

  Jack brought his mug up to blow on the surface of the tea. The earthy aroma of pine and herbs conjured instant memories of David and mysticism. He raised his eyebrows at Shera and lowered the mug to his lap. “Is this seekers tea?” Seekers tea was the last part of the preparation for a spirit-walk, transitioning the shifter to a more open frame of mind.

  Her furtive smile came across as a warning to Jack. “It’s a little different. But it’ll calm your nerves.”

  “I don’t think an altered state is a good idea for me tonight.” Jack put his mug back on the table.

  “Or it could be exactly what you need.” She breathed in the vapors rising from the mug, then took a long drink.

  After that, the already unprecedented evening shifted to bizarre.

  Jack watched Shera carefully as she steadily continued to drink, not sure what to expect. He knew seekers tea took effect quickly, but Shera wasn’t forthcoming with the contents of her “special blend.” A pure dose of seekers tea allowed the mind to wander freely, leaving the subject in a state of limbo. Shera, however, became Chatty Cathy. She only stopped spewing words to giggle.

  He supposed the situation might have been fun had he imbibed the tea as well; the brew certainly seemed to remove inhibitions. Unfortunately, he could have done without knowing the personal things Shera decided to share. Some of the information troubled Jack. She was a much different person than the girl he once knew—or thought he knew.

  Uncomfortable leaving her alone in such a condition, he stayed, debating what to do. At some point it would be too late to expect his dad to come pick him up.

  Finally, the stream of chatter sputtered out and drowsiness set in. Each time Shera blinked, her eyes stayed closed longer. She slumped over the arm of the couch. After she’d stayed still for a few minutes, Jack spoke her name out loud. She didn’t respond, so he rose, retrieved the quilt from the bottom of the bed and covered her.

  As he tucked the cover up near her chin, she opened her eyes. “Jack.” A lazy smile dimpled her cheeks.

  “I’m gonna go,” he whispered. “You sleep.”

  She snaked her arms out of the quilt and around his neck, pulling him down so she could whisper into his ear. “Don’t go,” she murmured. “Lay down with me.”

  As he drew away, she stopped him with a hand behind his head and pressed her mouth on his. Her lips were warm, damp and insistent. Taken utterly by surprise, he kissed her back. The moment wasn’t slow and tender, but raw and wild and… desperate. Jack felt like a lifeguard trying to save a drowning victim.

  He pulled away and Shera groaned a weak protest. Her eyes slid closed.

  Jack texted his dad, then quietly slipped from the apartment. If it was too late for his dad to drive out, so be it. He’d walk if he had to—hellcats or not.

  He had to get out of there.

  After spending the bus ride fending off Wes’s questions about the previous night, Jack arrived at school to find Natalie just finishing at her locker. He hurried over. “Hey,” he said.

  She gave him the briefest look and grunted.

  “Look, sorry about last night, I had—”

  “No explanation necessary. I’m sure it’s none of my business.”

  “It’s just that—”

  She cut him off again. “By the way, we just had a fake break-up of our fake relationship. No need to follow me around the school.”

  Jack was astonished—not so much at what she said, but how she said it. She sounded so bitter.

  He put his hand on her arm. “Natalie.”

  She jerked away, slammed her locker and stalked off without looking back.

  Crap.

  As the day wore on, Jack wished he had gone home sick after the conversation with Natalie. The present situation, combined with last night’s confusion, piled on top of his anxiety about his upcoming venture. The jumble of emotions rendered him incapable of retaining any information from his classes. Last night his dad had offered to call the school this morning, but Jack declined, thinking he’d be able to talk to Natalie throughout the day.

  Jack was pretty sure his dad had been sleeping when he received the text last night, but he drove out to pick up his son without question. On the way home, his dad’s only comment was that Jack’s call had surprised him. He thought Jack would have left earlier in the night or stayed until morning. Jack felt compelled to provide some kind of explanation, so he simply said, “It took a little while for me to figure out she’s not the person I thought she was.” His tone implied the conversation was over. He had no intention of recounting the night. He’d probably never tell anyone the entire story.

  Everything seemed to be unraveling.

  When Natalie still refused to speak to him before leaving school, Jack thought, fine—he’d go alone. It’s what he’d wanted from the start. Wes blabbed on about one of his classes while Jack tried to figure out how to make the two-person plan into a one-person plan.

  He’d most likely die trying or fail. No Shifter Premier.

  No Shera.

  Incredibly, the last thought was almost a relief. Failure would mean he wouldn’t have to hurt Shera’s feelings. His future would be a clean slate.

  A buzz from his phone drew him out of his reverie. He looked at the text from Natalie: Where and when?

  After a long moment, he slipped the phone back into his pocket. Rather than fail, he could call the whole thing off. He would become a paleontologist, find a girl and fall in love—real love.

  His lifelong dream had become surrounded by bars that Jack didn’t want to get stuck behind.

  His phone buzzed again.

  He ignored it.

  “Good luck, man.”

  Jack snapped back to reality. Wes stood with his hand out as a few kids piled off the bus and the driver glanced impatiently into his mirror.

  “Thanks.” Jack shook his friend’s hand. He’d planned to remind Wes about talking to Tommy, but he didn’t really give a crap a
bout the moody lead singer right now. Besides, maybe he’d show up at band practice after all.

  Long before he’d reached the end of Bittersweet Lane, Jack recognized Natalie’s car parked in front of his house. As he drew near, she got out and leaned on the car, arms crossed on her chest, and watched him approach. “Something wrong with your phone?” she called when he was within ear shot.

  “Oh. You’re talking to me now?”

  “Regardless of our personal feelings, we have a job to do.”

  Jack proceeded past her and unlocked the front door. “I think we should call it off.” He stepped inside.

  Natalie rushed onto the porch and placed a hand on the door before he could close it behind him. “No, Jack. We’re doing this.” She followed him into the house.

  He set his books down and turned to face her. Her eyes were full of hurt and determination. Jack watched tears well up and threaten to escape down her cheeks.

  His newfound resolve crumbled. His grand plan to back out had a major flaw: Emma. He may have many doubts about his future right now, but two things he knew for sure—he couldn’t let an innocent girl perish and he couldn’t crush Natalie’s hopes.

  With a heavy sigh, he dropped into a rocker. “My dad said Dan wants us to come by tonight. And it’s a good thing, because we need to know how to get you to descend.”

  Natalie had found a tissue in her pocket and dabbed at the corner of her eyes. “When?”

  “I don’t know. I have to call him, but probably after dinner.”

  She nodded. “I have a few new things on Norse mythology in my car. Do you want me to go over it with you?”

  “Yeah.” While she ran to her car, Jack took a couple of deep breaths, hoping to ease the tightness in his chest. He wished last night had never happened. He wanted his relationship with Natalie to be like it was yesterday.

  They managed to discuss mythology civilly until Jack’s dad arrived with Jase. His little brother flitted about and talked incessantly, lightening the strained atmosphere. Finally, his dad herded the younger boy into the kitchen.

  “Sorry about that,” Jack mumbled. “Maybe we should go to your house.”

  “No, Jase is great. And I prefer it here.”

  Jack shot her a questioning glance.

  “My house seems clinically impersonal compared to being here. This is a home.” She said the last in a quiet voice and rearranged a few papers without looking at Jack.

  “Does your dad expect you home for dinner?”

  “No. I told him I wouldn’t see him tonight. That I’d spend the night with a girlfriend.”

  “Stay for dinner then.”

  “No, it’s all right. I have stuff at home I need to gather up. And change my clothes.”

  “Okay, do that now, and then come back. We’ll eat dinner here and then head over to the Mannings’.”

  She was tempted, Jack could tell. “Will it be okay with your mom?”

  “Actually, dad’s cooking tonight. There’s always plenty, but if it makes you feel better, I’ll check with him.”

  Dinner was a good call on Jack’s part. By the time they were on their way to the Mannings’, Jack and Natalie were able to have a fairly normal conversation. Her emotions though, were still guarded. The previous night hovered like a threatening rain cloud.

  “Come in,” Dan said. “Sorry we couldn’t make it last night, Jack.”

  Jack winced. “It’s all right,” he mumbled.

  Dan motioned them toward the couch. “Did you end up with anything you can use?”

  Natalie plopped down, her arms wrapped over her chest. Jack endeavored to sit neither too close nor too far from her. He cleared his throat. “We pretty much already heard everything given as advice—don’t eat or drink, don’t stay too long… The rest were blessings.” He didn’t look at Natalie.

  “Thought so. Well, I have something for you.” Dan left the room and came back with a paper-wrapped bundle. He set it on the coffee table and carefully pulled away the layers, revealing two greenish-yellow stones and rawhide. Sliding his finger under a piece of the hide, he lifted it, revealing a roughly fashioned necklace. He touched the stone. “Brimstone.” Handing the necklace to Jack, he picked up the other and passed it to Natalie.

  “I found these on one of my summer solstice descents to the shadowlands.” He watched as Jack inspected the primitive pendant. “You notice the inscription?”

  “Yeah, but I can’t read it.”

  Natalie held hers under a lamp. “I don’t think it’s English.”

  “You’re right.” Dan said. “My adviser took them to the oldest shifter alive at that time who was shocked to see such an ancient item return to this world. Fortunately he was able to manage a rough translation of the script. Something like: The warrior pure of heart travels the land of souls unseen. My adviser guessed this meant they’re amulets which render the wearer invisible to the many deadly guardians of the underworld. They’re untested, though.” He shook his head with a frown. “Callie and I took off without any preparation. I didn’t even remember I had them until after we’d returned.

  “You know,” he added thoughtfully. “That old shifter said there was a reason these amulets returned to the living world. Our ancestors try to anticipate our needs and send the requisite tools. I figured I screwed up by not using them, but who knows? Maybe this was always their purpose.”

  Jack slipped the cord over his head and tucked the stone into his jacket. “Thanks.” His chest felt enlarged, as if his heart had expanded. Dan hadn’t even wanted to talk to him at first and now he’d just given them more help than all the elders put together last night. “This means a lot.” He didn’t quite choke up, but his voice sounded rough.

  “I just hope they help.” Dan rubbed his palms together. “So what’s your plan? Did the religion thing pan out?”

  Jack shifted his gaze out the window then back to Dan. “As much as I’d love your input, I feel like we shouldn’t discuss it. Both of us have been stalked.” He glanced to Natalie who fiddled with her amulet on her lap.

  “No problem. I think that’s a wise decision. I wish you the best of luck. Whatever the plan, I hope it works.”

  “Thanks, me too,” Jack replied quietly. “We need to know how you got Callie to descend with you. Did you… hold hands? Or something like that?” God, that was going to be awkward now.

  “Physically, I held her. We wrapped our arms around each other as if nothing could tear us apart.”

  Jack squeezed his eyes shut briefly.

  Natalie sniffed and shifted in her seat.

  Dan flicked his gaze from Jack to Natalie, his eyebrows drawing down to form a crease in his forehead. “What’s going on between you two?”

  Natalie didn’t look up, leaving Jack to field the question. “What do you mean?”

  “Come on guys, I felt the tension as soon as I opened the door. What happened?”

  “It’s nothing,” Natalie piped up. “It’s over now.”

  “Really? Jack? Is it over?” Dan looked from one to the other, waiting for an answer. Natalie’s eyes remained in her lap and Jack didn’t say anything. He didn’t want to chance making her angry all over again.

  “Okay, listen.” Dan stood up and paced in front of them. “This is important. Unless you work this out, you won’t even get started.”

  “What do you mean, we won’t get started?” Jack asked. He noticed Dan finally had Natalie’s attention.

  “You’re the shifter.” Dan poked his finger at Jack. “She’s not.” He jerked his thumb sideways at Natalie. “The only way you’ll get her to cross the veil is if you’re as one. Body and mind. You’ve got to be together in this one hundred percent. If you have any differences, you’d better work them out.”

  “It’s not even relevant,” Natalie said quietly.

  “Everything is relevant. You can’t be at odds with each other.” Dan locked eyes with each of them in turn. “Even though I held on to Callie for all I was worth, I didn’t
expect her to descend with me. But she did. And the only explanation I have is that her determination matched mine. We had one singular goal between us. We went unprepared and without a plan, but we were one when it came to purpose.”

  No one spoke or moved for a long moment.

  “I may not have been behind this in the beginning, but you’ve made me a believer. I’m pulling for you guys.” Dan’s voice was soft now. “I think you have a decent chance to come back alive—with your friend. Promise me you’ll talk. Clear the air.”

  Jack looked at Natalie. She met his eyes and nodded briefly.

  “Okay then, I guess you guys should get going.” Dan walked them to the door. As they stepped out on the porch, he added a last word of advice. “Remember, there’s a reason Zalnic is the lord of souls. He’s a master at playing on your emotions. He’s ruthless and will take every advantage without mercy. You can’t afford to be distracted. Make smart decisions with your head. This is one instance where following your heart will most certainly get you killed.”

  Jack gave an affirmative nod and they headed for Natalie’s car.

  “Good luck,” Dan called.

  “Thanks.” Jack glanced over his shoulder and raised a hand in salute. They were certainly going to need it.

  Although Natalie didn’t say anything when they got into the car, Jack decided there’d be no better time to talk. “So… uh… why were you so upset today? I had no idea that would happen last night or I would’ve given you a heads-up.”

  She didn’t say anything until she’d backed from the driveway and was driving away from the Mannings’ house. “I know I overreacted.” She sighed and continued in a low voice. “Yesterday was… it seemed too real. And then I realized…”

  Jack contemplated her death grip on the steering wheel and then noticed the way her eyes shone in the street lights. “Realized what?” he prodded gently.

  “It’s what you wanted all along. That’s why we’re doing this. So you can be worthy of her.” She swallowed and pressed her lips together.

  Jack wished he could deny it, but she was right. And he had to come clean. “You’re right, that was part of it. But I did also want to be the Shifter Premier.”