A Shift in the Water

by Eddy, Patricia D.

  “I don’t know. But that’s the problem. I don’t know. Maybe she can track me.”

  “You’ve been here for ten days. You’ve been safe here with me the whole time. If she could track you, she would have done so by now.”

  “The man who attacked you . . .”

  “Was a robber. They caught him. He’s in jail and he’s been breaking into houses for a month now. I highly doubt that he has anything to do with the woman who hurt you.” She smiled at him again. His heart skipped a beat. She was beautiful and her smile lit up her eyes, making them shine like the clearest emeralds. She wore no makeup, and her red hair was loose and long over her shoulders. The scoop neck of her sweater exposed a creamy expanse of skin and a wire-wrapped crystal rested in the delicate hollow of her throat. He stared at it for a moment. It looked like the sea after a storm, with swirling colors and pinpricks of light dancing over her skin. He stepped closer.

  “I—don’t go.” He couldn’t believe he’d said that.

  Mara laid her hand over his heart. His fingers were still curled around her wrist. “You have to relax. You can’t live in my old robe and you certainly can’t leave wearing it. I’ve got a great hot water heater. Take a long shower. It’ll make you feel better. When I get back, we’ll talk more, and figure out what to do next, okay?”

  “I don’t like this.”

  “I’ve left the house almost every day you’ve been here. Remember?”

  “And every day I hated it.”

  Mara twisted her hand away from his body, picked up the pad of paper and the pen, and scrawled a series of numbers. “You remember phones, right?”

  “Um, yes. I think so.”

  “That’s my cell phone. If you need anything, call me. I can be back here in ten minutes.” Mara stroked Cade’s hair and cupped the back of his neck. She smelled good. He leaned in slightly, licking his lips. The impulse to kiss her was strong. But she pulled back too quickly. “Relax. Don’t worry about me. Wherever this bad woman is, it’s not here. There are only four people who know you were with me and they all think you’re some weirdly domesticated wolf. There’s no way she can find you.”

  Cade didn’t move until he heard her lock the door behind her. Nothing made sense to him, least of all his own emotions. He didn’t want her to go, but she was right. He couldn’t leave wearing her robe. He stepped into the bathroom and undressed. He barely recognized his own body. He had at least a dozen new scars on his torso, his legs, and his back from his time as a wolf. His hair was longer than he’d remembered, and his cheeks were almost hollow. But the face that stared back at him in the mirror was familiar.

  When he stepped under the hot spray, he groaned in happiness. His body felt less foreign with every passing minute. He explored it with burned, calloused fingers. His thighs trembled with the effort of keeping himself upright. He was still weak. Shifting took massive amounts of energy and he didn’t have any to spare. He washed his hair, smoothed Mara’s soap over his body, and thought of her. She smelled good. His wolf had felt safe pressed against her at night. If only his memory wasn’t so foggy. Bits and pieces were all he had. The sickly metallic scent of Mara’s illness, her voice waking him from his nightmares, how she’d wrapped her body around his after he’d chased after the bad man who’d tried to hurt her.

  Oh shit. He’d bitten the man. A werewolf’s bite could infect a human. Not all humans would succumb to the Lycos virus, but thirty percent of the population carried the gene that facilitated the infection. If he’d bitten the man during the full moon, the man could turn. Cade closed his eyes and tuned into the lunar cycle. The full moon was almost two weeks away. No wonder he was so weak. It was practically new. His bite should have no effect on the man.

  He spilled more of Mara’s soap over his skin. He could feel her, even now. Every time she’d touched him, the scent of sickness on her had faded. So had his pain. Could her illness have something to do with her elemental powers?

  He couldn’t think. His stomach growled insistently. He needed more food. Werewolves ate more than normal humans, a side effect of their increased body temperatures. They burned calories at an accelerated rate and though Mara had kept his wolf well fed, his human form needed more than a few pounds of meat a day. A werewolf ate nearly double a normal man’s intake when he shifted. He would have to eat again soon—then apologize to Mara for eating her out of house and home.

  Cade turned off the water and wrapped himself in one of Mara’s large green towels. He was still cold, but at least he wasn’t shivering uncontrollably any longer. Once he’d rubbed his hair dry, he hung the towel up and retrieved her robe. It smelled like Mara and that comforted him. He’d stay with her forever if he could.

  No. His wolf was still in control of his emotions. The wolf needed her—her strength, her compassion, her willingness to help him when no one else would. But the man he was now couldn’t stay. He had to leave her to keep her safe.

  Tremors wracked his body. He needed rest. With a single longing glance at Mara’s bed, he trudged out to the living room and crawled under the blanket on the couch. Within minutes, he was asleep.

  Mara wandered the aisles of the Target men’s department and tried to make sense of the past twelve hours. Werewolves were real. Her wolf—the animal she’d grown to care for—was a man and he was largely naked in her house right now. She didn’t even know what he liked to wear. To be fair, he probably didn’t either at this point. She dropped two pairs of jeans into her cart along with a couple of thick sweatshirts, three T-shirts, two flannel shirts, a six-pack of socks, and a four-pack of boxers. “Shoes. He’ll need shoes.” She grabbed a pair of Keds and a handful of chocolate bars, a tube of toothpaste, a toothbrush, and deodorant.

  Jen’s purple scooter was parked on the curb when Mara pulled into the driveway and she groaned. She did not need to deal with Jen today. The petite brunette had a key in the front door when Mara called her name.

  Oh thank the Goddess. I can only imagine what she would have done if she’d walked in and seen Cade.

  “Mar! Are you headed to the hospital today? I totally forgot that I had the day off. It’s Senior Cut day. I can take you and we can go have lunch. I want to try that new Mexican place on the west side of the lake.”

  “I’m going to the hospital this afternoon, but I can’t have lunch with you today. I’ve got a ton of stuff to take care of,” she hedged. She juggled her purse and the bag of clothing, praying Jen would leave quickly.

  Jen peered into the bag Mara carried. “What the fuck?” Her hand darted out and withdrew the four-pack of boxer briefs.

  Mara cursed under her breath. “Give me those.” She lunged for the package, but Jen jumped back.

  “Nu-huh. Not until you tell me why the hell you’ve got these. You’re sick, Mara.”

  “Don’t you think I know that?” She couldn’t help her raised voice or the defensive tone. “Now hand over the underwear. What I do with those is my business. Not yours.”

  “If you’re seeing someone, it’s definitely my business. You didn’t say anything to me at lunch yesterday. Did you pick up some guy off the street? And what? You’re buying him clothes now? I know you’ve checked out already, but that doesn’t mean the rest of us are going to give up on you. If you’re being stupid and reckless, I’m going to find out.”

  Mara was about to retort that she wasn’t giving up on herself either when the door swung open. Cade stood there in her purple robe with his blue eyes smoldering. “Are you all right?” he demanded.

  Jen’s jaw hung open. Mara took the opportunity to snatch the package of underwear back from Jen’s hand. “Fine. Jen was leaving.”

  “I—no. I wasn’t. She’s dying. She’s supposed to be taking it easy. Who the hell are you and why is she buying you underwear?”

  “She’s not dying. She might have been before, but she’s not now,” Cade said firmly.

  “Argh. Because I’m not here at all,” Mara muttered. “You”—she slapped Cade in the chest
with the package of boxer briefs—“take these.” She turned back to Jen. “And you, go home. If you tell Aunt Lil, Lisa, or Adam about him, I’m personally writing you out of my will and I know you want my espresso machine. We will talk later. Like tomorrow. Or Sunday. Until then, you’re going to let me live my life.”

  “Mara, holy shit, you’re being an idiot. He’s hot and all, and I know it’s been a really long time, but don’t sacrifice what little life you have left for a one-night fuck. You’re too sick for sex. You know the doctor doesn’t even want you driving, let alone banging some random guy and here I find out you’re doing both.”

  Jen’s tone shocked her. Mara stepped back as Cade growled and took her arm. “I don’t know who you are, lady, but where I come from, friends don’t speak to each other that way.” He pulled Mara against him and drew up to his full height. His body shook against Mara, but he didn’t let it show to Jen. “Don’t expect me to stand here and let you insult her.”

  Jen sputtered. “Who do you think you are, asshole? I’m her best friend. You don’t get—”

  “He’s housesitting. Down the block,” Mara said quickly. “There was a gas leak and he ran out into the street. Naked. I heard the fire engines. They wouldn’t let him back into the house, so I offered my couch and my robe and a change of clothes. I’m not fucking him, but if I was, I wouldn’t need your permission. Go home.”

  Jen looked mortified. Where Mara had come up with that half-assed excuse for Cade’s presence she had no idea, but it seemed to do the trick. Against her back, his abs shook with the effort of standing. She had to get him back inside. Preferably without Jen watching.

  “What about the hospital?” Jen asked quietly.

  “I can drive myself. I feel good today. I’ll call you tomorrow.” Mara backed into the house, keeping her arm tight around Cade’s waist. When she’d shut the door and set both the deadbolt and the chain so no one could come in unannounced, she helped Cade back to the couch where he fell into the cushions. His face was pale and dark circles braced his bloodshot eyes. “What’s wrong?” She pressed her fingers to his neck and looked at her watch. His pulse was too fast.

  “Hungry. Shifting takes a lot of energy.”

  “Okay. Can you get yourself dressed while I make you a sandwich? Or do you need help?”

  “Can manage. In a minute or two. Who was that?” He lay back and closed his eyes. His fingers were rough and calloused but the warmth coming from his skin was comforting. He dragged his thumb back and forth over the inside of her wrist in a reassuring pattern.

  “Jen is my best friend.”

  Cade stifled a snort.

  Mara sank back against the cushions next to him. It’s nice to sit with a man, close enough to hear him breathing, with his hand holding yours, she mused. She’d missed this since Roger. She’d dated a few times, even had a couple of dates that included both dinner and breakfast the next morning, but she was currently in the middle of a very long dry spell. Her illness hadn’t helped her prospects any. “I know. She’s really not that bad. Not usually. They’re overprotective of me.”

  “They?”

  “Jen, my Aunt Lillian, Adam, and Lisa. My little family. They take turns taking me to my transfusions. They keep asking me to move in with them. Demanding even. But I like being on my own. They’d smother me to death while trying to keep me from dying.” She laughed a little at the joke, but Cade growled and sat up.

  “You’re not dying.”

  Mara didn’t bother protesting. He was adamant about her health, but she knew better. She’d have her blood test today and she knew what it would reveal—a red blood cell count so low the doctor would insist she stay for a transfusion. She’d nearly died the previous night. She felt strong right now, but it wouldn’t last. She knew it. “Come on. Get dressed and I’ll make you something.”

  Cade didn’t want to let her go. But when she dumped the reusable bag out onto the bed, the sight of actual clothing staggered him. Jeans, flannel shirts, sweatshirts, T-shirts, socks, Keds, and boxers. “Too much,” he managed over the lump in his throat. He’d never take basic necessities like clothing, shelter, and his humanity for granted again.

  “It’s Target. And it’s not like I need to worry about money right now,” she muttered, almost as an afterthought. “If anything doesn’t fit, let me know. Grilled cheese okay?”

  “Yes. Honey, I can’t repay you for this.” Cade tightened his grip on her wrist. The term of endearment slipped out before he could stop it and he found he liked the way it sounded. Honey.

  She blushed a little. “I didn’t ask you to. Now get dressed. That robe doesn’t exactly fit you very well.”

  Cade looked down at his body when she left the room. Shit. His cock tented the front of the robe. Being close to his beautiful Mara was too much when his body was still weak.

  His beautiful Mara. She wasn’t his and he couldn’t stay with her.

  Reality slammed into him and he sat down on her bed, any lustful thoughts shoved to the back of his mind. He had to protect her from the bad woman and the boy. The boy! Another memory clicked into place. The fire elemental had someone with her. Someone with control of the earth. He wracked his brain for more, grinding his fists against his eyes, but it wouldn’t come.

  The clothes felt good against his skin. Reassuring, normal. He had a little trouble with the buttons on the green flannel shirt, but he forced his fingers to push the tiny pieces of plastic through the holes and slipped his feet into the shoes. Thank God there weren’t any laces to maneuver. He stumbled out of the bedroom. Mara caught him when he reached the kitchen and his knee buckled.

  “Sit down. I think you’ve had enough of being upright for a while.” She led him back to the couch and helped him down. “Grilled cheese and tomato soup coming up.”

  A few minutes later, he had a bowl of soup in his lap and two sandwiches steaming on a plate on the coffee table. Soft white bread and Kraft Singles, with a healthy dose of butter, exactly what a grilled cheese sandwich should be. Mara sat next to him with a sandwich of her own. Her green eyes flicked to him often but she wasn’t eating.

  “Ask,” he said between spoonfuls of soup and bites of crunchy bread.

  “How did you . . . become a werewolf?” She shrank into the couch cushions.

  “I was born this way. Both of my parents were werewolves. But if a person is bitten during the full moon, they can turn.”

  Mara’s lower lip trembled. “Look, I believe you. The wolf was with me, I fell off the bed, and then there you were. But I feel like I’m losing my mind. Werewolves and elementals? Are witches and vampires real too?”

  “Of course they are,” he said simply. “But vampires aren’t dead. Think about it. If vampires were dead—no heartbeat, no breath—they wouldn’t be able to learn anything. Our brains need oxygen. Without a heartbeat, a vampire couldn’t bleed and without bleeding, the whole siring thing can’t happen the way the books say. Vampires are very real. They just aren’t what people think. It’s a virus that makes them, similar to werewolves. Lycos for us, Sanguinos for them. A vampire’s core temperature is lower than a human’s. They sunburn really easily, but they won’t burst into flame. Most live in Europe.”

  Mara set her plate down. Cade had nearly finished both of his sandwiches and she hadn’t touched hers. He leaned over and returned the plate to her lap. “Eat. You look like you’re wasting away.”

  “I haven’t had much of an appetite lately. Or any energy to cook.” She took a bite of her sandwich. “Happy?”

  “No.” He watched her until the sandwich was gone and she licked her fingers. He set down his empty plate and strode into her bedroom. When he came back, he had three chocolate bars. They tore off the wrappers and ate in silence. When he’d finished two and she’d devoured one, he grinned. “Now I’m happy.”

  “You sound like Adam.”

  Cade stifled a growl. Adam was the one who tried to euthanize him. He didn’t like Adam. He didn’t want Adam anywhere near
his Mara.

  “What?”

  “I didn’t ask. But why are you alone here? Adam. Where is he?” Cade tightened his hands on his thighs.

  Mara stifled a laugh. “I’m not with Adam. Goddess. I love him, but not like that. He’s been married to Lisa for ten years. They’ve got two little girls: six and four. He’s a vet down at the equestrian center. Plus, he’s not my type. Way too high-strung.”

  “There’s no one else?”

  A blush colored her cheeks. “No. Dating’s too hard when you can’t stay awake for more than a few hours at a time. And the whole dying thing? It’s kind of a buzzkill.”

  Cade frowned. “You’re not—” he began, but she held up her hand.

  “Enough. You can tell me I’m not dying until you’re blue in the face, but that’s not going to make it true. I have to go to the hospital this afternoon for a blood test and given what happened last night, I’m pretty sure I’m going to get the word that I’m not going to make Christmas. So while I still feel good, we should figure out what you’re going to do now.”

  “I need to go.” He picked up the plates and took them into the kitchen.

  Mara followed. “Where?”

  “I don’t know. Not here. Somewhere I can be alone. Find a job. Start over.” He washed the dishes, more to keep his hands busy and distract him from thoughts of leaving Mara than anything else. He’d need to rest again soon. Partially sated by the food, but nowhere near full, he didn’t think he could ask Mara for anything more. Not after how kind she’d been to him. He’d rest a bit if she let him, then run. He’d probably have to steal at first. His pack was gone. His family back in Barstow was all dead—at least he thought they were—those memories were still fuzzy. He had a roommate in college in Seattle. What was his name? Cade couldn’t remember. But perhaps he’d help. He was in Seattle now. Seattle was a big city.