HOTSHOT BROTHERS: Coyote Shifters

by Hunt, Sabrina

  “My pets had quite a time trying to find you. Your Wesley has a gift for staying out of sight, did you know that? They only managed to find you that once because you got separated.” He was walking towards me, his footsteps a little uneven, and a bolt of terror went through me as I realized one of his legs was twisted, dragging behind the other with a noticeable, unpleasant thump. “I had to come and look for you myself. I found you last night, but while you’re close enough to that damn Coyote, I can’t lay a finger on you.” A freezing cold finger, burning like ice, jabbed my cheek.

  Coyote? I wondered, then I remembered the black and brown one that had saved me before, and I found myself praying it would again.

  “Oh dear.” The Crooked Man stepped away, shaking his head, and my skin crawled. “You look confused at that. Guess he didn’t tell you. Share a bed, but not secrets. Well, Kalin, it’s not like he’s the only one. Quite noble of you to keep your feelings to yourself,” he remarked, and I shivered. “Oh, I can’t read minds, dear, not exactly. More like emotions – easy enough when you don’t have any. It’s how I decide on what pets to keep.

  “Now, your sister,” I squirmed at that, hate and horror rising in me, “she was curious, lively, and spirited. As perfect as a human gets, not unlike myself.”

  She is nothing like you, you scumbag, I wanted to scream.

  “You’d like to think that, wouldn’t you, Kalin? But we both know your sister has a weakness for fancy things, for satiating her curiosity with that single-mindedness she has. After all, that’s why you got in the fight, isn’t it? She told me about that. Owed you some money, didn’t have it, and didn’t understand why you couldn’t wait a bit longer. It’s not like she wouldn’t have paid you back.”

  Tears pricked my eyes as my nostrils flared. This creature was cruelty personified.

  Cocking its head, the Skinwalker swiveled its neck in a way that was inhuman, almost like a centipede, and my stomach twisted with nausea.

  All around us, the day had lost all warmth and color. The sky was a whiteish blue, the shadows were harsh and black, and everything else had faded away to gray.

  “You have no idea, my dear, just how cruel I can be,” The Skinwalker suddenly said. A coyote burst from the underbrush at that moment and he swept it aside, easily. “Did you honestly think I learned nothing after facing your brother the last time? Your gifts are no secret to me.”

  Back on its feet, the coyote lifted its head, and I recognized it was the same one from before. Big, burly, and with curious eyes for a beast. Now as it stared down the Skinwalker, I could see its irises were hazel. A wild, improbable thought blazed into my mind.

  The Skinwalker suddenly shifted into a different creature, becoming some kind of huge, twisted bird. Black, cracked skin, as though it was burned, hellish red-white eyes protruding out, and a stench like burning garbage. A scream fought its way from my throat, but the shadow holding me pressed tighter, stifling it.

  The bird moved quickly, scuttling about, its movements more insectile than animal. Leathery wings with pulsing black membranes unfolded out of its back, then it leaped into the sky.

  Looking back to the coyote, I could tell it was surprised. It looked back at me again, and I swear I saw panic in its gaze, then determination. An oddly familiar and reassuring look.

  Unable to move, I watched as the creature dove for the coyote, driving it away from me. Once the nightmare bird slashed at the poor beast, bloodying its side, but the coyote learned fast. The next time the bird swooped low, the coyote launched itself at it, jaw fastening around the neck, claws tearing the membrane.

  With a scream, it hurled the coyote away, and then the Skinwalker morphed into a strange beast on two legs, one that made me scream in spite of myself, and then back into a man.

  Blinking, I watched as his body shuddered, his blond head bent, then suddenly the hair went dark again. A different man? I wondered.

  Then it was laughing, the Crooked Man or Skinwalker, I suppose the Crooked Man in this shape, was laughing. The coyote snarled at it, teeth showing, and ears flat.

  “You know, I hate all you Coyote brethren, but I must say, Wesley, at the moment, I hate you the most.”

  My body locked up. Wes?

  The coyote growled, moving closer, and the Crooked Man threw a hand up. Suddenly I had a sense of something brushing my neck. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a bulbous stinger poised.

  Blank, mindless fear surged through me, but I didn't move. Instead, I looked at the coyote, trying to take slow, even breaths.

  “Shift back, Wesley Young. Show your woman you’re no better a monster than me and she can live.” The Crooked Man’s voice suddenly sounded oddly young, almost human, and vulnerable…

  Instantly the coyote shifted from beast to man. To Wes. A huff escaped me as my eyes widened. And the stinger lowered.

  Wes, he’s a shapeshifter, he’s a coyote…

  “A monster?” Wes said in a harsh voice, his eyes glittering with rage. “Is that jealousy, I hear, Skinwalker? We did not dredge up our gifts out of envy and despair. Ours was the blessing of the moon and Akba Atatdia.”

  That name rushed over me like a cool wind and for a second, I swore I smelled the crisp, clean scent of snow, but then it was gone.

  The Crooked Man’s shoulders went tight with rage. “You become a beast like me,” he hissed. “Why do you brothers insist on thinking you’re any better? If you weren’t such fools, you’d know to join me, see what a worthy cause mine is. The Spirit left you with nothing but a few tricks and no clues how to use them. I command fire, I can hear the whispers of human thoughts, and I can open the gates. Why do you reject power? You’ve had but a taste of it. I can give you the world.”

  “Do you crave companions that much?” Wes asked in a quiet voice and I was startled to hear a note of sympathy in his tone. “Are you in need of brothers, Skinwalker?”

  The beast hissed, then laughed. “Don’t be a fool. I have everything.”

  “And yet for all that, you walk alone.” Wes’s voice was hard, flat as a stone, and unyielding. “Ben saw the hesitation in your eyes, Skinwalker. Why not let my brother try? He could recall you to what you once were, just as he does those human puppets of yours.”

  As Wes was saying this, I saw he was edging closer, and I sensed that while his gaze was on the Crooked Man, his focus was on me.

  “She was about to tell you her true feelings, Coyote,” the Crooked Man suddenly said, his voice oozing across the ground, and Wes went rigid. Hatred flashed in his eyes. “But now you’ll never know.” It darted across the ground, then began dragging me and the shadow backward.

  More shadows seemed to leap out, covering the sky, and I saw Wes’s face pull into an expression of shock and fear. He was running, eyes wild, but he was too late.

  “Don’t worry,” the Crooked Man called back, “she’ll live. For now.”

  Wes cried out my name, an agonized, tearing note, “Kalin!”

  Just before the shadows enclosed us, sucking us away to another time and place, it seemed, the Crooked Man let out another chuckle, adding, “After all, she has the Moonstone.”

  Wes’s face suddenly twisted with confusion, hurt, and anger. Staring at him, I tried to communicate that it was in my bag, that I was sorry, and the most important thing of all.

  I love you, too.

  But darkness slammed down on me, a rushing, foaming roar, and I was gone.

  Chapter 18

  “No, Kalin!” I screamed, my voice shredding in my throat, as a rip in the universe seemed to tremble, and then stitch itself back up. “Kalin!” For a second, I stared in utter disbelief, then I fell to my knees. Color was rushing back into the world, greens, blues, and reds, but I barely noticed.

  Earlier, I’d noticed how the world had suddenly been bleached of warmth, the chill stealing across the ground, and the ugly sounds creaking out of the earth. If only I’d been faster.

  It was like everything he had touched, he sucked the life o
ut of.

  He was gone now, though. They were gone.

  Kalin was gone.

  The Crooked Man had stalked away, slipping back into the suit of a beast for a moment, claws slashing at air, and then a man again, strode forward into a web of darkness.

  It was like the world had become nothing but fabric and he’d neatly sliced it away.

  But freezing cold and shadows had oozed out of it, snaking across the ground, and the shadow wrapped around Kalin had joined them, dragging her inside of it. Her bright brown eyes had been on me the whole time, fearless, but her face had been pale.

  Crushing my hands into fists, I slammed them into the ground in absolute fury. The earth shook underneath me, a great basin with cracks appearing under my hands, and an indignant group of birds took off in the distance.

  He’d won.

  Not only that, but apparently Kalin had the Moonstone the whole time.

  That’s why he was after her. Maybe if you’d spent a little less time kissing her, she’d still be here, the Moonstone would still be here!

  “Wes!” came a female voice, breaking through my miserable torpor. But I couldn’t move. Instead, I wondered if I’d lost my mind. “Wes, are you alright?” Then Hazel was there, next to me, her warm brown hair tumbling down, and blue eyes full of compassion and sorrow. “No. We’re too late. Oh, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  “Hazel?” I asked, my voice cracking.

  “Wes, we’re here.” Ben was on the other side of me, his arm around my shoulders as I sat back. “We drove as fast as we could, but then we couldn’t find this place, not until…”

  “Not until the bastard was pulling her in,” Rayner said, his voice cool, but with a note of rage in it. He’d appeared over me, his face pale, eyes glittering, and mouth set.

  “Oh, you saw that?” I let out a bitter bark of laughter. “At least I don’t have to explain how I failed you all.”

  “His power is growing,” Hazel said. “That’s why we came back.”

  Rayner squatted in front of me, then reached out and gripped my shoulder. “Wes, had we known, I would have insisted we stick together. This is my fault, not yours. I made this call.”

  “I lost her,” I rasped, my chest breaking apart, lungs deflating, and heart slowing. “I lost her, Thor. She’ll die because of me, not you.”

  “She won’t die,” Hazel said quickly. “At least, not yet.”

  “How do you know?” I looked at her, horror and hope surging within me.

  She bit her lips, eyes darting to Rayner, then Ben, who I sensed nodding. “I-I saw it. First, Kalin being torn away from you, then she was in the mountains by a lake, Lake Mead, I’m sure. Then blood, on the Moonstone.” Hazel’s voice was a whisper. “Her blood.”

  “Why Kalin’s?” I asked.

  “I don’t know, Wes. Sometimes it’s symbolic, you know? But we have time. It’s not until tomorrow night when the moon is full.”

  “No, tonight, Haze,” Ben said gently. “You lost a day, there.”

  “Okay, well, we still have time; Burr and Cree are already there.” Hazel pointed out.

  “Let’s go,” I exclaimed, scrambling to my feet, and dragging Ben and Hazel with me. “Now.”

  “Get your stuff,” Rayner said, already walking towards the cottage.

  Rushing back into the cottage, I grabbed up my sketchbook bag, throwing it into my bag, and then piled the clean laundry inside of it. Hazel was packing up Kalin’s things, her hands deft and loving, while Ben helped her, and Rayner paced around.

  Suddenly Hazel made a sound of surprise. “Oh, my… Boys. Look.”

  Turning, I saw Hazel plunge her hand into Kalin’s bag and pull out a glowing white jewel. The looks of shock on everyone’s face was identical.

  “The Moonstone?” Rayner asked. “But what…?”

  Hazel shook her head, eyes suddenly wide with fear, but I interrupted. “We have to go. We don’t have time to dwell on this.” Heart squeezing, I said, “She’s tough. She can hold out till we get there.”

  “Wes…” Ben started to say, his voice gentle.

  “Let’s go. Now,” I snarled, banging out of the cottage.

  * * *

  Groaning, I lifted my head and looked around. Sharp pain lanced through my skull so I stopped moving. The world was circling too fast around the sun. Above me, there were stabbing white lights, also revolving too fast, and lost in darkness…

  I shut my eyes again. Bitter tastes, like blood and metal, filled my mouth.

  Taking a deep breath, it was then I realized I was no longer gagged by that horrible creature.

  Once the spinning stopped, I opened my eyes again, and slowly sat up.

  “Wes,” I murmured, then I bit my lip. I knew he wasn’t here. Hearing his name soothed me, though, even if the last look on his face was one of devastation and betrayal.

  Looking around, I realized my arms were tied behind me, and I was lying at the opening of a cavern yawning into darkness. Ahead of me was a sharp drop, then a great, black plain. Then I blinked, realizing I could see flashes of white and the rising moon flickered on its surface.

  A lake under a night sky.

  My stomach plummeted. Lake Mead.

  Why was I here? Where was the Skinwalker? Had he left me here to die?

  Footsteps came from behind me, the dragging, discernible limp, and my breath shuddered out of my chest. No such luck.

  A dark chuckle. “Good, I don’t have to wake you.” Then a pause, followed by a whisper from the darkness, “Do you really think there is a difference between that beast and me, Kalin Montero?” I turned to see the Crooked Man ooze from the cavern, wrapped in shadows, and walk to the edge of the lake. “I saw your face; you were stunned to learn of his secret.”

  I said nothing, but I thought, not that stunned. Deep down, I’d sensed that power in Wes, that touch of something unexplainable. Seeing him shapeshift had just fit the puzzle pieces together.

  “Coyote Shifters, Ash Walkers, Skinwalkers… We all walk the paths of a world hidden from the one most know. Why is there a difference?” It almost sounded thoughtful, petulant as it asked that, and my stomach filled with ice. There seemed to be a hint of humanity about it tonight, but a warped version. It was like looking into a funhouse mirror.

  There was movement behind us, and I glanced over my shoulder to see that a mass of Pale Eyes had come up, standing in orderly rows. Then I bit my lips. Trini was in front.

  Her name was in my throat, but then I caught myself. It wouldn’t work.

  “There wasn’t always a lake here.” The Crooked Man still sounded reflective. “Once, this was all open land, little towns, and desert. But then these humans, they wanted to use the power of the river, so they built a great dam and flooded this valley.

  “And more towns sprang up, even a glittering city, and people flocked here. Made fortunes.” Now its voice was getting uglier again, spitting the words out harshly. “And somehow, this lake remained pure. In spite of the fact that it’s man-made and is starting to bleed away. It did not spawn any nightmares, no greed has corrupted it, and no rot is to be mined…”

  Uneasiness was creeping along my spine and making me tremble. Red flashed in the creature’s eyes as it turned and a scream fought its way out of my throat. It was that bone-chilling sense of wrongness. The crooked humanity, something that looked human, but wasn’t.

  “Let’s change that, shall we?” The Crooked Man tilted its head, eyes lighting with fire, and blackened teeth grinned at me in the moonlight. Once again, I had that sense of all the color being washed away from the world.

  I flinched away as he came closer. “Stay away from me or–”

  “Or?” it laughed. A rattling, horrific sound. Blood pounded in my ears. “What can you do? You’re all alone, so very far away from everything you’ve ever known.” Its voice was almost singsong and I hunched my shoulders. “You possess no gifts that threaten me, dear. But you do have something I need.” Its eyes slit. “Your sist
er told me. Fetch it from your jacket.”

  Suddenly the shadowy bounds were gone, slithering away, and I shook out my bloodless wrists. Gripping Wes’s hoodie, I breathed deep, catching a whiff of his scent. Earthy, familiar, and strong. Then I scrambled to my feet and tried to run.

  I barely made it three steps. My legs were cramped and filled with pins and needles from being tied up for hours. Gasping, I hit the ground on all fours, tears burning my eyes.

  It was right, I thought. What can I do?

  “Despair is always my favorite emotion. It has a richness to it, not quite like grief or terror. It’s deeper and darker.” The Crooked Man was getting closer and I turned, falling on my backside. “Now, if you want to keep breathing, give me the Moonstone.”

  Taking a deep breath, I said in a loud, authoritative voice, “I don’t have it.” Getting to my feet, I turned out the pockets of the hoodie, then shook it. “See?”

  Eyes going red, it snarled, “What? But your sister said” Swiveling its head around, it glared at Trini. “Trini, come here.” Obediently she marched over. “I asked you, if your sister took it, what she would do with it. You told me she’d hide it away, use it to barter for you…”

  Trini nodded and my heart twisted.

  “Trini, please, can you hear me?” I whispered.

  “Idiot girl,” the Crooked Man knocked me off my feet. “You’re not even worth making a slave out of, nor even torturing… Although…perhaps the Brothers would trade a life for the jewel.”

  “No,” I said, glaring up at it. “I won’t let them.”

  “Perhaps for your sister’s life, then?” Its lips twisted up in garish glee. “Surely you wouldn’t say no to that–” The Crooked Man stopped, going rigid, and lifted its head. Then, it shifted into a beast and I scrambled back, a scream falling from my lips. “They’re here; I smell that foul coyote fur on the wind. Trini, take your sister to the lakeside. On my order, you will end her life.”

  “Wes!” I screamed. “Don’t–” but my sister clapped a hand over my mouth, dragging me with her. Her strength was like iron and my ankles scraped over rocks as she dragged me along. Next to us, the Pale Eyes surged forward, their expressions blank, and then I heard a rush of wind.