by Renee George
I stood up, feeling only slightly woozy now.
"Brita," Shyla said. "Sit back down before you pass out."
"I'm fine." I forced myself to put one foot in front of the other as I headed back inside.
From the sickbay door, I heard my mom say, "It's not working. I think he has a punctured lung and internal bleeding."
I charged inside. Mom's fingers were probing a prone large, black wolf. Its labored breaths sounded wheezy and hoarse. I felt Abadose pulling on his magic to add to Mom's. The burns were healing, but it wasn't enough. The wolf began to struggle, his whole body shaking.
My heart and chest felt squeezed as if in a vice. "Help him," I panted.
"Brita, go," my mom ordered.
I shook my head and moved farther into the room. "No. I won't go." I was being incredibly unreasonable for a guy a barely new. Even so, I placed my hand on his head. "It's okay," I said. "It's okay." He stopped struggling.
Mom sighed. "Fine. You can stay but don't get in the way."
"I think we're going to have to request Zelda," the warlock said.
"The Shifter Whisperer?" I asked hopefully.
He nodded. "I don't know if she'll be available, but she's our best hope." He grabbed his phone from his coat pocket.
"Who are you calling?"
"The Council." He held up a hand as he put the phone to his ear and exited the room. My mom followed him.
I swallowed the lump in my throat as I sat down next to the bed. "Please don't die," I whispered in the black wolf's ear. He opened his eyes. They were green, as green as they had been when he was in human form and stared at me. "I'm not leaving you. I'm not."
Why am I a clingy idiot? I barely knew Cassel the teenager. He was basically a stranger.
A stranger who'd protected me from a fiery death by using his own body as a shield. I owed him. The scent of sweet clover reminded me of spring. Spring was my zen, and I stroked Cas's furry head while I tried to focus on my happy place.
The wolf's breathing turned into noisy huffs. A soft whimper sent a stab of panic through me. "Help! Somebody, help!" I was cool and collected in most situations, but apparently, the fire had melted my courage.
During my meltdown, a tiny-waisted red-headed witch with curly hair, nice curls, not crazy curls like mine apparated in the room. "For the love of the motherhumpin' Goddess, shut the hell up!" She crossed her arms and looked at Cas. "I'm assuming this is the patient and not that squirrel wrapped around your head."
I patted my hair. "Ouch. You must be the Shifter Whisperer."
"My aunt was the Shifter Whisperer. I prefer Shifter Wanker or Zelda."
"That sounds sexual."
"It's not. Unless we're talking about my mate, then, well, the wanker part takes on a whole new meaning."
That was way more information than I wanted to know. "I'm--"
"I don't care who you are. I have my own stuff. I have three kids at home and a husband whose bed I was yanked from for this late-night healing." She held up her hands, and light purple flames coated her fingers. "Let me at him."
I kept my hand on his head as she cast the purple magic over his wounds. My eyes widened at the jagged rips in his skin started to close. His breathing became less noisy, slower, steadier. Even his heartbeat slowed down. Or maybe it was mine.
"It's working." I put both my hands on Cas, rejoicing as his body mended through the miraculous magic. "Thank you." My cheeks were wet before I realized I was crying.
The purple light disappeared. "You're welcome," Zelda said. "I wish you and your mate all the luck."
"We're not--" She was gone before I could finish my denial.
Chapter Six
I told everyone I would stay with Cas until he woke up. It was the least I could do, considering he'd risked his life for me. That's what I told myself, anyhow. The only person to hassle me about staying was Shyla, but once she assured herself her brother was going to make it, she went home, as well.
I stayed vigil most of the night, but exhaustion finally took me. I leaned back in the bedside chair and closed my eyes as I lazily stroking the wolf's fur, inhaling the scent of spring and happiness that permeated every inch of my being.
"Why are you blue?"
"What?" I opened my eyes. Cassel was looking at me, and he was no longer a wolf, nor did he have clothes on. And my, oh, my damn, everything on the man looked even bigger than it had felt through his jeans the evening before.
"Blue," he said again. "Why are you blue?"
"Uhm, I'm not sad." Hungry? Happy? Horney? Yes, yes, and yes. But blue, I wasn't.
"Your skin," he said. "It's glowing blue."
I looked down at my hands. They were coated with magic. I shook them, and the blue leaked away. "Whoops. Sorry. My magic tends to run blue when I’m relaxed."
He rolled over on his side, and his log rested against his thigh. “Are you relaxed now?”
Nervous sparks flickered off my fingertips. I tucked my hands between my knees. "You should cover up."
"If you don't like it, you should stop looking."
"It's hard to turn away from something so wretched and hideous. You're like a train wreck, really. Something I don't want to slow down for but can't help myself because I'm fascinated by the horror."
"Your sexy talk needs a little work."
I drew the blanket up the bed to cover his dangling bits since he hadn't seemed to mind letting his porno-flag fly. "My sexy talk brings all the boys to my yard."
He shook his head. "Not anymore." I was glad to see his hair had grown back with the healing as well. Too bad magic didn't work on mine. "What time is it?"
I looked at the clock on my phone. "It's five in the morning. I'm going to have to think about going home soon. Big day in all." I couldn't muster any enthusiasm.
"That's right, the princess is going to play the goddess Cerridwen." He sat up, and the sheet slipped down. His scent overwhelmed me.
Witches had fast metabolisms, and while Shifters could put the food away, our kind gave them a run for their money. "I need to eat." The room began to spin as my peripheral vision dimmed. I staggered back, and Cas was up on his feet and holding me upright.
I felt faint and woozy, but not so much that I didn't notice his summer sausage pressing against my fall festival.
"This is getting to be a thing," I told him. Mom had stuffed my pockets with Sparkle mints, and I unwrapped one and put it in my mouth. "See. I don't need you to rescue me. I can rescue myself just fine."
"I know you can, Princess," Cas said. "I just like the excuse to hold you." In the bar, he'd been flirty, not serious, but now, he seemed different. More intense.
"What makes you think I want you to hold me?" Uhm, maybe it was the fact that I hadn't tried to squirm out of his arms. As a matter of fact, every part of my body was begging to be touched by him.
"You smell like fallen leaves and pumpkin pie spice." He sniffed my hair. "Even if your hair smells like coal tar and lavender."
I'd washed Mom's hair goop out the night before, but some stenches were destined to linger. "You smell like sweet clover and fresh cut grass. Is it a body spray?"
Cas smiled. "Not exactly."
"Then what?" The candy was helping with the dizziness, but still, I didn't let go of Cas. "Because I'd bottle that shit and spray it around my house. I love the spring, and it reminds me of spring."
"And you carry the scent of fall. My favorite time of the year."
The door opened, and the blond Shifter from his crew walked in. "Hey, Cas. Monty sent me to check on you. He says if you're done vacationing to get your ass back to the hotel." He shrugged. "His words. Not mine."
"Tell him I'll be there in thirty."
I stepped out of Cas's embrace. "Am I invisible? Introduce me to your friend."
"Princess, this is Rabbit."
"You seem like a big guy for a rabbit Shifter."
The blond laughed. "I'm a mountain lion," he said. "Nice to meet you, Princess."
&
nbsp; "Brita," I said. "I go by Brita or Brit. Princess is not my name."
"Got it," he said.
"Where's the other two guys. "Ax and Blaze are back at the hotel."
"You guys sound like rock stars."
Rabbit laughed. "Oh, honey, in our world, we are rock stars." He nodded to Cas. "I'll cover if you need to take care of..." he gestured to the protruding rocket jutting from Cas's groin. "Well, I'll just tell Monty you'll be about an hour."
He left while I was still too stunned to respond. When I gathered my wits, I said, "I can't believe he said that."
"Me either," Cas said. He took me in his arms again and kissed me until I was breathless. When he finished, he said, "I'd need a hell of a lot more time than one hour with you, Brita."
"How is he? Shyla asked as soon as I appeared in my bedroom. I screamed. She screamed.
Simon rolled over onto his belly and swished his tail between his back legs. "So dramatic," he complained.
"He's fine now. He's even back to work." I clutched my chest. "Have you been in here all night?"
"I couldn't sleep," Shy said. "I was too worried about Cas."
"She made sure I couldn't sleep, either," my familiar said. "It was torture. I forbid you to leave me alone with her again."
"You always say that," I told the cat.
He arched his back then leaned into a deep stretch, his tail forming a question mark. "And I always mean it."
"Shut up, Rodent," Shyla said. "I am having personal issues."
He gave her a "duh" look. "You always have issues."
"Give her a break, Simon."
He rolled his eyes. "Fine." He hopped down from my bed. "I'll see you in the kitchen." He looked at Shyla. "I'm glad your brother is well, dog breath."
"Thanks." She gave him a half-smile as he walked out the bedroom door.
"See I told you he likes you."
"No, I don't," Simon said from the hallway.
I mouthed. "He really does."
"No," he shouted. "You're wrong."
I shook my head. "How are you holding up, babe?"
"I don't know. I feel numb. Scared. Betrayed. Why is he working for the Council? After what that warlock did to my parents? He used black magic to kill them, all to fuel some whack spell for more power. Their deaths were neither noble or natural. Don't you get it? My parents will never move on to the Next Adventure. They will be stuck in some kind of awful limbo because of witchcraft."
"I get it, Shy." I rounded the bed and hugged my friend. "But maybe that's the reason why. The Council is a force against those who practice the dark arts. He is on the side of right, here. Not on the side of evil."
"Still." She wiped her snotty nose on my shirt. "Why didn't he tell me? I spoke to him two months ago. He never once mentioned working for the Council."
"Maybe he worried how you’d react."
She leaned back. "Are you on his side?"
"Uhm, of course not. I'm totally Team Shyla. You know that. I'll grab the hacksaw, you grab the shovel and the bags."
Her lips thinned. "We're not burying my brother."
"Good, because I kind of like him."
"Like him? As in like-like or just like?"
"Shut up."
"You have a crush on my bro? Still? I mean, I thought him kissing Becca put the brakes on all your feelings, especially after you cursed that giant, pus-filled mountain on his butt."
"I don't have a crush on Cas." My phone rang. "Saved by the bell," I said. I answered. "Hey, Mom. What's up?"
"It's ruined!" she cried. "Destroyed."
Her anguish filled me with alarm. "What happened?"
"The Master of Ceremony float, the one your father and I ride in every year at the front of the parade has been decimated by vandals!"
Oh. I rolled my eyes and looked at Shyla. She snickered. Shifter hearing was exceptional, so she was getting all the nitty-gritty. "Can't you take care of it with your magic?"
"No! For some reason, it's not working on the float. Which means it was magic that tore it apart, and unless I find the culprit, there is no undoing it."
"What do you need from me?"
"I need you to pop your little tushy down to the Howler Street and help me fix this."
"How?"
"With good old ingenuity and know-how," she said then hung up before I could argue.
"I guess I got to go help mom."
Shy gave me an appraising look and sniffed.
"Shower first?"
She nodded. "Definitely. You smell like gas and scorched hair."
That's not what her brother had said, but I kept that little tidbit to myself.
Chapter Seven
It was still early, only seven in the morning when I arrived on Howler. I could still smell smoke and scorched earth from Ten-Point Rural Gas Company only two blocks away. The Master of Ceremony float had been a convertible limousine that my mom had covered in silver and gold sparkles, white faux fur elevated throne seating--because real fur in a Shifter town or any town was gross, and it had multiple arches of carrying fairy lights that twinkled to the rhythm of whatever music was playing. It was gaudy and tacky, along with breathtakingly decadent, and she had done it all without using magic. Now, the float was smashed into the shape of a fist making a middle finger, while one lone fairy light lit up the tip like a lighthouse beacon.
I would have laughed, but mom was crying, and nobody was allowed to make my mom cry.
"Nice of you to join us," my brother said. He looked at the float. "How is that even possible?"
"One witch or warlock alone couldn't have done this much magic, but still, it's possible. I wonder if the fire last night wasn't a distraction."
"Do you really believe someone would blow up a field of gas tanks just to destroy a parade float, Nancy Drew?"
"Your sister's right, Lukas," my dad said. "It would take more than one magic user to do this kind of extreme magic. If it hadn't been for the field fire drawing everyone's attention."
I stuck my tongue out at my brother.
His expression soured. "Apparently, this incident is above my pay grade. I'm going to the station if anyone needs some non-magical help."
We'd had this conversation a lot over the years. Lukas, who was Mom's favorite, always felt as if I had it easy because I had become a witch, while he had been born a Shifter. He thought Dad favored me and that mom let me get away with stuff because of my abilities. He had no idea how hard it was to control my power sometimes. Once, I'd wished he wasn't my brother, and it took two weeks and some help from Mom's friends to figure out how I could reverse the curse. In a way, it had been good because it taught me how to undo the harm I did. I could reverse anything but death, and so far, I'd been disciplined enough not to say "I hope you die" during any argument with anyone.
"I'm going to canvas the neighborhood with my officers," my dad said. "We'll see if we can find any witnesses. Surely someone saw something last night."
After they both left, Mom crossed her arms and tapped her chin. "Can you see the way the magic flowed here. It's sophisticated."
"And it's a lost cause. If you want a MOC float, I think we're going to have to start with a different vehicle, Mom." I put my palm on the twisted metal and felt a twisted energy. I recoiled and shook my hand. "That's weird."
"What?"
"The magic," I told her. "It feels...sick."
"Like psychopath sick, because looking at my beautiful creation turned into a monstrosity, I can't say I'm surprised."
"Not that kind of sick," I said. I put my palm on the car again and focused on the residual traces of the spell. It was green and yellow and reminded me the boil I'd put on Cassel's rear. "Sick as in ill. Unwell. Diseased."
"Oh my." My mom put her hand next to mind. I joined my focus with hers. She pulled away. "You're right."
"Was there ever any doubt?" I asked.
"Don't be a wise-cracker," Mom said.
"Better than a turd-sandwich with sprouts for hair."
<
br /> She glanced and my hair and raised an eyebrow. "Where are we going to get a stretch limo on such short notice, and we're going to need extra help. Get Simon. We're going to need him and Ash to pull it off."
Magic wasn't infinite, and I wasn't sure either one of us had enough creator magic in us to make this float happen. I snapped my fingers, and Simon was in my arms. He yawned, his tongue curling. "You didn't come down and feed me."
"If you caught your own food, you wouldn't be such a fat ass," Ash said from beside Mom's high heeled feet.
I covered Simon's ears. "Watch the body shaming." I scratched between my big boy's eyes. "You're gorgeous just the way you are."
"I know," he said. "Can we do this? I'm really hungry."
My stomach growled. "Me too."
"You still haven't eaten?" Mom asked. "Brita Jean, you have to feed your body as much as you feed the magic." She held out her hands as if carrying a plate. "Healthy, nutritious, and totally delicious. Food a plenty, ready to eat, for my daughter, a perfect treat."
A large roasted chicken with mash potatoes, gravy, corn on the cob, and fresh buttered bread appeared in my mom's hands. She smiled. "Here you go, dear?"
I set Simon down next to Ash. "Return that food to where it belongs," I said. "Someone somewhere had just sat down to enjoy this meal they prepared for themselves." My stomach grumbled at the wonderful scents emanating from the plate of food. However, with magic, you couldn't make something that didn't already exist. "I can't and won't take food out of someone else's mouth. Besides, it's stealing. You don't want me to report you to the chief of police."
"He can handcuff me later."
I stuck my fingers in my ears. "I can't hear you."
She pushed my hands down. "I said, I can make more. It's food I had in my fridge from dinner. So, eat. I need you nourished now." She pointed the plate. "Eat."
I raised a skeptical brow, but my watering mouth made me give her the benefit of the doubt. "Fine. But under protest." I stabbed a fork into the tender, fall off the bone, breast, dragged it through the mash taters and gravy, and then straight into my mouth. "Shashsogoord." My taste buds were lighting up! I shoveled more chicken and potatoes in then sopped up some gravy with the freshly baked bread "Showshowgoord."