Shiftless: Tuatha Series Book 1

by Linton Bowers

  “I can’t believe you did that,” she said.

  “What’s the big deal?” I decided to play it cool even though my knuckles throbbed and my heart raced like a greyhound.

  “Terry, Arnold is a powerful wolf. Even in human form he’s stronger than most transformed werewolves. There is no way you should have been able to hurt him. But you did.”

  “I don’t know if you’re aware or not, but I’m kind of a big deal,” I said.

  The adrenalin was starting to wear off and my hands shook. I was talking big, but I was terrified and what she just said didn’t make me feel any better. Miranda held my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

  Chapter 4

  Our second trip and flight from danger ended the same way the first one had. With us pulling into the driveway of a nondescript ranch style house in a suburb. This time we didn’t open the garage door remotely. Instead Miranda stopped the car in the driveway blocking one half of the two car garage. She turned to me after killing the engine.

  “This is one of Arnold’s safe houses. He doesn’t know I’m aware of this place so he shouldn’t be looking for us here. We’re not staying though. We’ll trip an alarm and he will know someone is here. Were going to get some clothes, steal all of his go cash, and take one of his cars,” She said.

  “Will he be able to track the car,” I asked. I felt some pride at how quickly I was adapting to the situation. It was almost like I had reached double O status.

  “Yes, but I am the person that set up the Lojack in all of Arnold’s cars. I know all the passwords and how to disable them. We’re good on that front.”

  “Let’s do this,” I said. There wasn’t much else to say. If I was a double O agent I was the rookie to Miranda’s Bond. The seasoned Daniel Craig Bond at that.

  “Ah,”She said. “You think I’m Daniel Craig Bond awesome!”

  I laughed. Having her in my head was going to take some getting used to.

  As I got out of the car a strange thought hit me. Was I going to get a chance to get used to this? Did Miranda plan on keeping me around once she was out from under Arnold’s thumb?

  Miranda stopped walking and I saw her shoulders tense up. I felt like a dumbass for not keeping my thoughts in check.

  “Terry,” Miranda said without turning around. “I was not kidding when I said you are my alpha and I want you to be happy with me.” She turned to face me and I stopped right in front of her. I had to look down as I was almost half a foot taller than her. “Werewolves are pack animals, much like our wolf cousins. I was still with Arnold because I don’t want to be alone, I can’t be. If not for that I would have left that pompous ass and his pack a long time ago. I’m here to stay as long as you don’t turn into a douche like Arnold.” She turned and started walking.

  “So you used me?” I regretted saying it as soon as I did.

  “It’s okay, I would have heard you think it,” Miranda said. She didn’t turn to face me. “Let’s go inside and we can hash this out as we get ready to leave, okay?”

  “Yeah,” I said. A large part of me wanted nothing more than to protect Miranda and I didn’t know why. But, a small voice deep down asked me if I could trust her.

  I followed Miranda inside, turns out she had a key to the front door. I did a quick look around the living room with it’s open floor plan to the kitchen. The place was furnished witch surprised me. It was full of furniture any household would have, but it was wrong. Considering the neighborhood we were in the furniture was far too rich.

  I closed the door and locked it checking for an alarm system keypad I was sure would be on the wall next to the door, but it wasn’t.

  “The alarm system is armed and disarmed with a remote as well as controlled remotely via the internet. That way any intruders would think they were scot free while a pack of pissed off werewolves were bearing down on them,” Miranda said.

  I turned around to find her inches from me. “I understand you not trusting me, because you’re right. I did and am using you. I’m sorry about that, really I am. I had to though. I couldn’t live another day in the fucker’s pack knowing there was a way out.” She looked down not meeting my gaze.

  I could feel her shame and a bit of sorrow roll off of her in waves. She did exactly what she said and I was pissed at her for it. At the same time, I was on the run with a beautiful woman on an actual adventure. Sure I could be caught and torn to pieces by the uber wolf, but I felt so alive.

  “I get it,” I said. “I wrapped her up in hug and whispered into her ear. “Thank you, Miranda.”

  Her tension melted away. “For what?”

  “For being awesome.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah,” I said. From our bond I could tell she knew why and I felt her ease up. Her arms wrapped around my waist and we held each other for a time.

  “We need to get going,” Miranda said in my ear. “Clock is ticking.”

  “Yup.”

  As she pulled back she pointed to the kitchen. “Same drill as before. Pull out fridge, get lock

  box, push back fridge,” Miranda said.

  “You sure we should split up?”

  “It’ll be okay. I should have been paying attention. I won’t let my guard down again.”

  “Okay, but I’m not going into the garage or out of this house until you are right next to me,” I said.

  Miranda’s smile made my heart skip a beat. “You got it, boss.” She turned and sauntered down the hall. I watched as her rear end swayed back and forth. She reached a bedroom door and stopped to lean against the door frame and give me a wink. I smiled and started to turn away.

  “Oh shit! Terry, get over here!”

  I sprinted down the hall with my hands clenched into fists. Miranda dashed into the room. I reached the doorway and stopped. A woman lay on the bed in tattered clothes. She was conscious and her eyes were wide open. She looked around with a frantic expression on her face. A cloth around her head and in her mouth kept the sound of her screams down to a dull roar.

  “What the hell is this?” I asked.

  “I don’t know?” Miranda went to work untying the woman. “She is a lycan, but not a wolf. I… I don’t recognize the scent, or her face.”

  “Is she being saved for a snack or something?” I asked letting my ignorance show.

  Miranda stopped untying the girls left hand after having already undid her legs. “No, Terry. Lycans don’t eat each other. It falls under cannibalism, even between Lycan species. This,” She waved her arm over the woman, “Is something different.”

  “What do you think it is?” I asked.

  “The Lycan, or the situation?”

  “Both.”

  “I don’t know is the answer to both, but we are going to let her go and then beat feet.”

  “No,” I said. “We should take her with us.”

  Miranda’s eyes narrowed. She looked down at the woman then back at me. “Why should we do that?”

  “We should find out who she is and get her back to her people. Best case, we screw up Arnolds plans, cause fuck that guy, and her people owe us a favor. Worst case, we screw up Arnold’s plans cause fuck that guy.”

  Miranda laughed. “I can get on board with that.” She looked at the woman as she untied her gag. “Are you okay?” Miranda asked.

  The woman let out a high pitched scream that could have brought sound back to a deaf man. Miranda hit the woman in the face knocking her out.

  “Damn! That was cold,”I said.

  “We’re short on time. If the cops come it could be bad for us as well as her.”

  “Let me guess, Arnold has the cops in his pocket?” I said.

  “Got it in one. It’s standard practice for a pack. It helps to keep the world in the dark about what we are. New plan, pick her up and I’ll get everything we need.” Miranda stopped as she was climbing off the high king size bed. “If that’s okay with you?” There was another wave of shame rolling off her.

  “Yeah, rookie
secret agent here, remember? I differ to your experience,” I said.

  Miranda chuckled. “I’m not a super spy or anything either,” She replied.

  “You could have fooled me.”

  “I’m just winging it, Terry. I kinda have no clue what I’m doing other than getting stuff and money and running with my tail between my legs.”

  “And what a nice tail it is,” I said. I felt a wave of pleasure as a result of my compliment.

  Miranda pulled a couple backpacks from a closet and stuck her arms inside rummaging through their contents. Then she grabbed a suitcase which turned out to be empty. She pulled clothes from the dressers and filled it up. Everything was either still wrapped in plastic or had a tag hanging from it. Once done she passed me one of the backpacks which I slung over my free shoulder. She took the other two bags and I followed her to the living room. Miranda pulled out the fridge and found the cashbox which she stuffed into her backpack.

  “Let's get a car and get going. I'll pull our new one out if you pull the old one in?” Miranda asked me.

  “you got it.”

  “Pass me the girl so I can put her in the car,” Miranda said. I handed over the woman and we went our separate ways.

  When I stepped out the front door I felt like a skittish cat in a pit bull rescue. My head moved around like it was swivel mounted. I even took great care to ensure I looked up. I mean werewolves. Am I right?

  I made it to the car without being attacked and torn asunder by claws and teeth so I counted that as a check in the win column. A couple minutes later I was heading back to the house. A knot of worry twisted my gut after having left Miranda alone for the short time I was outside.

  The garage door rolled up before I reached it so I went back to the Mercedes. Miranda pulled an all black Range Rover with black rims out and I parked the Mercedes in the vacant spot next to a brand new Corvette Z06.

  “All good?” I asked as I climbed into the Range Rover.

  “Peachy,” Miranda replied as she flashed me grin. “I love it when a plan comes together.”

  “Me too.”

  As Miranda pulled out of the driveway I tensed. This was when the attack would come. I was afraid I couldn’t protect her. “Think we’ll be okay?”

  “How could we not with a mythical creature leading the charge?” Miranda asked. She wore a big smile that made me feel all warm and fuzzy, but it also gave me the idea that she was kidding. Which scared me and lifted some of the weight off my shoulders.

  “Anyone ever tell you that you think too much?” Miranda asked me.

  “No, but no one has ever been in my head before either. It’s a bit weird.”

  “I get this feeling that it’s only because you allow it. Like there is a door you are holding open and if you close it, I’ll be locked out with no key. Maybe you could try it to see how it works?”

  “A door you say?” I pictured a door and myself standing next to it. I felt Miranda in front of me and wondered if she would appear like before, but she didn’t. Then I pictured myself closing the door.

  Miranda let out a sharp hiss. “Yeah, I think that did it,” she said. “I feel a void that I didn’t know was there before now. Are you planning on keeping it that way?”

  She kept glancing between me and the road as she waited for my answer. For the first time I saw a look on her face that said she wasn’t happy and it was my fault. I liked that look less than having her privy to my thoughts.

  My hands became clammy and my heart rate picked up. As I watched Miranda I tried keeping my face impassive. All the while I felt like I should grab her and hold her as if she were in danger and I had to shield her. We needed to run and run fast.

  “No,”I said as I threw the door open.

  Chapter 5

  “What do you mean you want to go to my place?” I asked Miranda.

  “We’ve been on the road for a while now and we’re no closer to coming up with a plan, Terry. I think your place is a great idea. It’s not known by the pack, and from what you say it’s a shit hole which is the last place the pack would expect me to be.”

  “I don’t like it, Miranda. I have a roommate that used to be my girlfriend and to be honest she kind of kicked me out last time I spoke to her a few hours ago. So my place is really just whatever gutter I want to drag a refrigerator box too.”

  We remained quiet while Miranda tapped at her lower lip. It seemed to be a habit she did when she was thinking. “No, I think it’s perfect.”She held up a hand to stop my protest. “Just hear me out. Besides the reason I mentioned it gives us a chance to clean up your old life and get you on track for your new life. Yup, perfect,” she said.

  “What do you mean my new life? I fully intend to continue on and get a job working on wind turbines. It’s kinda the plan I had for myself before that damn dinner party happened,” I snapped.

  “I get that, Terry. But you are an Alpha were now. You have a responsibility to me, as your only packmember, to get stronger so we will be safe. That means you need a bigger pack so we can get stronger and we all do. You know,” she did a hand rolling gesture, “safety in numbers and all that. Individual Lycans don’t get stronger from other pack members, just the alpha enjoys that perk.”

  “I didn’t ask for any of this,” I shot back at here.

  Miranda shot me an angry glare then turned her attention back to the road. She jerked the car the the shoulder and slammed on the brakes. She sat silent for a moment with her head down. Her fists gripped the steering while so tight her knuckles turned white. I had seen that look enough to know she was pissed.

  “Do you want out?” She asked.

  “What?” I replied.

  “Do you want me to leave and find another pack? If that is what you want I will obey. You are alpha right up until you are not,” She said. Her words came out in a monotone that carried no emotion. It was something my mother used to do to hide the way she really felt. I didn’t buy it then and I wasn’t buying it now.

  I placed my hand on her bare forearm. Miranda tensed, but I didn’t move it. “There is something inside of me that wants nothing more than to make sure you’re safe, Miranda. I can’t explain it and I have never felt anything like it.”

  “Just say the words and that problem will go away,” she said.

  “That is the thing,” I replied. “It’s not a problem. The real problem came from the lack of you when I shut the door. I didn’t even know what I was missing until you came along, but now that you’re here, I never want to be without that connected feeling.” I leaned in closer to the auburn haired beauty. “Miranda, I never want to be without you again. I’m sorry I made you feel bad. Sure you opened my eyes to a world I never knew existed, and sure it could get me killed, but for once I feel whole. For the first time I really feel alive, and I owe that to you. So no, I don’t want you to go anywhere.” I said.

  I started to move back but Miranda grabbed me by the back of my neck and pulled me in for a kiss.Our lips met and we devoured each other like we had never felt another’s touch before.

  “I am so going to fuck you when we get a chance,” Miranda said.

  “That isn’t necessary,” I replied. “But I sure as hell am not going to turn you away.” I sat back in my chair. “Let’s go with your plan.”

  “To your place?”

  “No,”I said. Then I took a deep breather before continuing. “To my ex’s place.”

  We pulled up to the shity apartment complex in a shity neighborhood about twenty minutes later.

  “This is it?”Miranda asked as she looked around.

  “Yup.”

  “Can we even leave the truck here without it being jacked, or stripped?” She asked.

  “Don’t know. Never seen anything this nice here before. You having second thoughts?” I asked.

  “Oh god no. This thing was bought and paid for by Arnold and his pack. I could care less if it gets stolen or screwed up. My only concern is needing wheels to get around, but I think we can mana
ge if this thing goes missing.”

  “Works for me. Let’s get going.”

  “I got out and opened the back door. The woman from the safe house was still out but she looked to be breathing normally. I scooped her up and closed the door. then lead the way.

  “Do you think they… you know... “

  “Raped her?” Miranda asked.

  “Yeah,” I said. “Did they do that?”

  “Nah. Arnold is an ass but he isn’t a rapist. A sadist sure, but not a rapist. I would guess her clothes look like that because she was tortured.”

  “I don’t know if that’s any better. So if she was tortured… Up those steps there. If she was tortured, then why doesn’t she have marks. I would think anything that shredded her clothes would leave wounds and maybe scars depending on how long they had her.”

  “You need to stop thinking like a human. Lycans have a near indestructible immune system and an advanced healing ability. Think, The Wolverine, on good day.”

  “Oh. I guess I have a lot to learn.”

  “That you do, but I am with you and I will make sure you know what you need to know.” Miranda looked back at me and smiled.

  “That door, two B,”I said.

  “Wait there for a sec,” Miranda said. She knocked on the door. About three seconds passed before she knocked harder. Another three seconds passed and she pounded on the door with her closed fist. She hit it so hard the frame shook and the door rattled.

  The door was thrown open, but I couldn’t see who had done it.

  “What do you want, bitch?” it was the whiney. Voice of my ex.

  “Need a place to crash,” Miranda said. She turned and waved to me.

  “I don’t give a fuck what you need, bitch. Get to steppin.” Then she caught sight of me. “Oh HELL NO! This bitch is with you?” Jen pointed at Miranda.

  I held up my hand like I was in grade school. The sight before me was confusing. “Um… Why are you naked?” I asked.