Shiftless: Tuatha Series Book 1

by Linton Bowers

  “Your car huh?” The guy who told her to stow it said.

  “Bite me, Vinny. I’m volunteering to process this prick, so don’t give me shit,” she snapped.

  “Whatev. Have fun,” he said. “Watch your head,” he directed at me as I got in the back seat.

  Rodriguez closed the door and I watched as my women were loaded into two more vehicles. Rodriguez spent another minute exchanging jabs with the guy who walked with me. After telling him to eat her ass she hopped in, then pulled away from the store with the large force of cops following.

  We rode in silence for a while. I sniffed the air several times, each time taking in a scent that reminded me of earth and vegetables. Having just recently become aware of my abilities I had no frame of reference so I didn’t know what it meant. Rodriguez was the one to break the silence.

  “What the fuck are you?” She asked.

  I looked up to see her staring at me in the rearview mirror. “I was thinking about asking you the same thing,” I said.

  “Yeah? Well don’t. I ask the questions here, now start talking.” she snapped.

  I let out a sigh. Instinct told me to put her in her place, but that wasn’t who I was. I didn’t care what I had become. I would never be that guy. “I’m a Tuatha.”

  “A what? That isn’t even a thing. Stop fucking with me and answer the damn question.”

  “I’m serious,” I said. I shifted in the seat to try and get comfortable but it wasn’t happening with the cuffs on. “Apparently, I’m a rare creature no one has seen for a long time. A Tuatha.”

  “Doesn’t ring a bell. Just tell me what you turn into. How about that?” Rodriguez said.

  “You’re looking at it.”

  “What? I said stop fucking with me. What. Do. You. Turn. Into? Simple question, simple answer.”

  “I don’t change. I gather others and make them my pack. I get stronger and so do they. Just that simple,” I said.

  “That’s not right. You have to turn into something. And if you have a pack how do you have a wolf and a snake with you? That doesn’t make sense either.”

  “I told you. I can make anything my pack, or so I’m told. Only time will tell I guess.”

  We reached our destination so Rodriguez turned into the parking garage and didn’t respond. She drove down one level and to the far end. There she pulled up just passed a set of double doors and parked. She left the vehicle and came around the back to the passenger side where she let me out.

  “We are not done with our talk,” she said as she led me by the arm through the double doors.

  “I don’t yet,” I said.

  “Excuse me? What kinda crazy are you saying now?”

  “You asked if I work out. I don’t but there is a specter that is going to start training me once we get back to our secret base.” The look on her face was priceless.

  “Keep talking like that and I’ll have your crazy ass committed,” she replied.

  “Rodriguez! Bring him into interrogation room three,” a man in black slacks with a blue shirt and tie shouted.

  “I haven’t processed him yet,” she yelled back.

  “Doesn’t matter. Do as your told.” He turned and walked through a door that required a keycard to get past.

  “Fucking puta,” Rodriguez mumbled. “You heard the man, lets go.”

  Rodriguez jerked my arm in the direction of the door and I followed. The exchange was entertaining so her reaction caused me to chuckle. This elicited an unpleasant look that promised lots of bruises and bloodshed from her.

  We passed a few doors on the left and she pushed me into a door on the right before turning the knob to open it. My nose hit the door a little harder than I would have liked. Not hitting the door at all would have been my preference.

  She directed me to the table in the center of the room. There were three chairs on one side and one on the other. The man in the tie was seated and watching me. I took the farthest seat from the door. Rodriguez leaned against the wall by the door and gave the seated man a look that said, 'I dare you to ask me to leave!’

  “What is this about?” I asked.

  “Wait. Once the other two are here I’ll explain.” He set his hands on the table and continued to watch me.

  Thankfully the wait was short. A few minutes later the door opened and my women were escorted in. They sat in the empty seats and one of the officers left while the other took up a chunk of wall next to Officer Rodriguez.

  “What is this about, Bernard?” Miranda asked.

  “You know this guy?” I asked.

  “He’s a quick one,” Rodriguez said. I gave her a good dose of the stink eye.

  “Quiet, Rodriguez. To answer your question, I need your help,” Bernard said.

  Miranda sat back and crossed her arms over her chest. “With what exactly?”

  “First I need to know who these two are and if they can be trusted.” Bernard said.

  “Both of them are with me and I trust them with my life.”

  Bernard gave me a quick once over then looked Tabitha over. His gaze lingered on her a little longer than I liked and a growl left my lips.

  Bernard’s eyes shifted back to me. Rodriguez stood up straighter and her hand went to her gun. The cop next to her noticed her posture change and mimicked her. Miranda placed her hand on my arm and shook her head.

  “Just tell me what this is about and I’ll see if we can help you,” Miranda said. “I don’t have time for games right now, Bernard.”

  “Alright,” Bernard said but he kept his eyes on me. “There are reports of people having gone missing and strange sightings in the area of the disappearances.”

  “What does that have to do with us?” I asked.

  “Simple. I want you to look into it and report your findings to me. Not too much to ask.”

  “Someone must have told Bernard here to keep his nose out of it so he is looking for alternative noses,” Miranda said as she looked at me.

  “Okay, that still leaves the question of why we should care?” I asked.

  “Some of the missing are kids, well teens really, but still kids. I want them found and returned home if at all possible. If you turn me down I’ll go after them myself, but I wanted to see of I could get this done and salvage my career first. So I’m turning to you.” He pointed at Miranda. “Last time I asked for a favore you got it done faster than I could have. I don’t know how you do what you do, Miranda, but we need you. Please?”

  I opened my mouth to tell him to get bent when Miranda spoke up. “We’ll do it,” Bernard.

  “We will?” I asked.

  “Yes. Someone is hurting kids and I won’t let that stand.”

  I nodded. “Then we will.”

  “I’m going too, Chief,” Rodriguez said.

  “That isn’t a good idea, Rodriguez. I can’t have any officers on this case.”

  “Then I’m requesting leave. I have a bunch saved up. I’ll even leave my badge if you want me to,” she said.

  “You really want to burn leave to work a case?” Bernard asked. “ Why?”

  She pointed at me. “I need to keep an eye on this guy. He needs to answer some questions. And I want to find the fucks hurting kids in my town and fuck their shit up.”

  “We will do it,” I said. “I’m with robocop over there. no one hurts kids in my city. Not without paying for it.”

  Chapter 18

  My women and I waited in the parking garage next to the entrance. Rodriguez was changing then meeting us to drive us to the place in question.

  We had to wait a half hour before the police woman exited the double doors, but it was worth it. She changed from her dark blue uniform into a white tank top under a brown leather jacket and skin tight jeans. On her feet were blue and white Nike running shoes. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she smelled of soap and the unusual earthy smell from before.

  “You ready?” Rodriguez asked me while ignoring my women.

  “The question
is, are you ready, Chica?” Miranda snapped. “It’s been a half hour since we parted. Did you really have to take a shower?”

  “I did,” Rodriguez said. “Police work is sweaty and there was no way I was going to change into my civies without one. Sorry for keeping you waiting.” She was sincere when talking to Miranda. I wondered what I had done to earn her ire. Oh well, a problem for another time.

  “Well, your forgiven, I guess,” Miranda said.

  “We should get going,”Tabitha said. “The sooner we get this done the faster we get to go back home.”

  “Agreed,” I said. “Lead the way, Officer.”

  “This way,” Rodriguez said. She lead us to a black sedan with plain black rims. I didn't have to look at the license plate to recognize it as an unmarked cop car.

  “Any chance we can get something a little more conspicuous?” Miranda asked.

  “If you prefer we could all jump on your back and ride you into the sunset,” Rodriguez said.

  “Hmm, tough call,” Miranda said. She smiled as she answered. “I think the car might be faster. Let's go with that.”

  “I could go for a ride on Miranda,” Tabitha mumbled. My head turned slowly so I could look at my serpent. She was staring at Miranda with a look like the one I must have when I look at my wolf. Three parts hunger and seven parts gotta have it now.

  “You two getting in?” Rodriguez asked. She had one leg in the car and looked at Tabitha and me from over the roof.

  “Yeah, sorry,” I said. I opened the door and stepped aside so Tabitha could slide in then followed.

  “How far away is the trouble were going to face,” Miranda asked from the front passenger seat.

  “It’s actually about an hour and a half from here,” Rodriguez said.

  “I thought people from the city were going missing. You didn’t say anything about farmland,” I said.

  Rodriguez pulled out of the garage and onto the street. “It all started in the city but we think things became too hot here so operations were moved. People are still disappearing in the city though. We have reason to believe organized crime is involved. They are being paid a bounty for the people they kidnap. But that’s what we gathered from informants that may or may not be right.”

  “Not to jump topic or anything, but how do you know this Bernard guy, Miranda?” I asked.

  “Some people can tell we are different from them but don’t know why or how. Bernard is one of those. So I helped him a couple times by getting useful info to help with some cases he was working. It allowed me to study him close up,” Miranda said.

  I put my arm around Tabitha and pulled her close. She put her head on my shoulder and let out a sigh. “I see. Did you learn anything useful?” I asked.

  “Not really. Just seems like some people are more in tune with the world around them. Makes sense when you think about what he does for a living.”

  “I suppose it does,” I said. “And now for the next important bit of business. Rodriguez, what is your first name?”

  “You can call me Rodriguez or Officer. If you're feeling froggy you may even call me Officer Rodriguez.”

  “That’s no fun,” Miranda said.

  “I could give two shits,” Rodriguez said. “Now, tell me what you are. No bullshit this time. What kind of Lycan are you?”

  “I told you already. That was no bull. I am exactly what I said I am. I can’t say that I know a whole hell of a lot about it though. Miranda is the expert and even her knowledge is limited. Wish I could tell you more.”

  “Yeah I bet,” Rodriguez said.

  “Your turn. What are you?” I was beginning to feel like a broken record.

  “Our Officer Rodriguez is a wereturtle,” Miranda said.

  Tabitha sat up at that. “Oh wow, those are uber rare. Were you born or turned?” She asked.

  “A turtle? Seriously?” I asked.

  “Don’t judge,” Tabitha said. “Turtles are supposed to be really tough.”

  “Toughest chica you’ll ever meet,” Rodriguez said. “And if you mess with me,” she looked at me in the rear view mirror,” I’ll fuck you up.” Her deadpan delivery gave me the impression that she was serious.

  I held up my hands palms out. “No plans of messing with you. I just want my pack to be safe.”

  “If you have a pack you must be a wolf,” Rodriguez said. “Why not just say that and undo whatever is making you smell weird. That does explain her,” she hitched her thumb in Miranda’s direction, “but not the other one.” Her face scrunched up in thought. “You some sort of wolf groupie, snake-girl?”

  “Terry has already told you how it is. Your inability to believe what your own senses are telling you is not my problem,” Tabitha said. “Just make sure you don’t do something that will get Terry hurt or you will have to answer for it.”

  “There’s no need for threats,” Miranda said. “I’m sure Officer Rodriguez has no intention of letting any one of us get hurt.” She gave Rodriguez a hard look that was the implied threat her words were not.

  Road noise was the only sound for the rest of the trip. Tabitha fell asleep against me and Miranda was on her phone. Rodriguez would look at me in the mirror from time to time with her eyes slitted. I wondered what it would take to convince her of the truth. There was a brief thought of making her pack, but I dismissed it. Life was crazy enough without having to deal with her full time.

  Eventually we left the highway and traveled down a two lane country road for a few miles. Then we turned onto a dirt road that led into the woods. Leaves and branches smacked and thumped against the car for two miles before we stopped in a clearing.

  “This is it,” Rodriguez said. “A couple miles on foot should bring us to the place the informants said the kidnapped people were taken.”

  “You have gotta be kidding me,” Miranda said. “Do I look like I’m dressed to go stomping through the woods?” She wore a smart black skirt and a maroon blouse with black pumps. She did not look ready for a hike at all.

  “Nope,” I said “But you’re going to look fabulous doing it.” I flashed my wolf a grin, she rolled her eyes and chuckled. “Let’s get this over with.”

  Rodriguez opened her door and stepped out. There was a squishing sound followed by a slew of words in Spanish.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “Fucking mud,” Rodriguez said. “If this doesn’t pan out I’m going to string those methed-out fucks up by their ears.”

  “Fuck that,” Miranda said. She pulled off her shoes and set them neatly on the floor of the car. Then she set her pretty bare feet on the muddy forest floor.

  “I would have never thought you would be okay walking around barefoot,” I said as I gently jostled Tabitha to wake her.

  “I’m nothing if not adaptable,” Miranda said.

  “Hey, Tabitha, time to get up,” I whispered to my serpent. She's stirred so I repeated myself.

  “I’m up,” Tabitha mumbled. “Where are we?”

  “In the middle of nowhere,” I said.

  “That’s fun,” she replied as she yawned.

  I stepped out into the mud and hissed. My foot sunk in up to my ankle. I lifted my foot and looked at my now ruined shoe with a scowl.

  “What is this?” Tabitha asked. “Oh that’s not happening.”

  I turned around intending to tell Tabitha that she could stay in the car. My mouth dropped open and no words left me. I turned just in time to see her breasts exposed as she removed her bra.

  “Uh, what are you doing?” I asked.

  “Not getting my clothes dirty,” Tabitha replied.

  I watched as she peeled off her pants. She smiled up at me the whole time. My manhood responded to her nudity and desire filled me. If we had been alone I would strip and take her right there in the back seat.

  Nude Tabitha stepped out of the car and into the mud then she shifted. Unlike before her legs remained instead of merging to become her tail. A tail dripped to the mud from her back and her face was fa
r more human than snake.

  “I didn’t know you could do that,” I said.

  “Do what?” She asked. Her head tilted to the side. Tabitha’s voice was more like normal than the deeper tone it had before when she was in full on snake mode. “What the hell?” She looked down at herself. “What the fuck happened to me?” Hearing her tone and curse was a bit of a shock.

  “What’s wrong?” Miranda asked. She came around the car and stopped. “What the shit? What did you do, Terry?”

  “I just stood here, I didn’t do anything,” I said. “And I have no idea what’s going on.”

  “What’s wrong,” Tabitha said. “Is that I don’t have a tail.”

  “Oh but you do, dear,” Miranda said.

  Tabitha spun in circle as she tried looking behind herself. “Holy shit, I do,” She explored her face with her hands then felt her elongated k-9 teeth. She noticed her hands and flipped them back and forth to examine them as well. “What is this she asked?”

  “You mean you didn’t do that on purpose?” I asked.

  “No! I mean, I did shift, but I should look like I did. I don’t know how this happened,” Tabitha said.

  Rodriguez looked from Tabitha to me with narrowed eyes and pursed lips. She didn’t say anything which was a relief. I didn’t want to repeat myself only to not be believed.

  “It’s Terry,” Miranda said. “Something about his power has affected you, again.Do you feel weaker?”

  “No, not at all. I feel… Hold on.” The skin around Tabitha’s neck spread like the hood of a cobra. She then turned to face away from us and opened her mouth wide. A stream of fluid shot out of her mouth and hit the ground thirty feet away.

  “Wereserpents can’t do that,” Rodriguez said. “I know they can’t and they don’t have hoods. Aint no such thing as a werecobra!”

  “There is now,” Miranda said. “And apparently there is at least one that can spit venom.”