Shiftless: Tuatha Series Book 1

by Linton Bowers

  I chuckled even though our time for banter had ended. The big werebear-pig ran forward and swapped one dinner plate sized paw at my wolf. She ducked under the arm and threw up her hand tearing into it’s wrist with her claws. The creature roared and jumped back. Miranda dove forward with her claws leading the way. A sickening squelching sound stopped everyone.

  All of us watched as Miranda, knuckle deep in the center of its chest, started pulling her hands apart and separating the creatures rib cage. My wolf pulled one hand back once the large beating heart was visible. She was going for kill shot.

  The memory of one of the creatures beaten and shifted back to a teen girl came back to me. All of those twisted shifter creatures had once been regular teens trying to figure out their lives.

  “No!” I shouted. Miranda stopped with her hand halfway to her target. “They’re kids, just kids! Someone should die for this, but it should not be them.”

  Miranda’s head fell forward. She removed her hand from the creature’s chest. Using both hands she pushed it’s ribs closed then punched it in the face knocking it out. Shame passed to me from my wolf as the big creature hit the ground.

  “It’s okay, Miranda. This whole situation is fucked. We just have to remember that they are kids and do our best to get out without killing. I have faith that you can do it, Miranda,” I said. “I have faith in you too, Tabitha.” I felt their gratitude as both of my women continued to fight.

  My women fought the monsters one at a time as the hallway was too narrow for more than two to approach. Occasionally a large one would dominate the space and catch a double dose of ass whooping. Everything looked to be going well for a while. And by a while I mean an hour of knock down ass kicking.

  My women did so well that I didn’t have to help during that first hour. Like all of my experiences as a shiftless shifter I learned something. My women, enhanced to were-Tuas, still had their limits. Both of them slowed as time moved past an hour. An hour and sixteen minutes into the fight I had to jump in.

  A skinny lizard like creature ducked a hit then landed a blow on Miranda’s temple. My wolf staggered to the side. I jumped forward and planted my foot in the creature's face. It fell back howling but another stepped forward. I punched that one twice in the snout and once in the gut. Another immediately replaced it.

  I fought on and eventually Miranda joined me, but her movements were lethargic. I positioned my body between her and our attackers. “Miranda, stay with Rodriguez for now and rest up. I’ll take over for a little while,” I said.

  “Are you sure, Terry? I can…” Miranda stumbled to the side and caught herself on the wall.

  “I’m positive, love. I got this.”

  Then my serpent fell against me making me stumble and opening me up. The armadillo-catwere capitalized by racking its claws against my torso. I screamed. My right arm wrapped around my serpent and I pivoted on my right foot bringing my left up to strike at the armadillo-cat and moving Tabitha out of harm's way.

  My opponent fell back and I let Tabitha slide from my arms to come to rest on the ground behind me. It was just me now. I turned back to the next attacker.

  The next turned out to be two. I ducked one set of claws and put my left arm up to block a kick. I Jumped doing a double fisted uppercut then dropped into a leg sweep. Knocking the thing on the left to the ground. Both were pulled back by the next set of attackers.

  “I’m coming in, Terry!” Miranda shouted.

  I spun so my back was to my attackers and dropped. My hands hit the floor and I kicked back with both feet spread wide enough to hit both attackers.

  “Stay back,” I said. “Get some rest. I’m good for a little while.” I flashed her a smile then spun back around.

  The truth was my energy levels were quickly dwindling. While I was strong, much stronger than before Miranda and Tabitha, my energy levels were nowhere near that of my women.

  The next opponent was a wide one with gray skin like an elephant. It stomped its round trunks for legs then charged at me. I glanced back at my friends. Miranda lay there gasping for air and Tabitha was out cold as was Rodriguez.

  I rushed at the giant. If I stayed it would push me into my women and possibly run over them. I was sure that I lacked the strength to stop it so I went with something I picked up in grade school when a certain bully used to chase me. The last time he did, I dropped and curled into a ball when he was almost on top of me. He fell and busted his nose open on the sidewalk. Never again did he bother me.

  In this case I dropped when the monster and I were a few feet apart. I curled up and my shins and forearms hit the ground, then a massive foot hit me. I flew like a soccer ball, but the stunt worked. The giant tripped on me and fell forward. Instead of busting open its snoz it landed on me.

  I couldn’t move, not even enough to breath. Squirming from side to side was all the movement I could manage. Needless to say that was a losing strategy. I tried pushing but I had no leverage from my position under the bulk of the monster. Spots filled my vision as I fought unsuccessfully for breath. The spots became darkness which became unconsciousness.

  “I’m sorry, Miranda, Tabitha,” was the last thought I had before blacking out.

  I jerked awake with a gasp. I kicked out with my feet pushing myself higher up the wall I was propped against. Sucking in three deep breaths sent the last conscious memories I had fluttering away.

  The first thing I noticed as my vision sharpened were the chains on my wrists and ankles. Chains that were bolted to the concrete floor of the square room. Across from me sat Rodriguez with her eyes half open and her back against the far wall.

  “About time,” she said with slurred words.

  “You alright, Rodriguez?” I asked.

  “I’ll be better when dees damn drugs were off,” she replied.

  “Do you know where we are?” I asked and Rodriguez shook her head. “Not important. First we need to get free.” I shook the chains on my wrists for emphasis.

  “Ya dink?” Even drugged Rodriguez managed to get her sarcasm across. I chose to ignore her tone.

  “Miranda, Tabitha, how are you two doing?” I thought at my women. Getting in contact with them was a priority as I figured they would be worried. A couple minutes passed and no response came. “Tabitha? Miranda?” Still nothing.

  “Shit,” I said out loud.

  “Wha dis it?” Rodriguez asked?

  “No response from my pack. I’m guessing they’re drugged like you were.” I said. I looked away from Rodriguez because I was afraid she would see the fear in my eyes. “I hope,” I mumbled.

  “I think…” I looked at Rodriguez. “I think we have enough info for that Bernard guy. That’s good news, right?”

  “Yeah, shure,” she said. “Great news. Letsh so tell him.” She rolled her eyes and let her head slump down till her chin rested on her chest.

  Letting out a sigh I shook my head. In an effort to stay positive I chose to ignore Rodriguez and try to get free. I lifted up my arms and pulled them apart. The chain was connected between my wrists and then out to the floor. My arms shook from the strain of trying to break the chains. I could kept that up for a minute before the burning in my arms became too much to bear.

  It was clear that I lacked the strength as I was. But I was not alone and I had the power of my friends to help me. I opened both gates wide thinking my wolf and serpent wouldn’t need their energy.

  Before trying again I waited a few seconds to see if the warning came informing me that I was hindering my pack as they fought. It didn’t come.

  I pulled my arms apart once more. This time the metal went taught then kept going. Two links stretched as my arms shook from the strain. One of the links snapped and my right arm came free.

  Rodriguez sat up and took notice. “How did you…” she paused to take a couple breaths. “How?”

  “I am never alone,” I said as I smiled. Gripping the chain still around my left wrist I pulled and snapped it off. Then did the same w
ith the chain holding my legs.

  I crossed the small room and kneeled next to Rodriguez. Using the strength of my wolf and serpent I tore apart the chains holding the lady cop. She looked up at me with eyes more alert than when I woke. I took it as a good sign and hoped she would be able to help find my friends.

  “Can you stand?” I asked.

  “I think so, but I have to try to know for sure. Whatever they hit me with was no joke. I am going to make those putas pay for what they did to me,” she snapped.

  I didn't’ know what was done other than having her chained up naked to a table with potent drugs being constantly fed into her bloodstream. It brought home the fact that I needed to find my women fast.

  “Here, let me help,” I said as I held out my hand to Rodriguez.

  The brown skinned woman pushed my hand away then placed her hands against the wall behind her. She used it to help her slide up to her feet then to stay balanced. She took in two slow deep breaths then pushed herself off the wall. She stumbled forward and I reached out to catch her but Rodriguez regained her balance on her own.

  That was when I noticed she was dressed in a set of turquoise scrubs. It seemed our captors decided to preserve what was left of Rodriguez’s modesty. I was grateful as I thought it would make our relationship less strained. I could see her calling me a fucking pig everytime I looked in her direction.

  Let’s see about getting out of this room and finding my friends,” I said. “I’m worried about them.”

  Rodriguez tilted her head to the side and looked at me through narrowed eyes. “You really care for them?” She asked.

  “Yes,” I said. “They are my pack. It’s my job to keep them safe.”

  “Huh. How long have you been a shifter?” She asked me.

  “Not long. I just found out what I am a few days ago. Things have been crazy since so I haven’t had time to figure it all out or get some of my many questions answered.”

  “That does explain a lot,” Rodriguez said. “The way it usually works is the alpha wolf, or whatever, is more concerned about what the pack can do for them. In return they make their pack stronger so no one really cares, usually. I have not heard of an alpha caring more for his pack than himself.” She pointed at me with her finger an inch from my nose. “That alone makes you dangerous. You need to keep that shit to yourself, you hear me?”

  “Yeah,” I said. I felt like a kid getting an important lesson from mom. “You okay to go?” I asked changing the subject.

  “Let's do it, gringo.”

  Chapter 28

  Rodriguez stumbled a little with each step but when I tried to help she would stop and push me away. So I let her continue on her own. It didn’t matter much as we reached the door quick enough.

  “Think you can break through,” Rodriguez asked.

  “One way to find out,” I replied.

  The door was solid looking and painted green. I rapped on it with my knuckles getting a metallic clinking in response. Then I did the one thing that made the most sense to me and would make me look like an idiot if I ignored it. I tried the door knob. It barely moved in either direction proving it to be locked.

  “Really?” Rodriguez smirked at me. “You thought the people that have been kidnapping kids for months without being caught would be dumb enough to leave a cell door unlocked?”

  “It was worth a shot,” I replied as I shrugged.

  “Whatever.”

  I went back to work. The door had no window so there was no telling what lay beyond. With that being the case I figured getting it open as fast as I could was the best bet. I backed up to the wall opposite the door then ran as fast and hard as I could. My right shoulder hit the metal and bone crunched. Metal tore throwing open the door and spilling me onto the floor. My momentum caused me to slide and bang into another closed door across a wide hallway.

  I watched Rodriguez step out with a scowl on her face. She looked both ways constantly as she hobbled over to me. “Think you could have found an alarm or something to set off? It might have been easier and less painful.”

  “Yeah,” I groaned. “Probably.” With a chuckle I climbed to my feet careful not to jostle my shoulder. “Rodriguez, I need you to listen to me,” I said. “I’m going to help you walk.” Her brow furrowed and she opened her mouth but I held up my hand to stop her. “Just listen for a sec.”

  I waited for her acknowledgment. Rodriguez closed her mouth and nodded but her anger was clear. “First off, I am not leaving you so that option is off the table, not that I thought you wanted that.” I held up one finger then flicked up the second. “Two, we need to move faster than you are capable of right now. And three,” I lifted my third finger. “I’m not doing it to show that I am stronger and more capable or any weird bullshit that is going through your head. After this is all done we can go back to you showing the world that you have bigger balls than me.”

  Rodriguez glared at me. Her sour expression had me wondering if there was a variety of turtle with venom in it's bite. Rodriguez’s glare melted into a smile and she chuckled.

  “Good one,” she said. “But for the record, my balls are much bigger.”

  “I have no doubt,” I said with my voice full of mirth.

  “Now put your arm around my shoulders and give me a hand. I may be stubborn, but I will allow sense to rule,” Rodriguez said.

  So I did put my arm around her, but it was her waist as she put her arm around my shoulder. I looked left and right not sure where to go.

  “Do you know which direction?” I asked.

  “I would think sniffing the air would answer that question,” Rodriguez said.

  “Yup, and still new to this.” I focused on the wolf mark on my chest and took in a couple sniffs. Miranda and Tabitha’s scents were there, but my women were separated.

  “Shit,” I said.

  “Que?” Rodriguez asked making me glad for the few Spanish words I picked up in high school.

  “They’re split up,” I said. “Either direction will take us to one or the other. I’m not sure which way to go.”

  “OK, then we go this way.” Rodriguez pointed to the right.

  She started walking and as I was attached so did I. The direction we went ended about a hundred yards away at a right angle turn to the left. We passed several metal doors like the one I smashed open. It didn’t take a genius to know they were all cells. Weather or not they were empty was the question. If so I thought freeing the captives would make a good secondary goal. Or third really since rescuing my women and getting back to Bernard were already in slots one and two.

  “You ever going to tell me your first name, or do I have to call you Rodriguez indefinitely?” I asked.

  “Nope, I’m good with Rodriguez. Everyone calls me Rodriguez and that is how I like it.”

  “I see. So what do your friends call you?”

  “I’ll let you know once I get some friends,” Rodriguez said.

  I tilted my head to the side enough to look at Rodriguez through my left eye. She faced forward with no discernible expression on her face giving me no reason to think she was joking.

  “Then what do you like to do for fun?” I asked.

  “You trying to ask me on a date? Because the timing right now is shit. We don’t even know if were going to be alive an hour from now. I sure as hell don’t know what I’m going to do for dinner Saturday night.”

  “I’m just trying to make conversation. I don’t want to dwell on what might be happening to my women right now. Sorry,” I said.

  “Oh.” We were quiet for a while as we hobbled down the long hallway. “What do you do, Terry? For a living I mean.”

  The question surprised me but I was grateful for it. “I did odd jobs for a temp agency while I looked for a more permanent job.”

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah, it wasn’t great but it helped to keep a roof over my head and Ramen in my belly. I can’t complain. Or I couldn’t. I'm out of work now, but Miranda is rich so I guess I d
on’t have to work.”

  “How nice for you,” Rodriguez said with disgust clear in her voice.

  “I didn’t ask for any of this,” I snapped. “And I sure as hell didn't go looking for a sugar mama or anything like that. Hell, I wanted to work on wind turbines, but that hasn't worked out.”

  “So why hasn’t it worked?” She asked.

  “I can’t say for sure. I went to school and got a degree that should let me get a job in wind, but no bites yet. I put my resume out there to every wind farm I could find that was hiring. It kinda sucks if I’m honest,” I said.

  “That does suck. So what now that you're a big bad alpha?”

  I stopped causing Rodriguez to stop as well. Looking down at the woman I waited for her to meet my gaze. “I told you that I didn’t ask for this. I just wanted a decent job. I didn’t want to get chased by a big ass werewolf because he thought I poached one of his wolves. Which I guess I had, but I didn't know it then. I didn't’ know anything about Tuatha, werewolves, wereserpents, or wereturtles.” She raised an eyebrow at that.

  “So why not give the big ass werewolf his bitch back?”

  “Because I have seen what he is capable of. No way I would let him get his hands on Miranda. And I wouldn’t give her up anyway. She is mine and I am her’s. Same with Tabitha.”

  “I don’t know how I should feel about that. But I think we should get moving,” Rodriguez said.

  “Yeah, we should,” I said as I helped Rodriguez limp along. “So what does a wereturtle family structure look like?”

  “That one is easy. Were a cross between humans and turtles socially. Meaning, we pair up to mate and usually stick with our mates, but beyond that we are solitary creatures,” Rodriguez said. “I am pretty sure wereturtles have a higher divorce rate than regular humans.”

  “That’s kind of sad,” I replied.

  “Actually, it’s ideal for one who enjoys the solitude. One such as myself and other turtle-folk. If I could move to a nice desert and find a cave with good Internet I would be so there,” Rodriguez said.

  “Some days I feel the same way.” I chuckled. “So if turtles like to be alone how do you find each other to mate and propagate the species?”