Claw

by Skye MacKinnon

  I stare at him. What the fuck is he saying? That I'm going to have four different babies? A mixed litter like a cat?

  I need some catnip to deal with this. Right now.

  "Let me listen."

  Lennox kneels next to Ryker and puts his ear on my bump too. I look at my two guys, kneeling at my feet. I'm kind of tempted to ruffle their hair. Or tell them off like little boys. They look so cute when they're smaller than me.

  "He's right," Lennox mutters. "They really are different. Do you think you'll have two kittens and two sirens?"

  I push them away and step back, quickly smoothing my shirt to hide the bump. "I'm not going to have anything. Stop making them sound like actual babies. They're parasites that were put into me without my knowing. I'm not going to pretend everything's normal, even if you seem to be intent on doing so."

  Lennox gets to his feet and gives me an apologetic puppy dog look. I cringe. It's hard to withstand those big eyes.

  "We're not saying it's normal. Not at all. What they did to you is horrific and I'll kill them myself as soon as I'll get my paws on them. But I'm trying to separate that from the pups. It's not their fault how they were conceived. We don't even know what they are exactly. They could be more clones, exactly like you."

  "No, they can't, actually," Ryker interrupts. "Two are kittens, probably cat shifters, but the other two have different heartbeats. I've never listened to a human foetus's heartbeat so I have no idea if this could be it. Maybe I should go into town and do some research."

  "You want to ask random human females whether you can put your head on their bellies?" Lennox laughs. "I don't think that would go down well."

  "I don't need to get that close to them, wolf," Ryker says testily. "Maybe you need to with your tiny dog ears, but I don't."

  "But you've got yellow eyes that stand out."

  This time, Ryker doesn't reply. It's not like he can do anything about his eyes. I've always found it strange that he doesn't look completely human when he's shifted. All other shifters I know have human eyes. Some may have a bit of a feral appearance, but they pass as human.

  "Nobody is going anywhere," I sigh. "We'll wait until Gryphon gets here and then we'll ride on. I want to get to Attenburgh before these parasites are big enough to crawl out of me."

  That thought gives me the creeps. Last night, I dreamed that they tore open my belly and climbed out of me, leaving me a bloody mess. They then proceeded to eat me, but luckily I woke up. I'd never been this grateful for Lennox's snoring.

  Sophie has stayed quiet, tending to the horses, but now she turns around and looks at my bump. "Have you thought what you're going to call them?"

  Both men freeze, probably expecting me to explode. And yes, I'm pretty close, but I just about manage to swallow my anger. It's not Sophie's fault. She's just a curious child who asks whatever's on her mind. She doesn't understand why I'm so upset. For her, it's all exciting and new. She wants to be an aunt. For someone who's grown up without siblings and raised by weird adoptive parents who experimented on her, that must be a dream come true.

  My expression softens as I look at her.

  "No, I've not thought about that. We don't know yet if they're going to be boys or girls. But maybe you can come up with some names? You can tell me your favourites when we get to Attenburgh."

  Her eyes widen. "Really?"

  I nod. "Really. But keep them a secret until we're home."

  She grins happily and turns back to the horses, muttering under her breath. I think I heard "Little Sophie". I guess it's no worse than Little Kat, but I'll veto that name for sure.

  "Well done," Ryker whispers. "Thank you."

  "For what?"

  He evades my eyes. He probably means for not shouting at Sophie or becoming a bubbling mess.

  "I get it," I tell him. "I know."

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Every day, the bump keeps growing. I can't look at my body anymore. It makes shivers run down my back. The guys are really supportive, feeding me snacks while we ride, but they can't dispel the fear still clouding my mind. I don't know what's growing inside me. Ryker may say that two of the heartbeats sound like kittens, but he could be wrong.

  They're getting louder every day. I have to force myself to drone out the sound, which also means that the guys sometimes have to nudge me so that I realise they've been talking to me.

  Today, I felt the first kick. We're still four days away from Attenburgh, although with the storm clouds quickly spreading across the sky, five days might be more likely. We already had to spend one full day holed up in an abandoned, leaky house a week ago when a storm tore through the land. Riding in almost no visibility and with rain turning the ground into sludge just wasn't feasible. I hated having to prolong our journey, but I'm still rational enough to accept reality. Most of the time.

  At night, I still push out my claws and run the tips of them over my skin, so very tempted to cut open my belly. But now that I can hear and feel the beings growing inside me, it's no longer as easy. They're alive. And I don't know what to do.

  "Kat?" Sophie calls from ahead of me. She's on Kidril with Gryphon as always. "Tell me how you met Gryphon. I don't believe his story."

  Lennox snorts loud enough to equal my mare's regular snorting. "What have you been telling her, Gryph?"

  "The truth," the siren protests. "How I sneaked into Kat's bedroom and clung to the ceiling like a spider, ready to drop down on her."

  "Kat would never let you do that," Sophie insists. "She'd spot you right away. She's an assassin, you know?"

  I suppress a laugh. Sophie has quite a high opinion of me. I don't want to squash that, but I also don't want to lie.

  "It's mostly true," I admit. "He had climbed into my attic. I'd left the window open for Pumpkin, Ryker's son, who liked to visit me from time to time. But of course, I immediately knew that he was there and challenged him."

  "Liar," Gryphon laughs. "You had no idea I was there. I could have slit your throat faster than you could have said 'catnip'."

  I wish I had something less deadly than a knife to throw at him. I hate it when he tells the truth.

  "Don't believe everything he says," I tell Sophie. "Rule number one: everybody lies."

  "I never lie," he protests immediately. "I only twist the truth sometimes."

  "That's lying," Sophie says sternly. "You shouldn't lie. My mother said lying makes you sick."

  I both want to dispel that illusion and keep it for her to believe in.

  "She lied," Lennox says before I can reply. "And because she didn't get sick, you know that's a lie."

  Sophie turns around and frowns at him. "How do you know she didn't get sick? I'm not sure your logic is sound."

  Ryker breaks into giggles and I'm having a hard time not doing the same. This girl is hilarious. It's hard to believe she's my sister.

  "Shush," Gryphon suddenly hisses. "Look at that sign."

  To our right, an old rusty sign has been overpainted with a few unsteady words.

  KILL THE WOLVES.

  "What do you think that means?" Lennox asks, worry lacing his tone. "Are they talking about actual wolves or werewolves?"

  "I don't think there are any real wolves in this area," Gryphon says thoughtfully. "I can't be sure, but there are no forests anywhere nearby. Everything here is fields and farms; no place for a wolf pack to hide."

  "I'll shift and see if I can find any traces." Lennox jumps off his horse in one elegant, fluid motion. It makes me want to lick him. We've not had any chance to be physical again since the cottage. We've always shared a room with Sophie. I can't wait to be back in our house in Attenburgh where we can choose from several bedrooms.

  "Lennox, we don't have time," I tell him. "This doesn't concern us. We'll be home in a couple of days and will likely never come here again."

  "It does concern us. If someone here is killing shifters, we need to do something about it."

  One of the parasites uses that moment to kick me har
d. I gasp and clutch my belly, regretting it immediately because it reminds me of my growing bump. My tunic stretches over my skin, even though it's supposed to be loose. The hem of my trousers is getting more and more uncomfortable. I may have to ask one of the guys if I can wear their clothes soon.

  "Let him shift," Ryker says from behind me. "I agree, I want to know what's happening here."

  "But what if we find out they're really hunting shifters?" I ask. "What do we do then? Stay here? Fight them? We can't. Look at me. I might be ready to pop within weeks. We need to get home."

  "Just a few hours," Lennox begs. "Just to find out what's happening. If necessary, we can split up and I'll stay here. Or I'll contact my old contacts who might be able to help."

  I sigh. If I wasn't pregnant, I'd be all for it. They know that.

  "Okay. Two hours. That'll give the horses some time to relax. Gryphon, is there a village nearby where we might be able to shelter from the storm? I don't think we'll stay dry for much longer."

  "I'm not sure, but the sign would suggest that there's a settlement nearby. How about we continue slowly along the road and Lennox can catch up?"

  "Alright. Lennox, you'll be able to track us should we find a shelter. If not, howl. I do love your howl."

  My wolf winks at me. "I'll howl for you any day."

  Gryphon was right, the sign was indeed close to a village. It's only ten houses along the road, including one sorry looking pub. We're far away from Parseldon to dare to go in there. We've not seen any traces of pursuers and Gryphon would know if any sirens lived here. It's very handy that he had to learn all the big siren families by heart, including where they live, when he was a child. It helps us stay clear of certain towns and villages.

  The pub is dimly lit and has seen better days. Some tables haven't been cleaned in years, at least that’s' what they look like. A barmaid gives us a curious glance but doesn't ask any questions. The menu consists of stew, stew or stew. At least they have a variety of ales and beers on offer, plus an apple juice for Sophie.

  While we sit and wait for our food, the rain starts to fall outside. Poor Lennox. This pub may not be the best ever, but at least we're dry and will soon have food in our bellies. We've ordered an extra portion of stew. In theory, it's for Lennox when he joins us, but I'm pretty sure it'll end up in my stomach before then. After all, I'm eating for five.

  "Can I try your beer?" Sophie asks and pulls one of the tankards towards herself. Cheeky girl.

  "Go ahead. You won't like it."

  She gives me a doubtful look and takes a big sip. A white line of foam clings to her upper lip, making me grin. She's adorable.

  "You're right," she admits to my surprise. "It tastes like horse piss."

  "Language," Gryphon says immediately.

  "Horse pee. Better?"

  He nods. "Much."

  "Why do you drink this stuff when it tastes so bad?"

  Ryker laughs. "It's an acquired taste. I think your taste buds change when you become an adult and suddenly you don't mind it anymore."

  The barmaid brings our stew in large, earthen bowls. My mouth waters at the sight. Those are portions to make a cat very happy. A few pieces of meat swim in the otherwise watery soup, but I don't care. I shovel it into my mouth, spoonful by spoonful, and am done by the time the others haven't even eaten half of theirs.

  Without a word, Ryker pushes the spare bowl towards me. I give him a grateful grin and get going. Some of the meat is dry and chewy, even though it's been cooked in broth. Who cares. It's food.

  Even after emptying my second bowl, I'm still hungry. The human female stares at me from behind the bar, clearly shocked at how much I'm eating. I shoot her a grin.

  "Could we have two more bowls of stew, please? Maybe some bread, too?"

  She nods wordlessly and disappears in the kitchen again.

  "I wish they had dessert," Ryker mutters. "That's one of the things I love best about being able to shift. Dessert. Cats only really have a main meal. Well, several meals a day, but no starters or desserts. And treats only if we have humans to give them to us. You don't find them in the wild."

  "What was it like being a cat?" Sophie asks. She's not talked to Ryker much, spending most of her time with Gryphon, but she's finally warming up to the other guys.

  He shrugs. "Normal. I didn't know anything else. Kat probably told you that I didn't even know I was a shifter until she and her friends told me. Even after I knew I was a shifter, I couldn't shift. Nobody had ever taught me to. It was only when I had no other choice, when I had to save both Kat and my son, that I finally managed to. Ever since, it's been easy."

  "Do you still feel more cat than human?"

  Ryker nods. "I don't think that's ever going to change. I spent all my life as a cat and you can't just erase that. That doesn't mean that I don't like walking on two legs though. It's a very different world, not just because there's dessert."

  Sophie wrinkles her forehead in an adorable frown. "If I'd grown up as a cat, do you think I'd feel the same?"

  "I don't think we'll ever know. Do you feel human?" he asks gently.

  She shakes her head. "I wasn't allowed to shift very often, but I never felt like the humans working for my parents. They were always very different. They even move differently, as if they have trouble coordinating their limbs."

  Ryker chuckles. "That's humans for you. They don't even land on all fours if you throw them."

  Gryphon snorts. "I don't do that either. And I'm not human."

  "Yeah, but you're human on the outside," Sophie says, rolling her eyes. She's had that argument with him a lot. "All you can do is a bit of mind magic."

  "A bit of mind magic?" Gryphon repeats in mock outrage. "I will have you know that I could make that barmaid do a handstand while singing the national anthem."

  His eyes widen as soon as he realises his mistake.

  Sophie's grin widens. "Do it. I challenge you."

  Ryker and I exchange a look. Our siren can't back down now. He wants to impress Sophie, even if that means doing something he'd usually avoid.

  Gryphon sighs. "Alright, but I'll make her do something else. To cheer up Kat."

  "I don't need cheering up-," I protest, but then shut up. I'm curious what he's about to do. A bit of entertainment can never go amiss.

  "Madam?" he calls out and she appears behind the bar. "Could you make us some dessert, please?"

  She looks at him in annoyance. "Dessert isn't on the menu."

  "That was without my powers," he whispers to Sophie before turning back to the human. "Please make us dessert."

  Her eyes turn blank and she nods, rushing to the kitchen.

  "Why did you say 'please'?" Sophie asks. "You could have just ordered her to do it."

  "Because I like being polite. Just because you can manipulate other people doesn't mean you should do it, or that you have to be evil about it. Manners are important."

  She goes quiet as she ponders that. Gryphon grins at Ryker and me with a smug expression.

  "You could have specified what dessert," I say just to rile him up.

  "I did. Mentally. I didn't want to spoil the surprise."

  Oh, I could kiss him. If he wasn't on the other end of the table and next to my little sister, I would. I'll have to do it later instead.

  Before dessert arrives, Lennox joins us, completely drenched and looking miserable. I rummage in our bags until I find a blanket for him to use as a towel. He takes it with a grateful smile and starts with his hair. Vain dog.

  "Did you find anything?" I ask before he's done. Sue me, I'm both curious and impatient.

  "Yes, I did." His voice is grave. This can't be good news. "I found a body. Definitely a shifter. He was old, in his sixties maybe, which makes him the oldest shifter I've ever seen. We rarely survive that long, not in this country."

  Ryker slides onto the wooden bench next to me, freeing up a chair for Lennox. "How did he die?"

  "His head was smashed in, from behind. I
t looked like he never had the chance to defend himself. What a cowardly attack. I bet he was a local who knew the person who did that."

  "What makes you think he was a local?" I ask.

  "He didn't have any bags with him, only a wallet in his pocket. His shoes weren't made for long walks, and there was a slight smell of alcohol on him, as if he'd had a pint or two before walking home. Maybe he was here. Gryphon, if I ask the owner of the pub, can you make them forget about it after?"

  The siren nods. "No problem. But let me ask the questions, that makes it easier."

  The waitress chooses that moment to return with a large plate of steaming brownies. Oh my goodness. Chocolate is second only to catnip, especially chocolate that's hot and melty. I grab one of the brownies before she's even set the plate on the table.

  Sophie is almost as fast. Just like her big sister, she's got a sweet tooth that she never got to indulge back home. Yet another form of torture her adoptive parents put her through.

  "Delicious." I snatch a second one. "I love you, Gryphon."

  "Glad to hear it. Just leave one for me and I'll love you too."

  "Hey, I very much hope you love me already."

  "Ew!" Sophie explains. "Stop it."

  I give her a wide, chocolatey grin. "Want me to kiss him to prove how much I love him?"

  She covers her face with her hands. "Ew. No. Get a room."

  Ryker laughs. "Maybe we should do that. The rain seems to be getting worse. If this pub has a room for us, let's take it. Hopefully, it'll have cleared up by morning."

  "Madam, do you have two rooms for us?" Gryphon calls. He must be using his powers for the woman doesn't blink an eyelid at him only asking for two rooms despite there being five of us.

  "Of course, I'll make them up right away. How many beds do you require in each?"

  The siren wiggles his eyebrows at me. "Four in one of them, and please push them close to each other. If there's no room for that, two or three next to each other are fine too. We're happy to share."

  I mentally rub my hands. Finally, I'll get some me-time with the guys again. Without Sophie in the same room. I love this pub.