Shifters

by Jaime Johnesee

  “Cool. I’m heading home to Kelly and my little Angel.”

  “See you, Q.”

  “Bye, Quinn. See you tomorrow.

  “Be careful you two. Goodbye.” Quinn gave me a hug, waved over my shoulder to Alex, then walked off to his car.

  Chapter 23

  AFTER QUINN LEFT, the delivery guy showed and Al and I ate our Chinese food like great big yummy hunks of bunny. What? It’s really good meat.

  “So, how did you become a tiger?” I asked between mouthfuls of eggroll.

  “I was seeing this girl down in Brazil and she was a shifter. Between your stories and hers it felt like something I wanted to try. It took me some time, though, to convince her to bite me.”

  “Why a tiger?”

  “The truth?”

  “Yeah.” I took a sip from my Pepsi.

  “I wanted to be a cat so I could keep up with you. Tigers are similar in nature to jaguars and I thought maybe our cats could get along.” My jaguar hissed at him as if to say it wasn’t likely.

  “Please don’t tell me you turned because of me.” I wasn’t sure if that was creepy or romantic; either way, it was more weight than I wanted to carry.

  “It wasn’t all because of you. I never felt right as a human. I do now. I feel like I’m my own true self. The Alex I was always supposed to be.”

  “I know that feeling.” I smiled.

  “So, your sire, there’s something more than just you two sharing a jaguar virus, isn’t there?”

  “Yes.” Time for blunt honesty.

  “Are you in love with him?”

  “God, no, I just met him. There is an attraction there, but I think it’s some sort of sire bond thing. I can’t explain it.”

  “If you have feelings for him why did you agree to go out with me?”

  “Because the feelings I have for you are real and I’ve had them for ages. With him it doesn’t feel real. It feels … well, almost like a compulsion.”

  “I have to be honest with you and tell you that I’m uncomfortable with that.”

  “Thanks for being honest about it. I will need to talk with him, though. I have questions only he can answer.”

  “I understand.”

  We continued catching up and before I knew it I was so comfortable and feeling so safe that I fell asleep snuggled up with him on the couch. I slept like a rock for the first time since the last time I had curled up with him.

  Alex made me feel safe and that was a rare commodity in my world. I’ve talked a little about my mother and hopefully it helps you understand why I have never really felt safe. For some reason, ever since we first met, I’d always felt safe with Al.

  I woke up the following morning not wrapped in Alex’s arms as I had been when I’d fallen asleep, but back to back with him. He was snoring lightly telling me he felt safe enough to get some good sleep himself.

  I gingerly got out of bed and replaced myself with a pillow so he’d sleep a little longer. I tend to get up early. I think it has to do with my jaguar, but dawn is always a peaceful time for me. I like to sit in my back garden with a cup of coffee and listen to the birds wake up.

  I started the coffee pot brewing and decided to make waffles. I just got a new waffle iron. I went out into the garden and picked some strawberries to cut up on top. I also pulled out some strawberry syrup made by a local farmer whose wife was an agent in the same building.

  I started making the waffles from scratch right out of memory. I’d made my first waffles at the tender age of nine. I burned most of the waffles, burned myself badly, too. It didn’t really matter because in time I grew to perfect my recipe and now my waffles are legendary.

  I cooked and danced along to some classic rock station, volume low so as not to wake Alex. I had just done a really bad pirouette to Rock the Cradle of Love when I saw him smiling at me from where he leaned against my kitchen wall.

  I owned my lack of groove and grinned at him. My ego recovered slightly when I handed him the first waffle and pointed to the table where butter, maple syrup, strawberries, strawberry syrup, and some whipped cream sat waiting for the wafflefest to begin. The look on his face was priceless.

  “I hope you enjoy them.”

  “I haven’t had waffles since you last made them for me. Well, that’s not entirely true. I did try them at a little diner down in Mobile. It was supposed to have the best waffles in the state. Nothing compared to yours.”

  “For a compliment like that I’ll give you two.” I pulled two more out of the waffle maker and poured more batter in.

  Alex sat down but didn’t eat.

  “Go ahead and get started. I’m going to keep going until this batter is gone. Then I’ll gorge myself on the deliciousness of waffles.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah. It’s pretty much a written rule that the griddler keeps going until the batter is gone then eats while others clean the plates.” I grinned and winked at him.

  “Is that your way of telling me I have to clean dishes if I’m going to get waffles?”

  “No, but it’s a good rule to have. Might have to adopt it.” I pulled another couple waffles off the maker and set them on a plate before loading more batter in.

  I only had enough batter for three more.

  “What are your rules?” Alex asked.

  “I just told you my waffle rules.”

  “I mean for dating.” He began buttering his waffles while we spoke.

  “I don’t really have any.”

  “None?”

  “None that I can think of. Why, do you have any?” I looked at Alex.

  “She must be living, real, self-sufficient, fun, smart, adventurous, and all around amazing. Oh, and she has to make the best waffles this side of the country.”

  “That was pure cheese.”

  “Yes, it was. One hundred percent grade A and freshly grated to boot. Yet, I mean every word of it.” I looked him in the eyes and smiled.

  “I’m done.”

  I pulled the last waffle from the maker and took the plate heaped with waffles to the table. I forked a waffle from the serving tray over onto my plate and began drizzling strawberry syrup over my creation. I took a forkful, blew on it, and stuffed it into my mouth. It was absolutely divine. That farmer made the best strawberry syrup I’d ever had.

  We ate in silence, savoring our breakfast. When Alex was finished he put his napkin on the table and cleared his throat. I looked up at him.

  “This was the best night of my life. Just holding you and waking up to this. I mean there is no topping that, but I’d like to try.”

  “What?”

  “Will you still go out on a real date with me on Saturday, Sam?”

  “Yeah, I think I’d like that. Hey, we need to run if we want to be dressed and ready to meet Quinn to discuss the case.”

  “I have a fresh suit and shirt in my car.”

  “Of course you do.” I smiled, he was always big into being prepared. I’m guessing he had a boy scout background that he kept deep under wraps.

  “You go grab a shower, I’ll get the suit and we can ride in together. I’ll get my car later.”

  “You just want to ride in my car, don’t you?” I grinned.

  “She’s a freaking sweet car.”

  “Oh, believe me, I know.” I loved that car more than words could say.

  “Okay, shall we get moving?”

  “Yup.” I went to my room and Alex stepped out to his car.

  The shot that rang out was deafening in the quiet morning air. I immediately went low and began scooting toward the door to see if Alex was okay. I crawled to the bathroom and grabbed a hand mirror that my friend Vix had thankfully convinced me I needed to buy.

  I snuck back up to the door and put the mirror out on an angle. I could see that there were two guys in the neighbor’s front yard and that they both had guns. I looked along the cars for Alex, hoping like hell he hadn’t been shot. I saw him down the hedgerow and he was clutching his left ar
m, so I was fairly certain he’d been grazed, if not hit.

  Staying where I was wouldn’t do anyone any good. Advancing left me a sitting duck, and the back way was just as covered as the front. I needed to create a diversion. I looked around my living room and my eyes latched onto my stereo. I needed to buy myself a few seconds and the stereo remote was within reach; maybe I could get their attention on that side of the house and away from me. I had to get to Alex and get us out of here. I was beginning to hate this house.

  I scuttled to the stereo and turned the volume all the way up. The second I hit power on the remote I’d have to bolt out the door and to one side or the other. It was pretty much suicide, but better death by my own hand than someone else’s.

  I crawled back up to the same spot near the door. They weren’t coming in. They were staying in my driveway waiting to hit anyone who came out. I watched as they changed position. When they were both nearest the wall with the stereo, I hit the power button and ran as their attention turned right to the noise. It happened to be AC/DC’s Big Gun which made me smile in its appropriateness as I fled for my life. I stopped behind a Pacific Yew and emptied my service pistol into first one killer then the other.

  Chapter 24

  ONCE I WAS CERTAIN there were no other accomplices waiting around to shoot me, I stuck my head up and took a quick look around. The two guys I’d shot were both motionless on the ground. I moved toward them with my gun drawn, round chambered and ready. They were both dead. One of them was a familiar face. Sheila Stork’s dead eyes were open and gazing eternally into the sun. I had shot her through the heart, neck, and head. An AWFA tattoo was inked all the way up her exposed arm.

  “Your muffins sucked.” I sneered at her corpse.

  The other AWFA member was a young intern we’d recently acquired. I sighed and continued looking around. There was nobody and nothing else out of the ordinary in sight. I hollered to Alex that I’d shot two and then I scanned the area again. There had been a sniper that took out Grisly. I wasn’t sure either of the two I’d tagged were good enough shots for that. My fear was that if the sniper was around he might take aim on Al.

  Alex hugged the cars as he moved in my direction, both of us scanning the foliage as he did so almost expecting the sound of a bullet. When he reached me, we scuttled over to my car and climbed in. Thank the gods those assholes hadn’t shot my car.

  I probably would have gone back and killed them again if they had. I radioed for backup and waited for the paramedics and someone from the office to show up. I stayed on the phone with the operator and explained everything. Gerry and Sal both cut in to see if I was okay. Sal told me he’d meet me at the office.

  My initial response was going to be, “Great, because who doesn’t need to be grilled by their boss’s boss twice in a week?” However, I realized the error of my ways before I blundered and just kept my mouth shut. Sal had gotten me into this mess, and while it might be fun to hold it over him, I also knew he’d help get me back out of it.

  The ambulance came quickly and I had them tend to Alex first. One paramedic got right on that while the other checked out the dead pair. A few moments later a slew of agents and local LEOs (Law Enforcement Officers) showed up and took over my house, again. I was beginning to think it was time to move.

  I called Gerry on my cell and explained everything in more detail. He was surprised Sheila was involved, but then he said, “I never liked her, just couldn’t put my finger on it.”

  “I have no clue how many others are involved. We may have dozens from our own building that are AWFA. It scares me.”

  “Us, too, Sam. How is the American public supposed to trust us if they find out that supers exist and we’ve hidden them? I mean eventually it is going to happen, but when you supers are ready to come out we can control what spin is used.”

  “True, but how will shifters trust the government if there are corrupt agents inside of it?”

  “Half dozen of one, six of the other.”

  “Unfortunately there are people who don’t see it that way.”

  “I’m pulling into your driveway now.” Gerry’s phone cut off and in moments he was standing in front of me.

  “You okay, kid?”

  “Yeah. A little shaken that my house is the site of two ambushes in less than forty-eight hours, but otherwise I’m fine.”

  “Yeah, I think your homeowner’s insurance is going to hate you this month, but really love you every month after.”

  “I don’t even want to think about it. I’m thinking about moving.”

  “Not to be a wet blanket, but I think that’d be a good idea.”

  “Something to think about.”

  “How is Alex?”

  “I, uh, I don’t know. They won’t let me see him. Something about he was being worked on and I needed to give them room.”

  “Wait here.” Gerry stepped over to the ambulance where they had taken Alex a few minutes earlier.

  He went inside and came back out within moments. He nodded and held up a finger to let me know to wait a second, then he moved to another agent that was first on the scene. I was certain the guys back at the office were removing all of Sheila’s stuff from her desk and locker. I just hope there was nobody around to cover for her. That meant even more moles inside and that was something that just couldn’t happen. Two was more than enough for anyone.

  “Christ, what a mess.” Gerry massaged his temples as he spoke.

  “You can say that again. I’m just glad they weren’t higher up the chain. How’s Alex?”

  “He’s going to be okay. He’s nursing a through and through to his wing but alright otherwise.”

  “Thank god.”

  “You can say that again. Both of you are lucky to still be here.”

  “I’m really getting tired of people using my damn house for their assassination plots. Is there a sign on the door I’m unaware of?”

  “I tell you, this whole thing doesn’t smell right, Sam. Mark my words there is something off about what happened here tonight.”

  “You think there is another mole?”

  “Someone bigger than Sheila. She didn’t have the access to know the things that Grisly somehow did. And Sheila didn’t know Ben was back home.”

  “Dammit. I was hoping that it would be over.”

  “I’m guessing they were betting on that.”

  “So, where do we start poking this hornet’s nest?” I sighed, feeling downright exhausted.

  I mean, I’d had bad weeks before (splinters for days, remember), but holy shitballs had this one gone downhill quick. I was pretty sure that I would be selling my house, a place that had once been my dream home. Not to mention my friend had been shot in an attempt on my life and I was having sire bond issues with my maker.

  I should buy a lotto ticket. To make it a perfect day, unless I was mistaken, Gerry was just about to ask for my badge and gun. I was certain to be put on leave after two agent involved shootings at my house in as many days.

  “Sam—”

  “Yeah, I get it. I’m suspended.” I unsnapped my holster and removed my gun, then I reached into my front pocket and pulled out my ID, and handed them both to Gerry with a sigh of disgust.

  “You’ll get it back soon enough. I know you’ve done nothing wrong here.” Gerry said it loud enough so everyone around us could hear.

  His support made me smile. The rest was a formality and whatever would happen would happen. I just had to hope I hadn’t made any enemies within the Bureau and that AWFA isn’t hiding too high up on the chain. I suppose if life was meant to be easy it would have come with an owner’s manual.

  Then again, maybe it does, but it’s just in a language we can’t read. Either way, my life was seriously messed up. I sighed and sat on my couch to decide what my next course of action was. I was sure to be pulled in and grilled, again. I was most likely going to be put on unpaid leave pending investigation. Things just felt overwhelming and I needed to run.

  “Ge
rry, I need to shift and run. Please, I’m stressing out.”

  “You okay in your backyard?”

  “With everyone still here?”

  “That’s the only way this can happen, Sam.”

  “Fuck. Fine. Just keep them out of my way.”

  “Deal. What are you planning on doing?”

  “Sniffing for clues.”

  “Really?”

  “No, I thought I’d bask in the sun and groom myself inappropriately.”

  “Jeeze, Sam.”

  “You asked for it.”

  “Fine, but if you smell anything you come and get me, you hear?”

  “Yes, sir.” I saluted Gerry and shifted.

  It was smooth and my jaguar form remained clothed in the outfit I’d been wearing previously.

  “Help a poor trapped animal out?” I asked Gerry.

  “What?”

  “I need you to help me remove the clothes. My thumbs are gone and I like this shirt. I don’t want to ruin it.” I had picked up the ice blue silk blouse on sale, but it was the most comfortable and nicest thing I owned, clothing wise.

  “I don’t know that I’m comfortable doing that.”

  “Well, tough. Now help me out.”

  Gerry got the shirt off me easily enough but the pants were way too tight.

  “I think I have to pop the button.”

  “Then pop it.”

  “What the hell is going on here?” Alex looked confused, yet slightly amused.

  “I’m helping Sam so she can sniff out our bad guys.”

  “Yup. What he said.”

  “I’d run with you except I have to go in and get my arm X-rayed to make sure there are no fragments in there.”

  “I’m sorry, Alex. I’m glad you’re going to be okay.”

  “I’m glad you weren’t shot. Don’t worry about me, I’ve had worse.”

  “Should I leave you two alone?” Gerry’s gruff voice interrupted and I mentally flipped him the bird.

  “Nah, I have to go or my ambulance guys will kidnap me. I will call you later, Sam.” Alex winced and moved for the meat wagon, waving to us as he walked.

  “Take care, Alex. Make sure the doctors look you over thoroughly. Maybe they can find out why you’re so goofy.”