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“I believe within a few years of falling here. I have no idea what state they are in,” Lucifer answers and then shrugs off his thought.
Lucifer steps away from the table to address us all. “I’m glad there was a quick turnaround in here, thanks to Rez and her newest power that we will be exploring tomorrow. You guys might as well get some sleep. We’ll start early in the morning after breakfast and head over to Lilith’s to find that tunnel. That’s our biggest priority next to your training.”
“I think I’ll stay up and see if I can find that tunnel here in the house, if anyone wants to join me. I don’t plan on staying up too late,” Murmur says.
“I’m up for exploring,” Zeke says, not surprising me at all. What does surprise me is Chester and Moni volunteering too. It’s nice to see her stepping up, though, and branching out, trying new things. Reaper’s growl pulls my attention as he viciously disembowels the pillow, sending feathers flying around the room. Zeke quickly scoopes up the little Hellhound and makes his way out the door, following Murmur.
I watch Lynx grab Rez around her hips, swinging her over his shoulder as he leaves the library in a hurry. I don’t blame him; he finally has his human body back, along with his memories. I’m sure he’ll take care of our girl.
The question I have is for the man that’s sliding out of the room before me.
‘Hey, JP. Wait up!’
JP slows his steps as he turns and smiles. “Hey, Knox, wh—” The smile falls from his face as he takes in my stern look.
‘We need to talk.’
“Okay. What do you want to talk about?” he asks, not giving away that he can probably hear me cussing him out.
“You and kitten. It looked like—”
“None of your business, Knox.” JP turns and looks at me straight on. I’m taken aback for a moment as I wasn’t expecting that answer at all.
“None of my business?” I growl out.
“Yes.” He lowers his eyes and sighs. “Look, she triggered me, okay?” he says and glances back at me. I know he’s uncomfortable having this conversation with me since he’s shifting on his feet, but I want to make sure kitten is safe around all of her mates, even my friends.
“How did she trigger you?” I ask, my voice coming out gruff even though I try to keep the accusation out of my tone.
He peeks around us to make sure we’re not being overheard before he responds. “She asked me to look inside of Knots’ mind,” he admits.
Aww shit! JP used to get picked on in PP when he was younger. Most parents don’t think to teach their children how to shield themselves from mind readers, so it was easy for JP to hear their thoughts. He was accused of it a lot until Matthew stepped in and we took him under our wing. I can understand how her innocently asking him to do that would send him spiraling.
“Yes. I lost my cool for a split second, but I explained what her asking did to me. I also told her she needed to trust Knots. If she needs to talk to us, then she should come to each of us. That’s how a relationship should work. We made up and we’re good. So when I say it’s none of your business, Knox, it’s just that… not your concern. None of us would hurt her.” Stopping, he clenches his jaw with a sad smile and rests his hand on my shoulder. “It seems like you need a lesson in trust also.” He squeezes my shoulder before walking down the hall.
Fuck!
‘He’s wise beyond his years,’ Dusky says.
Reluctantly agreeing, I start to walk back to my room and a thought hits me.
‘Do you know what’s moving around in there with you?’ I ask Dusky.
‘Yes. It’s your other form,’ he admits, and I feel him pull away and go silent.
Ugh. Out of all of my animals, he’s the most stubborn. I would have thought Baron was. Baron doesn’t speak, but he bristles at the insult. I quickly get to my room and see Reaper, covered with feathers still, running down the hallway. He must have gotten away from Zeke. I whistle for him, and he skids as he tries to stop before running into me. Picking him up, I bring him to my room as he gives me kisses. I quickly set him up with a bowl of water and some toys from the closet, then head into the bathroom. I need a damn shower. First to clean off, and second just to calm down. My emotions are starting to get to me. I wouldn’t call it aggression, but I’m on the edge of being anxious. It’s as if I feel like I need to shift, but no one is calling to me, not even my mystery animal.
I think I’m still in shock that I have four animals. Even my father only has his three, which is the most I’ve ever heard of a Shifter having. Alphas are the ones that normally have the highest number of animals, but even among them, I would be unique. Four? What does that say about me? I would be the first Shifter recorded to ever have this many animals. Maybe it’s because of what L.A.M.B. said. My brothers and I have taken over the Horsemen, so that’s another possibility.
Shit, that’s a whole other can that I’m not ready to open up yet. Turning on the shower, I quickly strip and step underneath the hot spray. I briskly wash, then allow the water to pelt against my back and drip down onto my face as I relish the feel of the heat surrounding me and soothing the turmoil within me.
It happens gradually, my muscles start to relax, but I have an urge to shake out my limbs. First my arms, my back, and my legs, and then when I try to stop, tremors wrack my body. The shift comes over me in an instant, like a spontaneous flash of heat. My eyes go wide as I try to understand what’s going on. This isn’t anything like shifting into my other forms. I’ve never experienced this feeling before, and I’m not sure how to handle it. Instead of the familiar shift of my Gryphon or Wolf, I drop to my knees as my bottom ribs burst outward, knocking what little air I had out of my lungs. Two limbs slide free, and dark hair sprouts across the strong appendages where the paws stretch, flexing the sharp claws at the end. My arms and legs twist and pop as they rearrange, and black fur covers me from head to toe.
The claws on my back feet slide across the shower tiles, leaving gouges, as my body elongates twice as long as Fluffers. Muscles lengthen as my shoulders separate, and bizarrely, two whip-like appendages pop out of my shoulders with a crack. They appear to be long as they flop around in the air, while my nose and mouth widen and stretch to accommodate the sharp teeth and fangs. My ears and tailbone stretch like they normally do when I shift, so it doesn’t surprise me when I feel my tail whip back and forth in irritation. What does surprise me is the sensation of needles poking out of my long whip-like appendages at my shoulders. I was assuming this form was some type of jungle cat until those appeared.
Most shifts are quick and easy, but the first shift into an animal is the slowest. From there, it almost becomes instant. With Fluffers, he was almost an instant shift for me; we were that connected. Baron, though, my first shift with him took five minutes. This one, I would guess, has taken me a few minutes. Yet, I still have no idea what I am or what I have merged with.
Getting the feel for my new body, I walk to the mirror and hop onto the counter. I turn to look at myself.
