The woman's form seemed to waver, like heat rising from summer pavement. Her clothing dropped to the grass in a soft heap as her outline blurred and shifted. Where she had been, a sleek red fox materialized, its russet fur blazing copper in the setting sun.
The fox streaked through the tall grass, a streak of flame against the green. Its paws barely touched the ground as it raced toward the bear, charging through the wildflowers with impossible speed and grace. The setting sun caught each movement, turning the fox's fur into living fire.
Gasps and cries erupted from the gathering crowd. Someone screamed. The camera jerked wildly before steadying on the incredible scene unfolding before them.
The fox flung itself into the air, sharp teeth burying themselves in the bear’s ear, distracting it from its prey. A thunderous bellow of fury erupted as the enormous animal rose up on its back feet. The vixen landed nimbly, prancing away on ebony-tipped limbs, goading its adversary. The bear lunged, but the fox was quicker, leaping to the side, rushing in to snap at the bear’s rear quarters, then springing clear, perpetually evading the swiping, lethal claws. With calculated movements, it lured the bear away from the meadow, towards the trees.
Although the camera remained focused on the two animals, shouts of relief and excited chatter echoed from the bridge, signaling the family's safe arrival. Scattered applause rippledthrough the crowd of onlookers as they pressed against the wooden railings. With a last, quick glance toward the gathered spectators, the fox leaped away from the bear in a graceful arc, sliding into the thick underbrush where shadows dappled the ground.
The newscaster began to talk as the video ended, but Angus hit the mute button, and a shocked silence filled the room.
The quiet pressed against their ears, broken only by the soft clink of china as Renee began to fill cups with coffee. She moved around the room with practiced grace, passing the steaming mugs to each person in turn.
Like automatons they accepted the coffee, their movements mechanical and stiff. No one moved to drink, the fragrant steam rising unnoticed while they stared at each other with wide eyes, processing what they'd witnessed on the screen.
Jacinth disappeared. One moment she was there, holding her cup, steam curling around her delicate fingers, the next minute she vanished in a whisper of displaced air.
"What the bloody hell?"
All eyes turned to the doorway, to see a stranger standing there, neatly dressed in pressed chinos and a navy cashmere sweater. His accent clearly marked him as British, the crisp consonants echoing in the shocked silence. As he stared at where Jacinth had been an instant before, his knuckles white against the door frame, Angus moved forward.
"We're sorry you were disturbed, Sir," he said smoothly. "There's a... situation."
"I thought there was an air raid." The man's tone was curious as he gazed at the group staring back at him. His eyes went to the television, just in time to see the muted replay of the woman turning into a fox and lunging at the bear. Color drained from his face, his knuckles whitening against the door frame.
"Bloody hell!" The words burst from him in a strangled whisper, his crisp British accent making the expletive sound almost elegant despite his obvious shock.
Katerina tore her gaze from the television screen to look at the newcomer. Mirth welled up inside her, most likely from shock. She recognized how out of place it was, yet couldn't stop the snicker that escaped.
"You're repeating yourself," she pointed out.
The man seemed to pull himself together, straightening his shoulders and smoothing his rumpled sweater. "Ethan Carter," he introduced, his voice steadier now despite the lingering shock in his eyes. "And you are?"
As if hypnotized, his gaze returned to the television screen, his expression a mix of horror and fascination. Katerina waved a hand at the television, where the red fox was again engaged in its lethal dance with the grizzly, darting in and out of range of those massive paws with impossible speed and grace.
"Oh, we're with her," she said with a casual shrug, unable to hide the amusement in her voice at his stunned reaction to the shapeshifter's transformation.
Jolted from his fascination with the video, Ethan's eyes darted between those gathered, his normally composed demeanor slipping. "What?"
He was interrupted as Jacinth exploded back into the room, Douglas at her side, her long black hair swirling around her like a midnight storm. The air crackled with the residual energy, and a faint scent of ozone lingered, reminiscent of lightning strikes.
Ethan stared, his mouth open, face draining of color as he struggled to process what he'd witnessed. He took an involuntary step backward.
"S-she..." His voice cracked, the single syllable trembling in the air. His hand rose to his throat as if to physically catch the words refusing to form.
"Oh." Jacinth bit her lip, looking guiltily at the newcomer. Her chocolate-brown eyes widened with realization. "Sorry." She smoothed down the silken material of her caftan, a nervous gesture which did nothing to diminish the otherworldly aura surrounding her.
A cell phone chirped, and Katerina held hers up, the screen glowing in the dimness of the dining room. "It's my grandmother." She swiped the phone with a freshly manicured finger. "You're on speaker, YiaYia. I'm here at the bed and breakfast with Becca, Talya, and Alyssa, and Jacinth just brought Douglas. Angus and Renee are here, too."
"You've seen?" The familiar voice crackled through the speaker, carrying undertones of authority despite the distance.
Angus came to stand beside her, his tall frame casting a shadow across the polished wood floor. "I'm here, Maroulla. What do you need?"
The voice of the Kazakis matriarch was brisk but calm, with no hint of panic, her Greek accent adding weight to her words. "It's time to circle the wagons. Angus, Renee, can we use your lounge as a kind of command central for a meeting once I can get down there?"
"Of course," Angus assured her, exchanging a meaningful glance with his wife across the room. His dark eyes met Renee's, and a silent nod of understanding passed between them, born of decades together protecting their home and its inhabitants. "And for the foreseeable future."
Renee leaned in to add, “We’ve had our own plans in place for this. We all knew it would happen sooner or later. We’re ready.”
