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Scanning the open area, I don’t see anything unusual. Still, I’m breathing faster, knowing something or someone is out there watching me. Sniffing, I try to catch the scent, but nothing familiar meets my nose. I’d know better if I were in my lynx form.
Calming inhales, I work to ebb the adrenaline pumping in my veins. In my human form, my senses are not as sharp, my night vision is impaired and my hearing is weaker. Still, I’m strong, and I can protect myself.
I know you’re there, I project my thoughts. I’m not afraid of you.
A breeze sweeps through the space, and the sensation recedes. Whatever it is, whoever it is, is pulling back, leaving. I only wait a moment longer before I turn and jog up the steps into my family home. Last night I had one pleasant encounter with a stranger. I’m not looking to push my luck.
It’s late, and Penny’s already in bed. A crisp white envelope is at my place at the table beside a small plate of food. I pick it up along with the dish and head upstairs. Once I’m in my bedroom, I turn the envelope over and open it, sliding out the linen card embossed with a large black C.
Mercy,
Please forgive Grant for what he said at dinner last night. You might not have guessed it, but he tends to be a romantic idiot when he’s had too much wine.
Nothing is more important to me than our friendship. I hope you won’t allow his words to make things strange between us.
I care about you, little thing.
Your friend,
Hayden
“He does write a good apology note,” I say, running a finger down Phoebe’s belly as she rolls onto her back on my bed.
Tossing the note on my dresser, I shimmy out of the baggy jeans and throw my dirty tee on the pile of laundry in the corner. Pushing through the soft sheets on my bed, I stretch out, noticing my muscles are no longer sore from last night’s activities. I’m asleep before I remember to turn off the light.
* * *
Koa
The walls in Doris’s garage apartment are thin, and it probably doesn’t help that I’ve got all the windows open. I’m not bothered by the small size of the place, but I don’t like feeling trapped. I crave open air.
As a result, I’m treated to the noise of Ted and Lydia shouting to each other from opposite floors of their house. Blinking at the ceiling, my hands are behind my head. Can’t you two go to the same room to talk? I think.
Doors slam and cars drive by. I can handle those random sounds, but when a baby continues screaming for what feels like an eternity, I throw back the thin sheets and trot down the back stairs to the alley.
Leaving my one pair of loose jeans hidden behind the steps, I drop to my knees and spring into my panther form in the blink of an eye. Stretching out, I dash into the thin woods surrounding the area and head up toward the Observatory.
Thoughts of Mercy fill my mind, but I’m not intentionally looking for her. I’d love to see her again, but the chances of that are slim to none. I don’t even know where she lives.
Scouting the area, I look for a dry shelter where I can sleep. I’m not far from the little creek near the clearing where we made love when I’m stopped in my tracks. Danger.
My fur shoots up on my back, and I lift my nose to scent the air. Something very wrong is here. A supernatural being is moving fast through the woods, and it’s not a shifter. I don’t know what it is, but negative energy is rippling off it in powerful waves.
I drop back into the shadow of the trees. My black coat hides me in the night, and I wait, watching, on guard. The air turns unnaturally cold all at once. My thick coat protects me, but my breath rises in gusts of steam. Death.
Moving deeper into the darkness, I lower my body, resting my head on my paws. He isn’t coming for me this night, but I don’t know what he wants.
I don’t blink, I barely breathe as I wait for him to pass. He’s closer, and my insides tighten. Then it goes still. The presence seems to move away. I have no desire to pursue him, but I’m curious. Why would Kanaloa be in this forest?
Suddenly, a loud roar cuts the silence. A flash of purple, and a wave shoots across the grass at me, faster than I can get out of the way. He must have sensed me. The blast hits me right in the face, knocking me down. Arms flailing, I’ve shifted back, but it’s too late. I’m slipping into darkness…
Next thing I remember, bright sunlight warms me. I’m lying on my back in my human form blinking up at the sky. Lifting my head, I look around. I’m in the same meadow as before, but from what I can tell I’ve been alone the entire night.
Sitting up slowly, I rub my eyes. Pushing off the ground I walk a few paces before resuming my shifter form. I need to know more about what happened last night, but I can’t be late for my first day at Andy’s. I’ll be back here tonight.
I’m still shaking off the effects of the night, trying to understand what happened. Was it a dream? Perhaps I dozed off by the creek. It doesn’t explain how I ended up unconscious in human form.
Walking down the hall toward the weight room, Jim stops me from behind the juice bar.
