 
# Change

### First Book of the Kitsune

## Melissa Stevens

### Contents

Also by Melissa Stevens

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Dictionary of Terms

Preview

About the Author

Other Books by Melissa Stevens
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement (including infringement without monetary gain) is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

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Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in, or encourage, the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author's rights is appreciated.

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, or other status is entirely coincidental.

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Copyright 2011 by Melissa Stevens

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All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever known, not known or hereafter invented, or stored in any storage or retrieval system, is forbidden and punishable by the fullest extent of the law without written permission of the author. Melissa Stevens melissa@melissastevens.us

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Editor: Kristine Schwartz

Cover art: Sweet n'Spicy Designs

  Created with Vellum

# Also by Melissa Stevens

Change

Fight

Hunt

Live

The Kitsune Collection

**(with Change, Fight, Hunt and Live in one volume)**

**WMC Series:**

Escape

Jade's Peace

Risking Alex

**Demented Souls:**

Ruger

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**City of Sin**

Released by Desire

Redeemed by Desire

Revealed by Desire

The Dragon Chronicles

(with Released by Desire, Redeemed by Desire and Revealed by Desire)

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**Diamond Bridal Agency:**

Justin

Sean

Alex

* * *

**Pelican Lake:**

Steamy Days

Smoldering Sunsets

Sultry Nights

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**Novels:**

Robin's Nest

Choosing Happiness
For my husband and children, without them and their unyielding support this would never have come to be.

* * *

For the girls from the Cafe, you know who you are, I never would have found the courage to do this without you.

# Chapter 1

IT WAS EARLY June, and I had big plans for the weekend. I was going hiking over a new trail with Brandon, my best friend. We'd been friends since kindergarten and I thought of him almost like one of my brothers, only he didn't torment me like they do.

It was Friday, and the day had dawned beautiful and clear. It was going to be a full day trip, and we had already let our families know where we were going. I even packed my lunch the night before so I had one less thing to do before we could leave that morning.

At just after six, the sun and I had both been up for almost an hour, and I was nearly ready. I ran the brush through my hair, smoothing it into the ponytail I was forming on the back of my head. Winding an elastic around the tail, I glanced out the window and saw a familiar car pull into a parking space in the lot below. Picking up the brush again, I finished brushing out my hair as I watched a tall athletic man climb out of the car and head around the end of the building. I was adding the last of my things to my backpack when a knock sounded on my front door.

"It's open!" I continued packing.

"You always just holler at anyone who knocks on your door at six in the morning that the door's open? And why exactly is the door open while we're at it?" Brandon demanded as he walked in.

"Just the ones I'm expecting," I said, zipping my bag before looking up.

"You were expecting me, so what? It still could have been anyone at the door," he was still intent on his point.

"Could have, except that I saw you pull in as I finished my hair. I unlocked the door a couple of minutes ago, just before grabbing my lunch. I knew it was you, Brand."

"Ok, fair enough. I'm just looking out for you, Chica," his tone much calmer now, his hands up in front of himself as if in surrender.

"I know," I said, "and I know you only push the issue because you care. Otherwise you'd be choking on your balls right now."

"Jeez, Nickie, don't bottle up your emotions like that, you'll get hurt. You need to learn to express yourself or someday it'll all come exploding out. Then where will you be?" he looked at me, totally deadpan.

I didn't bother responding other than to flip him off as I turned to go use the restroom one more time before we headed out. When I returned I asked him, "You got everything you need?"

"Everything but you and your pack."

"Then let's get a move on, we're burnin' daylight," I said flippantly as I picked up my bag and slung it over one shoulder. I led the way out and turned to wait for him to exit the apartment before activating the lock. Brandon looked confused, as if he didn't quite understand, but I didn't explain the film reference and let it drop.

The drive out to the parking area where we planned to start our hike took us about forty-five minutes, by then it was almost seven and the day was starting to warm up. It was still relatively cool but it was already hinting at the heat that the sunshine and desert floor would bring. We strapped our backpacks on and I tucked my Personal Communication Device, more commonly known as a PCD, into the pocket of my jeans where I could easily reach it, and we took off.

We started out heading west, away from the cars, the ground was rough and uneven but I was used to it and I moved over the loose rubble and small rocks with ease. We followed what appeared to be a wildlife trail. A path made by frequent passage of animals, like deer and javelina, it was narrow and winding but had very little overhanging brush so it was an easy walk. As we walked over the still flat ground, I called out to Brandon.

"What have you been up to lately?"

"Not much; work, sleep, eat. You?"

"About the same, throw in spending time with the family and you have my life."

"I'm glad we were able to get out today, it's a beautiful day. I really needed the escape from life for a while and this is a great way to do it."

"I agree," I continued along the trail, which was starting to turn and lead uphill. "Careful through here, it's really loose," I warned him as I placed my feet carefully to keep from losing my balance as the bits of rubble that had washed off the mountain above us rolled and shifted under them.

Several minutes later, we came to a spot where water running down the hill had washed away the softer soil, leaving a sharp drop off that was taller than I was. I stopped and waited for Brandon to make the last few steps up beside me. When he reached my side, I could see the obstacle wasn't quite as tall as he was, but that didn't mean either of us could get over it alone.

"We're gonna have to work together for this one," I said.

"Yep," he replied. "How do you want to do this, you up first or me?"

"You're gonna have to go first. I can boost you from the bottom, but I don't have the strength to pull you from the top."

Brandon nodded. "You ready?"

"You wanna go up with your backpack or should we take them off and hand them up separately?"

"Let's try it with them first, we can always take them off and try again if we need to."

"Okay," I said, moving to one side of the trail and bending down on one knee so Brandon could use my bent leg as a step.

"Will that work for you?" I asked.

"I think so, let's try it." He reached up and braced his hands on the top of the small cliff before he carefully placed one booted foot on top of my knee.

"Ready?" He checked with me. At my nod, he quickly pushed up onto my knee and used his arms to pull his body up onto the ledge, like one would lift themselves out of a pool. Seconds later, he was standing on top of the small cliff looking down at me.

"How are we gonna do this?" I asked, craning my neck to look at him. "There's nowhere for me to step on my way up."

"Just stand right there," he pointed to where he had gone up the cliff's face, "and hold both arms above your head. I'll do the rest."

"Are you sure you can lift me?" I asked, skeptical.

"Pretty sure," he sounded confident, "but we won't know for sure until we try, will we?" He stood right at the edge he had just climbed over. "Come on, let's give this a try."

I looked up at him as he bent down until he was almost sitting on his heels, and he reached his arms down to take mine. I knew there was no way I'd be able to lift him like that. I extended both my arms over my head and reached past his hands to grip his wrists as he wrapped his long fingers firmly around mine.

"Are you ready?" he asked, looking at my face for signs of fear. I nodded and he started to stand up, using his legs instead of his back to pull me up the cliff's edge. He kept his eyes on my face, my best guess was that he was watching for signs of panic in case I started to struggle, but I trusted him. I resisted the urge to try to walk my feet up the cliff, knowing it would only push my body away and possibly over balance us both. Instead, I settled for bending my knees and using them to crawl onto the ledge as soon as I was high enough. He stepped back slightly, keeping his grip on my arms as he asked, "You good?"

"Yeah," I said, releasing his arms as he let go of mine and then standing. "I wasn't sure that would work, but I'm glad it did."

"Me too," he said. "You want to take a break here, or continue to the top of the fan first?"

"I'm ready to go if you are. You didn't pull anything lifting me like that, did you?"

"Nah, I'm fine, let's go then." He turned to take the lead for a while.

It was mid-afternoon when it happened. We'd already stopped for lunch and started making our way back, taking a different route. This one wasn't as clear of a trail but the going was easier, which was good as I was starting to get a bit tired. We had stopped a couple of times on the return trip but I admit, I wasn't being as careful as I should have been. I was walking along thinking about something else, I don't even remember what anymore, but my mind wasn't on where I was going or what was around me. I tripped over a rock, stumbling for an instant before falling to my hands and knees.

Hitting the ground jarred me back into the present, knocking the breath out of me and leaving me momentarily dazed. I heard a buzzing sound, but I didn't register what it was right away. I thought it was just my ears ringing from the fall. _Crap, that's what I get for not paying attention._ I heard Brandon stop on the trail ahead of me, and without even thinking about it, I tried to get up. I'd already started moving, trying to push myself up with my arms so I could get back onto my feet, when I spotted it.

By the time I realized it was a snake, it was too late. He was already in mid-strike and I didn't have time to avoid getting bitten. He'd seen my movement as a threat and was only doing as his instincts demanded, defending himself. I felt the fangs as they pierced the denim of my jeans and sank deep into the flesh of my calf. There was a hot, burning sensation as the venom pumped into my body. The snake quickly disengaged his fangs and escaped across the sand, having already done his damage and hopefully slowing the threat long enough to let him get to safety.

"Oh, shit," I said, my mind spinning with panic so intense I couldn't put more than the two words together, even in my head.

I froze, trying to slow my mind so I could think and not just react.

"What is it?" Brandon asked, back-tracking to my side to see what had happened.

"Snake. It got me," I told him, speaking in short gasps as I struggled to calm my mind enough to think.

"Rattler?"

"Yep."

"Where?"

"My right leg. On the calf." I was starting to be able to think again. _What are we going to do now? We're still at least a half mile from the car and there's no way I can hike it now. It'll take hours for anyone to get out here to us, if they can even find us, and do they even keep anti-venom in the area anymore?_ My mind was still racing but I could at least make out my own thoughts. I knew I had to keep from getting hysterical, that would only pump the venom through my body faster. _Stay calm_.

My skin suddenly felt too small, as though it were shrinking but the rest of my body had stayed the same size. My whole body started stinging. _Wow, I didn't know that snake venom acted this fast_.

Suddenly, or at least it seemed sudden to me, I felt like things were starting to move inside my body, bones and muscles moving into new places. _I must be starting to hallucinate._ The thought only drove my panic faster. I felt as though I had lost control of my body. Then, as suddenly as it had started, it all stopped, the burning of the bite, the stinging in my skin, and the sensation of bones and muscle moving and grinding against each other beneath my skin.

_Have I died?_ I wondered, confused. I'd never heard of a snake bite numbing like that. I'd always been told how painful they were and how a victim suffered the pain for years, if they survived that is. Something strange was happening to me and I had no idea what it was.

I looked up at Brandon. He was standing next to me and I could see the surprise on his round face, not panic, not fear, just surprise. I tried to speak to him, to ask what was going on, but all that came out was a high-pitched whine. _What the hell was that?_ It was a sound I had never heard from my own throat before in my life. It was a sound more like a puppy would make than a human.

"Well, I'll be damned!" Brandon ran one hand through his short brown hair. "I'd given up the hope it would ever happen." His voice seemed very loud, almost as though he were screaming instead of speaking. I whimpered and ducked my head, trying to pull my shoulders up around my ears.

"Whoops," Brandon said softly, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Sorry, I forgot how sensitive your ears are when you change the first time."

_Change, what did he mean change?_ He bent down on one knee and reached one hand toward my face, I felt his hand under my chin as he lifted my face to look into my eyes. I knew something was different, but I couldn't tell quite what.

"Are you okay?" he asked gently, still speaking very softly. "Do you feel better now?"

I tilted my head to one side as I thought about what he had asked me. It was gone, all of it. The pain from the bite, even the sting of my hands where I'd caught myself when I fell. What's more, thinking about it made me realize that I felt good, like I could run back to the car and laugh the whole time. I wasn't even tired anymore; a little hungry, but not tired. I tried to say so to him, but this time it came out as a short bark, which made me jump and look around me. _What the hell was that?_

Brandon chuckled, "It's okay." He sounded reassuring. "Do you think you can walk back to the car?"

I started to get up and that's when it hit me. I was no longer walking on two legs, instead I was on all fours. I twisted around and looked at myself and was so surprised I fell on my butt, my body was no longer my own, and this one didn't function in quite the same way. I was now in the body of a dog of some kind, a big brown one that was almost red in the sunlight. I turned and looked at Brandon again and whined, scared because I didn't know what was going on. I couldn't think about what was happening though, I had to just go. When it was over and I was safe I would have time to question it, to have a breakdown if I needed to. Right now, I needed to get back to the car.

"You're all right, trust me. It's okay. Let's go back to the car. I'll explain it to you, but you're gonna want to be human so you can ask the questions I know you'll have, plus you don't have any other clothes here. And trust me on this, you do _not_ want to hike through this stuff naked," he said, motioning to the thorny mesquite and rough creosote brush that surrounded us. He picked up my backpack by the carry handle at the top and that's when I noticed the arm straps were broken. He stood and started back down the path we'd been on, headed toward the car. I whined and barked at him, refusing to move. He turned around to look at me.

"What?" he asked.

I nosed the shredded remains of my clothes, smelling the acrid scent of the venom on my jeans as my nose brushed the rough cloth.

"You shredded 'em, just leave them."

I refused to give up and sat down, indicating that I was staying with my clothes. After watching me for a couple of minutes, he came back and stuffed the remains of the clothing into my backpack.

"Happy now?"

Satisfied he wasn't leaving my things behind, I silently stood up and padded along the trail toward the car.

Once I started moving it only took me a few minutes to get used to the way my new body moved, to get the hang of walking on four legs instead of two. After that first few minutes of fumbling around and tripping over my own feet, the trip seemed much faster than I thought it should be. I admit, I found moving on four feet through the brush and over boulders much easier than hiking on two, but I tried not to think about it. I was going to have to wait for answers, and freaking out in the meantime would do me no good. When we reached the parking lot, Brandon went around to the driver's side of the car and unlocked the doors. I followed him, not willing to let the only person who knew what was happening to me out of my sight.

"I'm glad we brought my car instead of yours," Brandon opened the rear door and motioned me into the back seat. "Hop in, I'll be right back." He moved away from the still open door and toward the rear of the vehicle.

_If I'm in the car, he won't be going anywhere without me. It's not like he's going to walk all the way back to town._ I reasoned with myself as I hopped up into the backseat, turned a small circle on my feet, and then sat down to wait for his return. It was only a couple of moments later when he appeared in the doorway, slid into the car, and sat down on the bench seat next to me. He was silent for several seconds, his expressive golden-brown eyes focusing on the stack of folded clothes in his lap as if he didn't know where to start.

Brandon cleared his throat as he turned to face me. "Okay, here are some clothes. Don't worry, they're clean. I need you to listen closely and try to do exactly as I tell you. All right?" He met my gaze. By now, I knew better than to try speaking so I just nodded my head once, maintaining eye contact. "You're going to need to concentrate, picture your body, not as it is now but your human body. Focus on that image. You need to will yourself back into that body, to want to be like that enough will make your body shift. Do you understand?" I nodded again, unsure I could do what he was asking, but really, what other choice did I have? "I'm going to leave these here for you. I'll get out and close the door, then I'll turn my back and wait. You'll need to knock on the window, or open the door when you're dressed, then we'll talk, okay?"

Not seeing any other option, I nodded. He slid off the seat and out the still open door before turning around and setting the stack of clothes on the seat where he had been. He looked at me again briefly before he closed the car door and turned away. Through the window, I saw him lean against the side of the car as though he were patiently waiting for someone to walk out of the desert in front of him. He pulled his PCD from the front pocket of his jeans and it looked like he was making a call, but the enclosed car muffled his voice enough that I couldn't hear what he was saying.

I felt a little lost, _Can I really be me again just by doing what he said, by thinking about and wanting to be me again?_

I sat for a moment, wondering how this could possibly work. _Has Brandon ever lied to you? Would he ever do anything to hurt you?_ I trusted Brandon and if he said I could do this, then I could, I just had to do as he had instructed.

Several deep breaths later, I'd relaxed some of the tension from my body. I closed my eyes and concentrated on clearing all the outside thoughts. I pictured my body just as I had seen it this morning in the mirror. I started at the floor and worked my way up. I could see my feet standing on the tan carpet of my bedroom floor, the teal nail polish I had applied to my toe nails earlier in the week. I worked my way up, picturing the round bones on the outsides of my ankles and the muscles in my calves, and there was the small scar just below my left knee from a fall off my bike as a child. I could see my thick, muscular thighs that I'd hated as a teenager, but didn't mind so much now. I continued up the rounded shape of my rear sloping up to my smaller, but not quite slender waist, and up farther, past the generous curves of my breasts to my face.

I concentrated on my round face, the large green eyes that dominate it. I pictured in my mind my full lips and auburn hair, curling gently as it had settled around my shoulders while I brushed it out before pulling it up. I thought of how badly I wanted to be back in that body. When the tingling sensation all over my skin started again, it surprised me and I almost lost the mental picture of myself, but I managed to ignore it and continued to wish myself back into my body, to concentrate on how badly I wanted to be me again. The tingling intensified until it was almost stinging, and I felt my muscles begin to stretch and my bones start to shift and grind against each other.

After what seemed to be several minutes, the uncomfortable sensations started to fade. They slowed to a stop, no more bones shifting, or muscles popping, and even the tingling faded until I felt normal once again.

I opened my eyes and anxiously looked down at myself, half afraid of what I would see. I was sitting naked but human in the back seat of the car. I scrambled to put on the too large clothes Brandon had left for me; worn, soft sweat pants and a matching top, but no shoes. If he had any, they probably wouldn't have fit anyway. I leaned across the car and knocked on the window to let him know I was decent. He looked relieved when he turned and popped open the door.

"Climb up into the front. Let me grab something and then we'll talk." He closed the door again before heading for the back of the car.

As I climbed between the front seats and settled into the passenger's seat, I heard the trunk open and close again before Brandon came back around and got into the driver's seat beside me. He handed me a couple of protein bars. "Eat up."

I looked at the bars he had put into my hands and scrunched up my face in distaste.

"Those things are nasty," I said. He didn't say anything but took one back and opened the packaging, I could suddenly smell the bar inside and I realized I was starving. Before I knew it, they were both gone. When I realized I had just eaten both bars in under a minute, I was embarrassed at having inhaled the food, and with little memory of what kind of manners I might have shown in doing so. It must have shown on my face because Brandon chuckled.

"Don't worry about it, Nick. I know how hungry shifting can make you, especially when you're healing at the same time, that's why I grabbed them. They aren't going to be enough, but they're all I have. They'll take the edge off and hopefully hold you until we can get you something better to eat."

"What's going on? What do you mean you know how hungry shifting can make you? I've figured out what you mean by shifting, but how? How is it possible? And how can I be healing so fast? I noticed when I got dressed that the wound from the snake bite is healing, but it's not possible! Am I hallucinating from the venom?"

"Been saving all your questions up, huh?" Brandon looked at me, laughing softly again, his smile showing the deep dimples in his cheeks. "No, you aren't hallucinating. You really did change shapes. The process of shifting most likely pushed the venom from your body, and at the same time, healed the worst of the damage it had done."

"You've lost your mind and I'm hallucinating, or better yet, it's all just a nightmare and I'll wake up and it will be Friday morning."

"Do your dreams ever hurt like the snake bite did? Mine don't. You're not hallucinating or having a nightmare, Nickie."

"But it can't be true - I must be going crazy..."

"Nope, not crazy, just Kitsune," he said, interrupting my ranting.

"Kitsune?" I'd never heard the word before.

"Yep, Kitsune. We're a species of shape shifters."

"There's an entire species of people who turn into dogs?"

"We're not dogs, we're wolves. But that's not exactly what the Kitsune are. There are several different animal forms that different Kitsune can shift into, though, generally it's limited to only one animal form per person. There are bears, cougars, fox, and wolves. You're a wolf, I'm a wolf, and there's an entire pack of wolves in Gila Valley."

"An entire pack of wolves around here? Now you're the one who's dreaming. I've never seen a real wolf before, at least not until I was one, and I've lived here all my life."

"Not real wolves, Nickie, Kitsune wolves. There's a difference. Though, you should know, the accepted phrase is natural wolves, not real, because we're just as real as they are."

"Okay, not real wolves, _natural_ wolves. How can there be an entire pack in the valley and nobody knows about it?"

"There are a lot of people who know about us, our pack members, but very, very few outside the pack. Our secret is well kept."

"How did I become... Kitsune? Is that what you call it? I've never been bitten by a wolf, and I'm sure it's not something I would forget."

Brandon rolled his eyes. "There's only one way to be Kitsune, you're born one. Kitsune can only be born, there is no other way to become one of us. The biting thing is pure myth, Hollywood and fantasy novels."

"News flash, Brandon, so are werewolves," I couldn't help but point out.

"Point," he conceded. "You're going to find that some movies and fantasy novels aren't as make-believe as you thought. I know it's hard to believe, but I'm not lying to you. I wouldn't do that and you know it," he said calmly and I shifted in my seat, feeling guilty I had suspected him of doing just that.

"You're sure? I mean about the whole wolf thing?" I looked out the passenger window to avoid looking at him.

"Absolutely certain. Look, do you mind if we head back into town while we talk? While you were shifting, I called the Anikitos, our pack leader, and he's expecting us. I'd prefer not to be late and risk angering him."

"Do I have to?" The thought of meeting the leader of the local wolf pack made me nervous. I tried to think of everything I had ever read about werewolf packs and their leaders and nothing I was coming up with was reassuring.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine. He'll have a lot more answers for you that I don't have. I may have been raised as one of us, but I'm still young, and honestly, not all that high in the pack. There's a lot I just don't know."

"Okay, but you have to promise not to leave me alone. I don't want you to just drop me off at some stranger's house. I'm uncomfortable enough with everything that's happening as it is without being told what to believe by someone I don't even know."

"I promise you, I won't leave you alone with the Anikitos unless you want me to, all right? You may decide after meeting him that you don't want me around."

"I can't see why but if you say so, I'll take your word for it. You've done nothing but help me this afternoon. Thank you for that," I said.

Brandon started the car and pulled out on to the highway leading back toward town.

# Chapter 2

MY CONFUSION ONLY grew as Brandon pulled up in front of Bill Hayes' house. Bill had been my father's best friend for as long as I could remember. _Why on earth were we here when Brandon said he was taking me to see the pack leader_?

When Brandon opened his door to get out, I asked, "Why are we at Bill's house?"

"You know the Anikitos?"

"I don't know who this Ani-key-toes you keep talking about is, but I do know that this is Bill Hayes' house. Bill is Dad's best friend. I've known Bill my whole life."

"Do you trust him?" Brandon wanted to know.

"Well, yeah, of course I do."

"Good. Then this'll be easier. You already know he's not going hurt you and you know you're in good hands if you, or he, want me to leave."

"You keep acting like one of us is going to throw you out or something. Why would we do that? You're my friend. You're telling me that you and he are the same thing I supposedly am, so why would we throw you out?"

"It's a Kindred thing and he's the Anikitos, the boss. If he says jump, I ask how high and then I do it. End of story. I know you don't get it now, but later you'll understand. Maybe not right away, but eventually, you'll get it. I just want you to be prepared in case it happens."

"Okay, if you say so, I'll take your word for it. Let's just get this over with," I opened my door and climbed out of the car. The heat of the day rushed in to smack me in the face after the cool of the air conditioning. I was starting to feel the ravenous hunger from earlier return. "When we're through here can we find something to eat? I'm starving."

"I don't see why not, but let's see how things go before we make any solid plans."

Brandon had already made his way up the short walkway and was standing at the door by the time I managed to tiptoe around the car on my bare feet.

_I'm so glad that Bill keeps this place so shady, it's saving me from burning my feet._ Brandon rang the doorbell while I was still padding carefully up the sandstone walkway. By the time I got to the door, it had been opened and Karen, Bill's wife, was standing in the open doorway.

"Alekto, I offer my apologies for showing up without warning, but the Anikitos ordered me to bring Nickie as soon as possible," Brandon said to Karen in a formal and subservient tone. It baffled me as I'd never seen Brandon behave like this. I looked back and forth between the two of them and noticed that Brandon was carefully avoiding looking Karen in the face. _What's going on here?_

"Not a problem, Brandon. Bill told me you would be coming. I'm glad to see you both. Come on in, Bill's in his office. Nickie," she turned to me for the first time, "you know where it is. Please let Bill know I'll be there in just a moment. Is there anything I can get for you on my way?"

My stomach chose that moment to let us all know just how hungry I was by growling loudly. I felt the blood rush to my face as I blushed a bright red.

"Did you have anything to eat after shifting?" she asked kindly.

"I had a couple of protein bars," I tried to pretend that had been enough to satisfy me.

"Oh, dear! Is that all?" She seemed surprised.

"Sorry, ma'am, it's all I had in the car. The Anikitos told me to bring her straight here," Brandon put in apologetically.

"Ah, no worries then," she smiled. "I'll just put something together for you, and then I'll bring it in with me. You two go on in and see Bill though, he's waiting."

I led Brandon down the hall toward Bill's office. I'd been here many times with my dad and I'd thought I'd known Bill well. Apparently not as well as I had thought. _I wonder if Dad knows about Bill being some kind of werewolf leader?_ I didn't know Karen quite as well, but we'd always gotten along. The door to Bill's office was standing open and I stuck my head in first, looking to make sure he was actually in there before I just walked in. He looked up from the papers he had been studying on his desktop, and I could see a smile jump to his face as though he had been unsure who was coming in the door.

"Nickie!" he said as he stood up, pushing the wheeled chair backward. He skirted his desk and approached me. "I'm so glad to see you, and that you're safe and sound too. Why don't you come on over here and have a seat? Then you can tell me exactly what happened today," he invited as he guided me, with an arm around my shoulders, toward the sofa and chairs arranged into a conversation area at the opposite end of the long, narrow room. There was about ten feet of empty space between where I sat and his desk, with nothing but an elegant throw rug between the two.

"I thought Brandon already told you what happened?" I asked, confused. I took a seat in my favorite of the large black leather chairs. Curling my bare feet under me as I settled into the familiar overstuffed seat. I remembered many hours spent in this same chair over the years, listening to Bill and Dad talk.

"He did, but I'd like to hear it from you if you don't mind," he sat on the matching leather sofa across from me. Only Brandon was still standing. He looked uncomfortable, like he was waiting to be told what to do next.

"If that's what you want, I don't mind. Oh!" I remembered, "Karen said she'd join us in a few minutes and to let you know."

"That's fine..." Bill said, and he almost absently pointed at Brandon and then to the other chair in the seating area, silently ordering him to have a seat, but his eyes never left me.

I was quiet for a moment as I tried to figure out what to say. "Where do you want me to start?" D _oes he want just the shift or what led up to it, or everything that happened to me in the last few months since we've seen each other?_

"Wherever you want to. Where were you, what were you doing? Tell me as much as you feel comfortable with."

"Ok..." I said, deciding to start with this morning. "Well, Brandon and I left early this morning..." I told Bill what happened, getting caught up in the memory of it. "The next thing I knew I was looking up at Brandon and he just looked so surprised. He said something like he thought it would never happen, and at the time I had no idea what he meant. It was several more minutes before I realized I wasn't human anymore."

"You were and still are the same person you've always been, dear, you just weren't in human form," Bill's voice was firm. "Remember that. You are always you, no matter what shape your body takes. You were still able to think, weren't you?" I nodded. "Then you're still you. End of story."

I nodded again, accepting his reassurance, and continued my story, "He picked up my back pack and told me to follow him back to the car. I have to admit it took me a few minutes but once I got the hang of it, the trip was a lot easier on four legs instead of two. Anyway, we got back to the car, and Brandon got these out of the trunk," I said, pulling at the loose black sweats I was wearing. "He told me how to shift back. After I got dressed, he gave me a couple of protein bars, told me I'm not crazy and I'm something called Kitsune, and that you and he are, too. Then he brought me here." I turned to look at Brandon. "Why did you have these in the trunk anyway?" I asked.

"I always carry an extra set of clothes," Brandon shrugged.

"Oh." I only have clothes in my car for specific reasons, like a trip to the gym or helping out on the farm, so I didn't know what to say.

"Can you tell me exactly how you managed to shift back to human form?" Bill asked, once again taking control of the conversation.

"I just listened to Brandon and did what he told me to do. I pictured my human body and concentrated on how badly I wanted to be back in it, and it worked. When I opened my eyes, I was normal again."

Bill turned to Brandon, his eyes narrowed in suspicion, "You didn't help her?"

"No, sir, that's not something I have the talent for. I just told her how to do it. I was hoping she could manage it on her own. If anyone has the force of will to manage their first deliberate shift without help, it would be Nickie." I found his confidence in me startling but, at the same time, comforting and reassuring.

"What would you have done if she hadn't been able shift back on her own?" Bill said.

"Wait a second," I interrupted, feeling myself start to panic again. "Are you saying I could have been trapped as a wolf? That I could have been unable to shift back?"

"Kind of, but not really, or more accurately, not for long." Bill's voice was gentle. "I'll get to that in a minute, but I want this answered first. Just give us a second." He turned back to Brandon and his voice hardened. "Well?"

"I'd have brought her here to you. I called you while she was trying to shift, I didn't know if she would manage it or not at that point. If she hadn't managed, I would have told her what I could and kept her as calm as I could while I brought her to you. I know our Harmonia has the talent to call and restrict animal forms. Once I got Nickie to you, you would have been able to see to it that Nickie got the help she needed to shift back to human form."

"Very well," Bill seemed satisfied, finding the answer acceptable. He turned back to me and his tone softened again, as if he had gone from speaking to an employee to a beloved family member. "As Brandon just said, we have someone who would have been able to help you to return to human form. Being stuck, as you put it, would only have been a temporary inconvenience."

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to relax away some of the tension that had seized my body when I thought I could have been trapped as a wolf.

"Now, how are you feeling? Physically, at least, I'm sure your mind is spinning at all the new information." Bill seemed concerned.

"Honestly? I'm starving."

"That's to be expected. After all, you've shifted not once, but twice, and healed the snakebite too all in a very short amount of time, I'm sure. Changing shapes takes a lot of energy, even shifting once will make you hungry, and two energy bars aren't nearly enough to replace what you've burned. I'm willing to bet if I know my wife," Bill smiled fondly as he spoke of Karen, "that's what's taking her so long. She's fixing you something to eat."

"She did say she was going to put something together before she joined us," I recalled.

"Very well," he said. He turned to Brandon and again his voice cooled as he spoke to him, "You can go." It sounded like a dismissal and I looked at Brandon, expecting him to protest being treated like a subordinate.

Brandon looked at me and asked, "Are you all right here without me or do you want me to stay?" I saw Bill's eyebrows rise, as though Brandon's not immediately leaving surprised him.

I turned back to Bill. "When Brandon told me he was taking me to see the pack leader, I had no clue who that might be. I was more than a little nervous. I made him promise not to just drop me off or leave me somewhere I wasn't comfortable. He promised he wouldn't leave without my permission." Looking back at Brandon I said, "I'm fine here if you want to go. Bill will take good care of me and see to it that I make it home, I'm certain."

"Of course," Bill agreed easily.

"But I'm going to need my backpack out of your car, it has my PCD and some other things I'm gonna want."

"No problem, I'll bring it in before I go. Give me a call when you can, we'll get together," Brandon said before turning back to Bill. "If you'll excuse me, sir."

Bill nodded and Brandon backed out of the room, almost as though he didn't want to turn his back on Bill. I must have had a confused look on my face.

"What has you so baffled, dear?"

"Him, you, all of it. I'm going to ignore everything that's happened to me today and let that process for a while. But what I can't understand right now is Brandon acting almost afraid of you. I've never seen him like that before now with you, and with Karen when we arrived."

"It's not fear exactly, more like healthy respect. I'm the Anikitos for our pack. The pack alpha, for lack of a better term. It's a position I had to earn by battle and dominance. Simply put, I'm the strongest and the most powerful in the group. As such, I have the right to punish or have punished anyone in the pack, as I see fit, and Karen as well, though her title is Alekto. Normally, he's not quite so submissive, but I think he was afraid that after you were injured and shifted so suddenly, I would be angry. Maybe a bit more so after he found out how well we know each other."

"Oh." I was still confused, but not sure what else to say. My eyes were still on the doorway Brandon had left through, but I wasn't really focusing. I'd let them go unfocused as I thought about what he was telling me.

"Now," Bill said, changing the subject. "Would you mind showing me where the snake bit you?"

I shook my head slightly, jarring myself from my thoughts and pulled my attention back to him.

"Not at all." I scooted forward in the chair, pulled my right leg out from underneath me and tugged the elasticized bottom of the leg on the ill-fitting black sweats up to my knee. I carefully propped my bare foot on the edge of the table that was situated between the sofa and chairs and leaned my leg to one side so the spot we were looking for was on top. "Here it is." I pointed to a spot on my calf. "You can see the marks, but they look days old and mostly healed now, more like healing scrapes than any kind of puncture or bite." I looked at him and back down at my leg again. "I really don't understand it." I tilted my head to one side and looked back up, watching him for his reaction.

Bill slid forward on the sofa until he was seated on the edge of the couch and leaned forward so that he could get a better look at the marks on the meaty part of my calf. He reached forward with one hand but stopped mere millimeters shy of touching me. "It appears your shifting has healed any damage the venom might have done, not that it had time to do much damage, and it's well on its way to healing the wound too."

"It wasn't quite this healed when I shifted in the car. I could still see a wound, it was starting to scab over but now it looks at least a week old."

"That's not uncommon, the worst of the damage was healed when you first shifted, it healed more with your second shift and now your body's working on finishing up."

"But how? I don't understand."

"Well, I wasn't there, so I can't tell you for certain, but I can give you my best guess based on my experience with Kitsune healing..."

"Okay," I waited to hear what he could tell me. _Maybe he'll say something that will help me understand what's happening to me._

"Well, we already know that you panicked, you said that when you told me what happened today. I would place bets that your panic in turn sent your wolf into a panic. Though you have yet to know her, your wolf knows you well since she is a part of you, and she knew that if you were in a panic then you, and therefore she, were in danger of dying. So she took charge, forcing you to change. The process of your change itself pushed the venom back out the open wound and healed any damage it had done so far.

"You said you were bitten, panicked, and then found yourself in wolf form. I'm assuming this happened in the space of just two or three minutes? There probably wasn't a great deal of damage yet, so the healing needed for that would have been minimal."

"It seemed like hours at the time, but in reality, it was probably no more than two minutes. Brandon wasn't far ahead of me on the trail. I heard him stop when I fell and it probably took him less than a minute to cover the distance, and by the time he managed to reach me, he looked so surprised, I must have already shifted."

Bill nodded. "All right," he said as he moved to sit back on the couch again. "I realize this has to be more than a little bit of a shock to you."

"What did Brandon mean when he said he thought it would never happen? How could he know that I might someday shift?" I pushed the leg of the sweats back into place and settled back into the chair again. The discussion about the process of my shifting reminded me again of the statement. "You don't seem particularly surprised either, why not?"

"I'm not surprised. I've known for years there was a possibility you would shift. Brandon knew it was a possibility because I told him."

"You never said anything to me? What about Dad?" Bill was shaking his head and I knew he hadn't told Dad either. "Why would you say something to Brandon, but not to us?" I couldn't hide the hurt and confusion in my voice.

"I couldn't, not until I knew if you were actually going to shift."

"What do you mean? If you could tell that I'm one of these Kitsune, how couldn't you know if I would shift?"

"Because being a Kitsune doesn't automatically mean you'll be able to shift, you can be one of us, but not shift. To be Kitsune, you either have one or both parents who are shape-shifters, but having either doesn't guarantee you will be able to shift yourself. I'll simplify it some. You took Biology while you were in college, didn't you?" I nodded. "Think of it in terms of genes, the ability to shift is a dominant gene. But sometimes something goes wrong and someone who should shift for some reason can't. It may be some kind of genetic defect that we haven't figured out yet. If you have one human parent and one Kitsune, any children they have will be shifters. If you have two Kitsune parents, the children will most likely be shifters, but it's not guaranteed. It is also possible for two non-shifting Kitsune offspring to produce a shifting child, but it is rare and can only happen with the first generation of non-shifters. Either way, shifting or non-shifting, they are still Kitsune."

"So, basically, what you're telling me is that one or both of my birth parents was a Kitsune?"

"Certainly."

"Well, I guess that's more than I've ever known about either of them before..." I trailed off, not sure what to say.

"I've put a lot of thought, and a bit of money toward investigations, into your situation over the years. Before you ask, no, your father has no clue of the research I've had done into where you came from.

"As far as I can tell, it's most likely that if it was just one parent, which I believe it was, it was your father who was Kitsune. The way some people are, it's entirely possible he may have never even known of the pregnancy or you. I can also say with some certainty, that if your mother was Kitsune, her pack either never knew of her pregnancy or she told them she had miscarried. I checked with other packs all over the country when you were a baby and there was no knowledge of who you could belong to.

"Because you were one of the first babies surrendered under the Safe Haven laws, it's impossible to know much about either of your parents without some kind of DNA test to prove the relationship. They just didn't get that kind of information then.

"I'll give you all the information I've been able to find out, but it's not much. You were under 72 hours old when a young woman handed you to a fireman in a Phoenix fire station, so the date of birth that your parents were given is accurate within a day or so. The records of your surrender say she told the firefighter she couldn't take care of you like you needed, your father never knew you existed, and she hoped you would be given to someone who could give you the life you deserved, and then she left. There was a cursory search through police and court records to make sure there were no babies reported missing, no custody disputes that you could have been part of, and then you were put up for adoption.

"Her story supports my theory that it was your father who was Kindred. Most Kindred girls, if they find themselves pregnant with a child they can't raise or don't want, will find someone among the Kindred who is more than willing to take the child in. We don't, as a practice, voluntarily give up our children to people who don't know what we are."

"It sounds like you tried to find out who gave me up."

"I did. Not that it would have changed your life much. I never would have done anything to have you taken from your parents, but I could have had a better idea whether or not you had the ability to change, and I could possibly have let you in on the secret earlier. If I had known more, I could have made this less of a shock to you."

I nodded, glad he could see my parents love us all just the way we are, and that he cared enough to try to find out where I came from.

"I knew the first time I saw you, when your parents first brought you home, that you had Kindred blood. I could tell by your scent you had the blood of a shifter. The offspring of a non-shifter doesn't have that Kindred smell unless they'll be able to shift. But I had no way of telling if you would have the ability to shift or not. Since the shifting of the Kindred isn't tied to the moon, it's also possible that even if you _could_ shift you never actually would, since you wouldn't know to try. That's part of why I tried to find out where you had come from."

"Not tied to the moon? You mean, I won't turn into a wolf every full moon?"

"Not unless you choose to," he said. "Not only are we not forced to change on the full moon, we aren't forced to change ever. Yes, your shift was sudden and unexpected, but I wouldn't consider it forced. It was your wolf's way of saving you. The moon has no effect on us at all, it's not easier to change during the full moon, the new moon, or any other time."

"But I thought we were werewolves?"

"No. Werewolves are pure fiction, though they may have some, slight, basis in fact. Some Kindred choose to shift during the full moon because they can see better. Unfortunately, they are also more easily seen. It doesn't take a silver bullet to kill us, though, don't get me wrong, a sliver bullet will do the job, but so will most others. We aren't immortal, we just heal faster than most. Any wound that would be instantly fatal will still kill us."

"I see." I tried to think. "Why tell Brandon that I might shift?"

"Brandon came to me after his first shift and told me that he could tell you were Kindred. I explained what he needed to know. And just as importantly, how he couldn't say anything to you about it, but that I needed him to watch you for signs that you would or had shifted."

"So Brandon has only been my friend because you ordered him to watch me?" I felt betrayed. I wondered how I couldn't have known he had been my friend because he was ordered to.

"Actually, no. Brandon has been your friend for how long? Since you both started Kindergarten together, right? That makes what, twenty years?"

"Yeah, about that."

"Brandon was sixteen the first time he shifted. So if you'll do the math, you'll see he was your friend for eleven years before he came to me. For the record, I only told him to watch you, to keep an eye out for you, because he was already your friend."

"I see." I calmed down and told myself to stop jumping to conclusions. I really wasn't sure how I felt about all this, but it was more than a little upsetting to be finding it out now.

"Generally, Kindred children are raised knowing what they are, or what they could be." Bill continued. "They're taught to keep the secret from their first words and steps and somewhere in their mid to late teens, they're taught how to shift. Shifting's not impossible before then, but it's uncommon. It generally only happens in life threatening situations, when an animal form fears for its life and forces the change, like yours did.

"For someone who had no clue what she was or what was going on, to suddenly shift and manage to shift back to human so soon, without help, is a big accomplishment. It's uncommon for someone who's known what they are their entire life to manage the first shift without help."

"But I did have help. Brandon told me what to do, how to shift back."

"That's not the kind of help I mean. What I mean is another Kindred either feeding you power or helping by forcing your animal form to retreat."

"Kindred? You keep using that word, what do you mean by it?"

"Kindred is a term we use among ourselves, instead of pack or Kitsune. It helps to protect our secret from normal humans. If they never hear you refer to Pack or Kitsune, they can't get suspicious and start asking questions. Kindred is an old fashion term for family; more commonly, it's shortened to kin these days. But we use the full word, and it means a member of the pack or Kitsune."

I was silent for a moment, unsure what to say. I was saved from having to say anything when Karen walked into the room carrying a plate filled with chunks of fruit and cheese.

"Here's you a snack. I've dinner started and I expect you to stay and let me feed you that as well." She sat the plate on the small table between the two chairs. The sight of the food made my stomach growl again and I felt my face redden with embarrassment.

Bill chuckled. "Go ahead. I know you've got to be starving and I've been grilling you instead of feeding you."

"Help yourself," Karen said. "I know you're hungry. Brandon brought your bag inside, it's waiting for you next to the front door when you need it."

"It's fine where it is, but I'll need it when I go home."

"Why don't you go ahead and eat and let it all sink in. I'm sure once the shock of it all wears off, you'll have plenty of questions."

"Alright," I said, shifting in my chair so I could easily reach the plate. I took a few pieces of cheese and popped them, one at a time, into my mouth as Karen spoke up.

"Dinner shouldn't be too much longer, but I knew you were starving."

"Thanks," I said between bites as I quietly ate the snack. I'd almost cleared the plate when it occurred to me. "Brandon said no one knows about the Kitsune, that it's a well-kept secret." I looked up at Bill for the first time in a while.

"That's right." Bill waited to see where I was going with this.

"Does this mean I can't tell my family?"

"I've known your father for years and I trust him. I'll agree to you sharing what you are, and by extension what we are, with your parents, if you want. That's up to you. I'll help you tell them, help you answer any questions they might have, if you like. However, that's it. You can't tell your siblings, or your friends."

"I guess I can understand that. Can you give me a few days to process all that has happened and to decide?"

"Sure, take all the time you like. Here, let me give you a card." Bill got up and went to his desk. "This has mine and Karen's phone numbers as well as numbers for the pack's Lysandros and Harmonia. "If you have any difficulties, anything at all, give one of us a call. You should be able to get someone at any given time, day or night." He handed me a business card. I looked at it as he continued to speak. "If for some reason you can't reach one of us, and you need someone, call the emergency number. It's a line that's kept staffed at all times, they'll ask some questions about what is going on so they can send someone to help you. But no guarantees it will be someone you know, just that it's someone high enough in the pack and with the right skills to help,"

Four names were neatly printed on the card, including Bill and Karen, and a number next to each. There was also a fifth number labeled Emergency.

"I have one more question, for now, I think."

Bill lifted his brows and waited for me to ask.

"Will I be suddenly changing again? Am I safe to go home and be alone? Will I wake up in the morning only to discover that I'm a wolf again? I guess that was more than one question," I said sheepishly.

"You're safe to go home, the only way you'll wake up as a wolf in the morning is if something threatens you enough to bring your wolf to the surface to protect you. Ninety-nine-point nine percent of the time, shifting is voluntary and deliberate. Even dreaming won't bring on a change. Your wolf knows the difference between a dreamed threat and real one."

I sighed, relieved. "That's good to know, I was worried."

Karen insisted I stay for dinner, saying something about making sure I was properly fed after shifting, and then Bill drove me home.

"Thanks for the ride." I hugged him before climbing out of the cab of his truck.

"Think nothing of it." He watched from the driver's seat of his pickup as I gingerly carried my backpack along the cool sidewalk to my building and carefully, because of my bare feet, climbed the stairs. I waved and smiled at him before I let myself into my apartment. It was only after I was safely inside that he backed out of the parking space and left.

# Chapter 3

I called Brandon Tuesday morning, hoping he wasn't asleep as I listened to it ring. On the third ring, he picked up.

"Hello?" His voice came over the device.

"Hey, Brandon, what are your plans for today?" I asked.

"Not much, just enjoying my time off. I didn't have any plans."

"I took the week off, do you wanna do something?"

"How about we go for a run?" he suggested.

"Um..." I hesitated, running isn't one of my favorite activities, or at least it never had been before. "I'm not all that into running, Brandon, you know that."

He laughed softly. "I don't mean going running, Nick, I mean go for a run."

"I'm missing the distinction," I was confused.

"A run is what we call it when we shift and run, play, or even hunt in our animal forms."

"Hunt? Why on earth would we want to hunt?" My confusion became distaste. I don't really mind the concept of hunting for food, but I have a hard time with the skinning and butchering.

"For the skill of it, sometimes for the fun of it. There's a thrill to running down your prey that you just don't have anywhere else. Plus, it's good to know how to do it, should you someday need to."

"But do you... eat it... raw?" My disgust at the idea was clear in my voice.

"You can, but you don't have to. It isn't as bad as you might think. As a wolf, it's natural."

"If you say so," I was willing to take him at his word. "I'm okay with going for a run, but can we skip the hunting part?"

"Sure, if that's what you want. You know where the Hot Well Dunes hot tub is?" he asked.

"Of course. Who went to high school around here and doesn't?"

"Let's meet out there. In say... an hour? Don't forget to bring something to eat if you don't want to hunt," he reminded me.

"That works, I'll meet you there." The rural location would be a good place for a pair of wolves to run around in broad daylight without being seen. I stopped by the grocery store on my way out of town and grabbed several pieces of fruit. As I was headed for the drinks aisle, I noticed cans of meal replacement shake on a shelf and grabbed a few, guessing that between the two, I should have enough for today.

I made it out to the secluded hot tub with ten minutes to spare. I parked in the small clearing before getting out of my car and wandering around. As I looked around, I noticed little had changed in the years since I had last been here. The parties here had been a blast. I wondered for a moment if the teenagers still party out here, or if they've moved on because the cops had discovered it? That was nighttime entertainment and the place was empty in the light of day. I didn't even see the usual evidence of a party hotspot, so it had probably become known as a party spot and kids had found somewhere new.

In less than five minutes, I spotted the dust from Brandon's car and wandered over toward the cement in-ground hot tub to avoid the worst of the dust as he pulled up. The tub was in good shape for being more than thirty years old; the water was always warm without being too hot. It was crystal clear from being continuously fed from an artesian spring nearby, and overflowed into a cooler pool downstream, cleaning out any debris that might blow into it in the process.

After Brandon parked and the dust started to settle, I headed back toward both vehicles.

"Hey, how are you?" he unfolded from the small car.

"Pretty good. Bill had me take the week off work, possibly next week too. We'll see how long it takes me to get used to my new strengths and skills."

"How're you doing with that?"

"Pretty well, I think. I spent yesterday morning working on my telepathy with Bill, and Karen tried to teach me to shield in the afternoon. Bill said I just need to practice. I have the basics down. I think shielding is going to take more work, it's not as natural to me."

"Understandable..." Brandon nodded. "I've had a bit of practice with shielding so I can stay out of people's minds unless I want to. I have a talent kind of like yours, only I don't hear things, I see them. Not thoughts though, it's more that I can see through their eyes."

"Oh wow, that sounds more than a little creepy. I'd want to learn how to control that too. That would be about as much fun as hearing random bits of information out of people's heads."

"You hit the nail on the head. You ready to run?"

"Sure, let me get around to the other side of my car to change. I'll meet you down by the tub when I'm done." He chuckled at my need for privacy to shift, but I ignored him.

I walked around to the driver's side of my car and opened the rear door before slipping my sandals off. I pulled off my shorts and tank top, folding them neatly and stacking them on the seat. I set my shoes on the floorboard and then locked and closed the door before I bent into position and shifted.

As the skin-tingling sensation of shifting subsided, I moved and stretched my wolf body. Though I'd shifted once since I discovered what I was, I hadn't been active and now I felt the urge to move and work my muscles. I was surprised to discover how much stronger my sense of smell was in this form. The myriad of scents was distracting. I could smell the sand and the acrid scent of the creosote bushes that grew so well in the area, as well as the gasoline, oil, and exhaust odors that surrounded the two cars.

I padded the short distance to the tub where Brandon waited for me and discovered the water had a strong mineral scent, it wasn't an unpleasant odor, just unfamiliar. Moving further downstream, I took a drink from the edge of the cool pond before turning back to Brandon.

_Are you ready?_ I asked him mentally.

_As ever._ I heard his voice in my head as clearly as if he had spoken.

_Which way are we gonna head?_

_Over the dunes is boring, it's just endless hills of sand. Let's see if we can unearth a rabbit, chasing one will be fun._ He started toward the brushy area on one side of the clearing.

I followed his lead, watching carefully how he moved with ease in and around the brush we were headed into. I didn't notice the sagebrush until he brushed up against it, the more intense odor of creosote seemed to overpower the mild scent until we were right on top of it, which surprised me. I pushed my way through the long branches of the bushes, ducked under the thorny arms of the occasional mesquite, and carefully avoided the frequent patches of cactus. It didn't take long for Brandon to startle a jackrabbit and the chase was on.

I moved at a dead run, dodging back and forth after the small creature. I found chasing the hare was more fun than I'd thought it would be. Brandon and I leapt over the smaller obstacles as we chased the smaller creature who easily darted under and through much smaller holes than we could manage. Before long, the two of us were working together without thought, working different sides of the chase, running parallel to the animal on either side instead of together. The small animal would turn one way and catch sight of one of us, turn and dart in another direction only to spot the other and dart back toward the first. After we had run several hundred yards, Brandon suddenly sprinted forward into the rabbit's path and caught it. With a sharp snap of his jaws, he broke the animal's neck.

I didn't want to watch him eat his catch, so I turned and started back toward the cars as he settled down to enjoy his snack. I made the trip slowly, in no hurry at all, taking my time investigating all the different smells along the way. I was about halfway through the trip back when I caught a scent I couldn't identify.

I called out through the mental channel we had been using all morning.

_Brandon, can you hear me?_

_Yeah, I'm not far behind you. Didn't take me long to finish him off._

_Come up here and tell me what this scent is, please,_ I asked. _I can't place it._ His feet made small patting sounds on the soft soil as he came up behind me.

_Where is it?_

_Right here. What is that scent?_ I was eager as he bent down to sniff the spot.

_Ahh... That's javelina. You don't see them much during the day, but watch out for them around dawn and dusk. They're mean little shits._

_I've seen them before, I know what they are. But we're bigger than they are, wouldn't they be afraid of us?_

_No more than they're afraid of humans. Your best bet if you run across them is to just keep your distance and leave them be, they're almost never alone, and they're wicked fast too._

_I'll remember that._ I continued my exploration as we worked our way back to the cars.

Once we arrived at the parking area, I sensed Brandon was ready to shift. And worse, that he was going to do it right in front of me. I wished there was a way I could keep him from shifting until I could get to the other side of my car. He was my friend, __ I had no desire to see him like that. I quickly loped around to the other side of my car for a little privacy to shift myself. Once I got where I wanted to be, I shifted into human form as quickly as I could, then placed my thumb on the small panel on the driver's door to unlock the car. I opened the rear door and dressed in the clothes I had left on the seat. I was just slipping my sandals on as Brandon came around the side of the car.

"Hey! Why'd you do that?"

"Do what?" I frowned, not sure what he was talking about.

"Keep me from shifting."

"How could I have done that? I have no clue how shifting works. How could I have done anything to stop it?"

"You did something. I was going to shift and it was like I was being restricted, like someone was holding me in wolf form. Then you walked around the car, out of sight, and suddenly I could shift. It had to be you. You're the only person here."

"I didn't stop you on purpose. I wished you would wait until I was out of sight, but I had no clue I could keep you from shifting."

"It might be possible your wish for me not to shift in front of you kept me from shifting if you are developing that talent. The only person in the pack I know of with the talent is our Harmonia, so I'm not exactly sure how it works."

"I'm supposed to meet her tomorrow, I think. Bill said it was the first time that everyone's schedules made it possible."

"Good. Be sure and let them know what happened here."

"I will; I'll tell Bill when I see him in the morning." I pulled on my watch. Glancing down at the face, I was surprised to find we had been out for several hours. I sat down on the rear seat of the car where the door was still open. My stomach rumbled, reminding me to eat something. Reaching around behind me, I grabbed the cloth bag filled with stuff from the grocery store. I pulled out one of the shakes and shook it for a minute before popping the seal and draining it in one long drink.

"You want one?" I offered the other to Brandon as he stood, watching me.

"No, thanks. I had the rabbit, remember? Those are a good idea, they might not keep well in the car during the heat of the summer, but they'll work the rest of the year. Plus, they've got a lot of nutrients."

"That's what I thought when I saw them. Quick, easy calories and they aren't totally nasty, like those protein bars, either."

I pulled an apple out of the bag and offered it to Brandon, he accepted it. "Thanks." He polished the skin against the front of his shirt before taking a large bite. I pulled a second apple from the bag and bit into it myself. The crisp flesh squirted juice into my mouth with every bite. It was the best tasting apple I'd eaten in years. After eating, we loaded up and went our separate ways.

That evening, Bill called reminding me I was supposed to be at his house the next morning, and that I would be there a while. Apparently, he had some information for me. Now the only question was, would the information give me answers, or leave me with even more questions.

# Chapter 4

LATER THAT EVENING, alone in my small apartment, I felt lost. The shock was starting to wear off and I wandered through the place on auto pilot, not really thinking about what I was doing. I took a long shower, cleaning off the grime from the trail. Though I couldn't see anything, I felt like I was covered in sweat and dust. The hot water helped to clear my mind.

It was while I was shaving my legs in the shower that I noticed the pinkish marks I'd shown Bill just a couple of hours earlier, all that had been left from the snake bite at the time, had disappeared. My skin no longer bore any trace of the event that had changed my life forever. I had mixed feelings about that, a part of me thought there should be a physical mark left after such a life-altering event, but another part was just glad not to be reminded of it every time I saw the scar.

I went to bed early, completely exhausted. I quickly fell asleep, but my sleep was restless. I dreamt of snakes, wolves, and snakes that turned into wolves and spoke to me. I woke several times trying to escape the disturbing dreams. More than once I could have sworn I heard something, things that I knew I couldn't possibly be hearing. Voices, conversations in the apartments surrounding mine, footsteps in the gravel that surrounded my building two floors below my apartment.

Each time something woke me, I would hold still and listen closely for a moment, trying to hear the sound again but hearing nothing. It was like the sounds kept disappearing. I told myself I was imagining things and after a while I just ignored whatever had woken me and rolled over and went back to sleep.

Despite having gotten into bed early, I ended up sleeping late the next morning. The restless night left me groggy. I got up and started moving around late that morning, but I wasn't really thinking about what I was doing. I was planning to meet my friend, Isabel, for lunch and then together we were going to go shopping. I wanted to look for some new boots to go with the shorts I planned to wear dancing that evening. My mind was on my plans for the day and what shops I wanted to check for the boots I had in mind as they might be difficult to find in the area.

Absently, I reached into the cabinet and grabbed a glass, I was filling it with water in the sink when it shattered in my hand, splashing water and glass all over the sink and leaving a small shard of glass embedded in my palm at the base of my thumb. All thoughts of shopping gone, I gingerly pulled the tiny piece glass free and dropped it into the sink with the rest of the pieces. I stuck my hand under faucet and used the still running water to wash the excess blood away from the cut so I could see exactly how bad it was.

I wondered briefly if this was something that I could deal with myself or if I needed to call someone for help. What I could see of the wound told me the cut wasn't large, but it appeared to be deep and it was bleeding quite a bit, though not spurting. I decided to try applying pressure to the wound and see if the bleeding stopped. If it didn't after a few minutes, then I'd call someone. I pulled a clean napkin from the drawer next to the sink and wet it so I could check the wound, without pulling any forming scab away, and covered the cut. I pressed my hands tightly together. Using my elbow, I slid one of the chairs away from my small dining table and sat down and waited.

After two or three minutes, I gingerly lifted the corner of the cloth off my palm. Turning my hand until the light hit it, I about fell out of my seat when I realized that not only had the bleeding stopped, but there was no longer any sign of the cut. Unable to believe what I was seeing, I went to the sink, washed the quickly drying blood from my hands, and checked again. Sure enough, there was no sign at all where the glass had cut me. I went into my bedroom where I had plugged in my PCD when I unpacked my backpack the night before and called Bill.

I heard the line ringing on the other end and hoped he would answer. A wave of relief washed over me when I heard the deep rumbling, "Hello?" on the other end. My knees sagged and I sat on the edge of my bed.

"Bill? It's Nickie." I heard a slight tremble in my own voice

"Hello, Nickie. How are you doing this morning?"

"Honestly, I'm a little freaked out right now."

"Oh? What's happened?"

"I accidentally broke a glass this morning, apparently I just squeezed it too hard."

"I should have warned you about that, I hope you weren't hurt."

"Well, that's kind of the thing. I was, but I'm not." I was on the verge of rambling but I managed to keep from blurting out everything running through my mind.

"All right... care to elaborate?" His voice was calm but concerned.

I took a deep breath and let it out, trying to calm myself.

I recounted the accident, telling him how I had treated the wound, then continuing with, "Like it had never happened. I might have thought I had imagined it, except there was still blood all over my hand and on the cloth. Am I losing my mind?"

"Not at all, small wounds heal quickly for most of us, but for it to be gone that quickly, it could mean you'll be a fast healer, which can be both good and bad."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I mean that it'll take a lot to hurt you seriously, which is good. But it can also put the secret of the Kitsune at risk. If a human sees a wound or injury and then hours or days later it's gone, the secret could get out. Which, I'm sure you realize, wouldn't be good."

"I see... is there someone I should see about this?"

"No, just continue as usual, but try to remember not to handle breakable things for a few days. Have you noticed anything else?"

"I would swear I was hearing things last night, it woke me several times, but I thought it was just my imagination..."

"What kind of things?"

"People talking inside my neighbor's apartments, the gravel in the courtyard crunching underfoot, but my apartment is on the third floor. There is no way I could actually be hearing those things."

"You probably were hearing them. Your hearing is starting to adjust. Eventually, your hearing will be much closer to a wolf's hearing than a human's.

"I didn't even think about your living in an apartment. You're now discovering why few of the Kindred live in apartments if they can help it. It's difficult to keep from hearing things you'd prefer not to hear.

"You broke the glass because it appears that you're gaining strength already as well. Kindred tend to be much stronger than the average person. It will take some adjustment but you'll get used to it. I'd suggest you take some time off work, a week or two would probably do. At least until you get used to your strength and hearing. You don't want to call attention to yourself by breaking things or commenting on conversations you shouldn't be able to hear."

"I don't really see any other option, so I guess I'll go in first thing Monday morning and ask for some time off. We don't have anything big on the schedule for the next week or two so it shouldn't be a problem."

"Good, if you get the time, come on over here when you leave the office and we'll talk about how things are going. If you can't get the time, just call and let me know."

"Will do. Thanks for answering all my ditsy newbie questions."

"Not a problem. I'm really glad you're handling this so well."

"Well, what are my options? Go crazy? Have a nervous breakdown?" I laughed.

"Pretty much."

"No thanks. Not my style. Oh, I was gonna ask. Should the snake bite have healed completely already?"

"You mean to a scar?"

"No, not even a scar. It's totally gone."

"Hmm, it's a little faster than I expected, but not unheard of."

"Nothing's wrong then?"

"No. Not with the healing, or anything else that I'm aware of. Just be careful handling breakable objects for a while until you learn to control your growing strength."

"I will. I guess I'll talk to you later then. Bye."

"Bye," Bill said. I hit the end button to disconnect the call before I set down my PCD and went to clean up the mess I'd left in the sink.

I met Izzy at a local Mexican restaurant for lunch. One of those little mom and pop restaurants you can find pretty much anywhere in the southwest. It had a generic decor of walls painted a burnt orange color, and sombreros, ponchos, and guitars hanging on the walls, along with a few of the mandatory desert scene paintings scattered around the place. The surroundings may have been a bit cliché, but the food was some of the best in town. Izzy and I usually took turns picking where we ate when we'd have the time to get together, and this was one of her favorite places.

I'd already been seated at a table and was busy perusing a menu, trying to decide what I wanted to eat when she arrived a few minutes late, as usual. As Izzy moved around me and sat in the booth seat across from me, I noticed she carried the scent of warm chocolate with her. I wondered for a moment why she would eat chocolate before lunch but quickly dismissed the thought.

"Hey, girl, how've you been?" I asked, laying my menu against the table between us.

"Good, busy as ever. You?" She smiled.

"You know me. Work, play, family, it never ends." I wanted badly to share the most recent changes in my life but knew I couldn't.

"Speaking of family, how's that sexy brother of yours? Still single?" She wiggled her brows at me.

"You must be thinking of some other friend. I don't have any sexy brothers, just annoying ones." I pretended ignorance but knew what she was doing. Raine was just a year older than Izzy and me, and Izzy had been drooling over him since we were teenagers.

"You know exactly who I mean, missy." She gave me a mock scowl.

"Raine's good. As far as I know, he's not dating anyone but that could just mean he's not serious, or that he doesn't want to be teased about it." Raine wasn't interested in Izzy, but I didn't know how to tell her it was a lost cause.

"I don't know how the six of you manage to tease and torment each other the way you do and keep from being angry at each other all the time."

"We know it's all in fun. The teasing and laughter is how we bonded as kids, making the new kid laugh by picking at the others was a game with us. I'm sure it drove Mom crazy some days, but it's a part of who we are."

"Your family still amazes me. Not just the six kids, but four of you being adopted, and to have a group like that as tight as you are. It's really amazing." The scent of chilies caught my attention as Izzy spoke, but I ignored it and focused on our conversation.

"We've all been really lucky. But how's your family? Your mom, how's she doing?"

The young, blond waitress came to take our orders. I caught a hint of caramel in the air as I ordered an enchilada plate. After Izzy chose the chimichanga, enchilada style, the waitress left us alone again.

"She's had a hard time since Dad passed away. I mean, we knew it was coming, but now she's alone in the house and it's hard for her. I'm trying to convince her to take a trip, maybe go visit Aunt Inez in Texas. If I can get her to leave, then my sister and I can get in there and box up Dad's stuff. I think that might help. His clothes still hang in the closet next to hers because she just can't handle boxing them up."

As Izzy spoke of her father's passing away and how her mother was handling it, I caught an unfamiliar scent, one I couldn't place. Something about the strange scent caused an echo of her sadness to run through me.

"That has to be hard. I can't imagine having to go through that."

"It definitely hasn't been easy, but I think if we can get some of his stuff out of the house she might be able to move on."

"Won't she get more upset when she comes back and finds it all gone?"

"She might be a little, but she's been saying she needs to clean out the closet, she just can't bear to do it. I can't imagine how hard it must be for her to see his clothes every day and be reminded he's not coming back. His recliner in the living room next hers, now forever empty. And we're not going to get rid of anything right away, just box it up and put it in storage."

"I think that's a good idea. Give her some time to heal with it out of sight, then she can decide what she wants to do with it all."

"Yeah, well, we need to convince her to take the trip first. That's proving to be harder than I'd hoped."

"Have you considered calling your aunt and having her call and asking your mom to come out and help with something?"

"That hadn't occurred to me. I'll have to call Aunt Inez and see if we can come up with something."

The waitress appeared beside the table carrying our plates, she set them down in front of us and my nose was assaulted with the odors of the beef and beans, the spices in the rice, and the chilies in the sauce. I couldn't speak for a moment because of the sensory overload. I picked up my plastic cup of iced tea and took a long drink to cover my distress.

"Is there anything else I can get for you?" The waitress asked. I just shook my head, still unable to speak, while Izzy answered.

"I think we're good for now. Thanks."

We spoke little while we ate and as we left the restaurant, we both got into my car, leaving Izzy's car parked there for the time being. We went to several chain stores first, with no luck, before deciding we needed to switch to boutique shops if we had any hope of finding anything like the boots I had in mind. I wanted something at least knee high but possibly as tall as mid-thigh, and with at least three-inch heels, in good, black leather if I could get it. They would be pricey but a good quality pair of boots would last years, which would make them worth the money.

As soon as I walked in the door of the first boot and shoe boutique, the harsh scent of chemicals in the air almost overwhelmed me. I hesitated at the door a moment before stepping inside, I'd been here too many times to count and I'd never smelled anything like this before, it confused me. The scent made me want to snort or sneeze to try to clear it from my nose. It was all I could do to keep my distaste of the strong odor off my face while we browsed through the store's selection. I spotted a pair of boots that were a little like what I wanted, but not exactly, and asked the clerk to bring out a pair in my size so I could try them on, even though I was afraid they weren't nearly as tall as I wanted. The slender, blond girl was smiling pleasantly when she brought me the box. I sat down and rested the box on my lap to open it.

I lifted the lid and a burst of scent rushed into my face, like that first blast of scent that hits your nose when you break the seal on a package of coffee. It was the same chemical smell that had hit me when we walked into the store. Suddenly, I knew it wasn't the store itself that suddenly had a new smell, but rather it was my nose picking up scents I'd never even noticed before. It was a struggle, but I did my best to ignore it.

I slid my feet into the boots and zipped the zipper, which ran up the back of my calves to where the boots stopped, closed before standing and walking around to see how they felt on my feet. I rocked back and forth, flexing the muscles in my feet while trying to get a feel for how they would wear over time to determine if they felt good enough to overlook the fact they weren't anywhere near as tall as I wanted as they only came up to mid-calf on me.

When I turned back toward Isabel to ask her opinion, I heard it... a quiet voice I couldn't place.

"Come on, just get 'em. It's time for my lunch and I want out of here!" I glanced around, unsure if someone had slipped up behind me and was playing a joke, but the only other person, besides Izzy and I, in the shop was the clerk who had gotten the boots for me, and she was standing back at the counter where she had been when we walked in. She appeared busy with something on the counter but I could tell she was watching us out of the corner of her eye. I wondered briefly if she'd made the comment before I decided to ignore her and turned back to Isabel, pretending I hadn't heard anything.

"What do you think?"

She stared down at my boots, her eyes squinting as she considered how they looked for a moment before answering "Well, they're not really what you wanted, but they look good. If you want those, get them. Or we can always keep looking and come back if we don't find anything better." I walked over to the full-length mirror again and looked them over from several angles while I considered them. I liked them but they just weren't what I wanted. They wouldn't complete the outfit I had in mind, they would merely go with it. Deciding not to get them, I took the boots off and carefully put them back in the box the way I had found them. I thanked the clerk, telling her they weren't quite what I had in mind but that I'd be back if I changed my mind, and then we left the shop, without my hearing anything else out of place.

Our next stop was another boutique shop. This time I was prepared for the harsh chemical smell and it didn't bother me quite so badly. I got lucky and found a great pair of boots. They were almost exactly what I had in mind, only even better. These were black leather, had three and a half inch heels, they came up to mid-thigh, and they fit me perfectly. Better than anything I'd imagined. When I tried them on, I noticed the leather was a little stiff, but I knew it would soften with a little wear. It meant it was a good quality leather that would last well and be worth the price. I was so glad to have found them because it meant no more shops with the harsh odors and that, best yet, I wouldn't need to go back to the first shop where I probably would have seen the girl who seemed to be muttering rude things behind me.

Having found my boots, we were through shopping for the day. Izzy and I decided to split up until later and we went back to our own places, agreeing to meet at nine at the nightclub we'd picked out for our evening's fun. I dropped her off at her car before I drove home.

Once I reached my third-floor apartment, I thumbed the lock on the door and stepped inside. As soon as I closed the door behind me, I dropped my shopping bag just inside and started immediately stripping. I suddenly felt the need to shower right away. I had to wash off all the random odors I could still smell clinging to my skin from the things and people I had encountered today, plus it would give my hair a chance to dry before I had to style it.

I was in the shower when I opened the bottle of shampoo I'd been using for the last couple of weeks, I was overwhelmed by the strong scent coming from what I had previously thought was only a lightly scented product. I struggled for a minute with the window above the tub. I finally managed to break the seal, which had formed when the sill had been painted over before I moved in, and let some fresh air into the room, or rather, letting some of the heavily perfumed air in the bathroom out. Even then, I rushed the rest of my shower so I could escape the room before the perfumes could give me a headache.

I dressed in a light weight soft green tank top and darker green shorts in a slightly heavier fabric to wear around the house, just in case someone should knock on the door or I should need to step outside before I got dressed to go out. I had a couple of hours and I still had to eat, I didn't want to risk getting anything on my dancing clothes.

It was as I was standing in front of the mirror brushing the tangles out of my shoulder length hair so it could dry that I noticed the small scar near my hairline. It was left over from when I'd run into a low hanging limb while chasing Cameron when I was about six. I'd had to have six stitches to close the wound and I still smiled at the memory of milking it for all the sympathy I could get from my older brother, who'd felt guilty for having been teasing me to begin with. It wasn't really something I paid much attention to anymore, but it seemed smaller. I would have sworn it was at least an inch long, and now it seemed to be only slightly over half an inch. I'd have to remember to ask Bill about it.

I met Izzy outside the front door of The Spark, the dance club that was the current hottest spot in town. It was located a bit out of the way, about twenty minutes east of town, but it was worth the drive. You could count on the music to be the latest and hottest dance mixes, and the crowd was always ready for some fun.

I'd dressed carefully for the evening, in short, black leather shorts, which left several inches of bare thigh between the bottom of the shorts that appeared to be painted on and the tops of my new boots, and I'd paired them with a leather halter top the color of fresh blood. Normally, I couldn't have gotten away with a halter top, I'm just too top-heavy go without wearing a bra and even a halter bra's straps always manage show. I find it tacky and I refuse to go out in public wearing my underwear on display. But I'd recently found that with leather tops, the leather's stiff enough it contains, and shapes, my bust quite effectively.

Izzy was dressed in pastels of silk and lace, a cute little pale pink summer dress with spaghetti straps and lots of ruffles and flounces. If it weren't for the low cut of her neckline and the short length of her skirt, the dress could have been made for a little girl. I couldn't have worn it, but she had that petite body that not only pulled it off, but made it look good. Standing together, we looked like contestants in a naughty and nice outfit contest.

We paid the cover charge and stopped at the bar to get a couple drinks on our way to the dance floor. I asked for a fruity blended drink. It was something that didn't have a high alcohol content but it would give be something cool to drink for a little while. We'd be finding a table soon so we could sit for a bit and scope out who all had shown up before we moved out onto the dance floor. I wanted to get a feel for the attitude of the place before I involved myself..

It was about nine thirty when they cranked up the music to get everyone dancing. Don't get me wrong, it was already loud, just not nightclub loud. When they turned it up, I began to feel as though I had been jammed inside one of the speakers. I could feel the music vibrate through me, and at times I felt deafened by the beat of the drums, but I was determined to ignore it and enjoy the night with Izzy. The music hadn't been turned loud for more than a song or two when I finished my drink. I set the empty glass on the table for the waitress to pick up on her next round and I moved out onto the dance floor.

The floor was already crowded, most people were dancing without partners or just as often in pairs or groups of friends. There were only a few couples, at least so far, but it was still early. As I danced my way toward the middle of the dance floor, I watched the people around me while I moved to the beat of the music, which made me feel like my entire body was moving on its own. The odor of alcohol was strong, as was the scent of sweaty bodies as they moved in the tight space, and the aromas of the colognes and perfumes the people surrounding me were wearing was even stronger I blocked it out and focused on the music and moving my body to the rhythm.

I was almost completely absorbed in the song and my dancing when it started.

_Geez, I can't stand him, I can't wait till I can escape this night from hell and go home!_ It sounded as if someone had whispered it into my ear. I turned, looking to see if someone had snuck up behind me and whispered in my ear, and that's when I realized it couldn't be someone speaking to me. It had been whispered, not yelled, and there was no way a whisper would be heard in here, not with the music this loud. Even speaking normally was impossible to hear in here. It had to have been inside my head, but that wasn't possible.

I'd almost decided I must have imagined it when another voice echoed through my head.

_I'm going to find the hottest guy here and take him home, I'll make that sorry ass pay for sleeping with that skanky whore!_ I knew this couldn't be something as easy to explain as my hearing improving. It was almost as though I was hearing people's thoughts, but I wondered how that could be possible. Unable to come to a definitive conclusion that made sense to me, I did my best to ignore the phenomenon and went on with my dancing.

A few minutes later, I jumped several inches when Izzy came up behind me and tapped my shoulder to get my attention. I turned and smiled at her, realizing she was just letting me know she was joining me on the floor and she started dancing to the blasting music beside me. We danced together for a few songs and then we sat down at another empty table to catch our breath for a few minutes. We caught the attention of a passing waitress and ordered ourselves new drinks. We shouted back and forth for a few minutes but soon gave up and made only occasional comments to each other about the people around us and how some of them were dressed or acting.

I left the money for my drink and tip with Izzy and made a quick trip to the ladies' room. While I was washing my hands and checking my make up in the mirror, it happened again. I heard a quiet voice in my head just as I had several times today.

_What on earth is he thinking? I can't believe he just said that to me!_ I was no longer surprised by the occasional bits that ran through my head, and I didn't even bother to look around me. Besides, it could have been any one of several women checking their reflections in the bathroom mirrors, I didn't want to try figuring it out. I quickly dried my hands and went back out to join Izzy.

When I made it back to our table, I found that our drinks had arrived. I picked mine up off the table and took a sip as I sat beside her.

"Did I miss anything good?" I shouted to her as I leaned back in the padded bench seat and rested the hand holding my glass on my thigh.

"Nah, nothing worth mentioning." Her eyes were still on the crowd in front of us. Half the reason we go out was the fun of people watching. It gave us something to talk about for weeks, with what some people would do while drinking and dancing. As I watched the crowd become more flamboyant as they became more intoxicated, I noticed I wasn't feeling any of the usual effects from the alcohol. Generally by now, I would be at least a little fuzzy, not drunk, but not sober either. I wasn't feeling any of it. It was as if I were drinking water.

It took me a little bit longer than Izzy to finish this round, and she motioned to me that she was going to head out onto the dance floor when she set her empty drink down. I nodded my understanding as she moved into the crowd of bodies in the middle of the room. The crowd was much larger now than it had been when we arrived and the group on the dance floor was now about half couples and half singles or groups of dancers.

I finished my second drink and set my glass down on the table, moving to join Izzy on the dance floor. I was walking out onto the dance floor when one of the women already on the floor bumped into me, as she hit me I heard another voice in my head.

_Shake it, Baby! Maybe I can talk this hottie into going home with me tonight!_ I didn't know if it was the woman who bumped into me and I didn't care anymore, between the voices in my head and the music beating through my body, I didn't know how much longer I could take it.

I danced a few more songs with Izzy and motioned her to a somewhat quiet section of the bar.

"Iz, I just can't take anymore. I'm sorry to do this to you, but I've got a massive headache and the music's only making it worse. I've got to get out of here."

"Do you want to go somewhere else?"

"No. You stay, enjoy yourself. Tell me what I miss. I just want to get home and go to bed. Hopefully, this will fade before morning."

"I'm sorry you're not feeling good, but I understand. Go, get some rest. Call me when you can and we'll get together."

"I'll call soon, I promise." I gave her a hug.

I wound my way out of the club and out to the parking lot to find my car. I always park directly under a light so it's harder for someone to sneak up on me, but tonight I found as I walked out into the dark night I could see almost as clearly as if it were daylight. I sat behind the wheel for a moment, dropping my head backward until it hit the headrest as I reveled in the near silence. I could still hear the music from the club, but it was faint and muffled instead of beating its way through my body.

I realized later that it was a good thing my headlights were automatic, because I might have forgotten to turn them on for the drive home, the night just didn't seem as dark as it normally did.

Back at my apartment, I took an over-the-counter pain killer, showered again because I couldn't stand the feeling of my makeup and hair products on me while I slept, and crawled into bed to try to relax enough to get the pounding headache to go away.

# Chapter 5

IT WAS ALMOST noon when the phone rang Sunday morning. I looked at the screen as I picked up my PCD, checking to see who it was. The picture and the name on the device told me it was Brandon. I wished for a moment I could stay mad at him, but I'd never been able to manage it for very long. I touched the button to answer the call.

"Hello?" I asked, lifting the small device to my ear.

"Hey, Nickie, how're you doing?"

"Pretty good, all things considered. I have the occasional moment of thinking I've dreamed it all, but I know better. There are some things I just can't deny, even to myself..." He laughed on the other end of the line, and I continued, "it certainly doesn't help things that there's no trace of the bite left."

"Really? Already? No scar, nothing?" he sounded surprised.

"Nothing at all, they were gone by bedtime that night."

"Wow. Does the Anikitos know?"

"Yeah. I told him when I talked to him yesterday. You know, the way you're calling him the Anikitos is bizarre. He's always just been Bill to me."

"You'll get used to it. Most of the pack calls him either sir or Anikitos, only a few people have permission to call him by name."

"I guess, it's just weird."

"I'm certain it won't be the weirdest thing you'll encounter now that you know about us," he said with a laugh.

"I'm sure that's true, but let's not rush things. Let me get used to what's on my plate right now before you throw something even weirder at me." I laughed back. "I'm just going to say it, I'm not happy that you kept it from me. I understand why, so you get a pass on this one. But no more big secrets. Got it?"

"If you say so," he said, then changed the subject. "Have you noticed any other signs that you're adjusting?"

"Yeah, I keep picking up odd scents," I replied, accepting the change of subject. "Sometimes they're strong, sometimes they're just something out of place. I've started noticing that everyone has a unique scent, one that no matter what they've done, what scent they might wear, they always have the unique scent as well."

"Yes, everyone has their own personal scent, and eventually, with practice and repetition, you'll learn to catalog and sort the different scents and then you'll just automatically know whose scent it is when you smell them."

"I'll keep that in mind. While we're talking about senses, what about hearing? Oh, my word! I sometimes wonder if it's going to make me crazy being able to hear what they're saying in the next apartment or the one on the other side of that, even the one below me. When I first noticed it, I thought I was imagining it, but Bill told me I probably wasn't."

"Probably not, but you'll get used to it. It'll take some practice but you'll learn to tune out or focus on something you don't mind hearing. You might want to consider finding a different place, something not in a shared building."

"I don't want to, if I can help it. I love this place, I don't want to give it up if I don't have to. Besides, it would raise a lot of questions with my family and most of my friends if I suddenly move for no reason."

"True."

"I'll do what I can to learn to ignore it and continue with my life. It's odd, though. There have even been a few times I would swear I was hearing not only what people were saying but what they were thinking too, but I know that's impossible."

"Actually, it's not. It's possible that you're telepathic. You need to let the Anikitos or the Alekto know next time you talk to one of them. They'll have someone teach you to shield. That'll help you keep from hearing random thoughts."

"I'll be sure to say something about it then. What I'm having the most trouble with is sleeping. I'm just not used to being able to hear people in the courtyard from my bed."

"I used to turn on the radio, it helped to drown out some of the extra noise, but you have to keep it very, very quiet, or it'll be distracting too. Or you can put an old-fashioned clock in your room, if you can find one. One of the old wind up ones, and at bed time you focus on the ticking. Concentrate on hearing that and only that. Any kind of white noise will probably work, a fan, an ocean's waves, or a similar recording set to play all night. You have a lot more noise to learn to ignore than most do, living in that apartment, most just have their families to deal with, but the principles are the same. It'll help that you're on the top floor and not on the bottom or middle."

"I'll have to try one of those, thanks for the ideas. I swear I've tossed and turned both nights. Every creak and groan, every step on the stairs outside woke me. Between that and the headache from the music last night, I'm ripped. I've had almost no rest since Friday."

"Music? Wait a minute, what did you do last night?" He was suddenly suspicious.

"I went out dancing with Izzy."

"You went to a night club within 48 hours of your first change?" Brandon was astonished. "And you didn't leave with your ears bleeding?"

"No, but by the time I called it a night, I had a massive headache. Sometimes the music sounded almost normal, but sometimes it was like I was inside the drum, inside the music, and it was tearing me apart."

"I'll bet! Didn't the Anikitos tell you that your hearing would be sensitive?"

"Not in those words, but he told me my hearing would improve. It never occurred to me the night club would affect me like that. Plus, Izzy and I have been planning on going out for a couple months and one or the other of us just hasn't been able to make it. I couldn't cancel on her again."

"And Nickie, being Nickie, will do whatever she pleases."

"Well, that too," I grinned, even though I knew he couldn't see it.

"Did he warn you about your strength?"

"Not until I called him yesterday morning having already had an encounter with it."

"What did you break?"

"What makes you so sure I broke something?"

"Number one, I know you, remember? Number two, been there, done that."

"Just a glass. I managed to cut myself while I was at it, but it healed in just a couple of minutes so it was no big deal. Oh, and the doorknob to my bathroom no longer locks. Apparently, that happens when they get twisted too hard." Brandon was laughing hard on the other end of the line and was unable to answer. "It really isn't that funny."

"Actually, you've done less damage so far than a lot of the first-timers do."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I mean, just think about it a second. Most first timers are teenagers and have the hormones and tempers."

"Oh dear, I can imagine. I remember how much of a terror I was at that age, without the extra strength to 'aid' things along. So, how much damage did you do?"

"Let's see, I broke the glass out of Mom's back door... twice. I knocked my bedroom door off the hinges. I had this thing for slamming doors. It's amazing how not having a bedroom door for a couple weeks will cure you of something like that," sarcasm all but dripped from his voice.

It was my turn to do the laughing and Brandon, unable to help himself, joined in.

"Anyway," he said, still gasping for breath. "You're doing pretty well. How about next weekend we go for a run? This time both of us can go on four legs."

"Um, I don't know..."

"Do you have other plans?"

"Well, no." I didn't have to lie to Brandon, I could just tell him I didn't want to go, but that wasn't the case. I did want to, I was just nervous about shifting again.

"So, why wouldn't we?"

"Well, um." He must have heard something in my voice.

"Nickie, have you shifted since we were out on Friday?"

"No, why would I?"

"You're afraid to shift again, aren't you?"

"Not afraid exactly..." I trailed off, after a moment's hesitation I blurted it out. "But what if I can't do it on purpose? What if it was just a freak thing? Or even worse, what if I can make it to wolf and not back to human again?"

I heard him take a deep breath and let it out slowly, looking for the right words before he spoke again.

"Nickie, if you're strong enough to shift back to human with the instructions I gave you and no other help, than you're perfectly strong enough to shift on your own, any time you want."

"I can't shift alone, at least not at first. I need a spotter, someone who can call for help if I can't shift back."

"Okay, I guess I can understand. What time do you have to be to your parents' this evening?"

"No later than six. Why?"

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes. That'll give us more than five hours for you into shift to your wolf, and back again, and even get the Anikitos or Harmonia to come help, if you need it, before you have to be at your parents."

"Are you sure we should do this today? We can't wait?"

"Yes, we need to do it today. No waiting. The sooner the better, the longer you wait the harder it'll be to convince you."

"I guess. "

"Good, now, pull a couple of the steaks from the freezer, I know you have some. I'll be there soon."

"Okay, I guess I'll see you then." I set down my already disconnected PCD on the table. Not sure what else to do, I did as Brandon had asked. I pulled a couple of steaks from the freezer and dropped them into a bowl of warm water to thaw while I waited for him. It wasn't long and when his knock sounded on the door, I jumped. I was so lost in thought I hadn't heard his footsteps coming up the stairs.

I knew it was Brandon before I opened the door to find him standing there, patiently waiting to be let inside. I motioned him through the doorway and turned, watching him step into my apartment before he closed the door behind him..

"Are you ready for this?" he asked.

"I'm not sure," I clenched my hands together, "but it can't hurt. I've got no excuses now and you're right, I'll be better off to do it now than to continue to put it off. So, what's first?"

"Well," he said slowly, "you have two choices, you can either change into something you don't mind being destroyed or you can do what the rest of us do and just take off your clothes first. Because just like your clothes the other day on the trail, when you shift, whatever you're wearing is destroyed."

That was more than a little unsettling. I'm a modest person. While sure, I might wear things like leather knee boots and booty shorts out dancing, there was relatively little skin showing. I just wasn't one to wander around in little to no clothing. I wasn't sure I could handle the lack of clothing, not just for me, but for everyone.

"Are you sure?" I held out hope that he was trying to pull one over on me.

"Sorry," he said. "I can make this a little easier for you if you'd like. How about I tell you what you need to do, then you go into the bedroom, strip, and shift. I want you to come out once you're in wolf form, though. Once you're in wolf form I want you to come out though. I want to see you in wolf form to make sure you made the shift with no problems. After that, anytime you're ready, I'll fire up the grill while you try to shift back. Once you're human again, I'll toss the steaks on. Then I'll answer any questions while we eat."

"Why are you so obsessed with eating? I'm going to my parents and if I don't eat there they'll know something's up." I latched onto my evening's dinner plans rather than focusing on the shifting I was expected to tackle momentarily.

"Because shifting takes energy. Shifting once takes a lot of energy, and shifting twice takes at least double that. After you've shifted twice you'll be starving. Remember how hungry you were Friday? It won't be quite as bad because you won't be doing the healing too, but trust me, you'll want something to eat. Eating now will keep you from eating more than normal in front of your family in a few hours."

That hadn't occurred to me.

"So, I'll fix something to eat, if you don't mind my invading your kitchen for a few minutes, while you practice shifting."

"Ok, I guess." I was reluctant, not that I minded Brandon in my kitchen. He was a good friend and spent a lot of time there, but something just didn't feel right. But as he started to explain what I needed to do, I dismissed my misgivings and listened.

"Good, now the first step is to sit, or bend down. It's possible to shift while standing, but it's easier if you don't have to, especially at first. Then it's the reverse of shifting to human, which you already know how to do. You just picture your wolf form and will yourself to take that shape."

"That's it?"

"That's it. It may take a few minutes to manage it at first, but it gets faster with practice."

"Okay, let me repeat this back and make sure I have it clear... I picture my wolf form, a large wolf with fur the same color as my hair. By the way, are all Kitsune wolves the same color as their hair?"

"No, you just happen to be, which will make it easier for you."

"Okay, so I picture my wolf form and simply wish myself into it?"

"Not just wish, but will. You need to want to be the wolf and concentrate on wanting to be the wolf. Your skin will tingle and feel really strange, like it did last time, and then you'll be the wolf."

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Okay, I think I'm ready to try this, wish me luck."

"Good luck. I'll be in the kitchen working on food. Join me once you're in your wolf form."

"You know where it is, make yourself at home," I went through the doorway into my bedroom. I pushed the door until it was touching, but not latched. My skin felt tight, I was nervous. I wasn't sure I could shift into my wolf form on purpose, at least not alone.

Slowly, I took off my clothes and folded them before stacking them in a neat pile on the foot of my bed. Once I was ready, I bent down until one knee rested on the floor next to my other foot. I leaned forward until my chest pressed against my upraised knee and placed my hands on the floor just in front of the knee and foot supporting my weight. Closing my eyes, I pictured a large wolf, one with soft auburn fur just the color of my hair. I wanted to be that wolf; I _needed_ to be the wolf. I felt the tingling start, the almost stinging sensation all over my skin, and then the bones and muscles in my body started to shift. The strange sensations almost broke my concentration but I remembered it was something that should be happening and refused to let it distract me. It was more painful to shift on purpose. Or maybe not being in shock from the snake bite, I was less distracted and noticed it more.

When the shifting and tingling finally subsided, I opened my eyes. I didn't feel any different. Wondering if it worked, __ I looked down at myself and found I was covered in shaggy fur. Carefully walking over to the full-length mirrors attached to my closet doors, I inspected my new body. I was large for a wolf, and the same deep red- brown color of my hair. There was no way I would be mistaken for someone's dog, unless there was some huge, red cross-breed roaming around I didn't know about.

I scratched at the bottom of my bedroom door enough to get my nose in the crack and swing it open. As I left my room, I marveled at the different perspective of my apartment in this form. I went into the kitchen where I could smell the potatoes Brandon had started cooking in the microwave, and the seasonings he was putting on the steaks. It all smelled so good. I heard him rattling things in one of the cabinets at the other end of the room. I walked over and used my nose to nudge the hand that was resting on the top of the cabinet door. He jumped. Brandon must have been concentrating on what he was looking for not to notice my nails clicking on the vinyl floor.

"Oh! You did it. Great."

I snorted at him, _Thank you, Captain Obvious._

"Hey," he laughed, "that wasn't nice!"

I sat, shocked. I hadn't intended for him to hear that.

"I guess we can say for sure about that telepathy now, huh? I might as well make use of it... do you have any corn?"

_Yeah, it's in the cabinet over the microwave._

"Great, I'll fix that, too. You can stay like that for a while or you can go shift back. It's up to you."

_I think I'll go shift back, thanks. I'll be back in a minute_. I turned for the bedroom.

Once in my room, I sat in the spot where I had started earlier and concentrated for a few moments on shifting back into human form. When the tingling stopped, I stood up and dressed. When I left the bedroom, I found Brandon standing on my balcony in front of the grill. The scent of the steaks cooking made my stomach growl.

"Wow! Those smell great."

"I told you, shifting twice takes a lot of calories and you need to replace them. These are almost done. Can you go grab a plate to put them on? We'll separate them and add the rest in there."

After shutting off the grill, Brandon carried the plate into the kitchen. "Just have a seat and let me finish here." He dished the steaks onto separate plates and added the other things.

"You shouldn't be waiting on me in my own kitchen, Brandon. How about I get the drinks?"

"Sounds good."

"What do you want?"

"Tea would be great if you have any, if not I'll take a soda."

"You know me, if there's no tea in the house it's almost a catastrophe." I pulled out two plastic cups and filled them with ice before adding the tea. "You'll have to live with plastic, 'cause I'm not risking handling any more glass for a while."

He chuckled, "Not a problem."

I put cups on the table in front of the two chairs then grabbed flatware and napkins out of the drawer for both of us. I was headed back to the table as Brandon set both plates next to the glasses. We took our seats and ate. I was surprised at how hungry I was and how quickly I devoured the food.

"Are you more comfortable about shifting now?" Brandon asked in between bites.

"Some. I'm less afraid of suddenly shifting and being stuck in wolf form now. That's something." I shrugged one shoulder.

"It'll get easier with practice. If you try, you can learn to shift fast enough to change in mid-leap."

"Really?"

"Yep. I can't do it, but I've seen it done."

"I have to admit. It would be cool," I said.

"It would be cool," he said. "You're gonna want to work on your reluctance to be undressed in front of others though. It isn't that the Kindred are immodest exactly. It's more that we're comfortable with casual nudity. We learn not to make an issue of it."

"Really?" I wasn't sure I could become so casual about it.

"Think about it this way. We often run in groups, several of us will meet somewhere very rural, and shift, running in wolf form together then shifting back before heading back into town. No bedrooms, and no restrooms to change in."

"I guess it makes sense, but still."

"I know. The idea is new to you. It makes you uncomfortable. Think about it for a while, get used to the idea."

"I'll try."

We ate in a comfortable silence for a few minutes. When we'd both finished our meal, we cleaned our plates, loading them into the empty dishwasher, before going into the living room to sit down. Brandon broke the silence.

"You're going to want to tell Bill about the telepathy. He'll most likely assign someone to work with you and help you develop it."

"I'll tell him, but I'll probably wait until tomorrow. I'm supposed to see if I can get some time off and then see him in the morning if I can, if not, I'll call him and let him know."

We visited for a while longer before Brandon left and I started getting ready for the weekly family dinner at my parents' house. I changed into something a little nicer than what I wore around the house and took the time to comb out my hair on my way out the door.

Sunday dinner at my parents' house is mandatory for everyone. The only acceptable excuses, if you are in town, are sudden serious illness, and death. Yours.

That Sunday I'd planned to arrive a little early so I could help Mom with the last of the cooking. When I arrived at the house, I didn't bother knocking, none of us kids did, before letting myself in. I called out as I closed the door to let them know it was me. They both came to greet me, stepping out of different rooms, but with the same purpose in mind. My mother popped out of the kitchen while my father had a bit farther to come from the living room at the end of the short hallway.

While hugging my mother, I noticed she carried the scents of yeast and cinnamon with her, they were like a soft dusting on the surface of her skin, which held a natural lemony scent, and it made me wonder briefly what she'd made for dessert.

My father's customary bear hug smelled of soil and the oils and fuels his tractors often smelled of, it hovered over the sweet, almost sugary scent that seemed to come directly from his skin. After greeting them both, I followed my mother into the kitchen while my father returned to the living room to the baseball game.

"How has your week been?" Mom asked as we got to work.

"Busy," I said. "Work mostly, but I went hiking with Brandon on Friday, spent some time with Izzy on Saturday."

"How is Brandon doing these days?" she asked.

"Pretty good. He's still working up at the mine, but he's on his seven-day, so our days off lined up and we were able to do something for the first time in a while," I was referring to the week off that all the shift workers at the mine get once a month.

"That's nice. How are his parents?"

"Good, as far as I know. He hasn't mentioned them in a while and I didn't think to ask."

We visited a few minutes longer before my sister Brittney and her family arrived. I stepped out into the hall to see them. The kids were in their usual wild animal state of excitement. If I didn't know better, I would have thought they hadn't seen their grandparents in months instead of the matter of days that it had been.

They were excited to see me too. I liked to think of myself as their favorite aunt. They knew that when Aunt Nickie was around, there would always be something fun happening. What could I say? I loved the little heathens and did as much as I could with them. I often picked them up and took them to the park for a couple hours of exhausting fun when I could make the time. But I'd admit that at the end of the outing, I was glad I could take them home to their mama and retire to the peace and quiet of my own apartment.

I picked up four-year-old Jimmy as he raced by and swung him up above my head, he squealed and laughed before I lowered him until I could hug and kiss his squirming body. I inhaled the clean grassy scent of the little boy, savoring the freshness. He swiftly escaped the 'baby kisses' and ran off to see what mischief he could get into as soon as I set him back on the floor. Standing, I reached over and took the baby, one-year-old Tammy, from my sister. I tickled and snuggled her too before settling her on one hip as I hugged her tight. She had the clean scent of her shampoo like a halo around her. She also smelled of a sweet strawberry candy scent and something in me told me it wasn't an added scent like her shampoo, it was just her.

Leaving my sister in the kitchen talking to Mom, I carried Tammy into the living room to see Grandpa and say hello to Tracy. Once the kids had climbed all over and said their hellos to my father, I took them over to the corner of the room and we dug through the basket of toys Mom kept for them. Many of the toys were leftovers from when we were young. There were a couple of favorites from each of us kids in the basket, though there were plenty of newer toys mixed in. It made me feel good to see my niece and nephew enjoying the toys I had loved as a child.

The kids soon chose a bucket of large plastic building blocks and I sat on the floor building with them for a few minutes. Once they were both engrossed in their creations, I left them under their father's watchful eye and rejoined my mother and sister in the kitchen.

I walked into the room in time to hear Brittney say, "She said she's been seeing him for a few months. I think she really likes him. If things continue to go this well, she may bring him down the next time she comes."

"Who?" I asked.

"Pace," she said, referring to our sister Payson. Pace wouldn't be here tonight because she could only afford to make the trip from Tucson, where she lived, about once every month or six weeks, and this wasn't one of those weeks.

"That'll be nice, I look forward to meeting her new guy. She hasn't brought anyone home in quite a while." I went back washing the dishes that had been used.

"It will be good to see her, and him, too, if she decides to bring him," Mom said. "I miss you all when you're not around."

"I told her to bring him, that we'd like to meet him, so who knows if she will," Britt continued. "And I think Cam's serious about Janelle. Like maybe ring serious." Cam was Cameron, one of our brothers; he had been seeing Janelle for a couple of years. Currently, Brittney was the only one of us kids who'd married or had kids, and she'd been eager since she found wedded bliss to see the rest of us that way.

A few minutes later, right at six o'clock, Raine walked in the front door. He made the rounds, kissing Mom and hugging Britt and I before he went into the living room to see everyone there. But after just a few minutes, he came back into the kitchen. He insisted Mom have a seat and just visit while he took over her share of the dinner prep.

I stopped what I was doing and stood looking at my brother. Something was different about him but I couldn't put my finger on it. He looked the same as he normally did. His long dark hair was pulled back in a neat braid that hung half way down his back. His face had the rounded features of those with predominantly European ancestry, except for his chiseled cheekbones, though his skin was much darker. It was obvious, at least to me, that he had a mixed heritage. I'd never been able to figure out exactly what mixture, but then I'd never actually asked either. I kept my attention on him too long and he noticed.

"What's up, trouble?" he asked, using an old family nickname.

"I'm not sure..." I continued to look at him. "Something's different but I can't place it." That grabbed my mother and Brit's attention and they started trying to spot some difference in Raine.

"Don't know what it could be, nothing's changed. I haven't even changed shampoos in months," he lifted one brow as he looked at me.

"I don't know either, but I know it's something."

"I can't see anything different, Nickie," Mom said.

"Me either," Brittney put in.

It suddenly occurred to me that maybe it wasn't that something about him had changed but that I was now picking up something I'd always missed. That perhaps I'm the one who had changed.

"I'm probably just imagining it," I let the topic drop and went about setting the table for dinner. I finished filling the glasses and cups with ice while Brittney set the roast and sides on the table and Raine added the salad and dressing.

Cameron showed up just as we were about to call the rest of the family to the table. He was just late enough that Dad would chew him out about it later. Like a typical sibling, I was just glad it wasn't me who was in line for that ass chewing.

I hugged Cam hello, noting the scent of leather, which seemed to come from his skin, and the sweat from his day, which was a thin coating over it. It made me think back and realize when I had hugged Raine I had smelled leather, but it was different. It wasn't his scent, it was just the scent of the leather he spent so much time carrying as part of his uniform. Raine's skin had had an almond scent to it, the sharp tang of sage mixed with the gentler milder aroma of oregano, and again I wondered exactly what it was about him that seemed so different now.

We gathered around the table and took our seats, my father bowed his head and blessed the meal before we all dug in.

"I'm sorry I was so late, I planned to be here earlier but got called in this morning. I got off with just enough time to rush home and change. If I had been five minutes later, I would have shown up in my uniform," Cam said.

"I thought you were supposed to be off today?" Mom asked.

"I was, but there was a three-car accident coming off the mountain and they called me in to help cover."

"That's too bad, anyone we know?"

"Nah, no one local, and no fatalities, but they had to fly a couple out to Tucson. They'll probably live but they were pretty bad off."

"So, what happened?" Cam asked.

"Driver thought he knew a lot more about mountain driving than he did. and I was stuck behind the backup the accident caused."

I heard a voice in my head, _I wish we could talk about something happier during dinner._

"How's Janelle?" I turned to Cam.

"She's good, I would have brought her tonight but she just got off an eighteen-hour shift and she was so tired she was slurring her words," Cam said.

"I'm sure that a good night's sleep will set her right, eighteen hours is a long shift," Mom put in.

"It is, someone called in sick and she stayed to cover their shift. The money's good but it exhausts you."

We had a good meal and used the time to catch up with each other. Shiloh was still in Flagstaff, going to school. She had opted to take a summer class and stay there to make it a little bit faster to get her degree. It also meant that she could have her pick of apartments in the area when most of the other students cleared out for the summer. This meant she wouldn't be at dinner that night, or much at all for a while yet. I guess, now that we were adults with lives of our own, four out of six wasn't a bad average for Sunday dinner, but I did miss my sisters and I'd be glad when they were both home again.

I always enjoyed Sunday evenings with my family, but it felt off tonight. I think it was mostly that I wanted to tell them the latest with me. I knew I couldn't and I was afraid even if I could, how would they react? I was having a hard-enough time dealing with what I was learning about myself, they would think I was losing my mind. I wanted to share, but knew I couldn't, at least not yet.

# Chapter 6

THE NEXT MORNING, I went into work and spoke with the Dean as soon as he came in. I told him I had some personal issues come up and I would really appreciate it if I could take the week off. Since we had nothing important planned for the week and he didn't need me there anyway, he let me have the time. I warned him that depending on how things went, I might need the next week as well. He said I had the vacation time available, I might as well use it during the summer while he needed me less.

With the time off arranged, I headed over to Bill's house. I pulled into the large circular driveway and parked my car next to Bill's pickup. As I approached the door and reached to knock, it opened beneath my hand, startling me. I gasped and jumped before noticing Bill standing in front of me, grinning.

"Come on in," he said, turning to lead me deeper into the house. "I heard your car in the driveway on my way to the kitchen."

I grinned at his upbeat mood and followed him. "What do you have in mind for me today?"

"We already know your strength and hearing are coming in. Have you shifted again? On purpose this time?"

"Yeah," I told him about shifting the day before. "OH! That's something I was supposed to tell you about. While I was in wolf form, I could think my responses to Brandon and have him hear them. He said I'm telepathic and to make sure I told you about it."

"Well, it means you have the ability to do at least one-way communication. Have you heard any strange thoughts from others?"

"Not that I'm aware of."

"You might not notice it at first, or you might not realize what it is at first. Sometimes you hear just random things, a sentence here and there, and with your hearing still coming and going you might think you were actually hearing someone say it."

"I did have that happen. I was out shopping on Saturday, with Izzy. I thought the sales girl was just being rude, but it's possible... Then it happened again, later at the club." I thought back over the things I had heard in the club that night.

"Wait, did you say you went to a club on Saturday?" he blinked in astonishment.

"Izzy and I had been planning it for weeks." I knew it was a weak excuse but I was going to use it anyway.

"How did that work out for you?" His tone was suspicious.

"Sometimes it wasn't too bad. Sometimes it was like I'd climbed inside one of the speakers and was going to be bounced across the room at any moment. By the time I gave up, I had a massive headache."

"I'm surprised you didn't walk in and turn around and walk right back out. Those places are hell on normal hearing, much less our sensitive ears."

"I know that now, but I didn't think about it when I went, and I didn't want to back out on Izzy again," I said.

"Instead of letting down a girlfriend, who would probably understand if you had just told her you didn't feel good, you tortured yourself. Sometimes, girl, I wonder about you."

"Yeah, I know. So does everyone else." I grinned.

"You were saying before I interrupted that you were hearing things at the club Saturday night?" "Yeah, and now that I think about it, most of it were things most people wouldn't say out loud. One girl didn't like her date and couldn't wait to escape. Another was determined to get revenge on her cheating partner. I just thought the noise was wreaking havoc with my hearing. But it happened again last night at dinner."

"Sundays are family dinners, right?"

"Yes, sir," I reverted to the habits my parents and grandparents had made sure all of us learned as children. I don't always use the term of respect with my friends, but I do with anyone not my age.

"Only you, Nickie," Bill shook his head as he rolled his eyes skyward. "Only you. Anyway, yes, you're showing signs of being able to use telepathy in both directions. To both plant your thoughts into someone's mind, and to pull thoughts from their minds as well. I'll work with you myself on learning to use those gifts, but I'll have Karen work with you on shielding so others with the same talents can't use them against you, unless you let them. Telepathy can be very useful in some situations, but also a nuisance if you're not prepared to deal with it."

He offered to fix me some breakfast along with his own but I had already eaten, just in case I ended up not getting the time off work. I wasn't hungry but I did accept a cup of coffee and sat with him while he finished cooking and ate.

"I did have something I wanted to ask, if you don't mind," I said.

"What is it?"

"Well, you know Raine as well as you know me, right? I mean, not that I think he's Kindred or anything. But in the fact that he's my brother and one of Dad's kids. Maybe in a you've been around him and are familiar with him', kind of way."

"Yes, of course. What about Raine?"

"I noticed it last night. There's something different about Raine. I couldn't place it. I still can't figure out what it was. But it's like I sensed something different from him all of a sudden. I couldn't see anything and he insisted nothing's changed, not even his soap. But I don't think I'm imagining it. After a few minutes, it dawned on me, it wasn't that something had changed with him, but with me. I realized I was probably sensing something that had always been there. I told him I must have imagined it, but I'm certain I didn't."

"I doubt you're imagining it, but let me ask a few people and see what I can find out. It may be that he has some strength or talent that you're sensing. I would guess from just looking at him, he has some Native American blood. There may be some talent or power he inherited and that's what you're sensing."

"Let me know if you find anything?"

"If I find anything to explain it, I'll be sure to let you know," he said.

"Thanks."

Bill picked up his dishes from breakfast and rinsed them in the sink before loading them into the dishwasher next to it. We moved into his office to start what he called my lesson for the morning.

We worked on picking thoughts from each other's minds on purpose and projecting only the thoughts we wanted another to hear into the others for several hours before Bill called a break and left me sitting limp and exhausted on his living room couch while he went to fix lunch.

A few minutes later, he called me in to eat and handed me one of the sandwiches he'd made.

"I have some people I'd like you to meet, but they aren't available until Wednesday. Could you come to dinner here Wednesday and meet them?" He watched me eat.

"I don't have any other plans. I'd be happy to meet whomever you want me to."

"It's our Lysandros and Harmonia, the couple who are second-in-command to the pack. They're the other numbers on the emergency card I gave you the other day. I think it would be a good idea for you to meet them and get to know them a bit."

"Sure," I said as Karen walked in.

"Hello, Nickie, how has your morning gone?" she asked me.

"Good, but exhausting."

"She's got the basics down. The rest will improve with practice. She's a quick learner," Bill said.

"That's good to hear. Did he totally exhaust you, or you going to be up for more this afternoon?" she asked.

"More of the same?"

"Not quite the same, but just as much work. It's different, but still something you'll need."

"Well, I was pretty worn out before, but between a bite to eat and a bit of rest, I am feeling better."

"The faster metabolism and needing to eat more will take some getting used to. You're probably still eating like you did before. Aren't you?" She gave me a knowing look.

"Well, yeah. No one told me I would need to eat differently; they just keep feeding me anytime I shift. No one said anything about needing more all the time. I've been thinking something is wrong with me because, suddenly, I'm always starving."

"Of course you're always starving. You burn a lot more calories now, even if you aren't shifting. Leave it to the men to forget that detail. They never worry about eating too much and just eat whenever they are hungry anyway. It wouldn't occur to them to tell you, now would it?" Karen shot a teasing grin at her husband.

"Sorry, I should have told you, Nickie, it just never occurred to me," Bill said apologetically. "Is that sandwich enough or do you want something more?"

I looked down at the almost finished sandwich in front of me. "Honestly, I'm still hungry." My face heated as I made the admission.

Karen went to the refrigerator behind her, opened the door, and looked inside for a moment. She pulled out half of an apple pie. "How about some pie?"

"That would be wonderful!" My mouth watered at the rich cinnamon scent coming from the dish.

"Do you want it cold like this, or warmed? I think I may even have some ice cream we could put on the side, if you'd like?" she asked.

"Warm with ice cream would be wonderful."

"No problem, let me just pop this in the microwave for a few seconds and I'll check for the ice cream," she said as she cut two large slices. She looked over at Bill, where he was hovering on the edge of the room as if reluctant to leave us alone. "There's no need to hang around and keep us company if you have something to do. We're going to have us some pie and ice cream, if you've left any ice cream. Then we'll go work on shielding basics. You go do whatever you need to do, we'll be fine." She finished dishing the pie onto a pair of plates and set them in the microwave.

"I haven't touched the ice cream, you should have plenty for your pie," he replied as Karen turned back to the remaining pie and re-covered it before setting it back in the refrigerator. "But since the two of you are set here without me, I have some things I need to get done. I'll see you later. Nickie, come by Wednesday morning for more practice, eight thirty or nine will be fine."

"Yes, sir," I watched Karen move around the kitchen as she fixed our treat.

By the time the microwave beeped, signaling the end of its cycle, Karen was ready. She pulled the plates out and set them on the counter before she scooped the ice cream out of the container. Bill kissed Karen's cheek before leaving.

Karen slid a plate across the counter to me before sitting down on the stool on the other side of the bar.

"How well are you handling things?" she asked.

"Okay, I guess. It's a lot to process."

"It is. I want you to know if you have any questions or concerns you're more than welcome to come to me or Bill. Even the things you might think are stupid little stuff."

I swallowed the food in my mouth before replying, "I'll keep that in mind, thank you."

"I'm sure you have questions. Things you've experienced that we just haven't thought to tell you about."

I remembered the shower I'd taken Saturday afternoon. "I do have a couple of questions, if you're sure you don't mind."

"I don't mind. What is it you want to know?"

"Do you remember when I was about six and I ran into the tree and split my head open?"

"Sure, you were chasing one of your brothers, if I recall correctly."

"Yeah, Cam had been teasing me and I was hot on his tail, determined to get back at him. Anyway, I ended up with stitches and I had a scar right here." I showed her the spot near my hairline were my scar used to be. "But Saturday afternoon, I noticed it seemed to be disappearing, and when I thought to check it again this morning, it was completely gone. Is that normal?"

"It's not unheard of, though, it generally takes longer. Do you have any other scars, or any worse scars? Worse than that one, I mean?"

"That's the only one I can think of, or at least the worst one. All my others were mostly scratches or odd small wounds to have scarred, but every scar I've thought of seems to be gone now."

"Hmm. That may be why it was so quick. It was the only larger scar your body needed to heal. Generally, it can take weeks or even months to get rid of scar tissue, depending on how much of it there is and how bad the scar is."

"If I had broken a bone or had some kind of serious injury, it would have taken longer to heal?"

"Exactly."

"I guess that makes sense, but it's going to take a little getting used to, not having that scar. It's been a part of me for so long."

Karen laughed. "You'll get used to it, trust me. Eventually, you'll come to expect healing like that."

"If you say so, I'll believe you. Right now, it's blowing my mind."

"It's a big thing to get used to."

"I have another question, if it's not too personal."

"What is it, dear?"

"Where can I find soaps and shampoos that aren't so heavily perfumed that taking a shower runs me out of the bathroom? I used to think the ones I had were lightly scented but I can't stand to be in the same room with them long enough to take a shower anymore."

"We have a pack member who makes organic soaps and shampoos, unscented and very lightly scented, just for the pack. Remind me before you leave and I'll give you her card. She makes things for normal humans too so someone seeing her products at your apartment won't raise any difficult questions. They make great gifts if there's anyone among your family or friends who are into that kind of thing."

"Thanks, I appreciate it. I didn't know who else to ask."

"No problem, dear. It's totally understandable. Most of us are raised in this world and know what to expect when our first shift comes. You've been thrust into it with no warning. We expect you to have questions and want to help you adjust. Now, Bill has asked me to work with you on shielding this afternoon, how do you feel about that?"

"If he says I need it, I'll do it, though I don't understand why."

"There are a lot of reasons to learn to shield, but I'll just go over some of the most important ones."

"Okay." I continued eating my pie and ice cream as I listened.

"As a telepath, you have experienced firsthand how overwhelming it can be to hear other's thoughts without trying to, shielding can stop that. It can also prevent other telepaths from reading your mind, unless you let them. You can also limit what you let them see should you choose to let them in."

"All right."

"Shielding also prevents those who also have talents from being able to borrow your powers or your strength without your permission. Basically, good shielding is a security measure. You want to be able to shut the door and have some privacy."

"I'm following you so far," I was starting to understand why Bill wanted me to learn this.

"I'll be honest with you. You can't expect instant results. It will probably take several lessons, and lots of practice, to learn to shield well."

I nodded.

"Today we're going to start with the basics, and I promise not to work you as hard as Bill did. Learning shielding can be tedious and exhausting, but unless you progress particularly quickly, I don't anticipate doing much of that today."

"Then what will be doing today?" I asked. While she had explained, I'd finished my pie and ice cream. I carried my plate around the bar so I could put it into the sink before turning back to face Karen.

"Every good shield, like any good building, needs a firm foundation. Today we're going to work on building your foundation. So something doesn't come along and shake your world and destroy all of your shielding in the process."

"All right." I wasn't following her 'shake the world metaphor' but wanted to move on.

"What we are going to start with today is meditation. Have you ever done any meditating?"

"Nope." I shook my head. "Not unless you count a couple of yoga classes."

"Yoga experience will help more than you'd think, you'll see once we get started. Our main goal right now is to center ourselves and concentrate on our core of energy. Let's go into the living room where we can be comfortable."

I smiled as I followed her. We each sat on opposite ends of her large sofa, facing each other with our legs folded lotus style, and got to work.

We spent a couple of hours working on meditation and focusing on our core of energy before I'd made enough progress that Karen decided it was time to advance, and I made my first efforts at shielding.

"I want you to picture a wall surrounding you, make sure it's completely surrounding you, top and bottom, too. Like a large bubble," she instructed. "You can make your wall out of anything you like. It can be water, stone, metal, or air; whatever you are most comfortable with. Make it look like anything you want it to, as long as it totally encapsulates you." Karen was quiet for a while as I worked on building my shields around me and making them look just the way I wanted.

I sat with my eyes closed while I pictured my shields in my mind, and when Karen spoke again it startled me.

"Alright, I want you to get up, move around, stretch out, work the muscles I'm sure are stiff and sore from sitting still for so long," she said. "That bubble you are picturing, those are your shields. You are going to need to practice this at least a couple times a day. Sit down and center yourself, focus on your shields, and concentrate on them. With practice, your shields will eventually become second nature. They'll exist without you having to think about them, centering yourself and focusing will reinforce and strengthen them. There is no such thing as shields being too strong. Once your shields are second nature and always up, all you'll do to drop them is to picture them gone, or picture a window opening in them to let in only a small amount of what's outside, whether you're actively concentrating on holding them or not," she paused. "Shielding isn't difficult, but it does take practice and work. If you fail to do your reinforcing, over time your shields will weaken and things will start to leak through."

I didn't really understand it, but she promised I would catch on with time and practice. It was about four o'clock when we called it a day. I told Karen I had something I wanted to do the next day but I'd be back on Wednesday. I stopped and picked up take out on my way home, and after eating, I took a long relaxing hot bath I took my PCD with me and read my latest book while I relaxed.

# Chapter 7

I ARRIVED AT Bill and Karen's house Wednesday morning. Bill was the only one there. He took me into his office and asked me to have a seat.

"I asked you to come today for several reasons. First, I want you to understand that because of the circumstances surrounding you and your discovery of the Kindred, you've gotten what some people will consider special treatment.

"I admit, I don't treat you the way I treat most of my pack, or like I treat my own children. If I had to make a comparison, I would probably say I treat you much as one treats a beloved god-child, which is very much how I have come to see you over the years. I wanted you to be aware it may cause hard feelings with some of the rest of the pack.

"Second, you need to understand how the pack works, the hierarchy and structure we live within. You saw a bit of it last week with Brandon. His addressing me as Anikitos, and his differential manner toward me. Those are only a small part of the way the pack works.

"So far, it looks like you'll be Alphic. That means you're powerful enough, and because I know you, I can say, dominant enough to be an Alpha, or other high-ranking pack member. Even if you don't want to lead, Alphic means that you _could_. You have the power and dominance.

"You already know a pack's leaders, Karen and I, are the Alekto and Anikitos. The second in command titles are the Lysandros and the Harmonia. They, like the pack leaders, are generally a married couple, though it's not required. They are also earned positions. You'll be meeting Hank and Alexis tonight. There are also several other positions, including Theron, which is a pack's chief enforcer, more security positions, elders and others, some necessary, some not. We do have a Theron, and though I'm sure you'll meet him, there's no need now.

"You also need to know Karen and I often have bodyguards around. They're part of the enforcer, or security team. You've never seen them because I've been careful around your father and I've kept them at a distance when he's around. You and he aren't a danger to me and I didn't want you to freak out with strangers hovering around. I'm going to have them stick around so you can get used to them."

"Okay." I blinked as I processed his words. There had to be more about pack structure and life that I didn't know yet, but who knew it was so complicated?

"There's also a lot more to the government, and basically ruling is how it's done. But you need to know Karen and I are in charge of seeing to it our pack follows the rules set down for all Kitsune."

"Set down by whom?"

"By the council. For now, think of the council like Congress. I don't want to give you too much information and overwhelm you. We have a little while before a couple people are coming by, so let's do something else and let the new information sink in."

"What do you have in mind?"

"Have you been practicing your telepathy?"

"Some. Brandon and I went out for a run yesterday. It was nice to be able to talk to him while in wolf form, more than just the barking and tail wagging I imagined."

"Where did you go?"

"Out to the hot tub on Haekel Road. I figured there was lots of space and few people around to spot us in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday."

He nodded his approval. "How did you like running as a wolf?"

"It was fun." She filled him in on the trip the day before up until Brandon's warning about the javelina. "He said even in wolf form it's best to avoid them."

"He was right. They're mean little buggers, and they don't care about size. Unless you want to hurt one or be hurt by one, it's best to just steer clear. Did you take anything to eat?"

I smiled. "I'd planned ahead. I stopped on my way out of town and picked up some fruit and a few of those meal replacement shakes. They don't taste the greatest but they worked really well, and they're better than protein bars any day."

"I never thought about those things, but they're a really good idea. I'll have to mention them to Karen. They would be good to add to the emergency bags we keep in our cars."

"Yep, they have calories and nutrients, fast. Not to mention, they transport and store well."

We talked about my run the day before and practiced my telepathy until the doorbell rang.

"You stay here; I'll get that." Bill stood.

I stayed where I was in the overstuffed leather chair in his office that I loved so much. Bill returned with two men following him. One looked about my age, maybe a little older, the other was a bit older than the first, but still not Bill's age. I looked up at the trio, my mind blank until Bill spoke, drawing my attention back to him.

"Nickie, these are my enforcers, my security," Bill said. I pulled my feet out from underneath me and stood to meet them. "This is Terry Vaughn; he generally works evenings and nights around here."

The older of the two men stepped forward. He was about 6' 2" with a short, military hair cut on his almost black hair, and even though it was cut short, I could tell he was starting to go gray. He was big, bulky, and muscular, like someone who did a lot of heavy lifting or spent a lot of time in the gym. His blue eyes were pleasant and he smiled as he extended one hand toward me. I stepped closer and shook his hand. He had a firm, sure grip without being too aggressive.

"Nice to meet you," he said.

"You, too," I was unsure what was going on. After he released my hand, Terry stepped back until he was once more standing next to the other man.

"This is Gabriel Hensen. You'll probably encounter him most as he has the day shift." Bill introduced the younger man.

Gabriel wasn't as tall as Terry, he probably stood about 5'11". He was thinner too, not less muscled, just built differently. It was the long, lean muscle of a runner instead of the bulk of a football player. He looked more ethnic, with dark hair cut so he could artfully muss the top, as was done now. He had dark, chocolate brown eyes, which sparkled at me over his full lipped smile as he stepped forward.

"I'm pleased to meet you too." I looked up at him as I shook his hand.

"The pleasure's all mine, I'm sure," he said in a slow, deep voice.

The strength in his hand was apparent as he carefully clasped mine in his. After he released my hand, he stood for a moment, just gazing at me. It felt like he was trying to figure something out. After a moment, he stepped back and was once again standing beside Terry, as though nothing had happened.

"Boys, this is Nickie Daniels. She shifted for the first time last week. She's brand new to our secret and she's still learning about the Kindred."

Instantly, all pretense of relaxed comfort fell from the men. They seemed to stand taller and be generally tougher. Without a word between them, they moved to stand on either side of Bill. They were alert and ready to face anything that might threaten their leader. Their actions made Bill's words earlier more real. They weren't only there to enforce the rules as their titles implied. Wow, they really seem to take the bodyguard thing seriously. Then it dawned on me. Bill saying that I've only recently shifted is what had put them on alert. That means they think I'm a threat. I couldn't help myself, I had to speak up.

"I realize you're just doing your job, but I find the insinuation that I'm a threat insulting. I would never do anything to hurt Bill or Karen," I let my displeasure show in my voice. Confusion flashed in their eyes when I used names instead of titles, but I had to give them credit, they never wavered from their position and determination to defend Bill.

"Stand down, boys. You can relax. Nickie's no threat. I've known her all her life and she's like my god-daughter. I wanted to make introductions so you'd recognize her and she wouldn't be surprised if she stopped by and found one of you here."

The two men relaxed some. They were still wary, but not at attention and on alert like before.

"Nickie still has a lot to learn about being Kindred. I thought if you could get along with her, you might help teach her about living among the Kindred. The more people she feels comfortable asking things, the sooner she'll fell more like one of us."

"If they don't treat me like I'm going to attack you, I'm willing to give it a try," I said to Bill.

"You have to understand," Terry spoke up, "you're an unknown, in an unfamiliar situation, going through major changes you couldn't possibly have expected. High emotions and stress can lead to aggressive or violent behavior. As far as we know, you may not be handling things well and could be a danger to our Anikitos."

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, trying to organize my thoughts. "I understand your position, but I won't put up with being treated like I will explode at any moment. That alone will drive me to it. Not toward those you are trying to protect, but at you. Treat me normally, not like a mental case, and we'll get along fine," I looked back and forth between Terry and Gabriel as I spoke.

Terry was quiet for a few seconds, then turned to Bill with one brow raised. "She's got a bit of an attitude, how're her talents?"

"So far, strong. I already knew about her dominant personality. What remains to be seen is how ambitious she may be." Bill spoke to him as if I weren't standing right in front of them.

I ignored that they weren't talking to me and put my two cents in. "Not ambitious enough to try to take your position from you, if that's what you're worried about. I have no clue how large the pack here is, and while I don't want to be at the bottom, I have no desire to be responsible for everyone else either."

Bill turned to me and smiled. "It's a big responsibility, not one to be taken lightly. I've never seen you as possible Alekto or even Harmonia material anyway. You've always been more loner than leader."

"Pretty much. My motto has always been I don't care what you want to do, just don't try to make me do it. My biggest battles have always been with people, whether it be teachers, bosses, or classmates, who tried to mold me into their clones."

Gabriel cleared his throat then spoke. "If I may, I'd be happy to help Nickie learn whatever she needs to know. However, I reserve the right to determine the risk she poses for myself. To take that away defeats our purpose."

"Watch it," Bill said, his tone warning.

"No, he's right, Bill." I laid one hand on his arm. "It's his job to decide who is a threat, I can live with that. As long as you don't treat me like a stick of dynamite sweating nitro just because of my situation. Get to know me and judge me for myself. If, after that, you think I'm dangerous, I can accept it, but not before."

"That's fair to us all," Bill said. He invited the guys to have a seat. I sat back down in my chair and they joined us.

I did a lot of listening as they taught me more about pack structure and shared various stories. Some of which were childhood tales told to all Kitsune. I paid attention, asking questions whenever I was confused. I learned a good deal about living among the Kindred, though I still had a lot left to figure out, I now had hope that this could all become my new normal.

It was mid-afternoon when I excused myself, taking some time to get ready for dinner that evening. I didn't want to meet the pack's second in command in ragged jeans and a tank top.

At home, I went through my closet, trying to decide on something appropriate to wear for dinner. I didn't feel the need for formal dress, but something nicer was in order. I ended up deciding on a long, flowing, black and red print skirt, which brushed the tops of my feet as I moved. I paired it with a clingy, red silk blouse. The effect was quite stunning without being revealing or flashy. Because the bright top made me look a little washed out, I had to reapply my make-up. I pulled the hair around my face up and clipped it on top so it didn't hide my face. I left the rest tumbling curls down my back. I slipped a pair of black kitten healed strappy sandals onto my feet and decided I was as ready as I would ever get. I wasn't dressed to show off, but nicely enough to show respect. Grabbing my purse, I made sure my PCD was tucked inside the small bag and headed out the door.

When I pulled up in front of Bill's house, Karen's car was in the driveway. There was a third vehicle parked in the driveway, one I didn't recognize. It was an older SUV, one that I had to admit looked like was in great shape, despite its age. I wondered if perhaps the Lysandros and Harmonia were already here. At the front door, I pressed the doorbell and heard the bell ringing inside as I waited. When the door opened, I was surprised to see Terry.

"Good Evening, Nickie. You look nice this evening." He smiled pleasantly.

"Thank you," I returned his smile. "I thought I could do a little better than this morning's jeans."

"You certainly did," he said. "Come on in. The Alekto is busy in the kitchen and the Anikitos asked that I bring you into the living room."

"Thanks. I know the way if you have something else you need to do."

"Nothing better than escorting a pretty lady," he said.

"How kind of you. Are the others here?"

"No, you're the first to arrive."

"Is the truck out front yours?" I walked beside him through the house.

"Yep, she may be old but she runs well; if she's reliable, I see no reason to replace her."

"True." We passed under the archway between the dining room and the living room and I saw Bill standing near the fireplace staring absently out the large window at the rear of the room. He appeared distracted, as though trying to work out the solution to a problem.

"Is something wrong? Has something happened?" I stepped closer.

Hearing my voice so close, Bill seemed to snap out of whatever thought he had been lost in and he turned, smiling.

"Nickie, don't you look nice! Are you ready?"

"Is something wrong? You looked worried," I asked.

"No, no, nothing's wrong. I was just enjoying the view while thinking a few things over." He turned back to the window and gestured toward it.

I had to admit, it did provide a stunning view of the mountains south of town. I moved next to him so I could share the view.

"It's a great view this time of year, isn't it?" I couldn't tear my eyes away for a few minutes. "Especially in the evenings while there's still light to see while you relax before, or after, dinner."

"I never tire of it." Bill turned his attention to me. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"I'm good for now, thanks."

"Karen will be back in a few minutes, she just went to check on dinner. Have a seat, make yourself at home. Hank and Alexis will be here soon."

I chose one of the chairs near the fireplace and sat, Bill took a seat on the sofa beside it as Karen walked into the room.

"Nickie! I'm glad to see you!" she said with enthusiasm. I stood and hugged her before sitting back down. "I love that skirt, it's just stunning."

"Thank you, it's one of my favorites." I smoothed the skirt down my legs just for an excuse to run my hand over the silky fabric.

"It looks good on you. It's somehow just perfectly you." She took a seat next to Bill and leaned against his side. "Have you been practicing finding your center and visualizing your shields?"

"Yes, ma'am. At least twice a day, more if I have the chance."

"Good, the more you practice, the better your shields will be. Have you had any thoughts leak, or picked up any stray thoughts since we started building your shields?"

"No, but I haven't been out much. The only time I've spent around anyone but Kindred was a quick stop at the grocery store."

"No rush, keep practicing and pay attention when you're around people; see how well your shields are working. When you're comfortable with it, you can try lowering your shields, see what you pick up, just as an example on how well your shields are working."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks for your help, really. I would be lost if you two hadn't been so kind and understanding."

"Think nothing of it, Nickie," Bill said. "You're family, we could do no less. Speaking of family, have you thought about when you might want to tell your parents?"

"I've thought about it, but I don't know. I'm not ready to tell them yet. I don't know when I will be."

"That's all right. You don't have to tell them if you don't want to. I think you'll find the longer you wait, the harder it will be, and I think you're going to want to tell them in the end."

"I know. I probably should, but I can't handle it right now. I'm doing okay dealing with things one day at a time. By taking each hurdle and change as it comes at me. I don't worry about what might be around the corner. This is how I've dealt with this so far. But when I start thinking about what to say to Mom and Dad, how to tell them about this, I end up having a panic attack. Let me get used to it before I tell them, at least. The more I know, the better I will be able to answer their questions, and I know they'll have questions."

"Fair enough. You've done amazingly well handling everything that has been thrown at you in the last week. I don't want anything to compromise that, so I'll let you decide when you're ready. I'd like it if once you've decided, you'd let me know. I told you we'd help and I meant it."

Our conversation was interrupted by the peal of the doorbell.

Neither Bill nor Karen got up, instead Bill said, "Terry will get that, he's playing butler for the evening." A moment later Terry escorted a couple, not much older than me, into the room. They were nothing like I had expected. I was expecting an older couple, closer to Bill and Karen's age. Neither of them was more than a few years older than myself, and that surprised me. I stood to greet them as Bill introduced me from where he remained seated.

"Nickie, this is our Lysandros, Hank Jeffries, and his wife, our Harmonia, Alexis." Turning, he addressed them, "Hank, Alexis, this is Dominique Daniels. She goes by Nickie. You know, now that I think about it, I think the only time I've ever heard anyone use her full name was when she was in trouble," he smiled fondly in my direction.

"It's nice to meet you." Hank stepped forward to shake my hand. A strange current of energy ran through my body as our hands touched. Not quite an electrical shock, but not much different. I had to look up several inches to look him in the eyes, he was at least six feet tall, if not a little over. Hank was muscular and well defined without being bulky. His dark hair was cut in a short men's style that had been popular for decades, and his deep brown eyes seemed to look inside you and be able to tell what secrets you were hiding.

"So glad to meet you, Nickie." Alexis smiled as she shook my hand. She was a couple of inches shorter than me and slender and beautiful. Something about her size and graceful movements made me feel over-sized and clumsy. Her shining blond, pixie cut hair flattered her angular face, and her large green eyes caught and held your attention. She reminded me of those classic tiny film stars.

"It's nice meeting you both." I tried to keep a smile on my face to hide my confusion.

Bill looked past the group of us to the man standing in the doorway and spoke, "Thank you, Terry. You're free for the evening, if you'd like."

"Thank you, sir, but with all four of you in one place, I'd rather stay if you don't mind. Just in case. I'll stay in the other room unless I'm needed and leave you to your evening," Terry waited for a response.

"Very well," Bill said, before looking at Hank. "Have a seat you two. Hank, I mentioned over the phone when I invited you over that Nickie shifted suddenly last week." The couple sat on the love seat positioned on the opposite side of me from the sofa.

Hank nodded. "I remember."

"I asked you both to come meet Nickie because, as you know, she wasn't raised among us and she's still learning the pack hierarchy. She needs to know who the leaders are, and who to turn to if she has a problem. She's comfortable with Karen and I, as I've been a friend of her father's since before she was born. I want her to know who she'll be turning to for help in case we can't be reached."

Alexis turned to me. "Is it true you had no clue what you were until you shifted last week?"

"None," I said. "It's still pretty new, though I'm starting to get over being stunned. I'm doing my best to get it all figured out."

"I wanted you to meet Alexis for another reason, Nickie. She's the only member of our pack who can call animal forms, and after what you told me this morning, we should see what she can teach you. I'd like you to get to know her a little, see if you can work together so she can train you."

Alexis turned to me with a surprised look. "What makes you think you have the ability to call or restrict animal forms?"

"Well," I started, "yesterday Brandon and I..."

"Brandon?"

"Brandon Stone. He's been my best friend for years."

"Ah, I see, continue."

"Anyway, we were out on a run. He told me that is what it's called when you go out and run around in wolf form."

"It is," Alexis nodded for me to continue.

I recounted the day before from the beginning of the run down to when he'd come around the car and demanded to know why I'd kept him from shifting.

She nodded. "I see. It appears you might have the gift to restrict animal forms at least. I'm willing to work with you to develop it. We'll see if you can call forms too, if you want. However, you're going to need to get past the squeamishness of seeing people naked. Most of us don't care to keep losing clothes from shifting in them, and it isn't often convenient to find a changing room."

"I understand why nudity is casual among the Kindred, it's going to take some getting used to though. It's not anything I've ever been exposed to."

"On top of all the everyday reasons for it, most of the calling and restricting of animal forms that I do is medical related. That means, if I'm going to teach you to control this talent, you'll need to be able to handle blood and sometimes extreme and very emotional situations."

"Blood doesn't bother me. I have two brothers and three sisters, someone always had one kind of wound or another and we all learned to deal with the injuries we gave ourselves and each other."

"Very well, I'll give you a try. Where do you work?"

"I'm the Dean's secretary at the college."

"You work Monday through Friday?"

"Generally, but not right now. For the summer, we're on a four days a week, ten hour days schedule."

"Oh, that will make it easier. Mondays or Fridays off?"

"Fridays."

"Is there any reason why you can't spend at least part of your Fridays helping me out in our clinic?"

"You have a Kitsune clinic?" I was surprised. "How do you keep humans from coming in and finding out about us?"

"It's not officially a clinic, or any kind of business. I run it out of the guest house at my place. We've converted it to be used as a doctor's office and we do what we can. There isn't a huge call for a Kindred clinic but we get a few walk-ins a day. Broken bones, torn muscles, random injuries. It would look strange for our people to turn up in a doctor's office with an injury that would normally take weeks to heal and then hours or days later be fine."

"That would be a problem," I said.

"So I run the clinic. It's mostly for non-emergent cases, but we have a couple of doctors who we can call if we need and an EMT too. The clinic's not entirely my responsibility but since it's set up at my place, it's easiest for me to staff it a lot of the time. What do you think, can you spend your Fridays with me for a while?"

"I don't see why not. It would probably be a good opportunity for me to meet more of the pack too."

I liked Alexis right away, she was friendly and she didn't treat me like a child, like some do to people my age. She was kind without being patronizing. I wasn't so sure about Hank, it wasn't that he was patronizing or spoke down to me, he was just quiet, making it harder to know him. He had spent the time that Alexis and I made plans watching me, as though he was trying to figure something out. I did my best to ignore it while occasionally stealing glances at him, trying to figure out what he was up to. He seemed reserved, as if he hadn't yet made up his mind about me either. And I admit, that the strange sensation when I touched his hand was still on my mind, but I didn't know what it might mean. Hank seemed like the opposite of Alexis, she was outgoing and engaging to his quiet and reserved.

"Have you had any other talents emerge yet?" Hank asked.

"We've learned that I'm telepathic, in both directions, but that's all so far," I said.

"I'm working with her myself on that," Bill put in. "Karen's been working with her on shielding, since she's one of the best in the pack and Nickie knows us both already."

Hank nodded and continued to listen to us talk. His silence was a bit intimidating. I tried to ignore it and continued the conversation as if he wasn't watching me.

After we had been talking a while, Karen excused herself to check on dinner. She was gone for a few minutes before she reappeared to call us to the table. We all moved into the dining room and started to take our seats. Terry reappeared and Karen followed him into the room. It was a nice evening and after dinner we visited a while longer. I got the Jeffries' address from Alexis before I left for the evening so I knew where to be Friday morning.

# Chapter 8

THURSDAY MORNING, I realized a week had passed since I'd first shifted. Seven days since my life had changed forever. So much had happened since, it felt like longer. At the same time, it was hard to believe it had been an entire week.

I was scheduled to see Karen in the afternoon for shielding practice, I needed it but I wasn't looking forward to it. While shielding wasn't difficult, it was exhausting to keep going over the same thing.

I knocked on the front door and waited; a moment later, Gabriel opened the door.

"Hey, Karen said you'd be here soon. Come on in." He stepped back, giving me room to move past him. "She said have a seat in the front room, and she'll be here in just a moment."

"Are you joining us?" I asked as he closed the door and motioned me into the room.

"No, I won't intrude on your lesson. I have some work in the back of the house, but if you need me, call out. I'll hear you."

"Thanks, I will," I smiled.

"I was wondering, would like to have dinner with me tonight?" he asked.

I was silent for a second, "I'm going to say it bluntly, so please don't be offended. With all the changes I'm dealing with, I don't have time for a romantic relationship. If you'd like to go out as friends though, I'd be up for that."

"I understand not wanting to get involved," he said. "I'd like get to know you and help you adjust to our world. You want me to pick you up, or do you want to meet somewhere?"

"Why don't you pick me up? Normally I wouldn't give my address to just anyone, but Bill trusts you with Karen's safety so I can trust you with mine." I gave him my address and we set a time for him to pick me up before he disappeared into the back of the house.

Glancing around, I made sure I was alone before sitting in one of the overstuffed chairs angled toward the sofa. Last time, I'd found sitting alone helped me to focus. Every movement of another person on the sofa distracted me. Karen said as I became more comfortable focusing and shielding, it would be easier. I kicked off my sandals and folded my legs under me so my heels rested under my thighs. Settling in, I made myself comfortable before starting the focusing exercises we would start with.

I'm not sure how long I'd been working when Karen came in, but I caught her scent before I heard her; the light scent that hinted of nutmeg was unique to Karen.

"Sorry I'm late," she came into the room. "Before we start today, do you have any questions? Not just about the shielding, but anything? What do you think of our Lysandros and Harmonia, and don't be afraid to be honest, I'm asking for your feelings, your impressions?"

"I thought it went well. I really liked Alexis. I'm excited to learn whatever she can teach me. Hank... seemed okay, there's something different about him, but I don't know what."

"He's not from the area, Alexis met him while she was away at school. That might be part of what you're sensing. He's a bit more reserved than we're used to."

"Maybe. When I shook his hand I felt something, like a spark or a shock, if that makes sense."

She lifted her brows. "That's interesting. I'll have to see what I can find out. Are you ready for our lesson?"

"I think so."

"Have you been practicing?"

"Yes, ma'am. At least twice a day. When I have a chance, I center myself. Then I picture my shields, I see them surrounding me like a giant bubble. I was doing it when you came in."

"Good, continue with that, but let's change it up a little today. I want you to center yourself and focus on your shields. I'll give you a few minutes, then I'm going to test them. We'll get an idea how strong you made them so far."

"All right." I settled in and focused on my shields, concentrating on making them impenetrable, thick and resilient. It seemed like ages before I felt the first blow. I was shaken as my shields rang and shook as if they were corporeal and someone had hit them with a hammer.

"Wow," Karen said. "That was... jarring."

"You're telling me. That wasn't good." I shook my head and tried to get the ringing in my ears to stop.

"Not good, but not bad either," she said. "It's a common error, almost everyone starts out forming their shields as solid. Though most people's shatter when I hit them like that. Yours are strong."

"If they're not supposed to be solid, what are they supposed to be? How will they stop anything if they're not solid?"

"Maybe solid isn't the best word, think more..." she paused, searching for the right word, "inflexible. You're picturing a bubble, which stands firm and deflects anything that collides with it, right?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought I was supposed to do."

"It is, but compare an eggshell to a rubber ball, if something hits the eggshell hard enough, it shatters and lets the attacker in. A rubber ball, however, flexes. It absorbs some of the impact and pushes some of the impact back."

"You're saying my bubble needs to be strong but flexible, more rubbery than stiff."

"Exactly. I'll give you a bit to adjust while I get us something to drink. Then I'll test them again."

"All right." Once again, I focused. This time making sure to picture my bubble thick but flexible. I constructed layer by layer of stone sandwiched in between layers of rubber to give it flexibility. I had several layers before I was satisfied and simply concentrated on holding the mental picture.

I was so absorbed in my shields that I didn't sense Karen enter the room. Her attack surprised me. It hit like a sharp jab, but the new shields bowed inward for an instant before bouncing back to their original shape, pushing the force of the attack back. Opening my eyes, I looked for Karen, expecting to find her sitting on the sofa. But the sofa was empty. I glanced around, wondering where she was, but I was alone. I started to stand and she walked in, carrying two glasses of ice tea.

"Very nice!" She handed me a glass.

"You weren't in here?" I took a deep drink.

"Nope, I thought my coming in the room might distract you, so I decided to try in there. It also made a point. You don't have to see someone for them to attack you. You did wonderfully. You've built strong but flexible shields. With practice, I think you'll have good, strong shields that will withstand almost any attack."

"That's good."

"Why don't you continue practicing and I'll get us something to eat," she suggested.

"I wasn't going to say anything, but I'm getting hungry."

"You want to be careful not to starve yourself. Your appetite is larger than you're used to. Your metabolism runs a lot faster now. Don't be surprised if you lose some weight, it's pretty common with new shifters, at least until they figure out how much they need to eat. If you don't eat enough long term, you'll be weaker than you should be."

"I'll remember that, thanks."

"Alright, I'll go fix some sandwiches while you practice, sound good?"

"Sounds great," I said as she left me alone.

A while later, I felt her pushing at my shields again and realized she was trying to tell me from the other room that lunch was ready. I stood and slipped on my sandals before going into the kitchen. After eating, Karen gave me the address for the clinic. I would be there the next day. I left after that. I had a few errands before Gabriel would be there to pick me up.

I was ready at seven when Gabriel knocked on my door.

"Come on in. I'm ready, I just need to grab my purse." I grabbed my purse and made sure my PCD was inside. "Are you ready?"

"Any time you are." He still stood at the door.

"Then let's go." I stepped out onto landing, locked the door, and started down the stairs.

Gabriel took me to a small, local steakhouse where the food was both good and reasonably priced. We waited to be seated and were given a secluded table in the corner. At first, we talked about the menu, trying to decide what we wanted. Once the waitress brought our drinks and took our orders, our conversation turned.

"I don't remember having seen you growing up. Are you from around here?" I asked.

"I'm a few years older, it's possible you just don't remember me." A teasing smile played across his full lips.

"Nah, I have older siblings about your age. You might not have remembered me, I definitely would have remembered you." I flashed him a grin.

"You got me," he laughed. "I'm not from here, I grew up in Bisbee."

"Yet you tried to convince me I didn't remember you... For shame." I shook my head, laughing softly.

"It was more that I was fishing for information," he said. "It worked, I found out you have older siblings."

"Older and younger," I said. "How about you?"

"An older brother and two older sisters, I'm the baby."

"Oh, the baby of four. I bet you got away with all but murder."

"Pretty much. How did you know?"

"I'm one of six. I was the fourth to join the family but I'm the fifth oldest."

"You got away with a lot, too?"

"Some, not as much as you would think, girls just don't get away with as much."

Gabriel nodded. "That's true."

"Why'd you leave home?" I asked. "If it's not too personal."

"I don't mind." He smiled. "I wanted to be known for me, not tied to, or judged by, my family's reputation. Not that it's a bad reputation, just the opposite. Because of it, I couldn't do anything without having our reputation thrown in my face. Sometimes it was like our reputation was the most important thing. You know how small towns are, I couldn't sneeze without word getting back before I did."

"I've had that happen a few times myself," I said.

"I had to get away, to be known for me and not for my family."

"Is that uncommon?" She glanced around to make sure no one was listening, "Among the Kindred, I mean."

"Not really. A lot of people leave to go to school. Males may or may not return, but females generally do."

"Why is that, do you think?"

"Females are more likely to return because they realize they want the support of the pack when they start families. Males are less likely because they marry, take positions in other packs, or live as lone wolves. It is common to join the female's pack when you marry outside your own, but it's not required."

"Do women have to marry outside their pack or home towns?"

"No. We've always intermarried with humans, it was easier to keep our secret when they were moved away from their families. Some marry within the pack or a local human, but that's more complicated. When marrying Kindred, going outside the pack helps prevent inbreeding."

I wondered briefly how to know if I was related to someone, who I could or couldn't marry without the risk of inbreeding.

"Tell me about your family, you said you're the fifth of six in age, but the fourth to join the family? I know you're adopted, does that mean you're not the only one?" Gabriel interrupted my thoughts.

"Of six of us, four are adopted. Brittney is oldest, she's about your age, the youngest is Shiloh, and she's in her last year at NAU. I'll be glad when she's done and can come home. Hopefully, she doesn't get a job elsewhere and not come home like Payson did. I miss having my family close."

"What's your family like?"

"We're close. We always have been. Despite that, we still pick on each other. It's hard not being able to share this with them. We've always shared everything. How about yours?"

"I get along with my family, but we aren't tight. We're friendly but we don't talk often. I was grateful to get away when I went to college."

"Where did you go to school?"

"Denver. It was beautiful but I missed the desert," he smiled ruefully.

We fell silent while the waitress brought our meals.

"Thanks," Gabriel said, as she gave us our plates.

"I wasn't willing to leave my family," I said. "I couldn't stand living that far away. By the time I'd done my two years at EA, Brittney and Cam were back, Pace had graduated and was working in Tucson, and Raine was already away at school. 'Low was still in High School and I just couldn't bear leave. I got my degree from NAU through satellite classes."

"You've never left town?"

"Of course I've been out of town. Day trips for shopping to both Phoenix and Tucson, vacations have even taken me out of state, but I've never wanted to live away from my family."

"It must be nice to have family that means that much to you."

"It is. What made you choose Safford as your new home?"

"I came here for several reasons. I like the geography. It's like the Sierra Vista/Bisbee area where I grew up. After school, I didn't want to be in a city, I looked for a smallish community. Somewhere I could get to know people, which was something I missed.

"I checked out all the Anikitos for enforcers in Arizona. Of all the packs I considered, Bill and Karen had the best reputation. Not just among the other packs, but with all Kindred. They care for their people, and aren't overly domineering or violently aggressive."

"I lucked into a good leader then."

"Not just good, the best I've seen. The way he treats people engenders devotion. I don't mean creepy cult leader kind of devotion, but 'I'd lay my life down for him' devotion. I moved around some before coming here. I got to know other Anikitos before I settled here. Bill is the first I've seen to rule with care instead of fear.

"Don't get me wrong, he doesn't hesitate to order punishment when it's called for. He's not mean or cruel, and as often as not, his punishments aren't physical."

"Most Anikitos use physical violence?" I was surprised.

"The ones I've encountered do, violence and fear. It's how it's been done for centuries, it's the only way that some know or understand."

"I'm glad I'm not stuck with one of those. Leadership like that brings out the worst in me."

"You're lucky to have a close relationship with the Anikitos. I'll warn you though, there will be some who think you get special treatment because of that, whether it's true or not. Overall, a good relationship with the pack leaders is important."

"Bill already warned me about that. He said if it gets too bad to let him know and he'll get involved, but unless it gets bad, it's best just to ignore it. If he gets involved, it's just reinforcing the idea that I'm getting special treatment."

"Yeah, it does. If you want, you can come to me before him. I'll see what I can do. It won't go so badly, especially if we're friends."

"Thanks."

"No problem. What are friends for?"

We finished dinner and Gabriel took me home. I invited him up for dessert since he bought dinner, but he declined, saying he had to be on duty early. I thanked him again for the dinner and the nice evening before going up to my apartment.

# Chapter 9

FRIDAY, I drove to the address Alexis had given me. It was in an area I wasn't familiar with, and it took me a few minutes to find. I parked on the street, noticing the house was well cared for and blended into the neighborhood. I followed the front path and knocked on the front door.

Hank answered, "Nickie. Alexis is in the clinic, it's around back." He stepped out the front door and pulled it closed. "Here, let me show you." He led me along the walkway toward the driveway to a gate on the side of house. Opening it, he stepped through and held it open for me before letting it swing shut. We followed a stone path that led up to the guest house.

Hank opened the door. "Alexis!" he shouted as I followed him inside.

"In here!"

"She's in the lunch room. Come on, I'll show you." He led me down a hallway. Almost to the end of the hall, I spotted Alexis through an open doorway. She sat at a small table sipping from a cup. The scent told me it was an herbal tea.

"Look who came to the door," Hank said.

"Oh, good. I was wondering when you would get here," Alexis laid her hand on top of Hank's where he stopped behind her and dropped his hands to her shoulders. She rubbed her cheek against his hand. "Thanks for bringing her around, dear. I was just thinking about what to do today should we get lucky and no one come in. Can I interest you in some tea or coffee, Nickie?"

"I'm good." I smiled at their obvious affection.

"Where's Caden?" Hank asked.

"He called, he's running late but should be here soon."

"Good. If the two of you are good, I'll take off," Hank said. "If Caden doesn't show in the next thirty minutes, I want to know."

"I'm sure he'll be here, but if he isn't, I'll call." Alexis stood and kissed Hank. "Thanks for bringing Nickie out, dear. I'll see you later."

"Bye, babe. Have a good day," Hank said and then left.

"Is there somewhere I can put my purse?" I asked.

"Here, put your purse in this cabinet, next to mine. I've never had any problems."

I stuck my purse inside and turned back to her, ready to start the day.

"Now what?"

"How about a tour? It's a long one, you might want to take notes," she grinned. "This is the break room slash lunch room. This fridge is the one used for food. Should you bring a lunch, this is where it goes. Put your name on it though, anything without a name is fair game."

"I'll remember that."

"Across the hall is the bathroom, not the best place but it's what we have so we make it work. The last room at the end of the hall is an old bedroom, which we've mostly left alone, it's mainly used for the occasional patient who needs to spend the night. That doesn't happen often but does occasionally with some of our slower healers. That room has a private bath, with a shower if you need one while working.

"We have two exam rooms, one on each side of the hall, they're standard exam rooms but better stocked. There are a lot of things in here more commonly found in emergency rooms; splints, sutures, larger bandages, that kind of thing.

"We keep basic records, but nothing in depth. Just a history in case someone comes in repeatedly with the injury so we can go back over time and try to figure out what's going on. We have an in at the local lab if we need something run, someone who will slip in samples and delete results after we've seen them. We've never had blood work from one of us turn up anything abnormal, but it's better safe than sorry."

"I've had blood work, is that going to be a problem?"

"I asked Bill when he told us about you. I didn't know, but he checked your test results when the tests were run. When you shifted he decided there was no reason to remove them, it would be odd for them to disappear now."

"The pack's been watching me that long?"

"Not the whole pack. As far as I know, only a few knew anything about you. I generally deal with our contact at the lab, but I knew nothing about it until I asked."

"Is there anything else you don't do here?"

"For what the average Kindred needs, very little. We have an x-ray machine and an ultrasound, but for more advanced imaging, CAT scan, MRI and the sort, you'd have to go to the imaging center. Though for a fast healer, it would be a waste of time unless it's a severe injury. Most of us don't need more than what we have here. We don't get cancer or most diseases, so a lot of modern medical tests are unnecessary."

"What is it you want me to do?"

"You just need to be here. Mostly it's just that people are here in case someone gets hurt and comes in. We occasionally do ultrasounds for pregnant pack members, but our main function is Kindred Emergency Room. We deal with wounds, broken bones, that kind of thing. Things most Kindred aren't going to heal right away or will heal wrong without attention. We get a few walk-ins a day, rarely anything serious, though the number tends to go up when school's out."

"When school's out, kids have more time to get into trouble, we always did. I'm sure Kindred kids do more dangerous things, knowing they heal faster and can take more damage."

"That's what I've decided." A door opened in the back of the building and I looked at Alexis.

"That'll be Caden. He's an enforcer. He's supposed to be here any time I am."

"He's your Gabriel or Terry?"

"Kind of, but for different reasons. Bill and Karen have Gabriel and Terry because they're Anikitos and Alekto, their rank all but demands it. I have Caden not because I'm Harmonia, but because I'm one of the few with any healing talent, and the strongest we have. It's a valuable talent and that's why I've got Caden."

"Does healing endanger you?" I asked.

"Not in the way you're thinking. No one is out to get me or to hurt me on purpose. When someone is hurt, emotions run high, or their animal form steps to the forefront. An injured person could inadvertently hurt me. More often though, it's not the patient, it's their nearest and dearest. Caden is here to handle that so I don't have to. I can concentrate on my patient. Sometimes though, I physically need his help. I have the strength to set most bones, but sometimes it takes two people to get the right leverage."

"I see."

"Caden, there you are." She looked past me down the hall. I turned to face him. "This is Nickie Daniels, she's going to be spending some time with us so I can teach her to call animal forms." Turning back to me, she finished the introductions, "Nickie, this is Caden Bradley. He is to be here anytime we are, and if he can't be, he arranges for a replacement. The rule for me, which I'm extending to you, is you never work a shift, or go out on a healing call without an enforcer. If something happens and you get called out without me, not something I foresee, but just in case, call Bill or the Theron and request someone."

The man headed our way was huge, easily 6'6" with chiseled features that accented his ice blue eyes. His hair was pale blond and long enough to be pulled back into a low pony tail, but I wasn't sure how long it was.

"Nice to meet you, Caden," I held my hand toward him.

He shook my hand firmly, but without crushing it. "Nice to meet you too. You the Anikitos' Nickie?"

"Not the way I would put it, but yeah, I guess I am."

"How would you put it?" His deep voice was suspicious but not unfriendly.

"I don't know. Bill's like a second father to me, but I don't think of myself as his."

"Okay. You're not rejecting the Anikitos, you just don't automatically relate yourself to him."

"Exactly."

"That may change, or it may not. Being able to claim such a relationship to the Anikitos is rare and you may want to take advantage of it."

"Taking advantage of it will make me seem weak, won't it?"

"Maybe to some, others will think it's smart. It depends on how it's done and whether it's to protect yourself or shield you from any threat that might come along. Also, if you just use it until you learn how things are done and maybe establish some of your reputation, it wouldn't be taken as an abuse, however if you never give it up, that would be."

"Thank you." My mind spun with what he'd said as I turned back to Alexis. "Are we through with the tour?"

"Almost, we only have the front room left."

"If you need me, I'll be in the back reading," Caden put in.

"That's fine," Alexis turned back to finish the tour. "You may have noticed when you came in, we have a screen in here. It's connected to the net, and you can find pretty much anything you care to watch there. You're welcome to read, or study, or pretty much do whatever until someone comes in. The computer on the desk isn't connected to anything outside the building, it's where we keep our records. We also have a room with some gym equipment if you get bored."

"Thank you, I'll bring something to occupy myself next week."

"That'll be fine. As for today, I thought we could get to know each other a little better. I'm sure Bill and Karen have done their best to ease you into the new world you've found yourself thrust into, but I'm willing to answer any questions you might have. Maybe things you'd rather ask someone a little closer to your own age."

"I do have a few questions, they're not urgent, more I'm curious and nosy," I laughed.

"I'll answer what I can."

We spent the rest of the day chatting and visiting. I asked some questions and was glad to get straight answers. She talked to me like an equal. I appreciated it. We spent some time with Caden as well, were becoming fast friends. It was nice to discover a woman among the Kindred who was near my age. One to whom I could ask all the personal and embarrassing questions.

# Chapter 10

MID-MORNING Saturday I'd already spent an hour swimming laps, my main form of exercise in the summer. I was lounging in a chair next to the pool enjoying the nice day when my PCD signaled. I picked it up and saw it was Izzy.

"Hey, girl, how are you?" I said.

"Pretty good, how was your week?" she asked.

"Busy. I had something come up and I ended up taking the week off. I thought I'd have a chance to get together but I swear, I've run around like a chicken with my head cut off all week. I need to go back to work to get some rest. How's your week?"

"Busy. You interested in going out tonight?" I scrambled for an excuse. What wouldn't sound like an excuse? She'd know if I lied.

"Sorry, I'm gonna relax tonight. After my crazy week, I don't feel like going anywhere." I felt guilty but I knew I couldn't handle another club.

"Okay. Maybe we can get together for lunch next week?"

"That sounds like fun. If I forget, call me?"

"Sure, no problem. I'll catch you later then."

"Later, bye."

"Bye," she said.

The next day I was putting together a couple of casseroles when someone knocked on my apartment door. As I reached the living room, I realized I could smell Brandon. I felt a smile form as I opened the door.

"Hey, how are you?" I was happy to see him.

"Good, I thought I'd stop and see what you're up to."

"Come on in. I'm prepping food for this week. When I come in and I don't want to cook, I can just pop it in the oven. That way I'll have food instead of going without because I don't feel like cooking."

"That's a good idea. Why do women have all the great ideas while men have take-out and frozen pizza?"

"We got the brains and beauty both, I guess," I grinned. He shook his head and let it go.

"How did your week go?"

"Good, I guess. I spent Wednesday with Bill, I met his enforcers. Then I met the Lysandros and Harmonia, where it was decided that I should start spending time at the clinic on Fridays so I can learn to call animal forms. Thursday afternoon was spent with Karen on shielding. Then I went to dinner with Gabriel. He told me about the Kindred. Friday, I went to the clinic and met Caden. Yesterday I had nothing... swimming, housework; yesterday was the most normal day I've had in a while."

"You've had a lot to deal with, are you really okay with it?"

"That's an understatement..." I laughed.

"Wait, you went out on a date with Gabriel?" Brandon's eyes narrowed.

"No. I said I went to dinner with him. I've got enough to deal with. My world has been turned upside down and I'm trying to decide if it was good or bad. The last thing I need is to juggle a romance right now."

"Which way are you leaning, good or bad?" He seemed to relax.

"Good, I guess. I try not to think about it much. I deal with what's in front of me and try not worry about later. I'm sure it will hit me, but I'll deal with it then. Not being able to tell my family is the hardest part about it, I expect I'll find more negative soon enough."

"Is there anything I can do?"

"Can you rewind time and change things?"

"No, sorry."

"Then I just have to deal with it. I will, eventually. It just takes time. I'll manage, because I don't give up."

"True," Brandon said. "What's going on tonight? You want to do something?"

"Dinner with my family."

"Oh, that's right. I forgot Sunday nights are the family dinner. How hard is it keeping your secret?"

"Bill said I can tell my parents, if I want to, but not my siblings. I haven't decided if, or when, I'm going to yet. I'm having a hard time dealing with it. I don't know how they'll take it, I don't want to have to handle them while I'm still trying to handle it."

"They'll probably take the news better than you think."

"I don't know. For now, I'm gonna keep quiet. I hope tonight's better than last week, I've been practicing shielding. I shouldn't get bits and pieces of their thoughts. That was unnerving."

"I'll bet, especially not knowing how to stop it."

"I do now. I haven't picked up anyone's thoughts on accident in days, so I'll see."

"You don't need to go until later. You want to do something? We could go for a run, try to put together enough players for basketball, or go for a swim?"

"Nah, not today. I'm gonna finish this, then finish the laundry I started yesterday. At about three-thirty, I'm going to head over and help Mom. I like that extra time with Mom and Dad when I can help. And then Mom doesn't have do all the work herself."

"No problem, I'll go find something else to do. I need to get out for a while. I've been restless."

"Sorry. I hope you find someone, good luck." I washed my hands and walked him to the door. "I'll catch you later this week and we'll get together. Okay?"

"Sure, I'll catch you later." He turned to head down the stairs. I went back inside and finished my meal prep for the week.

# Chapter 11

I'D BEEN off for a week when I decided to go back to work. I had learned to control my new strength. After quite a bit of practice and a couple dozen broken eggs, I almost never broke a glass, or crushed a doorknob.

I woke early Monday morning and was sitting at my desk when my boss arrived.

"Nickie! How are things?" he asked.

"Good, I got everything taken care of. Ready to have me back, Mr. Willowby?"

"I am. I've missed you, and while I survived, it wasn't easy. I appreciate you more after having done without. Don't think it didn't occur to me that as hard as it was without you, it would be much worse while school is in session."

"I'll have to take some time during the school year and then you can really appreciate me," I teased.

"No, please. I'm not sure I would survive it." His tone was pleading before he broke into a laugh.

"Maybe now is the time to approach you about that raise..." I grinned.

"Hmm... I'll see what I can do; you deserve one," he said.

"Sir, I was teasing."

"You may have been, but I think you deserve it. I'll see what I can do," he said with a smile. "I would hate for someone to steal you away because I failed to recognize your value."

"If you insist. I'm sure there's a back log here. I'll be busy getting caught up and earning that raise."

"I'll let you get to it. I'm certain I couldn't live without you long term."

I just smiled and waited for my computer to finish booting as he walked into his office and closed the door. It took me most of the day to catch up on everything, but I soon had things in order and was back to my normal routine.

When I arrived at the clinic Friday morning, I was far more comfortable than the week before. I had an idea of what to expect, and what was expected of me. I parked my car on the street in front of the house again, but this time I bypassed the front door and went directly to the gate at the side of the house. I walked in the unlocked front door and headed into the kitchen to put my purse away, noticing Alexis' wasn't there. I was closing the cabinet door and started to leave when the door on the other side of the room opened. Turning, I saw Caden entering the room, there was a small parking area I hadn't known about through the door behind him.

"Oh! You startled me." I held one hand against my chest and felt my heart beating fast.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to." He stepped inside and closed the door. "Is Alexis here yet?"

"I don't think so. I just got here, but her purse isn't in the cabinet."

"That means she's not in yet. She'll be out soon, I'm sure."

"That's fine," I said. "Do we have anyone here this morning?"

"You mean overnighters?" When I nodded, he continued, "Not that I know of, there was no one when I left last night and the Lysandros probably would have called if someone had come in."

"Alright, I think I'll make a quick walk through, just to be sure."

"Knock yourself out," he said. "I'm gonna start a pot of coffee. Do you want some?"

"Don't make it on my account, but if you're gonna make it anyway, I'll probably have a cup."

"I'm making it anyway. I make it every morning. It's good to have around, for me or anyone who might come in."

I nodded again, stepping out of the room. "Makes sense," I walked down the hall and checked the bedroom at the end of the hall. The bed was neatly made and nothing appeared to have been moved since I had been here, everything was clean, not a spot of dust in sight.

I made my way through the rest of the building, looking into each room as I passed it, but I didn't see anything obvious to be done. I was walking into the front room, where the small reception desk sat, when the door opened and Alexis came in.

"Hey! You beat me." She smiled.

"I've been here maybe five minutes."

"The smell of coffee brewing tells me Caden's here."

"He came in just after I did. I was putting away my purse when he opened the door and startled me."

"I forgot to tell you. We have a small parking area in the back if you want to use that, then you can either use the back door or the rear gate and this one, your choice."

"Thanks," I said. Together we went into the kitchen. We sat and visited over coffee.

Just before noon, something finally happened. A teenage boy brought in his younger brother, another teenager, with a compound fracture. The younger boy was obviously in pain, but he was surprisingly silent.

"Nickie, I'm going to need your help," Alexis said, guiding the boys into the nearest exam room. I followed her with Caden close behind but he stayed outside the room. "We need to set his arm first," she said.

"I don't know how, so tell me what you need and I'll do it." I moved closer.

"The humerus is broken, it's not as bad as it could be. Only one bone to set rather than two," she said. "I need you to get behind Jason, wrap your arms around him, and pin his upper arm against his body. I'll pull and set the break. Got it?"

"I can do that." I turned to Jason. "I'm going to hold you and your arm still so we can get it back in place, okay?" I waited until he nodded, then I stepped behind him and carefully wrapped my arms around him.

The tug of Alexis pulling made me want to close my eyes. Instead, I watched Jason's brother. He stood calmly on the far side the room, watching me. Caden remained outside the room, not interfering, but making sure no harm came to Alexis. I felt the pop and heard a snap as the bone popped into alignment.

"You can let go now," Alexis said. "I need a basin of water and some gauze out of that cabinet there." She pointed her bloody gloved hand at a cabinet.

Working together, we cleaned up the wound making sure there were no bone chips left and that no blood vessels had been cut or nicked, but we didn't bandage it.

"Put your hands on mine, close your eyes, and try to feel the energy, see if you can get a sense of what I'm doing. I'm going to call his wolf. It'll help stop the bleeding, and at least, mostly close the wound as well as start the bone healing," Alexis instructed me.

I silently did as she had said. Standing close so I could reach and covered her hands with mine where she had them hovering above Jason's shoulders. I closed my eyes and opened a small window in my shield. I felt her power reach deep inside the boy and softly pet the wolf inside. She used the energy to coax the wolf to the surface. I opened my eyes again, and for a moment it seemed like the air around the boy shimmered, blurring him from our view for just a moment. When the shimmering blur faded, a gray wolf lay on the exam table in his place.

"There," Alexis said, peeling off her bloody gloves before rubbing the top of his head. "We'll let you rest for a few minutes and then we'll see if you can shift back on your own or if I need to help you." Alexis turned and motioned for me to follow, leaving the wolf and his brother alone. In the hallway, she pulled the door closed before asking, "Did you feel it?"

"Yeah, it was surreal. Like you reached inside and petted the wolf and then convinced it to come to the surface."

"Exactly. If the wolf resists for some reason, you can grab hold and drag it out. That's usually either reserved for punishment or emergencies as it can be shocking and very painful."

"All right," I said, paying attention.

"Calling the human form is similar, the main difference is you're coaxing or pushing the wolf back inside, instead of pulling it forward."

"So, it all revolves around the wolf. You don't call a human form; you either call, or push back the wolf."

"Yes. That's why we call it restricting someone's wolf. Only it's not just the wolf, it's the same with any animal form. Once you learn to call one, you should be able to call any animal form you sense, be it wolf, bear, cougar, or whatever."

"All right," I wasn't sure what to say.

"I'm gonna go make a sandwich for once he shifts again. Why don't you two keep an ear out in case they need anything?"

I turned back to Caden, who was still standing next to the door.

"You have anything to add?" I asked.

"Not really. I don't have any of the talents for healing. I'm here partly because I sense violence before it starts, as a talent, it's a good one for protecting our Harmonia."

"I can see how it would be," I said. "Do you mind if I go back in?"

"Go for it. I'll be able to hear if there's trouble."

"Thanks," I said.

I knocked on the door and waited for an answer. A voice called out and I opened the door and stepped inside. Sitting on the rolling stool, I watched the wolf lying relaxed on the exam table as I thought about what we had just done. He seemed content to lay still, as though exhausted. There was far less pain in his eyes than before.

"How you feeling?" I asked. The older boy looked back and forth from me to his brother, still in wolf form, as though I'd lost my mind.

Jason opened his eyes and looked at me. I opened a small window in my shields so I could hear if he tried to respond.

_I can't talk. How does she expect me to answer?_ I heard him think.

"I can hear you just fine. You just have to think your answer at me and I'll hear it."

_That's handy for a doctor._

"I'm sure it would be useful, but I'm not a doctor. I'm just here to learn to call animal forms. I'm helping out where I can while I'm here. You didn't answer me, how are you feeling?"

_Much better, but tired._

"I'm glad you're not hurting, not as much at least."

_Thank you for helping._

"You're welcome. I hate seeing people in pain, especially if something can be done." I fell silent, watching the two boys until Alexis returned.

A soft knock sounded on the door and I got up and opened it. Alexis came in carrying a sandwich on a plate. My nose said it was ham and cheese. Setting the plate on the counter, she turned to the wolf.

"Well then," she said. "Are you feeling better?" He lifted his head and nodded once. "Good, do you think you can shift on your own?" Again, he nodded. We waited while the shimmering blur returned, fading again after just a moment to reveal the blond teenager he had started out as. He was still sitting on the exam table where he had begun, only now his clothes were shredded bits of cloth on the exam table under him.

Alexis pulled a set of gray sweats out of the cabinet next to the sink and gave them to Jason.

"Here, we'll step out so you can get dressed." Once the door closed and we were in the hall, she turned to me, "You're getting better. You didn't look away or blush when you realized he had shifted out of his clothes."

"I'm trying, sometimes are easier than others."

"It's only been two weeks since you learned all this. You've made a lot of progress."

"Thanks, sometimes I feel so lost. I can't tell my family or friends and I feel like I'm drifting away from my closest friends."

"I'm sorry. If it means anything, I think you are doing exceptionally well."

"You are doing well for someone who has only known of us for two weeks," Caden put in.

"Thanks, it helps to know that."

# Chapter 12

THAT EVENING I walked through the courtyard, heading for my apartment when I caught the scent of Kindred. I stopped and looked around, trying to figure out where it was coming from.

There was only one person in sight. He had his back to me and a large box in his arms, but there was something somehow familiar about the tall, broad shouldered figure. I watched him, trying to figure out why he seemed so familiar. He set the box down, turned and looked around, almost as though he had felt someone watching him. The moment I saw his face, I knew through the unfamiliar shagginess of his dirty blond hair, the angular jaw and distinctive set of his mouth were clear. His nose had been broken and healed crookedly since the last time I had seen him, but I hadn't seen him years. I froze for a split second, disbelieving my eyes.

"Devon Wilson!" I shouted.

He spotted me as I called out his name and it took a moment before recognition flashed across his face. He'd been in Payson's class in school, they were few years ahead of me, but they'd hung out in the same circle. Her crowd had spent enough time at our house that we were friendly despite the age difference.

"Daniels? Nickie Daniels! How're you doing?" A smile spread across his face. I changed direction and headed for him.

"I'm good, you? I heard you ran away and joined the Army. I haven't seen you in years," I said as soon as I was close enough I wouldn't have to yell. When I got close enough, I caught the smoky scent of him under the sweat he'd worked up hauling boxes.

"I did. I was with them for almost ten years before I broke my leg and they gave me a medical discharge."

"They discharged you over a broken leg?" I asked.

"Well, maybe broken's not the right word, shattered would be more accurate. It's been almost a year since the accident and I still have trouble."

"Oh, wow. But wait. You're Kindred, why haven't you healed in a year?"

Surprise flashed across his face for an instant before he cleared it.

"What do you mean?" His face was blank.

I panicked for just a second, worried I'd screwed up. I had to be careful here, I didn't want to make him suspicious if I was wrong, but I knew I wasn't. I was certain he knew. But this wasn't the place for this, where anyone could walk by and overhear.

"You look like you've had a full day. Why don't you come up to my place and we can catch up," I said. "I'll fix us something to eat and we can talk."

"Um... okay, I guess. Let me just lock up and I'll be right behind you. Which unit are you in?"

"315, but I didn't know you live here."

"I haven't been, but I do now. I'm moving in today. I've only been back for a little while and I've spent the last couple of weeks crashing at my parents' until I could find a place."

"No wonder I haven't seen you around here," I said. "I'm going to head up and fire up the grill. I'll thaw a couple of steaks and we can toss those on. You come up when you're ready." I turned and started across the courtyard. As soon as I got inside my apartment, I pulled my PCD out of my purse and dialed Bill.

"Nickie, what's up?" Bill answered.

"Devon Wilson. Payson's age. Why does he smell like Kindred? And why did he pretend not to know what I was talking about when I asked him?" I asked quickly, not wasting time.

"I knew he was back in town but didn't realize you knew him."

"He was part of Payson's crowd in school; they spent a lot of time hanging around the house, so we were friendly," I said, keeping it short; I was kind of in a hurry.

"I didn't realize that... Anyway, Devon is Kindred, yes, but he doesn't shift. I'm sure he smells more strongly of Kindred because he's living with his parents. While he's Kindred, he probably doesn't think of himself as one of us.

"He likely has no clue you shift, or now know about us. Remember the last he knew you was when he left town. Then, you didn't know what you are and neither did anyone else. While you've known for a couple of weeks, not many in the pack know you yet," he said. I went to the freezer while I listened and pulled out a couple of steaks.

"I guess," I said. "He's not living with his parents anymore, he's got an apartment in my complex. That's where I ran into him. Thanks for the info, but I've got to go. He's supposed to have dinner with me and I don't want him to catch me on the phone."

"All right. Have a good evening."

"Thanks again. Bye."

"Bye."

I hit the end button and laid the device on the table as I popped the steaks into a bowl of hot water. Stepping out onto the balcony, I lit the grill to let it start heating before going back inside and picking up a few things I'd left lying around. I was changing the now cold water in the bowl with the steaks when I heard the knock on my door.

"Just a second!" I shouted, turning off the water and grabbing a towel off the counter. I carried it with me, drying my hands as I walked through the living room. Devon was standing on the doorstep. He'd pulled his hair back from his face into a ponytail low on his neck and I noticed he'd pierced his ears since I'd seen him ten years earlier. He now wore a single, small gold hoop in each ear.

"Come on in, have a seat. The steaks are almost ready to toss on the grill," I motioned him inside and closed the door. "Can I get you something to drink? I have soda, tea, milk, water, possibly some juice, I might even have a couple of beer in the fridge, if that would interest you..."

"Tea's fine," he looked around the living room of my small apartment, still standing.

"Let me get that, make yourself at home," I invited, heading into the kitchen to fix his drink. I heard him following me so I continued, "I'm sorry about blurting out about Kindred down there, it just surprised me. I didn't know that you are one."

"That's what I thought you said but I wasn't sure. I mean, you're not Kindred so how can you know about them?"

"Actually, I am Kindred. It's a new discovery and I'm still learning my way around. I've only met a few of the pack. I'm not surprised you hadn't heard." I filled a glass with ice and tea and handed it to him as he sat at the dining room table.

"Really?" he asked. "How? I knew you and your family for years. How can you suddenly discover that you are Kindred when none of your family are?"

"Well, you know that Raine, Pace, 'Low, and I are adopted, right?" I pulled two baking potatoes from the basket I kept in a deep drawer and washed them.

"Well, yeah. It's hard to miss."

I laughed, I couldn't help myself, he was right. Looking at all of us you would never guess we were siblings.

"Apparently, at least one of my birth parents was Kitsune, so I am too. Bill, the Anikitos, has known I had Kindred blood since I was a baby, but never said anything." I stabbed the potatoes several times with a fork before putting them in the microwave and starting them cooking.

"One day you just shifted and had no clue what was going on?" he asked.

"Pretty much." I told him about my first shift, the things I'd learned, and that I was now working with Alexis.

"I see..."

"I'm sorry about earlier. I had no clue, all those years you were hanging around the house."

"I understand. But you need to understand, I'm not a shifter."

"I know, before you got here I called Bill and asked. I was afraid I'd blown it big time. No one's told me yet exactly what the punishment is for letting people in on our secret without permission, but it's been hinted to be bad. I didn't want to risk it. He said you don't shift. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring up what might be a sore subject." I opened the refrigerator and pulled out the makings for a salad.

"It's not a big deal. I came to terms with who and what I am a long time ago. I mean, yeah, it would be nice to shift and not be an outsider in my own family, but I've accepted my life and learned to be happy."

"I'm just starting to realize how difficult it is to hide something like this from my family. I can't even talk about it with them. We've always talked about everything."

"How long have you known?"

"I shifted two weeks ago today..."

"Wow, that's about when I got back into town. No wonder you don't know many Kindred yet."

"It was a bit of a shock to learn Bill is pack leader. I've known him always. I had no clue he was anything but human. Of course, I never suspected anything but humans even existed. Spending one day a week at the clinic has introduced me to a few more, but it's going to take a while to get to know everyone." I pulled a few leaves off a head of lettuce and washed them before tearing them into bite sized chunks and dropping them into a salad bowl, mixing in a pre-cut salad mix.

"I can imagine."

"Enough about me and my drama. What have you been up to? You left here almost ten years ago. I thought you never looked back and you never would."

"Since you're in on the secret now, I'll tell you the whole story."

"If you want to," I waited for him to begin.

"I'd just turned nineteen when they decided I would likely never shift. I'd tried several times with no luck. We had a different second then and they couldn't call animal forms. But we had Alexis' grandmother and she could. She said it's not possible to call someone's wolf until they've shifted for the first time. Something about not being able to reach the wolf until then, I don't really understand the details." I glanced and found him looking sightlessly into his tea glass.

"There are ways to help someone shift for the first time, but calling their animal form isn't one of them. We'd tried everything we knew to do and finally had to give up. Anyway, the Anikitos told me I was free to do as I wanted, providing I kept the secret.

"So, I did what I'd wanted to do for some time. I joined the Army, knowing it would take me out of town. I did well but not extraordinarily so, and I worked my way up in rank some. I wasn't on the bottom of the pile anymore but I didn't have huge responsibilities either. I've been all over the world and enjoyed what I did enough to re-up when my first commitment was over, I was content.

"Then last year on a training exercise, I fell about thirty feet off a rocky ledge and landed wrong and the impact shattered my leg. I spent weeks in the hospital. Went through more surgeries than I want to remember and months of physical therapy. I still limp sometimes, especially when I'm tired. When they decided I could no longer perform my duties, the Army let me go, gave me a medical discharge. They didn't just dump me. I get disability because the injury was in the line of duty. It's enough to scrape by but not enough to really live on. It's a lot cheaper to live here than in a bigger city, so I decided to move back. My family is here and even if I'm the ghost in the closet, they're still my family."

"I'm sorry that your family sees it that way. Bill's given me permission to tell my parents, but I'm afraid of how they might take it so I haven't yet."

"He said you can tell your family?" Devon was surprised.

"No, just my parents. He expressly forbid me from telling the others."

"That makes a little more sense. Telling anyone is a big deal, that he gave you permission to tell your folks at all is huge," he said. "Speaking of your siblings, how's everyone doing?"

"Pretty good, Brit's married and has two kids. Cam's got a steady girlfriend but he hasn't brought her around the rest of us yet. Probably because he doesn't want to hear the teasing he's sure to get. Pace lives in Tucson, she's got a good job there. Raine's here though, he's been with STPD for about three years now. And 'Low is getting ready to start her last year a NAU. She stayed there for the summer taking a summer class and waiting tables in some restaurant."

"Wow, the last time I saw Shiloh she was about eleven. It's hard to believe she is almost done with college."

"Yep. You have a brother and a sister too, don't you?"

"Yeah, Amy and Jason are both older than me. We aren't close. We haven't been for a long time." I heard the regret in his voice and I suspected part of their not being close came from his not being able to shift.

I checked the steaks and found them thawed so I dumped the water and started getting them ready to cook. I seasoned them, and carried them out to put them on the grill. I closed the lid over them, and then headed back into the house to finish the rest of dinner.

As I walked back into the kitchen I asked, "What are your plans now that you have a place of your own?"

"Next is looking for a job. I don't want to work for the mine or for any other big company, but I will if I must. I haven't looked at what's available yet, I've been concentrating on getting a place of my own."

"Yeah," I pulled a couple of plates out of the cabinet. "I can't imagine living with my parents again, and I've only been on my own about half as long as you. I like being able to do things when I want without someone coming along and telling me how I should do it."

"I know exactly what you're talking about!" He laughed. "For the last two weeks, I couldn't step out the door without being grilled, 'Where are you going? When will you be home? Who will you be with?' It's like I'm fourteen again." We both laughed at his imitation.

"Hang on. I'll be right back." I grabbed a pair of tongs and went out to turn the steaks. I came back to the kitchen where Devon waited and asked, "I forgot to ask, how do you like your steak?"

"However you make yours will be fine with me," he said.

"Are you sure? I eat mine pretty rare."

"All I care is that it's hot all the way through, cold steak just doesn't do much for me."

"I think I've said that before, bloody is okay, but I don't do cold." I laughed and started setting the table. I pulled the butter and the salad dressing from the fridge, gathered flatware, steak knives, napkins, and salt and pepper, and set them out. Grabbing a plate and the tongs, I went back out to pull the steaks off before shutting off the grill. I carried the plate and tongs back inside to let the meat rest while I took the salads to the table.

I sat down and told Devon to dig in, we were still eating our salads when the microwave beeped that our potatoes were done. Afterward, I took our bowls to the sink, then plated the potatoes.

"Do you want sour cream with your potato?" I asked.

"No, thanks. I'm good."

"Here we are," I set the plates on the table and sat.

Devon cut his steak and took the first bite. "Perfect. Thanks for inviting me," he said. "I was starting to think about food and pizza was my most likely option, since they'll deliver."

"I was just going to end up eating alone again." We finished dinner and I cleaned up the kitchen while we visited. Once the dishes were loaded, Devon and I moved into the living room for a while before he called it a night. He thanked me again for dinner and left.

Devon stayed on my mind for the rest of the evening, something about him drew me. As I got ready for bed a couple hours later, it occurred to me. He would need to get reacquainted with people in town, maybe I could arrange for him to catch up with my family.

# Chapter 13

The next morning, I called Mom. I asked if it would be all right to bring Devon to Sunday dinner. Because I know how my family is, I made it clear I'm not dating him, or anyone else for that matter. I thought it would give us all a chance to catch up, and I hoped, cheer Devon up some. He seemed kind of lost and lonely, I was hoping that the family could make him feel more at home, more at ease. My family would think I was bringing home a boyfriend, despite anything I said. I knew Devon had spent enough time with the Daniels clan that he could take the ribbing that was sure to occur. She said bring him, I didn't tell her he felt out of place with his own family, just that he had recently moved back and I thought we might enjoy catching up.

That afternoon, I went down to Devon's apartment and knocked on the door.

"Hello," I said when he opened the door. "How's your day going?"

"So far so good, come on in," he said. "I'm limited on seating, but you're welcome to what I have. I haven't bothered to find much furniture or do any unpacking." There were a few pieces of furniture in the apartment, bookshelves, an older, used sofa, and through the bedroom doorway, I saw the foot of a bed.

"That's all right. I expected as much, I came bearing an invitation."

"Oh?"

"I want you to come to Sunday dinner at my parents' tomorrow. The family would love to see you, even if Pace isn't there."

"Are you sure? They won't think you're bringing a boyfriend to meet the family?"

"I called my mom this morning, told her I ran into you last night, that you are back, and that you might like to catch up with the family. Then I said Sunday dinner would be perfect, as most of us are there. Other than birthdays and major holidays, it rarely happens anymore. I tried to make it clear we're not dating. But honestly? They'll probably think so anyway, you going to let that scare you away?"

"If it won't bother you, it won't bother me," he laughed. "I just wanted to check. If you're sure, I'd like to go. I enjoy your family. I like how accepting you are of your differences and how you love each of you because of them, not despite them."

"Me too. Just remember, they don't know what I am. You can't mention Kindred to them." We moved farther into his apartment, which appeared to be the same floor plan as mine but without the furniture and knickknacks I'd collected.

"Not a problem, I'm used to keeping the Kindred secret."

"I didn't think it would be, but I wanted to remind you."

"Do you want me to meet you there? Or would you rather ride together?"

"I go early to help Mom cook and often stay after to help her clean up, but if you don't mind, there's no reason we can't go together. Why take two vehicles?"

"I don't mind going early or staying late. I've got nowhere else to be. I might as well spend time with your family."

"Great, I'll leave about four thirty. I'll stop by and pick you up on my way out."

"That's fine. Should I bring anything?"

"Just you. Mom will be thrilled just to have you. Oh... I was gonna ask. How do you do with kids?"

"Haven't had a lot of exposure, but I do alright. Why?"

"Britt's got two. They're four and one and they've never met a stranger who wasn't just a new mountain to climb." I smiled at the idea of them climbing all over him.

"I think I can handle it," Devon laughed, "The innocence and honesty of little ones is refreshing."

"Refreshing... that's one word for it. Probably not the one I would've chosen off hand." I remembered more than once Jimmy had shouted some remark I found more embarrassing than refreshing. "Do you need any help unpacking?" I glanced around. It didn't look like he had had a chance to do more than carry boxes in and stack them in the front room.

"I can manage. I'll get it done eventually."

"Of course you can, but if you have help it'll go much faster, even if I just pull things out of boxes and stack them on the counter to be put away. It isn't like you dragged me in here. I offered."

"If you want to... I just got it all in. I haven't had time to sort what goes in what room."

"Let's tackle it. We'll see what we can get done in a couple of hours, then I'll let you pay me by feeding me."

"You've got a deal." He grabbed the nearest box and carried it into the kitchen. "The boxes are all labeled what room they go in, so it should be an easy sort."

"Do you want to sort them all out and then have boxes scattered everywhere or do you want to grab one and unpack it, then grab another, leaving them in the living room until they are gone?" I asked.

"Let's just unpack one at a time. Somewhere in there are two or three boxes of books that go in those." He motioned to a set of bookcases that were standing against one wall. "They'll be heavy so be careful."

"Will do." Turning and picking up the nearest box, I got started.

We worked for three hours and had made quite a dent in the stacks of boxes scattered through his living room when Devon called a halt.

"Enough for now. Let's take a break, order some pizza and get something to drink. If I had my screen set up, I'd say screw it, let's watch a film."

"How about you call and order the pizza, and while we wait we can set up the screen. Once the food gets here, we can pick something to watch."

"Sounds like a plan," he said. "What do you like on your pizza?"

"I prefer mushrooms and spinach, but I'll eat pepperoni and diced tomatoes too."

"Hmm, I'm a meat lover's man. How about we meet in the middle and get pepperoni and mushrooms?"

"Sounds good."

"Let me call it in, I'll be right back. I think the screen is rolled up in the corner next to the bookcases."

"I'll look while you call."

He nodded, stepping out onto the patio. I went into the living room and looked for the screen. I found it rolled in a tube standing in the corner, right where Devon said it would be. I started moving boxes away from the only wall big enough to put it. I picked them up and stacked them easily with my still developing strength. When I found a box labeled books or films, instead of stacking them among the others out of the way, I put them in front of the bookcases. Unpacking the books would be a quick job and would make a lot of difference in the look of the place. I also set the box labeled sound equipment aside. I was betting we'd need it to hook up the screen.

"Wow, you were busy!" Devon said when he came back in.

"I might as well get as much done as I can so we can hook up the screen. Do you know where the hooks are?"

"Sure, I dropped them in the top of the tool box so they'd be easy to find." He headed for the toolbox standing open on the dining room floor. He came back carrying three small hooks, like the ones that pictures are hung with, a level, a measuring tape, and a hammer.

"Done this a few times, huh?" I recognized the signs of someone who was familiar with the job.

"A few..." He measured up the wall and marked a small line with a pencil he pulled out of his shirt pocket. He moved over a couple feet and did the same thing. "Can you hold the other end?" He picked up the level. I held it at the mark he had made with the pencil. Measuring across it, he marked three small x's before lowering the level and using the hammer to hang the three hooks. I picked up the screen, handed him one end, and we unrolled it, snapping it open, and hanging it on the hooks. It hung smooth and straight as the flexible electronic was designed to do. Devon took his tools back to the tool box and returned with a knife. He cut open the box labeled sound equipment and handed me the knife.

"I can handle this if you want to dig out the films. I've got this down to a science, it won't take more than a few minutes."

"Sure," I cut open not just the box marked films but the ones holding his books as well. "I might as well do them all while I'm here, it won't take long. Do you want the books or movies sorted in any particular manner?"

"Nah, just get them up. If I want them sorted later, I can do it then."

"Will do," I pulled open the box of films. I started lining the small cases up on the shelves closest to the screen, carefully placing them so that you could see the name on each case. It didn't take more than a few minutes; Devon didn't have a large collection of films. The rest of the box was filled with books. Obviously, his book collection was larger than his film collection. I finished the first box and broke it down before moving on to another while Devon was moving around the room plugging small speakers in where he wanted them.

Devon was just finishing with the speakers, and I was almost done with my second box of books, when the doorbell rang, startling me. I'd been admiring Devon's books. There were a lot of classics, and whether you were looking for horror, sci-fi, thrillers, or mysteries, you could find something that would interest you. It also looked like he had all, or at least most of, a couple of authors' work. I was seriously impressed. I don't have the inclination to collect hard covers like these. I'm content to read on my PCD and have the space for something else, but I still marveled over the time and money invested in a collection like this.

When Devon closed the front door, he held a pizza box. I flipped the box I'd just emptied over and set it on the floor in front of his sofa to use as a table. He put the pizza on top and disappeared into the kitchen. I heard water run and then shut off. After a couple moments he emerged again, this time carrying a pair of plates, with napkins sitting on top of them in one hand and a pair of beer bottles in the other.

"Pick a film, and let's sit down and actually take that break I called for half an hour ago," he said.

I went to where I had lined up the films and looked through them again. I pulled out a movie almost as old as I am and tossed it at him. "It's an oldie, but a goodie based on an even older book series. Looking at all this," I motioned to the book collection, "I'll bet you've even read the books."

He deftly caught the small case and checked the title. "You'd be right. But I have to admit, this is the best film version of the series that's ever been made. Did you know they filmed all three movies at once, in New Zealand? It was something that had never been done before."

"Yeah, I know. I suspected you would too." I grinned. "I'll be right back if you don't mind, I'm going to wash my hands before I eat; they're all covered with dust." I held up my hands, waving dirty fingers.

"Go ahead, there's soap next to the sink in the kitchen. I did mine while I was in there."

In the kitchen, I washed my hands, drying them on the towel he'd used and left folded on the counter. It occurred to me that Devon may be the neatest man I've ever known. Both my brothers were slobs, and while Dad wasn't quite a slob, he wasn't as neat as Devon seemed, at least so far.

I joined Devon in the living room. He'd closed the box that held the speakers and set it beside the box I'd set down, then centered the pizza box over the two of them and set a plate on either side with a napkin tucked under the edge of each rim. He had a beer sitting next to each plate as well. The film was set up, but he was waiting for me. He spotted me as I walked into the room.

"Have a seat. The boxes'll have to do until I can find a sofa table. I've got some shopping to do to make this place livable," he made a sour face. Laughing, I took a seat next to him on the couch and he continued, "Help yourself, I'll get this started and then have some."

I flipped open the pizza box and saw that he'd ordered an extra-large pizza smothered in mushrooms and pepperoni. It looked good and the sight of it made me realize I was starving.

I pulled out a couple of slices and set them on the plate before I closed the box again to help hold in the heat. I bent over my plate as I lifted a slice so I could take a bite. As I pulled away to sit up-right, I tugged at the strings of cheese that were trailing back to the slice of pizza and finally broke them. I reached over and grabbed the beer bottle and thought twice about it. I could handle the bottle without breaking it. I was sure of that, but I wasn't so sure that I could grip it just hard enough to twist the top. I held the bottle for just a moment until I could swallow the pizza in my mouth, then turned to Devon.

"Can I get you to do me a favor?" I asked.

"No problem. What you need?"

"Can you open this? I'm afraid I'll break it if I try." I held the beer toward him.

"Not sure of your strength yet?"

"No, I'm sure. Sure I haven't learned enough finesse to manage it yet. I can handle glass and glasses without breaking them, but I'm pretty certain I'd break the bottle if I tried to open it," I laughed at myself. He deftly twisted the top off the bottle and handed it back to me. I leaned forward and picked up my plate again.

"Thanks." I sat back on the couch and wedged the beer bottle between my thighs as I held the plate and worked on eating the pizza. The opening scene of the film started and with a pitch-black screen, the voice of the narrator began explaining about the world being changed and the creation of the rings.

I knocked on Devon's door at four-thirty Sunday afternoon. He opened the door and stepped out and I saw he'd dressed up. Well, dressed better. He wasn't wearing the jeans and t-shirt I'd seen him in previously. Instead he wore a nice pair of khaki slacks, pressed so they had a crease down the front of each leg, and a patterned blue polo shirt. I looked him up and down, admiring the new look, and saw he even had on a pair of dress shoes. His hair was smoothed back into a neat ponytail. He looked sharp.

"Wow!" I said. "You look great, but you didn't have to dress up. Sunday dinner may be mandatory, but it's casual."

"I wasn't sure so I split the difference. It can't hurt to make a good impression. No one's seen me since I was a rebellious kid. If I'm good, they might change their minds about me."

"Ha!" I reached up and flipped the end of his ponytail. "As if this wasn't a dead give-away that your rebellion is still alive and well!"

"Do you think that'll bother them?" he asked.

"I don't see why it would. Raine's hair is longer than mine and yours put together, no one rides him about it."

Devon looked at me, speechless a moment. "Raine?"

"Yep. It makes me more suspicious he has Native American blood in there somewhere. You'll know what I mean when you see him. Why are you so worried what they'll think of you? It's not like you need to impress them, you've known them forever."

"Yeah, I know. I still want to make a good impression."

I chuckled. "Then let's go. You can watch sports with Dad, or sit in the kitchen and talk to Mom and me while we cook."

"I'm on my way," he locked the door and he pulled it closed.

I opened the door to my parents' house and motioned Devon inside before entering myself. I took Devon down the hall to the living room to see my father.

"Dad, you remember Devon Wilson?"

"Sure, it's been a while, hasn't it?" Dad briefly took his attention off the screen in front of him.

"Yes, sir."

"You'll need to excuse me for a bit. I'm in the middle of this game and I'll only get to watch it until the grandkids get here."

"No problem," Devon smiled.

"Dad, we're going into the kitchen with Mom. I'll be back after Brit gets here with the monsters when we can actually talk to you."

He nodded but didn't look away from the screen as we left. I led Devon into the kitchen where I hugged Mom.

"Mom, you remember Devon."

"Of course I do," she hugged him. "Can I get you something to drink?" she asked. "I want you to make yourself at home. Have a seat in here and talk to us while James watches his game, or you can go in and watch it with him. I'll warn you, he'll stay glued to that thing until the game's over or the little ones get here."

Devon rubbed one hand over his jaw, "Ma'am, I don't think I could sit here and watch you two work. Watching sports would be even worse. How about I pitch in? I don't have much experience in the kitchen, but I can follow directions with the best of them. Tell me what to do and you've got an extra set of hands." I think this endeared him to my mother.

"You don't have to do that," Mom said.

"Yes, I do. I would be unpacking my apartment for weeks if Nickie hadn't shown up yesterday and insisted on pitching in. I can help cook a meal I'm gonna eat."

"If you insist," she conceded. "Can you peel potatoes?"

"Are you kidding? I peeled hundreds of potatoes before I left home. I might be a little rusty, but I can get the job done. Point me to the potatoes, give me a knife, and I'll have them naked for you in no time."

"Here's the potatoes, the peeler, and a bowl." She set them on the counter in front of him. "For a crowd our size, we need to fill that bowl with peeled potatoes."

"No problem, I'll get 'er done." He went to the sink to wash his hands, then got to work on the large bag of potatoes she'd set on the counter.

As we worked, Mom questioned him, "Nickie tells me you've spent the last ten years with the Army but now you're back to stay. Your mother must be happy to have you home."

"She is," he said. "She'd given up on me ever coming home and settling down. My folks figured I'd go career Army and if I ever got married and had kids, I'd take them all over the world and they wouldn't get to see much of them. Honestly, the idea sounded good to me, not the part about my family, but the career military and traveling part. I enjoyed what I did. What never occurred to us was that I'd get hurt and end up discharged. Now, I'm back, and though I'm not even considering settling down or having kids, Mom has high hopes."

"I'm sure she does. Is she fixing you up with girls yet, or is she still hinting?" Mom asked.

"She's hinting, though not subtly. She keeps suggesting girls she thinks would be good for me. This girl comes from a good family. Another girl is pretty and sweet, she would make a good mother someday. We all know Mom would rather someday came sooner than later. I'd hoped my sister Amy's kids would've soothed her desire for grandkids, at least a little, but it seems to be the opposite. Now she has a couple, she wants more and she's after all three of us to provide them for her."

"Some of us are like that, though I like to think that I'm not a pusher." Mom smiled at me before continuing, "I love my grandkids, and I'll be thrilled for more, when the kids are ready to give them to me. I have six kids spread out over eleven years. That just means I'll get my grandkids spread out too. It'll give me longer to enjoy them." She laughed.

"Well, I have to admit, her pushing makes me want to avoid her so I don't have to hear it. I keep hoping she'll give up when I don't cave, but I don't have high hopes of that." He tossed a freshly peeled potato into the bowl.

"Now you have a place of your own again. What are your other plans?" Mom asked.

"I'm gonna have to find a job, at least something part time. I'm gonna be picky about what to do though, my disability will hold me for a while, if I don't go hog wild."

"What is it you're looking for?" Mom asked.

"I don't know what I want exactly. It's more what I don't want. I don't want to go to the mine, and I don't want a desk job, though, I'll take either if I have to. What I want is something physical but not so demanding I can't take a break or quit for the day when this leg gives me too much trouble."

"What you need is a person, not a company, one who would be reasonable and flexible?"

"That's exactly what I need." He smiled at Mom's evaluation. "I haven't really looked into it yet. I've only been in town a couple weeks and I spent most of it looking for an apartment and moving."

"That's understandable," Mom paused for a moment. "You know, every summer James hires a high school boy to help him out. Someone to do the heavier work now that he's getting a little older and the boys both have jobs that keep them busy. But kids that age can be so unreliable, then they quit when school starts, leaving James all the work again. It's more work some days than others, and we can't compete with the mine or larger farms for pay, but I'm sure James would appreciate reliable help if you were interested."

"Well, ma'am, I don't need a whole lot. My disability covers most of what I need. My aim is to make up the difference and have a little left over. I'd appreciate something that lets me exercise my leg. It sounds like helping Mr. Daniels might be just what I need. I'll have to talk to him, thanks for thinking of me." He peeled the last potato and dropped it into the bowl, then carried the whole thing over to the sink and filled it with water.

"Thanks for that. There's not much left to do. Nickie and I've got it covered. Why don't you have a seat and just visit or go in the other room and visit with James."

"I think I'll go see how the game is going and see if he's ready to talk to someone yet."

"That will depend on how his team's doing," I said. "I'll be done here in a few minutes and then I'll be there."

Mom and I finished with the cooking and I was finishing the dishes when the front door opened. I picked up a towel and dried my hands as I stepped out of the kitchen. I looked down the hall and saw the back side of Raine disappear into the living room. Setting the folded towel on the counter top, I went into the living room to join them.

The screen had been turned off, which meant Dad's game had ended. I leaned over and hugged Raine where he sat.

"Raine, you remember Devon Wilson, don't you?" I asked.

"Didn't you run around with Pace's gaggle?" Raine said.

"Yeah, I ran into him the other day as he was moving into my apartment complex. I thought it would be nice to let everyone catch up," I said.

"It's good to see you, man. What've you been up to?"

"I did a couple of enlistments with the Army." Devon recounted the story he'd told me about the time he'd been away. "Mrs. Daniels said you hire a high school kid to help you out during the summer, do a lot of heavy lifting and such. Is there any chance I can talk you into giving that to me?"

"You sure you want something like that?" Dad was skeptical it was a job Devon wanted, "We don't pay much, definitely not enough to live on."

"I don't need much to live on. The Army gives me a disability for this." He thumped his bad knee. "I need something for spending or savings money and to keep me from going insane. What I want is something physical. Something to help me strengthen this leg, but I need an understanding boss who'll let me take a break or call it a day if it gets to be too much. I can't do that working at the mine or for some big company."

"I guess I can understand that," Dad said. "But are you sure you want to do a lot of rough and dirty farm work?"

"It sounds about perfect," Devon said honestly. "I'll tell you what, give me a week or two to learn how you do things. I'll take care of all the animals every other weekend and let you have some time off... How long has it been since you had a day off? One where you didn't have to worry about being sure the animals got fed?" Devon was trying to convince Dad to give him the job.

"It's been a long time, I admit," Dad said. I could see him weakening. "Longer than I can remember."

"I'm more reliable, even with this bum leg, than most kids. I'd even be willing to take over for a week or two and let you take that beautiful wife of yours out of town on a second honeymoon."

"Boy, you know what buttons to push, don't you? You just got yourself a job. I usually start at about six, but if you show up by five fifteen, that wife of mine will feed you, too."

"I wouldn't want to impose," Devon said.

"Not at all," Mom said, stepping into the room having heard most of the last bit from the hallway. "I miss not having anyone around to feed. I spent years cooking for my kids and the myriad of their friends that were always hanging around. I'm up and cooking for James anyway, it's no trouble at all to make enough for you, too."

"Well, if you're sure."

"I am. You show up by five fifteen and I'll feed you like you deserve."

"Thank you, ma'am, I appreciate it."

"When do you want to start?" Dad asked.

"When do you need me?" Devon returned.

"Would tomorrow be too soon?"

"Not at all. I'll be here bright, early, and ready to work."

The front door opened and my sister Brittney and her family came in. It's hard to mistake the yelling and excitement of her kids for anyone else. I got up and met the kids coming down the hallway.

I snatched Jimmy up off the floor as he ran by and threatened to tickle him into submission for running in the house again.

"What am I going to do with you?" I pretended to be a monster who caught him doing something he shouldn't have been doing. "I think I'll feed you to the mean old Grandpa monster."

"YEAH, YEAH!! GRANDPA!!" he yelled.

I tucked him under one arm and carried him like a football into the living room where the Grandpa monster hid. "Britt?" I called over my shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"You remember Devon Wilson, right? Ran with Pace's group in school?"

"Oh, yeah! How have you been?" she asked as we entered the living room. I continued to wrestle with the wiggling boy, carrying him to where Dad sat in his recliner. I started to lower Jimmy over him.

"Grandpa, I brought you a wiggly little boy to eat. He might be a little squirmy, but he should be nice and tender."

"Let me have him," Dad reached and took the squirming boy. "I've been hungry for some little boy and I might have to tickle him into good behavior." Dad tickled the already writhing boy now lying across his lap, making him squirm and squeal.

I turned back to my sister and lifted Tammy out of her arms.

"How are you doing today, little one? Has your mama been treating you right?" I lifted her high above my head, wiggling her gently as she giggled. I bounced her up and down several times before settling her down on my hip again. "How has your brother been?" I asked, still talking to the baby. "Is he playing nice? Or is he teasing you and pulling your hair?"

Tammy giggled. Jimmy finally managed to squirm free from his grandfather and climb down just in time for me to set Tammy down with Dad. She quickly snuggled against him. I led Jimmy over to the corner and got him interested in some toys stacked there before going back into the kitchen to finish dinner.

I was putting the ice bucket back in the freezer after filling the glasses on the table when the front door opened again. The newest scent told me it was Cam, just in time to sit down for dinner. Mom stepped into the living room and announced dinner was ready. Everyone came into the dining room and took their seats, but Devon hung back, waiting to be told where to sit.

"Just pick one, Devon, no one bites, except maybe Tammy," I watched the indecision on his face. I placed both hands in the middle of his back and gently pushed him toward the table. I sensed Cam walk into the room behind me. "Cam," I said, "You remember Devon?"

"Yeah, I remember him," Cam turned to Devon. "How you doing, man?"

"Not bad, you?"

"Can't complain," Cam replied as we all took our seats, Devon snagging a chair next to mine. We started passing dishes around the table and serving our selves. "Nick, you making an announcement? Bringing someone to Sunday dinner can be quite a statement." There was a teasing note in his voice and I saw embarrassment creep up Devon's neck.

"No, blockhead," I snapped, sorry my brother's teasing was bothering Devon. I explained that Devon had just returned and I thought he might like to see some old friends.

"Ahh..." Cam grinned as though he thought I wasn't telling the whole truth. He turned to Devon, "What're you doing these days?"

"I've only been back in town for a couple weeks and I've spent most of that looking for a place to live. Once I had that settled, I started looking for a job."

"Don't most people do that the other way around?"

"Generally, but since when have I been like most people? Anyway, my disability covers the basics, I was looking for a job for something to do and for the exercise."

"Hang on, I missed something, disability? Was looking?" Confusion replaced the teasing look on Cam's face. "I thought you said you are looking, and how'd you get hurt?"

Devon told his story again, and I knew he had to be tired of recounting it. He ended with, "I was looking until this evening, but I think I've found the perfect job."

"What's the new job?"

"Helping your dad around the farm. I offered to take the position he normally gives to high-schoolers, but I went a little farther and I offered to work every other weekend and let him and your mom take some time off, maybe go out of town for a change," Devon said.

Cam looked surprised and so did Britt. I don't think it had occurred to either of them Mom and Dad almost never got to take vacations because someone had to make sure the animals were fed.

"That's a lot of physical labor, do you think your leg'll hold up?" Cam asked.

"I think so, but I need to work it and strengthen it anyway. Your dad will understand if I need a few minutes rest or to quit early now and then. That's not something I could do most places."

"I guess if you were the kind to quit early and blame your leg often, then you wouldn't be looking for the kind of job to push it and strengthen it, would you?"

"Probably not. I'd like to get back in shape, as if I were still in the Army. Not that I have any intentions of rejoining, but I liked being in shape."

"Makes sense."

I kept silent through this, knowing if I spoke up or defended Devon that Cam and the others would be sure I had brought a boyfriend home.

There was plenty of chatter and visiting going on at the table as we ate. It was friendly, with lots of laughter and teasing. Devon fit right in and enjoyed the evening.

After dinner, Mom told Cam, Raine, and Brittney, that Devon and I had helped her get dinner on the table, cleaning up would be their job. With that, Mom, Dad, Devon, Tracy, the kids, and I, went into the living room and sat down. We chatted for a while, and when Britt came in and offered everyone a slice of the chocolate cake Mom had made, we all accepted. She took the kids back into the kitchen and when I offered to help serve, Britt said no; she and the boys could take care of it.

It was a little after eight when Devon and I left. We had a good evening, but we both had to get up early the next day.

# Chapter 14

ON MY WAY home from work Tuesday, I looked toward Devon's place as I crossed the courtyard and saw him sitting in a lawn chair on his small front porch. I turned in his direction and as I approached, I noticed he had a beer in one hand.

"Hey, how's it going?" I asked.

"No complaints."

"How's the new job going?"

"So far so good. I show up early and your mom feeds me, or I show up on time and I'm on my own for breakfast. Either way, I get up early and work hard.

"Your dad's easy to get along with. He tells me what needs to be done but doesn't micro-manage or tell me how to do it. He trusts I can figure out, and if I can't, I'll ask. I think it's gonna work out."

"I hope it does, it wears him out to train a new kid every year. He had to show them how to do the most basic things. They had to be shown over and over, and just as he got them trained, they'd quit. And he'd start again the next summer."

"I think he's hit an end to the cycle. So far, I like the work. It may be rough and dirty, but I don't mind that. It's flexible and I get to be out in the sunshine. I like my boss and I have no intentions of leaving."

"I wasn't thinking you would. It'll work out for the best all the way around. If you're done for the day, what are your plans for the evening?"

"Not much, I was planning on sitting here and relaxing, maybe seeing what's on the screen before I crash for the night. I get up early you know..."

"Have you eaten?" I asked.

"Not yet. I was trying to decide between fixing myself something, or using the push button stove."

"Nuke or call for delivery?"

"I was thinking delivery. I don't think I have anything in the house I could nuke."

"I have lasagna in the fridge, if you want to come up, we can nuke it."

"I don't know."

"I have plenty, it's no trouble."

"You sure?"

"Yep, you can't make lasagna in a small pan; when I get a craving for it, I end up eating it for a week so it doesn't go to waste. You'd be saving me from that."

"By letting you feed me, again, I'm doing you a favor?"

"You could say that."

"When you put it that way, how can I refuse? Especially for homemade lasagna."

"Come up whenever you're ready. I'm going to go up and get comfortable. I'll leave the door unlocked."

"I'll be up in a minute, I'm going to finish this and close up here." He lifted his nearly empty bottle.

"That's fine." I headed back across the courtyard to the stairs. Devon started moving behind me as I climbed the three flights of stairs. I marveled for a moment at how my hearing had improved _._

I reached the top of the stairs and thumbed the lock on the door. Inside, I went into the bedroom and quickly changed into a loose pair of shorts and a tank top; I wanted something comfortable after being in a suit all day.

Deciding not to wait for Devon, I went to the kitchen and made two plates. I put them in the microwave one at a time and had just pulled the first plate out and traded it for the second when the front door opened. I caught Devon's scent on the air from the movement of the door.

"In the kitchen," I yelled. Pulling a fork out of the drawer, I set it on the plate and put it on the table. Devon walked into the kitchen. "What do you want to drink? Water, Tea, soda, or another beer?"

"Tea sounds great, if you don't mind."

"If I minded, I wouldn't have offered." I stuck my tongue out and grabbed a glass out of the cabinet and added ice before filling it with tea from a pitcher in the fridge. I set the glass on the table as the microwave beeped. I took my plate and the fork I had used earlier off the counter and joined Devon at the table. "What kind of screen do you watch?"

"Depends on my mood. I prefer films to series, nothing to miss if you get busy and miss a week or ten."

"I can see the advantage," I said. "I have a few series, but it's the off season, so there's nothing new on. I have a large movie library, you're welcome to pick something and we can watch it, or you can take it back to your place."

"Hmm... Let's see... I can watch a film all by myself, or watch it with a pretty girl? Seems like an obvious choice to me. What kind of films do you have?"

"Only chick flicks and sappy romances," I struggled to keep a straight face. I couldn't manage it and soon broke out giggling.

"Chick flicks and sappy romances, huh?"

"There might be a couple crime dramas, thrillers, or shoot-em-up actions. If you look really hard."

"How hard would I have to look?"

"Really hard. You'd have to go in there and look through the list of recordings." We finished our lasagna and when I picked up our plates, I shooed him into the other room. "You go ahead, I'll load these and be right there." I loaded the dishwasher and refilled our glasses before carrying them into the living room.

I set Devon's glass on the end table next to him, sat on the other end of the sofa, and set my glass near me. I had other furniture, but the sofa was across from my viewing screen and had the best view. Devon was scrolling through my list of recordings.

"Chick flicks and sappy romances, huh?" he asked.

"Maybe I lied." I grinned.

"Like, totally opposite. I might find a chick flick in here if I hunt. But you have classic action flicks in here, lots of thrillers, some comedy, and a few horrors." He sounded surprised. "You even have some John Wayne westerns. He died when my mom was a baby. This is a lot like what my list would look like if I had spent a few years collecting, instead of regularly paring it down so I have less to haul around."

"I'm glad you like it. Did you find something to watch?"

"There's some good stuff here I haven't seen in years." He chose a film almost as old as me. "You picked a classic at my place last time, let's go for another."

"Whatever you want; if it's there, I'll enjoy it."

As the film started and the screen went black and foggy, you could hear a young girl's voice singing as a ship moved slowly into the frame. I kicked my shoes off under the table and pulled my feet into the seat, curling into a comfortable position.

"Make yourself at home," I said, inviting him to kick off his shoes and put his feet up if he wanted.

We sat back and enjoyed the film until the final kiss, when I shut off the screen. Devon thanked me for dinner and a nice evening before he left, citing an early morning and a need to get some sleep.

After he left, I locked the door and then went through the small apartment turning things off before showering and heading to bed. Tomorrow was coming quickly.

# Chapter 15

I showed up at the clinic bright and early on Friday. I found the small parking lot in the rear with no trouble and after parking my car, I realized I didn't have a key to the back door so I went through the gate to the front entrance of the small office. Alexis and Caden were already there, waiting. We had our usual visit over coffee and soon settled into separate activities.

I tried to read, but I was restless and couldn't focus. Instead, I started looking for things to do to keep me busy. I wandered through the clinic, looking for something to clean or put away but found nothing.

At noon, I offered to go pick up lunch, anything to get out of there for a few minutes. I didn't know why, but I was antsy and anxious. Something was wrong and Alexis and Caden could see it, but I didn't know what was causing it. They sat on the sofa in the front room, watching me pace back and forth.

"What's up Nickie?" Alexis asked after Caden went into the break room to get away from what he called my 'unsettling behavior.'

"I'm not sure. I need to move. Honestly, it's starting to get on my nerves even."

"You've paced this place until I'm dizzy."

"I know, I'm sorry. I don't know what's up today."

"How are things going at home?" she asked.

"No problems. I live alone, there's no one to worry about odd behavior like this. I've learned to handle glass again, so I've gone back to work. That seems to be going fine too."

"How about with your family? From what Bill's said, you're close to them."

"Nothing to tell there, everyone's fine."

"How much do they know about what you're going through?"

"Nothing, Bill gave me permission to tell my parents, but I haven't decided if I want to yet. I've kept my mouth shut."

"Why do you think you might not want to tell them?" She watched me pace back and forth, waiting for my answer.

"I don't know. How will they take me not being who they thought I was? That I'm a Kitsune? Will they freak out when they learn what being a Kitsune means?" I rambled as I tried to put my worries into words.

"Let's look at this objectively for a minute. I don't know your family, but Bill's told me a little about them. Take a minute and look at your family, pretend you're not a part of it, like you're on the outside looking in. You have a couple who adopted four children in addition to the two they already had. When adopting, they didn't choose only children like them, they took in the ones they fell in love with." I nodded, following her so far.

"Do you think your parents will care if you're a little more different then they knew? Your whole family is out of the norm. Are you afraid they'll turn their backs on you once they learn you turn furry?" I sat on the other end of the sofa and looked at her for a moment.

"I don't know. They've always supported us in whatever we chose, within reason. They've counseled us not to do drugs or break the law, that kind of thing. Outside of that, we've been taught we can do whatever we want. But this is big; huge. How will they handle this? I mean, I can barely handle it and it's happening to me. What will I do if it's too much for them, if they can't handle it?"

"I'm not sure what to tell you. Obviously, Bill believes they can, or he wouldn't have given you the option to tell them. More than that, I'm reasonably certain he feels they'll react well, and they'll be there to support you, or he wouldn't risk it."

"I know, still..."

"I have a feeling this is a big part of your restlessness. You're stressing and this is how it's manifesting, by turning it into nervous energy."

"Only a part?" I asked. "What else could it be?"

She was quiet a moment before speaking again. "What do you do when you're not at work, or here, or with your family?"

"I used to go out with my girlfriends, shopping or dancing, or I hang around with Brandon and the guys, sometimes we play sports, sometimes we hike... I haven't been doing much of either lately."

"What have you been doing?"

"The girls and I don't have a lot to talk about anymore; I want to talk about what's going on with me and I can't. They talk about dating and clubbing. Because of my hearing, I can't go clubbing anymore and I'm taking a break from dating."

"Understandable, but that's what you're not doing, not what you are."

"I've talked to Brandon some, but there's something different about him and I'm not sure why."

Alexis didn't say anything just sat waiting for me to answer her.

"I swim and after I left last week, I ran into an old friend moving into my apartment complex. I caught his scent and thought he was a pack member and mentioned the Kindred to him. I've since discovered that he isn't a shifter, but he knows all about us because the rest of his family are."

"You mean Devon."

"How did you know?" I was puzzled.

"I may not have been Harmonia then, but I was in the pack. I remember him. Plus, he's the only non-shifter we have. He is pack, just not a shifter."

"I know. Anyway, I knew him before he left, though not all that well. He was part of my sister's crowd. When I ran into him we started visiting, and we've started spending time together. I took him to our family dinner to get reacquainted and now he's working for my dad. He's helping around the farm, which means he keeps a similar schedule to mine, up and out early. We tend to run into each other in the evenings after work."

"The two of you are spending more than a little time together, I take it?"

"You could say that. It's not every day, but we've run into each other two or three times during the last week," I paused for a moment, unsure. I decided I needed someone to share it with. I felt like I could trust Alexis not to repeat things. "I think he's spent years feeling like an outsider in his family. Because of what's happened, I'm starting to understand some of that, being the only one different. I don't have to worry about keeping the secret from him, or letting something slip.

"I know in a lot of ways Brandon doesn't know where I'm coming from. I mean, sure he's Kindred, but he's always known. He's always expected it, he's like the rest of his family and what they expected from him. Devon grew up expecting to be a shifter, and then he couldn't. Suddenly he was different."

"I see what you're saying. You have more in common with Devon than anyone else, even your family."

"Pretty much. I don't have to hide what I'm learning from him, like I do everyone else. There are few, if any, Kindred who know what it's like to discover what you are as an adult. I'm still adjusting and it'll take time. I'm not great with the in-between." I laughed at myself.

"Quick question?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you feel better having talked it through?"

I thought about it for a second. I wasn't quite as restless. "I do. Not worlds different but less stressed. Thanks."

"No problem. It's what I'm here for, and I like you. I want to help you. Feel free to use me as a sounding board any time." Alexis laid her hand against my arm. "It's my guess you feel guilty about drifting away from old friends and spending time with Devon, like you're betraying your friends. I suspect you feel guilty you haven't told your parents yet, despite your anxiety."

"You're probably right, on both counts."

She chuckled softly. "You need to keep in mind it's okay to make new friends and let friendships fade. It's a natural cycle and sometimes you have to go the extra mile to keep friendships that are important to you."

"I guess." I looked at my hands, folded together in my lap.

"You should also reconsider telling your parents soon. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be. They will have a harder time understanding why you took so long to tell them. Do you think never telling them is really an option? Could you go the rest of your life keeping this secret?" she asked gently.

"No, I guess not. It would really hurt their feelings if they found out from someone else, then learned that I could have told them. I'll get a hold of Bill and see when we can arrange it."

I needed to move again, to let Alexis' words sink in. I stood and went into the kitchen for something to drink. I leaned back against the counter top, slowly drinking the water I'd poured myself as I noticed Caden sitting at the table in the middle of the room. He was holding his PCD up on the table in front of him, and I watched him lay it down from where he had obviously been reading. He looked up and watched me as I stood there.

"What're you reading?" I asked.

"An old sci-fi novel."

"Is it a good one?"

"I'm enjoying it. It's part of a long series that I'm only about half way through."

"I read some sci-fi, do you mind if I ask what it is?"

"It's called _The Chronicles of Pern_ , but it's more than thirty years old, you've probably never heard of it."

"By Anne McCaffrey," I grinned.

"You've read them?"

"A couple, I like some of her other series. I just haven't gotten into Pern as much."

"I'm enjoying them, they're different, entertaining and easy to read."

"Most of her stuff is."

"You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I talked with Alexis and it's helped. I'm still restless but not as bad."

"I know it's nosy, but when'd you shift last?"

I had to think a minute. "Over two weeks ago. Why?"

"I've seen Kindred get restless when they haven't shifted in a while. Generally, it's a lot longer than two weeks, but I would suggest you shift, find someone to go for a run with. Maybe it will help, it can't hurt," he shrugged.

"I'll do that. If nothing else it'll be exercise, maybe relieve some stress. Thanks," I said.

He picked up his coffee cup and raised it in my direction before he went back to reading.

It was almost quitting time when I approached Alexis. "Are you busy?"

"Not really, do you need something?" she looked up.

"I have a question."

"Oh? What?"

"I know you can't heal humans like Kindred, but can you heal a non-shifting Kitsune?"

She watched me for a moment. "This is about Devon, isn't it?" She laid her PCD in her lap.

"Yes," I said. "I haven't said anything to him, I wanted to ask you first, to see if it was possible."

"That's good, because the answer is no, not really. Sometimes it can be done, but it is really hard on both the healer and the injured. It's easier to heal children who haven't shifted yet. I think it's because they're more suggestible and they believe they'll be healed. It's almost like when a person discovers they can't shift their mind builds a barrier, stopping the magic from working."

"Damn. I was hoping at least something could be done to help him, especially with the pain."

"I'm sorry. His best bet is probably a muscle relaxer or pain killer, when it flares. You might look for someone who does deep tissue massage. It's painful, but it loosens the muscles and helps."

"Thanks for your patience with my questions, and for this afternoon, it's given me something to think about."

"I'm glad to help. Like I said earlier, I like you. I want you to think of me as a friend. How about you and Devon come over tomorrow afternoon. We can toss something on the grill. Hank should be home, we can spend an afternoon visiting and getting to know everyone."

"That sounds like a couples' thing to me. I'm not seeing Devon. I told you, I'm taking a break from the dating scene."

Alexis chuckled. "I didn't mean it like that. Just that you spend a lot of time with him, and he's more than welcome. It's been a while; I'd like to see him again."

"I'll ask, but I think this might be his weekend to work."

"I thought you said he's working for your dad?"

"He is, but he offered to take every other weekend so Dad can have some time off for a change. Maybe take Mom out of town. Dad was thrilled. It's always been hard to find someone he trusts to take care of the animals when they had to go out of town. I don't think he's ever considered leaving just for fun."

"I see. How about we plan for 4:30 or so? Late enough he'll be done if he wants to come, but still early enough to spend a few hours and still get to bed for an early riser."

"I'll ask him, but I can't commit for him."

"Ask, either way, you're welcome."

"Thanks, I will. It sounds like fun."

I gathered my purse and PCD, said goodbye to Caden, and I told Alexis on my way out, "I'll call and let you know what Devon says, but unless something happens, I'll see you tomorrow. Thanks!"

When I got home, I found Devon sitting out by the pool. He was wearing swim trunks and a t-shirt stretched tight across his abs as he reclined on his elbows at the edge of the pool, his feet dangling into the cool water. His head was dropped back so the top rested against the cement, I assumed his eyes were closed. On impulse, I angled away from the stairs to my apartment and headed toward the fence surrounding the pool.

"Hey, stranger, how are you?" I asked.

He jumped, opened his eyes and turned his head. "Not bad, how was your day?"

"Long. I have a question for you," I asked through the bars.

"What is it?"

"You remember Alexis Hickman? She was a few years ahead of you in school."

"Petite, blonde? Looks like a pixie who could sprout wings and fly away?"

"That would be her," I smiled, amused.

"What about her?"

"She's the Harmonia now, and the healer I've been working with. She's invited you and me to a barbecue tomorrow afternoon at her place. Not a big event; just the four of us."

"I'm working this weekend. Your dad wants to hang around for my first few weekends before he trusts me with his animals."

"I told her I thought you were working, she said let's do it in the afternoon, about four or so."

"Why's she suddenly interested in me?" he was suspicious.

"I mentioned we're friends. She remembers you from school. She wants to get reacquainted some. I'm pretty sure her husband, Hank, isn't from around here, so unless he was around before you left, you don't know him."

"I don't see why not. I usually get through by about three, so that gives me time to get back and shower. We can leave here by four, but I don't know that we can make it there by four."

"Great, I'll let her know."

"Okay." He shifted his body so he lay flat, pillowing his head in his hands as he stared up at the sky. "What're you doing tonight?"

"I hadn't given it any thought, at least not past getting a shower and putting on something comfortable. Why? You want to do something?"

"It occurred to me that you keep feeding me, but the best I've done is delivery pizza."

"I like pizza. If you'll recall I suggested it, after I invaded your apartment."

"I know, but I want something better tonight and I hate to go out alone. Want to join me? My treat."

"You don't have to buy me dinner. Let me go upstairs and shower, then we can go. What do you have in mind?"

"I was thinking about that steakhouse out south of town."

"They've got good food."

"That's what I hear. How long till you're ready?" he pulled one hand from under his head and checked his watch.

I thought a moment. "How's forty-five minutes?"

"No problem, that means I can stay here for a bit before I have to go get dressed."

"Enjoying the cool water?" I knew how refreshing the pool could be, especially in the heat.

"It's nice, cooling and relaxing. I thought about swimming, but didn't want to miss you."

"I didn't know you swim."

"Some. It's not my exercise of choice but it's low impact and helps strengthen my leg without too much strain, so I end up doing it more often than not these days."

"Maybe I'll join you and we can race. I often do laps."

"Fun. By the way... your clock's ticking," he said.

"I'm gone... I'll be down in a bit." I laughed and turned away, heading for my apartment. Before I let myself in, I stopped and looked back. From here I had a much better view of Devon. It was obvious that he got a lot of exercise, his t-shirt clung tightly to his slender form, outlining all of his muscles. Not the bulging muscles of someone who spends too much time in the gym, but enough to let you know that there was strength there, waiting. A shiver ran down my spine, I quickly dismissed it and turned away.

Before heading for the shower, I picked out my clothes. A light weight, multi-color dress with chunky straps over the shoulders and a full skirt that fell to mid-calf. It looked nice but was comfortable too. I wore it often. I pulled out a pair of strappy leather sandals with just a little bit of heel, the leather was a shade of red, which picked up the red in the swirling pattern on the dress.

I realized I'd dressed more carefully when I knew I would see Devon. I hadn't worn date clothes but I didn't wear my ragged, rough working clothes either. He was a friend, but he was also a man. A man I wouldn't mind seeing me as a woman. Perhaps as someone to be interested in. Even if I wasn't ready for a relationship. I tried to ignore my attraction. He'd just come back and I wanted a friendship before anything else. I was going to enjoy being with him, whether he saw me as a woman or just a friend.

I laid the clothes out and went into the bathroom. Pulling the pins from my hair, I shook it out and caught a glimpse in the mirror. The curls tumbled down my back and I decided to cover it for now, then leave it down to go out. Getting ready would be faster that way too.

After my shower, I dressed and put on my make-up before pulling off the shower cap. I carefully shook out my hair, combing it with my fingers to make it lay just right. Glancing at the clock, I realized that it had been forty minutes since I'd left Devon by the pool. I slipped on my sandals when I heard him knock.

I knew it was Devon and opened the door to find him standing with a mischievous grin. He'd changed into a pair of black slacks, polished boots, and a button-down shirt. His hair was wet and combed back into a neat low ponytail. I stood for a moment and admired him, he was doing the same with me.

"Time's up, you ready?" he asked, still grinning.

"Sure," I turned away. "Let me grab my purse." I picked up my bag and stepped out, closing the door. We walked down the stairs and into the parking lot.

"My car or yours?" I asked as we stepped through the gate from the courtyard.

"It's up to you."

"Then you drive, I don't want to think about it."

"Sure, just give me a second to get the door unlocked and you can climb in."

Older vehicles, cars and trucks that still required keys to unlock or start, weren't uncommon here. I didn't think much of it. I waited until I heard the click of the lock then opened the door. Climbing into the seat, I buckled my seat belt. He pulled the pickup out of the parking lot and onto the road.

"Isn't this the truck you drove in high school?" I asked.

"Sure is."

"I'm surprised you still have it."

"I was surprised too to be honest."

"What do you mean?"

"When I left, I left everything. Took only what I'd need at Basic. After Basic, I bought a motorcycle. Bikes are all I'd driven for the last ten years, aside from on the job. When I got back, Dad handed me the keys. He said it was mine and he'd kept it going for me."

I was stunned. I'd been under the impression he didn't get along with his family but it sounded like his dad had kept the truck in hopes he would come back.

"Wow."

"Yeah, that pretty much covers my reaction too."

We pulled into the parking lot seeing it was busy, but not packed as he parked. We got out, and I met him at the front of the truck before we walked into the restaurant together. Devon opened the door and held it for me, then joined me while we waited to be seated. He set one hand lightly on the small of my back while we waited our turn. I didn't think much of it. Kindred are used to more casual touching than others, since Devon was raised among the Kindred, I attributed the light touch to that. Besides, it felt nice.

We were given a small table on one side of the sparsely populated room, apparently most of the cars in the parking lot were for the attached bar. We looked over the menus and placed our orders with the same waitress who had waited on Gabriel and me a couple weeks earlier.

"After a week, how do you like working with Dad?" I asked while we waited.

"It's good. It'll take him a couple weeks to stop following me and watching everything I do, making sure I get it all done, but I don't mind. He's easy to work with and I like him. The work's hard, but that's what I was looking for. I may see if you're mama wants to adopt me. When I'm early enough to eat, she fusses and makes a big deal about making sure I get enough."

"She misses having us at home to fuss over. She's become more involved in things outside the house, but it's not the same. I think she's eager for more grandkids, some she'll be able to keep during the day, or at least often. Brit stays home with hers, so Mom hasn't been able to do that."

We talked about films and books while we ate our dinner and on the way home. I confirmed I'd meet him at four the next afternoon, then left him at his door.

# Chapter 16

AFTER SPENDING MOST of the night lying awake, I decided to tell my parents. Since Bill had offered to help, I called him. Now that I'd made up my mind, I was eager to get it done.

I dialed Bill's phone and paced through the apartment while it rang.

"Hello?" a voice I didn't recognize came over the line.

"Bill?" I asked.

"This is Gabriel, Bill's in the other room and asked me to answer the phone. He'll be right here."

"Gabriel, it's Nickie. How've you been?"

"Good. Keeping busy, you?"

"Good, I've gone back to work and have been spending time at the clinic."

"Have you had time to run?"

"Not in a while. I need to find someone to go with, and go soon," I told him what Caden said about not having shifted.

"You busy this evening?"

"Yeah, I'm going to the Jeffries' for dinner, why?"

"I was thinking about going for a run and thought you might like to go."

"Sorry, I already have plans. Do you want to make it another night?"

"When's good for you?"

"I don't have any plans for Monday evening, will that work?"

"Monday's good, what time?"

"I get off at 5; I'm usually home by 5:15."

"How about I pick you up at 5:30? We'll grab some fast food on our way."

"Sounds great. I'll be ready."

"Bill just came in so I'll let you talk to him. I'll see you Monday." I heard him tell Bill it was me on the line and the rustle of the PCD being handed over.

"Nickie?" Bill's deep voice came over the line.

"Yes. How are you doing?"

"Good, you?"

"Pretty good. I need to ask a favor."

"What do you need?"

"Help me tell my parents, please." I was afraid I would lose my nerve if I didn't ask quickly.

"Of course. When?"

"As soon as you have time."

"It would probably be best to do it here, over dinner. Let me talk to Karen and get back to you. I'm sure we can do it this week, but I'm not sure when will be best."

"Let me know, I'll be there."

"Will do. Nickie?"

"Yes?"

"Don't worry. It'll be fine."

"I'll try, but it's hard."

"I know. Trust me on this."

"I'll try."

"I'll call you with a day."

"Thanks."

"Think nothing of it. You're family, you know that."

"Thank you."

"Is that all?"

"Yes, sir," I fell back on the manners my mother had drilled into us as children.

"Then I'll let you go. Call if you need anything."

"Will do. Bye."

"Bye."

At four, I knocked on Devon's door. It opened and I felt a rush of moist air. The scent of soap told me he'd recently gotten out of the shower. Devon's hair was wet but he'd pulled it back into what I was starting to discover was his standard ponytail. He was dressed in a navy-blue polo shirt and a pair of pressed jeans, but his feet were bare.

"You about ready?" I asked.

"Just about. Come in while I pull on my boots." He turned and disappeared into the bedroom, only to reappear with his boots and a pair of socks. I watched as he sat and pulled on one sock and boot, and then the other. He tugged his jeans over his boots and stood, flexing his feet into place in the well-polished footwear. "Now I'm ready. You driving, or am I?"

"I'll drive. I know where we're headed."

"Fine by me," Devon motioned me toward the door.

We made the short drive in companionable silence, and a few minutes later, pulled up in front of the Jeffries' home.

It wasn't until we got out of the car and headed for the door that I felt the vibrating tension from Devon. I looked over, he was smiling and looked relaxed. I wondered what was bothering him, but it slipped my mind when the door opened and there was Alexis, smiling and excited.

"There you are!" she bubbled. "Come on in, we're out back. I heard you pull up. Want something to drink?" She stepped back and gave us room to enter.

"What do you have?" Devon asked.

"Water, tea, soda, beer," she led us through the house.

"I'll take a beer, if you don't mind," Devon said.

"I'm driving tonight, I better stick to soda," I said.

"You can have beer if you want it, didn't anyone tell you?" She looked surprised. "Our fast metabolisms process alcohol too quickly. You'd have to drink like a whole bottle of whiskey as quickly as a beer to be affected."

"No one told me," I was still unsure. "How about we do this. I'm planning on being here a couple hours, at least. I'll have a beer now and we will consider more based on how it affects me."

"Sounds good." Devon put in.

"Not a bad idea," Hank said as he entered the room.

"Oh! I forgot! Hank, Alexis, this is Devon. Devon, this is Hank and Alexis, the pack's Lysandros and Harmonia."

"Pleased to meet you both," Devon extended his hand to first Hank, then Alexis.

"It's nice to meet you, too," Hank said.

"It's been a long time, you look good," Alexis said.

"You know him?" Hank asked Alexis.

"My best friend in school was Devon's older sister, Amy. I used to see him a lot; though back then he was an annoying little brother who would never leave us alone. Right?"

"It's true. The two of you left before I started high school, you weren't back yet when I left town."

"Why don't we go sit down? I have dinner ready to go on the grill, there's nothing left to do that we can't put together in the last few minutes. But it's still a little early so let's enjoy the nice evening," Alexis said.

We followed her out on to the back patio. A table and chairs were to one side, and on the other side sat a large brick grill with a large fire crackling inside, it smelled of mesquite smoke, we would cook over the coals once it burned down.

"Devon, you said you left some time ago. What've you been up to?" Hank asked as we took seats around the table.

"I ran away and joined the Army, just like boys have been doing for centuries," he laughed. "I liked it and planned to make a career of it until my injury ended it. Now I'm home, much to my mother's delight, working for Nickie's dad. He needed someone to help him on the farm, someone who could do the heavy lifting," Devon explained about the deal he had with Dad and how things were going, ending with, "My boss is someone who understands if I need to take a few extra breaks or call it a day early when my leg acts up."

"Does it do that often?" Alexis asked.

"Not so much anymore, but sometimes when I've put a lot of stress on it."

"Sounds like a good deal for you both."

"I think so. I think James is starting to think so too. He was a bit cautious, I think he expected me to do as little as I could get away with, he's used to how most kids work. After a week, I think he's realizing it's not how I do things."

"That's good, for both of you," Alexis said. "Do you have any long-term plans?"

"No. I like working for James and I'm still getting settled in here. That's the extent of my plans. I'll see what comes my way for a while before I make any decisions."

"Sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders," Hank said. "You seem a lot like your dad in that way."

"I've been told that. It's a damned shame I didn't inherit the one trait that matters."

That surprised me. I'd never heard him sound so bitter about his inability to shift. He'd seemed accepting of it. Suddenly, I noticed the tension I'd felt from him outside the front door was back, and stronger.

"What do you mean?" Hank seemed confused.

"Surely you know, I may be considered Kindred because of my family, but I don't belong. I don't shift."

"Well, of course I know you aren't a shifter. That doesn't mean you don't belong. Or that anything's wrong with you."

"Why not? Everyone else thinks so."

"DEVON WILSON!" Alexis called him by both names in surprise. "I do not! I'm certain most of the pack feel the same way I do."

"I'm not so sure," Devon leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest.

"Hang on a minute, everyone calm down. I think I know what's going on here," Hank was calm but confident.

"What?" I was confused.

"Devon, it's been what? Ten years since you left?" Hank asked.

"About that."

"You were what? Eighteen when it was determined that would never shift? How much time was there between when you were told you weren't a shifter and you leaving?"

"A few weeks maybe. I joined the Army as soon as the Anikitos gave me permission to leave, I left as soon as they could get me into Basic," he answered grudgingly.

"I've seen this before."

"Really?" Devon asked. "You know someone else who can't shift?" his voice was skeptical.

"Yes, I do, Devon," Hank's voice was calm. "I have a sister who doesn't shift. When she was about eighteen it was decided she would probably never shift. She was very angry for a while. She felt everyone in the family and in the pack thought she was less than they were, and they pitied her."

"Don't they?" The resentment in Devon's voice stunned me.

"Maybe a little at first. The pity that is, but they didn't feel superior. It took a while for her to realize that yes, they felt sorry for her at first but that passed. They still treated her like they always had. She was still a member of the pack, and in most ways, an equal."

"What are you trying to say? I'm being childish?" Devon snapped.

"Not at all, I'm trying to point out you're operating on perceptions that are ten years old. Give your family and the rest of the pack a chance. I think you'll find no one pities you or believes they're better than you. More than that, you may find many admire you for being able to make so much of yourself despite the disappointment of not shifting."

Devon took a deep breath beside me and let it out slowly, tension draining from him.

"All right, I see your point," Devon said carefully. "I'm sorry for the chip on my shoulder. I'm not sure what triggered it. I really have accepted that I'll never shift."

"I understand part of it. You came to terms with it, I don't doubt that. You built a life for yourself that wasn't affected by not shifting. Then you were hurt, discharged, and now you're back. You've had it all thrust back in your face."

"I've been back for three weeks, two of that living with my parents. Why would it take this long and why now?"

"Who knows, maybe seeing Alexis? From her reaction when it started, I'm sure she used to torment you as a kid. Perhaps that was the straw that broke the camel's back and you couldn't contain it anymore. Whatever caused it, it's over. Let's move on. We can still enjoy our evening."

"I hope so," Devon said, hopefully. "I'm sorry, Alexis. I promise I'll do better."

"You okay?" I asked.

"I think I am now. I'm sorry, you didn't deserve that."

"It's all right. This is kind of why I've been reluctant to tell my family. I'm afraid I'll end up feeling like you have."

"Let's enjoy our dinner. Let me process everything. If you want, we can talk about it in a few days?"

"I'll hold you to it." I smiled.

"Devon, I haven't seen your sister in years, how is she?" Alexis drew us back into conversation.

"Good, I guess. She married some guy from Texas and lives with his pack down there. They visit a couple times a year, but they haven't been back at the same time as me since before her kids were born."

"She has kids?"

"Three, all girls. I hear they're all as wild and untamed as she was."

"Well if anyone deserves it, she does. I can't tell you how much trouble I got into because she came up with some stunt," Alexis laughed.

"I don't doubt it. She was always getting into one kind of trouble or another. What she didn't think of, you did." Alexis laughed harder while he continued, "I hear she has settled down a lot and motherhood has done wonders for her."

"How about your brother? Jason, isn't it?"

"He went away to school and is somewhere in California working for some software company. I'm sure he's dating someone, because when has Jason not dated? But no one serious enough he'd tell Mom, which means I've heard nothing."

"Are you saying the only information you get about your brother and sister is through your mom?" Alexis exchanged looks with Hank as he came back from tending the fire.

"Nah, I talk to Amy some. Not often but I've talked to her since I came back. Jason, well... we've never been close. I'm not sure I even have his number. We message occasionally."

He was so casual about not speaking to his brother, as if it were normal. Maybe for him it was. I couldn't imagine not speaking to my family like that, it would make me crazy.

"The grill's ready. Do you want to get the steaks, sweetheart?" Hank asked.

"Sure. Nickie, will you come help me?" Alexis asked.

I stood and followed. She pulled a platter of steaks from the fridge along with a smaller tray of asparagus spears. She set both plates on the counter and seasoned the steaks, motioning toward a stack of potatoes on the counter "I've already washed those but can you stick them into the microwave and get them started?"

"Sure."

"Let me take these out, I'll be right back." She carried both the steaks and the asparagus outside. When she came back in she asked, "How do you like your steak cooked?"

"Rare to medium rare, if possible," I answered.

She grabbed a clean platter and a tray of condiments off the counter. "Can you carry that stack? Then all we have to come back for are the potatoes."

"No problem," I grabbed the stack of plates and flatware and followed.

As I carried the small stack out and set it on the table, I noticed Devon seemed more relaxed than he'd been. I suspected Hank had said something to make him more at ease. Not wanting to make his tension return, I kept my mouth shut. I picked up my beer and drained the last of the cold liquid.

"Can I get you another one?" Alexis asked. I turned, making sure she was speaking to me.

"Thanks, but I'd rather have a soda, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." She took the bottle and dropped it in a recycling bin on the edge of the patio, opened the ice chest sitting next to it, and turned and asked, "Coke or Pepsi?"

"Pepsi, please." She pulled out the signature blue can and brought it to me. "Thanks," I said, popping the can open before taking a long drink.

I returned to my seat, set the can on the table, and leaned forward to rest my chin on my stacked hands as I watched Hank expertly man the grill. It was obviously something he enjoyed. I was lost in thought when a hand touched my arm. I turned my head and saw Devon.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Fine. Just thinking." I smiled as he pulled his hand away.

"Good or bad? You looked a little lost."

"Good. I was noticing how at home Hank is at the grill, he must do it often."

"He does." Alexis looked over at her husband fondly. "Not always with the wood though. When we're in a hurry, he'll use charcoal. We like to entertain and Hank loves that thing. I was a little leery when he built it, but I have to admit, it's been well worth it."

Hank turned and waved one hand. Alexis picked up the clean platter and took it to him. She set the platter down on the wide edge of the grill and went back inside. A couple minutes later, she emerged with a large plastic bowl of salad and a plate with the potatoes. She set both on the table while Hank pulled the steaks off the grill and brought them over. He placed the platter in the center of the table.

"Four slabs of beef, still bloody, as requested. Dig in," Hank said.

We each took plates and flatware and served ourselves. With our plates full, I took a bite of my steak. The flavor burst in my mouth and I couldn't contain a small moan.

"What did you put on this steak? I've never had one quite this good."

"A little steak seasoning; I'll show you which one before you go," Alexis said.

"It's not the seasoning. It's skill at the grill," Hank's voice was serious but his face showed this was an old game. We finished eating while they debated why the steaks were so good.

After dinner, Hank tossed more wood on the grill and it doubled as a nice fire as the sun set and the air cooled.

"How's your training going?" Hank asked.

"As well as can be expected, I think. I'm comfortable with my telepathy and Karen says I'm progressing with shielding. I haven't had any practice calling animal forms, but after spending some time here and seeing Alexis do it, I think I understand the principals. That's more than I could say when I started. There's one thing that I haven't figured out."

"Really? What's that?"

"It's hard to explain, but sometimes I feel like something's changed since the last time I saw someone, especially if the last time was before I first shifted. I sense energy around people, sometimes I know what it is but sometimes I can't figure it out. Or like the first time I shook your hand and got that jolt. It was almost like a shock, but not quite." I saw a ghost of a smile forming on Hank's face and got the feeling he knew what I was talking about.

"Who have you told about this?"

"The first time I felt it was with my brother. I kept asking him what had changed, what was different. He insisted there was nothing but I'm not sure I believe him. I still haven't figured it out. That was about three weeks ago. I still feel like something's different I just can't place it. Other than that, I've asked Bill about it when it first happened. He had no idea. Now the three of you, why?"

"Because I know what it is."

"How? How can you know but Bill doesn't?"

"Because I have it too. That's why you felt the 'shock' when we shook hands. I don't talk about it. I'm not sure Bill even knows about it."

"What is it? What is going on?"

"You're sensing power. The stronger the sensation, the more powerful. Though some powers feel different and register strength differently. Some strong emotions register as well. Who's this brother you were pestering?"

"Raine," I replied.

"Wait, you're Raine Daniels' sister?"

"Yeah," I was confused. How did he know Raine?

"I never would have guessed. I've known Raine since shortly after I moved to town."

"Few people would realize who my family is if they weren't told. We look nothing alike. I wasn't the only one who was adopted. Out of the six, four were adopted."

"That explains a lot." He nodded. "Anyway. Raine. I know what you're sensing, he's a seer. He has visions. It comes from his Native American blood, I'm almost certain. That kind of talent tends to be passed down in shaman families."

"But how? How can he be a seer and have kept it secret from all of us for all these years?"

"I don't know. How old was he when he was adopted?"

"I was three or four so he was four or five." I did the math in my head.

"It's possible he learned to hide it from his biological family."

"I guess, but he's always said he can't remember his family."

"That could be true, but that's not what we're talking about anyway. We were talking about you, and by extension, me," he redirected the conversation.

"Okay, I'll just go to him. Back to us. Tell me how this sensing power business works."

"First, you have to remember Raine has no clue what you are. You'll have to figure out how to get it out of him without telling him how you know," he warned. "But back to us, you already know the basics. You get a feeling, a sensation something's different. Or a shock when you touch someone." He smiled wryly. "The real trick isn't sensing the power, it's learning to differentiate the different kinds and strengths. You'll learn Kitsune have a feel to them, it's like you can sense their animal form inside them. I've also noticed the stronger emotions I feel only come from Kindred. I've never sensed it from a human."

"I can see why Kitsune would have a sense of power around them. Other than telling when someone has a power of some kind, is there anything I can do with it?"

"I wish I could tell you all these great things you can learn to do, but as far as I can tell, there's not a whole lot there. It's not something that can be seen. I've only learned what I know by trial and error. Until you, I'd never met anyone else with it.

"I only know what Raine is because I've known a seer before and recognized the energy. So you know, I haven't said anything to him."

"I see," I said. "At least I know what it is and I can stop trying to figure out what's changed. Thanks for sharing, it's helpful. Now I'll have to learn how different powers and energies feel."

"That's all I can recommend. That's how I've done it for years."

"This is good, now I know what it is and what to do. Really, thanks," I said sincerely.

We visited for a while longer. It was almost nine when Devon finally called an end to the evening, saying he had to get up early. We thanked the Jeffries and headed home.

"I'm really sorry about earlier tonight. I don't know what came over me," Devon said once we were in the car.

"It's okay. You surprised me. I didn't realize you were that bitter about it."

"Me either. I think it was seeing Alexis again, maybe with a Kindred husband. I used to have a huge crush on her."

"You acted like you barely knew her when I asked."

"I got over it years ago. I didn't want you to think I had a thing for her, plus you said she was married. I didn't want to upset him either. Some Kindred are possessive and jealous of their spouses, especially if they aren't mated."

"Ah..." I let the silence fall as I wondered what the hell he meant by mated.

The ride home was quiet. We said good night on the side walk where we split to go to our apartments. I went up to mine and fell into to bed, exhausted.

# Chapter 17

SUNDAY MORNING, I answered messages, called my sisters, and ran errands early so I could enjoy the mid-day sun. Putting on my bathing suit and sunscreen, I headed out to the complex pool. I ignored the kids splashing in the shallow end and swam back and forth across the deep end until my arms felt like over-cooked noodles. They barely had the strength to lift my body out of the water. I lay face down on one of the lounge chairs surrounding the now empty pool and relaxed as I let the heat of the sun warm my tired body.

I'd slid up into the seat so I could lay my PCD on the ground and read. I'd read several pages when I heard the soft whisper of bare feet on concrete. I ignored it, expecting the footsteps to pass and fade away, but instead they got closer, then stopped beside me, a shadow falling across my body. The scent told me it was Devon, and I twisted around until I looked up to see his body silhouetted in front of the sun. It took a minute before I could focus on his face, he was grinning and dressed in loose black trunks with ARMY in silver block letters on one leg and no t-shirt.

"Well, well, well. What've I found here?" Devon sat on the edge of the chair next to mine. "How has your day been?"

"Not bad. I've gotten my chores done, talked to my sisters, swam laps, and I was reading for a bit before it's time to go to parents," I checked the time on my PCD and looked back up at him. "You're home early, aren't you?"

"A little. I got everything done and your dad sent me home. He said quitting time was when the work was done, not on the clock. I thought I'd take advantage of the free afternoon and go for a swim. I headed out, and found a beautiful Amazon had already beaten me to the pool."

I rolled my eyes. "You're funny." I didn't take him seriously. "Can you slide to one side or the other, or move to the other side if you want to talk, looking into the sun like this is killing me."

"I'm gonna swim first. Then, if you're still around, I'll pull up a seat. Enjoy your book," he stood and went toward the pool. I twisted around to watch as he dropped into the water before going back to my book. Behind me, I heard the rhythmic whoosh of his arms hitting the water as he swam.

I listened to him move back and forth in the water until my alarm went off, reminding me to go. I still needed to shower before going to my parents. I gathered my things, slipped into my flip flops, and left.

Half an hour later, I was headed across the courtyard to the parking lot. Devon sat on the edge of the pool, still dripping, with his feet trailing in the water. I raised one arm over my head and waved. Seeing me, he smiled and waved back.

The next evening, I came home and changed out of my work clothes. It was warm out so I chose a lightweight sun dress and sandals. It would be comfortable as well as easy to get off and on when it came time to shift. I was pulling the strap onto my right heal as someone knocked on my door. I lifted my left foot and slipped that strap up before answering the door. As I approached, I picked up the scent of toasted almonds. That's Gabriel's scent.

"I'll be right there." I didn't bother to shout, he'd hear me without raising my voice. I grabbed my purse, making sure my PCD and a couple of the canned shakes were inside before opening the door and stepping out to join Gabriel. Closing the door, I smiled. "Perfect timing. I was just pulling my shoes on. Ready?"

"Great, let's go!" he smiled then headed back down the stairs. "Oh," he stopped, turning back. "Before I forget. The Anikitos asked me to tell you, Wednesday, seven pm. He said bring nothing but yourself."

"Great, thanks for relaying the message."

"No problem." He shrugged, starting back down the stairs.

"What do you have in mind for dinner?"

"I thought I'd see what you were in the mood for."

"Something high in calories. I'm starving and I'll still need to fuel two shifts."

"Me, too. Fast food or sit down?"

"I prefer sit down, but if we're in a hurry we can do fast food."

"No hurry, we have all night. Do you have someplace you'd prefer?" he asked.

"I don't want to go anywhere particularly packed, we'll wait forever and I'd like to get out and shifted before the sun sets." I reached the ground a moment behind him. "Where'd you park?"

"That lot, over there." He signaled across the courtyard, past Devon's apartment. "It's the only one that had open spaces."

"It gets like that sometimes. If we didn't have assigned parking, I'd end up parking over there half the time." I headed for the lot. We were approaching the end of Devon's building when I could smell Devon's scent on the breeze. I looked around and spotted him in front of us, headed in from the parking lot.

"Hey, Devon. How's your day been?" I stopped him. He looked like he was coming in from work, his clothes flecked with dirt and debris and his skin not much better. The only clean piece of clothing he had on was his black leather jacket.

"Hey Nickie. Long. We had a couple of steers get loose and spent hours chasing them, but we got 'em." He smiled. "How about yours?"

"So far so good." I said. "Devon have you met Gabriel? Gabriel works for Bill, security."

"No, I've never met him," he turned to Gabriel and offered a surprisingly clean hand. "Nice to meet you, Gabriel."

"Nice to meet you, too." Gabriel subtly inhaled, scenting the air. "You're Devon Wilson, right?"

"I am," Devon's voice was carefully neutral.

"I'd heard you were back. I'm sorry to hear about your injury," Gabriel said, when Devon looked confused, he continued, "Sorry, I hear a lot in my position." Devon nodded. "I heard you've been away a while and while no one was happy that you were hurt, there are many who're glad you've finally come home."

A surprised look flashed across Devon's face before he could prevent it, or school his features. "Um, well, I need to get to the shower and wash this muck off. I'll let you two go." Devon tried to get away.

"We're gonna find some dinner and go for a run. Do you want to come with us?" I invited.

"Not tonight. I just want to get clean, and do a lot of nothing. Slogging around in the mud today did me in."

"If you're sure..."

"I'm sure." He smiled, letting me know he meant it. "I'll catch you later, Nickie. It was good to meet you Gabriel, I'll probably see you around." He stepped past us, continuing on to his apartment. We continued out to Gabriel's truck in the parking lot.

Once we were in the truck where we couldn't be overheard, Gabriel turned to me, "You realize he doesn't shift, don't you?" Gabriel started the engine and backed out of the space.

"Yeah, of course."

"Don't you think he might be a bit awkward on a run, not being able to shift?"

"Not really, we've talked about him and me going out together. Me in wolf form and him not, but haven't had a chance to do it yet. He runs a lot, keeps up with the training from the Army. I only run on four legs."

Gabriel nodded, pulling out of the parking lot onto the street. He probably didn't agree, but he let the subject drop.

We ended up at a small diner. The food was good, though not great, but the service was fast and that counted for something. After dinner, we crossed the river and drove out past the airport before turning onto a dirt road. We bumped and bounced along a few miles until we were at the base of the Gila Mountains. The Gilas weren't nearly as tall as the Pinaleňos, the range Mt. Graham was part of, but they were more isolated.

Gabriel pulled off to the side of the narrow dirt trail and cut the engine, but before we got out of the truck I started feeling nervous. There was nowhere to go to shift in privacy. Gabriel must have sensed my tension.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm not comfortable with the nudity part of this yet," I blushed. "There's nowhere to keep from being seen out here."

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "While I understand the ideals, and I sympathize with how it feels to be suddenly thrust into something like this, it's something you're going to get over."

"I know. I've had modesty drilled into me all my life, it's not an easy thing to forget."

"Do you swim?" he asked.

"Yeah, often. I love the water," I said, confused.

"What kind of suit do you wear?"

"I have several, but most are two-pieces." I still didn't see where he was going.

"Bikinis?"

"I guess."

"What I'm getting at is your swimsuit doesn't cover more than your underwear, right?"

"I guess."

"You're half way there. You're used to being around people while wearing little more than underwear."

"When you put it that way, yeah. I mean, it's meant to be seen, but it still covers the same things."

"Most underwear today is meant to be seen, but that's beside the point," he pointed out. "Now that you've realized how close you are, it'll be a smaller leap to get used to more."

"It's worth a try."

"In the spirit of progress, let's try something. We stay on our own side of the truck, but keep the doors open and not hide while we undress. The seat will hide the most important parts anyway. I'll shut the door and shift first, giving you a chance to finish and change with a little bit of privacy."

"Sounds good." I was willing to give it a try.

"Let's do it." Gabriel opened his door and stepped out. I climbed down and pulled my dress off over my head. I folded it and set it on the seat. I glanced up and saw Gabriel standing in the opposite doorway. He'd removed his shirt, the muscles moved under his skin as he unbuttoned the fly on his jeans. I looked away when he pushed his jeans off his hips. I bent and slipped the straps of my sandals off my heels, stepped out of the remaining straps but stood on the bottoms to keep from getting thorns in my bare feet. Another glance told me Gabriel had not only slipped his pants off but his underwear too, as they were still inside the jeans now draped across the driver's seat. He was pushing his door closed.

As soon as the door clicked shut I shed my bra and stepped out of my panties, putting them with my dress before I, too, closed the door and bent to shift. A moment later, leaving my sandals where I shifted over them, I padded around the front of the truck to meet Gabriel.

Gabriel's wolf form surprised me. I wasn't expecting a huge timber wolf. His fur was layered with black, brown, and gray, like a wolf portrayed on t-shirts and pottery, but his size was shocking. He was easily as tall as a Great Dane and as blocky as a bull dog. His intelligent green-gold eyes gleamed through his fur.

_Are you ready?_ he asked mentally, surprising me again, since I hadn't lowered my shields.

_How did you do that?_

_Do what?_

_Slip past my shields without my even feeling it._

_Slipping past shields is one of my talents, though most telepaths can speak through shields. Unless you have a talent like mine, listening to someone's thoughts through shields is more difficult._ I tilted my head. _Yes, I'm telepathic. Bill told me you are too; that will make this easier._ He turned and took off into the foothills of the small range of mountains.

_Is telepathy common?_ I followed. We walked through the sandy washes, remnants of past rain storms, while we continued our conversation.

_It's not uncommon. You'll find probably half the pack has some form or another. Some can only send, some can only receive, some are strong and some weak._

_Weak how?_ I pushed past a long, low hanging grease wood branch.

_They need to be close to use it, generally same room close. Stronger telepaths can communicate over much larger distances, though the largest I've ever heard of is a few miles._

_I've never tried to use mine any farther than same room, I wonder how strong I am?_

_From the strength of your voice, and how quickly it manifested, it's likely you're going to be on the higher end, maybe not top strength, but strong._ We were wandering through the brush, in no hurry.

_Let me see if I get this. I have a friend who's Kindred. He hasn't told me if he has telepathy, but he said he has something similar. He picks up not thoughts, but pictures. I can talk with him just like I'm talking to you now. Does that mean he's telepathic?_

_Not necessarily, it could be one of several things. It could be picking up the thoughts you send is close enough to his talent that he catches them, but only when things are sent to him. Another possibility is that you are strong enough to project them into his mind, and pick up his responses whether he has the talent or not._

_That's possible?_

_Yes, but not common. Extended use, as in constant conversation for an hour or two, can give the person without the talent a massive headache. Another possibility is familiarity. How well do you know this guy?_

_We've been best friends since kindergarten. He was with me when I shifted the first time._

_You know him very well. That could be a contributor. Familiarity can enhance gifts sometimes._

I thought about that while we weaved our way along the dry desert floor for several minutes. _Is it just me, or is not getting any darker?_ I knew it should be nearly dark by now.

_It is,_ Gabriel said. Y _our wolf has excellent night vision and you're just not noticing the darkness._

_We could be out here for hours and it would never get too dark to see?_

_Most of the time. When there's a new moon, it's almost inky. You'll be able to see better than you normally would, but there's just not much light to use._

_That makes sense._ I took off running. I enjoyed the feeling of my fur flying as I ran.

_Where you going?_ Gabriel ran after me.

_Just running for a change._ I marveled at how great it was not to have to shout, especially when running.

_Do you want to race or just play?_

_Just feeling playful and energetic._ I made a big loop and ran up behind Gabriel, where he'd slowed to an easy lope, seeming content to watch me play. As I closed in on him an idea came to me. I gave in to impulse and jumped, aiming to pounce on Gabriel's back. He was fast and realized what I was doing.

Gabriel twisted at the last moment and I landed in the sand where he had been seconds before. He charged, butting my side with the top of his head. The unexpected blow sent me rolling, scrambling for a foothold. As soon as I could get my feet under me, I charged back. Gabriel charged again, meeting me halfway. We wrestled, playfully biting and snapping until we were both tired.

I was out of breath and panting when we separated and rolled to lie on our bellies.

_That was fun_. I was glad I didn't have to catch my breath before talking.

_It was. But you'll need to watch who you attack like that._

_It wasn't meant as an attack, I was playing!_

Gabriel winced as though I had shrieked. _I know. I knew you were when we started. I want to make sure you understand coming up behind someone and pouncing on them can be taken as a challenge. It generally means a real fight, sometimes real fights are mortal._

_You're kidding!_ I was shocked, I had a hard time believing the fun we'd had could be deadly. _You mean Kindred kill in fights for dominance?_

_Unfortunately, yes. Sometimes it's necessary. Sometimes it's kill or be killed._

_That's too bad._ I shook my head, like I would if I were in human form. _I understand killing to defend, but to prove you're boss? I don't get that._

_There's a lot more to it, but I think you'll need to be around us longer and learn more about pack dynamics before you'll understand. I just wanted to warn you to be sure of who you play like that with. You need to make sure they know you're playing, not attacking._

_I will. Thanks._

_You about ready to head back to the truck?_ We'd both stopped panting.

_Sure. I've burned off enough tension. Let's head back._ We got up and took a more direct route back.

When we reached the truck, we went to our respective sides and reversed the process of shifting. I carefully placed my rear paws onto my sandals, then shifted. Standing, I opened the door and dressed.

"Clear," I said as soon as I had my bra and underwear on. The driver's side door opened, revealing Gabriel had already shifted as well. I slipped my dress over my head and pulled it into place. He had his underwear on and was reaching for his jeans as I slid my feet into my sandals again and lifted them one at a time to slips the strap onto my heels. Dressed, I climbed up into the seat, pulled the door shut, and wrapped my bare arms around myself as Gabriel pushed his arms into the sleeves of his shirt. He left it hanging unbuttoned as he bent to pull on his boots. I shivered; the loss of my fur left me chilled in the cool summer night.

Gabriel finished with his boots, got in, started the truck, and turned on the heater before he buttoned his shirt.

"Here, use this." He reached behind the seat and pulled out a worn denim jacket. "It'll help take the chill off."

"Thanks, I wasn't expecting it to be this cool." I took the jacket and pulled it on, the faded blue cloth smelled of him, it also held an underlying scent of pack I found comforting.

"It's not that it's cold, it's more that you were warm in your fur and now you don't have it. The difference is the issue. You'll get used to it and learn to carry a jacket." He turned the truck around on the narrow dirt trail and headed back to town.

In no time, the heater had warmed the cab and I was no longer shivering. When we got back to my complex, I asked him drop me at the gate nearest my apartment. I gave him his jacket and thanked him for the loan, taking me out, and answering all my questions. His truck didn't move until after I was inside the gate, then it pulled away.

# Chapter 18

BEFORE I KNEW IT, it was Wednesday. I spent most of the day worrying. I was so preoccupied I barely noticed what I was doing at work, processing paperwork and answering questions on autopilot.

Afterwards, I rushed home to get ready, but once I looked in my closet I was lost. I tried on half my clothes and discarded them onto my bed before I settled on a new pair of jeans and a brilliant emerald green blouse. As I laced my leather ankle boots, it occurred to me that I wasn't dressing up exactly, but I was still as uncertain as I would be before a date, and for some reason that annoyed me.

I arrived early, still nervous. I offered to help Karen in the kitchen, but she refused my help. I ended up in the living room with Bill as we waited for my parents.

"How have things been, Nickie?" Bill sat in an easy chair near the fireplace, one ankle crossed over the opposite knee.

"Pretty well, I think. Life's been normal, all things considered. I go to work, I come home. Other than enhanced senses and strength, the only thing that's changed is that I'm spending time at the clinic." I stood near the unlit fireplace, too unsettled to sit.

"Is your time at the clinic helping at all?" He watched me.

"I think so. I've only seen Alexis shift someone a couple times, but I'm learning other things too. I'm meeting people and learning more about being Kindred. And I'm becoming friends with Alexis, which I think you planned all along." I gave him a sly smile.

"I admit, I hoped you would become friends. The more friends you have in the pack, the easier things will be." He smiled back.

"It seems to be working out that way. Devon and I went over there for a BBQ Saturday. I enjoyed spending time with them and getting to know Hank."

"I didn't realize you were spending much time with Devon."

"We tend to run into each other quite a bit. Doesn't hurt that we work similar schedules and live so close. We're becoming good friends."

"That's good. Where's he working?"

"He's working for Dad. Devon talked Dad into hiring him instead of a school kid. I think it's working out well." I moved slowly around the room while we talked, not pacing, but roaming.

"I've been telling your dad for years he needs to find permanent help instead of kids who work a summer and quit."

I nodded, but before I could say anything further, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get that and be right back." Bill stood.

Bill quickly returned, my parents laughing and smiling with him. I sat on the sofa, trying to keep from looking anxious.

"I hear you have a new hand," Bill was saying.

"I do. I decided to take your advice and hire a permanent hand. I was afraid no one reliable would be willing to work that hard for what we can afford to pay. But an old friend of my daughter's returned to town. He was looking for work and didn't need a lot of money, so I hired him. It's only been about ten days, but it's working out great," Dad said as they entered the room.

When Mom spotted me sitting on the sofa, she stopped, worry clear on her face. She started into the room again, but still looked worried, as if she knew I was there to give them bad news. I wasn't sure if this was going to be good or bad.

Bill invited them to sit and offered them drinks. While he was getting the drinks, my parents watched me, concerned.

"Is something wrong, dear?" Mom gathered the nerve to ask.

"No, Mom. Nothing's wrong. I've been spending more time with Bill and Karen and we thought it would be nice to have dinner together."

"You're sure nothing's wrong?"

"I'm certain, Mom. Nothing's wrong, I promise." I tried to convince myself I wasn't lying, really, nothing was wrong, just different.

"If you're sure."

Karen came in and greeted Mom and Dad, but she was in and out, visiting while finishing dinner. I offered again to help, but she refused again. After a bit, she called us to dinner. We followed her into the dining room where she had everything laid out and ready. A roasted chicken with grilled asparagus, a delicious Caesar Salad, and fresh, homemade rolls. After we'd eaten, Bill suggested we go into the living room and visit before dessert.

It wasn't until we were seated in the living room that my father spoke up.

"Why do I feel like there's more to this than meets the eye?" He looked pointedly at Bill.

Bill met the look squarely. "Probably because there is." My parents waited. "I need you to understand, this is very secret, if the secret gets out, I could be in serious trouble. In addition, it would put a lot of innocent people in danger, including Nickie. I know you can be trusted, and I think it would be best if you know the truth." Bill paused for a moment, looking over at Karen as though looking for input. "I'm not sure where to start."

Karen smiled calmly he turned back to my parents. He sighed, preparing himself.

"Karen and I aren't like most people. We're the leaders of a group here in town, and members of a much larger group all over the world called the Kitsune."

"What kind of group is it? A religious group?" Dad asked, confused.

"The Kitsune are shape shifters. We shift into animals."

I watched my father, his face never changed. If I hadn't seen the long slow blink, I would have thought he had no reaction at all.

"Karen and I become wolves," Bill continued.

"Are you trying to tell us you're werewolves?" Dad asked, disbelieving.

"Not werewolves, no. But shape shifters."

"What would the difference be?" Mom shifted in her seat.

"Werewolves are a creation of myth and Hollywood. What we are is so different from that portrayal, it's like night and day. We're not forced to change with the moon, we don't lose our minds when we shift, and we aren't monsters," Bill said.

"Is this recent?" Dad asked.

"No. I've been Kitsune all my life." Karen spoke up.

"Then why tell us now?" Mom turned to look at her.

"Because of me." It was my turn to speak up.

"What does this have to do with you, Nickie?" Dad asked.

"I asked them to help me tell you," I replied.

"How do you know about it? Why do we need to be told, why now?" Dad persisted.

"Let me back up a little. First you need to know it's not possible to become a Kitsune, or Kindred as we tend to call ourselves. You're either born one of us or not," Bill said. The worry on Mom's face turned to confusion. "I've known since you brought Nickie home that she had Kindred blood. But I couldn't tell if she would ever shift, so I couldn't say anything." This only confused my parents more and I decided it was time for me to come clean.

"Mom, Dad, you remember about a month ago when Brandon and I went out hiking?" They both nodded. I continued, "That day I was bitten by a rattle snake." Panic and confusion spread across their faces but I didn't stop. "I knew better but I panicked, my panic triggered dormant genetics. I was lucky Brandon was with me, and he has similar genetics, only his were never dormant. He knew what to do, he kept me calm and he brought me to Bill."

"What happened when these 'dormant genetics' as you call them, were triggered?" Dad asked.

"I shifted. I turned into a wolf," I said. I had to get the words out before they choked me. "Brandon talked me through shifting back. He explained the basics and told me he was taking me to see the pack leader. It wasn't until he pulled in here I realized Bill was that leader." For some reason, I was reluctant to use pack terms like Anikitos and Alekto in front of my parents.

"What about the bite?" Mom asked.

"It healed. Amazingly fast. By the time I got home and took a shower that night, there was no sign of the bite." I pulled up my pant leg and showed my parents. "This is where I was bitten."

They both looked at the spot I pointed out to them, but there was nothing there.

"Is that normal?" Dad wanted answers. He wasn't looking to me.

"Faster healing is common. Shifting accelerates the healing," Bill assured him.

"Is that the only side effect of all this?"

"No. All of the Kindred have faster healing, better senses and reflexes, and we're stronger." Bill left out the extra talents many of us have.

"What are the downsides?" Dad was determined to find out everything.

"The possibility of our secret getting out, alienating our friends. There's some danger of being shot as a varmint when in wolf form, but basic precautions nullify that. Better senses, being stronger, faster healing," he listed some of the benefits he'd listed earlier again as downsides.

My parents were taking this better than I'd expected. Not that I expected screaming and gnashing of teeth, but I had expected at least some disbelief. It was quiet for a few minutes as my parents absorbed it, they spoke, but not much, and they didn't become involved in the conversation that Karen started with me. I waited anxiously for their reactions.

"If all of this happened a month ago, why didn't you tell us sooner?" My father asked a few minutes later.

I knew this was going to be the tough part. "First, it was a huge shock to me. I had a lot of adjusting to do and at first, I didn't want to tell anyone.

"Second, there is the secrecy. If I were to tell you without permission, I could be punished. It isn't just the safety of this group involved, but all the groups, all over the world. I had to get Bill's permission, he only gave it because he knows you so well and knows you're trustworthy. But just you. We can't tell the rest of the family.

"Third, I wasn't sure how you would take it. This is a huge change in my life. It's been difficult not being able to talk to you about it. At the same time, I was so afraid you wouldn't believe me, or would disown me."

"You know better than that!" Mom spoke sharply. She'd been mostly silent until now but she couldn't help herself. "You, like all the kids, are ours. No matter what you do, or what you are. We love you no matter what. If one of you were to end up in prison, we wouldn't stop loving you. We might not approve of your choices, or what you did to end up there, but we wouldn't stop loving you because of them."

"Thank you, Mom," I said, some of the weight lifting off my shoulders. I'd been more worried than I realized.

"Your mother's right, Nickie," Dad spoke a little slower but with no less conviction. "You're our daughter, though there's more to you than we realized, we still love you." Tears of relief ran unchecked down my face as I hugged them both.

"I told you that you had nothing to worry about." Bill patted my shoulder. I sat in my chair.

We spent another hour or so answering questions about the Kindred. No, we didn't give them all the details but then, I still didn't have them all. It was going to take a while to learn everything about the species I was a part of, but we set their minds at ease. I was still amazed at how much relief I felt after talking to my parents.

# Chapter 19

I spent another day at the clinic on Friday, mostly reading and talking to Alexis, which had become our routine, until a woman brought in her husband. He had been opening a box when the razor knife slipped and he had run the sharp blade from wrist to elbow, cutting himself deeply.

He was bleeding profusely and was ashen when she brought him in. Alexis and I jumped up and helped them into one of the exam rooms. Alexis held the wound shut and asked me to hand her a roll of gauze out of the cabinet. Between the two of us, we held his wound shut and bound his arm tightly to help stem the flow of blood.

"The best thing we can do is slow the bleeding and get him to change forms. That'll heal the worst of it, maybe not all of it, but it'll go a long way," Alexis explained.

"I can't shift. I can't concentrate long enough," our patient said.

"That's all right; we can deal with that, just give us a minute. You're out of danger for a minute or two," Alexis reassured him then turned back to me. "Are you ready for this? You can do it, I'm sure."

"I'm willing to try."

She turned back to our patient, and explained, "This is what we're going to do. Nickie is learning to use her powers. She's going to try to call your wolf. Don't worry, because if she doesn't succeed, which I'm certain she will, I'll step in. You'll change either way. Here's the question, do you want to try to strip or do you want us to shift you in your clothes?"

"I don't think I could undress right now. The clothes are ruined anyway, just shift me."

"Okay, Nickie, go for it. Remember, you have to feel for his wolf," she tried to talk me through it but I tuned her voice out while I focused.

I reached deep inside myself for the part of me that sensed energy. I pulled it forward and pushed it into the man in front of me. I felt for the man's wolf, he wasn't hard to find, he was hiding just under the surface. I tried to coax him out, but he didn't seem to want out, he shied away every time I tried coax him out.

I pulled back and opened my eyes. Taking a deep breath and letting it out, I calmed myself before trying again. I once again called forth the part that sensed energy and sent it into him. The wolf seemed unsure, but more curious this time. I tried to coax him again but this time when he got close, I sent my energy surging forward to grab the wolf before he could jump away and pulled him to the surface. When I opened my eyes, there he was, the wolf I had sensed inside the man, laying on the exam table. The bandage we had wrapped so tightly around his arm now hung loosely around the wolf's front leg. The wound still bled, but it seeped instead of the steady flow it had been.

"Very good, Nickie. Do you think you can shift him again?" Alexis said.

"Yeah, give me a second."

"All right, sit down on that stool over there for a moment before you try," she said then turned to our patient's wife. "If you'll go down the hall to our kitchen and look in the fridge, you will find meal replacement shakes. Grab a couple and bring them back."

The woman and I heard her talking to Caden in the hallway. I'd been so focused on our patient and calling his wolf I hadn't been aware of Caden moving to stand outside the doorway. Alexis grabbed a sheet out of a cabinet and unfolded it. "Ready when you are Nickie."

I focused again, wrapping my energy around the wolf like a bubble. I gently encouraged him to retreat to where he had been when I called him, pushing with my energy. The wolf seemed content to go back now that his job was done. A blur formed around him, before the blur was gone, Alexis covered the reclining form with the sheet so only his shoulders and head were left exposed. She did it more for me than anyone else, but I appreciated it.

I looked again at the wound on his forearm and it was still open, but the bleeding had stopped. I was pulling out the bandages to close the wound when his wife returned. Alexis took the cans of drink from her and quickly shook one up before popping the top open and putting it in the man's uninjured hand while I worked on re-bandaging his injury. He drained the can and handed it back to Alexis. She took the empty can and handed him a full one. He quickly drained that one as well.

"That stuff's nasty," he said.

"It doesn't taste great but it's an excellent way to replace calories and nutrients burned by two shifts. And it's fast. Far faster than fixing you something and eating."

"True. I feel much better now that I've had them. Why've we never used them before?"

"Because it never occurred to anyone to use them until this one shifted and started drinking them," Alexis motioned to me. I was fastening off the gauze when I noticed they were all watching me.

"What?" I looked at Alexis.

"What made you think to use the meal replacement drinks?"

"We used to feed them to Shiloh when she was little because she was so underweight. When I realized I would need more calories, especially when I shift, and something I could keep in the car for emergencies, they seemed like a good option."

"You're right, they're perfect. We've started using them here, they last in storage and they are quick and easy."

"I think if you try, you can buy them in bulk cheaper," I didn't know what else to say.

"I'll have to check into that." Alexis turned to the couple and got them ready to go. I cleaned up the mess we'd made while she led them out the door.

The rest of the afternoon was uneventful and I when I went home, I showered and went to bed early. Calling animal forms was exhausting.

# Chapter 20

DEVON AND I found time to go for a run Saturday morning. We'd talked about it for a week or more but he was always too tired to go in the evening, so we waited until we both had a morning off. The plan was for Devon to run normally, on two legs, and I would run as a wolf. This meant we had to go rural, but we had that handled. Devon liked to run up hill, at least sometimes, a left over from his military days. We decided to run up the road on Mt. Graham. Well, he would run up the road and I would mostly run beside him, but if we encountered a vehicle I could take off into the trees and avoid being seen.

At seven a.m., we climbed into his old pickup and headed up to the mountain. We stopped at the first picnic area and parked the truck. He got out and started stretching, working on loosening his muscles so he wouldn't pull anything. I got out on my side, which luckily was on the far side from the road, and stripped. I folded my clothes neatly and set them in the bag I had brought for them. I didn't want someone to pull up and see a pile of clothes on the seat; that would raise questions. Once my clothes were off, I put the bag on the floorboard and closed the door. Then I bent down to shift. It only took moment to feel the tingling, and in another minute or two, it passed.

In wolf form, I walked around to the driver's side and looked up at Devon. I wondered briefly if it would work before projecting, _You ready?_

"Sure, let's get started." He walked out to the side of the highway where it stretched up the mountain and curved not far ahead. He started at a light jog and I padded along beside him, then he sped up and I had to trot to keep up.

_You call this a workout?_ I taunted.

"It will be when we keep it up for five miles... or more."

_Ok, you got me there, I'm not used to distance._

"You'll get used to it. You need stamina and endurance, not just speed," he said. He probably knew what he was talking about. Devon might not shift, but he grew up among the Kindred. He still knew more about what I was than I did.

I heard a car behind us and sent to Devon, _Car, I'll hide. You keep going, I'll catch up._

I darted into the forest and found a hollow to lay in where I couldn't be seen and I waited until the car passed. I waited a few moments longer until I was sure it was the only one before getting up and heading for the road, angling uphill so I would come out further up the road than I had gone in. Hopefully closer to where Devon had made it to by now.

It didn't occur to me until I reached the road; how would I know if Devon had been here or not? Was he in front of me or behind me? I stood for a minute or two, looking one direction and then the other, trying to decide what to do. Then it dawned on me. I could look for his scent; that would tell me if he had been here yet. I tentatively bent and sniffed the pavement, not sure it would work. I was going to try anyway, especially since there was no one here to see how ridiculous I looked.

I put my nose to the pavement and took a deep breath, thinking to pick up as much scent as possible. I overwhelmed my nose. The scents of tar and rubber were so strong they burned the inside of my nose and I spent several more minutes snorting, trying to blow the strong odors out so I could try again. The second time I tried, I was more careful. I held my nose above the pavement and took short careful sniffs, trying to peel back the layers of scent. There was rubber from the tires that regularly drove here, and the scent of warm oil and coolant from the car that had just passed by, but under that, I caught Devon's smoky personal scent, the faint scent of pack that he still carried and the stronger scent of sweat.

Now that I knew he had been here, I turned and ran up the mountain. I loved the feel of the wind in my face, blowing my ears back. I ran up mountain, maybe a quarter of a mile, my confusion and scenting error had given him time gain more distance than I'd expected. I rounded the next curve at a dead run and found him just up ahead, maybe 200 yards. I slowed as I approached and fell into the steady jogging pace he was keeping.

_So, how far have you made it?_ I asked.

"You haven't been keeping track?"

_Nah, I cut across off road, more ups and downs, more fun, less boring_.

"It's not boring. It gives you time to think about other things."

_Boring..._ I intoned with a mental laugh.

"It's been about a mile and a half, you still have a while to go..." he laughed in response.

_I can make it more entertaining..._

"Oh really? How?"

_You keep your same pace and I'll run circles around you._

"Well, duh, we know you're faster than me. You could beat me easily."

_I didn't mean I would beat you,_ I sped up and started circling his still running body. _I said I would run circles around you._

"Show off!" he said, laughter in his voice. The warm timbre of his laugh sent curls of contentment through me, making someone laugh had never felt so good.

I stopped circling him and started investigating the scents around us. I caught the scents of the cars that regularly drove up and down the mountain, the squirrels and chipmunks that regularly crossed the road, and the occasional deer that roamed through the area. I picked up my head and noticed Devon had made it quite a distance. I caught up with Devon who had kept going as if I hadn't stopped.

"Having fun?" he asked, his breathing was slightly labored, not enough to keep him from talking.

_I was investigating the scents._

"Find anything interesting?"

_Meh, lots of cars, squirrels, chipmunks, even a deer. Interesting? Sure. Exciting? No._

"I'm sorry."

_No big deal. Just thought I'd see what I could pick up. I'm still learning to identify a lot._

We continued up the mountain in silence. I noticed his usually slight limp become more pronounced the further we ran up the mountain.

_That leg is really bothering you, isn't it?_

He was starting to lose control of his breathing, he was almost gasping for air, but I couldn't tell if it was from exercise or pain.

_Don't try to talk, just think your responses and I'll try to pick them up, I promise not to nose around in there._

_Okay,_ I heard his voice in my head. _I'll try. Yeah, it's bothering me more than I thought it would._

_How long's it been since you went running?_

_A couple days, I run all the time, uphill is another story; I haven't run long distance uphill since before the accident._

_I don't want to suggest that you aren't capable, but I think it's best if I go back and bring the truck to you instead of trying to get you back to it._

_You're probably right,_ he admitted. _But can you drive a standard?_

_Puh-lease, I grew up driving farm equipment. Dad made me learn to drive a standard before I was allowed an automatic. He used to tell us any monkey could drive an automatic. I can drive a standard._

_Okay, I believe you. It's just so few can these days, even men._

_This is true. Did you lock it?_ I asked.

_Yeah, but it's old enough it has a key. There's a spare in a magnetic box attached to the back of the rear license plate. You have to reach under the bumper and around to the top of the plate, it should be resting on a ledge there,_ he explained.

_Great. It shouldn't take me long to get back to the truck and change, and even less time to get back here. I should be back in ten or fifteen minutes._

_That's fine,_ he said.

_It'd be best if you kept moving, but not running, until I get back, walk around and stretch again. I don't want you to get too stiff before I get back, it's going to be bad enough by the time we get home._

_I know. I'll keep moving. Now go._

I ran down the straight stretches of the road, but when the road would switchback on itself I would cut across country and make the trip shorter. I had to duck and hide a couple times as vehicles passed but soon made it back to the picnic area where we'd parked his truck. I had just reached the truck when I realized I had to shift and get the key before I could unlock the door and get dressed. Kneeling naked on the gravel was not going to be fun.

I listened carefully, making sure no cars were coming before I shifted. I quickly went to the rear of the truck and got on my knees and reached under the bumper. The rough gravel dug into my skin while I felt around. I found the small box, tugged it free, and went back around to the passenger's side of the truck, away from the highway so if someone came by it wouldn't be obvious I was naked.

I opened the box, removed the key, and went to the door to discover that there was no exterior lock on the passenger's door. Shit. I was going to have to go around to the driver side, still naked, to unlock the truck. Once more I listened for the sounds of cars on the road before hurrying to the driver's side and unlocking the door. Just as I got the door unlocked, I heard a car approach so I opened the door and climbed in, pulling the door closed behind me. I stretched across the seat, grabbing the bag with my clothes in it and pulling out my shirt. I slid it on over my head as quickly as I could so nothing would appear out of place to anyone passing by. Once I had my shirt on, I pulled the bag closer and dug out the rest of my clothes. As soon as the car passed, I turned sideways and slid on my underwear and shorts. Not bothering with shoes, I started the truck and pulled it out onto the highway to pick up Devon.

Soon, I was pulling alongside where Devon was standing, leaning against the rocks that had been cut away to make the road. I stopped the truck and hit the button on the driver's door to unlock other side. He climbed in and I started forward again, the road was too narrow to turn around, we'd have to continue up to either the next picnic area or a pull out.

"Obviously you found the key, did you have any trouble?" he settled into his seat and buckled his seatbelt.

"No, it was right where you said," I replied. "But those rocks are sharp, especially when you have no clothes on."

"That occurred to me just after you left. Your clothes were locked in the truck and you needed your hands to get to the key," he chuckled.

"Not to mention that the passenger door doesn't unlock from the outside."

"Oh, shit. I totally forgot about that."

"Thankfully, I have superior hearing and could tell when someone was coming. I was able to open the door without being spotted."

"Oh, to have seen that," Devon said with a wistful tone. I took one hand off the wheel long enough reach over and smack him with the back of it. "What?" he asked innocently.

"You know what." I kept my eyes on the road. "You want to go on up to the top, see what the lake looks like? Or do you want to go back down and rest, maybe take a dip in the hot tub and see if that helps your leg?"

"I'd like to go on up and at least get a look at the lake, I haven't been up there in years. Then we can go back down and I can try the hot tub. I haven't been in there yet and it will probably help."

"Up it is."

"Do you want me to drive?"

"I've got it, unless you want to?"

"I don't mind. Onward and upward."

We drove the rest of the way up to the mountain to see Riggs Lake. It was almost full from rains and snow melt. When we got out of the truck, it was nice and cool out. It occurred to me this would be a nice place to go for a weekend this summer. I'd have to see if I could find someone to come with me.

We didn't stay long. Devon looked around a little, we discussed some of the changes over the last ten years. The boat ramp had been rebuilt, but the old one had been thirty years old. It was overdue for replacing. There were a few new picnic areas and camping spots around the edge of the lake, but not much else. It would be a great place to spend a couple days and maybe be able to shift without being seen. That would depend on how many people were around.

We got back into the truck and started down the mountain. I offered to give Devon his key back so he could drive, but he told me to keep driving. His leg was stiffening and it would make it difficult to drive the old standard. The descent off the mountain always seems to be faster to me than the climb, I'm not sure why. Soon we were almost to town and before I headed straight home, I turned to Devon.

"Do you need to stop anywhere before we go home?"

"Let's get some take out," he said. "You have to be hungry after shifting and since you were kind enough to drive me up to see the lake, it has been a while. You have to be about ready to gnaw my arm off."

"Not quite, I knew I would be shifting and ate a large breakfast to be ready," I laughed.

"Learning a few tricks huh? Still, let's get something to eat. Once we get back to the complex, I can change and get in the hot tub."

"That works. What do you want to eat?"

"I don't care, what sounds good to you?"

"How about we hit the buffet at Super Wok? Or would you rather pick something up and take it home?"

"Super Wok is one of my favorites, let's do that."

I had no trouble maneuvering the truck through town, though before the picnic area, it had been a while since I'd driven a standard transmission. I pulled into the small parking lot of the old family-owned restaurant and parked.

"How's the leg?" I asked.

"It's fine just sitting here, but ask again after I get out and walk on it."

I killed the engine and grabbed my purse before climbing out. I locked the door and tucked the key into my pocket, knowing that if he didn't want to drive after the lake, then Devon wouldn't want to after walking through a buffet either.

We went inside, where we were both recognized by the staff because apparently Devon was a regular too. The place was almost empty. There were some advantages to coming in at odd hours. They told us to sit where ever we chose and asked if we wanted our usual.

"Yes, please," I replied, while Devon smiled and nodded.

I chose a table near the buffet, thinking Devon wouldn't have to walk as far to fill his plate. We sat down and waited a few minutes while the waiter brought us clean plates and drinks, I noticed Devon's usual was the same iced tea I had. I left my purse in the seat, I would be able to see it the whole time, and grabbed a plate and got up. Devon spun in his seat and groaned as he tried to stand.

"Is it bad?" I asked.

"It wasn't bad before we spent the last hour in the truck, but it's stiffened up and isn't liking having to move again."

"Would an over the counter pain killer help? I think I have some in my purse..."

"Not enough to make a difference. I just need to move around and loosen up the muscles."

I held out one hand, offering to pull him up, but he waved it off and pushed himself up using the table and back of the booth for leverage. Once on his feet, he grabbed a plate off the stack on the table.

We circled the buffet, each taking what we wanted before sitting back down.

"Will the hot tub help?" I asked.

"It will, but I'll still be sore."

"I hope you don't mind, but I asked Alexis if there was anything she could do to help."

"You mean like heal me?"

"Yeah, that's what I meant."

"She can't. I already know that, but thanks for the thought."

"That's what she said, but she also recommended a couple of things that might help with the pain and help your muscles rebuild themselves. Since she can't use her skills to do it."

"What did she suggest?" he seemed curious.

"Heat and ice, but ice only when there's swelling. Deep tissue massage. She's had me doing some of that with a couple of patients. They heal fast but some not as fast as others and the massage helps some. But I'll warn you, deep tissue massage is not relaxing. It digs in and works those healing muscles, it can be painful during the actual massage. It's not until it's over that you really notice the benefits."

"I've had a few of those massages, and they do help, but when I came back I knew there was no place to get them without making the trip into Tucson or Phoenix. I decided coming home was more important."

"I understand. If you could get them here, would you?"

"Are you offering?"

"Possibly," I gave him a mischievous smile. "Some days you irritate me enough I want to hurt you... why not do it in a way that benefits you?"

"Yeah, that would do it for you. Find a way to hurt me that I'll ask you for," he laughed.

We finished eating, paid the tab, and went home. I gathered my stuff, put the key back into the lockbox, and put the box back where I had found it. I walked beside Devon toward his apartment, just before we made it to his door, he broke the silence.

"Are you going to join me in the hot tub?"

"Do you want company? I thought you wanted to suffer in solitude."

"Join me. If I didn't get to see you retrieve the key and unlock the truck, at least I can see you in a swim suit."

I acted like I was going to push him for reminding me of having to unlock the truck naked, but I didn't do it. I was afraid with his leg that I might hurt him. I sighed.

"I guess. Give me a few minutes to change and grab a towel, then I'll be down."

I left him as he pressed his thumb to the panel to unlock his door and went up to my apartment. I wondered on my way up which suit I should wear.

I ended up wearing a two-piece halter suit. It wasn't my most revealing, but I wasn't looking to impress some new guy, I was hanging out around the pool with a friend. I pulled on a light cover-up, grabbed a towel, and headed back down.

When I arrived at the fenced-in pool area, it was empty. I let myself in the gate, set my towel on the foot of a nearby chaise, and took off my cover up. Draping that over the foot of the chair too, I stepped down the first few steps at the shallow end of the pool before I dove forward and swam across the pool. When I reached the deep end, I moved to one side and started swimming back and forth across the deeper water. I didn't pay attention to what was going on outside the pool as I swam from one side to the other and flipped over before making the return trip, slowly counting in my head each trip. I was coming up to the edge when I noticed movement beside the pool. Instead of turning and making another lap, I stopped at the edge and stood.

I put one hand on the edge and dipped my head back until only my face was above the water. When I picked my head back up, my hair was slicked back out of the way. I treaded water while I used both hands to wipe the water from my face and eyes then looked up to see Devon standing there.

He was wearing the same pair of trunks he'd worn the week before, with a towel slung over one shoulder. A long scar started high enough on his thigh that the edge was barely visible under the shorts. It extended down past his knee.

"Been here long?" he looked down at me.

"Not long, I've only managed twelve laps."

"Only twelve, huh?" he laughed.

I pulled myself up on the edge and climbed out of the pool. "I swim quickly these days. You ready for the hot tub?"

"More than. It was a bit difficult to get out of my running pants and into these. My knee didn't want to bend enough to do either."

"Then let's go..." I picked up my things and motioned him to the hot tub in the corner. "Bubbles or no bubbles?"

"Bubbles, the jets massage my leg if I position it right."

"I'll turn them on." I set the timer for twenty minutes. If we wanted more, I would get out and reset it. Devon used the rail and stairs to carefully step into the warm water. He sat, turned sideways, on the ledge surrounding the small pool. He slid along the side until he reached a jet that he could get to hit the right spot. I stepped into the water and walked across the pool until I found a spot where I could see Devon's face while we talked.

"Looks like that feels good," I sat in front of a jet of my own, letting the pulsing air work the muscles in my back.

"It does, the heat of the water helps too."

"Why don't we let it relax you for a while, and then you can lie on one of those lounge chairs, and I'll see if I can work the muscle a bit for you."

"I'm in, as long as you don't mind. Fair warning, I'm not a good patient. I whine and complain and I'm a general pain in the ass."

"That makes you different from every man I've ever known, how?" I said. "Seriously though, I don't mind. We might find it helps you move better, or at least easier."

We stayed in the hot tub chatting about our families and people we knew until the jets shut off, then we climbed out. I laid one of the chaise lounges flat and had Devon lay face down on it while I moved around so I could reach his right thigh. I sat on the edge of the chair next to his, but I pulled it close so I didn't have to kneel on the cement.

I started with his calf, trying to ease him into the painful massage and give him a chance to relax before I got to the worst of it. I kneaded the overworked muscles that compensated for the weaker muscles above them, digging my fingers deep and working my way up this leg until I was kneading the muscles in his thigh with my knuckles to loosen them. I ignored the flinches and whimpers when I found a particularly sore spot because I knew despite the pain, it would help. I had been working for forty-five minutes before Devon stopped me.

"Uncle, uncle," he said. "I can't take anymore. Let's have another session in the hot tub."

"I'll be there in a few minutes, let me get a few laps in." I started the bubbles for him then went to the pool. I slipped in and started swimming the length of the pool. I counted ten lengths before I quit. I smoothed my hair from my face and wiped the water from my eyes and joined Devon in the much warmer water.

"That feels good," I settled in across from him, enjoying the jets as they beat against my muscles.

"Yeah, it does... I'm glad I'm off tomorrow. It's going to be slow getting started in the morning."

"I'm sorry I talked you into something that hurt."

"Nah, not your fault. I would be fine if it wasn't for the uphill, it didn't occur to me not to try it for such a long distance."

"If you need anything, let me know. I can pick up anything you need while I'm running errands or I can make dinner for us both, if it would help."

"I may take you up on that. I'll pop one of my muscle relaxers before bed tonight. I hate to take them, they blur my mind, but if I don't I won't sleep. Tomorrow, I'll take it easy, stretch but not overdo it, and Monday morning I should be able to go to work without hurting too bad."

"Good luck." I wasn't sure he'd manage it that easily, but then, he knew his body better than I did. "You need anything tonight?"

"Nah, I'm gonna stay here a little longer. When the jets shut off I'll head in, take a quick shower, and have a quiet evening. I finally had internet turned on, so I might find a film or just surf until I crash."

"Sounds good, I have some messages to answer. I'm going to go on up and do that, if you need anything, call. I'd say come up if you want, but I don't think the stairs are a good idea."

"For once, I'm glad my apartment is on the ground. Most of the time I don't care much for the noise, tonight I'm happy I don't have to climb to get home."

"I'm sure... Have a good night."

"You too," he said.

I wrapped my towel around me and tossed my cover up over one shoulder. I was energized as I climbed the stairs, today may have been too much for Devon, but it made me feel great. I went inside and stripped my wet swim suit off as soon as the door was closed so I didn't drip through the apartment, then carried it into my bathroom and dropped it into the sink to hang up after my shower.

Once clean, I put on a light summer dress with spaghetti straps and a flowing skirt that just brushed the tops of my knees. I turned on my screen and pulled the keyboard out of a drawer. I spent an hour answering messages and the rest of the evening on the net, researching deep tissue massage; the different techniques and benefits to it.

# Chapter 21

I walked out of the Administration building Tuesday evening on my way home and found Brandon leaning against my car, obviously waiting for me. I wondered why he didn't just call.

"Hey, how are you?" I leaned against the car next to him.

"Okay," he said. "How are things?"

"Good, I've been busy with work, the clinic, and getting things under control. I'm doing pretty well, all things considered." I stood. "Why don't we get in so we have more privacy," I didn't want to risk being overheard. I'd become sensitive nearly to the point of paranoia recently. I'd heard about a comment made in public that had led to questions and suspicions from normal humans. The Kindred responsible had been given a severe beating for endangering the pack. I understood it, but I didn't want to be on the receiving end of that, ever.

"If you want to." He stood. Something seemed off.

I unlocked and opened my door, then hit the button to unlock the passenger's side. Sitting down, I pulled the door closed and waited for Brandon.

"Like I said, I'm doing good. I've learned I have a talent that lets me sense power in all kinds of people, not just the Kitsune, though it works better among us."

"Oh?"

"It's what made me think something was different about Raine. Nothing about him had changed, it was me. I was sensing his power. I'm still baffled how he's kept his secret, but you did too."

"What is it?" Brandon turned so he was facing me.

"I can't say, it's his secret, not mine. This talent also let me sense how powerful our Lysandros is when I first met him." I twisted so I was angled toward him.

"He can't be more powerful than our Anikitos."

"I'm pretty sure he is. But he's content. Bill's a good leader. Until Bill's not strong, or he's ready to step down, I think Hank's happy letting him lead."

"I'd have never guessed."

"The only way I did was this talent. I felt a physical shock from the strength of his power when I shook his hand, but that may be because he has the same power. We aren't sure yet."

"So, you're not only close with the Anikitos and Alekto, you've become friends with the Lysandros, too?"

"I don't know Hank well, I haven't spent much time with him. So far we get along fine. I'm becoming friends with Alexis though. She's a lot like me, and easy to know."

"Now you're close to the Anikitos, Alekto, and Harmonia?" Bitterness leaked into his voice. "Is that why you never have time for me, or is it because of that human you're spending time with?"

I was shocked. I'd never heard Brandon talk like this. He said the word human as though it meant something contaminated.

"I've been spending time with Devon, but he's not human. He's Kindred too, he just doesn't shift."

"Which makes him human." Disgust dripped from his voice.

"I was human until a month ago," I spit out, his words making me angry as my heart ached with his disgust. "I never knew you disliked humans so much." "I don't, but you're spending all your time with him. I don't like it."

I tried to reason with him. "Devon lives in my complex. H's an old friend who's only recently returned, why shouldn't I spend time with him?"

"I don't want you to," Brandon turned sullen.

"What has come over you? Why are you acting like this?"

"You're mine."

I blinked, speechless for at least a minute.

"No. I belong to myself. I do what _I_ want. You, of all people, should know that." I said once I could speak.

"You've been mine for years. Now you shift like a proper Kindred and can be mine forever."

"What has gotten into you?" I wondered where this was coming from.

"I don't like you spending time with him." Brandon seemed to think he was being reasonable.

I disagreed. I was losing my patience. "I'm an adult. I choose who I spend time with. If you don't like it, you can go to hell," I said.

He moved so fast I barely saw him move. He swung his right hand and slapped me across the face.

It shocked me, but not enough to put up with it. Before I thought about it, I clenched my left fist and punched him in the nose. I was hampered by the steering wheel, but it didn't stop me from doing some damage. His nose crunched as my fist made impact, and it started bleeding immediately.

"GET OUT, NOW," I ground out through clenched teeth.

"I'm sorry," he said, one hand covering his nose.

"I don't care. Get out." I wasn't willing to listen. I wanted him gone. "If you want to talk, then call. Give me some time and _do not_ show up without calling first. This is going to affect things."

"I didn't mean to. You just made me so mad."

"I don't care, get out."

"Okay, I'll go. I'll call you tomorrow."

"You do that." I didn't care if he did or not. "Now get out." I was ready to hit him again if he didn't get out, immediately.

"I'm going, I'm going," he opened the door. While he was still climbing out, I started the engine and as soon as the door clicked shut, I backed out of my parking space. I went straight home.

The incident with Brandon still on my mind, I walked swiftly across the courtyard and climbed the stairs to my apartment to find Devon sitting on the top step. I'd forgotten I'd invited him over for dinner. I stopped and saw in his face the moment he spotted the mark Brandon had left. He stood to let me pass, but I couldn't miss his anger as he realized what the red mark on my face was. For the first time ever, I wished my apartment was farther from work.

"Who hit you?" Devon's voice was soft.

"Don't worry about it, I took care of it." I unlocked the door and let us both inside.

"Who hit you?" He followed, refusing to drop the subject.

"Brandon. But I took care of it. His is worse than mine." I hung my purse on the inside knob where I kept it.

"Why would Brandon hit you?" Devon wouldn't let it go.

"Because I told him, I'm an adult and I decide who I spend time with, if he didn't like it he could go to hell."

"Wait a minute. You've lost me. Who doesn't he like you spending time with that he would hit you over it?" Devon looked confused.

"You."

"Ah..." the confusion lifted. "I think I understand."

"Good, then you can explain it to me, because I still don't." I flopped into one of the chairs near the sofa and scowled, not at Devon, but at the situation.

He sat on the edge of the sofa, facing me. "Tell me exactly what happened and I'll do my best."

I took a deep breath and let it out. "Sure, give me a minute to change. Why don't you pull the casserole dish out of the fridge and stick it in the oven at 350 degrees, set the timer for an hour.I'll be right back." I stood, went into my bedroom, and closed the door.

I took a comfortable pair of shorts and an old t-shirt from the closet and changed. I checked my suit for blood spots before hanging it up, and then I pulled my hair up into a messy ponytail and washed my face. The cool water was refreshing. I didn't bother to fix my hair before joining Devon in the kitchen.

In the kitchen, I found in addition to getting our dinner in the oven, Devon had helped himself to a soda. Then he handed me the glass of iced tea he'd fixed. It was nice having someone do things for you occasionally.

"Thanks." I took a deep drink, almost draining the glass.

"Dinner is started. You ready to tell me what happened?" He took the glass and refilled it.

"Sure, but let's go back to the living room. I want to be comfortable. We have a while until dinner is ready."

In the living room, I sat on the couch, pulled my feet up, and tucked them underneath me. Devon sat on the other end of the sofa, but he turned to face me.

"So..." he laid one hand on top of mine, moving his thumb back and forth. It was soothing.

"I walked out of the office and there he was. It started normally." I told him about the incident with Brandon up until Brandon had hit me.

"Then? You said you had dealt with it."

"Well..." I ducked my head, embarrassed at having to admit it. "I punched him."

"Where?"

"In the nose. It seemed right at the time. I had to use my left hand because of how we were sitting. It's probably a good thing, because I still felt it crunch. It started bleeding instantly. I'm sure its broken. I don't want to think about the damage if I'd hit him with my right."

"Good for you. He had no right to hit you." Devon's voice was soft, but determined.

"I know," I paused. "Anyway, I hit him and I told him to get out. He tried to apologize, but I wouldn't listen. I kept telling him to get out, and as soon as he did, I left. I came straight home, by then I'd forgotten you would be here. I was focused on getting home. I wanted to change, to put on something comfortable and unwind, maybe try to catch my balance again."

"And I made you talk about it."

"Yeah, you made me talk about it, but it's helped some. Company is probably a good thing too. I would have sulked if I was alone."

"I know what you mean," he picked up his soda and took a long drink before setting it down again. "You wanted to know what's going on?"

"It would be nice."

"I'll need a few answers first, then I'll see if I can explain."

"Okay..."

"You said he was nasty when he said I was the reason you weren't spending time with him, how so?"

"He kept calling you 'human', but the way he said human was like it was a dirty word. I've never heard him like that before."

"I've heard it plenty, though not from him. I heard it a lot before I left." His thumb stilled, but he kept his hand over mine. "You probably haven't seen it, at least not yet. There's a group of Kindred, the ones I encountered are about our age, but there may be others. They believe anyone who doesn't shift is inferior, not as good as those who shift. Since they naturally shift, they must be superior to those who don't. I don't know how big the group is, or if it exists outside the valley, but it's a nasty one."

"Sounds like it."

"From what you've said, I think Brandon's a part of it. He wants you. He's probably wanted you for years but couldn't have you unless you shifted. Now that you shift, you can be together forever."

"That explains it. It leaves a sour taste in my mouth, but it makes sense. I've never seen Brandon like that, he's been my friend for years."

"That's probably where it would have ended if you'd never shifted, now he seems to believe you belong to him." "Not for long. When I'm willing to speak to him again, I'll be setting him straight."

"Be careful. He's shown he thinks you're his, and he's not above getting physical to try to keep you. I don't want you getting hurt again."

"I'll remember." I shifted for the first time since sitting down. I pulled my hand out from under his and picked up my tea, taking another long drink. "Thank you for listening to all the drama and explaining what he's thinking. The logic of the male mind escapes me."

"Hey, now. Don't lump all men in his category. Not all of us are on the caveman level."

"I know. It never occurred to me he was another caveman. We've been friends since kindergarten."

"Sometimes we hide a lot." He turned until he faced forward too.

"Don't I know it? There's been so much revealed in the last few weeks, I don't know how I'm handling it all."

"Just like we all do, one day at a time," Devon sympathized.

"Pretty much."

Devon and I visited, we talked about a couple of new movies we wanted to see until dinner was ready. After eating, we called it a night, Devon left, and I took a hot bath and went to bed.

I dreamed of Brandon and Devon fighting, not over me, but for respect from each other.

# Chapter 22

I WOKE EARLY the next morning, tired of tossing and turning after being awoken yet again by the latest in a string of bizarre and disturbing dreams. Knowing I needed to tell him about the night before, I called Bill.

"Hello?" I heard his voice over the phone.

"Bill, it's me. I hope I didn't wake you." I walked from one room to another, pacing with nervous energy.

"No, I was up. How are you?"

"Good, mostly, at least until last night. There was an incident you should know about. I wanted you to hear it from me, and not rumors."

"What kind of incident exactly?" He sounded concerned.

I repeated the whole story the way I told Devon the night before, adding only that I no longer bore any marks. Devon told me Brandon's handprint had faded before we'd finished dinner.

"I see," he was quiet a moment. "Did anyone witness this?"

"I don't think so. We were sitting in my car so no one could hear, and the area was empty. I don't think anyone saw us, but I can't be certain."

"Have you told anyone else?" he questioned.

"Yeah," I winced, afraid he would get angry. "Devon was waiting when I got home last night. I'd invited him over for dinner, I totally spaced about it until I found him sitting on my front step. He saw the hand print on my face and demanded to know what had happened."

"Wait. Devon, you mean Devon Wilson?"

"Yeah, he moved into my apartment complex a couple weeks ago. You remember, I called about him. We've been reacquainted."

"That's right. You told me he used to run around with Payson. Is he the only one you've told?"

"Other than you, yes." Still pacing through my apartment, I answered his questions.

"All right. I'll deal with Brandon. I know better than to give you orders, but I want you to stay away from him, at least for a while."

"Not a problem. After last night, I don't want to see, or even speak, to him. I told him to stay away from me, at least for a while. He said he'd call me today, but I don't want to even talk to him."

"Good, keep it that way for a while. I'll tell him not to contact you. If he calls after I speak with him, you're to call me immediately. I'm afraid he'll blame you for his punishment. I want you to be careful."

"Rest assured, he contacts me and I'll let you know as soon as I can."

"I'm glad to hear you have some sense."

"Ha ha, so funny," I said. "On a different topic, there's something else I needed to talk to you about."

"What's that?"

"I've got a question. It's probably going to sound strange." I worked my way up to the question.

"What's your question?

"Has anyone ever tried to force the animal form of a non-shifter before?"

"Force how?"

"Call the animal form, like Alexis taught me."

"Not that I know of, why?"

"I can feel Devon's wolf. I know it's there. I think it wants out, but somehow it's trapped."

"Have you mentioned this to him?"

"No. I didn't want to get his hopes up only to find out it's impossible. I wanted to bring it to you first."

"Very well. Do you think you could call his wolf?"

"I've only done it once before, but I think I could. I'll want more practice first. I'd like to have a chance to shift others a few more times before I try to call his. If he even wants to try it. It has to be his decision or I won't even try."

"I agree, it should be up to him. Do you think that it is possible Alexis could call his wolf?"

"I don't know, but Alexis can't sense his wolf, I asked her. I think it may have to do with my ability to sense power. I don't know. I can feel it, almost like I feel anyone else's power to shift, I can sense their animal form."

"I believe you." He paused a few seconds. "Let me to do some asking around. See if I can find if anyone has done it, or tried to, before we talk to Devon. Once we have an answer, we can talk to him and let him decide."

"I agree."

"I also want to consult with Alexis about it, probably before we talk to Devon. I'm worried about possible health consequences to forcing the animal form of a non-shifter."

"Makes sense," I said.

"Even if everyone agrees to test it, I don't want you trying it alone. I want at least me and Alexis present, possibly a couple of enforcers too, just in case there are problems. Do you understand me?" That last part was more a command than a request.

"Perfectly, sir."

"Keep this to yourself until I have made my calls and spoken with Alexis. Then we can either talk to him together, or you can take it up with him yourself. I'll let you decide since you know him better."

"I'll think about it so when you give the go-ahead I'll have a decision."

"That's fine. You can go to work today. I'll start dealing with the information you have given me. Remember, no contact with Brandon if you can avoid it. I'll put those calls in to the other Kindred and let you know what I find out."

"I guess I'll let you go and get ready for work. Thank you for believing me, both about Brandon and about Devon."

Bill laughed on the other end of the line. "Nickie, you may be independent, impulsive, and rebellious, but you've never been a liar. I have no reason not to believe you."

"You know me so well..."

"I should. Now, I have work to do..."

"I'll talk to you later."

"Have a good day, I'll call when I have news," Bill promised before disconnecting.

I finished dressing and left for work before I was late. I'd not yet made it to my car when I heard my PCD ringing in my purse. I stopped long enough to dig it out and answered even though I knew it was Brandon.

"Hello?"

"Nickie, how are you this morning?" He was upbeat, happy, as though the night before had never happened.

"Still pissed. You?"

"I'm great. I was hoping we could get together, talk."

"Your nose healed that fast?"

"Not quite, but I got it set and the bruising's almost gone. Will you meet me?"

"Sorry, I'm on my way to work. I don't have time." I didn't tell him I'd spoken to Bill.

"How about after work?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," I hedged.

"Come on. Please?"

"Sorry, I can't." I got into my car and closed the door. "I've got to get to work or I'll be late. I've got to go."

"Come on, meet me. Let me explain," he pleaded one more time.

"I don't want to hear it. I have to go." I hit the end button before he could say another word. Before starting the car, I dialed Bill. I explained about the call and how Brandon had tried to get me to meet him. He thanked me for letting him know and we hung up again. I hurried to work, thankful that I lived so close because as I was already a few minutes late.

# Chapter 23

ON MY WAY home that evening, I saw Devon sitting next to the pool. When I raised my arm to wave, he signaled for me to come closer. He was reclining in one of the chairs beside the pool, wearing his ARMY trunks and nothing else. His hair and shorts were wet as if he'd recently gotten out of the water. As I approached, he stood, slipping his feet into the flip flops sitting beside his chair. He met me at the fence.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked.

"I thought you should know," he spoke softly so no one overheard, despite the empty courtyard. "I called the Anikitos this afternoon about last night. He needed to know so he can deal with Brandon."

"I know," I shook my head. "I talked to him before work."

"He didn't say anything, but I'm glad you did. I'm worried this is just the start, something bigger's on its way."

"Thank you. I'm doing everything I can. I'm avoiding Brandon. Bill is supposed to tell him to stay away. If he contacts me, I'm to let Bill know."

"I'm glad," Devon said. "You're smart, and you can take care of yourself, but I know what these guys are capable of."

"Did you tell Bill about your experiences with this group?"

"No, I didn't see a need to."

"I think you should. He needs to know all of it. I understand why you didn't telling him then, but now, he needs to know."

"I'll call him back and let him know."

"Thanks." I laid one hand on top of his where it gripped the bars separating us. "You want to come up for dinner?"

"Sure. Let me go change and make that phone call. I'll be up in a bit."

"All right. I'm going to change and start dinner. I'll see you later." I went to my apartment.

I put together a simple dinner of left-overs for Devon and myself. While we were eating, my PCD rang. I looked at the screen and the read out and picture told me it was Brandon. I turned the screen so Devon could see it.

"I'm certain Bill's told him to leave me alone by now," I said.

"You want to talk to him?"

"I'm curious what he has to say."

"Then answer it, I'll keep my mouth shut."

Nodding, I pressed the button to answer the small device.

"Hello?" I asked, putting the device near my ear.

"What did you say to the Anikitos?" Brandon demanded.

"The truth."

"Did you tell him I attacked you?"

"No. I didn't say you attacked me. I relayed to him exactly what had happened. No more, no less. I even told him that I broke your nose," I said calmly.

"Are you in trouble for that?"

I sighed, seeing where this was going. "Not that I'm aware of."

"You'd know it if you were," Brandon snarled. "But somehow you get off scot-free while I'm to be punished."

"I don't know what you want me to say, Brandon," I said patiently. I looked at Devon to see if he was hearing this. He was watching me, but gave no indication he was hearing what Brandon was saying.

"I want you to be sorry you got me into trouble. To say you'll go to the Anikitos and tell him you lied so I won't be punished."

"I'm not going to do that. I didn't lie. I'm not going to say I did." My voice was starting to lose the soft tone.

"Because of you, I'm to be punished tomorrow." He sounded more than angry, but I didn't know what else to call it.

"No, not because of me, because of you, Brandon. I didn't make you do anything to get in trouble. I just felt the Anikitos needed to know about what had happened."

"Why would you go to him, if not to get me into trouble?"

"I had to. Getting you in trouble never entered my mind, keeping me out of it did. What if we were seen? If I didn't tell him the truth, then all he had to go by was whatever rumor he heard. I couldn't do that."

"Because you couldn't keep your mouth shut, I'm to be punished. After all I've done for you, you can't get me out of this?"

"Brandon, I already told you," I was losing my patience, "any punishment you receive is due to your actions, no one else's. You know how I feel. I've said for years, if you can't do the time, don't do the crime. You know how I feel about taking responsibility for your own actions. We've been friends for years. I know you've heard me say this."

"So it's going to be that way," Brandon said, disdain clear in his voice. "Just remember, it's going to cost you. You can still choose my side, then I would make sure things go easier for you." That sounded suspiciously like a threat.

"I'll keep that in mind. It's not about taking sides, it's about right and wrong," I said. "I'm hanging up now. I've nothing more to say. Don't call me again. I have no desire to speak to you."

"You'll regret this! Mark my words!" I heard him ranting on the other end of the line before I could disconnect the call.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before looking up at Devon.

"Did you catch all that?" I asked.

"Enough to know he wasn't calling to tell you 'Have a nice day,'" he watched me.

"Not hardly. The question is: what now?" I picked up my fork and resumed eating.

"Seems obvious to me."

"You don't have to say it. I've got to call Bill. I meant otherwise."

"Otherwise how?"

"I'm not going to let him intimidate me. But I'm afraid it wasn't an empty threat. How careful am I going to have to be?"

"That's up to you, but I'd rather you avoid him altogether for a while. I'm afraid his group will turn violent."

"I have no intention of seeing him, but I won't hide. I'd prefer not to get mixed up in whatever he's involved in. I hope it doesn't become violent but I'm not afraid of it."

Devon raised one eyebrow.

"I'm sure you remember I was more than a bit of a tomboy," I said, waiting for his nod. "I'm sure you were gone by then, but I had more than a few fights in high school. Most were because I wouldn't let others tell me what to do, now that I think about it... Anyway, I'm not afraid of a fight, especially after I broke his nose."

"You had surprise on your side," he cautioned.

"I know. I have another thing on my side. I don't think he'll hurt me, at least not if he still believes he can convince me to be his, like he said. He could have done a lot of damage yesterday, but he didn't, he tempered it. I won't have that limitation. If he starts a fight, I won't hesitate to give it everything I've got."

"Good. I'd hate to see you to get hurt."

"Me too," I said.

As soon as we finished eating, I called Bill and told him Brandon called and what had been said.

"Stay away from him, Nickie," Bill said again.

"I won't seek him out, but I won't run either."

"I wouldn't expect you to. Just try to avoid witnesses."

"I'll try, but I can't make promises."

"I understand."

"I should let you know, Devon was here when he called and heard most of it."

"All right."

"I doubt he'll call you this time, since he knows I'm calling you now."

"Is he there now?" Bill asked.

"Yes."

"Let me speak to him." I went into the living room where Devon was going through the list of movies on my screen, trying to decide what to watch.

"Bill wants to talk to you," I handed him the device.

"Hello?" Devon said.

I went back into the kitchen to clean up.

# Chapter 24

Alexis picked me up early Saturday morning for a trip to a ranch on the west side of Mt. Graham. At first the drive was quiet and I had plenty of time to think. I hadn't heard from Brandon since the call on Tuesday. Part of me was relieved, but another part was worried. We'd been friends too long not to be worried, no matter how mad I was.

Pushing him out of my mind, I focused on today's trip. The ranch was owned by a pack member and we were supposed to be safe shifting there without worrying about being seen. Alexis had asked several people to volunteer to let me practice calling their wolves. The ones who had agreed were going to meet us there. She had enough volunteers that I wasn't sure if I could shift them all.

The trip took more than an hour, mostly over rough dirt roads. When we arrived, I was thankful to get out of the car and stretch my legs. I felt like I'd rattled half way across the country.

The dust was still settling as I opened the door and slid out. I did a few squats before walking in small circles. I moved with exaggerated motions, bending this way and that as I worked out some of the kinks. I heard Alexis and Caden get out and looked over to see Alexis doing the same, her footsteps made a light crunch in the gravel. Caden's much heavier step was still, either he wasn't suffering or he wasn't willing to show it. He stood next to his closed door, watching us.

His reaction was my first clue we weren't alone. He lost his relaxed pose and he stood upright, away from the car, suddenly alert. I turned, looking toward the house, but saw nothing. I turned a slow circle, trying to spot what had alerted Caden. At roughly a hundred and eighty degrees, I spotted him. An older man, probably in his 60's, maybe a very weathered 50's. Alexis smiled and went to him.

"Joe! Thanks again for letting us do this. It's a big help." She turned to me. "This is Nickie Daniels. She's the one who'll be calling your wolf today. Nickie, this is Joe Adams. He's our host this morning."

I smiled as I shook his hand. He was several inches taller than me, probably just shy of six feet, and had captivating gold eyes. When I touched his hand, I felt a low-level buzz that told me he was powerful. I struggled not to react.

"You're pretty old to be just discovering talents," Joe said.

"I am," I said. "I've only recently discovered I'm Kindred. I was adopted and never knew about any of this until I shifted."

"I bet that was a surprise," he said. I nodded. "Wait a minute. You said Daniels, right?" he asked, turning back to Alexis.

"Sure did."

"You from around here?" Joe asked me.

"Grew up in the valley," I said.

"Adopted, Daniels, and from the valley," he ticked off the details on one hand. "You're one of James and Brenda's tribe, aren't you?" He sounded pleased.

"And proud of it."

"You should be, they're good people. Done a good job raising you kids, too."

"I think so," I wasn't sure what to say.

We stood and visited for a little bit while we waited for everyone to arrive. Thirty minutes later, several trucks, and a few cars, had pulled into the large driveway and we had a small crowd. Alexis easily took charge.

"Attention please!" she yelled. The noise of many conversations quieted so they could hear her. I wasn't sure if it was her position that demanded obedience, or Caden's large form standing behind her looking menacing. "Thank you all for agreeing to let Nickie call your wolf today. She needs the practice. She'd like to be able to use her abilities to be an asset to the pack. By agreeing today, you're not only doing me a favor, but you're helping us all.

"Here's how things are going to go. Nickie hasn't been among us for long and she isn't entirely comfortable with casual nudity yet. She can handle one or two at a time, but I think all of us would overwhelm her. That won't serve our purpose. So Nickie will stand on one side of the parking area and we'll take turns. You can approach her one at a time and let her shift you.

"Please keep in mind she's new, not only at calling animal forms, but as one of us. She's still learning our ways." A soft murmur spread through the crowd but it soon quieted. "Who wants to go first?"

Several hands shot into the air.

Joe stepped forward. "It's my place, I'll go last and be a good host."

"Thanks, Joe," Alexis said before turning back to the group. "How many of us are there?" There was an even dozen. I thought it should be plenty, if I could shift them all. The one time I'd done it, I'd been exhausted. I had some shakes handy just in case, but we'd see how things went.

To avoid dominance problems, Alexis decided to draw numbers. After the details were worked out, she pulled me to the far side of the parked vehicles while the first couple of people undressed.

"Take this one at a time," she instructed. "After each shift, we'll pause and see how you feel. Shifting others can be as draining as shifting yourself."

"All right, you're the teacher. If you don't decide to have me do something I'm against, I won't argue."

Alexis nodded and called the first person. I carefully kept my eyes on the man's face. He was about my age and only a few inches taller than me. His long dark hair was pulled back into a short ponytail. He wore small gold hoops in both ears and I could see the edges of a tattoo reaching up his neck, but I refused to lower my eyes to see what it was. His name was Rick; I had been introduced to him earlier. I shook his hand again as Alexis spoke.

"Are you ready?" I asked.

"Sure, no reason to wait," he said with a smile.

"Why don't you get into whatever position you prefer to shift in," I suggested, thinking it would be easier for us both that way.

Rick bent down in front of me until he was down on one knee with his back curled so his hands could rest on the ground. I reached out but didn't touch him, instead I held my hand barely over his skin. I closed my eyes and sent my senses out, pushing them into him, using the part that senses power to look for his wolf. I found the wolf in the small space where they seem to live. I sent the undefinable power to sooth him for a moment before trying to coax it out, to encourage the wolf to the surface. The wolf moved to the surface and I opened my eyes.

I was looking sightlessly, not focusing on my hand or at Rick beyond it, when his body started to change. I tried to look more closely but his body seemed to blur before my eyes. When the blur cleared, there was a large black wolf standing in front of me, and he looked up at me with clear amber eyes.

I sent a thought to him, _Are you okay?_ He looked up, intelligence shining in his eyes as he nodded once before turning and walking away.

"How are you?" Alexis asked.

"Good, I was nervous, but now that I've done one, I'm better."

"Not tired? You feel like you can do another one?"

"Nope, not tired, at least not yet. I'm ready for another."

"All right." She turned and motioned for the next person.

This time a young blond girl rounded the corner. She couldn't have been more than nineteen or twenty, but she seemed very sure.

"Hello," I extended my hand. "Can I ask your name?"

"Becky." She shook it firmly.

"You know what happens right?"

"Yep, I've had it done before."

"Okay, what position do you prefer?"

She bent down in what I soon realized was a common position for shifting. It was the position I used too. It had seemed natural the first time I shifted on purpose. Once she was on one knee, with back bowed and her hands on the ground beside her, I again reached out and sent my power into her. I felt her wolf sitting inside, it seemed anxious and when I beckoned, it refused my call. I sent my power further, trying to be gentle first. Her wolf still balked. I had to grab it with my power and pull it forward. It resisted more, not wanting to surface, but suddenly Becky's form blurred before my eyes, and then her slender gray wolf form became clear.

_You feeling all right?_ I asked.

_Great,_ she replied. I motioned for her to go and she trotted off in the direction she had come.

"How are you feeling now?" Alexis asked me.

"Tired. Her wolf fought it, she didn't want to surface. Forcing it to the surface took a lot more energy than calling one that wanted to come."

"I agree," Alexis said, going to the rear of her SUV. She lifted the hatch, "Come over here." She handed me a canned shake from an ice chest in the cargo area. "Drink that." I shook the small can briskly before popping the top and draining it in one long drink. "Want another?"

"Probably should, just to be safe."

She handed me a can and I drank this a little slower, the aching hunger eating its way through my middle had eased.

"Ready to start again?"

"Might as well." I dropped the empty cans into the bag next to the ice chest.

"I'll get the next one." She went to the other end of the car while I sat on the bumper letting my body absorb the shakes for a minute.

As the next volunteer rounded the front of the vehicle, I stood and prepared to continue. I shifted four more, with a break after two for more shakes, before I called a halt. I needed to walk around and I needed more food, but too many shakes were making me nauseous.

I mingled with the remaining volunteers, getting to know some of the pack a little better. When my stomach had settled a little, I looked for Alexis to ask if she had thought to bring anything else I could eat, because I hadn't. I was almost to her when Joe stopped me.

"I thought you could use something real to eat, so I've started the grill and I've got a stack of burgers ready to go on."

"Thank you," I said gratefully. "I was just headed to ask Alexis if she had anything but those shakes. They work great, but I can only stomach so many at a time."

"I haven't picked up any yet, though word's gone out they're good, quick energy. I can imagine they'd get old if you were drinking one after another."

"They can," I confirmed.

"Give me about half an hour. I'll have some meat ready for you to sink your teeth into."

"That sounds like heaven, thank you."

He turned away and I continued to Alexis. I told her what Joe had said and continued with, "I think some real food will help."

"Good. I think a break will do us all good." She finished her conversation with another woman and turned back to me. "Are you more comfortable calling animal forms yet?"

"I am. Some people seem to be more difficult than others. I can't figure out why it sometimes feels like they don't want to shift. I can do it, it's just harder."

"It feels like they're fighting you because they are. I asked several people to resist shifting, so you could practice calling reluctant animals. Sometimes medications or injury will make it harder to call an animal form, this is a good way to practice. I didn't tell you because I wanted to see if you could tell the difference. As well as get an idea how strong you are. Some resisting are pretty strong, but you're doing great."

"Thanks. I'd like to eat, finish shifting the last few, then head home. Do you think that would be possible, or will it be an insult not to join their run?"

"Nah, Joe's understanding. I warned him that you might be too tired to want to join in."

"Good. I don't want anyone upset, but the more I shift, the more exhausted I am. Real food will go a long way, but I'm going to be tired again and want to get back before I'm totally drained."

"Not a problem. I'll let Caden know the plan, then we'll see if Joe's got those burgers ready."

"Caden won't stay and run?"

"No, he'll go with us."

"I thought he was going to run."

"If we were running, he would. Since he's security, he stays with us, whatever we do."

We ate and I shifted the remaining volunteers, including Joe, before Alexis, Caden, and I climbed into the SUV and went back to town.

I was quiet most of the trip, enjoying the view I'd been too nervous to notice on the way out. I listened to the music Alexis and Caden chose while I drank another of the shakes from the ice chest as they quietly chatted in the front seat. Once we hit the paved road and the ride was smoother, I dozed off.

By the time Alexis pulled into my parking lot, I was feeling better. I thanked them both, gathered my things, and headed for my apartment.

# Chapter 25

Bill called a few days after the marathon shifting session It was early, before I'd made it into work even.

"I have news," he said, as soon as I answered the phone.

"Tell me it's good news." I was hopeful.

"Well, good news and bad news. I talked to Alexis and several others around the country. No one has ever heard of anyone ever trying to force the animal form of a non-shifter in the way you're wanting."

"That means?"

"That means that no one I've talked to knows if it can be done. Most think it can't, but some think it may be possible."

"I guess that's something," I said. "I still think I can do it. I want to try."

"I'd like to see if you can, too. We still need to see if Devon even wants to."

"I'll take care of that, with your permission."

"You have it." We wrapped up the conversation and disconnected. I went to work trying to figure out what I would say to Devon.

I'd decided to approach Devon on my own. I thought I could ease him into it, not influence him, but let him make the decision for himself. I was afraid having Bill, or anyone else, there when I brought it up may push him into doing something he'd later regret. That was the last thing I wanted.

That evening, I sought out Devon on my way home. I invited him to come up for dinner, saying I had something I wanted to talk about.

Forty-five minutes later, we sat down to a dinner of salad and grilled steaks.

"Dev, you know I have several talents, right?" I cut several bites off my steak as I asked.

"Yeah, what about them?" He took a bite of salad.

"One of them is that I sense powers in others."

"I heard you talking about it with Hank."

"Well, the thing is, I can sense a wolf in you."

He set his fork down and blinked several times before saying anything, "But I'm not a shifter."

"You've never been able to shift before, I know. I felt your wolf some time ago, but it took me a while to realize what it was. I can't sense anything similar in humans, I've tried. I'm certain I'm feeling your wolf." I saw confusion in his eyes. "Have you ever thought what you might do if someone gave you the option, the possibility, of being a shifter?"

He was silent, picking his fork back up and eating for several minutes before responding, "You know, I don't know. I used to resent not being able to shift. I was convinced there was something wrong with me because I couldn't shift. Now I've come to terms with it, it's just the way I am."

"I understand, and I'm not going to push one way or the other. I am raising a possibility. If you were given the option of trying to bring your wolf forward and it worked, it made you into a shifting Kitsune, would you try it?" He remained silent. "You don't have to answer now, think about it. Let me know."

"I'll think about it. It's never been suggested, I didn't think it was possible."

"It may not be," I said. "I'm the only one we know of who can sense your wolf, but I'm also the only person in the pack who can sense powers and call animal forms. It may be that the two skills in combination are all it will take. Or it may not work at all."

"So even if I decide to try, I could end up unchanged? Still a non-shifter?"

"I'm afraid so. But it's up to you if you want to try."

"I'll consider it. Who have you asked about this? If it was possible and all?"

"I've talked to you and Bill. I didn't want to mention it if it wasn't possible so I asked Bill. He's talked to several people trying to find out if it's ever been done, but I think only Alexis locally and I doubt he used names."

"I see. Can you give me a while to think about it?"

"No problem. This is sudden and it's not a decision you can make in an instant."

"Thanks. Can we keep it between us? I don't want people hounding me."

"Sure, I wasn't going to tell anyone anyway. It's nobody's business but yours."

"Thanks for that." We were quiet the rest of dinner, but it was a comfortable silence. After dinner, Devon thanked me for the meal and excused himself, saying he had to get up early. He had a lot to think about as well.

A couple of days later, while on my way to the clinic, my PCD rang. I glanced at the device that was attached to the dash and saw it was Raine. What did he want so early?

"Hey, Raine. What's up?" I asked after hitting the button to answer the call.

"Do you have plans for tonight?"

I thought for a second, "Nope, what's up?"

"Come to my place for dinner. We should talk."

"Is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. Just come over. I'll feed you, we'll talk."

"What are we going to talk about?"

"Just come."

"Mysterious ass." He laughed. "What time you want me there?"

"About six."

"Want me to bring anything?"

"Just you."

"I'll see you then."

I ended the call, parked, and went inside wondering what was up with Raine.

# Chapter 26

It was slow so Alexis let me go early. I went home, showered, and changed before heading to Raine's. He lived on the south end of town and by the time I got there I was almost late. I knocked and only had to wait for a moment before the door swung open, revealing my brother. He was close enough in height and age that I didn't think of him as my big brother, though he was almost a year older. I wondered what was going on. We saw each other every week at the family dinner, but it was uncommon for him to invite one sibling over without the others.

"How are you?" He gave me a hug as I stepped inside.

"Good, confused as hell, but good." I turned to the living room.

"I've got enchiladas in the oven. They still have a little while," he said. "Want anything to drink? I've got sodas, tea, and water."

"A Pepsi would be great, if you have one. If not, tea."

"I have Pepsi, let me get that. Have a seat, I'll be right back," he invited.

He returned and handed me the glass.

"What's up?" I asked.

"I thought we should talk."

"You said that on the phone. About what?"

"Life. Changes. Secrets. What's happening with you, all of it."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do, Nickie," he said. "I guess I'll go first, since I've been keeping my secret longer."

I stayed silent, waiting to hear what he had to tell me.

"I have what I think of as a blessing," he looked down at his hands, clasped together between his knees. "I've known some who called it a curse, but it's been a blessing to me."

I raised one eyebrow but didn't say anything.

"I've had it as long as I can remember. My grandmother, who had the same gift, taught me never to tell anyone, ever. When Mom and Dad adopted me, I kept it secret. You're the first person I've ever told." He looked at me, meeting my gaze.

"Why are you telling me now?"

"Because it's time to share, Nickie. For both of us."

I tried to calm the panic welling in my chest. I heard my heart thundering and couldn't make it slow. I hoped Raine couldn't hear it.

"I don't know what you mean," I pretended I didn't know what he was talking about.

"I think you do, but I'll continue anyway. I'm a seer, that's what Nan called us. I sometimes have visions. Bits of the future, events that could happen. Sometimes I can change them, sometimes not. Sometimes I don't even try, or want to.

Sometimes it's not events that I get, but insights into others, sometimes people I've just met, sometimes people I've known for years." I tried to keep a straight face, trying not to let him know I already knew about him.

"I know what you are, Nickie," he continued. "I've known about your kind, though not about you, for years."

I couldn't keep my shock off my face, how could he know? I blinked, unsure what to say.

"I didn't ask you here to make accusations, condemn you, or to rail at you. I wanted to let you know I know. So you don't feel you have to keep it secret from me. Someone to talk to is something we all need sometimes."

"How do you know?" I finally found the words to ask.

"I saw you shift."

"When? I've been so careful. I would have scented you." I was almost panicking at the thought I had somehow missed him. If I'd missed him, I could have missed someone else.

"I wasn't physically there. As for where, I would say you were on the mountain. You were next to an old pickup." A blush rose up my face. It occurred to me if he'd seen me shift, he'd also seen me naked, but I tried to ignore that tidbit.

"How long have you known?"

"A few days."

"Not about me, about the Kindred."

"I assume by kindred you mean the shifters?" he asked. When I nodded, he continued, "Years. The first time I encountered one and picked up a sight of them in wolf form was when we were teenagers."

"You've never said anything?"

"I figured I had secrets too. I wouldn't want them to share mine, so I kept quiet about theirs."

I was amazed. I'd never imagined Raine would already know, but excitement that I no longer had to keep this secret from him raced through me.

"Mom and Dad know," I shared. "But the Anikitos said I couldn't tell the rest of the family, the whole race is secret."

"I understand," he said. "I just wanted you to know you don't have to keep it from me."

"I'm glad." A timer went off in the kitchen and Raine went to take care of dinner. We visited while we ate, and then I went home.

Saturday morning, as soon as I'd eaten and dressed, I called Bill.

"You busy?" I asked.

"Not really. What's up?"

"We should talk. It should probably be in person."

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine. It's not urgent but it should be soon."

"All right. How about noon? Come by, we'll talk."

"Noon's great, I'll see you then."

"See you then." I disconnected, trying to figure out the best way to tell him what I knew he needed to know.

I knocked on Bill's door at exactly noon. I'd asked for the meeting and I felt like it would be rude to be late after he'd made time. After a few seconds, Gabriel answered. I'd forgotten he would probably be there.

"Hey, Nickie. How are you?" he said as he ushered me into the house.

"Pretty good, you?"

"Staying busy. Bill said you'd be coming by and to tell you he's in his office."

"Not going to escort me down there and guard him from me?" I teased, making him smile.

"No, I know you won't hurt him. Besides, he said no."

I laughed. "I'll see you later if you're still around," I said over my shoulder as I headed for the office. As much as I wasn't looking forward to it, I wanted to get this over with.

I didn't see Bill when got to the door. I stepped inside anyway and looked around, still not finding him. I was about to go back to Gabriel when Bill appeared in the doorway. He carried a plate piled high with cut fruit in one hand and a pair of glasses in his other.

"Have a seat. I got us something to eat." He motioned toward the seating area. I sat on the edge of the black leather chair instead of all the way back.

"You said we needed to talk?" Bill set the plate and glasses down and sat in the other chair.

"I did." I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I wanted to be face to face when I told you Raine knows."

"You told your brother?" Bill carefully showed no emotion, keeping me from judging his reaction.

"I didn't have to. He already knew."

"Who told him?" He seemed short on patience.

"Let me tell you what happened, then you'll know as much as I do."

"I think that would be a good idea," he said, his voice terse.

I explained to him what Raine had said and finished with, "I already knew he was a seer, but I didn't know he knew about shifters."

"How did you know he's a seer?" Bill seemed less angry now.

"One of my talents. It took me a while to figure it out. It was Hank who solved the mystery."

"Hank?"

I explained about my first meeting with Hank and the shock I'd felt. I continued with what Hank had told me at his place later. Bill seemed surprised.

"To clarify, you didn't tell Raine about the Kitsune, and you believe him when he says no one told him?"

"Yes," I answered briefly.

"In your opinion, will he continue to keep the secret?"

"I think so. He's kept it this long, and his own secret. He told me he didn't want his secret told, so why tell someone else's."

"I see. I tend to agree with you. But it may be an issue later, I need to have asked the right questions, understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Has it occurred to you your ability to sense power may be why you feel like you sense Devon's wolf?" Bill asked.

"It has. I think the combination of sensing power and the calling animals is why I can feel it. I didn't realize what it was until after I shifted someone the first time."

"It's an interesting theory. Sensing powers is uncommon. It's possible that's why no one knows anything about calling a non-shifter's animal."

I didn't know what to say. Bill seemed to be talking more to himself than to me anyway. I listened to him for a few minutes before he remembered I was there. We ate the fruit he'd brought and visited for a bit before I left, promising to call when Devon made a decision. I didn't see Gabriel on my way out. He must have been busy.

# Chapter 27

A FEW DAYS later, I was walking through the courtyard when I heard someone shout my name.

"Nickie!" Devon called again, causing me to turn. I watched him cross the courtyard, not bothering to yell back. He approached quickly, jogging smoothly.

"I've been watching for you. Can I convince you to come to my place? We can find something for dinner and watch a film if you'd like." I looked at him for a second, wondering why he really wanted me to come. I knew food and a film weren't what he had on his mind. After a couple seconds, I realized he probably wanted to talk about attempting to shift. That wasn't something we could discuss out in the open.

"Sure. Let me run up and change into something more comfortable. I'll be right down." I watched him only long enough to see him nod before hurrying to my apartment. I wanted to hear what he'd decided. I was sure he'd decided or he wouldn't have waited to catch me.

Less than ten minutes later, I knocked on Devon's door. He let me in.

"I hope you don't mind, I ordered a pizza. I offered food and a film to get you to come more than anything. I'll do both, but I wanted to talk."

"I don't mind. I figured you had other reasons. You didn't have to wait outside or come up with an excuse to invite me over. You can just send a message asking me to stop by."

"That didn't occur to me." He shook his head. "I've been preoccupied with this decision and normal things aren't registering."

"It's a big decision. Something you thought impossible. I'd probably be in shock too."

"Shock..." He seemed to mull it over for a minute. "Yeah, that's about right." Devon sat on the edge of the recliner he'd picked up recently and scrubbed his hands over his face.

"Have you decided?" I prompted.

"I want to do it. But I have a couple of conditions."

"I can't promise you them, but I'm sure if they're reasonable, Bill won't object."

Devon nodded. "I know you can't make promises. I think my requests are reasonable."

"What do you want?" I slid forward until I could reach him and laid my hand on his knee. It seemed to calm him, and he looked up, laying his hand over mine.

"I know there's no guarantee it will work. Actually, I expect it to fail. Because of that, I don't want anyone to know. I want as few people present as possible, and above all, not my family."

I nodded. "Bill's already said that should you decide to try, he wants to be there. And Alexis, I want her to monitor you. I don't want to accidentally hurt you, or worse, kill you, by trying this. If Bill doesn't insist on her presence, I will." Devon nodded. "The two of them will necessitate at least one, but most likely both of their personal security." Devon rubbed his thumb back and forth over my hand again. It seemed to sooth him so I didn't stop him.

"That's four, I can't say that Bill won't want more, but I understand not wanting a crowd. I don't want one either."

The doorbell rang. Devon released my hand as he stood. He answered the door, took the pizza, and tipped the delivery man before closing the door.

"Let's eat in the kitchen," he carried the pizza to the other room. I followed him into the kitchen and pulled napkins out of the drawer while he grabbed a couple of paper plates. We sat down at the table he'd recently added, each taking a couple of slices.

"I don't want anyone told. Anyone. I want it kept as secret as possible. At least until it's done. If it works, then we can tell," Devon spoke again as he finished his first slice of pizza.

"I can't promise that. I think it's a good idea, but it's not up to me."

"I know," he continued eating. "How soon do you think we can try?"

"I don't know. It will probably be a weekend. We can try it when you're off, or in the evening after work."

"I'd prefer when I'm off. When we tried before, something would always happen afterward. It didn't hurt at the time, but I was stiff and sore the next day. It'd be best if I don't have to get up and go to work the next day."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know it was painful."

"It's okay. I knew. I'm okay with it. It's a choice I've made knowing it's a possibility."

"So, this weekend, or two weeks from now. I'll let Bill know. He may get a hold of you. He will probably want to speak to you personally."

"That's fine. If he doesn't already have my number, give it to him."

I picked up my plate and napkin and dropped them into the trash. "Will do. You want to watch that film you offered?"

"Do you?"

"I'd like to, but if it was just an excuse to get me here, that's okay too."

"It was, but I'd love to watch something. It'll get my mind off this, keep me from overthinking about it."

When the film was over, I went home. Because of the time, I sent Bill a message instead of calling. I relayed Devon's decision and requests, and I included Devon's number in case he wanted to call him.

Bill called while I was on my lunch break the next day. He'd already spoken with Devon and the others.

"We'd like to do it Saturday, but with Devon's request for privacy, I don't have a location."

"What kind of place do you need?" I wracked my brain for places.

"Someplace rural, we want it far enough away no one will hear screams, just in case. Sometimes forcing an animal form can be painful. Normally, we go out to the desert at night, but Devon requested we do this during the day, indoors would be good. It would guarantee no spectators. During the day, you can never be sure there's not a birdwatcher with binoculars on the next hill top."

"Give me a couple hours to think about it."

"Let me know if you think of something. I'd like to get it set up tonight, if I can."

"I'll call you tonight either way," I assured him.

Saturday morning, we gathered at my parent's farm. I'd arranged with Dad to use one of the barns. This one didn't have animals right now. I'd called Dad Thursday afternoon, telling him that we needed it, but not why. He had no reason not to so he'd given the key to Devon before he'd left the day before, saving me a stop this morning.

Not seeing the point in taking two vehicles, Devon and I made the trip together. I parked but kept the driver's door open and sat sideways in the seat waiting for everyone to arrive while Devon went ahead, carrying a small duffel bag. He unlocked the door for us and made sure there was enough open space.

Once everyone arrived, I led them to the old barn. We stepped inside and closed the door, preventing anyone from driving up and accidentally seeing what was going on. Blinking as our eyes adjusted to the dimmer interior, we gathered near the middle of the large empty space near the center of the space.

"Devon, you already know Bill and Alexis, and you met Gabriel a few weeks ago. This is Caden Bradley," I motioned to each person as I said their names. "He's the Harmonia's security." I turned to the other man. "Caden, this is Devon Wilson."

Devon offered his hand to Caden. "Nice to meet you," Devon said. "Thanks for coming today."

Caden nodded, but remained silent.

I lifted one eyebrow at Bill and motioned for him to take over but he shook his head.

"This is you're thing, you're in charge," he said. "I'm just a witness."

I nodded. "All right. I'll just do a quick run through of what I expect just so there's no surprises, then we can start.

"I'm going to try to shift Devon. He's never been able to shift, but I can feel a wolf in him. We're not sure if it will work, but we're going to try." I looked to the Harmonia, "Alexis, I'd like you to watch him with your healing sense. I don't want to hurt him. If you're watching, you can stop me before I cause an injury."

She nodded.

"Any questions?"

"What do you need from us?" Gabriel asked.

"Hopefully nothing. You're here because we couldn't have the Anikitos and Harmonia in what could, potentially, be a dangerous situation without security. On top of that, you make good witnesses should this work."

"All right." He stepped nearer to Bill.

Caden stayed close to Alexis, prepared to do his job.

"Anything else?" I looked at every one of them. When no one else said anything, I turned to Devon, "If you're ready, you can go change."

"I'll be right back." He grabbed a small duffel bag sitting near the front door and stepped into the feed room in one corner.

I turned back to the group and saw surprise on Gabriel's face. "He's been away from the Kindred for some time and isn't as comfortable with the casual nudity anymore. Also, he knows I'm still not all that comfortable, so he's going to wear shorts or something this time around."

Gabriel considered it for a moment then nodded.

Devon came back, leaving the bag behind, wearing only a pair of boxers. He padded confidently on bare feet to where we stood.

"You ready?" I asked.

Devon remained silent but dropped down to one knee in front of me. If I hadn't known better, I would have said he was preparing to propose. He didn't bow his back or bend and put his hands on the ground like most do when shifting, he kept his back straight as he looked me in the eye and nodded.

I looked up at Alexis and saw the glassy look in her eyes that meant she was using the piece of her that healed. Without another word, I set my hand on Devon's bare shoulder.

I closed my eyes and focused. I concentrated on extending that metaphysical part of me that called animals into Devon. I found the wolf inside him, the one I knew was there. I touched it with my energy, petting and comforting it. He seemed comfortable, content to let me touch him all I wanted. He was familiar with my scent. I had to convince him to trust me enough to call him to the surface.

I started coaxing him, drawing him toward the surface. He stood and slowly followed, but when we were almost to the surface he stopped. I tried to coax him further but he wouldn't budge. I reached my power down again, this time taking a firm grip in the soft fur on the ruff of his neck and pulling. He took another step, but halted again. He seemed willing to come but it was as if an invisible wall blocked his progress.

I stopped pulling and stood still for a moment, petting and soothing the wolf, trying to decide what to do next.

_Try again_ , Bill's voice whispered through my mind.

I gripped the fur on the back of the wolf's neck again and gently tried to pull him forward. This time the wall was gone. I pulled, bringing the wolf all the way to the surface. When I opened my eyes, Devon's body was blur. I felt the fur flow against my hand. I'd never been touching someone when they shifted before, it was an interesting sensation. When the blur around Devon faded, it left a large, beautiful, dark gray and black wolf sitting where Devon had been. He looked up, wonder filling his now golden eyes.

I was speechless. I looked at Bill and saw shock and wonder on his face. He was thrilled and awed. I looked over at Alexis, the glassy look was gone from her eyes and she looked happy, but somehow thoughtful too, as if she'd just realized something.

I looked back down at Devon. "Are you okay?"

He tilted his head to one side, as if curious about something. I dropped my shields slightly, trying to pick up his thoughts.

_You did it!_

"We did it..." I confirmed, smiling. I was sure more had happened than what I had done, but I didn't know what.

"Do you want to shift back now or do you want to wait a while?"

_I'll wait if you don't mind._

I laughed.

"I don't mind, investigate some if you want." I watched as he left, moving around the small machinery stored in the barn, investigating the different scents.

I stepped closer to Alexis. "What did you do?" I asked softly.

"While you were trying to call him, I could see he was being held back. I saw what was keeping him from shifting. I didn't know if it would work, but I thought I might be able fix it, so I tried. You'd stopped trying to call him by then, so I told you to try again."

"I didn't hear you. I was concentrating so hard on what I was doing I didn't hear a sound."

"I thought so. I get the same way while I'm healing. It's part of why Caden is with me. I can be so engrossed in what I'm doing I'd never hear an attacker. When you didn't respond, I asked Bill to tell you." We both looked over at Bill.

He was watching the two of us, whatever was on his mind was hidden behind a carefully blank face. I suspected he was thinking if we could do this for Devon, was it possible we could do it for others?

I talked to Bill for a few minutes. Not about anything important, we were both shocked it worked and decided to meet another day to discuss what had happened.

"Can you get him shifted back, or do you want me to stay and help?" Alexis asked as Bill and Gabriel left.

"I'm good. If he can't shift on his own, I can shift him." I said.

"You're sure? It's no problem for us to stay."

"I don't think he's going to need any help." I glanced over at where Devon was still checking out the corners of the barn. "I plan on feeding him, then seeing if he can shift on his own. He knows what to do, he should be fine."

"If you're sure." She gave me a quick hug and headed for the door, Caden right behind her, "If you need help, call."

"Will do." I turned back to find Devon and spotted him near an old tractor parked near the large rear door of the barn. "You ready for something to eat?" He picked up his head and looked at me with interest. "Come on." I headed out the door.

We walked together out to the car where I pulled a raw steak out of the ice chest I'd packed, just in case, and handed it to him. When he'd finished, I encouraged him to shift again. He walked beside me, his fur brushing against my leg as we went back to the barn. He disappeared into the feed room while I waited near the door. A couple of minutes later, he walked out human again and dressed in the jeans and boots he'd started out in. He'd pulled the same shirt on too, but hadn't bothered to button it and the tails flapped on either side of his hips.

There was a huge grin on his face as he approached me. He spread his arms wide and I stepped into them, accepting the hug.

"Thank you, so much." He pulled me against him. My arms wrapped around his waist and I hugged him back. Joy at being able to give him this rushed through me. I never saw it coming, one moment he was hugging me, all but dancing with excitement, the next his lips pressed against mine. His mouth moved over mine as he gently coaxed my mouth open. He kissed me as though he'd been waiting a lifetime for the chance. I couldn't stop myself. I kissed him back, returning his intensity with my own.

Devon broke the kiss after a moment, releasing me and going out to the car without another word. Not sure what was going on, I followed him and we went home. I couldn't help being confused by the kiss and Devon's reaction to it.

Monday evening, I sat in the black leather furniture in Bill's office as I met with him and Alexis. I kicked my sandals off and pulled my bare feet into the seat with me before we started.

"I want to go over what each of you did separately and then put it together," Bill said. "Doing that will get as many details as possible from both of you."

I nodded my understanding as Alexis spoke.

"Who do you want to go first?"

"Let's start with Nickie. She was more deeply involved in everything."

I repeated everything I remembered, step by step, "I had his wolf moving, he was voluntarily moving to the surface until he stopped. I tried to pull him to the surface, but couldn't get him to move any more. It was like he'd hit a stone wall. I started petting him, soothing him so I could try again. I was almost ready to try when I heard Bill tell me to. The second time, the barrier was gone, as if it had never been there in the first place.

"After you all left, I gave him some meat I'd brought and he shifted back with no difficulties. I didn't have to help him at all." I finished, not telling them about the kiss.

"I watched from inside while you worked," Alexis addressed me instead of Bill. "It wasn't until you hit that 'wall' that I saw it. A small flaw keeping him from shifting. I made a small adjustment and asked you to try again. You didn't respond and I had Bill ask. When you tried again, he shifted." I stared at her for a moment, looking for the right words.

"You're saying there was a physical problem keeping him from shifting?"

"Not physical, more of a genetic defect, though I don't think that's the right term either."

"But you repaired that 'defect'?" Bill asked. "I wasn't aware your talent allowed you to make changes on a genetic level."

"It doesn't, so it can't be a defect in the genes, but that's the only way I can describe it."

"I'm not sure I understand," I was confused.

"Think of it like this. Genes are like a series of switches, blue eyes, curly hair, the switch is either on or off, if it's off you don't get it, if it's on you do. Following me?" Alexis said.

"Yeah, I understand how that works. How you inherit your specific set of genes from your parents."

"Good. When you tried to shift Devon it was like his shifting gene was neither on nor off. It was like a blown breaker, stuck in the middle. I nudged the 'switch' with my energy and it popped over to where it should have been. When you tried again, he shifted like he should have all along."

"Interesting," Bill leaned back, his elbows resting on the chair arms. He had his fingers laced together, index fingers forming a peak as he thought. "Do you think you could 'reset' other non-shifters?"

"It would depend," Alexis spoke slowly at first. "The person, why exactly they can't shift, maybe more. I can't assume it's the same issue with them all. Whether Nickie can sense an animal in them to even try to call. I can say neither of us could have done it alone."

"She's right. If I hadn't sensed Devon's wolf, I wouldn't have known where to start. I'd have to spend some time with someone before I could tell, and I'd have to have help. I'm not saying it has to be Alexis, but it would have to be someone who can do what she did, and that's only if it's the same issue."

"I couldn't do it alone either because I couldn't sense his wolf until he shifted. I can feel it now, but I couldn't until after that first shift, I never can."

I turned back to Bill, "I'd say it's possible, but not guaranteed. I'd have to spend time with the person in question before I'd be willing to commit to trying. Each person is different. I can't say I can do it for them all. I'm not that optimistic, or ambitious."

"If I were to pair the two of you as a team, would you be willing to try with others?"

"I would," Alexis answered immediately.

"I would, provisionally," I said more slowly.

"What do you mean 'provisionally'?" Bill narrowed his eyes.

"I won't force it on anyone. I think anyone we make the offer to should be mature and it should be their own, un-pressured decision.

"Devon had accepted that he didn't shift. He was content with who he was. He wasn't a teenager wishing to fit in, not someone whose family, friends, or significant other, was telling them they would love them more if they were like them and could shift too."

"I see what you mean," Bill said.

"I also don't want to offer it then meet them and not be able to sense their animal form. That would be cruel. If I am going to offer the possibility, I want to be somewhat sure I can do it."

"I guess I can respect that," Bill said. "How would you feel if I arranged for you to meet another non-shifter, let you spend a little time around them and see if you think you can call their animal?"

"I'd be okay with it, as long as they didn't know why. I don't want to give them the hope, at least not until I think I can do it."

"Understood," Bill agreed. "I don't have any more non-shifters in the pack that live around here. We have a couple who are elsewhere, married and left, off at school, or something else, like Devon when he joined the military. Let me talk to a couple of families and see if they can arrange for a visit."

"All right."

"We can also invite Hank's sister to visit," Alexis suggested. "She may not want to try, but it would give you another to meet."

"That would be great," Bill said. I nodded.

We finished our discussion and each went our own way. I went home and went to bed, my mind still full of the kiss Devon and I had shared.

# Chapter 28

BY WEDNESDAY, I couldn't take it anymore. That morning I realized I'd been avoiding Devon. I didn't know how to act since the kiss. I didn't want to ruin our friendship, but I wasn't sure I could ignore the attraction either. By the time I got off work, I knew it had to end. Once I'd realized what I was doing, my pride wouldn't let it continue.

By the time I pulled into my parking space, I'd worked out a plan. I went to my apartment, intent on getting out of my suit and changed into a pair of comfortable denim shorts and a soft, bright colored tank top. It wasn't an outfit designed for seduction, just comfortable, non-work clothes.

Then headed back down to Devon's, intending to invite him up for dinner. But as I closed my door and turned for the stairs, I saw him. He was half way up and climbing fast. I stood for a moment, taking in the sight. Dark jeans and a snug blue t-shirt that made me want to touch him, in one hand he carried two pizza boxes.

"I was just coming to see you." I smiled.

He looked up, smiling when he saw me. "Imagine that." I stepped back so there was room on the landing as he reached the top step.

"I assume you're planning on sharing those?" I unlocked the door and let us into the apartment I'd just left.

"That's my plan." He stepped inside behind me and pushed the door closed.

"How are you adjusting?" I led the way to the kitchen to get plates and drinks, "Have you told your family yet?"

"So far so good. The more sensitive hearing is still a bother, but nothing too bad. I'm getting used to the strength, and all the rest of it too. No, I haven't told my family yet. I'm still trying to decide the best way." He set the pizza boxes on the table, turned and watched as I moved around the kitchen. "What've you been up to?"

"The usual. I met with Bill and Alexis a couple of days ago." I fixed a couple of glasses of iced tea, using a plastic cup for Devin, and put the plates on the table. "Bill wants to see if we can shift other non-shifters."

"You think you can?" He opened the top box, revealing a large mushroom and spinach pizza, my favorite.

"I'll have to meet them before I can tell. I'm not sure if I can, that's the real question." He put a couple of slices on one of the plates and set the plate aside before closing the box and switching the two pizzas. "I'm afraid it may end up more a question of if I will. Bill seemed to agree to my conditions but I'm not sure everyone will."

Devon opened the second pizza box, revealing another large pizza, this one covered in meats. He served himself a couple of slices of this pizza then closed the box and set them both on the counter out of our way. Watching him, a slight smile spread across my face. "A little hungry?"

"I've already learned I wasn't eating enough, I figured you were the same so I came prepared. Anything we don't eat tonight we can stick in the fridge and eat tomorrow." He shrugged, sitting down and looking up at me, waiting for me to join him.

I sat, "Have any talents started to surface?" I took a bite.

"Not really. I mean, I've had a couple of instances where I knew that someone was lying, but nothing major. That could just be the enhanced senses."

I nodded and we ate in silence for a bit. When Devon got up to get more pizza, he spoke again, "You going to tell me I'm the only one who feels it?" he said, his back still to me.

"Who feels what?"

"The draw. That we're potentially mates."

I was dumbfounded. I blinked at his back, unable to find the words to ask what he was talking about.

"I might believe it was just me, except the way you responded the other day."

"Mates? What do you mean potential mates?" I was finally able to speak again.

He turned around and looked at me, amazement plain on his face. "Are you telling me you've known you're Kindred for almost two months and no one has explained mating to you?"

I shook my head. "I've never heard of it."

"It's one of the major benefits of being Kitsune. The mating instinct tells a shifter when someone is compatible. It tells you when you've met someone you could be happy with for the rest of your life."

"But you said you were the only one? How can it let you know the one, but makes it so only you feel it, the other person doesn't?"

"That's the downside. Not every possible mating goes both ways. The upside is that there is no 'one mate' over the course of a lifetime. Unmated Kindred can encounter a dozen or more potential mates. Mating isn't forced, you can choose whether to seal a mating."

"You're saying I'm a potential mate for you, and you believe you're one for me?"

"Yes."

"How do you know? How can you tell?"

"It's an instinct. It starts out as an attraction, but it gets stronger. The more physical contact, the stronger the draw gets. If a person didn't know what to look for they could mistake it as nothing more than a strong attraction."

"Then how do you know?"

"I grew up knowing about it. I spent years expecting to encounter it." He looked away. "It was one of the hardest things for me to accept when we decided I'd never shift."

"Because you'd not have a mate?"

"I could still have a mate, but it wouldn't be the same. You see, once a mating is sealed, a mated pair gains power, some pairs share strengths. It's a unique bond, and though there is a bond with humans, or non-shifters, it's not the same."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm not explaining this well."

"Tell me this. How did you know, after you shifted, that I'm potentially your mate?"

"There's no way to say this that's not weird, so I'll just spit it out..." He looked across the room, not meeting my eyes, "I've been attracted to you from the beginning."

"The beginning?" I didn't know if he meant since we were kids or since he got back.

"That day in the courtyard, when I was moving," he said. "After you shifted me it was different, it was more, a lot more. That's when it dawned on me - it was the instinct."

"I see."

"I didn't intend to kiss you. After I shifted again, the urge to touch you overwhelmed me."

"I don't mind. It surprised me, but it felt right. I've found myself wanting to touch you when you're near. I thought it was just the tactile need I've noticed among the pack. But when I'm not near you, I find myself missing you, more than normal I mean."

"Those are common effects of the instinct, or at least from what I remember, I'd say they are."

"So, what now? You said there's always a choice, but I know nothing about it. What are our options?"

"We can continue as we have been, spending time together, and it will get stronger."

"Or?"

"Or we can separate. As in no contact, no being near each other. Eventually it will fade."

"Are those our only options?"

"Other than sealing the mating. Which I'm sure you're not ready for. Hell, I know I'm not. That's pretty much it."

"What's sealing the mating?"

"Making the mating permanent. It's like marriage with no option for divorce."

"You're right, I'm not ready for that. I can't imagine not seeing or spending time with you. You've become a part of my life these last few weeks."

"I don't care much for breaking the connection either. But if it's what you wanted, I'd do it."

"So, we continue?"

"We continue." He smiled. "With one change, if you don't mind."

"What do you have in mind?"

"This." Devon leaned over me, settling his mouth over mine, softly kissing my lips. He coaxed my mouth open to let him sweep his tongue inside, tasting me as he pulled me to stand and held my body close to his. After several minutes, he lifted his head enough to say, "Well?"

"I think we can come to an agreement," I whispered, pulling him back until his lips met mine again.

* * *

Don't miss the next book in the series, Fight.

# Dictionary of Terms

Kitsune ~ Species of shape shifters that has lived alongside and inter-bred with humans for as long as anyone has known.

Kindred ~ Term used within wolf shifter groups to refer to other wolves / Kitsune.

Archon ~ An elder who is also a member of a ruling cabinet representing their animal form.

Archon Cabinet ~ the council made up of the Archons, each animal group has a single Archon to represent them.

Alekto ~ Alpha Female in wolf pack, rules alongside, and is generally married to, the Anikitos, position achieved by battle.

Anikitos ~ Alpha Male in wolf pack, rules alongside, and is generally married to, the Alekto. Position achieved by battle.

Harmonia ~ Beta Female in wolf pack, she and her mate, the Lysandros, are second in command to the Anikitos and Alekto, position achieved by battle.

Lysandros ~ Beta male in wolf pack, he and his mate, the Harmonia, are second in command to the Anikitos, and Alekto, position achieved by battle.

Theron ~ chief enforcer / head of security in a wolf pack.

Enforcer ~ Security / Body guard for wolf pack, also metes out punishments ordered by the Anikitos or Alekto.

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**Released by Desire**

# 1

Teya woke slowly. Something was off, but she wasn't sure what. She tried to roll over, but an arm around her waist kept her from moving. Her eyes snapped open. She'd gone to bed alone the night before, as she had for several decades. While she might have a little fun, blow off some steam now and then, she never spent the night, and she never ever brought them home.

Her heart thundered as she lay perfectly still, wondering who was in her bed and how they'd gotten there. There were only two people who had access to her apartment. Neither Rachel nor Neo would come in and get in bed with her. Not to mention, she'd know from their scent if it were one of them. She took a deep breath, letting the mystery person's scent fill her nose as she tried to place it. Trying not to disturb the person behind her, she eased out from under the arm and out of bed. Once clear, she reached for her red silk robe and wrapped it around her naked body like armor. Feeling less exposed, she turned around to see who had found a way into her sanctuary.

Damn, he was attractive. Dark hair fell long and loose around his face, with full lips and a thick fringe of lashes resting on high cheekbones. She had no idea who he was, yet somehow, his face was familiar. Something in the back of her mind said she'd seen him somewhere before, yet she had no doubt she'd never drawn in his scent in her long life. She would have recognized it if she had, but it wasn't just that. She would remember the sensations his scent triggered in her body.

Her dragon gave a low growl.

_Just crawl back over there and rub up against him until he wakes up_. Her dragon's voice in Teya's head was something she had long ago gotten used to.

_No,_ Teya thought back. _At least not until I know who he is and how he got into my bed_. She resisted the urge to back away from the bed. She wasn't going to let him have any more space in her home than he'd already taken.

Tying the sash on her robe, Teya put her hands on her hips and considered how to wake the stranger. He stirred and his lids fluttered open to reveal deep, clear green eyes.

"Who are you?" She narrowed her eyes at him. He stretched, the sheet falling to reveal his naked torso, yawning as he went. "How did you get in here?" she continued, not waiting for him to answer her first question.

He blinked at her. "Teyacapan, it is me." His voice was deep and smooth. It niggled at something in the back of her mind, as did the way he'd called her by her given name, one she hadn't used in centuries. She frowned at him, trying to figure out why she felt like she'd heard his voice before, and where. Folding her arms across her chest, she watched him a moment.

"How did you get in here?" she asked again.

"Teyacapan, this is where I came to be." He frowned and looked confused. "Why would I be elsewhere but with you?"

"I'm sorry. I don't know who you are. And I don't know how you got into my apartment." She wished she were wearing more than a robe and that his scent didn't pull at something deep and elemental within her.

"It is me, Teyacapan." He spoke as if that should answer all her questions. His voice made her nipples tighten and heat pool deep in her belly. "Jericho."

Teya narrowed her eyes. "What did you say your name is?" she asked slowly as she tried to remember if she'd ever told anyone about her dreams. She was certain she hadn't.

"Jericho." He watched her, as if waiting for her to say something.

"Who told you about him?" she demanded, taking a step toward the bed. She didn't know what she was going to do, but it seemed natural to confront him.

"No one had to tell me, Teyacapan. I am but myself." He frowned and pushed himself upright. "I am here because you have made it possible."

She stared at him a moment, not believing a word he was saying. "However you got here, you can leave now or I'll call security."

With a sigh, the handsome man slid out of the bed.

"I was afraid this might happen." He stood beside the bed, as if he hadn't noticed that he wasn't wearing a stitch of clothing. "But you'll have to show me the way."

_You know who he is, now go make friendly with him_ , her dragon rumbled. Lose that silly robe and let's have our way with him. Teya clenched her teeth to keep from speaking back at her other half.

"Can you put some clothes on first?"

The man snapped his fingers and a pair of loose, linen pants appeared on his body.

"Sorry," he said with a wry smile and snapped again. A matching tunic now covered his torso. "I'm a little out of practice. Is that better?"

"Much." Teya kept her face blank. Keeping her face impassive was harder than it should have been. She'd had a lot of practice keeping her every thought off her face and had long ago perfected it, or she had until he'd come along. Something about this man affected her in ways she didn't understand. "Is that how you got in here?" She motioned one hand in his direction and gave it a little wave. "Are you some kind of djinni or something?" She turned away, looking for something more to put on before escorting the stranger out of her apartment and the casino she lived under.

"No, I told you. I am Jericho. I have told you many times that I am what was once called a nephilim."

Teya stopped in her tracks. No one could have known that she had been dreaming of a man who called himself Jericho for the last several hundred years. While she can't remember ever telling anyone about him, she was certain she'd never told anyone that he had claimed to be a fallen angel. She sighed. Maybe she needed to talk to him. Was it possible this man was who he claimed to be?

"Very well. Can you go in the other room and have a seat, please? I'll be there in a moment." She motioned toward the door that led to the main room of her apartment without turning back to face him then continued in her quest to find something more substantial to wear than the robe that barely covered her ass and was thin enough she was certain he could tell her nipples had hardened to tight, sensitive nubs. Stopping a moment, she turned back and saw him in the doorway. "Wait." He stopped and turned to look at her. "If you're really Jericho, tell me what your real name is." He stared at her for a moment, his face giving away nothing.

"Hanniel."

Teya's breath caught in her throat and her entire body went cold. She stood for several moments, unable to speak or move. After several long seconds, she'd processed his response enough to react, but he was gone. Giving her head a small shake, she put on a pair of palazzo pants, a camisole, and an over-sized top she usually wore when lounging around her apartment. Once clothed, she felt more ready to face him. In the living room, she found the man who could only be who he claimed, sitting on the edge of the seat of one of the armchairs. His elbows were resting on his knees and his hands woven together between them. He was staring at the floor and didn't appear to be aware of her presence. She watched him a moment.

"How can it really be you?" she asked from the far side of the room. His head jerked up, and she felt the weight of his gaze as she was pinned by his clear green eyes.

"I told you how my kind were wiped from the face of the earth, did I not?" His voice was calm and patient. Teya knew when she'd told someone something several times she tended to get irritated when they didn't remember, but she was not hearing that from him. She stepped closer and sat in the chair across from him.

"You did."

"Do you not recall that I found a way to keep from being trapped in the underworld?" He watched her, as if looking for signs that she remembered any of what he was saying.

"I do. You said that was how you could visit my dreams. Why the dreams with you were so vivid and I remembered them so well once I'd woken."

"Yes, that was one of the side effects of my actions."

"That doesn't explain how you got into my bed, though." She tilted her head to one side as she waited for his explanation.

He looked down at the floor again. "I was not visiting your dreams simply because of the pull between us. It was strong in the dream realm, but it is much stronger in person. I had not anticipated that." He looked back up at her. "I was using the dreams to purloin the strength I needed to survive, to maintain my hold in the underworld."

Teya frowned. It was too early in the morning for her to grasp all of this, at least without the help of caffeine. "Let me get this straight. You were using the dreams to steal energy? Like an incubus?"

Jericho cringed. "I would not have said incubus, in part because I was not feeding, exactly. Also, it wasn't sexual energy, to be precise."

"To be precise?" She lifted one brow then shook her head. "I need some coffee if we're going to go into details here. You want some?"

"I have never had any. However, I would like to try it."

She felt his gaze on her as she stood, went into the attached kitchen, and put a fresh pod into the coffee maker and hit start.

"Crap." She hurried and grabbed a cup to put under the spout before coffee began to run. She rubbed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose while she waited for the coffee to brew. She preferred a chance to wake up more gradually than she had today, but she'd get through it with a little chemical help.

# About the Author

Melissa Stevens was born and raised in Arizona, Melissa has spent her entire life living across the southern half of the state. She's found that, along with her husband and four children, she prefers the small towns and rural life to feeling packed into a city.

She started reading at a very young age, and her love for series started early, as the first real books she remembers reading is the Boxcar Children series by Gertrude Chandler Warner. Through the years, she's found that there's little she won't read, and her tastes vary from westerns, to romance, to sci-fi / fantasy and Horror.

She's been writing since 2009, and published since 2012. She hit the New York Times Bestsellers list for what she hopes is the first time in October of 2015.

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# Other Books by Melissa Stevens

### Kitsune Series:

Change

Fight

Hunt

Live

The Kitsune Collection

**(with Change, Fight, Hunt and Live in one volume)**

**WMC Series:**

Escape

Jade's Peace

Risking Alex

**Demented Souls:**

Ruger

### City of Sin:

Released by Desire

Redeemed by Desire

Revealed by Desire

The Dragon Chronicles

(with Released by Desire, Redeemed by Desire and Revealed by Desire)

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**Diamond Bridal Agency:**

Justin

Sean

Alex

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**Pelican Lake:**

Steamy Days

Smoldering Sunsets

Sultry Nights

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**Novels:**

Robin's Nest

Choosing Happiness
