Knight Shift (35 page)

Penny crawled back onto the bed and, while crouched low, she stalked slowly and deliberately toward her prey. Her motions made Jax sit up a little taller and fidget in his seat. His body’s obvious reaction motivated her. As she circled him, she licked long lines across his exposed skin and occasionally nipped him, while making a noise similar to a purr.

When he stubbornly held back his need to take her into his arms, she increased the level of teasing. At one point she crawled on his lap and, while straddling his legs, she twisted and turned in moves he had only seen her do when she was drunk. When he finally reached out to grab her, she shook her head and scolded, “I haven’t told you that you can move yet.”

When he wasn’t sure how much more he could take, she knelt in front of him and undid the last tie. She let the material drape over her curves, while still hiding the prize beneath.

He involuntarily growled.

She wasn’t done yet. She crawled around him and, once she was behind him, she opened her top completely and pressed her bare chest on his back. While kissing the top of his head, she cooed.

His growl grew low and menacing.

After nibbling the edge of his ear, she whispered, “I think I caught you, Prey.” She then bit him hard on the neck and the sensation caused her captive to roar. In a move so fast, she never saw or heard it, she found their clothes hanging off nearby furniture and Jax was hovering over her.

While holding her arms in place, he bent down and, while staring into her green eyes, he said, “Nice moves, Human, but I think I’ve turned the tables. Who’s the prey now?”

She wiggled below him and replied teasing, “I guess I’m caught. What will you do to me, Hunter?”

As he scanned her body up and down, he said, “Oh, I can think of a few hundred things.”

With a twinkle in her eyes, she spread her arms and announced excitedly, “Your prey surrenders.”

Instead of kissing her, he released his hold, sat up, and said mockingly, “Oh that’s right. You said that we weren’t going to do this anymore.”

Looking at the smirk on his face, she grabbed him around the neck and pulled him down, saying “Shut up and claim your prize. I have several more firsts that I want to add to our list.”

With a growl, Jax did as commanded.

Jax woke the next morning feeling better than he could ever remember. He couldn’t help chuckling at Penny who was sprawled horizontally across his chest. Although he couldn’t imagine that the position was comfortable, her contented sigh told him that she felt differently. He was finding that he enjoyed waking with Penny, waiting to see what crazy position she would be in.

People naturally cringed at Jax’s touch, but not the woman draped across him. When he touched her, she typically closed her eyes and sighed contentedly. He decided to test his theory.

While scanning Penny’s body, a smile crept up on his face. Her current position gave him an unobstructed view of her bare backside and it was located at a perfect distance for his hand to reach. As he caressed her silly smooth skin, Penny stirred.

Although he expected her to move, she liked the feel of his touch and, while staying where she was, she whispered, “Good morning.”

“How did you sleep?” He asked, curious to hear her answer.

She wiggled against his fingertips, informing him to continue what he was doing and said, “Perfectly.”

He chuckled at the almost purr in her voice. As he let his fingers explore her delicate curves, he asked lazily, “Where are we headed today?”

She sighed quietly and replied, “To Fall Creek Falls. It’s where my dad proposed to my mom. It’s about two hours from here.”

He gently caressed a spot on her lower back that he knew was exceptionally sensitive and asked, “Are you ready to get up?”

Her breath caught and she said, “Not just yet.” She closed her eyes for a moment and let out a soft moan.

“
It’s a moan not a sigh
,” he thought to himself and he made the mental correction. He decided to test another of his Penny reaction theories. He let a fingertip travel lower and, when he found her most sensitive spot, she gasped and her pulse started to race. He couldn’t help smiling as he logged another adjustment—”
The moan occurs before the racing pulse.
”

He guessed her next reaction perfectly when his fingers began to explore the spot more thoroughly. When she cried out and squirmed against his hand, he chuckled contentedly at how well he knew this particular Human’s body. He continued his thorough research, taking more mental notes along the way, until she filled the room with one last loud moan.

Quite satisfied by his research outcome, he patted her backside and said, “Let’s go, Human. The falls await.”

Although Jax jumped out of bed, Penny had to take a minute to recover.

After a quick shower where Penny found herself unconsciously humming, they packed up their bags and got into the Rover. Penny played navigator and directed Jax to their next stop. Once they parked at their target destination, Jax took a moment to tuck several silk pouches into his backpack and then flung a couple of blankets over his shoulder.

The day had turned warm so Penny asked, “What are the blankets for?”

He looked at her like he didn’t understand the question and said as a matter of fact, “I take my responsibilities quite seriously and I want to be ready just in case you need to be distracted.” He couldn’t disguise the hope in his voice.

Penny was shocked to find a smile on her face—an act she never expected given the reason for their stop.

They hiked through trails while passing streams, small waterfalls, and several gorges. Penny knew they were approaching their target when she heard the rumble of rushing water. When they passed through a gap in the trees, she took a moment to marvel at the park’s main waterfalls.

Tucked in the embrace of sheer cliff walls were two massive waterfalls that were shooting billowing streams of water down over 250 feet before finding their new home in a pool that fed into a large lake. Although the water looked soft and inviting, the massive ripples and jets at the base emphasized the power the falls released.

The sounds of rushing water was so thunderous that Penny had to lean toward Jax to tell him her plan. She said, “I’m going to walk around a bit and find the spot that was in the picture my mother kept on the mantel.”

Jax nodded and let her lead the way. Once she found the spot along the water’s edge, she asked Jax for the pouches. Jax captured the moment as Penny sprinkled her parent’s ashes into the water, causing a shower of sparkles to cascade down in front of her, similar to the shimmering effect of the waterfall. As she watched the cloud dissipate, she lifted the wedding rings that were still hung around her neck and whispered, “I miss you, Mom and Dad.”

By the time she stepped away from her perch, her emotions began to take control of her and Jax’s preparations were greatly appreciated. He found a quiet spot off the beaten path and spread out the blankets. Although Penny stuck to her resolve that she wouldn’t again be physically intimate with Jax, at least not in a public place, he managed to find a way to distract her. While she lay down and watched the waterfall, he kissed every inch of her skin that he could find a way to expose and used several interesting places to get his daily ration of her blood. His distraction worked and, by the time they decided to walk around the park, Penny had a silly grin on her face.

Once the couple arrived back at the Rover, Penny said, “Nashville is our next stop and we planned on stopping there to find a place to spend the night. But while we’re there, would you like to go on a date with me? I thought that maybe we could go to one of the places that Max used to talk about. We could listen to music and grab something to eat. I’m really hungry for a good hamburger.” She hadn’t eaten much all day so her stomach growled at the thought.

Although he wasn’t sure that a night trapped in a crowed bar was such a good idea for him, he decided that her needs were more important, so he replied, “If an evening out is what you want, that’s what you’ll have. I would be happy to escort you around town.”

As they drove into the city limits and Jax saw the size of the crowds of Humans gathering, his confidence started to waver. Penny sensed his mood shifting and guessed what the issue was. She said, “I’ve changed my mind. Let’s skip going out and go to bed early. I’m a bit tired.”

Penny’s sudden shift in mood informed Jax that she could sense his uneasiness. He was surprised that she had learned to read him so well and so quickly. He shook his head and said, “No, I want to take you out. I managed to do alright on our last date and I can handle this too.”

“You were amazing on our last date, but I ask too much of you. The crowds here are many times larger than at that little bar. Besides, you’re stuck with a Human at your side twenty-four hours a day. Maybe you need a break.”

He took her hand and squeezed it, saying “I’ll be fine.” He added teasingly, “And, as always, you’ll be there to protect me.”

Penny puffed out her chest and said, “Okay, but if they mess with you, I’ll make them regret it.”

Jax laughed at her mock, tough expression.

She then added more seriously, “If it gets to be too much, please promise me that you’ll tell me.”

Shortly after Jax nodded, they passed by a bar and Penny said while pointing, “That’s Rippy’s. It’s the place that the twins had told me many stories about. Do you mind if we stop here for a few minutes before trying to find a hotel? The crowds aren’t overly large right now and I know that they’ll only get larger as the night goes on.”

Jax circled the block in an attempt to find a place to park. After pulling into a spot up the road, he escorted Penny toward their destination. He had been in this town many times and, when he hunted through the shadows of these streets, he felt in complete control. Now that he was walking down the street in the open and trying to blend in, it felt awkward and unsettling. Although Jax was feeling uncomfortable with the rapidly growing numbers of Humans around him, no one seemed to be paying any attention to him so he continued on in silence.

After they arrived at Rippy’s, they found a seat in a back corner. They ordered food and then quickly settled in with a couple of drinks. After listening to the band for a few minutes, Jax looked out at the crowd and his body became stiff.

Penny noticed the change and asked with concern, “Are you alright? Do we need to leave?”

He whispered, “There’s another Changeling, maybe two, in this room. I can sense it, but I haven’t spotted them yet.” The sensation put his hidden nature on alert and waiting just below the surface. Jax knew he should probably leave, but his protective instincts forced him to stay to watch over those of his kind.

While Jax continued to quietly, but urgently, scan the room, Penny downed her second drink. When she saw other women nearby dancing in the aisles, her mind pictured her brothers at their side, laughing and having a great time. The lack of food caused her to react to the alcohol fairly quickly so, without thinking, she stood and started to join in the dance.

Penny’s eyes were locked on Jax and, while she tried to coerce him to join her, she didn’t see the men standing along the wall watching. When she lost her balance and stumbled against one of her admirers, the man wrapped his arms around her playfully. He asked while slurring his words, “Why don’t you lose the stiff and join me, Sweet Stuff?”

Given his glassy, unfocused eyes, Penny knew that the man was very drunk. She said, “No, thank you.” While trying to pry his arms off of her she looked at Jax. Seeing his fists clenched, she called, “It’s okay. He’s just drunk. I can handle it.”

Instead of letting go, the man’s grip tightened.

Jax stood in a flash. While trying to contain his anger, he stared at the man and said in a low threatening voice, “Let. Her. Go.”

The man didn’t sense the quickly growing danger and replied, “You had your chance and weren’t even paying attention to her. She’s now mine.”

When Penny saw Jax become instantly calm and he stretched his shoulders and neck, making them crack, she knew they were in big trouble.

The man continued to ignore the danger signs and whispered in Penny’s ear what he wanted to do with her body. When the man’s hand dropped to Penny’s backside, Jax roared and, in a blur of speed, his shifted form appeared. He grabbed the man’s hand and squeezed, making bones crack loud enough for people sitting at several nearby tables to turn to find the source of the sound. They heard the man scream seconds before they watched helplessly as he was tossed across the room. The man crashed into a table and, given his twisted and bloody body, Penny assumed that he was dead.

Several of his companions sprang to their feet, grabbed their chairs, and attacked. With a few easy swipes of his hands, Ice left the chairs in splinters and the men on the floor cut and bleeding badly.

Someone yelled, “Everyone run! It’s a killer Changeling.”

While a stampede of people screamed and ran for the exits, Penny saw several customers jump up and pull out guns. She yelled, “Casper, run!”

Ice heard her words and instantly disappeared as several shots rang out. When a couple of chairs went crashing into the large stage lights, the room went dark. Suddenly the room erupted into a panic of screams. Taking advantage of the distraction, Ice picked up Penny and tucked her into his invisible arms protectively. He tore through the crowd like a battering ram, leaving many injured bodies littering the ground in his wake.

Penny held on tightly and, once outside, in speed she didn’t know was possible, Casper carried her into the dark of an ally several blocks away from the bar.

They hid in the shadows and Ice released Penny. While his body became visible again and he started to shift back to his fully Human form, Penny was momentarily focused on the screams and sirens on the street. She turned to Jax and said, “The police have arrived. We need to get out of here, now.”

Jax looked at Penny and, seeing her ripped clothes and scrapes, he asked urgently, “Are you hurt?”

After doing a physical check, she announced, “I’m okay.” When she glanced over at Jax, she gasped when she saw his hands covered in blood. She raced over to his side and, after examining him, she announced in a panic, “You’ve been shot.” Using the shreds of his shirt that somehow stayed on him, she began to wrap up the wound.

He grabbed her hands to stop her and said, “My shifted form’s natural body armor protected me, so it’s just a surface wound. It’ll heal on its own. The blood you see isn’t mine.”

Realizing what he was saying, Penny knew that many Humans must have been hurt during their escape. She said, “This was all my fault. I made you go into that bar.”

Jax cursed, disappointed in himself for losing control and said, “No, this is all my doing.” He tossed her the keys to the Rover and said, “Odds are I killed several Humans back there. You need to go and leave me here. I know these streets and can get myself to a safe house.”

In a panic she exclaimed, “No! I’m not leaving you! If they find you, they’ll kill you. I’ve lost everything and I can’t lose you too.” She looked at Jax and seeing his anguish, she knew that she needed to step up and take care of the situation. She instructed with calm determination, “We aren’t far from the Rover. Turn into Casper and meet me there. You’ll hide while I drive us out of town.”

“It’s too dangerous for you.”

She wasn’t in the mood to argue with him so she said, “I’m going and I expect you to be at the Rover when I get there.” Before he could say another word, she ran back out into the street, quickly blending into the crowd. As she ran, she pointed the remote at the Rover to unlock the doors.

Jax was rooted to the spot, unsure what to do. He knew that the smart thing would be to run in the opposite direction. But seeing Penny so exposed and alone, he couldn’t watch her leave without him to protect her.

Once Penny reached the vehicle, she slid to the driver’s side, yanked open the door, and jumped in. She clung onto the steering wheel, trying to slow her rapid heartbeat. She looked into the empty backseat and whispered, “Jax?” With her mind unable to focus clearly, she couldn’t sense Casper’s presence, but she prayed that he was there.

When she heard an invisible voice say, “Drive,” she exhaled in relief. She fumbled with the keys and, after she got the vehicle started, she put it into gear. She then forced her way onto the crowded street and drove out of town.

Once Nashville was only a glow in the rear view mirror and Jax saw Penny’s hands still shaking, he became visible again and said, “Penny, pull over. I can drive now.”

She did as asked and slid into the passenger side, while Jax got out of the vehicle and into the driver’s seat. While he drove down the highway, they didn’t speak and Penny let silent tears flow down her cheeks.

When they reached a small motel located on the edge of a thick woods, Jax pulled into the parking lot and parked in the back. He turned to Penny and said, “I need to hunt. I want you to get a room and get some sleep.”

Seeing and hearing that the old unemotional Jax was back, she whispered, “Will you come back?” Her voice broke as she spoke.

He replied without changing his expression, “I’ll be back before the sun’s up.” He opened the door and, seconds later, disappeared into the shadows of the woods.

After sitting in the Rover for over an hour, Penny decided to do what Jax asked and get a room. Looking down at her clothes and seeing cuts and blood splatters, she changed and cleaned up as best she could. When she finally walked toward the front desk, she found the desk clerk watching a news bulletin on the television. Penny listened as a reporter talked about an attack at Rippy’s bar. Her heart lifted slightly when she heard that no one had died. Three men were in serious condition and several dozen were injured.

When the clerk finally noticed Penny, he said while continuing to glance back at the screen, “It’s horrible. I hope they find the Changeling that did this. I’m sorry for what their life must be like since they’re no longer Human, and they didn’t ask for what nature did to them, but what the hell was he doing in a crowed Human bar? He couldn’t have been there just to listen to music and grab a burger. What did he expect would happen? Unless he went there on purpose as some kind of revenge thing. If that’s the case, they had better catch him quick. Having a killer Changeling lose isn’t helping their cause any. We all need to accept that our two worlds aren’t meant to mix.”

The man continued to talk, but Penny didn’t hear a word he said. Her mind was still focused on the television screen. Although she had been right in the middle of the incident and the whole scene lasted only a few minutes, the damage left behind was staggering.

Penny went silently through the motions of getting a room and, after the man handed her a key, he said, “They haven’t caught the Changeling yet so be sure to lock and bolt your door.”

Penny nodded and faked a smile before heading back outside. Once in her room, she closed the door, but left it unlocked. She then sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the unyielding wood, willing Jax to return. She knew that he wasn’t Human and yet she did exactly what the desk clerk had said—she took him to the bar to listen to music and eat a burger. Although at the time it seemed a natural thing to do, looking back now, it sounded ridiculous. She wouldn’t blame Jax if he didn’t return but, if he did, she needed to find a way to make this right. Unsure what to do, she picked up her phone and called the only person that she knew could offer her advice on what to do. When the person on the other end answered, she said with her voice quavering, “Sam, I need your help.”

*~*~*~*

Just as the glow from the rising sun crested on the horizon, Penny felt something cold brush her cheek. When her mind registered the possible meaning, she woke with a start and sprang into a sitting position. When her tired eyes focused, she found Jax kneeling in front her.

Seeing that she was alright he said, “It wasn’t wise to leave the door unlocked. You never know what could find its way in here.”

She rubbed her bloodshot eyes and said, “I honestly wasn’t sure if you would come back, and I wanted you to know that you were still welcome in here.”

“If I wanted in here a locked door wouldn’t even slow me down.” Sensing her weariness, he asked, “Are you really okay?”

She shook her head and said, “No, I’m not alright. My selfishness almost got you killed last night.”

“What are you talking about? You’re the most selfless person I know. Everything that happened was my doing, not yours.”

“If that was true, I wouldn’t have ignored the signs that you were having trouble. I made you bury who you are so that I could force-fit you into my world. That’s what caused your outburst, wasn’t it?”