Second Nature (42 page)

Nightmares.
After all Jorie had been through in the last two days, it wasn't surprising.

A wave of guilt and regret shot through her, adding to her own exhaustion. Since shifting into her cat form last night, she'd had no opportunity to rest. She tiptoed across the room and sank into the easy chair right next to the bed. Kicking off her shoes, she closed her eyes. Her sonarlike senses would wake her if someone entered the room or Jorie sat up. Within seconds, Jorie's gentle breathing had lulled her to sleep.

What seemed like only moments later, she jerked awake.

Someone was outside the door.

Adrenaline rushed through Griffin. She jumped up to take a protective stance next to the bed.

The door whispered open.

A tall shadow appeared in the doorway. The scent of sweat, pine needles, and lavender hit her nose.

Leigh
. Griffin relaxed a little but didn't give up her post next to the bed.

Her sister's disheveled clothing told Griffin that she had just come back from her run. Her eye, which had been swollen and discolored, was almost back to normal.

Leigh looked at Griffin, then at Jorie, and finally back to Griffin. "Is the human okay?" she asked after a few more seconds of hesitation.

"Yeah. She'll be fine, no thanks to you," Griffin grumbled. Anger still sparked when she imagined Leigh hurling her 300-pound frame at Jorie. But she realized that she wasn't really angry with Leigh. Well, she was angry with Leigh, but she was angrier with herself for messing up her mission so badly and for putting Jorie in a position where she might end up dead anyway. "And she has a name."

It was too easy to distance yourself from the pain you caused if you didn't think of the victim as a person with a name, with a family, and with feelings.

"I didn't hurt her on purpose, you know," Leigh said, still not using Jorie's name. "I don't have much experience with humans, and I didn't realize how fragile they are." Leigh's voice held just a tinge of guilt. "She sure didn't look fragile when she kicked me in the gut and almost took my eye out with her elbow."

"Looks can be deceiving," Griffin said. She was tired of being judged by the way she looked or by who her parents were too.

No answer came from Leigh. She took a step closer, again looking down at Jorie.

Probably the first time she's ever seen a human sleep.
Griffin wondered if her sister found watching Jorie as interesting as she did. "You should apologize to Jorie, not to me," Griffin said.

Leigh's head jerked up. "Apologize?"

"That's what you're doing, isn't it?" Most cats had a hard time admitting they had been wrong, and Leigh was no exception.

Leigh looked as if she wanted to turn around and leave, but she finally gave a terse nod. "Yeah, I guess I am. I should have been more careful when I stopped her. I just saw a human running away from me, and I guess I let my hunting instincts take over."

And your hatred,
Griffin thought.

"Griffin warned me about that," Jorie mumbled sleepily. She opened her eyes and sat up, immediately pinching the bridge of her nose. Her other hand groped for the light switch.

"Here." Griffin offered her the bottle of painkillers. Being able to ease Jorie's pain was a relief.

Jorie's trembling fingers wrapped around the plastic bottle. She squinted suspiciously down at the pills.

"I promise they're safe," Griffin said. "I'm not trying to trick you or hurt you."

Jorie looked at her for long moments. "All right," she finally said. "I'll need some water to swallow those, though."

"I'll get it," Leigh said and hurried away.

"Coward!" Griffin called after her. She turned back around and faced Jorie. Suddenly, running away didn't seem like such a bad idea. She cleared her throat. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a character in a horror novel, who was hunted and jumped by a big cat," Jorie answered. "But I guess this is real, isn't it?" The dark eyes searched Griffin's in the dim light of the lamp on the bedside table.

She's trying to understand what is happening, and she's asking me to provide the answers.
Griffin had known this would happen at some point, but she still wasn't sure what to tell Jorie. Every answer she gave would be a clear violation of the First Law. Her training screamed at her not to tell Jorie anything. But on the other hand, Jorie already knew shape-shifters existed, so what harm could giving her additional information do? Humans had always been the opponents, but now her decision to spare Jorie's life had made her an ally. Never before had Griffin been in a situation like this, and she didn't know how to handle it.

"What are you?" Jorie asked when Griffin remained silent. Her voice was calm, but her scent gave away how confused and scared she really was.

Griffin glanced down at her. "You already know."

"You're a shape-shifter," Jorie stated.

Interesting. She didn't say weretiger or werelion. It's clear that she never met a Wrasa before, but she gets it right as if by pure instinct.
Griffin gave a slight nod. It was safe to confirm what Jorie already knew anyway. If she wanted to get some answers from Jorie, she couldn't just refuse to answer the simplest question.

"Why do you want to kill me?" Hurt and betrayal gave Jorie's voice a raspy quality.

Griffin had to look away. "I don't want to," she said after swallowing twice, "but I didn't have much of a choice. I had my orders." She wanted Jorie to understand that she hadn't tried to kill her for fun or because she hated her.

"Orders?" Jorie's shoulders leaned against the wall as if she needed the support. "Why would someone order you to kill me? I never did anything to threaten you or your... kind."

Every word made Griffin feel worse. Jorie didn't understand why she was a threat, so she certainly wasn't out to harm the Wrasa.

"Why?" Jorie asked again.

There was no easy answer. Griffin wasn't even sure if she should answer. If she did, she would have to tell Jorie everything about the Wrasa and their lives hidden among humans. It would make her even more of a traitor in the eyes of her kind than she already was. There was no going back.

"I'll go and see what is taking Leigh so long," Griffin said and fled to the door. She wasn't ready for this conversation.

"Coward," Jorie called after her.

*  *  *

"How's your head? Painkillers finally kicking in?" Griffin asked as she entered the guest room for the fifth time in the last two hours. Since Jorie's attempt to get away, she hadn't left her side all day.

It made for a very awkward situation. Jorie felt so many turbulent emotions — anger, fear, hurt, betrayal — that she wanted to retreat, lick her emotional wounds, and never see Griffin again. The more she thought about it, the sadder and angrier she became. She had started to trust Griffin, to like her, and now she found out that Griffin had deceived her at every step. She remembered how guilty she had felt when the mugger had hurt Griffin because of her, and now it looked as if even that had been a setup. Everything about their growing friendship had been a lie.

"Getting there," she grumbled. If Griffin wasn't willing to answer her questions, she wanted to be left alone.

"Good." Griffin stepped closer even though Jorie knew she was sending out clear signals to stay away. "Here." She held out something for Jorie to take.

Jorie's gaze darted from Griffin to the cell phone in her hand. Was this a trick? Surely Griffin wouldn't just hand her the means to call for help?

"I want you to call your mother," Griffin said.

Fear squeezed the air from Jorie's lungs as she remembered that Griffin knew her mother.
She probably knows where she lives and that she's all alone in the house. Do they want to set a trap for my mother so they can use her as a hostage against me?
"No," she said firmly. "Leave my mother out of this."

"I mean your mother no harm," Griffin said in a tone that Jorie had found soothing just two days ago. "I won't involve her in this, but I need your help in making sure she stays away. Tell her she won't be able to reach you for a little while and that she shouldn't worry if she doesn't hear from you. Tell her you need some time away from your writing, to clear your head."

Jorie shivered.
These shifters are clever. They've thought of everything.
It had been almost forty-eight hours since Jorie had fled from her house. Griffin seemed to know that her mother would worry and call the police if she didn't hear from Jorie soon.
Did she really get to know Mom so well, or did they hack my computer? Put a tap on my phone or Mom's?

This whole situation was bigger than she had initially thought. And now Griffin was planning on keeping her here for a while longer and preventing people from looking for her.
Why me? What does she want from me?

"All right." She took the phone and peered up at Griffin. "How about some privacy while I talk to my mother?"

"Sorry," Griffin said. She settled down into the easy chair next to the bed and curled her legs under her. "It's not that I don't respect your privacy, Jorie, but you must realize that I can't leave you alone with a phone. I can't risk you calling the police."

Jorie snorted. "Oh, yeah, right. They might instantly send their specialized unit that deals with alien invasions and threats by mythological creatures."
But at least I just found out that not all police officers are shape-shifters. If I can somehow get away and find one who is human
...
She shook her head, glad when it didn't start to pound again. "If I call the police and tell them that shape-shifting big cats are out to kill me, they'll arrest me, not you. Especially if the police officer taking the call is one of you."

"You know?" Griffin asked. Surprise and respect mingled in her gaze.

Well, actually, I wasn't sure, but you just confirmed it, so thanks. Seems my instincts were right — that cop in the police car really was a Wrasa.
She felt queasy as she slowly understood the extent of the situation. "I'm not stupid," Jorie answered, trying hard not to let her fear show.
Never show weakness to a predator; that's what Griffin told me.

"No," Griffin murmured. "You're everything but."

Jorie's thoughts raced. She took stock of the situation and her options. Half of the police force and some of her acquaintances were shape-shifters, who had infiltrated her home and her life.
God, they're everywhere. Anyone could be a shape-shifter. Even if I manage to get away, there won't be anywhere I can hide.
Fear flared up and shoved back all the other emotions. She longed to call her mother and beg her to send help, but she knew she couldn't do that. If she even hinted at the things that were going on in her life right now, her mother would be on the next plane to Michigan, putting herself in danger without hesitation.

But at least she could tell her mother one last time that she loved her. She took a deep breath and dialed her mother's number.

The phone was picked up after the second ring. "Hello?"

Her mother's voice made Jorie long for a hug. "Hi, Mom. It's me... Jorie."

"How are you, sweetheart? I tried to call you earlier, but you didn't pick up. Is everything all right?" Helen asked.

Jorie's throat tightened. In the past, she had found her mother's calls and her worried questions about Jorie's well-being a little irritating, but now she wished she could have just one more normal conversation with her mother. "Everything's fine," Jorie finally said. It was a well-practiced lie. She had told her mother the same after quitting yet another job, getting another rejection letter from a publisher, and breaking up with her girlfriend. "I left my cell phone at home, and I'm not at the house."

"Not at the house?" Helen chuckled. "Don't tell me you left your beloved laptop behind."

Helen's skepticism was understandable. Normally, Jorie would be getting restless when she was separated from her laptop for more than a day.
Funny how having your life threatened and being chased all over Michigan by shape-shifters can change your priorities.
Jorie hadn't wasted a thought on her writing or her laptop since she had fled from the house. After being used as a weapon, the laptop might even be broken. "I decided I need a break... a little time away from my writing and everything else," she said as Griffin had suggested.

"Good," Helen said with obvious satisfaction. "It's not that I don't support your writing, but it'll be good for you to get out and spend some time with people instead of in front of your computer."

People,
Jorie thought bitterly. Her gaze traveled the distance between her and Griffin, who was reclining in the easy chair and pretending hard not to listen to every word she said.
The only people I spend any time with turned out to be murderous shape-shifters.
"Yes, Mom," she said. It sounded weak, even in her own ears.

"Are you..." Helen hesitated. "Are you with Griffin?"

Jorie jerked in surprise. Her glance flitted over to Griffin again.

Griffin's gaze sharpened. The muscles of her legs tightened as she got ready to take the cell phone from her should she say something stupid.

"Why are you saying that?" Jorie asked carefully, not sure if telling her mother even that would put her in danger.

"Well, I just thought... I thought maybe..."

"What?" Jorie prompted. Normally, her mother didn't hesitate to say what she meant. Had she sensed something off about Griffin?

"She's nice, and I never saw you get along with someone so well," Helen said.

Yeah, that's what I thought too... until I found out she was only pretending to be my friend so she could kill me,
Jorie thought but didn't say anything.

"You two really seemed to click," Helen continued, her voice becoming lower and lower until she was whispering, "and it made me wonder if something else... something more is going on?"

The cell phone almost slid from Jorie's hand.
She... she knows I'm gay? How did she know? Did she hear what Griffin and I were talking about in the kitchen?