Shifters Gone Alpha (8 page)

* * *

Solange saw Red Sun on the ground next to his front porch. She crawled to the old man and checked his pulse. Still alive, thank heavens. He was murmuring something she could quite hear over the sound of the fire. She moved her ear closer to his mouth.

“Your spirit walk. Answer the riddle. Save him.”

The riddle? Was he talking about the raven’s riddle? She glanced at the black bear. Oh God, he stomach bled as he ripped into his own flesh. Was the answer really in the riddle? Could it be any more complicated? What had the raven said?

I cry but have no voice, no wings but I can fly, no teeth but I can bite, no mouth yet you can hear my whisperings. Who am I?

She closed her eyes concentrating, and instinctually, as an artist, she created a canvas of colors in her mind. First, giving color to the cry that comes with no voice, broad cerulean strokes, whooshing across like a wolf’s howl. Next, she added several swoops of purple to represent flying without wings, then small circles of goldenrod laced within the blue to represent a whisper without a mouth. Lastly, she chose white, because it represented to her a sheer cold that could bite without teeth. She swirled the white until it grabbed every color and blended the lines like a tornado.

“Oh my God! I’ve got it!” She rolled to her feet. “The wind,” she said triumphantly. She held up her hands. “I am the wind.”

Dust and dirt swirled at Johnny’s feet until it covered his entire body. He shouted his frustration as Solange ran to Ty’s jeans. She snatched them up and rummaged the pockets as she raced to where Ty lay bleeding. The stone was sharp in her hand and it cut her when she gripped it in her fist. Pure instinct had her shoving the stone deeply into Ty’s wound. The bear roared, but she wasn’t frightened. “Fight,” she told her mate. “Fight and win.”

The bear surged to his feet and charged as Johnny swatted at the dust, sticks, and pebbles encircling his body.

“No!” A Native American woman, dark hair and a wide face, stood just outside the fight between the bear and Johnny. Her gaze, burning with the grim light of dark magic, seared Solange. The woman raised her palms and made a pushing motion.

A blast of energy threw Solange back several feet, and she landed on her ass. The pain of impact wiped the colors from her mind and the dust devil dissipated.

Solange’s heart stuttered when she heard the scream. She twisted her body and saw Ty’s bear grappling with Johnny. Sol thought the woman looked familiar, but she couldn’t place her. But where would she have seen a witch?

The woman gathered power, focusing the energy toward the fight. Her skin began to glow as she held her arms out and chanted. The bear reared on its hind legs and roared in pain.

Solange scrambled to her feet. The woman hadn’t given her a second look after she’d knocked her down. Obviously, the dark-haired witch didn’t think Sol was a threat. She usually hated it when people underestimated her, but in this case she counted it as a blessing.

The bear thundered again. The witch might not be able to control him, but it didn’t mean she couldn’t hurt him. Johnny held out a long bladed knife, and fear propelled Solange into action. She rolled to a stand, ran at the female witch, and jumped on the surprised bitch.

“Leave him alone!” she yelled, fisting the woman’s hair and yanking her head back. The woman screeched and redirected her focus on Solange. A searing burn pierced her gut, and Sol doubled over unable to breath.

Ty, in bear form, used the temporary relief to knock the knife from Johnny’s hand, and with a fierce swipe of his claw, he nearly severed the man’s head. The expression on Johnny’s face showed shock, as if dying was the last thing he expected. Blood poured down his chest, staining his white shirt, and he toppled to the ground.

The witch screamed, the sounds filled with anguish and fury. Her hold on Sol lessened. She broke free of the woman’s grasp and ran toward the bear.

Ty changed into his human form. Bloodied and bruised, he collapsed next to his would-be killer.

As she knelt next to her mate, a high-pitched shriek ratcheted Sol’s attention. The witch’s body lit up against the night sky. She whipped her arms around and electricity sizzled on the air.

“Meredith,” Ty said, his breath hard and labored. “Joseph Big Horse’s wife.”

Sol remembered Meredith. She’d been the one to tell Ty that her husband was dead. She had sent him to the parking lot, and Sol, feeling uneasy in the woman’s presence, had bailed and gone after Ty.

“You’ve killed my child,” Meredith cried. “He is pure
sorcellarie
, not like your half-breed bitch, Wasape.”

“Is that why you killed Joseph?” yelled Ty. “Because he was too human for you?”

“He figured out Johnny was
sorcellarie
. The one taking the shifter’s powers. I begged him to say nothing. I promised to make Johnny stop, but Joseph refused to keep my secret, even after I admitted Johnny was my son. Humans are betrayers.” Tears streamed her face as she hovered over the mauled body of her son. “You will suffer for what you’ve done. I will make you kill her, and you will be helpless to do anything about it.”

She twisted her fingers, but nothing happened.

“I put the stone inside him,” said Solange defiantly. “He will never be under your control, or any other witch’s ever again.”

Ferocity twisting her features, Meredith brandished a wicked silver blade and flung herself at Ty.

Solange tried to make her magic work again, to erect some kind of protection for her and Ty, but nothing happened. “Damn it.”

Ty rolled himself in front of her, his stomach wounds, already healing, were bleeding less. “I won’t let you harm her.” He began to shift again, his bones moving, fur sprouting.

A car door slammed, and Sol heard feet skittering across the gravel.

“Solange Marie,” a woman yelled.

Oh God
, thought Sol when she recognized the voice. “Mom?”

A tall, curvy woman, with beautiful dark skin that glistened in the moonlight ran into the center of the brewing storm of witchcraft. “I am the wind,” she said. She held up her hands and pushed at the air. The wind responded to her touch as her mother used magic against Meredith. Solange saw colors lifting, moving, and flowing.
Magic is art,
she thought. And then,
my mother is a witch.

Meredith rose into the air. She struggled against the current. “Put me down!” Panic diminished her power and soon she had no magic at all.

Genevieve Tremaine pushed the air toward the burning house and threw Meredith into the blaze. When the screams finally died away, she dropped to her knees in front of Sol.

Solange blinked at her mom. “You’re scary.”

“Better believe it.”

“How did you find me?”

“Location service on your phone. I still pay your phone bill, and since you stopped texting me back yesterday and didn’t answer any of my calls...” Her mother let the admonishment hang in the air.

Ty had reverted back to human. “My uncle,” he said hoarsely.

The old man shambled to them then with a barking Spot on his heels. Solange breathed a sigh of relief.

“I’m fine, young bear. Just winded.” He looked back wistfully at his burning home. “I’ll need my sweat lodge back.”

Ty grimaced a smile. “My boss will pay for a new home uncle.”

“Good.” The shaman smiled. “Gray man owes me.”

Ty looked a Sol’s mother. “I’m glad you’re on our side.”

“My daughter’s side,” Genevieve corrected, and Solange winced.

“Mom.” Solange stood. “This is Ty Wasape. We’re...”

“Mated,” Ty said.

“But he’s a...a... Solange, you can’t mate with him.”

“Uhm, he’s a bear shifter.” She blushed thinking about Ty marking her. “And apparently, I can.”

“Oh, no. We have to talk, Solly. I’m afraid I haven’t told you everything.”

“Let me guess. I’m a witch.”

Dead silence hung between them.

Finally her mother said, “Yes, as am I.”

“And dad?”

“He was human. I am
sorcellarie
.”

That’s what Meredith had meant by half-breed. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“When you didn’t develop any abilities at puberty, I didn’t think telling you was necessary. I thought you were human, like your father.” Her voice faltered. “I hoped...”

Solange took pity on her mother. “It doesn’t matter now.”

“Are you coming home?”

She looked at Ty. He nodded. “Yes,” she told her mom. “And I’m bringing my mate.”

“Yes, you are.” He stood and wrapped his arms around her shoulder for support. “I’ll have to introduce you to my boss, so we can make our status as a mated couple official.”

“Your boss?”

“His name is Myron Gray. He’ll like you.” Ty looked at her, his expression serious. “I’m a shadow warrior, Sol, and I owe my allegiance to the other world queen.”

Genevieve nodded. “I’d heard Caledon had a new Triune. Garrick was a piece of crap. It’s good he’s dead.”

Sol shook her head at her mother’s knowledge of Ty’s world. “Obviously, there’s a lot I need to learn.”

“Bears and witches don’t mix,” Genevieve said, her expression not as disappointed as her words. “But there is always a first.”

“I will protect her with my life,” Ty assured her.

“I’m going to go see if the Aural needs my help with anything. I haven’t spoken to one of his kind in years,” Sol’s mother said as an excuse and walked away to give them space.

After her mom joined Red Sun over by his beat up truck, Sol turned in Ty’s arms. “Can this work between us?” It was clear they’d have a few obstacles to overcome.

He leaned down and pressed her with a kiss that made her toes curl. “I will die without you, Solange.” He breathed her name across her skin. “You are my life now.”

“Then I guess we’ll figure out a way to make it work.”

He pressed his forehead to hers and rubbed his thumb against her lower lip. Ty’s dark gaze pierced into her soul. “The moment I laid eyes on you, my heart was yours.”

The weight of his words sent a pulse of happiness through Solange. For the first time in her life, she didn’t feel alone. In his arms, she was exactly where she was meant to be.

“It doesn’t have to make sense in order for it to be true,” said Sol. “I love you, Ty.”

So he was a bear, and she was a witch. They would face any obstacle as a team, and together they would overcome anything—seen or unseen.

The End

For more Midnight Shift go to:

www.midnightshifters.com

By

Brandy Walker

CHAPTER ONE

A shadow drifted across the brick wall as Selena Perry made her way home. Four little legs and a long, curled tail were superimposed larger than life next to her.

Felix, her stalker, was back. A bubble of happiness formed in her chest. She was forever concerned he wouldn’t show back up after the weekends she didn’t work. Worry would gnaw at her, and she wondered what he did on the days she didn’t see him. She could only guess he prowled around somewhere between her job at the morgue and home. He popped up at different places and different times each day.

Felix meowed, calling out to her, pulling a smile to her face.

Okay, so maybe Felix wasn’t his real name. She’d given him the first one that popped into her head. A flashback to the cartoon she’d watched at her grandmother’s house while she waited for her mother to show back up after the summer break. He didn’t have a collar. No tinkling tag or bell sounding with each soft step. She had no idea if he’d been chipped, as she couldn’t get close enough to pick him up and take him to a vet. Every time she got near, he slipped away, as if he knew what she had in mind.

She guessed she wouldn’t want a trip to the vet either if she were a free-roaming, wild cat. He probably had a bad experience when he was a kitten, driving him to run away.

It didn’t matter in the long run that she couldn’t catch him. He was there and that was what mattered. His presence reminded her that she wasn’t alone day after day as long as he trailed behind her. Her tiny guardian, a dash of superstition to ward off unwanted attention. It was surprising to see how many people would cross the street to avoid the little black creature.

She glanced over her shoulder at him. “You know people are going to talk if they keep seeing us together. Not that I mind, but I know a tom cat like you probably doesn’t want to be saddled with an owner.”

Felix meowed, dashing forward to weave between her legs. His warm body pressed up against her. His deep purr vibrating through her jeans making her laugh.

“I’ve missed you too. You could have stopped by while I was off. I wouldn’t have minded the company. I didn’t have much going on over the weekend. Just a little TV time while hanging out in my jammies. You would have loved it. You could have curled up on the couch with me, basking in the afternoon sun. That is if I could have coaxed you in.”

Felix’s soft meow reached her ears, sounding much like an apology. A companionable silence fell over them as they walked the three blocks to her apartment, the first light of day guiding their way. It may not be company of the human variety, but it was a step better than what she had during the night.

Once they reached the old brick building where she lived, Selena let herself in and climbed to the third floor. Her companion would be dashing to the fire escape to wait at the window for his morning bowl of milk. It was their ritual on the days she worked, a little special time to spend together where she talked and decompressed before heading to bed.

It was funny that people who worked at night spent most of their off time in bed. It always felt like there wasn’t enough time to sleep
and
have a life outside of work. Not like day workers.

Felix was already sitting at the barely open window waiting for her when she unlocked her door. Crossing the room, she made a beeline for the fridge, grabbing up his bowl from the drying rack. It hadn’t taken long to figure out he was an impatient little thing.
Typical cat. Humans just couldn’t move quickly enough.

He mewled, poking his tiny nose and paw under the window frame.

“Hold on buddy. You know it takes me a minute to get it ready. You don’t like it cold. Remember?” She heated up his milk, tapping a tune out on the counter with her fingers as she stood by. The first time they’d played the
feed the kitty
game, she’d poured milk straight from the carton and set it on the sill. He turned his nose up at it, waiting until it warmed in the morning light. She watched in fascination, as he dipped his dainty paw in, testing the temperature every few minutes until it got to his liking. She adapted to his preference to save him time, even though she preferred he stay longer. But she knew her kitty had things to do and people to see, and she didn’t want him to decide to go somewhere else for his morning grub. He was one of the best friends she had. He didn’t turn every conversation back to him and he listened without complaint.

The microwave dinged and she took his bowl to him. She lifted the window, allowing fresh air to filter into the room, stirring the staleness that settled in while she was gone. As she set it down, his rough little tongue made contact with her hand. She smiled at the little sign of affection he showed.
That
had taken even longer to get from him. His suspicious little nature took months to overcome.

“Thank you, Felix,” she said as she made her way back to the kitchen. Pouring a bowl of cereal and milk, she joined him for breakfast. Perched on the arm of the couch, she watched him lap up his treat.

“It was a busy night at work again, Felix.” Upon hearing his name, his little head came up, acknowledging her before going back to his bowl. “Dr. Hammond and I worked non-stop. I don’t know what’s going on in this city. There are more and more strange cases each night it seems. I don’t think we can blame it on Spring Fever either.”

Felix meowed in response. Whether it was because he’d finished, or if he was agreeing with her, she didn’t know. Selena drank the milk left in her bowl and stood before grabbing his dish and carrying them both to the sink. Exhaustion seeped into her bones, pulling a yawn from deep within. “You want to join me for a cat nap, fuzzy-face?”

Felix shot her a look filled with disdain. He turned his attention to something outside.
Rebuffed again
. It wasn’t the first time he’d ignored the invitation to curl up with her. One of these days he’d give in. She was sure of it.

“Your loss,” she sang, walking away. She kicked her shoes off, then peeled her jeans down, leaving them where they fell. It wasn’t like she had to make the place presentable while she was asleep. She wasn’t a total slob though. She just lacked the energy to be bothered with it at the moment. She’d pick it all up after a couple hours of sleep. She tugged her T-shirt off, tossing it on the floor as well. Felix’s soft meow pulled her gaze.

He sat on the sill; head poking in and cocked to the side, his intelligent eyes focused on her.

“You pervy little kitty,” she quipped. “I try to talk to you and you ignore me. I strip down and I’ve got your undivided attention. You are the oddest little creature.”

He meowed again, stood and brushed up against the window frame. Suddenly, he turned and left without a backwards glance.

Laughing, Selena headed off to the shower. It was time to wash the grim of the morgue off and get some sleep before she had to get up and do it all over again.