Spike's Day Out (7 page)

“You look lovely, Spike, or should I call you Sicily while we are here?”

“Whatever you wish, Albert.” She settled the bags on her bed and looked around.

He came up behind her and rubbed her arms. “This isn’t the end.”

She nodded but was having a hard time holding the tears back. She had fought long and hard to get this home on her own. Even though it was on warren land, it was hers. Most rabbits stayed with their parents until they married and moved into their own home. This had been her second act of familial rebellion. The first time she went against her family had been enrolling in the council’s intelligence program.

She lifted her head and sniffed. “It’s time.”

Albert stayed behind her as they walked out of the house and down the lane toward her family home.

Her parents were waiting next to their home, but there was no sign of Roger.

She hugged her mother and father in greeting before she looked around. “Where is everyone?”

Verona shook her head. “I don’t know. I confirmed an hour ago. Everything was fine.”

A sense of dread filled their quartet.

“Mom, Dad, get behind me.”

She put herself between them and a shadow that streaked out of the forest. Albert deflected it and the sleek panther growled at him.

The second and third black cats took Albert to the ground and kept him there while a fourth moved toward Spike with a low growl.

Spike took a few steps toward the creature and stopped. “What do you want?”

A woman with sleek black hair and poisonous green eyes grew out of the cat. “I want you dead, hedgehog. I have taken care of the others; you are the last one left.”

The woman was getting closer, Albert was still fighting the panthers and her parents were still behind her; she flicked her fingers toward them and she hoped they saw her motion.

“Where is the rest of the warren?”

“They are safe on that island in the lake, but the boxes we have them in will not let them shift. They will need help to escape, so I would rather not kill your parents.”

Sicily stood calmly in her dress and heels. “Why are you killing all of us?”

The panther moved toward her until she was three feet away. “Because you would kill me.”

Sicily didn’t hesitate. She extended her arm and generated her claws. A fast swipe across the woman’s throat knocked her back with a yowl.

The three beasts on Albert backed off, and it was all he needed. She heard the tearing of fabric and huge wings burst from his back. His eyes were deep gold and he swung and opened the wings as weapons. The panthers were scattered in moments, and he leaped after them, snapping one neck before lunging toward the next.

The woman on the ground gargled. “As it was foreseen. You have destroyed me.”

Sicily knelt next to the woman as her blood slowed. “You would have killed me first. If you had left us alone, none of this would have happened.”

“She said I had to stop you…” The woman’s eyes went dull as the last bit of blood streamed out of her.

Sicily felt her mother’s arms on her shoulders. “Come on, love. Time to find the others. Your friend seems to have the other panthers are on the run.”

Sicily nodded and her father helped her to her feet. Both of her parents ignored her bloody arm. They headed toward the lake, and to Sicily’s surprise, Albert was already on his way to the island.

She blinked. “That isn’t Albert.”

Two more swans swam at speed to the island, and they broke the cages with sharp impacts of their beaks. Apparently, swans were dangerous as well as lovely.

Albert came striding out of the woods with blood on his wings. Only a little bit of it was his own.

Her mother sighed. “I was worried about him. You two seem attached to each other.”

Sicily snorted. “You could say that. If you don’t mind, I would like to wash this blood off.”

Her mother and father let her go, and she jumped into the lake, scrubbing at her hands and the dress she had just ruined. As an afterthought, she reached down and pulled off her shoes, tossing them onto the shore.

The swans were ferrying the rabbits back to the bank, and one by one, the warren took human form again.

The pile of shaking and naked folk took on a new dimension when everyone was over and Sicily had unbuckled the cut collar from Roger’s neck. The warren master should have been able to fight free of the box but not with the confinement on his neck stopping his ability to shift.

The swans stood next to Albert who was sporting wet wings with only a few cuts.

“Sicily, this is my mother, Agatha, my father, Arnold, and my sister, Anise.” Albert smiled. “My family enjoys alliteration.”

Edgar smiled. “We carry on Verona’s tradition. Her family names the child after where it got its start.”

Sicily covered her eyes. “I think alliteration would be less embarrassing.”

Albert put his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her temple. “Your people are safe now.”

Roger nodded and lifted her hand to his mouth. The sharp bite was expected for what she was engaging in, but she still winced. She suddenly felt lightheaded, and a little empty.

“I remove the citizenship of the warren and extend my thanks.”

Albert got the same treatment from his father.

“I remove the citizenship of the bevy and extend my thanks.”

She felt Albert’s hand tighten on her waist.

They swayed together, only links to each other in a world full of connections. Their bodies shifted until there was no space between them. She turned in his arms and held him as she felt truly without a people for the first time in her life.

His arms crushed her to him as he experienced the same. Hands touched them and eased them away from the lake.

She shivered and held tight as hands passed them from person to person, giving them the physical touch that was supposed to replace the community link that had just been severed. Nothing would ever fill the missing piece of her soul that had been there since the day she first shifted.

She knew that Albert was feeling the same thing.

Now, they had to wait two hours until the council representatives showed up. The time was designed to show them how much shifters need community. It was used as a punishment in some societies.

It was not something Sicily had ever expected to feel. Her inner beast was curled in a ball and not coming out.

Albert sat and pulled her onto his lap. They remained curled around each other until a new voice entered the murmurs around them.

A cool hand picked up her own, and she felt a light nip on her finger. A cool rush of energy rippled up from that tiny nip and her mind opened wide.

A voice spoke from behind her. “And so you are now both members of the shifter community at large. All clan leaders, pack alphas and group leaders will have to offer assistance when you call. If you are killed, those who attacked and all their bloodline will be wiped from the earth.”

Spike slowly lifted her head from Albert’s chest. He was stroking her hair, and when she looked up at him, he kissed her.

“New start, Spike.”

The sigh behind them was relief.

Spike looked up and blinked at a familiar face. Above the fireplace in Teebie’s bed and breakfast was the portrait of this woman, though the elegant man currently beside her wasn’t in the image.

“Dira?”

The woman grinned. Her eyes were a friendly soft jade and her dark hair was up in an elegant twist. “I am. Pleased to meet you.”

“Your niece speaks highly of you.”

“She speaks well of you in return. She is looking forward to your being a permanent resident of the Crossroads.” Dira extended her hand and the wall of rabbit shifters behind her looked distinctly nervous.

Spike took the hand and stood; Albert came and stood next to her.

To Spike’s surprise, Dira hugged her. “Welcome to the small group of shifters known as exotics. Your people will reappear in the next generation, but you have to remain strong until then.”

Spike looked around her at the sea of faces. “I am standing with my people. The tie is gone, but they are still mine, whether they want me or not.”

As one, the rabbits surged forward and pried her out of the dragon’s embrace. She was hugged, kissed and snuggled by everyone she had grown up with.

When she was done with being welcomed back into the warren, she hugged Albert’s family one by one.

Dira and Mak took care of the panthers, sending their human bodies to the council for identification.

It was a sombre occasion that turned into a party as barbeques were fired up and the newly dressed rabbits brought food from every home in the warren.

Tales were told of Spike’s early exploits; the dragon and the unicorn sat rapt with attention while they were served lemonade by giddy bunnies.

Spike sat with Albert, and when the sun was setting, she coaxed him to his feet, leading him to the edge of the woods where the lake kissed the shore.

They stood there in the quiet with their silver bands gleaming in the red light.

She broke the silence with, “I had my first shift here.”

He looked around. “It is a good spot.”

“My parents didn’t try to pretend that nothing had happened. They proudly announced to Roger’s dad that I was a hedgehog. He wanted them to leave the community, but no one was on his side. He had to let us stay, and by the time I was ten, he was glad I was here.”

Albert didn’t comment.

“I guess what I am saying is that this is the one place in my life that has felt like it would be mine no matter what. Now, I am going to try and do that very thing with the Crossroads, so I am willing to consider additional courtship.” She batted her lashes.

“Is that a hint?”

“I am not wearing anything under this dress and it is ruined already. Care to take a last tango in the normal world?” She bit her lip and smiled.

His trousers were open in seconds, and he pulled her down to kneel with him on the grass.

Laughing, she waited as he arranged himself, and then, she moved onto his lap, pulling her skirt out of the way so that it covered them both. She could feel him but not see him and that was one huge turn on. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him while rubbing her clit against the hard bar of his erection.

He lifted her and slipped the head of his cock inside her, letting his weight settle him deep inside her. His fingers flexed on her ass as he lifted and lowered her with slow deliberation.

She sighed and held onto him, locking her legs behind his back. He thrust, she groaned and, after a few minutes, she broke the lip lock and pressed her lips to his neck as she whimpered in relief. She nuzzled at his neck and he shuddered, holding her tightly to his hips while he jerked with his own reaction.

Spike shifted on him. “And now, a quick dip in the lake for me.”

“As you command.”

With a few grunts, he got to his feet, holding her tight to him. He took half a dozen strides and they fell into the water with a splash.

Giggling like children, they made their way back to the shore.

Dira was waiting for them. “Sorry, but I waited as long as I could. I have to send you to the Crossroads now. Your things are already there.”

Her parents gave her careful hugs and wished her well. Albert got the same treatment after he buttoned and zipped his pants.

Dripping wet and tired, they stood together and held on as they were sent back to the Crossroads.

Tony and Teal were there to greet them, and they both grinned. Teal snickered. “Should I ask?”

Spike shook her head and started to walk to the door, pulling Albert by the hand. “You can ask, but I would rather not tell you.”

Tony shouted, “How was your last day out?”

Spike paused at the door and looked at Albert. As one, they turned back and said, “Eventful.”

Laughing together, they returned to their residence and Albert had tears in his eyes at the expanded kitchen. It looked like a bungalow but was now situated like a large Victorian. He had his dream kitchen and she had her personal chef.

It had really been an eventful day; she could hardly wait to see what tomorrow would bring.

Spike just wouldn’t gel in my brain. Apologies for how it turned out.

Zenina Masters

http://www.zeninamasters.com

Zenina Masters was born in Canada and lives in Canada. She has a regular job and does nothing particularly exciting with her life. She enjoys fishing, silence and the ability to pick and choose friends she can trust. Life is too short to watch your back all the time.

Her writing life is a teeny bit of escapism, she would probably chicken out if confronted by three naked men and looks forward to one day finding out.