Twin Shift

by Amara A. Minx

  Madeline squeezed Emily's knee slightly. “You must. If she breaks the accord the vampires will destroy her. That is certain,” Madeline turned to Gideon. “Beth will attempt to be true to her sister even if it means her life.”

  Gideon nodded. “You can't interfere, can you?”

  Madeline shook her head. “No. Only if he attacks me directly. I don't think he’s that rash but I can always hope,” she said slyly.

  Emily was concentrating hard. Gideon didn't like that look. “I won't let Beth sacrifice herself again.”

  Madeline ran an aged hand affectionately down Emily's cheek. “I know you won't, sweetness.” Gideon didn't like the sad acceptance in her voice. His chest felt like it was in a vice. Like his soul was being ripped from his body.

  Gabe howled in pain before dropping to the floor.

  Emily crouched down to run her hand over Gabe.

  Gideon fell to his knees, clutching his chest.

  She felt the oppression in her chest. “What's happening?”

  Madeline squinted as she concentrated. “Gregory has just realized his mistake.”

  “What mistake?”

  He’s realized he spelled a twin shifter. That the curse must take both of them or his own life is in jeopardy. Wolves are strong so he has taken a precaution,” she said.

  Emily didn't want to ask. “What precaution?”

  “He has put a stay of sorts on the curse.”

  Emily brightened. “That's good right?”

  “No, he’s put a spell to separate the wolf from the man,” she replied.

  Gideon groaned as he clutched his chest. His eyes closed.

  “This is his second mistake,” Madeline said.

  Emily laid a hand on each of her men. “What is it?” She prayed it was something they could use against the madman.

  “Gregory is attempting to exercise the wolf from the man to weaken him. He has blocked their ability to shift.”

  Emily looked at Gabe. “He's shaking. What's happening to him?”

  Madeline put a gentle hand on Gabe’s back. “Gregory assumed that they would both be in human form. His impatience will trap your men in their current forms and it will have unpredictable side effects for both of them.”

  “How so?”

  “He has separated their souls. Gabe houses the wolf. Gideon the man but left too long the effects will be permanent.”

  Emily panicked. “No!”

  “There's more. If you don't break the spell soon, Gideon will forget his wolf and Gabe his human. In time they will forget each other and you. Then Gregory will let the death curse resume its course. They’ll both die.”

  Chapter 5

  Gideon sat back on his knees, rubbing the empty hole in his chest. He had been confined in chains for months yet he never felt as helpless or alone as he did at that moment. He reached for his wolf. Nothing.

  He replayed Emily and Madeline's conversation. With the pain gone he processed what that meant. He reached for Gabe.

  Gabe wasn't able to form human words he messaged back with the images of the wolf. There was a familiarity in the telepathic link but it was strained as if his brother was struggling to connect with him. He understood what Madeline's words truly meant. Gabe was all wolf. He was all man. The link would be fleeting if they didn't kill the Bokor soon.

  He pushed down the panic, accepting his fear. The wolf was part of him. The thing that kept him going during the worst of Julius' torture. Kept him sane. He knew that Madeline was right. If he didn't get his wolf back, and with no memory of Gabe or Emily he wouldn't hold onto life. “I can't shift,” he said to his mate.

  Emily ran a comforting hand down his face. “I know honey. We have to find Gregory. Can you talk to Gabe and let him know what we’re doing?”

  He did as she asked but the images he received back were to ensure Gideon protected their mate. He wasn't sure Gabe understood their next move. He continued to explain but Gabe lay down and the images stopped. Gideon knew it was a bad sign for both of them. “I’m having trouble getting through to him. He isn't able to speak in human language anymore. It's just images.”

  “You know how to interpret those don't you?” Emily asked.

  “It isn't the same. He’s all wolf. No human interpretation. I’m having difficulty getting through to him.”

  “Will he follow us?”

  “Yes. He’ll go wherever you go. Your female is his mate. Your safety is his only concern,” Gideon said.

  Madeline leaned forward in her chair. “You have to go. It won't be long before he realizes Gabe was in wolf form and tries something else.”

  Emily huffed. “What more could he do to us.”

  Madeline looked sad. “Child you don't want to know.”

  Emily could feel Gabe's fur bunching under her fingers. He was irritated. His muscles clenching. She kissed his head as she attempted to formulate a plan. She hated violence but she couldn't see her men were in pain and she couldn't risk losing either one of them.

  She gave Madeline a hard look. “Tell me what to do.”

  Madeline gave a single nod. “I can't undo what he has done but I can give you a charm of protection. He won't be able to touch you.”

  “Can you give one to Gideon and Gabe?” Emily asked.

  “No child. There are rules about spelling children so it will only work for you,” she said.

  Emily was confused. “But I'm not a child anymore.”

  Madeline got up and went to an old brown desk, pulling open one of the drawers. “The rule still applies in this case,” she said as she lifted a small stick wrapped in a leather throng. “Put this around your neck. Don't remove it till your men are able to shift. Only then will the curse be broken.”

  Emily put the charm around her neck.

  Madeline wrapped her hand around the stick, whispering low in her own language. “He won't be able to track you but he will try to trick you into telling him. Ignore him.”

  Emily's stomach rolled. “He can still get into my head?”

  “He can send messages but unless you respond they’re nothing.”

  Emily swallowed. “We have to kill him then.” She felt terrible but her wolf didn't have the same aversion to the hunt that she did. Her wolf was completely on board with killing the Bokor. It even sent images of several ways in which to accomplish the task. Emily was grateful Gideon wasn't able to connect to her wolf at that moment. He would go ballistic at the things her wolf wanted to do. He hated it when she put herself in danger, however with her being the only one with protection, she had a feeling she was going to have to let her wild side loose.

  Gideon didn't like the anxious look on his mate’s face. He needed to eradicate the Bokor, now. He turned to Madeline. “Can Emily stay with you? Will she be safe?”

  Madeline cocked her head to the side, appraising him. “She’s safe here but be warned, Gregory is not easy to kill.”

  Gideon's teeth clenched. He looked down at his beautiful mate. “We’ll kill him. Stay in the shop until we return.”

  Her lips pursed. “Sure.”

  Gideon ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “We’re having trouble with our vehicles. Can you help us?”

  Madeline raised an eyebrow. “Since the curse has essentially been put on hold, you should be fine. I have an old truck you can use. It's out back. Keys are in it.”

  Gideon turned without another word to his mate. Gabe loped behind him as he opened the back door. He thought it was strange that Madeline left the keys in the truck considering her neighborhood. When he opened the back door, eyeing the light blue rust bucket, he understood why.

  He was surprised the truck started up on the first try. The engine ran much smoother than he had expected. Gabe's eyes glinted yellow as he sat on the seat looking toward the road. Gideon didn't have to connect with his brother to know the wolf was eager for the fight.

  He drove to the address provided by Madeline, shocked at the surroundings.

  The house was
located in a poor area of town but it was immaculate in every way. White roman pillars adorned the front entrance to what would be considered a mansion in the nicest neighborhoods. He stepped out, allowing Gabe to follow.

  They watched as the front door opened. The things that filed out from the opening were shocking.

  Gideon could hear the zombie’s heartbeat but that was where their semblance to life ended. Hair clung to their heads in uneven patches. Clouded, sunken in eyes looked straight ahead without seeming to see. Slack lips dripped saliva over the pale jaundiced skin. Despite their haggard appearance, it was the acrid smell and the raspy breathing that bothered Gideon the most. He had no desire to touch them.

  Gabe growled as they began to line the front of the property.

  Disgusting sentinels with the single purpose of defending their master.

  There were over twenty of them before the door finally closed. The silence was eerie. They didn't move.

  Gideon took a tentative step forward. They swayed before resuming their solid stance.

  He looked down at Gabe, attempting to connect with his twin. He got a blurry image of Gabe ripping the head off the thing in front of him. It was all he needed. They attacked in unison.

  As Gideon and Gabe stepped onto the property line the rotting minions attacked. Gideon knew going in that this would be a fight for his life. He didn't care. These despicable creatures needed to be put out of their misery so he could kill the man who made them.

  Gabe attacked with a ferocity he had never seen before, jumping and ripping the neck out of his intended prey before Gideon could reach his first attacker. Gideon realized his twin was completely feral. His concern for his brother distracted him enough that the zombie closest to him jumped at him before he could react. They were faster than an average human but died just as easily. Gideon broke the thing’s neck before moving to the next two attacking him.

  They had killed eight creatures before the door opened. All the zombies went still, seeming to wait for instruction. They parted as Gregory approached. He had partially grey hair and beautiful dark skin. His body possessed the tone of a younger man. His smug smile died when he saw Gabe.

  “Kill the wolf,” he snapped out through clenched teeth.

  The zombies turned in unison, scrambling toward Gabe.

  Gideon could no longer see his brother. He snapped necks, pulling bodies from the pile that had formed in front of him. There were just too many of them. He heard Gabe yelp.

  He messaged his brother to fall back, attempting to use images instead of speech. There was a vicious growl.

  Gideon watched as a zombie stood from the pile, placing a chunk of Gabe’s flesh in his mouth. Its eyes held a morbid ecstasy as blood dripped from its lips.

  He had to get to his brother out of there. Fighting, even dying for his brother he could deal with. Watching his brother turned into a wolf meat buffet. No way.

  He starting flinging bodies left and right, not bothering to kill them, needing to get to his twin.

  He made it to the bloody fur mess in the middle, grabbing Gabe in both arms he ran to the truck, throwing Gabe in the front seat before he started the engine.

  He watched the creatures chase the truck down the street before looking at his brother’s bloody fur back.

  “Gabe. How bad is it?”

  Gabe shifted positions on his seat, blood dripping onto the worn interior as he turned to look at his human brother.

  “Jesus Gabe,” Gideon swallowed bile as he looked at the hole in Gabe’s skull.

  His wolf twin didn't murmur a sound as he glared at Gideon with his remaining eye.

  Chapter 6

  Emily paced the confines of the tiny store, careful not to bump into the various knickknacks that littered the floor and shelving. “I should be with them.”

  Madeline rose from the chair, shuffling over to the counter to turn on the electric teapot. “Your presence would not have made a difference.”

  Emily stopped. “You know what’s happen to them?”

  Madeline set out two rooster cups. “No. Only that they’ve failed.”

  “Are they alright?” Emily's voice cracked with emotion.

  Madeline calmly put cookies on a small plate. “They live.”

  “I sense a but coming,” Emily said.

  “Your instincts are good. The Bokor knows about Gabriel. He will take steps,” she whispered.

  “What will he do, Madeline?”

  “I don't know child. He's blocking me. He tires of my meddling.”

  “If you had to guess?” Emily persisted.

  Madeline poured the hot water. “He will attempt to separate Gabriel from his twin. I don't know how but it's his only chance of killing Gideon.”

  Emily accepted the tea Madeline held out to her. “Nothing separates them. With their link, they are always connected.”

  Madeline sat back down. “Your heart will break before it can heal.”

  "What does that mean?"

  “I see you crying on a dingy bathroom floor. You will be at your worst, feeling that you have lost everything around you.” She sipped her tea. “This is when you must fight. I can't tell you what you must do. Only that it will be your last chance.”

  Emily smelled the mint in the herbal tea as she stood frozen with the cup inches from her lips. Would she lose everything? Gideon. Gabriel. Beth. Her stomach rolled at the thought of losing any of them.

  “I will do anything to save them,” Emily said.

  “If you can't save Gideon you will have one chance to save Gabriel,” Madeline said.

  “How?”

  “By killing Gideon,” Madeline said quietly.

  Gideon slammed open the door to the shop. “Emily!” he shouted.

  Emily ran up, hugging him. “I'm so relieved,” she said.

  He crushed her to his body. His hands bunching in her soft shirt as he inhaled the unique vanilla scent he associated with his mate. She had lost the cinnamon undertone a couple of months ago when her heat ended but that had done nothing to ease his constant need of her. “We failed.” The declaration was acid on his tongue. He had dozens of properties but she was his home. The only being besides his brother that mattered in this life.

  He felt Emily turn in his arms. He knew the moment she saw Gabe's eye. She pushed out of his arms, kneeling on the floor.

  Emily's hand softly stoked Gabe's head. “Oh, Gabriel,” she choked.

  Gideon closed his eyes, letting the shame of his failure wash over him. He clenched his fists. It took him a moment to realize Emily was talking to him.

  “Gideon! Will it grow back?”

  He glanced down to see her pointing at Gabe's eye. “It already is. Damage like that will take a day or two.”

  “I knew we healed but that's incredible.”

  Gideon shrugged. “Unless we’re dead, we heal.”

  Emily stood. He could see from the faint glint in her eyes that she was mad. “Well let's not push our luck. I'm not happy about you putting yourself or Gabriel in harm's way as it is.”

  Gideon felt his anger thriving under the surface. “In harm's way? Are you fucking kidding me? I plan to be breathing down Gregory’s neck when I rip the bastard’s head off.”

  Emily stepped up to him, tipping her head back as her chest touched his. “Don't swear at me, Gideon. I swear I will shift right now and bite you,” she snapped.

  God, he loved this woman. She had made the threat before. She never followed through but when she got angry with him, stood up to him, it reminded him why his wolf chose his mate. Underneath her soft loving exterior was a little warrior. He wanted to fuck her so bad his balls ached. He cleared his throat, forcing the calm back into his voice. “Let's go back to your old apartment, make arrangements for the car, and call Donovan.”

  Gideon attempted to connect with Gabe. No images. No feelings. Nothing. “Gabe?”

  His wolf twin turned his head, focusing his single eye. “I can't connect with him. I can't feel him at all
.”

  He saw the apprehension in Emily's eyes. Felt the fear emanating from her. “He can still hear us, Emily. He understands everything. Don't you Gabe?” He saw some of her fear drain away as Gabe gave a single nod.

  Emily turned back to Madeline. “Is this what you meant by disconnecting them?”

  Madeline took a sip of her tea. “The Bokor needs to wear down Gideon's spirit if he’s to convince him to take his own life.”

  Emily startled. “Suicide! Gideon would never do that.”

  Madeline put her cup down. “With the curse on hold, Gideon's death must be of his own choosing.”

  Gideon clenched his fists, noticing Madeline's eyebrows arch.

  “Hold on to that anger. Make sure it stays aimed at Gregory or you will lose everything you hold dear,” Madeline warned.

  “Who else would I be mad at?” he snapped.

  Madeline said nothing yet her gaze flicked to Emily before returning to Gideon. He rarely felt fear. Not even the zombies made him experience the gut-wrenching sensation that Madeline’s insinuation did. He could never be mad at Emily. She’d saved him from the depraved existence that was his life. She made him look forward to a future he didn't deserve or expect. “It will.”

  Madeline cupped her hands in her lap. “A storm is coming and you are its eye.”

  Gideon's teeth snapped together. “Skip the cryptic crap and tell me straight.”

  Her lips pursed. “I tell what I see. You’ll be the center of the storm. You’ll choose to destroy or to let go.”

  Gideon shifted his stance. “I assure you, I will destroy anything that stands between me and my mate.”

  Madeline squinted. “The storm doesn't see the perfection before it nor the destruction it leaves in its wake.”

  Gideon clenched his fists. Was she saying he would kill the Bokor or hurt the only people he cared about? He knew he wouldn't get a solid answer from her. He was more in knots now than when they arrived.

  Emily ran a reassuring hand down his arm. His anger melted away at her touch. It was always this way with her.