Shapes of Autumn (Boxed set, books 1 - 5)

by Veronica Blade

  “I told you, they’re human. I don’t plan to inform them.”

  Renzo picked up a stir stick and impatiently tapped it on the table. “If they’re human, you couldn’t be a shape-shifter.” A corner of his mouth lifted, but not in a friendly way.

  “I must’ve been adopted. Or maybe my real dad was a shape-shifter and my mom never knew what he was. Maybe when she found out she was pregnant, he wasn’t around. For all I know, he could’ve been taken as a slave or something.”

  “So when you began to mature, you had no one to help you?”

  “No one.” I called upon my years of practice at faking calm for my parents’ benefit, then met him eye to eye. “My first morph was shocking, to say the least. I remember looking down at my paws and freaking out. When I came home, I did a bunch of research on the net. A lot of the info was myth, but I weeded out the garbage by trial and error. As my senses got stronger, I realized Zack was a werewolf. I was afraid if he knew what I was, he wouldn’t want me. So I kept my mouth shut.”

  “Wow,” Alura said. “I couldn’t imagine going through that all alone. You must have been scared.”

  “Yeah, I had my moments. But the rest of the time…” I grinned. “It was like finding out I was a superhero. Isn’t that everyone’s dream growing up?” Thinking of Charles, I reminded myself to speak of him in present tense since I was supposed to believe he was alive and well. “I had no reason to be freaked out until Charles came into the picture. But it hasn’t been a problem since he thinks I’m human.”

  “You know, of course, it’s illegal to mix species?” Renzo said, his voice quiet.

  I kept my expression neutral as I made an extra effort to breathe. Denying it would be stupid since our last coffee date he’d smelled Zack on me and knew I was lying about being broken up with him. Plus, I’d freaked and asked if he was going to kill me. He’d have to know I was fully aware of the laws. “Yes. Which is why I’ve made sure Zack doesn’t know about me.”

  “You must be very careful. It isn’t just about legalities, but safety too.”

  “Um…” Was Renzo talking about sex? Ugh. I stared into my coffee cup, praying that my admission of guilt wasn’t like signing my death warrant. But he’d already known this and hadn’t killed me. “Mixing species causes some weird chemical imbalance and makes both weaker, right?”

  “Yes, you would be putting Zack in danger. Promise me you’ll never do that,” Renzo insisted.

  My arms prickled in fear. “I would never put Zack in danger.”

  “You’ve not seen Charles since Saturday, you said?”

  Another attempt at tripping me up. I wasn’t falling for Renzo’s trick, now or ever. “No, Friday night. Are you going to tell me how you got those scars?” I knew he wouldn’t cough it up, but I hoped turning the questions on him would make him feel like he’d had enough of me and maybe he’d leave.

  “Be careful, little one. The next werewolf to arrive at your doorstep might not be as forgiving as me.” He rose from his chair and glanced at his niece. “Alura?”

  Still reeling from his threat, I swallowed. “You’re leaving?”

  “Yes,” he answered.

  Alura gave him a tight smile. “I’ll stay a little while and visit with Autumn.”

  “As you wish.” He nodded once and walked away, stopping at the blue Jaguar.

  “I apologize for my uncle’s behavior.” She rolled her eyes.

  It was hard to gauge if they were playing good cop bad cop or if Alura was being sincere. She sure seemed genuine and I needed answers.

  “Your uncle’s a werewolf. You guys don’t like my kind, right?” I asked.

  “Not necessarily.” Alura gave a delicate shrug. “Depends on the werewolf and how he or she was raised. I’m neutral.”

  She seemed responsive and I had so many questions. God, where would I begin? Looking around to make sure nobody was close to our table and could hear us, I still lowered my voice. “Are you a born werewolf or were you bitten? That’s how you make a werewolf, right?”

  Her brows rose.“Just dive right in. Yes, it only takes one bite.”

  “Is it a saliva thing? Or is there something with the fangs? How does it work?” I took a sip of my coffee.

  “The bite creates a path into the body and the saliva carries the virus. I’m a born werewolf, so I didn’t go through that, thank goodness.”

  “Born werewolves are rare though, right?” I’d been wishing for Zack’s early arrival, but now that Renzo was gone and I could pump Alura for information, he could take his time. “Because females can’t carry a child to term.”

  “Right. We’re incapable of having children because our urge to morph is too strong and the baby dies when we change form. My mother was human when she had me, as was Zack’s.” Her lips curved up. “Being on your own with no one to talk to about this, you must have saved up a bunch of questions.”

  “Yes. I have tons. I—”

  “Hi, Zack,” Alura called out. “Would you like to join us?”

  Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Zack heading toward us from the Jeep.

  “Hey,” he said, once his feet touched the concrete of the patio. “Let me get a coffee and I’ll join you guys.”

  “Is Maya coming too?” I asked him.

  “Yeah, she and Trevor are in the car. They’ll be out in a minute.” Zack passed through the front door of the coffee house.

  I made sure he was gone, then whispered as quietly as I could. “Remember, he doesn’t know I’m a shape-shifter or that you know we’re still together.”

  “Gotcha covered.” Alura smiled. “And there they are.”

  I glanced over my shoulder and beamed at Maya. Thankfully, werewolves had rules against hurting mortals or involving them in anything that would flag the police and expose us. At least I didn’t have to worry about my friends’ safety. “Hey, get your drinks and sit with us.”

  She grinned. “We’ll be right back.”

  Wait… what if Maya or Trevor mentioned our road trip in front of Alura? Not only that, but what if someone from school saw Zack and me hanging out? If Gina heard we were friendly, then his attempt to gain her trust and trap her would be a waste of time. That would ruin everything. Unless Zack had made progress with Gina tonight, but I hadn’t heard from him yet.

  My stomach constricted as I battled to keep the pleasant smile on my face. I had to get out of there.

  “You know, I don’t think I’ll stay after all. I’m tired and still have homework to do. I’ll let Maya know. Want a ride to your hotel?” I stood, the chair scraping on the cement.

  “Sure. It’ll save my uncle a trip.” She flashed me perfect, white teeth.

  I went inside to say good-bye and reminded Maya and Trevor that Zack couldn’t hang out with me. I told Zack telepathically that I’d see him later and exited the front just as Alura was throwing away her coffee cup.

  My moment of solitude couldn’t come quickly enough. I was exhausted from the intense stress and fear of being caught in any of my vast number of lies.

  “Where’s your hotel?” I asked.

  “We’re staying at the Cavalli in La Crescenta.”

  Now that I knew I’d be home soon, the stress of the day — especially my time with Renzo — hit me hard. I sat up straighter in my seat to perk up. “I’m exhausted.”

  She chuckled. “Yes, my uncle has that effect on people. I’m sorry about the interrogation. I’d tell you it’s all out of his system, but it probably isn’t. He doesn’t trust people easily. So prepare yourself for more.”

  “Well, thanks for the heads up.” I sighed, pulling out onto the street. “If you and Renzo aren’t scouts or watchers, what do you do for the king?”

  “We do… other things.”

  “You’re not going to tell me, are you?”

  “Maybe another time.”

  It was just as well. I shouldn’t be talking to Alura at all. My brain was fried and it would be too easy to slip up in this condition. I melted
into the driver’s seat and concentrated on the road.

  “Make a right into the second driveway after the light,” Alura said after a few minutes.

  Biting my lip, I crossed the intersection and turned the steering wheel. “Alura? Can I ask you a question?”

  She swiveled toward me. “Sure.”

  There was no easy way to ask, so… “If Renzo knows of my crimes, then why doesn’t he kill me? Or report me to the king?”

  She paused as if mulling over her answer. “We’re not scouts.”

  “Then what are you?”

  Alura laughed softly. “That will have to wait for another time. But you can trust Renzo. He can’t help, though, if you don’t tell him the truth.”

  Were they setting me up? Whatever. No way would I call Renzo helpful since he hadn’t done anything other than follow me, threaten me, and force me to meet with him. All he’d accomplished so far was to scare the hell out of me.

  Alura was guilty by association — not that I’d trust a werewolf to begin with. Why would they want to help us anyway? What was in it for them?

  Stopping in front of the double swinging doors of the Cavalli hotel, I put the car in park. “I’d be more likely to trust Renzo if you told me what you did for the king.”

  She gave me a regretful smile. “Thanks for the ride, Autumn.”

  As she walked toward the hotel doors, I shook my head. She didn’t trust me enough to confide in me, but she wanted me to trust her? No way.

  From now on, I needed to stay away from both of them. I couldn’t know when Renzo might suddenly no longer be on vacation and Alura was sure to side with him. I had a feeling, though, that avoiding them wouldn’t be easy.

  Chapter Twenty-three

  By the time I got home from meeting with Renzo and Alura, I collapsed on the sofa. After the torturous day of pretending Zack and I were broken up, watching lamely while girls flirted with him, keeping track of all my lies, and enduring Renzo’s cross-examination, lethargy ruled me like a despot.

  For a moment, I considered blowing off Zack and sleeping in my own bed, simply because I didn’t have the energy to sprint the block to his house. But I wouldn’t be able to get near him all day tomorrow at school since we were supposedly no longer on speaking terms. I didn’t want to go that long without being with him.

  Gotta get up.

  While I set out school clothes for the next day and washed my hair in the shower, I thought of our trip. How would we escape without any werewolves following us? Charles wasn’t around — I hoped — but what if another scout had arrived and was lying low?

  Zack was great at figuring that stuff out. He was probably working on it now.

  I’m here at your house, waiting for you out back, Zack said, just as I finished getting dressed. My heart skipped and I bounded down the stairs with renewed energy. When I opened the back door, he pulled out a plastic bag from under his shirt and shoved it at me. For our Yosemite trip. Hide it with the other stuff.

  Zack stayed by the back door so he wouldn’t leave a trail of his scent through my house, while I darted upstairs to stow the plastic bag in my room. Moments later, I returned to the back door. “Done.”

  “Good.” His gaze drifted to my midriff-baring tank top and my stomach flipped. “We need a plan to get out of town without the werewolves knowing.”

  “You still have the spare key to my car. After school you can sneak into the Mustang.” I wrapped my arms around his waist and laid my head against his shoulder. “If they’re watching, they won’t follow me, because they’re interested in you, right?”

  “Good idea.” His arms closed around me.

  Didn’t matter how tired I was or how badly I wanted to remain ignorant of Zack’s date with Gina. I still needed to know what happened. “How did it go tonight?”

  He rubbed his chin on the top of my head. “Today was all about earning her trust. We worked on the project and I steered clear of hot topics.”

  Wise move, but that meant Zack would have to meet with her again. Unfortunately, now that they’d built trust, she might be a lot more friendly with him next time.

  † † †

  I slipped out of Zack’s room as tendrils of light peeked out from the horizon — just after he’d pressed me into the mattress and kissed me until my IQ began to drop. He hadn’t seemed inclined to stop.

  Since he no longer exhibited signs of control when we were alone, maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing I’d cut our make-out short and had taken off so early.

  Being good felt like a bad thing, though.

  Tomorrow we’d start our road trip together and my entire being tingled in anticipation. Since Renzo hadn’t made any openly aggressive moves — other than scare the hell out of me — it was too easy to think we’d get away with it.

  But we weren’t fooling anyone, as my conversations with Renzo had proved. He could turn on us at any moment. And what if Charles was indeed alive? If he was off somewhere healing, how long before his return?

  It didn’t matter how much I was looking forward to being alone with Zack in a hotel room, I couldn’t allow myself to forget how much more dangerous his life was now — especially with me in it.

  In my room, I grabbed my laptop I’d left on my bed the night before and checked my e-mail. A new one from my mom gave me a blow by blow of the beauty of Montana from the rocky mountains to the vast lakes. They’d gone horseback riding, hiking and visited scenic tourist places from Yellowstone to Glacier National Park. She asked how things were going and if I’d changed my mind yet about coming out there. I replied, asking her to send pictures and assuring her I wanted to stay.

  After spending the rest of the morning on the Internet, I rushed to school, hoping to get a few minutes with Gina before first period. Just because Zack had a plan didn’t mean I should abandon my own. What if his failed?

  I waited in front of the double doors of the school and pretended to rummage through my backpack in search of something, keeping half an eye out for my wayward ex-friend.

  “Autumn.” Cameron smiled uncertainly as he sidled up next to me.

  “Hi.” If he did like me, I didn’t want to lead him on, but the least I could do was make eye contact. I didn’t want to be rude. Just then, I caught a glimpse of Gina as she passed me. I’d missed my chance. Damn! “How’s it going?” I asked, giving up on Gina for the moment.

  “Good. I hear Ashley’s having some friends over this Saturday. Are you going?”

  “No.” Oh, why hadn’t I prepared for this? “My… parents… I’m doing something parent-related. It’s an all weekend thing.”

  “Oh.” Cameron’s face fell. “I heard your parents were out of town.”

  “They’ve been back a couple times. And when they’re here, I want to spend time with them.”

  “But all weekend?” he asked.

  I rolled my eyes. “They’re my parents. They get on my nerves, because that’s what parents do. But I kinda like them, you know? And I haven’t seen much of them the last few weeks.”

  “Well, maybe next weekend,” he said, his eyes dull.

  I forced a little enthusiasm into my face. “If Ashley’s doing something next weekend, I’ll probably go.”

  Cameron brightened up. “Cool. I’ll see you at lunch.”

  “See you then,” I returned.

  You just made two dates with Cameron. Zack’s tone was more of a statement than a question.

  I scanned the vicinity and found him talking with Gina by the double doors. Actually, she was doing the talking, but he clearly wasn’t paying attention if he was eavesdropping on me.

  I did no such thing.

  You just agreed to meet him at Ashley’s next weekend. Then you agreed to see him at lunch today.

  My nostrils flared. Zack, I didn’t say yes.

  But you didn’t say no either.

  I’m trying not to hurt his feelings.

  It’s worse if you lead him on. I’m just sayin’…

  Noted. I turned
to go inside.

  “Autumn!”

  I hadn’t noticed Maya standing next to Trevor about a yard from Zack.

  “Hey.” I felt better already.

  “I was wondering…” She waved to Trevor, motioned me inside the building and lowered her voice to a whisper. “If by some miracle you and Gina talk today, would you mind if I made a scene? You know, have a rant about how you can’t be friends with someone like her. If I rage against your friendship with her, that will make her want to be friends with you all the more. What do you think?”

  I grinned. “Looking forward to it.”

  † † †

  Weeding my way through students in the corridor on my way to the cafeteria, I kept an eye out for Gina. In the food line, she found me while I picked out a drink.

  “Hey.” She didn’t smile, her lips in a pout as she held her tray of food.

  “Hi. What’s up?” I was far more generous with my mouth, doing my best to curl it up at the corners. Setting a soda on my tray, I stayed still, uncertain where I’d be settling now that Gina and I were speaking.

  “I was thinking about what you said, you know, about neither of us having boyfriends now. It was dumb to let a guy come between us. Such a silly thing to fight over.”

  Because sleeping with someone else’s boyfriend was inconsequential. And she’d do it again in a heartbeat with Zack. One day, I’d tell her how I really felt, but not now. “Exactly.”

  “We’re sitting over there if you’d like to join us.” Gina pointed across the room to a table occupied by Natalie and Greg — two of the most unpleasant people in school. No way.

  But I didn’t want to say anything bad about Natalie. Yet. “Um… things have been intense lately. First breaking up with Zack and now we’re not even friends. I just want to enjoy my lunch and Greg’s too obnoxious.”

  “Of course.” She nodded sympathetically. “A guy like Zack, well, he’s gorgeous. It must be hard for you.”

  You wish. “Not at all. I don’t need a boyfriend who scams on other girls.”

  “We can sit there for a minute.” She pointed to a table close to the trash cans. It was an unsavory spot, but at least we’d be alone, allowing me a chance to work her over.