Shifter Wars Complete Series

by Sarah J. Stone

  "Right," said Symphony. "It was foolish to bring her here."

  Jo felt even more nervous than she already had. She wanted to run from the great hall right then and there.

  "But . . .," said Kyle, "the Bianchis are the important thing here. She's just here because she stumbled upon us."

  Symphony raised her long, slender hand.

  "Enough. You're a Sapien; these matters are your job. Do what needs to be done, and send the human back among her kind as soon as possible."

  "I don't think you're understanding how big of a goddamn deal this is," said Kyle.

  "Not another word!" said Emil, raising his voice, a silence descending on the hall.

  Nothing followed. It was clear to Jo that this was the end of the conversation. Kyle made a slight bow before turning and leaving. Not knowing what else to do, Jo followed him. But, turning around, she saw Marcus watched the two, his eyes narrowed in scheming, his gaze lingering as the pair made their way out of the hall.

  Jo could sense that he knew something.

  CHAPTER 11

  Kyle stormed through the front doors of the building, stepping out into the evening air.

  "Goddamn morons!" he shouted as Jo rushed to his side.

  "Why didn't they care?" she asked. "They seemed more concerned about me being a human than they did about anything happening."

  Kyle stopped where he stood, taking in a slow, deep breath, attempting to calm himself down.

  "The Three are idiots, in case you didn't pick up on that. It's ceremonial bullshit; we've put three elders in charge just because that's the way it's always been. No one seems to give a shit that all it takes for major goddamn problems to go ignored is for them to decide for whatever reason that whatever it is isn't a big deal."

  "But, aren't you part of the intelligence group for them?" asked Jo, still coming to grips with the ins and outs of this new world that she was now a part of.

  "I am. But, I could come to them with proof the apocalypse was happening tomorrow, and they're not obligated to do a damn thing."

  He shook his head and started off down the sidewalk.

  "You saw what went on–they were more concerned with a human being there than anything else. Sometimes I wonder just what the hell they're paying me for."

  Jo made her way to Kyle's side, her legs feeling exhausted already from trying to keep up with his pace.

  "So, that's it?" she asked. "What're we supposed to do?"

  "Figure this out on our own. And, it's not just the human thing; the elders keep their positions by not making any waves. If they were to take what I was saying seriously, it would mean that we might bump up against the wolves, and God knows we can't have that; it might mean that one of them loses their place. They're concerned with the prestige of the job, and that's it."

  "And, they just hope that any problem goes away on its own."

  Kyle nodded. "Really, that's what I and the rest of the Sapiens are there for, to make sure anything that threatens the peace just gets worked out without anyone else needing to dirty their hands with it. It was stupid of me to think anything different was going to happen. And, on top of everything else, the treaty with the wolves makes things complicated. Relations between our two species are hanging by a thread as it is; something like this could result in war."

  "Then, why did you tell them?"

  "Because I figured that this would be something that even they would want to know about. And, on top of that, if I bring in a human without letting anyone know, that could cause some major problems."

  "Well, what are we going to do? They killed my boss; they can't get away with that."

  "And, they've probably got you in their sights next. But, good luck getting The Three to give a damn about a human."

  Kyle stopped in his tracks and looked down at Josephine with cool eyes.

  "This means that we're going to be on our own. We're going to have to stick together until we get to the bottom of this."

  Jo nodded; she knew that she was in over her head, and Kyle was her only chance of getting through the situation she found herself in.

  "Let's get back to the apartment," said Kyle. "We'll plan our next move from there."

  That sounded good to Jo. After her strange evening with the bear elite, she was ready to hide out for a while.

  The two of them continued on in silence, and after a time they arrived at a quiet street, the air still, the sidewalks shrouded in darkness. Jo felt her stomach tighten as they walked down the seemingly forgotten block, her eyes moving from shadow to shadow, the townhouses to their left and right looming and dark.

  Then, the clanging of a trash can sounded, cutting through the silence.

  "I'm getting a bad feeling," said Kyle. "Stay close."

  They continued on. The air seemed to hold still. Looking down the street, neither of them could spot a soul. Kyle looked over to Josephine and saw that she had the blank, wide-eyed expression of someone sensing danger. He felt the same way. Something about this block set his nerves on edge.

  They continued down the long block, now not saying a word, the threatening feeling gripping them both. Jo, without thinking, grabbed onto Kyle's arm, keeping her body close to his as they strode down the sidewalk.

  "Where is everyone?" Jo asked, her voice a worried whisper.

  "Just keep going," said Kyle, now wanting to get around other people as quickly as possible.

  But, before they could continue any further, a pair of heavy footsteps sounded behind them.

  "You both had better stop right there," said a prim, woman's voice.

  Kyle's heart began to beat faster, and keeping Jo close, he turned. Behind him was a woman in a sleek, black outfit with blood red trim, her skin pale, her eyes sharp, her dark hair slicked back.

  "That's–" said Jo, but Kyle didn't need her to explain.

  It was one of the Bianchis. Kyle's hands tightened into fists; she seemed to have emerged from the shadows.

  "Good evening," said the woman. "Though it won't be good for much longer for you two."

  "You two have become a little too nosy for your own good," said another voice, now in the direction the two had been walking.

  Kyle and Jo turned on their heels and were presented with another one of the Bianchis, this one a man, but with the same sharp, scheming features as the woman.

  "What the hell is this?" demanded Kyle, though the answer was abundantly clear to him.

  The woman moved closer to the Kyle and Jo, her steps slinky, striking Kyle as almost snake-like.

  "There's no point in asking questions that you already know the answer to," said the woman.

  Kyle's eyes stayed on the woman, watching her as she walked past him and Jo, her eyes lingering on his body in a sensual manner.

  "Don't they teach you assholes not to end your sentences with prepositions?" asked Kyle.

  The woman made her way to the man's side, her arm slithering along his shoulders.

  "I think you both have far, far more pressing issues than grammar at the moment," said the man, a wry smile playing on his red lips.

  Kyle's eyes shot down to Jo for a brief moment; he saw that she was paralyzed with fear.

  "We have an arrangement to offer," said the woman, her voice as heavy and languid as dripping honey.

  She raised a finger to Jo.

  "We want her," said the man. "This one has . . . seen some things that she shouldn't have."

  "Mmm," said the woman. "She has. So, in the interests of keeping things . . . copasetic between the bears and the wolves, we're going to be so kind as to allow you to give her up to us."

  "And, you can go on your merry little way," said the man.

  Kyle felt his blood rush through him; he couldn't believe that these two would think that he'd give up someone just to save his own skin. Even if he were the cowardly type, Jo was his only lead.

  "You kidding me?" asked Kyle, his tone disbelieving.

  The man shrugged slightly. "We figured we'd give yo
u the option. One body is easier to dispose of than two, you know."

  "Kyle . . .," said Jo, her voice braced with fear, her body shivering with fright against his.

  "We didn't want it to have to come to this," said the woman, her eyes now taking on a deep, ruby red. "But, we're to solve this little problem one way or another."

  "Well," said Kyle. "It looks like you're going to have to do it the other way."

  "Tsk, tsk," said the man, stepping away from the woman and squaring his shoulders. "I was hoping we'd be able to avoid any violence."

  "Stay back," said Kyle to Jo, his voice a hard whisper.

  He turned his eyes to the man and woman.

  "You Bianchis are dumber than I thought if you think killing a bear Sapien is going to do you any good."

  "Not our problem," said the woman, moving to the man's side.

  "Besides," said the man, "once we have the power, we'll make the rules."

  Kyle moved Jo behind him with a gentle push before stepping closer to the pair.

  "Last chance," he said, rolling his shoulders and standing straight.

  "Same goes for you," said the woman.

  Kyle realized then and there that there'd be no way to avoid violence. Slipping his suit jacket off and tossing it onto a nearby staircase, he took in a slow, deep breath, the red eyes of the man and woman lingering on him, set above hungry smirks of gleaming white teeth set to points.

  Then, Kyle let the beast fill him. He began to shift, his muscles toughening and expanding, his face stretching into a long snout, his body growing in size. Fur sprouted from his skin, and his hands and feet changed into claw-tipped paws. Once the process was complete, he stood before them as a massive, brown bear.

  He swung his head back towards Jo, making sure his body was positioned between him and the Bianchis. Her face was in an expression of shock and fear, her limbs trembling at the sight of him.

  Nothing like seeing a human woman witness a shift for the first time, he thought.

  "Impressive form," said the woman. "But, there's two of us, and one of you."

  Kyle snorted, a plume of white breath shooting from his nostrils.

  The pair exchanged looks, and began their shifts. Soon, they had changed into two wolves, both lean and fearsome. Their eyes remained ruby red, like hot coals against the night around them.

  The wolves separated, moving around Kyle in slow, stalking half-circles. His eyes flicked from wolf to wolf, waiting to see which one would make the first move. He knew that while his strength was probably greater than both of them combined, even, all it would take would be for one of them to distract him while the other moved in for the kill. He'd have to stay aware of both of them at all times.

  Jo stayed behind him, still frozen in fear. Kyle moved back and close to her; they'd kill them both, but she was their target. One lucky swipe of a paw, and Jo would be lost.

  Finally, the woman lunged at Kyle, her teeth glistening with saliva as a snarl exploded from her mouth. She flew through the air at incredible speed, and Kyle only managed at the last second to swipe out at her, his large paw connecting with her body with a dull thud and sending her flying back into the street. He hoped that this hit might've taken her out, but as she scrambled back to her feet he realized that he wouldn't have any such luck.

  The male leaped in soon after, and Kyle was only just able to move his body out of the way, the male leaping through the air and hitting the ground behind him, his claws scraping against the sidewalk.

  Damnit, he thought, now they're on both sides of me.

  He watched the female square up in front of him, her eyes focused on Kyle's haunches; she was scanning his body for weakness. Jo was now pressed against his backside, the male wolf only a few feet from her. Kyle heaved his bulk around, staring down the male. With a roar and a swipe, he brought his paw down on the male, connecting with a booming strike. A whimper shot out from the male as Kyle's paw winged him, and he scampered away from Jo, his leg in a limp as he moved to the female's side.

  Kyle was already starting to feel winded; he'd been in enough fights with smaller animals like wolves and foxes to know that the longer the battle went on, the more likely they'd be to win; bears had an ungodly strength, but smaller animals had endurance. And, one sloppy move could mean death for both him and Jo.

  The wolves stared down Kyle again before sharing a conspiratorial look.

  What're they planning? he thought, his eyes locked on them both.

  Seconds later, his question was answered. The female wolf leaped in, her eyes locked on Kyle's throat. Then, right as Kyle prepared himself to swat the wolf out of the air, the male made his move. With a quick, serpentine movement, he darted around Kyle, making a tight loop to his exposed backside where Jo was hiding.

  "Kyle!" Jo shouted, seeing that the wolf was rushing in for a quick kill.

  Fuck! thought Kyle, turning his focus away from the female who was leaping towards him in a tight, low arc. He knew he'd have to let her get in her attack if he was going to make sure the male didn't get to Jo. Heaving his body around, he raised his paw high in the air, hoping he'd time it right to connect with the racing male.

  Two sensations hit him at once: the feeling of the male wolf's back breaking under his paw, then the tearing of the female sinking her teeth into him. A roar barreled out from Kyle's throat at the pain, and he shook his body hard, sending the female flying off of him. Looking down, he saw that Jo was safe, still grabbing hard onto his fur. Below him where the paw struck was the male wolf, his body broken by the impact of Kyle's paw on top of him. His body lay curled, his muscles twitching. Soon, he shifted back into his human form, lying lifeless and still.

  The female let out a mournful howl at seeing her mate lying dead. Kyle snorted, squaring up once again. The female's hair was raised, and her body was coiled and tight like a spring. Kyle could see the pure rage in her eyes.

  The two paced each other in a half-circle for a moment, the female clearly doing the mental calculations of her chances. She had to know as well as Kyle did that while two wolves were a match for a single bear, one didn't stand a chance. Kyle roared, making his intent to finish the fight clear.

  But, before he could move in for the kill, the female turned her body and ran, her furred form rushing down the street until she disappeared down into a nearby subway station.

  And, just like that, the battle was over. Kyle shifted back into his human form, Jo standing close beside him.

  "You okay?" he asked, his hands firm on her shoulders.

  Jo stammered an affirmative, her eyes on the body of the male. Kyle realized that she was likely in shock.

  "We have to go. Now."

  Jo's eyes flicked down to the wound on Kyle's side, a jagged bite that bled through his shirt.

  "It's fine," said Kyle, though the pain told another story. "Let's go; who knows if any more wolves are around."

  Jo stayed frozen in place, her eyes still and wide. Taking her by the wrist, Kyle ran down towards the end of the block, the silver glow of the moon overhead an eerie illumination to their flight.

  CHAPTER 12

  Kyle flagged down a cab, the gesture of extending his arm to do so sending waves of pain through his body. As a cab slowed to a halt in front of them, the rushing of cars down Fifth Avenue a noisy backdrop, Kyle slid into his suit jacket, pulling it on tight over his wound.

  Once in the taxi, Kyle barked the address to his apartment before turning his attention to Jo.

  "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice grave.

  "I'm . . . fine," Jo said, though Kyle could tell she was barely able to form the words.

  Kyle pulled her close, wrapping his arm around her as the taxi made its way down the busy streets. Kyle looked up at the passing buildings, the lights of the skyscrapers streaking past. He could feel Jo's heart racing as he held her, and though his wound was painful, how Jo was holding up was his more pressing concern.

  Soon, they were back at the apartment. As soon as th
ey shut the door behind them, Kyle made his way over to one of the barstools and sat down, now finally allowing himself to catch his breath.

  "Oh my God," said Jo, her eyes falling on the red soaking through Kyle's shirt.

  "It looks worse than it is," said Kyle, looking down at the jagged bite tears on the fabric.

  "I'll be the judge of that," said Jo, rushing to the bathroom.

  Kyle was pleased to see that she seemed to be more at ease now that they were back in the safety of the apartment; he'd seen humans shaken up for days after they'd seen their first shift. Soon, Jo returned, a white, plastic, first aid kit box in her hands.

  "Here," she said, setting the first aid kit down on the counter and popping it open. "Take off your shirt."

  Kyle raised his eyebrows and smirked. "You think it's gonna be that easy, huh?"

  "Now's not the time for the smart-ass routine. Come on, off with it."

  Kyle gave her another sly look as he complied, working his fingers down each button and exposing his sculpted upper chest.

  "The whole thing," said Jo.

  Kyle flicked his gaze up; he could see that Jo was having a hard time staying focused.

  With a wince, Kyle pulled the shirt off, his upper body now bare. A smear of blood was on his side, and Jo grabbed a nearby washcloth, soaked it in water, and wiped the wound clean. Kyle gritted his teeth at the feeling of the cloth on his bite, but he could sense by the fact that the pressure of the cloth against his body didn't cause total agony that it wasn't too severe.

  "You're lucky," said Jo. "It looks like a surface wound."

  Kyle looked over Jo as she pulled a white cylinder of gauze from the kit. Her hands were shaking, her breath was shallow, and, she seemed to be mildly distant. He reached out and grabbed her wrist, her eyes snapping onto his as he did.

  "I'm fine," said Kyle. "Tell me how you are."

  His voice was stern.

  "Well, I mean, I just saw two wolves and a bear fight in the middle of the city, and almost got killed in the process. So, all things considered, I guess I'm doing ok."

  Kyle looked her over one last time. She was shaken, clearly, but it seemed mostly due to the adrenaline.