Knight Shift

by Paulette Miller

  “I’ll tell you what I can, but be prepared. Much about me isn’t pleasant.”

  “But I think I should learn more about the person I’m going to marry.” Seeing his shocked expression, she flashed her ring at him and laughed.

  The sound warmed his heart and he said with a smirk, “Ask away, wife to be.”

  She smiled at his attempt at humor. Not sure where to start, she asked, “How do you go invisible?”

  “I’m not exactly sure the science behind it, but it has something to do with bending light. It’s not so much that I go invisible, you just see around me as if I wasn’t there.” After a moment’s pause, he asked, “You’re the only person that has ever been able to sense my presence. I know that you can’t see me, but what do you sense when I’m Casper?”

  “It’s hard to describe. Besides the tingling that I feel on my skin, it’s like an overwhelming sensation that I’m being watched, but not in a bad way. It’s more like I’m being observed by someone I trust implicitly. It’s actually an amazing feeling. Does your family know that you have this skill? The twins never mentioned it.”

  “No one knows except you. They think I can move very fast. As a hunter, being able to become invisible is invaluable. But if my enemies knew the truth, they might be able to turn my advantage into a disadvantage.”

  “I actually understand and, although I think you should confide in your family, I’ll leave that up to you. I won’t tell anyone.” She wasn’t sure if he was willing to talk about his darker side, but she asked, “You remain you when in your Casper form, but what about when in your other form? Do you remember everything you do?”

  “Yes. Think of a time when you’ve lost your temper and the anger within you comes forward. My shifted form is my inner anger, except mine takes on a different physical shape and strength. I have one mind and, although I often regret my actions when I’m in this anger state, it’s me controlling what I do or don’t do and I have no one to blame for the results but me. Other Changelings may say that they had no control over themselves when what’s hidden inside them comes forward, but I think that’s an excuse so that they can blame their actions on someone else. The power we gain in these states can be very intoxicating.”

  Penny pondered for a moment and asked, “I wonder what my hidden nature would be if I was a Changeling?”

  “I don’t know, but I’m sure that it would be spectacular and you would be one of a kind.”

  As she looked down at the food on the table, she decided to change the topic and asked, “All the food you have bought are things I like to eat. What do you prefer to eat?”

  “I don’t have any favorites. Food is something I eat because I need it. Until spending time with you, I never really did it just for pleasure. I’m learning to look at food differently.”

  “When you’re in your shifted form, do you eat other animals?”

  “I can eat in my animal form and I do when the situation forces it, but I prefer to eat in my Human form.”

  Rubbing a bite mark she said, “I know that Ice craves the taste of blood.”

  “Especially yours. But unlike Susi and Sam, I don’t need to drink blood to survive. It helps recharge me after shifting between forms and, when in my shifted form, it helps me maintain focus and control. I also enjoy it—even when in my Human form.” Trying to judge her reaction to the news, he asked, “Does it bother you that I like blood?”

  She shook her head. “I want to get to know everything about you. You’re part animal so I’m not surprised that you like the taste of blood. Do you have to kill to feed?”

  “No, but I must be honest and tell you that killing and drinking blood often go hand in hand for me. It’s easier to cover my tracks that way.”

  “Except with me?”

  “You’re the exception to just about all of my rules.”

  When another question popped in her mind, she asked, “What blood type do you like best?”

  He laughed, not expecting that question. “It isn’t so much a blood type. It’s the scent.”

  She pondered for a moment and then asked, “Does your animal like the scent of my blood?”

  He nodded. “Without a doubt, it’s his favorite. You should know that there’s another reason that I drink someone’s blood.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Once I’ve taken someone’s blood it leaves a lingering bond. It allows my animal side to track that individual no matter where he or she went.” Since he was being honest he added, “I often used this on my enemies. I would bite them to take in their blood. Then I would make them run so that my animal side could chase them down to elongate my enjoyment for both the hunt and the kill.”

  She nodded her understanding as if she was learning about an interesting subject in school. “Since you have my blood in you, does that mean that if I got lost, you could find me?”

  “Your blood? I could follow your trail even if you were many miles away. Actually, I’m not sure there’s a limit for you.”

  “Why is my blood so different?”

  “I wish I knew.”

  “I’ll admit that I like the idea that you can track me. I find it very comforting.”

  He let out a laugh and said, “I can honestly say that you’re the only one on this planet that feels that way.”

  “How long does the tracking effect last?”

  “Depends on how much I’ve taken and the individual in question. Whenever I’m in town, I take a small amount of blood from Sam and the others at least every couple of weeks to keep my senses honed to their scents.”

  “You really do care for them.”

  Jax thought carefully about what Penny said and replied honestly, “I do. More than they know.”

  “Maybe when we get back you can fix that.”

  He nodded, knowing it was time to fix many things once he was home.

  While Jax’s mind was on those back in Oregon, Penny interrupted his thoughts by asking, “If you don’t get any blood for an extended period of time, what happens?”

  “I get cranky.”

  “I would imagine that isn’t pleasant. I want you to know that while we’re on this trip, if you or your animal ever needs blood, you can have mine.”

  “I’m thrilled by your understanding of my needs, but you don’t have to let me bite you to satisfy my cravings.”

  “You may not believe this, but I love feeling your bite. Other than the initial prick the sensation is extremely pleasant. And I absolutely love knowing a part of me is in you. By the way, you’ve bitten me several times now and I don’t feel weak. Shouldn’t I?”

  “That’s because your blood is quite potent and I only need a little to satisfy my cravings.”

  “If that’s true, do you think that if you took a little from me each day, you wouldn’t need to go out to find another source?”

  “It might.”

  “Then let’s make that a part of our new daily routine. It takes care of your needs and ensures that you’ll always be able to find me. To keep this secret from the world, we’ll have to use less exposed areas on me so that I don’t have to explain the bite marks.”

  Hearing her speaking so calmly, he replied, “I have to tell you that your responses are shocking the hell out of me. You’re the only one that accepts the realities of my darker side with such enthusiasm.”

  “I don’t know how else to respond. It’s part of the way you are and I have no right to judge. I’m addicted to lingerie…explain that one. Speaking of embracing all of you, I’ve gotten to know both Casper and Jax. Do you think that someday I can get to know your darker side, Ice?”

  “Ah, let’s not push it and take this one day at a time.” The thought of Penny directly interacting with his shifted nature made him cringe.

  She walked over to him and, with her face inches away, she stared through his eyes to the one hidden within and said playfully, “Hello to the cranky side of Ice. If you can hear me in there, I want you to know that I’ll be anxiously wai
ting to get to know you better whenever you’re ready.” She kissed him affectionately on the tip of his nose.

  For the rest of day, they stayed together in the room sharing things about themselves. Although Penny naturally did most of the talking, Jax tried to open up as much as he was able. The concept of opening himself to another was awkward and uncomfortable for him. To him it felt like ripping open a gaping wound but, with Penny’s encouragement and nonjudgmental reactions, he found himself sharing things with her that he hadn’t even acknowledged to himself before.

  They continued to talk late into the night and fell asleep contentedly wrapped in each other’s arms.

  Chapter 30 - Distraction

  The next morning Jax woke early. He opened his eyes and found Penny still asleep and sprawled out on her stomach next to him. While watching her, he listened to her even and deep breathing. The sound was mesmerizing. When he gently moved a strand of hair that was lying across her face, she stirred at his touch. But instead of waking up, she snuggled into him with her face buried against his chest. When he wrapped his arm and leg over her and pulled her in even tighter, she moaned contentedly in her sleep.

  While holding her, he thought about everything that happened the day before. He had dreamed countless times about what it would be like if he and Penny were intimate, but he wasn’t prepared for the rollercoaster of emotions that the experience would cause. Although he knew their relationship was only temporary and they would never work as a couple, he wanted to stay locked in this hotel room for days with Penny’s naked body intertwined with his. But his needs were secondary to hers and he vowed that he would not take advantage of her pain. He would suppress his ache and let Penny take the lead on how their physical relationship did or didn’t grow. He was praying that she would choose growth.

  Confessing his secret night life to her had also lifted a heavy weight off his chest and he now looked forward to the days ahead. Although he was still full of guilt over his deception, Penny’s forgiveness showed him, once again, how strong she was. In a feeble attempt to say thank you, he had one and only one goal—to do whatever it took to keep Penny happy.

  As they finished their morning routine and they were about to head out the door, Penny asked, “You’re not going to shave your head today? We aren’t in any hurry; I can wait.” She feared that her getting up late was the reason why he was skipping a task she assumed he hadn’t missed since the day he went out on his own.

  “No need.” He rubbed his hand across the stubble on his head and said, “I thought I would try something new.”

  She nodded approvingly and he let her lead them out of the room. Although she liked his smooth, shaved head, she knew that the lack of hair made his scars and eye tattoo stand out even in a large crowd. The effect also made him look very intimidating. From what little she had learned about Ice so far she knew that his look was by design. But with just the little bit of stubble, it had already softened his appearance.

  During breakfast, they planned their morning. Penny hadn’t packed well for the trip and didn’t have an outfit that she thought was appropriate for a memorial. After asking their waitress for a good place to shop, Jax drove Penny downtown to the suggested shopping district.

  When they arrived and found a place to park, Penny turned to Jax and said, “You don’t have to come in with me. I know that spending time watching me shop in a store full of Humans wouldn’t be much fun for you.”

  He replied, “I’m coming,” and opened his door.

  At first Penny was going to argue, but she really didn’t want to go in alone, so when he opened her door, she got out and whispered, “Thank you.”

  As soon as they were out of the Rover, Penny reached for Jax’s hand. With their fingers intertwined, they walked up the street side by side. Like a good boyfriend, he waited outside the dressing room while she came out and paraded the outfits that she tried on. She was only trying on black dresses and, although that was his color of choice, he hated seeing her in it. He thought that the lack of color seemed to cause the pain that was in her heart to hover over her like a dark storm cloud.

  As they stood in line at a checkout counter, Jax noticed the cashier staring at him nervously out of the corner of her eyes. He decided to walk away to give the woman some space. While he waited for Penny, he passed a sign for the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden that was located not far from the store. He picked up a brochure and, as he escorted Penny back to the Rover, he handed the advertisement to her and suggested, “Why don’t we go for a walk through a garden this afternoon? It isn’t far from here and you look like you need something to get your mind off of tomorrow’s memorial. It says they have a café so we could eat lunch there.”

  Penny liked the idea of getting lost among flowers so she agreed.

  After a short drive, they arrived at the garden and walked directly to the café, where they were seated at a table that overlooked a massive butterfly garden. Penny watched intently as a group of visitors released recently emerged butterflies. When a waiter passed her table, she stopped him and asked, “Excuse me. Can you tell me about how you sign-up to release a butterfly?”

  The man replied, “They do it only once a week and the group for this week is already down there. The next opportunity won’t be until next Thursday.”

  Penny thanked him, but was unable to hide her obvious disappointment.

  While she finished her meal, Jax took out his phone and excused himself to make a quick call. He returned to Penny’s side by the time she finished her tea.

  He held out his hand and asked, “Ready to go exploring?”

  She accepted his hand and they spent several hours walking along the many winding paths. Although they rarely spoke, Penny didn’t mind. She enjoyed hearing the calls from exotic birds hiding in the trees and the babbling sounds of many fountains.

  When it reached late afternoon, a man walked toward them wearing an official botanical garden shirt that identified him as a member of the staff and his badge announced that he was in management. Penny tensed and grabbed onto Jax’s hand tighter, fearing that Jax’s presence was somehow bothering other visitors and they were about to be asked to leave. She squared her shoulders and prepared to fight.

  The man walked directly to Jax and said, “Sir, we’re ready whenever you are.”

  Jax nodded and said, “Lead the way.”

  Penny whispered, “Are we getting arrested or something? If he tries, I’ll trip him so that we can run out of here. You know that I’m in the right mood to do it.”

  Jax chuckled and said, “Don’t get yourself all worked up. We aren’t being arrested. He’ll explain in a minute.”

  They arrived at a door with a sign saying ‘Employees Only’. Their guide tapped a series of numbers onto a keypad and, after they heard a click, he opened the door and walked in.

  “After you,” Jax said to Penny as he held the door for her.

  Once they were in the room, they found a couple of younger workers waiting for them, each holding a container. Jax stepped to the side when one of the workers approached and handed Penny one of the containers.

  Seeing the recently emerged butterfly, Penny asked, “What is this for?”

  The manager answered, “Your fiancé informed me of your loss and of your disappointment in missing the release group earlier today. He made arrangements for you to have a private session.”

  Penny looked to Jax and asked, “But how?”

  The manager answered for him by saying, “Your fiancé is quit persistent and very generous. His gift will allow us to expand this exhibit.”

  Realizing what Jax had done, she looked at Jax and said, “You shouldn’t have.”

  Jax put a finger to her lips to silence her and said, “Shhh. Today is all about you, so let me do this.”

  Penny was extremely grateful and, with her unstable emotional state causing tears to linger just below the surface, she found her eyes quickly beginning to burn. Jax waved the other workers over before she comp
letely broke down.

  They guided Penny into the main part of the exhibit enclosure where they explained what to do. With Jax at her side, she opened the first container. They watched intently as the brightly colored insect flapped its wings to dry them and then took flight. She did the same routine with the next three containers. As the insects fluttered around her head, Jax moved to stand behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned back into his embrace and together they watched as the insects, realizing that they were free, happily flew off to join their new-found family high up in the air. Penny watched the scene silently for a very long time and then turned to face Jax. She wrapped her arms around his chest and enjoyed his cool embrace.

  As Jax led her back toward the main part of the gardens, the manager held the door for them and said, “You’re both members for life, so come back to our garden as often as you want.”

  After thanking him for his kindness, Jax walked Penny out of the garden and to the Rover. Once they were on the road heading back to their hotel, Penny said, “Although your gift was amazing, you shouldn’t spend so much money on me.”

  “It’s my money and I’ll spend it on whatever I want. Right now I want to spend it trying to ease your pain. It’s the least I can do after I…” His words tapered off, but Penny knew that he was referring to his year-long deception. She nodded and accepted his gift with a smile.

  Once they arrived back at the hotel, Jax had their dinner sent to their room and, after they ate, Penny announced, “I’m going to take a hot bath.”

  Jax asked, “How about we walk down to the swimming pool? When we came in earlier, I spotted a large hot tub.”

  Although the idea sounded wonderful, Penny thought Jax had already done too much for her. She said, “I can use the tub here in the room. Besides, I didn’t bring a bathing suit.”

  “That can be easily taken care of.” Jax went to the phone and called the front desk. After they connected him to the store, he asked them to bring up two suits. Although his only requirement for his suit was black, he wanted Penny’s to be bright and pink. When he correctly said her size to the salesperson without having to ask, Penny was reminded how much Jax knew about her.