Autumn's War (The Spirit Shifters Book 4)

by Marissa Farrar

  They broke through the trees and Chogan spotted the car.

  The sky was beginning to lighten now, the sun not yet over the horizon, but the dark fading enough to see the scene before them.

  They weren’t alone. Two massive wolves bounded around the car, jumping up at the windows like vicious dogs, snapping and growling at the people beyond the glass.

  Chogan frowned in confusion. Could this be the ex-boyfriend, Billy’s father? Was there a possibility Madison had hooked up with another shifter and not realized it? But he detected a playfulness about the wolves’ behavior, despite the overt aggressiveness. They switched positions, leaping around each other as they did so, before jumping back up at the windows to continue the snarling. One of the wolves, a gray-furred brute with a scarred muzzle, dropped back down onto all fours and then leaped on to the hood of the car. Even with all the noise, Chogan heard the frightened screams of Madison and her son as they huddled together in the center of the vehicle, Madison with her arms wrapped tight around Billy, holding him to her chest.

  Anger built up inside him. What the hell did the wolves think they were doing? Shifters didn’t go around tormenting innocent people—at least none of the good ones did.

  He stopped the bike and backed up to stay hidden between some trees. Nadie’s arms loosened from around his waist where she’d been forced to cling to him. He cut the engine and the lights. Peter pulled up beside him, Sahale on the back, leaning backward to hold onto the back of the seat.

  “What are we going to do?” said Peter, keeping his voice low. The wolves were caught up in their game, so much so they hadn’t noticed the roar of the approaching bikes, so Chogan doubted they’d hear their voices.

  He climbed from the bike and shrugged his leather jacket from his shoulders, letting it drop to the ground. “We’re going to show them that you don’t pick on women and children.”

  Peter nodded his agreement.

  “Hell, yeah,” said Sahale.

  Chogan realized he had a woman with him, one who had said her ability to shift wasn’t always as in control as she needed it to be. “You can hang back if you want, Nadie.”

  “No way. I’m a woman and a shifter. I plan on teaching these guys some manners.”

  Chogan grinned. “Let’s do it.”

  A car drove past on the opposite side of the road, but offered no assistance, despite seeing the trapped woman and child. They were afraid, Chogan realized. Even though he’d wanted to show the public that shifters were nothing to be feared, scenes like this only served to embed the stories of terrifying monsters that they were told as children into their heads.

  Just as he was about to call his wolf guide, movement came from the other side of the freeway. A massive, spotted leopard came prowling out from the forest bordering that side of the road. The animal seemed in no way concerned about the two wolves, who continued to yelp and snarl, tumbling with each other like two overzealous teenagers. Instead, the leopard strolled over and stalked around the vehicle.

  “I guess our numbers just evened out a little,” said Peter, keeping his voice low.

  Chogan lifted his eyebrows. “Is that a problem?”

  “Not for me. Let’s get those sons of bitches.”

  Chogan gritted his teeth and nodded. With all thoughts of modesty not even entering his head, he reached down to unbutton his jeans and kick off his boots. When this was over, he intended on having some clothes to wear. He closed his eyes briefly and focused in on his wolf. The animal was close, drawn nearer by the ruckus. Chogan sensed it lift its head in response to his call, and then its energy burst toward him like an explosion. The spirit hit his body, making him take a step backward. The pain began instantly. No matter how many times he shifted, he would never get used to the red hot agony of the change. His muscles tore, his bones snapping. The skin on his face wrenched in one direction and then another as it took the shape of a muzzle. Knives speared behind his eyes, pain shattering through his skull.

  He was only vaguely aware of his companions shifting around him, and he willed his change to complete faster. The other wolves had not been far away, and the distinctive sound of a number of shifters turning was bound to get their attention. He couldn’t afford for them to be noticed and attacked mid-shift. They were weak and helpless while they were changing form.

  His shift was complete.

  In wolf form, Chogan shook out his fur and stretched, releasing his new muscles. The world was clearer now, his sense of smell and hearing sharp and focused. He also found it easier to read the wolves’ body language. From where he stood, partially hidden between the trees, he understood now that the wolves were playing a game. Though they might have hurt Madison and Billy if they could have gotten into the vehicle, they were having more fun just inciting fear. The leopard who watched was harder to read. The animal was restrained, observing or perhaps overseeing as opposed to joining in. It was a solid ball of muscle, every inch tensed.

  He hoped Peter would have more insight into the big cat.

  He turned to his companions. Peter had finished his shift, his fur a sleek gold, his coal ringed amber eyes wise.

  Despite her words, Nadie hadn’t managed her shift. She mouthed, “Sorry,” at Chogan before stepping back and melting into the forest. It was best she stayed out of the way. He figured this thing might get messy.

  His attention moved to Sahale. The young man was now a striking gold and black striped tiger. Powerfully muscled and fearsome to behold. If Chogan had still been a man, he would have smiled. The wolves and the strange leopard who seemed to watch over them didn’t stand a chance.

  He hated that he’d left Madison and Billy as long as he had. There was no more time to waste.

  Chogan lifted his head to the sky and let out a long, mournful howl.

  The two young wolves immediately stopped their antics and faced the forest, their hackles raised.

  Centering the strength in his muscles, Chogan bounded forward, Peter and Sahale at each shoulder. The wolves saw them coming, but the leopard held back.

  Chogan caught sight of Madison’s eyes widening in terror. His heart sank. Of course, she didn’t know he was a shifter. In her mind, this was simply more giant predators coming to tear her and her son limb from limb. He wished he had some way of reassuring her, but he had more immediate problems to deal with.

  The gray wolf with the scar snarled at Chogan. He didn’t give the other wolf time to attack. Instead, he leaped, crashing into the wolf with a tumble of fur and snapping teeth. Their growls echoed around the deserted freeway.

  They rolled on the asphalt, snapping and snarling. The other wolf was weaker than he was; he sensed it in every movement the animal made. The scarred wolf fought back, but Chogan was a dominant creature and he would make the younger animal submit.

  He pinned him down on his back. His jaw opened and he locked his teeth around the other animal’s throat, fur thick against his tongue. He growled a low, threatening growl and the other wolf whimpered.

  Chogan didn’t want to kill any more. There had been too much death, and the thought of killing one of his own—a wolf like Blake—made his stomach turn. He allowed his focus to turn to the others for the briefest of moments, making sure they didn’t need any help. Peter and Sahale circled the other wolf with the stealth and magnificence of the two big cats, making the wolf appear no more than a naughty puppy in their center.

  He checked for the leopard, but saw no sign of the other big cat. It must have slunk off into the forest when they attacked. Chogan didn’t like it. What was the other shifter up to?

  But he didn’t want the wolves to slink off to wherever they had come from. He wanted answers from them, and more than that, he wanted them to apologize to Madison.

  He released the young wolf’s throat, allowing him to roll back to his feet, and then shoved him with his shoulder, pushing the other wolf toward his buddy. Peter and Sahale made way, allowing the gray wolf to join his friend. Chogan joined Peter and Sahale in su
rrounding the two trouble makers.

  He let out a yap, lifting his nose to signal the wolves’ bodies. They exchanged a glance. Still held within the circle of Chogan, Peter and Sahale, the wolves began to shift back. Chogan waited until the shift was complete.

  Two teenage boys huddled on the asphalt, their hands held self-consciously over their dicks as they shivered in fear.

  Chogan shifted back, his teeth clamped down against the agony. Though vulnerable, he knew Peter and Sahale had his back. Within minutes, he stood before them as a man. He was only vaguely aware of Madison staring in fascinated horror from the car window.

  “Who the hell are you guys?” he demanded. “And more importantly, who was the leopard?”

  One of the young men sobbed. “We’re no one, man. We were just having a bit of fun.”

  Chogan aimed a kick at him. “By tormenting a woman and child? Who the hell are you?”

  “No one.” He squealed like a pig as Chogan kicked him again.

  “Bullshit.”

  “Okay, okay.”

  He delivered another kick, not hard enough to do any damage, but hard enough to hurt.

  “Owww, stop it, man,” the guy whined.

  “Not until you tell me who he was, and then you’re going to apologize to the lady and her boy.”

  “Okay, okay. The leopard is Ollie Pritchard. He doesn’t want shifters to be seen as the good guys. He likes us being bad. He’s just trying to get us behind him. We don’t all want to be seen as some kind of spiritual beings. We want to be seen as bad-asses.”

  “Are you serious? Do you think you look bad-ass now?”

  The naked boy cowered and cried into his arm.

  So there was some guy who was trying to lead shifters astray. What the hell did he think he was going to achieve?

  “You need to go and apologize to Madison, right now.”

  “Who?”

  “The woman you’ve been terrorizing.”

  He sniffed. “Oh, right.”

  Chogan nudged the other guy with his foot. “You, too.”

  He turned back to the car and motioned with his finger to Madison, who still stared at them with wide eyes, glassy with fear. She shook her head and held Billy closer.

  Of course Madison would be frightened. She’d seen Chogan shift from wolf to man.

  Damn it. She was locked inside the car, with the keys. He had no way of getting in unless she opened the door. He could always break it, but then they’d have to ride in a vehicle full of broken glass, and anyway, that wouldn’t do anything to help conquer Madison’s fear. It would only make matters worse.

  He bit down on his impatience and frustration. The old Chogan would have smashed the window and to hell with whatever she thought, but he’d changed. He wouldn’t go through his whole life playing the role of the bad guy.

  Behind him, he was aware of Nadie running out from between the trees. She carried the bundles of clothing the others had discarded right before they had shifted.

  “Please, Madison. We would never hurt you. You don’t have a reason to fear us.”

  He noticed her eyes run up and down his body and realized he stood completely naked before her. He felt no shame at his nudity, and her cheeks grew pink as she must have realized he’d caught her looking. She would feel more comfortable if he were fully dressed.

  “Just wait one minute.” He held up a finger to demonstrate his words and then turned and jogged back to where Nadie waited with his clothes. Peter and Sahale still stood around the two young men, making sure they didn’t run off. Quickly, he tugged his jeans back on, threw his t-shirt over his head, before jamming his feet in his boots and pulling on his jacket. He pulled his long hair out of the back of his t-shirt and jacket, allowing it to fall in a wave of darkness around his face.

  He went back out to the car. Madison still hadn’t driven off, and this gave him hope. She could have done so at any time, and that she stayed meant she wanted to be around them. Chogan didn’t know if it was him in particular she wanted to be around, but she’d stayed for a reason. Deep down, she wanted to be convinced.

  He placed his hands against the roof and ducked down to peer through the window. She looked back at him, her stunning green eyes wide, her skin a perfect porcelain pale, and her beauty made something stutter in his chest.

  No, he wasn’t interested in women. He only had one woman he was interested in, and she was still in love with his cousin.

  “Please, Madison,” he repeated. “We’ve had plenty of opportunities to hurt you if we wanted to. But we didn’t, we helped you.”

  “But … but you’re a wolf!”

  “I’m a shifter, yes, and so are the others. That doesn’t make us dangerous, though. It makes us strong and powerful, and as you just saw, even more able to protect you and your son.”

  At the mention of her child, she glanced down at him. Billy had pulled away from her slightly now, his head turned to look out of the window toward the scene outside. Peter and Sahale had taken the opportunity of Nadie’s arrival with their clothes and shifted back. They had yet to dress themselves.

  The boy let out a squeal of laughter and one hand clamped to his mouth, while the other pointed. “Mommy! Those men don’t have any clothes on!”

  His laughter was infectious, and Madison’s shoulders relaxed, her grip around her child loosening.

  “No, honey, they don’t.”

  “Is that ’cause they were animals?”

  “Yeah, I guess it is.”

  Chogan tried again. “This is the world you live in now, Madison. It’s better to have us on your side.”

  “The man helped us, Mommy,” Billy added, turning his eyes on his mother. “You can’t take the car of someone who helped us. That’s stealing.”

  Madison gave a deep sigh, and nodded. “Okay.” She reached out and unlocked the door. “Don’t make me regret this.”

  Now dressed, Peter and Sahale hauled the two young men to their feet and dragged them over to the car. They curled in on themselves, their hands still trying to hide their private parts from the beautiful young woman and child they now found themselves naked in front of. Chogan wondered if the leopard was anywhere around, if he’d positioned himself to find out what was going to happen next.

  Chogan folded his arms. “Now what do you say?”

  “Sorry,” mumbled the first one, unable to look at her.

  “Sorry, Ma’am,” the second boy added.

  “Now get the hell away from here and learn how to behave yourselves.”

  Peter and Sahale both gave the two boys a shove, and they half staggered forward, glancing back to make sure Chogan wasn’t about to give chase and then took off down the empty freeway, their naked, white backsides flashing as they went. He expected them to have some clothes hidden somewhere close. He just hoped they’d learned their lesson. They were barely more than kids themselves.

  With the boys gone, Nadie slipped into the seat beside Madison. Madison gave the other woman a nervous glance, but Nadie smiled.

  “Don’t worry. I don’t bite.”

  Madison gave a timid smile, as if she didn’t quite believe her.

  Now they needed to find Autumn, Lakota, and the others.

  As Chogan climbed into the driver’s seat, and Peter and Sahale started up the bikes, he wondered what Autumn would make of the news that Blake might still be alive, and also what she’d think of the new arrivals.

  Chapter Nine

  AUTUMN LAY IN bed in her apartment, the bedcovers soft and warm, her face buried against the pillow. It felt so good to be back here, cocooned within the familiar scent and comfort of her own bed again.

  Movement came behind her, and her heart lurched. Quickly, she turned her head to peer over her shoulder. Her eyes took in the sight of familiar nut-brown skin, the big muscles, and curves and swirls of his tattoos.

  “Blake?” she said confused.

  He moved in bed, lifting his head to see her. Happiness swelled inside her like a bubble
, but then she realized something, and the feeling burst. What was happening here? Blake wasn’t supposed to be here, was he?

  Blake grinned down at her, his face lighting up. She was so used to him always being so solemn, and the easy, relaxed smile looked good on him.

  “I don’t understand,” she said, frowning. “I thought … I thought you were dead.”

  He laughed, a deep rumble in his chest, and reached out to her. “Don’t be silly. You must have had a bad dream.”

  She let him pull her into his arms. The warmth of his skin, the strong breadth of his chest. How good it felt to press her cheek against his chest once more, to inhale the scent of him, to hear the steady thud of his heartbeat.

  “You’re right,” she said, though confusion still clouded her mind. Something didn’t seem right. “I must have been dreaming.”

  “Of course you were.”

  Autumn closed her eyes and relished his presence. She felt like a better person when he was around, special, strong, and more confident. He made her feel like they could tackle the world together, that nothing would defeat them.

  She lifted her head from his chest to look him in the eye. She’d missed that strong, powerful face. The slightly widened nose, the deep set, dark eyes, the full lower lip. She’d missed him so much it had hurt.

  So where had he been for me to miss him?

  “I couldn’t be dead,” he said, as if reading her thoughts. “I would never leave you, Autumn. You know I would never leave you.”

  But he had, hadn’t he? He’d left her for another woman, Shian? No, that was wrong. She was confused, so confused, all of her thoughts in a muddle. It was as if someone dangled the truth just beyond reach, and though she kept grappling for it, she couldn’t quite grasp it.

  A noise came from outside her bedroom door, distracting her from her confusing thoughts about Blake.

  “Mia?” she called out, sitting up slightly in bed.

  Blake put a hand on her arm. “Leave it. It’s nothing.” She glanced down at where his hand lay across her skin. He didn’t feel as hot as normal, his palm cold and clammy.