by Calinda B
Chia didn’t know whether to thank him, or curse him out for bad timing. “Why?”
“Take a look.” He seized the remote from the kitchen table and turned on the small television on the back wall. Pressing the up arrow, he found the Lemming News channel. A picture of Red Mountainbear flashed on the screen along with the headline, Mysteries in Charming, Alaska.
“While Dick Nighthawk continues to be in critical care with further unexplained complications, Red Mountainbear has vanished with no word. His friends and neighbors say they haven’t seen him for several days. Investigators are launching a search.”
“Turn it off,” Chia said. “That’s going to spoil my mood.”
“Yes, boss,” Cecil replied.
“Your mood could use some spoiling,” Hung said, smirking.
“Now can I eat, General?” Cecil asked.
She gave him a smile. “Now you can eat. I didn’t want your danglies all over my kitchen chairs.”
“So now they’re danglies? First they were bits, now they’re danglies?” He set his mug on the counter with a thwack.
“Stop, you two. Give it a rest. Topic change?”
“Excuse me?” Her eyes slid back to Hung’s.
Hung eyed her with an arched eyebrow. “You wanted to change the topic a few minutes ago.”
“Oh, right,” she replied, blushing. “Speaking of Lemming News and mysterious disappearances, you know how I told you I shot Red in the palm?”
“And I said, yes, I remember. What about it?”
She strode to the foyer, retrieved her phone from her coat pocket and returned. Flipping through the photo gallery, she said, “Look. Here’s what happened when I shot him.”
Hung stared at the images of symbols and black blood, stone-faced, revealing nothing.
“Let me see,” said Cecil. He seized the pink sparkly phone, looked at it, and whistled. “Freaky shit, lil’ Summer.”
“Do you know what it means, Hung?”
“Yes.” He scooped the last of his scrambled eggs from his plate, chewed and swallowed. “Those symbols are occult symbols representing big time evil. Bastard’s a shadow shifter.”
“A what?” She hugged herself, feeling apprehension cloak her.
“A shadow shifter. He shifts into a shadow. There aren’t too many on the planet. He’s a bad dude, Chia. I wish you’d offed him. But then again, he probably wouldn’t have died. He’d probably have shifted into a shadow when he knew your intentions. What did you do before you shot him?”
“Kneed him in the groin. I think I surprised him so he didn’t have a chance to react.”
Hung’s hand instinctively dropped to his lap, as if in memory of her knee. “You’ve got quite a kick.”
“Then I stomped on his head.”
Hung coughed, spitting out his coffee. He grabbed his napkin and dabbed at the liquid drops on the table and wiped his mouth. “Damn, girl. I told you, you’ve got balls.” He drummed his fingers on the table. “Real problem here. The son of a bitch has prestige, status, and on top of it, probably no one knows what he is, in truth. This fight ain’t over.”
“Well, we have an incredible team to deal with things,” Cecil said through a mouthful of food.
Hung and Chia glanced at the shifter.
“Not kidding. You should have seen me. Hung told me to go on ahead. To face the bad guys. Man, was I terrified or what? But I did it. I even got a few good bites in.” He chomped the air and shook his head like he had a hold of the man’s pants.
Chia laughed. “I’m sure you were, dawg-man. I actually, uh…”
“What did you actually?” Cecil popped more hearty grain bread in the toaster.
“I, um…” She glanced back and forth between the two men. “I seem to have a special relationship with an owl. A snowy owl. That’s why I keep asking if it’s you, Hung. When I’m high on vamp, he flies into my forehead and snags my mind.”
“Get out,” said Cecil.
“Interesting. Sounds like you have a lot of untapped abilities,” Hung said with a straight, non-committed expression. “How do you know he won’t do it when you’re not high?”
She studied him for a second, trying to discern his level of honesty. Can’t tell if he’s hiding something. “I don’t. I’ve only experienced it when D’Raynged has consumed my blood.”
“You might try it when you’re straight. I’d hate to see you become addicted to a vampire.” Hung’s mouth twisted into a sneer.
“I’m not convinced it happens at any other time.”
Hung shrugged. “Interesting fact about snowy owls. Every year a few of them retreat from the Arctic, but a lot fly south during years when their favorite food supply drops in number.”
“What’s their favorite food?” Chia asked.
“Lemmings.”
“You’re making that up.”
“No, ma’am, I’m not. True fact.”
“Isn’t that something?” Chia smiled. “My owl eats lemmings for lunch. Food for thought.” She let out a chuckle. “Anyway, I saw you struggling up the mountain. I could tell you were fighting your fears, dawg-man. I felt such pride for you. You’re unbelievable.”
He seemed to stand a bit taller, fill out his chest, and puff with pride. “Thanks, lil’ Summer.”
“So what are we going to do about Red?” she asked.
“Don’t know.” Hung stood and placed his dirty plate inside the sink. “Observe, watch, and wait. I need to find a way to get out of here, first. I have a job waiting.”
“It can’t be Sultana. Tell me you won’t kill her.”
“For you? Almost anything.” He stepped close and kissed her temple, before tipping her chin up with his finger. He planted a long, lazy kiss on her lips.
“Mmm,” she hummed into his mouth. When he released her, she said, “That almost seemed too easy.”
“I can be nice.”
“So, do you still have to leave? Where’s your next job?”
“Yep, I have a job up in Fairbanks. If I can figure a way out of here that doesn’t involve any of my limbs going missing. Not looking forward to tromping along the glacier.”
“Um. You might need to stick around a teensy bit longer.” Chia swiftly made her way to the sink. She grabbed a sponge and began powering it around the plate in her hands.
“And why might that be?” Hung said, coming to stand beside her.
“Because, I told you, I called in a few favors. If said favors are granted, we’ll have both a nature and animal preserve in Charming, effective immediately, extending seventy-five miles outside the town border in every direction, two miles outside the harbor. The fishermen still need to earn their keep. The fish inside the preserve will spill out into deeper waters and increase the fish supply. And, on land, tourism will be hot for animal lovers. Fawn at Sunshine Sally’s will be stoked. Can’t wait to tell her. It’s a win all around. We’re going to be known as the shifter community.”
“Wow,” said Cecil. “Now that’s creative thinking.”
Hung cocked his head, his eyes growing flinty. “How does that affect my business as a bounty hunter and being tried for murder? You indicated changing that rule.”
She dropped the sponge, water splashing her arms, and faced him. “No bounty hunter hunting in these parts. Not for human or animal.” She crossed her arms in front of her chest, felt the tug of healing bones and muscles in her back, and dropped them, trying to appear nonchalant.
“Are you kidding me?” He looked like he’d like to strangle Chia.
“Nope, not kidding.” She stepped away from him.
“Good thing I agreed to not off the vampire, at least not in this vicinity.”
“Hung…”
“I didn’t agree to never kill her.”
“All right. I’ll have to deal with D’Raynged. I promised him she’d be safe. I hate breaking promises.” She huffed out a sigh. “Anyway, you said your jobs didn’t pay that well for the most part. You’ll have to roll through tow
n to see me.”
His expression brightened somewhat. “I can live with that. If…what about your self-defense ordinance?”
“I’ve applied for an emergency injunction, modifying it. If we can prove you and I acted in true self-defense for the safety of ourselves or others, we should be granted pardon. We’ll have to head into town tomorrow to see if it worked. Or I can head in and you can be a gnat on the window until we determine if you need to face the justice system.”
“A gnat. Please, woman, give me some credit.”
“Well, you turned into a fly.”
“I had to escape out the window.”
“Does Charming even have a justice system?” Cecil asked. He picked up his plate and began licking it.
“Cecil! Put it down.”
“Oh, sorry, forgot I’m in human form.” He placed the plate on the table. “Sometimes I get mixed up.”
“And we need to see if the town still wants me as manager,” she continued. “We’ll have to see if a power shift took place.”
“Yeah, we’ll see.”
“As to your departure, don’t worry about the glacier. The shamans agreed to find the leg traps. They said they can go into trance and find them psychically. They’ll sketch out a map for us to collect them. Cecil, maybe you can do that with some of your shifter friends. We’ll need bodies to swiftly gather the traps. After you bring them back, I’m taking them to a smelter or metal recycler in town. Hung and I might be caught up in the legal system for a while, if my emergency injunction works. We’ll have to stand trial. So we’ll rely on you.”
“Roger that. I can round up a bunch of willing participants. I’ve got friends everywhere.”
“I’ll bet you do.” She gave him an affectionate smile. “Anything else we need to deal with, Hung?”
“Other than the huge problem of dealing with a shadow shifter, can’t think of a thing. You’ve thought of everything. I’m impressed.” Hung grinned at her.
“Honestly?”
“Would I lie?”
Chia stared at him long and hard. “I don’t know, Hung Durand. Would you?”
Epilogue
“You want me to wear what?” Chia spluttered, glaring at her vampire roommate, standing in the doorway to her bedroom. “This see through bit of cloth?” She dangled the lacey drape designed to hang off one shoulder, revealing the top of her breast. “No! And these stockings?” She spun the silken stockings around and around. “There’s no way I’ll dress in anything like this. Not my style. Nor will I wear a garter on my thigh or a velvet choker around my neck.”
“It’s only for an evening, darlin’,” D’Raynged drawled. “I saved these garments for centuries. It will entertain, delight, and you’ll be off the hook for everything you owe me.”
“By dressing like a hooker?”
Deftly avoiding the question, he said, “How did your town meeting go, by the way?” He smoothed his perfect blond hair with his elegant hand.
“It went well. As you know, several days ago, I got an emergency injunction declaring true self-defense holds up in court in Charming. That allowed me to appoint several townspeople to hold those positions. That’s job creation.” She grinned. “They, in turn, swiftly gathered jurors and Hung and I were tried and found innocent today.
“Big relief, right? Several shifters testified on our behalf. Apparently, some of those stuck in animal form witnessed everything.” She glanced down the hall toward the living room. Hung, Cecil, a few shifters and several vampires from the reaches of Alaska sat, drinking, laughing, and chatting by the fireside. “My wilderness preserve status was granted as well. It’s even going to be presented to the President of the United States, posthaste. Turned into a national treasure. I appealed to Joseph Asheroc’s political self, telling him this would increase jobs in the area, and give him a leg up in his campaign. You know he went for that line of reasoning, right?”
“A politician is always a politician.”
Chia laughed. “Besides me telling him that if he didn’t grant me a few favors I’d ruin his reputation. I happen to know why he likes to come to Charming and what her name is. His wife would be pissed.”
“Clever. Blackmail. It works every time.”
“Back to the present. So I’m supposed to entertain your guests by dressing up like a tart…”
“By dressing like a courtesan from my time of origin, yes. Those girls knew how to strut their stuff.” He inclined his head and scrutinized her. “I wish you’d do something about your hair, though. It looks like a child’s botched haircut.”
“You’re responsible for the haircut. I tore it out with duct tape, remember?” She waved a hand at him.
“Aw, yes. Fun times.”
She scoffed. “And everything will be off the table? I won’t owe you a single favor?”
D’s eyes slid evasively away from her. He swallowed and licked his lips. “Most everything.”
Chia groaned. “What will I still owe?”
“I think it’s something we can mutually benefit from.”
She squinted. “And what’s that?”
“Your blood. I’ve grown rather fond of it. I’d hate to merely take from you. I prefer when you give it to me. It’s of remarkable essence and quality. It makes me feel incredible, especially when given so freely.”
“Does it now?” Chia filed this away in her mind under “power moves.”
“Don’t think you’ll hold power over me,” he said, arching an eyebrow. “You might experience cravings now and then, yourself.”
“Seriously?”
“I’m afraid so.”
Chia threw back her head and groaned. “You should have told me you have side effects! Not fair, vampire!”
“I never dreamed you’d do such a thing.” He lifted his crystal goblet filled with his bloody drink and sipped.
She sidled away from him. “How are things with Sultana? Gone stale by now?”
“Not in the least.”
She sighed. Might as well get this over with. “I managed to get Hung to agree to not kill her for a while…I’m going to keep working on it.”
“Don’t be such a kidder. Hung and I already made agreements.”
“You what?” Her jaw fell to the floor. “When?”
“When you were in the hospital. He agreed to not kill her…yet.”
“And you’re okay with that?”
“Turns out, sugar, she’s here to spy on me for the competition.” He smoothed his linen shirt along his flat abdomen.
“What competition?”
“The serum concoction I told you about. Ours is superior to all. Her company got wind of it and sent her to get secrets from me. I’ve been feeding her lies.”
“Because you knew her for a spy?”
“Because I never share trade secrets, especially with a woman. I do enjoy her, though, so when I found out, Hung and I spoke and he agreed to let me take my fill of her while she’s in town. When she’s up in Fairbanks…well, child, I can’t be held responsible.”
Chia felt like flames would shoot from her head. The ghost of rage turned a bright red and rocketed for her gut. She waved her hands frantically to shoo him away. “Hung’s a dead man. I thought he made a promise to me. I’ve been sweating telling you this for days.”
“Relationships,” D’Raynged said, acting like a co-conspirator. “Aren’t they a lot of work?” He scoffed. “Well. I’d like to see to my guests. You’ve got a show to do.”
“I’m not doing it. The deal with Sultana ended up being a done deal. I owe you nothing.”
“Oh, child. There’s the locked coffin.” He tapped his index finger. “The dirty house.” He tapped his middle finger. “The…”
“Okay, okay, okay. Get out of here and let me dress.”
“I knew you’d come to your senses.”
After he left her bedroom, she put on the skimpy clothing, grabbed her down coat from the bed, added her fur cap and wool scarf, and for good measure, added leg warm
ers. Maybe I can add hot peppers to Hung’s beer. Or make him my love slave all night. He’ll have to call me mistress and…nah, he’ll enjoy that too much. And he probably loves spicy food. I’ll think of something.
She regarded her slowly circling ghosts, all six of them. “No one said I couldn’t dress warmly. This is, after all, Alaska. Even courtesans had to bundle from the cold.” She couldn’t tell if they were laughing, smirking, or ignoring her. She didn’t care. She’d deal with her inner demons and bad deeds in good time.
For now, as long as He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not stayed inside her, she could live with the rest of it. She had a good feeling that he loved her, if not now, then someday, and she might love him sometime soon, too. In the meantime…
THE END
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About Calinda B
A New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning author, Calinda B pens paranormal, sci-fi and contemporary romance novels. An avid adventurer and outdoor enthusiast with a quirky sense of humor, she's always finding ways to torture her characters, and to entertain her long-time love, her two cats or her kids and friends. She lives in the breathtaking Pacific Northwest, a place that soothes her soul and gives her plenty of time to write, scuba dive, work, write, bike ride, write, kayak, write and write some more.
With umpteen books roaming the universe and more in her head, you can find her at www.calindab.com.
The Charming Shifter Mysteries:
Storm Shift: Book 0 in the Charming Shifter Mysteries (Summer 2017 [currently available in Magic Awakened: A Paranormal Romance Boxed Set])
Power Shift: Book 1 in the Charming Shifter Mysteries
Blood Shift: Book 2 in the Charming Shifter Mysteries (Spring 2017)
