Shift - 02

by M. R. Merrick

  I shook my head. I couldn’t deal with this. Not tonight. I turned to walk the other way, but Lena walked through the shadows and closed off the other side of the street. A chill ran down my spine as a handful of Underworlders stepped into the light behind her.

  Lena’s platinum blonde hair was tied into a high ponytail and still managed to reach down past her hips. She had intense blue eyes, and her cool, lethal gaze was aimed at me. A tight black tank top hugged her toned body and dark blue jeans wrapped her legs like a second skin.

  “I’ve been dying to see you again.” Lena smiled.

  The clacking of high heels echoed off the pavement as she walked towards me, hips swaying with each step. She folded her hands together and bent her fingers back, cracking each knuckle. The light shone over her arms, revealing perfect, unmarred flesh.

  The last time I saw her, I’d cut her wrist open and every muscle in it, but now it looked perfect.

  “I know what you’re thinking. How did a little old air elemental like me heal a wound like that?”

  “It crossed my mind.”

  “I had help…from a god of sorts.” She giggled and each word rolled off her tongue in a seductive wave.

  “Riley did that?"

  Lena’s pink tongue slipped out between slightly parted red lips. She ran the tip of it along the top edge of her mouth and nodded.

  “I hate to break it to you, but he’s not a god. He’s a disgrace.”

  “Careful what you say, love. We don’t want that tongue of yours getting you into any more trouble, now do we?”

  “What? Are you going to cut it out?”

  Lena stopped and brought a slender hand to her lips. “I always knew there was a reason I liked you. That’s not a bad idea.” She let long red nails tap against her chin and smiled. “Actually, I quite like that.”

  “You would,” Rayna said.

  “Shut your mouth, bitch.” Lena jerked her head to Rayna. “All I want to hear from you are screams.”

  Rayna stepped forward and I cringed as magic filled the air. In a single motion, Rayna’s body left the ground in a violent rush. Lena unleashed her element and Rayna crashed against a building. Her body cracked the brick wall and she fell to the ground. Rayna jumped to her feet and her lips parted, releasing an ear shattering roar as her beast rose to the surface.

  Lena giggled. “Oooh, bad kitty.”

  Rayna pulled her beast back, letting her earth element move around her body to calm it.

  “Wait.” Brock stepped forward. “You have a chance to save yourself, brother.”

  “I’m not your brother, and you’re not getting the ring. It’s time for you to walk away. I’m not playing anymore.”

  Brock laughed and pulled a lighter out of his pocket. He stood fearlessly with his arms crossed, gripping it. As the hunters behind him stepped forward, I pulled my element to the surface.

  The demons on the other side moved and closed in behind us, while Lena and Rayna took up the middle, creeping towards each other. Everyone drew their weapons, but we all turned as a growl roared through the street.

  The scrape of gravel echoed and Willy ran towards us, the other werewolves walking casually behind him.

  “Wh–, what’s going on?”

  “Go back inside,” I said.

  “No, I ca–, can help.”

  “Now!” We were outnumbered by a lot; I didn’t need Willy’s death on my conscience.

  “No!” Willy pushed out his chest and tried for confidence.

  “Oh, Chase, let the puppy play,” Lena grinned. “He looks delicious.”

  “Hell, no. I’m not fighting with him.” Jason stood defiantly on the sidewalk. “He kills our kind.”

  “No–, nobody asked you to fight.” Willy locked eyes with Jason and there was a ferocity I’d never seen inside him.

  “Are you talking back to me, mutt?” Jason stepped forward.

  Jax moved in front of him, and although he stood inches below Jason, he looked up with a commanding presence. “If one of us fights, we all fight.”

  “The more the merrier.” Lena laughed. She wrapped her power around the shifters and raised them into the air. Growls shot out from the sky and clear fluid rained down as they began to shift. Willy stepped away as his pack was engulfed by the magic, and there was power coming off of him.

  Rayna and I brought our magic up together and unleashed it on Lena. The ground shook as Rayna’s earth element came to life, and a thick wall of rock formed behind Lena. I pushed my element out in a fierce wrath of water and it slammed into her, smashing her against the newly made wall.

  Lena’s power collapsed and the shifters dropped, landing hard on the pavement. There were a few yelps, but in moments they were on their feet. Solid black, gray, and white wolves crept forward, some standing six feet high on all four legs. Their lips peeled back and they bared white teeth.

  Willy’s human body hit the broken asphalt and swelled. Sweat dripped off his face and he grunted. Skin broke around his hands and arms, leaving gray, white, black, and red fur exploding from the wounds. He muffled a scream as his body convulsed and long fangs dropped from his gums. His face moved and deformed as bones snapped, morphing into a full wolf. He looked at me, and the brown of his eyes was gone. Colorless orbs stared at me, a single black pupil in the center of a sea of white. His body cracked as it made a few final adjustments and he completed the shift.

  He was smaller than the other wolves, only coming up to my stomach. His long, chameleon fur changed color as he moved in and out of the shadows. It started as a mess of colors, quickly changing to black, then gray, and finally fading to white with spots of brown, but his face remained entirely red, making his colorless eyes look fierce.

  Willy lowered himself to the ground, and a low rumble started in his throat. He lunged towards me with open jaws, baring long, violent fangs.

  My eyes opened wide and I ducked, the bottom of his paws skimming over my head. Willy crashed into a hunter that crept up behind me, jaws clamping around him. The hunter screamed as teeth closed around his neck. He brought his element to life, but before it could be released, Willy jumped back, tearing out his throat and silencing both him and his magic.

  Blood burst into the air and Willy shook, flinging the loose flesh from his mouth. The bloodied skin hit the pavement with a wet slap, and Willy howled into the midnight sky, his fur changing to match the solid red of his face.

  I froze in surprise. I'd never known Willy to hurt anything, and he'd just killed someone to save my life. I was caught up in disbelief and didn’t see Brock move in behind me. I heard the click of his lighter and the onslaught of heat warmed my back, but it was too late for anything but defense. I ripped my element up and turned to face him. A shield of blue water exploded in front of me, meeting his orange flame. His magic had gained enough momentum that it hit my shield and blew me backwards.

  My power dissipated and I tumbled through the air. Brock pushed his magic over me again and I pulled my element back up. Power surged over my body, and as I hit the pavement rolling, water drew itself around me. A wave of heat pushed against me, but it couldn’t penetrate the orb of water that engulfed me.

  I stayed hunched down, trying to keep my focus while in amazement of the cool liquid that drifted over my body. When the heat vanished, I let the magic break and the orb collapsed, soaking me from head to toe.

  Rayna and Lena's magic had receded and they were taking turns in hand to hand combat.

  The werewolves fought against the Underworlders, who had changed from their human shape and unleashed their demons. Gladiator demons stalked the streets, although among the slowest of the Underworlders, they were the strongest and most brutal warriors. Shoulders broader than two grown men supported muscles that a human body couldn't carry. Thick red veins pushed against orange skin, and a second set of massive arms exploded beneath their first set. Two pairs of large hands carried small, bone-lined spikes over them, turning their fists into razor sharp blades. Bead
y, red eyes shone from beneath thick brows as they moved in an unorganized group of power.

  They caught the wolves and tore them from the ground, driving sharp fists into their sides. Another Gladiator grabbed two of the shifters and tossed them left and right along the pavement, leaving their furry bodies to slide across the road. The pack was struggling, but I didn’t have time to help them. Willy was fending off three different hunters and Brock had focused his attention on him.

  I moved with a hunter’s speed and drove my shoulder into Brock as he tried to bring a blade down on Willy’s back. His ribs cracked as I tackled him to the ground, and his blade skidded across the road.

  Anger rushed through me and I felt the fire riding my veins as I unleashed a fury of punches. Heat pushed itself from my knuckles, scalding Brock’s skin with each connection. I used that power to hit harder and I kept swinging until he lost consciousness. His chest moved up and down, but his face was a mess of burns, bruises, and blood. I pulled my dagger from its sheath and brought it up above my head, but I couldn’t drive it into him. I grew up with Brock, and as much as he was a jerk, I couldn’t take his life.

  Rayna ducked as Lena’s leg swung over her, and with a burst of magic, Rayna struck out with the force of solid earth. Green energy formed around her fist while rocks and pieces of asphalt broke from the street and wrapped around her. Rayna launched a fist of stone forward, and as it slammed into Lena’s jaw, her head snapped to the side and her eyes rolled back in her head. Lena’s shoulders drooped and her knees buckled, her body collapsing to the ground.

  “Don’t ever call me a bitch again,” Rayna said, towering over her. Her power vanished and the rocks crumbled, falling off her hand.

  The wolves had taken control and cornered the last Gladiator demon. They moved as a single unit stalking their prey. Willy had joined them, and they all pounced at once, jaws snapping and latching around the demon’s limbs. The sound of tearing flesh rode the air, and moments later, bright red and orange lights exploded as the demon caught fire and burnt to ash.

  The wolves turned and Rayna moved beside me as they crept forward. My stomach clenched and I kept my magic just beneath the surface. As they closed the gap between us, the fur began to shed. Bones cracked and parts that shouldn’t have been able to, moved. Their bodies moved and shifted until they had regained their human form.

  Jax stepped towards me and extended his hand. I looked at it for a moment before I shook it. Considering he was naked, it should’ve been awkward, but the surge of battle overrode the strangeness. At least it did for me.

  “Oh, gods.” Rayna diverted her eyes.

  “Among our people, Willy is nothing but a coward,” Jax said.

  Willy dropped his head in shame, and disappointment and anger filled me.

  “But…” Jax continued. “He took a stand tonight. Willy doesn’t stand up for himself. Not ever. Yet he risked his life for you. That speaks volumes about how you treat your people. Hunter or not, your pack respects you, and I respect that.”

  I nodded.

  “Willy.” Jax turned to face him. Willy brought his eyes up hesitantly, as if he was about to be beaten. “You hang your head in shame. You stutter because you have no confidence, and normally you let others determine who you will be. Tonight, you decided. You chose not to take a coward’s road. Even when you thought we didn’t stand behind you, you stood for your friend. Hang your head no more. That is honor, my brother. You should carry it proudly.”

  Warmth filled me as I watched a new light shine in Willy’s eyes. His chin rose a little bit higher, and he stood taller than he ever had before.

  “Thank you,” he said clearly.

  “Tonight, we celebrate. A cub has become a wolf, and a boy has become a man. Tonight, my brothers, we hunt!” Jax yelled and the others howled.

  Energy merged around us, and in moments, the men standing before us were no longer men. Their animal forms took over and Willy’s wolf stepped forward, colorless eyes staring up at me with pride. His fur cycled through the colors, finally settling on a mismatch of red, black, and white.

  “Thank you, Willy. I owe you. Again.”

  Willy howled, and the other wolves followed suit before they turned and trampled down the road, disappearing among the shadows.

  “Wow,” Rayna said. “Shifter or not, I’d never have guessed Willy had that in him.”

  I stared down the dark street and nodded. The smile that hung on my lips was unmovable in that moment. “Neither did I.”

  Chapter 25

  Tiki was asleep when we got back to the condo. He wasn’t going to be of any use if he was exhausted, so we gave him the night to rest. Rayna spent the evening prepping the spell, and I spent the night awake, staring at the ceiling in my bedroom.

  The authorities had left, but the condo’s main floor was a mess. Splinters of wood and fluff littered the floor, black soot clung to the walls and ceiling, and a layer of water covered the kitchen and living room. I should’ve spent my time trying to clean up, but my mind was elsewhere.

  Marcus hadn’t come back yet and I couldn’t stop running through the details in my mind. Part of me was angry and hated him for what he did, but a small part of me knew Rayna was right. Marcus always kept his word, and knowing my mom, she wouldn’t have given him a choice. It didn’t take the anger away, but it did make the hatred fade.

  First thing in the morning, when Rayna was ready, she ushered Tiki and me into the library. Tiki came up the stairs behind me, his black hair standing in every direction and ruffled from sleep. He was still shirtless and wearing his white pants. He wouldn’t even use the belts we bought him, so the frayed rope still hung around his waist.

  “What happened to the house?” Tiki asked, but neither of us answered. “And where’s Marcus? I have not seen him.” Rayna and I ignored him again and Tiki's orange eyes flickered between us, looking worried. “The house is destroyed, Marcus is missing, and neither of you are talking. What did you do with Marcus?”

  “He’s had a meeting at the Circle. I’m sure he’ll be back soon,” Rayna said.

  “I hope not,” I muttered, and instantly regretted what I’d said. Marcus had taken me in and done so much for me. As angry as I was, he didn’t deserve that. He deserved a chance to explain.

  Rayna sighed and glared at me. “Let’s just get started.”

  “What do I do?” I asked.

  “Nothing. Focus on the ring and be quiet. I need to concentrate.” Rayna opened the book in her hand and magic sprinkled over the room as she began to chant in a foreign tongue. She added ingredients to a wooden bowl, mixing them together with a small stirring stick. A melody of sweet aromas filled the room as it came to a boil without the assistance of heat. The magic thickened, tingling along my skin and filling the room, but it wasn’t her elemental powers at work.

  As Rayna crafted the spell, her slit pupils expanded until there wasn’t a spot of color. The witch inside her came out, and her solid black eyes filled with magic. Her witch rose to the surface, and as her eyes changed, so did the power.

  Wisps of magic moved around her and she extended a hand to Tiki. Tiki stepped forward, and the moment they touched, his orange eyes were engulfed with black and the magic came with a crushing force.

  Raging through the air, the spell came to life, moving around me in a whirlwind of energy. Rayna reached towards me and the magic took aim. She repeated the incantation, her voice growing louder as the words came faster. The wooden bowl steamed, bubbles of liquid spilling over the edge. The bowl shook like the table was having an earthquake all on its own. Tremors moved through the condo, the floor shaking and leather bound books flying off the shelves. Thinking it was part of the spell, I didn’t move, but as a minute passed, the magic grew, building towards me in a torrent of witchcraft.

  Bright sparkles of light began to shine on the air, flickering in and out of transparency. I could see the power forming around Rayna. Her black eyes were locked with mine. The magic pushed closer t
owards me, but as the colorful crescendo moved over my skin, it exploded. Colorful light flashed between us and the power shot backwards, blowing Rayna and Tiki to the floor. The spell disintegrated on the air and the sparkles of color faded. The crushing force of magic vanished, leaving only silence.

  “Rayna?” I asked. I wasn’t sure if I should move, but as they both lay motionless, I stepped closer. “Tiki?” There was no response. They were both unconscious.

  Rai fluttered into the room, chirping madly. Her feathers were ruffled and small, but powerful wings fluttered around my head. “Not now.” I shooed her away.

  The aroma from the spell was gone. The bowl was turned over and liquid ran off the table. I moved towards them and the stench of cigarettes took over.

  Tiki stirred and Rayna squirmed along the floor. Their eyes opened in unison and they both looked confused.

  “What happened?” Rayna asked.

  “You were doing the spell and then…you both were on the floor.”

  Rayna’s eyes fell with disappointment. “Dammit!”

  “What is it?”

  She shook her head and jumped to her feet. She picked up the book, flipping back and forth through the pages. “I did everything right.”

  “I smell smoke,” Tiki said, rubbing his eyes. “Did it work? Did you meet the gods?” His voice was innocent and full of hope.

  “Not exactly,” I said, turning to Rayna. “Are you sure you did everything right? Maybe you pronounced something wrong.”

  “I didn’t.”

  “How can you be sure?”

  “She didn’t do it wrong.” Grams’ voice made me jump. “First, she’s nowhere near strong enough for a spell like that. Second, she’s doing the wrong spell. And third, what the hell were you thinking?” Grams snapped, standing at the top of the stairs. A half-burnt cigarette smoked from her mouth and she took a drag, the tip of it lighting up in a glow of orange and red embers.

  “Do you ever knock?” I asked.