Seeking Shapeshifters

by Rebekah L. Purdy

  I snorted. “That’s incentive?”

  “Shinew!” the coach hollered again.

  Carsen bounded down the stands causing the fans to cheer. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone sit down next to me and I gasped when I realized it was Talon.

  His arm grazed mine, and my fingers clutched hold of the bleachers as I slid over to put distance between us. There was no way I could handle the connection tonight. I’d spent too much time as of late trying to keep my thoughts at bay.

  “I think you need to stay away from Carsen. You don’t understand everything he’s risking by dating you,” he said at last. “All it takes is one mistake or misstep, and he could hurt you.”

  Ferren stood behind Talon, avoiding my glance. “He’s right Ima, you and Carsen won’t work out. I know you think this is what you want, but you have no clue how powerful we are. How hard it is for us to stay focused in our other form. ”

  I took a staggered breath. “I thought you were my friends.”

  My eyes welled, but I blinked back the tears. The last thing I wanted to do was break down crying in front of everyone. They needed to know I wasn’t weak, that I could handle whatever they threw my way.

  “We’re too different, Ima. And now that you know what we are, we can’t afford to be seen with you. I mean what’s to keep you from telling people?” Ferren asked, toying with the fringes on her scarf.

  My bottom lip quivered. Maybe they were right. Maybe I was in way over my head. Yet, I couldn’t imagine living here and not being a part of Carsen’s life. I shifted my gaze onto the basketball court where he practiced lay ups.

  A single tear slid down my cheek and hit the bleachers. Carsen’s head snapped around as if he heard it. I ripped my gaze from his, and leapt to my feet, hurrying past Talon and Ferren. I sprinted from the gym and into the parking lot, which was filled with trucks, snowmobiles, and snow movers.

  My breath spiraled like smoky clouds, and I zipped my coat against the frigid air.

  “Ima.” Carsen’s voice stopped me in place.

  My body stiffened, but I kept my back to him, continuing to walk until his hand shot out and caught my arm.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Home.” Okay, just keep it together and leave.

  “Why? I thought you came to watch me tonight.”

  “I did.”

  “Okay, so are you weirded out because I asked you to be around me while I shifted?”

  I whipped around to look at him. The tears on my lashes froze, my teeth chattered against the cold wind.

  His blue eyes pierced mine, as he stood there in his basketball uniform, unaffected by the arctic elements.

  “No, I’m not freaked out by you,” I whispered.

  Confusion traced his features. “Then why are you leaving?”

  Footsteps crunched in the snow behind us and Carsen’s face grew dark. He snarled when he spotted Talon and Ferren.

  “You two said something, didn’t you?” he accused. “How about you guys stay the hell out of my business!”

  “This isn’t just about you.” Talon punched the hood of a nearby truck. “Damn it, Carsen. If you tick her off or break up with her like you’re prone to do, then she might say something to the wrong person.”

  “For once Carsen, listen to Talon,” Ferren said.

  “I can’t believe you, you’re blood. I’d expect this from Talon, but not you.” His jaw tightened and I backed up.

  I wished they’d just listen to me when I told them they could trust me, that I’d do anything to keep them from danger.

  “We know you well enough, Car—you’re never with a girl for more than a few weeks,” Ferren said. “You like the challenge and that’s it.”

  She gave me an apologetic look as I stared on in misery. But I’d heard it before. Heck, half of the school warned me about him my first day here.

  “This is different, she’s different,” Carsen said, his words coming out hoarse. “I love her.”

  A silent exchange went around between the three of them. Ferren and Talon appeared startled as if they’d been hit with a hammer.

  Ferren shot me another glance. “Are you sure?” she whispered.

  “I’ve never been more sure about anything.”

  “Then this changes everything,” Talon said, his eyes blazing like molten lava. I watched his hands clench and unclench several times, his mouth drawn down. He shifted from one foot to the other, like he might leap into the air and disappear.

  “Shinew, we’ve got a game, get back in the gym.” The coach stuck his head out the door.

  “Be right there, Coach,” Carsen called.

  “The game starts in three minutes.”

  “I’m coming,” he said.

  Talon shot me a strained look and took a step toward me. His gaze softened, and I saw the contempt melt away. He stared at me like I’d seen Carsen do so often. He opened his mouth as if to tell me something, then snapped it shut. His jaw clenched and he spun on his heel, stalking off into the night.

  I fought to maintain my composure. A part of me wanted to run after him, to assure him I wouldn’t hurt his friend. The other part of me remembered our kiss on Halloween and the intensity of that single moment entwined in his arms. He was burned into my very mind, into my blood and I didn’t know how to get him out.

  Carsen tugged me toward the gym and back into the warm school, leaving the other two far behind.

  When we stood outside the door, he turned to me. “Stay,” he said, clutching my face in his hands. His eyes pleaded with me.

  “But your friends…”

  “I don’t care what they think. You’re all I want and need, Ima. How many times do I have to tell you before you let it sink in?” He gave me a crooked grin. “I’m offering you my heart, so take it.”

  My chest tightened. I needed him, plain and simple.

  “Yes,” I said, clinging to him.

  His warm mouth branded mine, and I knew this was the right choice. For the first time in my life, everything seemed perfect.

  Carsen broke away. “I better get back in the gym or my coach is going to kill me.”

  “That would kind of suck,” I said, laughing.

  “So we’re okay, right?” he said.

  “Definitely.”

  I followed him back into the gymnasium, his tall frame sauntered onto the floor, clad in black and gold. He peered back at me and winked, gesturing for me to find a seat.

  For a moment, I hesitated until I saw Carsen’s grandma waving to me from the front row bleachers, patting the seat next to her. I chuckled, wondering how I’d managed to befriend the most senile lady in town.

  “Come sit with me.” She scooted over. “I need someone to help me cheer for the boy.”

  “Are you sure it’s good for his ego?”

  “Probably not, but we’ll do it anyway.”

  The buzzer sounded the beginning of first period, and I watched in awe as Carsen handled the ball with ease. He swished in his first shot for three points and the Harpooner crowd went wild.

  Carsen’s team kept feeding him the ball and by the end of the first half, he managed to rack up twenty points. During half time, a group of young dancers took to the middle of the floor to entertain the crowd and Carsen’s grandma leaned toward me.

  “No matter what choices you make, Ima Berry, I’ll never judge you,” she said, out of the blue.

  “Thanks.”

  I didn’t have a clue what she meant, but something in her ancient eyes told me she knew something I didn’t.

  “The toughest choices have to do with the heart; he marked you for a reason.”

  “Who?”

  “You already know who, now figure out why.”

  What the hell? If I knew who, I wouldn’t have asked her. I didn’t do cryptic messages real well. I’m a “thinking inside the box kind of girl”.

  Yet, I knew I had to figure this out because something dark lingered on the horizon, something I had to be pr
epared for.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Love

  Wringing my hands together, I waited in my living room for Carsen to pick me up Sunday morning. I wasn’t sure what to expect, which made me nervous. Keetah lifted his head as I paced by him for like the hundredth time.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” I said. “I’ve got to do this, besides Carsen loves me and won’t let anything happen.”

  Saying it aloud calmed some of the butterflies, but in the end, my tension got to Keetah too and he began to follow me around the house.

  When a horn blared from the drive, I rushed outside to meet Carsen and Ferren who sat waiting on ATV’s. I pulled on my gloves and tightened my scarf as I slid behind Carsen.

  We sped away from town, the wind biting and nipping at my body. I wasn’t sure how long I’d be able to stay in the cold like this even with the layers I’d put on.

  We came to the familiar area where one of our Berry S.I. cameras had been set up near the creek; the same camera that’d come up missing a couple of weeks ago. My being here with Carsen and Ferren made it more obvious as to who took them down.

  I unhooked my helmet, setting it on the back of the four-wheeler before following my friends.

  They strode toward the creek and when we stood on the shore, Carsen turned, hefting me up into his arms. He walked through the frigid water like it was a hot bath and I peered at them waiting for them to turn into ice.

  Once we got to the other bank Carsen set me back on my feet then started to take off his coat, boots, and shirt. My mouth gaped open like a guppy in a fish bowl as I trailed his six-pack and chest with my eyes. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my heart rate.

  When I finally raised my gaze, I saw him staring at me with a cocky grin.

  “I like to work out,” he said.

  “Yeah, I uh—noticed.”

  I tore my eyes from him, focusing on Ferren’s pale face. She rocked back on her heels, stepping toward me.

  “I’m not sure I’ll be strong enough if something goes wrong, Carsen.” She faced him.

  My body stiffened when I heard the question in her voice.

  “I need to know her scent, to know I can be around her when I shift. This is important to me,” he said.

  Ferren chewed her bottom lip then motioned for me to stand next to her. “I hope I’m strong enough to do this,” she mumbled, seemingly more to herself than to me.

  “I love her, I’ll recognize her.”

  Something splashed in the water behind us and I swiveled around to find Talon joining us.

  Carsen appeared relieved to see him. “I thought you weren’t going to show.”

  “Yeah, well the last thing we need you to do is kill an outsider and bring us trouble,” Talon said in an acidic tone.

  “Thanks bro—for having my back.”

  Ferren moved away from us but stood in a ready position, while Carsen went behind an outcropping of rocks to shift. I watched him toss his jeans to Ferren and noticed the change in my blood pressure.

  Talon came up behind me, pressing himself against my back and I choked back a gasp as I leaned into him. His breath was hot against my cheek and neck as he bent forward to clasp my hand. He raised both of our arms like we were reaching for something in front of us.

  Yes.

  The voices pounded in my head like horses stampeding.

  He was so close I smelled his cologne, and felt his heart thumping against my back. Sensation after sensation webbed out from his touch. I floated on a river of awareness as the silvery threads began to ensnare us.

  Mine.

  “No,” I answered in a hushed voice. Yes, my heart screamed in retaliation. I wasn’t going to give into this. Not now. Not here. This was Carsen’s moment.

  “Crap,” I heard Talon mutter behind me. “Stay still, Ima.”

  “I’m trying.” I closed my eyes. There had to be a way to break this strange connection Talon and I had. I mean we didn’t even like each other. But the memory of our kiss on Halloween made me think otherwise.

  Snap-crack! The sound of Carsen shifting filled the air, echoing off the rocks and I inadvertently spun around, clinging to Talon for protection. A hiss escaped Talon’s lips as he stared down at me, his grip pulled me closer.

  “Ima,” he whispered.

  “Ye—yes.” My hands trembled against his chest.

  “Please turn back around, I can’t do this. We can’t do this,” he said with confusion. His eyes begged me to listen. I nodded, and with his arms around me, I turned, facing forward. There, loping toward me in slow motion was a large polar bear.

  Talon helped me to keep my hand steady as Carsen approached. He focused on Talon’s arms around me and a low snarl sounded at the back of his throat before latching onto Talon’s forearm with his teeth.

  Talon said something in what I assumed was Inuit and Carsen let go.

  “Don’t be a jerk.” Talon released me.

  With shaky hands, I reached out to touch the bear’s head. His fur was thick, and his eyes blazing blue. He nuzzled me with his snout before circling me. He sniffed my hand, rubbing his head against my waist. I ran my fingers along his back. It was kind of like I was petting a beloved pet.

  I stayed cemented in place until he disappeared back behind the rocks. The same tearing, and ripping, and breaking sounded in the air before Carsen emerged wearing a pair of jeans and nothing more.

  He grinned at me then at his friends. “Thanks for helping,” he said to Ferren and Talon, dismissing them.

  They exchanged surprised looks, but soon trudged back across the creek leaving Carsen and I alone.

  He was before me in one stride, clutching me against him. He pulled my scarf down, playfully nipping at my bottom lip. I raised my hand to touch his face as he covered my mouth with his.

  We embraced, ignoring the winter winds, and fast falling snow. I was aware of nothing else but Carsen when he lifted his head and smiled.

  “I knew you were the one, Ima. I never thought I’d find someone like you, someone who makes me feel so complete,” he said.

  I snuggled into his chest. “I keep waiting to wake up and find this a dream. It just doesn’t seem possible.”

  “I love you more than life.” He swiped strands of hair from my face. “Before you arrived in Point Hope, I never imagined ever wanting to settle down with anyone.”

  What would happen if Dad decided to move? I didn’t want to think about it. But the thoughts lingered near the surface—a reminder of what was at risk.

  “Why me? You could’ve chosen any girl.”

  “Because your soul sings to me. I can’t explain it in words,” he said. “You’re like sunshine to me.”

  He scooped me in his arms, walking away from the creek.

  “Where are we going?”

  “I want to bring you someplace,” he said.

  He carried me until we came to an ancient sod house in the middle of nowhere. Carsen pushed the door open and we stepped into the dimness of the home. My gaze drifted over the furs that decorated most of the place. Old whalebone carvings hung on the walls and shelves, while hand woven mats lay scattered throughout the room.

  A table made of wood and whalebone sat near the back wall with wooden dishes setting on top of it. But what surprised me most was the warmth radiating from the small space.

  “This was my great-great grandpa’s house,” Carsen said. “I like to come here when I want to be alone or hide.”

  “It’s cozy.” I ran my hand over a nearby fox fur.

  Carsen sat down on some of the furs, pulling me down with him. He wrapped me in his embrace, tugging the furs over us to keep me warm.

  “I’m beginning to think you bring all the girls here.”

  He chuckled. “No, you’re the first and only girl I’ve ever brought to the sod house.

  He kissed my cheek and stroked my back, until I nestled closer to him. Everything felt so right. It was as if we revisited the past.

  “It’
s strange. I feel like I belong here,” I said.

  “Of course you belong, you’re mine.”

  But that wasn’t it. I shivered wondering why this place seemed so familiar to me. I scanned the room until my eyes fell upon a baleen basket that looked similar to the one I found on my porch. “What’s that?” I pointed to it.

  “A baleen basket.”

  I laughed. “I know that. I mean what’s the significance of it?”

  “It was likely a gift. Sometimes when we choose a mate or we’re chosen as a mate there are gifts exchanged. A lot of effort goes into weaving, and carving the basket, it’s kind of a tribute.”

  “Oh,” I said, startled.

  So what did that mean in terms of the basket I’d received? I didn’t have a mate, or at least as far as I knew, I didn’t.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Um—nothing.” My smile faltered.

  Carsen folded me into his arms, resting his chin on my head. “I think I could get used to this.”

  “Me too.”

  My head settled on his chest listening to his heart beat like a drum. Everything was as it should be. Carsen loved me. He trusted me with his deepest secret and chose to share this special ancestral place with me.

  Even though I felt contentment, guilt weighed heavy upon my shoulders. I opened my mouth several times to tell him about Dad, to explain why we moved around so much. He shared so much with me—things that could endanger him and his people. Yet, my courage wavered and I never mentioned the TV show, or my involvement with the paranormal.

  “I love you.” My lips brushed his cheek.

  “I love you, too.”

  With my eyes closed, I listened to his steady breathing, his body heat making me drowsy.

  Carsen Shinew stole my heart that day, tugging it from my chest and wrapping it in promises of forever.

  I drifted into a sweet slumber, filled with visions of polar bears, and ancient bonfires. A place where the northern lights spiraled out of control and everyone lived in peace.

  Welcome home, Ima. A familiar voice called out.

  In my mind came the image of the raven soaring above me, singing a song only I heard.

  When I awoke, the light in the sod house had changed and I rubbed my eyes allowing them to adjust to my surroundings. Carsen stirred next to me, stretching out his long limbs and hugging me tight.