Moonlit Feathers

by Sarah Makela

  I dropped onto the couch and brought my knees up to my chest. Cody's smile had dazzled me in a way no other guy had since Ezra. He'd been the one for me. For me to have any shred of emotions kind of scared me, but maybe it was good to feel again. I didn't want to be the hollow shell of a woman that I’d been when I'd come home from South America.

  Chapter Eight

  Morgana

  I arrived a little early for my meeting with Cody. I'd wanted to gather my thoughts before seeing him again. Last night, I hadn't been fully on my game. The conversation with Kevin and the hard flight had both thrown me off. I needed to brush it all off and think about the work. I'd gone into isolation before to keep myself from getting hurt again, but now I thought that if I could throw myself back into my work, I might start healing.

  Granted, this might not be the best return to treasure hunting, but at least it was something. My usual contacts had dried up a little after I'd fallen off the grid. If I showed them I was back, I could get my spot back. And if I wanted to pay my bills, I needed this job.

  Woodland Creek Coffee was located in Old Town. Its atmosphere was cozy and quaint. Kind of like the town itself, which was charming in its own way, with everything one could possibly need. That was one of the reasons I enjoyed living here, even if I didn't roam around town often. People sipped their coffees as they read their books, used their computers, or just gossiped. Two people glanced up as I entered, but most kept their attention elsewhere.

  I wasn't really one for coffee, so I ordered a hot chocolate before claiming a quiet spot in a corner away from the other patrons. When Cody got here, I wanted some semblance of privacy, even though I knew the town had other shifters. Old Town was the go-to locale for magical beings. The only way we'd get true privacy would be to go back to my house, but last night had been so awkward. I didn't trust myself to have him back there.

  The steamy dreams I'd had of him made heat warm my face despite the cool weather outside. Cody seemed like a nice guy. I didn't want him to get tangled up with me.

  My phone buzzed, and I looked down at it to see I'd gotten a new e-mail from another potential client. When it rained it poured, it seemed. My thumb hovered over the e-mail icon, but just then the door chimed to signal a new arrival. Cody. I quickly slid the phone into my purse, knowing I'd be able to check it later.

  He sauntered over to the table first, sliding that mass of well-defined muscle into the chair before me. I bit my lower lip, hating the shift in my thoughts. Like he was some hunky piece of...man. I shook my head.

  "Hey, Morgana. I hope you weren't waiting too long. I got a later start than I'd planned. I dropped off my books at my dorm room before heading over, and my roommate felt like talking."

  "No problem." I hadn't realized he had that far of a walk, or I would've met him closer to his campus. Not that there seemed to be much over there, but I guess it didn't matter now. "Are you going to order something before we get started?" I nodded to the counter where a young barista watched us, or more likely him, while we talked. I looked away from her, because if I didn't, I might march over there and get in her face. Couldn't she see that we were together here? Of course, not as a couple. No. Just business.

  "Yeah, if you don't mind, I think I will." He headed over to the counter, and I watched him go, grimacing at the fact that my eyes raked over him the way his had done to me last night, resting on his perfectly molded backside. He glanced over his shoulder at me, and I caught his grin. How had he known I'd been staring? I turned back to the table, fixing my gaze on my cooled hot chocolate as heat burned my cheeks. How freaking embarrassing...

  I reached into my purse for my phone to check the e-mail, when he came back to the table with a coffee and two pastries. He set one in front of me, and I looked up in surprise. I was never one to turn away a pastry, though.

  He took a sip of his coffee before reaching for the backpack at his side. "This is what I could find on the artifact. We didn't have any pictures of it directly, but there are a couple sketches from some book on Native American shamanism." He sighed. "Sorry I couldn't come up with anything more precise. But I went back to the forest and took a couple of pictures of the damage with my phone." He slid an orange folder toward me, and I peeked inside to see some photocopies from a book and a few printed pictures of what looked like the aftermath of a bomb going off in a clearing...or a tornado, except with glitter and Christmas tinsel? That startled me a little. From the large collection of boulders, it seemed to be near the area where I’d found the golden ball the other night.

  He wasn't my usual clientele, but I could tell this talisman meant a lot to him. However, I had bills. Would he be able to pay me for my time? I hoped we’d be able to work something out. I couldn't disregard his problem on the basis of payment alone, especially seeing the devastation done to that section of the forest. If whoever wielded the artifact used it in the town, people could get hurt, and I wouldn't have that on my conscience. Besides, his parents could have money... It was a family artifact after all. But he’d said they were rebuilding after the tornado. I wasn't heartless.

  Cody sat back in his chair, watching me as if he searched for something in my face. I guess I didn't blame him since I'd been pretty reluctant to work for him last night. I still wasn't sure that this was something I wanted to get into, but it was the right thing to do. As long as I didn't have anyone else around who might get hurt, I would make sure to protect those in need from what might happen if the talisman was activated again. It didn't matter what happened to me. I’d survived unfortunate situations before.

  "So, what do you think?" he asked when I'd let the silence between us carry on longer than I probably should have. "Will you take me on?"

  I opened my mouth, then closed it, searching for words. "Yes, I'll do it." After I took another sip of my hot chocolate, I slid him a form I gave all my clients. "Sign and e-mail this to me at your convenience. Once that's done, I'll get to work."

  He jerked upward in his chair as if shocked by my answer. Before I knew what he was doing, he pulled a pen from his pocket and skimmed the page quickly, before signing it right there. I grimaced at his eagerness, but maybe I'd be the same way in his position. When he slid it back my way, I folded it in thirds before putting it in my purse. "Great. I'll get started today." I lowered my voice to make sure no one around could easily overhear, and tapped the folder. "Do you have the coordinates of where this happened?"

  He frowned and shook his head. "No. I didn't think to look them up, but I could take you by there if you want."

  The thought of spending more time with him was appealing, especially in a place where we wouldn't be under the watchful eye of the barista, but I shook away his offer. If whoever had done that sort of magic was still around, I didn't want him to be in any more danger than necessary. "No, that's okay. I'm sure I'll find it."

  "You're sure?" He raised an eyebrow at me as if I was crazy.

  I was kind of used to that.

  As a Raven shifter, I could cover a helluva lot more ground than any person on two legs. My position in the sky granted me a broad panorama of the forest in great detail with my raven's eyesight. We were used to going on less information than what he'd provided. Besides, I'd been near that area during my previous flight, so I knew approximately where to go.

  He shifted in his chair as if anxious. His eyes darted around the room, and I spotted a wizard from one of the founding families. I could never remember their names, probably because I wasn't sure I wanted to get mixed up with them. Magic and mayhem weren't high on my list of things to mess with, given my history.

  "Are you okay?" I asked, placing my hand over his before I realized what I was doing.

  He froze and looked at me in the eye. Something was different there, a little more primal than it had been. I cocked my head to the side, my raven flapping her wings in frustration. "Sorry." I started to pull away, but he held onto my hand.

  "I'm okay. I just get a little antsy when I'm indoors for too lo
ng." He smiled, but it was a toothy grin that spoke of some fanged animal rather than the cool, calm guy I'd met last night.

  For a moment, I considered pulling away a little more strongly, but I knew he wasn't trying to intimidate me. Perhaps he wasn't human. I couldn’t decide if I thought he was something more. I was intrigued, but it wasn't my place to ask, especially not here in front of all these people. While the supernatural was an open secret around town, I didn't know if he was open with that side of him or not.

  "Mind if we get out of here and take a walk?" he asked. "I could use some fresh air."

  Glancing back toward the counter at the nosy barista, I nodded, taking my paper cup of half-drunk hot chocolate with me. I could use some air too. Too bad people didn't look kindly upon women stripping naked and turning into ravens in the middle of town, or I wouldn't have need for a car. My natural form was a much more efficient method of travel. Although, there was something about those powerful machines. I looked to my black Dodge Charger, parked in front of the coffee shop, and smiled. Just because I preferred flying didn't mean I couldn't enjoy earthly luxuries.

  We walked along the sidewalk on Old High Street, past a tattoo shop, the real estate office, and a bookshop. A companionable silence stretched between us. We cut across the road and behind the Pond & Duck Restaurant to a walking path that circled the lake. He didn't say much as we watched the ducks quack at us, but neither did I.

  "So," I said, finally breaking the silence between us midway around the lake. "Anything else you can think of regarding this talisman?" I glanced to my right at him. My gaze zeroed in on the way his shirt clung to his muscles. I couldn't fight my growing attraction for him, even if it was the last thing I wanted.

  Focus on the job, not on him.

  He shrugged. "No. Just be careful." Something in the way he said that made me pause. Perhaps he cared about what might happen to me… Or I could be hunting for something scarier than I realized.

  Chapter Nine

  Cody

  After seeing Morgana stare at the barista more than a few times, I knew she was growing as uncomfortable in the coffee shop as I was. The wizard and other magical beings in there set me on edge when we were discussing such a sensitive subject. Besides, my coyote couldn't stop drooling over how beautiful Morgana looked today in her tight black empire waist top and blue jeans that hugged her every curve. It was all I could do to keep my mind on the subject. I should've been concentrating on getting back the talisman, but I really just wanted to know if she had a boyfriend.

  I didn't like seeing the hesitation in her eyes as I asked her to take care, as if she wasn't used to hearing those words. What kind of an existence did she lead? I kept thinking back to the ‘Kevin’ she’d been on the phone with yesterday. The thought of him being her boyfriend frustrated me, even though it shouldn’t.

  I let her lead after a while walking around the lake. Silence descended once again as we looped back around toward the coffee shop. She tossed her paper cup in a recycle bin in front of the bank. We walked across Old High Street and stopped in front of a black sports car. I raised an eyebrow at her, a bit surprised by her mode of transportation. Morgana was a surprising kind of gal, and I wanted to know more of her secrets. She seemed like she might have a lot of good ones.

  Before I could stop myself, I asked, "Are you in a relationship with someone?" It was pretty damn brazen. While I might've been a confident guy, I wasn't normally like this.

  She looked up at me with something akin to shock on her face. "Excuse me?"

  I opened my mouth to apologize, but she spoke first. "That's not any of your business. I'm working a job for you, against my own better judgment. I don't know what you've heard about me, but I do not have relationships with my clients." She stomped toward her car door, but I got there first, blocking her from opening it. "Get out of my way, Cody."

  "Wait, please. I'm sorry, okay?" I grimaced as she pushed against my chest, but I didn't budge. I couldn't lose her help because of my own stupidity. "It was silly of me to ask..." A few women walked past, giving us uneasy looks and making me feel even more like a jerk than I already did. "But it wasn't your reputation that made me ask. I..." I squeezed my hands into fists, trying to get the words out of my mouth, even though I'd had no problem with that a few moments ago. "I admire you, okay? I like you. I'm sorry I asked like that, but I'm not sorry because I would like to hang out with you."

  She frowned up at me, not looking quite as hostile anymore. Just...confused. "I don't think that's a good idea."

  It was my turn to frown. What? How could she say that it wasn't a good idea? I didn't care if she didn't have relationships with clients. I wouldn't be her client forever. My coyote growled, and the sound trickled from my lips. I coughed, trying to distract her attention from the sound, but I knew by the questioning look on her face that she'd caught it.

  Morgana widened her eyes at me, but something about her posture changed a little. "I'll drive you back to campus. Get in."

  I raised both eyebrows at her, but did as she said.

  She started the car and threw it into reverse, zipping out of the spot while another car tried to ram past, forcing them to stop. "First of all, no, I'm not in a relationship." The car behind us honked their horn a few times, and she muttered a few curses under her breath. When we were off and away from them, she glanced at me and shook her head. "You probably see me as some strong chick with a pretty face, but even if I liked you too, I don't think getting anywhere near me would be a good idea." She let out a shaky sigh. "I'm not good with holding onto people."

  "What's that supposed to mean?" It wasn't my business, but if she was going to give that kind of reason, I wanted to know.

  "Every time I get close to someone, they end up going away." Her hands shook, and she clenched them tighter on the steering wheel. "Instead of causing any more trouble for anyone, it's just best for me not to go there again." But when she looked my way, I wondered for a moment if that was as hard for her to say it as it was for me to hear it.

  I didn't feel quite as pissed off anymore. I could understand where she was coming from. Losing a lot of people close to them would make anyone unwilling to connect with others. I sometimes wondered if my own desire to connect wasn't because I’d never really known that kind of love. I’d never really had anyone worthwhile.

  I looked up as we approached campus and glanced over at her as she slowed. "I'm truly sorry for your loss, but don't think I'll let this go so easily. You deserve to be happy again." I gave her a half-smile, not feeling like I could give a whole one. "Let me know when you find out news on the talisman." Her eyes watered a little, and I climbed out of the car, unable to watch her cry.

  It was time for me to visit my grandmother and tell her what was going on. If anyone could give me more information on the talisman, it was her. I was concerned about Morgana going after it alone. I'd seen the damage it could cause. While I didn't want to insert myself into her life, I was serious when I said she deserved more from life. She deserved happiness.

  I pushed my bag up higher on my shoulder and headed to my dorm room. It'd be easier for me to travel to my grandmother's if I was in coyote form. I was faster on four legs, and after that incident with Morgana, he was ready to run off the stress we were both feeling.

  Chapter Ten

  Cody

  The thick set of oaks that lined the well-trodden path to my grandmother's house were ancient. When the Miami tribe first settled in the area, it was said that the spirit of nature herself gave a powerful shaman the trees. Now, many generations later, the trees still grew, even in adversity and dry seasons. Some thought it was a blessing, or magic at work, but I knew that my grandmother went to great lengths to care for the trees each day. It was her way to keep in touch with the legacy given to her for safekeeping.

  My paws sank a little into the fertile ground as I made my way toward her home. In my mouth, I carried a red duffel bag with a change of clothes. It bounced with each step, but I
paid it little attention. The air was silent to human ears, but for mine it was alive with the whispers of unspoken secrets. Tribal magic hung heavily in the air, permeating the forest all around me. It charged the edges of my fur, revitalizing me with its presence.

  Despite the run, my coyote and I were eager to feel the wind rush along our fur as we darted through the forest. It seemed to be the only time my mind was clear anymore, not clouded by unnecessary garbage that had little to do with everyday life. I could go for weeks without running through the forest, but lately it had become a constant itch beneath my skin, the fur within desperate to find a path of least resistance to push through.

  Before I’d made it halfway to the house, the door opened. My grandmother walked onto the porch, her wizened frame old and frail. Her features were always unreadable, but the light of clarity in her eyes remained. "I was told you were on your way, Grandson. Come up here. The forest is uneasy," she said, waving me closer. Her voice carried easily across the distance between us.

  Picking up my pace, I dragged the bag of clothes up to her porch. Without asking for permission, I let the shift take hold of me. She’d lived with shamans and shifters all the years I had known her. Her eyes were turned toward the road while my spine twisted back into its human configuration and my fur made way to my pale skin.

  When I first learned to shift, she’d been there to guide me. She had been there for everyone in the tribe, whenever they had a problem that needed her attention. No one ever called her. She simply knew when to be there.

  My shift was over almost as soon as it had begun. I smirked as I caught an appraising look from her.

  "Down to a less than a minute. Good." She nodded, pride evident in her voice.

  I opened the small duffel bag and pulled on my clothes while speaking to her. "Yes, the coyote is ready to roam Running Deer. It's a welcome change from the paved world of humans. Could we step inside? I need to talk to you," I asked cautiously. One didn't boss around a shaman, regardless of how close one was to them. That's one of the things my grandmother had managed to drill into my thick skull—respect your family.