Autumn's Blood: The Spirit Shifters, Book One

by Marissa Farrar

  “Wait!”

  She looked in surprise from the man’s hand on her arm to his wide-eyed, suddenly pale face which was locked on the monitor screen.

  “Look.” His voice was breathy, and slowly he dropped his hold on her arm.

  Autumn turned to the monitor, a frown creasing her forehead. Then she caught sight of what was happening on screen and gave a gasp.

  “I can’t believe it.”

  On the computer, the chromosomes began to separate, creating a different sequence and number, one that might be a different species all together.

  “How is that even possible?” she asked, her voice hushed.

  He caught hold of her hand once more and lifted it up. Blood ran from the tip, drops spattering the floor.

  “Get another slide.” His words weren’t a request.

  She looked at him and then nodded, realizing that whatever had happened needed to be replicated immediately or they might lose the answer to the puzzle she’d been paid to solve.

  Quickly, Autumn replicated the experiment, using the sample of recombinant human DNA she’d created herself. On screen, the slide showed a regular number of chromosomes for human DNA. “Now what?” she asked.

  “Your blood. You need to add your blood.”

  With her heart in her throat, she held her finger over the slide, squeezing her finger with her other hand to force a drop of her blood onto the slide.

  The moment her blood hit, the chromosomes began to split and reform.

  “Oh. My. God.”

  Haverly leapt to his feet and ran to each corner, flicking something on the security cameras.

  “What are you doing?”

  “General Dumas can’t know about this. Your life is in danger.”

  The excitement she’d been experiencing flipped to alarm. She jumped up. “What?”

  “We don’t have long. Security is going to notice the cameras are out soon enough and come to find out what’s wrong.

  He pulled the slides from beneath the microscope. “We need to destroy these, not that it’s going to make much difference. Your work’s been recorded since you started and as soon as Dumas reviews the recordings, he’s going to see what’s happened and come after you.”

  “Come after me? Why would he do that?”

  “Because you’re the answer, Doctor Anderson. Your blood is the key to turning regular humans into shifters.”

  That word again. “Into what?!”

  “I can’t explain now. I have to get you out of here.” He pulled his cell from his pocket and hit a couple of buttons. He spoke into the handset. “You need to get down here right now. Something’s happened that will change everything.”

  A fresh set of nerves spiked through Autumn’s stomach. Where only seconds earlier she’d been excited and disbelieving about what had just happened, she suddenly wondered if she had something to fear.

  The elevator pinged open. Haverly grabbed her and pushed her behind him. Blake emerged and Haverly’s grip on her loosened. Autumn’s heart picked up pace for a different reason.

  The big man strode in, his bright, dark eyes darting around the room. “What’s happened?” he demanded.

  “You’re not going to believe this, but Autumn’s blood contaminated her experiment samples and the human DNA shifted.”

  Blake looked at her, curiosity in his eyes. “Your blood made the DNA change?”

  “I think so. I’d need to re-run the experiment again to make sure, but it was the only outside factor.”

  “We don’t have time for you to replicate the experiment,” said Blake. “If Haverly is right, we need to get you out of here right now.”

  She looked between the two men in bewilderment. “But what about General Dumas? Isn’t he the one who should be told? This is what he wanted, after all.”

  “He’s the last person who should know.”

  Autumn forced herself to her feet. “I demand to know what’s going on here!”

  Haverly went over to the computer and started to bring up files. “We can’t afford to explain right now. I’ll try to delete as much information as I can, but I’m pretty sure Dumas has everything backed up. He’s going to figure out what happened as soon as he finds Doctor Anderson missing.”

  “Missing?” she said in alarm. “Why am I going missing?”

  “Just go with Sergeant Wolfcollar. He’ll get you to safety.”

  When she didn’t budge, Haverly leaned over and gave Autumn a shove from behind, sending her stumbling toward Blake. He caught her, hauling her up against his massive chest. She stood there looking up into his face, her heart beating too fast and too hard, before she remembered herself. She tried to pull away, but he held her fast.

  “Let go of me!”

  “Not yet.” He looked toward Haverly. “Stay safe and be in touch.”

  The older man nodded. “You too.”

  Autumn found herself being dragged toward the elevator by her arm, too shocked to fight back.

  “The cameras are still live in the here,” Blake told her. “You need to act normal. If someone suspects something is wrong, all the alarms will go.”

  Her heart thudded as they stood in the elevator, rising to ground level.

  “We can get out through the back,” he continued. “Walk quickly, but not too quickly, and stay close to me.”

  Blake still had hold of her arm. “Do I have any choice?” she hissed.

  He spoke without looking at her, staring straight ahead. “No.”

  The elevator doors slid open. Ahead, the security guards sat behind the desk, the metal detector creating a barrier between them and the main entrance. Should I yell for help? she wondered. Yet for some reason, she kept her mouth shut.

  Blake glanced to either side and then turned left, pushing through another set of doors into a long corridor. He still had hold of her arm, but she was pulled tight against his body, hiding the grip he had on her from other people. They passed a woman in a suit, her eyes giving Blake’s body a cursory glance before flicking only briefly to Autumn.

  As they walked at a brisk pace, she felt Blake stiffen beside her. “Dumas is coming,” he said in a low voice. “He’s right around the corner. We need to get out of here.”

  She glanced around for cameras or mirrors, something that would allow him to know Dumas’ position. There was nothing. She frowned. “How do you know that? Are you psychic or something?”

  He smiled grimly at the notion.

  Dumas’ tall, lean form appeared at the end of another corridor, his silver head bent as he spoke to two men in suits. They were deep in conversation, not yet noticing them.

  “Shit!” Blake hissed under his breath. He dodged to their right, pulling her through a side door. They found themselves in a storeroom, the walls bordered by metal shelves filled with cleaning products and laundered lab coats. In the far wall, a silver hatch was embedded into the brick. Blake dropped Autumn’s arm and strode over. Using the handle, he pulled the hatch open to reveal a drop beyond. The silver metal square of the interior was only visible a couple of feet down before it descended into darkness.

  A laundry chute.

  Autumn took one look at the black hole. “You have got to be kidding me?”

  “Do you want Dumas to catch you?”

  “I have no idea! Do I?”

  “Absolutely not, and neither do we.”

  “We? Other than you and Haverly, who are we, exactly?”

  “I don’t have time to explain this to you now.”

  Taking her by surprise, he bent down and scooped her into his arms. She let out a shriek and battered at the thick bulk of his bicep. “Put me down, you fucking Neanderthal!”

  “If you want to stay alive, you’ll do exactly as I say.”

  “Are you threatening me?” She felt faintly ridiculous, trying to be tough when she was cradled in his arms like a baby, but she didn’t know how else to act.

  Any notions of tenderness vanished when he lowered her over the hole. She lu
nged for the edge, grabbing hold, but he gave her a shove and her grip on the edge vanished. She plunged down the smooth surface.

  His voice echoed down after her. “I’m helping you.”

  Autumn fell from the bottom of the chute and landed on her back in a huge plastic container. Her fall was softened by a mound of dirty laboratory coats beneath her. A noise came from above and she realized if she didn’t move, she was likely to be squashed. Scrambling for purchase, she wriggled out of the laundry, grabbed hold of the side of the container and hauled herself out and onto the concrete floor. She barely made it out before Blake shot from the bottom, landing on his feet in a crouch, completely in contrast to her own flailing fall.

  He leapt out after her and grabbed her hand. “Let’s go.”

  Chapter Nine

  OUT ON THE street, Blake looked left and then right, taking a moment to consider his next move. He’d go back to his apartment and gather some things. Hopefully, no one would notice them missing right away or Haverly would be able to make some kind of excuses to throw them off the scent. That would give him enough time to consider his next move.

  Blake closed his eyes briefly and concentrated on his wolf as it ran through the city’s streets ahead of him. The animal’s tongue lolled from his mouth, his eyes bright, adrenaline coursing through his veins. It normally existed in a state of peace, and this new threat had sent fire racing through the animal.

  Go south, Blake willed his wolf. Need transport.

  In his head, a yellow cab and the sign for North Dearborn Parkway appeared. The vehicle should be rounding the corner in approximately two minutes.

  With his hand still firmly wrapped around Autumn’s arm, he strode down the street.

  “Hey! Where the hell are you taking me?”

  She dragged her heels, trying to pull back on him. Though his strength overruled hers entirely, their awkward movements made them stand out and hindered their progress. If they were going to catch that cab, he needed to be on the corner one minute from now.

  “Would you walk?” he growled.

  “No!” She glared at him. “Not until you tell me what is going on and where you are taking me.”

  “I told you we don’t have time right now. If you don’t walk, I’m going to pick you up and carry you over my shoulder. Would you rather I did that?”

  “You wouldn’t dare.”

  “Want to try me?”

  Damn, why did she have to be so infuriating? And why was it this woman who held the potential to change the world?

  She studied his face, clearly trying to decide whether he was kidding or not. “Okay, fine,” she said, realizing he wasn’t joking. She started to walk, hurrying to keep up with his long strides.

  The wolf flashed the image of the cab again, right down the road from them and heading their way.

  “Don’t move,” he told her. With several long, powerful strides, he stepped into the middle of the street. A horn blared, another car swerved around him. He caught sight of the vehicle he wanted heading toward him and positioned himself in the middle of the road, right in its path.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Autumn screamed at him from the sidewalk. “You’re going to get yourself killed.”

  He ignored her.

  The driver caught sight of him standing in the middle of the road and the man’s eyes widened. The screech of brakes tore through his ears and someone on the sidewalk—possibly Autumn—screamed. Blake’s massive hands slammed down onto the warm bonnet of the car just as it came to a standstill. Through the windshield, he focused his gaze on the man behind the wheel. The cab driver stared back at him in shock.

  Blake straightened and strode around to the back. He grabbed hold of the handle and yanked open the door. A businessman sat on the backseat, his briefcase clutched in his lap, his face pale.

  “Get out,” Blake told him.

  “What? No. Are you crazy?”

  The driver twisted around in his seat, his face a mask of alarm and confusion. “This guy has a fare!”

  Blake flicked open the side of his leather jacket, flashing the Beretta 9mm strapped to his hip. “It’s my ride now.”

  The businessman’s eyes widened and he nodded hastily before climbing from the car and hurrying away.

  Blake straightened and motioned to where Autumn still stood, her mouth hanging open. “Come on, get in!” he yelled at her. “What the hell are you waiting for?”

  She checked for traffic, shook her head as if wondering what the heck she was doing, and ran across the street to where he stood beside the open cab door.

  Her blue eyes locked on his. “I think you have some serious issues,” she told him.

  A smile tweaked his lips. “Tell me something I haven’t heard before.”

  She climbed in, and he got in after her. Leaning forward, he told the driver what street he wanted to be taken to.

  “You’re not going to shoot me, are you, mister?”

  “Not as long as you don’t cause me any problems.”

  They rode in silence. He glanced over at Autumn. She stared straight ahead, her lips pressed together, her hands clasped tight in her lap. Had this woman really succeeded where so many others had failed? If Haverly was right, from this day forward, everything could change.

  They turned down his road and pulled to a stop at the sidewalk. Before getting out of the cab, Blake leaned forward and snatched the driver’s ID card from where it swung from the rear view mirror. “I work for the Secret Service. If I hear one complaint about what happened here today, do not think for a moment that I won’t track you down and kill you. Do you understand?”

  The man’s eyes were pools of shock and he nodded frantically.

  “Good,” said Blake, pocketing the card. “As long as we understand each other.”

  He sensed Autumn watching him and turned to her. Held out his hand. “I’m doing all of this to keep you safe.”

  She gave him a thin smile. “Sure you are.”

  Nevertheless, she took his hand and allowed him to help her from the vehicle. With his arm around her waist, he propelled her toward his building. From the outside, the place looked like an industrial storage unit. He opened a corrugated iron door in the side and pressed on the back of Autumn’s head, forcing her to duck as they climbed inside. She shot him a glare of annoyance, but then caught sight of his apartment. Metal pipes ran across the ceiling overhead. The walls were red brick, with only a few large pictures hung—the New York Skyline in black and white, another of a full moon over the ocean, a mountain and forest landscape she didn’t recognize. A couple of leather couches and a glass and chrome coffee table made up the living area. The bedroom had been built on a platform, a set of metal steps leading up to it. Light shafts had been fixed in the roof, so there were no windows, but the clever cylinders of water and chemicals allowed sunlight to filter into the space. Dust motes swirled in the streams of daylight.

  From the outside, no one would know someone actually lived here.

  “This is your home?” she asked, one eyebrow cocked in disbelief.

  “Cozy, huh?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Err, no, not really. I can’t pretend it’s not impressive, though.”

  He crossed the floor to where a kitchenette had been built against the back wall, a black granite kitchen island separating the space from the rest of the room. “I don’t know about you,” he called over his shoulder, “but I could do with a drink.”

  “Well, I could do with you telling me what the hell is going on here.”

  Blake reached into a cabinet and pulled down a bottle of bourbon and two glasses. He poured a shot, downed it in one, and then refilled the glass and topped up the other one. Despite the cool demeanor he portrayed, the events of the last hour had left him shaken. He picked up both glasses and carried them over to Autumn.

  Though he’d never admit it, he wished they were here in different circumstances. The sight of her standing in his apartment spoke to something deep insi
de him. A long time had passed since he’d had a woman here.

  She folded her arms across her chest. “I don’t want a drink.”

  He shoved the glass at her. “Just take it.”

  “I said I don’t want a drink.”

  “Goddamnit, woman.” He downed his own bourbon and then hers. “We don’t have long. Dumas is going to realize you’re missing soon enough and it will only take a quick review of the security cameras to not only see you’re with me, but also that you managed to achieve what he wanted and how you achieved what he wanted.”

  “But isn’t it a good thing? I mean, I have no idea how my blood managed to change the human DNA, but isn’t that what everyone wanted?”

  “Everyone on Dumas’ side, perhaps.”

  She frowned. “Aren’t you on Dumas’ side? What sides are there?”

  His face hardened. “No, I’m certainly not on Dumas’ side. All he wants is to harness shifters’ powers to use them for his own purposes.”

  Autumn pointed a finger. “There! You used that word again, shifter. Are you going to explain to me what a shifter is?”

  He narrowed his eyes at her. “I thought you would have worked that one out for yourself. Aren’t you supposed to have an IQ of 140 or something?”

  She cocked her head to one side. “Well, at least I use my brain instead of relying on my muscle.” She fell silent, thinking. “Okay, so a shifter is whatever the species is that my blood changes human DNA into.”

  “Correct.”

  “I still don’t know what a shifter is; only what its DNA looks like.”

  He locked her eyes with his. “It looks like me.”

  She blinked in surprise. “What?”

  “A shifter is a human who is able to change from their human form into that of an animal spirit guide which has attached themselves to the human spirit at some point in their lives. When the animal spirit and the human spirit merge as one to inhabit the same body, the human shifts into the form of the animal.”

  Autumn stared at him and then snorted in laughter. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  His face hardened. “Does it seem like I’m kidding?”