"Mr. Kelly, no offense, but this isn't an 'athletic build' I'm freaking huge."
Elyse stifled a laugh.
"Ha, ha. This isn't funny. How am I going to explain this?"
Mr. Kelly rubbed his face and let out a big sigh. "Everything about you is new to us. Your bear . . . it's massive. It's the biggest animal I've come across in 300 years. It only makes sense that your human form would reflect that. As for how we explain it? I don't know yet, but I'm working on it. I'm sorry. It's the best answer I can give you."
Sorry? He didn't need to apologize to me. I was the one who wigged out and trashed his basement. "You've nothing to be sorry about. You guys have been awesome."
"All right, everyone is sorry, and now we're all on the same page," said Mrs. Kelly, in a take charge, no nonsense tone. "We need more data. Orson, back to the darts, you said they worked on you. Explain."
"Right. When the darts hit, I could feel the drugs enter my body."
"That's the silver nitrate - kind of a burning sensation," Elyse said.
'Yes. And I did lose consciousness for a moment, that's why I collapsed. But then, I don't know the best way to describe it . . ." I wracked my brain for the best way to explain what I had experienced. "Quarantined, that's it. My body quarantined the drugs together and kept them from spreading through my system. And it happened automatically. Just one more cool super ability I guess." I smiled at Mr. Kelly, expecting a nod of assurance. Instead, I got a grimace and a slight shake of the head.
"What?" I asked
Elyse answered for her father, "We're strong, fast, we shape-shift into panthers, but we're still limited by physiology. Even in cat form, we're still flesh and bone. Our hearts still beat, blood still courses through our veins. Any of us gets hit with a tranquilizer dart, let alone three, we're down for the count."
"How is it that I can do things you guys can't?" I asked.
"Simple, you're the Ollphiest," said Mr. Kelly.
CHAPTER 13
The day's events had wrung me out. Luckily, the steaks were ready. We all grabbed plates and piled them high with steak, mac and cheese, salad, and buttermilk biscuits. We adjourned back to our spots in the living room and proceeded to eat in silence.
As I chewed on my steak, I pondered on all I'd learned in the past few hours. I was a shape-shifter that turned into a giant bear, a shape-shifter who had joined the hidden world of other shape-shifters that included my girlfriend and her family.
Elyse said she was pretty sure I looked like a Kodiak bear. Kodiak and Polar bears tied for the largest species of bear - apex predators both. I remembered reading somewhere that the largest bear ever recorded was a polar bear that weighed in at over 2,000 pounds. The Kellys assured me I was at least that large. This enormous size had spilled over into my human form, and I now looked like a roided-out gym junkie.
In my bear form, I was basically bullet proof and somehow impervious to the magic that helped contain out-of-control shifters. Both silver and the empowered mage runes hadn't even slowed me down. Mr. Kelly had not brought that fact up yet, but I'm sure it would be the first subject we tackled after dinner. My new super-senses told me that my ability to shrug off all the control measures had Mr. Kelly worried.
Ollphiest.
I was the mythical boogeyman of the shifter world. Continuing to deny it seemed silly. I wasn't ready to share my thoughts with the Kellys just yet, but I think Mr. Kelly was already on that page with me. I was a monster that hadn't been seen in millennia. Why me? Why now? Some would say it was one of those once-in-a-lifetime serendipitous events — a coincidence. Elyse had moved into the neighborhood and we ended up at the same school, end of story. That conclusion was hard for me to accept. I wasn't a destiny kind of guy. I believed you made your own luck and that any achievements were a direct result of how much work you put in. Not anymore. There had to be a reason for all of this, some kind of design. It sounded like hippie mumbo-jumbo, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was coming.
I was pulled from my musings by the clink of plates. Mr. Kelly was gathering up the dishes. I looked down at my plate, surprised to see I had finished my food.
"Did you get enough?" Mrs. Kelly asked.
"Yeah. It was great. Thank you." I handed my plate to Mr. Kelly.
Mr. Kelly dropped the dishes into the sink and walked back into the living room. "There's one more thing I'd like to talk about tonight."
"How I managed to ignore the magic wards," I offered. I knew this was a serious situation. The Kellys would have to inform the shifter council, who would then have to inform the Society itself, and I could guess how they would react, especially with Tommy the Jerk causing problems. It would not be a positive outcome, I was sure.
"Yes. You moved through them as if they weren't even there."
"That's because they didn't work on me, not really."
The Kellys frowned at each other. Elyse was focused on me.
"I could sense the bars. I knew they were there. Kind of like a buzzing in my head, but nothing I was worried about." I shrugged my shoulders in apology.
"Magic doesn't work on you, you're bullet proof, you can decide to just ignore tranquilizers — you're unstoppable. This is not good." Mr. Kelly sighed, leaning back in his chair to stare at the ceiling.
"So he's unique? So what?" Elyse said defensively.
"It's a problem." I didn't take my eyes off Mr. Kelly as I spoke. "I'm dangerous, and it appears as if I can't be controlled. That will not sit well with people like Tommy."
Mr. Kelly met my eyes. "So you understand."
I nodded.
"So, we'll figure something out," Mrs. Kelly announced. "We'll start by working on your control."
Elyse wasn't about to let the topic drop though. "Wait a second. Dad, you said the Society would give Orson the benefit of the doubt. That you and mom would have time to work with him."
"That was before we knew what he was capable of―"
Elyse cut him off. "Before we knew what he was capable of?" Her voice went up in volume as she over-enunciated each word.
Uh oh.
"The world is full of magic . . . magic weirdos." She was shouting now. "Some of whom are crazy dangerous and we're supposed to worry about Orson? Orson, who is the most caring person I know?"
I loved that she was defending me, but what crazy dangerous weirdos was she talking about? Could there be something worse than the shark-nurse? Because that was not a comforting thought.
"Elyse, you know being caring or nice has nothing to do with it. A person's ability to control their animal . . ."
"He controlled his animal just fine!" Elyse jumped to her feet, pointing her finger in Mr. Kelly's face. "After YOU stopped shooting at him!"
I reached out and gently on tugged on her arm. "Hey."
"No. It's okay, Orson," said Mr. Kelly. "Elyse may speak her mind." Mr. Kelly stood up to face his daughter. "But she needs to remember I'm on your side. Katie and I will do everything we can to help you and protect you."
A single tear rolled down Elyse's cheek, and she wiped it away. "I'm sorry I yelled."
"You wouldn't be his daughter if you hadn't," Mrs. Kelly said with a smile.
Mr. Kelly gave Elyse a one armed hug, pulling her tight. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and slid down next to me on the couch.
"So what now? Is there like a training program or boot camp or something for people in my situation?" I asked.
Elyse let out a laugh. "You mean like a summer camp for magic kids? Where you can swim and do arts and crafts?"
"Ha-ha." I gave her poke with my elbow.
"Because places like that do exist. I used to go every year. But it's less swimming and hiking and more guided meditation and combat training," Elyse added.
"Combat training?" That didn't sound like a smart idea. A bunch of hormonal shape-shifter teenagers living together and learning to fight? I couldn't think a better recipe for mayhem.
"There was no shifting allowed.
It was all about control," Elyse explained, sensing my confusion. "Only on the last night did we get to shift and go for a group run. It was pretty cool."
"That's what we should do," Mrs. Kelly said getting to her feet. "A run. Let Orson experience the joy that shifting can bring."
"Katie, I don't know―" Mr. Kelly began, but Elyse was already jumping to her feet.
"That's a great idea. Dad, you know Mom's always right about these things."
"Thank you, dear." Mrs. Kelly gave Elyse a wink. "Richard, we're in uncharted territory. Orson would never hurt Elyse; he proved that earlier. We know he doesn't react well to bars, tranquilizers, and guns, so I think a run is exactly what he needs."
A run?
That's exactly what I wanted to do.
Now.
Immediately.
I tensed, because those weren't my thoughts. It was him — the bear. He wanted out, he wanted to run. I noticed that Elyse and her parents had become still. They were all watching me. Elyse tilted her head in an unspoken question. Of course they could feel my tension, probably freaked them out. Everyone being able to sense my feelings or change in mood would defiantly take some getting used to.
"Sorry. My bear got a little excited about going for a run."
The Kellys relaxed. Elyse just gave me a smile.
"It's settled. A run it is," Mrs. Kelly announced.
Mr. Kelly shook his head, "Okay, but we will need some ground rules. And that's not up for debate," he said, raising his hand to stop Elyse's protest before she could even begin.
"Um . . . I think a run sounds cool and everything but I'm not sure I can, you know, shift at will," I said.
"Nonsense. Richard will guide you through the process. It's much easier after the first time," Mrs. Kelly assured me.
"Orson, are you sure you're up to this?" Mr. Kelly asked.
"Of course he is." Elyse held out her hand, and I took it and stood.
"Yeah, let's do it." I gave her hand a squeeze.
"The rules are as follows: One," Mr. Kelly held up a finger for each point he made, "I decided the path we run. Two, we stay together at all times. Three, if I decide Orson is having difficulties, we stop and return to the cabin immediately." Mr. Kelly looked at each of us until we nodded in agreement.
Mrs. Kelly began to strip. I felt my face flush and looked everywhere but directly at her. Elyse giggled.
"First lesson, nudity among shifters is common, for obvious reasons — the cost of replacing clothes among them. We're not nudists; we don't look for reasons to be naked, but nudity is necessary sometimes," Mr. Kelly instructed.
"Imagine going on a run with twenty or thirty others. It would take forever if everyone had to go into separate rooms to change," Elyse added.
I gave a weak smile and a nod. So, yeah, Mrs. Kelly was completely naked and damn was she hot.
No.
Stop.
I started a silent chant in my head, my girlfriend's mom, my girlfriend's mom, my girlfriend's mom. And then Elyse pulled her top off, and I lost all train of thought. I did my best not to stare, just quick glimpses from the corner of my eye. Yes, she had pulled her clothes off at my house last night, but that was a much more stressful situation. Here, in this cozy cabin in the woods, it was a much more vivid experience. Both Elyse and her mom weren't being sexy in the least; they just clinically removed their clothes so they could shift. But I'm an eighteen-year-old guy and, well, boobs were boobs.
"Orson," Mr. Kelly said, bringing my attention back to the matter at hand. "Your sweats." He pointed at my legs.
"Right. Sweats," I stammered.
Oh man.
This was nuts.
Here goes nothing. I pushed the sweats down over my hips and let them slide to the ground. I was naked, so very naked. Mr. Kelly quickly undressed. I could only hope to look so good at the ripe old age of three hundred. He crossed over to the patio door and slid it open. Mrs. Kelly and Elyse filed out. I followed, trying to play it cool and not cover my junk with my hands.
I watched in awe as both Elyse and her mom shifted. It was fluid; graceful, even. There were no jerky motions or popping noises. Elyse and her mom both fell forward, and in the time it took them to reach all fours, they had shifted. There was only a whoosh of air to signal the change. Amazing.
Elyse's coloring, the black fur with the light red undercoat, matched Mrs. Kelly's; the only difference was in the pattern the red made against the black. They were beautiful. Elyse padded over and nuzzled my hand. I reached out and stroked her head, giving her ears a scratch.
"Okay, Orson, let's get started." Mr. Kelly kneeled down on the patio deck and motioned for me to join him.
Elyse and her mom settled down a few feet away and watched with inscrutable cat eyes.
"Close your eyes and start taking in deep breaths. Fill your lungs as much as you can and then let the air out slowly, completely emptying your lungs before you take another breath," Mr. Kelly instructed.
I did as instructed and took in a long breath. The smells of the forest overwhelmed me and I started coughing. Not this again.
A sputtered, "Whoa," was all I could manage.
"That's all right. Your senses are adapting to all the new input they are receiving. Just breathe through it." Mr. Kelly continued to deep breathe allowing me all the time I needed to calm myself.
I got my coughing under control. With every breath, I took I could smell the surrounding forest. And not just the expected forest-y pine scent, but everything — everything growing and living in the forest. The trees, plants, animals: it was a whole new world, and I was experiencing all of it.
"Good. You're doing real good." Mr. Kelly was speaking in a low deep tone. It was soothing. "Now stretch out your feelings. Visualize the energy emanating from your body. See it being gently pulled, like taffy, in long tendrils stretching out to meet the energy of the forest, the sky, the setting sun. Now, allow your energy to mix with that wild energy."
I could feel it. My body was completely relaxed, but my energy was a spinning ball, moving around me in a whirl. I could sense the places where my energy and the forest's energy were touching. The forest was alive; its energy was wild, ancient, and in some way I couldn't comprehend, tied to all the other forests of the world.
Magic.
I was sensing the magic that was an innate part the planet.
And it was huge.
I almost cried out in delight. How could we, as inhabitants of this planet, miss this powerful force? It was everywhere, in everything.
"Orson." It was Mr. Kelly. I had almost forgotten he was there. "As you connect to the energy, the magic, try to concentrate on your bear. When he comes into focus, imagine merging with him and you will. It's that simple."
Really?
I did as Mr. Kelly instructed. I focused on the feelings I had earlier in the basement before things went south. I recalled the exhilaration that had flowed through me and of the power of that first roar. Oh yes, I wanted out. I wanted to run and run and never stop.
I was Ollphiest.
Calm down! I shouted at the crazy thoughts running through my brain.
I am vengeance, I am the Big Bad and I will not―
I said shut the hell up!
I could feel my body starting to do the vibrating thing from earlier. Nope. Not this time.
"Orson?" Mr. Kelly sounded worried.
I couldn't blame him. The bear shouting weird stuff in my head was a part of me, and I was worried I wouldn't be able to control him. I forced my hand up in a gesture I hoped conveyed that I was good and just needed a minute. Of course, that wasn't true. I wasn't doing well, and in the next few minutes, things were either going to go my way or the bear's way. But at the moment, all I could manage was the hand gesture.
Let me loose, boy.
Nope.
Trust me, it's the only way.
Nope.
Let me loose!
Something wet touched my arm. It sent a jolt through my body. El
yse, it was Elyse. She had nuzzled my arm. I could do this.
I concentrated on the voice in my head. I knew the bear wasn't separate. I knew he was me, at least a part of me, but it was easier to think of him as a passenger in my head. And so I spoke to him as such. Listen up. This is how it's going to be. We will go for a run with the Kellys and you will behave yourself. You will not be a dick. Got it?
Fine. Have it your way. But there will be a time when you will unleash me.
Maybe, but that day is not today.
My body slowly stopped its shaking.
I took a deep breath.
I shifted.
It wasn't the violent explosion like the first time. But it also wasn't as fluid as Elyse and Mrs. Kelly. For me, it was more like melting in reverse. My body shimmered and warped building upon itself until my human form disappeared, leaving only bear. I shook my massive head and sneezed. The force of the sneeze made the patio deck shake. I was a walking earthquake. I was a force of nature and it was intoxicating.
I roared. It wasn't a super loud roar, I was just going for a 'hey world here I am' but from the Kellys response I may have over done it. Mr. Kelly took a few steps back and Mrs. Kelly switched into a defensive stance, tail twitching. Only Elyse stood her ground. She stared me right in the eyes and chuffed. Even in cat form, she could call me a dork.
I immediately sat back on my rump, my front paws in front of me as close to folded as bear paws could get. I was doing my best Yogi Bear impression; I hoped it looked as non-threatening as it felt. Elyse chuffed again and sat down next to me.
"Excellent," Mr. Kelly said, before quickly shifting. His cat was the same size as Mrs. Kelly and Elyse, but his coloring was black with a blue-grey undercoat. He looked wicked-cool.
Mr. Kelly and Mrs. Kelly touched noses and then took off into the woods. Elyse bumped me and ran after them. She stopped at the edge of the trees and looked back to make sure I was following.
Two days ago, I was worried about my class schedule for the fall - would I get the classes I needed, would my student loan fund before the tuition deadline? Now I was a giant bear, about to go for a romp in the forest with my girlfriend and her parents, who were giant cats. Yeah, life had definitely taken a hard turn into the strange.
Orson Page 13
