“How can you tell?” I asked, inspecting it closer.
I grabbed him by his elbow and lifted his limp arm. Talon hissed the whole way, following his arm up to a sitting position. The change in angle let me see everything better. At the back of his shoulder, I finally caught sight of the joint sticking out in entirely the wrong direction, causing his arm to sit lower than the other.
“I can’t move it, nothing feels broken per se. Just tight, sore, and useless. Now, have you ever done something like this before?”
I shook my head.
My stomach was uneasy. First aid and the medical field had never interested me much. While I could handle blood and gore, no problem thanks to years of a slasher film obsession, limbs going in wrong directions or broken bones poking through skin made me queasy.
“Umm…what am I supposed to do? It’ll just pop back in if I push it, right?” I asked.
“No!” Talon practically yelled, eyes wide like he was horrified by the idea. “You need to move it into position. It’s easiest if you do it in a single motion, twist the arm and push. It should pop right back in. If you try to just shove it in without the twist, there’s a good chance you’ll break the arm. Now, it’s going to hurt like a bitch, but no matter what I say, do not stop until it’s back in. Okay?” he explained.
“O-okay…”
“Just relax. It’ll be okay, and this should be a breeze for you.”
Talon turned his head away from me so he wasn’t watching as I took ahold of his arm. I lifted it slightly and bent his elbow. He groaned loudly, making me have second thoughts.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” I said.
“It’s okay,” he began to say.
Before he could finish I twisted the arm and gave it a hard shove, wrenching it back into its socket in a single fluid motion. My stomach wobbled like I was about to lose my breakfast at any moment, the meaty pop still sounding over and over in my head.
“Fuck!” Talon yelled. “You could’ve given me a damn warning.”
“Well, I was saying that I didn’t want to hurt you, but you didn’t let me finish. I was going to say that if I had to do it, then I would.”
He shook his head in disbelief and moved his arm around to check his range of motion.
Talon opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, a chilling roar shook the forest.
“Is he going to be okay?” I asked, hurting for the pain Justin was enduring.
“I don’t know. It’s never easy to come to terms with something like this. He lost the entire future he had planned for himself on top of sharing his body. It’s just so hard to tell,” Talon said as he got to his feet.
I picked up what was left of his shredded clothes. There was no salvaging them, so I just tossed them in the truck bed. Talon was grabbing clothes out of a bag he’d stuffed under the back seat. He pulled his jeans on, his body sporting new wounds that would join the map of scars already covering him. It wasn’t a turn off in the least but proof of what he’d survived, what we’d survived together, and I knew in that moment what we had was special. It was going to be hard, but nothing worth having wasn’t. There would be dark times and some that would make me feel like I was floating on cloud nine, but I’d have Talon by my side through all of it.
Talon had a grim, yet determined expression etched into his features. He stuffed his feet into his boots and pulled a shirt on as he marched toward the direction of Justin’s pained calls.
“Wait! Where are you going?” I asked, scared of the possibility of losing him again.
“Justin’s hurt, scared, and in a new body he’s never had before. He needs someone to be there to bring him back.”
The way he said it left no room for objections, and he certainly wasn’t going to be talked out of it. Something in the back of my mind was whispering that I would have to pick my battles with Talon, and this one wasn’t worth it. Justin was our friend and he needed help. Talon would never turn his back on someone who needed him, and that was a big part of why I loved him so damn much.
I’d had a lot of time to think when I was driving back home to California. The home I longed for no longer held its special place. Talon had somehow wormed his way into my heart and become the person my soul recognized as home.
“Just…be careful, please?” I asked before he disappeared.
He nodded once and slipped into the dense foliage silently.
There was no telling how long it would take to get through to Justin. The clouds overhead were getting darker, and I’d bet another snow storm was getting ready to invade the area. I wasn’t going to sit around and wait on the mountain. André’s lifeless body was still laying where I’d left him. He’d have to be dealt with if we wanted to avoid the hard questions that would undoubtedly find their way back to Talon and me. Knowing what I did, I knew that could never happen. André would have to be disposed of.
Talon had his work to do, and I had mine, but I still wasn’t sure about being alone in the forest with Justin’s new tiger on the loose. I’d wait until nightfall and come back, but in the meantime, I didn’t know what to do or where to go, but luckily for me, Justin had left his keys in the truck.
My motel room had been temporary, and I was still unsure of where things stood between Talon and me. I’d made a mistake by leaving to begin with, and I only hoped that he could find it in his heart to give me another chance not to run. So, I went the only place I could think of to wait.
His house.
First, there was one stop I had to make before I met up with him.
Chapter 15
Talon
Justin’s calls could be heard for miles in the valley. He sounded close and in a whole lot of pain. Tacking him, I’d followed his paw prints in the snow for close to a mile. The occasional spot or two of blood was enough to tell that Gen hadn’t been wrong when she’d said she hit Justin in the skirmish. He’d be fine physically if he hadn’t already healed, but I couldn’t imagine how scared and confused he was. I’d lost his tracks on the ground so I’d started looking to the trees.
I caught a glimpse of movement in the branches several yards ahead and stopped. It had been a long time since I’d dealt with a near feral shifter. Justin probably didn’t even know what had happened to him or what he was, and I was willing to put money on it.
“Justin? Is that you, man?” I called, crouching low.
I had to remember what I was dealing with. It may be Justin, but his animal was new and the two of them needed to learn how to accept each other and work together. Once he could do that, he’d be able to move forward, but in the meantime, the tiger had taken control, and he was in survival mode.
I heard a low grumble from where I’d seen the motion. Justin leapt down from the piney canopy and landed almost silently in front of me. His coat was snow white like André’s had been, and his stripes were as dark as midnight. He was a rare one indeed.
I’d heard rumors of the white tigers in the Far East. They were known as a reclusive bunch and held the reputation of being bloodthirsty savages. They kept their clans pure and picked breeders to further their lines, and here, André had created the only white tiger outside of his family. I’d bet he hadn’t even counted on Justin surviving the first shift.
Justin’s eyes were bright amber and wild, sizing me up. Averting my gaze, I made sure not to make direct eye contact. He’d see it as a threat and challenge for dominance, a move that would set him off. He didn’t have enough control to hold back the beast yet, but Justin was in there somewhere. I just had to find him.
“Justin, it’s me, Talon. Listen, I know you’re in there, and I know you’re scared and really confused, but I need you to listen.”
His ears lowered and flattened against his head. His lip lifted slightly, showing his canines as though he were saying don’t fuck with me.
“This isn’t fair, and it’s going to take some time to adjust, but you’re going to be okay. You’re in there; you just have to find your way back.
This tiger is a part of you now. You need to get to know each other and find your balance. In order to do that, you need to help the tiger understand the threat is gone. You’re both safe.”
Justin hissed at me, his tail flipping back and forth behind him. It wasn’t going well.
I took a step back and lowered my body further. Exposing my neck could go one of two ways. It could either lead to being mauled and having my throat torn out, or it could show Justin I wasn’t a threat and calm the situation down enough to bring about his shift. My friend was worth more than my pride, and it was a chance I just had to take.
Tipping my head to the side, I looked away and exposed my neck. I kept my breathing steady and tried not to be too tense. He stalked forward, not making a single sound as he moved until he stood only a couple inches away. He scented the air around me, a low grumble emanating from his throat.
It wasn’t threatening, more like calculating. He huffed, throwing small droplets of saliva across my face and neck. His breath was hot against my skin, and gooseflesh covered me as I tried to remain calm. My heart was pounding, and the bird wanted to take flight and strike down any threat to us, but this was Justin.
He stepped back, giving me a little more room to breathe and his body began to break, reform, and tuck the monster back inside him. It was slow and excruciating. Thankfully, he’d never have to go through his first shift again, and it was a notoriously horrible experience even for those born with their animal side. His feline screams turned into manly whimpers and grunts. Justin’s muscles jumped and twitched as he settled back into his body.
His knees dug into the earth, and he was half curled in on himself with his hands gripping the ground to keep him up. He was trembling and panting.
“J?” I asked, not wanting to jump the gun and lose the precious progress we’d just made.
His breath came out in little clouds in the cold air. A sob wrenched from his chest and exploded from him as he crumpled against me.
“I’m so sorry, man. So fucking sorry,” I said over and again.
His tears soaked my shirt, but none of it mattered. Justin had been a shining star in a town full of fading light bulbs. He had a future planned out and was trying to build something for himself, and now? It was all gone. Having been born with an animal, I’d always known it was a secret that desperately needed to be kept, and the burden was a heavy one.
My father had taught me the eagle was a gift, and I’d never thought differently. At least not until Gen and Justin had been dragged into the mess. Gen was tough, and I knew she’d bear the weight of this life with a smile on her face and her middle finger to the rest of the world. Justin though, he’d always been resilient, but he’d been working toward building something that would bring the love of his life back to him. I’d told him a dozen times that it’d been five years and it was time to move on. Lanie wasn’t coming back, but he’d never lost hope. He’d told me what they had was special, the once in a lifetime sort of love, and she’d find her way back to him. His tiger was a man eater, dominant as hell, and would likely fight tooth and nail for control of the man too. That sort of struggle wasn’t the kind you could do with a woman depending on you. That moment in the forest was Justin’s new beginning and rock bottom all at once. Everything Justin had lost had been my fault.
I couldn’t help the tears that slipped from my eyes as I held my best friend while his world fell down around him. If I had listened to my old man and stayed away from the humans, Justin wouldn’t be in this mess. I wondered what would happen if Justin’s beast became too much for him to handle. Would I be able to pull the trigger and do the merciful thing if the time came? I wasn’t sure. Justin was practically family after all. That was a status he’d earned ten-fold.
Eventually, Justin wiped his face with his dirtied hand and pushed up off me.
“It wasn’t a dream, was it? The tiger…that man…that was real?”
I nodded, not sure what more I could say.
“T? I don’t think I can do this.”
His tone was a strange level of serious I’d never seen on him before.
“You don’t mean that. Is it what you had planned for yourself? Hell no, but it’s no reason to give up. If anyone can do this shit, it’s you.”
He just shook his head, not believing a word I’d said. I wasn’t sure I’d even believed myself.
“I almost killed somebody, T. I saw Gen right after it happened and I wanted to shred her. I’ve got to live with that, but what I can’t live with is hurting any more people. This monster just wants to kill everything in its path. How am I supposed to learn to live with that? And forget ever having another chance with Lanie. She would never want something like me, not like this. Not anymore…” he said, trailing off as he got lost in his own head again.
I wished I could ease his mind and set aside his fears, but they were the same fears I had for him. No matter what my worries were, I owed it to him to believe that he could do this and make it work. He had done the same thing for me once upon a time.
“Justin? Do you remember what you said to me when you discovered what I was?”
He nodded.
“You said that I couldn’t change what I was, but I could control who I became. Those words got me through some bad shit, but it’s the truest fucking thing I’ve ever been told and it’s no different now than it was for me then. This doesn’t define who you are as a person. Only you have that kind of power. You’ve never been the sort of man to admit defeat.”
“T, I’m not trying to be awkward, but I think my body’s changing,” he said glancing down at his groin before changing the subject. “I’m not super comfortable walking around with my dick hanging out for the world to see. It’s cold, by the way, just in case you were wondering. Did you bring any clothes with you?”
“Yeah, things are going to be changing for the first month or so. I’m not too familiar with the transition for Turned shifters, but your body is going to do some changing like it did during puberty to help accommodate the new you. As for the clothes, I didn’t bring any out here. There’s some more in the truck though. You’ll get used to the nudity once you get a little more comfortable in your skin.”
“I really don’t think that’s something I’ll ever get used to,” he murmured.
“Trust me on this. It gets easier, and I’ll be here every step of the way, helping you.”
“I don’t know, man. You weren’t in my head when I was like that. He wanted to kill and maim everything. He wanted to rip out your throat, T. What happens if I can’t hold him back?”
“I can take care of myself, but I promise you that if you ever lose the battle and there’s no hope of saving you, I’ll put you down myself.”
“That’s all I ask, man. If the time comes, make it quick and put me out of my misery before too many people get hurt.”
I extended my hand to him, and he grabbed it quick, giving it a tight squeeze. Before we could even shake on it, he pulled me into a bone crunching hug.
“Too tight,” I heaved.
Justin loosened his grip a little until it was manageable.
“Keep in mind that you’re stronger and faster now. You have to know your own strength and what you’re capable of before you slip up and accidentally hurt someone with an overly enthusiastic hug.”
“Noted. Anything else, master?” Justin asked, regaining some of his sense of humor.
“Yeah. Cover your dick, you pervert. No one wants to see that shit,” I jibed, pushing him gently in his good shoulder.
He’d gotten a little bolder and forgotten he was naked while we’d slipped into a steady conversation.
“Don’t lie. You’re a little impressed by it,” he joked, wagging his eyebrows at me.
After a moment, the smile fell from his face.
“What is it, J?” I asked, noticing the shift in his demeanor.
“It’s nothing.”
We started the long walk back to the truck. Despite Justin’s obvious lack of
clothing, the cold didn’t phase him. It had never bothered me either. Shifters ran hot, and the elements didn’t tend to bother us much.
Justin stopped walking and froze, not moving a single muscle.
“Did you hear that?” he asked, eyes wide.
I couldn’t tell if he was scared or excited, probably a little of both.
“Do you know what that is?” I asked, hearing the panicked calls of a wounded elk.
He listened closely for a moment, “elk? About a half mile?”
I nodded, he was even damn near spot on with the distance. Despite being Turned, his instincts would rival that of a natural born shifter. If he could learn to accept his new future, it’d be smooth sailing for him.
“Your senses are heightened now, but so are your emotions and instincts. The tiger will want things you won’t understand at first, but once you both get to know each other better, things will start to make sense. Volatile emotions could force a shift, so it might be a better idea to keep a low profile for a while until you gain some more control over it all.”
“Yeah…maybe that’s for the best,” he replied, but his tone said his mind was still far away from Elk Springs and our conversation.
I wasn’t going to push more information on him that day. He’d already been through hell and back. Justin needed time and space to figure his head out, and then when he was ready, he could come find me, and I’d answer any questions he had.
When we arrived back at my truck, Gen was gone and judging by the faint scent, she hadn’t stuck around too long after we’d parted ways. I pulled open the driver side door and grabbed an extra change of clothes from my stash in the back seat, tossing them to Justin.
“Thanks,” he said as he slid the garments over his body quickly.
“Do you need me to give you a ride home?”
He finished pulling on a gray cotton t-shirt and ran his hand through his hair. It was something he did when he got uncomfortable.
“I don’t want to be more trouble than I already have been. I know Gen’s back, and you need to spend this time with her instead of babying my ass. Walking would actually be good for me. It might give me a chance to get my head on straight.”
Fly Me Home (Rescue Squad Shifters Book 1) Page 15
