by J. E. Cluney
I could feel it too. He really did love seeing me happy.
I strode over to the door and unlocked it, swinging it open to stare up at a furious Skip.
“As far as I’m aware, I don’t belong to anyone in this house,” I said bluntly as he gave me a once over. Satisfied I was dressed and untouched, he relaxed a little.
“I know that,” he said as he shifted uneasily.
“Really, cause it seems like you two are fighting over me,” I smirked as I glanced between the pair.
Neither of them said a word as they exchanged looks.
“Now, I’m going downstairs to practice magic with Emma, and find out about hunters. You too need to keep your dicks in your pants. If I’m interested, I’ll let you know,” I said with a flirtatious smile as I pushed past Skip.
I headed down the hall, turning back to see Marcus hanging his head out his bedroom door and staring after me, while Skip looked confused and lost.
If they could learn to share, then things would get so much more interesting.
“So, hunters, what are they?” I asked as I headed back into the living room. I pulled my apron off and tossed it onto the lounge as I sat down beside Emma, who was grinning from ear to ear.
“Sorry about them,” Ollie said softly from the opposite lounge.
“It’s fine,” I shrugged, noting how he’d stayed out of it. He did look a little bummed though. I hadn’t meant to hurt him by being with Marcus, it just happened. And I had no idea how I felt about the guys. I liked them all, and I couldn’t help but be attracted to them all.
“Well, now that that little scene is done with, I’ll tell you about hunters,” Emma chuckled. She had certainly enjoyed that way too much, and I doubted it was the last I’d hear of it.
“Hunters are humans who know about supes, they hunt and kill us for being different. Normally only rogues, since that’s all they really know about,” Emma explained as she sprawled out on the lounge beside me, propping herself up on the cushions and making herself at home.
“And rogues are supes that go bad. Murderers and dark magic users from my understanding,” I checked. I’d done some reading about rogues.
“Yep, think of the vamps who go on killing sprees, shifters who get a taste for human blood, witches who wield dark magic, all that sort of stuff. But sometimes, hunters catch wind of a normal supe, someone who hasn’t broken any rules. That’s why we’re taught defense. The Council does their best to keep us safe from hunters, and if they become a problem to non-rogues, the Council deals with them,” Emma said as she inspected her nails and frowned at them.
“How come I’ve never heard of them before?” I muttered.
“Because your aunt sucks,” Ollie stated.
“But we can teach you!” Skip said as he strolled into the living room with Marcus behind him. Both stared at me, and I glimpsed the briefest moment. Skip had informed Marcus he was going to win me over.
Marcus was not too pleased, but I was still a free woman, single as far as I was concerned. I couldn’t get a good reading on Marcus, but he seemed to understand I had my own mind, even if he wasn’t too thrilled about what that could mean.
“We?” I queried.
“Yep, I’ll teach you to fight off a shifter attack, and Marcus will teach you defensive tactics for a hunter,” he grinned.
“I’ll teach you either in the games room or outside after da—”
“I can teach you now though,” Skip said, jumping in before Marcus could finish his sentence.
“Guys, she’s practicing warding first,” Emma sighed as she waved at them to remind them she was there.
“Fine,” Skip muttered as he joined Ollie on the far couch.
Marcus just moved across the room to gather up his laptop and flit upstairs without another word.
I felt a little bad seeing him go. As much as I would’ve liked our steamy session to continue, I had a friend over.
We spent some time practicing my warding, and after an hour or so, I’d gotten fairly good at it. Emma said she could barely see my aura when she reached out for it, which was quite good.
Skip and Ollie were taking turns playing PlayStation while we did this, but they kept the volume down so I could concentrate.
“Where’s Lucas anyway?” I asked finally, content that I’d learned enough to do with warding for the day.
“Seeing Issac and Richo again,” Skip said as he watched Ollie take his turn on the PlayStation.
“Well, I think she’s ready to learn some defensive stuff if you boys are finished here,” Emma said as she turned and raised an eyebrow at the pair on the other lounge.
“Great!” Skip grinned as he leaned forward.
“I’m confused. How would I defend myself against a shifter anyway? There are so many kinds of you guys,” I said as I chewed my lip. Skip watched me do this, his blue eyes focusing on my lips, sending a tingle of heat through me.
No. I wanted to learn.
I’d think about sexy stuff later.
“Different ways with different shifters,” Emma shrugged.
“That’s not helpful,” I muttered.
“We’ll start with kangaroo shifters. We’re pretty carefree, so I can’t see why you’d get on the bad side of one, but still, we’re a dangerous shifter,” Skip said seriously.
“I know.”
“Dingoes and canine shifters are more standard, defend yourself by covering your most vulnerable points. They can’t help it, in their shifted state, if they want to hurt you badly, they’ll go for the throat. Make sure you protect it, and aim for their underside with attacks, or their eyes,” Ollie said as he paused his game to save it.
“I really don’t think I need to learn defense with shifters,” I said earnestly. Besides, it sounded hard. Nor was I expecting to have any shifters coming after me.
“It’s mandatory. What they teach you in high school is actually how to harness your inner magic. Every supe has magic that they can wield, but what we don’t learn about until high school or sometimes later on in life depending on our schooling, is that we all have the same inner magic. A primitive, ancient magic that we all share, considering all supes are related back to one single heir long ago,” Emma said, leaning forward as the words poured forth.
“You can use it in times of serious distress, life or death situations. You have to reach deep inside yourself to harness it, and you need to guide it to protect you,” she continued.
“I have more than mischief magic?”
“Yep, your soul magic as some call it. The place where everything comes from, it’s the same magic that actually masks you from humans a little, warping their reality if they see your magic,” Ollie jumped in before Emma could get any words out. She shot him a look, but then softened at how he seemed only eager for me to learn.
“If this soul magic protects us, why hasn’t it shown itself earlier?” I said, a pang of pain washing through me at the thought of my past. Why hadn’t it protected me then?
“It only shows itself in life or death situations, if you want to use it in other instances, you need to draw it out. Even in life and death moments, it might be hard to access. You need to know what you’re doing,” Ollie said, frowning as he gazed at me. He knew about my scars, but not about my true past. Only Marcus knew that.
“We’ll teach you how to access it, how to draw it forth,” Skip said enthusiastically as he stood up.
“How?” I said in bewilderment. It didn’t sound easy at all.
“Come, we’ll go outside and get started. Emma and Ollie know a bit about it, they got their training at high school,” Skip said.
“Home schooling, actually,” Emma corrected him. “But I got taught it.”
“Right,” Skip gave her a sheepish smile before focusing back on me.
“You ready?” he asked as he offered me his hand.
“Hell no.” Was my honest answer, but I took his large, warm hand, loving how it sent a sweet shiver through me and he drew in a shar
p breath. He pulled me to my feet, forcing me against his chest as he stared down into my eyes.
“Little Bee Sting has much to learn,” he murmured.
Feeling his body pushed up against mine wanted to send it into overdrive, but I squashed it down as I forced myself to step back. He just smirked, knowing full well the effect he had on me.
The twat nugget.
‘Seriously, twat nugget?’
I jumped as Marcus’s voice slipped into my mind and I scowled, causing Skip to frown at me.
‘Stay out of my head,’ I projected back.
‘Can’t, sorry. But I can teach you how to swear properly if you’d like?’
‘Fuck off.’
Marcus deep chuckle rumbled through my mind, making my legs wobbly as I felt his interest peak. Maybe I’d slip into his room later. I could definitely use some fun with him. God knows I was having trouble keeping my panties from pooling with Skip teasing me so much.
“Let’s head outside, that’ll be best,” Emma said as she stood up and stretched.
Ollie watched her do this as her shirt rode up, revealing her flawless belly. I felt a brief wash of jealousy at the way he was watching her, but forced it away. I’d specifically told Skip and Marcus I belonged to no one, that if I wanted one of them, I’d let them know.
That also meant the same for all of them. They were free to do whatever they pleased.
Skip led the way, and I followed after him out through the kitchen and onto the back verandah overlooking the backyard.
Skip turned as he jumped down the steps, offering me his hand like a gentleman. I rolled my eyes at his not so subtle attempt to woo me, and accepted his hand in walking down the steps.
“Still not want me?” he growled as he dipped down beside my ear.
“Not right now,” I shot back instantly.
“I think you’re lying,” he murmured as he brushed his hand across my stomach. It was nothing sexual or teasing, but it was enough to make me catch my breath. What would he be like in bed? Was he this confident because he was good? And if he was a player, there had to be another reason he got the girls apart from his dashing looks.
He stepped away from me, cocking his head at me and then smiling at Emma as she drew up beside me. Ollie remained on the verandah, taking a seat on the steps as he watched us.
Skip turned away from us, seeming to scan the backyard for any unwanted guests before nodding in satisfaction.
“What are you doing?” I said hoarsely as he began pulling down his board shorts and underwear in one go.
“Don’t stop him,” Emma hissed as she ogled the piece of his arse that we could now see. It was a few shades lighter than the rest of him, but it was just as toned and round as I expected it to be. I wanted to grip it tight, feel that muscle beneath my fingers.
Quit it! I scolded myself. Now was not the time. Besides, Marcus was in my head, and he didn’t seem too impressed whenever I thought about Skip. He’d made no move to try to turn this thing between us into something, and I wasn’t prepared to be tied down either. To be honest, the thought of testing out each of the boys was exciting, but I worried about what it would do to our good relationship.
“Gotta be naked to shift, Bee Sting,” Skip winked and grinned over his shoulder, half his arse pointed towards me.
I was lost for words as he tore them down and turned to face us, and Emma’s hands gripped my arm tightly as she gasped.
He hadn’t been joking about kangaroo shifters largeness in that department. He was hung like a horse. And all I could think about now was how the hell that would fit in me. I’d try, because by fucking God, it looked like it would be fun as hell.
Sorry Marcus, if you’re listening in.
“Getting a good look, love?” Skip asked, and the blood rushed to my face as I struggled to pull my eyes off of his dick.
Too bad my interest in it had only made it start to grow. All I wanted to do was ask him to take me upstairs and have his way with me.
“You are so lucky,” Emma whispered as she pushed me towards him.
More like horny I’d say.
Skip’s nostrils flared and he smirked at me knowingly as I fought the urge to stare at his now engorged cock.
We should definitely skip the lesson.
My eyes widened as Skip curled over, and I just watched in awe as his body cracked and shifted, red, rusty colored fur bursting forth from his skin as his ears and face elongated. Sandy white fur overtook his arms and legs, along with his soft looking snout as his whole body shifted.
And that gorgeous ass changed, his spine growing outwards as it formed his muscular tail. It took less than half a minute before the huge red kangaroo stood in Skip’s place.
And he was just as ripped as he was in human form, and as tall as me in his resting position, slightly standing.
“Damn,” I breathed, watching as he stretched and stood to his full height.
Now he towered over me, balancing on his toes as he cocked his head, those lazy eyes amused at my shock.
I could easily see why they were considered one of our deadliest shifters, along with crocs. Put a human brain in this monster, and you had yourself a pretty wicked weapon.
“Remember, those back legs and claws are meant to disembowel,” Emma called out from her perch on the verandah steps with Ollie now.
Skip scratched his chest at this as he leaned back on his tail to raise his feet up, as if showing me just how deadly they could be.
I knew exactly how dangerous they were. People had died from them, along with a lot of dogs.
“So, now what?” I asked as I stared up at Skip, who had straightened to tower over me once more.
“The soul magic you want to access is deep inside you. You need to reach inside for it,” Ollie said from his seat beside Emma, where he was watching our little lesson with interest.
“How?” I rolled my eyes.
“Skip’s going to attack you, and you’re going to summon it forth,” Ollie said, as if I’d magically know how.
“Envision a time when you were really scared and wanted to defend yourself. Picture yourself radiating your true energy, like it’s protecting you no matter what. You want to envision it drawing out Skip’s magic, his shifter magic. This will force him to shift back, and be incapacitated for a short while. It’s not an easy one to achieve, and many fail to use it when they need to,” Emma said as she rested her chin on her hand.
Skip moved forward, using his tail to propel him in one big stride to stand right before me.
I wanted to step back and put some distance between me and this gigantic beast.
I squealed as he shot forward, those muscular arms wrapping around me tightly. I would not have thought he’d have such a strong grip, but those little clawed hands held onto my back as he squeezed me.
“Defend yourself!” Emma shouted.
Right, defend myself while being suffocated. Why hadn’t anyone given me a heads up? Surely he wouldn’t actually hurt me?
I closed my eyes, gasping as he lifted me clean off the ground, crushing me against that solid, soft chest as his head nestled on my shoulder.
I vote never to hug a kangaroo.
I focused, trying to envision true danger, a time when I needed to defend myself.
“Tell me, little one, how does it feel, how does it feel for your flesh to burn?”
I gritted my teeth as I imagined the cigarette burning my skin as I was pinned down, crying out in pain.
“Good, I’m sensing it, you’ve found it, now draw it out!” Emma called out in encouragement.
I tried to envision my supposed true energy defending me, sucking up Skip’s shifter magic.
My chest was starting to hurt from his tight grip, and I couldn’t feel anything coming forth, no matter how much I tried.
Minutes dragged by, and Skip eased off on the crushing grip a little, but not enough that it wasn’t uncomfortable.
Emma kept guiding me, instructing me on what to do,
but I couldn’t get my true energy to reveal itself.
I was getting light-headed now, and my mind slipped to another moment, another painful one that I’d tried so hard to forget.
The bedroom door groaned as it opened, and I huddled deeper beneath my blanket as I heard Wayne stumble in. Even without a true wolf nose, I could smell the alcohol on him. I carefully pulled the blanket over my head, hating how the soft glow from the moon through the window revealed his looming form in the doorway. I didn’t want to see him in here. Not tonight. Not any night.
He stumbled over to the bed, falling onto the side of it and crushing my leg beneath the blanket.
But I dare not make a sound. If he thought I was asleep, maybe he’d go away. Maybe he wouldn’t hurt me.
“Such a pretty thing,” he slurred as he righted himself, leaning over where my head was tucked behind the blankets.
“Always a good girl for Uncle Wayne,” he chuckled, the overwhelming stench of alcohol drifting through the small breathing gap of the blanket.
I bit my lip hard as he pulled my blanket off, sighing as he stared at me. I kept my eyes closed now, not wanting to see it.
“Now, let’s not make a sound again, okay? We don’t want your aunt getting upset.”
Not that she’d cared when I’d told her last time. She’d said I was lying, I was a pixie and a liar.
The bed shifted under his weight as he moved to cover my body with his, his fingers moving down to fumble with my pajama pants.
Tears trickled from my eyes as he pinned me down, crushing my body under his as he murmured sweet words to me. Words I wished I’d never hear.
I just wanted it to stop.
“Let go!” I screamed, the fear shooting through me at the horrifyingly vivid memory.
Somehow, I managed to still envision Skip’s magic being drawn out, and I choked as a strange sensation washed over me and white light flashed around me.
The kangaroo shrieked as he dropped me, and I collapsed to the ground as I gasped for air, staring in horror as Skip curled in on himself, holding himself in pain as his body shifted back and he flopped to the ground.
“Skip!” I panicked as he groaned and clutched at his chest and stomach as he lay in the fetal position.
