Shadowed

by Connie Suttle

  "Dude, there's a bunch of people walking down the hall," Ashe hissed, his acute hearing detecting many footsteps and the banging of doors on the north end of the schoolhouse.

  "Look," Sali whispered, nodding toward the wide doorway leading into the cafeteria. His mother, Denise DeLuca, led a crowd of Cloud Chief residents inside the lunchroom.

  Principal Billings, surrounded by the faculty of Cloud Chief Combined, watched as representatives from the community took seats in the swiftly prepared assembly. When all was quiet except for a few coughs and throat-clearings, Principal Billings stepped to the podium.

  "I have a special guest here today, with an announcement from the Grand Master and the Head of the Vampire Council," Principal Billings began. "Most of you know him already—he was here for the investigations a year ago. Mr. Winkler, if you'd like to come in, now." Principal Billings held out his hand and William Winkler strode through the door, coming to stand next to the Principal. Taller than Billings by a good six inches, while his presence overshadowed that of Cloud Chief's Principal, William Winkler smiled and nodded at the assembled crowd before taking Billings' place behind the podium.

  "I realize this meeting is a surprise to most of you, but I have a prepared joint statement from the Grand Master and from the Head of the Vampire Council," Winkler began, his nearly black eyes scanning the crowd. "I ask you to remember that they helped put these communities together, and it is our duty to follow their instructions. Here is the statement." Winkler pulled a folded paper from his shirt pocket and opened it.

  Dude, this is weird, Ashe sent to Sali, who nodded in silent agreement. "It is agreed between the werewolf and vampire races," Winkler began, "that we should provide shelter and protection for the families of the half-Elemaiyan children who have been preyed upon by the Elemaiya. These children face kidnapping or death if we do not act. It has been requested by the authorities within the U.S. Government that we provide homes for these families until a more permanent solution may be found."

  "What?" Sali mouthed at Ashe. Whispers and murmurs interrupted the silence in the cafeteria—students and adults were expressing their surprise and alarm at this strange turn of events. Everything from curiosity to animosity was uttered between neighbors and classmates. Winkler held up a hand and silence resumed.

  "What that means," Winkler went on, "is that there are only six children left. Six who haven't been kidnapped or killed, out of hundreds. The government has attempted to relocate the families, but even that hasn't worked. They've lost at least fifteen others since they started the relocation program. They're asking us now to take the remaining six families in until a better solution can be arranged at the end of summer. The Grand Master has decreed it," Winkler offered a hard stare to the werewolves around the room.

  Ashe watched one particular person, knowing he would be the barometer for the racism and bigotry that would likely ensue—Principal Benjamin Billings, PhD., werewolf. If there were a more sour expression attainable on the Principal's face, Ashe was never destined to see it. Billings was angry, with a capital A. His gaze turning from Billings, Ashe searched out the other two—Chump and Wormy.

  Chad and Jeremy were already huddled together, whispering. Ashe might have heard what they were saying if the cafeteria wasn't already buzzing with micro-conversations. "Where will they live?" Mr. Dodd, the History teacher raised a hand.

  "Temporary housing will be trucked in," Winkler answered. "All paid for by the Vampire Council. I believe the Council has arranged to have vampire assistance tomorrow evening to put everything in place. You won't be expected to do anything except treat our guests with respect while they're here."

  "But they're all humans," someone else spoke up. "Except for their half-human kids." Ashe recognized the derision in Chad's voice. Jeremy's mother, Diane, frowned at her son from a seat near the door.

  "Don't tell me this isn't Ashe Evans' fault," Jeremy chimed in.

  "What did you just say?" Winkler was now examining Jeremy Booth with guarded interest. Jeremy, a shapeshifter, wouldn't fall under as much scrutiny as Chad, his adopted werewolf brother and best friend.

  "Nothing." Jeremy knew when to keep his mouth shut around older, stronger adults. His animal was a wildcat, but a younger werewolf could take him down easily.

  "Are the humans aware that they'll be among those who aren't human? Do they even know we exist?" Greta Rocklin, the Transformational Arts teacher asked. Also a werewolf, she was married to Micah Rocklin, Second to Marcus DeLuca, Cloud Chief's werewolf Packmaster.

  "I am joining Bill Jennings, Director for the Joint NSA and Homeland Security Department in Dallas tomorrow morning. The families will be informed at that time," Winkler replied. "Many of you know already that werewolves and vampires work in a special division of Mr. Jennings' department. He, the Grand Master and the Head of the Vampire Council all wish for us to protect these children inside Cloud Chief's hidden boundary. These families have not been informed as to what their children truly are and why they are hunted. The Director and I will attempt to explain things tomorrow, and I'll be taking one of you with me to meet these families so they can see a werewolf and shapeshifter for themselves."

  "No self-respecting werewolf will agree to that," Principal Billings almost exploded, causing Winkler's head to turn swiftly in the Principal's direction.

  "I was going to do it," Winkler said, "so they can see a wolf. I'm taking Ashe Evans with me because he has something in common with those children. Shall I report your reaction to the Grand Master?"

  "No." Principal Billings hung his head immediately. Ashe knew the Principal wasn't sorry for what he'd said, just as Chad and Jeremy weren't. He raised his hand.

  "What is it, Ashe?" Winkler lifted an eyebrow in Ashe's direction.

  "Where will you put the temporary housing? Will they really be protected by the witch's boundary?"

  "That's our hope. The Elemaiya haven't found their way back here after your father placed compulsion on the two that came last year. And the housing will be in the field behind your home, I think. Water and electrical lines were laid there in case Cloud Chief ever increased in size. The location will also make it easier for your father and Nathan Anderson to guard them at night."

  "Have you talked to my parents? About me going to Dallas?"

  "Ashe," Winkler smiled, "I spoke with your father last night. I have your parents' permission."

  "Okay, just wanted to check," Ashe huddled into his seat, feeling slightly embarrassed.

  "How many will be coming?" Mr. Dawkins, the Math teacher, asked.

  "Seventeen will be coming to Cloud Chief," Winkler answered. "Ten parents, six half-Elemaiyan children and one human child. Trace and Jason will be back to help guard the community and run errands—the families won't be leaving Cloud Chief once they arrive. They have to stay hidden. I warn you to treat them as any other member of the community, at the Grand Master's command. Their names and whereabouts are to be kept confidential. You understand why, I hope."

  "Those lives depend on it," Miss Campbell nodded. She was the only shapeshifting teacher in Cloud Chief, becoming an exotic leopard at the full Moon. Larry Garnett, the newly hired werewolf English teacher, was content to stand beside Principal Billings without saying a word.

  * * *

  "Gonna teach human kids to be empties?" Chad sneered at Ashe on the way out the door. Most of the adults had either left the school or gone into Principal Billings' office with Mr. Winkler to voice private concerns, leaving Ashe at the mercy of Chad and Jeremy.

  "Want to say that to my dad?" Sali shoved his way through a knot of students, causing Wynn and Dori to smack him on the shoulder for being rude.

  "Your dad wouldn't care if the empty disappeared," Jeremy snickered.

  "That's not true," Sali growled, his eyes going feral. The threat of Sali's werewolf forced Jeremy to back up.

  "That's enough, boys. Chad, Jeremy, air your concerns with the Principal or with the Packmaster," Greta Rocklin appeare
d and pointed the older boys toward the door. Ashe hunched his shoulders. If his parents would only allow him to mist, he could avoid those two bullies easily. Instead, Chump and Wormy always accosted him in public but generally away from adult eyes, and Ashe was prevented from doing anything to protect himself.

  Not wishing for the Second's wife to report any infractions, Chad and Jeremy raced toward Jeremy's new car. Sali and Ashe watched them leave, feeling a bit of envy as the two boys drove away. "I'm gonna have a car when I turn sixteen," Sali muttered, his eyes returning to normal. Stuffing hands in his pockets, Sali walked toward the gravel road that led to Ashe's house.

  * * *

  "Here," Ashe set a plate of nachos in front of Sali before picking up the phone and calling his mother. "Mom, we're home. I'm feeding the tapeworm now," Ashe announced when his mother said hello.

  "Honey, did Mr. Winkler talk to you today?" Adele sounded worried.

  "Mom, he talked to all of us."

  "No, I mean about the trip to Dallas."

  "He announced it to the entire assembly," Sali said, stuffing another cheese-laden tortilla chip in his mouth.

  "He didn't," Adele heard Sali's comment and became concerned immediately.

  "After stupid Jeremy said it was my fault that the humans were coming," Ashe grumbled.

  "I'm calling Marcus when I get home," Adele fumed.

  "Mom, it'll just make it worse—they don't bother me unless there's nobody around to stop them," Ashe pointed out. "Besides, they'll go off to college in the fall. End of problem."

  "Ashe, the Dallas trip is supposed to be fun for you—to meet others who might be like you in some way. You'll stay the night with Mr. Winkler and talk with those children when they're brought in. Mr. Winkler wants you to show them the bat."

  "But not the mist, huh?"

  "That's dangerous and you know it. If word of that got out," Adele didn't finish.

  "Yeah, I know," Ashe said glumly. If anyone, particularly the Vampire Council, learned of that specific talent, Ashe might become a desirable target for more than just the Elemaiya. "Mom, I gotta go before Sali eats the last two nachos."

  "All right. We'll talk more when your dad wakes."

  Ashe hung up the cordless with a sigh. Sali handed over the plate with the designated two nachos on it. "Dude, you really are a tapeworm," Ashe said.

  * * *

  "I heard him, Marcus. He said this was Ashe Evans' fault. Everybody inside the school cafeteria heard it," Denise DeLuca said. Marcus had just walked through the door of their Cloud Chief home after a busy day at DeLuca's Locksmith Services in Cordell.

  "Denise, we've known for a while that those two bully some of the younger ones. If it were only Chad, I could have a talk with him. But Jeremy is a shapeshifter. We don't have that much control over them."

  "You don't think Chad put him up to it?"

  "The boy lost both his parents. I expect Chad to be rebellious."

  "That's no excuse to be cruel," Denise went to pull dinner from the oven. "Sali's on his way home. Mr. Winkler will come by before he leaves with Ashe tonight."

  "I'm glad it's the weekend," Marcus said. "Have we heard from Marco?"

  "Mr. Winkler says he'll come home for a week before going back to Dallas and working for him the rest of the summer."

  "I'm worried that our oldest will become a member of the Dallas Pack."

  "There are worse things to be," Denise said softly. "Being a member of the Dallas Pack holds a certain amount of prestige."

  "Oh, and being a member of the Cloud Chief Pack isn't important?"

  "You know that's not what I meant."

  "Sorry, it's just too near the full Moon." The full Moon was in two days, on Sunday, May third. Everybody in Cloud Chief felt it. Marcus wondered how Winkler was going to handle getting humans to their hidden community around that event. Shrugging off the thought, Marcus went to wash his hands. The back door clicked shut as Sali walked into the kitchen; Denise told him to wash up, too, while she put dinner on the table.

  * * *

  "We have to get this out of the way fast; full Moon is Sunday," Winkler said, driving down I-35 toward Dallas three hours later. Ashe, buckled into the passenger seat of a Winkler Security van, listened while the Dallas Packmaster spoke.

  "Mr. Winkler, do you know anything about those kids?" Ashe asked quietly, his blue eyes focused on the Dallas Packmaster's face in curiosity.

  "I don't think those kids know much about themselves. How can we know anything? I'm not sure Bill gave them any kind of explanation when they relocated their families; just that someone was hunting them." Winkler turned dark eyes briefly on Ashe before directing his attention to the highway again.

  "I assume they know about the deaths and disappearances of the others? How many of the disappearances do you think are actual deaths and how many are kidnappings by the Bright Elemaiya?"

  "Kid, you worry me at times, knowing more than you should," Winkler tapped the steering wheel absently as he drove through the Arbuckle mountains in south central Oklahoma.

  "I know the Bright Elemaiya went to that clinic for a reason. What reason, other than getting children, could there be? And if they wanted children, then they wanted them, instead of letting humans keep them. Doesn't that make sense? It's like the cuckoo, laying its eggs in another bird's nest."

  "Yes—they sound like brood parasites, don't they?" Winkler agreed.

  "But the cuckoo chick pushes the eggs or the nestlings of the parent birds out so it can get more food," Ashe pointed out. "You haven't heard of that happening, have you?"

  "No. But we don't know much at all about these families. If Bill will consent to answer questions, I suggest you ask him."

  "Bill Jennings, the Director of the Joint NSA and Homeland Security Department? That Bill?"

  "Yeah. That Bill." Winkler grinned at Ashe. In the dim interior of the van, Ashe barely saw it.

  "Sounds like you know him pretty well."

  "I do. We've been working together for twenty years."

  "You really are connected to National Security, aren't you, Mr. Winkler?"

  "Yep. But don't let that out. It's a secret."

  "Got it." Ashe turned to look at the cut-rock sides of mountains through which they traveled. They shone in the nearly full Moon overhead. "News said it might rain tomorrow," Ashe added.

  "I hope it doesn't rain on Sunday," Winkler chuckled. "Wet fur and mud isn't fun."

  "I just stay inside and flap around the house," Ashe said. Winkler laughed.

  * * *

  "This is your house?" Ashe stared openmouthed at the three-story mansion.

  "No, my house is next door," Winkler said, leading Ashe up the wide, multicolored brick walk to a mansion. "Mine is a little bigger. I bought this one for someone before she died," he added. "Never had the heart to sell it afterward. The families will be brought here initially, for the announcement. Trace and Jason are inside—they'll stay here with you."

  "When are the families coming?"

  "Tomorrow morning," Winkler replied. Ashe watched as Winkler unlocked the substantial front door and punched a code into the security alarm keypad just inside the house. A massive, gleaming wood staircase split and went up both sides of a gallery; the tiled, oval floor of the entryway was of polished marble and shone in the dim light. Winkler hit a switch, bathing the entire foyer with brightness.

  "How's the bustling metropolis of Cloud Chief?" Trace walked in with a soda in his hand. He'd heard Winkler and Ashe enter the house and walked in from the kitchen to greet the new arrivals.

  "There's nothing bustling about Cloud Chief or anything else within a hundred-mile radius," Ashe grinned at the nearly seven-foot werewolf. Jason followed Trace and hugged Ashe.

  "How are you, son?" Jason smiled.

  "I'm good, Mr. Landers," Ashe assured the older werewolf. Trace had told him the year before that Jason was more than a hundred fifty years old.

  "We'll be coming to Oklahoma with you, to hel
p out with those kids," Jason said. "And we'll be giving regular reports to Mr. Winkler and the Director."

  "So I'd better behave, huh?"

  "Yup. Hate to have to ground you," Trace ruffled Ashe's slightly curly, light-brown hair.

  "Being grounded sucks," Ashe nodded.

  "Come on, kid, you're on the second floor between Jason and me," Trace said. "Is your bag in the van?"

  "Yeah. I can get it." Ashe turned toward the door.

  "Nah, Trace will handle it. Come on, want something to drink?" Jason motioned for Ashe to follow him. Ashe trailed Jason and found the largest kitchen he'd ever seen at the back of the house.

  "Mom should see this," Ashe breathed. The kitchen island was ten feet long and held a separate sink and dishwasher.

  "Do we have transportation to Cloud Chief arranged?" Winkler spoke with Jason over Ashe's head.

  "All done. Six vans plus drivers and security for each. Trace and I will take the kid, here, in a separate vehicle. Bill is providing an agent for each van."

  "Real agents?" Ashe blinked at Jason, a surprised expression on his face.

  "Real agents," Winkler chuckled and patted Ashe's shoulder. "You saw Radomir last year—kid, that vampire is better than any agent I've ever seen. And he's not the best I've ever known."

  "Who was the best, Mr. Winkler?"

  "That would be Lissa," Trace set Ashe's small bag in the kitchen floor. "She saved my brother's life once. I saw the recorded footage. You wouldn't have believed it."

  "Lissa?"

  "We'll talk about that some other time," Winkler growled. "Jason, show Ashe to his bedroom." Winkler stalked out of the kitchen.

  "Boss gets a little touchy about her," Jason murmured. "This was her house. Come on, kid, there's a big TV in your room."

  "So she's the one who's dead?"

  "Yeah."

  Chapter 3

  Jason cooked bacon and eggs for breakfast the following morning before Bill Jennings arrived, followed closely by six families with seven children. One was completely human—a child of a previous marriage. Ashe studied all of them—the adults seemed tired and worried, their children (all teens and older than Ashe), curious and cautious at the same time.