Emergent

by Natasha Brown

  “Somebody’s been watching too much Food Network in her spare time.” Ana squeezed her sister’s shoulder and they started out of the room.

  Food was laid out on the dining table and Daisy patrolled with her nose in the air. Melissa sat waiting at the table and gave a warning glare at the dog. “I’m not the only one who thinks it smells good. It’s been a while since we all sat at the table together. This is nice.”

  Eva sat down next to Ana and reached for the bowl of rice. “Too bad it won’t last for long.”

  Ana pinched her eyes shut and swore to herself.

  “Oh, really? Is that so?”

  When Ana opened them back up, her mother was staring at her with a hardened expression. “Is it too much to ask to have my daughter want to be with her family?”

  “Mom…”

  “I thought you’d go down to Mexico, see something new and come home ready to hit the books. You’re smart, Ana—straight A’s your whole life. You want to just throw that away?”

  “No, Mom. It doesn’t mean I’m throwing my life away if I take a break from school.”

  “This time I’m putting my foot down! You can’t go. You’ve been gone for two months—it’s time to take a break. Give yourself a rest.”

  Ana stood up and shouted. “No! I’m eighteen now and you can’t make me do anything! You’re not being fair.”

  Melissa dropped her fork to her plate and pointed at Ana. “No, what’s not fair is being left on your own without someone to help take care of you and your kids. Without an education, how will you get a high paying job to support yourself? Don’t make the mistakes I did, Ana.”

  She couldn’t hear anything past life being unfair. Memories played out in her mind and anger boiled up like a volatile mixture of vinegar and baking soda. Ana let loose. “I know all about life being unfair. My whole life I’ve been told that I can’t do anything! Your heart can’t take it, Ana. Even when my heart healed, you still told me I shouldn’t leave home.” She waved wildly in the air. “Newsflash, I made it. I’m alive and I want to live. Bad things happen all the time, but that’s no reason to hide away in fear. It’s reason to go out into the world and experience it. I’ve got to get out of here and figure out what I was put on this Earth to do. How am I supposed to move forward without direction?”

  Melissa stared at Ana like she was seeing her for the first time. Then she did something completely unexpected. She cracked a smile.

  “What?” Ana said, baffled. “You think my pain’s funny?”

  Wide-eyed and confused, Eva turned to look at her mother, and then her sister. Her frown grew until she scratched her head and muttered to herself, “You guys are nuts.”

  “Why, I think you’re right, Eva,” Melissa said. “But isn’t it comforting to know it runs in the family?” She stuck her finger in the refried beans, leaned over and wiped it on both girls’ cheeks. “Listen up—I don’t know when I grew into a control freak, but it happened. Can you forgive me for loving you more than myself and forgetting what it’s like to be a passionate teenager?”

  Ana sputtered in confusion and answered, “Yeah?”

  “I can’t promise I’ll stop worrying and hounding you. But I will try to let you make your own mistakes and remember that you’re an amazing person who’s capable of troubleshooting her own life.” Melissa dropped her napkin into her lap and pointed at Ana’s cheek. “You want me to take you seriously with food all over you? I’d wipe that off.”

  Eva was the first to start laughing. Ana couldn’t help but join in. She’d missed this. A house full of estrogen had always supplied plenty of emotional turns, but through it all, there were laughs too.

  “What is up with you, Mom? Not that you aren’t normally funny, but Eva and I usually just laugh about you behind your back.” Ana used her napkin to clean off her cheek and shook her head.

  Eva sat up straighter and said behind her hand, “Mom’s been dating.”

  Melissa blushed and placed her hands on her hips. “Eva!”

  “Really? You’ve been dating? Anyone special?” Ana wasn’t sure how to feel about the news. Her mother had been alone for so long, she was used to it. Not that she cared about her dad, it was just, weren’t they enough for her?

  “Eva’s making it sound like I’m seeing all sorts of men. I’m not. It’s just one man and his name is John. He works a couple doors down from the bank—he’s a veterinarian.”

  “I like him.” Eva announced factually, as though that settled the discussion.

  “You do?” Ana was surprised. She expected her sister to be on her side.

  “He likes my cooking,” Eva said with a shrug, “and he’s nice to Mom.”

  Melissa’s cheeks were rosy and her eyes bright. Ana noted there was something softer about her. She had let her hair grow down to her shoulders. Normally dark and lifeless, new stylish highlights helped bring out the color of her skin. Ana couldn’t remember the last time her mother seemed so happy.

  “You like him?” Ana asked, holding Melissa’s gaze.

  “Yeah, I do.”

  Ana grabbed her burrito from her plate and took a bite, ready to move past her mother’s news. “Well, the only thing we didn’t cover is Eva’s love life—you don’t have any surprises for me do you?” She stared at her sister.

  Eva stuttered. “No, you know Mom doesn’t allow dating until high school.”

  “That doesn’t mean you can’t like anyone.”

  “Well, I’m not about to talk about my crush at the dinner table with burrito hanging out of your mouth!” Eva said in all seriousness. Then she dipped her finger into her beans and wiped it on the other cheek so she looked like a football player that took a detour through a kitchen. “Now I can take you seriously.”

  For the next hour, while they ate and laughed at the table, it was like it used to be. Ana forgot about her troubles, or the fact that there was a dog curled up on her bed who was really a shapeshifter. It was like traveling back in time, when it was just the three of them and that was enough for her. Before she fell in love with a boy who stole her heart.

  Ana filled a bowl of dog food for Lifen. When she straightened up, the dog’s dark eyes remained on her and she sat completely still. Daisy inhaled her food as soon as it touched her dish. When she was done, she couldn’t take her eyes off of Lifen’s untouched dinner.

  Ana leaned down and pet her mentor’s head. “Sorry, I’ll grab you some leftovers when they go to bed, okay?”

  In response, Lifen licked her hand and her eyes drooped even more.

  “Fine. I’ll get something out now. Good thing Mom and Eva are in the living room watching television.” Ana went to the fridge and pulled out the container of beans and rice that she had just deposited there minutes before. She opened it and held it out for Lifen, who dipped her muzzle into the food. Daisy was only momentarily distracted with the fact that she wasn’t getting a special treat, because she helped herself to Lifen’s dog food instead.

  “Hey, Mom?” Ana called, “I’m going to head out back to look at the stars for a little bit. Then I’m going to bed—tired from all the traveling.”

  Her mother answered from the living room. “’Kay, baby. Love you.”

  Ana threw the empty Tupperware into the sink and muttered to Lifen. “I’m just going outside for a bit and will be back soon. You can come with me if you want or stay inside.”

  She grabbed a jacket from the backdoor hat hook and stepped onto the deck. Lifen licked her muzzle clean and stepped outside with Ana. Rain-covered pine needles and lichen mixed to create Ana’s favorite scent.

  Excited to be back at her stargazing stone, she hurried over the lawn to the pathway. Her sweats got wet as she rushed through the darkness to her special spot. Water dripped off the evergreens, making soft tapping noises. The trail opened up to reveal the place that, only months earlier, she had grown to need on a nightly basis.

  A large slab of granite stone jutted out over a field that was barely visible in the dark.
The trees opened up enough to expose a clear view of the sky. The rain clouds began to dissipate and reveal the twinkling lights above. Ana sat cross-legged on her gazing rock. Rainwater soaked into the seat of her pants, but she didn’t care. Lifen’s shaggy body slid up beside her, and she wrapped her arm around her, something she wouldn’t have dreamt of doing when her mentor was in human form. There was something so disarming and comforting about spending time with a dog, even if it was really a person. Ana considered that it could have been the reason Lifen chose the form.

  "I used to come out and look at the stars every night.”

  Lifen’s muzzle lifted and she stared up at the sky.

  “You have a good view at your place?”

  Her mentor turned her head and looked at Ana. A flash of a beautiful, crystal-clear lake with clouds reflecting on its glassy surface emerged in Ana’s thoughts. Snowcapped mountains ringed the blue water, as well as tall spindly evergreens. It was the same place she had dreamt of for the last couple months.

  Ana recoiled in surprise. “Did you just push your thoughts into my head?” She wasn’t sure she liked that.

  Lifen blinked then stood up and walked back down the trail to the house. Clearly she didn’t feel like talking. Maybe there was more than one reason her mentor preferred staying in animal form around people. Ana made a mental note to ask again later.

  She wasn’t ready to go back inside yet and rested her head on her arm. With a deep sigh, her eyes traced the branches nearby and Ana longed to hear the soft hooting from an owl. Before she knew about Chance’s shapeshifting abilities, without her knowledge, he would join her at night in his feathery form.

  A strange sensation came over her. Ana whipped her head to the side, searching for Lifen in the forest, but she couldn’t see anything. A vision formed in her thoughts, fuzzy around the edges, and sharp at the center.

  The perspective made her dizzy at first. She was high up, staring down at the ground below. It was night, she guessed, but it almost seemed like she was wearing night vision goggles. She saw everything very clearly, but it looked strange, different.

  She’s so beautiful.

  Ana’s heart skipped a beat at the sound of Chance’s voice. Was he there? She rose to her feet, and swayed uneasily while she stared into the dark.

  She could never love someone like you.

  A tear fell from her eye as she realized his voice was only in her head. Her thoughts blurred and she saw herself laying on her stargazing rock. Ana suddenly realized what was happening. It had to be one of Chance’s memories. It made sense. When a shifter died, their powers were released from their body and went into any others nearby. Chance had died trying to heal Ana, and all of his power had gone into her. His grandfather, Niyol, had given himself to save his grandson from death. Ana recalled Chance describing the memories he’d received from his grandfather’s energy transfer.

  Ana steadied herself. This strange sensation wasn’t unfamiliar to her. This wasn’t the first time she’d experienced it. Only days earlier, she’d felt Chance’s despair when he had tried to save her after Ana’s heart had failed on the mountaintop. He’d shifted into a horse to carry her home. At the time she’d experienced this memory, she’d been sharing the same feelings. Desperation had gripped her as she stood helplessly in the jungle, needing to save Chance from Markus.

  That’s when everything had changed and she’d shapeshifted for the first time.

  Ana stood on her gazing stone, her heart racing in excitement. Chance was far away from her, but now she knew he was with her. Her hands drifted to her chest and she cupped them over her heart.

  She felt him with her when she lay down in bed that night, pulled the covers up to her chin and nestled in. As she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, thoughts of Chance spun through her mind. His spicy scent touched her senses and she breathed deeply.

  A bulky form stormed through the jungle, its dark fur brushing past vines and spiky foliage. Grunting and panting noises rumbled from its chest. The bear was hungry for something. Ana clutched her pillow tightly, filled with anxiety.

  The beast paused behind some trees as it focused on its target: a young woman hanging wet clothing on a line.

  Chapter 6

  Chance lifted his paw, midstep and grunted. Saliva washed his mouth as he felt her energy. It was minimal, but she had more than the average person. It was something.

  The young woman stood no more than fifty yards away from him, doing her chores. They weren’t in a metropolis—the tiny house was in the outskirts of a nearby town. He wouldn’t risk going so near in bear form, although he was hungry. Hungry for more than just food, he wanted more power. It was a thirst that needed quenching.

  You will feel like new if you take her. Never mind sleeping. Consume her. She’s yours.

  He stood poised behind the scrub brush and trees, which were few and far between. As he had moved farther north and out of the Yucatán, the landscape grew drier and sparser. It would be harder to remain in such a large animal form without drawing attention, which was something he didn’t want, and all the voices in his head were in agreement. At least on this subject.

  Chance sniffed the air and could smell the woman’s floral scent, but it was the aroma of food pouring from the house that made his stomach rumble. Before he could move, his thoughts clouded and were no longer his own. From the dark recesses of his mind, a memory surfaced. He was flying over the jungle. From his perspective, warped ripples radiated out from the earth and into the air. Wind currents carried him over the green wilderness and his attention was caught by a ballooning of the magnetic fields.

  That’s interesting. I wonder what’s down there.

  Nastas’s internal voice echoed in Chance’s head. It sounded like Nastas, but there was something very different about his tone. It was cold and hungry, and nothing like Chance’s last memory with him. He had changed.

  Nastas’s curiosity piqued as the magnetic warping guided the bird’s form down through the trees and beneath the canopy. Chance observed the scene in his head, and leaned against a tree for support.

  He knew where Nastas was and it scared him. After weeks of living and training there, he would recognize the outlying area of Balam’s home anywhere.

  Nastas perched on a tree as he studied the impressive home Chance’s great-grandfather had built among the Ceibas. A melodious song came from the high openings of the stone building. It was a woman’s voice and she was singing words he couldn’t understand. Possibly Mayan. It didn’t matter, it was beautiful.

  I feel stronger here. There is much power. I wonder if there’s a hidden treasure inside.

  Chance couldn’t take it. He fell over onto the hard, clay ground and started groaning, clawing at his own furry face. He had to stop it. Turn it off. But the memory wouldn’t stop. It kept on going, like he was chained to a chair and forced to watch.

  Nastas flew up to one of the large openings in the living room and settled on the ledge. He centered on the pretty song, which was coming from a woman working in the kitchen. Her long onyx hair was loosely braided and hung down her back. As she moved around, it swung across her white blouse, almost like a metronome keeping rhythm.

  She turned and saw the bird perched on the sill. She continued to sing, but she reached for a blanket and leaned down. When she reemerged, she no longer had the blanket. The words of her song turned into humming as she moved into the living room and approached Nastas.

  “May I help you in some way?” She addressed the bird, knowingly. “Do you need sustenance, or are you passing through?”

  Chance looked into the face of his great-grandmother, a woman he had never met and saw Itzel, his grandmother. She shared her mother’s soft features and kind eyes. He knew why Balam fell for the lovely creature that stood before him and felt sadness for his loss.

  While he experienced his own emotions at seeing his great-grandmother for the first time, he also felt Nastas’s hunger grow. He felt him stare at her and apprai
se her power, deciding if it was worth his energy to absorb her.

  Chance knew the answer before he acted. He pinched his eyes shut futilely. He knew it wouldn’t help. He couldn’t stop the horror from playing out in his head.

  Something that meant nothing to Nastas, but caught Chance’s eye, was a leather cord strung around his great-grandmother’s neck. It disappeared beneath her thin blouse and seemed innocent enough. Upon closer inspection, he realized what he misinterpreted as a naïve air seemed to be an act instead. So good, in fact, Nastas didn’t think anything of her slipping her necklace off and clutching it discretely in her grasp.

  Interesting, she knows I’m a shifter. Don’t come across many like her. She’s alone and too weak to stop me. When I’m finished with her, I’ll have my fill. Nastas noticed fresh fruit laid out on the table as well as a fresh batch of corn cakes. They smelled delicious, and it only reminded Chance of the mornings spent with Balam at that very table.

  Nastas spread his wings, glided down to the floor and shifted into a cougar, eager to consume her energy. His guttural growl echoed off the stone walls and he looked at her, expecting a frightened reaction. It was part of the game he had developed. It pleased him.

  Instead, this strange woman, his prey, braced herself with her arms up, ready for a fight. Although he was surprised by her fire, it amused him as well. She knew what he was, and she was going to try to protect herself. He stared at her athletic frame. It might help her last a few more seconds, but he was confident that she wouldn’t be able to defend herself against his power.

  His ears lay down against his head and he prowled toward her in an evil dance to pluck her life thread. Something dark gleamed from her closed fist. He didn’t know what it was, and he didn’t care. Chance observed everything in reticence. Was this what it was like being brainwashed? He resisted against Nastas’s urges, but it would be so much easier to simply give in. The sensations that coursed through his body were intoxicating.