Revelations: The Shifter Series: Volume Three

by Cari Schaeffer

  Christopher’s heart ripped to shreds. Every accusation, every bit of it was true. His self-hatred could not run any deeper. He didn’t deserve her. He never had, and he never would. He had no response. She was right. He did it for what he thought were the right reasons, but in the end, he would lose everything he thought he had saved because of what he’d done.

  They travelled in silence.

  The remaining journey to Idaho, two more grueling days, were torture for both Kat and Christopher. Her pain was raw, and she didn’t know what to do with it, or how to react except to thrash internally and throw herself into tasks when they stopped. Christopher’s pain was tied to hers because his heart was sealed to hers. He was the sole source of her pain, and of her family’s troubles.

  Kat begged her uncle to let her ride in a different vehicle, but he refused. Dimitri already knew about Christopher’s transgressions. He also believed Christopher’s heart was in the right place, whatever he had done. He truly had made the best of the worst choices and Dimitri held no ill will toward the young man. His almost century of life and wisdom weighed on him as he observed the agony in his niece’s eyes and the stoop of her shoulders.

  Dimitri sidled up to Christopher at a gas station near the border between Wyoming and Idaho. “How are you holding up, son?”

  Christopher jiggled the nozzle, then jammed it back into the pump. “I am a Barotkoff. I am a monster. I hate myself.”

  Dimitri clapped him on the shoulder. “Don’t. I’m sorry.”

  Christopher chuckled darkly. “You have nothing to be sorry about, except for taking a stupid Barotkoff into your home and family.” He squinted at the rugged terrain of large mountains that jutted up along the horizon.

  “She’ll get over this, Christopher. She’ll forgive you.”

  Christopher turned away. “I don’t deserve her forgiveness.” He faced Dimitri. “I have blood on my hands. More than you know.”

  Dimitri looked the young man squarely in the eyes. “We all have blood on our hands.” His eyes flitted over Christopher’s shoulder. Dimitri offered a sad smile, clapped him on the shoulder again, then walked over to his own vehicle.

  Christopher turned and saw Kat walking toward him. He sucked in his breath. God, how he loved her and would still do anything for her.

  Anything.

  Chapter Seven

  Kat didn’t look at Christopher as he opened the passenger door for her. She sat down without a word, not even of thanks, and he closed the door with a sigh.

  The caravan of vehicles resumed their journey on the highway. Once they crossed the Idaho state line, Christopher turned to Kat. “We’re almost there, Kat.”

  Kat glared out her window.

  Christopher sighed. “Kat, please. Talk to me. I’m begging you.”

  Silence.

  He gripped the steering wheel and his brows descended over his eyes. “All right. Then you can listen. I am so sorry, sorrier than words can ever say. I have blood on my hands. I know that, and I hate myself for it. Apparently, you hate me for it now, too. That’s the worst of all for me. Those people did not deserve to die, especially not like that.”

  Kat snorted.

  He drew in a ragged breath. “I understand if you can’t find a way to forgive me. I can’t forgive myself. I want you to know that I love you with every fiber of my being. My heart will always be yours. But perhaps it’s best if I get you safely to your new home, then leave. You don’t have to say anything, I’ll just go. You can forget about me and go about your new life.”

  Kat remained motionless and silent.

  Christopher sucked his lips in and nodded. That was it, then. Several minutes passed.

  Kat’s shoulders heaved, then heaved again and she dipped her head. A deep ache and emptiness settled in her chest. She felt her inner self shrivel and had no idea how to stop it. She sobbed as the sun dipped below the horizon and they were swallowed in darkness broken only by the light of the dashboard.

  The pair drove on in heavy silence.

  CHRISTOPHER QUIETLY closed the driver’s side door against the chilly dawn air at the gas station. Kat had fallen into a fitful sleep an hour ago and he didn’t want to wake her.

  Dimitri emerged from the small convenience store with a newspaper, a coffee, and a frown.

  Christopher intercepted him. “What’s wrong?”

  Dimitri’s eyes darted around at the deserted locale and shook the newspaper. “They’re looking for us. Plus, strange things are still going on in the financial markets.”

  Christopher snorted. “You’re worried about the financial markets. Isn’t there enough to worry about?”

  Dimitri continued to the truck with Christopher keeping pace. “I don’t expect you to understand, son.”

  Christopher changed topics. “I hate to be the pesky kid, but are we almost there yet?”

  Dimitri shook his head and chuckled. “If I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard that in my life...”

  “You’d be a rich man. I know. So, are we?”

  Dimitri handed the newspaper to Peter, who mumbled his thanks and wandered toward his vehicle with his nose to the newspaper. “We’ve only got maybe three more hours and we’ll be there.”

  “Where exactly are you landing?” Christopher pressed.

  “Near the small town of Arco, Idaho,” Dimitri replied. He noted Christopher’s use of the word you rather than we. “You’re going to stay with us, aren’t you?”

  Christopher kicked at the stained asphalt. “I think it’s best if I don’t.”

  Dimitri squeezed Christopher’s shoulder. “You’re wrong. You will stay with us because you are one of us, son.”

  Christopher looked at him and shook his head. “I’m not.”

  Dimitri’s eyes twinkled. “Yes, you are. I forbid you to leave.”

  Christopher snorted a laugh. Now was not the time to argue. “So, what’s so special about Arco?”

  Dimitri stretched his arms above his head and rolled his shoulders. “It’s got less than a thousand residents and those who do live there like to keep to themselves. We need anonymity.” He glanced around again. Two cars had pulled up, both from out of state like themselves. “We need to get moving. Fill up and let’s go.”

  Christopher nodded and trotted over to his vehicle. He hurriedly topped off the tank and climbed in. Kat hadn’t stirred. She was curled onto her side facing him with her head leaned back and mouth twisted into a frown. Christopher stared at her and his heart lurched. He started the engine and followed the now familiar bumper of the vehicle in front of him for the final leg of their journey.

  They eventually slowed and entered a very small, insular community. Christopher noticed a sign that read, “Welcome to Arco. The first city in the world lit by atomic power.” This sentiment was repeated on many of the marquees. The caravan pulled into the parking lot of an old green diner named Pickle’s Place. The tag line informed visitors that it was the Home of the Atomic Burger. Christopher groaned and parked at the end.

  Kat sucked in a breath and stretched. She rubbed her eyes and squinted at their surroundings. “Where are we?” Her voice was raspy, and she cleared her throat.

  “Home, I think.”

  Kat blinked and stared at the green building. “What?”

  “This is the town of Arco. We just pulled into a diner. The only diner, if I’m not mistaken.” He glanced at her. “I hope you’re hungry, and ready.”

  Kat’s shoulders slumped, and sadness filled her eyes. “Yeah, I guess.”

  Christopher swallowed the boulder in his throat.

  Everyone climbed out of their vehicles and stretched in the early morning light. Kat glanced at her cell and saw that it was six forty-five. The cool air smacked her in the face and she stiffened. She searched their group for Rebecca and saw Alexander leading her toward the diner with his arm around her waist. Kat couldn’t see her face, but her posture and gait looked normal. She suspected Anna had shifted her again. Kat sighed.

&
nbsp; When they filed into the small, dark diner with the low ceiling and dark wood paneling, all six occupants turned to stare. Coffee cups froze in mid-air along with the coffee pot set to refill them.

  Dimitri walked up to the counter and smiled. “Hello. Can we get a table for fourteen, please?”

  The older woman behind the counter narrowed her eyes at the strangers and nodded. “Sure. Go on and seat yourself and I’ll be by with menus.” She gestured toward a grouping of tables in one corner. “Just pull them tables together.”

  Kat rubbed her arms and squirmed under the scrutiny. The patrons stared shamelessly. She folded her arms across her chest and dipped her chin. When they all sat down, the older woman who was their waitress plunked a stack of plastic-covered menus down at the end of the table and put her hands on her hips. “Does everyone want coffee?”

  Oksana smiled. “I would like hot tea, please.”

  The woman nodded. “I got some Lipton bags.”

  “Thank you.”

  Various requests for coffee and juice had the waitress plucking a pen from her beehive and scribbling notes on a small pad she pulled from her apron. “All right. Look over the menu and I’ll be back with your drinks, folks.” She smiled then. “We aren’t much to look at, but our food is good, hot, and filling.”

  Dimitri took note of her lop-sided name tag. “I’m sure it will be wonderful, Agnes. Thank you.”

  Agnes winked then ambled away to get their beverages.

  Dimitri took a menu and passed the rest down the line. “Fill up, everyone. We have a long day ahead of us.”

  Peter leaned in and lowered his voice. “Did you read the financial section, Dad?”

  Dimitri’s eyes scanned the menu. “Yes. Let’s save that discussion for a more private setting, Peter.”

  Peter pressed his lips together and concentrated on the menu. Kat looked over the typical diner offerings.

  When the waitress returned laden with a heavy tray of beverages, she expertly passed them around then just as expertly filled the coffee mugs and placed containers with creamer and sweeteners at intervals on the table. She took her position at the head of the table. “What’ll you have?” She stared at Dimitri with a pen poised above her pad.

  Kat and Rebecca both ordered the Belgian waffle with blueberries and whipped cream, while Christopher ordered a twelve-ounce strip steak with two eggs, hash browns, and toast plus a side of sausage and bacon. The waitress nodded and muttered, “Sort of saw that coming.”

  Once the orders had been taken and the menus collected, everyone turned to Dimitri.

  “There’s a campground...” he began.

  Several groans went up from the group. Dimitri gazed around the long table.

  “Uncle Dimitri, isn’t there any way we can stay at a hotel instead? I want to sleep in a real bed and take a real shower,” Kat moaned.

  Anastasia offered her father a sympathetic glance. “I’m a little tired of camping, too.”

  “Are there any hotels in this one-horse town?” Robert asked.

  “Well,” the waitress replied, reaching around him to refill his mug. “This is a two-horse town, to be exact, and we have lovely accommodations at The Lost River Motel down a few blocks. Like us, it isn’t much to look at, but you’ll be comfortable.”

  “He didn’t mean to be insulting, Agnes. I’m sorry for his lack of manners.” Dimitri glared at Robert.

  Robert turned his charm, and smile, on Agnes. “I am truly sorry, ma’am. I didn’t mean to knock Arco.”

  The woman grunted, but her eyes twinkled. “So, you folks are obviously from out of town. But why are you wanting to rent motel rooms now? Shouldn’t you be checking out instead of checking in so early in the morning?”

  Several glances darted around the table in an unspoken conversation. Dimitri barely nodded at Christopher, who slipped on his sunglasses and lowered his chin.

  He leaned toward Agnes. “This isn’t unusual at all,” he murmured. “We’re just ordinary folks that came in for a good breakfast.”

  The woman’s face went blank and she froze with the coffee pot in hand. “You are ordinary folks and we’ll give you a good breakfast.”

  Christopher pushed the sunglasses on top of his head and smiled. “Thank you, Agnes.”

  Rebecca stared at Christopher with a confused look. Alexander leaned over and whispered in her ear.

  Agnes blinked and frowned. “You’re welcome,” she mumbled and scurried off.

  The food was very good and filling, as had been promised. Dimitri relented and agreed to rent several rooms at the local motel. By the time they ate their fill, paid the bill (with a hefty tip for Agnes), and piled into the vehicles once again, it was almost eight and the tiny town had woken up.

  By the time they settled in to the motel – there were plenty of vacancies – Kat half-heartedly scrubbed her teeth and barely made it to her bed before she slipped into a deep slumber.

  KAT’S TONGUE FELT LIKE a fuzzy slipper in her mouth. An old fuzzy slipper. She smacked her lips together and rolled onto her back to squint at the textured ceiling of the motel room. She pressed her fists to her eyes and moaned.

  “Yeah. I know,” Anastasia groaned from the other bed.

  Kat cleared her throat and hoisted herself up on her elbows. “What time is it?”

  Anastasia’s hand smacked the dresser. She grimaced at the old digital clock. “Three.”

  Kat yawned and stretched. “We’re going to have a tough time regulating our body clocks again.”

  “What body clock? Gads!” Anastasia flung the covers off and stood up to stretch. “Do you need to use the restroom? I’m going to shower.”

  Kat shook her head and collapsed onto her back. “No. I can wait.”

  Anastasia nodded and disappeared into the tiny bathroom. Kat heard the plumbing sputter to life and she glanced around the room. It was quaint but tired; the walls were covered in wood-paneling. At least the bed was comfortable. Her cell chirped from the bureau and she rose to retrieve it.

  It was a text from Christopher.

  Are you up?

  Kat grimaced against the ache in her chest. She plunked the cell on her bed without responding and rooted around in her duffel bag for clean clothes. She had just settled on jeans and a pullover sweater when Anastasia emerged wrapped in a towel. Her short, wet hair jutted out in several directions.

  “Your turn.” Anastasia let the towel drop to a heap on the floor beside her bed.

  Kat shook her head. “You have no shame.”

  Anastasia shrugged and thrust her shoulders back, hands on hips. “What’s to be ashamed of? I look great for being at the half-century mark. Besides, it’s just you.”

  Kat shook her head, gathered her clothing, and stepped into the steamy bathroom. When she emerged ten minutes later, Anastasia looked rather stylish in her designer jeans and sapphire blouse.

  “Aren’t you over-dressed for Arco?”

  Anastasia glanced at her attire and gazed wide-eyed at Kat. “What? It’s just jeans and a top.”

  Kat rolled her eyes and rubbed her hair with a towel. “What are we doing today?”

  A knock sounded on the door. Anastasia peeked through the peephole. “It’s Dad.” She opened the door.

  “Afternoon, girls. Did you sleep well?”

  Christopher poked his head in just before the door closed. “Hey.” He looked right at Kat.

  Kat’s heart thumped painfully, and she averted her gaze.

  Anastasia looked between the pair and frowned.

  Christopher ducked into the room and looked around. “Just like our room.”

  Anastasia snorted. “Well, it is a motel, so...”

  Dimitri ignored them. “We should be ready to roll in an hour. We’ll get something to eat...”

  Anastasia clucked her tongue. “Not at the pickle place again, right?”

  “I didn’t think it was so bad,” Christopher said.

  “It doesn’t matter. We’ll eat somewhere,” Dim
itri continued. “We are headed to a property about forty-five minutes from here.”

  Kat lifted her eyebrows. “A property?”

  “Our property, to be exact,” Dimitri replied.

  Kat’s jaw dropped. “You already bought a property? You didn’t even see it first.”

  “I saw pictures on-line and spoke with the real estate agent. It’s perfect for us and it’s been on the market for a while. They were eager for an all cash transaction.”

  Anastasia clapped her hands together. “Well, all right then. Let’s get going.”

  Christopher and Kat were awkward around each other as they gathered their things. Everyone trickled out of their respective rooms to load luggage into vehicles.

  Kat’s eyes bugged when Claire emerged. Her hair had been cut short like Anastasia’s and was now strawberry blond.

  Claire felt everyone’s eyes on her and smiled. She spun in a circle and fluffed her hair. “Hey, it’s fun to be someone else every now and then, right? I thought now was the perfect time for a fresh look.”

  Robert chuckled, wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and planted a kiss on her now-exposed neck. “You’re hot no matter what, baby.”

  Kat’s cheeks flamed at such an overt gesture of love. It made the ache in her chest almost unbearable. She felt Christopher’s eyes on her. She turned away and refused to look at him.

  After another meal at Pickle’s Place, Dimitri bought the evening edition of the paper, then the group headed out of town toward the rugged mountains in the backdrop.

  “KAT, PLEASE TALK TO me. Please.” Christopher and Kat had been in the vehicle for twenty minutes, but neither had spoken a word.

  Kat lowered her head in misery. Her voice was thick. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Kat...”

  “You hurt my family. You hurt me. You killed people. I lost my home.” Her eyes filled with tears and she turned away from him. “I don’t know how to process that.”

  Christopher winced as though he’d been struck. “Kat, I told you...”

  “I know what you told me,” she snapped. “I need time.”