Shiftless: Tuatha Series Book 1

by Linton Bowers

  “Tap into your serpent strength” Tabitha thought to me. Hearing her voice in my head was so rare it almost made me falter. Almost.

  “What?” I thought back.

  “You have a serpent in your pack. If what Miranda says is true you have the strength of a serpent. Tap into it and use it.”

  “How the hell do I do that?” I asked.

  Miranda responded. “Focus on Tabitha and your connection to her. Picture a light traveling from her to you.”

  “Okay?” I thought back and tried to keep the doubt from coloring my tone.

  The trick was maintaining the pressure while focusing on something else. I diverted some of my attention away from the beast and onto a separate task. As Miranda suggested I pictured my snake with a ball of light in her center. I imagined it flying from her and filling me. Nothing happened.

  The jaws of the beast closed an inch. Rodriguez screamed.

  I pictured the light again. This time when the ball hit me I felt warmth from my chest. Specifically from where the serpent mark was. It spread filling me with energy and strength. I felt like I just downed ten energy drinks.

  I jerked myself to a standing position tearing the monster’s mouth open wide. Its jaw snapped and my perch fell out from under me.

  “I got him!”

  “I got her!”

  My wolf and serpent shouted at the same time. Tabitha tackled me in mid air wrapping her arms around me. She landed with all the grace of an olympic gymnast then set me on my feet. Miranda joined us holding a very naked and human rodriguez in her arms.

  “We need to go,” Miranda said.

  “Let me deal with this first.” I hitched my thumb over my shoulder at the monster. When I turned I found it standing there with its mouth wide open and its eyes rolled back in its head. It swayed on its feet then fell over landing on its back. A moment later leather scale gave way to skin and a teen boy lay there with his mouth open at an unnatural angle.

  I felt my guts churn at the sight of what I did to the boy. I didn’t know if he was a willing participant or being controlled. What I did know was that he almost killed Rodriguez. I used that knowledge to harden my resolve. I would try not to hurt these things as bad going forward, but I wouldn’t let them kill me or mine.

  I hoped there were no more to fight but the noise coming from the forest suggested that we were just getting started.

  Chapter 21

  “we need to move,” I told my pack.

  “Where are we going?” Tabitha asked.

  “Back to the car,” Miranda said.

  “No,” I replied. “If we leave with the little information we know we’re only going to give these asshats more time to turn kids into monsters before they slaughter cops. We need information.”

  I looked at my wolf and my serpent. Miranda looked disappointed but Tabitha wore a look of determination. “We’re going to find the building and gather actionable intel,” I said.

  “Someone has been playing a lot of Call of Duty,” Miranda said.

  “Black Ops, so what?” I snapped.

  Miranda chuckled. “I was joking and kinda hoping you just had some better experience.”

  “You forget that I was serving food at a party when we met?” I asked.

  “No. So what's the plan?”

  “Simple. I’ll carry Rodriguez and you and Tabitha find us a path,” I said.

  “Maybe I should carry her,” Miranda said. “You might be stronger than me and may need to fight.”

  “You and Tabitha have both been Lycans a lot longer than me. You know how to interpret the sounds and smells your senses pick up. I’m far from understanding this stuff. With you two leading the way we have a greater chance of avoiding danger and finding the target.”

  “Okay, you win,” Miranda said. “Come and claim your turtle.”

  I plucked Rodriguez from Miranda’s arms with the intent of flopping her over my shoulder. The seeping wounds on her stomach and chest made me think twice. The tacky wet feeling on my hands reminded me of the wounds on her back. “Shouldn’t she be healing?”

  “Yeah,” Tabitha said. “She should be healed by now.” Tabitha bent over and sniffed at one of the puncture wounds. She stood with a sour expression on her face. “That smells weird.”

  “Maybe their teeth carry venom that affects Lycan physiology,” Miranda said. “Right now though, we need to focus on getting someplace safe. Ready?” She looked at me and Tabitha. We both nodded.

  Miranda tilted her head back and sniffed the air. She turned her head left then right sniffing. She turned left and ran. Tabitha and I ran after her from the clearing into the woods.

  We ran for a long time turning left and right as Miranda directed. The amazing thing was my ability to keep up while carrying Rodriguez in my arms. She was light and though I expected her to start feeling heavy as we ran, she didn’t. I barely noticed her as we moved.

  An hour after we started moving we could no longer evade our pursuers. A snake topped wolf legged thing tackled Miranda. My wolf quickly knocked it unconscious with three blows to the head, but it was too late. Three others stepped out of the trees.

  Miranda and Tabitha Engaged. They moved like they had practiced for this scenario. When one vacated a spot the other was there sending a strike at the enemy. They danced around each other so much the enemy couldn’t keep up. And three more fell. We turned to run when something grabbed my shoulder and spun me around.

  “Drop!”

  I dropped to a crouch. Thunder split the air above my head as Tabitha’s tail whipped out and struck the werewolf. I stood slowly as I searched the wolf with my eyes looking for any variation from a normal werewolf. I saw none. A few minutes later a naked man lay there surrounded by discarded black fur.

  “This one is just a werewolf,” I thought to my women.

  “I can smell him,” Miranda replied.

  “And he is not a child,” Tabitha added.

  “Interesting,” Miranda thought.

  “Let’s go,” I thought. “ We can figure this out later.”

  Miranda nodded at me then sniffed for a clear direction. A second later we were off and running. Howls and growls sounded in the woods to both sides. Miranda picked up the pace, but it was just a matter of moments before we were fighting again.

  The surrounding trees exploded with motion. Lycan-amalgamations jumped out all around. There were so many combinations it was staggering. There was even one with a skunk tail that I hoped I wouldn’t get stuck fighting.

  While carrying Rodriguez was no issue there was no doubt that fighting with her in my arms would be impossible. I backed up to a large tree and my women backed up taking up guard positions.

  The monsters struck. Two each charged my women. Tabitha jumped over a low blow and block a high kick from the other. Miranda spread her legs wide and blocked incoming striked like a martial arts master in the Matrix. While they fought more monsters came running. As awe inspiring as my pack was, numbers were going to win against my women.

  I gently laid Rodriguez in the grass at my feet. She winced when her back touched the ground but otherwise didn’t stir. “Stay safe,” I whispered to the latin beauty. I hoped I wasn’t making a mistake by leaving her alone.

  Tabitha’s third opponent arrived to help his two buddies. Her tail lashed out and knocked its feet out from under it. I jumped on the downed Lycan-monster and slammed its head against a rock a couple times.

  I focused on my wolf and my serpent. Power came easier this time around. The marks over my heart burned as I grew stronger.

  I leapt forward like a snake striking and bowled over three more Lycans. Using one as a club I slammed him down onto the other two until all three stopped moving. Screaming caused my head to snap around at the source. Tabitha was backing away from a large beast while holding her side. Blood gushed from between her fingers.

  I roared. My jump carried me to the large monster and into its back. We both hit the ground. I wrapped my arms around its
torso and pulled it to its feet. Then I leapt up and angled myself back. We landed in a perfect suplex from fifteen feet up. The ground shook with a thunderous boom. The monster went limp.

  I ran to Tabitha and grabbed her to steady her. She had a ten thousand yard stare going and looked like she was about to fall over. The growing puddle of blood under her told me why. Were we now down to two combatants. I led Tabitha to Rodriguez and sat her down.

  “Recover and join us when you can,” I said. “And watchout for Rodriguez.” I snapped my fingers in front of her face. “You with me, love?”

  “Yeah, watch out for Rodriguez and recover.” Tabitha smiled and gave me a thumbs up. I let her go and she slid to the side. I grabbed her and pushed her back so she rested against the tree. I would have to stay close so they wouldn’t make an easy target.

  I turned and stood. A werecat-wolf rushed me. I dropped and rose up meeting the underside of its jaw with an uppercut. Another beast took its place and I hit it in the chest a couple times. It fell back and two more came at me.

  The fighting continued like that for a while. One or two would fall only to be replaced by another or three. During the fighting Miranda and I moved closer ending up back to back Batman and Robin style. Through our shared link we could feel and anticipate each other.

  Surrounded by a large group I jumped and spun with my fists out. Miranda answered my move by dropping and sweeping legs. We ended up with me knocking heads and Miranda knocking them on their asses. To finish up we each grabbed ankles and tossed our felled opponents into their incoming comrades.

  I became lost in the movements. Time had no meaning. My world had become simple. Strike, dodge, block and counter. Rinse and repeat with the occasional Terry, Miranda combo. A small part of me was amazed at how long I could go without dropping from exhaustion. I did feel the strain of what I was doing, but that was healed and the toll of it became hunger. I could fight through hunger, but I knew there would be a limit to that as well.

  Fortunately, I didn't have to keep going. A long low horn sounded in the distance. The Lycan-amalgams that were fresh grabbed a downed Lycan or two and fled. The injured but still mobile Lycan creatures followed. In seconds all of our enemies were gone.

  “You better run!” I shouted and pumped my fists in the air.

  “That seems odd,” Miranda said. “It seems like they could’ve over run us eventually. I wonder what that was about?”

  “I don’t know, but I’ll take it.”

  We went to Tabitha and Rodriguez. My serpent looked better but the gashes on her side still oozed blood. She smiled up at me and I saw her vision looked clear and focused.

  “How are you?” I asked.

  “Better. Can we leave now or do we continue?” She asked me.

  Something fell from above and hit my chest sending me flying. It kicked out in a blur and sent Miranda sailing through the air. I hit the ground and jumped back up. I took a step and collapsed to my knees. Breathing and moving caused incredible pain to shoot out from my chest and down my limbs.

  The beast that hit me was the biggest yet. A werewolf with folded wing sticking up from its back. It stood twenty five feet tall with another four feet high at the wing tips. It roared at me and I recognized the challenge in the pitch of the roar. It wanted a piece and I wanted to give it some.

  I rose to my feet. The pain was there but lessening with each heartbeat. The werewolf scooped up Rodriguez and jumped. It’s wings beat down and it rose. In a second its powerful batlike wings took it high into the air. Then it sped off and out of view.

  “No!” I shouted with my arm extended in the direction they vanished. “Shit!”

  “We’ll find her,” Miranda said. “I suspect when we do we’ll find whoever is behind these abominations,” she spat out the last word.

  “Fuck!” I kicked the tree we’d been using for cover. There was a loud crack and for a second I thought it came from my foot. When the tree lilted to the side and fell, I knew the truth. “Fuuuck.” I said in a more subdued voice.

  “Were going to find a safe place for Tabitha to rest up.” I reached down and gently lifted my serpent in my arms. She wrapped her arms around my neck and I held her tight to my chest. “Take the lead, Miranda.”

  She looked at me for a moment without moving. Her eyes drifted down to Tabitha then back up to mine. My wolf noded, sniffed the air then started running to my right.

  Miranda kept a fast pace, but I managed to keep up without any issues. This Tuatha thing was pretty awesome. About a mile and a half from our battlefield we came to an outcropping of rock. Miranda stopped, sniffed, then led us around the rocks.

  She pointed to a small cave leading into the center of the rocks. “This should do. Nothing lives here now and the ammonia smell should cover us. Will this do, Terry?”

  “It's not the Hilton, but I’ll take it.” I moved up to my wolf and leaned forward. Our lips met and Miranda ran her fingers through my hair as we kissed. I pulled back reluctantly from my wolf. “Slide in there and I’ll pass Tabitha in to you,” I said.

  Miranda did as I asked. I handed over Tabitha careful to not jostle her too much. She was conscious, barely, but enough to help us get her inside with only a couple winces of pain.

  Before going in myself I took a look around, spotted a bush big enough for my needs and went to it. Reaching in and grabbing the base I snapped it off just above the ground. With bush in hand I backed into the cave and pulled the bush into the entrance enough to lodge it into place.

  “That should provide some visual cover,” I said. “How does she look?”

  “Not too good,” Miranda said. She had Tabitha’s head in her lap and was stroking her hair. “I think these things excrete some sort of toxin from their teeth and probably their claws. Tabitha has claw marks along her ribs but she is being affected the same way Rodriguez was.”

  “Terry?” Miranda asked with good amount of concern in her voice.

  “Yeah, Miranda?” I sat against the wall facing the entrance. The cave gave us enough room to all lay down with a little room to spare, but it was too low to stand.

  “Get some sleep. I’ll stay up and watch Tabitha and keep my ears open for trouble.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked. As I did I started to feel the effects of my adrenalin wearing down. Sleep would be a good thing.

  “Yeah. I’ll wake you up after a while so I can sleep.”

  “Okay. Thank you, Miranda. For everything.” My wolf smiled at me.

  Chapter 22

  A gentle shake woke me from a dream in which Tabitha, Miranda, and Rodriguez were naked and on their knees asking if they could please me. It was difficult leaving it.

  “I’m up,” I mumbled. “I’m up.”

  “Sorry, love, but I can’t stay awake any longer.” My wolf sounded tired.

  I sat up. I could see how tired she was by the look in her face. At some point she set Tabitha’s head on the ground and my serpent lay next to me. Miranda was sitting close to the cave entrance.

  “Go to sleep, love,” I said. “I’ll keep watch. Any sign of Tabitha getting better?”

  “No.” Miranda frowned. “I’m starting to get worried, Terry. If she doesn’t stop bleeding soon I don’t know if she’ll make it.”

  Tears welled up in my eyes as I nodded. Just like Miranda, Tabitha was mine. I cared deeply for both and seeing my serpent like that was heartbreaking. The thought of her dying was unbearable.

  “I won't let that happen,” I said.

  Miranda offered me a sad smile and reached across Tabitha to place her hand on my thigh. “It might not be up to us, Terry.”

  I took Miranda’s hand in mine. “I won’t let that happen to Tabitha or you,” I said. “I’ll find a way to save my serpent.”

  Miranda nodded but her expression wasn’t one of agreement. That was okay. I didn’t need her to agree in order for me to do what I had too. She showed me that the impossible was a reality. Now it was my turn.

  “Go to
sleep, love. I’ll take it from here.”

  Miranda laid down next to Tabitha. A second later I heard the shift in her breathing pattern and knew she was out. Laying there with two beautiful women I felt alone.

  Worse, I felt helpless as my serpent lay there dying. I had to do something. I moved Tabitha’s arm as it was covering her wounds. I lowered myself until my nose was inches from the seeping gashes and took in a deep breath through my nose.

  I moved back quickly sneezing. A sweet and rotten smell assaulted my nose. Rubbing my face proved useless in removing the odor from my nose. It took a good five minutes before my sneezing fit cleared. The only thing I figured out was that Tabitha was in a bad way.

  My medical skills were a total of zero. I thought putting pressure on the wound might help, but just pressing my hands on her side seemed dumb. I pulled off my shirt and gave it a look. It was covered in blood and dirt. I flipped it inside out and while some of the blood stains had soaked through, it was better than nothing. I folded the shirt and pressed it to her wounds.

  Tabitha let out a cry of pain, but she didn’t wake up. I held the shirt there for a while. Thoughts swirled in my head of me loosing my serpent. I wondered if she would have been better off without me in her life. That was dismissed as I remembered the situation we found her in. So maybe if she hadn’t submitted to me she would be netflix and chilling in her underground base right now. Then where would Miranda and I be?

  The truth was that I owed a lot to both of my women for differed reasons. I needed to be better for them. For some crazy reason they decided that I was worth following so I would do everything in me to make them not regret that decision.

  I had no idea how long it took for a wound to stop bleed once pressure was applied. With my new found strength and stamina I could apply pressure indefinitely. Time was not on our side though. With that in mind I pulled the shirt away. It was soaked with blood but it had done its job.