Blood Shift (The Charming Shifter Mysteries Book 3) Read online

  He pulled his hands away, folding his arms over his chest and hunching as if he were cold. “Nothing. I just think you might be wrong about Red. He’s not so bad. And honestly, how do you know he started the fire?”

  Chia felt sucker punched. “You’re really Cecil, right? My long time loyal Husky shifter friend?”

  He dropped his head, staring at the table. “Sort of.”

  “What does that mean?”

  He lifted his head. “Look, I’ve got to go. I’ve got, um…errands to run.”

  “You have errands to run?” Chia said, blinking.

  “Yeah, I…I’m sorry about Hung, but I’m glad he’s okay. He’ll get over his snit.” He got up from the table. “I’ll see ya around. Call me if you need me.” He kept staring at his feet, staring at the wall…anything but looking at her. He turned to stride away.

  Chia hustled after him.

  As they exited the cafe, she said, “You’re acting so weird, Cecil. This isn’t like you. I’ve known you for years.”

  He hurried down the street, his long legs making her jog to keep up with him. “I can explain.”

  “Well, do it then. Before I lose my breath.”

  They rounded the corner and Chia got a sudden chill having nothing to do with the temperature. The acrid, awful smell of shadow shifter caught her nose. She lifted her head to see Red Mountainbear, sitting in his black-as-shadows pickup, the engine idling, by the side of the road.

  He chewed on a toothpick, working it between his lips. His truck exhaust pipe spat out steam.

  Burned buildings provided a perfect backdrop.

  “Good job on those errands today, kid,” he called. “There’s more where that came from.” His arm out the window, he rapped the side of his truck with his palm.

  Chia froze. “You’re…you’re working for him?”

  Cecil jammed his hands into his pocket. “I was going to tell you, honest I was. I…I needed the money, and he paid me well.”

  “You’ll get twice as much next time, my boy.” Red grinned.

  “But he’s evil. You know that. How can you work for him?” Chia’s mouth closed, then opened…then closed again.

  Cecil stared at his shoes. “I’m sorry Lil’ Summer. I didn’t do anything, honest. I didn’t tell him anything. All I’ve done is run errands. I needed the money.”

  “Enough to work for the devil himself? The guy who burnt this whole town down?”

  Red’s face grew as dark and wretched-looking as his shadow self. His hands curled around the steering wheel like claws. “You’re accusing me of setting the town on fire?”

  “I can’t prove it yet, but I will,” Chia said, putting her hands on her hips all Superwoman-style. She leaned forward and glared at him.

  “That’s libel. If you utter one word of this to one other person and I hear about it, my lawyers will cremate you.”

  “Sounds to me like a confession,” Chia spat.

  “It’s nothing of the sort. You have no idea who you’re dealing with, do you, girly girl?” He sneered, making his ugly face look even uglier.

  “Oh, I believe I do.”

  “I don’t think so. You and your band of idiots—meaning your boyfriend and his shapeshifter bounty hunter friend, your vampire—can’t touch me. Mark my words.” He turned his attention to Cecil. “Get in the truck. I’ll give you a lift to your next task.”

  “But…” Cecil said. His head hung low.

  “Get in the truck, mutt-man, or I’ll make sure Chia knows exactly what happens to you in my retaliation. I’ll even show her pictures.”

  Cecil’s eyes shot wide. “What are you saying?”

  “She knows what I’m saying, and she knows I’ll do it,” he said, talking like Chia wasn’t there.

  “If you harm one hair on my friend’s head,” Chia snarled in her new, vicious voice, “I’ll…”

  “You’ll what?” He barked out a laugh. “That’s a good one. You and your itty-bitty self, playing all gangster-like with me. Get in the truck, mutt…now.”

  The chill in Chia’s bones was worse than standing on top of the Haunted Glacier lookout in a flimsy, torn robe, with the wind battering her. Her lungs barely moved, unable to find a reason to breathe.

  Cecil stared morosely at Chia. He studied his shoes. His shoulders curled in around his chest, making his six foot plus stature appear small and weak.

  “Yes, sir,” he finally mumbled, dragging his feet as he walked around the truck. He didn’t look at Chia as he slid in the seat, closing the door softly behind him.

  “I’m warning you, asshole,” Chia said, her finger wagging in Red’s face.

  “Dream on, bitch.” He floored his accelerator and sped down the street, running a red light.

  “How much worse can this get?” she moaned. She jogged to her truck and slid behind the wheel. Then, she headed for the only place she could think to go—home.

  During the entire thirty-minute ride, she fretted and stewed. Her ghosts seemed to be agitated, too, making their warped chittering and humming noises. She put her palms over her ears, trying to shut out their racket. Finally, unable to stand their noise, she yelled at them. They chittered even louder. She cranked up the radio to some metal rock radio song and rolled down the windows.

  When she pulled up to the house, her breath lodged in her throat.

  Hung, bare-footed in the snow, wearing nothing but jeans slung low over his hips, paced back and forth in front of her porch. He didn’t even look up when she exited her Jeep. She raced toward him.

  He looked unhinged, his arms waving wildly, his hair all mussed.

  “Hung, what’s the matter?” Chia cried.

  He came to a halt and stared at her with wide, unfocused eyes. His pupils were nearly obscured by his dilated irises.

  Oh, no. He’s tripping hard.

  “Baby, calm down. Let’s get you in the house and get some coffee in you.”

  He began his erratic movements again. “Something awful’s going down. We can’t stop it. Something awful. I’ve got to show you. Something awful. We can’t stop it.”

  Chia tried to keep pace with him. “Hung, you’ve got to slow down and tell me what’s going on.”

  He kept up with his muttering.

  “Sweetheart, let’s get you into the house,” she urged again. She tried to reach for his hand, but he snatched it out of her grasp.

  He whirled to face her, looking more animal than human. “No! You don’t get it! Red. He got to them.”

  He panted through parted lips like a caged beast. His eyes were trained on hers, but Chia felt certain he didn’t see her.

  Red got to them? Her body rippled with fear. She studied him. Her mind whirled as she listened to the thud, thud, thud of her racing heart. “Who did Red get to, sweetheart. Tell me.”

  He simply stared at her, unblinking, like a hawk. Finally, he pivoted and sprinted away, as if death was on his heel. He headed in the direction of the slaughtered Fae.

  Chapter 21

  For a few tense seconds, Chia stood in her yard, torn in indecision. I can race off after Hung and stumble around in the dark, or...dagnabbit. You’re going to do it, aren’t you? You’re going to offer your blood to D’Raynged.

  She sprinted up the stairs and flew through her front door, her heart beating wildly. She skidded on the tile floor, barely able to catch herself.

  “D’Raynged! Are you here? I need help, now.” She bolted into the kitchen and retrieved her sharp knife. He said I’m building a tolerance. Let’s give him plenty of blood this time. With trembling fingers, she unwrapped eight chocolate kisses and placed them in a row on the oak block island. Without waiting for a response, she sliced open the tips of her fingers, figuring she could drench the chocolate faster with more open wounds. “I hate this, I hate this, I hate this,” she muttered, as her blood dropped on each sweet morsel.

  As she squeezed blood on the last few candies, D’Raynged sauntered into the room. “What is it this time?”

>   “It’s Hung. He’s tripping on your blood.” She spun to face him.

  “And you want to give him a little Sumthin’ Sumthin’, am I right? Why play with a human when you’d have so much more pleasure with me?” He crossed his arms over his chest.

  “It’s nothing like that. I don’t have time to explain.” She placed four candies on each palm and held them out to the vampire.

  He stared at her through eyelids like embrasures—those narrow windows in barricades through which they slid their guns. “You owe me more and more.”

  “I know. I don’t care. Eat.” Her breath chuffed fast and furious.

  “You will see when it comes time to repay me.” He smiled his cat-like smile.

  She threw back her head and groaned. “You’re probably right. Now eat.”

  “I refuse to eat swiftly, like a jackal.” He plucked one of the chocolates from her palm and licked it. “Nice. This blood is laced with fear.” His trousers instantly tented with desire.

  Chia felt herself grow wet in response. She stumbled back against the counter, her head lolling. The impact shook the chocolates in her palm to the floor. Her legs spread wide in invitation, as if of their own volition. Then, remembering Hung, she righted herself. Crouching, she swept the kisses into her hand and placed them on the counter, within his reach. Then, she whirled to face D’Raynged. “Faster!”

  “Not on your life,” he said. “This is too good to rush. Besides, I don’t eat food that’s fallen on the floor.”

  “Oh, come on!” she growled.

  “No!” He crossed his arms.

  She blew off the dust bunnies—more like dust demons—from each candy. “Better?”

  “Hardly.”

  “Gah! You fucking vampire priss.”

  His eyes formed slits. “I have standards. You might think of acquiring some.” He turned and started to walk away.

  Think, think, think. Do something. She dropped her fingers to her crotch and began stroking herself through the fabric. “Oh, yes,” she moaned.

  D’Raynged, his back to her, stilled like a statue. “What are you doing?”

  She groaned. “I think you know,” she said, in a breathy voice. “The same thing you’ll be doing if you eat the blood-soaked chocolate.”

  He swirled and stalked toward the counter, seizing one of the kisses. “Your debt is growing by the minute.” Bringing it to his lips, he nibbled the next chocolate.

  Chia felt as if he nipped at her clit with gentle bites. Once more, her back struck the cabinets, her legs opening, her core throbbing.

  “Feels…so…good, vampire,” she said in a husky voice.

  “Doesn’t it?” He smiled and licked his lips, stained with her blood. “Think how good it will feel if I’m inside you, thrusting into you with my huge vampire meat.” He rocked his hips.

  “Oh, God,” she groaned, her stance growing wider. I may have given him too much blood. Her hips rolled and thrust as if powered by unseen forces. Hung. Think of Hung. Hung needs you. Her legs snapped together, and she lunged toward D’Raynged. “Eat! Faster!”

  “Absolutely not. You either do it my way or not at all.” Once again, he crossed his arms tightly over his chest. “Think I don’t have time on my hands? I’ve got nothing but…”

  “God, you’re evil.” Torn between wanting to throw it down with the vampire and race outside into the woods, she darted down the hall. If she lingered any longer, she knew what her choice would be.

  “Don’t think I’ll stop eating you,” he called.

  She managed to get to the top step of her porch, past the Loggers Welcome mat, when her body was assaulted with lust. I definitely overdid the blood offering. She staggered backward, clutching the porch railing. Wrapping her leg around the wooden post like a pole dancer, she almost dry-humped the column until her brain reminded her of her quest—find Hung.

  “Gah!” She proceeded down the steps, determined to resist the vampire’s glamor.

  Once her foot landed in the snowy yard, she set to jogging. Only when she found herself on her belly, humping the snow, did she snap-to again.

  She wiped the snow from her face with her sleeve. “Good lord, how will I ever make it to him? I think I overdosed. I gave him too much blood.” She launched to her feet and set out at a sprint. The world around her grew fuzzy, then sharp, fuzzy, then sharp. A kaleidoscope of colors bloomed before her eyes. And the passionate heat inside her body roared like a tempest of need. She swore she heard D’Raynged laughing. “Shut up, vampire,” she shouted. Her arousal became so strong, she launched herself at a spindly tree, grinding against it, imagining it was D’Raynged. Must. Find. Hung. She tore herself free of the tree and set off at a staggering, lurching jog, heading for the runic wall.

  It shimmered and sparkled with enchantment, appearing as a see-through shield. She slid right through it, effortlessly.

  Twinkling lights dotted the air. Brilliant colors blurred past, as animals made their way across the tundra. The whole world was a kaleidoscope of wonder.

  When she finally managed to reach the clearing, horror replaced her lust. The overwhelming smell of shadow shifters made her gag. Sharp shivers crawled up her spine, like ten thousand marching spiders, all wearing pointy stilettos. Even her ghosts quieted, clinging to her body like paste.

  Hung paced in a circle, holding the blue glowing fairy child, making soothing sounds. “Shh, sweet pea, quiet now.”

  In Chia’s drug-induced stupor, Hung appeared more beautiful and tempting than ever before. He glowed with the colors of the mountains and the sky, appearing god-like and powerful.

  Her hands were drawn to him like magnets. Like a cat in heat, Chia wanted nothing more than to back into him and let him pound her, letting all his rage at her fly free.

  For one split second, he eyed her hungrily, as if sensing her need. He licked his lips. Then, he shook his head and resumed pacing with the fairy child in his arms.

  A halo of ghost-like shadows surrounded them, circling like vultures. They bore huge black translucent wings. Reddish blurs appeared where their eyes were supposed to be. They sort of looked like Fae, but far eviler.

  Chia blinked, her belly knotting with horror. The Fae. They look like…smell like…shadow shifters.

  The fairy child sobbed into Hung’s shoulder. Her normally sparkly wings hung along her back, droopy and listless.

  When her head darted up, she exclaimed, “You! You were supposed to free their souls. You tricked me. I hate you!”

  She pressed her face into Hung and wailed.

  “What? No! I didn’t trick you. I wouldn’t. Hung, what is this?” Chia rushed to his side, sweeping her hand at the shadowy wraiths. “Did Red do this?”

  “Get away from me!” the fairy child yelled. “You’re evil!”

  “Hung, tell her I’m not evil. Tell her!” Chia pleaded.

  “Shh,” he said, smoothing the fairy child’s gossamer hair. “Chia’s not evil. She probably merely botched whatever you asked her to do.” He cast a narrow gaze at her.

  “Nice one, Hung. I didn’t know what I was doing. So, what is this? What are these things?”

  “They’re the Fae you sought to set free.” Hung glared at her.

  “My mama is going to haunt you,” the fairy child screamed. “She’s a demon now, thanks to you.”

  Staring at the shadowy Fae, Chia wanted to sob at her ineptitude. She wanted to scream at Red and then destroy him. She wanted to rail against humanity and all things shifter-like. Instead, she stood like a statue, unable to think of a thing to do.

  The circle of dark Fae shadows began to tighten around Hung and the fairy child like a noose.

  The fairy child began to choke. Her body shook with spasms. “Help! These things are trying to make me one of them. Help!”

  “Give her to me,” Chia said, seizing the child from Hung’s grip. “Let’s get past my grandfather’s magic wall—the ones that surround the house. Then, we’ll be protected.” She took off at a jog. “
Do something, you pesky ghosts,” she said to her personal wraiths.

  They might have listened—they formed an obstruction of blurry ectoplasm around her as if providing a shield.

  Stumbling, unable to see clearly through the ghosts, she took off at a sprint. When she approached the edge of the property surrounding her house, however, an opaque wall of runic inscriptions stood between her and her home like an impenetrable barricade. It still shone with color, but she couldn’t see through it like she could a short time ago. Gripping the fairy child with one arm, she extended her other arm, expecting it to flow right through the wall. It was now as solid as stone. “What the hell?”

  “What is this?” Hung said, catching up with her. “What did you do now? Why does your grandfather’s magic wall look opaque?”

  “Beats me. I was able to pass right through it to get to you.” Chia raced toward the stream.

  The fairy child struggled in her arms. She threw back her head and bit down hard on Chia’s shoulder.

  “Ouch! I’m trying to help.” She could barely see Hung. Her ghosts had made themselves a dense fog around her. She hoped they made it impossible for the Shadow Fae to see her and the child. At least you guys are good for something.

  “You’re evil. Now your ghosts want me, too.” The fairy child cocked her head and bit again.

  Chia gritted her teeth, wishing spanking wasn’t so controversial. The dark, shadowy Fae darted around her and the fairy child. They searched for her, but couldn’t seem to find her. It was like they sensed her, but couldn’t see her.

  Chia threw her shoulder into the runic wall. Nothing. She tried again. Still nothing.

  “Here, let’s try together,” Hung said. He took her hand in his and, united for a moment, they tried to bash through the magic.

  They crashed into the sparkling runic wall.

  Clutching the child with one arm, she formed a fist with her other hand and battered the opaque barrier.

  “You’d better think of something, woman. Those Shadow Fae aren’t going to give up. I think the fairy child is right—they want to turn her into a shadow shifter, too. Fighting with Shadows doesn’t work. Believe me. I know what I’m talking about. They’re impossible to fight. Only magic works—the kind neither of us possesses.” Hung sidled along the wall, his hands searching for signs of a breach.