Mischa moved closer to me. “Does it hurt?” She locked me in her gaze. My nose was telling me that she was nervous and excited.
“The first time it does.” I gave her a half smile, tilting my head to the side. “It’s like the magic has to learn how the cells change, the way we will be different in wolf form. The first shift takes a while and you’ll probably pray for death.”
“Jess, come on,” Jonathon groaned. “Stop scaring her. I’ll help you,” he said to Mischa.
“But after that, when your wolf calls, or when you need her, you’ll be able to shift without effort or thought.” And with those words I stripped naked. Bringing up my wolf energy, I let it wash over me. Dropping to all fours, the power was visible as it coated my naked skin, then I shifted. It wasn’t instant, but within two beats of my heart I was a silky black wolf.
The world changed. My senses were stronger; my brain morphed into that place of instinct. I hadn’t noticed before, but there’d definitely been some recent sex going on in this spot. Two shifters and a vamp if I was correct. I sneezed a few times to rid myself of the scent.
I realized three sets of eyes were locked on me. Mischa took a step away when I approached. My lips curled up at the thought of chasing her. I liked chasing.
Jonathon placed a hand on Mischa. “Don’t back away. Wolves like to stalk and chase weaker prey.”
“Does she know who I am?” she asked him.
“You don’t lose the person to become the wolf. We are one and the same. She knows you.”
I was sick of this now. I needed to run. It felt good to be wolf, to forget about my worries for a little while. I spun around and took off into the forest, leaving all thoughts of the others behind.
Chapter 6
I ran for a long time before returning to Stratford. I’d passed others in the wolf-pack, but I’d stayed solo for this journey. It was almost lunchtime and I’d more than burned off breakfast. As I shifted to human form, my worries flooded back in.
I was at the front of my house. I wanted to wear my own clothes for once. We lived in a double-level bungalow-style residence, two blocks from the Compass boys. I loved my home. It was all wood and slate inside, everything very earthy and natural.
Climbing the stairs I pushed open the door to my room. Stepping inside I was so consumed with my thoughts I never noticed or scented that I wasn’t alone. Not until the shadow zoomed across the room and to my side.
I shrieked. “Braxton, what the frick? Are you trying to give me a heart attack?”
His head was sweeping awfully close to the ceiling as he stared at me, his eyes firmly locked on my face, which was good considering I was butt naked. I quickly grabbed underwear and clothes, slipped into my bathroom and slammed the door in his face.
“Can’t a girl get some privacy?” I grumbled, knowing he’d hear me.
“I’ve been worried about you, Jess.” I could tell by the muffle of his voice that he was resting his head against the door. “You disappeared with your parents hours ago to hear this bad news and … well, let’s just say I was worried.”
How could anyone as caring as Braxton be meant to take innocent children and slaughter them? I could not believe that. Stupid dragon mark, stupid hunters. I examined myself in the mirror, wondering where the hell this mark was hidden. My body looked the same, but now I felt as if I didn’t know myself. As if there was something hidden on and under my skin.
“Jess?” His husky tone washed over me and I shook off the melancholy and dressed quickly.
As I opened the door he pretty much fell in on me. He must have had all his weight leaning on the poor frame. He steadied himself – thankfully, because I’d probably have died if he’d actually landed on me – and reaching out gripped a big hand around each of my biceps.
“What the hell happened, Jess? You’re as pale as anything and I can feel your sorrow.”
I shook my head and pulled myself free. “Please don’t. If you’re nice to me I’ll cry and I don’t want to cry.”
“I’m always nice to you,” he said, bunching his eyebrows together. Then he smiled, flashing both dimples at me.
For a moment he looked like a little boy, the same little boy who’d been with me my entire life. So beautiful and innocent he’d been as a child, and now he was beautiful and hard. All man. But still my Braxton.
I attempted to smile. “Come on, I’m starving.”
For once I actually wasn’t hungry but I needed to do something normal.
“Can you tell me anything?” he asked, as we walked toward the dining hall. I should have known he wouldn’t leave it alone.