(Mis)fortune (Judgement of the Six #2)

When I tapped on Nana’s door, she called me in. Jim still sat at the table. Though I hadn’t heard any yelling, from the look on Jim’s face, Nana had continued after I left.

“Jim, I’m sorry I used you yesterday. I should have faced the issue instead of running from it.” I glanced at Nana’s set face. “Can I talk to you alone for a minute?”

Nana neither agreed nor disagreed. Regardless, Jim flew out of his chair as if it had spontaneously started on fire. There weren’t even retreating steps to mark his passing. He simply vanished. Outside, the boys cheered.

“I shouldn’t have said what I did. You’re right. I’m not being responsible. My past, whether good or bad, doesn’t earn me any hall passes. I’m sorry I left like I did yesterday.”

Nana sighed and deflated a little. The angry light left her eyes. “You are an adult. You’re correct that you don’t need me to lecture you. We are here to help you, Michelle, if you would just let us. We don’t know who you’re hiding from or why. Is leaving here dangerous? Is there a chance the people you’re hiding from could track you here?”

Hearing her echo my recent thoughts increased my worry. “I don’t know.” I ran my fingers through my still wet hair. “I’m so afraid, Nana,” I admitted. “I’m afraid they’ll find us and afraid if I trust...” I looked away for a moment, took a breath, and said as much truth as I could. “I’m afraid you’ll be just like them.”

She tilted her head and gave me a compassionate look. “Never, Michelle,” she promised. “We are an entirely different species. Loyalty runs deep with us.”

My stomach dropped and bile rose. She couldn’t have said anything worse. They didn’t know about Blake, yet. When they found out he was one of their own, would they just hand me over? Her words further cemented my decision to learn more about them and to learn it fast.

“You’re right. You’re different, and I haven’t taken the time to learn about you like Emmitt asked. I’m sorry to ask again, but can you and Jim keep an eye on the boys? I won’t ever again disappear like I did yesterday. I just want to take Emmitt to the front yard where the boys won’t see or hear anything. Then, I’ll ask Emmitt the questions I should have asked from the start.”

“Of course we will. You don’t have to ask Emmitt, you know. You can ask me anything as well.”

I nodded hesitantly, and she smiled at the preference she saw in my eyes. I didn’t want to face her in any other form than the grandmotherly one she wore. I thanked her and left.

Instead of going outside, I took a quick detour then headed back upstairs.

In the apartment, with the door closed, I tested his hearing. “Emmitt, can you come up here, please?

I waited several minutes, but he didn’t appear. Opening the apartment door, I tried again. Immediately, I heard his tread on the steps.

He wore an unsure smile. “Jim told me to pass on his pledge of servitude.”

I smiled slightly in return. “He’ll pay it back today. He and Nana are going to watch the boys so I can spend some time with you and learn what makes a werewolf tick.”

“What do you have in mind?”

“According to your boast, you’re faster, stronger, have better sight, hearing, and sense of smell. I’d like to know just how good you are at each.”

He agreed, and we walked downstairs. I stopped just outside Jim’s door.

“I went inside and hid something. Can you find it?”

He quirked a smile at me and walked purposefully into the apartment. I trailed behind him to watch.

When hiding the shirt I’d borrowed, I’d touched everything, leaving false trails. I even went so far as to change the hiding place twice.

He walked unerringly through the apartment to the spare room, lifted his pillow, and pulled out the shirt. Lifting it to his nose, he closed his eyes and inhaled.

“It will never smell like me again.”

“Sorry.”

“I like it better this way.”

I blushed and looked away. “How did you know where it was?”

“Your scent is impossible to mask.”

“But I touched everything along the way. I even hid it in two different places before picking here.” Had he heard me moving around the apartment from outside?

He nodded. “I know. Under the couch cushions and in the silverware drawer.”

“But, how...” He’d walked straight to the bedroom, not even hesitating.

“The fragrance of you led me. The lighter trails, I ignored. I went to the place where it was most saturated.”

“How long will they last? My trails.”

“The places you touched? Less than a week because of contaminations here.”

“Contaminations?”