“How soon can you be here?”
Eli took cell and said, “Take the helo.” Handed cell back to Alex.
Mercy Blade and killer of devoveo vampires said, “Yes. That I can do. I’ll be there soon.” Call ended.
I growled low, pulling back lips, showing killing teeth. The Kid backed away, moving slow. Frightened prey.
Eli laughed. Showed white teeth in dark-skinned face. “Not coming to kill you, Janie girl. Coming to heal you of the were-taint. Meanwhile, let’s get you into the SUV and back to the hotel for a bath.” He unhooked seat belts.
I/we stopped growling. Looked around. Had not noticed where we were. Were back at boat landing near hotel. Saw ess-u-vee near. Thought about humans. Thought about humans with guns, afraid of big-cat. I chuffed. Stepped from airboat and into water. Lay down and rolled in water over rock called cement. Mud and blood came loose from coat. Rolled into water and rolled. Rolled. Stood and walked to shore. Walked to the Kid. And shook water from pelt.
The Kid yelped. I chuffed with laughter, walked to Eli. He raised hair over eyes and pulled steel claw. “Try it,” he said. Eli had hungry look on face, as if would try to hurt Beast with puny steel claw. As if he wanted to fight big-cat. Jane watched deep in brain, saying nothing. Waiting. I blew deep breath like sigh. Walked over to ess-u-vee. Climbed into back onto blanket Eli had spread there. Blanket was green and smelled of man chemicals for cleaning. Stinky. Stuck nose into middle. Smelled old blood. Much old blood, Eli blood hidden beneath smell of chemicals. Looked at Eli, reaching up to close door of ess-u-vee. Saw scar on Eli collarbone.
Eli had died on this blanket. Was blanket of warrior. Of hero.
Curled up on blanket, laid head on paws. Closed eyes.
? ? ?
Metal and glass bird with noisy wings settled onto road, in wide broken pavement of old parking lot. Helicopter, Jane thought.
Stupid bird. Too loud to catch prey. More like a buzzing bee, but with no stinger. And vomits out live people. I chuffed with laughter, watching as Mercy Blade climbed from bubble stomach of noisy, stinky helo. Narrowed Beast eyes. Will not ride in bird again. Do not think you can force me.
I don’t. I won’t try.
Mercy Blade was pretty human by Jane thinking, small, with long, lean muscles, long hair in tight braid, narrow pelvis, and wide shoulders. Moved like dancer or hunter. Like swan on water. Wore denim jeans and boots and long-sleeved shirt that glimmered in sunlight. Wore magics like cloth layered over body; hard to see real body under magics, but maybe bird form. Blue and green and silver magics in Jane’s vision; green and silver in Beast-vision. Gee carried sword on belt, on side, in green leather sheath.
Muscles tensed to leap out of ess-u-vee, but Eli put hand on head. Scratched behind ears.
“Easy, there. I won’t let him pull that sword.”
Looked up at Eli, sitting on back of ess-u-vee. Smelled gun oil and bullets. Eli had pulled gun, hidden by side in edge of blanket where Eli died one time. Chuffed with laughter.
Mercy Blade stepped to ess-u-vee. “Jane?” he asked.
I chuffed. Kept narrow eyes on him. Pulled back lips to show killing teeth.
“Hello, little goddess. It has been many years since I dealt with a shape changer in animal form.”
Jane sat up tall inside mind. How long? What kind of shape changer?
Mercy Blade did not hear. Did not answer. I closed lips over killing teeth. Leaned into Eli’s hand. His fingers started scratching head again, and up under jaw. Yawned to show teeth and happiness with Eli.
“Well. Let’s get on with it, then,” Gee said. He moved slowly in presence of big-cat, and reached toward head.
I growled.
Eli swatted ears. “Stop that.”
I showed killing teeth to Eli. Growled louder.
“I’m not impressed, Jane. Not even a little.”
Inside Jane laughed. I huffed and stopped growl. Laid head on paws. Glared/stared at Gee, sniffing air, delicate nose membranes fluttering. Last time when he healed me/us, it was a one-day moon and we were in Jane form. He smelled then of jasmine and pine. Today he smelled of pink flowers and green grass and pine needles. And a little of catnip. Catnip is good. Like to roll in catnip.
Gee touched face. I/we flinched. Then lay still. Fingers of Gee’s hands cupped face and curled into bristly hair. Pressing over scent sacs in jaw and over eyes. His magics flowed down his arms and across his hands. Toward Beast.
Hot and cold, green and silver. A net of many magics that crawled over Beast and into Beast. Stinging. Hurting. I/we spat. Hissed. Snarled. Pulled away from Eli and Mercy Blade.
Gee DiMercy released head and stepped back. He smelled confused. Face looked strange, lips drawn up and pointing like bird’s beak. “I don’t understand. There is no were-contagion.”