Rebirth - Book 1 Rogues Shifter Series by Gayle Parness
Chapter Six
An hour later, I appeared on the cabin porch, soaked from rain and sweat, yet much more relaxed. I’d come back because, well, I wasn’t an idiot. I needed their help if this was really going to happen, and more and more I was starting to believe that it might. And if it was true that I wasn't human, then so many things I'd hated about myself, strange quirks that I'd always considered to be freakish, were all a natural part of who I really was. This was huge and scary as shit.
Ethan was sprawled out in cougar form growling at me softly. He rolled over onto his back practically demanding that I rub his belly. Nope, not happening. His bright eyes were pleading with me for attention, so instead, I scratched under his chin and behind his ears while he purred loudly. Just keeping that male pride intact. I smiled at him in superior female satisfaction.
Suddenly he leaped up, licking my face with his rough, gooey tongue. I raced into the cabin, laughing, heading for the shower to wash off the sweat and cougar saliva. Bleah!
Rob was waiting for me when I came out and suggested that I throw my dirty clothes in the washing machine by the back door. I was not excited to see he had the blood test kit set up at the table. Sighing, I sat, slumping in resignation. He relieved me of three vials of blood in a very professional manner, giving me a good whiff of his familiar wintergreen fragrance to relax me.
He smiled, his dark eyes glittering with humor. “It's a strange gift but it's come in handy many times," he joked. Sitting so close I was able to look at his face while he was busy taking my blood. A small dimple popped up on the left side of his mouth when he smiled, and his skin was smooth and perfect, not a wrinkle anywhere.
“Why do you call me kid? You’re not much older than me.” He didn’t look a day over twenty-three.
“Sorry, I’ll stick with Jackie from now on. But I’m older than you think.” We both laughed as the sound of gentle snoring drifted in from the porch. Try to be patient with him. He’s a good kid too.”
“You’ll be using that minty scent often with me. I get pissed off a lot.”
His expression turned serious, giving him a slightly older appearance. “We didn’t know you existed until around three years ago when Garrett discovered you running on a deserted road alone. We know you haven’t had an easy life, and whether you believe me or not, we can all understand and relate to your anger. In fact, we’re kind of counting on that controlled fury of yours to become useful.”
I frowned at him. “Are you breeding an army?” I hated the idea of being secretly observed during the last few years. I spoke quietly, my voice tight with emotion. "Maybe you should've thought about showing up earlier and saving me from—some hard times.” I stood and walked to the window, hoping he hadn't seen my eyes tear up. “I sure could have used a white knight.”
His voice softly echoed his concern. “Our laws and our community dictate when we can step in. Garrett and I waited for specific physical markers that indicated your change was close, like those headaches you’ve been having and the change in your scent. You’ve only been experiencing headaches for the last three weeks. We couldn’t make assumptions without that kind of strong evidence. It was still possible that you were human.”
“I’ve never felt … normal.”
He stood, giving my arm a squeeze. “You’re smart and you're strong. You channel your anger and usually make it work for you in a positive way. We're going to help you through this.”
I thought about what he’d said as I watched him label the vials and pack up his blood kit, bundling up the medical waste in a special container. “Do all the new shifters get this kind of treatment?”
“No. Most of them grow up in shifter communities and know what they are at a young age. A few slip through the cracks like you and me. Changing for the first time outside of a community of supes can be dangerous for the humans who witness the change and also the new shifter. Occasionally someone dies."
“Supes? Like in supernatural creatures? Jeez, this is so messed up.” I groaned and leaned my back against the wall. “Vampires? Werewolves? Really? I feel like a character in a graphic novel. I don’t want to run into any other supes, if it’s all the same to you."
I stretched my arms over my head to relieve the stiffness in my shoulders just as Ethan walked through the door, having changed back into his human form, his sweatpants twisted and his longish hair a crazy mess.
He watched me stretch for a moment and sighed. “Time for a shower.” This time I giggled when he passed me and winked.