Change (Kitsune) (21 page)

"Let's enjoy our dinner here, let me process what Hank had to say. If you want, we can talk about that in a few days?"

"I'll hold you to it." I smiled.

"So, Devon, I haven't seen your sister in years, how's she doing?" Alexis asked, moving on and drawing us back into conversation.

"Pretty good I guess. She married some guy from Texas and lives with his pack down there. They come for visits a couple times a year, but they haven't been back at the same time I have since before her kids were born."

"She has kids?"

"Three, all girls. From what I hear, they're all just as wild and untamed as she was."

"Well if anyone deserves it she does, I can't tell you how much trouble I got into because she came up with some stunt for us to pull." Alexis laughed.

"I don't doubt that, she was always getting into one kind of trouble or another. And what she didn't think of, you did." Alexis just laughed harder while he continued, "Though, I hear she has settled down a lot and that motherhood has done wonders for her."

"And how about your brother? Jason isn't it?"

"He went away to school and is somewhere in California working for some software company. I'm sure he's dating someone, because honestly? When has Jason not dated? But no one serious enough that that he'd tell mom about her, which means I've heard nothing about her."

"Are you saying that the only information you have on your brother and sister is through your mom?" Alexis asked, exchanging looks with Hank who was just coming back from tending the fire in the barbecue.

"Nah, I talk to Amy some. Not all the time but I've talked to her since I moved back. Jason, well… We've never been close. I'm not sure I even have a number for him. But we've messaged each other a few times."

He sounded so casual about not speaking to his brother, as if it was normal. Well, maybe for him it is, but I couldn’t imagine not speaking to my family like that, it would drive me crazy.

"The grill's about ready do you want to get the steaks, Sweetheart?" Hank asked.

"Sure. Nickie, will you come help me a minute?" Alexis asked. I stood and followed her into the kitchen. She pulled a platter of steaks out of the fridge along with a smaller tray of asparagus spears. She set both plates on the counter and started seasoning the steaks, she motioned toward a stack of potatoes on the counter "I've already washed those but can you stick them into the microwave, and get them started for me?"

"Sure." I picked up the potatoes and did as she asked.

"Let me take these out to Hank and I'll be right back." She carried both the plate with the steaks on it and the asparagus outside. When she came back in she asked, "How do you like your steak cooked?"

"Rare to medium rare, if possible." I answered.

She grabbed a platter and a tray full of condiments of the counter. "Can you carry that stack? Then all we have to come back in for is the potatoes."

"No problem." I said, grabbing the stack of plates and flatware that had been sitting next to the tray she was now carrying and followed her out the door.

As I carried the small stack of things out and set it on the table where we had been sitting, noticing as I approached the table that Devon seemed much more relaxed than he’d been when we went inside. I suspected that Hank had said something that made him more at ease, but not wanting to say anything that might cause the tension to return, I kept my mouth shut. I picked up my beer and drained the last of the cold liquid from the bottle.

"Can I get you another one?" Alexis asked behind me, I turned, making sure she was speaking to me before I answered.

"Thanks for the offer but I'd rather have a soda, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." She smiled, taking my empty bottle and dropping it in a recycling bin on the edge of the patio; she opened the ice chest sitting next to it, and turned and asked me "Coke or Pepsi?"

"Pepsi, please." She pulled out the signature blue can and brought it to me. "Thanks" I said, lifting the tab, popping the can open before tipping it up and taking a long drink.

I returned to my seat at the table and set the can on the table in front of me, leaning forward in my seat and I sat my chin on my stacked my hands on the edge of the table as I watched Hank expertly man the grill. It was obviously something he enjoyed and did often. I was lost in thought about that when I felt the warmth of a hand touch my arm. I turned my head and saw that Devon had set his hand on my folded elbow.

"Are you okay?" He asked as soon as my attention shifted.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking." I replied, smiling, as he slowly pulled his hand away.

"Good thoughts or bad thoughts? You looked a little lost."

"Good, I was just thinking how at home Hank is in front of the grill, and that he must do it often."

"He does." Alexis looked over at her husband fondly, "Not always with the wood though. When we're in a hurry he'll use charcoal. But we like to entertain and Hank loves that thing. I was a little leery when he built it, but I have to admit, it's been well worth it." She said.

A few minutes later Hank turned and waived one hand at Alexis, she picked up the platter she’d carried out and carried it over to Hank. She set the platter down on the wide edge of the grill and went back inside. A couple minutes later she came out carrying a large plastic bowl filled with salad and a plate with the potatoes on it. She put both down on the table while Hank pulled the steaks off the grill and brought them over; he placed the platter in the center of the table.

"Four slabs of beef, still bloody, as requested. Dig in." Hank said.

We all took plates and flatware off the pile I’d carried out and served ourselves. When we had all filled our plates and sat down I took a bite of my steak. The flavor burst inside my mouth and I couldn't contain a small moan of delight.

"What did you put on this steak? I've never had one that tasted quite this good." I asked.

"It's just a little steak seasoning; I'll show you which one before you go." Alexis said.

"It's not the seasoning; it's my superior skill at the grill." Hank his voice serious, but his face showed that this was an old game between the two of them. We finished eating while they continued to debate what caused the steaks to be so good.

After we ate Hank tossed some more wood onto the grill and it doubled as a nice fire to sit around as the sun set and the air rapidly cooled.

"How's your training going?" Hank asked.

"About as well as can be expected so far, I think. I'm comfortable with using my telepathy and Karen says I am progressing well with shielding. I haven't had any practice calling animal forms, but after spending some time in the clinic and seeing Alexis do it, I think I understand the principals. That's far more than could I could say when I started. But there's one thing that I haven't figured out."

"Really? What's that?"

"It's kind of hard to explain, but sometimes I feel like something's different from the last time I saw someone especially if the last time I saw them was before I first shifted. Sometimes I sense energy around people, sometimes know what I'm feeling but sometimes I can't figure it out. Or like with you, the first time I shook your hand and I got that jolt. It was almost like a shock, but not quite." I saw a ghost of a smile forming on Hank's face and I got the feeling he knew exactly what I was talking about.

"Who all have you told about this?"

"The first time I felt it was with my brother. I kept asking him what had changed, what was different and he insisted nothing but I'm not sure I believe him. I still haven't figured it out and that was about three weeks ago but I still have the sense that something's different I just can't place it. Other than that, I've asked Bill about it when it first happened, but he had no idea. And now the three of you, why?"

"Because I know what it is."

"How? How can you know but Bill not?"

"Because I have it too. That's why you felt the 'shock' when you shook my hand. I don't really talk about it, and I'm not sure Bill even knows about it."

"What is it? What is going on with me?"

"You're sensing power. The stronger the sensation the more powerful, basically. Though some powers feel different and register strength differently. And some strong emotions can register. Who's this brother you were pestering?"

"Raine." I replied.

"Wait, your Raine Daniels' sister?"

"Yeah.' I said, confused. I wondered how he knew Raine.

"Huh, I never would have guessed. I've known Raine since shortly after I moved to town."

"Very few people would think that my family is a family if they weren't told, we look nothing alike. I wasn't the only one who was adopted. Out of the six of us kids, four were adopted."

"That explains a lot." He nodded as he spoke, "Anyway. Raine. Yeah, I know what you're sensing from him, he's a seer. He has visions. It comes from his Native American blood, I'm almost certain. That kind of talent tends to be passed down in shaman families."

"But how? How can he be a seer and have kept it secret from all of us for all these years?"

"I don't know, how old was he when he was adopted?"

"I was three or four so he was four or five." I did the math in my head.

"It's possible he learned to hide it from his biological family."

"I guess, but he has always said he can't remember his family."

"That could be true, but that's not what we're talking about anyway. We were talking about you, and by extension, me." He redirected the conversation.

"Okay, I'll just go to him for the information. Back to us. Tell me how this sensing power business works."

"First, you have to remember that he has no clue what you are, so you'll have to figure out how to get it out of him without telling him how you know.” He warned. "But back to us, you already know the basics. You get a feeling, a sensation that some thing's different. Or a shock when you touch someone.” He smiled wryly, “The real trick isn't sensing the power it's learning to differentiate the different kinds and strengths of power. You'll learn that all Kitsune have a feel to them, it's like you can sense their animal form inside them. I've also noticed that the stronger emotions that I feel only come from Kindred. I've never sensed it from a human"

"I can see that Kitsune would have a sense of power around them. Other than telling when someone has a power of some kind, is there anything I can do with it?"

"I wish I could tell you all these great things you can learn to do, but as far as I can tell, there's not a whole lot there. It's not something that can be seen, and I've only learned what I know about it by trial and error. Until you, I'd never met anyone else with it.

"I only know what Raine is because I've known a seer before and knew what the energy felt like, and just so you know, I haven't spoken to him about it."

"I see." I said, processing what he was saying, "At least now I know what it is and I can stop trying to figure out what he's changed. Thanks for sharing what you know, it's been helpful. I guess now I'll have to get to know people and learn how different powers and energies feel."

"That's pretty much all I can recommend. That's how I've done it for years."

"This is good, now I have some idea what it is and what I need to do. Really, Thanks." I said sincerely.

We visited for a little while longer and it was almost nine when Devon finally called an end to the evening saying that he had to get up early in the morning. We thanked the Jeffries for having us over and climbed back into my car to head home.

"I'm really sorry about earlier tonight, I don't know what came over me." Devon said once we were both in the car.

"It's okay. You surprised me; I didn't realize you were that bitter about it."

"I didn't either. I think it was something about seeing Alexis again, maybe with a Kindred husband, that really brought it out. I used to have a huge crush on her."

"You acted like you barely knew her when I asked."

"I got over it years ago. And I didn't want you to think I had a thing for her, plus you said she was married. I didn't want to upset him either. Some Kindred can be very possessive and jealous of their spouses, especially if they aren't mated."

"Ah...' I replied, letting the silence fall. I wondered what the hell he meant by mated.

The ride back to our apartment complex was quiet, we said good night on the side walk where we split to go to our separate apartments and I went up the stairs to mine and fell into to bed, exhausted. 

Chapter 17

Sunday morning I answered messages, called to my sisters, and ran my errands early so I could enjoy the mid-day sun. I put on my bathing suit and sunscreen and headed out to the complex pool. I ignored the kids splashing in the shallow end and swam laps back and forth across the deep end until my arms felt like limp noodles and they were barely able lift my body out of the pool. I laid face down on one of the lounge chairs surrounding the now empty pool, and relaxed as I let the heat of the sun warm and relax my tired body.

I'd been lying on my stomach, slid up into the seat so that I could lay my PCD on the ground under me and easily read my latest book. I'd read several pages when I heard the soft whisper of bare feet on concrete. I ignored it, expecting the footsteps to pass and fade away, but instead they got closer and stopped beside me, a shadow falling across my body. I caught a scent in the air that told me it was Devon standing beside me, and I twisted my body around until I looked up to see his body silhouetted as he stood between me and the sun. It took a moment until I could focus on his face, he was grinning and dressed in his own swim wear, loose black trunks that said ARMY in silver block letters on one leg and no t-shirt.

"Well, well, well. What've I found here?" Devon said, sitting down on the edge of the chair next to mine. "How has your day gone?"

"Not bad. I've gotten all my chores done, talked to my sisters, swam laps and I was just laying here reading for a bit before I have to go to parents." I said, looking down to check the time on my PCD and looking back up at him, "You're home early today aren't you?"

"A little. I got everything done and your dad sent me home. He said quitting time was when the work was done, not on the clock. I thought I'd take advantage of the free afternoon and go for a swim. I headed out here after my shower, and found that a beautiful Amazon had already beaten me to the pool."

I rolled my eyes, "You're funny." I didn’t take him seriously, "Can you slide to one side or the other or move around to my other side if you want to talk, looking into the sun like this is killing me."

"I'm gonna swim first. Then if you're still around, I'll pull up a seat. Enjoy your book." He said over his shoulder, turning to walked toward the pool. I twisted around so I could watch as he dropped into the water before I went back to my book, behind me I could hear the rhythmic whooshing of his arms moving hitting the water as he swam.

I listened to him move back and forth in the water until the alarm on my PCD sounded, signaling time for me to go. I still needed to shower and get dressed before heading over to my parents. I gathered up my towel and PCD and slipped into the flip flops I’d worn down from the apartment before I headed back up.

Half an hour later I was headed across the courtyard toward the parking lot. I saw Devon sitting on the edge of the pool, still dripping wet, with his feet trailing in the water. I raised one arm over my head and waved at him as I continued out to my car. Seeing me, he smiled and waved back.

The next evening I came home from work and quickly changed out of my work clothes. The weather was warm so I put on a lightweight sun dress and sandals; my thought was that it would be comfortable as well as easy and quick to get off and on when it came time to shift.
I was pulling the strap onto my right heal when I heard a knock on my door; I lifted my left foot and slipped that strap up as well before I answered the door. When I approached the door my enhanced senses picked up the scent of toasted almonds. I recognized that as Gabriel’s scent.

"I'll be right there!" I said, not bothering to shout, as I knew he'd be able to hear me without having to raise my voice. I picked up my purse and checked to be sure my PCD was inside, as well as a couple of the canned shakes for after the run, before I opened the door and stepped out to join Gabriel. I pulled the door closed behind me and smiled at him, "Perfect timing. I was just pulling my shoes on. Are we ready?"

"Great, let’s go!" He smiled back, heading back down the stairs, "Oh," He stopped, turning back to look at me, "Before I forget. The Anikitos asked me to tell you Wednesday, seven pm. He said bring nothing but you."

"Great, thanks for relaying the message."

"No problem, I was gonna be seeing you anyway." He shrugged, starting back down the stairs.

"So, what do you have in mind for dinner?"

"Nothing in particular. I thought I'd see what you were in the mood for."

"Something high in calories. I'm starving and I'll still need to fuel two shifts." I followed him down the stairs.

"Me too. Fast food or sit down?"

"I prefer sit down, but if we're in a hurry we can do fast food."

"No hurry, we have all night. Do you have someplace you'd prefer to go?" He asked.

"Not really, I just don't want to go somewhere particularly packed, we'll wait forever and I'd like to get out and shifted before the sun sets." I reached the ground a moment behind him and asked "Where'd you park?"

"That lot, over there," He signaled across the courtyard, past the building that Devon's apartment was in, "It's the only one that had any open spaces."

"This place gets like that some days, especially around this time. If we didn't have assigned parking then I'd end up parking over there half the time myself," I headed for the lot he'd indicated. We were approaching the end of Devon's building when I Devon’s scent on the breeze. It wasn't just that he lived there, but that he was somewhere close right now. I turned from where I had been looking at Gabriel as I spoke to him, and looked around for Devon. I spotted him in front of us, headed in from the parking lot.

"Hey, Devon. How's your day been?" I stopped him; he looked like he was coming in from work, his clothes dirty and flecked with dirt and debris and his skin not much better. The only clean piece of clothing he had on was his black leather jacket.

"Hey Nickie. Long. We had a couple of steers get loose and spent a couple hours chasing them, but we got 'em in the end." He smiled, "How about yours?"

"So far so good." I replied before asking, "Devon have you met Gabriel? Gabriel works for Bill, security."

"No, I've never met him," He turned to Gabriel and offered a surprisingly clean hand, "Nice to meet you, Gabriel."

"Nice to meet you, too." Gabriel subtly inhaled, scenting the air around us, "You're Devon Wilson right?"

"I am." Devon said, his voice carefully neutral.

"I'd heard you were back. I'm sorry to hear about your injury." Gabriel said sincerely, when Devon looked confused, he continued, "Sorry, I hear a lot in my position." Devon nodded, accepting the explanation. "I heard you've been away a while and while no one was happy that you were hurt, there are quite a few who’re glad you've finally come home."

A surprised look flash across Devon's face before he could prevent it, or school his features. "Um, well, I need to get to the shower and wash this muck off. I'll let the two of you go." Devon tried to change the subject.

"We're gonna find some dinner and go for a run. Do you want to come with us?" I invited.

"Not tonight. I just want to get clean, and then do a lot of nothing. Slogging around in the mud today about did me in."

"If you're sure…"

"I'm sure." He smiled, letting me know he meant it, "I'll catch you later, Nickie. It was good to meet you Gabriel, I'll probably see you around," He stepped past us, making his way to his apartment. We continued out to Gabriel's truck in the parking lot.

Once we were in the truck where we couldn't be overheard Devon turned to me, "You realize he doesn't shift, don't you?" He asked, starting the engine and backing out of the space.

"Yeah, of course."

"Don't you think he might have felt a little awkward on a run, not being able to shift like we will?"

"Not really, we've talked about the possibly of he and I going out together. Me in wolf form and him not, but we haven't had a chance to do it yet. He runs a lot, keeps up with the fitness training from his time in the Army, but I only run on four legs." Gabriel nodded, pulling out of the parking lot onto the street. He probably didn't agree with me, but he let the subject drop.

We ended up at a small diner. The food was good though not great, but the service was fast and that counted for something. After dinner we crossed the river and drove out past the airport before turning onto a dirt road and bumping and bouncing a few more miles until we were at the base of the Gila Mountains. The Gilas weren't nearly as tall as the Pinaleňos, the range that Mt. Graham was part of, but they were more isolated. 

Gabriel pulled off the side of the narrow dirt trail and cut the engine, but before we got out of the truck I suddenly started feeling nervous. There was nowhere to go to shift in privacy. Gabriel must have sensed my tension.

"What's wrong?" Gabriel looked at me.

"I'm not all that comfortable with the nudity part of it all yet," I explained, blushing at my own shyness, "And there's nowhere here to keep from being seen out here."

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, as though trying to find the right words, "While I understand the ideals behind it, and I can sympathize with how it feels to be suddenly thrust into a world so different, this is one thing you're just going to have to work at getting over."

"I know. It's just that I've had modesty drilled into me all my life and I'm finding that it's not such an easy thing to let go of."

"Do you swim?" he asked suddenly.

"Yeah, as often as I can during the summer. I love the water," I responded, confused at the sudden change of subject.

"What kind of suit do you wear?"

"I have several, but almost all of them are two piece," I still didn't see where he was going with this.

"Bikinis?"

"Yeah. I guess."

"What I'm getting at is your swimsuit doesn't cover much more than your underwear right?"

"Well. Yeah. I guess."

"Then you're half way there. You're used to people seeing you, and you seeing them while wearing little more than underwear, right?"

"Now that you put it that way, yeah. I mean, it's meant to be seen, but it still covers about the same amount."

"Most of the underwear on the market today is meant to be seen, but that's beside the point," He pointed out, "Now that you've realized how close you are, it’ll be a smaller leap to get used to more complete nudity."

"It's worth a try," I agreed.

"So, in the spirit of progress, let's try this. We stay on our own side of the truck, but keep the doors open and not hide while we take our clothes off. The seat will hide the most important parts anyway. I'll shut the door and shift first, giving you a chance to finish stripping and change with a little bit of privacy."

"That sounds like a good idea to me," I was willing to give it try.

"So let's do it," He opened his door and stepped out of the truck. I climbed down out of the seat and pulled my dress off over my head. I folded it and set it on the seat in front of me. I looked up and saw Gabriel standing in the opposite doorway. He'd removed his shirt first and I could see the muscles move under his skin as he unbuttoned the fly on his jeans. I looked away when he started sliding his jeans down off his hips. I bent down and slipped the straps of my sandals off my feet and stepped out of the remaining straps but continued to stand on the bottoms so I wouldn't get thorns in my bare feet. I glanced up and saw Gabriel had not only slipped his pants off but his underwear at the same time, as there was a pair still inside the jeans that were now draped across the driver’s seat and he was pushing the door closed.

As soon as the door clicked shut I quickly took off my bra and stepped out off my panties, folded them both and put them with my dress before I, too, closed the door and bent to shift. A moment later, leaving my sandals where I had shifted over them, I padded around the front of the truck to meet Gabriel.

Gabriel's wolf form surprised me; I wasn't expecting to come face to face with a huge timber wolf. His fur was layered with black, brown and gray like the typical wolf portrayed on t-shirts and pottery, it was his size that was shocking; he was easily as tall as a Great Dane and as blocky as a bull dog. His intelligent green-gold eyes seemed to ask if I was ready to go.

*Are you ready* He asked mentally, surprising me again, since I hadn't lowered my shields to listen for him.

*How did you do that?* I asked back.

*Do what?*

*Slip past my shields to talk to me without my even feeling it.*

*Slipping past shields is one of my talents, though most telepaths can mentally speak through shields. Unless you have a talent like mine, listening to someone's thoughts through their shields is much harder.* I tilted my head to the right, *Yes, that means I'm telepathic. Bill told me you are too, that will make this outing easier.* He turned and started out into the foothills of the small range of mountains in front of us.

*Is telepathy a common talent?* I followed him. We walked through the sandy washes, remnants of past rain storms, while we continued our conversation.

*It's not uncommon. You'll find that probably half the pack has some form or another. Some can only send, some can only receive, some are strong and some are really weak.*