Forged by Greed (2 page)

“We should head back,” Jatred said quietly.

“Mhmm.” Jasmira nodded slowly but didn’t move.

“Did you tell your grandma you’re leaving?” He looked down at her.

“I left her a note that I went out for some air. She was still
asleep. You?”

“I texted my uncle from the truck, right before I picked you up.”
Jatred smiled. “I’m surprised the engine didn’t wake him up.”

She exhaled loudly and pressed her lips together. “They won’t like
it when they find out we’re together. And the Goddesses will be furious.”

Jatred cleared his throat and spoke in a deep mocking voice, unmistakably
mimicking an adult, “Summer and Winter Shifters don’t belong together; especially
not the Prince and the Princess of the rival Races. It’s against our rules.”

Jasmira rolled her eyes.
 

“Let’s go, I’m starving.” Jatred yawned and stretched.

“I will race you back,” she said in a rush. The air around her
pulsed in thin waves, and she shifted into a black leopard. She leapt away from
Jatred, as he changed into his wolf form. He snarled and took off after her.

***

“Dude, this band rocks. I don’t know what you’re talking about.” A
tall teenage boy laughed, collapsing into an oversized armchair. He was lean
and muscular, built like someone who practiced a lot of contact-sports. “Did
you see them in concert last March? They were at the Tacoma Dome. They were totally
awesome. I went with Jatred, and we had a blast.”

“They suck, bro.” A slim, gangly boy in glasses snorted, his long
legs stretched out in front of him. “Try Incubus or The Black Keys music, then
we’ll talk.”

“Erik, where is my iPod?” A plump girl walked into the room, her
eyes an astonishing shade of green. She firmly planted her feet apart and put
her hands on her round hips, fuming.
 
“I
told you not to touch my iPod! You lost yours, so get a new one and paws off
mine.” Her voice had a pleasant bell-like sound, despite her frustration.

“Hey, Georgeta.” The teen in glasses smiled at her.

“Hi, Bogdan. I’m going to Lusia’s house in a minute,” she said.

“Here, catch.” Erik threw Georgeta’s iPod toward her. She swiped it
midair in a blurred motion. “If you take it one more time, I’m going to kick
your butt,” the girl muttered.

“I’m sure you will, little sis.” Erik laughed, getting up. He
grabbed Georgeta and twirled her around. Her jet-black short curly hair
contrasted with his light-blond straight mane. Her skin looked like she spent
hours in the sun, while he was fair-skinned.
She had been adopted
from an orphanage in Romania
by Erik’s parents just a few years
earlier.

Georgeta shifted into a wolf form so quickly that Erik didn’t have
time to let her go, and he collapsed onto his back. The wolf tumbled on top of
him, snarling. Her upper lip curled back from her sharp teeth, her black
wolf-nose almost touching her brother’s human-face. Erik grabbed onto Georgeta’s
gray mane and, still laughing, wrestled with her.

“Showing off much, Georgie? You finally got to shift and now you
can’t stop the fun?” Erik teased. “Fifteen-year-olds.”

Georgeta looked like an overgrown wolf pup that hadn’t quite yet
become an adult. Despite her looks, in her animal shape, Erik’s adoptive sister
was much bigger and stronger than he was in his human form. With a snap, she
closed her teeth around the front of his shirt, lifted him off the floor and,
with a swing of her huge head, threw him onto the bed, ripping a large piece of
fabric from the front of his jersey. Erik landed on the bed, bouncing high,
then fell down to the floor, cursing.

The wolf puffed and, with a snarl, turned slowly around and walked
out of the room. Bogdan laughed so hard he had to take his glasses off and wipe
his eyes with the back of his hand. Georgeta, still in her wolf form, returned
after a few seconds, gingerly picked up the iPod from the floor with her jaws
and retreated, growling.

“This was my favorite Seahawks jersey!” Erik yelled after her. He
looked down at his shirt and said to Bogdan, “Shut up. I got it for my birthday
from
your
girlfriend
. Lusia will have a fit when she sees this.”

“Then don’t tell her. It’s not like she’s going to come over to
search your closet.” Bogdan was still chuckling.

Erik glanced at his friend and burst into laughter.

“I didn’t know that would make you so happy,” Georgeta hollered from
her bedroom. “And, dude, no touching my iPod or I will rip more than your
shirt.”

“I can’t stay mad at her,” Erik said with his mind to Bogdan.

“Good to know. I was so scared you’re going to do something irrational,
ha, ha,” Georgeta shouted mockingly from her bedroom, this time with her mind.
“By the way, if you don’t want me to hear what you say, keep your mental
shields up, you know. Or not, I don’t care.”

Bogdan cackled and hooted with delight. Amused, the boys looked at
each other, their eyebrows raised. Erik shook his head and chuckled. Bogdan
mouthed to him, “Mental shield, you know.”
 

“We are going to shoot hoops outside. Wanna come?” Erik walked to
Georgeta’s room and leaned on the door frame, grinning, hands stuck in his
shorts pockets. He didn’t even bother to change his shirt. Bogdan stood right
next to his friend, still chortling under his breath.

“Yeah, so you can laugh at me? You know I’m too short for
basketball.” Georgeta blew a raspberry. “And it’s too hot today. You two should
stay inside anyway.”

“Why?” Erik shrugged.

“Because you’re wolves, moron. It’s too hot.” Georgeta rolled her
eyes.

“Relax, we can handle a bit of heat. A little is nice, even for the
Winter Race.” Erik snorted.

“It’s your call. I’m going to Lusia’s. She’s got better
air-conditioning than we do here. Sorry about the shirt.” Georgeta put the
ear-buds back into her ears and got up.

“Nah. It’s fine. You can always get me a new one with your
babysitting money.” Erik winked, smiling. “See you later, sis.”

Georgeta paused by the door and turned around to look at the boys.
“Keep in mind there are humans around. Don’t show off with your physical
strength, like you did last time.”

“It was an accident—” Erik tried to protest.

“An accident? You bent the basketball hoop with
one hand
.”

“Erm.” Erik sheepishly looked at Bogdan for reassurance, but Bogdan
didn’t comment, just suppressed a laugh.

 
“Watch him please, would
you?” Georgeta fixed Bogdan with a look, then let out an exaggerated sigh and
stalked off.

CHAPTER 2

Human World, July 31.

The coffee house buzzed with conversations.

“I’m learning to like it, but the smell is still too strong for me.”
Jatred took a sip of coffee. “I prefer it just black or with a bit of cream,
none of this chocolate or whipped cream garbage.”

“Garbage?” Jasmira laughed. “I see. You just need a clear
proclamation of your masculinity.”

“Yeah, that’s it.” He reached for her hand and leaned closer to kiss
it.

 
“What’s the plan today?” She
beamed at him. “My grandma is in Portland. She’s meeting with some Summer
Shifters to discuss the event… you know, the coronation. They have until the
beginning of December, but the Historical Society is already going nuts. Don’t
these people have anything better to do?” Jasmira let out a loud sigh.

“They live for this thing, J. My Race’s Historical Society is doing the
same song and dance. By the way, I think it’s funny we both are going to become
the Royal Heads at almost the same time.” Jatred kissed Jasmira’s fingers
again. “But I really don’t give a crap about this coronation stuff.”

She tried to tease him, “Come on, you are your Race’s Prince—”

“Yep, and I still don’t care. Okay, it’s just a tradition, but
that’s it. I’m not going to pretend I buy this whole nonsense,” Jatred
interrupted. He leaned toward Jasmira and, hooking his arm around her neck,
kissed her on the lips. “This is what I care about the most—
you
.”

“Stop. Everyone is staring at us,” she whispered severely.

“Why do you worry so much?”

“I don’t like when people look at me.” Jasmira blushed, her head
down.

“Okay.” He smiled at her with an irritating indulgence. “Your
Highness? Are you not confident in your regal presence?”

“J, cut it out.”
 
She snorted,
moving her head away from his hand.

“Come on, let’s go to the beach.” Jatred stood up, pulling a set of
keys from his shorts pocket.

“I need to change into a swimsuit,” she protested.

“Mhm. And your grandma is not home… so let’s go. Quick.” He winked
at her.

“You aren’t allowed in my bedroom.”

“Why not?”

“Because.” Jasmira sighed in mock exasperation.

“I know. I’m just playing with you. Don’t worry; I’ll be a perfect
gentleman.”

She wanted to smack him upside the head, but instead settled for puffing.

They drove in Jatred’s black Toyota pick-up truck, loud music
blasting through the rolled-down windows. Jasmira’s long curly hair danced in
the wind, her head bobbing in rhythm with the music. Grasping the steering
wheel with one hand, Jatred reached out to touch her arm. His hand slid down
past her elbow, until he entwined his fingers with hers. Jasmira smiled at him,
pushing the hair out of her face.

“Hey.” She leaned close to Jatred and rested her head on his
shoulder. “I missed you yesterday.”

He put his arm around her, his eyes on the road. “Yeah, me too, but
my uncle took a day off from work. There was no way I could get out of that
one.”

“It’s okay. I bet you loved every second of it.” Jasmira turned the
music down a notch.

“You know I did. I dig rock climbing.” He pressed his cheek to her
head. Her hair was soft and smelled like green apples. Jatred inhaled and
smiled. “But I was thinking about you all the time. It was like you were there
with me.”

“You guys weren’t hot? This heat doesn’t bother your Race?”

“Nah. It wasn’t too bad. We climbed mostly in the shaded side of the
mountain.” He shrugged, one corner of his mouth lifting in a smile.

Jasmira moved closer, her body straining against her seat belt. She
nested her head on his chest and slid both arms around his waist. His t-shirt
smelled faintly of sweat and detergent. Jatred caressed her back and neck with
his free hand.

“Do you think the Goddesses know about us?” His question startled
her, and she tensed.

“I don’t know. It would be surprising if they didn’t.” Her voice
sounded quiet, scared even. She licked her lips and pressed them together,
taking a deep breath through her nose.

“What is it, J?”

Jasmira drew away from him, her eyes troubled. She took a thick
elastic band from her pocket, raised her hands up and twisted her hair into a
messy pony tail. Jatred stole a quick glance at her, and then turned his eyes
back to the street. The traffic lights changed to red. He pressed the brake pedal
and turned his body toward Jasmira, cupping the side of her face with his hand.