Page 65 of Shifting Years
He reached down like he had all the permission in the world and smiled as his beefy fingers ran through my slick. He wasn't concerned about my safety or comfort but loved the unsaid compliment. Everything that made me Mike said I didn't want this, but my body argued.
Lay back, close my eyes, and use meditation techniques from books. It would be over, and I could fight later.Did I ever?Bobby once said I didn't seem like a hippie. I barely attended protest marches, and did I involve myself in The Movement? I read, and that was it.
As best I could, I ignored the hand cupping my wet ass.
Todd fought for the world he wanted. He didn't just talk. He acted. Now it was my turn to do the same.
My man battled a shifter as a human and pretty much won. Since I mated, I was far stronger than human Todd, so what if I did the same?
Henry kept his right hand fisted as a message, and in his mind, his cock would split me soon. This was stretching out the experience. I was his again and there wasn't anyone around to tell him different.
I'm not a fighter like Malcolm X, JFK, Doctor King, Bobby Kennedy, or Todd, but to little Angel, I was her everything. If I didn't step up, she'd never get the world she deserved.
Do it!
I struck with fingers stabbing deep into Henry's left eye. He howled, thrashing as dark blood sprayed across my face. Did I try to burst his eyeball? I don't know, but blood and goo spurted, then slid out. I dodged his punches, dirt flying as he struck the ground instead.
Memories of an old fight replayed as I mirrored and adapted Todd's moves. A punch to the throat took away an Alpha's breath and a thumb into another socket found a warm wetness. His snakelike grapple left, and I shimmied away.
Henry writhed around on the ground, sniffing and swinging at empty air. "I'll kill you!"
He tried something so vile, I couldn't say the word in my mind. Yet, Ialmostfelt sorry for him. Shifters heal fast, but did we regenerate? Todd bloodied his eye, but I destroyed both. Thoughts came that went against every book I read, but Todd and Bobby were right. Sometimes you had to fight.
But do I have to kill?
Have to or want to?
Tears from anger or the attack streaked down my face and my foot slammed into his chest. He flew back, rolling into the ground, and it would have been enough. I was naked and ready to shift. Run on all fours into town or howl with a panicked wolf-song and the sheriff and others would come.
Instead, I took in the pathetic, bloodiedthingthat lived in my head and gave me years of fear. I could have had a life with my Alpha, but this pitiful worm brought the military police. He killed my Todd as much as a Vietnamese bullet.
He might as well have fired it himself.
I angled myself against the slight breeze to mask my scent and position. He clawed several times at the air, and if he connected, that would have been it.
He staggered to his feet with a cruel thinking look I've seen before. He'd outthink me if I didn't go through with it. I kickedhis knee, and cartilage crunched in response. I wiped away the last tear. More would come later, but I had a problem.
Would the town believe? I had planned to run but maybe I shouldn't. It's hard to lie to shifters unless you mask the scent with another emotional smell. Theyshouldbelieve me, but Henry was never without a back-up.What would Todd do?
He wasn't around but his memories stayed. Something he said years ago came as if it were only yesterday.
"Yeah, I wish everyone could see what a worm you are." I fell to my knees, instantly drained as if spent from a marathon. "You convinced the town, but I wish they could know the monster I see."
Goosebumps crawled over my skin. The trees trembled, and the blueberries withered into shriveled husks.
"No! I didn't agree! It wasn't a real wish!"
Maybe it wasn't from them, but magic is belief and will. With all my heart I wanted the town to see the monster from my mind.
Two women's voices pounded in my head.Oh, you phrased it poorly.
My attacker shook on the ground before whipping back and forth.
"No!" I shouted to the sky. "Stop! I didn't mean it! Please!" I had no idea what was coming, but it couldn't be good for anyone.
Foam frothed from Henry's mouth. I had seen men and women shift before, but never like this. Bones lengthened and his skin, instead of turning furry, burst with curved horns or centipede-like spikes. His mouth lengthened while the 'head' grew thick. Back and forth he went slithering on the ground.
"No! I didn't wish for this!"
