Page 2 of Shift of Destiny
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Chance McKennie was doomed to never have a quiet life. His conception and birth had already been unlikely, but in his opinion, the name his parents chose to commemorate that fact sealed his fate. The more peculiar or unusual the event, the more likely he was to be nearby, or get dragged into it. Like at dinner this evening, for example, when the granite golem forgot his foot and nearly took out a table full of tourists.
Chance’s favorite restaurant in the town of Kotoyeesinay, Wyoming was the Blue Fairy Diner because the chef, an actual wizard, conjured off-the-menu dishes to suit the dietary needs of her customers, however unusual.
The beast that lived inside him craved fresh, red meat, while Chance had a broader palate. Su Yen’s delicious wild-game and vegetable stew was one of the few things they agreed on. The Change of Fortune Casino’s June tournament meant that even on a Tuesday at dusk, the diner was hopping. He’d been happy to snag a stool at the counter, but it was just his luck, setting him up again.
He’d only taken two big spoonfuls of the flavorful stew when he noticed the giant gray-and-pink speckled golem at a table nearby had removed its feet so its legs fit under the table while it ate its meal of what smelled like mud. It had just put one slab of a foot back on when a loud bang from the street startled everyone. Chance and most of the customers jumped or twitched, but the golem abruptly stood. Without the other foot, the golem slowly toppled, like a giant pillar of doom, toward a big booth crammed with boisterous, oblivious tourists. Chance launched himself toward the golem. Even with his extraordinary strength and speed, he could only redirect its heavy fall into the half-wall of the server station. The wall collapsed, causing the counter behind it to buckle and dump a full tray’s worth of ice-water glasses on top of Chance and the golem.
Chance retrieved the golem’s very heavy foot and helped it stand. The golem mumbled apologies and shoved a wad of cash at the server before leaving, but the tourists didn’t even notice, since they were focused on Chance.
He wasn’t surprised. The golem wore a charm that rendered it unnoticeable to ordinary human eyes. The elven town council and the permanent residents of the town made sure any visiting tourists saw or didn’t see exactly what they expected. The look-elsewhere charm, issued when the town had granted sanctuary, worked perfectly for an emancipated golem. Chance, who didn’t need a charm because he looked like a normal human, wasn’t so lucky.
“Looks like that red-haired fella’s been doing a bit too much celebratin’, if you catch my drift,” one of the tourists joked to the server, miming a motion that looked like downing whiskey shots. “I’ll have what he’s havin’.” Everyone at the table laughed.
Chance pretended he was deaf as he used a wad of napkins to dry off, then went back to his stool and his rapidly cooling stew.
Aurelio, the restaurant’s manager, glared grumpily at the tourists. “They sent back a hamburger because it was too pink. Su Yen is sharpening her knives.” He tilted his head toward the wrecked serving station. “I saw what you did. Thank you.”
“No problem.” He waved his spoon toward it. “I could do a temporary repair right now, until you can get someone in to restore it. I have tools in my truck, and don’t have to be at work tonight until ten.”
Though a handyman by trade, there wasn’t much call for those skills in a small town full of people who could do conjuring magic. He’d have moved on before the heavy winter snows set in if he hadn’t found a job at Glade General Goods, stocking after hours. The night shift had suited his unusual beast. He liked being in a community that found his shifter nature unremarkable, though that would probably change if anyone saw his other form.
It still astonished him that golems and the whole range of other creatures he’d thought were myths were not only real, but alive and peacefully co-existing in a magical sanctuary town in the middle of the Rocky Mountains. In the rest of the world, territory fights, bigotry, greed, and ancient rivalries prevailed far too often among shifters, fairies, elves, and magic users, and that was a walk in the park compared to what would happen if ordinary humans discovered their existence. Too bad he couldn’t stay in Kotoyeesinay.
Aurelio smiled. It was always startling, because he looked scary, with skin too pale to be human, velvet black hair, intricate red tattoos, and metal-studded eyebrows to go with his Goth wardrobe. He wore a sanctuary illusion charm, so there was no telling what the tourists thought he looked like. “I’ll take you up on your offer of a repair job, if you’ll let me buy your dinner.” He pointed toward the kitchen. “The back storeroom has some wood scraps you can use.” He cast another baleful look toward the tourists. “I’ll tell Su Yen so she doesn’t use you for target practice.”
* * *
Chance screwed in one more fastener to hold the temporary brace in place. He gave a quick hand-sanding to the repurposed strip molding he’d applied to keep the plywood edge from splintering, then swept up the plaster and sawdust debris. He enjoyed the opportunity to use his skills again. He missed working with his hands and building things, even if it was just a makeshift countertop. Kotoyeesinay didn’t need his skills, and the town didn’t have what he needed, either. His increasingly restless beast refused to wait any longer.
He gathered his tools and found Aurelio up front at the cashier station. The front door’s magic spell pulsed as another customer entered. The spell felt like a variation on the friend-or-enemy type. He’d never been able to control magic himself, other than when shifting, but thanks to his mother’s lineage, he could sense even the smallest use of it.
“It isn’t pretty, but it’s usable.” He pointed a thumb toward the serving station. “You might ask whoever does the restoration to reinforce the half-wall with steel angle brackets. Whoever built it back in the day just butted it in.”
Aurelio smiled. “You’re a pal.” Chance started to turn away, but Aurelio unexpectedly grabbed his arm and pulled him closer to speak quietly. “Don’t go yet.”
Chance blinked in surprise. Did he know Chance was resigning from his job that evening? As much as he liked Aurelio, it wasn’t his business or anyone else’s that insistent pressure from his beast wanting to continue the search for a mate was compelling him to hit the road again. He’d initially resented the beast’s nagging, but had come to admit he was as lonely as his beast. He’d hoped that in a town full of all species of shifters, he’d find a mate, but it hadn’t worked out that way. If he only got one shot at the mating dance, he didn’t want to miss it, so that meant moving on. “Uhm, I...”
Aurelio tilted his head toward the tiny waiting area near the door, where a single figure stood, wearing an embroidered maroon hoodie and holding a backpack, looking out into the night. A roundness of hips and the long, thick braid of dark hair suggested she was female, but he couldn’t see her face. “Could you walk her to Tinsel’s? Her car broke down—that was the noise we heard—and I told her I’d find her a place to stay for the night so she wouldn’t have to sleep in her car.”
Chance relaxed and told himself to get out of his own head. “Sure.” Crime in Kotoyeesinay usually consisted of mischief by young shifters or vampires and the minor thefts reported by casino guests. In the rest of the world, smart women were understandably cautious in strange towns. “Is she a tourist?” That was code for asking if she was an ordinary human, or something else.
Aurelio gave the woman a considering look. “Well, she talks like a tourist and her aura feels human, but I think she’s here for sanctuary.”
That explained Aurelio’s interest in helping her. His own beloved Su Yen had arrived with an entire criminal gang on her heels, so he had a soft spot for people in need of sanctuary. Usually, however, the person in question knew the nature of the town and petitioned the council immediately.
The multicultural, multi-species, peaceful community wasn’t for everyone, especially those who couldn’t let go of old feuds, or wanted to prey on others. Conceit, fear, and prejudice weren’t exclusively human traits. The only bad things he’d heard about Kotoyeesinay were from people he wouldn’t trust even in a well-lit alley. The woman’s presence was a puzzle.
“I’ll be careful with her, then.”
Aurelio smiled broadly, revealing blood-red gums and wickedly sharp pearly teeth. “I know. That’s why I waited for you.” He walked around the counter and led him to the woman. “Ms. Graham, I found you a free room at a bed and breakfast called Tinsel’s.” Aurelio waved toward him. “This is Chance McKennie, my handyman buddy. He’ll show you where it is.”
The woman turned and pushed back her hood. “Please, call me Moira.”
Even with a streak of grease across her forehead and exhaustion etching dark circles under her eyes, she was striking, with coppery brown eyes so wide and warm that he wanted to drown in them. Her thick, dark hair, strong nose, and flawless light brown skin spoke of an ethnic heritage as mixed as his.
The beast inside him perked up immediately and pushed him to get closer, to find out what she smelled like under the grease and road dust. Lately, his beast wanted to smell every new female he met, regardless of species.Behave,he ordered,or I’ll eat nothing but salads and tofu for the next week.His beast retreated sulkily.
