Gage Read online

  Her stomach growled ferociously. It burned, a pain so strong it shoved back the throb of her head and the panic that’d hit her. When was the last time she’d eaten anything? What time was it, even? The ache only gnawed at her more, her whole body betraying her.

  The smell wafting from the bin at the end of the alley wrapped around her and tried to pull her closer. The smell of flame grilled beef and pickles brought another rumble from her stomach. Her mouth watered, and her tongue passed over sharp teeth.

  ***

  Gage didn’t know what was keeping him in town. At first, he’d come to stand beside Archer, the one brother he could trust. But, Archer no longer needed him. He’d swung into Joanna’s life like a white knight and swept the woman off her feet, igniting the bond of mates. There was no room for a third wheel in that kind of relationship. He thought that three-wheeled motorcycles looked dumb, anyway.

  He certainly wasn’t going to knock on Cohen’s door. He didn’t even want to look at the stinker’s face half the time. He wasn’t about to ask the eldest Vancourt brother if he wanted to hang out, or if he had any plans with his damned life. Cohen clearly didn’t want anything to do with his brothers.

  It left Gage on his own, strolling through Stonefall with no clear purpose. He supposed he could go back to Illinois. There was a small job waiting for him there, but it wouldn’t pay the bills. He’d have to get a second or third job and he wasn’t even sure he could manage that without losing a bit of himself.

  It wasn’t the best life, but Gage couldn’t help but wonder if it was the only life for him. He glanced around the town, eyes grazing the brick buildings that lined the main street, the manicured lawns of old Victorians and baby boomer modulars in the distance. This wasn’t a place he’d ever called home and not a damn thing asked him to stay.

  Thinking he might as well turn around, get back in his car, and never stop again, Gage heard the small cries of an animal. His head perked up. He strained to listen to the sound over the voices of people around him. It was a familiar sound after dealing with Killian’s pack of wild coyotes. A growl slipped up Gage’s throat and a smile curved his lips.

  Finally, there was something he could do. He prowled toward the alley, quiet as a cat. Joanna would have been proud. Archer had called Animal Control on the last coyote shifter who prowled in town, but Gage had other ideas. He was going to chase the damned thing to the edge of the packs’ territory.

  But, when he rounded the corner, he found a simpering pile of fur instead of one of Killian’s feral coyotes. Gage paused, scenting the air. The small coyote caught sight of him and cried out, trying to backpedal until it’s limbs became a tangled mess and it crashed to the ground. He cocked a brow and swallowed his laugh.

  Crouching low, he smiled at the small shifter. “Can’t figure out how to use four legs at once?”

  The creature looked up at him with what could only be called puppy-dog-eyes. The look sent a spike through his heart that he could not identify. One hand clutched his chest while he struggled to pull in a breath. It gripped him until the creature whined once more, a loud and keening sound that made him wince.

  He let out a small huff of a laugh and reached forward to pick the coyote up by the scruff of its neck. It wasn’t as small as he thought, not the pup he’d assumed, and it was most certainly a she.

  “Archer did say there might be a stray running around town. You look confused enough to be new to this life,” Gage told the coyote in his hand.

  She looked at him for a long moment before her lips curled and a small growl emanated from her. Well, she had a fighting spirit, at least. It meant she might survive this world after all. Gage smiled and pulled her into his arms, carrying her like she was a baby. The creature had no idea how to move in this form and found herself stuck in his grip.

  It was a comical thing, one that brought a bubble of laughter to his lips every time he looked down at her. He listened to the growl of her stomach on the way back to his car, feeling a strong desire to feed her even though she tried to bite his chin several times on the way to the car.

  Once alone in a small parking lot, he held her away from his body and gave her a stern look. “Hey, I’m trying to help you. I can set you down right here and now if that’s what you want. If not, we can get on with this and get some proper food into your stomach.”

  The mention of food had her offering the sad puppy look again.

  “Ugh, don’t do that to me! Fine, fine! Let’s go get you some kibble.”

  At the mention of dog food, she promptly nipped his chin. He wanted to be mad, but it was such a small bite that he couldn’t find it in him. All he could do was say, “You best be careful before I put a collar and leash on you and teach you to walk around town. Everyone will be telling me what an ugly and ungraceful dog I have.”

  She growled as he set her down in the passenger seat. As he slid into the driver’s seat, she sneezed. It was a long string of uncontrollable sneezes that had him looking around the car. It was mostly clean, with only a couple of fast food wrappers tossed into the back seat from his drive back to New York. Then, his eyes fell on the air freshener pinned to the dashboard.

  “Aw, shit. I guess you don’t know how to mute your senses yet. No worries.” He plucked it free and rolled down the window to toss it out.

  He had to admit, for a coyote she was pretty. Her body was a sleek with a vibrant shade of gold, accented by a patch of white that blossomed across her chest and a few mottled patches of white along her front legs. Only Archer had seen the woman before, and only in passing as she ran from Killian’s goons. He wondered what she would look like once she returned to her human form.

  First, he would have to help her back to that form. He had a feeling the first shift had hit her hard and fast, leaving her dazed and confused. She probably didn’t know how to get back to her old self. It would take time to figure out what might get her there. At least, he knew she was in safe hands.

  He only hoped she would trust him once she returned to human form.

  ***

  She settled down into the seat, still confused by the form her body had taken. But, she looked up at the man sitting beside her and found a small bit of calm enveloping her. It might have been the small space of the car. It might have been his low and grumbling voice, or it could have been the swirling black and grey of the tattoos on his arms, but she dropped her head onto her paws and listened to him drawl on.

  “Looks like you drew the short stick when it came to shifter forms,” the man said. He cast a smirking glance in her direction. “You’re so damned tiny, I’m not even sure you could pass for a dog.”

  The buildings outside the windows turned into houses into trees. The smell of wild and free air seeped into the car and set her thumping heart at peace. The only smells in the car were the greasy fast food wrappers hidden somewhere and the smoky musk of the man.

  He wasn’t her type, but she figured she could enjoy his company until whatever was happening passed. He hadn’t tried to make any weird passes at her yet, and it made her feel oddly comfortable in his presence. He took up most of the driver’s seat with his blocky shoulders and his thick legs touched the bottom of the steering wheel. He glanced at her with bright eyes and scratched the curly beard on his chin.

  It was a multitude of colors, ranging from copper to pale blonde. She found herself studying it, trying to name the different colors she could find.

  “What are you looking at, pup?” His words were sharp, but his tone was still soft.

  She raised her head and let out a small bark. Where had that sound come from? Why was she barking?

  Something moved inside her. She could feel it, stretching and rolling its shoulders like a separate entity until it enveloped her body. She had the impression of gold eyes and sandy fur. The creature let out an encouraging yip that echoed through her mind.

  “Hey,” the man’s voice cut through the foggy haze of confusion that held her. “You look like I’m losing you. How
about you tell me what you look like when you’re not a coyote. Are you hot? Yip once for yes, twice for no.”

  She looked at him, head falling to the side. What the heck was he talking about? Coyote? The golden eyes entered her mind again. It promised to help her. It promised to take over and end her troubles. Kaylee wanted to give in to it, to let it pilot her through this madness.

  “No, you’re not listening to me,” he said, his hand finding the scruff of her neck again. His fingers dug into her fur and scratched at the skin beneath. It felt so good. She closed her eyes and leaned into him until she heard thumping on the seat beside her. Her eyes flew open and she found a leg slapping the leather seat. She watched it with momentary confusion until the man laughed.

  He pulled his hand away and looked back to the road ahead. Kaylee knew she should be worried about where he was taking her, but a voice told her he would never betray her. This man only had her best intentions in mind.

  “You still haven’t told me if you’re hot or not,” he reminded her.

  What did he want from her? His words were at war with the soothing feeling that enveloped her. She knew she should be afraid. Nothing had been right for the past week. Her world had been turned upside down and she’d sought out Stonefall for an easy reprieve from her life. This was not what she had asked for.

  This acid trip she’d been on since the crazies attacked the local grocers hadn’t left her. She waited and waited for it to end, but it seemed to go on forever. Was this her life now? Had they hit her in the head and somehow damaged a part of her brain? She knew nothing about how brains worked.

  Kaylee knew colors and composition. She knew lines and shading. Her eyes fell on the tattoos down his arm. She longed to ask who had done them. She found peace as she followed the swirling lines and noted the scratchiness of the shading in places. If they were near her studio, she could have fixed that for him.

  She could have if she knew where her hands had gone. A small whimper escaped her again. She yearned to hold a pencil, to hear the scratch of graphite on paper or the hum of the machine against skin. Neither would happen ever again if she couldn’t find her hands.

  The car stopped, and she leaned forward before sinking into the seat. The man in the driver’s seat looked at her as he leaned against his door. His eyes studied her, and she wanted to lean back from the look. She wanted to find the door handle and escape the suddenly too small confines of his car.

  There was something in his eyes that she couldn’t stand seeing. They flashed with the power of a predator and it ignited a deep-seated terror. Kaylee whined and stood to scratch the door. Her movements became erratic as she searched for a way to escape the beast beside her.

  “Shit. Shit, shit. Hey, calm down.” He reached out and placed a heavy hand on her neck again. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I didn’t mean it.”

  Kaylee shrunk. What was happening? Where was she? When would this end?

  The man’s lips pressed into a grim line as he looked at her. He gave a small shake of his head before reaching over her and pushing the door open. Fresh air surged into the car and, the moment she saw a big enough gap, she leapt out of the car.

  Landing on four feet, she swayed slightly, but managed to stand.

  Okay, this is weird.

  One foot crept forward. Then another. Her body stretched, and she tried to move the back legs, but she lost her balance and crumpled to the ground again. Behind her, the man laughed. It was a rich, hearty laugh that made her forget what she’d seen in his eyes moments ago.

  “You don’t walk like that, silly,” he told her. He knelt beside her small body and helped her back to her feet. “Opposites. Front left moves with back right. That keeps you from keeling over and looking like a fool every time you take a step.”

  Four feet. She truly had four feet.

  She looked down at the paws touching the ground then up at the man kneeling in the mud beside her. The golden eyes returned. They urged her to lean into him. They sang in his presence. Instead, she yipped and tried to move her feet like he advised.

  Left, right. Right, left. Soon enough, she managed a slow and wobbling walk. It left her wanting to leap with joy, but she didn’t dare move her feet in any patter other than what she was doing. Instead, she let her head fall back and released a long howl of victory.

  This was her. This body was hers. She glanced back at the man, yearning to ask what was going on, but she had no voice. He sat back in the mud and watched her walk with an odd sort of pride written across his face. It made her approach him, her head low so as to not stir the predator lurking inside of him again.

  His smile widened. “See, it’s not all that hard.”

  She responded by licking the side of his face. His beard hair was coarse and tasted faintly of coffee and maple syrup, most likely the remnants of his breakfast. It reminded her just how hungry she was; her stomach growled, confirming the thought.

  “That’s right. I did promise to feed you.” He flashed her a mischievous smile that sparkled in his eyes.

  Beyond them, she heard a door burst open and the angry stomps of another person. Kaylee flinched and dropped so that her belly was nearly touching the ground.

  His fingers curled in her fur, almost possessively. She watched his head turn.

  “What do you want, pisspot?”

  “Is that what you’re calling me today? I was buttfinger yesterday. Was it dick-weasel the day before?” The voice was low and smooth, yet it made her quake. Over the man’s shoulder she caught a glimpse of another man. He looked strikingly similar to the one holding her, but there was an aura of darkness that clung to him. It left his eyes haunted, yet burning.

  She pressed herself into the body holding her.

  “Gage,” the new man warned. “What do you have? Is that one of Killian’s mutts?”

  Kaylee growled. She did not like this man’s tone. It was threatening. She didn’t care who the threat was directed at, she growled for them both.

  Gage, the man who’d plucked her out of the alley, looked back at her with a humorous smile on his face. His hands cupped the sides of her head. “You’re so feisty.”

  Behind him, the new man sighed. “She’s not a puppy. She’s a bitch. Either put her down or toss her out.”

  This time, Gage spun on the new man. The predator she’d seen earlier flashed in his eyes and a growl rattled his ribs. “Not that I can ask, but I don’t think she belonged to Killian. She’s innocent.”

  The other man raised a brow. She could feel something happening, like water rippling over her fur.

  Gage’s shoulder sank, and his chest deflated. “I hate it when you do that. Could you trust me for five minutes?”

  “I don’t remember the last time I should have trusted you.”

  “Touché. Still, the poor thing could barely walk, and my car freshener gave her a sneezing fit. Weren’t Jo and Archer looking for a stray?”

  The man’s eyes fell on her. They were darker than Gage’s, the predator always near the surface. She could see it thrashing and writhing to be free despite the man’s calm appearance. It made her want to shrink back and run, but she stood her ground.

  “If she is, then I feel sorry for her. Damn shame she got stuck with a coyote.” With that said, the man slowly spun and left them alone in the yard.

  Gage turned back to her. “He doesn’t mean that. You’re a beautiful mutt.”

  She took the chance to nip his nose. Kaylee wanted to ask if they could give her a human body again. She wanted to know if she could ever escape this new form. But, there was no voice to ask with and Gage didn’t seem to pick up on her inner turmoil.

  He gave her one long stroke from neck to tail - wait, tail?! Then, he stood and turned toward the house from where the other man had come from. He called after her, asking if she was coming. It took her a bit to remember how to use her feet again, but she slowly made her way to the door.

  The smell of pancakes and syrup flooded her senses. Her stomach gr
owled and began to ache. When was the last time she’d eaten? She could barely remember how many days had passed since her body changed, let alone the last time she’d found a proper meal.

  She followed the man called Gage into the kitchen. He pulled out a heavy, black pan and a package of bacon. Twenty minutes later, he was hand feeding her long strips of bacon. She wanted to tear them from his hand and run off to eat them alone in a corner, but he forced her to slow down.

  Once the food was gone, he yawned and stretched. “How about we lay down for a mid-day nap? Aren’t you tired? I’m exhausted.”

  Kaylee glanced around, searching for the other man from earlier on. She didn’t trust the shadows in his eyes, or the way the beast behind them thrashed to be free. She didn’t realize she’d begun to shake until Gage laid a hand on her.

  “Hey,” he said, his voice soft. “You’re safe here. This is the safest place you could possibly be right now.”

  She looked up at him.

  “I promise,” he added, seeing her questioning eyes.

  Gradually, a sense of safety settled into her, making her limbs heavy. This place was strange and unfamiliar. The people around her were, too. She should have been scared, or at least, cautious. Instead, she sank to the ground and curled into a small ball, her tail over her nose.

  The man laughed. “How about we use the bedroom? You can have the bed, okay?”

  His big hands lifted her small frame from the ground without disturbing her position. He held her close to his chest, where she could hear the steady beat of his heart. It comforted her and lulled her closer to sleep. He leaned forward, placing her on the plush surface of the bed. She missed the sound of his heart as she watched him lower himself to the floor.

  “Don’t look at me like that,” he grumbled. “I’m being chivalrous. You should just accept it and be happy.”

  He disappeared past the horizon of the bed. She settled down, tucking her nose back beneath the warmth of her tail and let the exhaustion of the day claim her. The man on the floor snored a little, but it was all right. She enjoyed the reminder that he was still there.