Bite Shift

21

The ride to Rhys's home was in silence. I gazed out the window without really looking at anything. I couldn't exactly pinpoint the strongest emotion. They all swarmed around me and made me feel like I couldn't catch my breath. I was angry, scared, betrayed, exhausted and sad. I wanted to cry and punch something simultaneously but was too tired to even imagine it. The task ahead of me was impossible. Best case scenario, I was chasing a serial killer. Worst case scenario, it was a werewolf and would, most likely, actually kill me this time. All of the fighting I had done since walking out to eat some lunch under a tree would be for nothing. My daughters were going to stand over my grave by the end of the month, never knowing everything I had done to try to stay with them. I needed to get my affairs in order. I had life insurance but had never written a will. It was time to do it.

"Kate?"

I looked up and realized we were in front of the cottage. Rhys had turned off the car and was looking at me. His face was filled with worry.

"Are you okay?"

"Not really. You?"

"Me neither," he answered and pat my thigh. "But, we're in this together, 'til the end."

He opened the driver's door and I followed on my side. The owl's hoot was the first sound I heard, walking up the flowered walk to the front door. Being back at the little cottage did make me feel a tiny bit better. Mostly, I was happy to be miles from Sorin and able to think clearly again. I dropped into one of the rocking chairs. Rhys carried bags from the car into the house. The shopping trip felt like years ago. I had been so excited to buy a comforter. Now, it seemed so insignificant. It didn't matter what they did to my new bed. It was very possible that the monster hunt would end with my death.

Rhys finished his trips and sat on the chair next to me. He slowly rocked back and forth, his eyes closed. He appeared peaceful and I wanted to know his secret. I rested my head back and started to mimic his slow rocking. I listened to the sounds of the woods around them and smelled the flowers in the air. If I tried hard, I could faintly catch a whiff of the sunlight that still rested in the wood of the porch.

"There is not much of the night left, Kate. We may have to rain check our Netflix date."

"That is totally fine. I couldn't focus on anything now anyway."

"Are you hungry?"

"I didn't think it would happen, but I have had enough. That meeting took away the last of my appetite."

"I am going to head in and shower. Will you stay outside?"

I looked around at the beautiful night but decided I didn't want to be out there when he was inside. Not until the killer was caught. "No. I'll come in."

Rhys stood and fished the keys out of his front pocket. "So you know," he said. "I keep a key hidden under a fake rock by the nearest flower. I will get you one made but, if you need it, it's there."

Once in, I locked the door behind me as we crossed into the living room. Probably useless, but it made me feel better. The spot in the carpet that had been soaked in my blood and insides, was freshly cleaned and looked better than new. I have to get that carpet guy to tell me how he does it!

Rhys made his way to the shower and I decided to spend my time in the basement. To my surprise, at the bottom of the basement stairs, I found that Rhys had carried all the bags down for me. I picked up a few, walking them to the door to my new bedroom. Opening the door, and flipping on the light, illuminated a space just as big as Rhys's room. The walls were light grey and, even though it made me flash back to Sorin's eyes, I thought I would keep the color. The carpet was bright white, something I'd always wanted but never dared with kids. The room was so much different from the rest of the house. It made me wonder what the original plan for this area had been. I laid the bags in the far-right corner where, I hoped, it would be out of the way when the furniture was brought down later.

Before grabbing the next set of bags, I stopped at the shelves with the CD player and started to investigate the music options available. It would take a lifetime to listen to every one of them. Maybe I'd make that a goal if we made it through our monster hunt. For tonight, I settled on the greatest hits of Stevie Nicks. It was dropped into the player and the music become the soundtrack of my trips to the bottom of the stairs, into my room and back. The speakers were set up to create the sensation that the sound was all around you. I started to sing along and a little bit of that worry disappeared. As the last bag was relegated to my bedroom, Sorcerer filled the jungle room. I closed my eyes and started to sway along to the rhythm. I had loved her songs in high school. I had spent much of my teen years dancing to Stevie Nicks. I lifted my arms out to each side of me, spinning and dancing. I sang along to the words. Joy started to rise up in me and fill my chest, rolling down my arms, into my fingertips. I felt light and free; the way a kid on summer break feels chasing lightening bugs and knowing there is no school or homework to ruin the fun. Warmth started in my stomach, sliding down my legs into my toes.

"Kate?"

I opened my eyes, ready to ask Rhys to join me and dance. Instead of looking at him, I was looking down for him. My brain raced to understand the confusion and put the pieces together. Before it could solve the puzzle, the heat in my legs turned icy and I fell hard to the floor.

That was a bigger fall than it should have been. What the fuck just happened?

Rhys rushed to my side and lifted me to my feet. "How did you do that? Did you know you could do that? Did it just happen?!?"

"Slow down, Rhys. What are you talking about? How did I do what?"

He blinked a few times and visibly slowed his thoughts down. "Kate, you were flying."