Shifting Life

44. Nice Teddy

Jacklyn skipped a few steps to catch up with Craven. He marched across the street heading straight for Teddy's bar.

"You said the bears know about the mirror coat. What else did you see in the vision?" Craven asked.

"A bear with its guts on the floor. That's what happens when you attack—"

"Please." Craven let out a low growl. He didn't need a reminder of what the coat could do.

A chill trickled down Jacklyn's spine. He was a snake. He shouldn't growl. Her horsey senses were on high alert. He was unnatural.

"Keep quiet and follow my lead," Craven said. "The bears are holed up in there because they are waiting to hand over the Venetian. No one knows Veronica tied me to her. The Visionary suspects as much, but the bears probably didn't get the message. Me coming here looks like business as usual."

"And you coming here with me?" Jacklyn asked.

"I caught you first," he said. "This is just a pick up on the way back to base."

"You're carrying a big fat axe," she said. "You don't think that looks weird?"

Craven's arm swung out, the axe's sharp edge suddenly so close to Jacklyn's face she could see the nicks and cuts in the metal. She stopped dead in her tracks.

"That's better," he said. "Be a good obedient horse for me."

Jacklyn's ears twitched. Every hair on her body rose in fear and fury.

"You be careful," she said. "You don't want me to shift on you."

His feels were all about planting the axe deep in her flesh, but Craven lowered the weapon. "We'll save that fun for later," he promised.

It took all Jacklyn had to hide how scared he made her.

Craven walked up to the bar's door and banged on it with his fist.

The door opened a few inches. A man who could do ads for lumber-jacking peered at them.

"I'm Craven. Let me in."

"Who is she?"

Jacklyn frowned. It was taking too long.

She pushed the door open. The man tried to close it on her, but she was stronger. Way stronger. The man's eyes widened in surprise. Jacklyn forced the door open.

"You know what she is," said Craven and followed Jacklyn inside. "We're here for the thief."

Jacklyn caught a hard glint in the man's eyes.

She didn't like it.

The man locked the door behind them. He motioned for them to follow him. She noticed three other men eyeing them warily.

They walked across the empty bar room. Stale beer and ancient tobacco smoke hung in the air. The lumberjack guy turned left into a short walkway with restrooms, an emergency exit and a double door with colorful frosted windows. An old brass sign on the wall said 'The Teddy Bear Club Est. 1937'.

The bears were living in plain sight. They even had a club house. Jacklyn felt an unexpected surge of envy. She'd love to be a member of a Horse Club.

The man opened the doors for them and let them enter first. He stayed at the threshold, like he was taking on guard duty.

There were tables in a u-shape with vinyl clad seats along the walls. An oversized old chandelier hung in the ceiling. Its warm golden light brought out bright reflections in the glass eyes of the dozen mounted heads of deer and moose.