The Four Protectors

Eleven

1st Person POV

"I'll be back in ten minutes. Now hold my clothes," I said.

I chucked them my clothes from behind the tree I was currently using to hide. I then braced myself and let the shift happen. The soreness in my muscles was immediately evident since I hadn't shifted in a couple of days.

"You all right," Cassius called.

I trotted out on all four legs as a dog. The murder site loomed before me and I was struck by a sense of déjà vu. Except this time, I was sneaking into a modern two-story home instead of an apartment.

The news channel had reported it on the evening news and if I hadn't been stressed enough before; I was definitely stressed now.

"Good luck," Azriel said kindly.

I couldn't really reply so I just nudged his leg with my head.

Desmond didn't say a word. We hadn't really talked since our fight. With this murder to investigate, I didn't think we were going to get around to a heartfelt conversation anytime soon.

He was here though, safe, and that was good enough for now.

I kept to the outskirts of the crime scene, behind the bushes that lined the driveway. With reporters and policemen on the scene, I was the least of anyone's worries. I slipped through the open garage door and into the house.

Of course things weren't going to go as smoothly as last time.

"Oh god it's a dog! Get it out of here. Somebody get it out of here," a woman screamed.

Well if that wasn't an overreaction I didn't know what was.

All eyes in the small living room landed on me. I did the only thing I could and ran straight through the living room to the back door. My heart was pounding as I raced across the grass of the neatly kept backyard.

It was time for Plan B.

I raced to the edge of the backyard and leapt clean over the fence. The other side of the fence was mostly wooded forest area. I could pick out a house on the other side of the tall trees but hopefully it wouldn't be a problem given how far away it was.

I ducked behind a tree and shifted again.

I flew out as a small sparrow that hopefully wouldn't create as much chaos. The problem would only arise if I cramped up severely when I shifted back inside the house to take some photos or files with me. Hopefully, luck was on my side today.

So far, it didn't seem like it.

I swooped through the open porch door and no one raised any alarm.

I flew up the stairs to where the bedrooms were. There were two men in the first one crouched over a body. I stopped beating my wings in shock, my body hitting the ground with a soft thud.

The two men were too absorbed with their work to notice.

Turns out this time I'd arrived early enough to see the body in person. Tears burned in the back of my throat as I flew up once more to gain a better view. My worst fears were confirmed.

Ruby Simpson's face flashed through my mind and my heart clenched.

The boy's body on the ground was covered with bite wounds, some deep enough to expose bone. His legs were twisted at unnatural angles, and a few of his toes were even missing. His blood had clearly been drained judging by the deadly white pallor of his skin.