been human. The shots echoed in the trees as she flipped in midair and arced back into the water with a gigantic splash. The water churned white and red and the bloody pink of diluted blood, changing quickly to blue, to black, and back to the murky brownish green of the creek. She vanished beneath the surface. I fell to my knees, ears deaf.
Stunned, I slapped my pawed hand over my wound and said, “What the . . . She bit me!”
“Jane!”
“I’m okay,” I whispered, lying, as pain blasted through me. A chunk of flesh was actually missing, the wound so wide and deep I couldn’t cover it with my good hand to apply pressure. The teeth had torn through arteries, nerves, bitten muscle away. My blood was pumping fast, saturating my clothing, drenching the snow around me. The pain grew, a gnawing electric agony. I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move my fingers or hand. Arcenciel bites were poisonous. And psychoactive. And it looked as if regicide was commonplace in arcenciel circles. “I have to shift.”
“Yeah. Fast.” Eli raced through the trees as blood pulsed through my grip. “Why did she bite you?” he asked as he reached me.
“I made the mistake of acknowledging I was her queen. I don’t think I was supposed to know that and I think it pissed her off.”
“That looks painful,” a woman’s voice said.
Eli targeted the woman faster than I could focus. Liz Everhart stood in the trees, dressed in blue snow-ski gear, cross-country skis on her feet, her scarlet hair partially hidden under a hat the same blue color. “Easy there, big boy. I’d hate to bury you. Again.”
Big boy? Again?
Eli scowled at her, but my half-cat nose picked up a scent from Eli’s skin, strong even over the smell of my blood. He set his weapon down and pulled medical gear from his pockets.
Eli wants witch woman, Beast thought at me. Mate for Eli?
Hey. I’m dying here, I thought at her, just as I fell forward and my head bounced on the snow.
Eli caught me, too late, demanding, “Shift. Shift now.”
“At least I’m not wearing boots,” I said. Or tried to. The world telescoped down to pinpoints of light. And Beast tore through me.
* * *
* * *
Beast sat while Eli pulled Jane clothes off. Flicked ear tabs as Eli and witchy Liz talked. “I’ve never seen a skinwalker shift. That was pretty amazing.”
Eli grunted, eyes alert, searching sky and trees like prey, his white-man gun in his hand. One-handed, he peeled Jane bra off Beast front legs. Was much blood in Jane clothes.
Liz witch slid through snow on flat boards. Looked like play. Wondered if Jane could play on flat boards. Wondered if Liz witch would let Beast chase her on flat boards. Wondered what Liz witch tasted like. Then saw shield around Liz witch. Beast could not get through shield, even with killing teeth.
“What bit her? I saw what looked like a shark, but I’m pretty sure we’re a little far inland for a shark.”
Eli paused. “I assume, since you saw that thing, and you’re still here, that you’re under a hedge.”
“I’m not stupid, Ranger man.”
Ranger man was Jane name for Eli. Was strange to hear witch say it.
Eli grunted again and scratched Beast ears. Beast leaned into Eli fingers.
“Are you still pissed because I dumped snow on you? Because if you’re nice, I might offer to share my shield. I’m sweet that way.”
Eli pushed Beast head away and rolled up Jane clothes. Beast stepped to side and watched Eli and witch. Wanted meat. Remembered deer tracks on other side of pool of water. But pool of water had teeth-fish-Soul in it. Was kit mistake to jump across pool of water to other side and be ambush attacked from below water. Beast sat back down. Chuffed at Eli.
“Hungry?” he asked Beast.
“Starving. There’s a good barbeque joint or three in town. Are you asking me on a date?” Liz smelled of laughter and happiness and mating interest. Beast again curled thick tail around paws for warmth, and watched.
“No. There will be no dating.”
Eli lied. Beast did not like lie. Lie was confusing, to say one thing when another thing was true. Eli wanted to eat meat with Liz. Eating meat was part of Puma concolor mating. Was part of human mating too.
Liz laughed. “Liar. You like me. Admit it.”
Eli smelled of laugh but frowned hard instead.
“Your brother said you have a type. A little dangerous and a lot self-sufficient. I have