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Red…
Standing in the high grass in his mother’s backyard, the moon shone down on Red. With just the edge missing from its pale circle, there was too much moonlight for his liking.
The clear sky showed no signs of growing cloudy. He used his cane to navigate across the soft earth toward the tree line. The day’s rain had left the natural world wriggling and fragrant beneath his feet.
Red prickled along his sides as he reached the shelter of the pines. His body ached to be free of the pain. It took effort to resist what was the most natural thing in the world, but he didn’t plan to ruin a pair of work jeans. When he reached the flat stone that marked the edge of their property and the border of the untamed land beyond it, he clicked his tongue at himself. Red’s body was fighting him like it had when he had been a hormonal boy. By the time his boots and jeans were off, blood was trickling into his sock on the right.
On his left side, his ribs pulled painfully as he freed his shirt and undershirt, drawing it up and over his head. A shudder rippled through his body. The night air touched him like a blessing, cool and moist against his skin. For all he had done wrong in his life, there were a few things he had done right. Red regretted nothing about protecting the brat. He’d been true to the ring, like he was true to all of his promises. Under his breath, he whispered, “I’ll come back. You will not die before I do,” and exploded into change.
*
Kennedy…
Kennedy held her phone, staring down at it. Stupid fucking Red. He hadn’t even bothered to tell her that yesterday was his mom’s birthday. She’d just lucked out and seen it on social media. Why wasn’t he answering her texts?
Jeremiah was radio silent, but he had a reason. The asshole hunting pack of wolves he was with didn’t allow Jeremiah to keep his phone with him. They claimed his technology could be used against him or some such bullshit.
The Wolves were trying to find Sandy’s missing boyfriend, that asshole, Remmy. The tech guys had found data that proved Sandy’s ex was back on-line, so he probably wasn’t dead. Or he wasn’t yet.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Kennedy grimaced. Death seemed over-kill as a punishment for being a shitty boyfriend and a greedy asshole. If Remmy would have left the footage alone, everything would have been so much simpler. Her little family would be at the cabin, figuring out how to fit together. Because of him, all of them were scattered. Even her Mom and Nan, who were off on an elderly adventure. Her elders were on a luxury cruise and she was sleeping in a shed.
Standing in the barn doorway, she stretched. The cool air made her skin tingle. The little werehampster had taken to doing somersaults when it was close to bedtime. This week had been even odds whether he would turn her in her sleep or not. Kennedy had made him promise to sleep outside the mother’s room tonight, just in case.
This morning she’d woke up and found him sleeping just on the other side of the bars, as close to her as he could get. Since there had been an hour left before the alarm, she had dragged all the covers off the bed and gone to lie on the floor next to him. She’d slid her arms through the bars, and done her best to make him the little spoon.
*
Red…
Red woke up, curled in the damp grass with the sun warming his side. His body wasn’t screaming, and he stretched out with great luxury. His mouth was still sweet. He’d found some satsumas and nearly stripped the tree while feasting on the fruit before he’d fallen to sleep. He sat up and turned his face toward the morning sky.
An eagle soared above the tree line, catching the current of the breeze coming up off of the hill side. Through the trees, he could see the edge of his mother’s home. Because she’d be looking for him, he lumbered toward the rock and his clothing.
Long minutes passed as Red sat, staring at the clothes, the trailer, and his life. Would they even miss him? Would she? Did it matter if he just turned and ran deep into the wild? Maybe he could find others who had abandoned the mask of humanity. They were out there. He’d passed enough of them hunting, scented them in the air, avoiding him.
But he’d promised Kennedy he would protect her. Stupid, sentimental idiot that he was. What had he been thinking? Jeremiah would be back with her soon. He would keep her safe. For the moment, she had that giant simpleton of a vet with her at the farmhouse. When Red considered his broken human body, he questioned what he had left to offer her.
The butcher’s kid was bringing in a Thunderbird to be rebuilt today. He’d caught the bug from his dad. Red agreed to give him a deal on the work it needed, if he lent a hand in the rebuild. Those old muscle cars were a pleasure to work on. They purred when you got them to a happy place, vibrating with happiness like giant metal kittens. The damn kid’s face had been glowing when he’d shown him the pictures. The tow truck was bringing it over this afternoon at two. Fuck.
Red sank his claws deep into the earth. In this shape, he hadn’t lost strength. He shook his whole body, rose up on his hind legs and allowed himself the full lonely cry of his heart as he roared. The sound echoed through the denseness of the forest and scattered a handful of startled birds into the lightening sky. When he dropped back to all fours, the split began, and he rolled back into the pain. For her…