“So let me get this straight,” Ray started, sitting on the edge of a black leather loveseat. The carpet was beige, high shag and almost felt like fur under my feet. A massive television took up an entire wall, as the whisper of a ceiling fan spun overhead. The walls themself were off-white, as pictures of Narkavis, Ray and their family scattered about the room. My eyes settled on a picture of me, Narkavis and Jeriel, standing outside the Flayre. I remember when it was taken. It was his birthday, and we had so much fun that night…

“Yes?” I replied, snapping back to the present.

“You were shot, but not killed. Your attacker is a shifter, who killed the sister of your plaything, because Jeriel is out of town. You went after him, but lost the scent and ended up here?”

“Well it sounds crazy when you put it that way,” I said, chuckling as I snuggled into the pink terry cloth bathrobe I was in. “Look, I am sorry if me coming here was a problem. I couldn’t run or fly back home. If you let me use your phone… I can get a ride home.”

Ray shook her head, as she thumb-raced on her cell. “Narkie’s already called Alec so they know you’re safe. Did you eat at the club?”

“I did, but after everything…” I sighed. “Look. I’ve known Narkavis for a long time, but I feel like I’m intruding. You’re going on a trip to meet him in Chicago, right? He’s already in the air…”

“Well about that,” I heard a male say as the front door opened. Narkavis stood there, bags in hand, and looked at me, dejected. “Jackie, about Chicago…”

“Okay, Will your cousin be okay without you there?”

“There is no wedding. We weren’t even heading to Chicago. We’re on the run.”

I jumped up, with my bathrobe opening up. If he saw, I didn’t care at this point. “Why in the hell didn’t you tell me you were in trouble? Huh? What happened to ‘family first’? ‘ Carrying the load together’, huh? What the fuck?”

Ray responded. “First of all, We didn't want you involved. It’s why he’s been distant from the Serpents.. You know about their no shifter rule. Secondly, you are a good friend. There’s things that we didn’t want you exposed to, Since we’re supposed to be ‘just human’, right?”

“Supposed to be?” I asked, as Narkavis started to chuckle. I looked towards him, surprised. “Narkavis?”

He turned to face Ray. “I cannot hide it from her, not anymore, my love. Not from a dragon…”

“But you…” she began, as she started to cry. “We swore that we would leave that life. You promised me that we could be happy and human. You promised!” She ended up sobbing, screaming between breaths.

“The dragons know who we are now. I cannot pull our heads out of Seiryu’s mouth now, dear lover. She said that her blood would find us and slay us for our desertion…” Narkavis dropped to his knees, defeated. I hoped to hide under her nose.. but….”

“You are making no sense, Narkavis. My first question, strangely enough, isn’t what in the hell you are talking about.” I stood, my fists clenched by my side.

“Then what is tt?” Ray asked, trembling on the ove-seat.

“How in the hell do you know my mother?”

Narkavis sighed. “See? She even admits to being of her blood. She’s surely here to devour one of the few Zanto and Kitsune left.”

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“Are you out of your ever-loving mind?” I yelled, now knowing that my mother had her scheming hand in this bullshit. “First of all, I, until about 5 minutes ago, honestly thought you were both human. Second, you are like a brother to me, Narkavis. Why would I eat you? And thirdly, and this is what gets me. You knew I was a non-human? You both did?”

Ray broke into tears, as the glow of 4 fluffy tails faded into view. “We both were brought to America as kits and were raised here. My mother before she was killed told me of Seiryo’s prophecy, but I didn’t know who the harbinger would be. When Narkavis and I met, he told me of you, and then together we knew you were not human. Our skulk, or group works better when we’re together. We thought to stay human, so that you wouldn’t find us to eat us.”

“You smell human. Oh hell, don’t tell me…” I sighed painfully. “You both stayed in human form for so long, haven’t you?” I caressed Ray’s face, as I reached out to take Narkavis’ hand. “Listen to me, please. My mother does not dictate my actions, nor does she have the authority to command me to kill anyone. You may be a skulk of two, but Narkavis, you are mine. My friend, my brother, my brood. No one will do anything to you without going through me. You mess with me, and I’ll take it to your ass. You mess with mine, and I will devour you.”

I soon found myself sitting on the same love-seat, eating a carry-out plate of Waffle-house food. A patty-melt, a ground beef patty with grilled onions and gooey cheese on grilled wheat bread. I had them add a large breakfast sausage patty for even more flavor. The double order of hash browns were just to my liking…. Lots of ham, two more slices of cheese and chili. Although the smell of Waffle House on my attacker was sickening, my appetite and cravings overruled it all.

What I found the most odd was Ray and Narkavis. They were the most relaxed that I had ever seen them. He sat on the floor, like always, dozing off leaning against my legs. Ray was stretched out on the couch, her head in my lap. She started to whimper softly, though her face and body told me that she was not worried or agitated. Dragons purr, if you can believe it. I started purring, which led to her snuggling closer to me, still whimpering softly.

“What are you going to do?” She asked, as my fingertips rubbed the surface of her head.

“I need to run by my pack tomorrow. This werewolf I was tracking tonight didn’t act right.”

The whimpering stopped. “I’ve had run-ins with wolves. How so?” she asked.

“First, I’ve never heard of the term ‘skulk’ outside of some game Alec plays…”

“We’re foxes,” Ray stated proudly.

“That’s what first came to mind when I saw the tails, but wasn;t sure. Well then, you know how you react when running through the woods?”

“”You mean… when we give control over to our beast?” Narkavis asked.

I continued. “He avoided routes that his beast could pass. He acted as if he was a wolf with the awareness of a human.”

“It’s not like that when you take that wolf form?” Ray asked, sitting up to look up at me.

“First of all, my natural form is a beast. When I share Luna’s shell, I’m like in the passenger side of a car, but I have all the controls. When she runs, I let her run. I have all the senses.. but as I depend on my instincts in the air, I depend on her instincts in the run.”

“I understand what you mean…” Ray mused.

Narkavis bolted up. “Wait, you lead a shifter pack?”

“There’s a wolf pack near my mountain home. I’ve known and I’ve run with them for many years. I don’t lead it, but am a high ranking alpha in it.”

“Let us come with you,” Natkavis mentioned. “The Zanto and Kitsune are masters of disguise. We can imprint any 4 legged animal, and well, you don’t know how much you need a group family until you are forced to abandon one.”

“I don't know how this will go without him there, but..” I mused to myself. I was debating with myself. “Fuck it. .Come with me tomorrow. We’ll see. It may come down to beast politics, and you will have to show your true form.”

Ray sighed, snuggling into my lap. “I trust you, so that makes me feel safe.”