"IT ain't much, but it's mine, " Jessica announced, wishing she'd thoroughly cleaned her trailer before special company came by. "That's all that matters, " Justin said in good nature, looking around. She studied him; the hair was literally bristling on his neck and he seemed nervous. It was odd, but he kept turning his head, tilting it like a hunting dog might. "I need to get these barriers down fast, " he finally said, reaching for her bag. "My gut is never wrong, and something doesn't feel right. " "But it's not a true full moon . . . I thought you said we had a few days. " He looked up at the night sky. "Some say it doesn't have to be exactly full . . . Just waxing near, if the entity is strong--and I'm assuming by now, after all these years, she is. " "Then what about Grand!" Jessica said, rushing to help Justin put a brick-dust circle around her small trailer. "Grand got the shop and her apartment ridiculously barriered. My grandmother never, ever, ever goes out when it's near a full moon, during the full moon, or a few days after. " Jessica allowed her shoulders to slump with relief. "Okay, but you should check on her before the night's up. " "I will, " Justin said, focused on the task. "Hand me your dad's revolver. This needs to be loaded and you need to know how to shoot it. " She watched him manage the task, then accepted the weapon back from him. For the sake of his male pride, now didn't seem like the time to inform him that she already knew how to use it. "We'll seal up your windows, your threshold . . . This trailer is like an aluminum can to those things without it. Easy access. " His comment didn't make her feel better, but his confident presence did. "How come you didn't go after her before?" Jessica stood on her steps holding the gun, watching Justin work. "Long story. " "Last I checked, we got time. " She smiled, but it was a tense smile like his. "You know, " he said, after a moment. "When a witch casts a spell on you, sometimes only she can break it. I guess I was holding out stupid hope that one day I could reason with her. But now I don't care anymore. " "I care, " Jessica murmured. "You're going to all this trouble for me and throwing away your chance to get whatever evil she put on you lifted. " He shrugged. "It's worth it. " Then he looked at her without blinking. "You're worth it . . . And I never felt like this before. " Jessica opened her front door, but the second she did a low growl paralyzed her. "Get inside!" Justin shouted. Jessica couldn't move for a second, and what met her eyes didn't sync up with her brain. A huge wolf with massive saliva- dripping jaws and red glowing eyes barreled right toward Justin. But as her arm lifted to fire the weapon, he shed his clothes and turned into the huge black dog she'd seen in her mini morning vision. Justin didn't have a huge dog . . . Justin was the huge dog? Now it all made sense . . . This explained so much. Brain numb, her outstretched arm held its aim. Somewhere in her gut she knew if she didn't hit the charging beast before it collided with the protective Newfoundland, the infection from the one would surely ruin the other. It all happened in slow motion; it all happened in seconds. Her arm came up, she pulled the trigger. Her shot tore into the beast's shoulder, which knocked it back and only made it angrier. Justin leapt out of the way of a vicious claw swipe and made the beast charge again, and just before impact, Justin dodged out of the way to allow the beast to hurtle into the large oak tree in the front yard. The weight of the centuries-old oak crashed down on the monster and temporarily pinned it. Jagged branches dug into its fetid flesh, making it howl in agony as it struggled to free itself. Roars of fury cut into the night as the Newfoundland circled his quarry, forcing the beast to expend both energy and blood. Justin was a shape-shifter? That reality alone would have been enough to make her pass out, if their lives weren't on the line. She squeezed hard on the trigger, and this time the slug caught the beast in its side. But there was no telling how many bullets she'd need to finally put the creature down. In one angry toss, it flung the tree off itself and was getting up. The only saving grace was that the wounded thing in her front yard was obviously having trouble deciding who to go after first. That bought them maybe two seconds, as it quickly made up its mind and whirled on Justin. A patrol car screeched up as Jessica continued to fire. A shotgun blast hit the beast right between the eyes when it turned toward the new sound, and then the sheriff aimed at the fleeing dog. "No, Sheriff! That's my guard dog!" Jessica shouted as the sheriff whirled around and Justin bounded off between the trailers. "Jesus Christ in heaven, what the hell was that thing, Jess?" Sheriff Moore scratched his head, still shaken. Sweat poured down his face as he watched the beast turn into a naked, voluptuous woman. The poor man seemed dangerously close to a coronary. "You know what it was, " Jessica said quietly. "Where'd the dog go?" Sheriff Moore stammered, looking around. "I got to thinking about what you said, some things your momma used to tell me . . . Then I got worried because you were gone--and you never go anywhere. Thought maybe-- " "You told me to go on vacation, remember?" Jessica's gaze remained fixed on the body that was slowly turning to ash. "Damn, she must have been really old. " "But that killer dog . . . " "Sheriff, he's loyal and brave, and I love him, " she said loud enough for Justin to hear. "I went to New Orleans to find him . . . No doubt he fled back there, so he wouldn't be shot. Given what was out here, I guess I needed him more than I realized. " Emotionally spent, Jessica started back up the trailer steps. "But I told you I wasn't crazy. " She shut the screen door and listened as the stricken sheriff drove off. Raphael came to her mind and, without waiting to process any other thought, she called her brother. A very sleepy voice entered the receiver, and Jessica pressed her cell phone to her ear. "You up?" "Do you know what time it is, boo?" "I met somebody while on vacation, " she said, ignoring his cross tone. She needed to talk, needed to hear encouragement in the form of a friendly voice that understood the strange life that lived side by side with the supernatural. "Get out--divulge all, " Raphael said, sounding as though he was waking up. "Well, for starters, he's a shape-shifter. " Raphael sucked his teeth. "Boo, don't be so judgmental, we've all got issues. "
Chapter Twenty-five
Epilogue
ONE MONTH LATER . . .
"I told you she'd be back, " Grand said in a triumphant tone. "Mark my words. You jes' lucky you was able to get back in your car real sneaky and come home after she went to sleep. But you mighta made both of you all sleep better if you would But you mighta made both of you all sleep better if you would have trusted her to not hold your condition against you, especially after saving her life. She would have let you stay, but what do I know? I'm an old lady. " "Grand!" "I'm not telling tales out of school, she really has taken a shine to you. " Grand raised her eyebrows and continued working on her peach cobbler. "Some things are jus' natchel at y'all's age. " "She's bringing her brother . . . And I wanna pass his inspection, " Justin said, changing the subject. "I don't want him to think I'm dogging his sister. " "So now you're making jokes at your own expense, " Grand said, chuckling and shaking her head. "You know what I mean, Grand . . . C'mon. " "All right, all right, " she said, waving him away. "You'll do fine--you don't judge him, he won't judge you . . . And he knows what you are. She told him. " Justin closed his eyes with a groan. "Everything is fine . . . Ain't been no killings lately here this last month. " He stopped and stared at his grandmother. "Why not, Grand?" "Oh, I forgot to mention that I locked them other wolves up in their swamp shack, the whole den . . . By now, they probably turned on each other. Serves 'em right. Sorry I didn't get that she- devil, too . . . Woulda saved you kids the trouble. "