Page 1 of As The Shifter World Turns

PART 1

1

WELCOME TO SUNSHINE MANOR

Archer

“Nice place.”

“Yeah,” I agreed as the taxi came to a stop behind another vehicle.

“Let me help you with your things.” The cab driver got my bicycle and a suitcase out of the trunk, while I struggled with a backpack, messenger bag, and a large box from the back seat.I’ll have to give him a big tip.

The nice place the driver was referring to was an 1800s colonial with a porch out front. It had originally been a grand house but had since been divided into apartments. There were three floors, and when I’d answered the ‘For rent’ ad, the owner showed me the rooftop garden. He’d told me he and his tenants held weekly barbecues up there.

Though describing the guy as the owner stretched the imagination a little. He was a few years younger than me. Early 20s was my guess. And he’d mentioned being late for class as he hustled me out the door last week.

There were a few raised garden beds and a small yard behind the house which led to a parking lot and an alley. Perfect place for a dog, though I hadn’t mentioned I’d like to get one when I took the tour. There’d been a lot of interest in the empty apartment and I was lucky to snag it. Saying I wanted a pooping, barking four-legged companion wouldn’t have gone down well.

“Take your hands off me, Ryder!” A man with his shirt unbuttoned charged out the front door onto the porch hefting a suitcase and almost tripped as he charged down the three stairs, staggering toward the car in front of the taxi.

He was followed by someone, who I assumed was Ryder, wailing, “Can’twe talk about this, Kellan?” They were the guys from 2A. I’d learned their names and apartment numbers last week.

“You’re stifling me. I can’t breathe. You want to know where I am every minute. And you freak when anything is out of place. That’s not living. It’s existing.”

The taxi driver and I shared a look, and he leaned on the car and folded his arms. I swear if he’d had popcorn he would have been tossing it in his mouth while watching the spectacle unfold. Whereas I was trying to look anywhere but at the couple who were going through a very public break up.

But they were between me and the house. Hoping Kellan would hurry up and leave, I counted out the fare and added a healthy tip. The driver barely noticed as he folded his fingers around the crisp notes and kept his eyes on the two men arguing.

“What are you looking at?” Kellan sneered at the cab driver, and his feverish gaze included me. The words stung, and my cheeks burned at being caught. I studied my feet, hoping to avoid any more verbal abuse. I was a reluctant witness. They were the ones conducting their private business on the street. My instinct was to say nothing, but my wolf, who was very protective of me, growled, making my chest tremble.

A change in Ryder’s tone had me glance up. He was no longer playing defense. “Well, I’m sorry, but when a person cheats it makes it kinda hard to trust them.” His voice had gotten higher and more shrill until he shrieked the last two words.

“Oh that’s right. One mistake and you’ve never let me forget it.” Kellan slammed the car door and fumbled for the keys hanging out of his pocket.

“Guys!” That was Daire, the so-called owner of the building. “Keep it down. Or take your argument somewhere else.”

“Exactly what I’m doing. Going somewhere else and leaving this dump.” Kellan flung the words at Daire, who leaned against the porch railings, one hand in his pocket. “And the hot water in this place sucks.”

Daire rolled his eyes and put a hand on his heart. “Oh no, whatever shall I do? I’m wounded you think Sunshine Manor doesn’t have adequate hot water. My day is ruined.”

I snorted with laughter at his sarcasm and slapped a hand over my mouth. That so wasn’t me, but it had my beast’s approval.

“Oh, shut it. Both of you. All three of you.” Kellan glared at the cab driver. “You too,” he shouted as he got in the car while giving Ryder the finger and took off without looking, causing a car to slam on its brakes.

My taxi guy shrugged and leapt into the driver’s seat as his phone pinged, and the radio on the dashboard squawked. “Thanks,” I yelled after him.

Ryder was frozen in place, staring after Kellan, when Daire approached him and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll take you for a beer after work. Drown your sorrows.”

“Huh?” Ryder’s glazed eyes were fixed in the directionKellan had driven.

Daire swiveled and studied me and my pile of belongings. A line appeared between his brows, and I imagined his brain rifling through familiar faces trying to place me. I picked up on the moment it registered. “Archer, right?”

I nodded.

“Thought you were coming Monday?”

For a moment, I considered that I’d entered a time loop last night as I tossed and turned in a small, dingy hotel. A quick glance at my watch confirmed the day. “It is… Monday?”

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