Page 41 of Countdown to Murder
I took a deep breath and managed the next step — turning my jaw and nose into that of a snake, while keeping the back of my head, and thus my brain, in human form.
I managed it, and opened and closed my elongated mouth a few times, my tongue darting out of its own accord.
“How is your hunger?”
I shifted my face back to human so I could speak. “I know I can’t eat you, so I won’t try. If I was hungry enough and you were human? I can’t make any guarantees.”
He nodded. “I appreciate your honesty. You’ll have to prove you can practically starve and not give in to eating a delectable morsel. Likely a deer shifter or maybe a rabbit. It’ll be someone consigned to death, in case you give in to your hunger, but if you do, you’ll be given back to the Concilio.”
He put his hands on his hips and he looked every bit the mighty warrior. It made it easier to not want to eat him.
“While you’re seeing what is possible, go back to human and then try to turn each leg into a snake. If you can, see what you can do with your arms.”
I tried it, but without luck.
“Very well. I’ll ask you to try again in a year. If you can manage it before then, please have Nathan let me know.”
I put my underwear and pants back on, and he motioned me to a table on the other side of the pool, which now held enough food to feed three Panda-sized appetites.
“It’s a broccoli and chicken recipe. I’m trying to reach the human and snake parts of you with this.”
While we ate, he fiddled around in my head as if he was a vampire, showing me specifically where I now had capabilities I didn’t have access to before, and reminding me where my willpower resided.
“If orgasms unlocked all this, does that mean I shouldn’t have sex?”
“The opposite, in fact. You need to experienceallthat life has to offer. It’s important you strengthen and reinforce the bond with Panda, too. I can see how much he already cares for you, and I see why he appeals to you as well. You make a good match. Enjoy your time with him. Don’t be afraid of your feelings just because they’re new.”
“The magic is different here. Will I be able to do the snake-mermaid thing in the human realm?”
“I believe so, but it isn’t important for you to try. Stay human this week. Become intimate with your new hungers.Allof them.” He took a bite, swallowed, and drank some wine. “Don’t lie to your lion. If you decide not to tell him everything, be honest that you need some time to get used to what I showed you before you can talk about it.”
“Do you know who I was sent here to kill?”
“I do. It’s no longer relevant. He was killed during the battle. Fawn and Kendra suspect as much but couldn’t verify. I’ll let them know.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Panda
I wasn’t at all happy about returning to an empty house. The note kept me from sounding an alarm to the slayers and Nathan, but it didn’t help my anxiety levels.
The groceries were all put away when she returned. Alone. Without Mordecai. I’d been looking forward to venting my anger at him, but with only Mira standing before me, my anger evaporated.
“I was worried.”
“I’m sorry. I left a note. Mordecai went through my brain and showed me everything I have access to that I didn’t before, and he reminded me of where my willpowerresides.” She walked away from me three steps, crossed her arms, and spoke while looking the other direction.
“He showed me something important, but I’m not ready to talk about it yet. It’s a big deal, but...” She turned and met my gaze. “I don’t want to mislead you, so I’m telling you there’s something else. Can you live with that?”
I took a few minutes to consider what she was saying before I answered with a knee-jerk reaction. It was possible this wasn’t about me, but about our location. Mordecai took her somewhere else to show her, likely to keep the slayers from knowing.
“You don’t know Ryan, and have no reason to trust him.”
It was a guess, and she didn’t give me any feedback. Completely blank, expressionless look. Maybe it was the slayers she was keeping it from, maybe it was me, but the fact she was being as honest as she felt she could be had to count for something.
“I can live with it until we’re back in Chattanooga and we’ve put this behind us.”
“Thank you. Mordecai fed me chicken and broccoli. He seems to think it’s important I eat vegetables that grow in the sun with my meals, to feed both parts of me.”
