men.
“They want shifters to be able to walk beside humans. They
want to be known. They think they will have an edge that will allow them to
gain places of power. What they eventually want is a Turn Skins government.
Turn Skins in the police force.
“What worries me is that their thirst for power will corrupt
them further if they get into outfits that are already bad. Can you imagine a
werewolf congressman with a taste for war on the committee for diplomacy with,
say, China?” Micah shook himself slightly. “The consequences of their exposing
themselves are far too great. We can not allow it.”
“But what stops them? Why don’t they just reveal themselves
like Tony did? What prevents that?” Carly drove her questions home with precise
analytical intent.
Micah looked at Tony as he folded himself into a chair. “I
think this is your area, little brother.”
Tony took a deep breath. His lips tightened as though he
tasted something foul. “Doctor, you ask good questions. Here’s the deal. We
already have shifters in every organization you can think of…even the CIA and
the FBI. Many Delta Force elite are shifters. Do you really think most humans
can survive that training?
“But the Turn Skins want to rule through fear. They think
they can get the humans on their side and then they can use terror as a weapon.
They’ll create mobs who will hunt other shifters down. Those shifters will have
to join the Turn Skins or die. Power is what Slade is after.
“There are two other factions in the shifter community. One
is the one I told you about…already working from within the government. The
other is the one I belong to.”
Tony’s voice hardened. “I believe we need to be isolated as
much as possible. We need to have little to do with humans. Humans get hurt when
they align themselves with us. We’ve already had one war and the Turn Skins
lost that one. If it takes another war, so be it. The outcome will be the same.
Carly, you have got to leave town.”
Carly’s mouth opened as her cheeks went scarlet. “Leave?
Look, I left because of Katrina. When I got back here, I said nothing was going
to ever make me leave again. Do you know how many people I might have been able
to help if I’d only stayed? I was a coward. I fled the city at the first chance
I got. Never again. People I knew died. What if I could have helped them? Tony,
you cannot make me leave. So tell me what to do to protect myself.”
Micah’s head swiveled from her to Tony. Tony’s eyes
glittered with some emotion.
“I can’t let another human die because of me.” Tony’s voice
rasped.
“And neither can I.” The finality in Carly’s voice seemed to
reach Tony. His shoulders slumped slightly and he leaned away from her.
“This …” Tony’s voiced trailed away. He caught Carly’s braid
to give it a gentle tug. “Okay. You got me. So, Micah, how do we protect this
kitten who has no visible claws?”
Carly was watching the two men closely and then turned her
attention solely to Micah. “What’s your animal?”
“Do you really want to know?” Micah chuckled softly as Tony
answered.
Carly blushed slightly then smiled. “Well, I have to admit
to some scientific curiosity. Are you the only one who does this in your
family?” She tipped her head at the taller man in question.
“Everyone in my family shifts.” Micah’s voice was quiet but
the pride was obvious.
“Why don’t you shift for the good doctor, Micah? She’s seen
me do it.” Tony’s voice was just slightly challenging and Micah looked at
Carly.
“Do you want me to shift?”
“I umm…well, I don’t know. I’m sorry to sound so indecisive.
It’s just that all of this is so new to me. I’m not used to talking about it,
much less seeing it happen right in front of me. I think I’m still coming to
terms with the whole idea that this is real.” Carly shook her head slightly.
“Shifters have always been open about their abilities among
themselves. It is
“They want shifters to be able to walk beside humans. They
want to be known. They think they will have an edge that will allow them to
gain places of power. What they eventually want is a Turn Skins government.
Turn Skins in the police force.
“What worries me is that their thirst for power will corrupt
them further if they get into outfits that are already bad. Can you imagine a
werewolf congressman with a taste for war on the committee for diplomacy with,
say, China?” Micah shook himself slightly. “The consequences of their exposing
themselves are far too great. We can not allow it.”
“But what stops them? Why don’t they just reveal themselves
like Tony did? What prevents that?” Carly drove her questions home with precise
analytical intent.
Micah looked at Tony as he folded himself into a chair. “I
think this is your area, little brother.”
Tony took a deep breath. His lips tightened as though he
tasted something foul. “Doctor, you ask good questions. Here’s the deal. We
already have shifters in every organization you can think of…even the CIA and
the FBI. Many Delta Force elite are shifters. Do you really think most humans
can survive that training?
“But the Turn Skins want to rule through fear. They think
they can get the humans on their side and then they can use terror as a weapon.
They’ll create mobs who will hunt other shifters down. Those shifters will have
to join the Turn Skins or die. Power is what Slade is after.
“There are two other factions in the shifter community. One
is the one I told you about…already working from within the government. The
other is the one I belong to.”
Tony’s voice hardened. “I believe we need to be isolated as
much as possible. We need to have little to do with humans. Humans get hurt when
they align themselves with us. We’ve already had one war and the Turn Skins
lost that one. If it takes another war, so be it. The outcome will be the same.
Carly, you have got to leave town.”
Carly’s mouth opened as her cheeks went scarlet. “Leave?
Look, I left because of Katrina. When I got back here, I said nothing was going
to ever make me leave again. Do you know how many people I might have been able
to help if I’d only stayed? I was a coward. I fled the city at the first chance
I got. Never again. People I knew died. What if I could have helped them? Tony,
you cannot make me leave. So tell me what to do to protect myself.”
Micah’s head swiveled from her to Tony. Tony’s eyes
glittered with some emotion.
“I can’t let another human die because of me.” Tony’s voice
rasped.
“And neither can I.” The finality in Carly’s voice seemed to
reach Tony. His shoulders slumped slightly and he leaned away from her.
“This …” Tony’s voiced trailed away. He caught Carly’s braid
to give it a gentle tug. “Okay. You got me. So, Micah, how do we protect this
kitten who has no visible claws?”
Carly was watching the two men closely and then turned her
attention solely to Micah. “What’s your animal?”
“Do you really want to know?” Micah chuckled softly as Tony
answered.
Carly blushed slightly then smiled. “Well, I have to admit
to some scientific curiosity. Are you the only one who does this in your
family?” She tipped her head at the taller man in question.
“Everyone in my family shifts.” Micah’s voice was quiet but
the pride was obvious.
“Why don’t you shift for the good doctor, Micah? She’s seen
me do it.” Tony’s voice was just slightly challenging and Micah looked at
Carly.
“Do you want me to shift?”
“I umm…well, I don’t know. I’m sorry to sound so indecisive.
It’s just that all of this is so new to me. I’m not used to talking about it,
much less seeing it happen right in front of me. I think I’m still coming to
terms with the whole idea that this is real.” Carly shook her head slightly.
“Shifters have always been open about their abilities among
themselves. It is
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