Snow: The White Crow by Erik Schubach Page B

irrationally thought I had killed you.  You were covered in white feathers of light again.  I calmed realizing that was how you recharged, then I freaked again realizing you weren't in the panic cage.  I didn't see or smell any signs of wolves in the house so I relaxed and tried to open the door of the cage, but you were blocking it.”
    She grinned like a Cheshire cat. “I didn't know if moving you while you slept would harm you so I tried for a couple hours to wake you.”
    Then she got a playful look on her face, her pale eyes sparkling  as she teased, “Then you proceeded to take me like a wolf.”
    My mouth hung open with a shocked smile as I slapped her shoulder. “I took you?  If I remember right, someone wouldn't let me on top all morning.”
    Some glint in her eyes sent wonderful shivers through me as she said in a husky voice, “That's because...”  I could hear the wolf in her voice, “...mine.”  I just nodded as a yearning inside me was rekindled.  Oh, dear lord, I'm some wolf's bitch.
    I flicked her nose with a finger then kissed it.  “Bad dog.”
    She giggled and I stood and walked toward the shower and paused in the doorway and looked back over my shoulder suggestively.  It was the only invitation she needed and she followed quickly behind me.  As we stood under the running water, she comically spat out, “Fuck!”  I squinted one eye and cocked my other brow at her.  She smiled at me. “I just let you make me your bitch didn't I.”
    I kissed her nose and said, “Good doggie.”  She swatted my butt and I squeaked.
    I closed my eyes under the spray, the hot water felt divine pelting my antler nubs.  Holy shit, I had antlers.  How was I going to pass for human now?  The sudden thought of hats and more volume to my hair came to mind and I groaned.
    I took a second to take inventory while we stood there.  I reached inside, my emotions were everywhere and right at the surface.  I felt like a wild animal, but I really liked the feeling.  Maybe because it was so refreshing after keeping such tight control of myself for centuries.  I dug deeper and found my reservoir of magic was only half full.  I needed more sleep?  But then it hit me, even though I had just a short sleep, that wasn't it, my reservoir was much larger now.  Something inside me had awakened when the white crow brand took over and I transformed.
    I looked at her as I shut off the shower.  “I think I need more sleep so I can recover fully.  Maybe a couple more hours.”
    She nodded.  “I better call the station and let them know I have information about dangerous mystical activity in the area.”  She grinned. “That's a good excuse for being late, right?”
    We dried off and combed out each others hair.  It was so nice.  Nobody had ever done that for me, I felt pampered.  We dressed and I growled hungrily when I saw her in her everyday uniform.  Some khaki jeans with lots of pockets, her sidearm on one hip and her badge hanging on the other.  And a white dress blouse.  I wondered where it came from since it was sharply pressed and I didn't see anything pressed in her junkyard of a room.
    She heard my growl and pulled me in for a gentle kiss.  Then she led me to the couch and I laid down and she tucked a blanket around me.  I think I like being pampered.  She sat and stroked my hair, playing with my antlers and I drifted off.
    ***
    I woke again to someone repeating, “Gretta, Gretta, Gretta...” and poking me in the ribs with each iteration.  I opened my eyes and stretched, I felt great, better than great, and I could tell I was fully recharged now, I had more magic in me than ever.
    I grinned at a smiling Rachel.  I reached up and cupped her cheek as I smiled.  “Hi.”
    She chuckled.  “Took me two hours to wake you.”
    I blinked and cocked my head.  “You haven't left yet?”
    She motioned a hand vaguely at the window and door. “Kind of hard to do since the house is apparently in a