Misenchanted Shifter (2 page)

Eileen watched and sipped her milk while the two held her clippings up to the light.

They both came inside with dazed expressions on their faces.

The man removed a flask from inside his vest and smiled, “Miss Eileen Heller? I greet you on behalf of the Mage’s Guild. I confess I am a little giddy at the prospect of meeting you. Your kind do not come along every century.”

Eileen munched a cookie and raised a brow. “What am I?”

“Aside from the fey magic, your own identity can be confirmed by dropping your claw clipping into this fluid. I confess I am rather nervous. The reaction is said to be very violent.”

Amy took her hand, and they watched as he dropped the claw into the vial.

For a moment, nothing happened and then a violent rainbow of sparks shot out of the top with more colour blazing through the glass.

The mage blinked and shielded his eyes with his free hand.

The lightshow continued for a minute, and Eileen smiled, “Ohh-ahhh.”

Amy squeezed her hand. “Stop being sarcastic.”

“Yes, Mom.”

Transporter Guild Master Krisia was grinning. “I don’t believe it. An actual chimera.”

Eileen smiled back and held out a plate. “Cookie?”

Krisia took one. “Oh, these are good.”

“He can have one, too.”

Krisia took it and bit it as well. “I am eating for two, so I get his.”

Once the cookies were gone, Krisia waved her over. “Now that I know that the transformation has nothing to do with the fey magic, this will be much easier. We just need to neutralize the magic on your body and we can send you on your way.”

Amy hugged her and handed her her carry-on. “Have fun and meet someone handsome with a good sense of humour. I want any grandkids that have to be able to laugh at my jokes.”

Eileen returned the hug. “Then, I want someone with a bad sense of humour. Your jokes are horrible.”

Amy laughed through the tears in her glorious bright purple eyes. “Yeah, they are.”

Four charms, an incantation and three minutes later, Eileen Heller was walking through the archway that Krisia’s apprentice had produced. Ready or not, she was heading to the Crossroads.

There was a sharp crackling when she arrived, a few arcs of lightning cascaded through the room and the two occupants ducked until she was firmly through the transport.

She blinked as the light returned to normal. “Um, hello. I am here to…I have no idea what.”

The woman with snow-white hair straightened and brushed at her trousers. “You are here to find a mate. You can give those icons to Tony. He will watch them until we have to send you back.”

Eileen blinked and pulled the charms over her head. The man took them gingerly while the woman led her over to a table where a small charm and some paperwork waited.

“I am Teal, by the way. I am one of the guardians of the Crossroads. Tony is the other one.” The woman jerked her thumb at her companion.

By the casual reference, Eileen caught the connection between the two. She followed Teal’s explanation as to the paperwork and tied on the charm that would pay for her stay. To her surprise, the paperwork indicated that the Mage’s Guild was picking up the tab for her stay at the Crossroads in
the precursor of compensation for the gift of chimera materials.

“Huh. I am guessing that I should clip my nails in front of a mage more often.” She smiled at Teal.

“I think they might pass out. Are you really a chimera?”

Eileen laughed. “I have no idea. I am a shifter that shifts to a different animal every time. I always thought that chimeras were made of lions, eagles and snakes.”

“I did some quick research in that huge book there, and it also applies to multi-shifters. The mages use a pinch of that powdered claw to bind two or more spells together that would otherwise never work. Chimera claw is highly prized and exceedingly expensive for them. I don’t think there has been a supply for close to two hundred years.”

“Until now.”

“Until now.”

Tony looked over at her and asked. “Are you really a chimera?”

She blinked and started her rapid shift from half-beast to half-beast. “You tell me.”

When she finally reined in the shifts, Tony was standing back and Teal was leaning against the table.

Her hostess asked, “Is that painful?”

“Nope. Can I find out where I am staying? I am a little tired.”

Teal nodded. “Of course. You have the charm on, so all you need is your bag and we will head off. The contract is signed, and you aren’t leaving without a mate.”

Eileen nodded. “Right. Well, I am glad that I handed my homework over to another teacher while we waited for the transporter. I would hate for the students to wonder what I had done with their reports.”

“You are a teacher?”

“Substitute. I have to master all classes at a moment’s notice and make it look like I know what I am doing.” She smiled and hefted her bag. “Lead on.”

Teal took her hand and led her through the large open doors and into the surprisingly bright sun.

“I thought it would be later.”

“You left at night?”

“No, it was Saturday afternoon, but it still feels like it should be later here.”

“The transporters try to synch with us as much as they can. Krisia could have thrown you here at any time she chose to match you to us.”

“Nice. Well, I suppose I will have the evening to get used to things. What day of the week is it?”

Teal laughed. “That is where we differ. We don’t keep track. We are open twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Day is night, night is day, and all we do is keep track of supplies. The managers of the shops keep track of days, but they are the only ones. The idea is to take you out of time and space and put everyone in an unfamiliar territory. When everything is even, you can put all your attention into finding your match.”

“How long does it take, on average?”

“Five to seven days. Many click on the first night, but once the match is made, we ask that you leave. The sex hormones are a little hard for some of the unattached to deal with.”

“I understand. I can’t see me being a fast match. Since I smell like both predator and prey at the best of times, it gets a little awkward to fit in. I might need to take out a loan or something to stay long enough to find a proper match.”

Teal laughed. “The amount that Krisia stipulated will last you for three months or more. I cannot see it taking you that long.”

“Oh, I am an over achiever when it comes to some things and those things include wasting time and wrecking first dates.”

“You will fit right in then.”

They were walking down a lane of Victorian-style homes.

“What do I say when they meet me? They will ask what I am.”

Teal paused for a moment. “Wait until you find one that you are truly attracted to. The one that calls your beast from within and makes you want to run wild. Tell him and prepare to have your heart broken, but if he calls your beast, you are calling his. He might take some time to get used to the idea, but he will come around. I am sure of it.”

“You seem very sure.”

“I am. I have been doing this for decades. I have yet to find someone who came here that was unmatchable. If you desire a mate, truly want one, you will find one here.”

“I am not sure what I want.”

“Take the time to figure it out, but let yourself be open to the idea. This is your bed and breakfast, the Open Heart. Teebie is a djinn and she is your hostess. Will that be a problem?”

“Only if she shakes hands with me. There is occasionally a spark between fey and djinn magic, but I have never experienced it before.”

“I am sure you will find out. She’s a hugger.”

Teal had no sooner mentioned it than the door opened and a blue woman walked out with a smile splitting her face. “Welcome, Eileen Heller. Come in.”

The welcome hug was like licking a nine-volt battery. The shock and tingle ran through both of them.

“I am sorry. I was adopted by a half-elf after her father covered me with fey magic. It is stuck in my cells quite well.” Eileen apologized.

Teebie leaned back and patted her hair smooth again. “Well, I am more alert now, so that is a good thing. Come on in. I have cookies and tea.”

“I can never resist a cookie.” Eileen followed her hostess inside, hauling Teal along for the ride.

Three hours and a change of clothing later, Eileen was ready to go out and forage for food at the café.

She looked to Teebie. “So? How do I look?”

The djinn cocked her head. “Like you stepped out of a 1950’s pinup poster.”

Eileen grinned. “Excellent. That is what I was going for. Is it too tight?”

Teebie smiled. “It looks fine. How are you managing to breathe?”

“Practice. My dates may end badly but they always start out with his tongue hanging out.” The fitted dress went to her knees, but every curve was outlined with matte electric blue. Her waves of black hair were tamed into a straight sheet with curled edges.

She knew she looked good; it was just a matter of finding a man that made her heart pound as well as being the one doing the stimulating. At the same time, she wanted a man who found her attractive and appreciated the skills of all the years of her mother’s teachings. You could not go to a fey gathering looking less than your best. You would be ripped apart and a social outcast. The worst thing that could happen to a fey family was to be cut off from others of their kind. When you were a shifter among fey, you blended in or were a complete social outcast. Eileen had always been good at changing to meet the situation.

With a bright smile and a small wave, she left the Open Heart and headed toward the café.

The roads weren’t easy on the high heels that she favoured, but she kept her head high and shoulders back while she followed the directions Teebie had given her. There weren’t a lot of options when it came to buildings, so she headed to the large cluster that had the most people moving around it.

Eileen read the signs and mounted the sidewalk with relief. She pulled the door of the café open and paused to let her eyes adjust to the difference in light.

Conversations stilled and ground to a halt when the denizens got a look at her. She quickly spotted an open table and moved as silently as she could to take a seat and pick up a menu.

A woman appeared at her side in seconds. “What can I get for you?”

Eileen smiled and made eye contact. The woman seemed surprised by whatever she was reading in Eileen’s features.

“I would like a cup of coffee and three minutes to make up my mind.” She winked.

“May I ask; how do you get your hair to do that?”

“Practice.” Eileen smiled. “I can give you some suggestions.”

The woman grinned and swept herself behind the counter, fetching the coffee.

Victory curls were the most striking thing she could do with her hair, so she did it often. It kept things neat and out of the way, and it made an impression while leaving the rest of her hair free.

When the coffee came, she ordered a cheeseburger and fries with a fruit salad. The server had just left when a man slid into the chair across from her.

“You must have just arrived. I would have remembered you if you had been here last night.”

She gave him a long look, took in the set of his shoulders, the jut of his chin and the gleam in his eyes. “If I chose you, what could I do for a living?”

He smiled. “Oh, you wouldn’t need to work, sweetheart. I would take care of anything you needed.”

She sprouted serpentine fangs and hissed. “Get bent.”

He was up and out of his chair in under a second. Good reflexes.

She let her fangs recede and read the display of the daily specials. Another man came up to her table, but he didn’t sit down. She looked up at him and he asked, “May I join you?”

Smiling, she gestured to the open seat. “Please.”

“Lowson isn’t a bad guy.”

She chuckled. “He is arrogant and didn’t bother learning my opinion on matters of occupation and equality before stating his ideal for a mate. He is going to be looking for a while unless he changes tactics.”

Her new companion leaned forward, his dark brown hair sliding slightly with the motion. “What should he have said?”

“To get my affections?”

“Yes.”

“He couldn’t. He and I are not a good match. He needs to be honest and seek out a woman who wants to be cared for, protected. Not all women like to make the house their home base, though I have no quarrel with those who do.” She smiled. “Answer enough?”

“Yes, and some sage advice for him. He has been coming on strong and striking out.”

She sipped at her coffee. “How long has he been here?”

“Ten days. I got here just three days ago and he has been despondent.”

“Tell him to ask the folks at the bar to help. They are here to help us find our matches. They will help him along.” Eileen smiled, her briefing via Teebie and Teal had been thorough as to behaviour and the role of the various branches of the Crossroads.

“I don’t think he bothered to ask for help. Will you excuse me for a moment?”

“Of course.”

He got up and left, but she had to admit that the view was nice as he went.

Her food arrived, and she moved on to more interesting things than the man who was probably hearing that she was a large snake.

To her shock, he returned when she had two fries dangling from her mouth. She bit them off quickly and returned them to her plate. “Excuse me.” She mumbled. “I didn’t think you were coming back.”

He smiled. “Of course I was. You are the best company here, though your eating habits need a little refining.”

She coughed delicately. “I thought I was eating alone. Time is a factor. The tomato is saturating my bun.”

He chortled and waved her on. “If it is a matter of urgency, by all means. My name is Harris.”

“Eileen. Pleased to meet you.” She picked up the cheeseburger and attacked it with polite savagery. The food disappeared in a matter of minutes.

When there was nothing left but smears of dressing and shreds of lettuce, the server brought her the fruit salad.