Coyote's Howl (Cape High Series Book 17), page 19
“Now, move!” he says. “I’m going to do what I should have done earlier—”
I don’t even see Nico move before he’s in front of us, grabbing the gun and crushing it. “It doesn’t work on me,” he says before slamming a fist into Badmoon’s face. I’m dragged along as Badmoon gets thrown back. He should have let go, I think as he crashes through the wall behind him. With my extra weight, he’ll just fall harder.
I’m going to die. I can’t believe that Nico punched him while—
My Coyote appears in my mind. He grins and lets out a little yelp. Before I can yell at him to save me, he turns and lets out another yip. A mouse scurries out of the shadows behind him, running straight for me. It jumps and I feel myself shifting, growing smaller and smaller. I jump out of Badmoon’s hold, scurrying away purely out of instinct.
I’m a mouse. I’m a mouse! I’M A MOUSE!! I feel like doing a victory dance, but I don’t have time. I need to help Nico stop Badmoon. No! Coyote! He might have been hit by the power blocker again! I look around, only to let out a squeak as a hand scoops me up.
“Your second form is a mouse?” Coyote asks, holding me up so I can see his face. I let out a little squeak, sitting up on my haunches.
‘I’ve always liked my mouse,’ I tell him. ‘Did he take your powers?’
“Your principal blocked it, somehow,” he says, turning and watching the fight. “I should step in.”
‘No!’ I say. ‘No, you feel duty bound to kill him—Nico will just strip his powers and stick him in jail.’
“That will kill him, as well,” he points out.
‘But you won’t be the one doing it,’ I say, jumping off of his hand and shifting into my human form. “We need to find Cheval’s granddaughter.”
“I am not without blame,” he says, starting forward.
“Yeah, but you’re not a Superior, either,” I say as Nico takes to the air, grabbing Badmoon off of the ground and swinging him in a circle before sending him flying.
“I’m sorry, Technico, but there’s only one mirror left in the house. If I don’t send you both out now, I’ll be sending you out into the public,” Cheval says. “I can’t risk unleashing him on the norms, but I would have no choice.”
“Then send him out,” Nico says as the wall behind Badmoon starts to swirl. He goes through it. “We’ll handle it from here.” Nico jumps, flying through the swirling mirror right behind Badmoon.
I hear Badmoon’s voice in my mind. ‘ATTACK!’ I start for the portal, not certain what he’s done, but knowing that it’s going to be trouble. The portal closes before Coyote or I can reach it. “They broke it,” she says.
“What?”
“You’ll have to get out in town.”
CHAPTER TEN
Century stares blankly at Skye, blinking twice before continuing to pull his shirt on. “Now, Sugar, you and I both know that it’s inappropriate for you to visit my home without calling first,” he says far too casually.
“You wear a wife-beater?” Skye says, looking almost disappointed. “How old ARE you?”
“Skye?” the girl standing behind her says, tugging on her arm. “It’s not a wife-beater, it’s an undershirt, but now isn’t the time! Mr. Century, my name is Whitney, I’m the granddaughter of Cheval—”
“I figured that,” he says with a little smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, darlin’.”
“Thank you, but we have more important things to deal with right now!” she says. “Isn’t it way too late to just be getting dressed now?”
“I have to sleep a full twenty-four hours once every two weeks, darlin’, it’s inconvenient, but that’s how it goes,” he admits. “What’s wrong with Cheval?”
“There’s a mean, hairy man that’s attacking everyone! He used me as a hostage and then Noni put us both into the Mirrorlands. She’s keeping him busy for now, but I don’t know how long she can hold him! And there’s a boy in there—I don’t know—”
“Lance was fighting him for a bit,” Skye says, looking around the room curiously. “So where do you hang your tights?”
“Skye, focus, please!” Whitney says, looking exasperated. “He’s just a boy, right?”
“Did he hurt him?” Century demands, a dangerous look crossing his face. “If he hurt my boy, I’m going to make sure he doesn’t live long enough to have his powers stripped.”
“He’s fine… mmm…” Skye turns, looking back into the Mirrorlands with a finger touching her chin thoughtfully. “He and his grandpa are heading away from where Badmoon is. Badmoon’s surrounded by Nico and Pan and Taurus—I’d hate to be in his shoes right now,” she says.
The stunned look on Whitney’s face catches Century’s attention. “Why didn’t you TELL me?” she asks Skye.
“Because I was supposed to get you away from him, of course!” Skye says with a brilliant smile. “There’s no place further than Century’s place! Well, that’s not true; I could have taken you up to my parents! They’re WAY far away, but this was a closer far away.”
“Well, then,” Century says. “Skye, bring her in here and I’ll go fill out the paperwork.”
“Do you wear an entire suit under your uniform?” Skye asks him.
“Skye, this is NOT the time! I want to help!” Whitney says. “It’s my fault that Noni is going through all of this. I’m the one that brought him to her. I can’t—I can’t live with myself if I don’t try to at least help!”
“Sugar, how would you like to be the first student at Cape High South?” Century asks, walking over to a wall and pressing his hand to it. It slides open and he steps in, letting it close before she can respond.
“Why is he taking his sweet time about this?” Whitney demands in frustration.
“Oh, because Nico’s on the job,” Skye says. “Hey, hey, let me go out there, would you? I want to snoop through his bedroom!” Whitney just stares at her. “Who KNOWS what kind of dirt I could dig up on him?”
“You’re both crazy,” Whitney says, but she presses a hand to the mirror and it starts to swirl.
***
Nico looks behind him, staring blankly at the broken mirror, and then at the full grown bull that just broke it. “Taurus?” he says. “What did you do that for?”
The bull snorts, lowering his head and dragging a hoof through the dirt. Nico turns, looking for Badmoon, only to stop and stare at the two panthers that have surrounded him. “What is going on here? Aubrey? What’s happening to them?”
“I think he’s got them brainwashed,” the healer says from where she’s up a tree. “Jack and Sandra attacked him as soon as he got out, but while they were fighting—well, this happened,” she says, motioning to the animal forms of their shifter friends. “Adanna ran me up the tree. I think she just wanted me out of the way, which is good. But you can’t hurt them—they’re not themselves, understand?”
Taurus charges before Nico can respond. Nico reaches up, grabbing him by the horns before he can hit. His feet are shoved into the hard ground, leaving trails as Taurus tries to shove him back. Before Nico can do anything, Pan jumps on his back, digging his claws into his back.
“How are Jack and Sandra doing?” he demands of Aubrey, even as Adanna jumps him, as well.
“He’s a lot faster than they are,” she says, turning to watch the fight in question. “Where is Lance? What happened to him? Is he hurt?”
“He’s still inside the mirror,” Nico says. “That was the last working mirror that Cheval had, so she’s going to have to send him somewhere else to get out. Aubrey, can you clear their minds?”
“I don’t—I’m not a psychic type,” she says. “I can calm them down a little, but that’s about all. We need Max!”
Nico lets out a curse, twisting his hands to lift Taurus from the ground and swing him around. “Then I don’t have time to play nice. I’ll give him a bonus on his next paycheck.” He throws the bull, sending him crashing through the woods, and then reaches up to pull the panthers off of him. “This was my favorite Panther shirt, Pan! You owe me a new one!” he says. Pan digs his claws in harder, but he can’t pierce the skin. The shirt starts ripping under his hold and he falls off as Nico pulls him. He lets out a snarl as he’s thrown aside. Nico grabs Adanna by the scruff, pulling her off of his leg and gently putting her on the ground. “STAY!” he orders her.
She looks at him guiltily. “Sorry about choking you, he says before taking to the air as Taurus starts to charge him. “If you could fly, you’d probably give me a run for my money,” he admits before scanning the area from high above. Beneath him, Taurus and Pan shift into their hybrid forms. He glances down just in time to see them leaping into the air.
He lets out a curse and flies away as fast as he possibly can. “I take it back!” he yells over his shoulder. “Jack, Sandra! Coordinates!” he orders, tapping on his earbud.
“Nico, we got a problem,” Jack says, rather than answering that. “I’m trying my best to hold him off, but Lance’s mom keeps attacking us. When he brainwashed the others, he got her, too.”
“How is he doing that?” Nico demands.
“He can control animals, remember? I don’t see how he’s controlling her, though, she should be a psychic type, too, right?”
“Enough chatting! She’s breaking her teeth on my arm!” Sandra yells over the com-link.
“I’m on my way,” Nico says, looking down. “But I might be bringing more problems with me.”
***
I look at my com-bracelet, inwardly groaning. We’ve reached a mirror that works and are climbing through, but I’m not really focused on that—or even the guys freaking out as we step out into the bathroom. “Coyote, how can he control Mom? Isn’t she just like him?”
“Your mother hasn’t had the time to learn animal control,” Coyote says. “Nor was she ever that promising at it. She is… she is weak-willed, in many ways. She is my daughter, yes, but she is…”
“She decided it was easier to live as a hawk than a human,” I admit grimly. “I mean, I can understand, it’s cheaper, but—”
“But it is a form of giving up,” he finishes. “When did this happen?”
“After I was captured and kept in a zoo of super kids,” I say, absently, already bringing up the map on my com-bracelet. “We need to go east for about ten miles. Should we shift?” We step out in the middle of a small grocery store, with people all around us. He looks at me, a hint of amusement on his face.
“I suppose we could, but I hardly think they would appreciate it,” he says almost blandly, walking right past the people and to the door.
“I’ve only got my coyote and my mouse, and I guess the coyote could do it, but—”
He steps out into the sun, spreading his arms and looking up at it. “Your mouse will do,” he says before shifting into a massive eagle. I see people stare in wonder, and some snap pictures. It IS a world where supers are a regular thing, I realize as I shift into my mouse form. Talons snatch me up and he rises into the air with a strong gust of wind.
“Bye bye mousie!” I hear a child call as we leave the street behind.
‘Who captured you?’ he asks as we soar over the trees.
‘It’s a long story,’ I say simply, watching through his talons. It’s tight, but he’s not breaking my skin. I just wish I could fly, as well. ‘I was just coming into my powers. Coyote, will he be able to control me if I’m in animal form?’ I ask, suddenly worried.
‘You are a Coyote. You will not fall prey to his abilities,’ he says confidently.
‘Why did you disown me, and not him?’ I ask softly, unable to keep the thought to myself.
‘Because I was too young and naïve to understand why he turned out wrong, and too old and set in my ways to understand that you might turn out right,’ he says simply before tilting to catch another air current towards the ground. I squeeze out of his hold and jump to the ground as we get close enough, shifting on the way to land in human form.
“Now!” I hear Badmoon say, “Where is this ‘Science’ super?”
My jaw drops. Okay, after a second of thought I’ve got to admit that his conclusion isn’t totally off the wall. A lot of supers have ridiculously stupid names. I could see someone calling himself (or herself, even) Science. But still. I snort, choking on a laugh.
‘STOP ATTACKING!’ I hear Coyote say in my mind. The cougar chewing futilely on Sandra’s arm stops, looking stunned. “It’s time that we finish this, brother.”
“I do not have time for this! I’m looking for the super that gave her back her powers!”
“You had him brainwashed just a few moments ago,” I hear Nico say. “Sucks to be you, man, you could be shifting your heart out right now if you’d known.”
“What—” Badmoon says, turning.
A flash of light hits him straight on and he staggers, his powers leaving him. “His name isn’t science,” Nico says as he casually walks over, lifting the frail old man. “His name is Panther. Remember that. Pan, Taurus? You two back to normal?” he asks, not even looking over as they come into the area.
“Yes, I believe we are… other than the embarrassment,” Pan admits, looking at Badmoon with a dark expression.
“Will Lance grow up to have that power?” I hear Adanna ask. I look over, seeing her rubbing her temple, as if fighting a headache.
“He already has, to a point, I am certain,” Coyote says. “Badmoon.”
“Coyote,” Badmoon says, being held up by Nico.
“You are no longer accepted as a part of this family.”
“You have no family, Coyote. You’ve disinherited everyone—including your precious heir,” Badmoon says. He looks and sounds frail, but there’s a cold glint to his eyes that even rapid aging can’t take away. “No one will ever love you. You will die an old, bitter, angry old man.”
“Then we will have something else in common,” Coyote says.
“You’re going back to the Cape Cells,” Nico says to Badmoon. “Lance, do you want to come with us?”
“I…” I hesitate. “I’m going to stay here. I should at least help Cheval clean up the broken glass.”
“Then call when you want to return, I’ll send someone to come get you.” He walks away, taking Badmoon with him. Sandra hesitates, and I can feel her looking at me.
“You can go home, too, Sandra,” I say. “I’ll be fine, now.”
“Don’t stay out too late, okay?” she says.
“Coyote—” I hear Nico say. I see my grandfather look at him. “They’re going to be asking you some questions.”
“That’s only if they can find me,” Coyote says before shifting into a hawk. He takes to the air, and I look at Nico, expecting him to follow. Nico looks at me.
“What do you want to do, Lance?” he asks.
“He’s guilty of helping him,” I admit, looking at Badmoon, “and I don’t like him… there’s a lot in the past that’s going to take me a while to get over, but…” I look to the sky, shrugging. “If they had trouble finding Badmoon, he’ll be nearly impossible.” There’s a hint of satisfaction in my voice, and I feel a little guilty about that.
“Then I’ll leave that to the Hall Leaders to deal with,” Nico says. “I didn’t want to mess with him, anyway. It seems like it’d be a pain in the neck.”
“He would dump that on me,” I hear a familiar voice say as Nico and Badmoon finally board the plane. I look up, seeing Century in the air, holding an unfamiliar girl around the waist. Skye is next to them, looking extremely proud of herself.
“Century!” I say, breaking into a wide grin. “I’ve got good news!”
“I’d like to hear it, then!” he says with a smile as he lands. “As soon as I deliver this little darlin’ to her Noni, that is.”
“Noni!” the girl calls, racing into the house, Century following. “I brought Century! But he took his own sweet time about getting here.”
“Oh, Whitney,” I hear Cheval say. “You’re safe!”
I turn, feeling someone touch my hand. My mom is standing there, her expression somber. “Lance—” she says.
“Mom… I’m—” I don’t know what to say, honestly. I feel elated that I’m going to be the next Coyote, but I can’t imagine how sickened she feels over attacking someone.
“Lance, I’m going to… I need to spend some time alone,” she says quietly. “I know where you are, now. I know that you’re safe. I just… I don’t think I’m ready, yet.”
“Ready for what?” I ask. “What are you not ready for?”
“For being human, again,” she says, shifting into her Peregrine Falcon and flying away. I feel sick to my stomach. I can’t leave her like this… I can’t leave all of my family wandering around, living as animals. I just… I sigh, almost jumping as a hand lands on my shoulder. I look up to see Century’s profile. He’s watching my mom leave, as well.
“Give her time,” he says quietly. “Time will let her realize what’s most important.”
“I hope so,” I say, my good mood completely gone, now. “Century—”
“Don’t worry about it,” he says. “Even if you’re only a coyote shifter, I’m still going to take you. You’ll be a big hit, quickly enough, and more importantly, you’re the kind of man I want working at my side.”
I stare at him, stunned. “Wow,” I say slowly, “thank you. But… I’m not just a coyote shifter anymore.”
His jaw drops slightly before he recovers. “You’re not?” he asks.
“Well, right now I’ve only got a coyote and a mouse, but I get the feeling that most of them will be coming back,” I say, grinning slightly, even if I’m not riding on a high anymore. “I’m the next Coyote.”
He lets out a whoop, lifting me up like a little kid and throwing me into the air. I let out a laugh, even though he JUST called me a man, he’s treating me like this. It’s funny. He catches me, putting me down, ruffling my hair. “That’s great, son!” he says. “We’ll start planning your debut as soon as possible—”
