Chapter 39 Shifter Freak
SHIFTER FREAK
RAYA
Reverie and I were long overdue for some good old couch snuggling, complete with loads of soft blankets and fluffy pillows, hot chocolate with extra marshmallows, and I even managed to rope Zuri into it for a bit last night too.
I think it did all of us a world of good, and my heart is happy as I stretch out my arms and shoulders, then climb out of bed.
This morning dawns bright but cold, and I shiver as I crank up the heat in the shower. I try not to linger too long, even though the steaming water feels divine. I need to help Reverie pack a few things to take to Asher’s place.
I crack a grin when I remember how excited she was last night when I invited her to come with us today.
I swear I’ve never seen so much glitter as it clouded the air, her wings beating so hard and fast I worried they might snap.
I wish we knew more about her history, her people, and my heart pangs with sympathy and loss.
We’ve tried to do all we can without putting her in danger, but it never feels like enough.
At least I can give her this. A new space, a little more freedom and adventure.
“How many outfits should I bring?” Reverie is a whirl of chaos this morning as she decides what to take to Asher’s place later.
“However many you want,” I laugh. “We can always come back, too. It’s not like we’re going far.”
“Maybe not for you, but it’s far for me!” Reverie squeaks and flits away, back into our shared bedroom where I can hear her muttering to herself as I wander into the kitchen for coffee before Asher picks us up.
“Morning.” I smile at Zuri.
“Hey, how’s she doing?” Zuri grins and jerks her chin in Reverie’s direction.
“Crazy.” I chuckle and shake my head as Zuri answers with a snort.
“She’s been pining over him for weeks now, you have no idea.” Zuri elbows me playfully and my heart is fit to bursting with joy that Zuri seems to have accepted my relationship. “Better watch your man or she’ll sneak right in and steal him from you.”
“It means a lot that you both like him.”
Zuri’s eyes flash and I catch a hint of wariness before she smiles. I bite my lip to hold off the roiling emotions threatening to crash through me. I need the most important people in my life to get along, but beyond that, I want them to be friends too.
“Eh. I guess he’s not so bad.” Zuri rolls her eyes with a sniff, trying to play it off. Go Fish and Speed got them off to a good start, and his treatment of me the last few weeks has helped turn her opinion of him around. I’m thankful she’s giving him a chance.
“You taking Rev to brunch too? It’s been a minute since she’s seen your fam.”
“Yeah, I know she gets a little overwhelmed around more than just us, but she said she didn’t want to be left behind when I offered to come back for her. I think she’s afraid we’d forget or something.”
Zuri nods, her face pensive as she spins the mug in her hands.
“So… I guess this probably means I should start looking for a new roommate soon?”
She doesn’t meet my eyes when she says it, and my heart pangs again. Things are moving so quickly all of a sudden, and I both want and dread the changes.
“We haven’t talked about moving in together, but… yeah. Probably.” My voice is soft, matching her tone. “He said he wanted to give me a key.”
I flick my eyes up to Zuri as she does the same, and my shoulders slump. I hate the sadness I see there even as she tries to smile.
“We’ll still talk all the time. And I’ll come over, and you can come over too.” I try not to ramble, but I’m suddenly feeling incredibly alone with all the changes happening around me.
“Come here,” she says, holding an arm out.
I dart around the counter and into her hold, squeezing her tight around the waist and trying not to nuzzle into her, but failing spectacularly.
“Ooookay, that’s enough,” Zuri says with a laugh, pulling away from my cheek in her hair. “You shifters are too much sometimes.”
“I know you secretly love it.”
She rolls her eyes as a knock sounds on the front door.
“HE’S HERE!” Reverie is a streak of magenta through the air as she shoots from the back of the apartment to the front door. “RAYA!”
“Geesh, I’m coming.”
I brush my hand down Zuri’s hair as I pass by her, my heart already picking up at the thought of being in Asher’s presence again. He’s like a drug, and I am fully addicted.
My eyes light up as I pull open the door and drink in the sight of him. Tall, perfectly styled dark hair. Vibrant, slightly mischievous blue eyes. A serious expression I want to crack.
“Hey, you.” I tip up on my toes so my lips can reach his as he bends down, meeting me halfway.
“Sunshine,” he says, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear, then pulling back as his eyes shift past me with a smile. “Hey Reverie. You two ready to go?”
“Yep, let me grab her bag.”
I turn back to the kitchen, Reverie flitting around me as her excitement dusts the air and Asher following close behind as I snag Reverie’s bag from the hallway.
“I got it.” His hand brushes mine as he takes it from me, then pokes his head into the kitchen. “Hey Zuri.”
“Morning,” she replies, allowing one side of her mouth to turn up before it falls again and a serious, not-Zuri-like expression crosses her face. “Take care of her.”
I’m not sure if she’s talking about me or Reverie, but I tense as I watch Asher and Zuri have a silent conversation, unsure if it’s a standoff or if they’re coming to some sort of understanding.
He nods a few moments later, just once, a determined dip of his chin while still holding eye contact with her as he says, “Always.”
My heart thumps a beat when Zuri mimics the gesture and Asher turns to me, eyes softening when he sees Reverie bouncing from foot to foot on my shoulder.
“Let’s go, don’t want to be late.” I give Zuri another quick squeeze and Reverie kisses her cheek before we zip her into a mini backpack, empty apart from her and a tiny blanket.
I put it on backwards, hugging it to my chest as I strap in and we head out.
Much as I hate hiding her from the world, and the world from her, we all know it’s safer this way.
Brunch ends up being only the five of us today—myself, Asher and Rev, plus my parents—which is a relief for Reverie.
She grew up with me and my family, but she still gets nervous when everyone is around.
But Wesley is spending the weekend with a friend, I guess there’s some sort of online gaming tournament that they wanted to participate in, and Josephine isn’t going to be in town again until Thanksgiving in a couple weeks.
My mom and dad are thrilled to see Reverie, and she greets them both happily before fluttering back to my shoulder. Although we grew up in this house, it’s been ages since she’s been back here, so I expect it’ll take her a little bit to come out of her shell.
Asher immediately steps into the kitchen with my dad, asking to help again. My heart feels so full when my dad claps him on the shoulder with a smile. They make quite the pair, with my dad barely coming up to Asher’s chin, his arm slung around Asher’s shoulders regardless.
I follow behind with my mom’s arm looped in mine, then settle at the table. My parents have pulled out Reverie’s old pillow, the one she used to sit on during family dinners. It’s on the table now, set up next to my usual place with her doll-sized place setting.
I tip my head into my mom’s shoulder, silently thanking her for always making those I love feel welcome.
“How’s Zuri? We miss her around here,” Mom says, finger-combing my hair while my dad shows Asher how to crack eggs.
“She’s good. I haven’t been around as much lately,” I reply, my gaze flitting to Asher’s back before returning to my mom. Her knowing eyes twinkle back at me.
“Ah, shoot, I broke it,” Asher’s disappointed voice reaches our ears as my dad claps him on the back.
“You’ll get the hang of it. I don’t mind a broken yolk, try the next one.”
I grin, realizing he’s trying to fry eggs with a runny yolk, the way I like it.
“I take it things are moving forward with you two, then?” my mom says.
“Yeah, we’re going to get Rev settled into his place after this,” I say. “Not permanently, just so she can go back and forth for now.”
“Oh yeah? You excited?” Mom asks, turning her gaze to Reverie, who nods enthusiastically.
“He said I can bring whatever I want,” she says, then quieter, “It’s a little scary too, though.”
“Change is always hard, even good change,” my mother replies, reaching out to lightly touch a finger under Reverie’s chin. “We face it with our chin up and shoulders back, yes?”
“Yes,” Reverie replies, grinning.
My mom has said this to us since we were kids. Anytime we faced a challenge, she’d give us space to express our feelings, talk through our thoughts, then remind us to keep our chin up and shoulders back, to face it head on.
I think I lost sight of that, for a while. I stuck my head in the sand instead of acknowledging my shifting problems, but once Asher helped me face it, I was able to move forward.
It’s a good reminder.
We all settle around the table a few minutes later with plates of eggs, toast, breakfast sausage, and fresh fruit. I place a hand on Asher’s thigh as he sits next to me, smiling proudly at him.
“Thank you for breakfast,” I say.
“Don’t thank me yet, it might not be good. Can’t seem to flip an egg to save my life,” he grumbles the last bit under his breath, and I bite my lip to hold in a laugh.
I catch his narrowed gaze on me out of the corner of my eye as I cut into my egg and take a bite.
I let out what is perhaps an overly dramatic moan of appreciation, partly because it really is good, but also to mess with him a little.
He shifts in his seat and his throat bobs with a swallow when I lick the corner of my lips and glance at him with a smirk.
He tongues the inside of a fang, then grabs his glass of water and takes a long drink.
I turn back to my plate, a happy little smile on my lips.
“This is so good, I didn’t know you could cook, Asher,” Reverie says, breaking the tension between us.
He clears his throat before answering.
“I can’t, but Mr. Merritt has been gracious enough to teach me a few things here and there.”
“Oh, come now, son. None of that, call me Terry,” my dad says. “Or I’ll be starting to feel old.”
“Terry,” Asher says with a nod, his voice soft.
I try to catch his eye, but he looks down at his mostly empty plate, refusing to look at me as he blinks, then takes a bite of toast.
“So, you two, how are things at work?” my mom asks.
That is certainly not something I want to explain to them right now, and thankfully Asher lets me take the lead.
“A bit slower right now, I’ve got one project I’m working on, but not nearly as quick of a timeline as the last one,” I say, sticking to truths that I feel comfortable sharing.
“It’s good to slow down a bit here and there,” Dad says, and we all nod in agreement.
I’m a little tense, thankful Jo isn’t here to call me out on it, when Asher speaks up.
“Raya does have some news to share, though.”
“I do?” I ask, turning bewildered eyes on him.
“You do.” He smiles, then leans in to whisper. “Show them your shifting, little shifter. You’ve gotten so good at it.”
My cheeks warm, and I look down at my lap as I twist my fingers together.
“Well?” Dad asks, “What is it, sweetie?”