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Man, did I have a lot to think about.

I mean, I'd known the Hunters were dangerous, but just how dangerous I hadn't had any idea of until Dani and my virtual parents had told me those things.

“Okay, so I've been playing with fire, a really nasty fire.” I muttered to myself while getting dressed for school. “But I just can't leave this alone and who's going to believe me when I tell them it's because I had a couple of dreams? I'm just some teenager doing the usual stupid crazy things far as everyone is concerned and I don't have one bit of proof to back up what I know?”

What to do, what to do?

“I'll show someone!” I decided. Then had to think of who I would show.

Chris?

Sure he'd look, and probably help me, but he was a teenager too, and two of us warning the elders about a danger that they hadn't caught brought up visions from way too many horror and science fiction movies. The kids were always ridiculed and ignored, until it was too late.

I didn't think being able to say “I told you so!” was going to help at all once this was over, either.

How about Carson? He was older, in college and more mature. But again, the real adults still thought of him as someone near the point of adult believability, but not there just yet. Sigh.

Uncle Patrick and Aunt Cecily were right out of that consideration. They wouldn't go look, and would probably try to keep me from going so I could show them. Grownups. You know how they can be.

Tracy or Dana?

Nope, Dana was already afraid of something, and Tracy obviously had her own problems and I really didn't know her that well yet.

So who?

“Carly!” I actually smiled at that idea and nearly jumped up and down once I'd had it. Okay, so I did do a little jumping there. Sue me later. If you haven't done it, try, just try being a teenaged girl and see how well you do with it.

Carly seemed like the best choice. Close to my age, but she was already the Beta Female of the clan. At least she might let me drag her somewhere to show her part of what I'd seen.

Yup, that seemed like a workable idea. Now all I had to do was convince, maneuver, or trick Carly into going to see what I wanted to show her.

I didn't know what those people, the other Harpers were, but I did know that they weren't human. Oh, the fact that neither one of them had seemed a bit worried about an obviously strong were bothering them was a real mind fuck.

I had to figure out what they were.

Why they were here would be kind of nice to know, too, but you can't have everything after all.

Getting Carly there was actually easy. Disappointing in a way, but I wasn't going to fuss. I just told her I wanted to go shopping, and she was all for that. The downside is that I really did have to go shopping. For clothes.

Oh, well, into each life...

I didn't buy much, but all the trying on is still a pain. I mean I was still used to the idea that you knew what you wanted, walked in somewhere, got it, then left. Big deal. Half an hour, tops.

But nooo. Now I had to look at everything, even if I wasn't really interested, then try things on, and show them to whoever was with me. But I did get this really nice baby doll top...

A few minutes after we'd finally left the last shop, I saw what I was wanting to see. The 'other' Harpers walking in the park.

“Look at that.” I prodded my sister and pointed to them.

“What about them?” My sister looked but clearly didn't think anything was off.

“The other day I watched a pretty strong were giving them a hard time, and they weren't afraid of him.” I told her. Look at them, smell.”

She gave me an odd look, then did that.

“Holy...” Her eyes widened marginally and I saw her nostrils flare. “That is NOT an average family.”

“Nope.” I grinned at her. “But you really have to look, and smell, to see that.”

“I've never seen anything like this.” Carly whispered then added. “But they smell like... well, just different than anyone else in town. We need to tell someone about this little sister.”

“How different?” I asked.

“Really different. Not something I've ever run across before.” Carly shook her head. “And whatever they are they're really working hard to disguise themselves.

“Why are you so interested in them?” She asked with that look I'd seen her give Sylvia Carmichael the first day I'd been a girl.

“That.” I pointed at the stroller the couple was pushing. “The baby.”

“Why?”

“I don't know!” I shot back. “I've had dreams about her — the baby, and just know I'm supposed to save her. I don't have the slightest idea why that is. Let alone know how to do that!”

“We have to tell Uncle Pat and Aunt Carly.” She told me.

“Why, so they can throw me into a cell to keep me from doing things?”

“You're messing around with Hunters, little sister.” She shrugged. “Hunters who have a grail with them. You need to be locked away in a cave somewhere or you're going to get hurt, maybe killed.”

“Would you do that?” I asked and felt tears starting. “Lock me up in some cave, or let someone else do that?”

“No.” Carly let out a sigh, then grinned. “You'd probably find a way to break out of that even if we did try it. But we do need to tell the elders, hon. This isn't something you're equipped to handle on your own.”

“Okay.” I let out my own sigh. With visions of even more restrictions on what I could do. Not that they'd stop me, but getting around them can be a pain at times.

Well, the meeting with Uncle Pat and Aunt Cecily could have gone a lot worse.

“You little idiot.” Uncle Pat shook his head and I could just see the wheels in his head turning to find ways to keep me out of the way.

“Why are you doing this?” Aunt Cecily asked in an almost gentle tone of voice.

“I have to?” I kind of asked and told them at the same time.

“Cindy.” Uncle Pat let out a long sigh. “If this family is that well shielded, and a group of Hunters with a grail are here for them, this is way out of your league. Both sides are very powerful, honey and getting between them wouldn't be a good thing to do. Add to that the very real possibility that they're hiding from someone or something other than the Hunters here. If what you and Carly are saying about these people is right whatever they're really hiding from is very dangerous, probably a lot more so than the Hunters since they don't seem all that concerned over that bunch.”

“Cindy.” Aunt Cecily took my face in her hands and gently shook my head once she had. “You've been hurt once, badly over this. Why don't you just let it go now so the elders can handle it?”

I shuddered at the memory of the days of pain I'd gone through following my first encounter with a Hunter, but shook my head. “I can't.”

“Just step away.” My uncle told me. “Or I'll make sure you can't get close.”

“Wait, Patrick.” Aunt Cecily raised her hand then gave me a careful look. “Why can't you leave this alone, dear?”

“I — I've had dreams.” I admitted then told them about those, in all the gory details, too.

“Goddess.” Aunt Cecily sat back and gave me a sad, but impressed look. “The Lady has given her this task, Patrick. I don't think anything on earth but death would keep her from it.”

He grumbled, looked uncertain, but shook himself and stared right at me. “Probably so. But Cindy, promise me, promise me, that you'll tell us about what you're doing, and for the goddess' sake, ask for help if you need it.”

Aunt Cecily did that holding the face thing again and looked me directly in the eyes. “Please, Cindy, let us know what you're doing with this. Preferably before you do it. You've been lucky so far, don't push that. Even the Lady's favor only goes so far.”

“Okay.” I nodded, though that is sort of hard to do when someone has your cheeks in a kind of death grip thing. Then I added. “I have to go out tonight but I don't really know why.”

That started things all over again.

Sigh.

When, when, will I learn to just keep my big mouth shut?

“Do you have to quite so obvious?” I grumbled at the shadow that was my sister. “I mean I knew I wouldn't get out without being followed, but come on here, make it hard for me to see you doing it!”

“Most people wouldn't have noticed me.” Carly shrugged as she walked up to stand beside me. “You're just too damned observant little sister.”

I just gave her that 'River Tam look' from Firefly. If you know what that is, good. If not, find the show and you'll see what I mean. Like she just can't believe someone is actually that stupid, or clueless.

“Don't give me that look.” Carly shook her head and grinned. She'd liked Firefly and Serenity as much as I had. “You're much more talented than you realize just now, hon.”

“Yes she is.” A familiar voice had Carly jumping in shock and me just shaking my head.

“Hi Dani.” I chuckled.

“Hey, I didn't scare you that time.” She laughed.

“I'm used to you by now.” I pointed out then threw her a sop. “But you just made my sister crap in her panties.”

“Not a total loss then.” Dani chuckled and emerged from the darkness, holding her hand out to Carly. “Hi, I'm Dani.”

“Ummm, hi Dani.” Carly accepted the offered hand in the finger touch thing that girls use for a handshake and asked. “Where did you come from?”

“Oh, here, there, everywhere.” Dani answered with a grin. “Your sister was cuter about it than you were when I could startle her, by the way.”

“But you...”

“I know, just came out of nowhere.” Dani winked. “I do that a lot. Don't worry about it unless I'm pissed off at you.”

“I'll remember that, thanks.” Carly answered then chuckled while looking at me. “You have some strange friends, little sister.”

“Yeah.” I nodded and grinned. As Craig I'd tended to attract the odd ones, people wise, so it was really no surprise at all that as a girl, and a were, that I was still doing that. “Makes life interesting, you know.”

“Worry about her.” Dani advised Carly.

“Oh, I do.” My sister answered, then gave Dani a long look. “Dani... You're the one who left that note and DVD, aren't you?”

“At last!” Dani chortled. “A smart one!

“And yes, I did that.” She grinned proudly.

Carly didn't say a thing to that. She just started laughing.

There are times I really don't like my big sister so much.

“So what you got planned for tonight?” Dani asked.

“Dunno.” I shrugged. “I'm just making this up as I go along here.”

“How Indiana Jones of you!” Dani nodded in admiration.

“Why did it have to be vampires?” I moaned.

That of course had both Dani and Carly almost doubled up with laughing so hard.

Carly and Dani liked each other.

I was soo, double, triple doomed.

Why is there never a nice, bottomless well around when you need it?

Now I'd never get away with anything.

“So just what are you looking for here?” Dani asked as I stared at the Harper house.

“I don't know.” I shrugged. “I'd kind of like to find out just what they are for one thing, and why the Hunters don't scare them. I mean those two 'ordinary people' faced down an adult were the other day without even looking like they did it or were worried at all. That isn't normal for anyone.”

“Nope.” Dani shook her head while agreeing with me. “It sure isn't, but I'll bet that Were was shitting his pants when that happened. Not too many people, even vampires or witches really want to go head to head with a Were.”

“Really?” I asked then thought about when I'd seen both Carly and Aunt Cecily upset with someone.

“Really.” Dani affirmed. “You guys are really bad news on the other side of a fight. Trust me.”

“Then there's little average miss Were.” I sighed but nodded.

“Nothing at all average about you hon.” Dani smirked. “I wouldn't be hanging out with you if you were that way. I want to cultivate your friendship before you grow up, believe me.”

I had to think about that one. Okay, I had weird dreams and heard voices, or a voice off and on. I could pick locks and sneak pretty good when I wanted to. I knew martial arts, too so could defend myself most of the time. But so what? I was still kind of middle of the roadish in strength or anything else but looks (which still kind of embarrassed me, by the way) and knew there were any number of people and things out and around that could kick my sweet little butt without breathing hard.

“Umm, okay.” I answered with what I knew was a skeptical expression.

“Give yourself some time, you little monster.” Dani grinned and gave me a wink. “One day you'll wake up to find that you're an all grown up monster, and one that people will think more than twice about messing with.”

“If I survive that long.” I muttered. I might die of sheer embarrassment if nothing else before that happened.

“That's another reason why I'm hanging out with you girlie.” Dani chuckled. “I'm supposed to help you do that.”

Sheesh. Why, why, does everyone think I'm so damned special? It's annoying and I sure don't feel special. Okay, maybe with Carson, but that isn't the same thing.

“Back in a few.” Dani whispered.

“Where you off to?” Carly asked.

“To see if I can eavesdrop enough to find some things out about the 'normals' over there.” The vampire answered and was gone before either me or my sister could say anything in response.

“Does she do that a lot?” Carly questioned while watching the space Dani had been in seconds ago.

“All the time.” I sighed. “I think she gets off on freaking people out.”

“Can she teleport or something?”

“No idea.” I shrugged, then added. “I do know that she's really, really fast.”

A few minutes later a disheveled Dani showed back up, shaking her head in mixed admiration and wonder.

Looking at her more than usually messy hair and taking in the fact that she was actually breathing kind of hard got my attention. “What happened?”

“Just ran into the strongest wards I've ever seen or heard of.” She sat down, actually sat down. I'd never seen her do that before. “Took a lot of work to get around and through them.”

“Did you find anything out?” I asked.

“Oh yeah.” Dani shook her head. “For one thing, if they can put up wards like that no wonder they aren't afraid of the Hunters. For another they're both warriors of some kind that not only know how to handle themselves but have done it in the past.

“Whatever it is they're hiding from is bad. Really bad.” She finished.

“Anything else?” Carly looked at the house and I did, too. Both of us saw the 'husband' carefully searching the yard, bushes, and surrounding area.

“Nope, the wards bounced me out and let them know someone had breached them.” Dani told us. “These people are major league dangerous my friends.”

“Then what has them scared enough to be hiding that way?” I thought out loud.

“Dunno, hon.” Dani shrugged. “I do know that I hope I never run into it.”

Great, just great. And these were the people I was supposed to protect?

I was really starting to wonder if I'd even see my seventeenth birthday about then.

“What's wrong, babe?” Carson asked as he hugged me once we'd met at Mario's again.

Once upon a time I would have been not only outraged, but would have tried to kick the crap out of someone who talked to me like that.

But now it actually felt kind of good, and Carson really was concerned.

“Ahh, just the usual.” I fended that off. “Crap at school, with the family, you know.”

“The family giving you shit about us?” He asked.

“A little.” I admitted then grinned. “But not that much really. They're just telling me to be careful around a wolf.”

He caught the double entendre there and chuckled. “I suppose they would. What do you think about that?”

“Give me one wolf over anyone else in the world and I'd be happy?” I answered with as straight a face as I could manage, especially when I finished that. “If he's all over me, I'll just kick him where it counts. Or maybe...”

“Ouch.” He did a good wince, then grinned back. “About that 'or maybe'?”

“Oh, I don't know.” I shrugged. “Maybe there would be one happy wolf in the neighborhood?”

“I'll take that as promising then.”

“You'd better.” I told him.

“I'll keep that in mind.”

“Just don't get the idea that I'm easy.” I warned him.

“Ahh, it's no fun if the girl just throws herself at you, Cindy.” He winked at me. “Really.”

“So you're willing to chase me?” I asked the added. “Until I catch you?”

“As long as you like.” He nodded. “The chase is fun, but I've never been caught yet. That should be interesting. Not to mention being more fun than the chase.”

“We'll see about that one.” I smiled then gave him a nice, deep kiss, with some tongue.

Sheesh, I was such a girl and especially around him.

But no matter how much I might complain about it other times, with Carson I didn't mind at all.

Besides, I really needed a break from worrying about those other things.

Oh gawd. I was being assimilated here. Resistance is futile and all that.

Resist? Hell, with Carson I was ready to just dive straight into the pool. Naked and joyful as I did it.

Okay, that one was spontaneous, but it made me shudder a little, too.

But...

It sure made me feel good in places I'd never had as Craig. And I liked it.

Damn it.

“I'd been giving the bags, and some sparring partners at the dojo a workout.

I'd finally gotten used to my new center of balance and let me tell you, I could deliver a kick that would stop a bull in mid charge. Cool! Plus, I was lot's faster and more flexible than I'd ever thought of being when I was Craig.

We had to replace some sandbags, and I had to profusely apologize to a couple of guys I sparred with.

But I was slowly realizing that all I'd lost in the change were some bits of flesh and some upper body strength.

The gains actually outweighed that, since I'd never been all that hung up about my masculinity, anyway.

I was beating Chris in matches more often than I lost and that was new. He used to kick my butt and use it to wipe up the sweat off the mats.

Now I was doing that to him.

But I didn't gloat.

Okay, maybe I did. Just a little.

Come on, give me a break on this one.

The upshot of that is, I was beginning to understand that I was far from weak and helpless in a fight.

I'd thought I'd just been lucky in that fight with the Hunter, but as I looked back on it, I started understanding that I'd just plain beaten him. I was better than he was, even if he managed to hurt me. I was still alive, he wasn't.

Works for me.

“Wow.” Chris was rubbing his side after one of our sparring matches. “You pack one hell of a punch there, sis.”

“Sorry.” I winced. “I didn't really hurt you did I?”

“Just some bruises.” He sighed. “Don't try that move on a non-Were unless you intend to kill them, though.”

He was talking about a nice little spin kick I'd just figured out. It put all my weight into the heel of my foot when it hit.

“I'll remember that, thanks.” I gave him a worried look. “You sure you're okay?

“Yeah, I'll be fine in the morning.” He grumbled.

I looked away and had to smile. “Maybe before that, bro. Your main squeeze is here.”

I waved at Tracy and jumped out of the ring. On the way past I whispered. “I don't think he feels like sparring right now. And be careful with his ribs.”

“You're that mean to your cousin?” She asked but was grinning.

“New move.” I shrugged. “Besides, he used to kick my poor little ass all the time.”

“Getting even are we?” She laughed.

“Probably.” I grinned. “Now go make him feel better.”

“Good plan.” She laughed as I headed for the locker room and a badly needed shower.

All that aside, I still had a big problem to deal with.

That baby I was supposed to protect. Who already had protectors that had my family, and Dani, in kind of awe. Yes, they were that good, we could tell after carefully looking at them for awhile.

So obviously, the Hunters were a distraction, even if unplanned for whatever was really hunting them.

And here was poor little me, determined to save that child. When her protectors were obviously far more capable than I was.

When? When will things start getting easy here?

Or at least not impossible?

Well, all I could do is what I could do.

Even if it was sneaking in and snatching the kid then hiding somewhere.

I was no match for the forces converging on that 'normal' family.

So I'd have to be sneaky, and careful.

Okay, that I could do.

As much as I hated to admit it. That actually sounded kind of fun.

What in Hell was getting into me?

But dammit, it was a challenge and heaven help me, it did sound like fun.

What have I become here?

I'm just a teenaged girl who used to be a boy.

And trust me, I'm still confused about a lot of stuff.

But I know. I just know, that I have to save that child.

Lady Moon? Just what in the hell do you expect me to do here?

A little help would be appreciated, you know.

I was in my coyote form. And yes, I'd done that since my first transformation but it had no bearing on the story. I enjoyed it, ran, and sang to Lady Moon. That's all.

Now I was running again. Feeling the power in my legs, the endurance this form had.

I smelled and saw everything around me. The life in that mountain forest was mind boggling.

Things that most people never saw either hunted or were hunted. Even the plants were hunted, if you count the herbivores. But there was never a moment without conflict even when things looked peaceful to human eyes. Something was always dying to prolong the life of something else, and that was as things should be.

Life, I understood in that run, was competition. Not so much against peers, but just against life itself. Nature was not a forgiving mother, but she was a loving one.

She loved you if you won or lost in that competition. But she wouldn't help you even if you asked. As I said, Mother Nature can be cruel even if she loves all her children.

I had kind of an epiphany there.

If anyone was going to help me, it wouldn't be anyone but myself. Others could try, but the simple fact was that I was the one who was going to make my life, and myself into something that I liked, or not.

But it was up to me. Not to outside influences. Me.

I stopped and sat down on the top of a hill once that idea hit me.

My coyote form didn't even flinch when a wolf came to the hilltop to join me.

“My love.” He greeted me.

“Carson?” I asked as he moved to sit beside me.

“In another form, yes.” The wolf told me and licked my fur. “But now I'm simply a wolf. Who happens to love you.”

Wow.

We both sang to Lady Moon that night.

Together.

And it was good.

Really good.

Now I knew that I wanted to live.

So really started thinking of ways to do that while still doing what The Lady had charged me with.

Carson and I ran. Chased things, but had no intention of killing them. We were just having fun that night. It was incredible.

Best date I'd ever been on.

And even though part of me resisted the idea, I knew that Carson was my mate. The one I'd been made for just as he'd been made for me.

Sheesh. I'd only been a girl for a few weeks and I'd already found my future husband.

How weird is that?

Nope. Not going to think about that one. No way, no how.

I am soo not ready to be married. At least not in the female role.

Gah!

Can things get any worse?