The Mercenary Read online

  Jodie had to help Zach drag the second boar onto the tarp. Still holding onto a thread of life, he couldn’t survive the injuries, but he hadn’t been choked to death like the other guy. His death would come slower as his body failed to repair itself. Jodie considered ending it for him. It’s the humane thing to do isn’t it? Before she could make the choice, fate decided for her. The man’s human form emerged and he left the land of the living.

  When they had both bodies in a position to pull up the edges to conceal the horror, Jodie uncoiled a length of yellow rope and wound it around the tarp nearest her. She tied it off and Zach used a knife to cut the remainder loose. Then they began to bind the second tarp. They dragged the bodies to the rear of the yard, two distorted blue sausage shapes near the broken back fence. Jodie hoped they’d be safe there long enough to collect their thoughts and decide what to do.

  A colossal bellow erupted out of the forest chilling Jodie to the bone. It was like nothing she had ever heard before, neither leopard nor boar, and had no idea what else might be out there. All the tiny hairs on the back of her neck prickled as she scanned the woods for the imposed threat.

  “Zach,” she hissed as they exchanged looks of terror.

  “I think we need to go back into the house right now.” He didn’t need to be told twice, they both flew inside. Zach put on the deadbolt, which didn’t reassure Jodie very much. She had a feeling that if whatever animal had made that noise wanted ‘in’ they weren’t going to be able to do a damned thing to stop it.

  Regardless of the danger, Jodie had to see. She tore through the house and into the kitchen to look out the window. Gripping the edge of the counter with both hands, teeth clenched, Jodie stared at what had come out of the forest.

  Two enormous polar bears padded through the yard. Jodie didn’t know what size ordinary polar bears were, but she’d have given anything that they weren’t as big as these two. The same could have been said about the leopard. Perhaps mixing the blood of human and animal, produces a freakishly large result? The mind boggles.

  The bears each approached a body bundle. Picking up an end in their jaws, the two white giants dragged the bodies off into the woods. This is too surreal for words... where are they taking them? Shit, I don’t think I want to know.

  Jodie wondered for a moment if the bears were friends of the leopard and had come back to clean up after him. The very idea of it seemed ludicrous, polar bears and leopards socializing together refused to compute in Jodie’s brain.

  “Are you getting this?” Jodie whispered, noticing that Zach had appeared beside her.

  “I’m seeing, I’m just not sure I believe it.” He murmured.

  She chewed her lip. “I don’t know whether to be relieved or even more concerned. On one hand, we can now deny all knowledge. On the other hand, we could fabricate whatever story is going to keep us out of hot water. I’m wondering if I should be concerned that we now know of three different types of wild beasts roaming the woods out yonder.”

  “Well when you put it like that...” Zach gave a hollow laugh. “So the leopard was here again then?”

  How in God’s name do you keep missing him? “Yeah,” Jodie nodded. “I couldn’t have protected the girls on my own; you should have seen him... That’s twice now he’s come to our aid.

  ”

  “Why would he do that?”

  Tucking a lock of hair behind an ear, Jodie knit her brows together. “I don’t know Zach, but I really wish I did.”

  Right then, Jodie couldn’t think about the leopard’s motivation. She wanted to know whether he was alright and she had no way to find out. After the recent turn of events, she didn’t feel enthusiastic about a stroll in the woods either.

  For the next twenty-four excruciating hours the girls battled, reliving the trauma of the attack. They didn’t sleep much that night, and were grumpy and teary the next day. Luke struggled to cope without alcohol amidst the upheaval. He did his best, but Jodie could tell he was going through hell. Having made it to day three of the road to sobriety and starting to realize the long road ahead, she felt overwhelmed. It would get a lot worse before it got better.

  John and Penny Fletcher called from Florence. Jodie managed to escape out onto the porch with the phone and avoid them hearing Luke or the girls in the background. She could have invented a reason for them being there, but it seemed far easier to pretend to be alone.

  Listening to the details of the trip caused a lump to form in Jodie’s throat. All the beautiful things they’d seen and done served to remind her of the hundreds of thousands of miles separating them. Every part of Jodie just wanted to blurt out all the bad things that had just happened.

  The little girl inside her wanted to beg for Mummy and Daddy to come home and save the day. She ignored the little girl and played the good daughter. Then she got off the phone and went back into the house to play the good sister some more.

  Though hard to believe, Friday had arrived. Two more days and Jodie would have to go back to work. Even though she welcomed the distraction, Jodie couldn’t bring herself to leave Luke and the girls. She struggled to leave Luke with Zach, never mind landing the guy with two small children as well.

  Laura stopped by on her way to work. She listened in astonishment as Jodie filled her in on all that had occurred since they had last seen one another, and assured Jodie that she had no reason to feel guilty. No matter how much Jodie kept telling herself that, it did nothing to dispel the turbulent emotions swirling within.

  Gratitude warmed Jodie though Laura only stayed for half an hour. Somehow, she’d said everything that Jodie had needed to hear, leaving her feeling both reassured and justified.

  Jodie stood on the porch looking out into the woods after she’d gone. A tranquil calm befell the place, but she could hear birds and insects going about their business. Everything is as it should be with no predators lurking nearby, halleluiah. Now if I could just stop worrying about the leopard everything would be just peachy. She almost hoped for a growl, just so that she knew he was still alive.

  She wondered then how the healing varied from shifter to shifter. Some were bound to be better at it than others were. Did it differ between species too? She tried to talk herself into believing that he was just fine. He’d completely recovered, becoming busy with his real life; the one that did not include Jodie.

  Chapter 5

  One of the busiest coffee shops in town, Rock Garden, threatened to burst at the seams with customers. This relieved the man to no end. He could blend in easily without rousing suspicion, pleased the women had chosen it over somewhere smaller or less popular. Sitting at the far side of the room behind a trough of plants, he had a clear view, and yet remained a distance from the cash register.

  He followed them the entire morning, incredulous at how much shopping they’d done though Jodie had not purchased anything. Ainsley, her companion, ended up laden with shopping bags. He’d begun to think the trip would never come to an end.

  He looked up from his newspaper to find the women still ordering. Ainsley appeared to know the staff on a first name basis, so they chatted a while before she and Jodie sat down three tables away. Excellent. Not so near that they would notice him, but close enough that he could hear their conversation. He hated to eavesdrop but he needed to learn where they planned to go next.

  The man had taken it upon himself to protect Jodie. Though not the reason he’d been in the woods by her house, she had still become caught up in it all. He didn’t want her to become a casualty as a result, especially with her being innocent of the bigger picture. The level of attraction he felt didn’t make it any easier to guard her. She seemed to have no regard for her personal safety, a terrible thing given the danger surrounding her. Still furious with himself for allowing her to distract him during the fight, it had been unlike him to lose focus as he had done. I was lucky, that injury could have been fatal.

  When the two women decided to stop for the day, the man left the café and waited
for them to walk to the car. As soon as they were safe inside, he took off at a run. Cutting through back yards, he ran in a direct line toward Jodie’s house. When he reached a neighbor’s place, a couple of doors down, he vaulted over the back fence and disappeared into the forest.

  After ensuring he was alone, the man undressed and shifted forms. Once again a leopard, he trotted over to the trees nearest Jodie’s place. Scouting the immediate area and finding no evidence of the pigs or foul play, he sat down to catch his breath. Ten minutes later he heard the back door of the house slam. His ears pricked up, and he moved closer to the boundary.

  Jodie stood on the back porch with a mug of coffee. The freshly combed wet hair, comfortable sweat pants and long sleeved t-shirt she wore, suggested she’d taken a shower. His leopard thoughts were much simpler than his human thoughts. The pull he felt to her made it very dicult to keep his mind on his work.

  It made no sense to him. He’d been attracted to women before of course, but nothing like this had ever happened to him. Lusting after a woman in leopard form, really now? Even I know that’s fucked up. Childhood memories surfaced, things his mother had said about when a person encountered their Eros. According to his mother, you felt the bond begin the very first time you met. He wondered if this could be it. Could Jodie be his Eros, his soul mate? Given their chance meeting, it seemed unbelievable. Unable to help himself, he crept even closer to the boundary.

  Belatedly the leopard became aware of Jodie looking in his direction. His sudden movement had frightened a flock of birds and they had taken to flight, flapping and squawking. Jodie jumped to her feet and reached behind herself, searching for the doorknob. She found it, but for reasons unknown, refused to retreat. She froze with her coffee in one hand, the other poised ready to open the door.

  The leopard let out a soft growl and a couple of chuffing sounds, and Jodie dropped the cup onto the concrete porch. She didn’t notice it shatter or the warm liquid splash over her bare feet, as she ran to him.

  Appropriate behavior eluded the leopard, he couldn’t sit still. His human side scolded him, saying that he should there to protect her and nothing else. His leopard side felt overjoyed to have her physically close to him, wanting to rub his scent all over her.

  Jodie checked him all over and saw that he’d made a full recovery. She trembled, squeezing her arms around his neck in a tight hug, as a tear splashed down onto one furry ear. He nuzzled her, trying to offer comfort.

  “I got so worried about you,” she breathed. “I didn’t know if you were okay. I’m sorry I distracted you and got you hurt.”

  The leopard hissed and narrowed his eyes. She had no idea and blamed herself for his failings. He’d trained for this, she hadn’t. He had a vast amount of experience in these situations and he’d never made a mistake, least of all one so basic. When he’d turned his attention away from the threat to gaze at the victim, whom he knew to be safe at that moment; he’d made a rookie mistake.

  “Thank you for helping us again.” Jodie said.

  She followed him a little further into the trees, just far enough to conceal them from prying eyes, before both made themselves comfortable. Jodie stroked his head and neck, and he leaned sideways, presenting her with his ear. He began to purr as her slender fingers pressed into his fur, scratching his itch. The leopard had not received this kind of attention while in animal form for a long time. It’s so good to be touched, to feel needed on an affectionate level.

  Jodie giggled a little. She sat down beside him with one hip against his belly and her legs tucked beneath her. Draping her upper body over him, she buried herself in his thick pale fur. For a moment, he almost forgot everything.

  “I’m having a bad day,” she sighed. “So I’m glad you came.”

  He gazed at her with longing, having never felt so conflicted. He wanted to hold her, kiss her, and touch her hair. He couldn’t do any of those things in leopard form, and shouldn’t do them because he was supposed to be protecting her.

  “I wonder what you really look like.” Jodie mused. “Maybe you’re tall dark and handsome. Maybe you’re a redhead. Maybe you’re sixty five years old and weigh three hundred pounds...” She trailed off, as the leopard began shaking.

  She sat up to look at him. He couldn’t stop panting and chuffing, and it became clear she didn’t know what to make of it. Putting his head on the ground, he covered it with his paws. All manners of strange noises erupted from his mouth, unable to help himself. She didn’t seem to be like any woman he’d ever met.

  Realizing he’d been laughing, she flushed a deep scarlet. “Okay so you aren’t an overweight retiree,” she gave a sheepish grin.

  Lying down facing away, he arched his back until his eyes fell upon her. He loved that she wasn’t afraid of him. When he’d shown other women his true nature, it had been the last time he’d seen them. There had been a couple of times, but he’d learned his lesson. He didn’t know what to do about this woman. She’d not only accepted his leopard, but she had done so without knowing anything about his human life. She’s amazing and I can’t even tell her.

  “I like you.” She added, as though reading his thoughts. “I know I don’t know anything about you or who you really are, but you have a good heart. You’ve been kind to me and you’ve saved my life twice.”

  Her statement was met with more chuffing as the leopard nudged her again. This time he rubbed against her face, which felt much more intimate than gently bumping her chest or belly. She relaxed against him, her arm draped over his body, fingers buried in his fur as she stroked him. Soft sighs fell from her lips and she moved position again, getting more comfortable. Murmuring a soft chuckle, she yawned and fell asleep.

  When she awoke an hour later, the leopard glanced over from where he sat nearby. His tail flicked about from side to side and he had his ears cocked. Jodie’s brother Luke had arrived home with his friend and the kids. Finding the broken coffee cup they’d become concerned.

  “Is everything okay?” Jodie whispered.

  He gave a soft growl and looked toward the house. Following his gaze, she saw Luke and Zach wandering around the yard. Luke dropped to his hands and knees, sniffing the boundary. Jodie jumped up with a gasp and began brushing twigs and dirt from her clothes.

  “Sorry I fell asleep!” She groaned as she gave him a quick hug. She kissed the top of his head and ran towards the boundary.

  “JODIE!” ZACH EXCLAIMED with relief.

  “Sorry.” Her instant response cut him off, but she couldn’t help herself. “I didn’t mean to be gone so long. I’m sorry if I worried you.”

  “This is not okay.” Luke said in a controlled voice, walking closer as he spoke. “With everything going on, you can’t just disappear without at least leaving a note. When we saw the coffee cup we thought something had happened.”

  Luke had almost reached Jodie now and he stopped mid stride. His expression darkened as he sniffed the air. Oh crap he can smell the leopard.

  “What have you been doing Jodie?” The quiet anger in his tone scared her far more than the yelling he had subjected her to a few days before. His wild eyes and clenched fists brought to mind a volcano on the brink of eruption.

  “I was walking in the woods,” she replied, pulling a couple of leaves from her hair.

  Luke shook his head and turned on his heel to walk away. Jodie had disappointed him and she didn’t know how to feel about that. She hadn’t done anything wrong, nor was it any of his business. So why did I lie? Why didn’t I just tell him what really happened? She caught Zach staring at her out of the corner of her eye. From his expression she could see that he had an idea about what had happened. She wondered if Luke knew the leopard had taken their side. Did he realize that the spotted cat had saved Grace and Rose’s lives? Not to mention Jodie’s. Why does everything have to be so bloody complicated?

  Jodie woke up Sunday morning and decided to visit her Grandmother. She liked to visit her once a week, but since everything had happened wi
th Luke, she hadn’t been in at all. Feeling guilty Jodie realized it had been almost three weeks since she had been. With John and Penny away too, she would be very lonely.

  Irene Fletcher greeted her with a resplendent smile, and didn’t mention the absence for which Jodie felt grateful. They spent the first fifteen minutes talking about how things were going for Irene at the retirement home. She’d become involved in a number of clubs and handcraft programs and very popular with the other residents. When her husband Joel had died, she’d been lost for a long time. They’d married at sixteen and had been together for fifty-two years, and the poor woman barely functioned without him. Moving into Seaview had been the best thing Irene could have done.

  “So tell me what’s going on at home,” she prompted.

  Jodie had been expecting this.

  “Oh you know... the usual.”

  “You’re a terrible liar dear,” Irene said with a knowing smile.

  “Gran,”

  “Hush. I’m old, but I’m not stupid. You are a dutiful reliable young woman, who has never missed a visit since I’ve been here. This is the first time this month you’ve come, it’s not like you. I know something has happened. If I had to make an educated guess, I’d put my money on your brother. He doesn’t visit much, but he does phone often and I haven’t heard from him this month either.”

  “Gran, I-”

  “Don’t worry; I haven’t said anything to your parents. Now you can choose to talk to me, or you can choose not to, but I assure you that anything you say will stay within these walls. “

  Jodie hesitated. She wanted so much to rid herself of the burden, being the only one who knew. She’d told her boss and the leopard what had been happening, yet her own family didn’t know.