The Burning Bush (8 page)

I gazed at the amethyst tile. Zulu would never tell me who designed my bathroom, but the sight of my walls always took my breath away. Inch-long amethyst and moonstone tiles created a mosaic of spring lilies across a purple background. The mosaic decorated every wall with glimmering flowers. A lush, violet carpet coated the floor. Fresh lavender rested in clay pots and drowned the air in a sensual fragrance. The small pots sat on a wide almond-colored sink and held more designer toiletries than I knew existed.

Black pebbles made up the shower’s floor. Tiny holes between the pebbles served as the drainage system. One sheet of three-inch thick glass hung from a suspension spell. When the shower turned on, the sheet of glass would rearrange itself to block the spray of water like a curtain.

Zulu stepped into the shower, holding me close as I straddled him. My panties were still on, even though Zulu had been battling to get them off.

“I love you.” He pressed those soft lips on mine. “Only you can bring me from rage to lust in seconds.”

I put my arms around his neck. Zulu’s cords snaked out of his arms and came toward me. They caressed my skin, swirled down to my breasts, and teased the peaks. My hormones stirred.
Damn, this feels so good.
His magic tingled against my flesh, sending deep waves of pleasure through me. I could hardly catch my breath. Heat rose in my core like hot embers. I almost begged him to thrust the cords inside me.

Shaking my head, I murmured, “Put your magic away. No more claims.”

The enchanted cords backed away and retracted inch by inch into his arms.

“You’re being paranoid. My magic just likes to touch you,” he whispered.

“Well, last time it did, these showed up.” I gestured to the two white cords sewn into my right arm. Having the cords changed my life. His essence pulsed within them. Sometimes, in the middle of the night when he wasn’t around, I could feel him moving inside me like a ghost or spirit seeking to capture my soul.

“Is my claim so bad?” He tilted his head back and raised one blond eyebrow. “I only started it. I never finished it.”

My mouth dropped open. “And you won’t be finishing the claim. It’s already too intense. In fact, now that the bombing has happened, you need to direct all your resources to getting these removed.”

“I told you I would.” His arm moved behind me to where the shower’s control panel was located. A click sounded. Hot water poured down from the nozzles that hung from the ceiling. He cupped my behind and pulled me against him, devouring my lips and pushing the taste of peppermint candy into my mouth. He nibbled my chin. “I don’t need to claim you. I’ve already put my name on your body.”

Giggling, I sucked my teeth as he bit my neck.

“And where is this alleged signature?” I asked.

He slipped his arm around my waist and slid his hand between my wet thighs. His delicious fingers dove inside my panties. “My name’s right here.”

I moaned and leaned my head away from the water. Steam rose in the shower.

“Do you feel it?” His fingers stroked me, and I rocked my hips into them. He trailed kisses down my neck as his fingers moved back and forth. My thighs trembled, my legs barely able to hang onto his waist. I tightened my arms around his neck, desperately trying to hold on to him as pleasure pulsed through me.

“La La!” MeShack yelled from the hallway. His angry voice rushed into the bathroom like a cold wind. Instantly, I was no longer turned on.

Can’t I just get some time to myself?

“La La, where are you?” MeShack asked, his voice sounding closer. I hoped he hadn’t just entered my bedroom. Any delight that Zulu’s fingers had triggered was now gone.

“Fuck.” I hit the back of my head against the shower wall. “We have to stop. I need to talk to him.”

Zulu made a noise between a whine and growl. His fingers remained between my legs stroking me. I bit my bottom lip hard and didn’t let go until I tasted blood. “Baby, it’ll just be a few minutes to calm him down.”

“And why isn’t he calm?” Zulu’s body tensed under my arms as he withdrew his hand.

I climbed off him and set my feet onto the warm pebbled floor. “He’s pissed about the bomb and—”

Something crashed on my right. MeShack’s copper hands burst through the huge sheet of glass. It exploded from the force. Zulu knocked me back, blocking the shards of glass as they flew through the air.

I covered my eyes with my arms. “No, MeShack!”

Bits of glass sliced my skin. Hot water continued to pour down from the ceiling. I peeked out of one eye.

“You involved her in a bombing?” MeShack snatched Zulu up by his dreadlocks and dragged him out of the bathroom.

Blood dripped down Zulu’s back, shading the jeweled wings in his skin with red. Zulu roared. The cords lifted from his arms as he clawed at MeShack’s legs. MeShack shouted, tossing Zulu in the air. I rushed out of the shower, slipped, lost my balance, and banged my knee against the doorway as the sound of more glass shattering came from my bedroom. Both guys now stood several feet apart with only my bed between them.

“I had control of the situation,” Zulu hollered back. Blood dressed his arms. His skin darkened to black. I needed to stop them before either one of them shifted. Deep claw marks crisscrossed MeShack’s stomach. Blood bubbled out of the wounds. A bit of intestines slipped out. I winced as MeShack’s guts were sucked back into the wound, and the torn skin instantly mended itself.

“Zulu, you can leave. I’m going to talk to him.” Pissed, I stomped toward MeShack.

“Naw, let Blondie stay.” MeShack leaped over the bed, his kinky curls rising in the air. He landed a foot from Zulu. “You trying to get my mate killed or mess up her future?”

I climbed on the bed, water dripping onto my bare shoulders. “I said talk to
me
, MeShack.”

“Her future is just fine.” Zulu’s claws appeared. In a blur, he slashed MeShack’s face.

“Stop!” I screamed. Steam rose from my skin.
I’m too wet for fire.

MeShack yowled and stumbled back. The sound smashed into the walls, almost popping my eardrums. I covered my ears, ducking as if something were being thrown at me. My heart slammed against my chest. Zulu shifted in seconds, wings expanding as he violently wrenched MeShack up into the air.

“You better not hurt him, Zulu!” I dropped to the bed, rubbing my damp hands against the lilac comforter, trying to dry them. “Put him down!”

“Put some clothes on,” Zulu grunted, towing MeShack out of my bedroom. Zulu’s biceps flexed under his black skin as he lifted MeShack into the air.

With Zulu shifted, MeShack was at a huge disadvantage. Zulu had recently confessed to me that he could see Shifters’ beasts inside their bodies. He said the beast appeared to him as a translucent image around the Shifter’s chest. He also admitted that in a fight, he could grab the beast and pull it out of the poor Shifter for a few seconds. Zulu’s action would incapacitate the Shifter until the translucent beast jumped back into the body.

I grabbed a sheet from my bed and wrapped it around myself. Golden fur sprouted on MeShack’s body. His shirt ripped. Black spots appeared and sprinkled throughout his fur. I hit my palms against my forehead.
It all goes downhill from here.
Zulu threw MeShack into my wall. The floor shook. A boom echoed through the hallway. Dusty smoke filled the air. I waved it away, as I spotted the huge hole left behind.

“Zulu!” My eyes searched the room. Zulu had disappeared. Partially shifted Rebels crowded into the hallway, howling and barking. There must have been at least fifty.

“Him throw that cat hard, yeah!” one Were-lion exclaimed to another.

“MeShack!” I tried to make fireballs again, but only steam came out of my palms.

Wiping my hands on my sheet, I jumped up and marched to my door, the cotton fabric clinging to my skin. Zulu and MeShack’s fighting must have left the hallway because all of a sudden, the Rebels ran away, following the action. Someone hooted with glee. A bang came from the lobby. Smoke drifted to my nose, bringing the scent of sage with it.
They must have knocked over the pot of sage.
Something exploded, sounding like metal crashing into glass.

“I’m going to kill both of you!” I stormed out of my bedroom. “You’ll never be able to grow back your fur or your wings!”

Quinn screamed. It had to be her. It sounded like a baby girl shrieking.

“Shit!” I hurried toward the lobby, almost tripping over the sheet. More glass shattered.

“Come here!” Zulu roared.

The huge group of Rebels prevented me from going into the lobby. Most were busy rooting for the fight. Others passed around money, betting on the possible winner.

“Heart Ripper! Heart Ripper!” a Were-wolf cheered and passed a thick blunt to the Were-wolf beside him, who blew smoke into the face of a Pixie resting on his broad shoulder.

I got on the tips of my toes, attempting to get a view of MeShack and Zulu, but the Were-wolves were both too tall. A partially shifted female Were-hyena bumped into me as I struggled to squeeze through some of the Rebels. “Lanore, they’re fighting—”

“I know, Quinn.” I kept moving, searching for a space within the mob.

“No, it’s me, Angel.” She trotted at my side, covered in tan fur. Her blond hair bounced around her ears. She flashed me a furry smile.

I knew she had new magic.

“So you lied.” I maneuvered around two Rebels passing out money.

“A tiny lie.”

A swarm of Pixies zoomed by, making a distorted rainbow near the ceiling. Wet drops fell on my forehead. I touched them, knowing it was Pixie poop before I saw the glittery turquoise goo on my fingertips. MeShack yelped in pain, and then Zulu screamed.

“Down!” the Were-wolf shouted at me.

Angel and I dove to the floor with everybody else. Bodies slammed and crashed into the floor with noisy thuds. Some people giggled, enjoying the night’s festivities. I glanced over my shoulder.

Zulu flew in Prime form over us and down the hallway, holding a writhing and snapping MeShack in cheetah form. A bubbling, green slime glazed Zulu’s right eye. Half of MeShack’s tail had been ripped off. Bare patches of pale skin punctuated MeShack’s body.

“This is outrageous!” I yelled to both of them.

“He needs to learn respect!” Zulu’s claws dug into the cheetah’s sides. MeShack yelped, his jaws opening wide. Agony clouded his eyes. Zulu’s wings slammed into the walls. Dust fell. Plaster burst into pieces.

I held my hands toward them and cried out, straining with all my energy to create fire. Tears spilled out the corners of my eyes as pain ripped through my wrists. A blaze shot out of my palms, soaring in a fiery stream toward Zulu’s feet. The flames snatched at his ankles. He shrieked.

“Yes!” I said, happy I could finally make more than sparks.

“Aww! Fire girl is here now. The party’s over,” someone barked behind me.

Damn right it is.

Zulu dropped MeShack, ducked away from the rest of my blaze, and glanced over his shoulder with one eye. “Why are you burning me? He started this!”

“Go to your office and shift.” I slung another fireball at him so he would retreat farther down the hallway and change back to Human form.

MeShack’s tail began to heal. Cherry-red tissue spun out from the tail’s torn opening and twisted.

“I’ll keep MeShack back,” Angel whispered.

“I’m sure you will, magic-absorber.” I shook my head.

Once Angel absorbed magic, her body somehow increased the power until it was twenty times stronger. She’d been in partially shifted Were-hyena form already. Her furry skin rippled. More tan fur grew from the pores on her arms and hands. The purple Captain Habitat shirt she was wearing, the one that was my favorite, the one I’d told Angel she could not borrow, ripped under her expanding muscles. Shredded pieces of purple fabric and jeans dropped around newly formed paws. A black tongue lolled out the side of her mouth. Angel charged toward the cheetah and clamped her jaw on his back paw.

“Show’s over!” I yelled at the Rebels.

MeShack made a bleating noise.

“Are you going to shift back or what?” I asked him.

He bobbed his furry head up and down. Angel let go of his paw. He sniffed at Angel and backed up toward his room in an awkward limp.

“No more.” I shot a fireball his way, deliberately missing him, but close enough to make my point. “MeShack, if you want to talk to me, then shift back and meet me in my room.”

Still in cheetah form, his jaws snapped the air several times.

“That’s quite enough,” I said. The cheetah sauntered backward into his bedroom. His feline eyes went from me to Angel.

Almost a second later, Zulu stormed down the hallway, fully transformed and wearing blue jogging pants. “Can we talk before you talk to him?”

Releasing an exasperated breath, I nodded.

We entered my room. The bookshelves had been destroyed on both walls. Wooden planks stuck into the ground, raising the ripped and bloodstained carpet. Books and paint brushes were strewn around the splintered wood. Ben’s toys mixed with MeShack’s bent records. Cracked jars of Pristine leaked the pink concoction onto my signed Captain Habitat posters.