Kai

 

Opening Isla’s door a crack, I peered in and Bonsi lifted his head. His eyes were a soft glow in the light as he winked at me, as I listened to Isla’s deep and even breathing.

Relieved, I shut the door and stole down the hallway into the living room. It was almost midnight and I should have been in bed hours ago. But I was too wound up from the events of the day to sleep. That and the long nap I’d taken in the afternoon to get away from Piper had thrown me completely off.

“What are you doing?” Piper suddenly whispered from behind me and I jumped. “Checking on Isla? Why? She’s fine. Are you feeling guilty or something?”

“Oh, no, I don’t know, I’m the one responsible for her, Piper?” I shot back and went into the kitchen, hopping up on the counter. “You can leave me alone now, Pi.”

She’d followed me and was now frowning at me. “Don’t sit on the counter,” she ordered.

“It’s my house.”

“Our house. Actually, Dad’s house.”

“Huh, really. When’s the last time Dad came here? Or went ten miles outside LA?”

“Sarcasm doesn’t suit you, Kai. It’s like getting salt instead of sugar,” Piper responded evenly as she studied me. “Now that everyone is asleep, tell me, how are you?”

“Oh no,” I said quickly. “Don’t change the subject. How’s Dad? And why is he getting involved in all of this? I thought we both agreed to keep him out of it after I left.”

A stiff, angry look came over Piper’s face. “Kai, I had no choice in the matter.”

“Dammit, Piper. You’re the one who’s supposed to be a master of persuasion and politics. He’s too old to be getting mixed up in this shit.” I paused and blew out a breath. “Why is he doing this? Why did you let him?”

“Oh, Kai.” She gave me a sad look. “Why do you think? Because of you.”

I got down off the counter and glared at my sister. “That isn’t funny.”

“Kai, I’m not trying to be funny – Kai!”

But I’d already escaped outside, running to the beach and intent on ignoring her. Down at the water’s edge, I looked up at the stars, trying to fight back the deluge of guilt and panic.

Dad can’t get involved, these people are dangerous and twisted–

“I told him it would upset you,” Piper said softly as she sat down next to me. “I begged him not to, in fact. You were happy again, free and safe. And I knew this would upset you.” She paused and I watched her profile as she looked up at the sky. “I told him that this was mine alone to fix, but he wouldn’t listen. You know Dad.”

“It doesn’t need fixing, Piper,” I said. “Tell him that. Or better yet, tell him to call and I will.”

Turning to me, she caught my hand and squeezed it. In the starlight, I could see the faint gold shine to her eyes. One we shared.

The mark of a shifter.

One that held us apart from the rest of the world.

“It does,” she said softly. “Because you can’t come home.”

“Aw, Piper. Not this again. Even if… No, that doesn’t matter. I am home. I love it here. Honestly, yours is the life that sucks. C’mon, quit and join me in Maui, sister.”

“Hmph. Thanks for that,” she said. “And hell no am I quitting, but I appreciate the offer.”

I rolled my eyes. “Piper, when’s the last time you slept in your own bed? Or got a full night’s sleep? Or didn’t work sixty hours a week? You were always a perfectionist and it’s getting worse. Don’t let them… Work is gonna kill you, okay?”

A perfect brow arched at me. “I didn’t think you cared.”

“I don’t,” I said, glancing away. “But I do think it’s a stupid way to live.”

“And here I thought I wasn’t doing enough,” Piper replied.

“No, Piper,” I said slowly and thoughtfully. “You do way too much. You always have.” My throat ached and my voice became gruff. “Just like Mom.”

Silence stretched between us, a cold space of shared grief and wishes that couldn’t come true. But in its midst mingled precious memories and hope, somehow still hanging on.

 

Lying in my bed the next day, I watched the ceiling fan spin overhead in a lazy loop. Outside, the sunlight winked and beguiled, but I was ignoring it. I hadn’t moved for hours and I had no desire to. Exhausted ramblings kept tumbling through my brain in random bursts.

Was Isla staying here a good idea after all? Should I take her around the island or was that asking for trouble? Why was she a special initiate to the TLO? Would she ever be safe again?

The last question knotted up my throat and I clenched my fists. The hatred I had for Dr. Crane and his flunkies was like hot poison working through me. Being shark bait was too good a fate for the likes of him. Never mind the scum who was actively betraying the Tribunal.

Was Isla satisfied with the story we gave her? Did she really trust us now?

And by us, I meant me. She’d been a little dazed after agreeing to stay here, it seemed, as her last few questions had been perfunctory. Nor had Isla demanded any proof. She’d just gone along quietly and complacently.

I didn’t like it.

In fact, her complacency was jabbing at me and I rolled over, groaning into a pillow. Why couldn’t I think about anything except Isla?

At that moment, a scratching came at the door and I sighed. Swinging my legs over the side of the bed, I stretched and slowly got up, then shuffled to the door. I could sense the bristling disapproval already. Outside, Zuku was waiting, his ears flat. Giving me a hard look, he walked over to the water bowl and pawed at it.

“Geez, Piper, you couldn’t get the cats any water?” I muttered irritably as I scooped it up.

Being a shifter of the Pantherae, or big cat family, meant there was an especial affinity between those types of shifters and the Felis genus. That’s to say, cat shifters and cats.

Yet, while Balt and I loved cats, Piper always fell somewhere on the spectrum of tolerant to indifferent. It was weird. Being a shifter meant you had a strong connection to the earth and its creatures. However, my sister downplayed and avoided the supernatural aspect. While I had my suspicions about why, along with pity and frustrations, I did try to accept it.

And usually I could take a deep breath, not letting it bother me, but today I could feel my temper cracking apart. You can friggin’ talk to cats and you choose to ignore them? Nice, sis. Real nice.

I chose to ignore the fact that Balt must have also been up and he didn’t get them fresh water either. Stalking to the front windows, I glared out at the ocean, where I could see them swimming and splashing around. Lulu came up to me and hopped up on the sill, purring.

No one asked them this morning. Her voice was soft and light in my head.

“It doesn’t matter, Lu. She should have sensed it,” I said, ruffling her ears.

They left hours ago, Kai. Lulu gave me a saucy look. No one could have expected Bonsi and Nacho to inhale the rest of the water.

Get a bigger bowl, growled Zuku. Problem solved.

“So Bonsi can fall into it?” I asked, glancing back at the grumpy Bengal cat. “No.”

Spooky leaped up on the sill on my other side and yawned. He was a gray cat with bright yellow eyes and a sleek, skeletal frame. It made him look like a graveyard familiar, but he was a mild and inoffensive beast, never picking fights like Zuku and Gallant did.

No one will perish without water for an hour. Worse case, we go out to the woods and drink from the stream, he said. This is a foolish thing to get upset over.

“Not the point, Spooks,” I said. “Piper could have checked.”

Resenting her for it won’t change anything, Lulu replied serenely.

“Thank you, Zen Master Lulu,” I muttered, still glaring out the window.

By the way, Isla’s awake. She’s been watching you for the last minute and I think she’s regretting the choice to stay here now. Zuku said in a tone of evil satisfaction.

Lulu, Spooky and I glanced back. Sure enough, Isla was standing in her doorway, an eyebrow raised and petting a content Bonsi in her arms.

“Talking to the cats, I see.” She raised her eyebrows. “Any good gossip?”

Uh oh, Spooky said.

Embarrassment coiled through me and I glared at Zuku, snickering and slinking away. Lulu was washing her face with unconcern, but Spooky was glancing back and forth between Isla and me in alarm. I shot him a look that said act more like a cat!

Animals who were around shifters tended to pick up more human tendencies. With a dog, you could always say it was good training. But how did you explain it in a cat?

All of that flashed through my brain as I responded in a rush, “Only that Piper remains a general pain in the ass.” Clearing my throat, I shrugged as Isla crossed the room, a small smirk on her face. “And talking to the cats is supposed to help with bonding and behavioral stuff.” I had no idea if that was true, but it sounded good. “Helps them trust you.”

Really, Kai? Lulu asked, pausing and giving me a look. You’re reaching. Isla’s not one of those giggly tourist girls you like to squire around. She has a brain. And a heart.

I gave Lulu a look and she gave me a sassy one in return.

“I didn’t know that,” Isla said in a tone that was a shade too innocent. “Sure it’s not because you’re just a huge softie when it comes to these guys?”

And girls, Lulu bristled.

“Lots of people talk to their pets,” I blurted out.

Pets?! Boomed Gallant as he strutted around the corner. Watch your mouth, boy.

You know he didn’t mean it, Gal, Lulu replied.

Bonsi’s chirp interrupted. Isla’s asking you something, Kai. You’re ignoring her.

“Huh?” I asked, jerking my head up.

“Piper? Did she leave?” Isla was moving through the kitchen idly, glancing into cabinets in a perfunctory way. Her movements were filled with a restless energy. “I need to talk to her.”

“No, she’s out swimming,” I said, looking back outside. “I’m sure she’ll be back in soon. What do you need to talk about?” I asked and glanced around at the cats. Someone wanna go get her? Please? Gallant rolled his eyes but obligingly slipped out the cat door and down the stairs.

“About this,” Isla said in an exhale and raked her fingers through her hair. I noticed at that moment that her eyes were shadowed and glassy. “I feel like I’m repeating the same mistakes.”

My heart sank. I knew it.

“You don’t trust us,” I commented quietly.

Isla looked small and lost as she hugged herself and met my gaze. “I want to.”

“What can I do?” I asked, my tone edging on desperate. Isla let out a weak laugh and my head tilted sideways. “What?”

“I like that you always ask me that. Like there’s nothing you can’t fix or do,” she mused.

A warm glow pulsed in my chest. “There’s not,” I said and then hunched my shoulders at the arrogance of my tone. “I mean, like most people. Anything’s possible,” I added hastily, lest the universe decided to dole out a curveball to my cocky claim.

“Mmhm,” Isla said, walking over to me and my pulse raced. She was wearing a soft tank top and shorts, but I knew it had nothing on her warm, silken skin. All I wanted was to put my arms around her, with her head resting on my shoulder and arms around my waist.

Somehow I resisted that urge, but my hands reached out and cupped her elbows. “I can wait,” I said softly. “I don’t care how long it takes. Or what it takes.”

“How long…?” Isla looked puzzled. Then her hands held onto my forearms.

Momentarily distracted by that, I swallowed, looking down at our intertwined hold. It made my heart thud and echo through my entire body, with every nerve zeroing in on the sensation.

“Kai?” Isla asked softly. “What are you waiting for?”

Meeting her eyes, I noticed her pupils dilate and a faint flush had risen in her cheeks. Reckless and dangerous urges were rising up in me and my grip tightened on her.

“You,” I said in a low voice.