At first I thought it was Edward, and I knew I was dead. Then I saw the shoes next to my paws.
Tennies, not combat boots. Girl feet. Jessie. That didn't mean she wasn't going to blow my brains out, but she might give me a chance to explain first.
If only I could talk.
"We were looking for Sheriff Stephenson," she murmured. "Guess we found him."
"Or what's left of him."
Will. Thank God, a voice of reason.
I whimpered and lifted my head. He shined a flashlight into my eyes and blurted, "Elise?"
"Where?"
The shotgun barrel tapped my skull. I wanted to shout: "Be careful with that thing!" Instead I growled.
"Shut up. I'll deal with you in a minute."
"That's Elise," Will said. "The wolf you're about to kill."
"What?"
At least she uncocked the gun, and I breathed a little easier. But she kept the barrel tilted in my direction.
I could smell the silver shot inside. I really wished she'd aim that thing anywhere but at me.
I glanced up and she started. "People eyes always creep me out. Change back, Doc, you bother me."
I nudged the gun away with my head.
"Oh, sorry." She lifted the weapon and held it in a cradle carry across her chest. "What are you doing out here?"
Her attention went to the dead sheriff, then swiftly returned to me. Her hands tightened on the gun.
I didn't do it! I wanted to shout, but I could only shake my head.
"Right. Sure. Dead guy. Werewolf. You be the judge."
I looked at Will and he shrugged. I don't think he believed me, either. I needed words. But to speak, I had to shift, and then I'd be naked.
I'd never been easy with nudity. I always kept clothes in the forest when I changed. But tonight I hadn't had the time or the wherewithal to prepare.
Huffing, I paced, worried the ground with a paw, then glanced at Jessie mournfully.
"Take a hike, Slick," Jessie murmured.
"What? Why?"
"She's gonna be buck naked after she changes. Get my extra set of clothes and the blanket from the car."
"How about if I get the stuff, and then she changes?"
Jessie lifted a bland gaze to his. "How about I shoot you, too, if you don't move your ass?"
"Jealous?"
"You don't need to see all you're missing."
"I don't see anyone but you. Haven't for a long time now."
I snorted, and Jessie said, "Yeah, that was hokey, wasn't it?"
"I'd just like to see the change, is that too much to ask? I'm a scholar. It would be interesting."
"I bet."
"Elise would understand. Wouldn't you?"
I lifted my upper lip and showed him my teeth.
"I don't think she would." Jessie made a shooing motion. "Get going, Cadotte. I need to talk to the doc, and I'd like her on two feet when I do it."
"All right, all right." He stomped off in what I presumed was the direction of the car. "I never get to see anything good. Never get to have any fun. Never get to shoot anything, either."
"You don't like guns," Jessie shouted after him. "And you're too much of a pansy to kill anything."
"I might make an exception with you."
She laughed as he disappeared into the trees. His flashlight bobbed for a few seconds, then faded. For an instant I worried about whatever might be out there hiding, until I sniffed the breeze and got nothing but a whiff of dead sheriff, Jessie, and Will.
"He really is kind of sweet," Jessie murmured. "Never thought I'd go for a pretty boy with a gentle soul, but it takes all kinds."
She was talking to me like a friend, which was strange considering I was all fanged and furry. Maybe it was easier for her to connect when she didn't actually have to... connect.
As if realizing what she'd done, Jessie made a self-derisive sound, then yanked a smaller flashlight from her coat pocket. Turning the beam in my direction, she scowled. "You've got some explaining to do, Doc."
I'd told her to call me "Elise," but I was starting to like the way she sneered "Doc." Which only meant I must be losing my mind as well as my control.
Will returned more quickly than I would have thought. I hadn't heard a car approach earlier, but I'd been a little distracted by the dead body.
Jessie yanked the blanket from his hands and held it like a curtain. "Get going." She peeked over the top.
"We don't have all night."
The last time, changing back had taken longer than changing forward. This time, I lifted my nose to the sky, and the next instant the breeze fluttered hair instead of fur.
"What the hell?" Jessie gasped. "No one can shift that fast."
"Where's the icon?" Will asked.
"Haven't got it on me."
"Obviously." Jessie's tone was dry and I snickered.
Her eyes widened as she handed me a spare set of jeans and yet another T-shirt. "What's with you? You aren't exactly a laugh-o-rama most days."
And I shouldn't be feeling so lively now with a dead man at my feet and a shotgun filled with silver so close to my heart, not to mention Nic no doubt breaking land speed records as he drove as far away from me as he could get.
However, the strength and power I'd experienced while running as a wolf remained. For the first time, I missed being what I was, and I wanted to be that way again.
Jessie's gaze returned to the dead sheriff. "Thought you didn't need human blood."
"Wasn't me."
"Like I haven't heard that a thousand times before."
Suddenly I was staring down the barrel of a shotgun again.
"If you're going to keep threatening to kill me, we'll never get anywhere."
"If you're going to keep lying, I don't have much choice."
"Edward sent me to find you."
"I haven't needed a babysitter for a long time now."
"It was more of a test." I sighed. "For me."
She frowned. "We came back earlier, but you were sleeping. Then the deputy called and - What the hell happened that Mandenauer felt the need to test you?"
I glanced at Will, then back at Jessie. I didn't want to tell them, but better me than Edward.
Quickly I related the events of a few hours past - glossing over the experience with Nic as best I could.
"So you gave it up, huh?" Jessie smirked. "G-man any good?"
"Jess," Will murmured. "Not your business."
Jessie lifted a brow and I couldn't help but smile.
"That's what I thought," she said. "Guys like him almost make getting blown to hell by a silver bullet worthwhile."
A tug of camaraderie surprised me. One minute I was tempted to become a werewolf and run with the pack. The next I was pulled toward the sort of friendship I'd always longed for and never had. My dual nature had never before seemed so divided,
"How did the sheriff die?" Jessie peered at the body with the aid of her flashlight.
I guess bonding time was over.
"I didn't get a good look," I said.
"Seemed like you were looking pretty closely when we got here."
"Smelling."
"Gag," Jessie muttered.
"For a rough-and-tough, kick-ass J��ger-Sucher, you're awfully squeamish about details."
"Sue me." Jessie shined the beam across the sheriff's neck. "I'm not a medical examiner, but I'm pretty sure that was sliced neatly instead of torn by teeth."
I frowned at the mess. "That's neat?"
"For this kind of murder. Knife wound." She looked me up and down. "Which leaves you off the hook."
"I could have thrown the weapon into the bushes."
"With your paws? Besides, a wound like that, you'd be covered in blood."
"Ew."
"Now who's squeamish?"
"You're saying we got a plain, old, everyday murderer on the loose?" I asked. "No funny stuff?"
"Seems that way."
"Which means there's no reason for us to stay." Although where I was going to go, I had no idea.
Jessie's cell phone rang. Still staring at the body, she answered.
"Jessie."
I heard Edward's voice clearly, even though the phone was pressed to Jessie's ear. My transformation ability wasn't the only thing that was getting better.
"Is Elise with you?"
Jessie glanced at me. "Yes."
"Has she exhibited any odd behavior?"