Chapter 22
I woke early the next morning, unable to sleep any longer after being awoken yet again by the latest in a string of bizarre and disturbing dreams. Knowing I needed to tell him about the night before, I called Bill.
"Hello?" I heard his voice over the phone.
"Bill, it's me. I hope I didn't wake you." I walked from one room to another, pacing with nervous energy.
"No, I was up. How are you doing Nickie?"
"Pretty good mostly, at least until last night. There was an incident you should to know about, and I wanted you to hear it from me, and not rumors."
"What kind of incident exactly?" He sounded concerned.
I repeated the whole story, the way I had told Devon the night before, only adding that I no longer bore any signs of the incident, Devon had told me the mark Brandon’s hand had left on my face was gone before we’d finished dinner.
"I see," He was quiet a moment, "Did anyone witness this?"
"I don't think so. We were sitting in my car so no one could hear what we were saying and the area was pretty empty. I don't think anyone saw us, but I can't be certain."
"Have you told anyone else?" He questioned.
"Yeah," I winced, afraid he would get angry I'd told someone before I called him, "Devon was waiting for me when I got home last night. I'd invited him over for dinner, and with what had happened I totally spaced it until I walked up to him sitting on my front step. He saw the hand print that Brandon had left on my face and demanded to know what happened. So I told him."
"Wait. Devon, you mean Devon Wilson?"
"Yeah, he moved into my apartment complex a couple weeks ago, you remember, I called you about him... We've been getting to know each other again."
"That's right; you told me that he used to run around with Payson. Is he the only one you've told?"
"Other than you, yes." Still pacing through my apartment, I answered his questions.
"All right. I'll deal with Brandon. I know better than to give you orders you don't agree with, but I want you to stay away from him, at least for a while."
"Not a problem, after last night I have no desire to spend time with or even speak to him. I told him to stay away from me, at least for a while. He said he’d call me today, but I still don't want to even talk to him."
"Good, keep it that way for a while. I'll tell him not to contact you. If he contacts you after I speak with him, you are to call me immediately. From what you've told me, I'm afraid he might blame you for the punishment he's earned, and I want you to be careful."
"I've got no problem with that. Rest assured, he contacts me in the next couple of weeks and I'll be letting you know as soon as I'm able."
"I'm glad to hear that you have some sense about some things…"
"Ha ha, so funny," I changed the subject, "On a totally different topic, I've got something else I needed to talk to you about."
"What would that be?"
"I've got a question for you, and it's probably going to sound a little strange." I worked my way up to the question I'd wanted to ask.
"All right, what's your question?
"Has anyone ever tried to force the animal form of a non-shifter before?"
"Force how?"
"Call the animal form, like Alexis and I do."
"Not that I know of, why?"
"I can feel Devon's wolf. I know it is there, and I think it wants out but somehow it's trapped."
"Have you mentioned this to him?"
"No. I didn't want to get his hopes up and then find out it's impossible, I wanted to bring it to you first."
"Very well. Do you think you could call his wolf?"
"I've only done it once before, but I think I could. I'll definitely want some more practice first; I'd like to have a chance to shift other a few more times before I try to call his. If he even wants to try it. It has to be his decision or I won't even try."
"I agree, it should be up to him. Do you think that it is possible that Alexis could call his wolf?"
"I don't know, but Alexis can't sense his wolf like I can, I asked. I think it may have to do with my ability to sense power. I'm not sure why, but I can feel it there, almost like when I feel anyone else's power to shift, I can sense their animal form."
"I believe you." He paused a few seconds, "Let me to do some asking around. See if I can find anyone has ever heard of such a thing, or tried it, before we talk to Devon. Once we have an answer, if it's reasonable, we can go to him and let him make the decision."
"I agree"
"I also want to consult with Alexis about the possibility, probably before we talk to Devon, to see if there could be any health consequences to forcing the animal form of a non-shifter."
"I have no argument with that, it makes good sense." I agreed.
"And even if everyone agrees to test your theory, I don't want you trying it alone. I want there to be at least me and Alexis present, if not a couple of enforcers too, just in case there are problems. Do you understand me?"
"Perfectly, Sir."
"You're going to need to keep this to yourself until after I have made some calls and then spoken with Alexis. After that, we can talk either to him as a group or you can bring it up to him yourself. I'll let you decide which, since you know him better than the rest of us."
"I'll think about which I think would be received better, so that when you give the go-ahead we can get it done."
"That's fine. Why don't you go ahead and go into work today. I'll start dealing with the information you have given me. Remember, no contact with Brandon if you can avoid it. As soon as I can, I'll put those calls in to other Kindred and check into about possibly calling a non-shifters animal form. I'll let you know what I find out as soon as I can."
"Okay, I guess I'll let you go and get to work myself. Thank you for believing me, both about Brandon and about Devon."
He laughed on the other end of the line, "Nickie, you may be independent, impulsive, and rebellious, but you've never been one for lies. I have no reason not to believe you."
"You know me so well...”
"I should. Now, I have work to do…"
"Okay, I'll talk to you later."
"Have a good day, Nickie, I'll call when I have news for you." Bill promised before disconnecting. I finished dressing and headed out for work before I was late.
I'd not yet made it to my car when I heard my PCD ringing in my purse. I stopped long enough to dig it out and answered it even though I knew it was Brandon on the other end of the line.
"Hello?" I asked.
"Nickie, how are you this morning?" He was upbeat, happy, as though the night before had never happened.
"Still pissed. You?"
"I'm great, I was hoping we could get together and talk?"
"You're nose healed that fast?" I ignored his request to meet me.
"Not quite, but I got it set and the bruising's almost gone. Will you meet me?"
"Sorry, Brandon, I'm on my way to work. I don't have time." I didn't tell him I'd already spoken to Bill this morning.
"How about after work?"
"I don't think that's a good idea." I hedged, not wanting to outright say that I was avoiding him, but not lying either.
"Come on, Please?"
"Sorry, I can't." I got into my car and closed the door. "I've got to get to work, or I'm gonna be late. I've got to go."
"Come on, meet me. Let me explain." He pleaded one more time.
"I don't want to hear explanations, I have to go." I hit the end button before he could argue further. Before I started the car, I immediately dialed Bill. I explained to him about the call and that Brandon had tried to get me to meet him. He thanked me for letting him go and we hung up again. I started the car and hurried to work, thankful that I lived so close, because as it was I was a few minutes late.