Read Online Shifting Fates by Nadia Simonenko, Aubrey Rose - Free Book Online

across the street from me and most of the patrol run straight past him, but just as I’m about to let out a sigh of relief, the last two soldiers turn and follow him down the alley. As the last one turns the corner, I see him draw his gun.
    No .
    My body is hot with anger and fear, even in the chilly air. As quick as I can on human feet, I sprint across the street and into the next alley, hoping to find Nim before they can catch him. He’s one long block down, and I only hope that he’s coming my way.
    By the time I reach the end of the alley, I’m having a hard time breathing. I want to shift but I know that would be even more dangerous, now that patrols are certainly in the area. I hear footsteps around the corner. A gunshot fires and the brickwork corner in front of me explodes into chips and brick dust, the echo of the shot ringing in my ears.
    I scream.
    Nim hears me as he comes running. I know he hears me. He knows my voice, and as a shifter, he can probably smell my scent. He angles his path into the alley I’m in. He’s partially shifted into cat form, and as he runs by, another shot fires. He jumps and he’s already a panther when his paws hit the wall.
    He caroms off the side, pushing off of the brick wall, and jumps—jumps back —toward the soldier who is coming around the corner with his gun drawn. I feel Nim’s fear and smell the hot gunpowder. I scream again, and the soldier looks at me with wide eyes before Nim twists midair and pounces on him.
    One swipe of Nim’s claws, and the soldier is down. His gun clatters to the ground as blood pours from the wounds in his face and neck. Nim is on him, paws pinning him down easily, and he goes for the last bite. The jugular.
    “No!” I shout as Nim sinks his teeth into the soldier’s neck.
    I shove Nim off of the soldier, and he snarls, looking up at me.
    “Run!” I hiss, pointing wildly down the short alleyway. I don’t know what I’ll do—how I’ll distract the other soldier, how I’ll explain. I’ve thought about attacking soldiers more times than I can count. But this is not what I want for Nim.
    I never wanted him to kill. I never wanted him to be a murderer.
    Nim is crouched low, his breath hot and white in the air. Blood drips from his claws and fangs onto the street. I feel his anger, his desire to kill. I know what he wants. He wants to protect me.
    The man on the ground is gurgling, choking on his own blood. His hands move over his slashed throat helplessly.
    I’m about to yell at Nim again, but the other soldier rounds the corner and sees us. His eyes dart down to his partner lying on the ground. I realize in an instant that it’s the man from last night, the patrol guard who gave me the chocolate.
    Nim growls, his black fur bristling, his haunches tense. The soldier raises his gun, and fear tears through my whole body.
    I throw myself at the soldier, coming up with a plan as I move.
    “Help!” I cry out as I crash into him. I knock him off balance and his gun fires. I’m terrified that he’s hit Nim, but I can’t look back to see. My hands are against his chest, clutching at his arms.
    The shock comes, again, through my body. It hits the soldier too, I can see it in his gold-streaked eyes. Something between us arcs hot and electric, and it makes me dizzy, but I can’t let him go. Nim needs to get away.
    “Help me! Please!” I cry. The soldier finally gets his bearings and shoves me off of him, aiming his gun. I turn to look, fright choking me so hard I can’t breathe. But Nim is already at the end of the alleyway, darting off down the street.
    The soldier kneels quickly at the side of the injured man. I don’t think he’ll live. Nim bit into him pretty deep. I watch him as he checks the dead man’s pulse, unable to stop myself from noticing his strong arms, his broad shoulders. I swallow my desire back inside. Now is not the time.
    Then the soldier looks up at me, his face stricken with anger.
    He knows. He knows what I am.