Read Online The Alchemy of Desire by Crista McHugh - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Crista McHugh
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had passed since she last shifted.
“I’m going to scout the area, see what I can find.” She stood and brushed the dust off her dress.
Diah frowned. “Maybe I should come with you.”
Panic seized her throat like a noose. He couldn’t see her shift. She shook her head until she found her voice. “That’s not necessary. I can take care of myself. Besides, I’d prefer to have some time alone to, um, take care of personal needs.” Hopefully that would scare him off.
“Let her go, Diah. What does she have to worry about around here?”
She never thought she’d be getting support from Cager. “He’s right. It’s still daylight, and you’d only slow me down. I’ll be back before it gets dark, I promise.”
He still didn’t appear comfortable with letting her wander the prairie alone, but he turned his attention back to the fire and began setting up the camp.
Oni walked west as fast as she could without running. As soon as she was out of eyesight, she gave in to her need to shift. Her clothes melted away and her human body shrank into the tan-and-copper form of a coyote. The wind rippled her fur. Whenever she went more than a few days without shifting, the need almost smothered her. Now, her heart danced at the freedom her new form offered her.
A howl burst from her mouth as she ran through the tall grass. A series of yips answered to her right and she turned toward them. A pack. Perhaps she would have the opportunity to hunt before she was forced to return to the camp.
The other coyotes stared at her for a minute before creeping closer and sniffing her. Once they realized she wasn’t a threat to the pack, they began nuzzling her and playfully bouncing around her. A connection formed among them. The whispers of their thoughts invaded her mind. They knew she wasn’t like them, but they welcomed her on the hunt.
Like a finely tuned orchestra, each member of the pack knew what part to play in the harmony of the hunt. The musky scent of a jackrabbit filled her nostrils and the pack gave chase. As she closed the space between her and her prey, she felt a twinge of pity for those who could never experience the thrill of shape-shifting and having the spirit of the coyote fill them. She offered a prayer of thanks to the Wakan Tanka for bestowing this gift on her.
Her excitement rose when she realized the pack had cornered four of the jackrabbits. Maybe she could have one all to herself. The others gravitated to their prey, leaving her one to her left. She pounced on it and sank her teeth into its throat. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, tainted by fear and finally death. She lapped it up as if it was the sweetest elixir in the world and gave the limp body a victorious shake.
One of the other coyotes lifted its head from its dinner and sniffed the air. A growl of warning followed. Someone was coming.
Oni dropped her catch and sniffed. Man. A familiar scent, someone she knew. The human side of her consciousness began to overwhelm her mind. She reluctantly shifted back. Her clothes reappeared as if she’d never shifted—part of the magic that came from her ability to embrace the spirit of the coyote. But the taste of blood lingered in her mouth, reminding her it wasn’t all a dream.
“Oni!” Diah’s voice called through the low light of the dusk.
Sighing, she stood and grabbed the jackrabbit by the ears. “Over here.”
The coyotes danced around her like small children, hoping to grab a snatch of meat from her catch. She held it out of their reach and walked toward him.
When she came into his view, he raised his rifle.
“It’s just me, Diah,” she said, waving him away.
He lowered it. “I heard coyotes and I was worried.” A series of yips and howls sang behind her, and he aimed his rifle in that direction.
“No.” Oni grabbed the barrel and pointed it up. “Don’t shoot them.”
“But they’re coyotes. They could attack us.”
She laughed. “Coyotes tend to avoid humans.
“I’m going to scout the area, see what I can find.” She stood and brushed the dust off her dress.
Diah frowned. “Maybe I should come with you.”
Panic seized her throat like a noose. He couldn’t see her shift. She shook her head until she found her voice. “That’s not necessary. I can take care of myself. Besides, I’d prefer to have some time alone to, um, take care of personal needs.” Hopefully that would scare him off.
“Let her go, Diah. What does she have to worry about around here?”
She never thought she’d be getting support from Cager. “He’s right. It’s still daylight, and you’d only slow me down. I’ll be back before it gets dark, I promise.”
He still didn’t appear comfortable with letting her wander the prairie alone, but he turned his attention back to the fire and began setting up the camp.
Oni walked west as fast as she could without running. As soon as she was out of eyesight, she gave in to her need to shift. Her clothes melted away and her human body shrank into the tan-and-copper form of a coyote. The wind rippled her fur. Whenever she went more than a few days without shifting, the need almost smothered her. Now, her heart danced at the freedom her new form offered her.
A howl burst from her mouth as she ran through the tall grass. A series of yips answered to her right and she turned toward them. A pack. Perhaps she would have the opportunity to hunt before she was forced to return to the camp.
The other coyotes stared at her for a minute before creeping closer and sniffing her. Once they realized she wasn’t a threat to the pack, they began nuzzling her and playfully bouncing around her. A connection formed among them. The whispers of their thoughts invaded her mind. They knew she wasn’t like them, but they welcomed her on the hunt.
Like a finely tuned orchestra, each member of the pack knew what part to play in the harmony of the hunt. The musky scent of a jackrabbit filled her nostrils and the pack gave chase. As she closed the space between her and her prey, she felt a twinge of pity for those who could never experience the thrill of shape-shifting and having the spirit of the coyote fill them. She offered a prayer of thanks to the Wakan Tanka for bestowing this gift on her.
Her excitement rose when she realized the pack had cornered four of the jackrabbits. Maybe she could have one all to herself. The others gravitated to their prey, leaving her one to her left. She pounced on it and sank her teeth into its throat. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, tainted by fear and finally death. She lapped it up as if it was the sweetest elixir in the world and gave the limp body a victorious shake.
One of the other coyotes lifted its head from its dinner and sniffed the air. A growl of warning followed. Someone was coming.
Oni dropped her catch and sniffed. Man. A familiar scent, someone she knew. The human side of her consciousness began to overwhelm her mind. She reluctantly shifted back. Her clothes reappeared as if she’d never shifted—part of the magic that came from her ability to embrace the spirit of the coyote. But the taste of blood lingered in her mouth, reminding her it wasn’t all a dream.
“Oni!” Diah’s voice called through the low light of the dusk.
Sighing, she stood and grabbed the jackrabbit by the ears. “Over here.”
The coyotes danced around her like small children, hoping to grab a snatch of meat from her catch. She held it out of their reach and walked toward him.
When she came into his view, he raised his rifle.
“It’s just me, Diah,” she said, waving him away.
He lowered it. “I heard coyotes and I was worried.” A series of yips and howls sang behind her, and he aimed his rifle in that direction.
“No.” Oni grabbed the barrel and pointed it up. “Don’t shoot them.”
“But they’re coyotes. They could attack us.”
She laughed. “Coyotes tend to avoid humans.
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