Prince of Shadows by Susan Krinard

Of course she was terrified. Alexandra had been afraid of Kieran in the beginning, and she’d had some reason to accept that a creature such as himself could exist. Julie’s family was another exception. But Lori would be like the rest of mankind, unable to look upon what he was with anything but fear and loathing.

And the Voice, which had been silent for so long, emerged to taunt him: What will you do now, boy?

He rose slowly. “I’ll talk to her.”

Alexandra shook her head. “I don’t think that’s wise, Kieran.”

“I have to.”

She hunched her shoulders in surrender. There was uncertainty in her eyes. “Maybe… She trusted you before, Kieran. You were the only one to stand up for her all those years ago. Maybe that will give her a way to accept.”

“And Kevin?”

“He seems okay. Maybe he didn’t see what happened.”

Kieran’s hands were a little shaky as he began to button up his shirt.

“Here. Let me.” Alexandra finished for him, the tips of her fingers brushing his chest. He worked very hard to keep his body calm, though it was no longer entirely the prospect of facing Lori that affected him.

Alexandra handed him a key. “I got an extra one to Lori’s room. Kieran… be careful.”

He’d left his boots behind at the side of the road when he shifted, so it was on bare, noiseless feet that he went to Lori’s room. No one responded to his knock. He used the key and eased the door open.

The room was identical to Alexandra’s, unnaturally quiet. Lori lay on the bed, Kevin fast asleep at her side. She turned her head on the pillow and looked at him, blank-eyed, without recognition.

“Lori?”

She stirred. “Kieran?” She looked around the room as if he were invisible. “Kieran, is that you?”

He risked touching her then, hoping to penetrate her strange detachment. Her reaction stunned him. With a sharp gasp, she flung herself away and stumbled into the corner of the bed. Kevin opened his eyes and sat up.

“Mama?”

Lori scrambled across the bed, putting herself between Kieran and her son.

“Stay away!” she cried, her voice high and thin.

He kept himself perfectly still, washed in waves of sickness. Her brown eyes held accusation and trial and punishment, condemning what he was.

“Lori—”

“What are you?” she demanded hoarsely. She scooted closer to Kevin and wrapped him in her arms. “I saw you… you aren’t human!”

He couldn’t protest when she spoke only the truth. “I would never hurt you, Lori.”

But she didn’t hear him. She was as lost in her terror as he had been when he saw the Mountie, irrational with it, transformed by it. “You touched me,” she said in a sickly whisper. “You’re some kind of… monster. Oh, God—” She slid down against the wall. “Go away.” Her voice rose to a shriek. “Go away!”

What now? he thought bitterly. Any further attempts to speak with Lori would be pointless. She was beyond the reach of words.

He looked at Kevin, searching for fear in the little boy’s eyes. But Kevin regarded him with solemn puzzlement, glancing up at his mother’s ravaged face as if trying to make sense of the bizarre exchange.

Kieran retreated, banging into a chair as he reached for the doorknob. Kevin continued to stare until the door was shut between them.

He leaned hard against the door and breathed in the clean air of freedom. The night was very tempting. The snow had stopped. Kieran looked up; a tiny patch of clear sky was visible through the clouds, dotted with stars.

Lori could not accept what she’d seen, what he was. No hope of making her understand. And there was always the risk that she’d go to the police.

He drove that thought from his mind, walked the few paces to Alexandra’s room, and went in.

“It was bad, wasn’t it?” she asked, rising from the bed.

He stayed by the door, as far from Alexandra as he could get. “You were right. She would never accept. She thinks I’m some sort of monster.”

Her footsteps were hesitant behind him. “You’re not a monster, Kieran.” She came close enough that he could feel the heat of her body, hear the slight catch in her breath.” You helped Lori… before and tonight…”

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