Page 43 of Stubborn as a Shadow

“What kind of supe are you?”

I glared at him, hoping it’d mask my fear. Predator types picked up on things like that. If I showed fear now, it’d be like throwing chum in shark-infested waters. Or so I imagined. I’d never been to the ocean or a sea or even a lake that took longer than an hour to hike around.

I narrowed my eyes and prayed it came across as irritation, not panic. Shedding tears would be even more disastrous than smelling like fear.

A woman, a wolf shifter based on the fluid way she moved, approached from my right. Wait, where had she come from? She wore a hotel uniform, which had a dusting of snowflakes covering it. Maybe she was doing a perimeter check? I hoped she wasn’t out here because of me.

“Is something wrong over here, Godwin?” The wolf shifter lifted her nose and inhaled.

“Good. You’re here. Smell him, Judy. His magic… It’s strange,” the man said.

The wolf turned to study me.

“Mind your own business,” I retorted.

I spun on my heel and stomped my feet as I crossed to the other side of the entryway again. I desperately wanted to shift and gallop as far away as possible. And maybe skewer the nosy mage with my horn on the way by.

I wrinkled my nose. No, that would be too messy. And I wouldn’t want goopy gore on my horn. But I could still daydream about it, right?

“Hey,” the wolf said, chasing after me. “There’s no need to get huffy.”

Then she leaned in and sniffed me.

“Stop that.” I flicked her nose.

The wolf winced and took a step back, but she didn’t leave. She eyed me curiously. “He’s right, you know. Your magic smells weird. Sweet.”

I rolled my eyes while praying she couldn’t hear how fast my heart was pounding. “I ate caramels and taffy on my way here. Some wolf you are, if you can’t figure that out.”

More lies. I was going to have a bumpy red rash everywhere soon.

She wriggled her nose and shook her head. “I?—”

“I don’t care what you have to say,” I said, cutting her off. “Leave me alone.”

I had to get away from them, so I stormed off into the… storm.

Ha! Get it? Stormed off? Storm?

Because I obviously couldn’t stick close to the hotel like this. I attracted too much attention. I’d watch out for Nelson and his friends from somewhere else.

I hoped the wolf got the message and stayed away.

Big, fat snowflakes slapped against me and ran down my face. My makeup must be a mess, and that was another reason to get out of here. I couldn’t let these strangers see under my disguise.

I scanned the parking lot for the entrance. If I stood over there, I could stop Nelson’s friend when he arrived. The snow was falling so heavily I could barely see where the break in the trees led to the road, but I persevered.

When I put my mind to it, I could do anything.

I wanted to scurry over there, but I forced myself to take slow, measured steps. Very Rudy Tada-ish. But holy Magic, it was painful to go this slowly.

Was the wolf still following me? I didn’t dare look behind.

I scuttled like a wraith through the other parked cars. The snow was surprisingly deep in some places, but I trudged on. I’d need to develop a whole new disguise after this weekend. I moaned because that sounded like a lot of work.

I’d need something to hide my scent better too. Market organizers usually banned cologne because shifters found it irritating, but there had to be something out there that would cover my scent. Maybe baking soda? Isn’t that what people put in stinky fridges?

The back of my neck prickled, and I knew I was being watched. Footsteps crunched through the snow behind me. I stumbled between two other vehicles and ducked down.