Among Demons : Rebellious Huntress

Chapter Four : Shifter Family

*Morgan Evans*

I was able to sneak out of the massive family estate without running into anyone, thankfully. Once I was outside the building, I pulled out my gray helmet, tightened the straps of my backpack and zipped up my gray leather jacket. The smile I had on my face grew when I roared my precious blue motorcycle to life. Leaving the Evans family estate and the fancy gated neighborhood behind, I picked up speed and wove through the streets.

I was aiming for my best friend Allie’s home, which had moved from being in the center of the city a few years ago. She and her family had some relatives that were actually in the process of building our own Demon Village. And ironically, that Village was set up at the base of the mountain where my family’s pride and joy coincidentally sat. So I was going to be stuck driving out to reach my friend's place for just under two hours. Maybe less if I can speed up through thinning traffic.

Of course, s**t doesn’t go the way you want it and I ended up reaching the main gates of the Village twenty minutes over the two hour mark.

I’m not the most patient person.

I waved at the guards that recognized my bike, slowing down bit by bit as I entered the mostly empty space inside. The roads were all new and smooth so it was nice just cruising as I neared the small residential spot near the back. I passed by the huge recreational building that had an amazing indoor pool, looking around at the scattered construction sites. It was incredible to me that so much was done in just the few years since the project was first announced. And I was looking forward to seeing how much more was going to be added in the coming years too.

I was smiling big once again as I pulled up to my friends house, slowing to a crawl and walking my bike in front of the all too familiar coupe. My helmet was barely off of my head for maybe a second before the banging sound of a door rang out.

“MORGAN!” A happy cheerful woman's voice called out to me.

Turning, I broke into a fit of giggles as Allie came crashing into me, her sleek black hair covering my face as she practically squeezed the air out of me.

“Hey, hun.” I wheezed, hugging her back and trying to blow her hair out of my face.

“I missed you!” She mumbled, nuzzling my hair and the side of my head.

Allie Fenir has been my greatest friend since I was ten, having been the only person in the mall to help me hide from my controlling parents after I’d run from them. She kept me company and hid with me, sharing her snacks and telling me how she was more than willing to bite anyone that made me go places I didn’t want to go. She made me laugh and smile after little ten year-old-me cried her tiny heart out because of her parents. She even used her shirt to wipe the last of my tears away too.

We managed to keep in contact as we got older, regardless of how hard my parents tried to block me from being around Demons of any kind. And even when I was placed in a private school for the rich and snooty, we still kept in touch and texted or called each other daily. Being a Scout, like I am now, limits the amount of time that I can freely talk, gossip and just plain hang out with my bestie. I can’t very well spend hours on the phone with her when I could be finding out about all the dark and dirty plans that my family makes. And I can’t just swing by her house for too long when I’m the only ‘In’ available to spy on my family’s movements.

She’s the oldest child in a family of Shifters, with a kid brother who is turning ten in a few months. Her mother, Leonie, is essentially Allie’s twin, with the same sleek black hair and delicate feminine features. They’re also both black panther Shifters too, and their animal counterparts were just as friendly and bubbly. Big cuddlers too. Her father Dolph, a wolf Shifter, is a funny and dorky guy that likes to say the randomest thing he can think of in the middle of a conversation, just to see everyone's reaction. And the youngest member of the Fenir family is Olcan, who everyone believes is going to turn into a wolf like his father once he matures.

“You’re crazy.” I said, laughing some more when my bestie finally pulled back. “You saw me two days ago.”

She pouted and narrowed her eyes at me.

“Two days too long.” She grumped, bumping her hip with mine.

“You know how she gets.” A male voice joined in, clear humor in his voice.

We both turned and I smiled as Allie jumped away from my side, curling into the arms of a taller, golden haired man with fangs poking out from between his smile. He squeezed Allie into his chest, making her squeak and giggle before he relaxed his arms.

“How’s it going, tiny?” He asked, focusing on me.

“Nothing much, leech.” I smiled back, sticking my tongue out at him.

Emerys is not only another long-time friend of mine, but also happens to be Allie’s Match and live-in boyfriend. He’s twenty-two, two years older than Allie and I and works with his soon-to-be father-in-law as a mechanic. Dolph owns the Fenir Car Shop that’s right across from the main highway exit that leads to the Village. And ever since we met he’s made it a habit of addressing me by some sort of synonym to the word ‘small’. Being a solid five feet tall compared to Allie’s five foot four and Emerys’ six foot two, I am quite teeny by comparison. So, in playful retaliation, I call him by any number of names associated with blood drinkers.

Bat, mosquito, flea and even butterfly. Any little bug or animal that so much as sips on a little drop of blood works for me and makes for funny greetings around people that don’t know that we’re simply joking around.

Fun fact for you, butterflies can actually drink blood, even live off of it too, making them both dainty, pretty and deadly. Like me.

Looking at the lovey-dovey couple in front of me now, though, it filled me with happiness and a mild bit of jealousy too. I loved seeing how blissed out they both get around each other, with their soft smiles, glowing eyes and the constant need to touch each other. Whether it's holding hands, hugging or sitting and laying right next to each other. Just seeing Allie’s honey and violet ringed eyes light up at the sight of him or how Emerys’ coral and light green eyes soften the second they lock on Allie, it makes everything that happened with my family before my 18th birthday completely worth it.

“See.” Rys smiled as he looked at Allie, kissing her forehead gently. “You won’t be alone now.”

She sighed and nodded, pulling the man down to kiss him before pulling back and turning around in his arms to face me.

“I was gonna be all alone at home today.” Allie explained, pouting at me. “Rys and dad have car appointments all day at the shop. Olcan’s gonna be at school all day and moms going out with her gardening club after work.”

“Oh!” I called out dramatically, pressing my hands over my chest. “They’re abandoning you! My sweet, sweet kitty-cat!”

She smiled and pulled out of Rys’ arms, making him chuckle and shake his head.

“I know!” She whined, hugging me tightly and pressing my head into her very ample bosom. “No one loves me, Mo! They’re all ditching me!” She lowered her arms that had been squeezing me to her chest, deliberately gripping my ass.

I shook my head as I turned a bit, peeking around her arm and finding an increasingly pissy Rys staring at our exchange. So, in order to help my friend get the reaction I know she wants out of her man, I pulled back just a little bit and placed my hands over the swell of her breasts over her black and green tank.

“Are you still growing, Allie?” I asked coyly, seeing how Rys was staring at my hands through my periphery. “You feel bigger than last time.” I gave her boobs a light honk and before I could even blink, Allie was pulled from me.

“Back off, itty-bitty Human.” Rys hissed playfully, lifting Allie up by the waist and pressing his face to her breasts, making Allie giggle. “These are mine.”

I shook my head at them, catching the wink that Allie threw my way as I walked around them towards the front door. My eyes rolled at the whispered cutesy crap they were saying to each other, my smile growing when I found Leonie, Allie’s mom, smiling at me from the threshold.

“They’re at it again?” She chuckled, her gaze shifting to the still cuddled up couple behind me.

“When have they ever stopped?” I asked back, laughing along with her.

She welcomed me in with a warm and cozy mom-hug, asking me if I’d had breakfast yet. She then announced my arrival to her husband who was grabbing his lunch box with one hand and drinking from his large travel mug in the other. Dolph grinned and waved me closer, giving me a side-hug and asking me how my morning’s been so far. Olcan joined us just as I was telling him about my rude awakening. The almost ten-year-old already reaching my shoulders paused on his way to the front door, dropping his backpack to greet me.

All of this warmth, acceptance, kindness and affection that they were all so willing to grant me helped heal the aching loneliness and bitter feelings that always grew when I spent too much time around my family. They all treat me as though I’m one of their own. A true member of the family. A trusted friend. And a welcome guest that’s allowed to just show up whenever she pleases.

Not long after my arrival, Allie and I sat down to have some delicious breakfast sandwiches, courtesy of her momma Leo. Dolph, Rys and Olcan all piled onto the large burly wolf man's truck, saying their goodbyes to us ladies as we sat and ate.Dolph and Rys always dropped Olcan off at school in the mornings and Allie and her mom trade off on who picks him up after school. Sometimes I join them or go and pick him up myself, depending on the day.

After eating, cleaning up and hugging Leo goodbye as she left for work, Allie and I went down into the basement suite that she and Rys shared.

It’s a cozy and inviting place that held a unique blend of Allies' darker color scheme that gave off a bit of an eclectic vibe. Whereas Rys, who is more into the rugged, machine-mechanic decor that adds splashes of color with interesting car paintings, metal odds and ends and a few realistic figurines of old school cars, trucks and even a fancy ship.

Their tiny suite has two openings, one found on the inside of the main house that's found under the stairs and leads to the basement. The other leads outside to the side gate that has a little stone path leading to the driveway. The living room is the first thing you walk into, with a large three seater couch facing a wall mounted TV that's right across from the stairs leading to the main house. A black leather recliner faces those stairs and a wooden coffee table sits in the middle of the couch and TV. Behind the couch is a small kitchen island with three black bar stools that face away from the TV. A cute kitchenette takes over the wall to the far right of the cozy space, with a sink, a microwave and a full sized fridge and stove. A hidden hallway sits on the other side of the wall framing the stairs to the main house. This hallway leads to two bedrooms and one full bathroom as well as a cute little reading corner at the end of the hallway.

Allie and I both flopped onto the couch and turned on the TV, relaxing and talking about anything and everything that came to mind.

I enjoyed the familiar peace and joy that filled me as I spent time with my best friend. We ended up laughing until I cried, teasing each other until we started chasing each other and pigging out on all kinds of yummy snacks as we unloaded our heavy emotions, burdens and doubts. She helped me stuff all the things I need into my backpack so I can replace the memory cards in all my surveillance equipment. And as the day wore on, she allowed me the space and freedom to lean on her when the cold bitterness and pain over my family’s actions, words and deeds flooded my mind.