Sunshine: Tales of an Assassin

Chapter Fourteen

***Katina's POV***

    I waited for the system to finish running the programs, and backing up the information, one of the keys having programs on it that would prevent the system from wiping itself in case there were protections like that, and saw Nathanial in panther form slowly creeping towards me.  All the work from the day, and the use of my gifts the way I had were catching up on me, all I wanted to do was curl up and sleep, my body and mouth basically running on auto pilot without me really thinking about anything.

    Feeling a weight on my lap, I saw Nathanial resting his head there, and I almost went to start petting him without thinking, but remembered at the last second that is something usually only reserved for their partners.  Nathanial took the issue out of my hands so to speak by bumping his head against my hand, and in my opinion that means right now he is fair game.  I will admit I am a snob when it comes to soft things, having exceptionally high standards for what I considered to feel good, and his fur in this form was softer than my best cuddle blanket.  The bastard.  Next time I needed my cuddle blanket I was going to compare it to his fur and it would come up lacking.

    I said something, but my tired brain really wasn't processing or holding onto anything I said, but Nathanial purred in response, and when a panther his size purrs, you can feel it in your whole body.  Mentally snickering I thought his panther form was the perfect sleep aide, warm, soft, and if he was purring it was a full body vibration like one of those massage chairs.

    How are you holding up princess?  Matthew's voice was concerned, and I knew why, it was one thing to channel these electrical pulses from myself to anything else with touch, but today I'd done it twice in a row with nothing to help guide or direct it.

    To be honest, I'm exhausted and fighting harder than normal not to fall asleep in this chair.  I was continuing to stroke Nathanial's fur, lightly scratching occasionally.

    Sounds like it, should we have someone help you back to collect your gear and drive you back?

    Probably for the best, I'm not sure I would trust myself driving a block as is, let alone back to the center. I peered at the computer, noticing it was almost done loading.  

    I've got someone heading over to take you back once you are done at that computer, it's all arranged for you, I'll meet you here and have some food for you before you sleep.

    "Agent Sunshine?"  I heard someone call to me and looked over at him, he was one of the nicer shifters I'd met, and while he was cute, he always stuck me as being a bit of a boy scout thus not hitting my radar as anyone of interest beyond that.  "Matthew asked me to assist you when you are ready to leave."

    I felt Nathanial tensing a little but brushed it off, and nodded, waiting for the last files before removing the keys and tucking them into a safe location with me, and then stretched, getting ready to stand.  Nathanial moved his head finally, though I noticed his tail was whipping around in agitation, and since he hadn't said anything to me yet, I wasn't sure if man or beast was in control.  As I stood though, I felt a wave of dizziness sweep over me, causing me to stumble slightly.  The boy that Matthew had sent made a move to help me, and Nathanial blocked his path, snarling at him.  I braced myself with Nathanial's body and gave him a dirty look that he ignored, eyes set on the other shifter, fangs still bared.

    "What the hell Nathanial?   He was just trying to help me, I've got to get my stuff and get back to my center to report, and Matthew sent him to help me."

    Nathanial didn't shift his stance or eyes for a second, but I felt something trying to make contact with me and lowered my shields enough to hear it.

    I can help you there, he doesn't need to touch you.  The voice was similar to Nathanial's but different at the same time, there was a raw wildness to it that his didn't have.

    Are you - I paused, perhaps it was something that I slept through or was never told of, but I didn't think that the beasts of any shifter could talk to anyone but their human directly like this, and most of the time, they didn't even bother unless it was important, most of them preferred emotions to words from what I understood, that was clearer to their wilder natures.

    I am.  I fought to hide my shock, and felt a wave of fatigue sweep over me for a moment.

    You can let him help me, I'm tired, I will need help walking back to get my stuff, then he will drive me back to where I can rest.  I felt him bump my body again, shifters tended to be larger than their wilder counter parts, and Nathanial's form when his beast was out was magnificent, his  shoulder coming up to my rib cage, though he was at the moment partially poised to pounce on the other shifter.

    He doesn't need to touch you.  I will carry you to the car, and follow you to help you to your room, he can collect your stuff and drive you, but he will not touch you.  He gave another silent snarl at the shifter that hadn't moved, but lowered himself to the ground and looked from me to his back to me again.  As I was tired I really wasn't going to argue at this moment with an annoyed panther that outweighed me but was also offering me a chance to not have to walk at all.

    "Just follow us, someone is in a mood and is issuing orders I don't have the energy to argue with at this moment."  I settled myself on his back, actually enjoying the feel of his fur and the way his muscles flexed as he stood up again and started walking out and back towards where I had originally met up with Nathanial tonight.  I could sense the other shifter behind us, but he seemed to have decided that silence was the best option at the moment.

    So do you have a name that I should call you, or something?   I know that you are not the same as Nathanial, so I wouldn't feel comfortable calling you that, and it seems rather rude to call you beast or panther or even 'hey you'.  I blamed my over tired mind for rambling, but given it was my first time talking to one of the beasts that was within a shifter, I was rather curious.

    You can call me....Erebus.  Are you comfortable little one?

    I'm fine Erebus, actually more worried about making you uncomfortable, I'm not exactly lightweight or have extra padding, and I would really hate to pull your fur somewhere wrong and hurt you accidentally.  I hadn't exactly had shifter riding lessons and had ended up laying down along his back, my arms wrapped around his part of his neck while my legs were trying to hold onto his sides.  I'd gripped some of his fur in my hands as well, though so I was worried that may bother him.

    All is well little one, you don't weigh much, and you aren't pulling anywhere that would hurt.  I heard an almost laughing huff in his mental voice.  I am aware that I will have to share you with some little one, but I do not do that lightly, nor am I willing to do so with those who are not among the chosen.  I can deal with them, but I'd rather not deal with other males being near you where possible.  Your Matthew is an exception to this, he may not be a chosen one, but his bear sees you as his cub.

    Erebus, what are you talking about with chosen and sharing?  You aren't making much sense aside from the fact that you don't seem to want any other males around me for some reason. Tonight was getting to be almost as confusing as last night had been, and I was honestly getting tired of everyone talking in riddles and hidden comments around the little human.

    When the time is right, you will understand little one, I can say no more for now.  We are almost back to the car, and while I will let you ride back that way, I will still follow and help you tonight.

    I recognized the area, and when we reached the car where I had parked it, Erebus slowed and lowered himself to the ground so I could get off his back.  The other shifter just went to the house, and probably looking for my bag, while I got into the back of the car, keeping the door open for the moment while Erebus guarded me.  Finding my bag hadn't taken that long, and as my driver returned I was nudged further into the car and I took the hint to get in fully, my driver throwing my stuff in the trunk and heading towards the drivers seat, he settled in looking briefly towards the panther that was still watching us.

    "Uhm, is he going somewhere, or is he just going to sit there watching us."  At this point my driver seemed confused and a bit nervous where he'd been nothing but friendly before.

    "He's waiting for you to drive, he's going to follow us as he is a bit big to ride in the car with us."  Actually I was wondering why he hadn't shifted into human form since he was being that protective at this moment.  My driver just nodded at that moment, and started the car, heading straight towards the center  occasionally glancing at the panther following us in the shadows.

    Once we reached the underground parking lot, I was feeling a little better, having rested slightly on the way, and got out of the car only to find Erebus laying next to the car looking at me.

    "No, I am walking in on my own thank you.  I'd never live it down if anyone saw me coming back from a mission needing a kitty back ride."  I got a dirty look from Erebus, but heard a chuckle from the side, Matthew had evidently decided to wait for us here.

    "Thank you Sam, you can go for the night, I believe we have it from here."  My driver, Sam, nodded and headed off while Matthew grabbed my gear from the back.  "So Nathanial has decided it isn't below his dignity to carry you?  That's a little odd since I know that most feline shifters are extremely proud."  The comment had earned Matthew a soft growl from Erebus, but Matthew just returned that with a look that screamed 'prove me wrong.' 

    "Well it wasn't exactly Nathanial's choice at the moment."  I kind of shrugged, and looked to Erebus, unsure at this moment if he was okay with Matthew knowing that he was at the front, Erebus just sent a feeling of contentment and brushed my leg, urging me to start moving.

    "Sunshine, I do hope you are planning to follow up that comment with an explanation."  We all started walking, with me somehow ending up in the middle between Erebus and Matthew.

    "Not sure what Nathanial is doing at the moment, but Erebus currently has an issue with most people touching me, excluding you and some people he referenced as being 'chosen', but won't explain it more."  I lifted my shoulder in a shrug and shook my head slightly, still confused.

    "May I ask who Erebus is?  I'm pretty sure this is Nathanial, or is there another panther shifter that looks like him?"  Matthew sounded more confused than I and seemed like he was about to go into protective mode.

    "Erebus is Nathanial's panther, at least that's what he told me when I asked since I was getting tired of not knowing what to call him."  I felt Matthew pause and stop walking, his eyes focused on me, so I stopped and turned to face him.  "Something wrong Matthew?"

    "You are telling me that Nathanial's panther can talk to you?"

    "Yeah, his voice is a bit different than Nathanial's that's what gave it away that it was someone else talking.  Why?"

    Matthew just shook his head and started muttering something in a language I couldn't understand, and looked at the two of us again.  "I think we'd better go fill Lydia in on all the details of tonight before we talk about anything else."