Shepherd's Moon by Stacy Mantle

Author:Stacy Mantle
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 1466471387
Published: 2011-10-24T13:00:00+00:00

I cleared my throat. “Hello, Daniel.”

He still looked like a frightened feral cat ready to bolt at the slightest noise. “Would you like to sit?” Half afraid to move, I motioned slowly to the sofa.

He hesitated, clearly debating whether flight may indeed be a better option. Finally he won his internal conflict and sat uncomfortably on the sofa.

I pressed the intercom button on my desk and asked whoever was there to bring us some hot tea.

Daniel was obviously struggling with the switch to being human and looked as though he would have been more comfortable perched on the arm of the sofa, four legs solidly tucked beneath him. He wore polyester trousers that were clearly too large for him and a misbuttoned shirt with a sweater pulled over it. Jace would be appalled at the fashion faux-pas but I could already picture his excitement at the make-over possibilities.

“Since you’re alone, I’m guessing that Meg is no longer with us.” No point in beating around the bush.

He nodded. “This morning, the police came. I stayed as long as I could, but they tried to take me away again.” The look on his face was one of abject disappointment, as if the world had failed him but that he had expected nothing more from life.

It was the same look of dejection and disappointment that I had seen on all of our new arrivals. In Daniel’s case, it was taken one step further as he was so obviously uncomfortable in his human skin. I heaved a sigh, knowing the discomfort was a result of spending far too much time in his animal form.

“You remembered how to find me,” I said softly.

“I don’t know how that happened,” he said. “I ran from my house and found your house.”

“I sort of … placed… the directions in your mind.” I shrugged. “It was easier than writing it down and you didn’t exactly have a way to carry a map around.”

Daniel sat stiff and silent on the coffee-colored leather sofa looking as uncomfortable as I’ve seen anyone look. I knelt on the floor and slowly moved towards the couch where I could rest my arm on the coffee table without spooking him. He watched me without uttering a word.

I didn’t push him. When it comes to cats, I’ve learned that occasionally silence is a much more effective method of communication than speech. It would be easier to invade his mind, but I abstained out of respect. Right now, it was enough that he was here.

Moments later, Brock knocked on the open door, shattering the silence. Daniel startled, but remained sitting, so I nodded for Brock to enter with a quick nod.

He spoke softly, picking up on the fact that Daniel was terrified. “Aida was busy.”

I took the pot of water from him. “Daniel, would you like something to drink?”

The poor guy even looked conflicted about that small decision. Rather than wait for his answer, I balanced a strainer over each cup, catching the loose tea leaves as I poured hot water over them.

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