Page 6 of Stubborn as a Shadow

I dragged the pint glass closer.

“Do you want anything else? The kitchen is open.”

“I’m good with this,” I said, nodding at the drink. My voice was hoarse. How long had it been since I’d spoken to anyone? It might have been yesterday. Or was it the day before?

“Okay. Shout if you change your mind.”

We both knew I wouldn’t shout. Thankfully, he left me to drink away my misery without any other chitchat.

I heaved a sigh and tried to ignore the itch at the back of my neck urging me to dosomething. But what? I was out of leads for finding Morgan, and I didn’t have fuck all else to do.

Whenever I got this way, it was like I could feel the shadows tugging at me. Luring me in. Promising me the safety and security of anonymity. Restlessness didn’t exist the same way when I took my shadow form.

But if I shifted now, in the mood I was in, I didn’t know when I’d take my human form again. I knew all too well how risky it was, because I’d done it before. I’d been lucky then. Gage had found me before my darker side obliterated my humanity, but I couldn’t count on that happening again. It didn’t matter what Gage had promised when I joined his team all those years ago.

The feeling would pass quickly. I knew it would. But until my dark mood lifted, or I had a new goal to strive for, I needed to resist the temptation to fade into the shadows.

That was one of the reasons I’d liked working for the SC. The continual assignments, even little ones, kept me grounded. As a being connected to air, having an anchor like that was a good thing. It kept me tethered to my human side.

Teague, one of my former teammates, approached with a drink in his hand.

“Can I join you?”

When I nodded, he slipped into the seat beside me. He had a boy-next-door vibe most people found appealing, but he wasn’t my type. Then again, I wasn’t sure what my type was.

It seemed I didn’t know much lately.

“How did it go?” he asked.

Fuck. Did everyone know what I’d been up to today?

“Didn’t find him.”

We sat in silence for a bit. He knew me well enough that he didn’t expect social niceties or inane small talk from me.

“Do you ever think about rejoining the SC?” I asked, surprising even myself with the question.

Teague leaned back in his chair and pushed his hand through his short brown hair. “Sometimes? I used to think about it more.”

“Yeah? Something change?”

He shrugged. “I’m thinking of opening a store.”

Few things could shock me. That did. The idea of chatting with strangers every day sounded like a nightmare to me. “Really? What would you sell?”

“Artifacts? Charms? A few mundane antiques?”

I knew he wouldn’t sell any dangerous magical items, but the fact he’d consider selling anything magical at all? That was baffling. Particularly when there’d been paranormal hunters sniffing around town recently.

He eyed me. “Why? You thinking of going back?”

“I think about it sometimes, yeah.” I stared at my drink.

If I could join another SC team, be on the road again, talk about assignments instead of hanging out at the pub and speculating with the locals about whatever bet they had going… yeah, that sounded wildly appealing about now.

And for the record, I knew one of the most active bets was about me and the elusive unicorn. As if I needed any more eyes on my failure to find Morgan.

“But I don’t know if I could do it,” I continued. “Not without Gage.”