Chapter Four

After checking in with her boss and trying to talk her into filing a police report, Ann sat on one of the small chairs in her kitchen feeling exhausted and more than a little stressed. Of course, her boss still refused to hear anything about security cameras. She had agreed it would be pointless to call the police when they had no proof or identities. The entire situation was frustrating and Ann wondered, not for the first time, if she should just change salons. Dangerous things happened in the area all the time - drug dealing, robberies, assaults. It was all part of living where she did, but she loved so many of the people around her. People, like her, just trying to get by the best they could and do the right thing. She had built up a huge client base over the years that she dearly loved and trusted.

She thought of Elric's bitter comments about humanity and walked to the window, half expecting him not to be there. He remained seated on the sidewalk, slumped over his knees staring out at the road, an imposing figure even sitting. She still didn't know what to do with him.

He had rescued her and the salon. He showed her something about him that he likely never showed anyone, not safely at least. Other people would want to stick him in a lab or something. Skin as pale and smooth as chiseled stone, like he was a walking statue or something. Maybe it was some sort of mutation.

She twisted the end of her ponytail as she considered her options, a nervous habit from childhood she never outgrew. He looked back at her, as if he could tell he was thinking of him. Ann quickly backed out of view, hoping he didn't see her. She didn't want to leave him out there, but she couldn't just invite him in either.

What if he were some kind of mythical creature? What if his crazy stories were true? If creatures like that truly existed, shouldn't they be under sworn secrecy to never tell humans or something? But, after seeing the knife crumple against him. Seeing that feral gleam in his eyes as they turned pitch black. Then seeing his skin transform from that statuesque appearance then fade back into the rest of his skin. She could almost believe it.

Mythical creatures walking among them. One of those creatures sitting on the sidewalk outside her house. Thunder cracked outside and rain begin tumbling to the ground. She frowned, he was soon to be a very wet, cold mythical creature. She watched him curse as he looked up at the sky and pulled his jacket tighter around him. She felt a pang of sympathy.

Why am I so soft-hearted? What if he's some kind of stalker or killer?

She sat on her couch by the front window, peeking through the drapes while she silently thought about it. Her gut instinct said she could let him in. He was dangerous to others and she never felt anything threatening from him toward her. She eyed the unopened package of mace a coworker had given her. She never imagined using it before, but now it seemed like a good way to assure him there was something she could do if he got any ideas. After all, she couldn't let him die out there. Not before she figured out more of his mystery.

How exciting if he really were something unbelievable? It would be the most exciting thing of her entire life, which had been set from birth, for the most part. She would be a hairstylist, like her mother, who had been a single mother. She would stay in her hometown, regardless that it was rough, because it was where she belonged. She would go home alone every night because she never met anyone worth spending her free time with after work.

She opened the front door, mace in one hand and the other wrapped protectively around her waist. As if she could actually protect herself against him if he did decide to do something nefarious. Still, it wouldn't be the first, or the last, time she risked her own safety trying to help someone. So far, her judgment had been good and it had worked out. She hoped it would be that way again.

"All right," she said meeting his dark gaze as she approached. Once again, even with his hair wet and streaming down his face, she was shocked by how handsome he was. She never met anyone like that. She always assumed anyone that looked that handsome onscreen was totally false. She held out the mace and his cocky grin dropped.

"This is poison," she lied, hoping if he were really as he said, he would be worried. "If I spray this your way, you're going to be in terrible pain. We clear?"

One corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly, "Crystal."

"You can come in, just on the couch. Do you hear me? If I hear one step toward my bedroom, I'll let you have all of this," she said.

He stood, looking frustrated as he brushed water off him and shook his hair. He pinned her with a look, "It took you quite long enough. I thought you were softer at heart than this."

She snorted, "Soft-hearted, not stupid."

"Sometimes they are one and the same, my darling," he commented, striding ahead of her into the house and holding the door for her.

She sighed and lead him into the living room, taking his wet jacket and hanging it on the back of an old, worn chair, "Make yourself at home."

He began stripping off his clothing and she spun away from him swiftly. She tossed him a blanket keeping her head turned and was thankful she had already closed the drapes for the evening. Her throat had gone dry at what little she had seen. His powerful chest, the sinewy muscles rolling beneath his skin. His arms were roped with massive muscles she wanted to feel, his rock-hard abs…

She heard him rustling the blanket.

"How do I look?" he asked in a deep voice and she turned around, laughing at the way he wore it like a toga that was far too small, his long legs sticking out from beneath it.

"Silly," she told him.

He shrugged and flopped onto the couch, "Do you have any food left?"

She frowned, "Am I your servant now?"

"All humans are." She nearly believed him until she caught a twinkle in his dark eyes and the quirk of his lips. "Just kidding."

She sighed, "I'll have to go see what I have."

"I do believe I am getting your furniture wet. Sorry," he admitted. "Though, it is your fault."

She stifled a growl. The nerve of him. Yet how could she pretend to resent him when all she wanted to do was go back in there, rip that blanket off him and stare at him in all his glory? He had something like charisma, but on a whole different level. It definitely wasn't his not-so-sparkling personality.

She returned with a hastily made sandwich on a plate and handed it over to him. He scowled at the food for a moment before practically inhaling it. He sat back with contentment gazing around her living room.

"If you have everything you need, I'm going to bed," she said, stretching and yawning simultaneously. "It's been a long day."

He nodded, his dark eyes drawn to her chest.

She frowned, "A knock, or anything near my bedroom door and someone is in big trouble."

"True, because if anyone tries to go up there. I'm going to kill them," he said calmly - too calmly.

Something unfamiliar shot through her at his words and she stared at him. She never had someone watch out for her the way she watched out for others. It was very odd, but not unwelcome. Though it was a little weird coming from someone like him.

***

The next morning Elric woke up sore and scowled at the uncomfortably small couch where he spent the night. His human form was too large for regular furniture and he was accustomed to much better accommodations. The Oracle might be who kept him on a literal leash, but she had at least given him the type of living quarters a shifter expected; over-sized bed, lush furnishings.

As he heard Ann moving around on the second floor above him, he grinned knowing there was no where he would rather be. He still had so much to learn about her. He would go to work with her again today, because it was a good place to observe humans and he worried those men would return. He hated the way they had looked at his mate. Speaking of which, he was unsure if he should speak with the Oracle about that when he checked in next.

He touched his collar and turned it around until he found a small button under the clasp. He pressed it and heard a little beep which meant he was transmitting.

"How's it going?" he heard the Oracle's voice in his mind rather than his ears.

Pressing that button allowed her to speak into his mind and hear anything he said to her so she could check in with him. He knew little about the Oracle. He knew she was more powerful than even the strongest of his kind. He knew her kind had been around even longer than his. And he knew not to mess with her.

"I'm fine," he whispered softly. "More or less."

"Good," she said. "And your observations of humans? How is that going? You're supposed to be using your journal to send daily transmissions."

"Well, here's a daily transmission," he muttered. "A human tried to stab me yesterday."

"Really? What did you do?" she asked coyly.

"Nothing. I was actually observing another human who was attacked. I intervened."

"You intervened… for a human?"

"Crazy, I know," he said sarcastically, as softly as he could, looking up to make sure Ann was still upstairs where she would be unable to overhear him. She would think he was crazier than usual if she caught him talking to himself.

"Not so crazy. Tell me about her."

"What? How did you know it was a her?" he asked.

He could hear the Oracle's smile in her words, "It was obvious. Where are you now? Can anyone see you? You should be using the journal. It's safer."

"Her house. Yes, fine, I will use the journal. Listen, have you heard of my kind having a human mate?"

"Of course, how do you think all of them work now?"

He scoffed, "Not those wussy halflings. Ones like me."

There was a pause. "No, back then, I don't think there was any of that happening. Perhaps, with you, waking up in a new world with new needs, things are changing."

Changing. He didn't like that.

"Well, I shall look into it."

"You know what finding a mate would mean, as far as bonding with humans…"

"Liking her does not mean I like an of the rest of them," he sneered.

"Yes, but she does. How do you think she would feel about you detesting her friends and family?"

"I think she already knows that."

The Oracle sighed, "Elric, the world needs you. I need you. But while I'm glad you've found a human you would even consider as a mate, I need more than that from you. I need to know what side you want to be on and whether to keep you awake."

That thought stymied him. As much as he felt lost in this world, he didn't want to go back to not existing. While he was coming to care for Ann, he couldn't imagine wanting to care for humankind in general.

"If I found a human mate, would that not be enough proof?" he asked.

"If you could get her to agree to mate you, maybe. After all, you're terrible at hiding your feelings and she's unlikely to agree to be yours as long as she knows you hate her entire species."

He snorted, "Boo."

"Fine. Yes, if you got her to love you, to agree to mate you, the collar could come off. Fire rose in him, exciting and hot - he could be himself again. Have his powers, wealth, strength, freedom… But, Elric, consider if you really want a mate, and all the responsibility that entails, first."

Responsibility? Ha! It was just about instinct. He wanted her and would protect her and, if she would have him, they would make it a forever thing. Then they would work out the details, like how a human and a shapeshifter like him would live together, later.

He heard more movement upstairs, then the door to her room creaked open. He told the Oracle quickly, "I must go. She is awake."

"Elric," the Oracle said, warning clear in her tone of voice, "You haven't told her anything, have you?"

He kept his mind blank so he could lie, "No, nothing."

The Oracle replied with an unconvinced snort, "Be careful."

"I do not need to be careful. I am practically invincible," he said.

She sighed, "Maybe your skin, but not your heart."

"What does that mean?"

"You'll see," she said faintly.

Before he could clarify, she was gone. Ann walked down the staircase, looking at him curiously, "Were you talking to someone?"

"No," he said, already growing tired of lying, especially to Ann. "Maybe… Do not trouble yourself over the matter."

She gave him a wary glare and gestured for him to follow her into the small kitchen. She wore a cute, tight gray pencil skirt with a light pink blouse today. Her pink hued skin glowed against the shades of her clothing, her curvy legs accentuated in the skirt.

He was attracted to her, he wanted to claim her. Mate her. He sat in one of her small kitchen chairs while she told him her schedule and laid down the rules she decided on if he planned on coming in to the salon and observing again.

She is perfect, he thought watching her wrinkled her little nose as she looked in the fridge.

He would enjoy taking her, protecting her, spending time with her. He wondered why the Oracle was so worried or what any of this had to do with his nonexistent heart.

Ann took Elric to a clothing store before work to buy him some clothes to better help him blend in. He didn't like the soft clothing. A shirt with short sleeves and a dark V-neck sweater to go over it, along with a pair of lighter colored jeans. It all looked too soft, unlike his leather, which was hard, shiny, and sturdy, like he wanted to feel all the time. Especially not that he had someone to protect. However, it had been one of her requirements for if he wanted to shadow her at work, and there was no way he was going to leave her there undefended.

"It would be easier for you to blend in if you let me cut your hair," she said, one of her fingers twisting a silky lock.

He jerked out of her reach. He was touchy about his hair. He had spend a long time growing it out and he felt it was a sign of his masculinity. He didn't understand why short hair was all the rage with humans. No one felt like being warriors anymore, it seemed, at least outside the shifter world. That didn't mean he had to conform.

"Never," he told her flatly.

"All right," she pouted looking a little offended. "I'd do a good job, but it's beautiful. Still, people are going to stare."

"Let them."

"As long as you aren't going to get aggressive about it," she said.

"I told you," he retorted. "I can only get aggressive if someone is first aggressive toward me." He touched his collar. "How many times must I need to explain this?"

She folded her arms and walked ahead of him, "There's a lot you need to explain, like who you were talking to this morning."

She had heard him. He would have to use the journal as the Oracle instructed, and he hated writing. He could already imagine what an entry would sound like:

Dear Diary,

All humans are still atrocious.

The end.

Except, now there was at least one human he didn't find atrocious. One human who seemed to think she would convince him there were more humans like her.

"Anyway, excuse me if some of the stuff you say is really hard to swallow. I mean, put yourself in my shoes," she said.

"They would never fit," he deadpanned.

"Oh my God," she laughed shaking her head from side to side at the seriousness of his expression.

"What?"

"I meant, think about my point of view. I'm a human. The world is normal-"

"You mean lame."

She scowled, "No, normal. Then, out of nowhere, I'm supposed to believe in mythical creatures-"

"Not mythical. Real," he corrected.

"Stop interrupting me!"

"Stop being incorrect."

They paused, facing one another, then laughed. Ann broke first and drew him into a slow chuckle. Something about her made it feel pointless to argue.

She put her arm through his and pulled him forward, "Let's not fight. I'm going to show you that you're wrong about humans."

He shook his head in disbelief, "I am here to learn, however, I doubt I shall be proven wrong."

"I feel like I know humans a lot better than you do, and maybe, just maybe, I can get you to see them the way I do."

He shrugged, "Or perhaps I shall show you that most humans are cruel and you should run away with me leaving your world behind."

She stopped, her arm still hooked through his, setting his body on fire. She pulled away slowly, looking up at him with gentle chocolate brown eyes, "You're serious, aren't you?"

He nodded, "Of course. Why would I jest about the matter?"

"If you hate humanity so much, why would you want to take one into your world?"

He had considered if telling her mating with her could break the spell and return his powers, but he felt it would do little to help him in that moment. He stayed silent contemplating a better answer to her inquiry.

"The truth, I do not know, I simply want to. For the first time, in my long life, I want a human in my world - willingly."

She snorted, "I'm so flattered."

"You should be," he said reaching out to put her arm through his as she had before, because he enjoyed the feeling. She hesitated, then let him, locking their elbows as they walked.

"Just as friends, so you don't get lost," she said.

"Right," he replied, enjoying any touch he received from her. Humans were small, frustratingly fragile, and fickle, but he had to admire the fact they were wonderfully warm.