The last days of December always seem to blur. Is it Wednesday? Is it Sunday? Is it Chocolateday? Yeah, its a day of sugar…
On January 12th I’m going to be at Studio Moonfall in Kenosha, Wisconsin. It is an utterly amazing indie bookstore. You should come out and meet me! I’ll have my books, I’ll sign them, we’ll joke and laugh. It’ll be amazing!
I’ve been spending these last days of the year reading Veiled Phoenix, the first book in the phoenix shifter series. It’s been over a year since I wrote the book, and returning to the world has been such fun. Once I’m done cleaning up the first book, I’m going to move on to book two. Then I’m going to write book three.
If you want to be on the arc team for these books, get an early copy of the eBook so that when the book is published reviews can come out right away, fill out this form.
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Now, earlier this week, I promised you a short story. Here it is. This takes place right after book 3: Alphas. It’s summer. Jade knows where she’s going to college, but she hasn’t left yet.
Happy New Year!
Huckle
Here you go: Paw Practice
Chapter 1 – Clean up
“Jade! I need your help.”
There were three more paragraphs of my chapter. Though Owen sounded desperate, I couldn’t imagine what he could need that couldn’t wait a couple minutes. “Can you hold on?”
“I am holding on.” Owen whined. “This load is awkward.”
Across the room from me, Sarah laughed. “I’ll get the door for him.” As she walked by, she dragged her hand across the side table, then tapped her fingers on an empty vase, knocking it over. The solid foot-and-a-half decorative piece crashed to the floor but didn’t break.
I leapt from the couch, my book tumbling to the floor. “What happened? Are you okay?”
She gazed at the blue and green pottery rolling on the floor. “I’m not sure why I did that, I just … I don’t know, felt an overwhelming need to.” She shrugged, her hand still hovering over the table. She made a fist and shook her head. “I’m going to go help Owen.”
Brows knit in confusion, I squatted down to pick up my book. The bookmark was on the table near where the vase had been. I slipped it into the book and dropped it onto a couch seat cushion. Then I reached for the gift I’d gotten my parents the year before for Christmas. I gave it a critical look, but decided my first assessment was right, there were no chips or dents.
For the safety of the decorative piece, I put it up on a shelf on the other side of the living room. What the hell has gotten into Sarah? Why did she push the thing from the table?
A knock on the back door got my attention. As I headed that way, I didn’t see Sarah anywhere. She must’ve went to the restroom. I found my brother holding a pile of plates and bowls in a willy nilly stack, a desperate look on his face.
With a sigh, I let him in. “Thanks, sis.”
I followed him into the kitchen.
We’d had a big summer celebration the weekend before and it looked like he was cleaning up. Technically, it was his turn.
The pack was officially celebrating the new alphas, though Bevin and José probably wouldn’t break away from the Wisconsin pack until after they graduated college. My parents had also announced my early graduation from high school and acceptance into college. Last week, I’d received my acceptance letter to Arcoíris University in California. Bevin and I decided to jump ship on cold weather and both attend, much to José’s chigrin. The University had a great STEM program and as long as I agreed to run track, they’d let me into a program where my first year’s classes counted towards college and any missing high school credits I needed.
The weekend’s celebration had gone late, and with the nice weather the clean up had been postponed. I saw the dishes piled in the sink. “I’ll start filling the dishwasher.”
He smiled. “Awesome.” He zoomed off down the hallway. I saw him heading back towards the backyard carrying a full load of pillows and blankets. “Jade, can you help me with the door?”
My hands were filthy from the dishes. “Um … yeah. Give me a sec.”
From the living room Sarah once again spoke up. She must’ve returned to the recliner while I filled the dishwasher. “I got it.” As she came through the kitchen, she stared at a bottle of soda sitting on the counter. On her way past, she swiped at it and it flew across the room, crashing into the lower cupboards behind me.
I narrowed my eyes at her and mumbled too low for her to hear, “First Owen and then you, what, are we under the star of cat?”
Without a pause, she was into the dining room, helping Owen out. She whistled as she retreated to the living room.
Does she realize what she did? Why did she do it?
I finished putting the last of the dishes into the dishwashers, washed my hands and was drying them, when I heard Owen knocking again. I dashed to let him in. “Thanks, Jade. I think this is the last of the dishes.” He dropped them into the sink and zoomed off again.
Technically, it wasn’t my job to do the cleaning. I’d done the lion’s share last time. I rubbed my temple as he came back with another load of cushions and blankets. “Can you get the door?”
I followed him. “In and out and in and out. You know, we don’t have a cat, you can leave the door open, not to mention, you aren’t a cat. You don’t have to be let in and out all day. How many is this, anyway?”
He snorted and sauntered out the door. Scrunching up my face, I went to finish filling up the dishwasher. It was full well before the sink was empty. I added soap and turned the machine on. A knock on the back door told me Owen wanted to be let in again.
Is he training himself to be more like a cat? Does he think if he doesn’t, he’ll lose his panther?
As the thought percolated, I slowly turned to gaze at the bottle of soda on the floor. Feeling defeated, and amused, I picked it up and placed it back on the counter, glad it’d been securely closed before Sarah’s cat instinct had taken over.
At the back door, Owen wasn’t holding anything, the dork just wanted me to let him in. I cracked the door an inch. “What do you want?”
“To come in.” His wide infectious smile spread across his face.
Groaning in exasperation, I opened the door to let him in. “Whatever.”
He dashed off. I heard his footfalls as he headed down the hall towards our separate bedrooms.
Mumbling to myself about ridiculous brothers who thought being a panther would be fun, I set about cleaning the rest of the kitchen.
A few moments later, I heard him running up to me. When he got back to the kitchen, it was obvious he’d just run the full length of the house and back. “You know, there’s a gym with a running track as well as a path outside. If you need to do the zoomies this intensely, why not get out that extra energy at the gym?”
His eyes widened. “Run with me, Jade.”
Chapter 2 – Movie Madness
Sarah perked up at the mention of a run. “Can I come too?”
Owen’s eyes practically glowed, but I slumped. “I just want to finish my book.”
They both towered over me after I plopped back down on the couch. Owen reached down to clasp my hands. “Jade, you can read all summer. We’re both here today, let’s run.”
He wasn’t wrong, they both had jobs this summer, so I should take advantage of them being around for the day.
Sarah stood next to him, smiling. “You have to. You’ll both be off to college soon. How many more runs can the three of us do together?” She clasped her hands together and widened her eyes. “Please!”
Grumbling, I let Owen pull me up. “Fine, whatever.”
We all changed and headed out to the bike path near the house. We each set our watches up to track the run and took off. I let Owen set the pace. I knew if I set it, I’d go faster than they could run.
Ahead of me, Owen’s head kept darting back and forth, watching birds fly above us. I sighed, wishing I’d just stayed home.
“What is up with you today, Owen? Did you read a book on how to cat? Run or watch for birds, which is it?” I debated passing him.
He shot a look back at me. “What do you mean? I am running.”
Sarah shook her head. “Not very fast, check your watch.”
He did and I saw the shock travel down his body before he shook his head and picked up his pace. Finally!
After running for twenty minutes Owen slowed to a stop. “Okay, Jade, how fast can you get home? Do you think you can do it in half the time?”
“With how slow we were running? Maybe. I don’t know. And since when are you asking these questions? I don’t need you to be my trainer, I have Dad for that.”
His smile grew. Does anyone smile as much as my brother? He’s so joyous. “Jade, sister mine, brainiac of the family…” His eyebrow went up.
“What?” He was becoming annoying. More annoying.
“Dad isn’t part of our new pack.”
“So?”
His eyes began to twinkle. “So, I ask again, can you make it back in half the time?”
My heart dropped. “Oh, no. No, no, no. Say it isn’t so.”
“Yep. I’ve changed my major. I’m learning more and more about personal training.”
Sarah started to laugh. My traitorous best friend had to have known. They’d been dating long enough. I snapped my glare to her. “Why didn’t you warn me?”
She shook her head. “As you always say, not my story to tell.”
“Gah!” I poked Owen in the chest with every word. “You’re going to be worse than Dad, I know it! And I don’t know how fast I can get home. I haven’t pushed myself all summer. I was taking some down time after the Brooke ordeal. Isn’t having to deal with her enough?”
“Nope, now run. I expect you home and eating the chocolate chip brownie cookies I stored on my bed in ten minutes. I’ve texted Pebble to take them out of my room in twelve minutes from,” he pulled out his phone, “now.”
“What? Really? She’s … now?” My heart dropped. I really didn’t think I could run that fast.
Sarah laughed. “Better run, Jade.”
With a snarl, I turned and ran.
***
After I’d gotten home, I’d showered. When I’d won my hard earned cookies, I’d shared two with my sister, though I wasn’t sure she deserved them, working in cahoots with Owen, but her bright smile always broke through my ire.
Clean, I went to hide in the basement with the cookies and my book. Shortly thereafter, Bevin and José came over. I was lying on one of the mattresses we had on the floor from our last slumber party, hoarding the sweets. The boys sat on one of the couches.
“Chica, are you going to share?” José chuckled as I hugged my hard-earned cookies to myself.
“No. And did you know that Owen was planning on taking over as pack trainer?”
Both his and Bevin’s faces broke out in smiles, and I knew the answer. The citrusy scent of amusement filled the room.
I glowered at them. “Now you really don’t get my sweets.”
Bevin came over to sit next to me, rubbing my back, bringing the connection of pack. “What did you expect?”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t know, but being bossed around by Owen is going to suck.”
“Nah,” Bevin reached down and snagged a cookie. I was getting sugar belly, so I didn’t stop him. “He’s going to be brilliant, and you know it.”
“Whatever.”
Bevin snagged a few more cookies and handed a couple to José. The two were just too cute as a pair, it made my teeth ache as much as the sugar from my sweet prize.
My pillow felt lumpy and weird, so I started massaging it with both my hands, the action soothing something deep within me.
Footsteps on the stairs told me Owen and Sarah were coming down to join us. I ignored them, wanting to get the pillow just right so I could get back to reading.
From above, Sarah scoffed. “Jade, are you kneading that pillow? And you called us cats!”
Huckleberry Rahr - Author 