Knowing he couldn’t stay out in the open in the state he was in, that the risk of being spotted was too great, Darius took off at a run toward his car. He kept to the darkest spots along the road, hoping like hell he didn’t hear someone shouting in alarm behind him. He had to go back to his place and talk with Anubis. The god was the only person he thought of who could fix him.
At his sports car, he pulled on the door handle on the driver’s side. It didn’t open. Shit. He carried his keys in his jeans pocket, which were now gone wherever they went when he shifted. Darius tried to will them back the same way he did the number of weapons he had at his disposal, but that accomplished nothing.
“Ah, fuck,” he said under his breath.
He was going to have to smash the window. The longer he stood there the greater the chances of him being seen. Thinking this was going to hurt, but not in the physical sense, Darius pulled back his arm, then punched his fist through the car window. He quickly unlocked the door, sweeping the broken glass off the seat and onto the road before he got inside. He instantly felt cramped with the steering wheel too close to his furred chest. Of course he was much bigger in this form, and he’d never driven while in it, either. Darius adjusted the seat to accommodate his larger size.
With no keys, he had no choice but to hotwire his car. Luckily it was something he already knew how to do, having gone through a period where he’d wanted to learn just for the hell of it. In a matter of a minute, the engine roared to life. Darius took the longer route to get home, to avoid as many main streets as possible. It being so late, there weren’t that many people around to see him drive by.
At his place, he had to break one of the small windows that lined either side of the front door to get in. The amount of glass repairs he’d have to have done were racking up.
Darius headed straight to the small temple just off the living room. Standing before the altar, he closed his eyes to concentrate and sent out a call to the god he served. “Anubis, I have need of you.”
What troubles you, Darius? Anubis’ deep voice filled his head.
“Something happened while I was out on the hunt tonight. I’m stuck shifted.”
Show me.
Darius played the whole conversation with the disembodied male voice in his mind as Anubis watched the scenes play out. When the god didn’t say anything right away, Darius asked, “Do you have any clue who the voice belonged to?”
It was a demon. Normally, his kind wouldn’t have the power to force you to shift, especially while in the underworld. I have a feeling this one has found a way out of it and into the mortal realm.
“A demon? That doesn’t sound good.” Out of all his years of serving Anubis, not once had Darius come across one.
It isn’t. Let loose on mortals, there is no telling what a demon will do. But it seems for now he’s set his sights on you.
“Is there anything you can try to get me to shift back to my human form?”
Let me see what I can do.
Darius felt the god’s presence move inside him. He gritted his teeth as Anubis tried to bring on the shift, only to have it stop, keeping Darius trapped in his present form. Anubis brought it on several more times before he pulled out of Darius’ body.
I can’t get you to shift.
“So I’m stuck like this?” Darius did not like the sound of that.
I don’t think it’s something permanent. It has the feel of a spell. Dark magic, to be exact. But it’s not a very strong one. If it were, I never would have been able to start the change at all. I have a feeling it will wear off.
“Wear off? How long will that take? I could be trapped in this form for days. I won’t be able to leave the house. If mortals were to see me like this they’d freak.” Then Darius remembered about Brisa. “Oh shit.”
What?
“I was supposed to meet someone tonight. As of right now I’m late. She’s not going to be too happy with me if I don’t show up.”
Your date will have to wait. I think by morning the spell will have weakened enough to let the change come on naturally. If it doesn’t, I should be able to push past it enough to do it. For now, try to get some sleep.
Darius felt Anubis’ presence completely disappear. This had not turned out as he’d planned. Now he wouldn’t be able to see Brisa. And thinking about it, he had no way of phoning her, either. His cell phone had disappeared along with his clothes and keys. He was going to have to stand her up. Terrific. The night wasn’t going to end the way he’d wanted it. Not only that, but he’d have Brisa pissed-off at him. She was going to think he was an asshole.
“Still no sign of him?”
Brisa put down the glass she’d been drying and shook her head at Janey. “No, and the bar closes in two minutes.”
“Did you try calling him?”
“Yeah. About five times. It goes straight to his voice mail. I’ve left a message, but either Darius didn’t get it or he’s ignoring me. So much for the weekend he wanted to spend with me. And it looks as if I packed that bag for nothing.”
“Maybe something came up. You told me he was a bounty hunter or something. Maybe he had to go chase down a bad guy.”
“I think that’s just wishful thinking on your part, Janey. I figure Darius would have called if it were something like that.”
Her friend shrugged. “I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. Plus, you seem really in to Darius. The way you’ve talked about him, I know you like him a lot.”
Brisa sighed. “The man is perfect. He has good looks, a great body, I actually enjoy being around him and he has money. But that’s the thing. He’s too perfect. I knew it had to be too good to be true. I’m not lucky enough to land a guy like Darius and actually get to keep him. Maybe he decided I’m not his type, after all.”
“Would you stop being so down on yourself? I think Darius is the one who is lucky to have you, not the other way around. I have a feeling he’ll call you tomorrow with an explanation as to why he didn’t show up tonight.” Janey winked. “Maybe you’ll get some apology sex out of him too.”
Brisa laughed. “Apology sex? I take it that’s like make-up sex?”
“Of course. Just wait and see. Darius won’t give up on you.” Janey looked at her watch. “Well, it’s closing time, which means I’m out of here. Try to have a good weekend, Brisa. And I want all the juicy details on Monday.”
Brisa shook her head as her friend walked away. Janey was always the optimist. Brisa, on the other hand, wasn’t much of one. In her eyes, Darius not showing up without calling wasn’t a good sign, especially after the afternoon they’d spent together. She’d thought for sure he was as in to her as she was in to him.
Finished doing the last-minute tasks of cleaning up behind the bar, Brisa went back to the room where she’d put her purse and the bag she’d packed for the night and weekend. The one she now didn’t need.
She left the bar and headed to the parking lot and her car. Usually when a guy stood her up that meant she didn’t give him a second chance. If he did it once he was liable to do it again. But if Darius called her tomorrow and had a legitimate excuse, she didn’t think she’d be able to tell him she didn’t want to see him. As she’d said to Janey, he was perfect in every way. He was the type of guy she’d hoped to meet, fall in love with and end up married to.