1
Grim
Fuck my life.
I sigh as I pull up to a house that’s seen better days. The grass is overgrown; weeds choke what might have once been a decent lawn. The paint is peeling off the siding in long strips. It’s the kind of place that screams “I’ve given up,” and I’ll be damned if I don’t relate.
I yawn.
I’m bored to death.
Bored. Tired and itching for…something, although I’m not too sure what that something might be.
I cut the engine and sit there for a moment. My dragon stirs for half a second before going silent. I don’t feel him much anymore. He’s pulled so deep inside me that shifting is becoming harder and harder. It’s almost a good thing, since I’m only allowed to shift once a week. One of these days, I won’t be able to shift at all. He’ll disappear, and then I’ll be fucked for good.
I grab the file from the passenger seat and haul myself out of the vehicle and to the front door. The bell doesn’t work, so I knock.
When no one comes to the door, I knock again; this time, the wood creaks under the weight of my fist. Maybe my day will get better, and I’ll be able to break the door down.
There is no such luck, because it finally swings open to reveal an elderly shifter male with kind eyes and a lined face.
“Can I help you, son?” he asks, his voice warm and friendly.
“Are you Falkor?” I ask.
“I am indeed!” He smiles. “What can I do for you?”
I pull out the notice letter and clear my throat. “I’m here on behalf of the Vaccination Center. You’re overdue for your annual Hemorrhagic Fever vaccination.” I unfold the letter and hold it out to him. “This notice states that you have less than twelve hours to report for your vaccination or you’ll face jail time.”
The smile drops from his face. “What? No, that can’t be right.” He shakes his head. “I’m sure I just had my vaccination. It was just the other day.” He rubs his chin.
“Your last shot was a year ago, to the day,” I tell him.
He shakes his head. “I’m getting so old. I swear, time flies by. It felt like just yesterday.” This time, he scratches his head.
“Didn’t you receive the notifications in the mail? The ones telling you that you were due, and then the follow-up ones saying you were overdue?”
Falkor’s face crumples. “Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear.” He wrings his hands. “I have a whole pile of unopened mail I’ve been meaning to get to. I didn’t realize. I’m so sorry, truly I am.”
At least he’s not arguing with me. “The office would have tried calling you. Multiple times, but you never answered.”
“I don’t answer unless I recognize the number,” he admits sheepishly. “Too many scam calls these days.”
That’s true. I fold the letter and tuck it back into the file. “Look, if you come with me right now, I’ll take you in to get vaccinated. You’ll avoid jail time. You might still get a fine, but I’ll petition to keep it low.”
His face lights up. “You’d do that for me? Oh, thank you, son. Thank you so much.” He starts to go back into his house. “Let me just grab my coat. Would you like to come in? I could make you some—”
“I’m fine here.” I wave a hand. “I’ll wait.” I want to tell him that he doesn’t need a coat – it’s sweltering – but I refrain. If the old male wants his coat, I’ll wait a few minutes for him to get it.
“I’ll be right back.” He disappears into the house, leaving the door ajar.
I lean against the porch railing and pull out my phone, scrolling through my recent messages. The new Academy Leader has been on my ass lately. He wants me to sign up for mind-bonding again this year.
Fuck that.
I’m shocked that Drake hasn’t approached me as well. He got me this dead-end job. Not that I’m ungrateful. I’m shocked he hasn’t tried to get me to sign up like others have; that’s all. Then again, he is no longer the Academy Leader, so I guess it’s no longer his main focus.
My phone rings, interrupting my thoughts. I glance at the screen. It’s the office.
