“Otis called you a wixen.”
“A wixen is the official term, yes. Not all vixen shifters are wixen of course, there are only a few of us.” She flicks a strand of red hair behind her ear with one hand, and I realize that what I thought were silver painted nails are actually silver claws. “You can tell because our ears are longer, and so are our claws.” She flexes her hands and the claws lengthen.
“Do you practice magic?”
“I wish.” Her eyes cloud for a moment and her claws retract. “Most of our ancient spells have been lost, and what we have left, we can’t understand. I have one book, more like recipes, I guess. I use them to help folks with health problems. My lotions and tonics are very effective.” She glances at me sideways. “I gave your brother a quit smoking elixir and now he vapes, so I guess it kind of worked. I’m determined to get him off the vaping eventually. It’s a work in progress.” She sighs as she puts the other garments back in the suitcase.
“Thank you so much for helping him,” I say softly. “He’s never listened to me about quitting, so one up for you.”
“He tried very hard not to listen. He’s a stubborn ass. I guess I just wouldn’t let go, because I’m equally stubborn. I wish he’d let me look at his scars. I could probably make a lotion to treat them.”
“Did he tell you how he got them, Tippy?”
“No.” She glances at me, her brows arching. “He hasn’t told you either?”
I shake my head. “All he’s said is that a gang of monsters mauled him. He refuses to talk about the past. I think he’s trying to drown out all the bad memories from our childhood.”
“Memories of what?”
I huff a sigh and give her a potted history of what happened after our mom disappeared.
Tippy listens intently, her ears flicking as I talk. Finally, she says, “Well, that explains a lot.”
“In what way?”
“Oh you know, the way he blows hot and cold all the time.”
“With you?”
She tinkles out a laugh. “Goddess, no,nothingis going on between us. I just meant generally, with everyone.”
Her cheeks turn as bright as her red hair and I smother a smile. Yep, Tippy definitely has the hots for my brother. Maybe I should warn her that she’ll be taking on a whole heap of problems, but somehow, I think she has the measure of him already.
As for Jax, I recall his reaction to seeing her yesterday, like he was almosttooindifferent. The way he protested so much about her green smoothies.
I’d love him to find someone special. To my knowledge, he’s never had a long-term relationship, though I know girls have always found him strangely charismatic.
Personally, I don’t get it.
From a sister’s perspective, Jax just drives me nuts.
I decide to leave well enough alone and take one last look at my reflection. I love the look: efficient and smart, the short skirt just the right length to be a touch sexy.
Tippy pulls some pumps with heels out of the case and some sneakers. “You know what, I think these will fit you too.”
I slip on the pumps, and she’s right, they’re a perfect fit, kicking out my calves enough to give my legs extra shape.
I smile at my reflection, liking what I see.
Next to me, Tippy’s face in the mirror is all smiles. “Welcome to your new role, Clem Summers.”
Time flies when you’re having fun.
Not that I’d say it’sfunexactly—this house really is a mess, but I do like a challenge. I’ve donned the leggings and the cropped t-shirt Tippy lent me, and the apron, and I’ve got busy these last couple hours. I’ve neatly labelled the pages of coding, and put official sheriff documents into files. I’ve dusted down the flat silver boxes with glass screens and keyboards and placed them neatly on a side table. I’ve coiled up cords and put them next to the weird boxes, not knowing which belongs to which.
I find several loose recipes scattered in among the mess. Most of them are for cakes and cookies. I smile as I imagine Otis and me in the kitchen, baking together, laughing and happy, and I’m lost in a very pleasant daydream when there’s a knock at the front door.
When I get close, I see there’s a peephole in the center of the panel and peer through it.
