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of their own.
The Coxes ushered Sherrie and John into the house to the living room where Liberty sat on the couch
with her brother R.J. playing a video game. When she glanced up and saw Sherrie, she dropped the
controller and jumped off the couch. Her dark eyes shone as she walked quickly across the room. Then she
appeared to grow suddenly shy and stopped a few feet in front of Sherrie.
 Hi. She dipped her chin, not quite meeting her eyes.
Sherrie gave a reassuring smile.  Hi. How re you feeling?
 Okay.
 Good. That was some pretty scary stuff, huh? Freaked me out.
The little girl risked a glance at her.  I know you? It was half statement, half question.
 Yeah, I think maybe you do. I was poking around inside your head a little, but I didn t look at any
secrets, I swear.
Liberty flashed a grin.
 What you playing? Sherrie asked.  I love Xbox.
The girl shrugged.  One of my brother s dumb sports games. But if you want, we could play DDR.
My parents won t buy a Wii. DDR is a really old game, but I still like to play, sometimes, only no one ever
wants to do it with me.
 Sure. That s the one where you dance, right? Show me what to do and I ll dance you into the ground,
sister.
Liberty giggled.  I don t think so.
As the girl scampered away to pull the plug on her brother s game and set up her own, Sherrie winked
at John. It was easy to make friends with a kid. And now that she had the Cox family on her side, maybe
she could make some inroads into the community.
In the week she d lived here, she found the people polite but distant, perhaps concerned about her
connection with Evan Blake. She d seen the house he d grown up in and had visited the graves of her
possible grandparents, Steve and Amanda Blake, but she didn t feel any connection or sudden recognition.
Maybe her father being their son was just Evan s fantasy.
John had taken her to see Anna. The wisewoman was a surprise. She didn t give off a New Age
mystical vibe or have penetrating, far-seeing eyes. In fact, she reminded Sherrie very much of her eighth-
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grade gym teacher, a middle-aged woman with a butch haircut and thick calves. Her manner was abrupt
and to the point.
 You want to know about your father? I ll try, but I don t know if I can help you with that. My visions
are erratic, to say the least, Anna said.  If I had any control over what I perceive, I d have been able to
identify Evan Blake as the attacker. But I only see what the Spirit chooses to reveal to me, sometimes
seemingly random, useless flashes although they usually make sense later.
She d held Sherrie s hands across the tabletop in her kitchen, such a mundane room for a psychic
revelation, what with the lingering smell of coffee and burnt toast in the air. Anna closed her eyes and
Sherrie did too. Then she waited. Minutes ticked past. She tried to relax and open her mind so Anna could
see whatever she was looking for.
Sherrie started when Anna finally spoke.  Nothing. I m sorry. I m just not getting anything.
Sherrie had opened her eyes, blinking and focusing on the other woman.  That s all right. I ve gotten
by this long without knowing who my father is. It s not that big of a deal. Thanks for trying.
Although she d been disappointed, Sherrie had meant what she said. It really didn t matter. She knew
who she was, with or without a father. Mostly it was her unsatisfied curiosity about whether or not she had
shifter blood that bothered her. Only time would tell about genetics. If she bore a child who howled at the
moon, that might be a clue. On the other hand, considering the way her relationship with John was
escalating, she might very well have a half-breed child anyway. That opened another whole avenue of
things to consider.
Sherrie glanced at John, standing beside her in the Coxes living room, and a warm glow spread
through her. Just the sight of him could do that. She poked him in the arm.  You going to play DDR? With
your reflexes, I bet you ll be a great dancer.
 You don t have to play with Liberty, Brian said.  Perhaps you d rather sit and have a drink on the
front porch, before dinner.
 No. It s cool. I want to play, Sherrie said.  So does John.
Soon they were all taking turns at dancing, even stuffy Brian. After John s turn, he collapsed onto the
sofa beside Sherrie and leaned in to whisper in her ear.  You re amazing, you know that?
 Why, because I dance so good? she teased.
 Because you instinctively know what people need and how to bring the best out in them. He nodded
at Cox clumsily trying to match the computerized dance moves on the color-coded mat while his daughter
danced as light as a pixie on her own mat.
 I know what you need, and I ll show you later, she murmured.
Dinner at the Coxes table was much more pleasant than last time. Everyone talked and laughed and
shared memories. Sherrie learned more about the people of Browning in one hour than she d learned all
week from John.
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Shifters Captive
 What about your family? Lydia asked.  Were they worried about you when you disappeared?
 I have a sad answer to that question. She smiled.  No. My mom didn t happen to call those days, so [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]