A Touch of Madness (A Recipe for Disaster Novel 1)

And I start to lose control.

We pulled up to the Changer safe house and I went inside, as gloomy as a storm cloud. I can’t help but note that it really did smell like wet animal in there. But when a familiar voice boomed out, I suddenly felt a lot better. “Callie!” Barry yelled and thundered over to me, actually brushing past Alex to scoop me up in a breathtaking bear hug. And I melted into it, clinging to my best friend for dear sanity. I hadn’t realized how close to losing it completely I had been this past week. For a moment I could just let my worries soak into my best friend’s chest. It was a little embarrassing how much I needed that. “Do you have any idea how scared I’ve been? I find out from Edward that your place is torched, a Demon Lord wants to kill you, you’ve gone missing and the entire Counsel is looking for both you and Cassie. They even searched my place to see if I’d hidden you. Hell, they searched Alex’s place too. Bet he didn’t tell you that one!” Barry had actually started shaking me a little with his scared anger.

Alex pulled Barry away from me. “Albert it’s not your place.” He said, voice a snarl.

“Not my place? I’ve known Callahan for years, been best friend and confidant to her for years. She killed the poachers who attacked my family, where the hell do you get off thinking that I don’t have the right to be upset?” Barry demanded, actually challenging Alex in his worry. The tension in the room suddenly spiked.

“Oh will you two please just lay them out on the table and measure already?” Jessica demanded, startling everyone out of their hostility. “She’s hardly worth the fuss, we’re all just on edge because of the full moon tomorrow.” She added.

“Gee thanks Jess.” I said dryly. Then we hooked arms and walked past Alex and Barry, ignoring them completely. I was actually quite grateful for her quick thinking, as I really didn’t need Alex killing my best friend in a dominance struggle; Barry kicks some ass but he isn’t vicious by nature, whereas Alex was.

“I’ll give you the grand tour while everyone else settles. A lot of new changers come the night before the full moon because they feel it’s safer until they have more control.” Jessica explained. She showed me the entire facility, which was nice. The room where the little fight with the devil kin had occurred was disinfected, clean, and had a new floor to boot. I’m guessing that with the discerning noses that the Changers generally have, Lysol just couldn’t get the blood smell out. On the plus side seeing the room with a new floor helped me ignore the twinge in my arm where the scar was. Those new tiles made me stop and think; I'd killed someone here and never even once stopped to feel even a shred of guilt over it but I didn’t get to pursue that thought because the boys decided to join us. Barry walked beside me and Alex was on the opposite side of Jessica; both were a little stiff. There were so many jokes I could crack at their expense but for once I managed to shut myself up before I said the stupid things.

The room in which I would be sleeping for the next couple of nights was actually a cell. Metal walls, metal doors, metal bed frame, and a wall in front of the toilet and sink for a facsimile of privacy and it all locked from the outside. I turned a look at them. “You’re joking right?” I asked voice not amused.

“No. This is the safest place for you for the next two nights.” Alex informed me. “You can’t get out and go wandering into trouble, and all the bad guys have to go through us. While we’re in the moon call, we’ll also be unable to hurt you inadvertently.” He added. I shot a look at a guilty looking Barry. Back when Barry’s gift first presented itself, I had sat with him during his first change in an attempt to prove that I wasn’t afraid of him. It was really weird, and kind of gross watching him shape shift but I managed. Barry also managed to remain calm but he tried to hug me in bear shape to show his gratitude and accidentally clawed my hip open. It wasn’t a major injury, but he freaked out. I got stitched up and now, years later have claw marks from the top of my left hip on the side of my leg, slashing diagonally to the front of my thigh. The scars are only about a foot long and don’t bother me, but Barry still feels guilty to this day, and Alex has definitely seen me in a state of undress so he had to have noticed them. “Tonight, unless someone succumbs early, you’ll not be locked in and are free to join us at dinner and the following movie. This month’s film is Hudson Hawk and food is pizza.” Alex said, quite formally, probably a tactic to help keep the Tigris theriomorph in check.