The Baby Shift- Virginia Read online

  The Baby Shift: Virginia

  Shifter Babies Of America 22

  Becca Fanning

  Copyright © 2019 by Becca Fanning

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Also by Becca Fanning

  Chapter 1

  The bumpy road stretched out in front of Delphine, seemingly endless. Nothing but trees surrounded her. Her beat up little car didn’t enjoy the potholes, and neither did she.

  Every time the car jumped into the air, she reached out her hand to the passenger seat where her son’s car seat was strapped in. His fat little cheeks were flushed, and his blanket was loose on his body, covering only his legs.

  The car jumped again, landing with a loud thu-dunk. Delphine grimaced as she touched the edge of the car seat. Christopher fussed, opening his mouth wordlessly as he wriggled beneath the straps around his chest.

  Delphine tried to comfort him as best as she could. Out the corner of her eye, she could see his dark brown eyes searching for her face. It didn’t take long for his chubby hands to grab at empty air, longing to be in her arms.

  Another pothole struck the front left wheel, sending that side of the car dipping suddenly then rising. Delphine clutched the wheel with her free hand and let the breath she’d been holding hiss out between her teeth.

  It was long past noon, long past time for Chris to eat. As the seconds ticked by, she could feel the tension in her body rising. Her legs and feet were sore from the hours of driving, and her eyes were heavy from the lack of sleep.

  Chris had barely been in cars during his short life. Delphine cursed herself for not taking him out more. Of course, if she’d known that the glorious ride called life was going to take her down this route, then she would have made so many different choices.

  Not Chris, though. She would never change him for the world. He was perfect, with his tiny body covered with rolls of adorable fat. Delphine adored him. She’d never been so smitten with anyone or anything in her entire life. The love she’d experienced before paled in comparison.

  This is all for him, she thought. All this driving, the sleepless nights in cheap motels. It’s all for him. He deserves better. He needs better.

  Delphine didn’t quite believe it herself, not yet. It would have been easier to stay back in Arkansas, to put up with Christopher’s father, to endure everything. But it wouldn’t have been right. Delphine was a mother now, and she had to put Christopher’s needs first, no matter how hard it was.

  In the distance, Delphine could see the road coming to an end. A small patch of dirt had been carved out in the ground, and a couple of cars were parked in a row. Delphine let the car slow to a crawl as she leaned forward, her chin almost touching the wheel.

  Her heart sank through her chest. There was no store here. The only thing she could see through the dense trees was a small log cabin in a clearing, barely big enough for one room.

  Delphine flopped back down into her seat, causing the whole car to rock. Chris opened his mouth wide and let out a small yelp. Delphine’s eyes instantly went to his little face, and her right hand lifted from the side of his seat to rub his Buddha belly.

  “Shush now,” Delphine cooed. “It’s okay.”

  Chris didn’t calm this time. He scrunched up his face as his mouth opened wider. As he started to cry, he drew his legs up to his stomach before kicking them out. The blanket fell off his body, letting his bare legs out into the cool air.

  All she wanted to do was pick up her boy and soothe him, but the car was still moving forward. It was hard not to reach over and touch him, to hold him to her breast and cup the back of his head in her hand.

  “Big bump coming,” Delphine warned Chris, trying to brighten the mood. “Hold on, now.”

  Thu-dunk. The car dipped down onto the dirt and instantly began rumbling. Rocks and chunks of earth caused the whole car to shake, spurring on more of Chris’s tears.

  Delphine had enough. She swerved to the side of the road and pulled the e-brake. The sound of it clicking made Chris wail even louder. Delphine lunged over to the car seat and unstrapped him as quickly as she could, her hands shaking. She held onto her boy tightly and rocked from side to side, shushing him.

  It didn’t take long for him to settle. The same wasn’t true for Delphine. She could feel the tension in her body, seeping into every muscle and every bone. All she wanted was a meal for her son and a good night’s sleep for both of them.

  Gently, she nuzzled her head against her son’s body and inhaled deeply. He’d always smelled good, ever since he was born. It was calming to her, and these days, she needed as much calm as she could get. Moving from one state to another was harder than she’d expected. Leaving family behind was one thing, but the logistics of moving as a single mother was something else.

  She pushed the unpleasant thoughts away, right now, she needed to stay focused on the positive ones. Every time she thought of home, her eyes filled with tears.

  Can’t cry, she thought. Not in front of Topher.

  Delphine pulled his small body away from hers and held him in her arms. Fat, wet tears were still falling from his eyes, but now his cries had turned to whimpers. His big brown eyes focused on her face examining her features.

  “What’s all that fussin’ for?” Delphine asked.

  It took him a moment to forget why he was crying and break out into a grin. Right at the front of his soft, gummy mouth were two large front teeth.

  “There’s my Gopher,” Delphine laughed.

  Chris’s body started to slip in her arms, so she brought him up to her chest again and enjoyed another long cuddle.

  “I know,” she whispered. “It’s been a long day. I’m tryin’ to get you your food. We just gotta find the store, okay?”

  Something big and dark moved in the corner of her vision. Behind the line of parked cars, she could see figures that looked like people. Splashes of red, black, and white were shifting around in the distance. Delphine felt a flutter in her heart, a spark of hope.

  “Let’s ask these nice people where the store is, huh?” Delphine drew Chris away from her body once more. “Lemme just put you down and go ask them, okay?”

  She moved him slowly so as not to startle him and eased him back into the car seat. Predictably, he began to fuss. Wet patches formed in the corners of his eyes as he began to cry. Delphine leaned over him and plastered the biggest smile on her lips.

  “Hey now,” she whispered in sweet tones. “None of that. You want lunch, don’t you?”

  Her hands worked tirelessly, tucking Chris in and trying to comfort him. All the while, her eyes never left his face. She kept on smiling, showing him that everything was fine.

  It took only a couple of minutes, but Chris was finally calm enough for her to take a look around. As quietly as she could, she opened her squeaky door and stepped outside.

  As she approached the line of parked cars, she could see seven men standing around one another. All of them were impossibly tall, muscular, and drop-dead gorgeous. Delphine couldn’t help but wonder if she’d accidentally walked onto a magazine shoot.

  The three men farthest from her were beefy, with thick arms and chests and thighs. All of them were wearing button-down shirts, open to reveal t-shirts or tank tops beneath. They were covered in sweaty hair, and their clothes were damp, covered in thick smears of dirt.

  The four men nearest her, standing with their backs turned toward her, seemed lithe and sleek. Their clothes were clean, and their hair was styled with gel. Even their posture was better, standing tall with their hands clasped behind their backs.

  Delphine glanced back to the car as she warily approached. She could just about see Chris’s car seat. The light from the sky was shining down onto the windscreen, illuminating it in a light blue.

  He’s not crying, she thought. I’ll be a second. Just a second. He’ll be fine for a second.

  There was no turning off her worry, though. Arkansas had taught her that. Now she was always fearful, constantly looking over her shoulder, waiting for her past to catch up to her.

  As she continued toward the men, she glanced around at the small opening she found herself in. The trees had all been cut down around the section of land, making room for the cranes and what looked to be logging equipment.

  Delphine prepared herself to open her mouth and ask how the heck to get out of there. Just as her lips parted, the lumberjacks all turned their heads toward her.

  The group silenced almost instantly.

  The second group of men turned their heads slowly, purposefully.

  Delphine felt her stomach go cold as she saw the way the clean looking-men stared at her, creepy grins forming on their lips…

  Something was wrong. Delphine glanced over to the grubby group of lumberjacks and tried to contemplate what she’d stumbled into.

  Before she’d even had time to step backward, one of the lithe men bounded toward her. Delphine was too shocked to move. Her legs ignored her attempts to back away and instead they cemented her in place.

  Her body froze sending tremors through her. The world was shi
fting in slow motion as she watched the man’s hands reached out for her. She could see his fingernails, smooth and short and clean, and the pale hairs on the backs of his hands. Delphine watched helplessly as she saw his thin lips curl up over his pointed, white teeth.

  His blond hair moved in the wind as he approached her, taking large steps that shook the ground beneath her feet.

  Her hands came up to her face, trying to stop his from grabbing her, but her reflex was too slow. She felt his hot skin against hers.

  * * *

  A surge of adrenaline pumped through Delphine’s muscles, flickering through her chest and undulating all the way down to her legs. She slapped. She bit. She wriggled and squirmed. She even tried ducking down and pulling away, but his hand still managed to clamp down around her neck.

  Strong, hard fingers dug into her soft flesh, cutting off her oxygen and blood supply. She could feel her blood rushing, desperately trying to escape. In one swift move, she was tucked beneath the man’s arm. His elbow was right beneath her chin, and her back was pressed against his chest. Delphine dug her nails into his forearm, but he didn’t seem to notice.

  Instead, he spun around to face the lumberjacks.

  Delphine was no match for his strength. The more she struggled, the harder he pressed on her throat. Gasping for breath, Delphine knew if she didn’t relax, he was going to kill her. Right in front of Chris.

  Topher, she thought.

  Panic rose through her body, causing her legs to kick out and her hips to buck. She lunged forward, slamming her throat into his arm. A choked cry escaped her open, rasping mouth.

  Every piece of her body was screaming. All she wanted to do—the only thing she could think about—was to run.

  The fear ate away at her. At that moment, she disregarded every self-defense move she’d ever learned. A persistent voice in her mind told her to calm herself, to stay still, but she couldn’t listen.

  All she knew was that Chris was left alone; if something happened to her…

  No! Delphine thought, screaming at herself in her own mind as her body thrashed.

  “Feisty,” the man said from above.

  Her eyes glanced up to where the sound had come from. The man who was holding her was grinning, simply enjoying their encounter.

  Like a truck, the realization hit Delphine. If she didn’t wise up and stop fighting him, she could easily die right here.

  She wasn’t going to manage to break free anyway—no matter how hard she tried. His arm was tucked beneath her chin and pulling her head back to rest on his chest. There was no getting out of this without help.

  She concentrated on calming her breaths and trying to ignore every instinct she felt. No matter how much her body told her to run, to try and escape, she wasn’t going to listen.

  “Let her go,” one of the lumberjacks said.

  Delphine glanced over to them as her breaths grew more labored. Whatever this guy was pressing on her neck wasn’t good for her. Everything was starting to lose focus, turning soft at the edges.

  “She has nothing to do with this,” the same lumberjack spoke again. “Just let her go, and we can talk about this like reasonable people.”

  The man holding Delphine laughed. The sound of it rolled through his body, sending the vibrations through Delphine’s back. The feeling of it sickened her.

  Somewhere behind her, she heard a metallic click. Delphine’s vision sharpened instantly—she knew that sound all too well.

  It was a gun, and it was ready to be fired. Delphine tried to control herself, to not struggle.

  She was already slipping out of consciousness. A deep, black abyss was calling her, easing her into a dreamless sleep.

  “Let her go,” the lumberjack said. “Don’t do this.”

  Delphine felt his words roll through her body. Tears sprang into her eyes. Her throat tightened.

  As much as she tried, she couldn’t get the thought out of her mind: someone had a gun. Every instinct told her to run away; if she put up a battle, things would only get worse.

  Be calm, Delphine thought as she struggled to breathe deeply. Be still.

  It didn’t matter. The dark corners of her vision started to bleed into the middle. Then everything went black. Silent.

  The next thing she knew, she was falling to the grass. She could see it come out of the darkness, speeding right toward her face. There was no time to put up her arms or brace herself. Delphine felt her nose smash into the damp dirt, bending sideways with an audible pop.

  Heavy, shaking breaths racked her chest. She managed to roll over to see the sky above her was bright blue, with only a couple of clouds slowly drifting by. She stayed there for a moment, feeling the solid ground under her back. The trees towering above her blew in the breeze, gently swaying.

  The sound of a car door shutting brought her to her senses. She lurched up from the ground and stared at her car, where she’d left Chris.

  A steady voice from behind her asked, “Are you okay?”

  Delphine got up just in time to back away from the man. He’d been walking toward her, his heavy black boots squelching in the ground.

  His steady golden eyes drew her attention first. Her gaze drifted up to his hair—pitch black and long, hanging down past his jaw. She stumbled backward as she tried to get back to her baby.

  In a soft and slow voice, the man asked again, “Lady, are you okay?”

  Everything was spinning. Black dots and bright red stars were dancing in front of her eyes. The skin on her neck burned from where she’d been held against her will.

  Delphine was still gasping for breath and seemingly unable to speak. She backed up all the way to the car and jumped into the driver’s seat. The whole car rocked right, and the movement startled Chris awake.

  Delphine didn’t have time to comfort him, though. She slammed the door and shoved her keys into the ignition, frantically turning them to get the car started. It thrummed to life loudly. Delphine kicked it into reverse and pushed down on the gas, sending the car flying backward.

  Chris started bawling from the passenger seat. His tiny hands balled into fists as his legs manically kicked out. Delphine tried to ignore his cries as she drove.

  The back tires banged into the lip of the asphalt road. She didn’t have time to brace. Delphine let her body fly forward as she carried on driving, her foot pressed to the floor.

  She managed to hold it together until she got to the highway. By then, salty tears were steadily rolling down her cheeks. The only thing she could do was stop her car on the side of the road and let the sobs engulf her.

  Chapter 2

  Never had Delphine been so glad to see a grocery store. Both of her hands were resting at the top of the steering wheel. She could see her eyes in the rearview mirror, now red and puffy. Half-dried streaks from her tears coated her cheeks.

  She parked the car on the side of the road and wiped away the crusted tears with the backs of her hands.

  Breathe in; she closed her eyes and let the stuffy air slowly enter her lungs.

  And exhale; her breath eased out of her mouth and misted on the windscreen.

  “Okay.” She opened her eye and sighed. “We’ve got this, buddy.”

  She looked over to Chris, leaning her body across the car to stare at him up close. His big brown eyes looked worried. Delphine outstretched a finger and rubbed his belly.

  “Come on,” she whispered, trying to put a positive sound in her voice, “Let’s get you some food.”

  Without another word, she unbuckled her somber child and brought him into her arms. They went into the store together, holding onto one another tightly. Chris kept his face near her neck, nuzzled close to her for safety.

  Despite it being a tiny town, the store was huge. There were so many aisles; Delphine almost felt intimidated. She caught a look at herself in the monitors above the door as she walked in.

  Her long-sleeved blouse was covered in light mud stains. Luckily for her, the flower print hid most of it. Her cropped jeans now covered in mud and grass with green patches on her knees, didn’t look much better,