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Man, ask an innocent question.

Once they gotten over their shock, my aunt and uncle just looked at me as if I was Cassandra spouting dire prophecies about Troy or something.

“A grail,” Uncle quietly answered my question, “is a cup that holds some kind of magical or religious power. Why did you ask what one is?”

“Oh.” I mulled over not telling them then decided that wouldn't do any good because they would find out anyway. Besides, they needed to know. “I overheard some of the Hunters talking about having one this time.”

“I need to warn some people.” Uncle Patrick had paled, and gave me another long look before leaving.

Aunt Cecily was staring at me, too, then quietly continued unwrapping the bandages from around my middle for a minute. I hissed in pain as those came off, she hissed when she saw the extent of the damage.

“Promise me, promise me, that you'll stay away from those people until they can be taken care of, Cindy.” She almost ordered me. “They're dangerous enough, but if they have a grail with them it's going to be a lot worse than anyone expected.”

“I'm fine with that.” I winced as she gently smoothed some salve that felt worse than the wound into my side. Actually I really was fine with staying away from the Hunters. Better than fine actually after the night before. But I couldn't do it, not that I was about to tell my aunt that.

She seemed to accept that as the promise she wanted and I did feel a little guilty about sort of misleading her on the whole thing.

“Good.” She nodded while gently wrapping fresh bandages around my middle after she'd placed a pad of some absorbent material over the actual wound. The one that Dani had put on the night before was what had hurt so much when it was removed I discovered. “We don't want you getting hurt again, or killed because of all this. Let the elders take care of things, please.”

I didn't have to say anything in response to that because she started unwrapping my burnt hand, and that hurt so much I was actually in tears for awhile.

Giving me a sympathetic look, especially with how messed up hand was, she didn't press the other issue, just gave me a careful hug before announcing. “No school for you the next few days, missy. I'll have the school send your work home with your brother.”

“So now I'm grounded from school too?” I asked and was almost outraged at the unfairness of that.

“Do you really feel like going to school right now?” She countered with a concerned look. “Do you even feel like getting out of bed at the moment?”

“Oh.” I settled back into the pile of pillows at my back and winced at even that slight movement. “Good point.”

“You're healing, but wounds from silver take longer to heal than normal ones do.” She told me. “You'll be fine in a few days since you aren't already dead, thank goodness, but your aren't going to be all that mobile for at least today, and you'll still feel pretty bad for the next few. Take time to heal, honey.”

“So am I still grounded after that?” I asked.

“Did grounding you in the first place do any good?”

“Uh, no?” I actually felt embarrassed about actually disobeying her and my uncle. Not that I wouldn't do it again, mind you. But you know how guilt can be, especially when the mother figure in your life is wielding it like a nerf club on your head.

“Would it do any good at all to keep you grounded now?” She was actually trying not to smile as she asked that one.

“Probably not.” I sighed.

“My niece the escape artist.” She actually did grin and even chuckle once she'd said that. “I knew letting you work with Clarence Potter was a bad idea last summer. A coyote who can pick locks just isn't the best idea in the world.”

“But it's useful.” I pointed out then added. “And really easy, too.”

“And that,” she lightly flicked my nose, “is why it isn't such a great idea, girl.”

“I suppose you want my tools then?”

“Why, couldn't you do the same thing with a bobby pin?”

Caught again. I mean really! I just can't get away with anything around here.

“Got your homework here sis.” Chris knocked on my door.

“Bring it on.” I was almost grateful for homework. I mean I'm as internet savvy as the next teenager, which is saying I can use face book, some messenger programs, and do searches online. Along with the obligatory use of a word processor. But there is only so much you can do on the internet when all your friends are in school and you don't care for browsing porn. Downer.

And I used to really like browsing the porn sites, too. Sigh.

“How you feeling?” My brother questioned as he brought in my books and a sheet with assignments for the next three or four days on it.

“Not so good just now.” I answered and grimaced. “Even getting twenty feet to the bathroom is kind of an ordeal I don't like to think about. “Otherwise I'm fine.”

“You're alive.” He answered.

“There is that.” I managed a grin.

“Did you really kill a Hunter with his own knife?”

“Uhh, yeah.” I winced at the memory. “That was NOT fun, by the way.”

“The killing or the enchanted silver?” That's Chris, direct, no tact, all that. My brother. Gotta love him just because he is my brother. But a lot of girls like his approach to life, too.

“Both.” I grimaced and held out my bandaged hand then carefully touched my ribs. I was just trying to stay alive.”

“And a vampire brought you home after?” He was looking at me very closely.

“How did you know that?”

“She left a note.” Chris shrugged. It said she was bringing something back that we should really try to keep better track of. Left you at the front door and knocked when she brought you back.”

“That would be Dani, all right.” I let out a sigh. I was sooo going to have words with that smart ass next time I saw her.

But I still thought it was kind of funny even if I was a little put out.

“You really know some of the Vampires here in town?”

“Well, yeah.” I nodded. “One of them brought me home and really embarrassed me, after all.”

“Oh, the note also said that our security is really good but we should check that window on the third floor west hall, and should use something besides concrete to cover the walls.”

“I can't kill her, but I'm so going to get that girl some way.” I muttered.

“Right.” My brother nodded, quite skeptically, which I thought was really kind of insulting. “So how many others do you know?”

“A couple.” I hedged.

“Who?”

Wouldn't believe me if I told you.” I sighed.

“Try me.”

Damn, my own brother was as bad as our aunt and uncle. Traitor.

“Umm, Carmilla, and Josephine.”

Chris just looked at me for a few seconds like he was going to challenge me on that then just shook his head. “Wow.”

“Carmilla is actually kind of nice.” I told him, and she's dating one of the Lockes.”

Oops, shouldn't have said that. Mouth engaging ahead of brain. Not good.

“Oh, he shrugged. “Everyone in town knows that.”

What?! Again I seemed to be the last one in town to know something. Sheesh. That was getting irritating. Have to do something about that for sure.

“Why am I always the last one to find things out?” I muttered.

“Because you've always been caught up in your books, studies, and working out.” Chris shrugged. “You really didn't pay attention to other things, you know.”

“True.” I shook my head, and that still hurt, too.

“Get a little more social, sis.” He just told me and leaned over to kiss my cheek. Hey! My twin brother was kissing my cheek! Gross! We'd grown up together as boys for crying out loud.

Then again, I was a girl now. Sigh. I had soo many things to get used to now. A brother wanting to defend me and kissing my cheek was just the tip of that particular iceberg.

Was I going to start 'liking' guys now? Oh, wait. I'd already started noticing cute guys.

No lesbian coyotes, remember.

At that point I just kissed my brother's cheek in response and settled back into my nest of pillows with a kind of blank, gobsmacked expression on my face.

Oh, this was not easy.

I liked boys.

As in how a girl likes boys.

Oh lord, could the earth just kind of open up and swallow me now? Please?

And hurry up about it, too.

Ghawd, oh Ghaaaawwwd...

I am sooo doomed.

I was actually out of school for three days. In the week since Labor Day a lot had happened to poor little me. I won't list it all because I'd just start feeling sorry for myself then kick my own butt for being such a wuss about things I couldn't do all that much about.

After that first day I could hobble around, sort of, and get farther than just the bathroom that was part of my bedroom suite.

But it still really hurt to move even on the second and third day.

Note to self. Do NOT let another enchanted silver weapon touch my delicate body.

Noted, and underlined, capped, in Italics, too. I might even put that on my screen saver at home.

It was another couple of days after my unpleasant weekend encounter with that Hunter before I felt like my old self. Okay, my new old self. The girl one.

But I was ready to return to school by Thursday.

“We told them you had really bad flu and burned your hand on a vaporizer, dear.” My aunt told me.

“That should work.” I grumbled while looking at the still too pink flesh on the palm of my right hand. The really burned stuff had just kind of flaked off one day but my hand was way too tender to even touch anything for another day after that. “I still have trouble holding things with this hand.

“Not to mention that story makes me sound like a real klutz.” I added.

“Girls get that a lot off and on.” my aunt grinned. “It's just what people expect us to be, you know.”

“I think I'll try to break that mold.” I groused.

“Good, and you should.” she hugged me and grinned. Aunt Cecily was about as far from being a klutz as anyone you could imagine, and my big sister was the same way.

So okay, already. I was a girl after all. Having some good female role models isn't a bad thing is it?

If I had, absolutely had, to be a girl, being one like my sister and aunt would be a good thing.

So there.

No big deal. Not at all.

If you try saying it is, I'll rip your face off, by the way.

Oh wait! I'm supposed to sweet, demure...

Nah.

Just can't do it.

I spent most of that first day back assuring all my new friends that I was okay and feeling lots better now.

Dana cornered me in the restroom. “Are you sure you're all right, Cindy?”

“Still a little weak.” I admitted then sighed. “I haven't been that sick in my life.”

“Did you really get burned by a vaporizer?”

“It fell off the table.” I defended myself. “I just kind of hit it to keep the thing from landing on my lap.”

She grabbed my right hand and gave it a good looking over. “Still tender? What did you do, hold the thing before you knocked it away?”

“Monkey reflex.” I sighed. “Something is coming towards you, catch it. I was sick, okay?”

“Sure, sweetie.” She grinned. “We all do it at times admit it or not. It's all good.”

You know, that actually made me feel better.

Dana Stiles really is a nice person. And she's my friend.

Just a week since I'd been a guy and the hottest girl in school was just my friend. And worse, I was grateful for that.

This girl thing was really messing with my mind.

In more ways than one.

“Wake up, girl!” Stacy swatted me.

“What?” I asked while rubbing my arm.

“You were staring at Jason like he was your personal gift from heaven.” She smirked.

“Jason...” I blew a breath out from my cheeks and kind of closed my eyes and shook my head. Jason Wright was the varsity quarterback for the school football team and he was — okay, I'll admit it here — hot and sexy as all get out.

Six feet of well muscled, well proportioned dark haired, dark eyed hunk. At least I hadn't been drooling. I hoped.

This girl thing was really messing up my old self image.

Worse? Jason had been looking at me, too.

And I liked that. Damn that 'no lesbian coyotes' rule, or whatever it was.

I had to go change my panties after that one.

Talk about embarrassing. My friends teased me unmercifully over that.

But they, and I, did that to everyone else in our circle too.

Now the next day, the world, nasty as it is, turned me upside down and slammed my head right into the sidewalk.

“Hey!” Dana nudged me and pointed to the parking lot as we were heading in for our first class. That new Locke girl is here.”

I looked and admitted that she was another hot girl. Very pretty, and built. I felt a twinge of sympathy for her since she looked as uncomfortable as I'd felt not so long ago. I briefly wondered why that was.

Then I saw the guy who had brought her to school.

Oh.... my.... Well you get the idea.

He wasn't her boyfriend, that was kind of obvious, but that didn't register on me. I was wet down below, lightheaded, dizzy and weak at the knees. I actually had to sit down on a retaining wall for a minute there.

And that unbelievably attractive hunk, all six foot something of muscle, grace, and just heaven, turned his blue eyes on me and kept looking.

I swear, I had an orgasm just sitting on that wall.

I couldn't even catch my breath.

“Who was that?” I asked weakly.

“Tracy Locke.” Dana answered while giving an odd look.

“No, the guy who was with her.” I faintly answered.

“Oh, that's her cousin Carson.” My friend shrugged as she made my entire world better. He wasn't her boyfriend!

“Is he — attached?” I managed to get out.

“Not that I know of.” Dana shrugged it off. “He was our star running back last year, but he likes to play around with the girls. He never just settles on one.”

“Oh. Good.” I nodded and still hadn't caught my breath.

What the HELL had just happened to me?

But Jason wasn't all that interesting after that.

“You just had a viewgasm, didn't you?” Dana grinned.

“A what?”

“You see a really good looking guy and get weak in the knees, start thinking about what you'd like to have him do to you, or what you'd like to do him...” She giggled. “It happens off and on.”

“Oh yeah, I have to change my panties.” I admitted.

“Yeah, clean up down there too. You literally smell of sex, hon.” Dana laughed and helped me up. “I'll cover for you in first period, after all you have been sick. I'll just tell our teacher that you had to throw up or something.”

“Yeah, thanks.” I nodded as she led me to the girls restroom.

It took me the whole hour to clean up.

Okay, so I finally learned how girls masturbate and how it feels. I actually wanted more than just fifty minutes or so for that.

Sheesh.

But Carson Locke...

Wow. Just wow.

He was a wolf! He was a Locke after all. I was a coyote. They don't mix all that well.

But Terry Locke had not only been nice to me, he'd just about said he would defend me, too.

But a Wolf! I was infatuated with a wolf!

And Carson had been watching me as much as I'd been watching him.

Oh lord. How much worse could things get?

Well at least I didn't have the hots for one of vampires in town. Though a few weeks ago that could have happened too.

But Carson...

I just couldn't get him out of my mind or feelings.

This was not good on so many levels.

But I just didn't care.

Dammit! Why does all the weird stuff have to happen to me?

Later that day I was watching and noticed that he was, too.

Our eyes locked for a few seconds, and I had to go change my panties again.

Crap.

It was bad enough being a girl that all the guys in school thought was hot. But now... NOW, I'd seen a guy that I thought was hot and who got me hot.

And he was looking back.

Really? Could I just die now and get this over with?

On the other hand...

Dammit, dammit, dammit!

I want him to take me, I want him to do things with me. I dream about it.

No lesbian coyotes, yeah I know that.

But with a Wolf?

Crap.

My aunt and uncle are NOT going to be happy about this.

But he keeps looking back at me.

I can see the desire in those looks and feel the desire my own traitorous body responds with.

I am soo screwed.

Bet you thought I was all lost in teenaged girl hormonal dreams and fantasies.

Admit it you did.

And to be perfectly honest here, well I was, kind of.

But there was something else I really needed to do.

There was this pretty ordinary looking family that I hoped I could save. But it was their baby that I knew, just knew, I had to save.

“Hey! Earth to Cindy!” Dana prodded me. “What are you focused on this time?”

“I pulled myself from watching that family and shrugged. “Just that family over there. They look so happy.”

“They do that.” She nodded after watching them for a minute. “Cute baby, too.”

“Yes.” I nodded, kind of distracted for a moment at the thought of having my own, but I pulled myself back from that. The baby we were looking at was the one I was supposed to defend.

Fortunately, I didn't see a black SUV or anyone that made me feel sick when I saw them.

But they were still around.

I could feel them.

Don't even ask how I could do that. I just knew the Hunters were still in town. Though after one of their own had been killed right at their campsite, they were being a bit more careful about showing themselves.

Oddly, Dana also seemed to be watching the streets, alleys, and shadowed areas as much as I was. I ventured the question. “You've seemed extra nervous about things lately.”

“Oh, just some guy being a pest.” She shrugged. “I think he's stalking me.”

“Anybody I know?” If it was just a kid from around town, I could probably discourage him.

“Not really.” She shrugged then grinned, back to herself. “Just some guy I see off and on. No big deal. I don't think he's going to do anything.”

She was lying to me. She was afraid, and it was a big deal. But she wasn't willing to share why that was.

Great. Another person to watch out for.

“Hey Cindy.” Chris had finally gotten used, more or less, to calling me by that name and I turned to see what he wanted.

“What you need, bro?”

“Do you know Tracy Locke?”

“Not really.” I answered as we went into the house and thinking about the guy who brought Tracy to school and picked her up every day. “Why?”

“She signed up for the martial arts club.” He told me. “I just thought you might know if she was jacking me around or something.”

“Couldn't tell you to be honest.” I answered. “From what I've seen she doesn't do that, but she hasn't been around long enough to really know things like that about her.”

“Okay, thanks.” He headed off towards his room and I knew my brother had the hots for Tracy Locke. Not that I couldn't sympathize. What is it with us and the Lockes?

Sheesh.

I announced that I was going into to town to do a few things. And my aunt just nodded. “Be back by dinner time.”

“Okay.” I answered while getting my keys out of my purse.

One cool thing that happened with all these changes was that Cindy Harper already had the driver's license that Craig still had to test for. Not that I didn't know how to drive or anything, but now I didn't have to go in and take the test. Yay for once.

Plus, as Cindy, I had this really cool little Miata.

Personally, I thought my getting it was kind of a guilt thing about neither my aunt or uncle being able to figure out why I'd turned into a girl. But I didn't really care as I got into my electric blue two seater and patted the dash board fondly. “Hi sweety.”

Besides, it was money I'd earned and okay some of the trust fund from my original parents that bought it, but I truly loved that feisty little car already. It was just plain fun to drive.

But what really had me revved was that I was going to meet Carson.

Well, I didn't exactly say what I was going to do in town did I?

So what if it wasn't a mutually agreed on meeting thing. But I'd learned where he hung out, had seen him in those places a couple of times...

But this time I was really going to MEET Carson. I just knew it. If I had to trip the guy, or trip in front of him.

And as I pulled up to park at Mario's, the Pizza Parlor, sure enough, his pickup was there, too.

“Ahh, what tangled webs we weave.” I whispered while entering the place and spotting him flirting and teasing some of the cheerleaders from school.

“Oh, excuse me!” I told him as I'd tried to squeeze past on the way the restroom and bumped him.

“No, I should apologize” He looked at me and I fought the urge to just melt then and there. “I shouldn't have been hogging the aisle like that.

“Cindy Harper, right?” He asked as I just kept looking up at his face.

“Yes.” I answered while pretending to move away and towards the restroom.

“I'm Carson Locke, I've seen you at school when I take my cousin there.”

“I've seen you dropping her off and picking her up.” I admitted and smiled.

“I know.” He grinned and shrugged. “We kind of caught each other watching, didn't we?”

“Uh huh.” I wanted to kick myself for that intelligent answer.

“Can I get you something to drink?” He asked.

“Sure.”

“What would you like?” He asked as I forced myself to head towards the restroom.

“Umm, a cherry limeade would be good.”

“Diet?”

“No way.” I laughed and grimaced. “I don't do unleaded.”

Oh, this was going to be a really interesting afternoon.

The cheerleaders hated me just then, and I couldn't have cared less. Okay that wouldn't have bothered me all that much anyway.

But I was going to sit down with Carson and... Oh boy.

I actually hurried through the restroom thing there.

Oh, the cheerleaders weren't happy with me at all I noticed as I smiled at Carson and joined him in a booth. “Hi.”

“Hi, back.” He grinned and motioned to the drink sitting on my side of the table. “There you go.”

“Thanks.” I took a sip and waited.

“You're new around here, aren't you?” He asked.

“Just started this year.” I nodded trying to keep my attention on anything other than how my middle felt while I was talking with him.

“Do you like it here?” He carefully asked while taking a sip of his own drink.

I nearly bit my straw I was 'liking it here' so much, but just shrugged. “It was a change. But it doesn't seem so bad here.”

After that we just talked, touched a hand here and there, and it was all driving me so crazy.

I had never in my life felt like this over anyone. And it had to be a guy I was feeling that way about.

Mental thump to the head here. I'm a girl now. G. I. R. L. so what did I expect?

That was one of the most pleasant, exciting afternoons I'd ever spent and all I did was sit there and talk.

With a guy.

Worse, I was just sure the seat under me was wet and smelling like turned on girl once I left.

I'd only been a girl for a week! I wasn't used to the simple things like wearing let alone matching the clothes, shoes and makeup, let alone willing to even think about actually liking a guy. Shoot, I still had to remind myself to use conditioner on my hair after the shampoo!

The gods hate me and are laughing right now. I just know it.

But my body sure did like Carson.

I've said it before, I know, but... Can I just die now and get it over with?

I had a lot of things to get out that Saturday. So I went to the dojo. I kicked, punched, cursed, and generally committed mayhem on every inoffensive bag I could find.

“Hey sis!” Chris interrupted yet another period of angst and tossed me a helmet. “You look like you could use a little sparring here. Come on.”

Carly, who had been watching me terrorize the bags nodded and pointed to the ring. “Go on.”

So I did.

My balance was still a little off. I wasn't as strong as I had been, at least in the upper body. But I worked on what I had to work with there.

I was faster than Chris. Lots faster. My kicks packed a lot more punch, too.

Plus, I could dodge his strikes and kicks with ease.

He'd put me down at least three times in a spar like this before I changed, but this time he could barely touch me. Hmmm.

We finally quit and he nodded at me with more respect in his eyes than I'd seen in a long time. “Good job, Cindy.”

Pulling off the helmet, and shaking out the braid my hair was in (yes I'd taken his advice about all my hair, I just couldn't bear to cut it for some reason) I noticed we were being watched.

It was Tracy Locke in all her blonde, blue eyed glory.

I nudged my brother and smirked at him. “Your girlfriend is here.”

I passed her on the way to the locker room and gave her a polite smile.

Nothing was said, but I got a very strong impression that she was just as uncomfortable being her as I was being me at times.

I just left her to Chris.

Sure she was gorgeous. But I wasn't into girls that way, I'd found out.

Her cousin now...

That was another matter and one I was still wrestling with mentally and emotionally.

Even if I did pull a minor meltdown whenever I thought of him.

Dammit!

Why can't anything ever be easy?