Chapter 11

When Catlyn left her apartment for work the next afternoon, she stopped in her tracks. The pernicious black sedan wasn’t loitering in its usual spot. Swiveling her head around, she searched the parking lot for it. A tall man with short black hair, wearing jeans and a polo shirt with Jade’s company logo embroidered on it, stepped from the side of the building. Catlyn recognized him as one of Jade’s top specialists, Charlie MacNamara. Jade was serious about protecting Catlyn if she assigned him as part of her protection detail.

Charlie gave her a nod of acknowledgment, then headed to a silver beast of a truck. The outline of a weapon bulged from under the back of his shirt. The diesel engine roared to life before he even opened the door. He waited to get in until her puny Honda puttered awake. By the time she’d backed from her space, he had his truck in gear and ready to prowl behind her.

She wondered what happened to her stalkers, but not seeing them released the knot of fear in her stomach. She sang with the radio as she drove to work. Something she hadn’t done since the sedans had first appeared in her rearview mirror.

Her protector’s truck easily kept up with her through the afternoon freeway traffic. He pulled ahead of her before she reached Mystical Enchantments, peeling into the parking lot. When she pulled in, she glimpsed Charlie’s empty truck. By the time she parked, he stood at the front door, opening it for her.

“All’s clear, ma’am.” He handed her a simple business card with Jade’s logo and a phone number on it. “I’ll be out here if you need me. Call that number. We’ve programmed it into the favorites on your phone. Your call will be routed to me or whoever is on duty.”

A wisp of anger snagged her at the thought her godmother had already messed with her phone. But then she remembered Jade’s reaction to Michael. If he was as dangerous as Jade believed, Catlyn had better follow Jade’s guidance. Her godmother didn’t scare easily.

“Thanks, Charlie. I will. I already feel safer with you around.”

Charlie’s green eyes lit up as he grinned.

The afternoon flowed from one client to the next without the problems or tension she’d been experiencing lately. Catlyn finished her last appointment with only a few minutes to spare before the weekly Shamanism class held at the store. She gathered her notebook and pen, then wandered to the small kitchen. Opening the fridge, she snatched a bottle of cold water. Her mouth watered at the sight of the homemade chocolate chip cookies someone had brought in. After eating the cookie and drinking most of the water, she stretched, refilled the bottle, and walked to the store’s classroom.

Jade saw her enter and smiled. Where Catlyn looked the part of a psychic and weirdo, Jade was the antithesis of that persona. Dressed in her normal black t-shirt and black jeans, Jade sat cross-legged on a pillow. Her black leather jacket, boots, and motorcycle helmet were piled by the wall next to the door. She’d removed the bandage over her left eye, and her black eye had turned a lovely green. A sling still held her left arm.

Catlyn ambled over to Jade and leaned over, brushing a light kiss on her cheek, and whispered, “Thanks for the detail. I appreciate it. I do love you.”

Jade grinned, her eyes bright with gathering tears. She awkwardly patted Catlyn’s back with her uninjured hand.

Catlyn glanced around the room at the ten other women sprawled on the floor. She grabbed a pillow and a yoga mat from the waiting pile, putting them down between her friends Bri Nelson and Lisa Moon.

Once everyone had settled into their places and the door closed, Jade began the class. “Shamanic journeys are the mainstay of shamanic healing. We’ve taken journeys to the upper and lower worlds as visitors. Today, we’ll travel to the lower world with the purpose of meeting our animal helper. These are spiritual beings who, by their choice, have decided to assist you in your journey. Some only appear once to give you a message, while others stay with you for days, sometimes for the rest of your life. The former are guides; the latter are totems.”

She caught the gazes of the participants and leaned forward, resting her injured arm on her knees. “Place no judgment on the animal that comes to you. A mouse or a fly are as worthy as a wolf or jaguar, and all have lessons to teach you or wisdom to share. Did you bring your journals?”

Jade looked around the circle at all the women nodding. “Good. It’s always an excellent idea to write about what you’ve seen or heard after a journey. For some, this will make the experience more real. For others, the act of writing continues the journey and allows more information to flow to them. There is no right or wrong way. Whatever works for you is the right way for you.”

Catlyn glanced down at her journal and pen, waiting by her water bottle. For her, she usually received more insights as she wrote down her experience. She enjoyed reading her entries later to remember the amazing experiences she’d had, especially when life became a struggle.

“Let us begin.” Jade stood up, lit a sage bundle, and walked around the outside of the circle, stopping at each person and smudging them. Then she faced east and called in the directions, one by one.

The familiar ritual calmed Catlyn’s mind and spirit. The worry and stress of the week slid away. By the time Jade picked up her Native American-style drum and began beating a heartbeat rhythm, Catlyn had already fallen into a trance state. She listened as Jade led them on a Shamanic journey. Once Catlyn entered the lower world, Jade’s voice and the drum faded into the background.

Catlyn stepped from the cave into a thick mist. The humidity soaked into her skin. Bright-colored birds squawked in the tall trees above her. The tree’s bluish leaves and smooth gray bark were unlike anything she’d ever seen, even in pictures. She noticed a path between the trees and followed it. Ferns, glowing with lavender light, lined the path. The tiny heart-shaped leaves reached out toward her. Wherever they touched her, her skin glowed with the same pale light. Her heart rate slowed, and she grew calmer. The soft moss on the ground looked inviting, and after the last few stressful weeks, she yearned for a quiet, peaceful moment. She sank down on it and curled up, her eyes closing.

No, I can’t sleep. I’m here to meet my animal guide.

The insistent drumbeat become louder and faster, calling the journeyers to return to their own world. Catlyn tried not to feel disappointed because she hadn’t met any animals. The hard floor pressed against her back as she returned from the trance.

A puff of air blew on her face as something snorted. Catlyn’s eyes jerked open. A large white tigress stood over her. Catlyn’s breath caught in her throat as she recognized the familiar deep cerulean-blue eyes. She blinked, unsure if she was awake or still in meditation.

The cat shimmered. In the graceful way all felines have, she settled down. Her body melted into Catlyn’s until only her head remained hovering over Catlyn. The tip of her tongue flicked out and touched Catlyn’s nose.

The tiger disappeared.

Catlyn jerked up and looked at Jade, but Jade didn’t act like she had seen anything supernatural happen. She blithely continued to call the remaining travelers to return to their bodies. Catlyn brushed it off as part of her trance until she rubbed her nose and found it wet. Oh my Goddess! It was real.

Catlyn gaped, trying to understand what had happened to her. She’d never read of a totem merging with a human. When she tried to tell Jade about it after class, her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth, and she couldn’t get any words out.

The same otherworldly voice as in her visions whispered into her mind. “Shh … I am here. All is as it should be.”

A feeling of rightness and purpose washed over Catlyn. Whoever—whatever—the tiger was, she wasn’t evil. Catlyn thought of the protection spell she’d done last night. Perhaps the spiritual tiger is how it manifested. Strange, but cool.

Catlyn left the store and searched the parking lot for Charlie’s truck. Her heart dropped when she spotted Blond Guy’s familiar sedan. She glared at Blond Guy, worried something had happened to Charlie. A low growl escaped her throat. She clapped a hand over her mouth, astonished.

A moment later, a well-built man with a long, brunette ponytail stepped from the shadows by the door. “No worries, ma’am,” he said with an Australian accent. She noted Jade’s logo on the shirt stretched across his chest. “I’m Todd Fleming, one of your guards. I’ll escort you to your car and follow you home.”

“Okay.” When she was safely in her car, she worried he’d heard her growl. What the hell was that?

On the way home, Catlyn’s eyelids drooped lower and lower. The second time she jerked awake, she took the next exit off the freeway. She glanced in the rearview mirror at the truck following her and wondered if the bodyguard would think it odd if she asked him to drive her home. Lethargy filled her, making even the thought of picking up her cell phone and dialing the number a chore. Driving slowly on the familiar surface streets of her neighborhood, Catlyn finally made it home.

After parking in her assigned spot, she struggled to lift first one foot, then the other, from the car and to pull herself from its confines. She stood for several minutes, panting and hanging onto the door.

Her pony-tailed bodyguard slipped his arm around her waist. “Are you okay, ma’am?”

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me, but I’m suddenly so tired. Can you help me?”

Todd gently gripped her elbow, and with his help, she made the arduous climb up the stairs to her apartment. Each movement she took was a challenge with what felt like an extra five-hundred pounds added to her body.

“Do you need help to get inside?” he asked.

Catlyn shook her head. He stepped away from her, and his heavy steps plodded down the stairs as she pulled her keys from her purse. They jingled as she inserted the correct key. Soft meows filtered out—her welcoming committee getting into position. When she opened the door, her cats sat on the edge of the carpet where it met the tile entry. Both her cat’s eyes widened and laid their ears back. They hissed at her and turned tail, running into the bedroom.

“Boots. Mittens,” she called out. “What’s wrong, babies?” She tracked them down to their hiding spot under her bed. They wouldn’t come out, no matter how much she coaxed and cajoled. She raised an arm to her nose and sniffed. Nothing. Can they see or smell the spirit tiger?

Starving, Catlyn padded into the kitchen, opened the fridge, and stared, frowning. Nothing in it looked appetizing. She rummaged in her cupboards and took out a can of tuna. Scooping the fish out with her fingers, she stuffed it in her mouth, barely chewing. She wiped off the juices dribbling down her chin with the back of her hand. Her stomach still ached with hunger. Opening the freezer, she found a small steak and tossed it in the microwave to thaw. She threw it on a hot skillet, seared one side, then the other, just enough to warm the meat, and slid it onto a plate. Not bothering with a fork and knife, she picked up the steak and devoured it.

Stunned, Catlyn scrutinized her bloody hands. This isn’t like me. I don’t eat raw meat. What’s happening to me?

She felt less heavy after eating. She cleaned up her dishes, put food down for the cats—who were still hiding—and prepared for bed. Lighting a candle and some incense, she sat at her altar, took several deep breaths, and relaxed into meditation.

Warm breath fluttered over her face. Catlyn’s eyes flew open. Cerulean-blue eyes bored into hers. The white tiger crouched in front of her, their eyes now on the same level.

“I have come,” the tiger said in Catlyn’s mind. Her voice familiar from Catlyn’s visions. “I am here to help you.”

“Are you my totem helper?” Catlyn asked out loud.

“No. Something more. You may think your words and I will hear them. After all, we now share the same body.”

“What?” Catlyn exclaimed, scrambling backwards until her back hit her bed. “You possessed me?”

The tiger lifted her lip and gave a low growl. “Nothing so crass. That is what demons do, and I am no demon.”

“Then what are you? Who are you?”

“I am Maak.” The tiger pronounced it with two syllables. She dipped her head. “I come from another world, another dimension. I can only exist in this dimension if I am connected to someone like you. You are still you, as I am still me. You are not possessed; we are merely tethered. We have great work to do together.”

Catlyn frowned. “What work? Are you here to help me with the healing work I do?”

“Nothing so simple. All will be revealed at the proper time.” Her tongue flicked out to touch Catlyn’s nose, then she disappeared again.

Catlyn rubbed her eyes. It’s just a vision. It isn’t real. She lifted a hand to her nose to find it wet. Oh, sweet Goddess! It’s real. Maak’s real! What am I supposed to do?