Air: Elementalist Book 1 by Rebecca Wolf (christmas read aloud .TXT) 📗

the night.” I flew the rest of the way home with single-minded determination, checking behind me occasionally to make sure I wasn’t being followed. I reached my narrow two-story house in record time and quietly let myself in, careful not to wake my housemate.  When I fell into my bed in the wee hours of the morning, it was with a sense of relief that for a little while longer at least, nothing significant had changed.

Chapter 3

“YOU UP, ZEPH?” Penny yelled while pounding on my bedroom door. “I’m leaving in ten, with or without you!” Penny was my roommate and technically my boss. A shifter by nature, she could take the form of a perky looking blond, or a six-foot-five black man as easily as one would change their clothes. Both forms came in handy at her local place of business, The Bad Penny. I always thought of her as “she”, although I had no idea why. Maybe it was because as a woman, I could relate to that side of her more, maybe it was because when I first met her, she was in her female form. Penny didn’t really talk about the pronouns. To her she just was, and I respected that. I worked at Penny’s club as the bartender, which made decent tips. It also was a convenient spot for me to conduct my smuggling business on the side, with none of the authorities being the wiser. Penny was a very understanding boss, and she also didn’t mind getting her cut of my business transactions.

I jumped out of bed and pulled on a white tank, then ran to the bathroom while simultaneously trying to hop into my black denim jeans. I splashed water on my face, and not finding a towel, used the bottom of my tank to dry off.  Glancing in the mirror, I made a face at my reflection. At least the bags under my eyes made their blue color pop. I threw my blond hair into a messy bun, tucking stray wispy waves behind my ears. That would have to do. I turned and half-stumbled, half-flew down the stairs to make a pop tart, the official “breakfast of champions”.

Male-Penny was wearing her typical uniform of a grunge t-shirt and black jeggings. After several embarrassing situations in high school, she had finally resigned herself to the fact that although her body could change on a dime, whatever clothes she wore that day remained the same. Nowadays she only chose gender specific clothing when she was absolutely certain she would remain in a chosen shape for the entirety of her time out, something she could never guarantee at work.

I glanced up at Penny as I shoved the pop tart in my mouth. She growled low in annoyance and glanced at her watch before turning and stomping out. Well, someone was a grumpy pants this morning. I bet it was because she needed to fill in as the bouncer today. A new girl was trying out an act onstage, and Penny liked to be the security for newbies, in case things got out of hand. She felt that since she also had a female perspective, she was better at identifying the trouble before it got messy.

I ran out of the house, slamming the door behind me just in time to see Penny shifting into reverse and heading down the driveway. I ran towards the car hollering, and banged my hand on the passenger side window, when I caught up. I glowered at her as she finally stopped the car.

“I can’t believe you were really going to leave without me this time!" I said, feeling only somewhat mollified as Penny handed me a coffee.

“Zeph, I’m running a business here, it’s nothing personal,” Penny said, “and let’s be honest we literally live around the block from the club.”

“It’s FIVE blocks you tyrannical overlord,” I harrumphed.

“Take a sip before I take one for you, “ Penny threatened as she stopped at a red light.

“I think you are the only one in this neighborhood that actually obeys the traffic laws,” I commented, dutifully drinking my coffee. I winced as it burned going down my throat.

“That’s because I’m the only one stupid enough to have dated an enforcer without telling him I have an alternate shape with a leetle bit more testosterone than he anticipated.”

“Ah yes, thats right, I almost forgot about your ex, Ben the sexist.” I said,  frowning and shaking my head.

Penny glanced over at me with a crooked smile. “We’re all a little sexist. I should know. I’m sometimes even sexist towards myself.” Penny pulled into the reserved parking spot and cut the engine.  I sighed in exasperation, "Sometimes Penny, I think you are too forgiving."  She shrugged, the slight smile remaining on her face as she took the keys from the ignition, and removed her seatbelt. "Well, you might forgive him, but I hell as sure won't."  I continued, glaring as I imagined shoving Ben's head in a public toilet and giving him a whirly. After the way he had emotionally and very publicly decimated Penny when he  had found out about her shifter nature, he deserved some payback.

"Drop it, Zephy," Penny said in a tone that brooked no argument. So I did.

“I’m expecting Sara Lee tonight,” I reminded her as we got out of the car.

“Don’t forget to mention the stock boy position.”

“I won’t. I just hope she takes us up on it.” We shared a look. Sarah Lee had strong ideas of right and wrong. Still, it was worth a try.

The Bad Penny was a club that employed dancers who performed acts that, to quote Penny, “were tastefully inappropriate”. It also had a two-drink minimum reserved solely for the people who pissed us off. We kept the basic equipment on hand such as microphones and a sound system, but anything above that the acts were required to bring and set up beforehand. The craziest act that I had seen to date