Read rogue shifter 05 - caught between for Free Online Page A

"Violent deaths often create shades. Their souls have already gone on to—wherever they go. These are just spirit-creatures, like a photocopy of the original. I can teach you to communicate with them. Your investigative team can gain much useful information from shades, and they also present you with another way to use your healing pow..."
    Garrett interrupted. "You're talking about necromantic abilities."
    "Yes. It is a natural ability born to a few higher demons. I sense it in her."
    "That's out of the question. Jackie will not be raising the dead." I was shocked to see that Garrett's eyes flowed with streaks of silver.
    Isaiah made an impatient face. "I'm not talking about calling up zombies. That takes a blood spell. I'm only discussing using shades to gain intelligence for your team and also helping them move on, so to speak." He looked around the room. "This property is infested with hundreds of shades. Eleanor was a busy girl."
    Garrett stood up suddenly, moving away from the table and taking my hand on the way. He looked at Liam and Kellaine. "Please excuse us. We need to talk privately for a moment." I followed him into the small office off the great room and closed the door behind us. Neither of us felt comfortable speaking privately in the same room as Isaiah.
    He sat down in a chair and pulled me into his lap, then buried his head against my neck. I twined my fingers in his hair and kissed his forehead, understanding his need for some physical comfort.
    " I'll send him back. I don't need to learn that stuff."
    "You've told me many times that you were excited about what you might learn from him."
    "It's not important."
    He pulled away so he could look me in the eye. "Of course, it's important, but can you—can you please leave off learning the necromancer skills? I don't think I can face..."
    "Of course I can. I don't want to talk to a bunch of spirits. I promise I won't let him teach me anything about contacting or communicating with shades or ghosts or anything like that."
    "Thank you." I felt some of his tension float away, so I mischievously thought of another way to help the process along.
    "So, Monsieur Cuvier, are you going to take advantage of our situation, or do I have to..." The kiss didn't last long enough to suit me, but by the time it ended he was smiling again.
    He continued to hold my hand as he opened the office door. " Madame Cuvier is sometimes more French than her mate." I giggled and the worried knot in my heart loosened.
    All the food had been cleared away and Liam, Kellaine and Farrell were whispering to each other conspiratorially in Fae. Isaiah was standing by the large window, watching the last pinks and oranges of the sunset disappear on the horizon. We joined him there, and because we wanted Isaiah to accept his authority as well as mine, I had Garrett speak for me.
    "This is our proposal, Isaiah. You may remain our invited guest as long as you give Jacqueline regular training sessions, the frequency and times to be decided by her, and as long as you obey our rules, which are not complicated or up for debate.
    "No killing or harming anyone, supernatural, humanoid or even animal. You will speak the truth to us, no lies or tricks. You may only use basic level magic unless you need something stronger for the purpose of training Jacqueline. If that's the case you must clear it with me or Liam. We insist that you remain in this form the entire time you're our guest. No transitioning to your true form or warrior form or taking on another's.
    "When we leave here, you'll accompany us back to our home in Crescent City where you'll take a room at the new house we've just built next door. You will treat Jacqueline and myself, my nest, my team and our friends with respect and I will ask them to accord you the same.
    "I must be allowed to defend myself if I'm attacked."
    "You may not instigate an attack, but if someone attacks you unprovoked, then you can defend yourself, certainly. But you cannot