Freedom Is The Choice Between Love And Duty

A coyote! He’s a flipping coyote!

Do you know what the definition of coyote is?

A trickster, an avaricious or dishonest one, a smuggler.

And Adrian’s letting him near me?!

I paced my room, fuming at the thought that my brother could be so thick headed.

A coyote?!

Seriously, Adrian might as well hand me over to the collectors himself.

Gathering my shoulder bag I walk to the window and jump out, landing on my feet like cats tend to do.

“Going somewhere, Princess?”

Turning to see Jakal leaning against the wall I hissed, “Don’t you have anything better to do?”

He shrugged, “What’s better then looking at you all day?”

Choosing to ignore his comment I walk down the drive.

“So, what’re we up to?” He asked as he pulled up beside me.

“We are not doing anything. You are going to go to my brother and tell him that you cannot guard me any more.”

He seemed amused at my comment, “And what do I tell him? That your attitude stinks link a warthog and you don’t smell much better?”

I growled at his comment, “Sure,” I said between clinched teeth, “As long as I never have to see you again.”

He laughed, “No can do, cupcake, I seem to like your face.”

Giving a little roar I walk faster, pissed that he can keep up with me so easily.

“So where are we going?” he asked again.

“None of your business now go away!”

He sighed, “I sure hope we’re not going to the base jumping instructor, because it would be a long and pointless walk.”

I stop and look at him, “And why would that be?”

“Because I canceled your lessons.”

“You what?!”

He smirked at my outrage, “From now on you will be doing things a Princess should be doing.”

“I’m not going to sit at home and plan parties!”

He chuckled, “You’re right, no party planning for you, but you are going to help out at places where your name will do good.”

“Like what? Christening a boat?”

He looked as if he was giving the idea some thought, “Perhaps, but we’ll start slow, like volunteering you time at the fire house.”

I was seeing red, “I will not wash fire trucks in a bathing suit and slide down the pole just so guys can see me half naked on a calendar page!”

His smirk turned into a self satisfying smile, “Not a bad idea and I’m sure you’d make a love picture, Princess, but I was thinking more along the lines of helping the fighters teach kids about fire safety.”

I opened my mouth to argue with him when what he said penetrated my fury.

Kids should know what to do around fire, right?

Giving little roars I trudged back into the house, Jakal grinning behind me.

~*~

Adrian wasn’t home when I had reentered the house, as a matter of fact; none of them were home, those jerks.

So Jakal dragged me, literally, to the fire station.

It’s not that I don’t like kids; it’s that I don’t like Jakal.

And now the bozo was laughing at me as the fire fighters used me to demonstrate their lessons.

“Now, if there’s smoke in your room you need to get down as far as possible and crawl away from the fire.” A man in yellow fire overalls said

Sighing, I lay on the ground and began to crawl, pretending there was smoke in the air.

“Good, see how she kept her head down? Why do you kids think it’s better to be lower to the ground?” Another fighter asked

A little owl shifter raised her hand, “Because there’s cleaner air since smoke rises!”

“Very good! Now we have a special surprise for you, follow me!”

Getting up, I move to walk away, only to have Jakal snatch my arm and drag me back to the group.

“Not so fast, you’re not done yet.”

My eyes widened at what I saw.

The fire fighters had set up an obstacle course race.

“Okay, Lily? Could you please stand over there on that blue mat?” the man in the yellow pants asked

Not wanting to make the kids miss their show, but wanting to kill Jakal, I walked over and stood where I was told.

“Good, now this is to show you kids how fire fighters like ourselves save pretty damsels in distress!”

Oh goodie, I wonder who my knight in yellow armor is.

“The fire fighter has to break down this door, crawl under this wire, douse this here fire, grab Lily ever so gently, then run back through to the door again!”

The kids were cheering and looking wide-eyed at the bon fire between the two courses.

“Okay, Ronnie here,” the man pointed to a bear shifter, “will race against our all time
champion, Jakal!”

What? Champion and Jakal in the same sentence?

Jakal was smirking at me from his starting place, an axe in one hand and a hose over his shoulder.

“Who know’s who will win? Jakal’s been retired for a couple of years, but he still holds the best time record. Who thinks Jakal will win?”

A cheer went up, a very loud cheer.

“And who thinks Ronnie here will win?”

Another cheer hit the air, but not as loud as Jakal’s.

“Alright! On your mark! Get set! Go!”

I stood watching, as Jakal chopped in to the door, breaking through just before Ronnie did. Crawling under the wire he glances at me, confusion on his face as I smile at him.

I have a wonderful plan.

Jakal hosed to his half of the fire before Ronnie, and just as he went to grab me I ran, turning and bolting to the kids. His brief moment of shock gave me the time I needed to grab one of the little girls and dash to the shattered door.

Holding her up in the air I twirl in circles as she giggled.

“You saved me!” I tell the child, “Thank you so much! I was so frightened, but when I saw you I just knew I would be safe!”

I rest the child on my hip, both of us smiling.

“Sorry, Jakal, I think you just lost to a ten year old.”

Jakal walked up to us, taking the girls hand and bowing to her.

“Congratulations on your win,” he spoke then kissed her cheek, “I thank you for saving Princess Lily when I could not.”

Fire fighters were laughing as well as the children, smiling I look at Jakal.

Maybe he’s not so bad after all.