Autumn's War (The Spirit Shifters Book 4) Read Online Free PDF

to get a ride in a car the rest of the way. She didn’t think her legs would handle another six hours, or however long they had left, on the bike.
    “Where are we?” she asked, approaching Lakota and Mia.
    Lakota smiled. “Raven Tail State Park. I used to come here when I was a child.”
    From between the expanse of pine trees, the lake stretched out, still and blue. “It’s beautiful.”
    Lakota’s face grew serious. “We’re going to need your blood, Autumn. I’m sorry to do this to you after everything you’ve been through.” His eyes drifted down to her bandaged wrist, and she could sense him assessing all of her other bumps and bruises. Compared to the smartly dressed woman she’d been only a couple of weeks ago, now she was a mess. Her cut arm, her nose still slightly swollen, a shadow of a couple of black eyes, all added to the look of exhaustion, which was real. She’d not changed her clothes in forever, and would have killed for a hot shower.
    “It’s okay,” she said. “I knew what was going to happen. To be honest, being able to do it on my own terms this time makes me feel a whole lot happier about things.”
    He nodded. “I understand.”
    Mia reached out and gave Autumn’s hand a squeeze. “You ready for this?”
    “I can’t say I’m not a little frightened, but I guess it’s the people I am going to change who will be the most scared.”
    “You have a right to be nervous,” Mia said. “I know I would be.” She turned to Lakota. “So if I don’t get to go first, who does?”
    “I guess we will have to open that question up to my people.”
    He stepped up onto the porch, and the two women followed him. Autumn stood on one side, Mia on the other. People hung out beside their vehicles, waiting for instruction. A silence fell upon them. Lakota Wolfcollar had once been the reservation’s Tribal President, and he still knew how to command a crowd.
    “You know why we’re here,” he called out to the people. “We need to create more shifters to take on the army and the government. If you are already a shifter, or have any shifter tendencies, even if you’re unable to shift completely, do not come forward. If you already have a spirit guide, trying to bind a new guide to you could have disastrous results. I’m sure you’ve all been thinking long and hard about whether you want to become a shifter. Remember, it will not be easy. I don’t know myself, but I’ve watched my family shift, and it is horrifically painful. Also remember, that by choosing to become a spirit shifter, you are also offering yourself up as a soldier in this war we are fighting. You are representative of us. We want the rest of the human population to understand that shifters are not wild animals or monsters. We will not hurt those who do not hurt us.”
    The men and women before them began to turn to one another, the quiet mutterings increasing in volume as family members and friends disagreed with the choice of others to volunteer.
    But the first voice spoke out of the crowd. “I’ll do it!”
    Everyone turned to the man. He was in his mid-thirties, with long hair, similar to Chogan’s, except where Chogan’s was completely straight, his had a wave to it. He had a strong, square face, and a nose to match. Thick, dark eyebrows shadowed his serious eyes. “I’d like to do it. My wife and boy are both spirit shifters. It feels right to me to be able to join them.”
    Autumn moved forward. “Thank you. Are they here now?” Her eyes searched the crowds to spot someone who could have been the man’s wife and son, but he shook his head.
    “My boy is only seven years old. They’ve stayed at the reservation.”
    “And you’re sure your family will be happy with your choice? Remember, when the binding has been completed you can’t ever go back.”
    A smile broke out across his face, and the already handsome man became strikingly beautiful. “We’ve spoken many times about what it would be like for me to