If there was any doubt about Lauren caring for me, it was squashed when I called to tell her I was sick. What happened between her and me was convenient. Two people looking for comradery, not love. Abbi has shown me how wrong I was about Lauren and every other woman I’ve cared about.
Lauren doesn’t think I ingested enough to have long-term effects. There’s a reason these kids have been poisoned for years, they aren’t certain serum will work. One thing I know for sure: time is running out. I need to do what I came here to do.
“Knock, knock.”
I’m equally happy and nauseous when I hear Abbi at the door. The thought of losing her is far more painful than the sickness. I sit up, do a breath check, and run my hand through my hair. The door opens and she is backlit by the bright summer day.
Stopping the other night was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. She’ll thank me later, after she knows everything. Our first time is going to mean something more than a name on a wall.
“How you feeling?” She steps inside and closes the door.
She’s in shorts and a tank top. Her skin is damp with sweat. Her enticing scent mixed with sunblock gives me a semi. It takes an immense amount of restraint not to think with my little head. Abbi moves into the cabin, closer to the bed, and I cross to the window. I’m not strong enough to be in the same room as Abbi and a perfectly good bed, despite what she believes.
I can’t allow myself to lose control, like I did at the factory. I don’t want to take any chances with her. There are things I need to do before I commit to her, but when she finally comes around, I’ll be ready.
“I guess I just had too much sun.” I sound like a dumb-ass. She knows I grew up on the beach. Luckily, she can’t read the lie on my face. I refuse to turn around, if I look at her, things will happen. My indifference to her presence is causing her pain. Saying it’s for her own good is a copout. I’m protecting my heart, not hers.
She heads for the door. “I should go.”
“Don’t leave.”
I’m in constant turmoil when it comes to Abbi. Dad would say that’s a sure sign she’s the one. She thinks I’m just a summer fling. I need to convince her otherwise.
“Why should I stay?” she challenges.
“Because I want you to.”
I press her against the cabin door and tease her with a soft kiss. She grabs a fistful of my hair and pulls my mouth toward hers. I’m inches from her lips when I hear yelling. I pause and listen carefully, tuning out the wind and the birds.
“Something is wrong.”
I bolt out the door and sprint to the lake. Everything around me is a blur. I focus only on the screaming. I run to the end of the dock and dive. Beneath the surface the sounds from shore are diluted. The hum of the generator keeping the obstacle course inflated muffles her distress. I swim under the course, the water is dark. My eyes adjust, and through the murky lake water, I see pink.
Chapter Fourteen
By the time I arrive at the lake, Jay is coming out of the water with Leslie limp in his arms. He starts CPR as Trevor and Raine corral the kids back to camp central. Sophie-Ann is on her cell phone while Rusty assists Jay. I overhear Amanda and Curtis replaying the scene as they walk past me.
“How did he hold his breath that long?”
“It had to be at least two minutes,” Amanda speculates.
“More like three.” Curtis wipes his face with a towel. “Jay could be a Navy SEAL.”
There’s commotion from the circle around Leslie.
“Give her space,” Jay demands.
Rusty and Landon back up, Rory holds a life jacket overhead to shield Leslie from the brutal sun.
Chelsey lets out a loud sigh of relief. “Thank god!” She wipes tears from her face.
Brianne gives Chelsey a hug, then looks at me. “Jay just saved her life. He’s a freaking hero!”
Chelsey and Brianne run to camp central to let everyone Leslie is okay. Free-time is cancelled for an emergency lecture on lake safety. After Rusty’s stern speech, he calls Jay to the stage. The camp chants his name. Jay humbly accepts their gratitude with a small wave and shy smile.
“Okay, so he saved a life, does that make him Prince Charming material?”
“Fuck yes,” Trevor says.
“Of all the counselors who have come and gone, he’s the only one I would ever consider keeping.” Coming from Raine, the queen of flings, that means a lot. I haven’t told her or Trevor that Jay was the one who put the fire out on my v-card at the factory. I let them believe it’s me, it’s less humiliating.
Jay leaves the stage and heads straight to me, like I’m the only person in the tent.
Justin intercepts him. “Dude, how did you hold your breath so long underwater?”
“It’s a surfing thing. Sometimes it’s safer under the water than on top of it.”
“That was dope.” Justin and Jay do a high-five handshake thing before Justin follows Sarah and her crew to the impromptu movie showing at the theater.
“You’re a legend now, Jay.” Raine gives him a hug. “Good job.”
Rory and Landon join us to give props to him.
“I think it’s time for a counselor bonfire,” Jay suggests.
“Hell yeah,” Rory seconds. “Meet you guys at the pit.”
Jay and I walk hand in hand to our cabins. He’s the camp hero, a little affection is warranted. When we reach the fork in the path, Sarah is waiting for me. I pull free. “I’ll see you after lights out.”
He kisses my forehead. “I can’t wait to get you alone again.”
My heart kicks into second gear as he walks away.
“What’s it like touching him?” Sarah sniffs my hand.
“That’s an inappropriate question.”
“Leslie is bragging about kissing him. I told her it didn’t count since she was unconscious, and he didn’t use tongue.”
I don’t remember being this brash when I was her age.
“It was CPR not a make-out session.”
“Has he slipped you the tongue?”
“That is none of your business.” I open the cabin door, and as soon as I cross the threshold, I lose my footing. For a few frightening seconds my feet dance like a cartoon character before I slip and land on my ass and elbow.
“I’m sorry, Abbi!” Sarah stands over me. “I totally forgot about the prank.”
Pain shoots up my left arm to my neck. It’s crippling and makes my ears ring. The girls help me to Josie, the camp nurse. Dirt and pebbles cling to my sneakers from the oil Sarah used to pull off her prank. The puddle of olive oil wasn’t specifically for me, I just happened to be the first idiot to open the door.
“I think it’s just a sprain,” Josie says. She also doubles as a cook. I had to wait over an hour for her to finish prepping dinner. “If you experience a lot of pain, or the swelling gets worse during the night, you’ll have to go to the hospital for an x-ray to make sure it isn’t broken.”
“I’ll be fine.” I hop off the exam table and pain shoots through me.
“Take it easy tonight, okay?” Josie follows me out. “I’ll have to call your mom. It’s camp policy when someone is injured.”
“I know.”
Trevor takes over my counselor duties for the night. When he delivers the girls back to the cabin for lights out, he offers me a swig from Raine’s mouthwash.
“You’re just carrying this around like it’s—”
“Mouthwash? Yeah. The best place to hide is in plain sight.” He steals a drink, then replaces the top. “See you out there?”
“I wouldn’t miss it.”
If my elbow is broken, my summer is over. This is my last shot with Jay. He is the camp hero, and tonight I want to give him a reward.
My girls are subdued and remorseful. I use their guilt to get them to bed early. Once the chatter quiets, I leave. Just east of the lake, there’s a small clearing with a trashcan that doubles as a fire pit. I won’t let a little broken bone keep me from
my destiny. I step on a twig, and Jay turns.
He rushes to my side. Noting the sling around my arm, he says, “I heard about the prank. Should you even be here?” I let him assist me to the carved log we use as a bench. “It isn’t broken, is it?”
“Honestly, I don’t know. It hurts.”
He paces. “Broken bones aren’t good.”
“Yeah, tell me about it.” I grimace.
I hear footsteps on the path, and Jay watches to see who is joining us. Trevor, Raine, Rory, and Landon appear.
“You should murder your campers in their sleep,” Raine joins me on the log. “Assholes.”
“I’m fine,” I assure everyone. “Let’s focus on the positive.” I look at Jay. “This is supposed to be a celebration.”
“Then let’s get this party started!” Trevor holds up the mouthwash. “We’re going to piggyback the festivities with our birthdays.”
“Our first birthday apart.” Raine gives me a hug, and we fake cry a few seconds before she breaks away. Trevor hands her the mouthwash. Raine opens her backpack and pulls out a stack of little cups she swiped from the infirmary.
“When is your birthday?” Jay takes an empty cup from Raine, and she pours him a shot.
“Two days after Abbi, one before Rory.”
“You all have the same birthday.” Jay drinks and holds the cup out for more.
“Slow down, big boy. We have a limited supply.” She gives him another shot, then fills our cups.
“When is your birthday?” I ask Jay.
He tosses back the second shot. “We’re all born within days of each other.”
“I thought that was just a Meyers thing,” Rory says. “Where were you born, Jay?”
He paces to the fire, it’s barely burning. The full moon plays peek-a-boo behind a band of thick clouds. “I was born here, like the rest of you.”
“In Meyers?” Landon confirms.
“No, here. At this camp.”
“Um, I was born in a hospital, like a normal person. No more mouthwash for you.” She takes his cup.
Rory’s demeanor changes from friendly to guarded. “What’s your last name?”
Jay stops on the opposite side of the fire, a safe distance from the rest of the group. “I was born….”
A loud boom, followed by the crackling sound of lightning, interrupts our conversation. I jump, and my arm throbs. Jay is by my side as lightning flashes above us.
“It isn’t safe out here. We need to go,” Landon says. “The factory is too far. Let’s call it a night.”
Jay helps me up and keeps a protective arm around me as rain falls. “I know a place we can go.” He leads us to an abandoned cabin near the perimeter fence. We wait in the mud while Jay climbs the stairs to the porch and removes a piece of wood from the porch wall. He pulls out an old key and unlocks the door.
“How did you know that key would be there?” Rory looks at the space behind the wood.
“My father told me.” He motions us inside.
I’m the last to enter. I pause at the entrance in shock. This cabin isn’t empty. It’s completely furnished and looks a lot like my living room at home.
Chapter Fifteen
A painting of a woman sitting on a cliff beside a howling wolf hangs on the wall. A similar image is displayed in the hall outside my bedroom at home. The pattern on the throw pillows matches the curtains in our dining room. Everything about this cabin screams home.
“What is this place?” Raine turns the light on in the kitchen. A cabinet door squeaks open. “Does someone live here?”
“My father comes here during the off-season.” He watches everyone closely as they inspect the place. I wonder how full of shit he is. How many lies he’s told me.
“Does he come alone?” Trevor stands in the hallway, holding a pink robe.
“I don’t know.”
“What do you know?” I finally ask. “Who are you?”
Landon, Rory, and Raine sit on the sofa. Trevor is on the floor with the rest of the mouthwash. I stand behind the couch, watching Jay pace in front of the fireplace.
“My father wasn’t the biological son of the man who raised him. When he found his real father, he took his name: Meyers.”
“As in our town Meyers?” Raine asks.
“Back then, his kind was named after the town they were born in or the pack family they worked for.”
“How far back is back then?” I ask.
“Before our parents were born. In the late 1900s.”
“Our families”—he looks at me—“were enemies.”
“And let me guess, they went to war?” I reference the story he told at the bonfire.
“Who won?” Rory stands.
“Nobody.” Jay keeps a cautious eye on Rory.
“There’s always a winner and a loser,” Landon insists.
“The Tallacs won.” My reply appeases Rory. We’re first cousins, he is a Tallac by blood.
“Bullshit,” Raine says. “The Duke family is one of the oldest and most prominent families in California.”
“They were,” Jay tells her. “My father grew up on the Duke estate. He was raised a Duke.”
Rory moves closer to Jay. “Why did you come here?” There is nothing friendly about his tone or demeanor.
“Because I sent him,” Ozzy says from the door.
Raine is the first to react. She’s in his arms before the door closes behind him. “What are you doing here?”
Ozzy whispers something in her ear that makes her face glow.
“Ozzy, dude.” Rory gives him a bro-hug. “Do you know this guy?” He thumbs at Jay.
“Yeah, and you all need to listen to him.”
Jay watches from across the room as we welcome Ozzy. More than ever, I can tell he feels alone. As much as I want to go to him, I can’t. Not until I know why he’s here and what his motives are. Clearly this isn’t about him and me.
“Are you sure he’s legit?” Rory has always been a skeptic. His trust issues are deeper than mine.
Ozzy gives Jay the floor. “Rip off the band-aid, dude.”
Jay’s story begins like one of Layla’s fairytales. “Are kind was created by a witch over five hundred years ago. She cast a spell that turned animal into human.” He says this with a straight face. “Some call us shifters.”
“Shifters?” I mock.
“Hear him out,” Ozzy silences my doubts.
“Your parents withheld a very important fact about who you are, what you are.” Jay pauses and looks at me. “We are descendants of wolves.”
“You’re saying we’re going to shift into wolves.” Rory can barely contain is laughter.
“Not all of us,” Ozzy says. “We haven’t figured out who will turn and who won’t. There’s a lot of conflicting information.”
I know enough about Layla’s wolf story to know there are no wolves, no pack. It’s a fairytale. “This is nuts. You guys aren’t seriously buying this?”
Raine shrugs and looks at Ozzy with love goggles.
Ozzy addresses Rory. “Remember that time we were playing in the woods behind your house? What did you tell me? What did you see?”
“I was only three years old. It was just my imagination.” Rory isn’t buying Jay’s story, but he can’t deny what we saw.
“We were four,” I correct. “I was there. I saw it too.”
It was the night before Easter. We snuck out to look for the eggs our parents hid that evening. I was standing at the top of the stairs, scared to leave the back porch. It was darker than I’d anticipated. Rory was fearless. He ran straight to the Japanese maple tree with the tire swing. We’d seen his mom placing eggs near the tree from his bedroom window. He pulled them from the tire and held them up for me to see. Suddenly a giant furry animal stepped out of the shadows. Rory froze. The eggs in his hand fell to the ground. The wolf approached and sniffed the eggs. I shut my eyes and screamed. I screamed until my ears were ringing. When I opened them, Rory’s father, Drake, was
kneeling in front of him. I didn’t ask about it at the time, but he was naked. Later Rory told me his dad was the wolf, or he ate the wolf. It was fuzzy.
“Raine found proof too.” Ozzy reaches for her hand. “Tell them.”
She pulls back, upset he broke a confidence but obeys him.
“I found a journal and a bunch of pictures. Kids dressed in white under a canopy. Random shots of wolves taken from far away. The pictures had names written on the back: Drake, Leah, Ray, Kalysia, Dillan.”
“Who’s Dillan?” Rory asks.
Jay clears his throat and runs a hand over his head. “Dillan Duke, my father.” He seems to be waiting for a hammer to fall, but the name means nothing to anyone.
Rory shrugs, like so what. Raine squints as if she’s heard the name before, then shakes her head. Jay looks at me, certain I’ve heard of this man, but I’m as clueless as the rest.
Trevor sits up. “Wasn’t he the old man who lived on the river?”
“You’re thinking of the old man with the dog that shit on the grass at the motel every morning?” I correct. “His name was Dave.”
“Seriously?” Jay seems disappointed, like he was trying to drop a bomb, and it turned out to be a dud. “Rory, he was your dad’s best friend.”
“Never heard of the guy.” Rory sits on the arm of the couch.
“Like I was saying.” Raine retakes the floor. “The journal mentioned something about a ceremony.”
Ozzy stands next to Jay. “Tell them everything.”
Jay works the room like a used car salesman, minus the sleaze. Okay, there’s a little sleaze. “In the past, phasing was about power and position. Shifting determined your family’s place in the pack. Everyone in this room is a descendant of the original wolves. We are the children of the leaders. We are the next generation. If we phase, we run everything. Your parents are trying to prevent that from happening.”
The Lunam Legacy (The Lunam Series Book 3) Page 8
