Shapes of Autumn (Boxed set, books 1 - 5)

by Veronica Blade

  Damn. He had a good point. Tomorrow, I’d be at the hospital with Favianne, but first chance I got, my search would begin. No matter the truth I learned, I knew I wouldn’t like it.

  Chapter Six

  At lunch the next day, Zack and I joined Trevor and Maya for lunch. Thinking about Favianne and all the doctor’s possible diagnoses pretty much snuffed out my appetite, so I just picked at my food.

  Zack nudged me with his elbow. “You should eat. Mr. Hagar’s having a quiz next period and it’ll be harder to concentrate if you’re hungry.”

  “Can I tag along with you to the hospital?” I reluctantly took a bite from my sandwich. Zack was already stressing over his mom. He didn’t need to worry about me too.

  “I can hardly say no since I’m using your car.” His mouth tipped into a lopsided grin.

  “You seem to handle everything so well.” I studied his carefree smile. “Why aren’t you freaking out?”

  “When you’re stressed, it’s contagious. My mom’s had enough to deal with these last few years. I’ve always tried not to add to it.” He shrugged. “It’s habit now.”

  Trevor leaned toward us. “We’re catching a movie tomorrow night. Wanna come?”

  “Can’t. Zack and I are going out on a real date,” I answered.

  “You did that with us,” Trevor countered.

  “A real date doesn’t include you two.” I winked. “Besides, we were forced into it.”

  Trevor laughed. “You dressed for dinner and a movie. We picked you up and paid. It was a date.”

  “Yeah,” Maya chimed in. “And aren’t you glad? Look how well it worked out. Anyway, it’s not like you guys need privacy. From what I hear, you’re getting plenty of that already.” She shared a smirk with Trevor.

  I flinched, my eyes shooting to him. “Trevor?”

  He snickered softly. “Everyone knows, Autumn. It’s not that big of a house.”

  “Oh, God.” I prayed there wouldn’t be a repeat of yesterday’s conversation with Cara.

  “If you wanted to keep your late night visits secret, you should get Zack to fix that window so it’s not so noisy.” Trevor grinned.

  Heat rushed into my face, strangling the words in my throat.

  “Sorry.” Zack squeezed my hand. “I didn’t realize the walls were that thin.”

  “What’s the difference?” Maya waved a hand. “Your house, his house. Who cares? Same thing going on, different place.”

  Knowing it was public knowledge that I’d been sneaking into Zack’s bedroom made me feel cheap. Telling the truth, that we’d only snuggled and kissed, wouldn’t be any more believable to them now than last week when I’d insisted we were just friends — which had been true at the time.

  “So what about this weekend?” Maya continued. “We should do something together.”

  They’re going to bug us until they get their way. Besides, they’re right — we still have every night together, Zack said silently.

  And we have prom coming up, I added. But why was he giving in so easily? The date do-over had been his idea.

  “Okay,” Zack said to Trevor, then resumed eating his lunch.

  Trevor and Maya got lost in each other again, which left me nothing to do but think. Something was nagging at me. Gina. I could feel her eyes on me. My eyes snapped over my shoulder to confirm her scowling at me.

  Sometimes I wished my perceptions weren’t so sharp, because then I could be blissfully ignorant. Too bad I had a few more weeks before I was free of her. And I couldn’t even look forward to it, because right around that same time, I’d lose Zack. I wanted time to stand still, even if it meant Gina would be there to annoy me.

  Returning my attention to Zack, I noticed he’d stopped eating and was just staring down at his tray. “I don’t get it. I thought you wanted a real date,” I asked.

  “I do.” He took my hand and traced circles in my palm, sending little shivers up my arm. “But I can’t imagine being much fun if my mom doesn’t get better. With Trevor and Maya there, it takes the pressure off so I don’t have to be entertaining.”

  “Who says you’re off the hook?” I nudged his shoulder with my own.

  Zack smiled halfheartedly. “Maybe you shouldn’t go to the hospital. I can take the Jeep and you’d have your car. Or better yet, Aunt Cara is going there anyway. She could pick me up.”

  My brows drew together. “Why?”

  “Well…” He rubbed his hand on his jeans and looked around the room. “The more attached you get to my mom, the harder it’s going to be for you later.”

  “Yeah, better not get too attached.” I chewed my lip. “But it’s too late. I already love her.”

  “It’s not just her, but my whole family. And me.” He glanced at Trevor and Maya who were still busy talking, then he lowered his voice. “I think about what it’s going to be like for you when I leave.”

  “What?” I stared at him. Why bring this up now?

  “I’ll never regret my time with you. Ever. But maybe you shouldn’t invest so much in us.”

  My mouth hung open. Shouldn’t he have thought this out before he allowed me to fall in love with him and his family? At the very least, before he asked me to be his girlfriend and invited me to prom. Bringing up his same objections at this point was just cruel.

  “Excuse me.” Eyes stinging from tears of fury, I steadied my hands and picked up my tray, then walked to the garbage can and stacked it with the others. As if he didn’t exist, I exited the lunchroom and walked to my next class alone.

  We still had six minutes before English Lit started. Zack had that class with me. Damn. As I took my seat and faced the chalkboard, I could sense him close by. Sure enough, he strolled in and claimed the seat next to me. We sat there, just the two of us as the clock ticked.

  Five minutes until start of class. Four.

  I turned to face him. “Almost since we first met, you’ve been reminding me that you’re leaving. Kind of hard to forget. And didn’t anyone ever teach you how rude it is to return a gift?”

  He looked puzzled.

  “Love is something you give freely. The recipient can’t get a refund or re-gift it.”

  Zack started to rise. “Wait—”

  My palm shot out to stop him and he sat again. “I shouldn’t invest so much, Zack? This isn’t a business deal. You and your family aren’t something I bought to make a profit. And anyway, friendship and loyalty aren’t things you ration out.”

  “That’s not what I meant. Maybe that was poor word choice.” He fidgeted with his pencil, rolling it between his hands. “You’re very… involved with my family and… the deeper you get, the harder it’s going to be later.”

  I shot out of my chair to loom over him. “I knew the situation from the beginning. But if I get in too deep, it’s on me, so you don’t need to feel guilty.”

  My throat felt thick and swollen. It’s not like I was under the delusion that Zack and his wonderful family were mine to keep, but I didn’t want to be limited in how much I was allowed to love while I had them.

  He stood, too. “I’m thinking of you. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

  “You’re really pissing me off, Zack.” A fresh round of tears waited just behind my eyes to be set free. I backed away as someone entered the room and lowered my voice to a hiss. “If you’ve changed your mind and don’t want to be with me, then just say so.”

  The sounds of the classroom filling up were drowned out by the roaring in my head. I plopped down in my chair next to Zack, turning away to avoid looking at him. But I could feel his gaze on me. How dare he pull that crap on me again? He’d been pushing me away since I’d first laid eyes on him. Last time I’d checked, our plan was to enjoy each other and deal with his leaving when we had to. Was he rethinking that or just losing interest in me?

  I glanced over at Zack, searching for the answer in his face. His eyes had darkened and the planes of his face hardened. But I couldn’t tell if it was anger, dislike or frustration
.

  The teacher cleared his throat and raised one brow. “Autumn, Zack. Would you prefer we leave the room so you can work things out? Or may I go ahead and get class started?”

  My face heated and I squeezed my eyes shut, shaking my head.

  “That’s a relief,” Mr. Hagar said dryly. “Please use a number two pencil. Anyone who doesn’t have one, raise your hand.”

  Right! The quiz. Crap, I’d totally forgotten about that. I whipped out my pencil and resigned myself to doing poorly on the test since I was an emotional mess and hadn’t even studied.

  As it turned out, my data absorption was tenfold since I’d hit shape-shifter maturity. I was pretty sure I’d answered all the questions correctly. At least there were benefits to being a shape-shifter, along with the drawbacks — like slavery or being killed.

  Seconds before the end of class, I hesitated before rising. I wasn’t sure if Zack would walk with me or flee from my wrath. When the bell rang and his eyes locked on mine, tranquil waters replaced the earlier stormy ones.

  Without a word, he reached for my hand and escorted me to my next class where he pressed a kiss to my forehead. Was he going to treat me like a little sister now? Whatever. I spun and stalked into the classroom without speaking a word to him.

  When school let out, Zack was waiting for me by the Mustang with a look on his face that warned me things weren’t right. Was he ready to let me go now?

  My stomach sank.

  Chapter Seven

  As I approached my car, Zack met me halfway. He stopped when we were a couple feet apart and I held my breath. Then his face softened and his arms opened for me. I dropped the backpack, stepped into his embrace and buried my face in his chest.

  “I’m sorry.” He kissed the top of my head. “I shouldn’t have said those things. I want to save you from the pain but… looks like I’m making it worse and you’re just as screwed as the rest of us. If you still want to come with me, I’d really like you there.”

  I raised my face to see him. “Okay, but please stop trying to save me.”

  He sighed and squeezed me closer.

  The tension dissipated as I leaned into him to drink in his musky scent. “So you still want to double date tomorrow?” I asked when we broke contact.

  “Your call. I just want to be with you.” His fingertips caressed the nape of my neck.

  Shivers danced on my skin. “We already told them we would.”

  “Then it’s a double date.” Taking a deep breath, he released me. “But only if my mom is okay. Otherwise, I need to stay at the hospital.”

  I nodded. “Of course.”I hoped for some miracle that she was feeling better. For her sake, as well as Zack’s.

  † † †

  Years ago, a friend of mine from the neighborhood had been in a car accident and I’d talked my parents into letting me visit her in the hospital. I remembered the pungent smells of antiseptics and cleaning solvents, the nurses in their colorful scrubs and sensible shoes.

  But my friend had been dealing with broken bones and abrasions in the emergency room. I hadn’t been exposed to the diseases and illnesses of the terminal ward.

  I could smell it now, the decay of life.

  Zack wheeled Favianne through the double doors and over the worn linoleum to the waiting room. He relinquished the wheelchair to me when a nurse at the counter motioned him toward a stack of paperwork. I parked his mom near an empty chair, made sure she was comfortable, then sat next to her.

  “How are you feeling?” My stomach sank at her pallid complexion. The only color on her face was in the dark circles under her eyes.

  “I’ve been better.” She readjusted herself in the chair.

  I could hear her lungs wheezing and the slow thump of her heart straining. At least she’d finally agreed to get medical help. I glanced over at Zack, wondering what was taking so long.

  “Relax, sweetheart,” she rasped, like she was holding back a cough. “They’ll take me in soon.”

  Zack turned around and headed our way, followed by a heavyset nurse. She grasped the handles of Favianne’s chair and glided it toward another set of double doors. Zack and I followed.

  “I thought I told you not to come back,” the nurse chided.

  Favianne laughed softly. “I couldn’t pass up another opportunity to irritate you, Winnie.”

  “You didn’t have to go to such extremes. A phone call would suffice.”

  Favianne laughed again. “You can blame it on Zack who coerced me into coming.”

  “You got yourself a good boy there. He’s growing up just fine.” Winnie continued through the doorway of a small room and stopped at a narrow bed.

  Zack scooped up his mother from the chair and gingerly laid her on the mattress. I secured a spot in the corner, away from the machines and other equipment, and watched Winnie take her blood pressure. I just hoped they could help her. And fast.

  After taking her temperature, Winnie occasionally asked Favianne questions, like how long which symptoms had been going on, then made notes in a file.

  Zack joined me in the corner to get out of Winnie’s way. He pressed his back against the far wall and held my hand while Winnie prepared a needle. Moments later, a vial began filling with blood.

  “How ya feelin’, honey? Breathing easier?” Winnie asked as she removed the full vial.

  Favianne nodded and smiled, but her droopy lids betrayed her exhaustion.

  “The doctor will see you soon.” Winnie deftly applied a bandage to Favianne’s arm, patted her hand and shuffled out.

  Zack and I crowded around the bed, being careful of the various contraptions. Although his face appeared calm, I could tell it was an act. His jaw was tight and a thin line kept appearing between his brows.

  She squeezed his hand, then closed her eyes. “I’ll be fine.”

  I stayed by Favianne’s bed, trying to look like all the waiting wasn’t driving me half crazy while Zack paced the small room, pausing now and then to peer out into the hallway.

  After several laps, he stopped in the doorway and blew out a breath. “Dr. Preston, thank you for seeing her so quickly.”

  A man came into view wearing a white medical coat and a tight smile. After shaking Zack’s hand, the doctor flipped open Favianne’s chart. He positioned a stethoscope to her chest and a moment later shook his head, his lips thinning into a straight line.

  “I’m ordering an x-ray stat,” he said. “Meanwhile I’ll put a rush on the lab work. The culture takes about seventy-two hours, but if it’s pneumonia, which I suspect it is, we’ll see enough evidence in the x-ray to start her on antibiotics right away.”

  Zack nodded.

  “I’m not going to lie to you, son. I wish you’d brought her in sooner.” The doctor sighed. “You can stay a couple more minutes, then you’ll need to go to the waiting room while we do x-rays. I’ll have a look at them and speak with you as soon as I can.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Zack replied.

  † † †

  I sorted through the magazines in the waiting area, looking for anything that wasn’t about parenting or health. Just as I gave up and abandoned the stack, I felt a familiar energy.

  Werewolf.

  Trying to avoid sudden moves that might draw the werewolf’s attention, I slowly dragged my eyes across the gray-blue rug and the off-white walls to a girl sitting just several yards away at the other end of the room.

  As if sensing my eyes on her, she looked up from her own magazine and gave me a friendly smile. I returned it, but on the inside I was freaking out. Yeah, Zack said my scent would be difficult to pick up, but at some point that would change and I didn’t know when that would be.

  She was the first female I’d come across and seemed far less intimidating than Charles or Renzo, but probably every bit as dangerous as them.

  I grabbed a fitness magazine and let my dark hair fall forward to conceal my gaze. As I watched her on the sly, I quickly became fascinated by her flawless toffee-colored s
kin and tight curls that cascaded over her shoulders. Spaghetti straps curved over imposing yet feminine shoulders and held up a red, sweetheart neckline tank top. Black jeans sat below a tiny waist and molded to her lean hips. She couldn’t have been much older than me.

  “Don’t stare. We don’t want to call attention to ourselves,” Zack said so quietly at my temple that I almost hadn’t heard it.

  A girl that pretty wouldn’t give our stares a second thought. She had to be used to it. But I averted my gaze to avoid any further interaction with her. As my eyes scanned the thin pages of the magazine I’d grabbed, instead of seeing the text before me, in my mind I saw the image of the girl. Who was she? Why was she there?

  I was dying to talk to Zack, see if he recognized the she-wolf. But we couldn’t risk her sensing the energy that silent communication created. So I shifted in my chair, a ball of angst growing in the pit of my stomach.

  Winnie approached and we rose from our chairs. “Dr. Preston is looking at your mother’s x-rays now. He’ll be ready for you shortly.” She gave Zack a reassuring smile and turned, the crisp fabric of her uniform whispering to the rhythm of her stride. We sat again, resuming our vigil.

  After what seemed an eternity, we were led into an office with maroon carpet and cream walls. Zack and I each took an overstuffed chair opposite the doctor who sat behind a wide, wooden desk.

  “It’s pneumonia, but it’s more advanced than I’d thought,” Dr. Preston began. My stomach tightened at his grave expression. “We’ve already started her on antibiotics, but with her compromised immune system, there’s no telling how quickly she’ll get better. If she gets better. She’ll stay overnight for observation and, hopefully, we’ll know more in the morning.”

  “Thank you.” Zack’s voice sounded strained.

  “Go home. If there are any complications, Winnie will call you.”

  Zack shook his head. “No way. If there’s a chance she won’t make it through the night, I’m not going anywhere.”