The Dying Fate (The Umbra Chronicles Book 1)

by Willow Ravenheart

  The thundering sound of footsteps approach me and I lift my head to see Elliot skidding into the bathroom. He's wearing a pair of basketball shorts and nothing else. He runs to my side and drops to his knees beside me. His warm arms pull me into his chest as he runs his hands up and down my body.

  "Did they hurt you?" he asks as he lifts my face up to his by my chin. His bright, frozen eyes are wide as he stares down at me. His warm hands slide across my body, looking for something amiss. I don't fight him and simply slump into his arms. The adrenaline fades from my body fast, leaving me a pile of bones in a skin sack.

  "They didn't touch me...." I whisper just as a shiver runs down my spine.

  I press my face to his chest and take a deep, relieving breath. His fingers tangle in the hair at the base of my skull, tilting my face up to look him in the eyes. I stiffen, Elliot's usually frozen eyes are now the color of molten silver.

  "He was an idiot for letting you go alone!" he growls, his voice much deeper than I'm accustomed to.

  "What do you mean he?" I ask, "You're the one who told me it was okay!"

  "Elliot told you it was fine to go out on your own...." he growls, the sound causing goosebumps to pop up across my body, "I am not him."

  "W-who are y-you?" I stutter. What the holy fuck is going on?

  "I'm Olcan," he tells me with a gruff growl, "his Umbra."

  "Why?" I ask, unable to say much more as I analyze his features. The smirk usually etched onto his face is gone, replaced by a scowl that says that he's pissed with me.

  "You will never do that again!" he orders with a deep, booming growl. I attempt to pull away from him, but another growl builds in his throat and he tightens his grip around me.

  "Let me go," I tell him, trying to sound as call as I possibly can.

  "Does he usually listen to you when you tell him to?" he asks, a small unfamiliar smirk on his face. I know Elliot's smirk and this is not it.

  "Yes...." I mumble, attempting to pull away yet again.

  "Well, I am not him," he growls before hauling me into his lap. I fight against his grip, but he's as unyielding as a brick wall. His hands trace up and down my spine, his face buried into my neck. His warm breath fans across my skin, causing goosebumps to pop up across my entire body.

  He pulls his face away and I look up into his eyes, fighting the urge to lose myself in their silver depths. How is it possible for an Umbra to take over their host's body? I watch as the silver changes back to the frozen blue that I'm accustomed to and back again.

  "Fuck off, Human!" he snarls, his arms tightening around me. Instantly, I know he's talking to Elliot and I frown. I don't like this side of my friend.

  "Get the fuck out of my head, Mutt!" he yells, his eyes back to their blue. I wait a few moments, staring at his eyes to make sure they don't change back. He loosens his grip on me and I scramble out of his arms.

  "What the hell was that about?" I ask, rubbing my hands up and down my arms as a chill takes over my body.

  "That was the reason why I refuse to be a true Alpha!" he spits, "The fucking jackass does that to me all the time and I have no way to control him. I can never lead a pack when he does that...."

  "I'm sorry," I whisper, leaning down to kiss his cheek, "but thank you for saving me...."

  "You're welcome," he mumbles before crawling to his knees. He stands to his feet and I wrap my arms around him. I wouldn't have survived that attack without him. Honestly, I'm surprised I ever made it out of the woods on my own.

  "Are you sure they didn't hurt you?" he asks as he runs his fingers up and down the side of my face.

  "I promise," I reassure him, "I ran fast as I could and the only thing that happened was that I twisted my ankle."

  "Well, let's get you in the living room and get some ice on it. I've called Alpha Ronan and he's sending out some Sentries to take care of their bodies. What you just saw was what we call, Rogues. They're Shifters that refuse to adhere to our laws," he tells me, I pull away and look at him. Finally, I see the dried blood smeared across his torso and the crimson drops soaked into his beard. It's funny that I didn't notice that before....

  "Oh," I mumble, "Is that what usually happens?"

  "They let their Umbra take over and they are basically larger, more feral versions of their animal counterparts. The biggest differences are that they're a hell of a lot smarter.... Speaking of which, I need to speak with some Scouts who let them pass our boundaries...." he says as he guides me to the living room.

  I see Hank and Sebastian slipping into the house. Both are wearing the same kind of shorts as Elliot, but they swallow Sebastian alive. The small man walks to the fridge and pulls a beer out before turning to me.

  "How're ya doin'?" he asks as he twists the cap off before tossing it in the trash.

  This is the first time I've seen his naked torso and I'm kind of surprised to see a tattoo above his heart. It's a large Celtic cross, so detailed and extravagant that it's hard for me to see all the minuscule details within it. Underneath the cross are two names, Colin and Ava. He's covered in deep gashes, but doesn't seem to bat an eyelash at it.

  "I'm okay," I reply shyly, "thank you for saving me...."

  "No worries...." he says with a shrug before walking out the front door and onto one of the rocking chairs.

  "Come here, Macy, I've got you some ice," Elliot calls from the couch. I glance over, noticing the ice pack in his hands and I shuffle over to him.

  I sit on the couch and toss my feet into his lap. A small hiss escapes my lips when he places the pack on my sprained ankle and I just close my eyes.

  I hear footsteps and open my eyes to see Louis walking through the shattered doorway, naked as the day she was born. She walks over to the sink, wetting a paper towel. A small hiss passes her lips as she leans against the counter, wiping all the blood away from her face and hands.

  "They're too fucking easy to kill," she whines before tossing the napkin in the trash and waltzing down the hallway to her bedroom.

  Elliot chuckles, his hands pressing the ice-pack against my ankle a little firmer. I smile at him and close my eyes. It doesn't take long for exhaustion to overwhelm me and I fall into darkness.

  Chapter Fifteen

  I awaken to the sound of a feral growl. My heartbeat quickens and I shoot up into a sitting position, ready to get the hell out of the way. Pain lances across my head as my forehead slams against an equal, unyielding surface.

  “What the fuck?” someone huffs. I open my eyes to see Elliot holding his nose between both hands, a small trail of blood leaking down to drip onto his chest.

  “Oh my God!” I sputter and jump from the couch, “I’m so sorry, Elliot!”

  I run to the kitchen, noticing that there’s only a dull ache in my ankle now. I yank a few paper towels off the roll and jog back to Elliot. He snatches them from my hand and holds the paper to his nose, which quickly turns from white to crimson.

  “What, may I ask,” he growls, “made you freak the fuck out?”

  “I heard growling….” I sigh shyly. I was probably dreaming and just imagined it, but it sounded so real. The attack from earlier must be fucking with my head.

  “That would have been Sebastian,” Elliot says with a pained chuckle. “Your little friend has been chasing him around the house with a bottle of peroxide in an attempt to help the man out.”

  “Really?” I giggle, “All that noise for a little bit of first aid?”

  “You don’t understand,” Elliot laughs, “Sebastian is a serious wuss when it comes to shit like that. The man can fight like a fucking badass, but don’t attempt to come near him with anything resembling a bandage.”

  I hear another growl, the sound of things slamming to the ground and a high squeal. Elliot launches off his feet and I follow him down the hall, to Denny’s bedroom. I push the door open and slap my hands over my eyes.

  Sebastian has Denny pushed against the wall, his mouth slanted over my friend’s. Moans are vibrating in both of t
heir throats as Denny moves his hands up Sebastian’s naked shoulders to grip his hair in his fist. I can’t speak. I can’t look away. It’s like watching a train wreck and I can’t make myself move!

  Elliot clears his throat and Sebastian pulls away from Denny as if he’s been burned. A deep blush covers my friend’s entire face as Sebastian pushes past us to leave the room. I look down to the floor, noticing an empty bottle of peroxide and a lone washcloth discarded on the other side of the room.

  “What just happened?” I ask, my cheeks flushed from what I’ve just witnessed.

  “I…um….” Denny stutters, his cheeks a bright red.

  “I’ll leave the two of you,” Elliot chuckles before pulling the paper towel from his face. It looks like it’s stopped bleeding, which makes me feel a lot better.

  “Denny,” I whisper, calmly walking to him, “what happened?”

  “I…was trying to…” he stammers before sitting on the bed and covering his face with his hands.

  “I know you want to tell me!” I encourage him as I sit by him.

  “I was…ugh!” he exclaims before gripping fistfuls of his curly, brown hair, “I was trying to help him! I promise! I’ve been trying to help him clean his wounds out and he wouldn’t let me. I…finally cornered him in here and he let me…he let me clean on of the cuts. Next thing I know…he’s slapping the stuff out of my hands and I’m against the fucking wall!”

  “Well,” I chuckle, “how was it?”

  “It was so fucking amazing!” he says, the words spilling from his mouth, “He’s so dominant and it’s so damn hot! God, I didn’t know what to do!”

  “It sure seemed like you knew what to do….” I accuse him, a sly smirk on my face.

  “I didn’t!” he cries, a deep blush returning to his cheeks, “He grabbed me by my shirt and tossed me against the wall. I thought he was going to hit me, but then next thing I know…his lips were on mine and I couldn’t move! I stood there like a damn idiot because he took me by surprise!”

  “I’m sure being surprised includes grabbing his hair and moaning into his mouth,” I tease, jabbing him in the ribs with my elbow.

  “Y-you saw that?” he asks before spinning around and flopping face first into his pillow.

  “Oh, come on Denny,” I coo, “there’s nothing wrong with living out your fantasies.”

  “But I thought he was straight!” he moans into the pillows, his words muffled.

  “Well, apparently he isn’t, so that should make you feel better!” I tell him reassuringly, running my hands up and down his spine. He flops onto his side, his face leaning into his hand.

  “Are you okay though?” he asks, his tone suddenly serious.

  “I’m fine,” I reassure him, “They never touched me.”

  “Macy, I wasn’t taking about that,” he sighs, “Are you okay as in, are you over your little freak out from earlier?”

  “Oh,” I breathe, “I guess so. I didn’t have a long time to come to terms with everything, but my time alone did help. I’ve come to the conclusion that if I survive this, it might just be the best thing that’s happened to me in a while.”

  “How so?” he asks as he props himself against the headboard.

  “Well, I have my arm back,” I admit, trailing my fingers up the wrist of my right arm, “Honestly, with all of this craziness…it takes my mind off what happened or what could have been.”

  “Me too,” Denny sighs before wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me into his side.

  I flip in his arms and bury my face into the hollow of his neck. I take a deep breath, noticing the smell of cinnamon mixed with my friend’s signature scent. A small smile spreads across my face and I curl my arm around his side, drawing small circles along the base of his spine.

  “I miss him too,” Denny mumbles, his breath tickling the hairs at the top of my head.

  I release a long breath that I didn’t know I was holding and burrow my face further into his neck. It takes only a few moments for slumber to overtake me and I happily fall down the rabbit hole.

  ∞∞∞

  "How is she doin'?" I hear Sebastian's deep, yet warm, voice whisper from somewhere close to me.

  "Her fever's gone down," Elliot says, his voice sounding incredibly close to me, "but I'm scared it will come back with vengeance soon."

  "Poor girl...." Sebastian says, "hopefully this will pass soon. I hate seein' her like this."

  I feel arms tighten around me and assume that I'm cuddled up into Elliot. His body's warm against me, my aching muscles eased a bit from the heat he's radiating. I stifle a yawn and feel his body tighten beneath me.

  "Good morning, Sunshine," he whispers into my hair before kissing my temple.

  My eyes open and I have to blink a few times before the room comes into focus. The television is playing some old, western movie and I notice that Elliot must have finally mounted it. Denny's lounging along the couch across from me, his right arm tossed across his face as small snores escape his lips. I swear, I even see a little drool sliding out of the corner of his mouth. He must have brought me into the living room at some point.

  Elliot's arms slide up to rest on my shoulders and he gives me a small, reassuring squeeze. A moan escapes my lips as the tiny touch makes my aching muscles loosen.

  "Do that again...." I groan as I lean into his touch.

  A small chuckle vibrates in his throat and he digs his fingers into the countless knots in my shoulders. I sag against him as all the muscles begin to relax and a sated sigh passes my lips.

  "How long have I been out?" I groan as he stops moving his magical fingers.

  "It's been about three days since the attack," he says before shifting me in his lap to where I'm lounging against the arm of the couch with my feet in his lap.

  He begins massaging my feet and I let my head lean back. God, I could get used to this.... Henry had something close to a phobia when it came to feet and I couldn't ever con Denny into touching them.... Dad's been the only person who's ever done something like this for me....

  "Have my parents called?" I ask.

  "Yes," he admits, "but Denny told them that you'd come down with a virus and that you'd be calling them back when you got better."

  "Where's my phone?" I ask suddenly, realizing that it's been a while since I've spoken with Dad and he probably wants to kill me right now. God, I can't believe I forgot to call him!

  "Wait just a second," he says, pushing my feet off his lap, "I'll go grab it for you."

  I lay my head against the armrest and look up at the ceiling. My bones feel like they’ve been turned to gelatin. Hell, you could probably stick a straw in and drink me like a juice box. I hear the sound of Elliot’s bare feet walking along the hardwood floors.

  "Here you go," he says, handing my cell to me, "You dropped it on the trail. Luckily, you didn't break it."

  I look at the screen, noticing a few missed calls and texts from my dad. I quickly dial his number and wait for him to answer, which he does on the second ring.

  "Where the hell are you?" he growls.

  "It's nice to hear your voice too, Dad...." I croak, my throat feeling as though I've eaten a handful of glass.

  "I went to your house yesterday and you weren't there. Your mom doesn't know what's going on. Where the fuck are you?"

  "I'm sorry, Daddy," I whine, trying to pull at his heartstrings. "Denny and I decided to travel for a while. I think I ate something bad, it's had me in bed for several days...."

  "This isn't like you, Macy." he sighs, sounding defeated, "One moment you're fine and dandy and the next thing I know...you're gone.... When are you coming home?"

  "I don't know," I admit, "but I think we will be here a while. I need some time to adjust to things...."

  "What things, Macy?" he exclaims, "I thought you were getting over everything!"

  "Dad," I snap, "there's no way to just get over the things I've been through. I promise to call more often, but I'm not going to give yo
u a fake promise about when I'm coming home."

  "Whatever, Macy," Dad groans, "Call your mom sometime, she misses you."

  The line goes dead and I just stare at it for a moment before throwing my phone across the room.

  "Fuck you too!" I snarl before collapsing against the couch.

  "I take that the conversation didn't go well...." Elliot says with a chuckle as he walks back into the room. He has my thrown phone in one hand and a bowl in the other.

  "What do you think?" I mumble as I reach out for the bowl he's offering me.

  A faint smile makes its way to my face when I realize that he's made me a bowl of Chicken and Stars. It's my favorite feel good meal and I'm sure that Denny told him about it. It's just like chicken noodle soup, except instead of noodles, it's little star shaped pasta.

  "I think that went a lot worse than you were hoping and you need to call your mother now...." he says, a playful smile on his face as he sits down and pulls my feet into his lap.

  "Yeah, but I want to lay down in bed, it's more comfortable...." I sigh. He doesn't even give me a chance to move before he jumps from the couch, sits my bowl down and lifts me in his arms bridal style.

  "Let's get you in bed then," he chuckles, scooping my soup off the coffee table and placing it in my hands.

  He hurries us to my room and places me in bed, adjusting my pillows behind my head. I take a sip of my soup as he places my phone next to me. Instead of taking a seat on the chaise lounge beside the window, he simply sits on the edge of the bed. I grab the phone and dial her number, biting my lip. The phone rings a few times before she picks up, but the line is silent....

  "Mom?" I ask, my phone pressed to my ear. My nerves are on edge as I wait for her to answer. How is she going to react? I mean, it has been almost two weeks since she's heard my voice. She's most likely going to be pissed with me.

  "Where the hell have you been?" she shrieks, causing me to pull my phone away from my face. Elliot chuckles causing me to give him a deadly glare.