by Tiffany Wood
“Why do you have to be so stubborn?” I ask as I’m speeding down the street.
“Take me home.”
She has to be kidding. “He knows where you live. I can’t do that.”
She hits the button for the locks. “Take me home or let me out. Either way I’m not going with you.”
I just saved her life and she’s still mad at me. “I’m not leaving you! If I take you home, he’ll show up there and that will put you and your aunt in danger. I can’t just let you get out because he would grab you off the street and then I would have to hunt him down and…hurt him.”
She starts crying again. “Please just let me out. I need to go home. Stop the car!” She tries to open the door but I manage to stop her.
“Are you crazy? I am not letting you jump out of a car that’s going 70 miles an hour.”
She starts hitting me and shouting. “Let me out! I need to go home. Just let me out.”
I wrap my free arm around her and hold her tight as she pounds her fist against my chest. She screams into my arm.
I pull off the road. “Sara, I know this is confusing. I can’t let him hurt you. He wants to hurt you because of me. Originally he just wanted to take you, but now since I’ve been keeping him away from you, he’s decided that it’s personal. He wants me to suffer.” She quits fighting and I let up on my grip. “If I let go, are you going to try to run again?” She looks away from me. “Sara. I can’t let you go. Not until I know that you’re not gonna try to jump out of the car.”
She looks down. “I promise I will not try to jump out of the car.”
I try to search her eyes but she still won’t look at me. I let go of her and put both hands back on the steering wheel. I put the car in drive and she throws the door open. Crap!
“Sara, stop.” I grab her jacket to stop her, but she slips it off. I jump out of the car. She looks back as she’s running away. She’s afraid of me stopping her.
I hear a vehicle coming. I run toward her. I smell him. She stops and starts waving her hands at the vehicle as it approaches. She doesn’t realize that it’s Bane coming after us. He pulls over and gets out. She sees him and looks at me. I’m not close enough to get between them. He turns to me and smiles. I can’t wait. I jump into the air as I’m running toward him and when I land I’m a wolf.
I run faster and he starts to transform. I give Sara a look that says get back to the car and she doesn’t move until I’m between them. He was fully transformed now. He darts toward her and I grab his leg in my jaw. I toss him back toward his vehicle and Sara starts running for the car. He darts for her again but I jump in the way.
He tears into my neck. I let out a, “YELP!” Sara turns around as she reaches the car door. She winces as she sees me trying to shake him off. I get my legs pushed around where I can kick him off. Sara is still just standing there. I jump up and run to the car. I push on her leg with my head and turn back to where I threw him.
He’s already running at us again and I charge him at the same time. We jump up as we reach each other and I grab a hold of his ear. “YELP!”
I growl as I pull on his ear shaking his head. Sara gets in the car and I hear the locks engage. I know she is safe now and I can concentrate. I bite his front paw and swing him around. He hits his SUV. He starts to get up but I’m already there. I tear into his side and then bite another paw. I push him into his SUV hard. I repeat it two more times.
He tries to stand but can’t. I grab hold of the scruff of his neck to throw him again and Sara screams, “Damian stop!”
I let him go. He won’t come after us again tonight. He’s hurt too badly. I limp back to my car and begin to change back. I watch him as I do to make sure he isn’t faking.
Sara unlocks and opens my door. She pulls me in gently and relocks the doors. She won’t look at me. I don’t blame her. I transform and tell her, “I’ll take you home now.”
Chapter Eleven
Neither of us spoke the whole way back to the apartment. I pulled into the garage and shut off the car. She just sat there. I got out of the car and walked around to her door.
As I open it I realize that she has fallen asleep. She must be exhausted from everything that happened today. I gently pick her up and shut the door.
I take her up to the apartment and expect to find her aunt waiting by the door. She wasn’t home yet. I carried her to her room and laid her down on her bed. I pulled her blanket over her and sat down in the chair that she has in her corner. I wouldn’t leave her after what just happened.
Sara’s POV
I woke up to Aunt Lynn calling me. I ran out to the kitchen and we had dinner.
“I wasn’t sure you were home yet. You were so quiet.”I looked up at her. “I must have fallen asleep. I didn’t feel very well when I got home.” What am I talking about? I don’t even remember getting home. “I’m gonna go back to bed if that’s alright. I still don’t feel too hot.” That much was true.
Aunt Lynn reached over and felt my forehead. “You are a little warm. Do you think you’ll be well enough to go to school tomorrow? I can stay home with you if you need me.”
Having my aunt at home with me was the last thing I wanted right now. “I think I’ll feel better by then. Don’t worry about it.”
I go back to my room and turn on the lamp beside my bed. As I turn around to change my clothes I see Damian. He’s sleeping in the comfy chair in the corner.
He saved me again and then he must have carried me in. I was so mean to him today and he still saved me. If I would have just listened to him, I wouldn’t have needed to be saved in the first place.
I almost thought he said “that’s right” but his lips hadn’t moved. I decided it wouldn’t hurt to change my clothes with him sleeping there but I’d turn away from him just in case.
I put on my spaghetti strap night gown and then pull off my pants. I stand back up but I feel someone behind me. He puts his hands on my shoulders and rubs them. I lean back against him and he sniffs my hair.
“You saved me again. After everything I said and did today you still saved me.”
He turns me around and I look into his eyes. “I told you, I couldn’t let him hurt you.”
I can tell how hurt he was by what I had done. “I’m sorry I didn’t trust you. I was just so confused and afraid. I’m still afraid. What happened out there? You changed into something else. Was that you in my room before?”
He looks straight into my eyes. “Yes. I was one of the wolves in your room. He was the other. When he cornered you that first day at the library, I’m the reason he disappeared.”
I looked down, “Wait, you’ve been following me?” He drops to his knees.
“No, I was following him. I knew he was after someone and I had to stop him. It’s my responsibility to stop him. His people are at war with mine. We are trying to protect the people they want to hurt.”
I stumble backwards. “You mean this whole time, I was just a job? That you were protecting me because it’s your responsibility?”
He starts to stutter. “N-no, I mean. Yes at first, but then it changed. Sara please listen to me It’s not what you think.”
I can’t listen to this. “Get out.” He starts toward me, “Get out. I’m not your responsibility anymore. I know he’s out there.”
He reaches for my arm, “Sara, please just listen. It’s my fault he’s still after you. I can’t stop him if I’m not with you.”
I shake my head and step back again. “I don’t care. Let me die. Just get out. I’m not your problem anymore!” I’m crying again.
“What? No, don’t think like that. Sara, you were never a problem. Please, just hear me out.” He reaches for me again and I try to take another step back but my bed is there.
“Stay back. I’ll scream if I have to Damian. Don’t touch me.”
He steps forward and looks into my eyes. He reaches his hand over and takes my hand. He pulls it to his face and kisses my palm. “I am not leaving you. I never
want to leave your side ever again. Please don’t push me away.”
I look away. He reaches for my other hand. I push him hard. “I said don’t touch me.”
Just then the phone rings. It startles him enough that when I push him again, he stumbles backward. I turn to answer the phone.
“Hello?” I hear heavy breathing. “Who is this?”
Damian comes over and takes the phone. “Who is this?” I hear a howl coming from the phone. “Don’t call here again!” He slams the phone down. “Are you okay?” He tries to take my hand again.
“Quit saving me!”
Aunt Lynn starts down the hallway. “Who was on the phone dear?”
I ran over to my door. Damian stopped me and pushed his hand against it. “If she finds us in here together again, she’s going to think we’re doing something, especially when you’re wearing that.”
I hadn’t thought about it till now. I don’t usually wear this nightgown, but when I changed, I picked it over the other ones.
“Sara?”
I better answer her before she tries to barge in here. “It was a wrong number! I’m going back to bed.” She was still coming down the hall. I ran to my bed and jumped under the covers. When I looked back at the door, Damian was nowhere to be found.
“Aren’t you feeling any better yet? I better check for a fever again.”
I look up at her like I was half asleep. “Aunt Lynn, I’m just tired really. I’ll be fine in the morning.”
She looked down at me concerned. “If you’re sure dear, I’ll let you sleep.” She turned my lamp off and shut my door behind her.
I looked around my room and found that I could see without a light. When I looked at my closet, I saw something moving through the grates. I walked over and threw open the door. Damian lunged forward and kissed me. I pushed him off of me, back into the closet.
I wanted to shut the door but instead I launched forward and kissed him this time. He wrapped his hands around me and lifted me up. I kept kissing him and he turned me against the wall. He took my hands and pushed them against the wall. He kissed me back hard.
He started to move from my lips to my neck. He let go of my hands and I wrapped my arms around his neck. He ran his hands up and down my back as he kissed my neck. I started to kiss his arm and tried to lift his shirt. He pulled back. I lunged at him again but he grabbed me and held me back.
“Sara, please stop.” He was breathing hard.
“I don’t want to.” I lunged at him again. He couldn’t hold me and we kissed again.
He took my hands and pushed me back against the wall breaking the kiss. “Yes you do. We have to stop.”
Our eyes locked and he starts kissing me again. We are both breathing heavily as he moves toward my neck again.
“Ugh! No! We can’t do this. You don’t want this. You smell my pheromones and that’s what’s making you want this.”
What was he talking about? “I don’t care. I want you to kiss me. Please Damian. Just kiss me.”
He looks into my eyes again and that’s it. I’m kissing him again. He picks me up and carries me to my bed. He lays me down and takes his shirt off. He straddles me on the bed and kisses me again. I don’t want him to stop. He kisses my ear and moves to my neck. I pull his mouth closer with my hand. He tries to pull away. I hold him there. He kisses me softly again and starts across my collar bone. I let go of his head and he jerks back.
“Sara, we have to stop. I don’t want to do this to you.”
I stop. “You don’t want to do what to me? Damian, I want this, I want you. You’re not forcing me to do anything. I don’t want to stop. Please, don’t stop.” I look at him with puppy eyes but he won’t meet my gaze.
“I have to stop. I can’t do this to you.” He stands up and grabs his shirt.
I sit up on the bed and pull my blanket up. “You don’t want me? You never did, did you?”
Before he can answer I run out of my room. Aunt Lynn had gone to bed so I ran to the bathroom and locked the door. I started crying again.
Chapter Twelve
“Sara? I know you’re in there. I-I don’t know what to say that will make you understand. I-I’m just so …stupid! Why can’t I just say the right things? Do you want me to leave?”
I whisper, “Yes.” He leans against the door and I can smell him. His smell is so intoxicating.
“If you can look me in the eyes, tell me that you want me to leave, and make me believe it, I’ll go. I’ll never bother you again.”
I walk to the door but just lean against it. “Please, just leave me alone.” I’m shaking uncontrollably. Something’s happening to me.
“Sara, are you okay? You’re shaking aren’t you? Crap! I knew I shouldn’t have kissed you again. Sara, open the door. I don’t want you to go through this alone.”What is he talking about?
“I c-can’t. J-just l-leave, I d-don’t-t n-n-nee-e-d-d your h-help. I t-told you to q-quit s-sav-ving me.”
He knows I’m not stuttering. It’s the shaking. “Sara, unlock the door. Let me in. I can try to make it stop.” I slip down the door and start shaking harder. “Sara, answer me please.” When I don’t answer he gives the door one big shove and the lock gives.
He gently, pushes me clear of the door and lays me flat. “Sara. I’m going to help you make the shaking stop. Do you trust me?” I can’t answer. He turns my face so I’m facing him and looks in my eyes. “I know you can still hear me. Please trust me.” His eyes plead for acceptance. Tears run down my cheeks. He brushes his lips against mine softly. “I’m going to kiss you again, but if I say we have to stop, you can’t force it. I know what I’m doing.”
He kisses me lightly and gently parts my lips with his tongue. He kisses me again and again. The shaking starts to slow. He moves to my neck and kisses me from one side of my collar bone to the other. He kisses my chest right below my collar bone moving inch by inch. He moves back up my collar bone and up the side of my neck. He kisses me softly on my lips. The shaking has almost stopped. He kisses me slowly two more times and the shaking stops completely. He looks in my eyes and I lay perfectly still. I’m afraid if I do anything other than breathe that they will start again.
“I think it’s over. You’re okay.” He caresses my face and brushes my hair back. He slowly helps me sit up against the tub. “How do you feel?”
Right as he asks me that my stomach spasms and I turn my head just in time to puke in the tub instead of on him. He holds my hair back. “It’s almost over. You’re doing fine.”
When my stomach quits heaving, he grabs me a glass of water and my toothbrush. I brush my teeth and tongue and rinse out my mouth.
“Thank you.” That’s all I could say.
“Can you get up?” He looks down at me. “Maybe I better just carry you.”
He lifts me up slowly and I wrap my arms around his neck. I bury my face in his chest and hope he didn’t see my face. I was so embarrassed. I hadn’t puked in front of a boy since second grade when Shaun and I had a pie eating contest. I won, and then I lost it. It wasn’t pretty. I thought I didn’t want him to see me cry, but I knew I didn’t want him to witness that. He carried me to my bed again and laid me down. He tucked the covers around me and turned to walk away.
“Wait. Don’t go. I mean, could you just lye beside me. I don’t think I’m going to be able to get back to sleep right now and I really don’t want to be alone.”
He turns back to me. “Scoot over. Don’t get used to it though. I wasn’t going to leave. I was just going to go back to the chair.” He lay down beside me and I put my head on his chest. He brushed my hair back away from my face with his fingers and before I knew it, I was asleep.
*****
When I woke up the next day, I looked all around my room for Damian. I couldn’t find him. He said he wasn’t leaving. I got out of bed and got dressed.
What time was it? Crap! Aunt Lynn didn’t wake me up and it was already ten o’clock. Damian probably woke up early and went to sc
hool. I smelled eggs in the kitchen. Aunt Lynn probably stayed home since I was still here. I got dressed and walked to the kitchen. To my surprise, it wasn’t Aunt Lynn making the eggs, it was Damian.
“You’re still here? I thought you left.”
He takes the eggs off of the stove and turns around. He walks over to me, grabs me around the waist and lifts me onto the counter. “Where else would I have to go? I don’t want to be anywhere unless I’m with you.”
I look into his eyes. He kisses me softly. Then he buries his head in my chest.
“Wait, what about Aunt Lynn?”
He laughs and lowers me back off of the counter. “I snuck outside before she finished in the bathroom this morning and waited for her to leave. I wasn’t about to get you in trouble.”
That was a relief. He walks me over to the table and sits me down. He brings me some eggs and toast and then gets me a tall glass of O.J.
“What’s with the royal treatment? Wait, better question, what happened to me last night? You said you knew what you were doing when you made it stop.”
He looks down at the plate. “Well first, you need to get your strength back after puking all of your dinner and half of yesterday’s lunch out last night. As for what happened to you, or rather what’s happening to you, that’s a longer story. Remember how you’ve felt each time you’ve kissed me? Each time it gets more intense, right?” He waited for my reply.
“Yeah, why?”
He looks straight at me. “You found out yesterday that I’m a werewolf. What if I told you that you had similar genes in your blood?”
Now he was being crazy. “I think Aunt Lynn would have told me if I was a werewolf.”
He kinda laughed. “She doesn’t know. Your dad was full blooded. Your mom didn’t have any of our genes. Your dad would have explained it to you when you hit puberty if he had been around. We don’t go around announcing ourselves and some of us reject what we are totally by marrying mortals. When this happens, the offspring can either become a werewolf or live a normal life. Since I met you, your senses have been heightening. Each time we kiss, something else enhances. This is your body’s natural response to having a male werewolf around. You find yourself more and more attracted and can’t stay away. I told you I didn’t want to do this to you last night because I knew how close you were getting to the next stage.”
