by Kylie Price
“Sometimes I don’t know my own strength,” I retorted.
“Yeah well I definitely won’t cross you,” she said jokingly.
“I would never hurt you Nikkee,” I said seriously.
“I know,” she said giving me a gentle pat on the leg.
“How’s Mark holding up?” I asked changing the subject as I had almost forgotten about him.
“He is pretty freaked out but I think he is handling it ok. He said he actually believed us but it was Sky that was determined to not believe. He said she started saying weird stuff to him like ‘You have always liked Trinity’. When she would put on a new outfit that she bought, she would ask ‘Does this look like something Trinity would wear’. It’s somewhat creepy. But I am not sure if he is lying or not,” she finished.
I frowned deep. That was weird. “When has she ever felt the need to compete?” I asked not expecting an answer.
“Ever since her boyfriend took your side over hers apparently.”
My mind was a jumble. Why would Sky start acting like that? We were supposed to be best friends. Yet, why hadn’t Mark let us know that he believed us or at least kind of understood something strange was going on. He could have tried to help by making Sky talk to us. Instead, she has to believe whether she wants to or not because she was going to turn into a werewolf and either way once again be my friend or my foe. I didn’t want to fight with my best friends but I think deep down I knew that Sky had abandoned that title the moment she had stepped outside of Nikkee’s granny flat that night that I needed her support the most.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I ended up going back to sleep with Nikkee right beside me. I awoke while it was still dark and the house was quiet. I stared at the roof and thought of all the craziness that had gone on. Everything turned in my head and my thoughts were so jumbled. I wanted to scream at Jason for not letting me know that he was a beast when he knew what was happening to me. I also wanted to know why he was showing interest in me now when he never seemed to before. His deep green eyes swam across my mind. They terrified me yet at the same time made things inside me act all funny and irrational. I wanted to jump up and go kiss him. I wanted to feel his warm body against me, I wanted to lay nak… what the hell.
“NO!” I said out loud. I quickly looked to Nikkee to see if I had woken her, but all was still.
I sat up, placed my hands over my face, and then dragged them down. I pulled my arm only to get a snag.
“Stupid cords.”
I pealed the tape off and slowly pulled the needle out and then did the same with my other arm. It ached a little, but I just shrugged my shoulders and pulled the blankets off me and stood up. I felt a little light headed from the fast movement and swayed slightly. I shook my head a bit and then turned toward the door. I was on a mission.
I crept down the hallway as quietly as I could. There were four other doors and I was sure one was going to be a bathroom. I stopped at the first door I came to and looked in. Jason was face down with his arms and legs spread apart like a starfish almost like he flopped on the bed and just stayed that way. I smirked a little and kept on going and then stopped at the next door. I looked inside again and found who I was after. I walked inside the room and slowly closed the door behind me. I crept quietly up to the bed and sat down at the side of it next to the body that was lying there.
Sky looked peaceful and frail. She was covered with a blanket, but I could still see deep gashes down her arm and across her face as they were exposed. A tear ran down my cheek and I looked away. It seemed as though everyone was either changing or getting hurt around me.
Warm fingers touched my elbow and I looked down. I grabbed hold of them.
“I am so sorry Sky,” I half sobbed.
“I should be the one apologizing,” she whispered.
“Maybe we should both be sorry,” I said.
Sky looked away from me and said, “It’s because of her you know.”
“Because of the werewolf?” I asked.
She looked back at me, her eyes locking onto mine. “Nikkee!” she hissed. “She always has to have your full attention Trinity. She is a good friend to YOU but she wants you all to herself.”
“What? That is so not true. You and Nikkee are best friends too,” I pointed out.
“No, we are not,” She replied and sat up. “We were friends, yes. But we have never been best friends. You and she are best friends and you were mine.”
I hung my head a little. “Were?”
“Are, oh, I don’t know. I just don’t know Trinity,” Sky said in a sad voice.
“I’m confused. I truly thought you and Nikkee were best friends also. The three of us against the world,” I said.
“That ended the day you moved into Nikkee’s,” Sky said with a sneer.
I looked up fast. “So that’s it. You were jealous of me moving into Nikkee’s. I knew something was off when you went all quiet.”
“You didn’t even consider moving into my place. Nikkee just took charge and made you move into her place. Oh, and then she takes you clothes shopping and buys you just about everything in the store. Then she chews me out for you being hurt like it was my entire fault,” Sky said, raising her voice.
I stood up, fuming. “Do you not get it Sky, I DON’T WANT TO BE HELPED!” I yelled. “Do you really think I enjoy having to have one of my best friends buy me underwear, or have you bring me lunch to school because I never had any food in the house. Or have Nikkee pick me up to go have dinner. Really, you are upset because I didn’t choose your house over hers. I didn’t want to live in either of your houses, I wanted to stay at my own and then move to college, get a job and pay for my own things. Nikkee took me to her house and I stayed, what kind of friend would I be if I thought everything was a competition,” I finished feeling a little breathless.
“It isn’t a competition,” Sky said quietly.
“The bloody hell it isn’t. What is it with you being all ’Does this dress make me look like Trinity?’ and ’You liked Trinity before’ If that is not competing, I don’t know what is. Mark likes you. Mark and I fooled around and made fun of each other. Now you are going to wreck that too, because you first tried to compete with Nikkee and got all huffy and now that has ended. What next?” I said in a demanding tone.
“But Mark did like you,” she argued.
“NO he didn’t, just like Nikkee was never trying to be the better friend yet she clearly is. She stood by me no matter what, even if it was all crazy, you only believe me now because you are becoming a monster yourself,” I said through gritted teeth turned and marched out the door, slamming it behind me. I leaned against it and wiped my eyes. Tears were flowing freely and it didn’t feel like they would end.
“Why were you yelling at Sky?” Mark asked from in front of me and making me jump.
“Because someone had to talk some sense into her. And she thought I was crazy,” I spat out.
“She is still your best friend.”
“Yeah, okay,” I said and pushed myself off the door. “Hers and your friendship can bite me.”
I walked away from him and heard the door open and close. I hung my head as more tears started forming.
“Everything okay Trinity?”
I glanced up and saw the flesh of a nicely toned chest and then Jason’s face. He had bed hair and his eyes still looked half-unfocused.
“Yeah, just awesome,” I said sarcastically and started walking past him and then turned back around. “By the way, did you think that you could have enlightened me that you were a wolf boy, especially when you would have known what was happening to me instead of leaving me and Nikkee to try and sort it out ourselves? You know, maybe just a heads up next time.” Then I turned back and kept walking, leaving his sexy, half-asleep face staring after me. I hadn’t meant to lose it, but he needed to know I was pissed at him. He could’ve told me, he could have helped just like Lachlan could have also.
I walked towards a glass door and ope
ned it. I walked outside to the early morning air. I spotted a table with some chairs and I sat down. I put my arm on the table, then placed my forehead on it and let my tears drop straight to the cement.
A warm hand touched my shoulder and then I saw knees as Jason bent down. I knew it was him from the way my body reacted to his touch.
“I would have told you if I could.”
“Whatever,” I sobbed. I know, real mature.
“I would have but I was told not to. I also have a master that I must obey Trinity,” Jason said.
“I don’t have a master that I listen to.”
“I know,” he replied with a laugh.
“Why couldn’t you tell me?” I asked looking at him with my tear soaked face.
“Because it was for your own safety,” he said plainly.
“Why does everyone think they are keeping me safe when all it is doing is putting Nikkee and I more in danger as we try to figure it out ourselves?” I said, getting a little angry again, but I don’t think Jason saw it with tears still falling freely from my face.
“We are doing our best,” he defended.
“Well, so far your best has turned me half crazy and one of my best friends into a werewolf.”
“Orders are orders. I am sorry,” he said gently and placed his other hand on my leg.
“Why couldn’t you just tell your master to shove it like I told mine?” I said, sitting up a little composing myself.
“Because I am doing what I was created to do.”
“What were you created to do?” I asked.
“I was not bitten by accident Trinity; I was bitten with the sole purpose of protecting you. I agreed to become a monster, so I could be strong enough to protect you when you needed it.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
I stared at Jason, dumbfounded. He just watched, letting the information sink in. Standing up, he grabbed a chair and sat down right beside me.
“You chose to become a werewolf?” I said slowly. Saying it out loud made even less sense.
“Yes, I did.”
“Why? How did this happen?” I asked in a quiet voice.
He sat back in his chair and rested his arms on the side. He looked out to the yard and then back to me. “I had been working late and then my car wouldn’t start, rather than ringing mum I decided to walk. It was only thirty minutes. The walk took me past your place. As I got closer I saw you sneaking out of your window,” he smirked and shook his head. “Anyway, I was going to join you to walk to my place as I knew that is where you would have been going. It was the first time I mustered the balls to actually do anything with just you.”
I blinked a few times and just looked, letting it all sink in. Well, trying to.
“As I went to cross the road I saw a man standing around the corner of your house. I half froze; I looked back to you and saw you running off down the street. My eyes flicked back to the man. He walked out from around your house and started walking straight towards me. I was shitting myself Trinity, this guy was huge. I could hold my own for my age, but as he walked towards me, I thought I was dead meat.” He smiled, his face lighting up as he did, then it dropped back to being serious. “I dropped my bag on the ground, squared my shoulders and mentally got myself ready for an arse whooping. He stopped right in front of me. He had long brown wavy hair and his face looked rough. But his eyes were the scariest thing. They looked dead and tired. I almost felt pity for him until I remembered he had been watching you.”
“Did you have a fight?” I asked.
“No. Thank god. I would have been smashed to pieces if we did. He said, ’Boy, this is not what it looks like.’ I asked, ’What are you doing then?’ A small part of me thought perhaps this guy was your father. I told him he better have a good explanation or I would be calling the cops.”
“So, you thought he was either a stalker or my father?” I asked.
“Well, I couldn’t think of any other reason why a guy like that could be stalking you; either he was a psycho or a relative. At this stage, I had taken note of every detail so I could give a good description to the police if I needed to. Yet, there was something mysterious about him. It was a gut feeling. I knew I definitely should be afraid of him, but at the same time I felt there was more to it than a peeping Tom.”
He paused for a moment and leaned forward, grabbing my hand he held it in his own, his thumb rubbing back and forth. I shuddered mentally, not in a bad way. I felt comforted and relaxed at his touch.
“So, this guy then said that we should get a drink and have a talk. I honestly didn't know what I was in for but I thought it was better than having him follow you to my house. So I walked with him to his car and he drove us down to the tavern. It was busy as it was a Friday night. It didn’t seem to bother him being around a lot of people. He ordered two beers and we sat outside at a table like mates. It was kind of odd. I asked the question that had been going through my mind the second I saw him.”
“Why are you following Trinity?”
“You like the girl?” he asked.
“Does it matter?”
“It matters now because you didn’t answer the question, about whether you like the girl.”
He looked at me with a shy smile. ”I told him I did and that I had for a long time. He asked why I had never told you and I just said it was complicated. He then asked if I would do anything to protect you. I countered that’s why I was there sitting with a stranger that was watching her. I was putting myself in danger rather than have him follow her. He smiled and said, ‘I am not following the girl; I am doing what you are doing. I am also protecting her.’ I asked from what, he said he couldn’t tell me unless I was like him. I was totally confused and asked what he was. That is when he told me he was a werewolf. I half spat out the beer that I had just taken a mouthful of. This guy was serious, he thought he was a werewolf. My mind raced with concern for you and I was planning to call the cops as soon as I got free of him.” He looked out to the moon and sighed. “It was a full moon that night. I honestly didn’t believe him, he knew I didn’t and then he asked, ‘Would you become a beast to help protect someone you care for? Would you choose to do this so you can be stronger, faster? Would you give up your mortal life for immortality so that they can live theirs? Are you strong enough to handle this secret burden and yet live with them every day?’ The guy was so serious and I answered without even thinking it was true. I simply said, ‘Yes.’ He just gave a nod, stood up and walked off through the crowd. I honestly sat there for some time, staring after him. Then you came to my mind and I jumped up, my skin was crawling with anticipation to get home to make sure he was not there. I walked out of the tavern and into the car park. It was quiet since everyone was inside. I walked up to the car he had driven me in and there he was, just standing there watching me. I just stood in front of him and watched as his body started changing slightly. His brown eyes became brighter, they almost glowed in the dark. His teeth moved and changed form and his fingernails grew into long points. I must have looked stupid standing there dumbfounded, then he asked, ‘Are you sure you don’t want to change your mind.’ I thought for a moment. Yours, Nikkee’s, mum and dad’s faces were right there in front of me, and I did the same as before and answered automatically, ‘No’, then he bit me on the neck. It was extremely painful and it dropped me.”
He let go of my hand, sat back again, and watched me.
“So…” I said, but couldn’t think of anything else to say or ask.
“It is a lot to take in. Believe me,” Jason said.
“Was the change painful?” I asked.
“I had a whole month to prepare. I had gone with him, or as you all thought, I had gotten a new job and started working away.”
“So he changed you only to have you protect us yet had you go away?” I asked, feeling confused.
“For the first month, yes. Someone else was watching in my place until I had completed the change.”
“So you turn yourself into a beast
to protect us then have another complete stranger watch us. Yeah, that makes sense!” I said, rolling my eyes.
“It’s not like that. I can't quite explain it, but it was like as soon as I turned I knew I could trust Garth and that whatever he said was for the best,” he said, trying to explain.
“I think I understand that, in a way. I had the same thing happen with Lachlan; I just got in the car with him and drove for over an hour and a half to see someone. I didn’t questioned it, I didn’t understand why I just went with him. But I just felt I could and I should,” I paused and then added, “He still isn’t my master, though.”
Jason laughed and said. “Trinity he is your master but you can choose not to listen. I, on the other hand must obey.”
I looked at him seriously and asked. “Did you ever think that maybe he wanted someone close to me so if he told you to kill me you would do it.”
His look went dead and then he said flatly. “Trinity there is still such a thing as free will and if he ever said I had to kill you I would try and take as many of them out and then kill myself before I would harm you.” He said then started leaning in closer to me. His eyes growing slightly greener. He had me in a lock with his look. My hands started to shake as the anticipation grew waiting for his lips to finally touch my own.
Chapter Twenty-Five
“There you are- oh...” came Nikkee’s voice, just as mine and Jason’s lips were only a millimetre away from touching. Jason pulled back quickly and I sighed.
“Sorry,” Nikkee said and pulled a face, knowing she walked out at the wrong time.
“It's fine, I’ll go get us some breakfast,” Jason said and walked back inside.
I looked out to the yard and saw the orange glow on the horizon, signifying that it was sunrise. Time seemed to go fast when I was with Jason. I didn’t even notice that it was nearing dawn.
Nikkee sat in the chair that Jason had been sitting in. “I am so sorry Trinity. I have shitty timing.”
