by J. L. Weil
“I’m many things, Kitten, including a great fighter, but regardless of all my kickassery, I’m still mortal.”
I didn’t want to be reminded he could die protecting me. The guilt and sorrow would eat me for a lifetime. We needed a new, safer topic. “What did she mean by helping me?”
He shook his head. “I don’t know, but no doubt we’ll find out. How do you feel?”
“Fine, I guess.” Other than the burn deep inside me—like a little flame dying for a splash of gasoline—I was okay. “I guess it was too much to ask for one fae-free day.”
“Congratulations, Kitten.”
“For what? Almost getting killed?”
His lips twitched. “Graduating high school.”
Oh, right. I had completely forgotten the entire reason I’d been at the school to begin with. Today was supposed to have been a milestone of my accomplishment for the last twelve years, and instead, it had turned into a hot mess.
Kind of like me.
* * *
I walked up the stone path to my house, the soft yellow porch light illuminating the front door where my parents were snuggled inside, probably sitting by the fire. If I had doubted leaving, seeing Sura at my school had made it clear, I would be hunted for as long as I lived.
None of the lame excuses I’d prepared had been enough to erase the disappointment I was sure Hannah and Jesse had when I texted them earlier. Of course, I had taken the coward’s way out, telling them my mom needed me, that coming to the graduation had caused her to take a turn for the worse. They understood all too well, as I knew they would. Hannah and Jesse loved me, they loved my parents, and I felt like I should be awarded the asshole of the year award. The lies became easier to spin, rolling out of me, a trait I wasn’t proud of.
My phone buzzed just as I was about to put my key in the door. It was Dad. “Hello,” I answered.
“Karina—it’s your mom. She’s at the hospital.”
My world stopped.
Chapter Six
A full crimson moon hovered over the sky that night, bathing the ground in an eerie rustic glow. A light mist drizzled from a batch of ominous clouds that seemed to follow me home, a shadow of foreboding.
The world stilled, as I stood on the porch, immobile, the keys in my hand falling to the ground, clattering like a shotgun over the silent night. I shook my head, unable to believe this was real. Just a few hours ago she was smiling, laughing, watching me throw my gold cap in the air, and now she was in the hospital, hooked up to a million machines that couldn’t do anything to make her better.
“K, hey, are you okay?”
I blinked, finally realizing someone was talking to me. It was Jesse. He was watching me with flecks of apprehension. “What?” My throat felt oddly clogged.
“You’re pale as a ghost. Are you okay?”
Inside, my fox flickered, sensing the instability that had suddenly overtaken me. I hooded my eyes, glancing down at the phone clutched in my hand, before Jesse could see anything unusual about them. “Um. No. It’s my mom. She’s in the hospital. Dad just called me. I-I need to go,” I stammered.
“I’ll drive,” Jesse replied without hesitation.
He bent to pick up the keys that had fallen to the ground just as a car sped into the cul-de-sac, stopping at the end of the driveway. A dark figure unfolded from the driver’s side. Devyn. He flew straight for me, passing Jesse, who had taken a step back. The Shaman framed both sides of my cheeks with his strong fingers, gently rubbing the pads of his thumbs over my skin. “What’s wrong? What is it, Kitten?” Every inch of him was tensed and ready for battle. Green eyes crystallized, I sensed the worry pouring off him in tumultuous waves.
“Devyn,” I whispered, sinking into him. The tears came, springing into my eyes, and I could do nothing to stop them. “It’s my mom. She’s in the hospital.”
“Let’s go.” Devyn turned, wrapping me into his arms as he started to lead me down the driveway.
I nodded, grabbing a handful of his shirt, completely forgetting about Jesse. As the car pulled away, I glanced out the window to see him standing in my driveway, staring at me with a sad expression on his face, shoulders hung over.
With tears still glistening in my eyes, I placed my palm on the glass and mouthed his name.
“Do you know what happened?”
Devyn’s sharp voice pulled me out of the fog. “No. I only know that she passed out. The doctors are examining her now. Devyn, hurry.”
He wove in and around traffic, driving crazily as if my life depended on it. “She’ll pull through. Your mom is tough.”
My hands wrangled together on my lap. “What if I’m too late? What if this is it?”
“It isn’t. Listen to me, Kitten. We’re not too late,” he insisted, resolve in his voice.
I wanted his surety, his ability to believe things would be fine, but I knew that the longer Katsura went deprived of someone with the power to commune with the land, the sicker the people who depended on the region to survive became.
And Mom had been away from Katsura for more than eighteen years. It was affecting her quicker and with more vigor.
Damn.
The short drive to Seaside Heights Hospital felt like it took forever, and by the time we got there, I was jumping out of my skin. I wanted to cut through all the red tape and find my Dad, but the lady at the front desk wanted my name, who I was here to see, and blah, blah, blah.
Devyn took care of the particulars as I stood in the lobby, fumbling with my necklace. Please let her be okay.
I barely remember being ushered down the halls and into the elevator. There were voices all around me, nurses and doctors conversing, but I didn’t hear any of them. Hospitals made my blood run cold, and it wasn’t just from the cooler temps.
It wasn’t until I saw my dad pacing in front of a mocha-colored door with a rectangle glass pane that the world came rushing back around me. Dad lifted his eyes as I advanced, and he looked as if he had aged ten years in the few hours since I had last seen him. Shadows clung under his eyes. “Karina,” he sighed, and then engulfed me in a hug.
The strong arms of my military father seemed weak, and it was me holding him up. “How is she?” I asked.
Dad rubbed a hand over his face and attempted a brave half-smile for my benefit. “Resting now.”
“Did the doctors say anything?”
“Nothing new. They of course want to run more tests in the morning.” He was exhausted, and those tests the doctors wanted to run would be for nothing.
I didn’t want to put her body through it. What was the point? I gnawed on my lip, unable to believe what I was going to suggest. “Maybe we should take her home.”
“I’m sure that your mother would like nothing more than to be in her own bed, but let’s give her the night to rest here and see how she is doing in the morning.”
I nodded. “Can I go in and see her?”
Dad put a hand on the knob and twisted, opening the door for me. “Take as long as you like, Kit Kat.”
Walking through the doorway, I wrapped my arms around myself as my eyes scanned the room. Once you’ve seen one hospital, you’ve seen them all. The striped curtains were pulled closed, the only light coming from a wall-mounted lamp. I approached the bed and wet my lips. “Mom?”
She didn’t move. Beep. Beep. Beep. The repetitive sound of the machines echoed in the little white room, alternating between the pumping of the oxygen device hooked up to her nose and the beeping of the heart monitor. Tears once again threatened to spill over my cheeks.
I reached for her hand, finding her skin clammy and cool. Her dark hair was spread out against the white pillow. I twisted her wedding band around on her finger and a teardrop fell to my cheek.
“Hey, don’t cry. I’m okay.”
My head snapped up at the sound of Mom’s voice. “You’re awake,” I whispered.
Her hand closed around mine. She looked bad. Really bad. “I’m sorry I ruined your day.”
Damn te
ar ducts. My chin trembled. “Please. You did no such thing.”
“I guess I pushed it a little too hard, but I wouldn’t change anything. I got to see my baby graduate. Best day of my life.”
“Stop, you’re going to make me cry again,” I sniffed, fighting back another round of emotion. It seemed to sneak up on me, taking control.
“We’re so proud of you, honey,” she said softly.
I squeezed her hand, careful not to apply too much pressure. “Do you want me to get you anything?”
“Any chance you could break me out of here?” she teased.
The corner of my mouth tilted. “Devyn is waiting in the hall. I’m sure he could come up with a plan. Pull the fire alarm?”
She fought to keep her eyes open. “He’s good for you.”
I let out a muffled sound that could have been construed as a snort. “Don’t tell him that. He already thinks he’s an unstoppable god.”
She blinked her half-lidded eyes. “Comes with the territory.”
That I could agree with. I pushed up my sleeves, feeling a tad flushed. “You should get some rest. I’ll come back tomorrow and see if I can spring you from this joint.”
“It’s not that bad,” she insisted, putting on a brave smile and letting her eyes drift closed.
I sat there for a little while, watching her breathe and thinking about what I knew. Her illness wasn’t curable by the doctors here on Earth, and as I sat beside her on the hospital bed, I came to the conclusion that I needed to tell her. Not just that her father had died, but everything.
That Katsura was dying.
That my powers were being targeted.
That I was leaving.
Dad came into the room not much later. He was going to stay the night with Mom, and he told me go home and get some sleep myself. He promised to call immediately if there was any change—good or bad.
The mention of the word sleep was a reminder of how tired my body was. It had been a long day, and as much as I didn’t want to leave, I didn’t trust myself to stay He took Mom’s hand, giving me his back, and I knew he wouldn’t leave her side. I stood up and the room spun, forcing me to place a hand on the wall to steady myself.
Whoa. What was that?
I waited through a few deep breaths for the dizzy spell to pass and opened the door. Devyn stood up from his seat when he saw me, raking a hand through his tousled dark hair.
My vision wavered like surfs of heat in the desert. “Devyn,” I rasped. The cool air of the hospital had suddenly gone up a hundred degrees. I was boiling, sweat beading down my brow and dripping onto my face. I staggered forward, the wall no longer there to hold me up.
But Devyn was, like always. “Hey, I got you.”
I couldn’t fathom what my life would be like if I didn’t have the Shaman to lean on. Before becoming a shifting fox, I had considered myself fairly independent. Talk about a role reversal. “I’m so hot,” I uttered.
His fingers grazed under my shirt, running over my skin. “You’re burning up,” he said, brows slamming together.
“Devyn?”
“What is it, Kitten? Tell me what’s wrong.”
I wanted to tell him that I thought that pink-haired bitch had done something to me, but that wasn’t what came out of my mouth. “You’re so pushy. Even when I’m about to pass out.”
He tucked me under his arm, slowly leading me down the hall. “Is that so?”
I stared at my feet, watching them drag along the ground. “Hmm.”
“Then you better hang on,” he murmured.
There he went again. Telling me what to do. Suddenly, I was swept off my feet, and I sighed. What a relief it was to not worry about staying upright. Resting my head on his shoulder, I closed my eyes, breathing in the scent of him.
Nothing I did rid me of the fire raging under my skin. Gasping, I arched my back, a silent scream in the back of my throat. Everywhere burned.
But seconds later it didn’t matter, because I was swimming in sweltering blackness.
Oh God.
Chapter Seven
It was a foggy gray morning. Curls of mist covered the ground in a wispy blanket outside the large picture window. The pillow smelled of Devyn, and the scent drove me crazy. I indulged myself for a moment, breathing him in as my mind conjured his face—the sharp features, the long lashes fanning over bright green eyes, the strong, firm body.
He was so damn compelling.
My eyes traveled from the scene outside to the ceiling that was unfamiliar. Where was my fan? I shifted in the bed, flipping down the dark blue blanket.
What am I doing in Devyn’s bed?
I glanced to the spot beside me, half-wishing and half-terrified I would find Devyn stretched out next to me, so I was surprised by the disappointment that sunk in. He wasn’t in bed, or even in the room.
I sat up, and looked down. This isn’t my shirt.
Holy crap.
He had undressed me before tucking me in. Well, it wasn’t the first time Devyn had seen me naked, but it didn’t stop the flush from stealing over my body.
The sudden heat had the events of last night reeling back with disturbing force, but the dreamless sleep must have done wonders. No longer was my body melting from the inside out. I felt great, actually, which was kind of unnerving.
Slipping my feet over the side of the bed, I went in search of my everlasting savior. He was in the kitchen, baking what smelled like chocolate chip cookies. There was a dusting of flour on his left cheek.
“Are you baking?” I asked, wrinkling my nose.
His dark head lifted from the bowl he was scooping from. “Why is that so surprising?”
I shrugged, leaning my elbows against the countertop. “You don’t really seem like the type of guy who bakes.” Now that I thought about it, I’d never seen him make anything other than coffee.
He spooned a glop of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet. “I figured after last night, you deserved your favorite sweet.”
And he didn’t have to say it, but he knew my mom always made chocolate chip cookies when I had a bad day. It gave me all the feels. “Did I faint?” I asked, plucking a finished cookie off the plate.
“That you did, Kitten.”
I bit into the still warm cookie and melted. “I never faint,” I said with my mouth full.
A lopsided grin popped on his lips. “Really? I can recall you fainting during our first encounter. I also remember you waking up on my couch threatening me.”
I scowled. “Should I be laughing?”
“Probably not. Maybe this will put a smile on your face,” he said, magically pulling a paper cup out from behind his back.
“Coffee,” I sighed. “From the café?”
He nodded. “Cinnamon Latte, your caffeinated drink of choice.”
Yes, it was.
“Careful, it’s hot,” he warned as I pressed the cup to my lips.
I shrugged. “Seems find to me.”
I took a sip, and moaned. “It feels like Christmas. You didn’t have to do all this.”
“What else was I going to do while you slept all day?”
“What time is it?”
“Almost eleven.”
“Crap. I need to run by the hospital before work, but first, I need to change and shower.” My gaze darted around the room, searching for my bag and clothes.
Devyn eyed me warily. “Are you sure you want to go into the café?”
“I’ll be fine,” I replied, brushing off his concern.
“Do you want me to drive you?” he offered, and I recognized that tone. He was worried about me.
I stared at him. He moved from the kitchen and into the living area, standing near me. “You don’t want to leave me alone, do you?”
“Not particularly. Bad things happen when I do.”
There was no arguing that, but it wouldn’t stop me from leaving. I grabbed another cookie, before I jumped off the stool to go in search for my stuff. “So, what happened after I passe
d out?”
Devyn’s eyes followed me around the room as he leaned against the wall. “Not much, you slept like a baby.”
“Do you think Sura has anything to do with happened to me?” Where the heck were my clothes? It was only a one-bedroom apartment.
A stoic expression stole over his features. “I’ve considered it, and honestly, I wouldn’t put it past her. I just don’t know what exactly her game is here.”
“I don’t know how making me so sick that I black out is helping me.”
“She has an agenda, and I plan to be the wrench in her scheme,” Devyn swore, fervor in his voice.
That’s what I was afraid of.
* * *
The sugary scent of sweet rolls filled my nostrils. Naomi Clarke, the boss and owner of Sugar and Spice Café, was working beside me, chipping in because Becka had called in sick. Naomi had been like a second mother to me, someone I looked up to.
“I heard about your mom,” she said, in a voice full of compassion. Her cognac eyes were soft, her long, dark hair weaved into intricate braids with streaks of golden blonde peeking through.
Wow, news traveled fast. I shouldn’t have been surprised. The small community of Seaside Heights liked to butt into everyone else’s business. “She seems better this morning. If everything checks out with the doctor, they’ll probably release her later today.”
Naomi sprinkled a dash of chocolate shavings over a pile of whipped cream. “You’ve had more than your share of scares this past year. I want you to know how proud I am of you, of everything you’ve been able to accomplish. I know you have a bright future, and it isn’t making a seriously wicked cup of coffee, which you do. What I’m trying to say, is we’ll miss you around here when you head off to college.” She handed me the finished mocha for the lady waiting at the counter.
College. Ugh. “Thanks, Naomi. I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.” I took the paper cup and passed it on to the customer, thanking her for her business.
Naomi leaned a hip on the mini-fridge and smiled at me. “You’re made for greatness, my dear.”
Or epic failure.
