Clay's Hope

by Melissa Haag

  Chapter 21

  It wasn't just the next night, but every night, that Gabby folded back the covers to invite me in next to her. And, each day I went to work, with no signs of challengers waiting. I lived in a state of bliss.

  Daydreaming of sleeping next to Gabby, yet again, I barely heard the shop phone ring or Dale's answering, "Hello, Dale's Auto Body." Last night, she'd been so cold she'd practically slept on top me the entire time. If I concentrated, I could still smell her on me.

  "Clay! It's for you."

  I straightened away from the hood of the car I was working on and frowned. No one knew to call me here. Still, I went to the phone.

  "Hello?"

  There was an indrawn breath, then a moment of silence. The wait wasn't long.

  "Clay, I did it again," Gabby said, her voice sounding strained. "I'm at the diner where we had breakfast. I need you to come get me before it gets worse."

  Damn it. I hung up the phone.

  "Dale, I need a ride. It's Gabby."

  "Okay. Let's go."

  I jogged out the door, and he hurried to catch up. Who had she managed to find at the diner? I'd been so sure she would go after Rachel.

  "Where to? Should we call an ambulance?"

  "The diner on Main. No. She's just sick, again," I said as he pulled out of the lot.

  He just shook his head and kept driving. When we pulled into the parking lot, I had the door open before he even stopped.

  "Come back when you can. Take care of her."

  I nodded and leapt out.

  Through the window, I spotted her. She looked pale. Her bottom lip trembled when she caught sight of me. I pulled open the door and strode to the booth where she sat.

  "Hi," she whispered, tilting her head to look at me. The pain in her gaze worried me.

  She handed over her keys then started to slide out of the booth. I helped her to her feet and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, holding her close. Fine tremors wracked her body as she shuffled alongside of me. I wanted to be frustrated with her-why did she need to keep hurting herself like this-but concern outweighed frustration as I maneuvered us out the door and to her car.

  Once I had her in the car and buckled up, she shut her eyes. Her breathing hitched several times as I drove home, and she didn't move when I picked her up and carried her inside. I knew she was awake, though; so after I tucked her into bed, I got her a glass of water. She drained it, then lay back with a tooth-chattering sigh.

  I stripped to my shorts and slid in with her. This wasn't the kind of snuggling I'd had in mind. I hated this. Hated the worrying. She didn't understand her abilities and neither did I. What if she had a finite number of zaps in her? What would happen if she used them up? Would she burn herself out? Would she not wake up?

  I held her, and I worried. At some point during the night, I pulled her close so that her head rested on my chest. Then, I just listened to her breathe.

  Close to dawn, she moved. She lifted her head, and I felt her look at me. Keeping my eyes closed and my breathing steady, I silently waited. She was thinking about something.

  She carefully pulled away from me, and I felt the mattress move as she got out of bed. I opened my eyes to watch her leave the room. That she was up and walking meant she was through the worst of it. I heaved a relieved sigh and got up to turn on the light for her so she wouldn't trip getting back into bed. Sitting against the headboard, I listened to her wash her hands and then leave the bathroom.

  When she reached the bedroom door, she paused and eyed me. I studied her in return. She did appear to have more color. Although I was relieved, I was also annoyed. What possessed her to keep transferring her power? I hoped she'd explain. I needed to understand; but more, I needed to hear her say she'd never do it again.

  Biting her lower lip, she closed the door and slowly turned back toward me. She wouldn't meet my gaze as she walked back to bed and burrowed under the covers once more.

  "I'm sorry," she said softly. Then, she finally looked up at me. "I didn't plan it...but I think I've figured out what I am, Clay. I'm like a GPS for werewolves. I can find people. Not just people, but compatible Mates like me."

  I wanted to sigh. I didn't care that she could find others like her, not when I'd just spent over sixteen hours waiting for her to wake up.

  She tucked her cold feet under my legs and kept talking.

  "When I touched Rachel yesterday, I really paid attention."

  When had she seen Rachel? I almost swore. I'd known it would be her.

  "I saw the energy I release when I shock a person. It goes into them and pulses outward, passing through almost everyone else. And everyone this energy passes through fades in my mind, almost dimming to the point of non-existence. Five people didn't fade, Clay. In the whole world, there are only five. Six if you include me. And when the energy I release touches them, it bounces off to come crashing back on me. That's what's been knocking me on my butt."

  She played with the quilt for a second, and I nudged her to keep her going. I still hadn't heard, "I'll never worry you like that again, Clay."

  She smiled at me then resumed talking.

  "It was different when I touched Luke. With him, I zoomed in on one specific spark, a yellow-violet one on the east coast. The paper I gave Luke? That was directions to find her. I think she belongs with him. I think I found his Mate just by touching him." She grinned and said, "I don't think he appreciated my help, though."

  I remembered the phone call and agreed. However, I was glad he was off chasing some other female.

  A faint laugh outside the house caught my attention. I turned my head toward the window, staring out into the dark. The soft sound continued. Someone was in the driveway, slowly circling to the front of the house. Other than the laugh, there was silence.

  I felt Gabby move on the bed behind me. The laughing grew louder. Whoever was outside had heard her move. Only one of my kind could hear that well. I growled and threw off the covers.

  Fangs exploded in my mouth, and my ears changed as I struggled to control my rage. For weeks, the challengers had met me in the abandoned shop, respecting the need to keep Gabby safe after that first challenge. Why would someone come here now?

  I saw a slight movement through the blinds. He was standing on the front lawn in the shadows. I narrowed my eyes, and he grinned wide and laughed loudly. He could see us because of the light.

  With a burst of speed, I knocked the pillows off the bed then bumped Gabby off, too. As she tumbled over the edge of the mattress, I leapt toward the bedroom door, cleared it, and switched off the light before she landed.

  I flew out the front door and found the man crouched low, ready for me. Snow crunched under my bare feet as I moved toward him. His lips parted with a growl, and he moved to the side, studying me. I snarled back as I sized him up. His shoulders were narrower than mine, his fingers, thinner, but I outweighed him. I'd use that. But first, I needed to know his skill.

  Moving in a blur, I rushed him and swiped at his torso with my changed nails. Material ripped, but he managed to move out of the way, just skirting the direct glow of the streetlight before he rushed at me. I twisted, turning with his attack to avoid being hit. As he passed me, I used my foot to tangle his. He growled as he fell, and I retreated a few steps toward the house, ready for his next attack.

  The man snarled, and when he lifted his head, his eyes had dilated. He was losing control, on the verge of change.

  "We need to take this elsewhere," I said quietly, aware of the houses around us. How long until someone heard us?

  His skull moved under his skin, reshaping, and he crouched low again as his mouth reshaped, too. He wasn't ready to listen. I focused on allowing my mouth to change, making it easier to bite him. A good hold on his throat would send him off and end this before it got out of control.

  He lunged forward, his mouth opening. I leaned back,
avoiding his bite, and drove my fist into his gut.

  Down the road, a few of the streetlights blinked off.

  He backed away from me and sidestepped, as if trying to circle around me. Instead of following, I moved closer to the house and shadowed his step to the side. He snarled and charged me. This time, I didn't back away.

  I met him with a fist to the face and enjoyed the sound of the low thud, until he drove his fist into my ribs. Grunting, I came back with a right fist to his jaw and a left to his ribs. We moved fast, striking and dodging. I did more dodging than he did. His breathing became harsh.

  Twice more he tried to feint away from the house, but I refused to follow.

  He growled softly and tensed to attack again. A faint noise behind the house caught my attention. Someone was on the back porch.

  I growled and grabbed the man by the back of his head. As the back door opened, I put everything I had into the next hit. My fist met his temple with a crack. I opened my hand, and he dropped. I didn't wait to see him fall.

  The front door still stood open. Rushing through it, I barreled into the next challenger who was crossing the living room.

  The man ducked low and wrapped his arms around my waist, ready to drive me to the floor. I fisted my hands together, lifted them, and slammed down onto his back as we started to move. He straightened, trying to clip my jaw with the back of his head, but I jerked out of the way. Not far enough. His arms whipped around me and started to squeeze. He had more to him than the last guy, I felt it in his arms. Hands still locked, I brought them down on his face, again and again, hammering at him as he tried to crack my ribs.

  From Gabby's room, I heard movement.

  He released me, and we broke apart.

  Gabby gasped. He looked over my shoulder, and I knew he saw her. His expression changed to one of adoration then swiftly to calculation. I knew that look. I had the same one months ago when I first saw her and felt the pull. Angry, I fisted my hand and hit him in the temple, bringing him down as I had the one outside. He landed hard.

  Behind me, Gabby moved. I turned to watch her. She remained focused on the man on the floor. She looked horrified. Yet she studied him for a long while.

  "What do we do, Clay?" she said finally.

  She turned toward me and shivered. The front and back doors were both open. She needed to get back in bed.

  "He's part changed. With all the noise, I think the police will be here soon. Can we leave him here like this?"

  Her worry wasn't just for keeping our race hidden. She'd felt something for the man on the floor, and it was tearing me up to think any of her worry might be for him. So, I nodded and motioned her back to the bedroom.

  Sirens screamed in the distance as I tucked her into bed and closed the door.

  When I returned, there was no limp form in the living room. The back door closed as I eyed the blood-free carpet. I glanced out the front window. The lawn was clear. They'd both run.

  I waited in the front door as the police pulled up.

  My face hurt. I had no doubt I looked like a victim as the officers in the first car opened their doors. Good thing they couldn't see the other guys and their busted faces.

  "Sir, I received a complaint that animals were fighting in your back yard...what happened to you?" the first officer asked as the second watched me.

  "I need to report an attempted break in."

  Then the questions started. Did I know who had attacked me? Had I ever seen my attacker before? Could I describe him?

  I knew they wouldn't accept short answers.

  "My girlfriend and I were inside when we heard a noise out here. I came out to investigate after telling her to stay inside. As soon as I was out, someone hit me from behind. We scuffled a bit. He was about my height but smaller in the shoulders. Dark hair. Hazel eyes. Nose had a bump in the bridge. His teeth were yellow. He had a friend in back. I heard his dog growling. I managed to knock the guy out on the front lawn," I stepped further out the door to the spot in the snow, "here. Then I went running back inside." One of the officers glanced at my bare feet.

  Damn.

  "I think the adrenaline rush is fading," I said calmly. "My feet and hands are freezing. Mind if we go inside?"

  The one who'd spoken waved me in. As soon as I was inside and had the door closed, I started up again, speaking softly.

  "Once I knocked the one out in front, I ran back in here. Gabby's been sick," I waved to the door, "and I was worried when I heard something from the back. It was a good thing I came in. He was standing right here," I moved to the center of the room. "He landed a few good punches, but I managed to knock him out, too. Gabby had gotten out of bed. We heard the sirens. I helped her back into bed, made sure she was okay, then came out to wait for you. When I came out, they were both gone."

  "We'd like to talk to your girlfriend."

  "Okay. Just knock on her door. I doubt she's sleeping."