by Amy Star
“I have faith.” Vincent picked up his empty plate and placed it in a galvanized washtub along with his fork and cup.
Jillian squirmed in her seat, not wanting to mention what the spirit said about her being a vessel. But when her eyes met Vincent's, she sensed that he already knew.
When everyone had eaten their fill, they all placed their metal dishes into the washtub. Finn and Conner flipped a coin to see who was going to take it out to the hand well to fill it with water and let it soak till morning. Conner won. What little leftovers there were got scraped into a compost pile along with the bucket of potato skins that Jillian had discarded. She noted how nothing was wasted. The three men worked together seamlessly to clean up afterward, barely needing to speak in the dark little cabin.
“See you guys in the morning.” Finn headed off to his room.
“Goodnight.” Conner bent over to kiss Jillian on the cheek, and she leaned into it, not realizing until a moment later that it should have seemed a little strange. They barely knew each other, and yet, nothing about being close to any of them felt anything but natural.
“I put fresh sheets and blankets on the bed in there.” Vincent pointed to his room.
“Where are you going to sleep?” She stood up as he beckoned her in.
“I put the screen back on as well, so you won’t get eaten by mosquitoes. I’ll be right in there on the couch if you need anything.”
She relaxed a little when he confirmed he didn’t expect to share the bed. She wasn’t sure why she thought that might be an issue and scolded herself for even thinking that Vincent would be anything less than the perfect gentleman he’d been since her arrival.
“Goodnight, Vincent.” They stood in the doorway facing each other, and she thought for a split second about asking him to stay. Not that she would have wanted to have sex with him then and there, but the thought of sleeping with his arms around her made her heart skip a beat.
“Goodnight.” He gave a polite nod and walked back out to the den, kicking off his boots by the door.
She pulled back the blankets and climbed in, jeans and all. Sleeping fully nude in Vincent’s bed just seemed like a rude thing to do without him being in it. She turned over, staring at the books on the shelf above his writing desk. He had been writing in his journal about everything that had happened over the last two days. That meant, he had definitely written about her.
As tempting as it was to take a peek into his innermost thoughts, she let out a long wistful sigh at the realization that she would never violate his privacy like that, not after everything he had done for her.
Sleep eluded her for ages. Jillian turned over, pulling up the covers to her chin. The curtains danced as a breeze rolled in. As refreshing as it was, a nagging fear wouldn’t let her close her eyes.
I’m on the ground level. Jillian thought to herself. And it took very little strength for me to push that screen off. What’s to stop that hunter from cutting a slit in the screen and climbing inside?
Experiencing death, even if it was through another creature, had wounded her in a way that she wasn’t sure would ever heal. Sure, there had always been four-legged predators roaming the woods, but they no longer seemed so sinister, especially from the perspective of the deer. At least with mountain lions or wild dogs, a deer would have a chance to run or fight back.
There’s no outrunning something that lies in wait, camouflaged in the safety of the trees. Even animals with claws and sharp teeth were no match for a weapon that deals a killing blow without ever coming close. To these creatures, we are the monsters from their nightmares.
After staring at the open window for what felt like an eternity, she finally worked up the courage to throw off her blankets and cross the room to close it. Just as she was about to slide it down, she caught sight of Vincent standing out near the trees, staring up at the stars, and her fear disappeared.
None of them would let anything happen to her. These guys were a family, and they would protect each other to the death. She sensed that she would be included in their family as long as she chose to remain here.
Vincent’s hair fell, soft and wavy around his broad shoulders. Letting go of the window, she tiptoed out to the den, before lifting a coat from one of the hooks on the wall. She turned the knob on the front door as quietly as she could, slipping her arm into the sleeve of the coat and closing the door behind her.
“Something on your mind?” She stood next to Vincent, looking up at the twinkling lights.
“All my life.” His husky voice was warm against the hum of the crickets. “My grandmother told stories of a time when spirits spoke to us. We were always expected to take it on faith that it was them answering our prayers when things went our way. But there was always a shadow of a doubt.”
“You seem so sure of your faith when you tell the stories.” She lost her breath as the colors of the Milky Way blossomed before her eyes. Since the visions had begun, she experienced nature in a completely different way.
“I grew up in a shifter community.” He glanced down at her. “It didn’t make sense to me that we were hiding, especially since I knew there was more to the natural world than modern science could explain. That was why I went to medical school.”
“Could you imagine the waves you would make in the scientific community?” She smiled. “If you just shifted on stage at a conference or something?”
“I planned to eventually find a way to present our kind to the public. But, after going through college and pre-med, I started to realize how destructive humanity can be if you challenge their perception of reality.”
“I mean, there will always be skeptics, but they can’t deny what’s right in front of them.” She was finally able to tear her eyes away from the shifting colors of the sky and lock eyes with him.
“Religious people get defensive if you present evidence that they’re wrong. Scientists and historians are no different. Did you know that there is evidence that Ancient Egyptians had access to electricity and even primitive flying machines?”
“I mean,” she shrugged, “I’ve heard about the Bagdad batteries, and I’ve seen some interesting hieroglyphics on a few documentaries.”
“And did you know that they found tobacco and cocaine in the sarcophagus of a mummy from 1,000 BCE?”
“I haven’t heard that one.” She glanced away. “What does that imply?”
“It means the Ancient Egyptians traded with cultures that lived on the American continents thousands of years before anyone from that side of the world should have had the ability to travel there.”
“That’s really cool.” Jillian nodded. “Time to re-write all the text-books.”
“That’s the thing.” Vincent put his hands in his pockets. “This was discovered back in 1992. And even though it’s been tested and retested, proven beyond the shadow of a doubt, the historical and scientific community refuse to acknowledge it because it goes against everything we’ve believed for the last century.”
“I don’t get it.” Jillian frowned. “That’s what makes science superior to religion; our ability to change our beliefs based on new data.”
“So they say. And yet, the very people who claim to be the top authorities in their fields are more intent on suppressing these findings from the public than uncovering the truth.”
“So, that’s why you decided not to come forward?” Jillian turned up the collar on her coat. “Because you don’t think humanity is ready?”
“It’s one of the reasons.” He hung his head. “The other reason is that I got to see first-hand how humanity views itself as Earth’s most superior species. Everything else is at their mercy. I got scared.”
“It’s hard for me to imagine you being scared of anything. But the thought of being a lab-rat would scare the shit out of me, too.”
“I wasn’t just afraid for my safety. Can you imagine what would happen if humans discovered that a different species was living among them? It wouldn’t just be me getting cut into l
ittle pieces in a lab while the entire world continued to debate the truth of our existence. It would mean endangering every other shifter out there that would otherwise be safe. Hiding is better than dead.”
“Is that what happened to your family?” She shivered as the fog of her breath clung to the night air. “Do you think someone suspected they were different?”
“I’m not sure I’ll ever know.” Vincent took a deep breath. “But what’s blowing my mind is that the spirit spoke to you. I have so many questions. It’s been hundreds of years since an oracle was able to speak to the spirits. You weren’t raised in a shifter tribe; your parents and grandparents are human, right?”
“Yeah.” Jillian nodded. “I’m just the product of two long lines of snooty, rich, white people.”
“Conner’s parents were both human, too. I keep thinking that if I obsess over it long enough, I’ll find some detail that I’d missed.”
“When we were in the Circle.” Jillian looked down at her feet. “That wasn’t the first time I had a vision.”
“What?” He took a step back, shifting his weight to one foot, then the other.
“And it wasn’t the first time I saw the spirit.”
“Okay.” He gave a gentle nod, turning to face her. “Tell me what happened.”
“In the woods, right before the snake bit me, I had a vision.” Instinctively she reached out and took his hands. “First I saw a face, in the stars. In her eyes, there were these bright lights.”
“What did she look like?” Vincent’s hand trembled.
“Her actual face was invisible. It was like I was only able to make out the shape because of the world around it. I guess if I had to guess, she looked like an elderly Native American woman. Her voice sounded old and kind.”
“What did she say?” He leaned in closer.
“She was curious about me. Then she was gone, and suddenly, I saw the future. Well, not my actual future. I think it was what would have happened if I had accepted Ted’s marriage proposal.”
“Does some part of you wish that you had said yes?” His fingers laced between hers, and he took a step closer.
“Oh, God, no!” Her eyes widened. “The thought of marrying him scared me a hell of a lot more than the snake did.” Jillian stared at the ground, taking a deep breath as she deliberated if she should tell him the rest of what she knew.
“What is it?” He lifted her chin, and she looked up at him.
“In the Circle,” she bit her lip, “the spirit said that I was both an oracle and a vessel. She wanted something from me.”
“To be the bearer of children…” He nodded. “My grandmother’s visions were open to interpretation, but I thought that might be the case. You know that none of us would lay a hand on you unless you wanted us to, don’t you?”
“I know.” She nodded. “That wasn’t ever a fear that crossed my mind.”
“I know we’re strangers to you now. But maybe in time…”
“You guys are all absolutely gorgeous, and most girls would probably kill to be in my shoes. I just don’t feel ready to have kids. I don’t know if I’ll ever be ready. My parents have always acted like it was my sworn duty to carry on our family line. But I always felt like I had more to offer this world than an ability to procreate.”
“Was that what the spirit demanded in exchange for saving your life?” Vincent frowned.
“No.” Jillian let go of Vincent’s hands and took a step back. “This was a freebee. But she said that if I stayed here, I would be back. The next time I needed something from her, she would be expecting me to start making babies.”
“Have you had any other visions?” A contemplative look came over him.
“Earlier when I was talking to Finn, I saw that deer get shot just a few seconds before it happened.” She bit her thumbnail. “I didn’t just see it, I felt it. And I can’t stop thinking about it.”
“The spirits have been completely silent for all these years.” He sighed. “Why are they getting all stirred up now?”
“The climate crisis is reaching a tipping point.” She folded her arms. “If there were ever a time for them to give us one last shot at saving ourselves, this would be it. I don’t know why they would choose me to deliver the message.”
“I wish I had an answer for you, but every explanation just leads to more questions.” He reached out an open hand. “What I can promise is that you’re safe here. If you take one of us as a mate, it will be you that does the choosing. Females are all sacred in our tribe, not just oracles and Vessels.”
“I…” She stammered, looking up into those big brown eyes. She’d never been able to picture herself kissing a bearded man before. But the last two days had turned every one of her preconceptions upside down.
“Your desires and your body will be respected, no matter what you decide.” His words were reassuring, but her desires and her body were feeling neither respectable nor decisive.
“I want to stay here for a while. But nothing is going to change my mind about being a vessel. I don’t think there’s any point in fighting the fact that I’m an oracle. The visions are going to happen whether I want them to or not.”
“Well.” Vincent took her hands in his. “Your presence will attract other shifters, maybe even other vessels. With everything we’ve witnessed in the last couple of days, I’m starting to think anything is possible.”
“I love your optimism.” She looked back toward the house. “The spirits may not be quite so flexible.”
“We should probably get some sleep.” He nodded toward the cabin, and the two of them headed back. He reached out to open the door. As she stepped inside, a blast of hot air swept over her.
“Mmm.” She rubbed her hands together. “I got cold out there.”
“Do you need some help with that?” Vincent smiled. She gaped back at him before he clarified, “The coat.”
“Oh.” She chuckled softly, shaking her head. “Sure. Thank you.” She shrugged it off, and his hands brushed over her arms as it slid down slowly. She turned to face him, and he draped the coat over the back of a chair. Her body drifted forward, almost as if she were being drawn like a magnet. Before she even realized what she was doing, her fingers slid up the contours of his back, thick and sinuous, and he lifted his hands to cup her face.
“Wait.” His voice brought her back to her senses. “This isn’t what you want. Not really.”
“I don’t know what came over me.” Jillian’s hands dropped to her sides as she took a step back. “I’m so sorry.”
“The fact that you’re a vessel means that biology is going to draw us to you.” He took a deep breath and exhaled, walking over to the window for fresh air. “And you will be drawn to us.”
“Why did you stop me?” She blushed, feeling a little sheepish. “How were you able to stop yourself?”
“I’ve contained the spirit of a uniquely savage bear. When we shift, the most primitive side of us fights to take over. It takes practice learning to control it.”
“I’m so embarrassed.” She wrung her hands.
“Don’t be.” His hands were heavy on her shoulders as he pulled her in. She put her arms around him and breathed against his chest as he stroked her hair. “I already gave you my word; you’ll be safe with us. If anything ever happens, it will be because you want it to.”
“Goodnight again.” She tucked her hair behind her ear, backing away to return to her bed, or rather Vincent’s bed. She pulled the blankets over her, savoring the weight of the heavy quilt bearing down on her body as if it were the only thing keeping her from floating away.
Tossing and turning, she tried not to keep replaying that moment in her mind, how the curves of his muscles felt under her fingertips, how his smell set her skin on fire, and how she wanted more than anything to taste the salt of his sweat. She throbbed and ached inside as she squeezed her thighs together, waiting for it to pass. She didn’t remember it ever going away, but it must have because she did eventually fa
ll asleep.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Jillian’s mind raced, filling her dreams with images that she didn’t understand and people she didn’t recognize. Opening her eyes, the darkness of the room pressed in around her. A cloaked figure materialized in the murk on the ceiling above the bed. Red reptilian eyes glowed, barely visible in the shadow of a black hood. Thin, pale lips uttered the same three words over and over again.
“Vesh noque waure,” the voice hissed.
I don’t understand. Jillian tried to speak, but as her lips parted, she was completely paralyzed. Panic took hold as she fought the weight of her own body as it threatened to collapse on itself.
“Vesh noque waure!” The lips of the creature dripped with metallic saliva that reminded her of mercury. Its mouth opened, revealing jagged teeth that glinted as a long tendril of saliva trailed down.
No. Jillian whimpered, trying to turn her head, but she was powerless. Just before it touched her face, she broke free of the prison of her body, springing forward as she sat up in a cold sweat.
The sun shone through the curtains, and she realized it must have been some weird nightmare brought on by all the stress. The sweet-savory smell of bacon sizzling wafted in from the next room. Folding back the covers, she pulled up her pant-leg to examine the scar left by the snake bite: two white circles and one little line where a smaller fang scraped the skin.
Jillian stretched, filling her lungs with mountain air. She reached under her pillow, where she usually kept her phone before remembering that she hadn’t had it with her since Ted attacked her.
Did I drop it in the woods? Or did it go into the river when I jumped? She shrugged. It’s not like there are any outlets in this place anyway.
Standing up, she made the bed, smoothing out the blankets. She had slept over with friends who didn’t have housekeeping before. Making the bed was just good manners. She bit her lip as her hand touched the doorknob.
I hope things won’t be weird with Vincent after what happened last night.
