by Mandi Oyster
“Whatcha thinking?” Cody traced his finger along my cheek.
“How much I like being with you,” I whispered. “And, how to stop Mavros.”
“Both at once?” He tugged his arm out from under me and sat up. “Strange combination?”
“Not really.” I knew I was about to upset Cody more, but he asked a direct question. Being who I am, I had no choice but to answer it. “I was thinking about how much I like snuggling with you. Then I wondered how Mavros can make me forget everything but him.” Cody’s mouth tightened, and I knew he was trying to control his jealousy. “I have to stop him, but I don’t know how.”
Through clenched teeth, he suggested, “Let me knock his head off.”
“If he was just some other guy, I would.” I wrung my hair out. “But, he’s not. I don’t know what he is. If I did, it might make things easier.”
“Ask him?” He sat up and stared out at the lake.
“I don’t know.” I dropped my head into my hands. “He might tell me, but I really don’t think he would. I get the impression he likes to be mysterious.”
“You could try.” He slipped his shoes on. “If not, maybe Aurelia can figure it out.”
I stood up and started walking back to his car. “Maybe.”
As much as I enjoyed spending time with Cody, it was a rough day. There were as many tense moments as there were good ones. Anytime I got too quiet Cody assumed I was thinking about Mavros. I couldn’t blame him for being jealous, but I couldn’t convince him there was nothing to worry about either. I knew he felt insecure, and I didn’t know how to console him. If he was this bothered by Mavros now, how would he react if he saw the two of us together? Was there any way to keep my dream from becoming reality?
Chapter 5
Sneak Attack
Fear of running into Mavros kept me locked up inside my house the next day. I lay propped against pillows reading. I did chores. I straightened my hair. I made chocolate chip cookies. I looked at the clock. It wasn’t even noon yet.
Over her lunch break, Mom called. “Dacia, I need you to run to the store for me. I forgot to pick up some things. There’s some cash in the cookie jar.”
“Okay.” My stomach plummeted, but I tried to hide my fear from her. “I guess I’ll have to eat all the cookies then.”
She gave me a short list of things to pick up. Cody and I had brought my truck back last night. Now I wished I’d left it at his house so I’d have an excuse not to go. I stood with my hand on the doorknob taking deep breaths. Finally, I got the courage to open it and step out.
A cloudless sky greeted me. A gentle breeze lifted my hair.
Hustling to my truck, I locked the doors as soon as I sat in it. By the time I drove the five miles to the store, my shoulders ached.
Sitting in the parking lot, I scanned the area, searching for anything out of the ordinary. When I decided everything looked okay, I dashed in.
I glanced behind me while shoving items in the cart. After paying the cashier, I stood at the door, hoping nothing would happen on the short jaunt to my truck. I slid the groceries onto the passenger seat and floor, then hurried to the driver’s side, leaving the empty cart in the stall next to me.
The drive home was much like the one to the store had been. I clung to the steering wheel. Fear turned every shadow into the panther, every person into Mavros. When I pulled into the driveway and didn’t see anybody or anything, I relaxed somewhat. I walked around to the passenger side to get the groceries.
As soon as I opened the door, the hairs on the back of my neck lifted and cold chills crawled along my spine. Turning around, I saw the enormous panther. As soon as our eyes met, it lunged. Its teeth sank into my bicep.
Pain lanced through me. I punched the creature, knocking its head back. Its fangs tore through my skin, and it ran off into the trees.
I turned toward my truck, and the ground lurched. Reaching out to steady myself, I stumbled, falling to my knees. Everything spun, and I collapsed.
A black haze crept in at the edge of my vision. I blinked to clear my eyes. When I opened them again, Mavros stood above me. “Let me help you.”
I nodded, and the world spun. I pressed my eyes shut.
He lifted me into his arms and carried me onto the porch. “Unless you invite me in, I can carry you no farther.”
Glancing at the door, I said, “Set … me down … here.”
He laid me down, careful not to jar my arm. “At least let me unlock the door for you.”
“Yes … but don’t go in.”
He went to my truck, grabbed my keys, jogged back to the porch, and held the door open for me. I crawled in and crumpled on the floor.
Pain pulsed through my arm, and I pinched my eyes shut to stop the room from spinning. I wanted Cody here with me. I needed his help, his strength.
Mavros stood outside the door, watching me. I pulled myself farther in and pushed the door shut with my foot. “Thanks,” I mumbled before passing out.
“Dacia?” Cody’s voice was panicked. “You here?”
“Yes.” My voice came out in a whisper.
In a moment, he was at my side. “Heard your voice in my head and came as fast as I could.” He knelt down next to me, gently turning my arm to examine the wound. “What happened?”
“The—” my eyebrows pinched together as I searched for a word for it “—not panther.” My voice trembled. “It’s enormous and way too strong … too fast to be a panther. I’m scared, Cody.”
“I know.” He lifted my head onto his lap and brushed my hair back from my face. “Me too.”
“How am I supposed to stand against it, deal with Mavros, and keep you safe?”
“Dunno.”
“I need you to bring the groceries in.” He stood up to go, but I reached out and grabbed his hand. “Please be careful.”
Cody made it in with the bags without any trouble. While I tried to regain some of my strength, he put them away. As soon as I could stand up, I stumbled into the kitchen and grabbed a bucket, filling it with soapy water. It sloshed over the edge when I carried it to the entryway, leaving more messes to be cleaned up.
I knelt down, careful not to use my injured arm and cleaned the blood off the floor.
Cody came in as I was finishing. “I’d’ve done that.”
“I know.” I lifted my hand to him, and he pulled me to my feet. “I could use some help with my arm.”
Cody led me into the bathroom and set me on the counter. While the sink filled, he grabbed a washcloth out of the closet. He dipped it in the water, then gently wiped the blood off.
I held my breath and bit my lip, trying not to cringe. My arm throbbed. Every slight movement sent agony flaring through the punctures.
Cody’s mouth stayed in a firm, straight line. His eyebrows pinched together. He put antiseptic over the bite and cuts, then bandaged my arm. When he finished, he pressed his hands onto the cabinet beside me. “What happened?”
I crossed my wounded arm over my body, clasping the opposite shoulder. “When Mom and Dad ask, I fell down the stairs and cut my arm … no big deal.” But, that wasn’t what I was thinking. It was a big deal. My arm should have been healing. It shouldn’t have been throbbing.
“I’m not your parents.” There was no mirth in his eyes. They were hard and angry. “So, what happened?”
“I went to get the groceries out of the truck, and the panther thing attacked me. I punched it, and it ran off.” I was still surprised by that. I couldn’t have hurt it that bad. “I laid there until Mavros came. He carried me onto the porch and unlocked the door. He said he couldn’t come in without me inviting him.”
“Like a vampire?” Cody held his hand out to me. I took it and hopped down. “Must not be. He can be in the sun.”
We walked into the kitchen, and Cody poured us each a glass of lemonade. I took a sip of mine, then said, “Unless Stephenie Meyer is right about that part, but I didn’t notice him sparkling, and Edward did go into Bella’s house without being invited.” I shrugged and pain spiraled through my arm. “I crawled inside and shut the door.” I shook my head. “I didn’t know I called out to you. You could’ve been killed.”
We sat in the living room and tried to watch a movie. I couldn’t focus on it. My mind jumped between Mavros and the panther. I couldn’t figure out what Mavros wanted with me and why the panther had disappeared.
I snuggled against Cody and gasped when my arm brushed his.
“First, your shoulder didn’t heal. Now, this isn’t.” Cody cocked his head. “Why?”
“I don’t know.” I looked down, twisting my foot nervously.
“Take some of my strength.”
“Are you staying?”
“Yes.” I could almost hear his eyes rolling. “You should never be alone.”
Chapter 6
Happy Birthday To Me
Friday morning, I woke up to my arm throbbing. Touching the bandages, I felt heat through them. I unwrapped it and gasped. The wound was bright red and pulsating.
“Why?” The word escaped on a sob. This doesn’t make any sense at all. It was a big cat. Why can’t I heal from this? Am I losing my powers?
I sat on the edge of my bed and leaned forward with my head in my hands, trying to calm down. Cody would be here soon to keep me distracted while my parents got everything ready for my surprise party. Until I left with him, I had to pretend like I was okay.
Sometime today, Aurelia would arrive, and maybe she could help me figure out what was going on. I took several deep breaths. Once I calmed down, I headed to my closet to find something to wear. I didn’t want Mom and Dad to know that their surprise party wasn’t a surprise, but I also wanted to look halfway decent. So, I picked out an outfit that wasn’t too nice but wasn’t cut off shorts either.
When I went downstairs, Cody was sitting at the table with my parents. “Morning, Dacia.” He smiled at me. “Happy birthday.”
“Thanks.” I tried to look surprised to see him here. Mom and Dad had gone to a lot of trouble to keep this party a secret, and I didn’t want to blow it for them. “What are you doing here so early?”
“Cody wanted to take you out for breakfast,” Mom explained. “We were just waiting for you to wake up.”
“You could’ve told me he was here.”
“It’s your birthday,” Dad stated. “You deserve to sleep as long as you want on your birthday.”
Mom stood up and walked toward me. She reached up and brushed a stray hair off my face. “By the way, how did you sleep last night? No nightmares?”
“Nope,” I answered without looking at her. She didn’t need to know the truth.
The panther had attacked so fast; there hadn’t been time for me to scream. I was down another pair of pajamas, but there was no reason to be concerned about that anymore either. I had plenty of money to spend on new ones.
“Well, that’s good news.” Dad stood and gave me a hug. His body pressed against my arm. I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping to keep the pain from showing. “We’re worried about you.”
I stepped away. Cody looked from my face to my arm and then back again. I shook my head slightly. “It’s nothing to worry about. Like I told you, I usually don’t even remember what my dreams were about the next morning.” The lie pressed down on me. I hated that I couldn’t tell them the truth, but no matter how much I wanted them to accept me for who I was, I knew they couldn’t. They needed me to be in control of my powers, confident, and strong. “It doesn’t matter if they’re good or bad.” I remembered all of my horrifying nightmares and also the wonderful dreams I’d had while sleeping in Cody’s arms.
Cody pushed his chair back from the table and stood. “Ready?”
“Yeah,” I answered.
While Mom was hugging me goodbye, she pouted, “I can’t believe my baby is nineteen today.” She turned to Cody. “Can you believe she’s nineteen?”
He shoved his hands in his pockets and nodded. “Since I am, yeah.”
“I suppose that does make it easier,” Mom admitted, but she still looked upset.
My eyebrows pinched together, and I tilted my head. “What’s wrong, Mom?”
“Well, I can’t believe my baby girl is a grown-up. It seems like just yesterday I was holding you in my arms.”
It was so weird to listen to her talk like this. I thought I had been an embarrassment to them. I thought they were ashamed of me. I thought they thought I was a freak. Maybe I didn’t understand my parents … maybe all this time I had been wrong about how they felt. Maybe my guilt over Jonathan had tainted me.
“I’m proud of how you turned out.” Her pale green eyes glistened. “You’ve grown into such a smart, beautiful, wonderful young woman.”
“Thanks, Mom,” I said still hugging her.
“She’s right, Dacia.” Dad joined in the hug. “You make us both proud.”
Cody cleared his throat. “We should go. Breakfast doesn’t last all day.”
“Oh, you’re right.” Mom stepped back, swiping at her eyes. “You two better get out of here.”
“Thanks, Cody,” I said when we were in his car. “That was a little overwhelming.”
He nodded. “Saw you were gonna lose it.”
“I’ve spent so long thinking they resented me.” I stared across the yard into the trees, not sure what to think or how to feel. “It was nice to hear that they’re proud of me.” I swallowed a lump. “It was the perfect birthday present, but it made me feel a little awkward.”
“Glad it made you happy.” He took my hand in his. “I know it’s been hard.”
“So, what’re we going to do today?” I asked in an obvious effort to change the subject.
“Your day. Whadda you want?” He turned the key in the ignition, and the engine rumbled to life.
“To spend it with you.” I looked into his eyes. “I don’t want to worry about the inevitable. I don’t want to think about all the unpleasant things waiting for me.”
“Start with breakfast.” His stomach growled loud enough for me to hear it. He nodded at my arm. “How bad?” He backed down the driveway.
“It’s not healing at all.” I tried to keep the panic from my voice. “I don’t know what’s going on.”
He put his hand over mine and squeezed it. “Maybe Aurelia can help.”
“Yeah.”
“Diamond?” he asked.
There was only one place to eat in Bittersweet, Diamond in the Rough. They had all kinds of food. For the most part, if you could think of it, you could order it.
“Sure.” I chewed on my lip. “Do you know when Samantha and Dan are coming? It’d be nice to give them a heads-up before tonight.”
“Late afternoon.” He pulled onto the road, driving slowly to keep gravel from being thrown onto his car. “Told Dan to call when they get here.”
“Okay, that’ll make things easier.”
“Samantha’s staying at your house. Tell her about your nightmares.”
I deserved that comment—I’d kept my dreams from them in the past—but my hackles rose in response. I wanted to snap at Cody, but instead, I bit my lip and promised, “I’ll tell them everything.”
He raised his eyebrows. I was sure he expected an argument from me. “Thank you. I know it’s not easy.”
“It isn’t, but I’m trying to do better.” I rolled my window down. The wind whipped my hair around my head. “I don’t want you to worry that I’m keeping things from you. I want you to know you can trust me.”
“I know I can.” He ran his hand up my leg, sending tingles racing
along my skin. “Doesn’t mean I won’t be jealous.”
I rested my hand on his, squeezing his fingers tighter than I’d intended. “I’m afraid Mavros might come between us no matter what actually happens.”
“Why?” He sounded confused and a little hurt.
“Well, I noticed that whenever I get quiet, you worry about what I’m thinking, and I can’t blame you.” I rushed through my answer.
“You’re right.” He nodded. “I trust you, though.”
I looked at him, unsmiling and said, “Yeah, uh-huh.”
“I do. But it’s tough. I hate—” he cleared his throat “—thinking about you two. Sometimes, I can’t help it.”
“Don’t give up on me.” I pulled my bottom lip into my mouth. “I’m going to do everything I can to stop him.”
“I know.” He pulled into a parking spot and unbuckled his seatbelt. He waited outside the car for me.
I watched him, hoping this wouldn’t be the last morning I’d spend with him. Opening my door, I got out and sashayed over to him. I hoped I looked sexy and not idiotic. Flattening my hands on his stomach, I pushed him back against his car and pressed my body close to his. I ran my fingers over his abs and up his chest.
He clutched my waist and smiled down at me. “What’s this?”
I slid my hands up his neck, tilting his head forward until his mouth crashed down on mine.
He moaned and lifted me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist and clung to him. My pulse pounded. The pain in my arm flared. I leaned back gasping, and Cody lowered me to the ground, resting his forehead on mine.
His chest heaved. His fingers trailed over my back.
I tucked my hands into his pockets. “I need you to do something for me.” My voice was husky.
“Not staying home.”
