Chapter 15
We didn’t stay long at the motel.
Once we stopped fondling each other, were back on the road to Phoenix.
I’m nervous as hell to do this, but for my own broken sanity, I have to. I fought with myself for most of my life on whether these people were real or not and now I have the chance to find out.
I watch the world go by out the open window. This land is so sunny and bright. My eyes flash to the blue, gloomy land I spent three weeks in. The dead vision of the trees and shrubs. The eerie wind that blew almost all the time. The blood spilled in the sand.
“Hey. You still with me?”
I turn my head and Sawyers glancing at me.
“Yes. I’m here.” I mumble.
“You know. You can tell me. I think it’s safe to say that on some level, I believe your story.” He says as he watches the road.
“It’s not that I don’t want to talk about it, I just can’t. I can’t explain any of it.” I rest my chin on my hand and look back out the window.
I really can’t. Even to the insane mind, what I saw and experienced was so nonsensical, I can’t even begin to find the words.
He reaches over and grabs my hand. “You could start at the beginning?” I look at him and he smiles.
I look back out the window.
My mind flashes to my dark, dirty room.
“Hey…hey…Calm down. We aren’t going to hurt you.”
I follow Rex’s eyes as his gets down to my level. He smiles. “Here.” He hands me the rabbit missing one eye. He puts a hand on his chest. “I’m Rex.”
I look at him as I hug the rabbit. “I want my mommy.” I say as a tear rolls down my little cheek.
He looks at his men. He waves them away. They all turn and walk out of the room.
“I know. I know you want your mom and dad. It’s probably pretty scary here, huh?” He looks around then back at me.
I nod and hug the rabbit harder.
“We will take you right back. Right away. I promise, but Damica, I have a big problem and I need your help. You’re the only one in the entire world that can. Do you think you help me?” His eyes didn’t seem so angry.
I shrug my tiny shoulders. I think, this giant isn’t so scary.
He holds out his hand. “Do you think you could come with me?”
I hold the rabbit by its ear and my tiny hand goes into his giant one.
We walk downstairs in the house that is my house only dark and broken.
Other giants sit in the living room. We walk into the kitchen and there’s more giants.
“Damica wants to help us. Don’t you Damica?”
I look around the room and back up at Rex and nod.
He reaches down and picks me up. “Ok. What I need you to do is be brave. So brave like a mighty fighter. Can you do that?” He flexed his big muscle which caused me to giggle. He giggles back.
He walks me to the counter and sits me down. He rolls up the sleeve of my nightgown. “Ok doc. You’re up.”
Another giant walks up with a bag. He smiles. “Damica, I’m Dan. Doctor Dan. I’m going to prick your arm just a tiny bit and then you can go home. You just hang on to your rabbit and Rex Ok?”
My face falls and a bit of fear enters my tiny body. I’m unsure if I want to do this. He brings out some tubes and needle.
I whimper when I see it. Rex grabs my head and looks into my frightened eyes. “Hey. Remember? You’re a brave fighter. Remember?”
“I member.” I say.
He points to my eyes then to him. “You look right here. Don’t look away. You look right in my eyes.”
“OK.”
The doctor pricks my arm and tears well in my little eyes. It hurt.
“Damica. You’re so brave. Good girl. Keep looking at me.” He pets my hair.
The tears start to fall as it goes on. My chin quivers.
He holds my chin. “I know, little girl. I know. It’s almost over.”
I nod.
“Ok. Damica. It’s all over. You were so brave.” I look at doctor Dan as Rex wipes my cheeks. He smiles. “Look what I have for a brave fighter.” He pulls out a lollipop and takes off the wrapper.
I smile as I take it. The last of my little tears fall. I lick it.
“You like that?” Rex asks.
I lick it again. “It’s yummy.”
“I also have a brave bandage for a brave girl.” Doctor Dan pulls out a band aids.
“For my boo boo?” I squeak as I lick my lolli.
He smiles. “Yep. It’s princesses.” He places the bandage on my arm.
I show Rex. “It’s pretty.” I grin.
He chuckles. “It is. Now. Let’s get you home.”
He turns to the giants. “Start dosing. I’ll be back.”
“Wait. Shouldn’t we keep her in case we need more?” one says.
Rex grew angry. “No.” he says in a growly voice.
He picks me up and carries me up stairs. “I’m sorry for scaring you, baby girl. You’ll go right back to sleep and it’ll just be a dream. Our secret, Ok? Just between you and me, alright?”
I hang onto his large neck. “Ok, Rex. I won’t tell.”
“Good girl.” He hugs my head.
We got to the mirror and my mother was tearing my bed apart.
“Mommy!” I squeal.
“Shit.” Rex is still holding me. He watches the mirror. “Damica. We got to wait until mommy leaves, Ok? We…um…we need to play hide and seek. Right now we’re hiding from mommy. We can’t let her find us yet, alright?”
“Ok, Rex.” I smile.
We watch as my mother looks under the bed and goes to my closet.
Loud sounds came from downstairs. Loud bangs made me jump in Rex’s arms.
“REX! IT’S THE FALCONS!” They call from downstairs.
“Damn it!” We look to the mirror and the lights are on and my father is in the room.
Rex looks afraid. He’s twisting around from the mirror to the door.
“Shit! Come on.” Rex growls as his head turns between the mirror and the noises downstairs.
More loud crashes and screams of pain make me jump in fear again and I start to cry. He holds my head. “Shhh baby girl. It’s OK. It’s OK. It’s going to be ok.” He looks at the mirror.
“Fucking go away!” He grits.
My parents were on the phone and my mother looked like she was crying on my bed.
“Mama!” I cry.
“Damica, it’s going to be fine. Shhh!” Rex says.
Heavy footsteps come from the hall. Rex turns and pulls something out from behind his back and he clicks it and aims it at the door.
His face is angry as he holds me.
The tall giant enters the doorway.
I’m crying in Rex’s arms.
“Rex.”
Rex swallows. “Zander.”
He looks at me. “Is this the child?”
“No. We grabbed the wrong one.” He says.
“Give her to me.” He growls. His face was scary and he had three cuts on his face.
“You’re not laying a finger in her.” He grits.
I bury my head in Rex’s neck and hug him tight, crying.
Rex shakes his head as Zander takes a few steps closer. He aims his weapon. “I’m about to take her home.” He says.
Zander stops. “Rex. Put the weapon down. You’re scaring the girl.”
Rex shakes his head. “You assholes already did a fine job of that.”
“We have your safe house. You might as well surrender. There’s 300 of my men outside. You wouldn’t want the child hurt.” He smirks.
Rex side eyes the mirror. My parents are still in there. I watch as my father hugs my mother. My arms reach out for my mother.
Rex looks at me, the mirror and finally Zander. He spins his weapon around in his hand. “The girl stays with me.” He grits.
Zander takes his weapon and waves us out of the room.
Rex protects me from the men as we go downstairs.
“Load them up.” Zander barks.
We are taken outside. The sky thunders and lightning flashes.
“What about mommy?” I choke.
We climb into the back of a truck. He rubs my little face and fixes my hair. “We’re just going on a little trip first. Don’t worry. I’ll…I’ll think of something.” I look at all his giants who all have bleeding cuts.
“What happened? They got boo boos too” I ask.
He leans my head in my chest. “Don’t worry about that. Just lay here and maybe try and get some sleep.” His voice was calming and soft.
I hug my rabbit and fall asleep in Rex’s arms.
My mind comes back to reality. “You won’t understand. I don’t even think I do.”
He sighs. “Ok. I get it. You’ll tell me when you’re ready.”
We drive in silence for a while until Sawyer breaks it. “I’m hungry. Are you hungry?” He glances at me and I nod.
We turn into a diner, Sawyer orders burgers to go. We walk into a dried out field. We sit and eat.
“What’s it feel like?” I ask.
“What?” He takes a bite of his burger.
“Turning. What’s it feel like?”
He drops his burger on his bag and wipes his hands off. He rests his arms on his knees. “Well, it hurts.”
“It does?” my brow goes up.
He nods. “Every bone in your body breaks at the same time. They make room and move for new ones then heal together. It happens in seconds, but the pain can make it feel like hours.” He picks at his burger.
“How do you stand it?” I study his face.
He shrugs. “I don’t. I deal with it. I was born like this. Not like I have a choice. I have to let him out. I have to accept the pain. It’s like a consequence of being a shifter. But I train. Everyday. My body and my mind. If I didn’t, I’d probably never shift and that’s bad for us.”
“Us?” I ask.
He nods. He points to his chest. “Technically, there’s two beings in here. Me and him. I can talk to him and he understands me. I read his feelings when he’s mad or happy. I have most of the control, but he needs to be let out once in a while or he gets mad and pretty much goes insane. Wild. We’re a partnership with a sort of mutual agreement.”
I eye him. “That’s almost disturbing.”
He chuckles. “You have no idea. Disturbing isn’t even the word I use. Fucked up is better.”
I chuckle and pick at my burger.
I look down and pop a fry in my mouth. “If you could give it up, would you?”
“What? Stop being a shifter?” He leans back on his hands.
I nod. “If you could be cured, would you do it?”
“First of all, there’s nothing to cure. I wasn’t made because of some virus or something. It’s in my DNA. Asking if I would like to get rid of my wolf, is like asking you if you want a different eye color or wanting to be a foot taller. I don’t think I would. I’m me and I have shit. Painful shit, but it’s mine. Besides, my wolf has pulled me out of some really tight spots over the years. He comes with a bunch of perks. No offense, but humans are plain.” He tilts his head to me.
I smile and tuck my hair behind my ear. “Can I see him?”
His mouth goes small. “You…You want me to shift?”
I nod. “I want to understand.”
“I don’t know. He’s not as…understanding as I am. I don’t want him to hurt you.” He mumbles.
“You have control, right?” I arch a brow.
“I do, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a mind of his own. He does.” He leans to me.
“I trust you.” I give a quick smile.
He smiles. “Ok, but not here.”
****
Forty minutes later, we’re in the woods and Sawyer is naked.
My eyes rake over his form. I smirk a bit.
He grins. “Like what you see?”
I nod. “Yes.” My cheeks flush.
“So do I.” He bounces his brow.
I laugh and he rakes a hand through his hair “Ok. This may look disturbing. Just don’t panic and don’t show fear. He can smell it, ok?”
I bite my lip and nod.
He blows out a breath and his eyes glow red gold. The area gets windy as he closes his eyes. The wind swirls around his naked body with leaves blowing around him.
I don’t take my eyes off him. Then I hear the cracking sounds as his body starts to transform.
He falls to his hands and feet. His body grows, his skin coats in fur and his structure changes shape. He doesn’t make a sound.
When the leaves stop swirling and fall back to the ground, I throw my hands together and leave them in a prayer pose at my nose. I smile as tears well in my eyes.
The Wolf stands up to my head on my 5’5’ frame.
He shakes out his thick fire red fur and the red gold glowing eyes fade.
I cannot believe what I’m seeing in front of me. This is really real.
Her wags his bushy tail, but his face seemed to show caution.
I almost pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.
His eyes lock with mine and his head lowers just a bit. He whines.
I step slowly to him as a tear falls. I reach out my shaking hand and touch his wet nose.
He huffs and shakes his head which made me yelp and pull back my hand. I laugh as he licks his nose.
He takes a step forward. My mouth goes small and I step back. He stops, lowers his head and whines again.
I hold out my hand again and he dips his head. He steps into it. My fingers land in his soft thick fur.
I huff a laugh and shed more tears as Sawyer becomes real for me.
As I walk to him, my hands run across his head. His eyes close and his head tilts to my pet.
My fingers stroke his large fluffy ear. I walk my hands down his thick scruff, across his back and to his rump.
He looks back as I walk. My eyes meet his and smile.
He hits me with his big, bushy tail. I giggle as I catch it. I hold it to my cheek. It’s so thick and soft.
I walk around his back and survey his other side. He watches me as I walk back up to his head.
I stand in front of him. My hearts racing. I smile. “This is…” I shake my head.
I reach out and run my hands up his muzzle, between his eyes and down to his cheeks. His head was huge.
I study his face then lean in and kiss his nose. The wind comes again and the next thing I know Sawyers lips are on mine. His strong arms wrap around me.
My heart is racing with excitement and my body heats with desire.
Sawyer is nothing like I feared forever. I felt so close to his wolf. Like he was my own. I got the sense that he would never hurt me. He would protect me.
It is real and of all the real shifters of this land I could meet, I’m so glad my first was Sawyer.