"What the hell are you talking about?! A chill covered me leaving goosebumps in their wake as something within me relaxed and rebelled, simultaneously, when he said werewolf. Not another word. I didn't want to hear another word. "Shut up! SHUT UP AND GET OUT! GET OUT, NOW!!"
The air seemed to have been sucked out of the room and I couldn't catch my breath. I couldn't think and, worse, that weird sensation of pins and needles was beginning to crawl up through me, again.
"Nikki, we have to talk! You are part werewolf and I know how it happened."
Shaking my head I tried to tamp down the sensation.
"You need to leave! I need you to leave!"
"Nikki…"
I pointed at the door. "Get the HELLOUT…NOW!!" "Can you stop being so stubborn-" The growl from before burst from my lips again and I wanted to pounce; but not to hurt him. It was a feeling I couldn't explain. What I did feel was scared! I was growling like a damn animal!!
Josiah threw his hands up in surrender, swallowed his male pride, and backed away. "Okay, Okay. When you are ready to talk give me call. Here is my number." With a flick of the wrist he threw a card on the table and turned to walk out.
"You are in a lot of danger, love. I just want to keep you safe."
"I can take care of myself, Josiah. I don't need you. Not now…not ever!"
As soon as I heard the front door close, all the strength in my body drained away and I sagged down. Tianna was barely able to catch me, before I hit the floor. She helped me onto a kitchen stool.
"Nikki, Nikki! Are you okay? What was that?!"
That was a good question. What was that? I didn't miss the fear in her voice or the way she kept darting looks at my throat trying to figure out if she had really heard me growl like an animal. I remained quiet. I had no answer for her.
"What was Josiah talking about?"
With a ragged sigh, I looked up at my friend and shook my head.
"I don't know, and I don't care. You know, as well as I do, that he can't be trusted. A werewolf…really? What am I, a character in a sci-fi novel?!"
I tried to put her mind at ease, but the fact is I had just growled like a damn character in a sci-fi novel. This was getting out of hand! I drew a quick breath and squelched down the growing fear in my stomach. I looked over at T and tried to decide if I should tell her what the doctor told me yesterday.
Tianna seemed to sense my reluctance to say anything else because she suddenly wrapped herself around me in a fierce hug. "I don't care what you are Nicolette. I just care that you are safe and healthy." It was exactly what I needed to hear.
With a wry smile, I tried to figure out where to begin, "It isn't good T. Something is happening to me, and the doctors have no idea what it is."
"What do you mean they don't know what it is? They are doctors, right? What did the tests show?"
The aggrieved look on her face was a well needed balm for my soul.
Watching her face, I continued "The tests were all inconclusive. My red blood cells are dying and being replaced by mutated ones that are so dense, not even the strongest microscope can see beyond the surface. There is something seriously wrong with me, and I think the only people who can help me are my parents."
She exploded into a hot molten ball of fury, "Are you crazy?!! No! You can't go to them! Did you forget what they did to you as a child?! Oh. My. Goodness, Nikki! No, just NO! You just can't; those people are insane.
You need to call Josiah! I would much rather you ask him for help."
"Josiah is out of the question! I don't trust him. As for my parent's, I understand how you feel about them. Hell, this is like my nightmare becoming a reality but what choice do I have? I distinctly remember my father saying that I was one of kind. I have to go home.
They are scientists and apparently they knew what was going to happen to me. That was probably what all those tests were about." I sent her a pleading look even as she shook her head in anger and disbelief.
"There has to be a different way Nikki, you can't go home to those monsters." Throwing my head back, I let out a haggard laugh.
"I need help! You saw what happened yesterday and just now. It's been going on for a while and has been getting a whole lot worse lately. I'm at my wits end, T. I need my parents, more than that, I need their expertise. When it comes to the science of genetics, they are the best."
I loathed to admit it out loud but they were two of the country's top geneticists.
An intense silence descended on the kitchen as we stared at each other. Aria had woken up in all the commotion and suddenly let out a squeal of delight. Looking towards the living room, we moved in unison.
I was scared she would fall off the couch instead the little ball of sunshine was playing with her feet in her mouth. She looked utterly content and all the negative feelings in me drained away.
Mine and Tianna's eyes met, over Aria's head. Mine were pleading and hers were still steely with a "no way" look. Finally, she blinked, heaved a sigh, and nodded.
"Fine but we're coming too. There is no way I'm allowing you to go back to Boston without backup."