Lizzy and her family have been staying with us for a week now and Shawn's called Ms. James at least three times. It's Saturday, and Bree has been helping me learn how to fight in dragon form. We told Dani, Riley, and Jack about everything and Ms. James knows I'm a dragon. School hasn't had much drama. At least that involves me or my friends. It's been weird. Normally we have an argument with Leo or someone else but there's nothing. It's creepy.
"Dude she's kicking your ass!" Dani calls as she comes down the trail with Riley and Jack. Bree and I are just off the bike track, sparring. She's taught me a lot but I'm still not the best. As Dani and the others stand by Olivia and Lizzy, Bree swings her tail at me. I barely dodge it and retaliate with a swipe of my claw. I still can't fly so that can't help me. Bree looks pretty cool as a dragon. Her scales are the same orange color as fire and her wings have little bits of red in them. Her eyes stay the same shade of brown and she's only a little smaller than I am.
We continue sparring, careful not to actually hurt each other, and by the end of it, our friends are either cheering, laughing, or smiling as Bree manages to hit me into a tree. It doesn't hurt that bad and I'm assuming she isn't using all her strength as we call it a day. We each hide before changing back and putting on clothes. I come into the view of my friends in shorts and a tank top. "How are you not cold in that? You don't even have shoes." Bree asks as she comes out in work boots, jeans, and a hoodie. It has been getting colder as the seasons continue to change but I'm barely affected by it.
"I've never gotten very cold this time of year. We thought it was a dragon thing," I shrug.
"Definitely not a dragon thing," Bree shakes her head as we all start walking back.
"I've been meaning to ask; do you know why my hearing keeps changing?" I ask Bree. "It's like, sometimes it's so sensitive that a phone ringing from across the room feels like it's right next to me on full volume but, other times it's normal."
"That's never happened to me," she shrugs. "Maybe it's stress?"
"Whatever it is, it's annoying." Bree nods and we continue.
"Tomorrow we can spar again. Maybe you'll beat me," Bree smirks.
"Definitely won't happen," Olivia chuckles.
"Okay, I know I'm not gonna be better than her. I didn't even know there were more dragons," I defend myself.
"I'm not blaming you," Bree puts her hands up in surrender.
"What do you think Shawn will do next?" Jack asks in a curious tone.
"I have no idea," I shrug. "Whatever he's planning, he should get it over with. I'm tired of being on edge all the time."
"Maybe he left?" Riley suggests.
"I wish," I scoff lightly. "I've seen him a few times. Like I did before. Just staring at me then disappears. It's fucking creepy."
"I bet," Dani sighs. We change the topic to the assignment we had to finish in geometry yesterday, as we go inside. We spend most of the day watching TV, talking, and playing video games until those who don't live here go home. Before dinner, I go for a walk through the trail to try and clear my head. It's peaceful out here, most of the time. Crickets chirping and the stars shining without a moon tonight.
What does Shawn have planned? What does he want? Dammit, Travis! Stop thinking about it for five minutes!
Leo and Kayla have been acting even more strange this week. Leo has been on his own in bullying innocent freshmen while Kayla ignores him. I haven't seen her talk to him all week. Besides telling him to go away, that is.
"Seriously, let's just go!" I hear a harsh whisper from the trail ahead of me.
"We were ordered to come out here and take the kid. I'm not about to get my ass beat again because you didn't want to do what you're told!" Another voice whispers harshly. What the hell? I quiet my steps as I get closer and the whispering gets louder.
"It's not my fault you didn't know he was a fucking dragon! And taking a kid is wrong! I don't even want to be associated with you," the voice nearly hisses. I recognize them. Leo and Kayla? Why would they be out here? So, I get close enough to see them and hide to listen longer.
"Then why did you come out here?" Leo's in shorts and a t-shirt. He should be cold but he seems unbothered.
"Because you fucking forced me to! Just let me leave!" Kayla's in pajama pants and a tank top as if she was trying to relax or something. She looks slightly cold but mostly unbothered.
"If you leave I get my ass kicked, I can't take all of these assholes by myself if it comes down to it!"
"Then I guess you're getting your ass handed to you. Just like you always do." Kayla starts to walk in the opposite direction but Leo grabs her arm to stop her.
"If we go back empty-handed, he'll kill us. You know that."
"I don't care." Kayla tries to tug her arm away but Leo won't let go.
"If you walk away, I'll show the entire town what you really are." That's it. I quickly get away from my hiding spot and as Leo turns to see me, we're already wrestling around on the ground. Leaves crunch as we attack each other.
I manage to get on top of him again and as I throw my fist into his face, I feel the impact of his face hitting my fist, causing his head to go into the dirt. After a few hits, I stand up and look to see if Kayla's still here. She looks confused but she stands where she is.
Leo punches me in the eye and I stumble before quickly hitting his stomach a few times. I trip him and hold him down with his wrists above his head.
"What the hell were you just talking about!?" My voice sounds almost like a growl. Leo just glares at me before spitting in my face. I wipe my face. Blood covers his mouth and a small bit of my hand as Leo pushes me away and gets up. Before I can stop him, he hits my face three times, making me have to ignore the pain and quickly stop him. As I go to hit him, he backs up a little and grins. Almost like The Cheshire Cat. His bones start cracking and before I realize that he's changing into something, he's already standing in front of me. He's a giant wolf with brown fur and the only change in his eyes is that they seem to glow now.
I look him in the eyes and do my best to stand my ground without having to change. He bares his teeth and I can't tell if it's me or him growling. He lunges toward me but, by instinct, I throw him into a tree.
How the hell did I do that?! My eyes go wide, and I look at my hands. I've never been able to do that! As Leo bites at me I punch his snout and he whimpers as he backs away. He growls and snaps at me again before running off, into the dark forest.
"What the hell?" Kayla says from next to a tree.
"When did he... Turn into that?!" I point in the direction Leo ran in.
"I don't know, like two weeks ago? What the hell was that? How did you throw him?" Kayla retorts.
"I don't know," I shrug. "I've never done that before."
"Fuck," Kayla seems to realize something.
"What?"
"Nothing, I should go," she starts walking away.
She stops when I ask, "wait, why were you arguing with Leo?"
"Were you listening?" she doesn't seem too mad about it but more concerned.
"I heard something about Leo getting his ass kicked by someone and something about taking a kid, if that's what you mean," I cross my arms and shift my weight.
"I'm guessing you want an explanation?"
"That'd be nice," I nod.
"Leo's been working for some guy for the past few weeks. Turned him into that somehow. He said that last time he was ordered to tell this guy something, I guess it went wrong and he got the shit from it. He just dragged me out here saying that he needs to take some kid that lives with you, I'm trying to avoid him but he knows me. I can't lie to him 'cause he'll see it a mile away," she paces as she explains.
"There's only one kid that lives with me," I whisper to myself. "Who's he working for?" I ask her.
"I don't know, guy has a weird last name?" she shrugs.
"Shawn Categore?"
"I think so," she nods. "Wh-"
"Son of a bitch, come with me," I start walking back in the direction I came.
"What? Why?" she questions but follows anyway.
"Can you keep up?" I barely turn.
"Yeah."
"Then do it," I take off into a sprint as Kayla follows. I'm impressed that she's actually keeping up but I'm more focused on getting to the house. As I slide the back door open I nearly shatter the glass with Kayla in tow.
"Is Caleb here?" I quickly ask Lizzy, Olivia, and Pops.
"He went to the RV with Mom, why?" Lizzy sets down the food she was helping make. I rush through the house and out the front door. The RV is sitting where it has been all week as I run over and knock on the thin door. When Ms. James opens the door with Caleb standing next to her, I let out a sigh of relief as I sit in the dirt.
"What's wrong?" Ms. James questions as everyone comes outside in confusion.
"Nothing, I'll explain later," I stand up. "Kayla, you want a ride home?" I look at everyone gathered on the porch.
"Uh, sure," she hesitates. "Thanks."
I nod and tell the others that I'll explain later while we get in the truck. As I drive down the road I tap my thumbs on the steering wheel. "What was that about?" Kayla breaks the awkward silence. "How do you know that Shawn guy?"
"I just do," I can hear the hatred for him in my own voice. "He's out to get me and there's a single person living under that roof that's not a teenager or older."
"What did Leo get me into?" she sounds worried.
"Shawn is a sick fuck. Just stay away from him and Leo and you should be fine," I tell her. "He's dangerous."
"I know that much. I want to know who Shawn is. Why is he going after you and how did he turn Leo into a damn werewolf?" she's stern in wanting to know, which causes me to sigh.
"He's, my father. I don't know what he's planning but I'm guessing it has to do with me. And I don't know how he turned Leo into that. From all the books and movies I've seen, the only way to do that is by transferring a bodily fluid or a scratch. Shit like that."
"Is Shawn a wolf?" Kayla suggests.
"That would make me a wolf."
"But what if it's like, your mom's a dragon and this guy's a wolf? So you're like, part of both?"
"I have no idea," I shrug. "I didn't know I was a dragon until I was ten and by then mom was already gone. Shawn would be the only person to know more about that."
"Makes sense," she nods. The rest of the drive is silent until she has to show me where her house is.