‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ 𝓐 ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
I could feel the heat of fire. I looked down at my feet and wiggled my toes in the cool sand, only to realize they were not my toes. There was a bright purple polish on the toenails. I've had weird dreams but I'd never had one where I was somewhere else.
I heard hooting and hollering and looked up to see a bunch of people dancing around a Bonfire. It almost looked ritualistic. I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to look at the massive hand with black nail polish covering the entirety of my petite shoulder. My head moved up to look at the almost giant sized man grinning at me like a Cheshire cat. He had shoulder length jet black hair and piercing silver eyes.
"Your friends. They aren't like you. You are different. I smell it." The man said. His voice was deep and held a sinister tone.
"What do you mean you smell it?" I asked in a voice that was not my own.
"There's something different about your blood. You're human…I can tell that much but there is something else there that I can't quite figure out and it interests me."
"Oh.. uh I'm not really into dating right now or anything like that." I said. The man moved in front of me, completely blocking my path of vision from the other girls and guys on the beach.
"I'm not really into dating either." He put his hand on the side of my face. "Mating though…" He smirked as he paused and leaned in and inhaled the side of my neck. "That's a different story…Names Malec. What's yours?" He asked.
"M-Mica." I stammered as I moved away from him and he moved in front of me again. No matter which way I tried to get away he was there.
He inhaled again and his eyes almost rolled back as if he was inhaling a drug.
"Your fear smells delicious Mica."
"Okay dude… I don't know how old you are but I'm 16…and I have a curfew so I need to get my friends and go back home."
"Your age means nothing to me. And your friends were just leaving." Malec said and grabbed me and turned me around holding me flush to his chest. I kicked and screamed but was unable to get him to budge at all, he was that strong. He made a weird call sound to alert the boys that were dancing around the bonfire.
I watched in horror as the four of them pulled daggers from their pockets and slowly stalked to the other three girls on the beach. One of them grabbed a girl with curly blonde hair and viciously stabbed the girl several times in the stomach practically gutting her. I screamed and cried helplessly as I watched the girls get brutally murdered one after another.
"Why would you do this?!" I screeched.
"I did it for you. They weren't worthy. You are, they would have kept you from a much better fate." Malec said and picked me up and threw me over his shoulder with ease carrying me into the woods.
"Let me go!" I screamed. "I don't want this! Whatever it is you think I want, I don't!"
"But I do want it, and you'll find soon enough that what I want, I get." Malec said with amusement in his tone. I kicked him as hard as I could kick him but he just laughed like it tickled. I could hear the boys from the beach hooting all around us.
Malec stopped and pinned me against a tree.
"You're going to want to stay still for this love." He said with mock concern. "Bind her." He ordered the boys.
The boys ran around the tree dancing like they were dancing around the maypole as they began to tightly bind me to the tree with ropes. I heard what sounded like bones crunching, and shifting and I looked ahead of me in horror as Malec's body began to transform. Before me, where there once was a man, was a giant black wolf. On all fours, he was almost as tall as me. I trembled as he came closer to me.
"Please…don't hurt me." I begged with tears spilling out of my eyes.
The wolf snarled and stood on his hind legs. A Massive paw tore my shirt open and before I even had time to react, his teeth sank into the spot between my neck and my shoulder. I bellowed in overwhelming pain as I felt his canines tearing into my flesh. Once his teeth left my shoulder I felt a hand on my jaw. I opened my eyes, my vision was blurred with tears, and I felt like I was on the verge of passing out from the pain. I could see Malec had changed back into his human form.
"Don't go anywhere." He chuckled. "I'll be back for you in the morning." He said and kissed my tear stained cheek before leaving me bound to the tree, half exposed. My head dropped as I passed out.
The next time I opened my eyes, I was met with a pair of bright blue eyes. I widened my eyes and began panicking. I went to scream but a hand was clasped over my mouth.
"Don't scream. If you scream they will come back. I'm trying to help you." I Blinked until my vision was clear enough to see the man in front of me.
Kieran?
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I gasped as I sat up in bed and opened my eyes. That had to have been the strangest dream I'd ever had. I looked at the clock on the nightstand to my left. It was a little after two in the morning. I sighed and rubbed my temples. My head was throbbing and I felt like I was running a fever. I moved my legs to the side of the bed and stood. I felt weak as I walked across the floor, to the door to my bedroom.
I held onto the railing on the stairs as I walked down to prevent myself from falling.
I hadn't felt this way since I was poisoned with Obsidians Acid. As far as I knew, I was completely cured. I walked into the kitchen and pulled the string to the light over the sink. I stood on my toes reaching open the cabinet to retrieve a glass.
I turned the sink on and filled my glass and turned to face the kitchen window. I took a drink as I looked out the window at the beautiful full moon. I took another drink of the water and turned around to walk back to the sink.
A sudden sharp pain in my head stopped me dead in my tracks. I saw flashes of a young girl with a tawny skin tone laying on a floor writhing in pain and screaming. The glass fell from my hand and shattered on the floor. I began to feel much worse. I stumbled and fell against the wall. The pain in my head was becoming unbearable.
I heard footsteps rushing down the stairs. The overhead light kicked on in the kitchen and I wailed in pain as the light felt like it was piercing my skull. I slid down the wall so I was sitting on the floor trying to shield my eyes from the light.
"Amara!" Connors voice practically boomed.
"AH!" I yelled and put my hands over my ears. Everything was louder, and brighter, it was as if my already heightened senses were heightened even more.
"Amara what's wrong?" Connor asked.
"I don't know!" I sobbed. I felt his hand on my forehead.
"You're burning up, I'll go wake up Jake." He said and hurried out of the kitchen. I felt the vibrations from his feet as he ran out of the kitchen, they were so intense it felt like my organs were going to explode.
I got another flash of painted bright purple fingernails belonging to a hand that was tightly grabbing a much larger hand.
"You're okay, love. You can do this." I heard Kieran's voice in my head.
"Kieran? Kieran, can you hear me??" I pleaded.
Jake came into the kitchen with his medical bag, with Connor following right behind him. I felt something on my forehead and it made a rapid beeping sound.
"104.7" Jake said. "This isn't good. Carry her into the infirmary." Jake instructed Connor.
Connor lifted me up and carried me out of the kitchen and down the hall to Jake's infirmary.
"Kieran?" I asked again.
"Kieran isn't here Amara, do you know where you are?" Jake asked.
"I'm not an idiot Jake, I know we are in your infirmary. I can hear Kieran's voice in my head." I groaned as Connor set me down on the table.
"You're running a nasty fever." Jake said. "How long have you felt ill?"
"I haven't felt ill. I woke up feeling this way. I'm starting to feel a little better honestly." I said.
The pain in my head settled down and it seemed my senses had calmed down as well.
"You're still feverish." Jake said.
"I had the strangest dream. I was someone else but at the end of it, I saw Kieran." I said.
"Having a fever can bring about strange dreams." Jake said.
"I went to the kitchen to get some water and I got a sharp pain in my head and I saw this girl, she was in pain but I think Kieran was with her." I said and stood up testing my strength.
The sharp pain in my head returned and like the last time I saw the girl laying on the floor screaming. I could see her bones shifting..I could feel it.
I cried out in pain and fell against the table.
"Amara! What is going on?" Connor asked.
"I don't know!" I cried "The pain...It's so bad!"
"Where is the pain?" Jake asked
"It's everywhere!" I sobbed.
"Describe it." Jake said as he looked through his cabinets.
"It's like all the bones in my body are breaking." I bellowed and writhed in pain. "Make it stop!" I cried.
"Do you have any idea what would cause this?" Connor asked.
Jake turned around with a vial and a needle.
"I have an idea of it…but it's not possible." Jake said and extracted some of the liquid in the vial with the syringe.
"Little pinch." He said and jabbed me in the hip with the needle.
"I hate it when you do that!" I groaned.
"You'll thank me in a moment." Jake shrugged.
"What did you give her?" Connor asked.
"Something for the pain." Jake said. "I don't know how much it will help but I'm hoping it at least numbs it, because if this is what I think it is it's going to get worse."
"What is it?" I asked.
Jake sighed. "I've been through this before. The fever..the pain and as impossible as it sounds your body seems to be mimicking a Bitten's first shift." Jake said.
"And you say it's going to get worse than this?" I asked.
"Much worse I'm afraid. I don't know how this is happening to you and I will try to keep you as comfortable as I can but you have to know…" Jake paused.
"If you are truly feeling a bittens first shift…not all bitten wolves survive the shift."
"Are you saying I could die?" I asked.
"Yes." Jake nodded.
"You knew that you could have died when Kieran turned you and yet you still did it. Why?" I asked.
"For Roxy. Because I love her." Jake said and gave me a small smile. Suddenly I felt more respect for Jake than I'd ever felt.
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‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ 𝒦 ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
I replaced the cool damp cloth on Mica's forehead who had been passed out from the pain of her first shift. I didn't have the heart to tell her that not all bitten wolves survive their first shift. She'd already been through so much.
Mica opened her eyes.
"Is it over?" She asked.
"'Fraid not. It won't be until you turn." I sighed.
"The pain is not so bad right now." Mica said.
I frowned and looked away.
"But..it will get worse?" She asked.
I nodded.
"I'm so sorry Mica." I said.
She just turned her head and let a few tears roll down her cheek.
"Will I survive this?" She asked.
I swallowed hard.
"It's…possible you may not." I said.
Her shoulders started shaking as she began to cry.
"But I will do everything in my power to see that you do." I said.
It wasn't fair, she was too young to be faced with life or death.
I heard the sound of her bones crunching as they started to shift again.Mica cried out in agony.
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‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ 𝓐 ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
Another wave of pain hit before the other one had finished. I was trying not to scream, I didn't want to wake the pups.
"You say she could die? But how is that possible? She's only feeling the pain." Connor said.
"The fact that she's feeling the pain shouldn't be possible itself. The pain from the shift can raise her blood pressure to stroke levels." Jake explained.
"Hang in there Mar." Connor said and squeezed my hand as another wave of pain hit. I writhed on the exam table in pain until the wave stopped. I could feel one way or another it was coming to an end. I could feel the girl, wanting to give up and if she gave up, she would die and possibly…so would I.
"She's giving up." I said.
"Who?" Jake asked.
"The girl. She's dying…" I said weakly.
Connor looked at Jake frantically.
"What can you do?" He asked.
"I can make her comfortable. As for the girl she's talking about wherever she is…" He stopped and shook his head feeling helpless for someone he had never met.
"You seem to have a connection with whoever this girl is. If you can feel her pain, maybe she can feel you? Hear you?" Connor suggested.
I nodded. "Good idea."
"I don't know who you are. You don't know who I am, but somehow…I can feel you. I know it hurts, and I know you are scared but please don't give up." I said. "You can do this." I added. I closed my eyes.
"Mar?" I heard Jake say but he sounded far away.
—--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I blinked my eyes open to a blue sky filled with puffy white clouds. I listened to the sounds of the forest and smiled. I sat up and cocked my head curiously at a girl sitting with her back towards me. She had a stick in her hand poking at the rocks in the stream.
I stood up and walked over to her.
"Hi." I said.
She startled and stood up pointing the stick at me. I put my hands up and backed away a little.
"Easy. I'm not a threat." I said. The girl slowly lowered the stick and I noticed her bright purple fingernail polish.
"Mica…right?" I asked.
She nodded.
"Who are you?" She asked.
"My name is Amara. Somehow I've been connected to you in my dreams, and..in the waking world. You're going through your first shift." I said.
"Well I was…I think I'm dead." she said. Her eyes watered a bit. "I don't feel the pain anymore." She sniffled.
"If you are in fact dead your spirit hasn't moved on yet." I said.
"How do you know?" Mica asked.
"Because I've been here before. I was poisoned and I died. This is where I came." I explained.
"It's nice here." Mica shrugged. "Peaceful. Not at all what I expected purgatory to be like."
"It is very peaceful. But you don't belong here." I said and smiled.
"What do you mean?" Mica asked.
"I mean it's not your time. Just like it wasn't my time when I came here. You can go back if you want to."
"I don't know if that would be a good idea." Mica shrugged. "I didn't ask for this. It was forced upon me..and I don't want to be a burden on Kieran." Mica said.
"Kieran? You know Kieran?" I asked.
"Yeah." Mica nodded. "He's cool..sometimes. Sometimes he's annoying and overbearing." She said and sighed.
"That he is." I smiled with tears in my eyes. I missed him so much. "And I guarantee you, he doesn't think you are a burden." I said.
"How do you know Kieran?" Mica asked.
"That doesn't matter. What matters right now, is getting you back there." I said and touched her shoulder. "I know you didn't ask for this. I know you are scared, but you are going to survive this, and someday…hopefully someday soon, you and I are going to meet in person."
"I'd like that." Mica smiled.
"Me too. All you need to do is wake up. And by the way, tell Kieran I miss him." I said.
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My eyes shot open and I sat up on the table gasping for air.
"Holy shit!" Jake screamed and threw everything he had in his hands up in the air.
"We thought you were dead!" He practically screeched. I looked around confused.
"What am I doing here?" I asked.
Connor put his hands on my face looking closely at me.
"Quit." I sighed and pushed him away.
"What do you mean what are you doing here??" Connor asked.
"I mean exactly as I said Connor!" I groaned and rubbed my temples.
"You honestly don't remember the sudden bursts of pain?" Jake asked and began checking my reflexes.
"No, I remember going to bed last night in my bed, and waking up here." I said.
"You don't remember the girl you kept seeing?" Jake asked.
"No. I don't. I've got a bloody awful headache though." I mumbled. "If you don't mind, I'd like to go make myself some tea."
Jake stepped back looking me up and down.
"Nothing should surprise me about you anymore…yet here we are." He sighed and threw his hands up. "Go for it." He said.
—-------------------------------------------------------------
‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾ 𝒦 ☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙
"Kieran…I can't do this anymore." Mica breathed.
"Yes you can." I said and pushed her bangs out of her eyes. "You're almost there." I smiled at her.
She closed her eyes and went still.
"Mica." I said. I nudged her. "Mica?" I asked. No response. I nudged her a little harder.
"Mica!" I yelled. I ran my hand through my hair anxiously and knelt down and put my ear close to her mouth so I could hear if she was breathing. She didn't appear to be.
"Come on Mica." I said and put my hand on her neck trying to feel for a pulse.
Mica's eyes shot open and instead of their normal brown color they were bright orange. She gasped for air as she sat up.
"Easy love." I said. She turned and looked at me. She threw her arms around me.
"I missed you." She said. I chuckled.
"You weren't gone that long. I wasn't ready to pull the sheet over you yet." I said.
"I just…felt like I had to say it." she shrugged.
"Where did you go?" I asked.
"I keep trying to remember but I can't." She sighed.
"It's okay." I said. "You've survived the worst part of the shift. You'll feel more pain as the final phase starts but the wolf will take over and you won't feel a thing." I said.
"That's…somewhat reassuring." Mica sighed and laid back against the floor trying to get comfortable from the residual pain left over from the last big wave.
"I'm so tired." She said.
"Try to get some sleep." I said. "Easier said than done…I know." I added.
She sighed again and closed her eyes.
I sat beside her in silence trying to gather my thoughts. I was sure she had died.
"Wait." Mica said and propped herself up on her elbows.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Will I still be able to eat chocolate after this?" She asked.
I smirked and shook my head.
"Only you would be concerned about that." I said. Mica laid back down.
"You didn't answer me though." She said.
"Yes you will still be able to eat chocolate." I said and rolled my eyes at her.