Disclaimer: Just the usual gang. If you recognize them they’re not mine, and if you don’t then guess what they belong to me so :oP
Author’s Note: Well let me just thank you if you have taken the time to read this story. If you have even left me a review then I give you much love. I live to write and write because I love it. But it makes it much more worth while when I get feed back from those of you that review my work. Also if you don’t like this story the back button is ^^^^^^^^^^^^ there feel free to use it.
Side Note: Also at the time I would like to say a very special to Songbird, Lady Night Wind and Chloe for your continued patients and understanding. You are helping to keep me motivated to keep writing. I sincerely hope that my meager efforts at writing continue to amuse and delight you. Angelfangs :o)
We pulled into the hospital’s parking lot. Although I wouldn’t have said that it was a hospital at all. It looked like some sort of abandoned warehouse. And maybe that was the point to kind of blend in with the rest of the buildings so that you don’t notice it. We jumped out of Anita’s jeep and were making quick work of getting Gregory out of the back and inside before the poison got to his major organs. Although I didn’t hold out much hope of that not happening. He was fading in and out of consciousness as we got him inside. Cherry yelled for help and suddenly we had more people than we knew what to deal with. I backed off and pulled Zane back when he would have continued on.
Zane glared at me and I glared right back. We sooo didn’t have time for this shit! I wasn’t going to soothe his hurt feelings either. Then Zane did probably one of the stupidest things in his life. He tried to intimidate me with his height. I’ve been 5’ 5” my entire life. So basically I’d been the littlest kid on the block for the longest time. If you wanted to intimidate me try being more violent than I was. Although given the fact that I just shot Diego’s hands off might qualify me for the psycho of the year award. He growled at me low in his throat. I merely raised an eyebrow at his antics. He took another step toward me yet another mistake on his part.
Zane really should have been paying attention. When he went to take another step forward I brought the shotgun up to chest level. He seemed to have forgotten that I hadn’t left it at the Circus. I had laid the shotgun across the arms of the stretcher. When I had been relieved of my end of the stretcher I had taken the shotgun back. It was damn careless of him. It was shit like this that was going to wind up getting someone killed.
I watched as his eyes widened and I could actually begin to hear the white noise that drowned out everything and allowed me to kill. I didn’t want to I really didn’t, this was his chance to back down and stop pushing, or he would be just so much meat on the floor of the hospital. I watched as the knowledge that I would kill him if he didn’t back down. He held his hands up showing himself to be unarmed and slowly backed away from me. When he was a safe distance away I lowered the gun.
I was pissed and my words showed it, “Now what in the blue hell did you think you were doing? I would have shot you! Damnit! Don’t you understand that I will not tolerate you getting in the way where you are so clearly out of your depth?” I flipped the shotgun so that it rested on my right shoulder and I could punctuate my words with short stabs of my finger to his chest.
Zane looked contrite and apologetic, but as he spoke you could hear the anger creep into his words, “I just wanted to help. He is part of our pard, Luna. How dare you tell me when I’m outta my depth. I’ll tell you when I’m outta my depth!”
He tried to close the distance between us and I instantly dropped the gun level with his throat. “Don’t,” my voice so cold that it stopped him in his tracks. I probably could have arm-wrestled him and won but the gun was more familiar to me so I used it instead. If this were a dominance battle the fact that I had used a gun would negate anything I gained here. I gave a mental shrug and asked, “Do you have any medical training that would have allowed you to help them when they started an IV drip? Or when they asked you to prep him would you have known what to do,” when he shook his head I continued on, “So you would have pretty much been in the way while the rest of the staff tried to treat Gregory?” I made it a question in order to soften the blow but somehow I didn’t think he would care much one way or the other.
He looked crushed and I was sorry that I was the one that made him feel that way. Some lessons you wish that you didn’t have to teach. “I didn’t think of it that way.” His shoulders hunched and he stooped a bit. I put an arm around him and rubbed his back.
We both looked up when we heard someone approach. It was Dr. Lillian, at least that’s who I thought it was I might have been wrong but I didn’t think so. I was proved right when Zane said, “So Dr. what’s wrong with him?”
“He is indeed poisoned and by hemlock. We’re giving him doses of stimulants, mostly caffeine and some adrenaline. He is showing some improvements so far but until he can move under his own power we’re going to need to keep him here for observation,” Lillian said with a business like calm.
I sighed and suddenly felt weak kneed. Lillian peered at me then scented the air and asked me, “Are you okay?”
I thought the question odd but before I just told her I was fine I thought about it. As I was going to reply I felt the shotgun slip from my fingers and stared at dumbly. My head started to spin and I felt like I was losing control over my own body. I couldn’t look at Lillian and slurringly said, “NO I’m not all right. I’m losing control of my extremities.” I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes. I heard her call for someone then nothing.
When I came to I was sandwiched between two bodies one of which was Gregory. He looked much better he had his color back, which I was assuming was a good sign. I looked over my shoulder and saw Zane’s face. I turned back to Gregory. “How you doing,” I asked him quietly in deference to the still sleeping Zane.
“Fine, how ‘bout you,” he asked just as quietly.
I laughed softly. “I’ve had better days. I feel like I’ve been run over by a cement mixer.” I felt Zane stir behind me and turned to see him blinking sleepily at us. Again I laughed softly, “Good morning, Sleepyhead.” He smiled sleepily at me and I smiled back. He propped his chin on my shoulder and looked at Gregory. I could feel the new growth of facial hair scrape my shoulder. I watched as his arm came from around my waist to push Gregory’s blonde hair out of his eyes. Then something strange happened. I felt a cold wind brush me although a moment ago I had been warm. I could hear faint whispering, like when I’d been a child and was sure it was ghosts trying to talk to me, it wasn’t malevolent just disturbing. We both reached out and wrapped our arms around Gregory’s waist it was as if we were choreographed and would know what the other was going to do.
Greg snuggled deeper into me and sighed it was echoed a moment later by Zane and myself. I leaned my head back onto Zane’s shoulder and looked up at him. In sucked in air harshly and jumped out of bed. I turned to Gregory and he took a moment to look at me and he too was out of the bed. Now I was thoroughly confused. I looked at them. They shared a glance with each other than looked at me.
“Luna,” Greg said hesitantly.
“Yes,” I responded calmly. Even though I was far from calm. What I wanted to do was scream at them. Ask why they had let me die. That last thought brought my brows together in confusion. I wasn’t dead! I could feel the air expanding my lungs. The boys looked spooked and I had no idea why.
A commotion from the doorway turned our attention. In walked a small storm, named Anita. She took one look at me and froze. I was confused and I was starting to panic. “What! What is it,” I demanded when they just continued to stare at me.
Anita took a deep breath then began to rummage in her pants pocket. Finally she handed me a compact. For a moment I stared at it in confusion. “You want me to put on foundation,” I asked befuddled.
She sighed harshly and said, “No I want you to look at your eyes.”
I complied. I had a bit of trouble opening the damn thing but eventually I did. I raised it to my eyes and what I saw shocked me. Instead of my blue/green hazel eyes I saw a kind of gray. Like the skies before a good rainstorm. I dropped the compact onto the bed. I’d never had eyes like that. There was only one person that I’d ever heard with eyes like that. If what the mirror told me no wonder the boys were afraid of me. The only person with eyes like that had been Gabriel.
My eyes were filling with tears and I didn’t want to breakdown but this was some freaky shit! I pulled in upon myself curling into a little ball and rocking slightly. Why was this happening to me didn’t I have enough on my plate without adding this mystical aspect to it as well?
The room was so quite that you could have heard a pin drop. The only sound was our erratic breathing. I just wanted to go home. That thought stopped me cold and I really began to cry. I didn’t have a home. I had family here but both were in the hospital at the moment. I didn’t even have my favorite teddy to hold. So in the end I was left holding myself and crying.
The air in the room moved someone was coming over to me. If I had to guess I would have said Anita. Gentle hands touched my back and brushed the hair away from my face I squeezed my eyes shut I didn’t want to see pity in anyone’s eyes. The bed rocked as someone crawled into the bed with me. I was pulled against a chest and knew that one of the boys had joined me. He pulled me into the curve of his body and I felt the rumbling in his chest as he began a soothing purr.
Anita spoke from the edge of the bed as if every word was likely to break me. “Luna, I need you to look at me.” I opened my eyes and stared into her dark brown orbs and she smiled weakly. “Do you know what that was?” I shook my head and she sighed. Then she looked over my shoulder and I was tempted to look as well but in the end I couldn’t bring myself to look. “Was there any indication that this was going to happen?” I could feel the scrape of stubble as he shook his head. It was only then that I knew it was Zane behind me. “Did you feel any rise in power coming from her,” Anita motioned with her chin at me. Again with the head shake.
She sighed and dropped her head between her arms that had been braced on the bed. She looked back at me with a look that wasn’t entirely friendly. Anita shoved herself away from the bed and started pacing beside it. She crossed her arms and appeared to be having a silent conversation with herself.
When she turned back to me the look in her eyes was totally serious. Then she laughed it was a sound that raised goose bumps on my arms and brought an answering laugh from my throat. Now I was totally freaked! I hadn’t wanted to laugh I’d wanted to cringe back from her. I’d never been afraid of Anita but in that moment I was more afraid than I could ever remember being. I had a thought that this could be Gabriel but pushed it away if it was unnamed then didn’t that mean it couldn’t have power over you?
Then there was the feeling that I wasn’t in total control of my body. I was merely watching and nothing I tried would allow me to move. I was trapped inside my own body. I felt my body mold itself to the line of Zane’s body. I beckoned Anita closer and that part that was still me was shocked. She crawled up on the bed like a true lycanthrope all lithe grace and sensuality. In a voice deeper than I knew my voice to be said, “It’s been a long time. To what do I owe this particular,” my head turned and looked at Zane and I felt my mouth smile, “Pleasure? Hmmmm?”
Anita lifted a hand and trailed it down my arm that sent a thrill of pleasure shooting through me. She looked me in the eye and you could see a promise of violence that thrilled me even more. The part of me that could only watch was horrified! I so didn’t want to be hearing this or even feel this way. My body refused to listen when I tried to move out from between the two of them. I wanted to cry but couldn’t I wanted to scream but was silenced by this mysterious force.
Anita peered at my body and said, “She struggles doesn’t she?”
I wasn’t sure who she was talking to but that voice answered again, “Yes, but she’s weaker now.” I watched in a sort of horrified fascination as my arm brought Zane face to the hollow of my neck. He licked that spot where the neck meets the shoulder it brought a gasp to our lips. I say ‘our’ because I was finally ready to admit that I was not alone in my body. The gasp only seemed to encourage Zane. I felt him cup my breast through the all too thin layer of the sheet. I didn’t want to respond but my body betrayed me.
That strange voice of Anita’s came to me, “Before you go too far,” I turned my face to her and felt it pull into a disgruntled mask she just laughed. “I need you to promise me that you won’t crush this one.” I felt my face pull into a pout. Again with that damned laugh. “She’s needed here. She can do great things for the pard, or terrible. It all depends on how well the two of you work together.”
I felt my eyes travel over Anita, then that too deep voice said, “And you? How well do the two of you get along?”
I watched her think about it then that irritating laugh again, “The same way we did in life not at all. She still tries to control me. We have a sort of deal worked out. She asks for help and I get paid for said help.”
A deep chuckle came from my throat. “Oh and how do you get paid?”
“Like this,” and before you could blink Anita had ripped the sheet away and bit into the soft upper portion of my breast just above Zane’s hand. I recoiled in horror and pain but that force that was not me was delighted and thrilled. I was sore and bleeding the wound was a perfect imprint of her teeth. It let out a groan of pleasure and rubbed my body against Zane’s and I knew that at this moment that he was very happy to be there.
Anita threw herself away from me and looked like she was fighting an internal battle with herself. I didn’t have long to ponder that however because Zane’s head lowered to the open wound on my chest. He ran his tongue across the mark and in that moment I couldn’t decide who was in control because my body turned onto my back. Zane’s tall form quickly covered mine. He tried to settle himself between my legs and I found that I was keeping them closed. I gave a mental sigh it seemed I was back in control and I relaxed. It was the one thing I shouldn’t have done.
I felt my body resisting then Zane reached down and grabbed hold of one of my thighs and gripped it with surprising strength and gentleness. He was riding that fine line of pleasure and pain; I knew that, that wasn’t my thought. His fingers gave a slight squeeze and it was hard enough hurt and open my legs. He was firmly wedged between my thighs and I felt that presence slip away laughing evilly as it left me to deal with this on my own.
Zane continued to worry the wound on my chest while trying to gain access into my body. I called to that thing that had been in this body with me, it came back willingly. I forced it to deal with Zane’s unwanted attentions. I don’t know how I did it or even if I could do it again if I had to. But however I did it, it seemed to work.
We pushed Zane’s body away from us enough for us to sit up. Zane looked confused for a moment then as some thought occurred to him he began to grin broadly. It was enough to make us both pissed. I felt one hand go back and slap Zane’s face with enough force to rock him onto his back. He wasn’t looking too pleased now. That voice again the one that wasn’t my own said, “Did I say you could touch this,” the hand gesturing to my body. Zane shook his head. “Don’t push it cub! I can still teach you a lesson. Don’t ever touch until instructed to do so! Do you get me?” Zane nodded and managed to look both submissive and pissy.
My body straddled his waist and I noticed with something like shock that Zane had blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. That presence also noticed and before I could stop it. I lowered my head and licked the blood away. The last thought that I had before the presence slipped away was, ‘It’s been too long.’ Then it was gone.
I collapsed onto Zane’s chest breathing heavy. I could feel Zane moving beneath me and knew that he was trying to figure out whether or not he could move out from under me or even touch me. I hadn’t wanted to make him afraid of me that thought made me cry. This was going to be the only family that I had with the exception of Dayla and Jared I couldn’t afford to alienate anyone. I buried my face in his chest and sobbed my heart out. I could feel Zane relax as he realized that it was just me. He wrapped his arms around me and held me while I cried.
A startled gasp turned our attention to the door. There stood Cherry. Several emotions ran across her face but in the end she looked betrayed. She turned and fled the room. I was confused as to why she would feel that way I was simply being comforted by a fellow pard member. She had acted like we were flaunting some kind of affair in her face. I looked down and saw what had caused the problem. Both Zane and I were nude and I was lying on top of him. I however refuse to believe that she didn’t notice the tears on my face and not sweat.
I rolled off of Zane he grabbed the sheet and went in search of Cherry I assumed. I heaved a heartfelt sigh. What the hell else could go wrong? Never mind don’t answer that because I’m not sure that I could handle the answer.