Shifters (The Neturu Chronicles Book 3)

by Sarah Carter

  His gaze turns back to Mason. “How do you know?”

  He leans in towards him. “She needs to wake up and for her to wake up, I need to get to her.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I can’t tell you. How many times do I have to tell you that?”

  Staring at him, Damien says, “You’re not going to be released. If you’re not going to give us helpful information then you can rot for all I care.”

  Mason stares at him for a second. “Go sit with her then. You won’t have much time. Just look at her hand.”

  “Her hand?” Damien counters. “What about her hand?”

  “Just look.”

  Damien looks at him and then spins on his heel and walks out of the room. Mason looks at Ariel. “Hey.”

  “Hi,” she whispers.

  He looks up at Xander. “Hey man.” He looks at Aurora next. “I’m so glad you guys are okay.”

  “What won’t you tell him?” Xander asks, coming up as close as possible. “How can you save Claire?”

  “It’s not me who is going to save her,” Mason whispers. He leans in too. “You’re going to save her.”

  “How?”

  “Hold onto your cookies for this ride you are about to get on,” Mason laughs.

  “What?” Xander counters.

  Xander!

  He jerks back. “What in the hell?”

  Mason puts his finger to his lips. “Shhhh.”

  Xander pretend talking to Uncle Mason.

  “Okay.”

  Xander go by Mommy. Right now.

  “Is this…?”

  No, no say my name. Stay quiet. Go by Mommy.

  “I don’t know.”

  Xander must go by Mommy!

  He turns and looks at everyone. “I’m going to check on Damien.”

  “We’ll come with,” Aurora says.

  “No! No. No. I will go. Stay here with Mason.”

  Aurora gives him a confused look. Xander sighs. “If we all go there it will be too much for him. Stay here with Mason. Try to not let them do anything bad to him.” Aurora nods. Ariel gives him a knowing look. Xander turns and walks past a few guard out into the hallway. A guard turns and follows him. “Crap,” he mumbles under his breath.

  Xander no talk. Xander listen to Lexi. Mommy sleeping. Mommy need to wake to get better. Xander must wake Mommy up.

  “How?” He coughs.

  Xander touch Mommy, Mommy make energy. Lexi get to Mommy. Lexi wake Mommy up.

  “Is this a bathroom?” Xander asks the guard. He nods. “I will be right back.” The guard takes a stance against the wall.

  Good Xander.

  “Now, how do you want me to help Claire?”

  Xander must touch Mommy on the head.

  “I don’t think they are going to let me touch her,” Xander replies. “Probably the exact opposite.”

  Xander touches Mommy. Xander touches Mommy on head! Lexi wake Mommy up.

  “How do you know that?”

  Silly Xander. Lexi sees everything.

  “Aren’t you afraid of a time shift?”

  This is time shift.

  “This is supposed to happen?”

  Yes. Xander wake up Mommy.

  “Okay, you can talk to me, but I’m not going to talk to you back.”

  K.

  Xander waits a minute and then leaves the room. He slowly makes his way through the ship. Finally, he comes up to Claire’s room. The door is open and Xander steps in. Damien is kneeling next to Claire. He has her left hand clenched in his. “Hey, are you okay?” Xander asks.

  Damien looks up with tears in his eyes. “Dr. Galliger says it’s only time now. Her family’s on their way here.”

  “Do you think it would hurt to listen to Mason?” Xander asks, stepping closer.

  Xander get right next to Mommy.

  He does. “I mean, what’s it going to hurt?”

  Tears are streaming down Damien’s face. “Xander, now is not the time.”

  “Do you trust me Damien?”

  “Why?” Damien asks, giving him a hesitant look.

  “Just, do you trust me?”

  “Yes.”

  Taking in a deep breath, Xander says, “Close your eyes.”

  Damien takes Claire’s hand and kisses it. “I can’t. I can’t do this.”

  “Damien, listen to me.”

  He opens his hand to reveal Claire’s. Xander then notices what Mason was talking about. Claire’s ring is on her left hand. “I didn’t know. God. How didn’t I notice? I have no idea when she did it.”

  “How would Mason know that?” Xander asks.

  “He must have noticed it outside,” Damien grumbles.

  “How would he know you didn’t know?”

  Looking up at him, Damien gets this odd look on his face. “Why are you saying all of this?”

  “Trust me,” Xander says. “Trust what’s going on. Close your eyes.”

  “Xander…”

  “What will it hurt? She’s dying. Just close your eyes.” Damien hesitates and then closes them.

  Put hand on Mommy’s head.

  Xander gently places his right hand on her forehead. “What now?”

  “What?” Damien says, opening his eyes. “Xander! Don’t touch her.”

  Lexi get Mommy! Tell Daddy.

  “Your daughter is about to go rescue her mother.”

  Chapter 14

  Claire

  She lays in the sun. Basking in its warmth. “Mommy!” She hears called out.

  Claire chooses to ignore it and feels the awesome breeze brush past her. “This is the life,” she sighs.

  “Mommy!” She hears a very soft and distant voice.

  “Lexi, not now honey. Mommy’s about to take a nap.”

  “No! Mommy must stay awake. Mommy find Lexi!”

  “Mommy’s fine where she is. I’m very tired suddenly.”

  “Mommy play game with Lexi. Lexi find Mommy.”

  “What, like Marco Polo? Your father loves that game.”

  “Yes. Lexi call out Marco!”

  Claire laughs, “Polo!”

  “Marco!” Lexi’s voice calls out.

  “Polo!” Claire yells back, not opening her eyes. A severe tiredness creeps across her body.

  Lexi sounds closer. “Marco!”

  “Honey. I’m too tired for this.”

  “Lexi so close. Marco!” Claire mind starts to drift off. “Mommy. Marco!”

  “Polo,” Claire exhales.

  “Mommy!” She hears screamed. Suddenly, a body falls onto Claire. She huffs and opens her sleepy eyes. A very tiny figure is half laying on her. It’s an instant connection.

  “Lexi,” Claire breathes out.

  Her bright, unearthly green eyes stare back at Claire. Her purple hair is in pigtails. “Mommy,” Lexi whispers back. “Mommy hug?”

  “Yes,” Claire laughs. “Mommy hug.” She opens her arms wide. Lexi crawls into them. “Mommy likes hugs.”

  “Lexi loves hugs,” she mumbles. She then grabs Claire’s hand and sits her up. “Mommy must run with Lexi.”

  “Run? Look at how little you are. Where are we going to run to?”

  “Daddy. We run to Daddy.”

  The fogginess in her head starts to clear up just a tiny bit. “Damien.”

  “Daddy waiting.”

  Claire stands up and looks around. “Where am I?” It looks like a vast field of beautiful flowers.

  “Mommy run with Lexi. Run now Mommy. Run to Daddy!”

  “Lexi, where are we?” A heavy fatigue hits her like a train. “Oh my god.” She stumbles backwards.

  “Mommy,” Lexi cries. “Mommy follow Lexi!!”

  Shielding her eyes, Claire looks behind her. “It’s so bright.”

  “No Mommy,” Lexi shouts, as she pulls on her hand. “Daddy this way. We run to Daddy.”

  “But look honey. The light is so pretty.”

  “Mommy, listen to Lexi. Daddy this way.”
>
  She looks back down at Lexi. “Damien…”

  “Daddy this way. Daddy waiting. Mommy needs to come.”

  “Okay,” Claire agrees, as they start to walk. She rubs her forehead. “I have a headache and I am so tired.” Stopping, Claire says, “Mommy needs to lay down.”

  “NO! Mommy must come,” Lexi cries, pulling on her hand. “Come Mommy. Run. Run for Lexi.”

  “After a nap sweetie,” Claire says, starting to sit down.

  “Mommy must run or Mommy never finds Lexi!”

  Claire stops and looks at her. “What?”

  “Mommy goes to sleep. Mommy never finds Lexi. Must RUN with Lexi.” This little girl starts to pull on Claire with all her might. “Run Mommy. Daddy waiting.”

  “Damien…” Claire exhales.

  “Daddy waiting. Run Mommy. Run to find Lexi,” she cries, pulling as hard as can be.

  “Okay honey. Do you want me to carry you? You’re so little,” Claire asks, squatting down by her.

  Lexi smiles. “I keep up. Go Mommy. Run!”

  Standing up, Claire takes Lexi’s hand in hers. “Okay honey, let’s run.” She takes a step forward and starts. It makes Claire pause because she isn’t so tired. So, Claire runs a little harder. Little Lexi is somehow keeping up.

  Claire looks down at her and Lexi smiles. “Yes, Mommy, keep running. Keep running to Daddy!”

  She looks straight ahead and takes off. Lexi’s little hand stays strong in hers. Claire pushes and the harder she pushes the better she feels. Suddenly, Lexi’s hand slips from hers and Claire looks behind her. “Lexi!”

  The next thing she knows her eyes flutter open. “Claire!” She hears screamed.

  “Lexi,” she barely breathes out. “You let go. Come here honey.”

  “Claire, shhhh,” Damien hushes. “Oh my god, you’re awake. Get Dr. Galliger in here right now.”

  Looking at Damien, Claire asks, “Where’s Lexi?”

  “What are you talking about honey?” Damien replies. “You almost died. You were unconscious.”

  “No, Lexi,” Claire says, trying to sit up. Pain rips through her body. She cries out.

  “Stay still honey,” Damien instructs, pushing her down. “Your body is badly burned.”

  “But Lexi…she was with me,” Claire exhales, looking at Damien. She takes deep, ragged breathes. “She came and got me.”

  “She brought you back,” another voice says. Claire looks and sees Xander on the other side of her. “Lexi saved you.”

  Claire nods. “Yeah.” She closes her eyes. “Lexi honey. Where are you?”

  “I haven’t heard from her either,” Xander says. “She said she was going to get you and I haven’t heard anything.”

  “Lexi was talking to you,” Damien asks Xander.

  Xander nods. “Yeah. This was all part of a plan. A plan much bigger than us I think.”

  Damien grips Claire’s hand in his. “Oh god honey. I thought I was going to lose you. I’ve never been so scared in my entire life.”

  “It was so beautiful,” Claire sighs. “I was so tired, but Lexi came and got me.”

  “You were dying,” Damien says. “I thought you were going to go any second.”

  “You can’t get rid of me that easily,” Claire half laughs. “We have to get Lexi.”

  “Honey, you were probably delusional.”

  Mommy. A soft, very quiet voice says. Lexi tired. Mommy be okay.

  “Honey, Mommy is going to get better and she is going to come and get you. I’m going to give you so many hugs and kisses,” Claire whispers. “Just stay strong.”

  Lexi tired. Lexi need to sleep. Talk to Mommy soon.

  “Thank you sweetie. Thank you for saving me.”

  I love you Mommy.

  Something stirs in Claire and she replies, “I love you, too. Rest.”

  “Who are you talking to?” Damien asks.

  “Our daughter,” Claire sighs. “Lexi. She saved me.”

  Suddenly, Dr. Galliger walks in the room. “Claire, you’re awake. Let me get your readings.”

  “I was dying,” she whispers. “I was in this beautiful meadow. There was this really bright light. I wanted to go to it. I wanted to sleep. I was so tired. But Lexi came. She woke me up. She made me run away from the light. Run to Daddy.” Claire laughs and looks at Damien. “She told me you were waiting and I needed to run to you.”

  Damien stares at Claire. “Honey, you were dying. People probably see things.”

  “She was right about you,” Claire laughs. “I will have to keep her a secret now. No time shifts.”

  “You believe in those things too, huh?”

  “Yes,” Claire says. She shifts her weight and cries out.

  “Get her some pain meds,” Damien snaps.

  “She needs energy first,” Dr. Galliger says. “She’s created a little bit. Enough to wake up, but she needs more to make sure she stays alive.”

  Claire reaches her hand out to Xander. “Hold my hand,” she whispers.

  “Claire, that is a horrible idea,” Dr. Galliger says.

  “That’s how she woke up,” Damien replies. “Xander touched her head.”

  “I have come to the conclusion that my sweet daughter knows her shit,” Claire laughs. She extends her hand out. Xander reaches out and touches their fingers together. Instantly, Claire takes a deep breath in. The charts on the screens start to go crazy.

  “Was this a bad idea?” Damien asks, standing up.

  The burns and markings on Claire start to fade away. Finally, she sits up and gasps. “Whoa,” she exhales.

  “Now we have to wait and see if this stops,” Dr. Galliger says. They all wait patiently, looking at the screen. “It equaled you out. You’re a little less than maximum capacity but…you’re going to be okay.”

  Damien crawls onto the bed and tackles Claire down. He madly kisses her. “Damien,” she murmurs. “People in the room.”

  “I don’t care,” he replies. “You were going to die. You were dying. Now, I can hold you and kiss you and know you are going to be okay.”

  “Ummm, there is something that needs to happen before any celebrating,” Claire says.

  “What’s that?” Damien asks.

  “I have to see Mason.”

  “Absolutely not,” Damien snaps. “He’s the reason you almost died.”

  “Everything happens for a reason Damien,” Claire says, sitting up. “I need to go see him.”

  “I forbid it.”

  Dr. Galliger says, “You’ve been relieved of your duties right now Master Damien. So, you really can’t tell her not to go.”

  “Thank you Dr. G,” Claire huffs, climbing off the bed. She looks down at her singed and burned clothes. “How about someone get me some different clothes. I look like I’ve been through a war zone.”

  “Claire, you should really rest,” Dr. Galliger. “Two minutes ago you were dying.”

  She puts her hands on her hips. “I promise to go to bed right after this. I also need to eat. Like everything we have on this ship.”

  “I will have the kitchen prepare you food now,” Dr. Galliger replies. “Then rest Claire. You need to rest.”

  “Okay,” Claire says. “Take me to Mason.”

  “Should we get you a transport chair?” Damien asks.

  Claire raises an eyebrow. “Can you see me in a transport chair? I say get me a PV-43.”

  Damien gives her a look. “That’s a personal vehicle. You know PV.”

  “Yes, but it would fit in the hallways. I’d be the fastest person on the ship.”

  “I’m glad you are feeling like yourself Claire, but no,” Dr. Galliger says.

  “Please, sit in a transport chair,” Damien pleads. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  Her shoulders slump. “Fine.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Let me go get you one,” Dr. Galliger states. He turns and leaves.

  Coming over by her, Damien wraps his arms around Cl
aire and hugs her. He kisses the top of her head. “I thought you were going to die. I thought I was never going to be able to say I love you again.”

  “You can now,” Claire whispers, holding him close.

  “By the way,” Damien says. “We will talk about this later.” He holds up her left hand.

  Claire smiles. “When did you figure it out?”

  “Mason actually told me to look,” Damien answers. “Would you like to explain that to me?”

  “You aren’t ready to believe it, so no,” Claire replies. “I need to see him.”

  “Why?” Damien asks. Dr. Galliger comes back in with a transport chair. Claire ignores him and begrudgingly sits down in the chair. “Claire, why do you need to see him?” Taking the joystick, Claire starts to spin the chair in circles. “Claire Livingston! I will turn that off. Now, answer me.”

  She stops, facing him. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, Master Damien. You will be single if you talk to me that way again.”

  “I think you’ve called me Master Damien five times since I’ve known you,” Damien replies, with a smirk.

  Giving him a mischievous smile, Claire says, “Yes, I will only hold it for serious offenses. You aren’t ready to know, so you don’t get to know.” She spins around. “Now, take me to Mason.”

  “Fine,” Damien grumbles. He leads her out of the room. Claire won’t admit that she is incredibly tired, but all that she knows is that she is supposed to see Mason.

  They finally enter the large room. Mason looks up. “You must be Claire.”

  “You must be Mason,” Claire laughs.

  “I see that she got to you on time,” Mason says, hopping up from the table.

  Claire moves over by him and smiles. “She did.”

  “Good.”

  “Now, I would like to know why I needed to see you.”

  “In a week and a half we go in to the institute,” Mason says.

  “Excuse me?” Damien laughs.

  Looking up at Mason, Claire ignores him. “Is she going to be okay until then? She said The Collector is going to take her away.”

  He bends over and whispers, “She is the one who told me, so I think she will be alright.”

  “Have you seen her?” Claire asks.

  “Yeah,” Mason replies. “She is the cutest damn thing alive.”

  “Purple hair?” Claire inquires.

  Mason nods. “Yeah, bright purple and emerald green eyes. A dimple in her right cheek. Creepily smart, too.”