by E.J. Stevens
Do not worry, Little One. Your wolf is on his way and you are much stronger than you think. Did you know that we dung beetles can roll up to fifty times our own weight?
It is all in the…LEGS!
I reacted instantly, kicking out with a thrust of both legs.
Each heavily booted foot connected with a member of the J-team. Jay and Jared lay sprawled on the floor. I was stil held captive, and Jay and Jared were already pul ing themselves upright, but I felt a surge of hope. I just kicked some jock butt and Cal is on his way to rescue me. I will make it out of this alive. I know I wil .
“Thank you,” I whispered.
I hoped that my spirit guide could hear me. She had somehow reached me outside my dreams and given me the courage to continue fighting. I was more grateful than she could ever know.
I would not give up. I refused to give in. Even if Cal didn’t make it here in time, I wouldn’t show fear again. No way was I giving Jay and Jared the satisfaction.
I heard more sounds of struggle in the hal way and wondered if it could be Cal. Most students wouldn’t put up a fight against three members of the footbal team. Those goons ruled the hal s of Wakefield High. Everyone knew it.
It was just easier to accept the beating, or the swirly, and It was just easier to accept the beating, or the swirly, and move on.
Most students would just surrender, but Cal wasn’t most students. I caught a whiff of wet dog smel as Cal strode through the doorway. He looked fierce.
“Take your hands off of her,” Cal growled at the guy behind me.
I felt sweaty, shaking hands release their grip. I think the guy made a pathetic whining sound, but it may have been me. My shoulders screamed in protest and pain surged al the way to my fingertips as the blood returned to my arms and hands. I nearly checked to make sure they weren’t broken, but I couldn’t take my eyes from Cal’s face.
“Yuki,” he exclaimed.
Cal looked elated to find me unharmed. We would have rushed into each other’s arms at that very moment, but the battle wasn’t over. Cal’s face had relaxed with relief, but now his hard look of determination returned. A gleam of feral anger flash in his eyes as he turned to stare down at Jay and Jared.
Cal looked ready to take care of the J-team, but what about the others? Three of my captors may have been incapacitated in the school hal way, but the rest of the footbal team formed a wal of muscle behind me and lined the wal s on both sides. Cal was strong, but he was stil in his human form. His wolf was right at the surface, but transforming was not an option. What good would it do to save ourselves at the expense of the entire pack?
“Tsk, tsk, tsk,” Simon said, wagging his finger as he swaggered into the room. “Starting the party without me?
How rude.”
Simon moved with calm, liquid grace, but his scar jumped as his eye twitched with excitement.
I should have known that Cal would have planned ahead. He was the pack alpha and there were those sworn to come to his aid. Simon went to stand at Cal’s right hand and the smel of lavender and honey fil ed the room. The ancestor spirit within my tattoo was responding strongly to his presence. Interesting.
There was no time to ponder the implications of the spirit’s reaction to Simon. Jay and Jared pul ed themselves to their ful height and looked ready for a fight.
Jay even smirked as he flicked his wrist to wave his thug friends closer. They must stil think they have the advantage.
Their faces fel as five more men filed into the room to flank Cal and Simon. My jaw dropped as Gabriel walked over to stand by Simon. They may have been mortal enemies with unfinished business, but apparently they were wil ing to set their differences aside to defend their alpha. I wouldn’t have thought Gabriel was mature enough to come. His appearance earned instant cool points. Maybe I had been a bit quick to judge him.
I think my jaw plummeted al the way to China when the last guy walked through the door. Gordy stepped up behind Cal and winked at me from over his shoulder. Gordan Avery, my emo hipster friend from Anime Club, was wil ing to face down the footbal team to protect me. I felt a flutter of worry, Gordy was a slender human boy after al , but the feeling of panic was fol owed by a warm sense of belonging.
The J-team tried hard to make people feel bad about themselves and had relegated me as an outcast that could be mistreated and tossed away like trash. Not everyone thought that way. I had friends who cared about me.
Gabriel and the others were werewolves who were probably here only to assist Cal, but there was no doubt in my mind why Gordy was here. He was here for me. Cal and Gordy were both here because they cared about my safety. My heart swel ed so large, it felt like my chest might burst.
“We are taking Yuki out of here,” Cal said. “I suggest you let us go without a fight.”
“Not that we wouldn’t love to dance with you boys,” Simon said.
“Yes, but we’d rather not involve the school faculty,” Cal said.
“We’re not afraid of some old teachers,” Jay sneered.
“I think your teammates would disagree,” I said, pul ing myself up. “Being kicked off all sports teams would be a real downer.”
“Dude, she’s right, I think we should go,” Jared said.
“We can always get her later.”
The J-team wasn’t al that tough without backup and right now their backup was getting ready to leave.
“This isn’t over,” Jay said.
Cal and the others cleared a path to the door and Jay and Jared waved their guys to fol ow them out into the hal way. I heard a growl as they walked past, but I’m not sure who it came from. I was just glad when the last jock left the room.
Cal rushed to my side and scooped me up into his arms.
“Can’t breathe,” I gasped.
Werewolf strength could be great, and kind of hot, when you needed rescuing, but it could be a little too much at times. This was one of those times.
“Sorry,” Cal said, releasing me. “I thought I lost you.”
“Nope,” I said, grinning. “I’m right here.”
“Ahem,” Gordy said. He was shuffling his feet and staring intently at his Chucks. “Um, Yuki, I better get going.
I grabbed a bathroom pass, but my teacher wil send out a search party if I’m not back soon. You’re okay, right?”
“Yeah, I’m awesome,” I said. “And Gordy? Thanks.”
“Sure,” Gordy said. “Glad you’re okay. See you around.”
Gordy left and Cal squeezed my hand. He seemed to need to reassure himself that I was real y here.
Gabriel and Simon had started shooting each other nasty looks and I wondered if there would be a fight today after al .
“Gabriel, take the others home,” Cal said. “Simon and I can handle things from here.”
Gabriel was pouting, but nodded and headed for the door. I had the feeling that the rivalry between The Brat and Simon was far from over.
“You alright, love?” Simon asked. “You look a bit…
disheveled.”
Only Simon would worry about messy hair after a kidnapping.
“Yeah, a few bruises, but nothing major,” I said, rubbing my shoulder. “I may not be so lucky next time.”
“I got your message to come find you, but why were they holding you here?” Cal asked. “This is going too far, even for the J-team.”
“They’re al convinced that I practice dark magic and that I used a curse to kil Dylan Jacobs,” I said.
I suddenly felt exhausted. How could an entire footbal team be convinced that I was capable of doing something so horrible?
“But why kidnap you?” Cal asked.
“They were trying to force me to reverse the curse,” I said. “They wanted me to bring Dylan back to life.” The smel of motor oil overpowered the lavender and honey smel of the ancestor spirits in the room. I can’t bring you back to life, Dylan, but I will try to solve the mystery of your death.
“The fools seem determined,” Simon
said. “May I suggest setting up a perimeter around Yuki’s house?” Cal sighed, but agreed.
“Yes, ask for volunteers to work in shifts,” Cal said.
“Consider it done,” Simon said.
Simon could be deadly serious when it came to serving his alpha. He strode purposeful y out of the room, leaving Cal and me blissful y alone.
“Don’t worry, we’l protect you,” Cal said.
“There’s only one way that I’l be safe,” I said. “I have to find proof that I didn’t do anything wrong. The J-team needs to know that I wasn’t involved in Dylan’s death. I’m not a murderer.”
I needed to prove my innocence, now more than ever.
Chapter 6
I survived the remainder of my classes by fantasizing about the long, hot bath I was going to take as soon as I got home. Missing my morning shower had made me feel icky al day and the afternoon school abduction left me feeling violated and dirty. I felt contaminated by the J-team’s negativity. Being dragged through grimy supply rooms didn’t help. I don’t think the school washed those floors.
Ever.
It seemed weird to go back to class as if nothing had happened. I would have loved getting the J-team in trouble, but we didn’t report the incident to the school faculty. After the events of homecoming and Samhain we had al agreed to lay low until graduation. Discovery of our paranormal double-lives could be disastrous. Unfortunately today’s kidnapping had the potential to attract a ton of scrutiny, so I spent my final classes trying to act like I hadn’t just spent a half hour at the mercy of the school’s meanest, cruelest psychopaths. It was hard to push away my stil -raw feelings of hurt and anger, but I held onto the blissful dream of sliding into a scalding hot bubble bath.
When school final y ended, Cal walked me to the parking lot, but it was Emma who drove me home. I think they both knew that I was at my breaking point. Simon was also there in the distance. He nodded to Cal and continued his surveil ance of the school grounds without coming closer. I felt like someone had stamped ‘handle with care’
on my forehead. My friends were treating me like I was made of glass. Normal y that would have irritated me, but I was too worn out for anger. There had been too much anger already. Al I wanted now was to feel clean and safe.
Cal helped me into the passenger seat of Emma’s car and kissed my forehead. He slung my school bag into the back seat. I hadn’t even realized that he had been carrying it. Maybe I was a little out of it.
“I’m just a phone cal away,” Cal said, reaching in to squeeze my hand.
“I know,” I said. “1-800-Dial-A-Wolf. Who needs a cel phone when you can communicate by wolf spirit?”
“Actual y, I’m curious about how you managed that, but it can wait,” Cal said. He grinned, but his blue eyes looked worried. “We can talk about it when you’ve had a chance to recover.”
“Recover?” I said. “You make it sound like I’ve been through a major trauma or something. I’m okay, real y. I’m just tired.”
Why was everyone so worried? Today was scary, but we’d been through crazy stuff before. I mean, I might have a mild Bunsen burner phobia now, but the school year was already half over and then I’d never have to see one again.
No big.
“Sweetie, you have been through a trauma,” Emma said. “You probably just haven’t realized it yet. Let’s get you home.”
Wel , I was real y tired. My eyelids had gone on strike and were closing early. Maybe I should just go home and get some sleep.
“Okay,” I said. I turned to Cal who stroked my cheek through the open window. I pressed my face into his hand and breathed in his wonderful wet dog and sunshine scent.
He smel ed of love and happiness. The touch of his hand was like returning home. “Love you.”
“Love you more,” Cal said. “Sweet dreams, Princess.” Emma drove me home without saying a word. No curious questions about my abduction. It was unlike her to stay so quiet, but it was kind of a relief. I didn’t want to think about my day and al of the terrible what might have beens.
When we reached my house, Emma seemed to instinctively sense my vulnerability and fol owed me inside and up the stairs to my room. She went into my smal bathroom and turned on the tap. I could hear her opening the bath salts and knew she was adding scoops of scented salts to my bathwater. Emma always knew what I needed most. It was amazing that I was the psychic one in our friendship.
I gathered my softest pajamas into my arms and joined her in the bathroom. The smel of the bath nearly blocked out the smel impressions that had been plaguing me al day. I was grateful for that.
“You roxors my socxors,” I said, smiling.
“Girl, get in the tub,” Emma said.
“I stink,” I said.
I started to giggle. Emma went to sit in the doorway facing out into my bedroom. My own personal bodyguard.
It wasn’t like I was real y worried that someone would try to break into my bedroom and bathroom, but the gesture made me feel safe. I slid into the hot, sudsy tub and my giggles turned to sniffles. It wasn’t long before my sniffles grew into sobs.
Emma let me cry it al out. She was good like that. No words could have made me feel better. I just needed the tears and bath water to wash al of the pain and fear away.
After a long soak and a good cry, I was final y fabulously, gloriously clean.
“There are fresh towels on the rack behind you,” Emma said.
She hadn’t turned around so she must have guessed I was done by the lack of crying. No condemnation for being a crybaby or drama queen. Emma real y was the best. I wrapped myself up in the towels and got out of the tub on shaky legs. Putting on my pajamas took longer than usual.
My shoulders and wrists were bruised and it felt like I was moving through quicksand. When I was final y dressed, I walked up behind Emma and placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Thanks,” I said. “You are made of awesome.”
“I know,” Emma said.
She helped me into bed, but didn’t leave. Once I was tucked in, she climbed onto the bed and held the comforter around me like a shield to protect me from scary dreams and evil jocks.
“You’re the best,” I whispered.
“You already said that,” Emma whispered back.
“Nope, I said you were made of awesome,” I said.
“Good night, Yuki,” Emma said.
“Good night,” I mumbled.
*****
I woke up feeling stiff and sore. Sun was streaming through the window and for one panicked moment, I thought I had overslept. I turned to my Edgar Al an Poe calendar and let out a sigh of relief. Oh yeah, today’s not a school day. My school worries were quickly replaced by confusion. Where the heck was Emma? Maybe she was in the bathroom?
“Emma?” I croaked.
There was no answer from the bathroom or anywhere else. Weird.
I went to my closet to find a row of empty metal hangars that jangled as they swayed into each other like wind chimes in a gentle breeze. Oh, right, laundry. I closed the closet doors and turned to scoop up piles of dirty clothes and place them in the overflowing hamper.
I opened my bedroom door and flicked on the hal light.
No sign of Emma, or my parents. The hal was empty and the house was silent as the grave. It wasn’t unusual for the rents to be at work early on Saturday morning, but I was stil perplexed by Emma’s disappearance. Emma was here when I fel asleep. Hadn’t she stayed the night?
Stepping back into my room, I lifted the overstuffed clothes hamper and trudged down the stairs. I went to the laundry room and fil ed the washing machine with dirty clothes and soap. Fortunately for me, my laundry was al the same color. Wearing al black definitely simplified the task of sorting laundry. Easy peasy.
I dragged myself into the kitchen, bare feet squeaking against the cold linoleum tile floor. Maybe things would make more sense after coffee. Something on the table caught my eye and I made a detour to check it out. A black paper
origami cat crouched on the edge of a penciled note from my mom.
Your father and I had to go to work, but please call us if you are still feeling sick. Emma told us about your migraine yesterday and said to let you sleep in. She is such a sweetheart. You have a good friend there. Emma was worried about you, but had to leave early to work the morning shift at the animal shelter. She said that she would call you on her lunch break.
Gordy also stopped by and left this little black cat for you. What a nice boy. He said he hoped it would cheer you up.
Are you sure you’re okay, sweetie? You’ve been getting a lot of migraines lately. I blame your father’s mother. You never met Grandma Stennings, but she always suffered terrible headaches. Maybe your father can remember what remedies she used.
Hope you are able to get some rest and enjoy this lovely sunny Saturday. Perhaps Calvin will come over to check on you?
Love,
Mom
Gordy stopped by? I hope he didn’t run into Emma.
That would have been majorly awkward. I fingered the origami cat and decided to make thank you cards for my friends while waiting for the laundry to wash and coffee to brew. Today was going to be a good day. I could feel it in my bones.
*****
I cal ed Cal around noon hoping that we could hang out and maybe do some reconnaissance of Witchtrot Road.
Something fishy was going on surrounding Dylan’s death and I was sick of being blamed for it. Maybe we could uncover something before I had to return to school on Monday. A girl can hope, right?
“Hel o?” Cal answered.
He sounded flustered and his voice was muffled.
“Cal?” I asked. “Is everything okay? I can barely hear you.”
Something crashed and Cal let out a low growl.
“Stop, now!” Cal ordered. “Nobody move. Simon, that means you too.” Cal let out a huge sigh. “Sorry, Yuki, I don’t mean you. I’ve been trying to keep these two from kil ing each other and it’s not working.”
“Are they fighting?” I asked.
“Always,” Cal said. “The crashing was actual y an attempt to get them to work together. I asked Simon and Gabriel to help me clean the cabin—which they are trying to accomplish by throwing furniture at each other. I don’t think the cabin wil survive much more of this.”