by Barb Shuler
“We do not shift and start fights. You had no right to take retribution for this.”
“He made her cry, Father. Was I supposed to let it stand and let him bully her?”
“No, you were supposed to come to your mother or I, as you have always done. What has gotten into you? As my offspring you know you can not attack others. Not without expecting it to lead to something more.”
“I will not ask of more from them, Alpha. They are but children,” Rock’s father, Marcus, said.
“That may be so, but I can and will. You are both to gather firewood for tonight’s bonfire. You will continue to do so until I say you have enough. Understood?”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“Yes, Father.”
“You will apologize to the little one as well, or I will tan your hide.” Rock’s father said, glaring down at his cub. Rock nodded and took a step closer to where Talia stood, her doll clutched in one hand and Mother’s hand clutched in the other. I moved to stand at her side. He would not touch her again. She’s mine.
What? What in the heck is happening?
“I’m sorry, vampire. I didn’t mean to make you cry like a baby.”
I growled at the smirk on his face. What a crap apology.
His father, nor mine, thought it was a good enough apology, either. The growls from them both had him whimpering as his father lifted him in one hand and moved towards the woods. It wasn’t long before we heard their cabin door slam shut.
I looked up to meet the gaze of my own father, but looked away quickly.
“I’m sorry, Father, I shall try not to disobey you again. I will get started on collecting the wood.”
I’d managed to keep my shorts in my haste to shift, so I grabbed my T-shirt and tugged it back on.
“Can I come, too?”
I looked down at Talia, then back up to Father.
He gave her an assessing look before nodding.
“If you would like, yes. But do not stray far from Joshua. I do not wish to lose you in the woods.”
“I can help.” She said, nodding her head. She released Mother’s hand and held up her rag doll. “Can you hold her for me? I don’t- I don’t want to make her dirty.”
“Of course, my sweet girl. You be careful to not get hurt. I will keep your dolly safe for you.”
Mother put her in her pocket and smiled. Talia took my hand, sending a tingle shooting up my arm and I walked us into the woods. Once I found a place with lots of small sticks I showed her how to stack them in her arms. We made a pretty good team, too.
From that day on we were basically inseparable.
It was the start to a wonderful friendship, that would later turn into eternity. My wolf may have figured it out long before my young boy brain had, but she was mine. I knew it, she knew it, and when the time came, everyone would know it.
“Joshua?”
I blinked and looked up to see Talia coming my way. I smiled as I held out a hand and guided her to sit on the downed tree beside me.
“Are you ready to go back? I asked as I gave her hand a squeeze.
“Yes, and no. I did promise Sheri I would help her with the supper, though. I have to gather the vegetables from the garden, clean everything and prepare what is needed for tonight’s meal.”
“Would you like some help?”
“That was my ultimate goal for coming to join you.” She laughed and I shook my head. I am such a sucker when it comes to this girl.
“We should go then. If Mother has to wait for anything pertaining to her meals, she may skin us both just on principle.”
“Well, you maybe. I am not skinnable.”
I chuckled as she stood and turned to give me a cheeky grin.
“Last one there has to gather tomorrow night’s firewood.”
With those words she took off running up the path. I chuckled and took off after her. There was no way I was letting her get to the garden before I did. I moved up behind her and scooped her up, tossing her gently over my shoulder. Her peals of laughter rang out across the open yards as I carried her towards the garden.
I sat her on her feet as Mother came toward us, baskets in her hand. The big smile on her face matched mine. I handed Talia a basket and we all turned our attention to the rows and rows of vegetables.
Tonight’s dinner couldn’t get here fast enough. When dinner was over I could continue my walk with Talia down by the lake. She would sit there in the sounds of nature and pray, or meditate, or anything else she needed to do in order to sleep.
I smiled as I thought of the wooden charms I had been working on. I would be able to give them to her soon. In one month we would celebrate her seventeenth birthday and I had a special gift for her. One I had made especially for her, for my Talia.
2
Talia
Some nights, sleep just didn’t come easy for me. Tonight was one of those times. The pain racing through my muscles is enough to bring down a frigging elephant. I can feel my body panting as I try to push the pain away.
This pain has happened before, but never like this, never this bad. I can’t decide if it’s just muscle spasms or if it’s some sort of poison? Had I eaten something that was spoiled? Was this one of the tricks of the people after my father? I needed to get help.
I stumble from my bed, a task that’s not so easy when the long night shirt and the blankets upon the bed get tangled around me. It was as if they are pulling me back to the heat of the bed, wanting to hold me hostage along with the pain.
As I move toward the bedroom door the burst of pain hits me again. Doubling over, I reach out and grab the brass door handle. I turn the knob, in full Talia style, I wind up going ass over tea kettle when another earth shattering pain hits, causing me to lose my balance.
This was not right! My body felt as if it were moving on its own. I had no control, and that sent me reeling deeper in panic. The restraints I felt inside me grew. I was stretched, tugged and all but being ripped into four equal parts. The heat of the fire I felt now coursing through me had my body seizing.
My pain wracked body has had enough. It’s telling me to stay down, but I am no animal. I shall not let this evil or darkness take me under. I will get to safety, the safety of my pack, and they will make it stop. Cursing under my breath I bite into the meat of my cheek. The new sharpness sends a different pain through me and, while I draw in a sharp breath, I try to gather my wits.
The moon is shining in the windows of the cabin, serving as the only light available. I use it to guide myself to the main door. I’m on all fours, not yet able to climb back to my feet after my not so graceful fall. I can’t get back up; the pain being too overwhelming to fight through.
My heart is racing with each panting breath I manage to squeeze out. My hands slip from under me and the air leaves my lungs, my body clenches and a loud scream rips from me. My back arches, my body feeling like a rubber band being pulled to the brink of breaking.
My body jerks, my muscles convulsing like an epileptic. My cheek is pressed to the cool floor now. I can feel the heaviness of my own body pressing into the wooden divots under my delicate skin. There’s a loud crash in front of me. The sharp sound startles a gasp from me. I look up to see Joshua. He’s in a pair of sleep pants, his hair tousled from side to side. He stares at me with wide eyes.
“J-J-Joshua…” I whisper his name as I try to reach for him.
“Talia, my god…” his eyes flash gold as his wolf takes him over. He quietly falls from two legs to four. A loud snarl leaves him as he lopes over to me. His snarl is not directed at me but the threat he thinks I am under. My arms are clasped around my middle once I manage to roll to my side. I scream again as a pain worse than any before it blazes through me. My limbs feel like they’re on fire.
Fire! Something has set my insides, my whole body, on fire. With his head tossed back, Joshua’s wolf howls in agony. The answering howls wrap me in a cocoon as the pain fights to steal my breath again.
I want to stand up.
I want to go hide. But above all, I want to run. Why do I want to run? The overpowering need to escape races through my mind as the howling around me grows to sound more and more pained. I shriek again when the pain overtakes my vision. I saw nothing around me but darkness for a minute. That minute is enough to scare the life out of me.
My heart hammers. I can feel it’s beat thumping throughout my body as the pain burns a new path of discomfort through my burning body.
“M-make it s-s-stop,” I plead through broken sobs. Tears now roll along my soft skin to pool on the floor under me.
If there is a heavenly being, I pray upon them to make this pain stop. I prayed silently because there was no way to get the words out.
The more I tried to speak the less air I was getting. This prayer was no different from every other prayer as of late… it went ignored. Simply unanswered. I started to rock from side to side, rolling on the floor as the pain covered my body. I was willing to try anything to make it stop. Can it be stopped?
In a rush, warm hands moved across my skin. The feather light touches sent the flames upon my skin skyhigh, the fire consuming me even more. The scent of wolf, earth and flowers wrapped itself around me as I was lifted from the floor. I could feel the air shift around me before I was laid upon the softness of my bed, the bed I had tried to escape mere moments ago. Once again the howling of wolves weaves its way into my mind and heart. The beating of my heart became the cadence of their cries. My name was spoken in a hushed whisper alongside a new sound - a growl. A wolf was at my side.
Joshua…
I reached from him. I needed him.
“Talia, my sweet girl, what has happened?” I heard the voice of Joshua’s mother, Sheri. She is the sweetest woman I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. She has been taken with me from the moment I first came to be. She croons to me softly as her fingers brush along the skin of my cheek and jaw.
“H-hurt-s…” I stammer out.
“She’s burning up,” Ramport’s rough, growling voice fills the air around me. I whimper when my body jerks, the muscles tightening into a painful cramp.
“There are no marks on her skin. No one has hurt her. What is causing this, Ramport? We must help her,” Sheri’s voice took on a controlled panic that I had only heard a few times. But the panic was there. I tried to squirm away. I didn’t want them to see me like this.
“I do not know, love. Joshua, did you see anything before you came in?” There was a whine as the bed shifted again. The heat and weight of something moving to lay against me caused me to gasp. That gasp soon turned into a sigh. I instantly knew it was Joshua. His touch has always seemed to soothe any ache that ails me.
The soothing comfort was quickly lost when my body started to convulse again. My back arched off the bed as another scream left me. My throat was raw from the effort. There was a whine from my Joshua as his body tried to press into me tighter. His heat and weight was no longer making a difference. I cried out and let the pain take me.
“Move her to the floor, Ramport. I’ll go get Joslyn, maybe she can ease the pain with her herbs,” the voice faded too fast. I wanted to protest but I wasn’t able to. I wasn’t able to do anything but writhe on the floor in pain.
Panting, I tried to speak as I felt a hand take mine.
“We are here, child. Do not fear,” Ramport’s soothing voice was like a balm. I knew he was using his alpha gift, the power to calm his pack, on me. I didn’t care, I’d take anything to stay calm. Anything to stop the agony I was currently experiencing. I knew this was hurting them all. I could feel it. I could feel Joshua’s pain in my heart. The cold nose of his wolf pressed against my cheek and I lifted my free hand as best as I could. Once my fingers were wrapped in his scruff I stopped fighting. The pain was too much for me to take.
The more I struggled, the worse it seemed to get. The blackness that swirled around me rushed in and consumed every bit of my being. My vision, my sanity, my consciousness, it all went dark.
I let it… it was going to save me or end me…
I wasn’t sure I was ready for either outcome.
3
Joshua
There has been many things that have happened over the last few years that has pulled me closer and closer to Talia. She has been my best friend, my one true confidante and soon, she will be my mate. My other half. My forever.
While I patrolled our lands tonight, my mind wandered, as it always does, to Talia. She hasn’t been herself the last two days, she has been... off. Different. As best as I can tell she is feeling bad. I can feel her anxiety, and the pain, but she refuses to say anything about it other than, “it’s nothing, honest.”
I get that everyone of us has our secrets, but something in me is pulling my wolf closer to the surface. Each pain send us both into a frenzy. It’s becoming a true struggle to even breathe at times.
We already share a bond, one that started the day we met, which grows stronger everyday. But tonight, it’s more. The bond is what alerts me that something is wrong with her. I sit up in bed, look around and scrub a hand through my hair, pulling it from my face. Then I hear it. The unmistakable scream of my mate.
My wolf surges forward and we run to her cabin, ready to kill anyone or anything who may be causing her harm, only to find her on the floor, convulsing in pain and fear. She calls to my wolf and I’m unable to fight the change.
I surge forward. My nose nudges her as she continues to writhe on the floor. Mother has her moved to the bed, and as I have done since she came here, I climb in beside her.
I whine as the pains shooting through her burn their way into me as well. The mate bond has already formed. I can feel it pulsating between us now.
It takes us all by surprise when she shakes from the pain and screams louder. The herbs Joslyn and Mother have covered her in seem to do nothing to help her with the fever that runs through her. Her pain has me on edge. My wolf is snapping and growling at anyone who comes near her.
My mother assured me that she would be fine. I’ve never doubted her before, but watching my mate suffer through this pain while I stand by unable to help her has me doubting many things. I watch her and try to lend her my strength. I try desperately to soothe and calm her.
As we wait, watching Talia, something changes. I managed to get my wolf to release me and I shift back to my human form, pulling her into my arms, wrapping the blankets around her tighter. I close my eyes, lean my forehead to hers and say a prayer, one I’ve said many times before. I ask the great ones to help my love.
As her body shakes once more and a scream rips from her lips, the heat inside her intensifies. Before I can say, or do anything, it happened.
Talia’s body started to morph.
“Mother!”
My voice rang out and panic speared my heart. I watch in utter shock as her body changed before us. My sweet little vampire was lying on the floor, panting, her chest now covered in sleek, midnight black fur.
“Sweet Goddess.”
I looked up to see tears in my mother’s eyes.
“She’s… Ramport, what is this!?”
“The Prophecy has come true. Everything that’s been deemed to be myth has come to light. I must send word…”
A whine came from Talia. I turned to her. Her body still shook with random painful spasms. My wolf, feeling her distress once again, pushed forward. I landed on all four paws and sniffed at my mate.
I had a feeling this was not going to end so well… Talia was no more prepared for this change than we were.
TALIA
Sound fills my ears with a sudden jolt. Everything was so loud. I try to cry out in pain but the sound escaping me makes me wince. I sound like a machine that has been put into a grinder.
What the hell? Was that really me?
It happens again as I try to sit up. The wet nose pushing at me doesn’t keep me down. No, I want up. However, as soon as I am up, I wish that nose had kept me down. Joshua’s wolf is before me. I try to blink through the haze t
hat is currently clouding my vision. Everything is much brighter, more colorful even. There is pain still racing through me but it’s diluted now, bearable. It’s like untamed energy in a powerline that has no place to escape.
I shudder, causing myself to stumble and almost face plant. I huff out a very unladylike noise. I try to stand, only to fall over like a clumsy babe taking its first steps.
“Talia, wait. Let me help you, my sweet girl. Stay still,” Sheri soothed as she unwrapped me.
I stood, shakily. Why does this feel so weird? I look at my back end and shriek.
I had a tail? What kind of fairy juice did they give me? I look again, and yep, I have a freaking tail. A big, bushy, hairy tail. I flipped myself around to get a better look. Spinning out of control, I knocked over the bedside table. I shrieked again. I had a frigging tail? Holy crap! I spun around again and again, snagging the covers that were falling from the bed and tugged them with me. I collapsed to the floor in a waterfall of blankets and soft chuckles. I growled as I tried to get out of them.
“Talia, my girl, hold still.”
I was unwrapped and with an ungraceful faceplant I was free. I growled and stood back up on shaky legs. Turning around, I stumble again. I slam my butt down onto the floor and looked down at the rest of me. I was covered in midnight colored fur. Fur! I had a tail and I was furry! Furry in places a girl should never be furry.
Great! Was this a joke?
Had someone wrapped a floor rug around me when I was out cold or something? Maybe that was why I couldn’t stand right. My gaze met Joshua’s and I glared. Joshua’s wolf came forward and nuzzled me with his muzzle. I let out a growl of frustration but leaned into him. I was a furry something, but at least he wasn’t running from me. He stepped back as I tried to get my body to stand like I wanted it. I stumbled before going down on my haunches looking at him in a panic.