"I don't like this," Alejandro said.
"Look at her. I think those are authentic tears. Hmm. I'll never be that weak."
Seven looked up at Jade. "Go, Jade, before she changes her mind. I have to keep you safe. I’ll live through this. I won’t let them win. Go," Seven said.
"I can help you. I don't want to leave you again." Jade said through her tears.
"Look in your bag. I shoved a map in there for you. I’ll find you," he whispered. He clenched his teeth and managed to stand.
"No, I won't leave you." She clung to him.
"Go!"
Jade picked up her duffel bag with tears streaming down her cheeks. She pointed towards Alejandro and Bex. “I’ll get you both for this.”
Jade looked at Bex and sensed the chase was just beginning for her. She watched her every move and stepped back. Bex stepped closer. The evil fairy's breathing was shallow and her eyes were dilated.
Jade's heart pounded as she realized Bex was going to chase her. She felt her face partially shift and shook her head, hoping it would go away. She had to run, not shift.
"Run, shapeshifter, run," Bex said, laughing. She clapped, "Oh, but I love a good chase."
Jade didn’t dare move.
Although injured, Seven lunged towards Alejandro and Bex, knocking them both down. “Run, Jade!”
Jade stole a glance at Seven and then jetted deeper into the park through a large stand of trees.
Bex flung Seven into the bushes and said, “I’ll deal with you another time. Now, I need to get rid of my competition.” She sped off behind Jade.
Jade heard Bex’s panting behind her and had to use everything she had to run faster. She ran for her life, racing past trees, weaving through the dark night. She tripped over a fallen tree and jumped to her feet, hoping that fall wouldn’t cost Jade her life. She continued running and was slashed by branches. She wouldn't stop.
"I'm going to catch you and watch you die. You will not take my place, Jade. Never!" Bex yelled.
Jade stopped behind an oak tree and held her breath.
"I'm a fairy, stupid, I have heightened senses. I can smell your lavender shampoo a mile away. Give me a challenge." Bex said.
Twigs snapped. Jade knew the evil fairy was too close. She took a chance and ran, hoping she wouldn't run into Bex.
A breeze swept by Jade and blew her hair up. She felt a searing pain on her arm and realized she was cut.
"Did you like that?" Bex slashed the air twice with her long nails. “I’m a fairy, stupid. I don’t fight like a human.”
Jade remained silent. She had to escape.
"Imagine that times a million; I can make that happen. Just give up. You know you're no match for me."
Jade picked up a branch and held it out to defend herself. Her shoulder ached and the lashes from Bex’s nails stung. She fought through the pain. Her eyes helixed and turned a deep purple. She thrashed the tree branch wildly. Her nails dug deep into the branch.
Bex’s eyes glowed red in the darkness.
Jade swung the branch hard and heard Bex hit the ground.
Bex raced to her feet and her hands turned a bright red. "Nice eyes, shapeshifter. I don't like to lose, so I hope you’re ready to die."
Jade felt the shift happening faster this time. It was a familiar feeling. She stripped her clothes off and felt her jaw elongating. Her spine extended and her shoulder blades transformed into wings. The pain wasn't as bad but still radiated through her entire body.
She flapped her wings and snapped a tree in half. She saw Bex in the clearing and swooped low, grazing Bex on the arm, just as the fairy had done to her.
"I heard about this, but I didn't believe. A dragon?" Bex fell to the ground and crawled towards a tree.
Jade descended to the grass and blew air out of her nostrils.
"If you kill me, then you'll be just like me." Bex's eyes were wide with fear.
Jade let out a roar and lunged towards Bex, lashing the air with her claws.
Bex gasped and hid behind the tree. She escaped into the darkness.
Jade shapeshifted back to her natural form. She walked to her strewn clothes and dressed. She knew she wasn't a killer, but now she would continue to be hunted by Bex.
She walked towards the street lights and ended on a busy street in Atlanta. She looked behind her and was relieved she had finally lost the evil fairy.
* * *
She caught a cab and headed for the nearest bus station. She headed to a white tiled public bathroom and was glad to be the only one in there. She had to stop the bleeding. She reached into her duffel bag and tied a t-shirt around her shoulder. She opened up her makeup bag, hoping she had some of her mother's special potions or sand. Nothing. She held her hand on her shoulder wound and focused. The sharp pain reduced to a dull ache. She sighed. She removed her hand. The wound wasn't completely healed, but it was much better.
She opened up her duffel bag and looked through the things Nina gave her. She pulled out the map and realized there was a circle over a spot in Oregon. "It's better than hanging out in a public bathroom for the rest of my life."
Jade boarded the bus and slept. Every time the bus driver stopped, she opened her eyes, not trusting who would walk on, but then the lull of the tires against the road soothed her. She wondered what her next step would be and realized she had time to think, since she had a four-day trip ahead of her. She used her duffel bag as a pillow and divided her time between worrying about Seven, reading the old book Nina gave her, and sleeping.
By the time she was near Portland, Jade knew more about shapeshifters, the legend, and what her awakening entailed.
"Union Station!" A boy yelled. He exited the bus with his mother and father.
* * *
It had been hours since her last stop. She felt dirty and needed a shower. She was glad she was safe but would have preferred an airline flight. It would have been faster, but she couldn't risk being found by those who chased her.
The day was so blue it almost hurt her eyes. The bus stop was in the heart of Portland. She slid her sunglasses on and walked to the nearest coffee shop.
She was about to sip her perfectly-made café latte when she heard her name.
"Jade."
She looked up and saw Seven. He was alive, and he was here in Portland.
She stood up, almost knocking over the pink table. "I was crazed with grief and panic,” she said.
"I made it out, barely, “he smiled and stepped closer.
"Are you really here?" She hoped this wasn't a dream. She came to the conclusion that those near her always got hurt. She was worried about putting him in further danger. She warred with her emotions and managed a smile. She kept her hands in her pockets and didn't hug and kiss him like she ached to do.
"Nina's here, too, she's waiting by the car."
Jade looked out of the window and saw Nina.
"How'd you find me?" Jade asked. Her mind raced and she finally said, "Was she tracking me the whole time?"
"Yeah," he said with a wince. "I know the ride here was brutal but she cautioned against interfering with your trip. The last thing we wanted was for Bex to find you."
She stood on the sidewalk. The pine trees swayed in the breeze. She realized she could walk away or stay.
"David’s death, your dad's kidnapping, Wyle's death, that's just the beginning, Jade. They want you dead. Nina and I have already relocated your family."
She was silent. Wyle was dead? Jade's lips quivered when she realized she hadn't thought of everything. "Thank you for protecting my family." She took a deep breath and smelled the pine. It seemed to clear her thoughts. She finally met his gaze. "If you tell me to leave you again, I won't. I can't stand wondering if I've left you to die." She looked away.
"I had to protect you."
She was silent. She wondered if their last kiss was a dream. Maybe it was all in her head.
"I've contacted other shapeshifters and we've congregated at a seclude
d place I own on Lake Chelan." He showed her a photo on his phone.
Jade was silent as she looked at the photo of what looked like a mountainside castle. She didn't want to inflate his ego by telling him his lake home was spectacular. She responded with, "Does it have running water?"
"Yes. I know you don't want to be around me, so I'll stay away. It's a pretty big place. We need to get ready for them when they finally find you."
"All I know is that I need a shower."
* * *
Jade sat in silence as they drove to Seven's home.
Nina was barely able to see over the dashboard but managed to drive the truck to the private airport. They walked onto a small plane.
"It's over six hours driving. We couldn't do that to you after your long bus ride." Seven leaned towards Jade.
"This is much nicer than the bus." She said. She imagined she smelled like a farm animal. She wanted to stay angry but couldn't help the gasps that escaped her as she looked at the terrain below.
"Do you want to know what I bugged, Jade?" Nina leaned over towards Jade.
"Not really." She kept her eyes on the nature below and pressed her forehead against the airplane's window.
"Don't be mad. It was to protect you," Nina said.
"What was it?" Jade turned toward Nina and realized Nina had cut her hair into a short buzz. She wanted to know why, but kept silent.
"It was in the leather journal and the beef jerky." She sat back and laughed.
Jade felt a smile creep over her lips and shook her head,
"I learned that from those mystery shows I love.” Nina smiled then added, "Did you ever try that white dress on?"
"No."
"It's a fairy dress, so it may not accept you. If it doesn't, don't worry about it."
Jade frowned, "This sounds like an important detail you should have told me before."
"It's a precaution, but I'm ninety percent sure it will accept you."
Jade rested back in the leather seat and accepted she would have to do the best with the information that came to her in dribbles. She wondered if the dress would accept her.
"What if it doesn't accept me?"
"Then you're not the one for the legend. You're just another amazing supernatural. Bex would probably still want to kill you. She holds grudges. We'd still need to keep you safe.”
The flight was short and the drive to the house was beautiful. The roads wound through ancient forests that seemed to hold secrets.
"This is beautiful," Jade finally said.
"Thanks," said Seven.
The sunset created a dramatic backdrop for the stone home which sprawled alongside the mountain. A bird perched on the wall that overlooked the lake.
"Why aren't you here every day?"
"It's my getaway. I can't "getaway" to it if I live here the whole time." He smiled. "You said you wanted a shower.”
"Yes." She almost screamed.
He walked her to the front of the house and through the spacious living room.
They climbed the stone stairs in silence.
"I don't have any staff that lives here. They come and go as they please. So help yourself to whatever." He stopped at the guest door and slowly opened it, revealing a large room in many shades of blue. The curtains were a pale blue, and the bed was an inky blue.
"This is beautiful." She picked up one of the dozen pillows on the bed and rubbed her face against the velvet. "I haven't had a good night’s sleep in forever."
"Enjoy. I'll leave you alone the rest of the night. The other shapeshifters will be coming here. It's my fist real Alpha meeting in over a year, so it'll be mainly talking and catching up.
Jade walked to the window and pulled the curtain back. "Do these stairs lead to the lake?"
"Yes."
She wondered if the ice would break between them. She wanted to rush to him and hug him but her time on the bus made her doubt a lot of things.
Seven smiled. He was about to close the door, then poked his head back in. "It's good to see you again, Jade." He closed the door behind him.
Jade was alone in the room. She stripped down and stood on the cold stone floor. She turned the hot water on as she unpacked. She found the most scented toiletries and dumped them in the water. She had to get the stink of the long bus drive off her.
She sat in the hot tub and washed away the fear, guilt and shame. She took a deep breath in and relished in the steamy fragrant aroma that filled her lungs.
She stepped out and picked up a lush towel. She wrapped herself in it and walked over to her duffel bag. She emptied it out. All her clothes were dirty. The only thing she had that was clean was the white dress that Nina gave her. She touched the dress and felt a surge of energy.
Jade held her breath and slipped into the hooded dress. She waited for a burning sensation or an electric charge. She looked down and saw the dress cling to her skin in all the right places. She smoothed down the skirt and looked at herself in the tall mirror. She looked like a queen.
She opened the door to the balcony and found the sky was already dark. The night sky was freckled with stars, which were reflected by the still lake. She walked to the steps that connected her balcony to the main back yard. She held the hem of her dress up as she stepped down them.
Seven stopped talking to the other shapeshifters. He looked at Jade. His breathing deepened.
"I can't see her face, but I imagine she's beautiful, Seven," Murray said.
"She is."
Jade continued walking until she found the wall she'd spotted earlier in the day. She trailed her fingers along it as she strolled near the lake. She was quiet, listening to the voices of the shapeshifters.
"So Seven, if she's supposed to be the new Fairy Enthrall, how could it ever work between you two?" he asked.
Seven exhaled, "I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead yet."
"If you help her, you're only going to lose her. You're a better man than me. I'd lie to her and keep her to myself. Let the dumb fairies find a new Fairy Enthrall."
"I can't lie to her."
"Sure you can. You do it all the time. You're an actor. Hello."
"It's not like that."
Jade heard Seven's voice. She looked up and saw him. She pulled her hood back and faced him. She kept her gaze on him and smiled.
"She's beautiful," Murray said. He walked up to Seven and patted his back. He walked towards the others, leaving Seven standing alone.
Seven walked towards Jade.
Jade's skin tingled in the mountain breeze. She knew the hardest part of being a half shapeshifter and half fairy was ahead of her. She hoped she would be smarter and able to live up to the legend. She would be the first half shapeshifter and half fairy Enthrall. She didn't know why she was chosen for this. Honestly, she wished she wasn't part of any legend. She wanted to just be Jade. But here she was, in the middle of a supernatural storm. She couldn't let Bex continue ruling with death and fear.
Seven stood in front of Jade. "Hi." He took a step closer.
"Hi." She felt her heart thump. She looked into his eyes and felt her face shift. She looked down and covered her cheek.
"Don't ever be embarrassed for being who you are. You are beautiful, Jade. I love you, just the way you are."
"I love you." She bit her lip and looked down, bashful for finally saying the words she had been feeling in her heart.
He tipped her face up to his and shifted his face, too, matching her colors and skin. He pressed his lips against hers.
She kissed him back with a passion she had never felt before. The syrupy chocolate feeling overtook her senses and she loved it.
"I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, Seven, but I'm so happy right now in this moment." She knew that life was complicated because of the Faction and Bex, but in his arms, all her worries seemed meaningless.
"Don't worry about tomorrow, Jade." His eyes were dark with emotion. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her once more.
~The End~
* * *
Coming this summer… Jade’s Descent. Find out what happens to Jade in this second installment of the Delacourt Saga Series.
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Jade's Awakening (Delacourt Saga Book 1) Page 8