Finally, one of the nurses shoved a needle in his arm and his hand immediately relaxed. As it did, the heart monitor started to flatline, but the man continued to stare at her with ice cold, murderous eyes. Even as he took his last breath, Tatyanna was able to feel it and was startled to see him staring at her while he died. She rubbed her wrist and flexed her fingers, trying to bring feeling back into her hands as her co-workers tried to save the man behind her. Tatyanna quickly left the room and slowed down when she heard voices talking about the elderly gentleman who she had saved earlier. She picked out the words, “guardian angel,” and knew they were speaking of her.
Tatyanna still had four more hours on her shift, but she was too spooked to even continue. She grabbed her purse from the locker room, made a quick call to her supervisor, leaving a vague message and left, never looking back. She knew she would never be returning to the hospital again. She questioned herself when Danny miraculously was healed, but after today, there wasn’t a single doubt in her mind. She had the power to heal other people. Her co-workers had realized it, too. For years, she used to hate feeling ignored by her peers, and now that people had noticed her, she wished she could be invisible again.
Tatyanna didn’t remember the drive home and found herself staring at her house a second later. She walked in without saying hello to anyone and made her way to her room, where she crawled into her bed and started to cry. After several minutes, she saw Tux enter her room. Watching through teary eyes, Tux sat on his hind legs and shut her door with his front paws. She had experienced enough in the last several days to accept her cat’s unusual actions as normal. She held up the covers and waited for Tux to join her. Tatyanna curled her arms around him.
“Oh, Tux, what am I going to do?” she asked her cat softly, before collapsing into unrestrained sobs.
Chapter Seven
The Cat’s Out of the Bag
Emmett sat beside Tatyanna’s bed, loosely holding her hand. He could feel her slipping away from him and wondered for the thousandth time that night what had happened to her at the hospital. Everything had been progressing nicely and according to the plan—until she came home in tears, wishing for a different life. After listening to her heart wrenching cries for several hours, he had whispered a few words into her ear and put her to sleep. He kept trying to tell himself he did it for her, but the truth was, he couldn’t stand to listen to her cry for one more minute. Even now, she kept sniffling from time to time, but at least she wouldn’t wake up. It would give Emmett the time he needed to figure out what went wrong.
He knew he had the right to invade her thoughts, but in doing so, he would be making her relive the exact moments which had put her in this state of mind in the first place. He just couldn’t force himself to put her through that pain all over again. Emmett knew he was getting emotionally involved, and he should invade her privacy anyway. The longer he sat there holding her limp hand, the more he knew he had already crossed that line. There was no turning back. No, he would try to find out some other way to learn the truth.
For now, he needed to meet with Dimitri and finalize their plans on going home. He hated to leave her, but his spell would make her sleep until he came back to wake her. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and whispered, “Sorry.” Emmett blamed himself for her current state of mind. He was only following the plan, like a fool, instead of speaking up for himself and going against what his Elders wanted him to do.
Emmett closed his eyes and pictured Dimitri in his mind. To no surprise, he found his friend working on the dump he called a truck. A part of him felt sad for Dimitri, because he would never get the chance to finish it. His friend was halfway under the hood, messing around with something, and was covered in grease, except for his shaggy blond hair hanging in a mess around his friend's handsome face and square jawline.
‘Dimitri,’ Emmett called out in his mind. Dimitri looked up, peering at his surroundings, trying to figure out who called his name. After a moment, he just shook his head and stuck it back under the hood of his truck.
‘Dimitri,’ Emmett said again more forcefully, causing Dimitri to jump and hit his head on the hood. He cursed creatively and rubbed the back of his head.
“What?” he howled out loud.
“We need to meet,” Emmett replied.
“Fine. Give me a moment and I’ll meet you there. Next time, do you think you could call like a normal person?” Emmett’s response was laughter as Dimitri closed the hood and looked at Althea. “Well, girl, it looks like our time here is nearing an end. It was fun while it lasted.” Althea barked in response and wagged her tail. “Go tell Luka what is going on and that I’ll be home soon.” Althea gave him a slight bow and ran off into the house. Dimitri gave his truck one last longing look then waved his hand above his head and disappeared.
“Well, well, well….” Cale said, coming out from his perch against a tree near the garage Dimitri practically lived in. “It’s show time,” he said, before following suit, disappearing into thin air.
Cale was surprised to arrive before the others to the meeting spot, but then again, his borrowed power was stronger than their own combined. He contemplated hiding, instead deciding to sit by a tree while he waited for the others. He was tired of always hiding in the corners, trying to listen in on everyone’s conversations. It was time for him to throw a curveball and be in the center of it. He was sure his liege wouldn’t mind. It was all for the greater good anyway.
Cale had the satisfaction of seeing the surprise on Emmett’s face when he arrived to the clearing. Emmett was first shocked and then angry. It took Cale a moment too late to realize just how pissed off Emmett was when he saw the other man come at him, running at full speed. Cale’s reflexes weren’t as fast, and he was thrown up against the tree he had been sitting against, and then slammed onto the ground. He vaguely heard Dimitri yelling out for Emmett to stop, but the warning came too late. Emmett pounced on top of Cale using all his strength to hold him down and then swiped his hand out like a lion and scratched the side of his face. As Cale screamed out in pain, a bolt of lightning appeared in the sky and struck Emmett causing him to fly back away from Cale.
“What the…” Emmett trailed off looking at the scorned mark on his arm and winced at how much it hurt.
“I tried to warn you,” Dimitri said with a touch of humor that quickly turned to concern. “Are you okay?”
“Is he okay? I was the one who was attacked, and you are asking if he is okay?” Cale snarled.
Dimitri barely spared the other man a glance. “I’m sure whatever it was, you deserved it.”
Emmett was breathing heavy, trying to keep himself under control but the animal inside of him wanted out. He wasn’t done with his prey. He took a step toward Cale, but Dimitri planted himself in front of him and refused to let him get any closer, pushing him against his chest to keep him from advancing. “You don’t want a repeat, do you?” Dimitri asked, referring to the lightning bolt. Emmett looked down at the jagged red streak on his arm and wondered how he would explain that to Tatyanna.
“No. He’s not worth it.” He looked at Cale. “What are you doing here? I didn’t call for you.”
Cale merely shrugged. “I was bored. When I saw Dimitri send his wolf off and then disappear, I knew things were finally progressing, so I decided to follow and see what was going on.”
Emmett narrowed his eyes. “How did you even get here? Who gave you that power?”
Cale refused to answer and stood up brushing off his pants. “So, did the princess finally realize the full extent of her healing powers?”
This time, Dimitri was unable to hold Emmett back. Emmett released the animal inside of him and turned into a giant black jaguar, barreling toward Cale. This time, Cale was ready for it, and disappeared into thin air, right when Emmett was about to connect with him.
“Where’d he go?” the cat asked.
“It’s for the best,” Dimitri said, watching as his friend shifted back into his human
form. “Did you really want to be struck by lightning again?”
“It would be worth it. I wish I knew who gave him his power.”
“Maybe Grandfather did. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
“Maybe,” Emmett said slowly, not convinced. “Or maybe it was Larik.”
Dimitri looked skeptical. “I think you are trying to stretch things too far. How could Cale have met up with Larik? He’s been under surveillance from almost the very beginning, and he has never done anything to make the Elders doubt his loyalty.”
“I know, but I still don’t trust the guy.”
“There’s nothing you can do without proof.”
“We’ll see about that.”
Dimitri knew better than to talk reason to his friend, so he changed the subject instead. “So, why did you want me to come here? What’s going on?”
“Something happened to Tatyanna at work yesterday. I don’t know what, but she came home crying hysterically. I finally put a sleeping spell on her just to get her to stop.” He took a deep breath, running his hands through his hair. “After seeing Cale here, I believe he knows something, or worse, he did something—” He held up his hands to hold Dimitri off from interrupting him. “I know I don’t have any proof to go on, but I just have this feeling he is up to something.”
“Why haven’t you read her thoughts? That would give you the answers you are seeking.”
“I can’t.”
“What do you mean you can’t? You have every right as her guardian to pry into her mind.”
“That’s just it. I would be prying. I would be invading her thoughts. I would cross that line. No turning back. She won’t be able to trust me if I read her thoughts.”
“This isn’t about her trusting you. This is about keeping her safe. That is your job. You were picked to watch over her and keep her safe. That is the only thing that matters. It doesn’t matter if she trusts you or not. You are bounded by the Law.” Dimitri stopped talking and watched his friend pacing back and forth. “Do you have feelings for her? You know she is betrothed to Marek.”
Emmett stopped pacing, looking over at his childhood friend. “Of course I care for her; not in the way you are asking. I would die for her, but no, there are no feelings of love there, however hurting her is out of the question.”
“But you know she will be furious with you when she finds out the truth.”
“I know that. I plan on revealing who I really am to her, once I leave here.”
“That’s not part of the plan.”
“Screw the plan! She’s hurting inside, and I know I’ve been a big part of that by ignoring her questions. I can’t treat her like she means nothing to me one minute and then be the best friend she expects me to be the next. I can no longer be two people, or in this case, man and animal.”
Dimitri watched his friend closely as Emmett ran his hands through his hair agitatedly. “You know, you act and talk like a man in love.” Emmett glared at his friend in response. “You better be careful if Marek finds out….”
“Back off, D. You don’t know anything.”
Dimitri merely shrugged. “Going back to your new plan, have you talked to the Elders yet?”
“No. And I don’t plan to. Like you said, I am her Guardian, and I am pulling rank. I am doing this for her. She already knows she can heal people. Now, it’s a matter of filling in the holes. Once I do that, the rest will follow, but she will need time to adjust once she learns the truth, and she will need you to be there to lean on. I’m sure she will want nothing to do with me for a while.”
“You have my word; I will be there for her. Is there anything I shouldn’t tell her?”
“Don’t tell her about Marek, or her tattoo. Learning she is the long lost princess is one thing, telling her she is betrothed to another might be a little over the top.”
Dimitri smiled, “Agreed. See you soon.” And with that, he vanished into thin air, shortly followed by Emmett.
Emmett arrived in Tatyanna’s room, expecting her to be asleep, but turned around when he heard her scream.
“What the heck? How did you just do that?” she asked, standing beside her bed, holding a necklace in her hand.
Chapter Eight
The Truth
“I asked you a question. How the hell did you do that?” Tatyanna demanded.
“What are you doing awake?”
She looked perplexed. “Have you been stalking me?” Emmett took a step toward her to explain, but she raised her right hand and moved backwards. “Stop right there. I demand you answer me. I am tired of you dodging my questions, or telling me it’s not the right time. Well, it’s time to come clean. What the hell is going on, Emmett, if that is even your real name?” With each question, her voice rose higher and higher.
“It’s my real name. I promise I will answer any question you ask me, but I need to know where you got that necklace,” he said, his eyes never leaving her hand.
Tatyanna looked down at the necklace and was mesmerized by the intricate design. It was a midnight blue stone in a white, gold-plated cage. It looked old, yet she knew it belonged to her. “I don’t know. I woke up to find an old man sitting next to me, and this necklace in my hands.”
“You…you saw an old man?” he asked, already knowing it had been Grandfather who was there.
“Yes, he told me I had slept long enough and it was time I find the answers I seek. I freaked out when I saw him and fell out of bed trying to get away from him, but he spoke to me ever so softly, saying I needn’t fear him, and I felt a wave of calm wash over me. He vanished, and you appeared,” she said, shaking her head to clear the cobwebs. “Now, I won’t ask again, I want to know what the hell is going on.” Her voice rose an octave.
Emmett reached out his hand, palm up. “Take it.”
“No.”
“Take my hand and I will explain everything to you, but not here.” Tatyanna stared at Emmett’s outstretched hand for over a minute before she finally reached out and touched it. They shifted from one destination to the next, without even moving their feet. One moment they were standing in her bedroom, and the next, they were in the clearing she had once dreamed about. Or, at least she thought she had, now she wasn’t so sure anymore.
“How the hell did you do that?! What the hell are you? What is this place?” Tatyanna rapidly fired off, taking several steps away from Emmett. She contemplated running away, but as soon as the thought crossed her mind, the trees surrounding the clearing moved closer to each other, blocking her from leaving.
“This is neutral ground. Meetings are held here so both sides will have their say. Fighting is forbidden.”
“What if people fight anyway?” she asked, looking at the tall trees surrounding them.
He looked down at the red streak on his arm and laughed. “You get struck by lightning.”
“And that is funny?” she asked, spinning to face him.
“It is when it happens to you,” he said, still looking at his arm.
Tatyanna followed his eyes, straining to see what he was referring to when she gasped in surprise. “That looks like it hurts,” she said, attempting to get a closer look at it without walking toward him.
Emmett shrugged, “It was worth it.”
“I…I…I...could heal that for you?” she stammered.
“Are you asking, or are you telling me you can heal it?”
She took a deep breath and said with absolute certainty, “I can heal that for you.”
Emmett smiled at her, causing his whole face to light up. “Thanks, but I think I will wear this war wound with pride. You should see the other guy.”
“Well, he must have deserved it.”
Emmett looked up at her, surprised. “What makes you say that?”
“You don’t seem the type who would go off hitting people.”
“You hardly know me, what makes you think I’m one of the good guys?”
Tatyanna tilted her head to the side and studied him. She
didn’t say anything for a long time as she took in his appearance and the familiar black and white clothes. She knew him from somewhere, yet she couldn’t place it. As much as he drove her nuts with his insistence on avoiding her questions, she knew without a doubt she could trust him, and it was time for her to accept those feelings instead of trying to fight what she felt.
“I just do,” she said vaguely. Partly because she couldn’t explain how she knew, and partly because she wanted to get back at him for all of the vague answers he had given her. He smiled at her, as if knowing what she was thinking. His eyes met hers, and for a second, Tatyanna forgot to breathe as his green eyes took her away from where they were, deeper into the forest. It was as if she were in a trance, and it took her what felt like forever before she was able to pull her gaze from his. In order to keep from falling under his trance again, Tatyanna walked away from him purposely, keeping her back to him.
“So, am I an alien?”
“What?” Emmett asked, laughing.
“Well, it would make sense if I am. I mean, that’s the only way I can explain all the crazy stuff happening in my life.”
“And you thought you might be an alien?” He bowled over laughing, barely able to catch his breath.
“Geez, you didn’t have to laugh, I wasn’t serious,” she said miffed.
“That’s what's so funny. You were absolutely serious.”
Tatyanna wasn’t amused. She crossed her arms over her chest and stomped her foot. “I demand you stop laughing at me right now.”
Emmett arched an eyebrow at her. “You demand now? Who knew you could be so authoritative.”
Tatyanna chose to ignore his statement. “Since we have established I am not an alien, can you tell me what I am?”
Instead of answering, he immediately sobered up and asked, “Do you remember when you were younger, how you would often wish on every falling star to take you back to another land? Another time?”
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