Her legs started to go numb as well as throb from the walking. How long had she been walking? Lyssa didn’t know, but she did know she was soaked to the bone and very cold.
Lights from behind broke through the darkness of the night. She didn’t look behind her, only picked up the pace. She forced her legs to move faster with the fear that maybe Daxis was behind her. Maybe he woke up and knew that she was gone now.
Closer those lights came and when her fear also rose, Lyssa was about to dash into the woods when a car stopped right behind her. Deciding at the last moment to just face him and get it over with, she stopped walking.
“Lyssa?” a female voice, not male. Slowly she turned around and held up a hand to block the lights in her face. “Lyssa, is that you?”
“Jewels?” Lyssa called back.
“Girl, what the hell are you doing walking in this shit? Get in the damn car.” She didn’t need to be asked or told twice. Lyssa scrambled to the car and got into the passenger side. “Jesus, you’re soaked. Did you have a wreck or something?”
Lyssa shook her head. “No.”
“Then why are you out here walking alone?”
“Can we please go?” Lyssa said instead of answering the question. “Please.”
“Sure, let me just turn this around and—”
“No!” Lyssa cut her off, “I don’t want to go back.”
“Okay, I can take you home then to your parents.”
Again, Lyssa shook her head. “I can’t go there either.”
“Where do you want to go then?”
She thought quickly. “You’re place. Just take me to your place, please.”
Jewels stared at her for what felt like hours before nodding. “Okay.” The car was put in gear and then they were off. Lyssa slumped back in her seat and just stared out the window. She could feel Jewels’s eyes on her.
How long it took for her to see the familiar sign of home, she didn’t know. But when she saw that welcome sign, Lyssa’s heart seemed to just drop in her stomach. Jewels took her to her place, which was over the club that she owned. The rain finally stopped and they were able to leave the car without getting beat down with water.
Up the back stair, Lyssa followed Jewels up and into the apartment. She stood in the middle, just looking around, trying to process everything.
The room wasn’t large, but medium in size. The living room and kitchen shared space. There was a hallway that most likely led to the bathroom and bedroom, and that was it. Nothing special, yet it felt like heaven.
“Sit down,” Jewels said, going down the hallway. Lyssa looked over at the sofa and slowly moved to it. She sat down, still feeling numb from everything that had happened to her. When Jewel returned, she had a towel in hand and some clothes. “Let’s get you dried off. You’re soaked.” Jewels started to rub at her head. “Want to talk about it?” Lyssa shook her head. “Alright, but you need to soon. I’m sure someone is going to be looking for you.” With her help, Lyssa got out of the wet clothes. When she was down to the tank top, Jewels stopped with a small gasp. Warm fingers touched one of the bruises. “What happened?”
Lyssa looked down at herself. Even through the tank top, one could see the marks Daxis left. “I went through my cycle,” she answered in a low voice.
“And what, you got beat up?”
Lyssa frowned. “I—I don’t know what happened.” Her voice started to shake and she couldn’t stop the tears this time.
Jewels pulled her into her arms and held her. That little gesture was all it took and she broke down. She grabbed Jewels tight and let go, sobbing against her.
“Shhh,” Jewels soothed, “it’s going to be alright. Everything will be fine.”
How long she was in Jewels’ arms, Lyssa didn’t know. She cried until she could cry no more, then she changed her clothes. Jewels tucked her into her own bed. Lyssa tried to take the sofa, but Jewels wouldn’t give in. At three in the morning, Lyssa fell asleep from exhaustion.
The smell of food cooking woke her and when she rolled over the sun was out. Flipping the blankets off and slipping out of bed, she walked out of the bedroom, down the hall and into the living room/kitchen space. Jewels was in the kitchen, cooking, and the small table next to a window was set and some food already waiting.
“Hungry?” Jewels asked. She turned and smiled big at Lyssa.
“Starving,” Lyssa answered.
“Dig in. I’ve got the last of the bacon right here.” She put more on the plate, turned the stove off and walked to the table.
Lyssa sat down and started to put food on her plate. They ate in silence for a bit, then Jewels asked the question Lyssa didn’t want to answer.
“So what happened?”
Swallowing her food, Lyssa took a deep breath and met Jewels’ eyes. “Guess you know pretty much everything.”
“Oh, not everything. I did hear Ash say something about your mate coming and taking you away. Don’t think I understand that part really.”
“You know enough to know that we females can be claimed by just about any male.”
“Yeah, that part I know.”
Lyssa sighed and slumped back in the chair. “I was very young when forced to attend the Gathering. It was there that I was marked and claimed.”
“But you didn’t go home with him like Darian did.”
“No, I was too young. I was left in the care of my Father, and I did just about everything I could think of to get out of it.”
“But I thought once you were marked there was no going back.”
“There isn’t, really. Didn’t mean I wasn’t going to try something.”
“Ah, so you were going to be stupid, got it.”
“Our world is different than yours, Jewels. We don’t get to always pick and choose the one we want.”
“And what makes you think we get to pick any better than you? Just because we humans might want someone doesn’t mean we get that person either.” Lyssa lowered her eyes and Jewels went on. “So what about all the bruises then? I mean, I don’t know your mate and all, but from what I’ve heard your parents say about him he didn’t seem like the kind to abuse you.”
“He didn’t abuse me.”
“Then how did you get them? I mean, the ones on your chest look like hands and fingers.”
“He made me have my cycle with him instead of giving me the shot.”
“So?”
“So, that means during my time, I guess things got rough or so, I don’t know. All I know is that I freaked out and ran away when I woke up.”
“Wait, isn’t he supposed to have his heat thing tonight?” Lyssa nodded. “And you’re not there.” Again, Lyssa nodded. “So what does that mean?”
“I don’t know.”
“What you mean you don’t know. This is the shit you should know.”
“I don’t know, alright!” Lyssa got up fast she knocked over her chair. “I don’t know shit. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do or how to handle anything. My mother and sister just say do what you feel. I did that and came out with a body full of bruises.”
“You’re scared.”
“Damn right I’m scared.”
Jewels shook her head. “No, I mean, you’re scared of how you’re feeling for him.”
“What?” She frowned at Jewels. Clearly, the woman was out of her mind.
“Sit down.” When she didn’t move, one eyebrow of Jewels went up. “Sit down,” she ordered a bit firmer. Lyssa picked up the chair and sat back down. “Look, I’m not going to sit here and give you some bullshit advice. We both know it’s just not in me to tell any of you what to do. But I am going to tell you what I’ve seen and learned by being with your family. Feelings and emotions happen very fast when you mate. I don’t know why, they just do.” Lyssa looked away. “Now you might be afraid of what you’re feeling towards him.”
“I’m afraid he’s going to hurt me more than what he already has.”
“Bullshit,” Jewels snapped, which had
Lyssa looking back at her. “So things got a bit heated, somewhat rough. Are you going to sit here and say he didn’t help you through your time?” She shook her head and kept her mouth shut. “And in turn, you ran from him when he is going to need you.”
“I’m not stupid, Jewels. I know how they are when they are in heat. What he did to me is one thing. What if it’s ten times worse in his heat?”
“Can’t answer that and neither can you. Did you ever ask your mother or sister?”
“No.”
“How the hell you know then unless you ask them?”
“Look, I don’t expect you to understand any of this. You’re human after all and never been with a shifter before.”
“Girl, you don’t know who I’ve been with and what I’ve seen or done, so don’t go judging the only one on your side right now. But I will tell you what I see right now, and I see plenty. You’re spoiled.” That had Lyssa narrowing her eyes and opening her mouth to protest. “And stupid at the same time.”
“Hey!”
“You had how much time to get this shit straightened out before this heat thing came, and you pissed it away. So that means, that boy is going to suffer tonight. You’re right about one thing. I’ve never been with one in heat so I don’t know what they are like. I just know what I’ve heard. Tonight is going to be brutal on him and that blame you’re going to have to carry on your shoulders alone. You also are going to have to face your father. This shit is going to land in his lap and I so feel sorry for him not you.”
Jewels got up with her plate, walked to the sink and tossed it in while still walking. She went down the hall, entered her room and slammed the door shut. Lyssa slumped down in the chair. Tears quickly came to her eyes but she pushed them back. Now wasn’t the time to start crying like a damn child.
Pushing away from the table, she picked up her plate, no longer hungry. Cleaning up everything, including doing the dishes, Lyssa ended up sitting on the window seat staring out at nothing. A few times, she got up, wiped some of the end tables off, fixed lunch but didn’t eat any, washed some clothes and then would go back to the window seat. Up again, pacing the living space, waiting for Jewels to get up. When the sun started to set, she sat back down and stayed there staring out at the sky, watching the moon slowly light up. When Jewels came back out from the bedroom, changed, Lyssa jumped, startled at her sudden appearance. She was so lost in just watching that moon and thinking about him.
“I’ve got to go down to the club. I suggest you do some serious thinking, girl. You can’t stay hidden up here forever.”
Lyssa said nothing and Jewels left. She went back to staring out the window and this time her eyes went up to the moon. It was full and bright in the night sky, reminding her that right now Daxis would be getting hit with his heat and she wasn’t there to help him.
Her gut dropped at the thought and this time when the tears came, they fell down her face. Staying with Jewels over the club Lyssa could hear the pounding of the music. Cars lined the road; voices could be heard as well as laughter. Everyone seemed to be having a good time tonight—at least the humans were. For the shifters it was a hard night. Some males would mate, some would not and a few others would be suffering terribly. That thought had Lyssa breaking down as guilt overwhelmed her.
She turned from the window, slid down to the floor and let loose. She cried hard, tears blinding her. She couldn’t hold it back. A flood of emotions poured out of her, and when Jewels came up to check on her, Lyssa was still on the floor, sobbing.
Jewels pulled her into her arms, held her tight, and Lyssa held on. She cried for what felt like hours until she couldn’t cry anymore and ended up shaking and sniffling for a long while. Still, she held onto Jewels as if her very life depended on it.
“It’s going to be okay,” Jewels soothed, rocking back and forth on the floor. “Everything will work out. You’ll see.”
“I screwed up, Jewels,” Lyssa whispered, a fresh set of tears filling her eyes. “I really screwed this up this time.”
“Yes you did, but it’s nothing that can’t be fixed. You’ll see.”
“No.” More tears fell. “He’ll never forgive me for this.”
Jewels snorted. “Bullshit. He’ll forgive you. You’re just going to have to do a bit of groveling is all. But trust me, he’ll forgive you.”
“How do you know he will?”
“Because I got a feeling he loves you, girl, just like I know you’re falling in love with him. And when that happens, well, then those guys tend to do anything for the ones they love. Besides, he marked you as his own. He knew, even back when you were a young girl, you were his mate.”
“God, what’ve I done?” Lyssa moaned, closing her eyes to those tears.
“You fucked up. Now you pull yourself together and fix it.”
“How?”
Jewels pulled back, cupped her hand under Lyssa’s chin and had her looking up at her. “You go and face what you’ve done head on. After this heat shit is over I’ll take you to your father.”
“God, he’s going to kill me.”
“Maybe, but I bet he’ll also know how to fix this mess. Now, you stop crying and feeling sorry for yourself. Go in the bathroom, wash your face and then get some sleep. In the morning, we’ll straighten this shit out. You’ll see.” Lyssa nodded and Jewels stood up., pulling Lyssa up with her. “But don’t kid yourself either. This little battle isn’t going to be easy. I heard that male shifters tend to be mean mother fuckers after the heat thing when they’ve been left to deal with it alone.”
“How do you know so much? I know Alex didn’t tell you that much.”
“Eyes open all the time, girl. You learn so much that way.”
Chapter Eight
Lorenzo pulled up in the drive of Adrian Laswell’s home with a heavy heart and a bit of desperation. He dreaded the drive there, mostly because he didn’t want to start any trouble. Yet, deep down he knew that Adrian was unaware of what was going on and needed to know. Lorenzo also needed help. He didn’t know what to do and was in a strange position. He’d come home the day after the full moon to a house that felt like death and staff so scared they didn’t know what to do. It took him an hour to get the story out of them and when he got it, he couldn’t believe it.
Lyssa was gone.
She just got up and walked out of the house right after her cycle, leaving Daxis alone and later in great need. A need that seemed to be so much worse now that he’d mated and his mate wasn’t there.
And the sight he saw when he went up to his son’s room to check on him, even now sent chills up his spine for the boy. He found Daxis hunched on the floor, in the far corner of the room, suffering alone. He also looked to be on the verge of going rabid with his need and suffering.
Lorenzo gave orders for him to be left alone until his time passed, and that was when things seemed to take on a strange turn for the worst. Daxis’s heat didn’t leave him, as it should. It clung to him, seemed to feed from his soul and left his son in constant pain and need. Lorenzo thought that maybe by the end of the day he would start to feel better. Another shocker, he didn’t. For whatever reason Lorenzo couldn’t figure out, Daxis’s heat was there to stay and it slowly turned his son into one nasty man to be around. So on the beginning of third day he decided to see if he could find Lyssa and convince her to return to his son.
Parking, Lorenzo sat in his car for a few extra moments, staring up at the house, thinking about how or better yet, what he was going to say. He didn’t want to stir up any trouble. He liked Lyssa, but she needed to know that only she could help Daxis right now, even if she didn’t see it that way.
Slowly he opened the door and got out. Summer was coming; he could smell the change in the air, and with the Laswells living so close to water, that sweet smell was even stronger. He clearly understood why Lyssa didn’t want to leave home and what the pull back here was all about. Just standing outside, looking around, he felt instantly at ease in this place.
Taking one last deep breath of the clean, fresh air, Lorenzo walked up to the front door and knocked. When the door opened and Skyler Laswell stood there, eyes wide in shock, he had part of his answer at least.
“Lorenzo, is everything alright?” Skyler asked.
“Not really. May I come in?”
“Yes, please.” Skyler stepped back, opening the door wider for him. His eye caught Adrian coming down the stairs, hair wet, as if he just got out of the shower.
“Lorenzo,” Adrian greeted once he reached the main floor. He shook Lorenzo’s hand. “What brings you here?” Lorenzo opened his mouth to speak but stopped when another male walked into the house. “My oldest, Alex,” Adrian said.
Lorenzo nodded at the young male, then looked around the house, trying to pick his words carefully. He just didn’t know how to tell them, not when he half expected her to be here.
“What is it?” Skyler asked.
“I’m not really sure how or where to begin. I half expected you two to know more than I do.”
“What’d she do?” Adrian asked his voice changing as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Well first, please, don’t get too upset here. I sort of figured this goes back with the way Daxis had planned on handling it and all.”
“Lorenzo, please,” Skyler begged. “Just tell us what she’s done.”
Lorenzo glanced at Alex who stood a foot in front of the door that he himself had just walked through. They all three had worried expressions mixed with anger on their faces.
“I guess I better just come out with it then,” Lorenzo said. He cleared his throat and faced Adrian. “She ran away.” Skyler gasped behind him.
“When?” Adrian demanded, the answer showing itself even more on his face.
“From what I’ve been able to learn, right before the full moon.”
Conquering Lyssa Page 9