Jax
A Neveah Short Story
© Angie Merriam 2013
Edited by Kathy Krick
Smashwords Edition
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Jax’s Story
before the Bane
Jax Androni was a precocious little boy. His dark hair always hung in his eyes and if there was trouble to be found, one could be sure, Jax would find it. His parents loved and doted on him, always so proud of their son despite his hunger for danger. After all, he was a very intelligent and handsome little boy. Both traits that could, and would, get him into trouble. Rarely did a day pass that Jax's mother, the sweet and somewhat docile Selene Androni, didn't swear her son would be the death of her, but she loved him just the same.
His parent's saving grace was the little Annika Levannah. Where Jax was reckless, Annika was careful. She was the exact opposite of Jax. His dark skin and messy dark hair appeared a few shades darker when he stood beside Annika, her pale skin and white hair making her look angelic. He loved her before he knew what it meant to love someone. She balanced him. His light in the dark. His saving angel when the devil tugged a little too hard.
They spent nearly every day of their lives together since the moment they entered the world. Destined to be the best of friends, and if their parents had anything to say about it, Jax and Annika would make them all a family. Neither Jax nor Annika thought too much about the future as children. Their days were spent exploring Neveah and learning to hone their abilities.
Jax was a shape-shifter and he loved it. His father told him of his power when he was a very young boy and promised the eager child that one day he would learn to use it.
“You mean I can turn into anything papa?” The young Jax asked eagerly. His father laughed and rubbed the boys head.
“Yes, eventually you will be able to shift into anything. It's a very powerful gift son. You must treat it as such. You must not abuse the gift that has been given to you. Always respect it. But you will learn of this as you grow.”
Jax did learn. For years, he practiced whenever he wasn't with Annika. He hadn't allowed her to see him shift yet. He wanted to share his gift with her as she had always done with him, but he wanted to become something really special for her. Something that she would remember and would make her smile. He loved her smile.
When he was young, he started small. He would blend into the furniture, walls, trees, shrubbery. The older he got the more he felt the need to shift into something living. When he was sixteen, his father was helping him with animal shifting. “Becoming an animal is much easier than becoming a human. Every shifter has their internal animal that they connect with. This is what they will become most often and sometimes without warning. You have to be aware of your emotion’s son. Once you find your inner animal it can appear at any time and will do so most often if you’re upset or angry. It's a defense for you,” his father warned and Jax nodded in understanding.
“I understand Papa. What do you think I have inside of me?” He asked, excited to know. He hoped it was something fierce and strong. Though he'd been practicing and trying to shift into an animal, it hadn't happened yet and Jax was antsy.
“I don't know son, but I'm betting it's spectacular and brave and strong, like you.” His father was proud of him, and it showed. Jax had great respect for his father and looked forward to the times that they worked together.
“Looks like our lesson is over today son,” his father said and nodded toward the path. Jax followed his father’s eyes and saw Annika walking towards them. Her blond hair was piled high on her head with flower’s thread throughout the strands. He felt his heart speed up just a little, and his belly fluttered. He'd been experiencing these feelings at the sight of her for a while, but he wasn't sure what to do about them. He resigned to being happy to see her and shot his father a smile.
“Thanks for the help Papa. Maybe it will happen tomorrow.”
“Go, have a good time. Hello Annika,” he called to her as he waved goodbye to his son.
“Hey Annika,” he said with a smile strung from ear to ear.
“Hey Jax. What are we doing today?” She asked, the same smile on her face. “Let's go to our spot, I have something to tell you,” he said excitedly. He wanted to tell her about the animal living inside of him. He rarely spoke to her about his ability. Although she knew he was a shape-shifter just as well as she knew she was a calmer. He knew she'd learned to use her powers at a young age because she regularly used it on him, and he was grateful. Had it not been for her he would have been in trouble at least twice as much as he already was. He was excited to tell her about his gift though. He was hoping to impress her, which was a first for him. He'd never given impressing Annika a second thought until now.
“Okay, let's go.” Annika always followed Jax. He was her best friend.
Their spot was close to Jax's home but away from prying eyes. They discovered it on one of their many adventures. Nestled between a circle of trees and backed against the side of a mountain was a large pond. The water sparkled like crystal and had several small streams falling into it. The surrounding trees produced red blossoms that reflected in the water. When the sun shone just right it looked like rubies floating below the surface of the pond. It had to have been the only place in the universe that reflected the two so perfectly. The water: warm, clear, inviting and peaceful like Annika. The trees: dark, shadowy, shady and magnificent like Jax.
They ran to their spot and arrived breathless but giggling. They collapsed onto the ground, catching their breath between the laughter. “I beat you,” Annika said proudly. “We were not racing,” Jax retorted, sounding hurt. She slapped his arm in response. “Yes we were. It's an unspoken thing Jax. We always race. If we are running, we are racing and I beat you. Don't be a sore loser,” she taunted and saw the slight upturn of his lips.
“Did you call me a loser?” He asked and she eagerly nodded her head in response. “What are you gonna do about it?” She replied and before she knew it, Jax had her on her back. He sat lightly on top of her, her hands pinned above her head. “I don't know. What should I do about it?” She stuck her tongue out at him in defiance. “Oh really?” He said before his hands found all of her ticklish spots. He knew them all. He loved watching her giggle and squirm. Tickling her was his favorite form of punishment.
“Ahh, Jax stop,” she managed to say between fits of laughter. “Please, stop,” she happily pleaded before freeing one of her hands and shoving her fingers into his rib cage. The attack caught him by surprise, and he lost his grip on her other hand. Annika took the opportunity and quickly began tickling him back until he fell off of her, and she sat on top of him, smiling triumphantly.
“Ha, I know you're just as ticklish as me,” she said laughing at his now squirming body. “You're losing your touch my friend,” she taunted.
“I let you win,” he said laughing.
“No you didn't!”
“Yes I did. I let you win the race and the tickle match.”
He seized her arms and flipped her over again. She looked at him stunned. Her wide blue eyes were like windows into her soul. They danced and lured him in and suddenly Jax felt differently about Annika. He always loved her. She was his best friend. His sister. She knew all there was to know about him and he about her. They shared everything. He k
new she was his light. His link to morality. Now looking at her through his sixteen year old eyes, she was different.
He had failed to notice all the changes. Her face was a little more mature, and her body was slightly curvier. He felt that when he was tickling her. Annika was becoming a woman. How had he missed that? Did it happen overnight? He realized that he was becoming a man as she became a woman. That explained all the rapid heart rates and butterflies but why did his heart suddenly feel like a fist was squeezing it tightly when he looked at her? Why did he feel queasy and excited at the same time? Why did his lips want to feel hers? Then he did it. He didn't think. He just felt.
They had both stopped laughing, and Annika was no longer squirming. She looked at him in defiance but saw something different in his eyes. When his head lowered to hers and his lips touched hers, she did nothing to stop it. This was a first for both of them. She knew that. She loved him. Of course, her first kiss would be with Jax. It felt wrong though, like kissing her brother, so she stopped.
“Jax, I'm sorry but this isn't right. You're like a brother to me, closer than a brother. You're my best friend. It doesn't feel right.” He saw remorse in her eyes and felt his heart break in two. Her rejection did things to him he never thought
were possible. Created feelings deep down that were foreign yet familiar. As though they had always been there, lurking, waiting to appear. Her eyes though. Her sweet, innocent eyes forced those feelings away. Well, almost. He felt his body tremble involuntarily and he quickly jumped off of Annika and backed away. She just watched him, frightened but fascinated.
She watched his transformation. His body quaked. His skin stretched, and his face twisted then seconds later he was a lion. He roared loudly when he looked at her. Her eyes wide, frozen in shock. She always thought Jax was a beautiful person, but he was breathtaking in lion form. She stood and walked to him, carefully. This was the first time she'd seen him shift and knew she had to be cautious. He stood in place, waiting for her. When she stood before him, she reached her hand up and rubbed his head. He leaned his head into her touch, and she smiled at him.
“Wow, you're beautiful, Jax,” she said with admiration. He nuzzled his head closer to her, and she giggled. Almost as quick as his transformation to lion happened, he transformed back. “Wow, that was pretty amazing huh?” He said, a little breathless and tired. “I need to sit down.” She followed him to the edge of the pond and sat beside him. “Tell me about it,” she said. He looked at her, sadness in his eyes mixed with the excitement of what had just happened. She was sorry that she was the cause of that sadness.
“Well, it was great,” he began excitedly and the sadness fell away. In that moment he made a decision. He would marry Annika, as their parents expected. He knew he loved her. He saw the admiration in her eyes when she looked at him in his animal form. He wanted her badly, even at his young age, he knew. He would wait for her. They had time. She would come around. She would realize they were born to be together. He just had to wait, and he knew she was worth it.
“The feeling, oh Annika, the feeling was crazy. Like all the blood began racing through my veins at top speed. I could feel every muscle contract and my skin tighten around them. My heart was beating frantically then I felt the prickles on my skin when the fur began to grow. It was powerful. Absolutely powerful.” He was smiling wide, and she was happy for him.
They sat by the pond for hours talking about his ability, her ability, and their daily lives. He enjoyed every minute with her and would have stayed there forever if it were possible.
“Jax, you said you wanted to tell me something earlier. What is it?” She asked, smiling.
“I wanted to tell you about me having a companion animal inside. My dad told me about it today. He's been trying to help me get the hang of shifting but until today I hadn't been able to do it. I meant to tell you about it but you got to see it firsthand. I'm glad you were here with me,” he said to her and meant it.
“I'm glad too. You are spectacular as a lion, Jax.”
“Thanks Annie,” he replied and smiled. She returned the smile and laid her head on his shoulder, a gesture she'd been doing for as long as he could remember.
“You know Jax, you're the only one that calls me Annie. Well, Denali does sometimes but not as much as you. I like it.” She smiled up at him with her eyes wide and full of admiration and what Jax thought had to be love. His insides warmed, and all was right in his life.
“No matter what happens to us in the future, you'll always be my Annie. My best friend. Always. I'll always need you.”
“Ahh, Jax. You'll always be my best friend too. I can't imagine my life without you. I better get home.” She stood, and he kissed her on the cheek before walking her home.
Over the next weeks and months , they saw less and less of each other. They made a point to spend time together at least once every few days but their time together was shorter and shorter. Annika was blossoming into a beautiful woman and every time she walked away from Jax he felt the crack in his heart widen. He missed his best friend terribly but ached for the woman she had become. He knew she was busy. With her parents being the rulers of Neveah, he knew the world would be left to her one day and that came with responsibility. She had a lot to learn so he would be patient. At least, that's what he told himself. He would hold their brief visits close to his heart and be thankful to see her at all. The knowledge that she would be his wife in the future was enough for now.
After Jax's first transformation, he'd found something he craved almost as much as Annika, shifting. He spent his free time in The Dark Forest perfecting his craft. The place was forbidden. All Special's in Neveah knew that it was home to fearsome and dangerous creatures. Many great stories were told between children and adults alike. Not one Special in Neveah could actually say they had ever actually gone into the forest or seen any of its inhabitants. Jax could. He felt a tinge of fear the first time he wandered into the darkness but felt an enormous sense of power in the darkness. He felt at peace there, at home. He looked forward to going there. It was the only place he could go and forget about all the missed time with Annika.
It was in The Dark Forest that he met Akayleah, Queen of The Dark Forest. He was perfecting his dragon transformation when he first laid eyes on her. She was standing at the edge of a small clearing, watching him. She was stunning with her olive skin, long black hair, and piercing dark eyes, and she didn't seem to be afraid of him, just curious. He shifted back to his human form and walked over to her.
“Hello. Are you lost? This is a dangerous place, maybe I can help you get home,” he offered and was taken back when she laughed at him.
“I'm sorry but it is I who should be asking you if you are lost. After all, you're in my forest,” she replied, the smile never leaving her face.
“Your forest?”
“Yes, I'm Akayleah and I am the Queen of this forest.”
“But, you're beautiful,” he stammered still confused by her and annoyed that she made him feel inferior.
“Well, I am sure most Special's in Neveah would be disappointed to hear that the Creature's and Special's that reside in this forest are not bad. Some may look frightening but they are all very gentle,” she explained before finding a large stump to sit on, patting it in Jax's direction. “Come sit by me.” He did without question. He was mesmerized by her and eager to hear her speak again. Her voice was slightly deep and scratchy but lovely.
“Let me explain a few things to you. While most of us are gentle and loving, we live here for a reason. The stories and legends of The Dark Forest keep many of us safe. We like that Special's don't come here. We like our privacy. Do you understand what I'm saying?”
“No, not really. Why would someone like you be hiding out in this place?”
“It doesn't matter. What matters is that you are here. You have been coming here for a while now. I've been watching you. You have an impressive gift but as I said we like our solitude. We don't want anyone thinking thi
s is a safe place.”
“Ahh, I understand. You don't want me bringing others with me.”
“I don't want you coming at all,” she countered. Her smile was gone and her soft face was hard.
“But I won't tell anyone. If my parents found out I was here, they'd kill me and I only have one friend and she would never come here, not even if I begged her to. You can trust me. Please, this is the only place I can go where I'm not bothered. The only place I can practice my ability. Beyond that, I feel at home here. I can't explain it but I like the darkness, it gives me peace.” He finished, waiting for her response. He would come here regardless, but it would be easier to do if he had the blessing of those that lived there.
“What's your name?” She asked, surprising him.
“Jax Androni,” he replied and offered his hand in greeting. She shook it and the smile that dazzled him returned.
“How old are you?”
“17,” he replied happily.
“Wow, so young yet you have such a handle on your ability,” she said.
“So, if I promise to keep my visits to myself, can I continue coming?”
“Something tells me that you would come regardless.” Jax laughed a bit this time. She seemed to have him figured out, at least, she thought she did.
“Well, your blessing would be preferred but yes I would come anyway. I don't really listen to what I'm told. My parents can confirm that.” They both laughed and sat in silence for a few minutes.
“If you don't mind me asking, how old are you? I mean, you look to be about my age but you say you're the Queen and that you've been here for a while.”
“I'm 20 and no I don't mind you asking. I also don't mind if you come here as long as you keep your end of the deal, only you.”
“Deal,” he replied and they shook hands again.
“I like you Jax Androni. I think we could be friends.”
Jax (A Neveah Short Story) Page 1