by Mac Flynn
I would have enjoyed the show if I didn't have Will by my side looking worse and worse. He twitched and his breathing changed from even breaths into small gasps. His hand remained in his pocket, and his bright eyes, almost glowing, looked at me with a steady and uncomfortable consistency.
"I'm getting a doctor," I told him. I tried to stand, but he gently grabbed my wrist and pulled me back down.
"I have had these attacks before, and it's nothing a doctor can help with," he told me.
"Do you know what's wrong with you?" I asked him. He looked like he was creeping toward death.
"It is an-an illness that comes over me on some nights. You can consider it an allergy of sorts to the night," he replied.
"Then shouldn't you be in some sort of UV room?" I suggested.
He chuckled and shook his head. "It hasn't worked, I've tried. Besides, I wanted to be out here with you to give you this." His pocketed hand pulled out a small gold locket attached to a golden chain. He took my hand, turned it over and set the locket in my palm. "I would like you to have it as a sign of our-well, our friendship."
"I-I can't accept this," I protested. It was a handsome piece of craftsmanship with a hunting scene etched on the cover. A few precious stones were used to dot the eyes of the horse and the man as they chased some unseen beast.
He pulled back and softly smiled at me. "I would dearly like you to have it," he insisted.
I pursed my lips, but glanced down at the gift. There was a tiny clasp on the side that, when I released it, opened the lid. In contrast to the golden exterior, the interior of the locket was made of silver. There is an emblem of a wolf etched onto the right side with a full moon on the left. I glanced up at Will. "Did you get this after your wolf attack?" I wondered.
"Yes. Vuk found them for me in a market in the Ukraine," he replied.
"You seem to have a lot of attachment to them," I commented.
"Yes, I have a deep relationship with them," he agreed.
"Even though one tried to kill you? With humans that's called Stockholm Syndrome," I pointed out.
Will smiled and took the locket from my open hand. He carefully clasped it shut, took the chain in hand, and lay the locket around my neck. The locket sat perfectly above my breasts and the gold glistened against the flashing fireworks overhead. I pressed my hand softly against the gold cover and looked up at Will.
He looked horrible. The sweat slipped down the side of his face and he clutched at his chest with one hand. His face had gone from pale to ghostly white, and his eyes had a strange yellow tint to them.
I grabbed his shoulders to keep him steady, but he stood and slipped from my grasp. "You need a doctor," I insisted.
"There is-there is some medicine at my cabin. I need only reach that and I will be fine," he told me.
"Then let me get Olivia. She can drive you-"
"No!" His shout startled me, but was low enough and we were far enough from everyone else that no one else heard it. He grasped my hand in his and took a deep, shuddering breath. "I would rather walk. The exercise will help," he explained.
"All right, but I'm coming with you," I persisted.
He smiled. "I wouldn't have it any other way," he replied.
Chapter 5
It wasn't easy walking Will back to our cabins. His normally strong, confident stride was handicapped by whatever illness had suddenly come over him. We left the laughter and the beautiful fireworks, and slipped onto the dark road that traveled around the lake. The only lights were from the empty cabins near the edge of the water and the stars that flickered through the trees above us. The lights from the cabins cast long shadows across the road, but didn't hide the extreme pallor on Will's face.
He first strode quickly down the road clutching at his heart, but a quarter of the way back to the cabins he tripped over a rock and stumbled forward. I caught his arm and he caught himself, or he would have dragged me down with him to the ground. He knelt down with me still clinging tightly to his arm with both hands.
"I-I'm fine," he hoarsely whispered.
"Fine is being able to breath without sounding like you want to heave your guts out. What I'm hearing from you is death-bed fine," I retorted.
"I can make it as far as I need to," he insisted.
I shook my head. "Stop being so stubborn and let me go get a car," I argued.
"Just a little farther. He'll come to meet us," Will told me.
I frowned. "Who will come to meet us?" I asked him, but he was already struggling to his feet. Will stood, but his legs buckled underneath him and he fell forward. I slipped in front of him and propped him up with my body. "Will you quit being so stubborn and at least let me help you?" I pleaded.
"All-all right," he reluctantly agreed. Will lay an arm across my shoulders and I raised myself up to stand nearly level with him. He was a head taller than me, and broader in the shoulders. Will was also heavier, and my own legs nearly buckled underneath me as he leaned his body on me.
I grit my teeth and bore him up with more strength and energy than I thought I possessed. "I don't know how far I can drag you, but here goes," I told him.
We took the trip one step at a time. The fireworks exploded overhead and their colors danced across the tunnel-like road. The branches above us swayed in a soft breeze and close by were the sounds of the forest night. Things scampered through the brush and snapped twigs. The dry, dead limbs of the trees rattled against each other like old bones. My stupid mind wandered back to the dead thing in the woods and the cow on the side of the road. Whatever killed them had probably done it at night. I had no idea what beast had slaughtered them, but my imagination filled in the blanks with visions of wolves and rabid moose infesting the forest.
Just when I was about ready to bolt and drag Will's heavy carcass along with me help came in the form of a pair of headlights headed our way. I propped Will against a tree and jumped into the road while wildly waving my arms. The car stopped in front of me and Vuk jumped out. I couldn't figure out how he knew we needed a guardian angel right then, but I wasn't going to look a gift-servant in the mouth.
I rushed up to him and nearly flung my arms around him in relief. Instead I half turned so I could keep an eye on Will. "Will's-" Vuk brushed past me and straight to Will's prostrate form in the shadow of the tree.
I don't know how Vuk saw Will seated as he was in the darkness, but the servant knelt down in front of Will, who lifted his head and weakly smiled at him. "None of your scoldings, if you please," Will pleaded.
"Very well, sir. I will save them for later," Vuk replied. He helped Will stand and the pair carefully made their way to the car. "If you would get the passenger door on the driver's side, Miss Grace," Vuk instructed me.
"Oh! Sure!" I agreed. I opened the said door and Vuk pulled Will to the door. He maneuvered Will in front of him and helped Will climb into the car.
Will leaned back in the seat and grimaced. Vuk stepped back to shut the door, but Will held out his hand to block him. "Let her inside," he instructed his servant.
"But sir-"
"Let her inside," Will firmly repeated. His eyes glanced past Vuk at me, but not my face. His gaze lay lower, on the locket he'd given me.
Vuk followed his master's gaze and his eyes widened. He pursed his lips and a ghost of a smile slipped across his normally stoic face. Vuk gently placed his hand on my back and gestured to the other side of the car. "If you would seat yourself around the other side, we haven't much time," he told me.
"Much time for-" My question was interrupted by a gasp from Will. I turned to him and saw his eyes were shut and he ground his teeth together in a painful grimace.
"Please hurry," Vuk insisted, and gave me a push toward the rear of the car.
I hurried around and slid into the far-side passenger seat. Vuk took the wheel, and sped forward into the nearest driveway. He reversed us with a force that nearly made me change seats to the front because I wasn't wearing my seatbelt. I quickly put on the belt and grip
ped the seats. A cold, clammy hand settled on mine, and I glanced down to see Will's hand covering mine.
Will rolled his head toward me and smiled. "Our first date seems to have been a failure," he whispered.
I weakly smiled and gave his hand a squeeze. "It's fine. I had fun. Well, until your illness," I replied.
He chuckled and faced forward. His eyes closed and his breathing relaxed just a little. In a few minutes we arrived at our cabins, and Vuk parked the car in the driveway. He hopped out and opened Will's door. Vuk slung one of Will's arms over his shoulders and half-dragged him toward the door.
I followed them. "Do you need help?" I asked him.
"Not tonight, Miss Grace, and do not worry for the Master. He will be fine," Vuk assured me.
I opened the cabin door and Vuk dragged Will into the entrance. Will grasped the door frame and turned to me. "I'll see you tomorrow. I'm sure I will be fine by then," he told me.
"Promise?" I whispered.
"I swear it," he returned.
"I'll keep you to it," I warned him.
He smiled, nodded, and dropped his arm to his side. Vuk dragged him inside and turned to me. "If you would please close the door," he requested.
I took one last, long glance at Will, and slowly shut the door. The heavy wooden portal closed on them with a dull thud and I was left in the dark in more ways than one.
For all books by Mac Flynn visit her All Romance author's page
or visit Mac Flynn's website.
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