by K. R. Grace
Onyx and Wayley talked non-stop about their plans for the night. Ideas such as having a photo shoot to rolling someone’s house were tossed in the air. I voted “no” for both, but they ignored me. When I gave Wayley the liberty to decide on what to do for the night, it obviously meant abdicating the ability to have any say on the matter.
After school, Drake walked me out to Wayley’s little VW Bug.
“You know how to reach me,” he spoke lowly as he held me in his arms.
“We could skip all this ‘goodbye’ mess and do something together tonight,” I suggested hopefully.
“We never say, ‘goodbye.’ Only ‘see you later.’” He murmured before his lips pressed lightly against mine. I wanted to latch on and take a deep drink of him, but he released me and spun me around to face the girls.
“Take care of her,” he eyed Wayley.
Wayley gave a playful glare. “She’ll be fine, Mr. Overprotective. Now shoo, we’ve got girls’ night to get to.”
I reluctantly climbed into the car. He stayed where I’d left him. Our eyes locked, and I shuttered at the haunted expression on his face. It was as if he was torn between doing the right thing and what his heart was telling him to do. I gave him a small smile as Wayley drove us away from the school. I didn’t tear my eyes away from the window until he was out of sight. I couldn’t shake the ominous feeling in my veins.
Onyx’s parents’ house was much larger than Wayley’s and mine combined. Located in a subdivision off Seymour’s main highway, it displayed all the wealth and class obviously embedded in the community. It was a Spanish-style home with tan stucco, heavy wood trim, and clay curved roof tiles. There were large arches on the windows and the front porch. One of the arched windows contained some sort of stained glass while the others were as large as a feature window in a normal house. The yard was perfectly manicured and dotted with evergreen trees and plants to give it color despite the deadness of winter.
“What do your parents do?” I asked, stunned. Even my parents’ house in Atlanta hadn’t been this nice, and we’d been well-off back then.
“My dad is a chemical engineer for Y-12 and my mom is working on a special program for NASA. She travels back and forth between here and Florida almost every day.” Onyx shrugged as if it was nothing to be the product of two insanely smart parents.
Inside the mansion ran the same Spanish theme. The rooms were spacious with arched walkways and exposed wooden beams. Colorful tile spread out under our feet and occasionally on the walls. Bright paintings and wrought iron works were strategically placed throughout the house. Votive lights and candles twinkled in little corners.
The living room was complete with a massive flat screen TV and stacks of DVDs and Blu-rays displayed on glass shelves.
“Oh, pooh. It looks like we’re gonna have to make a run to the store,” Onyx said as she walked in from the humongous kitchen. I hadn’t even realized she’d left us.
Looking around at her living room, I suddenly felt self-conscious about my little house. What had they thought when they saw all the mix-matched furniture and the lack of any decorative theme?
“That’s fine. I need to drop something off at the post office anyway,” Wayley shrugged.
We tossed our things in Onyx’s room, which was decked in black and red; not pink, thank God. Then we piled into Onyx’s little car. At the store, Onyx was a girl on a mission. Her dark brown ponytail bounced with every step she took. Whenever she saw what she needed, she grabbed it, tossed it into the buggy, and then moved on to the next section. Wayley kept pointing to items on the shelves and talking about how she’d either tried it and hated it or tried it and couldn’t live without it. I wanted us to get the heck out of there. I hated grocery stores. Something to do with the overwhelming selection to choose from.
“My, don’t you look just like your mother!” A woman who’d been looking at the soups declared as she turned to me.
“Huh?” I asked, completely caught off guard. I’d been staring hard at the shrimp flavored Ramen Noodles, trying to figure out who would ever willingly eat dehydrated shellfish.
“You must be Elizabeth, Victoria’s daughter.”
Since when did Mom have friends? And just who the hell did this woman think she was calling me “Elizabeth?”
I smiled awkwardly and tried to keep on walking, but she obviously wasn’t finished talking. “Vicki talks about you all the time. How’s that problem going with the boy who died? Getting any better? Honey, trust me when I say I’ve been there. Poor dear.”
I was absolutely mortified. My mother had been talking about my Clint situation to other people! With a huff, I stomped passed the woman, leaving Onyx and Wayley no choice but to scurry behind me like baby ducks following their mother.
“What did she mean?” Onyx asked once we were out of ear-shot.
“I don’t know,” I lied. As soon as I had a moment to myself, I was calling my mother. I wanted some answers.
“Hey, yer Tommy’s girl, ain’t ye?” a rather rich-accented guy exclaimed. I turned to see a man dressed in blue coveralls and a black toboggan rolled up like a beanie walking over to us.
Rather than responding, I kept walking muttering, “Stupid people, stupid store, stupid town.”
Onyx hurried to get the remaining items on her list, and we made a quick detour to the post office before heading back to her house. Apparently the grocery store was the place to be seen, and my parents were frequent visitors. I made a mental note to never go in that store again.
Once we were safely at Onyx’s, the “party” began. I was tortured into letting them paint my nails a crimson red and style my hair into various poor attempts of the latest fashion. I tried to explain how it had a mind of its own, but they were determined to find a better look for me. Apparently, my unruly waves weren’t currently in style.
The entire night I kept shouting mental threats to Drake, hoping he was hearing my thoughts and realizing how much torture I was going through for him.
I’m going to paint your nails when I get a hold of you, wolf boy!
Around eight that night, Onyx’s dad came home. He smiled at us and said anything in the fridge was ours before going off to his room on the opposite side of the house.
“He’s been coming home really tired lately. Some weird things have been happening at the lab,” Onyx said as she munched down on a celery stick.
“What kind of things?” I asked, my instincts telling me this was somehow related to Drake’s absence. There was a chance it wasn’t, but all my nerves said otherwise.
“I’m not really sure, but I overheard him telling Mom they lost three security guards. All of them were mutilated. Nothing appears to have been stolen, but someone obviously wants inside. They’re worried someone might be planning to tamper with the reactors.”
“Do you think maybe an animal did it?” Wayley asked.
“I don’t know. Dad hasn’t told me himself what’s going on. Apparently, they’re trying to keep the media out of it until they figure it out. I’m assuming my ignorance is for my own good.”
Do you know what’s going on?
I knew I wasn’t going to get a response from him. The air was shifting around me, as if something in the universe just fell into place. I know I was somehow related to those Y-12 incidences.
“You know my dad is chief of police for Sevier County, right?” Wayley barely gave us enough time to respond before continuing, “Well, he told my mom there has been a series of animal attacks lately that are like nothing he’s ever seen. The victims are really maimed but not a drop of blood is spilt on the ground. Strange, right?” Wayley said through a mouthful of carrot.
Drake, please tell me what’s going on! This is really freaking me out!
My phone went off, and I pulled it out of my pocket to see the text message was from him.
TRUST ME.
The only thing the message did was confirm my suspicion that he was involved in all of it.
“Was
that from Drake?” Onyx smiled knowingly.
“No,” I lied again.
“I think that boy is head over heels for you.” She winked at me.
“Let’s hope so, if he’s going to spend that much time with her and kiss her like that. Mmm, mmm.” Wayley sighed. “God, he’s so sexy.”
“Can’t girls have friends who’re guys but not boyfriends?” I asked; irritated at the attention he was getting.
“Sure, but he looks at you differently than a friend should,” Onyx shrugged.
“And friends don’t kiss like that,” Wayley added. She was obsessed with that damn kiss!
I wasn’t about to give them the low-down.
Thankfully, Onyx changed the subject when I didn’t respond, and they moved back to talking about themselves again. Thank God!
I endured the rest of the night, but more than anything, I just wanted to see Drake and talk to him about what was going on. Who or what was attacking these people? And did it have anything to do with me?
Once we finally settled down for the night, I had a hard time falling asleep. My thoughts were all jumbled, and I just wanted Drake to be there to hold me. God, my muscles ached with need for his touch. It wasn’t normal!
An hour after we said our goodnights, I heard Onyx rustling in her sleeping bag. I watched as she slipped out of the room. A few seconds later, the shower started. I guess she couldn’t sleep either.
Yawning, I rolled onto my stomach and finally drifted off to sleep dreaming about Drake.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Drake
I crouched in the bushes, watching as two figures in black ran through the woods. The interrogations had been successful. The kid was a freshman at Walters State and told us anything we wanted to know the second he realized Mack was the sheriff. As it turned out, the Purists weren’t made by accident. They had help. Shadowmen. Tonight, they were planning another raid on the plant, trying to make it look like we were to blame.
I’d been too late the last few times, but I’d get them now.
Gottcha, I grinned before I took off after them. They were humans on foot, making it easy to stay on their trail without getting too close. Finally, they came to a stop in front of an old abandoned building.
Neither spoke until they got inside, thinking they were safe. Stupid humans.
“Did you learn anything?” An unfamiliar voice asked.
“No, except that she’s definitely seeing him.” My ears twitched with recognition. I knew the second person. A female. But both their thoughts were empty, so I couldn’t delve in to try to get any more clues.
“Do you have a plan?” The first person asked.
“It’s already in motion. By tomorrow night, Star will forget all about her precious mutt,” the familiar one replied.
I grunted, not liking the feeling in my chest. I’ll kill you before you touch her.
“Why didn’t you call a group meeting, then?”
“Because I’m the leader. I can do whatever I want.” You’re dead, bitch.
The wind picked up, shifting slightly, and I caught the scent of cinnamon and leather.
My muscles tensed, preparing to take off when two sets of talons dug into my back, lifting me off the ground. I howled with pain as I fought to disengage myself from their grasp. As desperate as I was to break away, I couldn’t help but be pissed that I hadn’t heard them above me in the trees.
Whoever held me captive flew into the side of the building, throwing me against a steel beam. Stars flashed in my eyes as I was dropped onto the ground. All the air escaped my lungs as I slammed hard onto my side.
As I struggled to regain my balance and clear my vision, I saw four bodies hover over me. The two in black were closest while the Falcons stayed back at a distance, probably afraid I’d identify them.
“Well, well, lover boy. How nice of you to join us.” I squinted, desperately trying to see who the familiar voice belonged to.
“Stake him to the ground,” she commanded.
The Falcons moved toward me, large iron posts captured between their talons. I tried to get up, but my body wasn’t cooperating. Several ribs were cracked. But I didn’t feel it, because my only focus was on my captors. Their eyes flashed red and one let out a sharp cry before the two rods were thrust into my side, deep into the concrete floor, anchoring me to the ground. Howls and human screams erupted from my chest as my body shimmered between man and Wolf. I could feel all my energy flowing toward the wounds, struggling to heal them, but the presence of the poles made it impossible.
I grunted as I desperately tried to dislodge myself. I didn’t care if I lost half my body in the process, I couldn’t stay pinned down. Finally, I settled into my human form, shaking violently as I tried to overpower the burning, hot pain consuming me.
My only thought was that I had to save Star. God, I’d rather die than let something happen to her.
“Aw, he’s crying.”
I turned my head as I clenched my jaw in an effort to show a calm I didn’t feel. A phone went off, the light reflecting off the speaker’s face. My eyes grew wide with recognition.
“Oh, shit.”
“Surprise,” she smirked.
Chapter Twenty-One
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Star
Saturday wasn’t my favorite day. Cold, hard rain fell like sheets of glass onto the ground, and I was forced to stay inside. Mom and Dad went to some meeting before I got home, so I couldn’t demand answers from them about the people I met in the store. I’d finished all my homework, none of my books sounded appealing, and most importantly, Drake hadn’t called or stopped by.
To keep from going crazy, I decided to go on a cleaning spree. Dusting, vacuuming, organizing, and polishing every square inch of my room.
Once my room was sparkling, I drifted into the living room, curled up on the blue, red, and green plaid sofa and stared at the TV. I could care less about what was on TV, so I kept it off, choosing instead to mentally try to work through the puzzle that had become my life. At the moment, the only piece I could see was Drake’s, and it was fuzzy, like I was holding it an inch away from my face.
There was a rap on the living room window. Excitement surged through me as I jumped out of the sofa and ran to it. The second my eyes landed on a drenched Meliena shivering on the other side of the glass, my heart stopped. I motioned her to the backdoor and charged through the house to open it. She fumbled in, shaking. Her lips were blue and her black hair hung in thick clumps, sticking to her high cheekbones. She looked like a drowned puppy.
“What is it?” I asked, dreading the answer.
“W-water,” she rasped.
I ran into the kitchen and filled a glass of water up to the rim. Half of it sloshed onto the floor as I dashed back to her, but I didn’t really care. After she downed the glass, she slumped down onto a dining room chair and stared at the floor.
“Meliena, what’s going on? You have to tell me.” I was kneeling in front of her, clasping on to her trembling legs.
“H-he said he wouldn’t get caught,” she whispered so softly I almost missed the words.
“Drake? Where is he? Is he okay?” Panic crept into my voice, and I feared I was going to be imitating her in a few short moments.
“He said if he wasn’t back by morning to come over here. I had to look for him first.” She was still rambling. I resisted the urge to slap her to get her to focus.
“Meliena, you have to tell me what’s going on.”
“He’s gone. I can’t believe he’s gone.”
“What? What do you mean gone?”
“It’s the only explanation. They got him.”
“They? They who. Snap out of it! I need you to focus!”
“He said he wouldn’t get caught,” she repeated herself. Damn it, she was in shock!
“Snap out of it, Meliena. Where is Drake?”
Meliena began to tremble as the words fumbled from her lips, “He’s gone, Star. Drake’s gone.”
/> Pain like I’d never experienced sliced into my heart, exploding out at my sides. I doubled over, struggling hard to keep myself together. A tidal wave of emotion was building, and God, I didn’t think I was going to survive it.
See what happens next with Star, Drake, and the others in The Brother, Book Two of Daughter’s of Destiny, coming Spring of 2015.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
As a child, K.R. Grace had an overactive imagination. When it was obvious she wasn’t going to change anytime soon, her mom shoved a pen and paper in her hand and said, “Write it down.” So, at the age of eight, her first story was born, and the writing hasn’t stopped since. When she’s not running with wolves, sleeping with bears, or flying with falcons, she can be found checking out local bands or watching movies about things that go “boo” in the night. She has a dog that is afraid of his own shadow and a cat that was a mob leader in a former life.
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