Calico Cross (8 page)

Chapter Fifteen

Dane stayed away from the library for the next couple of weeks. I guess it was actually a good thing, but I missed seeing him.

I was shocked when I opened my front door, heading to the car, and spotted Blake swinging on my porch swing, waiting for me.

“Cali, can we talk?”

“Um, well, I have to get to work.”

“Please. It’ll just take a minute.”

“Fine,” I said as I walked to him and took a seat on the swing.

“I know you’ve been avoiding me. What I need to know is why? I thought we were getting along well.”

“Okay, the truth is I have feelings for Dane Savage. I didn’t really realize it until recently. I’m sorry, Blake, but I can’t help the way I feel.”

He sighed and lowered his head, looking down at his feet. “I was afraid of that. I thought I sensed that you two had feelings, but I hoped I was wrong. I thought if you got to know me that maybe you would fall for me instead. I mean, I’m a cougar just like you. Who knows what that sissy Savage guy is.”

“It doesn’t matter what he is. It wouldn’t change the way I feel about him. I still wouldn’t be able to care for anyone else.”

I could tell my words hurt him. I really hated that, but I had to be honest with him. He deserved that much. I couldn’t bring myself to tell him how I couldn’t be with Dane. That might only give him hope, and I knew that was a bad idea. Even if I could never be with Dane, I knew I would never love Blake. He had his qualities, but he was not for me.

“I’m really sorry, Blake. I really am.”

He took hold of my hand and squeezed. “I know, Cali. I know.”

I agreed to let him drive me to work one last time, as friends. I wasn’t, however, expecting to see Dane’s truck parked in the library parking lot.

“Oh boy,” I said as we pulled up to the building. “This is not good.”

I was about to open the door when Blake pulled me into a hug, catching me off guard. “I’ll miss you, Cali.”

“Wait. You’re leaving?” I asked, pulling quickly from his embrace, and then looking out the window at Dane. I hope he hadn’t seen the exchange.

“Well, there’s nothing for me here, so I better get going. You take care. Maybe I’ll see you again sometime.”

I smiled and touched his hand. “Yeah, maybe. You take care, Blake, and thanks for the ride.”

He shrugged. “No problem.”

I jumped out of the car and shut the door behind me. I took a deep breath and turned. Dane’s truck was already gone.

* * * * * *

Blake’s POV

I pulled Cali into a hug knowing that loser Savage was watching us. It gave me great pleasure to stab him in the heart. After all, he had stolen the girl of my dreams right out from under me. But that was about to change.

I punched the button and waited for the gate to finally open. After the camera confirmed me, the gate opened and I drove past. I glanced up at the mansion and gulped. It never ceased to send a chill down my spine, knowing the angry Creed was inside—waiting. I had called and told him I had news. I felt a little guilty for betraying the girls, but more than any of that, I wanted Calico all for myself. As long as Creed could guarantee me that, I would easily give up their location and with no further regrets. Things were finally going my way, and nothing was going to change that—nothing.

* * * * * *

Blue’s POV

So, Creed had found the location of the girls. I knew that Blake was a little weasel. I had done all I could to keep those girls safe in the past. Now I had a choice to make, and I would not make it alone.

I called in Talon and some of the others I trusted.

“Okay guys. Creed is going after the Cross sisters. We have a decision to make. Let’s take a vote.”

* * * * * *

Calico’s POV

Celia asked if I could stay after closing so we could rearrange some of the bookshelves. Of course I agreed.

It was already dark when I excited the building. The parking lot was empty and quiet and my sisters hadn’t arrived yet. It was slightly creepy to be all alone in the dark. I could’ve gone back inside where Celia was still closing up, but she would think I was a scaredy-cat, which at that moment I totally was. I pushed forward and walked toward the street where the girls would be pulling up any at minute.

I observed that the deli had the lights on so I figured someone must still be there. I heard a noise from behind me and spun. I glanced around but saw nothing. “I have a bad feeling about this,” I whispered to myself. Then I heard a noise from the other direction and spun, but there was nothing there either. I grabbed my phone and called Tabby.

“Hey. Are you guys almost here?” I asked into the phone. I could’ve texted her, but we had a rule that we never texted while we drove and I knew she was probably driving on the windy road that led to downtown.

“We’re almost there. What’s wrong? You sound a little shaken up,” she asked me.

“I am,” I responded. “I think someone is here, watching me.”

“Okay, hang on. We’re almost there.”

“Okay,” I responded and then hung up the phone. I heard it again and spun in the direction of the noise. It sounded like a combination of a whistle and a growl. I didn’t see anything, but whatever it was it was getting closer.

“Is anybody there?” I called out and then waited for a response—followed by silence.

I decided to make my way to the deli. It wasn’t that far so I started walking. I heard the noise again and quickened my pace. Within seconds I was in a jog. I could hear the noise getting closer so I picked up the pace until I was in a full out sprint. I was only a few feet from the deli, and I could almost feel a presence right on my heels.

I reached the door and pulled. It was closed. I banged on the door. “Hello! Is anybody there?!” No one came. I looked around me in desperation. That’s when I spotted the dark figure in the road, running toward me. It was too dark to see who or what it was, but the figure went from running like a human to instantly running on all fours like an animal. I knew I was in trouble.

Just then the car squealed to a stop in front of me. “Get in!” Kiki yelled, swinging the door open wide. I jumped in and slammed the door as Tabby sped the car out in the opposite direction, headed toward home.

As soon as we hit the main road a dark vehicle appeared behind us and catching up fast.

“Faster, Tabby!” I yelled, monitoring the car behind us. It was actually a large, dark colored truck. I could barely make out at least two people inside the cab, and more in the back

“Does anybody else have a very bad feeling about this?” Fancy asked, her voice quivering.

“Yes,” we all said in unison.

“Hang on!” Tabby yelled as she took the curve too fast. We spun out and then regained control but at the cost of losing speed. Now the truck was right on our bumper.

“Faster!! Go faster!!” we all yelled.

“I’m trying!” Tabby yelled back at us.

The truck tapped us, causing the car to fishtail. Tabby kept control and sped up, losing them slightly. They quickly caught up again, and again they hit us, but this time hard. Our car spun out of control and flew off the road, heading into the woods.

“Savage!!” I screamed and flung my arms in front of my face right before we smashed head-on into a huge tree.

I vaguely recall a rumbling growl and the car being ripped apart above me, with flashes of some kind of white all around me. Then I was floating.

* * * * * *

“Savage!” I heard Calico scream, and it shot through my body like a bolt of lightning. I was on my feet in a full sprint before I had time to think.

“Hang on, Calico! I’m coming! I’m coming!”

My heart beat with fear. Something was wrong; and this time it was bad.

I could hear the sounds of the were-pack, which consisted of different were-creatures from jaguars to foxes. They were part of Creed’s pack! The girls were about to be harmed or worse. I had no choice. I shifted into my massive form and growled a steaming growl that I knew would scare away even the largest of beast. They had not encountered anything like me before and they didn’t want to. 

By the time I arrived at the scene of the crash, the animals were gone. Lucky for them, because I would’ve ripped them all apart for what they had done. I ran to the window of the car, and all of the girls except Kiki were unconscious.

I wasted no time and jumped onto the roof of the SUV and ripped the top completely off. It only took ten minutes until I had all the girls safely in their home and tucked into their beds. It was Calico’s bedside that I stayed by. She had a serious gash on her head and some bruising.

I held her hand, kissing it lightly as I pleaded for her to wake up. I could not lose her! Not like this, not when I had just found her. I knew I couldn’t have her, but I had to be close to her. I had to see her beautiful green eyes glow again, to see her smile, to see her roll her eyes at me with annoyance, and to laugh uncontrollably at the silliest things. This was the woman I had come to adore and I couldn’t live without her in this world. I couldn’t—I wouldn’t.

Chapter Sixteen

I moaned as I tried to come to a sitting position but to no avail. I opened my eyes, but my vision was slightly foggy.

I heard someone let out a heavy sigh of relief.

“Lie still. You’ve been injured, but you’ll be okay. Just lie still.”

I smiled slightly at the recognition of Dane’s voice. My eyes finally focused in on his handsome face. His hair was pulled behind his ears and his relief was evident.

“How did I get here?” Then I remembered the accident and the truck chasing us. I screamed and sat straight up. “The truck! My sisters!!”

“Sshhh, it’s okay, Calico. It’s okay. The truck is gone and your sisters are here. They’re safe, just like you. Now lie back down.”

I moaned but obeyed. I grabbed my head and felt a bandage there. “What happened? How did we get here?”

“I heard you call my name, and then I heard the crash. I pulled you out and brought you home. I brought all of you home. You’ll be safe here, for now.”

“For now?” I asked, looking into his eyes for answers. “It was Creed wasn’t it? He’s found us.”

“It was his pack, yes. I didn’t catch his scent, but it was definitely his pack. They know where you are now, and they’ll be coming for you. But we’ll be ready for them.” He took my hand in his and rubbed it gently. “I won’t let them take you, Calico. I won’t let them take you or your sisters. I promise.”

“But there are so many of them and only the five of us. How will we defeat them?” I tried to keep the panic out of my voice but it was no use.

“First of all, Creed is not stupid. He won’t have left his territory back home unprotected so most of the pack has been left behind. He will have most likely chosen his most loyal and trusted members to join him here. But we have a few things on our side; your ghosts for one thing, and me for another.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Creed will not be expecting anything like me. He will get more than he bargained for. Also, I don’t think you realize just how powerful you really are, Calico. You have a great strength within you. I saw it that day that you almost shifted downstairs. Remember that?”

I nodded.

“You, and your sisters, will be a powerful force against Creed and his misfits. This will not be as easy as he has judged. And that will be to our advantage.”

I stayed in bed for the rest of the day and Dane took good care of me, bringing me food and medicine. We were-creatures heal faster than most, but it still takes time, and it hurt like Hades.

By the next day I was able to get out of bed. I joined Dane and my sisters downstairs at the kitchen table for a meeting.

Dane had a plan laid out for us, which included boarding up the windows and getting acquainted with some weapons.

All of us called out of work and spent the day working. Tabby and Kiki boarded up the windows with the wood Dane brought over from his farm. Fancy and I trained with Dane on how to handle knives and use them in the most effective way against an assailant. One way he taught us was to thrust upward into the neck and twist. He said this was a sure way to bring down any were-creature, no matter what kind. He wanted us to use shifting as a last resort, just in case they got past him and our ghosts.

Ivey and May were on board as well. A simple giant red ‘YES’ to the mirror and we knew. This would be another thing Creed’s pack wouldn’t see coming. My only hope was that I had a front row seat to see it all.

I had only dreamt of the day that Creed would fall. The idea that the time had come was thrilling and horrifying at the same time.

The house was protected, and we all had our weapons training and felt as ready as we could be. We sat down and ate a meal together and afterward Dane led us in a prayer for our protection.

All the bases were covered as we sat in the dark and waited. All you could hear was our steady breathing. I took Dane’s hand in mine and held it tight.

“Don’t worry, scout. I won’t let them have you. I promise you that.” He squeezed my hand reassuringly.

I smiled in the dark. “I know, Dane. I know you’ll protect us.”

I glanced up at him and our eyes locked, his were glowing a deep golden color; the most beautiful amber color I had ever seen. I knew mine were glowing in response.

“You are so beautiful,” he whispered, and then his lips were on mine in a sweet and gentle kiss that melted all my previous fear away in an instant.

I gasped when I heard the whistling noise from the night before. It sounded like it was coming from the front porch. “They’re here.”

Dane squeezed my hand again. Remember what I told you earlier. Use the weapons like I taught you and only shift as a last resort. They’ll be expecting that, and they’ll be thrown off guard. Catching them off guard gives us an advantage.”

“I’ll remember. And Dane?”

“Yes?” he whispered, peering down at me again.

I reached up and touched the white streak in his hair, twirling it between my fingers. “I love you, and before we die I want you to know.”

“We’re not going to die, scout. Not now and not like this.” He touched his hand to my cheek, rubbing it softly. “But if you must know… I love you too, with all the ability my heart possesses. And though I can never have you, I will die to protect you.”

And I knew in that moment, he meant every word.