Dark of kNight (21 page)

“Thomas, Jason?” Charlotte said in a soft but firm voice now standing to her feet. “Would you please find my son?”

Thomas and Jason disappeared in the same direction as Daniel. A few minutes later, they returned with Daniel following. He still looked upset when he walked into the room.

Charlotte gave him a firm glare that sent chills down my spine.

“Sit.” She commanded Daniel. Immediately Daniel sat down on the sofa and placed his hands together as he leaned his arms along his knees.

“You are as stubborn as your Father,” she snapped at him. “This time, I am going to step in.” A new and bolder side of Charlotte that I had never seen before surfaced before everyone’s eyes. “Daniel, I know your Father has talked to you about this. I have mentioned parts of it to Julie already. I know you love her and she loves you.”

“Mom… ” he tried to cut in. Charlotte snapped her head toward him. Her eyes flared, and he remained silent. We all did.

“This is her birthright, as is yours. You have to let go son. Look at your Father and me. Jason and Heather. If it is the fight you are worried about then get over it. You both have a destiny. Neither one of you can fulfill it if you cannot become one. Only together can you be undefeated. The laws say you fight as one.”

“We have been working on it.” Everyone could hear the strain in Daniel’s voice.

Charlotte looked at Jason and then Thomas. I could tell the irritation in her face. It was even more so apparent in Daniel.

“So what do we have to do?” I spoke up.

“There is nothing you can do,” Jason replied looking at Daniel. “It’s all on Daniel boy.”

Daniel’s eyebrow rose when he looked up at Jason. “So tell me Jason, how do you propose I do this?”

“Don’t hold back my friend,” Jason retorted.

“What if we cannot … ” Daniel shook his head.

“It has always been strength to weakness, son.” Thomas added. “I know it sounds cruel, but that is the way it is done.”

My mind raced. I looked to Heather for an explanation. She just patted my knee and smiled, assuring me everything was all right. Fear crept its way through me. What are our strengths and weaknesses? I wondered why Daniel was having a hard time with this.

“Daniel,” Heather broke in. “What if Jason and I are with you and Julie? Would that help?”

“No offense, but that would be really great!” Daniel said sarcastically.

I felt so helpless not understanding what they were discussing. The thought of coming to Daniel’s rescue was out the question. Still I wanted to try. The conversation was made me feel like I was in the back seat of a car and had no idea of where I was going.

Daniel was frustrated. My heart sank to the pit of my stomach. My thoughts ran back to earlier when we were in the woods running. Remembering the thoughts in my mind about what Daniel saw. I glanced toward him and back to Heather.

“Okay,” I took a deep breath. “Earlier, when Daniel and I ran through the woods, I connected to the visions in his eyes. It was as if I saw through his eyes.” I paused and waited for anyone to jump in. Surely, that would count for something, I thought.

Charlotte looked at Daniel and then Thomas. Thomas leaned forward and looked at Daniel.

“Did you feel her heart?” Thomas inquired.

Daniel looked down at the floor for a moment then his eyes slowly met mine. We held our eyes together for a long moment. He slowly looked back at Thomas.

“I am not totally sure.” He spoke softly and calmly. For the first time I could see a type of regret in Daniel. I wasn’t sure of the circumstances for his feelings.

“It’ll happen and soon.” Heather smiled looking at Daniel. I was particularly sure that everyone had noticed what he felt.

“Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m tired. I’ve had an interesting night tonight.” It was the truth. I was exhausted. My body felt tired and weak.

“She is right. We have all had a long day.” Daniel followed. Standing up he walked over to me. “I am sure we will have this together by Sunday.”

Standing, my body felt a little stiff. My hand went to his arm, where he leaned down and helped me out of the chair. Charlotte’s mouth flew open and her eyes were wide.

“Wait!” She shouted and then took off up the stairs.

A couple of minutes went by, and she raced back down the stairs with a pill bottle. “Here, you are going to need this. Take two tonight and one when you wake up in the morning.” She said handing me the bottle.

“What is it?” I looked at the label and didn’t recognize the name.

“You probably won’t be able to move in the morning. Always after the first time of transformation your body starts healing itself. Your muscles and joints will be sore and you will not be able to walk for at least a day. The pain is excruciating. So do not plan on doing anything tomorrow but staying in the bed. Friday you will be fine.”

“You mean I’m not going to be able to get out of the bed in the morning?” Disbelief clouded my mind. I looked from Charlotte to Daniel.

“It is okay. I will be there for you. I am not planning to go anywhere,” Daniel said softly.

The new exciting life I looked forward to was about to have its first drawback. I would be totally dependent on Daniel tomorrow. We might as well be married. He was going to have to take care of me like a geriatric patient. A few moments ago, I would have thought that I’d experienced the most embarrassing moment in my life when the police officer shined the flashlight on Daniel and me lying nude in the woods. The perfectly choreographed falsified sex scene in the woods, directed by Daniel should have been enough to last for quite a few years.

The visions of him helping me in and out of bed, walking down the stairs, and even to the bathroom shuddered my thoughts. Just for one day, I would be an invalid.

Wondering if I was going to be incontinent was another thing; I felt a cold chill run down my spine. Surely, it wasn’t going to be that bad. I was indulging in my own psychopathic delusions again. Tomorrow I would just be a little sore and stiff. There would be no need for Daniel to cater to me. I would be fine.

ELEVEN

There is a certain time between dreaming and just before you awake. It is a level of consciousness, where your body is still asleep but your mind is fully aware of everything around you. Then you drift back into a dreamlike state and awaken, fully aware of what has happened in this new state of mind.

My eyes opened and I stared at the ceiling of my bedroom. Laying in silence, I allowed my mind to wander back to the moment before my eyes opened. I could sense everything in the room, including Daniel’s presence when he tiptoed softly in to check on me. I even recognize the clothes he wore. This must be something new that had to do with being a Lycan. One thing that I definitely was aware of, I was changing.

Stretching my arms over my head, the muscles in my back ached and screamed at me for the extra stress I added on them. Quickly, I brought my arms down to my chest and wrenched in pain. My shoulder muscles and arm joints ached as if someone had disjointed me. Afraid to move my legs, I took a deep breath and pulled the covers back. So far so good. I moved my legs slowly to the side of the bed and rose to a sitting position. The muscles in my sides and stomach didn’t agree with my brain at what I had just done. I fell back on my back. Working my way back up onto the pillows, I managed to sit up on the side of the bed.

Human beings are supposed to be intelligent creatures. We are capable of making rational decisions and precision thinking. Honestly, I don’t think that I could use the excuse of being a Lycan for my irrational thinking. Humans, well most of us, don’t take the words of an adult seriously. Like a small child who is told by its mother not to touch something that is hot, the child touches it anyway. What type of thinking is this? Does the child touch the hot item because of curiosity? Does this form a kind of discovery which the child has made in their own mind? Is this the type of thinking that is carried over from our childhood? When I managed to stand on my own two feet, I fell forward.

Apparently, my legs buckled under my own weight. Trying to break my fall, I grabbed at the first thing my hands could reach. The bedside lamp on my nightstand came crashing to the floor with me.

We laid there waiting in broken pieces. The lamp shattered along with my pride. Helplessly, I laid there on the floor, fully aware of the pain that increased all over my body. I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw when the sharp pains pierced throughout my muscles and joints. Tears formed in my eyes. I couldn't move. Irritated with myself, I remained motionless and face down on the floor.

I heard footsteps running up the stairs and across the hallway. They stopped at my bedroom door. My prince in shining armor arrived to rescue me. The moment wasn’t one of happiness, but of dread and embarrassment. This was a lot worse than I’d ever imagined.

“Julie?” his voice asked, totally filled with fear. He ran toward my invalid body.

“Well, I guess when Charlotte said I wouldn't be able to move, I didn’t take her seriously,” I managed to say with my face plastered to the hardwood floor.

Daniel released a chuckle, then picked me up ever so gently and placed me back on the bed. Every place where he touched me hurt. I didn’t want to let him know I was in such agony, but the expression on my face pretty much gave it away.

“I’ll be right back with the pills.” His face looked as horrified as I felt. I have never seen anyone move as fast. I managed to prop myself up on the pillow.

Looking at my alarm clock, it was afternoon. I slept for over twelve hours.

Daniel returned with a glass of water and two of the pills that Charlotte had given me. I gladly took them while Daniel adjusted the pillow for me so I was relatively comfortable.

“Can I get you anything else? A glass of iced tea. Are you hungry?” His voice was soft as silk.

“Daniel, how long will this last?”

“Usually twenty-four hours. Tomorrow morning it will not be as bad, at least you will be able to stand. I guess I should have warned you about that,” he said sitting down gently on the bed beside me.

“Ya’ think?” I shot at him. His face dropped to the bed. I was trying to make a joke and it didn’t seem to come out that way. “I mean, I was just trying to lighten the mood.”

His gaze slowly returned to me. “I just do not like to see you in pain, Jewels.”

“I guess everyone has gone through this at one time or another.” If I could keep my voice casual then maybe he wouldn't be so sympathetic. However, it was one of the many things that I loved about him.

“Yes, we all did. I remember the pain all too well and I know what you are going through. Mom said that it was far worse than childbirth. I could not relate to that, but for me it was like having the aches from the flu multiplied a hundred times.”

“Well, for me, I would say getting hit by a bus and dragged down the street for about ten miles.” I said and managed a laugh that which caused even more pain.

“Trust me the pills will help. I have made a smoothie for you as well.”

“A smoothie?”

“Yes, it will help you. Your body is metabolizing at an extreme rate right now. It is repairing itself. The smoothie is high in protein and contains certain vitamins and minerals that will help you.” His hand moved to touch my arm.

“Repairing itself?”

He nodded. “I will go and bring one up to you. Be back in a minute.” He said patting my arm. I squinted and frowned at the pain in my arm where he touched me. “Sorry.” he said and he dashed out the door.

Great, a liquid diet. I wasn’t hungry, but all I wanted to do was sleep. The medicine was probably taking its effect. I realized something else was having an effect. I needed to use the bathroom. My bladder was ready to explode. This was the ultimate in humiliation. Daniel was going to have to carry me to the bathroom. Worse yet, help me off the toilet. I rolled my eyes and closed them tightly. Never again, I promised myself, would I have to go through this type of humiliation.

Daniel returned with a tall glass of what looked like a vanilla milkshake. He handed it to me. I grabbed it with both hands, afraid I was going to spill it. I smelled it. So far so good, it smelled like a vanilla shake. I reached for the straw and took a sip. Letting the thick liquid settle on my tongue for a moment, I swallowed. It was actually pretty good. It tasted more like a vanilla milkshake. I barely tasted the cocktail he had added.

“Not bad, huh?” He had read the reaction in my face.

“Not bad,” I replied. My bladder stung, sending me the sharp signals it was full. “Daniel, I need to go to the bathroom.” The hot fire flamed my cheeks told him it wasn’t something I was comfortable asking him.

He just smiled at me as if everything was normal. Taking the drink from my hand, he scooped me up in his arms, and as gently as he could, carried me to the bathroom. Sitting me on the toilet, I paused for a moment and looked at him. He caught the hint, walked out of the bathroom, and closed the door.

Slowly I grabbed my panties and managed to work them down around my knees. I could hardly wait. It took forever to finish. Then I could feel the cramps in my bladder. I bent over holding my stomach. Bracing for the pain, I gritted my teeth and held the scream that tried to escape. A second later, it was gone. Sweat dampened my forehead. I was glad at least I’d taken a shower last night. There was no way that I would attempt such a feat in my condition. I finished and flushed the toilet, and pulled myself back together, preparing for Daniel to come back and get me.

“Okay,” I whimpered.

He walked in and looked at me for a moment. His face held a curious smirk.

“What?” I said looking up at him. It hurt to even tilt my head up to look at his six foot four figure.

“Well, I was just thinking. Since we are already in here, do you want to take a bath?”

My eyes widened at his thought. He has to be kidding me. Then I frowned as the words came out of my mouth very quickly.

“ABSOLUTELY NOT!” Apparently, he thought it was funny.

He scooped me up again and returned me to the bed. Okay, this was as bad as I thought on the humiliation part. He pulled the sheets back over my legs and handed me my shake again.