Beasthood (The Hidden Blood Series) (26 page)

             
They both gasped.“Really, like who?” Lisa questioned in a hushed voice.

             
Jaz shrugged as she said, “I don't know. Politicians, actors, singers. They don't say who, because it would drive clients away.”

“
How long are you planning on staying there?” Ellie asked, her voice thick with concern and sadness.

             
Jaz had feared this one question. “I'm not sure. As long as it takes I guess.”

“
An estimate?” Lisa pushed.

“
It won't be just a few weeks.” That was true at least. She didn't want to lie or make a promise she couldn't keep. But she didn't want to hurt them or worry them either. “I can still keep in touch every now and again, but the signal here is bad, even on their land line. And they have this stupid thing about calling relatives and those outside, because it might have a negative effect on the healing process.”

“
Did you memorize that or something?” Lisa joked.

             
Jaz laughed awkwardly. “Just heard it enough times.”

“
Well at least we know you're alive and breathing,” Lisa responded.

“
Yeah, well, they kinda go hand in hand,” Jaz replied ironically.

             
Ellie giggled and Lisa flicked her in the shoulder. Ellie crowed 'Ow!' and Lisa guffawed. Jaz could tell all this just by the sounds she heard.

“
Please get well soon. I hope they'll let you call again real soon.”

“
Me too Elle.”

“
Try not to bang anyone while you're in there! No matter how desperate you get!” Lisa joked.

“
I'll try,” Jaz muttered dryly.

“
At least until you are able to tell us about it!” Lisa giggled mischievously and Jaz rolled her eyes. “Speaking of, what happened with the creepy but hot driver? He try anything?”

             
This caught Jaz off guard. The strange thing was, she had always had a reason to be suspicious of him. He
did
kidnap and drug her. Well, her aunt played a huge part in it. And yet, even after everything, she'd gotten him all wrong. She smiled and said, “He turned out to be safe. No axe murderer or rapist.”

“
That's good to hear. So maybe when you make a break from that place you can get him to
reward
you for your efforts on the drive back,” Lisa teased.

             
Jaz blushed and let out a short embarrassed giggle. “You're so...
lovely
, Lis,” she replied sarcastically.

“
Love you too babes.”

             
They all said their goodbyes and Jaz hung up.

             
The tension that had been building up in her already overworked muscles was released out in a long, heavy breath. She didn't touch the phone again for more than ten minutes before she was ready to dial her parents number.

             
What was once her home number.

                                                                                    *

Sunday June 5
th
,  5:31 p.m.

             
Driver had been listening intently to the conversation on his line, especially when he was mentioned. 

             
He'd heard the shyness in Jaz's voice. Her friend Lisa's teasing had left her all ruffled. He liked Lisa, simply because she brought out sides of Jaz that he hadn't, or rarely got the chance to meet.

             
And Jaz had stuck to her word. Edda had told her what he had expected of her and she hadn't disappointed. She'd been very convincing. He knew how difficult it must have been for her to lie to her best friends.

             
He was surprised that she hadn't called her parents first. Then halfway through her conversation to Lisa and Elle, he'd understood her reasons. She was preparing herself for them, because it would be a much harder conversation to have. She knew they weren't her real parents. And she'd have to face that.

             
At least, in some pathetic kind of way, he could get through it with her by listening to the conversation. He hoped she could feel the reassurance and encouragement he was mentally propelling through the phone. Though probably not.

                                                                                    *

“Mum?”

“
Oh Jasmine! Darling, are you okay? John! It's Jaz!”

             
Jaz squinted as her mother's shrill voice shrieked across the room and in her ear hole. “I'm fine Mum.” she held back the tears and steadied her voice.

“
Jaz?” Her dad had picked up the phone in their bedroom.

“
Dad.” She held back the tears and steadied her voice. She'd always been a daddy's girl at heart.

“
Oh thank God, you're okay.”

“
I'm-”

“
Where are you?” he demanded.

             
She hesitated. “You know where I am.” There was a confused, tense pause. “At the spa?”

“
Oh Jaz, come on-”

“
I'm doing well. I'm feeling much better, but I need to stay here for a while longer.”

“
Jaz, when are you coming home?” Her mother was practically pleading.

“
I don't know. Not for a while. But they're taking care of me. I'm okay.”

“
What have they done to y-?”

“
My aunt is here. She's great. So is my grandmother.” Another pause. “I know about Thorpe and Eliza.” There was a sharp intake of breath from both parents on the line, followed by a long, strained silence. “And I just want you to know that it changes nothing. I love you both, very much.”

“
I-I,” her mum stuttered.

“
We love you too, Jazzybaby,” was her dad's reply.

             
She hadn't been called that since she was ten, when she'd demanded they stopped. Now when she heard it, instead of mortification, she felt grief, as if she'd lost them for real. In many ways, she had. “Love you too,” she said in a thin voice. She cleared her throat and fought back the burning tears threatening to pierce through her tough outer shell. “And I'll see you, hopefully sooner rather than later. Bye.” She hung up before they could keep her on the line any longer. She dropped the phone on the floor and stared out the open window.

             
To her surprise, though she felt so miserable she could burst, no tears came. Instead, she was left to her misery with no source of release except to think it out.

             
It was a long night.

                                                                                    *

Monday June 6
th
, 7:03 a.m. -
Day of Fraya's Council Meeting

             
Jaz was surprised to find the next morning, how much stronger she felt. She had not only recovered -no pains, aches, or stiffness- she felt solid, like she'd done a killer workout. Well she had, but a workout that didn't involve breaking and realigning bones. She hadn't realized that was what had actually happened to her until Edda mentioned it that morning.

             
She'd walked into the kitchen, her stomach growling loudly at the smell of eggs and toast and steak.

“
G'morning!” Edda called cheerily.

“
Morning.”

             
Edda turned to observe Jaz admiringly. Jaz looked well. Her face was bright, in fact, glowing. Her skin was hydrated, the shadows under her eyes had disappeared and now her greeny-blue eyes were bright and clear. She'd even made an effort to look nice, putting on some light denim jeggings and a cream t-shirt that clung to her figure and made her skin look bright and creamy. She'd tied her hair up -which she rarely did- in a messy bun, loose strands dangled down in front of her ears, framing her oval face.

“
You look good,” she complimented her.

“
Thanks. I
feel
good, actually.”

             
Edda grinned serving up a big plate with three eggs, a big steak and mushrooms, beans, tomatoes and a separate plate stacked high with homemade wholemeal toast. “Didn't believe me huh?”

             
Jaz munched on a slice of toast, dipping it into the beans.“No. Not with how I felt last night. What exactly... happened?”

             
Edda was pleased she was ready to ask about it, and hopefully, to hear the answers. “Your body was training itself. The first time is the hardest but not necessarily the worst.”

“
Training how?”

“
Eat up, I'll tell you.” Jaz stuffed her mouth full of steak and munched away whilst Edda spoke. “During the Phase or Change, your body goes through a huge amount of strain and displacement. This was like a trial run. You'll have a fair few before you're body thinks your ready to fully Change. Your bones need to break and dislocate to become used to the process.”

“
How come I healed if my bones broke?”

“
Well, our bodies are meant for this strain. We heal very quickly, though don't be fooled in believing we heal just as quickly with any other injury, or that we're invincible, 'cos we're not, and we don't, but compared to a human, yeah we heal pretty quick.

“
Our bones break during the Change but they go into healing super drive, -which would account for the exhaustion- and then they break and move again to turn back into human form and re-heal. Mainly though, there is more dislocating and alterations than actual breaks. The worst break is in the back legs. The kneecaps are bent back to form hind legs. That is very painful. So is the reshaping of the spine and neck.”

             
Jaz winced. “How are they... reshaped?”

“
The spine becomes much straighter, the neck also has to be- altered, so that the skull can sit horizontally rather than vertically, so it becomes like the body of a four-legged animal, such as a dog, wolf or big cat.”

“
Do we have, like,
tails
?”

“
Yes, but there is no bone in the tail. And it's not like anything you'll have seen before. Maybe something resembling a Bull-whip with lots of strands. Underneath our skin -which you are still developing and will maybe feel tingle sometimes as they grow- are long, thin fibres a bit like the tines of a feather. They push out through the skin forming a coat of 'fur'. But it isn't like normal fur. The hair is much finer, and looks odd. At least it will to you.”

“
I doubt that will be the oddest thing I'll find about a Were.”

             
Edda smiled wryly. “I'll bet.”

“
What colour is the hair?”

             
Edda took a sip of tea. “It depends. Most of the time the colours match your hair colour, or your status, so it can change too, for example, if you become a Pack Leader.”

“
It changes? Like a chameleon?”

“
It can, but not like a chameleon. We don't have a camouflage unfortunately. We get what we're given. Apart from becoming a Pack Leader, the only time the colour may deepen or go darker is when we're angry, which is like a human face, it goes red when you're angry. Or when we're hot. And of course when we get wet.”

             
Jaz took a few mouthfuls of food giving her time to absorb the information before she asked another question. “What did you mean about the status of a Were and their colour?”

“
Usually, the Pack Master also known as the Pack Leader, is a dark colour, mainly black, which is normally down to their bloodline and genes. So a Pack Leader isn't always necessarily black or dark-haired.

“
Those that are born with light hair, may only become a few shades darker as soon as they're given Pack Leader status. I remember someone who used to be a blonde-haired Were and then turned a sandy colour when he became Pack Leader. It certainly came as a surprise to a few superstitious people who argued that he should have at least turned dark brown.

“
It caused a bit of a fuss. But he proved them wrong. Anyway, there are other ways to tell,” she said wafting her hand as if wiping that bothersome memory away. Jaz wondered what she meant but Edda was already speaking again. “And it's not always the bloodline that discerns who is and isn't in line for Pack Leader. It can be anyone- within reason. Anyway I'll tell you more about that another time, unless Nik decides to fill you in.”