Lucid (8 page)

“So where do we start? I just heard
of
hellhounds. I have no clue what books we are looking for. Unless there is a hellhounds for beginners.”

He let out an amused rush of air, before pulling a few books off the shelves. “Old books on Folklore, some Greek myths, and I believe a few Nordic myths as well contain hellhounds. I'm sure there are more but its a pretty uncommon subject. Most mention of hellhounds is usually done in passing. They are a very secretive animal wouldn't you say?”

He took the selection of books over to the librarians desk, and with a wink and a smile, managed to check out all five books. Which was four more than the librarians would usually allow. In fact I'm one hundred percent positive there is a sign right on the desk Ethan was leaning against that said just that. One book at a time.

He returned to the table and slowly laid out the stack of books. Their well worn covers facing up. He ran his hands lovingly across their surface.

“Well pick your poison. Are you a Cerberus guarding Hades kinda girl? Or maybe your more into Folklore. Or are you really adventurous and looking for a story about Fenrir, Skoll, and Hati?”
 

“Hati preserve me...” I murmured. That's exactly what Deegan had said.

“What was that?” He asked kindly.

“Oh... I'll take the one with Fenrir, Skoll, and Hati.”

I gently took the book and began flipping through the pages. The pages were musty and slightly yellowed with age, but the book looked well preserved. Landing on a page with a giant black wolf, I began gently running my fingers over the variations in its thick black coat. Even here outside of my dreams the thought of knowing more about Deegan, about getting
closer
brought my heart to a thundering staccato.
 

“Well its getting late I guess I should walk you to your car?” When I managed to drag my eyes up off the giant wolf in the book, Ethan had already put the other books in his backpack, and was holding my hoodie out to me.

“I walked,” I replied softly, while slipping into my hoodie.

“You walked? It's like negative degrees out there.”

“Hardly,” I laughed with a snort. “Besides I only live a few blocks from here.”

“Well then since I asked you out today, it's my responsibility to see that you get home safely. So let me walk you home?”

“Ha ha. If I say no?”

“Then I'll stalk you from the warmth of my car all the way to your house.”

“Suit yourself, walk or drive, but I'm walking.” I didn't bother with putting the book in my bag. Instead I clutched it to my chest and hoped it would bring me closer to Deegan, as I worked my way out of the Library.

Ethan jogged ahead of me and opened the door with a flourish. “My Lady.”

“I knew you were a freakin' prince charming from the moment you showed up in your shiny white sneakers.”

“Don't the ladies love prince charming?”

“I prefer the knights in shining armor myself.”

He simply rolled his eyes and followed me out the door into the cold windy evening. He began vigorously rubbing his arms through his sleeves and blowing into his cupped hands.

“Don't you see what I mean it's gotta be thirty below out here.”

“It's only in the thirties,” I replied casting him a sideways glance. “ Where the hell did you come from that you think this is thirty below?”

“Florida,” he returned my sideways my sideways glare with one of his own. “It's in the seventies there right now.”

I could feel my eyes widen incredulously. “Seventies? In October?”

“You bet. It's probably a warm and muggy night filled with giant bugs... I can just imagine it.”

I just shook my head. The seventies in fall? No way. I like my winters just as they are. “What brings you all the way to Oregon anyways?”

He watched me with a shuttered expression so long that I didn't think he was going to reply.

“My family was murdered a little over a year ago.”

I shouldn't have asked. Oh my god I should not have asked. “I'm so sorry Ethan if I'd have known I wouldn't-”

“Don't Mercy it's alright. It was a while ago.”

“It has only been a year you said...”

“Yeah well... a year in an institution is a
long
time.”
 

I turned my face to take him in but he didn't look overly sad. More like he was contemplating something. Running through that moment in his mind.

“They thought I was crazy, and its not like they will give a crazy kid over to an old man.” He turned his face to mind and watched me for a moment. “I'm not crazy you know... I know that what I saw that night doesn't... shouldn't exist but there is was... I mean its not like I didn't think about it. When it happened I knew it shouldn't have been possible... but that man turned into a monster right in front of me. The official statement was a rabid bear... but I know what I saw and it wasn't a bear. That's why I believe in these paranormal things you know? Cause I've
seen
them.”
 

I must have had some look on my face, because the moment he glanced back over at me he bust out laughing. “Please Mercy, keep this to yourself yeah? I just want to get on with being normal.”

“Of course I would never say anything but... did you mean what you said? That it was some kind of monster?”

“I know you probably don't believe me-”

“I believe you. I think... I think I've been seeing those things since I was fourteen.” I was going out on a limb with this... with trusting Ethan... but if he could trust me with something as painful as loosing his parents I could try and trust him with the fact that I have seen them, even if only in my dreams... but Deegan... Deegan was mine. He was personal. I wouldn't share him with anyone.

“You've been seeing them since you were fourteen?! Here? In town?”

“No... No in my dreams at night. Every night. Which is why I practically zombie my way through the day. Having those dreams makes me so tired...”

“Ahh... well that explains why Olivia is so protective in keeping people away, so you can catch a break.”
“Yep.”

“We're comrades then... both seeing and believing in monsters,” he replied offering me a halfhearted smile.

We walked in a comfortable silence until we made it to my street and turned down it. The leaves picking up and swirling around our ankles in the soft wind.

“Comrade,” Ethan chuckled into the silence, “ Can I assume that's your house? The one with two people staring me down like I'm bringing them a winning lottery ticket?”

Glancing up my eyes landed on my parents on the front porch looking extremely excited. All I could do was roll my eyes at the sight. “I've been a zombie hermit for the last three years their just happy to see me out being sociable, don't let them creep you out too bad.”

He let out a small chuckle as we made our way up the walkway, to the front door.

“Mom, Dad, this is Ethan.” I turned and faced Ethan. “Ethan this is Mom and Dad.”

“Hello Mr. and Mrs. Clarke it's a pleasure to finally meet you.” Ethan put on his charming smile and it was like my parents were putty in his hands. Practically fawning over him. “Well My Lady it seems I've completed my task, and you have arrived home safely.” he finished giving me a wink.

“Okay prince charming, I'll see you at school on Monday, go find yourself a damsel in distress to rescue why don't you.”

“Prince charming doesn't rescue damsels in distress, we keep them from getting in trouble in the first place.” He replied with a backwards glance as he walked toward the street.

“That's why I love knights,” I called after him. I could see his shoulders shaking and hear his laugh carried on the soft night breeze as he made his way down the street and out of sight.

Chapter 14

“Come on Deegan, this is the third night we've been trying. It's obviously not working, so whatever you thought I was apparently I'm not. Just let me rest.” I spat out.

Before my body could even begin to slouch down to the ground for a small rest, Deegan was snatching me up by my pajama shirt.

“We don't have the time!”

“It's my dream and I have all the time I want!” I shouted back at him.

With all my strength I shoved against his taut arms. When his hands let go I wasn't able to get purchase and I collapsed to the hard dirt ground. Deegan just stood above me looking down with his barely contained anger. He had gone from being sweet and honest to being a total hard ass. When I just returned his glare with silence and made no attempt to get up, his hard face finally faltered.

He slowly lowered himself to the ground in front of me, resting his elbows on his knees. He was fidgeting under my gaze now, like he hadn't just been acting like an ass for the past three nights. I
hated
it when the kind Deegan wasn't here and I got the ass end of his personality.

“Mercy... I know you don't get where I'm coming from...” He took my hands in his and his thumbs began gently running slow circles across the backs of my hands. I couldn't keep up. One moment I was just wishing for the black to swallow me whole, and the next he was so sweet I know I wouldn't be able to survive if I had to part from this kindness.

“You could start by not being so bi-polar,” I offered with a smile.

He just chuckled and shook his head, his adorable dimple showing through.

“After I turned seven I was raised in a very strict house. If there was a problem it was usually fixed by force... Sometimes I fall back into that. Especially when I am anxious. Try not to fault me to hard for it okay?” he responded with a chuckle. “How about we take a break and try again in a bit?”

“Yeah,” I adjusted myself so I was sitting comfortably against a fallen tree. “How about you tell me a story”

“A story?” He asked curiously. “About what?”

“A story about Hati... and what a giant Norse wolf has to do with you Mr. Hellhound.”

He regarded me curiously for a moment before he settled in next to me. I could feel the hum of his life coming through the contact between our bodies. He was warm... so warm. And he seemed content to leave that contact between us, as we leaned into each other.

“Well...” He started softly, glancing at me from under his thick black lashes. “Fenrir had two sons. Skoll and Hati. Both giant wolves, since their mother was a giant, and Fenrir was a wolf.”

“Mhmm...” I murmured softly, leaning against him to encourage him to continue speaking.

“Skoll, who chased the sun through the sky, was more giant than wolf... and his brother Hati, who chased the moon. He was more wolf than giant... Now Skoll and Hati... they had many children, with human women... and that is supposedly how a breed of hellhounds was born. There are others mind you of different descent. But where I come from we are born from the bloodline of either Skoll or Hati...”

“What's the difference... being a son of Skoll or a son of Hati?”

“Well...” My head was resting against his shoulder and slowly he lowered his head onto mine. We were almost snuggling... I would definitely count this as one of the best moments of my life. “If you are born under the influence of Skoll, you have a human soul... and if you are born under the influence of Hati, you have a wolves soul.”

“And what difference does that make?”

“A human soul longs for human things... they are like you in almost every way except they can turn into a hound. They enjoy luxurious things... they are generally speaking materialistic, like humans. They enjoy their possessions... and they love like humans. Whereas Hati's they don't care about possessions... luxury isn't something they strive for... Hati's are loyal and family oriented. And where Skoll's may have different partners... Hati's... they love forever.”

My heart was definitely going to burst out of my chest. His sweetness struck me straight in the heart. Even if he hadn't been talking about loving me the sweetness of the moment was driving me crazy. I could feel my cheeks burning as I looked into his eyes. It was a moment of the closest connection to another soul I had ever felt.

“You're definitely a Hati.”

“Oh? What gave me away?” I could feel his chest rumble with slight laughter. The vibrating rumble moved through my body, causing my skin to break out in an array of chills.

“There isn't a human alive that is as good as you are.”

“I am a lot of things Mercy Clarke, good is not one of them.”

“I'll believe that when I see it.”

“Weren't you the one glaring daggers at me earlier? I had assumed you already knew I was badass.”

I laughed then. Hard. Until my sides felt like they were tearing apart... I knew it was ridiculous to have tears streaming out my eyes. Deegan probably thought I was crazy. But I knew there wasn't a single thing alive that was more badass than Deegan. And he was badass in the best possible way.

When the laughter finally died out. I was lying on my back, with my head resting on Deegans thighs. He was just watching me with a smile on his face. Like he was enjoying watching me in my weirdest moments.

“You're going to make me try again aren't you?”

“Yes... It's time to try again... Let's try something different though okay?”

“Yeah...” My heart was beginning to thunder again as I got lost into his liquid red eyes... he was staring at me so intently I was sure I would finally get that first kiss. From someone I was beginning to think that I could not live without... even if he could turn into an ass sometimes.

“Close your eyes,” he whispered softly.

I was reluctant to lose sight of him. The moment I did I usually woke up, and I didn't want this moment to end... not yet. But I did as he asked and slowly closed my eyes to view of him, I just continued to imagine his strong jaw and perfect lips hovering over me.

“Think about what you want Mercy. Imagine it. Imagine you and me anywhere... doing anything... picture it Mercy.”

With his sultry burr, and gravelly soft whisper, it wasn't hard. Hormonal teenager that I am, it was so easy to imagine.  Us lying in my bed just like this... him leaning over and proclaiming his undying devotion. His breath warm against my lips as he comes closer. He braces himself above me, his elbows pushing into the softness of my bed.