Shadowed Instincts (10 page)

“So, what’s the story with Declan?”

“You mean the guy talking to your
boyfriend
?”

“Hey, look but don’t touch. That’s my motto. He’s so hot.”

Melanie and Tara were standing in the corner of the
entertainment room, looking through the song choices on the jukebox when Tara
turned around and started the conversation. Declan, Jeremy, and Chris were
standing by the pool table, flipping a coin to see who would play the first
game.

Melanie saw Declan turn their way to shoot a sexy grin in
Tara’s direction when Chris looked down at the coin on the table. Thankfully, Tara
wasn’t looking either, having turned back to her perusal of the jukebox.
Noticing that Melanie was the only one paying attention, he turned that grin on
her.

“I don’t know, Tara. I guess he’s okay to look at, but he’s
a jackhole. I would steer clear if I were you.”

At that, Declan’s face fell and it was Melanie’s turn to
smirk.  Jeremy burst into laughter and Chris just looked confused. Jeremy shot
Melanie an air “high-five” from across the room.

“I wonder what’s so funny over there,” Tara commented after
she picked her song and turned back around.

“I don’t know,” Melanie said innocently. “Let’s go find
out.”

When the girls reached the table, they both put their arms
around their respective boyfriends, which prompted Declan to complain, “Aw,
come on, guys. None of that, now. You’re making me feel like a fifth wheel.”

“Good, you deserve it,” Melanie whispered under her breath,
knowing he would hear it.

Declan shot her an apologetic look and turned to make his
shot. “I tried to apologize,” he whispered.

Melanie’s hearing was improving by the day and she could
barely make out his words. Tara and Chris stood on the other side of the pool
table, oblivious to the conversation going on in front of them. Melanie decided
to let it drop for the time being.

“So, Declan, are you any good at this game?” she asked, loud
enough to bring her friends back into the conversation.

“I’m pretty good,” he responded with a grateful smile.

“Can you explain the rules to me?” she asked innocently.
“You have to hit that white one and knock it into the colored and striped ones,
right?”

Jeremy rolled his eyes and Tara hid her grin in Chris’s
chest as Declan slowly and patiently explained the rules of eight-ball to
Melanie. As she followed his instructions on how to hold the stick, he took
advantage of the situation by leaning over Melanie and wrapping his arms around
her to show her the proper way to aim.

Melanie stood up and turned to him with wide eyes, “Wow.
You’re a really good teacher. Will you play me? Maybe give me some pointers?”

“Of course,” Declan said. “I’ll even let you break.”

“Break?” she asked, with a confused look on her face.
Strange noises were escaping Tara as she shoved her face harder into Chris’s
chest.

“What’s wrong with her?” Declan asked. At Melanie’s shrug,
he explained, “Breaking is how you start the game. You hit the cue, er, white
ball into the others and try to break them up and get one in a pocket.”

“I’ve got five bucks on Melanie,” Jeremy said, slapping a
bill down on the table.

“Jeremy, don’t,” she whined. “I don’t want you to lose your
money.”

“I believe in you, babe. Just try your best.”

Declan shot Jeremy one of his signature smirks and slapped a
five dollar bill on top of his. “You’re on.”

While Declan racked the balls in preparation for Melanie’s
break, she took up her position at the other end of the table. She shot Jeremy
a wink, then smiled at Tara, who finally got herself under control and turned
to watch the game.

Melanie methodically chalked the tip of her cue stick and
ran her hand down the cone of talc chalk on a nearby shelf. Declan looked a
little confused as she took aim, pausing briefly to smile up at him before
taking the shot with enough speed and precision to bust up the triangle of
balls. Two stripes and one solid landed in various pockets.

“Nice shot,” Declan murmured.

“Thanks,” Melanie replied, lining up her next shot.
“Fourteen in the corner pocket,” she added before sending the green striped
ball flying down the table. It landed in the pocket with a thud.

Declan’s eyes narrowed as she wandered to the other side of
the table and said, “Combination, fifteen to the nine to the side pocket.”

And so it went, until Melanie had made all of her stripes
and was shooting the eight ball. After it dropped, Melanie gently laid her
stick on the table as Jeremy collected the ten dollars. Declan had a
disbelieving look on his face, which quickly turned into a self-deprecating
smile.

“I don’t suppose that was beginner’s luck, was it?”

“Not quite,” Tara butted in with a chuckle. “You just got
schooled by the Rocket Roller Rink all-time pool champion. While the rest of us
were roller skating, she was learning to play pool.”

“I’ve heard the stories,” Jeremy added, wrapping his arms
around Melanie’s waist, “but to actually see it was amazing. You’re amazing.”
He gave her a light peck on the lips.

Melanie turned in his arms so that he was to her back, and
Tara and Chris were behind her as well. “Now we’re even,” she mouthed, then
gave him an impish grin.

Declan gave a small nod and turned to leave. “You kids have
fun, but don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” he called over his shoulder before
walking through the door.

*~*~*

“I wonder what the boys are doing.”

Melanie and Tara were hanging out in Melanie’s room, eating
junk food and watching funny videos on Tara’s phone. They’d had a lot of fun
hanging out with Jeremy and Chris earlier, but now it was girl time.

“What I wonder,” Tara replied, throwing her phone down on
the bed, “is what you’re hiding from me.”

“What?” Melanie kept her face as blank as possible.

“Wow. You’ve really improved. Anybody besides me, and maybe
your mom, might actually believe that innocent look.”

“What are you talking about, Tara?”

“Melanie, you are my best friend and I love you, but you
can’t lie for shit and I know you’re hiding something. Spill it!”

Melanie started to panic, then realized that there was one
secret she could, and even wanted to share with her best friend. Holding out
one pinky to Tara, she said, “Okay, but you are sworn to secrecy.”

“Seriously? Since when do we have to pinky swear? You know I
wouldn’t-”

“Just do it!” Melanie interrupted impatiently.

Rolling her eyes, Tara wrapped her pinky around Melanie’s
and said, “Fine. I pinky-swear never to repeat what you’re about to tell me.”

Releasing Tara’s finger, Melanie jumped up and ran to the
door. She swung it open and stepped into the hall, looking both directions
before stepping back in and closing the door. She locked it and walked back
over to the bed.

“Melanie, what are you doing?”

“Give me a sec,” Melanie said, grabbing her phone from the
nightstand and walking back to the door. She turned on her music streaming app
and, turning the volume up, set it on the floor by the door. Then she walked
back and sat on the bed next to Tara.

“What was all that about?”

“I was just making sure no one can eavesdrop. There are too
many ears in this place.”

“Now I really am intrigued. Speak. Now.”

Leaning in close so she could lower her voice, Melanie said,
“Jeremy and I made love today.”

“What?!” Tara screeched.

Melanie slapped a palm over her mouth and whispered
urgently, “Be quiet, Tara. Seriously.”

Tara nodded and Melanie removed her hand. “Tell me
everything.”

The next morning, Melanie left Tara sleeping in her bed and slipped
quietly from the room. She tiptoed to her parents’ room and tapped on the door
with her fingertips. She didn’t want to wake them, but she needed to talk to
her dad. She heard soft footsteps on the other side.

“Dad?” she called softly.

The door swung open and Darren stood there, fully dressed. Elaine
was sitting on the bed, putting in her earrings. Melanie heaved a relieved sigh
that they were both dressed and she hadn’t interrupted anything. She gagged a
little at the thought.

“Can we talk for a minute?” she asked as Darren held out an
arm to invite her in.

“What is it, honey?” Elaine asked, patting the bed beside
her.

As Melanie took a seat, she looked at Darren and asked, “Is
it safe for Tara and Chris to be here? I mean, I am so happy to see them, but
won’t they figure out that things here are not exactly…normal?”

“Don’t worry, Melanie,” Darren said, walking forward and
placing a hand on her shoulder. “We’ve had visitors before and everyone in the
pack knows the protocol. No shifting within the community. Only the sentries
need to shift for their lookout duties and they can do that far out in the
woods where no one will see them. Our kind have lived for centuries without
being noticed. We can do it for a week, darlin’.”

Melanie let out a breath in relief. “Okay, if you’re sure…”
She trailed off and pulled each of them into a hug. “Thank you so much! That
was the best birthday present, ever!”

“Well,” Elaine said with a soft smile on her lips, “that was
my
present to you. Your dad never got a chance to give you his.”

Melanie looked at her dad expectantly. “You got me something
else?”

He grinned. “Of course I did. I wasn’t able to give you
anything for your first sixteen birthdays. I wasn’t about to miss the chance
this year. It’s downstairs.”

Darren opened the door and held up his arm for the ladies to
precede him out. Melanie felt a little weird going downstairs in her pajamas,
but her parents looked so excited, she didn’t want to ask them to wait for her to
change. She followed her mom down the stairs and Darren took up the rear.

They walked to the foyer, where Elaine stopped and shot a
huge grin at Melanie. Darren stopped and smiled lovingly at both of them.
Melanie shifted her weight from foot to foot, the anticipation building.

“Melanie,” Darren said quietly, “you’ll never know how
amazing it is to have the both of you here, in my home. It has been my dream
since the moment I found out about you. A dream that you’ve helped come true.
So, thank you. I love you, darlin’.”

Melanie looked over his shoulder at her mom as he leaned in
and awkwardly hugged her. Elaine’s eyes grew misty as Melanie hugged him back.
As he pulled away, he pressed something metal into her hand. She looked down
and her eyes grew wide.

“No way,” she said glancing up from the set of keys in her
hand to look back and forth between them. “No freaking way!”

Darren smiled big, showing all his teeth, as he swung the
front door open and motioned Melanie to walk out. She took a few shuffling steps
to the door, gasped, and fell against the doorjamb when her eyes adjusted to
the bright morning light.

“Oh. My. God.”

Sitting in the driveway, next to Darren’s SUV, was a black
Jeep Wrangler with a big red bow on the hood. Melanie ran across the porch and
down the steps, stopping beside it with her mouth hanging open. The top was off
and it had purple roll bars, seat covers, and accents on the wheels. She looked
at her parents, who were embracing on the porch.

“You can close your mouth, honey,” her mom called out with a
laugh.

“This is seriously for me?”

Darren let go of Elaine and walked down the steps to stand
beside Melanie. He took her hand and kissed it. “Happy birthday, Melanie.”

Melanie threw her arms around his neck and kissed him on the
cheek. “Thank you. Thank you, Thank you,” she said, before letting go and
pulling the Jeep door open and climbing inside. “This is so awesome!” she
squealed.

Darren shut the door behind her and leaned on the window
ledge. “I know you don’t have your driver’s license yet. You can practice
driving around the compound, but please don’t leave the grounds unless someone
with a license is driving you, okay?”

“Okay. I promise. Thank you,” she said, placing her hand on
his arm.

“You’re very welcome.”

“I gotta show Jeremy and Tara,” Melanie said, jumping to the
ground and reverently closing the car door behind her.

She leapt up the steps, but came to a screeching halt at the
top when she spotted Declan leaning against the open front door. His eyes
travelled down her body slowly, then back up as she fidgeted in her tank top
and boxers.

“Nice,” he said slowly, then noticed her parents behind her.
“Uh, nice Jeep,” he quickly amended, straightening and making a show of
checking out the car. “Congrats.”

“Thanks,” Melanie said sourly, before pushing past him and
stomping up the stairs.
Why does he keep catching me in my P.J.’s?
she
thought bitterly as she came to the top of the stairs.

She swung by her room to throw some clothes on. Tara was
still asleep, so she dressed quietly and tiptoed to the door, deciding not to
wake her. She would show Tara the car later. She closed the door behind her
with a soft click.

Walking down the hall to Jeremy’s door, she tapped lightly
and called out, “Jeremy? You awake?”

She waited a moment before trying the doorknob. It was
unlocked, so she cracked the door open and called out to him again. It was dark
inside the room. His windows had black-out shades and they were drawn tight.
She could just make out a lump under the covers in the light shining through
the doorway.

“Jeremy?” she called again, this time louder.

When he didn’t respond, she walked into the room slowly and
approached the bed. She gasped at the stench in the room. The scent of vomit
was thick in the air and her enhanced sense of smell made it exponentially
worse. She gagged before swallowing hard and getting the reflex under control.

He was lying on his stomach, one hand stretched out across
the bed, with the covers bunched around his waist. There was a trash can on the
floor next to him, the source of the offending odor. She shoved it away with
her toe and leaned over Jeremy to touch his shoulder.

She snatched her hand away quickly as soon as her fingertips
touched his skin. It was cold and clammy, damp with sweat. He moaned and
Melanie ran to the window and threw open the shades. The room filled with early
morning light and Jeremy moaned again, this time louder.

“Jeremy, what’s wrong? Wake up!” Melanie cried as she ran
back to his bedside.

“Mel?” Jeremy whispered weakly. “So cold. Feel sick.” He
slowly rolled over onto his back.

Melanie placed her hand gently on his forehead and fought
the urge to snatch it away again. He felt like a corpse. His face was pale and
his features were scrunched up into a grimace.

“I’ll go get Dad,” Melanie said urgently. “He’ll know what
to do.”

“Mel….water,” he choked out, grasping weakly for her hand.

Melanie found a half empty sports drink bottle on his
nightstand and opened it. She held it to his lips and gently poured a sip into
his mouth. Jeremy immediately starting coughing, spewing the liquid across his
chest.

“Jeremy,” she said miserably, setting the bottle back down,
“I’ll be right back. I promise. Just hold on.”

She kissed his forehead and ran for the door. She rushed to
the stairs and, taking them two at a time, dashed to bottom while screaming for
her parents. They walked through the front door and rushed forward when they
heard Melanie’s cries.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Elaine asked.

Melanie was breathing too hard to answer. She could feel
herself on the verge of hyperventilating. She put her hands on her knees and
lowered her head, trying to slow her breaths.

“Dad…Mom…Jere…my…”

Darren rubbed her back. “Is something wrong with Jeremy?” he
asked calmly.

Melanie nodded her head vigorously. Darren nodded at Elaine
to stay with Melanie and hurried up the stairs. When he reached the second
floor, Tara walked out of Melanie’s room, rubbing her eyes.

“Is everything okay, Mr. Wilkes? I thought I heard yelling.”

“Melanie’s downstairs.  I think she might need you,” he said
before pushing Jeremy’s partially ajar door open and walking inside.

Tara rushed to the stairs and saw Melanie walking up the
steps with her mom. Stopping, she asked, “What is it? What wrong, Mel?”

“It’s…Jeremy. He’s,” she paused to sniff loudly. “He’s
really sick.”

“Sick, how?”

“I don’t know, Tara, but it’s bad. I thought he was dead.”

“Oh my God, is he going to be okay?”

Melanie shrugged weakly. Tara pulled her in for a hug and
looked at Elaine over Melanie’s shoulder. Elaine shook her head at the question
in Tara’s eyes, mouthing the words “
I don’t know.”

“Let’s go wait in your room,” Tara said quietly to Melanie.

“I need to go back in there. I don’t want Jeremy to be
alone.”

“Mel,” Tara said firmly, “your dad is in there and you need
to give him space. He’ll come get you as soon as he knows anything.”

Melanie didn’t respond, but let Tara lead her back to her
bedroom. All she could do was wait.