The Crescent (19 page)

She stared at me. “There isn’t. Michael and I already discussed what we would do if we couldn’t find you in time. We thought of taking Brandon to other packs, trying to find a way to mate him again. We never found anyone that could help us. That is when we all agreed we wouldn’t stop until we found you.” Emile looked at me with hope in her eyes. “Now that we’ve found you…” She swallowed as more tears formed in her eyes. “All we need is to bring Brandon home.” Emile ran her finger down the crease in her skirt again. “I know this is hard to believe since your surrogate parents didn’t prepare you. But the quicker we catch you up to speed, the easier your transformation will be for you. Plus you’ll have Brandon to help you through. His knowledge and support will be invaluable.”

She pressed the back of her hand to my forehead and then my cheek. “You are still warm.” She went into the kitchen. “Michael, maybe we should call a healer for her.”

He responded. “How do you expect us to get a healer down here from Oregon?”

“We need to find one here.” Emile looked back at me and then stepped out of sight into the kitchen. But I could still hear her whispering. “If something happens to her, I’ll never forgive myself for not calling on a healer.” Desperation filled her voice and her words wavered. She would do anything to get me transformed to save her son. She couldn’t bother with what is best for me, when her son’s life was at stake.

I felt my cell phone vibrating in my pocket. I pulled it out and dreaded the decision instantly. It was my house number. My mother or father was home and probably wondering where I was. I answered it quietly and slipped down the hallway to the bathroom.

“Lacey? Where are you honey?”

I hesitated, panic and queasiness building in my stomach. “Sorry mom. One of the guys from band called. His dog is sick so I came to help him. I’m on my way now.”

“Do you need us to come get you? Are you feeling any better?”

“No mom, I’ll be on my way soon.”

“Ok dear. I love you.” Mom sounded as if nothing was wrong other than her concern for me.

I walked back into the living room; Emile was still trying to convince Michael to call a healer for me. “But if she dies, Brandon dies.”

“She’s not going to die as long as we keep her here and control her change.” Michael said as low as he could, but they didn’t realize how close I was standing to the kitchen doorway. The heat radiating from my body was boiling my brain and all my other organs. Sweat was forming on the back of my neck and in my palms. I turned quietly from the kitchen, picked up my bag and slipped out the front door. I wrangled with my bike to get it out of the bushes and jumped on it peddling as fast as I could towards my house.

All the way home my skin felt like it was being ripped away from my muscles. I didn’t want to look back for fear that Trevor, Matt and Lily would be standing on the sidewalk, but also joined by Emile and Michael. I couldn’t help Brandon; at this point I had no idea how to help myself. Emile and Lily were so certain that I was supposed to be with Brandon, but how could I turn away from everything I’ve ever known.

I composed myself for a few moments in the garage. Wondering what my parents would say to me when I walked in the door; anticipating if my mother believed my story. Dad was in front of the TV watching football when I came through the door. The smell of my mother’s meatloaf wafting from the kitchen; it made my stomach churn.

“Hey kid!” Dad barely looked away from the TV.

“Hey how are you feeling?” Mom poked her head from the kitchen followed by Aunt Jamie.

“Hey- is your friend’s dog ok? Do you need me to go over there?” She offered.

“No. It turned out to be nothing. The dog was throwing up. He just got into some bad lunchmeat.” I was digging myself a hole and it felt like the dirt was about to fall in around me. “You know, I’m not feeling so good. I’m going up to my room to lie down again.”

Mom and Aunt both stared at me intently, making me doubt that either of them really believed my story. “Are you sure you don’t want to eat?”

“No. I’m not hungry.” I responded as I slowly climbed the stairs, eavesdropping as I went.

My Aunt whispered, “Do you notice how much weight she’s lost?”

“Yeah, Jack brought it up this week. He thinks she’s just trying to get in shape because of Alex.” Their voices trailed off into the kitchen. Hopefully they thought my absence was because of Alex too.

I tossed my bag onto my chair and flung myself on the bed. “Why did you leave?” Lily walked out of the shadows of my bathroom. I jumped and almost screamed. Her eyes were red from crying and trails of tears streaked down her cheeks.

“Lily, I can’t do this. I can’t hurt my family. I have seen Brandon only two times and I’m not even sure that one of those times was real.”

“Lacey, you are his mate. When he came home after meeting you he was so excited, you should have seen him. He held your hand less than five minutes and he was glowing. When he is with us he never stops talking about you. Brandon loves you more than anything else in this world. He would give his LIFE for you.” She hesitated lowering her voice. “You can’t tell him that you don’t want to change. I’m terrified that he will let himself die to give you what you want because you are more important to him than his own safety.”

“Lily, I’m trying to do what is right. I need to talk to Brandon.”

She grabbed my hand roughly and turns my palm over holding it close to her face. “The minute you see him, your hand will throb, your heart will pound out of your chest, and you won’t be able to breathe. Why do you think you can’t eat and you’re not sleeping right now? It’s because you’ve been away from him too long. Your body isn’t fighting the change; it’s fighting you being away from him.”

“Lily, you are just a child.” I jerked my hand away from her.

Lily wrinkled her forehead pulling her eyes together towards her nose. “You are selfish.” She practically yelled at me, but in a muted, child way.

“Lily, you just don’t understand. There are things I can’t do anything about. This is my home, my family.” I could hear dad’s heavy footsteps on the stairs.

Lily lowered her voice to a growl. “You will start to learn that home is where ever Brandon is. Where ever you make it... with him”

“Lacey?” Dad knocked at the bedroom door distracting me from the tense standoff between Lily and I.

“Yeah Dad?” I looked over at the door and watched as he surveyed my room. I followed his eyes back to my bathroom. Lily was gone.

“Is everything ok? Who were you talking to?” His eyes landed squarely back on mine.

“I forgot that Grant wasn’t here anymore.” I sheepishly smiled. That was the lamest excuse ever.

“Are you sure you’re feeling ok?” Dad raised his eyebrow.

“I’m sorry dad. I just still don’t feel good.” I covered my forehead with my hand, it still felt like I was on fire.

Dad stepped closer to me and studied my face. “Should we call a doctor for you?” He placed his hand over my forehead. “I’m going to have your mom bring you up some cold towels. You have a fever.” I seriously doubted cold towels would help. I couldn’t tell him that I had already tried that.

“I know dad.” I brushed his hand away. “I’m going to take a cool bath.”

Dad kissed my forehead. I started breathing easier when he backed out of my room.

I looked all over my bathroom and bedroom for Lily. She was gone. I splashed cool water on my face and stared at my palm. I wish the moon were still there, I wish I still felt that connection with Brandon. I thought of the first day he touched me, his passionate kiss in the nurse’s office and the dreams of him being near me. Being near Emile and Lily made me focus on the addictive, romantic, perfect dreams of Brandon; not the nightmares I had of him lately. I needed the perfect dreams to come back to me.

I couldn’t explain why but that need was the only reason I almost believed what Lily and Emile had told me.

I lay down in bed tossing my grandmother’s blanket onto the chair and curling up with my sheets. I closed my eyes tightly and forced images of Brandon to the front of my mind trying to will the dreams to come. I pressed out every other image except my favorite dream of waking up next to him with the sun beaming through the windows, the love and want he held for me in his eyes. I replayed that image over and over again until I drifted off to sleep.

Don’t leave me alone in this bed… not tonight… not tomorrow…
I woke to Framing Hanley smoothly playing from the speakers in my room. Brandon’s hands felt as soft as an angel’s as he traced my collarbone; his lips brushed against my bare shoulder. Brandon’s face was sunken in and his skin was ghostly pale.
I need you.
He whispered and pressed his lips firmly to my shoulder. Feelings I couldn’t explain or even understand overtook me.
They’re not lying to you. I swear.

“Brandon…” I rolled onto my side to face him wanting to soak up every minute I had with him even though I knew this wasn’t real. “My mark is gone.” I held up my hand to show him; I was disappointed and ashamed. But I knew it was my own fault that it was gone.

I know babe. Matt and Trevor will find me. I’m weak. I need you to believe.
He whispered and let out a slight breath.
You can’t be around Alex anymore. If you do, our bond will be completely broken; we are too close to your transformation.

“Brandon, I’m scared. Are they going to kill you?”

They are going to try.

Chills rushed though my body. I couldn’t see either of my parents killing anyone, but I’m sure there were others that would. “What can I do?”

I need you to go back to mom and dad. I need them to keep you safe until I’m with you again. You have to believe in us.

“What about my parents?” I asked him as he traced my palm with his finger as if he was trying to will my mark back to the surface. I wished he could; I wished I could.

They are going to hurt me… hurt you, if you let them.

“Lacey?” I turned to look at the door to my room. A sliver of light crept in from the hallway.

“Yeah?” I closed my hand around his, only to find my pillow under my fingertips. Brandon was gone again.

“Who are you talking to?” My mother reached in and turned on my bedroom light.

TWENTY

ONE

I wish Brandon being in my room wasn’t a dream. Unfortunately, the mark on my hand was just as faded as it was before. If he could’ve willed it to the surface, maybe I could believe our bond was real.
They will hurt me.
Brandon whispered just before mom woke me.

I watched as my parent’s went along merrily in their Sunday morning routine reading each section of the paper and browsing through the advertisements. It was hard to believe there was any turmoil behind their façade.

I took two bites of my toast and slid my plate away. I couldn’t stand to look at the food and my skin was still burning.

“What are you going to do while we run errands? Jillian called last night and said they were going to the beach.” Mom didn’t look up from the sale ads.

“I think I’m going to lie back down.” My skin felt clammy and I was sweating again.

“You don’t want to go with your friends? She said Alex was asking about you.”

“No, I don’t want to go anywhere.” I had a different plan for my day. If I could get back to sleep, maybe I could bring Brandon to me again.

“If you are still sick tomorrow, I’m calling the doctor.” Mom replied sternly.

I nodded in agreement. Hearing a doctor tell me I had a cold would be better than hearing a stranger tell me that my soul mate was being ripped away from me, and my body was dying from it. “Ok mom.” I cleared my plate and headed back up to my room. My parents started to talk before I got all the way up the stairs. I didn’t want to waste anytime getting back to Brandon. But I stopped when my dad said-

“You know she’s not sick.” Dad’s voice was harsh. “Alex couldn’t seal the deal and now she is suffering.”

“Her birthday isn’t for two months. There is no way that she is already starting her transformation.” Mom replied; her words rang in my ears. I felt my eyes growing wider and covered my mouth with my hands to stop a cry from escaping my lips. I steadied myself sitting on the top step. My birthday was weeks away, not months; but they didn’t know that.

“I don’t want her to lose her mate either, but he is not right for her. It’s up to us to protect her.” Dad lowered his voice. “We can’t let her transform. You know what happens if she does.”

“There has to be a way she can transform and be mated to someone else. Maybe we should tell her what we are, what she is.” A few dishes clanked in the sink and a chair scraped against the tile floor. “Maybe it’s time.” Both of them walked around the kitchen. I stood as quietly as I could and ducked out of sight from the stairwell so they wouldn’t catch me eavesdropping. I stooped just inside the door of my bedroom and left the door cracked. Controlling my breathing was difficult as my heart raced; my thoughts focused on hearing what they were saying.

“Maybe we should call Sophie now. Something is wrong. We must make sure they still have Brandon.”
They know about Brandon.
They both walked into the living room. I could hear mom coming up the stairs. I panicked and rushed to my bathroom, pretending to be looking for a towel when she came around the corner.

“Honey, we are going to the store. We’ll be back in awhile.” She put her arms around me. “Call if you need anything.” It amazed me that she could be so calm knowing they have Brandon and my future depended on him.

I remember meeting Sophie the night of Alex’s party. If they had Brandon, maybe they were holding him at the condo. Every inch of my body hurt as I pulled the bike out of the garage. My parent’s said I couldn’t transform and Brandon was my soul mate. I had to tell Emile where Brandon could be, if they were telling the truth, I would die without him. I didn’t have time to second-guess my decision or let doubt and pain deter me.