(Un)bidden (17 page)

When the men finished, they left their bowls by the sink and drifted outside.  Mary, Ann, and I started to clean up.  It was the first moment since I’d arrived that reminded me not just of home but of my mom, and I felt a pang of homesickness.

I wondered what my mom and dad thought of me.  Did Mom still worry?  Did she hope for a call?  I wanted so badly to call them, just to hear their voices.

“Are you all right, Charlene?” Ann asked quietly.

“Yes.  Fine.”  Thoughts of the past should stay in the past.  “I’m going to step outside for a bit.”

I left them to finish drying the dishes.

The tall trees muted the glow of the setting sun, casting the clearing into an early dusk.  Only a few men lingered in the yard.  Thomas spoke quietly to two of them.  Grey, Henry, and Paul were absent, and Gregory was just walking into the building with the tools.

I moved away from the door and slowly walked toward the pile of metal.  I breathed deeply in an effort to let go of my concerns for my parents.  I was here, now.  I needed to worry about these people and our future.

A heavy mass hit me, knocking me to the side.  Instinctively, I stuck out my hands to brace myself against the fall as the weight brought me down.  Time slowed as I watched the dried grass rush toward me.  My right hand touched the ground first, and my wrist twanged painfully.  I wasn’t fully able to extend my left arm in time, so it buckled as soon as my fingers touched the grass.  My elbow smacked the hard surface.  I scrunched my eyes and turned my head a second before my face hit.  The stitches in my neck pulled at the same time the rough turf abraded my right cheek.

Before I could wonder why I was on the ground or draw a breath, a hand fisted in my hair and pulled back.  My face lifted from the ground.  Snarls, yips, and growls surrounded me.  Legs and paws flashed by my dazed gaze.

The backward movement of my head suddenly changed, yanking hard to the right.  I involuntarily cried out in pain as the move stretched my healing neck too far.  The power of the wrench forced me to roll to my side, and I finally saw why I was on the ground.

Wolves and men battled in the yard and more poured from the trees.  Thomas grappled with the man right beside me.  The man’s hand still had strands of blonde hair between his fingers.  My hair.  Thomas’ teeth were no longer human, but long and lethal. He strove to bite the other man who was also shifting forms.

A yip nearby distracted me.  I turned in time to see one wolf with its teeth sunk into the throat of another.  Blood poured to the ground.  Though I couldn’t tell from which, I could guess.  The bitten wolf yipped again as it continued its weak thrashing.  How could they do this to each other?

“Charlene!” Mary cried.  I turned and saw her in the doorway.  Ann stood just behind her.  The fear in her eyes and the hold around her large stomach was too much.

Angry, I pulled myself to my feet.  In the span of just a few days, I’d been re-bitten, hospitalized, bullied, bitten again—twice, and now knocked to the ground.  Anger didn’t touch what I felt.

“Enough.”  My voice boomed in the clearing, as unnatural as what happened next.

They stilled.  Every one of them.  I blinked, confused before I sensed why.  Like Winifred had done, I’d managed to split my will.  Each branch reached out to every man, woman, and wolf.  It didn’t touch their heads, though.  It struck their hearts.

Then, I saw their eyes.  The fear there.  The suspicion.  I took a deep breath.  “Forget this moment, and the need to fight as soon as I release you,” I thought at them.  Then, I let go.

A sudden wave of nausea knocked me to my knees.  I threw up on the ground and gagged again when the smell of bile and stew hit me.  I raised my head and looked at the bleeding wolf.  Its shallow pant barely lifted its chest.

“Are you okay?” Mary said.  She helped me to my feet, and I wiped my mouth with the back of my shaking hand.

I looked around at everyone.  They all watched me but no longer fought.  I found Thomas next to the man who’d attacked me.

“Why?” I asked the man.

“You have no right to come here and force us to live like humans,” he said with obvious disgust.

“You’re correct.  I have no right to force you to do anything.  You’re free to choose to live as you wish.  However, I will continue to change things in these buildings that no one has used for years.  And if there are any who wish to change how they live, they are welcome to join me.

The man glared at me.

“You have no right to this land.”

“Do you own it?” I asked, feeling a hint of worry.

“No.”

“Do you know who owns it?” I asked him.  When he didn’t answer, I looked at Thomas.

“Technically, Winifred owns it.  It’s why she left and has a job.  She pays the...mortgage.”

The way Thomas spoke slowly told me that he was communicating with Winifred.  My heart plummeted and panic set in.  I hadn’t thought of that when I’d manipulated their wills.  Had one of them said something to Winifred in the seconds before they forgot?

“And does Winifred mind if I make changes?” I asked.

“She doesn’t think you’re making changes; you’re making improvements.”  He tilted his head and studied me.  “Why are you worried?”

“It’s nothing to think about now,” I said.  I addressed the man again.  “So what did you hope to accomplish by attacking me?”

“A dead woman can’t change a thing.”

The way he said it gave me chills.  Thomas’ eyes narrowed on the man, and I could see the man had just given Thomas a reason to continue the fight.  I stepped forward, raised my hand to set on Thomas’ arm, and cringed at the soreness in my wrist.

He wrapped my hand in his and brought my fingers to his lips.  The gesture surprised me, and my pulse leapt.  His lips lifted in a hint of a knowing smile.

“Winifred suggests you go inside with Ann and Mary,” he said, still holding my hand.

“I’d prefer to stay out here so no one else gets hurt,” I said looking at the wolf still on the ground.

“He’s not one of ours,” Thomas said.

“Really?  He’s not a werewolf but a regular wolf?  The fur in your ears is making you deaf.”  He grunted in surprise, but I didn’t give him a chance to speak.  “Stop thinking so narrowly.  You can’t just protect your small pack.  Think bigger.”

He kissed my hand once more, then let me go with a nudge toward the door.  “Your neck is bleeding again.  Let Mary take a look at it.  I’ll look at our fallen.”

“Fine.  The door stays open, though.”

He grinned at me and crossed his arms, the gesture conveying his patience rather than any stubbornness.  I gave him a last, long look then walked toward the wolf that was on the ground.  It growled at me as I knelt near it.

I tapped it with my will to silence it at the same time I spoke.  “I was bitten in the neck, too.  It hurts.  If you can stand and come inside, Mary and I will clean you up and get you something to eat.  It’s up to you, though.”  I gently patted its side then stood and walked in.

Mary had the alcohol ready.  With a sigh, I sat in the chair.

“How are the stitches?” I asked after she studied me for a moment.

“It looks like the top stitches might have torn a little.”  She dabbed at the wound.  “It’s barely bleeding.  Your face looks worse.”

My face looked worse?  I’d been bitten how many times now?  My neck had over a dozen puncture holes and several tears.  Since there weren’t mirrors here, I hadn’t seen it; yet I could imagine how it looked.  My wrist ached, as did my elbow.  I had fading bruises from the last attack and was missing hair from this one.

And my face looked worse?

I giggled; and as soon as I did, I couldn’t stop.  Laughter bubbled from me.  It wasn’t a pretty, feminine giggle.  It was brash and edged with hysteria.  My empty stomach ached as I bent over in my ill-hilarity.  Tears streamed down my cheeks, and my laughs started to sound more like sobs.  Maybe it was the stress of my existence since Penny had tried to expose me, maybe it was being knocked to the ground—yet again—by a werewolf, maybe it was the fear that my scary abilities would cause me problems, even here.  Whatever it was, I was falling apart and didn’t know how to pull myself back together.

Arms wrapped around me.  My world spun as someone lifted me.  I buried my face against a shirtless chest and hoped whatever this was wouldn’t result in another form of abuse.  I’d never felt so unwanted in my life, not even when Penny tried to rat me out at school.  That thought switched the mad laughter to full out tears.

I cried until I couldn’t, until my already sore throat clogged and snot filled my nose.  And whoever had me, held me through it all.

As I calmed, I became aware we moved slightly, a small side-to-side motion.  A chin rested on my head and hands smoothed down my back.  I reached up and wiped my eyes then turned my head a bit so I could see better.

We were in my room, sitting on my bed.  The setting sun painted one of the walls bright orange.  I pulled back, and the chin lifted from the top of my head.

In the fading light, I stared at Thomas, his face close to mine.  I saw the brown flecks in his deep blue eyes and studied his short, thick dark lashes.  I realized everything about him seemed dark despite his pale skin.  But, he didn’t feel menacing.  His gaze held concern, and it made my eyes water again.  I’d manipulated this strong man’s mind, and he didn’t even know it.  Guilt ate at me.  My breath hitched in a typical post-cry rhythm.

He leaned to the side, grabbed a scrap cloth from the pile in my dresser, and handed it to me.  I settled back against his chest and blew my nose.

“I’m sorry.”  My words were broken and full of remorse.

“Don’t be,” he said gently.  “Take all the time you want.  I’ll hold you for as long as you’ll let me.”

His arms didn’t tighten.  His hold didn’t change at all.  Yet, his words changed it in my mind.  My breathing slowed; and leaning against his chest, I listened to the steady beat of his heart.  My stomach somersaulted.

I lifted my head again.  He was waiting for it.  Our gazes met.  Slowly, he moved forward, giving me time to pull away.  I didn’t.  His lips brushed mine, a brief soft touch.  Our second kiss.  This one scared me just as much because I wanted to wrap my arms around his neck and lean into the kiss.

He withdrew and watched me.

“Tell me what you need,” he said.

My heart skipped a beat as a single thought raced forward.  A home.  A place to belong.  But I didn’t say it.

“Nothing.  I’m better now.  Thank you.”  I straightened away from him and stood.  He caught my hand when I would have stepped away.

“Mary wants to start sleeping closer to Gregory, but she’s worried about leaving you in this room alone.  And, now, I worry Mary isn’t enough.”

I stared down at him.  His dark brown hair looked like it needed a brushing.  Maybe a washing, too.  I wanted to reach out and smooth it back from his forehead, just to touch it.  Instead, I forced myself to consider what he said.  I’d known it would only be a matter of time before Mary left me.  However, it seemed so soon.  But it wasn’t.  Not really.  Not when you considered that Gregory would have happily Claimed her at their first meeting.  They would have been sleeping together for a long while already.

“Will you trust me to stay in here with you?  To protect you?”

His open and sincere expression stopped me from immediately saying no.  The idea of sleeping alone wasn’t pleasant.  Since my third attack, I had trouble sleeping most nights, wondering who would next creep into my room.  Though I could protect myself, I wasn’t always fast enough...or aware.  And the idea of using my abilities like that again felt too wrong.  Somehow, I knew it was meant as a last resort, and if I chose to ignore that internal warning...I shivered and didn’t let my thoughts dwell on the unknown.

Now, with this most recent attack, I wondered if I’d sleep at all even with Mary or Thomas in my room.  I glanced out the window.  The vibrant orange was fading into a deep red.

“How do I know I’ll be any safer with you?” I asked.

“I would never hurt you,” he said.  His sincerity reflected in his gaze.  I shook my head at him, pointed at his mark on my neck, and said nothing.  He heaved a sigh.  “Never again.”

He steadily held my gaze and my hand.  I knew he meant every word, just as I recognized the impossibility of his vow.

“There are so many ways to hurt a person, Thomas.  Don’t ever promise someone you’ll never hurt them because you will.”  I withdrew my hand from his.  “I don’t want to be the reason Mary isn’t happy.  You can stay.  Thank you for the offer.”

Thomas looked toward the door.

“Come in, Mary.”

She opened the door.  The lamp she held in one hand lit her anxious expression.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

“I’m fine.  I’m sorry for my outburst.  I’m not sure why...well, it’s done, now.  I heard you’re ready to share a room with Gregory.  Did you want help moving your things?”

Instead of smiling as I expected, she frowned and glanced at Thomas.

“I don’t mind staying in here with you,” she said when she met my gaze again.

I stepped forward and gave her a hug.  “I know you don’t mind.  But Gregory makes you so happy.  Why wouldn’t you want to spend more time with him?”