(Sur)real

I opened my eyes to the light of the third morning away from Blake and shivered with fear. This was taking too long. I’d need to end it this afternoon. Any longer than that and the Others would demand more than I could afford to give.

“I think that’s the first true emotion you’ve shown,” Winifred said from somewhere in the room.

“Is that why you don’t trust me?” I asked as I sat up. “Because I hide my emotions?”

“It’s hard to trust someone who seems to be hiding so much.”

I nodded and eased out of bed. The Others were busy dancing around objects. A few clung to Winifred, like they did when someone was in pain or grieving.

“Why are you upset?” I asked. “Did something happen overnight?”

“Why would you think that?”

“The Others are fascinated with you right now. There are only a few times they do that. One is when a person is truly, emotionally upset.”

She considered me for a moment, her stillness reminding me of Blake whenever I’d upset him.

“The group we mentioned yesterday was attacked while you slept. Four Urbat. All dead. One of the group was hurt. A boy, barely a man by our standards. His leg was broken. The two little human children with them were the target. The Urbat want them so they can control Michelle and the Judgement that Bethi tells us needs to be made.”

My stomach churned.

“They didn’t get the children, did they?”

“No. They are unharmed. Michelle and Grey are working to find them somewhere safe to stay until we can reach them.”

“Blake never spoke to me of my sister when he kept her. But, like her, I sat through many dinners while they pretended I was as stupid as a piece of furniture. I heard what they did to her. How they used her brothers to control her. They can’t get them again.” I stood and shuffled toward my bag. By touch, I found what I needed to change clothes.

Turning toward Winifred, I said what needed to be said.

“No matter what, you cannot allow them to have her brothers.”

The Others spun faster as her shock, and likely outrage, settled in her heart.

“I’m sorry.” I closed myself into the bathroom and dressed quickly after washing. She stayed sitting in the same position, the walls not blocking my view of the Others and, thus, her.

Blindly, I reached out and touched the mirror I knew hung above the sink and stared at where my reflection should have been.

“I envy their ignorance,” I said softly. “And, I wish our existence wasn’t necessary.”

Daughter, I am with you always. Take comfort in knowing the time for Judgement is near, the Lady said from the other side.

I stepped back from the mirror and brushed my hair. When it fell straight and tangle free, I picked up my things and opened the door. I kept quiet as I repacked then went to sit on the edge of the bed, not facing Winifred, but not facing away either.

In the silence, I considered what the day had in store for me and let go of the fear and anxiety that wanted to well up. My future remained set. The fate of the world depended on it.

“Are you hungry?” Winifred asked, finally.

“Yes.”

“I’ll walk you to the breakfast bar downstairs.” She stood and offered me her hand. I took it. The gentle curve of her fingers brought on a swell of pity. For myself.

“I wish one of you would have found me,” I said honestly.

“I wish we would have, too.” She led me out the door.

“Who is ignorant?” she asked as we walked, echoing what I’d said in the bathroom. “Us or the humans?”

“All of you.”

“Of what are we ignorant?”

“Reality. But you won’t stay ignorant for long, and I am sorry for that.”

She remained quiet the rest of the way to the hotel lobby. The smell of toast and the sound of Bethi’s voice let me know when we arrived.

“Well, that was a wasted, shit-night,” Bethi said angrily. “Not a single useful dream. Just more death.” She slouched in her chair and tipped her head back toward the ceiling. “What the hell is the Lady waiting for? We made up our minds, didn’t we?”

“If there’s doubt in any of us, I don’t think we have made up our minds,” I said, still moving with Winifred.

“Here’s the breakfast bar,” Winifred said. She placed my hand on the counter. “I’ll help you fix a plate.”

“Thank you.”

“What do you mean?” Bethi asked. “You think one of us is doubting? Who?”

I shook my head slightly. “Doubt isn’t something you can threaten and make go away. We all have doubts. Winifred doubts my intentions. I doubt we’ll come to a decision quickly enough. You doubt the Judgement will give you a reprieve. Doubts are more natural than trust. But, that’s what we need to do. Trust ourselves, each other, and our decision.”

“You sound like a fortune cookie.”

I smiled slightly at the bitterness in her tone. We all carried a measure of anger. Bethi just hadn’t learned how to hide it yet.

“They have waffles, scrambled eggs, bacon, and muffins,” Winifred said in the quiet. “Which would you like?”

“All of them, please.” This would be the first meal I might actually eat in its entirety, and I planned to indulge myself.

I followed Winifred as she filled my plate and went to sit at Bethi and Luke’s table. Bethi seemed to be sullenly playing with the food on her plate. Luke watched her.

She needs you, the Lady said, her voice a whisper through the veil. Tell her the truth.

“It won’t be okay,” I said, facing Bethi.

She stopped her small movements and lifted her head.

“What?”

“This thing we need to do. It won’t be easy. It won’t be okay.”

“Is this supposed to be some kind of pep talk because if it is, you suck at it.”

“Not a pep talk. The truth. Yes, your life sucks, but it could be worse. Ge—”

A sudden jolt of anger pierced my mind.

“Blaaaake…” the Others stopped moving and moaned as one.

“Not yet,” I panted, focusing on keeping myself carefully emotionless. “Not yet.”

The Others’ movement picked up again in a frenzy that made me dizzy and wish that I could block them out by closing my eyes.

My time was almost up.

“Are you all right?” Bethi asked, her tone a toss between screw-you and concern.

“Yes. I’m saying we need to get over it and do what needs to be done,” I said, weakly. “Thank you for the food, Winifred, but I don’t think I can eat it. We’re running out of time and need to leave. Now.”

“Winifred!” a voice called urgently.

The echo from the hall made it hard to tell who it belonged to.

“There’s movement. Everything’s coming our way. We need to leave. Now,” the voice said.

Winifred turned toward me.

“What just happened?”

“The beginning of the end.” I turned to Bethi and set my hand on hers. “She wants me to remind you that you will get to relive five lifetimes full of love, family, and friends. You have Courage. Use it.”

Five. Not six. I understood too well I would have no happy ending.

I stood and went to the door. Within five minutes, I sat in the car with Isabelle, Carlos, and Grey.

“Winifred thought you might want this,” Isabelle said, passing back a banana and a water bottle.

“Thank you.”

The car moved, and I quickly ate. No one said much during the tense drive south until Isabelle turned in her seat.

“Everyone thinks you’re leading them to us,” she said.

“Isabelle,” Carlos warned.

“I think they’re wrong. The Elders with Gabby are communicating silently with Grey to give us directions to avoid the Urbat.”

“I know,” I said. “Blake spoke about the Elders ability to communicate with all werewolves.”

“You sent it, didn’t you?”

“Yes.” I didn’t pretend to misunderstand. That letter had cost me much to get to her.

“I thought you were warning me about them, werewolves, at first. I ran when I saw them. Why didn’t you say more?”

“I’m blind. Writing is hard.”

She laughed slightly and turned forward.

“Thanks for the warning. It did help,” she said.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For letting me know it was worth the price I paid to send it.”

I turned and looked out the window, watching the Others dance around the passing trees. After a few minutes, Isabelle reached out and turned on the radio at a low volume. For the next several hours, stories of werewolf sightings, captures, and fights filled the car. The state of the world made me shiver.

“That’s the first emotion I felt,” Isabelle said.

The reminder had me quickly focusing. Think, but don’t feel. I knew better.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. It wasn’t much,” she said.

“Why are you so closed off?” Grey asked, speaking for the first time. “Carlos explained about his sister and protecting her. What about you? Who are you protecting?”

“Myself. Will we be stopping soon?”

Another surge of anger pierced my mind. The Others stilled outside the car.

“Whoa,” Isabelle said. “What was that?”

“Not yet,” I whispered. I turned away from the window and breathed slowly.

“There’s coordinated Urbat movement again,” Grey said. “They were still moving toward Missoula, where we’d stayed. Now they’re moving south, toward us. What just happened?”

“My hold is slipping, and we’re running out of time. Has Bethi dreamed the answer yet?”

There was a moment of silence.

“Not yet. What hold?” he asked.

“If I told you, you might make a rash decision that would jeopardize everything. Bethi needs more time, and I’m trying to give it to her.”

“What exactly does that mean?” Isabelle asked.

“You’ll see soon enough. I’ll let you know when we need to stop.”

WINIFRED…

She says we’ll need to stop soon, Grey sent me.

Stop? That made no sense.

“How close are they, Gabby?” I asked.

“About thirty miles behind us. I’m not sure if they have our scent or if they just know we’re on this road.”

“Perhaps it’s time to detour. Is there anything close?”

Gabby looked down at my phone, using the map app and her extra sense to guide us.

“Logan, Utah would be ideal. We should get to the exit before they reach us. It’s out of the way through a mountain pass. If they aren’t following us, but guessing, they’d pass right by.”

“And if they aren’t guessing?”

“It’s a big city. We should be able to hide.”

“Do you really think she is leaking our location?” Bethi asked.

The switch in seating arrangement had been a necessary precaution.

“I hope not.”

How is Paul? I sent Jim.

In heaven, just like his brother and cubs. Michelle is the best for picking this place for them.

The place she’d selected was a high-end ski resort in the mountains just outside of Salt Lake. When Michelle had seen pine trees decorated with lights, an outdoor year-round heated pool, and suites fit for royalty, or a family who’d just lost everything, she hadn’t hesitated.

She doesn’t think they will look for you there. Everything else we’ve used has been cost efficient and low profile.

I don’t think they’ll look here either. How close are you? Will you meet us here or should we pull out and meet you in the city?

Stay where you are for now. We’re being followed by some Urbat and plan to stop in Logan, Utah to correct that. We’re only a few minutes from the turn off.

Stay safe.

“Text Michelle and let her know that her brothers are doing well and love the resort she picked for them,” I said to Gabby.

“Wish I was at a resort,” Bethi grumbled.

“We’re going five star when this is done,” Luke promised her.

She snorted. “I doubt it. You heard what she said. It won’t be okay.”

Luke sighed. I could smell his frustration and annoyance. I knew neither were at Bethi. That was the other reason I’d put Olivia with Grey. Bethi had enough of her own negativity. She didn’t need Olivia adding to it.

“It will be what it will be, Bethi. You’re not facing this alone,” I reminded her.

She sighed, and Luke grunted.

“She’s out again,” he said. “I hope this ghost lady gives her the damn answer soon. I’m going crazy seeing her like this.”

“We’ll take care of her, Luke.”

“Take the next exit, Sam,” Gabby said.

Sam turned on his signal. The scent of his worry mingled with Luke’s. He glanced in the mirror at Gabby.

I wanted to offer him some comfort, but couldn’t. I knew what she meant to him. She was the daughter he’d wanted the first time he’d looked at me. A daughter he was never meant to have.

OLIVIA…

The vehicle veered slightly to the left. I hoped that meant we were stopping soon. Each passing minute tingled along my skin. Like a clock ticking down, I could feel the final hour drawing to a close. So few minutes left.

When the car increased speed, and I could feel the tilt in the road and hear the engine work, I began to worry. This wasn’t an ideal location to stop, but the Others and my hold wouldn’t last any longer.

“We need to pull over,” I said.

“It won’t be safe,” Grey said. “We need to go further.”

“It won’t be safe if you don’t stop. Please.”

“If we stop here, the Urbat following us will see us. According to Gabby, there are—”

Another stab of anger speared my mind. Isabelle swore, and I reached for the door and fought to push it open against the wind. Carlos braked hard and swerved to the side.

Before the car came to a stop, I fell to my knees on the snowy shoulder. My heart hammered as I ripped the oversized sweater off and pulled it to my chest, leaving my back exposed.

“Now,” I told them. “And, take your payment quickly.”

I tried to bury the fear, but I knew what was coming. Pain flayed the skin on my back, from shoulder blade to lower rib on my right, along my spine, and shoulder blade to lower rib on my left. I could feel flesh separate as the Others ripped three long, thin strips of skin from me. I screamed at the white-hot agony, though I didn’t want to, and fell forward into the snow, a shivering heap.

Outrage and fear consumed me.

Vaguely, I heard one of the men yell something and car doors open. Hands pressed snow onto my back, numbing some pain but creating more. Through my tears, I watched the Others dance away with my skin and disappear into their side of the veil.

“Olivia!” Isabelle’s face got right in mine. “Olivia, what just happened? It looked like something invisible just ripped off your skin and disappeared with it.”

‘Charlene has the strength to lead us.” My words were a stuttering slur. “Bethi has the wisdom to guide us. Isabelle’s serenity, and Michelle’s prosperity keep us safe. And, Gabby is the hope that brings us together.” I gulped in a breath of air as the hand on my back pressed more snow onto the wounds.

‘I have the courage to be the sacrifice. Courage to do what I must to save not just one race, but all of them.” I breathed through the pain. “Blake will now know where we are.”

“How?”

The pain made me drift and remember that moment in the garage. The moment I did as the Lady told me and asked Blake to pick me up. I remembered him grunting in disbelief before he did as I’d asked. My little hands had settled on the shoulder of his suit jacket as he started walking out of the parking garage.

“Now, bite him,” she had said.

I’d tensed, knowing what she’d asked was wrong. Children shouldn’t bite.

“He won’t be angry. I promise.”

Leaning my head against his shoulder, I’d put my arms around his neck and held him tightly.

“Good girl,” he’d said.

Trembling, I’d opened my mouth and bit him hard. He’d grunted and stopped walking. He’d pulled me away from him and held me out to stare at me. For a long time, he’d said nothing. I remembered the rush of emotions spinning through my head, though. Feelings I hadn’t understood at the time. Anger and lust had battled with suspicion until an overwhelming sense of resolution had filled me.

“That was probably for the best. I’ll be able to keep you safer this way. Come on. Time to take you to the pack.”

I inhaled shakily and focused on the present and the current emotions swirling in my head. I hadn’t shielded him from the pain. He’d felt it. Felt my agony. And he continued to rage and fear for me. I was his tool. He couldn’t afford to lose me, too, like he had the rest.

“Blake will know because of me. I Claimed him. He can sense me. There will be no hiding from him now. Tell Bethi to hurry.”

I closed my eyes and let the black take me.