Out foxed, p.20
Out Foxed, page 20
He felt helpless as he watched his brother’s eyes open and close, open and close. Each time took longer than the last.
“There is something I can do,” the female dyadthrope said.
She had been so quiet, he’d almost forgotten her; it was easily done, given how distracted he was.
Her eyes remained on Trace as she joined them, kneeling carefully beside Decker. She lifted a hand to touch his shoulder in a comforting manner.
“You will need to trust me if this is to work,” she said, her voice inexplicably soothing to his ears. “It is not a common practice anymore, and I have never tried it before.”
“What are you going to do, Awinita?” Henley peered at her curiously, her eyes filled with hope. “What can you do?”
“I can turn into many things, as you are aware.”
He nodded.
“And there is one such creature that I may be able to shift into, long enough to help. It is a creature I have only heard stories of, from my father and Mother. But if I can do it, I can save him. Will you allow me the chance?”
“I think it’s the only option we’ve got,” Decker said, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. Blood—Trace’s blood—smeared across his cheek as he sniffled.
“It may be the only way,” he agreed, giving her a nod. “What creature is capable of helping him?”
Awinita didn’t speak as she backed away from them on her knees.
She kept moving until her feet touched the water, and then she bowed her head.
He was astonished to see white feathers sprout from her brown skin; her head shrank as her neck became elongated, and within only seconds, a beautiful swan peered back at him with beady eyes.
“No way,” he said in disbelief. “A daughter of Yliana?”
“You mean, as in the swan goddess?” Decker stared at her in amazement, his brows furrowing. “Is that even legal? Can she do that?”
“Dyadthropes can do whatever they want, as far as I know,” he replied, his eyes remaining on her as she waddled towards the water.
“What’s so special about a swan?” Henley rested Trace’s feet against her shoulders and sighed.
“I don’t really know, but I think we’re about to find out.”
“She’s going into the water—I don’t think she’s concerned with Trace,” she said with a frown.
“Just...give her a minute, Henley. She said to trust her, and we need to give her that much.”
“I know, I’m sorry,” she closed her eyes and a tear slid down her cheek. “I’m sorry...I just...back there in that cave...”
His stomach twisted at the thought; he hadn’t even considered what she had been running from, and that’s when the lycanthrope’s words replayed in his mind.
“Gives me something to do while me boss fecks his new toy.”
Jawline tight, he stared at her with remorse.
“What did he do to you, Henley?”
Her eyes shimmered with tears for a moment, and she grasped one of Trace’s ankles far too tightly. She must’ve realized it though, because she quickly released it as she shifted her gaze to the ground.
“Nothing happened,” she finally spoke, her voice cracking. “I mean...something did, but it didn’t. I stopped it. It’s...it’s fine now,”—she shook her head quickly and blinked the tears away, finally meeting his gaze again—“It’s all going to be fine.”
Her demeanor changed, and in spite of everything happening around them, his worry shifted from the current situation; he could see a glimmer of light as it left her eyes, and it made a crack in his very soul.
What had happened in that cave? What had that bastard done to her?
‘He hurt her!’ His cat growled viciously, angrily. He said it with such fury it was unsettling.
His body shook with an emotion he couldn’t quite pinpoint, and his hand shot out to touch the side of her face.
She flinched, but the familiarity of his touch made her relax after a few seconds.
“Are you really fine?”
Her bottom lip quivered as her face skewed with pain.
“I...I will be, eventually,”—a small whimper escaped her—“Please...let’s just f-focus on Trace. He needs us more than I need to talk about this right now.”
He nodded in understanding, but before he lowered his hand from her face, he trailed his thumb over her trembling bottom lip.
“I love you, Henley. Whatever it is...just remember you’ve got me.”
“I know. I’m fine. I’m really okay right now. I just want him to be okay, too.”
His eyes moved back to Trace.
Blood trickled from the corner of his brother’s mouth, and he was struggling to take another breath.
He lifted a bloody, cold hand to weakly grasp his arm, his eyes, so dim, searching his own.
“You’re going to be okay, brother,” he said softly, willing his voice to remain strong. “There’s a plan. We’re going to fix this.”
“Are you sure we can?” Decker asked, allowing his tears to freely fall. “Can this be fixed, Rane?”
“I hope so.”
The swan dipped down beneath the surface of the water, wiggling her tail in the air.
None of them had a clue what she was up to, and if they did, they didn’t share it with him. But as he watched her resurface and make her way back towards them, the atmosphere around them seemed to change.
His body tingled with awareness of the situation, even though he himself did not understand it.
Glancing at Henley and Decker, he knew they could feel it, too.
She waddled back to them, water dripping from her beak as she shook her feathers out. A soft honk sounded from her as she maneuvered herself closer, carefully shifting back into her human form.
Despite the fact they were all naked save for Trace and Henley, he averted his gaze elsewhere.
“H-here. Put this on,” Henley said.
He waited a few seconds before looking back at her, and he was pleased to see she was wearing Henley’s top. That meant, however, that Henley now sat before him in only her bra, pants and shoes.
How horrible of a person did it make him that he was aroused at the sight, given the situation?
“I will need space,” Awinita announced, sinking to her knees beside him. “To do this.”
“What are you going to do?” Decker asked with wide eyes. “W-what’s going to happen?”
“I don’t know,” she admitted truthfully. “I know how it is supposed to work, but there is no guarantee it will work. I need you to understand that. I am not a daughter of Yliana. I am a daughter Adsila. I have bloomed to her expectations of me, and if it is her will, I will help your brother,”—she looked to Henley—“your friend,”—her eyes landed on Decker—“your heart.”
He swallowed his emotions back into place.
In the way of inspirational speeches, she’d just taken the cake.
Backing away to give her the space she requested, he reached for Henley’s hand and pulled her to his side. His arms immediately found their way around her, his lips brushing against her temple.
“I hope this works,” she said softly, burying her face against his chest. “I don’t want him to die.”
I’ve already lost so many people.
Decker joined them a few seconds later.
He sat down beside Henley and rested a hand upon her shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze.
“Henley...”
“You don’t have to say anything, Deck,” she said, lifting her head to peer at him. “I’m the one who needs to say a lot of things.”
“No, it’s okay,” he argued. “I should have been honest with you a long time ago, and for that, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I kept it from you. I’m sorry we didn’t just tell you the truth. I was just scared,”—he frowned and dropped his gaze to the ground—“I didn’t want you to hate me. Not for loving him...not for being...different.”
“I could never hate you, Decker.”
She pulled away from him to hug her best friend, and as they embraced one another, she began to cry.
He’d never seen a woman cry so hard before.
“I love you so much. You’re my best friend,”—her voice was muffled against his chest—“I’m sorry you felt like you couldn’t tell me the truth. I’m sorry if I made you feel like I wouldn’t accept you for who you really are. I want you and Trace to be happy...s-so happy.”
“I do, too,”—he squeezed his eyes shut and released a low breath—“I can’t lose him, Hens. I can’t live without him.”
It was hard to give the two of them the privacy they needed. The rushing waterfall did nothing to drowned out their conversation—it was a hopeless cause when it came to panthrope hearing.
Still, he did his best to focus on Awinita and Trace. He watched as she placed her hands upon his chest and closed her eyes.
She was in deep concentration, and as her mouth moved with silent words, he began to silently pray to his own creator; something he hadn’t done since he was a small cub.
‘Benek,’ he started hesitantly, bowing his head. ‘I’ve never asked you for anything before. I didn’t get angry with you when Elsie was murdered. I didn’t get angry with you when my parents were murdered. I had every right to be pissed off, but I refrained from it. I had to look after my brother and make sure he was okay. And damn it, he’s not okay now.’
He sniffed and blinked a few times, feeling the familiar sting of tears in the back of his throat. His nostrils burned from the emotions trying to bubble up inside.
‘Listen, I’m trying really hard to be strong here. I’ve always tried to be strong. But I need some help. My brother needs some help. I know he’s made mistakes and stupid decisions, but he doesn’t deserve this. He can’t go out like this...I won’t let him.’
He opened one eye to see Awinita’s progress, and felt slightly disappointed when he realized Trace wasn’t responding. In fact, he looked...no, he refused to believe it.
‘Please, Benek. Please don’t take him from me. I will do anything you ask...just save him, please.’
‘Please,’ his cat joined in tearfully. ‘Please save him, Benek.’
He was so lost in his prayer that he hadn’t noticed the dam had finally broken. It wasn’t until Henley’s arms surrounded him that he realized the sobs he’d been hearing were his own.
Years of heartache and loss escaped in the form of tears, rolling down his cheeks just as freely as the waterfall nearby.
The ache in his chest grew prominent; he felt like he couldn’t breathe as he fisted the grass and buried his face against one arm.
“It’s okay, Rane,” she cried, hugging him tightly. “It’s going to be okay. It has to be. I’m here. I’m here.”
He could feel the anguish trying to leave his body; his prayer continued, growing more fervent and desperate as the moments ticked by.
He feared what would happen if he looked at his brother again, and saw that his chest had indeed stopping moving.
He did not want to feel the agony that came with the severance of their familiar connection; the blood bond that was ripped away with death.
It was the single-most crippling experience he’d ever gone through when his parents died, and he was in no hurry to go through it again.
“Please save him, Benek,” he sobbed aloud. “Please save him. I’ll do anything. I’ll do anything...”
“I’m sorry.”
Upon hearing Awinita’s voice, his thoughts, prayers, and breathing ceased at once.
He lifted his head to see her standing before them, hands tightly clasped together.
The solemn look upon her face told him all he needed to know.
“He’s gone, isn’t he?” He asked hoarsely, feeling his heart lodge in his throat. “My brother’s gone.”
“I am so sorry,” she repeated. “I really thought it would work.”
“No!” Decker wailed. “No, it can’t be! No! Trace!”
The dyadthrope turned and walked away, leaving them to deal with their new reality.
A world without Trace wasn’t one he wanted to live in.
“This isn’t supposed to happen,” he said, stunned. “This...I was supposed to be able to stop it.”
Henley cupped his face then, and forced his gaze to hers.
“Some things can’t be changed, Rane. I’m so sorry.”
“It can’t be true, Henley. Please...we were supposed to stop this.”
Decker’s heartbreaking wails pierced the morning air, and it caused his cat to scream within his mind.
He could already feel his soul splitting apart.
What was he going to do now?
If he was incapable of saving Trace from his fate, how could he prevent Decker’s?
What if they—
Awinita’s gasp of surprise pulled him out of his grief, and he was instantly to his feet when he realized what was happening.
Her feet were inches above the ground, and the frozen look of horror upon her face would forever be burned in his memory.
She collapsed suddenly, and he knew she was dead.
The lycanthrope came into view then.
“It’s a pity ya pushed me to this point, foxy,” he growled as he lifted his hand up for them to see.
It was Awinita’s heart, and it was still beating.
“I quite liked my little dyadthrope, and look what you’ve made me do.”
He bit into it then, and it made an awful squelching sound.
“I had hoped to win her heart in a completely different way, but you just had to try and take her away from me. What a stupid girl you are, foxy.”
Henley’s quick intake of breath told him all he needed to know about this particular werewolf.
He was the one who had hurt his vixen.
The tears and sadness quickly fled, and was replaced with animalistic instinct.
“Rane, no. He’ll hurt you.”
The need to protect his own had never been so strong.
“Rane, please.”
As his claws burst through his fingertips, he could only see red.
“Rane...no!”
Without another thought, he lunged at him.
Chapter Nineteen
It had to be dream.
Trace couldn’t be dead.
Awinita couldn’t have just been murdered before her eyes.
Rane couldn’t be fighting with who had to be the most sadistic werewolf in existence.
She would have pinched herself—had she actually been capable of moving, but no, she sat there, stunned and frozen with fear.
It wasn’t fear of Phelan, but rather, fear of losing Rane.
Again, she reminded herself they survived this.
It was a harsh lesson learned that they could not change the future, but she had to find comfort in something—and right now, that comfort came in the form of knowing Rane would somehow survive his fight with the cruel werewolf known as Phelan.
Rane shifted within seconds, and his claws were aiming directly for Phelan’s face.
The werewolf left his human form just in the nick of time, unfortunately, and met him halfway.
They collided in mid-air, fangs bared and claws ready.
She had to look away as Phelan sank his teeth into Rane’s lower back, and she finally snapped out of whatever trance she was in.
‘I have to do something—anything,’ she thought, scrambling up from the ground. ‘Dad. I need to find my dad.’
As much as she wanted to help Rane with his fight, she knew she’d only make it worse. He was fast and strong; she was neither of those things.
She stopped beside Decker and peered down at him, her heart truly aching for him as he clung to Trace’s lifeless body.
“Decker...”
“I know. I know I need to let go, Henley. I just...I need some more time.”
“I know.” She knelt beside him and rubbed his back in a comforting manner. “Take all the time you need, Deck, but watch out for that wolf. He’s bad news.”
“I don’t care,” he admitted, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand. “He’s gone, Hens. He’s gone...”
If only she had some way of bringing him back.
If only Awinita’s plan had worked.
If only...
‘We have to find your father,’ her fox reminded. ‘Perhaps he can help.’
“I’ll be right back, Deck—watch out for that wolf, okay?”
He didn’t respond, and she couldn’t wait around for him to, either. She needed to find her dad: that was the whole point of this journey, wasn’t it?
Venturing back towards the thicket, a thought struck her.
Dimitri!
She had completely forgotten him in the midst of...well, everything.
Oh, I hope they didn’t hurt him.
She broke out into a full run, not caring that she was shirtless at the moment; the only thing she was worried about was finding her father, the other missing foxes, and that sweet little wolf.
“Dad! Dad, where are you?”
“Henley!”
He sounded so far away, but she knew it was him; no voice had ever sounded sweeter.
She inhaled deeply, his scent becoming stronger as she ran towards the sound of his voice.
He was still okay, as she knew he would be. Mother’s vision, so far, had come to fruition.
‘But Decker...’
Her fox’s sadness matched her own, for they both knew it to be truth: her best friend, her dearest friend, would die before this was over.
“I can’t think about it right now,” she said aloud, shoving tree branches out of her way. “I have to get to my dad.”
The sense of his anxiousness hit her then, and she knew she was close.
“Dad!”
“Henley, I’m here!”
And there he was.
As she entered another clearing, miles away from the waterfall, she spotted him.
He and the other missing foxes were bound together around one of the most massive trees she’d ever seen. They all appeared to be relatively unscathed, except for a few bruises from where those assholes had roughed them up.
“Daddy!”
She dropped to her knees before him, the biggest smile upon her face.
