Chapter Thirteen

She woke with a smile on her lips. Her body stretched out; it was the first clue she had that everything wasn’t as it should be. Slowly her fingers clenched. Her muscles throbbed, and her tendons were so tight that she was scared for herself.

Her head turned just a little so she could see out of her narrowed eyes. Where was Lucca? He said he would never leave her, but she was alone.

“Hits you in your gut when you find out you were lied to. He was only in it for the sex. Hit it and quit it, and you fell for it. I’d feel sorry for you, but you're dying soon.”

Ignore him, she whispered to herself; that's not Lucca. She sat up it was no use pretending she was sleep. It was the tug of a shirt that made her head drop to look at her body.

“You were naked; I took the privilege of dressing you. I hope that doesn’t bother you, I enjoyed it. Too bad you weren’t awake for it.”

Her head turned searching the room. There was only a shadow, but it deliberately ran its tongue over its lips showing large teeth.

She clutched her stomach trying not to lose the last meal she ate.

It doesn’t matter if you were tricked, or if it was involuntary, you survived and that’s what matters.

Lucca’s voice calmed her down. Where are you? I need you.

“He brought you to me. Told me that he was done with you. Maybe you should cuss him before you die.”

“Thanks for the clothes.” She slowly stood allowing her body to center and her mind to take in the atmosphere around her. There was no light except the moon that cast a spooky shine over the landscape. The trees allowed their branches to sweep the ground like fingers searching for something living to grasp. She shivered before her eyes focused on the half shadow half flesh of the grotesque creature in front of her.

“I don’t like to kick ass when I’m naked.”

He laughed making her shiver more. The trees howled, and the wind whipped her with sharp claws that cut into her skin. She lifted a hand to control the wind. Instead, it tossed her towards the nearest tree that stuck its branches out to catch her. The stick-like fingers came for her. Her heart beat faster in her chest as she tried to catch her breath, fear flooded her system trying to overwhelm her.

She turned her body in the opposite direction rolling out of the way as the fingers of the tree flicked over her clothes unable to gain a grip on her.

“You’re just prolonging the inevitable.”

“Wait! Don’t you dare leave. What is happening?”

“Look the little female who looks like a child thinks she has the right to ask questions. You gave up that right long ago.”

The body of the creature in front of her grew until it towered over her. It took a step toward her. The drool that came from its mouth acted like acid as it burned the ground around her. Her hands flew to her ears as the ground cried out in pain.

“When they came to you asking you to be the daughter of the Earth, you should have turned them down!” His voice filled the air around her making the wind twist in terror.

“Instead, you said yes. How dare you try to act like you care about the Earth, and now you will pay the price. This is mine. If I destroy it so be it. Not you or anyone else will take care of what belongs to me. I’ve spent year's sowing the seeds of destruction, and you wake up to destroy my plans? Hell no! Go back to ignoring your responsibilities.”

“You’re the one trying to kill me.” Her voice shook with fear as she placed her hand on her abdomen.

“You’re so human and so clueless. I’m not the one. I simply don’t like that you’re trying to undo the damage I’ve created.” He reached out grabbing her around her neck. “I can’t kill you, but the trees aren’t tied the way I am.”

He threw her to them. This time they didn’t miss. He disappeared like he was never there. This was going to hurt. The first branch the struck her body went straight through the area of her abdomen that was bleeding. She screamed even as she was trying to break free. The tree held her tight as the branches of the other trees reached for her.

Her body welcomed the pain and the death that would soon follow. It wasn’t in her to give up, to take death lying down. She whispered to the wind the only thing that ever responded to her words. It would laugh with her and comfort her at night. Now she called it to her; it flitted through her fingers gaining strength even as another branch went through her body. Soon it surrounded her, with a ragged sigh, she set it free.

The destruction of a storm was rolling across the land missing the rain that it usually bonded with. The howl of the wind brought the trees up short they began to move away from her. The one that held her dropped her to the ground. She pulled herself away from the scene of horror with her fingertips digging into the ground dragging her away. She watched as the wind uprooted the trees and threw them around or caught them up in the spiral of its strength.

Her hands were over her head protecting herself from the Earth screaming its fury.

When everything calmed down, she lifted up to look around. She dropped her head; this was the first time she ever commanded a part of the earth to cause destruction. Images of the wind out of control rolled through her mind, and a tear fell.

She was as capable of destruction as the next person. It was a humbling experience. Pushing all thoughts from her head, she stood and began to drag her body through the chaos that surrounded her. How could she face the consequences of what she was seeing and feeling? You’re not alone she told herself, her body was swaying as she walked through the destruction.

Putting blinders on, she kept walking. If she looked at what was going on around her, she would fall to her knees and cry forever. Whatever made her think she was anything but human? It was so easy to listen to those that whispered into her ear telling her lies that at times she ate up because she needed the lie to relieve the pain inside.

She walked until her feet bled, and then she laughed, hadn’t she done this already?

The landscape changed she was standing on a sliver of land with nothing but an ocean spread out in front of her. Turning around she faced nothing but a solid wall. The tide flowed in and out was getting closer to her each time it came in. Already she was wet, and soon it would flow over her taking her down until she couldn’t breathe any longer. It felt anticlimactic to her after all she had gone through.

She held her breath as a wave crashed over her taking her deep into the ocean in front of her. Why did Lucca leave? She would never know. She drifted off with that pain in her heart.

“Breathe, menace.”

He came back for her in her dreams. She wouldn’t die alone.

“I said breathe.”

There was a fire in her ass like she had just been smacked. The breath she was holding exploded out. Water was filling her lungs, and she started thrashing around.

“You’re fine, baby. I swear you’re fine.” Strong arms held her calming down her thrashing. Sweet air filled her lungs.

“Lucca?” She looked up into concerned blue eyes. “What happened, you left me? I was all alone.”

“I went to make you something to eat.” She looked over to see a tray sitting on the couch.

“I don’t know what happened.” She buried her head on his chest as she shook the memory was still so real. “Was it just a dream?”

“No.” He rocked her.

He shook, and it calmed her down. He was concerned about her.

“You didn’t leave me.” It was slowly settling in. A dream, how could she dream something so realistic, was she losing it?

His hand was stroking down her back until she finally calmed down. He turned her over and stripped the bloody bandage from her abdomen. The wound that was seeping a little was now bleeding harder. She raised her eyes to look at him.

“I can’t explain the world, but there are times when we’re not even safe in our sleep.”

“How?”

“Fear. It’s strong and has the ability to control us. Many die from it because they spend their lives running from it.”

“I don’t want that for my life.”

“Then we’ll overcome it together. Were you scared of what was happening?” She closed her head and shook it no. “But you were scared?”

“Yeah, now I know it was a stupid fear.”

“Are you going to tell me?”

“I… I thought you left me. Stupid I know.”

“Menace, I didn’t lie. I won’t ever leave you. If I’m not there something or someone is trying to keep me away, but I’m coming.” He went to the bathroom and came back with a warm cloth to wash her wound. Her hand came up to cover his. He leaned over and kissed her.

“How could I ever leave your side after soaring with you last night?”

She could feel herself preening with the compliment he just paid her.

He brought her one of his tees and watched as she put in on. It looked like a dress on her.

“Argh.” She grabbed a scarf and tied it around her waist.

“You look good.” He winked at her before taking her hand and leading her downstairs.

“The food.”

“Is cold. I’ll make you something when we get downstairs.”

“The creature in my dreams wasn’t the one trying to officially kill me. He wanted me dead because I protect the Earth. Does that make sense to you?”

“Whatever is coming after you is old. There’s a war being raged right under the noses of the humans as well as the created. Good and evil battling for who will control the Earth. One side wants to preserve it. They believe that the planet and the beings on it are worth saving. The other side is hell-bent on destruction. The sooner the Earth goes up in a flare of fire the better.

“Some believe that you have the ability to influence the galaxy. To make a change that will significantly affect how the universe will mature. Other's laugh at this and say you’re a young species no one would listen to you even if you had access to the galaxy. You’re in the midst of prophecy. That alone is enough for some to call out for your blood. Then there’s the fact that your Earth protects the doorway of the unknown galaxy. As long as this planet orbits the sun, they will never be able to enter. Any of those reasons or all of them is enough to get you destroyed.”

“Yeah for humans, we’re so special.”

“You are. The one I care about is here in my arms.”

He bent down and kissed her. She knew that she would fight any creature for a chance to kiss him.