Chapter 16

Read, review, and tell me what you think. I've tried to take on board all the comments everyone's made over the past couple of weeks. Sorry updates have remained sporadic. School work has been surprisingly lengthy and complex giving me less and less time free. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.

Wraith lay in bed, curled on her side with the duvet pulled protectively around her. Her eyes were unfocused, not taking in what they were facing; her mind running over the events of the day, trying to come to conclusions on what had happened and what would happen in the future. A twig scraped against her window and she jerked out of her reverie. Logically she knew that it was a twig, something utterly harmless, and yet, there was always the childish, primitive fear that made her duck her head lower, out of sight, and wait for the daylight, and safety to come again.

Muffled sounds coming from the room next door reminded her of Lakh's presence. After a few awkward moments she had suggested he sleep in her father's room in the room next to hers. She had seen the hurt look that came across his face when she had said it and felt guilt suffuse her body. Sighing she flipped onto her other side and tried to get comfortable but her mind simply would not rest. The night before was...hard to explain. They had simply lain in each others arms, such a simple act, nothing more, and yet, it had been filled with such tenderness and meaning, like a silent promise. Still, after the moment had passed she was left in turmoil once again.

A tear trickled down her cheek and she wiped it away furiously, annoyed at the pathetic response to her own self pity. She just wanted everything to be clean cut again. It was so difficult to decide what was right and wrong. For her own piece of mind she tried to convince herself what she had done was right. Although knowing full well Lakh was the other part of her soul, who she was destined to be with, she barely knew him. It was ridiculous rushing into a relationship; they had all the time in the world. As a cold draught swept across her back she was instantly reminded of the warm, comforting feeling of being held by the one she loved. Lie. She didn't feel she was rushing into anything. Her body and mind mourned every time he was distanced from her.

Her father would return from his trip tomorrow. That would herald the start of a whole new series of complexities. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, but she couldn't tell her father about Lakh's true identity; it was just too dangerous. She had no way whatsoever of being able to predict how he would respond. One thing's for sure though, she doubted without the help of the same special connection and mental insight she'd had he would be as accepting of the new ideas as she was. He would probably call the police, and then send her to a psychiatric institution. She loved her father, but she could easily imagine him waving to her from the door step, tears streaming down his face while she was carried away, sedated.

When they had arrived home after a blissfully simple day at school they had discussed the new arrangements that would have to be set in place. Lakh had immediately phoned up his superiors and, after an exceedingly odd conversation that seemed to involve a lot of frustrated demands and responses, and even some cryptic comments about mugs and packages, they told him he'd be officially enlisted in the school by the morning. Hanging up the phone she had watched him carefully turn off the phone and then wearily run a hand through his hair in what she'd noticed was a familiar habit for him. Over the short time they had known each other she had learnt much about him. One fact was that he detested the bureaucracy involved in his job. He had been doing what he thought was right for millennia without having to report to anyone. Suddenly having to explain his every action to someone else, being second guessed, and ordered what to do, was not a change that came easily to him.

Reaching out she ran her knuckles lightly over the bottom of his jaw in an effort to sooth his nerves and comfort her; the rough scrape of his developing stubble was ever familiar and enforced the ever present link between them. Lifting his eyes he had smiled at her and slid his arms around her waist to slowly pull her into his lap. Nestling her head against his chest she had reminded him of the imminent return of her father. When he groaned and bashed his head against the wall her head whipped back up and she became fully alert.

'What are you doing? Stop over reacting, it's not the end of the world.' When he didn't seem particularly inclined to respond she had continued on in her tirade, knowing he was listening. 'He leaves in the morning half an hour before I do, and returns half an hour afterwards. Between those two times you are free to assume whatever form you want. However,' she began, knowing this was not going to go down well, 'although I know how much you dislike it, you're going to have to pretend to be my dog again when he is home. He won't believe you have simply disappeared, and I seriously doubt you want to explain to him who you really are and your reason for being here.' She took his snort as a positive reply and leant forward to look at his face.

The rest of his stay here was not going to be easy and he knew it. Having to change back and forth between dog and animal was very tiring and it totally sapped him of his strength. Normally this wouldn't have bothered him very much but he was very aware of the part of this mission that had been outlined very clearly. His main objective was to protect this girl. His soulmate. She was his responsibility, and in all honesty he would rather die than see any harm come to her. His regular weekly battle with head quarters over the phone had been as frustrating as always. They refused time and again to let him do what he wanted and give him the freedom he required. When doing something complicated it took all your attention, there was no time, and no inclination on his part to deduct from that in order to explain exactly what was happening at the time to someone who didn't really need to know anyway. Fighting to maintain a calm composure for Ally he lifted his head and softly addressed her.

'If that's what you want, then that's what we'll do. My senses are more powerful as a dog at any rate I suppose. I'll stay with you during the day at school in the human form, and then change when we arrive back here. If at any time you wish to communicate with me, simply talk to me normally and I can respond using telepathy no matter what my form. I'll sleep on this sofa so you'll always know where I am if you ever need anything.' When he saw some of the tension leave her face he sighed a breath of relief and then retired to his temporary room to catch up on some well needed sleep to prepare for the next day at school. Technically, dragons didn't need to sleep, but for some reason he had always preferred to. As with humans, it seemed to help focus his mind, and relieve some of the stresses that accumulated during the course of the day. Propping the door open before he entered fully he pulled back the sheets and slumped down onto the bed. His muscles relaxing with a sigh of relief he kept one part of his mind constantly alert in case of any danger and began the gradual descent to slumber.

Hearing the click of his light go out Ally desperately tried to fall asleep. Her eyes were carefully closed and muscles relaxed but nothing seemed to work. Her mind would simply not shut down. Going back over the day her thoughts returned to one thing that had been puzzling her. The new girl. She had seemed very nice, and Ally had become convinced they would become friends, but she hadn't failed to notice there was something distinctly...odd, about her. She couldn't think about what it was exactly. Her appearance didn't ring any particular alarm bells. Her hair, features, clothes and accent were all relatively standard and American, even if she was rather pretty. She didn't know what other subjects she was taking, so it wasn't that either. It wasn't how she spoke exactly, but perhaps, what she said. She had a rather old fashioned way of forming her sentences and didn't seem particularly inclined towards swearing or teenage slang. Generally that would just mean a very strict, upper class upbringing, which her appearance would support. However, there was something about the way she moved. She almost walked with the swagger of a street fighter, someone confident of their physical strength, and prowess, which, one look at her slender physique denied. Rolling over again her thoughts began to ease. She was just a rich snob like all the others. Maybe she'd turn out nice, maybe she wouldn't, it really didn't matter to her.

~

Wraith jerked upright, drenched in sweat. The memory of her dreams made her shudder. During the day she managed to block out her past, but during the night, it came back to haunt her. Knowing there was no way she was getting back so sleep now she carefully eased back the covers and walked to the open space in the middle of the room. Reaching under a floor board her heads felt around for a few moments until she unearthed a long, double edged sword. Long and antiquated it looked ornamental more than anything else, but she knew its carefully concealed power all to well. Standing with her feet braced shoulder width apart she began the slow, sweeping movements that began the repetitive pattern. As night faded to day she kept up the relentless practice. Sometimes fast, sometimes slow. Her nightclothes were clinging to her body, her feet slipping on the boards with the sweat dripping off them, but she refused to stop. Her mind was more powerful than her body. One day, she would prove to them all how powerful she was. One day she would finally earn their respect.