I didn't know what to think. Liam bit me. Was I going to be a werewolf?
Being a necromancer was enough trouble. And I didn't think that being a werewolf was going to make it any easier for me. I really, really, really didn't want to be a werewolf. Why did this have to happen?
Why?!
My life was ruined, broken into so many pieces that couldn't be put back together. Normal was such a distant word now, abundant in my life that was before, non- existent in my current life. Were-wolf necromancer. Cool in movies, terrifying in reality.
The bite was burning, spreading to every inch of my body like wildfire. I withered in pain, cursing.
Why?
Derek was still sitting beside me. His arm was around me, pulling me closer to his warm body. My tears stained his tried to calm me as he stroked my hair softly and whispered, "I'm sorry." over and over again. Two small words could say so much. It wasn't his fault. It was wrong for him to apologize. He had nothing to do with Liam biting me.
"It's not your fault…" I whispered to him.
"Yes it is, I could've stopped him, I could've done something," His voice was thick. I looked up into his eyes. "It's not Derek, it's ok."
My throat went dry again, looking into his glittering eyes. He put his hand on my cheek, big enough to cover my entire face.
"I'm so sorry." he whispered.
He looked away, lost in thought. After a few moments, he stood up, taking me up with him.
"Maybe we can wash the saliva away. The changes might not be so…. drastic."
He didn't sound too sure, but I was willing to try anything to make it better.
"I saw a stream when Ramon and I-"
"Ramon?" he spat the name. "What were-?"
"No Derek, its not like that. He helped me find you. He wasn't a part of this, he just wanted to help."
"Where is he?" he asked quickly.
"He-" I gulped," Liam killed him"
"Oh,"
A moment of silence.
"Where's the stream?" Derek said.
"In the forest. It's about a 15 minute walk-"
"Lets go then. We can take care of your other injuries after."
I didn't ask what he meant by 'taking care of my other injuries'. How were we going to do that in a deserted area? I decided to leave that question for later.
As we walked, I thought about Mom. I hadn't really thought about her since my "temporary death", too much happened in one night. I missed her. I hadn't missed her or thought about her much for ten years, and now I did. But I would do what she told me. I kept to that. Be a big girl, she said. I smiled at how childish it sounded.
"What are you smiling at?" Derek asked, that crooked smile on his face. I hadn't noticed that he had been watching me.
Should I tell him? It was easy to talk to Derek, I told him about my problems in necromancy at least. But I guessed that I might need to talk to someone about it anyway. This was gonna kill me for years.
I looked at him and smiled, "My Mom."
He looked confused. "Is she here?"
"No, she passed over, but I got to see her for a bit."
He still looked confused. So I explained what happened when Liam "killed" me.
"Liam killed you?" He asked, horrorstruck.
"Not exactly, I was at the edge, and my mom came and helped me back before… before it was too late."
He just looked at me, not finding the right words. "I-"
"I'm fine, I just… never missed her like this before."
He didn't say anything for a while. We just walked in silence. The stream shouldn't far now.
"The stream should be somewhere here." I said.
We walked not more than a hundred yards, and my eyes settled onto the stream. It sparkled under the moonlight, more beautiful than anything I've seen in a long while.
We kneeled down and he took my arm very carefully. He dipped it into the water, and I felt the burning cool down. Then he wiped the blood off everywhere else, making sure he didn't leave anything behind.
"I'm really glad you didn't die, Chloe. I don't know what I would've done if you did." he said softly.
And there they were, the words he was trying to find the whole walk. I smiled at him, trying to find something to say.
"And I'm glad you're ok too." I said.
He smiled at me again, and took my hand. He traced his hand up my arm to that it rested right about my bite. "Does it feel any better?" he asked anxiously.
"It feels a lot better, thanks." It did. The burning was gone, but I still felt the fire everywhere else. I tried to ignore it.
"I just hope it helps." He laid back on the grass, "You know, It might not the best, but being a werewolf is not all bad."
I laughed, trying to ease the pain, mental and physical. "Yeah, the necro-werewolf. Pretty cool, huh. Might add that to my career application. Could bring me up a bit, I could star in a horror film. No need for special effects."
He chuckled,"Yeah… but I thought you wanted to be a director?"
"Well, from the point where I'm standing, I don't think I would ever be either."
It was silent for a moment. I was glad I was with Derek. I wouldn't rather be stuck with anyone else. I haven't known him for long, but it was as if he was there my entire life.
Wait, Simon and Tori. Where were they? Are they okay?
"Derek, w-what happened with Simon and T-Tori?" Fear returned. I doubt it ever left.
"Andrew took them to the main quarters in Rochester to decide what to do with them. Liam told him you were dead, and he said it didn't matter. But why would Andrew do this? Dad trusted him."
"Right now we need to find Simon and Tori. We can deal with Andrew later. I grabbed my bag before I left so I have about $200."
"We can use the van, it's abandoned, and we have the key."
I looked at him. His eyes were glittering. He still had a fever.
"But you're sick…"
"I'm fine. Changing wasn't as painful as last time. The fever should cool down in a few hours."
"We can rest until then-"
"No, we are going to hospital to stitch your cuts, get something to eat and leave to Rochester."
Hospital? That wasn't necessary, and what if they tracked us down?
"Derek we can't go to the hospital. I still have a reward in me remember? If we get caught-"
"We'll leave before anything else happens. You got cut up real bad when Liam…. My point is that your hurt worse than you think. Look."
He pulled me toward the stream and I looked into the shining water. I gasped.
I had a huge cut above my forehead, and my chin was badly bruised. Ow.
"I see your point." I thought about it for a little. "Fine, but one sign of suspicion and we are out of there."
We went back to the driveway and got into the car. Derek got a map from the back of the van and brought up front so I could see too.
"There," he pointed," There's a hospital there. Looks like a 20 minute drive."
We buckled in and drove.
We goofed off and joked for the most of the way, which was a nice change from all the pain I felt tonight. But at some moments, we just looked at each other, smiling, until he started to steer away from the road, the cars would beep and we'd laugh like madmen.
The feeling was indescribable, something good. Something so deep and profound, but I felt like it stood out plainly in my face, and I couldn't read it.
We arrived and parked in the farthest, darkest end of the lot.
We went in the emergency department and the doctor took us in. I made up a story about falling over a log when we were hiking not too far from here while she was stitching the cut on my head. The doctor bought it, and he moved to my arm.
"That looks pretty nasty. Cut up your arm pretty bad when you feel, eh? I'll just get some iodine…" . She walked toward the cabinet, and I saw Derek. He looked worried. I mouthed to him that it was okay, but he just nodded stiffly.
The doctor came back and cleaned my bite. Then she stitched it up and bandaged it. "Ooo, looks like you had some stitches before." She pointed to the other pair of stitches. "Clumsy girl you are." she smiled at me,"Well, it looks pretty much healed, so I could take them out now, just need to get the stuff I need from storage so I can fix your friend here too." She smiled at me again and walked out the door.
"We need to get out of here before they identify us." Derek said in a little more than a whisper. He went to the cabinet and got Advil.
"What's that for?"
"You might feel some pain if your werewolf powers start to kick in."
I nodded, not liking the idea of that.
"What about your injuries?"
"I'll heal quick, but now we need to get out of here." He looked serious, and I didn't push it on him anymore.
I nodded without hesitation and got off the bed.
Derek and I went through the way we came, and, thank god, no one stopped us.
We walked to the van, buckled in and drove away.
