The Wind beneath My Wings

Chapter Twelve

Previously: Gene stood up and easily made it over to the lamp that sat on a table next to the kitchen opening and, taking off the top of the lamp, lit the wick and replaced the top. He then looked at Heath, not surprised by the shocked looked that had leaped onto Heath's face as his eyes widened.

Heath couldn't believe what he was seeing and, as hard as he tried, all he could get to come out of his mouth was "Gene".

~oOo~

Heath rode behind Dawn and Eugene, who were traveling up a somewhat steep dirt path that ran up the side of a hill, one with trees that dotted the landscape. Heath was still trying to wrap his mind around what his eyes were seeing…and what Gene had told him the before.

"Heath?" Gene asked as his blonde haired brother looked as if he might pass out.

"I'm fine." Heath held onto the arms of the chair he was sitting in and steadied himself. He blinked his eyes, just to make sure he wasn't seeing things; he wasn't. Eugene not only had wings on his back, ones that Heath could barely see from where he sat, but he was dressed in what seemed to be dark green military pants, and his shoes had been replaced by dark brown boots. He wore no shirt which made it so Heath could see the hair his brother now had growing on his chest, even if it was light and not very thick. Also Eugene's his ears… If Heath wasn't seeing things, Eugene's ears were moving-twisting and turning-as if they were trying to decide what shape they wished to be. Heath again looked upon the pants his brother wore. Heath was sure they weren't exactly used in the military; well, none that he knew of, but that's what came to his mind. His brother's eyes had also changed color and he seemed to have grown an inch or two. "What happened?"

"Some in her world can, and do, take mortal men for husband or lovers. That is, after hiding their wings, but her people cannot. I'm…I'm in the process of being changed. In time, the wings on my back will be as large, if not larger, than Dawn's. I don't know how short or tall I'll be…I grew three inches this morning, but went down an inch this afternoon. In fact, physically, I might change beyond recognition." Eugene wasn't the least bit surprised when Heath's eyes widened even more. However, before he had a chance to say anything, Dawn walked out of the bedroom and into the living room. She looked more than nervous.

"How could you allow this? How am I going to explain this one to the family?" Heath raised his voice as he stood up; he couldn't help himself. Keeping Nick's secret had almost killed him in a way; he'd never be able to stay silent over this one…and he still didn't want to own a room in an insane asylum.

"One of us had to be changed in order for us to be together." She looked at Eugene with love and admiration, still amazed he had stated that he would never want her to desert any of 'her' animals, and that he'd reinforced that he could help care for the ones who might be sick…and that he'd leave all he had. "It was his choice." Dawn, who had been looking down, lifted her head and straightened up. "He loves me, and I love him. Will you help us? Gene admits that he doesn't know much of the area past this place you call a lodge."

"What about the family?" Heath sat back down, still staring at Eugene.

A fleeting look of sadness passed over Eugene's eyes as he answered, "Trust us; as I said, that problem will be taken care of."

Dawn glanced over her shoulder and mentally shook her head. No one had to tell her the turmoil Heath Barkley was in; she could see it in his eyes…even if he had what Eugene called a 'Poker face' on. She had always had the gift of being able to see into a person's soul as it were. It was one reason that-as much as it had shocked her-she had been able to accept that Eugene loved her. For…once she took time to look into him, really look that is; she could see his love crystal clear. She then turned face forward and looked at Eugene's wings…which had begun to grow again-causing him to lean forward slightly. That action caused her mind to turn back to when she had finished telling Eugene everything.

"Are you able to do that; change me that is, with your powers being the way they are?" Gene asked once she was through talking.

"Yes, I can still feel the capacity inside of me. But, Gene, you have to be one hundred percent sure. Like I said, there's no going back, and it will be extremely painful." As much as Dawn wanted the two of them to be together, she didn't want Gene to do anything that he would regret later.

"Do what you have to." Gene smiled lovingly upon her as he took off his shirt and turned his back to her.

Dawn had hesitated and then, slowly, lifted her hands up and laid them on his bare skin. At that moment she was grateful no one but she and Eugene were in the lodge, and that no one was outside as-try as he might not too-Gene found himself jerking his shoulders backwards, thrusting his chest forward and letting out a scream loud enough to wake the dead as her fingernails grew and dug themselves deep into his flesh, sending a special type of liquid into him. However, as far as Gene was concerned, it felt like both fire and ice were running through every nerve and sinew in his body.

"I'll do my best to make sure you never regret this, Eugene Barkley." She whispered.

While she whispered the words Eugene, whose hearing had increased drastically as his ears changed, smiled wide. Even though a portion of his heart ached for his family, he vowed to do his best by Dawn also.

~oO~

"It is time." Ella walked up to Starr, who once again stood on the cliff roughly four feet from the edge, keeping his eyes on the distant horizon. "Your sister is trying to get back, but…" she hesitated knowing how protective Starr was of the family. "She has a mate with her; he is still changing and cannot fly yet. However, for some reason-Dawn only has partial use of her powers. This puts them in a bad situation, even if they do have his brother traveling with them. They will need your help soon. Go find them."

Starr whipped around, shock on his face. "SHE ONLY HAS WHAT AND, SHE HAS HER WHAT WITH HER!"

"Lower your voice." Ella glared at him. "And, you heard me. I will not repeat myself. Now, go find them and help them!"

"If you know all that, why not just tell me where they are at?" The moment Starr asked the question, he knew the answer. It was his gift to find people, not hers. "Never mind, don't answer that. I'll be back as soon as I can." He turned away from his mother, muttered that his sister better have found a mate worthy of her, and then ran straight for the edge of the cliff. However, just before he would have fallen off Starr was up in the air and flying away from his mother.