Chapter 17
***JACKSON***
Jackson waited patiently as the rage-filled dragon slowly got to its feet, aware of the evil seeping out of its body and almost feeling sorry for Diego, who had clearly been corrupted a long time ago.
The fire in his eyes was evidence enough, but he sensed the loss of humanity in the next breath and knew that he might have to kill to get the creature to back off.
He was well within his rights to do so; Diego had threatened something he loved, and the shifter code allowed him to take his life if he chose.
Weeks of anger and frustration began to build inside him as he watched Diego brace himself for another attack, planning to use every gift he’d been given to defend both himself and Abby.
He was ready when Diego charged at him, beak open, a scream of blood lust filling the air, but he was smarter and sent the other dragon tumbling to the ground with a well-placed swipe of his wings as he rose into the air.
Hovering a few feet above the other creature, he gathered his strength, then dove at him, going for the sensitive flesh of his neck with his powerful beak while his powerful talons dug into the flesh of his chest. Diego let out a howl of pain and tried to knock him off, but he held on, thinking of the frightened look on Abby’s face when she’d seen her locker.
He used Abby’s fear to fuel his magic, the lust for blood filling him as the other dragon fought to get free.
Then he looked up and saw Abby staring at them from a little alcove in the building across the grass.
Reality began to slowly seep back into him, and after tightening his grip a little more, he began to release the pressure on Diego’s neck.
As much as he would have liked to kill the other shifter, that would create problems, problems he might not be able to deal with.
He’d already risked too much shifting out in the open on campus, exposing himself further could be a disaster, and leaving behind a body wasn’t an option.
When he finally released Diego, he jumped to his feet, poised to attack again, then seemed to change his mind and in another heartbeat was hobbling away from him.
He turned to find Abby staring at him eyes wide, her entire body trembling and he hesitated for a second, afraid that he would scare her more, but then to his surprise, she crawled out of the alcove.
She started toward him on trembling legs, but the sound of voices drifted to him on the wind, and he knew he had to shift back before someone saw him.
Letting his magic drain away, he felt his body begin to tingle, then only a second later, he was back in his human form.
Abby gasped and stumbled, nearly going down into the grass, but he rushed over to her and pulled her into his arms, afraid that she was going to pull away from him.
Instead, she leaned into him, sucking in deep breaths, then buried her face in his chest and wrapped her arms around him.
She held on tightly for a long time, then looked up at him, her face white as a sheet. “You…I saw…didn’t I…it wasn’t my imagination,” she stammered. “Did you really…I didn’t hit my head or something…it was real…wasn’t it?”
Before he could say anything, Abby’s eyes rolled into the back of her head, she let out a long sigh, and then her entire body went limp.
Scooping her up into his arms with a muttered curse, he looked around the deserted courtyard, then started for the fraternity house.
He knew that she’d just fainted, but worry made it difficult to breath.
He’d clearly shocked her, and he could understand why.
If he’d just told her sooner, it never would have happened.
After wrestling with the guilt all the way back to the house, he found it deserted and paused in the entryway, wondering where to take Abby.
It was beginning to worry him that she hadn’t woken up; he was afraid that the shock had been too much for her already overwhelmed system.
As he carried her up to the attic, he reminded himself that she was one of the toughest women he knew.
She just needed a break from everything coming at her, she’d come out of it soon.
After gently laying her down on the bed, he took her shoes off, then tucked her under the blankets, smoothed the hair back from her face, and prepared to wait.
Dragging a chair up to the bed, he sat down and took her hand, hoping the connection would help bring her around.
The minutes ticked by and Abby still didn’t move, but he was encouraged by the color slowly returning to her face and her even breathing.
Just as he was beginning to wonder if he should do something to wake her, Abby’s eyelids began to flutter, and she twitched a couple of times.
A low moan came from deep in her chest, and then she went still again.
He held his breath, hoping that she would open her eyes and tell him that everything was okay.
A few seconds later, she groaned again, then slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him. “Hey,” he said, smiling at her. “How are you feeling?”
“A little confused, my head is all fuzzy,” she said, trying to sit up, then fell back on the pillows. “What happened?”
“You don’t remember?” he asked, afraid she’d blocked everything that happened that afternoon.
***Abby***
Abby stared at Jackson for a few seconds, then closed her eyes, unable to block the feeling that something important had happened, something that would change her life forever.
The memory was elusive, though, and she started getting frustrated.
Opening her eyes again, she looked around the little apartment, then noticed the blood and dirt on her hands.
Suddenly, it came back to her, the explosion, the screams as the bleachers collapsed, the blood, the moans and cries for help.
“Oh, the stadium, all those people…” she trailed off, then realized there was more.
She saw them walking through campus, felt the fall sunshine on her shoulders, and felt the comfort of Jackson’s touch.
Then, her mind filled with visions of monsters and dragons fighting right there on campus.
At first, she thought it was a dream, but then she looked over at Jackson and saw the truth glimmering in his eyes.
“It wasn’t a bad dream,” she whispered. “It really happened.”
“I’m sorry, Abby,” Jackson finally said. “I was going to tell you, I really was, but…”
“That’s what you wanted to talk to me about,” she said, shaking her head. “You wanted to tell me you’re…”
“A shifter,” Jackson finished for her. “I know this is probably really confusing. I don’t know how to make it easier, I never wanted you to find out this way.”
“You…and Diego…” she said, struggling to accept what she’d seen, waiting for the fear and panic to take over, but when she looked at Jackson, all she felt was awe and curiosity. “How is this possible? How can you do that? Why did you look so much different than Diego?”
A look of relief appeared on Jackson’s face, and he let out a long sigh. “I guess you have a few questions,” he said, visibly relaxing. “Are you sure that you’re up to it right now?”
“No, but I need to know,” she said. “I think it’s the only way I won’t freak out.”
“I may not have all the answers you want, but I’ll give it my best shot,” he said. “How about I make us a cup of tea and we can talk, unless you’d like to take a shower first?”
She looked down at herself and realized that she was not only filthy, but there was a distinct smell coming from her clothes. “That bad, huh,” she said, managing a smile. “I guess a shower might be a good idea.”
“Do you need me to help you?” Jackson asked, then she saw two distinct spots of color appear on his cheeks. “Not in the shower, that’s not what I meant, I just meant getting out of bed.”
She smiled at him. “I think I’ll be okay on my own,” she said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. “I’m not going to pass out again, I’m sorry about that, I just…”
“It was a pretty normal response to everything that happened. There’s nothing to apologize about, Abby,” he said. “You’re taking this better than I thought you would…I mean, most people…well, I guess you’re not most people, are you?”
She shook her head, then got to her feet, surprised to find her legs were steadier than she expected. “No, I’m not most people,” she said. “Life is full of a lot of mysteries. This is just one that I didn’t expect.”
“You go take that shower, and then we’ll have a long talk,” Jackson said. “I might zip downstairs and shower myself, but I promise I’ll be right back.”
Jackson left as soon as she closed the bathroom door.
Her head still reeling, she stripped out of her ruined clothes, threw them in the trash, and then turned on the water as hot as it would go.
She stood under the spray for a long time, letting the water wash away the filth, her brain still reeling with the new knowledge that there was more out there than she could see.
When she was finally clean, she got out of the shower and quickly dried off, suddenly anxious to hear what Jackson had to say.
When she stepped out of the bathroom, he was already making them tea, and she watched him for a second, trying to come to terms with what she now knew.
Jackson didn’t look any different; the way she felt when she was close to him hadn’t changed, and now she wondered if that feeling of warmth he wouldn’t explain to her had something to do with him being a shifter.
“Do you feel better?” Jackson asked when he saw her standing in the doorway. “I’ve got the tea all ready. Do you want to sit in here, or would you like to go out on the roof?”
“The roof might be nice, I could use some fresh air,” she said, taking the mug he held out. “Just let me grab a blanket in case it gets chilly.”
“I’ll get it, you go on out,” he said. “I’ll be right behind you.”
When she crawled through the window, she was surprised to find that the sun was just going down.
It felt like two days had passed since the football game.
Jackson appeared only a few seconds later, a blanket draped over his shoulder, a look of uncertainty on his face.
She felt bad for him, knowing that the conversation they were about to have wasn’t going to be easy for him.
After spreading the blanket on the roof, he held his hand out in an invitation to join him.
She didn’t hesitate to take it, and then let him help her down onto the rough shingles.
He sat down next to her, close enough that she could feel his body heat and smell his unique scent, and she involuntarily let out a little sigh of pleasure.
When she looked over at him, the overwhelming feeling that nothing would ever be the same again after they talked washed over her. For a second, she began to feel anxious, but then Jackson gave her a shaky smile, and the tension drained away.
“I’ve never done this before,” he said, letting out a long sigh. “I’m not sure where to start.”
“Well, I’ve always heard the beginning is the best place to start,” she said, scooting closer to him. “There’s nothing to be nervous about, Jackson. I’ve already seen what you can do, I just want to understand how you do it.”