The Rising Moon (24 page)

“
Lia honey, are you awake?”

My left boot dropped to floor as I stared at who I believed to be John. I recognized his voice---but his face.
Oh God, his face
.

He took off his hat and stepped closer.

His once sun kissed face was pale and scarred with a patchwork of jagged scars. The right side of his lip hung low revealing teeth and gums.

“
John!” I cried out. “I’m so sorry for what happened to you.”

“
I’m fine, honey,” he said. “Soon the scars will heal and I will be the same good looking guy I was before.” He cracked a smile. But I didn’t smile back.

I ran my fingers along the side of his face. I wanted to believe his face would one day look the same as before, but by the depth of the scars I really doubted it. There was no way John could have recovered so quickly from his injuries. Ani said a human seldom survived a bite from a Lobison. Something wasn’t making any sense. I looked into his eyes and suddenly it all made sense to me now. If Lyle bit John and John survived, that can only mean one thing. He was one of us now---a werewolf.

“
Do you know what they’ve done to you?” I asked.

He nodded and cleared his throat.
Why
didn’t Ryan tell me?
“I’m so sorry. This is all my fault.” Tears rolled down my face.

“
What’s done is done and you need to stop blaming yourself.” He held me in his arms as I cried.

There was a knock on the door.

“
Come in,” said John.

Ani glanced over at John and then to me, “morning.”

John shook his head. “Morning.”

“
I suppose she already knows?” She asked John.

“
Yes.” I sniffed.

“
If it wasn’t for the wolf’s blood, he wouldn’t have made it.” She pointed out as if it would make me feel better.

“
I’m just happy to be alive,” John said with a smile.

Ani placed a medical bag on the bed and pulled out a pair of scissors, “what do you say we remove the bandage?”I nodded mutely. Ani brushed my hair to the side and gently clipped the bandages on my neck. Although the wound sealed, my skin bore the marks of a bite. I ran my fingers over the little wounds on the side of my neck and a vision flashed through my mind. I saw myself as a raging wolf tearing at Emi’s neck. In my ear I heard Lyle’s voice whisper, ‘we could never escape our destiny,’ before he pulled me off his sister with his teeth.

“
Are you alright?” asked Ani.

I swallowed, “yeah. I’m fine.”

Next, she reached for my wrist and began to unroll the bandage. Instantly I saw what happened next. Adam, with his fangs completely out took a bite of Lyle’s neck and pulled him off of me before collapsing to the ground.

I blinked and the vision was gone. I didn’t want to see any more. I now knew what happened to Adam. He was poisoned by Lyle’s blood and he died saving my life.

∞
Chapter 28 ∞

JOHN’S BEEN CLEAN for three months now. He’s even begun dating, Peggy Whitedeer, a native woman he’s met at the AA meetings he faithfully attends three times a week. Peggy was different, but different in a cool way. she’s a woman who’s not afraid of getting dirty---a sort of tomboy. A tomboy who also was a heck of a great cook too. She can cook a hell of a spring lamb soup and chokecherry pudding…my favorite.

John and Peggy had a lot in common. She too was a widower and understood John’s struggle with alcohol because she was a recovering alcoholic herself, now clean for nine years. She was also a shifter and helped John cope with his new “gift.”

She brought out the best in John as Veena once did. I was glad to have the old John back. Seeing him happy made me happy. We were a family again and I couldn’t ask for anything more.

Graduation was coming up and with much persuasion from my guidance counselor, Mr. Kelvin I planned to attend college. Although John and Peggy suggested I apply to a college near home, I had my heart set on attending the University of Louisiana. I wanted to return to my birth state. John and Ryan have tried talking me out of going so far, but my mind was made up and there was no going back now.

My acceptance letter arrived last week and I’ve been keeping myself busy packing and preparing for the long drive south. I placed a sealed box labeled
BOOKS
on the floor when Ryan walked into my room holding a white envelope in his hand.

“
Hey, what you been up to? Kima said she called you earlier but you didn’t answer your phone.”

“
She did? ” I usually listen to music when I cleaned my room. I walked over to the desk and turned off the radio. “I’ve been home all day packing.”

He took a look at the boxes on the floor, “when you’re leaving?”

“
The day after graduation,” I replied.

“
Why so soon, doesn’t school begin in September? What do you plan to do for two months before then?”

“
I haven’t really thought about it. I guess I can look for a job, an apartment…something. What’s your plan for after graduation?”

“
Kima and I are going to California to spend a few days with mom.” He said as he helped me seal another box. “Kima and I both applied at C.W.C and classes start in the fall, so we just plan to stick around till then.”

I smiled. “Sounds like you have it all figured out. I wish I did. All I know is that I’m going to U.L., but I don’t even have a major or any clue of what I want to do with the rest of my life.”

“
You should study to be a veterinarian. You’ve always been good with animals.”

“
True, maybe I should look into that.” I sealed another box.

“
You see? What are you going to do without me? Why don’t you stay and apply to C.W.C with us.” His voice sounded hopeful.

“
Let’s not go over this again. You know why I’m going to Louisiana. I need a fresh start.” He frowned at my words. “Relax, it’s not like I’m moving to another planet! I’m going to miss everyone, but please understand that this is something I have to do. It’s time I’ve learned to stand on my own two feet for once. And besides, Lyle and Emi are gone. If they were still around plotting to hurt me, they would have tried to do so by now. We haven’t seen or heard from them in three months. Your duties as “protector” have expired. All I need now is a friend that will stand by me no matter what. Rise or fall, I need to know that you will always be there.”

He took a deep breath, “I see there’s no changing your mind. And as far as my protector duties expiring---I don’t think so. You mean a lot to both me and my family and I will always be there for you through thick and thin. You can count on that. And if you ever decide to come back, you know I will be the first to spread my arms open wide to welcome you.”

I smiled a big smile and gave him a tight hug, “thank you.”

“
Oh, before I forget, Ani asked me to give you this.”

He handed me the envelope. I opened it and pulled out a white and green card.

“
It’s an invitation.” I said.

“
Yea, my aunt throws a party every year for the graduates. It’s a big deal at the Rez, since so many of us never make it to graduation.”

“
Tell her it’s sweet of her to invite me to the party, but I don’t know if I’ll make it.”

“
What do you mean you don’t know if you’ll make it?”

“
I plan to drive to Louisiana the morning after graduation, so I don’t think…”

“
You better not leave without spending graduation night with your friends,” he interrupted. “Don’t make me and the guys come and drag you to the party.” He warned.

I rolled my eyes in defeat, “Okay, okay. Relax I’ll go.”

I pinned the invitation on a cork board near the door when suddenly Ryan’s cell phone rang. I continued to sort through the clothes hanging in the closet. There would be no need for winter sweaters or heavy coats in Louisiana so I placed them in a box I reserved for donations.

“
Hello hun…at Lia’s,” Ryan said as he conversed with the person on the other line. “…where? Sinks Canyon?” My heart skipped a beat at the words
Sinks Canyon
.

“
Yeah, see you in bit. I love you,” he said before he closed his phone.

“
Kima?” I asked.

“
Yeah, she says hello, by the way. She’s with Denise and Kevin. A group of us are going hiking at Sinks Canyon.” A sudden coldness hit me to the core when he mouthed the words
Sinks Canyon
again, but I guess he didn’t notice. “Why don’t you take a break from packing and come with us?”

For months, I’ve avoided going to Sinks Canyon because it reminded me of Adam, and the way my heart raced at the mere notion of returning there made me realize that I wasn’t ready to go back.

“
I can’t. I really need to finish packing. You guys go and have fun. Thanks though.”

“
You’re such a party pooper,” He replied as he walked to the door. “I’ll call you tomorrow then.”

“
Ok. Give my regards to everyone,” I said as he left.

I sat on my bed staring out the window. Outside, the trees swayed gently in the warm spring breeze. I curled in bed holding my pillow tight. Sometimes when I shut my eyes real tight and listen to the wind, I could hear Adam whisper my name. I know it sounds crazy, but other times while I lay asleep in bed, I could feel his cold arms wrap around me. I usually awake when my skin ripples with goose pimples only to find myself alone desperately missing him so much that it hurts.

∞
CHAPTER 29 ∞

GRADUATION DAY finally came. For days, John has tried to talk me out of leaving Lander but I knew in my heart that I was making the right decision. This morning as he helped me load my car, he realized that not him, or anyone else were going to change my mind so he didn’t bring it up again.

He surprised me with a gift of money and a dress to wear to tonight’s graduation party. The dress was light grey with a black lace bodice. It was beautiful. Peggy helped me style my hair. She flat ironed my dark unruly curls and even added some washable highlights to it too.

“
You look beautiful,” she said as she stepped back to take a look at me. I thanked her and posed for some pictures with John before I left to meet the gang at Ani’s house for the graduation party.

The full moon was especially bright tonight. Ryan, Kima and the rest of the gang stood outside the house posing for pictures, dressed in their black graduation cap and robe. Everyone had big grins on their faces and a sense of pride shimmered in their eyes as they held their diploma in hand.

Kima shouted, “hurry, Lia come and take pictures with us!” I placed the cap on my head and joined them.

The party was jam packed with people: fellow students, family, neighbors and friends. Deputy Woodruff stood at the grill, wearing a T-shirt and jeans underneath a “kiss the cook” apron. Meanwhile, Ani kept busy hosting her guests. I could tell she lived for this sort of thing. She flashed me a smile as I walked up the porch to take a seat with Kima, Kevin and the girls.

“
Ryan told me you’re leaving to Louisiana tomorrow morning,” said Denise.

“
Yeah, I already have my car loaded, GPS charged and a full tank of gas ready for that long ride south.”

“
But why you’re leaving so soon? School doesn’t begin till September. You still have plenty of time before then.”

“
I’m sorry,” I responded wrapping my arm across her shoulder. “We’ve all been through so much together this past year and I appreciate all you’ve done and I thank all of you for being such great friends to me, but try to understand that I must go. Besides it’s not like, I’m not ever going to come back. I promise I’ll try to come and visit as often as I could and I hope you guys can do the same too.”

“
You can count me in,” blurted Kevin, “when’s Mardi Gras again?”

Denise slapped his arm, “you just want to go and see if girls really flash for beads.”