out to me, to invite me into his embrace. Not that I expected that, exactly. But he wasn’t looking at me with the hated, horrid disapproval that he’d always shown before. In fact, there was a deadness in his gaze.
I repeated, “Daddy?” I wanted him to tell me I could come out of the water. That he’d take me home.
When he did speak, it was very calm. Deadly quiet. “I thought I couldn’t die twice, but I was wrong.”
I didn’t know what he meant. Confusion had to be spread across my features. I took a step toward him, swishing the water. But he shook his head--not wanting me to come closer.
“I can’t let you do this to Tommy and Leo any more.” Wooden monotone. Bleak nothingness.
“Daddy?”
“They aren’t coming for you this time, Le.”
Arrow to my heart.
Belly spasm to my soul.
I couldn’t bring myself to ask if they were all right. I didn’t question what he said. I knew the stone cold truth. I was on my own.
I couldn’t even ask how he’d found me. How long he’d watched me.
And I couldn’t bring myself to beg--for what I knew I didn’t deserve.
Daddy surprised me, though, by saying, “I don’t hate you, Le. I want you to know that.”
For bringing the dogs down on us. For getting Tommy hurt. For leaving?
He left me standing there. And as much as I wanted to chase after him, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I just stood there, aching, sniffling, sucking it up, knowing I deserved...what?
The nothing he’d left me with.
I couldn’t blame him. I’d done the unforgivable. Run with a garou, and not come home. I wondered if...no, I knew. They’d picked up my trail, sniffed Bark behind me, following. Probably had plenty of time to check out that hill, and add up all the facts. And see that I’d made a choice when I ran from the compound.
It may have looked like I was saving my own ass, but I’d really been running so Barklay would chase me. So they wouldn’t kill him.
That lake drew cold around me. My skin puckered, made me shrivel like my heart.
If Daddy had followed my trail to the lake, he surely had come across Bark at some point. To say I felt totally bereft is an understatement. Total stillness surrounded me. The water didn’t ripple. The wind didn’t blow. Not even a breeze.
No dragonflies buzzed. No birds squawked.
Part of me understood the deadness that had been in Daddy’s eyes, then. How many times I’d tried to shock that out of him, or make him laugh, or anything. Anything that would make him feel for me. Make him forget my mother, and what she’d done.
How she’d left us all aching.
I dragged myself from the lake, when I was shivering so much that I couldn’t stand it--when it finally sunk in. But once I got to the bank, I didn’t know where to go, so I stood there dripping.
Looking around.
Thinking aloud, “What are you gonna do now, Le?”
Chapter Eight
“What do you wanna do?” Bark’s voice came out of nowhere, startled the hell out of me.
I looked for him, but couldn’t see him. My pulse picked up. “Bark?”
Hoarse dog laugh, a little pained. “Were you expecting someone else?”
Peering into the shadows, I shook my head. “No, but--”
“From what I understand...when Lionel Felini says something, it’s usually true.”
“It is.” I frowned, tipping my head. “What do you mean?”
“He said they weren’t coming for you.”
Can you be cut to the breastbone twice from the same arrow? Yes.
Tears welled up more. What could I say?
“You want them to come.” It came out on a growl, accompanied by a red flash from Bark’s eyes. I saw him then, by a tree. One hand wrapped. He sagged into
I repeated, “Daddy?” I wanted him to tell me I could come out of the water. That he’d take me home.
When he did speak, it was very calm. Deadly quiet. “I thought I couldn’t die twice, but I was wrong.”
I didn’t know what he meant. Confusion had to be spread across my features. I took a step toward him, swishing the water. But he shook his head--not wanting me to come closer.
“I can’t let you do this to Tommy and Leo any more.” Wooden monotone. Bleak nothingness.
“Daddy?”
“They aren’t coming for you this time, Le.”
Arrow to my heart.
Belly spasm to my soul.
I couldn’t bring myself to ask if they were all right. I didn’t question what he said. I knew the stone cold truth. I was on my own.
I couldn’t even ask how he’d found me. How long he’d watched me.
And I couldn’t bring myself to beg--for what I knew I didn’t deserve.
Daddy surprised me, though, by saying, “I don’t hate you, Le. I want you to know that.”
For bringing the dogs down on us. For getting Tommy hurt. For leaving?
He left me standing there. And as much as I wanted to chase after him, I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I just stood there, aching, sniffling, sucking it up, knowing I deserved...what?
The nothing he’d left me with.
I couldn’t blame him. I’d done the unforgivable. Run with a garou, and not come home. I wondered if...no, I knew. They’d picked up my trail, sniffed Bark behind me, following. Probably had plenty of time to check out that hill, and add up all the facts. And see that I’d made a choice when I ran from the compound.
It may have looked like I was saving my own ass, but I’d really been running so Barklay would chase me. So they wouldn’t kill him.
That lake drew cold around me. My skin puckered, made me shrivel like my heart.
If Daddy had followed my trail to the lake, he surely had come across Bark at some point. To say I felt totally bereft is an understatement. Total stillness surrounded me. The water didn’t ripple. The wind didn’t blow. Not even a breeze.
No dragonflies buzzed. No birds squawked.
Part of me understood the deadness that had been in Daddy’s eyes, then. How many times I’d tried to shock that out of him, or make him laugh, or anything. Anything that would make him feel for me. Make him forget my mother, and what she’d done.
How she’d left us all aching.
I dragged myself from the lake, when I was shivering so much that I couldn’t stand it--when it finally sunk in. But once I got to the bank, I didn’t know where to go, so I stood there dripping.
Looking around.
Thinking aloud, “What are you gonna do now, Le?”
Chapter Eight
“What do you wanna do?” Bark’s voice came out of nowhere, startled the hell out of me.
I looked for him, but couldn’t see him. My pulse picked up. “Bark?”
Hoarse dog laugh, a little pained. “Were you expecting someone else?”
Peering into the shadows, I shook my head. “No, but--”
“From what I understand...when Lionel Felini says something, it’s usually true.”
“It is.” I frowned, tipping my head. “What do you mean?”
“He said they weren’t coming for you.”
Can you be cut to the breastbone twice from the same arrow? Yes.
Tears welled up more. What could I say?
“You want them to come.” It came out on a growl, accompanied by a red flash from Bark’s eyes. I saw him then, by a tree. One hand wrapped. He sagged into
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