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Chapter 26: Mind-whammy
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The True Nature Series Chapter 27: Reality Shift
I DON'T THINK I was unconscious for more than a few seconds, because Zander and his brother were still in my kitchen when awoke, and they were arguing pretty loudly. I remember seeing a similar situation on TV - some wildlife show about armadillos. Basically, play dead and the bad guy will leave; play dead and maybe I'd find out what was really going on. "What part of NO did you not hear!" yelled Zander. Something large thumped roughly against the cupboards. I hoped it was G.I. Joe's head. Whatever he had done to me, well, I was still feeling the aftershocks, like little bolts of electricity through my brain. I wanted to hold my head between my hands, but I didn't want to move and gain their attention."Stand down, Zander!" his brother ordered. "This is protocol! We don't leave witnesses. Ever. What's with you?""You could have killed her, you idiot! And she may be more than we think!""She's fine, man, I promise. Back off, would you?" A pause. It was so tempting to look, but I
The True Nature Series Chapter 28: Crazy
"SO," MUSED MY BEST friend, "to sum it all up, you saw two wolves in your backyard that didn't attack you. You stabbed yourself with a knife, and Zander's brother did some hocus pocus on your brain to wipe your memory, but somehow it didn't work." The way she said it, I wouldn't have believed it either. But I knew it happened. I was tempted to call Zander to confirm, but he didn't want me to remember, so what was the point? He'd play stupid even if it were the truth."Yeah ..." my friend drawled. "Zander would be the hot guy you are not going to Homecoming with because another hot guy already asked you." She sighed dramatically. "You are so awesome!"Ruthie and I were sitting on my bed. I had every window and door locked up tight. And Dad was still not home. I had explained most of it to her. I'd left out the magic healing of my hands at school and the fact that I had felt "connected" to the wolf, but I'd given her more than the overall picture.She gave me a look that was all too
The True Nature Series Chapter 29: Full Disclosure
MOMENTS LATER, WE SAT cross-legged on my bed. I ran my hand over the patchwork quilt that my mom made for me when I was twelve. It was extra soft from being washed so much over the years, and the texture never failed to comfort me. My parents had upgraded my bed to a queen on my twelfth birthday so I would have room for Ruthie to sleep over. It had made me feel so much older. But right now, I felt really young. Of all the memories shared in this room, lots of giggles, lots of tears, lots of secrets - today topped them all. I could feel my life shifting in an irreversible way, but toward what exactly I didn't know. Despite Ruthie's lunch table revelation regarding my incredible health, I knew I could trust her. She had never betrayed my biggest secret, my night vision. As children we explained it away as a secret superpower. As we got older, we decided it was just a fluke gift of nature and we should keep it to ourselves in case scientists decided to experiment on me - well, you never
The True Nature Series Chapter 30: Vampires and Werewolves
THE NEXT MORNING, I was so nervous, I got clumsy, and Dad was giving me odd looks over breakfast. I deflected most of his questions by asking about his work. He loved to talk about the latest techno-gadget. But it wasn't working as well as normal. He suspected that something was up, so I hurried through my Cheerios and dashed back upstairs to brush my teeth before Ruthie showed up.I hustled downstairs just as Ruthie's horn beeped, which thankfully gave Dad no time to ask more questions. I grabbed by backpack, dropped a perfunctory kiss on Dad's cheek, and ran out the door."Hey there," greeted Ruthie. "I see you survived the night. Anything else happen?" She blinked wide eyes at me expectantly. Something was off about her and I looked her over carefully. The tell-tale twitch of her fingers against the steering wheel told me that she was hopped-up on caffeine. "Are you okay?" I asked.She waved away my concern. "Yeah, yeah. I didn't sleep so well, maybe. Just going over everything
The True Nature Series Chapter 31: Frenemy
I WAS PREPARED TO face Zander and his lying - albeit very attractive - uh, lips, however, he was a no-show that day. I'd been nervous for nothing. I didn't have to deal with him or whatever story he was going to concoct to explain the strangest day of my life. Disappointment, gratitude, and confusion swirled around me as I shut my locker and headed toward Ruthie's. She met me halfway, questions in her eyes."So, was he in class?" she asked."Not here," I replied."Son of a butcher," she swore. Zander wasn't the only one MIA today. Isaac and Phoebe missed class, too. When I asked Ruthie about it, she shrugged it off as normal for them. Apparently, they missed school a lot last year, too. Suddenly, a dark shadow rounded the corner and pounced with a "Raaahwl!" We both jumped, completely caught off guard, screaming instinctively, which in turn startled our attacker, Val, enough that he jumped back into the lockers with a loud clang. "That was awesome!" guffawed a deep voice from
The True Nature Series Chapter 32: Feminine Wiles
AFTER I CALMED RUTHIE down, I explained that although I didn't trust Zander, he was the best shot I had at finding out what really happened to my mom. That meant I had to keep hanging out with him. I just needed to come up with a plan to trick him into divulging all of his secrets. She didn't like it, but since she didn't have a better idea, she shrugged and we finally headed over to my house."I know we were all about getting you a guy this year, Tru, and I know Zander is way good-looking, but maybe you should focus on one guy at a time, someone normal, someone who isn't lying to you and pretending to be your friend." She tapped her long fingernails against the steering wheel with false patience before gesturing madly into the air. "Oh yeah, like your Homecoming date!" She oozed disappointment as she sunk down into her seat. Well, crap, I thought. Now I felt guilty. She'd been trying to help me so much this year and she'd been so excited about Isaac asking me to Homecoming. Here I
The True Nature Series Chapter 33: Bite Me
I WAS PACING A hole in our carpet by the time Zander arrived. I had worked up to a whole new level of nervousness as I went over all the reasons why I should not be having this study "date," much less talking to Zander. But it really came down to one thing. I needed to know what he knew about my mother.Her death was senseless, and I had trouble remembering the night of the accident clearly. My subconscious had blocked out a lot of it. Probably a survival tactic. It was too awful to remember. No one should have to watch a parent die.So, my need to "know" was becoming an obsession, spurring me to go way beyond my comfort level. How was I going to pretend I didn't remember and still ask questions? Should I tell him I remembered? Would he confide in me? Who was he really? And werewolves? What the heck? When the doorbell rang, I made one last look in the entry hall mirror. My hair hung in its normal waves down to my waist. Nothing fancy, but I would do. How does one dress for this sit
The True Nature Series Chapter 34: Jealous
I DON'T KNOW HOW long Zander had been gone before I heard the doorbell. I was just wandering around the kitchen, speculating about what he could have been talking about, and I was angry, really angry. Oh no, I thought. Ruthie probably drove over because I didn't text her. I had turned my cell phone to vibrate until I changed the ringtone. I rushed to the door as the bell pealed again. But the person standing on my doorstep was not my best friend. Instead, it was a fuming Isaac Efoti. His face was purple, shoulders curved up, fists on his hips, and thunder on his face. I backed up."Uh. Hi, Isaac. What's up?" I said, pulling the door closed a little.I could have sworn I heard a low growl come from his mouth. Really? There had been way too much growling around this house lately, I thought. "What was he doing here?" Isaac snarled."Whoa, there! What's wrong with you? Are you okay?" It occurred to me that I knew next to nothing about him, mostly what Ruthie had told me since scho
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The True Nature Series Chapter 230: The Promise
ZANDER WAS STILL GROGGY, and I helped him lean up against the railing of the general store. I wanted to stay with him, but another problem had cropped up. Polaris was trying to move Dad, and Knox wouldn't let them. No one wanted to risk getting close to his teeth and I feared they might try to drug him or something worse. I sighed and pushed myself up."I'll be right back," I told Zander.I headed across the road and carefully approached the growling Knox. "Hey there, buddy," I said in a soothing voice. "You still have me, remember?" I reached out my hand, letting it hang in the air like Dad had taught me the first time Knox and I had met. Knox's ears flattened, and he whined as he pressed his nose into my fingers. If dogs cried, I'd say Knox was crying now. His eyes looked sticky wet. I ran a hand down his neck, coaxing him off Dad's body and toward me. With a hand on his collar, I eased the two of us several feet away, allowing the others to move Dad. When his limp head dropped t
The True Nature Series Chapter 229: Picking Up the Pieces
BOTH POLARIS AND THE Efotis arrived within minutes of each other. The folks from Polaris had found several locals disabled or dead outside the park, as well as two empty police cars. Someone must have called the authorities about the gunshots or the helicopters. Others had probably been curious enough to investigate the noise themselves. The Nasaru had silenced them before they could see anything. With heavy faces, Polaris began searching the perimeter for more victims and loading up bodies on stretchers to take them away. When the Efotis arrived, Caroline rushed up to me, her eyes wide and desperate. She grabbed me and hugged me like she was never letting go. Despite my reluctance to admit she was my mother, I found her arms comforting. It just felt right. Thaddeus stood as still and straight as a fencepost watching us with soft but wary eyes. I completely understood. My reintroduction to Caroline had been rocky. In fact, it had been like meeting her for the first time, because I'
The True Nature Series Chapter 228: Of One Mind
THADDIE AND I JUMPED away from each other, our eyes wide as saucers. "Shanna!" I breathed out in surprise. But her voice had faded away. "What the heck?" Once again, I'd lost my connection to her."Your eyes turned blue," said Thaddeus with surprise. "Does that happen often? Was that our sister?"I pressed my lips together, frustrated that we'd been so close to talking to her. "Yes, it was Shanna. But she's gone now. Dang it." He opened his mouth to say something else, but I beat him to it. "Wait. Did you just say my eyes turned blue?" "Yes," he answered, looking at me strangely.I thought my eyes had done that before, too, when I'd heard a strange voice. But at the time, I'd convinced myself that it was my imagination. Did this happen every time she talked to me? I held out my hands to Thaddeus, hoping that together we could bring her back. He looked at my outstretched arms with confusion."Just testing a theory," I said. "Take my hands. Maybe we need to be in physical conta
The True Nature Series Chapter 227: Retreat
"THADDIE!" I choked out."You know him?" asked Maverick in surprise.I huffed out a deep breath as we heaved another dead body off his wing."Yes," I said, giving him a watery smile. "He's my brother."Maverick stared at me slack-jawed. After tonight I didn't think anything could surprise him. "You're kidding," he muttered."Yeah, I was going to tell you about him. Turns out, the other sharum guy was my biological father. Is," I corrected, reminding myself that if they took him, he must still be alive."The other guy with Dr. Frankler?""Yeah, I know," I nodded. "Just when you thought it couldn't get any weirder."Maverick grunted an agreement.I examined Thaddie, who still struggled with consciousness. "Let's carry him to a brighter area. It will be easier to help him there."Together, we maneuvered him onto Maverick's back. Amid grunts and gasps, he carried Thaddie to the center of the main street and set him down near Zander, who was still unconscious and oblivious to the
The True Nature Series Chapter 226: The Aftermath
I GAVE MAVERICK A wan smile. "There're gone," I sighed, standing up to move wearily to the next body. Kneeling by the woman from Polaris, I gently closed her eyes. There was no fixing her. The other Polaris soldiers were no better. The rest were Gerard's men. My heart pounded, knowing I'd have to face my dad's body now. I dragged myself to my feet and looked toward Dad. A furry head rested on top of his chest. I ran over to them, wondering how Knox could still be alive, not to mention how he had moved. As I dropped next to them, Knox whined softly. I bent over to press my head against his. "Oh, Knox. You're okay," I wept, running my hands along his fur. Blood matted in several spots, but I couldn't find any injuries. Shaking my head at the miracle, I hugged him. "I know, boy," I crooned. "Dad isn't ... he's not waking up. But you still have me." Knox's tail pounded on the dirt, but he remained pressed against Dad.I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Maverick. "I'm
The True Nature Series Chapter 225: Just Like Dante
THE CIRCLE OF SOLDIERS tightened around us, drawing my attention away from my disappearing friends. Zander pulled me to his back, spinning us around as we faced their weapons. It quickly became clear that even with our abilities, we wouldn't be able to overpower them. "Tru," Zander said, mind-speaking. "This is going to hurt, but you can heal yourself. Protect your head." "What?" I barely had a chance to gasp before he grabbed me, lifted me up in the air, and threw me over the heads of the soldiers. I cleared them by at least five meters and landed in a dense thicket near the line of trees. Branches jabbed me, cutting my skin and shredding my already ruined dress.I groaned. What the heck did Zander think he was doing? I started to crawl out of the bushes and yelped when I felt a sharp pain in one hand. It felt wrong, like broken wrong. Looking up, I saw a few of the soldiers peel away from the circle around Zander and head toward me. "Run!" Zander yelled in my mind.The path
The True Nature Series Chapter 224: From the Frying Pan ...
I GASPED, RECOGNIZING Gerard's creepy grin. "No! It can't be!"He laughed, throwing back his head and clasping his hands together. "You've done me a favor, my dear. I may have lost my mate." A fleeting look of sorrow crossed his face. "Trust me, you'll pay for that. But now I have an even more powerful aramusatu, one that will link you and me together forever." He laughed again, and then held out his hand. "Join me, Tru. You belong with your family."I gagged and stepped away. Had I only made things worse by killing Gerard? "No!" I yelled. I felt the world caving in as Wynona's words flitted through my mind. She's a soul jumper. At that time, she'd meant Ruthie. But apparently, she wasn't the only one. Somehow, Gerard Hughes's spirit had taken over Peter's body. I had a feeling that I'd just leaped from the frying pan into the fire."What happened to Peter?" Gerard's eyes swirled, shifting to yellow slits. He squeezed them shut and shook his head. When he opened his eyes, they w
The True Nature Series Chapter 223: Backfire
OBVIOUSLY, I WAS A healer. But I was definitely no savior. But what about destroyer?The thought of that destiny had filled me with dread before, but now I wanted it so badly that everything but my enemy faded away. I wished I could channel my healing ability into a weapon. Then it struck me. If I could heal wounds why couldn't I un-heal them? I stared at my hands, wondering if it was possible. A dark feeling swirled inside me, like attempting such a thing was straight up wrong, but as Gerard stepped closer to Ruthie, and as Zander continued to bleed out, I knew I had to do something. With shaking hands, I laid Dad's head on the ground. It was too late for him but I might be able to help the others. A fiery rage whipped up inside of me and my eyes locked onto Gerard. He wore a demented look of his own as he considered the chaos around us. I took off toward him. When I was almost upon him, he saw me and pulled out his gun. I plowed forward anyway and tackled him, sending the weapon f
The True Nature Series Chapter 222: Inconceivable Choice
I YANKED AWAY FROM the guard holding me and ran back to Zander, who gasped, "I'll be fine, Tru. Go to him." I knew he meant my dad and that he'd realized the same thing I had. Ignoring the guns pointed at me, I rushed toward Dad and Knox. Donavitch was grinning at me, clearly enjoying my terror, and Knox was barking out a warning to Mrs. Taylor as she pointed her gun at Dad. "Look out, Dad!" He looked from me to Mrs. Taylor and flinched when he saw the gun pointing at him. "No, Eleria!" yelled Mr. Taylor.Crack!In the blink of an eye, two bodies fell to the ground. At the last second, Mr. Taylor had raced after his wife and thrown his body in front of my dad. They both went down. I fell to the ground next to Dad, frantically searching for his wound. A bright red stain in the center of his blue flannel shirt expanded to the size of my hand within seconds. Had the bullet gone through Mr. Taylor and Dad? Of course! The gun had been loaded with cutters, the Nasaru's usemi-killin
