Part 10 (1/2)

Jesse and the man walked through the back door of the building and out into the alleyway. I had a bird's-eye view and could see everything very clearly. Even though it had been dark and rainy that night, my senses were extremely high and exact. I could zero in and intensify my sight to adjust to the weather.

”It's yours, isn't it?” Jesse asked with a slur.

”What the f.u.c.k are you talking about, a.s.shole?” The man raised his hands and pushed Jesse down. As Jesse got up, he pushed him back.

”Sarah Hudson, you f.u.c.k-face! You're the one who knocked her up. You b.a.s.t.a.r.d, I'm gonna kill you!”

Instantly, I could read Jesse's thought pattern. ”f.u.c.k this world! f.u.c.k Charlene! f.u.c.k Sarah! f.u.c.k *em all!” His swearing cut through me like a knife. He was overwhelmed with hate and regret. The alcohol levels in his system were at an all-time high as he had been drinking for days; I could smell it in his thoughts. He had just learned that Sarah was pregnanta”by another mana*and after the incident with me, that just compounded things even more. However, I couldn't understand. He wasn't in love with Sarah; he was still in love with the Charlene he knew, the Charlene who wrote poetry. I could sense his thoughts were intermingling with rage and anger, and he wanted to lash out after hearing the news of Sarah's child. He thought it was his at first, but later found out it was all a lie. The truth was Sarah had cheated on him, and that was why Jesse left her the first time; that's when he found me.

The man stared long and hard into Jesse's face. He flashed a knife out and lunged at Jesse with full force. ”Not if I kill you first, mother-f.u.c.ker.”

They wrestled each other, Jesse swinging his fists, while the man swung his knife. I kept a close eye on the flas.h.i.+ng blade as the man continued to pounce on Jesse. As the two pushed each other around, Jesse reached for the knife. The man had slashed Jesse's hand.

”You f.u.c.kerathat's it. You're dead!” Jesse snarled out.

As Jesse charged, the man punched him in the face and instantly he was down.

Just as the man was ready to make his next move, I made one first.

I swooped down, knocking the knife right out of his hand. He turned around, a look of shock on his face.

”Jesus Christ, what the h.e.l.l are you?” the man shrieked.

I scanned through him with my demon eyes, reading his thoughts. He was in fact the father of Sarah's baby, and, knowing that, I didn't want to kill him.

I gave him one hard look as he stood there, then picked Jesse up and left.

I placed Jesse down on a bed of leaves near his house. He was still unconscious from the fight. Checking again to make sure he was still breathing, I put my face close to his. He looked so helpless, all beaten up and broken down. I could feel the slow rhythm of his heart as I placed my hands on his chest. My mind wandered to the time we first met. Why had he come to visit me without telling me first? Why was there that sudden urge to see me? Had I been giving out some kind of force? Was it my fault?

My feelings for him started to grow again, and as my heart fluttered faster, his wounds started to heal. Right before my eyes, Jesse's slashed hand sealed up. Was I causing this? Were my powers healing him? As I stood there, feeling more and more confident he would be all right, he began to awaken. I gave him one last glance, kissed him softly on his lips and flew away.

Chapter Nineteen.

Days pa.s.sed, and I was alone, yet again.

My metamorphosis became sporadic, and I wasn't changing every night. Instead, I felt like I had it under control. I noticed when my emotions took over I changed faster, and at that point I wasn't feeling out of control, but the depression set in. All I could think about was my previous life and Drake. How had he been? Would I ever see him again?

I called the psychiatrist so I could vent about the things that had been happening to me, yet how could I explain? I was able to get an appointment later that day.

I reminded myself I still had the file from the last visit. I thought of what it said, remembering the name Chris. Who had he been? Would he know anything about the lost days spent near the lake? How in the world would I find out who he was?

I looked at the file again, noticing the nurse's name on duty that daya”Goodson. Maybe he would know. I made a mental note to go to the hospital after the doctor's appointment.

As I finished looking through the file, there was a knock at my door.

”Charlene, it's David,” he called out through the door.

”Just a minute.”

I quickly put the file in my bedroom and answered the door.

”Hey, David, what's up?”

”Well, I was wondering if I could talk to you. Do you have some time?”

”Sure, come in.”

He walked in and took a seat on the couch. ”You really do have a beautiful view here.”

”Yeah, you mentioned that before. So, what's going on? ”

”Well, I was wondering if you heard from the police about the break-in?”

”No, why do you ask?”

”Well, because I could have sworn I saw someone last night. It was too dark to tell, but it was as if the shadowed figure flew.”

Oh, no! I thought. Maybe what he saw was Benjamin. Perhaps it was me? What else had David been seeing? Suddenly, I felt uncomfortable. Something wasn't adding up. What did David really know about me?

”I don't know, maybe I'm seeing things,” he said, getting up and looking out the window, ”but it sure seemed like it was real.”

”I don't know either, David. I haven't really been around lately.”

”Yeah, I noticed that. Where did you go?”

I didn't think it was any of his business. He was acting a little strange as he stood there looking out the gla.s.s doors. He seemed distracted, and for some reason, while I tried to listen in on his thoughts, I couldn't. They were blocked. It was too hard to tell whether I was able to in human form.

”I was out of town.”

”You know, Charlene, I thought we were friendsa” his voice stalled for a moment, ”but I can't help you if you don't talk to me.”

”Listen, I'm running late. I don't have time for this right now.”

”Oh, sorry. I should go.”

I didn't want to sound mean, but I really did need to get going.

”Can we continue this later?” I asked.

”Sure, how about later tonight?”