Built From The Fire

5

"Are you real right now?" Percy ran a hand through her messy hair and shook her head. "I mean, I already had a hard time believing you were. You're literally a goddess, but hell." Percy froze realizing she had just called this woman she met a day ago a goddess. Again, her cheeks and neck turned bright red.

Leah crackled a smile at her blushing and compliment. She fought the urge to call Percy a goddess as well, but felt it wouldn't help Percy's embarrassment. She imagined the girl flushing even more, her heart hammering harder in her chest, the intake of breath she'd make, the astounding gay panic in her green eyes. It made her smile so wide it hurt her cheeks. This earned her a confused, slightly frustrated look from her imprint.

Percy indignantly crossed her arms. "I know you're not laughing at me, Snoopy." Leah's smile did not waver at the dog joke. She had already heard them all from Seth.

Leah did her best to wipe the grin off her face. She held up her hands, "Not laughing," she said. Percy's eyes narrowed, and she stood up. Percy paced across from Leah, muttering, her hands moving in all directions. She seemed to be trying to convince herself.

"That was real," Percy stated, her tone not-so-confident, pointing to the spot where there was a abnormally large wolf staring at her moments ago. Leah nodded at her. "You are a werewolf. Like full moon, sprouting hair, fighting vampires."

Leah scrunched up her face. "We're technically shape-shifters. We take the shape of the wolf. No were involved; the full moon doesn't affect us."

Percy stared at her; her eyes were wide and she was still. "Okay. Okay, okay. Cool, cool, cool, cool. Cool." Her heart sped up again, and Leah worried that she was descending into a panic attack. "Wait. We?" She glanced back towards Emily's house, and then back to Leah. "They all turn into Clifford the Big Red Dog, too?"

Leah rolled her eyes at her, fighting a smile. "All of them apart from Emily. I'm the only woman to..." Leah trailed off, clearing her throat. Percy's eyes softened at her. She wasn't sure why, but she felt Leah's sorrow and her pain, and she ached to take it away. Leah looked outward to the sea, her jaw clenching and unclenching.

Percy, despite her pull to the water, tore herself away from the shoreline and plopped down next to the girl. Her hand twitched by her side and she hesitantly brought it to hold the side of Leah's face gently, and the clenching stopped. Leah turned to her slowly, glancing at the hand and then to her eyes.

Percy flushed and pulled her hand away, busying it in the sand between them. "How long have you been one?"

"A couple months," she replied shortly, staring at the dark waves as they crashed into each other. Percy could feel her tension again.

"How did it happen?" As if Leah wasn't as stiff as humanly possible—wolfly possible? Percy asked herself. She shook the thought away. Leah had stiffened even more. Percy could tell it was a sore point. "Sorry, you don't have to—"

"I was arguing with my mom—something stupid. She said something, I don't even remember what, and I got angry. Really angry. And it happened," Leah squinted down at the sand and grabbed a fistful forcefully. "My dad was there. He—" she cleared her throat as it squeezed uncomfortably. "He saw and died. Heart attack," she finished.

Percy's heart ached for her. She could tell it hurt her beyond belief. She could tell she carried it with her constantly. She could tell she thought it was her fault. "I'm sorry." Percy took her hand gently, no hesitation this time. Leah's very warm hand burned in Percy's; every time they touched. Leah didn't look at her this time. Her face was scrunched up, jaw clenched tightly, her chest rising and falling quickly. She was fighting back tears.