SUMMER'S RAIN

CHAPTER 64

CHAPTER 64

Something woke me. I sat up looking around and see a shadow against the back wall. Straining my eyes I try to see who it is. When the shadow starts walking towards me, I see it is Case. I jump up and run to him hugging him and asking if he is alright and how he had gotten in here. He kisses me, his arms squeezing me tight to his body. When he finally lets me go, he tells me he cut a hole in the back wall, and we have to get out of here now.

Letting Case go, I go over and wake Dominick, Rachel and Adam up. I noticed when I wake Dominick Case has a strange look on his face. He is staring where Dominick is sleeping. He knows we had been sleeping on the same cushion. I thought I saw hurt cross over his handsome face for a minute, but then it was gone.

Dominick stood up grabbed Case in a hug telling him he was glad to see him. Case hugged him back without saying anything. I introduced Rachel and Adam to Case and told them it was time for us to get out of here. Walking over to Case I take his hand in mine and giving it a squeeze.

We all listen as Case tells us in a whispered voice that we have are going to have to go out the hole he had made in the wall, and that we are to stay in a single file line. He told Dominick to take the rear and to keep watch. He said he made camp about three miles from here and that once we left the hut, there would be no talking for any reason until we get back to his the camp site.

Rachel and I both pick up the blankets we had been using to take with us. Walking to the hole Case had cut we watch as he slips through. I follow him.  Rachel is next followed by Adam, then Dominick. Once we are all out Case takes my hand and starts walking north. When we start to go into the woods, I pull back on Case’s hand trying to tell him we didn’t need to be in the woods because of the trees. He squeezes my hand and whispers so softly it was almost impossible here but luckily, I was close enough to him to read his lips as he mouthed the words “trust me.” I give my head a nod letting him know I trust him as we head in the woods.

As we walk through the heavy muck, I was glad I had changed out of the dress and sandals I had been wearing earlier. Everything is eerily quiet as we make our way through. It makes cold chills run through my body. We had been walking what felt like forever when the tree people swoop down out of nowhere.

They are everywhere surrounding us with sticks in their hands. They are speaking in their native language so none of us have the foggiest idea what they are saying. Case calls out to Dominick asking him if he is ready to fight. Dominick yells back he is ready to kick to some creepy tree people ass.

 Case looks at me and asked, if I can handle this. I assure him that I can and tell him not to worry about me, I may not have any powers, but I still remember how to fight. Case gives my hand one last squeeze before leaning in and kissing my lips. When he raises his head, he looks me in the eyes and says, “I love you Lana you own my heart.”

He released my hand and takes off at a full run toward the tree people. I stand there immobilized watching as Case throws himself toward three of the tree people at once. Turning my head, I see that Dominick has done the same thing. Looking back and forth between them, I don’t know what to do. I felt my resolve breaking. Tears run down my face. Case and Dominick are both here because of me. They are fighting right now to save me and here I stand unable to give myself fully to either of them. They both deserve better than me, but I’d be DAMNED if I'd let either of them die right now before I have the chance to tell them the truth about my feelings for them.

Picking up my own stick I charge at one of the tree people hitting it with everything I have in me. It turns on me and slings its stick. I move to the left missing the hit. I may not have my powers, but I still remember the moves. I hit the tree person over the head then dropped the stick and seized it around the neck chocking it. It tries to fight me but as many times as it elbowed me in the stomach and kicked me in the shines I wouldn’t let go. Finally feeling the fight going out of its body, I add more pressure to its neck and hold on until it went limp.

Letting go I turn around and got hit in the face with a stick. Falling to the ground blood running down my face, I felt no pain. I don’t know where the blood is coming from. I only know the anger I am feeling as I jump up and start pounding on the thing that caused it. I hit it over, and over again until it hits the ground. Jumping on top of it, I continue pounding it with my fist. Blood is splattering everywhere. The tree person has long since stopped fighting back, but I can’t stop. It’s like I am hitting it for everything that has gone wrong in my life over the last year. As if it was to blame. Dominick is pulling at me telling me it is over. I finally stop hitting the tree person, I just killed and I felt the anger leaving my body. I go limp like the tree person had earlier that I chocked.

Dominick pulls me into his strong arms and holds me tight as I cry. After a while, I begin to feel the pain for the first time from where I had been hit in the face.  I push away from Dominick moaning in pain.

“Let me see your face baby” Dominick said. Putting his hands on either side of my face raising it toward his, he cursed.

“Is it that bad” I asked as my tears fall on his hands?

“You’re as beautiful as you always are Princess” he said before placing a light kiss on my lips.

Someone cleared their throat bringing Dominick and I out of the little world we had created where it was just the two of us. Breaking apart I look around and see Case standing their frozen looking at us. The hurt I see on his face brake's my heart. I didn’t know what to say or how to fix what he had just wittiness.

We stared at each other for what seemed like a life time before Case finally turns his head away and said, “We need to go.” Feeling like the lowest person alive I start walking. The pain I felt from my face is nothing compared to the pain I feel in my heart knowing I hurt my Angel. I love Case and never wanted to hurt him. I have to find a way to make him believe me. I have to fix this.