Shadow of the Day (Wolf Moon Sequel)

Chapter 58: Ivy

I called Dad to tell him Ivy was back once we got her settled into bed and Dom had left, smoothing over the situation the best I could. Ivy was feeling sick and had come home since Joe was busy and she didn't want to bother him, but she seemed okay enough and not to worry. Dad came back from looking to get new summer tires immediately, checking Ivy over and practically fuming with outrage and stress at Joe but relief that Ivy was back.

He asked me several times if Ivy mentioned Joe doing something to her, but I fibbed about some kind of flu going around school lately that was laying kids out for a few days and even reminded him of when I'd been sick too back before we moved. That somewhat calmed him but even he found it too suspicious to be accepted so easily, and was still furious that Joe hadn't bothered to answer a call or take care of his sick daughter, even if Dad put a pin in all his furious feelings to care for Ivy. Cool cloths on her forehead, checking her temperature, sitting by her bed and trying to coax her into eating whenever she showed brief moments of consciousness.

I told him not to bother, but he brought her in to see a doctor as well at the walk-in clinic, but much like with me there was nothing really to be done and they returned hours later with orders of bed rest and fluids, and if there was no improvement in a few days to bring her back.

At least when I told my dad that I was sure she'd be fine in a few days just like everyone else had been, that was the truth.

Those days of having Changed were a blur for me, of darkness and exhaustion and worry, being hauled to a doctor who didn't know what was wrong with me but that I should probably rest and drink fluids and see if I improved in a few days just like with Ivy. But I was different from Ivy, our Changes weren't the same and I didn't know what she would be feeling, how similar it would be. And it was so much worse to be on the other side, to see her be sick and be useless to help her, as opposed to being the one in bed. 

Unlike with me though, Ivy wouldn't be in the dark as to what was wrong with her. She had us to help her through it right from day one. And at least I knew that no matter what happened, she would pull through this and be better for it.

Dad called into work and took the week off immediately meanwhile Devin never once called to check in all day, but I had smelled him faintly around the property by nightfall so he knew where she was and had probably put two and two together by now.

Wyatt and I were now on high alert. With Ivy more vulnerable than ever and much more desirable as a newly changed vampire, we were terrified of Devin using this time to swoop in and wreak havoc now that our focus was split.

Time was running out and that final full moon was fast approaching, but Natasha and Wyatt had been unable to track Devin down and they'd been looking since we'd gotten Ivy settled in at home. His trail around our house had ended abruptly, so he'd probably driven away somewhere far where no one could trace him and he could plot in peace.

Devin's house stood empty and untouched like he had simply disappeared into thin air and so the need to kill him became more feral and frantic. Wherever it was he kept disappearing to lately, wherever he abandoned Ivy to be while she was sick, was as uncharted as ever.

We had to find him before he completed his possession or else he would be far more dangerous.  Completing his possession would make him invulnerable and even if we killed him, he would simply jump into another body, probably of someone else who would be close to us or into a stranger and we wouldn't know until it was too late. If Devin were smart, he'd stay hidden until his possession was complete and then come out to terrorize us, but I was hoping his pride and impatience would be stronger than his logic.

It was early morning the next day when there was a knock on our front door. Dad and I were sitting in Ivy's room, him on a chair he'd brought in and me curled up on her bed dozing, neither of us able to let her out of our sights now that she was back and in such poor shape.