Blinded by Eternity

Chapter Two - Speak

Chapter Two

I walked through the halls. It was late, and while Carmen said I should get some shut-eye, I was restless. Probably from the three days I spent passed out in the car. My guess said it was close to midnight, but I was still running on New England time. I looked at the doors, tip-toeing past.
'Gabriel... Jackson... Philippe... Maria... Jesse. Jesse!' I whisper shouted his name. His door was closed, which I wasn't sure was good for a dog in case nature called. I softly knocked on the door, and heard a whimper that was a near indication of a 'come in'. I opened the door, closing it behind me. The room was surprisingly normal looking, fit for a human. There was a bed, a dresser and the only things that made it looked like an animal's den were chewing toys and dog bowls. I saw a shadow bound off the bed and pull a cord. The lights flickered on, and there sat Jesse. He looked like a massive German Shepard, with a red and orange bandana around his neck. I kneeled down, and instantly I was pushed to the ground. "Whoa!" Jesse was on top of me, licking my face and nuzzling my cheek. "Heh. Good boy." He growled, and it almost sounded like an acceptance. "Speak! Go on! You can do it." His shoulders dipped, and he put his paw over my eyes. "What're you-" The paw shifted. It felt different; it felt flesh like.
"I know I am." I jumped a mile high. I shoved myself away as fast as I possibly could. In front of me crouched a man with chocolate brown hair to the base of his neck. He had a bit of stubble and brown eyes.
"W-Who the Hell are you?! Where's Jesse?!" I panicked grabbing a hangar next to me. Great weapon choice.
"Darlin' I AM Jesse. Just calm yerself and put the uh... hangar down." He spoke with a heavy western accent. My breathing hitched in my throat, my chest quickly expanding and contracting.
"Okay... WHAT are you?" I shook profoundly, my wire trustee aimed at the man like a weapon.
"I would be a Werewolf, and seriously, put the hangar down, you look like a man on a mission to be a Coat Check." The man stood and towered over me with a stature of six feet or taller. My fear stayed, but a red travelled to my cheeks. His bandana thankfully transformed with him providing coverage, but it didn't exactly provide much. His eyes followed mine. "Lady, I know I'm pretty attractive to all you mortal women, but staring is unsolicited." He smiled and got out a bathrobe from the closet.
"Thank you..." I trailed off trying to remove the red from my cheeks. 'For Christ's sake Tania! He's a freaking Werewolf!' I thought in my head. Jesse held out his hand, helping me up.
"So. Old man Gabe decided to bring you aboard. Come on. Follow me." Jesse linked his arm with mine and took me up to the deck again. The view was empty. No tables, no bustling people. Nada. Jesse pulled my hand towards the bow of the boat. "Check it." Jesse held out his arms wide and yelled. "I'M KING OF THE WORLD! WOOHOO!" I smiled, my face betraying my still stunned mindset. "Check out the view, darlin'." I walked over to where he was, taking in the gorgeous night sky. I looked at the moon.
"Hey wait a minute!" I said, interrupting the peace of the world around us. "You're a Werewolf."
"Correct." He said bluntly.
"Then how do you transform? It's a crescent moon!" Jesse let out a hearty chuckle.
"Naw, you've been readin' too many Vamp books. It don't matter when it is. I can be that mutt, or I can be my dashing self." He winked. I rolled my eyes and looked back at the sky. I extended my hand to touch the sky when all of a sudden I was looking at the boat before a crack snapped my conscious.

I was floating. I was more alive than I'd ever been. I was so cold, yet so warm.
"Princess! Wake up!" I told my alarm five more minutes. I couldn't breathe,
but my lungs were so full. There was blue behind my eyes, and I felt my body
do a dance of begging for oxygen. I felt barriers under my right arm as the blue left
my eyes. My body still did not contract. I felt a warmth spread to my heart and wind forced into my chest. "Wake up. Wake up."

"Wake up!" My body spasmed. I gripped onto the nearest thing to me as my body convulsed water. "Oh thank Christ..." Heavier breathing than mine was next to me. I was frigid, cold as ice.
"Wh-Wh-Wh-What h-h-happened-d-d-d-d...?" My teeth chattered together.
"You fell in the water. Breathe. Here." He placed his bandana around my shoulders which was big enough to be called a serape. My chills slowed down to a minimum, but I was still cold, and my nose was filled with the scent of chlorine and salt water. "Come on." Jesse put his arms beneath my knees and back, carrying me to the room Carmen assigned as mine. He opened the door, barely with his free hand. He put me on the bed. "Get to gettin' those layers off. You'll freeze to death fast than in the water." Jesse turned his back to me, scanning through the closet. I managed to shakily get the clothes off, clinging to the light fabric for warmth. "AHA!" Jesse near chucked a bathrobe at my head. I hastily put it on, instantly sinking into the warmth of it. My eyes fluttered open and shut. "Hey, whoa there. Don't be going off to sleep. Your body's gonna wanna shut down. Give it time. Relax. Keep calm. You're gonna be okay." My brain was scattered.
"But I'm sleepy..." I let out a yawn. Jesse shook his head.
"No way darlin'. That's the hypothermia talkin'. Your nerves are all fired up and ready to go. Your brain is telling you to go wild, throw a party, but your heart and lungs need oxygen to keep you awake. Come on now. Breathe. Breathe in and out. Slowly." I followed his instructions, the entire time Jesse held my hand, tapping my fingers, seeing for the cold to start to disperse. "I'll stay here with ya, and bite off Gabe's hand if he tries to wake you up early." I let out a chuckle, and after a few hours of hilarious stories involving Jesse biting Gabriel and some unsolicited bathroom jokes as well as Jesse slapping me when I tried to fall asleep, he let me doze off, and unbeknownst to me at the time, still holding my hand.