Soul Bound

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

"Falon, why are we sitting on boards?"

I turn and blink at River, who's sat on the back of my board. I'd been trying so hard to focus on a swell, or the way the sun glitters on the water's surface, or how lulling the rhythm of the waves is, to keep my thoughts from drifting back to all the questions I have, that I'd almost forgotten he was behind me. And especially forgotten that he was shirtless, in only a pair of rolled up jeans.

"Wouldn't you rather shift? Surf the waves as a shark? With nothing between you and the sea?" River continues.

"Well... this is tradition. We go surfing when something bad happens," I say.

The ocean has always been a haven to me. Saltwater has a way of healing mind, body, and soul. And Dunn feels the same way. It's one of the few things we have in common.

"When something bad happens, you need to reconnect with the Earth. That's the best remedy," River states.

Dunn paddles his legs to make his board face River. "What makes you think you know what's best?"

River hops off my board and splashes into the sea. "Because we're the same. Falon needs what I need," River shrugs then nonchalantly lies back to float in the water.

"She's done just fine without you until now," Dunn barks. "We had things under control."

"How about you guys give it a rest for once?" I chime in, but neither is listening.

River laughs. "Under control? You call nearly getting killed by a werewolf 'under control?"'

"And at that point you were too busy stalking her to be of any real use. We try to protect her, yeah? What do you do?"

"Protect her? Where were you the other night when Judge came knocking?" River smiles. He knows he's got Dunn beaten. "I know where I was. Stopping him from tearing Falon in two."

Dunn recoils from his comment and I see he's genuinely hurt by that. I need to break this up or they're going to beat the crap out of each other. If I don't beat the crap out of them first. "Hey, you guys are acting like I can't fend for myself and it's starting to piss me off. Just shut up and surf," I growl.

Again, I'm ignored.

Dunn points his finger at River. "You think you're some kind of god-send. Newsflash, you're not better than us, yeah? So quit looking down at us from your high horse like we're crap you don't wanna step in."

River grins again, "You said it, not me."

"River!" I snap, splashing him with water.

"Look, you don't like me because I've replaced you. Falon doesn't need you and Baldy anymore and you're taking it out on me. I'd be mad too if I became irrelevant." River doesn't even try to hide his smugness.

"Hey, knock it off!" He's really starting to piss me off.

"No, no, pretty boy can think what he wants," Dunn says, and I can see he's getting really wound up. "He thinks he knows me. He doesn't know squat," he practically spits the last word.

"I do know you. You're human. Selfish. Pig-headed. Parasitic. You're all like that. And it's only a matter of time before you're on the endangered species list. And you know who will miss you when you're finally gone?" River swims closer to Dunn, a smug smile on his face, "No one."

I hold my breath, waiting for Dunn to respond aggressively, but he doesn't.

When Dunn speaks, it's with a quietness I didn't know him capable of. "You don't know me." There's a smile in his eyes that isn't in his mouth. "And, the thing is, we don't know you either, yeah? We don't know where you're from, why you're here, or why we should trust you. And when this is over, you'll leave and it'll be like you were never here. I'm only putting up with you cause Finn thinks Falon needs you."