Involuntary

Chapter Thirteen

The next morning, Dmitrei looked with wonder at his ring on his mate's hand. He couldn't believe it had really happened. It was so fast, but it felt like the perfect timing, so why wait? The world was fickle and dangerous. All the more reason not to wait when you met the one for you. Not to mention, his ring could help her stay safe. While he had no idea what powers were contained there, he knew it was the safest she could be.

Now there was one thing left to do. Call the Oracle and tell her to deactivate the collar. He was ready to be himself again and to align with humanity. Elena had made him want to. She had brought back that kind part of himself, the part that thought it was possible to fight for what was right and succeed.

He tucked the covers around her and smiled at her soft snores as he left the room. He saw keys hanging up and took them so he could lock the door behind him. When he was out on the sidewalk, the blinding morning sun beating down on him, he pulled out his phone and dialed the Oracle's number.

"Hello? Dmitrei?"

"Yes," he said, keeping his voice down so he didn't wake Elena. Even though she was inside, he knew she was a light sleeper. He intended to tell her everything soon, but he had a specific way he wanted to go about it.

"What's going on? Is something wrong?"

"I found my mate. I want the collar off," he said.

She was silent and his heart pounded heavily as he waited. "Okay."

"That's it? You trust me? Do you even know--"

She cut him off, "I know you've been wanting to be asleep ever since you made that terrible mistake. I know I've been waiting for you to forgive yourself and live again."

"I don't know about forgiving myself, but I am ready to start making amends. I am willing to start trying."

"I was never worried about restraining your power because I thought you would hurt humans," she explained. "I restrained it because I though you would harm yourself. Put yourself back to sleep."

He pressed his lips together. He had been fatalistic. Gloomy. Nothing to live for, just wanting to return to oblivion. Amazing that a mate could change all of that.

"How do you deactivate it?" he asked.

"Normally, I would have to touch it, but I can do it remotely. Give me a second."

He heard her set the phone down, rustling in the background, and then felt the necklace slip down his front. He caught it with one hand and stared down at it. In a way, he was grateful for it. It had kept him safe until he could trust himself.

"So, what are you going to do next?" she asked. "I'm glad to have you on our side. We can use your powers. All of them."

"You need rain?" he asked with a laugh. "I mean, I don't think there are as many crops around here begging for it."

"Right, I forgot about your effect on weather. Maybe we won't need that as much, but we definitely will need your mass healing. Your freezing."

"Got it. Well, I'm at your disposal, like Elric, unless my mate is in danger."

"You gave her the ring, right?" she asked.

"Yes. Though, I'm not sure what it will do for her."

"You'll find out at some point," she said. "All that matters is you're with us. You're a very crucial gargoyle. I'm glad you came around."

"Thanks for waking me up and giving me a chance. It's been better than I could have ever hoped," he said.

"Now, just don't screw it up," she said with a laugh and he hung up the phone.

He had somewhere to go. He looked down the empty street and then got into his car to head over to the shelter. With the necklace off and the adrenaline of talking to the Oracle over, he could feel power flooding through him again. A warm trickle that morphed into a deluge. He was more keenly aware of his body, of the energy around him. The water in the air. Making it rain. With all the other powers he had been thinking about, like healing and attacking, he had totally forgotten how useful that once was for humans.

Sadness fell over him as he remembered how overjoyed those in his village had been whenever it fell for their crops. Crops that had been burned to nothing. But no, this wasn't going to be like that again. He wasn't going to let everything he loved be razed to the ground. He wasn't staying back and watching while checking in here and there. He was living among them, and he would be there if shit went down.

When he arrived at the shelter, it was still early and everything was locked. He took Elena's keys that he had used to lock her door out of his pocket and let himself in, locking it behind him. It was eerily quiet and dark. He went through, flipping on lights. He didn't know how to explain exactly to Elena about himself, but he figured it couldn't hurt to start with one of his best qualities: his ability to heal.

Rather than explain it, he wanted to show her.

He walked over to Sebastian's cage. He seemed to know something was different today and he mewed slightly as Dmitrei approached.

"Shh," Dmitrei said softly. "I will make everything better, buddy." He unlocked the cage and pulled Sebastian out, loving how the cat always snuggled in. He was really looking forward to being able to bring him home. The interesting little guy deserved a home like all the other cats, not to be cooped up in a cage. Sebastian stared up at Dmitrei curiously, relaxing in his arms. Dmitrei touched the lump on the cat's leg. He wasn't used to healing a single being or one area, but he was rusty and it was a good starting point.

The only thing he couldn't do was raise the dead.

He touched Sebastian's leg gently and the cat jerked. He moved his hand over until he covered the lump completely, then he closed hi eyes and let soothing power wash through him. He felt warmth under his hand. He heard Sebastian mew and then purr. Then he felt clarity, as if a sort of darkness was gone and he knew whatever was inside Sebastian was no longer there.

Sebastian hopped out of his hands and walked over the floor shaking his leg behind him in a comical way, but there was no lump. He mewed and jumped onto the bench, striding around like he owned the place, almost as if he were celebrating how good he felt. He looked over at Dmitrei and let out a long meow, like Peony did when she wanted attention.
Dmitrei grinned sitting down and Sebastian crept into his lap, "Want to come home with me now, buddy?"

The cat pressed his face against him in answer and Dmitrei grinned. Then he looked at the rest of the pets in the cages along the wall. None were as sick as Sebastian, but while he was here, he might as well help them, too. Or maybe he was still nervous about going back and facing Elena.