Saving Shaw

Six

Darkness enveloped me. I tried to peer through the pitch black that surrounded me on all sides. I didn't know where I was or what was happening. In the distance, I could hear a woman's cries. It took me a moment to realize who the voice belonged to. "Shaw! Shaw, where are you?" she pleaded desperately.

"Mom!" I cried out as I ran towards the sound of my mother's voice. I couldn't see where I was going, but all that concerned me was getting to my mom. "Mom, I'm here!" I said before I tripped over some invisible force.

I fell to my hands and knees. When I looked up, I found myself back in Vancouver. It was well into the night and street lights illuminated the sidewalk where I crouched. I got to my feet and looked around before I heard my mom's voice call out again. "Shaw, please! I can't find you," she cried out again. "Sweetheart, help me find you."

My heart was pounding in my chest. What was my mom doing in Vancouver? "Mom, I'm coming," I called out, feeling myself begin to panic as I hurried down the street towards her cries.

As I rounded the corner at the end of the street, I felt two hands grab me and slam me against the brick wall of a building. When my eyes snapped into focus, I found myself in an all too familiar alley between two buildings staring up at golden eyes.

A small whimper left my lips as Luke had me pinned between him and the rough wall. Behind him, I could make out dozens of faceless figures with similar golden eyes glowing in the shadows. Somewhere in the distances, I could hear my mom's cries fading away. Once more, she slipped away from me.

I closed my eyes and tilted my head up at the moonless night before a growl caused me to snap back to the monster before me.

"You liked me in the bar, Shaw," Luke's voice crooned as his clawed fingers gently caressed my cheek. "What happened?" I swallowed harshly as I tried to pull away. "Come now. You're hurting my feelings," he pouted.

"Please," I begged him. I couldn't find my voice enough to form any other words.

Luke's lips curled upward as his sharp canine's appeared. He loved this. He got off on instilling fear in girls like me. He fed off the power and control he had over my life. "Well, since you asked so nicely..." he trailed off.

The next thing I knew, he grabbed me by the elbow and threw me to the ground behind him. Once again, I found myself on my hands and knees, but before I could get to my feet, a fearsome growl rang out into the right. My body stilled.

I slowly lifted my head and came face to face with another pair of golden eyes. These eyes, however, belonged to a gray wolf whose teeth were barred and whose hackles were raised. My breath caught in my throat as the wolf's muscles tensed and he lunged.

〄

I jolted awake and found myself tangled in the sheets of Talon's bed. My heart was beating rapidly and my stomach churned. My hand flew to my mouth as I used the other to rip the sheets off my body. I scrambled out of the bed and practically sprinted to the dark bathroom and dove for the toilet.

My stomach heaved violently as I threw up. The process repeated itself several times until my stomach was empty and my body was exhausted. I wasn't a stranger to throwing up. I'd been hungover more times in my life than I could count, but this was a whole different ball game. I wanted nothing more than to curl up on the cold tile in the dark bathroom, but every time I closed my eyes, my dream replayed behind my eyelids and my stomach twisted in agony.

I hadn't heard him come in, but suddenly the bathroom lights were flipped on. I quickly flushed the toilet and closed the lid with a snap. I pushed myself away from the porcelain bowl and shifted my body so my back leaned heavily against the wall. My knees folded into my chest and I rested my head against them with my eyes closed before wrapping my arms around my legs. "Sorry," I mumbled out.