CLICK HERE FOR THOUSANDS OF FREE BLOGGER TEMPLATES »

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Chapter 9

As they exited the diner Jon realized the wolf was gone. “Wonder where she went?” He looked at Richie then back and forth along the street. “She was right here when we went in.” He was slightly worried as the wolf had never just wandered off on him four years before.

Richie shrugged slightly, “She’s probably off chasing a mouse or something bro. She’s a wolf after all.”

Jon glanced at his friend with a not so amused look. “What if she gets lost?”

Richie grinned at his friend’s dumb question. “Bro she’s a wolf for god sakes, she can smell her way back to the motel if she really wants to find you.”

Jon shook his head, embarrassment shining in his eyes. “Yeah I guess your right about that.” With a rueful grin he set off in the direction of the motel followed by the guys he laughed and played with. They were a good group of guys, but they just wouldn’t ever understand his connection with that little white wolf.

As Jon and the band walked up to the motel they said their good nights and split off to their own rooms. Richie alone walked with Jon as they had decided to do a bit of creating instead of drinking. They chatted amiably about the new songs they were working on and the upcoming MTV appearance that was coming up. Just as Richie was asking about using the song With a Little Help from my friends he was ran into Jon as his friend came to an abrupt halt. “Well hell bro, if you didn’t’ wanna do that song all you had to do was say so.”

Jon just stood there staring at his door his face a study in concentration. Pointing towards his door he spoke softly, “hey there’s something at my door, you don’t think a groupie found us do ya?”

Richie looked towards the lump at the door, his head tilting as he studied the shadowy lump. “Uh, if that’s a groupie bro, she decided on a nap because she’s not moving at all. Ever think it might be your little wolfie waiting on ya?” With that thought echoing in his mind he pulled the key to his room from his pocket and started to stride forward. Within second he had dropped to his knees a muttered oath echoing out to Richie.

Richie watched as Jon dropped and started cursing. His voice held a mixture of anger and fear, deep bone shaking fear. “RICH, get your ass here NOW!”

When Richie made it to Jon his eyes widened in shock. “What the hell?”

Jon thrust his key up towards Richie then carefully picked the body up and stood. He cradled the girl close to his body, his eyes radiating worry. “Damn what happened to you?”

As Richie opened the door he moved into the room and laid the girl on the bed Richie quickly closed the door and followed Jon over to the prone girl. “Jesus man, what do you think happened to her? Shouldn’t we call an ambulance?” When Jon didn’t reply he reached out and tapped him on the shoulder. “Bro, looks like she’s hurt bad, we need to call an ambulance or a cop or something before someone thinks we did this.”

Jon ignored him as he dropped to his knees beside the bed, his slender hand reaching up to brush a matted piece of hair from the girl’s face as he whispered softly, “Oh Dusty, what happened to you?”

Richie’s eyes widened. This was Dusty, the girl that had tied his buddy into knots four years before? Where the holy hell had she come from and who had worked her over?

“Bro, she looks hurt pretty bad, maybe we should call the law or something.”

Jon shook his head, unwilling to get anyone involved, at least at this point. “Bro just run to the store and get bandages and ointment and anything else you can think of. Let’s see if she comes around first. If she wants us to call the cops we will.” Richie nodded and bolted from the room running as fast as his long legs could carry him. Jon had decided a plan of action and he would carry through for his brother.

He knelt there absently brushing her forehead with one finger, trying to figure out what to do next. There was so much blood, so much red on what he could tell used to be a white tee shirt. He needed to clean her up, get rid of all the blood, but deep inside he was afraid of moving her too much as it might set off more blood flow. He had never felt as helpless in his entire life as he felt right this moment. “Come on, wake up Golden Girl. I can’t help you if I don’t know what do for you.”

Eyelashes fluttered weakly as if somewhere deep within her unconscious she had heard his voice. As her eyes opened she took in the worried look of the man kneeling next to her. She felt tears begin to seep from her eyes as she realized that she was in human form. It must have happened when she fainted. She never had mastered the ability to be wolf if she wasn’t concentrating on it.

“What happened Golden? Who hurt you like this?” Jon quizzed her softly, his need to know almost outweighing his need to help her.

“I don’t want to talk about it ok? It’s not important.” Dusty looked up into his quizzical gaze, a soft whimper of pain whispering over her lips as the tears began to fall in earnest.

He shook his head to clear it of all the thoughts scrambling over each other and returned to the important part at hand. “Sweetie we need to get all this blood off of you so I can figure out how badly you’re hurt. The best way to do that is stick you in the bath. I’ll be as careful as I can, but it needs to be done.”

She nodded, weariness floating in her eyes and with just three words melted his heart to mush. “I trust you Jon.”

With a nod he stood and walked to the bathroom and set the stopper on the tub. Turning the water on he adjusted it to just barely warm knowing that if the water was too hot it might make her bleed more. Opening the cabinets he pulled out all the plush towels and wash clothes he could find and settled them on the counter before moving back out into the bedroom.

Reaching the bed he leaned close and picked the injured girl up carefully. His nose wrinkled at the scent of blood that seemed to coat her entire being. Reaching the bathtub he slowly lowered her into the water and began to sluice the water over her body. He didn’t want to pull the tee off until he was sure it was wet enough to move without causing more damage to the wounds, where ever they were. After he had the tee thoroughly wet he carefully sat the girl up and slid his hands down to the hem of the tee and lifted it upwards. As he did the the movement jarred her shoulder causing her to cry out in pain. “I’m so sorry baby, so sorry, we’re almost finished here.”

He reached backwards and pulled a fluffy towel from the pile and laid it across his chest before pulling the girl up and carefully into the towel. Wrapping it around her he lifted her again in his arms before carefully reaching for and pulling the other towels onto her body. “Let’s get you situated so we can check out what is what.”

Walking to the bed he glanced down and realized laying her back on the sheets would just re-bloody what he’d already gotten clean. Turning he walked over to the rooms couch and laid her carefully down. “Gotta fix the bed first baby. Just one more minute.”

Dusty nodded slightly as each movement just made the pain wake up and go hello. She shivered slightly as he walked away. His being close had kept the pain and memories at bay, but he was steps away and involved in fixing the bed which left her mind to wander down the happenings of a few hours before. Tears leaked from her eyes as she recalled the hatred in Max’s eyes. How could the community hate her for striking out on her own, and hate her to the point of sending a hunter after her? She began to whimper softly as the pain in her head began to rival the pain in her body.

He pulled the spread off the bed and was relieved to find that the sheets beneath had not become blood soaked. He’d have to do away with the comforter and have the hotel charge him for it because he would be damned if he left anything with blood on it in this room to cause concern. With a sigh he turned and moved back to the couch and carefully lifted Dusty back into his arms. Had she not been so injured he would have enjoyed the feel of her slight body against him, but he knew each step and movement was causing her pain and that was something he didn’t enjoy in the least.

Reaching the bed he carefully laid her down and pulled the sheet up over her trying to protect her modesty as best as possible before beginning to unwrap the towel to investigate her injuries. As he was moving he heard the door open and turned his head towards the sound.

“Sorry it took me so long bro, but you wouldn’t believe how hard it is to find things in this town.” Richie huffed softly as he was out of breath from running to get back with the things needed. “So is she hurt bad?”

Jon shook his head, “I don’t know bro, I had just gotten her cleaned up and back on the bed before you returned.” He reached over and opened the towel slightly as he started cursing softly. “God damned what ever attacked her ripped a gash in her shoulder Rich, it looks pretty bad too. She’s bruised from chest to belly too, looks like someone hit or her kicked her; and there’s another gash along her side. Dammit it looks pretty bad too. Maybe we should get her to a doctor.”

Dusty cried out softly her golden eyes opening to see a rather large man standing behind Jon. “NO! NO doctors. Just put a bandaid on, I’ll be ok, really I will.”

Richie looked down into golden eyes and studied the girl with the fear radiating off her in such obvious waves before turning to Jon. “Well how you going to handle that one bro?”

Dusty coughed slightly, her body beginning to tremble in fear and pain both. “Really, listen, I know it looks bad, hell it feels worse, but I can’t go to a doctor, I can’t.”

“It looks like we play doctor Rich,” he sighed as he reached out for the bag and slowly spilled its contents into his lap.

Richie moved to the other side of the bed and carefully settled himself upon the mattress. He wasn’t too sure as to what he could do to help, but he was willing to try. As Jon gently put antiseptic on the wounds he motioned for Richie to try and pull the two sides of the gauges together as he carefully began to bandage the wound. As he taped it down he glanced at the girl who had grown quiet. “Almost done golden girl, shouldn’t be too much longer then you can maybe sleep.”

Dusty smiled slightly as she felt his hands gently moving over the wounds. He was trying so hard to not hurt her. She bit back a groan as he turned her carefully onto her side, and repeated the process with the gash there. As he laid her back flat on the bed and pulled the sheet over her she sighed softly in relief.

Richie slowly stood and began to move to the door. “I’m going to head to my room bro. If you need me no matter how late just call me. We’ll work on the music later; you’ve got more important things to take care of tonight. And by the way, when you get the time you ARE going to fill me in on when you originally met this lovely lady ok?”

Jon smiled slightly as he nodded at his friend. “Thanks bro,” His unspoken agreement to explain written in his blue gaze. As Richie left Jon moved to the couch, and prepared to spend a long night trying to get comfortable. Just before he sat down he heard her soft voice calling him.

“Please, please don’t leave me over here alone. Jon please come back.”

Toeing off his boots he padded over to the bed and slowly lay down and turned towards her. Lifting her head slightly he placed her head on his arm, remembering vaguely the nights she had slept beside him. If she wasn’t curled up next to his chest she would overtake his arm and use it as a pillow. He let himself smile as she sighed contently and slowly turned to her uninjured side, her hair fanning out over his arm. Even injured her need to press herself into his chest ran through her.

Pulling the sheet up over his body he gently lay his arm over her mid section and allowed himself to doze off with the girl safely within his arms.

No comments: