War Dog

Chapter 62

"Ay, Chika" I heard a gorgeous voice speak from behind me, and I turned instinctively realising she was talking to me. I freeze as I spy the owner of the voice. "Valeria," I say non-commitally and turn back to ordering the mountain of food that Ghost and I would devour. 

"I see you know who I am. I take it Alejandro has been opening those loose lips of his, no?"

"I have been briefed."

"Ah, and you see I have been briefed on you as well, chika. Can I call you Ceri? That is what you prefer yes?" 

I freeze, the use of my name rolling off her tongue sounding exotic. Only my doctors called me Ceri, everyone else had been calling me Wolf. 

"Actually, I prefer Wolf, thanks." I say shortly, turning away not wanting to cause a scene without any of the Los Vaqueros here to back me up, or preferably Ghost. 

"You see, Wolf, I don't appreciate my cartel members being held in the Los Vaqueros base. I want them back."

"Sorry Valeria, but I have no say over who is held there."

"Oh, I am fully aware of that, Chika. I am always prepared for any outcome." My ears go on high alert a second too late. I feel something strike me just below the shoulder blade. I blink in surprise. Fuck. Hopefully they wouldn't realise how quickly I metabolised medication. I sprinted, pulling my phone out of my pocket. I dialled Ghosts number. "Wolf-"

"It's Valeria, she darted me with something." My words were becoming slurred, and it seemed like the people around me were becoming sluggish. 

"Shit, keep coming back to the base, I'm on my way." I could hear him striding through the base, his feet thumping the floor. I can hear Alejandro in the background as he questions Ghost what's happened. I hear him yelling something back, but the words sound far away. I keep pushing my body as fast as I can, only able to push away the affects of whatever was in my system for a while before it hits me hard. 

My vision starts to blur, and I feel arms wrap around me and a masculine voice speaking in Spanish. I try to struggle, my limbs weak. ""Pequeño Lobo, it's me, it's Alejandro. I got you Cacharro."

I felt him scoop my legs up, carrying me bridal style as my vision blacks out completely. 

Damnit. I open my eyes to find myself in the sterile white hospital room. I sit up, finding myself not attached to anything for once, and figured I must have just been in for observation. 

"You are awake. Good." A voice to my left speaks, but when I turn there's no one there. I frown, confused. 

"Hello?" I call out, finding my throat dry and scratchy, and I wonder how long I've been in the hospital. 

"Hello, Cerianis." The voice speaks from the foot of my bed and I turn to see a figure dressed with a mask and hood coveting their features entirely. 

"Who are you?" I ask not recognising the figure, but not alarmed either. They seemed very familiar. 

"Ah, a conversation we have had many times, darling and yet you always seem to forget."

The figure removes the hood and pulls down the mask revealing my face. My eyes, my nose, my lips. My hair, my fur, my teeth. And yet, it looked like a young version of me. Or maybe the older version of me. Or the version of me as I am now. It was like one of those optical puzzles where every time you blinked, the image changed. 

"I am you, and yet I am not at the same time. I am everyone. And no one. I am feared by almost everyone and yet I am inevitable."

"Death?"

"That is one of my names. I am also life. Many people consider me to be two separate entities. However only a God of death would appreciate life so much, and only a God of life would understand death as much as they need to."

"Don't you get lonely?"

"My dear Ceri, always looking out for others. Yes it does get lonely sometimes. But I have many marvellous creations who come and go, and I get to escort them through their journey."

"Do you find it hard, keeping up with both duties?"

"I am  a cosmic being. I am made perfectly to handle my two roles. You mortals have been split and split again and again. You were once made from the stars themselves and able to handle your own share of Godhood. But as you procreated you became lesser, and yet no less beautiful."

"I don't think you're here to talk to me about divine godhood.

"Absolutely right, Child. I'm not." The God sighs and shifts standing next to me. "But you always have the most positively delightful conversations no matter how close to death you become. You have been keeping me on my feet, but once again it is not your time. I doubt you'll heed my warnings any more than the previous time we spoke, but stop fucking dying." 

Before I could retort with confusion, she poked my forehead hard and I felt myself careening backwards, into my body. I wake up with a start to find Ghost, Ben and Charlie standing all around me, pale and yelling at each other. I couldn't understand what was being said, the words too loud and fast for me to catch. 

Ben noticed me staring first, and as if he couldn't believe his eyes checked the monitor before looking at me again. "Ceri?" He muttered, stricken. "Ceri!" He said louder, drawing Ghosts and Charlie's eyes to my direction. 

"Wolf?" Ghost questioned, eyes widening in surprise. Before I can say anything, Ghost is yelling at me, concern lacing every loud word. He's still speaking too fast and loud for me to understand the words, but I understand the gist of why he's angry. 

All I can do is whisper two words. "I'm sorry..." I don't really remember what I'm apologising for, but I must have made a mistake, a big mistake if Ghost is yelling at me. So I apologise. He deserves all the apologies I can give him. 

He reaches out to cup my cheek in his hand, a soft look on his face. "Don't apologise Wolf. It's not really your fault."  He finally softens his voice and speaks slow enough that I understand what he's saying. "Rest, Wolf. I'll be here when you wake up." I feel the blackness of unconsciousness rising up to claim me and I succumb to a peaceful deep sleep.