Going Rogue

Fifteen

DREW

I don't know if I believe in an afterlife. I'm not sure I believe in reincarnation either. What does the moon Goddess even have in mind for an Omega orphan like me? The last thing I could remember was something close to both heaven and hell, the pain from the bite but also the pure bliss of being inside of Jess' arms. Waking up, stirring from soupy darkness made me feel like I might have cheated death, but it left its mark on me. I was half rotten, nauseated and covered in sweat.

Groaning, I turned over, but something in my arm pulled and I cursed. Peeling my eyes open, I squinted, weak against the crisp light pouring out of a window. With my brow furrowed, I looked around a room I didn't recognize and stared at the tube attached to my arm, leading up to an IV. At least it was better than recognizing this as the wrong house. At least it wasn't Jacob's mansion.

My last memories came in flashes: Jess' lips, his breath brushing my face, the taste of his skin and his rough hands wandering across the outline of my body. Then, I remembered passing out. It was less like falling into darkness, but more like doing a belly flop. Everything hurt. Someone popped open my head and dumped a load of rocks inside. It felt like a headache that was never going to end.

I looked around, taking in the room and the big bed. My breath caught, my nerves circling around my throat, tightening and tightening. "Jess?" I took a chance, waiting for a response but nothing came.

Licking my lips, I carefully pulled away the bedspread and laid my feet flat, the floor creaking beneath me. I paused, waiting for the door to fly open for whoever put me here to check on me. I stared at the IV and my first thought caused a rush of bile to the top of my throat. Pain and gore had never sat well in my stomach. Closing my eyes, I held onto the needle. Underneath, it already felt bruised and sore. Still, I yanked out the needle and curled my lips to keep from full on screaming.

"Ow," I whispered and let the needle drop. An orb of blood peaked out from my skin, so I pressed my hand against it. I walked carefully to the window, moving the curtain aside. Outside, the world was covered in pearly white snow. The trees wore long icicles across their slender limbs. Behind them, I could see mountains and nothing but gray skies.

The floor creaked again, but this time outside. There was someone out there. My heart squeezed. Without wasting too much time thinking, I ripped a lamp with a huge lampshade from the wall and held it over my head, ready for anything. Sure, I was shirtless and without shoes, but I had this lamp. Pushing the door, it creaked like an untuned note and I made it one step until I met someone's eyes, a man. He stood just as frozen as me. He was taller than me and with enough muscle to probably throw me back in that room with one hand.

"St-stay there!" I spat out, shaky and with a crack in my voice, but I think he heard me. The stranger blinked, holding a basket full of folded laundry. He had the coloring of fine leather with golden hazel eyes. I gripped the lamp tighter and changed my stance to something closer to 'I'm going to hurl this lamp at your face if you step out of line'.

"Where am I?" I asked a bit stronger.

The man blinked back into the moment. "Uh, you're in the Dearest Inn."

"And- and um," I glanced behind my shoulder, but quickly back at him. "I have a friend. Um, his name is-"

"Jess?" The man said and my chest clenched. I lowered the lamp just slightly. Motioning behind him, the man explained. "Go down these stairs, take a right and run through the kitchen back door. He got a little stir crazy, so I told him to go chop some wood."

"O-okay," I nodded and took a step towards him. "Don't move..." The man nodded at my command, playing along as we circled each other to switch places. Nervously, I swallowed as I found my footing on the stairs. I glanced down, noticing the spiral and feeling a great urge to run. I bowed slightly to the stranger and whispered, "th-thank you."