Parahuman (Parahuman Series) (38 page)

    
Landing in a crouch at the base of the tree Devan heard a yip telling him that
one or both of their aims had hit. A glance upward showed that the injured wolf
had lost its forward momentum causing it to fall short of its intended branch.
It clawed frantically at the limb before falling to the earth about five feet
from him.

     The
other wolf landed on the branch effortlessly, but proceeded forward with
another leap to the ground; either to pursue Devan or to get away from Laney’s
gun. Whichever the reason he was relieved it was out of the tree and away from
her.

     While
three wolves had gone for the high ground, the other two had going for a ground
attack. Fear for Laney’s safety had distracted Devan and one of the wolves on
the ground came up behind him rapidly. Devan executed a full-round back flip at
the same time grabbing the arrow from his mouth. The wolf made an attempt to latch
on to Devan; its head and snapping teeth reached out for him as its body did a partial
twist and flip of its own fighting to turn around, but it missed him by a foot.

     Devan
didn’t miss though, he stabbed the bolt into the wolf’s neck as it passed under
him and gave a yank for maximum damage and was rewarded with a long  pained
yelp. When his feet touched the ground he jumped instantly for the nearest tree
away from the last wolf. Grabbing another bolt Devan had it loaded in seconds
as the final wolf came running in, but it swerved at the last minute heading
back into the denseness of the forest. Not wanting to lose another mark Devan
looked for wolf three but it was also gone. 

     Two of
the wolves had made it back to the protection of the woods. The first wolf
Devan had shot with the arrow had instantly died while the one Laney and he had
wounded was struggling to its feet at the base of the tree. The animal snarled
menacingly, blood dripping from the bullet hole in its shoulder and the knife
in its stomach. It was no longer a threat, but it would take a while to die.

     The
wolf he’d stabbed in the neck was lying on the ground rapidly bleeding to
death. When Devan had stabbed it in the neck he’d nicked either the small or
large jugular vein.   

     Devan
heard the other two wolves growl off in the distance. The wolf under the tree
gave a weak yowl in return and began hobbling away. Devan finished it off with
an arrow to the heart.

    
Dropping to the ground Devan quickly retrieved both bolts and his knife before
leaping back onto the branch below Laney. Her branch position and his put them
face to face.

     “Are
you alright?” Devan asked, looking her over carefully. She straddled the branch
and gazed at him with wide, wild eyes, her hands trembling slightly. He pulled
some of the water from his pack. The probability that she might go into shock
was high with everything she’d been through, although, her pupils and breathing
seemed good.   

     “That
was amazing. Did you know they were going to do that?” She asked shakily,
ignoring his question. She took a drink of the water and handed it back. Devan
took a small sip before pocketing it again. 

     He
fitted another bolt in the crossbow before answering. “A multitude of scenarios
rolled through my mind.”

     She
grinned, but it was shaky. “A multitude, huh.” She glanced at the three dead
wolves below them. “I now that wolves can strategize somewhat, but that’s
definitely not normal.”

    
“They’ve been enhanced genetically, it’s hard to say what cerebral facets were
affected, but they have definitely been trained.” Devan gazed around the
forests perimeter, looking for the two remaining wolves. They had regrouped and
were pacing about one hundred and twenty yards south east of their tree. 

    
Again, he wondered where the other three missing wolves had gotten too. They
had all been together hunting around his house, but then they were absent at
the school, they had joined the pack to eliminate the dead wolf, but were again
absent for this attack. Did they separate from the pack during risky
undertakings?   

     Laney
was observing him as he assessed. “They’re still out there?”

     Devan
watched the wolves pace in the distance; never holding quite still. “Yes, but
at the moment they don’t look like they’re going to make another rush attack; which
is disappointing.” 

     “Why
is that disappointing? That sounds great to me.” She exclaimed in astonishment.

      Taking
his contemplation off the wolves Devan transferred it to her. She stared at him
in complete bafflement. “We’re in a prime position; elevated and protected.
There’s only two out there now, it would be like shooting so-called ‘fish in a vat’.”  

     She
grinned and this was less shaky than the last one. Some of the tension left her
face, which was what he’d been hoping for. “You
really
need to get out
more.” She scoffed.

     Devan
gave her a quizzical look. “I’m outside most of the time.”

     She
rolled her eyes at him. “That’s not what I meant. I was trying to point out
that your lingo needs some work and you could use some social interaction to
update it.” 

     “I
thought I was doing that with you.” And that was the truth of it. His total
social interactions of the last six years in the world equaled one afternoon
with her. In all these years she was the only one who had fascinated him enough
to want to change his solitary and reserved manner. Once Devan left he would
most likely revert back to his distant behavior. It was unlikely he would find
another person who drew him like Laney did. 

     Her
smiled slipped a little and she looked down at the gun in her hands. She
triggered the safety back on. “Were you?” she said softly. “It seemed like you
were always pulling away from me.”

     Devan
deliberated on what to say to her. In a few hours he would be gone…forever. In
a way he felt he had nothing to lose in disclosing his feelings.   

    
“Laney, since the first moment of meeting you I’ve acted in a completely
contrary manner to the way I normally behave. I never go to social gatherings,
but for some reason I couldn’t say no to you when you asked. Every time I’m
around you my synapses go haywire, firing uncontrollably. I’m used to thinking
rationally and logically, and that rationality is absent every time I’m near
you. I tried to keep my distance because of Jarrod, but then the feelings that
arose every time I was with you became more intense and I found I liked to be
around you too much to stay away. It was all rather incomprehensible for me.” Devan
shook his head wondering if he was conveying his thoughts properly. “When the
wolves came on the scene I knew something was wrong and because of that your safety
became paramount. That is why I pushed you away last night.”  

     Devan
scanned the woods feeling uncomfortable after his confession, unable to look
her in the face after revealing his turbulent feelings. She had remained
completely silent during his purge, and was still silent as he ended. After a
while he found that it was becoming rather torturous to
not
see her
face. Even if his feelings were abhorrent to her he had to know...so he
turned.  

     The
look on her face was stunned amazement. That was better than revulsion…he conjectured.
Her hand rose slowly and settled on his vest, and Devan watched as a desolate
sort of joy replaced the stunned look in her brilliant green eyes. It froze Devan’s
breathing in his trachea.

     “Do
you know that your pupils enlarge making your eyes go all black when you look
at me sometimes, it’s incredible?” She leaned closer. “They’re doing it right
now.” Her lips settled softly on his.

     This
kiss wasn’t like the previous one. Before it had been out of control; Devan’s
anger turning to exultation at seeing her safe, her fear alleviated by his
presence after her frightening night. It had led to an overload of emotions.

     This
kiss was slower, sweeter, and when she pulled back Devan was left feeling
bereft. 

    
Watery eyes gazed into his. “I feel the same way about you. It’s crazy…I
mean…we’ve only known each for such a short time, but every time you pushed me
away it felt like a knife in my chest. The thought of you leaving is killing
me.” Her words caused that same knife like sensation in his chest. “I know you
have to go, but it’s tearing me apart inside.” The tears that had been welling
in her eyes trickled down her cheeks.

     Devan
instinctively lifted his hand to brush them away, he did not want her weeping.
“Please don’t cry.” He implored hoarsely; long forgotten tear ducks began to
burn.

     “You’re
worth crying over.” She placed her hand on his cheek.

     Devan
found that he craved Laney’s touch. His hand drifted from her eyes to her hair;
pulling some strands through his fingers he was amazed at how soft it was. It
may just be keratin, but her hair had some quality that made his fingers tingle.
He grazed the silken area between her shoulder and neck and she shivered
slightly, her lips parting in a breath.

     Instantly,
his eyes focused on them, aching to kiss her again, but he was unsure. Touching
others wasn’t as natural to him as it seemed to be for her. She hugged and
touched people without a thought while he flinched at the slightest touch. 

     She caressed
his cheek and the tip of her finger brushed softly over his bottom lip. This
erased any hesitation Devan felt; the urge was greater than his insecurity. Drawing
her nearer he watched her eyes close and her lips part in anticipation.  

     Her
lips were soft and tasted of tears, and he tried his best to hold back from
crushing them hard beneath his. His strength was part of what had stopped him
previously. He thought he might have been hurting her. He was so much larger and
stronger than her; he could damage her so easily.

     She
didn’t seem to want gentle though, because she lifted her hand to the nap of his
neck attempting to pull him closer. Yielding, Devan leaned into her branch
putting his hand around her waist to steady both of them, but also because he
wanted more contact with her. The enticement of intimate contact became understandable
to him as a suffusion of warmth ran through his body. Who wouldn’t want to feel
this all the time?

    
Laney’s hand drifted from his head down to his shoulder as she pressed in closer
and a couple of her fingers slipped down his t-shirt onto his bare back. Devan shuddered
at the unfamiliar, intimate contact, wanting more. Control slipping he pressed
in harder pulling on her lips and heard her moan softly. Instantly, he drew
back afraid he was hurting her.

     Devan
took a deep breath, astonished at how winded he felt. He could hear her breaths
coming out erratically also. Expecting to see condemnation for being too
forceful he instead saw her gazing at him warmly. Touching his forehead to hers
in relief he waited for their breathing to stabilize.    

     Once
back under control Devan pulled back to look her in the face. There were
smudges on her face from the tears that had fallen mixing in with the dirt that
had been on her face. He grabbed a wet wipe from his vest and began to gently
clean her cheeks of the tear tracks.

     “I
must look terrible.” She grinned tearfully.

     “No,
you’re the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, and I
have
traveled
extensively.” He gave her a small grin.

    
“Whatever,” she said, giving him a little push. Her face turned red in self-consciousness.

     “You
don’t believe me. I’ve been to at least six schools in the last two years; no
one has come close to you. It’s not just your corporeal beauty, it’s your
nature. It outshines everyone I have ever come across.” Devan had serious
doubts he would ever come across it again.    

     Her
face turned somber and she reached up to run her fingers through his hair, her eyes
following their movement. His eyes involuntarily closed at the contact, it was
unbelievable the sensations her fingers elicited. Devan felt a strange
vibration run through his chest, rumbling under his rib cage. Suddenly, an
unexpected purr of contentment burst from his voice box.

     His
eyes flew open in astonishment as her hand halted its movements; they stared at
each other silently.  

     “Was
that what I think it was?” Her eyes were round in wonder.

     Devan’s
face was hot enough to melt metal. “Uhh…I’m not sure. That’s never happened
before.” He stammered in complete shock and mortification.

    
Before he could stop her she brushed her fingers through his hair once more.
Incredibly, another purr ran up through his chest. All he could think was it
felt sooo good. The compulsion was almost beyond his control, but not
altogether. Dredging up his waning control he managed to clamp down on his
wayward larynx, terminating the vibrations.

     He speculated
whether this was a new alteration in his makeup or if it was something that was
showing itself under present conditions.

     “It’s
not a bad thing is it?” She asked anxiously pulling her hand back.

     For
some reason when she worried over him it made his chest warm in contentment. Devan
met her eyes and smiled reassuringly, hiding the fears he had of future
adaptations. “No, it’s not bad.”