The Rising Moon (6 page)

“
What’s up with you and Denise, trying to embarrass me?” He snorted.

“
Oh come on. You know it’s the truth.” She said with a smile. Ryan rolled his eyes. “Why don’t you kids give me a few minutes? Your uncle’s waiting for these hamburgers.” “We’ll be in my room,” replied Ryan. He grabbed my hand and led me into the last room at the end of the hall. His room was quiet, a refreshing retreat compared to the rest of the house. I sat on the full size bed on the corner beneath a small bare window. He didn’t have much furniture, just a bed, bookshelf and a small desk. He had a large, white dream catcher over the bed and posters of animals covered the rest of the walls in his room.

"Let me guess," I said. "You're a fan of ravens and wolves." He laughed as he sat beside me and stared up at the posters.

“
I particularly like the raven. It’s my animal spirit guide.”

I flinched in confusion, “animal spirit guide?”

“
Yea, we believe everyone is connected to an animal that guides us throughout our life, both in the physical and spiritual world. Our animal guide teach us valuable life lessons and grant us spiritual guidance.”

"And what does it mean to have a raven as a spiritual guide?"

"Well, those who have a raven as a guide have the ability to get inside a person's mind and understand their true nature. We’re also the keeper of secrets. And best of all…” He paused to catch my expression, "we carry the mark of the shape shifter."

"Shape shifter?" I swallowed hard. “What’s the mark of the shape shifter?” Ryan pulled up his shirt and showed me a small mark on his back that resembled a half moon. My heart stopped for a few seconds. It resembled the one I had in my left eye.

He turned and looked at me. “We’re more alike than you think.”

∞
Chapter 8 ∞

I COVERED MY LEFT EYE with my hand.
“
It’s not a mark. It’s called heterchromia and I inherited genetically from one of my parents.”

Thank God, his aunt stood at the door because I didn’t want to continue hearing about this whole mark of the shape shifter
nonsense.

“
I finally got all the burgers out in time before the hungry guests become restless,” she said taking a seat beside me on the bed. “So, Lia, my nephew tells me you’ve been having nightmares.”

I brought my hand down to my side. “Yeah,” I replied.

She stared at my eye for a moment then said, “How often are you having them?”

“
I haven’t had the nightmares for a long time. But after my foster mother died, I began to have them regularly. Maybe three to four times a week.”

“
Was your foster mother Veena Miller?” she asked wide eyed.

“
Yes. Did you know her?” I asked, confused.

“
Veena and I grew up together on the same Reservation in Alabama."

"She never mentioned you before." I didn't want to sound rude, but it was true. She never mentioned having known anyone in Wind River before.

"I'm not surprised she never did. You see, several years ago we had a disagreement about something foolish, and she just stopped coming around. Veena was one of the sweetest people you’ll ever meet, but boy was she stubborn! God rest her soul, I loved her like a sister. I tried to attend the funeral but her husband John refused to tell me when and where it was being held."

“
I’m sorry. I never knew.” I replied.

“
It’s ok. It wasn’t your fault.” She said.

I turned to look at Ryan, “Did you know your aunt knew my foster mother?” I asked. He shook his head.

“
He didn’t know,” Ani said. “May I?” she asked reaching for my hands.

She looked into my eyes. As she stared into them, I could feel my left eye begin to burn. Ani closed her eyes and kept them closed for a few seconds. When she opened them, she released my hands and took a step back. Her face was stunned and held a strange expression. I waited for her to speak, but instead she turned to Ryan and whispered something into his ear. I lowered my head and concentrated on my boots.

"Do you believe in reincarnation?" she asked.

I drew back, rattled. “Isn’t that when a soul of a dead person comes back in another body?”

“
Yes.”

“
What does that have to do with my dream?”

"You see, our dreams are images that are played back to us when our souls reach the spirit world in our sleep. Our dreams reveal things that happened to us in our past lives and things that are about to happen in our present life. In your dream, you were happy. The day was bright and suddenly it got dark and scary. The massive wind led you to a cliff, it didn’t knock you off. You chose to fall. The vulture was warning you because you will once again face the same thing you once ran from in a former life.”
I was amazed at how she knew every detail of my dream, just by touching my hand. "What was I running from?" I asked, but Ani just shook her head. “What do you mean you don’t know? I thought you could help me?”

“
I’m sorry Lia, but that’s all I know,” she got up and walked to the next room.

I turned to Ryan. “I thought you said your aunt could help me? Instead of finding answers, I’m left with more questions. I’m beginning to think this was a waste of time.”

Ani walked back into the room carrying something wrapped in an ivory knitted throw as I made my way to the door. I recognized the knit design---it was Veena’s. She unwrapped the throw and handed me a small wooden box. It was old, Victorian maybe. The box itself was simple, except for the engraved initials Z.R. on it. Attached to the copper lock was a decorative key.

“
I may not have the answers you’re seeking, but this might help,” said Ani. “Veena came to see me the night she died. She asked me to hold this box in case something were to happen to her. She said I was the only person she trusted to keep it safe. She also asked me to give it to you when the time came and you needed answers regarding your past.”

Tears began to fill my eyes as I held on to the box.

“
Lia, sweetie, there’s something else I need to tell you.” Ani said. I could tell it was something serious because of the tone of her voice. Suddenly my breathing became shallow. I had to sit back down. My foot shook uncontrollably, with an edgy mind of its own.

Ani leaned closer. I could see my reflection inside the liquid amber of her eyes. Every wrinkle and white root that framed her serious face was magnified in our closeness, "I made a promise to Veena that I would tell you everything I know when the time was right."

“
Okay.” I said as my heart accelerated.

“
Veena was your mom’s sister.”

"What?" I gasped nearly knocking the box out of my hands. My heart pounded loudly as I fought to keep breathing. "Why didn’t she tell me?" I cried, “I’ve lived with her for five years and she never told me anything.” Tears streamed down my face. My stomach turned from the disbelief that she could keep such a secret from me. Surely, Ani was wrong. “Why should I believe you?”

"For years she carried the guilt of your parent’s death on her shoulders and she was afraid you wouldn’t forgive her.”

“
What are you talking about? What guilt?” I asked, breathlessly.

"It all began when your mother met your father. You see, your grandfather was a very old fashioned man. He wanted his daughters to marry men from their own kind. Your mother, Salina, disobeyed him by marrying a man he had not chosen for her. So your grandfather disowned her and never had contact with her ever again. He also forbade Veena from seeing her sister.

But she missed her sister so much that at the first chance she had, she too ran away and never saw her father again. For years, she searched for your mother until she finally discovered that your parents were living in your father’s hometown of Arcadia, Louisiana.

One night, while your parents were returning home from a night out, an animal ran in front of their car. Your mother recognized the animal’s dark eyes and swirled to avoid striking it, accidently crashing head on to a truck."

"What do you mean she recognized the animal’s dark eyes? Was the animal their pet?”

"No it wasn’t sweetie. Veena was the animal who ran in front of the car. Your mother and Veena were both shape shifters."

I looked around myself in shock. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I wanted to get up and run. Run as far away as I could. I took a deep breath, reminding myself to stay calm.

"Lia I know this is too much for you to bare at the moment, but there’s more. Veena didn’t know at that time that her sister had a daughter. When she found out about you, she quickly packed her bags and went to get you.”

I was dumbfounded and lost for words. All these years and she never once told me anything. How could she say she loved me and not tell me the truth? I felt cheated, robbed and angry.

"Don’t be angry with her. She really felt in her heart she was doing the right thing by keeping this from you.”

My voice trembled, “so I inherited the mark I have in my left eye from my mother? Does that mean I’m a shape shifter too?”

"Yes, but not just any shifter,” she replied. “That mark in your eye is a symbol of the immortal wolf. Legend has it that the shifter, who carries the mark in their eye is immortal and posses many powerful gifts. The last known shifter who had the mark was a girl named Zaria Rohan.”

Something had to have been very off with Ryan’s aunt. First Veena and my mother were shifters and now I was an immortal wolf? Yet the last known immortal wolf was now dead.

“
If Zaria Rohan was immortal, why is she dead?” I asked sounding smart mouthed.

“
The meaning of immortal for a werewolf doesn’t necessarily mean to live forever in the physical sense. Aren’t vampires immortal and don’t they die if touched by the rays of the sun or if a wooden stake is driven through their chest? Yet they’re “immortal.” The gift of the immortal wolf means that he or she can be born again, reincarnated in another body. You’re the reincarnation of the immortal wolf, Zaria. And according to your dream, you will once again face the same fate she faced.”

I stood transfixed by what she just said.

“
Open the box,” replied Ani. “Inside you’re going to find her diary perhaps it holds the answers to your dream. Veena also placed a picture of your parents inside the box.”

I opened the box and pulled out the picture of my parents. My mother was identical to Veena except she had long flowing hair and a pair of the most beautiful pale blue eyes I had ever seen. My father seemed tall and thin. He had small brown eyes and dark, wild curly hair. They looked so happy. I smiled at the picture and turned it around. The words Salina + Andrew inside a heart was written on the back in red ink. I closed the box and held it tight.

“
Thank you, Ani,” I said. “But I must go.” I needed to think and sort out the confusion that was webbed in my head.

She shook her head, “I understand, sweetie.”

I got up and walked out the room.

“
Lia wait,” said Ryan. He caught up to me in the hallway. In his hand, he held a small black gift bag, “don’t leave yet. I have something to give you. Let’s go for a walk.”

“
I really must go home.”

“
Just a quick walk, I promise,” he insisted. I sighed deeply and agreed to go.

We walked down the street and stopped underneath a tall Pine tree. He opened the bag and pulled out a shiny black box with a silver satin bow on it.

"What's this?" I asked as he handed me the box. “I don’t think I can handle any more surprises.”

"Open it."

I carefully opened it.

Inside, wrapped in black tissue was a dream catcher. It was made of black suede ribbon, with a black web in the middle embellished with silver heart shaped beads. In the middle hung a silver pendant shaped like a raven, with six shiny black bird feathers.

“
I made it for you,” he said proudly.

"You didn't have to do this for me."

"I thought it could help guide good dreams your way."

“
Thank you. It’s beautiful." I leaned forward and gave him a hug. When I tried to break free from the hug, Ryan locked his arms around my waist and pulled me close to him. I felt the vibrating beat of his heart against my chest. He lifted my chin with his hand and we stared into each other’s eyes. I knew I had to find the strength to free myself from his grip. I didn’t want to make him think we could ever be more then friends. But I couldn’t move.