WeresDigest (11 page)

Chapter
Four

She prepared for the journey, taking as little as she
needed with her in a back pack—items she would most likely use. Things like a
small weapon, a knife, dried packaged food, a canteen, extra changes of
clothing, a bed roll, packaged cleansing rags, a long-range radio-talker fully
powered up, and monetary exchanges. She threw in a few additional items she
might need also, like a mini first aid kit.

They’d be leaving first thing in the morning. All four
of them—Vek, Hajin, herself, and Zi-Den. Doctor Troth said after nearly a week
the man had regained his strength and wellness, so could make the trip. For
which she was glad. He’d been cranky about her taking the trip too, but Vek
must have talked to him because after Zi-Den’s first attempts at telling her
not to come, he stopped. She was thankful to Vek for his interference.

The weather had warmed considerably, but it could
change, the early spring still brought chilly weather in the Between-lands.
Thankfully the Trail-Master Hajin knew the shortest routes through the
Between-land areas so it would only take them three days of near non-stop
moving to get to the caverns a quarter day’s walk from Strank. That’s where he
had to see them to and go on to his next guide job from there. The return route
was a little different from the hike he’d brought Zi-Den in on. Though the
larger metropolis had flying dirigibles, Auck had no such modern flying
apparatuses, nor any landing air bases for them, nor solid enough grounds
around it for that purpose. Nor did those new land bikes work in the
mist-congested areas of the Between-lands.

So to get to other points like Strank from Auck one
had to walk through the myriad trails of the various land masses between the
four countries or travel by other means around the mountains that surrounded
the between lands. Which is why trail guides and trail-masters made small
fortunes. If you wanted a quick route through to another city and didn’t want
to go around the mountains, or couldn’t afford the flying machines some still
had qualms using, then a seasoned Trail-Guide was your best bet to get
somewhere. Whether it was through the Between-lands or not.

Though he wasn’t her favorite person, Hajin was one of
the best Trailers around and could safely get them to their destination. He’d
gotten Zi-Den here safe enough though the man had fallen on his own into an
infested bog, from not listening to Hajin. At any rate, they’d be through it in
no time, with only minimal breaks and sleep periods. Knowing the trails
well-enough once she’d been through them, they wouldn’t need Hajin on the
return journey.

Well if Vek came back with her or not, she could get
to Auck safe enough. But she hoped he would come back with her. She sighed and
finished her packing. He had a son now and she couldn’t blame him for wanting
to know what the boy looked like. The child might not know his real father, but
Vek wanted to make sure his son Thane lived. And it would be up to Shaja,
Zi-Den, and the child whether Vek was allowed to further be part of the boy’s
life.

She wanted him to know his sibling, as she would never
know what it would be like, she wanted her close friend happy. It wasn’t his
fault that he didn’t know about the boy, but he could help to save the child’s
life; and she was glad he felt that way. He wanted to take care of his child,
no matter what happened afterwards. Her heart lurched with a sudden emotional
warmth towards Vek. She quickly hid that in the recesses of her heart—Vek
didn’t need to know how much she truly started caring for him.

Nor did Zi-Den. Damn her ex-husband. Part of her
latently responded to his classic handsomeness. Was there old feelings wanting
to get out? She shrugged them off, not wanting to let anything out right now.
Letha had her reasons for going there, to see that Vek found happiness of some
kind, some ending to the things that haunted her dear friend. That was one of
her main reasons anyway. She didn’t dwell on the others and hurriedly finished
her packing then went to the main room of the living side of the sheriff’s
office. She stopped in her tracks as she overheard a conversation between Vek
and Zi-Den. Curiosity got the better of her and she couldn’t help but listen in.

* * * *

Zi-Den knew it wouldn’t be long before Vek would ask
him about their son—his stepson, yes, but a boy he raised nonetheless. He’d had
a few Trail-Guides search for Vek over the years, but knew it hadn’t been an
intensive enough search. Vek had told him he’d be leaving for another continent
so hadn’t thought to send out a search for the half were-man nearby or on any
other side of the Between-lands. But it was worth it to find his old
acquaintance. To let him know about Thane.

He wasn’t sure he’d have told him if Thane hadn’t got
sick. The boy’s were-cells were deteriorating and only a blood injection from
his real father could save the boy’s life. It was a new procedure the more
modern scientists and doctors in Strank had come up with, but it was now known
to work. So much was not known about the ailments and diseases mixed strains of
were-kinds got from interspecies breeding.

So many years ago, society turned their noses up at
cross-race mating. Strank’s society had chased Letha from him, which he’d
regretted for a long time until Shaja had stolen into his heart and his bed.
Now things were going to be a fucking bitch for both their lives. More
complications he didn’t need, but he realized they’d be there once he saw Letha
again.

He hadn’t known for sure she’d be in this town until
Hajin had mentioned the sheriff’s names. Vek was co-sheriff with her. Why had
the fates done this to him and Shaja? He and Shaja had briefly spoken to each
other about what they’d do should Vek or Letha come back into their lives.
Neither one had a definite answer, but would have to cross that path when it
came up. And now it did.

But for Thane, it would be worth it. The boy was like
his own flesh and blood to him. He’d die if anything happened to the child.
Though his son was on the border of being able to fully shift, the disease had
hit Thane unexpectedly. A rare cell disorder that would keep the boy from
shifting, perhaps kill him. And the specialists said only an anti-serum made
from both parents blood cells would help Thane to live and possibly become a
full-abled shifter. The child already had the tendencies to do that. Now he’d
do his damnest to make sure the boy’s life continued.

Finding Vek and coming to Auck had been his first
hurdle. The second was getting him to come back with him to Strank. That
accomplished, they should make it back in time to save Thane. No matter what
troubles he encountered, he’d swore to Shaja he’d bring Vek back to Strank.
Even if Letha was there. He knew he couldn’t talk her out of coming and had
felt the pull of her beauty and the old feelings right away. It would be a test
both he and Shaja knew would happen to them. To their marriage. They would have
to deal with their old flames coming back to haunt them, to be in their lives
long enough to save Thane.

He knew the two of them would deal in their own way
personally. He could not blame Shaja should the old feelings arise—and he felt
she would not be angry with him either. But, again, he reminded himself, they’d
deal with it when the need and time arose. He put together the few things Vek
had provided him for the trip and went out into the small main area of the
sheriff’s housing unit. There Vek awaited him. He knew the man would eventually
ask him questions about Thane. And now was that time.

* * * *

Vek shifted in the old comfortable chair and waited
for Zi-Den to show up. The two had agreed to meet some time today to talk and
go over the trip. Letha had been busy showing the two replacement sheriffs the
area, what the duties entailed including getting them known by the locals. The
two were staying at the tavern-inn that night but would occupy the sheriff’s
abode once he and Letha were gone. She probably wouldn’t be back until late, he
figured, after showing them around. He’d been glad that the last week or so
nothing untoward had happened and they did not have to halt their plans to
leave. While she was out, he and Zi-Den agreed to have their own conversation.
He didn’t have long to wait. It was mid eve and he’d seen no signs of Letha; though
she may have slipped in to her room without his notice. He shrugged and turned
his attention to Zi-Den as he joined him in the sitting/living area of the
small housing unit adjoined to the sheriff’s office.

“Tell me about Thane,” Vek prompted after a few
moments of small talk. “I would have liked to have been there had I known he
existed. I’m thankful you found me, and hope that’s what Shaja intended too.”

Zi-Den shifted more comfortably in his own old plush
chair. “Yeah, she wanted that very much also. We never had any intentions of
denying you the right to see Thane. He is your son also. You never left word
where you’d be. I had people looking for you for several years, Vek. I hadn’t
at first thought to look so close as Auck, or across the Between-lands.”

“Hiring Hajin had been your best bet. We will be in
time, you said.”

“Yes, I agree. The doctors said he had some time.His
condition hasn’t worsened since I left. I thank you for coming. So will Shaja.
She’s been a good mother to him.”

“Thank you for being there for my son, Zi-Den. I know
you’re the only father he’s known, but I’m glad you two are letting me into his
life, despite the main reason it was necessary.”

“He needs you for more than just your blood, Vek.
Shaja has slowly been building up to tell Thane the truth, that you are his
biological father. He’s a good boy, you’d be proud of him. Favors you too in
the face, has your eye coloring.”

“What does he like? How is he in school? So many
questions I need to know answers to.”

Zi-Den crossed his legs and rubbed his chin. “I’ll
answer as best I can. Take time to get to know him after we get back and he’s
on the mend. The were-doctors are the best available. He will live to see you
and to be able to shift fully.”

Vek rubbed his face and let out a long sigh. “I’m
glad, Zi-Den. I can never repay you enough for having the decency and the
strength to look for me all these years. I should have let you know where I
was, but I didn’t know she’d become pregnant. After the hell we all went
through with our society looking down on us because we chose to not partner
with full-weres, it was hard to go back into Shaja’s life.”

“We all did what we thought was best at the times. I
can identify with what you went through. My parents and the dictates of society
ten years ago made me cave in and lose something precious to me at the time. I
was a coward, but have matured since then.”

“Same here. I should have stuck it out with Shaja,
encouraged her more, been more like…” Vek’s words trailed off.

“Like Letha. She was always the strongest one. I
should have believed in her back then. But things can’t be changed Vek. We can
only go forward. You two have grown close, as Shaja and I have. What happens
when we get back is something we’ll all have to decide, but after Thane is well.”

Vek nodded. “That’s best. But know that I won’t force
myself into your lives. I’m just glad for the chance to see Thane, to know
he’ll be taken care of. It’s Shaja’s choice too, I know, but…but you are his
father.”

“You are as much as I have tried to be, Vek. Like I
said, we have things to cross when the time comes for them to be taken care of.
Let’s don’t stress ourselves over our emotional troubles until we all get a
chance to overcome or deal with them.”

Vek jerked his head to study the other man. He could
sense the turmoil within the full-shifter. “You still care for her. It shows.”

Zi-Den shrugged. “Perhaps. But I doubt she’ll ever
return those feelings. Now, I think I should get a good night’s rest. I’ll tell
you more about Thane during the journey. Will that suffice?”

Vek nodded. “Rest well, Zi-Den. Our journey to taking
care of past and present issues starts tomorrow.”

Zi-Den gave him a crooked smile. “I think the journey
has already began, Vek. Goodnight.”

Vek watched him leave the room then turned back in his
chair and stared off at no particular spot on the wall. The man was right, they
had started on the emotional journey the moment Zi-Den came to Auck. He just
wasn’t sure how it would end, or how he wanted it to end. So many lives were
affected by what would happen. But like Zi-Den said, they’d cross those roads
and issues when the time came. It just couldn’t happen soon enough for him.

* * * *

When she heard Zi-Den’s heavier footsteps moving
towards the door, Letha swiftly went back into her room. She’d heard enough to
know that she was still adamant about going to Strank with them. It was indeed
time to put the past behind her. None of them needed to suffer any longer. And
issues wouldn’t be resolved until both she and Vek saw and spoke to Shaja.

She’d never met the woman, but knew some things about
her from her talks with Vek. Like he knew more about Zi-Den also from their
talks. But he’d also known Zi-Den before coming to Auck. The thought perturbed
her. Vek held their lives in his hand more than he realized. Letha sighed and
went to her bed and sat down. What the hell was she going to do now? She could
have stayed here, but the call, the need to go back became overwhelming the
moment she saw Zi-Den again.