Chapter 22: Raven

I could tell from the sky that we were losing and we needed to retreat soon.  When I heard Whitney scream, I nearly fell out of the sky. I knew something wasn't right, but I didn't have time to look.  Tanya's strength was not waning and we were not winning.  Betty had been knocked out in the snow, her nose gushing blood. A demon that had not changed to its animal form was attacking Flora, but Ethan defended her, knocking him out with his trunk. I could tell he still loved her, even though he was a demon.

            Jane was still battling Jase, but she was losing. She was tired and her blows were not as strong. I landed just as Chelsey had joined Jane and Jase's fight. I changed and ran up to Whitney who stood in the bloodied snow.

            "Get to Flora and help Betty. We need to get out of here." She nodded, but I grabbed her hand, "Where's Rhett?" but she shook her head in sadness. I swore under my breath as I let her go and she ran off toward the demon elephant. I changed to my raven form and tried to help Jane. Before I even got to her, Chelsey jumped onto Jane and bit into her neck. Jane snarled and kept fighting, but I knew it was too late. Suddenly, while she fought, her body stalled and the venom began to take hold. She screetched as her back arched with a crack.  She fell in the snow, blood from the wound still gushing. Chelsey and Jase had changed back and smiled. I watched in horror as they watched the transformation.

            "Raven!" Derek yelled. He was already over with the others, helping Betty get up. I charged over there, knowing I couldn't help Jane anymore. It was too late.  

            "Why is he still here?" I snarled as I reached the group, sheltered by the large gray mass.

            "He's giving us a getaway. Help Flora onto my back, Can you walk Betty?" He asked Betty as I helped Flora get up. Her legs shook and I could tell in Ethan's Elephant eyes that he was truly worried.

            "Quickly," He said, as he changed. "I don't know how long you'll have, but I can give you time to escape." I didn't say anything, but I glared at him. Once Flora was on Derek's back, we headed out.

            "We can head to the trees and then to the road where Jacobson can track us." Flora rested her head on the eagle boy's shoulder. She looked so weak and I was worried that she wouldn't make it to Jacobson.

            "I'm sorry Flora," Ethan called as we walked away. "I will always love you," She closed her eyes, not saying anything, but her face read pain as a tear escaped and slid down her cheek. I saw Ethan's face and I couldn't help, but feel sorry for him. Whitney changed to a wolf and tracked ahead, checking to make sure the demons hadn't followed us.  I could hear talking from a distance and then yelling.  Ethan would get s**t for helping us.

            We reached the woods and Derek stopped to call Jacobson. The group was all very tired and battered up. Betty's nose had stopped bleeding, but her nose had swollen.  Derek called Jacobson and he rushed to get us.  No one said a word when we returned to walking. We just trudged through the snow. Whitney was covered in blood and she cradled Rhett's backpack like a security blanket. I had Jane's backpack with me as well. Maybe I would look through it before giving it to her family. Her family. I had forgotten about them. They would be so devastated by their eldest daughter going demon. I wasn't their daughter and I would never be, even if they thought so.

             We reached the road and Jacobson had his van. The battered, cold group piled in, buckling Flora up first. When she hit the seat, she fell asleep and I begged Jacobson to see if he had a blanket for her. We needed to warm her up quickly and then get food in her as soon as possible. Derek took shotgun while we put Flora and Betty in the back so Flora could sleep in peace and Betty could watch her to make sure she was still breathing. Whitney and I took the middle seats. Once everyone was inside the car, nobody talked.

            "So what all happened?" Jacobson asked quietly, but no one vouched to answer.  We all stared out the window as he drove; thinking and grieving.  Jacobson sighed lightly and focused on his driving.  Warm air blew through the vents. During the drive, Whitney laid her head against the seat and fell asleep, dried tear stains covered her cheeks. When we reached the Jacobson's house, Penny and Zella rushed out, bundled in blankets. 

            "We have arrived," He announced and then clambered out of the awkward car. Derek opened my door and I tapped Whitney. She startled awake and I told her we had arrived. She nodded and followed me out of the car, still grasping Rhett's bag. Derek and Jacobson pulled the seat I sat in aside and let Betty slide out, half asleep.  Jacobson cradled Flora in his arms and carefully carried her, as if she was a baby inside the house. Penny ushered us in as I slammed the car door shut. We all hustled in and Penny began cleansing Betty's swollen nose. She shued Zella to her room, saying it was way past her bedtime and that she would get to see Raven in the morning. She also reminded to not dream walk tonight either. I smiled inwardly, even though my mood was not happy at all.

            Flora was on the couch, wrapped in a warm blanket. She had woken up and Penny was preparing her a warm cup of tea.  Jacobson began warming plates of their leftover dinner; Roast beef with creamy mashed potatoes in the microwave and handing it out. Betty was given an icepack to reduce the swelling and told to sit down for a while.  Flora was given her tea and she sipped it gingerly. Derek and I ate at the table, not saying a word. 

            We were the only couple left in the group. The other two couples had fallen to pieces and the guys had gone demon.  Now I began to worry if Derek would go demon as well.  I polished my plate off and rinsed it in the sink. Derek followed, standing right behind me as he reached over my arms to rinse his plate as well. He was careful not to brush his arm against mine. He smelled of sweat, blood and woods.  I set my plate down next to the sink and turned around, embracing him and taking in his scent. He was taken aback by this gesture at first.

            "I'm scared Derek," I whispered. "Three of us have gone demon and I may be next." He set his plate down and returned the gesture.

            "You aren't go demon." He promised. "I'll be there to make sure you don't."

            "I have to tell them," I changed the subject.

            "Tell them what?" Penny asked. She shuffled into the kitchen with three, polished plates. She looked tired, but alert. Zella had not resurrected from her room so I assumed she had followed her mother's order. Derek and I broke apart and my heart squeezed, because I had to deliver the most heartbreaking news ever.

            "Penny," I began and swallowed my dry throat. "Jane was with us tonight and we were attacked by demons and-" I couldn't finish, but Penny knew what I meant. Time seemed to slow down and sounds silenced to me.  I saw Penny stumble into a chair, covering her hand over her mouth in shock and grief. She called for her husband and when she told him, he cradled her as he cried silent tears.  Derek guided me away from the scene, his touch comforting as he showed me through the door and into the living room.  Blankets had been spread out on the living room floor. Whitney was already curled up on the floor asleep.  Betty had fallen asleep in her chair, the icepack in her hand. Flora was asleep on the couch, bundled in blankets.

            Derek had me lay down and curl up in his chest.  He stroked my hair as I closed my eyes with sadness. I didn't want to deliver that news, didn't want to see the Jacobson's cry and I didn't know how Zella would react to it all.  I just closed my eyes and let my worries and other such thoughts drift away…

                                   ***

            I woke up to the feeling of Derek's heartbeat and the sounds of breathing. I glanced up to look at Derek's face and saw that he was still asleep.  I examined his facial structure; the soft jaw line that came to a point, his long eyelashes that some girls would kill for, his rounded nose. Gently, I traced his jaw line until I reached his chin.  His eyes fluttered opened and he grinned warmly as he noticed I was awake.

            "You're awake." he breathed. I nodded as I felt the sun shining against our skin. He kissed my forehead and we both sat up.  I shuffled to the bathroom to examine my appearance; tossled black hair, scratches along my arm from the fight, split lip from a paw swat from Tanya the tiger and a few scratch marks from where Chelsey pushed us away from Flora. Of course, she had to stick her hand in my face to push me.

            I tried to comb my hair out with my fingers with no success and then headed back to the living room. Whitney had arose from the dead and was waking up.  Betty's icepack had been removed from her hand, but her nose did look much better.  Flora was still a ball of blankets.  Derek was sitting up, whispering to Whitney. I heard movement from the kitchen and decided to check it out. I tiptoed through the living room, with four pairs of smiling eyes following my every move until I reached the kitchen door where I found Jacobson and Penny sitting at the table, just like the last time I was here.

            "Your friends still sleeping?" Penny asked quietly. She rubbed her eyes as she took a sip of her coffee.

            "Two of them. The other other two are awake."

            "Invite them in here for breakfast." I didn't leave yet because she looked like she wanted to say something else. "Did-Did you try to help her?" She whispered.

            I thought for a second, recalling what had happened; Chelsey jumping Jane from behind, biting deeply through the fur coat. "I tried to help, but by the time I got to her, she was bitten and the affects began to take place. I couldn't reach her in time." I informed. "I'm sorry."

            Penny shook her head, "It's not your fault. I believe she fought bravely. She fought for what was right," I didn't respond. "Were you friends with Jane?"

            "Yes," I said. This one I could answer, "Whitney was her roommate and she slowly began following us around. She was completely in the group by winter formal."  The radio was on and a report was being said.

            "7 students escaped last night from the Montana Academy. They found bloody snow and it is assumed that there was some sort of fight among them and some say they are all dead." I snorted.  We aren't dead. I scuffled out and told Derek and Whitney that there was breakfast waiting to be eaten.  Betty was awaken by the movement of hungry teens and joined the group for breakfast.

            "What about Flora?" Whitney asked, sounding worried.

            "I'll carry her in and see if we can get her to eat." He walked up to her and picked her up. Her eyes fluttered open and her brown eyes looked a dusty brown.  She grabbed onto Derek's shirt.

            "Ethan?" She breathed and my heart sqeezed tightly. I walked over and brushed her hair out of her eyes. I could tell it was slowly falling out.

            "Flora," I began, "That-that isn't Ethan. We need to get something to eat for you. While we're here, I need you to eat a lot so you can get your strength ok?" She stared up blankly as if she didn't know who she was.

            "Where's Ethan?" She breathed. "I want Ethan!" She began to kick in Derek's arms as she tried to hit me. "GET ME ETHAN!" Penny and Jacobson slammed through the kitchen door and stared in shock at what was happening.

            "She needs to get to a hospital right now!" Jacobson demanded. Derek carried flora to Jacobson's car and they sped down the road.  Penny woke Zella up and we all clambered into the van. Penny drove fast as she tried to catch up to her husband.

            "It's going to be some time before we get to the hospital. It's out in the middle of nowhere." Penny called as she raced. S**t.  Our flower was dying and I couldn't do anything to stop it.