Reluctant Hero (The Dunamis Covenant Book 1) (5 page)

"Trust me, Thomas; I can assure you that you are the one! How else can you explain your ability to fight off armed attackers, or know who I was before I introduced myself? You are the one to lead the fight against Devlin."

"I can't explain any of this," Thomas said, still not convinced, and continued on a different line of questioning. "So you're also telling me that Abby can change into an animal? I don't believe that one either." Then a thought hit him,
wait, did she push that image of her kissing me into my mind? What about the one of her being knocked down? Did I not have those thoughts on my own?
That thought troubled him, because if that were the case, she had violated his mind even if she thought it was for his own good.

Asa looked at Abby and said, "Abby, it is time. I understand you wanted to bring Thomas along a bit slower, but now he knows." She looked at him with her green eyes pleading for something, but for what?
Acceptance? Does she think I will be driven away when I see what she really is
? He nodded, wondering if she could do it, or if this was all a big ruse. He wasn't sure he could trust anything she said anyway, but he did want to see if she could really become an animal.

She undressed and Thomas wondered if he should look away. "Tiger is my favorite form to take, are you sure you're ready?" she growled. Before he could indicate his readiness she became a tiger, a fierce, green-eyed tiger. The transformation was almost instantaneous. Thomas jumped back a little. He hoped she didn't notice. He flinched again when she roared. She shifted back to herself and looked up with a wary eye to see Thomas eyeing her with a look of astonishment on his face. She put her clothes back on with practiced ease, her eyes never leaving Thomas.

All Thomas could think to say was, "Wow! I can't believe that's possible."

"You're okay with this? You're not repulsed?" she asked with hope in her eyes.

"Shocked maybe, but not repulsed. I do have some questions, and you have a lot to answer for." When he said that, Asa left the room to give them time to talk. Thomas was shocked that what he had just witnessed didn't drive him screaming from the room.
This must all be a dream,
he thought even though he knew it wasn't. Still, he hoped to wake up any moment now. He began to pace around the room, then he asked her, "When you turn into a tiger, can you still understand us? You know, still hear what we're saying and know what we are doing?"

"Yes, I retain full comprehension, but I am unable to speak except to roar; which I kind of enjoy." She was looking up at him as if seeking his approval. Gone was the confidant woman that had been toying with him since they first met, replaced by this timid young woman that was desperate for reassurance. He wasn't sure if he was the one to give it to her at the moment. He still didn't trust her and he was already trying to process a lot. He was being told he was part of some secret magical world, his parents were murdered by some mystic bad guys, and that people could become tigers and wolves. He needed to talk to Lucas. As if Lucas would understand any of it and be able to advise him.
His reaction would probably be, 'Is she still hot? Then I don't see the problem.'

Thomas walked into the kitchen and poured a glass of water. He drank it in two gulps and then returned to the living room. He sat in the edge of the brown couch and said, "Asa said that you could force images into people's minds. You put that image of you kissing me in my mind when I first saw you, didn't you? Then you put that second image of you being knocked to the ground in my head as well. Why? Was that to trick me into helping you?" He didn't understand why out of all the things that had happened since he met Abby, that this was what was bothering him.

"Yes, I did, TJ, I had to make sure you would notice me."

"Really? Because it doesn't seem to me that there would be a man alive that wouldn't notice you, Abby, you didn't have to mess with my mind!"

"Is that what you think I did?" She seemed frustrated by his comment. He understood why she might be frustrated, he seemed to be okay with the shocking part of her powers, but he was having trouble accepting that fact that she could place an image in his mind.

She looked up at him and said, "Let me get this straight, you're okay with the fact that I can become a tiger, or a wolf, but you're mad that I put an image of us kissing in your mind?"

"No, I'm mad because you were manipulating me. Don't think I missed the fact that you were dressed exactly the same as the image you sent me when we shared our first real kiss! I thought it was a coincidence and it made me want you more, but I suppose that was the whole point, wasn't it?" He didn't know why, but he found himself growing angry as he spoke. "Abby, I don't trust you. Instead of just meeting me, and reminiscing about our childhood together, you set up an elaborate charade, and then manipulated me into participating. How do I trust you after that? I'll never be able to trust that my thoughts are my own. I don't want to live like that!"

"But that's not—"

"I need some time to process all of this." He felt betrayed, while wondering why he cared so much. After all, he had only just met her. He turned his back to her and waited for her to leave the room. The length of time it took her to get to the kitchen indicated her reluctance to leave to him.

*****

Abby couldn't believe her ears. Asa had warned her about playing these sorts of games. The man she loved was upset with her over something she didn't even see coming. She was so confident that it would never matter that she didn't even hesitate to push those images, but now it was a problem.
He accepts my shape shifting, but he cannot accept my image pushing. Either way, it's the same fear I have always harbored, that TJ wouldn't be able to accept me because of my powers.
She began to tear up while he stalked around the room.

After several minutes, Thomas found her in the bedroom where she had been pacing. He was still upset, but he needed to talk this through. Without preamble he began, "Abby, I'm the one that was misled! I should be the one that's upset, not you."

She didn't know which would be worse, his rejection or the fact that it would be her fault. She stopped pacing, looked into his eyes, and answered, "My whole life I have feared that you wouldn't accept me because of my powers, I just never imagined that my ability to place an image in someone's mind is what you would be unable to accept." She was about to break down, but she didn't want to. Her lips began quivering and she looked into his eyes seeking the approval she had waited her whole life for.

After a long moment, he seemed to relent, he moved to put his arms around her, but then he withdrew. He broke the silence that had grown awkward when he said, "Abby, I'm not just having trouble accepting your powers. I'm honestly still trying to wrap my head around all of this, my parents, my powers, you." He paused and looked out the window at the pecan tree in the back yard. He took a deep breath and continued. "I'm upset with how you chose to use your powers on me. I'm upset about the lies and the manipulation, and that you withheld the fact that we were friends growing up." He paced over to the bed and sat down.

"I'm so sorry, TJ, I knew we were short on time and I had to get you interested. I'll never do it again. You have my word." She sat down next to him and put her hand on his arm, and felt the pleasant current return. She prayed the rest of this conversation wouldn't be as tough. Thomas even seemed to be less upset.

"Abby, does all of this Ethereal stuff explain why I feel that jolt every time we touch or why I was in so much pain when we were together before? I mean, I've never had a problem being intimate with any of my former girlfriends. You know what I mean?"

She didn't catch his meaning, but she answered his question. "Yes, it does have something to do with that. A Mage cast a spell on us while we were infants. Our touch will always be pleasant but we will never be able to consummate or even get too close until we are married. We are forever bound together." She wasn't sure if she should mention that the Mage who cast the spell was his mother. She didn't know if he was ready for that information yet.

"A spell, a spell is what prevented us? Is that real, or is it more convenient lies meant to protect me?" The frustration was evident in his voice and eyes when he spoke, Abby flinched at his comment. "Why did these Mages cast spells on me when I was a kid? I can't remember my parents because of a spell. I can't be with you because of a spell. Any other spells I should know about?"

She knew this was going to hurt him, but she had to tell him. "I was told a spell was put on you to make you cautious because Paladins always desire to stand out and the Council didn't want Devlin to find you."

"Cautious? As opposed to what?" he asked.

"As opposed to your true nature in which you would have had no fear and excelled at almost everything you tried to do." She almost didn't want to meet his eyes anymore. She felt terrible that the course of his life had been changed before he was even aware of it. "The spell the Mage put on you should break as your memory returns," she tried to comfort him. All of a sudden, she caught his earlier meaning. He said he had never had a problem being intimate with his former girlfriends. The realization caused instant anger. She stood up and paced across the room, then she rounded on him.

A look of shock crossed his face as he asked, "What's wrong, what just happened?"

"You said you never had trouble being intimate with your other girlfriends!"

"Yeah, but now I know it was the spell. We're not even really together. I barely know you, and as much as I'm attracted to you, you've given me no reason to trust you. It's no big deal."

"No big deal?" she repeated. "It's a huge deal! You've been with other women, TJ!" Her tone was accusatory and she was angry as she continued. "I've waited my whole life for you! For you!" Her voice was starting to rise. "How could you do this to me?"

"What? What are you talking about, Abby? I didn't do anything to you."

"How many?" She yelled.

"What?"

"How many?" Her volume and crisp annunciation let him know she required an answer.

"I don't know, five or six, what's the difference?"

"Five or six?" she repeated, growing angrier by the second. "How could you?" she whispered, then she turned to leave.

"What's the big deal? I didn't even know you, and we're not even together. It's not like I cheated on you, or lied to you." She was still walking away, and she paused slightly at his last remark, and then he added, "Abby, I'm twenty-four years old, you didn't really think I'd be a virgin, did you? I didn't even know you 'til three days ago."

She spun towards him so fast he flinched, and stalked back in his direction. Her anger was hot, but there was also something else there... a deep disappointment, and somehow that bothered him more. "We've known each other since the day I was born, and you were six months old. That day, when the Mage cast the spell it was because we were betrothed to one another. We were always destined to marry. I have loved you my entire life and have waited patiently far longer than I should have had to, while you... You were out sowing your wild oats all over Texas!" She stopped and almost to herself added, "What am I supposed to do now?" She turned and began to make her way to the door.

He yelled after her, frustration evident in his voice, "Oh yeah, well maybe someone should have conveyed that fact to the genius that took my memory away, maybe he should have left that one."

"It doesn't work that way," she yelled back without turning around. Then she was out the door with a powerful slam, and she was gone.

*****

Asa sprinted into the room, concern etched on his face. The look soon turned to a look of confusion. "What just happened? Where did Abby go?"

"Little Abby can't seem to handle the fact that her precious TJ has grown up without her," Thomas replied while he continued to fume.

"What do you mean?"

"It's kind of hard to explain, Asa."

"Try!" he growled. Thomas figured patience had never been Asa's strong suit.

Thomas was beginning to realize that he didn't like Asa very much. "She's mad because I've had girlfriends and I'm not a virgin. She says we were betrothed the day we were born, and that some Mage cast a spell and we are forever bound together. I don't even know what any of that means. I'm the one who should be mad here, not her."

"That is most troubling, Thomas. This is going to be devastating to Abby."

"Why, we barely know each other, she doesn't get to decide who I should and shouldn't have been with."

"That is not exactly what is upsetting Abby," Asa said. "The problem is that she has been in love with you her entire life and she has just found out you have cheated on her with several women."

"I've never cheated on any of my girlfriends, Asa," he said in protest. "Not even in my mind!"

"No, of course not, I'm sorry. I meant that in her mind, you cheated because you are betrothed to her."

"Yeah, but someone took my memory of that. Plus it happened when I was like six months old. None of this is normal! None of this is not my fault, Asa. I didn't do anything wrong."

He looked up and put his hand on Thomas' shoulder. "I know you haven't, but Shifters, while very loyal, are also very sensitive. Your actions have left a deep wound, even though you are not to blame." He turned and left the room.