Nano novel theme 17
“What do you mean she’s gone?” Michael was pissed. It wasn’t like Miles had much else to do, he had agreed to take her camping and now his sister was missing somewhere in the Badlands. David was also missing, disappearing just after a board meeting. Which Michael was beating himself up over since he had been the one watching his grandfather.
“She’ll be fine, it’s not like she’s inexperienced after all I taught her how to live off the land. She probably just went hiking alone. I’ll find her it’ll just take a few days. And with the storm that’s picking up there’s no way I can even go search. She’s probably already on high ground.”
“If she’s hurt Miles, I won’t forgive you. Neither will Sarah, she’s still griping that she couldn’t go because of school.” He sighed.
Miles could tell over the phone that Michael wasn’t really pissed at him, just upset about the situation. “How bad is it there?”
“Pretty bad. The twins are managing to keep things hushed up, but they’re asking to see him in person now. I’m trying to get more time.”
“Hang in there, I’ll find your sister first, my pack’s searching for your grandfather, with luck we’ll find both of them before the end of this meeting. The conference is three days right? I have her scent.”
“I know, I’m just worried okay. Call back when you find her. I’ll continue to try to search from here. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to find him.”
“Thanks, be careful Mike. If it’s magic involved with his disappearance you may be in danger as well. I don’t think that you want to mess with it.”
“I’m better than I was when I was fifteen. Tony’s with me too, I’m sure the two of us can handle anything thrown at us. I mean I sent a low level demon back to hell without knowing what I was doing.
“And it was dangerous. Just, don’t get into any fights Michael.”
“Fine, find Trin.”
***
Trinity was woken roughly, something tearing through her tent. Screaming she tried to shove it off her. Claws tore through her sleeping bag.
The teen screamed out again, this time in pain. It was too dark to see what was attacking her, it pinned her hands down growling in her face. She could feel fur on the arms pinning her down. Struggling she tried to kick up with her legs.
“Joshua!” She screamed hoping that he was okay and could get the furry beast off her.
The beast’s maw came close to her face. Trinity’s scream died in her throat. Swallowing hard she tried to calm her breathing, not wanting it to kill her.
It licked her tear stained face and trailed it’s tongue down to the cut across her stomach. Lapping at the wound it was careful not to bite her.
A shotgun blast was heard and the beast fell away from her. Staying perfectly still she heard three pairs of footsteps moving closer.
“Shit, Miles, the vic’s Trin.” One of the voices was familiar; one of the lesser demons that worked with her grandfather’s security squad. The ruins of the tent were shoved away while one of the two ran up, the other ran past her going for the beast.
“M…Miles… it hurts…” She wanted to scream, her stomach was burning like the beast’s ‘kisses’ were molten lava poured on her stomach. Miles knelt at her shoulders, carefully cradling her.
“I’m sorry Trin… I didn’t get here in time, you’re healing.” He sounded upset about it, but was trying not to scare her. “Alan, get me my pack, and the extra sleeping bag. Then go help Rich hunt down the bastard that did this to her. I want him alive.” He gently stroked Trin’s hair trying to calm her. “Stay still okay sweetie? I know it hurts, but if I’m right, you were attacked by a shifter. If you move around too much, you’re going to end up killing yourself.”
“No… No, I can’t be one. Mike’ll be pissed. Miles, you have to stop it. Please, I don’t want Mike pissed at me.” Tears were falling freely now. “Please…”
“I can’t stop it Trin. If I had gotten here before he attacked you maybe. It’ll be okay, your brother’s more worried about getting you home. You’ll be safe. We’ll be able to keep you from hurting anyone. Just rest okay? You’ll need it.”
She screamed out in pain arching her back. Miles pulled her close, careful of how he held her. Last thing he wanted to do was cause her more pain. By the time his friend was back with the bag her stomach had mostly healed. Miles stroked her hair gently, brushing it away from her face. He’d ask her what she thought she was doing later right now she was barely hanging on. When she settled down he kept a hand on her shoulder, close enough he could keep an eye on her pulse. Took a little work, but he managed one handed, to open up his sleeping bag. Carefully putting the now sleeping teen in it, he pulled out the second bag, slipping her and his own bag inside.
With how wet everything was, he knew he’d have to protect her from the elements the best he could. Picking her up, he carefully moved to the tree line, setting her against a tree trunk so she could sleep. Miles shifted forms, curling his black panther shape around her smaller frame. He wasn’t going to let her get cold, for the next few hours he knew that she’d be venerable to the cold.
Hearing footsteps he sat up staying low in case it was the man that had hurt her. Trinity whimpered in her sleep, tossing a little. Tears leaked from the corners of her closed eyes.
“Miles, it’s me.” The young man that crawled under the tree’s branches frowned at the condition the girl was in. “Let’s see if we can’t get her off the ground.”
Branches lowered more, weaving themselves to make a natural shelf. “It’s not perfect, but should hold her for the night.”
“She’ll be fine, it’s not like she’s inexperienced after all I taught her how to live off the land. She probably just went hiking alone. I’ll find her it’ll just take a few days. And with the storm that’s picking up there’s no way I can even go search. She’s probably already on high ground.”
“If she’s hurt Miles, I won’t forgive you. Neither will Sarah, she’s still griping that she couldn’t go because of school.” He sighed.
Miles could tell over the phone that Michael wasn’t really pissed at him, just upset about the situation. “How bad is it there?”
“Pretty bad. The twins are managing to keep things hushed up, but they’re asking to see him in person now. I’m trying to get more time.”
“Hang in there, I’ll find your sister first, my pack’s searching for your grandfather, with luck we’ll find both of them before the end of this meeting. The conference is three days right? I have her scent.”
“I know, I’m just worried okay. Call back when you find her. I’ll continue to try to search from here. Maybe I’ll be lucky enough to find him.”
“Thanks, be careful Mike. If it’s magic involved with his disappearance you may be in danger as well. I don’t think that you want to mess with it.”
“I’m better than I was when I was fifteen. Tony’s with me too, I’m sure the two of us can handle anything thrown at us. I mean I sent a low level demon back to hell without knowing what I was doing.
“And it was dangerous. Just, don’t get into any fights Michael.”
“Fine, find Trin.”
***
Trinity was woken roughly, something tearing through her tent. Screaming she tried to shove it off her. Claws tore through her sleeping bag.
The teen screamed out again, this time in pain. It was too dark to see what was attacking her, it pinned her hands down growling in her face. She could feel fur on the arms pinning her down. Struggling she tried to kick up with her legs.
“Joshua!” She screamed hoping that he was okay and could get the furry beast off her.
The beast’s maw came close to her face. Trinity’s scream died in her throat. Swallowing hard she tried to calm her breathing, not wanting it to kill her.
It licked her tear stained face and trailed it’s tongue down to the cut across her stomach. Lapping at the wound it was careful not to bite her.
A shotgun blast was heard and the beast fell away from her. Staying perfectly still she heard three pairs of footsteps moving closer.
“Shit, Miles, the vic’s Trin.” One of the voices was familiar; one of the lesser demons that worked with her grandfather’s security squad. The ruins of the tent were shoved away while one of the two ran up, the other ran past her going for the beast.
“M…Miles… it hurts…” She wanted to scream, her stomach was burning like the beast’s ‘kisses’ were molten lava poured on her stomach. Miles knelt at her shoulders, carefully cradling her.
“I’m sorry Trin… I didn’t get here in time, you’re healing.” He sounded upset about it, but was trying not to scare her. “Alan, get me my pack, and the extra sleeping bag. Then go help Rich hunt down the bastard that did this to her. I want him alive.” He gently stroked Trin’s hair trying to calm her. “Stay still okay sweetie? I know it hurts, but if I’m right, you were attacked by a shifter. If you move around too much, you’re going to end up killing yourself.”
“No… No, I can’t be one. Mike’ll be pissed. Miles, you have to stop it. Please, I don’t want Mike pissed at me.” Tears were falling freely now. “Please…”
“I can’t stop it Trin. If I had gotten here before he attacked you maybe. It’ll be okay, your brother’s more worried about getting you home. You’ll be safe. We’ll be able to keep you from hurting anyone. Just rest okay? You’ll need it.”
She screamed out in pain arching her back. Miles pulled her close, careful of how he held her. Last thing he wanted to do was cause her more pain. By the time his friend was back with the bag her stomach had mostly healed. Miles stroked her hair gently, brushing it away from her face. He’d ask her what she thought she was doing later right now she was barely hanging on. When she settled down he kept a hand on her shoulder, close enough he could keep an eye on her pulse. Took a little work, but he managed one handed, to open up his sleeping bag. Carefully putting the now sleeping teen in it, he pulled out the second bag, slipping her and his own bag inside.
With how wet everything was, he knew he’d have to protect her from the elements the best he could. Picking her up, he carefully moved to the tree line, setting her against a tree trunk so she could sleep. Miles shifted forms, curling his black panther shape around her smaller frame. He wasn’t going to let her get cold, for the next few hours he knew that she’d be venerable to the cold.
Hearing footsteps he sat up staying low in case it was the man that had hurt her. Trinity whimpered in her sleep, tossing a little. Tears leaked from the corners of her closed eyes.
“Miles, it’s me.” The young man that crawled under the tree’s branches frowned at the condition the girl was in. “Let’s see if we can’t get her off the ground.”
Branches lowered more, weaving themselves to make a natural shelf. “It’s not perfect, but should hold her for the night.”