Under the Blood Moon by Jenny Garcia (latest books to read TXT) 📖

sick anymore.” I feel a rush of comfort and relief flood over me and it takes the breath out of me. I lay back and try to catch my breath. Asclepius sit ups and scoots towards me grabbing both my hands with an excited grin on her face, “Did you feel it?” I open my eyes and look up to her, “I think so.” She smiles down at me and says, “It’s time to go back now. If you ever need me call my name and I will come to you. If you are hurt and cannot call to me, don’t worry, I will know.” She places her hand on my forehead and I feel by body being pulled back into reality. I snap awake and Travis is leaning over me with tears running down his face.

 

            “Where is Asclepius?” Travis scoops me into his arms and squeezes me so tight that it pushes that air out of my lungs. “Oh god Niki I thought I lost you! I’m so sorry I didn’t mean to hit you. Can you ever forgive me?” I sit up and realize I don’t have any of the pain that I once felt. I actually feel better than before like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I can breathe easier. I didn’t realize how much Derek was truly affecting me. But I no longer have to deal with the anger or the pain he caused me. I look around for Asclepius but I don’t see her anywhere. My mother is still standing next to Travis wiping tears away from her eyes. She kneels down and cups both sides of my face with her hands kissing every part of my face. She pulls my face away and says, “oh honey thank goodness you are ok. We thought that we lost you.” I give her a hug and turn to look at Denise. The look on her face is priceless. Not only has she just given her secret away, but watching me come back to life was just to much to handle. “What Denise? Are you disappointed?” She turns on her heels and stomps back into the house. I can’t help but laugh, although my mother doesn’t find it very funny. I turn Travis and he has his hands over his face still crying. I move back to him and wrap my arms around him feel his warmth envelope my body. He lets out a sigh and says, “Please forgive me Niki. It was an accident.” I remember what Asclepius told me about forgiveness. I know that he did not mean to hurt me even if he did break my back and almost kill me. “Of course I forgive you Travis I know that you didn’t mean it.” He looks up at me his and his eyes are red from crying. “I love you Niki.” I kiss him on the cheek “I love you.”

 

            I release Travis, stand up and look around for Asclepius. I haven’t seen her since I woke up. Travis can tell that I am searching for something and asks, “Niki, are you looking for something?” I place my hands in my hips and turn from side to side, scanning the forest trying to find her. “I’m looking for Asclepius.” Travis lets out a chuckle still wiping the wetness of tears from his face. “You will not find her.” I turn my head to the side, struck by confusion. “What is that supposed to mean? I thought she stayed with Queen Renee at all times. Now that she is gone, isn’t she supposed to stay with me?” He stands up brushing the dirt that covers his shirt and pants from rolling around with Ares, “Well technically you’re not the Queen yet. She did come and help you but she doesn’t have to stay with you at all times until you are Queen. Trust me she is still around and she will be watching over you.” I can help but feel disappointed. I loved how care free she was. It gave me a sense of relief with all the stress that I have been dealing with. I can’t help but think about Renee’s child… why was she not saved by Asclepius?

 

***

 

            Although Asclepius healed me, she did not heal Travis, most likely because I didn’t ask her too. He can heal on his own anyways. He has been lying on my bed for the last hour motionless. Although most of the small cuts and bruises have faded, the larger lacerations are still bleeding a little. I use a wet wash cloth to soak up the extra blood that is trickling from his wounds. The smell of his cologne is strong in my room. I don’t know how he can smell so nice and look like shit. He is covered is dirt and his clothes are torn apart. Travis finally opens his eyes and looks up at me, “You know that you don’t have to clean the wounds. They are going to heal on their own.” I giggle and slap his leg, “I don’t want blood on my bed.” He grabs my hand and tires to pull me down to him but I resist. “Travis you are filthy. Before I lay with you, you need to take a shower.” He lets go of my hand and tries to sit up, “You want to jump in with me.” I give him a wink and say, “Nice try.” He laughs at me as he sits up so he can swing his legs over the edge of the bed. I look where he was lying on and there is a dirt outline of his body, “Oh Damit, now I have to wash my sheets.” He gets to his feet and hobbles to the door. “Do you need help Travis?” He lets out a grown and ignores my question. I hate seeing him in pain. I thought that I was going to save him from the female shifter that planned on stabbing him in the neck and removing his head, but instead he was beaten by Ares. I am grateful he is alive. I hear the bathroom door open, close and the shower turn on. I ripe my now dirt covered sheets off my bed and lay down on the bare mattress.

 

I can’t help but think about Asclepius. She healed my anger and hate towards Derek and I have never felt more free. I didn’t realize how much energy I was giving up, feeding into the hate. Maybe I can use my Mystic ability now without such a fight. I need to learn to summon it when I need to before my awakening. I close my eyes and relax by whole body. I try to relax all the muscles in my toes, feet, claves, and thighs all the way up to my head. I can feel a tingling all over my body and a sense of total relaxation. I try to visualize what I want to see. All I can think of is Travis. Images start to flash in my mind and they are moving so fast that I can’t tell what is happening. I try to focus on one thing but the images are moving too quickly. I can’t take it anymore and I shout “STOP” in my mind. The images stop. There is only one left and all I can see is smoke. I look around trying to see Travis but there is nothing but smoke. All of a sudden the smoke begins to dissipate and I see the shower in the lake house, it’s not smoke, its steam but there is no one in it. I turn around and Travis is standing looking in the mirror at his injuries. I can’t believe it; I am watching Travis before he gets into the shower…this feel wrong. I need to get out of here, but my curiosity is killing me and I stay. He is as handsome as ever. He runs both hands through his golden hair and small pieces of dirt fall from his locks and land in the sink. He starts to talk to himself, “How am I going to do this. I was beat by Ares, Khan’s fucking war dog. How the hell am I supposed to beat Khan?” I can see the worry that is covering his face and all I want to do is reach out to him. He turns around and rips his shirt off. I guess there is no point in trying to save it since it has so many tears in it. My breath is taken away when I see his body. I have never seen someone so defined in my life. His pecks and 6-pack are to die for. He looks like he was plucked out of a magazine of Men’s Fitness. Although there isn’t very much, he has chest hair from his pecks and down his abs. For some reason I love it and I just want to rub my hands all over him. I saw him without his shirt when he went swimming but I guess I just wasn’t paying attention. Now that I have really seen him I can take my eyes off him. He opens the shower door and more steam flows out. He unbuckles his pants and begins to pull them down. I become so embarrassed that I pull myself out of my vision. I couldn’t stand there and watch him shower like a pervert.

 

            I open my eyes and I am back in my room. The house is silent and I hear the click of the shower door closing down the hall. I instantly feel the heat of embarrassment rush to my cheeks. I can’t believe that I stayed and watched him. I have been ignoring the desire that I have been feeling for him since he arrived. I don’t want to get intimate with him just yet. I know that we are bonded for life but that doesn’t mean that I have to give up…everything right away. Passion is pulsing through my veins to the point where it’s almost painful. I hold my breath and close my eyes trying to stop the sensation and slowly it lessens. I let out my breath and open my eyes. I look over to my door and my mom is standing there staring at me.

 

“Niki, are you alright?” The desire and passion that was pulsing through me has now ceased…thank god. I sit up and swing my legs over the bed feeling the cold floor on my feet. “Ya I am fine, Why?” She comes into my room and sits across from me in my love seat. She has a large smile on her face and says, “OK…I have been playing with…my power… I guess that is what it’s called but anyways look what I can do.” She leans forward and lifts one hand with her palm facing up and fingers lying flat. The red glow begins to illuminate and twirl. I look back at her face and I have never seen her so excited about something before. I look back to her hand and see a small flam start to rise from her palm. It begins to twist and twirl and then it turns into a small dancing woman about the size of an orange. She dances and spins around like a ballerina; I have never seen something so beautiful. The colors of orange, red and yellow seem to form a Tutu. I look up at my mom and say, “Mom that is amazing! How are you doing that?” She smiles at me and raises her other hand the same way, palm flat and facing up. Another red glow begins to twirl in her hand and a Man illuminates from the flames. She places her hands side by side and the figures begin to dance together. I can’t believe what I am seeing. I don’t know what to say, I am