The Bonding Chronicles Ch. 13

"My plan was just to use up his energy. Andrew and... Well, Andrew has a limited amount of energy to power his magic. If you remember, Andrew was super weak after Brandon attacked us at The Clowder, and that was because he gave me his energy, so I could fight Brandon."

Sara looked at Mercedes and was pleased to see understanding behind the older woman's eyes. With a smile, she continued, "I figured if wizards work that way, perhaps we do too."

Mercedes studied Sara for a long moment while she considered the carefree woman's plan, and realized how much of a mystery the redhead was.

"Was Andrew giving you power tonight? Is that how you were able to shift and move like we do?"

Sara laughed while she considered how to respond, and settled on a partial truth. "I'm not sure what is going on with my little nerd, but you hurt him pretty bad. He was able to use his magic to heal me, and give me enough of an edge to turn the tables on Brandon."

They studied each other while they walked quietly through the brush, Sara's almond eyes showing longing at the thought of Andrew, a desire that Mercedes had never felt for her mate. Mercedes grew quiet as she continued to think about Brandon, the reality of his demise slow to find a place of peace within her.

Sara asked with a playful tone, "How about you, 'little girl'? Do you realize how close you came to dying tonight?"

Mercedes raised her eyebrow and tilted her head at the unexpected question, unsure how to respond. After a moment of confusion, Sara explained, "Brandon is such a fucking idiot. He could have killed you, if he hadn't been so blind to his own habits."

It took the tall woman a few more moments to understand what Sara was leading her towards, but as realization settled in, she shook her head. "Fuck, you're right."

They laughed, both recognizing that if he had just waited for her to come in close instead of trying to control her, he would have had plenty of strength to kill her himself. Mercedes understood that he had stuck with what he knew, and that mistake had cost him his life. She turned her gaze, and saw Sara chuckling while she scanned the forest, the agile woman's predatory bearing comforting her that even if Brandon had ended her life, Sara would have seen that he was repaid in kind.

Sara was too excited by her enhanced nature to realize how much their lives had changed in that one night. Mercedes on the other hand, was all too aware of how different her life would be now that she was free from Brandon. For the first time in years, she could live her life as she saw fit. It was a welcome thing, Mercedes decided, though she could not stop being drawn to a single thought.

"Sara, if I had killed Andrew, do you think you would have ever recovered?"

The smile left the powerful woman's face as she turned her amber eyes on Mercedes, and all of her joy was replaced by anger as she muttered in a threatening monotone, "I don't know, but my grief would have come after my revenge against whoever took him from me. Why?"

There was a not-so-subtle threat within the tone of her question. The memory of Mercedes attacking Andrew was still fresh in Sara's mind, and it was difficult for the traditionally carefree woman to shake the fear of that image from her thoughts.

"It's just... I don't feel anything," Mercedes stated, as she stole a glance back to where they had left Brandon. "I always figured that when this day came, I would be crushed by Brandon's death. Not because I would miss him, or because of how much I loved him — which I didn't — but because of my damned bond and how it always made me crave his attention."

Mercedes stopped and took a deep breath while she searched within herself, looking for any trace of positive emotion tied to Brandon. After a few moments, she exhaled and shook her head, realizing that whatever had been within her, whatever had made her want to please him, was gone, and in the place where he had lived, was nothing. No hole, no emptiness, no need waiting to be filled. All she could feel was herself, and for the first time in her life, that was all she wanted.

Sara watched the tall, skinny woman, and could see the struggle that she was facing. It was that sight that made her look at herself for the first time since Andrew had changed her. She was no longer part-Therian. The limitations of her parentage had been removed, and the call of the night was a strong reminder of just how profound that change had been. All the deep yearnings of her heart were pressing upon her with renewed strength, beckoning her to find her mate and lavish upon him the deepest and most carnal of appreciations — a performance that only her body could perform.

"You alright?" Mercedes asked, as she sniffed the air. "Seems like you're a bit distracted."

Sara bumped her companion with her shoulder, realizing how fragrant she had become as her thick, syrupy fluids oozed out along the inflamed folds of her womanly flesh.

"Just miss my mate," Sara stated, as she looked over at Mercedes, realizing how different their lives had been. "I wish you had bonded with someone as wonderful as my Andrew."

Mercedes smiled back, her veneer of strength shrouding the pain behind her eyes as she responded, "Perhaps someday, but it might be awhile... before I can trust someone again."

Sara considered responding, but was unsure what to say, so she settled with walking together in comfortable silence. The night air was cool and refreshing, and despite the brief break they took to rinse the blood from their bodies in a frigid stream, they made good time back to the warehouse.

"Sara, do you mind if I ask a personal question?"

It was obvious by how Sara was staring at Mercedes' phone that the young woman was eager to call Andrew, but with a grin, she separated her gaze from the mobile device and responded, "Of course, if you don't mind me asking a stupid question in return."

Mercedes returned Sara's grin,and nodded her assent to the woman's condition. "How long have you been in heat?"

Sara squinted while she thought back, and laughed when she realized the importance of the question. "Pretty much since I bonded with Andrew... So... Wow, three, maybe four weeks."

Mercedes gasped in response to Sara's answer, shock written in her huge eyes. "But... How-"

"Andrew is not a Therian," Sara interjected, "and this is just one of the many wonderful gifts of my man."

After watching Sara's smiling face for a few moments, Mercedes was forced to concede that her new friend appeared both happy and unconcerned. Whatever was happening with Sara, Mercedes was certain that it was wholly different from anything she had ever seen, and accepted that she would not be able to relate, and may never understand.

Mercedes shook her head, as she began to accept Sara's strange nature.

Sara blushed and seemed to withdraw while she considered how to ask her question, and in that moment, she looked so unlike the confident and undefeatable woman that Mercedes had come to know.

"Please, you have to understand, I was not with you all for very long, and I am... Well this question is probably really dumb."

Mercedes laughed and smiled before saying, "Sara, just ask."

Sara raised her eyes from the floor before asking in a rushed voice, "Why aren't you healing your wounds?"

With that question, Mercedes understood how little Sara knew about her people, and recognized exactly how far the woman's gifts had been from theirs. Mercedes shook her head and thought for a moment about how to explain knowledge that she had taken for granted most of her life.

"I can't heal, Sara," Mercedes began, watching as surprise raised Sara's gaze until they were both studying each other's faces. It was clear that Mercedes was not lying, and just as Sara began trying to make sense of everything she had seen that night, Mercedes continued, "Only Alphas can heal. The rest of us are kind of at their mercy."

Her tone showed that Mercedes did not appreciate the hierarchy of Therian society, and Sara could understand why.

"Brandon could heal me, but he never did, at least, not fully. Always just enough to make sure I was healthy." While she spoke, she again traced the scar on her wrist, memories rushing upon her with every caress of her fingers.

"Thank you, Mercedes."

The smile on Sara's face was happier than Mercedes expected, the young woman's appreciation for the honest explanation reaching all the way to her eyes. While Mercedes studied her, she could not help but feel her mood brighten at the intensity of her friend's relief. She wondered how Sara could be so strong, and yet, so vulnerable at times. Something she did not expect, was how Sara's moments of timidity never came across as weakness. They had both struggled through their lives in their own ways, Mercedes knew that, but even without Andrew's gift, Sara had become an amazing woman.

"Well, I guess you'll be needing this," Mercedes said as she held out her phone. The words had barely left her lips, when Sara took the device with supernatural speed.

Sara bobbed her head with a broad grin as she called Andrew's cell, waiting to be connected to his voicemail, and was amazed when he answered.

"Andrew!" Sara almost yelled, as she heard his voice through the phone. "Yeah, I'm fine-" she responded to his obvious concern, before being interrupted by his excited voice.

Sara shook her head and laughed, as Andrew could be heard rattling off many different things in excited and rushed tones. "Wait... huh... slow down there, sweetie." She paused and listened as Andrew spoke at a fevered pace. "Tani'm is that Quinault girl, right?" She glanced over at Mercedes, and smiled while Andrew continued to speak at a frenzied speed. "Okay, I think I... wait... no... I don't understand." Again, Andrew's voice carried through the device at a breakneck pace, his excitement contagious, as Sara giggled while trying to keep up with everything he was saying.

"SD, you gotta stop for a second... " She paused, and waited through a moment of silence. "Thank you. That all sounds confusing, but cool. Would you come and pick us up, and then you can fill me in on all that craziness during the drive back home?"

Andrew's voice was much calmer, and Sara stole another glance towards Mercedes, before responding, "Yeah, Mercedes." Sara was preparing herself to defend her new acquaintance, but as she felt Andrew's happiness through their bond, she knew that her observant mate didn't need convincing about her choice to leave Mercedes alive.

"Yeah, me too. She was wonderful, and I would not have survived without her help." Sara listened as Andrew spoke, smiling while her eyes grew fond, and Mercedes could tell that the young woman was imagining her small mate talking, picturing his lips as his mouth formed the words she was listening to.

Sara took the phone from her ear, navigating through the control panel, between talking to Andrew as he guided her through the settings.

"Did that do it?" Her smile broadened as Andrew confirmed whatever she had done. "So you know where to get us? Yeah, it's an old warehouse." Sara looked at Mercedes, and resolved herself about something.

Mercedes tried not to listen as Sara cupped the phone and spoke quietly, but her Therian gifts prevented her from not hearing what Sara said, "Could you bring Karen? There's one last gift I think we should give her. Oh, and bring some clothes, I kinda destroyed my shirt."

She listened to Andrew for a moment, a smile spreading across her face as he finished his statement. "I should have known you were prepared, SD. I guess I will see you soon, then."

Sara laughed and blushed as she listened to Andrew's goodbye, the small man's farewell intensifying her arousal. Even as she hung up, sighing with longing as she handed Mercedes her phone, Sara felt conflicted, knowing how weak Andrew still was, but wanting to ravish the small man just the same.

"What was that all about?" Mercedes asked.

Sara laughed, the sound of Andrew's excited voice revisiting her as she responded, "Andrew is such a wonderful little nerd. He somehow knew we were in Oregon and has been waiting at a diner just off the 101 for my call."

She bounced on her feet with excitement knowing that Andrew would be there soon, before rolling her eyes as another thought crossed her mind. "He almost died tonight, and despite that, all he would talk about was something weird. I had to have misheard him."

"What was he saying?"

Sara shook her head and smirked, knowing she had heard him correctly. "He thinks he can make a suit of magical armor."