Ravenswood

Chapter Eight

Paxton woke up with a jolt. One minute he was making a dent in the homework messengered over to his house the next he was in a deep dream standing across from her. He has dreamt of her since his 13th birthday. He could hazily make out her face, but he knew she was beautiful. In his dreams they would talk about everything and nothing. There were dreams where she would play melodies for him – it all felt so real, but this dream wasn't like those. In this dream they were in a forest and she was engulfed in flames. He had to get to her. He had to save her, but he just got burned ever time he'd get too close. He was so determined to get to her he didn't care about his flesh. Just as he was about to touch the fire, she looked at him – he saw her face – and then she cried "Help me!"

He was instantly jolted awake. "No, no, no..." Paxton breathed heavily. "Pax, are you okay?" Petra ran into the room. "What is wrong? What happened?" He tried to catch his breath and steady his mind. "I couldn't save her." Paxton didn't need to explain. Petra was well aware of his mystery lady since they were 13. He described her in such vivid detail that Petra believed she was real and out there somewhere. Then one faithful night Paxton and Petra were together in a dream and she saw her.

Her face was a bit hazy, but she was there. Unlike Paxton, Petra got to the meat and potatoes of the matter and asked about her. She uncovered that her name was Isla. It was the first time she was introducing herself as Paxton hadn't asked yet after dreaming about her for a year. They had a few more joint dreams, but none in a long while. Seeing Paxton like this, Petra knew something was really wrong.

"Petra, she was on fire. I couldn't save her. I couldn't-" Paxton was cut off by the pain on his left forearm. Upon looking down he saw a burn mark that slowly began to heal. Petra looked down and she too had a burn mark on her left arm that was healing. The dreams were always so life like, but it never presented itself in the real world. "Pax, Isla must be in trouble." Petra stated. "She's just a dream, Petra." This earned him an eyeroll. "You see these burn marks don't you. Isla is real – just like these dreams are real. We have to find her."

Paxton knew Petra always believed Isla was real and out there just waiting to be found. He wanted that to be the case because for 6 years he's built a friendship – a relationship – with the literal girl of his dreams. But after all that has occurred, Paxton couldn't risk doing the most dangerous thing: hope. "Petra, just get back to finishing up your homework. We don't need to start off the school year any further behind."

Petra knew Paxton was shutting down, so she let him be. If he wanted to live in a hopeless bubble so be it. She was going to find Isla one way or the other. The fact that this was the first time the dreams have become physical in the real world led Petra to believe that Isla was closer than they knew. She may even be here in Ravenswood. Another vampire just like us? The thought made Petra giddy, because she would do anything to make her brother happy. He deserved it more than anyone in the world.

Grey was so proud of himself for finishing his homework. He actually enjoyed the work, especially the coursework on Ravenswood History. He was feeling a little restless and informed his parents that he was going to take Asher and Cody's offer and go for a run. Kai reminded him that the Enchanted Forest was bigger than it seemed and to be careful. He changed into basketball shorts and some tennis shoes. He laughed to himself as he thought of all the Hollywood movies that made it seem like wolves would shift back to their human form naked. That was a definite lie, but sex sells so he understood their logic.

Grey shifted in the backyard and ran without a care in the world into the forest. He loved the feel of the earth beneath each paw. The wind against his fur. Nothing but the sound of his heartbeat in his ears. He tried to locate Asher and Cody's scent and when he locked on to it he ran towards them. Asher's wolf was an auburn colored wolf a little smaller than his and Cody's. Cody's wolf was a stark white with a playful continence that matched his human form. "Oh shit! Grey!" Asher mind-linked him. Once they were approved to move into Ravenswood the pack blood link was done almost immediately. Grey had forgotten about the mind-link until now.

"Hey man, glad you could make it." Cody chimed in. "Yeah I finished my homework and just needed a run." The boys nodded. "So, we're really sorry about what happened to your pack. Everyone knows about it even before you all got here. We just want you to know you got brothers in us and we're here for you." Cody offered. It was the nicest any stranger had ever been to him and Grey didn't know how to take it. They were both quite genuine. "Thanks. I really do appreciate that."

The boys began talking about everything and nothing. School. Girls. Pack news. Grey could really see himself getting close to Asher and Cody and that was rare. Even in his old pack he stayed close to blood relatives and that was it, but this move called for a change and he knew that. It had been over an hour of them hanging out, running and talking. They were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice a woman and her teenage daughter walking towards a central tree in the forest.

They didn't notice the woman pleading with the Ent, while the daughter stood their dejected. Grey nor Asher or Cody saw the pixie flying towards them with nothing but mischief and mayhem in her eyes. They were not aware of the golden bracelet that held the girl together, so when the pixie ripped it off it was too late to understand where the flames came from.