Chapter 8

“Hey, you.” Poppy’s whispered. Knowing how sounds seemed amplified to her when she woke up. She assumed with Jeremy’s limited abilities from his shapeshifting legacy he might have the same affliction. She was right. He jerked awake and panted as if she’d yelled, “Boo!”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” She continued her quiet tone as she rushed to his bedside. Recognition slowly reached his eyes. Had they given him something to help him sleep? He looked dazed and confused.

“Jeremy? It’s me, Poppy.”

A smile started at his mouth and gently made it to his eyes. “Poppy.” He breathed. His eyes darted behind her. “Where’s Chel—” He swallowed. “The girls?”

“Heather’s watching them ... so I can— I was hoping we could talk before I take you and Chelany home.”

His smile retreated to someplace deep inside him where she couldn’t quite reach. “Jeremy? What’s wrong?”

He glanced up. “I screwed up! I wasn’t being careful. I promised you that I’d protect you and the girls—”

“What are you talking about?”

“The accident.” He scowled. “What are you talking about?”

“I don’t blame you for the accident.”

She eased one hip on the side of his hospital bed.

He inhaled her scent. There was a familiar musk about her. His mind turned back to the shower dream. Even with hot water pouring over both their bodies, he could smell her ecstasy when it erupted through her. He had smelled that same aroma on her then. An urge to grab her and pull her to him tugged at his heart. His body reacted too. He put his right knee up to hide his obvious reaction to her nearness.

She laid her hand on his forearm. A warm sensation traversed his arm, filling his chest with a burning heat. He swallowed against a suddenly dry throat. Did she have any idea what she did to him, just being so close?

“It wasn’t your fault. The guy had a heart attack. He wasn’t at fault either. He was dead before he even ran into us.”

“I know. but ... I should have ... done something...”

“Jeremy. Unless your family’s legacy gives your premonitions, how could you have known? We were all caught off guard. I’m just so relieved that you’re not upset with me for taking Chelany from the SUV and running through the crowd of people.”

Jeremy looked deeply into the windows-to-her-soul. A candlelight spark rose from his heart and gently settled in her beautiful eyes. “You did exactly the right thing, Poppy. You told her to drop to all fours, and the two of you ran to shelter. For all anybody around the accident knew, you two were dogs running away from the terrifying event.”

Tears filled Poppy’s eyes. “I was so scared. But somehow the creature ... I knew what to do.”

“Yeah. It happens like that.” Jeremy put his hand on top of hers. She smiled. He wanted to kiss that smile, those lips. The ache in his loin grew stronger.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” Jeremy forced himself to say the words.

Poppy nodded and pursed her lips. “Yeah. I-I need to tell you...”

Carrie slipped into the room, tapping on the door as she entered. She pulled the computer cart behind her. “Morning. It’s me, Carrie. I need to take your vitals before the end of my shift, and this is Wendy. She’ll be your day nurse, except I don’t imagine you’ll be here much longer.” Carrie smiled. Her eyes darted between Jeremy and Poppy. “Sorry to interrupt.”

Poppy leapt to her feet. “No. I’ll get out of your way.”

“Thank you. We won’t be but a minute.” Carrie lifted an eyebrow at Jeremy with an optimistic smile.

Poppy frowned and walked toward the windows. Jeremy took advantage of Poppy’s back being turned to adjust his tell-tale arousal.

Carrie gave the report to Wendy and took Jeremy’s vitals while Wendy recorded them on the computer. Soon they were done and left the room. Wendy was his nurse now, for whatever amount of time he had until the doctor released him.

Poppy sat back down and took his hand. She looked nervous. He sighed, steeling himself for the words, I can’t see you anymore. She took his hand into hers. “Jeremy. I don’t know what I would have done without your help these past few months. And Chelany ... the girls love her, love being with her. It’s like they are sisters.” She rolled her eyes and turned her head. “And ... I love her like one of my own.”

Poppy repositioned, bringing her knee up on the bed, her other leg down straight, touching the floor. “I am so grateful to you. Seriously. I mean, sure Brady knows all about this ... legacy, gift. See, you recognize it as a gift, Brady struggles with it as a curse. It’s so much easier with you.”

Jeremy tilted his head but remained silent.

“Hank ... was—” tears choked her words. Jeremy put his other hand on top of hers and pursed his lips as if he were willing his strength into her. She took a long, deep breath. “Hank was a difficult man to live with.”

She opened her mouth, but no words came out. She took another deep breath. “I don’t know why I put up with his jealous, aggressive, drunken ass as long as I did ... or why—”

The tears flooded. She couldn’t say anymore. Jeremy sat up straighter. “You’d had enough.”

She turned to him. “What?”

He smiled. “You’d had enough. Tell me, what do you remember that night, just before you blacked out?”

Poppy lifted her eyes to the dropped ceiling. Running the evening through her head.

“I had a fever and I laid back in my recliner to sleep.” Heat filled her cheeks. She was not going to tell him about the dream she had in her fevered state. “H-Hank woke me up. He was yelling. He’d found my text to you, earlier that day ... about you picking Chelany up the next morning. It was ridiculous. He sent that stupid text about ‘can’t wait to see you.’”

Jeremy chuckled. “Yeah, I knew that wasn’t you. You never use letters and numbers for words. It was a dead giveaway.”

Poppy cringed.

Jeremy cupped her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean...” he swallowed. “Go ahead, then what happened?”

She sighed. Steeling her composure. Remembering was almost as painful as the actual night. “Well, I’m not sure.” She let the memory roll in her mind like fast-forwarding through a movie. “We heard a car door.” Startled eyes lowered and met his. “That was you, wasn’t it?”

Jeremy shrugged.

“Hank went crazy. Calling you my...” Heat filled her cheeks. “ ... my lover. I told him no one was outside and that you were not my lover. But he wouldn’t have it, then I guess you tapped on the storm door.”

She pondered the jumbled-up scene in her head. “All I remember after that is Hank slugged me in the jaw and grabbed my hair. He hurt my neck, yanking me around like a toy. Suddenly I felt a burning sensation and went down on my hands and knees. I—” Her eyes widened. “I shifted, didn’t I?”