Shadowed (Unbound, Book 2)

Chapter Twenty Six

           

The aches in my joints cracked as I tried to move onto my side, but I was pinned down under a massive weight. My eyes flew open. A moan escaped from the back of my throat, low and gargled, and I reached up over my head to stretch my arms. The tension in my back eased with a crack, and I dropped my hands to my sides. The left landed on the floor, the right in a warm ball of fluff.

I looked down, my breath catching as I remembered where I was.

The dog who attacked me sprawled beside me, its head on my stomach. Slowly, not wanting to wake it, I started to wiggle out to the side. If I could just get up without waking the dog, I could get into the bedroom and close the door. But I didn't get two inches before it opened its blue eyes. No longer growling with its lips curled back, the dog was beautiful.

It twitched and I rolled over, shoving it off and jumping to my feet. Calm now, it followed as I rushed into the bedroom, sneaking past ahead of me through the space between my legs. I paused in the doorway, weighing my choices—couch or bed. Couch or bed, couch or bed.

Was it possible for a dog to be bipolar? If I closed the door now, it would be locked in my room. The couch looked comfortable enough to nap and it would keep me safe. But the bed called to me with promises of floating my troubles away with its softness. So fluffy and piled high with pillows, it looked better than a winning lottery ticket.

With the dog in there, was it safe?

Did it always attack or was that how it said hello?

The bed was worth finding out. I stepped into the room on tip-toes, following an invisible bulge on the left in the straight path to my four-poster bed in order to avoid the dog. It didn't move; rather, it watched every movement with curiosity and its tongue hanging out the side of its mouth as though it were smiling. I jumped into my bed and pulled the covers to my chin without changing.

How could I find pajamas if there wasn't a dresser to snoop through?

So far, nothing felt familiar, but each room held an oddity. Obviously, my parents had money. Did that mean the interior decorating had to run my mind in circles? Not even burglars could manage a good job with this layout. The TV might be out for the taking, but I had yet to see a jewelry box.

The dog jumped onto the bed, but I was too tired to be startled. It licked my cheek and curled against my side. A low whine mumbled against my skin and its wet nose nudged my neck, just below my ear. When I failed to respond, not sure if I was still scared after being attacked, a blast of hot air brushed my skin. The dog stopped nudging.

I closed my eyes and sleep came fast.

*****

A man stood over the bed at me the next time I opened my eyes. I blinked once, twice... and he became focused, real rather than a figment of a dream. I jumped up, clutching the blanket in my fist as I held my hand to my chest. The dog jumped up, crouching with its head held low as it bared its teeth with a growl. My breath grew shallow, labored.

Now I was stuck between a creep and a monster!

At least the beast was protective.

"I don't like Onyx sleeping in the bed, Nora," the man said, his voice rough. He stuck his hands in the front pockets of his black jacket, custom-made to fit snug on top of his even more expensive suite.

"Onyx?" I looked back in time to see the dog acknowledge its name. "Oh, he—I didn't know, I'm sorry."

"It's a she."

"Sorry?" I blinked.

He sighed. "So it's true then? You've had another setback?"

"I—yes." I nodded, feeling suddenly ashamed, but there was no point in denying it. "A-are you Devland?"

"Your father?" He nodded. "Dr. Stanzo called me this afternoon to say you arrived in her office with no memory. She said you didn't even remember how you got there."

"I think I walked."

"Who brought you home?"

"Duvessa Larkin? She said she's a friend from school." I let go of the blanket. As though sensing the ease of tension, Onyx laid back at my side, resting her head on my legs while I sat up straight. "She dropped me off and Calin stopped by."

"Well," he said. "Get some rest. Are you hungry?"

"No."

"I will see at breakfast then."

He turned to walk out of the room. Onyx and I followed his movements with our eyes. Something wasn't right, but I couldn't put my finger on what it was. Aside from not knowing anything, anyway. But I couldn't ask him what was wrong between us and expect an honest answer.

"Wait."

Devland stopped and turned, but didn't come back to the bed.

"Can we, uh... Can we talk?" Fingering the threads at the edge of my blanket, I looked down, swallowing hard. Taking a deep breath, I met his gaze again with renewed confidence and little hesitancy. "I know five people now, which doesn't say much, and nothing about myself. Can you help me?"

His mouth lifted in a slow smile. "Of course. Get some rest. We can talk through what you want to know over breakfast."

"Thank you, Dad." I let out the breath I'd been holding and felt the last of my tension wash away with the knowledge that he would help me.

"Have a good sleep."

"Night."

I laid back down and smiled as he left. He would help. Things would be clearer in the morning. Better. That's what parents were for. They might not always be right, but they tried their best, and Devland looked competent enough. Not much for emotions, but still. He'd come to check on me.

My smile faded, the sense of wrong I felt becoming clear.

Devland had come to check on me, sure, but he never bothered to ask if was feeling okay.