Guardian Ravenfolk

Chapter Five-Cold Feelings

"Hey Peyton...Raphael and I think we can get there a lot faster if we shifted; what do you say?" she asked, voice rising hopefully. I looked between her face and Raphael's back-he was wearing a black leather jacket and not saying much.

"Um, I guess that's okay." I replied, feeling butterflies roaring through my stomach. The wind whipped my hair back against the trickling sound of the stream. She smiled warmly.

"Great! You can ride on Raphael's back. We'll get there in no time." She assured me, and before I could prepare myself she had thrown off her hoodie and was standing in the open woods in a black bra. She went for her jeans before seeming to remember that Raphael and I were standing right. There. She twisted her head to the side, giving me a look.

"You don't mind, do you? It's not a big deal for us to see each other naked-we've been doing this since we were like fifteen." She told me. Raphael coughed deeply while I felt my cheeks become heated.

"Do your thing guys." I chuckled, like it was no big deal. But I had to admit that I was a tiny bit jealous. I turned my back to them as they threw their clothes off like it was no big deal. When would I have my first shift? I was turning eighteen soon. For the first time ever a trickle of fear shifted through my mind at the thought. Was I more afraid of shifting or never shifting? I mean, I loved the fact that I was a supernatural being...if I never shifted I didn't think I would be able to handle that. The vampires were after me because I was a supernatural being.

"Done." I startled, twisting around at the intrusion into my brain-that mind-link telepathy thing was so freaky. I'd have to get used to it again. I gasped out loud, eyes landing on two massively beautiful wolves. Raphael's fur was moonlight-white as I remembered it and Faye's was a reddish-brown like her hair. They stood ethereal against the night; and their powerful presence was so majestic it made me feel... afraid.

Peyton; you never have to be afraid of me.

I approached the white wolf cautiously, feeling a tingling at the back of my knees. He was at least four feet tall. Swallowing nervously I approached him, and gripping his silky white fur swung my left leg over his body. Tucking my toes in against the side of his rib-cage, I nestled myself softly into the fur near his shoulder-blades, and closed my eyes tightly. I knew from experience that he was going to go hella fast and if I didn't hold on tight I was definitely going to fall.

The wolves sped through the forest at super-human speed, the wind rushing against my ears. It was like being outside of an airplane or a race-car. I kept my eyes closed, knowing that the view before me blurred all into one would only leave me feeling dizzy and lightheaded. I had to buckle my knees tightly, and grip my fingers into his soft fur; my hair felt like it was being pulled off by hulk at the roots. I felt bald as Raphael sped through the massively steep forest trail and then up the steep mountain incline. I wanted the experience to last forever, it was so exhilarating. I felt free as we moved, almost like I was flying. They raced up the steep mountain, over its curves and edges like country-cross runners only ten times faster. It was over way too soon.

I waited three seconds as we came to a standstill before getting off of Raphael's back. Eyes still shut tightly and knees buckled against his side I was frozen-literally there were goose-bumps all over my body-but mostly I was in shock. My body was vibrating with electricity.

That was when I felt a warm hand touch my shoulder and slowly pry my off. I didn't want to leave-being there with him-feeding off his warmth-felt so natural.

I was shocked as I came to stand beside Faye, realizing we were standing in the mouth of a cave. Instantly, bad memories rushed to my head as I turned-being locked up in a cave last spring break-the claustrophobia and the fear...