Dark Dreams

Chapter Seven

     This was not a conversation he was looking forward to having with her, but knew it needed to be done and with his head slightly lowered, he stepped up to the entrance of the cave. With each passing step he began regretting what he was going to do, and all her knowledge about her parents and even her sibling’s death was going to be throw out the window as the truth was told to her. About who and what she was, and about whom and what her mother truly was, granted it was the only way her mother poor Tamra were, happened to be the special ones of their kind. They walked in silence for roughly fifteen minutes more, before he turned to look at her, and with everything in himself, he shifted back long enough to pull the vines back to reveal the hidden passageway beyond, with its narrow slit showing he watched her closely and with the wave of his hand a creaking noise could be heard, as the passageway began to grow larger in the rock formation. He sighed more to himself as the passageway was just large enough to accommodate his larger frame, and he stood there like a sentry to a castle, while Tamra slipped inside, though she didn’t move much past the opening waiting for him to lead her through the ever winding passageway, “young one please, we must get fully inside so we can talk” he soke to her telepathically hoping that she hadn’t retreated  to far within the panther again, he needed her to understand it was far safer inside where they wouldn’t be over heard or seen for this conversation to take place. Just as they stepped deeper into the long corridor, she noticed Phelan had let things slip back into place while they walked quietly down the long corridor leaving the entrance to slowly narrow back down to its original size once more.

       Tamra shivered lightly feeling like she had somehow been trapped, though Tamra somehow knew she could easily get out in her human form, after all she was quite skinny. “Young one please do not fear me, but simply relax and enjoy my home” It was then that he moved suddenly to sit in his favorite chair. While watching her closely to see what she would do, he shifted his weight slightly in his chair making himself a bit more comfortable. His gaze still locked onto her, just watching her as she prowled around his home in the cave, her senses on full alert Tamra wandered over next to the cave entrance and cautiously sat next to it, and with a light chuffing sound, Tamra finally retook her human form. With a sudden shiver from the light draft slipping through the crack in the rocks, her clothing had just finished settling about her human form. She shivered once more from the unease she was feeling being hidden deep within the cave. “What is it ye  wish to talk about?” she asked him softly while she watched him closely with unblinking blue baby blue eyes. All the while she waited patiently for him to answer her softly asked question, she finally rocked back onto her heals with her hands resting on her thighs, she began to lightly twist her fingers into the soft denim black jeans she was wearing. She began to ponder if he would actually answer the question when his deep voice rang through the cave just as gentle as her had been, “young one, what do you know about your lineage?” he asked her. All the while he was intently watching her just as closely to gage her reaction.

     Tamra was pondering the question over in her mind the entire time she sat as still as a statue, unsure of how to answer the question to put to her by Phelan, “well actually not very much, I ever since I was a little girl, I knew that my mother was a very gifted and special kind of healer amongst our clan. I just wasn’t so certain I understood the how or why of it, and just how special of a healer that she was” she began. “I knew that my mother would occasionally leave our small village back in Ireland when I was a mere babe of six months” she continued slowly still uncertain of how much she should be telling him. Gripping the sides of her jeans a bit tighter her voice dropped to a mere thread of sound as if it was her mother’s secret to tell “she could heal a broken bone just by touching the person, she could even aid in the process from a harsh cold such as the flu” Tamra told him, Tilting her head to the right her gaze still locked to his, she waiting  to see if there was any type of reaction from him as he learned of her mother’s abilities.

     “Well now my young friend, it seems I did find you in the nick of time” Phelan said, though he knew she needed the full story just not all at once. “I see by the way you shifted shape that probably didn’t know that you were able to do such a thing?” he said his voice growing tender with each passing word spoken. “Actually, I discovered it by pure accident a few weeks back, granted in the beginning it did hurt like hell, however the more I shift the less it hurts “Tamra said, rather proud of herself for making such a huge discovery of the hidden truth about her own lineage. Slowly she straightened herself fully upright and began to relax just bit hoping that her panther would indeed stay on alert to any danger there might be from Phelan.

     “What do you know about mother’s special gifts” he asked a bit quieter than he needed to be. “After all I am sure there is more to her story than you know” he said, daring her to speak further about her mother. “I have told ye all I know about her special gift, I do not know what more ye are searching to learn” she said more anxious now, rising to her feet Tamra began to pace the cave. “Young one, I merely asked because I knew your mother and all of her abilities” he said, his hand slowly drifted to a chair near him as he gestured for her to sit and relax.

           Tamra turned and glance towards his white chair with blue pillows on it, “I am fine standing” she said to him and began pacing once more. “Surely you knew that your own mother was able to shape shift into a black panther” he said with a slight smile that never really seemed to reach his amber colored eyes. “Ye are mistaken Sir, she never once did such a thing” her voice began to elevate with each of her spoken words, but deep in her heart where no one could see, she felt her mother’s betrayal deeply for not telling her anything about where her family came from, or what they were capable of. She just felt lost and somehow, she was going to make Phelan pay for his lies and the lies of her mother.

     With her emotions out of balance, Tamra felt as if she was truly and utterly lost in the world, and with that in mind she knew that she was beyond alone in the world. Why would anyone hide things from their family especially something as important as what Tamra was currently learning about? Her thoughts were racing through her mind a million miles an hour as se finally flopped down in the chair. “What would ye know about my family anyhow?” she asked suddenly and with more anger to her words than were necessary.

     “Please Miss Kelso, just hear me out little one, and maybe things will begin to make sense to you” he replied gently, watching her intently he took a deep cleansing breath before he continued on. Although Tamra had a difficulty believing him at the moment, she was doing her best to listen to him at least so maybe she could make sense of the family she was thought she knew. “Who all in my family knew of what I can do, or what my mother could do?” she asked him solemnly while looking at the ground. “Young one, Tamra, please hear me out, your mother and I knew each other long before your father came into the picture” he said almost wishing he could have been on the boat with her family. Maybe then she still would have had them in her life, “your mother should have told you all of this long ago, but she never thought that being out on the boat would have had such dire consequences as this” he said, knowing that with his special talents, he should have been able to stop such things.

     "Your mother was a lovely woman, she had a sense of humor about her that made everyone want to smile or laugh, and yet as she was raising you, she was regal and understanding" he said, his hopes that Tamra would understand that if her mother kept certain things from her then there had to have been a good reason. “I know you find this hard to believe right now, but that is not all that your mother was, she a woman who loved life, every aspect of it, from shape shifting into the panther, to healing those who truly needed her, she could use telepathy rather easily without my aid. I just had to make sure that you could as well” he said as gently as possible, not wanting to frighten her further. “Your family was hunted by several different people, especially scientists, who wanted to know the truth behind the healing gift that your mother had, and yet she never once thought about how such things would affect her family so much as how the results of the constant tests would. Although the others wanted your family for the sport of hunting, to use the gifts for all the wrong purposes, but I can’t help feeling that had I been out on the boat with your family little one, that I might have been able to save them” he said with sorrow lacing his every word.

     He moved then, suddenly, swiftly to stand in front of her, his fingers trailing down her face, an extra light caress a gentleness he thought he would never have for another person.

     She moved then, rather rapidly to the far side of the cave, with her gaze steady on him “why do ye persist in physical contact between us?” she asked him, her breath leaving her body with a quick rush with each word she spoke. “I just followed ye to learn more of my family, their heritage, their lives before my sibling and myself were in the mix” she said, the mixed emotions still raw in her mind, her heart and even in her breathing. “Ye must tell me what it is that ye think I am Sir” she said flatly and without thinking of her choice in words. Deep inside her panther paced causing her skin to itch, her boned ached for the change, anything to protect herself from his touch, something she clearly wasn’t ready to experience, and yet Tamra refused the change as she inwardly coed to the panther in the hopes of soothing her.

     “Just tell me what ye know Sir or let me go” she said flatly with no hesitation. “You, Tamra must know by know that you and your panther are one in the same” he said with a heavy sign. “You must know that your clothes are also a part of you as long as they are of natural fibers” he continues softly. “Your just like your mother Tamra, you have many talents, and some are rather unique to you personally” he said as he continued to speak plainly to her. “Yet your mother seemed so gifted that it appeared as if she could float on command” he told while sitting back down in his favorite chair. Tamra suddenly blinked unsure of what she about her mother. “So, if all this is to be true, then why did she choose my father “Tamra asked a bit to quietly, yet he heard her every word as if she had been yelling at the top of her lungs.

     “Your mother chose father due to a premonition she had when she was a little girl” he said almost a bit to angrily mixed with a bit of sorrow. “It was a marriage that was bound to happen and yes little one I loved her very much” he continued “I can recall night as if it was yesterday, the night that your father propose to your mother” he said nearly spitting out the full story. He tried to lead her off the topic only a full of times to try and keep his own emotions in check “unlike one of your gifts my dear Tamra your mother could sense how others felt, in time you will come to understand just how that will affect you” he added as his gaze wandered over her slender form. “How did my parents meet?” she asked nervously. “How did my father propose to my mother?” she continued, while she nervously picked at the side of her jeans.

    “Oh, young one, how they met was through me unfortunately, and it was due to me that you and your sibling were born of a human male” he said a discontentedly. “You are to gifted to listen to everything in one night young one, you still need time to learn what it means to shift, to heal others and the complications that comes from what your mother went through. However, little one, your mother and father fell in love during the time when your father needed some extra care when he was mauled by a cougar when he was looking for your mother” he continued, his posture was tense to the point of pain in every muscle. “Your father had no idea that your mother could shape shift or heal at the time, after all they had just met” he said, his jaw muscles twitching with each pause between his words, his sorrow and anger growing more the he talked about his friend, and his beloved woman. “Your mother went to him the moment she had heard he needed a healer; it was then that he found out just how special she was, and he vowed to keep her safe forever even at the cost of his own life” he said with a heavy sigh to his words. “I didn’t want to see him hurt, let alone lost to this world as he had so much to offer those around him. Understanding was just one of his many gifts that he was blessed with, but he also had the brains to be a scientist, yet he chose to be a professor of history. To learn about cultures that were gone from our world or were slowly dying out” he said while scooting to the edge of his seat. “He couldn’t even be bothered to do much for himself, but when it came to others no matter if they were alive or dead, he did his best to bring understanding to how humanity had wronged those around them no matter what species they were” with his voice soft with a hint of sorrow filling each word for the friend that he lost.

     As he finally stood up, “but it was your mothers special healing gift that brought him back to this world for a few more years, and it was because of that healing power that she did her best to hide from the world that got them killed” he said as he turned his back to her, knowing the next part of his statement was going to hurt poor Tamra to her core. “It was shortly after your brother was born that a DNA inconstancy was brought up to a scientist over at the Mayo clinic, he sent it the results to one of his friends who happen to be in a radical group” he said, his body rigid from all the emotions he was feeling caused him pace around the room. “Granted I never did figure out what the inconstancy was, or who the scientist was, but the person who they sent out after your mother was a man named Woody, he was to capture her, you and your siblings to be studied like some lab rat” he said while clenching his fists.

     He turned to face her and seeing a single tear slipping down over her cheek, he felt ashamed for telling her as much as he had in one night, “you must be tired” he said as he approached her slowly. “I will head off to my resting chamber and I shall let you get some rest” he said softly as his thumb slid down her check, following the path of her tear in a light caress. He knew that he put all that sorrow back into her mind, but he also knew she had to process so much more if she was to find a safe location for herself to live and to do so with him was his only hope and thoughts of her and for her safety. With a heavy sigh, he turned on his heals and walked towards his room. Tamra watched him walk away towards a very dark part of the cave, she sat where she was her fingers twisting the bottom of her shirt, yet she watched the doorway he disappeared into for what seemed like hours.

          Finally, Tamra rose to her feet and slipping out the place quietly, and without disturbing anything in the cave, she finally stopped at the entrance to the cave. Looking back over her shoulder towards his room, she sighed to herself and after a spell Tamra worked herself out of the small cave entrance into the bright light of the afternoon sun. She began walking through the tall pine tree forest following the sun west, not sure of where she was heading or if she would even make it somewhere safe by nightfall. She passed several small streams on her walk, always heading west at a slow pace, the foliage growing thicker with every mile she walked, finally she stopped to rest after walking for about two hours. Sitting down upon a broken stump she glanced around the forest with its tall trees and thick foliage she decided to let herself shape shift into the panther, the transformation wasn’t as painful as she thought it might be. Tamra noticed that with each transformation the pain grew less and less, and she was becoming faster with the transformation.

     As night fell, she took to the trees and had wandered through them for a little while more, spotting a road, she glanced north then south trying to determine which way to go. Laying down amongst the thick foliage of once maple tree near the road, she began to ponder everything she had learned of her parents, especially of her mother. She began questioning if she should even return to Cedric knowing what trouble she would be bringing to his door. She knew she needed more answers before she could return to Cedric, she knew that she had to find a local library so she could start researching more on her parents, more of her mother’s background and why people might be hunting her and her family qestioning if she should even return to Cedric knowing what trouble she would be bringing to his door. She knew she needed more answers before she could return to Cedric, she knew that she had to find a local library so she could start researching more on her parents, more of her mother’s background and why people might be hunting her and her family.  Tamra roamed through the forest until she found a small village and hiding in the arboreal highway, she watched the village until roughly four in the afternoon. Deciding to find a place close by where she could sleep for the night before going to the little library they had just off the main road through the small village. Which consisted of two main roads and four smaller ones, with no cars she was hoping they had at least a way to access the world wide web, so she could start her research first thing in the morning.

     As Tamra leapt down from the arboreal highway to the forest floor she shifted to her human self, and wandered through the small village, wondering what it would be like to live in a place such as this one, with small houses or huts that were well-hidden amongst the lush foliage. Complete with small orchards, fields and even a few small areas for farm animals. She began to wonder if the village decided to remain this way through the ages, or what was the reason they refused to modernize like the rest of the known civilizations she had seen. She had glanced thought the different shops, granted there weren’t many, they had a dress shop, grocery store, veterinarian clinic, hospital, and doctors off ice combination. There was of course the small library, a small but well hidden bookstore, fabric, and yarn shop but they were missing simple things like automotive, tv’s basic electrical items yet they did have electricity and she wasn’t sure how they managed it.

     The village even had a small bed and breakfast which sat back against a large mountain face, with its soft green paint, and high looking roof. Tamra thought it had to be at least three stories high, meaning there was at least six or more guest rooms, but she never imagined that they would entertain to many visitors to their quaint little bed and breakfast. She searched for a sign to tell her what the name of the place was called or if there was any rooms available for rent. With a heavy sigh Tamra decided to knock on the large pastel green door and see if they did have a room for her to rent. As she climbed the steps, her soft blue eyes roaming over the banister railing and the columns, she noticed some of them had deep gouge marks made by rather large animals, panthers, or other large cats, as she didn’t think bears would be entering into the village.

     On the remainder of the columns, she noticed the wonderfully carved cats, they looked to be cougars maybe even jaguars. Her fingers lightly glided over the railing as she climbed up the long staircase to the front door, and with a soft knock on the heavy door, she took a step back fairly certain that no one would be available to answer her questions about a room  for her to rent. Tamra had just decided to turn around and leave when the door to the bed and breakfast slowly opened “yes child, may I help you” and elderly lady had spoken. Her brown eyes sparkled in the late evening sunset and her wrinkled features seemed a bit younger as the woman smiled towards Tamra. “I was wondering if you had any rooms for rent?” Tamra answered with a light smile, though she looked totally exhausted, and felt as if she was going to drop at any given moment. “I was hoping to find a place for a few days while I did some research on the area, and if my mother and father ever stayed here” she continued though she was now leaning against the tall pillar on her right. “Of course, dear child please come inside, and we can get you into a room where you can rest, but you do look like you need a bit of food as well” the older woman had commented to Tamra, “my name is Mrs. Hill, and it would be my pleasure to have you stay here with us” the elderly woman had said.

     She led Tamra into the foyer and once they got the registry filled out, she and led Tamra upstairs into a large one-bedroom suite, “this is the best room in the Inn, I do so hope it meets with your approval” Mrs. Hill had spoke to Tamra with hushed tones hoping to not disturb her other guests. . “Do not wish to be any trouble for you Mrs. Hill, if you can just point me in the direction of an open store, I can buy some fruit or something to eat” Tamra politely asked “oh dear girl, its no trouble at all, I will go and fix you a fine plate of food to enjoy here in the room” Mrs. Hill and responded thoughtfully “and while you wait, how about you climb into the tub and relax for a bit, there are bathrobes over there in the closet for my guests to use” Mrs. Hill continued while she pointed to a large walk in closet. Though Tamra did notice that the old woman with silver hair seemed a little sad as she had left the room.

     Tamra crossed the room towards the private bathroom and glancing inside noticed that the bathtub was separate from the shower, though a little odd for a place like this, she was grateful that they were separate as Tamra wasn’t the type to take showers to often so staring up at a shower head was something she didn’t feel like doing. With a leisurely stride she walked over to the side of the tub and turning the hot water on, had waited for a few second to let the hot water heat up in the tap. Then adding in just enough water to help sooth both her and the panther, Tamra tested out the water to make sure it was hot, but not so hot that it might cause problems, once she had the bath water temperature just right, she walked over to the walk-in closet, as she opened the door to peak inside, she had another surprise. There was more than just a bathrobe inside the closet, there was a full wardrobe to choose from, including different types of bathrobes. 

     Tamra gently pulled down a soft velveteen black bathrobe and had carried it back to the bathroom and hung it up behind the door then glancing at the tub and she noticed just how full the tub was, she turned off the running hot water and stirred in some of the lavender bath salts she found sitting on the front side of the tub. The little card had read compliments of Hill House Bed and Breakfast. Finally, she thought I now know that name of this little Inn, it fits how inviting and friendly this place is, and just how truly thoughtful the owners are. Closing the bathroom door, Tamra grabbed out two bath-sheets and placed them on the rack next to the bathtub and began to strip down in preparation for a hot relaxing bath when the phone in room rang, taking her by surprise as she never saw kind of wires in the small village depicting electricity or phone companies. Perhaps this little village isn’t quite as stone age as she first thought, Tamra crossed over to the small table in the little alcove and lifting up the receiver, “hello” she said softly, “Miss Kelso, is there any food allergies that you have?” asked Mrs. Hill. “Nay I have no food allergies Mrs. Hill, why do ye ask?” Tamra responded softly, and with a hint of curiosity lacing each word “I do however prefer fruits and vegetables the most” Tamra continued. “Would you care for some steak or is there a type of meat that you prefer more?” Mrs. Hill asked thoughtfully as the sounds filled the phone of her busying herself about the kitchen, with the preparations for Tamra meal.

     Steak is just fine Mrs. Hill but please there is really no need to go out of your way to fix me a hot meal like that” Tamra answered honestly while sitting in the chair that was next to the small table. Tamra thought it was the perfect spot for reading, writing or even doing research during the earlier parts of the day, as the view of the gardens to the side of the Inn would be lovely during the daylight hours when one could view them. With a light sigh more to herself she knew the elderly lady would probably argue so Tamra ultimatly agreed to eat whatever the woman was willing to prepare for her, and with that she hung up the phone and returned to bathroom for that long hot bath she deserved.