Chapter 51: The Drive Out West

The blush of dawn greets me in the rear-view as I push the pedal down and make the best time I can on the Florida interstate. We're almost to Louisiana, but my hands want to steer north. It's only a half day's drive to Pennsylvania, to Wilding Springs. But it's almost thirty more hours to Los Angeles. I'm insane, thinking I can do this on my own. I don't even have to drive, I can just open my shields and call for Syd. She'll be here in moments.

But I can't. She has her own Council to listen to, her own laws to follow, despite her insistence on autonomy. I won't risk her family, or mine, not until I have the proof I need of Caine and his pack's revenant status and, hopefully, a cure for Sage.

He stirs beside me, sleeping through part of the drive, though restlessly. I've stopped him from clawing at his shoulder twice now, in his sleep, but he remained out cold so I let him stay that way. I'm tired, but I've endured worse. As soon as I find a place to pull over for food and a rest stop, I will. Maybe catch a few hours of sleep. But first, I need to replace the license plates on this car so we don't get pulled over. Bad enough we're hunted by Enforcers. It would just add insult to injury having to deal with normal law enforcement because I overlooked something as simple as stolen plates.

Ten minutes later, just on the other side of the Louisiana border, I pull over into a small gas station. Sage stirs as I park at the pump, eyes a wolf's eyes in the moment of his waking. But he smiles and the wolf fades, the musky scent wafting out of the car as I open the door.

I leave him to pump gas, slipping around the back side of the station. It's one of those combo service and gas stations with a few old cars in the weeds behind the building. A quick theft of some Louisiana plates from a clunky old truck and my job is done.

A plastic bag of junk food lands in Sage's lap when I climb in. The cute girl behind the counter grinned at me when I loaded the packaged sandwiches, assorted snacks and big bags of chips on the counter, her sparkly made-up gaze going out the window to Sage.

I winked at her before returning to the car.

He tears into the first sleeve of chicken salad, helping himself in alternate bites to a full chunk of beef jerky while I drive off. Half a mile later, I pull over to switch out the plates and we're on our way again.

But as I head back to the driver's seat, I find Sage already claimed it.

"You're bagged," he says. "And I'm fine." He sounds it, and when I let my power touch him, realize he feels it, too. Almost chipper, his energy high, the scent of him almost happy. "I drive, you snooze." I hesitate one last moment, whipping the bad plates into the woods on the side of the road. "Charlotte," he says, voice dropping, "I mean it. I'm counting on you, remember?" Guilt. He uses guilt at a time like this. "Now, get in that seat and get some sleep before you fall over."

I pause still. There's no telling when a new round of change could take over. But he's well fed and rested and showing no signs of pain anymore. Could he be recovering? Impossible, but I do need sleep.

"Wake me the moment something happens." I fasten my seatbelt and recline, worried I'm making a terrible mistake.

"You mean if," Sage says, pulling out onto the country road, heading for the interstate.

"I hope it's 'if'," I say, closing my eyes, "but I know better." And yet, luck has been on our side, has it not?

Regardless of my worry, sleep comes quickly and easily.

***

I open my eyes, wide awake, as the car comes to a halt. I sit up, find the sun is setting in front of us. A small building surrounded by a parking lot and picnic tables squats before us, several large trucks pulling in and out.

A rest stop. I turn to Sage who unbuckles his belt. He smiles at me, but his face looks pale, cheeks bright at the bones with pink spots. I reach for him, but he dodges me.

"Right back," he says. He leaves me in the car, heading for the building and the washroom. I follow slowly, stretching out my muscles. He's driven all day. I should have told him to wake me long before now. It's clear he's in pain again, from the washed-out look on his face.

No more. I'm driving from here on in. The sleep I've gained has given me the momentum I need to see us through to California.

I return to the car to find Sage in the back seat, eating again. He looks up as I climb in next to him. He's parked us away from the lights surrounding the building, in a tiny pocket of darkness. I take the opportunity to snuggle up against him, happy to find a blanket on the floor at my feet. I pick at a sandwich while he finishes the rest of the food, my stomach happier for the sustenance.

Done, I toss the container aside and sigh, sinking back against the seat. We need to go, but it's comfortable here with him, quiet and dark and peaceful. Sage pulls me against him, shares the last of the food with me. Sweet chocolate does the rest of the job reviving me, as much as the water I splashed on my face, the damp paper towels I used to wipe down. It's not a shower and fresh clothes, but it will do.

"Charlotte." I turn to look up at Sage. He's staring down at me with a little smile, though he still seems pale to me. "In all of this, I've forgotten to thank you for saving my life."

"And don't you forget it." I poke him softly in the stomach, brushing chip crumbs from his shirt. "You're welcome. But we're not out of this yet."

Sage nods, pulling me closer. "Do you really think I can be healed?"

I don't know how to answer.

"If you do," he says, "I want to stay a werewolf." His lips descending over mine. "So I can be with you forever. I love you, Charlotte." He doesn't give me the chance to answer, sadness crawling out of the pit in my gut. "But just in case it goes the other way," he whispers over my mouth. "I want you to know how grateful I am."

We don't have time for this, but I can't bring myself to reject him, not when my body and heart and soul crave him with every touch of his skin against mine. It's insane and foolish. We're on the run, in a rest stop on an interstate with the world going on around us. But when Sage kisses me again, I slip into his lap, straddling him, pulling the blanket over both of us.

It's not romantic or private. But it's all we've got. And I won't squander this chance to be with Sage.



***