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Part II of the Adapted Series

"Hold on!" I yelled over the storm. I gripped Aelyn's paw as tight as I could, but the pouring rain was making it very hard to hold on. "Just let me go! Save yourself!" she screamed at me. She was dangling off the edge of a cliff, a river rushing far below. "Never! I will never let you go!" I yelled back. I heard a bone-chilling howl echo from the forest behind us before lightning flashed, and the world went white.

. . .

I jolted awake and gasped for air. I clutched my chest over my racing heart as I tried to steady my ragged and rapid breathing. I closed my eyes to try to calm, but all I could see was Aelyn's face of terror framed by lightning. The rising sun was peeking through the windows of the cabin and the looped title screen of a movie played on the tv. I rose to my paws and padded over to Aelyn's room, knocking softly on the door so that she'd only hear me if she was awake. "I'm up, come on in," she invited. Just hearing her sweet and gentle voice made some of the fear melt. I turned the knob and pushed the door open.

The red-and-black wolfess sat up against the mahogany headboard of her bed, moving a pillow behind her to support her. She must've just woken up, because she stretched and yawned before patting an empty spot on the bed beside her. I smiled and sat next to her. Though it was nearly invisible on her black-furred cheeks, I noticed a prominent blush. She had been acting a little shy around me ever since she kissed me that night, even though it had been about a week since. I hadn't brought it up either in an attempt to avoid embarrassing her. Then she sniffed the air around me. "What's wrong, K? Nightmares?" she asked, concerned. I nodded. I shook my head when she asked me if I wanted to talk about it. She smoothed a few wrinkles out of her oversized black hoodie, the same one she had been wearing the night everything changed. I leaned against her gently and closed my eyes, finally calming down.

While Aelyn got more nervous around me after the kiss, I got more protective of her. Being with her sometimes felt like a need, like breathing. I wasn't used to how I was feeling about her, my mind a whirlwind of differing emotions and thoughts every time I saw her. It was usually a mix of how my heart leaped every time she smiled and how I felt that I didn't deserve such a perfect angel. It didn't help that I never took the time to sort through those thoughts. She was my best friend, and I was too scared of the risk to think of the reward.

"I know it's been about a month," she started, "but I was thinking that I could bring you back to the human world so you could clean up any messes caused by your sudden disappearance." My eyes went wide. I hadn't even thought about what state I left things in back...home? It didn't feel right to call it that anymore. Regardless, I could assure the people who knew me that I didn't keel over and maybe grab some of my belongings from my old room. And yet, I didn't feel as if there was anything left for me to go back to. I shook my head. "This is my home now," I stated proudly. "Besides," I continued, "isn't there like a fair or something tonight?" She smiled, happy that I remembered. She had been talking about it all day yesterday after she got home from work. Aelyn had a well-paying day job at the nearby public library and had been saving up for the fair for as long as I had been here.

I poked her cheek with my nose, smirking playfully. She squealed at the cold touch and pushed my muzzle away, giggling. I continued to tease her as a distraction so I could reach around her to swipe her current book from her nightstand. I hopped out of the bed, paws landing on the floor with barely a sound. I stopped at the door and held the book out teasingly. "You little thief! Give it back," she warned. I stuck out my tongue and bolted out of her bedroom. She chased after me, still in her nightclothes. I knew that I wouldn't be able to outrun her on flat ground, so I placed the hardcover book in my maw and gently bit down to hold it in place so that both of my arms were free. She may have had me outmatched in speed, but I had superior balance and agility. Just as Aelyn caught up and reached for my paw, I leapt across the room, landing gracefully on the sofa and using the bounce to bound over the back to reach the front door. One smooth motion had the door unlocked and open before I had even touched the ground. I closed it behind me to slow her down as I ran for the woods behind the cabin. However, I knew that she was going to come out of the back door. I slowed my pace just a bit. Sure enough, the wolfess burst through the back door and tore across the clearing.

I grabbed the book from my maw and pulled it close to my chest so that it wouldn't get damaged when the inevitable happened. Aelyn caught up to me and tackled me from the side. I turned over so that my back hit the thankfully soft grass. Panting, she wrestled her book from my grasp and rolled off of me. "Well," she panted, "that was fun. But what do you wanna do until tonight?" I shrugged. "How 'bout...a movie? We just got some new ones yesterday, we could dig into 'em."

"...yeah, that sounds like fun." The blush returned to her cheeks.

After sliding our decided movie into the disc player, I sat down on the couch next to Aelyn, who moved as close as she could to me so that we could share a blanket. As soon as her body pressed against mine, though gently and non-intimate, I braced myself for the mess of thoughts sure to ensue. But it never came. My head was unusually clear this time.

Nearing the end of the movie, a particularly sweet and romantic part got to me. Unaware of what I was doing, my paw found Aelyn's and our fingers intertwined. As soon as I felt it, I turned my head to look at her and saw her doing the same. Our equally wide eyes met, my blush and surprised expression matching hers, but neither of us pulled our paw back. For a brief moment, I just wanted to lean in and kiss her. That, of course, led to me overthinking the consequences. I pulled my paw back awkwardly and broke eye contact. "Well...I need to go get ready for the fair," she said, trying to play it off. She got up and went to her room without waiting for a response.

I quickly grew angry at myself for what just happened. It wasn't just me reaching for her paw, she had also reached for mine. It was time to face myself and confront my fears. One of my excuses for shying out was that I didn't know how she felt about me. But that was a lie--I knew exactly how she felt about me. Hell, she had kissed me. And if she felt that way about me, why the fuck hadn't I made a move already? Because Aelyn was a great friend, and I didn't want to mess that up. But how would I mess it up if I wasn't doing anything risky? I was only hurting her more by shying away like that.

That was the realization I needed. I wouldn't be risking anything by making a move, since she obviously had feelings for me. But how, and when? I looked around the room for no reason in particular, when my eyes landed on the flyer for the fair tonight. I smiled, the plan forming in my finally clear mind.

. . .

Our friends Halo and Sylf showed up to come with us to the fair. We all walked to the fairgrounds together, and it was a pretty sizable walk, but was better with the company. I fell back to chat with Sylf, who had enough sweets stashed in her red pack to kill an elephant. I asked if she could spare a box of a certain candy, to which she giggled and replied "of course, just wait 'till we're inside."

Once we all had our wristbands, Sylf discreetly slipped the box of candy I asked for into the left pocket of my jeans and we all split up to go on rides and play games. We met up every now and then, traded partners, and did it again. I was with Sylf, playing a ball toss game that I was surprisingly good at. The buck working it offered a guaranteed tier 2 prize if I stopped, but I had my eyes on a sizable red-pawed white teddy bear with heart-shaped paw pads in the tier above what he was offering. I shook my head and locked onto my target, tossing the ball with fierce determination. When it struck true, the buck gave me an impressed look and climbed a step-ladder to reach my prize of choice. "Damn, kid," he praised, handing me the stuffed bear, "you either got one Hell of an arm..." he leaned in close with a knowing grin, "or one Hell of a girl."

Our group met up one last time, Halo and Sylf waving us goodbye, the roommates beginning their walk home. I told Aelyn that I was gonna take her on one last ride, the line to the one I wanted non-existent, and to close her eyes. She also hadn't seen either the teddy bear or the box of candy still in my pocket. Once she had, I grabbed her wrist and led her through the fairgrounds to the one of the few permanent rides there. I showed our wristbands to the worker. I brought Aelyn into the glass-windowed gondola of the ferris wheel and sat across from her. "Okay," I said after the door closed and sealed behind us, "you can open your eyes." She opened her jade eyes and scanned her surroundings, her expression going from confusion to wonder as the gondola ever-so-slowly ascended. "The ferris wheel? But Sylf told me that it was out of order," she stated.

"I told her to save your first ride on this for me." I owed Sylf for that one.

"Why?"

"You'll see. Anyways, Aelyn..." I trailed off nervously.

"Yeah?"

"I...uh....I won this. For you," I stammered, passing her the stuffed bear. She gave a blushing smile and brought the bear to sit in her lap. "He's so cute! Thanks, K!" she exclaimed. I nodded. We were about halfway into our ascent, the most amazing of views forming below us. I breathed deeply to ready myself. "Aelyn," I started. She tilted her head curiously, looking into my eyes. "I...you're the most amazing girl I've ever met. You're beautiful, kind, and...just amazing." Her blush deepened, but I wasn't done yet. "For those two years of high school, you were the one that kept me from falling apart when I lost my parents. And, yes, I noticed when you didn't come back for Junior year." She smiled sweetly as I continued. "What I'm trying to say is that...you are the best thing that's happened to me. And I got so caught up in worrying about losing you, that I didn't see the chance right in front of me. A chance...to not lose you, but the opposite. I know I don't deserve you..." I trailed off as she crossed the gondola to sit next to me. "K," she spoke softly, searching for the words. "I don't care about... 'deserving'. I care about you. And just know that I will always be there for you, no matter what."

When she was done talking, I decided that I had had enough of stumbling over words. I closed my eyes, leaned closer to her, and did what I should have done a week ago: I kissed her. It broke all too soon, and as I leaned in to continue, Aelyn pressed a finger to my lips and shook her head. "Not now. Not here," she explained quietly, her tone giving away her barely contained desire. "Kodiel," she said as the gondola reached the peak of the ferris wheel. I looked at her curiously. "K, short for Kodiel. Kodiel meaning Gentle Flame."

"So what does your name mean?"

"Aelyn doesn't really mean anything. I never got to talk to my mom about it before she left."

"Whatever the reason, it's a beautiful name for a beautiful wolf." I pulled out the box of candy and shared it with her for the rest of the ride.

. . .

As soon as we exited the fairgrounds, Aelyn took off shouting "catch me if you can!" I knew that there was no way in Hell that I'd ever catch her, but that didn't stop me from trying. I grinned playfully and took off after her. As we got closer to home, she looked back at me. When my eyes met hers, instinct took over my mind. I had to catch her. I hopped onto a streetside bench and ran across it before launching myself off of the armrest. I wasn't outrunning her, but I was keeping pace. Then we reached the cabin. I leaped towards the outer wall and used the angle and momentum to push off and tackle the wolfess to the soft grass. She smiled from beneath me before her expression changed. She rolled over, swapping our positions, and immediately started kissing me.

The heat coming off of her body was intense, like standing almost too close to a bonfire. There was also a scent coming from her in waves. Like strawberry wine on a hot summer day. My willpower immediately deteriorated as it hit my nostrils and filled my lungs. I could feel her fumbling with my clothes, I could see her over me in just a set of black lace underwear. I pulled her in close to tell her something before things continued. "Aelyn, I...I think...I think I'm in love with you." Tears of joy sparkled in her eyes as she nuzzled my neck tenderly and said "I'm in love with you, Kodiel. We...we don't have to...if you don't want..."

Too far gone to form words, I wrapped my arms under her thighs and began to rise from the ground. She wrapped her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck as I brought her inside and into her room. Instead of putting her down, I sat on the foot of the bed and leaned backwards so that she was back on top of me. She nuzzled my bare chest, pausing over my racing heart. She picked her head up and looked deep into my eyes as she pushed her hand through the orange-red fur on my chest until it was over my heart. My muzzle parted as I started panting, the heat coming off her becoming almost unbearable, but not quite. A shiver shot up my spine as her thigh brushed against mine. Then her tail brushed against mine, and any last shred of sanity I had left shattered in the heat of the moment.

. . .

Love was never a feeling that came easy to me. In my 22 years, I've had many relationships. But they all ended the same way: with me unable to repeat the three words every girl wanted to hear. That four-letter word has plagued me all my life. For some reason that I never quite understood, I'd never been able to admit it to any girl. I broke heart after heart all because none of them had ever felt right. But this girl, curled against me in her twin-sized bed, felt like the missing piece that completed the puzzle. She had the one thing that I had never been able to give to any girl--my heart. I nuzzled her neck softly.

A spot on her back grew warmer. And it kept getting warmer. The spot started to get hot. I wanted to pull away, but I couldn't. I nearly screamed as searing pain laced my right shoulder and faded just as suddenly as it had started. As it faded, something felt different about Aelyn. I was suddenly aware of her heartbeat, calm and slow as she slept. I could almost sense her next to me--more than just physically. Whatever this was, whatever had happened, I'd worry about it in the morning. The warmth of her body washed over me as I drifted off to sleep.

. . .

The scent of smoke filled my nose. It was so heavy in the air that my lungs burned with just one breath. I sat up coughing and tried to breathe as little as possible. I looked to my side for Aelyn, but she wasn't there. My eyes were already stinging and tearing up. I could already barely see. I rose to my paws and made my way out of the room. I ran to where the door should've been and reached, only to make contact with a solid wall. I buried my nose in my elbow and looked around frantically for a way out. On the opposite side of the room was the door, but it was blood-red and had a silver handle. I pushed it open and stumbled into the...hallway? Something caught my eye as I made my way down the hall. A single painting hung on the wall opposite the door I had just walked out of. I ignored it and kept walking.

I coughed again, my lungs aching for fresh air as each intake of breath burned through my nostrils. I knew that calling out would only result in another coughing fit, so I kept walking.

There was so much smoke, but no sign of fire. Everything was grey, but some details stuck out. Like the gentle green walls, wallpaper cracked and peeling with age, revealing the drywall beneath. The floor of the hallway was lined with a carpet almost as grey as the smoke and course beneath my bare paws. It was uneven with places that were either sunken-in or raised, making it difficult to walk. The ceiling was painted sky-blue, the only color that wasn't faded. But it had one long fissure running down the hall, splitting it in half. There were two matching blood-red doors on my left and one other on my right. But only the one that I had just come out of had a handle. The rest had no way to open them. There were no lights on, but everything was illuminated by a flickering red glow.

The glow of fire.

I could hear it, too. The crackle and popping of fire. The sound was coming from everywhere, but nowhere. I finally made it out of the hall just as the fissure started running down the wall. The next room that I walked into was bare from what I could see, save for something sitting on the brick mantel above the empty fireplace. Another something was hanging on the wall opposite me, but I beelined for the oak door that would lead me outside. I turned the knob, pulled the door open, and stepped through.

And woke up.

. . .

I jolted awake, coughing and gasping as if the room was still full of smoke. The warmth pressing against me only made things worse. It was so intense that, for a second, I thought that I was on fire. Until I opened my eyes and realized that it was just Aelyn, curled against me, still asleep. I nosed her, thinking that she could help me calm down. But she didn't stir. She was usually a pretty light sleeper, needing as little as the touch of a cold nose to wake up. I grabbed her shoulder and shook it gently. "Aelyn," I called. But still, she didn't stir.

Something was wrong. I could feel it. I put my ear to her chest, hearing both her heartbeat and the rush of air as she breathed. But she wasn't waking up. "Aelyn," I called again, louder and more concerned. When she still didn't react, I rolled her over on her back and grabbed both her shoulders and shook again. Realizing that she wasn't going to wake up, I leaped off the bed and grabbed the landline. I frantically dialed the number for the medical emergency hotline. After a moment, a voice answered with "hello? Medical Emergency Hotline, do you have an emergency?"

"Yes, my...my mate isn't waking up!"

"Have you checked to see if your mate is breathing?" The voice stayed professional and calm.

"Yeah, she's..." I checked again, trailing off when I couldn't hear the air moving. I put my hand to her mouth to make sure. "She's not breathing! She was a second ago, but she stopped. I can still feel a heartbeat, but it's slowing down."

"Do you know how to perform CPR?"

"Y-yes."

"Okay, can you do that for me? I'll send someone over right away, listen for wingbeats. But don't hang up in case something happens."

"Okay."

I set the phone to the side and straddled Aelyn's unresponsive body. I opened her maw before placing my hands on her chest. I pushed hard and fast, counting under my breath in a steady rhythm. When I reached 30, I tilted her head back, blocked her nose with my hand, and brought her lips to mine as if I were going to kiss her. Instead, I breathed out into her. I put my ear up to her muzzle but didn't hear her breathing, so I did it again before returning to compressions.

A while later, the timing unclear in the adrenaline-driven haze, I felt the softest rush of air brush against my ear as she breathed out on her own. It picked up until she was breathing normally. "She's breathing!" I exclaimed into the phone. "But she's still not waking up."

"The transport is almost there. Do not move her until then, okay?"

"Okay."

I was still confused by what the operator had meant by transport. There were no cars here. After a few seconds, I heard the sound of wings. The sound got louder and louder until a thud sounded outside. A winged dragoness with red scales under a red and white medical uniform entered the room with a wheeled stretcher. I helped her pick up Aelyn and lay her gently on the stretcher. I followed as she was wheeled outside.

I would've been amazed at the creature waiting outside had I not been so worried about Aelyn. She was loaded into a special enclosed storage structure atop a huge, black-scaled feral dragon. The red-scaled dragoness helped me climb up the side of the dragon so I could sit in the structure with Aelyn. It was a lot like the back of an ambulance, complete with a male otter nurse that checked Aelyn as the dragon took to the skies.

. . .

"She's in stable condition, but she's not responding to any attempts to wake her up," the otter explained. We were in the hospital now, sterile white walls and bare furnishings. I nodded solemnly.

Three days came and went without any answers. I hadn't left her side the entire time. I could barely eat, rarely slept, and hadn't showered. "Hey, K," Sylf called softly, walking into the room, "how you doin'?" I looked up at her, my eyes likely showing the despair I felt. She gave me a sympathetic look and walked up to me. She pulled me into a hug. "Shit, K. You smell."

"Gee, thanks."

"When's the last time you took a shower?"

"I don't know...a couple days?"

"You haven't left her side, have you?"

I shook my head.

"Well, it's not gonna do any good if you don't take care of yourself. Go take a shower. I'll look after Aelyn."

"But-"

"It's okay, I'll be right here. Go get cleaned up."

I sighed and rose out of the chair that I had pulled up to Aelyn's hospital bed. I gathered my spare clothes and gave one last look at the sleeping wolfess before walking into the bathroom.

I stepped out of the shower and into the steam-filled bathroom. I stopped when I saw something different about my reflection in the mirror. There was a marking on my shoulder. It was the shape of a bird. The bird's entire body looked like it was made of red-gold fire. It had two tails spiraled like a double helix and it's wings were spread majestically. It was a phoenix, a firebird. But the thing that stood out to me were its eyes. Its jade green eyes. I touched it tentatively. As my finger touched it, the world dropped beneath my feet. I ran out of the bathroom and up to Aelyn's bed, dignity spared by just a towel. "K, what the fuck are you-" I held up my hand to interrupt her. "After she brought me here, Aelyn told me that it was dangerous to travel because your body and mind might not end up in the same place."

"So you think..."

"I think that she...her mind is somewhere else and she can't get back on her own."

"No one knows Aelyn more than you, K. There's only one question..."

"How do we get there?"

Nightshade