Page 11 of Soul Bites

I sat down at the vanity table in the bathroom and let out a long, slow breath. Ancestors. Strange door. Cannibals that were really zombies. My true-mate. What? Had I hit my head in the altar room?

“I’m… I’m sorry that happened,” I said, but the words sounded hollow. How did you comfort someone who had fought zombies and lost everyone to them? How did you help them? How did you do anything after finding out that you’re pretty sure you now have to believe zombies exist somewhere in the universe?

“Me too,” he said from behind the pounding rain of the shower. “It’s been…. Difficult. But Spinach and I are here now. I don’t mean to sound cold. It was horrible. So many were lost forever, but for me it happened slowly. One little thing at a time. One or two people I knew well at a time. One by one. Two by two. I was beginning to think being among the actual living was the curse.”

“I don’t…” I started and stopped for a second. There was nothing I could say. “You don’t have to pretend to be happy just because we’re true-mates.”

“I am relieved to be here – wherever here is. I was starting to think…” he said and stopped. “I was considering the best place on Obizad for Spinach and I to die. Things were… grim. Now, my cat is fed.”

“And I can get a vet out here in the morning too,” I said. “Do you know what a—”

“Our world was thriving before the curse. I know what a veterinarian is.”

“I guess we’re lucky that we speak the same language,” I sighed.

“You two understand each other because of the magic we used to bring him here,” Night said from the hallway. “What? I didn’t want to leave him haunted by zombies and unable to speak.”

“Did you know where he was this whole time?” I asked, anger seething under my skin like a parasite trying to work itself free.

“No,” Night shook his head, smelling as relaxed as ever. “We only knew a few minutes before we made the door. We’re not omniscient, kit. We are going back soon, but there are things you need to remember. No talking about us for two full moons and take us back with you. Our little statues – take us back with you.”

“Don’t you need to stay in the village?” I asked, torn between talking to the ancestor whom I summoned to help me find my true-mate and said true-mate in the shower probably processing heavier stuff than I could ever imagine.

“Yes and no. This altar isn’t the only altar. There are altars in every house – even if you haven’t found them. Take us back with you. We will get ourselves where we need to be from there. You are helping move along fate just as we helped you.”

“Okay,” I nodded. “I can do that for you and Day. Thank you for --- saving him,” I said, trying to stop tears from welling up in my eyes.

“You will be okay, kit. Enjoy life. That’s what it’s there for,” he said. “Day’s already gone back. I need to catch up with him.” He turned to walk back to the altar room.

“Thanks again!” I called after him.

“Don’t forget to take the spirit board back with you as well, kit!” he grinned a foxy grin at me over his shoulder.

Chapter 7

Arken

The Hidden Fox Village

Two Months Ago

My skin was scrubbed clean and pink. I stood under the hot water listening to my omega talk to his ancestor. If my assumptions were correct it was the older fox who saved me. A quiet meow captured my attention and a second later little claws hit against the glass of the shower door.

“Does he need more food?” my omega asked.

“I think he just wants to be close now that he’s hunted enough,” I said. “Is there any reason he shouldn’t come into the shower?”

“Uh… Most cats hate water?” I offered up.

I cracked the shower door, trying to keep as much of the warm steam inside as possible. Spinach wiggled his way in through the crack and stood at my feet under the hot water. He closed his eyes and held his head up toward the water.

I caught a peek of my mate through the crack before I shut the door. He was tall for a fox omega and had broad shoulders. He was clad in plaid pajama pants and nothing else. A few blades of torn grass clung to his bare feet with their neatly trimmed toenails. He was on the lean side, but it was the sort of lean muscle a lot of omega foxes had. He was handsome even when he smelled so damned worried.

“Uh… I’ve used all your body wash,” I said, looking around for something to wash Spinach with.

“I have more. Hang on,” he said and left before I could tell him why I wanted it.

He was back a few moments later, reaching it to me over the shower door.