The Missing Chapter – Cheyenne

So, Cheyenne’s been out since July 2011, and not once did anyone tell me that Chapters 11 & 12 are one in the same…until now. Either you guys are so awesome that you didn’t want to hurt my feelings (which you can’t by the way, I’m made of dragon scales), or you were so engrossed in the story you just thought you were having a deja-vu moment. I’m going for the deja-vu moment because it sounds better than saying “I suck” and should have paid closer attention when I was formatting.

And now I can see you asking, “So if they’re one in the same, what happened to the original chapter twelve?” Well…it was cut. Yup, Sam not only suffers from CATTS, which we know is Chronic Addiction to Timeless Series, but also RPS, Red Pen Syndrome. It was during one of these RPS episodes that she cut the original chapter twelve–and in all actuality it needed to be cut.

Anyway, in the end, even though what I wrote sounded fine to me, Sam pulled out her big ole ax and hacked away…nothing was left of chapter twelve except this old original version which I’m sharing with you and then you can see why it was chopped out.Chapter twelve really didn’t add anything to the story, and the PMS thingy at the end, well, I thought it was funny when I wrote it mostly because I suffer from PMS on steroids! Yes, I seriously do or I should say did (it’s amazing what a little pink pill can do to help with it). It’s call PMDD, Premenstrual Dysphoic Disorder. Here’s a link to prove it’s real: PMDD-what it means. My family no longer cowers in fear of me for six days out of the month…I think that’s a good thing, right?

Oh, and keep in mind that since it was cut it didn’t go through the same edits, thus you will find mistakes and thus why it’s called “The missing chapter.” And there’s some bonus stuff at the end where, Jodi, my copy editor, left her notes.

 

Chapter 12

It was dark by the time we
neared the cabin. Colt was anxiously pacing inside. He immediately drew me into
his arms, and I wrapped mine around his waist. Warmth filled me. At least he
wore his heart on his sleeve, not concealed beneath a layer of scales. He
leaned back slightly and took my face in his fingers, tilting it up.

“The swelling seems to have
gone down.” He tenderly kissed my right eye and then my lip. “I think it looks
perfect no matter what,” he whispered in my ear.

I tightened my arms.

“Thank you,” I said,
meaning it.

He smiled down at me, and I
couldn’t help but smile back. Callon was standing off to the side with a stupid
grin on his face. He knew he had gotten the better of me earlier and was
gloating. I was just going to ignore him.

“Are you hungry?” Colt
asked with concern. “It’s been a while since you’ve eaten.”

I hadn’t really thought
about it, but my stomach understood perfectly as it answered with a growl.

“I guess that means yes?” Colt
chuckled.

“Yes,” I laughed.

Taking my hand in his, he
led us to the kitchen. “Let’s get you something before you wilt away.”

I leaned up against the
counter and watched him dig up some lunchmeat and make me a sandwich. I gulped
it down, plus drank two large glasses of water. I hadn’t realized how hungry or
thirsty I was.

After I finished, Colt went
to the great room while I went to the bedroom to deposit my shoes. I stopped in
the bathroom on my way back. I glanced in the mirror. He was right; the
swelling had improved, and rather quickly, I thought. I still had some
scratches, but now the bruising was fading to green. Hopefully, I would be back
to normal in a couple of days.

I checked my teeth for any
remaining food particles, and decided to brush anyhow. My hair wasn’t looking
too bad, just a little windblown. I ran my fingers through it to remove some of
the tangles.

When I was done, I returned
to the great room. Colt was sitting there talking with Daniel and Callon. I
reached my hand out; he took it as I pulled him from his seat. He tilted his
head in curiosity, but followed. I led him out the front door and down the
stairs, stepping carefully on the rough ground. He glanced up to where we were
heading and scooped me up into his arms, catching me off guard. I squeaked, and
he smiled. He took us to the swing under one of the large pine trees.

It was a unique swing,
mostly because it resembled a hammock. It would normally fit two people, but
because of his size, it would only seat one. He cradled me in his arms as we
sunk in together, and I curled up even further into his enormous chest. He drew
his arms around me, and I moved my head so it was resting in the crook of his
neck.

I had missed him today. I
missed Colt’s touch, his smell, and his love. It really wasn’t fair of me to
ask for it. After all, I had wanted Callon to kiss me earlier, although
that was just stupidity coming to the forefront. Callon was more evasive than a
politician. Nothing there for me but frustration. Right?

I was glad Colt couldn’t
read my doubts as he swayed us back and forth. But sooner or later I’d have to discuss
it with him . Not tonight, though. This was our night.

“You’ve had a rough couple
of days, haven’t you?” Colt observed tenderly.

I sighed. “You could say
that.”

“Is there anything I can do
to help?”

I lifted my hand and
caressed his cheek. “You’re doing it right now.” I leaned in closer and kissed
the corner of his mouth. “Thank you.” I stared into his eyes as I waited for
some sort of reaction.

He gave a faint smile, and
I nuzzled my head back into his neck once more. Why was it when I wanted him,
he didn’t, and when I didn’t want him, he did? They say women are confusing,
but I was beginning to think men were worse.

His fingers began to play
with my hair as it fell across my back. I was realizing how tired I was
becoming. My eyelids were heavy, and every blink lasted longer. I didn’t
remember falling asleep, but I did feel the sensation of him carrying me to
bed.

#          #          #

Days passed.

I woke to the coolness of
the morning air drifting over my cheeks. The window was open, and it left a
chill in the room. Colt was with me, his arm draped across my shoulder. I
remained still, gazing at the wall and letting my thoughts flow freely. By now,
a certain sense of routine had settled in, and I no longer felt so threatened
by everything. I didn’t like how easily I’d succumbed, but fighting against my
circumstances all the time was a waste of energy. I simply had to accept it.

For now.

In fact, I wasn’t even sure
what the date was anymore. I had left home near the end of June; it had to be
the second week of July, at least, given all the great weather lately.

But this morning felt
different. The air was cooler, and the sun wasn’t shining.

I twisted under the covers,
facing Colt. He looked so peaceful in sleep. He had a softer face than Callon,
and his blonde locks brightened his sun-kissed skin. If perfection could be
found, it was in his lips…full and very kissable. I smiled inwardly. He’d
only really kissed me once, but it was enough for me to know I liked it.

My eyes traced down his
neck, and then his shoulder and arms. They were strong, and it was something I
was getting very used to. Too used to.

I glanced away for a
moment, and closed my eyes. I was still uncertain as to whether I could trust
him. But he’d built his foundations well. How could I forget all those moments
we’d shared, those times when I’d cried into his shoulder and he’d taken my
hurt away? No matter how much his betrayal still stung inside, it was obvious I
needed him.

I stared back at him, my
heart torn. I wanted to reach out and touch him, feel the texture of his skin
beneath my fingertips, but I held back. I couldn’t give in to my desires too
easily. Besides, he looked so innocent asleep.

I attempted to slide out
from under him without disturbing him, but as I turned away his arm caught in
the covers, and he rolled over on top of me.

Ugh! I hadn’t realized how
much he weighed. I struggled to push him off; I’d have had better luck lifting
the Jeep. I tried to slip through his arm and chest, but that didn’t work
either. I had no other option but to wake him.

“Colt, you’re crushing me.”
He moved, but it wasn’t to push himself off. He was laughing. He had been
awake. “You’re such a jerk! Now get off me! I can’t breathe!”

He rose, hovering above me and
then kissed me on the head before he jumped from the bed. He was still
chuckling. “Good morning, sleepy head.”

I took a deep breath to
refill my lungs with oxygen and tried to scowl (my lip still wasn’t back to
normal yet). I left the room, only to realize I’d forgotten to grab clothes. I
turned back. Colt had his arm extended, my clothes in hand.

“Forget something?” He
arched a brow.

I rolled my eyes and took
the clothes from his hand as I entered the bathroom. I looked at what he handed me. A pair of jeans and a blue
blouse. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Except the funny thing was,
I didn’t remember packing this pair of jeans. If I hadn’t packed them, then someone
must have gone into my house after I left and picked them up. My eyes widened. Colt
must have known we would be together before I returned home. He had planned
this all along!

I had no choice but to let
it go for the moment. I had been angry enough lately; it wasn’t going to change
the situation. I would, however, question him about it.

I looked in the mirror. My
face was almost back to normal. I seemed to be healing faster than I would have
thought. I quickly showered, and got myself ready for the day. When I finished
in the bathroom, the hall was empty.

I went to the great room to
find Colt sitting on the sofa, waiting. He was alone. I stopped in front of
him, and he flashed a toothy grin.

“So do you like my jeans?”
I twirled around so he could get a look.

“Uh, yeah,” he replied
hesitantly.

I gave him a meaningful
look. “You know, I don’t really remember packing them. You wouldn’t know
anything about that, would you?”

A sheepish smile spread
over his lips as he pulled me to his lap. “They look very nice on you. So does
your blouse.” He gave me a tight squeeze, forcing the air from my lungs.

“What’s the big deal?” I
squeaked. “Are you into pushing the air out of me today or what?”

“Maybe.” He relaxed his
hold, and I hopped up. My body missed his warmth, but I shook my head. I needed
to stop that.

Colt followed me to the
kitchen as I rummaged for some food. He sat at the table and watched me
eat.

“So, you picked up my
clothes after I left town?” I brought the conversation back to the topic at
hand.

Colt crossed his arms and
took a deep breath, hesitant.

“What’s done is done. I
just want to know.” I pressed as I took a bite of my cereal.

“After.”

“So how did you know where
to find me?”

He looked away.

“You’re always going on
about how I need to trust you, Colt,” I said firmly and put my spoon down.

His eyes met mine.

“You can trust me to
protect you.”

“Trust is a two-way
street.” His distant gaze told me that this particular street was a dead end.

We were silent for a bit,
when I noticed we were the only ones around.

“Where are Callon and
Daniel?” I asked.

“They ran into town.
They’ll be back later this afternoon.”

I glanced out the kitchen
window and noticed my Jeep was missing; they must have taken it. I continued
eating and saw my journal on the table next to my laptop, right where I left
it. I picked it up and started thumbing though.

“Have you looked at this?”
I lifted my head.

He ran his fingers through
his hair. “Er…”

“It’s okay,” I assured him.
“I was just wondering if you understood any of it.”

“No, not really. Callon
thinks he might know someone who can interpret it. It might take a little while
to make contact.”

I nodded and placed the journal
back on the table. I was going to have to get some help deciphering it and
starting with Callon’s lead would probably be the best option right now.

I finished breakfast and
went to the sink to wash and dry my dish. Colt tagged along again, leaning against
the counter to watch.

Our friendship was starting
to feel normal again, although I knew it wouldn’t be the same as it was. He’d
confessed his feelings to me, and I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to accept them
so readily.

I concentrated on the
running water. I would just have to take it one day at a time.

“So,” I smiled, “what’s on
the agenda today, boss?”

His brow lifted. “Just you
and me today.”

My smile deepened. Despite
my previous misgivings, I liked his answer. It had been weeks since it was just
he and I, like old times, and I missed it.

We went for a small hike to
a ridge where we could see a massive range of mountains in the distance, some
still covered in snow at the peaks. Colt picked me wildflowers, and, as we
passed a small creek, he proceeded to splash me.

We returned to the cabin
and lay in the hammock together on the front porch just as it started to rain.

The raindrops were tapping
out a soft rhythm on the metal rooftop before it trickled down the sides. I
took a deep breath. It smelled so fresh. I buried my head into his chest as I
rolled to my side.

I could lay here all day
taking in his scent. He always smelled so good. It wasn’t a woodsy smell; it
was a mixture of musk and something else I couldn’t place. It wasn’t cologne. It
was ten times better, and it was all over him.

I lifted my head and stared
into his gorgeous blue eyes; they were so soft and caring. I wanted so bad to
reach up and kiss him, to make him want me the way I wanted him right now.
Instead I decided to control my hormones; it would be safer for now. Questions
might be better.

“Colt, can I ask you
something?”

He smiled and nodded.
“Sure, anything.”

“Do you know what Callon
and I talked about the other day?” I assumed he would probably know by now, and
was hoping Callon had left out the part where he’d wanted to kiss me witless.

”Mostly.” His tone was
guarded.

“He told me that sometime
after I turn twenty, I will become Timeless. He said that for weeks he had
agonizing pain, and for each person it’s different. How did it happen for you?”

He relaxed, seeming almost
relieved by the question.

“Callon’s right. It’s
different for each of us. I had physical pain as well, but not for as long as
he did. He suffered for months, though he only told me that later. Daniel was
different, too. He went through it the easiest.” He began to stroke my cheek.
“Cheyenne, you don’t need to worry. We’ll help you through it. Callon has some
ideas about what he can do to help ease the transition.”

“So did it stop right on
your twentieth birthday?”

Colt shook his head.

“No, for me it didn’t start
until I was in my twentieth year. I don’t remember exactly, but I think I was
about six months into my twentieth year before the actual transformation took
place. I think Callon’s took place right around his twenty-first. It’s not an
exact science. Your body will change when it’s time and not before.”

“How did you know you were
changed?” I questioned.

“I don’t know if I can
explain that one. You’ll just know.”

I turned away and laid my
head back down. His hand moved from my cheek to my hair, and he twisted a
strand in his fingers. I kept still for a long moment, not sure whether I
wanted to follow through with my final question.

“Colt?” I said finally.

“Yeah?”

“What’s going to happen
now?”

“What do you mean?”

“Do I have to stay in
hiding until I become Timeless?”

He shrugged. “Probably, but
we just don’t know yet. It’s not safe for you to be without us.”

“What about my home in
Idaho? Will I ever be able to return?”

“I don’t know, possibly
someday. We’ve taken care of everything though. You don’t have to worry.”

“What about this cabin?
Daniel said it was yours.”

“We’ve had the house for a
long time; we use it when we need to. The location is pretty secure.”

“Did you have a home in
Idaho too?” I knew I had never been to it[JLT3] .

“We rented one, It was actually
really close by,” he sighed.

“What about your parents?”

“They passed away a long
time ago.”

“I’m sorry.” I paused.
“What about you, Callon and Daniel? Have the three of you always been
together?”

“Of course.”

My mind began to wander to
the issues about my safety.

“Do you think the Sarac
will find me?” My stomach became a little uneasy. Colt stopped playing with my
hair and tightened his arm around my waist. He tilted my chin upwards.

“I won’t let anything
happen to you.” His brow creased, and I saw firm determination in his eyes. “Do
you understand me? I’ll protect you no matter what. You don’t seem to
understand what you mean to me. I cannot and will not allow anyone to lay a
finger on you. I’d die for you.”

He pulled me closer,
sliding his hand to the back of my neck as he pressed his lips to mine. It was
tender and sweet. I closed my eyes and didn’t resist.

His mouth firmed as he felt
me let go. His velvet softness sent a tingle down my spine. I parted my lips to
catch my breath, and he pushed forward, twisting and melding them to his form.
He slowed and drew back enough to kiss my jaw and begin to work his way down my
neck until he was at my collarbone, tracing it in warm kisses.

But his words didn’t sit
well with me. Breathlessly, I called out his name, “Colt.”

“Mmm?” he mumbled as his
lips continued their assault on my senses.

“I don’t want you to die
for me,” I said weakly.

Colt stopped and raised his
head. I spoke again more firmly before he could answer, “I want you to promise
me that you’ll live for me, not die.”

He just stared at me. I
swallowed, pinned by his piercing gaze.

“Cheyenne, I’ll live and
die for you, if that’s what’s necessary,” he vowed. “I’ll do whatever’s
required to keep you safe. I want you, and I don’t want to lose you unless by
my own death to save your life.”

He was speaking in a tone
I’d never heard before; deadly serious.

“I have been with you for
over two years, and in those two years I have loved you more and more each day.
Do you know how hard it was to not allow you to see this? I had to hide my
feelings, and it hurt so much. You need to know what I would go through to keep
you sheltered. I’m Timeless, and until you transform, I’ll be your protector.

“Remember what you said
before you left? You told me that you didn’t deserve me, that you weren’t sure
if you could love me back in the same way. But you love me. You said it
yourself. I’m willing to take whatever you want to give me.” His eyes looked
deep into mine. “I know you may have feelings for Callon. I can see that. But
I’ll never force you to choose me.”

I couldn’t speak. I didn’t
know what to say. A tear trickled down my cheek. He knew my heart so well. I
closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry, Colt.”

“I’m not.”

His lips were at mine
again, this time fuelled by frenzied emotion, like when he’d kissed me after
they’d caught me at the bank. His mouth pushed against mine and moved in ways
that suggested an emotion I didn’t completely understand. He stopped abruptly
as we heard a car coming up the road. It had to be Daniel and Callon.

I rested my head on Colt’s
chest again as he played with my hair once more. The car stopped and the doors
opened. A set of footsteps closed in, and I lifted my head to see Daniel
smiling down upon us.

“Hey, guys,” he said cheerfully.
“Did you miss us?”

“Yes, of course,” I
replied.

Daniel reached for my hand
and pulled me from the hammock. I barely managed to land on my feet. I stumbled
a little, and he caught my arm. I shook my head.

“Where are we going,
Daniel?”

He led us to the edge of
the porch by the stairs where we stopped with my Jeep in view. He pointed to
the windows, now repaired. “We got your Jeep fixed up. You should’ve seen their
faces when we brought it in, window broken, blood on the interior, and the
alarm dismantled. I bet they thought we were in the Mafia or something.”

Colt walked up beside me,
putting his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close to his side. I frowned.
Why did he feel he always had to keep possession of me? He’d had me alone for
most of the day already.

“Thank you, Daniel,” I
said. He had such a sparkle in his eyes. It really put me at ease.

We went inside and Colt was
heading towards the couch with me in tow until I redirected him to the piano. I
needed to think; I needed to gain some clarity. He began fiddling with my hair
as it fell over my shoulders. I turned so he could see me smile and then closed
my eyes, letting the music take me where I needed to go. I played for a long
time, while he patiently sat and waited. I would almost always start and end
with the same song, my song. I sighed and he squeezed my shoulder.

“Finished?” Colt said
softly.

I nodded, and we headed for
the kitchen. I was getting hungry. Daniel was sitting near the fireplace where
he had been listening to me play.

“Hey, Daniel, want me to
make you some dinner?” A sly smile began to spread over my lips. Panic filled
his eyes, and he made a motion of clutching his throat as if he was choking. I
burst out laughing, and even Colt snickered.

I sorted through the
groceries they’d gotten in town. They’d brought more of a selection this time,
so I made French toast. Colt stayed by my side all evening, but we didn’t say
anything more. I didn’t know what to say; my feelings were in a tangle,
and I’d already made such a fool of myself. I just couldn’t comprehend how he
could be so understanding.

#          #          #

The next day couldn’t have
been worse. I should’ve recognized the signs. I was already an emotional wreck,
and it was only going to get a million times worse.

I woke with my head in a
fog. It was as if not single neuron in my brain could function properly. It
began with getting out of bed. Somehow I managed to get the blankets snared
around my legs and fell flat on my face. Colt just stared at me, before helping
me to my feet.

“Everything okay?” he
asked.

He was only being
conscientious, and yet his words filled me with the urge to scream. He had done
nothing, but he was there and so was I—along with my menstrual cycle. Thankfully,
it only  came once or twice a year, but it
brought a period so bad I flipped from axe murderer to bawling baby in the
blink of an eye. It would only last about two to three days, but that was
plenty of time to let all hell break lose.

My face burned with shame.
I didn’t want Colt to see me like this. Before now, Mom always helped me hide
it. She sympathized, as she only had them every couple of years, now I
understood why. She was Timeless, aged slower; everything internally in a
woman’s body would cycle slower too. It made sense why not many Timeless
children were born.

I didn’t answer Colt.
Instead I staggered to the closet and grabbed my things. I was glad I thought
to pack some personal supplies, but it wasn’t going to be enough. The hair on
the back of my neck rose. I was going to have to ask to go to the store, or
they were going to have to go for me. I didn’t know what was worse.

Colt followed and saw the
items in my hand as I turned to scowl and ran smack into the door. It had been
partially open, and I hit my nose dead-center.

“Oh, Cheyenne,” he said,
touching my shoulder and trying to pull me back. I grabbed my nose as the blood
began to drip over my lip and jerked away.

“Don’t touch me!” I hissed
through my teeth, and he stepped back as I ran to the bathroom and slammed the
door. I dropped my clothes to the floor and went straight for the vanity,
pulling my hand away and watching the blood plop into the sink. How disgusting!

A knock at the door made me
jump.

“Sweetheart, let me in. Let
me help you bandage your nose .”

I groaned and went for the
shower, turning it on so he wouldn’t come in. I hadn’t locked the door, but I
knew he wouldn’t enter unless I told him it was okay.

I showered, and to my
relief, my nosebleed stopped. I grabbed the toothpaste and squeezed it. The
back of the tube burst open, shooting a glop of minty freshness across my
shirt. I normally didn’t curse, but what came out of my mouth would have made
Colt blush.

When I opened the door,
Colt, Callon, and Daniel were staring at me. Callon’s eyes shifted to the box
on the counter, and recognition dawned. I pushed past them and went to change
my shirt again. Why did they have to watch so closely? I was a woman; it was a
perfectly natural thing to happen. They were still waiting in the hall as I
passed again.

I would have thought making
myself some breakfast would be easy, but no. That was far too optimistic. I
attempted to open a yogurt with three onlookers, but the foil wrapper was
resistant. Already on edge from my wake-up fall, I snatched the butcher knife
sitting close by and stabbed the container. The liquid inside slopped all over
the cutting board, splattering the counter, the wall and myself.

I started to grind my
teeth. I spun round, as six very wide eyes stared off in the distance,
pretending they weren’t interested in watching the spectacle unfold.

Snarling, I dropped the
knife and went towards the great room. I just needed to sit down, pull myself
together. I rounded the corner, my entourage following. I didn’t, however,
notice the coffee table and stubbed my toes into the leg.

I let out a yelp, and then
collapsed to the couch, as sobs tore through my chest. I had had enough.

A pair of gentle hands
pulled me back. “Daniel, get me a towel,” Colt ordered. “It’s okay, Cheyenne.
Let me help you.”

I began to cry even harder.
“My mom always said that.”

“I know, sweetheart.” He
held the towel to my nose, which had begun to bleed again, and drew me into in
a hug.

I tried to push back. “No,
I’ll get blood on you.”

“It’s alright. I’ve got
more shirts.”

I wept while he rested his
head on mine and rubbed my back. It took a long time, but I managed to calm
down. Hours passed before I realized it was just Colt, Daniel, and I. The front
door opened and footsteps neared. I was sitting next to Colt and Daniel on the
couch when Callon appeared.

He squatted and handed me
my favorite blended iced coffee and a small bag.

I began to cry again, and Callon
looked distressed.

“I thought this would make
you happy. Colt said this was your favorite drink.”

“It is,” I wiped my tears
and shifted in Colt’s embrace. “My mom always did this for me…whenever it
would come.”

I moved forward and
collapsed into Colt’s arms as Daniel took the drink from my hand. Colt enclosed
his arms around me, and I rested my head on his shoulder.

I closed my eyes,
frustrated. Could I really do nothing without his help? Was I that weak? But at
the same time, I was so very, very grateful. He really did make me happy, happy
and sad at the same moment. Though he’d never seen me like this, at once he
knew what I needed. He just wanted to help, make things better.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

Kissing my head, Colt
murmured, “You’re welcome.”

 

Jodi, my copy editor, her notes. 

Confront would be more if Colt was doing something wrong, I think.

I would leave this out for now, as he hasn’t picked out anything before, except
when she’s unable to do so for herself, and it’s better developed later, plus
the next paragraph is the important information for this scene.

She remarked that it was strange earlier.

 Needsclarity…he thinks he’s going to help her do what exactly in the bathroom?

4 thoughts on “The Missing Chapter – Cheyenne”

  1. It's the best for C.A.T.T.S. like me, this way I can read it again and again with and without this chapter, as I bite my nails waiting for the next book!!! I am so so happy you printed it. I am adding it to my book!!! Thanks from a CATTS lover

  2. That was pretty tricky – not mentioning until now the error was only in the print edition! Thought I'd really lost it – though its easy enough to lose yourself in!

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