A Howl In The Night - Romance, thriller, paranormal

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Re: A Howl In The Night - Admirers Can Be More Frightening T

Unread post by admin » 09 Jan 2016 11:28

Admirers Can Be More Frightening Than Your Worst Nightmare
~ Mona ~




The grass tickles my toes as I shift slightly, sleep releasing its strong hold on me. The sun's warm light washes over my bare skin, my hair as it is sprawled over the grass. I stagger to my feet, wondering why I am here in the garden.

My gaze shifts towards the fountain, and then everything comes back to me in a flash. I blush as I think of my time with Ray earlier, with the fountain and statue. Ray's hot embrace felt very comforting, for sure, but at the same time, it was terrifying. What if Xavier had seen us? What would he have thought?

I hate to admit it, but I miss him. I want him to laugh and joke with me like he used to. He has really grown on me, so much that I am almost longing for a touch, a brush of his fingers. However, he is really impatient. It hasn't even been a month yet, and I have shed my old skin, healed people of their sickness, and had guys actually flirting with me. Even now, my brain is about to go into overload. Why can't he understand?

Many times, though, it feels as if I am lying to myself. As if that feeling is already present inside of me, but shoved into the corner. As if I am denying the truth. My heart beats like a drum whenever he comes close, my senses awakened and aroused in his presence. The attraction is so strong between us... even I have a hard time. I can barely imagine what he has been feeling ever since he met me.

Possibly he is angry because I repress my emotions; especially the one he desires the most.

I walk to the garden door, resolute. This can't go on anymore. I have to fix this.

The door swings shut behind me as I pound through the halls, racing towards his door. The world spins as my vision almost becomes blurry, I quickly realizing that I can't really last long under his anger. For some strange reason... his feelings actually matter to me.

His room is so close, a step away. I can sense the anger, the pain boiling just beyond the wooden door. Sadness surges in my heart.

I raise my knuckles and tap the door, my heart's beats escalating as I sense him suddenly freeze in his movement. There is a moment of complete and utter silence, then footsteps as he shuffles towards the door.

A hand slowly turns the knob, and swings the door open to reveal himself. His tanned face and body is bedraggled with worry and fury, his hair limp and not shining like it normally does. He stares into my eyes, and I study him also. However, I soon find that there is nothing to examine. His emerald eyes are blank like the surface of a crystal pool.

"What do you want?" His words sound more like a statement than a question, short and abrupt. Chills enter me, racing through my entire being.

"I wanted to say..." I have a hard time choking out the word, for I have never truly said it before. But now that it means so much, I feel that I have to say it just right. That the word has to slip perfectly through my slightly chapped lips.

He surveys me coldly, and hardness enters his features. "Please go away," he groans, as if I am only an annoyance, "I don't feel like talking to you right now." He vanishes behind the door, closing it as quickly as he can.

I catch it with my foot, wincing in pain as his incredible strength works against me. "Stop, Xavier!" I yell, "You are going to break my foot! Please talk to me!"

"You don't need me," a fierce accusation breaks through my defenses, making me freeze. My foot is pushed away from the door, and it is roughly closed in front of me. "Go talk to... Ray or something! Who it is doesn't really matter to you, does it?" His anger is seeping through the doors, making me sink into a puddle on the floor.

Why would he say that? I am shocked into silence, edging away from the room now as if it is a ticking time bomb. I... wasn't even given the chance to say sorry.

Maybe I will follow his bitter advice.

I knock on the door that is a couple of feet farther along the hallway, leaning against it after the sound is made. My breaths come short and ragged, and saddled with each one is nearly suffocating disappointment. When it finally swings open, I lose my balance and fall towards the ground. A strong form stops me in my tumble, a laugh echoing through the air. "Clumsy Mona," he chuckles, "what's up?"

"Why is Xavier saying that I don't need him?" I ask angrily. A small smile appears at the corner of his features.

"Oh, Xavier is just being overdramatic," he waves his hand in the air, "He will cool off soon-"

"Cool off from what?!" My voice rises as I interrupt him, anger surging through my blood. Ray looks so calm and collected, though a little surprised at my burst of words.

"You can figure that out, Mona..." his seductive voice drops to a whisper, and I find myself leaning in closer. “You’re very smart."

I think over Xavier's previous words, feeling unsettled at the way Ray's eyes stare piercingly at me. Suddenly understanding comes to me... what if Xavier saw us and misunderstood?

I shake my head in annoyance, wondering why all this stuff has to happen to me. "He's too angry to talk to me right now," I sigh, "so I'll have to clear it up later. But Ray... did you say anything to him to make it seem even worse than it looked?"

"Of course." He shoots me one of those dizzying smiles.

I glare at him. "Thanks. I appreciate it." Leave it to Ray to willingly make the situation ten times harder for me to fix. "What did you say exactly?"

"Oh, just that we were having a great time splashing around in the pool! That's not a lie, right?" he smirks.

I punch him in the arm. "You always make a mess out of things, don't you?" I say half-jokingly. It seems okay to laugh now, when it becomes obvious that all actions will just be futile towards solving the problem.

"A hot mess," he winks, then steps away from the door. "You want to come in?" he invites, motioning for me to enter the room. Realizing that I have truly nothing else to do, I follow his movement.

It is not a luxurious room, with one queen-sized bed and limited walking space. However, a beautiful desk lines one wall, with numerous shelves full of thick books and various objects, like a crystal globe or a vase with flowers. Even more surprising, the opposite wall features a trophy case, full of huge statues, plaques and medals.

I walk over to the case, peering at the immortalized men, all in mid-run. They shine like gold itself, without a scratch upon them. "Are these track trophies?" I ask, watching them sparkle.

"Yes," he says plainly, staring at them also. "I used to be the star track runner on our team." He places a hand on the glass, the tiniest bit of a smile forcing its way onto his lips. I can see the wistfulness in his gaze, as if he wanted to be returned to that time of glory.

"What happened?" I ask softly.

His eyes suddenly flash, and he lifts his head from the glass. "I was changed into a werewolf by my brother. He told me it was exciting, that I would enjoy it. He told me we would be brothers forever," he looks to the ground, bitterly spitting out the words, "but all it has done is tear us apart."

I look at the bottom of the largest trophy, where words are engraved. It says 1st Place in 100 Meter Dash. However, right underneath these words is the word Ray, and his last name is scratched out.

"I had to disappear from the world I had known and loved," he said softly, "I had to sneak in the school and delete my name from their records. I couldn't participate in sports, because that would clearly be cheating. Everything I had was gone."

"And I would have been a track star!" he continues, his eyes lighting up, "I could have gone to the Olympics if I had worked hard enough. I would have been famous and loved by everyone. But instead, I had to disappear from society. A different life was now waiting for me... one with secrecy, deception, and no expiration date. I can't look forward to death, because there is no death. I am living a twisted lie of a life."

"But can't werewolves be killed?" I ask.

"Yes, but it takes incredible power, and there is nothing around us with that power. There is not a single werewolf for miles and miles."

"So you hate Xavier..." I trail off, still staring at the scratched off name. I can tell the feelings placed into those scratches… anguish and the regret of losing what mattered the most.

"It is more of a love-hate relationship," he laughs.

For once, I feel that I understand Ray's actions and feelings.

"You are a good guy," I pat him on the shoulder; "I hope that soon your life will be worth living to you." Feeling that the time had come for me to leave, I amble out the door, shutting it behind me.

Great. Now I have no one to talk to.

I go into my room and lay down on the bed, sighing as I sink into the plump mattress. It is less than twenty four hours before I have to go into hiding, but even now it seems like an eternity. Night is crawling onto the horizon at a snail's speed, each second becoming an hour.

I want to lose the world, to leave it behind forever. I envy the time when my life was simple and I could sleep without the stress of waking up the next day a step closer to imprisonment by the wolf police.

Alert streaks through my mind when I recall that email from two days ago, one that called for my termination. I haven't even thought about what would happen if I was found guilty by the council. How would they exterminate me? It is almost impossible to kill a werewolf... oh yeah. I'm not a full werewolf. I'm not even a true Spier.

But how can I prove that I am a Spier? I can't even do the most basic of all skills; conjure a spirit spear. And what I can do is very much different from what a Spier does.

My eyesight becomes strained, and I find myself falling into a type of slumber that isn't fully sleep. My eyelids slip downward, and the world turns black before me.



***



There is a sudden squeak, and I am immediately awake. My eyes stay closed, but my heart beats ever faster.

I freeze completely, not moving a single muscle. The small, nearly inaudible noise resounds once more around the room, and I am sure that there is an intruder. My nose detects a slightly flowery aroma, one full of old and graying age. Alert surges through my blood, suspicion in my thoughts.

I slowly open my eyes, aware of the darkness surrounding me. It is darkest of nights, almost as black as when my eyes were closed. Without a sound, I slip onto the ground, my feet making no resounding impact with the floor.

I spot the outline of a small being standing at my closet door, shuffling through my clothes. I creep forward like a snake, slipping across the floor towards my target.

Suddenly, fright stiffens the creature, and it hurries to the door. I lunge for it with amazing speed, grabbing its ankle. Its flesh is soft like a human's skin, yet wrinkled and weary. "What are you?" I ask angrily, "Why are you in my room?!"

A small yelp escapes the strange creature as I grip it tightly, unrelenting. "Nothing, mistress! I am nothing." Its hands reach to cover its face, whimpers escaping it. Alarm evacuates me as I hear its voice, so soft and gentle that I cannot be afraid.

"Don't move, ok?" I ask, and let go of her ankle. I walk over to the light, and reach for the switch.

"NO!" The creature's shriek is plainly heard throughout the whole room. "Please, no bright light," it begs, "it will kill me." I pause with my hand on the wall, staring at it.

"Then how do I see you?" I question it softly.

"Turn on the table lamp," it suggests. I pad over to my dresser and twist the small knob. Soft yellow light floods the room, and I can finally see it clearly.

Large brown eyes are set in a wrinkled, sagging face, with thin lips and a pointy nose. Her smooth gray hair is in a bun, and her small, three-foot form is adorned with a simple dress and apron. She looks like a perfect, yet miniature grandmother.

"I am a phoenae," she says softly, as if the name itself is of the utmost importance. "I work here, for the masters."

Without a word, I open the door and beckon for her to follow. There are small shuffles of movement, and then we both reach a door. I raise my hand to knock, but then my hand freezes. I suddenly realize that I had subconsciously traveled to Xavier's room, and that I was not welcome to him.

Let's try the other door, I think, quickly shuffling a few more steps down the hall. Trying not to be loud, I slip into Jake's room.

The silver-haired man is sitting at his desk, tapping keys on his cutting-edge laptop. When I am barely an inch away from him he swivels in his chair, facing me stoically. "Why are you coming to talk to me at-" he checks his watch, "-eleven o'clock at night?"

"I would like to know what this is, exactly," I gesture to the slender creature in confusion, and Jake's eyes widen. "It was in my closet three minutes ago."

"I guess you were bound to notice eventually, with your newfound abilities," he shrugs slightly, leaning back in his seat. "She is a phoenae, a phoenix-like creature that ages every day, and is reborn every night at 12:00. She and a few others clean the mansion for us."

"They aren't slaves, are they?" I turn to look at the pitiful, wrinkly creature with a frown.

The phoenae's bright brown eyes flash. "No, mistress," she says hastily, "My most gracious masters are helping me and allowing me to live in luxury!"

Jake smiles handsomely. "It is very difficult for a phoenae to get a job and survive, especially since they are very short, have an aversion to very bright light, and go through the aging process at a terrific speed every day. Also, they have an extreme passion for steak, which we have an abundance of."

"And I get to have it every day!" she squeals. I stare as the wrinkles on her face multiply at an incredible rate.

"So, in exchange for protection, steak, and a place to live, they work for us," Jake concludes, turning back in his chair to look at his computer screen once more. The taps begin again, and I turn to walk back into the hallway.

My eyes grow soft as I look at the strange creature with the gentle voice. "What’s your name?" I ask, my words as smooth as honey flowing through my lips. Even if she is a big ball of wrinkles, I feel the urge to be nice to the only girl I have seen in the mansion.

"Danae," she says shyly, smiling up at me. Her teeth are shiny white and perfectly aligned, which doesn't seem to fit her current appearance. However, something about her unnatural grin is enchanting, making me feel more comfortable. I smile back.

"Danae, you don't have to clean for me," I tell her firmly, "I can do that myself, unlike these incompetent werewolves." I return to my room, flouncing back on the bed. Danae hurries in also, protesting furiously.

"But Mistress shouldn't have to do such a thing... cleaning is only for the servants!"

"You are not my servant..." I look at her plainly, "I do not have servants." I do not think I can bear having a servant, when I was practically a servant myself to Ms. Penn not too long ago. Also, I hate it when I leave my shirt on my chair to wear the next day only to find that it is missing when morning comes.

"But-"

"Leave," my voice now oozes with command, "and don't come back here to clean again." She shuffles outside, closing the door behind her. My head flops onto the pillow, swirling with new ideas and thoughts. First werewolves, then Shifters, and now phoenaes?! How many other creatures are out there that I don't know about? Obviously Xavier was lying to me when he said there were no other supernatural species out there.

My eyes will not close this time.

The night edges away as I shift and sit up in my bed, thinking about everything.



***



Hours later, my door swings open and Ray walks in, smiling grimly. "Good morning..." he surveys my cross-legged form, "or not. Did you have a bad dream or something?"

"I just couldn't sleep last night," I slide out of the bed, looking into the mirror. I pull my incredibly long ruby red hair into a ponytail, and turn to face him. "I just found out who was stealing my socks every day," I say dryly.

He laughs, a genuine grin dancing across his features. "Sorry, I forgot to tell you about that."

"Well, anyways..." I stare at him, "what do you want?"

"For you to get ready," he says, "we will leave in a couple of hours." He holds out a small drawstring bag, printed with the word Moonlight.

"Where are we going?" I inquire wonderingly. I stare into the small pouch, wishing for it to be one of those magical ones that fit a whole closet into a tiny space. When I was officially an orphan, everything I owned could fit into that one bag. Now I have so much... stuff I can call my own. Stuff I don't want to lose for fear of having nothing again.

"Okay," I stare at it resignedly, and then back up at Ray. "How long will this last?"

His face turns stone still, resolute. "We will probably, if we avoid capture at all, be in hiding for a very long time."

It is then that I realize just how serious our situation is.

"I'll get ready," I take a step back and sit back down on the plump mattress, dazed. Ray seems to sense my hidden dismissal and slips outside into the hallway.

I lay the pouch beside me and stare around the room, looking at my various possessions. What should I bring and what should I leave behind?

After a second of pondering, I grab my emerald ring from the bedside table. It isn’t needed to keep me safe because I have really bright green eyes now, but the fact that... he gave it to me makes it truly worth a spot in my bag. I would wear it, but it seems to symbolize the good times we have together, and those are the times I don't want to remember right now.

"Mistress," a small, gentle voice whispers from the hallway. My head shoots up as I see an unfamiliar phoenae peering into my room. Her ebony hair is long and wavy, surrounding a heart shaped face. With big, brown eyes and ruby red lips, she seems to be very young.

"Who are you?" I ask sharply.

"Danae, Mistress," she replies respectfully, "may I come in?" I stare at her beautiful features with suspicion. She looks nothing like the grandmother I saw last night.

"I... look different in the mornings because I am a phoenae," she cautiously continues when she notices my confusion. I suddenly realize that this was what Jake was talking about when he said phoenaes go through the aging process very quickly. It is hard to believe that this short, yet amazingly slender woman will morph into an old, wrinkled one by night's end.

"Come in," I wave my hand slowly, and she comes by my side. She looks at the bag, and a frown appears on her face.

"Are you leaving?" she asks softly. I shake my head.

"No, we are just going to play a little hide and seek," I sigh, casting her a glance to see if she bought it. Danae dubiously returns the look.

"Let me help you pack," she takes the pouch and holds it tight in her little fingers. The phoenae slips to the closet, viewing it appraisingly.

"What makes you think you can help me pack?" I say in a rather brusque manner. She ignores me, looking through my clothes. After about ten seconds, Danae pulls out a shirt and a pair of jeans, along with a moderately thick jacket. I gasp when I realize that those three articles of clothing were my favorites out of them all.

"Wear this," she hands me the jacket, "in case you get cold."

"How did you know?" I ask wonderingly, fingering the soft fabric. She smiles, the same glitteringly white teeth shining at me.

"The person that does the laundry knows a lot about the person she is cleaning for," she says, then lifts her arms. "Can you lift me onto the bed?" she embarrassedly asks. I laughingly comply, lifting her small form and putting her on the mattress.

Danae comes to stand behind me, and places her tiny fingers in my hair. "What are you doing?" I stiffen at the touch.

"Relax," she smiles again, "and close your eyes." I oblige her once more, focusing on her finger light touch as it skims through my hair.

Silence reigns for a while, and then she speaks again. "Mistress, may I request something?"

"Yes," I softly reply, thinking how nice it is to actually have a civil conversation with a girl. I can't even remember the last time that has even happened.

"You said you didn't need a servant..." she twirls a strand of my hair in her fingers, working her magic, "but I can be something else."

"And what is that?"

"I think what you need most at this time is a friend." She pauses for a second, and then continues to fold and twist my hair. "If you will let me, I will be exactly that."

A slow smile appears on my face, and my eyes start to flutter open. Quickly I try to shut them, but a marvelous sight catches my gaze.

My hair is compiled into an elaborate updo, with braids and weavings. It looks so beautiful with my green eyes and the flawless face that isn't truly mine. I gaze at the wondrous style, trying to figure out how she did that so quickly.

"Can I come with you?" she inquires softly, "I promise I won't be a hassle."

I am still struck silent; partly because of her earlier request, and partly because she actually wants to come with me into hiding. Is a screw loose in her head or something?

"Of course you can come with me," I reply, "but why would you want to?"

"I have been in this mansion cleaning for over thirty years," her voice gains an edge of wisdom, "doing the exact same things over and over. I'll miss my steak, but this is a chance for change. For excitement. And what is the point of having a new friend if you can never talk to them?"

"That's true," I admit, laughing softly. Thirty years. I can't imagine her to be that much older than me... although I could have thought that with her other appearance last night.

"So can I, Mistress?" she asks, reaching over and pulling a thin flower out of a delicate vase. With precision and accuracy, she places it in my updo, putting the final touch on the masterpiece.

I laugh genially. "Danae, don't call me Mistress. That is how a servant would address me." She laughs too, and lets out a little squeal of happiness.

"Thank you, Mona," she nearly stutters on my name, "I have never had a woman as a friend before."

"Me either," I say in reply, and she gasps.

"But you are so beautiful! How could you not have some friends at school?!" she practically exclaims. I just shake my head.

"This new skin is only a facade... the one I used to have looked far worse."

She just looks at me with concern. "You are like a flower in full bloom," she states, before your appearance may have just been budding, but your conversion is what made it truly blossom."

"But that was just because of my conversion! If I didn't go through with the conversion... this would have never happened!" I say furiously.

"I tend to believe that a conversion gives a werewolf different levels of beauty, based on the inside beauty they always have possessed." She jumps off the bed and walks towards the closet once more. Danae returns with some underwear and heavy socks. She stuffs it in the bag, making it full to the top. "You are exceptionally beautiful, Mona," she says softly, "and I don't think you fully appreciate the blessing God has given you."

Expressionless, I stand up, staring at the face that isn't mine. Could it truly reflect who I am on the inside, or is Danae just spitting out lies?

"Come on," I take the pouch and start walking outside my room.

"I want to pack first," Danae apologetically says, "I will meet up with you in a minute. Get some breakfast."

I stare at her for a second, then without a word I walk downstairs, my stomach grumbling. The first werewolf I see is Yi, cooking an omelet in the kitchen. His hair is messy and wild, which contrasts greatly with the frilly apron he is wearing.

He turns to the sound of my laughter, startled. Once he realizes that it is directed at him, a blush spreads across his cheeks. "I didn't want anything to get on my clothes!" he nearly squeals.

"Of course..." I chuckle, "while you have that on, though, can you make me some scrambled eggs?"

He flips the omelet, and then slides it out onto a plate. He carries it into dining room, then returns and slides off the apron. "You can have it," he smirks and hands it to me, "make your own breakfast."

"That's not something an apron-loving man should say when he is caught in the act," I smirk back, showing him my small camera, which is in the process of recording his every movement.

"THAT'S NOT FAIR!" he yells, lunging for my phone. With lightning speed, I draw my hand away at the last second, Yi tumbling on the floor. He snaps to his feet, racing at me like a bull. I cringe slightly and start to close my eyes, but a form slips in front of me and takes Yi head on. Yi bounces off like a spring, dizziness in his eyes.

"No one is touching Mona on my watch," Ray smiles, his body incredibly close to mine.

"Don't worry, Ray, he was just playing," I step out from behind him. "Yi, could you please make me some scrambled eggs now?" I laugh. As he watches, I slide the camera deep into my pocket—so deep that he would have to assault me to get to it.

He glances at me angrily, then ambles over to the refrigerator and pulls out some eggs.

After another quick giggle, I turn back towards Ray. "Where are the others?"

"Getting ready," he replies, "I'm surprised you got packed so quickly. What did you bring?"

"Just one set of clothes," I dryly state, "it's not like you gave me room to pack anything else."

"True." He lets loose a big, hearty laugh.

"Couldn't you have given me a bigger bag?" I complain, but he shakes his head.

"Look, I got a debit card, and that is what counts. It has all of our money on it. We can buy what we need."

"But-"

"We need to stay light," he gently, yet firmly insists, "we can't have you dragging a backpack around." I give up immediately, looking at the floor. They just don't know what it is like to be a girl.

A tall, muscled form fills the doorway, his gaze directed at Ray. His face is magnificent yet weary, with faint circles underneath his eyes. Even one glance at him strikes pain in my heart.

"Xavier," I begin, and he looks my way. Fire and electricity immediately snap between us with our sudden connection, along with passion and regret. In addition, a strange type of hate is emanating from him, burning me to a crisp. Ironically, I shiver.

"I need to talk-" I am interrupted by the shrill sound of the doorbell ringing. It sounds like the chime of a thousand bells, making even the ground vibrate.

"Why don't you get the door, Mona?" Ray asks politely, though eyeing Xavier.

"Okay," I shuffle to the hallway and look back at Xavier. At first we make eye contact but Xavier looks away, dissatisfied. I shake my head slightly, and then I start to run. Before the last chime sounds, I am in the foyer, staring out of the thin windows.

Rain is flooding down, the cold fogging up my view. The clouds are dark and intimidating, shrouding the world like a thick blanket. A shivering figure is huddled outside, his or her head and arms covered by a thin jacket.

Without a moment more of hesitation, I fling the door open, hastily urging the person inside. I can tell that the figure is a girl, for she is wearing a knee-length dress, one that is rather low-cut and very fashionable.

"What's your name?" I ask her softly. She doesn't answer, clutching her soaked jacket with long, pointy fingernails. "Do you want me to take that and wash it?" I gesture towards the jacket. She remains silent, unmoving.

I move my hand towards the jacket, but then she finally speaks, stopping me with her voice. "Where is Xavier?" she softly demands, "I need to see him." All the while she keeps her head down, as if she is afraid of my gaze. Water drips off her bare skin, soaking the carpet beneath her feet.

"Okay, but don't you want to change into something dry first?" I offer, but she shakes her head sharply. Golden ringlets tumble from her jacket head covering, shiny and smooth.

"Come on then." I lead the way back to the kitchen. She follows me softly, making almost no sound. "Hey guys, we have a visitor. It looks like she came in the rain."

"A she?" Jake and Yi perk up, their voices blurring together. All of them race to the doorway. Xavier, though lagging behind, follows their movement. Ray remains sitting at the table, engrossed in his newspaper.

"Yeah," I say dryly. They stare at her like she is an unwrapped present, immediately turning on the charm.

"What's your name?" they chorus, smiling brightly. They drink in her beautiful appearance, her nice figure and golden hair.

She is silent for a minute, and then she says, "Meryl."

Xavier turns stone white, the very life sucked out of his statuesque features. "Meryl," he chokes, "how did you find us?"

Her head snaps up, and the werewolves are immediately struck by a familiar face, judging by their expressions. She is wearing thick Raybans, so I can't see her eyes, but her skin is flawless, along with her luscious red lips.

"I have... connections," she says slowly, peering straight at Xavier. He narrows his eyes, staying silent.

She takes a step towards him, distraught in her features. "Why did you leave me, and the entire club for that matter, that night? Was it because of a girl?" She gets right to the point.

He stood, his face hardening. "Maybe it was, Meryl. But you really don't have to know. You have broken our contract, and I can sue you until there isn't a dime left in your pocket. If I were you, I would leave right now before that happens."

"Was it this girl?" she mercilessly continues, whirling around and flinging a single, accusing finger at me. "Was it she that bewitched you?"

He casts one glance at me, and then returned his gaze to her, silent. A smile appears on Meryl's face, one full of laughter and mocking.

"Or maybe you left because you were different," she turns back to face Xavier, "I saw you that night. I saw who you really are." Her voice takes on a menacing edge, but then softens with her next words. "I am the only one that will accept you, Xavier."

Xavier stares at her, horrified.

She smiles, "you are a monster, Xavier. I am the only person you can be yourself with."

I can't take it much longer. This is like an episode of a soap opera. Does she really and truly believe that? He is so handsome that any girl would run off with him, regardless of his quirky, morphing-into-a-wolf tendencies.

I break down into a fit of laughter, causing the crazed girl's attention to turn to me. "So you know too?" she asks dangerously, each word like a sharp dagger against my skin. "You think you can deal with him?"

"Meryl!" Xavier frantically tries to turn her attention away, "you only saw me shift once! You know nothing else about me!"

She ignores him, staring at me. "Looks like I'll have to get rid of you then," she mutters sharply, and then flings off her sunglasses. Her eyes are as red as blood.

She races at me, the jacket flying off her arms and head right into Ray's face. I quickly dodge her attack, running to other side of the kitchen. Ray snaps to his feet, looking anxiously at Meryl.

She looks like a rabid dog, full of thirst for blood and fighting. All four werewolves run at her, but she avoids them easily. She is very quick and nimble, racing through their grasp like it is just a game.

Somehow Meryl makes it over to my side, a Swiss Army Knife in her hands. She grabs my arm as quick as lightning, holding it to my throat. "Don't move!" she shrieks, pressing it towards my neck. A single bead of blood forms at the edge of the knife, dripping down it towards my chest.

They freeze, even their heartbeats slowing. Her smile widens to one of madness. "Now, Xavier, I want you to watch me kill her," she says darkly, staring straight at him. My life flashes before my eyes, and I feel even more regretful for trying to end it only a couple of weeks ago. It is such a wonderful gift... one so easy to lose.

A few more agonizing seconds pass, full of pain as she makes an even deeper cut. I look down towards the blood, and then snap my gaze to where it was before. A tear bubbles at the edge of my eye, sliding down my cheek. The other werewolves look just as horror-struck as I feel right now.

Suddenly, there is a blur of movement, and Meryl howls in pain. The knife slips from her hold, clattering on the floor. The werewolves immediately race into action, and within a few minutes she is firmly held by Jake.

Danae stands on the table, holding a dagger dripping with blood that isn't mine. She shoots me a smile as the werewolves force her on that table, nimbly jumping off and taking the knife to the sink.

Shock crosses my face when I realize what she has done. "Danae!" I shout, racing over to her, "you saved my life!"

"Yes," she says plainly, "I couldn't lose the only friend I have." She washes off her knife, then takes a towel and wipes my neck.

"Thank you so much!" I smile, and then hesitantly laugh. I have never felt so... relieved in my whole life. I walk back to the table, and without fear I place my hand on Meryl's head. It is so easy for me to heal a person now, having done it so often.

When the red had finally faded from her eyes, the werewolves still refrain from releasing their hold. Xavier's eyes are bloodshot, full of savagery and anger.

"We have to go," Ray abruptly let go of Meryl, fury in his features, "the Council must have already forced our barriers down if a Shifter managed to make it to our doors. Who knows what will come our way!"

"Yeah, we have to go," Xavier agrees, his silky smooth voice washing over us. "Put her away," he commands. Jake and Yi silently slide off to do his bidding.

"Can Danae come with us?" I ask, a hopeful expression in my features. They both stare at me, confused.

"Why would she want to come?" Ray asks bitingly. Danae appears by my side, smiling. At this distance, I can tell she has aged considerably, a few gray hairs sprouting from her scalp.

"Because I want to have an adventure," she smiles enchantingly, and I see Ray's firm expression soften. Without a word, he turns and walks to the door, vanishing from my gaze. Xavier looks at me for a second, and then follows Ray.

After a couple of minutes, Danae and I meet them at the door. My neck is patched with a band aid, and I am carrying my small pouch. Danae is adorned likewise, but the two werewolves are carrying nothing.

"Let's go," Xavier says softly.

The rain soaks my hair as we race into the darkness.



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Re: A Howl In The Night - Runaways

Unread post by admin » 09 Jan 2016 11:29

Runaways


Our feet pound onto the dirt in perfect unison, each of us in sync with each other. Danae is next to me, having to take two strides for my every one, and Ray is on my other side. I can't even see Xavier past Ray's form, but I can sense his presence. His enchanting smell always tends to weave its way to my nose. It is so strong that it almost makes me fall out of step, invoking sorrow and regret through my blood. I can sense his anger, his frustration pounding against my defenses.

I shake my mind from him, focusing at the scene before us. An endless expanse of trees is ahead, making me wonder when it will end and I will finally get an unobstructed view of the thundering sky again. We are moving considerably slower than usual, since Danae and I are dragging the two werewolves down. I can tell this speed is bothering Ray, a frown gracing his features. He seems to be afraid as well as angry, fright in his expression.

For some reason, I can't bring myself to possess that same emotion. For how am I supposed to be afraid of an invisible attacker that I have never seen before? Every step we take is one step farther away from the enemy, but how do we know the enemy is chasing us in the first place? I know this unseen villain is a threat, and I realize that we must run. However, I do not get the familiar feeling that I am running for my life, that all the stakes rest upon our ability to evade this problem. For some reason, it almost feels like a game.

So it is no wonder that I am not putting all of my effort into my actions.

In addition to my laziness, Danae seemed to be breathing heavily as she runs, sweat pouring down her tiny body. To keep up with the werewolves and I, she has to work twice as hard as us. I can easily see that she won't last that much longer. But she is courageously gritting her teeth and continuing without a complaint. I soon realize that she wouldn't speak a word even if she was on the brink of death.

Minutes stretch into hours, the forest ever continuing. I had no idea it was this big–we must be delving deeper into the sea of trees instead of trying to escape them. So many questions brim at the edge of my lips, then retreat as I unsuccessfully try to break the atmosphere of silence surrounding us all. The tension intimidates me. I am afraid that I may upset our steady rhythm if I utter a single word, and Xavier will be even more furious at me than he already is.

Every second becomes identical to the next, nothing changing as time slips on. Rain continues to pound at us, fiercely beating at our backs and soaking us to the core. The wind's sharp claws further accentuate the bitter cold, gripping us and never letting go. It is a nightmare in itself, even my vision growing hazy in the downpour. If not for my silent companions, I would have given up already, crawling under some random tree and sulking.

I narrowly miss a branch, swerving underneath it with inhuman speed. The sudden movement seems to shock me into reality. I have been in some sort of trance, and this rude awakening also brings about awareness of the pains in my stomach. I glance over at Danae to see that she has almost collapsed, barely pulling herself along. Ray, on the other hand, is barely breaking a sweat, chugging along even quicker than when we started. I assume Xavier is in the same condition.

After a few more minutes, the pains grow past my stomach and envelop my whole being. I cannot take this any longer. I cannot abuse myself to this length just to escape the invisible enemy.

"Stop." My voice is commanding, urgent. I finally pause my feet, and the rest of them come to an abrupt halt as well. Weariness creeps upon me, until I have to hunch over for breath. When I look up, I find Ray, Xavier, and Danae staring at me.

"Danae and I must rest," I say firmly, speaking the words Danae refused to say. She looks at me with unspoken gratitude. Ray's face is emotionless, and Xavier's face is full of fear.

"We can't stop now," Xavier urges, "we must keep going!" His face is devoid of any redness or exertion, only occupied by the rain flooding down it.

"Well, can we at least have a bite to eat? I'm starving!" I beg, looking directly into his eyes. I am not afraid of him, even though he is angry at me. My hunger is changing me from an ashamed girl to a brave, yet desperate one. "It would also be nice to get some more clothes, or to get under some shelter and let them dry. Aren't you guys cold?"

Shivers ripple through me as a strong burst of wind brushes past my wet skin. I am sure the two werewolves can sense my vulnerability, but strangely, I don't care. All that matters to me is to get some food to grace my aching stomach.

"Okay," Xavier immediately melts after my sad display, his expression still hard as a rock but his tone soft and gentle. I just gaze at his perfect form, missing the affection he used to lavish on me, the affection I hated with all my might. I can tell he is weary of this fighting also, but he is also torn by the sight he saw in the garden. How can I express to him that I can't have just anyone?

Not that I'm going to start treating him with love if he accepts my apology. I still refuse to fall into that deathly snare of desire and passion, even though I can't think of any reasons for holding back anymore. My lips beg to be touched by him, my eyes gravitating to him constantly. And his scent... exudes potently strong pheromones that disarms me completely. My entire body wishes to be embraced by him, to surrender everything.

"There is a fast food restaurant about a mile from here..." Ray says, checking his phone, "to our right." He slouches against the tree, water running down his form. I almost forgot it was raining.

Lightning lights up the forest, golden whips of energy igniting the air. Thunder soon follows, its wail crackling through the air and hurting my ears.

"Let's go." I look into the sky, marveling at its horrendous temper tantrum. "Ray and Xavier, let us get on your backs so we can go there quickly."

Without a word in complaint, they oblige. Ray gets to me first, smiling brightly. "My lady?" he bows, and I laugh at his weird fake accent. Xavier, slightly dismayed, lets Danae clamor onto his back.

Ray shoots me an encouraging smile, then charges through the forest. It takes a second for my mind to adjust to the speed, but then I am fully alert, looking around. There's a fast food station only a mile away from here? Is it right in the middle of the forest? So far we have been traveling for almost fifty miles and I still haven't seen anything.

I cast a quick glance at Xavier, which soon grows into a lengthy stare. I admire his muscles, which are bulging as he exerts them. His sparkling blue hair glistens as crystal droplets dance down each strand.

But what bugs me the most is Danae. She is clutching at his back, her youthful features matching his in beauty and gracefulness. For some reason, the way she is hanging on him annoys me. She really needs to get off of him.

I shake my head, trying to rid myself of these thoughts. I can't be jealous. I will not allow it.

I hug Ray's chest, attempting to delve myself into someone else. To try and see if just anyone really is all I need. However, there is no spark. The warmth is missing from him, and as I pull him close, all I experience is bitter cold. I don't feel excited, passion not arising between us. Even when I place my head on his back, I cannot hear the thump of his heart. It almost feels like I am riding a horse instead of a hot werewolf.

Light appears in the distance, finally flooding the forest. When I see it, my heart jumps in my chest. Deliverance, it seems, is finally here. We will finally see buildings instead of endless green. I wish I will never see another tree again. Maybe it is a wish that will never be fulfilled, but it is still one of my deepest desires at this point.

We are soon swallowed by the light, standing in an old and worn parking lot. It is strewn with gravel, few cars in sight. It seems to be the opposite side of town, on the very outskirts.

I slide off Ray, shaking the dust off my clothes and smoothing my hair. Danae follows suit, sweeping her black hair into a loose bun. I can see the wrinkles already creeping onto her face, multiplying at an alarming speed. At first, it seems alarming, but now I just look at her with interest.

"Hey," she glances at her skin with wide eyes, "I'm completely dry!" I look at my own body to find that I am dry too, and that the rain has been reduced to a light patter, fizzling away by the second. The dark thunderclouds are retreating, traveling to wreak havoc on another unlucky town.

"Wow," I say with incredulity, "If I had known this would happen, I would have asked for you guys to carry us much earlier!" The freezing cold has escaped me also, traveling behind the flock of clouds as they hurry to their destination. I hug myself with my jacket, delight filling me as warmth enters my body.

"Let's hurry to the fast food place," Ray says warningly, "we are still running away, you know." He seems to be the most worried out of all of us, tapping his feet hesitantly against the gravel. I briefly wonder why he is acting this way, when he is usually so laid back and relaxed. Creases are in his face, worry afflicting his brow.

Xavier takes one glance at me, and then turns to follow Ray. Danae and I follow them both, still slightly weary from the lengthy run.

"Is this the adventure you wanted, Danae?" I ask her softly, not without a little giggle. She looks at me and shoots me a smirk.

"Maybe a little more exhausting then I thought," she admits, "but for the most part, it is exactly what I wanted." Her bright smile enchants me, and I admire her ability to hold her head high when she was almost reduced to tears in the forest. If I had not stopped us, Danae would have fainted within a few minutes. That would have caused endless embarrassment for her.

We reach the end of the parking lot, staring at the small brick building just beyond it. I can smell the food, lingering just beyond my grasp, beckoning me urgently. It intoxicates me, begs me to taste it. We spend a second staring at the posters of mouthwatering food and drink, and then I bend to my desires.

I snatch the credit card out of Ray's hand, almost running to my highly anticipated destination. I slide through the doors quickly, and then focus on the huge menu hanging above the cash register. On it is yummy displays of hamburgers, hot dogs, and chicken fingers—all that greasy food that I love.

I edge in line behind three portly men, Xavier and the rest of our group following me. "Do I need to order for you guys or do you want to order on your own?" I ask them, my voice tinged with excitement. I have not been to a fast food restaurant in over ten years, so every action is an exciting adventure to me. It is almost like I am at Niagara Falls or the Grand Canyon, my eyes open wide as I survey my surroundings.

Xavier looks at my expression and laughs. "It's okay," he says, "we can order on our own. If we order together, he might get confused."

We are now second in line, and my stomach starts to get butterflies. How do I order my food? Is there some sort of special protocol for something like this? The cash register is a pretty cute teenage boy, who looks incredibly bored and tired. Everyone behind him, in the kitchen, is acting the same way. I don't want to look like an idiot in front of them.

I lean my head towards Danae and whisper, "you go first. I want to see how to order."

She glances at me, and then lets a tiny giggle escape her. "Okay, Mona," she agrees, then daintily steps in front of me. Xavier and Ray both shoot me an inquisitive glance, but I ignore them, focusing on my teacher as she steps up to the cash register.

We gave her some heels before she left, but even now she can barely reach the countertop. The boy has to look down at her, and is soon surprised by her beautiful, adult face. His eyes widen slightly, and then quickly readjust.

"What do you want?" he asks, back into his bored trance.

"I would like a kids meal with fresh fruit and a hamburger," she says quickly, her words polite and fluid. As she speaks, the items she is requesting appears on a small, electronic screen beside the cash register. His hands move in a blur as he plugs in her order with a practiced hand.

"Anything to drink?" he questions, looking at the cash register with a dreary expression.

“A bottled water," she smiles slightly, then reaches into her pack. Quickly she pulls out a ten dollar bill, handing it to the boy. He quickly gives her the change and then her order disappears from the screen. I walk up to the desk, nervousness pumping through my blood.

"What do you want?" he asks, not looking up. He seems to be playing with a broken key on the cash register, pressing it multiple times.

I stare at the menu once again, trying to make up my mind. "Is the hotdog or the cheeseburger better?" I ask him, staring at the plethora of pictures. He ignores me, just pressing the key over and over again.

Anger surges through me. "Is the hotdog or the cheeseburger better?" I ask in a slightly louder voice. He finally looks up, and his expression morphs into surprise once more. He scans me as I stand there, crawling over my face and body.

"I think the cheeseburger is better, honestly," he says after he recovers, shrugging. He doesn't look back at the cash register, but keeps his eyes on me.

"Well... then I want the number five super combo." I continue to look at the menu, my brows furrowed in concentration. "And I also want a full-size house salad and a lemon pie," I conclude.

His eyebrow rises. "A whole lemon pie or one slice?" he asks suspiciously.

I check my stomach… yup, still grumbling. "Yes, a whole lemon pie," I confirm.

"Is this just for you?" he asks wonderingly. I smile at him, and the whole kitchen pauses for a mere second, their attention caught. I can't believe this new appearance of mine can spellbind people so quickly, when my old skin did just the opposite.

"I eat a lot," I laugh, merry pearls of amusement reverberating around the old building.

He pauses for a minute, then smiles back, unable to resist. "What soda would you like with your combo?" he asks, finally looking back at the cash register.

Soda?

"Um, what do you have?" I ask, trying to buy some time. I haven't had a soda in my whole life! What do they taste like?

"The flavors are right here." He gestures to a black machine with colorful labels dancing across it. "We have coke, sprite, mellow yellow, fanta, and root beer."

I peer at each label, utterly confused on what I want. What if I don't like the flavor I get? Anticipation races through me.

I give up after a few seconds of contemplation. "Can I just have a milkshake?" I inquire.

"For an extra price, yes." He nods slightly. He has such pretty eyes, a crystal blue that looks like the sky. I feel myself being drawn into them, marveling at its depth and beauty.

"I want vanilla." I shake myself out of my trance. He notices that I have been looking at him, and he smirks. He opens his mouth to say another word, but then I quickly swipe Ray's card. I don't want him to hit on me... especially in front of Xavier. Who knows how terrible that would be.

He shuts his mouth, then opens it again. "Do you want any condiments?" he asks, opening a small drawer. I know that's not what he was going to say only a few seconds ago.

I have no idea what condiments are. Not again...

I cast a quick glance at Ray and Xavier behind me, sending them my distressed signal. Ray comes up behind me and whispers, "that's a fancy word for ketchup and mustard." His hot breath tickles my ear.

The boy stares at Ray as he comes closer to me, and then shifts slightly to the side to see Xavier. Envy radiates from him as he asks, "Are you with them?" I can tell he is jealous of their stunning looks more than the fact that I am probably the girlfriend of one of them.

"Yes," I answer him, and then I quickly move away. The pounding of my heart slows down as soon as I am away from that cash register, steadiness now entering me. I never knew ordering could be so scary.

"You did well," Danae smiles at me, magically appearing by my side. I grin briefly, turning to look at her small form. "I could tell you were nervous though," she winks, and I blush.

"Well..." I lean against the wall, looking around the fast food station. Dingy tables and worn out chairs are scattered around the area, the floor dirty and made of old fashioned tile. The walls seem fragile, as if they may crumble to ashes in a few seconds, and the few booths they have are torn and stained. "It is just that I haven't been to places like this before," I confess, "I have spent almost my entire life, or what I can remember of it, in the orphanage. Everything outside of it is completely new to me. For me, it is like I have entered a completely different world."

I wait a little while, watching the way the boy is drooling over Xavier and Ray. His face is full of admiration, studying them intently. Xavier and Ray, however, don't seem to care, completely ignoring him.

They finish ordering and walk over to us, all attention gravitating to them as the light amplifies their perfect features. Girls that are scattered across the room turn their bodies so they can get an eyeful of pretty boy hotness. It seems as if everywhere we go they attract way more eyes than they should... it is a little annoying, honestly. Everyone seems to stare at them as if they are aliens–they really do possess an ethereal beauty that is almost unnatural. They all notice, I can tell, that Ray and Xavier are different from everyone else.

"Once we get our food, we need to eat it quickly," Xavier cautions, being careful not to look me in the eye, "we can't wait for the council to find us."

"How would they know where to look?" I ask wonderingly.

"All of the council members tend to have excellent senses of smell," Ray says, "if they get one item that has our aroma on it, then they can track us like a pack of bloodhounds. Of course, they cannot do that if we are several miles away."

"Oh," my eyes grow wide, "but then surely they will be able to find something! Especially if they take the mansion... my smell must be on everything I have touched!"

Ray looks at me, then surveys our surroundings. "It isn't safe here," he turns back to us, whispering softly, "we must find another place to finish our conversation."

Xavier follows suit, examining the premises. "But where can we go that is completely private?" he expresses his concern.

But I am distracted by something much less serious. A delightful fragrance creeps to my senses as our food is placed on the counter. "Food!" I squeal with delight, nearly skipping to its location. My tray is huge, stacked with a full sized pie, salad, and super combo filled with fries. Xavier and Ray's trays are even bigger because they both ordered two super sized combos. I lift the huge stack of food, laughing at how easy it is to do so. Before my transformation, I probably would have struggled to carry it.

Danae craftily smiles at us, holding her small meal. "I think I have an idea," she winks. Gray hairs are already covering her head, her eyes bright and adventurous.

The eyes follow us as we exit the station, all of us wondering just what Danae has in mind. She leads the way over to the road, navigating around the line of cars waiting to go to the drive through. Cars whiz by us as we stand right before the highway, eyeing the gleaming shine that radiates off each one.

I lick my fingers, wanting to savor even the tiniest flavor of greasy fries. Everyone's attention gravitates to me, Ray immediately laughing.

"You ate all those fries?" he chuckles, staring pointedly at the gigantic, now empty box in my hand. I smile, my teeth shining brightly.

"It was so good," I laugh also, "I love greasy food."

"Hey," Danae advocates, "I ate all of mine too!" We all swivel our heads to Danae's small, empty kids meal bag. I notice, suddenly, that the bag is decorated with fairies and pixies. It seems to suit her, the more I think about it. One of the black haired fairies on it looks almost identical to her.

We simultaneously roll our eyes at her miniature bag. "As if thats a big feat," Ray says dryly, causing me to laugh. Xavier just looks at the ground, looking more out-of-it than anything.

"Well anyway," Danae directs us back to the situation at hand, "what we need to get is a car. Look, just across the highway!"

True enough, a gigantic car dealership is less than a mile away. "Wow," I comment softly, "that's a good idea. Why didn't we drive a car in the first place?"

"Because the council would immediately know we were gone and soon catch up to us with their super speed," Xavier finally answers, shaking his head, "I don't know if this is a good plan."

"But this way we can confuse them!" Danae fiercely defends her idea, "AND we are right here next to the highway. We can go pretty much as fast as we want when we drive it."

"Let's try it," Ray takes our side, "I think all of us are pretty tired from running." Obviously he is just speaking about both Danae and I, but nevertheless, it is a semi-valid complaint.

"But... how are we going to cross the highway when cars are going so fast?" I ask, looking at the frightening buzz of the usual traffic. Danae's eyes crease–I can tell she didn't notice this problem until now.

"Ray! Xavier!" She whirls around and nearly barks their name. "Can you take us across the highway on your backs?"

"I don't know," Xavier answers, "we can definitely go through the traffic unscathed if we were traveling with the general flow of movement. But just zipping across the highway like this? I have no idea. A car might be able to hit us, especially since there are so many of them passing at one time."

"But what else can we do?" Danae asks fiercely, "are we going to go back into the forest where they can find us?"

I look around the highway, hoping to find some other way we can avoid this problem. However, nothing comes to my mind. For as far as I can see, the highway extends in both directions.

"It's just what we have to do," I firmly say, "we have to take the risk if we are to escape the council. We can't wait any longer, because we don't have the time to waste." I can tell they all realize this too by the way they stare at me, then at the road; all with a fierce look.

"Jump on," Ray directs me, bending down into a crouch. I hastily obey, sneaking a glance at Xavier along the way. He is frowning, Danae sitting on his back peacefully. I can tell he is a little bothered that Ray, once again, gets to carry me.

We stand along the highway, looking for some sort of entrance, a break in the endless line of speeding cars. Danae and Xavier are in front of us, and we are lingering close behind.

Anxiety pounds through my blood like the beating of a steel drum, heartbeats threaded with fear. The initial excitement from doing the unknown has faded into cold-blooded terror. For some reason, it feels as if I am racing to meet my death rather than escaping from it.

"Hey," Ray notices my nervousness, and smiles. "Why did the werewolves cross the road?"

"I don't know. You tell me," I respond, rather irritated. This is not the time for jokes.

"To get to the other side." He winks, and after one strained moment, I laugh genially. He is smiling as if he just told me the joke of the year, and I can't help but humor the handsome werewolf.

The laughter seems to loosen up my insides, to make me feel more relaxed and at ease. I don't honestly know what to think of Ray anymore. At the very beginning, he was mean and rude, but as time goes on, he seems to be much more pleasant. Even now, in the face of danger, he tries to cheer me up, noticing my frightened demeanor. He has done many bad things, but for some reason, a small part of me believes him to be a genuinely good guy. Maybe even one I can honestly call my friend.

If only he could get along with Xavier.

Suddenly a break occurs, the line parting for a split second. This is the moment.

There is a sudden whoosh of air, and everything around me blurs into a mix of colors, splashing like paints on a canvas. My mind grows dizzy, my head frequently thrust back by the violent wind. All I can hear, over and over again, is Xavier's voice. He is whispering in my ear, the words too soft to make out.

Suddenly there is a blow, knocking the breath out of me. I feel myself flying, as if I have suddenly grown wings. My head hurts terribly, the beats of my heart overcoming me. I am thinking of nothing. I am nothing.

Until a pair of strong arms encircle me, holding me close to a warm body. With it comes peace, settling over me like a thick blanket. After a few seconds, my eyes gradually open, trying to focus on the brightness around me.

"Xavier?" I ask softly, as the blurry face before me sharpens.

"I'm right here," he comforts me, holding me close. I sit up in his arms, looking around. The first thing I notice is that we are on the other side of the road.

The second thing I notice is Ray, sprawled out in the muddy grass.

"Ray!" I yell, trying to jump out of Xavier's arms. However, a strong pang of pain graces my left side when I try to move, torturing me with its restraining whip. "Whats wrong with me, Xavier?" I ask after the spear of fire retreats from my body.

"You both were hit," he says, anger flooding his body, "that giant truck over there suddenly had the will to have a sudden burst of speed. When it hit you and Ray, it was abruptly stopped and around five cars crashed into it. Ray let go of you, trying to throw you away from the danger, and I caught you just a few seconds ago. I think your side may be bruised."

I look at the wreck on the road, marveling at the trouble it has caused. The cars are sprawled across the lane, right behind a massive truck. Police cars are heading up to the action, their lights flashing.

"And all because of us," I sigh, bringing about another wave of pain. He frowns, staring at the truck.

"No, it was that truck's fault," he says firmly, "if it had kept at its normal speed, none of us would have been hit. I hate to say it, but we are lucky that you are converted, because a blow like that normally would have killed a human."

"Is Ray okay?" I question fearfully.

"I think he has passed out," Xavier responds, distraught at the edge of his voice. We both watch as Danae examines him.

"He was hit from this side." She rolls up his shirt, pointing at the mass of blood and bruises. "He seems to be healing very quickly though. I would say that it will be completely stitched up in a couple of hours, and the only thing left will be the bruises. I'm surprised that he still made his way over here even after he was hit."

"So he will be alright?" Xavier asks fervently. I can sense that he cares deeply for his brother, maybe more than he lets anyone know. They seem to share a deep bond that not even hate can break.

"Yes," Danae finalizes, "but we may have to carry him to the car dealership. And look at him! He is covered in mud!"

"We can fix that later," Xavier says assuredly, then gestures to my form. "What about her?"

Danae scampers over to us, looking at my left side. "She's fine. Just some heavy bruises."

Xavier tries to put me down, looking at me worriedly. "Can you walk?" he asks me. I wobble on the first step, but with his help, I walk in a small circle.

"Its good," I say finally, "I can walk. I just cannot twist my body."

"Ok," Xavier smiles, "thats good. I'll carry Ray then." He hoists Ray onto his back without complaint or even strain. The car dealership is only a couple hundred feet away, and for a minute, it symbolizes deliverance for me. Deliverance from the burning pain I have whenever I twist my torso.

"What kind of dealership is this?" I inquire to distract myself.

"Pommel," Xavier immediately answers, "a very expensive type of car."

"Do we have enough money for something like that?"

He winks at me, saying nothing. We walk in silence to the front of the dealership. I am struck by the dazzling cars surrounding it, all shown in their utmost glory. It feels like I have walked into a sea of brilliance, drowning into the blinding opulence of each car.

"Wow," I say softly, surveying the vehicles with wonder. Xavier ignores me, walking to the front door with Ray on his back. A man in a suit opens the door for us, his black hair slicked to his forehead.

"Good morning," he says in rich, elegant tone, although his eyes widen when he sees Ray. "Does he need to be taken to the emergency room?" the man asks frightfully.

Xavier shakes his head, and the man gets an eyeful of his beautiful blue hair, sparkling as he moves his head. "He just passed out a little earlier and fell in the mud by accident."

"Oh," he says in a surprised tone, probably confused by the way Xavier says "passed out" so lightly.

"Which of these cars are the fastest? You have so many of them, beautiful too..." he asks, his words pouring like honey from his lips. I can feel the man instantly falling under his spell, and he smiles.

"Yes, they are beautiful," he agrees, "some of the best cars in the entire world are here." He leads the way to a certain car, gleaming and slender. It is shiny silver, and only has two car doors. "This is the Pommel Fly 3000. It rides so smooth that it makes the rider feel like they are actually flying."

I stare at the tiny car with disbelief. Does the man really think we can fit in that thing?

"And this one." He gestures to the car beside it. This one is a deep bronze, ripping with power and beauty. "This is the Pommel Ginger, one of our premium vehicles."

Xavier stares at the Pommel Ginger, examining it closely. There is not much room in this one either, and it is a convertible. It almost grabs too much attention, clearly not for someone that wants to be conspicuous.

"But what is your fastest car?" he finally asks, his voice tinged with annoyance. "These cannot be your best." It is almost like he is not satisfied with the gorgeous cars before him, as if he is seen much better. The Pommel representative stares at Xavier for a minute, then smiles.

"You are right, sir. These magnificent beauties are not our best. Come with me." He walks towards the middle of the giant dealership, smiling. We follow him, Xavier with an expression of dubiousness.

"Here, ladies and gentlemen, is our masterpiece." He gestures to a ruby red car that doesn't seem to scream "I'm rich" or "I'm beautiful". It is just a plain, attractive four-door vehicle which stuns me with its simplicity.

"This car is the Pommel Fire, the first of its series. We make it so fast, so powerful, that the body can only be this simple without lowering both of those two factors. It is so tough it can run through a brick wall, and is completely waterproof. It may not be our best looking car, but it is certainly our best performing one-"

"I'll pay you double the price," Xavier interrupts, "right now, if you will let me drive it out of here right away. We are in a hurry."

"Double?!" he says in alarm, "but sir, this car is worth-"

Xavier hands him a debit card. "Now. Hurry." He seems to be annoyed with the man, and his surprised demeanor. The man takes one more surprised glance at Xavier, then backs off into an office. We wait for a minute, then he returns to us and looks at Xavier with new eyes. With shaking fingers, he gives the card back to Xavier.

"Sir, are you a celebrity?" he asks, peering at Xavier closely.

"None of your business," Xavier answers sharply, then opens the car door. He places Ray in the backseat, then slides in the front. Quickly we follow suit, noticing Xavier's urgent behavior.

When the car begins moving, I glance back at the mans face, still gaping.

"Well, that was fast." I laugh, watching Xavier gradually loosen as he drives, a smile growing on his features. I can tell that he greatly enjoyed intimidating that guy.

I examine the innards of this expensive car, The car is very luxurious on the inside, the seats made with some absolutely amazing material that I can almost sink into. A large touchscreen stretches between Xavier and I, 3D animations dancing across it. For a little while, I amuse myself with that, fiddling with the virtual buttons.

Then I remember how hungry I am and I grab my food and start eating a slice of my lemon pie.

When we enter the highway, the car growls with power, accelerating quickly. For one quick moment, it feels like I am riding in a rocket instead of a car. Xavier grips the wheel tightly, the smile getting broader on his handsome features. I laugh once more at his expression, and he turns to look at me. Electricity and passion instantly crackle between us, and for a few seconds, we can not pull away. I feel myself drowning in his green eyes, losing thought of anything else.

Then he shakes his head and turns to face the road, the smile melting off of his features. I quickly look to the window, red blossoming to my cheeks.

And then I see the gigantic truck that is still sprawled across its lane, surrounded by two police cars. An officer is talking to the truck driver, a large, heavy-set man wearing ragtag jeans and a t-shirt.

I catch a glance of red as we zoom past them, my own eyes growing wide.

That man... has the eyes of hell.

Shifters just seem to have it out for me. They must be simply unsatisfied with the fact that, while they did seriously wreck my life, they haven't managed to take it just yet.

I decide to inform Xavier, in case this Shifter appearance has more importance than it seems. "Xavier-"

"Ray's waking up!" Danae says excitedly, staring at the hump beside her. I twist in my seat to look, watching the mud-splattered Ray rear his head. His hair is sticking in every direction, dirt smeared on his cheeks.

"W-what happened?" he stutters slightly. He puts his hand to his face and wipes off some mud, opening his startling, emerald eyes.

"We got the car," Xavier updates Ray emotionlessly, keeping his eyes on the road. A small frown soon graces his lips. He takes a quick look at me, then urgently snaps his eyes back to the wheel.

"I see." Ray examines his surroundings. "Why did I pass out?"

"Because you were hit by one?!" I exclaim, twisting to stare at his tanned features with a jesting look.

"Oh... really?" Ray asks absentmindedly, "must have been a pretty big car." He lifts up his shirt, looking at the bruises and almost-healed scabs trailing along his body. I can't help but notice once more how defined his muscles are, with a six pack that looks like it belongs on a body builder.

"It was a truck."

"That makes sense. No wonder the breath was knocked out of me. If it was a regular car then I wouldn't have passed out like an idiot."

Stupid werewolves. They always have to be the best at everything.

"You know," I interlude, "most people DIE when they are hit by a car."

"That's true," Ray nods his head thoughtfully, "humans are much weaker than the werewolves. But they do have a very good thing about them."

"Which is what?"

"They are constrained by the goddess of Time. They have purpose in their life. The blessing of Growth graces their morphing bodies," Ray shrugs, "to me that is worth more than all the money in the world. Werewolves, on the other hand, are frozen forever until the moment when they shatter."

The atmosphere falls, and silence reigns. Should I tell Xavier about the red eyes, or will I just stir up trouble? Now that I think about it, did that man really have red eyes in the first place, or did I just imagine it?

I look at Xavier once more, open my mouth, and shut it.

Exhaustion creeps in, chilling me to the bone. The seats are so soft and comfortable that it just begs for decent use. After a few minutes, sleep overcomes me like a tidal wave, and I surrender all to the dark night that steals away thought and reason.



* * *



"Mona."

"Mona."

A hand shakes my shoulder, jerking me awake. My eyes slip open, and once again Light enters my world. "Who is this?" I ask groggily, my face probably reflecting the confusion I feel.

When everything solidifies, the first thing I notice is azure hair that is fine and long, each strand shimmering like a rainbow. Then a chiseled, stunningly handsome face comes into view, followed by eyes of green.

"You need to get up for a little while and walk," the man commands, letting go of my shoulder. I wearily sit up, looking at the scene beyond Xavier's head. Once again I am in Xavier's arms, the warmth and attraction almost immediately consuming me. The car is missing, and we are located right outside of a large building with plenty of windows.

"W-what?" I stutter as he gently places me on the ground. He starts to walk, and I follow him.

"We needed to find a place for the night, so we chose to stay here. Both Ray and I figure that we have lost the council at this point, but we need to move constantly to avoid them if they pick up on our trail. We had to park the car down the road from here. And you were asleep, leaving us to decide what to do with Little Miss Drooler."

"I don't!-"

"Yes, Mona," he cuts me off, "you do."

I huff, folding my arms in annoyance. I have never really thought about it before, but Xavier is probably right.

"So are we staying in a nice room?" I ask curiously.

"I guess you will have to see for yourself, now won't you?" he says slowly, deliberately. For some reason, it seems to me as if I am stupid to him.

"I guess." With these words, our conversation fizzles to nothing, and the awkward silence begins to swallow me whole. The hotel is rather dingy, with dirty carpet and furniture. Xavier leads me down a small hallway, and then stops at one door. He pulls a key out of his pocket and slides it through a metal box hooked to the front of the door. There is a beep, and the door is yanked open by a gray haired Danae. She is completely old now, her skin wrinkled and rough.

"Hey!" she greets me warmly, in mid-laugh. Ray comes to stand beside her, grinning like he just won the billion dollar lottery.

"I love TV!" Ray exclaims, his eyes bright and happy. He seems more loose and energetic with each passing day, losing his negative attitude that he used to possess. I wonder what has caused him to change.

"What are you watching?" I ask curiously.

"It is this soap opera I found!" Danae smiles, "hurry and come in, its about to start and I don't want to miss it!" When some sort of opening theme blares through speakers to our ears, she rushes to the bed, plopping on it gracefully.

The room is small, with a door to the right, two beds, a kitchenette, a bathroom, and a small bedside table. It is really large, though, compared to my old bedroom at the orphanage.

"We also got an adjoining room, by the way," Danae calls over her shoulder, "so everyone can have his or her own bed. Ray and I already called this one. We are going to watch this show all night!"

I walk to the door and swing it open, opening my eyes wider when I realize this room looks exactly like the other one. I thought it would lead to another bathroom or a closet.

My pouch lays on my bed, a pair of pajamas right beside it. I slip into the bathroom, peeling off my old clothes and shimmying into the light, soft material. I wonder where Danae managed to get this...

Once I go back outside, I see our big TV stretching across the wall. Xavier is just sitting on one of the beds, thumbing through a magazine of some kind. Following suit, I slip onto my own bed, propping myself up like he did.

Right now NASCAR is on, which Xavier doesn't seem interested in at all. It bores me also, the fast cars only serving to make me dizzy. I want to change the channel, but the remote is nowhere to be found.

Then I finally spot it, by Xavier's side.

For some reason, it is hard to ask him for the remote. It is hard to even speak, to ruin the strained silence that has settled over us like a thick woolen blanket.

I sit there for a long while, until I am about to snap. Briefly I wonder if Danae planned for us to be in the same room together. If she did this on purpose, then I might just hate her.

"May I have the remote?" I finally ask, my voice robotic and expressionless. Xavier looks up at me, his green eyes gazing right into mine. He puts the magazine down and picks up the remote, leaning over to give it to me. I reach out my hand, stretching to close the distance.

My hand grasps the remote, and the tips of my fingers touch his in the process. With this touch comes a shock as frightening as a bolt of lightning, electricity and a crazy burst of uncontrollable passion boiling through my blood. The remote tumbles from our hands, hitting the floor with a thud.

Xavier immediately gets up, a spark in his eyes and despair in his features. With a sudden urgency, he races to my side, remote forgotten.

"I can't stand this any longer! I'm sorry for being mean," he begs, "just please, let us be anything but this! You can treat me like dirt, or a child, for anything from you is better than nothing at all. I can be a plaything to you if you wish, as long as I am something!"

"Xavier." I attempt to calm him down, my voice alike to his in nervousness and pleading.

"Even if you like Ray, please keep me at your side! Allow me to be your friend, or at least your acquaintance. This bond of ours is too strong for either of us to sever, even though you may wish it so-"

"Xavier," I say in a slightly louder voice.

"Because I don't think I can do it anymore! Your scent is so overpowering that it envelops me, causes me to lose all train of thought-"

"Xavier!" I command, "stop!"

Finally his tender lips come to a close, and with it comes peace. For a few seconds, this peace washes over us like a tidal wave, and everything is perfect.

"I have never-"

"Don't say anything," he whispers breathlessly, "I promise I will accept any conditions as long as you will acknowledge me. Please, no matter how much you must hate me..." He trails off, his eyes alight. I want to protest, but now doesn't seem like the time. We both lean in, I realizing how close we actually are. Not much more of a hairsbreadth away, his perfection and insecurity shines plainly for me to see. If only one of us tilts his or her head, then we will kiss. My heartbeat quickens and excitement floods through me.

I can't believe it. We just have a major problem or fight, caused by a misunderstanding that hasn't fully been cleared up between us, and right after we will share our first kiss.

Our "bonding", I suppose. I can only hope it leads to something good.

My hands shake and my face turns a cherry red. With barely contained anticipation, I purse my lips, looking up at the man mated to me. The one that was chosen to be mine.

Centimeters away, and edging closer...

His top lip brushes against my cheek as he suddenly swivels his head in response to the blare of his cell phone. Red is on his face too, spreading like wildfire. He sneaks a quick glance at me before grabbing his phone, a small pout dancing on the corner of his lips. Disappointment crackles through the air.

I curse that phone.

He fiddles with a few buttons, and then a small message is displayed on the screen. As Xavier reads it, his face turns a deathly white. "It is from Jake."

"What does it say?" I ask fearfully.

He sits in complete silence for a second, staring at me. Then, after the moment is over, he says, "Took the house. We are prisoners. They are coming for you too."

Alarm overcomes my being, the shroud of doom once more descending upon me. For some reason, I can already tell that we are completely finished.



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Fuck_Me
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Re: A Howl In The Night - Puppy Love

Unread post by Fuck_Me » 09 Jan 2016 16:22

Puppy Love


My bed is soft, but not nearly as warm as I wish it to be.

I shiver underneath the thick covers, tossing and turning furiously. I struggle to get warm, yet only the cold embraces me. The desire for a certain man grows at an alarming rate, as I know that one touch from him would instantly make my body go hot with passion.

But at the same time, I am afraid of him. Sadness and a strange fear races through my mind as I recall once again his confession to me, his impassioned plea for forgiveness that strangled my heart. I wanted to rectify our misunderstanding, but he refused to listen. I could tell that he was stressed, his eyes full with pain and desolateness. He was almost desperate for me, as if I was his bread and water. Just remembering that one look from his statuesque features ashamedly brings a tiny tingle of happiness to my heart.

But what is he truly desperate for? Is it just for our mating to be fulfilled, or because he loves me for who I am?

Once I really think about it, if I was not his mate, he would not have fallen in love with me at all. In fact, I would have been dead now. I would have been given everything I asked for on that one awful night.

"I can tell you are thinking hard," a deep voice cuts through my pondering state. His words are followed by a little laugh, and the crinkle of a smile.

"Ray?" I slowly sit up, struggling against the headboard. Looking up at his grinning face, I reluctantly smile back. "What are you doing?"

"Getting you. Everyone else is in the car."

"How long has it been?"

"About three hours. It's time, Mona." His face is now deathly serious. "We cannot stay here anymore. Our lives are at stake."

"I feel so woozy..." I attempt to swing my legs off the bed, clutching Ray's shoulder for support. "Please, help me," I whisper into his shoulder, leaning on his broad form.

Without another word he sweeps me into his arms, cradling me like a baby. It feels so good... so warm. As I look up at him, I can see his concern and determination. For a minute, I see another in his place, with bright blue hair and smooth skin.

"Forgive me," I quickly apologize, slipping into the vast nothingness as my eyes slide to a close once more.



* * *



The first thing I see is Danae's face leaning over mine. Now she seems as young as a teenager, with luscious, dark hair. As I sit up, my own flaming red hair slaps against my arms. For some reason, I feel extremely nauseated.

Her large eyes search mine with great concern. "Are you okay?" she asks softly, and I grasp her arm tightly.

"I don't think so," I confess, "I think I am car sick." Being in a car like this reminds me of... that fateful journey with my parents. I haven't really been overly fond of them since then.

"What's wrong?" Ray twists in his seat, staring at me. I try to avoid looking up and seeing the whiz of cars in front of him.

“I feel like I’m going to throw up,” I confess, holding my stomach. His eyes carefully examine my appearance; obviously trying to decide for himself how bad of a condition I am in.

“Xavier, we are going to have to park the car soon or Mona will vomit all over the seats.” Ray turns his head back to the front, leaning forward in his seat. “I don’t know where… but we need to find a safe place to either get some meds for her or to ditch the car completely.”

I spare one glance outside of my window but all I can see is miles and miles of road. There is no gas station, no store of any kind.

“Where are we going to hide?” I inquire, my voice coming out a little raspy and low.

“I’m hoping that when we reach Pack 24 they will help hide us, but if they don’t, then we will continue to travel north until we reach one of the sanctuaries,” Xavier says firmly, keeping his eyes straight ahead. Even from the back I can sense his fierce determination, his desire to escape the invisible villain.

Miles and minutes pass, and with every bump I feel a new wave of nausea. Ray keeps his gaze focused on me, somehow encouraging me without words. Danae is just as tired as I am, leaning her head against the window.

CRACK!!

My head leaps up as a resounding noise fills the air. “What was that?!”I scream, searching for the source of the noise. Xavier jerks the car off the road and races towards the trees on both sides of the interstate. “Hold on!” he yells, narrowing his eyes. The speed escalates from 80 mph to over 100.

CRACK!!

A gasp escapes me as I hear the same sound again. The window beside me splinters as a small metal ball is suddenly wedged inside of the thick glass. Spider webs blossom in the small area, reaching to the far corners of the window. “WATCH OUT!” Danae screams, tugging me over to her side just as it shatters, glass shards falling all around us. One hits my leg, and instantly blood starts to drip from the small wound.

We are all jerked around as he navigates us into the forest. I am thrown against the opposite seat where the glass is, Danae unable to hold me. Tears slide down my cheeks as I feel thousands of tiny pieces pierce my body. I crawl back over to her, and begin to break down as I hold her arm. There is another blur of movement and Ray is at our side, shielding us both from the waves of glass flying towards us.

“We are going to have to ditch the car!” he yells to Xavier as another shot rings out. This time it hits the window that stretches across the back. “Normal bullets wouldn’t shatter windows like these,” Ray mutters to himself angrily as cracks run through the back window.

“What do we do?” I ask, mashed between Ray and Danae. Many more gunshots crackle through the air as we swerve deeper into the forest, scraping past trees and rocks.

“On the count of three, open the door,” Ray instructs me calmly.

“Why? If we do, we will be killed by the bullets!”

“Mona.” He stares into my eyes, serious as ever. “This time, you are just going to have to trust me.”

My fingers reach the handle, gripping it tightly. Tears are flowing like a waterfall from my face onto my shirt and jeans.

“1-“

“Ray, don’t! That’s what they want! They are trying to scare us into leaving the vehicle!” Xavier shouts, twisting around briefly, “They know bullets can’t seriously injure us!”

“It’s safer out there than it is in here! We are all getting hurt by the glass!” The shattered pieces from the back window are falling like rain on our heads, scraping our skin. “And anyway, I don’t think those are normal, run-of-the-mill bullets,” he continued. Xavier raises his head once more, eyes alert.

“2,” Ray whispers in my ear, shielding me as best he can. My hands are clammy from holding the metal handle. I hold my breath, waiting for all this to end, for it to be over. Maybe I will wake up and find out that this was all a dream.

“3!” My eyes slip to a close as I wrench the handle open. There is a blur of motion as we all fall towards the ground, and for a moment, it seems as if all this is occurring in slow motion… as if we are just gracefully falling out a slowly-moving car.

Ray zooms out of the car, grasping both of us in his arms before we ever hit the ground and we are gone, traveling faster than the car ever did. In seconds Xavier is right along beside us.

“Let me take one,” he tells Ray, holding out his arms slightly. Ray rolls his eyes, and soon I find myself in Xavier’s strong arms. I almost sigh with relief as I lean back against his chest—although I hate to admit it—I have missed this so much.

Almost as much as I have missed him.

For what seems like ages we run through the forest, bullets shooting through the air. One hits a tree by us and it cracks, falling right beside us. I gasp as another drops to the ground soon after. Bullets aren’t supposed to be able to knock over trees.

Another series of trees plummeting to the ground follow a series of gunshots. “Xavier!” I scream as a gigantic one blocks our path; this one was laced with quite a few shots. Xavier turns quickly and we both realize that we are trapped in a circle of trees. “Who could have planned something like this?” I ask, my breath coming in short gasps.

Without answering my question, Xavier leaps to the top of the tree and prepares to jump off of it.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t do that,” a deep, commanding voice erupts from behind us. Chills race through my spine as we turn to see a man standing in the center of the circle. He had beautiful golden hair, much like Wes’s, that stopped right at his shoulders.

Xavier narrows his eyes. I can tell these two are not exactly friends. “And why not?” He stands firmly on the top of the tree, not backing down.

“Members of my team are stationed on every side. There is no chance of escape.” The man laughs a little, smiling brightly. “Hello, Xavier. Good to see you again, though I certainly did not think I would be seeing you so soon. Why don’t you step down from the tree?”

Xavier doesn’t waver.

“Did you see our newly developed bullets?” He gestures to the sky as a bunch of shots race through the air. “These are specially modified to have the ability to pierce the toughest of skins. Good thing you avoided them so far… if one hit you, it would have hurt.”

Suddenly the man notices me in his arms. “Is this the convert? She’s a pretty one.” Xavier’s grip tightens around my form, holding me even closer to his warm chest. “How about you convince your boyfriend to step down before anyone gets hurt?” He asks me, a hint of contempt laced through his seductive voice.

“Maybe it would be a good idea, Xavier,” I whisper into his ear, fright clearly painted onto my features, “they seem to know what they are doing.”

“I’m not going to give you up.” At these words, butterflies flutter in my stomach and a blush inches its way onto my cheek.

The man dramatically sighs. “Bring them out, Daemon.”

An imposing man with sunglasses comes out from behind one of the trees, carrying two men. He places them near the feet of his leader, emotionless.

“Say hello to Jake and Wes,” the leader smiles, pulling a dark object out of his pocket, “or I should say, tell them your goodbyes unless you get down from that tree.” Thick, blood-stained bandages are wrapped around Jake’s arm and Wes’s calf. They must have been hit by those deadly bullets.

He holds the dark object over their heads. I recognize it to be a gun.

Where is Yi? He couldn't be... dead, could he?

Xavier looks down, and slowly steps to the ground. Anger is laced through his gaze as he lifts his head and glares at the man. He doesn't seem to notice that Yi is missing.

“This is your fault for trying to run,” the man says plainly, “it didn’t have to be this way.”

“You know my reasons for running,” Xavier replies evenly, his eyes like lasers. The man shrugs in reply, a slight smirk dancing across his handsome features.

“I’m afraid we are going to have to bring you all in.” With a wave of his hand, several figures jump over the trees into the circle. Most of them are strong, handsome men, not one of them appearing to be over the age of forty. The rest are beautiful wolves. Their eyes flash an emerald green.

Feeling rather awkward, I stumble out of Xavier’s arms and stand beside him. Scanning the row of men, I see no familiar faces. Danae and Ray are a few feet away from us, obviously trying to judge how powerful their opponent is.

“You have to let Mona have a trial,” Xavier insists firmly, “or I won’t surrender.” He steps towards the leader, clearly intent on picking a fight. Immediately two tall men surround him, forbidding him from proceeding any farther.

“Why should I do that when you so blatantly broke the rules and even tried to escape going to headquarters?”

I listen to their argument for a few seconds, and then my gaze wanders. I search my surroundings for other werewolves, wondering if any more were hiding in the bushes. Maybe if I run as fast as possible, I could escape while the leader’s attention was focused. Without making any sort of noise, I inch towards the tree trunk…

…Until I spot a huge, handsome dog with silky smooth chocolate fur and a large caramel splotch on his eyes leaping over the trees. Its eyes roam the circle, then stops on me. We stare at each other for a minute, frozen. Tears spring to my eyes.

He flies my way, sprinting a mile a minute. By the time he reaches me, I’m laughing and crying at the same time.

“Scotty!” I exclaim as he rubs my hand with his soft head, just like he always did in the past. He has gotten so big now, almost as large as I am. Heads turn to watch us, but I don’t even care. “What are you doing here?” I ask him, “Where have you been?”

He barks once, staring deeply into my eyes. I wish I knew how to speak dog.

I hug him by the neck, drowning in the warmth and softness of his fur. It is so good to be with him again.

A hand touches my shoulder, and I look up to see the face of the leader, his face in a grin. “Why is he with you people?” I ask him sharply.

“Because he trusts us,” he gently says, “and so should you.”

I stand up, scanning the faces that are looking at me, crawling over my face and body. Immediately my gaze connects with Xavier, noting the look of bewilderment on his features.

“I have to go with them,” I tell him calmly. His eyes grow wide.

“Why? They are going to kill you, Mona.” Distress is laced through his voice. “Don’t you realize that?”

“I have to go with Scotty,” I insist, rubbing my hand across his back.

“I can’t let you give yourself up because of a dog!”

“Well,” the leader bumps in, “I think you can and will.” The two men around Xavier grab his arms fiercely. “And Mona,” he tells me in a low voice, “I’m very interested as to how you and… um… Scotty know each other. Both of you can tell me all about that later.”

He raises his voice. “As you all know, there’s a sanctuary near here that can take us back to the headquarters. Let’s get moving.”

As I glance at the members of the pack, I suddenly notice Ray and Danae’s absence. They must have escaped while the leader was talking.

“Are you ready?” the leader asks me softly, “My name is Ferrars by the way.”

“Nice to meet you,” I smile thinly, “and I have to warn you, I can’t run as fast as you guys can. That’s why Xavier was carrying me here.”

“No problem.” He sends me a beautiful smile, sweeping me into his arms. However, all I can feel is the coldness of his arms and chest. For some reason I don’t trust him at all.

After a short while we reach a small clearing marked by very bright green grass. As I look up to the sky, I notice how clear and perfect it is. Wasn’t it a dark, stormy gray this morning?

Ferrars gracefully puts me down, and then navigates to a rock planted in the center of the clearing. Two strong men follow him and place their hands on the rock. With much effort they lift it, placing it slightly away from where it used to be.

“Take the prisoners first,” he commands. A slightly skinnier, handsome man with dark brown hair grabs my arm, roughly dragging me to where Ferrars is. “Be gentle with her, Soka,” he cautions my escort. I can feel his calculative gaze scan me as we pass him.

I gasp when I see a deep tunnel where the rock used to be, small and dark. Without realizing it, I clutch Soka’s arm tightly. “Are you scared of the dark?” he asks with a little laugh. I glare at him in response, though still sticking to him like glue as we slowly descend down a small stairway into the tunnel.

“To be a werewolf, you sure don’t act like one,” Soka comments, “you seem like a regular human, besides your green eyes of course. The master even carried you! He never does anything like that for anyone. He seems happier today than he has been in quite a while.”

Feeling like my companion is in the conversational mood, I ask, “Is he the leader of all the werewolves?”

“He’s actually the second son of the real leader, but he is next in line to the throne.”

“What about the first son? Shouldn’t he take over?”

Soka casts me a laughing glance. “You really don’t know, do you? Zayn told me that you didn’t have a clue back in the forest but I didn’t believe him until now.”

“I don’t have a clue about what?”

“The first son isn’t… suitable to be our leader. Although I have to say, he’s much better at being a leader than Ferrars is.” He snorts. “Ferrars always needs someone to chase, fight, or kill. He can’t take more than five minutes of peace.”

Silence reigns through the tunnel, the only sounds being the monotonous footsteps as the rest of the group begins to follow us. “Where are we going? What is this tunnel for?” I ask him worriedly. This tunnel seems like it goes on forever, and I’m not sure if I can take much more of this.

“Headquarters,” he says softly, “and this is what you would call a portal. The council has a ton of these scattered around the world, hidden in places called sanctuaries. They can take you wherever you wish to go. It is very useful for werewolves who are trying to escape some sort of persecution.”

“How can they take you everywhere you wish to go when there is only one passageway?” I don’t see any other tunnels leading off this one, which isn’t saying much since I can barely see anything.

“All you have to do is think about where you want to go as you travel through the tunnel and you will come out of the portal at that destination.”

“You talk too much, Soka,” a dangerously deep voice interrupts our conversations, “you shouldn’t be telling all this stuff to the prisoner.” I look back and I can barely make out the outline of his face.

“What does it matter, Zayn? She’s not going to last very long at Headquarters. Who cares if I tell her a few of our secrets?”

“We don’t know that. She might get lucky. Ferrars seems to like the look of her.”

“He was just acting like a gentleman. It wasn’t because he liked her.”

I say nothing, slightly offended.

After a few minutes we see a light at the end of the tunnel. Excitement flows through me as I realize that I am so close to getting out of the tunnel and seeing the “Headquarters” for the first time.

“Do you need me to carry you?” Soka laughingly asks as I almost trip on a root. As we reach the light, I can finally see his face as he makes fun of me. I punch him in the arm, surprised at how comfortable I feel with this guard, especially considering that he is bringing me here to die. I guess it is because inwardly, I feel like I am going to be okay.

As long as I have Scotty.

“It’s so bright!” I shield my eyes as we step out of the tunnel. I feel immense relief as the world greets me once again. The grass is perfectly green here, the trees elegant and healthy. Even the sky here is just as clear as it was in the sanctuary.

But even more beautiful is the castle right in front of my eyes.

It is so big, with its turrets reaching towards the sky. A sparkling, crystal clear lake lies behind it, wrapping its arms around the entire castle like a moat. There is a gigantic wall surrounding the entire area, which makes it seem even more like a castle out of a fairy tale.

“This is where the council lives?” I ask Soka.

“This is where everyone who is important lives,” Soka says plainly, “and yes, that would include the council and their mates.

“Is there any children living in there?” I ask, remembering Ray’s words when he told me about the impossibility of having a child between two werewolves.

“Rarely ever are children born in the castle.”

“But what about the leader?”

“That… was a special case.” Soka loudly snorts and Zayn knees him in the back. “Ouch, man! What was that for?”

“Show proper respect,” he says fiercely. As I glance back this time, I can see a large scar stretching across his rather grotesque features.

Ferrars heads to the front of the group, his long golden hair shining in the light. “Guards, take the members of Pack 101 to the dungeon,” he commands, unsmiling. As Soka drags me past Ferrars, however, he stops him. “You’re coming with me,” he says, grabbing hold of my arm. Soka disappears into the train of soldiers who are vanishing into the castle. Xavier, as he passes us both, shoots Ferrars the glance of hell.

Ferrars laughs. “Your friend is funny. I think he likes you.”

“Maybe.” I decide not to tell him about Xavier and I. That would not help either of us.

He starts walking to the castle, dragging me along. He has a surprisingly tough grip, one that I could never break out of. “You better count yourself lucky that I’m feeling nice today,” He grins, “you don’t want to be where your friends are, that’s for sure.”

I keep silent, determined not to give him any sort of answer. Looking at my feet the entire time, I am whisked through the castle, sadness finally beginning to creep into my heart. Where is Scotty? The whole reason why I did not put up a fight was because of him, and now he is nowhere to be found.

“Here we are,” he finally says, stopping at a small door. “This is a little bit better than those dungeon rooms. Even though you are our prisoner, you are still a lady and deserve to be treated like one… especially since you might not be staying here very long.”

I finally lift my head as the door swings open to a simple room about half the size of the one at the mansion. However, it looks clean and probably is way better than the dungeon cells. “Thank you,” I softly say, walking into the bedroom. The bed is pretty large and inviting, beckoning me to lie upon it.

“If you want to change into some better clothes there are some in the closet,” he smiles, walking over to a door and opening it to reveal quite a few outfits. “There are also a few necklaces in this drawer that were left here by some of the ambassadors.”

I search through the closet until I find a beautiful, yet simple top with a skirt that gathers at the side. Closing the door so he can’t see, I change within seconds. It is amazing how fast I can accomplish things now.

I exit the closet and move over to the drawer just to look at the jewelry these people left here. All of it is beautiful, but the one that stands out to me the most is a small emerald orb dangling on a thin silver chain. If I stare into it, it almost feels like I am looking into Xavier’s eyes.

“Let me help you,” Ferrars’s voice turns seductive as he takes the necklace and fastens it around my neck. I can feel his breath on my neck as his fingers play with the ends of the chain. “You look very pretty,” he comments, smiling at my form as he steps away.

Against my better judgement, I look away. I wanted to yell at him for hurting my friends. For capturing us against our will. Even though I know it will do no good.

Friends. I have friends now.

Friends who mean so much to me, even though I would never admit it.

Ferrars frowns when I don't say anything in response to his compliment. "Are you worried about your friends?"

I nod slowly, and he walks even closer to my side. He takes both hands and places them firmly on my shoulders. Electricity arises from his touch, shocking me to the bone. Is he insane? What is he doing?

I try to calm down my anger, knowing that it will not get me anywhere.

"It is true that your pack has committed a grave offense," he starts solemnly, "surely you understand the necessity of enforcing the rules. Without rules that are respected an followed, our entire world would fall apart. With that being said, however, you have just met probably the only person right now who can help you out here, and maybe even your pack. So please... please do not cry." His voice turns tender and he drops his arms as a small tear begins to run down my cheek.

I'm... crying? Over what?

After questioning myself in confusion, I look back into Ferrars's bright eyes. "Could you save us? I'll do anything."

His eyes darken with my words, clouding in its center. I wait for a few seconds impatiently. "Ferrars? Did you hear me?"

I don't even know why I am begging the enemy for help. Since when have I ever been so desperate?

"Uh... yes. I did. I don't know what came over me. I apologize. Uh... don't worry about it. I'll take care of you, I promise."

I do not like where this conversation is going. I suddenly realize that one of his hands have been touching my shoulder this entire time. No wonder I have been shivering so much.

I treat him with one of my best, though obviously fake smiles. “Thank you, I really appreciate everything you have done.”

His face suddenly freezes, and contorts into a scowl. “What are you doing to me?!” He asks, extremely frustrated. It is as if he has become another person, staring at me like I normally would a piece of steak.

That's it! I knew he was bipolar.

“Doing what?” I ask, shocked. There is a blur of motion and then suddenly I find myself on the bed, pinned down by Ferrars.

He looks like an animal now more than ever, staring at me hungrily. Fright jolts through me as he reaches to unbutton the top of my shirt. “Please…” I beg, tears beginning to form and roll down my cheeks.

Completely ignoring me, he impatiently rips open the first button, then the second. I almost scream as his eyes begin to glow bright like the sun…

But then they stop glowing almost as soon as they started. His face is full of bafflement as he seems to return to his normal self. “What is this?” he asks angrily, “you are mated?”

I look at the mirror to the side and suddenly notice a small mark near my neck. It is in the shape of a crescent moon with a circle around it. “How long has that been there?” I wonder aloud, rubbing the spot with my fingers.

“And what is this?!” He stares at the gap between my shirt and the skirt, where a similar mark lies on my hip. “But you have such an irresistible smell… this is impossible! I can’t even control myself around you, yet you are mated to not one but two men?”

He backs away, staring at me with fright. “What are you?”

“Can you explain to me why you assaulted me just then?!” I ask furiously.

A slight pause follows as Ferrars tries to recover. “It’s your smell,” he groans, “it is so intoxicating that it nearly knocked me down when I first saw you. I was planning on marking you as my own, but looks like two people beat me to the punch. It should be impossible to be mated and smell like that! I don’t understand at all.”

“Did you say… I was mated to two men?”

Ferrars roughly steps forward and points to both of the markings. “These are mating markings. The reason why my eyes were glowing was because I was trying to mark you, but I stopped because of the shock of discovering that first mark by your neck. If you are mated, you are supposed to smell kind of like a rotten egg to everyone but your mate, but you are not like that at all.”

He nearly runs away from me, staring as if I am an alien. “Good night, Mona. I apologize for my rudeness, but right now it would be best for both of us if I stayed away from you. There is some food on the tray.” He shuts the door quickly, and I hear a click shortly after. He locked me in.

I stand up and examine myself in the mirror. I had never really noticed the markings before, with them being almost like regular, minuscule birthmarks. Today has definitely been a day of surprises. For one, I’m surprised I am still alive after Ferrars looked at me like he was going to eat me.

Totally exhausted, I plop back onto the bed, wondering how the crap I got two markings. It is almost too much for me to take in all at once. Is Ferrars a genuinely nice person or is he the person that I caught a glimpse of tonight?

I remember Ferrars’s angry question, “What are you?”, with complete confusion.

What am I?

A few minutes later, the door squeaks open to reveal a majestic, beautiful dog. It shuts behind him as he comes towards me. “Spotty!” I smile, patting the spot to my left. “Come and sit by me.”

As he joins me, I find myself telling him everything that has happened with Ferrars. Spotty has always been so easy to talk to… I was always able to tell him anything that was on my mind ever since I was young. Minutes stretch into hours as I pour out my fears, hopes, and past since he left.

His big eyes search mine as I confess, “Ferrars… he was going to mark me until he saw these.” I show him my two markings, and he growls. “He… asked me what I was, Spotty, and I don’t think I have the answer to that. Do you have any clue? I know I have changed, and it has been so long since we parted…"

"Why are you even here, Scotty? Did they kidnap you?" I ask him after a few moments of thought. He stared at me in response, unblinking. The peculiarity of this entire situation seems to hit me at this moment. The werewolves here are not really the type to keep pets.

Suddenly overcome by sleepiness, I lay my head down on the pillows. “Goodnight, Spotty,” I shoot him one last smile, “thank you for listening.”

He lays his body near mine, curling around me so I can almost hear his heartbeat. His soft breath against my neck feels so much different than Ferrars’s did earlier. For some reason, both of us being together like this feels… so incredibly perfect.

My eyes slip to a close, my mind drifting off into wonderland.



In the middle of the night, I briefly become suspended between sleep and full consciousness. Confusion arises within me as I realize a broad chest is now against my back instead of soft fur, two legs almost intertwined with mine. An arm is slowly caressing me, stroking my stomach, arms, and thigh; and lips are murmuring soft words to my ear.

“You are only mine...”


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A woman is like a tea bag - you can't tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.

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