Disclaimer: Twilight is the property of Stephenie Meyer, my OCs belong to me

This chapter is dedicated to Noble, Asherah Isa, hm813, M-Bianca94 and Alphabloodwolf


Kekipi

I lowered the boat into the dry dock, opened the valve and watched the seawater come rushing in. I took a deep breath, the salty water tingling in my nose. Once the dry dock was full and the boat bobbing at my feet I opened the gate and jumped in. I turned the key and started the engine, this was a little more fancy than what I was used to fixing, but then I was getting double my usual price.

The engine started nice and smooth. I pulled the rope from the side and steered the boat out of my little shed and around to the little jetty, manoeuvring it smoothly into the free spot by where the man was standing, waiting. White rich business guy wasn't my usual clientele, but word had spread that I was the best mechanic this side of the island, and more importantly I was the cheapest. Even when I charged double for those who could afford it.

I threw the rope onto the bollard to moor the boat as I killed the engine and jumped out next to the guy who must have been sweltering in his finely tailored grey suit. Midsummer in Hawaii wasn't exactly the cool season.

"She's working perfectly now Mr Gillespie." I said, handing over the keys.

I had to drop them into his hand, it was clear he didn't want me touching him. The guy owned the biggest resort in the islands, I couldn't figure out why he'd want to come to me. Everyone knew how he felt about the natives. But then I guess he liked us in service.

"So that's four sixty like we agreed." I prompted; last thing I wanted was to get stiffed by a rich haole out to cheat me.

"Yes." Gillespie said snapping his fingers at his assistant who produced a card.

"I don't take card." I said.

"Then it will have to be a cheque." Gillespie returned.

"I only take hard cash. You understand?" I asked, it was the best way to keep the garage afloat, pun intended.

"I think you can take a cheque just this once. Do you really think it will bounce?" Gillespie challenged, and it was clear I'd have no money if I didn't take a cheque.

I'd just spent the good part of my day fixing up his ride out to his pleasure cruiser. It cost a few bucks too getting the parts in special, I couldn't do it for free. I'd be losing out. I tried to hold back on the stinkface as I broke my number one rule for the first time ever.

"I'll wave it this once brah, but in future I only take cash." I said, making sure he'd know if he ever came back here.

Gillespie nodded and snapped his fingers at his assistant once more who wrote out the cheque, but Gillespie signed it. The assistant gave it to me though, I guess Gillespie did have a problem with us kamaaina, he didn't even offer special rates at his hotels like others did.

"Thank you." I said, folding the cheque and tucking it into the chest pocket of my overalls.

"I'll recommend you to my business associates." Gillespie said flatly, but it was supposed to be some great offer.

"Mahalo." I said as not sarcastic as I could manage, then walked away back to my workshop.

It was the end of the day, time to close up.

I put the cheque, so much worthless paper until I could cash it in the morning, into the strong box. I stripped off my overalls, thankful to be down to my tank top and shorts. I hated heat sometimes, like I should be somewhere cooler. But the Islands was my home. I wasn't going nowhere, maybe I should work without my overalls from now on, for the rest of the summer at least.

I hung them on their peg and set about closing the gate, pumping the water from the dry dock. I then pulled the big doors closed, pumping the water from there too to stop the sea getting in when I didn't want it to.

I locked up and went back out to the jetty and climbed into the little boat closest to my workshop. She was an old boat, but reliable. She was the only love in my life for a very good reason. I didn't want to think of that as I started the off board motor and pulled away from the jetty, heading out onto the crystal blue sea toward Wolf Island.

A hammerhead crossed beneath me, but I ignored him. The sharks didn't find me that appealing for some reason. Couldn't think why. Not that it worried me. It kept them away from me. Meant I could swim where others couldn't. Like Wolf Island.

There was a little jetty, in a cove on the north east of my little island, out of sight of the big island. Nobody really knew I lived out here. Some thought I might. They couldn't know, there was a legend about this island, one I tried not to think about, although I…

I pushed the thought from my mind as I tied my boat up safe for the night. I jumped out onto the little walkway, not having to watch myself cause there weren't nobody here to see. I walked along the jetty to the trees and found the little path that wound around the cliffs to the beach where there was the only path up to my hale.

I didn't sense anything at first, not till I was nearly at the rock where the girl was lying flat out in the sun. She was so rumpled and water stained, almost not moving that I thought she was dead. I approached carefully, wondering how she'd got here and if she was dead how I'd explain it to the five-oh.

Then her chest rose and fell, her t-shirt so tight it didn't leave much to the imagination, she wasn't wearing a bra. The rise and fall had me and I felt a hot wave through my body. I had to ignore it, wasn't right staring at her all unconscious. Then she opened eyes as dark as obsidian. Now I knew she was alive the questions piled up in my head.

"How did you get here?" Was the first thing I blurted out. "No one lives here."

"And hello to you too." She said, sitting up and her snarky tone made it clear she thought I was being rude. "I'm Mina, pleased to meet you." She added, holding out her hand.

"Kekipi." I replied, keeping my distance for a good reason so I didn't shake her hand.

"Do I frighten you?" She asked, standing up and she was suddenly in my personal space. "I understand if I do, what with you being Quileute wolf and all."

"What?" I asked, taking a step back. I had to she was a great presence and, well, a little intimidating.

"You're a Quileute warrior if ever I saw one." She said with a wide grin as she looked up at me with those black eyes that didn't seem to go well with her white skin and red hair, they were like native eyes. "And believe me I should know, it runs in my family."

I had no idea what the hell she was on about.

"You can turn into a wolf whenever you want to. I know you can cause you smell like a phaser and not a potential." She said, still looking me in the eye and I felt a wave of fear. How the hell did she know?

"You're crazy lady. No one can change into a wolf." I said, trying to step away from her, but she was all around me.

"I know you can. And there's no reason to be all secretive about it in front of me. I am dhampir, a half-vampire. I know you're a wolf so stop pretending, let's get past that and we can get on to more important questions." She said and I couldn't believe what she was telling me.

"Such as?" I demanded, feeling backed into a corner by her bluntness.

"Have you got any food? I'm starving!" She said, then sniggered. "Really Keiki, you should learn to relax more." She said, and socked me on the shoulder.

I wasn't expecting it and I felt the fire inside get more. I growled before I could stop myself.

"Well if you don't calm down you'll soon prove me right about you being a wolf." She said, as if she was some kind of expert. "Now breathe and relax. I'm not here to hurt you. I just came to explore."

"My name's Kekipi, don't try and shorten it." I managed, trying to say that was why the sudden agro.

"Ok. So we're getting somewhere." She said with that wide mischievous grin again and her eyes locked on mine.

I was caught, trapped in pools of darkness. It felt like I was falling into a bottomless depth of a being and she could see right into my soul. I wanted to kiss her a lot. Maybe go a little further. I hadn't felt these feels in a long time. I made sure I didn't get into no situations it might happen. What girl would want a freak like me?

She stepped back and I felt the tension leave me.

"So you got any food Kekipi?" She asked as if she was looking for anything to say that wasn't about the weird hold she had over me.

"Yeah. I got some." I said a little confused. "Just up in my hale."

"Then lead the way 'Rebel' dear." She replied with a trace of her old grin.

"You know what it means?" I asked, surprised.

Her grin widened but she didn't say anything, I sighed.

"It's this way." I said and headed toward the little track, she began to follow me.

"No. Wait!" She gasped, grabbing my arm and she managed to stop me dead. "We have to hide!"

"What?" I asked, I had no idea what this was all about.

"We have to hide before they get here." She said urgently and I could almost taste her fear. "We have more chance if we take them by surprise."

"Who?" I asked.

"The two damn trackers I was escaping. I can't believe they tracked me here from the main land." She growled.

"You swam from Hawaii?" I asked impressed, given that non-islanders might think we'd think Hawaii was the main land, we were just a string of islands.

"No. I swam from Mexico." She said as if it wasn't that important but my mouth fell open at the thought of someone swimming that distance. "Come on. We have to hide. Take these creeps out once and for all and I'll tell you everything later." She growled, changing her grip to my hand.

"What do you mean by take them out?" I asked suspiciously as I held her back.

"Tear them apart and burn the pieces." She said and there was an angry light in her dark eyes.

"You want to kill people?" I asked in shock.

"They're not people." She said screwing up her face as if she ate something nasty. "They have no right to call themselves people."

I still had no idea what the hell she was on about.

"Just get into that hollow there. We need to ambush them." She said, pointing at the little hidden hollow in the rock.

Then she just pulled me into it, handling me as easily as if I was a toddler and her strength surprised me, caught me off guard because nobody was that strong. I was in shock and in close quarters, I could feel the worry roll off her and that caused the fire to burn through me and I could feel my hands shake as I fought back the wolf.

"So who are we hiding from?" I asked, trying to calm myself with a rational question.

"Carnies." She hissed with venom.

"As in carnival folk?" I asked, feeling all the anger suddenly leave me.

"As in carnivorous vampires. Vampires who drink human blood. Now be quiet, they're nearly here." She snapped.

I went to tell her she was crazy, but her hand clamped across my mouth. Then there was something, two things emerging from the break, but it was hard to tell what they were at first. They glittered in the sun, bright and eye watering. It was only when they stepped into the shade created by the bulk of my island that I could see it was two men dressed in dark pants and t-shirts that made their skin look paler than anything I'd ever seen. One was big and bulky, the other short with sharp features. Something told me he was the most dangerous and there was something more. A scent coming off them, reaching me in a sickeningly sweet wave that brought the wolf directly to the surface. The only thing stopping me was Mina's hand on my shoulder, if I went wolf now I'd hurt her.

"Little dhampir, little dhampir we know you're here." The big one crooned and the little one gave him the stinkface.

Mina tensed, she was ready to fight but she was waiting. Why was she waiting? We should just take them out. We were both choke strong, what could they do to us? But Mina was still holding me in place with one hand and I decided that she had to know the best way to handle this situation. I don't know why, but something in me believed that she knew how to fight.

Then she tapped my shoulder once before she leaped out of the hole, streaking across the sand directly for the smaller one. She actually landed on his back, but she seemed awkward, the big one was moving in to flank her. I surged from the hole, letting the wolf take over because it wasn't my memory, but it seemed that this is what the wolf was for. For fighting these weird men.

Mina was right, these weren't people; all my senses told me that. The big one had his back to me and I leapt and it was instinct that I opened my mouth and locked my jaws on his head, pulling him to the floor.

Mina went down with the little one and I almost felt it as she hit her head. I turned to help her, but although there was blood soaking a dark stain onto the sand and she had her eyes closed, she still had a hold on the little one and there was a something about them. A kind of glow that was flowing from the, what she call them, carnie and into her.

I'd forgot about the one I was fighting. Actually I hadn't expected him to survive having his head crushed in giant wolf jaws, but he had and barrelled into my side. I sensed at just the last moment and managed to dance out of the way so he just about clipped my flank. How the hell did I stop him?

I managed to pull him down and this time I didn't let go. I kept the carnie down by dragging him back and fore, hoping he'd just die. I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing until Mina suddenly appeared on the carnie's chest.

"Tear and burn." She whispered, then with a swift movement that looked too easy, she pulled the guy's head off.

I dropped his shoulder and watched as she returned to the small guy who was also headless, and she began breaking the body to pieces. Mutilation seemed wrong, but then she seemed the expert and I found my teeth cut through the body easily. There wasn't blood or messiness. The guy was more like a statue than flesh and blood. Like I was breaking up something made of plaster.

When I looked back to Mina she was sat in the middle of what looked like rubble. There was a dark stain at the back of her head, gelling her hair into a sticky mess. I could smell the blood too and I sniffed at her in concern. I didn't even know I'd moved to her.

"I'm ok." She said as she tapped my cheek before she got to her feet and looked through the torn clothes on the floor. "I'm already healed, all you can see is matted blood. Now what we need is driftwood. Can you get that while I dig the pit and collect the stones?" She asked as she found a zip-lock bag that had a lighter and fluid inside. "Vampire disposal kit." She said and I wondered if she could read my mind. "I don't read minds, I just know wolf body language. Could you get me some wood please?"

I nodded and dashed around to where I piled the driftwood every couple of days to keep the beach clear. It was dried out nicely by the sun and would make good kindling. I knew I could carry more as a human, but I'd never been naked in front of anybody, ever. I grabbed up a stick in my mouth and carried it to Mina. I did this a few more times until I was sure she had enough for the bonfire she was building. She was adding the bits of vampire too.

I helped her although the pieces tasted foul, like something that was so sweet it tasted sour. Some of the pieces were still moving. That was just weird. Finally everything was on the burn pile and Mina poured some of the fuel over it before she made herself a torch and lit it.

"You might want to stand back." She said, and stood as far away from the fire pile as she could before putting the torch to it.

The fire caught quickly and thick white smoke billowed into the air. There was a sick smell and I put my snout to the floor, trying to cover my nose with my paws. I wished I could turn off my sense of smell.

"Maybe we should go up to your house. The fire will die down on its own." Mina suggested.

I didn't need telling twice. I stood, brushed my nose against her hand and led her to the path. As I climbed up above the beach, this strange woman following me, I couldn't help wonder what the hell I'd got myself into.

As I reached the top of the path and bounded up to my house I slowed and wondered what the strange lady would think of it. She'd probably think it was a shack and I suddenly didn't want her to hate me. Or my things. That was weird.

"I like it." She said, like she was reading my mind again and I felt her scratch my shoulder, it felt good.

I wanted to talk to her, but I couldn't as a wolf. I'd never been inside like this before, but unless I wanted to be naked in front of her I'd have to. She said she understood wolf body language, so I give her a look to say stay there before I went up to the door. I put my paw against the long handle and pulled down. I never locked the door so it just swung in.

I trotted inside and went to the foot of the stairs before I concentrated real hard and thought myself the man me again. I ran up the stairs to the little shelf that was my bedroom and pulled a pair of shorts and a tank top from the wardrobe and pulled them on.

As I reached the bottom of the stairs I was thirsty and I guessed she would be too. I grabbed two cokes from the fridge and carried them back outside. She was still standing where I'd left her, waiting patiently for me. I gestured to the lawn chairs, I had two because they came as a pair, and she went to sit down. I sat down too and tossed her a can. I opened my can and drained half of it before I felt able to talk.

"Ok Mina." I said as she took a very lady-like sip of her own can. "Tell me who you are, what you are, and why those guys were after you."

"First things first. I should probably tell you I don't usually go by Mina, that's my fall back name. Everyone I know calls me Billie. My full name is Wilhelmina Charlotte Black and I'm the daughter of Essie and Tobias Black. I'm a half vampire." She said like she'd just took a swig of truth serum.

A half vampire? That was hard to believe.

"It's true." She said firmly. "My mother is a vampire-wolf. That is she's part Quileute shapeshifter and part vampire."

It was getting even more unbelievable.

"It's a really long tale if you want to hear it right from the beginning." She said warily.

"I haven't got any plans tonight." I said with a shrug, and moved to a more comfortable position in my lawn chair.

"Very well. I will start at the beginning." She said as if it was a threat. "Bella Swan decided that when her mother re-married it was in everyone's best interest to move in with her father. Not because she had a problem with her stepfather, but his job meant he had to travel and Bella's Mom couldn't join him if she had to stay in Phoenix, Arizona with Bella while she was in school. So Bella packed herself away to the rainy little town of Forks, Washington…" And then she went through this whole tale of vampires and werewolves and the strange heritage that she had. Some of it even explained why I was what I was. It was completely unbelievable, but at the same time it was clear she wasn't making it up.

"Wow, that's all true?" I gasped.

"Says the guy who can turn into a wolf." She remarked before drinking back the last of her coke.

"Yeah, you're right." I said with a laugh. "I shouldn't be so quick to write you off. And to tell the truth I'm glad to finally know why I turn into a wolf."

"You weren't told?" She asked, now she was the disbelieving one.

"Nope." I said, shaking my head.

"What about your parents?" She demanded.

"They don't know I turn into a wolf. Everyone in town just thinks I'm a mechanic slash handyman who keeps to himself when he goes home. They don't even know that I live here on 'Wolf Island'." I explained lowly, I didn't really want to get into it.

"At least they named the island after you." She said with a smile.

"But they didn't. This has been known as 'Wolf Island' for decades. People reckon a giant wolf spirit lives here and are afraid to set foot here in case it eats them." I said, a little flatly, no one really believed it, but the legends were enough to make them wary enough not to come out here. "That's why I came here when I first changed." I finished and it actually felt good to be talking to someone about this after all these years.

"Was there another wolf?" Billie asked and I frowned wondering what she was getting at.

"Nah. Just some old geezer who said the island was all mine, and he hoped I'd have a better time of it than he did and he wished me luck. He handed this whole island over to me for nothing and left for the big island." I answered.

"I think he may have been a wolf once but he managed to control his phasing. It wasn't very nice of him to just leave you here like that. He could have explained things to you." She said with an angry frown.

"Maybe he didn't know himself." I said with a shrug, it wasn't like I could go ask him now.

Billie leaned forward and her black eyes seemed to look into my soul again.

"Then that's probably what happened." She said softly, her cool breath moving over my face. "I mean, well, one of my uncles came from Hawaii, but he always said he was part Quileute on his father's side but his father disappeared before he was born despite the fact he loved his mother. I wonder if that old geezer was him? I hope he went to find her." She added thoughtfully as she sat back in her chair.

"Fo' real?" I asked.

She shrugged.

"Are you still hungry?" I asked and she jumped as if I'd caught her by surprise.

"Sorry?" She asked, looking a little dazed.

"I asked if you're still hungry." I replied. "Is something wrong?"

"I told you about my little condition right? My, for want of a better word, power?" She said, making air quotes around power.

"The thing where you drain the energy of people." I remembered from what she'd told me about her family.

"Vampires." She corrected. "I drain vampires. And only those who try to hurt me."

"Sorry, bad vamps not people. I'll try to remember that in future." I said, giving her a smile in the hope to lighten her up a little.

"Sorry. I just don't want you to think bad of me." She said in a small voice and suddenly she seemed a lot smaller than her vibrancy made her seem.

"Weird as it seems, I know you wouldn't use it to hurt anyone who didn't deserve it." I said, and I realised this was true. "So what about your power?"

"If the vampire I drain happens to have a power themselves then I absorb that too and for a while I can use it. Or it blights me. Some powers are not worth having, like the one I seem to have picked up now. It's some form of precognition, but it only shows me the best case scenario then springs me back to a moment where I'm disorientated and it doesn't quite happen the way I envisioned it." She said in a grouchy voice.

"What's gone wrong?" I asked, but I really didn't understand any of this. Turning into a wolf was one thing, but seeing the future and stuff seemed…I don't know, too weird.

"Originally we defeated the vampires and the only injury was your dislocated shoulder." She said and I realised she was telling me how the fight went for her. "I didn't crack my head open on a rock. There's other moments too, but never mind, I just have to keep a grasp on this power until it wears off."

"Or you could just copy everything you did now you know it's foreshadowing. Maybe it's to guide you to the best-case scenario. You just have to follow the steps." I suggested, it made the most sense in this stuff that didn't.

"Now that I know this I can follow the steps." She mused. "You're very wise Kekipi, thanks for your insight."

"Glad to be of service." I replied, feeling shy of her compliment and I needed to deflect her attention from it. "So you hungry?"

"Like you wouldn't believe." She replied and now she was smiling again, that big grin full of mischief.

"Then come inside. I got some food. Not much since shopping is Saturday, but there's some." I said, standing up.

"Some food will be good." She said, jumping up to her feet.

"Then come on." I said and motioned for her to follow me before heading into my hale.

I stopped at the door when I thought of something and found she was right behind me. I looked down into her face a few inches lower than mine.

"When I say food I don't mean blood." I clarified.

"I knew you'd say that, but don't worry, I don't need to feed for a while yet." She said, and a moment of worry crossed her face, but I was certain it had nothing to do with her need for blood. "I need to eat. A nice juicy steak with a jacket potato and cheese and pineapple."

"That's exactly what I was wanting." I said with a smile and stepped into my hale.

She looked around with interest and saw mostly everything my home had to offer.

"The tours not long, but this is home." I said, trying to ignore the sudden want to give her a tour of the bedroom.

"It's wonderful." She said with a convincing smile. "And I like the size. My house, I mean my parents' house is so big that you need a packed lunch for the tour. But I don't bother with most rooms. Just the kitchen, the pool and my old bedroom. Of course the pool is there as a substitute. Mom grew up by the ocean where she could swim whenever she wanted."

"I like that about this island." I said with a smile.

"It's a nice little paradise." She sated.

"Yeah." I said, wanting to, I don't know, I wanted to something with her but I couldn't think of anything flirty or sexy to say. I cleared my throat. "Take a seat and I'll cook." I said and escaped to the kitchen.

She looked around some more, scratching her head, and then she stopped.

"Have you got a shower?" She asked.

"Why?"

"I have a lot of dried blood in my hair, I need to wash it out. I'd also be grateful if you could provide me with a change of clothes." She explained as she held up her hand and there were traces of blood on it, I'd almost forgot she'd cracked her head open. But then she said it was healed and I believed her because I healed that fast. Of course the blood was still in her hair and the back of her t-shirt was stained with blood, seawater and sand. She really did need new clothes but there was a problem.

"All I got is my stuff. You're all petite and feminine, none of my things will fit you." I stated.

"Have you got anything from when you first came here before you bulked up?" She asked and the way she said that it was more than clear she knew exactly what I was and I should start taking what she said about the supernatural world more seriously.

"I got a few." I said, remembering they were scrunched up in the back of my wardrobe in a pile I used for rags if I needed them.

"Then bring me them and a needle, thread and scissors. I will alter them if I have to." She said with a shrug as if people altered their own clothes everyday.

"Ok. I'll get you what you need. Then I'll show you how to work the shower. Then you can get on with that while I prepare dinner." I stated.

"Thank you." She said with a smile and I felt light headed for a moment.

Then I went up stairs and dug out the least crumpled shorts and t-shirt. I found the sewing kit, which I kept even though I didn't know how to sew. It was a relic left over from my mother, a house should always have a sewing kit even if no one actually knew how to sew. I took them down to Billie and set them on the dinner table figuring she'd want to work on them there.

"Thank you." She said again, she seemed like she had good manners. Sometimes.

"I'll show you the shower." I said quickly to hide the weird flutter in my heart and led her into the bathroom.

"Why is the shower up steps?" She asked, frowning up at it.

"It's the quickest way for the water to run into the tank for the toilet cistern. There's a filter that gets all the soap and hair out. I have to show you the controls." I explained and I took her hand and led her up the steps. I couldn't believe I did that, why would she want me to touch her? So I dropped it quickly.

I told her how to use the shower since it could get a little complicated. You could end up pumping the water back up the plughole if you weren't careful. I tried to get all this across to her but not sounding boring.

Then we went back to the main room and she went straight to the table and started working on the clothes. She seemed to be an expert and I left her to it when I went to start on the food. She couldn't have been more than fifteen minuets altering the clothes and then she went to use the shower.

I was just about finished when she emerged with her hair plastered down and her dirty laundry bundled under her arm. Whatever she'd done to my clothes, well it was like magic because they didn't look big on her, just as baggy as they should be.

"Do you have a brush or even a comb?" She asked, running her fingers through her hair that looked brown now it was damp.

"I always keep my hair short." I said apologetically.

"Ah, it's no bother. I'll pick one up in town tomorrow." She said with a shrug as she continued to un-knot her hair with her fingers. "I mean you are heading to the big island right?"

"Yeah. That's where my day job is. But I really haven't got any spare cash until Friday." I stated, wondering if she was after me for a loan now.

"I can try and access my bank account. I got a few dollars to spare. Although I don't know what I'll do about ID." She said with a frown. "Is there a pay phone near your workshop?"

"There's one in the post office." I replied.

"Ok. Then I'll put a call in to Auntie Jane, I'm sure she can arrange things for me." She planned as I put the food out onto plates. "What do I do about laundry?"

"I always do it at the Laundromat." I stated. "But I can give you a bucket to soak them for tonight."

"That will work ok." She said. "I could swill my underwear through and hang it out for the night. I'm sure they'll be dry by the morning."

"Yeah. No rain forecast tonight. And it doesn't smell like it either." I said, taking the plates to the table. "Put them in the sink for now and I'll get you a bucket after we eat."

"Ok." Billie said and placed her clothes in the sink.

She came over to the table and dropped into the chair opposite me, her one leg tucked up beneath her. She took a deep breath then gave me an appreciative smile.

"Smells delicious." She said.

She picked up her knife and fork and cut off a piece of potato, a piece of steak and added cheese and pineapple. There was a hell of a lot on her fork, but she managed to fit it all in her mouth. She washed it down with a mouthful of soda from her glass and put it down with a thud. Swallowed everything loudly then wiped her hand across her mouth.

"Sorry." She said. "It's just been a long while since I've had real good food. Or any food for that matter."

"You've been starving?" I asked.

She'd put more food in her mouth and she chewed and swallowed before she answered.

"I was caught up in something and I forgot to eat." She said with a frown. "But you're a real good cook, I'd even put you in the same league as my father and sister, but don't tell them I told you that." She added with a wink as if I was in on a joke.

"Why?" I asked.

"Oh, they're the best cooks in the world. I'm not. But at least I'm not as bad as Mom and Tony. They're so bad you wouldn't believe it." She said in a quick burst before she shovelled more food into her mouth.

"So I guess I can count on you to cook from time to time." I said, wondering what the hell I was actually suggesting here.

Billie looked up at me and her dark eyes looked into mine for a very long time and I just froze. I couldn't move, and it wasn't because I felt afraid, or anything at all that I could put my finger on. I just couldn't tear my eyes away from hers, like she had the power to hold me there. From what she'd told me about her family she probably could.

"If you're offering me a room then I'll take it." She said with a nod.

I almost smiled, but then winced.

"I'm a jerk." I said. "I can't offer you what I haven't got."

"What do you mean?"

"There's only the one bedroom and it's not even really a bedroom. Just a shelf with a bed." I said pointing up.

Billie looked up at it, her gaze fixed on it as she cut up food and navigated it to her mouth without seeming to pay much attention, then she looked around at the furniture. There wasn't much and none of it was comfortable. I didn't spend much time indoors when I was out on Wolf Island, I tended to take myself walkies, it kept me calm when I was in town.

"You got a spare blanket I'll sleep on the floor." She said with a shrug.

"I can't let you do that!" I gasped, and she raised her eyebrow at me. "I mean, you're a guest, it wouldn't be right."

"I've slept worse places." She said with a shrug.

"I don't care about other places, in my hale you got to be in comfort." I said.

"Is this your way of getting me into bed?" She asked, giving me a level look. "Because if it is I will tell you now, I am a good girl, never on the first date hot stuff." She said in a low sultry voice.

There was humour there, I could see it crinkling the corners of her eyes, but all I felt was embarrassed.

"You take the bed and I'll sleep on the floor." I said, fixing my gaze on my almost empty plate.

"Oh sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you." She said, placing her hand on my arm and her skin felt as hot as mine, it was weird to feel someone the same temperature as me after so long, and I looked up at her. "I just… I get carried away teasing sometimes. If I offend you just tell me to shut up or I'll go right on going until my foot is firmly in my mouth."

"I'm stupid." I said, shaking my head.

"Don't be silly. I just misjudged your level of comfortable banter. I'm the stupid one. I should have thought really, with your secret, you would be loath to bring girls out here. Despite the fact it's nothing to be ashamed of. You're a very beautiful wolf, a lovely grey." She said with a smile.

"I…I'm grey?" I asked in shock.

"You didn't know?"

"It's hard to look in mirrors when you're a wolf, and anyway, monochrome vision. And you're the first person ever to see the wolf me." I explained.

"Oh dear. You really have nobody to talk to. That's horrible." She said with pity and then her face took on a more business like expression. "No doubt about it, I have to stay now to be your confidante because there is nothing worse than being a lone wolf. That will no longer be the case."

"I really haven't got the space." I said softly.

"Didn't I see a hammock outside?" She asked.

"Yeah, sometimes I crash out there when it's really hot." I answered.

"Then I'll sleep on the hammock. It's more comfortable than the floor and I don't really feel the cold." She said happily.

"I'll sleep on the hammock if you'd prefer the bed." I offered.

She shook her head and then pushed back her hair as it fell in her face.

"It would be an adventure to sleep under the stars." She observed. "A nice change to the sleeping quarters I've had of late."

"What have you been doing?" I asked.

"Helping." She said. "All the little kids like me. Making sure none of them have to fear the bogey man in the night." She stated and then stood. "I'll do the dishes."

"I…"

"No." She said, holding out her hand. "You cooked, I do the dishes. That's the rules, ok?"

"Ok?" I said uncertainly.

"You got that bucket?" She asked.

I went to get the bucket from outside the door and brought it back to her. She dumped her clothes in it before covering them with water and a little dish detergent.

"They're gone, I know that, but you got to hope right?" She asked as she put the bucket in the little space under the sink.

"Right." I agreed.

"Now go chill out, I'll come join you once I've done the dishes." She said with a smile, pushing me gently back toward the table.

I took her advice, although I didn't usually do much to chill besides run around the island. I did something I hadn't done in years; I picked up my ukulele and gave an experimental strum. It was massively out of tune. I tuned it and then I began to play, my warm up tune before I started playing something I'd come up with for the under-fifteens ukulele contest and after a few wordless verses as I got back into the tune I began to sing.

Billie turned from the sink as she put the last thing on to drain.

"You got a really pretty voice." She said. "Smooth and haunting. You've given me the shivers and I'd gladly be your groupie."

I lost concentration and my note went rouge.

"Sorry, getting too playful again." Billie said before she went to wipe the dishes. "Where's your tea towel?"

"Let them dry off." I said. "More hygienic that way."

"Ok." She said and she left the sink and turned a chair around to straddle it, leaning on the back of the chair as she watched me. "Sing it again?"

"I don't sing." I said with a nervous laugh.

"You did. Just then. I'm sorry I frightened you. It was a compliment. I just need to hear you sing. I liked your voice. It's pretty, soothing."

The way she said soothing had a longing behind it I felt like I had to please. I started playing again and she leant her chin on her hands as she watched me over the back of the chair. She closed her eyes and smiled a little, but then she looked sad, sadder than I'd ever seen anyone. Like she was sad to her soul. I wanted to ask her why, but I wasn't as forward as her, I couldn't stick my nose into her business like that. I just continued playing instead.

When I reached the end of the arrangement I put the ukulele down.

"Know any more?" She asked, looking up.

"I can't remember." I lied.

"Well, doesn't matter." She said with a smile. "What else do you do to while away the hours?"

I shrugged.

"You got a TV?" She asked.

"No." I replied, shaking my head with indifference, I'd never wanted one.

"Not even to watch films?" She asked, sounding shocked.

I shook my head and shrugged at the same time, I didn't.

"Wow." She said, and then she grinned again. "Guess we'll have to make our own entertainment."

"Sure." I said, I didn't care where this went.

"I spy with my little eye, something beginning with…W." She said, not taking her eyes off mine.

"Oh." I said. "Um…window?"

"Yeah." She said. "Your turn."

"Do we really have to play this?" I asked, not really feeling this game.

"Well, can you think of anything else to do?" She asked.

"I usually go for a walk." I answered.

"Then lets do that." She said, rising to her feet. "It'll do me good to stretch my legs anyway."

"I guess I could give you a tour of the island." I said.

"Sounds good." She said with another grin.

"Well, this way." I said and led her outside.


Thank you for reading

Please review; tell me what you think of Kekipi so far.

Just a note, this story is going to be multi-POV with one character taking over the narration of a chapter at a time, but don't worry I won't be repeating events unless it's a minor cross over, like if two characters have breakfast together then go off and do completely different things for the rest of the day. Next chapter is Billie narrating.

Gemma x