III

The Calm Before The Storm


Pale skinned, devilish brown locks, ravenous muscles were tense, covered by torn material that was once designer clothing.

And then she looked into his eyes, fierce and golden, they pierced right through her like icy daggers.

"You cold?" Eric chuckled lightly, the vibrations passing through his bare, heated chest against her cheek. Without opening her eyes, Natalia shifted closer to the warmth, hoping it would chase away her recurring, chilling nightmare.

She cursed under her breath when it didn't.

A snarling smirk crept upon the vampire's face. Fangs dripping in blood...Eric's blood.

"Natalia..." It purred, stepping closer, pressing it's fangs to her neck...

"Walter said he and Jessop chased them all the way to the town's border last night and- Nat, you listening?"

Shaking herself mentally, Natalia looked up from her position, instantly gazing into two of the most beautiful, concerned, brown eyes she had ever seen.

"You okay?" Eric asked again.

"Erm, yeah." She breathed, biting her lip in an attempt to hide her inner worry. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he murmured back, flexing his arms around her waist, relishing in the ease of the moment. Since waking, it had only taken the Alpha-wolf just over an hour to mend completely thanks to his rapid-healing werewolf genes.

Natalia nestled into his embrace, the top of her head resting perfectly into the crook of his neck like two puzzle pieces made to fit around each other. Her nightmare faded towards the back of her mind, only those haunting, golden eyes lingered in her conscious.

"So...I'm sorry all I heard was Walter. What were you saying?"

Feeling Eric's chuckles rush through her like electricity, Natalia couldn't help but grin too, his happiness powered her own.

"You know, most guys would worry if they say all that, and all their girl hears is another guy's name." He mused. Brass, bark-like laughs rumbling from his throat.

Leaning up to kiss his neck lightly, Natalia smirked, "You're not like most guys."

Eric smirked, tilting his head to look down at her, lips brushing softly against her head. "I know, I've got you." His murmured reply made her blush.

No matter how many times he said or showed it, Natalia still couldn't believe Eric loved her. It seemed unreal, like a fairytale – a world of happiness in an unforgiving war didn't seem possible.

I'll never let it go though, her heart voiced in her mind, Eric deserves to be happy...I deserve to be happy...

A shiver crept up her spine despite her efforts to fight it. It seemed her fairytale would forever be haunted by a monster in the shadows.

A snarling smirk crept upon the vampire's face. Fangs dripping in blood...Eric's blood. And then she looked into his eyes, fierce and golden, they pierced right through her like icy daggers.

"Natalia..." It purred, stepping closer, pressing it's fangs to her neck...

"Natalia...what's wrong?" Eric's voice, lost of all humour, tore her from her frightening thoughts. Natalia could feel his worry cause his heart to beat faster, his muscles tensed protectively around her.

But she still couldn't forget that night. Her first encounter with a vampire since she was a child.

Her mother was killed last time...Eric was nearly killed this time...And if Jesse and Yelina hadn't made it in time...She would have been the victim.

Another shiver ripped through her. She couldn't bear to think of what might of happened if the pack hadn't of saved her and Eric.

"Eric I..." She started, collecting her frantic thoughts and taking a deep breath. "I...I can't stop thinking about last night..."

Eric remained quiet, though Natalia could feel him tense as every word passed through her trembling lips. His jaw tightened against her head, his chest and shoulders expanded under her fingertips.

"Don't worry," he whispered soothingly, "That thing will never come near the tribe again-.." He stopped as he felt Natalia shake her head, long dark locks brushed against his skin.

"It's not that Eric...I'm worried about you." Her confession was whispered so low that without his heightened hearing, Eric wouldn't have heard it. On instinct, he held her closer; the need to protect his imprinte overrode any other thought.

"Last year...I nearly lost you to Marisol's killer." Natalia shuddered at the memory; lightening-like flashes of the terrible day attacked her mind.

According to Walter, the pack had stumbled across the vampire Lieutenant hunting with his mate and two others. During the fight, Eric was separated from the wolves and tried to take revenge against the Lieutenant alone.

It took two weeks for Eric to wake up. Unfortunately, the damage caused by Horatio Caine would be long-lasting.

"I'm afraid it's not good news sweetie..." Alexx's voice drifted through Natalia's mind, her closed eyes stinging with ghostly tears as the memory continued.

"I don't know how to say this, but Eric...he...something's changed...he's changed."

"What do you mean 'changed'?" Natalia asked, eyes wide as realisation struck.

"He's not the same...his personality, his traits...there all different now..."

"But he's okay right? Eric's going to be okay?" Natalia felt herself begging the motherly doctor rather than asking.

"He should be, it's just..." Alexx struggled to answer, knowing her news would hurt her "daughter" greatly. With a heavy heart, the motherly doctor spoke again, cutting the thick silence with a shaky whisper.

"Eric won't be Eric anymore."

Recovering from the heartbreaking memory, Natalia continued her confession to Eric, knowing he could always sense her distress and would want to know what troubles her.

"I just keep seeing him...and what he did to you...to me..." As she spoke, her hand unconsciously travelled to her neck, fingertips brushing against the two marks left from the golden-eyed vampire from her nightmares.

Eric suppressed his instinctual growls at the mention of vampires, he moved whilst keeping his arms wrapped around Natalia. Sitting up though keeping their closeness, he lightly pressed his forehead to hers, warm brown eyes connected with a chocolate gaze of equal depth.

"Natalia..." His voice was soft as he said her name, though with an undertone of strength. He took both her hands in one of his own; the other cupped her chin delicately.

"No matter what happens, I will keep you safe. I promise."

Another wave of tears filled Natalia's eyes as she saw the sincerity and love in Eric's. Softly, she leaned in and kissed his cheek, a silent show of appreciation and affection.

Lying back down on the couch, pulling Natalia with him, Eric relaxed into his previous position. Natalia cuddled closer to him and closed her eyes, trying to ignore the cold, golden eyes glowing eerily in the back of her mind.

"No matter what happens, I will keep you safe. I promise."

Razor-sharp teeth appeared from the darkness under the golden eyes. They smiled evilly, as though cheerful Eric made that promise – another chance to attack the Alpha. Natalia frowned at the thought.

That's exactly what I'm afraid of.


Reviews will keep Eric from putting a shirt on ;)

- Mel out ;D