Nanny Halloween
Chapter 14: The veil falls
CC turned slowly and directed a glare to whatever was before her.
She couldn't quite believe her eyes.
After all, she had been expecting a vampire.
Maxwell had started behaving like a low-life manipulator, and initially she had just been annoyed; however, when he sported those huge fangs, she was prepared to see him turning into some bat-like creature, with bloody red eyes and that black cap ready to engulf the victim into darkness at any given moment.
She had heard him yelling at her with hatred, and she had felt a presence close to her, when she finally got out of the house.
CC had imagined a huge and aggressive bloody-sucking monster, in front of her, approaching slowly while savoring the moment when the victim would be immolated.
Reality was very different.
What she had in front of her was a mix of man and animal, but she couldn't even say it was a dog-like creature; it was more like a man with wolfish traces.
And sparking blue eyes she could recognize any place.
She tilted her head in contemplation.
So, Niles is a werewolf.
Really… this is getting ridiculous…
She observed while he approached, walking slowly and never getting his eyes off of her.
His fur was short and light hazel in almost all of him, minus his face, where it had turned into a sandy mess that was part hair/part beard around the strong chin, what gave him an air of...
Beast from the X-Men.
Uhm... It's kind of interesting...
She noticed he walked on his fours comfortably, but would give some steps, stop and take his front legs from the soil to look at her at a different angle.
His slightly pointed (but, in general, human) ears were turned to her, the pronounced nostrils were flaring and he had an attentive look in his eyes, showing clearly how focused he was on her.
At the end, he was a satisfactory (meaning non-repulsive, but still shocking) mix of human and Siberian husky, and CC had to admit Fran had hit the nail in the head since the beginning.
In fact, the blonde was surprised she hadn't seen the signals herself: the flaring nostrils on her at the first visit, the over-muscular body always seemingly uncomfortable in tight clothes, the posture of a guardian to the house, the loyalty to the master, the obedience to commands, the pleasure at laying in the sun, the good relationship with animals in general…
Really, how was it I didn't notice?
Oh, it's not like I believed these kinds of things...
Back to the point: Siberian huskies are pretty, but they can be very aggressive, too.
This… guy here was focused on her… What did it mean? That he was finding her interesting? That he would prefer her better if she was in pieces?
Did he remember her in some way, or she was just a stranger he had caught inside his territory, and had the mission to get rid of?
Suddenly, the story about the dogs being beaten to death, wounded and traumatized, added to Niles' suffering, made sense. He felt guilty because he had hurt the animals he considered his companions.
What would he do to her, if their last conversation had ended with her letting him alone and denying him what he had asked of her?
CC breathed deeply. There was no way out of this. She would discover the truth soon enough.
She moved a bit to relax her muscles, tentatively, without taking her eyes from his.
She knew a bit about dogs, and knew that he could feel challenged by her insistent glare, but she couldn't help but stare.
He still was the guy she was attracted to, and he was turned into a muscular furry animal.
Living with him would be like having a mix of teddy bear and mutant hero seven nights per month, if he didn't ripped her apart, tonight.
I could live with that.
However, CC knew the most probable thing was he would not react well to her.
He had tried to send her away; he expected to be dangerous to her. He must have known the kind of thing he would be able to do while changed like this.
Once she moved even the slightest, he gave a step behind and groaned menacingly at her.
Things were never easy between us, anyway.
CC knelt down, ignoring his groans (that were getting louder), and extended a hand, saying calmly and in a low tone, 'Come here'.
The creature looked at her in silence for some moments, tilting his head, and then gave the necessary steps to be at her reach.
He was still wary and, when she moved hesitantly to try to touch him, he snarled at her, fully dog-style, as if he was still ready to bite her at any moment.
Her blood boiled.
She had seen more supernatural beings in the last five minutes than she had ever seen and would probably see for the rest of her life; she had thought she would be dead at least twice in the last days; how was it he dared to act as if she was the one able to hurt him?!
Annoyed, she acted without thinking.
She gave an educational light tap on the tip of his nose, 'Stop it, for God' sake. We both know you like me'.
He froze, eyes wide, obviously shocked.
CC was wide eyed too, mirroring him for a second, realizing that maybe it was not the smartest way to show she was not a menace.
An idea stroke her, and she put her hand quickly under his nose, 'Here. Feel it'.
Of course, the gesture could just make easier his probable intention of ripping her to shreds.
However, his nostrils flared again and he concentrated in her hand, exploring her skin with his slightly wet nose.
It was almost surreal how CC could notice the exact moment when recognition took him.
His eyes were human, in that moment. She saw Niles there, really seeing her and understanding who he had in front of him.
Soon, the moment was gone, but the blue eyes had gained that unreserved affection dogs are known for, and she knew she was safe.
CC moved her hand to scratch behind his ear – because it felt like the right thing to do.
He was just a big dog, after all.
He closed his eyes and opened his mouth in pleasure.
She chuckled and he gave a step towards her, clumsily placing his body next to her in search of more contact.
A lonely big dog.
Her hand went to his furry back, while the other reached for his chest and she scratched it lightly with her nails, realizing how totally innocent the action was, now. Earlier, under the afternoon sun, she had desired the man; now, seeing him totally bare and transformed into an irrational beast, she only wanted to hug him and protect him from his own solitude...
He seemed to have the same idea somehow, because he was almost on her lap, now, rubbing his face against hers and licking her hand.
He still has good communication skills...
'Yes, come here, pretty boy', she said in a soothing voice, 'You're really a Husky Butler, aren't you? Fran was right… I should have heard her. You know, it is hard to know who to listen to, because if I had obeyed you, I would be far from here, now. And it is great that I stayed, isn't it? Doesn't it feel good? Yes, it feels!'
He looked into her eyes for a moment and she knew that, in some place inside that creature, Niles was feeling this… this something as much as she was.
This something that maybe couldn't be expressed in words even if he was human, now.
She was human and she couldn't say it. She just knew it was about safety, tenderness, trust and something indefinable she had to ponder about, later, when he would be able to help her with more than celebratory licks.
Not that I'm against human celebratory licks...
CC sighed, relaxing into that innocent warmth, 'It's ok, now. I'll stay with you, and nothing bad will happen. Are you listening to me, Niles?'
He raised his ears at the sound of his name in her voice.
Their eyes met.
CC smirked, knowing he would recognize her nasty ways, 'Relax, baby. I know what I'm doing. Just obbey me'.
He still kept looking at her face for a while; then, seemingly satisfied, he backed off a bit, walked in circles until he lied down, and put his head on her lap, sighing deeply.
CC's brows went up in amusement, 'You'll never hear the end of it tomorrow'.
She never thought she would feel at peace being the pillow for an oversized dog, but she was. All she had feared – loosing her mind and her control of herself, not having this feeling of belonging – was gone. She had discovered the truth, and even if it was not as good as she could have desired (or even believable), she knew they could find a solution.
Relaxed, she adjusted herself and laid down, knowing Niles would stay awake and take care of both of them for the night.
She fell asleep…
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…and woke up with the sun shining in her eyes and a naked man spooning her.
She rose on her elbows and enjoyed the view of their entwined legs, 'Well, I could really get used to this…'
Her voice startled him, and he jolted awake.
She looked at him while he sat up and accessed their predicament.
He was naked, while she was wearing her clothes from last afternoon; he was confused by how they had ended together, she was smirking at him.
She was so giddy, in fact, that she had to tease, 'For a watchdog, you are really faulty. What would have happened if someone had come while you were sleeping?'
Niles was frowning; at her words, he put a hand on his forehead, 'What happened?'
She made a mocking serious face, 'Well, it was a lot of supernatural phenomena. Where do you want me to begin?'
He put his hands over his face, worn out, 'Please, Miss Babcock…'
She waved a hand nonchalantly, 'You're naked and I can feel your… well, the length of your interest touching my thigh. Maybe it is time for you to call me CC'.
'Oh, I'm sorry', he put his hands on the ground and tried to disentangle himself from her the quickest he could.
What was not quick enough, because she simply didn't permit him to move himself. On the contrary, she made all the moving, rolling them over, so she could be on top of him, 'Stop fussing. I'll tell you what happened if you relax'.
'Don't you want me to…?', he started, obviously torn between a gentlemanly offer and the pleasant situation.
'There's no need. I had the night to get used to you', she smirked and nudged him, 'Our first night together. What do you think, wolf-man?'
He cringed, 'We didn't do it… did we?'
She bit her lower lip to suppress a grin, 'I'm not sure… Howl for me'.
He rolled his eyes, 'You're getting me worried'.
She laughed, 'Really, Niles, I'm not that into bestiality. My limit is you… in this form'.
That made him look at her fixedly and, after some moments of trying to figure her out through her face, he gave her the first smile since he woke up, 'You're really all right'.
She smiled, 'Oh, yes, I am. You didn't tear me into pieces', she answering while making her fingertips run on the skin of his arm just to see if he would shiver or anything.
He did. And his interest twitched, too.
'Did he attack you?', Niles asked, trying to maintain the focus in his worries about her and his doubts about last night.
'He tried to convince me to do things for him, but I was not in the mood'.
'Things?'
She noticed his shocked expression and clarified, 'Vampirish things, Niles'.
'And he just let you go?'
'Maybe he was going to, but I got rid of him before he could decide'.
His eyes went wide.
'No, I didn't kill him. I just kicked him in the balls and run away. Not very classy, but that was the only way to avoid any further embarrassment'.
'Oh', he nodded in understanding, and brought a hand to put a strand of hair behind her ear, 'He went after you?'
'He tried, but I had kicked him so hard he didn't stand a chance'.
'You kicked him?'
'Yes, and I had left the door open, so I could get out of the room when I needed', she grinned smugly.
'You had opened the door for him?'
Oops, 'Uh, no. I was in his room, in fact'.
'What?!'
'I went to investigate. I mean, I had heard the whimpering sound at my door, and then the corridor was empty, and I thought I had to discover the truth...'
'Alone?!'
'I did it, didn't I? I'm here, I'm safe, and I did discovered the truth!'
He breathed deeply, gulping down the panic that was completely useless now that things had already turned out well, 'And you run out here?'
'Yes', she understood they had a truce, 'I felt that, even if there was a crazy animal howling, I would be better here than there'.
He wriggled his eyebrows, 'You prefer this beast?'
She chuckled, 'Dogs over bats? It is not such a difficult choice', she rubbed her leg on his, 'Dogs are warmer, cuter and more loyal'.
'So', he asked, caressing her face and turning serious, 'Is it decided? Have you really chosen?'
'Yes', she answered with certainty, and pecked his lips.
'Miss Babcock... CC...', he said, getting emotional, 'You must know this... situation was designed to last forever. I'll probably never be able to give you the life you deserve. I'll always be the man who must hide one week per month'.
'Does it mean you're thinking of us being around each other for such a long time that it will become an issue?', she asked and winked at his worried face, letting him know she was kidding, 'Niles, I have been living the life I thought I deserved and it didn't make me happy. Don't you think I had to be really stupid to let... this slip away?'
'You would be stupid if you didn't think you deserved happiness, indeed, being the amazing woman you are', he was very serious, even seeing her shy smile, 'But how can you be so sure your happiness is here? I mean, I know mine is with you, but I don't want you to feel pressed to stay...'
She nose kissed him, as he had done to her two nights before, just to interrupt him, 'I prefer to think the life I deserve includes you'.
He finally grinned at her, 'I would be honored if you thought the life I deserve has you in it'.
'I do', she said with certainty, and cleared her throat when he seemed delighted by her saying those very specific words to him, 'Don't worry, I want you. Whatever it is you have to offer'.
He touched her lips with his and parted slightly to murmur, 'You baffle me…'
'How is it?', she asked, her lips searching his for more pressing touches.
'I'm moved… and aroused… I don't know what to feel…'
She looked into his eyes, 'Last night, when you were not quite yourself, you taught me things don't have to be just this or that: you were the dog and, at the same time, you were Niles. You feared me, but you knew you could trust me. You hesitated, but you couldn't stay away. Things can be both the opposites and a lot more. Don't try to name it'.
They kissed and her hands roamed, exploring his exposed body, while his played with the forms hidden under the clothes.
'What are we going to do?', he asked, suddenly, stopping everything.
'Don't you know how it works?', she wanted to tease, but seeing his distressed look, she changed her mind, 'Oh, you mean the location? Well, I thought we could take advantage of the first rays of sun this place sees in decades and just stay here; but we can go to your room, or mine, if you prefer'.
'No, I meant about all that happened last night and… Wait. You want to have sex with me here?'
She nodded.
'We could get caught!'
'By who? The road is always empty, and it is improbable someone could see us behind those bars of the gate. Fran has gone away, and Dracula must be in his room, sleeping'.
'Wow. You have thought of everything'.
'If your role in this relationship is to act as the animal side, mine is to be the thoughtful one'.
He blinked at her, and then grinned, 'I'm game'.
'Oh, come here, pretty boy!', she teased and he seemed to like it, because he was on top of her in a second, and then he rolled them until they were out of the lane, in a bed of grass next to the pines, she on top again.
CC pecked his lips and straddled him to get rid of her blouse and bra.
Niles sat up and reached out to touch her back, and then her breasts, and she moaned low at his ministrations.
'I had a feeling you would enjoy being on top', he said, and his voice was full of endearment.
She approached to kiss him deeply, 'You have mentioned it. I paid attention'.
He hugged her, feeling the perfume in her hair, 'You must know I demand a lot of attention'.
She relaxed on his arms, 'Yes, I have already noticed you're not more than a puppy. I'll make sure to train you, so you'll act just on my command'.
He tried to answer, but she rubbed her breasts on his chest to elicit a moan from him and show who was the boss.
Niles took her hair away to kiss her neck, murmuring something about having some initiatives himself, and CC moaned in delight.
He murmured in her ear, 'The marks in your neck are gone'.
She backed off to look him in the eyes and put a hand over the side of her neck, 'Really?'
'Uhum', he said, searching her face, 'How does it feel?'
She took a moment to think, then relaxed again, putting her hands on his shouders, 'It feels good. Now I'm ready to have just your kind of bite'. Both chuckled, and she added, 'If you let me bite you, too, obviously'.
He helped her while she moved to take off her pants and what was under, and threw it away.
Finally nude, she came back to sit on his lap and they enjoyed a more through making-out session, taking advantage of the position and reaching an agreement over both being free to take initiatives.
'You must know', Niles panted, at some moment, 'You can do whatever you wish'.
CC recognized his double meaning – he was answering to her previous teasing about bites, but he was talking about her in general, too, 'I know you trust me like that, baby, and I intend to honor that', she kissed him delicately, 'From now on, we stick together'.
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If the size of her hungriness was a good indication, CC could swear it was almost midday.
She looked at the sky and noticed that the position of the sun indicated it was, really, almost midday.
Wow. We spent the morning making love in the grass.
She could feel the sweat rolling between her breasts and the small leaves glued to her back, and couldn't care less if this was not exactly the kind of story she could tell to her social peers.
Thinking better, it would be really fun to tell, just to see their faces...
CC looked at the man besides her.
He looked back at her, took her hand and turned on his side to look adoringly at her.
Niles took her hand and kissed it, maintaining it close to his nose, so he could feel her scent.
She smiled, 'I thought you were worried about us getting caught', she said.
'I was', he said, 'Why?'
She smirked, 'You were not very quiet'.
He blushed, 'It is not like I could prevent it'.
CC chuckled: she had thought the wolf thing would not matter, when they started making love. She had desiered Niles after she knew he had this... side of him.
However, to be totally sincere, the little manneirisms he had, as the way he loved her scent, the sound (very similar to howling) he made when he came, among many others she could relate to been a werewolf for so much time, were all not just lovely, but a huge turn on.
Not mentioning the rough side he showed her not long ago, when he was beyond the realm of control, what she found a HUGE turn on.
Yes, what really mattered was that they fitted together, in more ways than one; but, discovering she felt complete when she made arise his wildest side was something that added confidence and a kind of self-knowledge to her that CC didn't expect.
She was enjoying it a lot. It was like discovering she possessed a totally unexpected and delightful talent.
She searched his hand to entwine their fingers, 'I was just teasing, lover. You're even sexier when you're naked and howling like that'.
'Sexier? So, you have found me sexy before?'
'Couldn't you say?'
'Sometimes it was hard to tell, by the way you behaved, if you were pulling or pushing me'.
'Yeah...', she said, lost while caressing the line of his shoulder.
'Yeah what?'
'Sometimes it's hard, sometimes I'm pulling, sometimes I'm pushing, and I can do a lot more'.
He laughed and molded his body to hers, helping her to increase the rubbing between them.
After some moments he moved to kiss her sweaty forehead, 'Let's go in? A shower would do us good'.
'You're just trying to change the scenario to start it all over again'.
'Am I that obvious?'
'I hope you are, or I'm reading things totally wrong, here'.
'No, you are not', Niles guaranteed, pecked her lips and got up.
He helped her and started gathering her clothes.
'Where are yours?', CC asked, curious.
'I probably ripped them apart when I changed. I had no time to get rid of them before it started, as I usually do'.
'How was it you were so unprepared, yesterday? With all the worry about me and Fran, it is strange you didn't have a plan, in the case we didn't do as you asked'.
Niles straightened, the clothes folded in one arm, and extended a hand to hold hers, 'I can't think clearly when the full moon approaches, and it probably came earlier, last night. I decided to wait until the last moment to make you understand the danger, and then I fell asleep, and I woke up to you hovering over me in the garden, and then we kissed but you said you didn't believe me... When I finally took the decision, it was too late and I had to run away'.
'Because you thought you would hurt me?'
'Yes', he seemed shy, 'I'm still sorry I was not able to protect you...'
She tugged him to her, 'Don't you believe in Fate? Not even when it proves things happen for the better?'
He sighed, 'I was so desperate... I would die if I did anything to you...'
'But you just did...'
He smiled, 'Something bad'.
She squeezed his hand, 'Forget it. Now that I'm your owner, I can take care of you every night. Wolf or man'.
She had to control herself to not giggle when she noticed he had moved his body as if he couldn't contain his happiness, but then he stopped and made a worried face, 'We have to discuss it... The wolf part, at least. I'm still not sure I'm not dangerous to you. It could be a one-night thing'.
'A one-night thing?', CC scoffed and turned to the mansion, pulling him, 'I see you're very difficult to convince. We'll talk while we shower. I'll make you understand things run deeply, here'.
Again, Niles shook when delighted, and CC smiled at how transparent he was.
They started walking together to the mansion, holding hands.
'I wonder…', Niles commented, adjusting her clothes on his arm absent-mindedly and looking around.
'What?'
'Why did Miss Fine lock the gates? I mean, it must have been her, once she took the car and left the house shortly before I changed'.
They stopped at the door and, while Niles opened it, it was CC's turn to look around, 'I have no idea. Maybe she wanted to make sure whatever happened during the night would stay inside the walls?'
He shrugged and let the door open for her.
She entered, pecking him in the lips while passing by.
Niles was closing the door and preparing to say something about her taking care when she teased a dog, but he heard her yell.
He didn't have time to turn around by himself; he was turned by CC, who had come to hide behind him and managed to manouever his arm, so her clothes were covering his naked center.
'What the...', he started.
'Look!', she pointed, an arm extending by his side.
He looked to the place she was pointing at and, at the middle of the living room, sitting on the sofa and wide eyed at the sight of them, was Fran Fine.
On the other sofa, lying down, eyes closed and with no visible reaction, was Maxwell Sheffield.