Chapter twenty-four

Dylan's POV:

(Two years ago…)

I rolled over in my small bed and felt something vaguely warm and heavy shift with me. I looked up from the pillow and saw an arm laid across my lower back- a pale, well-muscled arm, with a large calloused hand loosely cupped around my waist. I couldn't keep the smile from spreading across my face as I realized that it hadn't been some bizarre dream…. I hadn't imagined the gorgeous werewolf who'd saved me last night. He was still here with me, in the unquestionable morning light, he was still here, sprawled out asleep with one arm looped around me.

He looked so peaceful when he was asleep, his face relaxed and his dark hair falling into his eyes. I watched his bare chest rise and fall slowly with his breathing, his lips parted slightly and he sighed… I figured he was dreaming.

I was parched; I decided to get a glass of water from the kitchen. Not wanting to wake him, I tried to ease out from under his arm without disturbing him. As I shifted slowly and quietly toward the edge of the bed Jordan moaned, unconsciously he pulled me back toward him, drawing me close so that my body was fitted into the curve of his, still sleeping, his face pressed into my hair, his arm encircling my waist tightened its hold reflexively.

I sighed in resignation and lay still in his embrace, listening to the sounds of traffic beyond my window and enjoying the feel of his breath on the back of my neck. I was just considering fluffing my pillow and going back to sleep when I heard a minute click, then the gentle scrape of wood on wood.

"Fuck!"

I tossed Jordan's arm aside and kicking the blanket aside, scrambled toward the edge of the bed, not hearing his sleepy protest, reaching for the nightstand to pull myself up I overbalanced and tumbled off the mattress, crashing to the floor just as the door opened fully and I heard my sister's gasp, "What the-!"

I leapt up and flew at her, grabbing her arm and swinging her out of the room, slamming the door behind us.

"What the hell are you doing?! Who is that guy?"

"Shh!" I hissed hurriedly, letting go of her wrist. "Keep it down- where's Mum?"

"She went for a job interview- who is that guy?!"

"He's-"

"Are you sleeping with him?!"

"No!"

"What is he doing in your room?"

"He spent the night-"

"You are sleeping with him!"

"I am not! Chill, Emily."

"Chill? You were out all night and you snuck this guy into your room… you want me to chill?"

"Emily- it isn't like that, I mean, we've kissed, but I don't know if we're together or anything- it's complicated."

Of all the people I know, or have ever known, no one has ever been able to read me like my sister… at least, not until Jordan.

She could see that I was being evasive, she could see I wasn't telling the whole truth, and she didn't buy into it for a minute. She crossed her arms across her chest and scrutinized me. I had to look down, I felt like a kid preparing to be laid into by the principal.

"What's his name?" I looked up hesitantly, she wasn't shouting anymore, but her eyes were steely, a police officer demanding a confession.

"Jordan." I said without thinking.

"How long have you known him?"

I stalled, "I don't know Em'-"

"How long?"

I sighed and mumbled, "about five hours."

"Are you kidding me?" I let my eyes drop to the floor again, the carpet fibers were so very appealing compared to meeting her gaze.

"No."

"And you have him spending the night in your room?"

"We were just kissing, Em'- I swear, I didn't have sex with him."

I put my hand up as though I were swearing in court, she didn't look totally convinced.

"Where did you meet this guy?"

I raised my hands to my face and rubbed my eyes tiredly, it was too early for this.

"Last night, when I was about to… get mugged, he came out of nowhere, and he saved me. He took care of me- he calmed me down and took me out to dinner, he brought me home, and then we just sort of… fell for each other, I guess."

She raised her eyebrow at me, "Funny, I don't remember you mentioning any of this last night."

"Oh come on, Mum would have a coronary if she found out I was making out with some stranger. I just met him, and it all just happened, I didn't have time to think-"

"Obviously."

I frowned at that.

"Come on, Emily, don't be like that. I really like this guy… he's not like anyone else I've ever met. He's… amazing."

"You sound like a love-sick lunatic."

I glared at her indignantly, "Thanks for being so understanding."

"You expect me to take you seriously?"- I guess not-"For god's sake you just met him! Why the hell are you sneaking him up into your room in the middle of the night?"

I shrugged, I didn't really know.

"I like being with him… I feel totally safe and whole and perfect…. It just feels right. I didn't know if I'd ever see him again, I just didn't want it to end."

She stared at me for a long moment. Her hazel eyes- almost identical to mine, were inscrutable.

"Are you telling me the truth?"

"Yes." Most of it.

"Why didn't you tell me before, last night on the phone, why did you try to hide this from me?"

Oh yea Em', I'm having dinner with this guy who, it turns out, is a werewolf trying to protect me from a pair of bloodthirsty vampires who nearly murdered me in an alley! Anything else you want to know before they cart me off to the psych. ward?

I answered, "I told you- I wasn't thinking. I would have told you."

"When? After he'd climbed back down the fire escape?"

"I would have told you." I repeated- I was pretty sure it was true, I would have edited of course, but I would never have lied about Jordan being in my life- not to her.

She sighed and sat down on the couch a few feet away.

"You're not going to tell Mum, are you?" I asked nervously.

"Of course not." She said, as if the very idea was ludicrous.

"Thank you." It didn't seem like enough, she still seemed miffed about something.

"Emily, I really was going to tell you, but you did catch me a little off guard… I wasn't trying to hide him from you, I just panicked when you came in, and I didn't want to make a big scene."

"I know."

"Are you angry?"

"No, I just, I don't know, you've never done something like this before." I raised my eyebrows, "I mean you've snuck guys in, sure," she hurried to correct herself.

"But never someone you just met. How do you know you can trust him, how do you feel so strongly about him when you haven't even known him a day?"

I didn't think I could explain the reason behind my attachment. How could I convey how implicitly I trusted him? How he'd saved my life- twice. How his eyes glowed in that incredible way when he was trying to understand what I was thinking…

"I feel like I've known him forever. It's just this…" I didn't know how to describe it; I waved my hand in the air, trying to find the right words. "This instant, amazing connection."

"Love at first sight?"

I blushed and looked down.

"I just met him." I said in a subdued tone. Love was so big, so distant; I couldn't put the label to myself. But these feelings were strong, and not like anything else I'd had in the past…

"That doesn't seem to be an issue in any other matter."

"I am not sleeping with him!" I cried in exasperation, a bit louder than I'd intended. She wasn't going to be sidetracked.

"Do you think you're in love with this guy?"

I chose my answer carefully, unable to distinguish specific labels from the whirlpool of feelings writhing around in the pit of my stomach.

"I don't know. Maybe."

The surprise on her face was restrained- she kept her composure.

"I know I shouldn't be rushing into anything," I added hurriedly, "but I can just feel it. It's definitely something, I don't know if it's love, but, I mean, I have all these feelings… I really don't know how to explain it." I raised my shoulders and dropped them in consternation.

She pursed her lips, sizing up all I'd said.

"You really like him?"

I sighed- like didn't seem like an adequate word, "Yes."

"And you trust him?"

I nodded. She sighed, dropped her poker face. "Ok then, I believe you, if you think he's all that, I guess you're not completely insane." She turned away from me and strode toward the door, "I'm going to get coffee- do you want any?"

"Sure. Thanks, Em'"

"No problem. Just don't let me catch you sneaking him into the apartment again. If he comes in, he comes through the front door and all that entails, got it?"

I rolled my eyes, sometimes she acted more like the mother than my mother did. "If you say so."

After she'd left I turned to the closed bedroom door, stared down at the doorknob for a moment, "I could have sworn I locked this," I muttered. I didn't remember giving Emily the key, but I suspected she'd gotten it on her own.

I opened the door slowly and stepped back into my room. The bed was empty. I looked over to the open window and felt my heart sinking. Had the scene scared him off? Had he decided to bolt before things got too complicated? Was he going to come back? I bit my lip and tried to repress the feeling of abandonment, took a few more steps into my room and stood before the bed, looking down at it silently.

I sensed a tall form come up close behind me, I could feel his body heat radiating an inch away. Strong hands slipped around my hips from behind.

"I thought you'd left." I said, not turning around. He pulled me closer, interlacing our fingers. "I wouldn't leave without telling you," he said softly, "I was just hiding in your closet, in case your sister came back in."

I laughed a little, "She was pretty surprised, but I took care of it."

"I heard." He replied quietly, his breath tickling the back of my neck. He'd been listening? I wasn't so sure that was a good thing.

"You did?" I asked lightly, trying not to be distracted by his body pressed up to mine.

"Mhm," he murmured, removing one hand from mine and tracing his fingers up and down my bare arm. "It was nice to hear you defend me." His fingers paused for a moment,

"And to hear that you care so strongly for me." His fingers reassumed their ascent over my shoulder and I caught my breath as he caressed the skin between my throat and collarbone.

"You know how I feel about you." I said, still not turning to look at him.

"We have expressed our… mutual attraction, it's true, but it was different to hear it like that."

I tried to back-peddle, "Well, I mean, I didn't mean any of that stuff, what I said to her- that is, I don't- I'm not-"

"You don't love me?" His voice was neither hurt nor accusatory; merely curious.

Again, I back-peddled, but not quite as recklessly. "It's not that I don't care about you, I mean, I do like you, that part wasn't a lie… I like you a lot. I just kind of panicked when she brought that up."

"So you do love me?" He clarified slowly.

Shit- why couldn't I form a coherent sentence? And why was he acting so calm? Most guys would flee for the hills at the vaguest mention of the horrible "L" word, but he was being so nonchalant. It threw me off.

My answer was slow and disjointed…. "Not… exactly."

"It's a yes or no question, Dylan." Who made that rule? But I guess it was essentially a yes or no question- Yes, I love you, I want to stay with you, or No, I don't, goodbye. But I'd never really bought into the whole love shtick, "let's get married and grow old together" and mom and dad and baby makes three and all that stuff. It hadn't worked out for my parents, and I'd just assumed it didn't work for anyone else either, including me. But wasn't this particular question also one of possibility? He wasn't asking me to marry him, he wasn't just asking did I love him, but could I love him. Did I think it was real? Yes or no question.

I took in a deep breath, then said softly, "Then yes, I guess."

He was silent behind me, but he didn't let go of my hands.

"I mean," I hurried to explain, "I feel like I could, someday. We just met so I know I can't… you know… right now, I mean, it's so big, and there's no rush or anything, right?"

Was it just me or was I acting more like the typical teenage male than he was?

"Agreed," he said calmly. Ok, he was still stoic as a statue behind me, I continued a little more easily, "so, since there's no rush, and since we've only known each other for, what, half a day? I don't love you… right now."

"Ok…" There was an unspoken question at the end of that two syllable reply, and did I imagine a hint of disappointment?

After a second's pause I finished, "But I will… someday."

"Really?"

"Yes. I think what we have, however strangely it started-" He gave a small dark chuckle at that; I guess it was a little too soon to be cracking jokes- "I think it's powerful, and real, and I don't think it's going to fade away. I think it's going to grow. So I guess this is the falling, before the actual love part." I sounded naïve and corny even to myself, a bad soap opera I would have turned off in disgust. But it was the best way I could say it. Jordan didn't say anything, and I feared in that crucial second that's I'd blundered and lost him.

"I feel the same way."

I missed a beat in my breathing pattern. Did that mean what I think it did?

"You're the only one I've ever felt this strongly about." He continued, speaking a little more quickly, as if forcing himself to say it all before he chickened out.

"I feel myself falling in love with you- slowly but undeniably. I never jump into things like this, I've never had such a fast connection, and I'm not afraid I'm going to get hurt or be disappointed; now it's the opposite, I'm worried about messing this up, worried I'll disappoint you."

"You could never disappoint me."

"I hope not. I wouldn't want to do anything that might push you away. Which is strange isn't it, since last night that's exactly what I was trying to do? Exactly what I should do,"

"Not should, " I contradicted softly. I hated the idea of him cutting me out. I thought we'd resolved this already. Was he going to start again?

"At this point it's too late. I can't pull away, and what's more I don't want to. I want to get closer. I-"

I turned to face him suddenly, turned my face up to his and kissed him, cutting off his rant. He hesitated for a second, then parted my lips gently with his tongue and pulled me into a tighter embrace, the fingers of one hand curling into my hair. I pushed him toward the bed and he collapsed onto the mattress, pulling me down with him so that I lounged on top of his chest, turning my head to deepen the kiss, my fingers roving over the muscles of his arms, his shoulders, and back down to his hands, caressing each long finger and the calloused palms. He sighed and gently pulled his hands out of mine, placing them gently on either side of my face and pushing me back a fraction, breaking the contact between our lips.

"Are you ok?" I asked, slightly out of breath- why did he have to stop now? My blood was boiling in my veins; I didn't want to separate his mouth from mine.

Jordan's POV:

"I can't stay." I said slowly. Her eyebrows puckered comically in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"There's only one more night till the full moon. I have to leave, Dylan."

She slumped against my chest and rested her chin on my sternum, gazing up at me, frowning. I didn't like the way those intense brown-green eyes were tinged dark with unhappiness. But I also felt flattered, she didn't want me to leave, the very thought of it made her wilt in disappointment.

"Oh," she responded belatedly, looking down so that I could no longer see her eyes and tracing her fingers delicately over my stomach, I stifled a groan, "you're not making this easy." I told her, trying to ignore the sensation of her soft skin on mine. She looked up again, smiling crookedly.

"Sorry,"

"I'll bet you are." Her grin widened and she pulled herself upright, so that she sat in my lap, looking down at me as I lay flat. She placed her hands flat on my chest and spread the fingers wide, tapping out a light drum roll against my ribs. "I don't think I'm going to let you leave," she declared, looking down at me impishly.

"Oh really?" I caught her wrists, careful to avoid her bandages, and pulled her arms toward my shoulders, wrapping them around my neck and circling my hands around her waist, pulling her closer and pressing my lips teasingly to the base of her throat. She caught her breath and wriggled half-heartedly but could not pull herself upright from her new position. As I drew away at a painstakingly slow pace she raised her eyebrows at me.

"Well, you have an unfair advantage."

"I'm stronger?"

"No." she grinned, "I'm just a pushover when you do that,"

"What?"

"You know," she leaned into me and her mouth hovered an inch from mine, her warm breath sending chills of desire down my spine. "This sort of thing," she whispered, pulling her face away from mine as I raised my head to receive the kiss and instead resting her chin on her palm.

"Well, I'll try not to torture you like that."

"Good." She allowed herself to be pulled toward my mouth again and this time kissed back in full. I stroked the smooth lines of her cheekbone, her chin, marveling at how soft the skin was. Her fingers found their way to my face as well, they caressed across my forehead and down my cheeks, I hoped she wouldn't stop.

I inhaled deeply and the smell filled my lungs- the delicious human aroma- pulsing with vitality and heat. The soft vigor of honeysuckle and the tarter sweetness of pomegranate, they made my mouth water and my head spin, the skin of her lips was rosy and satin soft, so easy to tear through… I pulled back abruptly, jerking out of her hold, almost biting my own lip in my swift reaction to the instinct sizzling in my nerves.

She could tell I had pulled away for a different reason than before, didn't make a move to close the short distance between our faces again. She sat still, hands resting lightly on my chest, head cocked in uncertainty, looking down at me. "I'm sorry," I muttered, shame checking the horrible desire and forcing it back into the recesses of my mind.

"What's wrong?"

How to answer truthfully? How could I admit to the strange craving that had gripped me, that, with the full moon only twelve or so hours away, my Lycan nature was sneaking into the open, trying to pry away my resolve and force my hand in some terrible way?

I wanted to tell her, I wanted her to be aware of the danger, even more so than she already should be, I wanted her to grasp the severity of the situation. But I couldn't.

She had decided she wanted me- despite the unquestionable risk, despite my own assertion that I was not safe- she had asked me to stay. I didn't want to lose her, but I had sworn I would not lie to her; it would compromise her safety, which was something I could not endure. But how could I tell her this? -This instantaneous weakness, this passing savage thirst. Surely I could keep such details to myself? I didn't have to scare her unnecessarily. This could work- it could. She believed it would, and she wanted it to, and that was enough to convince me that there was a chance at least. Too big a chance perhaps, but I couldn't go back now, I was too attached to her, I didn't think I could let go, even if I had the faintest desire to.

I realized I hadn't answered her question. I tried to make my voice natural and easy, as I answered, "nothing."

She bit the inside of her mouth slightly, scrutinizing my answer; I tried to keep my face calm and earnest.

"Are you sure?" she asked, her tone telling me she didn't buy my response. I didn't answer that, just took her face gently in my palms and looked at her wistfully, she didn't blink, I wanted so badly to kiss her again.

I sighed and removed my hands.

"I really do need to go." I said gently, hoping she understood the gravity hidden in the simple sentence. There was a flicker of disappointment in her eyes, but she nodded, pulled herself off my chest and sat on the bed silently, watching me get up.

"I'll come back when it's safe." I promised, retrieving my jacket from the floor and tugging it on over my bare torso.

"When's that?"

"Three days."

"Can I ask where you'll be hiding out?"

I bit my lip; "I think it's better if you don't know."

"Okay," she looked disappointed again.

I leaned down and kissed her forehead gently, "I'll miss you."

"Good," she smiled half-heartedly and raised her face, catching my mouth before I straightened and kissing me in a way that made me want to forget about leaving and lie down with her again- but I didn't. I pulled away a fraction, she half smiled musingly.

"Three days?"

"Three days." I affirmed, the corners of my mouth twitching. Then I looked at her seriously, "will you please try to stay out of trouble?'

"I'll try," she forced a smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I promise," she vowed, then I took one last long breath, inhaling the lovely floral smell that would stick in my head as long as I was away from her- and left.

I know I abandoned you for the longest time, but if you still want to hear my story please review this recent update! I love you forever my loyal fans!