Stray

By: Thorn Rainbowshimmer (aka Rinnie)

Started: 19 August 04

Completed:

This story is based on characters and events from the Otherworld Series © by Kelley Armstrong. I highly recommend reading the series if you have not done so.  Any characters created outside of the original storyline are purely of my creation and have been modified and/or tweaked to fit the original story basis. Please sit back and enjoy.

Nicole opened the car door and looked towards the front of her vehicle. It was dark, darker than it should have been for early evening.

Get back in the car and drive away.

She edged along the grassy shoulder careful not to fall on the slipper grass. The creature lying in front of her car was drowned in shadows. It appeared to be swallowing all light around it.

What are you doing?! Get in the car!

Her mouth moved, but no words came out. Her hands outstretched palms forward she moved closer. A small shaft of light caught the black fur of the animal. Slowly Nicole hunched down as she came upon the animal.

You're crazy!! Get in the car! Get in the god damned car!!

She was a foot from the creature; everything else seemed to melt into blackness. The worlds focus was on the creature, pinpoint and tunneling the entire view into that single moment. Her mouth still moving and hand out, slowly so slowly she moved towards it. The creature shifted, moved onto its feet. Dark lips curled over sharp white teeth, it stood eye height to Nicole's stooped form. Suddenly a flash of white light seared her vision, and a heavy weight hit her chest knocking her back. Her arms flew up to protect herself but a sharp pain drilled down her left one as the smell of mildew and dirt filling her senses. Nicole felt herself falling away, far far away and in the distance someone was screaming.

Nicole bolted up in bed to find that she was the one screaming. Her bed sheet was wrapped around her leg and a faint tingling ran through her body. Nicole untangled the sheet and to find it shredded from waist down. The tingling subsided singling that the Change had left her body. She looked at the clock; realizing dawn had barely begun its ascent. She climbed out of bed feeling the coolness of the hardwood against her bare feet. Nicole caught a glimpse of her naked reflection from the standing mirror. Pale Scottish skin, over a 5'6" frame, her golden red hair falling in sweaty ringlets down past her waist. Her deep set green eyes stared back at her, radiating fear and anger. Goosebumps prickled over her flesh, a cold sweat left over from her night tremor. She should go back to bed, but she wasn't going to. She grabbed an oversized shirt and headed downstairs to the kitchen. The house was quiet and empty, which suited her just fine. She appreciated her solitude and peace since returning home. Her parents understood her reclusive nature stemming from childhood and extending to adulthood. What they did not know was what really had happened during those two years she was out of touch. She had brushed it to being on sabbatical and after much persuasion and keeping to vague facts they had bought into her lie. They didn't need to know what had been done to her and what it had done to her psyche and body. She took a deep breathe and pushed the thoughts from her mind. Six months and counting since her escape.

Nicole awoke from her curled position on the porch swing. She yawned and sniffed the air taking note that it was early afternoon. She gazed out across her back yard, eyes drifting towards the birds gathered at the small pond near the far edge of the property before it became part of the woods and continuing on for another several acres in all directions of Oswego County. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply letting the day's smells and sounds wash over her body and fill her with the calm sought. It was broken suddenly by the sound of the phone ringing in the house. Nicole grumbled and got up, taking her time as she made her way inside. Before she reached the phone in the kitchen her machine in the hall had picked up. She heard her own voice echo through the house reciting a boring message about leaving detailed information.

"Nicole? Nicole are you there?" there was a brief pause as the she waited for someone to pick the phone up, "It's Helen, Nicole, I tried your cell but you must have it turned off. Look, I know you aren't working as much cause of your sabbatical thing but we need you to do a shoot for us. Some small town visitor brochure or something. I wouldn't ask but the town is only 2 hours from you and our other photographers are tied up till next week. I'll fax the specifics to you. Thanks a bunch hon, and please call me, friend to friend."

The line disconnected as Nicole stood over the machine staring at in blankly. Her mind wrapped itself around the message. She hadn't worked since her disappearance and hadn't spoken to Helen, her best friend and Editor, in a month or so. She hadn't the need for money, what with parents who owned a quarter of the east coast's newspapers and magazines. It was only natural for Nicole to be drawn to photography, it did not seem natural though for her to want to do freelance work and odd jobs instead of a steady job following around a reporter day in and day out. Still work was work, and any reason for her to rejoin the human world was reason enough for her to head out. She had promised herself that much, to keep moving toward the future instead of dwelling on the past. She scratched her left arm absently as she warned up stairs, her finger tracing along a barely visible scar. The remnants of a deep gash left by the Wolf's first bite.

It was nearly two pm when Nicole finally puller her beat up '88 Suburban in front of Bear Valley City Hall. She sifted through the Mc Donald's cheeseburger wrappers to the fax paperwork buried beneath. She wiped the paperwork off with her shirt sleeve and checked her reflection in the rear view mirror. She could smell the manufactured taint of her eye makeup and taste it in her lip gloss. Her heightened senses could be a blessing and a curse at times. She took another deep breath to fill her nostrils with the leftover scent of her lunch before exiting the car. The smells of downtown Bear Valley hit her with such force that she stumbled back into the car door. Exhaust, human sweat, asphalt, with faint traces of food all seemed to swirl around her. She closed her eyes and took a moment to gather her focus. In that moment she realized just how wrong she had been to spend so much time away from humans the past 6 months. Her mind flittered briefly on past thoughts of returning to New York City. A cool spring breeze whipped past her bringing with it the fresh smells of growth and the coming spring, she let the thought drift past her on the breeze. One final check of her outfit, jeans, sandals, and a modest collared shirt and she headed into City Hall. She braced herself for the next wave of new smells as she entered. Her hand clenched on the camera bag strap as her nostrils were assaulted with the bitter smell of copier toner and white out. Her ears thudded with the clatter of keyboards being used. Her trip down the hallways was more excruciating than expected. She reached the City Managers office after what seemed like an eternity and was bowled back with the smell of furniture polish and plastic. The secretary behind the desk looked up at her, a frumpy woman with tiny legs to support her weight. Her scowl of disapproval vanished behind a smile as she took in Nicole's thin toned frame and ample bosom, off set with her petite curved hips and slim waist.

"May I help you?" the secretary asked a little too cheerily. Nicole smiled and held out her hand.

"Nicole McDermitt, I'm here to take photographs of your lovely town."

The secretary's eyes flashed briefly with disgust at Nicole's outfit, as she daintily shook Nicole's hand. Nicole pondered crushing the woman's hand in hers. She smiled mischievously allowing the thought to float through her mind and to her eyes. The secretary pulled back her hand alarmed by Nicole's response.

"Ah yes," she flustered and began sorting through files on her desk, "Mr. Wagner mentioned that to me. Wasn't expecting such a prompt response. When did your flight arrive?" the secretary was stood now as she moved to another desk with more files piled on it.

"I drove." Nicole replied plainly. The woman stood up straighter, her dress catching in the folds of her skin.

"Drove? From New York City?" she looked at Nicole eyebrows raised.

"I live 2 hours west of here."

"Oswego?"

"Not quite."

"Oh," the woman went back to her rummaging as though the response answered everything she suspected. She picked up a manila file and turned back to Nicole. "Here it is, miss." She handed the file to Nicole.

"I take it Mr. Wagner is unavailable." Nicole smiled sweetly as she took the folder.

"Actually he is on vacation this week." The secretary sighed as though she deserved the time off as well, "As I said we had not expected a prompt response." Nicole nodded, thanked the woman, and hurried back to her car. Once inside she inhaled deeply attempting to rid her sense of the building. She checked her watch, noting the time and the suns height. Should be able to click off two rolls before heading home, she thought to herself.

Three hours later, Nicole stopped for some coffee at a local place called The Donut Hole. She spoke with the manager briefly about her assignment and asked permission about taking some pictures of the customers while waiting for a fresh pot of coffee to brew for her journey home. The place was fairly vacant, a few locals sitting at the counter and scattered among the tables. Nicole chalked it up to small town traditions of closing around 5-6 pm. She noticed as the day got later less and less people were out and about. She set up at the far side of the shop to get the most people. The sun was also at her back giving the shop a smoky and laid back kind of atmosphere. She snapped quite a few shots, and took a few close-ups of a smiling boy, maybe 3 or 4, who decided to pose for all of her pictures. She was in the middle of taking an after shot of the child's giant jelly donut bite, leaving his lips and cheeks coated in powdered sugar and red jelly when the cow bell above the door clanged announcing another customer. She clicked her shot and aimed another at the newcomer to catch his entrance. Her finger was depressing the shutter when the smell of him hit her like a ton of bricks. Adrenaline shot through her system and her heart sped up in her chest. She felt her body break into a cold sweat as she took it all in. She knew that smell, perhaps not the man, but she knew the smell of another wolf. She hadn't smelled it in 6 months. The man was big, football player big, with broad shoulders and chest slimming down to a trim waist and well muscled legs. His skin was the deep tan of Mediterranean descent couple with his dark wavy hair and deep brown eyes. He was dressed nice but modestly and he turned to regard her once he caught her scent. Her brain was screaming to run, to flee, as thoughts of her 2 year cell crept up into her mind. She swallowed hard and realized she was staring a little too hard when the jelly faced boy tugged her sleeve.

"Hey lady." He called up to her.

"Ma'am." His mother corrected not looking up from her newspaper. Nicole looked down at him and managed a weak smile. The boy's eyes shone with concern for his new friend.

"Did you clean your face?" Nicole's voice cracked and she covered it with a chuckle.

"Nah-ah!" he shouted and grabbed his donut to take another huge bite. Nicole snapped off a few more short of his second giant donut bite to finish off the roll. She stuffed her camera in the bag, handed the boys mother a business card, and waved goodbye to the little boy as she headed to the register. The dark Wolf was sitting on the stool beside the register waiting for his order and watching her approach with cautious interest. His eyes shone with amusement as he smiled a greeting. Nicole's alarm bells started to ring inside her head. She had to focus to hear past the blood in her ears and the pounding of her heart. She faked a quick smile in return and stood before the register.

"Two fifty." The waitress said as she wiped her hands to ring Nicole's coffee up.

"Add it to mine." The dark Wolf smiled again at Nicole.

"That is quite all right." Nicole opened her wallet and grabbed a five dollar bill.

"I insist." He put his hand over hers but did not touch it. Nicole felt her heart skip a beat. His skin radiated warmth over her hand and his scent filled her nostrils. She didn't know another male wolf could smell so good, so earthy and rich. She was afraid and excited by him all at the same time and she knew he could smell it from her. She was surprised the waitress hadn't smelled it either.

"If you insist." Nicole managed another smile and pushed her wallet into her bag. The waitress turned on her heel to gather up the rest of his order.

"I saw you taking pictures before." He started with small talk, "You work for the paper in town?"

"Freelance actually," Nicole fiddled with her bag strap, "The town needs pictures for a visitor brochure or something, so I came out to do that."

"How long you staying?"

Nicole looked out the window to her car and back to the waitress as she set Nicole's coffee down for her.

"I'm not."

The dark Wolf looked deflated.

"Plane to catch?"

"Something like that." Nicole sipped her coffee nervously as she kept her gaze down. The dark Wolf paid the waitress as she placed the last donut box in a bag for him. Nicole strode for the door and he ran to hold it open for her. She murmured a thank you barely audible for a human to hear.

"So will you be back any time soon?" the dark Wolf held her car door open as well.

"Probably not." Nicole fished out her keys and started up her Suburban.

"Can I interest you in a steak dinner?" he asked. Nicole paused as her wolf instinct of hunger took over. She looked at the dark Wolf, her mind actually considering the offer.

"I'm sure you ask all the wolf lady's that." She joked, her mind now floating on the idea of food. She swallowed back the saliva that filled her mouth. The dark Wolf frowned.

"You don't know?"

"Know what?" Nicole asked distracted from her food musings.

"The one who bit you, he didn't tell you?"

Nicole gritted her teeth and stared straight ahead of her. Her hands clenched the steering wheel. A low growl erupted from deep inside of her at the though of the one who bit her.

"I should go." She growled the words and slammed her car door shut not carrying if the Wolf was clear of it or not. She slammed the car into reverse and backed out without so much as a glance towards the dark Wolf or the sedan she almost ran into on her way out.

Nicole was huddled in a dark corner of her cell, the rag of a blanket pulled around her naked body to keep warm. The smell of rotting flesh and excrement was all around her. She had no sense of time or of time's passing. She had been in the cell an eternity, and each Change was no help in escaping the endlessness of it all. How long had it been since that night, days, months, years? She hadn't a clue. Her stomach growled and gurgled as a fresh surge of cramps raked her body. Her keeper was lax about feeding her making it harder to keep count of time's passing. It was even harder to resist the urge when human flesh was brought to her. She may have been Changed, but she'd be damned if her humanity went with it as well.

Outside her cell door she heard the heavy footfalls of her captor's approach. She twisted the blanket around herself as though it would help her hide. Three heavy bolts slid back in succession before the heavy metal door creaked open. The stink of his sweaty unwashed body filled the space. The door closed behind him sealing them in darkness again. The cement shuddered under his weight as he seated himself between her and the door.

"Come out there purdy." He grunted. Nicole pretended to sleep.

"I said come out!" he grunted louder. Nicole rolled over and regretted the act. He reeked of stale beer and rotten flesh, rotten human flesh. Two dead rabbits lay in front of him, freshly killed.

"That's it purdy one. See. See what your mate brought you." He gently nudged one of the dead rabbits with a dirty sausage like finger. He was a beast of a man, as wide as he was tall and stronger than anything she could imagine. She knew all too well the power he held in either form. Once, so long ago, she had attempted escape in wolf form. She leapt at him and for his throat. His arm had smacked her in the head, snapping her jaw before her body collided with the cement wall. It was a long time before she was able to heal well enough to eat again. Starvation can drive a wolf mad.

Nicole inched closer in hopes of snatching the food from him. She couldn't remember the last time he had fed her, fed her meat that wasn't human, that is. Her hand reached for the food as he reached for her. She body recoiled back against the corner and she growled a warning.

"Now, now purdy, must be nice to your mate." He grunted reaching for her. She growled again as the Change took control of her body. She had changed back and forth so often it had become as easy as dressing oneself. The blanket fell away and she felt the tingle of the Change run through her skin and bubble to the surface. He growled back at her and readied himself for her to attack. Nicole growled an unearthly sound, neither human nor animal. Only one of them would leave alive.

Nicole swore as she slammed the brakes and tried to swerve out of the way. A 3 point buck changed his directions mid stride and bounded back the direction he had come. Unfortunately, Nicole's car was headed that direction as well. Nicole pumped the brakes but it was too late. The buck leapt onto the hood of her car to clear the distance as her tail ended careened into the ditch and a large tree. The seat belt jerked against her chest as the momentum of the car came to an abrupt halt. The buck leapt past her window before disappearing into the trees.

"You had better hope I don't find you!!" she yelled at it. Nicole reached for the seat belt buckle and found that it was jammed. She yanked at the belt and heard the metal snap free of the frame. She leaned on her back and kicked her feet out at the door snapping it off its hinges. Grabbing her camera bag and papers she leapt the four foot drop into the ditch.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck!!" she screamed the last one for emphasis. The sun had all ready set and her cell phone not only was out of range but had died as well. She kicked the driver side door shut and climbed out of the dirt. She hadn't seen a car on the interstate since she left the main highway and houses were sometimes miles apart between neighbors. She grunted and cursed and started a brisk job back in the direction she had come. Hopefully she'd be lucky and find a home still occupied instead of a run down farm house.

It was nearing 9 pm when Nicole stumbled up to a wrought iron gate set between two stone pillars. The sign read Stonehaven Estate, and Nicole could hear voices coming from the house set far back on the property. Nicole searched for a call box and after having found none opted to open the gate and venture to the house. The jog from her car to here had taken longer than expected. The first 2 homes she had come upon showed no one at home and the 3 vacant and dilapted farm houses did nothing to improve her mood. She was exhausted and most of all hungry. It took the last of her resolve to keep herself from Changing, and hunting down the buck that had put her in this predicament. At least her belly would have been full. It seemed ages before finally reaching the front door to Stonehaven Estate, Nicole hoped that the occupants would be helpful. She knocked on the door and waited. She voices inside but her hunger had taken over her forward thinking and she couldn't hear what was being said. She formed her story in her head and repeated it over and over as the doorway was opened.

"Hi, my car broke down a ways away and my cell died, I was won..." her voice trailed off as the smell of cooked meat and the musk of male werewolves filled her nostrils. Absently she started forward, her nose twitching, ignoring the man who had opened the door.

"May I help you?" the man at the door growled in a low voice. Nicole snapped back to alertness and turned to him. His long dark hair fell into his eyes as they glowed with a dominance her wolf mind registered only as Alpha. She pulled her foot back from the threshold and lowered her head.

"I'm sorry, I," but her words failed her again as her mind rounded on the thought of food, "I'm very hungry." She finally managed.

"Well, look who changed her mind about dinner." Came a familiar voice from what appeared to be the dining room. Nicole looked up and her eyes met the dark Wolf's smiling brown ones. Her mouth dropped and she backed up, startled by what was happening. Two male werewolves in one day. Her mind tried to wrap around the idea, but her stomach grumbled so loudly she knew they had heard it. She looked to the other male who was standing by the door still looking at her with a steady gaze as though measuring her worth.

"My car, I hit a tree, I promise I'll hunt down that buck that caused it and pay for the butcher to stock your freeze with venison if you'd share dinner and let me borrow the phone for Triple A. I'm a stray but I'm house broken and I'll try to keep my furniture chewing habit to a minimum." Nicole was shocked herself by what had come out of her mouth. She hadn't used her old sense of humor since being bitten but the words just rolled off her tongue, like they had always been there. The Alpha male regarded her and she noticed his eyes had changed. They seemed to be laughing back and his mouth twitched slightly as though to smile. The dark Wolf doubled over with laughter.

"Didn't I tell you Jer, cute and smart."

The Alpha thought a moment his eyes still amused by the situation.

"I will allow it." He said and stepped back, "Welcome to Stonehaven Estate, Miss?"

"Nicole, Nicole McDermitt."

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