I woke up, the world had white fuzzy edges. I squinted my eyes, looking around me. I hated waking up in the mornings. I felt sticky and gross. I yawned. Hearing my jaw crack. 'How long had I been out?' It was only the late afternoon when we'd gone for a nap. I tried to sit up, but stopped when I felt the large muscular arm, weighted down on my chest. I smiled. Achillies was lying on his side, the same way he laid when we first laid down. The world wasn't hazzy anymore. And I didn't feel the soft yellow bruise on my arm, or the, now small, cuts in my back. I didn't feel how tired I was, or realize the usually constant nagging voice in the back of my head; telling me to lay back, 5 more minutes, 10 more minutes. My world revolved around the person lying beside me. My mind was just a blurr of tan skin and long, waiste length brown hair. Singing Achillies. I didn't wake him up, or try. I laid, as softly, as I could back down. This time, facing him. My hand shaking, trying to pull the locks out of his face. His eyes were closed, of course. His thick, long red lashes were curled, closed. His dark eyebrows were brushed the wrong way. For the first time I noticed he had a small scar on his left brow. I laughed silently, it made him look like a pirate. His broud shoulders were positioned strangely. Making him look uncomfortable. He wouldn't of cared. His chest rose and fell with his breathing. Long, deep, and spread out. For a second I thought he stopped, until he took an almost silent one. I looked down the length of our bodies. Mine was small, and short. My black hair tangled around me, screaming to be brushed. His, although, curls were set around him like an angelic halo. It sounded cheesy, but it was breathtaking. No, not breathtaking, just something you wanted to take a picture of, to go back and stare at later. Wishing you had it. His jaw wasn't tensed, nor his shoulders, or back. It'd been a while since I'd heard the deep rich laughter. And I'd missed it. Why had he been so vicious the last few days? I'd seen him angry before, but not so constant. He was being overly protective. Which he'd never of been. It almost seemed he didn't really care; all that much. I knew he did, he just didn't make an issue to show it all the time. I missed my old Achillies. The one who laughed too often. Almost annoying. The one who smiled when someone made a physical death threat. The one who didn't care. This person, lying beside me, was new. And alien to me. I twirled his hair around my finger. I did this often. I spun it around 5 or 6 times. Then letting it spring off. Bouncing back to the black mattress. I looked at his chest. Once I remember, having to go and get a tuxedo for him. Oh, what a phiasco. A/N: Fuck, did I spell Phiasco right? Nvm, I'll just google it, sorry, enjoy the rest His chest was so thick, it was hard to find a jacket he wouldn't rip. I listened to his breathing, calming, and uncaring. I traced the cut of his front with my eyes. Like a maze. The cuts between his abbs were deep, going around and around. Stopping at his navel, then deep V lines, curving to the droop of his jeans. Ew, I hated it when we slept in jeans. I liked silky pajama pants. And baggy t-shirts. Jeans were rough and uncomfortable. I was thankful I was still in my jogging clothes. I glanced back at Achillies sleeping form. His brow bunched together for a minute. Then released, then again, and again. His lips pursed, an almost, invicible gesture. His jaw tensed. I laid my hand on his chest, softly. Almost hovering over the skin. He took my hand, suddenly, in his. Cupping it, and holding it. His jaw released, his shoulders dropped slowly. And the, silent, peacful look came back over him again. I halfsmiled. I didn't like it when Achillies had nightmares. I'd never asked him of what. I was too scared, to already know the answer. I had had a small glimpse into his past, once before. And had regretted it. I didn't feel like peeping again. "Hunter." I barely caught it. He breathed out my name. I smiled, full, and sad. I leaned in, on my shoulder. Not even ruffling the sheets. Kissing his cheek, I knew he didn't feel it, I didn't even feel it. I jumped when his eyes shot open. He just stared. I don't even think he was staring at me. After about 5 minutes of either of us saying anything. And me wide eyed, trying not to fall back on my other shoulder. He closed his eyes, just as fast as he'd opened them. After another 5 minutes, when I realized he wasn't going to open them again. Or pounce on me, I got up. Standing over his body, trying to get on the other side. I gengerly placed my foot on the other side of Achillies' hip. Trying not to place too much weight on it. I heald for a moment, then lifted off my feet. Landing silently on the other side of the room. I heard a ruffle, and turned so quickly, I felt my back pop. He'd just moved. That's all. I was always afraid, one morning, he'd wake up; and not realize where he was. And think I were an enemy, and hurt me. Or worse. So I was very cautious in the morning. Once I'd even been afraid, when he'd curled up beside me. But, the dog in me took over. And I heald his body heat against the cold winter air. And I'd curled up to him just as easily as a box of puppies. For a moment I stood there, just looking at him. For the first time, noticing, his feet practically hung off the bed. I smiled, my eyes lighting up. He made me happy without even noticing. Or even being concious to notice. I looked back at the door handle. And the smile faded, and I wasn't happy anymore. I turned it silently, and left the room without another look at the lounging Achillies. I paced down my plush, warm hallway. Silently, opening my bathroom door. The room was dull, and quiet. The huge window, before my bathtub, was closed and curtained. I stepped inside the tub, toeing off my socks. I peeped through the delicate fabrick. Looking out into the dusk. The day was still blue. Not day, really. More wandering to night. It was dark blue. No orange, or brightly colored pinks of the fading day. Just, 6:30 ish. Time for all the mothers and fathers around town, to turn on their T.V.'s and watch the 6 o'clock news special. Not even knowing what's waiting for them outside their doors. I didn't like that feeling. I'd always loved the little rythme that said, 'There are things that go bump in the night.' But the little tale was quickly ruined, when I figured out we were the ones who bump. And they didn't even know. I took a deep breath. Too many memories, for a soul like mine. I rolled the lilth fabric between my fingers. Letting it slide, and writh. I put my head against the cold glass. Wandering how rediculous I looked from the outside. The thing I liked about my house, was the it was on a little hill, from the rest. And I could peep down into the backwoods. So I did, I looked down into my plain, tiny, back yard. Past the iron fence. And into the woods. A part of me, wanted to break through the glass, and launch through the woods. I closed my eyes, breath quickening. I could almost feel the branches ripping at my face. And my feet, bounding against the hard soil. My legs guiding me, my senses telling me where to go. There was no brain, in the woods. All you had, were instinct and senses. And we ran with them. I shook myself. Looking up and out of the window. At the sky. It wasn't beautiful to me, anymore. I used to think it was delicious, and I could stare at it every night, if I had to. Now, I didn't see the beauty. I didn't see the mystery of it all. Because I knew the fairy tale, and I could tell you what was fiction, and what was, oh so real. So very very real. I shook myself, glaring at the waxing moon. Wishing it were the sun, blinding me. And it did. I had to look away. I sat in my bathtub. Kneeling in it. Throwing the scrunchy that had fallen into it. I kicked my shampoo bottle. Flinging it to the closed door. I heard a grunt, and froze. Waiting a few more minutes, realizing I should be more careful. I stepped out of the tub, pushing the shampoo bottle away from it. Slowly, creeping myself out of the hallway. And into the open space of my house. I leaned my hip against the ending hallway wall. Looking out into my living room. The room was silent. And the windows were letting the light, dark blue into the house. No blinding lights were on. No orange white was glaring into the room, from my black sky light. I breathed in, feeling completely comfortable. I slauntered off to my couch. My body heaving into the never ending cutions. I took a deep breath, and closed my eyes. Smelling my house. My house. Smelling Achillies breath in the other room. Smelling the lavender shampoo, that is spilling my floor. Breathing in the scent of Coa Coa Butter, that had sat on the same couch earlier. I hoped Charlie wasn't malesting Nathan. I couldn't deal with another mental heartattack. I already had my fair share. But, he still wasn't back. And that wasn't good. It was nearing the full moon, and I couldn't have him randomly changing. Tommorow night was the cerenmony. And if something happened to him, the others would have less standards towards him. And I didn't feel like dealing with werewolf politics, either. I wasn't in the mood for egotistical, testosteronal bullshit. I heaved myself off the screaming couch. Pouting, trying not to glance back at it. I needed a shower, and a brush. And some clean socks. And some white finger tail polish. I glanced at my tanned feet. My toes wiggling. The white hadn't chipped. My French manicure was still perfectly in tact. I just liked re-doing them. Made me feel more womanly, than wolfy. I sighed, damnit Charlie. Damn you. I pulled my knotted sheath around my shoulder. Trying to do anything to it, to get it out of the way. I went to the door, slipping on my black sandals. I pushed open the heavy door, and breathed in the night. Although I wanted to pause and smell all the scents the night had to offer. I couldn't. Pushing forward, out of my front yard, and through the brick pathway. I glared down the road to Charlie's place. This wasn't a suberb. Of any kind. It was a new black tar road, with upper middle class houses. All freshly painted, and lawns perked to perfection, to give off the sense of a nice family suberb. In the upper, hilly parts of Mississippi. But in actuality, the houses 'were' upper-middle class, but to a family of wolves. It was our giant pack. And ours alone. We had one realator, who was the son of a wolf we had. He was human, so was not allowed to live in our group. He did our business. When ever we had wolf buyers, we heald a ceremony. Whenever we had human buyers, the houses were no longer available. And there were no children. Too dangerous, we weren't aloud to have families. Just husbands and wives, loyal boyfriends and girlfriends. Fioncies, and so on and so fourth. No children. This was a suburb from hell, literally. The houses weren't our homes, the woods and the thick dark forests, towering behind our social security masks, were our homes. But, this was our solution for many years, and this is what we stuck with. No one was outside. The houses were quiet. And mostly shut off. Some had faint music playing, some had lights on. Some were eating dinner, and trying to focuse on the 6 o'clock news, and trying to care. One woman was in her front yard. Potting daisies. Daisies? I shook it off. I didn't really care for plants. I think her name was Stacey. I didn't say anything to her. She nodded, I nodded, without looking at her. And before I knew it, I was standing in front of Charlies door, glaring at it. I swear to God, if he was doing what he wanted to do to Nathen, I would skin him from neck to. . .I had pushed open the door and froze. The couch was tipped over. The furniture was thrown around. Charlie's normal, breathtaking home, was in shreads. My heart stopped, and lodged itself in my throat. I looked around, and found a werewolf on the floor. I flew to it without thinking. I pushed the 2 ton, blue gray beast over on its back. It cried out. It was Charlie. I got in front of its snout, opening its mouth. I closed my eyes. Breathing. "Change." It howled and twisted viciously. Its body expanded, then retracted. The bones twisted and crunched. A soft gew fell on the transforming body. Covering it, like a new born baby. And there laid a bloody and slashed Charlie. I wiped the thick gunk of off his face. Putting either hands on his cheeks. His hair was wet and matted to his heaving cheeks. His body was contorting from the change, he was breathing quick and shallow, but breathing. I looked down at his body, he was cut from the bottom of his throat to the very bottom of his abdomen. Looking like they tried to gut him. His face was a bloddy mess. Something had tried to tear away the flesh from the left side of his face. Both of his knees were dislocated. And his arm was flopping beside me, broken. He howled in pain, violently shaking. I calmly got close to his face, holding at least one part of his body still. "Charlie." I whispered. His eyes were darting left to right. "Charlie." His eyes found me. "Who did this." All he did was stutter for about half a minute. "Shh, baby, who did this. Who was here. Tell me Charlie. Come on baby, who did this." "V-vamp-vampire. Vampires." I nodded. Brushing his sticky dripping wet hair from his shaking face. I kept nodding, he closed his eyes, shuddering. "Vampire. How many, Charlie. How many came here." He didn't say it, only shuddered. "Were there alot? Charlie, where's Nathan, did a lot of vampires take Nathan away?" All he did was nodd, over and over again. I brushed all the gunk I could away from his trembling, bleeding face. I kissed his forehead, holding him to my chest. Like a hurt dog. "Don't worry, you're going to be okay. I'm going to take car of you." I frantically looked around the room. Nathen, Nathan, dear God where was Nathan. I lifted Charlie from my breast, staring at his eyes. "Charlie, you have to stay away, you have to tell me. Where-did-they-take-Nathan." He looked at me for a moment. Replaying the last few hours through his mind. "Woods. O-out to the woods. Gone. Flew, aw-away." I nodded. I liften my face to the sky. "Cover your ears Charlie." He tried to lift his hands, and failed, with my face still towards the sky, I covered his ears. Clamping, my now, wet hands to his head. I squeezed my eyes closed, shuddering. Feeling my fangs pierce through my sensitive gums. Bleeding. I felt my throat change, and twist violenty. The second it did, I clamped as hard as I could, still in human form, to Charlie's ears. I glared my teeth before screaming the most wretched, gut throwing howl I possibly could. I felt my throat rip from the vibrations. But that didn't stop me. I called everyone. I didn't make the rest of my body change. I saw grey, all grey. My eyes were wolf. I looked down at Charlie. He looked up at me with wide eyes. My voice was scruffy and barely human. "They will come for you. Rest." He nodded weakly. And closed his eyes. I opened mine. Flaring my human nostrils, feeling out for everyone. I felt them all tense. I felt their eyes open from what they were doing. I looked around the room with grey vision. I made them see what I saw. I looked down at Charlie, made them see Charlie. They all tensed. Lovers sleeping, woke. People watching television, stood. Plates crashed to the floor, dinner casseroles long and forgotten. "Vampires. They've taken Charlie. Come." I raised through my mind. Finding Achillies. "Achillies." I gave him a picture of the human form of me, holding Charlie, crying. Because this is what I would have been doing in human form. If I weren't me. I looked up at Achillies. Making it seem like we were in the same room as the former sleeping Achillies. My lower lip tremored, and I heald the gutted and beaten Charlie to my chest. Whimpering loudly. "Achillies, help." Tears were flowing down my burning red cheeks. I closed off my mind to everyone. They were already changing, and walking down the street. I kissed Charlies forehead, heading promises, I hoped I could back up. I left that house. I left the bloody, healing Charlie behind. I changed into full beast. And the anger roaring through my being could have killed a small child. I felt like a huge mac truch roaring down the highway. I ripped through branches, like stepping on pencils. I groped at full trunks of trees. My claws digging inside of the bark. I couldn't feel the violent twists of my bones, or the ripping of my skin. I couldn't feel any of it. All I could feel and hear was Nathan. They were blocking him away from me. My cat. Mine. I was changed. And everything was silent. And the night of the wood was chirping happily. Not even caring to what was happening. I dispized the night. It was like cocaine, I had to have it. Hating it, and myself for needing it so desperately. I cocked my head to the disformed moon. Growling. Coa Coa Butter. I can smell it. And it's fresh. Hours old. I rolled my eyes back into my head. I heard rabbits scurrying away. I felt snakes slither back into their holes. I felt the earth shift with the freak of nature walking on it's holy soil. And I was angry. I smelled rotting flesh, decaying and hundreds of years old. Old. These weren't new vampires. They were old. I had no weapons, except for my claws and my senses. And I wanted to save Charlie, that was all I needed. I'd have back up soon. I followed the scent achingly slow. Until I found the path they were going. I wasn't watching any particular direction. I wasn't watching where I was going. My eyes weren't even open. They were still dislodged in the back of my skull. Then I stopped, I'd been running. It felt like miles. It would have been more in my human form. I stopped at something pricking my hairy legs. I was sinking. Sinking? What the-, I started falling. I didn't try to get out, I just went down. And I smashed into the dirty ground. I looked back up at the sky, seemingly, another mile away. I didn't feel like I'd fallen deep, not at all. I was. . .underground? Yes, underground. Dirt, snails, and soil. I looked around, and I was in a hole. And everything was grey. It was small, like a huge werewolf hole. Duh. I shook my wolf head. Getting up from the large crater I'd just made, on my graceful landing. There was one hallway. And I bound through it. There were no lights, but I didn't need them. The hallway went on forever. There were many little hole, like cell things. But I didn't stop to investigate. There was no fucking pondering. I smelled Butter, and I would follow that scent alone. I came to an abrupt halt. I looked to my left, then to my right. I'd smashed into a dirt wall. I growled through my snout and nose. I turned around, looking back down the miles long hallway. I grumbled under my breath. . .where is he? The scent was close. But. . .not here? I walked two or three large steps, peeking in through the cells. There were doors, with a bar or two, where you could peak through. I sure as hell was peaking, but nothing was inside. Just, dirty, school building tile, and dirt. I hadn't noticed the old tile underneath my paws. I didn't really give a fuck about the interior of the damned. I just wanted my cat. I spun around. Around and around. Growling. "Aw, is the little puppy lost?" I spun to the sound. Sniffing. No one was there. I sniffed and smelled. And couldn't sense anything. I tried to form a sentence, forgetting that I couldn't. A dark chuckle reached my ears. The sound was everywhere, but not here. I kept spinning. Falling on my hairy butt. Fuck. The chuckle, howled now. And wouldn't stop. I howled too. The earth shattering scream howl. I was pissed the fuck off. "G-God I haven't laughed so-so hard!" And it just kept laughing. Finally I crossed my arms, waiting for it to finish. Finally the howling came to a soft chuckle, then it slowly stopped. It was a man. An annoying one. "Woo! Okay puppy, we have your kitten. And we're glad to be in your company. We've heard 'alot' about you. It's so nice to finally see you." The voice was smooth, and calm. Almost uncaring, and bored. I hated that tone, that's what Achillies did. "The question is, what will you do to get him back?" I looked to my left. When a hand was put on my shoulder, and another was playing with my long furry ears. I jumped up. But found. . .I couldn't? What was this? Some kind of spell? I tried to move. When a cold breath hit my ear, and I froze. My werewolf head was larger than this man's whole upper half, why couldn't I move. "Calm down puppy. We're not here to hurt anyone." I growled. I wiggled my claws. He was only pinning my lower half. I slashed out my arm. Only to have it caught. In one swift moment, he had my claws, digging into my throat. I opened my mouth, trying to inhale. Trying to do anything. I whimpered when it went through the fur, then the meat, then the muscle. I whimpered. "I thought you would be alot stronger than this, puppy." I leaned my head back, trying to pull away. Turning my head to the vampires. I stilled. He was kneeling. His hair was black and cut close to his head. But when he turned his face, slightly. Black hair was flowing down one side. He'd shaved one side. Oh, how stylish. I sneared. He was pale, like all the damned. He had dark circles under his eyes. Which were black, with no white, or pupil. He looked like a rediculous owl. I smiled, in my wolf form. How stupid. He caught my eyes. With the hand that was on my shoulder, he grabbed my white snout, clamping it shut. He brought my face right to his. "You, my puppy, are not the wolf we want." I don't know how he read the confusion on my face, but he did. "Who are you?" I growled, he only dug my claw deeper. I whimpered, kicking my legs. Black was taking over my vision. I could barely even see the grey. White sparkles danced over the vampire illuminating skin. I stopped struggling. "Master." He breathed. A gush of wind, and I heard two voices. He let go of my arm, which was still dug into my throat. Another hand was replaced, gentler. Slowly, pulling out my claw. I growled. "Shh." He said, soothingly. Soothingly? When he started pulling more rough I stopped growling, and accidentally whimpered. He placed a hand on the side of my hairy face. Running his fingers through the plush white fur. I wasn't a normal wolf. My entire body was white. And I had a tail, the others didn't. And most of all, my odd tail was black, not white. I had three lines going down my chest, down to the middle of my thighs. Three neat, black lines. The rest of my fur was so white, it was blinding. My ears were 'much' longer than the rest. And they weren't straight up, they curved to the back of my head. I had long hair, not short. It danced when I ran. I loved my wolf form. Finally, he tugged the last of my nails out of my throat. And I violently shook. The last tug hurt. I could feel thick red, coating the front of my white coat. His hand never left my cheek. But I heard a nasty slap. My vision was still dancing with sparkles, but I was healing quickly. And where was the team! I looked up at my rescuer, if that is what you'd call him. I couldn't really see him. But I made out a white shirt, and black dress pants. He was blonde, broad, and tall. Of course he was a vampire. He got right in my face. But I still couldn't really see him all that well. "Change." His voice was soft, and soothing. I almost smiled, I can't just change. Achillies was the only one who could make me- my body started churning. My left arm broke, then refixed itself. My back arched. I growled, slamming it back against the soil. What the fuck? I got back into the handsome vampires face, snapping at his face with my long white snout. Showing as much K-nine fangs as possible. I wasn't surprised if he saw my tonsils. "Change, now." I stopped my charade with the snapping, my body twisted and contorted to his command. I couldn't change so quickly. More people entered the room. Dead people, people who've been dead a long time. My mind swam, and my body screamed. I'd be weak if he made me change this quickly. I struggled. But it was too late, I was already on the soil, curled up, naked. My woman profile shuddering. A few gasps, then silence. I shuddered, and meakly tried to gain myself. I could see color, good. I couldn't breath all that well, but I was breathing; good. I couldn't feel my chest, bad. I couldn't smell Butter, bad. I was swimming in the smell of death. And it groped at my naked neck, pulling me. I swam into the dark place my mind went to, when I was in pain. I tried not to whimper, but I failed. Someone was kneeling over me. Two someones, three someones. The rest, I could feel, were still against the wall, good. I tried to get my breaths steady. I heard their conversation, but couldn't focuse on them, couldn't concentrate. If I tried to listen, I'd be out of my black cell, where I hid from my pain. I thought about the school tile. How dirty it was. I thought about the interior. I thought about Nathan. Oh God, Nathan. I felt hot tears roll down my dirty, gunk covered cheeks. "Nathan." I breathed, barely audible. Though, I knew they heard.I opened my mind, painfully, to their conversation. Cathching bits, jumping in and out. "She was here before." "Who is-" My mind went to the dark place, no, go back. I pushed myself back into the real world. "I don't know. She is from the wolf suburb. She was out wandering, jogging, I've seen her before, many times. She-" I wonder what kind of casserole that woman was making. I hated her hair, so ugly. So plain, this room is so dark, I'm hungry. No! Back, back, back! "I had to pull her out. She was falling in." "Did she see you?" Calm voice. Assholes. I'll bet they're for Bush. I started laughing at that. Their conversation paused. And silence. Then a hand on my forehead. Bush, what a strange man. Aristocratic assholes. My Mother used to be for Bush. Until she died. Then my Father commited suicide. What an asshole. Everyone's an asshole. I wander where Achillies is? Why aren't they here by now. I wish I could cry. I wish I could just cry, scream for Achillies. He's not going to come. He's going to not come. And I'm going to get sucked to death by Bush assholes. This is fucking great. Fuuucking great. The dark vampire chuckled, my savior. "I don't know who Bush is." Another vampire chimed in. "Polictics." "Oh, right. Well, don't worry sweety. I'm not for human politics." Achillies. Where are you. My mind fashed back to lying in bed with Achillies. Looking at his wounds. Except it wasn't me who was thinking about these things. It was like I was drugged. "She knows him." My mouth opened and closed. Like it was hard to breath. I saw black. And that was all. I went over our conversation. "They are lovers." Laying in bed, talking. I miss his hair around my finger. My memories were bouncies through my head. Like a DVD on pause, rewind, fast foreward. It was almost hard to breath. "No, not lovers. She is-" I miss him. Where is he. I love him. He said he loved me too. Why has he been so mean? I love him. "She loves him. He loves her." Pause. My idiotic memories stopped, the hand was removed. "What should we do, now?" The voice was low, bored. I couldn't see, I was lifted. And the man who heald me stood for a moment. I could feel his eyes on me. "She doesn't look like a wolf." "I know. I was just thinking that." Someone came over, and placed my head against his cold chest. They were checking my mouth. "Her teeth aren't wolf teeth. Not even in human form." One arm was taken from under me, but I didn't fall. They weren't even straining. Then again, I didn't weigh, anything in human form. A finger ran over my lip, and I grumbled. I didn't like that. The man holding me chuckled. "Fiesty." I just mumbled more nothingness. Giberish, if you will. A hand ran through my hair, miraculously, untangled. That was a huge shocker. It wasn't wet either, what happened to the gunk? "Long black hair." They all paused and the room was silent. Too silent. I hummed the 'Bump in the night song.' Someone chuckled. Then they were silent, I kept humming. I hated silence. Sometimes it was a blessing, sometimes it was torture, literally. "Open your eyes and look at me, pet." Pet. Achillies. I shook my head. He lightly opened both my lids, at the same time. Finally I opened them on my own, staring blindly up at the roof. Or what I thought was the roof. "One green, one blue." Silence, too quiet. Finally, when the eyes left my body, I felt movement. My eyes were closed, and I didn't care about anything. I couldn't smell Butter. I couldn't smell lavender. I couldn't smell Achillies. I was alone, and cold, and scared. And I didn't care.