We awoke in the early hours of the morning. There are few things as beautiful as waking up and realising you still have time to sleep. I lay with Jamie curled against my side, contentedly alternating between playing with my hair and exploring the expanse of battle wounds that is my skin.

"So how'd ya get this one?" His hand brushed my side, tracing a scar that sliced across my ribs and led to just below my sternum.

"Whoorea white Balverine"

"and this one?" He stroked one just behind my ear that trailed down my neck.

"Forest Troll"

"What about this one?" His hand was sliding its way down my stomach, following the scar that sliced over my abdomen and a hip until it disappeared under the blanket that covered us from the waist down.

"Spire Guards" I caught his wrist and shifted over to my side, tracing his swirling tattoos with one of my nails before brushing the side of his neck where the wounds my teeth had left served as evidence to last nights adventures. His throat had several puncture wounds with black and purple bruising decorating the skin, his hips bore more bruises and small cuts from my hands and nails. They looked animalistic and abusive, like he had been attacked. I watched him carefully to gauge his reaction to the reminder that I had marked him.

He closed his eyes under the gentle touches, apparently not caring about how they must have throbbed. I liked this one, he had a sense of humour and ability to hold a conversation, unlike a large percentage of the rest of Albion. He wasn't hopelessly terrified of me or freaked out by my unnatural appearance, he seemed interested and somewhat attracted to it.

I yawned and stretched, arching my back off the bed and cracking my spine, flopping back down I turned to find Jamie regarding me strangely. I leered at him and used one arm to pull him onto my chest. He began to touch my horns, stroking the protrusions from my skull. He looked at me again and I got the impression he wanted to ask something.

"What?" He didn't reply, he just poked at my lip. I mockingly snapped at his fingers and he jerked his hand away, giggling.

"Open your mouth" He seemed curious again but I was cautious by nature.

"Why?" I narrowed my eyes, and gently head butted him.

"Because ah want to see those fangs of yours" He certainly was interested in all my demonic quirks, kinky bastard. I winked at him but opened my mouth so he could see my teeth. He cautiously touched one then yanked his hand back, cursing at the small beads of blood that appeared on his finger tip.

I grabbed his hand gently and brought it back to my mouth, licking the blood from the digit and mockingly patting him on the head before drawing him against me once more. Skree chose that moment to jump on the bed, trampling all over us before settling in the remaining space we had left on the double bed. He rested his great head on Jamie's hip and gazed at me from his deep set eyes.

His pupils flicked from Jamie to me and he cocked his head to the side. Your mate? They weren't so much words as vague wash of feelings and images conveyed through the dog's enhanced mind. I was taken aback by his assumption. Maybe, probably not. He snorted at me, settling more comfortably into his spot before resting his head on the drowsing Jamie's outstretched arm. Maybe?No, ours now.

He heaved a contented sigh and set about going to sleep, leaving me to think about his view on the situation. The dog didn't get attached easily, but he liked Jamie a lot. I set it out of mind, we were both mostly creatures of instinct anyway, if anything came of this then so be it. I allowed myself to be dragged back into the deep waters of sleep, denying the nagging feeling that maybe I wanted something to come of it.