I wanted to believe that this would get easier. That this wouldn't end with someone dying. But it was becoming harder and harder to believe that. Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. "You know something- you weren't always this way." I said simply. He seemed confused, and I wasn't quite sure if it was because of the sudden change in topic of conversation, or if it was because he didn't know what I was talking about. "What are you talking about?" He asked. "I mean… this. This, hard, metal exterior." He narrowed his eyes at me. "It started with the fire, didn't it?" I asked, waiting for him to lash out in some violent way. But he was still. Utterly, still. He didn't seem to be breathing. "It started when you lost everyone closest to you. When the hunters set the fire. When everyone… died." I said, my voice quiet and hesitant. He blinked for a moment. I wanted him to say something. To say anything. To give me some sort of reaction to work with. But even his face was void of any expression. His grip having loosened on my arms, I reached up and touched the side of his face, hoping to see him react. But he refused to move. Refused to say anything. "So, what else is there?" I said softly, my voice threatening to give out on me.
Before I knew what had happened, I was against the wall. "You don't know what your talking about." He said. His face was so close the tip of his nose touched mine. My heart beat a thousand miles a minute, and I could feel the adrenaline rushing through my body. "Don't I? Derek, why do you think I live with Louise? My parents, my family- anyone who'd ever protected me- was murdered by hunters." His hands had returned to being vice grips on my arms. But it only sent chills through my body. I knew this had been coming since the night I said I would be a part of the pack. I knew it was inevitable. Though the thought had only resided in the back of my mind, it was still there. There seemed to be a lack of rage in his eyes though. His eyes, which he was attempting to pass off as cold and cruel, but his façade of a dangerous, unforgiving exterior made it impossible not to see through him. "That's the difference, between me and the rest of your pack," I told him, my breaths raged. But even I heard the slightly taunting tone to my voice. No, not taunting- daring. I was daring him to prove me wrong. "You can't fool me." I whispered, shaking my head. "Not me." His breath mingled with mine, and for the first time, it seemed as if fear, lurked in the depths of his eyes.
His hands released my arms after a moment, and he stood up straight. I stared up at him for a moment. Then I moved forward, until I was only an inch or so away from him. I looked down at our hands, which were merely an inch or so apart. Gently, and slowly, I put my hand in his, drawing circles on the inside of his palm with my thumb. I felt his pulse jump slightly at my touch. I knew he felt it then, too. I couldn't kill the smirk that played on my lips. "I didn't think I could make you nervous." I muttered, still looking at our hands. "I'm not nervous." He said, his voice deep. I chuckled once. "Then I must excite you in some way- enough to make your pulse jump." I murmured, somehow feeling triumphant. I bit my lip for a moment, as I listened to his response. "Maybe you infuriate me." He said simply. "I told you, Derek, you can't fool me. Besides- if I infuriated you, we'd be fighting right now, trying to take off each other's heads." I looked up into his face. And I could see it in his eyes that he knew I was right. I closed the space between us, my body pressing against his. I fisted the bottom of his shirt with my free hand, looking up at him. I felt him exhale slowly as he looked down at me. I could feel every muscle extended beneath his shirt, pressed against the length of my upper body.
He leaned down, his lips immediately finding the hollow of my neck. My breath stopped momentarily, soon after coming in shallow waves. My canines threatened to lengthen as my pulse raced, and my blood became liquid fire. But I fought back the urge to shift, as his lips made there way up to my jaw, moving against my skin. The feel of him was thrilling, and exciting. Painfully slow- enough to make me whimper in protest to his waist of time- he made his way up to my lips. Finally, he pressed his own against mine. My lips separated under his as he leaned into me, accidentally pushing me against the wall behind us. A small laugh bubbled past my lips at his forcefulness, turning into a soft moan as I felt one of his hands moving just under my shirt, brushing against my naval. I gently bit his bottom lip, before letting his meld back with mine. If felt like he had six hands, all of which were expertly roaming my body at the moment. Suddenly, the sound of the door caught my attention. He must have heard it too, because suddenly he stopping, leaning his forehead against mine. Though he seemed pained to have to do so, he backed away into the kitchen, quickly arranging himself at the counter, and working at looking like nothing had just occurred.
I stood up straight as I turned and saw Louise walk through the door. "Hey-" She began before seeing Derek sitting at the kitchen counter. "Oh." She said after a short pause of surprise. "Derek." She said with a slight nod. But I could see the clench in her jaw as she restrained her burning anger. "We had a run in with the hunters." I said, before she got a chance to start asking questions. "Well, actually is was Derek." I said, glancing back at him. "They uh, have a bit of history together. And apparently the Argents are too stupid to realize that the Kanima is the real problem here." I said bitterly. "Wait, they attacked you here?" She asked him, her eyes wide in fear. "No- it happened in the woods." He said. She nodded silently. For a momentary pause, it was silent and awkward. "Okay, well, I'm gonna go to bed." Louise said, heading up the stairs. "Goodnight." She called down. After a moment Derek got up from the kitchen counter. "I," He paused, his eyes narrowing for a flash of a second. "I need to go." He said, moving toward the door. I glanced at the clock on the stove to see that it was in fact ten thirty- seven at night. As he approached the door, I grabbed his arm, quickly pressing my back against the wall nearest to the door. I pulled him to me and kissed him hard. For a moment I felt his hand slide down to my hip. Then it was over. I let go of his arm and nodded, watching as he walked out the door. The moment it closed, I slid down to a sitting position with my back to the wall, my legs having given out on me.
'What the hell?' A voice thought in my head. It didn't sound like my own, but it held the same chastising tone that I had. I took ten deep breaths, but his scent lingered in the air and in my own skin- it made me think about going out and finding him. But the better, more logical part of my brain talked me out of it. With a heaved sigh, I ran a hand through my hair, got up, and headed upstairs to my room. I walked in, shut the door, and quickly changed into my pajamas. Exhausted, I climbed into bed, and pulled the covers up to my neck. For god only knows how long, the events that had taken place only moments earlier continued to play in a seemingly endless loop through my mind. But eventually, the loop ended, and sleep over took, my too tired mind, and my too tired body.