So, chapter 4. As I promised at the end of chapter 3, this chapter will finally have Alex and Hannah having sex, so if you don't like stuff like that, I suggest either not reading this chapter, or at least skipping that part. But first, we see Alex and Hannah hunting with her family, and Alex's aunt and uncle, and barely escaping hunters in the forest. Later, they make plans to move into the sanctuary, where we see a familiar face from another Goosebumps book.
As I said before, I'm working on many other stories, so if chapter updates take a while, that's why. I'm always jumping between stories. But rest assured I plan to see all stories, including this one, to the end.
Anyway, here we go!!!
Chapter 4
Alex and Hannah ran through the forest on their wolf paws. It was still taking some getting used to, walking on four legs, feeling the hard, cold forest floor beneath their feet. Plus, everything looked so strange in shades of grey. Alex remembered that all canines, including wolves, were colorblind. The forest looked like an old black-and-white movie.
Also, it turned out what Hannah told him her father had said was true: it was really cold in the forest.
Alex stopped and sniffed again. It was hard getting used to all the different smells. Things he couldn't smell before. He was trying to pick up the scent of the others: his aunt and uncle, and Hannah's parents and brother. He didn't know HOW he knew what they smelled like. As a wolf, he just KNEW.
'I think they went THIS way ', he thought to Hannah. Among the many new things about being a werewolf, he could now speak through thought.
They started running again, Alex leading the way. Alex couldn't help remembering the first time he was out here at night, as a human, and had seen the werewolves he'd later learned were Uncle Colin and Aunt Marta. He remembered hiding and listening as they killed and ate a rabbit. He could still hear the ripping and chewing sounds as they ate, and could still see the mutilated remains of the poor animal in his mind.
He sniffed again. He was pretty sure they were just up ahead. He smelled something else too. A rabbit? A skunk? He wasn't sure. It didn't matter. Meat was meat.
Beside him, Hannah sniffed the air too. 'Luke!!! He's up further ahead. My parents are there too. Let's go!!'
She looked at Alex to make sure he was following, and suddenly laughed. He heard her laughter in his head,but she also threw her head back and howled in a wolf immitatation of laughter.
'What? What is it?', he thought.
She laughed again. She raised a paw to her face to hide her laughter. After a second she turned to face him. 'Alex,you still have a boner.'
Alex was shocked. 'Huh?!' He looked down,which wasn't easy with four legs and a tail. But soon he saw what she was talking about. Yep, she was right. Alex looked back up at her and saw she still had the wolf equivalent of a laugh on her face. Alex was sure, if his fur could change color, his face would be red with embarrassment.
'Wow,I guess I was so distracted trying to find everyone, I didn't realize. But give me a break, I don't know how to stop a boner as a WOLF. This body is still new to me.' He started walking again.
She walked beside him. 'Oh COME on, Alex. You forget I can hear everything you think. I can still hear you thinking about what happened back at the house. Still picturing my boobs, my legs, my cute little butt...'
Alex sighed. She was right of course. He couldn't get Hannah's naked body out of his mind. They were SO close. If only there had been more time...
To distract himself, he sniffed the air again, and smelled the animal he'd smelled earlier closer. Yes, definitely a skunk.
They ran again, and soon came to a clearing of sorts. THERE: Finally, they saw the wolf forms of Uncle Colin and Aunt Marta, and Hannah's parents, Frank and Leah, and her brother, Luke.
'Uncle Colin!!! Aunt Marta!! We're here!!!', thought Alex, as Hannah also greeted her family.
'Hey kids, did you get lost? We've been waiting a while!' said Frank.
'Sorry dad, took us a while to sniff ya'll out. This is our first night, remember?', Hannah replied.
Frank laughed. 'Fair enough. Getting used to the ol' sniffer is hard, it's true. So many new smells. Speaking of, what sounds good tonight?'
'Why don't we show them our favorite spot, Marta?', Colin said.
Marta's ears perked up in excitement. She knew exactly what Colin meant. 'Oh yeah, near a stream not far from here. It's where we had our last meal. ' Alex knew she was referring to the rabbit.
'Sounds good.', Frank replied. 'We should have these woods to ourselves. Most of the others from the sanctuary stick to the woods closest to the church. '
They started walking, following Marta and Colin as they led the way. At Frank's words, Alex was curious about something.
'Say, how DO the werewolves at the sanctuary leave without being noticed?'
'Yeah, Hannah chimed in. 'Surely people would notice a bunch of wolves running out of the church?'
Frank laughed. 'Well, you kids left before we could show you EVERYTHING. There's so much more to our sanctuary than just dormitories and a great big hall. We also have a library, and a swimming pool with a few hot tubs. But many of these rooms have tunnels that run under the forests, and trapdoors leading out. The trapdoors are designed to blend in, and look like part of the forest. There's actually MANY. For all we know we could be walking by one now.' Frank stopped to scratch his ear with one of his paws.
'And, when they turn back, do they find the trapdoors and return to the sanctuary, or risk walking all the way back to the church?' asked Hannah.
Frank was still busy scratching, so Leah answered. ' Well, there IS a directory in the library showing all the trapdoor exits,and a few werewolves who have used all of them have made maps. One guy worked as a cartographer in the military, and is working on a more detailed map he plans to mass-produce, but until then we're stuck with the crude maps the others drew. Sometimes somebody borrows a map from another so they can find the closest trapdoor upon turning back, but the forest floor all looks the same, so it's hard. But that works to our advantage as well, cause if hunters ever found out about the sanctuary, without knowing about the church entrance, they'd never find one of the trapdoors either without a map.'
'Wow. This is all so amazing. And confusing. ', Alex supplied. 'The only thing under MY city is the subway.'
Everybody laughed at that. After walking a few minutes more, Colin and Marta paused, and Colin turned to the others. 'Shhhh, we're here. Everybody, step very, very quietly. This is where Marta and I always got our best prey. '
No sooner had he said that than they heard a rustling in the brushes. They crouched down low, and out of the brushes stepped a deer. It wondered into the field, inches from where Alex and the others lay. For a second, it paused, scanning the area with its tiny, marble-like eyes. Its ears perked up as it listened. Alex held his breath, his heart racing.
'It's so cute', Hannah's thought broke in. 'I really wish we didn't have to kill it. '
'Me too, but we gotta eat. Otherwise, every time we turn, we'll be weaker', replied Leah.
The deer scanned the area one last time, then turned away and walked to the brush, and began eating the grass.
'NOW!!!', Colin ordered, and together they burst out of the brush, running towards the deer. They split apart, Colin, Marta, Frank and Leah flanking the deer on one side, Alex, Hannah and Luke flanking the other, cutting off any egress.
While the deer was focused on the adults, Luke jumped forward and pinned the deer, trying to bring it down. The deer struggled, trying to throw him off. It kicked and thrashed. Colin and Marta both went for its legs. The deer let out a whine of pain as they bit.
Finally, with Luke holding on, and its legs wounded, the deer fell down. Frank and Leah grabbed the back legs, preventing it from getting up. Luke turned to Alex and Hannah.
'You two. One of YOU should have the kill. It's your first night, after all. One of you should have the honor.'
Alex was surprised, and so was Hannah. She gasped. 'US?', Alex thought incredulously.
Luke nodded as the deer continued to struggle helplessly.
'Luke's right. We've all had our first kills. Colin and Marta have hunted MANY times. It's YOUR turn tonight.', Leah said.
Colin and Marta looked up and nodded. They both had blood from the deers legs running down their furry chins.
Alex and Hannah looked at each other. They both thought the same thing at the same time, and nodded. 'Together. '
Alex and Hannah walked up to the struggling deer, and, at the same time, sank their teeth into its throat. Blood gushed out of the wound, and Alex tried not to gag at the metallic taste. The deer thrashed for another couple seconds, then finally lay still.
Alex and Hannah looked up at their families to see them nodding approvingly.
"Very good work, kids. Very quick, clean kill.", Frank said.
"CLEAN?", Alex exclaimed, looking at the blood still oozing from the dead deers throat, and feeling it drip from his chin.
Hannah gasped. "That was... HORRIBLE. I feel so AWFUL. So guilty. I... I just KILLED an innocent, defenseless animal." Her voice cracked, and Alex was sure if she was human right now, she'd be crying. Alex understood. He felt... sick. Disgusting, and not just because he was covered with dirt, burs, blood, and, for all he knew, fleas. This was the first time Alex had hurt, let alone KILLED, another living creature.
The others stared at Alex and Hannah for a few moments. Uncle Colin sighed. 'Look, we understand how you two must feel. This is never easy, and it doesn't GET any easier. '
'Yeah. Me and Leah remember OUR first hunt.', Frank added. 'I can still hear the cries, see the blood in my dreams, see those dead eyes.'
'It wasn't easy for me the first time either.', Luke chimed in. 'I mean, technically the dog was my first kill-rest in peace Arthur-but my first time actually hunting, I was terrified. Afraid that after killing the family pet, I wouldn't be able to control myself, and might try killing every animal in the forest,or even a person who might have gotten lost in the woods. I'm actually STILL afraid sometimes, to tell you the truth. '
Alex heard them,but it didn't help him feel much better. Was this what it was going to be like from now on? Sneaking out at night, putting on the creepy skin, turning into a wolf, killing defenseless animals? Was this what the rest of his life was going to be? Definitely not the future he had imagined. He always wanted to be a photographer, taking PICTURES of animals, not EATING them raw. Speaking of...
'Now we have to eat. We must hurry, we don't have much time.', said Frank. 'Come on everyone. There's enough for everybody. '
Without waiting, Frank bit into the dear. Alex's stomach churned as he heard the tearing of flesh, as he saw the gaping hole in the body of the fallen animal. Leah came over and took a bit, followed by Luke. Alex tried to tune out the sound of ripping flesh, tried to close his eyes as the blood pooled on the ground. Thank goodness it was grey, like everything else. That didn't help much. Still, he knew the worst was yet to come.
As if on cue, Colin turned to him. 'Alex, you need to eat. And Hannah, you too. Come on.' He bent down and took a bite, followed by Marta.
Alex and Hannah looked at each other again. Neither of them wanted to eat raw flesh, to taste the blood of the animal they had just killed. Hannah felt more guilty than ever as she watched her family eat the poor creature she'd killed just minutes ago, watched them swallow chunks whole, watched them lick their lips and bend down for another bite. 'I KILLED this poor creature, and NOW I have to eat it. And so does Alex, because of ME. Because I BIT him.'
Alex, perhaps knowing what she was thinking, walked up and rubbed his head against hers. 'Together, again. '
She nodded, and together they walked up to the deer's corpse, and, after both taking a deep breath to ready themselves, bent down and took a bite.
Just as Alex expected, the raw meat of the deer was tough and thick with blood. He tried not to gag as he chewed, trying to bite the meat into small enough pieces to swallow. He tried to imagine he was eating an undercooked steak or burger, but it didn't help much. He couldn't get past the metallic taste of blood, couldn't ignore the rough texture of the raw meat. Finally, he managed to swallow. Beside him, he heard Hannah struggling to chew also, and was pretty sure he heard her quietly sobbing. He bent down and took another, smaller bite.
After chewing and swallowing again, he looked up and saw the others watching him and Hannah. 'I think that should do it. You're both just cubs, you don't need that much.', said Frank.
Hannah stood up. 'Thank goodness. That was just... oh my god, I am NEVER going to get that TASTE out of my mouth!!'
Luke laughed. A sort of bitter laugh. 'Yeah, it does linger for a while. Just use a bunch of mouthwash when you turn back, maybe some mints.'
'You kidding? I'm gonna brush my teeth for a YEAR!!', Hannah replied.
Colin looked up. He seemed to be studying the moon. 'We still have half an hour left, if I'm not mistaken. Let's start heading back to the house. Marta and I know the way, we've gotten back to the house by smell lots of times. First, let's all take a drink from the stream. '
'You don't have to ask ME twice!!' Alex said. He and Hannah ran over to the stream and began lapping up the cold, clear water with their tongues. The water was such a relief after their rough, bloody meal. Alex tried swishing some of it around in his mouth like mouthwash, trying to wash away any remaining blood. He spat it out and took another sip, swallowing it eagerly.
The others came and took turns drinking. For a few moments, the only sound was the sound of the wolves lapping the water, and birds in the trees in the distance.
Finally they stood up. Hannah sighed. 'Man, that was good!! I didn't want to stop drinking!!! I just want that bloody taste gone!!'
'I know how you feel, babe. Me too. ', Alex said.
Finally, their bellies full and thirst quenched,they all started back, following Colin and Marta. Alex was tired. He was cold. His feet-or rather paws-were sore. He wanted a shower so badly. He couldn't wait to get the skin off.
After walking for several more minutes, Colin stopped. He sniffed the air, gently at first, then stronger, faster. 'Hold on. Everybody, stop!!'
The others paused. Alex sniffed, trying to smell whatever his uncle could smell, but could only smell the others, and that skunk he'd smelled earlier.
'What? What is it?', he asked. Marta had joined in, and was sniffing the air with her husband. Alex noticed that their tails were standing straight up. Alex remembered that dogs did that when they were frightened or nervous.
Colin didn't answer for another moment. He finally turned to the others. 'Everybody, lie down low. And be quiet. There's somebody out here. Maybe more than one. People.'
Obediently they all lied down on their stomachs. Alex felt his heart begin to beat nervously in his hairy chest. Who were these people? And why was Colin so worked up?
Seconds later, Alex heard footsteps approaching: the sound of heavy boots on the forest floor, twigs breaking as they stepped. He saw the bright flash of flashlights, an eerie white in his new black-grey vision. Heard hushed, excited whispers. He strained to hear what they were saying.
"Hope our information was reliable. I'd hate to spend weeks in this shithole town for NOTHING. Last town was a bust. No werewolves, no vampires. I really don't see how this town is big enough to hold so many skin changers, let alone a SANCTUARY. "
Alex felt his blood freeze. 'HUNTERS', he realized. So the werewolves at the sanctuary were right!!
Another voice replied as he spat and laughed. "Simmer down. We'll find SOMETHING. Monsters THRIVE in podunk, backwater places like this. It's perfectly under the radar. No government facilities or military bases, inefficient law enforcement. It's the perfect place. I've heard lots of residents around here have just up and VANISHED. Just left their houses and disappeared, leaving most of their possessions, usually leaving the doors unlocked. That usually means two things: either one of our monsters GOT them, or that THEY are the monsters, and left to go in hiding."
"Over here", a third voice cried. The footsteps retreated a few steps. Alex saw the flashlight beams sweap the ground in the distance as they examined something.
"Yes, see? I told you. We're on the right track. Let's keep looking. If they're smart, they'll have moved onto a larger area. Werewolves don't stick to ONE area, makes them too noticeable, too easy to track. This town is teeming with woods. Call the others when we get back to the lodge, have them set up camp in every wood within fifty miles. We'll catch SOMETHING. Remember our deal though: we have to give at least ONE to those pesky damn government pricks, but the rest we can do whatever we want. Been a while since I had me a nice pelt!!"
One of the others laughed. "The missus wants a fur COAT!! By the way, have we heard from our boys at the outpost in Fever Swamp?"
"Not yet. They think they're onto something though. Lots of animals got torn up. Some scientist was studying swamp deer, and something killed half of them or some shit. The locals say swamp gas drives people crazy, makes them do crazy things, but WE know better. Let's go."
The footsteps started heading away, and soon faded.
Colin stood up first and sniffed. He stood sniffing and listening for a few seconds, then turned to the others. 'The coast is clear. Let's go. But hurry!!'
The others stood up and followed him. Alex couldn't help it. 'Hunters!!! At the sanctuary, people were talking about them. I can't believe they're really here!!'
Colin turned to him and nodded. 'Yes. Years ago, when Marta and I were first turned, we heard about some in the area,but never saw them. We think that's why this town has so many werewolves and other creatures: they come here to lie low. That hunter was right, small towns like this are a good place to hide. Or at least it WAS: it sounds like they're getting wise. All the more reason to go to the sanctuary. We'll start packing in the morning. '
'But... what about my parents? They're going to come back some day. They don't know about the sanctuary. About... US.'
'We'll think of SOMETHING, Alex. ', Marta replied. 'But after what we just heard,the sanctuary is the safest place. '
Alex sighed. They were right. Even though he hadn't seen them directly, just hearing the hunters talk about tracking down his kind had chilled him to the core. They talked about it so eagerly, enthusiastically. With JOY.
He didn't fancy living underground, even though the sanctuary was nice, and according to Frank, had a library and pool. He didn't WANT to abandon the normal life he'd lived back home, and never see his friends again. And he DEFINITELY didn't know how his parents would react if they came to pick him up and found Colin and Marta's house abandoned, no sign of them, or their son.
Still... if Hannah was there, maybe he could get through it, for a while. The thought of leaving her was almost as bad, perhaps even WORSE, than leaving his life back home, as leaving his friends, his parents.
They walked in silence till they got to the houses. Colin turned to face them again. 'The change is almost up. It will be time to turn back soon. Everybody, back to where you originally turned, so you'll have your clothes. Marta, come with me.' They turned and ran back into the house. Alex was surprised to see the door half open. Colin nudged it and it opened the rest of the way. They disappeared inside.
Frank turned to the others. "Leah, Luke, come on. We'll take turns taking a shower and rinsing off. Alex, Hannah, you guys changing back at Colin's? See ya'll soon.'
They turned to enter the Stoneman house, which Alex noticed also had the door open a crack. Frank leaped up and pushed it open the rest of the way. He trotted inside, followed by Leah and Luke.
Alex turned to Hannah. 'Come on.'
They ran into the abandoned Marling house, to the spot where their clothes lay, exactly where they left them. Even though it had only been a few hours, to Alex it felt like a lifetime ago when he'd taken them off and put on the skin.
Alex and Hannah took their places by their clothes and waited. A few minutes passed, then Alex felt a tingling sensation, in his paws, his legs, his tail, beneath his fur. He felt himself growing, his body expanding. He heard a light ripping sound, a tearing, as the fur started to peel away. Suddenly, the grey world vanished, and the color returned. Next second, Alex stood in his body. His HUMAN body. Naked. Fillthy. Cold. But he was HIMSELF again.
He turned to see Hannah standing beside him. She smiled. 'We're back!! Oh my god it feels so good to be able to talk NORMALLY again!!"
Alex laughed. "AND to see in COLOR!! Oh my god, that grey was starting to hurt my eyes!!"
They looked at each other for a few seconds, admiring each other's nude bodies again. They both had dirt and mud on their hands and feet, and their hair was matted and tangled, but they didn't care. They were both so happy to be kids again, to be THEMSELVES.
"You are so beautiful. Even when you're dirty", Alex said, and kissed her. She kissed him back, and they stood trading kisses for over a minute. Alex wanted so badly to finish what they had started, but he knew it wouldn't be wise with Hannah's family just next door.
As if reading his mind, Hannah smiled. "Don't worry: in the morning my parents and Luke will leave, and we'll pick things up where we left them earlier. Let's just get dressed, and try to get some sleep. We've got a few hours before the sun comes up. "
Alex nodded "Sounds good. I know you said we'd take a shower together in the morning, but I really want to take one NOW, after crawling around for several hours. I've got dirt between my TOES!!"
Hannah nodded as she picked up her underwear and pulled them on, followed by her bra. "Me too. But not TOGETHER. We'll do that TOMORROW, after we have sex. But I AM going to do what I said in the forest, and brush my teeth till my gums bleed!!! I can STILL taste that poor deer!!"
Alex pulled on his underwear, followed by his pants. "Me too. I really thought being a wolf would be kind of fun,but that was just...terrible. I can't get that poor deer's cries of pain out of my mind. I can still see its dead eyes when I close MY eyes."
Hannah pulled on her shirt and nodded. Alex thought he saw a tear roll down her face. "Same. I really don't understand how my parents and Luke do it every night Your aunt and uncle too. I just COULDN'T. I'd feel too terrible. I do STILL, after only once. I only became a werewolf so I could join my family at the sanctuary, but I didn't want...THIS. If being a werewolf means I have to go through this much pain every night when I put on my skin, and walking in the cold forest to kill some poor animal... I just didn't think about it when I let Mr Shein turn me, I just wanted to see my family again." She paused putting on her jeans, and turned to face him, and she really had tears in her eyes now. "And YOU. Because of me, YOU had to go through that tonight too. I am SO sorry, Alex. SO SORRY!!!!" She grabbed him and hugged him, burying her face into his shirt. Her entire body shook as she cried.
Alex hugged her tightly, patting her on the back lightly. "It's ok, Hannah. I already told you the other night, I don't blame you. You couldn't help it, you lost control. Besides, ANYBODY would do ANYTHING it took to see their family. You did what you had to do. Besides, even if I wasn't ALREADY a werewolf after you attacked me,I'd gladly let myself be turned, to be with you. I love you, Hannah. You're the best thing that ever happened to me. If my parents come to take me back home, I'll find a way to stay. I will NEVER leave you. " He leaned down and kissed her. Her lips were salty from the tears rolling down her face.
She pulled her face off his shirt and looked at him. Her face was red and tear-stained. She wiped her face with her hand. "I love you too. I couldn't bear to see you go either. I'm just scared, scared for my family, for myself, for YOU. After what we heard in the forest, those hunters. I mean, I know we can't NOT put on the skins and hunt, cause we saw what will happen if we don't, but after seeing how horrible it feels to kill a defenseless animal, and hearing those hunters... Alex, I don't think I WANT to be a werewolf. My family either. We found out not wearing the skins didn't work, but there MUST be a cure, a REAL one!!"
Alex sighed. "I hope there IS. The sanctuary has a library, remember? Maybe when we get there, we'll go through the books. I mean, a sanctuary for werewolves and vampires and the like MUST have books about the creatures that live IN it, and at least ONE of those books must speak about possible cures. "
Hannah thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Maybe. But if the books have a cure, why haven't any of the people in the sanctuary gone after it?"
Alex thought, then replied. "Maybe some DID. Remember, some of the people we met said some have gone missing? Maybe some of those werewolves read about possible cures, went looking, but didn't come back. Maybe hunters got them, or something else. All I know is we gotta look. I can't live like this. "
She nodded. "Me either. You're right, we've got to try. Soon as we get to the sanctuary, the better. Your uncle said ya'll are moving tomorrow, right? I just have to pack some clothes. Luke already got his books. I'll help you guys pack tomorrow, and we'll all go together. "
Alex smiled. "Sounds great. I wish we could have a room together, the same bed,but your parents probably wouldn't like that."
Hannah smiled. "Well, them's the breaks. But we'll work something out. Besides, we have all tomorrow morning to be naughty, before we have to start packing. For now, let's finish dressing and take showers, and hit the sack for a couple hours. "
Alex smiled. "Sounds good to me."
After kissing a couple more times, they finished putting on the rest of their clothes, and folded up their Werewolf Skins and put them next to each other. Then they walked out of the house together. Alex took a deep breath of outside air, glad to be breathing as a human boy again.
Hannah turned to him and smiled. "We'll, I'm gonna go in and wait for my turn to take a shower, then brush my teeth real good. then try and get a few hours sleep. I'll see you soon."
Alex nodded." Me too. I might as well have one last sleep in my tiny room before I move to the sanctuary. It's gonna be great having a big room with an air hockey table, if Jamal's offer is still available. "
Hannah smiled. "Come to MY room sometime. I'm pretty good at ping-pong. I'd be happy to kick your butt."
Alex laughed. "We'll see about that. Night. See you soon. "
The two shared one last, long kiss, then Hannah turned and walked into her house, closing the door behind her. Then Alex walked into his house and shut the door. "Uncle Colin!! Aunt Marta!!! You guys still up?"
Aunt Marta walked into the living room, smiling."Alex!! Oh, I feel so much better. Colin too. We both took a quick shower, there's still plenty of hot water left. You should take one, then try and get some sleep. We'll start packing in the morning. "
Alex eagerly went to his room and took off his clothes and grabbed new clothes from the drawer, and walked to the bathroom and jumped in the shower. It felt so good to wash off the dirt on his hands, legs and feet. The hot water was such a relief after spending several hours out in the cold with only a small layer of fur. He eagerly shampooed and conditioned his hair, in case it had any dirt in it as well.
Finally, after what must have been at least 10 minutes, he turned off the water and stepped out. He quickly dried off, and changed into his nice, clean clothes. Finally, he grabbed his toothbrush and toothpaste, and started brushing. Just like Hannah, he tried to brush for as long as he could, adding new squirts of toothpaste, spitting and rinsing, till his gums were sore. When he was finally convinced he'd brush away any trace of the ill-fated deer, he put the toothbrush and toothpaste away, and, after getting a glass of water, he climbed into bed, and, despite all the horror of the day (and most of the night), fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
He awoke four or five hours later. He opened his eyes and checked the time. Almost 10. He looked out the window. Bright and sunny. A welcome relief after slinking around the forest last night.
He climbed out of bed and fixed the covers, which he didn't know why, since they were supposed to leave today. Just a habit, he supposed.
When he walked into the kitchen, Colin and Marta were already up. Marta was frying bacon and eggs in a pan. She turned and smiled.
"Good morning, Alex. I figured we might as well have one last breakfast in this house. As soon as we eat we'll start packing. I got some boxes in the attic. I'll bring them down as soon as we finish. "
Alex smiled and sat down. "Sounds good."
Colin sighed. "We'll bring all our stuff in the van. But since this is likely the last time we ever use it, it'll probably get towed. "
Marta smiled again, trying to keep up the good humor. "Just as well, dear. I think that thing is on its last legs. Eat up everyone, and let's get a move on. "
So Alex ate quickly. He wasn't thinking about packing, or the car. He was thinking about Hannah, and what was going to happen when he went over to her house in just a bit. He was excited, but also nervous. Perhaps more nervous than when he first put on the Werewolf Skin.
As soon as he finished eating, he put the dish in the sink, and brushed his teeth quickly. He told Colin and Marta he was going over to Hannah's for a bit, that they had promised to help each other pack. That Hannah would come and help HIM once he finished over there. He had to admit, he was becoming pretty good at lying.
He stepped outside and closed the door. No sooner had he reached Hannah's house than the door opened, and out stepped Frank and Leah, followed by Luke. All three carried their Werewolf Skins under their arms as they had last night. The Skins were folded up neatly. To passersby, they might be carrying blankets. Luke had his backpack with his books on his back.
Luke smiled and pointed at the house. "Hannah's inside, she still has a few things to pack. We'll be back in a few hours. My dad wants to take your uncle up on that barbecue before we bring them to the sanctuary. "
"Tell Colin to get out the old barbecuer, I'll bring by some meat. Don't worry, not raw deer." Frank laughed at his own joke, and together the three of them started walking down the street. Alex watched them till they rounded the corner, then eagerly opened the door and stepped into the house.
"Hannah!! I'm here!!!', he called. Next second she stepped into the room, smiling. "Good morning.", she said, and they shared a long kiss.
Alex smiled back. "So, are you ready? We have a few hours before your family gets back. I already told Colin and Marta I came over to help you before I come back and pack my stuff."
She kissed him again. "I am SO ready. Let's go to my room."
They took each other's hand, and walked through the living room (which Alex noticed was a bit cleaner now: the coffee table had been cleaned off, the plates and wrappers and soda cans thrown away, and the dirty shoes removed from the doorway, and into Hannah's room. Alex noticed that almost all of her clothes had been removed from the closet, and her chest of drawers stood open, their drawers also empty. Then he noticed the backpack Luke had given her, now bulging with clothes, sitting next to a black plastic trash bag, also bulging with stuff.
She saw him looking. "Yeah, I've got all my clothes packed, including the ones from the dryer. All ready to go."
She closed the door, even though they were all alone, and they walked over to Hannah's bed and sat down. She smiled again, then sighed.
"I've been looking forward this all last night and all morning, but I'm so nervous now."
Alex nodded. "Me too. If you don't want to, if you've changed your mind, it's fine."
She shook her head. "No. I haven't changed my mind. I want to, it's just, I mean, this is going to be the first time, for either of us. I just kind of wish it was a better place than my room, in the midst of moving out. But I also know we won't have a better chance for a long time. I'm also worried cause I've heard that it can hurt, for girls at least, the first time. "
Alex smiled and kissed her gently. "I'll be very gentle, don't worry. I'd never hurt you. I'd take a bullet for you any day."
She smiled and kissed him back, then leaned down on the bed. Alex layed on top of her, and for several minutes they lay kissing. Alex took off his shirt and tossed it on the floor.
Hannah sat up and took off her shirt too, followed by her bra. Today her bra was light blue, and, as Alex saw when she removed her pants, so was her underwear.
Staring at Hannah in nothing but her underwear, Alex quickly stripped down to nothing but his underwear, which today were black. Finally, just like last night, they removed their underwear at the same time. Now both totally nude, they got back on the bed, Alex on top of Hannah. He started by kissing her, first on the lips, then moving down to her chest, between her boobs. Like last night, he grabbed one breast in each hand, squeezing it softly but firmly. Hannah moaned in pleasure.
"Oh Alex", she moaned. "That feels great."
Alex smiled. "You haven't felt anything yet. Before i put my penis in, let me help get you in the mood."
She laughed. "What do you mea-uggghh!!" Her question was cut off as she felt Alex slide two fingers between her legs. She gasped, at first because his fingers were cold as they entered her, but then gasped from the feelings of pleasure as his fingers touched the nerves of her clit. To her, it was the reverse of putting on her skin last night: instead of pain shooting through her body as the skin morphed her body, she felt wave after wave of pleasure shoot from her clit to her legs, to her upper body. She felt her nipples harden as she became aroused.
'Alex... where did you LEARN about this?", she breathed. "I've HEARD older girls, usually my brother's friends or girlfriends, talk about fingering, but I didn't know exactly how it worked. Or how good it feels.", she added.
Alex paused for a second. "Same way. Some of my friends back home had older friends or siblings. You spend enough time around older kids, you pick up stuff, even if they don't know you're listening. I guess teenagers ARE good for something after all."
Hannah laughed and smiled. With the sunlight coming through her window, lighting her nude body and beautiful face, she truly looked like an angel,a beautiful creature of light. "They sure are. Do it for a few more minutes, then I'll give you that blowjob I was going to give you last night."
"Yes, my lady.", Alex smiled, and began moving his fingers inside her clit again. He moved them just a bit deeper, and Hannah moaned with pleasure. Her skin had goosebumps from the immense pangs of pleasure. She felt her vagina moisten as her boyfriend resumed his finger work inside her chamber of wonders.
After a couple more minutes, Alex stopped. His hand was tired. "Gotta take a break. I can use my other hand for a bit, but I don't think it'd feel as good. I'm better with my right hand."
She sat up, smiling, and kissed him. "No, that's fine. I'm all good and wet there now. But before you put it in", she said, looking down at his erect cock", let me finish what I started last night, before we were interrupted. "
They switched places, Alex lying down. Hannah crawled on top of him, and mimicked what Alex had done, kissing him first on the lips, the chin, and moving down to his chest, then his stomach, till she made her way to his penis. Then, licking her lips to moisten them, she put her mouth over his cock, and began licking and sucking.
Alex moaned as his girlfriend moved her mouth and tongue over his cock, her had bobbing up and down.
Finally, after several minutes, he spoke: "Whoa, Hannah, enough, I'm about to cum. I'm right at the edge. I don't want to blow before i stick it in!!"
Hannah took her mouth off his cock and wiped her mouth. "Thanks for telling me. I think you DID cum, just a tiny bit. It tastes... weird. A bit bitter and salty at the same time."
Alex laughed. "Yeah i bet. Let's just wait a couple minutes, let me cool down a bit first. I don't want to blow the SECOND we start fucking. Are you still nervous?"
She shrugged her bare shoulders. "A bit. I'm sure EVERYBODY is nervous the first time. My parents probably were, my brother. But then they were probably nervous the first time they put on their skins. I was. Even though i knew my hot boyfriend would be naked beside me." She smiled.
Alex laughed and kissed her. "Same. Remember that night when you were in my attic, looking through old clothes? You said not to come up cause you were naked? If i HAD come up, would you have been mad, if i had seen you THEN?"
She thought for a moment, then shrugged again. "Maybe just a bit, but i guess not TOO much. I mean, i liked you the second i met you. I think i knew you liked ME too. "
Alex smiled. " I DID. You're the most fascinating, most awesome girl i ever met. You're brave, kind, and wonderful. And you're absolutely drop-dead gorgeous. I love everything about you: your hair. your eyes. your voice."
She smiled. "Awww, you. And of course, my boobs and ass, right?"
Alex laughed and grabbed her breasts again. "Of course, them. But i also know your body isn't all you are. I love everything about you. I love YOU."
She smiled again. " I love you too. I'm ready. Are you ready?".
He nodded. "I think I've calmed down enough so i don't blow instantly. Let's go."
Once again, Hannah lay down on the bed, and Alex crawled on top of her. After positioning himself, he hesitated for only a second before working his erect cock into his girlfriend.
Hannah gasped as Alex worked his penis inside. His cock was way bigger than his fingers, and tingled more as it passed her clit. When it finally reached her hymen, Hannah felt a slight pain, which became sharper as it tore through, tearing her hymen and taking her virginity, and simultaneously allowing her boyfriend entry to her vagina. Hannah gasped with both pain and pleasure as Alex started thrusting, his cock pulsing inside her. Her entire body tingled with sensations she had never felt before.
Alex, meanwhile, was similarly overcome with sensations. After fingering Hannah earlier, he'd expected her pussy to be wet, but he was still surprised. It was like sticking his finger into a half-empty bottle of water and turning it upside down, the water hitting his finger, trying futility to escape. Her vagina was so small, tight and wet. He heard her gasp as her hymen broke, but didn't stop thrusting. He couldn't. His body began to sweat as he rocked harder, harder...
Finally, the lovers came at the same time, in perfect unison. Alex blew his load as Hannah's vagina released its feminine juices, which washed over her boyfriends still ejaculating cock. They both moaned in pleasure as their bodies relaxed. Alex lay down on top of her but didn't pull out yet.
"Oh my god, oh god..." Hannah moaned. "Oh god, that was...it was everything i imagined it to be. "
Alex kissed her. His penis finally stopped moving, his load spent. He pulled out and rolled off her, lying beside her on the bed. "Same. I know we're not the FIRST kids to lose our virginity at 12, but I'm glad it was here, today, with each other. I can't imagine being with anybody else. I don't WANT to. You're the only girl i ever want to be with. "
She smiled beside him on the bed. "Same. Before you arrived i didn't even THINK about boys, or kissing or any of that stuff. Whenever i heard my brother and his high school friends talking about sex i tuned out. Same as kids at MY school. I had too much stuff on my mind. My family being werewolves, for instance. " She stopped and sniffed." It smells in here. I HEARD that sex smells, i just never knew what it smelled LIKE. "
Alex laughed. "Must be the sweat. I'm sweating like crazy, even though I'm naked. "
Hannah laughed too. " Me too. Let's take that shower we were talking about, then we should REALLY go next door and help your aunt and uncle pack. They're probably wondering where we are. Plus my parents and Luke will be back in a couple hours. We'll just leave our clothes here, put them on after we dry off."
So Alex and Hannah walked to the bathroom. Since they were already naked, Hannah just turned on the water and they stepped in. Since Hannah had more body parts and hair, he let her wash first, watching as she moved the soap bar over her body: her chest and boobs, her stomach, her holy temple he'd ransacked in her room. Her legs, her butt. Of course, he felt another another erection incoming. And... there it was.
Hannah noticed and laughed. "Settle down, boy!! Sit!!!", she motioned with her hand and laughed again.
Alex laughed. "Can't help it. Now that I've had a taste, i want more. " He moved over, so they were both standing under the hot running water, and kissed her passionately.
She kissed him back and smiled. "Me too, but i really don't know if we have the time. It's already almost the afternoon." She squeezed shampoo in her hand and started washing. She handed Alex the soap, and he started washing.
Alex sighed. " I know. You just turn me on so bad. I wonder if we'll ever have time to do it again, or stuff like THIS, at the sanctuary. I don't see how, with so many people around, not to mention your family. "
She shrugged as she continued running the shampoo through her beautiful hair. " I don't know either. I hope so. We'll find a way, I'm sure."
Alex continued moving the soap over his body as he spoke, moving from his chest to his pelvic area. "I really hope so. I was also thinking, next time, or one of these times, since we already did it in front, maybe you'd let me do you... from behind? I mean, you know how much i love your ass." To prove his point, Alex grabbed her butt as she turned around to rinse the shampoo out of her hair.
Once she was done she turned to face him. She smiled. "Yeah, maybe. I mean, we've done everything else today. Well, not EVERYTHING. But basically all the stuff we've heard people talk about. " She smiled. "You know, YOU have a cute butt too, not just me. Get over here and finish washing, it's MY turn to gawk at YOU. "
Alex laughed as they switched places. "Yes, ma'am. " Alex stepped under the shower head and finished washing the rest of his body while Hannah watched. She had to admit, she was also becoming aroused again as she watched him wash off, but she knew they didn't have enough time for a reprise. She also wondered, despite reassuring him that they'd find a way, if they truly would. She had to admit, she was curious about trying anal after Alex had suggested it.
Alex finished washing his body, then squirted shampoo in his hair and lathered it around. He turned and saw Hannah still watching. "You know, we haven't discussed what we will do tonight. I mean, neither of us wants to kill another animal and eat it, but how will we avoid it with your parents and my aunt and uncle watching us?"
She was silent for a moment, then shrugged. "I don't know, Alex. My mom DID say we'd get weaker every time we turned if we didn't eat. But she didn't say it'd KILL us. Not like not putting on the skins probably would. "
She continued as Alex turned to wash out the shampoo. "I mean, we COULD run off and hide, pretend we got lost, and just lie low till it's time to turn back. But they'd probably find us."
Alex finished washing off the shampoo and turned around. He nodded. "Maybe. Yeah, they probably would. Plus, there might be hunters. We don't want to run into them all by ourselves. "
She shuddered. "Yeah, definitely not. We'll think of something. But I'm NOT killing another poor deer, or ANY animal. "
Alex turned off the showe since he was closest, then they stepped out. Hannah grabbed them both towels and handed him one. They dried off quickly, glancing at each other occasionally. Once they finished, they walked to her room and dropped the towels and pulled on their clothes. Alex couldn't help thinking it felt weirder getting dressed after having sex and showering with his girlfriend than getting dressed after spending most of last night as a werewolf.
After they were finally dressed Hannah grabbed the towels and told him she was going to put them in the washer. A few seconds later she came back. "Ready to go next door? I'll help you pack your stuff, then we can help your aunt and uncle. We should be done before my family gets here."
Alex smiled and kissed her. "Sure. Let's go." They took each other's hand and walked out of the room. As they stepped into the living room he turned to her. " Remember, when we get to the sanctuary we'll hit the library. I'm CERTAIN there must be some books that talk about possible cures. So even if we get sick if we don't eat tonight when we turn, hopefully it won't be for long. "
She turned to him and smiled hopefully. "Maybe. But we shouldn't talk about this around our families.", she said, raising a finger to her lips for emphasis. " We'll look through the books together tomorrow, when they aren't around. "
They walked out of her house and across the yard to Alex's house. They walked through the door and Alex called out: "Uncle Colin, Aunt Marta!!!"
"In here Alex!!", came Marta's voice from their room. "We're still packing our clothes and stuff. I put some boxes in your room."
Alex walked up to their room, and saw them rummaging around in the closet. Several suitcases lay open on the bed, filled with clothes. A couple boxes lay on the floor, and they were tossing in junk: photographs, books, what looked like old-fashioned records. Alex wanted to tell them their room at the sanctuary might not have enough space for all that stuff, but didn't want to seem rude. He decided to let them sort it out with their roommates. Then he remembered something else.
"Uncle Colin? Hannah's dad said they're going to stop by later before we head to the sanctuary. He said to tell you to get out the barbecue grill."
Colin nodded as he grabbed what looked like a bag of golf clubs and tossed them into a box. "Sure thing. Once we finish packing I'll go get it ready." He turned to Marta. " If you want, go help the kids. I'll run to the store and get us a few steaks and some beer for tonight. "
She nodded. "Sure, but let's finish this first. I'm sure Hannah will be happy to help Alex. "
Hannah nodded. "Yes, I'll help. We're already done at my house. "
As they were walking to his room, Marta called out again. "Alex, before we leave, call your parents, leave a message if they don't answer. Tell them we went to visit some friends, and they don't have a phone. That way they don't worry!!!"
"Sounds good, i will!!!", he shouted, and he and Hannah stepped into his room. He sighed. "You know, I'm not gonna miss this room too much. It's way too small. I'll only remember this place cause it's where i met you."
She smiled. "You're so corny. But that was still really sweet. " She kissed him, then grabbed one of the boxes on the floor and set it on his bed. "Well, what do you wanna pack first?"
Alex and Hannah quickly packed what little Alex had. It didn't take long: Just clothes mostly. Alex was glad he'd brought most of his clothes from home. He hadn't expected all of the past couple weeks to happen,but he was glad to have lots of extra clothes. He then wondered if the sanctuary had extra clothes for people who needed them. He'd have to ask somebody when he got there.
Soon, they were done, and went back to see Aunt Marta, who told them Colin had gone to the store in the van to get meat and drinks. They helped her finish packing, then Alex went into the hall to use the phone.
He called their hotel room, but nobody answered. They must be busy. He remembered what Aunt Marta had said, and left a message.
"Hey mom, dad, it's Alex. I have to go with Uncle Colin and Aunt Marta, they're going to see some old friends of theirs out in the country. I don't know how long we're going to be staying, but these people don't have a phone at their house, they're really old. I'll find a way to call in a couple days. I hope you guys are ok. I know things must be crazy out there. I love you guys. Talk soon."
He hung up and turned around to see Hannah. "That must have been hard", she said, with a rueful smile. "I know how you feel. You wish you could tell them. We'll find a way eventually. Whenever they get here."
Alex nodded. "I really hope so. I miss them so much, and i hate keeping secrets. "
Still smiling sadly, she took his hand and leaned her head on his shoulder just as the door opened and Colin stepped in, carrying several bags.
"Hey guys. Just went to the store. I'm gonna go start the grill. Your family should be here soon, right Hannah?"
She nodded. "Yeah. What time is it?". She checked the clock. A little after 3.
Colin walked off, out the back door to set up the grill. About ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Alex opened it, and Frank, Leah and Luke walked in. Hannah ran up and hugged them. "Colin is making dinner out back", she said.
Frank held up a bag he was carrying. "Cool, i bought some extra meat. I'm good friends with the guy who works in the kitchen at the sanctuary. He used to work as a butcher. Now and then he sneaks back to the slaughterhouse to get us some meat. This is some real high quality stuff here. Ya'll are in for a treat. "
He walked off to meet Colin out back while Leah went to take off her coat. Luke looked from Alex to Hannah and smiled. "So, what have you two been up to today?"
Alex and Hannah glanced at each other nervously. "Ummm... just packing. Getting ready.", said Alex.
"Yeah. We had to help Colin and Marta after i helped Alex. ", added Hannah.
Luke looked from his sister to Alex again, still smiling. An almost suspicious smile. 'Does he KNOW? Can he TELL?', wondered Alex.
Luckily, Marta came up from behind and broke the awkward silence. "Ya'll want anything to drink?"
A half hour later, everybody sat down eating the steaks and burgers Colin had made. Frank was right: the steaks his friend had given him WERE great. Alex was looking forward to meals at the sanctuary, provided there was enough for everybody.
Colin and Marta sat with Hannah's parents, eating and drinking the beers Colin had bought. Alex and Hannah were sitting on the couch, eating in silence, when Luke came up and sat in the armchair across from them.
"So, ya'll excited for the move? When i told Jamal and the guys you were coming, Alex, they were all excited. Some of the guys are me and Jamal's age, some are only a few years older than you. I'll introduce you to everybody when we get there, or tomorrow. "
Alex chewed the last of his steak, swallowed and nodded. "Cool. Can't wait. The beds at the sanctuary look way more comfortable than the one in my room here." Then he remembered something " By the way, you guys have any way of getting extra clothes, in case we need more?"
Luke shrugged. "Occasionally the church has their usual rummage sale. Sometimes people throw their own stuff in. Whatever people don't buy Father Landis or whoever is running it brings what's left down there. We have a whole room with supplies: clothes, backpacks, notebooks and pens, games, batteries, you name it. You can go take a look. I'll show you where it is."
"Cool.", Alex said.
Luke nodded. "No prob." He looked at the half full beer in his hand and held it out. "You guys want a taste? I won't tell anyone. "
Hannah gasped, and almost choked on her food." LUKE!!!", she gasped, when she was done coughing. "What are you doing?! Our parents are over there!!! You're going to get us in trouble!!"
Luke looked behind him. The adults were still eating, talking and laughing at the kitchen table. He looked back at them. "It's no problem. They won't know. It'll be our secret. Besides, as werewolves, you've already taken your first steps away from childhood. "
"We're still 12.", Hannah said.
Luke looked at them with that suspicious smile again. "Kids in Mexico have their first beer at 12, or even younger. Just go ahead, just a sip. I mean, if you're mature enough to hunt and kill your first meal, and to date and kiss and do... other stuff", he said, looking from Alex to Hannah again. Alex felt a pang of dread again as he said that." Then you're probably mature enough to try a beer.", he finished.
Alex hesitated, and finally took the glass bottle from Luke's hand. Looking from him to Hannah, who was watching with a nervous look on her face, turning her head to look at the adults, Alex slowly raised the bottle to his lips and took a sip. He gagged at the carbonated, bitter taste,but swallowed. "Eugh", Alex said, handing it back to Luke, who laughed loudly.
"Now you're OFFICIALLY a man, Alex", Luke said, and puched his arm. He held it out to Hannah. "How bout you, sis?", he said, smiling.
Hannah stared at the bottle in her brother's hand. She looked once more at her parents, still sitting at the table, talking with Colin and Marta, and finally reached out and took the bottle. She took a sip, then gagged and coughed, spitting it out. "YUCK!!", she gasped, and coughed again. Alex patted her on the back as Luke took the bottle, laughing. "You two are a couple of lightweights ", he laughed, and stood up, walking away.
Hannah gagged again. "Gross!! How can they DRINK that stuff?! I'm just going to stick to SODA", she said, grabbing her can of Cherry Pepsi.
Finally, after the adults had finished eating, they announced it was time to get ready. While Hannah's parents helped Colin and Marta grab the boxes from their room, Hannah helped Alex grab the boxes in his room, and they all brought their stuff to Colin's van out front. After everybody arranged their stuff in the back, Alex and Hannah walked into the Marling house and grabbed their skins. Alex turned to see the sad look on Hannah's face.
"I'm going to miss this place. My house. My room. My bed. The sanctuary is nice, but it's not home. " He saw a tear roll down her cheek.
Alex nodded. "I know how you feel. Don't worry. We WILL find a cure. For you. For your parents and Luke. For my aunt and uncle. For EVERYONE. No matter what it takes, we'll find one. You WILL see your home again. " He reached out and pulled her into a hug.
She sniffed. "I hope so. I really hope so."
They pulled apart, and brought their skins to the van and threw them in the back, next to Colin and Marta's skins, then finally went into Hannah's house to grab her things. When they reached Hannah's room, she took a long look at her room, her empty closet, her Purple Rose poster. She sniffed again. Then, trying to maintain good spirits, she smiled. "At least, if we don't come back, I'll always have good memories in this room. Like today."
Alex laughed. "True. I think your brother KNOWS. Somehow he can TELL. I don't know HOW."
She shook her head. "Brothers are like that. They just KNOW when their sibling has done something, even if the parents don't. But i don't think he'll tell my mom and dad. Luke would NEVER betray me."
Alex nodded. "No.", he agreed. "He seems too cool. I really wish I had a brother."
She laughed. "No, you don't. BELIEVE me." She grabbed the backpack, and Alex grabbed the garbage bag with the rest of her stuff, and they headed back outside for the last time, and placed them in the back, and closed the door. Colin and Marta were already in the front seat, Frank and Leah behind them. Alex and Hannah climbed into the seat next to Luke. Colin turned to them.
"Everybody ready? Ya'll got everything?" Everybody nodded. "Right then, let's roll."
He started the van, and they pulled out of the drive. They all drove the short ride to the church in silence, everybody lost in their own thoughts. It was now quarter to 6. It would be dark in a few hours. Time to put on the skins. To walk beneath the moon on all fours as a wolf once again...
Finally they reached the church. Colin stopped the van. They stepped out and opened the back door, and began unloading. Colin turned to the others. "Just get your stuff, Alex, Hannah. Marta and I will get our own and bring it down. Frank, Leah, Luke, you guys can help Alex and Hannah if you want."
So with Luke's help, Alex carried his boxes and his skin, while Leah carried Hannah's. When they stepped into the church, candles were already lit in the corners, all ready for the night service. Alex looked around for Father Landis, but didn't see him.
Frank walked onto the stage. "It's ok, I've watched him do this many times. " He reached behind the pulpit and pulled the hidden lever, and the trapdoor sprang open. They walked down the eerie, noisy staircase, Alex hoping he wouldn't trip with his armful of stuff.
They finally reached the bottom, stepping into the dirty storage room, and Frank opened the door. Once again, Alex was nearly blinded by the bright light of the lobby. It was now full of people, way more busy than it had been yesterday. A sea of voices greeted him.
Alex carried his boxes into the hall. Luke placed a hand on his shoulder. "This way. I'll bring you to my room. Lemme find Jamal first. YO!! JAMAL!!!"
A few seconds later, Jamal walked over. Beside him stood an old man, very thin, with pale skin, and a sunken face. He was bald, and, with his gaunt face, skinny arms and legs, and pale lips, he looked like a skeleton. He was dressed in a black, old-fashioned suit, and wore a purple cape. He looked at Alex and Hannah strangely with his dark eyes. Alex shuddered. It was like he was looking at his dinner.
"Hey Luke. Good to see you.", Jamal said. He turned to Alex. "So, you decided to move in, huh? Great!! Me and Luke have wanted a roommate forever. You'll like our room. I think it has the best water pressure. The shower is great." Seeing Alex eyeing the strange man, he turned to address him.
"Guys, this is Count Nightwing. He came from Ohio to visit a couple of friends who live here. They're some of the few vampires who live here."
Alex gasped. "You...you're a VAMPIRE?", he said.
Count Nightwing nodded. He leaned in close. Alex could smell the decay of his skin as he brought his face close to him. "Yes. A vampire. Hmmmm. Alex, right? You know, i have a grandson your age. He's a vampire too, but he won't have his first fangs for a long time."
Alex gulped. "Really? Cool. I just got my Werewolf Skin the other night. "
Count Nightwing smiled coldly. "Ahhh. Nothing like the first hunt, huh? I remember MY first night as a bat, flying out of the castle window, searching for my first vessel to drink from. That was thousands of years ago, but you always remember your first time. My grandson has a friend your age too, had herself a little accident with some Werewolf Sweat. Luckily it was only a tiny splash. She'll be back to normal in a month or so, but she'll have to keep shaving until then. The hardest part is the urges."
Alex was confused. "Werewolf... SWEAT?", he asked. He looked at Hannah. "You ever heard of that?" She shook her head.
Count Nightwing laughed. "Alas, it hasn't been in use for like 50 years. Hard to make. Basically, it was used in emergencies only. If a werewolf lost their strength from not being able to turn or hunt, they'd apply the Werewolf Sweat, and it would revitalize them for a period of time. The only drawback was the excess hair. If used by a human, it won't actually turn them into a TRUE werewolf, just give them the aforementioned hair, and some wild, wolflike characteristics: trying to bite people, howling,eating facefirst, stuff like that."
"Wow"., Was all Alex could say. "How do you MAKE Werewolf Sweat?"
Count Nightwing laughed. "Sorry kid. Like Vampire Breath, it's a trade secret. Anyway, I'm only here for a few days, to visit some old friends, and conduct a little investigation. The hunters I've been tracking, the ones killing werewolves and my fellow vampires, have been spotted HERE."
Alex was shocked. "YES!!! Yes, they ARE here!!! We saw them, heard them, last night!!!"
Frank placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's ok Alex. When we came back earlier today, i told Father Landis about the hunters we heard last night. He has already left to meet with the Council Of Night Creatures. They will decide what to do next."
Count Nightwing nodded. "Yes. The Council. Now that i am awake, perhaps i should retake my old position on the Council. I bet they would be happy for my return. Anyway, i must go. My friends await. See you later, newbloods. " He waved to Alex and Hannah and walked over. Alex shuddered again. He was so... menacing.
Jamal shook his head. "Anyway, Luke, let's show Alex the room, shall we?"
Alex nodded. He turned to Hannah. "I'm gonna go get my bed set up. I'll see you in a bit."
She smiled. "Ok. See you soon." They kissed, a quick kiss, because her parents were standing close by, and walked off in opposite directions. Luke beckoned to the stairs in the corner, leading to the rooms in the top part of the lobby. Alex looked back to see Colin and Marta enter, struggling with their load of boxes and suitcases. Alex followed Luke up, and Jamal opened a door almost immediately to the right after exiting the stairs.
Alex stepped in. The room was almost exactly the same as the room Hannah's parents had shown them. Two beds at each end, facing each other, a door in the middle leading to the bathroom. A wardrobe and storage trunk by each bed. In the center of the room was a dining table and chairs, and the air hockey table Luke mentioned.
"Nice.", Alex said. Luke nodded and pointed to the beds at the left end. "You can take one of those. Luke and i sleep in the beds over there.", he pointed to his right. "We share the bathroom, but since you're the only one over there,you'll have the bathroom all to yourself. "
Alex nodded, and he and Luke carried his stuff over the the beds. Alex chose the bed on the right, and he got to work unpacking, first putting his skin in the storage trunk, then putting his clothes away in the wardrobe. As he unpacked, he thought about many things. He thought about his parents, on the other side of the world, unaware of the nightmare their son had been thrust into,and how he might never see them again. He thought about his Werewolf Skin, and how in a couple hours he would have to put it on again, and spend another miserable night as a wolf. He thought about Hannah. About how happy he was to technically be living in the same house as her, but with so many people, they'd hardly have any privacy to be intimate. About this morning, and how he wanted more. About their vow to find a cure, and the library here that might hold the answers...
He finished packing, and decided to go back downstairs to check on the others. He declined Luke's offer to play an air hockey game, and walked to the door. He couldn't help wondering what horrors tonight would hold. Would he and Hannah find a way to avoid having to kill and feed? Would they run into hunters again? Would they be able to find the answers they sought in the books tomorrow? So many thoughts, so many questions.
The past few days had been so full of life changing developments. It was like a horror movie, or a bad dream. But he was sure, as he opened the door and walked down to the lobby, that the true nightmare was just beginning...
End of chapter 4
I really hope ya'll enjoyed this chapter. I know it was pretty long, and it TOOK longer cause I'm busy with my other fics. Because of that, chapter 5 might take as long as this one, or less or more, depending how fast i write, as i am constantly jumping back and forth between stories.
I had Alex and Hannah have sex this chapter to get it put of the way, both for people who were eagerly awaiting it, and because i didn't know when they'd have another chance. Hopefully soon!!!
As you saw, one of the hunters mentioned Fever Swamp. A foreshadowing of what's to come, plus he made a reference to the events of the book. Also we saw Count Nightwing, and he mentioned Freddy and Cara. I also decided to have him explain what I thought Werewolf Sweat does. Many people were probably wondering what it does, i just gave MY description of what i thought it did to Cara. I'm not sure yet if i will feature Freddy and Cara in this story. Right now I'm just aiming for a one-off mention, but if ya'll want i can see if i can put them in.
Anyways, like i said next chapter might take a while, but hopefully soon. Since i jump between chapters of my stories constantly, i usually get one done before the other. And unlike most, i think up MOST of what happens on the spot, in the heat of the moment. That's just how i roll!!!
Anyway, see ya'll soon(ish) in chapter 5!!!