Nightly Howls

by Madeline Blake

  "That's true," I admit, laughing softly. Thirty years. I can't imagine her to be that much older than me... although I could have thought that with her other appearance last night.

  "So can I, Mistress?" she asks, reaching over and pulling a thin flower out of a delicate vase. With precision and accuracy, she places it in my updo, putting the final touch on the masterpiece.

  I laugh genially. "Danae, don't call me Mistress. That is how a servant would address me." She laughs too, and lets out a little squeal of happiness.

  "Thank you, Ella," she nearly stutters on my name, "I have never had a woman as a friend before."

  "Me either," I say in reply, and she gasps.

  "But you are so beautiful! How could you not have some friends at school?!" she practically exclaims. I just shake my head.

  "This new skin is only a facade... the one I used to have looked far worse."

  She just looks at me with concern. "You are like a flower in full bloom," she states, before your appearance may have just been budding, but your conversion is what made it truly blossom."

  "But that was just because of my conversion! If I didn't go through with the conversion... this would have never happened!" I say furiously.

  "I tend to believe that a conversion gives a werewolf different levels of beauty, based on the inside beauty they always have possessed." She jumps off the bed and walks towards the closet once more. Danae returns with some underwear and heavy socks. She stuffs it in the bag, making it full to the top. "You are exceptionally beautiful, Ella," she says softly, "and I don't think you fully appreciate the blessing God has given you."

  Expressionless, I stand up, staring at the face that isn't mine. Could it truly reflect who I am on the inside, or is Danae just spitting out lies?

  "Come on," I take the pouch and start walking outside my room.

  "I want to pack first," Danae apologetically says, "I will meet up with you in a minute. Get some breakfast."

  I stare at her for a second, then without a word I walk downstairs, my stomach grumbling. The first werewolf I see is Yi, cooking an omelet in the kitchen. His hair is messy and wild, which contrasts greatly with the frilly apron he is wearing.

  He turns to the sound of my laughter, startled. Once he realizes that it is directed at him, a blush spreads across his cheeks. "I didn't want anything to get on my clothes!" he nearly squeals.

  "Of course..." I chuckle, "while you have that on, though, can you make me some scrambled eggs?"

  He flips the omelet, and then slides it out onto a plate. He carries it into dining room, then returns and slides off the apron. "You can have it," he smirks and hands it to me, "make your own breakfast."

  "That's not something an apron-loving man should say when he is caught in the act," I smirk back, showing him my small camera, which is in the process of recording his every movement.

  "THAT'S NOT FAIR!" he yells, lunging for my phone. With lightning speed, I draw my hand away at the last second, Yi tumbling on the floor. He snaps to his feet, racing at me like a bull. I cringe slightly and start to close my eyes, but a form slips in front of me and takes Yi head on. Yi bounces off like a spring, dizziness in his eyes.

  "No one is touching Ella on my watch," Asher smiles, his body incredibly close to mine.

  "Don't worry, Asher, he was just playing," I step out from behind him. "Yi, could you please make me some scrambled eggs now?" I laugh. As he watches, I slide the camera deep into my pocket—so deep that he would have to assault me to get to it.

  He glances at me angrily, then ambles over to the refrigerator and pulls out some eggs.

  After another quick giggle, I turn back towards Asher. "Where are the others?"

  "Getting ready," he replies, "I'm surprised you got packed so quickly. What did you bring?"

  "Just one set of clothes," I dryly state, "it's not like you gave me room to pack anything else."

  "True." He lets loose a big, hearty laugh.

  "Couldn't you have given me a bigger bag?" I complain, but he shakes his head.

  "Look, I got a debit card, and that is what counts. It has all of our money on it. We can buy what we need."

  "But-"

  "We need to stay light," he gently, yet firmly insists, "we can't have you dragging a backpack around." I give up immediately, looking at the floor. They just don't know what it is like to be a girl.

  A tall, muscled form fills the doorway, his gaze directed at Asher. His face is magnificent yet weary, with faint circles underneath his eyes. Even one glance at him strikes pain in my heart.

  "Nico," I begin, and he looks my way. Fire and electricity immediately snap between us with our sudden connection, along with passion and regret. In addition, a strange type of hate is emanating from him, burning me to a crisp. Ironically, I shiver.

  "I need to talk-" I am interrupted by the shrill sound of the doorbell ringing. It sounds like the chime of a thousand bells, making even the ground vibrate.

  "Why don't you get the door, Ella?" Asher asks politely, though eyeing Nico.

  "Okay," I shuffle to the hallway and look back at Nico. At first we make eye contact but Nico looks away, dissatisfied. I shake my head slightly, and then I start to run. Before the last chime sounds, I am in the foyer, staring out of the thin windows.

  Rain is flooding down, the cold fogging up my view. The clouds are dark and intimidating, shrouding the world like a thick blanket. A shivering figure is huddled outside, his or her head and arms covered by a thin jacket.

  Without a moment more of hesitation, I fling the door open, hastily urging the person inside. I can tell that the figure is a girl, for she is wearing a knee-length dress, one that is rather low-cut and very fashionable.

  "What's your name?" I ask her softly. She doesn't answer, clutching her soaked jacket with long, pointy fingernails. "Do you want me to take that and wash it?" I gesture towards the jacket. She remains silent, unmoving.

  I move my hand towards the jacket, but then she finally speaks, stopping me with her voice. "Where is Nico?" she softly demands, "I need to see him." All the while she keeps her head down, as if she is afraid of my gaze. Water drips off her bare skin, soaking the carpet beneath her feet.

  "Okay, but don't you want to change into something dry first?" I offer, but she shakes her head sharply. Golden ringlets tumble from her jacket head covering, shiny and smooth.

  "Come on then." I lead the way back to the kitchen. She follows me softly, making almost no sound. "Hey guys, we have a visitor. It looks like she came in the rain."

  "A she?" Jake and Yi perk up, their voices blurring together. All of them race to the doorway. Nico, though lagging behind, follows their movement. Asher remains sitting at the table, engrossed in his newspaper.

  "Yeah," I say dryly. They stare at her like she is an unwrapped present, immediately turning on the charm.

  "What's your name?" they chorus, smiling brightly. They drink in her beautiful appearance, her nice figure and golden hair.

  She is silent for a minute, and then she says, "Meryl."

  Nico turns stone white, the very life sucked out of his statuesque features. "Meryl," he chokes, "how did you find us?"

  Her head snaps up, and the werewolves are immediately struck by a familiar face, judging by their expressions. She is wearing thick Raybans, so I can't see her eyes, but her skin is flawless, along with her luscious red lips.

  "I have... connections," she says slowly, peering straight at Nico. He narrows his eyes, staying silent.

  She takes a step towards him, distraught in her features. "Why did you leave me, and the entire club for that matter, that night? Was it because of a girl?" She gets right to the point.

  He stood, his face hardening. "Maybe it was, Meryl. But you really don't have to know. You have broken our contract, and I can sue you until there isn't a dime left in your pocket. If I were you, I would leave right now before that happens."

  "Was it this girl?" she mercilessly continues, whirling around and flinging a
single, accusing finger at me. "Was it she that bewitched you?"

  He casts one glance at me, and then returned his gaze to her, silent. A smile appears on Meryl's face, one full of laughter and mocking.

  "Or maybe you left because you were different," she turns back to face Nico, "I saw you that night. I saw who you really are." Her voice takes on a menacing edge, but then softens with her next words. "I am the only one that will accept you, Nico."

  Nico stares at her, horrified.

  She smiles, "you are a monster, Nico. I am the only person you can be yourself with."

  I can't take it much longer. This is like an episode of a soap opera. Does she really and truly believe that? He is so handsome that any girl would run off with him, regardless of his quirky, morphing-into-a-wolf tendencies.

  I break down into a fit of laughter, causing the crazed girl's attention to turn to me. "So you know too?" she asks dangerously, each word like a sharp dagger against my skin. "You think you can deal with him?"

  "Meryl!" Nico frantically tries to turn her attention away, "you only saw me shift once! You know nothing else about me!"

  She ignores him, staring at me. "Looks like I'll have to get rid of you then," she mutters sharply, and then flings off her sunglasses. Her eyes are as red as blood.

  She races at me, the jacket flying off her arms and head right into Asher's face. I quickly dodge her attack, running to other side of the kitchen. Asher snaps to his feet, looking anxiously at Meryl.

  She looks like a rabid dog, full of thirst for blood and fighting. All four werewolves run at her, but she avoids them easily. She is very quick and nimble, racing through their grasp like it is just a game.

  Somehow Meryl makes it over to my side, a Swiss Army Knife in her hands. She grabs my arm as quick as lightning, holding it to my throat. "Don't move!" she shrieks, pressing it towards my neck. A single bead of blood forms at the edge of the knife, dripping down it towards my chest.

  They freeze, even their heartbeats slowing. Her smile widens to one of madness. "Now, Nico, I want you to watch me kill her," she says darkly, staring straight at him. My life flashes before my eyes, and I feel even more regretful for trying to end it only a couple of weeks ago. It is such a wonderful gift... one so easy to lose.

  A few more agonizing seconds pass, full of pain as she makes an even deeper cut. I look down towards the blood, and then snap my gaze to where it was before. A tear bubbles at the edge of my eye, sliding down my cheek. The other werewolves look just as horror-struck as I feel right now.

  Suddenly, there is a blur of movement, and Meryl howls in pain. The knife slips from her hold, clattering on the floor. The werewolves immediately race into action, and within a few minutes she is firmly held by Jake.

  Danae stands on the table, holding a dagger dripping with blood that isn't mine. She shoots me a smile as the werewolves force her on that table, nimbly jumping off and taking the knife to the sink.

  Shock crosses my face when I realize what she has done. "Danae!" I shout, racing over to her, "you saved my life!"

  "Yes," she says plainly, "I couldn't lose the only friend I have." She washes off her knife, then takes a towel and wipes my neck.

  "Thank you so much!" I smile, and then hesitantly laugh. I have never felt so... relieved in my whole life. I walk back to the table, and without fear I place my hand on Meryl's head. It is so easy for me to heal a person now, having done it so often.

  When the red had finally faded from her eyes, the werewolves still refrain from releasing their hold. Nico's eyes are bloodshot, full of savagery and anger.

  "We have to go," Asher abruptly let go of Meryl, fury in his features, "the Council must have already forced our barriers down if a Shifter managed to make it to our doors. Who knows what will come our way!"

  "Yeah, we have to go," Nico agrees, his silky smooth voice washing over us. "Put her away," he commands. Jake and Yi silently slide off to do his bidding.

  "Can Danae come with us?" I ask, a hopeful expression in my features. They both stare at me, confused.

  "Why would she want to come?" Asher asks bitingly. Danae appears by my side, smiling. At this distance, I can tell she has aged considerably, a few gray hairs sprouting from her scalp.

  "Because I want to have an adventure," she smiles enchantingly, and I see Asher's firm expression soften. Without a word, he turns and walks to the door, vanishing from my gaze. Nico looks at me for a second, and then follows Asher.

  After a couple of minutes, Danae and I meet them at the door. My neck is patched with a band aid, and I am carrying my small pouch. Danae is adorned likewise, but the two werewolves are carrying nothing.

  "Let's go," Nico says softly.

  The rain soaks my hair as we race into the darkness.

  Runaways

  Our feet pound onto the dirt in perfect unison, each of us in sync with each other. Danae is next to me, having to take two strides for my every one, and Asher is on my other side. I can't even see Nico past Asher's form, but I can sense his presence. His enchanting smell always tends to weave its way to my nose. It is so strong that it almost makes me fall out of step, invoking sorrow and regret through my blood. I can sense his anger, his frustration pounding against my defenses.

  I shake my mind from him, focusing at the scene before us. An endless expanse of trees is ahead, making me wonder when it will end and I will finally get an unobstructed view of the thundering sky again. We are moving considerably slower than usual, since Danae and I are dragging the two werewolves down. I can tell this speed is bothering Asher, a frown gracing his features. He seems to be afraid as well as angry, fright in his expression.

  For some reason, I can't bring myself to possess that same emotion. For how am I supposed to be afraid of an invisible attacker that I have never seen before? Every step we take is one step farther away from the enemy, but how do we know the enemy is chasing us in the first place? I know this unseen villain is a threat, and I realize that we must run. However, I do not get the familiar feeling that I am running for my life, that all the stakes rest upon our ability to evade this problem. For some reason, it almost feels like a game.

  So it is no wonder that I am not putting all of my effort into my actions.

  In addition to my laziness, Danae seemed to be breathing heavily as she runs, sweat pouring down her tiny body. To keep up with the werewolves and I, she has to work twice as hard as us. I can easily see that she won't last that much longer. But she is courageously gritting her teeth and continuing without a complaint. I soon realize that she wouldn't speak a word even if she was on the brink of death.

  Minutes stretch into hours, the forest ever continuing. I had no idea it was this big–we must be delving deeper into the sea of trees instead of trying to escape them. So many questions brim at the edge of my lips, then retreat as I unsuccessfully try to break the atmosphere of silence surrounding us all. The tension intimidates me. I am afraid that I may upset our steady rhythm if I utter a single word, and Nico will be even more furious at me than he already is.

  Every second becomes identical to the next, nothing changing as time slips on. Rain continues to pound at us, fiercely beating at our backs and soaking us to the core. The wind's sharp claws further accentuate the bitter cold, gripping us and never letting go. It is a nightmare in itself, even my vision growing hazy in the downpour. If not for my silent companions, I would have given up already, crawling under some random tree and sulking.

  I narrowly miss a branch, swerving underneath it with inhuman speed. The sudden movement seems to shock me into reality. I have been in some sort of trance, and this rude awakening also brings about awareness of the pains in my stomach. I glance over at Danae to see that she has almost collapsed, barely pulling herself along. Asher, on the other hand, is barely breaking a sweat, chugging along even quicker than when we started. I assume Nico is in the same condition.

  After a few more minutes, the pains grow past my stomach and envelop my whole being. I cannot take thi
s any longer. I cannot abuse myself to this length just to escape the invisible enemy.

  "Stop." My voice is commanding, urgent. I finally pause my feet, and the rest of them come to an abrupt halt as well. Weariness creeps upon me, until I have to hunch over for breath. When I look up, I find Asher, Nico, and Danae staring at me.

  "Danae and I must rest," I say firmly, speaking the words Danae refused to say. She looks at me with unspoken gratitude. Asher's face is emotionless, and Nico's face is full of fear.

  "We can't stop now," Nico urges, "we must keep going!" His face is devoid of any redness or exertion, only occupied by the rain flooding down it.

  "Well, can we at least have a bite to eat? I'm starving!" I beg, looking directly into his eyes. I am not afraid of him, even though he is angry at me. My hunger is changing me from an ashamed girl to a brave, yet desperate one. "It would also be nice to get some more clothes, or to get under some shelter and let them dry. Aren't you guys cold?"

  Shivers ripple through me as a strong burst of wind brushes past my wet skin. I am sure the two werewolves can sense my vulnerability, but strangely, I don't care. All that matters to me is to get some food to grace my aching stomach.

  "Okay," Nico immediately melts after my sad display, his expression still hard as a rock but his tone soft and gentle. I just gaze at his perfect form, missing the affection he used to lavish on me, the affection I hated with all my might. I can tell he is weary of this fighting also, but he is also torn by the sight he saw in the garden. How can I express to him that I can't have just anyone?

  Not that I'm going to start treating him with love if he accepts my apology. I still refuse to fall into that deathly snare of desire and passion, even though I can't think of any reasons for holding back anymore. My lips beg to be touched by him, my eyes gravitating to him constantly. And his scent... exudes potently strong pheromones that disarms me completely. My entire body wishes to be embraced by him, to surrender everything.

  "There is a fast food restaurant about a mile from here..." Asher says, checking his phone, "to our right." He slouches against the tree, water running down his form. I almost forgot it was raining.