by Lewis, D. C.
“Yeah, just had the wind knocked out of me,” Brandon replied, “I’ll be fine.”
“Kiera?”
Nodding her head, “Yep, I am fine too, he just breathed on me. Can I press chargers for that?” she asked with a grin.
“In a perfect world,” was all Officer Randolph replies as he got into his cruiser. The car slowly drove away, fading in the darkness until all that is left once again is the starlight.
“We really should be getting out of here,” Brandon said with a worried tone, “We don’t want to get caught up with that crew again,” he says as he starts walking towards the car.
“Wait,” Kiera asked. “Brandon come back here.”
As he made his way back over, Kiera put her arms around him. “Thanks for defending me,” she said,” You have no idea how much that meant to me.“
Not expecting this show of emotion, it took Brandon a few seconds to compose himself and reply. “Geez Kiera, I didn’t do anything except get punched in the stomach and fall down. Not much of a hero in my opinion.”
“Well, your opinion isn’t the one that matters, now is it?”
“Apparently not.”
“Good boy, you are finally learning.”
“Kiera, you’re impossible!”
“Yes, and that is why you love me so much,” she said as she disengages from his torso and heads back to the car. The starlight, though very illuminating, hides the disappointment on Brandon’s face.
Five
The car ride home was quiet. Kiera didn’t know what to say and Brandon wasn’t volunteering any topics. Instead, he just stared out the window at the passing scenery, the silence broken only by the radio playing in the background. Sitting there listening to the deafening silence, Kiera wished she could say something to make it all better. She knew how traumatic tonight was for Brandon, but more importantly, that it was her fault. She had used her female prowess to convince him to accompany her this evening even though he didn’t want to. This knowledge made her miserable and feel like the worst person on the planet. To make matters worse, she had also promised that nothing would happen to him. While all these things weighed heavily on her mind, she was trying her best to avoid thinking about what terrified her the most, that she almost "changed." Reliving the scene in her mind, of Josh’s hands reaching out to grab her, she once again started to feel the warm sensation in the pit of her stomach.
“Kiera!” Brandon shouted.
Snapping back to reality, Kiera looked ahead to see a deer standing in the middle of her lane. The front of the car dove to the ground as ceramic pads meet metal rotor in Kiera's attempt to stop the big car’s forward momentum. Kiera and Brandon were slammed forward, hindered only by the seatbelts that lock into place. Stopping mere inches from the startled deer, the car leveled out and its two passengers were thrown back into their seats with whiplash-inducing force. The deer, who was only seconds from death, regarded the two occupants of the metal creature through gentle and curious eyes. It blinked once and nonchalantly jumped back into the forest, never knowing how close it came to being just another road kill.
The enormity of the night hit Kiera like a freight train and she broke down into tears. Her sobbing racked her entire body as warm liquid pours from her eyes. Unbuckling her seatbelt she laid her forehead on her steering wheel, unable to control the shaking of her body. The night had just gone so horribly wrong. Once again it seemed she could have no long term happiness, something always seemed to interfere. Was she being punished for not accepting who she really was? Regardless, she refused that side of her and would continue to do so. She vowed to herself that her mother would know nothing of the evening. Kiera would put on her happy face and act as if nothing happened.
Feeling a hand touch her shoulder, Kiera looked over to see Brandon staring at her, a look of worry on his face. Brandon, her hero, the guy that helped her in more ways tonight than he would ever know. She cringed at the thought of what would have happened had he not been there to defend her against Josh. Looks like Brandon won this one.
“Hey, you OK? I am sorry I shouted like that, I was just really startled to see that deer in the road. I didn't mean to upset you,” he says.
Even in this bout of self-pity, Kiera couldn’t help but smile at Brandon’s innocence.
"No, it wasn't that, the deer being in the road was just the culmination of the evening. I thought for sure he was going to join us in the front seat," she said with a slight grin, contradicting her serious tone.
"I beg to differ," Brandon said." During the whole thing, I noticed how you expertly swerved the car just enough to where the deer would have been sitting in MY lap, not yours."
Due to the events of the evening, it tool Kiera a few moments before she realized that Brandon was joking with her. Unable to suppress it, she exploded in laughter, her body now heaving from the loud guffaws erupting from deep within her.
"Did not!" she said in between breaths, punching Brandon in the shoulder and continuing to laugh.
Her angelic peals were too infectious for Brandon to defend himself against and he found himself joining her in the hilarity. Taking his glasses off, he wiped the tears from his eyes and rubbed his shoulder, muttering a simple "ouch" that once again sent Kiera into gales of laughter.
They sat there for five minutes, laughing, not trusting themselves to speak, afraid that it would somehow dampen the mood. They would have sat there longer had a loud horn coming from behind them not broken them out of their reverie. The bright lights reflecting off the rearview mirror announce the presence of a car that had managed to sneak up on them during their temporary moment of insanity.
"Hold on," Kiera said to Brandon, buckling her seatbelt and hitting the accelerator.
"Just promise me you won't try to go deer hunting with the car again."
"And deprive you the thrill of the unknown? Guess you will just have to stick around and see."
"Great," Brandon said sarcastically as he makes sure his seatbelt is firmly fastened.
The driver of the other car grins as they watched the tail lights of the big BMW go around a corner and disappear into the night. The other car made a U-turn and start driving back the other way.
Six
Kiera got home a little past midnight. Pulling into her driveway, all she could think about was retreating to her bedroom and falling asleep. The emotional events of the night had manifested themselves in the form of complete physical weariness. Exhausted, she drug herself to the front door planning on have a quick bite to eat before falling asleep. It came as a shock when Katrina meets her at the door.
"I'm going out, there are some things that need my attention," she said as she walks out the door.
Taken back by the sudden abruptness of her mother’s departure, it took Kiera a few moments to appreciate the fact that she would have the house to herself this evening. Making a quick pit stop in the kitchen to grab a meaty snack, she hurriedly headed upstairs to her sanctuary. The evening had just been so completely surreal, she almost doubted that it even happened but somehow could still feel Josh’s touch on her arm and smell his breath in her face. The sense of safety overcomes her the moment she closed the oak door to her bedroom. Had she taken the time to really think about it, she would have realized that this was part of her Lycoan nature and that her room was in fact her den or lair. This part of her personality was so deeply ingrained that she didn't even realize what it truly was. Every Lycoan before her, both male and female, had a deep-seated need to have a sanctuary that they could come back to. Back before Lycoans learned to control the change, these dens were exceptionally important, providing shelter and concealment from enemies, a place to raise young, to mate, and many other activities that were and are so important to the Lycoan populace. Mating Lycoans would share a common den but would still maintain individual ones. Kiera adhered to a tradition 700 years old without even realizing it.
All Kiera could think of was getting out of her clothes and burrowing under the do
wn filled comforter on her bed. Walking to put her clothes in the hamper, she happened to glance at herself in the mirror. Her eyes were red and puffy. Tears had cleaned the dirt off her face in streaks, giving her face a fractured appearance. Her hair was in complete disarray. As much as her body sought the comfort of her bed, she slowly dragged herself into the bathroom to take a quick shower.
Her bath rug and towel were still wet from earlier that night. Turning the water on, she barely even noticed the rhythmic sound as it hit the glass walls of the shower, only to continue its inexorable journey, gurgling as it circled down the drain.
The cool water brought some life back into Kiera. The water running over her tall, lithe body washed the filth from her on both a physical and an emotional level, to join the other waste as it rushed down the plumbing. Ever so slowly, she started to feel clean. Taking her boutique soap and her loofah, she turned her back to the ongoing rush of water to vigorously scrub the spot where Josh touched her, not happy till the spot is completely red and slightly raw. Turning another set of knobs, she is rewarded by the sudden rush of water from directly above her. The large shower head sends of torrent of water to rain down upon her naked form. She stands in the center, enjoying the feel of the steady streams as they massage her shoulders and head. Taking a small step from the center of the deluge, she quickly grabs her shampoo and fully lathers her golden locks and immediately hops back into the center to allow the water to rinse her clean. Typically, Kiera hates to wash her hair before going to bed because that leaves her with the issue as to how she is going to deal with it. Blow drying takes more time and energy than what she feels like dealing with, but leaving it in its current state will force her to spend an hour pulling her brush through tangles in the morning. Toweling herself off, she decides a compromise is in order and puts her hair in a towel while she looks for ponytail holders. She hasn't worn two braids in her hair since she was a little girl but somehow tonight seems fitting. Not overly concerned about how even the part in her hair is, she quickly braids both sides. Looking in the mirror she laughs as she swings her head from side to side and watches as the braids try to follow suit. With slightly more effort than needed she whips her head around and a braid hits her directly in the eye which quickly ends that silliness for the evening. Walking back into her bedroom, she stops in front of her full length mirror. Loosening her towel, she stands naked, staring at her reflection. Once, this was a nightly occurrence, a chance for her to look at herself in minute detail, looking for any changes or abnormalities on her body. If she were to be honest with herself, she was actually looking for hair growth, fearful that the dreams that invaded her mind so regularly were manifesting themselves in the real world. Looking over every part of her body, craning her neck to look at her back as she spins to face away from the mirror, she is satisfied that physically she hasn't changed. Mentally is another story. Braids swinging back and forth as she goes to hang up her towel, she skips to the bathroom, humming to herself.
Surveying her room, she tries to decide what she wants to sleep in that night. She has her trusty old boxers and faded blue t-shirt that has served her so well over the years. The little outfit shows the signs of use, the shirt so thin that it is practically see-through, the boxers starting to become riddled with holes. She knows she should part with them but like so many other things in her room, they have been part of her life for so long that she can't bring herself to be rid of them. The comfort they have given far outweighs their ratty appearance. Forgoing making the decision now, she walks to her big bay window. Releasing the latch, she pulls the panes inward and has goose bumps cover her naked body as the breeze rushes in to dry the leftover water droplets from her skin. The night is teeming with life, crickets and frogs sing their songs, their voices lifting towards the heavens. An owl, flying on silent wings, hoots as it attempts to flush out prey. The sky is clear. Living far enough from the small town, the night sky is unadulterated by city lights, the lights that prohibit one from seeing the true expanse of the universe. Looking at the vastness of the starry skyline, Kiera can't help but feel so very tiny and insignificant. The moon is in her full glory as she shines down upon the darkened world, her twenty-nine day journey towards complete majestic splendor culminating on this very evening, her silvery light shining so brightly that it gives a sense of early morning. Kiera stands there allowing the moonlight so cover her in its glow. All women have a special bond with their sister the moon, Lycoan women most of all. Closing her eyes, Kiera feels peace infuse her as she stands there in her silent communion. She has no idea how long she has stood there when a strangely familiar yet pleasant smell finds its way to her nostrils. She has smelled this several times before and has yet been able to identify the source. Peering into the woods adjacent to the house, her keen eyesight tries to peer into the deep recesses of the night. Even with the help of the moon, she is unable to pierce the darkness but does notice the underbrush move as something disturbs it. What it could be, she does not know, but wildlife this time of the year isn't uncommon.
Unconcerned, she spends a few more moments in meditation. Reluctantly she closes the big window and makes her way to her bed. She decides to forgo putting on any clothes, instead electing to just go to sleep. The bed is exactly the way she left it that evening, unmade and in complete chaos. The sheet has been completely removed and the comforter upside down and hanging over the edge of the big bed, a result of the tossing and turning she does at night. Plopping onto the large mattress, she burrows under her self-described “cover chaos,” cuddling the comforter with one leg left exposed. Reaching over to her nightstand, she gently brushes the touch-sensitive lamp and the room plunges into darkness, the moon casting a weak light into her room.
Though physically exhausted, her mind is wide awake as she lies in the darkness. Try as she might, she can’t stop thinking about how close she came to "changing," how it seemed so natural and how that terrifies her. She has always been faced with certain aspects of her Lycoan nature and has worked so hard to suppress them. It all starts at puberty.
Lycoan children are not born with the ability to change. Evolutionarily this would be a major blunder, since young children don’t possess the ability to be rational, reacting more on emotion than anything. A group of such children, who at early ages are twice as strong as a normal human, who reacted in such ways, would be incredibly dangerous. One has to shudder at the thought of a Lycoan child, with the ability to change, going through their terrible twos. Furthermore, primitive Lycoans were unable to control the change, it being based solely upon the moon. Being creatures of the night, the change was a daily occurrence for them, leaving them to roam the wilderness each and every evening, looking for food. They ravaged the European countryside, which is what eventually lead the peasantry to appeal to King Edward I for help dealing with the issue. But that is another story.
Kiera became a full-fledged Lycoan when she was 12 years old. Reaching puberty is an awkward time for any little girl - the changes the body goes through, the hormones flooding into her that affect her physically and emotionally, a monthly visitor that comes uninvited and typically unwanted. It is the start of the journey into womanhood and all the good and bad that comes with it. For Kiera, it brought many added issues.
When womanhood finally hit her, Kiera got extremely sick. Seemingly instantaneously, her thin body was ravaged by fever, sweat pouring from her skin like rivers. She shivered so violently that her muscles started to become sore, the lactic acid building up to cause pain all over. But that wasn’t the worst. The worst was the pain in her stomach. The pain and cramping made her feel like an alien was going to pop out of her, just like in the movies. Writhing in pain there was no position that would alleviate the discomfort and it was a constant source of agony. The days seemed to drag on forever like the last hour of school before summer break, never-ending. She vaguely remembered her mother telling her it would pass, that she was going through what all her kind did and that it would soon be over. Kiera wasn’t
consoled. She secretly prayed for death, just wanting the ordeal to end. And just as quickly as it began, it was over. The pain, the cramping, the fever, gone.
Her body free of pain, Kiera was finally able to focus her mind on herself. She felt different. The world seemed sharper, in more detail. A vast array of aromas assaulted her nose, things that she had never smelled before but somehow had memory of. She smelled her mother’s presence and knew she was coming into her room before she heard her bedroom door creak open. Carrying a platter full of food, it was here that Katrina fully explained what being a Lycoan truly was to her young “pup.”
Lycoans must have a steady supply of food in their system, their metabolism being so advanced that they must eat every 2-3 hours when not sleeping. Failure to do so would result in the body beginning to metabolize muscle, which could be incredibly dangerous for one of Kiera’s kind. While this would not necessarily kill a Lycoan, it would put them in a severely weakened state and leave them vulnerable for attacks. Katrina further explained that the Lycoan digestive system was ill-equipped to digest vegetable proteins. Ingesting too many vegetables would cause a Lycoan to become extremely sick and cause violent stomach cramps so veggies must be consumed in extreme moderation. Kiera learned this lesson for herself the night she stayed at a friend’s house for her first sleepover. Little did Katrina nor Kiera know that her friend’s family were vegetarians. The resulting meal caused Kiera to become incredibly sick, and Katrina had to come in the middle of the night to pick her up and bring her home. That was the last time Kiera ate at a friend’s house or spent the night somewhere that she couldn’t control what food she had access to.
Kiera had a million questions and before she could ask them all, Katrina had to leave to attend some business. She had told her daughter to stay close to the house, avoid contact with anyone and she would finish answering her questions later in the evening.
