Shelly woke up to a sharp pain in her neck. Her head was spinning, and it was a struggle to open her eyes. Her eyes trailed around the unfamiliar room as she struggled to focus, to be able to recognize anything through the haze of her usually keen eyes. Panic began to set in as her eyesight slowly began to clear. She was in what looked to be an apartment, though the area around her was very scantly decorated there was a very masculine presence. She fought against the fog clouding her mind as she tried to recall the last things she remembered before waking up in this strange room. A sluggish memory of being woke up in her bed returned. {That's right, Russ and Jos... but wait then Raven and I went to the beach this morning... and then the bar…} Shelly glanced around for a window. When her eyes finally fell on a pair of very thick curtains, she let out a heavy sigh. {There is no sign of light coming from behind them... So it's night?} She racked her brain trying as hard as she could to recall what else had happened. A blurred image of a man kept surfacing then just as soon disappearing.
A light sound of movement sounded somewhere close by. She tried to turn her head toward another noise off to her left but the pain in her neck sent a stabbing ache through her whole body causing a moan to escape her throat. Instinctively she brought her fingers up to where the pain was coming from. The area was wet and sticky and sore to the touch. She brought her fingers in front of her face. She let out a shocked scream when she saw the dark crimson blood that covered her fingertips.
"Ah, you're awake." Dante laughed as he set a cell phone down on the table in front of her. To her surprise, it was her own cell phone. He followed her eyes to the phone. "Ah yes, I had to make a call." A sadistic grin contorted his face.
The face that had flashed through her memories was now staring down at her in full focus, as she returned his gaze her full memory of the past several hours slowly came back to her in a jumbled mix. Shelly jumped back against the back of the couch as her brain yelled at her to get away, but an agonizing pain shot through her neck and head. She grabbed her head and laid back down onto the couch. "What have you done to me?"
Dante forged surprised offense at her words, "What did I do? Well, you drank too much princess, and passed out… of course." He sent her an innocent smile.
Shelly glared at him as she ran her fingers back across the wet, sore spot on her neck. "Then why is my neck covered in blood?!"
Dante flashed her a wide full-toothed grin, he waited patiently as realization sank into his current playthings head. {Wolf, ha what a joke! More like a mouse.} Dante thought as he crossed his arms over his chest and took a step toward her, still grinning widely.
It took Shelly's fogged brain several more minutes to register the fangs overlapping Dante's bottom row of teeth, and a few minutes after that to piece together what it all meant. Fear seized her entire body as her mind yelled frantically at her to hurry and escape. "You… You're… a… a…" She struggled to get up but, fell against the couch again. She was too dizzy. She had lost too much blood. As he slowly made his way toward her, she dropped onto her knees and crawled around the edge of the couch. She could see a door right behind the table but try as she might she couldn't work up the strength to stand. He was now standing directly behind her, the wicked grin still on his face. She glanced back, sensing his slow taunting pursuit of her. "Don't… Don't come any closer!" she tried to yell but the words just came out as a choked sob.
Dante grinned wider allowing his fangs to extend more, "Ah but Princess, it's been so long since I've had the blood of a virgin." He grabbed hold of her ankle and pulled her closer to him. She tried to fight back kicking out in his direction and clawing at the carpet, but it was pointless. He sank his teeth into her again this time on the inside of her thigh. He pulled back and laughed, "Ah so good! I just can't restrain myself." He dropped back down over her and began feeding once again.
***
Joslyn set in the sand wrapped in a blanket with her head rested against a log. Russ, Rin, and Gabe were by the water line playing around splashing each other. It was amusing watching them and somewhat arousing. She watched as the moonlight caused the droplets of water running down Russ's bare chest to sparkle like glistening pearls.
"I would flop down here beside you and say something witty like 'kids will be kids' but I'm pretty sure Rin is older than all of us combined." Naru said as he sat down beside Joslyn, following her gaze to the group playing by the water.
Joslyn had been so caught up in watching Russ that she hadn't even heard Naru approach. "You're not going to join them?" She laughed when he wrinkled his nose at the idea. "If you dislike water so much, how did you make it on the swim team?"
Naru laughed, "I force myself to jump in and the motivation to get back out drives me quickly to the other side." He winked down at her, but when she gave him a doubtful look he became serious as he looked back out toward where the others were. "Life is full of uncomfortable situations, and when it comes down to it we all have two options… Avoid the situation all together or make the best of it. I chose to make the best of my fear of water several years ago." He looked back down at Joslyn, "In the process of getting over my fear of water, I actually became a very strong swimmer. I joined the swim team at the local Y and won several competitions, enough so that I got a scholarship to come here for it." He shrugged his shoulders, "I still avoid water but I'm not afraid of it anymore. Plus, it gets the team more publicity having a cat that hates water on it."
Joslyn couldn't hold back her laughter, "I could see that!" she laughed. They both laughed together until a strange sound shocked Joslyn into silence. "Did… you… just…. purr?"
Naru blushed deeply, "Yea, sorry…" he ran his hand over the wild curls of his shoulder length hair, "It just kinda happens sometimes." He looked away from her embarrassment still written on his face.
Joslyn stared at him, still in shock, for a minute before reaching out and petting one velvety ear.
Another purr slipped out right before Naru jerked back around to look at Joslyn, surprise lighting up his face.
"Sorry, I couldn't resist." She looked away before explaining, "I used to have a cat before we moved here, but it's hard having a cat with two werewolves in your house." She looked back up at him, she could feel the heat in her cheeks increase as she added, "Her purr was always so relaxing."
Naru's shock slowly turned into a happy smile, "Well in that case…" Naru stood up beside her, "Close your eyes." Once her eyes were closed he quickly removed the thin tracksuit pants he was wearing and shifted.
Joslyn's eyes jerked open as soft fur brushed against her arm. Beside her stood a beautiful Asian Leopard. "Naru?" The leopard purred and stroked its body against her arm again. Tears filled her eyes, "Oh my god, you're so…. Thank you so much!" She gently began petting his soft fur as he continued to purr and even began to arch his back against her palm as she petted him. before long the small leopard was sprawled out across her lap, purring happily, as she stroked his fur.
"What the hell!" Russ ran up to where she was sitting and jerked the leopard out of her lap and flung him down the beach. Unsurprisingly, the cat landed on its feet. Russ grabbed the abandoned pants beside Joslyn and flung them in the direction of the leopard. Then he glared down at Joslyn with his hands on his hips, "Did you learn nothing from giving me a bath? We don't lose our cognitive functioning when we shift, Joslyn!" He pointed with his thumb over his shoulder, "You basically just stroked the entire body of a horny teenager…. In public! With your boyfriend a few feet away, at that!"
Joslyn's eyes widened in shock as she leaned over to look past Russ at where the leopard had landed. Naru was in a crouch putting his pants back on as modestly as possible. He looked up and met her eyes. He shot her a wide grin and wink. Joslyn's mouth dropped open as she looked back up at Russ, speechless. "I... I... I'm sorry, we just got to talking about my cat from home and how much I missed her..." {How the hell was I supposed to know he was being a pervert instead of nice!} Joslyn's face felt like she had just spent the past hour with her head in a hot oven.
Russ rolled his eyes and held his hand out for her to take. "Come on, lets head home."
Joslyn took his hand and he pulled her up onto her feet. He walked quickly, nearly dragging her behind him. Tension rolled off his body in waves as he drew closer to the bar area. She looked down at the cool sand as she ran her toe through it. "Sorry, he was just so cute in leopard form."
Russ stopped his long strides and turned toward her, hearing the forlorn in her voice. He hooked a finger under her chin and gently pulled her face up to meet his, "Jos, look at me. I'm not mad, I just don't want you getting hurt…" He glared at Naru who was now walking toward them, "Or used by someone like that guy."
Joslyn blushed, "It really wasn't like that. He was just being nice."
Russ gave her a skeptical look, "Nice? Yea, I'm sure."
Naru came up behind Russ and through his arm around his shoulder, "For realz man, I was just enjoying my true form." His smile widened as he looked down into Joslyn's curious gaze, "It's not every day you meet a beautiful lady who not only accepts your true form but actually enjoys it…" He looked back at Russ and patted his shoulder while shaking his head, "Lucky bastard…" He stepped past Russ and pulled Joslyn into a tight hug. When she wrapped her arms around him to return the hug he began purring again. He whispered against her hair, "You can pet me anytime." Russ cleared his throat and Naru stepped back. He shot Joslyn a wink and turned back toward the waterline with the rest of the group.
Russ shook his head and took her hand.
"He really doesn't seem like a bad guy... None of them do." Joslyn watched as they continued frolicking together in the moonlight.
Russ let out a sigh. "No, he's not. They are all the best friends a guy could ask for." He brought his gaze from his friends back down to her. "But that doesn't mean you should let your guard down around them. They are all very... capable in their own ways." He gently kissed the knuckles of the hand he was holding and lead her away from the beach without saying anything else. When they got to his car, he opened the door for her to get in.
Joslyn stepped past him but paused before getting in, "Do you think Shelly will be home by now?"
Russ studied her face for a few seconds. Worry was clearly etched across her small brow, causing fine lines that hadn't been there before. He let out a sigh, "Knowing Shelly? I highly doubt it." He stepped around the door and pulled Joslyn tightly against him, "Don't worry so much about it. I'm sure she's fine." He kissed the top of her head before leaning back to look down into her face, "She's not completely defenseless, ya know. She is a werewolf, after all." He shot her a crooked grin. "Now get in the car before I'm tempted to repeat what happened in the garage earlier."
Jos's eyes lit up in surprise. Without any further words, she turned and got into the car.