The Beast Within (Agnores x Risky_Business)

Ethan Lane was dying.

And this wasn't some metaphor for being in a really shitty situation. No, Ethan was truly dying. As in, blood everywhere, in a lot of pain, dying. His hand was pressed against the bite wound, trying to stem the flow of blood to no avail. His vision was blurry, his hazel eyes darting around for signs of the dog that bit him, but he could see nothing. Whether that was due to his failing eyesight or the fact the dog wasn't there, he didn't know. The male glanced around, trying to see any shapes, but there were none except for the trees and buildings around him.

The twenty-three year old man was far too young to die, he thought, but he couldn't exactly see any other outcome. He had been just walking down the street, heading home from his late-night class to his off-campus apartment, when a dog had come out of nowhere and positively ripped his side open. Now it was all that Ethan could do to stay conscious. As such, he missed the fact it was the full moon. And the fact the dog in question was watching him quietly from across the street.

As he lay there dying, Ethan began to reconsider his life. His ex, Kaity, sprang to mind, and he remembered how happy he had been with her. He had found out quite harshly, though, that he hadn't been man enough for her. He was too meek, too quiet, and she wanted someone who was aggressive, a go-getter; she wanted a man, she had told him, not a boy. It had stung quite a lot, and Ethan had even resented her for it, but he had done his best at maintaining a zero contact relationship with her since the break up.

He wasn't sure if it was because he had started thinking about her, or the fact he was about to die, but suddenly he thought he could smell her perfume. It was obviously her's, he remembered smelling it before. The scent was strong, as if she was leaning right against him...but Ethan knew she was no where around. That was when he realized she had to be near. He could smell it. With a strength he had not expected he had just a moment ago, Ethan stood, and walked briskly towards the source of the smell. Each step pained him, and he grunted each time his foot hit the ground. His mind no longer registered the pain, enraptured as it was by the smell of Kaity.

He passed over a small courtyard and out back onto the sidewalk from behind a tree. As he did so, he turned his head and sure enough, there she was. Kaity, with all her glory. Ethan stood there for a second, wondering what he was to do now. He wasn't even sure how he had known to come here, how he could still smell her perfume so strongly from this far enough. When a spasm of pain overtook him and he cried out, however, he knew what he had to do. "Kaity!" he called. "Help!"

And with that, he fell to the ground, covered in blood. Pain shot through his body and he twisted, crying out as he did so. Though there was blood all over his side, the tear in his shirt revealed where the bite had happened; yet for all the blood, there was no longer a bite wound. Ethan's body twisted in pain once again and he cried out again. "Kaity! Please!"

Kaity Darling had started and ended her day the same way, at the library. It wasn't her first choice but neither was exam week which was well on it's way. It had been a long week for her and she was finally calling it a night, she couldn't wait to get home and collapse on her bed with some popcorn and a movie. Nothing sounded better. She packed her things and left the building, a small smile on her face as she thought about her night ahead, popcorn and her bed.. or so she thought.

She strided across campus which was barely lit besides the few street lamps that lined the cobblestone paths. The air was slightly thick, a thin layer of fog hovered just above the ground. There was no noise beside the crickets singing in the bushes, it was a perfect night. She walked further, she could see her street from where she was.

She thought she was alone and then she heard it.

"Kaity! Help me!"

Kaity jumped what felt like out of her skin, she could feel her heart pounding hard in her chest which echoed like a drum in her head. But that voice that shouted her name, it sounded so familiar. She squinted in the distance to where she saw a tall, dark figure fall to the ground and instantly her feet took off beneath her. She ran for his body and slumped next to him on the wet grass. And before she noticed the blood, she finally saw his face. "Ethan!?!" Kaity shouted before she saw his clothes which were soaked in blood. She clutched his shirt and tried looking for the wound. She thought her mind was playing tricks on her when she couldn't find one, with the amount of blood on him there should be one. "What happened?! Who did this?!" Her mouth couldn't catch up with her mind, what was going on? She was in complete shock. She tried taking hold of him as he writhed in pain but she felt useless. "Ethan, please. What is wrong?" She pleaded with him.

Ethan curled into a ball, and stayed like that for what felt like forever. When it seemed to him that the pain had subsided for the most part, he opened his eyes and looked around. It was then he noticed how foggy it had gotten. It was also then that he realized it should have been impossible for him to see that it was Kaity in the distance. But he had known. He had known it was her, and as his eyes finally fell on her, he realized he had been right. Somehow...through fog, pain, and haze, he had known Kaity would be here and gone to her, even picking her out from a distance. Another round of pain shot through his body, and he twisted again, screaming out before curling back up into his ball.

"Dog..." he eventually panted, looking from his arms back at her. "Dog bit me." He motioned to his side where his shirt was torn and the most blood had been, but there was no wound. Not that he looked to see that.

Ethan tried to move no, turning so that he lay on his stomach, trying to pick himself up. He pushed up with his arms, leaning his weight back on his knees. He stayed like this for a little bit, panting heavily. "Home," he said. "Take me...home..." He was having trouble finishing sentences. His mind had clouded over, and he was sure this was death finally taking a hold of him. The pain hit him once more, and he grimaced. However, this time, when he screamed, it wasn't a scream that escaped. The sound that came out was low, menacing, and altogether not human. It was a roar, almost a howl, and when it was over Ethan rested his head against the cool concrete, letting out another pained sound. "Please, Kaity."

Kaity tried to comfort him as best as she could, she could barely keep her hands on him with the amount of whincing and squirming with pain. Her eyebrows raised when he heard him say dog. She didn't find that possible for the wound that he lacked and the pain he was in, but she pushed it back in her mind. Right now, her main concern was getting him home.

She watched him try and fail to get up. She leaned next to him, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and using all her strength to lift him up. She groaned as they both stood, his weight leaning almost entirely on her but she handled it. "Ok, Ethan. We're going home. Let's go." She said softly as she walked slowly beside him as he limped and dragged. "Come on, Ethan. You got this." She said. They were only a few hundred feet from his apartment, she hoped they would make it.

She couldn't believe this was happening, she was with Ethan..again. They hadn't talked in so long and the chances that she'd be the one to find him like this. It all seemed impossible. She had so many questions but he was in no state to even listen, let alone answer them.

Ethan stood, with assistance, and began to walk, also with assistance. The pain in his step got much worse as they walked, and he growled low. Being so close to Kaity did nothing but overwhelm him: scents and memories flowed through his mind, and he could practically smell her disbelief. He didn't really believe it either. The pain was more than he had ever felt in his life, and and he was being helped through it by the last woman he had ever expected to see again.

They made it to the patio of the apartment, Ethan fumbling around in his pockets for his keys. His long fingernails prevented him from easily grasping them, but the pain prevented Ethan from thinking about the fact he usually didn't have long fingernails. the stubble on his cheeks and the hair at his sideburns went un-noticed, despite Ethan usually being a very clean shaved person. He was too focused on getting inside, and eventually he unlocked his door and made it through.

Ethan stumbled into the living room, roaring out in pain, falling forward and staying there for a second, panting. It was then that all of Ethan's pain disappeared; his senses were now crystal clear, and he knew one thing for certain: he wanted to kill. He looked back over his shoulder, growling low at the unfortunate victim behind him. Ethan's face had changed: his features were more angular, more lupine. His eyebrows had gotten bushy, and thick sideburns had grown in alongside faint stubble along the rest of his cheek and chin. His eyes glowed a deep orange, and as he growled he barred his teeth, revealing long fangs. His fingernails had grown into claws, and dug into the table he now used for support as he turned around, laying low, eyes fixed directly on Kaity.

They walked to the building, Kaity was growing tired but she needed to get him home. She was astonished that this happened tonight and how it just so happened to be Ethan who needed her help. Maybe it was a sign? They struggled up the flight of stairs to his apartment door but she couldn't help and sigh with relief when they made it. She was way to focused to get Ethan inside the apartment to even notice the hair, or the nails that were freakishly long and sharp.

Kaity had no control as Ethan fell to the floor, growling in pain. She had never heard his voice so deep and raspy, it was so unlike him. She walked over to him as he hunched on his knees on the floor. "Tell me what to do, please." She pleaded, placing her hand on his back which seemed so boney. She jumped back when he looked up at her, his eyes glowing a bright orange. She stumbled back, the back of her legs hitting the side of the couch as she crept back slowly. Her body cringing when the sounds of his fingernails dug into the wood. His face, was suddenly hairy, his cheek bones sharp and protruding. It was not Ethan. She saw the way he was looking at her, like he wanted to kill her and instantly she was overcome with fear. He lurched towards her slowly, almost as if he were hunting prey. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn't manage to mutter anything but his name. "Ethan.." She said, her voice shaking.

His body was still wracked with pain, but he couldn't feel it. All Ethan could feel was a stark hate for the girl in front of him and a strong desire to kill her. He let out an inhuman growl as he slowly stalked forward, his yellow eyes stuck on her as he hunched low. He moved closer, crouched down, hands outstretched and claws clearly visible. His eyes only left Kaity to scope out any escape routes she may have, but Ethan knew he was faster and stronger, and knew she would not get away. He would kill her, and maybe he would be less angry. Maybe he would hurt so much less.

Her meek call of his name, however, gave Ethan some pause. It brought up different emotions, ones that weren't angry or painful. It brought up memories of a happy time, and he knew that this girl was a part of those memories. But now, she was the one causing him pain...Ethan's face twisted with anger, and he roared out at her, but he couldn't bring himself to move forward anymore. Those happy memories were still present on his mind, and now her scent was bringing them further out. Was Kaity really the one causing him pain? Was this anger really for her?

Did it matter?

Kaity watched Ethan pause in his movements towards her and she couldn't help but sigh with relief. The growl he made vibrated through her body, her eyes swelled with tears of fear. She closed her eyes, praying to herself that he would retreat and after a moment of silence, she opened her eyes. He was still in his new form although he looked to be coming back to reality. "Ethan." She said, standing up and using the couch beside her as support, her body was weak and she felt she could faint at any moment. She swallowed hard before moving slowly around the room, trying to get closer to the door just in case she needed a quick escape. "Are you still here with me, Ethan?" She asked, she'd do anything to hear his voice.

Ethan watched her movements, keeping a keen yellow eye on her. He could smell her fear, and he liked that. Part of him was angry that she was afraid, afraid of him of all things, but the rest of him liked it. The mix of anger and pleasure caused a low growl to erupt from this throat, and he jumped at her, attempting to knock her over and pin her to the ground. If he succeeded, that would prevent his food from escaping, and would give him a better chance to smell her, try to connect the scent to the good feelings it caused. SO he leapt at her, growling and roaring all the while.

When he jumped for her, Kaity stumbled. She fell onto the ground and began to pull herself back as he crouched and growled, crouching towards her slowly. His eyes were bright and Kaity could feel them pierce right through her. She moved back, pulling herself up using the desk in the corner of the room for help. She pressed herself against the wall and watched him carefully like he was doing to her. She looked for anything to defend herself, to ward him off.

She grabbed a lamp from the desk and held it up high as a warning. "Ethan!" She screamed, "Ethan, if you can hear me... I don't want to hurt you.. but I will!"

This woman, raising a lamp in defense and screaming that she could hurt him, was just funny. Ethan could feel the well of humor rise within him, and all the beastial hate and hunger simply fade away. Ethan laughed, the sound becoming more human over time, as his features returned to normal; the hair faded away, his eyes returned to their natural color. His face lost its more lupine features, and his claws and fangs grew back into normal teeth. Ethan fell over, still laughing, when he abruptly stopped, looking around. He seemed confused, when his eyes rested on Kaity.

"Kaity? Wh-what are you doing here? How did I get in here? I was outside just a moment ago..."

Kaity saw Ethan laugh and she stood there in shock as she watched him return to normal. Her back slid down the wall, her heart racing and her breathing fast. She swore her life flashed before her eyes. She held her head in her hands as she breathed deeply, trying to catch her breath and trying to wrap her head around what just happened.

She lifted her head and looked over at Ethan before she herself began to laugh. It was more of a nervous tendency at this point, she couldn't find any real humor besides the fact she was the only one who witnessed what happened.

"I heard you calling me in the park, you were screaming in pain. Covered in blood, no wound. I brought you back here and... and..." She shook her head, trying to find anything to make sense. "I don't know what that was.. but you were not you, Ethan. You were going to kill me! God, I've only seen that shit in the movies. What the hell bit you, Ethan? What the hell is even going on... you were like.. a wolf... werewolf.."