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[Talin]

Tara wasn’t crazy, she knew she’d heard the stamp of feet behind her, though every time her blue eyes flit behind her there was nothing. The brick buildings here were unfamiliar to her and he wasn’t sure where to hide. Fight or flee, those instincts are the strongest when one feels threatened. The feline in her begged to be let loose, but Tara knew now was not the place. If she transformed she’d be found out and if she needed to be human again, she’d be naked. Either way she knew she couldn’t risk it.

Shoving long dirty blonde hair from her perfectly proportioned face her azure orbs scanned her surroundings quickly. Fighting seemed to be her best option, and making them think she was fleeing would work to get them there. using her cat like agility she took off down the street ducking into alley ways here and there. Finally coming to a dark doorway, she hid and waited. Sure enough the swish of pant legs brushing against each other rapidly could be heard just down the end. Rubbing her sweat slick palms on her jeans, the dark color of it and her sweater keeping her hidden from view, she licked her lips impatiently.

Once the man passed she smirked and stepped quickly from her hiding spot. “Tell Rider I said hello.” She quickly kicked the man, planting one booted foot at the base of his spine. The man grunted and fell, tucking himself and rolling landing on his feet with a sneer.

“Tell him yourself, sweetheart!” He lunged knocking the air out of her as she landed on the ground in a heap of black trash bags. Hissing at the man as he grabbed her and gave her a toss, being part feline had its advantages and landing on her feet was one of them. She snickered at the man. Ready for him she dropped down and kicked her leg out in a sweeping motion as he ran toward her. She heard the solid sound his head made hitting the ground. Leaving no time to react she ran off like a scared cat into the night.

 

[Crushedbyheels]

Hunter came up after she had left, sniffing the air. He hadn't had to show himself, that was probably good. His hair was black, almost as black as the leather of his jacket with the snarling wolf's head set in the back. He had tried to keep his hair flat like a greaser, but it had a sort of stubborn spikiness to it that wouldn't die. it was one of those little things that irritated him throughout the day.

There were a lot of things about this situation he didn't like. He didn't like how little he understood about it. He didn't like how the girl moved; there was something beautiful and alluring about it, but it also seemed to set his teeth on edge for some reason. He didn't like not knowing who Rider was. And he really didn't like a bunch of wannabe tough guys running around HIS TERRITORY all the time. He may not have raised a leg to mark it out, but it was still HIS.

He decided not the let the goon pursue the girl. He landed knee first on the attacker's chest, his jacket swaying as the grough fabric of his blackjeans left an imprint on the attacker's skin. Hunter wasn't a fan of shirts, so his thickly muscled chest was visible under the open jacket, a chain with a pair of dog tags and an eagle's feather swaying in front of the rippling, shiny skin. He oiled; he didn't apologize for it. The attacker let out a whuff of air as Hunter landed.

"What are you?" he asked. "Another boogeyman? There's been three of those. Then there was the dark elf, never got so much as a word out of him. A few of the local creatures too, and two days ago? A Tengu. From JAPAN. What's going on here?"

"More than you're prepared for little wolfling," the attacker said, bearing fangs.

"A vampire," Hunter shrugged, letting his fingernails extend, the weathered hands becoming pawlike, covered in short dark gray fur as his nails turned into claws. "Pretty standard." He slashed open the vampires throat and sniffed the air. Where was that girl?

He let his body extend and stretch, his clothes molding into his skin, his face extending. When it was done he was a wolf, with brushy hackles and yellow eyes, covered in dark gray fur. He padded after the girl, looking as non threatening as possible. When he wanted to be, he could be the sweetest doggy in the world.

 

[Talin]

One single sane thought ran through her mind, Rider was after her, this confirmed it. She'd have to do a better job of hiding and soon, if she wished to survive. Her wrist ached having hit something in the trash heap she'd landed. Wincing as she rotated the delicate bones and tendons slowly. She’d heal faster if she were in her altered state; she was also faster and more resilient. Tara leapt down the stairs of the building she’d taken up residence in, grabbing her satchel from the basement she changed quickly leaving behind the soiled clothing she had no need for them, not now that her scent was on them as well as her attacker.

Gym shoes tied into place, hair captured and held back in place under the dark hood of her sweatshirt and her cargo pants. Nothing of importance was in the satchel except clothes and those could easily be stolen, however, after a phase it wasn’t as easy so a secret stash was necessary. A sharp turn of her head revealed a noise not too far off. Making her way out the door she shoved over the piled up rubble to conceal her tracks, the garbage deflecting her scent. Tara sprinted away satchel strapped securely to her back as she ran keen eyes of the jaguar inside scanning and searching.

Abomination, experiment and creation, these were the words used to describe her growing up from a kitten into the woman she appeared to be now. She knew very little of what she was truly. She knew she had the ability to turn into a sleek and deadly jaguar in the blink of an eye. Not just any jaguar but a rare black jaguar, her fur was black with brown undertones and the trademark spots. Her underbelly was white soft fur. The power she held lied in her massive claws and breakneck speeds. Unstoppable with her long canines and ability to swim as well. She made it to a patch of woods, a place she felt would be safe to lie in wait. Scrambling deeper into the woods she took refuge in a tree, the canopy concealing her and making it easier to spot anyone for miles.

Wildlife would return to normal and her mind would clear. She’d been created a part of a scheme. the man was a regular Dr. Frankenstein, when he died his possessions. Her and a few others had been sold off. Before they were claimed, they escaped. Tara was the last free creature left. She wasn’t sure what was after her, the vampire tonight was only the second tracker she’d met. The first being a man with a needle, she’d woke up to him beside her cot in the jungle. At least here she thought she had a chance, she’d lived in a cage long enough. With a huff and a semi growl she got comfortable on the limb, she couldn’t even chance her cat form here. Last thing she needed was a human spotting her and being taken to the zoo.

 

[Crushedbyheels]

He tracked the smell of human woman down an alley, around a corner, and into a pile of garbage. Damn. Now all he had to do was follow the trail that smelled like rotten legs, old mildew, rotting paper, moldy fast food and a hint of urine. In the bad part of the city at night. He might as well go looking for a needle in haysta--in a PILE of needles. He sat down on his haunches. The "cute little doggy" routine had sounded like such a good plan. It usually was a good plan. What had gone wrong?

There was another smell. Wrong. Confusing. It smelled like...zoo. He'd never visited the zoo as a wolf, so he couldn't identify it perfectly the way he could the usual city smells, but he knew it was animal. And that it didn't belong. He also couldn't detect the rusty tang of magic in the air, or at least not much magic. Anything he smelled could just as easily have been the vampire he'd killed earlier. But that was some distance away....

Of course a city was home to any of a dozen magical types, or maybe even hundreds. He shook his head and thought. This had something to do with that girl, he knew it. He also knew where she lived, after all this time and all these intrusions into his territory. He raced there, sniffing for traces of her. He reached the building ad sat down in front of it, back to being the lovable little stray.

 

[Talin]

Climbing from her tree a few hours later Tara was sore and stiff. Stretching her 5’ 9” frame out she heard the snap and pop of several vertebrae shifting back into place. How she wished to run free as an animal the entire time, she’d tried it in the jungle but they’d found her. as a human her feline odor was less noticeable. She made her way toward the lace she’d called home, she would look through and make sure she hadn’t been followed. Perhaps the place was salvageable. Living off the streets wasn’t fun, but it was her only option.

Moving cautiously through the streets she barely made a sound. Sensitive ears picked up sounds of feet moving around her, none bothering to stay quiet so she knew they weren’t after her. Anyone approaching would be aware of the talents she held. Paying close attention she circled her building once, on the second time around she noticed a stray sitting on its haunches at the front steps. Dogs were a no no, the cat in her didn’t like them and typically they would sense the feline in her without much effort. Sneaking in the back door she avoided the animal.

After about ten minutes she had the mess cleaned up and was peeking out the front window at the dog. Sighing she opened the door and walked out to it calmly. She sat behind it silently but clicked her tongue gently as she held out her hand to him. The long tan limb hung limply in the air, long digits wiggling to catch his attention as she waited, unsure if the dog was friendly. Tara thought back to the action, she didn’t remember having pets ever and the only dogs she knew were shifters like herself. She smiled at the dog hoping her own canines were in check.

 

[Crushedbyheels]

He looked at her tentatively reaching her arm out and cocked his head to one side. There was something weird about how she was reacting to him, the way her body was moving...

He padded over to her, his footfalls soft on the concrete, running his hand up under her palm, sleek fur rolling through her long finger as he nuzzled her affectionately. He looked up at her with the big, soulful puppy eyes, taking in her long hair, the way it cascaded down her neck, shimmering in the morning light. Noticing the blue in her eyes, and those luscious lips...

Stop it! He told himself. He wasn't here to appreciate the view. He already knew she was gorgeous, this was about figuring out why so many people were coming into his territory. He suppressed a snarl at that thought. However beautiful she was, there was the real possibility she was somehow at fault for all of this. And if that was the case, he was going to drop the happy puppy act so fast she wouldn't have time to feel the teeth on her throat.

 

[Talin]

Tara smiled as she felt his furry head press into her outstretched palm, it was comforting, even this slight touch. The human side of her wanted to wrap her long limbs about the furry canine and squeeze. Hugging, a simple contact of a like animal would be comforting. She curled her nails down into his fur and scratched gently behind his ears. His big golden eyes pierced her soul. “You’re lost, like me, aren’t you buddy.”

She looked both ways thoughtfully and stood. Blue eyes fell onto the form of the dog, “Come one let’s get something to eat.” She patted her thigh and led the dog into the house. She had some stored canned foods in the shell of the sofa. She dumped beef stew into a bowl for him. “It’s not much but it’ll fill your belly.” She stroked his soft fur again, moved to the sofa, and pulled out a can of readymade soup.

Smiling at the pooch Tara stripped down to just her tank and the cargo pants. She slept on the only bed in the attic. Since the air was getting warmer she could leave the windows open. Silently she looked the dog over, he was clean and looked well cared for, “Where is your collar at?” she wondered softly. Popping the top on the soup she drank swiftly, her body was craving sustenance and she would need to hunt eventually.

 

[Crushedbyheels]

He started gobbling up the stew and looked at her. Her home told him something, he just wasn't sure what. As his fangs shredded the broth covered morsels of meat he tried to put his paw on exactly what was going on. And yet the truly infuriating thing was that she still SMELLED human. The one sense that really mattered to his canine brain told him that there was nothing unusual about this girl at all.

Except there was another smell he couldn't help noticing. A cat smell. Mixed with the zoo smell he'd smelled in the alley before. Maybe this girl was protecting something magical? She was definitely connected somehow. He finished the bowl and licked it clean. It was funny, really, what he was willing to let himself do as a wolf he wasn't willing to do as a human.

He padded up to her when he was done. There was something in the way she sipped at the soup that told him she didn't think it was real food. Or something. The more he found out, it seemed, the less he knew.

 

[Talin]

Tara smiled down as the dog approached, “I ate all of mine too so I got nothing for you.” The cat in her snickered at depriving the beast. Shoving away from the edge of the couch where she’d perched she tossed the garbage in with the rest and left the bowl on the floor. She patted his head and began walking the house quietly. Her ears attuned to anything out of the ordinary and blue eyes scanned into the night. Checking windows and doors to make sure they were locked she made sure her booby traps were in place before heading upstairs.

“Bedtime, you can share with me or sleep on the floor.” Closing doors as she went, she flicked the bells to make sure they were working. The last flight of stairs she walked up slowly she’d loosened boards to make certain they would creak, but too fast and she’d topple. “Here we are the master suite.” She closed and locked the door after moving a chair in the direct path of the door. She moved to the windows and glanced out before opening them.

Tara sat on the edge of the bed and stripped down to nothing but skin before sinking onto the mattress. She was tall but her slight weight barely made the mattress squeak. “I’m a light sleeper so if you need to go, a soft whine ought to do the trick.” She didn’t know why she said it; perhaps the cat in her hoped he’d understand. Scooting over closer to the middle of the bed, she patted the mattress. “Come here boy, it’s probably more comfortable than the floor. She wrapped the thin sheet around her and waited.

 

[Crushedbyheels]

He was incredibly glad at the moment that he wasn't human. The human part of his mind registered arousal, but it didn't transfer to his wolf body, at least not yet. The moonlight shimmered on her skin as she moved, and he found himself wishing he'd put his hand there, caressing her, feeling her skin...

There was no getting around it; he was a horndog. But there were larger issues at stake. He was in a sticky situation; he didn't necessarily want to spend all night asleep on her floor. On the other hand, it would probably be a good idea to look out for her. But if he accidentally changed overnight and she woke up with a man in her room, it would be difficult...

To hell with it. He climbed into the bed with her and snuggled up.

It was three hours later when the Banshee came in through the window. She looked like a skeletal human woman with skin the color of old paper. A tattered robe flowed around her as her shriek filled the room. Eyes burning with green fire blazed, casting eerie shadows over the monster's face as it reached for Tara with long, clawed fingers.

He leaped up and changed in an instant, his leather jacket flowing behind him.

"Get DOWN!" he shouted, deflecting the monster's claw.

 

[Talin]

Tara rubbed her hands over the furry body before her as she relaxed. Her voice was soft, “You are the first man to ever come into my bed.” She laughed, “A dog.” She stroked his head once more before she fell into a tranquil sleep. Her breathing was soft and she could almost purr she was so content. That is until the wail. Without thinking, she hissed as she watched in horror. The transparent thing over her was something she had never seen before.

The next thing she realized was the man yelling for her to get down, she was naked, in her bedroom. “Where the hell is my dog?” She watched as the man deflected the things hands. Her body flattened against the wall. Covering her eyes, she sat there putting her faith in this unknown man. The vampires and doctors she could handle but this, this scared the hell out of her. She wasn’t sure how long she sat there but her ears finally registered silence instead of the screaming and wailing of the spirit.

Tara held the sheet to her lithe form and called for the man, “Um excuse me… sir, where did my dog go? Did you see him? What the HELL was that and where did you come from?”

 

[Crushedbyheels]

He grabbed the Banshee's forearm and pushed it, forcing the creature's claws back into it's own chest. The Banshee screamed, black blood dribbling around the claws, ad it threw itself backwards, floating out into the night.

"What was that?" he snarled, turning towards her. He still had wolfen eyes and fangs, and his snarl was a pure animal growl. There was a cut on the side of his face where a stray banshee claw had bitten deep. "Don't give me that. Not now. Not after the vampires, the dark elves, not after the goddamn tengu. What the hell is going on? Why does every magical goon on the planet come into MY TERRITORY wanting you dead? And why in the hell does your ENTIRE APARTMENT smell like magic and cat!?"

 

[Talin]

Tara’s blue eyes went wide as she realized the man she had just finished yelling at was in fact, her dog. She wanted to drop to the ground and hide, how did she not realize he too was a shifter, one of her kind. Her face went slightly sympathetic as the blood pooled and dripped down his cheek. Delicate human nostrils flared and her blue eyes became cat like when he continued his rant for a moment longer. Swallowing hard she stared at him, her eyes returning to normal.

“I’m a created being; my creator sold me upon his death bed. My team and I we are all created and trained. However, we escaped before the new owners could take us into their possession. I will be going into my first heat soon and my new owners plan was to breed me and see what would come of it. They don’t want me dead, the y want to turn me into my owner, Rider.” She didn’t know why she felt comfortable telling him this, perhaps it was the fact that he was of her kind.

Glaring at him, she snatched her clothes, “You lied to me, pervert, did you mean just to stay my pet for a bit?” She breathed out, “NO, don’t answer that. I have to get out of here; it’s not safe if they can find me without my booby traps to warn me.” She turned and in the blink of an eye the black jaguar was off at an uncontrollable speed, the doors in front of her she unlocked with her mind and slammed behind her until she was in the main room. She dressed quickly and gathered her provisions. Another town would have to do.

 

[Crushedbyheels]

Created beings? What was with that? None of this made any sense. He followed her out, amazed at her telekinetic powers. He caught up with her as she was packing her things.

"Hey," he said. "Hey wait!" He grabbed her by the arm. He estimated she was faster and more agile than he was, bit that he had more brute strength, whatever her magical abilities. And he also knew his grip was like a vise. He panted heavily, his fangs still out, his eyes still the yellow and black orbs of the wolf, tiny wrinkles around his nose where his face had started for form a muzzle. He did his best to convey, however, that whatever was on his mind rape wasn't it.

"You come into my territory," he said, "where the Timberwolf gang has held out the mob, the cops, and anyone else who poked their nose in for nearly fifteen years. All these guys follow you, causing all kind's of trouble for me, and you're mad at ME? Nuh-uh. Not having it. I followed you to save your life, you ungrateful little reject from a meow mix commercial. I'm not the one who locked the door or invited me into the bed. I'm not the one who dragged in all these banshee's and tengu and vampires and goblins and elves and wood sprites and god knows what that thing with the tentacles made out of rope was here. So how about you stop acting like a....a...... a scaredy cay and tell me what's happening in MY neighborhood!"

 

[Talin]

She spun to face him; her pupils contracted into slits making her blue eyes narrow a bit at him. “I don’t have time!” She yelled snarling, the sound low in her throat and coming from her chest. “Please… you want me gone, so be it.” She stared at his face feeling like the fool; here she thought the dog was the fool when in fact it was her the whole time. That was the last straw, she transformed, phasing before his eyes into the black jaguar before yelling at him in her cat like screech.

Tara’s human form came back and she slammed into him, “You want the real, there it was. I’m not a scaredy cat; I had no clue about all those OTHER things. I knew only of the one tonight and another before her and that, whatever it was. I invited you in my bed because I thought you were a pup. and the human in me actually has compassion, unlike the horn dog in you!” She moved away from him. “I told you what I know. The want to breed me, I’m not about to allow that to happen.” Her eyes were still slitted and her teeth were still the yellowed canines of the predator within.

“Besides I have every right to be mad at you! I didn’t lie, I’ve told you the truth and have shown you both sides of me. You came as a dog and betrayed my trust. I was doing the dog a favor despite my feline attitude.” She took in a long and slow breath, “Next time there will be NO invite into my bed!”

 

[Crushedbyheels]

"I came as a dog into the home of a girl that had something to do with a string of monster attacks," he said. "It's called investigating. People who think for ten seconds do it sometimes. And since I have compassion ALL the time, how about I tell you why leaving is a stupid idea.

"Reason one; they WILL find you. I don't know anything about these people, but know you were sitting in the middle of my territory and I didn't even know you had powers. And they STILL found you. So wherever you're going isn't safe.

"Reason two; here IS. Whatever you think of me, I'm the one who took out all those monsters after you. And nobody is going to breed you unless you ask them to as long as this is still my territory. I'll even put you up someplace where me and the rest of the pack can look after you. So how about you star giving me a little...."

He stopped. What she had said sank into his mind. "Next time? How the he'll could there be a next time?"

 

[Talin]

Tara took in a few deep breaths as he spoke, she didn’t want to snap. In taking these breaths she calmed, her face returning to the normal human. The fists at her side relaxed. When he stopped she was perplexed, she tilted her head at him. Her face broke into a smile and a subsequent laugh. He was worried about sharing a bed with her, “Exactly, you ARE NOT invited so there will NOT be a next time!”

“You have to believe me pup, I didn’t even know about the monsters, so I’m sorry you didn’t know. The only power I have is when I am in my jag form. Only then can I control things, therefore they try to capture me in my human form, both are strong but the jag is the strongest. It’s not safe for a CAT to live amongst a pack of wolves. I’m so sure I am willing to breed with a dog. That’s what I want to do, mother a litter of pup-cats.”

Her anger blinded her and now she stared at him as though seeing him for the first time, he was handsome. Glancing away, she let her blue eyes drift away from him for a moment as she shoved her hands into her dark blonde tresses. Crossing her arms over her chest she looked at him again, “How would this work? Would you rotate who stays in my room with me? And a pack of dogs, really?”

 

[Crushedbyheels]

"Wolves," he corrected, glad she was calming down a little. "Werewolves, to be specific. I don't know where your cat thing came from, but mine came from a good old fashioned bite. And so did the rest of my pack. And my guys are gonna behave like saints around you or I'll tear their throats out. Nobody has to be in your bed. We can guard outside; I know the place I'm talking about. If you wanted I could stay in the room with you."

He was both a young man in a gang and the alpha of a wolf pack; the concept of MINE! was deeply ingrained in his system. And he felt a slight pang at the thought of any of his other guys sleeping in a room with the girl, even if they were dogs at the time. Some of that was alpha wolf possessiveness, yes, but he had to admit she had impressed him. If she was telling the truth, she was trying to live her life running from some serious heat. And on top of that, she was beautiful...

"I won't lie to you, I'm kind of using you as bait. If you're right and they'll keep coming after you, knowing where you are gives me a chance to bloody their noses every time they show up until they learn to stay out of my territory. So how about it? Are you going to run out and get killed, or are you going to let me settle this my way?"

 

[Talin]

Tara unwrapped her arms from around herself. “First I told you I was CREATED and then I said ROOM, not BED. God even wolf men have trouble hearing!” She looked around, tangible things she knew having him and his friend around she wouldn’t need any of the stuff only her clothing. She bent and zipped her bag and tossed it over her shoulder.

“What choice do I honestly have, none. So I guess I’ll be your bait or your prisoner, whichever you prefer to call Me.” she sighed and glared at the wall. She couldn’t do it alone, thought when she thought up a companion or two they were never wolves. Moving her eyes from the wall to him she blushed, she had to stop thinking, these kinds of thoughts. “I don’t think it would be such a great idea for you to be in my bed, um my room.”

Her blue eyes closed at her flub. He made her feel strange, fanning her face slightly she stood there. “I guess lead the way, just remember no funny business cause I have claws and I am not afraid to use them.” The image of her hands raking over the male in front of hers back, while they both moaned in pleasure entered her head and she fanned a bit harder. She hoped the others were ugly, all they needed was a cat in heat to stir them up.

 

[Crushedbyheels]

Tara unwrapped her arms from around herself. “First I told you I was CREATED and then I said ROOM, not BED. God even wolf men have trouble hearing!” She looked around, tangible things she knew having him and his friend around she wouldn’t need any of the stuff only her clothing. She bent and zipped her bag and tossed it over her shoulder.

“What choice do I honestly have, none. So I guess I’ll be your bait or your prisoner, whichever you prefer to call Me.” she sighed and glared at the wall. She couldn’t do it alone, thought when she thought up a companion or two they were never wolves. Moving her eyes from the wall to him she blushed, she had to stop thinking, these kinds of thoughts. “I don’t think it would be such a great idea for you to be in my bed, um my room.”

Her blue eyes closed at her flub. He made her feel strange, fanning her face slightly she stood there. “I guess lead the way, just remember no funny business cause I have claws and I am not afraid to use them.” The image of her hands raking over the male in front of hers back, while they both moaned in pleasure entered her head and she fanned a bit harder. She hoped the others were ugly, all they needed was a cat in heat to stir them up.

"Good," he said, sighing. He had a handle on the situation. In truth he was quite a lot like a dog; when things were in hand his confidence was ultimate, when they didn't go according to plan (or when there was no plan for them to go by) he tended to react badly. He brushed the hair out of his face and straightened his jacket. His face molded back into a human face, his fangs receding and forming human teeth again.

"Then lets go," he said, waiting for her to collect her things and then leading her out. The house he lead her two was two streets away. the streets were eerily quiet and empty, the pre-dawn grayness just starting to overtake the sky as the walked out. he let his ears morph into wolf ears, giving him the hearing to keep an eye on their surroundings without it being too obvious he was doing anything supernatural.

"I think it would be better if I stayed in your room," by the way. "because-" you have the most amazing eyes, he stopped himself from saying, "-if something gets past the first line of defenses, it might be better for there to be someone in the room with you."

He took her to a three story brick building. It was shabby, but neat; she could see where someone had taken the time to rub off at least most of graffiti. The steps were clean, and there were drapes in the windows, although they didn't look decorative; they looked like what you put in the window to keep people from looking in. On the door someone with a great deal of artistic talent had painted a snarling wolf's head. He lead her inside.

Inside there was a living room full of guys dressed like him, with the same belt on their jackets. A lot of them looked almost like cookie cutter copies, but a few stood out. One must have been six foot seven, with stubble and a scar over one eye. Another was massively fat, reclining in an old chair that seemed to have molded to his body; it was obviously designated his chair. A third was very reedy looking, with pale skin and weak looking wrists. His nose was slightly over sized. There were women there too, lounging around with the guys. One, a blond with a pixie haircut, was curled up on the fat one's lap, deep and contentedly asleep. She looked like a child on him, she couldn't have been more than five feet flat, but looking at her she was definitely at least twenty. her pink shirt and powder blue short shorts looked totally out of place. A lot of them waved to Hunter and Tara as they entered.

"These are the Timberwolves," he said proudly, as if he were showing her a palace instead of a scene from a frat movie. "The guy with the scar is Troy, the one who's gonna break that chair any second now is Tub, and that over there is Omega. They pretty much help me run things around here."

"Hey," Troy said, grunting and shrugging.

"Nice to meet you," Tub said, waving with the arm the girl wasn't lying on.

"H-hey," Omega said nervously, turning away.

 

[Talin]

Tara followed him, sticking close to his side the entire time. Watching him closely she smirked, her hearing was impeccable, even her eyesight and she needn’t look like she were wearing a costume, but she said nothing. She turned and looked at him her blue eyes boring into his. “Ok, that sounds plausible; I’ll just have to remember to wear pajamas.” The brick house he led her two looked secure and strong, the outside was a little rough but it seemed to show character. Watching his back, she stepped in line behind him, and stepped through the door.

After the door was closed, the overwhelming smell of ‘dog’ flooded her sentence. Coughing slightly she wanted to ask if they’d ever heard of a bath. Her eyes flitted around the lot of them several piled on the couch, sitting on the arm, one laying across the back and even more standing. The tallest in the corner caught her attention. She was instantly reminded of Phil, he was an ape shifter and he was almost seven foot tall, he was a great friend and listener. The fat one with the girl in his lap was intimidating, not the women but the man. She watched as the women turned their noses up at her, she almost wanted to phase them and show them what a true bitch looked like, but she held in her temper.

She waved back when the group was introduced as the Timberwolves. Nodding to each of the men as they were introduced. If the man that brought her in was the alpha, the highest in the pecking order, did that mean that Omega was the lowest? Silently she thought this. “I’m Taralin, feel free to just call me Tara.” She did know the name of the man that would be sharing her room, turning to him she smiled. “And you are?” She winked at him, “If we’re sharing a room I should probably know your name, roomie. Now if you don’t mind my sleep was interrupted and I am in need of a bit of a cat nap.” She smiled at the crew and looked to the leader, she didn’t think he would tell his entire group about her entirely, perhaps it would be safer that way.

 

[Crushedbyheels]

"My name's Hunter," he said. It was actually Eugene, but he hadn't really felt like a Eugene since he'd been bitten. "You guys this is Tara. Tara has managed to piss off a vampire who specializes in necromancy. He's got every magical goon he can hire coming after her."

"Attacks," Troy said.

"Yes," he said, "she's the one all the goblins and stuff have been trying to kill. We are keeping her here. This will keep her safe and it make sure all of the intruders come right here. Where nobody has ever beaten us. And only that one guy ever even got in the door when we didn't want him to."

"And that," Tub said, "was one TOUGH minotaur."

"Yes it was," Hunter said. "Now, you jackasses have ten minutes to get the third floor west room fit for a lady to sleep in. Up and at it, come on!"

The various wolves stumbled out of the room, all except Tub, who didn't leave his chair. The girl in his lap shifted and sat up.

"Hey tubby," she said. She turned back to look at Hunter. "And mornin hunter. Hey a new girl! I'm Puppy. Nice to meet you!"

 

[Talin]

“Hunter,” she repeated with a laugh. It was kind of funny here he was hunting monsters that were here for her and HIS name was Hunter. Shaking her head, she glanced around with a smile as he introduced her. She liked how he bent the truth to get her accepted quicker. Blue eyes shifted to him, she would need to run and hunt as the cat but surely, he could handle that, right? She chewed her lower lip nervously and shifted her gaze to Troy.

She tried not to think about the risk that he was putting them in by harboring her. Pushing the thought away, she watched as they went scrambling from the room to clean an area for her to sleep and live. Her eyes fell to the odd girl, Tara didn’t know her own age and wasn’t about to guess this ones. “Hello, I’m Tara… I’m a pet project of Hunter’s.”

She didn’t dare look at him after she said that but smiled at Tub and the girl. She removed her sack from her back and held it tightly, she had threes changes of clothes, a hair brush and nothing more. She turned to Hunter. “I’d like to speak to you once we get to our room. There will be issues and I’d like to avoid them.” She needed to bring up the fact that she was soon to be in heat, her scent would drive men insane and the monsters would be easier to catch her scent.

 

[Crushedbyheels]

The various members of the wolf pack/gang returned, claiming they had cleaned up a room, and he lead her upstairs.

"You can get to know her later Puppy," Hunter said, and the small girl shrugged and went back to sit on Tubb's lap. Hunter and Tara went upstairs to the room.

From somewhere, they had found clean sheets. They had put them on a very comfy looking bed, actually, even if it did have race car blankets on it. However tacky the bedding was it also looked warm and comfortable. They had even found actual decorative curtains to put on the windows. It looked like....well, it looked like a bunch of gang members and biker chicks had tried to create what they thought a "normal" girl's room should look like.

"Okay," he asked, turning to her. "What exactly do we need to talk about? Is there some magical rule? Don't feed you after midnight? Never say bloody mary's name three times in a mirror? What?"

 

[Talin]

Tara watched each of the members filter down, giving each a warm smile, though the cat in her wanted to attack or run away. Shrugging to Puppy, she smiled and waved before following him up to what she would now be calling their love nest, perhaps it would just piss him off but she didn’t care.

The room was pleasant smelling and appeared clean. The bed was made and it made her giggle to see the car sheets on it. Launching across the room she landed on the bed with a slight bounce and curled up. A contented purr came from somewhere inside before she sat up and removed her shoes and stood to place them along the wall with her bag that she’d dropped to lounge on the bed.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. Um in a houseful of males, you have a female who is going to go into heat. I can feel it. My human and feline body will be sending out pheromones. I mentioned it to you earlier. I figured since you were a wolf you’d understand a female in heat. Well before that, I will need to go hunting and running off some energy. If I spread my scent around enough, mark my territory. Before you say it no it is not with urine, I don’t hike my leg or pop a squat. I simply scratch a tree.” she looked down at her hand and laughed.

“Anyway, if I spread my scent around enough and your boys let loose with theirs my scent should be covered here in the house, but every male in this house will want to get in that bed with me. I bet I could make Tubs get out of his chair for a piece of the action.” She may have seemed like she was joking but she wasn’t, it was the truth. “It can be taken care of, of course but I don’t want to put one of your pack in that position. I’d just need to be mated.”