Big Bad, Little Red, and the Hunters. (Fates.Gamble and Gunner)

[Fates.Gamble]

Maneuvering her brother’s unconscious body into the backseat of the car was a more exhausting affair than Freja expected. Strong as she was, her injuries were still getting the better of her. After all the effort and excitement, she was feeling utterly drained by the time the task was done. More than that, she was eager to get on the road and put as many miles between them and this place as they could. It seemed Catty had other ideas however, as she suddenly changed tact and ventured back towards the clinic. “What the hell are you—”she began to complain, but the redhead was already gone. “Oh Devon, you know how to pick them don’t you?” she grumbled quietly to herself instead. At least the girl’s tenacity gave her proper time to dress. She retrieved Aeric’s discarded clothes, lamenting over the fact she didn’t have any of her own as she tugged them back on.

Catty was taking her sweet time with the supply run, so Freja found herself tending to her brother to help distract her. She investigated the bloody hole in his shirt, but couldn’t tell if any bullet wound remained. With no better choice, she gripped the fabric where it was frayed and began to tear it open. She stopped with a gasp however, when the entire shirt began to shimmer with opalescent color. She’d forgotten all about the shapeshifter coat, which was apparently detailed enough to retain its tattered, bloody appearance. She opted for hiking the garment up instead, exposing Aeric’s bare torso and exhaling with relief as she found not a scratch upon him. His comatose state however, still concerned her. She placed the back of her hand upon his brow, half expecting to find him feverish. Instead, he felt bitterly cold to the touch.

Catty arrived a short while later, leaving Freja to stare on in wonder at the boon she brought along with her. Her attention fell most prominently on Gungnir. “You took the spear,” she exclaimed in surprise. Did that mean the hunter was dead and their father avenged? She had to assume so. Aeric had been most thorough in his elimination of the opposition. After seeing the way he soaked up their ammunition, the spear was the one thing she feared might give him trouble. Now that it was in their hands, she felt somewhat eased and anxious all at once. Freja helped in the task of stowing it all away. “I see you’re trying to earn the title of Rambo back,” she found the will to joke with her as they packed away the small armory. But that was the last of words for a long while as Freja climbed into the passenger seat next to her, and they finally made their departure.

Like Catty, Freja couldn’t stop herself from constantly checking in the mirrors. Not only was she expecting headlights to pop up in pursuit, but she was worried about Aeric too. Glances of her brother were stolen just as frequently. In her mind, she could see him changing into that beast again all too vividly. It felt like any moment he’d awaken and reach for them with those monstrous arms. It felt sickening to experience such fear over her own flesh and blood, but seeing that transformation in him had shaken Freja right down to her beliefs. It was as surprising to her as it the concept of their entire supernatural world must have been to Catty. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that when the girl finally spoke, she nearly jumped in surprise.

Freja was quiet for a moment, absorbing what she said. Then she gave her a gentle smile. “Don’t be so hard on yourself,” she told her. “It was a reckless decision… but sometimes the reckless choice is the right choice.” She averted her gaze, staring out into the dark world as it passed them by. “I was far too willing to abandon him,” she said of her brother, recalling her urgency to flee the clinic. "I… I’ve never seen that before. That… that thing that he became... That shit is as much a fantasy to us as it was to you two days ago. To me it seemed as ridiculous as our dad sacrificing boars and praising the jötnar in the woods… So I thought anyway.” Freja sighed, shaking her head as she tried not to run with the implications of everything she just witnessed. “The point is, if you hadn’t made the decision to stay, we might never have gotten him back.”

Again, her eyes spied Aeric in the mirror. She was both eager and afraid for him to awaken. It was hard to say which feeling tugged harder. “My fear continues to get the better of me…” she confessed. “Before all this happened, I was never afraid. Even in that arena, I somehow managed to swallow my fears and fight for my life every time. I expected to die in that place… but now that I haven’t… I… I don’t know. It’s like my courage was left back there, or something.” She wasn’t sure why she was saying all of this to a girl she barely knew, but somehow it was better than descending into silence. She’d been a prisoner of silence for far too long in those fighting pits.

In an effort to get the conversation off her shortcomings, however, Freja decided to change tact. “So… How long have you and my brother been uhh… you know?” She bore the shadow of the first grin she’d worn in weeks as she hinted at the chemistry between them. “I mean… Aeric broke into an armed compound to save me and you were still more willing to go back for him than I was.” Before they could get into too many details of that juicy tidbit, however, both women were interrupted by the sound of a loud BANG coming from the back of the car. Freja shut her mouth at once, going rigid as stone as the sound of clashing persisted. She knew at once it had to be the spear, especially as a powerful drag seemed to take sway of the car. Catty would find herself having to push down on the gas to maintain her speed as Gungnir fought to escape. Yet, the strange occurrence only lasted a short while before they covered enough distance for the weapon to submit and lie still.

Only once Freja was absolutely certain it would not stir back up, did she finally feel like she could breathe. “Ever wish you could go back to those days when none of it was real?” she asked of Catty. Freja was certainly envying the days when she thought her father’s rituals and legends were nothing but stories. Now that she was quickly learning things might be otherwise, she missed him more than ever.

 

[LilGunner]

Catty glaced over at Freja as she spoke, absolving her of her mistakes. It was nice to hear even if the guilt didn't fully abate. Her stupid, reckless choice could have gotten them killed. Even still it was weirdly nice to hear that what Aeric became was new to Freja too. Nice but terrifying. How was it she was just launched into this secret world and was seeing thing that even those who grew up like this thought were just myth and legend? Catty managed a small smile. In the end it had worked out well enough. Aeric was back to normal, if unconscious, and they had both survived. Hell neither of them had even been injured. Bumps and bruises maybe, Catty's shoulder still throbbed a little from the hard contact with tile. Could be a hell of a lot worse. Catty was a little surprised as Freja spoke more. Of her growing fear. Something she was inexperienced with. Catty's heart panged in sympathy. While she couldn't fully know the horror of that arena Catty could imagine and it was likely her imagine was mild compared to the real thing. All this pain because a few rich assholes knew about this secret world.

For a moment Catty's hand moved, a second of trying to give some comfort. She didn't have the right words. Though her hand stopped. She didn't know Freja and maybe comfort from a relatively unknown human would be more a burr than a boon. Though before Catty could even think of anything to say Freja was hot on another topic. Her and Aeric. Catty's ears rang with a sudden vibration and turned red hot. Thankfully it was dark and Freja wouldn't be able to see the flush creeping up her neck and cheeks. "Uhh...welll....I don't..." Catty stumbled about her words, her tongue suddenly three times its usual size. She was fully not ready for the whole "meet the family" moment. Especially while Aeric was unconscious.

The sudden bang shot electricity through Catty limbs, the car swerved in her terrified surprise. "Holy shit what the fuck is that?" She growled through clenched teeth as she righted the vehicle. Even as she growled the panicked words she had a safe assumption. That damn spear. The car was dropping in speed and Catty pressed hard on the gas to keep it going. It took only a couple minutes that passed like years before the car suddenly lurched and squealed with the pedal nearly to the floor boards. Catty let off and heaved a sigh. Well at least they learned a couple of things. That hunter was probably still alive and the distance for the spear recall was limited. It was still far though, they had already gone a solid twenty or so miles. They would need to make sure the spear stayed locked up and locked down when they got to the cabin.

Things were quiet again in the car and Catty managed to relax. Freja's question made Catty pause a moment to think. Did she wish everything was just normal? "Well...I mean yeah. Though I...am glad I learned of this world the way I did. Don't get me wrong...this has been terrifying and wild. I'm actually really surprised I didn't mess my pants a couple of times," she said with a small laugh. "But, I mean you know about Dr. Henderson now and this huge, crazy plot to get veterinarians. I guess, what I'm trying to say...is...I'm glad I know how horrible and cruel this all is. If he had just presented me with this whole zoo thing...honestly...I probably would have agreed." Her voice lowered a little at shame with that thought, but it was honest. "I told your brother I'll be so pissed if I don't get to see a unicorn someday," she added with a laugh. "If Dr. Hernderson had said I got to take care of unicorns I would have signed up no problem. There are...other reasons too," she said with another glance in the mirror towards Aeric, her face getting hot again.

It would be a long drive and Catty couldn't avoid the topic all together. Aeric had danced around it when telling Freja the story. So Catty eventually divulged a bit more detail into the story, at least from her perspective. While she didn't get into gory details she didn't leave anything out, laughing at the absurdity of somethings, especially the encounter the night of the club. "I mean...what else was I supposed to think? The first, logical conclusion wasn't that my "dog" was a werewolf." She spoke of the date to the park and even spoke of her ex who was part of the whole plot as well. It gave a bit more insight into the sheer shock of finding out what her dog, and coincidentally, her...whatever point their relationship could be called, dating buddy/one night stand. "I would have been nice to...be able to get to know Aeric more, without the secrets, before all this happened," she did manage to admit in an almost shy voice. Honestly, despite Aeric dancing around it, Catty was glad to be able to talk to someone about it. While her relationship with Freja was still very new it was nice to share the sheer insane, absurdity of it all.

After a while they needed to stop for fuel. Catty stuck to the darker corners of the small gas station just in case. Last thing they needed was for Aeric to be seen. Laid out, dead looking, with a big ass blood stain on his chest. A quick pitstop for some drink and bathroom. Catty also grabbed a map. None of them had a phone so no GPS. Had to do all this old school. It took a while to figure out where the cabin was on the map but once they got it they hit the road again. Catty was a caffeine addict, thanks mostly to college, and since she knew where they were going, more or less, decided to keep driving with a cup of coffee and two energy drink as a standby. She offered to let Freja sleep if she wanted to, having a decent idea of the few turns they needed to make.

They wouldn't need another stop for gas and Catty was more than happy to get to their destination as soon as possible. Her eyes were getting heavy with the last few miles of the trip but she pushed on through until they came to LakeEnd Drive. The private "road" the cabin was on. Close to five in the morning already they pulled up to the cabin. If it could be called a cabin. The massive home did have "log" siding but it was fake. It boasted a wrap around porch, only ending at the attached four car garage, and massive picture windows. It looked like the sort of hunting lodge of the rich and famous. Catty pulled up to the porch steps in the sweeping, circular drive and finally stopped. She heaved a tired sigh before getting out of the car. First and foremost they needed to get Aeric settled.

Luckily the door lock was a code and Catty remembered the code. Ally's birthday. Inside was just as magnificent. A sort of modern yet rustic decor with vaulted ceilings. Off to the right of the door was the kitchen. Truly the wet dream of Ree Drummond and Trisha Yearwood. A huge, central fireplace, decorated with fake porcelain antlers, stood in the middle of the living room. Seating all around it with televisions on opposing sides. On the far walls of the downstairs sat three doors and a wooden staircase led upstairs. The master was upstairs but Catty wasn't about to try and haul Aeric upstairs, even with Freja's help. So she led them to one of the rooms on the main-floor. Easily as big as her entire studio apartment. Once they got Aeric into the bed Catty let Freja settle him, she was his sister after all, and went back to the car to unload everything else.

The cabin had a basement and thats where Catty took Gungnir. She opened a closet and packed the spear inside, even lashed it to the wire shelves. If the hunter even had a inkling they would come to this cabin, which was unlikely, he wasn't about to get his spear. At least that was her hope. She stuffed the guns into a closet on the main-floor so they would be more easily accessible. By then the sun was up and shining. Catty checked to make sure they had utilities working. Of course she knew lights and water were easy. The entire roof was solar shingle and the cabin drew water from the nearby lake. Gas was the only concern but that was left on to make sure pipes didn't freeze in winter. Perfect. Tired as she was the fresh, morning sunlight and clear mountain air somehow perked her up. Plus the relief of being somewhere safe. At least for the time being. Catty checked the pantry and fridge. Well the fridge was bare, that made sense. No need to keep perishables around. The pantry wasn't well stocked, just some coffee grounds and sugar.

"I might be a little crazy but...I don't think I'll be able to sleep for a while. I'm going to head to town and get some groceries. Maybe you should stay here in case Aeric wakes up." It only made sense. She knew how to get to town and she didn't want Aeric waking up alone. Catty grabbed one of the remotes for the attached garage and headed out. The drive was a solid thirty minutes. The small town, if a pop up of chain stores and restaurants could be considered a town, was quiet so early in the morning. Catty had to wait a little for the grocery to open. She stocked up on everything she could possibly thing of. Hell she even grabbed a few things to do some fun cooking and baking. Might as well given the very nice, damn near restaurant quality kitchen at her disposal. Plus she had a solid idea she would need something to do, not knowing how long they would stay. With the car loaded down with groceries she headed back, pulling the car into the garage to keep it hidden and unpacked the haul, getting a pot of coffee brewing. By then it was late morning and she wasn't going to get her sleep schedule too fucked up by sleeping in the middle of the day, even if the sleepiness was starting to get to her.

 

[Fates.Gamble]

Freja remained on edge after their scare. It was a safe assumption that Aeric hadn’t felled the lead hunter after all. Such a revelation was unsettling to say the least. The man seemed adept at hunting them down, and they’d barely escaped with their lives after the last two encounters. How many times would he accept foiled efforts before he really began ramping things up? But at least Catty proved to be a good companion for the road. Their conversation helped to keep Freja from being swallowed by her thoughts and fears. She even managed a grim smile at Catty’s fervent desire to see a unicorn. There was always talk of such creatures existing, but Freja had never seen one. If they truly were more than myth, they were exceedingly rare or exceptional at hiding.

Her brow quirked when Catty mentioned there were other reasons. Even in the dim light of the car, she noticed the way the redhead glanced into the mirror, spying her brother with a hint of a flush. If running head first into danger wasn’t enough, that was all Freja needed to see in order to confirm her suspicions. The actual confession came shortly after, and Freja listened to Catty’s story with a keen interest. She could almost forget about all the chaos and death hot on their heels when she was told of her brother’s exploits. Even though she already heard of how Aeric pretended to be a house pet, she grinned as it was recounted again. Had the rest of the pack learned of his stunt, he would have been teased about it right up to his dying day.

Her grin turned to quiet laughter when Catty divulged how they’d met in person. “Oh Aeric,” she mused, looking back over her shoulder at her unconscious brother. “Leave it to him to sneak around pretending to be your date by day and your dog by night. I’m surprised you didn’t punch him when you found out the truth. I probably would have. But hey, at least it makes for a good story. Better than ‘We met on Tinder’ anyway…” After another chuckle, Freja reflected on what she learned. Aeric must have really liked this girl to go through all that, not to mention how long he kept up the façade. She knew from experience her brother wasn’t the type to sit on his laurels and wait for things to happen. The Aeric she knew would have done anything to get out of that house and search for the rest of the pack; the fact that he lived with her under the guise of a dog for nearly two weeks spoke volumes.

She bantered with Catty for a while up to the gas station, giving her snippets about her past with Aeric. Nothing consequential as she felt it wasn’t her place to give too much insight into her brother’s life, but a couple embarrassing stories from their childhood couldn’t hurt. After the way he deceived Catty at the start of their relationship, it was just deserts. “I’ll never forget the time he got his head stuck between the fence posts when we were still pups,” she said, laughing. “Took our dad over ten minutes to get his little furry head back out.” Still, she didn’t embarrass her brother too much. By the time they’d made it to the gas station, Freja had fallen to silence.

Being in such a public place her anxieties returned. She decided to wait in the car keeping watch over Aeric while Catty went inside. She remained painfully alert the whole time, her nerves only settling once they were back on their way. It was hard to break the quiet after that. All of their troubles were back to the forefront of her mind, not to mention she was still exhausted from recent events. Freja graciously accepted the offer for sleep, reclining back in her seat and trusting Aeric’s flame to see them safely to their destination. Turning her head to the side, she surveyed her brother’s pale face as his head lolled with the movements of the car. Please be okay in there, she silently pleaded before allowing her eyes to close.

Between the ill thoughts, shaking car, and cramped sleeping position, Freja could only achieve a broken sleep. Every twenty minutes or so her eyes would flutter open, leaving her to check their surroundings before drafting off again. By the time they made it to the unpaved road that led into the woods, the crude terrain would not even allow that. She sat up and alert once more, watching the dark forest roll by as they approached their new safe haven. Being so far from the bulk of civilization invoked a sort of excitement in her. Her wolf soul stirred within, beckoned by the scent of nature as they drove deeper within the boughs. Even her breath was quickened as she stared out the window. It felt much like those full moon nights upon those ancestral cliffs. Though, having been the selfsame place where their pack met its demise, such memories were tainted now.

Freja managed to contain the urges, but her sapphire eyes remained lit with a wild, feral, promise. They drank in the sight of the large cabin in the soft, pre-dawn light with surprise. She hadn’t expected the place to be so lavish. After her stint in the senator’s dungeon, it was virtually a palace to Freja. She surveyed the place with wonder even as they pulled up to a stop and she exited the car. While there was much to do, she couldn’t help but linger, gazing up at the picturesque cabin while stretching her cramped muscles. She groaned, coming back to her senses as her back popped and some of the tension left her body. She worked with Catty after that, hefting Aeric back out of the car and into the house.

“He’s always been so heavy,” Freja muttered, thinking back to how she used to tease him when they wrestled. Having to lug him through the massive house was even worse than trying to squirm out from under his fat body. She was more than eager to be rid of his weight by the time they reached the bed, and after all the trouble he put them through she was none too shy about letting it drop dead into the mattress. Nor was she overly gentle in tucking him away as Catty went to tend to other things. She looked at his bloody clothes with dismay, recalling the way they’d shimmered and changed the last time she finagled with the articles.

“Yeah I don’t think I’m in the mood to mess with your magic clothes, brother dear…”

She settled him in as comfortably as possible despite that. Once he lay peacefully, she placed a hand to his brow and nearly recoiled at the frigidity. Hoping to warm him up, she pulled the down comforters up to his shoulders, tucking him in before stepping away with a weary sigh. She left Aeric be for now, wandering the house to just take it all in for a minute. Catty found her again not long after that, to which Freja looked at her skeptically. “I’m not sure it’s wise for any of us to be out in public right now. Let alone by yourself.” Though, ultimately she had to admit they would need more than dry goods to deal with. Two hungry, ill-tempered, wolves confined to a house weren’t likely to make for the most joyous of house guests. “Alright,” she relented. “Just make sure you’re careful. And try to be quick about it.”

And just like that, Freja’s anxiety returned. She watched out of the giant windows as Catty pulled back out and took out off down the road in the car. Too easy to see into this place, she thought to herself, staring at the crystal clear planes of glass. The thought set her in motion, guiding her away from the windows and back to Aeric’s room. As ever, he was sleeping. Freja decided to take his example rather than Catty’s, despite the second wind this place filled her with. Approaching the bed, she shifted into her animal form and leapt up to the foot of the bed. Curling up, she rested her head upon his shins with a tired whine. It took several minutes, but she was finally able to put her insecurities aside and let sleep take over.



It felt only an instant later that her ears perked up, yanking her from repose at the sound of a car approaching. A growl formed in the Freja’s throat as she stood up, all senses on alert. A few moments later and she caught wind of Catty’s familiar scent. Slowly, she relaxed herself, lying back down and trying to reclaim sleep. It proved futile as her keen ears picked up on every sound the girl made. After enough clatter, the snowy wolf grunted and hopped down from the bed. She quietly slinked out of the partially open door and set off to investigate. She spotted Catty still putting her hoard of groceries away, and decided to retain her form to avoid the obligation of talking or worse yet, helping her with the task.

Like the silent predator she was, she crept right by Catty and padded up the stairs with her none the wiser. The wolf wandered the hall, gaze taking in everything as she ambled. A couple of the doors were left open, leading to rooms which she lazily explored. The door to the master, however, was closed. Freja checked over her shoulder to make sure she was still alone before shifting back into the form of a nude woman. Her delicate fingers wrapped around the handle and quietly opened the door. It was hard not to admire the opulence of this place. Her father provided them with a privileged life, yet this went far beyond the standard she was used to. It almost felt a crime to touch such nice things, but Freja couldn’t help herself. She made contact with everything she could find an excuse to; marveling at the quality of it all.

Eventually Freja found her way to the walk-in closet. There wasn’t much to offer without any guests present, but a few outfits still hung on display. Freja perused through the articles, before picking something out and testing its size against her. “Another tall woman for a change,” she said approvingly at the near fit. Unlike Alva, Freja had inherited the full of their Scandinavian genetics; height and all. That said, this rich lady’s clothes weren’t exactly her style. But given the designer brands, she was willing to overlook that. It would be better than wearing Aeric’s clothes, at any rate. She settled on a patterned shirt and a pair of black pants.

All dressed and with nothing better to do, Freja made her way back downstairs. Catty had put away the last of her goods by that point, leaving Freja to join her just in time for coffee. She could tell she wasn’t going to get any more sleep any time soon again, so she decided to indulge as well. The caffeine did little to calm her bubbling nerves, but the warm beverage was soothing all the same. She sat in relative quiet, cup in hand as she attempted to cast worry aside and relax for once.

~

Aeric’s emerald eyes shot open as he gasped, sucking in what felt like the first breath he’d ever taken. No sooner than the air penetrated his lungs, he began to cough, hacking it right back out. A burning lump seemed to form in his throat, while every convulsion wracked him with pain. It took a long moment before he was able to compose himself, bringing an end to the coughing fit only for him to hiss in a sharp breath at his soreness. Everything hurt; from the pounding migraine in his head, down to the aching of his feet. The immaculate, vaulted ceiling he stared up at helped distract him from such agonies. Where am I? He wondered to himself, gaze extending to the rest of his unfamiliar settings. Realizing he was wrapped in blankets, Aeric cast them aside and groaned as he sat up in the bed. It took some effort to pull himself up. His body complained at even the simplest tasks, leaving Aeric’s thoughts blinded to anything other than the pain.

Once it subsided, he looked down to find his bloody, tattered shirt. He stared at the stain, dumfounded as he tried to recall what happened. He remembered breaking into the senator’s house, rescuing Freja and getting to the vet clinic… his memories beyond that were fuzzy, incomplete and seemingly out of order. There was a flash of Eddy running back into the clinic, keys in hand. Then he recalled sitting on the curbside, his arm around Catty as they talked. He remembered Freja running after that… the doors bursting open to reveal armed men, and the sound of a gunshot. But that was all he could see in his mind’s eye. He knew pieces were missing; he could feel it. Yet, when he tried to bring it to the forefront of his mind, he saw only a black void.

Slowly, Aeric shifted to the edge of the bed and put his feet to the floor. His legs were like jelly, but he managed to stand albeit wobbly. He tested his footing, taking cautious steps as he towards the window. The world outside was just as foreign to him. He gaped at the forest surrounding them, growing more confused by the minute. Where the hell was he and how the hell did he get here? And where were the others? Again, he tried to remember to no avail. He sighed with frustration and wandered the room, looking for clues. Instead, his attention landed on the large, dresser mirror across from him. Aeric approached it, gazing at his reflection with a growing sense of foreboding. He fingered the bullet hole on his shirt, wishing he knew how it got there. A quick survey beneath of his bare chest beneath showed him no wounds. There was no evidence to explain why he felt like he’d just been run over by a truck.

His attention shifted to the rest of his appearance after. He grimaced at how terrible he looked. His eyes were bloodshot with dark circles beneath. He wore a haggard expression, and his stubble was getting well beyond a five o’clock shadow after so being neglected for so long. Aeric felt like he was staring at a completely different person somehow. The longer he watched, the more trance-like he felt. Then, out of nowhere, the memory of a giant wolf sparked in his brain. Aeric released a shuddering breath, stumbling back from the mirror at the reminiscence. He didn’t recall much about the entity, but those colossal jaws snapping around him was a pretty vivid thought. Fear rushed to his mind as he forced himself away from the mirror and towards the door.

He stepped out of the room, clueless as ever as he took in the beautiful interior of the cabin. He certainly didn’t know anyone who owned a place this nice. His worries were seemingly gone as he wandered the luxurious home. He didn’t get far before the sound of voices caught his acute ears, leaving him to follow the sound. He lingered in the threshold once he found Catty and Freja, both relaxing with coffee as though there wasn’t a care in the world. He gaped at them for a moment, wondering if this was all real as he reached for the last time he’d seen them. A blurry thought of them lined up on their knees was all he grasped.

Freja noticed him before he announced himself. Her eyes went wide upon seeing him. She almost seemed a little startled as she beheld him lingering there. “Aeric,” she exclaimed, eyeing him with concern. “Um…” she stuttered, as though unsure of what to say after that. “How are you feeling?” she decided to ask after a moment.

“Like shit,” he confessed, his voice hoarse. Another coughing fit took over, leaving his throat dry and burning by the time it was finished. With a pitiful groan, he limped to join them and sank into the nearest seat. His head was promptly buried in his hands as he tried to will away his terrible headache. Without even looking up, he muttered “What the hell happened? Where are we?” His voice was muffled by his hands, but his head felt too heavy to forsake them.

“Well,” Freja started slowly, only to drop silent. She shared a quick glance with Catty, giving her the opportunity to explain instead. After all, she was the only one who knew exactly where this place was. And she didn’t even know where to begin about all the events prior.

 

[LilGunner]

Catty relaxed back as she and Freja drank some coffee. It was another strange moment of peace. Despite everything that had happened, despite Aeric laying in a possible coma, everything felt calm. There was still a lot to think about. They couldn't stay there forever but she figured it had to be safe for a while. That monster too. If it had scared Freja so badly perhaps they needed to be cautious with Aeric for a while. Still, if it weren't for that monster Freja and Aeric would be dead, possible her too. If nothing else dragged to some facility and forced to tend to abused mythical animals. Their chatter was quiet and simple, just about the cabin and how beautiful the surrounding woods were. How peaceful the small lake at the back of the cabin was.

When Freja went still and eyes wide Catty stopped and whipped her head around. He was awake already! Of course she hadn't a clue how long a post-monster stupor was supposed to last. She got to her feet as Freja stammered out such a short and vague question. Catty had to agree with his response. He looked like he had just gotten up after a week long drinking bender. She winced at the sudden coughing fit. A week long bender followed by a nasty cold. Despite it coming from a human the pitiful groan was painfully familiar. She knew a dog, who was secretly a man, who mad the same noises. As Aeric sat down Catty left the table and went to the cabinets. She poured him some water, a cup of coffee, and dug out a bottle of Advil.

She heard his muffled mutter as she brought the cups and bottle of pain relievers, setting them gently on the table in front of him. Periwinkle met ice as Freja and Catty shared a glance. Catty nodded and sat back down at the table with them. "Remember that cabin in the mountains I talked about? Well we're there. After...after all of that we needed somewhere to go and didn't have time to make a lot of decisions. We'll be safe, I think, for a little while. At least until you...feel better." Whatever that monster was had really wreaked havoc on him. "It's...more a rustic mansion than a cabin I'll admit," she added with a quiet laugh. "Ally's family is stupid wealthy, this is their vacation home. Ally brought Jess, Holly, and me here a few times during summer and winter breaks. With summer almost over they don't come up again until winter so we won't run into them." There was a connection there but hopefully they would look elsewhere first, closer connections. Ally and her never spent any time together unless Jess and Holly were involved too.

The elephant was still in the room though. Catty didn't wonder if Freja was traumatized enough from that monster she didn't even want to talk about it. Or feared triggering another change. "Aeric do you...remember anything about last night?" She glanced over at Freja again, not knowing their proper terms for such a thing. "You...you changed. And-and not into 'Anubis,'" she said with a small, joking grin which quickly slid from her face. "One of the soldiers...they shot you and you, well, died. But then you weren't dead. You got up and...changed. Changed into a...I don't know..." she said with another awkward glance at Freja. "Sorry if this is maybe a rude term but...wolf man. Like Remus Lupin, kind of, if you're into Harry Potter. I mean, kind of terrifying but you took out all of the soldiers so that's a plus. Then you, ah, well...made it outside and I think...I think the moon? Something about the moon. When it came out you changed back." She purposefully skimmed over her stupid choices and him attacking Freja.

"There's one, no, two...ah...hell. Eddy, he didn't make it," she said sadly. There hadn't even been time to try and bring his body with them to give him a proper burial. A bit selfish and cowardly but Eddy had shone brightly that night with his sudden bouts of bravery. "And the hunter guy, the Hugh Jackman Van Hellsing wannabe...we are decently certain he is still alive, but you got him pretty good. And we took Gun...Gugn...mmmmm, the magic spear he had. It's chained and pinned in a closet downstairs. The range he can call it I think is kind of far, he tried while it was in the trunk but the spear couldn't get out of the trunk. So hopefully, even if he comes near this place, he won't be able to call it." Catty paused, that was enough for the moment. She lifted a hand but hesitated a moment before reaching across the table and resting her hand on the side of his arm. "It's a lot to take in, I know," she paused with a short laugh. Catty was painfully familiar with taking in a lot of looney toon information in a small span of time. "But you should probably lay down and try to rest more. I won't pretend to understand everything that happened but, you're right, you kind of look like shit. Or I can make some breakfast. Bacon and eggs? Or steak and eggs? I know how much you like steak," she added with another quiet laugh

 

[Fates.Gamble]

Aeric looked up from his hands at the noted hesitation between them. Freja specifically had a nervous look in her eye. Having been her sole litter mate, it was hard not to read her emotions. Her posture bespoke fear; a fear, he sensed, of him. He found himself averting her gaze, grateful that Catty swooped in with her amenities. “Thanks,” he told her, struggling against another coughing fit. Every swallow burned against the lump still formed in his throat. Even the water didn’t help. On the contrary, he felt like he could only drink so much at a time without making it worse; this despite his insane thirst. But that didn’t stop him from digging out a whopping six Advil and chugging them down. He had doubts the pills would do anything to take away the ache in his bones, but they certainly hurt on the way down.

His blear eyes drifted closed even as Catty spoke. Cabin? He thought to himself, trying to remember what she was talking about. There wasn’t much in his brain to work with; or at least nothing he could see beyond the dull, throbbing, headache. The memory was there, but it felt like nothing more than a dream he had a lifetime ago. He forced his eyes open when she asked if he remembered the night before. He shook his head, only to wince at the motion. “Not-Not much of it,” he said, reflecting on it even now. “I… I remember the soldiers bursting in. I remember being on our knees… And then—“ He fell dead silent as a flash of the silver wolf with furious eyes returned once more. It hurt physically just picturing the massive beast. “N-nothing after that,” he partially lied. Freja caught on to his reluctance though, and eyed him with suspicion.

Catty was quick to fill in the gap. He looked at her, baffled. Changed but not into Anubis? He took him a moment to register who ‘Anubis’ even was. “Changed how?” he croaked, his throat feeling drier than ever. He might have found her account of events incredulous if he hadn’t seen the honesty in her eyes. Aeric was dumbfounded by her story. Wolf man? Remus Lupin? “What… you mean like a bad horror flick?” he scoffed, unable to be anything but skeptical about it despite the growing sense it was making. “That… that sort of thing just doesn’t happen.” He had absolutely no recollection of what she was describing; not even an inkling of it.

“It did, Aeric," Freja pointedly confirmed her claim.

He hung his head as Catty went on to explain the rest. It was impossible to fathom; like a friend telling you all the crazy shit you did while blackout drunk at the club. And just like when someone describes a blackout, he was wracked with a feeling akin to Déjà vu. Aeric couldn’t see what happened, but he could feel it; especially when Catty pointed out that he’d eliminated the soldiers. He could suddenly remember the taste of blood in his mouth. The recollection of the dense, metallic flavor threatened to churn his stomach. For a second he thought he’d be sick right there in front of them, but somehow he kept it down.

The rest of her words rang hollow for Aeric. He was scarcely aware of what she was saying as he tried not to think about the feeling of a man’s skull crushing like an over-full grape between his jaws. His eyes had closed again, this time jammed shut in an effort to force the sensations to go away. His wish was granted as Catty reached out and touched his arm. It pulled him out of his trance, grounding him to reality. It also surprised him, forcing him to recoil and jerk back a bit. He was slow to process what she was saying. His stomach did seem to roil with hunger. Then again, it could have just been his nausea. “I… I think I just need a hot shower,” he suggested instead. “My head really hurts… I just need a shower… Where’s the bathroom in this place?”

Before they could argue give him the directions he sought, Aeric was already out of his chair and stumbling on his way. He was conscious of Freja rising from her chair to intercept him, but he waved her away, hearing nothing of what she had to say as left the room. The blonde chewed her lip nervously as she watched him go, though relented and sat back down with Catty at the table. “I’m still worried about him,” she admitted it. “I guess anyone would be out of it after something like that. But he’s really out of it. We better keep an eye on him for a while.” If his apparently poor health wasn’t worrisome enough, there was always the chance he would Hulk out again.

With a sigh, she rose back up and went to grab the duffel bag they’d brought in for him. She followed in his wake once she had it, approaching the bathroom door to hear the water already running on the other side. She turned the door handle as quietly as possible, opening the door a partial ways to set the bag inside and retreat without disturbing him. Having only turned the water on, Aeric hadn’t actually made it into the shower yet, but he still didn’t notice Freja’s assistance. Once more he was transfixed on the image of his reflection. He stared into the depths of his own, bloodshot eyes. Somehow, it felt like there was someone else there… someone or something lingering just beyond the face he’d always known. He couldn’t explain what the presence might be, or why he felt a strange desire to lose himself in it.

It took a long time before he was able to snap out of the weird feeling and survey the rest of his appearance. He eyed the bloody shirt with dismay and began to pull it up over his chest. As soon as the shirt reached the crest of his head, it shimmered a thousand different colors and vanished from his grip. Aeric nearly fell over in surprise as his entire outfit popped out of existence and became a hideously ugly coat instead. “What the fuck?” he mouthed, trying to still his beating heart as the memories of Eddy bestowing the treasure upon him. Aeric felt a pang of sympathy for the nagual as he came to turns with his fate. He sighed miserably as he shrugged the shapeshifter coat from his shoulders. He carefully folded the article and set it aside before climbing into the shower.

The hot water did wonders to soothe his pounding head and aching muscles, but the steam did nothing to ease his lungs as he hoped. His coughing fit got worse than ever, leaving him doubled over for several minutes while his body tried to hack out something that simply wasn’t there. Aeric was groaning in absolute melancholy by the end of it. He felt like crying as he rested his head against the shower wall, but nothing save the water rolled down his face. Maybe I’ve lost the ability, he thought. So much bad shit had happened and still he could not find it in himself to weep. It seemed the tears of joy he shed upon finally shifting in Catty’s apartment were his last to give.

He took his sweet time, soaking up the hot water until there was practically none left. His breathing was still a little raspy, threatening to send him into a hacking fit at any time, but otherwise he was feeling much better by the time he ran a towel through his wet hair. Turning around, he spotted the bag and smiled weakly with gratitude. Honestly, trying to think of something to shift the coat into was more effort than he had in him at the moment. Even dressing in his normal clothes felt like a burden. Freja hadn’t returned his lounge wear, leaving him to pull on a dark pair of jeans and a plain shirt instead. Putting the coat in their place, he left the restroom feeling as refreshed as one could hope given circumstances. Once more, he sought out Freja and Catty, approaching them with a bit of an awkward gait as he remembered the way he’d dismissed them before.

“Sorry…” he told them of the behavior, “Hope I didn’t worry you. I’m feeling a little better now.” Though, he continued to linger at a distance, unsure of what to say or do after everything that apparently happened. “So,” he began again, hesitantly, “Is the offer for breakfast still on the table?” If food couldn’t get him feeling like himself again, perhaps there would be no hope left for him.

 

[LilGunner]

The second Aeric recoiled from the touch to his arm Catty’s jerked her own hand back as though it had been burned. Her jaw clenched a little, fingers curling up into a light fist before she rested both hands in her lap. Catty didn’t entirely know what to make of the action. Maybe he was in enough pain even a light touch hurt or maybe he just didn’t want any contact right then. He was quick to turn down an invitation for breakfast, preferring a shower. While Freja tried to, admittedly in a halfhearted attempt, stop him Catty just pointed the way. If he wanted a shower, maybe even some time to be alone with his thoughts, that was his choice. Once he was out of sight Catty huffed a light sigh. So much for trying to make things better. Even still she could hardly imagine what he must be going through just from the events of the previous night.

Catty glanced at Freja and her expression of concern, after a moment she nodded in agreement. “I am too,” she said quietly with a small frown. If Freja was still concerned Catty knew she had to be too. Not just for the very rough state that Aeric was in but what this fantastical new change meant. Is Freja didn’t know and Aeric had little memory it then they were at an utter loss. She watched as Freja rose up to go take the duffle back to Aeric. Catty was left alone with her thoughts. Far too many thoughts piling up on one another ranging from worry and danger to idiotic teenager nonsense. She rubbed her hand a little as she fought to push all the thoughts away. Too oppressive. Catty stood up suddenly, nearly knocking the chair over. She had to do something. Shaking her head, she retrieved the duffle bag crammed full of medical supplies. Carefully, unsure if all the glass had survived, she removed the contents at a clear pantry. Not practical if they had to suddenly leave but easier to find whatever might be needed. It was easy to keep the questions and the worries away as she focused on item, size, and use. Organizing and shifting everything to make access a breeze.

Her efforts paused hearing the painful hacking from the bathroom. Catty cringed in sympathy at the sound. It was a shame all her supplies were for fixing up wounds and treating possible infection. Also a shame she didn’t know a damn thing about human physiology. She could make guesses but didn’t really have anything to treat human ailments. When the horrible coughing subsided she went back to organizing the medicine cabinet, making a mental note to pick up from human medicines next time she had to go to the store. Catty paused a moment at that thought. She was the only actual human in the cabin. With a short, nasal snort she went right back to organizing, leaving Freja to her own devices.

Catty couldn’t organize all morning and not knowing what else to do she poured herself more coffee and sat down with Freja again. It was quiet again. It should have been a peaceful silence. The massive picture windows looking out to dense forest with high mountains in the background. They could be seated outside on the big wrap around porch or massive deck, complete with hot tub, out back overlooking the lake. There were other massive homes on the lake too but they were so distant they hardly mattered. Fall hadn’t quite arrived yet so Catty imagined birds would still be singing their last songs before heading south for the winter. Keeping her mind focused on the natural beauty surrounding them helped keep all the gnawing worries and concern away if just barely. She could really go for a nap out in the sun. Her eyelids had 50 pound weights on them. The mostly full mug of coffee stood alone and untouched. Just a short cat nap in the sun.

Aeric’s voice startled her out of her dozing stupor. She sat up suddenly, an electric trill of adrenaline racing across her back. Her head whipped around to see him standing there, his demeanor strangely distant and awkward. She would like to say he looked better but that was, in large part, due to not wearing a bloodstained shirt. His hesitant question brought a weak little smile to Catty’s lips. “Sure,” she said in an equally small voice. Catty grabbed her coffee and headed over to the vast kitchen. She got the oven and range going, brought out all the needed ingredients. None of them ate particularly well the past few days. Maybe an extravagant meal wasn’t the best of ideas but it sounded good and she was sure the wolves would be more than thrilled with some hearty food. Catty had grabbed plenty to keep them well fed for at least a week. Perhaps she spent a little more than she should have but it was nice to think about what she could make for them. Cooking was a pleasant distract as she put some smaller cuts of sirloin in the oven to broil, fried up nine eggs, and tossed some string cut hash browns in a skillet. While those cooked she put bread in the toaster and diced up some fruit. Cooking always seemed like a chore when she did her weekly meal prepping. Since Aeric, Anubis early on, had come into her life and she cooked for someone else she found a bit more joy in it. As a bonus it kept her mind decently distracted.

By the time she was done they had three eggs on top of the sirloin, a side of hash browns, two pieces of toast each, and a honey whipped fruit salad. Honestly she had considered making waffles too but that seemed like far too much. Once all the food was laid out on the table she stared for a moment and rubbed her neck. “Maybe I went a little overboard,” she said with a quiet laugh. “But…I guess maybe a little celebration is ok. I should have bought OJ and champagne, well, sparkling wine too. A lot of bad has happened but…we’ve made it this far. Freja is, well, free.” Her smile didn’t entirely hide the fact that she was trying to convince herself that things might turn out ok too. If Aeric and Freja were out of sorts she had promised Aeric to be the strong one. She would damned if she broke that promise. “So you won’t hurt my feelings if you don’t finish all of it.”

Catty had to hand it to herself. When she cooked for, mostly, fun she was a pretty good cook. The steak was a perfect medium rare; though the siblings might have preferred rare. The eggs were a little runny but that was good for sopping up with bread and four of them had broken yolks. Toast was never anything to brag about, no functioning adult should fuck up toast. The fruit was lightly sweet but not too sugary despite cheating and using Cool Whip instead of making whip cream. Catty surprised herself by eating nearly everything but a piece of toast. A breakfast sandwich 18 hours prior didn’t hold one over for very long. Catty didn’t sit with a full, happy stomach for long. She got up to collect plates and start cleaning. “No, no I got it,” she argued if help was offered. “I’m sure you guys still have a lot to catch up on.” Her insistence less of an offer and more of a hissing demand. Still she wanted activity if for nothing else but to keep herself occupied. There was a dish washer but Catty went ahead and had washed all the dishes. While she was a neat cook, keeping things clean as she went, she started a thorough cleaning of the kitchen when the dishes were finished.

 

[Fates.Gamble]

Aeric might have noticed Catty’s more rigid demeanor had he not been suffering through so much himself. On the outside he was starting to look a little better. The pain relievers were doing their job at least, dulling the ache that permeated his body. He was feeling a little perkier as well, though still weary. On the inside though, things were unsettled. His memories were coming back with some clarity; he could remember pretty much everything up to pulling the gun on the hunter. He was unsure if he couldn’t, or just didn’t want to remember whatever happened after that. Even the silver wolf was willfully put out of his mind. Had to be another dream, he’d concluded, thinking back on the reveries he had in Catty’s apartment. After all the trauma he’d been through, it was no wonder his mind was in such a hyperactive state. At least, that’s what he tried telling himself.

While Catty went to work, he sat back down at the table. Freja watched him with mild concern, which he noticed out of his eye but didn’t comment on. She too, remained silent. Added to the troubles with Aeric, she was distracted by her own worries. They’d only been here for a few hours but she was already restless. Sitting here waiting for things to happen allowed a million thoughts to barrage her mind. It was hard to keep them away from her fights in the arena. Unlike Aeric, she could remember in graphic detail how it felt to rip creatures apart tooth and claw. She also recalled all too vividly the feeling of having it returned tenfold. The longer they sat around doing nothing, the more likely it seemed the soldiers would find their way here and snap that collar back around her neck. Already she was contemplating various means of suicide to prevent that from happening ever again. Between the two of them, their dark thoughts could practically form a palpable, cloud of gloom over the table.

Catty’s stress cooking was something of a ray of sunshine, though. The smell of steak cooking could make a wolf’s mouth water, even if he were foul tempered. Which, dealing with wolves could all too often be the case. The aroma of her concoctions wafted through the cabin, softening the mood even if it resounded in silence. Aeric found the scent stronger than usual. In fact, he was somewhat disturbed to find all of his senses were running a little haywire. It may very well have been the headache, but his vision was blear and every sound seemed amplified; from the groaning of wood as Freja shifted in her chair, the sizzling of eggs on the stove, right down to the noise of Catty sipping from her coffee mug. Eventually it set his teeth on edge, forcing him to rub his temples in an effort to restore quiet. Again, he was conscious of Freja watching him from across the table.

Not a word was spoken until Catty came to present the feat before them. They each perked up as much as circumstances would allow, with Aeric in particular going a little wide eyed at the cornucopia he was presented with. He uttered his thanks, and nodded to her regret over the missed purchase. “I could have definitely gone for a drink,” he agreed. Freja might have been more amenable to celebrating her freedom if she wasn’t so convinced it was temporary. Having been trapped in that place for so long, sometimes it was hard to believe she wasn’t still there suffering some fanciful hallucination. She forced herself to give Catty a smile all the same, thanking her for the food before idly prodding at it with her fork. She was still consumed with her thoughts, though after the first few bites she attacked it with renewed interest.

Aeric was a bit slower to the take. While he found the food delectable and his appetite ravenous, it was a bit of a heavy meal for him. The steak was particularly hard to swallow, as every bite moved painfully past the burning lump in his throat. He often had to back off, rendered to a coughing fit into the crook of his elbow every couple minutes. It left him to favor the fruit salad, which went down a lot easier and was more soothing on his raw throat. It soured a great meal which might otherwise have considerably lifted his spirits. Despite the struggle he managed to finish most of his food, but towards the end he suffered the worst coughing fit yet. His lungs were on fire and his vision practically black from the lack of oxygen. He had to stand from his seat for fear of collapsing out of it as the dry heaving became bad enough he was left gagging. After a long, painful minute, Aeric finally gave one mighty hacked, and coughed something out into his hands.

He gasped, sucking in a much needed breath of air. He found the effort much easier than before, the rasp of his lungs noticeably dissipating. He looked at the object in his hand only to drop it in alarm. A clack of metal rang out as a dented, blood-laced bullet struck his plate. Freja gaped at the spectacle, her blue eyes going wider than Aeric’s at the sight of the food. “Well, there’s something you don’t see every day…”she muttered.

Aeric stared at it disbelieving. Physically, he felt a lot better after finally dislodging it. It did a number on him mentally though. Up until that point, Aeric couldn’t help but be somewhat skeptical about the story they told. Being unable to remember it himself, it was a hard thing to accept as truth. But this solidified their claims like nothing else could. His appetite was ruined upon seeing it, yet morbidly curious, he couldn’t stop himself from picking it back up and investigating it. “Oh man…” he groaned, only to drop it back to the table. How am I even still alive? It was a mystery for the ages, leaving him flabbergasted even as Catty collected the plates. Unlike with stocking the groceries, Freja appeared more eager to help with this task. Sitting around was starting to get the better of her. But she found Catty dissuading her, leaving her to catch up with Aeric.

Yet, after everything that happened, brother and sister once again sat in silence. She didn’t know what to say, and Aeric was so engorged with the things going on with him that he barely seemed to notice she was present. She caught him gazing into nothingness on more than one occasion; like he could see things she could not. His expression was completely void in those instances, like Aeric had vanished and his body was a stoic, empty shell. At least, that’s what she thought, until Aeric noticed she was looking at him and he finally turned to meet her appraisal.

“Why do you keep staring at me like I’m going to jump across the table and eat you?” he snapped at her.

“Sorry, I…”

“You what?” Aeric goaded her as she trailed off, finding himself unusually peeved over her excessive concern. “Thought I’d turn into a monster and attack you?” He narrowed his eyes at her as she stiffened; more from his sudden change of demeanor than his words. “I take it the hunters aren’t the only ones I attacked last night.”

“I was just worried about you, Aeric,” Freja said, neither confirming nor denying his suspicions. “I mean… you’re coughing up bullets. You went through a lot last night.”

“Well I assure you, Freja, I’m just fine. I just need to rest and get my bearings back…”

She didn’t argue further as he sighed and pushed himself up and away from the table. He left the two of them alone again, ambling through the house as he took to his solitude. He contemplated simply going back to the room and trying to sleep, but his brain was too wired now for that. He wandered to the living room instead, eyes jumping around the rustic décor as he entered. The couches looked comfortable enough, so he sank into one of those instead. He laid his head against the cushions and focused on his breathing. His throat was still raw and sore, but he didn’t feel like he was on the verge of coughing with every breath anymore. After a while, he grabbed a remote and turned on the TV across from him. He flipped through channels for a while, though he never actually paid attention to what appeared on the screen. It merely stared blankly, swapping programs at intervals for longer than he could even keep track of.

After a while, he flipped past a news channel where he saw the flash of a familiar face. Suddenly alert, Aeric sat up straight and switched back to the channel. Staring at him from beside the anchorwoman was Senator McCoulhan, A spark of worry and excitement shot through him as he called out to the kitchen, “Catty, Freja, come here!” Turning up the volume, he pointed at the screen once they joined him. The report announced that the Senator had passed away in his home late last night. Most surprising of all was his death, which was attributed to a sudden heart attack. There was no mention of the armed assault which had truly transpired, or the fact the man had been ripped apart by weres. Neither was there any story on a massacre taking place at the veterinary clinic. They may have been five hours outside of the city, but the slaughter was big enough to make headlines.

“Like it never even happened,” he scoffed, shaking his head. It showed the absolute power of the enemy they were up against. The media could be used against them almost as surely as any weapon. Silently, Aeric pondered over the fact they hadn’t already taken that step. With the amount of violence and bloodshed already left in their wake, it would have been all too easy to pin the deaths on their group. Labeled terrorists, the entire country and beyond could be converted to watch dogs reporting their every sighting. Instead, they were keeping this quiet. Aeric wasn’t sure what was worse; being hunted in the broad daylight or from the shadows.

 

[LilGunner]

Aeric’s moment of lung rupturing coughing and dry heaving as disconcerting. When it came to humans Catty only had a basic first aid, CPR, and Heimlich. She had watched Aeric in terror, every fiber frozen and ready to spring if she needed to put any of those to the test. Instead he hacked something up. His shock read first followed by the women as he dropped the chunk of lead onto the plate. Catty’s mouth hung agape at the sight of the bloody bullet. Medically speaking that shouldn’t have been possible. This, however, as the weird world of supernatural creatures. It seemed, quite literally, everything was possible. “Nope…definitely not something you see every day,” she agreed with Freja. “Of course, that’s been the running theme the last three days,” she said dryly while she collected plates. Catty even cleared the bloodied bullet off the table with a napkin. Part of her thought to keep it, it was a medical wonder after all. On second thought she tossed it away with the rest of whatever they didn’t eat.

Catty happily cleaned the kitchen, feeling a little bad shooing Freja away. Especially when she heard the siblings talking; or lack thereof. As they sat in silence Catty kept glancing over. After the night she suddenly felt like an outsider all over again. That small moment of peace and comfort wiped away. Maybe she should just…scrub the pan more thoroughly. Had to keep her mind focused solely focused on the task at hand. Aeric’s sudden snap at his sister made Catty’s head jerk up. A brief argument echoed between them. If it could be called as such. With the ferocity she had seen in Freja Catty was surprised to see the she-wolf backing down so easily. It was an odd dynamic. The hell was she saying? Everything was fucking odd. Nothing was normal anymore. Focus on the pan, all the burned on steak juice. Unfortunately Ally’s family used very high quality pans and it only took a couple swiped with a wool sponge to get it off.

Catty glanced over as Aeric left the table to shamble around somewhere. Catty’s lips pursed but she said nothing and went back to cleaning. Dishes done she started in on wiping down the counters, cleaning the range. Everything was pretty dusty, Ally’s family didn’t seem to have been around for a while. Diligently she scrubbed into every nook and cranny she could find. Had to keep busy, had to keep moving. Doing nothing meant thinking or possibly just falling asleep. She had just lifted the range to clean the still nearly immaculate underside when Aeric shouted for them to join him. Surprised enough he called for them Catty scurried in to see what all the shouting was about, towel and cleaner still in hand. She stared up at the screen, a shiver coursing her back at the image next to the anchor. Senator McCoulhan: leader and owner of those vile fighting pits. Worry, fear, and hate bubbled in her stomach though quickly dissipated to chilly shock as his passing was announced. Catty still wasn’t entirely sure what had happened in that arena even with the mild accounts from Eddy and Aeric. Still she was decidedly certain it hadn’t been a heart attack.

“Go figure right? Secret underground death arena the guy owns…and it’s just a heart attack. No mention of anything else.” Slowly Catty sat on the edge of the couch as well, perched lightly on the arm, blue eyes fixed on the screen. “You’d think twenty or so dead bodies at a vet in McMansionville USA would warrant some mention,” she said with a throaty scoff. “Maybe the right wing has it right. Fake news. People probably wouldn’t believe half the crazy shit that’s happened anyways. Sometimes I barely do,” she said with a derisive smirk. “I wonder what really did happen to the guy,” she added without a thoughtful tap of her chin. “Can’t believe I actually voted for that asshole. Some democrat right?” After just a couple minutes of sitting Catty felt her eyes lids getting heavy and suddenly stood herself up. “Woo….yeah…uhm I’m gonna go for a walk in the woods. It’s too nice a day,” she said in an oddly chipper, possibly channeling Snow White kind of voice. Mostly she just needed to keep moving or else she was definitely just going to fall asleep and probably have crazy dreams. “Anyone want to join?”

 

[Fates.Gamble]

At least with Catty’s stress cleaning they wouldn’t have to worry about anyone knowing they were here once it came time to leave. That, or she might just make it obvious considering the marked improvement she left. Her actions started to catch his attention, enough to realize she didn’t put that kind of effort into her own place anyway. But he said nothing on the subject, chalking it up to her wanting to stay busy. That much he could understand at least. Aeric wasn’t overly fond of sitting around either, though currently he was worn out enough that it was all he cared to do. Learning about the cover-up involving the Senator’s death had given him something to think about other than the terrors of last night and his brief spat with Freja at least. He and Eddy hadn’t actually witnessed the senator’s demise, so Aeric couldn’t say what actually killed the man. However, with no mention of the numerous other deaths nor the all-out war that took place it was easy enough to see through the lies.

He kept trying to anticipate what their enemy’s next move would be, but that was pretty much impossible. One thing was certain; after such heavy losses their foes would be out for blood the next time they met. Aeric grunted at Catty’s response and shook his head over the situation. “Obviously I wouldn’t expect them to report that a group of supernatural creatures attacked his estate, but all that gunfire and not a single report of an assault? Maybe they’re worried about word of this getting out. Too many questions from too many people and even the government will start to sweat bullets.” Though, who was he to guess at their motives? The hunters and their benefactors had beaten them at every turn so far. It was only pure, dumb luck that saw them fumbling their way through: Being left alive for Catty, a Minotaur for a neighbor, the resistance showing up at the right moment… Even changing into a horrible beast and disemboweling an entire squadron had been a fluke.How long, he wondered, before their luck ran out?

“I have to agree with our ‘friend’ from last night,” Freja said over Catty’s remarks about the senator, “These politicians wear one face in the light of Sol, and another in that of Mani. This oppression has gone on too long.”

“Not really much the resistance or anyone else can do about it though,” Aeric pointed out. “It’s futile. They don’t have the numbers for any kind of real war, and even if they did they still wouldn’t have the resources necessary to win it. We can’t beat the technology. Dad always said that magic is a shadow of what it used to be in this world. There’s few if any creatures out there powerful enough to survive a drone strike.”

Freja was somewhat disconcerted over his words. She plopped into one of the seats herself, staring at the television as the anchor moved on to other, less relevant stories. She pulled her legs up under her, reflecting on his pessimistic outlook on their struggle. While she didn’t want to believe the things he said, she knew in her heart that he was more than likely right. This underground conflict had been going on so long, and all it really seemed to do was dwindle their numbers even further. Yet, if she were to accept defeat than what was the point of anything? How could one live when their life was ultimately forfeit to an all powerful system that would not accept them?

The attention of both wolves was caught when Catty rose, only to look like she was ready to fall over. Aeric was struck with wariness as she announced her intentions. Freja was uneasy about it too, though at this point it was probably easier to list the things that didn’t cause her to worry. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Aeric interjected, watching her with uncertainty. “Have you even slept yet? Besides, don’t forget we’re supposed to be hiding here. You’ve already gone gallivanting out in public once already.” Not that he wasn’t grateful for the food, but unnecessary risks could easily get them killed.Though, in no mood to argue the point with her and too tired to go with her, he had to concede the woods were not quite so public as he might fear. “Just be careful out there,” he cautioned her before she departed.

Left alone with Freja, another quiet descended upon the house. The only sound was the TV, though neither of them truly paid any attention to what was being said. They were each trapped in their own thoughts. Freja over the finer points her brother just made, and Aeric inevitably wandering back to the memory of that silver wolf which plagued him. Then, reflecting on his earlier statement, his train of thought turned towards his father and the fantastical stories he used to tell. Sadness crept in as he contemplated on the fact that their father truly was gone from this world. The thought of never seeing him, or any of their family again, left him with an inescapable void.

Freja must have noticed from his expression, because she turned to him and asked, “You okay?”

“Yeah,” he said, though was unable to hide his dejected tone. Before she could inquire further, he decided to take the initiative. “You remember the other things Dad used to say?” he asked her, staring blankly at the ground. “About Fenrir and the jötnar… Ragnarök... Shit like that?”

“How could I not?” she said, smiling a little at the memories of their patriarch. “Remember how he used to go on and on about Sutr and how he’d burn down the White House with his flaming sword?”

Aeric cracked into a smile as well. “Yeah we thought he was crazy… Always rambling.”

“We did,” she agreed, chuckling. Though, after a moment her expression hardened. “I’m not so sure he was anymore.”

“Me either,” he admitted. “If Gungnir exists maybe we should look for that sword. No one would want to fuck with us if we had that thing.”

“Sure. Any idea how to get into the Realm of Fire? That’s where it’s supposed to be right, Muspelheim? Though, even if it was real I doubt we could lift the thing. It’s supposed to be what, a hundred feet tall?”

“Yeah I guess we need a better plan, huh? Plus, I don’t think a fire giant would be too happy if we just came along and pilfered his sword.”

“Well maybe some other weapon then?” She said, only half jesting. “Let’s see… there’s always Mjölnir or...”

“I miss him,” Aeric interrupted her, his somber mood returning. "And Mother... Everyone."

Freja cut herself off and stared at him for a moment before diverting his gaze and staring back at the TV. “Yeah…” she said, “So do I.”

The two sat in silence after that, the melancholy palpable as they each lamented over loved ones lost. There despondency persisted even beyond Catty’s return, leaving neither of them with much else to say as the long, uneventful hours wore on.

 

[LilGunner]

Catty’s head jerked back at the swift argument from Aeric. Concerned at first but quickly dropped to what she took as a jab. Gallivanting! Oh yes just a skip through rosy fields of daffodils. Taken aback enough she just stood there for a moment staring at him. Who the hell did he think he was? Yet he was quick to relent with a tired warning about being careful. Catty opened her mouth to say something but stopped herself, closing her jaw with a snap of her teeth. They were all exhausted and stressed there was no need for a volley of harsh words or snapping comebacks. The siblings did plenty of snapping of their own and Catty wasn’t about to start in on it too. As a new arrival, in more ways than one, it wasn’t her place to throw more fuel on the fires. With a small sharp nod, agreeing silently to be careful, Catty left without another word.

Despite the atmosphere of the house it was shaping into a beautiful day. There was a slight chill in the air heralding the coming fall. The woods blocked most of the light wind making the shade a comfortable temperature. Catty stuck to the woodland paths, keeping away from any open areas. Of course her curling red hair and the even redder hoodie she wore stood out well in the still green foliage. It wouldn’t be too long before the colors started to change. Part of her had a slight hope to still be around for the resplendent fall colors. Outside with clear, clean air and the rustling canopy above Catty felt an odd peace settle over her. Odd given everything that happened and every thought she had tried so hard, through vigorous cleaning, to keep at bay. Deeper into the woods she spied a gnarled old tree with thick, low limbs. She would be the last to call herself nimble but she scrambled up the tree with relative ease despite looking like a palsy spider. There was a perfect partial hollow halfway up she was able to tuck herself into, relaxing against the rough bark.

The silence of the woods soothed her tired spirits, the ancient strength of the tree seeped into her bones. Everything that had happened was still difficult to process despite her quick acceptance of the world. Arguably quick anyways, there hadn’t been much time for disbelief. Catty was able to gather her thoughts and recall the events of the last few days with far more ease. Unfortunately, letting her mind delve into the events interrupted the peace the woods brought. There was so much to take in and even more that was unknown. Freja’s question interrupted he train of thought: ever wish you could go back to when none of it was real? She hadn't intended to lie and it wasn't a full lie. Catty was, well and truly, glad to have learned the realities of the secret world before being confronted as a veterinarian. Even still that didn't mean she was glad of it all. She did, indeed, harbor a quiet wish that none of it was real. That this had all been some insane dream. It was real, of course, she couldn't convince herself otherwise. Not like with the wild sex dream that, turned out, wasn't a dream. Her thoughts turned to Aeric and remained there, mulling over every small detail as she might with Jess on the other line.

Catty was gone for the better part of the day, utterly missing lunch. Her thoughts still whirling and swirling, stupidly she might add, around the man that had drastically changed her life, she only distantly heard the rolling of thunder. It was easier to say everything was alright, she just wanted to help. It was nearly painful to admit, cognizant of the selfish thoughts, that she harbored a little animosity towards Aeric. While she tried to remind herself of his own tragedy it didn't silence the little voice screeching of being used. The peace of the woods dissipated and Catty groaned, almost pained, at the little screeching voice that couldn't be silenced with reasoning and logic. So absorbed in her thoughts she didn't noticed, at first, the dripping pitter patter around her. Not until thunder crackled overhead and droplets made it through the dense canopy. Quickly Catty scurried down the tree, slipping and scraping palms and shins in her sudden and erratic climb down. No more slow, easy, walks. Catty picked up her feet and made a dash back to the cabin.

The rain came in earnest, sheets beating against the windows of the cabin. The canopy staved off some but Catty was soaked even before breaking the tree line. Sneakers kicked up mud and leaf litter as she made a mad dash for the back door. Legs streaked in mud and decorated with leaves she tromped through, shutting the door a little harder than she meant to, chest heaving from the mad dash. She apologized for the noise and coming back so late but was quick to disappear for a shower and a change of clothing. Lucky that some clothes were left behind from Ally and her family. She managed to find a small pair of shorts and a tank top that fit well enough, a little baggy perhaps given that Ally was a good few inches taller than her. Shower done she combed and parted her mass of curls to let them free for a time. Once warm and clean she headed to start making dinner. Given their massive breakfast she settled for a simpler fair of breaded and baked chicken with instant mashed potatoes for a side, the left over fruit salad for a small desert.

Catty's mood was a little more dour, quieter, after her return. She had little to say, feeling more and more distant from their odd little group. Once more she insisted on cleaning up to give herself a task. With the dishes clean and rain lashing the windows Catty bid Aeric and Freja a quick goodnight before going to Ally's room to sleep. If Freja wanted the upstairs suite she was more than welcome to it. Catty curled up into the still large bed and was asleep before her head even fully settled into the pillow.

The following day she was up early, as was her habit. She got up and made a full pot of coffee assuming Aeric or Freja might want some. For a while she sat at the kitchen table, staring out into the grey world. While the thunder and lightening had abated it was still pouring out. No escape out into the woods that day. Once the siblings were up she started in on making breakfast. Pancakes with fresh fruit and bacon on the side. Still she was quiet. Sure the woman stumbled over her words sometimes but silence wasn't her usual habit. When cleaning was done Catty tried to sit and relax for a little but grew antsy again. First she tried to find something to do, besides cleaning, rifled through some old books on a bookshelf. Mostly very bad romance novels and autobiographies. Ally's family were an interesting bunch. Instead she got up to try some of the recipes she had thought to make, given there was so little to do and going for a walk was hardly an option.

Intentional or not Catty kept herself decently distant from either sibling. She was polite when spoken to but short with any answers. Freja she would speak to a little more but an awkwardness with Aeric had settled around her. Not the stumbling, fumbling awkwardness of the club or the park, but a hesitancy that spanned all the way to barely even looking at him. In her short baking adventures she had made scones and decorated sugar cookies. Catty would hardly call herself an artist but they could pass for a poor impressionistic painting of a field of flowers. At least it allowed her to concentrate on something else. She made lunch and dinner as well, cleaning feverishly after each and went to bed early again.

Sometime in the night the rain had let up. Once more Catty woke just as the sun was rising. The day was even cooler than when they had arrived, the air holding a pleasantly damp ozone smell. She made coffee and sat on the back part of the porch, enjoying the morning sun as it shimmered on the lake. Since the siblings weren't up yet to tell her it was a bad idea Catty set down her finished mug of coffe and got up, heading towards the lake. Ally's clothes would make for a poor bathing suit but there were a few more sets and she could run laundry later in the day. It would be something else to do.

The silty sand squished between her bare toes, sorely in need of a pedicure. It was chilly and sent shivering tingle across her skin. With a long, steadying, breath she ran herself into the lake, letting the cold water embrace her. A long, squealing but quiet cry slid out of her throat as the cold water splashed around her. It took a couple minutes for her body to adjust. Once she stopped shivering she struck out for a swim. It had been a few days since she had been able to work out and swimming was a great workout. She swam out away from the cabin towards the middle of the lake. While it felt good to stretch and work her muscles her lungs burned from the unusual exercise. Catty had to slow herself and take a break, floating on her back.

Something rough yet slimy brushed her calf. Catty sucked in water from her surprise but managed not to cry out. Just a fish, that was all. She remembered fishing on the lake with Ally's family. Nothing crazy, just bass and bluegill. The water was dark and murky so she couldn't see the bottom or the fish that brushed her. Her heart settled and she went back to a slow backstroke. Again the rough and slimy thing grazed her but the second time was her arm. "Gyaagh....the hell...go away fish," she said before turning on her stomach and swimming away towards shore. Maybe her splashing would scare it off. Not too far from where she wouldn't need to tread water again she stopped. That had to of scared it away.

Something latched to her ankle. Just a short yell of surprise before water closed over her head. Catty's eyes squeezed shut as something slimy and sharp yanked her ankle pulling her down. She thrashed and kicked with all her given might despite how slow her motions were in the water. Her free foot collided with something and a shooting pain raced up her leg. Whatever held her ankle let go with the contact. Kicking hard she scrambled for the surface. Her face broke the calm, shimmering water and Catty sucked in air desperately. No time to stop. Forget sore limbs and burning lungs she had to get to shore. Catty couldn't remember swimming so fast in her life. She made it to the mushy, soft land and ran for the grass never bothering to look behind her.

Rough and slimy with a sharp bite encircled her ankle. Catty couldn't bite back the surprised and fearful shriek as she went tumbled down with the rough and slimy thing. Every time Catty tried to grab whatever it was her palms suffered small, painful cuts. She caught glimpses of whatever the creature was but couldn't fully piece it together. "Ah! Shit! Get off me!" She yelled at the weird beast. "I've had enough of you stupid myth monsters! Get away!" Her volume and pitch only grew the longer she grappled with the creature. Not being a skilled fighter she got in a solid kick to the creature's abdomen and kicked it off leaving a bloody footprint. Catty scrambled to her feet finally able to get a good look at it. Honestly she had no idea what was standing before her. It was like a piranha had tried to change into a man but stopped part of the way through the change. Large, bugged, watery eyes stared, surprisingly, up at her. It bipedal with brawny arms and a stocky body. A long crest from the top of its head to the base of its spine. It's scales a shimmering charcoal yet deep green color

 

[Fates.Gamble]

For the better part of the day, Aeric was too distracted to really notice how long Catty was gone. He felt like a drained battery steadily regaining its charge. He could practically feel a kind of peculiar energy creeping through his veins... It sort of reminded him of the tingling sensation he experienced during shifting; that inexplicable feeling of your body breaking down to something more malleable, only for the flesh to take shape and be reborn as something new. It was a worrying sensation, like his body might shift of its own accord at any time. At the same time, somehow it felt like the weird feeling put him on the mend. He was feeling quite a bit better than before; though that could just as easily been attributed to what he’d coughed up in the kitchen.

The better he felt, the clearer his memories were becoming. He still couldn’t remember a thing about his supposed change in the clinic; nothing except wild, familiar urges his muscles still seemed eager to act on. Slashing claws, gnashing teeth, feeling your enemies bones snap like twigs between your jaws... That all thrummed in his mind, but there was only a black void where the memories should be. His talk with Freja however, had rattled his brain enough to shake loose the memory of being shot, and what happened directly after. Aeric could recall the words of Fenrir now, as well as the effort it took to break his chains. He sat in brooding silence, trying to figure out what it all meant. Was it just some fever dream that took place while he viciously tore men apart? Or had Fenrir truly blessed him with that incredibly terrifying strength?

He could derive no concrete answers as the hours lolled by. The lack of Catty’s presence had become obvious by then, if not only for Freja constantly asking over where the redhead had gotten to. It was hard not to assume the worst. Aeric was growing worried as well, especially when dark clouds rolled in. He figured the storm would bring Catty home if she were still just out in the woods, so he banked on that and waited a short while. The skies were torn into a downpour by the time he finally rose from his seat and told Freja he was going to look for her. Before he took two steps however, the door slammed shut, freezing him in place and causing Freja to spring from her seat like a jack in the box.

“Where have you been?” Aeric jumped on her right away. It was out of concern for her more than anything, though he couldn’t help an irritable tone from coloring his voice. He was on edge after everything that happened, and his emotions were winning out over his usual levelheadedness. Though, he did not press Catty about the situation. He was more relieved to see her than he was peeved that she left them to worry for so long. Yet in that relief, he was much more perceptive to her dour mood. He wanted to try and engage her and hopefully cheer her up some, but he couldn’t find the words. It made for another quiet meal with all three parties mostly trapped with their own thoughts. Aeric’s consumed him the longest, leaving both Catty and then Freja to depart for bed while he remained on the couch, lying on his back and staring up at the vaulted ceilings.

He reflected on everything that had led to this event; all the way back to when the Hunters first took the lives of his mother and eldest brother. Loneliness took him in its cold grip as he reflected on the demise of his family. The sense of desolation her felt rivaled that of when his first nights in Catty’s apartment. Thinking of her stoked something in him, stirring him to action and pulling him up from the couch. Quietly, he stalked through the halls of the immaculate home, his legs practically guiding them of their own accord. Before he even realized it, Aeric found himself standing before her bedroom door. He lingered there, indecision worming its way through his stomach as he contemplating knocking, or perhaps just walking in. Their relationship, if you could call it that, was still new and budding, and built on unstable foundations at best… Yet he’d grown accustomed to being so near her. For all but a few days of the last two weeks he’d lived with her, even shared a bed with her. Sure only one of those times was he ever human enough for that to mean anything, but that didn’t change the way he felt about her.

His knuckles were poised to knock, having decided that would be the better tactic given everything between them, but he found himself lowering his hand instead. Things were complicated enough without him making it worse. It made him feel like a bit of a coward as he walked away, but he knew in his heart it would probably be for the best if they didn’t pursue this now. The closer they got the more dangerous this all became. It wasn’t just the fact that the hunters were prone to using the people you love to get their way; Aeric had other fears as well. The chance of becoming the monster they described again was a fear that rooted itself deep in the bit of his being. The prospect of losing all control of his actions was terrifying. All it took was that fearful look from Freja to turn him off to the idea of getting overly close to anyone, even if the very thought of her burned through him like fire.


Aeric’s eyes cracked open the next morning to the sound of Catty shuffling around through the house, early. He stirred in his barely conscious state, realizing he was fully dressed and still on the couch. When did I fall asleep? He wondered, thinking back. Last thing he remembered he was tossing and turning, hardly able to sit still for all the thoughts and emotions roiling inside. He tossed and turned a little more, feeling haughty as he tried to get into a comfortable position and reclaim the slumber Catty disturbed. With his senses still running haywire, it proved impossibly difficult. Every noise Catty made was painfully loud, from the shuffle of her feet to the crashing waterfall of her coffee gushing out of the machine. It afford him little rest, leaving him caught somewhere between sleep and awareness. He gave up on repose all together by the time Freja was up.

Aeric was feeling in much better health when they settled down for breakfast, but lack of sleep had built upon his exhaustion and crankiness. Like Catty he indulged in coffee for a change. It helped keep him going somewhat, but his conclusion of the night before also settled over. It left him too glum to interact with Catty and Freja very much. The weather outside didn’t help his mood either. Where normally Aeric was fond of stormy days and the smell of rain, today it sounded like bombs were falling on the house, drowning out the noise of everything else with its constant drumming. Yet, his fears were beginning to sound even louder. Aeric was starting to border on obsessive with trying to remember what happened that night at the clinic. He chalked the Fenrir thing up to a dream; had to be. It was just too crazy to be anything else. Coupled with his visions of the wolves of myth before all the craziness, it only made sense. Yet having a blank spot in his mental archives was akin to having an itch he could not scratch. After they were finished eating and Catty too involved in her manic cleaning frenzy to hear them, Aeric pulled Freja aside.

“I want you to tell me everything that happened that night,” he told her after sitting her down, “Without glossing over things.” His eyes shifted to Catty, knowing she’d given the account once before. Yet, hers was a quick telling without many details. And, with as crazy as this all was, it was easier to take the words at heart when they came from a sister he’d known his entire life rather than a girl he’d been attracted to for less than a month.Freja was hesitant to abide at first, but knowing he wouldn’t be persuaded she told him her version of things. They hadn’t seen most of the battle of course, but she seemed almost eager to get the horror off her chest and describe to him in detail the gruesome aftermath. She told him how they’d found him wounded and regeneration fast enough to see the flesh mending itself. Freja even spoke true of what came next; how she had called out to his whimpering form only for him to rush them both.

“When we got to the parking lot I realized there was no way we were getting out of there before you got to us. Best case scenario, we got in the car just in time for you to rip it apart and pull us back out.” Freja shrugged, looking him in the eye. “So I threw her the keys and decided the best thing I could do was try to fend you off. At least one of us had a chance to make it out of there alive. A big enough part of me had already died back in those pits, so I figured it may as well be her.”

Aeric was disturbed by the news. Not only because he’d gone for the girls with the same merciless savagery as their enemies, but also of the way Freja spoke of caring so little for her life. In a way he couldn’t blame her. Their pack, their life, their everything had been razed to the ground. Even if they survived, they would likely be reduced to a life on the run; always hiding, always scared. He wanted to reach out and comfort her, but after hearing about the way he attacked them his touch felt like poison. Instead he could only look on sadly, uncertain of what to say, or even how to feel. But Freja was quick to rein in her emotions, recounting the rest of the tale and how Aeric hesitated upon seeing another wolf before seemingly being calmed by the moon.

It was hard to say who was avoiding the other one more as the rest of the day stretched on. Now having confirmed the suspicions he’d totally lost control, Aeric wasn’t inclined to speak to either of them. In addition to his bleakness, he also had a little seed of anger and frustration burning inside. Like Catty, he was polite when spoken to, but made no effort to extend conversation. He was too wrapped up in his negative thoughts. Mostly he was angry with himself. If he’d never pulled that gun maybe things wouldn’t have turned out the way they did. Perhaps he would have fallen to Gungnir the same way Eddy had, put at least if he were dead and gone he would not have been cursed with some demonic piece of him that he couldn’t understand. But he shared in a little of Catty’s animosity too. No matter how much he tried to ignore it, there a voice saying this was all because of her. They never would have been in that clinic in the first place if his family hadn’t been used like puppets to test her abilities with a scalpel. IT was like the arrival of the hunters had completely erased the moment they shared after Henderson. It tore away the salve and opened the wounds all over again.


Come the third morning, that hadn’t changed. Aeric managed to fall asleep in a proper bed this time, but he was starting to think this new agitation of his senses was permanent when he was still woken up by the sounds of Catty greeting the day far earlier than any human of the modern age should. Hot fury filled his veins over being drawn from much needed sleep again. He tried burying himself into his pillow and stuffing out the sound, but he was feeling too awake by then. He remained in bed all the same, in no mood to deal with the others today. Somehow he managed to close off the on-goings of downstairs and space out enough to ignore the noise. Even the sound of Catty slipping out the door was lost on him as he spaced out with his thoughts.

Eventually he was feeling too antsy to lie around in bed anymore, and so relented to pull himself out of the comforters. Yawning, he wandered out out into the living room, and then the kitchen where he found Freja already awake and sitting with a cup of coffee and one of Catty’s baking concoctions. The woman was making enough food to feed them for weeks. At this rate they’d probably run out of room for left overs. Speaking of the red head, he didn’t see her. He looked around for a moment, brows furrowing. “Where’s Catty?”

Freja looked up at him and frowned. “Oh I saw your little girlfriend heading out into the woods from my window. Guess she decided to go on another one of her adventures.”

Aeric grumbled, his fury returning over Catty’s recklessness. “She’s going to get us killed if she keeps doing this. Someone’s going to see her eventually. Fucking Google Earth if nothing else.”

“Probably,” Freja said, though after a sip of coffee she gave a careful shrug. “I can’t really blame her though. I’m getting pretty fed up with this place myself.”

“We’ve been here two days,” Aeric argued.

“And what a joy those have been. But hey at least we have sugar cookies and a mountain of other stuff to make us fat and lazy. Starting to feel like a house pet again?”

Aeric ignored her jabs, glowering as he decided it was time to talk some sense into the girl. She may not have been used to the kind of life they were forced to lead, but she was part of it now whether she liked it or not. Freja watched wordlessly as he grappled with his shirt, pulling it free of his chiseled torso and carelessly tossing it aside. She looked away before anything else was discarded, simply listening as the door was thrown open and the sound of heavy paws struck out into the woods. She looked up when he was gone, only to sigh with annoyance. “Oh come on,” she grumbled, rising from her seat as she was forced to close the door rudely left open in his wake.

The black wolf ran wild with the delight of being in the trees, though his attentions were focused solely on tracking down Catty, and with annoyance at that. Stopping some distance away from the cabin, Aeric slowed his place, stuffing his snout near the ground and snuffed around in circles for a minute. He caught the sweet scent he’d come to know so well and lifted his regal head, sniffing the wind. A low growl formed in his throat as he caught onto to the direction she’d gone, and dashed after her. Like black lightning, the mighty canine surged through the woods, a dark blur as he whipped by trees and bounded towards the lake. It was nearly in view when his perked ears caught a strange sound, forcing him to stop. Listening close, he heard the sounds of a struggle on the water, followed soon after by a shriek from Catty’s unmistakable voice.

Once again Aeric burst into frantic pursuit. The woodland trail melted before him as he ran with all his speed. Nearing the shore, he spotted Catty and heard her frenzied words. He could smell fresh blood and sense her fear as she scrambled away from something, getting to her feet. He smelled something else too; something strange and from the depths. There was a hint of human on the creature’s perfume, but Aeric knew right away that it was anything but. He didn’t hesitate, bolting right by Catty’s side and likely startling her with how transfixed she was on the the thing. In an instant, the shaggy black wolf had put himself between she and it. His fur bristled as he took up an aggressive position, keeping his body poised for lunge with dripping, ivory fangs snapping out a threat at the thing.

Bugged eyes stared into the wolf’s furious green orbs with blank regard. For a second it looked like it might be willing to test the beast, but as Aeric took a step forward and closed his jaws with a loud SNAP! It seemed to think better of things. With a strange croak of a sound, it scuttled back towards the water and disappeared beneath the murky surface with a splash and a plop. Aeric snorted in satisfaction as the odd creature fled before him, though his attention quickly wound back to Catty, and he appeared no less fearsome an animal. Just briefly, however, as an instant later stood the man she’d spent the last couple days with. Having left his articles back at the house, Aeric was as bare as the day he was born. But he seemed to take no notice of that. After hearing her derogatory statements, he couldn’t even process the fact.

“So that’s what you really think about us,” he concluded, his eyes narrowing at her. “Well I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. You and the rest of the world.” He held his tongue a moment after that, bitterly fuming all the same. It hurt to know she felt that way. He knew he was far from innocent in all this… but after Aeric had saved her life from a deranged ex, after Eddy lost his life coming back to warn them, even after Freja selflessly risked her life to give her a chance to escape, this is what she thought of their kind? It was insulting enough that he couldn’t even think about it right now. Instead, he latched onto his other frustrations.

“What are you even doing out here, Catty?” he demanded. “We aren’t on some damn vacation! You can’t just go wandering out into the woods and playing with your Finn-man buddy over there for all the world to see!” Aeric stretched his arms as if to emphasize the fact they were out in public, though between the canopy of trees and the cool, wet air keeping people in doors, there was positively no one around to see anything. And that was a good thing, given how silly he probably looked yelling at her in full profile. “I hope the image of Eddy taking that spear to the chest is etched into your brain because that’s going to be you if you keep fucking around like this! That is, if that thing doesn’t drown you first!” Aeric pointed at the lake, sensing the little creature was lingering nearby, likely seething. Part of the reason he was so angry was out of fear for her safety, though after hearing what she just said he certainly wasn't about to fess up to that part of it.

 

[LilGunner]

Catty didn't know what the odd little beast wanted but it just continued to stare at her. Poised to make another run at her but waiting for the right moment. Meanwhile Catty's pose was defensive. Her foot was on fire, her hands ached, and each little cut were like hot little needles dotting her arms and legs. The sudden splashing stomps and black shape at her side ripped the girl from her stare down with the bug eyed creature. She jumped with a sharp little inhaling hiss though just as quickly recognized the furry black form. Aeric was focused on the fish creature, stepping in front of her defensively. His beautiful fur stood on end, bristling in defense. She had been handling just fine on her own. More or less. Instead of her the fish man stared at Aeric. Honestly Catty was surprised it hadn't run at Aeric's appearance. Though it only took a sharp snap of those jaws to send the creature scurrying back into the deep.

A short huff escaped her lips as her body relaxed, the needles of fire more persistent all of a sudden. Her attention turned towards the wolf, her lips parting for a 'thanks' when she read his expression. Likely the same fearsome aggression he had shown the odd fish creature. Her head jerked as she was taken aback by the ferocious glare of those eyes. Just an instant before the sudden change and Aeric stood there. Naked. So very, very naked. Still she wasn't used to the changes and the sudden nakedness. Where had his technicolored dream coat gone? For that very brief moment she was at least a little appreciative of the sight before her. Right until he spoke. A frozen hand sunk into her gut. He had heard her frustrated shouting then. She notably winced, only slightly meaning the comment. Her anger and frustrations getting the better of her tongue while wrestling with a beast fish.

Her mouth opened for a rebuttal but snapped shut as Aeric's own anger took over. At first she stared up at him in wide eyed surprise. She couldn't say an exact moment that must have happened but the calm, kind man that seemed a rock in a storm was gone. Suddenly he was the storm. No amount of finely chiseled flesh could keep away her own lingering fury. Every shouted word and threat of death, albeit an outside source, fanned those flames she had been trying to hard to bat down and reason away. Her ears took on a fierce red, nearly the same shade of her hair; embarrassed and insulted to be yelled at like she was some disobedient child. Her fists clenched as she stood fully erect which was hardly a threat seeing as how, even standing as tall as he frame would allow, she stood only as high as the middle of his chest. Catty stepped forward, forcing her to crane her head back to look up at him. Her freckles blended into the heat that lit up her face.

"I remember the spear," she nearly hissed at him, her voice scathingly quiet but vibrating. "I remember every insane detail of this bat shit crazy adventure I've been dragged on!" Each word increased in volume and the shaking in her voice steadied. "Between your sullen crankiness like some little highschool emo boy and Freja's frightened puppy routine of course I would want to leave for a little! Who the fuck would even see me? Oh right the fucking fishboy. A god damn fish...finn...fucking things live in this lake. Of course it does! This weird supernatural shit is everywhere. This is weird! None of this is fucking normal. Oh and of course the weirdest shit happens when I'm all...crazy dragged into this world. Which, by the way, I'm trying super hard not to be mad at you about because, ya know, my dumbass had to fool myself into thinking a wolf was a dog in need! God for-fucking-bid I do something to help an animal and it's you. A dude that's a dog. An admittedly very hot dude who was a dog but she was angry enough to ignore that fact.

"So excuse the fuck out of me for being freaked out and needing to just get away from planet bummer for a little bit!"

 

[Fates.Gamble]

“Mad at me?” Aeric rebounded at once, growling the words out like the beast he was. “What the fuck did I ever do to you? Have you forgotten why I’m here?” He found himself latching onto the argument. All the frustration, tension, and rage that had been building up inside of him from the moment those hunters popped out of the darkness was hankering to be free. Unfortunately for Catty, she had proven the perfect catalyst to draw it out. “I didn't ask for any of this! I was forced into your life just like you were forced into mine!” He continued. “You think I enjoyed watching my family butchered; that I liked being gutted like a gods damned fish?” No pun intended, given current events and their possible spectator, “All so you could play doctor? What the hell kind of veterinarian confuses a wolf for a dog anyway?”

Aeric backed off for a breath, trying to control his anger as his hands clenched into fists. Every nerve felt on edge, and something deep inside whispered to him. Something telling him to just let go of it; let go of it and change, and become the monster you want to be. He fought that part of himself, but it did nothing to lessen the venom in his words. “I’ve had my life destroyed all because of some crazy scheme centered around you! So no, excuse the fuck out of me if I’m not exactly happy about it. And besides, you think you’ve been much better?” he countered her. “Every time I walk into the kitchen I see my reflection in all the counter tops from your stress cleaning.”

A beast like growl continued to rumble in Aeric’s throat as once again, he tried to dial it back. A number of vengeful statements whirled through his mind, none of which would have gotten them anywhere. “And what exactly is normal to you anyway?” Aeric changed tact, jumping onto her other, somewhat offensive proclamation. “Going about your daily human life, working some 9 to 5 job and being ignorant to everything around you? This is the world Catty,” he gestured to the lake as if the fishy creature was still out in the open to see, despite being beneath the surface again. “This has been the world long before you and I were even part of it! Don’t get pissed at me just because someone finally opened your eyes. The only reason any of this seems weird is because we’re forced to live in a world of fear and hiding. You never thought things like me existed because we barely even do. Humans see us and they butcher us. They have for centuries.”

His green eyes burned with a cold, yet furious fire as he looked her up and down, as if comparing her to the rest of her species. He knew she wasn’t anything like that; she never would have turned down Henderson’s offer if she was. Still, the things she said were hurtful. It was the way any other human thought of them, and it was why they were never allowed to live full and happy lives, no matter how well they managed to integrate into society. “So you know, forgive us if our existence in this world has been so fucking inconvenient for you and everyone else. Go back to living with your eyes closed like the rest of humanity. Go back to what you humans consider normal. To being consumed with your TV’s and your cellphones, and choking the world with your plastics and your pollutants, wiping out species after species and spreading hate to anything and everything you don’t understand.”

Aeric fell quiet for a minute, almost seeming like he’d relaxed from his quarrelsome state. Yet his gaze continued to flicker with his irritation, and maybe a touch of the hurt he felt. That was mostly lost in the sea of his anger, however. He was rigid as stone as he towered before her, seemingly unconscious of the fact he wasn’t wearing a thing. It made for an odd sight all the same; the short, fiery redhead poised in defiance to a bare giant. “Just what the hell is your problem with me, anyway?” He finally snapped. “You've been so tense around me I feel like you're going to snap anytime I'm nearby. Is it the fact that I’m not some normal person like you?” He hesitated for a minute, before bringing up the elephant in the room. “…Or is it because we fucked? Because I’ll admit… that wasn’t my finest moment.” Yet, he didn’t sound entirely apologetic. He’d be lying if he ever said he regretted it. Still, It felt awkward even bringing it up, especially amid such fury. Even so, it was a topic he felt needed to be addressed. That act had been a moment of uncertainty between them since the moment she came to learn the truth. Of course, there was an even bigger worry in the back of his mind. Maybe it was none of that. Maybe, like Freja, she'd been so disconcerted by what she'd seen back in that clinic that is destroyed anything that might have been between them before. His fear of that being the case kept him from bringing up it up, though.

 

[LilGunner]

Catty had to know it would come around to that. To the fact that he was injured for her to fix him up. His family murdered for this ridiculous scheme. Though it was that comment that served like a sharp punch to the gut. How could she not have even thought of her own family? Her parents and her brother. Since everything had happened she hadn't been able to contact any of them. Let them know she was alright and to know if they were alright. The scene at the clinic was a fair enough warning of what the hunter were capable of. Causalities of their little war meant nothing so long as they could get their goal. What if they had went looking for her and slaughtered her own family too? How could she even know? But Aeric's growls broke through her thoughts and her eyes refocused on him. She'd said enough to warrant a furious, growling speech from him. Catty scoffed as he belittled the idea of a regular job as normal.

Her mouth opened for a rebuttle but Aeric wasn't done. Her problem with him? Her mouth closed with a snap of her teeth. Of course she was tense around him but not for what he was necessarily. His hesitation was a moment to cut it but he started again. That one comment. Despite all the furious words and nearly xenophobic attitude nothing struck as hard as that. Like a blow to the chest. So that was it? Not his finest moment. Yeah given what she'd seen of his kind sleeping with a human must have been a big step down. Catty's expression fell from furious anger to surprise and quickly followed by hurt. No blending of emotions or slow transition. She backed up a step, pain lancing up her leg from her foot but she ignored it. Suddenly her chest hurt more, her eyes were sore and burning, throat tight. "I see," she said in a quiet, crackled voice. Catty paused and cleared her throat, casting her gaze elsewhere, dropping her head somewhat so her mass of wet, red curls obscured her face. Obscured the tears she felt gathering.

"Humans are awful huh? Destroy the earth, live in ignorance. But, hey, one will do in a pinch yeah? Even easier if you get them drunk first. Just think it's some crazy dream because no one would be crazy enough to assume their dog was a man in disguise." Catty paused briefly with the tiniest of sniffs, rubbing her nose with the heel of her hand. "I thought...well it doesn't matter. Dumb, ignorant human right? Because all this secret world shit is supposed to be something we just inherently know. I should have know there was a werewolf hiding out in my apartment." Steadily her volume was growing. The momentary hurt was giving way back to anger but, like him, the hurt wasn't going away either. If nothing else they were very skilled at trying to wound one another.

"Maybe I should just go then." She finally lifted her head to confront him again, furiously holding back the welling tears. "Who would want their mistake following them around right? Worse than that, the mistake that was the reason your family was killed. Because I asked for that to happen. Asked for these lunatic assholes to attack your family of werewolves because I totally knew that those were real two weeks ago! Then wanted them to leave one alive so I could play doctor and, I don't know, maybe get lucky enough he'll think 'oh, gee, haven't had sex in a while and this human is close so, eh, fuck it' because clearly humans aren't good enough except in dire circumstances. Boy did I fuck up right? Forgot all about my own stupid plot. Fuck me right?"

By then she wasn't able to hold back the tears. She paused just a moment with another sniff, scrubbing her cheeks. "So don't stand there all high and mighty like you're the only one who's been through some shit! Like you're the only one who has the right to be upset. My life's been turned upside down, I don't even know if my family is ok. Guess we're even though. They used you and you used me. Now we can go our separate ways. I'd hate for your 'un-finest hour' to weigh you down."

 

[Fates.Gamble]

Aeric could feel the mood change as Catty took a step back, her voice coming out much weaker than before. He wasn’t sure what to make of it at first. Once he realized she was on the verge of tears though, he knew that she misunderstood him. In his anger the words had come out wrong, but before he could do anything to clarify Catty reacted. Even though they were born of misconception, Aeric found himself stung and silenced by her words. More specifically, the grain of truth within them. While he never intended for things to turn out the way they did that night, he still met her under a guise of deception. He still chose on act on his desires when neither of them were in a clear state of mind. It left him to soak up the things she had to say rather than refute them.

As the volume returned and her anger with it, Aeric finally decided to speak up. “Catty that’s not what I--” But she afforded him no chance to explain, suggesting that maybe she should just leave all together. Another pang of guiltiness struck him as she brought up her family. He’d been so wrapped up in his own problems that he had to admit he hadn’t even considered all of this from her perspective. Not since finding out she was at the root of all this, anyway. Her tears were the worst blow of all. Aeric felt his gut clench when he understood just how badly his words hurt her. And yet, he still felt his ire growing somehow. Though now, he was more frustrated with the situation than he was angry.

“Are you kidding me?” Aeric scoffed at the end of her speech. "You really think that’s all I saw in you?” Aeric fell quiet, caught somewhere between wanting to tell her how he really felt and wanting to walk away from this whole ridiculous situation. In a way he couldn’t blame her. It had to be a hell of a mind fuck to know the man you were interested in had been posing as your house pet. Everything he did likely felt manipulative to her. If he continued to let her think like that, things would only get worse than they already were. “Do you have any idea how difficult it was to show myself to you? You can’t even fathom how terrified I was in that moment, my every thought consumed by how you would look at me… what you would think of me once you understood who… what I truly was.” He averted his gaze from her, as though her comments from earlier had reestablished those fears. “I told you nothing changed about the way I felt after you learned the truth… but it was more begging the question if it changed things for you.”

How quick she seemed to forget his attempts at reaching out to her over the course of this. Was that not as good as confessing his feelings? Did she think he was lying when he said he hoped there was a way forward for them back at the clinic? “Yeah I used you, Catty,” he confessed, unable to deny the accusation. “But not for what you think. I used you for food, and shelter; for a safe place to lay my head at night during the worst time of my life. I had every intention of acting like I was a dog to recover my strength and then leaving you high and dry to wonder whatever happened to ‘Anubis’” he shook his head, as if the idea of playing dog was still absolutely ridiculous and embarrassing to him.

“Maybe it was manipulative… but do you even know what it was like for me living there, stuck as a dog, all alone right after seeing my family destroyed? I’m lucky I didn’t go crazy! But then I got to know you, and somehow I found it more and more difficult to leave. You were… the best comfort I could have hoped for in that time. Smart, funny, beautiful… But hey none of that mattered, did it? Because I was your fucking dog. I didn’t even process that I was growing attracted to you until we met at the club. And the only reason I followed you there was because it was my first night in that apartment on my own. I couldn’t handle the loneliness, especially when I knew you were out having fun. So yeah, I forgot all about being your dog and decided to follow you and your friends out for my own fucking sanity. I never had intentions other than that.”

Aeric shrugged, meeting her gaze again. “And then we hit it off. And yeah, maybe it was a shitty thing to do, kissing you in bed that night. But I wasn’t in the right state of mind and I just couldn’t help myself. It’s not exactly easy when the girl you can’t get out of your head strips down and climbs into bed with you..” Not that she was aware he was actually there at the time. Though as quickly as his apologetic explanation came, Aeric was quick to return fire. “Besides, I didn’t exactly force myself on you. One kiss and you practically pulled me on top of you. How could I be expected to stop? What was I supposed to do? Push you off and say ‘No, wait Catty, I’m your dog!’? You wanted me every bit as bad as I wanted you. We wanted each other from the moment we danced in that club and you know it!” His words held a level of accusation to them, as though defending what he was and how it shouldn’t have mattered to her.

 

[LilGunner]

Aeric’s initial scoff was only salt on a wound. As if her thoughts and feelings were something to be tossed away so casually. Her fists clenched again as if she was ready to stop arguing and outright slug him. A stupid move of course. She was fit and strong but certainly couldn’t contend with him. After his pause, however, her fists relaxed. Very vaguely she remembered some things he had said both that night before going to the arena and later at the clinic. So much had happened in a scant few days it was nearly impossible to remembered them but for noisy blurs in her memory. Long, exhausting days did that to the memory. Catty was struck with the embarrassing realization that he might very well have been telling her all along. She had been too frantic to fully realize it.

Catty relaxed a little as she listened to him. Listened to his confession about the ‘use’ she had accused him of. Her teeth ground together as she realized she hadn’t really given him too much of an option either. She had quickly decided she wanted to keep the dog and had been elated when finding he had no chip. It would be a hilarious thought under any other circumstance. He confessed, too, that his actions may have been manipulative as well. Leading her on with both personas. His compliments were a little disarming; especially given they were tossed out in the middle of an argument. Enough so that her jaw relaxed, releasing the clenching grind of her teeth and the tiniest tint of red flooded her eyes. By then her eyes had dried up, stinging a little and red.

His explanations for his actions after the club weren’t entirely needed. Though perhaps needed more after his sudden change to returning fire. Vehemently reminding her that while he had initiated she had been just as eager. Oh she well remembered that. Admittedly she convinced herself it was a crazy dream but even still she had been eager for him since they danced. Just like he said in so accusatory tones. For a little she let his battery of return fire hang in the air. A few of the rounds had struck but somehow not as hard as before. In his anger he had said things he hadn’t entirely meant and she had done exactly the same. A couple of times she took a breath and opened her mouth to speak but promptly shut it with a snap and huffed the breath out. After the third attempt her fingers twisted together as she stared down at them. Why was it so much easier to yell and rage hurtful words than speak calm, kinder ones?

“I know,” she finally managed to say. “I-I…wouldn’t accuse you of force I just…” Holy hell was her throat tight and the words stuck in the back of her mouth like dry Nutella. She released her fingers from their odd, awkward knotting and rubbed the back of her neck, still unable to look up at him. “I just…I…God! Like you ok? I don’t know, I can’t even think of the right words that don’t sound like some middle school bullshit. I feel like…like I’ve been going crazy thinking about you all the time. Worrying about you. Worrying if you still kind of felt that way because it really seems like ‘no’ lately but then the whole thing with the big monster and the sister and it’s all be so crazy but I can’t stop thinking about the club and that night and the date and then all this super wild shit!” Catty had to halt herself for a long breath, damn near blue in the face after that. “Which is like…so stupid because there is so much else happening, things that should be way, way more important…But you’re literally all I’ve been able to think about since we left the clinic. Which, again, fucking crazy since we’re being hunted but I keep questioning why I’m here. I tell myself that it’s to be helpful and it’s not like I can go back to my regularly scheduled life. Ah hah but then that stupid little voice tells me I’m just here because I have a crush on the Big Bad Wolf and should probably go because clearly he’s not interested.” Another pause but to take a long, slow breath. Close her eyes a moment to relax after the massive outpouring of the insanity in her own mind.

Just a moment and she opened her eyes again and managed, finally, look directly at him. For a second she looked ready to shout at him again but with a second, much smaller huffing sigh her body relaxed. The swirling fury that once held the small, freckled redhead dissipated like a summer storm. “I’m…I’m sorry Aeric,” she finally said, glancing away again and rubbing her arm awkwardly. “Sorry for…a lot of things. Everything really. Especially the ‘monster’ comment…” But there was nothing she could say to excuse it really. She’d said it in a moment of pain and anger. “There’s not really…a lot I can say to excuse it or, probably, even forgive it…but…nothing changed when I found out what you really are. That didn’t change who you are which…is what matters to me more.”

 

[Fates.Gamble]

Aeric wasn’t really sure how Catty would react to everything he just threw out. He could see that a lot of the tension left her body, but he had no idea what she might be thinking. Aeric however, remained tense, his own fingers balling into fists as his statements were left hanging on the air. He was a blender of emotions right now; embarrassed that he’d revealed so much about himself, and both thrilled and afraid of how she would respond to it. Green eyes appraised her in anticipation each time she looked ready to speak, only to falter. Even when she found her words on the third attempt, she seemed to have a really hard time forming them. Aeric was as patient with her as he could muster in his eagerness to settle this, and he was expecting the worst only to hear the exact opposite.

She liked him; was going crazy thinking about him in fact. Aeric stared at her blankly, a little dumbfounded by the confession. Sure, he picked up on her interest well enough before she knew the truth. He could still recall how crazed he felt listening to her talk to Jess all day about whether he’d actually show up for their date or not. But none of that seemed to be there anymore after Carl assaulted her in the apartment. Admittedly there weren’t many chances to test it, but anytime he even thought about trying it was like a solid wall existed between them. Apparently she felt something of the same way, confessing that she felt his own interest die off. It hadn’t, but things were more complicated than that now.

His eyes averted as she mentioned the ‘big monster’ back at the clinic. Of course that would put her off, and he couldn’t blame her at all for that one. Aeric hadn’t even witnessed it and he was still terrified by the idea he’d done it. But just as easily, she stole his attention back. Their time together continued to run wild through his mind as well. It was like every ounce of thought that wasn’t on keeping them alive was absorbed with her. The glow in her eyes, the feel of her skin, the taste of her lips on his while entwined in bed together. Learning she was suffering much the same way electrified him. It had his heart racing as she said all of this. And yet, as she paused for breath, she looked as frustrated as ever. He thought he’d receive more of that ire from before, only to be granted an apology instead.

A pang of guilt struck him, especially at her last comment. He felt like he’d been acting the fool now after all this, and it rendered him silent for a long moment. Finally, he was able to find his voice again. “I’m… I’m glad to know you feel that way,” he said in regards to her last statement. “But, I’m the one who should apologize. I haven’t given you an honest chance to really know who that is. And it’s not because I don’t want to.” The way he looked at her was filled with every ounce of the longing he had the night they first met as man and woman. “I definitely, definitely want to. It’s just… I don’t know how. I’m not any good at these sort of things. The circumstances of my life have dictated that I shouldn’t let anyone too close; that I should never trust anyone outside of the pack. All this shit that’s happened to us…” He shook his head with a sigh. “It reminds me of that. It leaves me guarded… Makes me afraid. And then it doesn’t help when I think about how this whole thing we have is born out of deception. I think to myself, ‘How can she possibly still like me when she knows what I am and what I’ve done.’ It makes it just as hard to pursue you as it does to let you in.”

Aeric took his own pause, refusing to shy away from her gaze as he battled over what to say; fought the indecision that plagued him anytime he found himself in a position like this. If that had even happened before. He’d been in his share of messy relationships, but this thing with Catty was more unique in every way imaginable. “I’m sorry too,” he finally offered her. “None of this is your fault. The truth is I was worried about you too. I worry sick over what might happen now that you’ve been dragged into this life. I… I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to you. But I shouldn’t have lost my temper with you. I should have sucked up my fears and approached you like a man about all of this. Like I wanted to the other night…”

Aeric felt another touch of embarrassment at his confessions. On top of that, the fact that he was standing there in absolutely nothing seemed to drive its way home as their anger died off. It was doubly humiliating when he considered everything they just admitted to, and he felt a flush coming to his cheeks. It felt a lot like when he saw himself in the mirror standing in her clothes. He briefly wondered if he should confess to stealing those articles as well; just get it all out and move on from a clean slate. The idea of taking it to the grave however, had just as much appeal.

“Um,” he stammered, shyly meeting her eyes again. “We should probably get back to the house now. I look pretty ridiculous. And we should probably see about those cuts,” Aeric added, finally coming to terms with the fact she was hurt and bloodied. “You said you brought some first aid stuff from the clinic right? Maybe I can play doctor for you this time.” He gave her a little grin, before realizing how his words sounded. Especially being in the buff. So he turned around and switched back into the form of a wolf, forcefully silencing himself before he had a chance to make things anymore awkward than they already were. Of course, seeing the man you liked shift into a giant beast could likely have the same effect. Regardless, he lingered at her side, making sure she was well enough to walk given the pain in her leg.

 

[LilGunner]

Catty managed a small, almost sheepish smile as he seemed to accept her woeful excuse for an apology. Apologizing himself for his own behavior. Part of her wanted to tell him it was ok, they were both being a little irrational and a lot had happened. The other part let him keep talking, also realizing they could go in circles with apologies and forgiveness as much as they could have kept going with furious words and anger. The way they had to lead their secret lives seemed so sad to her. She knew nothing about his past except for the family he once had. Trust no one outside of the pack. Vaguely she wondered if that meant relationships too. A little weird. But it was to keep them safe from the danger she had learned about all too well. At least they managed to come to some sort of understanding. Opened up a little more to one another. Honestly he had opened up a great deal more revealing a somewhat surprising vulnerability.

The atmosphere surrounding them seemed to dissipate from the crackling fury to a pleasant calm. Not unlike the brief moment they had at the clinic between the storms. Catty wondered how often they might have a little peace. How often they could absorb a calm moment. So long as they stayed open and honest they'd at least have peace with each other. It was a nice thought. Though the other night. Catty wasn't entirely sure what he meant by that. Her head tilted a little in confusion but she decided it was better to leave it be. It was in the past right? Their quarrels were set aside, more-or-less resolved actually, and there was no use in asking about the past.

His suddenly shy demeanor was startling. For once he was the one stammering a little. Ridiculous? Catty let her gaze drop a little. In a vague corner of her mind she knew he had been naked for that whole episode but had, somehow, fully ignored it. Brought to the forefront a small, wry smirk twisted her lips. He mentioned the cuts and she glanced down at her arms, utterly littered with small, oozing wounds that stung like paper cuts. More of them had already stopped bleeding but left streaks and bubbles of dried blood. Her legs were little different and she became sharply aware of the lancing pain in her foot. Though his comment about playing doctor forced a sudden, sharp glance from her. Before she could even respond he seemed to realize those implications and shifted back to a wolf. Catty's face broke into a wide grin and she laughed, far harder than she had in the last few days.

Before turning to head to the house, still stifling the aftershock of her sudden laughter, she crouched down next to the large, inky black wolf. Just the tiniest pang of sadness rippled through her. She did miss her 'dog' just a little bit. It was still very odd to think there was really a man in there. "Ok, I'll let you. But don't touch my foot," she warned with a playful boop to his snoot. "I really hate my feet being touched. Also I'm really sorry about this." Catty couldn't entirely help herself. She reached out and ran her fingers through the luxuriously soft, fluffy fur around his neck. Just a straight line like someone might brush their fingers through a lover's hair rather than pet him like a pooch. "I can't resist...you're fur's just so nice and soft," she said with another, short, amused laugh. Satisfied she stood up and walked with him back to the cabin. Her gait was a little slow, walking awkwardly on the side of her foot.

After the slow walk through the woods and back to the cabin Catty was true to her word but insisted she tend to her foot first. The minor cuts on arms, hands, and legs wouldn't need much bandaging but the worst cuts that would need it here on her hands from trying to push the Finnman off her. With awkward bandages on her hands it would be hard to take care of her foot. With impressive flexibility, though Aeric might be intimately familiar with some of it, she crossed her foot over her thigh and canted her leg. Her knee was nearly pointed directly at the floor giving her a good view of the gash. It was jagged and spanned diagonally from ball to heel. Not stitching was needed but, after cleaning it and applying an antiseptic, she used superglue over it, holding the jagged edges together until the glue dried then wrapped it up. After that she surrendered her hands, arms, and legs to Aeric. "Maybe later we could watch Beauty and the Beast....or HGTV," she said with an amused, sideways glance at him.

Strangely the entire atmosphere of the cabin had changed too. Rather than a gloomy hidey hole it felt more comfortable. More homey. Like maybe they were on a short vacation rather than hiding from vicious government entities. It was, as always, a terrifying though but Catty pushed those away with surprising ease. Just a little longer she wanted to enjoy her newfound appreciation for the modernly rustic cabin they, temporarily, called home.

 

[Fates.Gamble]

Aeric snuffled when she tapped his nose, big green eyes watching as she came to run her fingers through his fur. His tail perked up, giving a little wag at the compliments. It was an usual way of conveying their affections, but Catty didn’t seem to mind the oddity of it all. That heartened him, already putting him in a better mood. Choler was replaced with mild concern as he lingered, walking slow to remain by Catty’s side as she hobbled along. Luckily it wasn’t terribly far back to the cabin. Once Catty opened the door for them, the wolf slipped inside and ambled to where he’d left his clothing scattered. In a flash, Aeric had returned in all his naked glory, deftly scooping his pants up off the floor.

“It is pretty nice, isn’t it?” he said, grinning over her comment from earlier. “I don’t even need conditioner. It’s just always silky smooth.” He ran a hand through his own hair before tugging his pants back on, perhaps something to Catty’s disappointment. His shirt came on next before Aeric followed after Catty so they could tend to her wounds. He might have been inspired by her flexibility if the grievous wound on her foot didn’t command so much more attention. “That little bastard got you good,” he said with a pang of sympathy. Luckily not so good that she would need stitches, though. Aeric watched, impressed by her balance and deft hands as she cleaned, glued, and bandaged her wound.

Once Catty was done with that and handed herself into his care, Aeric sat her down so she could take the weight off of her injured foot. He tended to her hands first, carefully cleaning each of the little cuts she received. “Admittedly, you’re probably better suited for this,” he said, flashing her a little smile. She was far more of a doctor than him after all. Still, it was nice to be the one taking care of her for a change. It was simple work besides, very few of her injuries requiring so much as a band-aid as nearly all of them had stopped bleeding already. He cleaned her hands and arms up nicely all the same.

“Oh yeah?” he said, smirking at her suggestion. “Should I curl up on the couch as Anubis for old times’ sake?” Moving on to her legs, he had her prop her first one up and lay it across his lap for easier access. “You realize the irony of that being the first movie we watched together, right?” Aeric didn’t see it at the time, as he was a little more concerned with the circumstances they drove them together. But now that the attraction had really settled in, it was hard not to think back on it with a touch of amusement. “Sorry I don’t come with an enchanted castle,” he said, continuing to dab at the cuts on her legs. “Though, let’s be honest. All that talking furniture would be a nightmare in real life.”

The argument and subsequent apologies seemed to do away with a lot of the distance that built between them. Aeric wasn’t nearly as shy about being close to her now. His hands ran smoothly over her legs while he worked, giving just as much attention to the soft, unmarred skin between the abrasions. Even scratched up and bandaged it was hard not to be captivated by her. Her igneous, red hair looked just as good tussled and wet as it did bright and dry. He couldn’t help but look at her wantingly, what with the way she was stretched out with her legs in his lap; never mind the fact he was treating her with antiseptic at the time.

Finished with one leg, he moved on to the other, taking care to avoid her injured foot as he started his work with the first cut just above her ankle. “We should probably get you out of these wet clothes before we do anything else though,” he told her, making no effort to hide the suggestive nature of his words. He glanced at her as he said it, wearing a coy grin before returning to his attention to her injuries. They were few and small enough that it didn’t take him long to have her all cleaned up. He admired his work when it was done, running his hands back down her legs, as though checking if he’d missed any of the paper thing cuts that peppered her. Really he was just enjoying the feel of her silky skin.

“I see you found her,” Freja’s voice interrupted them, startling Aeric. He’d forgotten all about his sister being in the house. She’d come to seek them out, concerned after the way Aeric ran after her in a fluster. But now she watched them with a bemused expression, interested to see the change in demeanor. You tension between them had been so thick you could cut a knife before he went chasing her in the woods. Now she was practically straddling his lap. “I’m guessing everything’s okay, then?” she hinted, smirking. A little more than okay by the looks of them. Catty appeared like she fell out of a tree and into the lake, but she decided to just brush that off. She even made a hand to silence Aeric as he opened his mouth to speak. She shook her head, still smirking before turning her back on them and sauntering off. It was nice no longer feeling like she had to walk on egg shells in their brooding presence, but nor did she have any interest in playing third wheel in their little love affair.

Aeric was left feeling a little awkward after the intrusion of his sister. He gave Catty a sheepish look as they were left alone again, his hands still resting where he’d left them just below her thigh. He cleared his throat and averted his gaze as he noticed, and gave her leg a little pat. “Well, it's hard to say for sure, but I think you’ll live,” he declared, “For now at least. But you might want to avoid any fish people in the future. We only have so much Neosporin and I enjoy your steak dinners far too much for you to go risking your life like that.” He flashed her another grin before returning the supplies to the kit.

 

[LilGunner]

Why she didn't bother to sit she didn't know, resting her hip against the centered fireplace to fix up her foot. She smirked some, "more like I got him. Pretty sure this is from kicking him when he pulled me under." She remembered the terror and panic, flailing around trying to dislodge whatever it was. The sudden, sharp pain when her foot made contact. In hindsight she was sure she got him right on one of those head fringe things. "Like I said, I hate things touching my feet," she laughed a little at her own joke. "Or, you know, getting pulled under water is pretty terrifying." Once she was finished up with her foot she let him guide her to sit down. Which would have been far smarter to do to mend up her foot.

Catty surrendered her hands to him once they were seated. She grinned in amusement at his quip. Anyone could perform minor first aid. Honestly she was more than capable of cleaning up the cut but, well, he offered. Despite the light sting of antiseptic she enjoyed the deft, gentle touch of his hands on hers. Warm and strong as they dapped at the few cuts that still welled up with pinpricks of blood. She managed to hold still as she laughed at his return. "I won't lie, it was nice curling up with that fluffy boy," she said through her light laughter as he finished up and moved her legs up onto his lap. When he pointed out the irony of watching Beauty and the Beast she paused and thought of it, slowly nodding. "Huh...yeah, I didn't consider that before. I'm down with being Belle," she added with a short, snorting little laugh which dissolved into another deeper laugh at his mention of castles and enchanted furniture. "I'm just more worried about seeing that unicorn." The girl would not let that thought go.

His touch was no less gentle on her legs, he seemed to be taking his sweet time. Meticulously cleaning each tiny cut, letting his fingers dance between the marks in her skin. It sent a tiny, delighted shiver up her spine. Normally Catty recoiled at letting people do things for her, independent to an utter fault. For once she found she enjoyed it if for nothing else then the soft whisper of his fingers against her skin. It was almost a shame when he finally moved onto her other leg meaning the tending was nearly done. 'We' should get you out of your wet clothes. Catty was jarred a little from the comment and complimenting smirk. Jarred enough all she managed was to grin back at him as her face turned a color to rival her shade of hair. Only turning redder as she was thrown back into the memory of her crazy not-dream. All of a sudden she wanted him to hurry up with her leg. Wether to get out of the wet clothes quicker or smash her face into a bucket of ice she wasn't entirely certain. Both probably.

Currents of icy electricity rippled through her with Freja's sudden appearance and words. Catty went rigid a moment before glancing over her shoulder at the woman. Her amused smirk only made Catty's ears burn hotter. Catty gave a nod to the question, just barely catching Aeric in the corner of her eye about to give some explanation that Freja was clearly uninterested in. As quickly as she had appeared Freja was gone and Catty released a long, slow breath. The charged air around them fizzled out to a bought of awkwardness. Well she got her splash of cold water, shame it was from Freja's words. Catty gave another short, snorting laugh. "Thanks for the prognosis doc." Quiet again, her legs still over his as he leaned over to put away the antiseptic and bandages. When he was finished she reached over and laid a hand on his tricep. For a moment she hesitated, her fingers giving a nervous little twitch. Fuck it. Her other hand lifted to tuck just under his ear as she leaned up. Her lips pressed to his, gentle but lingering. Lord she had been aching to do that for days. His masculine scent invaded her head, thrilling her heart to a fast thump against her chest. Slowly she pulled back fully and looked up at him with a soft, slightly embarrassed grin.

"Ok...time to get out of these wet clothes," she said with a breathy little chuckle. "Maybe a shower too, I probably stink of lake and fish man." With another breathy laugh she moved to get up and head to the bathroom for a quick shower and warm, dry clothes.

 

[Fates.Gamble]

“Don’t thank me until you get the bill,” he continued to joke with her, trying not to be too disappointed over the way Freja dampened the heat between them. They were just starting to mend all that distance between them; leave it to his sister to come drive an awkward wedge right in the middle of it. Yet no sooner than he put away medical goods did Catty seem determined to stoke the fire right back up. He met her gaze as she touched him and hesitated. Something just in the way she looked at him stirred him, made his heart stop as she lingered on indecision. But it was fleeting, replaced an instant later by her lips on his. Aeric kissed her back, reveling in the feel of her lips, soft as rose petals. It left him cracked with a wide smile by the time she pulled away, and suddenly he was feeling just like Freja had never wandered in at all.

“Okay, sounds good,” Aeric responded, feeling too light headed to think of anything better to say. His heart was all a flutter as he watched her get up off the couch and sweep off to the bathroom. Even as he watched her go his mind began to rebel over the way he just handled that. The way she kissed him and immediately declared it was time to lose the clothing was as good as an invitation as he could have hoped for. So why the hell are you still sitting here then? He chastised himself. Though by now he felt as if he’d waited too long and missed a really good opportunity. Catty was already gone, the shower just kicking on as he wasted time contemplating over whether he should have followed her or not.

It was almost madness as he just sat there, suddenly alone and left with all his thoughts. It was like a typhoons of emotions as he considered the series of events, from avoiding each other, to fighting with each other, to kissing each other all in the span of a few hours. It was the kiss that consumed him most of all. It left him hot and flustered; sufficiently teased after everything that was building between them. He was beginning to feel a lot like the night they met at the club; his blood full of a hot fire fueled by their attraction. At the same time he found himself filled with a lingering uncertainty. Why are things so different with this girl? He grumbled to himself. This sort of hesitation never happened to him before. Aeric normally radiated confidence when it came to the fairer sex. Yet Catty had a way of making him feel like he didn’t know what the hell he was doing. Silently he had to wonder if the circumstances of their meeting hadn’t ruined their chances all together. . .

But no. He wasn’t willing to accept that. After the moment of debate, he silently echoed Catty’s sentiments from earlier. Fuck it. He pushed himself up from the couch, and his legs carried him forward of their own accord. Every step that brought him closer to his destination brought his heart to racing. It was a ceaseless drum by the time he found himself standing outside the bathroom door; so loud he swore it was all he could hear even over the water running on the other side. For a moment it was a mirror image of the other night. Aeric stood in front of the door, looking uncertain. But this time, fear did not hold him back. Steeling himself, he opened the door without even knocking and closed it quietly in his wake.

Aeric wordlessly shed his articles, letting his clothes fall to a heap on the floor before he approached the shower where Catty waited. “I hope you don’t mind if I join you,” he announced himself, hoping not to startle her with the sudden presence. He didn’t bother to wait for her answer, however, before inviting himself into the shower anyway. Stepping in, he came up behind her, his arms instantly slipping around her waist as he pressed himself close. The feel of her soft, wet, body meshed against his had him sighing with contentment, even more so as he leaned down, bringing his head to her shoulder where he rested it for a moment. Hugging her from behind, he relished in the warm water that sprayed down on them.

His moment of respite seemed short lived however, as his head tilted towards her neck which he began to grace with soft kisses. They started gentle in fleeting, working their way up even as his hands began a wicked journey of their own, exploring her slippery body with an insatiable curiosity. The memory of that teasing kiss plagued his mind, and before long he found himself twisting her around to face him so he could claim her lips again. It was a far hungrier encounter than their last; deep and passionate, with his tongue inviting hers into a most delightful dance. His desire grew all the more wild with every action. Strong, warm hands slipped down her back and squeezed her firm rear as he pressed himself tighter into her. Before he knew it, he had her up against the shower wall, still absorbed in their heated kiss as he moaned excitedly into her mouth. At least here, Freja had no chance of stumbling by and throwing a wet blanket on things. It was a like a little safe haven, sheltering them from all the world and its inhabitants, and affording a chance to completely lose themselves in one another.

 

[LilGunner]

Don't turn and look back. Catty had to repeat the mantra as she headed for the bathroom and went in, closing the door slowly and gently. Once in the quiet she took a long, slow breath and released it with puffed cheeks and loose lips. What the hell was wrong with her? They just had a very loud fight, he clean up some cuts from her stupid battle with a stupid fish man, then she just does that? Well he did make suggestive comments himself. Even still it was stupid. They'd spent the last few days avoiding one another which erupted into a yelling match. She should have left some time before trying to get too cozy again; but that look in his eyes. Catty couldn't shake that quiet sort of hunger when he looked at her. She shook her head and got the shower going to heat up. Her wet garments peeled off with a little wiggle and she unceremoniously plopped them on the floor. She should probably take a cold shower.

No, hot shower was better. Until stepping into the frosted glass box she hadn't realized how cold she was. The hot, soothing water rained down and she just stood there, letting it relax her muscles and her mind. Mostly relax her mind. Despite the mental berating she wanted to keep giving herself she couldn't help but grin like a fool. Despite the surrounding insanity she was giddy as a pre-teen at a Backstreet Boys concert. Or whatever the children of the day listened to. Maybe she was being too hard on herself. It was just a kiss, that was all. Totally natural, totally normal. Two normal, consenting adults doing normal, consenting adult things. Besides it was nice to be back to giddy and happy rather than anxious and dour. She tried not to think further down the road, what this strange turn of events might lead to; individually and for the both of them if she was honest. How long could they run and hide?

Her thoughts were broken as she heard something. The door? Very faintly she could see a shape on the other side of the frosted glass. Well she was very certain Freja didn't just roll up into the bathroom. Her heart revved up, drumming against her chest as she absently bit the edge of her lip. Aeric's voice cut through which only quickened the pace of her heart. It wasn't so much a question but an announcement. Her breath caught as he stepped into the shower, no hesitation at all, and encased her in his arms. The warm strength of her body pressed intimately against hers causing a content little sigh to echo his. Her blue eyes closed as she reveled in the gentle embrace, her hands creeping up to rest on his arms as she melted back into him. Aeric, however, had more on his mind than naked cuddling.

Catty sucked in a short, sharp, but quiet breath between her teeth as his lips found the sensitive flesh of her neck. Hot, electric jolts raced across her skin to a resounding pang in her gut. Her head lolled a little to the side as he trailed up towards her jaw. His hands moved and hers released his arms to not impede the want of exploration. Not long for such a position she obliged as he coaxed her to turn, a delighted albeit muffled moan leaping from her throat as his lips took hers. Nothing like before, wild and hungry. Her knees wobbled at the ferocity of his kiss, her tongue meeting his in their wicked waltz. She gave a little, squeaking giggle as his hands crept down and grasped her hindquarters, pressing her even closer. One hand slipped to his side, lightly playing and exploring his hip and rib. The other roamed up his arm, shoulder, neck and found rest nestled in his dark, wet hair.

Chilly tile on her back caused a startled little jump until she acclimated. The strange, sweet difference between his warm body pressed to her front and the cold tile to her back was oddly scintillating. Catty's leg brushed against his, the hairs on his leg tickling as she hooked her leg around his hip. The hand exploring his side slid up to join the other and both arms lock around his neck and shoulders. Less of a hop and more of a climb her other leg lifted to grasp his wait and pull herself up so their heads were nearly on the same level. Bracing on the wall and his grip on her rear helped immensely. Her breasts pressed tightly to his chest, her warm cor against his hard, flat stomach. Catty backed out of the kiss, just a breath away with a small, amused giggle. "Even playing field," she said before tilting her head and kissing his jaw. She trailed her lip around and down his neck. Every so often to lick or nip at the sensitive skin. Up to one ear, licking and nibbling at the cartilage before trailing back down and around to give the other the same treatment.

 

[Fates.Gamble]

Somewhere in the back of his mind Aeric knew that this probably wasn’t the best of ideas. They were still getting used to each other, and this was a very fast turn of events given the shouting match they just wrapped up. Not to mention this was kind of the exact opposite of his decision that getting too close was a dangerous prospect. Yet none of that was as loud as his beating heart; none of it as genuine as the rush he got over being so forward with her. Catty had him ravenous as she met all of his affections in full, practically melting into him. He was eager as ever, attempting to close all that inconvenient space between their wet bodies while he pinned her to the wall. The spirited redhead seemed to agree with his sentiments, drawing him all the nearer as her leg slid up to hook around him.

Aeric pulled into a grin against her lips as she locked her arms about his neck and hoisted herself up into his grip. He sucked in a much needed breath as their kiss broke, keeping a firm hold of her in his strong arms. A throaty chuckle escaped over her comment. “Well we do want things to be fair, don’t we?” Aeric’s words melted into a sound of approval as he felt her soft lips explore him. Her little nips and licks filled him with a warm tingling, causing goosebumps to break out on his skin as she tantalized him. Aeric reveled in the flighty, tickling sensations, cracking into another grin as she brought the attention to his sensitive ears. His head tilted to allow her sweet assault on the other side as she continued to make good use of her new advantage in height.

Her soft, warm breath next to his ear electrified him, driving him wild as she continued to tease the cartilage with her devilish mouth. Aeric pulled away from her after a moment, bringing a premature end to her actions. His eyes were lit with a green fire as he appraised her, loving every bit of her playful nature. “So feisty,” he feigned complaint, the sensation of her nips still echoing across his skin. Though, Aeric showed a little feistiness of his own, delving in for another heated kiss and maneuvering her down until his rock hard length was pressed right against her womanhood. The kiss was brief, his tongue brushing hers for the slightest of moments before he pulled away and locked eyes with her. Just like their last intimate encounter, there was no hesitation as Aeric felt out her entrance and pushed his way inside.

Shivers of delight traveled his spine as he plunged deep into warm, tight embrace. Wracked by sensations, it was all Aeric could do to stand there holding her for a time. The water from the shower pelted his side and back, but Aeric paid it no heed as he marveled in the feel of being connected with her. His moment of respite was brief, Aeric becoming greedy as he rolled his hips and began to explore her depths. His hard body moved in sweet harmony with Catty’s, pulling as far back as the prison of her legs would allow before spearing back into her wet folds with careful precision. Aeric bit down on his lower lip, looking at her with a sultry grin and glowing eyes beneath his wet, jet black hair. “I hope you’re not dreaming this time,” he managed to tease her without missing a beat of their lusty tempo.

The roar of cascading water did a fine job of drowning out the sensual moans of his pleasure, though the sound of their bodies while Aeric fucked her against the damp, shower wall seemed loud as an orchestra in their steamy, glass box. Aeric might have hoped they weren’t being so loud that Freja could over hear them, but it was a large house and honestly his sister was the last thing on his mind right now. Catty had the full of his attentions, driving him crazy with every little melody of her enjoyment, and the way her taut nipples brushed against his chest in the friction of their bodies. All the horror and worries plaguing him for the last two weeks completely vanished, snuffed into quietus as he gave her all of himself. Every action spoke of lust and hunger for the woman in his arms; from his insatiable desire for the honey-sweet taste of her lips, to the way he nipped and kissed across her skin from jaw to collarbone.

 

[LilGunner]

The melody of his sounds tickled her ears, splitting her lips into a grin as she teased and tickled the sensitive flesh. Catty couldn't get enough and could listen to the sounds for hours. The tilt of his head gave her full range of the sweet, salty skin to play with nibbling her way back up to his ear once more. Though it seemed like she had just got going when he pulled back. Catty looked up at him only a little startled and puzzled. For the briefest of moments she stupid wondered if he hadn't enjoyed it and pulled away. Though that was quickly squashed as she met his eyes. No way. His feigned complaint brought a tiny laugh leaping from her throat which dissolved into a soft moan as he leaned down as took her lips once again. Her arms and legs relaxed some as she felt him maneuvering her, shivering as she felt that searing, hard length pressing to her center.

The scorching, brief kiss was pulled away and she met his eyes. Suddenly she couldn't remember how to breathe. Time slowed as she stared up into those bright green eyes of his. With a sudden thrust her breath came back in way of a sucking his between her teeth, her back arched off the tile as coils of fire raced through her body. Wonderfully jarring and sudden she nearly let go of him. Though between his strength and the shower wall she wouldn't have gone far. Their hips collided and she managed to continue to breath, a little happy moan escaped her as she relaxed, her body stretched to receive his generous girth. Though the respite was short lived as he rolled his hips. Every action met with a little moan or sigh of delight. Her hands slid up to find refuge in his thick, silky hair, nails grazing against the skin.

Catty couldn't help a breathy laugh at his teasing comment. "God...me too. Best dream ever," she replied with a delighted sigh. She could barely keep up as he moved from her lips to her neck, leaving a spicy trail to her collar bone and back. Her head made a dull thump against the chill tile to give way for his electric affections. He was like a man starving and possessed. How he could support her weight and keep such a rhythm was beyond her current mental faculties. Catty had never considered herself fragile or waifish but in Aeric's arms she felt as light and delicate as a butterfly. Without even realizing it she trusted his strength enough to unlock her legs from his hips but her hands came back down around his shoulders, doubling down on hanging onto him. He'd have more of her weight to support but vastly more room to move.

Compared to the heat of Aeric's flesh on her body and the flame he had ignited in her blood the shower water almost felt cold in comparison. Her nails dug into and scored his shoulders as the heat of her body grew and a pressure built. Despite Aeric doing the vast majority of the work Catty's breath came in short, sharp, soft pants intermixed with gasps and moans. Light headed and dizzy nothing breached her thoughts beyond Aeric. How their slick, wet bodies moved so easily with one another. The pleasurable depths he reached within her. Every nerve, every synapse dedicated solely to him. Her nails bit deeper into him as her little noises became higher and sharper, her inner walls steadily gripping him harder and harder.

Like a sudden, unexpected thunder clap her body seized. A coursing, electrified fire lashed through her marrow. Her center gripped him with a fierceness and only staccato of squeaks managed to escape her. Nails bit deep into his skin as she grasped him tightly in the foreceful throes of orgasm. As suddenly as it hit it was gone, the waters receding to let her body relax and tremble. Her grip on him nearly slipping as she was reduced to a quivering mass in his arms

 

[Fates.Gamble]

“That sounds familiar,” Aeric said, brandishing a wild grin at Catty’s comment of ‘Best dream ever.’ He recalled those same words spilling from her sleepy lips the first time they’d gotten up to this. But that was all he managed to say before another cordial moan was torn from his throat, stealing his breath. He made good use of the extra range granted when Catty released the grip of her legs, giving him more room. It took a little extra effort on his arms, but he was more than strong enough to keep her right where he wanted, allowing his hips to drive into her with renewed vigor.

Shuddering little breaths escaped his lips as the pleasure mounted; magnified by the ease of access the change up gave them. Catty had him reeling, from the the sexy, delight-ridden expression written in her eyes as she watched him, to way her nails bit into his tender flesh. The latter had him sucking in a sharp breath, his body tingling with the jolt of slight, unexpected pain. He appraised her with a roguish look, his own grip on her tightening in response. He took the sweet sounds that escaped her as a form of motivation, encouraging him to draw all the saccharine music he could from her.

It didn’t take long for such efforts to bear fruit as he felt Catty’s tight, slick walls clamping around him, squeezing him for all he was worth. The added friction had him throwing his head back, shaking free some of the soaked hair that had fallen in his face as he groaned with enjoyment. The closer she came to her peak, the more Aeric was determined to send her tumbling right over it. He watched her expressions and reactions with eager anticipation and a racing heart, trying to build himself up right along with her. His arms were starting to burn after a time, and his legs were feeling a little bit like jelly, but he didn’t pay that any mind. Aeric gave no quarter as he devoted all of his energy to the luscious woman in his arms.

Their chamber echoed with a deep moan of surprise as Catty’s nails dug in harder than ever, acting like little needle points along his shoulders. But that was nothing compared to the feel of her burning core fastening down and pulsing all around his hard cock. Aeric slowed their furious pace a bit, rolling his hips in and out to enjoy the moment to its fullest. He watched Catty’s aftershock with a wide smile, redoubling his hold on her as he felt her weight slacken against him. Keeping himself deep within her slick depths, Aeric leaned forward and peppered her neck and shoulder with warm little kisses. He ended the expedition at her lips, locking her in another furious kiss while he hips started to move again.

Before long, they returned to their reckless tempo from before. Aeric had to break away from her passionate mouth for sake of his own breath as the workout began to catch up with him. In the wake of her orgasm however, it didn’t take long before the pleasure had overwhelmed him as well. Aeric burst like a dam within her, leasing a hot, heavy sigh near her lips. It gave way to a moan with a spasm of his muscles, and a hard, involuntary jerk of his hips. He kept himself as deep inside as he could, throbbing within her core until the last waves of joy had died off. No sooner than they had, did he his stiff limbs complain about the effort it took.

Aeric respired with both contentment and disappointment as his length slipped back out of Catty, before he carefully lowered her back down. Mostly he let her wet body glide back down his, as he was hit by a wave of sudden lethargy. A lazy, happy bring was plastered on his face as he looked at her. “Well that was pretty fun,” he said teasingly, before leaning in to place another, softer kiss upon her plush lips. He pulled away briefly after, stepping back into the spray of the shower. It wasn’t quite as hot as before, but the place was ritzy enough that it was still plenty warm. Though, after the fire their actions just stoked within his blood and across his skin, it felt cool in comparison.

“Still think the answer’s ‘no’ after that?” Aeric asked, glancing at Catty with a little smirk as he thought back on their fight. He drenched his head in the warm water, letting it soak his hair and run down his body, rinsing him clean. May as well make use of what the shower was actually meant for while he was here. And after their intense, messy fun, it felt almost just as good to let linger in the refreshing water and steamy confines.