The Hunter and The Hunted

Author's Note: Woohoo!! New chapter.XD *takes a bow* I never thought a story would ever want to be written by me so badly I'd get sleepless nights!! Wow.

CandyCaner: No Marina did not lick her face... yet... I'm not saying what or when something will happen, you'll just have to find out (just like I'm waiting patiently for Gabby's secret XP)

ikkichi: You don't want to know... don't worry about your review lacking hun, I simply want to be consoled by the fact that there are people out there who actually read and like this story.

People who keep coming back to increase my hit count, I know you're out there, I know you're reading... but I can't read minds. XD

Enjoy!! (at least I hope you will...)

~~~~~~~

‘What part of, I don’t go to clubs does she fail to understand?’ I wondered sitting on my couch looking at her playing with Tiri. Her black pants hugged her curves beautifully without being too tight. She left her jacket by the door so her blood red shirt was all that was keeping her covered, though that didn’t say she was covered since the fabric clung to her like second skin, the V-cut tantalizing my eyes

“Aren’t you going to go change or are you going to stare at my cleavage all night?” I didn’t think there was going to be much of a difference apart from the fact that I’d have to tear my eyes away from her long enough to get dressed. ‘Wait, why was I even considering this. I wanted to stay away from nightlife, especially on a full moon.’

“Clubbing on a full moon is a rush.” she said with a twinkle in her eye as though she read my thoughts.

“Yet, I’m not normal Marina.”

“Please. If you want to avoid going out with me, call me Ms. Wolfe.” she said getting up. I moved with her without thinking, reaching my hand out to stop her.

“You don’t understand…” I said

“Then tell me. Explain to me why you refuse to go out on a full moon.” she had a fierceness in her eyes that I saw often in my mom’s and I bit my lip. Mikka’s claw pierced the skin of my calf gently as though tell me to just tell her. I looked down and Mikka who looked up at me innocently ‘Traitor.’ I looked back a Marina, “How versed are you in wolf lore?”

“Very. I particularly empathize with the youngest alpha to lead.” her eyes got a glazed over look as she continued, “A child, forced to do the unthinkable, to lead her parents’ pack mere hours after they were brutally murdered by hunters… mere hours after retribution was handed down, mere moments before the pack voted her in… leader, alpha… warrior.”

“Traitor.” I mumbled. She stopped and her eyes focused on me once more.

“What?”

“Ookami Wolfsbane was labeled as a traitor to her pack after she couldn’t take the loss of control. A traitor for not wanting to take another of alpha’s blood, Demetri Seether, because he was weaker than her.” I said looking directly into her eyes “Ookami Wolfsbane, chose to leave her pack and become a lone wolf, abandoning everything she knew about pack life to live as a human as much as possible, changing her name and moving to a place that needed a veterinarian, refusing to shift into her true form, either of them, unless it was truly necessary…” somehow or the other her legs gave away and she ended up sitting on the couch. “Hi, my name is Selena Mitchell. I am very glad to make your acquaintance.” I walked to her, my expression softening as I held out my hand “I do hope you won’t tell anyone else.”

“Ookami…” her eyes were wide with wonder as she took my hand. “I am honored…” I smiled

“If you think you can keep me under control, I’d be happy to go out with you, but no where with alcohol.” she nodded and I went to change, feeling like a weight had been lifted off my chest thinking to myself, if she had dropped her gaze once during the rant I would not have gone anywhere with her this night. But… She had me hoping, hoping above all hope that everything will work out…

~~~~~~~

We walked along the streets under the moonlight and I felt the familiar urge to run bare and be free, but fought it back. I could see the tremors running through Marina, though her face didn’t betray difficulty, apart from her constant glances to me. I could swear she was stripping me with her eyes. (Not that I minded really, but did she have to be so obvious?) I smiled as we made it to a little café that happened to be open still. ‘No clubs, wise move.’

“Have a seat, I’ll get something to drink for the while…” I rolled my eyes and walked to a seat, running my hand through my hair, glancing in the reflective surface of the glass as I got a seat. ‘Was it just me or was my hair longer?’ I wondered running my hand through my hair again and holding it to the light above the table, I could almost see the gold streaks that littered my hair since birth. ‘Yep, definitely longer.’ Marina was sitting before me before I knew it and I turned my attention to her. “Did you dye it yourself?” she asked referring to my hair. I shook my head “I like it better when you have it open.” she continued as I tucked the stray strands behind my ear.

“Oh really?” I asked raising my eyebrow. I hated my hair loose, it always got into my eyes, and when it got anywhere past my shoulders, it made its way into my mouth. Highly annoying, especially when dealing with animals…

“It’s nice. And it frames your face well… makes me wonder why you keep it tied back all the time.” the door to the café opened and an unfamiliar, but distinctly wolfish scent wafted in. We both tensed visibly, and she looked beyond me to see the intruder. It took me moments more to work up the peace of mind to check it out myself, and when I did, I found he was looking directly at us. I suppressed a growl as he walked forward. ‘Don’t come closer. Don’t come closer.’ I found myself on the defensive. Everything about him screamed at me to fight back, to defend my personal space, and soon I was calling upon my alpha voice to stop him from moving. He frowned as he found himself in a position where he could come no closer and I felt Marina’s hand on my own. ‘Leave.’ he turned, not of his own accord, and left the café, leaving me feeling the power again. Marina squeezed my hand a little and I heard her voice saying,

“Maybe this was a bad idea after all.”

~~~~~~~~

Somehow, we made it back to my apartment with no other incident and Marina had to ask me “Did you know him?” I shook my head

“I doubt it, but it was something about him… his eyes, I’d seen it before…” she looked skeptical as I sat down next the couch, while my cats came out of seemingly nowhere to crawl onto my lap. When I glanced down at my hand I noticed with some panic that I didn’t have my ring on. “Damn it.” I hissed. Tiri looked at me for a few moments before dashing off in the direction of my room, while Marina came to me looking concerned.

“What’s wrong?” the soft, quick padding of feet signified Tiri’s return and the gentle chime that echoed through the silent room as she dropped my ring on the floor. My heart started racing, though it wasn’t due to the proximity of Marina (though I’d have to say it was a contributing factor.), but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was coming. I slipped the ring on and tried to calm my thoughts.

“I don’t trust myself.” I mumbled. She frowned, but didn’t ask. ‘I wanted her to ask why?’ I sighed and started petting my cats. I couldn’t tell which was which anymore because they tangled themselves into the impossible ball again. She looked at them curiously for a moment while my instinct died down some.

“How can you tell them apart like that?” I looked up at her then down at them.

“I can’t” I said with a small chuckle looking back up at her. “When they get like this, they manage to somehow fuse colors until one of them takes the initiative to move.” I looked back down to the mass of red-brown and golden-brown fur on my lap. There was no defining line that separated the two. “I don’t even know how they manage this.” Marina chuckled, glad I think that my heart was no longer pounding in my chest and the need to fight wasn’t so evident in my scent. “By the way, who’s taking care of your dogs?” she looked out the window

“The moon.” I followed her gaze and saw the outline of the moon, bigger and fuller than I’d seen in ages. She walked to the window and I was entranced by how the moonlight affected her skin. She seemed like an ethereal being. One that shouldn’t exist, but did none the less. It was only when she looked at me did I release the breath I didn’t know I was holding. “You don’t run then I take it.”

“I would have met you sooner if I did.”

~~~~~~

I opened my eyes feeling calm. Calmer than I’d felt in a long time even with the meditation. Something, rather someone, shifted behind me and I knew why…