Pup Among the Big Dogs

When I awoke I noticed it was nighttime and we weren't exactly indoors. We were still out in the woods. I snuggled deeper into the warm fur beside me and felt immediately safe.

Wait, fur?

Now I felt not so safe! I would have jumped up, but my head was dizzy and the ground was in the sky, so I thought better of it.

"Ian?" I called and the wolf opened an eye to glance at me. He yipped and licked my face. Soon he was the man I knew and could talk with.

"You gave me a scare, Isabel. Next time, listen to me or I will be forced to...force you." He seemed content with his speech. I rolled my eyes and tried to stand, but just fell back into Ian's arms. "Dearest, don't try that. You're still so weak. If you weren't we would be at home right now, sleeping in bed. I didn't want to disturb you so much so you would get a concussion or something, so I stayed here with you."

"That explains it. Well, I'm sorry for not listening, but I can certainly guarantee it will happen again." I was going to be honest with him and that was the truth. I never learned lessons.

"Fine, force it is. But do you feel up for a little walk?"

To answer his question I used him to stand up and lean against. He helped me hobble back to his house, no complaints about how slow I was going. I bet I knew why he was being so nice.

Because my time of the month was coming up. Oh goody!

"Think of this as an...apology for if I do anything stupid next week." He confirmed my suspicions as we lay down in bed together. I shivered involuntarily, still feeling the cold air of the outside nipping at me. Ian pulled me close and it was instantly warm. He didn't even need fur to be like a blanket. He came in handy, I could see that. I drifted to sleep at the sound of his rhythmical heartbeat next to my ear.

I woke up in the middle of the night, still feeling as weak as could be. I looked at Ian as he lay sleeping beside me. He looked so innocent and harmless. I kissed his cheek and got up. I nearly slipped and fell on the floor, but I caught myself with the bed's headboard. I inched to the door by scaling the wall and went into the kitchen.

I had gone there to get a glass of water. I drank it quickly and looked out the window to see the nicely placed full moon. It was practically beckoning to me. I walked outside carefully and stood in the grass. One more try couldn't hurt.

The breeze swirled all around me, whipping my hair this way and that, but I needed this. I didn't let it get to me and I focused.

There was a rustling in the bushes. I whipped around, looking everywhere and a bunny hopped out. I sighed in relief and returned to my task. I cried out in pain—my body obviously still hadn't healed. I heard a thud from inside the house and I could picture Ian falling out of bed, startled by the yelp: my yelp. I would have laughed, but that would have made my ribs hurt.

I forced myself onto my knees and sat there; trying to find the strength I needed to get me onto my feet. I panted heavily and the moon suddenly disappeared. Like it was being blocked. I looked up and saw the most terrifying thing in my life.

Well, the most terrifying things. I was surrounded by them. Their teeth glistening white and their eyes piercing through the night and into my soul. I heard a crash inside as Ian searched for me and I decided I would do something about it.

But just as the thought of screaming passed through my mind, my stalker in the front was on me, covering my mouth with his hand. I faded into darkness again be it from shock or some of that tricky vampire's power. This couldn't be good.