Butterflies and Hurricanes

Laying in my bed I stared up at the ceiling, sweat beads rolling down my forehead as I tried to find some comfortable position that could quite possibly tempt sleep to me. It was too hot, and I didn't even have the covers pulled up over me.

I can't remember the last time I actually slept in a bed as a human.

I turned the other way, then onto my front. I threw the pillows at the wall, but having none didn't work so I fetched them back and put them over my head. The complete darkness didn't help either, and it just made my face even hotter.

I got up from the bed, storming across the room with fury at my restlessness and threw open the windows before going back to the bed and laying on my stomach. It didn't work, because now the hooting of an owl disturbed me.

I got up and slammed the doors closed with a growl. How do people do this?!

I made the bed as it should be, as it had been before I'd disturbed it, before curling up in my wolf form, first at the foot of the bed and when that did not work I did so on the pillows. It did not work, and neither did stretching myself across the middle of the bed.

I sighed, allowing myself to shift back.

My chest felt so heavy where my heart was and as I stared at the ceiling once again, I wasn't really seeing it because it was marred by the beautiful blue eyes and the blonde hair that belonged to the one thing that was currently missing.

That gave me an idea and so we with a little renewed enthusiasm I climbed from my bed and hurried out the room, door the corridor till I reached her room. Of course, she wasn't in it but if my theory worked she wouldn't need to be.

It might just be her scent, if I can smell her I might feel better.

Pushing open the door I inhaled the scent of roses deep into my lungs before closing the door and making my way over to the cold, lonely, empty to bed. I laid under the covers, inhaling the smell of her perfume again and melted into the mattress.

But alas, it did not work because her scent was not enough. Why should it be? Just because I've got something - an entire room of something's! - that smells of her, doesn't mean she is here where I can protect her from whatever lurks in the shadows.

I could have cried at that, I certainly had tears in my eyes as I sat up, legs crossed like an Indian and buried my face in my hands. Why the fuck had gotten so unnecessarily angry with her? Why had I said those things to her?

If I hadn't I bet she would have stayed for me, as well!

I was so absorbed in my own self-loathing I hadn't heard the door creak open, or the person who had entered, move across the floor to me, until their hand touched my shoulder. Startled, I looked up into the weary worried eyes of my mother.

"Brian, come back to your room," she sighed. "You need to go to sleep, you cannot stay up all night."

"I can't," I muttered glumly. "I just want my Princess."

"Yes you can," she replied, putting her hand on my back, urging me up to my feet. "Come along, sweetheart, I know you miss her but you will be together soon."

Soon was too long, I wanted her now. Did nobody understand this? We had yet to set an actual date for the wedding and so it would be ages till I could have her back here, with me where I can look after her, knowing my luck!

I went back to my own room anyway, however, hoping that just maybe I might be tired enough to drop off without my body noticing till it was too late. I know it was a false hope but I clung to it, wishing eagerly for it to happen.

When I could eventually hear the even breathing of my mother and father, I climbed from my bed and pulled on some clothes. I'd tried - oh how I'd tried in vain! - to keep away, to stay here at home where I should but I had failed.

I'm going to hell anyway.

Shifting to wolf form, it was easy for me to sneak out of the house undetected - nobody stirred once, not even a mouse. I travelled quickly down the dark tracks towards the town where the gas limps were flickering and leaving most to the imagination with the size of the untouched shadows.

I bet any amount of money shadows here were better than shadows in London, however.

It wasn't long before I came to a silent stop before the picturesque town house, flowers not quite in full bloom in the pretty garden before it. The curtains were all drawn, lights off, but that didn't mean people weren't up.

It also didn't mean I had forgotten which locks to pick and how to pick them, which stairs and floorboards to put my weight upon, which doors needed more care than others when being opened. It was years since use of the house had left my family, but I had not forgotten its secrets.

I knew which room she had taken - my old room. Not that she knew it was my old room or anything, but it was the front window on the left. My heartstrings tugged, pulling my lips upwards into a soft adoring smile knowing she was just inside.

I hopped over the creaking gate into that slumbering garden and made my way around to the back of the house, to the servants door at the back. They would all be in bed now, nobody would hear me picking the lock.

Maybe except her grandmother, who was always more perceptive than she let on.

When I heard the click of the lock, I grinned, placing my hand on the handle and pushing down so that it swung forward and I stepped into the servants entrance. It was very dark, but I knew my way around well and I had good vision on my side.

Besides, now I was here there was literally nothing but air between me and my sleeping Princess. Wooden doors are entirely ineffective against me and my strength when I want something bad enough.

Reaching her door, I paused momentarily, taking delight in the sense of relief that washed over me now I was here, before opening it and stepping into her room. She was directly opposite me in the grand four-poster with velvet and net drapes.

She lay in the very middle, the bed looking far too big for her tiny frame but that aside I was happy too see her and to know she was okay. So happy and relieved, that I kicked off my shoes and removed my jacket and couldn't help but lay beside her, one arm around her shoulders.

A sigh of content slipped through her lips as she turned towards me. Any other man would be frozen, scared they had been caught in bed with their lover but I wasn't. How could I be scared of something that was so right?

I was meant to be here, meant to do this. Somewhere along the course of history someone had decided that I would always sleep on the same bed as my intended to keep her safe. Glancing sideways, I brushed a strand of her blonde hair back behind her ear.

Another sigh escaped her and I smiled staring at her, admiring her like a piece of artwork, the most exquisite painting ever created. A living angel.

"Brian..." she muttered, followed by some unintelligible words as she turned over onto her side, completely facing me.

"I'm here, Princess," I whispered. I know she was dreaming, her breathing was still even and as yet my face hadn't been slapped for sneaking up on her. I was anticipating exactly that if she caught me in here, especially after our argument. "I'm here, and I'm not leaving."

"Get off me," Kirsty suddenly hissed, yanking herself from my arms. She sat up, tugging the sheets around her legs and shuffling away from me. Laying as I was on my back, I ran my hands over my face, groaning inaudibly.

Of course she would catch me. Herself and Sarah had been the most perceptive people in all of London, they missed no tricks whatsoever.

"What are you even doing here?" She then asked.

"I couldn't sleep."

"Shouldn't have pissed off your best friend then."

I shot up and frowned at her as she pulled her knees up to her chest. I was about to ask her how she had known I had had a bust up with Zack, but then if he had told Sarah, Sarah would have then in turn told Kirsty.

"Don't give me that look," she slapped my arm. "I heard Matt and Jimmy talking about it. You're a prick you know that?"

I said nothing.

"I have bigger things to worry about that that fuckhead right now," I growled in response, glaring darkly at the door. "Like you. So if you don't like that I'm going to be sleeping here for as long as I need to, you're just going to have to learn to deal."

"Fuckhead?"

"He's acting like some almighty know-it-all just because he and Sarah went through the near-death-experience!" I yelled. Maybe I went over the mark with what I said about Sarah herself but the rest of it was true, the first bit. "I mean, forgive us for not being in that position but that doesn't mean I love you less than he loves Sarah! It felt like he was rubbing it in my face! Not that there is anything to rub..."

"You called my best friend scum," Kirsty replied her voice just as dark as my glower, completely ignoring the rest of what I had just spoken.

Ah shit, forgot about that.

"And for that you sleep on the sofa."

And with that she gave me a good hard kick in the leg, shoving me sideways so I almost toppled off the side of the bed. I think it is safe to say I get the picture she's pissed off with me even more now.