Death's Saviour

Author's Song of the Chapter: Numb by Neffex

I heard gunshots that had me out of the shower shifting faster than ever before. I broke the door down getting outside as I saw red and Perry together. I attacked Perry, and we went tumbling as Carl and Dusk fell. Right now, I’m perched above Perry my full weight on top of him keeping him pinned down. The gun went spinning out of Perry’s hand and into the street out of his reach. His eyes look up at me with a new kind of terror mixed with awe. I want to kill him, I want to rip Perry’s throat out for what he did. Dusk, he shot my Dusk and my best friend. Dusk giggles behind me, I want to go to her and focus on her because she shouldn’t be giggling. I’m too angry, I’m too hazed by this red need to kill. I breathe over Perry as I look down at him and my spit dribbles onto his face. I growl opening my mouth ready to snap his neck like a twig, to feel his blood coat my mouth. I wonder how he will taste? I’m ready when suddenly I can feel Dusk in my mind, her presence is different. She is not herself yet, she is trying to hold onto herself for me.

‘Don’t kill him, Noah, you will regret it later, you are too close to this, I don’t want that for you!’ - Dusk’s voice is clear in my mind, yet, though she is herself there is something unnatural behind it.

‘He deserves it Dusk!’ - I growl while I nash my teeth over Perry who has the gull to whimper as tears slip down his cheeks.

‘I know, we will make him pay Noah. Right now, I…’ - Her giggles break through her sentence in my mind briefly, ‘... I need you, Noah, we need you. The bullets were coated in Wolfsbane.’ - Dusk finishes her original thought before falling into more giggles.

‘You don’t giggle Dusk.’ - I tell her as concern for her spikes through me.

I turn my head to look at her only to find her and Carl slumped together huge smiles plastered on their faces as they wave their arms out in front of them, they both bleed. I know I need to let Perry go. I move letting him up as he takes off running away from me when I growl at him. I let Perry go even though it eats away at me as I move to Dusk’s other side. Her eyes flicker to mine but they are bloodshot as she continues to smile that huge smile. I shift pulling her against me, her hands instantly start tickling my chest as she connects invisible dots on my skin that only she can see.

“Tell me what’s happening baby, how can I help?” I demand in a scared voice as she gurgles laughing like a baby while looking up at me.

‘Carl first Noah, the Wolfsbane will kill him as a human. You need to decide now, turn him and he might die or don’t turn him and he will die, I’m sorry!’ - Dusk’s voice comes into my mind and I turn my attention from her to Carl who has turned gray as his eyes are glassy and blood continues to leak from his shoulder where the skin has turned his veins a purple.

I can’t do this, I can’t just bite him without anything from him I can’t do that to my best friend. He could die, he could die if I bite him. He’s dying anyway. My mind is a jumbled screaming mess and I’m panicking because I don’t know what to do. I can’t do it, I can’t just bite him out of nowhere. I’m brought out of my panic when Dusk reaches overtaking Carl’s hand in hers and giving it a squeeze breaking it from the sounds of the bones crunching. Carl gasps and his eyes clear enough for him to give me a nod, to give me consent. The nod is all I need to know this is what he wants. I should do it, I should bite him but I’m having doubts. Suddenly Carl slumps into Dusk who chomps her jaws down on his collarbone causing him to scream in pain.

‘I made him a promise.’ - Dusk states in my mind as tears flutter to my eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” I mumble to Carl who falls into a state of semi-consciousness as his eyes flutter.

‘Noah, Wolfsbane causes a major high in Wolves, it gets our heart rates up and keeps it up until the heart gives up exploding with a massive heart attack. We need the mansion Noah, someplace where you and I can exchange blood. Only your blood will stop the process. Carl becoming a new Wofl means he will be okay, the transformation will destroy the Wolfsbane within him.’ - Dusk explains to me as she looks up at me through those bloodshot eyes mumbling something about spaceships as she gets up out of my arms running down the street while making a blasting off type of sound.

I check Carl who has paled but is less grey before chasing Dusk down pulling her over my shoulder. I know I’ve lost anything that was rational about Dusk now. I scoop her onto my shoulders shiting into wolf form, she holds onto me. Maybe there is some rational part of her left as she drags Carl up onto my back using whatever strength she can muster to keep herself and him there. When I take off into the forest I almost throw them from my back though Dusk laughs it off as her fingers burrow into my fur for a better grip. I’m running, and the wind feels so good around me as we go. My paws thrum against the forest floor as my heart beats with my breath. Dusk shifts on my back and when I glance over my shoulder at her I see that she has gotten her feet under her, what she’s about to do is too dangerous right now. Yet, the wild and free look in her eyes has me continuing forwards allowing her to move so that she is standing on my back with her arms outstretched as we go. The wind catches her hair whipping it around wildly behind her as I run. I feel the heat of the fire she carries in her hands to melt any potential obstacles as she lets a fire wolf run across her shoulders and mine as finally, it goes into her eyes where it is reflected in her pupils because the fire wolf is within her.

“She is seriously crazy,” Carl mumbles into one of my ears, I didn’t notice he had regained consciousness.

“I’m a Hellhound, death doesn’t scare me.” Dusk laughs her voice raw and open as her laugh rings true honesty because she isn’t afraid of death, she has already been through it once.

She has already felt that pain before and she has survived it in her own ways. Dusk has moved past what would drive any normal person insane. Then again, we are no normal people anymore. I am a Wolf and so is she. Carl is becoming a Wolf due to his psycho best friend shooting him. We are far from normal. I push myself so that we reach Lora’s before the moon rises above us as darkness seeps through the forest. We reach the mansion, Carl looks up at it in the same way I did the first time I saw it. There is another scent here, a scent that tells me clearly there is another Wolf who is with us right now at this mansion, Lora.

“Lora!” Dusk calls out her voice is playful as she slides down my back running for the porch.

A figure steps out of the shadows and catches Dusk as she collapses into her. Lora looks a lot like Dusk with her matching black locks of hair, she also has the same pale but fair complexion. Her eyes turn to us causing Carl to flinch on my back, this woman has long angry scars carved over her pale and sightless eyes. She glances from Dusk to the exact spot that I stand, I have learned by now that Lora can see in her own unique way.

“Who have you got with you Noah?” Lora asks in a calm tone as Dusk leans into her, hugging her and giggling.

“This is our friend Carl,” I respond in a nice but clipped tone as I am still unsure of this woman as she is of me.

“A human, Dusk why have you brought a human into this?” Lora murmurs as she pulls Dusk off herself before her nose twitches as her hand moves to Dusk’s forehead.

“Momma, I’m not sick! Can I please go play with Crane, please?” Dusk asks in a cute little voice that slices my heart open for her as her clouded eyes look up at Lora causing Lora’s features to soften as she looks down at Dusk.

“Wolfsbane, come in and tell me how so we can fix it,” Lora says as she ushers us all inside leading Dusk.

With no option but to trust this woman, Carl and I follow her into the mansion. It feels different from the last time I was here; space feels smaller to me. Lora leads Dusk into the family room with an extremely high ceiling and a beautiful fire pit that has a picture of a wolf with pure black fur and coal-black eyes. The wolf pops from the misty forest painted behind it and I am drawn to the painting in an interesting way. I turn to find the whole room filled with many paintings that I didn’t notice before. A smaller one hangs from above the couch and it is a huge waterfall pouring down over the edge of a cliff with the full moon in the background. I turn my head again and my eyes land on a picture frame that I pick up in my hands. I have conflicted emotions as I look down at the framed picture, a small bit of yearning digs into my heart, but it is trumped by the want to crush the picture and hide it. If Dusk were to see this picture it would cut her like a knife, it would hurt her though she would try to hide it. I look down at the little girl with black hair and striking green eyes and know it is undoubtedly Dusk as she smiles with her arm around a boy with blond enough hair it could practically be white. That boy has dark green eyes as he smiles as well, and two adults stand in the background looking down at the pair with love in their eyes. This is Dusk with her brother and parents, in this picture they were happy. Anger bubbles in my chest at Crane for ruining this happiness for Dusk, anger that he took her family and her life away from her. Crane will pay for it. I put the picture face down where I found it and I place it down with more force than I mean to.

“That boy is dead to me, he brought doom upon us.” Lora’s voice speaks behind me from the couch where she has guided Dusk to lay down, there is so much anger and hate in her voice that I could consider it to contend with Dusk’s when she speaks of her brother.

“He will pay for what he did,” I reply, my words have a double meaning as my eyes drift between Dusk and Carl.

“Noah, my Noah.” Dusk calls out to me as she reaches out for me and I go to her, she curls herself around me in such a trusting way as I place a hand on her hip settling back into the couch.

Lora leaves us for a moment before returning with four plates. She hands two of them to me, and one to Carl, as my stomach rumbles when the juicy smell of the meat reaches my nose. It is a freshly cooked deer. It feels like years ago no that I went through what Carl is, not just a few days.

“You need the meat boy,” Lora states as she sits down with Carl.

“I’m not picky,” Carl replies as he looks at the meat before devouring it, Lora smiles.

I may be hungry, but I want Dusk to eat first since she is starting to burn up with a high fever.

“Baby, I have some meat for you,” I whisper in a kind but urgent tone as I hold the plate for Dusk to take, instead she pulls my fingers that touched the meat into her mouth sucking the juices from them.

I try hard to remember she is high as hell right now and that I can’t get turned on, but damn was that sexy as hell. Once she has sucked my fingers dry she gives a small sigh taking the plate in her hands.

“I’ve always liked my meat bloody,” Dusk says in a small voice as she scarfs down her meat, I’m satisfied as I shovel in my meat finishing it off before I know it.

Lora collects the plates taking them away leaving us again for a moment. When she returns she snaps her fingers as Dusk clicks her tongue moving her fingers causing a fire to roar to life in the fireplace sending much-needed warmth through the dampness of the room.

“Tell me how my niece came to have Wolfsbane in her system, and how it is another human is bitten,” Lora commands suddenly her tone causes me to growl involuntarily which makes her eyes widen.

I shut my mouth and stammer, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…” I start but Lora cuts me off with a single hand movement.

“You are obviously an alpha, I accept your apology and I respect your rank. You make a good match for Dusk. Please tell me about Wolfsbane.” Lora tells me before dropping her voice into a nicer tone that doesn’t have my hackles rising on end.

“We have a mutual friend, Carl and I, called Perry. Perry asked Dusk to make him a Wolf, to be his mate, and to marry him. When Dusk turned him down after explaining I am her mate he didn’t handle it too well. Perry thinks he deserves her and that I do not because I bring nothing but badness to her. Perry came to Carl’s house today convincing Dusk that he wanted to apologize for his behaviour. I was in the shower when she found out the truth. Perry couldn’t stand not having her, so he didn’t want me to have her either. He brought a gun with bullets laced with Wolfsbane shooting both her and Carl with it. She told me to bring both of them here to you since we could exchange blood safely here, Carl, however, she had to bite to save.” I explain as Dusk curls against my giving a low growl at the sound of Perry's name as does Lora when I’m done explaining.

“I’m going to kill that bastard.” Dusk rambles out her eyes flashing Wolf which causes Carl to flinch on the couch as Lora smiles a wicked smile.

“Perry will be hunted and made to pay for his actions, for now, we need to get the blood exchange done.” Lora murmurs her voice so low and full of murder that I know she has been through a lot.

Dusk’s voice gets similarily dark when she talks sometimes.

“Let’s do this thing,” I reply simply because I want my girl to be okay and back to normal.

Lora looks at Dusk with an unbreakable gaze, I know she is communicating to her in her mind. Suddenly Dusk sits up in my lap tilting my head a bit so that my collarbone and shoulder are exposed. I watch interested as Dusk looks up at me.

“May I take some of your blood?” Dusk questions in a light tone as she smirks, I nod my head.

Quickly Dusk sinks her teeth into my shoulder, when she does so she nudges my head down to her shoulder where I sink my teeth in. The most amazing buzz digs into my veins as all my aches and pains vanish. As soon as it begins it is over and both Dusk and I are yawning. Carl has already passed out on the couch.

“You tired baby?” I whisper down to Dusk as she relaxes back into me while I run my fingers through her hair letting the softness of it tickle my skin.

Dusk doesn’t answer me, instead, she just makes a sound that I would describe as a form of agreement with my question. I pull my body from beneath hers standing. I take a moment to stretch before scooping Dusk up into my arms where I cradle her in a way that her head rests against my chest as I move. I stop briefly to look back at Carl’s sleeping form uncertain if I should leave him.

“I’ve got him, the attic room is the room she likes the most.” Lora states behind me, I look over my shoulder to see her brushing Carl’s hair from his face and it is clear she is lost in a memory.

I move away up the stairs that line the wall behind the couches, they lead up to a hallway of rooms. I follow the hallway until it leads to more stairs which leads into a bunch of levels of floors making this place seem more like a hotel than a mansion. Finally, the stairs lead up to a single hallway with a door at the end of it that is propped open slightly. I’m gentle and quiet as I move through the door into the room, an old bed stands in the middle of the room with canopies like curtains hanging from handcrafted wooden posts around it. To my right, there is a bathroom and to my left a huge window that looks out over the forest. A seat is built into the window so that the view can be fully appreciated. I move the canopy as I settle Dusk into the bed before joining her, we are curled up under the blankets when something on the roof above catches my eyes. I look up and sure enough, my suspicions are true the roof is glowing, someone painted the night sky across it. The white stars are causing the glow as I look up at them. I realize that there are even detailed constellations painted above.

“My mom loved the stars and stories they held.” Dusk whispers from beside me as she pressed into my side her jaw brushing my cheek while her voice is deep with meaning.

“Your mom painted those?” I ask daring to probe into that life.

“My mom and her pack grew up in this house, that was in the time when Wolves were just beginning to mingle with humans and live amongst them. This very room was her room, my dad painted the roof with stars for her when they were sixteen. He knew they were mates but being an alpha’s daughter he had to prove his worth to her. Those were older times.” Dusk sighs as I feel tears rolling down her cheeks as they hit mine, I roll to face her so I can wipe them away.

She looks at me and at this moment I know she is fully here, there is no Wolfsbane clouding her words, there is only sorrow, loss, and memories. In this life of hers, there has only ever been pain, that is unless I do something about it. I pull Dusk tight to me and she gives my neck a small kiss as I hold her. Finally, I can hear her heartbeat slow as she falls into sleep, I can relax. Today was stressful, as are most days. Yet, it is moments like this that make them all okay, moments that spell out our story, that create our tale. I hold Dusk’s sleeping form close to me as my eyes drift shut and my mind falls into sleep.