Moonlight Rendezvous (closed)

[DrStein]

Varg continued to follow behind the girl. It had been a month since he was given this task and he'd so far managed to keep his presence hidden from her. He just wondered how much longer that was going to last. He wasn't the most subtle person in the world and had a short temper that went off like a gun. It was a major sticking point with his family. A lot of arguments were started because Varg did everything his way and handled the consequences later.

He looked around to check that the coast was still clear and flipped his long ponytail back over his shoulder. His hair was dark with natural red tinged in. It gave his hair a look like it were rusting. He looked back to the girl and nearly froze. There was a scent on the wind that he didn't like. One he recognized.

Before Varg had a chance to move, it happened. A man lunged out from behind a dumpster, grabbed the girl and dragged her back into the shadows while muffling her screams.

Varg had two thoughts snap through his brain. First came a wish to kill the creature that was ruining his night. Second was amazement at the fact that he was about to blow his cover and this time could actually claim that it wasn't his fault. He dashed toward the dumpster and listened to the sound of struggling further back. He caught sight in the low light of his quarry. It had been a man at one point. Now its bulging eyes glowed red and its form was emaciated. The nails had warped into claws and the teeth sharpened to fangs. It had already scratched several gashes into the girl's stomach trying to carry her off.

The creature caught sight of Varg just as he closed in and fastened both off his hand's around its skinny, dessicated neck. It dropped the girl and immediately the two of them tumbled to the ground. The rolled end over end, trying to overpower one another. The creature grabbed a brick blindly and cracked Varg in the face with it hard enough to split it in two.

Varg dropped back stunned and the creature gained the upper hand. Varg fought to clear his vision as he struggled to keep the monster's claws and snapping jaws at bay. His hands gripped its wrists while his feet curled up over him with the soles of his boots pushing on the chest.

Varg's temper was flaring up again. Bad enough this thing attacks his responsibility. Now it's just making a fool of him. Dark hair grew quickly over his body, his teeth sharpened, his face shifted into a snout, and his eyes gleamed yellow. With an inhuman roar, Varg pushed out with his legs while still holding the monster's wrists. After a few seconds of straining, the creature's arms finally ripped free from their sockets. It fell backward, shrieking a horrible, unearthly wail, before expiring less than a minute later from bleeding out.

Varg stood up and shifted back to a full human form. He tossed the monster's arms onto the lifeless body and flipped off the remains with a snort. "Motherfucker..." he grumbled under his breath.

At that point, he stopped and looked at the girl. She stared at him with wide eyes. He knew that look. She had seen what he really was. Not his most powerful form, but enough of a transformation that she knew. "Uh... this is complicated. But, I'm on your side... I guess." God, he hated small talk.

 

[Vailyn]

Out of nowhere, something grabbed Aria around her face and chest and yanked her into the shadows. A startled squeak quickly escalates into partially muffled cries of terrifying fear. Her hands clawed and pried frantically to escape. Her feet stumbled and slipped as she tried to find purchase against the ground. A bolt of fear sank deep and overwhelmed her frantic heart. Slashes across her stomach bled freely and she screamed!

A shadow loomed over her, blocking the feeble light and Aria crashed on the ground. Her head smacked into the brick wall, pain crawling across her skull, her almond shaped brown eyes blinked hard to focus but she could only see two forms struggling a few feet from her. She tried to stand up to run but her abdomen muscles clamped down burning fingers into her gut. The pain in her head flared white hot and two tears fell down shocked white skin. She swallowed the whimper from rising, throat achingly dry, Aria drew on her strength from years of dance training and mustered enough discipline to stagger upright.

A vicious roar echoed off the alley walls. She could see better. She watched with disbelieving eyes as the struggling form below the other changed. Caught flashes of dark hair erupting, sharp teeth and flash of bright yellow eyes before a grinding twist, pops, an unearthly wail, something wet splattered on Aria and the manlike creature gained his feet. It became a he. He snorted, cursed and threw away the torn limbs with disgust.

"Uh... this is complicated. But, I'm on your side... I guess."

Aria's head shook in automatic denial, loosening strands of her long black hair to fall over her face, and her teeth clenched against the flaring pain in her middle as she pleaded, "Please. Please let me go. I--" She swallowed and tried again. "I won't say anything. Just just let me go. Please..."

She tried to push off the wall, the only reason why she was still upright and walk away. Her vision blurred. The barbed pain over her stomach stinging, the wounds began to bleed again, and she fell onto her hands and knees. As tears of fear and frustration fell, her scraped hands dug into the filthy ground. Her breath heaved in gasping pants of air. Get up! Get up! I need to get up and run!

 

[DrStein]

Varg rolled his eyes. Humans were soft, panicky. For all their arrogance, they didn't truly exist at the top of the food chain. In their subconscious they knew there were things out there bigger and scarier than them. Even in his full human form most people gave Varg a wide berth as some part of their brain recognized him as a superior predator. "Lady, chill. I just saved your damn life."

She was still bleeding. He would need to handle that. He shrugged out of his jacket and pulled his shirt off over his head. He tossed it to her, and put the jacket back on. His body was lithe and muscular, not overly worked out but an obvious strength rippled beneath the skin. There were several scars on his torso and arms, one particularly deep one across his lower chest and abdomen. Each one of them must have been exceptionally painful. Before he put his jacket back on, the brand on his arm was briefly visible. A crescent moon with four claw marks inside the curve.

"Use that on your cuts," he instructed the girl. "I'll explain, but you need to calm the fuck down and stop the bleeding. Don't make this hard."

 

[Vailyn]

Aria pushed up to kneel. Biting her lip, she tried to touch the wounds on her stomach but stopped as it seemed to irritate them further. She looked at the shirt lying on the debris ridden ground and frowned. She didn't see how a dirty shirt could help her stop the bleeding. Aria picked it up, wrapped the shirt around her middle and tied it on her side. She carefully zipped her corduroy jacket closed. Being careful to not jar her middle.

Standing up with care, Aria gathered her strength. "Thank you. Thank you for saving me from--" She stilled. "Thanks. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Without looking at him, the memory of his scarred chest bright in her mind, Aria concentrated on keeping her steps even as she tried to understand what happened. On what she has to do next. She needed to get home. She needed to return to her loft. The one place that has become her haven in the past few years.

 

[DrStein]

She seemed to be calming down. Good. That would make this easier he hoped. Varg didn't really get humans. Nor did he make a lot of effort to do so. He had his responsibilities, his strength, his honor. It was all he really needed to make sense of his place in the world. Interacting with others on the other hand was not his specialty. "I'll give you a lift to your place." It was stated more as a fact than an offer. "Come on."

Varg gave the girl a look that said he expected her to listen. He measured his usually long strides to prevent her from falling behind but otherwise gave little indication he still knew she was there. It was a cold confidence, the certainty that he was in control of the situation enough to assume others would follow. Considering the context, it could actually appear quite frightening. But everything with Varg carried a slight air of dangerousness.

 

[Vailyn]

Aria hesitated. The loft is about a mile away and she normally enjoyed walking the distance to the studio or catching a bus during bad weather. It was hard to walk a few feet. She wasn't going to make it back to her place alone. The man wasn't safe. It seemed as if he stood on the edge of harsh action and his wary menace kept everything at bay. But... it wasn't aimed at her. He didn't seem to be paying any attention to her as he lead the way in complete arrogance that she would follow. And she did.

Her whole attention was focused on moving her feet and she almost crashed into the tall stranger when he stopped. He was standing by a motorcycle. Once she drew near him, he sat astride the vehicle in a fluid movement, pulled off a helmet and shoved it at her. Aria paused before taking the helmet and putting it on. She gingerly sat behind the man, gave him directions to the loft and cautiously put her hands on his waist. He kick started the bike and roared of on the street. The chilling night air threw her hair back and it flowed like a dark banner as they zoomed to her home.

Aria had no choice but to wrap her arms around the man's waist to keep her seat. The speed of his driving pressed her tightly against his heated, unforgiving back. Shortly, they arrived at her building. It was an old warehouse that was converted into several loft apartments. Many of the current occupants were artists of all sorts: music, acting, sculptures and more. Normally, Aria loved the fact that she had a room on the top floor. She loved the view. But with her unwanted injuries, it just meant that it would take her longer to get home. Holding back a moan of pain, she led the way to her loft. She doesn't remember how to got to the door. She fought to get her keys out of her jean pocket, fingers fumbling as she unlocked the door and barely managed to reach the couch before she let go. She let go and the pain became took over with a vengeance.

Aria's world became a hazy red of unfamiliar pain. She willingly fell into the empty darkness. Far away from memories of the attack, the stranger who saved her and the need to be strong.

 

[DrStein]

Varg sighed slightly at the sight of her fainting on the couch. On the one hand, she'd had a rough night. On the other, he was not known for his patience. He turned the girl over onto her back and she barely stirred before drifting back off. He untied his shirt from around her middle. The gashes ran deep but had mostly dried up. This was a little beyond his skill to heal, but he knew just enough first aid.

He began following his nose, ferreting out the antispetic, the gauze, and bandages... He cleaned and dressed the wound in silence. It had been a long time since he ever had to use this skill, such as it was. He was accustomed to his own body recovering from what should have been mortal wounds in days or even hours.

Varg took his bloody shirt, soaked it in the sink, then hung it over the shower curtain to dry. With nothing else to do, he kicked off his boots and settled into a club chair. He took off his jacket and took out the bowl and dimebag he always kept hidden in the lining. He simply sat there clad only in his tattered jeans and puffing on the bowl for a couple of hours until he nodded off.

 

[Vailyn]

Aria turned restlessly in her sleep and the motion pulled her wounds. The reminder of faded pain shred the comfort of darkness and she woke to find herself on her faded brown couch. She saved it from being thrown out when a friend moved out of the city. While it didn't look like much, the couch was well made piece with a strong frame and firm cushions. Shivering lightly, she became aware of the contrasting chill in the room verse the sheltering warm beneath her and a powerful thirst awoke. The rasping ache of her throat reminded her of how she screamed helplessly during the attack.

She put a hand towards her middle and felt the bandages wrapped around her below her ruined shirt. Who-- Her head turned to search and stopped on the stranger who slept in her chair. His long hair draped down his muscular bare chest. Drawing her eyes to the contours and scars that seemed to go hand in hand with his caustic, arrogant mannerisms. Yet, that arrogance wasn't apparent while he slept. A feeling of danger and power still enveloped him but it wasn't as harsh and unforgiving.

She tried to ferret out why this man saved her from the monster. Tried to decide if he's a monster too or did she hallucinate the change out of fear and pain? But. He saved her. He saved her, brought her home and patched her up. Old habits die hard and it's second nature for her to take care of those around her. She had spent several years taking care of her ailing mother before she passed away. Feeling the chill air, Aria pulled a handmade patchwork quilt from the couch and tucked it over the stranger. I should ask him for his name when he wakes up. I can't keep calling him the strange man.

After a last glance, Aria made her way into the bathroom and cringed at her reflection. It wasn't good. There was dry blood and mysterious black stuff all over her. Blood crusted in her black hair, plastered all over her jacket, smeared on her shirt and mingled with nasty black crap that she didn't want to identify.

Turning the shower on, she carefully removed her clothes and gave up on the idea of salvaging the shirt. She threw it into the trash. The bandages followed it into the basket. Aria pulled down the wet shirt hanging off her shower and held it, remembering. She placed it on the towel rack and braved the hot water.

Aria gritted pass the pain of the hot water hitting her wounds and sore muscles. She needed to be clean. Drinking the water as it poured over her, she quieted her thirst. Her strong hands flowed over her thin, toned body. Years of experience from taking care of her body as a dancer made it easy for Aria to catalog what's working and what's not. Just a little headache and twinges from the cuts on her stomach. Manageable.

Several washes and rinses later, it felt like her hair was finally back to normal. Aria toweled off her body and hair, combed and twisted the heavy length into a knot on her head and pulled on her fluffy yellow robe. Walking into the kitchen area of the loft, the morning light shined brightly through the wall of windows.

It's not every day that one gets attacked by a monster, saved by another and live to tell another day. Aria gathered ingredients for a hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs and waffles. The least she could do is feed the man who saved her.

 

[DrStein]

At the smell of food cooking, Varg's nose twitched and he practically snapped awake. The first thing he noticed was the quilt draped over his chest. The girl must have put it there. It was a feeling he wasn't used to. Since his parents died he experienced little warmth or familial bonds at home. His relatives were... He chose not to darken his mind with those thoughts. It was too early in the day to get pissed off.

He rose up silently and in the same manner crossed to the kitchen. He saw the girl's back as she started laying bacon on the skillet. If she turned and saw him just standing there she'd probably have a small heart attack.

"Name's Varg," he said simply. That got her attention. "Varg Blackstone. Son of Donovan Blackstone." He stood there with his hands in his pocket with the thumbs sticking out, still shirtless and barefoot. He was completely un-self-conscious. He just stood and waited for her to say something. He really didn't want to have to bring her down from another panic attack after last night. Though he wasn't sure if he could avoid that once he told her everything.

 

[Vailyn]

She could feel him approach. The calm serenity of her home became charged with the tension of leashed power. Awareness of him sent a tingling down her spine and goosebumps rose on her neck.

"Name's Varg. Varg Blackstone. Son of Donovan Blackstone." he announced.

Aria turned her head to throw him a cautious smile as she laid several strips of bacon on the skillet. "Good morning. I hope you like bacon, eggs and waffles. I'm making a large breakfast and it would be a shame for it to go to waste."

He grunted.

She grabbed a plate and loaded it with a piping hot breakfast. Filled a glass with orange juice and placed it on the counter in front of him. "Have a seat. There's stools over there that you can use." Aria tilted her head back to meet his gaze. "Thank you for saving me last night, Varg. I-" She closed her eyes as the horrific memories flashed brightly. Blinking them away, she took in a large breath and tried smiling again. "I could have died. The least I can do is make you breakfast."

Aria turned off the stove, made a plate of food for herself and settled across the counter from Varg. After a few minutes passed as they both tucked into the meal, she asked, "So... why did you save me? H-how did you do it? I thought I saw... I must have been hallucinating. I thought I saw you turn into a beast..."

 

[DrStein]

Her gratitude caught him a bit off-guard and he did his best to hide it behind a calm mask. After years of practice, such things came easily to him. He started to think he might have been wrong about her. He was expecting the same from this girl that he expected from every other human: they all knew he was higher on the food chain than them and they would do everything to get out of listening to him. Maybe this wouldn't be as difficult as he thought.

He was quiet through breakfast but made no secret that he was enjoying the meal. There would be a full moon that night, and Varg's appetite always grew under his birth moon along with his strength.

And then she asked him about last night. Varg just looked her in the eye until she stopped talking. He blinked twice as if in slow motion and when his eyelids opened again, his eyes were yellow. He blinked a third time and his eyes returned to their original color. "You remember that much, huh? That's rare. Most people block it out by now."

 

[Vailyn]

Aria forgot to breath when she saw Varg's eyes change between one blink and the next. The change made him look unearthly and strangely beautiful. Though, she couldn't imagine Varg being okay with being called beautiful. She grinned in response to her thoughts, showing the dimples her cheeks. Without thought, she blurted out, "Do it again!"

Realizing what she said, Aria's eyes widened like a startled doe. "Uh.. you don't have--I mean, it's okay. What," She coughed. "What are you?"

 

[DrStein]

Her reaction was so unexpected that a crack formed in his mask. Very little of his face moved, but one eyebrow shot straight up. Varg just sat there in silence, even after she asked him a question. No one had ever reacted like that before. They ran and imagined later that it had all been a trick of the light. He wasn't really sure how to react to what she did though.

He finally got the cobwebs out of his head though and thought back to her question. "I'm a werewolf. And right now, I'm also your bodyguard." No point dancing around it anymore. Just get it all out on the table.

 

[Vailyn]

First response was to crack a smile and laugh at the ridiculous thought that she needed a bodyguard. Why would she need a bodyguard?!?! While she may not know Varg very well, she doubted that he's the type to joke around. He seemed a little too intense and serious to crack jokes. Many thoughts ran around like chicks in her mind. Too many to count or to keep in control. Aria asked Varg if he would like more food and he nodded. She kept quiet as she put another large helping of breakfast together for him, refilled his glass with more orange juice and cleaned up the kitchen. She bumped her middle against the counter drew a hiss of pain and the sharp sting of the wounds reminded her that she needed new bandages. It felt like it was bleeding again. Later. I'll fix it later. First I need some answers.

"I don't understand. I live a very boring life. I don't know why you would need to guard me. I'm not--" She stopped, sighed, gave a short wry laugh and continued. "Well, before last night, I would have said I don't have any reasons to fear for my life. What's going on? Can you tell me?"

 

[DrStein]

Varg ate mechanically. He tried to pick the right words to explain this to her and that wasn't his strong suit. "Mystics had some kind of vision about you. Tracked me down and gave me the job of looking after you. Apparently something big might be looking for you and they say that's a problem. Don't know more than that."

He stood up and stretched out before going to the windows. He surveyed the surrounding are from the high vantage point. If nothing else, the place was at least moderately defensible. And in a pinch he could just smash the window and leap to the next building with the girl in tow. On that note... "Speaking of, they never gave me your name. Just your scent."

 

[Vailyn]

"My scent?" Aria blinked and wondered if scents are good or bad or if they're just simply a marker. Maybe showering again would be a good idea? "Oh, uh, I thought you already knew it. My name is Aria Lee. My mom loved to sing opera."

She padded barefoot towards Varg and stopped, leaning on one foot and leaving the other behind on her toes. "Did the Mystics tell you what the vision was? Are there any clues at what's going to happen? I'm not anything special. I'm just a dance instructor at a local dance studio. My idea of fun is to see a production at the theatre or dancing at a club with my friends."

The simple pose pulled on her wounds and strained her middle. "Is there anything you can tell me?" she called out as she went in search of the First Aid Kit. She couldn't find it in it's normal spot below the sink. "Varg? Do you know where the bandages are? I think I'm reopened the cuts..."

 

[DrStein]

Varg wordlessly retrieved the first aid supplies from where he left them in the living room. Without waiting for her to say anything, he took her arm and laid her down on the couch and opened her robe. He said nothing of her naked figure. Just removed the bandages and set about replacing them. The bulge in his jeans was the only indication that he noticed.

He knew the traditions among his people. He knew how his mother and grandmothers came to be members of the Blackstone line. But this wasn't the time or the place. Aria was his responsibility, not a bitch in heat. Nor did he think there would be any reason to stay in contact after this job.

"I don't know any details. Mystics only ever tell you what they feel like." Leaving her to cover up, Varg reloaded the bowl. "You want a hit? Help with the pain."

 

[Vailyn]

She couldn't stop the blush from staining her lightly tanned skin but she did manage to keep still and silent as Varg economically cleaned and re-bandaged her wounds. That didn't stop her from feeling his sure, strong touch. It didn't stop her rosy brown nipples from drawing firm in attention. It's not like she's very self conscious about her body. You can't be as a dancer but Varg isn't another dancer. He's a virile stranger who created more questions than answers.

"Thanks," she said quietly when he finished. She looked up into his eyes. "What will you do? Are you staying with me? Will you follow me everywhere I go? How long do you need to guard me? I... I just want life to be... normal." Aria pulled the robe closed and tied the belt.

 

[DrStein]

"Don't know how long this will take," Varg said before taking a hit from the bowl. "But yeah," he croaked out, "I'll be staying here for a while." He exhaled the smoke through his nostrils cause it to wreath his face when it rose back up. His nose twitched a few times and he sneezed into his shoulder. It was perhaps the first moment since Aria had seen him that he didn't look intimidating. If anything, it made him appear more human than before.

"I've actually been following you for a week. Last night just kind of... well, it went balls up so here I am." He sniffed again before taking another hit. He figured it might help him keep his temper from flaring up. Blowing up at any point would probably tip the neighbors off and that would bring unwanted attention. Thinking of that, he figured he better stick a towel under the front door at some point. He wasn't as cross as he thought he would be, at least. Aria seemed to be taking the news better than he expected.

 

[Vailyn]

He's staying with me?

Aria hasn't lived with anyone since her mother passed away. It felt odd to let someone she just met to share her space. She could try to kick him out but she doubted that she would get very far. With a mental shrug, she let the idea go. It's not in her nature to fight something that wasn't worth fighting for. However strange life has turned, it didn't stop time. She needed to practice and then go back to the studio to teach classes. On the way back, they should probably get more groceries. She had a feeling Varg may eat more than she does. Her lips turned up on one side.

"Uhmm... I guess you should make yourself comfortable. I need to practice and then head to work. There's some bread and sandwich meat in the frig if you need something to eat."

As she climbed the spiral stairs to the loft bedroom, Aria flexed her muscles and checked out the limits of her injuries. She would have to be careful with her core but it shouldn't hinder her too much as long as she took it slow. She pulled on a black sports bra, bikini underwear, dark blue Capri leotards and a loose sleeveless white shirt that had a large neckline and gaping arm holes.

She went back downstairs and started stretching in front of the wall of mirrors. Aria loved the bare wooden floors of her home and the mirrors were her one expensive shopping spree. Using the remote, Aria turned on the stereo and hit play. A rock instrumental version of Carmen started to play and Aria lost herself to dance for the next few hours. Dancing has always been Aria's first love outside of family and friends. The way she could express emotions and thoughts with her body, in line with music, has always made her heart soar.

 

[DrStein]

Varg said nothing. He simply stood and began his usual exercises. Pushups, squats, situps, all body weight exercises. After that, he started shadow boxing in the most open space he could find without intruding. He paid little mind to Aria's practicing or the music she was playing.

After an hour, he went to the fridge, showing that he had indeed heard her earlier, and put down two sandwiches before going right back to shadow boxing. He would need to get some of his stuff from his house if he was going to be staying here. In order to keep an eye on her, she would need to go with him. He wasn't looking forward to that. Probably best for her to wait outside, but that would probably lead to another lecture from his uncle about responsibility.

The more he thought about having to deal with his family, his eyes turned yellow again and the hair on his body got a little thicker. By the time he was done, his nails had turned black and become thicker and harder. His transformations were connected directly to his rage, his hatred, his ability to feel the urge for violence and retribution. Powerful emotional surges triggered involuntary changes and stewing in negative thoughts for too long had a similar effect. He got good at bottling up his emotions around others out of necessity. He sometimes wondered how his father managed to maintain such flawless control all the time, how he managed to stay so calm and then in a split second unleash a rage the likes of which Varg had never seen before or since.

Varg took a moment to concentrate and erase the signs of his transformation. He needed to stay in control. "When are you leaving?" he asked, trying to distract himself from the frustration of inevitably having to deal with his home life.

 

[Vailyn]

Varg's voice intruded upon her concentration and she fumbled the lift into the turn. Without pause, she continued to dance until the song changed. Wiping away the sweat on her forehead, she looked at the clock. It's already 11am.

Aria answered as she repeated the turn she messed up. "I have to be at the studio by 2pm. I have back to back classes until 8:30pm."

She worked on that particular block of moves until she performed them flawlessly. Her head pounded erratically, the wounds let their unhappy state be known and she felt more tired than she should. It felt like her whole body was in revolt and letting it's ire known with a fever. Maybe some food will make me feel better.

"I'm going to make some sandwiches and mushroom soup. Do you want some?" she called over her shoulder. She heard a grunt and took that as a yes. She made herself one large sandwich and warmed up the soup. Glancing at the werewolf and taking in his build, Aria made him two large sandwiches and poured him a bowl of soup. "Come and get it!"

Munching on her sandwich, she pulled up her shirt and noticed that she bloodied the bandages. She winced. "I hope I didn't reopen them again." Oh. Right. Someone else is here. It's probably weird that I talk to myself. She laughed softly at herself and grinned. With humor lit brown eyes, Aria informed Varg, "I tend to talk to myself a lot cause I'm used to being by myself."

She chuckled.

 

[DrStein]

Varg could smell the blood seeping out of the wounds, but said nothing. She'd figure it out on her own. He ate in silence until she addressed him. "I used to do that." He terminated that by picking up the bowl of soup and chugging it back in one go. Rather than using a napkin he licked his lips clean, much as one would expect a dog to do.

He took another look at her bandages and frowned. "Call in sick today. You go to those classes, you're gonna hurt yourself and leave us both up shit creek." Aria looked like she was about to protest, so Varg cut her off. "That wound right now? Guarantee you I could smell that at least 4 blocks away. Seven if you really open it up. I ain't the only thing out there that can do that."

 

[Vailyn]

Aria frowned at Varg and his bossy attitude. "I can't call in sick. I'm not taking classes at the studio. I teach them. My students depend on me. AND If I don't work, I don't get paid. I'm not going to stop living my life because of something I don't understand."

She polished off her sandwich, frowned harder at her cold soup and left the kitchen area to grab the First Aid kit. "I'm going to take a quick shower. Maybe we should go grocery shopping when I'm done. But you have to pay for half!"

The bloody bandages pulled her skin and some of the healing scabs parted company. The cuts were not worse than before but they did not look like they were healing well. Maybe I should cut back on practices for a while... Damn it! She threw off her clothes and took a fast shower. While drying off, Aria grimaced at the blood spots littering the towel. "Need to do laundry, check."

Gasping at the pain, Aria smoothed ointment onto the cuts and re-bandaged her wounds. "Oh crap! I forgot clothes. I never thought I would miss being able to walk around naked." She laughed at herself as she wrapped the towel around her middle. She dashed out of the bathroom and hopped up the stairs to get dressed.

Aria peered over the rail and called down to Varg, "I'm going to the store. Are you coming with me?"

 

[DrStein]

Varg sneered at her talking back to him. Not a feeling he was accustomed to. She left the room before he had a chance to protest any further. Instead he just got dressed, heedless of the fact that he was still sweaty and disheveled. If anything, the look seemed to suit him. He looked more primal, dangerous.

"Like I have a choice?" he called back when she asked him about going to the store. Fortunately for both of them, he had a few contacts where he could get a handout for the full moon. He didn't have much in the way of friends, but he was fiercely protective of those who had done right by him.