The Hunt

Chapter 6

I wake up, somewhat in a daze. I open an eye to a bright and sunny room. I try to roll over to my other side, but I'm stopped by her. I attempt to roll over in her arms to face her, but suddenly remember what happened the night before. My chest tenses up and I feel what I can only assume is new scar tissue, tearing from the cuts on my chest. I move my legs to get more comfortable, causing my pelvis to remind me even more of the previous nights' events. I hear her sigh and start to roll over to her other side. As she does so, she tightens her grip and begins to pull me over her. This, in turn, causes the scar tissue on my chest to tear even more than before. I quietly yelp in pain as the cuts reopen and slowly begin to bleed again. I feel her jump awake and freeze in place. "I'm sorry! Did I hurt you?!" I relax again, laying back on her soft skin. I reach up and feel my chest, feeling the inflamed and bleeding cuts that generated scabs overnight. She's right, I didn't die. "No you didn't hurt me." I feel her arms tighten around my stomach as she stretches, her strong legs tensing up and shaking underneath mine. I gently tap her hands on my stomach, signaling I kind of need to go to the bathroom. To my amazement, she relinquishes her death hold on me, and lets me get up. I slowly walk to the bathroom and relieve myself, sighing as I lean against the wall. I have no idea what's going on and I currently don't have the energy to find that out yet. I slowly make my way to the small kitchen. I need coffee and then an explanation. I turn on the small coffee maker after putting water and powdered happiness into the machine. I turn around and I'm met with fur. "Jesus you're silent!" I say as I jump in surprise. She hugs me tight and I relax in her warm, nearly burning hot embrace. "Sorry for scaring you. I forgot you humans have bad hearing." I somehow feel offended at the statement. I know I listen to loud music often, but I can still hear pretty well. She does have a point though, she has wolf ears after all. I smile and shrug, my silence indicating to her that she has a point. I slowly move out of her grasp and go back to the bedroom to find clothes that aren't ripped to shreds. I throw pajama pants on and look around at the bedroom, strewn with what was once clothes and sheets kicked off the bed. I walk back to the kitchen and grab some coffee, figuring that I'll clean it later when my body isn't as stiff as a board. I sit down on the couch and take a sip of coffee as she sits down next to me and snuggles into me. "So... What's your name?" Her ears twitch against my head. "Clio. What's your name, handsome?" I blush at the remark. "Matthias. Can you please explain to me what is happening?" She has a face that expresses the same confusion as mine now. "You don't know?" I can feel her stare as I take another sip of coffee and shake my head. "That was me claiming you. You're my husband now." I feel my stress levels go through the roof. Did she say husband...?! I offer some coffee to the large being and she accepts; grabbing the mug and drinking the remainder of the liquid in one big gulp. Note to self: she gets her own coffee from now on. "So you mean to tell me we're married now?" She nods eagerly and pulls me into a tight hug. How do I explain this? How do I explain a cross between a woman and a dog is my wife? My parents have never truly liked anyone I bring home, but this takes the cake. I'm snapped back to reality by a deep, wet, and very loving kiss. She breaks it and smiles with a warmth that feels inhuman and warms me to my core. I glance down at my severely scabbed and inflamed chest. "So we'll come back to the married thing. What about these." She looks down to see the lines across my chest and blushes faintly, looking away in what I assume is embarrassment. I can hear her whisper something. "What was that? Speak up! My hearing sucks, remember?" I gently pull her jaw to make her face me. I lock eyes with her, causing her to squirm and her eyes to turn a deeper shade of blazing orange. "That kept you from fighting back or moving. I didn't have to cut you across your chest, but I wanted to make a reminder of today. One that would last years." I take another look at my destroyed skin and sigh. She didn't have to do any more than poke me. "My saliva is a poison that temporarily immobilizes and stimulates my prey. I can kiss you and it will work, but it's much quicker and more potent if I just put it in your bloodstream." "Okay but please no more for the time being. They hurt in the morning." I get up and go to the bathroom. I need to put antibiotics on these so they don't get infected. Once I finish, I walk back out to find her standing in the middle of the small room quietly growling and staring out the window. I glance outside to see my brother, Alex, pull into the other parking spot. "Shit! Hide!" She looks at me confused. "I said to hide! Go!" I run to the bedroom and throw a hoodie on and try to clean all the torn clothing from the room. "Matthias?" I'm screwed.