The Bite That Binds [Kaylor] ON HOLD

[ dream me oh dreamer ]

The song over there on the sidebar is actually a lovely female cover of the one that the title of this story (and the chapters) comes from.  So if you want something to listen to while you're reading, there you go!  My snow-induced break from classes ends the day after tomorrow, so there are probably going to be a few days between updates from here on out.  But I'm in love with writing this fic, so I promise I won't take too long between posting chapters!

-------------------------

There was a distinct sound of leaves crunching, branches snapping.  Karlie could feel them beneath feet...no, paws.  Paws.  Nostrils flared and she took in her surroundings the way only a wolf could.  Ears pivoted on her head.  It was quiet and still, but something or someone was in these woods.  Breath huffed from her nose, producing an opaque design in the darkness.

The trees cast night-time shadows that bled on to her golden-brown fur.  But her vision was perfectly fine, seeing in spectrums humans couldn't, and though distant objects were blurred, she could see well enough.  The muscles in her back legs bunched, and then she was taking off, bounding towards the something she could sense.

Running was easy.  There was incredible speed and power in her legs, and Karlie's paws hardly touched the earth despite her size.  She leapt over fallen trees and snaring roots easily.  The farther she ran, the clearer the scent and sound became.  It was a human, alone.  A girl, judging by the high pitches of her breaths.

Karlie slowed her steps as she grew closer, and galloping leaps turned to quiet brushes over leaves, noises easily blending with the wind.  It was hitting her face, pulling the aroma of the girl to her nose.  She smelled the blood hammering fearfully beneath her skin.  She smelled spices.

Spices.

The human part of her brain froze, trying to catch the reins of the wolf.  But she couldn't, never could, really.  Often the wolf took over so strongly Karlie couldn't even remember.  But now her human self was watching a movie in HD.  As she crept through the underbrush, the girl became clear in the distance, red and blonde smudges in the darkness.

She was unaware, obviously, and Karlie heard a familiar voice call out for help.  She struggled for control again.  It didn't come.  Inside of her own head, she was panicking.  Her breaths wouldn't find a pace she could keep up with and she wanted to sob.

Another hundred feet, and everything hit her like a fucking avalanche, cold and devouring her whole.  She flinched, grew tense.  Because she recognized that voice and those eyes and that smell and the redness of that coat.  Taylor.

Oh god, Taylor.

Karlie tried to scream, tried to alert her.  But she couldn't and when it came down to it, she was the one stalking her lover like prey.  Like something to be torn apart and eaten.  Panic filled her.  She was in a glass box, hammering at the sides and hoping they would shatter.

Black lips pulled back from vicious teeth as she inhaled.  God, Taylor.  She could smell fear on the girl like perfume.  Karlie continued to struggle.  She tried to scream.  The full moon locked her inside of her animalistic body, though.  She was trapped like a rat in a cage.

A branch cracked under her paw.  Taylor whipped around, and their eyes met.  The singer froze for a moment, then her lips parted.  She screamed, stumbled, turned to run.

And Karlie jumped, snarling, claws and teeth glinting, ready to tear her to shreds...

The model awoke with a jolt, gasping for air, lungs shrieking silently.  Her eyes stared into the darkness, quickly adjusting.  She could make out Taylor still sleeping next to her, eyes closed, lips slightly parted.  She watched for a long time, making sure the girl's chest continued to rise and fall.  It did, steady, and Karlie tried to shake off the nightmare and the wave of nausea it had brought with it. 

Carefully, she freed herself of the warm, delicate cage of Taylor's embrace.  She kissed her hand, then rose to her feet.  The floor was cool beneath her toes, and the feeling gave her balance, clearing her head some.  Silently, she walked down the hallway, stepping over Meredith in the floor and earning a low noise of annoyance.

In the kitchen, she found a glass and filled it with ice water.  She downed it in three sips, feeling the cold shock her throat.  She splashed a little more frigid water on her face.  Her lungs cleared, her senses flaring sharply into life.  She shivered, goosebumps growing, but she no longer felt as sick.

All of it had been an awful, terrible dream.  But somewhere in her thoughts she could still hear that scream, still smell the fear, still feel the blood on her face...

Another wave of nausea, and this time Karlie barely managed to hold it in.  She made her way carefully to the living room, grabbing a blanket off the back of the couch before curling up in a ball.  She fumbled for the remote, turning the TV on with the volume hardly above the hum.  At this time of night, the only things on were paid programming and cartoons from the 90's.  She settled on an episode of Hey Arnold!, allowing it to play as background noise as she closed her eyes, trying to calm her racing thoughts and her hammering heart.

After a few minutes, it appeared she would have no luck.  She sighed, opening her eyes, staring blankly at the screen and the show she had watched as a child.  She was so out of it that she jumped when a figure crossed in front of the screen.  It took a moment for her to realize it was Taylor, clad in her cat pajamas, Olivia huddled in her arms.

"Why are you out here?" Taylor asked.  Her words were slightly slurred with the remnants of sleep.

Karlie sighed, shrugged, "Nightmare.  I got some water and decided to watch cartoons to calm down."

"Is it working?" Taylor questioned, sitting on the arm of the couch.  Olivia squirmed from her arms and ended up curled against Karlie's stomach.  The model ran her fingers through soft white-gray fur.

"Not at all," She admitted.

The shorter girl gave a sympathetic smile, "Scoot."

Karlie did as she was told, careful to prevent Olivia from falling off the couch.  Taylor slipped into the space behind her, an arm across Karlie's waist, joining her fingers on the back of the sleepy kitten.  She kissed Karlie's shoulders and the back of her neck, and the younger girl sighed, closing her eyes and exhaling.

She still saw the dream in her head.  It would probably haunt her the rest of the night.  So, nervously, she whispered, "Hey Taylor, do you love me?"

"Of course," Taylor whispered back, sounding startled that Karlie would doubt it.

A thick swallow, and Karlie spoke again, "No matter what?"

"No matter what," Taylor promised.

Just hearing those words was soothing, and Karlie's muscles grew a little less tense.  Her brain stopped moving like a car at the Daytona 500.  She felt calmer, and she even managed a smile, "Good.  I love you no matter what too."

She fell asleep to Olivia purring and Taylor humming into her hair, and she didn't dream again.