Red Riding Hood

Chapter Twenty-Six: "Off To Granny's"

Jack snorted, tugging on the stings of his red cloak, upon telling him honestly. "Don't spoil it by making me think about it." Mark kissed his cheek, then slowly got up. Helping Jack up, Mark told him cautiously. "We should start moving. Someone could be looking for us and the distance we made won't last." Jack nodded, his eyes looking over Mark's body. He only had his red cloak and nothing else. Wincing, he asked Mark a little worried. "Are you going to be able to continue... like that? Won't your feet get cold?" Mark looked himself over briefly, then boldly stepped out into the snow as he told him. "I'll be alright. I'm more worried about you." Jack hugged himself to keep his arms warm, retorting seriously. "I've got clothes. But you-" Mark cut him off to interject swiftly. "I'm a werewolf. I'll be fine." Jack watched him take the lead but didn't believe a word of what he said. During their long walk through the woods, Mark finally broke the silence between them to ask him curiously. "How long have you been able to do that... that light thing that you did?" Shrugging, he answered honestly. "I didn't know that I could. I discovered that if I put my blood on something that it... glows and does something... but that light that I did last night... that's new."

Mark didn't say anything. He just seemed to be thinking about it. Which prompted Jack into asking uneasily. "What do you think it means? And Dwight mentioned something about... me being different. What's a Lunar Eclipse Moonchild mean? And the stuff about the White Wolf...?" Mark raised a hand to stop him from talking. Jack obeyed and stopped moving to let him listen to whatever he'd heard. After a minute, Mark relaxed and told him a little disappointedly. "I don't know what it all means. If I had to guess... I'd say that maybe different moons make different moonchildren? A lunar eclipse is pretty powerful for werewolves. It is the only time that we actually can change at will since the moon and sun are in perfect balance with each other. However, I have no clue what it would do to someone like you." Jack shivered from the cold but composed himself to ask. "And the white werewolf? Have you seen it?" Mark snorted, mumbling out. "It's the first that I've heard about any white werewolf. I've never seen one. And even if there was one. I doubt it is as special as they make it out to be." Rubbing his arms, he mumbled out. "Maybe. But Dwight was looking for one. Maybe I should...?"

Mark stopped short, turning to face him as he almost growled out. "Why?" Noticing the sudden jealousy in his tone, Jack teased out. "Just another person who might know what's happening to me. Are you afraid they'll like me? That I'll spend more time with them?" Keeping the cloak closed over his body, Mark gruffly retorted. "No. I'm more worried that they will take you away and lock you up somewhere. Hell, look at what Zen did to Dwight. You want that to happen to you?" Inching up closer to Mark, Jack whispered close to his shoulder with a small grin. "Are you sure you don't want to just keep me for yourself?" Turning to walk on, Mark uttered out under his breath. "I wouldn't do that to you. I care about you too much." Jack almost laughed, but the sight of Mark shaking worried him. He'd been right. Mark wasn't able to handle the cold in human form. He was faking in order to keep him safe. Jack tried to pick up the pace, but before too long, Mark was slowing down. The wind sent strong chills through the trees, causing Mark to stop and hide behind a tree or two in the hopes of keep the wind off him. Then the more he hid behind the trees, the more he seemed to struggle to stay on his feet.

Rushing back to him, Jack pleaded with Mark as he started to sit down. "No. Mark. Don't. The snow will sap whatever heat you have left. You have to keep moving. Come on." Mark shook his head, staggering on his feet. Cupping his chilly red face, Jack kissed him and whispered over his lips. "Please, Mark. Just come with me. We'll find a nice place and snuggle up. Ok?" Taking a deep breath, Mark shuddered as he nodded. Holding him close, Jack took more of Mark's weight than he could really handle but kept him moving through the snow. He was just about to give up and try to find shelter, when they crested a hill and spotted a snug looking wood cabin in a little clearing by a large lake. Perking up, Jack excitedly told Mark. "It's a cabin! It might be Granny's! Come on!" Tugging Mark down the hill, they rushed up to the door. Jack banged on it loudly, calling out hopefully. "Granny?! Granny, it's me! Jack?!" Mark headed for a rocking chair but stopped to peer into the window. Jack continued to bang and call for Granny but got no answer. That's when Mark moved back to the door and told him a bit strained. "She's not home. Here."

Nudging Jack aside, Mark stood before the door and kicked it in. The door made a loud 'bang' as it swung in to slam against the wall, causing Jack to jump in fright. Glaring at Mark, he told him sternly. "Why did you do that?" Mark stumbled inside and dropped to his knees, wincing out. "Because I can barely feel my legs anymore. I'll fix it later." Biting his lip, Jack quickly closed the door and latched it shut. The inside of the cabin was a bit dark but warm. The fireplace had smoldering embers, suggesting that she hadn't been gone all that long. Tossing a few fresh logs on, Jack quickly pulled Mark to the only bed in the place. Removing his red cloak off him, he told him in a rush. "You should get warm. Just give me a moment." Mark sat on the edge of the large wooden bed, rubbing his hand over the handmade quilt that was absorbing the warmth of the growing flames in the fireplace. Grabbing the only clothes that he could find, Jack told Mark with a deep red blush. "This was all I could find, but it is better than nothing." Mark lifted the white nightgown with little lacy frills from Jack's hands. Setting it back down, Mark huffed out. "Oh, hell no. I'd rather freeze to death. It would be more humane."

Chuckling, Jack pleaded with him hopefully through burning cheeks. "Please, Mark? You need to wear something or you'll... you'll give my grandmother a heart attack." Mark raised an eyebrow, a smug grin pulling at his lips. Averting his eyes, Jack lied unconvincingly. "I didn't look. I just... I just think that my grandfather has been gone a long time and... seeing you like that... might just kill her." Sighing reluctantly, Mark took the nightgown and growled out. "Fine. But if you laugh. I'm going to eat you." Mark moved to dress behind a little divider. While Jack told him innocently. "I'll see if I can whip something up for us to eat. Maybe Granny went out to get supplies?" Kneeling by the fireplace, Jack got a cooking pot hung up and was just finishing up getting the soup together and over the fire, when Mark finally stepped out for him to see. A small smile pulled at Jack's lips, spurring Mark into growling out. "Don't. I feel like a fool. Don't make me kill you to save myself from embarrassment." Jack watched Mark slip into bed, snuggling himself up as little coughs left him. It was so hard not to laugh when Mark had put on gloves and a nightcap.

Rising to his feet, Jack wandered over to the wooden bedpost and playfully teased out. "How are you feeling, Granny?" Mark's dark eyes narrowed on him as he warned softly. "Jack. I'm warning you. Don't." Pressing his temple to the bedpost, Jack smirked a little wickedly as he said aloud. "Oh, Granny... What big eyes you have." Mark glared at him but said nothing. Stepping around the bedpost a bit, Jack put his back to it and continued playfully. "Oh, Granny... what big ears you have." This time Mark sat up against the headboard and asked him curiously. "What are you doing?" Jack's hands shook a little as he grabbed the hem of his shirt and pulled it off. Dropping it to the floor, Jack swallowed and breathlessly told him. "I'm a little cold. Mind if I join you?" Mark's eyes looked him over, before scooting over and pulling the blanket away for him. Approaching the bed, Jack stripped down to nothing and climbed in under the covers with him. Pulling the blanket over himself, Jack tried to calm his racing heart. He felt crazy for wanting to do this... but he couldn't help himself. He wanted to be close to Mark.

Reaching out to grab Mark's wrist, he pulled it close to himself and told him nervously. "I had a dream like this..." Mark turned on his side, his hand turning Jack's over to rub his thumb lovingly over Jack's wrist as he whispered back. "Ya? You dream about me?" Shying away a bit, Jack mumbled out. "Well... Just the once..." Mark's hand gripped his wrist lightly, coaxing him closer to himself. Easing closer, Jack held his breath as Mark leaned in and whispered against his neck. "How did it end?" Jack licked his dry lips, breathlessly straining out. "You ate me." Mark licked his neck, then hummed out. "You do taste good. You should stop me before I bite you." Leaning closer to Mark's chest, Jack moaned as Mark's warm breath puffed up his neck to his ear. Wrapping an arm around Mark, Jack forced himself to tell him honestly. "Don't hurt me... but taste me if you want." Letting out a deep playful chuckle, Mark whispered against his shoulder. "Taste you, I shall." Mark let out a throaty growl then as he nuzzled him, making Jack giggle as it tickled him. To Be Continued...