Nick rubbed his eyes, blinked several times, and looked back at the couch. Nope. He wasn't seeing things.
Alejandro put one hand on his hip and scrunched his face up, deep in thought. "Okay...so let me just get this out..." He turned to Nick. "You have a magic dog."
Nick shook his head. "I don't...it's not..."
Alejandro raised his eyebrows and gestured with both hands at the couch dramatically. "Um. Tada! Magic dog. Unless you have some less weird explanation as to why your dog just turned into a chick!"
Nick fidgeted for a moment or two, and then took a closer look at ...whatever it was on his couch. He frowned. "I don't believe it..."
Alejandro laughed. "You don't say? This sort of thing happens all the time, assure you, it's perfectly believable."
Nick rolled his eyes. "Shut up Al, not helping."
"Sorry."
"What I meant was...this is the crazy chick who scared the crap out of me this morning."
Alejandro stepped up beside his friend. "No waaaay! Dude, she's hot." He raised an eyebrow. "And practically naked...you failed to mention this, why?"
Nick growled in frustration, running his hands through his hair. "This...I don't...what the hell is going on?"
Both Alejandro and Nick jumped when the girl lying on the couch shifted. Her silver eyes were open, and her body stiffened as she spotted the two boys. Completely motionless, except for the gentle rise and fall of her chest, and her eyes, she stared at them.
Alejandro had both hands up in a defensive stance, Nick had his arms at his sides, watching her carefully.
"Dude, I think she heard you growl." Alejandro whispered.
Her eyes immediately shifted to him, and her lips curls back, baring her teeth as she let out a low snarl.
Alejandro's eyes widened, and he took a slow step back.
Nick carefully took a step forward, gaining the attention of the girl. "We're not going to hurt you." He said gently.
She glanced from him to Alejandro, then back at him.
"He's a friend."
She seemed to relax ever so slightly.
Nick, making his movements slow, crouched down in front of her. "How...how did you find me?"
"I tracked you." She said, her voice low, weak.
"How?"
"Smell."
Nick frowned. "The sweatshirt you took."
She nodded ever so slightly.
"Why did you find me?"
Her gaze darted to Alejandro for a moment before replying. "I...I need help. Somewhere safe to hide where I can heal."
"Who are you running from?"
She let out a low growl in Alejandro's direction, and he immediately backed up again.
"It's okay, he's harmless."
"It is none of your business who I am running from." She growled.
Alejandro looked indignant. "You want us to help you and keep you safe, but you won't even tell us from who?"
She winced and what little color was left in her cheeks drained away.
Nick swore under his breath and turned to Alejandro. "Go grab the first aid kit, it's in the hall bathroom, underneath the towel cabinet."
Alejandro nodded, and hurried off down the hall.
Nick turned back to the girl. "Lie still, we'll get your wound cleaned up and try and stop the blood flow. But we really should get you to a doctor."
She shook her head. "No, no doctors. I'll heal...I just need a little time, and rest."
Nick frowned. "What are you?"
Her silver eyes met his, and he stared into their mercury depths. like the moon, he thought.
"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She said quietly.
"Try me."
Her eyes flickered uncertainly, than she met his eyes fearlessly. "Lychanthrope."
Nick's eyebrows rose. "A werewolf?"
"That is the more common name. Although most of the lore on us is way off."
"You were the dog...the one I hit." Nick said guiltily.
"Yes. Although you mainly just bumped into me. Truth is, you saved my life."
Nick glanced at her wounds. "The people you're running from..."
She shook her head. "They're not people."
Before she could continue, Alejandro returned with the first aid kit. "I found it! You're going to have to fix her up though, I can't really see straight at the moment."
Nick took the first aid kit. "Go make some coffee."
Alejandro glanced at the girl. "So you going to tell us how you did your little trick?"
"I'm a werewolf."
He nodded slowly. "Cool. I'm going to go make coffee."
Nick pulled two rolls of bandages, gauze, and anti-bacterial cream out of the first aid kit. "This may sting a bit."
She raised an eyebrow ever so slightly, and turned her back to him, pulling all her hair over her right shoulder to give him better access to the wounds.
As Nick began to wipe the blood away, he asked. "So what's your name?"
She shifted ever so slightly, waiting a few moments before answering. "Tala...what's yours?"
"Nicholas, although everyone just calls me Nick."
She turned her head ever so slightly and looked at him. "Victorious."
He paused in his administrations and met her gaze. "What?"
She shrugged slightly. "Your name, it means victorious."
He raised his eyebrows. "Oh...cool."
There were a few minutes of silence while Nick finished cleaning the blood off, and then wrapped the bandages around her shoulder and upper arm. "There. All done. Although you'd best keep your arm as still as possible to prevent further blood loss...and you really should get some stitches."
She shook her head. "The wounds will heal soon enough, stitches are not required."
Nick sat on the couch beside her, and rested his head in his hands, taking a few deep breaths.
Tala tilted her head slightly to one side, observing him. "Is there something ailing you?"
He ran his fingers through his hair and straightened up. "Besides trying to wrap my head around the past twenty four hours? Not really.
She suddenly seemed to realize how he must be feeling. "Yes, I suppose this is a lot to take in."
He turned to her. "How do I know you're really...what you claim to be? What if it was all some trick?"
"I assure you, it was not."
"Prove it."
She raised her eyebrows. "What do you mean?"
"Prove that you're a...a werewolf."
"I can't fully shift unless it's a full moon. Which was last night, that's why I transformed a few moments ago, the moon cycle has ended."
"So...you can only shift on a full moon? That part of the lore is correct."
She shook her head. "Only fully, we can shift partially. Like this." Her eyes seemed to grow a more intense silver, and her muscles grew more knotted. She lifted a hand as claws began to replace her fingernails, and opened her mouth, exposing the now canine teeth.
Nick's eyes widened, and he subconsciously leaned away from her.
"See?" She quickly changed back, and exhaled. "We can only take full wolf form during a full moon."
"Freak-ay!" Alejandro said suddenly, walking into the room with a tray laden with three coffee mugs, cream, sugar, and spoons. "Do you drink coffee?"
She nodded.
Nick suddenly glanced at the clock. "She can't stay here for the night. My aunt will be back in an hour or so."
Alejandro frowned. "My place is no good, parents are back in town tomorrow."
Tala turned to Nick. "The place I stayed last night...that wasn't your house?"
He shook his head. "My sister, Violet's."
"And we can't stay there again?"
Nick hesitated. "If you're running from someone...I don't want to put her and Alex in danger."
"Wow, thanks for the concern buddy." Alejandro said sarcastically.
Nick waved his hand dismissively. "You're already dragged into all this." After a moment of thinking, Nick snapped his fingers. "I've got it! What if we could get Vi and Alex to leave town for a little while? They could stay with Vi's in-laws."
Alejandro shrugged. "It's worth a try I guess, but I thought Violet and her in-laws weren't on very good terms..."
Nick shook his head. "They're not really. But it's the only plan we've got."
"Well where is she going to stay tonight?"
Nick was pulling out his phone and punching in Violet's number. "Hang on a sec." The phone rang several times, then the line picked up.
"Hello?"
"Hey Vi, listen, you and Alex need to go stay with your in-laws for a little while."
She sounded suspicious as she asked. "Why? What's wrong?"
"I um, just need you to be out of town for a little bit."
"You know getting into trouble is my job in this family. What's going on?"
Nick let out a sigh. "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you...and it's not important, okay? Just get out of town till I get this sorted out."
Violet sighed. "You know they don't like me, right? I doubt they'll let me just show up and bum it out at their place for who knows how long."
"Can you try?"
A few moments of silence. "I'll try. But no promises."
"Thanks, oh and the sooner the better. I'll look after your place while your gone."
"Yeah, yeah. I'll talk to you later."
Nick hung up. "She's going to see if her in-laws will let her and Alex stay, but we still need somewhere to crash tonight."
Alejandro hesitated, then let out a resigned sigh. "Fine, I guess since my parents won't be back from their anniversary trip until tomorrow, you can stay at my place."
Nick grinned. "Thanks, you're the best."
He waved a hand dismissively. "Yeah I know. Well go grab what you need, you're driving my truck back."
Nick hurried to his bedroom and grabbed a change of clothes, stuffing them and anything else he thought he might need in his backpack, then he grabbed a few extra bandages and returned to the living room. "Alright, you good to go Tala?"
She stood up shakily, and nodded. "Let's go."
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Hey Everyone!
Sorry for the late update, but I started The Walking Dead the other day and...yeah, it devoured (pun intended) my writing time :P
But anyway! I thought I'd give all of you another chapter, and here it is!
I hope you enjoyed it, and please leave a comment letting me know what you think! (Votes are also nice!) :D
Love you all! See you soon ;)