Chapter Sixty-six Life was returning to normal, now that they'd returned from the Gathering. Three days had passed since they arrived home, and the weekend was lazy and relaxing. But now that everyone was at work, it was awfully quiet in the house. Well, sort of. Liam cooed, waving his arms and legs wildly as Bryn tried to change his diaper. With Nate out looking into property for his restaurant idea, and Lindy back to work, Bryn was busy baby sitting. Jess's family was sleeping, which was just fine with Bryn--she liked having Liam over for the night. "You better not pee on me when I take this diaper off," she said, in a playful voice. Liam giggled, seeming to understand her. "That's a cute outfit you have on...did your Mommy buy that for you? I don't think so. I think your Auntie Bryn bought that for you, huh?" He circled the house one more time, making sure by smell that she was the only human or vampire inside. He had been nosing around the houses when the vampires were gone, taking care to avoid the adolescent bitch werewolf and the one he had inadvertently Changed. He didn't trust the promises made by Natasha Falconieri, so he was intent on getting his son back and away from those vampires as soon as he could. Now familiar with the home's layout, it was time to make his move. Padding quietly to the kitchen entrance, he nosed the unlocked door open and silently slipped into the house. "Peeew!" Bryn said, waving her hand in front of her nose as she pulled away the heavy diaper. "That was a stinky one! What have you been eating, little boy?" Liam laughed again, trying to turn over and crawl away from her. "You come back here. I'm not done with you, Stinky." She quickly wiped away the mess, then reached for another diaper in the darkened room. With only light from the hallway illuminating them, she quickly taped the new diaper into place. "You ready to go back downstairs and play? I bet Petunia is. She's--" Bryn stopped in the middle of her sentence, glancing down at the dog. Petunia was staring at the doorway, her body rigid, the hair on her back standing on end. Alarmed, Bryn picked Liam up immediately, and swirled to face the doorway. There was no one there. She was about to shake off her worry, thinking Anton might be home, when Petunia let out a low growl. The dog never growled. Suddenly feeling trapped in Max's future room, she took a step towards the door, hoping she could rush them all into her bedroom. [Damn!] He thought the dog wouldn't tip off his presence. He had taken great pains to make friends with her, thinking she would consider him part of the background and ignore him. No such luck. Although he knew that the element of surprise was probably gone, Marrok still moved silently up the stairs, following the scent of his son. He rose up from all fours to stand on his hind legs, the better to deal with any resistance. She was breathing heavily, through her nose, as she edged towards the door. Holding on to Liam tightly, she took careful steps across the floor. Hoping there wouldn't be a creak that would give her away. Petunia stuck close to her side, if not slightly in front of her, guarding her master. By the time she reached the doorway, she was nearly nauseated with fear. [God, I should've known Natasha wouldn't stop!] Focusing only on keeping Liam safe, she sprinted towards her bedroom, her footsteps abnormally loud on the tile floor, not even daring to look back. He watched her from the stairs. Marrok had hoped that she wouldn't be with his son. He really didn't want to hurt a human, especially a pregnant woman. He had hoped that he could just grab the child and run. But it looked like he would have to attack her. Silently he stepped into the hallway and began towards her, baring his teeth and claws. His growl drowned out the one the half grown dog gave. Practically tossing Liam on the bed, Bryn hurried back to slam the door closed, only to see Petunia spring at...at this 'thing' she'd never seen before. She screamed, thoughts flashing through her head. Her dog was attacking a monster, and she had to get her away from that thing! She rushed forward, protectively curling her body around Max. The monster snarled at Petunia, batting her away with ridiculous ease, making the puppy yelp in surprise and pain. [Oh God, oh God, oh God!] Bryn ran headlong towards Petunia, grabbing her dog, turning and bolting back into the bedroom...but she wasn't fast enough to escape the swing of the monster's arm. She fell to her knees, her back covered in searing pain, and dropped Petunia in her need to protect Max. She screamed, scrambling forward, hearing three heavy growls at once--that thing's, Petunia's, and poor crouching Liam on the bed. She kicked hard at the beast, then the door, shoving the door shut, trapping the monster's hand, kicking again, somehow managing to shut the door and hold it for a second, just a second, as she hurried to her feet. She winced in pain, turned, shoved against the door with all of her weight, still screaming in terror, and locked the door behind her. Then, running to where Liam sat, she grabbed the boy, whimpered in pain again, and ran to the bathroom, locking them all behind one more barrier against...whatever the hell that was in her hallway. He charged against the door, wood splintering with each blow against it. Breaking through the bedroom door, forepaw throbbing from when it was slammed on it, he saw the bathroom door shut. Crossing the room in three large strides, he broke through that door as well. His eyes swept over the room. The human, holding his son, was half leaning, half falling out of a balcony besides the bathtub. Still growling, he looked over her, his snarl looking like a weird smile as he reached towards her... He didn't expect the black werewolf bitch to come flying into the bedroom behind him and clamp her jaws down on his shoulders. Marrok's growl became a scream, and a second, higher pitched growl could be heard. Marrok slammed himself backwards against the wall, but Jess wouldn't let go. She wrapped her legs around him, digging into his thighs and arms with her claws. Dropping to all fours, Marrok bucked once, dislodging Jess. He scrambled out the bedroom, Jess hot on his heels. Bryn could hear the pair crashing their way down the stairs. She crouched down on the balcony, curling around Liam, shivering lightly as she rocked back and forth. Petunia scooted close to her side, licking her face, her paw on Bryn's arm. She heard a door fling open below and flinched. She was tempted to get up and hide in the closet, but decided to back into a corner of the balcony instead. Away from the door, but watching carefully for movement nonetheless. Heavy footsteps sounded on the stairs, and she squeezed Liam even tighter against her. The poor baby was crying, burying his face against her neck. "Shhh..." she said, as quietly as she could. "I won't anyone hurt you. I promise." She heard the footsteps cross the hall and stop at the threshold of the bedroom. "Bryn?" came Krycek's voice. "Bryn? Where are you? Are you hurt?" She heard him take a few steps into the bedroom. "It's okay. I'm here to protect you. You can come out now." She shuddered a bit, daring to peek around the door frame and into the bathroom. "A-A-Alex?" She tried to reach for Petunia as the dog ran around the corner, but wasn't fast enough. Clutching Liam, she carefully climbed to her feet. The sudden pain in her back almost caused her to drop him, but she gritted her teeth and held on. Taking a few steps into the bathroom, and around the tub, she cautiously spoke again. "He," she hiccuped, "h-he...is it gone?" "It's gone." Alex appeared at the bathroom doorway, gun in hand. "Are you hurt? I smell blood." He holstered the weapon and put an arm around her shoulders to help support her, pulling away when she winced. Looking at her back, he frowned. "Can you tell me what happened?" "Petunia--she growled. I knew it was wrong. Then I ran, and it came...she jumped at it, and it hurt her!" She looked around frantically, searching for her dog. "Where is she?" She settled down when she spotted Petunia trotting back into the room, her tail wagging. "I locked the door, and went in the bathroom, but it followed...and then..." She swallowed heavily, trailing off as she stared at the door. "It ran away." "Jess and Walter are tracking it...him...right now." Sitting Bryn down on the bed, he tried to get a better look at her back. "Do you know if he bit you?" "No, I don't think so." "Is it okay if I lift your shirt and see?" When Bryn nodded, he peeled her shirt away from her back, rolling it up towards her neck. "Looks like you've got a few scratches. No bite wounds. Do you have a first aid kit around here?" "I don't think so." She shivered again. Her back felt wet, and she didn't even want to think about what it looked like. "Is it bad?" "I don't know. I need to clean it up to get a better look. Let me get a washcloth." She kept a nervous eye on the door, expecting something to come flying through the door at any minute. "Will you call Anton, please?" "Sure." Alex picked up the cordless phone from its charger on the table. Grabbing a washcloth as he walked into the bathroom, he punched in the number for Anton's cell phone. Bryn could hear the werewolf quietly speaking into the phone, but couldn't make out the words over the sound of the running water. Walking back into the bedroom, Alex offered Bryn the phone. "He wants to talk to you." She barely had time to put the phone to her ear before Anton started talking. "Bryn? Are you okay?" She nodded, forgetting he couldn't see her. "The house isn't. Our bedroom door and the bathroom door are...shreds. And Petunia got hurt. I-I think she's okay though." "Bryn, I asked about you. Are you okay?" "Yeah," she said, pathetically. "My back hurts, a lot. But he didn't hurt Max." She sniffled. "You don't have to come home if you're busy, but I wish you would." She glanced at Alex uncertainly for a moment, before adding, "I need you, Anton." "I'm already on my way. I'll be there as soon as I can. Hang on a moment." She could hear him yell instructions to someone he passed by. "Do Lindy and Nathaniel know?" Bryn looked up to see Alex talking on the phone, and heard him say Lindy's name reassuringly. "I think so..." She heard Anton say something not into the receiver again. "Bryn, Lindy and I are on our way right now. Stay in the house, and stay with Alex." His voice softened. "I love you." "I love you, too." She took a deep breath, readjusting Liam on her lap. "Anton, be nice to your employees. This wasn't their fault. And give Lindy a ride home...she probably shouldn't be driving." "Okay, Bryn. I'll see that she rides with me. I'll be home in about twenty minutes. Stay close to the werewolves. I love you." Bryn hung up the phone and looked up to see Alex dialing again. "Bryn, can you call Manda and ask her to bring Chandra over? It's safer for all of us to be together at the moment. I'm trying to reach Nate right now." She nodded, quickly dialing the number. She knew she sounded a little frantic on the phone, but the idea of Amanda and Chandra being alone with that 'thing' on the loose scared her to death. Maybe she was overreacting, but that had to have been the scariest thing she'd ever encountered. Some of her closest friends were werewolves...but she'd never seen one of them look so frightening. So menacing. Still shaking uncontrollably, she urged Amanda to hurry over to her house. The closer they all were, the better she'd feel. Alex finished up his call with Nate, and then stiffened. Motioning Bryn to keep quiet, he drew his gun again and sidle along the door to the wall. He listened intently for a moment and then relaxed. "We're up here." After a few seconds, there was the sound of a pair of footsteps on the stairs. Chandra and Amanda, both wide eyed. Amanda put down the clothes and the first aid kit she had brought. "Thought Mom would need these." Alex opened the kit, reaching for the alcohol wipes. "Bryn, I need you to lift your shirt again. I want to get these scratches cleaned out." Chandra stood in the doorway, looking at the shards of what once was an elegant set of double doors. She looked a little green as she backed into the room, keeping her eye on the hallway. Handing Liam over to Amanda, Bryn carefully pulled her shirt up. She winced a bit as the fabric caught on the drying blood. Curling forward, she waited for Alex to begin cleaning the wounds. Inwardly, she wondered if she should take off the ripped remains of her bra, but decided against it. She was already showing him more skin than she'd ever planned on. "Ahhh!" she yelped, cringing away from the alcohol. The stinging pain brought tears to her eyes. "I'm sorry," Alex said, "but I don't want these to get infected." She nodded, somewhat frantically. "Just hurry." Working quickly yet thoroughly, Alex cleaned each of the five scratches. "Sorry, Bryn," he said as he undid her bra catch to make sure there was no fabric drying to the forming scabs. Selecting several gauze pads, he covered the wounds, taping them in place. "No bite marks, and I don't think you'll need stitches. You were very lucky." He pulled her shirt back into place. "Do you want to change clothes? This shirt's almost ripped in two." She nodded, accepting his help in standing up. She grabbed a new shirt and bra from the dresser, then asked Chandra for help in getting redressed. They disappeared into the bathroom. A few minutes later, the front door of the house banged open. Alex hurried over to the door frame, his weapon drawn, and carefully watched the staircase for movement. He let a sigh as Nate came charging up the stairs, three at a time, practically tripping twice, in his haste to get to his son. Nate barely cast a glance at Alex and the broken doors, before rushing over to where Amanda stood and dropping to his knees. He pulled Liam into his arms, hugging him, sobbing with relief. "Oh thank God!" He kissed Liam's face over and over, squeezing him tightly, inadvertently causing the boy to cry in reaction to his blatant fear. "I love you so much, buddy. So much. Thank God you're okay...oh thank God..." Outside there was a squeal of brakes. Alex checked the stairwell, weapon still in hand, but relaxed when he saw Anton and Lindy running up the stairs. Lindy, heedless of anything but getting to her son, charged in and dropped to her knees, sliding to land besides him. "Thank God," she sobbed. Anton's eyes swept over the room, taking in, but not registering the damage. His voice was harsh and demanding. "Where's Bryn?" "She's in the bathroom," Alex said, quietly watching as Nate handed Liam over to Lindy. Anton hurried over to the bathroom, stepping over splintered wood. He saw Bryn bending over to counter, biting her lip harshly as Chandra tried to get her bra hooked without hurting her. She glanced over at the doorway, her eyes filling with tears as she met Anton's gaze. "Hi," she whimpered. "Bryn," he whispered softly. He hurried to her as Chandra stepped away, giving them privacy. Anton went to put his arms around her, but hesitated, seeing the bandages on her back. Instead, he took her head in his hands, pressing his lips first to her forehead, and then to her mouth. His own eyes had misted over, and he was shaking almost as hard as she was. Her state of shock was wearing off as she hugged him and kissed him. She blinked her eyes clear, then laid her head on his shoulder. She let out a sigh as his hands settled on her waist, pulling her close. "I thought it was her," she whispered, sniffling. "I heard Petunia growling and I thought Natasha had come to kill me." He held her tight, still shaking. "I didn't know what to think when Alex called. I thought I'd find you..." He looked at the door hanging off its hinges. "Bryn, what happened?" "I don't know," she said, her voice bordering on a whine. "I was changing Liam's diaper, and Petunia heard something. I felt trapped in Max's room, so I ran in here..." She shuddered, remembering. "And when I went to shut the door, Petunia was attacking this 'thing'...I think it was a werewolf, but not like anything I'd ever seen before." She sniffled, then shivered again and burrowed deeper into his embrace. "I had to get her out of there, so I grabbed her and hurried to close the door. But it clawed me, and I fell...then it chased me in here, and it might've gotten me, but Jess..." She let out a horrified gasp. "Where's Jess? What if it hurt her?" "I'm sure she's fine. Or else Alex wouldn't be here." Or at least that's what he hoped. "How bad is your back?" "Alex said it was a few scratch marks." "Thank God that is all it was. I don't know what I would have done if it had killed you or Max..." Anton choked up, holding her tighter against him. "I'm sorry, Bryn. I should have been here to protect you." She looked up at him, her own protective instincts kicking into gear. "Anton, you can't stay with me twenty-four hours a day." She lifted up on to her tiptoes, kissing him gently. "It just scared me. I'm okay. And it wasn't your fault, at all. Please don't feel guilty, my love. I need you here now. The bad part's over." [Is it, Bryn?] This whole scenario was bothering him. Natasha had made her contempt about werewolves clear at the Gathering. It seemed odd that she would be working with them now. Or could this werewolf be working alone? He pressed his forehead to hers, deciding not to voice his worries right away. "Do you want me to help you get dressed? We should check on the others." She nodded, stiffly moving her arms into the sleeves as he held up her shirt. Even with a button-down front, she still had to wince as the bandages on her back pulled at the skin. She wasn't going to tell him that it felt like more than just scratches to her. Or that she was scared to death to leave the bedroom. And she definitely wasn't going to tell him that part of her had wished he was there to protect her. He was beating himself up enough already. Instead, she followed him quietly back into the bedroom. Sitting on the bed, she called Petunia over and helped the puppy climb up on the bed. Right now, she was more grateful than ever that they'd gotten a dog. Anton sat down on the bed beside her. He began petting Petunia, checking for broken bones or other injuries as well. As far as he was concerned, this dog could chew up every pair of shoes he owned as a reward. Arm around Bryn's waist, he looked over at Nate and Lindy, who were clutching Liam tightly. He felt sickened by the possibilities that could have occurred. Bryn pulled Petunia into her lap, not an easy task given the way the puppy had grown so much. She kissed the dog on the forehead, petting her soft floppy ears. "You're such a good girl." Kiss, kiss. "What a good dog." The puppy's tail thump, thump, thumped against Anton's leg. Looking up at Alex from where he sat on the floor, Nate said, "What's the situation? Are we safe sitting here, or is this guy gonna be back?" "Probably not," Alex said after a pause. "Or at least I wouldn't. That having been said--" Alex cut himself off when he heard another set of footsteps in the house. He stiffened, lifting the gun, gesturing for everyone to be quiet. Anton stood and positioned himself between the door and Bryn. There was no way he was going to let that monster come near her again. Nate thrust Liam into Lindy's arms, standing up immediately and menacingly watching the door. His eyes glittered, fangs extended, just itching for a confrontation. He wanted to maim someone, to rip their arms off and stuff them down their throats. He wanted to-- It was only Walter and Jess coming up the stairs. Nate deflated like a pinned balloon, relief flooding him. Maybe he wasn't so geared up to fight after all. [They're just lucky I didn't have to open up a can of whoop ass on 'em.] Alex lowered the gun. "Did you get him?" Jess, still a wolf, dragged herself into the room, her fur coated in blood, mud, and assorted leaves. "No," Walter responded. He was human, and also carrying a gun. "We tracked him as far as the meadow. We lost the scent in woods beyond that. He's been backtracking there for at least three hours so we couldn't tell the fresh trail from an old one." Jess snorted loudly, whether a comment on her abilities or her feelings towards the attacker wasn't clear. Grabbing the clothes Amanda had brought in her mouth, she went into the bathroom to have a minimum of privacy as she Changed. Having seen the blood all over Jess's fur, Bryn sank to her side on the bed, trying desperately to keep from sobbing. After all of that searching, and being wounded defending her, Jess still hadn't found the other werewolf. He was still loose, no doubt planning his next attack. She wasn't sure she'd ever feel safe again. She rubbed her stomach, trying to calm down Max. The baby was moving restlessly, taking her breath away as he landed several times against her chest. As much as she was grateful to Jess for saving Max's life, as well as her own, she felt horrible for causing the woman such pain. Anton gently stroked Bryn's side, offering what comfort he could. He leaned over her. "It's okay, Bryn. Jess'll be fine. You're safe now." As he whispered in her ear, Jess came out of the bathroom, most of the dirt and blood washed away, or at least hidden by her clothes. There was a large gash low on her neck that was still oozing blood. Sitting down on the other side of the bed, she let Alex clean the wound, hissing at the sting of alcohol, and then bandage it. "Are you okay, Bryn? Did he hurt you badly?" Shaking her head, sniffling, she reached for Jess's hand and held on tightly. She pulled Anton closer to her as well, but kept her gaze directed on her avenging angel. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry you got hurt. I feel like it's all my fault. If I'd had the doors locked, this never would've happened." Jess shook her head and snorted again. "Bryn, that thing came through two solid oak doors to get at you. A deadbolt would only have slowed it down by thirty seconds, not stopped it. And as for this," she pointed at the bandage Alex was placing on her neck. "At the risk of sounding like the Black Knight, 'Tis but a flesh wound.' I'll be fine in a day." Anton let out a sigh of relief. But what Jess was doing over here puzzled him. "How did you know Bryn was in danger?" he asked. Jess shrugged. "Max. That weird link we've got going. I woke up from a dead sleep knowing that Bryn was in danger, and I had to get my fuzzy butt over here fast." "We knew something was wrong when Jess Changed before her feet even hit the floor," Walter added. "We got over here just in time to see her chasing him down your driveway. Lindy, still holding Liam tight against her chest, sat down besides Jess. "It's the same werewolf who attacked Chandra, right? Liam's father, wasn't it? Wasn't it?" she repeated more forcefully when no one answered. Jess, Walter, Alex, and even Amanda nodded. Sinking back on his haunches, Nate quietly muttered, "Shit." He let out a deep sigh. "Before anyone has the balls to suggest it, we're not giving Liam back to that a--" he glanced at Amanda, "to that jerk. I'll be damned if I let that sweet little boy be raised by a violent, psychotic, vicious mongrel. If I have to put up razor wire on seven-foot fences and start carrying a gun with silver bullets, I will. This isn't happening again. Ever." "I agree with Nate," Walter said. "He obviously knows who we are and could have approached us long before about Liam. The trick will be defending here in such a way that will threaten him, but not be harmful to us." "Well, for starters, we'll have to make sure that someone who can defend him or herself is around Liam at all time," Alex said. "No offense meant, Bryn." She shrugged, knowing she was no match for an angry werewolf. In all honesty, she was a bit relieved. Now that she knew the werewolf wasn't hired by Natasha to kill her, she felt marginally safer. And one of the others was much better equipped to defend the little boy. Nate hung his head a bit. "I'm usually home. I'm sorry, Bryn. I didn't ever imagine you'd get hurt." "It's okay," she said, quietly. Looking back to Lindy, Nate took a deep breath. "Baby, I'm sorry, but it's beginning to look like the restaurant idea will have to wait a while. I haven't found a place yet, anyway. And I'm not going to leave Liam, anymore." He shook his head again, looking almost on the verge of tears. "I'm so sorry, Lind. I never should've left him." Lindy looked from Liam to Nate, her eyes teary as well. "Not your fault, Nate. I was gone too..." She bit her lip, trying to stifle a sob. "Lindy, you have a job to do. You had an excuse. All I ever do is sit around on my ass, and I can't even watch or protect my son." He sank back until he was sitting on the floor, his knees bent in front of him. "It's never going to happen again. I promise you. Maybe I didn't realize it before, but I do have a job--to protect my family." "Before we start placing blame," Alex said. "We need to figure out how to prevent this guy from coming back. And who he is to begin with." Jess shook her head. "We've geared security here to keeping humans and vampires out. Unless you're willing to encase the whole property in a plexiglass bubble, I don't know how we can keep a werewolf out." Bryn shivered slightly, looking towards the doorway. She wanted to shut the voices out, curl up into a tight little ball, throw the blankets over her head, and pretend this never happened. Letting her gaze wander slightly to the right, she saw Chandra quietly watching the discussion, her arms crossed over her chest, her back to the wall. She looked a bit like Bryn felt...hoping the floor would swallow her whole and take her some place else. Anywhere else, as long as it was safe and comforting. Tugged lightly on Anton's hand, Bryn subtly nodded her head in Chandra's direction. Hoping maybe something could be done to make her feel better. Anton squeezed Bryn's hand back. "I don't know about all of you, but I'd feel more comfortable downstairs instead of boxed in up here. Maybe also make some tea? Chandra, would you be willing to help me?" Her head whipped to face him, almost as if somebody had slapped her. She'd obviously been lost somewhere in her mind instead of on the conversation as it had appeared. "Oh. Um...I guess so." She stood up, rubbing her arm in a very self-conscious gesture. "Everybody's coming down, right?" "Of course," Jess said, giving Bryn's hand a light squeeze. "Actually, hot chocolate sounds better to me than tea. How about Chandra and I go heat up some water while the rest of you go downstairs?" Bryn almost protested, almost gripped Jess's hand like a vice so she couldn't slip away. Instead, she let go, reaching for Anton instead. He carefully helped her to sit upright, not loosening his grip in the slightest. "That sounds good, Jess," he said, with a few voices sounding in agreement. "Thanks." She nodded, heading towards the stairs with Chandra, Alex, and Walter in tow. Rubbing Petunia's forehead, Nate nodded towards the hallway as well. "Do you want to go down, too, Lind? Or would you rather lay down for a while?" Lindy shook her head. "I don't think I'll be laying down any time soon." She shivered a bit. She couldn't help but wonder if in some way this was her fault. That if she had stayed a werewolf instead of becoming a vampire, Liam's father wouldn't have attacked Bryn. Nate pushed himself off the ground, getting his feet beneath him. He took a few steps to where Lindy stood and wrapped his arms around both her and Liam. Just content to hold them, gently kissing away stray tears from her cheeks. "We're gonna fix this, Lind. I promise." Anton watched Nate and Lindy, holding Bryn tightly. He lightly rested his hand on her stomach, rubbing to help soothe Max. He, like Nate, wanted to go find the bastard that had hurt Bryn and exact revenge. He was sickened at the thought of what could have happened had Jess not shown up. He lightly kissed Bryn on the temple and whispered in her ear. "Are you sure you're okay, Bryn?" She squeezed her eyes shut, then shook her head pathetically. She'd thought she was scared to leave the house before, when Natasha was the biggest threat. But at least then she could actually walk down her driveway without worrying about being mauled by a big ugly beastly thing. "I don't feel good," she whispered, "and I'm really cold." She shivered, as if to emphasize the statement. He grabbed the edge of the comforter they were sitting on and wrapped it around her shoulders, trying to avoid touching her back too much. He gently tucked her against his chest, trying to warm her with his body heat as well. "I guess we should go downstairs and join the others soon." She nodded, but didn't get up. Instead she snuggled tighter against him, relishing his heat through the light cotton shirt he wore. She was squirming around under the blanket for a second or two before saying, "My back itches." She thought for a moment or two, remembering how restless Max had been just recently. Since Jess had been hopelessly searching for the werewolf's trail by then, a different explanation seemed to nag at her. "You don't think Max healed me, do you?" "I don't know." Anton frowned. "Let's find out." Gently he helped turn her away and lifted the back of her shirt. He undid the bandages and shook his head. "I don't believe it," he said, running his hand over Bryn's unmarked back. At that point Jess popped her head back in the room. "Water's boiling if anyone wants tea or coffee...." She trailed off as she looked at Bryn's back, and then gave a quirky grin. "I thought I heard him say 'Max fix" while I was outside." Bryn shook her head in wonder, glancing back at Anton before firmly rubbing her belly. "We were so lucky tonight, Anton. I don't know what I would've done if we never had a chance to say 'thank you' to our son." He returned to the cabin bloodied, battered, and in a rage. [Damn vampire loving bitch!] Marrok squeezed through the dog door, wincing when it hit his neck. Limping from a bite to his right shoulder, he made his way to the bathroom. He hadn't been expecting any resistance when he went to reclaim his son. Definitely not from the alpha female werewolf. Climbing into the tub, he used his mouth to turn the taps to start the water flowing. Although he'd reverted to canine form the minute he fled, he'd barely been able to outrun the bitch. Luck had kept him alive until that evening. Fortune was in his favor again tonight. Twisting the knob to turn on the shower, he let out a soft yelp as the heavy spray hit his body. His head hung heavily, water washing over his eyes as he stared at the dirty red rivulets running down the drain. Part of him wanted to crawl into a warm corner and lick his wounds, so to speak. The rest of him, the furious drive that kept him going, wouldn't think about resting for a minute. He shook himself, somewhat gingerly, ruffling loose dirt, debris, and dried blood. Standing in the warm spray for a few minutes more, indulging in a stretch to make sure nothing was broken or pulled, he then shut off the shower and shook himself as dry as he could get on four legs. Then, with a slightly pained stiffening of his body, he Changed, returning to the human facade he wore so well. Groaning he walked over to the mirror to better examine his injuries. There was a bite wound near his armpit. The black werewolf had tried to lame him to prevent him from getting away. It had already scabbed over, as had the claw marks on his forearms and thighs. He opened a dresser drawer, intending to get dressed, but instead pulled out a gym bag and began tossing clothing into it, keeping out a set to put on. It would only be a matter of time before the others untangled his true trail, and when they did, he didn't think they'd be coming to his cabin for a neighborly chat. He grabbed the picture of Vivianne on the dresser, pausing to look into the smiling blue eyes in the photograph. Blue eyes almost exactly identical to his son's. The werewolf son he didn't know he had until he had returned to the pack after living among humans for six months and found this mate missing. The son he hadn't even given a name to yet... Marrok held the picture of his human daughter tight to his chest, fighting a losing battle against his tears. Anton and Bryn stood in the doorway, for once not caring if Petunia did her business on the front lawn. They'd just said goodbye to their guests, and each kept a careful eye on the darkened field beyond in case of any movement. They weren't too worried about Jess's family. They could quite obviously take care of themselves. But Anton watched until he saw Nate and Lindy, closely holding Liam, walked into their own home, with Chandra following close behind. The newest member of their own small pack had bravely volunteered to stay at their home for a while, at least until Nate was satisfied with their safety precautions. Arm around Bryn's shoulder, Anton whistled for Petunia to come inside. Once their puppy, who was no worse for wear after defending her owner. He jumped slightly when the automatic blinds triggered. "Let me set the motion alarm, Bryn. Is there anything you want? Anything you need?" She shook her head. "I have some Hershey's Kisses in my night stand. That should be fine for now." She watched, somewhat amused, as Petunia bounced up to the staircase landing and waited impatiently for them to follow. "She's probably already forgotten it ever happened. I wish it was so easy for the rest of us," she said, staring up at their broken bedroom door from the foyer. "I don't think any of us will be forgetting this any time soon." He also was staring at the bedroom door. "Do you want to go up there, Bryn? Or would you rather we made up a bed down here on the couch?" She looked at the living room uncertainly, and then back at the shattered door, not the slightest bit relieved in either case. "I don't know. I feel like, if he's going to get to us, it'll happen faster down here, where he can just jump through a window. At least upstairs we might have a chance to hear him on the stairs first." "Okay." They both started up the stairs. "Give me a few mutes to clean this up," Anton said. He pulled the door that was hanging on one hinge over to the side, and propped it out of the way using the chair from the vanity. Deciding to leave the bathroom door until he was ready to replace it , he joined Bryn who was sitting on the bed. He put his arms around her, one hand resting on her stomach Pressing his head to her neck, he inhaled her scent. Bryn had been right to say that they had been lucky. She leaned against him, feeling sickened at the damage that bastard had done to their beautiful home. Those doors had been specially made, carefully carved in detail and accuracy. Each one matched, down to the smallest flower and scroll. And now they lay in sharp splinters. "I hate him for what he did to our house." "I don't hate him for that, Bryn. I hate him for what he almost did to you. We can get the doors replaced, build a new house. But to attack you, when all you were doing was watching Liam..." He could feel his fangs start to sharpen. "If I ever get a hold of him, there won't be enough of him left for Jess to use as a chew toy." Bryn laid her head against his, gently rubbing his arm. "I hope you never have to do something like that, Anton. I hope he leaves and never comes back." She glanced back at the bed, neatly made. "You wanna get into bed? I'm still cold." "Of course. Let's get you warmed up." He pulled back the sheets and then sat on the bed so he could kick off his shoes. "I know this sounds silly, Bryn. I know if I had been here, it would have changed nothing. But, if something had happened to you, I don't know I could forgiven myself." She quickly wriggled out of her pants, waiting until she was completely undressed to say anything in reply. She crawled on to the bed and knelt behind him, pressing her bare breasts against his back as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Stop beating yourself up, Anton," she said quietly, lips brushing his ear. "I'm okay. And maybe this is just someone's way of telling us that we need to get a notary and have that form signed so I can start coming to work with you." She kissed his ear, lingering a bit. "My only regret is that Alex bandaged me up instead of you. You always take good care of me." He turned his head, shifting so he could look at Bryn's face. "Alex bandaged you up?" "Yup. He was the first one here. Chandra and Amanda showed up later on with the first aid kit and some clothes for Jess." "And exactly what did Alex do?" Bryn grinned at him. "Don't you mean see? The sides of my breasts, and maybe the top of my ass." Anton mock growled. "I don't know which I should do. Thank him for taking care of you, or blind him for seeing you." He lightly kissed her lips, twisting a bit more to slip his arm around her waist. She caressed the side of his face, still smiling at him. "Whatever happened to that fantasy of yours about me in a lace dress with no bra and panties? Don't you think he would've see a lot more if I'd been wearing that?" "Maybe." He leaned her backwards on the bed, following her. "But there is a slight difference between a fantasy involving strangers, and you actually being seen by someone we're in contact with on a daily basis." He leaned over her and kissed her. She scraped her fingers through his hair, holding him close and leisurely kissing him in return. After a few minutes, she pulled back, her face flushed, and breathing increased. "I think we've talked about your possessiveness before, and you said you'd try to stop doing that." Before he could respond, or protest, she placed her finger over his lips. "But...I wanted to tell you that you don't have to stop on my account. I love the fact that you don't want to share me. It makes me feel very loved and valuable." "You are valuable, Bryn." He gently stroked the side of her face. "I don't care about the damage done to the house. As long as you aren't hurt, this place could burn down. It wouldn't matter to me as long as you were by my side." His hand gently wandered down now to stroke her shoulder and side, palm brushing against her breast. She smiled, snuggling closer to him and nuzzling his neck. "I love you, Anton. And I'm going to be here for a long time, so I can buy you flowers, and I can kiss you good-bye when you go to work. So I can feel that wonderful fluttering in my chest when you walk in the door, and to feel the most amazing comfort and peace when I'm in your arms. And I'm going to love you and take care of you forever." He smiled tenderly at her. "I'm going to love you forever, Bryn." He gently pressed his lips to her forehead. "And I'm going to be here to take care of you and Max for all time." Moving to her lips, he nudged them apart with his tongue. She pulled him closer, urging him silently to rest his chest against hers. Sliding her legs over to tangle them with his, she wiggled against him restlessly. She kissed him hungrily, moaning softly against his mouth. A little less concerned with her surroundings, and needing him to make her forget...at least for a little while. Sucking on her tongue, he unbuttoned his shirt, whimpering as her hands caressed each inch of skin he revealed. Moving down slightly, he began kissing her neck, lingering on the scar he gave her that night that started it all. The spot he intended to puncture again, this time to Transform her. He caressed her head, running his fingers through her short hair. If she hadn't been pregnant, he would have Transformed her here and now to make her safe. Instead, he contented himself with sucking on it, causing a bruise to form at the surface. She couldn't help but lift her hips, a light thrust against his thigh. She pushed his shirt off his shoulders, caressing his skin and massaging his muscles along the way. His mouth on her neck felt incredible, and she scratched lightly at his back in response. "Oh, sugar...I love having your mark on me." He sucked on her neck for a moment or two more, and then nipped at her collar bones. "I wish there were a way you could permanently mark me, my dear. Something that was a constant reminder, a physical part of me." He continued to kiss her skin, moving to the top of her cleavage. She arched against him, moaning softly. "You could get a tattoo. He gently ran the tip of his nose over her breast, placing feather light kisses as well. "I had been meaning a scar like yours. But a tattoo...maybe the outline of your lips somewhere on my body? So you'll always be kissing me." "I like that." She smiled widely. "I want it right here," she said, running her fingertips over the old scar on his chest. "So whenever you start thinking dark thoughts, you'll know I love you no matter what. And always will." Anton made a soft noise, somewhere between a moan and a whimper. He looked up into her eyes. "I will always love you, Bryn. Now and forever." He kissed her nipple, gently worrying it between his teeth. She gasped, scraping her fingers through his hair. She wanted to unbutton his pants, to drag them down and worship his body just as he was hers, but she couldn't reach. Instead, she did what she could, caressing his neck and face, massaging his shoulders, pushing her hands between them to firmly rub his nipples. He pushed hard against her hand and switched to tease her other breast. His hand stroked her stomach, tracing every curve. He grinned a bit when Max kicked his hand. "Easy there, Max. You've had a big day. Just relax while I take care of Mommy." She let out a soft giggle, kissing the top of his head. "I think Daddy needs to be taken care of, too. And I would, if he moved up here so I could touch him." Anton chuckled, making Bryn squirm. After one last loving lick to her nipple, he crawled back up her body, kissing random spots as he passed. He resettled on his side next to her, slacks uncomfortably tight. "So how are you going to take care of me, my dear?" he asked, caressing the side of her face with his knuckles, and then kissing her. She moaned, returning his kiss as her hand slid down his stomach and started unfastening his pants. She pushed his slacks down around his hips and grasped his cock through the silk of his boxers. She grinned when he hissed, his hips thrusting into her grip. "Maybe I'll just nurse on you for a while." "Mmmmmm." Anton ran his hands over her shoulders, caressing her neck as Bryn tugged his shorts carefully down his legs. "Do you want me to have that tattoo before we get our pictures taken?" He hissed again when she grasped his now bare cock. She nodded, smiling. "Maybe you could call in sick tonight. Nobody there but Chandra and Lindy would know it's not the truth, and I think they'd understand. They we could go get your tattoo, and then get a big waffle cone sundae afterwards." She slid down in the bed, pulling his cock into her mouth even as she held his gaze as waited for his reply. He shuddered, eyes rolling back in his head at the wet heat of her mouth. "That sounds like plan. You're corrupting me, my dear. Getting tattoos, playing hooky from work..." Still gripping him tightly, she pulled her mouth away to say, "Maybe later we can rob a bank." She let out a soft giggle before rolling her tongue around the head of his cock. She stroked him firmly with her hand, lapping at the small slit in the tip, loving the sound of his moans. Then she sucked him in deeply, moving her head up and down the length of him until he was squirming against her. "Ahhhhhh." He bit his lip, thrusting into her mouth, balls tight against his body. "If you're not careful, my dear, I'll be done before we've really even started." He reached down to caress the back of her head, the only thing he could reach. "Besides, I'm not done taking care of you yet." She drew her mouth away, lingering to give a few laps to the head of his cock. "You don't want to cum in my mouth?" He shuddered when her tongue lightly traced along the large vein on the underside of his cock. "Well, when you put it that way, my dear..." He stroked his foot over her calf. "Do you want to cum around my tongue?" She whimpered, her eyes skipping between his mouth and his cock. "Yes...but I also want you inside me. I can't decide." "There's no reason you can't have both, my dear. We'll just have to time it carefully." He gave her a wicked smile. "Now get up here." She arched an eyebrow, then gave him one last lick before scooting up to where he was laying. She wrapped her hand behind his neck, pulling him closer so she could kiss him thoroughly. Moaning against his mouth, she sucked lightly on his tongue, then on his lower lip, finally puckering up and kissing the tip of his nose. "What did you have in mind?" He slid his hands over her back, sliding down to squeeze her ass. "Ride me, Bryn. Ride me hard and fast, or gentle and slow. Whatever it takes to bring you to orgasm first. Then you can finish me off with your mouth. And if I cum while I'm still in your sex..." He got a sly grin on his face. "We'll just have to try again, and again, and again until we get it right." "Oooh. I'm not going to argue with that." She pushed him onto his back, carefully straddling him but remaining on her hands and knees. "Have I told you lately how gorgeous you are?" She leaned forward to kiss his mouth, then his neck, collarbones, the scar on his chest, then finally sucking his nipple into her mouth and tugging on it. He shuddered, cupping the back of her head. "No...I don't think you have..." She let his nipple pop out of her mouth, then leisurely rolled her tongue around the other one. "You're so beautiful, Anton, I can barely stand it. I feel myself blushing when I look at you. You're so handsome you could be on the cover of a magazine. And I sometimes wonder what you're doing with me." "I thought what I was doing with you was obvious my dear." He gave a playful thrust of her hips, pressing his cock against her thigh. His voice then grew softer as he reached up to cup her breast, gently twisting the nipple. "You are so beautiful, Bryn. All of you. Your physical beauty was what caught my eye. But it is your beautiful soul that captured my heart." She wanted to tell him that his soul was far more beautiful than hers, that he could have starlets and supermodels on his arms, but she was trying as hard as she could not to be self-defeating. She wanted to see herself through his eyes, to believe that she really was worthy of his love. It wouldn't be easy, but at least she was trying. "Anton, your soul is the most beautiful I've ever seen. Well, maybe not seen, but at least encountered." She grinned at him. Scooting back a bit, she used her hand to guide his cock into place, then slid down the length of him, shuddering lightly as he filled her completely. He gave a soft, contented sigh, his hands going to her hips. He pushed his hips up, trying to get as deep into her as he could. "So beautiful," he whispered, shuddering when her muscles clenched around him. "If you keep tightening up on me like that, I guarantee we'll have to do this several times if you want me to cum in your mouth." She grinned, squeezing him again. "Guess I better not do this, huh?" She let out a soft laugh when he shuddered again. Loosening her grip a bit, she lifted up until he was almost about to slip out of her, then slid down to engulf him again. She repeated her movements, setting up a lazy pace, moaning every time she covered him completely. "Mmm...you feel so good, sugar." "You feel pretty wonderful yourself, my dear." He let his hands slip up and down her thighs, relishing the texture of her skin. He smiled lazily, watching her breasts bounce with each move she made. He moved his hand between her legs, searching for her clit. "Mmm...right there." She opened her legs a little wider, purposefully tilt her hips with each move to brush over his finger. She sped up her rhythm a bit, panting, whimpering a bit with every downward plunge. "I wish I could see you filling me. It gets me so excited to see how big you are and how much you stretch me." "We should get out the camera then and film this. And it won't be too much longer before you can see it again." His other hand gently rubbed her stomach before sliding up to stroke her nipple. "You get me excited just watching you get excited." "We'll...get it...next time," she said, between pants. He was giving her firmer pressure on her clit, making her shudder almost continuously. "Uhh...uhhh..." Instead of sliding up and down his entire length, she rocked her hips in short, sharp strokes, her eyes closed in concentration. "Sugar, I'm getting close. Mmmph." Eyes locked on her face, he circled his finger against her clit. He dug in with his heels, lifting his hips to meet her thrusts. "I'm not f-f-far behind you, Bryn." As her sex began to spasm around his cock, he gave one large push, and spurted deep into her. "Ahhhh..." She squealed, pushing down hard with her hips, squeezing him tightly inside of her. She was rigid, trembling as her orgasm intensified, then slowly started to lessen. Panting, she settled forward to lay against his chest, her knees bent beneath her, rocking her hips as tiny aftershocks followed. She ground her clit against his pubic bone, trying to make the sensations last as long as possible. He also gave small thrusts, trying to wring every bit of pleasure out he could. One hand rested on her hip, one hand cradled her head against his chest. Eventually they both stilled, and their breathing returned to normal. Anton pressed his lips to her forehead. She lifted her head with a lazy smile on her face, and kissed his lips. "Mmm, we definitely need to do that again. I'm still quivering." She nipped lightly at his lower lip, then kissed him again. "And since you're calling in sick, we can always sleep in." He nuzzled her forehead before kissing her back. "Somehow, I think there will be very little sleeping going on." End Chapter Sixty-six <- Previous Chapter | Home | Next Chapter ->