Changes

DARINA

 It must have been a nightmare, or I must have hit my head harder than I thought. I didn’t see Nico’s face change. No, I couldn’t have.

“Darina, how do you feel?” Nico asked. He was on his knees next to his bed, holding my face. The last thing I remembered was his teeth sinking into my neck. I slapped his hands away from me.

“Get off me!” My body was on fire. I had a weird taste in my mouth, metallic like blood. Blood? A strange man sat at the foot of the bed. “Who the hell is this?” I drew Nico’s large T-shirt down to cover my legs.

“Dr. Anthony Miller, Miss.” The man smiled at me, “Glad I could help.”

“Help? Nico, what’s going on?” Sal stood by the door

“Come here, Darina.” Nico held out his arms to me.

I shook my head. “You bit me!” I grabbed my neck where it met my shoulder and frowned. There was no blood and no pain. In fact, I’ve never felt better. My body didn’t hurt at all.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” Nico said softly. “Can you remember what I told you?”

“No, no, no! I had a horrible nightmare.” I shook my head. He was the monster in the fairytales. That was what he said.

“Yeah, I think I’ll just go. Got things to take care of. Fires to extinguish.” Sal said and left, leaving the door ajar.

“Look, I know this is difficult to wrap your head around.” Nico started, “But just let me explain.”

“Don’t you come near me, Nico.” I turned to the man sitting on the bed. “Can you help me? Get me out of here.”

“I’m afraid, I can’t do that, Miss,” the older man said, looking at me sadly. “Necolai is in a much better position to take care of you.”

Take care of me?  

“Thank you, Anthony. I owe you a favor.” Nico said rising to shake the older man’s hand.

“You know what I wanted, Necolai.”

“Let me think about it.” Nico said. “I’ll contact you. Ricci will take you home.”

“No need to see me out. I’ll find my own way. I see you have your hands full.” He chuckled, “Good luck.” He said and left, leaving me alone with the monster.

Nico locked the door behind him.

“What did you do to me, Nico?” I jumped down from the bed, my eyes searching for ways to avoid him. There was no way out.

“Marked you. Come here.” He lunged for me, and I screamed, throwing my arms up to my face for protection. Sparks travelled over my skin where his body touched mine, igniting a fire in my lower belly I’ve never felt anything like it before, it was a burning need to be with him. Stronger than what I’ve experienced whenever he touched me before.

Nico touched his forehead to mine, his eyes drawing me in. “You are mine. No one will take you from me, Darina.” He removed the plaster from my nose. “Look at yourself in the mirror.”

I turned my head to catch my reflection in the large antique mirror hanging on the opposite wall. My nose was perfect and there were no bruises and no swelling.

“But how?” I was stunned. There was something else. It looked like a tattoo on my neck. I moved closer to the mirror to look at it. “What the hell…?”

“Mate mark.” Nico said. “No other male werewolf can claim you.”

“Werewolf…” I shuddered. It was too unreal. “Next you’re going to expect me to believe in vampires and witches and the boogeyman.” I tittered I have lost my mind for sure.

“Well, yeah that’s the other thing. The guy that helped you is a dhampir. Part human, part vampire. His blood healed you.”

I laughed, hysteria threatening to overwhelm me. I couldn’t stop laughing. “So, what now? Am I turning into a werewolf or a vampire?”

“I hope not.” He got hold of me, his hands stroking my arms. I stopped laughing. “I didn’t want this for you, Darina. You could change, I just don’t know how hard it will be for you.”

“You’re fucking serious!” He wasn’t joking. “How is this possible?”

“I was born a werewolf. I have a pack.” He said, pulling me closer to him. I had no power to resist. I ought to resist, ought to fight this feeling. He was a monster for heaven’s sake! But all I wanted was to kiss him. He chuckled, “You feel it, don’t you? The pull?”

“Pull?” I asked, looking at his lips, my hands spread out on his chest, the heat of his skin burning my palms and I felt the wild thumping of his heart matching the tempo of mine.

“The mate pull.” His voice sent shivers down my spine and when his mouth descended on mine, I felt myself melting into him.

“Oh, God…”

He suckled on the mark on my neck, and I exploded, the orgasm hit me hard and unexpected. It was embarrassing. Nico lifted me in his arms and carried me to the bed.

“Am I still your slave? Your toy?” I asked, panting.

He chuckled into my mouth. “You are all that and so much more, baby girl. As much as I am yours.”

I moaned, my hands tangled with his hair, pulling his face closer. He pulled away.

“You’re so hot. You’re burning up.” He frowned, his hand on my forehead. He lay next to me on the bed.

I grabbed hold of his shirt. “I… I want you…” I was on fire, and I needed him to fill me.

“No. Not now. I think you’re starting to change.” He took hold of my arms and pressed me down.

“Nico, I’m scared.” I didn’t want to change. I pulled at the T-shirt covering me, it needed to come off. My body was slick with sweat.

“Don’t be. I’ll be with you all the way.” He pulled me up, hauling me over his shoulder and went to the bathroom. He turned the cold water on in the shower. I screamed when the cold water hit my burning flesh. It hurt. I dug my nails into his biceps.

“I’ve got you. I’ve got you, baby girl. Hold onto me.”

“Nico! There’s something inside me.” I was terrified. It sounded like an animal, growling in my head and I could feel it scratching like it was about to burst through my skin.

“Don’t fight it, Darina. It’s your wolf. I can sense her. Let her take control.” I heard Nico’s voice inside my head.

I sank to my knees, still holding onto his arms, screaming and writhing in pain. I shook my head I didn’t want this.

“Make it stop! Make it stop!” I screamed at the top of my voice. My bones snapped and realigned themselves. Claws appeared at my fingertips. “Oh, shit…” They tore through Nico’s skin as I bore down on him. He grimaced in pain, soundlessly. I pulled away from him, rolling myself into a ball on the wet, cold tile floor.

“Stop fighting it!” he yelled at me. “You’re making it hard. Accept her.”

I sobbed, clawing at my skin. Taking in a deep breath, I closed my eyes, trying to see the she-wolf howling in my head. And there she was, a silver and white animal, blue-grey eyes staring back at me. She was beautiful. She lifted her head and howled, a long, mournful sound.

“It’s okay. I’m ready for you.” I told her.

When I opened my eyes and looked down, I saw fur covered paws on the tile floor and Nico sitting beside me. I had transformed into the silver wolf.

“Beautiful…” Nico whispered; his face spellbound as he reached for me. I growled low, retreating from him.

I watched him transforming into the red wolf, tearing through his clothes, heard his bones snapping and saw his yellow eyes staring at me. My wolf padded towards him, sniffing the air for his scent. She licked his muzzle, yipping in excitement. They were both wet from the cold water, shaking off the droplets, scattering them all over. The red wolf turned towards the bedroom and my wolf followed.

My wolf got down on her belly, crawling towards him. He stood over her, a low purring sound emerging from deep within his throat. The wolf caught her by the scruff of her neck, and she turned over on her belly, submitting to him. He licked her muzzle and nipped her jaw playfully.

“Transform back, Darina.” I heard Nico’s voice in my head. “Push her back.”

I tried and failed. In the blink of an eye a naked Nico stood in the place where the red wolf had been. My wolf got up, hackles raised and growled at him.

“You can do it. Picture yourself in her place.” Nico said. “Do it!” his voice lashed out.

My wolf whimpered at his tone. I pushed her back to the far corners of my mind and fell down at Nico’s feet.

“Good girl!” he pulled me into his arms, kissing me all over my face. “Fuck, that was intense.” He was trembling and so was I.