Layers Ch. 07

"Aren't we supposed to get married before you carry me up the stairs and into your home?" Her voice is quiet but happy and I relax a lot more. If she can joke then she's better. "Can I get some water, please? I'm really thirsty. And a toothbrush. God. I would murder someone for a toothbrush right now."

I set her down gently on the bed before grabbing water from the tap. I have to refill the cup twice. When she's finishing the third cup, I hear a key in the door followed by the door opening. Stephen's voice calls out "Hello, I'm-" The door crashes closed and Stephen is in the bedroom in less than five seconds. He's gone to his home at some point earlier in the day and dressed himself in a black Polo shirt and brown slacks with a brown simple belt. He looks dangerous. He's breathing hard and I can smell his anger. His eyes are flashing golden and his canine teeth are far sharper than they should be. He stands at the door opening and closing his large hands. Hands that held me down. Hands that held my hips as he mounted his mate.

"What happened?" His voice is flat and gravely; nearly a growl. "Something happened. Tell me. I smell the blood and the other smells. Wolves. I smell wolves and pain."

As I watch, he grows a five o'clock shadow and his eyes turn solid gold.

I remember the last time I saw Stephen. Him awkward and hesitant, very much not his normal confident self. Standing near the door. Wanting something. Needing something. I was mad. For a stupid reason. Not stupid at the time - a man calling me sweetheart was not what I wanted to hear right then.

Now? It's been a morning and that's a fact. I feel a tug again. This man - I've thought of him a lot this morning. I can see and smell his concern. His anger. I know he'd do whatever he needed to do to protect us. Just as I would. Just as I did. As I tried to do. Their lives before mine. I don't know whether it's the wolf and her pack instinct or my own love for the two but I would die if it meant saving them.

Again. Again I feel the sudden urge to run. To take them both and leave. I feel my heart in my throat and I have an intense feeling of... wrongness. Not with them but with the world. I have a mini dream of packing the car and driving until we reach the ocean. They would go if I asked. I know they would. They would drop everything and just... go. For me. The feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach is a near physical sensation but I push it away.

I have taken this man and woman and remade them. They are mine. They look to me and I will provide for them. God help me, I love them both.

And, in my own head, never to be said aloud, I will admit a truth. For a brief moment earlier in the day, during the crying fit that I had, I felt a warmness at the idea of being a mother. At being a mother to Stephen's child. In all the thoughts whirling and swirling around as I cried and panicked, I saw myself with a big belly and even heavier breasts. I lived a short life in my head where I was cranky and demanded weird foods. I saw the birth of my child and a small baby reaching for me. Calling me 'mama.' I couldn't not see it after thinking about being pregnant. I lived this life in brief seconds and it made me feel happy for a fleeting moment. Stephen's child. And Elaine, Stephen and I would raise him or her and perhaps Elaine would be pregnant as well. And would that be so terrible? No, I'm not ready for that right now but I saw, in my mind's eye, the way Stephen would grin and hold our baby up high.

And now he stands before me, furious and waiting.

I go to him. I know what he waited for this morning. What he awkwardly wanted before he left. I kiss him. Without hesitating. Without wondering whether I'm a man or a woman. This is my mate. This is my man. He is worried and stressed and I will calm him. Because I love him. Because I want him to relax. Because I don't want him to worry. Mostly, because I love him. He is surprised - very surprised. But, his arms wrap around me and I can feel his anger fade as our tongues meet. I feel a sense of completion. We're all here. I pull back and feel Stephen's arms tighten briefly before he lets me go. I press my forehead against his (we're nearly the same height) and then rub my cheek on his cheek. His beard is scratchy but feels good against my smooth, soft skin.

I whisper to him as we rub cheeks. "Welcome home, love." The word feels alien on my tongue. I've never in my life called someone 'love.' I've used 'sweetheart' and such but, to me, 'love' is a term a woman uses. Of course, well, I'm a woman. And I'm probably generalizing and being sexist or something. "Lie down with us and we'll tell you what happened. We're okay. Just lie with us." I strip naked and, after a moment, Stephen also strips.

I want him but, more than that, Elaine needs us. And, honestly? I need both of them and their touch right now. I lead him to the bed and pull him down to the side of Elaine. I lie on the other side of her and we hug her close, our hands touching and twining together as I tell him what happened. His hand grips mine painfully towards the end but he stays calm. Mostly calm.

"What do we do," he asks. "Will it happen again? What should we do?" We're whispering, stroking Elaine's body and each other.

"I don't know. It's a big city and I guess I shouldn't be surprised that there's more of us. More like us. I mean, if we exist then it follows that we can't be the only ones. But-" I stop. There's a scratching at the window near the bed. A squirrel is standing at the window, slowly scratching up and down against the glass. A small white tube is tied around its waist. I sit up on my elbows, breasts falling across my chest. "What the fuck is that squirrel doing? Is everyone else seeing this?"

Stephen nods and Elaine's eyes sparkle. "Oh my gosh! Can we keep it? Can we let it in?!"

The squirrel continues to slowly scratch up and down over and over. What the hell, right? It's a squirrel. We can handle a squirrel, right? Unless it gets loose and the wolves decide they want to chase and play. That can't happen, right? The window sticks sometimes but I'm pretty damn strong these days so I pop it open. The squirrel's paw drops and it just stands there, staring straight at me. The tube around its waist looks like a small piece of paper so I grab it. As soon as I take it off of the little thing, the squirrel blinks rapidly, screeches and runs away. I hear Elaine's "awwwww!" behind me but I'm reading the note and not paying attention.

"Just when I thought things couldn't get any stranger," I tell both of them. I clear my throat with an overly dramatic 'ahem.' "Dear Sir or Madame. Heh." I look at both of them. "The 'heh' is actually written down on the paper." They frown so I continue reading. "Your presence is requested in one hour at St. John's Park. Please find me on a bench facing the duck pond. I like the ducks. Bring your two friends. Questions will be answered if you wish to ask." I look at Stephen and Elaine. They're both sitting up, staring. Waiting for me.

I've wondered about that. Why? Why do they look to me. Stephen is older and wiser and smarter. Elaine... okay, Elaine is just fucking adorable but she's also got a good bit of common sense. But more that I want to snuggle the fuck out of her. If I were smart, I'd just give over to Stephen and let him handle everything. I just... I don't think I can. I don't think I want to do that. I'm not sure the wolf would let me. I feel it in the back of my brain. Sitting. Watching. I know that since this all started, I've been way more aggressive than I used to be. Like with the cashier, I feel like pushing and challenging people. I like being in charge. I just don't understand it. Not yet. Besides, I can always get Stephen's opinion if I need it.

So, fine, it's up to me. A hypnotized squirrel just tracked me down and handed me a note. What else can I do?

I look at the note and then back to them. "I guess we're going out."