Burning Moon 1

Fights do funny things to us depending on how bad they get, normally I can be a pretty abrasive person, my Scot-Irish fire as I like to call it. Though most people, my boyfriend included at the moment would call me a bitch. Perhaps he was right, but at this very second I didn’t care, and I wouldn’t care until pushed.

Of course this is one of those times I was pushed just that touch to move right over the edge, enough that I let out a slur of hurtful things and taking the fight just a little too far. I believe my rant to Alex ended somewhere in the vein of “You’re smothering me with his incessant neediness and that I needed some time to myself to think.” before kicking him out of my house. Perhaps not the best thing to be doing after a fight like that, but I was never one for the smartest of moves; they always seemed to take themselves to the extremes no matter what I did in my life. So of course gathering up my gal pals, dressing in my hottest duds and having a night of drunken female debauchery seemed like a damn fine idea. It wasn’t long before the four of us where headed out in the cool fall, almost winter air, clucking like hens about the evils of men and making our way towards the largest grouping of bars on Clark St that we could find.

By the third bar and what had to be my fourth…or was if fifth drink, it seemed even better as I caught the eye of someone across the bar. Not that I remember much about him, accept for his eyes. A dark hazel almost amber color that seemed to catch the lights in the bar in the way that sent shivers down anyone’s spine that dared to meet them. In my already defiant state, I dared harder then a contestant on a long almost forgotten children’s game show. With the help of a little peer pressure from my friends, though I will admit the alcohol running thru my system should be given its dues as well, I found myself leaving my group to slink over to this mystery man.

Conversation was simple though almost slow and tortuous to my brains and bodies current state. Though it didn’t last long before he was leading me out by the small of my back, my gaze looking back to twiddle my fingers to my friends who where cheering me on. Perhaps they thought I would just let out a little steam with this gentleman and keep the sanctity of my relationship with Alex nice and intact. But with my little house all to myself for the next few nights my brain and anger had other ideas.

I found myself in Hazel eyes’ car for the quick drive along the almost quiet nighttime streets of the city back into the almost suburbs where my home was. My hands teasing him hoping beyond hope he would just gun it, cops be damned, I wanted my fun. But it wasn’t long until the night devolved into drunken fumbling and moans, not caring how bad I was. I just wanted to let go, how anyone could find any fault in that. It was the last thing I remember though, his hazel eyes looking down at me with a wolfish grin upon his face.

The next morning I woke up hung over and surprise surprise, alone. Hazel eyes must have booked it close to when ever the two of us had finished, not even the side of the bed he had been on was warm any longer. With the headache that was now slowly making itself known was also my guilt. It had a nice way of doing that after I had done something so stupid that even I couldn’t find some sort of excuse for it. I knew what I had to do...and I just hoped that Alex could forgive me.

Another fight broke out, but this one ended this time with me in tears. It was the first time I had ever done something so totally rash that I hoped so much that he wouldn’t see it as some kind of deal breaker. Alex kept me stable in my other wise wistful and erratic life, I couldn’t lose the one thing that held me down. He was the one with the stable nine to five job, where as I never knew how many jobs I would get in a month or how much money I had in my bank account at any given time. I didn’t even have any thing that resembled a savings account. Mine was the life of an artist with slightly expensive tastes. But this time right until the end it seemed like it would be over, but when I fell asleep crying into his arms for forgiveness I thought I would wake up the same as I had when Hazel eyes found his way into almost the same position.

This time, thankfully, I woke up to a warm body rather then a cold mess of blanket.



My eyes squeezed shut before I opened them for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. It was only two in the morning but I felt like I had been trying to sleep for hours. Nuzzling my head into my pillow I thought it would help, but it only helped me feel that I was still sweating, my body felt like it was on slow burn or I was standing to close to a fireplace. The fever had started just a few days ago and the fever had not broken yet. I thought maybe I had something hospital worthy but my doctor said it just seemed like a normal cold. Only normal means could fix this sickness is what I was told after sitting in a waiting room for nearly an hour. Really I thought they made pills for everything now. Or they should.

Stretching before I started to slip out from under the covers, I felt an arm slip around my waist. Groaning in protest, I wiggled against it until I felt a little pressure pull me back.

“You’re burning up Nessa feel it from here.” A voice said as it pulled me around to look at it. Alex’s sleepy face looked up at me from the pillow he was trying to keep his head buried in. His dark brunette hair that he had attempted to keep managed in his sleep had slipped from the band he pulled it back. He looked silly trying to give me a disapproving look, while looking so disheveled. It made me smile even in my own tired state.

“I am also thirsty.” I replied, pushing some of his hair away from his face.

“Then let me get it for you.”

It was my turn to wrap myself around him and give him a little frown. Bypassing his lips in fear of giving him what I had, my lips found his cheek.

“You have to get up and ready for work in the morning, you need your sleep. I’m home because of this cold and will be able to sleep all day. I’ll let you know when I am back in bed, alright.” I gave him a little smile, putting on my best ‘I’m not as sick as I look’ face. Giving a tired nod he returned the kiss, nuzzling his jaw light with stubble against mine.

Another chaste kiss and I was slowly slipping out of bed. Moving across the room the air from the fan felt colder then normal on my damp skin so I grabbed my robe from the back of the door. It was made from a thick fuzzy fabric so I neglected to tie it; I knew I would warm up quickly with it on. The moon, days away from being full but still it was still bright enough to light my way as I left the bedroom. I was silent on the carpeted floor and stairs until I got to the first floor, the hallway to the kitchen and into the living room was hardwood and creaked when my weight disturbed its own slumber. It made me jump a little in my sleep deprived state. I took a moment to look at myself in the hall mirror. My auburn hair was tangled from tossing and turning, the cold taking any color out of my already pale peach skin from what I could see in the shadows. Even my eyes, normal a healthy blue green looked dull. If just my head looked this way I didn’t want to think about how I looked from the neck down, but I looked. My body had a good amount of curve to it, my mother liked to describe it as ample which I apparently got from my fathers side of the family. Sure enough I looked like I had been shrink-wrapped in my cotton nightgown; sweat had made it stick to all the bits that just made me look frumpy. With a grumble I turned away from the mirror and set myself back on the mission of sating my thirst.

The feel of the cool kitchen tile, made me curse myself for not grabbing slippers as well. Shivering just a little I moved past the light switch, not bothering to turn it on. The light from the moon pouring in thru the large slide door windows leading to my patio, the reason I was renting the house in the first place. Sure it was almost out of my price range, but it was always my dream to have a large patio. Just seeing it full of the flowers that sat in there boxes made me smile. They where the perfect splash of color against the line of trees that started feet behind them going into the small wooded area behind the house. It made every wedding photo job that I had to take rather then working on my own photography just to keep the roof over my head that much sweeter.

Moving to the cabinet to get a glass and then the fridge I grabbed the pitcher of water I kept in there. Only in the middle of the night did I like my water colder then what I could get from the tap. After filling the glass I moved to put it back and take a sip at the same time, relishing the feel of the cool water flowing thru me. With a soft sigh I leaned back into the counter, my eyes wandering over the fridge door.

It was cluttered with magnets that I had bought over the years and holding up pictures of friends and family. One of the newest ones was of Alex and I from a couple days ago before my cold hit. It had been only a couple of weeks after I messed up but we where working past it. Because I knew we both believed in the relationship. Yes I messed up in going off on him, however he admitted to his wrongs as well because he knew pushing me like that would set me off. I still felt guilty though, it was one night sure, but when I look at him I still get that twinge from what I had done. But it was something I, no…we, would get past as a couple.

Sighing to myself I took another sip, turning towards my patio. I wanted to look at the stars and just relax. I needed to relax if I wanted to get any sleep. But when I pulled away from my glass and looked outside relaxation was suddenly the last thing from my mind. Standing on my patio was a wolf, his body low to the ground and growling. Amber colored eyes almost glowing in the moonlight. As my glass slipped from my hand to crash upon the floor, a gasp escaped my lips and I did the only rational thing someone did in these kinds of situations.

I screamed. It was almost blood curdling but it was cut off as I felt my fever almost flair inside me burning from the inside out, before I passed out.