Unnaturals

by Dean J. Anderson

  A swirl of red disappeared into the night. He pointed at the inky darkness following Renee. `And whatever that is, isn't meant to be fucked with. Shit, it's not even human or a Bloodells and nothing—'

  `All right.' Ralph spat blood. His ribs burned. Blood from a gash in his forehead made it difficult to see. `Where's Jon?'

  `Still battle frozen, but they didn't touch him.'

  Ralph twisted, trying to see Justin high up in a tree. `And what are you doing?'

  `Leave him be.' Ricco pressed down on the shattered leg, drawing a yelp. `At least he's safe. Your leg is bad, boss. We need to go.'

  `No, we have to stay.'

  `Bullshit. She's not even her anymore. We don't belong here.'

  Ralph gritted his teeth against the pain in his leg and ribs. He tasted blood in his mouth. `Set it, now.'

  Ricco shook his head. `You're insane.'

  Strength began to flow into Ricco. His hands warmed beyond pleasant and Ralph took a deep breath. White agony flashed behind his eyes. `Shit!'

  `We still need to leave, boss. You're bleeding into your lungs. You need time to heal.'

  Ralph shook his head. He had to stay. Had to see her again.

  Justin came shimmying down from the gum he'd been tossed into. `Boss, they're gone.' The boy winced as he landed, arm and torso blackened with bruising.

  `Get Jon.' Ralph pulled himself up as Ricco limped over to his brother, a wolf standing motionless near the stone wall.

  `Jon froze the instant we crossed the wall.' Justin leant against a fallen tree rubbing his arm. `He's gunna be pissed off.'

  Ralph nodded, listening for Renee. Ricco morphed to his wolf and bit his brother, hard.

  Jon's morph was instant. `Fuck me! Again?'

  `Shut it, you lot. Listen.' Ralph strained his senses. He didn't need to be Wolf to hear like one. Nothing.

  Her scent had disappeared as well. And he couldn't feel her. He had always been able to feel her, no matter where she was. He was her Wolf. Always had been.

  `Where'd they go?'

  Ralph felt his rib pop back into place. `Can't be far.' A soft flutter came in his chest as a damaged lung reformed and his breathing improved.

  `Oi, boss. Two more,' Ricco said quietly, nodding towards two small lights moving through the trees.

  He snuffed the scents travelling on the breeze. `Nikki. The other one was with them when they came back today. A woman.'

  `We staying or going?' Ricco shuffled.

  `This isn't over yet. Something's going on and we need to find out what.'

  Ricco turned, then tensed, eyes skywards. Ralph spun around, hearing it too. A sound he'd heard only once before. `Suit up, they're back.'

  His Wolf came. Beside him the pack stood back to back, tails touching, eyes skywards.

  He could feel their unease growing with his own. The growing sense of what it was to be prey itched at his back. He did not stop watching the sky.

  She was up there. With him.

  Renee let Huntress fade from her.

  Mason's muscled back worked under her breasts. She felt every movement. Wanting him. `That was so erotic.'

  `Yes.' Mason's reply came without hesitation. His body felt warm under her.

  `The pain and blood? It felt good?'

  He nodded. Her arms tight around his chest, she rested her head against his scaled back.

  `Your heart sounds so loud.' She smiled as it boomed in her ear.

  `Like yours.'

  `I want you so much.' Renee sighed, Mason's heartbeat loud in her ears. `I know you want me. Your scent changes when you're aroused. By me.'

  `It's hard to focus with you pressed so hot against my back.'

  `Land, and I will press my heat where it should be pressed.' His reply was silence. He was resisting, still. `There can be no secrets. Even the silence speaks.'

  `If we… It will not just be sex.'

  Renee bit his neck. `None of this is just sex. I want more. You want more. I can feel it in you. I want to give myself to you and have our children. This I want.'

  His silence deepened. She did not care.

  `What am I?'

  `Mason. Hunter. The power of two gods — Gaia and Darla — lives inside you. But you are who you always were, like me. We control our gifts, not the other way round.'

  `What if we lose control?'

  `Chaos. To live as our other selves would mean instincts and desires would rule. Blood, death and sex is what we would seek. No race would be safe if we faded away and let our gifts run free.'

  `So we're monsters?'

  `Only if we let that happen.' Muscles flexed under her and she shifted with his body.

  `The wolves — are they a problem?'

  `No.' Renee felt her face burn, remembering the sound Ralph made when she'd hit him.

  `He loves you. It screamed from every part of his body. He is yours?'

  `Yes. And no.' They passed through a cloud. Droplets of moisture sizzled on her skin. `He could always find me, anywhere. He wants me but the curse would kill him, and I don't want him that way.'

  `Yet you care for him still?'

  `Yes. He is my friend, and I have hurt him.' She glanced down as Mason circled. Colours filled her vision. `Nikki comes with Ruth to the lake.'

  `I see them. The wolves are fearful.'

  `Yes. Go to them.'

  `I don't know if I can show myself to Ruth — like this.'

  `You underestimate her. It is me she struggles with, not you.'

  `Perhaps.'

  She clung to Mason as they twisted and fell towards the lake.

  Ruth and Nikki stopped at the edge of the clearing.

  `What are they doing?' Ruth whispered, not taking her eyes off the four huge wolves standing back to back, heads tipped back, eyes gazing at the sky.

  `Looking for something?'

  `Up there?' Ruth felt Nikki move closer. `What would be up there?'

  Nikki leant against her. Renee dropped to the ground, feet sinking into the soft soil. Darkness hung above her. Renee moved.

  `Goddess,' Nikki whispered as Renee stood up, naked. `She looks so—'

  `Dangerous.' Ruth swallowed the rest of her words. Renee was perfect. In every way. Ruth could see it blazing in her aura.

  `Jesus, Renee! What the hell is going on?'

  The larger wolf had transformed to a tall, dark-haired man. The other wolves stood watching.

  `Shut it, Ralph!' Renee turned on him. `What the hell did you think you were doing, coming here as a pack?'

  `What did you think would happen? All hell broke loose here today. The house is full of Darkells and then, he attacks you.'

  `He didn't attack me, you idiot.' She stepped closer and Ruth felt the change coming.

  `Look at me.' Renee's skin darkened in the moonlight. Her hair knitted itself into a hard mane across her back. Muscles rose hard, flexing under it. `You saw what we were. Don't make this about protection under the treaty. You were here because you can't help yourself.'

  `That's right. I can't. Not when it comes to you.' His voice cracked, went hoarse, and he reached out to her. His heartache ate at Ruth. Renee stepped back, avoiding his touch.

  `He loves her so much,' Ruth whispered, absorbed by his anguish. Waves of it buffeted her, the emotions around her so powerful she could feel them like her own. `But it doesn't matter. She can't love him back.'

  Ralph turned on Ruth. `And who the hell are you?'

  Nikki moved in front of her. `She's with me.'

  `Leave Ruth be, Ralph,' Renee growled. `This is between me and you, no one else.'

  `You're the one who's made this into a spectacle.' His eyes went to Renee but flicked back to Ruth. `I'm not the one who involved outsiders.'

  `Don't look at her like that.' Renee pushed him with her hands. `Ruth is here because that's the way it's meant to be. A lot has happened you don't understand and that is why you should leave now.'

  `Pig's arse!' Ralph shoved her back.

  Ruth symp
athised. Oh, Renee, she thought, can't you see how he's hurting? Don't push him away.

  `Just stop it!' Renee screamed at him. `I couldn't do anything, Ralph. You wanted me but it would have killed you if I'd given in. Losing you, I couldn't bear it. Don't you think I feel anything? You need to leave, please.'

  Anger faded from Ralph's eyes, but the pain lingered. He made no move to leave. `Who is he? Why him?'

  `Not now.' Renee turned away.

  `Don't shut me out.' He grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him.

  `Let me go. Leave.' Renee pulled free, snarling.

  Ruth let Nikki go. `Stop.' She had to stop the fighting; it felt wrong for lots of reasons. `Stop it.' Energy hummed through her body. They have to stop. They will stop.

  Ralph blushed, looked at his feet. `Uh, sorry about that.'

  `I don't know what to say.' Renee looked around, wide-eyed, and Ruth went to her.

  `Fighting between friends is the ugliest kind. You care for each other, accept that.'

  Renee shifted beside her. `I can't care for him, not how he wants me to.' She touched his cheek. `I didn't mean to hurt you.'

  `Bones and flesh will mend,' Ralph said, eyeing Ruth. `But it hurts here.' He thumped his broad chest. `To see you with him when I have been so close all this time.'

  `He, Mason, is my husband,' Ruth said with her heart skipping a beat. `He is my husband, and yet he is immune to Renee's curse. What should I do?'

  Ralph's face changed and his pupils contracted as he looked from her to Nikki. She could see him piece everything together. Smart boy.

  He stepped back, frowning. `This is so fucked up.'

  Renee looked at her, wearing a little frown of her own, then her face smoothed. `Thank you, Ruth. Gaia blessed you well.'

  Ralph shook his head. `Gaia?'

  Ruth took her time to really see him, a boy who lived his life in the surf. Now everybody was calmer, she had time to appreciate how strong Renee had been to resist him.

  `Ruth has Gaia's blessing,' Nikki finally said. `That's why she was able to reason with you both.'

  `To stop this becoming something ugly,' Ruth said with a soft smile. `Hi, I'm Ruth.' She held her hand out and waited.

  He took her hand so gently that she squeezed, hard.

  `I look fragile,' she grinned as he winced, `but I can play rough if you want me to.'

  Nikki bumped her. `Keep that for later.'

  Warmth crept into her skin.

  Ralph's face said a lot. He looked at Renee, who shrugged.

  Ruth tried to not smile too much. `Nikki and I are exploring our relationship. We don't hide it.'

  `I can't believe you just said that,' Nikki whispered. `No one has ever said it out loud like that.'

  `Wow.' Ralph moved closer to Renee. `That was quick. I thought Nik didn't date.'

  `Yeah, well, things happen.' Renee crossed her arms. `And nice to see you can keep your mouth shut.'

  `You two talk about me?' Nikki sounded edgy.

  `Well, she's your sister, so of course.' Ralph crossed his arms, so he and Renee almost looked like bookends. `What do you think we've been doing when we're together? It's not like we get all hot and passionate and it's not like she has anyone else to talk to about her family problems.'

  He turned to Renee. `And suddenly no one's telling me anything. Like how come you're running around the estate all dangerous and naked with a married man, Renee. A married man! And an old dude.'

  `Don't say it like that,' Renee said, pushing him on the shoulder in a sisterly manner. `I kissed him, not the other way around.'

  `You were drunk.' He threw his hands up in the air. `So, you go to this island, get drunk, kiss some old guy, bring a private army back with you. No wonder Eleanor called me here. Someone has to think with their brains and not with their…' His eyes flickered over Renee's body and he blushed. `I don't know how to finish that but you know what I mean.'

  `Pussy, Ralph.' Ruth put in. `Men have dicks. Yours is nice by the way. And women have pussy.'

  When he blushed he looked quite adorable. `To continue your education, women have sex drives, often last longer than men and some, like me, aren't afraid to talk about it.'

  It was hard not to laugh at his horror. The wolves behind him snorted and snuffled while Ralph's face turned a brighter red.

  `Oh, my god, you didn't just say that?' Renee moaned as Ralph tried to regain his composure. She covered herself with her hands, which pulled Ralph's attention back to her groin. `And don't look at me like that, you idiot.'

  `You're terrible,' Nikki said, squeezing Ruth. `I've never seen them blush so much.'

  `Okay,' Ralph said, waving his arms and trying not to look at Nikki. `Where is he? I mean he wasn't shy before when he was belting the crap out of you. And us.'

  `Here. Always here.' Mason's voice echoed around them.

  Ralph froze, blood draining from his face while his wolves edged closer. Renee did the opposite. Her scent changed and warmth radiated from her.

  `We weren't fighting, Ralph.' Renee flushed pink and Ruth wondered how she was going to explain foreplay to Ralph. `It's what Huntress and Hunter do before they mate.'

  `Foreplay?' he squawked. The wolves snuffled. `Wait. You're Huntress. And he's—'

  `Hunter.' He whispered from the darkness and Ruth felt the touch of a cold energy. Mason's gift had changed.

  `Mason?' Ruth reached for him but only a strange cold greeted her mind. `What's happened?'

  `He's different as Hunter. He didn't want to show you yet.' Renee faced her. `But Ruth, I told him, "No secrets between us.

  Together we're stronger so we need to be open about what…who we really are". That's what I felt you would want and it is what I want. And I said so.'

  Ruth remembered to breathe. Renee was right. Everything she'd said was right and Ruth couldn't help feeling she was going to like Mason's Huntress much more as time went by. Ruth nodded. `You were right.'

  Renee's smile was so big Ruth almost missed the change in the darkness around the clearing.

  `Darla's gift is very different from Gaia's.'

  A movement in the darkness drew Renee's eyes. The others moved to see what she was looking at.

  `As Hunter I am — not human.' Mason stepped out of the darkness, tendrils of which trailed off him.

  Ruth gasped. He was so changed. So much bigger. But she could still see him. She could still see Mason. `I… see you.' She swallowed as he moved closer in perfect silence.

  `It's still me. I'm just stronger.' Mason stopped and Renee reached out to run her hands across his chest.

  `He still smells the same,' she muttered, slipping behind him until Ruth could see only her hands reaching around to press against his chest.

  `I want to hold you,' he said. Arms raised, he waited for her.

  Ruth felt a familiar thread of fear, and swallowed: he was afraid. `How does it feel, to be like this?' She stepped closer, spotting Renee's hooded eyes watching from over his shoulder.

  `Nothing like being Butcher. I am in control.'

  Ruth took his hands, the scales soft under her touch. `They're so warm. And soft.' He touched her face.

  `Yes. Soft for the people I love.' His voice changed, becoming softer as she leaned in against him.

  `Nice.' She smiled as his arms covered her. His heart boomed. The thread of fear was still there. `There's more, isn't there?'

  `Oh yes,' Renee whispered. `Show her, gently.'

  `Show me what?' Wrapped as she was in his arms, Ruth couldn't see anything. Something touched her on the shoulder. Renee? Then she heard Nikki gasp. The wolves growled.

  `Turn around. Touch them,' Renee said hoarsely. `They're amazing.'

  She turned slowly within the comfortable warmth of his arms. Then Mason let her go.

  Ruth stared at the odd shapes held just in front of her face and realised they must be his fingers. Beyond them she recognised long arms and elbows. Silken black membranes reflected moonlight.

  `H
oly shit! Wings?'

  `Yes,' Renee whispered, touching Ruth's shoulder. `We can fly and there is more.'

  `Don't move,' Mason said. The fingers seemed to slide back.

  Ruth flinched as long black claws slid out. More appeared down his forearms to the elbows.

  `Fucking awesome, eh?' Renee's hand tightened on her shoulder. `They look just like mine.'

  `Nice.' Ruth said, feeling Renee's excitement ooze from her.

  `Here, feel this.' Renee took Ruth's hand and pulled it down into Mason's shorts. `Is it still the same? Is it okay still?'

  Ruth grinned, enjoying Renee's excitement as much as she enjoyed feeling Mason's sex harden under her touch. Ruth squeezed his shaft, and Renee's hand joined her, pressing down. The realisation of what was happening caught her. She was sharing Mason.

  `Jesus Christ, you two!' Mason's shaft pulsed in her hand.

  `Okay, that's it!' Ralph yelled, bringing her back to reality.

  She let Mason go.

  `This is seriously fucked up!' Ralph roared. `It's disgusting. I can't, I won't.' He spun around to the wolves. `We're outta here.'

  `Where can we find you tomorrow?' Mason rumbled.

  Ralph stopped. `What?'

  `We need to talk. Not now. Tomorrow.'

  `Ask Renee.' He didn't look back, just shook himself and melted into his Wolf before leaping into the night.

  `Nikki,' Mason rumbled and a wave of shame hit Ruth. `I won't harm you.'

  `Nikki.' Ruth held out her hand. `I'm sorry. I—'

  `It's okay. He's your husband. I understand.'

  `He is. But you're important to me as well. I want you.' Ruth trembled. `We want you.'

  `Yes, girl,' Mason said. `I don't understand what it is between us but I know Ruth wants you. We have a lot to discover about what is happening. And about each other.' Renee clung to his back, legs around his waist, hands gripping his chest away from the wings flexed high into the night sky. `But first we have to try something.'

  He held Ruth in one arm and moved towards Nikki.

  `No, no definitely not!' She tried to run but he scooped her up.

  Ruth managed to grab her hand and the ground fell away under them.

  `Wrap your legs around his,' Renee yelled, as the air rushed past her, pushing her words away.