by Ava Walsh
“Thanks for helping me get ready, Taesha. I’ll catch you later.” Melissa's stomach felt like it was dragging on the floor. If Taesha hadn’t spent two hours doing her makeup, she probably would have broken into tears. Just as her hand met the doorknob, there was a knock at the door. Melissa’s hand flew to her chest. She cursed under her breath as she yanked open the door.
Melissa’s butterflies were picking her stomach up off the floor. She hated the effect he had on her. She hated it, but she loved it.
“You’re late.” She gave Taesha a wave and walked past him, closing the door behind them.
“I’m surprised you waited.” He placed his hand on the small of her back as they walked toward his car.
“You look gorgeous by the way. I like that color on you. It brings out the green in your eyes.”
“I’m surprised a guy like you paid attention to anything above my chest,” a smile tickled at the corners of her mouth. Clayton let out a soft snicker as he opened the passenger door. Melissa climbed into the car without offering him so much as a glance.
Truth be told, she was worried about the dress. She had ordered it online and wasn’t sure about what size she was going to need, so she ordered a size 16. This was the first time she had tried it on and she was a little uncomfortable with how tight it was. She quickly pulled out her pocket mirror from her purse and checked her makeup. She didn’t bother rushing to put it away when Clayton slid into the car next to her. She was very much aware that he was staring at her as she reapplied her lip gloss. She put her mirror and lip gloss back in her purse. She flicked her hair over her shoulder before clicking on her seatbelt. She felt an overwhelming triumph when she heard his breath hitch.
Clayton let his eyes linger on her a little longer before putting the car into first gear and pulling away from the house. Melissa watched the lights float by as they drove toward the center of the city. The car rode like a dream. It was like floating on a cloud. As she let her mind wander outside the car, she was drawn back in by a familiar song playing over the speakers.
“Is that Metallica?” She jerked her head toward him once she realized what she was listening to. The relaxed smile on his face made her heart melt. He was so handsome it was unfair.
“You a fan?” The smile on his face grew brighter, sending her pulse into overdrive.
“I think that would be putting it mildly. I would sell my soul to the devil for tickets to a Metallica concert.” She couldn’t help but smile as he laughed at her enthusiasm.
“Well, I’ll have to remember that.” He gave her an impish grin as he cranked the volume and they proceeded to have a sing off to EnterSandman. Once the song was over and their laughing fit had turned into an abundance of sighs, Melissa realized that they weren’t heading toward The Golf.
“Where are we going?” To her surprise, she wasn’t panicking. She just found that she was curious.
“It’s a surprise.” His lightheartedness was contagious and she couldn’t help but feel excited for what was to come. She couldn’t help but smile as she looked out the window and watched as the city lights started to fade.
A little while later Clayton pulled the car over to the side of the road and cut the engine. He looked over at Melissa and laughed a hearty laugh at the confusion on her face. He got out of the car and walked over to her side of the vehicle and opened the door, offering her his hand. He helped her out of the car and continued to keep her hand in his as they walked toward the edge of the forest.
“You’re not bringing me out here to murder me are you?” She raised an eyebrow and then focused her attention back on the ground. If she would have known they’d be trekking through the forest she wouldn’t have worn her Prada shoes.
“No, I’m not. Sometimes I just get sick of the city. There is too much going on all the time. I come out here to relax and find my center.” He looked down at her and immediately stopped. He dropped her hand and quickly removed his jacket.
“You’re shivering,” Clayton remarked as she draped the jacket over her shoulders and she threw him her cutest smile.
“Well, I wasn’t expecting to be outside.” She pulled the jacket tightly around herself, taking in the smell. The jacket smelled like the forest but richer, more potent somehow. He slipped his arm around her waist and chuckled apologetically. She could tell he was more at home out here in the woods. He seemed so much more calm and relaxed.
“Okay, we are here.” Melissa took a few steps ahead of him and looked around. He had led them into a large clearing. It was quiet and peaceful. Something she wasn’t used to coming from the city.
“I love coming out here to see the stars. You can’t see them from the city, there are too many lights,” Clayton stared up into the sky. Melissa moved closer to him and stared up into the sky. It really was beautiful.
“This is amazing. I’ve never actually paid any attention to the stars. Then again, like you said, you can’t see them from the city and I’ve never been outside the city.” She could feel Clayton’s eyes burrowing into the side of her face. She looked up at him to discover a sad look in his eyes.
“You’ve never been away from the city?” He almost looked concerned.
“How is that even possible?” He turned his body toward her. She never realized how tall and broad shouldered he was. He really was magnificent. With this realization came the sinking feeling that he couldn’t possibly want her. He had to be after something, there was no way a Greek God like him could possibly fall for her. She lowered her head and closed her eyes. She realized that she was moping and tried to put her mask of confidence back on but it was too late.
“Is something wrong?” Clayton cupped her chin in his large hand and lifted her chin.
“Did I do something?” He stared deep into her eyes like he was searching for the answer.
“No, you didn’t do anything wrong. Everything is perfect. This place is beautiful. I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect date,” she smiled at him and his jaw dropped slightly. He snapped it shut abruptly and before she knew what was happening he closed the gap between them and in a fraction of a second his lips were on hers. He wrapped his arms low around her back, lifting her to him to deepen the kiss.
She could feel something ignite deep in her stomach as his tongue traced her bottom lip, begging to let him in. She parted her lips, meeting his tongue with hers. The moment their tongues touched he let out a low animalistic growl and backed away. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, feeling empty and cold without his arms around her. His eyes were pinched shut as if he was in pain.
“Are you alright?” Melissa took a step toward him but he held out his hand and took a step back.
“I’m fine,” he mumbled and opened his eyes, biting his bottom lip.
“We should get going. It’s starting to get pretty chilly out here.” He took her hand and started leading her back toward the car.
Melissa couldn’t stop staring at him as they walked back through the forest. She wasn’t paying attention to where she was walking because she was busy studying the expression on his face, but after stumbling over a few too many tree roots she gave up. She was pretty sure that no matter how long she examined the side of his face she would never be able to figure out what just happened.
“Are you sure everything is okay?” Melissa kept her eyes on the ground but she could feel his frustration bouncing from his body to hers like an electric current. His hand was radiating so much heat it was causing her hand to sweat.
“I said everything is fine. Just drop it already.” He lengthened his stride and Melissa struggled to keep up and kept tripping over her feet. Finally, she had had enough.
“Okay, I don’t know what the hell happened back there but I think I deserve to be treated a little bit better than this.” She stopped in the middle of the trail and crossed her arms insolently across her chest. Clayton swung around, his eyes now ablaze with anger.
“Either you keep walking or I’m leaving without you and you c
an find your own way back to town.” He stared at her, his hands clenched tightly at his sides. Melissa stood there in shock, her hands dropping to her sides.
There is no way he would leave me out here in the woods alone. She decided to call his bluff.
“Well, if you’re so repulsed by me then go ahead. Take off. See if I care.” She pressed her lips together in a thin lined and stared at him, daring him to leave her behind.
“Fine,” Clayton hissed through his clenched jaw and turned to leave. Melissa was convinced that he was still bluffing. That was until she heard the engine of his car fire up and his tires squeal as he raced off on the highway.
Melissa stood there on the trail, still wrapped in his jacket. She looked around her. There was nothing but trees, even all the creatures were silent. She gulped down her fear and reached for her phone, dialing Taesha’s number. As the phone rang she could feel tears prickling the back of her eyes. She had vowed that she would never again cry for a man but this man took the cake. Melissa found herself sobbing before Taesha had even answered her phone. She was alone, in the woods and Clayton was the one that had left her there. She could almost feel her heart tear in two.
Chapter Six
Clayton gripped the steering wheel of his Aston Martin so hard that his fingers were starting to go numb. He couldn’t understand what was happening. It was too early for him to start transitioning. He ran through the entire night in his head, searching for the warning signs that he may have missed. There was nothing. No reason for the change to have started so soon.
But there was that kiss. He shook his head. No, it couldn’t have been the kiss. I’ve been with girls right up to the day of transition and this has never happened.
His heart ached in his chest. He wanted so badly to go back and get Melissa. To wrap his arms around her and tell her he was sorry and that he was willing to spend the rest of his life trying to make it up to her. But it was too late.
There is no way she will take me back now. The day in the restaurant was bad enough but this was top-notch asshole. He slammed his hand hard against the dash. He needed to get home. Now.
His whole body had started to ache and burn. His gums were on fire and his breaths were borderline hyperventilating. He had to make it home. Even through all the pain of his transition, all he could think about was Melissa standing alone in the woods. He had tried to get her back to the car but, even if he had, it wouldn’t have been safe for her.
She is safer where I left her. Away from me. He racked his brain trying to figure out why her kiss had triggered the change, but he couldn’t understand it. He let out a blood-curdling scream as his ribs snapped under the pressure to expand with his growing organs. Then it hit him.
I’m in love with her. That’s why she triggered the curse. At this realization his transformation went into overdrive, forcing him to pull his car to the side of the road.
Clayton ran at full speed toward the bush line in the distance. It was only two hundred yards away, but he wasn’t sure if he could make it. He hadn’t taken the proper steps to prepare for his transformation. For all he knew the pain of the transformation could drive him mad. Like it did his father. He forced the thoughts from his mind and focused on reaching the bush. He was nearly there when his knees buckled under him, propelling him into the dirt. He tried to get up but the bones in his legs had already started to shift. His eyes burned a bright yellow as he stared toward the trees. He started to crawl on his stomach toward them. The sharp stones and gravel scraped his forearms. His eyes had settled into their new form, allowing him to see through the dark ahead of him. He finally reached the bush and crawled a few yards deeper, just to make sure he was out of sight. Then he collapsed, letting the pain consume him. His last thought before everything went black had surprised him.
I love her. Then his world went black.
When Clayton awoke he had completed his transformation. He was hungry. He looked around him, sniffing the air. He should be able to make it home through these woods but he would have to find something to eat on the way. He could feel his human mind starting to fade. It wouldn’t take long before the animal instincts would consume him completely and he wouldn’t be able to control what he did. Luckily he was only in the first stage of his shift, which meant that he would be back to his own self at dawn. Then he would have to get ready for the winter. Normally he would have had at least one more month to get everything ready. But his body had reacted to Melissa in the worst way.
***
Clayton woke up the next morning naked in the woods outside his house. He slowly stood up and brushed the dirt from his body before heading inside to take a shower. He stood under the stream of hot water, letting the water soak into his sore muscles, washing away the remnants of the woods from his skin. He ran his hands through his hair and sighed. He needed to talk to Melissa. He needed to tell her what was going on. He just hoped that she would actually talk to him although he wouldn’t be surprised if she never wanted to speak to him again. The thought of not being able to talk to her, to be with her, made his heart ache.
Maybe it was for the best that she hated him. She didn’t deserve to deal with his baggage. No one deserved it. After what his father had done to his mother, how could he have even allowed himself to fall for anyone? He rinsed the soap from his hair and body and shut off the water. But he had fallen for her and he needed to make this right.
He wrapped a towel around his waist and walked into his bedroom. He yanked open his drawer and pulled out a spare phone. He always lost at least five of them during the early transition stages, so he always kept a couple of spares. While he waited for the phone to power up he searched for some clothes and got dressed. He winced at the stiffness in his muscles and joints as he pulled his shirt over his head. He made his way over to the dresser and picked up the phone. A wave of relief swept over him as he read that Melissa had tried calling seven times. Even if it was only to yell at him, at least she was willing to talk. He got his limo driver on the phone to take him to his car and then he would go straight to see Melissa.
Clayton sat in the back seat of the limo, vibrating with anticipation. He gripped his phone in his hand. He needed to plan out exactly what he was going to say. If by some miracle she actually answered the phone, he wanted to make sure he wasn’t going to say something stupid and have her hang up on him.
It wasn’t long before the limo arrived at his car, which was still parked on the side of the highway. It wasn’t until now that he realized how far from home he actually was. It was a good thing that his animal instincts knew where to take him. Otherwise, who knows where he would have ended up.
He jumped into his car and pulled up his phone on the Bluetooth. He started up the car and gave the car a voice command to call Melissa as he pulled onto the highway. The line rang and rang until her voicemail picked up the call. He left a message that he wanted to talk to her, that he had something he needed to explain about what happened last night. He had called back another four times before he had reached the city.
He stopped at a store on his way to Melissa’s home. He hoped that a present might ease his way into her home or at the very least give her something to take her frustrations out on. He let out a small chuckle as he stared at the small stuffed bear in his hands. Somehow he could picture her tearing the bear limb from limb but then his laughter faded when he realized the irony of that scenario. He took the small bear to the counter and pulled out his wallet. Time to face the fury of an angry Irish woman, he smiled at his coy joke as he slid into his car.
She is going to kill me.
Chapter Seven
Melissa stood in the living room of her home and stared out into the street. She sipped on her glass of wine and snuggled deeper into her fleece housecoat. Normally she would have just brushed something like this of. They hadn’t even slept together yet and they had only had that one kiss.
Oh, that kiss. Melissa closed her eyes and took another sip of wine, hoping that it would sooth
e the fire that still stained her lips where his had touched. It was just one kiss but in all the other men she had been with, she had never felt so much in one kiss.
“Taesha, I’m going to go soak in the bath,” Melissa called down the hall, then gulped back the rest of the wine in her glass as she headed to the kitchen to put her glass in the sink. She had never been much of a day drinker but today she was going to make an exception.
Melissa slipped into the washroom and started running the bath, pouring in bath salts and spa bubbles. Once she was satisfied with the temperature she went back into the kitchen to pour herself another glass.
“Hey did I hear you say you were going to have a bath?” Taesha was in the kitchen starting to whip up something to eat. She watched as Melissa downed the glass of wine she had just poured and then poured herself another.
“What?” Melissa shot Taesha a warning glare. Taesha chortled, shrugged her shoulders and pulled Melissa in for a quick hug.
“Nothing, hon. I was just going to ask if you wanted a bell to ring while you’re in the tub? You ring the bell and I show up with the wine to refill your glass.” Taesha put on a sympathetic smile and tilted her head to the side.
“Although, I gotta say, this is a little out of the ordinary for you. Usually, this is the way I handle breakups,” Taesha licked the cream cheese off her thumb and leaned against the counter. “What’s going on in your head?”
Melissa shrugged and took another sip of wine.“I don’t understand it either, to be honest. It’s not like I’ve known him long. I feel like I’ve lost something, but I don’t know what it is.” Melissa set the wine glass down. She could feel her eyes start to tear up.
“How did I get so attached so quickly? I told myself I wasn’t going to do this to myself anymore, and I was so careful,” Melissa's voice cracked and a sob erupted from her throat.
“How did this happen?” Melissa pleaded and wrapped her robe tighter around her body, hoping that it would swallow her up. Taesha sighed and pulled Melissa into a hug.