The Bitten.

Have You Seen Them?

The scent of the blood was burning into my lungs. Was this what addiction felt like? I wanted to run out of this room, down the stairs and through Della's door. It was the only thing I could think about, and I hated it.

I had rolled about the floors in my tantrum. I had whined, grumbled, cursed, cried and fisted the carpet in my claws. Claws that currently would not retract and my hands were aching. I was too afraid to pay mind to the rest of me, but I knew I was an anatomic mess. I was me, kind of sort of. Like I had human flesh, and I had my arms and hands. But I could see sharper, and I couldn't make it to my feet. I could tell by the agony in my legs, that they weren't fully my own. My knees, my knees, were backwards. Twisted.

I had to crawl to the restroom on fours and lay on the cool, hard floor. I was on fire. I was sweating so much that I slipped and nearly took my head off passing the toilet. My mind couldn't let go of Della's apartment. One part of me thought I needed to check on her. That I should see what happened. The other part knew I was making excuses for the feral part, the part that was grieving over the tantalizing smell of the blood. That part of me instinctively knew that Della was dead, and it was positive that Aamon had something to do with it.

"No. No. No. No. I fucking refuse. I'll just die. I'll just lay here and croak first..." I babbled.

I'd resist till I couldn't anymore.  Della loved her gossip, but also her neighbors. Every holiday she gave cards and candies. She gave sage advice, and was so animated. Della was everybody's spunky aunt, spilling the tea and joking. I couldn't bear to think of what I'd do if I let myself go in there. What if Della's body was still in there? Would I scarf her down like I had the rabbit? No. Because I'd die first, I decided. I pulled myself over the edge of the tub and turned the shower on overhead. I lay torso first in the tub, my lower half still brushing the floor. The icy water pelted my face, but still I felt like a lit candle.

I have no way of telling you how long I laid there, suffering in my semi-hifted state before it all became too much. I had to compromise somehow. My body was weak from the attempts to shift back and fourth. I swear every cell in me was screaming out and bubbling. My blood had to be lava. I vomited into the tub unexpectedly, and I barely had time to save myself from my own mess. I pushed up, out of the tub and let my damp torso slap the floor. Aamon told me not to go out. And look what I did. Why in the Hell am I like this?

But, if I could go out the window, scour down to her window. Go in and just taste the blood and then come back, would that sate me? Then I could fix this, I could clean myself up and rest. And if I could just wipe up the blood, it'd be gone? There'd be nothing for me to fuss over. It'd be done. That's what my body was struggling with, the blood. I don't think I'd even try to bother Della. Maybe there's blood on the floor or wall? Or I could just lick it off an arm and go? Im disgusting. I wiped my tears and snot off on a towel I drug out from under the sink cabinet.

Ok wolf parts. You win. We'll taste the blood, just a taste, and go back home. I thought.

I grabbed gloves out of my bottom drawer, and a pair of lace up shoes that wouldn't come off easily. I roamed until I found a smaller flat screwdriver, and gripped it in my teeth. I tucked my hair up in a cap, once I figured out how to 'stand' upright, and I dressed in whatever I could grab and wrestle over me. I stashed my gloves and screwdriver away in my bra. I staggered to the window, sitting on my haunches, looking over the sill and at the grass below. I could do this. My new body was made for this.

I still couldn't pick up Aamon's scent. So I should have time to get back before he's close. I dodged t waste anymore time thinking, I let go and let my body do it's thing. It was amazing, but I'd never admit that out loud. My hands and feet were locked onto the complex, and I never felt nyself slip. I moved effortlessly! I was soft, quiet, and so fast.  I was sniffing out Della's window in a couple minutes. As I suspected, Aamon's scent as well as hers, were faint along my path.