Savage Moon 06 - The New Breed - 12. Chapter 12

The rest was all a blur of noise and darkness. Occasional flashes of light, but nothing that I could really remember coherently. I'm not even sure when I changed back into my human form again. I don't remember doing it. I don't remember coming down from that upper level. Hell, I barely remembered jumping up there to begin with. Everything was all adrenaline and emotion with no real 'thought' or 'judgment' behind it. And Robbie? It was hard to tell what was real and what wasn't But I could still 'taste' him every time I licked the surface of my teeth.

"Here! Carry this back out to the truck!" Kriegar said, quickly pushing a box of liquor bottles into my chest. And then he stacked another one on top of it. "This one too. We might as well stock up before they close the place down." He gave me a smile and a wink...and something about this insane level of 'normalcy' almost made the craziness of the last hour seem like some kind of hellish fantasy. I practically began writing it off as another strange hallucination...until I looked down at the dark red blood covering the box Kriegar handed me. But...the blood was coming from me. From my hands.

I looked down and saw myself dripping with gore...and half naked, with only torn pants to cover me. The twins had thought to remove their shirts before changing, and were now sliding their pullover Tees back over their heads in unison. Kriegar had no problem being naked in front of us, his meat swinging as he grabbed some more boxes for the twins to carry. We had enough alcohol to survive a nuclear holocaust for crying out loud! And he was still grabbing more.

When we walked outside, I felt the coolness of the night air on my skin. It felt good, after burning so hot for so long, the fever still healing the wounds from my transformation. I remember taking that first deep breath of fresh air, as I felt my adrenaline flow settle, and my heartbeat return to normal. It was so...relaxing. Almost like the afterglow from a mind-blowing climax. My mind kept going over little...'details'. Savoring the images of bloodlust and carnage...wondering why I didn't feel guilty. Wondering why the devil himself didn't suddenly appear in a puff of black smoke and snatch my soul away from me the second the light faded from Robbie's eyes. But nothing happened. No police, no screaming witnesses, no divine judgment. Just....silence. It felt so very different from what I was expecting.

Instead of remorse, or fear...there was this eerie 'calm' about it all. No panic, no self loathing, no consequences at all. It was as if I had finally crossed the last line of defense against everything that I had ever found to be cruel and evil in this world...and there was simply no further for me to fall. There was no darker place for me to find inside of myself. And, believe it or not, that can be extremely liberating. Because, as I stood there, unaffected by the horrors I had committed...I knew that I had nothing left to fear. I simply had no soul left to save. No depth that I couldn't reach. No crime that I couldn't commit. Perhaps this is what it feels like to be truly damned. Freedom from your every restriction, absent of the fear we all hold for ourselves and for each other. The worst part was now officially over, and I was still standing. Which meant...the rest of my existence was as open as I wanted it to be.

Tonight...I killed a man. I ripped him to pieces and dined on pieces of his flesh. What more do I have to fear from myself?

I heard the loud snap of Kriegar's fingers as he put his hand in my face to wake me up. "Let's not get all spacey, kid. Let's go." He said, and we all carried our boxes of alcohol back to the Truck, where John Boy was patiently waiting with a smile. The twins climbed onto the back, and John Boy slid out for a moment to greet me. "So...how did it feel?"

I wasn't even sure how to answer at first. My mind was still locked in the surreal nature of it all, still doubting the idea of the flashing images in my head were real or not. I took a moment, and I felt this gentle buzz flowing throughout my entire body. It wouldn't stop...it just...made me feel like I was floating "It felt...good." I said, ashamed at the words. But it was the truth. I may have blanked out on most of it, acting on pure savagery and instinct...but it really did feel good. Whatever chains I had broken by being a part of this had been holding me back for a long long time. And now...the world never looked so 'open'.

John Boy grinned, and kissed me boyishly on the cheek. "Father will be pleased."

Kriegar then walked around the side of the vehicle and lightly punched me in the shoulder. "You did good, rookie. I'm glad. I thought I was gonna have to make you 'body number seven' for a minute in there." He smiled about it...but I was slightly disturbed that what the twins told me was true. He really was sent to rip me apart if I didn't give in. I should be much more unsettled by the idea of him flashing me a friendly smile when he knew that he was just moments away from murdering me in cold blood. I doubt he would have hesitated. I doubt any of them would have hesitated. "I got 150 bucks from their little poker game table too. Which is a good thing the way we've been ripping up clothes lately." Kriegar said, and then looked back at me, wondering why I was still standing there in a daze. It took a little focus, but I lifted my eyes and saw all of them watching me with a smirk. Kriegar leaned a bit closer. "We're uh...ready to go any time you are, junior?"

"Oh...yeah. Right." I said, and paused for another second or two before getting enough concentration together to climb onto the back of the truck with the twins.

I remember looking at the peaceful appearance of that old liquor warehouse as we backed out of the driveway. It gave no hint as to the disturbing acts that had taken place there. It gave no sign of the gore and horror that would be found inside those walls the following morning. So deceptive was the vision of it all. And for some reason that I couldn't quite understand, I was smiling. I had to reach up and feel my face with my own fingers to realize that I was doing it, and the act itself baffled me. Nothing about my body felt like it belonged to me any more. And instead of the darkness approaching me with stealth and skill like it did before...it simply sat arrogantly in the very heart of me, satisfied with the victory over my every restriction. My every defense. The darkness didn't peel back any more....it was there to stay.

Shank and Razor had obviously been turned on by the events of the evening. They didn't leave their positions on opposite ends of the truck, always glued to their 'post' like good little soldiers. But I watched them squirm with an erotic grind from their seated positions, playing a slow and subtle game of 'footsie' when the truck stopped moving long enough for their feet to touch. I was sure that they'd screw each other silly once we got home. And I wouldn't mind just sitting back to watch.

I gazed up at the moon as it raced to keep up with the speed of the truck, and so much of its brightness was gone. What was such a glorious full moon last week was already more than half missing. The dark moon taking its place. I felt the same way. The dark was spreading, I had no means of stopping...and soon, the light would be somewhere else, where I wouldn't be able to see it at all.

At that moment, I looked down at my hands, and the bloodstains on my bare chest, and tried to recall the details of what I had done. Everything was so foggy. So strange. I vaguely remember Robbie reaching up to scratch my face. His hand gripping my fur, reaching for my eyes, hitting and punching and clutching at whatever he thought might be a weakness. I can remember his final screams being drowned out in a gargle of his own blood in the back of his throat. I can remember...the exhilarating sensation of having my long harp teeth sink so easily in to the wet flesh, piercing his skin and filling my mouth with his life essence. It was more about power than it was hunger. I liked having that control. I liked having him at my mercy...even though I showed him none. But while some memories of the incident were clear...most of it was mixed up in this animalistic nightmare. Like watching a horror movie through my own eyes, but not really accepting my willing participation in it. I was completely out of control.

It was then, while I was pushing myself to remember more details, that I felt something wet on my hands. I looked at my palms, and they seemed to be bleeding. Right through the pores of my skin, like perspiration. The bleeding became more intense, now running down my arm...and soon began to gush from my palms like a fountain. "Shit....um....guys?" I said, getting worried as I tried to get Shank and Razor's attention. But they didn't answer. They didn't even notice. What the hell was happening here? What the fuck was going on??? I shouted out again, but they paid me no attention. And soon the back of the truck was flooded with red liquid, and I watched as six sets of hands sprung up out of the ooze and reached out for me. They grabbed my feet and tried to pull me under! I fought and I struggled to keep my head above the pool of blood, but the hands clawed and ripped at me. Punching me hard from all sides, pinching and grabbing, squeezing, grasping...I couldn't even push them off of me. And soon, my head went under, and I felt them wrap their icy fingers around my throat. They clutched my face and began to pry my mouth open, tear out my eyes, rip my ears from the side of my skull...and I suddenly jumped up with a loud SHRIEK in the back of the truck as Shank and Razor looked at me like I was crazy!

I couldn't stop twitching! I kept screaming and furiously swatting the imaginary hands off of me, shaking my head back and forth as I hopped from one foot to the other until I nearly fell off the side of the moving truck!

"Wesley! Wes...dude...hehehe, calm down!" Razor grinned, but I couldn't. The hallucination was so real! SO real! could taste the blood! I could FEEL the pain!

John Boy slowed the truck down, pulling over to the side of the road, and I immediately jumped over the side, running out into the middle of a wide open field, shaking and jerking around as though I was covered with fire ants. It literally took me a full five minutes to calm down and come back to reality. I was out of breath, trembling inside. My hands were shaking so badly that I couldn't keep them still if I tried. Goddamn mind tricks!!! JESUS!!!

I had to put a hand to my chest to keep my heart from bursting through it the way that it was beating. I came to my senses, and heard the others on the side of the road, doubled over with laughter. It was humiliating, and a deep red blush rushed up into my cheeks as I turned my back to them. As though that was gonna somehow hide the fact that I just jumped off the back of a moving truck. Shank and Razor were practically rolling around on the ground, and Kriegar, after having a heart chuckle himself, stepped out of the driver's seat to walk over and come collect me. I must have sprinted a good thirty feet from the road, and he had to walk a ways to reach me. But when he reached a hand out, I jumped involuntarily. My eyes glowing a bright shade of gold as my adrenaline nearly trigged another transformation on the spot.

"Whoah, there! Chill, rookie! Ok? Ease up..." Kriegar said, trying hard to control his smile. I could feel my body quaking on the edge of 'change'...and I was scared that the wolf was taking over again But Kriegar did his best to soothe my nerves. "Pull it back, Wes. Slowww dowwwn." He said, inching closer. I tried to breathe. Tried to get the shivers under control. But the beast wasn't listening. "Balance yourself out, kid. Come on now, you can do it." I don't want this. I don't WANT this! "I know you're a little 'excited' right now...but you've gotta do me a great big favor, and calm down. JUST a little bit at the time. Ok?"

I shivered, my teeth chattering as I folded my arms over my stomach and tried to keep the monster inside. "K-K-Kriegar...???"

"Shhh...I know, kid. Don't get yourself so worked up. Just...pull it back. It's like packing a bunch of clothes into a really small suitcase. Fold it up...press it down...hit the lock. You'll be fine." Kriegar reached out his hand to touch my shoulder, and I jumped away from him again.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!!!!" I said, my voice completely different. A monstrous growl erupting from me as I drooled from both sides of my mouth.

"Ok...alright. No touching." He said putting his hands up. "Look at me. Wes? Right here...look in my eyes. Concentrate. I'm gonna guide you through this, alright?" Kriegar's eyes began to glow as well, and our stares connected. Our energies were combined and somehow...I felt in sync again. "Here we go...we're just gonna...take all of that fear and anxiety, and we're gonna breathe. See what I'm doing here? Breathe." He inhaled deeply, and exhaled slowly through his mouth. He did it again, still keeping his eye contact, and I did what I could to mirror him. "There we go. Let the emotion pass through you naturally. Don't try to force it to go away. Don't deny its presence. Let it breathe. Easy. Eaaaaaasy." I did as he told me, and the rapidly expanding explosion that was going on inside of me seemed to be finally settling itself down. "There we go. Good boy. You're in control. Say it with me."

"Kriegar...I..."

"Don't wuss out on me, kid. Say it."

"I'm...I'm in control."

"Again. Louder." He demanded. "Do it! I don't plain to be standing out here in a field all fucking night. Say it!"

"I'm in control! I'm...I'm in control! I'm...in..." And after a few more moments of agony, the fury of the beast went away. It receded back into the depths of my emotions and I was able to stand up straight again. "...Control."

There was a slight pause, where Kriegar smiled at me, and I gave him a slight grin in return...proud of my little achievement. Then, out of nowhere, he slapped me on the cheek! A little bit harder than what could be considered 'playful', and the sting of it lingered for a few seconds on my skin. "Damn boy! You must be entertaining one hell of a guilt trip in that noggin of yours! What the hell are you freakin' out on us for?"

I held my hand to my cheek, trying to soothe the brief moment of pain. I had to admit, it made me laugh. "Hehehe, I was just...seeing things again. I didn't know what was going on."

He tossed a friendly arm over my shoulder and started to walk me back to the truck. "Ahhh, don't sweat it. It's not the worst 'flip' I've ever seen. We had to basically restrain Sebastian and tie him down the first few times his mind reacted to the change."

"Really? I can't imagine Sebastian being bothered by much of anything."

"Not NOW, sure. But back then...he was swinging a butcher knife around for an hour straight just to keep us away from him." Kriegar chuckled.

"Sounds like something Dexter would do." I said.

"Dex? Nah! The first time he killed somebody he couldn't wait to do it again. I think he enjoyed his hallucinations more than any of us. Crazy fuck." He said. I started to climb on the back of the truck again, but he pulled me back down. "Ohhhh no...you ride up front with John Boy this time. I'LL sit in the back. I don't wanna have to chase you out into any more open fields tonight if I can help it." He said and shoved his way past Shank and Razor, who had already begun to kiss each other hungrily on the side of the truck. "Can you two break it up, please? That shit is gross. You came out of the same CROTCH, for God's sake! At like brothers, will ya?" He sat down on the tire and grabbed himself a bottle of alcohol. Tossing the top over the side as always, indicating that he wasn't going to stop drinking until it was empty. Now free from his duty of possibly having to rip me limb from limb, he could go back to maintaining his 24 hour drunken demeanor, and he couldn't wait for the effects to kick in.

I opened up the passenger side door, and John Boy gave me a smirk. "Certainly you don't expect me to drive?" He said.

"Oh...right." I said, and closed the door. "Hey, Kriegar? One of you guys has got to drive."

"No can do, buddy boy. It's your turn to take the wheel." He replied.

"Sighhh..c'mon dude, seriously. I told you...I'm only 14. I can't drive yet, I don't know how."

"Let John Boy drive then." He snickered, the twins joining in the laugh.

"Can't one of the twins drive or something?"

"The twins don't separate, Wesley." John Boy told me calmly. "They've got a job to do back there, and their positioning in the pack mentality is essential to us maintaining a balance. I'm afraid it's either going to be you...or me?"

John Boy smiled wickedly at me, his eyes still obscured through those black circle sunglasses, and I looked back at Kriegar with frustration. "I've never had a driving lesson in my LIFE, you know?"

"Figure it out, bitch! Just don't make me spill my drink."

"Ugh...I...I don't know what I'm DOING!" I yelled.

"What! How hard is it? Gas, brake, turn right, turn left...use the windshield wipers if you smash a particularly large bug. Knock around, explore. You'll get it."

"I don't even know where I'm going."

"John Boy will tell you where to turn. Trust me." Why was Kriegar being such a damn jerk about this! Dammit!

I walked around to the driver's seat and climbed in, my hands shaking as I put them up on the wheel. I felt around with both feet to figure out where the gas and brake pedals were...and tried to figure out all of the little gizmos and levers in front of me. "I'm SO gonna crash Cyrus' truck..." I mumbled nervously.

John Boy simply replied, "You're not gonna crash, Wesley. Just feel things out for a second or two, and go by your instincts. You'll be fine."

"I don't know about this, John Boy..."

"Don't out think yourself Just drive."

"Um...o-ok...here goes..."

"Wesley?" He asked.

"Yeah?"

"You might want to close your door, first." He said, and I looked to see the driver's side door hanging wide open.

"Oh yeah. Right." I closed the door, and then put my foot on the gas. I heard the engine rev up, but the car wasn't moving. I thought that maybe I wasn't pressing hard enough, so I put my foot down on the gas a little harder, and heard the engine sound off a little bit louder. "We're not moving. What am I doing wrong?"

John Boy reached over and put his hand on top of mine. "Ease off of the gas." I did as he said. "Put your foot on the brake." I followed his lead. "Now shit the car into 'Drive'. That would be the 'D' on your little display there above the steering wheel."

"Oh...yeah, I knew that." I said, and shifted the car into drive, but kept my foot on the brake.

Suddenly, I heard a loud pounding from the window behind me, and it was Kriegar, getting impatient. "What's going ON in there, junior??? Let's *GO*! Fuck!"

"ALRIGHT ALREADY!!!" I shouted back. And I very slowly let up on the brake. The truck began to roll forward, and I looked down at my feet, and my hands on the wheel and the dials on the dashboard. "We're moving..." I said, an uncontrollable smile appearing on my face. "We're...we're moving."

"Please...keep your eyes on the road, Wesley." John Boy advised.

"Yeah. I know. Ok. Alright...I think I GOT it." I said.

"Alright, now, give it a little gas..." John Boy had barely gotten the words out of his mouth before I stepped down and the car violently JERKED forward! The sudden burst of speed scared the hell out of me, and I slammed down hard on the brakes!

I heard the sound of coughing and sputtering behind me as the motion had obviously spilled fresh liquor all over Kriegar's chest, up his nose, and rushing down into his throat much faster than he was expecting! "What...the FUCK..are you DOING in there?!?!?!" He yelled!

Me and John Boy turned to one another and laughed out loud. "Hehehe, sorry, dude!" I giggled. And tried to take things a bit slower this time

It was EXTREMELY awkward, I'll admit. You would think that driving would be easy, as the mechanics of it were so simple and easy to understand. But I don't think any part of me was really trained or prepared to do it right. So this big clumsy hunk of metal proved to be very hard to control.

I swerved a bit, had trouble controlling my speed, and still slammed on the brakes hard at ANY sign of trouble or discomfort....but it didn't take long before I got the basic hang of it. Although, I was sure that Kriegar was going to be completely doused in liquor by the time we got home. Hehehe serves him right...making me drive home! For some reason, I couldn't stop giggling the whole time that I was behind the wheel, and I think John Boy took a silent pleasure out of that. Despite his blindness, he knew exactly where everything was. He knew every turn, every road, every curve...and could point them out to me with little to no effort at all. Merely by rolling his window down and sniffing the air around us. His senses were so in tune with everything that he could even tell me when to slow down for small animals crossing the road. I'll never know how he was able to hone his skills to such a supernatural level...but if he were to come right out and tell me...I probably wouldn't understand it anyway. Better to be fascinated than confused.

By the time we were turning in to the property of the old house...my cheeks were sore from grinning ear to ear. John Boy had to guide me through the motions of actually coming to a complete stop and 'parking' the truck far enough away so as not to run into the side of the house...but I think I had developed a certain level of comfortability with the whole concept. And that brought me a great deal of joy.

However, once John Boy told me how to turn the engine off, and the headlights, I opened my door and climbed down from the driver's seat, only to see Kriegar hop over the side and walk towards me. He was covered in alcohol. It was even in his HAIR! And at some point, he just stopped trying to drink altogether until we reached the house. He gave me a look of utter disbelief. And then he said, "Wesley....no offense...but you are now, OFFICIALLY, the second worst driver out of the whole damn pack!" And he bumped my shoulder as he walked past me.

Despite his comments, I couldn't help but laugh. I asked the others, "So...who's the worst then?"

And John Boy and the Twins all answered, "Dex." As they walked into the house.

"Hehehe....it figures." I smiled, an made sure to follow. Moving back into the same order that I was so rapidly getting used to.

Why did I feel so...good? How is it that I can joke and play and laugh with these people when I knew damn well that we had just committed the ultimate crime tonight? I was shocked and surprised at how...'simple' it all was. How uninspired. How easy. I mean...could I really just...'get away' with killing somebody and not once look back on it as anything bad? Could I just walk away from the guilt and the remorse...and submerge myself in the glorious, never-ending, joy of true madness? Maybe I could. Maybe the leap from 'good boy' to 'bad boy' wasn't such a big leap after all.

I saw Sebastian's silhouette in the window as we approached the house, and I felt a certain anxiety inside of me as I awaited to hear Cyrus' approval of my actions tonight. His comforting approval was more than anything my father had given me in the past few years, and I longed for his acceptance like nothing I had ever experienced before. Please tell me I did good. Please...justify my existence...and reaffirm my need for a purpose in all this chaos. I needed his acceptance like you wouldn't believe.

Kristin was the first to greet me as I stepped in through the front door, and she hugged me lovingly around the neck. Everyone else seemed pleased to see me...and as my eyes scanned the room...I saw 'Father' emerge from the kitchen, with an ice cold glass of vodka in his hand. He flashed me a brotherly smile, and said, "It thrills me to see you come back in one piece, Wesley." He walked over to me, taking a sip of his drink...then handing me the glass. I grinned with pride, and took a healthy sip from his cup as he put his hands on my shoulders. "Tell me something...how did it feel? Those first few 'bites' of freedom?"

I took another sip from his glass, and replied, "It was orgasmic, Father. Everything you said it would be."

"Did you taste their fear? Did you savor their terror?"

"Indeed, I did." I said, so shocked that I would take pleasure in such a blasphemous act...and then report on it with a smile on my lips. "He begged for his life, Cyrus. He begged."

His arm snaked out to wrap around my waist, and pull me closer until our erect bulges touched, and grinded against each other. "And you denied him his request?" He said, sweetly kissing my lips after I gave him another sip from my glass.

"Yes, Father. I denied him his request."

"And why is that?" He asked with a devilish grin.

"Because....wolves don't bargain." I said, and he smiled with delight, leaning forward to deliver an erotic tongue kiss that lustfully forced time to stand still for the both of us. I could feel his love. This instant gratification for all that I had done. And I willingly allowed myself to become lost in his favor. I admired him soooo much. His strength. His leadership. Never have I felt so complete by giving myself over to someone else's control.

Everything he said was true. So very true.

He broke our kiss, and grinned at me as he rubbed my cheek with his palm. "You, my dear boy, are turning out to be more than I ever could have hoped for. I expect to see great things from you after your initiation."

I had to pause for a moment...my smile fading slightly as the words registered in my mind "Initiation? But I...I thought..." I stuttered, looking into his eyes for an answer. "...Wasn't that my initiation?"

He laughed at my confusion and kissed me delicately on the cheek. "No, boy. Far from it." He told me. "There is no initiation in losing control and attacking the first stranger in sight. If anything, that is a knee jerk reaction, and cannot be fully trusted." I felt my eyes drop slightly, feeling as though my actions weren't worthy of the significance that I had given them earlier. But Cyrus, the loving mentor that he was, lifted my chin to look me in the eye. "Don't mistake my words for disappointment. I'm proud of the steps you've taken towards being one of us. But there are higher plateaus to reach. And in time, you'll conquer them all." He pulled me closer, and I rested my head on his shoulder as he spoke softly into my ear. "An initiation...has to have a deeper meaning. It is not an unleashing of the monster within, nor the spilling of blood from our enemies' throats. It is something that you have to do for the greater good involving the pack. It is the purposeful act of protecting our family...that proves your allegiance. You have to be willing to give yourself over to the good of the pack. And only THEN...will your transformation be complete. Do you understand?"

I could almost feel tears forming in my eyes. My trust, my FAITH in him, was so unbelievably absolute. To be in the presence of such greatness humbles and humiliates you simultaneously. I would do anything for him. I would die for him...if only he gave me the glory of asking me to do so. "Yes, Father." I whispered, and his kissed my forehead as he stretched his arms out to look me in the eyes.

"This is the next step, Wesley. Your path is getting wider by degree, and the worst parts of it are almost over. A door has been opened, and it cannot be closed again. We have awakened the most primal parts of you...and now it is your duty to become one with the beast."

"I am in control..." I whispered, mimicking Kriegar's words from the field.

"Not yet, pup." Cyrus said warmly. "True...you have done well for yourself, and you are a powerful werewolf indeed...but you are NOT a killer yet. There is still a bit of hesitation in you. A piece untouched. A link in the chain that binds you that has not been properly broken. And you...and me...all of us...are going to find it. And erase it forever. Ok?" I nodded in agreement, reveling in the warmth of his soft hands on my cheeks. Then, he added, "But for tonight...I want you to sleep. Get in a good long shower, and then allow your thoughts to rest for a while. It's not good for one so young to have such a busy mind."

"Yes, Father."

He let me go, and I started to do as he said, but then he stopped me at the bottom of the steps. "Oh...and one more thing, Wesley..." I turned to give him my undivided attention. "...I want you to be the one to put Dexter down in the basement tonight." He gave me an evil grin, and I tried not to let the shock of his request show too much on my face.

"You...you want me to what?"

"I want you to put Dexter to bed. You're in charge of him for the evening."

I looked over at Dex, who was already glaring angrily at me as Cyrus went to sit back down in his easy chair. "Um...I don't...I don't think..."

"Everything you need is already down there. You can do it before or after your shower if you like. I, personally...suggest before. You might need another one when you're finished."

Ok...so considering the whole 'ye gobbling' thing that Dex told me about before, the creepy antics he's been performing lately, and the fact the he practically ripped some nice sized chunks out of Sebastian the last time HE tried to put him to bed...this wasn't sounding like such a great plan to me. I peeked over at Dex again, and heard a deep, beastly, growl come from his chest. His eyes flashed a bright shade of gold, and he was already prepared to fight me tooth and nail to prevent being locked down in the basement for one more night.

"Maybe...he doesn't have to go into the basement tonight." I suggested with a shaky voice.

"Are you disobeying my order, Wesley?" The way Cyrus said it....it was so calm. So non-threatening. But I knew that it carried with it a HEAVY consequence if I said 'yes'.

"No, Father. I just..." I looked back over at Dexter's cold dead stare, and heard another growl rumbling in his throat. "...I think maybe Dex could stay upstairs with me tonight. You know...instead." I don't understand HOW that idea was any better!!! But something about it made Cyrus smile.

"Stay with you?" He asked, and I heard a few snickers from the others in the room.

I straightened up, and attempt to assert my decision. "Yes. I would like to choose him for the evening. He can stay in my room. I'll take care of him, I swear."

Dexter's eyes slowly went back to normal, and while there was a slight moment of confusion, his mood seemed to settle. Our eyes connected for a moment, and then Dex looked back over at Cyrus. "Daddy...?" He said.

"No need to ask me, Dex. Your brother has offered to give you space in his bed tonight. The decision is all yours." Cyrus replied, and Dex then nodded, and walked past me up the stairs to lay down. Cyrus smirked with approval, and said, "I hope you know what you're doing."

"It's just one night..." I said.

"Not for him it isn't. You should know...Dex doesn't let his attachments wander. Especially during dark moon. Better you learn that the easy way."

It chilled me as I slowly walked up the stairs. Even Sebastian seemed to be warning me of danger with his lopsided smile. And I climbed the rest of the stairs to the shower, to finally wash myself up.

When I walked into the bedroom, Dexter was already naked and sleeping soundly underneath a thin cream colored bed sheet. A soft purr was coming from his lips, and for a moment...I could see such an incredible innocence in him. He never looked so at peace. I climbed quietly in the bed next to him, feeling drained from the night's activities, and hoped and prayed that Dex would just....sleep without doing anything...um...'painful' to me while I was unconscious. I thought that I was being expertly silent, but when I laid my head on the pillow, Dex instantly whined a bit and pushed his smooth nude body up against mine, and forced me to spoon tightly up against him. He pulled my arm around him, and gave me a few soft puppy licks before snuggling in and drifting right back off to sleep.

Ok...so...so this isn't so bad. He's being somewhat sane tonight. More sane than he would have been if I tried to put him in that basement and chain him up for the evening, that's for sure.

I laid there, my cute little curly blond admirer cuddling naked beside me, and I felt myself already falling asleep. Something about this level of comfort just...it reminded me of something. Like...like back when I had a family. I did have a family once...didn't I?

It's hard to tell. Sometimes I wonder...if maybe I just dreamed them up too.