Friday night, nine fifteen pm. Kari and Jarrod had just finished a movie at the cinema and the night was strangely warm for so late in December, so they walked home. About hallway to Kari’s, it started to rain. They slowed down so they could enjoy the weather and have more time to talk.
“You
sure you aren’t too cold?” Jarrod asked. “You’re only wearing a thin jacket.”
“I’m
fine,” replied Kari, her arm circling around Jarrod’s waist. “I don’t get cold
easily.” And she really didn’t. Her blood ran at a temperature slightly above
humans and the elements didn’t bother her.
“If
you’re sure…” Jarrod said as he looked ahead of them. “That guy looks
familiar.”
“Hmm?”
Kari followed his gaze and saw a man standing in the middle of the sidewalk
before them. His arms were slightly away from his body, as though he were
waiting for someone to come by so he could grab them. Kari stopped cold when
she saw the dripping blonde hair and glowing blue eyes.
They
were about ten feet apart and she could hear him whisper her name. “Kari.” Kyle
took a step toward them and she saw his nails growing along with her fear.
Jarrod then recognized him and moved Kari behind him. Her anxiety spiked when
she saw Jarrod’s protective glare.
“Jarrod.
Don’t,” she whispered, her hands pulling at his jacket.
“I’m
going to protect you.”
“It’s
not me I’m worried about. He’s going to kill you.”
Jarrod
merely strengthened his stance and held her tighter. “No he won’t. I promise.”
Kyle
laughed. “I’d listen to the bitch if I were you. You can still run. Give her up
and I won’t have to hurt you.”
“Never.
I won’t let her be hurt by you.”
“You
can’t stop me, puny human. I’ll rip you to shreds.”
“Kari.
Leave. Get yourself out of her.” Jarrod began to walk towards Kyle. Kari was
frozen to the spot. Fear had paralyzed her and she could do naught but watch as
Jarrod once more asked Kyle to leave them alone.
Kyle
barked a laugh. “She’s mine, asshole. I’m taking her.” Jarrod gritted his teeth
and slammed his fist into Kyle’s jaw. Kyle’s head snapped to the side and he
bared his teeth. “You’re going to regret that.”
Slowly,
his arms lengthened and his body morphed into that of an oversized wolf.
Jarrod’s eyes went wide and he backed up. Kyle, now a large gray wolf, locked
eyes with him and leapt. As his massive teeth sank into Jarrod’s side, Kari
screamed. She watched helplessly as her love fell to the ground and slipped
into unconsciousness.
“No,”
Kari whispered softly. “This can’t be real.” The sight before her disgusted her
but she couldn’t look away. Rain fell from the blackened clouds overhead,
washing her life down the street along with Jarrod’s. Kyle stood over his
draining body. A low growl sounded and teeth flashed white as he grinned at
her. A dark red liquid dripped from his needle sharp canines. He looked back to
the body below him and moved to take another bite, as if the first one hadn’t
done enough.
“NO!”
Kari screamed. Kyle stopped and looked at her. Tears continued to flow down her
cheeks but the pain ebbed slightly and was covered by pure rage. Her sapphire
eyes smoldering with fury, she felt the familiar ache and instantly began to
change.
Kyle
watched her reaction carefully. Anger was what he needed to draw forth her true
form and mature her completely. As she met his eyes with a fierce fire, he
backed up slightly. The started to think that maybe he has pushed her too far.
Maybe this wasn’t the right way to approach this.
Kari
screamed in wordless rage as her limbs began to lengthen and she fell to her
hands and knees. Her eyes never left the ice blue of the creature before her.
Fur bristled over her body and a deep menacing growl ripped its way from her
chest.
Kyle
took another step back. This was what he had initially wanted but fear began to
settle into his mind. The change was now completed and an angry howl filled the
air, quickly followed by crashing thunder. With one giant leap, Kari was on
him, snapping at his throat. Try as he may, the monster couldn’t escape her
fury. Her body was much smaller than his own and could easily dodge the deadly
claws protruding from his large paws.
The
fight didn’t last long. She nipped and scratched at him, slowly ripping his
body to shreds. Soon, she had a death grip on his throat and his hot blood
filled her mouth. With one last snarl, she jumped to the sidewalk. There, she
watched Kyle fall to his knees, hair disappearing and body slowly shortening.
With a thump, he hit the ground in the shape of his human form. His blue eyes,
now void of life, watched her as her anger eased.
Kari
slowly turned her head towards the young man behind her. Jarrod’s wounds were
deep but he was still breathing. She trotted over to him and nudged his head
with her nose. The sickly sweet smell of fresh blood filled her mind, covering
the earthy scent of the storm surrounding them. He flinched away from her touch
and opened his sea-green eyes.
His
breath was jagged and rough. Blood soaked into his clothes and matted his once
soft hair. As Kari cried over his body, she slowly morphed back into her
slender human form. She softly whispered over and over, “I’m sorry. I’m so
sorry.”
“Kari…
I never knew you were so beautiful.” Jarrod smiled through his pain. “I’ve
always loved dogs. Why didn’t you tell me?”
Kari
looked at him, stunned. “You… you need to stop talking. I need to call for
help.”
“No.”
He grabbed her arm as she reached for her phone. “Why didn’t tell me you could
do that?”
“I was
afraid. I thought you would have left me.”
“Never.
I love you, Kari. I always have and I always will.” His eyes began to droop and
she watched him fade away into unconsciousness.
“No.
Jarrod. Jarrod!” Kari panicked and quickly dialed 911. She rambled off their
location and waited anxiously next to him until she saw the lights. She ran to
the sidewalk and began waving her arms and yelling.
An
ambulance and a police car pulled onto the side of the road. From the ambulance
stepped a large dark haired man. “Where is he?” Kari pointed and the man
briskly walked to Jarrod’s side to check vital signs. The driver, a blonde,
pulled out the stretcher and together they loaded Jarrod up. Kari was slightly
confused at they pulled out another stretcher but understood as they walked to
Kyle’s side.
“This
one’s dead,” muttered the larger man. “What did this girl see?” The other just
shrugged and loaded the body into the car.
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