| Wanted: Chapter 4 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The day went by in a fairly normal manner. Jason set off for school. Cherry went to help out at the lycanthrope half way house. Zane was at the gym working out. And Gill was at his new job. Nathaniel and I spent most days home together since I went freelance. I still do special layouts for the catalogue I worked for when I first arrived in St Louis, but now I had more time to pursue my own photography. I was sitting at my light table trying to go over proofs for my next show but I wasn’t seeing what I was looking at. I kept seeing blood. I kept feeling skin tear in my mouth. I heard her scream. “STOP!” I screamed pressing my hands to my ears. I saw Nathaniel jump at my outburst. He turned around, fear in his eyes. It took me a moment to realize that he had been talking to me while he was brushing his hair and thought that I was yelling at him. I gave him a weak smile. “Sorry… flashback.” His face calmed, assuming it was from when Gabriel attacked me. He put down his brush and came over to me, wrapping his arms around me from behind and nuzzling my neck. “It’s ok,” he whispered. “But would you tell me how you got these?” He ran his hand underneath the back of my shirt tracing the cuts she had given me. “I was going to ask you earlier but I got… distracted.” He licked my ear. “I can distract you again,” I said breathlessly – he was well aware of what playing wit my ears did to me. He drew back suddenly and came around in front of me leaning against the table. “No,” he said sullenly. He paused a moment and became serious. “So, were you with another guy? Another shifter? Or did you go to that Dom that specializes in knife play? That’s the only things that would cause those cuts to still be there.” He sounded concerned and frightened. I knew his only fear these days was ending up as anyone’s meat again. Everyone always commented on how much healthier he looked and how happy he was. And me turning to someone else would no doubt be a catalyst to bringing that old lifestyle back, because unlike when Anita took care of him, I could give him what he needed to stay away from all of that. I took his hands in mine and kissed each palm in turn and then looked into his eyes. “I would never cheat on you in any way with anyone, not would I ever go to a Dom without you. I love you Nathaniel and I would never do anything to hurt you emotionally, but right now I’m not ready to discuss what happened. OK?” “OK,” he said, his smile slowly returning to his beautiful face. “Now, let’s go. I’ll drop you off at Guilty Pleasures. Catch a ride home with Zane, I’ve got a lot of stuff to take care of.” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter 5 Index |