Chapter 16: Full Moon

Run! Faster! Blake kept telling himself as he found himself being chased by some unseen force. Darkness grew quickly encompassing the area throwing ominous shadows onto the ground he could see. The moon lit a path through the forest but it wasn’t necessary; he found he could see through even the darkest of nights. Trees broke somewhere behind him as he ducked beneath a low hanging branch to get free of the woods. He needed to get to the cabin, then it would all be ok.

The damp mud sloshed beneath his feet and he stopped midstride as a beastly howl caused the night life around him to dash in various directions in fear. Something was behind him, something more than human, more than animal and he could smell it. Stumbling over the harsh ground as twigs and rocks cut into the pads of his feet, the smell of his blood aroused the animal and he could feel it growing nearer the harder he ran. With a vision as clear as crystal and the scent of something so enticing and familiar, Blake trudged deeper and deeper through the brush.

Its eyes were as red as blood and it had a growl that meant business, the beast turned and stared directly at Blake and his blood ran cold. Slowly it crawled forward, tauntingly glancing between him and the cabin door. Something was inside there that drew Blake here. Something the beast wanted that Blake knew he had to protect. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d been here before and the beast drooling and snarling at his feet was familiar. Taking one shaky step backwards Blake fell, landing on the jagged rocks beneath him and the wolf instantly pounced on top of him. Opening its jaw wide, it prepared to take a bite and in that moment Blake’s eyes snapped open.

Awakening with a start and to the loud drumming on his front door, he groaned as light flooded through his partially closed eyelids. It sounded like a hammer beating into the wood causing the glass to vibrate inside and resonate down the hall. Dragging himself out of bed he slowly meandered downstairs to see who was making the raucous. 

“Nick?” Blake asked quizzically as he opened the door to his best friend. The smile spread on his face and he jiggled a bag in his hand and glanced over Blake’s shoulder into the living room.

“You have company or something? Let me in!” he pressed past Blake and dropped a large duffel onto the floor beside the sofa. “Did I interrupt something? You’re sweating profusely.”

“What? No, no, I wasn’t doing…that,” Blake replied wiping at his forehead as he shut the door and joined his friend in the living room. 

“Well don’t make it sound like a bad thing. I promise the websites that claim God kills a kitten every time, total fabrication!”

“I’ll bet.”

“Jesus Dude that looks bad, you should consider looking into some Bactine or something for that.”

“Yeah well you should see the other guy,” Blake smiled as he looked at the scratches on his chest reminding him of the fact that he forgot to grab a shirt before coming down. It had been a while since anyone had seen him topless and the scars from the night he was attacked even now lingered, many of them still somewhat fresh. Blake swallowed hard as he thought about the ones on his back and made sure to keep Nick in front of him so that he didn’t freak out. “What uh, what are you doing here Nick?”

“It’s almost time.”

“Time for?”

“Oh come on, I checked the stages of the lunar cycle. I know tonight’s the night; first night of the full moon. I came to offer my assistance. You just wake up? It’s like one in the afternoon.”

“Yeah I just woke up I haven’t been sleeping well and no I don’t need assistance Nick in fact I need you and everyone else to stay away from me for the next three days.” Grabbing the bag at his foot, Nick unzipped the top to reveal three 3/8" x 14 ft heavy duty tow chains, a 6ft choke grip dog chain with a swivel head and a pair of double locking, steel-hinged handcuffs. “Look ok, I said whatever goes on in your bedroom was your business man, I don’t need a breakdown of the tools in your arsenal.”

“Haha very funny. No, I bought all of this for you. I don’t know how you usually handle the um change thing but I do know that you were underground where I assume you were surrounded by a few feet of concrete walls. Well now that you’ve ‘resurfaced’,” he remarked, illustrating his point with air quotes, “I figured you would need a little help controlling it.”

“I don’t actually. I have no intentions of controlling it at all. When I’m changed my senses are at their fullest capacity and I plan on using my animal side to find the assholes that broke into my home.”

“And then what? Let nature take its course?”

“Basically.” Nick sighed, visibly shaken by Blake’s proposed course of action. “I’m not going to sit around and wait for them to come for me again or worse. They have Natalie’s pictures Nick, they know what she looks like and trust me it’s not exactly hard to find someone around this city who looks like her. Especially considering her and her family are in the papers or on the TV every other day for some public interest this or that. I can’t risk them hurting her because of me; I won’t.”

“And what happens if some poor schlub were to stumble into the path of that monster? Are you able to keep from eating him or will the news be reporting about Kibbles ‘n’ Bits the next morning?”

“I don’t know which is why I want you to stay away. You seem like stringy meat and I don’t care much to have to pick you from between my canines Nick.”

“Come on Blake I’m being serious here!”

“So am I. Like you’ve said I was mostly underground since my change. I have no idea if I can control myself around people because I’ve never tried. I don’t want you anywhere near this place tonight and I really don’t want Natalie here. Please. Just let me do this on my own. The last thing I want to do is hurt you.”

Deciding to give up the protest, Nick just sighed and kicked the bag at his foot again. “Fine but you owe me for this stuff; it wasn’t cheap you know.”

Blake eyed the bag of items again and smirked as he thought about the number of times he counted Nick or his dates scream ‘yes Master/Mistress’, through his bedroom wall. “You know what. I’m sure you’ll find a use for it,” he remarked and kicked the bag at his feet. “You should probably head out now Nick. I’m up in the mountains and it’s a long way home for you.”

Nick nodded, scooped up the bag and headed for the door. “Blake,” he started as he turned to give his friend one last look. “I know it’s probably no good saying this because you’re heading into some real shit but, be careful. I mourned you once already I really don’t want to do it again.” 

Blake hopped into his shower and let the warm water cascade down his back as he stood beneath the spray. Being topside again definitely had its benefits; warm water being one of them. Since returning home he found that one of his favorite activities was bathing as strange as it may seem. But it was a comfort he wasn’t afforded living in maintenance tunnels beneath the city.

Grabbing a dark, long sleeved shirt and jeans from his closet and a pair of boots, he quickly dressed and took one last look at himself in the mirror. Smiling ruefully at the face staring back at him he sighed and touched the mask gently as he again thought about the pictures of Natalie he lost. “There’s no chance she could ever love you anyway,” he growled and slammed his fist into the cabinet.

Blake closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Nick was so sure that given the right opportunity Natalie could see him as a man worthy of her affections. Yet beneath the scarred exterior Blake knew better than to expect any acceptance other than quaint friendship. She was beautiful and flawless and deserved the same thing from the man she chose to love. And although she was a humanitarian, charity was the one thing he did not want from her; especially love. He had made the decision after watching her perform that he would cut all ties, he had to. But after learning that there were wolves near her he knew he needed to ensure her safety before he could walk away completely.

And that’s what he was doing now. Grabbing some extra clothes and his camera, he tossed the items into a knapsack and started for the door. He had to check on Natalie before tonight, her safety was his number one priority. Slipping once more onto the Silverman property, Blake ducked behind a large rose bush and waited for her to pass by her window or to catch a whiff of her scent. It wasn’t long before he spotted her in the second story window. She was dressed all in white ironically enough since he could only compare her appearance with that of an angel. Although irritation was painted on her face it didn’t deter from her beauty one bit as she looked at a dress her mother had just brought in. 

He could see the obvious disappointment on her face as she stared at the outfit yet the expression was lost on her Mother who continued touting the dress’ beauty. Finally deciding to give up the argument, Natalie nodded her head and Estelle exited her bedroom. Blake thought over whether or not he wanted to get her attention and say hello but Caesar alerted her to his presence before he had the chance to decide. 

Eagerly she waved at him before rushing from her bedroom and down to the gardens to see him. “Blake, hey! What are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to uh…I’m going out of town for a little bit and I just wanted to make sure you knew before I left.”

“What? You’re leaving?” she asked unable to mask the disappointment in her voice. With the masquerade coming soon, she had secretly been hoping he would attend but if he was leaving then there was no chance of that.

“Just for a little while. I just have something I need to take care of.” Thoughts turned to the full moon and the turmoil his body would have over the next three days but it was more than that. Just as he’d told Nick, with heightened senses it was the best time to go looking for the wolves that broke into his home. Added to the fact that his dreams seemed to be getting more and more urgent he needed answers and perhaps it was all related.

“When will you be back?”

“I’m not really sure but I’ll drop by and say ‘hi’ when I get in…if that’s ok with you.” 

“Yes that’ll be; that’ll be great,” Natalie smiled trying best to control her excitement. “And you are coming back right?”

“Absolutely. I’d hate to think you’ll be breaking into other people’s homes trying to fill the void of my absence. That could get pretty dangerous,” he joked, the massive grin on his face brightening his eyes.

“You know me too well,” Natalie giggled and chewed her bottom lip as she stepped even closer towards him.

“By the way, the dress your Mom chose isn’t so bad. While I know very little about women’s fashion anything you wear would be honored by the privilege,” he smirked at her blush and turned his attention towards the front door as he heard it shut.

“Miss Silverman?” Brody’s voice called from the front yard and she sighed hearing him approach.

“I should go but um…take care of yourself, alright?” He started towards the fence and hopped over it into the adjacent yard.

“Blake?” Natalie started, stopping him in his tracks. He looked at her and the melancholy appearance of her face. Maybe there was something there he hadn’t noticed before. They were friends sure enough but the sadness that held her expression made him feel wanted; as if she would sincerely miss his presence. Maybe Nick was right.

“Yes?” he responded, not daring to move closer yet hoping for her to ask him to stay or show some sign of longing; not that it would stop him from leaving.

“I’ll…I’ll see you,” she replied meekly. Blake smiled warmly and rushed off towards the woods.

Blake made it to Newport following the little clips of images that blurred through his mind from the night after his attack. He remembered waking up in a cabin far off the road up in the mountains found by a path hidden by a cave. It didn’t take very long for him to locate the stony hill and the massive, dark cavern that was surrounded by willow trees. “Here goes nothing,” he sighed to himself as he started up the mountain towards the small home.

But just as he made it up the three steps and to the front door, something hard struck him from behind leaving him sprawled out on the old, wooden porch. Before his eyes shut completely, he was able to make out a blurry image of a large wolf entering the decrepit old building. Candlelight illuminated a room just inside the door and the scent of blood found its way out to him as the wolf crept back towards him. “I knew you’d find your way home again,” he heard the man growl and he was out for good.

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