Silver & Blood

“You probably should.” Dante said in the familiar low grumble.

The other two had slipped out in a hurry to ensure that whoever’s blood covered Dante still breathed, but he hadn’t paid them any mind. His attention was singular, focused, fixated; it followed her soft footsteps up to the tips of her toes. He remained still as the cloth wiped away blood only to reveal more secrets. If she noticed anything this time, nothing was said.

The whiskey should have dulled everything, but it had done the opposite. Heightened senses heard the tempo of her heartbeat as something akin to nerves, or excitement, ruled her body. He could smell the sweet scent that was signature to her; that familiarity that had lingered on his sheets for days past the barbeque. He could see the rich hues of her eyes and how her pupils expanded.

He gritted his teeth. “But it wouldn’t change anything.”

Dante exhaled.

“It wouldn’t change what has happened. What you’ve done. What I’ve done. It wouldn’t change what’s been said.”

His hand reached out, grabbed her waist. She felt small in his grasp. The other hand pried the cloth from her hand and cast it aside before sliding his own up her arm. Dante was reminded of how soft her skin was, of how delicate she was and it seemed out of place considering less than an hour before it had been broken bones he’d pressed against. Still, it stirred a hunger that seemed nearly surreal.

“It wouldn’t change what I can’t change, or explain…. like much I want you…”

It was nearly the most he’d ever said in one fell swoop, and in a matter of seconds he’d spill the words that had been hanging between them in the past few months. Like in all things Dante did, there was no hesitation as he pulled her in closer, bent is head and pressed his lips into hers. In that moment he had never wanted anyone or anything more.

Any response that Brielle might have made to Dante after his muttered words was lost. She was suddenly pulled into his grasp, her heart beating quicker than it had even a moment before. It didn't matter what Dante had been trying to say in his broken sentences, it didn't matter that he didn't think things would change; nothing at all mattered except his mouth against hers. Brielle leaned against him, her arms wrapping around his chest and she kissed him back fully.

She was lost to the world and everything else that was in it. For all she knew she might not even be standing on solid ground anymore. But it had to end, at least briefly.

Brielle pulled her head back a little, her fingers finding his chest and pushing him back just slightly. Her eyes met his, nothing but pure desperation and lust in them. "You can have me." She said her voice uncharacteristically low. Her own version of a wild creature flowed through her veins, lighting her on fire. She didn't care if this lasted on night or a hundred nights, all that mattered was that it was happening.

She had never felt ravenous for someone before, but now she did. Her fingers dug into his chest, pulling him back to her. Perhaps there should have been more questions, more rational decision making, but there wasn’t. She felt like a little girl, getting the only thing she’d ever wanted in her entire life.

“I want you.” Brielle said, unafraid to say the words that she’d kept on her tongue for weeks.

---

Those three words were the only ones he wanted to hear; they ended all longing and self-denial. A newer, gnawing hunger ripped through him as he pulled her tighter against him, mouth moving as if he wanted to swallow her whole. She was intoxicating. She was as sweet as she smelled and all his for the taking. There were no more words left. A pleasured grunt all but audible as strong arms scooped up the object of his desire and moved them to more horizontal planes; the living room as far as he could go before giving into desire. Clothing shed in haste as he laid her down, full and ready to claim what he had so long wanted. For all the gentleness of trailing kisses there was an immediate need that permeated beyond simple, wonton desires.

As his face buried in the soft curve of her neck he could feel tendons tightened, and only from sheer will was it that skin remained skin, pressed into her. Still, he could feel the heat of change nipping at his back and teeth bared, taking her flesh between her teeth wanting so badly, for reasons inexplicable, to bare down. A glow of gold illuminated his eyes and he thanked whatever deity watched that his face pressed into the sofa instead of meeting her gaze. A steadying breath regained control, shaky with lust, and Dante gave into her whim.

---

The quickness at which Dante moved surprised Bri. The time it took for them to be standing in the kitchen to sprawled on the couch was very short. She liked it, it was urgent and desperate, and like she was the only thing he had ever cared about. Her fingers dug into Dante's back, the heat from his skin igniting fires in her veins. She didn't see any changes in his face or otherwise as her eyes were closed, her head pressed back into the couch cushions tightly.

Briefly, she opened her eyes when Dante's teeth found her neck, a little surprised by his bite. It didn't take very long to forget about it though, not with what came next. Her eyes closed again and she raised her hands to run her nails down his back, no words except mumbled moans escaped her lips.

It would end though, eventually it would. Then she would have to think about this and what would change between them, or if anything would. Tomorrow neither of them would be fueled by alchohol and she would have to decide if this was a mistake or not. Brielle wouldn't regret it, surely she wouldn't, but she could only hope that Dante wouldn't either.

Dawn came and Dante found himself in his bed. He wasn’t sure when he’d found his way there but a thick haze and a throbbing head served reminder enough that his night had been eventful in the very least. Still, a calm contentment swabbed his aching body and a little voice told him not to move lest the image break and life resume. It wasn’t he that moved first, but it broke all the same. A soft sigh of a sleeping breath on his chest let him know he wasn’t alone and his eyelids opened in surprise.

Dark hair and an unmistakable sweetness named her name before his sight regained. Once prior the teacher had past daybreak in his bed, though this time was different. The lingering scent of lust and whiskey told tale that the images that flooded back were not dream but dream made flesh. He’d satisfied their cravings not once, but multiple times, migrating to his bedroom upstairs in the house before the last shudder of pleasure had spent all energies and sleep came too.

A cursory glance let him know that their extracurricular activities had sweat all the blood from the early evening from his skin, and a quick listen let him know the house was still silent. A small worry tugged at his innards, unsure what damage had been caused. To his cousin. To the rocky relationship with the woman who slumbered soundly, unclothed against his hot flesh. To what the conversation that would follow this moment would contain. But for all the budding worries he couldn’t bring himself to feel anxious. For the first time in weeks Dante smiled.

That morning it was him creeping out of bed with soft motions in hopes of not waking his partner. This was no shameful slinking, nor fearful retreat, however. His head bent and gently planted a scorched kiss on her bedded hair before heading downstairs.

His cellphone flashed a steady blue notifying him of messages. His hand swiped across his screen to illuminate several calls and a few texts, some coherent and some not. Fingers hovered, mind tripping over where to start. “Fuck it.” He sighed to himself, unready to head back into reality just yet. When Bri woke he was determined to have breakfast ready, and set to task. Eggs, toast, bacon, more bacon, sausage, extra bacon, juice…. all piled on the counter, ready to be prepped. He flicked on the radio on low and got busy cooking the only thing he knew how that wasn’t served on a barbeque or in a cocktail glass.

Food would smooth the awkwardness, right? Right.

A single shiver ran down Brielle's body, causing her to open her eyes. She had been gloriously warm, like laying next to a space heater for the night, but now he was gone. For a moment she was worried, like maybe he had slipped out and left her here..except this was his house, this was his bed. For several long minutes she didn't move, she just laid still relishing her memories. If she got up then she would have to face the world outside of their bliss.

It was the smell of food that made her sit up, the blankets falling off her body to her waist. Slowly Brielle pulled herself out of bed, glancing around briefly to look for her clothes. They weren't here and honestly, she had no idea where they were. Lost somewhere down the stairs probably. She cringed inwardly, desperately hoping that they were alone. His family already seemed to slightly disapprove or her, especially Tala, but it wasn't like she could just hop out of a window.

Brielle wondered over to Dante's closest, opening it without worry if he would care. She reached in and pulled out one of his signature button down shirts. Despite the fact that it was clean and hanging up, it still smelled vaguely of him. Brielle wrapped it around herself, doing up the buttons not quite to the top. It hung off of her like a dress.

She moved over to the mirror, running her fingers through her hair and starting to put it up into a messy bun. A turn of her head revealed the multiple marks that Dante had left against her porcelain throat. She dropped her dark locks, covering them up again.

Brielle returned to sit on the bed, trying to decide if she should go downstairs or stay here. Her stomach was growling and her head was demanding coffee, but she would simply die if anyone saw her. Finally though she decided that the house seemed too silent. Every other time she had been here it had been the loudest place she'd ever stepped foot in. That seemed to be a good sign.

Cautiously she made her way out of the room and down the stairs, pausing every few steps to make sure she didn't hear anyone. Once she got into the living room, her clothes still scattered at the base of the couch confirmed that they must be alone. Brielle gathered them up in her hand and piled them up where she could quickly grab them and then made her way toward the kitchen.

“That smells good.” She commented, stepping into view and leaning against the counter, a smirk crossing her face, her fingers toying with the bottom of Dante's shirt she was wearing.

Brielle didn't intend to have any serious conversations with him, she didn't want to. Their relationship didn't have to change if he didn't want it to, Bri would never push him. Just so long as he didn't think their night was a mistake.

“I hope there's coffee.” She said, pulling open the cupboard to retrieve a mug, standing on her tip-toes to reach it.

Dante offered her a smile that reflected being caught in the act of kindness before it had reached completion. A plastic spatula pointed to the counter on the far right where, sure enough, a deluxe pot of coffee sat warm and ready. Cream and sugar had already been set out on a tray to provide breakfast in bed, that wouldn’t be necessary anymore. The woman was awake and out of bed, and not trying to creep out the door. He watched as she set to work.

The bartender, now chef, watched as her slender figure reached to the cupboard. Eyes followed the hem of the shirt as it threatened nudity though, to his disappointment, remained modest in great thanks to their substantial height difference. Even in the oversized shirt he could see the way the fabric pulled at her curves and was greatfully reminded in flashes of the night before.

“Looks better on you than me.” He said, and although cliché they were sincere words. A flick of his wrist flipped the eggs in the pan before he relinquished his weapon to the countertop.

The distance between the counters was covered quickly. Wandering hands pulled back her long tresses to allow lips to wander the same, but stopped short at the teeth marks on her previously unflawed flesh. He inhaled sharply, apologetically. Tender kisses pressed their gentle sorry’s against the marks, willing them away but knowing all too well that they would likely bruise. How fragile she was.

Pop.

Toast was done. He grunted, annoyed, under his breath as he was pulled away from activities he much rather would have been taking part in.

“Take a seat.” He motioned to the kitchen table; it looked old, handmade and valuable.

Fresh fruit had been cut, and the rest of the food was unceremoniously set down before he produced dishes and silverware. A piece of bacon stolen along the way, until at last he sat across from her; hunger ate at him, but not for food as he stared at her. Vision slowly followed her figure down the draping neckline of his shirt…

“You’re not wearing your necklace.” He said. He hadn’t noticed the night before, he’d been preoccupied.

Brielle sauntered over to the table to sit, her fingers wrapped around her mug full of fresh hot coffee. An impressed smile crossed her face as she sat, her eyes trailing over to the fruit that was sliced so delicately. “Were you going to bring this to me?” She asked, biting her lip teasingly. “Cause I can totally get back in bed.” She told him, though she was quite certain if she did that, there would be no food actually consumed.

His words about her necklace made the smile disappear though, her fingers reaching to her throat as though she expected for it to just magically appear. “I lost it.” She said, making her words sound innocent and sincere while she cringed on the inside. She’d “lost” it the night she’d been with Mark, when she’d been so angry at Dante and everyone else. Her teeth found her lip again, but this time it wasn't a playful gesture but one more from nerves instead.

“I’m sure it will turn up, it’s probably on my dresser somewhere.” Brielle added, reaching out to take a couple pieces of the bacon that had been set on the table. She’d actually tried to find it a couple of days later, but it had never been uncovered. At the time she figured it was some kind of sign but that was dumb wasn't it. It was just a necklace she’d tossed out in anger.

“This really is too much,” Brielle said, raising the coffee to her lips and taking a long drink, hurrying to change the subject. She nibbled on the bacon, and then reached out to take some of the fruit. “But I thought…I should probably go home.” Brielle said, dropping her gaze to the table. She didn't want to go home, honestly she could have just laid in his bed forever, but she was starting to feel like they were going to get interrupted any moment.

Plus he’d just reminded her about the entire fight between them, and her night with Mark, and quite frankly she felt a little bit easy. But she wanted more of him, she wanted him to be her’s, but that was another conversation she didn't want to force.

She looked up at him again from under her lashes, her expression one of longing. He would know that she didn't entirely believe her words about leaving. “But I’m just going to be grading papers all day today and I’ll be all alone this evening. You know, if you get off work and looking for something to do.” She said, taking another bite of fruit, her eyes lighting up again, forgetting about her trepidation a moment earlier. No matter how hard she tried, Brielle could never make up her mind in Dante's presence.

Dante simply grinned; they both knew that if she returned to bed it wouldn’t be for his home-cooked breakfast. But the grin didn’t last. When it started to fade, he quickly disguised it by chowing down on a piece of toast he’d absently been slathering in butter. A shrug, a nodded, and he actively hid his disappointment. The necklace had been more than a trinket; symbolic change, of life, of loyalty. Had he only known the irony of the meaning associated to when she had ‘lost’ it.

“Too much? You obviously haven’t had a meal with me yet.” The grin was back, full and teasing. Still, it spoke truth. He’d been use to cooking for a large and constantly fluctuating family. With the number of bodies that were constantly in the house, their guests, and the amount of energy burned between fighting and running and fuc- well, one could imagine how costly their grocery bills were.

“Sure, sure…” He said, standing at the obvious hint that their rendezvous had run it’s course. Still, in true Bri fashion she switched routes. The innuendo lit her eyes, and stoked his own fires again.

“You? Alone?” Voice a near-growl. His hands pressed one to the chair and the other to the table, trapping her in her seat as he bowed down. There was something about him that made it look like he was ready to eat her. “If that isn’t temptation then I don’t know what is.”

A burning kiss was placed on her forehead, forcing himself to relent. His bar scheduled left him much more a creature of the night then his own natural instincts; day time was for relaxing, spending time with those you cared about, and sleeping the day away… work, it had slipped his mind. And who was he to get in the way of an education.

“I’ll see if I can stop by.” He promised.

- - -

A note waited for Bri on her door, written out in fluid script;

“Baa baa,” Said the little sheep, walking a little closer. And the wolf grinned his wolfish grin and said, “Come, little sheep, I’ll keep you warm….”

----

The night seemed to drag on. Tyler and his brother, as well as the other packmates showed up at the big event at his tavern. Nat was among them, her sister two much to his distaste. As the night progressed things got rowdy but under control. The damage that Dante had caused to brethren fur had healed in rapid time, but the wounded ego of his friend remained, and the jokes were plenty and fresh.

“I’d ask if you were hungry, but Dante might serve ya up a knuckle sammich.” Yipped one of the younger guys.

“Yeah yeah, knock it off, we’ve heard it before.” Dante said, and they laughed but the jokes toned down a little. Instead, he placated them with whiskey and cheap beer until they found other sources of amusement.

His hand caught the arm of the one whose face he broke, “Hey. I lost it, it wasn’t cool.”

“Yeah it wasn’t fucking cool.” He growled back, but eyes kept averted. Submissive.

“Look, you get a free shot at me next run. Pay back is fair.” Dante said, nodding to make his point.

“Yea?” He looked up, hopeful. “Naw, nevermind man, its all good… still as pretty as I was before.”

Dante grinned. An apology was all that was needed and the tension dissolved.

Nat was a different case. She remained icy all night.

- - - -

How he slipped away, he wasn’t sure. For all the hype of the evening it died off fairly soon. Dante was grateful when his colleague had sent him on his way for an early night. All night he’d watched the clock, occasionally catching a waft of Bri’s scent on his unwashed skin. He’d been expected to join the kin shedding sobriety until the early hours, but instead he found himself driving down dark roads until he finally found himself outside her hours again.

Bri opened her eyes a minute before her alarm was supposed to go off. She rolled over in bed and stared at the clock, counting down the time in her head before it began to buzz its wake-up call at her. She sat up, pushing her hair out of her eyes and glancing toward her calendar hanging on the wall. It was another day, every one bringing her that much closer the end of her teaching year here. Then she was supposed to be leaving, going home to finish her final school requirements and then…well, she wasn’t sure. If she was really, really lucky the school here would offer her a job and she could stay.

Of course, there was only one reason she wanted to stay. One big reason named Dante.

He was the only thing keeping her sane here. She’d once been starting to gain the entire town’s trust, but then it went away the night she’d been with Dante. There was a distance between her and everyone else except him, even Natalie. Then there was the whole thing about the little notes that she’d amassed, anonymous warnings or whatever the hell she was supposed to take them as. There had only been a few, but a few was too many. Every time she just threw them into the trash, she refused to tell him.

Brielle pulled on her clothes for the day before wondering over to fix her hair. It was a routine, a mundane routine every morning. She went through the motions, her day starting off like normal, already counting down minutes before she might see Dante. She was a love-sick puppy, or more a lamb she supposed, that’s what “they” called her. If he was the wolf, she didn’t care, he did keep her warm. Nothing bad had happened this past month.

She finished putting her hair into a neat bun and moved to the kitchen, intent on making a quick breakfast before work. Her hand closed around one small egg in the fridge, pulling it out, but before she could even consider cracking it open, her stomach turned violently. It was just the mere thought of it, the way it would smell when it was cooking, how gross it was. Brielle dropped the egg onto the counter and made it as far as the sink before she leaned over and threw up into it.

Five minutes later and she felt perfectly fine, almost like nothing had ever happened, the evidence washed away into the kitchen drain. A feeling gnawed at her stomach, her heart rate rising just a bit. That wasn’t very normal, she ate an egg almost every day for breakfast, and she had for a while. Brielle glanced at the unassuming object still lying on the counter and it made her stomach turn again until she hurried out of the kitchen.

“No, no no no,” She said, muttering to herself, snatching her calendar off of her wall. It had pictures of wolves on it, which of course she’d bought when she’d gotten here.

Her fingers counted back the weeks, her stomach sinking a little bit lower every time. This was not looking very good. Somehow, in this tiny town where everyone knew everyone and everyone was apparently related to Dante, she was going to have to buy a pregnancy test…or two.

Shit.

Good morning, gorgeous. See you tonight.

The text waited for Bri when she woke. Life at the bar meant a noctivious existence that had begun to be torturous when coupled with her nine-to-fiver. Fortunately, he’d managed to reduce his shifts without too much issue; one of the perks of being a part-owner in one of the only bar for miles. The endless repairs of the dive, not to mention stock, payroll and other tedious tasks associated to running a business, replaced the displaced hours. Dante didn’t complain, happily trading the rowdy nights for dull days just to spend what time he could with her.

In the past weeks not a day had gone by where he hadn’t seen her. If only for a minute to stop by her work and take her a coffee, or see her on the way to another shift, or showing up sometime after midnight and staying until the sun came up, he had spent every moment he could with Brielle. And it hadn’t gone unnoticed.

---

The blonde female reached for an ice tea and let the cooler door of the convenience store slam shut behind her. It always marveled her that a town, with only two major shopping store and one clothing store, still had the audacity to call a store a convenience store. The only thing about the convenient thing was that it was within the hundred-mile radius that the next closest one was.

She missed the city. She missed malls and shopping districts, department stores and night clubs, and all the other excitement that hustle and bustle of a major metropolis would bring. Alas, it was in the past. It seemed unlikely that she would see the bright lights ever again. Thanks to Dante, she was most likely tethered to dead end towns for the rest of her life.

Natalie sighed.

The teacher was quick to turn the aisle, and even quicker to apologize as she bumped into another patron of the small variety store. Her items sprawled out of her hands, unfortunately getting tangled up with her victims as well. Nat dropped down, hastily piling items into her basket, pausing mid-reach to look up.

“Shoot, I’m really sorr- oh.” She swallowed, coming eye to eye with Brielle who she had been cleverly avoiding for some many weeks. Natalie glanced down, realizing she was holding a pregnancy test that wasn’t hers.

She could feel the colour drain from her face.

---

Save for a conversation reminding Dante that with summer came time for the temporary teacher to leave, which again ended in a loud argument, he’d scarcely seen Nat. She’d stopped staying after work to talk to Bri, and stopped replying to texts, and had made and obvious effort to leave every time either showed up anywhere. Which was everywhere in the small town. Tala had seen them together so much that she’d almost stopped being an outright bitch to her brother’s newest fling. Flings, which in Dante’s history had a short life span, as she’d bring up every now and then just loud enough for Brielle to overhear. Everything and everyone else had seemed to fallen into place.

Still, the first day of summer loomed just around the corner, and Dante was not oblivious to it. The date stuck in his head like a beacon. Each time his nephew spoke of all the plans he was going to complete once school got out it weighed a little heavier. With gritted teeth and closed first, the bartender would shove the approaching issue from his mind; he was perfectly content that they hadn’t spoke of what was going to happen yet. Still, the days were going by faster and faster, and already Dante found himself at her door.

We need to talk, you fuckhead. He glanced down at the text; it was the first he’d received in weeks from Natalie.

Nice manners. He replied. Several more vibrations followed, but he’d silenced it and stashed it away in his pocket.

Dante knocked on the door, take out in hand.

Brielle turned over and opened her eyes, the sound of knocking dragging her out of her slumber. She pulled her blankets higher up over her head, trying to ignore the sound. She realized that she had never texted Dante and told him not to come over tonight, which would explain the incessant knocking on the door. Dammit.

Slowly she threw the covers off and emerged from her bed where she’d been sleeping for the past hour. The day had been rough, she was mentally exhausted. Her run in with Natalie had been one of the most humiliating moments of her life thus far; it was so bad. Honestly, she wasn’t sure why Natalie had stopped talking to her, but she assumed that she was angry about her relationship with Dante. The whole being pregnant thing was a really bad addition to that. Still, she really should have expected to run into someone, but did it really have to be Nat?

Bri wondered over to her bathroom to throw water on her face and try to fix her hair a little bit. The cool water that she splashed onto her skin didn’t do very much to tame the red appearance of her eyes, it was obvious that she’d been crying. Maybe it would just look like she was sick or something. Which was almost true. Brielle donned a light sweater and made a last effort to straighten her hair before wondering over to the door.

She pulled it open and forced her lips into something of a smile, but honestly it might have appeared more as a grimace. Normally she counted down the hours until she was in Dante’s presence again, even when she only got to see him briefly at one of their workplaces. Today his appearance just made her feel dread. He would know something was wrong, he knew everything about her even if she didn’t say a word. It felt like a huge effort just to keep her composure standing in the doorway, how she was going to do it for longer than that, she didn’t know.

“Dante,” She said, attempting the smile once more. “I’m sorry, I should have called. I’m just not feeling that well today, I wouldn’t be very good company.” She said, but stepped aside anyway. She could just tell him. Fuck, Natalie was probably going to tell him. Bri didn’t want to though; she hadn’t even begun to process this.

Honestly she hadn’t ever imagined that she would in this situation. God knows she’d sat around with Katie more than enough times waiting for her to take a pregnancy test. Not Brielle, that had never been her…until a few hours ago.