Red and Her Wolf

A/N: Hey guys, this chapter is a shorter one before the highly entertaining (in my opinion) climax of this arc.

Also, heads up, I think I might be posting future chapters in the Nonhuman section as a kind commenter pointed out that might be a better place for this story. Plus, maybe I'll get more readers this way. Let me know if that's a good move or not. (Or maybe Sci-Fi/Fantasy would be better?)

Thanks to all following and commenting and supporting me! You help my motivation :)

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Emily:

I'm standing on the side of the road, waiting for the bus again, when I hear the rumble of a vehicle emerging from behind me.

"Shit." I turn away, waiting for Kade's truck to pass. But when I look up, all I see is a dusty-black stationwagon screeching to a stop in front of me.

Kade's little sister sits behind the wheel. Smacking gum, gigantic round sunglasses perched on her nose. Thin silver chains sparkle around her neck as a blue bubble pops. The window rolls down as she lowers her shades to assess me. "It must

suck

to not have a car out here."

"I don't mind the bus," I say. "It's kind of nice actually, staring out the window. Watching the scenery."

She shoots me a skeptical look. "I'd rather die than share space with the mouth breathing freaks that take public transit in this town."

Admittedly, there have been uncomfortable moments. Just yesterday some random old man sat right next to me on an otherwise empty bus. "Mouth-breathers like me?"

"Hmm." Phoenix pretends to contemplate. "You must not count because I'm about to offer you a ride." She opens the passenger door. "Get in."

Unlike with her brother, I feel little hesitance. But as I buckle my seat belt, I wonder if I've made a mistake. Tiny bones dangle off the mirror, clinking like chimes. Alligator skin covers the seat under me. A fur pelt adorns the dashboard. Phoenix turns up the volume up to blast heavy metal before she whips around a tight corner at breakneck speed.

As the station wagon zooms in the direction of downtown, Phoenix notices my discomfort, staring at bones swinging back and forth. "You like?" A heavily bejewelled finger toys with a small bird skull.

"It's very...unique." I try not to grimace, attempting friendly conversation. "How do you get the bones so white?"

"Hydrogen peroxide. It cleans and whitens them pretty good. Perfect for making jewellery." She paws at her neckline. Pulls out a long chain from under her tight black t-shirt. "See?" I warily look over and wonder how on earth she managed to find so many tiny dead bird parts. "I call this piece "Seasons in the Abyss.""

As disturbing as I find her art, I have to admit she is brilliant at what she does. Her necklace gleams with black gemstones, blends harmoniously with skeleton fragments."Do you...kill them?"

"No. I find them long after they're dead. And if I

did

kill them, I'd eat everything too: the brain, organs, eyeballs." She beams a little too wide. "I think in my past life I was a vulture."

I lean towards the door."Seems scary having the dead constantly around."

"You would hate my room. That's where the majority are." She peers at me from behind her bug-eyed shades, spots the drawing pad that's currently tucked in my lap. "So Kade tells me you're some kind of

artiste

. You bringing some pieces to market today? He said you might sell some there."

Her mention of Kade has me blushing, and for a second I viscerally feel his big fingers curling deep inside me. I try my best to shake the thought. I really,

really

don't want to get wet on Phoenix's gator skin right now. "No, I was just planning to draw in the cafe. Have a nice day off."

At the next stop sign, Phoenix checks crimson gloss in the mirror. Adjusts her nose piercing, dabs her cupid's bow with a ringed pinkie. "Why don't you set up your art at my booth? I've got four crates of honey to sell and I could use the company."

"I dunno..."

"It'll be fun!" she insists. "Plus, the honey isn't moving lately. I think it's my resting bitch face. Freaks people out." She reaches out to lightly cuff my arm. "One flash of that prom queen smile and people will be lining up around the block, amirite?"

I'm not sure if

prom queen smile

is a compliment or not. I have a feeling she doesn't associate with prom queen types. And even though I was never queen, I

was

runner-up. I thumb the edge of my drawing pad. "I only have about five finished pieces in here."

And they're all of wolves.

"Good enough for me."

We arrive in town and I'm soon swayed into helping Phoenix set up her booth. I cave to her coercion and lay my charcoal and ink pieces next to stacks of honey. We're surrounded by stalls overflowing with local produce, baked goods, the smell of smoked meats and fried batter tinging the air.

Phoenix unfolds a chair and sits next to me. "Nice wolves, Em." A conniving smile spreads her lips. "Have you seen any around here lately? Any random wolves wandering around, humping your leg?"

"What?" Apparently there's some inside joke I'm unaware of. "I think I've heard them howl around here but other than that they're just beautiful animals to draw."

"Of course they are." Phoenix isn't looking at me anymore, distracted. She tilts her head, scanning the crowd. "By the way, let me know if you see a certain skinhead."

"Skinhead?" Like an

American History X

sort of skinhead

?

"Not the bad kind, right?"

"No. He's the local blacksmith. He shaves his head because he thinks he's some kind of badass." She pauses. "It's more of a buzzcut, really."

"This town has a blacksmith?" I shouldn't be surprised. This town has unusual characters all around.

"Yeah, and he's

gorgeous.

" A deep frown. "And married. Twenty-five and married. Can you believe it? What a waste."

Right away I know that she's head over heels for him. "I'll keep a lookout for any bald men." I hesitate. "Is Kade going to be here?"

"He better not be." Phoenix seems irritated by the suggestion alone. "If he does, you'll have to deal with him. I'm sick of his constant bitchiness."

The thought of dealing with Kade makes me want to grab my drawings and book it into the nearest hole to hide. Instead, I steel my nerves and angle my art towards the crowd.

*

Surprisingly, Phoenix is right. People in this town are flocking to our booth. Within thirty minutes I've sold two wolf drawings and Phoenix has sold ten jars of honey.

"I can't believe it." Phoenix laughs as she stacks dollar bills in a blue plastic bin. "I'm actually selling this shit!" She gives my shoulder a hearty slap. "Thanks, prom queen."

There's not much to do besides sketch while I wait for more customers to arrive. As I do, I fall into a light trance again, the pencil in my fingers moving with little input on my part. I'm just a witness to whatever's happening. Channeling the subconscious as the background chatter and warm summer air flows around me like a tranquil balm.

Then I recognize what it is I'm actually drawing. The carved cheekbones, strong jaw. It looks like-

"Kade?" Phoenix's voice rings in my ears. My drawing pad lowers to reveal the exact face I've been sketching. My hand darts to cover the image. "What are you doing here?"

Kade stands there in a snug gray t-shirt and blue jeans, holding a bright yellow crate. Sexy as ever and clearly unsure about me being here. Seeing him sends flushed heat singing through my body.

"You forgot this," he mutters, placing the crate full of honey jars on the table.

"

Great

." Phoenix crosses her arms, all attitude. "You're so very helpful." Then she glances behind Kade and her entire expression changes to starstruck awe. "Um. I have to go talk to someone for a moment. Can you watch the stall?" She leaps out of her chair to hustle towards another booth. That's when I notice the person she's zipping towards: a stunner of a man with a close-shaved head, strong shoulders, dreamy eyes. I can't blame Phoenix for the crush, though I pray she doesn't do something stupid with a married man.

Then Kade sits beside me. A million invisible explosions blast through my flesh. I do my best to remain calm, quickly flipping my drawing pad to the next page.

"Selling your art, huh?" Kade asks casually, though the vibes between us are extremely on edge, combined with a fierce buzzing lust. Or, at least for me they are. My body remembers him. My body associates him with pleasure but my mind is doing gymnastics to hate him.

I have to keep myself occupied. I begin a new sketch of something less obvious than the face of the man next to me: a wolf, baying towards the sky.

I feel the need to explain this ever-present theme. "I can hear them howling at night sometimes," I confess as I keep my eyes on the paper. "Maybe that's why I can't stop drawing them."

Kade tenses up. Goes quiet. Then after a few moments, he asks, "Did you uh...get the basket?"

"Yes." A dry swallow. "It was lovely."

At sunrise today, I had opened my front door to find a gift basket overflowing with abundance from Kade's garden: two jars of honey, fresh corn, rainbow carrots, beets, peppers, red chard, boxes of cherries, raspberries. And to my girlish delight, a overflowing bouquet of bright pink wildflowers.

I was going to toss the basket out of spite but I couldn't bring myself to. I put the flowers in a vase and then tried in vain to forget about it.

"Good." He leans back in his seat. I can sense he's looking at me but I'm afraid that if our eyes meet, I'll be sucked into a lustful rabbit hole again. "About the other night...I know I fucked up."

"It's fine." My mechanical pencil breaks from the pressure I'm putting on it. I click the end for more lead.

"I'm going to make it up you. Whatever it takes."

He will? Butterflies clash with ice. "I don't want to talk about it." There's a hard edge in my voice, stubbornness creeping in. "I don't really feel like talking to

you

right now either."

Kade's hand clenches on the table. "Red, I don't want to lose-" He fades off. "I'm really fucking sorry."

His honesty cracks a seam in the ice wall I just erected. "I need some time," I finally say. "I need space."

"I'll give you whatever you need. Just don't completely cut me off."

Give me whatever I need? It's difficult to stay composed now. "Why shouldn't I cut you off?"

"Because we both know that whatever we have isn't just going to end on that one night." Our gazes finally catch and there's a soft tug at my heart. "Something's got us hooked on each other, whether we like it or not."

Despite Kade suddenly spewing everything I'd hoped he'd say from the beginning, the hurt part of me wants to make him work for my forgiveness. See how many hoops he'll jump through. How legit is he when the going gets tough?

"What if I'm hooked on someone new?" I prod that sore spot perhaps too eagerly.

His mouth veers into a grimace. "You barely know the guy, Em."

"I barely know you too."

Kade opens his mouth but before he can speak, Phoenix returns to the table. "So, how are you two lovebirds-I mean,

neighbours

doing?" No effort at subtlety, though I don't think the word "subtle" is in her vocabulary. "Think you can take over, Kade? You're already sitting there."

Kade stands up, muscles taut. "I have to go." He pushes past the table to leave, no backwards glance to me. Though he turns over his shoulder to point directly at Phoenix. "And don't leave any crates here like you did last week. I

do

notice."

We watch him stride away until he's swallowed by the crowd. Phoenix, looking pissed. Me, wishing he'd stay.

Phoenix turns to face me. "Did you guys fight?"

I focus on shading in my wolf. "It was more of a disagreement."

She sits down, crossing her legs, one elbow on the table as she assesses me. "So you're still seeing that other guy, huh? What's his name again. Blake?"

Hearing his name triggers something in me. A switch flicked on. "Blake is a good guy," I blurt out. I'm disturbed by how the words explode. Like I've been waiting all week to say them.

Phoenix gives me a suspicious once-over. "Okay..."

"He's a good guy." My lips move like they're detached from my body. "Really great. Handsome too. Everything you could hope for in a man."

Did I really just say that?

Phoenix could not look more distrustful of me, brows knitted. "Right, well, enjoy that I guess." She pushes her sunglasses up the bridge of her nose. "Kade says you're going to the Butterfly Ball with him."

"Of course I am. Blake is a good guy."

"You just said that."

I'm aware of how strange I'm acting, but I can't stop. "Well, he is."

Phoenix just stares. After a moment she sighs. "I'd say I'd hope to see you there at but I don't think I'm going to go."

"No?"

Phoenix glances over at the table she just came back from, her blacksmith talking to another customer. "Well, Jack will be there with his wife, and...I don't know if I can handle seeing that shit."

I'm surprised by this. Phoenix doesn't seem like the type to be overwrought with feelings over some guy. She seems like the type of girl that wouldn't care about men at all, trying them on like shoes, happy to walk on them all day.

"I'm sure some better guy will come along," I touch Phoenix's shoulder.

She shrugs with a touch of sheepishness. "I don't know. I think I've met every single guy in this town by now and Jack's the only one I can stand. He's just...perfect." Her head lowers. "And I'm a total mess."

"You're only nineteen, Phoenix." Saying that aloud reminds me yet again how unnerving that is. This confident, straight-shooting woman is practically a child. "You've got more than enough time."

"I won't be living in this town for long either" she says. "I'm moving to Chicago soon. Or New York. Somewhere where there's life."

Weird. After escaping the city, it feels like Dream Hill has far more life than Seattle ever did. The scenery, the wildlife, the people. Pure aliveness at every turn. "We all seem to want the opposite of what we have."

"And sometimes what we have, we deny."

Letting that cryptic comment linger in the back of mind, I stay with Phoenix for the rest of the Market day, selling all my wolf drawings by the end of it.

I keep today's portrait of Kade to myself.

*

Kade:

Emily is in my dream again.

"Oh, Kade. Your tongue feels so good in my pussy. Eat me, baby."

Except, this time, she's not actually here. She didn't invade my dreams and I didn't invade hers.

"Mm, I love your cock."

No, I created her. Molded her out of my own imagination.

Is that pathetic? Probably. But it's my fucking dream. I'll do whatever I want with that time, including getting my rocks off with Not-Emily. A creation that's not exactly her but close enough that it temporarily eases the longing.

Currently, Emily's luscious ass is in my face as she joyfully swallows my cock, my thumb parting her dewy folds before I suck at her clit.

You'd think that this situation would be heavenly, but despite having my tongue in my neighbor's gorgeous pussy, I only feel hollow. It doesn't matter how far down her throat this life-like Emily can take me.

I want the real thing. I want the real Emily.

Not-Emily glances over her shoulder. "Are you okay? You stopped licking me." She looks down at my lap. "And you're deflating. "As she turns around to face me, straddling my stomach, I have to admit that despite her not being real, my work is extremely accurate. Those tits could make a man weep.

She frowns, saliva-slick lips pouting. "Are you not happy with me?"

I sigh, stretching out on the checkered picnic blanket under a looming oak tree, grass grazing my ankle. "No, you're perfect. Just...a little too perfect."

She rolls off me with a somber exhale. I drape an arm around her and she cuddles against my side, our naked bodies pressed. "Did I not suck your cock good enough?"

"No, it's not that, sweetheart. You're great...but you're just-"

"Not her."

"Right."

"But you made me." She trails slim fingers through my chest hair, down my stomach. "I can be everything you ever wanted." Her skillful tongue snakes up my neck. "You won't even fuck me."

True. I'm like some cross-clutching virgin saving himself. Except, in place of marriage, I'm saving myself for Emily's very wet, very real pussy.

"Want to go swimming with me?" Not-Emily offers after I lapse into silence.

I watch a cloud unfurl above. "I don't really feel like it."

"Don't you want to see me all wet?"

Alright, I'm not entirely unsusceptible to Fake Emily's charms. "I guess I could swim for a bit."

I follow her towards the nearby flowing stream. Light sparkles on water. Willow trees sway as songbirds serenade. A fairytale oasis just for us.

But nothing feels good. Everything reminds me that this isn't real. That what is real has escaped me and it's very much my fault.

My creation is already in the stream. I wade in after her until I'm standing waist deep at her side.

"See? Look." She cups her shiny, beautiful breasts towards me and they jiggle exactly like real Emily's would. She snatches one of my hands and slaps them over her chest. "Aren't they slippery now?"

I'm both turned on and completely disgusted with myself for making such a stereotypical male fantasy come to life. I squeeze her tits half-heartedly.

"You're still not happy with me." She looks so crestfallen that a lump clogs my throat.

"Sorry, I think I should wake up." Yes, even here my guilt is eating me alive. There's no escape. "I don't know what the fuck is happening anymore."

"You just need to relax, big boy." She lays back in the water, floating with a whimsical smile. "Why don't we float together? And hold hands. Like those otters on YouTube!"

I sigh through my nose, unable to resist her friendly tone, her supple body. "Alright, let's float for a bit."

I lay back with Not-Emily. Our fingers twined as she hums softly. It's such a sweet moment that I almost forget she's a fraud. Then she starts speaking again.

"Oh Kade, your hands are so big and strong and manly. I want them all over me!"

I inwardly cringe at how unoriginal my own mind is. Why can't I make her personality more like the real thing? It's the one part of her that doesn't match and it jars me out of the fantasy every time."Let's just be quiet for awhile."

Not long after, I close my eyes, drifting off. Slipping in-between this dream and deep sleep, unsure whether to stay or go. I decide to stay in the dreamworld.

When I open my eyes, I realize my hand is empty. Emily is standing over me in the water. A vacant, distant look on her face.

"You're still here." Her voice sounds thick, metallic. "Go back to sleep."

A warning flare sets off in my stomach. I begin to rise from the water but Emily's palm flattens on my chest to keep me still.

"Hey, what are you-"

"Time to sleep, baby boy." Her hand is shockingly strong. Far stronger than Real Emily's grip would be, or any average human's for that matter.

"What the hell, Red." I grip her wrist with both hands, struggling under her immense power. Then she grabs my hair by the roots and plunges me underwater.

I thrash and kick, eyes stinging. Using all my dream-body and mental strength to break away from her hold, but it's like trying to push through steel. When I finally manage to break the surface, I know it's because she let me. As I gasp for air, I see that Not-Emily's green eyes are now a familiar pale blue.

"Time to sleep, Rowen." She pushes me under again, her fingers shifting to a vice grip around my neck. Laughter penetrates the waves. A hysterical cackle. "Forever."

Then the water goes dark crimson. No light shines through. From behind my closed eyes I see a blazing forest, hear a hissing scream in my ears. Blood red flames lick up trees, swallowing branches.