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The storm raged on, filling the night with a life all its own. Tears gushed into her eyes but were wiped clean by nature's hand. The nightmares were real and claiming victims. _Angela is one of them now, and Elizabeth ..._Her lover's bite itched, spreading like an infection she was sure would claim her as well. _But how long do I have?_The question could not be contemplated for long. Exploring such thoughts might drive her mad. But she was already mad, and in that madness she ran head first into the armored forms of soldiers on patrol.

"Whoa!" shouted the man whose armor knocked her to the ground. His voice called the others to attention and soon their hands were gripping her ... restraining her ... pulling her ... "Whoa, whoa, easy, easy!" said the man to his comrades and the woman who screamed like a child. His voice was not harsh, but concerned and confused. The sensitive tone brought her back, if only for a moment. Then she was hugging him ... weeping ... babbling something about her sister and the monsters and how all the world was insane.

The soldiers surrounded Laura, but she did not mind. She could smell their armor, sweat from the patrol, oils that refused to mix with the rain and would not wash away. They were not facing her, their gazes turned out toward the night to see if the things she was running from would follow. But when a certain level of panic seeped away from her, she heard a question that caused her body to tense. "Did they wound you?"

"Ma'am," another soldier asked a little more sternly, "did they claw you or bite you?"

They know, she thought as her mind drifted to the discomfort that surrounded her most private of places. "No," she whispered, "I saw them ... but they didn't see me."

"Good," the soldier she was hugging said as the men around him visibly relaxed. "Come on, let's get you out of this storm." The men turned and began to walk. The entire time she did not let go of the guard. As her senses began to return, she realized she knew this man.

"Geoffrey?" Laura asked as her mind began to place her situation into context.

"Yes, Laura," he said in a way that was concerned but professional. "Don't worry. We'll get you inside and cleaned up. Then you'll be given food and a spot for the night. When did you eat last?"

"I ... well ..."

"It's alright," he reassured her. "Everything's going to be alright." Something in his voice did not reassure her. Geoffrey had been unsuccessfully trying to court her for years and their last words had been angry ones. Now Laura found herself clinging to him like a raft on the sea and she could smell less than noble intent from him.

Is that even possible? Laura asked herself as she questioned everything she knew. Does he mean to help me? Or ... maybe ... maybe he wants revenge! No ... Geoffrey's a good man, I just prefer women. But still ... maybe something from him wouldn't be so bad ... but no ... I'm sworn to another! Aren't I? Her mind was a swamp of confusing ideas and she was not certain she could swim through to the other side.

"Here we are," Geoffrey said as he led her into a place that was neither the barracks nor any government building she knew. The building was a home ... his home. Instincts warned of a possible danger in this place but the night left her too unhinged to fight it. "Just try to relax," he said with a smile, as he fumbled with the straps to his breastplate. "Can I get you anything?"

"Cold," was all Laura could manage to say. Her eyes darted around the small sitting room which connected directly to the kitchen.

"Well, I don't have any woman's clothes, but you can wear some of mine if you like." His eyes said there were more words to that sentence ... a deeper meaning he might be fighting with inside himself. She always hated that about him ... that weakness that held back his words. His failure to express his desires. "Here," he said as he handed her a towel and then went to his bedroom to rustle though some drawers. "I have clean clothes and we just had room inspections last week so the tub is still clean. I can heat some hot water for you if you like ..."

He wants to take me, Laura's instincts warned her as they drowned out his words. After a bath he will feed me his sweets and lull me to sleep ... then he will take me. While Geoffrey spoke, he removed his armor. The scent of his body filled the air. I can smell it ... his desire ... but he can't have me ... With every level of metal he peeled, he became more vulnerable. I am stronger than him ... maybe ... another piece came off, maybe ... another, maybe ... if I dominate him ...

"Laura?"

"Huh?" She snapped out of her reverie and looked into his eyes. There was a fear there she could not read, but she was certain part of this came from standing before her in nothing but a shirt and loose fitting pants.

"Do you want me to begin heating water for the tub?" he asked.

"Uhm ... sure," she said with a nod.

A brief blush hinted at his cheeks as he stepped away to get a fire burning in the hearth. Laura looked around the simple bedroom and took note of how it was obvious that a soldier lived here. There were no real decorations, but everything was neat, tidy, and put into perfect rows designed to impress officers when they came to inspect the place. The clothes he left out for her were large but she could tell they would fit. Taking them into the bathroom, she lit the oil lamp on the wall-mount, closed the door and looked around.

The bathroom was as sparse and clean as the rest of the home. Everything was perfect and easy to find. Like a child she moved everything an inch or two to the right and left. She wrinkled the towels, turned his razors backwards, and traded the hairbrush with the bathing sponge. The perfection was lessened, but it was still too clean.

A smug feeling brought tiny giggles from her that drew her attention to the mirror. It was large, designed for a soldier to see large portions of himself. This mirror showed her a woman she almost did not recognize. Long dark hair was disheveled and hung loosely around her face. Deep breaths seemed to lift and lower her shoulders like she was preparing to pounce on a rabbit. Deep blue eyes appeared slightly green as tiny flecks of amber sparkled in the dull light.

"Laura?" Geoffrey called form the other side of the door.

"Changing," she called to him.

"Oh ... yeah," he said in an uncertain manner. "Uhm ... I got a fire going. I'll start boiling the water and whenever you're ready I'll pour the bath."

"Alright." He's such a "nice" guy and too eager to please. The weakness in his voice disgusted her ... made her want to smother him with her strength and make him her servant. He's a soldier and so he understands his place in an orderly chain. Once I've dominated him he'll be stronger ... under my direction ... obedient to my will.

Laura shook her head and huffed in frustration at the strange thoughts that lingered in her mind. A distraction was needed, so she busied herself with the task of pealing her water soaked dress from her body. It took several moments, but when she let it fall to the ground, she could not help at giggle at the dirty stain it was sure to make where it fell. A bucket of clean water was nearby so she took a nearby washrag and wiped herself off.

The dry towel felt good where she rubbed it. That too would need cleaning. When she finished she got another good laugh out of the grime on the clean linen. He might never get it clean again. But as she held the soiled fabric she noticed the hands which held it were still dirty ... and oddly shaped.

Throwing the towel to the floor, Laura turned the oil lamp as high as it would go and examined her hands in the light. The fingernails she had chewed to bits years ago were long, sharp, and quite a bit sturdier than she had ever seen them. The many tiny dots of what she thought had been dirt were actually fine hairs that had grown thicker. A touch of panic gripped at her as she looked closely into the mirror. The bones in her body appeared to be pressing out against her skin, as if they had grown in the last hour. Fine dark hairs were gathered in places none had grown before. The places which used to have fine hairs now grew more coarsely.

The mirror showed her the intensity of the bite marks and the redness which appeared to be spreading through her veins. Whatever was happening to her was accelerating. The neatly trimmed hair around the bite marks had developed into a clean patch of fur and was spreading up her stomach to her navel. The teeth in her mouth were growing sharper, her incisors had lengthened a bit, and soon, they would fill her face.

Laura closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. No, she commanded herself, _not here. Not now._The burning in her body seemed to dull to a lukewarm simmer. If these changes were going to continue, then she would need to escape her host. The oversize clothes slipped on easily enough, covering most of the changes, but she might start sprouting a tail any second and then he would be duty bound to kill her. The thought of him against her with a weapon frightened her much more than the beasts she had encountered this night. She would need to do something about him.

A few final adjustments made her feel better about facing the world. She was not very pretty but that was not important. Turning the nob dimmed the oil lamp's flame and she was able to step out into the main room where Geoffrey was tending the fire.

"Feeling better?" he asked with only the slightest glance back.

"Yes," Laura said as she stepped up behind him. "Thank you."

"No problem," he said as he kept working the fire with his poker. "I think food is in order. I have a bit of cheese and some bread, but it's getting old. I think I should talk to the supply sergeant about getting more. What do you-" His words fell away as the she tugged at his shirt and got him to stand. Inside of his personal space, she was impressed at how strong his body felt. Her fingers traced his lean muscles, which had been made strong by constant training ... he would sire strong children and his desire for me makes him vulnerable.

Slowly, she drew him close, and hugged him tightly until he dropped his fire poker and wrapped his arms around her. She could feel his barriers falling. He trusts me ... he needs me ... I can feel him softening and hardening all at the same time. A look up into his eyes was dangerous but she dared it. There she saw his need, but as she drew him to her, his body tensed and his face shifted in warning of what he saw.

Lunging quickly, Laura bit him hard on the neck. Blood gushed into her mouth as he stumbled back and pushed away. The soldier's strength was still greater than her own and he sent her hurling through the air. The world spun sideways until she crashed to the floor. A wild growl escaped her throat and she stared hard at the soldier as he held his neck and backed away. Laura also backed away from him, spitting and hissing, as she made her way toward the door.

"Laura! No!" His shout seemed to reach past the wild emotions and, for a moment, she was herself again.

"Geoffrey?" He was bleeding and hurt, but standing. "Geoffrey ... I'm sorry! Geoffrey!" The soldier reached the stand where his weapons were kept and drew his sword. The tip of the blade swung around, as he remembered the weight of it, then was directed toward her. The soldier had the eyes of a predator ... a warrior ... she had misjudged him ... underestimated him ... he would kill her if she stood against him.

The deadbolts on the door were easy to open, in her current state, and she flung the door open. Geoffrey shouted her name and she froze, looking back at him. Fear and confusion ... rage and caring ... the conflict of many emotions raged in his eyes, but she could not stay. With the taste of his blood on her lips, she fled into the night. With his life in her veins, she felt the power of the raging beast. It would not be long now.