The Battlefield of Love, If That's What You Want to Call it

She called herself average. She says it constantly, almost thirty times every few hours. Sure, her hair was brown and her eyes were light brown, but average? No. It was a misunderstanding. She didn't appreciate herself enough. If you could convince her to believe she was even slightly pretty, you deserved an award.

"Another glass?" She asked the man standing behind the bar. She didn't bother remembering what they were called. It was probably something easy. Stupid humans refused to put a lot of thought into names. The guy handed her another glass of wine and Mary sipped it quietly.

She glared out from under her fine eyebrows and straightened her plain dress so that it rested on her okay thighs. She dared anyone to come within three feet of her. She silently wished she wasn't alone, but it was too late. She'd sent away the last boy with a red mark on his shoulder. She'd punched him.

Flipping her hair tauntingly, she finished her glass again and sighed. Soon, she would head home and cr-I mean laugh herself to sleep. Marylinda loved watching the humans stare at her with envy, but she couldn't figure out why they did. She was soo average.

Zane made his way into the small building. A wave of cool air danced on his blistering skin. Of course, the sensation didn't last long, the coolness lasted a mere second before his skin regained it's normal, burning temperature.

He sighed lightly, scanning the room with his cold blue eyes. Good, he didn't recognize anyone. He didn't want to have to get caught up in a conversation of reminisce and a bunch of boring memories that he had far to many of. He stepped forward, his feet leading the way to where he knew the strong alcohol would be. As he walked, he could hear the sound of his skin rubbing against his plain black t-shirt that formed fittingly around his sculpted figure. The fabric of his worn jeans rubbed together, making a satisfying swishing sound.

There just happened to be an abandoned bar stool in a row of many. It stood next to unoccupied seats, beckoning for Zane to sit there. When he was able to sit down and finally relax he observed his surroundings. There was a bald man a few seats down, drowning himself in booze and a very attractive women not to far from where he sat. Zane let his eyes linger for a second before the bartender interrupted his admiring.

"The strongest you have," he said, his voice rough from sustaining from talking for so long. The bartender poured his drink, and slid the cold glass across the bar top. Zane reached out for the glass, enjoying the way the cold surface felt against his fiery hand. He took a big swig of it, placing it down lightly on the counter. He sat there bored, eventually running a hand through his bark brown hair. He closed his eyes for merely a second, breathing deeply, allowing himself to relax. He just wanted all of his stress to melt away.

That's when it hit him.

A strong smell struck his nose, sending a shiver down his spine. How did he not notice before? He followed the scent with his eyes, leading him the the beautiful women that sat only feet away from him. Zane's eyes grew wide in shock. He couldn't help but stare.

Mary watched the handsome boy enter and sit. Looking away with a small hmph, she ordered a small glass of vodka. It was the last drink, she promised as she felt her stomach clench in protest. She flipped her wavy hair again and glanced over at the boy. She blinked and let her lower lip jut out. At least he was pretty. She was just plain.

He felt his eyes on her and turned to glare. What in Deimos's name did he want? She choked as his smell reached her. He. Was. A. Mutt. She whined to herself. "Not fair. Vampires are supposed to be the pretty ones. They're supposed to look like dogs."

She crossed her arms as he continued to stare. With a sigh, she stood, dropped money on the bar and put a hand on her hip. She stomped over to him with a snort. "Is there something you want to tell me, Fleas? It irritates me when you look at me like that." To herself she said, I'm not pretty enough for it.

Zane's eyes stayed on the women as she turned to look over at him. Oh, this couldn't be good. He watched as the realization hit her. Yes, he was a werewolf, and yes, she was a vampire. He couldn't believe he was just checking out a vampire, looking at her as if he could hook up with her or something.

He couldn't help but smirk when he heard her mutter something about him being pretty. He wasn't quite sure if she intended for him to hear that but, a vampire should know that werewolves ears are keen, whether they're human or wolf.

Zane scrutinized her as she slapped money down on the counter and then stood up to... leave? No, she was coming over to him. He turned in his seat, reaching a pale hand out to caress the cold class. He downed the drink fast, appreciating the burning sensation that occurred as it slid down his throat. He needed all the alcohol he could get. This was going to get interesting.

Her voice was whimsical. There was something about this leech. He felt a strange emotion towards her that wasn't hate. Amusement maybe? "You don't like it when I stare at you like this?" he said with a smooth voice. He placed his elbow on the counter-top, resting his hand on his strong jaw. He ran his sky blue eyes up and down her body, finally allowing them to meet her deep brown eyes. "Hm.." he started turning his head, yet, he let a small smirk cross his face.

She was suddenly self-conscious of her plain curves and features. She clenched her teeth as he examined her. She shouldn't be letting him look at her like this, but something kept her from ripping his chest open and pull-ahem. She gave him a quick glare and let herself stare at him. Mary could fill in the clothing-covered gaps with muscles.

She found herself watching his hair like a cat with yarn. She imagined running her fingers through it with a silent giggle. It looked fascinating. She froze and stopped her eyes from staring at his liquid sky eyes and lovely hair. She sniffed with faked indifference.

"No, I don't like it when you look at me." She lied. She bared her teeth half-heartedly. "Don't make me rip you up and leave you for you mangy 'friends.'" Marylinda drew quote marks in the air as she said friends. "So...stop."

The women looked very displeased by the way he looked at her. He didn't really care though, she took offense to it and that's all that mattered. His head was slightly turned away from her but he looked at her through the corner of his eye. He noticed how her expression changed slightly only to turn back to the same hateful glare.

He let out a small chuckle, not sounding very enthused. But, he made a show for the bartender who was gawking at the woman's hostility. Zane was positive that the man could hear every word she had sneered. He narrowed his eyes at the man, shrugging lightly. The werewolf hopped gingerly from his seat and reached into his back pocket. His hand gripped a leather wallet that was stuffed with many papers and cards. He pulled out a bill and slid it across the bar.

Zane peered down at the Vampire. He was by far, much more taller then her. He liked the way that she barely came up to his chin. After sliding the wallet back to its original place, he slowly place an arm around the girl, hoping she wouldn't toss him across the room. He didn't approve of the way her cold skin felt against his. His natural werewolf instincts screamed at him to attack her. Yet, he didn't. Sure, his hair stood up, but he ignored it. He initiated their exit by lightly pushing her forward with his arm.

"Don't act so silly, dear. We'll save the role playing for later... if you know what I mean," he winked at her slyly. "No need to cause a disturbance here..." he trailed off, hoping to get to a more secluded area before the bloodsucker tore his face off. Zane couldn't help but bark a guffaw.

Mary watched the boy pay for his drink, watching his hand move. Then, when he slid his arm around her, she almost tore at his pretty little face. It was only her instinct though. Her heart leaped towards her throat as his skin warmed her and she was pressed carefully to his side. She took a ragged breath, hoping it sounded like anger, and spoke.

"Ah, my little Romeo, you never let me have any fun." She batted her eyelashes for good measure and put her small arm around his waist. As soon as they were out of sight of the prying mortals she shoved him away, but not too far away. She could almost stand his musky scent.

"Why do you look at me like that and pretend I'm with you? I'm not gorgeous like you." Mary put a small hand over her mouth and winced. Oh great. Now the werewolf had something to hold over her head. She dropped to the sidewalk and buried her face in her arms.

Zane was surprised when the girl caught on. He didn't think Vampires were that sharp. He smirked at his own thoughts, hoping that the girl didn't see it and think that it was towards the fact that she put her arm around his waist. Her touch made his skin crawl. He could feel his hand about to tremble but he took a deep breath to calm himself. Of course, that air was tainted by the coldness of a vampire. Nevertheless, the trembling subsided.

When they were finally clear of any curious human eyes, she pulled away quick. She began speaking right away, sounding annoyed. He couldn't help but smile at the women. "Gorgeous eh? Well, I wouldn't go to that extreme. But hey, your pretty gorgeous yourself... for a vampire anyways," he said slyly. His voice was coated with a hint of flirting. Zane yawned lightly, looking up at the night sky. Then, he looked back down at the girl who was now burying her face. "What's wrong with the way I look at you? Can't a man admire a good looking women nowadays?" he said smoothly, letting a crooked smile cross his face. "And, I didn't want to cause a scene so the whole place can watch immortal enemies bicker and fight. Don't you have your Camerilla laws that forbid you to let mortals know of you existence?" he couldn't help but feel disgusted by the mentioning of the Camerilla. Zane had nearly forgotten that she was part of their pack. It sent shivers down his spine when the thought occurred to him.

She looked up crossly. "I am not gorgeous. I'm just average. Just Marylinda Lambe. Stupid little name. Better not make fun of it."

Mary gave him a sour look when he mentioned the Camarilla. Those idiotic morons were useless. "Like I respect them? Incompetent fools. Besides. I don't want to fight you. Which makes me upset, so you have slim chances for survival."

She kicked him in the shin feebly. "There. You're injured. Good luck trying to heal from that." Mary laid the sarcasm on thick and smirked slightly. It was the closest thing to a smile on her face than anything else for a few weeks. "Hey! Don't change the subject. I still don't want you checking me out. It makes me feel weird, like..."

She trailed off, staring at his hair again. She hesitated and then, "Hey can I touch your hair?"

Zane just rolled his eyes at the girl. From what he could tell, she had zero self confidence. But, that was her loss. There was nothing he could do about it, seeing that she just shot down his complement. But, he didn't dwell on her confidence long.

"You don't want to fight me?" He asked, skeptical. Than what where her intentions? She approached him, acting all bitter and hateful. And now she said that she didn't want to fight him? He couldn't help but wonder if there was something wrong with this women. Honestly, he could care less. He shoved away the trivial thoughts and focused his cold blue eyes on her.

Zane was about to say more but then she kicked him. Of course, she didn't kick him very hard. It felt like something gently bumped into him. He laughed lightly at her sarcasm, it was just so entertaining to him. "Ow that hurt so bad. I think I need to see a doctor," he said, playing it up. "Haven't you ever heard 'pick on someone your own size?'" Zane's voice was layered with a teasing attitude.

Honestly, he wasn't sure if he could keep up with this girl. One second she was screaming at him, the next, she was calling him gorgeous and asking if she could... touch his hair? "Oh. I see how it is, Miss Marylinda. It's okay for you to touch my hair, but I can't check you out?" He acted as if he was hurt by the situation.

Mary hopped to her feet, ignoring his pouting and ran her fingers through his layered hair. Is was warm and soft. She smiled. She giggled. "It's so nice! Thanks for letting me pet you, Romeo. Nobody else likes it."

She was quiet for a minute, staring at her silvery shoes. She stared up at him with pursed lips. "So you really think I'm pretty? I just figured you were lying." She tapped her leg nervously, waiting for a snarky reply. "I guess I don't think I'm nice-looking. Just normal."

Mary's heartbeat skittered, hoping he wouldn't be mean. She didn't think she could take his mean comments and smirking for much longer. She yawned and leaned against the wall.

Zane took her 'petting' remark as a snide comment. He didn't like the way it made him feel inferior. "Ha ha funny. A dog joke. And, I have a name. It's Zane," he muttered, looking up at the moon. The way it's light shined upon the two made them look otherworldly.

Normal looking? Please. She was far from normal looking. And she should know that. Weren't all vampires supposed to be conceded? He thought about what she had said while leaning against the related wall. He looked over her again, trying not to make it as obvious as before. He didn't want her to claw at his gorgeous face.

Something came over him that he didn't understand. All of the sudden, he had the urge to touch Mary. Touch a vampire! And it wasn't an urge to attack her. It was just the urge to touch her... like a normal person would. His sapphire eyes darted all over her face, where he found a stranded brown lock of hair. He inched his hand from his side, being very exact about his movements. He reached out and pinched the silky, brown hair between his fingers, only to place it behind her pale ear.

Then, something mentally slapped him across the face. He quickly pulled his hand away and looked away from Mary. Zane nearly blushed, which was unusual for him. He bit down at his lip, wishing that he could take back what he just did. For God's sake! She was his enemy!

"Yes... I do," he mumbled softly.

Marylinda liked the sound of his name. She said it over in her head. Zane. It sounded like a super hero. Or something of the like. She smiled at him. Again. That must've been the third time tonight. Good Gods, what for?

His hand reached towards her and Mary sucked in her breath. What was he doing? She followed his muscle-y arm carefully with her brown eyes. Unmoving, she felt his fingers touch her hair. Her lip trembled with anticipation. Almost rolling her eyes at herself, Mary reprimanded any thoughts of anticipation. She shivered as he pulled away, and it wasn't from the cold.

She lifted her arm at his words. She slowly placed her palm on his cheek. She lifted his gaze to her and smiled. "Thank you. That means a lot." Stopping her nose from wrinkling, she noticed that she was close enough to feel his breath on her forehead.

Zane nodded softly, responding without words. When her hand made contact with his skin, his body reacted two different ways. One side of him was screaming at him to attack, to turn into his wolf self so that he wasn't vulnerable towards his enemy. And, the other side was coated with some sort of emotion that he just couldn't wrap his mind around.

For some reason, he suddenly had the urge to lean forward. Something inside him craved to be close to her... even though it was all wrong. But, luckily his trembling hand made him halt. This wasn't right. Zane just kept screaming in his mind that he was doing something exceedingly foolish. Yet, he wanted to do it anyways.

He tore his eyes away from her, trying to refocus his thoughts. He knew he should probably leave. After all, that's what his instincts were screeching at him to do. He shook his head, as if he was shaking all the thoughts away from his mind. He took a deep breath, embracing the uncomfortable, cold smell that radiated before him.

Zane lifted his hand, resting it on hers. He let it lay there for a second, and then pulled both of their hands away. He still held onto her cold skin, but he started to walk away, nearly letting go. "I have to leave," he croaked. "This..." his words broke off before he could finish saying. He started to make is way to the street. Where he would find his way to the woods. Where he belonged.

"Zane! No." Mary hurried after him, her heels clicking against the hard, fake ground. She had a hard time keeping up with his long strides while she stumbled in her heels. Sighing, she clawed them off, wincing as she caught her skin. Having an easier time running, she continued after Zane. She wailed, "Wait! You can't just leave me here."

He disappeared into the shadows of the forest. Marylinda's brow creased as she paused. The forest was no place for a vampire. She glanced around and darted in after. Her footsteps were quiet as she made sure no werewolves were near. Panting she called again. "Zane."

Zane heard Mary calling after him, but he ignored it. It wasn't right of him to get involved with a vampire. Hell, he was 361 years old, so he had a lot of experiences... none of which consisted of him getting involved with a leech. He sped up his pace when he heard her following after him.

When he was in the confinements of the forest, he felt much more at home. Of course, he was no doubt putting Mary in danger. However, she didn't have to follow him into the woods. He sighed, making an abrupt stop. Keeping his back towards the girl. He wasn't sure what he would do. Just throw her to the wolves? Defiantly not.

"Mary... I-i don't know what's going on... but," he said, struggling with his words. He never was this dumbfounded when it came to speaking his mind. "This just can't be safe," he finished the sentence quickly. Wishing that what he said was a lie.

--

Luna lurked around the woods, looking for fair game. Her wolf senses led her to where she needed to go to find her prey. Heck, she didn't even need her eyesight. Her nose and ears would tell her everything she needed to know. Yet, yer yellow, burning eyes scanned the premises, hungering for a snack.

Then, something peculiar happened. She smelt fresh vampire blood. The smell made her skin crawl with delight, but, it burned her nose in a satisfying way. She followed her snout through the area, drawing on her werewolf instincts to guide her way. When she approached the strong scent, she recognized something familiar. The scent of a brother.

When the sight of Zane came into view, she morphed into her human form. She strode lightly on the ground, letting her bare, callused feet caress the soft forest floor. When she took in the sight, she couldn't help but sneer. There stood a female vampire, bleeding at the foot. Zane stood in front of her, his back turned towards Luna. She breathed in, savoring the scent of the leeches blood.

"Oh, darn. It looks like you beat me to prey, Zane," she said, cooing at the man.

Mary's eyes widened as she listen to his melodic voice. "But...but-but..." You said I was pretty. Her eyes hurt. She pushed away the hollow aching under her ribs to stare frightened, at the mutt behind Zane's strong figure. She flinched at the word prey when it passed from the mongrel's lips.

Marylinda cursed her dumb luck and apologized to Deimos for using his name in vain. She shrank back from the two Werewolves and mumbled something incoherent. Looking up at Zane, she choked. "You're going to eat me?"

Zane's eyes widened when he heard the familiar voice of Luna's. What was she doing here? Of all werewolves... it just had to be her. He knew for sure this was going to end badly. He felt bad for letting Mary follow him into the woods. He looked at her, regret clear in his eyes. "N-No! Oh God no," he shivered at the thought. He couldn't believe what an idiot he was.

He moved closer to Mary, trying to be reassuring. He reached out his hand, placing it on her small shoulders. He planted her a few feet away, making sure she was as far from Luna as possible.

Zane snapped his head back at the bitter wolf, scrutinizing her. She had the forever angry stance about her. He never could understand what her problem was, nor was he sure he wanted to understand. He shrugged his thoughts away and made his way over to face the women, hoping to convince her that it was not snack time.

"Luna, what are you doing here? You need to leave us alone. Now," he said through closed teeth. "Nobody is eating anyone here. So you need to just be on your way..."

Luna nearly growled at the man. Who did he think was? He was a fellow werewolf... he should have been devouring the vampire vermin as of now. She let out a menacing hiss. "What? Is this leech your pet? Boy, I thought I'd never see the day when a werewolf sticks up for a vampires. This is rich!" she started to pace forward, making her way towards Zane. "You haven't changed one bit, honey. You're still the same, weird ole' loner wolf." she barked a laugh, letting her eyes meet Mary's.

She shoved past the tall man that stood before her, strutting over to where the feeble little vampire stood. She took a hand and let her long finger nail play with a strand of brown hair. "Hmm, what a shame. You're kinda... cute," she cooed, letting her hands tremble. Her body was close to making the change. The burning that churned inside her nearly gave way. She hungered for the vampire that stood before her. She just merly smiled, letting herself embrace the inner wolf.

Mary let a sigh of relief escape her at Zane's words. No eating, that was good. She rather liked him close, but not when she was being eaten. Then, the female wolf shoved him out of the way. Holding back a snarl, she watched the half-breed stalk forward. Her fangs found their way from hiding when it changed into a wolf. Marylinda let her growls erupt from her throat, but she knew she couldn't find the will to fight.

So, she let the mutt attack her, numb and unable to move. Her claws ripped into Mary's side and dress. She pouted slightly. She really liked this dress. Her fine features were spotted with blood as she collapsed to the ground,, curling up into a small ball.

Zane stood frozen as he watched Luna stride up to Mary. He wanted to smack himself in the face for not stopping her when she shoved him aside. He turned on his heels, letting his eyes trail to the scene, hating what he saw. Luna was cooing out at the vampire, being the twisted thing that she was.

He scrunched his eye brows together and huffed. Why was he just standing there? Maybe it was because she was his kind... but that shouldn't have matter. She was disturbed and wicked. His blue eyes watched fearfully as she transformed into a werewolf, clawing at Mary, causing the stench of her blood to be potent. His air caught as he watched her fall to the ground. He burned inside, limbs trembling all over. A growl ripped through his chest as his body began to morph into a familiar wolf.

He threw his head up in the air, howling at the full moon. Luna would pay for touching the girl. He bared his teeth and growled, lunging forward in graceful strides. His icy eyes narrowed as he pounded his hard body into Luna's, forcing them to fly throw the air. They landed on the ground, Zane pinning her to the ground. She had a sadistic smile plastered on her face.

Your sick, he thought. He knew she wouldn't hear the words, but it made him feel better to say it. He growled heavily at the women, warning her to back off.

Luna glared at Zane, bewildered by the face that he attacked her. What was this world coming to? She shook the thought away and focused her rage on the strange wolf.

She showed a nice row of sharp, pointed teeth. Suddenly, she lunged her head forward, allowing the teeth to sink into the fat that surrounded his neck. Her pointed claws flailed crazily as she attempted to get the heavy werewolf off of her.

Zane grimaced at the pain, rolling off of Luna. When the women stood on all fours once again, he striked her again, only for her to dodge swiftly. Yet, his teeth were able to catch on to her ear, and his claws dug a scar through her shoulder.

Luna yelped, sidestepping away. She narrowed her burning eyes on the idiotic scoundrel. Traitor! She screamed in her mind, allowing to words cascade over her body. Zane just ignored the sudden body language. It was about time someone turned on this heinous women.

The fiery eyes made their way from the form of Zane, over to the vampire that watched their quarrel. She barred her teeth at the girl, striding fiercely over to the victim.

Zane was getting tired of Luna. She just wouldn't stop trying, he knew that. So once again, he went flying off towards her, knocking her down. When she rose, he sunk his teeth into her skin, tasting the bitter blood of a kinsmen. His grip was firm on the werewolf's neck. He used all of his strength to toss Luna into a nearby tree.

His blue eyes quickly snapped over to Marylinda. His eyes screamed a single word. Run!

Mary watched the scene with fascination. The way the wolves fought had her entranced, but she snapped out of it as Luna neared her again. She blinked at Zane's silent command and managed to stand. But worry scrambled her expression as she hesitated; he was still holding her back.

After what he had said, being attacked by a werewolf, and Zane stopping the wolf from killing Marylinda, she still couldn't leave him behind. She was just a burden here, though. She'd been alive-the term used loosely-for 240-something years and her best battle tactic was to escape. She didn't have a fighting bone in her body, unless it was a verbal attack.

That wouldn't help. Nope, there was nothing good about this situation. She was being tugged both ways. A couple hundred years in the world had taught her to run, but her...feelings for Zane were keeping her next to him. And near dead. She wished she didn't have to choose.

Okay. She made her decision. Hide, but somewhere close.

She used her vampiric speed to dash away. She snuck into the closest building and watched the edge of the forest with an unhappy expression. She felt guilt swarm her as she waited for Zane to win. Of course he'd win. He was so strong and confident. He had to.

Zane watched as Mary rose to her feet and ran away. Good. She wouldn't be hurt any further by this beast. Of course, her strong odor didn't go away completely. He could tell that she stayed nearby. He rolled his eyes and chuckled lightly. Indeed, she wouldn't run away. Not after their strange encounter with one another.

Luna's expression was furious. She directed all of her anger and hate at this mere werewolf that stood a few feet away from him. She sprinted forward, letting her paws thud lightly on the soft ground. She bared her teeth and lunged for Zane's neck. Her teeth finding it's way deep into his skin, she ripped away at it.

Zane yowled in pain, reaching his claws upward to slice away at her face. He hit directly, causing blood to stain her colored fur. Unfortunately, this didn't seem to subside her, it only fed to her attacks. She threw him hard into the ground, letting his head collide with a hard, ancient tree.

His head throbbed in pain as soon as it made contact. His vision blurred and his ears were filled with a gurgling sound. The sound were his lungs, breathing frantically for air. He couldn't help but wonder if she punctured a lung. He sure hoped she didn't.

Before he knew it, his eyes were closing, seeing the vision of a hungry wolf, inching forward. Soon, everything was blacked out.

Luna howled in satisfactions. She sniffed lightly at the air, following the path that the girl had taken. Ah, she was hiding. Perfect. Luna's mind danced around the thoughts. She broke into long strides, facing her with a building that she quickly entered. Only to find a vampire girl that she was ready to attack.

Mary watched the line of trees eagerly. Where was Zane? She rubbed her forehead and looked around at the building she was in. It was practically empty except for the boxes piled against the walls. She pulled open a few to find tons of little figurines. They varied in size, shape and material. She picked up a particularly dark figure. It was a wraith of some sort. She tossed it aside and started digging through the boxes.

Her muscles tensed, though, as the smell of a werewolf plagued her again. Zane? Marylinda spun around, still holding a small figure. Her hope was crushed as she spotted only the female. She managed to squeak out her fears, though. "Oh my Gods. What did you do to Zane? Is he dead?"

She glanced around to find an exit, but the mutt was blocking the only one. Mary straightened her shoulder and spoke with mustered threats. "If you've done anything to hurt him...Don't come any closer, or I'll...you know...."

Luna grinned wickedly at the innocent girl. She tossed her dark brown hair behind her shoulder. Her lean body was supported by the threshold of the door. She flicked her golden eyes toward the forest where Zane laid, unconscioous. Ha, for all she knew, he could be dead. But, she hightly doubted that.

"Or you'll do what?" she cackled. "You don't have the guts." Luna sneered, hoping to get a rise out of the vampire. She didn't want to kill her without a fight. After all, where was the fun in that?

She inched forward, leaving the lighted doorway. She reached her burning hand out towards the woman's bare neck. Her hand lightly caressed it, only to dig her sharp fingernails into her tough skin. She let the blood run, letting it slide gently across her creamy skin. Her grip tightened, knuckles turning white as she channeled her strength towards Mary's pale, cold neck.

Zane would be waking up soon and Luna knew this. She would have to end this quickly.

Mary choked as the werewolf's hand wrapped around her neck. She swallowed and clawed at the wolf's hand. Her blood was seeping through the female's fingers as her legs wobbled. With a huge amount of effort, Marylin lashed out with her leg. Unlike with Zane, she put a lot of force behind the kick.

She slid to her knees, gasping for breath. Owwww, that hurt. Marylinda looked over at the Were's body. She groaned as it moved again. She was starting to annoy her. And in case you haven't noticed, it's a tad hard to to truly piss Mary off. She mostly fakes it.

Rising again, Marylin wearily took a few, disorganized steps back. Stupid mutt. "Stay, doggie." Her voice cracked as she sighed the teasing words. "I'll give you a bone."