Werewolf Moon Ch. 04

Liz Brannigan was asleep.

Her warm, naked body was curled up against him in a fetal position. She was sucking her thumb, which he found to be very endearing. Derek Talbot smiled. She looked so beautiful and innocent, like a little girl. Her shaved pubis only added to the effect.

They hadn't fucked; they had made love - there was a distinction.

A shadow passed across Talbot's face. It was the first time in his life that he had been gentle with a woman, and he was at a loss to explain why. That wasn't like him at all; it troubled and confused him, and made a part of him very angry. A tiny voice in the back of his mind screamed at him, urging him to smash her face-first into the dresser mirror and ass-rape her tiny rear end. Sex for him had always been rough, usually brutal. He enjoyed inflicting pain on his partners -- and sometimes the kinkier ones enjoyed being on the receiving end.

But for some reason, Liz Brannigan evoked different feelings in him. Never before had he looked upon a woman as anything more than just a piece of ass.

Or prey.

She was fun to be with. She was fun in bed. She was intelligent, curious. He truly enjoyed his time with her. This wasn't the sheer physical pleasure he took from raw sex. It was much more than that. Derek Talbot had never believed in love at first sight -- at least not for him. He still didn't, but something was definitely happening here - something he didn't fully understand. He felt strange and funny, like a little boy who'd been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, and it bothered him - a lot. The conflicting emotions it raised in him roiled like whitewater rapids in the spring.

He shook her gently. "Hey, Liz -- wake up. Dinner's coming up shortly, and then you'll have to leave for work."

She awakened slowly. When she realized her thumb was in her mouth, she yanked it out, her face reddening in embarrassment. "Old habits die hard," she murmured. She reached up playfully and grabbed his neck in a tight hug, and gave him a kiss. This sudden movement pulled him off balance, and they landed on the floor. Talbot was on his back, and Liz was straddling his washboard stomach with her legs.

"This will work," he said with a grin as he felt himself respond to her nearness.

"Ummm....yes, it will," she said. "Most definitely!" She slid her hips down his body, then lifted up slightly and slowly took all of him inside her. Her eyes widened as his erection filled her. "Oh! Oooohhhhhh, yes!" she moaned. "That feels so...hhhhhhhhhh.....s-so good!"

Liz sensuously glided up and down, playfully teasing him with her eyes, reaching down with her hands and stroking him with a feather light fingertip touch each time she slowly raised up off his shaft. Every now and then she would bend forward at the waist and kiss him, sometimes nipping and tugging at his bottom lip. She was controlling the pace, and she wanted it slow and tender.

Talbot gasped. The sensation was intensely pleasurable; he wanted it to last, but quickly discovered that it took all of his concentration to keep from coming. Finally, he could hold on no longer. Liz leaned forward, kissing him, her body shuddering in a wrenching climax as he emptied his seed into her with a hoarse cry. They lay on the floor in a sweaty heap, kissing languidly, sensuously.

"Ummmmm.....oh, Don, that was fantastic! This has been such a wonderful afternoon."

"Glad you've enjoyed it," he said with a smile. "There's more to come." He was about to say something else when there was a knock at the door.

"Mr. Mannix? Room service."

Liz squealed and scrambled into the bathroom as Talbot got to his feet and pulled on a robe. He tipped the bellhop and rolled the cart into his suite.

The steak and lobster was much better than the breakfast had been. In fact, Talbot ranked it with some of the meals he had enjoyed in better restaurants over the years. Liz Brannigan was a dainty eater. Talbot watched her, and he could feel a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Then he tried to suppress a chuckle, and finally burst out laughing.

Liz stared at him quizzically. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"I wish I had a camera," Talbot chortled. "You're sitting there, completely naked except for your lobster bib. It's priceless!"

She glanced down and started to giggle. Her nipples peeked out from the edges of the bib. "I must look as silly as hell," she said.

"Actually, you're quite fetching," Talbot said. He kissed her, and for the next several minutes, all thoughts of food were forgotten.

Finally the dishes were all cleared away, and they cuddled together on the bed. Liz sighed contentedly.

"I'll be walking around Marlowe's tonight with a big, shit-eating grin plastered all over my face -- and everybody'll want to know why."

Talbot brushed his lips over her hair. "May I ask, Miss Liz Brannigan, why you work so hard -- and such long hours?"

She let out a long, slow breath.

"I....I want to go to college," she explained. "I've been on my own since I was sixteen. Mom and Dad split up and went their separate ways -- and apparently the ways they went didn't include m-me." The raw hurt was evident in the catch in her voice. "I managed to graduate from high school on my own -- I was only a quarter late finishing up. Public high school didn't cost me anything, but college is w-a-y expensive. I've been accepted at a local branch of the University of Washington that's only about fifteen minutes away, down in Blanton. The fall term starts next week, and I was hoping to enroll this semester. Looks like I'm going to have to wait, though."

"Short on funds?"

She shook her head. "No, I've got enough to get started, but my car's ready to conk out. It's a question of need over want -- I want to go to school, but I need a new car. Your tip from the restaurant today will really help, but I want to get a car that's going to last a while." She closed her eyes. "I'm going to be twenty-five soon; I'm afraid if I don't go to college soon, I'm never going to go."

"So you're working double shifts at Marlowe's," he said. "Didn't you say you've got a second job?"

She abruptly looked away. "That's not important. Between my salary and tips at Marlowe's, I almost make enough to live on and go to school. I live in a nice house out on the edge of the wilderness preserve. The owner rents it out to me for $100.00 a month. Where can you rent a nice place for $100.00 a month? But I have to keep the house and yard in shape. Getting a car is going to set me back a quarter or two, but damn it, I'm going to go!"

"Liz -- you say you almost make enough to live on at Marlowe's. Why won't you tell me about your second job?"

A tear slid down her smooth cheek, and she hung her head. "Because I'm ashamed."

He caught her tear on the tip of a finger. "Don't be. I'd like to know."

"I....I work at Rebel's. It's an exclusive.....'gentleman's club' out on the main highway, and I'm an exotic dancer -- 'exotic' being a euphemism for 'nude.' I hate it -- all the groping and pawing and slobbering, but the pay is great. I could make a lot more if I agreed to work the 'back room.' My boss says I've got a hot body, and I could make enough to retire on in two years. But I have to draw the line somewhere. I'm not that desperate....yet."

Talbot pursed his lips. "I can guess what goes on in the 'back room'."

Liz nodded. "$800 for a blow job, $2000 for straight sex, $3500 for anal, and $5000 for a gang bang. A little pricey, I know, but the clientele supports it. I'd get to keep 30%. He never has any trouble getting college girls to work back there. God, they're all so young and cute - and he always has three times as many applicants as he has jobs to fill! But I'm not going to become a whore!"

The concept of working for anything was foreign to Derek Talbot. Despite the fact that his parents had never shown him much in the way of love, he had been privileged and well-provided for. He'd always enjoyed his work at Talbot Industries, and didn't really consider it a job. The idea that someone would have to scrimp and struggle so hard just to get an education boggled his mind.

But this enchantress on the bed with him was doing just that.

He arrived at a decision - he had no idea why - and reached for his laptop. He logged on and handed the computer to the puzzled young woman.

"You deserve to go to college -- and I'm going to help you. Do you have an online savings account?"

"Sure, but --"

"Log on to it -- I won't look at your user name and password."

She did as he instructed, but stared at him quizzically. "Don, what are you...."

"Shhhhhh. Are you logged on?"

"Yeah, but....."

"Okay, my turn." He activated another internet connection and pulled up his own account. "I have special secure commercial links to a number of big banks on this laptop. I'm going to transfer some funds to your account. It should make things a little easier for you."

"Can you really do that? But you don't even know how much I need for school; besides, I can't let you......"

"Yes, I can really do that, and you will let me -- and I'm sure this will more than cover it," he said with an enigmatic smile. He keyed in a transaction, then logged off his bank account and slid the computer back to her. "How's that?"

Liz Brannigan stared at the screen. "Internet transfer from Seattle Federal Bank in the amount of...." Her eyes widened; all the color drained from her face, and she fainted dead away.

She came around several minutes later with an anxious 'Don Mannix' hovering over her.

"Hey -- you okay? What's the idea, passing out on me?"

"D-Don....you t-transferred....five million dollars into my account!" Her voice was little more than a squeak.

"Yeah? So? Don't spend it all in one place. Hopefully that's enough to cover your schooling?" He flashed her a boyish grin.

"But why would you do that?" Her eyes brimmed with grateful tears.

"Because I want to. Because I can. Liz, I won't live long enough to spend all my money. I'm not saying this to boast, but five million is chicken feed for me -- chump change. I make that much in interest in a few weeks."

"I can never repay you," she murmured.

"Yes, you can. You can call your scumbag boss at Rebel's and tell him you're never coming in again -- ever."

She smiled brightly, her eyes sparkling. "That I can do with pleasure!"

"I think you could probably bag your job at Marlowe's, too."

"No, I can't do that to Tony," she said. "He's been really good to me. I like the people there, too. I'd at least like to give them two weeks notice. Maybe I could work part time after that. I'll see."

Talbot shrugged. "Well, if you're going in, it's almost four o'clock. You said you wanted to get in by four-thirty. Time to hit the shower, probably."

She kissed him, and her smile was seductive. "Why don't you join me?"

They let the hot water run over them, getting themselves good and wet. Liz held tight to the handrail as Talbot gently worked the lather up her thigh, teasing her until she was ready to scream, then slowly eased into her. Now it was his turn to take his time, and after they finished, they soaped up and scrubbed each other.

They got out and dried off, and Talbot wrapped himself in a bathrobe, while Liz shrugged into her waitress's uniform. He decided she made the simple dress look like a Christian Dior gown. She clasped his hands and kissed him one last time at the door.

"Oh, Don, thank you -- for everything. Will I see you tonight?"

His face darkened. "You wouldn't want to see me tonight," he muttered under his breath.

"What?" she looked puzzled.

"I have an online business conference to moderate tonight," he said, recovering. "I'll catch up to you tomorrow." He kissed her goodbye. "Don't forget to register for this coming term!"

He watched her go. Then he closed the door and sagged back against it.

'What in hell have I done?' he thought.

Never in a million years would he have believed he could do what he had done today. The feelings he was experiencing were alien to him. Kindness, consideration.....attraction? He had never felt them before. This was a woman he had planned to fuck in the afternoon, and then kill and devour tonight. The clash of emotions churned him up inside. He was confused -- and angry. But angry at whom? Himself? Her? Why her? He was almost shaking with rage. He walked out on the balcony overlooking the pool, searching for a diversion to take his mind off his runaway emotions. He plopped down in a chair and took a deep breath. Then he chuckled.

The "Bikini Bimbos" were on patrol. He had seen them yesterday afternoon when he'd gone for a swim. They were a bevy of five young women who dormed at the U of W branch down the highway. They wore extremely revealing, next-to-nothing white bikinis. Returning students were always given free passes to the Royale's swim club during the week prior to "Welcome Weekend" - traditionally Labor Day weekend. They called themselves the "Bikini Babes," and he wondered if they were aware of their other nickname! He understood that the "Babes" were U of W cheerleaders who "dressed up" for their visit to the pool. Each year new initiates joined as other girls graduated and moved on. They returned every year during this week, like the swallows returning to Capistrano. Their sole purpose in life was, apparently, to titillate and frustrate the men at the pool, and infuriate their wives and girlfriends. They reminded him of the lyrics to an old Eagles' song. How'd it go -- "Look at me / Look at me / I'm beautiful, I'm beautiful / I'm somebody?" That described the "Bikini Babes" to a tee.

And Talbot was certain that more than a couple of them had gotten help from a plastic surgeon's artistry.

He raised his eyebrows. Apparently there was trouble in paradise today. Janice, the blonde who was a clone for a young Pamela Anderson, and ostensibly the leader of the Babes, was getting in the face of Meryl, who looked to be the youngest of the group. She was probably an incoming freshman. For Talbot's money, Meryl was the prettiest girl of the five -- and he suspected that fact was not lost on Janice. Meryl was stunning; she had startling blue eyes and masses of wavy auburn tresses held in place by a green hair band. She had an incredible, perfectly-tanned body, and while she didn't have the biggest breasts, hers were almost perfectly-shaped. And she had an appealing deer-in-the-headlights expression that the boys found irresistible. The other three girls gathered around eagerly. He had learned their names, too. Judy was a raven-haired beauty, Tara was a hot redhead, and Crystal was another pneumatic blonde! They pressed in close to watch the catfight.

He expected to hear hissing and spitting and meowing any second.

"You can't be a full-fledged 'Babe' until you go skinny-dipping in the pool - it's your initiation!" Janice raged. "All the rest of us did last year!" Talbot found he didn't need his supersensitive hearing to listen in on the conversation; the normal hearing range of a human was more than sufficient. In fact, their voices were seriously grating on his nerves.

He found himself growing more irritable by the second.

"I don't want to!" Meryl protested. "I'd be so embarrassed!"

"Embarrassed?" Janice howled. "Christ, Meryl, you're practically naked now!"

She had a point. Meryl's bikini was the skimpiest of the bunch. The bottom was practically non-existent -- a thin strip of cloth that rode up in her pubic notch, with wisps of auburn curls peeking out. There was nothing in the rear except a thong that disappeared between her smooth buttocks. The top consisted of two tiny triangles that barely covered her nipples.

Suddenly both of Janice's hands darted out and stripped Meryl. The auburn haired beauty screamed in outrage as a cheer went up from the men, followed by jealous screeching from their 'significant others.' The two girls were fighting now, shrieking and slapping, pulling each other's hair.

And then it all exploded inside Talbot like a wildfire.

The irritating noise -- the screaming and the shouting, the smell of rage and fear from the two combatants, the jealousy, pheromones and testosterone -- all of it ignited his already swirling emotions like a match tossed on a pool of gasoline. He cried out as bolt of pain seared through his stomach.

Long claws and thick, coarse fur burst from his hands. Horrified, he jerked his head down and saw that his feet were sprouting hair and talons as well.

He was Changing!

Overwhelmed by his emotions and the commotion at the pool, he had let down his guard, and the beast was out -- and he couldn't drive it back inside himself! Alarmed, he bolted to his feet, knocking over the chair. He couldn't let anyone see him!

Meryl, meanwhile, had torn off Janice's bikini and shoved her in the pool. "You go skinny-dipping, bitch!" she cried. She stormed off, sobbing, naked except for a pair of flip-flops. She grabbed an oversized terrycloth beach robe and slipped it on; then she stomped up the trail into the woods to a rousing round of applause.

The wolf-thing Talbot was becoming locked in on the retreating girl, memorizing her scent.

Another wave of hormones assaulted him. He felt his face twitch as a muzzle and fangs started to grow. His muscles thickened; his bones snapped and stretched. He stifled a moan of agony as his burgeoning form expanded and tore the robe to shreds. He darted inside, tearing off the remains of the bathrobe, and then dashed out into the hall, which was thankfully empty. He jerked open the door to the staircase that led to the roof.

By the time he reached the top, he was fully transformed.

The werewolf streaked across the rooftop, almost too fast for the human eye to follow. If anyone was looking his way, they would see only a tawny, indistinct blur. Without breaking stride, he launched himself into the trees, scrambling from one to another. When he was deep enough into the woods, he climbed down, following a deer run he had found that intersected the trail the auburn-haired female was taking. She was easy to track; her scent was strong with rage and humiliation.

He would be waiting for her........

*****

"Quittin' time!"

Brianna Lang stretched luxuriantly at her desk. She had spent a long, harrowing shift working on the "werewolf" case, and the brutality of the murders had shaken her. She'd had enough for one day.

Steve Dante glanced up at her from behind a microscope. The corners of his brown eyes were crinkled with concern. "Busy night ahead?" he asked, feigning nonchalance. He was ready to jump out of his skin; he frantically tapped his right foot under his desk.

"No, I'm bushed. Gonna go home and take a shower and crash in front of the tube."

"No......hiking or anything?"

"No. This stuff today about wore me out. See you tomorrow, Stevie."

Dante relaxed visibly, and the lines on his forehead eased as he watched her leave. A moment later, his cell phone beeped, signaling he had a text message.

"MY PLACE AFTER U GET OFF. PIZZA AND THEN UR NEXT 'LESSON!' BRI."

Dante chuckled and pocketed his phone. Now that was something to look forward to!

Outside in the parking lot, Brianna slid behind the wheel of her Ion. She hated lying to Steve, but she didn't want him to worry. A smile pulled at the corners of her mouth when she thought of Dante. He was such a sweetheart! The sex part they could work on; he'd get better with practice -- and Brianna intended to give him ample opportunity to practice! But when the molten heat of first lust burned out down the road, he was someone she was sure she could count on for the long haul that a really good relationship required.

Brianna pulled out into traffic, drove the four blocks to Parker's Woods, and whipped into a parking spot in the lower lot. Parker's Woods was a city park that adjoined the Winslow Junction State Wilderness Area, and the walking trail from this lot intersected the Chilhowie Falls Trail in the state park, the one that wound its way around the lake -- and came within a stone's throw of the murder scene. Unless there was a phalanx of sheriff's deputies and rangers totally sealing off every inch of the wilderness area, she could get in.