Dark tides, and darker things.

Elfman IX

It is about three in the morning and I woke up. The warm bundle on my chest twitched slightly as I raised my head and I look at her for a moment. Ever is curled up right against my left side, her warm head resting on my chest and an arm slightly lower against my ribs. It really is nice...I mean I'm warm now every time I go to bed. And more importantly her company is...addicting as unmanly as it feels. After the night where we told each other what this past month means to us, there has hardly been a night where we haven't shared a bed. And when we don't, she tells me the next morning that she had 'dreams' and gives me this funny look. I've noticed she doesn't say 'nightmare' anymore. But the look she gives me is strange...

And this being addicting? It's the way she now easily approaches me at night and crawls under the furs, or the way she almost happily scoots to the side when I walk into her room. As for the night? She is very cat like. She has a certain spot she will always sleep in. Every time I offer her my arm she ignores it and picks my chest over it. One night I woke to her tracing the tattoos on my bicep. I made no move to show her I was awake and she continued her tracing on the pillow close to me, it was very peaceful for a few long moments. And then she shifted forward and relaxed her head on my chest. I gave her no indication I was awake except that of a small smile on my lips. And after a few more minutes of tracing my tattoos she dozes off into a deep sleep. But this night I haven't woken up to some innocent tattoo touching.

Thud thud.

Something is inside I thought and my ears twitch and perk up as the something moved again. Right! I reach for Ever's shoulder and give it a shake.

"Mmm..." She grunted and buried her face in my chest. My face flushed and I gave her a more violent shake.
"Ugh.." She groaned again.

Thud thud it sounded closer...

"Ever!" I hiss in her ear and give her a final shake.

"What?!" She finally wakes and groggily pushes on her glasses. I raise a finger to my lips and pointed to the door. She frowns tiredly and stares at the door.
Thud thud.
We stare at each other for a fraction of a second and then we are both moving. She slips out of bed as silent as a ghost and creeps towards the door. I pull myself out and slip onto the floor as quiet as I can be, a small noise barely audible. I slink to the door next to Ever and nod my head towards the handle. She nods back and I touch the handle sliding it open gently but a rebellious squeak filled the air like badly tuned violin. We frame each side of the door my fists raised defensively and Ever crouching low.

Thud thud...

It is much closer now, and whoever it is, they know where they are going...

Thud thud
Sniff sniffffffff

Sniffing? I frown and glance at Ever who's face is pinched in confusion.
"A wolf?" I mouth and she cocks her head.

Thud thud.

Ever holds up two fingers. "Two feet" she mouths and I nod. A wolf can't open doors anyway...
But sniffing...something sits sourly in my belly and like Ever, I slink closer to the ground.

Thud thud.
Sniffffff...

It's right outside the door and my eyes lock with Ever's for a moment.
It's right outside the door but what...who is it?
They can't cross...the border stops them from crossing...
Knock...something knocked solidly on the door and the door groaned open inch by inch. A huge black skeletal hand pushes through the gap between the door. Ever's eyes grew to the size of moons in her horror as the something's black shiny skull with burning green flames for eyes pushed itself through the door.