Instinct

Chapter #14

He paused briefly at the sound of my voice, and I knew it meant he wasn't in his trance phase yet. I began reciting the lesson we had about this creature in my head until it would help me come to a solution, I gasped when I felt his tongue flush against my shoulder blade, as he tasted my skin.

They feed at nightfall and are attracted to sudden moves. For safe passage allow a safe distance between you and them, they might have terrible eyesight, but they have an impeccable sense of smell. They can smell the scent of a rotting body from kilometers away. If you ever find yourself in such a predicament—

I remember! I almost burst into tears as it came to me.

A glimmer of hope sparked in my chest as I reached out behind me with a trembling hand. I forced to keep it together and focused on the whereabouts of my hand; I jumped at the feel of his cold slimy skin and then froze when he hissed threateningly.

I felt around for the folds of his flesh and carefully lifted one. I searched for the faint thumping of his heart but felt my heart drop when I didn't feel a heartbeat.

"No..." I croaked.

He can't be... I forced my optimism but I already knew better.

"Raiden?" I asked the empty air in front of me.

He said nothing and I whimpered, "Raiden, please, it's me, it's Tania. I'm your mate, remember?" I begged he would hear the clarity of my voice in his daze.

I watched crooked arms and long claws snake around my sides like a boa would constrict its prey and I sobbed, "Raiden please... please don't do this, it's me."

He began to squeeze my frame and I cried, "Raiden." I spoke his name one more time before he briefly stopped himself from feasting on the decaying flesh on my neck.

"Raiden?" I begged once more and once I looked down and saw the rough hairs on his arms begin to disappear. My heart rate increased as my chest blossomed with hope, "Raiden, it's me!" I smiled with tears in my eyes at the thought of a newly found promise that he was returning to me.

"Raiden, can you hear me? I'm here, please, just come back to me. I won't hurt you, I promise..." I spoke as softly and as calmly as I could, but I was terrified.

His jaw slowly retracted to its original shape and while he tightened his hold on me, I felt less afraid that he would hurt me. When I looked down at his arms, his claws faded into his fingernails and I shuddered at the pressure his palm had against my abdomen.

I waited patiently for him to turn back to his human form but being too afraid to turn around and watch his transformation, I kept my gaze ahead and shut my eyes every time a bone popped back into his human form. During his silent transformation, a moan made my ears perk, "Raiden?" I asked hopefully.

He was quiet, but his breathing was calm and slow, so I waited for him to come back to me...

"Tania..." He breathed against my neck.

I turned my head to the right making our cheeks touch, and my eyes fluttered shut at the feeling of bliss. He held me tightly and breathed in my scent.

I turned around in his arms so that I was facing him, and when he saw the glimmer of my tear-streaked face, he crumbled, "I'm so sorry," he croaked.

My response was almost immediate and I embraced him with open arms, as I hugged him desperately, and held the back of his head, "It's okay..." I whispered in a shaky tone.

He sobbed quietly as I gently stroked his curls and began to hum quietly.

We remained like this for a bit until he released me from his hold and he just looked at me with a clouded expression in his eyes, "Did I... did I hurt you?" He asked shyly and looked away from me.