Clay was in the middle of his second glass of wine and a chapter of the book he'd been reading for the last few days when the phone rang. Annie's choice of words surprised him, and he figured something was seriously wrong.
"Annie? What's the matter?"
He could get there in about twenty minutes, fifteen if he disobeyed every traffic law out there.
She hung up, not willing to answer questions on the phone, not to mention the fact that she needed to get into the shower. The pain was still overwhelming and she knew that if he walked in while she was bloody and covered in wolf saliva, he'd lose his shit. She needed to minimize the damage, which meant that she could minimize the questions he'd ask. Hopefully.
To his knowledge, Annie had never told him to hurry especially preceded by, "I need your help."
He got his sidearm, the one that didn't have a permit, his ID, got in his car and drove to Annie's. When he tried the door he wasn't exactly surprised to find it open, "Annie?"
He was worried more than he had been in months, not that he was going to show it right now.
"In-" She hissed, not at all concerned about modesty at the moment. The warm water had done wonders for her saliva problem, but hadn't done much for her wound. It was ugly and she wasn't going to be able to hide it. "Here."
Stepping from the bathroom, she let him look at her, her breath catching when she saw him. She'd buried the clothes she'd been wearing, which looked awful, in a sack, which she'd then stuffed in the garbage. "I need you to stitch what you can."
Snapping jaws, that voice in her head and the vivid memory of being held down by her neck. Sitting up as fast as she did only caused her shoulder to hurt a lot and she felt the tears start without her meaning for them to.
It wasn't until she gripped the comforter to steady herself that she remembered that Clay was there.
Annie's nightmare scared the hell out of Clay, and he woke up like a shot. He tried everything he could to get her attention, and it didn't work, she wasn't paying attention to him or anything else in the room. When she finally looked over he tried not to look as worried as he was.
"Annie, you're home, safe. Everything's okay. Nothing's going to happen."
"It already did," she said as she used her free hand to scramble for the bottle of pills. When she found it, she dropped it on the bed and said, "Open it, please?"
She had a headache and she was pretty sure that she wasn't going to make it to work in the morning.
He did as he was asked and opened her bottle of pills. He reached over, and handed Annie two pills, then he got out of bed and got her a fresh glass of water, making sure she didn't have to reach too far to get it.
When Annie woke up, she wasn't quite sure how much time had passed, but she still felt a little groggy because of her painkillers. The pain in her shoulder was more of a dull ache rather than a sharp pain, though, and she peered at Clay from where she lay deep against the plush cushions of his couch.
Annie only woke once during the night and that was because she had to use the bathroom. Her shoulder had stiffened slightly and it caused her to wince when she got up, but she took another painkiller before she slid back under the covers. She just knew that she hadn't been able to make all the movement she had without waking Clay, so once she was comfortable again, she whispered, "I'm fine. Go back to sleep."
Slipping her hand into his, she closed her eyes and did just that herself.
Annie was right, she did wake him up, but not enough to keep him from going back to sleep. When he heard her say she was fine, he mumbled out his "Okay." And went right back to sleep.
In the morning, due to painkillers and exhaustion, she barely woke when he got dressed to see his mother. When he vacated the bed, she curled up into his spot, like time apart had never taken place. She even pulled his pillow toward her and smiled.
Clay grinned, and kissed Annie on the cheek, "I'll be back before you know it. Enjoy sleeping in."
Then he was off to go riding with Porter.
His mother knew something was different about her son when he arrived in his riding clothes for their usual Sunday morning. She didn't press him though, and did her best to ignore it during their ride.
On the way home, he stopped for coffee and pastry to share with Annie. He arrived back at his condo still in his riding pants. "Annie? I'm home."
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"Annie? What's the matter?"
He could get there in about twenty minutes, fifteen if he disobeyed every traffic law out there.
Reply
She hung up, not willing to answer questions on the phone, not to mention the fact that she needed to get into the shower. The pain was still overwhelming and she knew that if he walked in while she was bloody and covered in wolf saliva, he'd lose his shit. She needed to minimize the damage, which meant that she could minimize the questions he'd ask. Hopefully.
Reply
He got his sidearm, the one that didn't have a permit, his ID, got in his car and drove to Annie's. When he tried the door he wasn't exactly surprised to find it open, "Annie?"
He was worried more than he had been in months, not that he was going to show it right now.
Reply
Stepping from the bathroom, she let him look at her, her breath catching when she saw him. She'd buried the clothes she'd been wearing, which looked awful, in a sack, which she'd then stuffed in the garbage. "I need you to stitch what you can."
Reply
Snapping jaws, that voice in her head and the vivid memory of being held down by her neck. Sitting up as fast as she did only caused her shoulder to hurt a lot and she felt the tears start without her meaning for them to.
It wasn't until she gripped the comforter to steady herself that she remembered that Clay was there.
Reply
"Annie, you're home, safe. Everything's okay. Nothing's going to happen."
Reply
She had a headache and she was pretty sure that she wasn't going to make it to work in the morning.
Reply
He did as he was asked and opened her bottle of pills. He reached over, and handed Annie two pills, then he got out of bed and got her a fresh glass of water, making sure she didn't have to reach too far to get it.
Reply
"Hi," she finally said, her mouth cotton-y.
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"How're you feeling?"
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Looking at the television, she blinked and tried to focus. "What'd I miss? Anything good?"
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He stretched a little, causing his shoulder to crack, "Need anything? It's just about dinner time."
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Slipping her hand into his, she closed her eyes and did just that herself.
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"Love you," she said by way of goodbye.
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Then he was off to go riding with Porter.
His mother knew something was different about her son when he arrived in his riding clothes for their usual Sunday morning. She didn't press him though, and did her best to ignore it during their ride.
On the way home, he stopped for coffee and pastry to share with Annie. He arrived back at his condo still in his riding pants. "Annie? I'm home."
Reply
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