© Claimed By Him ~ Elektra Orfanos

"Mr Bloomwood?" The doctor woke me up as I was asleep just outside the bedroom probably looking like a crumbling mess on the cold wooden floor. I am still wearing last night's costume only with a silver sword as 'decoration' attached to my belt. I didn't bother hiding it to the man as I climbed up the honey coloured wall. The doctor was a healthy old man but dressed in black revealing shadows on his ageing face.

I panicked. "She is alive doctor?"

"Yes of course! She's fine. I just came to tell you she has a serious fever and is to be restrained to the bed."

"Restrained?"

He chuckled to himself as if reliving a memory from a long time ago. "I've dealt with this one before and I know how fond she is of running around."

"Oh?" Was all I could reply, too surprised to say anything else.

"Have a good morning Mr Bloomwood. I trust you have contacted her family."

"Uh yes." Oops. "Have a good morning." He nodded passing me and the servants led him back to the front of the manor while I stood before my bedroom door. I knocked. No answer. I opened it and to my disappointment saw her sleeping in my bed heavily breathing.

I half expected her to be climbing out the window by now.

I pulled up a chair next to her sitting and rested my head on my arms next to her head. Liquid dripped from her forehead down her cheeks and her chest heaved every once in awhile as if she was gasping for air.

As soon as her breathing eased I did to and fell asleep holding her small delicate hand in my own scarred one.

~*~*~

*|Marilyn|*

The garden looks magnificent this morning! Ah! I truly have a gift when it comes to gardening. How majestic it looks in the summer and not even one word of a thank you from the others. In fact it seems that the flowers outside are the only creatures smiling on this sunny morning.

It got worse as Valerie complained for the third time this hour. "I cannot believe you brought that mutt into our house." To say she is upset is understatement. She's leaving a fiery trail of anger wherever she goes. Walk into a room and if you are suddenly angry for no good enough reason you'll know Valerie has just been in there seeping her anger into the air suffocating our lungs. What a day for it to! I am starting to grow tiresome of her complaints.

"Well I wasn't going to leave him for dead or worse. I heard spiders now crawl and lay eggs in your ears." I shivered at the thought clapping my hands on my ears.

"He's stinking up the place. How are we to ever rid this wet dog smell." Valerie whined stomping across the parlour with her arms crossed and her navy skirt dragging behind her.

"Burn the place down then rebuild?" Satine suggested dully as she sat in the window sill playing with knives in a green Grecian robe exposing her pale long legs.

"Are you sure Luna wasn't taken by the other dog?" Val asked.

I leaned off the window next to Satine's tearing my gaze away from he beautiful day running along without me enjoying it. "She was gone when I got there. When I sniffed her out she was at the Crowly manor. And I believe I have already told you this!"

"I knew I should have gone to that ball. I knew it I JUST KNEW IT!"

"Do you ever shut up?" Satine snapped now losing patience. Val sneered at her. Her arms still crossed and chin pointed out as she was ready to stab someone with it. "Do you want to repeat that?"

Satine took the threat and jumped up tossing her knives aside. "Gladly." They stood nose to nose. "Shut up!" Stepping into a cat fight is a fate worse than death. Even for another fellow cat so I decided to sit this one out and awkwardly back out of the parlour into the hallway.

Creak.

I glanced up. There the boy was staring at me from the top of the unstable staircase. "Where am I?" He asked holding a hand to his dark matted hair. The shadows of the house couldn't even stop his eyes glowing an unnatural yellow and the only thing he had to cover himself was the Violet duvet wrapped around his waist so he had his torso exposed. I am no virgin but I certainly feel like one at this moment. If it was for the beaten and bruised face he may look like a Grecian god you'd see in those paintings. What on earth is a body like doing being run with a mind like his? Seems a waste.

Before I replied. We heard smashing of dishes and shouting in the next room. "Let's talk outside." I suggested waiting at the bottom making sure he doesn't trip and hurt himself. He swayed side to side while he descended.

"Why is the house moving?"

"The house isn't... Never mind." I grabbed ahold of his arm helping him with the last step then led him out to the garden.

"What are they fighting about?" He questioned looking back at the house.

"Luna, you. Also the other dog."

He sighed pulling up the blanket so he didn't trip on it as we walked past my gardenias. "What happened to her?"

"I'm not too sure. I sense that she may have found the wolf, actually spoken to him last night and he let her live. I don't understand how she can communicate with him though. She's just a mortal."

"She is?"

"Yes why?"

He shrugged. "Just making sure. So... Where is she now?"

Oh wouldn't you like to know?

"With Duke Crowly. Mr Bloomwood took her to safety. I didn't get the chance to check up on her because I was chasing after that demon. And rescuing you." I had to add the last part. It would have felt wrong if I didn't and I would have regretted it later.

"Bloomwood?" He paused then his lips turned up into snarl but at the same time he worked it into an awkward smile. "Tha-that pompous twit that's obsessed with her?"

"Obsessed?"

"I could smell the arousel. It was disgusting."

"That was not arousal... That was love. Or will be if Luna will finally let herself be courted."

"Right." He looked bemused as he ripped his arm away from me.

"Jealous little pup?" I asked innocently clasping my hands in front of me.

"Of what?"

"You should have called her beautiful rather than pretty." He froze up narrowing his eyes. "Yes I heard that whole little conversation and really you lack it."

"Lack what?"

"Skill. The art of flirting." I said as posh as I could.

"I know how to court a woman, if I were to reveal my charm you would fall to your knees now."

"Oh well someone's self absorbed. Go ahead try me."

"I couldn't do that to my best friend. Where is Charles?"

"In my bed." His face grew blank as I smiled smugly. "I bet, that if I was to turn a blind eye you would run to her."

"Why would you bet on that?"

"Because it is exactly what I would do with the cats not looking." I turned around pretending to admiring the cheerful pink roses puckering their lips up at me. "Make sure she's really safe, make sure isn't harmed... Make sure she isn't bitten."

His presence behind me disappeared and as I turned around I picked up the blanket and folded it under my arm.

~*~*~

*|Luna|*

When I woke up I was in a dark room as the burgundy and curtains were drawn and the only light was the blazing fire. But the only heat was the flames burning under my skin. My heart fluttered at memories of last night. The nightmares.

I looked to my left noticing Curtis sleeping in the chair beside me with his hand tucking over mine like a warm blanket.

My body was too weak to sit up so I lay there staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours. My stomach growled but I didn't want to eat. I wanted a bath. I wanted to wash away the nonexistent gore that's all over me. I want to scrub off Alpha's taste on my face, on my mouth. I almost captured the idea of what his face looked like. Even blind I could feel the dents and the scratches of his imperfections but that wasn't enough.

I remember the sound of cracking bones of the heavy painful pants that are bound to haunt me in the night. His howls echoed in the room and the whimpering Sam being harmed started ringing louder and louder and louder.

The rapping on the door was as frightening as thunder striking mightily on the earth but it scared off the howling. Curtis flinched as he woke tightening his hold on my wrist and running a free hand through his hair.

He noticed me staring and he immediately straightened up letting his hand slip away though he looked like he wanted to hold on longer. "How long have you been awake?"

"Not very long." I lied. "I think Evan wants your attention." A silver rapier rested against his chair and my eyes trailed over the handle to the long sharp blade. Curtis stood up taking the rapier to the door and gave me one last glance.

"I'll be back in a minute."

If he ever did not know because I was enveloped by darkness and more crying.