Chapter 4

"What's your name?" Ash asks turning his attention towards me. His voice was sexy and deep, his dark hair casting dark shadows over his face. The way he stood made him look dark and tall. He seemed to take up too much space and I was scared if he punched Bray he's break the guys jaw. He seemed to be 60% sexy, and 40% menacing.

"Irana," I state watching him walk towards me.

He had thick dark brown hair and grey eyes, the kind that seemed to look through you. His skin was sun kissed and suddenly made me feel pale as paper, and his eyes seemed to entrance me in the way that made me forget what was happening, which would explain why the next thing I know he's standing over me, a tall, menacing tower that seemed to take all the air from my lungs.

"Well come on," he says frowning at me slightly.

"What? Sorry, I blanked out." I confess sheepishly.

Ash cocks his head so slightly I'm wasn't even sure he'd moved until he straitens his head. "Outside," before I can say anything he walks towards small hallway which leads towards the stairs, the kitchen and the backdoor. I follow him out, hearing Carson sings along to some music she had playing over the radio.

We step outside, the warm sun barely touching my skin thought the think clouds. The slushy snow turned to soggy mush under my feet, instantly making my feet numb. Ash looked over the lawn at the boarding trees which seemed be closing in closer to the house over the years. There branches extending towards the grey sky like dark haunting fingers from some horror movie. The wind whistled through the branches and a bird—I think it was a crow- cried out into the cold.

Ash turned to face me. The slightly haunting backdrop suited him perfectly, made him seem taller and more terrifying and I was suddenly afraid for my life. We seemed to miles away from civilization, with no one to hear me if I screamed. He suddenly reminded me of the wolves, he was silent and dark, lurking just beyond my sight, just as the wolves had til they were on me, ripping at my flesh.

"Tell me what you remember," Ash suddenly says.

I blink at him. "What do you mean?"

"After you were...," he trails off, as if trying to figure out how to place his words. "Pestered by the wolves."

"Pestered?" I exclaim. "I wasn't pestered, I was attacked!"

Ash cocks his head again, looking down at me with hard eyes. "Attacked? If you were attacked by wolves you would be dead," somehow his tone of voice made me feel as if I was playing with matches while gas was leaking into the room. If I did something wrong—

Bang!

The whole thing would explode in my face.

"I could have died," say trying to keep my voice even but it comes out small and meek.

"But you didn't," Ash says without missing a beat, his eyes seeming colder than the ice which had frozen my feet.

"But I could have."

"But you didn't," he repeats glaring.

I shake my head, ready to withdraw from the game. I didn't feel like playing with fire, let alone one which seemed ready to drag me to hell. "Anyway, I remember waking up in pain, seeing two wolfs, one was sniffing around in the snow or something, and the other one licked my face," I grumble unhappily, grimacing at the thought of a wolf licking my face. I didn't want to imagine where its tongue had been before it licked me.

Ash made a grunting sound, somewhere between thinking and disagreement.

I bristled but he still seemed to menacing to fight. I turn my head towards the tree, sensing something lurking in the trees shadows.

"What if I told you something that was something you thought was only in books and movies, something that you would instantly say was impossible. Would you believe me?"

His voice made me shiver, cold fingers crawl along my spine. I don't know how he got behind me, but that'a suddenly where he was, so silent I hadn't noticed til he's talked. It took me a minute to realize the cool draft creasing the back of my neck was only the wind, and a few more seconds to compose myself.

Finally I look over my shoulder, trying to think of something witty. "If you're going to say you're the devil and you want to drag me to hell...I could actually believe it," I say and my hopes for a snarky comment go down the drain. I turn back to Ash watching the shadows so I wouldn't see Ash's face.

"Tempting, but I think I'll leave you on earth a bit longer," he says smoothly, his voice somehow even sexier as he spoke in a low voice.

I refused to shiver, to show how much it had affected me.

"Promise to listen to me, no interrupting before I finish?" Ash questions walking around so he was facing me.

His stormy eyes seemed to lure me again into forgetting what he was talking about. Finally I lick my dry lips and nod.

Ash studies me for a second, his eyes watching my face. I suddenly remember I had no pants on the shirt I was wearing just covered my ass-literally. Why hadn't I asked Carson for some pants? "I'm sure you've watched twilight, or watched some old movies, London Werewolf..." he trails off, looking at the sky. "Anyway, what if I said Werewolves were real? And I don't mean the ones the size of houses like in twilight, or half wolf half man ones in old movies. What if these werewolves were like people that changed into your average day wolves?" He stopped there and watched me.

I try to keep my face blank. I cock my head slightly, than remember that what Ash had done only moments ago. "I would say you're crazy. Cause the next thing you're going to say is these 'werewolves' attacked me."

He just blinked at me, watching me in his dark, easy way that unnerved me. And because of that I felt myself get a prick of anger and annoyance in me. "Next you're going to say I'm one now too."

Ash shakes his head, a slow, relieved like way. "You just made it easier for me by being smart."

I glare at him. "I don't believe you."

Ash looks away, letting out a frustrated sound. At last he goes over to the door and opens it. A wave of warm air floods out, drifting along my bare legs and away. The sounds of the game he was playing drifts into the cool air too. "Christian, get your lazy ass out here and help me," he says loudly, not quiet shouting.

I hear mumbling then the faint guns and explosions creased into silence. A second later Christian, the guy Ash had been playing with on the game, walks out. "What? I was about to beat your high score"

Ash rolls his eyes, something I hadn't expected him to do. "Shift. She doesn't believe me but I'm worried that if I shift she will run away screaming, possibly into the house where she'll lock me out," Ash explains, but somehow he didn't look worried, he looked sexy, dark and composed.

Christian lets out a low sound, something oddly like a growl before trudging away from us and further into the snow. "Fine," he replies bitterly. "But then I'm going to kick your ass."

"I'd like to see you try." Ash smirks.

I turn to Christian, sceptical about this. But somehow I had a weird feeling, like my stomach was about to empty it's self all over the pure white snow. My skin blistered with unexpected heat, like I wasn't standing in snow, but instead like I was wrapped in an electric blanket which clung to me, skin tight.

I stiffen as Ash grabs me from behind, his arms pinning mine to my side, his chest to my back. I bristle at Ash's touch, trying twist out of his grip but it was clear he wasn't letting go til he wanted to. I let out sound of frustration and am surprised it sounded like its own growl. I let my shoulders sag and glare at Christian like it was his fault Ash's arms had snared me.

Christian puts his hands out, palms down, and then flipped them over, showing nothing was in his hands. Then he pretends to empty a non-existent sleeve. "Nothing," he observes. He takes in my unamused expression and stands up straighter. He clears his throat and suddenly I see something change.

His eyes seem to become bright orange for an instant, than change back. The next thing I know bones a breaking and his back arches unnaturally backward. Fur spouts from his skin like from some horror movie and his fingers change to ones of a wolves.

The next thing I know Christian was gone and in his place stood a grey wolf. It was oddly beautiful and horrifying. An animal just like him had attacked me, who knew how many hours ago. I didn't realize I was pressing back against Ash til he shifted slightly, his arms moving against mine.

Christians wolf ears twitch towards us, his body still. Then his ear twitches towards the forest, then back again. His tail, which is horizontal to the ground jerks upright slightly, then lowers again, as if undecided where to go. Then he changes back and I have to look away, because he's naked.

"Now if you don't mind, I'm going to get dressed," Christian say, unfazed that I'd just seen him naked.

The door opens then closes "Believe me now?" Ash whispers in my ear, still sounding dark and scary.

I give a short nod. "But I still think you're the devil.