A storm of growling and snarling broke out in the hall just beyond the door. I shrank away from it. How many were out there?
“Don’t worry. My dad will protect us until the Elder gets here. She is on her way.”
I stared at her as what she said penetrated my stunned mind. Her father was out there. Guarding the door? And someone was coming to help. What was an Elder?
Mary’s eyes continued to reflect at me. It wasn’t the bright reflection of an animal. It was rather dull, and I might have easily overlooked it if not for the flame she held so close to her face.
“What are you?” I finally asked.
She smiled, showing perfectly normal looking teeth, to my relief, lifted her thumb from the lighter, and plunged us back into the black.
“A friend, I hope. Sleep, Charlene. The rest can wait for tomorrow.”
The rest? Of what? And how did she think I could sleep with the racket still going on in the hall? Anger laced the already intimidating growls, punctuated by thumps against the wall. It sounded as if a pack of them were trying to fight their way to the door. Were they really still trying to get to me? I trembled in the dark.
“Why did they attack me?” I asked.
The noise quieted.
“They attacked you?”
“Yes. Didn’t you see my throat?” Perhaps she had arrived after they’d bandaged me.
“Oh. That wasn’t an attack. They were just trying to Claim you.”
“I don’t know what Claiming is, but it sure felt like an attack. Why did they do it?”
“Well...” Her tone conveyed her sudden and extreme discomfort. “It would be better if we waited for the Elder to explain.”
In the dark, I heard her shift her position, but she didn’t say anything more. Her silence annoyed me.
“Fine. They’re going to try again, aren’t they.”
“Yeah. Sorry.”
The fighting in the hall started back up.
I closed my eyes and sighed. “I have to go to the bathroom,” I said, mostly to myself.
“I brought a bucket. Dad doesn’t want us to leave the room.”
A very heavy something hit against the door just then, and I agreed with her father. I didn’t want to leave the room, either.
Three
Even though most of the noise outside remained minimal once I lay back down, fear and frustration kept me awake the rest of the night. At some point, Mary’s breathing slowed, and I knew she slept. The harmless sound helped ease some of my fear of her. However, the creatures that waited outside the door were a different story. I stayed on the floor, moved as little as possible, and thought about what might come next.
A gentle tap on my door at first light gave me the answer.
“If you want to bite me again, go away,” I said, staring at the panel.
Mary immediately sat up and glanced at the door. A smile lit her face.
“She won’t bite you,” she said, standing. As she moved to open the door, I saw Mary wasn’t wearing any pants, just my shirt. I looked away. Who were these people?
The door swung open, and an adult strode in. She wore normal clothes. I couldn’t have been more relieved. Mary closed the door behind the woman, and I noted the complete silence in the hallway.
“Can you sit up, dear?” the woman asked me.
“Are they gone?” I said, sitting up.
“No. But they will behave.” She squatted beside me.
She had very light blonde hair, so light it almost appeared white. She smiled at me and smoothed back my hair with a gentle touch.
“Can I take a look at your neck?”
“I’d rather leave it well-protected.” There was a good two inches of material covering my skin at the moment, and I didn’t want it taken away.
“I understand. However, I would like to check for infection. It wouldn’t do to have you become sick.”
The image of me even more helpless around these people had me nodding. She carefully began to unwind the bandage.
“You were lucky Mary’s pack was near and knew where the first aid supplies were hidden. Let’s see what they did for you.”
The end of the material stuck to my skin. She moved closer and began to work it away with small, slow movements. Most of the cloth was clean, but pink and red stained a few places. When she had the mass of material on the floor next to her, she tilted her head to study what she saw. I wished I had a mirror.
“Who Claimed you?” she asked.
“No,” I said, shaking my head the tiniest bit. I’d stumbled into a world I didn’t understand, and she wanted to start questioning me? “That’s not how our conversation is going to start. First, you’ll tell me who you are, then what you are. After that, I’ll leave.”
The woman chuckled. “You’ll need that inner strength to deal with us. I’m Winifred Lewis. According to Mary, you saw one of us change yesterday. So, I think you know what we are. We’re having trouble figuring out what you are, though.”