Creatures

Karen sat down on the bed after he left. What just happened? Had he really been serious in the tub? He sure made it sound like he had been.

Her heartbeat was irregular and her body was sensitive. Did that mean that she was... did she... love him too? No. it was just the bonding. That was all. She shook her head, she needed to be honest with herself, unfortunately, she was not ready to do that. She could not put herself into another situation like that again.

She pushed the thoughts from her head and crawled into bed. She was just sleep deprived, she would be able to handle this better in the morning.

Not again! Karen sat up in bed, sweat covering her body. The dream had come again, What should she do? She looked around the room, realizing that the terror she felt was not subsiding like it usually did on waking. It seemed it did not want to let her go this time. Even in her dreams, that man tried to control her.

How had she calmed down before, she wondered, as an image of Talon popped into her head? No, she could not use him. It would be unfair and he would get the wrong impression. She laid back down and curled up. She would just do what she had been doing for the past couple of weeks.

She closed her eyes and tried to think of work and the current song she was practicing, but images of Talon disrupted her thoughts. When that did not work, she gave up and focused her thoughts on Talon, falling into an uneasy sleep only to wake again twenty minutes later to the same dream. It had been so real this time, more so than the other times. She did not think, she just jumped out of bed and hurried down the hall, crossing into Talon’s bedroom and crawling into his bed.

She pulled the covers over herself and curled up into a ball, shaking uncontrollably. She could not believe her own actions, but she needed sleep and he had calmed her the night before. If she could just stay here for a bit maybe she could calm herself enough that she could get some sleep tonight.

Talon had woken the second he had heard his outer door open. He had watched in amazement as Karen’s petite figure appeared and then launch herself into his bedroom and into his bed. He could feel her shaking and knew that something major had to be happening for her to risk coming in here.

“What is wrong?” He asked. “It must be pretty big for you to crawl into my bed in the middle of the night.” Talon pulled back the covers to see Karen curled up in a ball, shaking. He could feel the fear radiating from her. Something had her spooked, but she merely shook her head and refused to speak.

“Another nightmare?” He asked, brushing her hair out of her eyes.

She nodded.

Talon sighed. “Come here.” He opened his arms and Karen crawled into them. He wrapped his arms around her body and stroked her hair as she slowly started to relax and stretch her body out.

“Good girl. Now go to sleep. I will keep you safe.”

Karen nodded, too tired to argue and fell asleep against his steady heartbeat. Talon held her in his arms, letting out a sigh of his own. He had felt her fear earlier and had waited, unsure of what to do. It seemed that she had made that decision for him. He took a deep breath, taking in her scent and went back to sleep.

Karen reached out, trying to stop the annoying beeping sound.

What the hell? She groaned and started to hit at the noise, trying to make it stop when she heard a laugh coming from just above her.

“We are not a happy camper when we get up are we?”

Karen rolled over and stretched, opening her eyes to see Talon sitting on the bed, dressed and putting on his socks.

She rolled over to her side, facing him. What was he doing in her room and why did she seem to be constantly waking up to him? She stiffened, realizing she was not in her room. The events from the night came flooding back and she found herself blushing fiercely.

“I am sorry. I did not...”

Talon stopped her.

“It is fine. You were scared and when you are scared, you should come to me. It shows trust.” he stood up and headed towards his bathroom.

“Go get ready for school, you will be late if you do not.”

Karen nodded. He was right. She scurried to her room and took a quick shower, dressed and was down in the kitchen within fifteen minutes. This was becoming a nasty habit she needed to break immediately.

“You are running late again.” Emerald scolded as she entered.

“Sorry. Rough night.”

“Whatever. Eat.”

“Thank you for making breakfast lately. I have been slacking in my duties.”

“Nonsense. I really do like cooking and you have a lot on your plate right now. You can make supper.” She added.

“Thank you.” Karen ate quickly and headed for the door.

“Are you ready?” Talon asked, leaning against the front door, much as he had the first day she had met him.

“What?” She had thought that he would have already left.

“Are you ready to go?”

Karen nodded, not sure what he wanted.

“Good. Come on.”

Talon put his arm around her and ushered her into his car and took off.

“What is going on?” Karen asked. If someone saw them, Talon would be a bear to live with.

Talon ignored her question.

Emerald had let him have this morning and he hated to admit it, but she was right. He thought back to that uncomfortable conversation as he drove along.

“If you really care for that girl then you need to stop going Dr. Jekyl/Mr. Hyde on her.”

“What are you talking about?” Talon asked.

He had gotten up that morning and reluctantly left Karen sleeping in his bed, looking warm and soft and completely edible, for his morning workout. If he had stayed, he would have done even more damage to her and he wanted her trust.

“You.” Emerald had jumped on him, the moment he had walked into the kitchen. “You chase her and practically jump her at home, but the second you step off the grounds, you act like she does not exist. No wonder she hates you.” Emerald flung her hands up in surrender. “If you want her to fall in love with you, you need to stop thinking with your ego and start thinking with your brain. How is she to believe someone who tells her that they love her and then acts that way. Duh!” Emerald had then turned around and blatantly ignored him for the rest of the morning.

Karen had said something like that the night before as well. Something about him being hot and cold towards her and he figured they must be right, so this morning he had made the decision to change that.

He stepped around the car and helped her out of it, continuing to walk with her towards her class.

“What are you doing? Someone will see.” Kare hissed, keeping her head down.

“So.”

“So. You are the one that did not want anyone to know. What gives now?” They had reached her room and he opened the door and stopped her from entering.

“I was wrong. I am fixing it now.” he placed a quick kiss on her lips, before letting her go.

“I will see you at the meeting this afternoon. Later honey.” He waved over his shoulder as he left.

Karen stared after him and then turned to see that she already had students in her room. She colored, but lifted her head and entered, ignoring the onslaught of questions aimed at her.

“Mr. Fielding?” One of Talon’s students raised their hand. They were in a study hall just before lunch. Talon had been wondering if he could sneak over and see Karen for lunch when the student called out.

“Yes?”

“Did you kiss Ms. Hintz today?” It took a moment for Talon to register what the student had asked him.

Then he grinned. “Yup.”

“Why that egotistical, pig-headed, psychotic, good for nothing, asshole. I shall cut his balls off... no, I will kill him off with a slow-acting poison. He is so going to pay for this.” Karen could not think of enough adjective to describe what she wanted to do that man right now.

“Are you two dating?” Another asked him. Talon stopped to think on that one. Were they dating? He thought about the bonding process. Could he use that as dating? Probably not.

“Not sure.” He answered truthfully.

“Ms. Hintz, are you dating Mr. Fielding?” One student asked towards the end of class.

“No!” Karen replied. “Now, we are going to start at measure...”

“Are you really going to cut off his balls?” Another asked her.

“I refuse to answer that question. Now, if you would please put a crescendo in measure...”

“Do you like Mr. Fielding?”

“I plead the fifth,” Karen replied. “Instruments up please.”

“Do you want to date Mr. Fielding.”

“No comment. I shall give you a four count before you come in.”

“Oh come on... Give us something.”

Karen lowered her baton, this was going nowhere.

“It is none of your business.” She replied.

“But how did you get together? we have never seen you together and you work in completely different buildings.”

Karen gave up and ignored the comment completely this time, hoping that would work.

“We are starting at measure 15, now please put your horns up.”

“Not until you give us something.” The students looked at her without moving their instruments. “Come on. At least tell us how you met.”

Karen sighed, they were not going to get anything done unless she gave them something. This was all Talon’s fault.

“I heard that you two live together.”

Talon looked at the kid that had spoken.

“Where did you hear that from”

“One of the music kids. They asked Ms. Hintz how you met and she said that you both live in the same house.”

Talon grinned. She had spoken about him. “I live down the hall from her.”

“You had better be careful then.”

“Why?” He asked, curious about what she had said about him.

“They also said that she was planning to hire an assassin and have you killed. You must have upset her.”

Talon shook his head in amusement. That sounded just about right.

Karen entered the teacher’s lounge for the meeting, running headlong into Talon. She gasped and stepped back. “So-sorry.”

“It is all right. Did you have a good day?” he asked, watching her face turn red and her eyes look away from him.

“Yes thank you. Is there any special seating?” She asked. This was the first meeting that she had attended and she had no idea what to expect.

“Nope.”

“Thank you.” She walked away from him and he let her. He leaned against the filing cabinet, wondering if he should go sit next to her. He knew that she was upset over this morning, but still... He watched as a couple of female teachers sat down next to her and he stayed put. He should not push too hard just yet, it was obvious that she needed more time. The P.E. teacher came and stood next to him.

“Good looking woman there.” he nodded towards Karen. He was a player and Talon did not care for his attitude towards women, never had.

“I would like to get a chance to know her better, but it seems that you have already claimed her.” He grinned. “Not that I blame you, but if you are not interested, let the rest of us know. We would like a crack.”

Talon nodded. “She is off the market.”

The P.E. teacher nodded. “We figured as much. The ladies will be sad to see you go as well, but it can’t be helped.”

“Huh?” Talon looked at him.

“You do not know?”

“Know what?” he asked. What was the man talking about now?

“That all the single ladies have been pining after you since you came here?”

“Nope. I had no clue.”

He laughed.

“Go figure. A couple of the guys thought you might swing the other way, but there was no indication either way so we figured you already had someone in the shadows. Oh well.” he shrugged his shoulders and walked away.

Talon thought about what he had said during the meeting. After the meeting, he headed towards Karen’s room to wait for her. She had been talking to a few of the other teachers and he had not wanted to intrude.

“What are you doing?” Karen stepped into her room to find Talon waiting for her. She had been looking for him after the meeting, trying to figure out when he was leaving to go home.

“Waiting for you.”

“Why?”

“So we can go home together.”

Karen sighed and collected her stuff. It seemed that she was not going to escape him, was she.

That night she tossed and turned, unable to sleep and unwilling to go to him again. She thought back to the training session they had had earlier that day and she could feel her embarrassment flooding back.

“Watch out!” Talon dispatched the being and turned to Karen.

“Sorry. I...”

“Relax. Focus on the job at hand. You must clear your mind of unwanted things or you will get yourself killed.” he was right and she knew it.

“You okay Miss Karen?” Shorty asked over the intercom.

Karen nodded. “Yes. Just lost my focus for a moment.”

“A moment? Your power is off the charts as usual, but you have no control over it. I thought we fixed this.” They had spent the past couple of months working on her control. She had finally mastered it no matter what hairstyle she wore, but today you would have thought that she was just starting out.

“Sorry, shorty.” Karen turned to Talon. “I am going to call it right now. I am either going to get you or myself hurt.” Talon nodded.

“Cut it Shorty. We are stopping.”

“Got it, boss.”

Karen sighed. Talon had been supportive and...caring today. He had not yelled at her or attempted to change her mind, he had just stood beside her and helped her.

What was going on in that head of his, she wondered. He still had a wall around his emotions and she could not break through.

Karen closed her eyes. Calm down, take deep breaths, relax. She repeated those words over and over, falling into an uneasy sleep.

Talon laid awake in bed. He could feel the turmoil coursing through her. All he could do was wait, she had to come around on her own. Until then, his hands were tied. It was obvious that he was not going to get any sleep here tonight and he was fairly certain that she was not either. He pulled back the covers and slipped out of bed. It was time to take matters into his own hands.

Karen felt a warm body climb into her bed and she was pulled close.

“Talon?” She mumbled.

“Hush, go to sleep. I am here now.”