The sun was beginning to disappear over the horizon, as glittering stars
began to spread along the sky. The full moon was yet to wake, filling the
ground with a silver sparkle, and filling the dark human's soul with power.
No doubt Akira was restless, pacing his home, or where ever he lived,
feeling the burn of the curse flow through his veins.
Felicia brushed her hair infront of the mirror, smiling. She knew Hanako
would accept her fate, her destiny, much more easily than Akira had. She
remembered the smile John Talbain had brought to her face when he had
described how fierce and protective Hanako had become over the world...and
Akira.
Akira on the other hand, still hadn't submitted to destiny. He defied what
needed to be done, vowing to destroy Hanako completely, altering destiny and
allowing him to become the lone wolf he was most comfortable as.
Felicia bit her bottom lip in thought. If Akira attacked Hanako tonight, in
the light of the full moon, his plan will be confirmed. He will be solitary,
but whether he could take the orb from Demitri, would be a different story.
Even a cold-hearted creature like him didn't deserve to die at the hands of
Demitri.
Felicia was jolted out of her thoughts by a slamming on the door. She rolled
her eyes and stood up, walking towards the door. She unlocked it and smiled
sweetly.
"Hello, Akira."
He barged into her apartment, soaking wet from rain and breathing heavily.
His eyes were alight with desperation and anger. He looked exhausted and
Felicia sighed, closing the door.
"Where...where is she!?" Akira snarled, cold water dripping down his body.
He span around staring at Felicia. She opened her mouth and shook her head.
"She...She's not here..."
He bellowed and picked up a nearby vase, smashing it on the floor.
"Tell me where she is!!!"
Felicia shook her head.
"Research. What have you been doing? You look exhausted."
He heaved when he laughed, running one hand through his fire-red hair.
"Sleep deserts me at this point in time." He slid onto the floor, trying to
conceal frosty shivers, yet he laughed quietly. "But that'll be over after
tonight."
Felicia walked into the kitchen and came back with hands loaded with buns.
She threw them at him. Akira snatched them out of the air and crammed some
into his mouth. Felicia watched him with interest.
"She doesn't deserve to die, Akira."
He continued to stuff handfuls of bread into his mouth, answering her
quietly.
"She's...done more than enough..."
Felicia sank down to her knees, holding her gaze to the young werewolf.
"Does she truly inspire that much hatred into you? What has she done?"
He swallowed loudly and stood up defiantly.
"She has my book!"
Felicia stood up also, staring at him intently. She shook her head slightly,
narrowing her eyes in thought.
"No...no...that's not it." she placed a finger on her lips. "This isn't
about ownership of a book. This is about mistrust."
Akira roared and charged towards the door. He placed his hand on the handle.
"Akira!" Felicia cried. "It's the full moon! Please!"
She snarled again, a pain-stricken call.
"I know...I can feel it rising inside." He hunched up. "My past is my own.
She must die. I...I don't want another soul on my conscience...especially
hers."
Felicia remained frozen in place.
"Why hers?"
He jerked slightly, pressure emanating from him.
"It's....NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!!" he ripped open the door. "The power's
mine!! I'm taking her out tonight....the moon is on my side..."
Felicia watched him step into the door way, crumpling in pain.
"Akira...please...It's not to late...trust yourself...and trust the girl."
He gripped at his stomach, groaning through gritted teeth.  His nails had
already began to lengthen, as his clothes began to pull across his changing
shape.
"I...have...decided..." He jerked in pain and edged away, his shoes ripping
apart. His teeth extended over his lower lip, shining like blades. "I
can...sense her....she's coming...closer....ARGGGGG!!"
He covered his face with his hair-covered hands, newly white and chestnut.
The fur was thick and coarse. Felicia watched, horrified and open-mouthed as
he grew in height and girth. A long, broad snout protruded between his hands
and his triangular ears twitched in aggravated pain. His shirt shredded and
slipped to the floor as silent rag-bundles, his jeans were ripped, yet they
remained in place, his one remaining token of humanity. He removed his hands
and howled. It was so completely animal that Felicia yelped in fright.
He turned towards her as a new, terrifying Akira. He smiled in the
transformation elevation and sniffed the air, his canine face steady in
confidence.
"Ah...there she is."
He opened his emerald eyes and grinned, the fangs and teeth becoming
illuminated in the moonlight. His voice was deeper and rougher. It had a
strange smoothness to it, mocking and devilish. Felicia covered her mouth
with both hands, her fur bristling. Tears nipped at her eyes.
"P-please...."
He nodded teasingly.
"She's mine." He growled again. He bolted out of the room and down the
corridor, hurtling out of the building and into the rain soaked night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hanako hugged herself and shivered. The weather was so beautiful that
morning that she didn't even think to take a coat out with her. She gritted
her teeth trying to stem the flow of shaking. The rain soaked her skin
through her vest top and it became all but transparent. She was glad that it
was night time and that areas around the inner city were pretty quiet. Her
hair was casting water onto her face, little tears of rainwater, and she
tucked it behind her ears.
She kept her eyes downcast, she was both tired and worried. Deep puddles
rippled on the ground, gathering more mass with rain water. Hanako's breath
caught in her chest.
I kinda don't want you here tonight. For the obvious reason.
So that's what Talbain meant. The full moon reflected back at her in the
puddles. She looked up into the sky and saw it, whitish-yellow and
pock-marked. She hurried on, into the park, shivering more, but not due to
the cold.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Akira smiled in the shadows as the girl passed him, a mere inch away from
his lowered snout. He wanted to reach out and touch her exposed thigh,
making sure that it was real, familiarising himself with the plain of the
victim. Yet he held back. It would be far more...interesting...if he slew
her in a open area. It would send a message to all that knew him, and it
would say... no one can control the werewolf, Akira. Not even destiny
himself.
Akira shivered in anticipation as he crept along behind the girl, slinking
on the balls of his feet. He dodged out of the shafts of moonlight that
penetrated the rows of trees along the pathway and ran into the foliage. He
crept past her and bounded ahead, not even causing the leaves to rustle.
Tonight, he was the ultimate predator.
He watched the girl walk hesitantly up to the centre of the park. In the
day, this area would of been filled with the laughter of humans, but now, at
night it was merely an area dimly lit by street lights.
The rain rolled off his chestnut coat, staining it a dark shade of brown.
The rainwater dripped from his muzzle into his mouth. The tasteless water on
his tongue simply exited him, as he knew that, soon enough, it would be
exchanged for the salty blood and plump flesh of his supposed other side. It
occurred to him that he didn't even know her name. He shook of the though
and cursed himself. It wouldn't make any difference to him in the end. They
were all the same, these wretched humans.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hanako reached the centre of the park. It was a large attraction on
nice-weathered day. The circular area was flat and smooth and, interestingly
there was a statue in the centre. It was of a beautiful woman, draped
delicately in the folds of a robe. She seemed to be running from something
she was afraid of, as tears slicked her cheek and her clothes splayed out in
an imaginary wind over her nymph-like limbs that spread apart in a frozen
sprint. She held in her slender hands a crystal ball. Hanako guessed that's
what it was, even though it was made of stone. She held it so tightly to her
bosom, like a child, having all her precious hopes refined in it. Despite
the fear and the cold, Hanako halted and gazed at the statue. She felt that,
at this moment, this woman, this isolated statue, was the only thing that
understood her. She too wanted to run away and hide, she too wanted to cry.
Yet they were different, the woman had an object of desire, a ball of
precious meaning, yet Hanako was alone. She had no importance, no object of
hope, no escape.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Akira watched the girl with intense interest. He crouched down and eased
himself behind the centre statue, his limbs tingling with the beginnings of
adrenaline. The earthy smell of the girl touched his sensitive nose and he
pressed up against the cold stone, absorbing the presence of the girl on the
opposite side. He turned his dog-like ears to her direction. She was
breathing deeply, absorbed in the statue, and he could smell the salty
trails of tears sliding down her cheek. He could sense pain, yet he didn't
know why. Deep beneath his layers of fur and muscle, he felt a twinge of
sympathy, he too knew what pain was like. He gritted his teeth together
angrily. This was no time for second thoughts. He closed his eyes, allowing
his body, rather than his mind, to lead him, as he leapt over the statue,
coming face to face with the girl who was haunting his days and his cursed
nights.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hanako screamed in fear as the hulking beast threw itself over the statue,
like a bullet out of a gun. She covered her face and fell backwards, landing
sharply on the small of her back, the bone producing a choked thud. He
landed, surprisingly lightly, at her feet, a giant mass of chestnut fur and
heavy muscle. He stood up on his hind legs, towering over Hanako, who stood,
quivering and crying, her pink hair and kitten-ears twitching in shock. In
the moonlight, his extended fangs shone like wet ivory. In his light
fighting-stance, she could see his jeans pulling against his legs and, over
the top of it, his vast tail swished fiercely, whip-like in it's
flexibility. His claws curved dangerously and were aimed directly at her
throat.
For a moment, neither moved. Hanako too frightened and Akira too interested.
The feeling of warmth towards the girl rose from his chest to his muzzle and
he roared, tinged with confusion, as he was echoed only by Hanako's scream.
She scrambled to her feet and bolted off in the direction she had come, the
light refracting upon her strangely coloured hair.
Akira howled again, his chest bursting with energy and his legs burning with
the desire to run. He swooped onto all four feet and took off after her.
Hanako's feet slapped the pavement and her heavy bag slapped her back as she
ran. The cold rainwater made her muscles feel heavy and cramped as her heart
beat into overdrive. She could hear the beast behind her, gaining on her, as
his howling became louder and she could sense his paws beating at the floor
like a drum. As if in a delayed reaction, her brain recalled a memory, and
the fear intensified, yet, at the same time, she felt little bolts of
excitement stab at her heart. She opened her mouth but did not scream.
"AKIRAAAAA!"
She was cut short as a tonnage of weight crashed down on top of her,
crushing her into the ground. She felt her cheek slice open and the warm
liquid ooze into her mouth and onto the ground. She coughed and Akira picked
her up, off her feet, holding her against his snout.
He watched the girl's tears mingle with her blood as it slicked her skin and
he licked his lips. She will be exquisite to eat. Her flesh will fall off
the bone into his mouth and he will lap up her blood like wine. It wouldn't
be enough to murder her, now. The chase she had given him had excited his
delicate senses. He will invade this girl. The way she invaded his dreams.
One of the straps on her top that he held her up by snapped and he caught
her around the nape of the neck, pulling her nose against his. She
whimpered, shivering in his hands. He looked into her eyes, the blue orbs
shining as her hands grasped at his fur-enveloped wrists.
"Please, Akira..."
He silenced her by a swift smack to her face. The attack emitted an echoing
crack all around them as her blood sprayed the ground. She cried out, but
was once again silenced when he grasped her around her throat. He brought
his snout close to her ear and smiled.
"I've wanted to finish this for a very long time..." he whispered, licking a
stream of blood from her face.
"...Akira...please..." He shook her by her throat and she was choked off. He
could feel her rapid pulse through her skin.
"YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU PUT ME THROUGH!!!!" He howled, pushing his nose
into her open wound. The warm, syrupy liquid smelled sweet and tied his
stomach in knots.
Hanako's tears fell rapidly, sobs racking her body.
"I'm...sorry..." She choked, scrunching her eyes together in an attempt to
breathe. Akira snapped his head back in a laugh, that sounded more like a
howl. He then, without a warning, whipped his snout forwards and plunged it
into her shoulder. His teeth screeched against her bone, and he felt tendons
snap, the elasticity loosening. In his ecstasy he released the grip on
Hanako and she sunk to the floor, screaming and grasping at her spurting
shoulder. Akira licked his lips as Hanako's screaming calmed to a groan. She
felt tired and dizzy, yet the muscular hulk of werewolf Akira eclipsed her
view. He laughed, sneering down at her from above.
"Do you think I would end it that quickly?"
Hanako stared at him, her tear-streaked face pale against her dark blood.
Akira extended his claws.
"After the trouble you have caused for me? You have stolen my sleep...but
you will never steal my future!"
Hanako's eyes fluttered, yet remained open.
"I...didn't..." Akira kicked her swiftly, his claws ripping her skin. The
spurts of blood coated his feet, but Hanako didn't have the strength to
fight. She slipped on her side, heaving against the floor, in a darkening
pool of rainwater and blood.
"SHUT UP. YOU WORTHLESS REJECT!!" he howled at her. He stood above her,
looking down in intense disgust, he heaved her up by the material on her
chest. He lowered his voice to a growling whisper. "Look at you. You can't
even defend yourself." He sniggered deeply. Hanako opened her mouth, blood
and dirt sliding down her body and falling to the ground off her shoes.
"We...need to ...be...together."
Akira raised her to his face and snarled, guttural and full of hatred. He
hurled her to the floor and she slid away from him and the slippery ground.
They heard another cracking noise, but Hanako ignored it, and the searing
pain that came with it.
Akira screamed again, his chest rising and his head thrown back.
"HOW DARE YOU!!!!" he marched towards her, ears back against his head. "I
will NEVER debase myself by working with a second-rate scum-girl like
you!!!!"
Thick, ropy strings of saliva hung from his jaws as he advanced on her. He
raised his claws for the final attack. Hanako rolled out of the way, leaving
a trail of blood in her wake. She stood up grasping her bag.
"Is-Is...is this what you want?" she raised her bag. "If you want the black
book, then take it."
"RRRAAARRRRRGGGGG!!" He roared again, frustrated and torn. He calmed himself
and smiled, teeth bared.
"So...you have decided to fight." He shook with tension.
Hanako shook her head, grasping her bag.
"No. I've decided to survive."
He ran at her, his body curling into a air-borne kick. He flew through the
air smoothly, yet he missed by a fraction, the blood-stained Hanako dodging
out of the way. He howled and spun around, a silent curse on his lips. His
emerald eyes shimmered with fury and he wiped away a mixture of saliva and
blood from his jaws. Hanako opened her bag and placed one hand inside it.
"I'm...asking you, Akira. Be...my...friend. We need....each other..." She
panted with exhaustion, her blood dripping away.
Akira bellowed, curving himself backwards, muzzle towards the moon.
"NEVER!!!"
Hanako let her bag drop to the floor, revealing her hand, clasped around a
gun.
"Then...what will be, is what must be."
She raised the gun, aiming at his chest. A look of fear flickered briefly
across his face. He smiled crookedly and began to laugh.
"Revolvers won't have much effect on me, girl."
He stood frozen in place, attempting to fathom the look of serenity on her
face.
"I know...that's why I bought silver bullets."
Akira's jaw tensed and he swallowed deeply, his throat thickening. He let
his arms drop, yet he smiled at her. Hanako continued.
"I'm sorry...Akira. But the first thing Talbain taught me...the best offence
is often a great defence." Her voice had become louder and less hesitant, as
if gaining the upper hand had supplied her with her old energy. He snarled
at her, feeling his life slip away already.
"I'm already dead. You've caused me enough pain. What difference is a little
more, if death is the prize?"
-I made him what he was...
-You turned him into a werewolf? You made him so unhappy, so enraged!?
Hanako trained the gun over his heart. Akira closed his eyes. To Akira, for
the moment, the world seemed empty except for the girl and himself and the
simultaneous beating of their hearts. He waited for the burst of gun fire
that would turn the world to black, yet it didn't arrive. He opened his eyes
and saw Hanako throw the gun away behind her, her tear-soaked face
heartbroken.
"If I cause you so much pain..." she raised her hand to her chest, tears
rolling down in heavy droplets, "Please kill me."
Akira's mouth dropped open. "I don't want to hurt you, Akira."
He wrinkled his face, the inner turmoil shining through. Hanako watched him,
her eyelashes wet and heavy. With the rain all around, Akira looked to the
moon and howled, the turned his angered gaze on Hanako. He crouched on all
fours and hurtled towards her. The last thing Hanako felt was his steel-like
body crush her, as the world span to black.