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Outbreak	By : Need2ScreamNow Category: Singers/Bands/Musicians > Avenged Sevenfold Views: 1987 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I don't know the boys in A7x, I'm not making any money and this is all fiction.

Chapter List
- 7
- 8
- 9
Brian’s POV
            He made it to the beach a few minutes before the moon hit its peak and splashed around in the surf to clean his scent up some. Wolf noses could be a real hassle. And with Jimmy’s sickness wafting through the house he didn’t need Terasi thinking he was ill. Ducking under a couple more waves he trotted out of the water and gave his coat a refreshing shake.
            “I’ve never seen anyone go so deep before.” Terasi’s flute-like voice called. Brian shifted to human and pushed his hair from his face. “I wouldn’t if I didn’t know the beach,” he said slushing his foot through the briny water creeping up the shore. “I can swim for a bit but not long, especially if I’m not prepared for it.”
Terasi took a few hesitant steps into the surf until the water washed her ankles and then stopped. “I’m so afraid of water, but I’ve never been any deeper than this.” She looked over her shoulder. “Isn’t that just a class A definition of phobia.” Her laugh was humorless. A big wave washed water up to her calves and she flinched back a step.
Brian stepped into the water next to her. “You’ve never gone swimming, not even as a human?” he asked surprised. He looked at her again trying to guess her age but like all their kind she was frozen in time. Her face no more than mid-twenties and the lines and curves of her body unmarred by hard labor or malnutrition. “How long have you been a wolf?” he asked softly.
She looked up at him quizzically at first and then her eyes became guarded. “Not long.” She said vaguely. Brian stared at her a moment longer, confused by the un-answering answer but Terasi was staring into the waves again and he looked up at the moon.
            “You’re from the Los Angeles pack,” he said slightly changing the subject. “I haven’t seen them in several years,” he mused, it was closer to a decade or two.
Terasi’s light laugh filled the void between waves. “No, I’m from further north. Northern Shasta pack.”
Brian’s diaphragm constricted and his throat shut. “Shasta?” he said after clearing his throat.
Terasi nodded looking at him again, not noticing his odd reaction to the word. “Shasta County, it’s really far north and kind of small. No one ever knows where it is.” She rolled her eyes. “My parents want to marry me off to the alpha creep in L.A.” Baring her small human teeth she kicked an incoming wave. Brian tried not to lift his lip and mostly succeeded. Ridal didn’t marry so much as collect wives. At his last count Brian remembered a dozen in his harem.
“Ridal is an old wolf,” he said hoping his disgust wouldn’t come through.
Terasi snorted, “Ridal? Ridal has been gone for years.” She looked up at him shaking her head. “The lecherous thing that took his place makes Ridal look like a saint. My parents keep telling me it’s a great “strategic” match, you know, like this is fifteenth century Europe or something and I’m Juliet.” Crossing her arms over her chest she glared at the horizon and Brian felt himself melting a little more.
“Who is in charge now?” he asked more than a little curious of who could drive Ridal away. He had held the L.A. area for a century. Not that he was torn up about the lecher being gone. Terasi would never have fit in Ridal’s harem. The females he picked were belly crawlers, servants, submissive to him in every way. Dark hair shaken back from her shoulders, gaze leveled at the horizon Terasi was a warrior.
“Some wolf called Bryce. Just got off the boat from Europe, apparently,” she answered. “And he hasn’t assimilated to the twenty-first century yet either.”
Brian frowned some staring at the water. The name was familiar in a vague way but he couldn’t conjure an image of the new wolf. Shaking his head he filed the information away to pass on to Matt, if the old wolf didn’t already know. Terasi looked up at him with mercury silver eyes. “What pack are you from?” she asked with a lighter tone.
Brian followed her when she started walking down the beach. “Orange County.”
            “Orange County? Wow, that’s a smaller territory than ours.” The anger that had clouded her face cleared away with her smile.
Brian smiled back. “We’re not there often.” In the distance an irritated howl rose from the north and Terasi’s eyes narrowed.
“I swear to God, I can’t walk around the block without them needing to know where I am. They might as well invest in an anklet, it’s be so much easier for all of us.” She stamped her foot and then pushed her hair behind her ear. “It’ll probably be a night or two before I can get out again.” She said with a venomous look to the north.
Brian bowed his head. “You know my schedule.” He said softly. She flashed him a quick smile and then there was a mist gray wolf loping down the beach howling an answer. Brian watched her go until she disappeared in the underbrush and then shifted to his own black form and headed for his pack.
*~*~*
            He jumped the fence into his yard when the moon was low and crept in through the hole. As soon as he was inside he shifted to human before his wolf bolted out the door again. Tempted as he was to open the windows he didn’t want the scent to blow across their territory. Jogging past the door he padded upstairs and slipped into his bedroom. Johnny was still curled against Zack’s back and Matt hadn’t moved. Zack’s face was peaceful but he couldn’t tell if the alpha was asleep or faking. Pulling on his boxers he lay down next to Johnny slipping an arm around his shoulder and under his neck pulling him closer. The smaller wolf cuddled against him with a deep sigh. Brian watched the shadows shift across the room until his eyes grew heavy and he gave in to sleep.
*~*~*
            Before the sun was halfway over the horizon Brian’s doorbell chimed. Johnny jerked in his arms and he shushed the little wolf while he stretched and then lay down again. He was close to sleep when the bell dinged again. Now there was a groggy groan from Matt and an irritated sigh from Zack. Johnny raised his head and rubbed his eyes while he looked around the dawn gray room. The door chimed again.
            “Your house, Syn. Your door.” Matt said shifting around.
Johnny lay down again with a lopsided smile. “I like that rule,” he yawned. Brian growled but rolled to his stomach and pushed himself up while the doorbell went off.
“If this is some Jehovah’s Witness I’m going to eat them.” He threatened. Johnny giggled and curled up again and Matt cracked an eye open.
“You’re too fastidious to eat anyone this early.” He said yawning. Brian looked back at him with a raised eyebrow and Zack sat up to look at him too. Matt looked up at his mate. “What?” he murmured.
Zack poked his belly. “Fastidious? Do you even know what that means?” he snickered avoiding Matt’s swatting hands. Brian shook his head and left the room when the doorbell called.
            “Yes, I know what it means. What? I can’t use my vocabulary anymore?” Matt argued sounding more awake. Brian’s good humor faded as he trudged down the stairs listening to the happy electronic notes. “Pity I didn’t tear that apart.” He muttered as the sound echoed through the house. Anything he planned on saying to his wake up call disappeared when the subtle scent of wolf wafted under the door. He stopped and stared at the door. As soon as he opened it they would be able to smell Jimmy. Biting back a curse he back tracked and darted up the stairs hoping the wolf would give up.
            Back in the room the rest of the pack was almost fully awake. Zack looked at him with clear eyes when he darted into the room while Matt stretched his shoulders and Johnny still tried to rub away sleep.
            “I thought you were going to eat them.” Johnny said when the doorbell chimed, “I was hoping we wouldn’t have to go out and get breakfast.”
            “What’s wrong, Brian?” Zack asked seriously. Matt raised his head and his hazel eyes were still sleepy but ready for whatever Brian had to say.
            “It’s a wolf.” Brian whispered.
Johnny sat up and scooted closer to Zack. “Who?” he whispered.
Brian shrugged. “I don’t know the scent.” He looked over his shoulder and cursed. Matt got to his feet and looked first at the window and then the door. “We’ll just have to wait him out. Either he’ll guess you’re not home or he’ll give up. He can’t stand out there all day ringing the doorbell.” He sighed as the bells called again.
Brian covered his ears and leaned against the wall, “I’m getting rid of that thing.”
            The wolf was persistent, but after a long fifteen minutes the doorbell fell silent and the murderous thoughts circling through Brian’s mind began to fade. Zack wriggled out of Matt’s grasp and padded out the door with Brian following. The alpha paused at the top of the stairs and listened hard before descending a few steps and listening again. When he got to the bottom of the stairs he tried scenting but flinched hard and rubbed his nose.
            “Wolf.” Brian said quietly. Zack nodded and smacked the side of his head, Brian gave him a humorless smile. Matt slipped past both of them and went to the door and pressed his ear against the wood.
He whispered, “I don’t smell anything either.” Brian and Zack snorted at the same time.
“You have a horrible nose.” Brian said with a dismissive wave.
Zack smiled and slid under his mate’s arm before pressing his nose against the doorjamb. “Nothing fresh but he was definitely angry.” He said in a normal voice.
Matt frowned and opened the door, checking the porch and driveway. “I don’t recognize the scent,” he said after taking a deep breath. His frown deepened. “Why would a strange wolf be here at the crack of dawn?” he closed the door again and shook his head before striding off to the kitchen and grabbing Jimmy’s metal drinking bowl. Brian watched him go tense and worried, when he looked back at Zack the alpha raised an eyebrow but took Johnny’s hand and followed Matt into the kitchen without saying anything. Brian chewed his lip while Matt took the bowl and opened the basement door.
            He was bracing for his wolf to react and Zack was ready for the same so when the new scent hit him and the wolf was only wary instead of terrified his head snapped up. Before he could take a step forward though, Johnny was curled against him watching Zack approach the doorway. Brian looped an arm around the small wolf’s waist and watched the alpha with sharp eyes. After a second of pacing in front of the door Zack’s shoulders straightened and he plunged into the darkness.
*~*~*
            The basement was soaked with the sickness and the wolf went from cautious to scared. Zack paused a few steps down giving his wolf time to process the information it was getting. The heavy sickness smell was old, the basement would have that odor for weeks yet unless they scrubbed the walls with bleach, the newer scent though was of fever and pain.
            “Zack?” Matt whispered from the bottom of the stairs.
Zack answered, “my wolf is okay.” He started walking again and the wolf lapsed back to cautious and concerned. Underneath the pain and fever odor was Jimmy’s spring scent, faint but starting to return.
            He made it to the bottom of the stairs and stared at the ragged lump that was Jimmy, “PETA would shit,” he said. Matt choked on a laugh and pulled his mate close, burrowing his nose in Zack’s neck and breathing in his scent.
“What do you smell?” he whispered. Zack took a step closer to the chained bundle and Matt just as quickly pulled him back. Zack shook him off and moved forward again, a low warning growl rumbled out of Matt’s chest when his mate reached out to touch the sick wolf and Zack ignored him.
            Despite them dumping cool water on him every few hours Jimmy’s body radiated heat, his fur coarse, damp, and matted instead of the silky smooth. Zack’s fingers brushed across his haunch and down his back leg to his massive paw. His foot twitched and Matt’s growl rose to a snarl. Zack snapped his head around and bared his teeth at his mate. Pushing away his irritation Zack stroked his hind leg again, “Jimmy? Can you hear me?” he whispered. A low whine answered him and the briefest of smiles touched Zack’s lips, Matt’s growl stopped and he kneeled next to Zack.
“James?” he whispered. There was another whine, this one fainter, and Zack’s smile widened.
“Keep fighting, Jimmy. Johnny’s missing you,” he murmured. There was no answer and Zack slowly got to his feet with Matt. “He’s coming out of it,” he whispered excitedly.
Matt was more cautious, “He’s not safe yet, Zacky. His fever is still high.” Zack deflated some and looked up the stairs at the square of light.
“So what do we tell Johnny?” he asked.
Matt looked up too and then down at Jimmy. “Cautiously optimistic, I believe is the medical term.”
*~*~*
            Brian’s happiness when he heard what Zack had to say about Jimmy was genuine, but he was still agonizing over what to tell Matt about their early morning visitor. But what did he have to tell him? It wasn’t Terasi’s scent outside, it was an angry male, maybe one from the Los Angeles pack had picked up his scent in the buffer zone and wanted to know what he was doing there. He shook his head a little to clear his thoughts, he would have to stay home tonight. If others were suspicious of him in the buffer they might be waiting to ask him about it and those questions might lead to waking Matt. The ache in his chest opened again and he crossed an arm over it, just one night. He could go one night without seeing her.
            “Can I see him?” Johnny asked Zack.
Matt shook his head. “Still too dangerous, if he has a relapse he could bite.”
Johnny’s face crumbled and Zack nuzzled his head. “A few more days, puppy,” he whispered. “Just a few more and then we’ll know for sure he’s back.” Johnny nodded in a vague way and wiped his eyes the pain on his cherub face sent tiny shockwaves through the ache in Brian’s chest. Their puppy hadn’t seen his mate in almost three weeks, his mate, Brian could go a night or two without seeing Terasi.
*~*~*
            The next day, Matt and Zack made their way to the basement while Brian tried to explain to a construction firm why exactly his entire house needed to be drywalled. Something close to an irritated bark echoed through the house and Matt shook his head. “You may have to get it worked out for him, angel. He doesn’t have the patience for peoples’ questions.” They got to the bottom of the stairs and Jimmy’s chains rattled when he shifted. Matt’s hand shot out and stopped Zack from approaching. Zack stopped obediently and Matt edged a little closer. “James?” he whispered.
A high, pleading whine filled the room and Zack kneeled down where he had yesterday. “We’re here Jimmy,” he said softly, stroking the dirty fur down his hind leg. The whine turned into a whimper and Matt risked kneeling by the large wolf’s head. One bloodshot crystal blue eye looked up at him, his forepaws scuffed the floor and he stiffly lowered his head down trying to scratch off the muzzle.
Matt shushed him gently and scratched behind his ears. “Go back to sleep, James. Go to sleep a little longer, you’ll feel better when you wake again.” Jimmy’s struggles subsided and his eye closed again. Zack kept running his fingers over his paw whispering to him while Matt soaked his hands and worked his cool fingers through the stiff fur behind his ears and between his eyes.
“What do you smell, Zack?” Matt asked quietly. Zack leaned forward and pressed his nose against Jimmy’s scruff. The immediate assault was of unclean fur, sweat, excrement, and pain; underneath that though was the fading rancid stink of sickness, the rotten tomato odor of fever, and Jimmy’s clean scent of spring fighting against it all.
He sat up again and sneezed to clear his sinuses. “He’s getting better. His true scent is getting stronger,” he said. “He’s in a lot of pain, Matt,” he added quietly.
Matt’s face became troubled, “I know, but…I don’t know if it’s safe. There’s never been any verified report of someone recovering from sickness, I don’t know if he’ll relapse or if it’s truly gone.” He whispered.
Zack nuzzled his temple and then kissed his cheek. “We can at least free his legs, the muzzle can stay.”
Matt nodded. “The keys are upstairs, and while I’m getting them, you can help Brian.”
Upstairs Brian’s dark scowl greeted them and Zack ambled over to him, listening to the agitated voice on the other end of the line before plucking the phone from his hand. “Hi,” he said in his sweetest voice. “What happened?” he looked at Brian and smiled. “My friend fancies himself a ‘flip it yourself’ kinda guy and he’s gotten himself into quite the problem. He can take out the drywall but he hasn’t figured out how to put it up again. So, the place need to be re-done, top to bottom and it would be nice if it could be done this week.” He handed the phone back to Brian and kissed his on the corner of the mouth. “There, can you work out the cost or would you like me to do that, too?” he asked. Brian huffed and turned to the window to continue the conversation.
Matt jangled the keys and Zack followed him downstairs again. “Johnny needs to see him.” Zack said when they got to the bottom. Matt nodded distractedly while he wrestled with one of the locks. The cuffs came undone with a quiet snick and the chains rattled on the floor as they slackened. Matt handed the heavy locks to Zack and gathered up the chains, doing his best to not scrape them or make any other noise that might agitate Jimmy. The big wolf sighed in his sleep and his paws twitched testing their new freedom. Zack stroked his front paw a couple of times until he was certain Jimmy was more comfortable in sleep.
At the top of the stairs Johnny was stretched out on his belly watching the stairs, Brian stood next to him with his arms crossed no longer on the phone. Zack stopped two stairs from the top and waved the small man forward. Johnny jumped to his feet but moved with a little more caution when he got to the door.
“Zack.” Matt warned. Zack stared straight into his mate’s eyes letting him feel the depth of his annoyance.
“I know what I smell Matthias, trust me.” Johnny looked between the two, fearful and hopeful.
Matt stared at his mate a moment longer and then sighed. “Not long, he still needs to sleep,” he said finally. Johnny followed two steps behind Zack quiet apprehensive. Zack looked back and held his hand out. Johnny’s fingers were cold in his warm palm.
“He’s getting better Johnny. Another couple of days and he’ll be coherent. His fever is hanging around but the sick smell is almost gone.” Zack whispered. They reached the bottom and Johnny stepped around him, he stood for a moment looking down at his mate and then cautiously crouched down near his dinner plate sized paws. Timid fingers ran over the long bones of his toes, then up to his knee and finally to his shoulder. Zack sat next to him and scratched his belly, the rush of heat that hit his fingers made him frown but Jimmy sighed and stretched a little. Johnny ran his hand down his chest and then under his chin until he got to the leather muzzle strap. “I love you.” he whispered. Jimmy’s ear twitched and his eyelid flickered but he didn’t make it to full awareness.
“A couple more days.” Zack whispered and pressed a kiss to the side of Johnny’s head. Johnny nodded the ocean scent of tears drifted from him. Zack hugged the little wolf close, “he’ll be okay.” he promised. Matt wouldn’t want him to be making promises, but Zack’s nose told him it was true. The big wolf was going to be weak and painful for awhile but once he fought off the last tendril of sickness he would be fine again. Johnny sniffled and let Zack pull him to his feet and lead him up the stairs.
Out of the basement Johnny wiped his eyes and scrubbed his face with his palms. In the afternoon sun his skin was chalky and seemed to be stretched too tight, dark circles hung under his eyes. Zack watched the puppy shamble to the front door, away from Matt and Brian’s low voices coming from the back steps. Once the front door shut behind him Zack went to join his mate.
The two older wolves made space between them for him to sit. Birds sang around them, bugs chirred, and the warm breeze rustled the plethora of foliage stirring up an almost overpowering perfume. Zack sneezed and Brian nodded distractedly, “I need to get rid of those.” he said. Zack wrinkled his brow but didn’t tell the wolf not to, it was his house he could do what he wanted.
“Why haven’t you gotten any furniture yet?” he asked trying to commit the smell of flowers to memory. They were his favorite part of Brian’s house. The old wolf flinched and recovered quickly, “I haven’t found any I like.” his voice was flat and the sickeningly familiar smell of an unused heater fouled the air. Zack’s wolf skipped worry and anxiety and jumped straight to full blown panic when he picked up on the scent.
“Brian.” Zack snapped. The old wolf jumped a little and shook himself out of his thoughts.
“Zachary, that wasn’t necessary.” Matt scolded.
Zack shook his shoulders and rubbed his nose. “I know, I just…I’m sorry, I don’t like that smell.” he hugged his knees to his chest and rocked a little back and forth.
Matt’s warm body pressed against his side. “What smell, angel?”
“Should I take a shower?” Brian asked with a blend of challenge and scathing sarcasm.
Zack ignored the tone and said, “It’s not external.” He didn’t know what the scent was, but he knew it was coming from the wolves themselves and not something they came into contact with. Brian sighed looked to the back fence again and Zack could feel him drifting off again while Matt continued to talk.
“What smell is it?” he asked. Zack shrugged. “The same thing I smelled on you a couple days ago. Hot dust, like an old heater kicking on.” Brian raised an eyebrow but didn’t offer any helpful advice.
“What causes it?” Matt asked. Zack shrugged again, “I have no idea, it’s just…there and then it’s not. It’s such a bad smell,” he whispered.
“The smell of hot dust reminds me of home.” Matt said nuzzling the side of his head.
Zack scooted a little closer to him. “No, it’s not bad…not bad, bad like how silver smells. It’s…not good. It’s dangerous.” His brow furrowed as he tried to articulate just how the scent affected him.
Matt leaned back on his hands. “Dangerous? How so?” his hazel eyes were curious and even Brian had pulled himself back into the conversation.
Zack set his chin on his knees and stared at the back wall. “I don’t know if I can explain it,” he said. “But it’s like…if a wolf has that smell then something bad is going to happen…” His heart started to accelerate as he thought back to what the smell meant. “If it doesn’t go away, I don’t know. I don’t know what’ll happen, but it’s bad, it’s really bad, I don’t wanna know what happens if it doesn’t go away—” Matt snapped his fingers near his ear and he jumped, losing the frantic train of thought. He blinked a couple times and shook himself, his heart started to slow and the sweat beading his forehead dried.
“Okay puppy, we won’t smell like that anymore,” Brian whispered. His rough fingers brushed through Zack’s hair and he relaxed even more.
Matt kissed the side of his head. “It’s okay, angel.” he murmured.
Zack nodded, distracted but still comforted by their soft words. “I wish I knew what it was.” A cold chill ran down his back.
“How many times have you smelled it?” Brian asked.
Zack put his head on Matt’s shoulder. “Twice now.” his brow furrowed though, his wolf was telling him that wasn’t right but he couldn’t place where he would have smelled it before.
“What were you doing the first time you smelled it?” Matt asked.
“I was with you…the day Johnny and I brought your chest over.” he didn’t really want to bring up Brian’s madness again with him sitting right there.
The old wolf snorted. “You mean while I was off reliving the glory days?” A choked laugh found its way out of Zack and he covered his mouth with his hand.
Matt didn’t share the amusement. “I remember that.” he said softly. Hairline wrinkles formed on his brow and a frown tugged the corners of his mouth. “I was really stressed out, could it be that?”
Zack shook his head. “Stress is closer to fear, it’s a sour smell.” He lifted his head again, “I smelled it again when we were talking about furniture,” he said looking at Brian.
The black wolf shrugged. “I hate shopping?” he ventured. Under the light words though and Matt’s annoyed growl the smell returned.
Faint, but Zack still recoiled from it. Brian pulled back in surprise. “What?”
“It’s back.” Matt said flatly. Zack looked straight into Brian’s dark brown eyes. The other wolf stared back, brown so dark it almost blended with the pupil, more than two thousand years of memory trapped in their tiny lenses. “I smelled it before.” he whispered. “I smelled it when I hugged you. The whole house had the smell, I was so scared, so scared we’d lose you the panic seemed appropriate.”
“What are you talking about Zack?” Matt asked in his ear.
“It’s madness…it’s the scent of madness.” Zack said. Brian’s irises quivered and then focused on him, a muscle in his jaw twitched when he clamped his teeth together.
A whiff of basil and thyme announced Johnny before he was completely on the back porch. “What’s wrong?” he whispered. Zack looked away from Brian and the old wolf looked to the back fence again.
Zack gave the puppy a tired smile. “Nothing that needs to be messed with now. Are you feeling better?” he asked. Johnny sat on Brian’s other side and took a chance of snuggling against him, Brian wrapped an arm around his shoulders and hugged him close, resting his chin on the smaller wolf’s head.
Johnny nodded against Brian’s chest. “A little. I miss him.” his muffled voice was teary and Brian’s other hand smoothed down Johnny’s arm.
“I know puppy, just give him a little more time.” Matt said.
*~*~*
Later that night Zack awoke with abrupt alertness. Matt still had him in a tight embrace and Johnny’s warm body pressed against his back. Lifting his head some he found Brian back to back with Matt. He blinked a few times, usually it was Brian’s nocturnal jaunts that pulled him from sleep. Unnerved now that he didn’t know what had woken him he wriggled from Matt’s arms and began prowling through the house.
No unfamiliar smells upstairs, no strange noises. He took the steps down one at a time listening and scenting every time he touched a new stair. Three steps from the bottom a hollow thump echoed through the downstairs. He froze, his eyes probing the darkness. Nothing moved in the barren downstairs. The thump came again from his left. He skipped the last couple of steps and landed in a crouch. He should be booking it upstairs to wake Matt, but the only thing to his left was the basement. Another thump. Zack crept to the closed door and listened, a scrape and then another thump. Sweaty palms gripped the handle and he silently counted to three. He ripped the door open and jumped back. A pale face lifted from the steps, exhausted blue eyes met his and then closed.
“Jimmy, God, what are you doing?” Zack gasped. He scrambled forward again and grabbed the weak man under the shoulders. “What are you doing?” Zack repeated breathlessly. Jimmy groaned and was little help getting the rest of the way up the stairs. Zack wrestled him onto the hardwood floor and then sat next to him panting, he brushed Jimmy’s hair off his face. “You shouldn’t be up, much less climbing stairs.” he panted.
“Johnny,” he whispered. Zack kissed his forehead, his skin was clammy and sweat beaded his brow.
“Johnny’s all right, sleeping like a sane wolf at this hour.” He got to his feet and looked up the flight of stairs to the third floor. The only bathroom with a tub was up those fourteen steps. Zack looked down at Jimmy’s prone form again, he’d only dragged the wolf up four or five stairs and that had winded him completely. He didn’t really want to rouse the pack but he was going to need some help.
“Zackary?” Brian’s voice whispered down from the darkness. Zack couldn’t make out his shape until he started down the stairs.
“Jimmy’s awake,” he said pointing to the wolf at his feet. A breath caught in Brian’s throat when he reached the bottom few steps.
“How?” he whispered.
Zack shrugged. “He climbed up by himself, I just helped with the last couple.” He took a step back so Brian could kneel next to the semi-conscious man.
“James, gods, James can you hear me?” he asked. He ran a hand over his bare shoulders and down his back. “So thin,” he murmured. “He’s lost at least forty pounds.”
“Still a heavy motherfucker,” Zack whispered. Jimmy’s lips twitched into a fleeting smile and then he was unconscious again.
Brian worked his hands and arms under the lanky man’s shoulders and turned him onto his back. “Can you get his feet?” he asked hauling the drummer against his chest while he stood. Zack grabbed him by the calves and they started their slow climb up the stairs.
At the top Brian sat down hard still holding Jimmy against his chest. “You are a heavy motherfucker,” he panted.
Zack sat down next to him and leaned against his shoulder. “Want me to get the bath started?” he asked, sleep made his eyes and limbs heavy.
Brian nodded. “The sooner the better. I don’t know what he smells like to you but for me it’s god awful.”
Stifling a giggle Zack struggled to his feet again and wove down the hall to the bathroom. When he flicked the light switch he was pleasantly surprised to find Brian had skipped the retina searing fluorescents and gone with soft recessed lighting. The warm forty watt glow gave the bathroom a buttery hue and made the Jacuzzi tub all the more inviting. Sitting on the edge he fiddled with the faucet until the water was lukewarm. There was a squeak behind him and when he looked over his shoulder he found Brian dragging Jimmy into the bathroom like he was disposing of a body. Jimmy flinched away from the light and tried to raise a hand to shield his eyes. Brian stopped a foot from the tub and Zack grabbed the drummer’s legs again. They did their best not to drop him into the tub but there was still a grunt of pain and a good splash.
Jimmy woke up more in the water, his blue eyes squinted against the light and Brian went to the light panel and flipped a couple switches so that only the corners were illuminated in soft glow. Jimmy relaxed more when the lights were dimmer and shivered. Zack turned the hot water up until his shivers stopped and a content sigh left him. Brian sat on the edge of the tub and pushed his hair out of his face like Zack had done downstairs. “You’re a mess, James.” he whispered. His normally cream white skin was gray and flushed with fever, black and purple circles under his eyes, his hair matted and stringy, scrapes and bruises littered his palms and knees, and his lip was starting to swell as if he’d knocked his face on a stair. Zack turned off the water and picked up a bottle of body wash and a towel.
A bottle of body wash and half a bottle of shampoo later, Zack hit the drain on the second tubful of water. Jimmy was becoming more and more coherent, he was still too weak to stand on his own but getting him out of the tub was much easier than putting him in. Brian held him up while Zack toweled him off, his skin warm from the water and smelling like April Fresh, Zack pressed his nose against his shoulder and found the spring scent riddled with pain but clear of fever and sickness. “Welcome back, James.” he whispered kissing a prominent shoulder blade. If Jimmy had been thin before he was skeletal now Zack could almost count his vertebrae, his knees and elbows were knobby as a new born foal and his ribs showed in stark relief with every breath.
“Are you hungry?” Brian asked rubbing away a stray drop of water on his neck. Jimmy actually managed to turn a little green and shook his head. Out of the water now he shivered and Zack grabbed a dry towel to wrap around him. “Do you have any clothes for him?” he asked Brian.
The wolf thought for a moment and then shook his head. “I’ve got some good blankets though. We’ll be with him too.” His brown eyes were drooping more with each passing minute and Zack found himself yawning every couple of breaths.
“Where are the blankets?” he asked covering his mouth. Brian looped one of Jimmy’s arms around his neck and the two started a slow walk for the door.
“There’s a couple in the coat closet downstairs.” he said. Zack tried not to groan and instead trotted for the stairs. Finding the blankets by feel alone he ran upstairs and ricocheted down the hallway to Brian’s room.
Brian had just gotten Jimmy into the room and was working on getting him on the floor without hurting him. Jimmy pulled himself loose from his friend’s grip and dropped to the floor next to Johnny. The little wolf jerked awake and rolled over straight into Jimmy’s arms. Still half asleep he snuggled into his mate with a relaxed sigh and fell into sleep again. Tightness Zack hadn’t noticed before loosened in his chest, his pack was together again. Brian took the blankets from his hands and draped them over Jimmy’s lanky form. Brian stroked down Johnny’s back once. “Come on puppy, we’re whole again and now it’s time for sleep.” Zack nodded and felt his way to Matt’s side again with Brian’s hand in his.
*~*~*
Zack woke the next morning when Matt jerked up. He sat up with him groggy and disoriented. “What? Hunters?” he whispered breathing deep to find the source of his mate’s distress.
“Jimmy,” Matt whispered.
Zack rubbed his eyes and shook himself. “Jimmy?” he echoed and turned around. Johnny had his mate in a vice grip pressed as close to him as skin the ocean scent of tears drifting through the room. Zack rolled out of Matt’s arms and pressed his nose between Johnny’s shoulders. “Easy puppy, he’s weak as a kitten,” he whispered inhaling his puppy’s sweet basil scent. Johnny’s muscles relaxed a little but he didn’t let go of his mate. Jimmy’s blue eyes were still a little bloodshot but he gave Zack a wry smile.
Matt’s warm body pressed against Zack’s back. “Jimmy, gods, how the hell did you get up here?” he whispered.
Zack snickered and Brian snorted. “He had a lot of help,” Zack said kissing his mate’s cheek. Matt looked down at him and then at the bigger wolf dubiously. Zack pushed Matt off him enough he could wriggle loose and then pulled him up as well. “My superpowers are none of your concern for the moment. Right now both Jimmy and Johnny need some sleep.” he said. Matt followed him obediently out of the room.
“How did you do that?” Matt asked once they were clear of the room.
Zack snickered, “Brian helped.”
“Did most of the work you mean,” The black wolf interjected coming up behind them. Matt kept looking over his shoulder until Zack shook his arm.
“He’s fine Matt. The sickness is gone he’s just weak and painful.” They started down the stairs and Matt rolled his shoulders.
“Okay,” he said at last, “I trust you.”
“Good.” Zack said skipping the last two steps to the bottom. “Now, we need to get our pack strong again and I trust you know how to do that.” he looked up at his mate with clear green eyes. Matt pulled his mate close and pressed their lips together. He kissed his mate softly testing his limits. Zack was still being standoffish with him but the smaller wolf surprised him and pressed his tongue into his mouth. Matt pulled him closer tasting his mate fully for the first time in days.
“Should I leave you two alone?” Brian’s acerbic voice called from the kitchen.
Zack pulled away with red cheeks and redder lips and dark eyes. “No, sorry.” he turned away from his mate and headed to the back door. “I guess we need to go appliance shopping.” he said to Brian. The black wolf made an unhappy sound in the back of his throat and Zack laughed. Matt closed his eyes and tried to shake off the lingering lust burning through his veins. Zack rubbed his cheek against the black wolf’s arm. “Come on, it won’t be that bad. How are we supposed to feed Jimmy and Johnny if you don’t have a stove?” he asked looking up at him with what Matt knew to be irresistible green eyes. Brian crossed his arms but after a second threw them up again.
“Fine, where’s my wallet,” he grumbled.
Matt snorted and walked over to them. “It’s not that bad, Zack will make it painless.” he cooed.
Brian swatted at him. “Fine, Zack can do it and I’ll stay here.”
“You really want that to happen?” Matt asked with a raised eyebrow.
Zack’s eyes lit up. “There was this really cool fifties teal green fridge I saw at a retro store.” he shifted his weight from one foot to the other in barely contained excitement.
Brian stared at him in disgust. “Are you kidding me?” Matt burst out laughing and leaned on the island top while he tried to breathe.
Zack’s face fell. “You don’t want a teal green 1950’s refrigerator?” he pouted. Brian pushed himself away from the counter, “I’m getting my wallet and my keys and then we’re going to a modern store, with modern appliances that won’t make my eyes bleed and my soul weep.” he said. Zack giggled and stretched his arms to the ceiling giving Matt a perfect view of his supple bare torso. Lust hit him hard and he stayed leaning against the island trying to control himself.
Zack snorted and turned away from him. “Come on, wolf,” he purred.
Matt’s knees weakened and he bit his bottom lip. “Zack,” he pleaded. His mate ignored him and headed upstairs again to get dressed. Matt finally stood up and followed him.
*~*~*
Johnny cuddled close to Jimmy trying to feel every inch of his skin, memorize everything he was again. Jimmy sighed and kept his wide hands splayed against his back letting Johnny’s lips and hands explore him. Johnny pressed close against him again wiggling around until as much of their skin touched as possible. Jimmy let his eyes slip closed again, Johnny’s warm breath on his chest and his scent fresh in his nose he began running his fingers up and down his mate’s spine relaxing him further. Johnny hadn’t said more than half a dozen words to him but had spent most of the morning cuddled as close to him as he could get.
Jimmy’s hand stroked down Johnny’s arm recalling how pliant and soft his body was. His fingers ran over an anomaly. Startled that Johnny’s body deviated from what he had known for the last six hundred years he opened his eyes and examined his mate’s arm. His fingers ran over the scar again, a shade darker than the rest of his skin the heart of it had been stitched leaving a Frankenstein mark but the edges were ragged. Johnny lifted his head and tried to press closer to him nuzzling his chest and collar bone. “What?” he sounded so peaceful Jimmy realized he had tensed up. His muscles began to ache as soon as he realized it and he tried to relax again.
His fingers ran over the scar again and a bitter taste flooded his mouth. “Johnny,” he murmured the little wolf looked up at him and kissed his jaw before resting his cheek on the drummer’s bony shoulder. Jimmy swallowed hard.“Johnny, what happened to me?” he whispered. No one had told him why he was sick, starving, and aching all over. Having suffered through a serious silver poisoning in his younger years he had assumed a Hunter had caught him. Johnny’s arm though, the scar…his home pack had been a violent bunch and more than one wolf had carried the scars of battle.
Johnny’s relaxed cuddle stiffened and he buried his head more in his shoulder with a shudder. “You were…sick,” he whispered after a moment. He ducked his head and his shoulders relaxed his signal that the conversation was over for the moment. Jimmy didn’t pursue the issue but his fingers traced the scar and he stared at Brian’s ceiling with his empty stomach churning.
*~*~*
Zack stood back and looked at the new stove and refrigerator Brian had ordered and Zack had talked the store into delivering that day, “Ht looks exactly the same,” he said with a pout.
Brian stood back with him and tilted his head to the side. “Perfect.” Zack rolled his eyes and perked up when he heard a car door close. Trotting to the front door he had it open as Matt walked across the porch loaded down with groceries. Slipping past his mate he went to the car to get another load with Brian close behind.
“Gods, how big does he think this pack is?” he said looking back at the house with a raised eyebrow. Zack laughed while he finished clearing the backseat of groceries and snagging another out of the trunk.
“Well, we are feeding you tonight,” he teased and then darted away snickering when Brian swatted at him.
After the groceries were in and laid out on the counters Zack perused his options trying to decide what would be easiest on Jimmy’s stomach. He moved salsa and chili beans to the back, nothing spicy for the emaciated wolf. Matt and Brian watched him for a moment before Matt pushed away from the refrigerator. “When you decide what you’re making call me,” he said heading for the porch. Zack nodded not really listening, would soup be too rich? Brian yawned and followed Matt to the porch. Zack watched him go, other concerns clouding his mind. Brian had been acting strange the last few days. He was guessing it had something to do with the female and he was hoping Brian hadn’t offended her or scared her off. The wolf needed something, someone to keep him grounded. Sighing he turned back to his dinner selections.
*~*~*
Brian sat down next to Matt on the porch stairs watching the orange-gold sun begin to sink behind a strip of clouds. Matt had his elbow propped on his knee and Brian was hit with a memory so clear he wasn’t sure which he was living. Matt sitting on a different porch, eons ago, staring into the sunset bathed in orange and yellow. Where had they been? Romania? The Alps? He shook his head hard to dislodge the thoughts creeping fear of becoming lost in time again stealing over him. Matt turned his attention away from a sunset that looked like a thousand others, “Brian?” his voice was soft and focused concern had his eyes boring into Brian when the other wolf didn’t turn to look at him.
“I’m fine,” Brian said in monotone.
Matt rubbed his forehead. “Brian, I’m—”
“Don’t,” Brian snapped at him. Matt closed his mouth but continued staring at him. Digging his fingers into his hair Brian let his head hang while he squeezed his eyes shut. “Just leave it, Matthias.”
“I’m worried about you,” Matt said quietly. Unbidden an image of Terasi emerged in the darkness behind his eyelids. His shoulders relaxed and his hands unclenched and then everything tensed up again. It was just like him to fall in over his head for a wolf he didn’t know anything about. How long would this last? A decade or two, not even that? He opened his eyes and looked out at the strip of concrete glowing red in the sunset.
“How did you know?” he whispered. He could still feel Matt’s eyes on him but the concern shifted more to confusion.
“How did I know what?”
“How did you know…when you saw Zack. How did you know?” Brian tried to blink Terasi away but she stayed rooted in his mind, her smile and eyes silver in moonlight.
Matt’s gaze turned elsewhere. “I…he doesn’t remind me,” the alpha said at last.
Brian blinked and furrowed his brow. “He doesn’t remind you?” he could hear the irritation in his voice and wanted to re-say the words. Why did he have to be angry at everything?
Matt shrugged, used to his sudden mood changes. “When I saw him there was nothing. No assault of memories, no phantom voices, no smells there was just…Zack. It was just him, I had never experienced anyone or anything like him before he was…pure, I guess.” Brian looked at the other wolf his previous irritation dissipating as swiftly as it had arrived. Matt stared into the sunset again the smallest of smiles tugging his lips. “When I see him now it’s all him. There’s no interference from other memories it’s just him; his voice, his smell, his touch,” he laughed softly. “It’s a beautiful cycle every time he touches me I remember a thousand other times he’s touched me and there’s nothing to interrupt it, no random merchant from 1056, no Hunters from 445, no screaming fans from 2000, it’s just him, every moment of it.” Brian watched the shadows grow and bleed into each other and tried to imagine what it would be like to look at someone and not see a thousand other memories. Terasi swam to his mind again and hard as he tried there was no one else she reminded him of.
Barefoot steps walked across the porch and Zack’s familiar scent brushed past him as he kneeled behind his mate and kissed his neck. Matt leaned his head back without hesitation and Zack’s delicate fingers traced down his throat. Brian tried to imagine being that vulnerable to someone and his stomach clenched. He looked away from them at the nearly gone sun with the gnawing hole in his chest burning at the edges. He needed to stay home tonight, again. The wolf at the door had been a warning. “Did you decide what you’re doing for dinner?” his voice was rougher than usual but he made no effort to clear his throat and waited for Zack to answer.
“Stuffed pork chops for us and some chicken soup for Jimmy,” Zack sighed. Brian looked at them again and had to bite his tongue when a smart comment crawled up his throat. Matt still had his throat exposed while Zack stroked his knuckles across the thin skin covering his vulnerable windpipe and further back, his spine. Even after all these centuries seeing The Roman in complete submission to his mate sent a jolt through Brian. Matt had never, would never, submit to Brian like that. Their wolves were both dominant, it was Matt’s human alpha male disposition that made him alpha of the pack and with Brian’s more submissive human traits his wolf balanced him out to a perfect beta. He still hadn’t figured out how Zack with submissive qualities in both human and wolf managed to control Brian’s often headstrong animal side. Zack pressed a kiss to Matt’s throat before getting up. “We better get started or it’ll be midnight before we eat,” he said. Matt rolled his head forward again blinking and shaking his head like someone coming out of a trance.
After another shake he was back to himself and climbed to his feet. “Coming?” he asked Brian offering him a hand.
Brian took his hand and got to his feet. “You know I can’t cook,” he grumbled.
Matt laughed. “But it’s fun to watch you try.”
Brian opted for watching Zack cook and order Matt around the kitchen while sipping spiked sweet tea. “Come on Roman, you can cook over an unsteady flame but you can’t work a stove?” he heckled.
Matt glared at him over his shoulder. “Would you like to try, barbarian?” he growled back.
Zack swatted his shoulder. “He just bought these, I won’t let either of you destroy them,” he said pointing from one to the other with a spoon he was using to stir Jimmy’s soup. Brian ducked his head but a smile tugged his lips. It was nice having the pack in his house, having noise fill the rooms instead of silence. He needed to invite them over more often.
xXxXx
A/N:
I LIVE!
I wish I could put in a gif of Mushu rising from the flames right there. Anyway, SO SORRY! I was chatting with fellow writer SerenityStar on Twitter and she happened to remind me that I TOTALLY FORGOT I DIDN’T FINISH THIS. So, my gods, all the apologies. All of them.
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