you’re acclimating, our progress.”
I scanned the horizon as if expecting to spot a shrouded figure spying from afar.
“Ahh…so he’s the man behind the curtain? This is a test?”
“If anyone’s being tested, it’s me. He’s put you in my hands from the beginning. He’s letting me see it through. It’s a matter of duty, of completing my assignment.”
“He’s responsible for all this, isn’t he?”
Pain laced my words.
“It’s not that black and white. He gave me the final say. You have only me to blame. Only me to hate for it.” His voice trailed off.
We lie in silence for some time.
Catch can recount his conquests till sunrise, but when it comes to emotions, he is as guarded as they come. I make him feel human. I make him feel whole again. I make him feel.
He cherishes and loathes me for it.
We share a mutual love-hate relationship.
“I didn’t mean to call you an assignment.” Catch cleared his throat. “Force of habit. It came out cold and that’s not how I meant it.”
“I didn’t take it personally.”
He scoops me up, holding me tight as he whispers into my ear.
“Truth is I’m falling for you and it scares me. When I return to the war, I want you at my side.”
Maybe I haven’t given him enough credit. Maybe I am the one clinging to my emotions like a tree to its leaves before the frost set in.
I share his fear. But I don’t share his trust.
Some latent instinct wrenches in the pit of my stomach and I swallow to will it deeper. This winter promises to be particularly brutal.
“This is where you belong. In time, you will see.”
We ascend an embankment at the edge of Central Park, overlooking a pathway.
Catch slinks toward the group of trees and shrubs. He motions for me to follow.
“See the couple down there?”
I can make out the silhouettes of two people holding hands, arms swinging carelessly.
“I didn’t think we were supposed to kill humans.”
“No.” He smiles. “Relax. Just listen.”
After a moment.
“Hear anything?”
“Besides crickets?”
“I can hear every word of their conversation as though I was standing right beside them.”
“They have to be forty yards away, probably more.”
“Focus. Train your senses; you can hear them.”
Skeptically, I obey. First focusing on them, then with my eyes shut, I let my ears do the work. I hear a murmur. My eyes shoot open and I look around, expecting to see someone approaching.
“Concentrate,” he persists.
Clips and phrases become whole sentences and soon I am hearing every word clearly. As the distance between us and them grow, the voices fade.
I open my eyes and repeat proudly, “But your brother’s place smells like rotten fish. Why do we always have to crash there?”
Catch smirks. “Nice work.”
“That’s amazing.”
“Keep working on it; soon it’ll come naturally.”
“I think I can even smell his cologne.”
“No, that’s mine.” He laughs as I give him a playful shove.
“Our senses are heightened, but smell is one advantage the werewolves have over us. Enhanced hearing and smell come naturally to them as it would any canine on steroids. With us it takes more effort.”
“Can you tell if they are wolves from here?”
He shook his head. “Not this far away, but you shouldn’t have to get much closer to sense the difference.”
“And you’ll show me?”
“In time.”
“Bloody hell.”
“Now, my love, that’s my language you’re stealing,” he teases, hoisting me up onto his shoulders.
“You’re rubbing off on me,” I joke.
He spins me around, my legs wrapped around his midsection. He lifts his face to mine and greets me with a kiss.
Moments later we are off and running through the park. A wild blur. As we circle a lake, I glimpse the water and slow my pace. He stops, turns.
“What?”
I crouch down closer to the water. He joins me, rubbing my back.
“You’re not in there. Not anymore.”
“It’s so strange.”
“The water—it’s
I scanned the horizon as if expecting to spot a shrouded figure spying from afar.
“Ahh…so he’s the man behind the curtain? This is a test?”
“If anyone’s being tested, it’s me. He’s put you in my hands from the beginning. He’s letting me see it through. It’s a matter of duty, of completing my assignment.”
“He’s responsible for all this, isn’t he?”
Pain laced my words.
“It’s not that black and white. He gave me the final say. You have only me to blame. Only me to hate for it.” His voice trailed off.
We lie in silence for some time.
Catch can recount his conquests till sunrise, but when it comes to emotions, he is as guarded as they come. I make him feel human. I make him feel whole again. I make him feel.
He cherishes and loathes me for it.
We share a mutual love-hate relationship.
“I didn’t mean to call you an assignment.” Catch cleared his throat. “Force of habit. It came out cold and that’s not how I meant it.”
“I didn’t take it personally.”
He scoops me up, holding me tight as he whispers into my ear.
“Truth is I’m falling for you and it scares me. When I return to the war, I want you at my side.”
Maybe I haven’t given him enough credit. Maybe I am the one clinging to my emotions like a tree to its leaves before the frost set in.
I share his fear. But I don’t share his trust.
Some latent instinct wrenches in the pit of my stomach and I swallow to will it deeper. This winter promises to be particularly brutal.
“This is where you belong. In time, you will see.”
We ascend an embankment at the edge of Central Park, overlooking a pathway.
Catch slinks toward the group of trees and shrubs. He motions for me to follow.
“See the couple down there?”
I can make out the silhouettes of two people holding hands, arms swinging carelessly.
“I didn’t think we were supposed to kill humans.”
“No.” He smiles. “Relax. Just listen.”
After a moment.
“Hear anything?”
“Besides crickets?”
“I can hear every word of their conversation as though I was standing right beside them.”
“They have to be forty yards away, probably more.”
“Focus. Train your senses; you can hear them.”
Skeptically, I obey. First focusing on them, then with my eyes shut, I let my ears do the work. I hear a murmur. My eyes shoot open and I look around, expecting to see someone approaching.
“Concentrate,” he persists.
Clips and phrases become whole sentences and soon I am hearing every word clearly. As the distance between us and them grow, the voices fade.
I open my eyes and repeat proudly, “But your brother’s place smells like rotten fish. Why do we always have to crash there?”
Catch smirks. “Nice work.”
“That’s amazing.”
“Keep working on it; soon it’ll come naturally.”
“I think I can even smell his cologne.”
“No, that’s mine.” He laughs as I give him a playful shove.
“Our senses are heightened, but smell is one advantage the werewolves have over us. Enhanced hearing and smell come naturally to them as it would any canine on steroids. With us it takes more effort.”
“Can you tell if they are wolves from here?”
He shook his head. “Not this far away, but you shouldn’t have to get much closer to sense the difference.”
“And you’ll show me?”
“In time.”
“Bloody hell.”
“Now, my love, that’s my language you’re stealing,” he teases, hoisting me up onto his shoulders.
“You’re rubbing off on me,” I joke.
He spins me around, my legs wrapped around his midsection. He lifts his face to mine and greets me with a kiss.
Moments later we are off and running through the park. A wild blur. As we circle a lake, I glimpse the water and slow my pace. He stops, turns.
“What?”
I crouch down closer to the water. He joins me, rubbing my back.
“You’re not in there. Not anymore.”
“It’s so strange.”
“The water—it’s
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