Chapter 2: Biting Hurts

The next day, I'm fully healed and ready to go. Crowpaw wants to spend this day with me, and we go out to a restaurant in a part of the city I've never been to. I heard it was a bad place to be, and worried.

"The stories about this place aren't true. It belongs to the werewolves, and the stories keep most people from snooping where they shouldn't be."

That's a little comforting. To know they aren't true, not the werewolf part.

"How did werewolves survive, Crowpaw?" I ask.

"We actually had to do a lot of experiments. We couldn't breathe this air, because for us, it was too different."

"Did they hurt? Were you there?"

"I was. You must know that we live an abnormally long time, don't you?"

I nod.

"I was actually dead, so I couldn't feel anything. I was also just a pup. We eventually came up with a way to fix it."

He turns and looks at me.

"You see this?"

Its like a dog tag, but thicker and pasted to his neck, no chains attached.

"This is how we breathe. It has two prongs that go into our lungs. It takes the air, purifies it, and changes it to oxygen so we can breathe."

I look at it in awe and wonder how it works. I've always been interested in those type of things. I want to be a scientist. I looked too closely at the device for his comfort and he stepped back.

"Please... Let's keep going to the restaurant."

I followed along and when we were finally seated, a group of men come over, with their muscles rippling under the fabric of their suits.

"Crowpaw? You have a female?"

They sniff the air.

"She's human."

"I might have her. If I win her favor over that good for nothing vampire, she's mine."

He looks at me hopefully. I blush and look away. What am I supposed to do? All I've heard about vampires from Crowpaw is that they are conniving and manipulating creatures who take what they want and don't even bother to ask questions later. I'll find out for my self soon enough. Why do I have two men fighting over me? Suddenly, Crowpaw clears his throat.

"Did you hear me?"

"Sorry... I didn't."

"I'll be right back, they said there's someone for me outside."

I nod. A few moments later I hear growls, yips, barks and scuffling. Crowpaw finally comes back, disheveled and bleeding.

"Crow-"

"I'm fine. Let's just go. I need healing."

I'm too scared to ask what happened, and he isn't interested in telling me, so, we walk in silence. At this large building, we stop at what appears to be a wall. Crowpaw puts his hand on the wall, and it ripples with blue light, and turns into a door. As we enter, I hear him mumble.

"Why do teeth hurt so bad?"