<div style="background-color:#000000; border:1px solid black; margin:10px 10px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><div style="background-color:#000066; border:1px solid black; margin:10px 10px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><div style="background-color:#003366; border:1px solid black; margin:10px 10px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><div style="background-color:#000000; border:1px solid black; margin:10px 10px; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 5px;"><div style="text-align: center;">___________________________________________________________</div><br/><br/>The callous blanketed the flesh, providing a rough casing to thicken and guard off the otherwise agonizing pain that came with his thumb dotting off the excess ash, smothering out the dying ember as the cigarette came to it’s end.  The smoke danced upwardly, embracing the freedom gifted that would be short lived before the thin line of smoke dissipated to nothing more than tainted air to further musk the purchased room. His body sat slouched, back pressing against the poorly padded backing of an otherwise wooden chair, position against the far wall next to a small table at his side, pointing in the direction of the bed. The end of the cigarette was moved from his hand into the ashtray that was now over flowing with others much in it’s like-hood, furthering the stench that just happened to be a part of the charm of the little motel. It had been a small little stopping place, the walls often seeing some of the worst kinds of people dipping their hands into a variety of illegal activities – much like the one happening just behind the wall the back of his head was resting against. A rhythm of knocking caused some of the cheap artwork on the walls of his room to rattle, they holding a steady beat to the orchestra of lust-fill harmonies a couple sang together that bled it’s way from their neighboring room to his ears. <br/><br/>The term ‘couple’ caused him to scoff lightly, giving these two individuals the benefit of the doubt, knowing more than likely they had been just as much as strangers as he had been to them. He was well aware of the soliciting of young girls, it was a place out of the way and often not stopped at by the authorities. In truth it was one of the best places for the morally wrong, which plays a large part in why he liked to call this place his temporary home.  Screams and hollering of domesticated incidents, sexual vices, and youth hood rats litter the air, giving the occupants one less reason to stick their nose into what their neighbor might have been doing. It simply was allowed, nothing more spoken of it. Thus, Jacoby purchased a room for an extended amount of time, he was capable of drinking his issues away into a drunken rage – break things and holler with little interruptions, just a reminder of “you break it, you buy it” being the extent of his conversations with anyone here– fair enough.  There was something humbling about the fact everyone wanted to keep to their own, something so different from the life he grew up in – the pack he had called his family. There was no secrets there, nothing you could hide. This little cheap motel was something of a haven from all that nonsense he escaped from. Secrets are good, despite what you hear about them.<br/><br/>And Jacoby had plenty of them.<br/><br/>Internally, in this moment of peace – looking upon the slumber prisoner undisturbed, he felt now would be a safe moment to allow his mind to wander from the present, replay the events in his mind like a film that led him up to this current moment in time. His tired eyes allowed his lids to close over the dark hues, the image of crimson painted into view. Everything was red, the color splattering over furniture and walls – coating his hands and clothes clinging wetly to his person. He recalled standing there in the middle of the room, chest rising and falling with quickened pace of breathing, steadying his trembling hands as they dripped with the lifeblood of the corpses gathered around him.  He recalled swaying his eyes from familiar face to familiar face, a pain surging through his chest to see them in such a state – even a moment of denial to own what his monstrous hands had caused. Yet, at the same time there was this tinge of satisfaction, which only broke him further. This had been his family, those he grew up with and those he had led through so much… also the ones whom had betrayed him in the worst possible way. And eye for an eye, but ten fold.  <br/><br/>He remembered the moment he found out the truth, that feeling that overcame him before everything just released from his being, the end result being the slaughter of majority of the pack. It had been his wife, the woman he had mated with many years back, taken by someone he had thought of as a brother – for what cause? A suspicion that turned out being completely untrue? If one could not stand to trust their fellow wolf in the pack, why should that pack be in an existence? – These had all been the things he repeated to himself as he rushed from the house and towards the river to wash him clean of the truth in which he had done. Trying to tell himself what he had done had actually been understandable while the rest of his fought the urge to puke everything up in utter distaste for himself. He was alone, now – would probably be hunted by other packs for the crime he had committed. They would never understand, he was supposed to be above this. He wasn’t, he was too weak. He would continue with this internal battle for weeks, leaving everything he had known behind in the past and moving like a nomad.  Town to town, state to state, he could never sit still for more than a few days. He hadn’t really found a place right enough for him to be able to blend in and just be safe from the world around him. That was till he got himself this motel. Something about it kept people away but brought the right kind of people around. No one would talk about him being here, no one would suspect him to be here. He was in a protected bubble – he simply had to play it safe. He had every intention on doing that. <br/><br/>But then he saw her.<br/><br/>His eyes opened from the replayed nightmare, casting a glimpse after shuffles on the bed brought him to. He blinked through the initial rest that had coated over his iris’s to notice something in the room had changed. The lovers in the next room had been coming off their climax, the other wise nosey complex had come down for the night. It left the only other noise to rest between himself and the girl bound to the bed. Seeing her shift weakly around – fighting to see through the lights of the room and the hazy glare he no doubt was sure she was battling, he didn’t make the first move to approach her. He observed silently, not wanting to disturb that initial moment of innocent thinking that she was alone; he wanted to see what her mind could conjure up in this desperate moment. His body leaned forward only slightly, a light wince from his own wounds he had inflicted upon himself for reasons of safety should they come in handy. He was fairly impressed with how she pulled, found out each limb that would bind down and trying to understand her predicament. Internally, he felt very sorry for putting her in that situation.  Her blonde hair, pale skin, such beauty trapped. Everything about it broke his heart – yet something about her triggered something in him he couldn’t let slip out of his hand. He couldn’t lose her… not again. And then she screamed. <br/><br/>The moment the first screech left her lips; he hopped up quickly and was at her side in an instinct. A hand forced itself over her mouth to muffle the screams, silencing her from disturbing those around them. He tried to hold a nicer grip, one that wouldn’t hurt her but would get the silencing job done. His palm pressed against her mouth, thumb pressing the center of her left cheek while the rest of his fingers pressing against the right – pinch slightly to divide her teeth so she couldn’t nip at his hand too harshly. His other hand moved his index finger over his lips. Silencing her, but allowing her to fully see his features. He turned his head ever so slightly to the side to expose the fresh claw marks that scratched along the cheek, drying blood dabbed in places.  “I’d suggest keeping your mouth shut if you don’t want to end up in jail, you hear me!” He put on a façade, having planned this whole thing the moment he had attacked her out on the woods. Seeing her just walking there all alone, it was his only chance to get her, and he had to have her. It was some kind of painful addiction, he simply needed her, and he needed to get her to not fear him either – not run away. His teeth had bitten into her flesh, sending the infection into her. She was on the way to transformation. She kind of needed him if she wanted to survive… especially for that first shift. So he put on an act, his inner thespian coming to the surface. “I’m going to let go of your mouth now, alright… and we’re going to have a little talk, no more screaming… Blink once if you understand.” His tone was stern, a hint of worrisome hidden under the tone, while a brow arched with the question.<br/><br/><br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">___________________________________________________________</div><br/><br/><span style="color: #000000">line break formatting</span></div></div></div></div>