11 The smell of death

~Noelle~

Waking up at five am is normal for me…but waking up at 12pm, what in the world? This bed is either doused with sleeping medication, or I've never had a good sleep in my life.

I'm inclined to believe the first. Though the latter, could possibly be the truth. I can't seem to care. What I do care about, is why the day is fucking dark? The time read 12pm on the clock when I came too from my long nap. I expected Kiki to wake me up considering how loud she was the day before, and her promise to come and get me for my first test.

Training? I think, my mind is foggy from the sleep. But to my surprise, not only did I sleep like a log, I wasn't abruptly shaken awake. I should be happy, but I don't fancy change. I was expecting her to have me up by eight, so they can test my speed and all the other nonsense Lunas come with.

My eyes, still trained on the darkness outside, flutter as a chilling cold crippled through my spine. I slid out of the bed, and a grimace covered my face.

"What is that stench?" the rotting, decaying smell of raw flesh was pungent in the air. It was similar to the one I'd perceived the week Dante came to get me. I scrunched up my nose as a distasteful thought filled my head.

It could be true. I'll have to ask to know. What if….that smell….is like a warning signal? Telling me something bad is about to happen?

Only one way to find out. I took long strides to find Dante. I don't want to talk to him, but he seems to have a freaky amount of knowledge on the virus. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. From what I've heard, he's a good alpha. That requires having information on what can harm your people. So you can exploit them.

Ha! I've discovered his plan.

These people might not be able to see it, but I won't be-

The ground beneath my feet shakes, and my orbs catch the sight of a woman but before I can grasp her face or anything noticeable about her. My body slips, and the world around me spins. Vibrations rock the foundation of the house. Items clatter to the floor, some crashing and others roll down the hall. The smell increases as my back hits the floor with a soft thud.

I'm quick to get back on my feet, dashing across until I'm in the living area.

"Micah!" I shout, my dog- er wolf- straitens her ears high, but refuses to move from her position next to the window.

It's shaky but I manage to make my way over to her, crouching and wrapping my arms around her neck. She huffs, nuzzling my throat and dropping little kiss to my cheek.

"You need a breath mint." I sigh, rubbing her fur. My body jolts up and down, moving from one side to the other. I clutch Micah, wondering to myself, how is she not reacting? Her body firms the floor, everything quakes around her but she remains in a stiff position. Like the earthquake is nothing compared to her will to not move.

I almost laughed when the murky scent is suddenly replaced with a woodsy musk.

Dante! Crap. I swear to hid the feeling of insects crawling around my stomach. I think I ate something bad. Or my dinner is threatening to climb back the way it came.

Micah barks at Dante's entrance, I couldn't help whipping my head around to see him. He stood between the hall and the living room, shirtless leaving his bare chest open for free pickings. Not that I would want to pick anything off that steel made firm pectorals or titanium abs. Nope.

On his shoulder was Lynx, she sat on the right with a white small thin stick in her mouth. She waved to me, and as awkwardly as I could, I gave a single wave in return. Her smile is bright, and she doesn't seem bother or even frightful of the tremors happening all around us. My vision draws back to Dante, who's looking at me with his signature emptiness that makes me want to slap the tooth right out of his- his-

GODDAMNIT! I GOT NOTHING.

'You are just a delight.' He muses in my head. I roll my eyes back.

Dante crosses into the room, right up to where I'm pressed up against Micah. He kneels and Lynx flops to her feet like a little princess, giggling. Am I the only one bother by the shaking happening right now? He waltzed in like nothing.

Not tripping, or slamming into objects, nada. What the fuck?

"Can someone explain what the hell is –"

A loud shriek rumbles through the walls, and the shaking increases. Lynx falls forward, and my arms are quick to reach out and grab her. I pull her closely into me, worry flooding my gaze.

"Don't stand, you'll get hurt." I puff out. The shrieking doesn't end, and my pulse quickens. I find Dante's eyes and ask him through my mind.

He slows moves his body, for a large man, that move was elegant as hell. He maneuvered his form to sit, without falling to his flat. I couldn't have managed that. But he did. He made it look easy. Like an earthquake is happening and you want to sit, just sit.

I tightened my lips to refrain from making rude comment. I have so many questions to ask. One is about that woman.

'What woman?'

I flinched, something tips from above. I bent my head back just in time to see a book heading for my skull. I covered Lynx with my body but nothing happened. She breathes heavily, I can hear the irregular beats of her heart.

A shadow is casted over us, and we both lean to see Dante. His arm pulls back, dropping the book next to his knee. He stretches out his arms and Lynx gently breaks from me to crawl into his lap. Hugging him tightly. She shivers in his arms.

I'm in awe, watching Dante softly pat her hair, he presses his head to hers. Saying something, but not for me to hear. Lynx calms shortly, but the earthquakes persist.

I cleared my throat, somehow hating that I have to break their adorable moment. There's an ache in my chest, I don't know why.

"About the lady, is there anyone else in the house?"

Lynx turns so I'm staring into her brown eyes. I swear, this kid gets cuter and cuter each time I see her. Stay strong, Noelle, they can't get you with cuteness.

"No, we don't have people around."

Her father nods making me feel out of place. If there was no lady, then who the hell did I see?

My nose twitches again, the smell is pulsating now. I gripped my shirt tight, heaving loudly as my lungs try to fill with something clean.

'Noelle, what's wrong?'

"There's a smell. It disgusting."

Something flashes in Dante's eyes.

'I need you to duck your head down, and block your ears.'

His command leaves me confused. Especially when he rises suddenly, placing Lynx on top of Micah. Dante dashes out of the room. One minute his here, standing all tall and powerful, and the next his gone.

What kind of super speed is that? I thought the doctor said enhanced speed! Not ultra vanishing speed.

A bell rings and the shrieking comes to full stop. The bell continues, that even I can tell that it's a warning signal. But for who?

"He's warning the watchers, and guards outside to get to a safe, closed space." Lynx answers my unasked question.

She sinks into Micah, happily stroking the wolf's fur.

"Why would he need to warn them about an earthquake?"

I'm sure they can call feel it for themselves. Why do they need a warning?

"No, the birds. He's warning them about the birds."

My quzzical expression has Lynx breaking into a fit of giggles.

"I don't know how, but papa says the birds are bad. They do this thing with their eyes, and they feed off flesh. They even eat the brainless the same way the brainless eats them." She explains.

As the bell comes to a stop, the shrieking starts up again. I turned to the window, pushing the blinds aside only to drop it when a large, black, beast zooms through. It's red eyes flashes into my head, it's all I can see.

I scream out my discomfort, those beady eyes cause my head to thump. I dugs my nails into my scalp, trying to ease the pain lacing through me. Something strong grips me from the back my nape, and the floors shake harder.

'I gave you one simple order. Do you have any fucking idea what those things will do to you?' Dante's voice growls into my head. Strangely enough, his voice comes as a cooling aid to the loud pain around my head.

My lips part, I try to say something. Anything. But my throat feel dry, and I come up empty.

Warmth seeps to my skin, the red eyes are replaced with crescent moons that are a perfect match to the ones I recently obtained.

'Listen to me, Noelle. You're going to be fine. You're going to be alright. It won't hurt for long.'

Is Dante, and I mean this politely, comforting me?

He shifts my weight, balancing my head on what I hope is not his chest. I can't live with that knowledge. I'm reacting badly to him already. This would only make me think about it.

'God, your mind is hell hole. I'm just helping. Unfortunately, you're my Luna. I know how to care for you. Now just breathe.' I'm insulted. I am not anyone's anything. 'Oh how I wish. Now take a deep inhale, count to five. Exhale and repeat.'

I was inclined to say something snappy back to him, but my head insisted on just listening to him. I don't even know what possessed me to take a peak out of the window. Dante was clear with his instructions. Duck, and block your ears.

By my third inhale, I noticed how quiet everything has gotten. The quakes are no more, the birds, everything is silent. It's unnerving.

The half moons disperse, my eyes lids draw up.

The first thing I noticed was Dante's neck. And to avoid another wave of embarrassment, I wiggled out of his hold, feeling a strange disappoint that he didn't hold me tighter. Maybe I should pay the doctor a visit.

I crawled on my knees and hands, stopping once again next to Micah's snout. She was fast asleep now, letting out little snores.

I pushed to fingers to my forehead, trying to get a grip. The headache is gone, but my body feels strange. The bad stench is gone too. I think it's safe to say that the smell comes with danger. It's my very own warning bell. As cool as that is, I can't help the questions that are slowly coming in.

"You have a very nice scar on your bum." Lynx's words breaks through the fugue of silence.

I shifted my look, lifting one of my eyebrows.

'You have a scar under you left ass cheek.'

My cheeks flame with heat. Lynx nods.

"Uh, that was…uh, an accident. I was running from a brainless and in the process of getting away, one of its claws….." wait how did they see that? I dropped my eyes, gaping like a fish at the sight of my underwear out in display. Shit! I forgot I slept without pants.

'You mean to tell me that the brainless saw no place to scratch but your ass?'

I'm not having this conversation. Nope, not happening. I didn't move, but I gave him no response. What's wrong with the scar? I've never thought about it before. I was trying to run away from it, I sucked away from its attack but a claw had ended up ripping my skin there.

"I think it's cool. I like it. You're pretty awesome. Living all those years by yourself….I can't. It would be too lonely." She mumbles. There are hints of sleep in her voice, and soon, Lynx joined Micah in snoozing.

Leaving Dante, and myself, alone to talk. Perfect.

"I thought birds were immune to the infection?"

'They are.'

I blinked severally, waiting for him to put some more context behind his answer.

His sliver eyes releases something in my chest. That ache eases off.

'It's just a theory, but I think they were genetically engineered. Because I've seen birds eat infected flesh, they either died or remained unharmed. Those things don't feel like birds.' His shoulders rise and fall as he shrugs.

What?!