Chapter 30 Aurora
Aurora
I wake up like I got bitch-slapped by my sleep paralysis demon. No idea why. Just full-body panic shakes at three in the fucking morning.
Am I ever getting a full night’s sleep again?
But then I hear it.
Is that someone pounding on a door? It’s too close to be the front door.
My mind slowly drags itself awake, and then it clicks—Louie!
I leap out of bed and race down the hall to her room.
“Hello? Where the fuck am I? Aurora? I need to see Aurora! Something’s wrong! I’m … I’m human?”
Her panicked voice cuts through the locked door, and my heart breaks for her.
“Louie …” I call softly.
“Aurora! Thank fuck! You’re alive! Where am I? What the hell happened? What did that goddamn wrakh do to me?”
Her voice is hoarse from yelling, and I’m pretty sure she’s on the verge of a panic attack.
“Louie, breathe. Ezra told me not to let you out until you’re calm, and I really need you out here with me.”
“Where the fuck is that shadow twat? He’s responsible for this! He’s trying to get rid of me!”
“Louie, I know you’re scared. I remember waking up after Jameson attacked me and being terrified. But when I saw you there, I instantly felt safe. I know your body is a little … confusing right now. But I’m here and I want to help you.”
The hellhound pants on the other side of the door, struggling to regain control of her emotions.
She’s not the only one barely holding it together tonight.
If I help her calm down, I can let her out of this stupid room.
Because I really fucking need her.
And it sounds like she really fucking needs me.
“You asked where we are. We’re in Ezra’s house. I didn’t feel safe in the cottage after the attack, so he’s letting us stay here for a little while …”
I wait. Nothing. The bugs under my skin stretch and stir, just enough to set me on edge.
“Louie? You still with me?”
“Yeah, I think I’m alright. Can you tell me what happened? I think it might be best if I hear it on the other side of this door … just to be safe.”
Poor Lou. She sounds heartbroken.
“Sure, although I don’t really know the specifics. When Iain reversed the forgetfulness spell, it kind of broke something magical inside of you. Ezra told me that some hellhounds can shift into humans.”
I’m trying to be careful with my words, so she doesn’t panic again.
“Shit, yeah, that’s right. I feel like my memories are there, but fragmented? I remember some things, but not others. I can’t remember if I’ve ever taken a human form before. I came to you when I was pretty young. And if your mum had that spell put on me … Ugh, my head really hurts.”
Louie sniffles, then whimpers, on the other side of the door.
“I’m so sorry my mother did that to you. I know her intentions were good, but it must be painful to find your way back. I mean, if you’re more comfortable, can you shift back to your hound form?”
I’m so frustrated and feel so powerless to help her.
“I … don’t think I can shift back,” Louie sobs. “I already tried. My mind feels so fucked up. I’m sure I’ll be fine in a few days, but until then, I’m afraid you’re stuck with me in human form. How the fuck do you even live in this hairless meat sack?”
She sounds feisty again, which is a good sign.
Running to the bathroom, I snatch the key Ezra left for me. I jam it into the lock and rip the door open, my arms freezing mid-reach.
Jesus Christ.
Louie’s sitting on the bed, haunches tucked like she’s still a hound, except now, she’s butt-ass naked. Her tangled hair is a mess, her skin smells like wet dog, and—holy shit—she still has fangs!
She leaps off the bed and into my arms, nuzzling my neck and sniffing my hair like a deranged golden retriever. At just five feet tall, human Louie is weirdly tiny, especially compared to her massive hellhound form.
“Aurora! I’ve missed you so much!” she yells, then licks my face.
“I missed you, too! But … um … I think we need to have a quick chat. Maybe I could get you settled in the bathtub, and we can talk while I help you clean up?”
Jesus tap-dancing Christ, this is going to be a nightmare.
Louie has no fucking clue how to be a human. If she’s stuck in this form for days, or longer, her odd behavior could make things difficult.
“No! No, no, no! I won’t take a bath! I hate getting wet. You know that!”
Louie steps away from me, crosses her arms, and sticks her chin up in defiance.
I gently place my hand on her arm and softly squeeze.
“I totally get it. But if you’re stuck in this human body, we need to make sure you know how to act at least a little human. I’m seeing Eve and Thane later this week, and if I have a naked girl in my house acting like a dog and smelling like roadkill in the rain, things are gonna get weird.”
I pause, then add, “Also … Thane knows what I am. He doesn’t know about you, so no Cujo shit if they come over, okay?”
Louie snorts condescendingly, then says, “That fucking himbo doesn’t know his arse from his elbow. I doubt he’s on to you.”
She’s wrong, but I’m too tired to argue, so I turn my attention back to getting Louie into the bathtub.
I shoot her a small smile and try not to gag.
“Come on, Lou. Let me help you clean up. Just a quick rinse, I swear.”
I hesitate, then add with the most innocent voice I can muster, “Didn’t you say I was your mistress once? And that you had to obey me?”
Ugh, I hate pulling that card, but I’m running on fumes, and her wet dog funk is making my sinuses burn.
Louie narrows her eyes at me.
“Yeah, I said it. Not fair, though, dragging that up.”
She lets out a huff that sounds more like a growl. “Fine. Lead the way, mistress. Teach your dumb little human lessons. Christ, I did not sign up for this.”
She grumbles the whole way down the hall, muttering curses so creative I’m tempted to write them down. I fill the tub, adding my eucalyptus and mint bubbles, while Louie sits her bare ass on the floor, looking ready to square up with the concept of cleanliness.
“Okay, Lou, time to hop in!”
I’ve never had to hype someone up to take a damn bath.
Am I supposed to talk to her like a dog or like a person?
There’s no handbook for training your hellhound when she suddenly turns human. If there was, it’d definitely be written by Grady Hendrix and feature detailed, blood-spattered instructions and hand drawn diagrams. I’d pre-order three copies.
Louie dips her toes into the water, then growls. “It’s fucking freezing, Aurora! Are you trying to give me hypothermia?”
“Lou, that’s as hot as the water gets. If it were any hotter, we’d be dealing with third-degree burns.”
After a fair amount of grumbling, Louie finally gets into the tub. A snippy little growl builds in her throat while I shampoo her soft hair and explain how she should wash her body.
“I can’t believe you have to do this every day,” she huffs. “Oi, where’s that old fucker, anyway? I’m guessin’ he hasn’t ditched you since we’re staying in his house.”
“Ah, so that’s a bit of a story …”
While Louie runs a soapy washcloth over her body, I tell her about Renato, his request, and how I almost killed a powerful, well-connected vampire.
Louie’s response is as fiery as I expected.
I love how undomesticated she gets when she thinks I’m in danger.
“That bastard has done nothing but put you in harm’s way since you met him, Aurora! Christ, can’t you see that?”
“Lou, that trouble with Jameson would have found me either way. We both know that. Ezra saved me. And … I need him. He knows more than I ever will about this supernatural shit. I don’t mean to be crude, but he’s the only one I’d ever—fuck.
I don’t know. My hormones are staging a Les Mis-sized revolution.
One ovary’s aggressively belting ‘Do You Hear the People Sing?’ and the other’s screaming ‘Vive la Chatte.’”
I groan, already regretting everything I’ve ever said out loud.
“All the nice, normal, human men out there, and you fall for the ancient shadow whore with a bookshop. Un-fucking-believable.”
Maybe I should have left her in that room a little longer.
With a tired sigh, I rinse Louie’s hair, help her out of the tub, towel her dry, and hand her some clothes.
“And what the bloody hell am I doing with those, Aurora?” she asks, standing stark naked in the bedroom with her arms crossed over her chest again.
“Wear them, maybe? Humans wear clothes, Lou. You might as well start now.”
I shove the pile of clothes at her.
“Alright, alright, you don’t have to get pissy with me. I’m just asking, is all.”
While Louie fights with the clothing I gave her, I sit on the edge of the bed, trying desperately to ignore the pain and exhaustion waging war inside my body. After a few minutes, the mattress dips beside me, and Louie’s arms wrap around my waist.
“I’m sorry, Aurora. I’m overwhelmed, but that’s not your fault.”
She exhales hard, pressing her forehead to my shoulder.
“No one did anything wrong here. Not even Ezra, I guess. You, the ancient twat, and that grumpy asshole wrakh helped me get my memories back. I just … wish they weren’t so scrambled. But I know you all tried, and I should be thankful.”
Lou shifts closer and nuzzles into my neck.
It feels familiar—until it doesn’t.
“Lou, I love you, but it’s … different when you do that as a human.”
She pulls back slowly, curling in on herself as her lips press tight.
Oof. My heart.
“But I was thinking we could sleep together in Ezra’s bed. I could use the company, and I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be alone right now.”
Lou’s posture straightens as she flashes me a bright, fanged smile.
“I would like that very much, Aurora. Plus, I’d be close enough to hear any danger coming our way, even though human ears aren’t worth shit,” Louie grumbles.
Her grumpiness is even more adorable when she’s in her human form.
I climb into bed, then watch Louie as she crawls to the end of the mattress and awkwardly curls into a ball.
Helping her adjust to her human form is proving more difficult than I expected.
I clear my throat to get her attention, then pat the space beside me.
“Lou, why don’t you sleep under the covers? It’ll be more comfortable in that body.”
Louie perks up instantly, practically bounding up the mattress before diving under the duvet. She exhales a happy sigh and digs into the blankets, claiming them for the pack of one she clearly believes she is, then turns to me with a sleepy smile.
“Human bodies are so fucking useless,” Louie mutters, already half-asleep.
I turn off the bedside lamp, sinking into the duvet with a small, weary smile, happy to have my protector back.