Back in Black(out) [open]

[Jamie Ryan McKinnley]

He could see everything. Even under the moon's soft glow and the darkness that encompassed the night, the male could make out every single detail around him. He could see the flash of a cat eye in the distance, could clearly hear the rustle of grass as a serpentine slithered past. The slightest gentle evening breeze licked his skin with electricity. But as attentive as he was to all these details, he couldn't do the simplest thing. He could not form words or even scream. He didn't know when or where he was. Didn't even know who he was. All the male knew was he was hungry. So fucking hungry. A rush of movement from the right turned fairly glowing miss-matched eyes toward the sound a moment before the big hairy beast exploded after it with the velocity of a freight train. The bobcat didn't even see him coming. It just had the briefest widening of black eyes and the slight flare of nostrils and then the great creature was upon it. There was no time for humane at this point. The term 'human' applied little to the situation. The larger creature landed upon the smaller with a weight so great it crushed bones. Incapacitated, the bobcat could hardly struggle before massive jaws closed around its neck and put out the light of life. The feline's blood spewed across the beast's elongated muzzle and coated the jagged, bared teeth. His black fur became coated with the vibrant crimson, and it took all the creature had not to roll around in it. Drinking from the spewing flow, the male felt a rush like he never had before. His limbs, just moments ago far too heavy, were powerful weapons capable of destruction. When he noticed the limp figure still hanging in his massive paws the male twisted the body as if to wring all that was left out of it. A drunk man holding the drained bottle to his lips and hoping for a miracle. Indeed his hunger was sated but he wanted more. Dropping the dead animal to the ground the male found something of his voice. He howled at the moon and sprang into the darkness to hunt once more. ------------------------------------------ Daylight peeked over the horizon as a bright, warm kiss on Jamie's skin. He did not pry open his lids knowing he could not bare the glare yet, but yawned and smacked his lips, rolling over to get more comfortable. The sensation was altogether surprising. McKinnley's orbs shot open to greet the day and he took a moment to take in the alien surroundings before bolting upright. Grass. He had been sleeping in the dew damp grass... How long?! And why...why was he naked?! Jamie hurried to cover his manhood with a big palm as he glanced around; dazed and confused. He'd blacked out again. But what the hell had he taken and when? The young man tried to recall the last thing he'd done but found nothing in his memory but darkness. What. The. Hell. Where was his truck and where were his fucking clothes?! Jamie glanced around the unknown woods and then down at his bare form. Blood. It was all over him. All he could see and smell. The male imagined he could even taste it in his mouth. Panicking, Jamie limped over to the trees for more cover. "Oh fuck." he mumbled, knowing full well that if anyone saw him like this he was bound for the slam or worse, the looney bin. Hot-footing it through the forest Jamie couldn't focus on anything past the satisfying copper coating his tongue. He wanted to be worried about what ( or whose) blood covered him and why he was lost in the woods and unclothed, but something deep within him clung to the knowledge whatever happened had been right. That was just fuckin' crazy! He must have done something horrible. He probably hurt, if not killed someone. Jamie sprinted through the trees pondering his sanity. The blackouts had been happening more frequently but this was the first time he had...he had...whatever the fuck he'd done. He just knew it! Stopping short, Jamie blinked at the sight of his beat up Chevy smooching with a big ole tree. All thoughts about what he'd done took a virtual backseat. Man, he was so screwed. Hurrying over, the male inspected the exterior damage and sighed when he realized there was no way he was driving that POS out of here. Pacing around a little and worrying even less about his state of undress, Jamie figured he must have gotten ripped off his ass, wrecked the truck, and then taken it out on the first poor son-of-a-bitch he'd come across. Still didn't explain the lack of clothes, though. God he hoped there hadn't been any fucking necrophilia going on! That realization didn't explain the mouth full of fuck me that he found all over his lips with the swipe of his tongue, either. Climbing into the cab of the vehicle, Jamie grabbed a duffel from the floorboard in the back and rifled through until he found a pair of jeans and a tee-shirt. Nice thing about living in your car was your whole wardrobe was always right there. The lanky young man wriggled into his jeans and pulled the RAMONES tee over his head. Oh shit, there was crap still in his hair too! Taking a deep breath to clear the crazy, Jamie wet a palm with his tongue and swiped it over his crown a few times. It would have to do for now. To hell with this. He needed to move like right fucking now. Pulling on a pair of work boots that had been resting in the floorboard too, the big guy threw the duffle across his shoulder and climbed out to go around to the rear bumper. The license plate came off just in case, and then he yanked a small tool box out of the bed. Might as well take the rest of his belongings with him... Yup. That was it. Jamie hoofed it down the shoulder of the highway for a while until an 18-wheeler pulled over to give him a lift. The only thing he had left was his job at that seedy strip club, and so knowing he had a shift later that evening, he had the trucker drop him at the nearest off ramp to the dive. He walked past a few pay-by-the-hour motels that lined the road knowing that he didn't have the cash on him for a few hours let alone a night. He kept on walking until he got to a little coffee shop that was a few blocks away from the Shakey Jane's, shoving his things behind the dumpster before going in. Jamie sat in a back booth until the sun went down and then sat a little longer. His shift didn't start for a few more hours and he really didn't have anywhere else to go. "Can I...get you another coffee?" The young waitress/barista shifted anxiously from foot to foot and looked anywhere but at his face. He frowned and leaned sideways to look past her at the trio of girls who'd been whispering and staring for the past few hours. "No." He said huskily and stood up, shuffling to the bathroom one more time. He had already scrubbed his face until it was pink and raw and washed the left over whatever it was from his tousled brown locks a few times. Now he just stared into those empty miss-matched eyes and felt more soiled than ever. Ignoring the relieved looks the employees gave him when he came out of the bathroom and went straight for the door, Jamie ducked outside and leaned against the brick façade, glancing toward the strip club. He so wasn't in the mindset for that shit tonight. Jamie sighed and pulled a pack of smokes from the pocket of his jeans, shoving one between his lips.

[Deleted]

Kay had been at the coffee shop doing the same thing as Jamie before getting ready for waitressing at the strip club and that was getting herself a hot cup of coffee. Decaf to be exact. She couldn't chance the caffeine too much anymore being a few months pregnant and boy did she miss her caffeine! She had been leaving a tip at the counter when she heard someone walking out the door, sounding rather unhappy and turned in time to see the back of his head. She frowned, her brows creasing as she wasn't sure but it almost seemed like Jamie who happened to be one of her coworkers. Sort of. They didn't know each other too well but he had bounced a few men out on their asses for being quite drunk and getting fresh with her which she had thanked him for.

Quickly paying the tip, she hurried out after him, chancing in calling out his name even though she'd been unsure if it had been him or not. "Jamie!" She called, trying to catch up with him without going too fast. She didn't need her unborn child bouncing around in her belly getting all sorts of brain damage nor did she want to chance the possibility of that. She had already been scared enough that the baby would come out like her husband who was a werewolf and luckily she was currently separated from.

[Jamie Ryan McKinnley]

Jamie drew in deep; savoring the smoke in his mouth, his lungs and then letting it escape through his nose. His boots started hitting the pavement, but at a snail's pace. He was all messed up in the head and hoping no one messed with him tonight during his shift. His mood was all bared fangs and reaching claws. Vicious. But he couldn't lose his job. He needed the money, man...especially now that he wouldn't be sleeping the truck. Damn. Fuck. Damn it to hell. Jamie knew that one fuck up on his part and he'd get tossed out on his ass. Drawing in on the coffin nail again, the young man kept his head down and his feet moving. But thought he heard his name being called from somewhere close. It was weird. Couldn't be him. People didn't know him. They didn't talk to him.   But he spared a glance over his big shoulder and what do you know? The female that was tailing him looked familiar. She worked at the club too and they'd had the same shift a few times. She was probably on her way to work too. Still, it was weird. The male was surprised she knew his name cause he sure as hell didn't know hers. Didn't really care to, either. So he kept on walking, twisting his head back around to face front and taking another drag off his cigarette. She was pretty much right behind him on account of his slow gait. "What?" One syllable. And his voice was all gravel and his head was down again as he watched the pavement rather than where he was going. He was big and ugly enough people usually got out of his way.

[Deleted]

Thrown back by how he reacted, Kay found herself still and unsure, placing a hand on her belly as her first instinct was to protect her unborn child but she was also stubborn and didn't put up with anyone's crap. Then again, maybe Jamie didn't mean to react the way he had. He honestly seemed like he was in a bad place. Perhaps he could use a friend right now which she herself wasn't much use to because of her often snippy personality but they worked together so she had been more gentle given the situation and the fact he had helped her out a few times as well.

"I was just wondering...if you were okay?" She asked carefully, removing her hand from her belly and placing both into her jean pockets. Her baby bump was still not as noticeable yet but in a few months it would really be showing. Right now she just looked slightly round like someone that might've been a little bit bloated from eating too much. Only a few people she worked with knew of her pregnancy including her boss but was unaware if Jamie knew or not. Did he even know her name for that matter?

[Jamie Ryan McKinnley]

Jamie cringed at the sound of his own voice. Why the hell couldn't he be nicer...especially when people were just trying to me civil? Because people were only considerate when they wanted something, didn't they? Yeah...that's pretty much the only reason people ever spoke to him...when they wanted something. Like protection from a drunk customer who was gettin' too grabby or a smoke when they found their pack empty. The momentary remorse for his attitude faded as quickly as it had come on. The strip club door man remembered the chocolate haired woman from the dive. He recalled he had helped her out once or twice when a patron had gotten out of control. But that was his job. Not like he did it 'cause he was some kind of hero or gentleman... Glancing over at her at her now that she had caught up to him completely, Jamie's miss-matched eyes fell down to the hand that covered her stomach protectively. Women usually lifted their fingertips to their necks when he got too close for comfort, as if he might be the Boston Strangler or something. That or they would just turn away, not keep up the pace with him even though he had verbally blew her off. Even though she was terrified of him ( he knew that somehow, and wasn't that fucked up?), the dark-haired woman remained at his side; the same slow pace toward the dive where they worked as he had. "It's....it's been a long day. Sorry." Jamie meant the word even though the apology left a bad taste in his mouth. And her too-rapid heartbeat pounded like music from the club in his ears. The male shook his head as if to clear it. No way he was really hearing that shit. Must be more after-effects of the black out, but damn didn't it make him think he was losing his mind.

[Deleted]

"It's okay, everyone has those days." Kay replied, even her for that matter. Her life had made a major downward spiral after catching her husband cheating on her then finding out later she was pregnant with his child. A werewolf's child too. That was a terrifying thought to have. Then she had to drop out of college because she could no longer afford it with her pregnancy. She needed a job more then she needed school right now with a baby on the way. After getting a job as a waitress at the strip club, her life is been okay from there, for the most part. But now it was moodswings and vomiting, and everything else that came with being pregnant.

Taking a deep breath, she breathed out slowly, joining Jamie at his side where she offered him a comforting hand by resting it on his shoulder. "I know we don't know each other well outside work but if you ever need to talk, I'm here to listen." She gave him a reassuring smile, her motherly instincts once again kicking in.

[Jamie Ryan McKinnley]

Jamie wasn't an asshole on purpose. Okay, well...maybe he was, but it was a defensive mechanism he'd had in place since he was a little kid with a runny nose and Spiderman pajamas. Children could be so cruel, and the young Jamie had learned early on when you came from a fucked up background like he had, it was either be bullied or -be- the bully. Naturally with his scar and his size, he had turned out to be the latter. Besides, pushing people away was just easier than trying to deal with all the bullshit. People always left. They always let you down. Jamie figured keeping folks at arms length saved both him and them a lot of, well...pain. So when someone like Kay tried to be friendly, the young male didn't honestly know how to respond other than natural reaction. "I don't need to talk. I don't need a friend. What I need is to work my shift and get through until tomorrow. That's all." Jamie had absently slowed down to a stroll to accommodate the female. His voice, though the words were blunt, were less harsh than before. He wasn't trying to be hateful. He really, really wasn't. Until she touched him. Kay's light hand on his arm was his utter undoing. Physical contact, no matter how kind, was something he just could not handle. Jamie's big body tensed up; his muscles bunching up like a great beast ready to strike. Unbidden, a growl came up out of his throat. Pulling away from her hand, he said darkly, "Don't do that. Please." The last word was said through clenched teeth.

[Deleted]

Kay didn't know trying to be nice for a change would get her in the predicament it did with Jamie. Nor did she think offering him a comforting hand could do so much harm as it had. "Okay," She responded in a small tone, slowly withdrawing her hand from him and holding it against her chest with the other, cradling it as if she were afraid he'd bite it off when he snapped at her the way he did for touching him. Even growling like he was some type of beast that wanted to chew her up and spit her out.

She suddenly felt overwhelmed and like she wanted to cry. She didn't know if it was sudden fear she felt or overwhelming hormones that made her feel this way. "I'm...sorry Jamie..." She stuttered to apologize, eyes filled with fear as she shuffled her feet uncomfortably. She even sniffled a little to keep herself from bursting into tears. Not being very used to being yelled at but usually the one doing the yelling herself. "I was just trying to be nice..." She didn't know about him but after this, she was going to have a difficult time getting through her shift with Jamie being there. Maybe they could get through this. She didn't know how but they could try. Or, she could anyway.

[Jamie Ryan McKinnley]

The werewolf hated to be touched. Really, truly did. He hated it more than the freaking scar on his face and the roaches that he could hear scurrying across the paper thin sheets of his motel room at night. He hated it more than not having a fix or running out of cigarettes. Hated it more than his whole fucking life. But something he loathed even more than all of those things were tears falling down the cheeks of a woman. Especially if he had caused them. Jamie winced when he heard the trembling in her voice and glanced over, noticing the woman's sad eyes had filled with moisture that sparkled in the moonlight. The young man let out a heavy sigh and stopped in his tracks, turning toward the female so that he could look her directly in the face. "It was real nice," He told her in a quiet voice that was full of remorse and took one last drag from his smoke before flicking it out into the street. "Look...I...I appreciate the...nice. I just don't like being touched. Even like that." He was referring to her kind gesture as if she had split his skin open with a dull butter knife. "Don't be sorry. You didn't know." He shrugged and then cocked his head in the direction of the club and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans again. "We should probably get a move on if we're gon' make it to work on time. And...if I ever need to talk, you'll be the one, okay?" Maybe he really would confide in the woman someday. You never knew what the future would bring. He doubted it though. Felt real bad about her tears...but doubted it. When you were a loner as long as he had been it was harder to open up and let it out than to keep it inside and let it fester.