Groaning and kicking the cover from her body twenty-three year old Alexandria McCarthy gave the insistently ringing phone on her nightstand an evil glare. 

“Ok already, geez don’t you people believe in sleeping,” Alex said as she stretched her body across her bed to grab her phone. Rolling into a sitting position as she dodged her microbiology book Alex pressing the answer button to stop the horrid screeching of her ring tone

 “You had better be on fire and I’m the only one who can spit on you and put you out in a hundred mile radius Jake!”

“Wow still sleeping I take it?” Jake asked with a chuckle from across the line.

“You’ve know me well enough to know that I’m part vampire. What time is it anyway?”

“It’s almost eight actually, your internal vampire alarm clock must be set to no day light at all. I’m getting off track here, I have some news for you, but first tell me you love me.”

Alex chuckled, Jake would take any opportunity to flirt and waking up a dragon from her sleep was no exception to the rule. Holding the smirk that lit her face from her voice as much as possible she took the bait, “Give me a reason to smart ass.”

“Dr. Benton made the announcement this morning that he is taking 2 students instead of the customary one to Brazil with him this year for the Jaguar Research Program.”

“And what my dense headed friend does that have to do with me at 7:30 in the morning?”

“Since I am such a good friend I decided that I would be the bearer of good news to you and tell you something that will wake you up sooner than your morning coffee. You are cordially invited to Brazil to join his research team.

Alex shot her body erect from her slouched sitting position and waited through the long silence. She had been trying to get on with Dr. Benton’s research program since her freshmen year in college, she didn’t know how it finally happened after all these years of trying, but she sure as hell was glad it had.

“I Love, love, love you right now Jake!” Alex shouted with the largest smile she could muster as she jumped up and down in her bed.

“I knew you would see it my way,” Jake said with a cocky chuckle.

“But there is one down fall kid."

Alex stopped in mid jump and waited for the bad news. “What is it?”

“You have to be ready to leave in 2 days.”

Two days huh, that gave her until Wednesday she could work with that, as long as she started 5 minutes ago wrapping up things.

“Ok Jake got to go. I will be by the lab a little later to get all the information.”

As she was about to hang up she heard him shout. “Hey don’t you even want to know who the other person will be going?”

Oh yeah she did. Most of the people she went to Veterinary School with were complete stuck up assholes because they went to Ivy League colleges and their parents were rich. So what, what difference does it make that her mother worked an average job until she made her dream a reality of owning her own restaurant instead of being a house wife, and that her father was a Marine Officer instead of a big CEO of some worthless company who could care less about the people in it. Her family had character and hard work ethic that most of these other people could only dream of, and she was not going to be ashamed for that. That’s why she liked Jake, he didn’t judge her by her bank account or last name, or let the fact that his parents had money and summer homes ruin the decent person inside him.

Brow wrinkled Alex put the phone back to her ear. “Actually I would. What pampas ass, rich know-it-all do I have the joy to grace with my presence for a whole semester?”

“Well I’m hurt, I’m not that bad am I,” Jake burst out with a chuckle.

Alex smirked, Jake was such a smart ass which was one of the reason they were such good friends. “You received an invite as well?”

“Of course there was no way they could pass my application up with all the extra research projects and intern work I volunteered for last semester. So unfortunately you have to deal with me for a whole semester with no escape of my built in alarm system muah- haha,” Jake joked.

“I’m sure I can deal with it as long as your wake up calls consist of coffee I won’t have to go exorcist on you,” Alex cautioned.  “Look I have to go Jake, thanks for the early morning riser.”

“Anytime kid, hey don’t forget to submit your term paper before 5.” He yelled on a click.

After mentally thanking Jake about the reminder Alex walked over to her desk where her mac book was idling, giving the desktop a slight touch to exit sleep mode she found the folder titled ‘Homework’ and submitted her micro paper.

Looking at the time Alex thought of her schedule for the day and decided she had time for a long Pantene shower before meeting up with Vanessa. Walking across the floor of her downtown Houston condo she made her way to the bathroom and turn the knob to activate the hot water.

Before hopping into the shower that would fully revive her from the all night study session and lack of sleep Alex stopped in front of the painting that hung from her wall of her mother and father.

“I miss you guy, but I know I’m doing something that would make you proud.”

Placing a gentle kiss on two finger she placed them on each of their cheeks and proceeded to her shower.

~~~~~~*******~~~~~~~********~~~~~~~~******~~~~~~~*******~~~~~~~*******~~~~

Vanessa woke with a start to the sound of her screeching pager. She’d been at Texas Children’s Hospital on call for the last 24 hours and it was beginning to take have an effect on her. Hopping from the top bunk of the on call rooms bunk beds she looked at her pager and ran to the front desk.

“Hey Mikah, where is Dr. Finn?”

Looking up from his rounds chart, he gave a brilliant smile that lit up his honey brown eyes. “Hey gorgeous, he was in the trauma block last time I saw him.”

“Thanks!” She said taking off at a run as she put her mid-back length hair in loose pony tail.

After dodging every other person in the hospital Vanessa finally ran into Dr. Finn.

“Dr. Finn I got your page what is the emergency?”

Turning to look at her, “Dr. Clare just who I was looking for, could I speak with you privately please.”

Following him into the on call room she waited for him to speak.

“So what’s going on?” She questioned.

Grabbing her by the arm he pulled her into his body, placed his hands on the back of her head, laced his fingers through her hair and placed his lips gently yet forcefully against hers. Using his tongue he swept her mouth open and began a slow leisurely dance in her mouth. Forgetting everything Vanessa joined in the slow rhythm like strokes of his tongue deepening the kiss and began a fierce tempo that bordered on pure lust. Grabbing onto her lab coat he began to slide it from her shoulders. That’s when she snapped back into reality.

There was no way she was letting this happen. Pushing back from him so that he would release her lips, “Wait a minute Sam, I can’t do this and I have told you a million times over that it’s not going to happen.”

“Vanessa you know how I feel about you.”

“And you know how I used to feel about you.”

Releasing her he took a step back rubbing his hand through his hair in frustration. Turning around with a gust of air, “Ugh Vanessa why are you still holding that against me, that was years ago, whatever happen to forgive and forget.”

“Years ago or days ago I can’t forget just because I’m trying to forgive you Sam!”

“Come on Vanessa don’t you miss what we had? There is no way you can hide your response that kiss.”

“You caught me off guard Sam that’s all. Look if you don’t have anything about work to discuss then I’m leaving.”

Turning around she straightened her hair and coat and left the room. She had loved him like no other before, but there was no way she was giving him another chance to hurt her again. There was only so much heart ache a girl can take and Vanessa had reached her limit with that man.

Two years earlier:

Vanessa was so excited she had passed her MCAT to get into John Hopkins. Everything was on track and going as planned, only thing she had to do now was find the one person she was most excited to tell.

She walked down the side walk almost to her building wondering why Sam hadn’t answered any of her calls.

Beep, “Hey babe it’s me, give me a call when you get this I have great news, bye!”

With the anticipation of a school child she took the stairs two at a time to get to her room. Rummaging through her Louis Vuitton backpack she grabbed her keys and shoved it into the lock.

“Sarah, I have the best news!” Vanessa squealed as she threw her bag and shoes off her feet and ran to the other side of her apartment toward her roommate’s room.

Sarah was the first person she met in college that was not trying to be on her good side just because her last name was Clare, or because of her family connections. Sarah was a true blue person, something that’s hard to find in the world she grew up in. Apart from Alex who had been her friend since she was 8, Sarah was the next thing she had to a best friend.

Doing a quick knock Alex dashed into Sarah’s room and was frozen at the sight she saw. Sarah was jumping off of Sam covering her body with the sheet from her bed. Nessa was stunned, the love of her life sleeping with one of her best friends! What was going on this was supposed to be the best day of her life; she was supposed to be telling Sam that she got accepted into the medical program at John Hopkins so they won’t have to be apart anymore. She was supposed to be planning their wedding she was supposed to be celebrating this with the most important people in her life not this, not this!

Blinking ways tears she walked out of the room.

“Baby please come back!” Sam shouted as she ran after her picking up his khakis and sliding them onto his body.

“Vanessa baby, please stop! Let me explain!”

“Whirling around she yelled, “Explain what? How you were screwing my roommate and supposed to be best friend, or why you have been lying to me about loving me! Take your pick because I don’t see a whole lot of other options asshole!”

“You know I love you Nessa, more than anything.”

“Yeah, but not more than the sex you have with my roommate right.” Tears dripping down her face she looked at Sarah. “And what’s your excuse, you love me too huh.”

Walking closer to Vanessa, Sarah tightened her sheet around her small frame. Her red hair was in ringlets all around her head giving her a bed head look and her green eyes held your attention as soon as she walked into the room. “Vanessa Clare, I wish I could show you the pain that your family has shown me. You have it so easy and you don’t even know it, everyone loves Vanessa oh she’s so sweet and smart! But I can guarantee that you are just like the rest of us and this proves it,” she replied with a sneering smirk.

“Sarah what are you talking about? Neither my family nor I have done anything to hurt you. Were supposed to be friends.”

“Yeah right, friends. You wouldn’t know how to be a friend if I handed you a manual. Your family are horrible people and you are as well, the sad part is that you don’t even know the pain you cause me every day, but it doesn’t matter soon you will, because I am going to make sure that you learn the suffering that your family inflicts on people including me and mine. Getting your so called lover boy into bed wasn’t very hard, what exactly is it that people say exactly, out of sight out of mind.”

Heartbroken Vanessa began to lose her composure, which she never did considering where she grew up. She had no idea what Sarah was speaking of about her and her family, from what she remembers they had never been acquainted before last year in class so how could her family be doing any of these horrible things that she speaks so. She must be delusional

“Nessa I had no idea I swear, it was a complete accident, you have to believe me!” Sam Yelled trying to defend himself as he watch a smirk rise on Sarah’s face.

Pulling her phone out of her bag Vanessa made a call.

“Can we just talk about this please Vanessa?”

“Well my deed is done for now, I will leave you and lover boy to pick up whatever’s left of this relationship.” Sarah walked off with an extra swing to her hips, feeling her accomplishments all the way to her bones.

“BITCH, I will ruin you!” Sam yelled after her.

With a slam of her door and a sly grin Sarah left them together.

Pulling her phone from the bag she’d discarded in joy only moments ago Vanessa pressed the 2 on her phone.” I need you to come and get me right now, I don’t think I am stable enough to drive. And please have Alexandria McCarthy picked up on the way; tell her I will explain later, thank you Fred, goodbye.”

Looking up at the disbelief in Sam’s face Vanessa spoke in as calm a voice as she could muster with her head held high.

“Before you start with the excuses and the sob stories let me say that it won’t change anything.” Taking the princess cut engagement ring from her finger she walked forward and placed it into the palm of his hand.” I am a Clare and I have my pride, Samuel I trusted you and you broke that trust there is nothing more to say except goodbye.”

“Don’t call me Samuel, you never call me that.”

She was deeply hurt but was her father’s child and would show it with every breath she took in this moment. No facial expression crossed her face even though the tears continued to come at will.

Reaching his hand out for her, “Nessa please don’t do this! I love you, you know that!”

Stepping backward to avoid his grasp, “I knew that, now I’m not so sure. Don’t worry our families will continue to work together, there is no way my father would lose the second best money market in stocks he has because of his silly daughter’s broken heart. Good Bye Samuel, please don’t try to call me or come by my father’s place, I won’t be there and my phone will have a new number.

With a heavy heart, a face full of tears, and all the dignity she could hold, Vanessa left the apartment, a back stabbing friend, and the love of her life behind.

Present Day:

Gaining as much composure as she could after such a heated kiss, Vanessa walked back to the nurse’s station to grab a tablet and make sure all her cases and prescriptions were signed off. After ensuring everything was complete she walked over to Mikah sitting at a computer behind the station and flopped into the chair near him.  

“Ugh, Could you please remind me why I do this job again,” she groaned in frustration of a combination of Samuel’s encounter and lack of sleep.

“Hey perk up gorgeous that’s just the lack of sleep talking, being a pedestrian is what you’re made for. By the way have you checked you email lately?” Mikah questioned continuing to type on the keyboard.

“No not since last week, should I?” Vanessa pulled her Iphone from her pocket and logged into her email, reading the message she began to jump for joy bouncing her jet black hair all about her shoulders. Her blue eyes glowed with excitement, “Are you serious Mikah, I got the case study for Dr. Benton.”

“If that’s what the email says then I guess so, looks like we’re going to be studying together for this case.” Mikah said completing the updates on his charts and looking into her eyes with mischief.

“You were accepted too?”

“Yes ma’am gorgeous.”

Jumping up she gave him a hug. She was so excited, this was the opportunity of a life time. Dr. Benton was brilliant, his family built their empire from the ground up producing medicine and cures for disease for years. Even with his family’s name to back him Dr. Benton still holds two PHD’s in research and genetics. Dr. Benton has funded and created some of the greatest cures since the polio vaccination, and being able to work in one of his labs would be a huge stepping stone in her career. As he excitement came down she noticed that her phone was vibrating in her lab coat, taking it out to look at the screen she read the reminder ‘Alex’s Day’.

“Oh no I’m going to be late! I’m really excited and we will celebrate later, but right now I have plans I have to go to. Bye Mikah and congratulations!” At a light jog she took off for the dressing room to shower and dress.

Watching her as she took off Mike couldn’t help but admire the woman with a smile on her face and too much hurt in her eyes.

~~~~~*******~~~~~~~~*********~~~~~~~~********~~~~~~~~*********~~~~~~~*****

Blood pumping, mind racing, eyes diluting, body cringing.

Taking off at a run, cloths being stripped at each twist and turn, claws tearing through flesh, as bones crack to mold to the change taking over the body.

Finally reaching the end of the river, keeping the image of the leopard in his mind, he jumps in enjoying the sensation of the water on his fur and the fell of the hunt pulsing through his blood.

After swimming for a distance of a mile he pounces out of the water crouching low.

The capybara (large rodent) sat there unsuspecting and waiting to be his next meal.

Creeping as close as needed he pounced and pierced the back of the capybara’s skull squeezing hard and making sure to puncture deep with his canines.

After holding and making sure the rodent had taken his last breath, he carried his meal to a decent place to enjoy his fresh kill.

Even as he finished his meal he could not get the too vivid image of the woman with Jet black hair and eyes as green as meadow from his dream out of his mind….