"Nick, are you sure you're okay?" Lauren called out.
"I'm fine!"
Dinner had been awkward, to say the least. My stomach was still growling; I could have eaten three more steaks if I had gotten the chance. Instead, I had practically licked my plate and spent the rest of the meal relatively quiet, scratching my back against the chair any chance I could.
I studied my reflection in the mirror. I looked tired. I grabbed the bottom of my shirt and pulled it up over my head. My eyes widened.
My chest was covered with hair. It wasn't just any hair; it was the same coarse hair Brian had shaved off of me. The hair was so plentiful that I couldn't even see the scars from the attack. I wiped at the sweat that beaded up along my hairline. My eyes dropped to the sink. I picked up Lauren's hand mirror. My stomach twisted nervously.
I had a bad feeling about what I was about to do. Taking a deep breath, I turned around and held the mirror up. I needed to see what was irritating my back. I twisted my wrist, my eyes trained on the reflection.
What I saw almost made me scream.
There was a protrusion of bone underneath my skin. The skin itself had coarse hair poking out at odd angles; the area was red and irritated.
"Are you coming to bed?" Lauren called out.
I sputtered. "I-in a minute!" I screeched.
I put down the mirror and paced the small hotel bathroom. I turned on the faucet and splashed ice cold water across my face.
My mind whirled. Something was very wrong with me. I vowed that I would wake up early in the morning and find a doctor. It seemed like every time we toured Latin America, something happened to me. Usually it was just wicked runs or a skin-blistering sunburn.
This topped the cake.
I tugged my shirt back on and kicked off my jeans. My legs looked normal. I took a couple deep breaths to calm myself down. My stomach growled again.
"Nick!"
I sighed. I couldn't stay locked in the bathroom all night. I unlocked the door and walked back into the bedroom.
"You okay?"
My eyes devoured the sight that was sprawled along the bed. It was all legs and a little nightie that was so transparent it left nothing to the imagination. A perfect smile lit up Lauren's face. Her hair was down, falling lightly over her shoulders.
"What's this?" I asked.
"You looked so stressed today. I just thought I'd help you unwind."
My thoughts raced. My libido roared happily. The rest of me stayed back. Lauren's version of unwinding required nakedness. My body was sprouting hair faster than a Chia pet. I rubbed the back of my neck. Soaked.
"Babe?"
Lauren's forehead creased. She sat up; her breasts squeezed together. I practically salivated.
"I like this," I said. I motioned towards the little scrap of lace covering her body. She laughed.
"I figured you would."
I was stalling; I needed a plan. Turning down sex would solidify Lauren's assumption that something was wrong. I didn't want to freak her out about...about...this. I exhaled. My suitcase was sitting open on a chair near the bed. A couple of my ties were hanging over the edge.
"You've been naughty," I said slowly. I felt Lauren's eyes on me as I walked over to my case and pulled out the ties. She slid back on the bed.
Once her hands were tied, I relaxed a little bit. If she couldn't run her nails down my back, she wouldn't find the huge hunk of bones that shouldn't be there. I was going to have to keep on my shirt, but hopefully I could distract her enough that it wouldn't be a big deal.
Ten minutes later, Lauren was successfully naked and distracted. I felt like a total geek in my sweaty t-shirt. I licked down her slender stomach. For some reason, just the scent of her skin was driving me nuts. I could sense her blood drumming south as she anticipated me.
Suddenly, even though I knew that she was talking dirty to me, I couldn't comprehend what she was saying. My mind was ceasing to multi-task. Only one thought was pounding strongly over and over again. My nostrils flared.
I had to have her.
The sun was streaming through the sheer curtains when I woke up the next day. I stretched, my arms reaching towards the ceiling. I opened my mouth, yawning loudly. My head rolled lazily to the right.
The bed beside me was empty.
Last night was a little hazy. I remembered dinner. I remembered coming back to the room. I vaguely remembered the feel of Lauren's warm body under mine.
I swung my feet over the side of the bed. I grabbed my boxers and slid them up over my hips. My hand ran over my stomach. I paused. With a clammy wash of dread, I lifted my shirt.
The hair. I had forgotten about my hair. There wasn't an inch of skin uncovered.
"Oh my God," I whispered. I let the shirt fall; I walked towards the bathroom feeling lightheaded.
The bathroom door was closed. I pushed it open slowly. Soft whimpers tickled my eardrums.
Lauren was leaning on the sink. Her head turned slowly; she was pale. I gasped.
Large angry bruises ran up her arms and down her legs. Her hair was matted into large clumps. Dried tear trails zigged down her cheeks.
"What happened?" I asked. She quickly looked away. The silence irritated me.
"Lauren, what happened?" I repeated.
"You," she whispered.
"Me?" I said. I felt myself grow even warmer. "I would never--"
"Something's wrong with you," she said. She let go of the sink; she was shaking. She took a step forward and winced.
"What did I do?"
I followed her out of the bathroom. Every step she took seemed to be agony. She reached her suitcase and began to throw things inside. My heart raced.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm leaving."
"You can't!"
She paused, but she didn't turn around. It was as if she couldn't bare to look at me.
"You weren't yourself last night. You attacked me. And your body--"
She trailed off. She let loose a full-body shiver.
"Is it the hair?" I asked. "I don't know wh--"
"I don't know anything about hair," she said thickly. "You're just...swollen. And strong."
She picked her suitcase up gingerly. The tank top and shorts she was wearing did nothing to hide her battered body.
"Lauren, I don't know what's going on," I pleaded. "Please stay. I'm going to the doctor and--"
"I can't be around you. You--you almost killed me," she said. I knew from the tone of her voice that she wasn't exaggerating. I could practically smell her fear. She slowly made her way to the door. I was incapable of moving; it was as if I was frozen in place.
"But I love you," I said brokenly.
"I--" Lauren said. She shook her head. She opened the door. It closed loudly behind her.
The emptiness overwhelmed me. I sat down on the floor and glanced down. The coarse hair was slowly spreading up my legs.
I hunched forward.
And I howled.
