THE AWAKENING

Cassidy couldn’t escape the feeling she was being watched.

And it wasn’t the first time she’d felt this way.

A shiver of apprehension crawled up her spine and rattled her skull as she hurriedly walked home. The walking path was illuminated by the barest of street lamps — budget cuts within the city had eliminated bulb replacement — and it was her bad luck that she didn’t own a car and so had to walk home from the university.

Normally, she enjoyed the time to herself to walk home. But lately, she couldn’t shake the feeling that eyes were on her, watching her every move.

Of course, the dreams didn’t help either.

For the past week, she’d woken out of a deep, almost drugged sleep, sweat-soaked and achy as if eaten by a fever, and oddly, aroused.

It was disconcerting and a bit embarrassing considering the men in her dreams weren’t exactly men but more like beasts.

Thank God she lived alone. She’d hate to have to explain her behavior when she didn’t have a clue what was going on with her body or her mind.

The bite in the air signaled snow was coming and she pulled her scarf tighter around her neck to ward off the cold. Almost home, she noted with relief, when the old apartment building loomed in the darkness.

A sound, much like that of a coyote or wolf, echoed in the night and she startled at the mournful sound. What the hell?

her step, her heart thundering in her chest. Probably someone’s dog, she told herself

there were actual wolves running around

So stop freaking out.

even as the stern advice seemed rational, she continued to jump at the shadows from the moving foliage, until when she stepped onto the paved parking lot of her

and leaned against her door to release a shaky

Cassidy…get a grip. No one

tossed her backpack to the table and went straight

her eyes lighting on

weird moment, she pictured herself ripping into the package and devouring the raw meat, slurping the blood as it ran in rivulets down her

the errant thought, she deliberately shut the door and grabbed a box

as she munched on the crackers and tried to ignore how

meat, not

she thought, returning the box to the cupboard. Her stomach cramped from hunger and she almost doubled

What was wrong with her?

caving in? This had to be some kind

over like she was dying. It wasn’t likely her professors were going to care about her stomach issues when she