By George Woodruff

Part 9

The silence was heavy, oppressive, Susan felt her lungs straining to breathe, when she suddenly realised that she was holding her breath.

"What the fuck did you say!" The words exploded from her as the pent up air escaped and she drew in a fresh lung full.

"I said, 'wouldn't you like to know.' In response to your question, 'well boy, what are you thinking?' Didn't you know you could communicate with me telepathically?" The words again echoed in her mind. She stared at Buster in disbelief; the look in his eyes as he stared back at her was serious and intelligent.

"But... how... when... how... wait... how long has this been going on?" she stammered.

"I don't know, ever since you moved in, I've been able to comprehend your every word and intention. And I suspect that you have noticed an ability to intuit my actions," came the reply.

"But not before?" Susan stuck to the topic.

"No... this is the first time I have encountered a human with the ability," Buster replied, and then added "I'd stop speaking out loud, Karen might come down and wonder who you are carrying on a one way conversation with." Susan nearly choked laughing at the mental image. She heard the dog's laughter as well and allowing her eyes to become unfocused, as if she were staring into space, she responded.

"You're right, is this better?"

"Definitely," Buster replied. "So, I have a question, what happened to you that allowed you to do this."

"I don't know, the only thing out of the ordinary lately was the attack a couple of months ago," Susan replied.

"What happened?" Buster asked. Susan began to outline her day, going over it in her mind as she related it. She was fine until she got to the part where the thugs were starting to rape her and her mind had played tricks on her; she had a disturbing realisation. The creature she had assumed was a figment of her distress mind was very much real. As she relived the experience, she saw the drunk in the corner explode into a tall hulking muscled monster that started to raven at her attackers. Deep in the eyes of the monstrous animal she saw pure concern for her.

Buster watched with concern as Susan nearly swooned from the shock of the experience. He got up and licked her hand, not the most appropriate response, but the best he had available to him. The drag of his tongue on her hand caused Susan to start and she nearly fell out of her seat.

"Whoa," she breathed, "what the fuck..."

"Do you know that creature?" Buster asked. Susan could still see the black-brown eyes of the werewolf in her mind's eye.

"No... I don't ..." she mumbled.

"She knew you," he said without hesitation.

"She? How do you know...?" Susan began and then stopped. Buster watched as she too realised that the odoriferous amalgam of rags and discarded clothing had hidden a woman and not a man, a young lithe and strong woman at that. She looked at Buster, suddenly overcome with exhaustion.

"I need to sleep buddy, walk with me?" she asked.

"Sure, let's get you to bed." Susan laughed inwardly as she realised that with a dog, such a statement could never be misconstrued as a double entendre. She turned out the light in the kitchen and in her room as she passed the various light switches. As she settled into a comfortable position, with Buster stretched across her feet, warming them, she drifted off to sleep and had happy uncomplicated and simple dreams that left her feeling refreshed.

Outside, several pairs of eyes watched the house, waiting.