Walking With Coyote

Eyes drooping, still clutching Ezili Freda's red lacy fan, Masha locks the door to her flat and manages remove her boots before falling onto the bed, exhausted. She is asleep nearly as soon as her head hits the pillow.

***

"Can you do some of your mojo to help?" Chi's smooth voice full of worry for his sister-lover Pera, and Masha decides to place trust in the hands of Ezili, her first mait tete, the one with her since birth. Maman Ezili, lwa of grace and beauty and fierce possessiveness, owner of her head since she barely opened her eyes. Masha drew the veve, made offerings particularly favored by her, recited the regelmen, rattled the asson, sang the song that Ezili loved so much and as always, when the lwa came it was like a spike of lightening from the crown of her head to the tips of her toes. She welcomed it, feeling the ecstasy of total trust and passivity, submitting her body for the use of one of the most ancient ancestors of Vodou, Ezili Freda Dahomey. Vaguely, she felt her body convulse and Chi's strong hands under her head and shoulders and it was and wasn't like at the peristyle when dozens of hands would support the ridden as the rider mounted.

At the crisis of the experience, it was like consciousness tunneled into a pinprick and became instead a sense of floating, of not-awareness, of hovering somewhere around her own left shoulder without seeing or hearing or feeling anything that was happening. It was so peaceful, a sense of security, of being cradled as a powerful loving and protective force took over her body and all the responsibilities of having one for a time.

And then the call, and it was like waking from a dream or sliding into a pair of perfectly fitting shoes and this time as she came back, a whisper of knowledge from Maman, tasting like lipstick and perfume. Call Ezili into the woman, it said and as her eyes sprang open and as she rose from her knees, Masha did just that, seizing hold of her asson and using all the training and power bequeathed her as manbo of Societe de la Rose Blanche. The other presence, it was male and strong and it wanted her in a way that both terrified her and sent a cramping knot of longing low into her belly. Of course, Masha knew he wanted Ezili, for who did not? Finally, just as she felt Ezili Freda slip into the body of her friend Pera, this other presence it lunged for her and exposed a set of vampire fangs in Pera's mouth, closing fiercely on Masha's neck.

A wave of dismay, non, non, Ezili does not touch the dead! but it was too late and she somehow told Chi to kiss his lover, call her attention, which he did. Staggering to her feet and bleeding from the wound, Masha managed to make her way back home to her little apartment on the ninth floor.

***

Masha tosses and turns, beads of sweat on her forehead, and she gets up at some point to strip herself naked, so hot, tossing the bloodied shirt into a corner and ignoring the dried blood on her collarbone. The wound throbs and she ignores that too, so so hot. She goes to open the window and just leans there, her forehead pressing against the cool glass, nearly falling asleep and starting when she begins to fall. Shaking her head wildly, Masha pours herself a glass of water and drinks thirstily before laying down stark naked on the nearest sofa, falling again into sleep and dream.

***

"I'm hungry." The conversational tone rolled over Masha and she turned to look at the speaker, knowing and not knowing him as was so often the way in dreams. He was tall with skin dark like hers only with a reddish cast. His hair was stark black and silky smooth, pulled back into a loose tail, and there were red feathers tucked haphazardly through the strands. She blinked at him and realized she was being held close against his naked chest, hairless and smooth and radiating such heat. They were lying nestled and bare in a nest of furs within the coolness of some sort of cave and she could see the hot sun of the desert blazing outside the rocky opening. She stirred and their legs slid against each other, and it felt so natural she didn't even worry. Her bottom was cuddled closely against his front and then she did flush, sitting up to stare at his lean features, the eyes a perfect amber. "Who are you?"

The man grinned, the teeth blindingly white in his dark face and it was such a carefree, open and honest smile that Masha grinned in return, laughing delightedly when he swooped her back into his embrace, rolling them about on the furs until they were so entwined Masha couldn't tell where she ended and where the man started. He brushed a sweet kiss on her lips and they parted as easily as a leaf opening for the sun. He whispered to her, "I am Old Man Legba's gift to you. Remember, cher?"

She shook her head slowly, mesmerized as he closed the small gap between their lips, and again as is the way of dreams, Masha abandoned herself to his warmth, his touch and best of all, his scent, musky and warm and alive, so alive. Their bodies joined and it was a tangle of limbs and sweat and furs and finally blood when he sank himself deep. His expression was fierce and possessive and he licked at her lips as he taught her the ancient rhythm of mating, their scents combining to perfume their cries. When they peaked, her head tipped back, releasing a keening call of triumph and surrender to echo off the cave walls and she felt his own call twining and weaving about her own, a concert of primitive music, high and eerie and joyous.

***

Masha moans as she thrashes on the green couch, her body bathed in sweat, her hair plastered to her forehead and neck. Heat pours off of her even as the wound on her neck seems to be closing. She sits up suddenly, eyes staring at nothing, and just drapes there on the sofa, limp, until awareness seeps back into her mind. Bathroom. Masha pulls on her discarded pants and shirt and nearly falls as she moves to open the flat door, catching herself against the knob and clinging to it. She nearly weeps at her weakness and the heat that seems to surround her like a swaddling oppressive cloak. Urgent matters take over however and she manages to get to the bathroom through sheer force of will, doing what was needed and crawling the final feet back to her flat. She finally does weep with relief when she makes it back within, on hands and knees, head dangling, before collapsing to the carpet and falling deep into the chasm of sleep.

***

She was running, the grasses whipping past her flanks and she sees her mate just ahead, his full bushy tail flying low behind him. The deer was ahead of them both and her scent was amazing, fearful, and Masha knew she was already theirs, even if the deer did not. Her mate looked back at her over his shoulder, tongue lolling in a wide coyote grin and she wore the same expression, the wind whipping past her muzzle and roaring along the tufts within her furry ears as they took turns trotting or sprinting to harrass their prey.

Finally, the deer stumbled and fell and they both drew up, legs stiffening instinctively before pouncing. They buried their teeth into the deer's neck, ripping it open to reveal the sweet hot life's blood and the flesh beneath. Masha and her mate ate greedily until their bellies were full and distended, gorging on the bounty before flopping back into the tall prairie grasses, shoulder to shoulder. Masha dozed for a bit, waking to hear her mate snapping and growling as other lesser predators started to encroach, but his posture was only half hearted as they were well fed. She barked eagerly, and ran off through the grasses, tail low like a foofy flag behind her, knowing he'd follow, unerringly heading towards the scent of water running through the nearby wood, finally splashing into the rocky creek, and burying her nose happily in the clear running water.

Masha lapped thirstily then rolled in the creek, soaking her thick fur thoroughly before climbing to the opposite bank where her mate already lolled. She snorted through her black nose at him, making a pretense of stiff legged stalking before playfully pouncing on his back and the two of them rolled in the dirt and leaves, amber and cream fur flashing in the dappled sunlight coming through the tree cover. Finally, they broke apart and stood together, lifting their muzzles to the sky and singing their triumph into the approaching sunset.

***

She was choking. Gasping, Masha pushes herself up to her hands and knees on the green carpet, staring down at the large veve she'd marked there without understanding what she sees. Hot, so hot. She pulls and claws at her clothing, ripping it, desperate to get air, her mind unable to sort anything but the need for freedom of movement. Something was clawing at her stomach and she feels ravenous, her eyes wide and golden, and her head moves slowly, nostrils quivering as she seeks out the source of the breeze coming into the flat, finally zeroing in on the open window. She moves swiftly and perches there as easily as if it were two feet from the ground, large tail dangling behind her into the room. Her muscles clench and she leaps in a long lazy arc right out the window to the parkland below, landing with surprising grace. She tips her head back and sings her success to the Midian moon, yipping high and long.

Lowering her head again, Masha crouches low in the torn pants and nearly shredded sweater, her hair loose and wild about her face, her coyote ears high and listening. Her eyes narrow to slits, her mouth opens slightly as she sips the air about her, nose lifted, then sets off at a lope. Rabbits abound in the Midian park.