Chapter Thirteen
It was a scent that first drew her back into her right frame of thinking. The scent was faint, but musky and very familiar. The scent of a male, combined with the distinct perfume that distinguished the werekin from any other creature. Commercial cologne lingered on the air.
She took a deep sniff, and the smell flooded her nostrils and sent her senses reeling. At first, her half sleeping mind could not comprehend to whom this scent belonged, but another breath of it awakened her awareness and Rose knew.
It was Jason’s scent. It was his distinct odor. She had inhaled it a million times before. When they coupled with one another or when she embraced him. She knew that scent. How could she have mistaken it for anything else? But Rose could not allow herself to be troubled with that thought. There was something more going on here.
Suddenly feeling a wave of panic, Rose scanned the tree line just ahead of her. The trees were dark and menacing, their branches swooping down like claws. Using the gifts she had been born with, Rose once more sniffed the air, trying to gain a sense of direction.
Unfortunately for her, the thought that bothered her was an actuality. She was right. His scent seemed to point in the direction of those trees.
Taking a deep breath and collecting her resolve, Rose set out at a quick pace. She wasn’t quite running, but not quite walking either. Her destination was the tree line, praying Jason was no farther than that. The menacing shadows haunted her, cold chills had already begun upon her arms, and she wasn’t even near it yet.
The path was old, and overgrown so it was hardly a walkway at all. The tall weeds clung to the legs of her jeans, and Rose had to give a definite pull of her leg to shake loose the briars. She continually searched the ground, looking for any signs that he had passed. The earth was hard packed, but moist from the dew that was now making her shoes and pants wet, and she hoped to find at least a half a footprint there.
Or a paw print.
There was a distinct increase in the odors of the forest, but just Jason’s scent held her attention. Even when combined with the scent of the fresh earth and the woodsy smell the trees brought forth, a werewolf’s sense of smell was greatly accurate in honing in on one particular odor, especially if that odor belonged to one of their own.
Rose had reached the edge of the forest, but to her dismay, Jason was nowhere in sight and the faint scent had become stronger. She could definitely tell he was somewhere close.
Panic still clung to her every fiber, and her heart pounded within her throat. She swallowed it back down. The darkness clouded around her, and she had to admit for the first time ever in her life, she was afraid of the dark.
Never before had she encountered darkness so cold and unfriendly. It had an evil air about it and made Rose uneasy. But her mate was somewhere within that cold lightless place. And she wasn’t going to get to him by just standing here, and certainly not as a human. This would require a wolf’s prowess.
Rose leaned down, her breathing increasing as she unlaced her shoes and slipped out of them. The socks came off too and soon her bare feet were resting upon the cold earth. Its chill went all through her body.
Goosebumps had long since started on her arms as she slipped off her jacket and lifted off her shirt. She took in a ragged breath as the air bit at her exposed skin. For a moment, she thought about not forgoing the risk and putting her clothes back on, but she was soon reminded that her wolfen fur would be more than adequate for warmth.
Her fingers trembled as she undid the button to her jeans and finally slid them down her legs. Lastly, her underwear met the pile of clothes resting at the forest’s edge, and she was ready.
Thankful she was far enough away from prying eyes to parade around in the nude, Rose plunged headlong into the dense thickness of trees. Her breath came out in gasps of fog. The branches threatened her with menacing claws and scratched at her bare skin, but she gave it no mind. Any wounds inflicted here would heal quickly.
Her pace increased the deeper she moved into the impenetrable darkness. Soon, Rose was running fast. Her night vision was excellent, but she did not have the advantage just yet. The cold wind rushed past her and tangled her hair. It burned arctic against her flesh.
And then it began. The shift was happening before Rose even realized it. Her body was bending, conforming to a new shape. Bones popped and twisted with a disgusting sound, and a pain unlike any other consumed her. It slowed her down.
But Rose did not stop the shift. Instead, she held onto it. She closed her eyes tightly as even her skull became more wolfen than human. Blood began to drip from her nostrils as the bones elongated and lengthened her face into a muzzle. Beyond just the half shift now, she was becoming completely and totally wolf.
The hard part was over. Rose bent to all fours, stopping her quest long enough for this. A cry of pain erupted from her as her leg and arm bones popped and re-grew. Her body took on the shape and form of a wolf’s. Her back curved, and a tail sprouted from the base of her spine. A dark pelt of the deepest silver covered her entire body, lighter on her underbelly and legs.
She was wolf. When the pain had subsided, and she had licked the blood from her nose and muzzle, she was ready. Now she had the advantage.
Her long canine legs stretched out as she bounded through the trees. The thick underbrush barely met with her paws as her determination increased. Her speed was ten times what it had been in her human form, and all her senses took on a new level of acuteness.
Jason’s scent was mingled with the scent of earth and decaying leaves, but it was the driving force that pushed her onward. The previously freezing wind was now a gentle caress against her fur. She kept following the trail.
Her mind was no longer dominated with thoughts. Instead, her way of thinking was punctuated with wordless images and emotions. They pulsed through her, and the familiar twinge she had called panic before presented itself to her wolfen form.
It was all instinct.
The trees were become sparser, and new scents mingled in the air. Other animals that lived within this forest and its trees did well to stay hidden. They knew what she was, but she was not here for them tonight. Nevertheless, they shied back into their homes until she had long passed.
Tonight, she was on a search mission, not a hunt. The scent of water became very strong suddenly, and the wolf stopped where she was and sniffed at the air. The water also followed the direction Jason’s scent had taken.
Her tongue lolled from the side of her jaws and the animal eyes searched. There was a creek, and the water washed in its own fashion, slow with Mother Earth’s bearing. Her paws stepped lightly, silently, and she bent until her nose nearly touched the wet earth. She sniffed in the scent of Jason. This was the right path.
But stranger smells combined with his. It was the smell of an unwashed human male. Sweat and natural body odors filled the air. The wolf snorted, and she refrained from growling at the new scent. It definitely was a cause for alarm.
Edging closer to the water, she lifted her head. The earth was very moist and cool where she stood, at the creek’s edge. Her claws sank into the mud and the water licked at her paws. It moistened the lighter colored fur of her legs. The scents had reached this point.
They were gone.
Her heart fell. All the hope she had gained seemed to wash away with the current of the river. But she couldn’t stop here. She had to go on. She would not let the hurting win.
She crossed the water and relished the cool feel of it against the pads of her paws. Once on the other side, she sniffed the ground and tried desperately to find his scent upon the earth.
Pacing along the river bank, nose pressed to the cold earth, she soon found it. Her heart leapt once more, then immediately fell when she made a harsh discovery.
His scent was no longer as strong. Another scent had overpowered it. It wasn’t the unwashed human scent. That scent had grown weaker until it had finally faded away. No, it was something much worse.
A renewed panic overcame the wolf, and her senses ran rampart. Her once subdued fear came back tenfold, reality more horrifying than she could’ve possibly imagined.
The blood was strong, and unfortunately it flooded all her senses. Jason’s scent became so faint she could barely detect it over the rich and overpowering blood scent. Her heart beat wildly.
But she forced herself to calm down. This could be anything. This could be the blood of an animal, freshly killed by a predator. It couldn’t be him.
Even as the wolf tried to rid herself of her anxiety with reassurances of Jason’s safety, a sinking feeling echoed in the pit of her stomach. The blood smelled too much like that of a werekin.
This could not be happening. The wolf lowered her head once more and sniffed at the cool ground. She could not see the blood, but she could certainly smell it. It had been swallowed up by the earth.
The forest continued past the water source, and the wolf quickly made her way into the dense trees and underbrush once more. Whether it was her paranoia acting up or not, she was determined to find her mate.
His scent led this way, though, even more faint now. Her nose was keen and she stuck to the overgrown trail. Thistles and brambles clung to her fur, but she ignored the minor discomfort. Blood dotted along the trail, leaves spotted with the crimson dots.
This could not be happening.
Once more, the wolf set out in a fast lope and quickly left the stream behind her as she covered more ground. Sunlight penetrated the thick trees up ahead and she could see the warm rays streaming through the open places between the leaves. She hurried to escape the cold and unyielding darkness here.
This forest was a bad place, and the wolf knew it. If it hadn’t been for her hunt for her mate, she never would’ve stepped paw into this place.
The blood was stronger here, and more and more droplets were showing upon the leaves. More than just droplets, large puddles of the red life force stained the green leaves and shrubbery of the path. The wolf’s fur once more stood on the back of her neck.
Her run now became a slow paced walk as she made her way out of the forest. Caution was desperately needed. Something didn’t feel right. The wolf considered for a moment issuing a low howl to call her mate, but the idea left her imageless thoughts. It would be too risky. After all, what if whatever had caused this blood shed was still within these woods?
Instead, she moved forward cautiously. There was a clearing ahead, just beyond the border of trees in front of her, but dark shadows still haunted the ground. The wolf’s ears flattened against the back of her skull.
As her silent paws brought her forward, the shadows became less and less dark, and began to take on a human shape. The naked form lay on its side, back toward the wolf, and unmoving.
She kept her gaze steady upon the form as she moved forward. Her nose touched the earth, once more picking up the very familiar scent of her mate. It was much stronger than it ever had been. It caused her heart to drop, and her breath to catch in her throat.
No wonder the figure on the ground look so familiar. Blood pooled from beneath a gaping wound in the chest. The blue eyes were open and staring at nothing.
She couldn’t remember just how it happened, but one moment, she was in her wolfen form, on all fours, staring down at the lifeless form of her mate and in the next, she was human once again. She cradled his head in her arms.
Tears dropped from Rose’s golden eyes, and her cheeks were soon wet and salty. Blood now stained her hands, and she rested her forehead against Jason's cold face. She pulled his heavy, cold body toward her naked form and held him one last time in her arms
Every animal had fallen silent to listen to the mournful cries of a heartbroken werewolf as she lamented the loss of her only love.
* * *
The dream ended there, and Rose shuddered. A gasp issued from her lips, and she trembled in shock. Her eyes flew open, and the frosty air that greeted her snapped all grogginess from her.
She was lying on her back, staring up at the night sky. The roar of cars speeding down the highway alerted her to the fact she wasn’t far from the road. She was laying on something sharp, little bits and pieces cutting into her backside. She realized it was gravel when she heard the crunching of boots not far from her head. A thousand glittering stars winked mockingly at her from above.
She felt so foolish. The dream had caught her once more, unaware. No matter how many times she had had it, it always shocked her. This time had been no different. But she was felt more foolish and confused than ever before.
Rose blinked and started to lift her heavy head, but a throbbing pain screamed at her. She winced and moved one hand to gingerly feel the back of her neck. A lump had formed there.
The last thing she had remembered before this moment and before the dream was clinging to Jason as they raced down the nighttime highway on the back of his bike. It was then, lying on the side of the road amid the gravel of the shoulder, that she realized what had transpired. She had fallen from the bike. The pain in the back of her head did not lessen as she pulled herself to sit up and look around her.
The crunching of gravel underfoot sounded louder and quicker as a pair of feet moved toward her. His voice rang out.
“What the hell were you thinking?”
Tears burned Rose’s eyes and they started to cascade down her face. She had blacked out and had let the dream take control of her. She looked up at her mate. He stood above her and stared. For a moment, he was illuminated in the headlights of a passing vehicle, a vehicle which thankfully continued on their way without stopping. He became a darkened shadow once the car had passed.
His eyes blazed golden, and Rose looked away, hating that he was angry with her. She opened her mouth to speak, but he began before she could get a word out.
“What the hell were you thinking?” he repeated. “Were you trying to get yourself killed?” He gestured with one arm toward the highway.
Rose choked back a sob.
“I had to grab you, Rose. I had to grab you before you hit the pavement. I had to single-handedly bring the bike to the side of the road so you could at least fall while it was not in motion… If I hadn’t grabbed you when I did--”
His rant would’ve gone on for another hour if Rose hadn’t taken it upon herself to interrupt. She found her voice, shaking though it was.
“I’m sorry!” she answered. She lifted herself to her feet, and her head spun with dizziness. Jason reached out a hand to steady her.
She gripped his upper arm to keep from stumbling, thankful for the little bit of support from him. Once she had gained her footing however, and was sure she wouldn’t fall, she pulled away from him. His gleaming eyes burned down upon her tear streaked face.
“I’m sorry,” Rose began again. “I’m sorry, love…” Fresh tears once again threatened, and her eyes began to burn with them. She blinked, and one or two droplets slipped from her lashes. She didn’t know what else to say to explain it. There was no good excuse.
Jason didn’t seem so forgiving. He stood and towered above her, glaring, but once it dawned on him that she was truly sorry, the harsh look on his face softened.
“Come here,” he told her. He opened his arms and brought her into them. He embraced her there on the side of the road. He rested one hand against her silky hair. He calmed his angry emotions.
“You blacked out, didn’t you?” Jason asked softly. Rose nodded against his chest, sniffing away her tears. He closed his eyes tightly. He had already guessed that, and he suddenly hated himself once again for hurting her. No matter what he did, he never seemed to do it right.
He pulled back from her just enough to look at her face. With a gentle smile and a soft touch, he began to brush away her tears. Her cheeks and nose were red from crying.
“Rose,” he said softly. “I didn’t mean to yell at you, but you scared me.” Jason gave a soft little chuckle. “I just wish we could figure out why you do tha
t…”
“I’m just special.” Rose pouted. She was feeling less than chipper at the present moment, and Jason didn’t blame her. Still, it broke his heart to see her like this.
“You think you’ll be okay now?” he asked. One hand rubbed her shoulder in a comforting manner. Rose gave an uncertain shrug and made a waving gesture with one hand.
“I guess.”
Jason tried a reassuring smile, but felt it was too forced. Instead, he embraced her once more, briefly this time.
“We should go then. We’ve already wasted enough time.”
Rose nodded in agreement and followed Jason in climbing back onto the crotch rocket. This time, she made sure to hold him tightly. All tiredness left her, and she was more alert now than she had been in a long while. The aftereffects of the dream disturbed her greatly and she could still feel herself there, holding his blood soaked body close to her.
Just like she held onto him now.
More tears stung her eyes, but she wouldn’t let them fall. Instead, Rose blinked them back, renewed her grip upon him and settled once more for a long ride. Grim determination set within her. She had cried enough.
The motorcycle shot out from the shoulder and back onto the long and nearly endless highway. The cold stung at her wet face, but she didn’t flinch.
The sky was barely beginning to become lighter. Dawn was nearing, and Rose wondered if they would reach their destination before its streaming colors signaled the beginning of the day.
Chapter Fourteen
The drone of the van’s engine had become the lullaby that had sent Claire into a deep sleep. In the cramped space, among the many suitcases and assorted computer equipment, there weren’t many comfortable places, but Claire had managed to find a suitable one. Her head was propped against the side of the van, her neck positioned to the side.
It had a great disadvantage however, and it was at that moment it was proved so. A jolt to the van caused her head to smack hard against where she had it rested. It was more than enough to wake her up.
Sweet Moon Dreams Page 12
