by Sky Winters
Raven tried not to think about it. It was not like she had done anything to try and stop what was happening. Raven had always laughed at her friends who got involved in causes. She had never been politically active or socially aware. Raven knew that she was part of the problem, and that she should have done more, but it all seemed pointless now. There was no going back, Raven decided she needed to focus on what she could control.
Raven watched a white trail dart across the sky and smiled. Nothing ever mattered when you stared up at the stars. Raven was always in awe when she looked at the night sky. She wanted to ask Jordan about what was bothering him and why she couldn’t stay, but she didn’t want to ruin the perfectly good moment that they were having. Instead she grabbed Jordan’s arm and wrapped it around herself. Jordan took his other arm and put it around Raven as well.
As it got later Raven could feel a chill in the air. She headed inside the cabin. “Are you coming?” She asked Jordan who didn’t move.
“No, I am going to sleep out here.” Jordan said as he pulled out a canvas chair and plopped it down on the porch. “I’m okay out here,” Jordan reassured his guest. “I am just going to take a little run. I have to check my nets and stuff.”
“Yeah, okay,” Raven said as she walked back inside without turning back. She was trying to remind herself that she was done worrying about what was going on with Jordan. The fact was that Raven was a strong, independent woman. There was no way that she needed a man, or anyone, to help her survive. Raven took off her shoes and then wrapped herself up in the blankets. It was time for sleep.
The wind was starting to pick up and it sounded like rain was just starting to fall. Raven wasn’t used to the noises in the cabin yet. She tried to drown everything out and just get some sleep. She started thinking about Jordan out on the cold rainy night. Raven knew that he would be back in an hour or so, but she would sleep a lot better when Jordan got back.
The door burst open and Raven looked up to see, three strange men coming in the door. “I told you I saw a fire back here,” a squeaky voice was saying as they started to look around. There was no place to hide. Raven tried to get under the bed. It was futile, but she had to try. She was sure that they had seen her.
The short man who had been speaking saw her first, “How are you this evening?” The man sounded very polite for a home invader, “Boys we have company.” Raven watched the feet in the room as they moved over toward her. A big pair of hands pulled her out from under the bed and dropped her onto the mattress.
As they moved closer Raven noticed the bumps and stretched skin. These men were clearly infected. The lumpers were already scary to look at, but the way they walked toward Raven and the looks that passed between the three strange men made the young woman feel as though she could sense their stares crawling over her skin. She wrapped herself in the blanket.
They had the exit blocked off. Raven knew that there was no escape. Even if Jordan got back, there wasn’t much that he could do about it. He was only one man. Raven laid back on the bed and got ready to kick the first man who stepped into range.
“You got this all wrong sweetie,” the short man seemed to be the leader. He looked as if he thought he was going to convince Raven that she was going to enjoy this experience. The other two men didn’t make a sound. They were each about a head taller than the talker. One had short mouse-brown hair, he had a hugely distended abdomen, but his arms solid muscle. The other man had red hair, and was built a lot more like Jordan, his biggest lump was what looked like a giant mole, the size of a softball, popping off of his arm.
Where are you Jordan? Raven thought as the men got closer. She started to think about things that she could tell the intruders. Like that the place was owned by a biker gang and they would be back any minute. She was still thinking as the two taller men lunged at her. Missing the brown haired man entirely, Raven donkey kicked the red head. He went flying backwards grabbing his nose. The fat man had been expecting his buddy to grab the other arm, but the skinnier man was trying to put pressure on his bleeding nose.
Raven used her free hand to smack and punch at the fat man. The short man was laughing too hard to be of much use. “I told you guys this would be fun,” the short man laughed. His sickening voice was really starting to grate on Raven’s nerves. As she rained down blows on the intruders head, Raven kept focusing Jordan. She didn’t know why, but she felt like she was really communicating with Jordan.
“Will somebody grab her other arm!” The fat man shouted. The short man laughed as he climbed on top of Raven and put a knee onto her arm. As the short man started to undo his pants a familiar low rumbling growl came from behind.
“Uh, guys,” The red head sounded frightened as he tried to get someone’s attention. The fat man turned around first.
“Whoa,” he yelled as he let go of Raven and backed away. “Who left the door open?” The brown haired seemed more annoyed than scared, but his face gave away the fear that he felt.
“Okay, so we are all going to move forward.” The short man said. “If we stick together everything will be fine.”
“Awwwoooooo!” The wolf let out its baleful wail. The short man was the only one who seemed committed to the idea of sticking together. As soon as the wolf cried out the taller men ran. The short man was left to deal with the snarling wolf. Fur standing on end the wolf looked much bigger than the first time Raven had seen it. The shorter man was looking all over the room for something to help him deal with the wolf. He saw a broom near the end of the bed and he stood up to grab it.
In the confusion the short man had forgotten to do his pants back up. As the belt dragged the jeans down to the floor, the short man found himself falling and rolling. The wolf just continued to snarl. The man had forgotten all about the broom and was just trying to run as fast as he could out the door. The wolf followed him to the door snapping at his heels.
As they reached the door the wolf started to stand on his hind legs and his fur started to recede. Raven found herself staring at a naked Jordan. He was watching the thieves run away through the tiny window in the door. Jordan watched to make sure that they all left, and then he turned to check on Raven, but she was already right beside him.
He wasn’t sure how she was going to react. He had never shifted in front of someone before. He was about to try and explain everything to her when she grabbed his face with both hands and kissed him. It was overwhelming for Jordan. He was ready to face many different reactions, but this one he had not anticipated.
Raven led Jordan to the bed and threw him down on the low mattress. Raven got on top of Jordan and started to kiss her way down his body. She stopped to bite at his nipples until they got hard. Raven could feel another area getting hard as well. She kissed down Jordan’s stomach and his waist. Raven licked at his inner thighs. She could feel Jordan positioning himself. Trying to move her to where he wanted more attention, but Raven was only kissing around the aching appendage.
“I need you,” Jordan whispered, “You will be mine.”
Jordan took off her pants with one hand. He stood up with Raven in his arms and her legs wrapped around him. Jordan felt even bigger than he looked as Raven felt him push past her lower lips, deep inside of her.
“Ahhh!” She moaned as she ground herself against her lover. Jordan was holding her effortlessly in midair with his face buried in her chest. Raven had a fist full of Jordan’s black hair as she felt herself nearing completion. Their cries filled the room. She could feel Jordan starting to twitch as well.
The lovers collapsed on the bed. Exhausted and out of breath, they stayed locked together just enjoying the feeling of being with each other. Raven ran her fingers through Jordan’s hair. Jordan was running his finger along the curve of her hips. They didn’t talk for what seemed like hours, but in the very best way. Raven didn’t want it to stop, but she had too many questions.
“So eating a wolf made you a werewolf?” Raven asked when she couldn’t keep things together any longer.
“Yeah, I guess so,” Jordan shrugged. “As soon as I got over the virus I started to feel different, but I didn’t know what was going on. I was along the dock trying to catch some fish. I hadn’t been well enough to fish in a while so I was pretty much out of food. I walking between my lines trying to keep up with the number of fish that were biting that day when I all of a sudden I was in the water.
The worst part was that I wasn’t ever human anymore. I was doing a real doggy paddle. I got to the shore and it took me over a day to figure out how to shift back.” Jordan was staring up at the ceiling. “I have been getting better at it, but I am not really able to control it one hundred percent. Yesterday I shifted on the porch twice, in fact almost every time I left the house yesterday I turned into the wolf.”
Raven was smiling as she watched Jordan’s face going through its tortured motions. “I don’t care about that,” Raven traced the side of the werewolf’s face with her finger. He was stunning in the dim light of the cabin, and most importantly he really cared about her. “You’re still human, even as a wolf, you didn’t hurt me.”
Raven wrapped Jordan’s arm over her as she snuggled up with her back against his chest. She could tell that Jordan was still worried, but now that she knew what he was worried about, Raven knew that they could get passed this. There was a good chance that there was no place on Earth to escape this sickness, but she felt like she was already where she needed to be. She could feel Jordan’s heart beating and she could feel him breathing. For the first time in months Raven felt safe, she felt like she was home.
The sun crept through the cabin window and it crawled across the floor. Raven was already up. Her leg was feeling much better. It didn’t even bother her as she set the table. Raven had made breakfast, she felt like she was getting the hang of using the small, testy gas range. Jordan rolled over, “What are you doing up?” He asked as he put his feet on the floor and started looking for pants. “I don’t mind doing some of the cooking,” Jordan was pulling on a pair of baggy sweats.
“I know,” Raven smiled as she moved toward him. Raven kissed Jordan before handing him a mug of what she hoped was coffee. Raven had never made it without a coffee maker. Jordan made a horrible face, but he forced himself to swallow it.
“Chewy,” he said as he stuck his tongue out and wiped it off. His tongue was covered in loose grounds. The rest of the breakfast went much smoother. Pancakes and pan fried fish were easy enough. “Well what should we do now?” Jordan asked.
“I thought we could take a walk by the river,” Raven said as she watched Jordan trying to strain his coffee. Raven got up and started moving things around like she was looking for something.
“What are you doing?” Jordan was giving Raven a cock-eyed glance.
“I’m just trying to remember where I put your leash.” Raven started to laugh as she ran for the door. Jordan was hot on her heels.
“Woof woof,” Jordan barked as he wrapped both arms around Raven and started walking her toward the river.
“Don’t do it!” Were the last words she yelled before she hit the water.
THE END
A Bride for the Wolf
Chapter 1
My Boston home passed before my eyes, and I squirmed impatiently, wishing the train could move just a little bit faster. I had the unpleasant concern that my parents would rise from their slumber and know exactly where I was. They would somehow be able to come after me and drag me back home, kicking and screaming, to marry that awful Mr. Plumb. I shuddered at the thought of him – he was an old, wealthy man, uglier than sin and meaner to boot. My mother had been determined to see us wed for the past year and now that she had Father on board, it seemed there was nothing left to stop them from sending me off to my doomed fate.
I clutched the newspaper in my hand and looked down at the ad I had circled. It seemed to have been placed there just for me. I'd been desperate to escape the wedding my parents had been planning without my say. Father and Mother had been busy setting up details when I saw the paper lying on the doorstep, perfect and crisp. I normally don't read the paper, but for some reason I felt compelled to pick this one up. Lucky thing I did, too, otherwise I would have been Mrs. Plumb, wife of Mr. Robert Plumb of Boston, Massachusetts within the next few days.
The ad was mysterious and straight forward.
Wanted: Mail Order Bride
I need a wife, but there is no requirement for love or child birth, and you have the ability to do what you please. All that I ask is that you grant me the same. My business is my own.
There was an address listed in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and I read and re-read the peculiar ad over again, my brain working fast. If I married the man who had placed it, then I couldn't be married to anybody else. My doomed fate to Mr. Plumb, who had known me since diapers and always made me feel a little sick when he looked at me, would be nonexistent. I would be able to make my own way, wife of a man who didn't seem to care what I thought of him or what he did.
I knew Mr. Plumb was much different. He was always seeking attention and approval from the people around him, especially women like Mother and I. He, and everybody else it seemed, thought she and I were the prettiest women they'd ever laid eyes on. It would have been flattering but for the slew of marriage proposals that I received, setting my parents on a quest to make sure I was betrothed to Boston's most eligible bachelor.
Unfortunately, Mr. Plumb was the wealthiest, and he had known my father for many years. When Father was just a boy, Plumb had apprenticed him as a banker and done him a great kindness, launching him into a wealthy career. I grew up in a fine, luxurious home with a wealthy father and expensive tastes because of Mr. Plumb's interest in my father. And so when he asked for my hand, Mother thought it only appropriate to return his kindness by handing me directly over.
I could tell Father was reluctant, but soon he agreed with mother's logic. Mr. Plumb would officially be a part of our family, elevate our level in society, and see to it that I was well-kept. Poor Father would be devastated when he realized I was gone, but maybe he would understand how much I hated Mr. Plumb. He hadn't liked the idea of sending me off to marry him at first, we all knew of the man's monstrous habits, especially toward women. I doubted he would question my reason for wanting to escape. The whole thing gave me a headache the longer I thought about it. Instead, I turned my thoughts to my destination, a wind of excitement fluttering in my chest.
The Sierra Nevada Mountains. I had heard many tales of the west as a girl growing up and had dreamed of going there ever since I was a child, but I had been so sheltered from anything outside my town that nothing could prepare me for the realities of country living. I knew it would be rough and tumble, but that was all part of the allure. I was excited and confident even though I knew it could be difficult for me to adjust. Either way, I knew that a life of adventure and mystery would be better than a lifetime of living out the role as Mr. Plumb's obedient little wife. That's not the life I imagined for myself. Instead, I had always longed for adventure, and a chance to move out from the restrictive life I lead for an opportunity to finally live on my own terms. That's what the ad had promised.
I had to take the chance that a new life in the mountains would be better than the life I lived at home. The man I was meant to marry there might just be better than Mr. Plumb – chances were low that he could be any worse. I was eager to live the types of stories I had always heard from travelers and friends of the family who had been able to enjoy areas of the countryside that I could only dream of, and decided from that point on to keep my focus on the trail ahead of me and to never look back.
Chapter 2
I wakened from a deep, unsound sleep to discover that the train was pulling to a stop in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. My heart thudded quickly, and I hoped that the man, who signed his letter with the mysterious initial, “B.,” had received my correspondence telling him I'd bought the ticket and was on my way. He had mailed me a letter with the fare for m
y train ticket and a generous amount as a stipend, claiming it would be dangerous to travel with any more money than that and that I would receive my full payment upon arrival. He was right, of course. A lady traveling alone was just asking for trouble. I kept to myself and tried to ensure that I wouldn't stand out, keeping the curtain on my compartment drawn.
Now that I had finally arrived, I felt nervous and briefly reconsidered the safety of my actions. I had just enough money for a return ticket back to Boston, but there awaited an even worse fate. I could take up with a group of hobos and run away, where I didn't know, but my looks were certain to attract danger to myself in that scenario as well. I had one last chance to change my mind, or change my life forever.
I took a shuddering breath and stood on shaky legs, walking toward the exit of the train with the small suitcase of belongings I had packed. “B.” had told me I would be provided with plenty of outfits if I wanted to travel light, and so I'd only chosen the best two dresses I owned and a few personal affects to bring along with me on the journey. The bag was light but burdensome, and the conductor tripped all over himself to help me carry it off the train, setting it tidily beside my feet as he walked off to tend to other passengers. His eagerness brought attention once again to my attractiveness, but I had no time to think anything of it, good or bad, as I was nearly sick with nervousness.
Suddenly, a clear voice rang out from the crowd.
“Daisy Adams?” he asked, with an intoxicating southern drawl. Gooseflesh on my arms stood out, though I couldn't put my finger on why.
I nodded dumbly, unable to locate the face that belonged to the voice in the crowd. Soon, I was looking into the broad chest of a tall man in flannel. He looked down at me and I gaped in disbelief at his kind, handsome face. His eyes were narrow, the brightest shade of blue I had ever seen. He had a strong and philosophical look about him. I imagined he spent a lot of time working with his hands and exploring the stunning scenery of the mountainside. Of all the people I had imagined meeting when I answered that ad in the paper, this exceedingly masculine man wasn't even on the charts.
